The Celtics are in search of their 2nd straight win as they tackle the Wizards in Washington. That is the third of 4 video games between these two groups this season. The Celtics beat the Wizards 122-102 in Washington of their 2nd recreation of the season. Additionally they beat them 108-96 on November 22, additionally in Washington. They are going to play one another for the 4th and ultimate time in Boston on April 6. The Celtics swept the collection 4-0 final season. The Celtics are 204-120 total all time and they’re 98-76 in Washington.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, 1.5 video games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and 4 video games forward of the third place Orlando Magic. They’re 9-2 on the street and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 18-3 in opposition to Japanese Convention opponents and are in search of their 2nd straight win. The Wizards are fifteenth within the East, 17.5 video games behind Cleveland. They’re 2-9 at dwelling and 1-9 of their final 10 video games. They’re 2-13 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups.
Within the off season, the Wizards added 3 first spherical picks from this yr’s draft: 2nd decide Alex Sarr, 14th decide Carlton “Bub” Carrington, and twenty fourth decide Kyshawn George. Additionally they added Key veterans Jonas Valenciunas, former Celtic Malcolm Brogdon, Saddiq Bey, and Anthony Gill. Additionally they traded Deni Avdija and misplaced Tyus Jones to free company. The Celtics, as we all know, are principally the identical crew as final yr’s championship crew.
The Celtics simply completed a tricky stretch of 5 video games in 7 nights however performed only one recreation since Saturday 12/7 after they completed a 5 recreation dwelling stand after video games in opposition to Miami, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Memphis as the primary 4 video games within the dwelling stand. They are going to face Chicago at dwelling on 12/19 and at Chicago in a house and residential set. They then journey to Orlando earlier than one other 4 recreation dwelling stand the place they host Philadelphia, Indiana twice, and Toronto.
The Wizards are taking part in within the 1st of two dwelling video games and can face the Charlotte Hornets at dwelling on December 19 as their subsequent recreation. They are going to then play at Milwaukee and at Oklahoma Metropolis earlier than a 4 recreation dwelling stand the place they are going to host Charlotte, the New York Knicks twice, and Chicago on New Yr’s Day. This recreation was added for each the Celtics and the Wizards after each groups didn’t advance within the Emirates NBA Cup Match.
After sitting out the Celtics final recreation in opposition to the Pistons with knee soreness, Jayson Tatum is anticipated to return to motion on this recreation. Sam Hauser, who sat out Tthursday’s win over the Pistons, can also be anticipated to be lively for this recreation. Jaden Springer, who missed the sport with an sickness, can also be off the damage report right now. The one participant listed on the damage report is Al Horford who can be held out for relaxation on this recreation despite taking part in only one recreation within the 7 days earlier than this recreation.
The Wizards have 6 gamers on their damage report. Kyle Kuzma is out with a rib damage. Malcolm Brogdon is o ut with a hamstring damage. Saddiq Bey is out with a knee damage. Corey Kispert is out with an ankle damage. and a couple of method participant, Tristan Vukcevic is out with a knee damage. One other two method participant and former Celtic, Justin Champagnie is beginning rather than the injured Kyle Kuzma.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesLuke KornetPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaSam HauserBaylor ScheiermanJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan Walsh
2 Means PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutAl Horford (relaxation) out
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Wizards Starters
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Wizards Reserves Marvin Bagley IIIPatrick Baldwin, JrJohnny DavisAnthony Gill Richaun HolmesJonas Valanciunas
2-Means PlayersJared ButlerJustin ChampagnieTristan Vukcevic
Accidents/Out Saddiq Bey (knee) out Tristan Vukcevic (knee) out Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) outKyshawn George (ankle) outCorey Kispert (ankle) outKyle Kuzma (ribs) out
Head Coach Brian Keefe
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Picture by Stacy Revere/Getty Pictures
Jordan Poole
Picture by Patrick Smith/Getty Pictures
Derrick White vs Jordan PoolePoole is averaging 20.2 factors, 2.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.7 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 43.5% from the sphere and 40% from past the arc. Within the first 2 gamea in opposition to the Celtics, Poole averaged 24.5 factors, 1.5 rebounds, 6 assists, and a couple of.5 steals whereas taking pictures 50% from the sphere and 50% from past the arc. The Celtics want to stick with him on the perimeter as he’s a risk to hit his 3’s. He’s additionally a risk to steal the ball if the Celtics get sloppy.
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Jaylen Brown
Picture By Winslow Townson/Getty Pictures
Bilal Coulibaly
Picture by Stephen Gosling/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
Jaylen Brown vs Bilal CoulibalyCoulibaly is averaging 12.5 factors, 5.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 44.3% from the sphere and 30.4% from past the arc. Within the first 2 video games in opposition to the Celtics he averaged 7 factors, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals whereas taking pictures 27.3% from the sphere and 16.7% from past the arc. The Celtics have to as soon as once more defend him nicely on this one.
Honorable Point out Kristaps Porzingis vs Alex SarrSarr is averaging 10.7 factors, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 blocks. He’s taking pictures 39.3% from the sphere and 26.1% from past the arc. Within the first 2 video games in opposition to the Celtics, he averaged 4.0 factors, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 help and 1.5 blocks whereas taking pictures 25% from the sphere and no 3 pointers. Porzingis didn’t play in both of the primary 2 video games in opposition to his former crew so will probably look to present a little bit further on this one.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is all the time the important thing to successful. The Celtics received their championship final season with powerful, bodily protection. To repeat, they might want to as soon as once more make protection a precedence. The Celtics are ninth with a defensive ranking of 110.3 whereas the Wizards are twenty ninth with a defensive ranking of 119.0. The Celtics have been first within the league on protection final season and they should get again to taking part in that powerful lock down protection each recreation this season. The Celtics particularly have to defend the paint as a result of the Wizards aren’t particularly an enormous 3 level taking pictures crew and the Celtics are twenty fifth, permitting 51.5 factors within the paint per recreation.
Rebound – The Celtics are 14th with 44.0 rebounds per recreation whereas the Wizards are twenty second with 42.9 rebounds per recreation. Once more, the Celtics have been 2nd final season with 46.7 rebounds per recreation with principally the identical roster. It’s essential for the Celtics to rebound to present themselves further possessions and to restrict their opponents’ possessions. A lot of rebounding is effort and hustle and when the Celtics give further effort and hustle on the boards, it often interprets into the remainder of their recreation. Every participant must decide to crashing the boards and going after each rebound on each ends of the courtroom.
Don’t Underestimate – That is most likely the most important entice recreation of the season for the Celtics. The Wizards are final within the league and lacking starters and rotation gamers. This has been a recipe for catastrophe up to now for the Celtics. The Celtics can’t take the Wizards without any consideration, although they’re clearly tanking and lacking gamers. Even tanking groups need to beat the Celtics. The Wizards 3 wins got here in opposition to the Hawks twice and the Nuggets, each good groups. The Celtics need to take the Wizards significantly and play them as in the event that they have been the highest crew within the league.
Most Effort for 48 Minutes – The Celtics losses this season could be traced again to a scarcity of effort. Additionally, at instances plainly they both begin off slowly and find yourself in a gap that they should dig themselves out of or they bounce out to a lead solely to let up within the second half and permit their opponent to get again into the sport and make it shut. The Celtics need to get again to taking part in onerous on each ends of the courtroom for the complete 48 minutes with no let up.
X-Components On the Street and Focus – The Celtics are taking part in on the street as soon as once more after a 5 recreation dwelling stand. They’ve to beat the distractions that include taking part in on the street like journey, staying in resorts, lacking household, an unfamiliar constructing and a hostile crowd. They’ve to remain targeted on taking part in Celtics basketball the fitting method and never on the Pistons’ file or lacking gamers.
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