The Celtics and Warmth face off for the primary time because the Celtics beat the Warmth in Spherical 1 of the playoffs final season. That is the primary of 4 video games this season. They’ll meet once more in Boston on April 2 and they’re going to meet twice in Miami on February 10 and March 14. The Celtics swept the sequence 3-1 final season. The Celtics are 83-53 general all time towards the Warmth and they’re 43-23 all time in video games performed in Boston.
The Celtics are 2nd within the Japanese Convention, 1.5 behind the Cleveland Cavaliers after shedding the sport on Sunday evening. They’re 7-2 at dwelling and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 14-3 towards Japanese Convention opponents and after profitable 7 straight video games, they misplaced their final recreation. The Warmth are sixth within the East and 4-5 on the highway. They’re 6-4 of their final 10 video games and 7-6 towards Japanese Convention opponents. After profitable 2 video games in a row, they misplaced their final recreation.
Whereas the Celtics have principally the identical crew as final season, the Warmth have modified considerably. They misplaced free brokers Caleb Martin (Philadelphia), Cole Swider (Pacers), Alondes Williams (unsigned), Patty Mills (Utah), and Delon Wright (Bucks). They added Kel’el Ware with the fifteenth decide within the draft and Pelle Larson with the forty fourth decide within the draft. In addition they added Alec Burks in free company.
The Celtics are taking part in on the second evening of again to again video games, having performed at Cleveland on Sunday. The Celtics are 3-0 to this point on the second of again to again video games. That is the primary recreation of a 5 recreation dwelling stand towards with video games towards Detroit, Milwaukee, Memphis and Chicago at dwelling following this one. They then go to Chicago in a house and residential set after which journey to Orlando earlier than one other 4 recreation dwelling stand the place they host Philadelphia, Indiana twice, and Toronto.
The Warmth are additionally taking part in on the second evening of again to again video games. The Warmth are 2-0 on the second evening of again to again video games. They performed at Toronto on Sunday and traveled to Boston for his or her second straight highway recreation. They’ll return dwelling after this one for a 4 recreation dwelling stand towards the Lakers, Suns, Cavaliers and Thunder, with the knock out spherical occurring between Clevland and OKC.
Jaylen Brown (sickness) and Derrick White (foot) missed Sunday’s recreation towards the Cavaliers and each are listed as questionable for this recreation. Jayson Tatum and Jrue Vacation performed on Sunday, however Tatum is questionable and Jrue is out for this one. Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford are each out for this recreation for relaxation since each performed on Sunday. Once more, I don’t know who will truly be out and who will begin so I’m simply guessing on the starters.
For the Warmth, Josh Richardson missed Sunday’s recreation and is questionable for this recreation with an sickness. Nikola Jovic additionally missed Sunday’s recreation resulting from a left ankle sprain and is questionable for this recreation. Kel’el Ware missed Sunday’s recreation resulting from proper foot tendinitis and is questionable for this recreation. All might be a recreation time determination. Jimmy Butler Butler suffered an obvious proper knee harm within the 4th quarter of Sunday’s recreation and is out for this recreation. I’m guessing that Jaime Jaquez, Jr will begin in his place.
Possible Celtics Starters
PG: Derrick White
SG: Sam Hauser
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Neemias Queta
Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Luke Kornet
Jaden Springer
Xavier Tillman, Sr
Jordan Walsh
Baylor Scheierman
2 Approach Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson
Accidents/Out
Kristaps Porzingis (harm administration) out
Al Horford (toe) out
Jrue Vacation (knee) out
Derrick White (foot) questionable
Jaylen Brown (sickness) questionable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Warmth Starters
PG: Tyler Herro
SG: Duncan Robinson
SF: Jaime Jaquez, Jr
PF: Haywood Highsmith
C: Bam Adebayo
Warmth Reserves
Thomas Bryant
Alec Burks
Pelle Larsson
Kevin Love
Terry Rozier III
Ke;’el Ware
Two Approach Gamers
Josh Christopher
Keshad Johnson
Dru Smith
Accidents/Out
Nikola Jovic (ankle) questionable
Josh Richardson (sickness) questionable
Kel’el Ware (foot) questionable
Jimmy Butler (knee) out
Head Coach
Erik Spoelstra
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Picture by Luke Hales/Getty Pictures
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Tyler Herro
Picture by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Pictures
Derrick White vs Tyler Herro
Herro is the Warmth’s main scorer this season. He’s averaging 23.6 factors, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 46.5% from the sphere and 41.3% from past the arc. The Celtics have to preserve him off of the three level line and defend him each on the perimeter and within the paint. Presently I’m undecided if White will play or not.
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Jaylen Brown
Picture by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Pictures
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Jaime Jaquez, Jr
Picture by Andrew Lahodynskyj/Getty Pictures
Jaylen Brown vs Jaime Jaquez, Jr
Initially I had Jimmy Butler right here however he has been dominated out so I’m placing Jaime Jaquez, Jr in his place. I’m undecided who will truly begin right here however I assume it doesn’t actually matter. Jaylen Brown missed Sunday’s recreation and will or could not play on this recreation. Whoever performs simply wants to present most effort to ensure that the Celtics to have an opportunity on this recreation.
Honorable Point out
Neemias Queta vs Bam Adebayo
Adebayo is averaging 15.8 factors, 9.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 42.8% from the sphere and 33.3% from past the arc. He’s a menace to attain within the paint and seize rebounds and so the Celtics have to field him out and defend him properly within the paint however he can even shoot threes if he’s open so the Celtics additionally should defend him on the perimeter. I’m undecided who will begin right here however picked Queta at random.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection will at all times be the largest key to profitable each single recreation. To this point this season, the Celtics protection hasn’t been pretty much as good because it was final 12 months. The Celtics are eighth with a defensive score of 111.0 whereas the Warmth are ninth with a defensive score of 111.2. The Celtics protection was positively missing towards the Cavs of their loss on Sunday. The Celtics allowed the Cavs to shoot 48.7% from the sphere and 47.2% from past the arc. They positively should play higher protection towards the Warmth in the event that they need to get a win. The Celtics have to defend the perimeter particularly because the Warmth try 39.5 threes a recreation and shoot threes simply barely higher than the Celtics at 37.9%. The Celtics have to work tougher on protection and make that their precedence.
Rebound – Together with protection, rebounding is at all times a key to profitable. As Pat Riley as soon as mentioned “No rebounds, no rings.” The Celtics common 43.3 rebounds per recreation (18th) whereas the Warmth common 42.9 rebounds per recreation (twenty second). It takes effort and hustle to get rebounds and the Celtics want to present extra effort and hustle than the Warmth to seize rebounds in the event that they need to win this recreation.
Subsequent Man Up – With 3 gamers questionable for this recreation and one other 3 dominated out, the Celtics will want each participant to step up their recreation and contribute on each ends of the court docket. They want the starters to return out sturdy and get off to an excellent begin as soon as once more. The reserves want to return in and sustain the vitality and hit their photographs and most significantly, each participant should play lock down protection and likewise crash the boards.
Transfer the Ball – The Celtics are powerful to beat after they preserve the ball shifting and discover the open man however when one participant over dribbles and lapses into hero ball, they falter. On the finish of the Cavs recreation, in two consecutive essential possessions, Jayson Tatum dribbled the whole shot clock with out one cross and missed contested layups on each possessions. He must proceed to do what makes the Celtics profitable and preserve the ball shifting. Everybody knew that he wasn’t going to cross the ball and so as a substitute of an open shot, he dribbled right into a crowd of Cavaliers. Hold the ball shifting and don’t lapse into hero ball, whether or not within the first quarter or the 4th quarter. Hero ball not often works.
Play Onerous for 48 Minutes – The distinction within the Celtics wins and losses on this 12 months has been the quantity of effort they offer on each ends of the court docket. The Celtics should be extra aggressive in going for free balls, rebounds, in going to the basket and on protection. They should decide to giving full effort from the opening tip till the ultimate buzzer. Hopefully they’ve discovered from their losses and received’t slack off on effort for even a minute on this recreation. They should take cost of the sport from the opening tip till the ultimate buzzer. The Celtics should be the harder crew each bodily and mentally.
X-Elements
Residence Sport and Fatigue – The Celtics can’t assume that they may win as a result of they’re at dwelling as a result of they’ve already misplaced 2 video games at dwelling this season after they misplaced simply 4 dwelling video games all final season. Each groups needed to journey in a single day and each groups are taking part in in again to again video games. The Warmth might be taking part in in entrance of a hostile crowd and in an unfamiliar area whereas the Celtics can have the gang behind them to present them motivation. Fatigue could come into play down the stretch, particularly for the quick handed Celtics.
Officiating -Officiating is at all times an x-factor in each recreation. Each crew officiates in another way. Some name it tight, others allow them to play. The Celtics want to regulate to how the refs are calling the sport and never permit dangerous calls or no calls to remove their focus from taking part in the sport. The extra aggressive crew will often get the good thing about the calls and so the Celtics should be the extra aggressive crew.
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