The Celtics host the Golden State Warriors for the primary of two video games this season. They are going to meet once more on January 20 in San Francisco. This can be a recreation that the majority Celtics followers have had circled because the schedule got here out. If the gamers are sincere, they’ve additionally had this recreation circled. Warriors coach, Steve Kerr, coached the Olympics crew he handled Jayson Tatum shabbily, not taking part in him in 2 video games and restricted minutes in others.
This can be a rematch of the 2022 Finals that the Warriors received in 6 video games. Since that Finals assembly, these two groups have break up their video games with every crew successful at dwelling. Final season, the Celtics demolished the Warriors 140-88 in Boston whereas the Warriors received 132-126 at Golden State. The Celtics lead the all time collection 210-139 general and 116-40 in video games performed in Boston.
The Celtics stood pat for probably the most half within the off season, bringing again their complete 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 more likely to preserve open in case of harm through the season. They’ve additionally added a few chips on their shoulder after Olympic snubs and different drama over the summer time, largely due to Warriors coach, Steve Kerr.
The Warriors made some vital modifications after ending tenth within the West final season. They waived Chris Paul. They made the primary 6 crew signal and commerce of Klay Thompson to the Mavericks for Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson. They misplaced Dario Saric to free company. They traded 2 second spherical picks for Lindy Waters III. They signed 52nd decide within the draft, Quinten Submit.
The Celtics have been anticipated to be among the many high contenders once more this season after bringing again their championship crew from final season. The Warriors struggled final season and after dropping Klay Thompson, a key a part of their championship groups, they weren’t anticipated to do very effectively this season. Nonetheless, they’re stunning everybody by beginning the season 6-1, with their solely loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. They’ve received their final 4 video games, together with 2 video games over the Pelicans and a win over each the Rockets and the Wizards.
The Celtics are coming back from a 4 recreation highway journey the place they went 3-1, dropping to the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics will probably be bouncing round over the following few video games, with 2 video games at dwelling earlier than taking part in on the Bucks then dwelling vs the Hawks after which on the highway once more to go to the Nets. The Warriors are taking part in within the third recreation of a 5 recreation highway journey, with video games at Cleveland and OKC earlier than as soon as once more heading dwelling.
The Celtics will probably 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 third straight recreation with a hip harm. I’m going to guess that Joe Mazzulla will as soon as once more begin the double bigs. I’m guessing that Queta will begin once more, however it might be Kornet or Tillman. With Joe, it’s arduous to inform. Solely De’Anthony Melton (again) is out for the Warriors.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardLuke KornetJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshSam Hauser
2 Approach PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (ankle) outJaylen Brown (hip) outBaylor Scheierman (GLeague) out
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Warriors Starters
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Warriors Reserves Kyle AndersonBuddy HieldJohathan KumingaKevon LooneyMoses MoodyPrandin Podziemski Gui SantosLindy Waters III
2 Approach PlayersReece BeekmanQuinten PostPat Spencer
Head CoachSteve Kerr
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Justin Casterline/Getty Photos
Stephen Curry
Picture by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photos
Jrue Vacation vs Stephen CurryCurry remains to be the Warriors finest participant and it is going to be necessary for the Celtics to attempt to restrict his scoring. He’s averaging 19.8 factors, 4.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.5 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 41.2% from the sector and 41.7% from past the arc. The Celtics have to particularly guard him on the perimeter as he can hit from just about anyplace on the court docket.
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Payton Pritchard
Picture by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE by way of Getty Photos
Buddy Hield
Picture by Tim Warner/Getty Photos
Payton Pritchard vs Buddy Hield As soon as once more, we now have a matchup between sixth Man of the Yr candidates. Payton Pritchard (+400) and Buddy Hield (+550) are first and second in odds to win sixth man. Hield is averaging 21.9 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 51.4% from the sector and 50% from past the arc. The most important query about Hield is whether or not he can sustain that form of manufacturing since he has been inconsistent in earlier years.
Honorable MentionDerrick White vs Andrew WigginsWiggins is averaging 15.8 factors, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1 block per recreation. He’s capturing 44.8% from the sector and 44.8% from past the arc. As soon as once more the Celtics might want to follow him on the perimeter the place he’s capturing very effectively. Derrick White might want to step up a bit extra to assist to make up for Jaylen Brown’s contributions.
Keys to the Recreation Protection – Protection is all the time the important thing to successful. The Celtics are 1st within the league, averaging 123.6 factors per recreation. They’re 4th within the league with a defensive ranking of 107.7. The Warriors are third within the league, averaging 121.6 factors per recreation. The Warriors are 2nd with a defensive ranking of 102.1. The Celtics should commit to creating protection their precedence on this recreation. It’s extremely possible that the crew that defends higher on this recreation would be the winner.
Rebound – Rebounding is all the time a key to successful as you want the ball to attain and a great way to get it’s to seize rebounds. The Celtics are 18th with 43.8 rebounds per recreation whereas the Warriors are 1st with 49 rebounds per recreation. It takes effort to seize rebounds and the Celtics should make an additional effort to crash the boards and beat the Warriors to rebounds. The Warriors are sixth with 16.7 second likelihood factors per recreation and so the Celtics particularly have to preserve them from getting offensive rebounds.
Transfer the Ball Rigorously – The Celtics play the perfect after they transfer the ball and discover the open man. They wrestle extra when gamers attempt to do an excessive amount of and when the ball sticks with one participant too lengthy and after they take fast pictures with out on the lookout for the perfect shot. The Celtics are twenty second with 23.9 assists per recreation. They should look to share the ball and never over dribble or attempt to take over on the expense of open teammates. They should watch out with their passes because the Warriors are 2nd with 21.4 factors off turnovers per recreation. The Warriors transfer the ball very effectively and are third with 30.4 assists per recreation.
3 Level Capturing – Each of those groups take a whole lot of threes. The Celtics are 1st with 50.9 three level makes an attempt per recreation. The Warriors are 4th, taking 42 threes per recreation. The Warriors shoot a better proportion from 3 with 39.1% in comparison with 37.3% for the Celtics. Each groups will possible take a whole lot of 3 pointers on this recreation as effectively and loads will come all the way down to which crew makes their threes and which crew misses them.
X-FactorsHome Recreation vs Street Fatigue – The Warriors have received the primary 2 video games on this highway journey and have 2 extra video games to go on the journey after this one.. The Warriors are away from household and residential and have the distractions of staying in a lodge and taking part in in an unfamiliar enviornment in entrance of a (very) hostile crowd. Hopefully the Celtics crowd will probably be loud and rowdy and provides the Celtics additional vitality to avenge Kerr’s remedy of Tatum within the Olympics together with their loss within the 2022 Finals. The Celtics simply returned dwelling from a 4 recreation highway journey and generally the primary recreation at dwelling after a highway journey is a troublesome one.
Officiating – Officiating all the time has the potential to be a consider each recreation. Each officiating crew calls the sport otherwise. Some name it tight and others allow them to play. Some favor the house crew whereas some name it evenly. Nonetheless the sport is known as, the Celtics should regulate to it and never enable the officiating to remove their deal with taking part in the sport. Complaining about calls not often modifications something apart from to remove from their deal with taking part in the sport and irritate the officers.
