The Celtics host the Detroit Pistons for the primary of three video games this season. They are going to meet once more in Boston on March 18 after which once more in Detroit, 4 days later, on March 22. The Celtics gained the sequence 4-0 final season and have gained their final 6 conferences with the Pistons. The Celtics are 250-140 general all time towards the Pistons and they’re 40-14 at residence.
The Celtics stay in 1st place within the East. They’re 1 sport forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 2.5 video games forward of third place Philadelphia and 5.5 video games forward of 4th place Orlando. They’re 14-0 at residence and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 19-4 towards Japanese Convention opponents. They’ve gained their final 3 video games.
The Detroit Pistons are final within the East. They’re 21.5 video games behind the Celtics. They’re 3.5 video games behind 14th place Washington and 11 video games out of tenth place and play in competition. They’re 1-14 on the highway and they’re 0-10 of their final 10 video games. They’re 2-19 towards Japanese Convention opponents. They’ve misplaced 27 straight video games and now maintain the report for many consecutive losses in a single season.
The Pistons simply accomplished a house and residential set towards the Nets. After this sport they return residence for a sport towards the Raptors after which they’ve a 4 sport highway journey via Houston, Utah, Golden State and Denver, so issues don’t get a lot simpler for them. The Celtics are taking part in within the first of again to again video games. They play Toronto on Friday at residence after which they face San Antonio and Oklahoma Metropolis on the highway.
For the Celtics, Svi Mykhailiuk is possible with a heel contusion. Lamar Stevens is possible with a non-covid sickness. Jaylen Brown has been listed as out with a again contusion after taking a knee to the again from LeBron James on Monday. Jayson Tatum was initially listed as questionable however is now anticipated to play. I’m guessing that Hauser will begin in Brown’s place.
For the Pistons, Killian Hayes is possible with a non covid sickness. Ausar Thompson can be possible with a non-covid sickness. Monte Morris is out with a quad damage. Isaiah Stewart is out with a toe damage. Since Ausar Thompson is possible, I’m going to guess that he’ll get the beginning rather than the injured Isaiah Stewart.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Sam HauserPF: Jayson Tatum C: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesDelano BantonAl HorfordSvi MykhailiukPayton PritchardLamar StevensJordan WalshOshae Brissett
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonNeemias Queta
Accidents/OutSvi Mykhailiuk(heel) out there Lamar Stevens (sickness) availableJayson Tatum (ankle sprain administration) out there Jaylen Brown (again contusion) out
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Pistons Starters
Grid View
PG: Cade CunninghamSG: Jaden IveySF: Bojan BogdanovicPF: Ausar ThompsonC: Jalen Duren
Pistons Reserves Alec BurksJoe HarrisKevin Knox IIIsaiah LiversMarcus SasserAusar Thompson James Wiseman
Two Manner Gamers Malcolm Cazalon Jared RhodenStanley Umude
Accidents/OutMonte Morris (quad) out Isaiah Stewart (toe) out Ausar Thompson (sickness) possible Killian Hayes (sickness) possible
Head Coach Monty Williams
Key Matchups
Grid View
Jrue Vacation vs Cade Cunningham Cunningham is averaging 23 factors, 4.1 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal per sport. He’s capturing 44.5% from the sphere and 33.1% from past the arc. He’s coming off a 41 level sport on Tuesday and so the Celtics must defend him nicely as he’s able to having an enormous sport.
Grid View
Sam Hauser vs Bojan Bogdanovic Bogdanovic is averaging 19.9 factors, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1 steal per sport. He’s capturing 46.6% from the sphere and 39% from past the arc. As I mentioned above, I’m unsure who will begin right here so Hauser is only a guess.
Honorable MentionKristaps Porzingis vs Jalen Duren Duren is averaging 12.5 factors, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks per sport. He’s capturing 62.3% from the sphere and doesn’t shoot from the perimeter. The Celtics must field him out and maintain him out of the paint.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection will all the time be key to profitable each sport. The Celtics are fifth within the league with a 110.5 defensive ranking whereas the Pistons are twenty sixth with a defensive ranking of 119.0. The Pistons are twenty eighth within the league, averaging 109.3 factors per sport. The Celtics have to come back into this sport with the mindset that they should play powerful protection and never underestimate the Pistons, who’ve a whole lot of younger and hungry gamers and, despite their 27 sport shedding streak, if the Celtics don’t take them critically, the Pistons could shock them.
Rebound – Rebounding is necessary to provide the Celtics additional possessions and to restrict possessions for his or her opponents. The Celtics are averaging 47.0 rebounds per sport (2nd) whereas the Pistons are averaging 43.3 rebounds (twentieth). Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics want to provide 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 nicely.
Keep Targeted – The Celtics should keep centered on taking part in the best method. They need to maintain the ball and so they need to give attention to making crisp passes and on cautious ball dealing with. In addition they need to give attention to taking good pictures and making them. The Celtics have to come back into the sport centered and maintain that focus all through the sport. The Celtics shouldn’t underestimate this Pistons group as a result of they’re very hungry for a win and so if the Celtics lose focus they could simply get beat.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics can’t come into the sport anticipating a simple sport and to have the ability to take it straightforward on each ends of the court docket as a result of the Pistons are on the backside of the league and are on a historic shedding streak. They’ve to come back in and be aggressive on protection, on taking the ball to the basket, on diving for unfastened balls, on rebounding and on taking part in as a group. If they permit the Pistons to play tougher than them, particularly taking part in quick handed, they could possibly be shocked by a loss.
X-Elements Pitiful Pistons – The Celtics are again at residence and so they want come out prepared to guard residence court docket. Younger groups typically battle on the highway and hopefully the Backyard will likely be loud and can be capable of distract the younger Pistons group who additionally need to face the distractions of journey. The Celtics will probably be quick handed if Tatum and Brown are out, and so each participant has to step up their sport, even towards the group on the backside of the East. Too typically we’ve seen the Celtics calm down 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 a different way. Some name it tight and name each little bit of contact whereas others enable extra bodily play. Some favor the house group whereas others name each side evenly. The Celtics have to regulate to the best way the refs are calling the sport and never enable the no calls and dangerous calls to have an effect on their give attention to taking part in the sport.
