The Celtics look to bounce again from their first house loss as they host the Brooklyn Nets. That is the primary of 4 conferences between these two groups this season. They’ll face off once more on November 13 in Brooklyn after which on March 15 in Brooklyn and at last, on March 18 in Boston. The Celtics gained the collection 4-0 final season. The Celtics are 141-73 general all time in opposition to the Nets and they’re 75-33 all time in Boston.
That is the primary of three street video games for the Nets and the primary evening of again to again video games for them. They’ll play the Cavaliers on Saturday after which on the Pelicans. They’ll then return house to face the Celtics on Wednesday. The Celtics are enjoying of their second straight house sport. They’ll head to Milwaukee on Sunday after which house in opposition to the Hawks on Tuesday and again to again at Brooklyn on Wednesday.
The Celtics stood pat for probably the most half within the off season, bringing again their whole core of gamers and dropping simply Svi Mykhailiuk and Oshae Brissett. They added Baylor Scheierman, who was the thirtieth decide within the draft and signed 2nd spherical decide, Anton Watson to a 2 manner contract. They’ve one open roster spot that they’re prone to maintain open in case of damage throughout the season. It additionally is clear that a number of of the returning Celtics have improved fairly a bit over the summer time.
The Nets determined to enter a rebuild mode this season after they traded their most dear participant, Mikal Bridges, to the Knicks. They acquired Shake Milton in an indication and commerce from the Knicks. They obtained 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.
The Celtics shall be with out Kristaps Porzingis, who remains to be rehabbing from off season ankle surgical procedure and isn’t anticipated again till December. Jaylen Brown will miss his fourth straight sport with a hip damage. I’m going to guess that Joe Mazzulla will as soon as once more begin the double bigs with Queta beginning once more. Luke Kornet is uncertain for this sport after leaving Wednesday’s sport with hamstring tightness.
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 shall be out till at the very least mid November with a hamstring pressure. Trendon Watford is anticipated to overlook at the very least the Nets’ 3 sport street journey with a hamstring damage. Noah Clowney is questionable with an sickness.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardLuke KornetJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshSam Hauser
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (ankle) outJaylen Brown (hip) outBaylor Scheierman (GLeague) outLuke Kornet (hamsting) uncertain
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Nets Starters
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Nets Reserves Keon JohnsonShake MiltonBen SimmonsDariq WhiteheadZiaire Williams Jalen Wilson
2 Method Gamers Jaylen Martin Tyrese Martin Cui Yongsi
Accidents/Out Bojan Bogdanovic (foot) out Day’Ron Sharpe (hamstring) out Trendon Watford (hamstring) out Noah Clowney (sickness) questionable
Head Coach Jordi Fernandez
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Picture by Megan Briggs/Getty Photos
Cam Thomas
Picture by Elsa/Getty Photos
Derrick White vs Cam ThomasThomas is averaging 24.9 factors, 3.1 rebounds 3.1 assists and 1 steal per sport. He’s taking pictures 42.3% from the sector and 30.6% from past the arc. The Celtics positively must defend him nicely. Derrick White has been enjoying very nicely to assist make up for the absence of Jaylen Brown and the Celtics will want him to proceed to step up his sport on this one.
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Photos
Dennis Schroder
Picture by Luke Hales/Getty Photos
Jrue Vacation vs Dennis SchroderSchroder is averaging 19.9 factors, 3.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.4 steals. He’s taking pictures 50.5% from the sector and 49% from past the arc. The Celtics should defend him each in and out as he’s taking pictures very nicely. Additionally they should play him for the move as he has been shifting the ball very nicely.
Honorable MentionJayson Tatum vs Cam Johnson Johnson is averaging 16.6 factors, 3.9 rebounds, and three.0 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 36.4% from the sector and 45.5% from past the arc. The Celtics must particularly stick with Johnson on the perimeter as he’s taking pictures very nicely from there.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is at all times the important thing to profitable. The Celtics are seventh within the league with a defensive score of 109.3. The Nets are nineteenth within the league with a defensive score of 114.2. The Nets are averaging 113.5 factors per sport (fifteenth). The Celtics are third within the league averaging 122.3 factors per sport. The Celtics should particularly guard the perimeter because the Nets are sixth with 40.1 three pointers tried per sport. On Wednesday, the Celtics allowed the Warriors to shoot 41.2% on threes. The Celtics should defend significantly better on this one.
Rebound – The Celtics should field out and crash the boards. They will’t rating with out the ball and it’ll take further effort on their half beat the Nets on the boards. The Nets are twenty ninth with 39 rebounds per sport. The Celtics are 18th with 44.1 rebounds per sport. The Celtics had been out rebounded 53-47 on Wednesday and they should do higher on this sport. The Celtics should put out extra effort to get to the rebounds earlier than the Nets and stop second and third likelihood pictures.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to return out and be aggressive proper from the opening tip. They should be aggressive on protection, driving to the basket, rebounding, diving for free balls and simply enjoying more durable normally. What the Nets lack in star energy, they make up for with effort. The Celtics must match their effort and aggressiveness. Additionally they should play exhausting proper up till the ultimate buzzer. This Nets workforce with out stars play exhausting and win by giving extra effort than their opponents.
Transfer the Ball and Play the Proper Method – At occasions in opposition to the Warriors, particularly on the finish, the Celtics stopped shifting the ball and gamers tried to do an excessive amount of as an alternative of enjoying workforce ball. They weren’t shifting the ball they usually had been speeding pictures. They’d simply 22 assists for the sport. They should belief one another and never lapse into hero ball. They should get again to enjoying Celtics ball, particularly on protection.
X-Components House Recreation and Bounce Again – The Celtics performed very nicely at house final season, dropping solely 4 video games on the TD Backyard all season. They should feed off the power of the group and hopefully, the Nets shall be distracted by journey and the very loud crowd. The Celtics must take dropping on their house court docket personally and bounce again to win this one. The Celtics want to guard house court docket.
Officiating – The officiating is at all times an x-factor. Some referees name the sport tight and others allow them to play. Some favor the house workforce and others name it evenly. Some refs simply appear to have an agenda that doesn’t match the occasions on the court docket. At occasions they miss essential calls that change the momentum of the sport. The Celtics must play nicely sufficient to not depart the sport within the fingers of the officers on the finish they usually can’t let unhealthy calls take away from their focus.
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