The Celtics look to win their fifth straight sport as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves. That is the primary of two video games this season with the second sport on January 2 in Minnesota. These two groups cut up the sequence 1-1 final season with every workforce successful at dwelling. The Celtics are 45-24 total all time in opposition to the Wolves and 25-8 in video games performed in Boston. The Celtics have received 17 straight video games in opposition to the Timberwolves in Boston.
The Timberwolves made some massive strikes within the off season and it could be taking them awhile to construct chemistry with their new gamers. They misplaced Kyle Anderson to the Warriors and signed Joe Ingles, who they anticipate to fill Anderson’s spot. Additionally they misplaced Monte Morris to Phoenix they usually signed former Celtic, PJ Dozier. However the greatest transfer was buying and selling Karl-Anthony Cities for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. It’s that transfer that appears to be taking time to gel.
After internet hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves on this sport, the Celtics will host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday in again to again video games. They are going to then play at Chicago and at Cleveland earlier than returning dwelling for a 5 sport dwelling stand in opposition to Miami, Detroit, Milwaukee, Memphis and Chicago. They then go to Chicago and Orlando earlier than one other 4 sport dwelling stand the place they host Philadelphia, Indiana twice, and Toronto.
The Timberwolves simply completed a 3 sport highway journey, enjoying at Portland twice and at Sacramento. They hosted Phoenix earlier than shedding to the Raptors at Toronto. After this sport at Boston, they return dwelling for a 4 sport dwelling stand together with Houston, Sacramento, the Los Angeles Clippers, and the Los Angeles Lakers. They then head on the highway to tackle the Clippers and the Warriors.
The Timberwolves are tenth within the West, 4 video games out of first and simply half once more forward of eleventh place San Antonio. They’re 5-5 of their final 10 video games and 3-2 in opposition to Japanese Convention opponents. They’re 3-5 on the highway. The Celtics are second within the East, 2.5 video games behind first place Cleveland. They’re 8-2 of their final 10 video games and they’re 5-2 at dwelling. They’re 0-1 in opposition to Western Convention opponents.
Al Horford missed Friday’s sport in opposition to the Wizards with a non-covid sickness. He’s listed as questionable for this sport. If he’s unable to play, I anticipate Neemias Queta will as soon as once more begin in his place. Kristaps Porzingis is listed as out for this sport however ought to return quickly. For the Timberwolves solely Mike Conley is listed as out on their damage report with a toe damage.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Al Horford
Celtics ReservesLuke KornetPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaSam HauserBaylor ScheiermanJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan Walsh
2 Means PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (ankle) outAl Horford (sickness) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Timberwolves Starters
Grid View
PG: Nickeil Alexander-WalkerSG: Anthony Edwards SF: Jaden McDanielsPF: Julius Randle C: Rudy Gobert
Timberwolves ReservesRob DillinghamDonte DiVincenzoPJ DozierLuka GarzaJoe InglesLeonard MillerJosh MinottNaz Reid Terrance Shannon, Jr
2 Means Gamers Jaylen ClarkJesse EdwardsDaishen Nix
Accidents/Out Mike Conley (toe) out
Head Coach Chris Finch
Key Matchups
Grid View
Derrick White
Photograph by Maddie Meyer/Getty Pictures
Anthony Edwards
Photograph by David Berding/Getty Pictures
Derrick White vs Anthony Edwards Edwards is averaging 27.9 factors, 4.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals per sport. He’s capturing 47.5% from the sector and 43.1% from past the arc. The Celtics want defend him each within the paint and on the perimeter as he can rating very properly in each.
Grid View
Jayson Tatum
Photograph by Adam Glanzman/Getty Pictures
Julius Randle
Photograph by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE through Getty Pictures
Jayson Tatum vs Julius RandleRandle is averaging 21.7 factors, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per sport. He’s capturing 50.2% from the sector and 36.5% from past the arc. As with Edwards, the Celtics have to protect Randle each within the paint and on the perimeter. Tatum struggled together with his shot on Friday and the Celtics will want him to shoot higher on this one.
Honorable MentionAl Horford vs Rudy Gobert Gobert is averaging 11.0 factors, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks. He’s capturing 63.9% from the sector and 0% on 3 pointers. Hopefully the Celtics can pull Gobert away from the basket as he’s an excellent rebounder and rim protector. If Horford is out, both Luke Kornet or Neemias Queta or Xavier Tillman are prone to begin right here
Keys to the Recreation Protection Protection Protection!! Protection is the important thing to successful each sport. The Timberwolves common 113.3 factors per sport (fifteenth) whereas the Celtics common 120.7 factors per sport (2nd). The Celtics are eighth with a defensive score of 110.7 whereas the Wolves have a defensive score of 111.7 (thirteenth). The Celtics haven’t been enjoying the identical robust protection they performed final season. They particularly have been weak on protection within the paint. They’re twenty seventh, permitting 53.2 level within the paint this season. The Celtics have gotten to play robust workforce protection for all 4 quarters in the event that they hope to get a win on this sport.
Rebound – The Celtics are averaging 42.8 rebounds per sport (twentieth) to 40.6 rebounds per sport for the Timberwolves (twenty sixth). The Celtics might want to crash the boards to maintain the Wolves from getting additional possessions and second probability factors. A lot of rebounding is effort and the Celtics have started working tougher on the boards than the Wolves. As soon as once more, the Celtics have been a significantly better rebounding workforce final season with the identical roster. They should enhance their effort on the boards.
Play Exhausting 48 Minutes – The Celtics have gotten to come back out sturdy and never permit the Wolves to construct an early lead. They must play onerous by the 2nd and third quarters and never let as much as permit the Timberwolves to drag forward as a result of the Celtics aren’t enjoying their hardest. The Celtics additionally should end sturdy and never permit the Wolves to surge forward to shut the sport. The Celtics have began slowly in a number of video games lately and in video games the place they began off sturdy and constructed a superb lead, they’ve slacked off and allowed their opponent to come back again and make it a detailed sport. They must play onerous for all 48 minutes.
Effort and Vitality – In opposition to a number of groups this season, the Celtics have lacked power. They’ve allowed groups they need to have blown out to both beat them or make it a detailed sport. The Celtics lack of effort and power also can assist to elucidate their lack of rebounds. Together with placing out extra effort and power, the Celtics should put that effort into enjoying workforce ball. They should preserve the ball shifting and never lapse into hero ball.
X-Elements It’s Residence Court docket Benefit for a Purpose – There’s a purpose why they name it dwelling court docket benefit. The Celtics have the gang behind them and if they provide a superb effort, the followers will cheer them on and assist to encourage them. It’s when the workforce lacks effort that the gang will activate their very own workforce. The Wolves needed to journey, keep in a lodge, play in entrance of a hostile crowd and on an unfamiliar court docket. The Celtics want to come back out with effort and shield their dwelling court docket.
Officiating – Officiating at all times has the potential to be an x-factor. Every officiating crew calls the sport in another way. Some refs name it tight and always name fouls whereas others allow them to play with few fouls referred to as. The Celtics want to regulate to how the refs are calling the sport and never permit dangerous calls or no calls to remove their give attention to enjoying the sport. The Celtics can’t let the officiating get into their heads.
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