Boston Celtics vs. Washington Wizards Game 7 Prediction: Will Isaiah Thomas Or John Wall Advance?

The second-round series between the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards has been responsible for some of the ugliest games in the 2017 NBA Playoffs, but it’s also produced the two best words in all of sports—Game 7. The two teams will meet Monday night, looking to earn a shot at upsetting the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

They say anything can happen in a Game 7, and that certainly rings true for the upcoming contest at TD Garden in Boston. The play of both teams has been largely unpredictable over the course of the last six games. On some nights, it’s clear why the Celtics are the East’s No.1 seed. On others, the Wizards look to be the better team and the biggest threat to the Cavs in the conference.

Home-court advantage has been the one constant in the best-of-seven set, even though it hasn’t mattered much for the rest of the playoffs. Prior to Washington’s Game 6 victory, home teams facing elimination were just 1-10 this postseason. Neither the Celtics nor Wizards have won on the road, and the difference in some numbers based on the location of games is stark.

This probably shouldn’t come as a surprise to the Wizards, who had twice as many road losses as home losses in the regular season. The team is giving up 125 points per game in Boston, compared to 94 points per game in Washington. Bradley Beal is scoring 24.3 points on 18 shots per game at Verizon Center and just 19 points on 17.7 shots at TD Garden.

For the Celtics, Isaiah Thomas is averaging 34.7 points on 23 shots at home while scoring 19.7 points on 15.3 shots on the road this series. The splits for Avery Bradley (20.3 ppg vs.13 ppg) and Al Horford (18.3 ppg vs. 15.7 ppg) are also noteworthy.

John Wall’s statistics haven’t been affected much by the venue. The point guard is the best player in the series, and a big Game 7 for him could put the Wizards one step closer towards reaching the 2017 NBA Finals.

It was Wall who hit the game-winning three-pointer Friday night that extended the series. He recovered from a brutal first half in which he missed eight of his nine field-goal attempts, finishing Game 6 with 26 points and eight assists.

The Celtics, however, have a point guard of their own that can take over games. Wall got the better of Thomas at home in Game 6, but the NBA’s third-leading scorer might have the edge with the series returning to Boston.

Thomas made some big plays down the stretch of Game 6, but he also had a costly turnover and a blocked shot that allowed the Wizards to come back and win. At home in Game 2, Thomas scored more than half of his 53 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, outdueling Wall and putting on a historic playoff performance. Wall scored 40 points of his own in Game 2, but he ran out of gas in the extra session on the road.

Boston has been the better team all year, and they’ve continued to protect their home court against Washington. In deciding seventh games in front of what promises to be a raucous home crowd, look for one of the NBA’s best closers to lead the Celtics past the Wizards Monday night.

With LeBron James all but certain to put an abrupt end to the season of whichever team reaches the conference finals, Thomas and the Celtics have one more big moment left in them.

Prediction: Boston over Washington, 120-114