The Celtics are searching for their 2nd straight win as they tackle the Wizards in Washington. That is the third of 4 video games between these two groups this season. The Celtics beat the Wizards 122-102 in Washington of their 2nd sport of the season. Additionally they beat them 108-96 on November 22, additionally in Washington. They are going to play one another for the 4th and ultimate time in Boston on April 6. The Celtics swept the sequence 4-0 final season. The Celtics are 204-120 total all time and they’re 98-76 in Washington.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, 1.5 video games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and 4 video games forward of the third place Orlando Magic. They’re 9-2 on the street and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 18-3 towards Jap Convention opponents and are searching for their 2nd straight win. The Wizards are fifteenth within the East, 17.5 video games behind Cleveland. They’re 2-9 at residence and 1-9 of their final 10 video games. They’re 2-13 towards Jap Convention groups.
Within the off season, the Wizards added 3 first spherical picks from this yr’s draft: 2nd decide Alex Sarr, 14th decide Carlton “Bub” Carrington, and twenty fourth decide Kyshawn George. Additionally they added Key veterans Jonas Valenciunas, former Celtic Malcolm Brogdon, Saddiq Bey, and Anthony Gill. Additionally they traded Deni Avdija and misplaced Tyus Jones to free company. The Celtics, as we all know, are principally the identical group as final yr’s championship group.
The Celtics simply completed a troublesome stretch of 5 video games in 7 nights however performed only one sport since Saturday 12/7 once they completed a 5 sport residence stand after video games towards Miami, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Memphis as the primary 4 video games within the residence stand. They are going to face Chicago at residence on 12/19 and at Chicago in a house and residential set. They then journey to Orlando earlier than one other 4 sport residence stand the place they host Philadelphia, Indiana twice, and Toronto.
The Wizards are taking part in within the 1st of two residence video games and can face the Charlotte Hornets at residence on December 19 as their subsequent sport. They are going to then play at Milwaukee and at Oklahoma Metropolis earlier than a 4 sport residence stand the place they are going to host Charlotte, the New York Knicks twice, and Chicago on New Yr’s Day. This sport was added for each the Celtics and the Wizards after each groups didn’t advance within the Emirates NBA Cup Match.
After sitting out the Celtics final sport towards the Pistons with knee soreness, Jayson Tatum is predicted to return to motion on this sport. Sam Hauser, who sat out Tthursday’s win over the Pistons, can also be anticipated to be lively for this sport. Jaden Springer, who missed the sport with an sickness, can also be off the damage report right now. The one participant listed on the damage report is Al Horford who will probably be held out for relaxation on this sport despite taking part in only one sport within the 7 days earlier than this sport.
The Wizards have 6 gamers on their damage report. Kyle Kuzma is out with a rib damage. Malcolm Brogdon is o ut with a hamstring damage. Saddiq Bey is out with a knee damage. Corey Kispert is out with an ankle damage. and a pair of manner participant, Tristan Vukcevic is out with a knee damage. One other two manner participant and former Celtic, Justin Champagnie is beginning instead of the injured Kyle Kuzma.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesLuke KornetPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaSam HauserBaylor ScheiermanJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan Walsh
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutAl Horford (relaxation) out
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Wizards Starters
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Wizards Reserves Marvin Bagley IIIPatrick Baldwin, JrJohnny DavisAnthony Gill Richaun HolmesJonas Valanciunas
2-Method PlayersJared ButlerJustin ChampagnieTristan Vukcevic
Accidents/Out Saddiq Bey (knee) out Tristan Vukcevic (knee) out Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) outKyshawn George (ankle) outCorey Kispert (ankle) outKyle Kuzma (ribs) out
Head Coach Brian Keefe
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Photograph by Stacy Revere/Getty Photos
Jordan Poole
Photograph by Patrick Smith/Getty Photos
Derrick White vs Jordan PoolePoole is averaging 20.2 factors, 2.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.7 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 43.5% from the sector and 40% from past the arc. Within the first 2 gamea towards the Celtics, Poole averaged 24.5 factors, 1.5 rebounds, 6 assists, and a pair of.5 steals whereas taking pictures 50% from the sector and 50% from past the arc. The Celtics want to stick with him on the perimeter as he’s a risk to hit his 3’s. He’s additionally a risk to steal the ball if the Celtics get sloppy.
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Jaylen Brown
Photograph By Winslow Townson/Getty Photos
Bilal Coulibaly
Photograph by Stephen Gosling/NBAE through Getty Photos
Jaylen Brown vs Bilal CoulibalyCoulibaly is averaging 12.5 factors, 5.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 44.3% from the sector and 30.4% from past the arc. Within the first 2 video games towards the Celtics he averaged 7 factors, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.5 steals whereas taking pictures 27.3% from the sector and 16.7% from past the arc. The Celtics have to as soon as once more defend him properly on this one.
Honorable Point out Kristaps Porzingis vs Alex SarrSarr is averaging 10.7 factors, 6.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 blocks. He’s taking pictures 39.3% from the sector and 26.1% from past the arc. Within the first 2 video games towards the Celtics, he averaged 4.0 factors, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 help and 1.5 blocks whereas taking pictures 25% from the sector and no 3 pointers. Porzingis didn’t play in both of the primary 2 video games towards his former group so will possible look to provide a bit of additional on this one.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is all the time the important thing to successful. The Celtics received their championship final season with robust, bodily protection. To repeat, they might want to as soon as once more make protection a precedence. The Celtics are ninth with a defensive score of 110.3 whereas the Wizards are twenty ninth with a defensive score of 119.0. The Celtics had been first within the league on protection final season and they should get again to taking part in that robust lock down protection each sport this season. The Celtics particularly have to defend the paint as a result of the Wizards aren’t particularly a giant 3 level taking pictures group and the Celtics are twenty fifth, permitting 51.5 factors within the paint per sport.
Rebound – The Celtics are 14th with 44.0 rebounds per sport whereas the Wizards are twenty second with 42.9 rebounds per sport. Once more, the Celtics had been 2nd final season with 46.7 rebounds per sport with principally the identical roster. It’s essential for the Celtics to rebound to provide themselves additional possessions and to restrict their opponents’ possessions. A lot of rebounding is effort and hustle and when the Celtics give additional effort and hustle on the boards, it normally interprets into the remainder of their sport. Every participant must decide to crashing the boards and going after each rebound on each ends of the court docket.
Don’t Underestimate – That is most likely the most important entice sport of the season for the Celtics. The Wizards are final within the league and lacking starters and rotation gamers. This has been a recipe for catastrophe up to now for the Celtics. The Celtics can’t take the Wizards with no consideration, although they’re clearly tanking and lacking gamers. Even tanking groups wish to beat the Celtics. The Wizards 3 wins got here towards the Hawks twice and the Nuggets, each good groups. The Celtics must take the Wizards severely and play them as in the event that they had been the highest group within the league.
Most Effort for 48 Minutes – The Celtics losses this season will be traced again to an absence of effort. Additionally, at instances evidently they both begin off slowly and find yourself in a gap that they should dig themselves out of or they soar out to a lead solely to let up within the second half and permit their opponent to get again into the sport and make it shut. The Celtics must get again to taking part in laborious on each ends of the court docket for the complete 48 minutes with no let up.
X-Elements On the Street and Focus – The Celtics are taking part in on the street as soon as once more after a 5 sport residence stand. They’ve to beat the distractions that include taking part in on the street like journey, staying in motels, lacking household, an unfamiliar constructing and a hostile crowd. They’ve to remain centered on taking part in Celtics basketball the suitable manner and never on the Pistons’ document or lacking gamers.
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