Crowder on Wizards' all-black 'funeral' plans for Celtics: 'That's cute!'

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article_body => "The Washington Wizards <a href=\"http:\/\/www.csnne.com\/boston-celtics\/wizards-celtics-were-going-bury-you?int\" target=\"_blank\">plan to roll into tonight\u2019s game against the Celtics donning all-black clothes, as in a funeral procession<\/a>, a sign of solidarity and an omen of sorts for a game that they hope ends with them burying the Celtics.   When Jae Crowder was asked about the Wizards all-black gear, his initial response...\u201cThat\u2019s cute!\u201d   More than anything, the Wizards (24-20) are putting a significant amount of value into tonight\u2019s game. A victory would extend their home winning streak to 14.<\/p>\nMeanwhile, the Celtics (26-17) come in looking to snap a two-game losing streak.   \u201cThis is definitely not Game 7 or the playoffs,\u201d said Isaiah Thomas. \u201cBut if they want to take it that serious, they can.\u201d   The idea to arrive at the Verizon Center donning all-black was hatched by Bradley Beal, who has some contentious moments, to say the least, with the Celtics recently.   Celtics coach Brad Stevens knows all about the funeral talk which to him is just that, talk. He\u2019s more concerned with his team doing what they need to do in order to win.   Nothing more.   Nothing less.   \u201cAt the end of the day, good basketball teams are physical,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s a line you don\u2019t want to cross. Ultimately, you have to be appropriately physical at a high level. It\u2019s about playing well, focus on your next task at hand. This is a great opportunity to see where we\u2019re at.\u201d<\/p>\nIn the Celtics' 117-108 win over the Wizards on Jan. 11, Beal was whistled for a flagrant-1 foul after getting into it with Marcus Smart.   Last season, Beal was on the receiving end of a left forearm to the face from Smart, who was driving to the basket at the time. The blow resulted in a broken nose for Beal in addition to spending time in the league\u2019s concussion protocol program.   And then there\u2019s his backcourt mate John Wall.   He was fined $15,000 for his role in a postgame incident with Jae Crowder (who was fined $25,000). Crowder pushed Wall\u2019s nose with his finger, which led to Wall retaliating with a slap towards Crowder\u2019s face.   And when the two met back on Nov. 9, Wall was hit with a flagrant-2 foul (an automatic ejection) when he threw Smart down hard to floor in the final moments of a Wizards win.   The Celtics have a few games that have become more physical than others recently, but there\u2019s something about this Celtics-Wizards matchup that brings out an elevated level of feistiness.   \u201cIt\u2019s just all talk; that\u2019s all it is,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cI guess they taking it and running with it. I don\u2019t know what it is. I [saw] the funeral and the all-black thing last night and I just laughed about it. We\u2019ll be there tonight for a game, not a funeral.\u201d  <\/p>\n"
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Celtics

The Washington Wizards plan to roll into tonight’s game against the Celtics donning all-black clothes, as in a funeral procession, a sign of solidarity and an omen of sorts for a game that they hope ends with them burying the Celtics.

When Jae Crowder was asked about the Wizards all-black gear, his initial response...“That’s cute!”

More than anything, the Wizards (24-20) are putting a significant amount of value into tonight’s game. A victory would extend their home winning streak to 14.

Meanwhile, the Celtics (26-17) come in looking to snap a two-game losing streak.

“This is definitely not Game 7 or the playoffs,” said Isaiah Thomas. “But if they want to take it that serious, they can.”

The idea to arrive at the Verizon Center donning all-black was hatched by Bradley Beal, who has some contentious moments, to say the least, with the Celtics recently.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens knows all about the funeral talk which to him is just that, talk. He’s more concerned with his team doing what they need to do in order to win.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

“At the end of the day, good basketball teams are physical,” he said. “There’s a line you don’t want to cross. Ultimately, you have to be appropriately physical at a high level. It’s about playing well, focus on your next task at hand. This is a great opportunity to see where we’re at.”

In the Celtics' 117-108 win over the Wizards on Jan. 11, Beal was whistled for a flagrant-1 foul after getting into it with Marcus Smart.

Last season, Beal was on the receiving end of a left forearm to the face from Smart, who was driving to the basket at the time. The blow resulted in a broken nose for Beal in addition to spending time in the league’s concussion protocol program.

And then there’s his backcourt mate John Wall.

He was fined $15,000 for his role in a postgame incident with Jae Crowder (who was fined $25,000). Crowder pushed Wall’s nose with his finger, which led to Wall retaliating with a slap towards Crowder’s face.

And when the two met back on Nov. 9, Wall was hit with a flagrant-2 foul (an automatic ejection) when he threw Smart down hard to floor in the final moments of a Wizards win.

The Celtics have a few games that have become more physical than others recently, but there’s something about this Celtics-Wizards matchup that brings out an elevated level of feistiness.

“It’s just all talk; that’s all it is,” Thomas said. “I guess they taking it and running with it. I don’t know what it is. I [saw] the funeral and the all-black thing last night and I just laughed about it. We’ll be there tonight for a game, not a funeral.”