The Celtics are again at dwelling to tackle the San Antonio Spurs after a brief handed win in Toronto. That is the second and last recreation between these two groups this season. The Celtics beat the Spurs 134-101 on New Yr’s Eve in San Antonio. The Celtics received the collection final season 2-0, profitable in Boston by 44 factors. The Celtics are 46-56 total all time in opposition to the Spurs and they’re 23-28 in video games performed in Boston.
The Celtics stay first within the East. They’re three video games forward of second-place Milwaukee, 4 and a half video games forward of third-place Philadelphia (who beat Denver on Tuesday), and 7 video games forward of fourth-place Cleveland and fifth-place Miami. They’re eight video games forward of sixth-place Indiana. They’re 19-0 at dwelling and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 8-3 in opposition to Western Convention opponents. They’ve received their final two video games.
The San Antonio Spurs are fifteenth and in final place within the West. They’re three video games behind 14th-place Portland. They’re eight and a half video games behind Thirteenth-place Memphis. They’re 12 video games behind the tenth place Los Angeles Lakers for the ultimate play-in spot. They’re 4-16 on the street and 3-7 of their final 10 video games. They’re 2-13 in opposition to Jap Convention groups. They’ve misplaced their final two video games.
The Celtics have been alternating dwelling and street video games for the previous few video games. They performed at Indiana, then Minnesota at dwelling, then at Milwaukee and Houston at dwelling and eventually at Toronto for his or her final recreation. They’re as soon as once more at dwelling to face the Spurs. They’ll play Denver at dwelling on Friday earlier than heading out on a three-game street journey by Houston, Dallas and Miami. Following that, they’ve a seven-game dwelling stand.
The Spurs are taking part in within the second recreation of a five-game street journey. They performed at Atlanta on Monday and misplaced that recreation 109-99. After this recreation at Boston, they are going to play Charlotte, Washington and Philadelphia to finish the five-game street journey. They’ll then return dwelling for a seven-game dwelling stand.
The Celtics could also be brief handed in opposition to the Spurs. Derrick White is questionable with a sprained ankle. He got here up limping in Monday’s recreation in opposition to the Raptors however was in a position to end the sport. Kristaps Porzingis is questionable as a result of proper knee irritation. Jrue Vacation is questionable for this recreation as a result of a proper elbow sprain. He suffered the elbow sprain on the finish of December however has continued to play by the difficulty, lacking only one recreation. I’m simply going to submit the common beginning 5 as a result of these gamers could or could not play and in the event that they don’t, I’m unsure who will begin.
For the Spurs, Sidy Cissoko is listed as out as a result of a left ankle sprain. He has already missed 5 video games with the harm. Zach Collins can also be out with a sprained proper ankle. He has been out since Dec. 31 and has but to return to follow. Charles Bassey is out for the rest of the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee. Victor Wembanyama was initially listed as questionable however is now not on the report presently.
Possible Celtics Starters
PG: Jrue Vacation
SG: Derrick White
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics Reserves
Dalano Banton
Oshae Brissett
Sam Hauser
Al Horford
Svi Mykhailiuk
Payton Pritchard
Lamar Stevens
Jordan Walsh
Luke Kornet
Al Horford
2 Method Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Neemias Queta
Accidents/Out
None
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
PG: Tre Jones
SG: Devin Vassell
SF: Julian Champagnie
PF: Jeremy Sochan
C: Victor Wembanyama
Spurs Reserves
Malaki Branham
Sidy Cissoko
Devonte Graham
Keldon Johnson
Sandro Mamukelashvili
Doug McDermott
Cedi Osman
Blake Wesley
Two Method Gamers
Dominick Barlow
David Duke, Jr
Accidents/Out
Zach Collins (ankle) out
Charles Bassey (knee) out
Sidy Cissoko (ankle) out
Head Coach
Gregg Popovich
Key Matchups
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Kristaps Porzingis
Photograph by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photographs
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Victor Wembanyama
Photograph by Steph Chambers/Getty Photographs
Kristaps Porzingis vs Victor Wembanyama
Assuming that Porzingis will play, this ought to be a enjoyable matchup. Wembanyama is 7’4” whereas Porzingis is 7’2”. Wembanyama is averaging 19.6 factors, 10.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists 1.1 steals and three.2 blocks. He’s taking pictures 45.9% from the sector and 29.2% from past the arc. Within the first recreation in opposition to Boston, Wemby completed with 21 factors, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 block. He shot 50% from the sector and 37.5% from past the arc. The Celtics must be particularly conscious of Wemby when they will the basket as he’s a risk to dam photographs each time. Additionally they must preserve him out of the paint and off the glass.
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Derrick White
Photograph by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photographs
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Devin Vassell
Photograph by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Devin Vassell
Vassell is averaging 17.6 factors, 3.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 45.4% from the sector and 36.1% from past the arc. Within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics, he completed with 22 factors, 4 rebounds, 1 help and a pair of steals. He shot 60% from the sector and 50% from past the arc. The Celtics must do a greater job of defending him on this recreation.
Honorable Point out
Sam Hauser vs Keldon Johnson
Johnson comes off the bench for the Spurs and is averaging 17.2 factors, 6 rebounds, and three.6 assists per recreation. He’s taking pictures 44.6% from the sector and 34.6% from past the arc. The Celtics want Hauser and the Celtics reserves to step as much as match Johnson’s influence on the sport. He didn’t play in opposition to the Celtics within the first recreation in San Antonio.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection will all the time be a very powerful key to profitable video games. The Celtics are second with a defensive ranking of 110.6 whereas the Spurs are twenty fourth with a defensive ranking of 117.5. The Celtics must particularly defend within the paint because the Spurs common 49.6 factors within the paint per recreation. The Celtics must make protection a precedence and play powerful workforce protection in each recreation and never let up.
Rebound – The Celtics can’t rating in the event that they don’t have the ball, and they’re going to battle if they offer up second likelihood factors to the Spurs. The Celtics are averaging 47.4 rebounds per recreation (first) whereas the Spurs are averaging 43.2 rebounds per recreation (twenty first). Rebounding takes effort and when the Celtics put forth the additional effort on the boards, that tends to unfold to different areas of the sport as properly.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics must play exhausting and be the extra aggressive workforce. They must go after rebounds, unfastened balls, and 50/50 balls. They must be aggressive on protection and in attending to the basket. They must be the workforce that works tougher and desires to win extra. Even the final workforce within the standings can beat the #1 workforce in the event that they play tougher and are extra aggressive.
Play the Proper Method – The Celtics want to maneuver the ball to seek out the perfect shot. Once they play hero ball and don’t preserve the ball transferring, the Celtics battle. However, once they preserve the ball transferring and transfer with out the ball, they’re very powerful to beat. They should give attention to taking part in protection and having every others backs. They should crash the boards and field out. They should give attention to taking and making good photographs. If the three’s aren’t falling, take the ball to the basket. Play with focus and with vitality.
X-Components
Residence Sport and Don’t Underestimate – The Spurs are taking part in of their second straight street recreation and have three extra to go. The Spurs will possible be feeling some fatigue from journey and being on the street and from staying in lodges and taking part in in entrance of hostile crowds. The Celtics must reap the benefits of having the group behind them and from taking part in within the pleasant confines of the TD Backyard. The Celtics can’t underestimate the Spurs primarily based on their 33-point win in San Antonio and the Spurs document. If a workforce underestimates an opponent, even the worst workforce within the league, there’s all the time an opportunity it will possibly come again to chunk them.
Accidents – The Celtics have three gamers listed as questionable on the harm report. Their standing will likely be a recreation time resolution. It goes with out saying that this recreation will likely be loads more durable with out Jrue Vacation, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis. If a number of of these starters are out, it will likely be as much as the remaining gamers to choose up their video games and to play tougher. Hopefully no less than one or two of them will have the ability to play.
Officiating – Officiating is all the time an X-Issue. Each crew officiates otherwise and groups want to regulate to the best way the sport is named. Will they name the sport evenly or favor the house workforce? Will they name it tight or allow them to play? Evidently the officiating has been significantly poor this season up to now. Hopefully we get honest officiating and so they allow them to play and the Celtics give attention to taking part in and never on the officiating.
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