The Celtics look to bounce again from their first residence loss as they host the Brooklyn Nets. That is the primary of 4 conferences between these two groups this season. They may face off once more on November 13 in Brooklyn after which on March 15 in Brooklyn and at last, on March 18 in Boston. The Celtics received the sequence 4-0 final season. The Celtics are 141-73 total all time in opposition to the Nets and they’re 75-33 all time in Boston.
That is the primary of three highway video games for the Nets and the primary evening of again to again video games for them. They may play the Cavaliers on Saturday after which on the Pelicans. They may then return residence to face the Celtics on Wednesday. The Celtics are enjoying of their second straight residence sport. They may head to Milwaukee on Sunday after which residence in opposition to the Hawks on Tuesday and again to again at Brooklyn on Wednesday.
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 approach contract. They’ve one open roster spot that they’re prone to preserve open in case of harm throughout the season. It additionally is clear that a number of of the returning Celtics have improved fairly a bit over the summer time.
The Nets determined to enter a rebuild mode this season once they traded their Most worthy participant, Mikal Bridges, to the Knicks. They obtained Shake Milton in an indication and commerce from the Knicks. They bought Bojan Bogdanovic and Ziaire Williams from Memphis. They obtained their very own ‘25 and ‘26 draft picks again from Houston and 5 first spherical picks within the Bridges commerce. They misplaced Keita Bates-Diop, Jacob Gilyard, Dennis Smith, Jr, and Lonnie Walker IV.
The Celtics can be with out Kristaps Porzingis, who continues to be rehabbing from off season ankle surgical procedure and isn’t anticipated again till December. Jaylen Brown will miss his fourth straight sport with a hip harm. I’m going to guess that Joe Mazzulla will as soon as once more begin the double bigs with Queta beginning once more. Luke Kornet is uncertain for this sport after leaving Wednesday’s sport with hamstring tightness.
Bojan Bogdanovic will miss this sport whereas he continues to rehab from off season foot surgical procedure. He has but to swimsuit up and play this season. Day’Ron Sharpe can be out till at the very least mid November with a hamstring pressure. Trendon Watford is predicted to overlook at the very least the Nets’ 3 sport highway journey with a hamstring harm. Noah Clowney is questionable with an sickness.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardLuke KornetJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshSam Hauser
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (ankle) outJaylen Brown (hip) outBaylor Scheierman (GLeague) outLuke Kornet (hamsting) uncertain
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Nets Starters
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Nets Reserves Keon JohnsonShake MiltonBen SimmonsDariq WhiteheadZiaire Williams Jalen Wilson
2 Manner Gamers Jaylen Martin Tyrese Martin Cui Yongsi
Accidents/Out Bojan Bogdanovic (foot) out Day’Ron Sharpe (hamstring) out Trendon Watford (hamstring) out Noah Clowney (sickness) questionable
Head Coach Jordi Fernandez
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Picture by Megan Briggs/Getty Photographs
Cam Thomas
Picture by Elsa/Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Cam ThomasThomas is averaging 24.9 factors, 3.1 rebounds 3.1 assists and 1 steal per sport. He’s capturing 42.3% from the sphere and 30.6% from past the arc. The Celtics positively have to defend him properly. Derrick White has been enjoying very properly to assist make up for the absence of Jaylen Brown and the Celtics will want him to proceed to step up his sport on this one.
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Photographs
Dennis Schroder
Picture by Luke Hales/Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs Dennis SchroderSchroder is averaging 19.9 factors, 3.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.4 steals. He’s capturing 50.5% from the sphere and 49% from past the arc. The Celtics should defend him each in and out as he’s capturing very properly. In addition they must play him for the move as he has been transferring the ball very properly.
Honorable MentionJayson Tatum vs Cam Johnson Johnson is averaging 16.6 factors, 3.9 rebounds, and three.0 assists per sport. He’s capturing 36.4% from the sphere and 45.5% from past the arc. The Celtics have to particularly stick with Johnson on the perimeter as he’s capturing very properly from there.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is at all times the important thing to profitable. The Celtics are seventh within the league with a defensive ranking of 109.3. The Nets are nineteenth within the league with a defensive ranking of 114.2. The Nets are averaging 113.5 factors per sport (fifteenth). The Celtics are third within the league averaging 122.3 factors per sport. The Celtics must particularly guard the perimeter because the Nets are sixth with 40.1 three pointers tried per sport. On Wednesday, the Celtics allowed the Warriors to shoot 41.2% on threes. The Celtics must defend a lot better on this one.
Rebound – The Celtics should field out and crash the boards. They will’t rating with out the ball and it’ll take further effort on their half beat the Nets on the boards. The Nets are twenty ninth with 39 rebounds per sport. The Celtics are 18th with 44.1 rebounds per sport. The Celtics had been out rebounded 53-47 on Wednesday and they should do higher on this sport. The Celtics must put out extra effort to get to the rebounds earlier than the Nets and forestall second and third likelihood pictures.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to return out and be aggressive proper from the opening tip. They must be aggressive on protection, driving to the basket, rebounding, diving for free balls and simply enjoying more durable usually. What the Nets lack in star energy, they make up for with effort. The Celtics have to match their effort and aggressiveness. In addition they must play onerous proper up till the ultimate buzzer. This Nets workforce with out stars play onerous and win by giving extra effort than their opponents.
Transfer the Ball and Play the Proper Manner – At instances in opposition to the Warriors, particularly on the finish, the Celtics stopped transferring the ball and gamers tried to do an excessive amount of as a substitute of enjoying workforce ball. They weren’t transferring the ball and so they had been dashing pictures. They’d simply 22 assists for the sport. They should belief one another and never lapse into hero ball. They must get again to enjoying Celtics ball, particularly on protection.
X-Components House Sport and Bounce Again – The Celtics performed very properly at residence final season, dropping solely 4 video games on the TD Backyard all season. They should feed off the vitality of the group and hopefully, the Nets can be distracted by journey and the very loud crowd. The Celtics have to take dropping on their residence courtroom personally and bounce again to win this one. The Celtics want to guard residence courtroom.
Officiating – The officiating is at all times an x-factor. Some referees name the sport tight and others allow them to play. Some favor the house workforce and others name it evenly. Some refs simply appear to have an agenda that doesn’t match the occasions on the courtroom. At instances they miss essential calls that change the momentum of the sport. The Celtics have to play properly sufficient to not depart the sport within the palms of the officers on the finish and so they can’t let dangerous calls take away from their focus.
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