The Celtics return dwelling after a 3-1 Western highway journey to host the Sacramento Kings. That is the primary of two video games between these two groups this season. They’ll meet once more in Boston on March 24. The Celtics gained the collection 2-0 final season. The Celtics are 192-119 all time towards the Kings and they’re 70-75 at dwelling. They’re 47-29 towards the Kings within the Sacramento period and 30-7 in Boston over that interval.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East, however have slipped to six video games behind the primary place Cleveland Cavaliers, who’ve gained 12 straight video games. They’re 2.5 video games forward of third place New York and 5.5 video games forward of 4th place Orlando. They’re 13-6 at dwelling and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 5-3 vs Western Convention opponents and are coming off a win of their final recreation.
The Kings are eleventh within the West, 12.5 video games behind first place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re tied with tenth place San Antonio and half a recreation behind ninth place Golden State. They’re 2.5 video games behind the sixth place Lakers and 1 recreation forward of twelfth place Phoenix. They’re 8-7 on the highway and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 5-5 towards Jap Convention groups. They’re 5-1 since Mike Brown was fired as coach and have gained their final 5 video games.
The Kings made one huge transfer within the off season. They traded Harrison Barnes, Chris Duarte and picks to Chicago for DeMar DeRozan. They signed Jordan McLaughlin, Orlando Robinson and Keon Ellis in free company. They drafted Devin Carter. Gamers misplaced from final season’s group embrace Kessler Edwards, Jordan Ford, JaVale McGee and Jalen Slawson. The most important transfer got here on December 27 once they fired Mike Brown and moved Doug Christie to interim coach. They’re on a 5 recreation win streak and are 5-1 since that transfer.
The Celtics simply accomplished a 4 recreation highway journey that began with again to again wins over Minnesota and Houston and ended with a win over Denver. Their solely loss was to the Thunder. That is the primary of two dwelling video games towards Western Convention groups with New Orleans arising on Sunday. They then head to Toronto to face the Raptors for the third time. They’ll then host Orlando and Atlanta earlier than their 2nd Western highway journey of the month by means of Golden State, Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers and Dallas.
The Kings final performed at dwelling on Monday once they beat the Warmth in double time beyond regulation. They’re starting a 3 recreation highway journey and can play at Chicago and Milwaukee after this recreation. They’ll then head dwelling to face Houston, Washington and Golden State earlier than heading out on a 6 recreation highway journey by means of Denver, New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Oklahoma Metropolis and Minnesota.
Derrick White missed Tuesday’s recreation with an sickness however has been faraway from the damage listing for this one. Jordan Walsh missed Tuesday’s recreation with an sickness and is questionable for this recreation. Drew Peterson is out with a concussion. For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox is out with a hip damage. Malik Monk will doubtless get the beginning in his place.
Possible Celtics Starters
PG: Jrue Vacation
SG: Derrick White
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics Reserves
Luke Kornet
Payton Pritchard
Neemias Queta
Sam Hauser
Baylor Scheierman
Jaden Springer
Xavier Tillman, Sr
Jordan Walsh
Al Horford
2 Approach Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson
Accidents/Out
Drew Peterson (concussion) out
Jordan Walsh (sickness) questionable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Kings Starters
PG: Malik Monk
SG: Keon Ellis
SF: DeMar DeRozan
PF: Keegan Murray
C : Domantas Sabonis
Kings Reserves
Devin Carter
Jae Crowder
Kevin Huerter
Colby Jones
Alex Len
Trey Lyles
Doug McDermott
Jordan McLaughlin
Orlando Robinson
2 Approach Gamers
Isaiah Crawford
Isaac Jones
Mason Jones
Accidents/Out
De’Aaron Fox (hip) out
Head Coach
Doug Christie (interim)
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Ron Hoskins/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
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Malik Monk
Picture by Eakin Howard/Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs Malik Monk
Monk is averaging 17 factors, 3.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists. He’s capturing 43.9% from the sector and 34.9% from past the arc. With Fox out, Monk will doubtless get the beginning. He’s a menace from the perimeter but additionally can get to the basket.
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Kristaps Porzingis
Picture by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Photographs
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Domantas Sabonis
Picture by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photographs
Kristaps Porzingis vs Domantas Sabonis
He’s averaging 20.6 factors, 13.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 59.2% from the sector and 44.4% from past the arc. The Celtics have to maintain him out of the paint and off the boards and they should guard him each inside and on the perimeter. After the Denver recreation, Porzingis mentioned that he’s nearly again to feeling like he’s wholesome. We’ve to hope that can proceed and that he stays wholesome.
Honorable Point out
Jaylen Brown vs DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan is averaging 20.8 factors, 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 48.6% from the sector and 30.7% from past the arc. He’s additionally superb from the midrange and so the Celtics should guard him for the complete possession, inside, midrange and on the perimeter.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection is all the time the important thing to profitable each recreation. The Kings have a defensive ranking of 112.5 (sixteenth). The Celtics defensive ranking is 109.4, sixth within the league. The Celtics have to defend the paint because the Kings common 48.3 factors within the paint per recreation. The Kings common 35.5 three pointers tried per recreation so the Celtics should additionally defend the perimeter. The Celtics have to make protection a precedence and decide to enjoying powerful lock down protection for 48 minutes.
Rebound – A lot of rebounding is effort and need. The Celtics should put out additional effort to seize the rebounds on each ends of the courtroom. By doing so, they restrict the second probability factors and quick breaks for the Kings and in addition give themselves additional possessions. The Celtics are averaging 44.9 rebounds per recreation to 44.1 rebounds per recreation for the Kings. The Kings common 14.3 second probability factors per recreation and further effort from the Celtics can restrict these.
Effort and Power for 48 Minutes – The Celtics should be the extra aggressive group. They should battle for unfastened balls, defend aggressively, be aggressive in driving to the basket, and simply play more durable than the Kings for the complete recreation. They’ve to start the sport with power and never enable the Kings to get an enormous lead and so they can’t let up all through the sport. They particularly have to come back out sturdy within the third quarter and play onerous till the ultimate buzzer. As proven towards the Thunder, the group that’s extra aggressive and that performs more durable often will get the advantage of extra calls from the refs as properly.
To three or To not 3 – The Celtics are first within the league, making an attempt 49.8 threes a recreation. Once they fall, the Celtics are powerful to beat. However, once they aren’t falling, the Celtics battle. If the Celtics aren’t hitting their 3s, they should go to Plan B and take the ball to the basket or shoot from midrange. The Celtics tried simply 35 threes towards Denver and so they gained the factors within the paint. 60-46. The Celtics have to do the identical on this recreation. If the 3s are falling, nice!! If not, go to Plan B.
X-Components
House Court docket Benefit – The Celtics labored onerous to get dwelling courtroom all through the playoffs final season, dropping simply 4 video games at dwelling all season. They’ve already misplaced 6 video games at dwelling this season and they should get again to dominating on their dwelling courtroom. They’re enjoying in entrance of their very own followers and on their very own acquainted courtroom whereas the Kings are enjoying on the highway and have journey, a hostile crowd and highway fatigue to distract them. Nonetheless, the primary recreation again after an enormous highway journey is all the time a tricky one.
Officiating – Officiating can all the time be an x-factor. Each crew will name the sport in a different way. Some will name each little factor and the sport may have no circulate. Others will let loads go and allow them to play. Some crews favor the house group whereas others name it evenly or have a private agenda. The Celtics want to regulate to how the sport is named and never let the officers take away their focus.
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