The Celtics and Warmth face off for the primary time for the reason that Celtics beat the Warmth in Spherical 1 of the playoffs final season. That is the primary of 4 video games this season. They are going to meet once more in Boston on April 2 and they’re going to meet twice in Miami on February 10 and March 14. The Celtics swept the collection 3-1 final season. The Celtics are 83-53 total all time towards the Warmth and they’re 43-23 all time in video games performed in Boston.
The Celtics are 2nd within the Jap Convention, 1.5 behind the Cleveland Cavaliers after dropping the sport on Sunday night time. They’re 7-2 at house and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 14-3 towards Jap Convention opponents and after profitable 7 straight video games, they misplaced their final sport. The Warmth are sixth within the East and 4-5 on the street. They’re 6-4 of their final 10 video games and 7-6 towards Jap Convention opponents. After profitable 2 video games in a row, they misplaced their final sport.
Whereas the Celtics have principally the identical crew as final season, the Warmth have modified considerably. They misplaced free brokers Caleb Martin (Philadelphia), Cole Swider (Pacers), Alondes Williams (unsigned), Patty Mills (Utah), and Delon Wright (Bucks). They added Kel’el Ware with the fifteenth decide within the draft and Pelle Larson with the forty fourth decide within the draft. In addition they added Alec Burks in free company.
The Celtics are enjoying on the second night time of again to again video games, having performed at Cleveland on Sunday. The Celtics are 3-0 to this point on the second of again to again video games. That is the primary sport of a 5 sport house stand towards with video games towards Detroit, Milwaukee, Memphis and Chicago at house following this one. They then go to Chicago in a house and residential set after which journey to Orlando earlier than one other 4 sport house stand the place they host Philadelphia, Indiana twice, and Toronto.
The Warmth are additionally enjoying on the second night time of again to again video games. The Warmth are 2-0 on the second night time of again to again video games. They performed at Toronto on Sunday and traveled to Boston for his or her second straight street sport. They are going to return house after this one for a 4 sport house stand towards the Lakers, Suns, Cavaliers and Thunder, with the knock out spherical occurring between Clevland and OKC.
Jaylen Brown (sickness) and Derrick White (foot) missed Sunday’s sport towards the Cavaliers and each are listed as questionable for this sport. Jayson Tatum and Jrue Vacation performed on Sunday, however Tatum is questionable and Jrue is out for this one. Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford are each out for this sport for relaxation since each performed on Sunday. Once more, I do not know who will truly be out and who will begin so I’m simply guessing on the starters.
For the Warmth, Josh Richardson missed Sunday’s sport and is questionable for this sport with an sickness. Nikola Jovic additionally missed Sunday’s sport attributable to a left ankle sprain and is questionable for this sport. Kel’el Ware missed Sunday’s sport attributable to proper foot tendinitis and is questionable for this sport. All will likely be a sport time determination. Jimmy Butler Butler suffered an obvious proper knee harm within the 4th quarter of Sunday’s sport and is out for this sport. I’m guessing that Jaime Jaquez, Jr will begin in his place.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
PG: Derrick WhiteSG: Sam HauserSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Neemias Queta
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardLuke KornetJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshBaylor Scheierman
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (harm administration) outAl Horford (toe) outJrue Vacation (knee) outDerrick White (foot) questionableJaylen Brown (sickness) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Warmth Starters
Grid View
PG: Tyler HerroSG: Duncan RobinsonSF: Jaime Jaquez, JrPF: Haywood HighsmithC: Bam Adebayo
Warmth ReservesThomas BryantAlec BurksPelle LarssonKevin LoveTerry Rozier IIIKe;’el Ware
Two Method PlayersJosh ChristopherKeshad JohnsonDru Smith
Accidents/OutNikola Jovic (ankle) questionable Josh Richardson (sickness) questionable Kel’el Ware (foot) questionable Jimmy Butler (knee) out
Head Coach Erik Spoelstra
Key Matchups
Grid View
Derrick White
Picture by Luke Hales/Getty Photographs
Tyler Herro
Picture by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Tyler HerroHerro is the Warmth’s main scorer this season. He’s averaging 23.6 factors, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per sport. He’s capturing 46.5% from the sphere and 41.3% from past the arc. The Celtics have to maintain him off of the three level line and defend him each on the perimeter and within the paint. Right now I’m undecided if White will play or not.
Grid View
Jaylen Brown
Picture by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Photographs
Jaime Jaquez, Jr
Picture by Andrew Lahodynskyj/Getty Photographs
Jaylen Brown vs Jaime Jaquez, JrOriginally I had Jimmy Butler right here however he has been dominated out so I’m placing Jaime Jaquez, Jr in his place. I’m undecided who will truly begin right here however I assume it doesn’t actually matter. Jaylen Brown missed Sunday’s sport and will or might not play on this sport. Whoever performs simply wants to provide most effort to ensure that the Celtics to have an opportunity on this sport.
Honorable MentionNeemias Queta vs Bam AdebayoAdebayo is averaging 15.8 factors, 9.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per sport. He’s capturing 42.8% from the sphere and 33.3% from past the arc. He’s a menace to attain within the paint and seize rebounds and so the Celtics have to field him out and defend him effectively within the paint however he can even shoot threes if he’s open so the Celtics additionally need to defend him on the perimeter. I’m undecided who will begin right here however picked Queta at random.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection will at all times be the most important key to profitable each single sport. Thus far this season, the Celtics protection hasn’t been nearly as good because it was final 12 months. The Celtics are eighth with a defensive ranking of 111.0 whereas the Warmth are ninth with a defensive ranking of 111.2. The Celtics protection was undoubtedly missing towards the Cavs of their loss on Sunday. The Celtics allowed the Cavs to shoot 48.7% from the sphere and 47.2% from past the arc. They undoubtedly need to play higher protection towards the Warmth in the event that they wish to get a win. The Celtics have to defend the perimeter particularly for the reason that Warmth try 39.5 threes a sport and shoot threes simply barely higher than the Celtics at 37.9%. The Celtics have to work more durable on protection and make that their precedence.
Rebound – Together with protection, rebounding is at all times a key to profitable. As Pat Riley as soon as mentioned “No rebounds, no rings.” The Celtics common 43.3 rebounds per sport (18th) whereas the Warmth common 42.9 rebounds per sport (twenty second). It takes effort and hustle to get rebounds and the Celtics want to provide extra effort and hustle than the Warmth to seize rebounds in the event that they wish to win this sport.
Subsequent Man Up – With 3 gamers questionable for this sport and one other 3 dominated out, the Celtics will want each participant to step up their sport and contribute on each ends of the courtroom. They want the starters to come back out sturdy and get off to begin as soon as once more. The reserves want to come back in and sustain the power and hit their photographs and most significantly, each participant should play lock down protection and likewise crash the boards.
Transfer the Ball – The Celtics are robust to beat once they maintain the ball shifting and discover the open man however when one participant over dribbles and lapses into hero ball, they falter. On the finish of the Cavs sport, in two consecutive essential possessions, Jayson Tatum dribbled your complete shot clock with out one cross and missed contested layups on each possessions. He must proceed to do what makes the Celtics profitable and maintain the ball shifting. Everybody knew that he wasn’t going to cross the ball and so as an alternative of an open shot, he dribbled right into a crowd of Cavaliers. Hold the ball shifting and don’t lapse into hero ball, whether or not within the first quarter or the 4th quarter. Hero ball hardly ever works.
Play Arduous for 48 Minutes – The distinction within the Celtics wins and losses on this 12 months has been the quantity of effort they provide on each ends of the courtroom. The Celtics have to be extra aggressive in going for free balls, rebounds, in going to the basket and on protection. They need to decide to giving full effort from the opening tip till the ultimate buzzer. Hopefully they’ve realized from their losses and received’t slack off on effort for even a minute on this sport. They should take cost of the sport from the opening tip till the ultimate buzzer. The Celtics have to be the more durable crew each bodily and mentally.
X-Elements Dwelling Sport and Fatigue – The Celtics can’t assume that they’ll win as a result of they’re at house as a result of they’ve already misplaced 2 video games at house this season once they misplaced simply 4 house video games all final season. Each groups needed to journey in a single day and each groups are enjoying in again to again video games. The Warmth will likely be enjoying in entrance of a hostile crowd and in an unfamiliar enviornment whereas the Celtics can have the gang behind them to provide them motivation. Fatigue might come into play down the stretch, particularly for the quick handed Celtics.
Officiating -Officiating is at all times an x-factor in each sport. Each crew officiates in another way. Some name it tight, others allow them to play. The Celtics want to regulate to how the refs are calling the sport and never permit unhealthy calls or no calls to remove their focus from enjoying the sport. The extra aggressive crew will normally get the good thing about the calls and so the Celtics should be the extra aggressive crew.
And ensure to take a look at CelticsBlog’s Playback stream for a dwell dialog in regards to the sport. To take part, simply create a free account, join your LP sub when you’ve got it, and be part of our group.
