The Celtics go to the Cavaliers for the third and ultimate recreation between these two groups this season. The Celtics received the primary recreation 120-112 on 12/12 they usually received the 2nd recreation 116-107 on 12/14. Each of these video games had been in Boston. The Cavaliers received the sequence final season 3-1 with the Celtics dropping each video games in Cleveland and one of many video games in Boston and their lone win was in Boston.
Cleveland has received 11 of its final 14 dwelling video games since Jan. third, marking the 4th-best dwelling profitable share within the NBA over that span (2nd-best within the East). The Celtics have received their final 8 highway video games, with their final highway loss coming January 11 at Milwaukee. The Celtics are 139-86 all time general towards the Cavaliers and they’re 55-59 in video games performed in Cleveland. The Celtics have misplaced 5 of the final 6 video games they performed at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
The Celtics are 1st within the East, 8 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 9 video games forward of third place Cleveland, 12.5 video games forward of 4th recreation New York, 13 video games forward of fifth place Philadelphia, and 13.5 video games forward of sixth place Orlando. They’re 19-9 on the highway and 10-0 of their final 10 video games. They’re 33-6 towards Japanese Convention groups and have received 11 straight video games.
The Cavaliers are third within the East, 9 video games behind 1st place Boston, 1 recreation behind 2nd place Milwaukee, 3.5 video games forward of 4th place New York, 4 video games forward of fifth place Philadelphia, 4.5 video games forward of sixth place Orlando and 5 video games forward of seventh place Miami. They’re 20-11 at dwelling and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 26-15 towards Japanese Convention groups and they’re coming off a loss of their final recreation.
The Celtics simply completed up a 3-0 dwelling stand together with a 52 level win over the Warriors. That is the primary recreation of a 5 recreation highway journey that can take them via Denver, Phoenix, Portland, and Utah. They’ve one recreation at dwelling towards Phoenix earlier than enjoying at Washington after which again dwelling towards Detroit and Milwaukee earlier than one other 6 recreation highway journey.
Cleveland is coming off a house loss to the Knicks and they’re enjoying their second straight dwelling recreation. After this recreation they are going to play at Atlanta after which again dwelling for a 3 recreation dwelling stand towards Minnesota, Brooklyn, and Phoenix. Then a 3 recreation highway journey via New Orleans, Houston and Indiana. Then, one recreation at dwelling towards Miami after which Minnesota and Miami on the highway.
Jaylen Brown has been added to the damage report with a left knee contusion. Kristaps Porzingis stays on the report with a quad contusion. Each are questionable and can be a recreation time determination. Neemias Queta is out with a knee damage. If Jaylen is out, Sam Hauser will seemingly get the beginning and if Porzingis is out, then Al Horford will seemingly begin at heart as soon as once more.
For the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell is out after getting an injection to take care of a bone bruise on his knee. He’ll miss the subsequent 3 video games. Ty Jerome is out after having arthroscopic surgical procedure on his ankle. Max Strus is out with a proper knee pressure. Caris LeVert is questionable with an elbow damage that has saved him out of the final 2 video games. If he can play, he’ll seemingly transfer into the beginning lineup. Isaac Okoro can be questionable with an elbow damage. If he can’t play, then Georges Niang will seemingly begin.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettSam HauserAl HorfordLuke KornetSvi MykhailiukPayton PritchardJordan WalshXavier TillmanJaden Springer
2 Approach PlayersJD DavisonNeemias QuetaDrew Peterson
Accidents/OutJaylen Brown (knee) questionable Kristaps Porzingis (quad) questionable Neemias Queta (knee) out
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Cavaliers Starters
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Cavaliers ReservesSharife Cooper Damian JonesGeorges NiangCraig Porter, JrTristan ThompsonDean Wade
Two Approach Gamers Emoni Bates Isaiah MobleyPete Nance
Accidents/Out Ty Jerome (ankle) out Donovan Mitchell (knee) out Max Strus (knee) out Isaac Okoro (elbow) questionableCaris LeVert (elbow) questionable
Head Coach JB Bickerstaff
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation vs Darius Garland Garland is averaging 18.4 factors, 2.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 45.9% from the sector and 37.7percentfrom past the arc. In opposition to the Celtics this season, he averaged 22.5 factors, 2 rebounds, 5 assists and 1.5 steals. He shot 45.2% from the sector and 46.7% from past the arc. Slowing him down can be key to profitable this recreation.
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Jayson Tatum vs Evan MobleyMobley is averaging 15.9 factors, 10.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.6 blocks per recreation. He’s capturing 58.3% from the sector and 32.4% from past the arc. He didn’t play within the first 2 video games towards the Celtics. He is an efficient defender and shot blocker and will make issues troublesome for the Celtics. He additionally is an efficient rebounder and the Celtics might want to field out to maintain him off the boards.
Honorable MentionKristaps Porzingis (or Al Horford) vs Jarrett Allen
Allen is averaging 15.8 factors, 10.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 blocks per recreation. He’s capturing 63.3% from the sector and isn’t a risk to shoot 3’s. In opposition to the Celtics this season, he averaged 11 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block and 1.5 steals per recreation. He shot 62.5% from the sector however didn’t take a 3.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is at all times a key to profitable video games. The Cavaliers are a great defensive staff with a 110.6 defensive score, which is third within the league, proper behind the Celtics, who’ve a defensive score of 110.2, which is 2nd. The Celtics should make protection a precedence on this recreation they usually should play that robust protection for 48 minutes and never let up. The Cavs are going to play good protection and so the Celtics might want to match or exceed their defensive depth as a result of it can seemingly be tougher to attain towards a tricky Cavs defensive effort.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is a key to profitable. A lot of rebounding is effort and need and when the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, it normally carries via to the remainder of their recreation. The Celtics are averaging 47.1 rebounds per recreation (1st) whereas the Cavs are averaging 44.8 rebounds per recreation (seventh). The Celtics must aggressively go after each rebound.
Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes – The Celtics want to remain centered for 48 minutes. They should play with effort. The Cavs play laborious and so the Celtics must match that effort and play even tougher. The staff that performs tougher and is extra aggressive is normally the staff that comes out on high. The Celtics even have to remain centered. They should concentrate on taking good pictures and making them. Additionally they should preserve that effort and focus up for 48 minutes with no let up and no collapse.
Don’t Get Complacent – The Celtics are coming off a 52 level thrashing of the Warriors. They’re first within the league, 8 video games forward of the 2nd place Bucks. They’re enjoying a Cavs staff with out their finest participant and with a pair different gamers out as effectively. The Celtics want to return out able to play their finest and never play right down to a brief handed Cavs staff and never assume they will coast to a win with out giving a powerful staff effort.
X-FactorsOn the Highway – The Celtics are enjoying on the highway and might want to keep centered regardless of the distractions of journey and enjoying in entrance of a hostile crowd. Cavs followers actually don’t just like the Celtics. The Celtics are starting a 5 recreation highway journey and hopefully they will begin it off with a win.
Accidents – Each groups are coping with accidents and the beginning lineups are up within the air. For sure, the Celtics could have it a lot simpler if Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis can play. If they’re out, it must be subsequent man as much as take up the slack. The Cavs even have a few query marks within the beginning lineup, relying on whether or not Okoro is out and whether or not LeVert can come again.
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport slightly in a different way with some calling it tight and others letting them play. Complaining to the refs about unhealthy calls simply appears to make it worse and the Celtics appear to be getting higher about that lately. The Celtics have to regulate to how the sport is being referred to as and concentrate on the sport and never on the officers.
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