The Celtics and Warmth face off for the primary time for the reason that 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’ll meet twice in Miami on February 10 and March 14. The Celtics swept the collection 3-1 final season. The Celtics are 83-53 total all time towards the Warmth and they’re 43-23 all time in video games performed in Boston.
The Celtics are 2nd within the Jap Convention, 1.5 behind the Cleveland Cavaliers after dropping the sport on Sunday night time. They’re 7-2 at residence and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 14-3 towards Jap 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 street. They’re 6-4 of their final 10 video games and 7-6 towards Jap Convention opponents. After profitable 2 video games in a row, they misplaced their final recreation.
Whereas the Celtics have mainly the identical workforce 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 choose within the draft and Pelle Larson with the forty fourth choose within the draft. In addition they added Alec Burks in free company.
The Celtics are taking part in on the second night time 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 residence stand towards with video games towards Detroit, Milwaukee, Memphis and Chicago at residence 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 residence stand the place they host Philadelphia, Indiana twice, and Toronto.
The Warmth are additionally taking part in on the second night time of again to again video games. The Warmth are 2-0 on the second night time of again to again video games. They performed at Toronto on Sunday and traveled to Boston for his or her second straight street recreation. They’ll return residence after this one for a 4 recreation residence 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 do not 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 as a result of a left ankle sprain and is questionable for this recreation. Kel’el Ware missed Sunday’s recreation as a result of proper foot tendinitis and is questionable for this recreation. All shall be a recreation time choice. 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
Grid View
PG: Derrick WhiteSG: Sam HauserSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Neemias Queta
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardLuke KornetJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshBaylor Scheierman
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (harm administration) outAl Horford (toe) outJrue Vacation (knee) outDerrick White (foot) questionableJaylen Brown (sickness) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Warmth Starters
Grid View
PG: Tyler HerroSG: Duncan RobinsonSF: Jaime Jaquez, JrPF: Haywood HighsmithC: Bam Adebayo
Warmth ReservesThomas BryantAlec BurksPelle LarssonKevin LoveTerry Rozier IIIKe;’el Ware
Two Manner PlayersJosh ChristopherKeshad JohnsonDru Smith
Accidents/OutNikola Jovic (ankle) questionable Josh Richardson (sickness) questionable Kel’el Ware (foot) questionable Jimmy Butler (knee) out
Head Coach Erik Spoelstra
Key Matchups
Grid View
Derrick White
Photograph by Luke Hales/Getty Photographs
Tyler Herro
Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Tyler HerroHerro 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.
Grid View
Jaylen Brown
Photograph by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Photographs
Jaime Jaquez, Jr
Photograph by Andrew Lahodynskyj/Getty Photographs
Jaylen Brown vs Jaime Jaquez, JrOriginally 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 provide most effort to ensure that the Celtics to have an opportunity on this recreation.
Honorable MentionNeemias Queta vs Bam AdebayoAdebayo 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 risk 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 will even shoot threes if he’s open so the Celtics additionally need to defend him on the perimeter. I’m undecided who will begin right here however picked Queta at random.
Keys to the Recreation Protection – Protection will all the time be the largest key to profitable each single recreation. To date this season, the Celtics protection hasn’t been pretty much as good because it was final yr. The Celtics are eighth with a defensive ranking of 111.0 whereas the Warmth are ninth with a defensive ranking 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 need to play higher protection towards the Warmth in the event that they need to get a win. The Celtics have to defend the perimeter particularly for the reason that 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 all the time a key to profitable. As Pat Riley as soon as stated “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 provide 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 robust and get off to a superb begin as soon as once more. The reserves want to return in and sustain the power and hit their photographs and most significantly, each participant should play lock down protection and in addition crash the boards.
Transfer the Ball – The Celtics are powerful to beat after they preserve the ball transferring 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 your entire shot clock with out one go and missed contested layups on each possessions. He must proceed to do what makes the Celtics profitable and preserve the ball transferring. Everybody knew that he wasn’t going to go the ball and so as a substitute of an open shot, he dribbled right into a crowd of Cavaliers. Hold the ball transferring and don’t lapse into hero ball, whether or not within the first quarter or the 4th quarter. Hero ball not often works.
Play Arduous for 48 Minutes – The distinction within the Celtics wins and losses on this yr has been the quantity of effort they offer on each ends of the court docket. The Celtics should be extra aggressive in going for unfastened balls, rebounds, in going to the basket and on protection. They need to decide to giving full effort from the opening tip till the ultimate buzzer. Hopefully they’ve realized from their losses and gained’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 workforce each bodily and mentally.
X-Elements Dwelling Recreation and Fatigue – The Celtics can’t assume that they may win as a result of they’re at residence as a result of they’ve already misplaced 2 video games at residence this season after they misplaced simply 4 residence 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 shall be taking part in in entrance of a hostile crowd and in an unfamiliar enviornment whereas the Celtics could have the group behind them to provide them motivation. Fatigue could come into play down the stretch, particularly for the quick handed Celtics.
Officiating -Officiating is all the time an x-factor in each recreation. Each crew officiates otherwise. 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 unhealthy calls or no calls to remove their focus from taking part in the sport. The extra aggressive workforce will often get the advantage of the calls and so the Celtics must be the extra aggressive workforce.
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