The Celtics and Cavaliers meet for the 2nd of 4 video games between them this season. The Celtics received the primary assembly 120-117 in Boston on November 19. They may meet once more in Cleveland on February 4 and in a closing recreation in Boston on February 28. The Cavaliers had been undefeated and on a 15 recreation win streak when the Celtics defeated them in Boston and now they may attempt to return the favor and finish the Celtics 7 recreation win streak.
The Cavaliers are first within the Jap Convention. They’re 10-1 at house and 13-3 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents. They’re 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’ve misplaced their final 2 video games, each in opposition to the Atlanta Hawks. The Celtics are 2nd within the East, simply half a recreation behind the Cavaliers. They’re 8-1 at house and 13-2 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents. They’re 8-2 of their final 10 video games and have received their final 7 video games.
The Celtics had been 2-1 final season with every group successful at house. The Celtics are 140-87 general in opposition to the Cavaliers all time and they’re 55-60 in video games performed in Boston. Cleveland has misplaced 3 of the final 5 that they’ve performed in opposition to the Celtics. The Celtics are taking part in within the first of again to again video games and can face the Warmth at house on Monday. They’re 2-1 on the primary evening of again to again video games thus far this season. Each of the wins had been at house and the loss was on the street.
The Celtics performed on Friday, getting an NBA Cup win over the Chicago Bulls. After this recreation at Cleveland, they may return house for a 5 recreation house stand in opposition to Miami, Detroit, Milwaukee, Memphis and Chicago. They then go to Chicago in a house and residential set after which journey to Orlando earlier than one other 4 recreation house stand the place they host Philadelphia, Indiana twice, and Toronto.
After house and residential losses to the Atlanta hawks the Cavaliers have a 3 recreation house stand beginning with the Celtics after which Washington and Denver. They then play at Charlotte and Miami earlier than 3 extra at house in opposition to Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Utah. They then head out on the street for a visit out West to tackle Denver, Golden State, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas.
After one recreation the place everybody was out there for the Celtics, they now have 4 gamers on the harm record. Al Horford is questionable with a toe harm and Kristaps Porzingis is questionable attributable to knee harm administration. My guess is that Porzingis will play tonight and Horford will play in opposition to the warmth on Monday, or vice versa. Jrue Vacation is questionable with adductor tightness. Lastly, Derrick White left Friday’s recreation with a foot harm and is questionable for this recreation. I’ve included the traditional starters as I don’t know who will play and who will likely be out.
The Cavaliers have 3 gamers on the harm record. Dean Wade has missed 5 video games thus far with an ankle sprain and is out for this recreation. Okoro ought to proceed to begin in his place. Former Celtic Max Strus has been dominated out this recreation with an ankle harm. Strus has but to make his 2024-25 regular-season debut. Emoni Bates can also be out for this recreation with a knee harm.
Possible Celtics Starters
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*(Jrue Vacation, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis are all questionable. Right now, I’m undecided who will play and who would begin in the event that they don’t.)
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardLuke KornetJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshSam HauserBaylor ScheiermanNeemias Queta
2 Approach PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (ankle) questionableAl Horford (toe) questionableJrue Vacation (groin) questionableDerrick White (foot) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Cavaliers Starters
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Cavaliers ReservesTy JeromeCaris LeVertGeorges NiangCraig Porter, JrTristan ThompsonJaylon TysonSam Merrill
2 Approach Gamers Emoni Bates JT ThorLuke Travers
Accidents/Out Max Strus (ankle) outDean Wade (ankle) out Emoni Bates (knee) out
Head Coach Kenny Atkinson
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Photograph by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe by way of Getty Photos
Donovan Mitchell
Photograph by Jeff Haynes/NBAE by way of Getty Photos
Derrick White vs Donovan MitchellMitchell is averaging 24.1 factors, 4.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 45.1% from the sphere and 38.9% from past the arc. Within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics, Mitchell completed with 35 factors, 8 rebounds and three assists whereas taking pictures 44.8% from the sphere and 27.3% from past the arc. Slowing Mitchell down will likely be key to getting a win for the Celtics. Derrick White might or might not play on this one. If he’s out, I’m undecided who would begin, however I’d guess that Jaylen Brown would transfer to taking pictures guard if simply White is out. If 2 or extra gamers are out, I actually don’t know who Mazzulla will begin.
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph By Winslow Townson/Getty Photos
Darius Garland
Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photos
Jrue Vacation vs Darius Garland Garland and Donovan have shaped an excellent backcourt for the Cavs. Garland is averaging 20.7 factors, 2.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.2 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 49.5% from the sphere and 44.2percentfrom past the arc. He was embarrassed within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics, ending with simply 8 factors,2 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal. He shot simply 14.3% from the sphere and didn’t hit a 3 pointer. Hopefully, the Celtics can as soon as once more sluggish him down on this recreation. As soon as once more, I’m undecided if Jrue will play on this one or who would begin in his place if he’s out.
Honorable MentionJayson Tatum vs Evan MobleyMobley is averaging 18.2 factors, 9.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steal and 1.5 blocks per recreation. He’s taking pictures 55.8% from the sphere and 32.4% from past the arc. In contrast to within the first 2 matchups, each of those gamers are anticipated to play. The Celtics have to attempt to maintain him out of the paint and off the boards.
Keys to the Recreation Protection – Protection is all the time a key to successful video games. The Cavaliers are a superb defensive group with a 112.0 defensive ranking, which is twelfth within the league. The Celtics have a defensive ranking of 111.0, which is eighth within the league. Final season, the Celtics had been 1st and the Cavaliers had been eleventh with principally the identical rosters. The Celtics should get again to creating protection a precedence and so they should play that robust protection for 48 minutes and never let up. The Celtics should particularly defend the Cavs on the perimeter as they’re tops within the league, taking pictures 40.2% as a group on threes. The Cavs are going to play robust protection and so the Celtics might want to match or exceed their defensive depth.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is the most important key to successful. A lot of rebounding is effort and want and when the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, it normally carries by way of to the remainder of their recreation. The Celtics are averaging 43.3 rebounds per recreation (18th) whereas the Cavs are averaging 42.9 rebounds per recreation (twenty first). Final season, with principally the identical roster, the Celtics had been 2nd with 46.7 rebounds per recreation. The Celtics should work more durable to seize rebounds and to field out the Cavaliers on the boards. Of their first assembly, the Celtics out-rebounded the Cavs 42-41. They should do a fair higher job on the boards on this one.
Factors within the Paint – The Celtics have struggled to maintain opponents from scoring within the paint. The Celtics are twenty seventh within the league, permitting 53.1 factors within the paint per recreation. Cleveland is seventh, permitting simply 44.8 factors within the paint whereas being The Celtics have to particularly defend the paint in opposition to the Cavaliers as they’re 4th in scoring within the paint with 53.2 factors within the paint per recreation. The Cavs are fifth averaging 54.4 factors within the paint together with taking pictures a league finest proportion from past the arc. The Celtics should shield the paint and restrict the Cavs from scoring there.
Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes – The Celtics want to remain centered for 48 minutes. They should play with further effort. The Cavs play onerous and so the Celtics have to match that effort and play even more durable. The group that performs more durable and is extra aggressive is normally the group that comes out on prime and that additionally will get the higher whistle. The Celtics even have to remain centered. They should give attention to taking good photographs and making them and on taking part in as a group and making the suitable play each time. Additionally they should maintain that effort and focus up for 48 minutes with no let up and no collapse. The Celtics effort and focus have been lacking in some video games and they should come into this recreation centered and able to play more durable than the Cavaliers.
X-Components On the Highway – The Celtics are taking part in on the street and might want to keep centered regardless of the distractions of journey and taking part in in entrance of a hostile crowd. Cavs followers actually don’t just like the Celtics and can possible be loud and antagonistic. They should come into this recreation centered and able to play more durable than the Cavs, whatever the venue.
Accidents – It goes with out saying that if one in all extra of Vacation, White, Horford and Porzingis are out, the Celtics have a a lot more durable street to get a win. Particularly, if multiple are out, that makes each the entrance court docket and the again court docket each a bit skinny. The Celtics might have as many as 3 starters out and so everybody should choose up their recreation and play more durable and smarter so as to fill in for the gamers who’re out.
Officiating – The officiating is all the time an x-factor. Generally a crew will name the sport tight and blow a whistle on each play. Different instances they may allow them to play and let the sport get bodily. The Celtics want to regulate to the best way the sport is named and never let missed calls or dangerous calls have an effect on their focus. If the calls are dangerous, they simply have to play more durable to make up for them and never waste time arguing with the officers.
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