The Celtics start their 4 sport Western street journey with a cease in Minnesota to tackle the Timberwolves. That is the second and last assembly between these two groups this season. They met for the primary time in Boston on November 24 when the Celtics received 107-105. These two groups tied the sequence final season with every group profitable on their residence court docket. Each of these video games went to extra time.
The Celtics are 47-22 general, all time towards the Timberwolves. They’re 21-14 in video games performed in Minnesota. They’re 5-3 all time dealing with off in preseason video games. The Celtics are taking part in within the first of again to again video games, heading out after this sport to play in Houston on Friday. The Celtics are 3-2 within the first of again to again video games. They’re 1-1 when each video games are on the street.
The Celtics stay in 2nd place within the East with the hole widening to five video games between them and the primary place Cavaliers, who’ve received 8 straight video games. And the hole is narrowing to only 1 sport between them and the third place New York Knicks, who’ve additionally received 8 straight video games. The Celtics are 11-3 on the street and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 2-2 towards Western Convention groups and are coming off a giant win on New Yr’s Eve.
The Timberwolves are eighth within the West, 10 video games behind first place Oklahoma Metropolis and 1.5 video games behind the sixth place Clippers and the final assured playoff spot. They’re 2 video games forward of the Phoenix Suns and falling out of play-in competition. They’re 9-6 at residence and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 3-5 towards Jap Convention opponents and are coming off a loss of their final sport.
The Timberwolves made some large strikes within the off season and it might be taking them awhile to construct chemistry with their new gamers. They misplaced Kyle Anderson to the Warriors and signed Joe Ingles, who they count on to fill Anderson’s spot. Additionally they misplaced Monte Morris to Phoenix. However the largest transfer was buying and selling Karl-Anthony Cities to the Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. It’s that transfer that appears to be taking time for the group to work out their chemistry.
The Celtics simply accomplished a 4 sport residence stand the place they beat the Pacers and Raptors and misplaced to the Pacers and 76ers. They’re heading out on a 4 sport Western street journey via Minnesota, Houston (and Ime Udoka), Oklahoma Metropolis and Denver. They may return residence to face 2 extra Western groups, Sacramento and New Orleans. They then head to Toronto to face the Raptors once more for the third time..
The Timberwolves upcoming schedule is stuffed with journey as they alternate residence and away video games. After this sport towards the Celtics at residence, they’ll play at Detroit, residence vs the LA Clippers, at New Orleans, and at Orlando. They then have one sport at residence towards the Memphis Grizzlies earlier than taking part in at Washington. They then return residence to host the Golden State Warriors then journey to New York to tackle the Knicks and again residence to play Cleveland earlier than taking part in at Memphis and at Dallas.
The Celtics lastly obtained Jrue Vacation again for his or her final sport after he missed three straight video games with a shoulder damage. Now, Jaylen Brown is questionable with a shoulder damage. He was seen with ice on his shoulder throughout Tuesday’s sport. If Brown can’t play, Sam Hauser will l seemingly begin as soon as once more. Kristaps Porzingis remains to be questionable with the ankle damage. If I have been to guess, since they’re taking part in again to again, I’d guess that they maintain Porzingis out another sport and Al Horford will begin. Then Horford will sit out on Friday towards the Rockets.
The Timberwolves are largely wholesome. They’ve simply 2 gamers on the damage record. Luka Garza has been dominated out for the seventh straight sport with a sprained ankle. Rookie Rob Dillingham will sit out a 3rd consecutive sport as a consequence of a proper ankle sprain. Neither of those absences ought to have an effect on the common rotation for the Wolves.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Al Horford
Celtics ReservesLuke KornetPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaSam HauserBaylor ScheiermanJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan Walsh
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (ankle) outJaylen Brown (shoulder) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Timberwolves Starters
Grid View
PG: Mike ConleySG: Anthony Edwards SF: Jaden McDanielsPF: Julius RandleC: Rudy Gobert
Timberwolves ReservesNickeil Alexander-WalkerDonte DiVincenzoJoe InglesLeonard MillerJosh MinottNaz Reid Terrance Shannon, Jr
2 Manner Gamers Jaylen ClarkJesse EdwardsDaishen Nix
Accidents/Out Luka Garza (ankle) outRob Dillingham (ankle) out
Head Coach Chris Finch
Key Matchups
Grid View
Derrick White
Photograph by Maddie Meyer/Getty Pictures
Anthony Edwards
Photograph by David Berding/Getty Pictures
Derrick White vs Anthony Edwards Edwards is averaging 24.9 factors, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 44.3% from the sector and 41.5% from past the arc. Within the first sport towards the Celtics, he completed with 28 factors, 9 rebounds and seven assists whereas taking pictures 42.9% from the sector and 54.5% from past the arc. The Celtics want defend him each within the paint and on the perimeter as he can rating very effectively from each.
Grid View
Jayson Tatum
Photograph by Adam Glanzman/Getty Pictures
Julius Randle
Photograph by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
Jayson Tatum vs Julius RandleRandle is averaging 20.2 factors, 7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 47.6% from the sector and 36.1% from past the arc. Within the first sport towards the Celtics, he completed with 23 factors, 6 rebounds, and a pair of assists whereas taking pictures 46.7% from the sector and 25% from past the arc. As with Edwards, the Celtics have to protect Randle each within the paint and on the perimeter.
Honorable MentionAl Horford vs Rudy Gobert Gobert is averaging 10.3 factors, 10.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per sport. He’s taking pictures 63.2% from the sector and 0% from past the arc. Within the first sport towards the Celtics, he completed with 10 factors and 20 rebounds whereas taking pictures 80% from the sector however no 3 pointers. The Celtics have to field out and maintain him off the boards and pay attention to his presence within the paint for blocks.
Keys to the GameDefense Protection Protection!! Protection is the important thing to profitable each sport. The Timberwolves common 109.2 factors per sport (twenty second) whereas the Celtics common 119.6 factors per sport (4th). The Celtics are seventh with a defensive score of 109.0 whereas the Wolves have a defensive score of 108.9 (sixth). The Celtics have been very inconsistent on protection this season. They particularly have been weak on protection within the paint. They’re twenty second, permitting 49.7 factors within the paint this season. The Timberwolves are an excellent defensive group and the Celtics have gotten to play robust group protection for all 4 quarters in the event that they hope to get a win on this sport.
Rebound – The Celtics are averaging 45.5 rebounds per sport (sixth) to 43.2 rebounds per sport for the Timberwolves (twenty first). The Celtics might want to crash the boards to maintain the Wolves from getting further possessions and second probability factors. A lot of rebounding is effort and the Celtics have started working tougher on the boards than the Wolves. As soon as once more, the Celtics have been a significantly better rebounding group final season with the identical roster. They should improve their effort on the boards.
Effort and Power – In most of their losses this season, inconsistent effort was the explanation for the loss. They’ve allowed groups they need to have blown out to both beat them or make it an in depth sport. The Celtics lack of effort and vitality may also assist to elucidate their lack of rebounds. Together with placing out extra effort and vitality, the Celtics should put that effort into taking part in group ball. They should maintain the ball shifting and never lapse into hero ball.
3 Level Pictures – When the Celtics make their 3’s they’re robust to beat however when the three’s aren’t falling, the sport will get actually ugly. The Celtics are 1st within the league, taking 50.4 threes per sport. The Timberwolves take plenty of 3s as effectively, averaging 40 per sport (sixth). Though the Celtics are first with 18.5 made 3s per sport, they’re thirteenth , taking pictures 36.8% from past the arc. The Timberwolves are 4th, making 14.9 threes a sport and are tenth, taking pictures 37.2% from past the arc. The bottom line is easy. The Celtics should make their threes they usually must defend the perimeter effectively to maintain the Timberwolves from making theirs.
X-FactorsOn the Highway – The Celtics are taking part in within the first sport of a 4 sport street journey. They should concentrate on the sport and on taking part in with effort and never on the distractions of taking part in on the street. They’ll’t let the journey and staying in accommodations and taking part in in entrance of a hostile crowd take away from their concentrate on the sport.
Accidents – The Timberwolves are largely wholesome with simply 2 reserves on the damage record. The Celtics are taking part in within the first of again to again video games and we might even see some gamers sit out as a consequence of damage administration. At present, solely Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis are on the damage record. If Jaylen can’t play, the Celtics lose rather a lot on each ends of the court docket and others might want to step up. I’m considering that Porzingis might sit out this sport with Horford beginning after which Horford will sit on Friday.
Officiating – Officiating at all times has the potential to be an x-factor. Every officiating crew calls the sport in another way. Some refs name it tight and always name fouls whereas others allow them to play with few fouls known as. The Celtics want to regulate to how the refs are calling the sport and never enable unhealthy calls or no calls to remove their focus. The Celtics can’t afford to permit the opposite group to go on taking part in whereas Celtics gamers are hanging again and complaining to the officers.
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