The Celtics proceed their street journey as they tackle the Suns in Phoenix. That is the third sport of the 5 sport street journey. The Celtics are 0-2 to this point on the journey. That is the primary of two video games between these two groups with the second sport in Boston on March 14. The Suns and Celtics cut up the collection 1-1 final season with every workforce profitable on their dwelling court docket. The Celtics are 75-60 general all time and 31-36 in video games performed in Phoenix.
The Celtics are 1st within the East, 7.5 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 8 video games forward of third place Cleveland, 11.5 video games forward of 4th place Orlando, 12 video games forward of fifth place New York, and 13 video games forward of sixth place Miami. They’re 19-11 on the street and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 15-7 towards Western Convention groups and have misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Suns are sixth within the West, 7 video games behind 1st place Minnesota, 4 video games behind the 4th place Clippers and half a sport behind fifth place New Orleans. They’re half a sport forward of seventh place Sacramento and a couple of video games forward of eighth place Dallas. They’re 21-13 at dwelling and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 15-7 towards Jap Convention groups. They’ve received their final 2 video games.
The Celtics began their present street journey off with 2 straight losses towards Cleveland and Denver. After this sport they are going to end the street journey in Portland and Utah. They may return dwelling to face these identical Suns earlier than a sport in Washington. They then have dwelling video games towards Detroit and Milwaukee earlier than a 6 sport street journey via Detroit, Chicago, 2 video games in Atlanta, New Orleans and Charlotte.
The Suns are taking part in within the second straight dwelling sport. They’re coming off a house win over Toronto. After this sport they are going to begin a 4 sport street journey via Cleveland, Boston, Charlotte and Milwaukee. They may return dwelling towards Philadelphia and Atlanta earlier than occurring a 5 sport street journey beginning with 2 video games in San Antonio after which Denver, Oklahoma Metropolis and New Orleans.
Jaylen Brown was questionable going into Thursday’s sport towards Denver however ended up taking part in 41 minutes and scored 41 factors. He was as soon as once more listed as questionable for this sport with a a light contusion to his pelvis. Jayson Tatum was added to the record as possible with an ankle sprain. He struggled towards Denver and you would need to surprise if the damage had one thing to do with that. Each are actually out there for this sport.
Porzingis is now listed as questionable for Saturday’s sport versus the Suns resulting from proper hamstring tightness. Porzingis’ late addition to the damage report just isn’t a superb signal for his availability for this sport. If he’s dominated out, Al Horford will possible begin in his place. He’s listed as a sport time determination. Neemias Queta was listed as possible however now can also be off the record and might be out there. I’m not certain if he might be with the Celtics or the Maine Celtics.
For the Suns, Devin Booker has missed the final 3 video games with an ankle sprain. He was initially questionable for this sport then downgraded to uncertain and is now as soon as once more questionable and might be a sport time determination. Damion Lee is out with a knee damage. Nassir Little can also be out with a knee damage. Josh Okogie was initially questionable for this sport however is now listed as out with an stomach pressure.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettSam HauserAl HorfordLuke KornetSvi MykhailiukPayton PritchardJordan WalshXavier TillmanJaden Springer
2 Means PlayersJD DavisonNeemias QuetaDrew Peterson
Accidents/OutNeemias Queta (knee) outJaylen Brown (pelvis) questionable Jayson Tatum (ankle) possible
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Suns Starters
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Suns Reserves Bol BolDrew EubanksEric GordonDavid RoddyThaddeus Younger
Two Means Gamers Udoka AzubuikeSaben LeeIsh Wainright
Accidents/OutDevin Booker (ankle) questionable Damion Lee (knee) out Nassir Little (knee) out Josh Okogie (stomach) out
Head CoachFrank Vogel
Key Matchups
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Jayson Tatum vs Kevin Durant Durant stays probably the greatest gamers within the league and is hard to cowl and in addition remains to be a superb defender. He’s averaging 28.0 factors, 5.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.3 blocks. He’s capturing 52.5% from the sphere and 41.9% from past the arc. He’s harmful to attain irrespective of the place he’s on the court docket and so the Celtics have to defend him nicely.
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Jrue Vacation vs Bradley Beal Beal has performed in simply 34 of the Suns video games to this point this season resulting from an assortment of accidents. He’s averaging 18.2 factors, 4.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per sport. He’s capturing 49.6% from the sphere and 37.3% from past the arc. Beal and Tatum go method again as frields and in previous video games, when Beal was in Washington, Tatum and Beal would make it private and try to protect one another. That technique normally went higher for Tatum than Beal.
Honorable MentionKristaps Porzingis vs Jusuf Nurkic Nurkic is averaging 11.7 factors, 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.1 blocks per sport. He’s capturing 51.7% from the sphere and 24.1% from past the arc. He’s not a giant risk from 3 however can hit them so he shouldn’t be left open. However, the Celtics particularly have to maintain him out of the paint and off the boards.
Keys to the Recreation Protection – Protection is at all times a key to profitable. The Celtics have a defensive ranking of 110.3 (2nd) however at occasions let their protection slip, like when Dean Wade scored 20 on them within the 4th quarter within the Cleveland sport. The Suns have a defensive ranking of 114.1 (twelfth). The Suns are a superb capturing workforce and the Celtics might want to up their protection in the event that they need to beat the Suns at dwelling. The Suns are twelfth, scoring 117.1 factors per sport and so the Celtics should make protection a precedence in the event that they need to win.
Rebound – The Celtics have to rebound on the offensive finish to provide themselves further possessions and to forestall the Suns from racking up quick break factors. Additionally they must crash the boards on the defensive finish to forestall the Suns from getting tip ins and second likelihood factors. The Celtics are 1st with 47.2 rebounds per sport whereas the Suns are twelfth with 44.1 rebounds per sport. The Celtics are going to must put out further effort to win the battle of the boards on this one.
Keep Centered – An absence of focus may clarify the 9 missed free throws towards the Nuggets. It might additionally clarify the 28.9% capturing from past the arc. The Celtics have come into the sport targeted on taking and making good photographs. They should deal with their ball dealing with to keep away from turnovers. They should deal with protection to forestall the Suns from getting open photographs. They should come into the sport targeted on taking part in the correct method and maintain that focus proper as much as the ultimate buzzer.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to return out and be aggressive proper from the opening tip. They must be aggressive on protection, driving to the basket, rebounding, diving for free balls and simply taking part in more durable usually. They should get off to a powerful begin and play arduous proper up till the ultimate buzzer. They’ll’t let the Suns outwork them for any time frame as a result of even one of the best workforce within the league can lose to the worst in the event that they don’t play with effort.
X-FactorsRoad Fatigue – The Celtics are taking part in within the third sport of a 5 sport street journey. They’ve had quite a lot of journey and needed to sleep in motels and play in hostile arenas. They could be gettng considerably street weary. They’ve additionally modified time zones and should have a little bit of jet lag. Can they discover one other gear and get a win in a sport towards one other powerful workforce?
Accidents – Jaylen Brown is as soon as once more questionable and Jayson Tatum is possible. If both of them can’t play, or in the event that they play however are restricted resulting from an damage, it’ll positively be harder for the Celtics. Additionally, with Devin Booker questionable and probably coming back from damage, it will make the Suns a lot harder to beat as he’s averaging 27.5 factors 4.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per sport.
Officiating – I do know that I say this each sport, however the officiating at all times has the likelihood to be an x-factor in each sport. Each crew calls the sport in a different way, whether or not they name each little ticky tack foul or they let quite a lot of contact go and let the groups play. Some refs favor the house workforce and a few name for each groups evenly. The Celtics have gotten to regulate to the way in which the sport is being known as and never enable the officiating to remove from their focus.
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