After 7 video games at residence, the Celtics are on the highway to tackle the Warmth in Miami. That is the third of 4 video games between these two groups this season. They received 108-99 in Boston on December 2 they usually received 103-85 in Miami on February 10. They’ll meet once more for a 4th, and last, time on April 2 in Boston.
The Celtics received the sequence 3-0 final season, profitable 2 video games in Miami and one in Boston they usually received the primary spherical sequence between them in final yr’s playoffs 4-1. They’re 85-53 all time total in opposition to the Warmth and 41-30 in Miami. The Celtics are taking part in on the primary evening of again to again video games. They’re 8-2 on the primary evening of again to again video games and 4-1 when the primary recreation is on the highway. They’ve 2 extra again to again units after this one.
The Warmth made a 5 staff commerce on the deadline simply earlier than their final recreation in opposition to the Celtics. They traded the unjoyful Jimmy Butler to Golden State and Josh Richardson to the Jazz they usually introduced again Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson. They need to be used to taking part in with out Butler who was both injured or suspended for many of this season. All 3 of their new gamers made their debut for the Warmth within the February 10 recreation in opposition to the Celtics.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East. They’re 8.5 video games behind 1st place Cleveland, who’ve received their final 15 video games. They’re 4.5 video games forward of third place New York and 10 video games forward of 4th place Milwaukee. They’re 24-7 on the highway and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 32-11 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups. After profitable 5 straight, they misplaced to the Thunder of their final recreation.
The Warmth are ninth within the East, 26 video games behind first place Cleveland. They’re half a recreation behind eighth place Orlando and seven.5 video games behind sixth place Detroit and the ultimate assured playoff spot. They’re 2 video games forward of tenth place Chicago and 6.5 video games forward of eleventh place Toronto. They’re 15-16 at residence and 3-7 of their final 10 video games. They’re 18-22 in opposition to Japanese Convention opponents and have misplaced their final 5 video games.
The Celtics simply completed a 5-2 residence stand. They misplaced the primary recreation to the Cleveland Cavaliers after which beat the Denver Nuggets, Portland Trailblazers, 76ers, Lakers and Jazz within the subsequent 5 video games and misplaced the ultimate recreation to the Thunder. After this recreation they are going to play at Brooklyn after which a house recreation in opposition to Brooklyn earlier than they head out on a 6 recreation Western highway journey by means of Utah, Portland, Sacramento, Phoenix, San Antonio and Memphis. They play 5 of their final 7 video games at residence.
The Warmth are taking part in within the last recreation of a 5 recreation residence stand. They misplaced the primary 4 video games of the house stand to Minnesota, Chicago, Charlotte and the Clippers. After this recreation they are going to play at Memphis and New York earlier than one other 5 recreation residence stand the place they are going to host Detroit, Houston, Charlotte, Golden State, and Atlanta. Subsequent, they play at Philadelphia, Washington, and Boston earlier than ending out with 4 of their final 6 video games at residence.
Al Horford was initially listed as questionable with the toe sprain that has bothered him up to now however has been upgraded to possible at the moment. Derrick White is questionable with a knee contusion. Jaylen Brown is questionable as a result of a proper knee damage. Jayson Tatum is as soon as once more questionable as a result of proper knee tendinopathy, Kristaps Porzingis is in peril of lacking his eighth consecutive recreation as a result of a viral sickness. If any or the entire 4 gamers are questionable, I don’t know who would begin of their place so I’m simply leaving them as starters for now.
The Warmth are pretty wholesome at the moment Their beginning lineup within the recreation notes are the identical ones that they began within the final recreation. Alec Burks will miss his fifth straight recreation as a result of a again pressure. Nikola Jovic fractured the second metacarpal on his proper hand that received’t require surgical procedure, however he has no timeline for a return at the moment. Dru Smith ruptured his left Achilles tendon and can miss the rest of the season.
Possible Celtics Starters
PG: Jrue Vacation
SG: Derrick White
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Al Horford
Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Luke Kornet
Neemias Queta
Xavier Tillman, Sr
Jordan Walsh
Baylor Scheierman
Sam Hauser
Torrey Craig
2 Approach Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Miles Norris
Accidents/Out
Jayson Tatum (knee) questionable
Jaylen Brown (knee) questionable
Derrick White (knee) questionable
Kristaps Porzingis (sickness) questionable
Al Horford (toe) possible
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Warmth Starters
PG: Davion Mitchell
SG: Tyler Herro
SF: Andrew Wiggins
PF: Bam Adebayo
C: Kel’el Ware
Warmth Reserves
Kyle Anderson
Haywood Highsmith
Jaime Jaquez, Jr
Keshad Johnson
Pelle Larsson
Kevin Love
Duncan Robinson
Terry Rozier III
Two Approach Gamers
Josh Christopher
Isaiah Stevens
Dru Smith
Accidents/Out
Nikola Jovic (hand) out
Alec Burks (again) out
Dru Smith (Achilles) out
Head Coach
Erik Spoelstra
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Picture by Luke Hales/Getty Pictures
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Tyler Herro
Picture by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Pictures
Derrick White vs Tyler Herro
Herro is the Warmth’s main scorer this season. He’s averaging 23.9 factors, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 46.1% from the sector and 36.9% from past the arc. In opposition to the Celtics in a single recreation this season, Herro completed with 19 factors, 5 rebounds and 4 assists whereas capturing simply 31.6% from the sector and 20.3% from past the arc. The Celtics must hold him off of the three level line and defend him each on the perimeter and within the paint. White is questionable so he might or might not play on this one.
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Al Horford
Picture by Brian Babineau/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
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Bam Adebayo
Picture by Michael Reaves/Getty Pictures
Al Horford vs Bam Adebayo
Adebayo is averaging 17.7 factors, 10 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 48.8% from the sector and 31.0% from past the arc. Within the first 2 video games in opposition to the Celtics, he averaged 18.5 factors, 10 rebounds, and 4.5 assists whereas capturing 34.3% from the sector and 22.2% from past the arc. He’s a risk to attain within the paint and seize rebounds and so the Celtics must field him out and defend him nicely across the basket.
Honorable Point out
Jaylen Brown vs Andrew Wiggins
Wiggins is averaging 17.8 factors, 4.6 rebounds, and a couple of.5 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 44.0% from the sector and 36.6% from past the arc. In 3 video games in opposition to the Celtics this season (2 with Golden State and 1 with Miami) he averaged 10.3 factors, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per recreation whereas capturing 27% from the sector and 13.3% from past the arc. Brown is questionable so he might or might not play on this one
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection will at all times be the largest key to profitable each single recreation. The Celtics protection hasn’t been nearly as good this yr because it was final yr. The Celtics are fifth with a defensive ranking of 110.3 whereas they have been first most of final season. The Warmth are twelfth with a defensive ranking of 112.4. The Celtics must defend the perimeter particularly because the Warmth try 38.4 threes a recreation and shoot threes simply barely worse than the Celtics at 36.1%. The Celtics must work laborious 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 stated “No rebounds, no rings.” The Celtics common 44.9 rebounds per recreation (tenth) whereas the Warmth common 43.5 rebounds per recreation (twenty first). The Celtics are 29-6 after they out-rebound opponents however simply 18-13 when they’re out-rebounded. It takes effort and hustle to get rebounds and the Celtics want to present extra effort and hustle than the Warmth to seize rebounds in the event that they need to win this recreation.
Transfer the Ball – The Celtics are powerful to beat after they hold the ball shifting and discover the open man however when one participant over dribbles and lapses into hero ball, they falter. The Celtics are 34-2 after they have extra assists than their opponent. Maintain the ball shifting and don’t lapse into iso ball, whether or not within the first quarter or the 4th quarter. Hero ball hardly ever ends nicely.
Don’t Underestimate – The Celtics want to remain targeted and be aggressive from begin to end. The Warmth haven’t been taking part in nicely, however they’re nonetheless taking part in laborious and making an attempt to make the play-in, in contrast to quite a lot of tanking groups. Additionally, it doesn’t matter what, the Warmth at all times need to beat the Celtics after their heated playoff sequence in current historical past. The Celtics can’t underestimate them as a result of Butler is gone or as a result of they’re below .500 or as a result of they’ve misplaced 7 of their final 10 video games. They’ll nonetheless attempt their hardest to beat the Celtics and the Celtics must work even tougher to beat them.
X-Elements
On the Highway – The Celtics are on the highway after being at residence for 7 video games. Despite the distractions of taking part in on the highway, the Celtics have a greater highway file than residence file. The Celtics want to remain targeted on taking part in laborious and as a staff and never be distracted by the hostile crowd or the unfamiliar court docket or the fatigue that comes from journey.
accidents – The Warmth are largely wholesome except they’ve late additions to their damage checklist. The Jazz have been simply fined $100,000 for holding Lauri Markkanen out of a recreation for relaxation. The Celtics must be cautious holding gamers out for relaxation. Until there’s proof that the participant is injured, they will’t maintain greater than 1 star participant per recreation. So, I don’t see them simply sitting guys out with the League conserving eyes on groups for violating the Participant Participation Coverage. Clearly, the extra gamers who don’t play, the tougher the sport can be to win.
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor in each recreation. 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 dangerous calls or no calls to remove their focus from taking part in the sport. The extra aggressive staff will often get the good thing about the calls and so the Celtics must be the extra aggressive staff.
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