The Celtics and 76ers meet for the 4th and ultimate time this season. The 76ers gained the primary sport 118-114on Christmas Day in Boston. The Celtics misplaced to the 76ers 118-114 in Boston on Christmas Day. The Celtics gained 118-110 in a rematch in Philadelphia on February 2. The Celtic gained The third assembly 124-104, as soon as once more in Philadelphia.
The Celtics are 272-198 total, all time in opposition to the 76ers. They’re 157-57 in video games performed in Boston. The Celtics are enjoying within the second of again to again video games, enjoying the Path Blazers in Boston on Wednesday. They’re 5-4 on the second evening of again to again video games and they’re 2-2 when the second sport is at dwelling. The 76ers are enjoying within the third sport in 4 nights.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, and are 8 video games behind the primary place Cavaliers who’ve gained their final 12 video games, together with a win over Boston. They’re 3.5 video games forward of third place New York, and seven.5 video games forward of 4th place Milwaukee. The Celtics are 20-11 at dwelling and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 31-11 in opposition to Japanese Convention opponents and 10-2 in opposition to the Atlantic Division. After they misplaced 2 straight, the Celtics have gained their final 2 video games.
The 76ers are twelfth within the East, 30 video games behind 1st place Cleveland. They’re 8.5 video games behind sixth place Detroit and the ultimate assured playoff spot. They’re 2.5 video games behind tenth place Chicago for the ultimate play-in spot. They’re tied with eleventh place Brooklyn. They’re 10-19 on the highway and 1-9 within the final 10 video games. They’re 14-24 in opposition to the Japanese Convention and 3-9 in opposition to the Atlantic Division. They’ve misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are enjoying within the third sport of a 7 sport dwelling stand. They misplaced the primary sport to the Cleveland Cavaliers after which beat the Denver Nuggets on Monday and Portland on Wednesday. After this sport in opposition to Philadelphia, the Celtics will host Los Angeles Lakers, Utah, and Oklahoma Metropolis. After the 7 dwelling video games they are going to play 8 of the following 9 video games on the highway, together with one other journey out West.
The 76ers are enjoying of their second straight highway sport, having misplaced at Minnesota on Tuesday. They’ve one sport at dwelling in opposition to Utah earlier than hitting the highway once more to play at Atlanta and at Toronto. Then, it’s yet another sport at dwelling in opposition to Indiana. They then have a 6 sport highway journey that may take them by Dallas, Houston, Oklahoma Metropolis, San Antonio, Atlanta and New Orleans.
The Celtics have 6 gamers on the damage listing. Jayson Tatum (shoulder) missed Wednesday’s sport and is questionable for this sport. I’m guessing that he’ll play. Jaylen Brown (knee) performed Wednesday, however is out for this sport. Horford (toe) will miss this sport together with Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porzingis. Sam Hauser limped off the court docket on Wednesday and is questionable for this sport. It’s powerful to foretell who will begin and who will play.
The 76ers have 7 gamers on the damage report. Six of these gamers are listed as out. Joel Embiid has been shut down for the yr and can miss this sport. Eric Gordon (wrist) and Jared McCain are each out. Tyrese Maxey (again) and Kyle Lowry (hip) and Paul George (groin) are all listed as out. Justin Edwards (ankle) is questionable I’m simply guessing on the starters at this level. The Sixers may shut everybody all the way down to attempt to maintain their high 6 protected decide.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics Reserves
Neemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanXavier TillmanSam HauserTorrey Craig
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonMiles Norris
Accidents/OutAl Horford (toe) outJrue Vacation (finger) out Kristaps Porzingis (sickness) out Jaylen Brown (knee) out Sam Hauser (ankle/leg) questionable Jayson Tatum (shoulder) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible 76ers Starters
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76ers ReservesAdem BonaJared ButlerLonnie Walker IV
2-Method PlayersJeff Dowtin, JrAlex Reese
Accidents/OutJared McCain (knee) outJustin Edwards (ankle) questionableEric Gordon (wrist) outKyle Lowry (hip) outJoel Embiid (knee) out Tyrese Maxey (again) out Paul George (groin) out
Head CoachNick Nurse
Key Matchups
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Jayson Tatum
Photograph by Nic Antaya/Getty Photographs
Guerschon Yabusele
Photograph by Emilee Chinn/Getty Photographs
Jayson Tatum vs Guershon YabuseleYabusele is averaging 10.8 factors, 5.5 rebounds, and a pair of.0 assists per sport. He’s capturing 50.9% from the sphere and 40% from past the arc. In 3 video games in opposition to the Celtics, he averaged 12.3 factors, and 6.0 rebounds, whereas capturing 50% from the sphere and 44.4% from past the arc. Former Celtics all the time appear to strive more durable in opposition to their former workforce and so the Celtics should be prepared for Yabusele to have an enormous sport, particularly from the perimeter.
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Derrick White
Photograph by Maddie Meyer/Getty Photographs
Kelly Oubre, Jr
Photograph by Scott Taetsch/Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Kelly Oubre, JrOubre is averaging 15.1 factors, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 steals per sport. He’s capturing 47.2% from the sphere and 29.2% from past the arc. In 3 video games in opposition to the Celtics this season, he averaged 12.7 factors, 8.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.7 steals per sport, whereas capturing 37.8% from the sphere and 27.3% from past the arc.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection will all the time be key to successful each sport. The Celtics are fifth within the league with a defensive score of 110.0. The 76ers are twenty fifth with a defensive score of 115.9. The 76ers are twenty sixth within the league, averaging 109.1 factors per sport. The Celtics are eighth, averaging 116.8 factors per sport. The Celtics want to extend their efforts on the defensive finish much more. They need to make protection their precedence for each possession of the sport as a result of that’s how they’re going to win this sport and a 2nd championship.
Rebound – Rebounding is second to protection as the important thing to successful. The Celtics are eleventh within the league, flattening 44.9 rebounds per sport whereas the 76ers are thirtieth with 39.2 rebounds per sport. It takes effort to get rebounds and the Celtics should go all out of their effort to beat the Sixers on the boards. The Celtics additionally want to offer themselves further possessions by rebounding on the offensive finish and maintain the 76ers from getting 2nd likelihood factors on the defensive finish. If the Celtics need to win this one, it’s essential that they go all out to crash the boards.
Transfer the Ball Fastidiously – The Celtics want to maneuver the ball so as to discover the very best shot on every possession. When the ball sticks and gamers attempt to do an excessive amount of, the Celtics wrestle. They’re at their finest after they move the ball and maintain it shifting. However they need to make cautious passes and never get sloppy as a result of the 76ers common 19.2 factors off turnovers per sport (seventh).
Don’t Underestimate – The 76ers have been fairly dangerous these days and can doubtless be sitting key gamers. They’ve a whole lot of motivation to lose in order to not lose their first spherical decide whether it is seventh or later. Nonetheless, by no means underestimate a workforce’s hatred of the Celtics. Plainly each workforce, even the tanking groups rise up to play the Celtics and provides it their finest effort. I anticipate the 76ers to play exhausting and provides it their finest to attempt to beat the Celtics. The Celtics can’t take them as a right and want to return in with most effort for 48 minutes.
X-Elements House Sport – The Celtics are as soon as once more at dwelling the place they are going to have the group behind them and shall be enjoying on a well-known court docket. The 76ers are 10-19 on the highway up to now. Groups attempt to get dwelling court docket benefit for a cause and the Celtics must make the most of having the group behind them and being on their dwelling court docket. Hopefully the 76ers are distracted by journey, a lodge keep, and a hostile crowd.
Accidents and Again to Again – It’s exhausting to inform who shall be enjoying and who shall be out for each groups. We might get to see a whole lot of the keep prepared crews on this one. Additionally, the Celtics are enjoying on the second evening of again to again video games whereas the 76ers are enjoying within the third sport in 4 nights. Fatigue might come into play, particularly with so many gamers out or lower than 100% on each side.
Officiating – Officiating is all the time an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport in another way. Some name it tight and name each little bit of contact whereas others permit extra bodily play. Some favor the house workforce whereas others name each side evenly. Some hand out technicals like Christmas sweet. The Celtics have to regulate to the best way the refs are calling the sport and never permit the no calls and dangerous calls to have an effect on their concentrate on enjoying the sport.
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