The Celtics proceed their house stand as they host the Portland Path Blazers. The Celtics are 1-1 to this point on the homestand, shedding to the Cavaliers after which beating the Nuggets. That is the primary of two video games between these two groups this season. They’ll face off yet one more time on March 23 in Portland. The Celtics received the collection 2-0 final season.
The Celtics are 75-49 general all time towards the Path Blazers. They’re 40-22 in video games performed in Boston towards the Path Blazers. The Blazers have misplaced 2 straight in Boston. The Celtics are enjoying within the first of again to again video games and can host Philadelphia on Thursday. The Celtics are 7-2 within the first of again to again video games and they’re 3-1 when the primary recreation is at house.
The Path Blazers signed Sidy Cissoko and Bryce McGowens to 2 method contracts within the off season. They traded Malcolm Brogdon for Deni Avdija. They drafted Donovan Clingan with the seventh decide within the draft. They misplaced Ibou Badji, Moses Brown and Ashton Hagans to free company. They had been one in every of 5 groups that stood pat on the commerce deadline.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, and are 7.5 video games behind the primary place Cavaliers who’ve received their final 10 video games, together with a win over Boston. They’re 3 video games forward of third place New York and seven.5 video games forward of 4th place Milwaukee. The Celtics are 19-11 at house and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 12-7 towards Western Convention opponents. After they misplaced 2 straight, the Celtics are coming off a win of their final recreation.
The Path Blazers are twelfth within the West, 4.5 video games behind tenth place Dallas, and a spot within the play-in event. They’re half a recreation behind eleventh place Phoenix. They’re 1.5 video games forward of thirteenth place San Antonio and 12 video games forward of fifteenth place Utah. They’re 12-20 on the street and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 13-6 towards Japanese Convention groups and are coming off a win of their final recreation.
The Celtics are enjoying within the 2nd recreation of a 7 recreation house stand. They misplaced the primary recreation to the Cleveland Cavaliers after which beat the Denver Nuggets on Monday. After this recreation towards Portland, the Celtics will host Philadelphia, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah, and Oklahoma Metropolis. After the 7 house video games they’ll play 8 of the following 9 video games on the street, together with one other journey out West and a rematch with these Path Blazers in Portland.
The Celtics have 6 gamers on the harm report right now. Even by way of Jrue Vacation (finger) and Kristaps Porzingis (sickness) participated in observe on Tuesday, they’re listed as uncertain for this recreation. Jayson Tatum is questionable with a shoulder impingement. Jaylen Brown is questionable with a non-covid sickness. Derrick White (again) and Payton Pritchard (hip) are each listed as possible. I don’t know which gamers can be out and which can play. I’m guessing that the questionable and uncertain gamers can be out and the possible ones will play. I simply took a wild guess as to who will begin.
The Path Blazers have 5 gamers on the harm record right now. DeAndre Ayton is out with a left calf pressure. Two Approach participant Justin Minaya is out with an ankle harm. Matisse Thybulle has but to play this season and is out with an ankle harm. Former Celtic Robert Williams III has missed the final 6 video games with a knee harm and stays out for this recreation. Jerami Grant missed the final 3 video games and is questionable for this recreation.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanXavier Tillman, SrJordan Walsh
2 Approach PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonMiles Norris
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (sickness) doubtfulJrue Vacation (finger) doubtfulJaylen Brown (sickness) questionableJayson Tatum (shoulder) questionableDerrick White (again) probablePayton Pritchard (hip) possible
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Path Blazers Starters
Grid View
Path Blazers ReservesDelano BantonKris MurrayDuop ReathRyan RupertJabari Walker
Two-Approach PlayersSidy CissokoBryce McGowensJustin Minaya
Accidents/OutDeAndre Ayton (calf) outJustin Minaya (ankle) outMatisse Thybulle (ankle) out Robert Williams III (knee) out Jerami Grant (knee) questionable
Head Coach Chauncey Billups
Key Matchups
Grid View
Derrick White
Picture by Nic Antaya/Getty Photographs
Anfernee Simons
Picture by David Dow/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Anfernee SimonsSimons is averaging 19.0 factors, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 42.5% from the sphere and 37.2% from past the arc. He’s one in every of their higher 3 level shooters and so the Celtics have to make sure to stick with him on the perimeter.
Grid View
Sam Hauser
Picture by Kevin Sousa/Getty Photographs
Shaedon Sharpe
Picture by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Sam Hauser vs Shaedon SharpeSharpe is averaging 17.5 factors, 3.9 rebounds, and a pair of.6 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 44.8% from the sphere and 32.0% from past the arc. It’s only a guess that Hauser will begin right here. If Brown performs, he’ll seemingly begin on the two, or Mazzulla might go along with another person from the keep prepared crew.
Honorable MentionTorrey Craig vs Deni AvdijaAvdija is averaging 14.8 factors, 6.4 rebounds and three.6 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 46% from the sphere and 33.2% from past the arc. As soon as once more, I’m simply making a wild guess that Craig will begin right here resulting from so many questions on who will and won’t play.
Keys to the GameDefense – I do know I say it each recreation, however protection is the important thing to profitable each recreation and would be the key to profitable one other championship. The Blazers common 110.7 factors and the Celtics common 116.8 factors per recreation. The Celtics are fifth within the league with a defensive ranking of 110.0 whereas the Blazers are twenty first with a defensive ranking of 114.4. The Celtics have to hold making robust protection their precedence and identification. They need to make protection their identification constantly in each minute of each recreation, particularly as they get nearer to the playoffs.
Rebound – As Pat Riley as soon as said, “No rebounds, no rings.” The Celtics are eleventh with 44.9 rebounds per recreation whereas the Path Blazers are seventeenth with 44.0 rebounds per recreation. The Celtics should make an additional effort to seize rebounds in an effort to give themselves further possessions in addition to to maintain the Blazers from scoring second likelihood factors, because the Path Blazers are 4th with 16.0 second likelihood factors per recreation. The Celtics have to be the group that works tougher on the boards in the event that they need to win this one. A lot of rebounding is effort and want and the Celtics want each to out-rebound the Blazers.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics need to be the group that works tougher and needs the win extra. They need to dive for free balls, go for each rebound and simply hustle on each play on each ends of the courtroom. They need to be aggressive in attending to the basket as nicely and never accept exterior pictures, particularly in the event that they aren’t falling. Whether or not it’s the starters or reserves, they should go all out with most effort.
Transfer the Ball Rigorously – The Celtics have to hold transferring the ball to search out the open man and make it a lot tougher to protect them. Nevertheless, they need to watch out with their passes and never flip the ball over because the Path Blazers common 17.4 factors per recreation off turnovers. The Celtics additionally have to be cautious after they dribble the ball and never drive right into a crowd and switch the ball over. The Celtics are often excellent at caring for the ball however they turned the ball over 17 occasions towards the Pistons.
X-FactorsHome vs Finish of the Highway – The Celtics are at house for the third straight recreation. They need to get a lift from enjoying at house in entrance of their house crowd. The Blazers are simply 12-20 on the street and so the Celtics want to remain targeted and never give them any confidence or assist them by turning the ball over or capturing poorly. The Path Blazers are enjoying within the sixth recreation of a 7 recreation street journey and the group is probably going drained and able to be house already.
Accidents – With 6 gamers on the harm report right now, accidents will be an x-factor on this recreation. With Vacation and Porzingis uncertain, it makes them brief handed. However with Tatum and Brown questionable, it makes them very brief handed and can make it obligatory for a number of of the reserves to play an awesome recreation. Will they step up?
Officiating – I do know that I say this each recreation, however the officiating actually is all the time an x-factor in each recreation. Each crew calls the sport otherwise whether or not they name each little ticky tack foul or they let plenty of contact go and let the groups play. Some refs favor the house group and a few not a lot and generally they only make a bunch of head scratching calls. The Celtics have gotten to regulate to the best way the sport is being referred to as and never let themselves get pissed off by the officiating.
And ensure to take a look at CelticsBlog’s Playback stream for a stay dialog concerning the recreation. To take part, simply create a free account, join your LP sub you probably have it, and be a part of our group.
