The highest two groups within the East conflict because the Celtics go to the Cleveland Cavaliers. That is the third of 4 conferences between these two groups this season. The Celtics gained the primary sport 120-117 in Boston on November 19. The Cavaliers gained the second sport 115-111 on December 1 in Cleveland. They’ll meet yet one more time in Boston on February 28.
The Celtics gained the sequence 2-1 final season, successful the two video games they performed in Boston and dropping the one sport they performed in Cleveland. The Celtics have misplaced 4 straight video games in Cleveland. The Celtics are 140-88 general all time in opposition to the Cavaliers, and they’re 44-61 all time in video games performed in Cleveland.
These two groups have a lot in widespread with how they dealt with the offseason. Each groups largely stood pat with out making any main trades or free agent signings. The Cavs did make an enormous transfer after they fired JB Bickerstaff and employed Kenny Atkinson as their coach. Atkinson is getting a number of credit score for the Cavs’ scorching begin. They prolonged Mobley, Mitchell and Allen and so they drafted Jaylon Tyson. Additionally they signed JT Thor to a 2 Manner contract.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, and are 5.5 video games behind the primary place Cavaliers who’ve gained their final 4 video games. They’re 2.5 video games forward of third place New York and 6.5 video games forward of 4th place Indiana. The Celtics are 19-6 on the highway and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 25-9 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents. They’ve gained their final 3 video games.
The Cavaliers are first within the Jap Convention. They’re 5.5 video games forward of 2nd place Boston, 8 video games forward of third place New York, and 12 video games forward of 4th place Indiana. They’re 24-3 at dwelling and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 26-6 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents and have gained their final 4 video games.
The Celtics are taking part in within the third and remaining sport of a 3 sport highway journey. They started the journey with a 2 level win over the short-handed Pelicans after which got here from down 26 factors to beat the 76ers by 8. Subsequent, they’ve one sport at dwelling in opposition to Dallas who simply shook up their roster by buying and selling Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. They’ll play at New York and at Miami and eventually, at dwelling in opposition to San Antonio, who simply traded for DeAaron Fox, earlier than the All Star Break.
The Cavaliers are taking part in within the third sport of a 3 sport dwelling stand. They beat Atlanta and a Luka-less and AD-less Dallas crew to start the house stand. After this, they’ll play at Detroit and at Washington earlier than a sport at dwelling in opposition to Minnesota. Then they shut out at Toronto earlier than the All Star Break.
Payton Pritchard missed Sunday’s sport with an sickness however is off the damage report and is anticipated to play on this sport. As of now, the Celtics have a transparent damage report. The Cavaliers have 3 gamers on their damage listing. Dean Wade is out with a knee damage, Isaac Okoro is out with a shoulder damage. Luke Travers is out with an ankle damage.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardLuke KornetJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshSam HauserBaylor ScheiermanNeemias QuetaAl Horford
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutNone listed
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Cavaliers Starters
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Cavaliers ReservesTy JeromeCaris LeVertSam MerrillGeorges NiangCraig Porter, JrTristan ThompsonJaylon Tyson
2 Manner Gamers Emoni Bates JT ThorLuke Travers
Accidents/Out Dean Wade (knee) out Isaac Okoro (shoulder) out Luke Travers (ankle) out
Head Coach Kenny Atkinson
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Photograph by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe through Getty Photos
Donovan Mitchell
Photograph by Jeff Haynes/NBAE through Getty Photos
Derrick White vs Donovan MitchellMitchell is averaging 23.7 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 45.0% from the sector and 39.8% from past the arc. This season in opposition to the Celtics, Mitchell averaged 35 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 3 assists 1 steal whereas taking pictures 50% from the sector and 40.9% from past the arc. Slowing Mitchell down will probably be key to getting a win for the Celtics.
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph By Winslow Townson/Getty Photos
Darius Garland
Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photos
Jrue Vacation vs Darius Garland Garland and Mitchell have shaped an excellent backcourt for the Cavs. Garland is averaging 21.7 factors, 2.5 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.1 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 50.3% from the sector and 42.8% from past the arc. Within the first 2 video games in opposition to the Celtics he averaged 15 factors, 3.5 rebounds, and seven.5 assists whereas taking pictures 24.3% from the sector and 33.3% from past the arc. As with Mitchell, slowing Garland down is vital to successful this sport.
Honorable MentionJayson Tatum vs Evan MobleyMobley is averaging 18.3 factors, 9.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.5 blocks per sport. He’s taking pictures 57.3% from the sector and 39.8% from past the arc. Towards Boston this season, he averaged 15.5 factors, 10.5 rebounds, 5 assists 2 blocks and 1 steal per sport whereas taking pictures 46.2% from the sector and 20% from past the arc. The Celtics must attempt to hold him out of the paint and off the boards.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is at all times a key to successful video games. The Cavaliers are a great defensive crew with a 111.4 defensive score, which is eighth within the league. The Celtics have a defensive score of 109.7, which is fifth within the league. Final season, the Celtics have been 1st and the Cavaliers have been eleventh with principally the identical rosters. The Celtics should get again to creating protection a precedence and so they should play that robust protection for 48 minutes and never let up. The Celtics should particularly defend the Cavs on the perimeter as they’re tops within the league, taking pictures 39.6% as a crew on threes. The Cavs are going to play robust protection and so the Celtics might want to match or exceed their defensive depth.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is the largest key to successful. A lot of rebounding is effort and want and when the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, it normally carries by means of to the remainder of their sport. The Celtics are averaging 444.7 rebounds per sport (twelfth) whereas the Cavs are averaging 44.4 rebounds per sport (fifteenth). The Celtics are 20-4 after they out-rebound their opponents whereas the Cavs are 22-2 after they out-rebound their opponents. Clearly, rebounding is necessary to successful. The Celtics should work tougher to seize rebounds and to field out the Cavaliers on the boards.
Transfer the Ball Rigorously – The Celtics want to maneuver the ball in an effort to discover the very best shot on every possession. When the ball sticks and gamers attempt to do an excessive amount of, the Celtics wrestle. They’re at their greatest after they go the ball and hold it transferring. They’re 15-0 after they have 30 ore extra assists.The Cavs are 32-3 after they have extra assists than their opponent whereas the Celtics are 26-1 after they have extra assists than their opponents. However they should make cautious passes and never get sloppy as a result of the Cavs common 19.2 factors off turnovers per sport (sixth). The Celtics have to maneuver the ball and might’t get caught up in taking part in hero ball.
Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes – The Celtics want to remain centered for 48 minutes. They should play with further effort. The Cavs play laborious and so the Celtics must match that effort and play even tougher. The crew that performs tougher and is extra aggressive is normally the crew that comes out on prime and that additionally will get the higher whistle. The Celtics even have to remain centered. They should deal with taking good pictures and making them and on taking part in as a crew and making the proper play each time. Additionally they should hold that effort and focus up for 48 minutes with no let up and no collapse. The Celtics effort and focus was lacking within the first 3 quarters in opposition to the 76ers however they confirmed what they’ll do when they’re centered and play with vitality within the 4th quarter. The Celtics want that very same focus and energy for all 48 minutes on this sport.
X-Elements On the Highway – The Celtics are taking part in on the highway and might want to keep centered despite the distractions of journey and taking part in in entrance of a hostile crowd. Cavs followers actually don’t just like the Celtics and can probably be loud and antagonistic. They should come into this sport centered and able to play tougher than the Cavs. The ultimate sport of a highway journey is at all times a troublesome one and so the Celtics should play tougher and extra centered in the event that they wish to win this sport.
Officiating – The officiating is at all times an x-factor. Generally a crew will name the sport tight and blow a whistle on each play. Different occasions they’ll allow them to play and let the sport get bodily. The Celtics want to regulate to the best way the sport is known as and never let missed calls or unhealthy calls have an effect on their focus. If the calls are unhealthy, they simply must play tougher to make up for them and never waste time arguing with the officers.
