The highest two groups within the East conflict because the Celtics go to the Cleveland Cavaliers. That is the third of 4 conferences between these two groups this season. The Celtics gained the primary sport 120-117 in Boston on November 19. The Cavaliers gained the second sport 115-111 on December 1 in Cleveland. They are going to meet yet one more time in Boston on February 28.
The Celtics gained the sequence 2-1 final season, successful the two video games they performed in Boston and shedding the one sport they performed in Cleveland. The Celtics have misplaced 4 straight video games in Cleveland. The Celtics are 140-88 total all time towards the Cavaliers, and they’re 44-61 all time in video games performed in Cleveland.
These two groups have a lot in widespread with how they dealt with the offseason. Each groups principally stood pat with out making any main trades or free agent signings. The Cavs did make an enormous transfer after they fired JB Bickerstaff and employed Kenny Atkinson as their coach. Atkinson is getting loads of credit score for the Cavs’ scorching begin. They prolonged Mobley, Mitchell and Allen they usually drafted Jaylon Tyson. Additionally they signed JT Thor to a 2 Means contract.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, and are 5.5 video games behind the primary place Cavaliers who’ve gained their final 4 video games. They’re 2.5 video games forward of third place New York and 6.5 video games forward of 4th place Indiana. The Celtics are 19-6 on the highway and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 25-9 towards Jap Convention opponents. They’ve gained their final 3 video games.
The Cavaliers are first within the Jap Convention. They’re 5.5 video games forward of 2nd place Boston, 8 video games forward of third place New York, and 12 video games forward of 4th place Indiana. They’re 24-3 at dwelling and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 26-6 towards Jap Convention opponents and have gained their final 4 video games.
The Celtics are enjoying within the third and closing sport of a 3 sport highway journey. They started the journey with a 2 level win over the short-handed Pelicans after which got here from down 26 factors to beat the 76ers by 8. Subsequent, they’ve one sport at dwelling towards Dallas who simply shook up their roster by buying and selling Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. They are going to play at New York and at Miami and at last, at dwelling towards San Antonio, who simply traded for DeAaron Fox, earlier than the All Star Break.
The Cavaliers are enjoying within the third sport of a 3 sport dwelling stand. They beat Atlanta and a Luka-less and AD-less Dallas crew to start the house stand. After this, they’ll play at Detroit and at Washington earlier than a sport at dwelling towards Minnesota. Then they shut out at Toronto earlier than the All Star Break.
Payton Pritchard missed Sunday’s sport with an sickness however is off the damage report and is anticipated to play on this sport. As of now, the Celtics have a transparent damage report. The Cavaliers have 3 gamers on their damage record. Dean Wade is out with a knee damage, Isaac Okoro is out with a shoulder damage. Luke Travers is out with an ankle damage.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardLuke KornetJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshSam HauserBaylor ScheiermanNeemias QuetaAl Horford
2 Means PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutNone listed
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Cavaliers Starters
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Cavaliers ReservesTy JeromeCaris LeVertSam MerrillGeorges NiangCraig Porter, JrTristan ThompsonJaylon Tyson
2 Means Gamers Emoni Bates JT ThorLuke Travers
Accidents/Out Dean Wade (knee) out Isaac Okoro (shoulder) out Luke Travers (ankle) out
Head Coach Kenny Atkinson
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Picture by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe through Getty Pictures
Donovan Mitchell
Picture by Jeff Haynes/NBAE through Getty Pictures
Derrick White vs Donovan MitchellMitchell is averaging 23.7 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 45.0% from the sphere and 39.8% from past the arc. This season towards the Celtics, Mitchell averaged 35 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 3 assists 1 steal whereas taking pictures 50% from the sphere and 40.9% from past the arc. Slowing Mitchell down shall be key to getting a win for the Celtics.
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Jrue Vacation
Picture By Winslow Townson/Getty Pictures
Darius Garland
Picture by Michael Reaves/Getty Pictures
Jrue Vacation vs Darius Garland Garland and Mitchell have shaped an excellent backcourt for the Cavs. Garland is averaging 21.7 factors, 2.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.1 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 50.3% from the sphere and 42.8% from past the arc. Within the first 2 video games towards the Celtics he averaged 15 factors, 3.5 rebounds, and seven.5 assists whereas taking pictures 24.3% from the sphere and 33.3% from past the arc. As with Mitchell, slowing Garland down is essential to successful this sport.
Honorable MentionJayson Tatum vs Evan MobleyMobley is averaging 18.3 factors, 9.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.5 blocks per sport. He’s taking pictures 57.3% from the sphere and 39.8% from past the arc. Towards Boston this season, he averaged 15.5 factors, 10.5 rebounds, 5 assists 2 blocks and 1 steal per sport whereas taking pictures 46.2% from the sphere and 20% from past the arc. The Celtics must attempt to hold him out of the paint and off the boards.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is all the time a key to successful video games. The Cavaliers are an excellent defensive crew with a 111.4 defensive ranking, which is eighth within the league. The Celtics have a defensive ranking of 109.7, which is fifth within the league. Final season, the Celtics had been 1st and the Cavaliers had been eleventh with principally the identical rosters. The Celtics should get again to creating protection a precedence they usually must play that powerful protection for 48 minutes and never let up. The Celtics should particularly defend the Cavs on the perimeter as they’re tops within the league, taking pictures 39.6% as a crew on threes. The Cavs are going to play powerful protection and so the Celtics might want to match or exceed their defensive depth.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is the most important key to successful. A lot of rebounding is effort and want and when the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, it normally carries by way of to the remainder of their sport. The Celtics are averaging 444.7 rebounds per sport (twelfth) whereas the Cavs are averaging 44.4 rebounds per sport (fifteenth). The Celtics are 20-4 after they out-rebound their opponents whereas the Cavs are 22-2 after they out-rebound their opponents. Clearly, rebounding is vital to successful. The Celtics should work more durable to seize rebounds and to field out the Cavaliers on the boards.
Transfer the Ball Fastidiously – The Celtics want to maneuver the ball to be able to discover the most effective shot on every possession. When the ball sticks and gamers attempt to do an excessive amount of, the Celtics battle. They’re at their finest after they go the ball and hold it transferring. They’re 15-0 after they have 30 ore extra assists.The Cavs are 32-3 after they have extra assists than their opponent whereas the Celtics are 26-1 after they have extra assists than their opponents. However they must make cautious passes and never get sloppy as a result of the Cavs common 19.2 factors off turnovers per sport (sixth). The Celtics have to maneuver the ball and might’t get caught up in enjoying hero ball.
Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes – The Celtics want to remain targeted for 48 minutes. They must play with further effort. The Cavs play laborious and so the Celtics must match that effort and play even more durable. The crew that performs more durable and is extra aggressive is normally the crew that comes out on high and that additionally will get the higher whistle. The Celtics even have to remain targeted. They must give attention to taking good pictures and making them and on enjoying as a crew and making the suitable play each time. Additionally they must hold that effort and focus up for 48 minutes with no let up and no collapse. The Celtics effort and focus was lacking within the first 3 quarters towards the 76ers however they confirmed what they will do when they’re targeted and play with vitality within the 4th quarter. The Celtics want that very same focus and energy for all 48 minutes on this sport.
X-Components On the Street – The Celtics are enjoying on the highway and might want to keep targeted regardless of the distractions of journey and enjoying in entrance of a hostile crowd. Cavs followers actually don’t just like the Celtics and can seemingly be loud and antagonistic. They should come into this sport targeted and able to play more durable than the Cavs. The ultimate sport of a highway journey is all the time a tricky one and so the Celtics must play more durable and extra targeted in the event that they need to win this sport.
Officiating – The officiating is all the time an x-factor. Generally a crew will name the sport tight and blow a whistle on each play. Different occasions they’ll allow them to play and let the sport get bodily. The Celtics want to regulate to the best way the sport is known as and never let missed calls or unhealthy calls have an effect on their focus. If the calls are unhealthy, they simply must play more durable to make up for them and never waste time arguing with the officers.
