The Celtics longest street journey of the season continues as they tackle the Kings in Sacramento. That is the second, and closing, sport between these two groups this season. The Kings gained 114-97 in Boston on January 10. The Celtics gained the collection 2-0 final season. The Celtics have gained their final 5 video games whereas the Kings misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are 192-129 general, all time, in opposition to the Kings franchise and 70-75 on the street in opposition to them. This consists of video games when the franchise was positioned in Rochester, Cincinnati, Kansas Metropolis, and Sacramento. They’re 47-30 general in opposition to the Kings within the Sacramento period and 17-22 in Sacramento.
The Kings are taking part in within the first sport of a again to again set and can face Oklahoma Metropolis at residence on Tuesday. They’re 7-7 on the primary evening of again to again video games. The Celtics are taking part in on the second evening of again to again video games. They beat the Path Blazers in Portland on Sunday evening and needed to journey after that sport. They’re 7-4 within the 2nd of again to again video games and they’re 4-2 when the second sport is on the street.
This Kings workforce could be very completely different from the one which beat the Celtics again in January. They made a number of strikes on the commerce deadline. They traded Alex Len, Colby Jones and a 2nd spherical decide to Memphis for Jake LaRavia. They waived Orlando Robinson. They traded star De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio and acquired Zach LaVine and Sidy Cissoko from Chicago in a 3 workforce commerce. They then despatched Cissoko to Washington for Jonas Valanciunas. Lastly, they signed former #1 decide Markelle Fultz as a free agent.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East. They’re 5 video games behind 1st place Cleveland, who misplaced 4 straight video games earlier than beating Utah on Sunday. They’re 7 video games forward of third place New York and 10 video games forward of 4th place Indiana. They’re 28-7 on the street and 9-1 of their final 10 video games. They’re 17-8 in opposition to Western Convention opponents. They’ve gained their final 5 video games.
The Kings are ninth within the West, 23 video games behind first place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re 1.5 video games forward of tenth place Phoenix and eleventh place Dallas. They’re 5.5 video games behind sixth place Golden State and the ultimate assured playoff spot. They’re 18-17 at residence and 3-7 of their final 10 video games. They’re 11-12 in opposition to Jap Convention groups and have misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are taking part in within the third sport of a 6 sport Western street journey. They gained the primary sport in Utah 121-99 on Friday and the second sport 129-116 in Portland on Sunday. The journey will proceed by means of Phoenix, San Antonio and Memphis. After this journey, the Celtics will play 2 at residence in opposition to Miami and Phoenix. Then it’s again on the street for video games at New York and at Orlando. They may end the season with 2 video games in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets at residence.
The Kings are taking part in within the fifth sport of a 7 sport residence stand. They gained video games in opposition to Memphis and Cleveland to start the house stand after which misplaced to Chicago and Milwaukee. After this sport they’ll play Oklahoma Metropolis on Monday in again to again video games. After that they go on a 6 sport street journey by means of Orlando, Indiana, Washington, Charlotte, Cleveland and Detroit. They may end the season with 3 video games at residence in opposition to Denver, the Clippers and Phoenix.
Because the Celtics are taking part in in again to again video games and so they have been sitting a participant or two for damage administration in current video games, it’s laborious to inform who will play and who gained’t. I’ve posted the common beginning 5 however a few of them might sit on this one. Jaylen Brown missed 3 video games as a consequence of a knee damage and is questionable for this sport. Porzingis, and Vacation additionally missed Sunday’s sport and will not be on the most recent damage report and can seemingly play. Al Horford (toe) and Xavier Tillman (knee) are each out.
The Kings are largely wholesome. Domatas Sabonis injured his ankle final Monday in opposition to Memphis and was anticipated to overlook not less than 10 days because of the damage. Nevertheless he went by means of a full follow on Sunday and has been upgraded to questionable for this sport. If he can play, he ought to begin at Middle. Malik Monk missed Saturday’s sport as a consequence of an sickness and is questionable for this sport. Devin Carter can also be questionable as a consequence of sickness. Doug McDermott was a late addition with an elbow damage and is questionable.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJordan WalshLuke KornetTorrey Craig
2 Approach PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonMiles Norris
Accidents/OutJaylen Brown (knee) questionable Xavier Tillman (knee) outAl Horford (toe) outSam Hauser (again) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Kings Starters
Grid View
PG: Malik MonkSG: Zach LaVineSF: DeMar DeRozanPF: Keegan MurrayC : Jonas Valanciunas
Kings Reserves Devin CarterJae Crowder Keon EllisMarkelle FultzJake LaRavia Trey LylesTerry Taylor (10 Day)
Two-Approach PlayersIsaiah CrawfordIsaac JonesMason Jones
Accidents/OutDomatas Sabonis (ankle) questionableMalik Monk (sickness) questionable Devin Carter (sickness) questionable Doug McDermott (elbow) questionable
Head CoachDoug Christie (interim)
Key Matchups
Grid View
Jaylen Brown
Pictures by Michael Gonzales/NBAE through Getty Photographs
DeMar DeRozan
Photograph by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photographs
Jaylen Brown vs DeMar DeRozanDeRozan is averaging 22.2 factors, 3.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 48.6% from the sphere and 35.6% from past the arc. Within the first sport in opposition to the Celtics, he completed with 24 factors, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 block and 1 steal whereas taking pictures 34.6% from the sphere and 40% from three. He’s additionally superb from the midrange and so the Celtics should guard him for all the possession, inside, midrange and on the perimeter.
Grid View
Derrick White
Photograph by Jamie Sabau/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Zach LaVine
Photograph by Rocky Widner/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Zach LaVineLaVine is averaging 23.3 factors, 4.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 51.3% from the sphere and 44.1% from past the arc. In 3 video games in opposition to the Celtics this season, all with Chicago, he averaged 26.3 factors, 3.7 rebounds, and three assists whereas taking pictures 50% from the sphere and 51.9% from past the arc. This would be the first time the Celtics are dealing with him as a member of the Kings.
Honorable MentionJrue Vacation vs Malik Monk Monk is averaging 18.1 factors, 3.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1 steal per sport. He’s taking pictures 44.4% from the sphere and 32.7% from past the arc. Within the first sport in opposition to the Celtics, he completed with 22 factors, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 block and 1 steal, whereas taking pictures 37.5% from the sphere and 27.3% from past the arc. (if Monk is out or if Sabonis performs, the middle matchup shall be key. Sabonis had 28 rebounds within the first sport and provides the Celtics matchup issues).
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is at all times the important thing to profitable each sport. The Kings have a defensive score of 115.1 (twenty second). The Celtics defensive score is 110.2, fifth within the league. The Celtics must defend the paint because the Kings common 48.4 factors within the paint per sport. The Kings common 35.7 three pointers tried per sport so the Celtics should additionally defend the perimeter. The Celtics must make protection a precedence and decide to taking part in robust lock down protection for 48 minutes.
Rebound – A lot of rebounding is effort and need. The Celtics must put out additional effort to seize the rebounds on each ends of the court docket. By doing so, they restrict the second probability factors and quick breaks for the Kings and in addition give themselves additional possessions. The Celtics are averaging 44.9 rebounds per sport to 44.3 rebounds per sport for the Kings. The Kings common 14.4 second probability factors per sport and further effort from the Celtics can restrict these. The Kings out-rebounded the Celtics 56-43 of their first assembly (28 for Sabonis alone) and so the Celtics must work more durable on the boards in the event that they need to win this sport.
Effort and Vitality for 48 Minutes – The Celtics should be the extra aggressive workforce. They must combat for unfastened balls, defend aggressively, be aggressive in driving to the basket, and simply play more durable than the Kings for all the sport. They’ve to start the sport with vitality and never enable the Kings to get a giant lead and so they can’t let up all through the sport. They particularly have to come back out robust within the third quarter and play laborious till the ultimate buzzer. The workforce that’s extra aggressive and that performs more durable often will get the good thing about extra calls from the refs as effectively.
To three or To not 3 – The Celtics are first within the league, trying 48.2 threes a sport. After they fall, the Celtics are robust to beat. However, once they aren’t falling, the Celtics wrestle. Within the first sport in opposition to the Kings, the Celtics shot simply 28.6% from past the arc whereas the Kings shot 38.3% on threes. If the Celtics aren’t hitting their 3s, they must go to Plan B and take the ball to the basket or shoot from midrange. If the 3s are falling, nice!! If not, go to Plan B.
X-Components Fatigue on the Street – That is the third sport of a 6 sport street journey. The Celtics have needed to journey throughout the nation and throughout 3 time zones. They’re additionally taking part in on the second evening of again to again video games after taking part in in Portland on Sunday and within the third sport in 4 days with journey between them. Fatigue may come into play for them. Additionally they should ignore the distractions of journey, an unfamiliar enviornment and a hostile crowd and focus on taking part in collectively and taking part in the suitable manner.
Who Is and Who Isn’t Taking part in – This time of the season, it’s robust to foretell who’s going to play and who’s going to sit down in any given sport. Most gamers have nagging accidents that groups try to get healed up earlier than the playoffs. The Kings are a a lot better workforce with Sabonis taking part in and he’s questionable for this sport after sitting out the earlier 3 video games. The Celtics will most probably sit Horford to relaxation his sprained toe and Brown might probably nonetheless be out. Tatum might or might not sit to relaxation the tendinitis in his knee. Vacation might play or might sit because of the shoulder impingement. The Kings are preventing to make the playoffs and won’t sit any gamers except they completely must.
Officiating – Officiating can at all times be an x-factor. Each crew will name the sport in a different way. Some will name each little factor and the sport may have no move. Others will let lots go and allow them to play. Some crews favor the house workforce whereas others name it evenly or have a private agenda. The Celtics want to regulate to how the sport known as and never let the officers take away their focus.
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