The Celtics go from the group with the worst report within the league to the group with the second worst report as they host the Detroit Pistons. That is the 2nd of three video games between these two groups this season. The Celtics received the primary recreation 128-122 in extra time on December 28. They are going to meet once more at Detroit on March 22. The Celtics received the collection 4-0 final season.
Each of those groups are enjoying on the second night time of again to again video games. The Celtics received 130-104 at Washington on Sunday whereas the Pistons lost104-101 at dwelling to the Miami Warmth. The Celtics are 9-2 on the second night time of again to again video games and 5-0 when the second recreation is at dwelling. The Pistons are 3-7 on the second night time of again to again video games. The Celtics are 251-140 total all time towards the Pistons and they’re 123-46 all time at dwelling.
The Celtics stay 1st within the East, 9.5 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 11 video games forward of third place Cleveland, 13 video games forward of 4th place New York, 14 video games forward of fifth place Orlando, and 15.5 video games forward of sixth place Indiana. They’re 30-3 at dwelling and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 34-7 towards Japanese Convention groups and have received their final 5 video games.
The Pistons are 14th within the East, 1.5 video games forward of final place Washington. They’re 4.5 video games behind thirteenth place Charlotte, 11 video games behind twelfth place Toronto, and 17.5 video games behind tenth place Atlanta and the ultimate play-in spot. They’re 5-27 on the highway and 4-6 of their final 10 video games. They’re 9-33 towards Japanese Convention groups and so they have misplaced their final 2 video games.
After a 3-2 highway journey, the Celtics performed one recreation at dwelling towards the Suns after which went on the highway for a recreation in Washington earlier than returning dwelling to face Detroit. They are going to face Milwaukee at dwelling after which head out on a 6 recreation highway journey via Detroit, Chicago, 2 video games in Atlanta, New Orleans and Charlotte. They are going to return dwelling for 3 video games towards Oklahoma Metropolis, Sacramento, and Portland. Then it’s one recreation in Milwaukee earlier than ending the season at dwelling towards New York, Charlotte and Washington.
The Pistons simply completed a 6 recreation dwelling stand the place they beat Brooklyn, Charlotte and Toronto and misplaced to Miami twice and Dallas. After this one highway recreation, they may play Indiana, Boston and New Orleans at dwelling. Subsequent they play at New York, Minnesota, and Washington earlier than enjoying Mamphis at dwelling. They are going to play 6 of their final 7 video games on the highway.
It’s laborious to foretell who will play and who will sit on this one. Al Horford is out for relaxation. Jrue Vacation is out resulting from a shoulder damage. Kristaps Porzingis has missed 5 straight video games with a strained hamstring and he has been upgraded to possible for this recreation. Derrick White and Jaylen Brown missed Sunday’s recreation and I might guess that they each return for this recreation. Nonetheless, Brown is listed as questionable with ankle soreness.
Tatum can also be listed as questionable with an ankle impingement. Sam Hauser left Sunday’s recreation with an ankle damage and is out for this recreation. I’m guessing that Derrick White will transfer to level guard with Jrue out and Oshae Brissett will begin at capturing guard. Nonetheless, Payton Pritchard might get the beginning on the level with White remaining at capturing guard. These choices can be made nearer to recreation time.
For the Pistons, Quentin Grimes has been restricted to a few appearances in March resulting from proper knee soreness and is out for this recreation. Ausar Thompson has missed 4 straight video games with in sickness and can also be out for this recreation. Cade Cunningham was questionable for Sunday’s recreation with knee soreness however he ended up enjoying and is as soon as once more questionable for this recreation. Simone Fontecchio is questionable with a toe damage. I’m undecided who would begin if both or each are out.
Possible Celtics Starters
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PG: Derrick WhiteSG: Oshae BrissettSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson Tatum C: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesLuke KornetSvi MykhailiukPayton PritchardJordan WalshXavier TillmanJaden Springer
2 Means PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonNeemias Queta
Accidents/OutJrue Vacation (shoulder) outKristaps Porzingis (hamstring) probableJaylen Brown (ankle) questionableSam Hauser (ankle) outAl Horford (relaxation) out Jayson Tatum (ankle) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
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PG: Cade CunninghamSG: Jaden IveySF: Simone FontecchioPF: Isaiah StewartC: Jalen Duren
Pistons Reserves Troy Brown, JrMalachi FlynnEvan FournierTaj GibsonMarcus SasserStanley Umude James Wiseman
Two Means Gamers Buddy BoeheimJared RhodenTosan Evbuomwan
Accidents/OutAusar Thompson (sickness) outQuentin Grimes (knee) out Simone Fontecchio (toe) questionableCade Cunningham (knee) questionable
Head Coach Monty Williams
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation vs Cade CunninghamCunningham is averaging 22.3 factors, 4.3 rebounds, and seven.5 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 45% from the sphere and 35% from past the arc. Within the first recreation towards the Celtics, Cunningham completed with 31 factors, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals and a couple of blocks whereas capturing 54.5% from the sphere and 66.7% from past the arc. The Celtics must defend him higher on this recreation.
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Derrick White vs Jaden IveyIvey is averaging 15.3 factors, 3.5 rebounds and three.8 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 43.4% from the sphere and 32.9% from past the arc. Within the first recreation towards the Celtics, Ivey completed with 22 factors, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block whereas capturing 53.3% from the sphere and 60% from past the arc. As with Cunningham, the Celtics must do a greater job of defending him on this recreation.
Honorable MentionKristaps Porzingis vs Jalen DurenDuren is averaging 14.1 factors, 12.0 rebounds and a couple of.6 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 63.7% from the sphere and isn’t a menace to shoot from 3. Within the first recreation towards the Celtics, he completed with 15 factors, 14 rebounds and a couple of assists whereas capturing 83.3% from the sphere. The Celtics must defend him higher on this recreation and likewise maintain him off the boards.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection will all the time be key to profitable each recreation. The Celtics are 2nd within the league with a 110.4 defensive score whereas the Pistons are twenty seventh with a defensive score of 118.5. The Pistons are twenty second within the league, averaging 112.1 factors per recreation. They’ve a 111.5 defensive score for March (seventh) and they’re coming off a recreation wherein they misplaced by simply 4 factors to the Warmth. It took extra time for the Celtics to beat them at dwelling of their first assembly. The Celtics have to come back into this recreation with the mindset that they should play powerful protection and never underestimate the Pistons, who’ve lots of younger and hungry gamers.
Rebound – Rebounding is vital to present the Celtics additional possessions and to restrict possessions for his or her opponents. The Celtics are averaging 46.9 rebounds per recreation (2nd) whereas the Pistons are averaging 44 rebounds (twelfth). Over their final 5 video games, the Pistons have 78 extra rebounds their opponents. Of their first assembly, the Pistons out-rebounded the Celtics 57-43 and the Celtics need to do higher on this recreation. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics want to present additional effort to beat the Pistons to rebounds. After they present additional effort on the boards, it typically exhibits up in different areas of the sport as effectively.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics can’t come into the sport anticipating a simple recreation and to have the ability to take it simple on each ends of the court docket as a result of the Pistons are on the backside of the league. They’ve to come back in and be aggressive on protection, on taking the ball to the basket, on diving for free balls, on rebounding and on enjoying as a group. If they permit the Pistons to play tougher than them they could simply be shocked with a loss. They will’t underestimate the Pistons and need to play laborious and provides it their all for 48 minutes.
Reserve Play – Each groups are enjoying on the second night time of again to again video games. the Pistons recreation went all the way down to the wire whereas the Celtics recreation was just about over on the half. Each groups can be relying on their reserves to get via this recreation. The Celtics could also be brief handed and that will put much more stress on the reserves to carry out effectively.
X-Elements Again to Again at Residence – The Celtics are again at dwelling and so they want come out prepared to guard dwelling court docket. Younger groups typically battle on the highway and hopefully the Backyard can be loud and can be capable to distract the younger Pistons group who additionally need to face the distractions of journey. The Celtics will presumably be brief handed and so each participant has to step up their recreation, even towards the group on the backside of the East. Too typically we’ve got seen the Celtics chill out and let up and lose to groups they need to completely beat.
Officiating – Officiating is all the time an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport in another way. Some name it tight and name each little bit of contact whereas others permit extra bodily play. Some favor the house group whereas others name either side evenly. The Celtics have to regulate to the best way the refs are calling the sport and never permit the no calls and dangerous calls to have an effect on their concentrate on enjoying the sport.
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