The Celtics go from taking part in the Hawks at residence to dealing with the Brooklyn Nets on the Barclay’s Middle. That is the second of 4 video games between these two groups this season. The Celtics narrowly beat the Nets 108-104 in Boston on November 8. They’ll meet for a 3rd sport in Brooklyn on March 15 and for a forth and ultimate time in Boston on March 18. The Celtics received the sequence 4-0 final season. The Celtics are 142-73 total all time in opposition to the Nets and they’re 40-66 all time in video games on the street.
After this sport at residence, the Nets will play 2 video games on the street in opposition to their cross-town rival, the New York Knicks. They’ll return residence for a sport in opposition to Charlotte earlier than heading out on the street for a 4 sport street journey via Philadelphia, Sacramento, Golden State and Phoenix. They’ll return residence for a 2 sport sequence in opposition to the Magic in Brooklyn.
The Celtics are taking part in within the second of again to again video games after shedding to the Hawks by 1 level on Tuesday. They performed at residence on Tuesday in opposition to the Hawks. That is their second again to again set of the season, having received each halves of the primary in opposition to the Hornets. After this sport, the Celtics will host Toronto after which Cleveland earlier than a sport on the street in Washington. They’ll return residence for video games in opposition to the Timberwolves and the Clippers.
The Nets went into rebuild mode this off season once they traded their Most worthy participant, Mikal Bridges, to the Knicks. They acquired Shake Milton in an indication and commerce from the Knicks. They received Bojan Bogdanovic and Ziaire Williams from Memphis. They acquired their very own ‘25 and ‘26 draft picks again from Houston and 5 first spherical picks within the Bridges commerce. They misplaced Keita Bates-Diop, Jacob Gilyard, Dennis Smith, Jr, and Lonnie Walker IV from final yr’s crew.
The Celtics could also be and not using a key participant on this sport. Al Horford has not been taking part in in again to again video games final season or this season to this point. He performed in opposition to the Hawks on Tuesday so I’m guessing that he will likely be out for this sport and I’m additionally guessing that Queta will begin at middle if Al does sit out. Jaden Springer has missed the final two video games and is questionable with a knee harm. Kristaps Porzingis stays out as he rehabs from ankle surgical procedure.
Bojan Bogdanovic will miss this sport whereas he continues to rehab from off season foot surgical procedure. He has but to swimsuit up and play this season. Day’Ron Sharpe will likely be out till a minimum of mid November with a hamstring pressure. Trendon Watford is questionable for this sport with a hamstring harm. Dorian Finney-Smith is questionable with an ankle sprain. If he’s unable to play, Ziaire Williams or Jalen Wilson will probably begin in his place.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardLuke KornetJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshSam HauserBaylor Scheierman
2 Means PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (ankle) outJaden Springer (knee) questionableAl Horford (toe/relaxation) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Nets Starters
Grid View
Nets Reserves Keon JohnsonShake MiltonBen SimmonsDariq WhiteheadZiaire Williams Jalen Wilson Noah Clowney
2 Means Gamers Jaylen Martin Tyrese Martin Cui Yongsi
Accidents/Out Bojan Bogdanovic (foot) questionableDay’Ron Sharpe (hamstring) out Trendon Watford (hamstring) questionable Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) questionable
Head Coach Jordi Fernandez
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Photograph by Megan Briggs/Getty Photographs
Cam Thomas
Photograph by Elsa/Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Cam ThomasThomas is averaging 24.5 factors, 3.4 rebounds 3.1 assists and 1 steal per sport. He’s taking pictures 43.4% from the sphere and 34.9% from past the arc. Towards the Celtics within the first sport, he completed with 31 factors, 3 rebounds, 1 help and 1 steal whereas taking pictures 50% from the sphere and 44.4% from past the arc. The Celtics positively want to stick with him on protection.
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Photographs
Dennis Schroder
Photograph by Luke Hales/Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs Dennis SchroderSchroder is averaging 19.5 factors, 2.9 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.5 steals. He’s taking pictures 48.4% from the sphere and 47.2% from past the arc. Towards the Celtics within the first sport, he completed with 20 factors, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals whereas taking pictures 39.1% from the sphere and 25% from past the arc. The Celtics should defend him each inside and outside as he can shoot the three very properly and also can get to the basket and hit from mid vary. In addition they must play him for the cross as he has been transferring the ball very properly.
Honorable MentionJaylen Brown vs Cam JohnsonJohnson is averaging 17.2 factors, 4.1 rebounds, and a couple of.6 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 47.4% from the sphere and 38.6% from past the arc. Towards the Celtics within the first sport, he completed with 18 factors, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, whereas taking pictures 46.2% from the sphere and 37.5% from past the arc. The Celtics have to field him out to restrict his rebounds and defend him each within the paint and on the perimeter.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is all the time the important thing to profitable. The Celtics are sixth within the league with a defensive score of 108.7. The Nets are seventeenth within the league with a defensive score of 113.2. The Nets are averaging 110.8 factors per sport (18th). The Celtics are fifth within the league averaging 120.2 factors per sport. The Celtics must particularly guard the perimeter because the Nets are seventh with 40.4 three pointers tried per sport.
Rebound – The Celtics should field out and crash the boards. They’ll’t rating with out the ball and it’ll take additional effort on their half beat the Nets on the boards. The Nets are twenty eighth with 40.5 rebounds per sport. The Celtics are fifteenth with 43.5 rebounds per sport. The Celtics had been out rebounded 58-40 by the Hawks on Tuesday and so they had been out rebounded 20-6 on offensive rebounds. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics must put out extra effort to get rebounds. Dropping the rebounding battle by that a lot reveals an absence of effort on the Celtics half.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to come back out and be aggressive proper from the opening tip. They’ve had a number of gradual begins in latest video games and so they must do higher to start out the sport. They must be aggressive on protection, driving to the basket, rebounding, diving for free balls and simply taking part in more durable on the whole. What the Nets lack in star energy, they make up for with effort. The Celtics have to match their effort and aggressiveness. In addition they must play arduous proper up till the ultimate buzzer. This Nets crew with out stars play arduous and win by giving extra effort than their opponents. The Celtics have been outplayed by a number of groups not too long ago that they need to have beat simply however as a substitute they simply squeaked by or misplaced as a result of they didn’t give as a lot effort as their opponents.
Keep Centered – The Celtics have to remain targeted on taking part in the fitting manner. They turned the ball over 20 instances on Tuesday and that reveals an absence of deal with their half. They must deal with transferring the ball however doing so rigorously. They’ve to maneuver the ball and never settle into iso ball. They must deal with taking good pictures and making them and never take fast pictures. The Celtics want to remain targeted on taking part in crew ball, caring for the ball, taking part in protection, and rebounding.
X-Elements Highway Sport and Fatigue – The Celtics are taking part in on the street on the second night time of again to again video games, and needed to journey for the sport. They are going to be taking part in in entrance of a hostile crowd and have the distractions that go together with taking part in on the street. The Celtics have to deal with the sport and never on the distractions of journey and taking part in in an unfamiliar enviornment. Hopefully they get manufacturing from their reserves to keep away from fatigue down the stretch.
Officiating – The officiating is all the time an x-factor. Typically a crew will name the sport tight and blow a whistle on each play. Different instances they are going to allow them to play and let the sport get bodily. The Celtics want to regulate to the best way the sport known as and never let missed calls or unhealthy calls have an effect on their focus. If the calls are unhealthy, they simply have to play more durable to make up for them and never waste time arguing with the officers.
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