The Celtics return dwelling after a 3-1 Western street journey to host the Sacramento Kings. That is the primary of two video games between these two groups this season. They are going to meet once more in Boston on March 24. The Celtics gained the sequence 2-0 final season. The Celtics are 192-119 all time towards the Kings and they’re 70-75 at dwelling. They’re 47-29 towards the Kings within the Sacramento period and 30-7 in Boston over that interval.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East, however have slipped to six video games behind the primary place Cleveland Cavaliers, who’ve gained 12 straight video games. They’re 2.5 video games forward of third place New York and 5.5 video games forward of 4th place Orlando. They’re 13-6 at dwelling and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 5-3 vs Western Convention opponents and are coming off a win of their final sport.
The Kings are eleventh within the West, 12.5 video games behind first place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re tied with tenth place San Antonio and half a sport behind ninth place Golden State. They’re 2.5 video games behind the sixth place Lakers and 1 sport forward of twelfth place Phoenix. They’re 8-7 on the street and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 5-5 towards Japanese Convention groups. They’re 5-1 since Mike Brown was fired as coach and have gained their final 5 video games.
The Kings made one huge transfer within the off season. They traded Harrison Barnes, Chris Duarte and picks to Chicago for DeMar DeRozan. They signed Jordan McLaughlin, Orlando Robinson and Keon Ellis in free company. They drafted Devin Carter. Gamers misplaced from final season’s group embrace Kessler Edwards, Jordan Ford, JaVale McGee and Jalen Slawson. The most important transfer got here on December 27 after they fired Mike Brown and moved Doug Christie to interim coach. They’re on a 5 sport win streak and are 5-1 since that transfer.
The Celtics simply accomplished a 4 sport street journey that began with again to again wins over Minnesota and Houston and ended with a win over Denver. Their solely loss was to the Thunder. That is the primary of two dwelling video games towards Western Convention groups with New Orleans developing on Sunday. They then head to Toronto to face the Raptors for the third time. They are going to then host Orlando and Atlanta earlier than their 2nd Western street journey of the month via Golden State, Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers and Dallas.
The Kings final performed at dwelling on Monday after they beat the Warmth in double additional time. They’re starting a 3 sport street journey and can play at Chicago and Milwaukee after this sport. They are going to then head dwelling to face Houston, Washington and Golden State earlier than heading out on a 6 sport street journey via Denver, New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Oklahoma Metropolis and Minnesota.
Derrick White missed Tuesday’s sport with an sickness however has been faraway from the harm checklist for this one. Jordan Walsh missed Tuesday’s sport with an sickness and is questionable for this sport. Drew Peterson is out with a concussion. For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox is out with a hip harm. Malik Monk will probably get the beginning in his place.
Possible Celtics Starters
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PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesLuke KornetPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaSam HauserBaylor ScheiermanJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshAl Horford
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutDrew Peterson (concussion) out Jordan Walsh (sickness) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Kings Starters
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PG: Malik MonkSG: Keon EllisSF: DeMar DeRozanPF: Keegan MurrayC : Domantas Sabonis
Kings Reserves Devin CarterJae CrowderKevin HuerterColby JonesAlex LenTrey LylesDoug McDermottJordan McLaughlinOrlando Robinson
2 Method PlayersIsaiah CrawfordIsaac Jones Mason Jones
Accidents/OutDe’Aaron Fox (hip) out
Head CoachDoug Christie (interim)
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Ron Hoskins/NBAE through Getty Pictures
Malik Monk
Picture by Eakin Howard/Getty Pictures
Jrue Vacation vs Malik Monk Monk is averaging 17 factors, 3.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists. He’s taking pictures 43.9% from the sector and 34.9% from past the arc. With Fox out, Monk will probably get the beginning. He’s a risk from the perimeter but in addition can get to the basket.
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Kristaps Porzingis
Picture by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Pictures
Domantas Sabonis
Picture by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Pictures
Kristaps Porzingis vs Domantas SabonisHe is averaging 20.6 factors, 13.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 59.2% from the sector and 44.4% from past the arc. The Celtics have to preserve him out of the paint and off the boards and they should guard him each inside and on the perimeter. After the Denver sport, Porzingis stated that he’s nearly again to feeling like he’s wholesome. Now we have to hope that may proceed and that he stays wholesome.
Honorable MentionJaylen Brown vs DeMar DeRozanDeRozan is averaging 20.8 factors, 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 48.6% from the sector and 30.7% from past the arc. He’s additionally excellent from the midrange and so the Celtics should guard him for the whole possession, inside, midrange and on the perimeter.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is all the time the important thing to successful each sport. The Kings have a defensive ranking of 112.5 (sixteenth). The Celtics defensive ranking is 109.4, sixth within the league. The Celtics have to defend the paint because the Kings common 48.3 factors within the paint per sport. The Kings common 35.5 three pointers tried per sport so the Celtics should additionally defend the perimeter. The Celtics have to make protection a precedence and decide to enjoying robust lock down protection for 48 minutes.
Rebound – A lot of rebounding is effort and need. The Celtics need to put out further effort to seize the rebounds on each ends of the courtroom. By doing so, they restrict the second probability factors and quick breaks for the Kings and in addition give themselves further possessions. The Celtics are averaging 44.9 rebounds per sport to 44.1 rebounds per sport for the Kings. The Kings common 14.3 second probability factors per sport and additional effort from the Celtics can restrict these.
Effort and Power for 48 Minutes – The Celtics have to be the extra aggressive group. They need to combat for free balls, defend aggressively, be aggressive in driving to the basket, and simply play more durable than the Kings for the whole sport. They’ve to start the sport with vitality and never enable the Kings to get a giant lead they usually can’t let up all through the sport. They particularly have to return out sturdy within the third quarter and play onerous till the ultimate buzzer. As proven towards the Thunder, the group that’s extra aggressive and that performs more durable normally will get the good thing about extra calls from the refs as properly.
To three or To not 3 – The Celtics are first within the league, making an attempt 49.8 threes a sport. Once they fall, the Celtics are robust to beat. However, after they aren’t falling, the Celtics battle. If the Celtics aren’t hitting their 3s, they need to go to Plan B and take the ball to the basket or shoot from midrange. The Celtics tried simply 35 threes towards Denver they usually gained the factors within the paint. 60-46. The Celtics have to do the identical on this sport. If the 3s are falling, nice!! If not, go to Plan B.
X-Elements House Court docket Benefit – The Celtics labored onerous to get dwelling courtroom all through the playoffs final season, shedding simply 4 video games at dwelling all season. They’ve already misplaced 6 video games at dwelling this season and they should get again to dominating on their dwelling courtroom. They’re enjoying in entrance of their very own followers and on their very own acquainted courtroom whereas the Kings are enjoying on the street and have journey, a hostile crowd and street fatigue to distract them. Nonetheless, the primary sport again after a giant street journey is all the time a troublesome one.
Officiating – Officiating can all the time be an x-factor. Each crew will name the sport in another way. Some will name each little factor and the sport could have no move. Others will let quite a bit go and allow them to play. Some crews favor the house group whereas others name it evenly or have a private agenda. The Celtics want to regulate to how the sport is known as and never let the officers take away their focus.
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