Atlanta Hawks (23-25) at Boston Celtics (29-17)Wednesday, January 28, 20267:30 PM ETRegular Season Recreation #47, Dwelling Recreation #22TV: NBCSB, FDSNSE, NBA-LPRadio: 98.5 Sports activities Hub, 92.9 The Recreation, Sirius XMTD Backyard
The Celtics proceed their house stand after a win over the Path Blazers on Monday. That is the 2nd of 4 video games between these two groups this season. The Celtics received the primary recreation 132-106 in Atlanta on January 17. They are going to meet once more in Atlanta on March 30 and can play a second recreation in Boston on March 27. The Hawks received the collection 2-1 final season with the Celtics profitable one in Atlanta and the Hawks profitable twice in Boston. The Celtics are 246-151 general all time and they’re 132-56 in video games performed in Boston.
The Hawks noticed numerous change within the off season. They had been a part of a 3 group commerce That despatched Georges Niang to Boston and Terance Mann to Brooklyn and introduced again Kristaps Porzingis from Boston. They had been additionally a part of a 7 group commerce involving Kevin Durant the place they despatched Clint Capela to Houston in return for David Roddy, who they minimize. They obtained Nickeil Alexander-Walker in an indication and commerce with Minnesota.
They traded Kobe Bufkin to Brooklyn for money. Caris LeVert and Larry Nance, Jr each left in free company they usually minimize Charles Bassey, who performed for the Celtics Summer season League group. They signed N’Faly Dante and Luke Kennard as free brokers. They drafted Asa Newell with the twenty third decide within the draft. On January 5, they made the primary huge commerce of the foolish season after they despatched Trae Younger to Washington for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, 5 video games behind 1st place Detroit. They’re 1 recreation forward of third place Toronto and 1.5 video games forward of 4th place New York, 2 video games forward of fifth place Cleveland, 4.5 video games forward of sixth place Philadelphia and seventh place Miami. The Celtics are 21-11 towards Jap Convention opponents. They’re 14-7 at house and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re coming off a win of their final recreation.
The Hawks are tenth within the East, 12 video games behind first place Detroit, 2.5 video games behind sixth place Philadelphia and seventh place Miami, 1.5 video games behind eighth place Orlando, 1 recreation behind ninth place Chicago, and half a recreation behind ninth place Chicago. They’re 3 video games forward of eleventh place Milwaukee. They’re 11-17 towards Jap Convention opponents. They’re 14-12 on the street and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’ve received their final 3 video games.
This recreation is the 2nd recreation of a 4 recreation house stand the place they received over Portland on Monday and can face Sacramento and Milwaukee after this recreation. Then, they’re on the street at Dallas and Houston earlier than enjoying Miami, New York, and Chicago at house, taking them into the All Star Break. After the break, they are going to head out on a 4 recreation Western street journey by way of Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix, and Denver.
That is the primary of a street/house again to again for the Hawks. They are going to return house to play Houston at house on Thursday. They are going to then play at Indiana and at Miami earlier than house video games towards Utah and Charlotte. They then play at Minnesota and at Charlotte earlier than the All Star break. After the break they are going to play at Philadephia after which they’ve a 5 recreation house stand the place they are going to host Miami, Brooklyn, Washington twice, and Portland.
For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum stays out as he continues to rehab from the Achilles tear he suffered in final 12 months’s playoffs. Josh Minott missed 11 video games with a sprained ankle and is lastly off the harm report. Neemias Queta has been battling an sickness for the previous 2 video games however he performed by way of it. He’s listed as out for this recreation. Luka Garza was listed as questionable with an sickness however is now anticipated to be accessible.
For the Hawks, former Celtic Kristaps Porzingis will miss his tenth straight recreation because of Achilles soreness. He missed the primary recreation between these two groups and has performed in simply 17 video games to date this season. Zaccharie Risacher will miss his tenth straight recreation because of a left knee bone bruise. N’Faly Dante is out for the season after season ending surgical procedure to restore a torn ACL.
Possible Beginning MatchupsPG: Derrick White vs Nickeil Alexander-Walker
SG: Payton Pritchard vs Dyson Daniels
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Corey Kispert
PF: Sam Hauser vs Jalen Johnson
C: Amari Williams vs Onyeka Okongwu
Celtics ReservesBaylor ScheiermanXavier TillmanHugo GonzalezLuka GarzaChris BoucherJordan WalshJosh Minott
2-Method PlayersRon Harper, JrMax ShulgaAmari WilliamsInjuries/OutJayson Tatum (Achilles) outNeemias Queta (sickness) outLuka Garza (sickness) accessible
Hawks ReservesNikola DurisicMouhamed GueyeLuke KennardVit KrejciCJ McCollumAsa NewellKeaton Wallace
2 means PlayersRayj DennisCaleb HoustonChristian KolokoInjuries/OutN’Faly Dante (knee) outKristaps Porzingis (Achilles) outZaccharie Risacher (knee) out
Key MatchupsSam Hauser vs Jalen JohnsonJohnson is averaging 23.0 factors, 10.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.3 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 50.5% from the sphere and 35.3% from past the arc. Within the first recreation towards the Celtics, he completed with 12 factors, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal whereas taking pictures 28.6% from the sphere and 33.3% from past the arc. He’ll possible play significantly better on this recreation and the Celtics have to defend him properly and hold him off the boards.
Derrick White vs Nickeil Alexander-Walker Alexander-Walker is averaging 20.3 factors, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals per recreation whereas taking pictures 44.1% from the sphere and 38.2% from past the arc. Within the first recreation towards the Celtics, he completed with 18 factors, 2 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block and 1 steal whereas taking pictures 37.5% from the sphere and 44.4% from past the arc. He is an efficient 3 level shooter and the Celtics have to defend him on the perimeter.Honorable MentionAmari Williams vs Onyeka OkongwuOkongwu is averaging 16.2 factors, 7.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 1 block per recreation. He’s taking pictures 48.2% from the sphere and 36.8% from past the arc. Within the first recreation towards the Celtics he completed with 21 factors, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal whereas taking pictures 57.1% from the sphere and 50% from past the arc. The Celtics want to protect Okongwu each contained in the paint and on the perimeter as a result of he shoots properly from each. With Queta uncertain and Garza questionable, I’m guessing that Amari Williams will get one other begin right here.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is at all times a key to profitable video games. The Celtics have an offensive ranking of 120.8 (2nd) whereas the Hawks have an offensive ranking of 113.5, which is twenty first. The Celtics have a defensive ranking of 113.6 which is eleventh whereas the Hawks have a defensive ranking of 114.4, which is sixteenth. The Celtics have been cold and warm on protection this season. Generally they will shut down the opposite group and typically they permit them to attain at will. The Celtics have to defend the perimeter as a result of the Hawks are fifth, taking pictures 37% on threes. In addition they need to defend the paint because the Hawks are eleventh with 51.6 factors within the paint per recreation. The Celtics should make protection a precedence on this recreation they usually need to play that robust protection for 48 minutes and never let up.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is the important thing to profitable. When the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, it normally carries by way of to the remainder of their recreation. The Hawks are averaging 42.2 rebounds per recreation (twenty fifth) whereas the Celtics are averaging 44.8 rebounds per recreation (thirteenth). The Celtics have to aggressively go after each rebound. They’ll’t afford to present the Hawks further possessions and 2nd probability factors by permitting them to beat them to rebounds.
Transfer the Ball Fastidiously – When the Celtics transfer the ball and discover the open man, they’re robust to beat. Once they maintain the ball and attempt to play iso ball, they develop into predictable and wrestle. When the Celtics have extra assists than their opponents they’re 13-0 and when their opponents have extra assists than the Celtics, they’re simply 14-16. The Celtics want to maneuver the ball, however they need to make cautious passes as a result of the Hawks are sixth within the league with 19.9 factors off turnovers per recreation.
Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes- The Celtics need to play with further effort general for all 4 quarters. In most of their losses and even in a few of their wins, they’ve allowed their opponents to play with extra vitality than them for durations of time through the recreation. They play properly for stretches however let up and permit their opponents to surge forward, particularly down the stretch. They’ve to remain targeted for all 48 minutes and be prepared for his or her opponents to play more durable within the second half and they should match that effort. In addition they have to return out with extra effort and vitality to start out the sport and dig themselves right into a gap.
X-FactorsHome Recreation and Revenge- They name it house courtroom benefit for a motive and the Celtics have to reap the benefits of enjoying on their house courtroom. The Celtics have to get motivation from the house crowd, which ought to be loud and doing all the things of their energy to help the Celtics and rattle the Hawks. The Hawks have the distractions of journey and an unfamiliar area and a hostile crowd and hopefully that may give the Celtics a bonus. The Hawks had been additionally embarrassed by the Celtics on their house courtroom 10 days in the past and will likely be searching for some revenge on them. The Celtics should be prepared for the Hawks to present it their greatest effort on this one.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 enable dangerous calls or no calls to remove their focus from enjoying the sport the appropriate means. We now have lately seen how a lot of an x-factor officiating might be. The Celtics need to play so properly all recreation that the officiating, irrespective of how dangerous, can’t affect the end result.
