Cleveland Cavaliers (0-2) at Boston Celtics (1-1)Sunday, October 12, 20257:00 PM ETPreseason Recreation#3 Dwelling Recreation #1TV: ESPN, NBCSB, FDSNRadio: 98.5 Sports activities Hub, WTAM/WMMS, Sirius XMTD Backyard
The Celtics return dwelling to proceed their preseason with a go to from the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Celtics are 1-1 after a win over the Grizzlies and a loss to the Toronto Raptors. The Cavaliers are 0-2 after shedding 2 video games to the Chicago Bulls. That is the third of 4 preseason video games for each of those groups.
The Cavs gained 64 video games final season to complete 1st within the East and 2nd within the league, behind solely the Champion Thunder. Nevertheless, their success didn’t comply with from the preseason. They went winless final preseason and their final preseason win was in 2023. Over the previous 4 preseasons, they’ve gained simply 2 preseason video games.
The Celtics are break up about evenly between returning and new gamers. They’ve 9 returning gamers and eight new gamers on the group this season. Gone are Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Jrue Vacation and Luke Kornet. New gamers embody Anfernee Simons, Josh Minott, Chris Boucher, Hugo Gonzalez, Max Shulga, and Amari Williams. RJ Lewis, and Luka Garza. Studying one another’s tendencies and constructing chemistry will probably be necessary on this preseason.
Whereas the Celtics are a significantly completely different group this season, the Cavaliers core stays the identical as final season. They traded Isaac Okoro to the Bulls for Lonzo Ball. They drafted Tyrese Proctor with the forty ninth choose within the draft. They signed Larry Nance, Jr. as a free agent out of Atlanta. Nance was additionally with the Cavaliers from 2017 via 2021. In addition they signed Thomas Bryant as a free agent from the Pacers. In addition they misplaced Ty Jerome as a free agent.
The Celtics have talked about war-like practices. A number of gamers and coaches have mentioned that this has been the toughest coaching camp that they’ve been part of. They’ve vowed to play quick and exhausting this season. They backed up that vow of their first recreation towards the Grizzlies and for probably the most half in the course of the second recreation whereas they constructed a 26 level lead towards the Raptors. They took their foot off the fuel, nevertheless and misplaced the lead and the sport within the 2nd half.
I’m 100% guessing on the Celtics’ beginning lineup. They sat Pritchard, Simons and Queta within the first recreation. They sat Brown, White and Hauser within the second recreation. I’m pondering that at a while they will have to start out Pritchard, White and Brown collectively. I’m additionally pondering that they might reward Boucher and Garza for his or her good play within the first two video games and begin them additionally. I’ve included Cleveland’s starters from their recreation notes. As all the time, it’s exhausting to inform if the coaches will begin a traditional beginning lineup or begin all of the Exhibit 10 gamers.
Jayson Tatum will as soon as once more sit out this recreation as a result of torn Achilles. Nevertheless he has followers excited after dunking lately, simply 5 months after his surgical procedure. Jordan Walsh is questionable after leaving Wednesday’s recreation with a groin harm. For the Cavaliers, Darius Garland is out with a toe harm and is predicted to be out till November. Max Strus is predicted to be out till December with a foot harm.
Doable Beginning Matchups Level Guard: Payton Pritchard vs Donovan Mitchell
Capturing Guard: Derrick White vs Jaylon Tyson
Small Ahead: Jaylen Brown vs De’Andre Hunter
Energy Ahead: Chris Boucher vs Evan Mobley
Middle: Luka Garza vs Jarrett Allen
Celtics ReservesAnfernee SimonsJosh MinottWendell Moore, JrKendall BrownRon Harper, JrJalen BridgesXavier TillmanHugo GonzalezNeemias QuetaBaylor Scheierman
2-Approach PlayersRJ Luis, JrMax ShulgaAmari Williams
Accidents/OutJayson Tatum (Achilles) outJordan Walsh (groin) questionable
Cavaliers ReservesLonzo BallThomas BryantTristan EnarunaKillian HayesChaney JohnsonMiller KoppSam MerrillLarry Nance, Jr.Norchad OmierCraig Porter, JrTyrese ProctorDean Wade2-Approach PlayersNae’Qwan TomlinLuke TraversInjuries/OutMax Strus (foot) outDarius Garland (toe) out
Head CoachKenny AtkinsonKey Matchups
Payton Pritchard vs Donovan MitchellMitchell is the chief of the Cavs and is rumored to be within the MVP dialogue this season. Over the primary 2 preseason video games, he averaged 14.5 factors, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and a couple of.5 steals per recreation. If he performs, it would most likely be for restricted minutes however anticipate him to present the Celtics issues whereas he’s in there.
Jaylen Brown vs De’Andre HunterSince Brown sat out final recreation, I’m assuming that he will probably be again within the beginning lineup for this recreation and may have an enormous recreation. De’Andre Hunter has performed nicely to date and averaged 18.5 factors 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block per recreation. This will probably be an excellent match up if each gamers do certainly play.Honorable MentionChris Boucher vs Evan MobleyMobley has all the time performed nicely towards the Celtics. Within the two preseason video games to date, he averaged 16.5 factors, 5.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.5 steas and 1 block. Chris Boucher has began each video games to date for the Celtics and he has performed very nicely. I’m guessing that he begins as soon as once more on this recreation.
Keys to the GameDefense – Whether or not it’s Summer season League, Preseason, Common Season, or Playoffs, protection will all the time be the important thing to successful. Within the preseason to date, the Celtics are ranked seventh with a defensive ranking of 101.9 whereas the Cavs are ranked seventeenth with a defensive ranking of 107.7. The Celtics have vowed to emphasise protection this season they usually confirmed that they plan to comply with via on it for probably the most half. They should proceed to play robust lock down protection in each recreation.
Rebound – As with protection, rebounding will all the time be a key to successful each recreation. The Celtics are twelfth within the preseason, averaging 49 rebounds over the two video games to date. The Cavd are ranked thirty first, averaging 32 rebounds over their first 2 video games. The Celtics might want to rebound as a group with gamers crashing the boards from each place. The Celtics can’t rating with out the ball and rebounding is an effective way to get the ball and to get additional possessions.Take Care of the Ball – The Celtics had simply 13 turnovers of their first recreation towards the Grizzlies, however they turned the ball over 29 instances of their second recreation towards the Raptors, most coming from the top of the bench guys who closed the sport out. The Celtics must do a greater job of dealing with the ball and making crisp passes. They aren’t going to win many video games in the event that they proceed to cough up 29 turnovers per recreation.
X-FactorsChemistry and Dwelling Court docket- That is the third recreation within the preseason for each of those groups. The Celtics have performed two highway video games to date and that is their first dwelling recreation and listening to the gang behind them for the primary time this season is certain to present them some additional vitality. The Cavs have performed one recreation at dwelling and one on the highway however misplaced each video games. With all the brand new faces on the Celtics, they should proceed to construct chemistry Whereas the Cavs ought to have already got chemistry with all of the returning gamers.
Preseason – The preseason is a time for the coaches to get a take a look at gamers who could or could not make the group, to experiment with lineups and completely different performs. Wins and losses aren’t as necessary as studying issues concerning the gamers and the group. I anticipate that Joe will play a special rotation than he did within the first two video games and hopefully they are going to play nicely collectively.
