Boston Celtics (31-18) at Dallas Mavericks (19-30)Tuesday, February 3, 20268:00 PM ESTRegular Season Sport #50 Street Sport #26TV: Peacock/NBC, NBCSB, Mavs TVRadio: 98.5 Sports activities Hub, 97.1 FM, Sirius XMAmerican Airways Middle
The Celtics start a 2 sport again to again street journey with a cease in Dallas to tackle the Mavericks. That is the primary of two video games between these two groups this season. They’ll meet for a second time in Boston on March 6. The sequence was tied 1-1 final season with every staff successful on the street. The Celtics are 47-41 general all time in opposition to the Mavericks and they’re 20-24 in video games performed in Dallas.
The Mavericks didn’t make many adjustments within the off season after making a giant spash with the Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis commerce a yr in the past. They signed D’Angelo Russell within the off season. In addition they received the draft lottery an selected Cooper Flagg with the primary choose within the draft. In November, they fired GM Nico Harrison and employed Derek Harper in his place.
The Celtics are third within the East, 5.5 video games behind 1st place Detroit. They’re tied with 2nd place New York, 2 video games forward of 4th place Toronto and fifth place Cleveland, 3.5 video games forward of sixth place Philadelphia and 5 video games forward of seventh place Miami. The Celtics are 9-6 in opposition to Western Convention opponents. They’re 15-10 on the street and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’ve received their final 2 video games.
The Mavericks are eleventh within the West, 19.5 video games behind first place OKC, 10 video games behind sixth place Los Angeles Lakers, and seventh place Phoenix, 7.5 video games behind eighth place Golden State, 4.5 video games behind ninth place Los Angeles Clippers, 3.5 video games behind tenth place Portland, and tied with twelfth place Memphis. They’re 8-9 in opposition to Japanese Convention opponents, They’re 14-14 at house and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’ve misplaced their final 4 video games.
The Celtics start a 2 sport street journey with a sport at Dallas after which play again to again video games as they face Houston on Wednesday. After this journey they may host Miami, New York, and Chicago for a 3 sport house stand, which can take them into the All Star Break. After the break, they may head out on a 4 sport Western street journey via Golden State, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix, and Denver.
The Mavericks start a 2 sport house stand with this sport in opposition to the Celtics. They’ll host San Antonio on Thursday. They’ll then head out on a 6 sport street journey that will probably be interrupted by the All Star break. They’ll play at San Antonio, Phoenix, and the LA Clippers earlier than the All Star break after which compete the journey at Minnesota, Indiana, and Brooklyn after the break.
For the Celtics, solely Jayson Tatum (Achilles) is on the harm report right now. The Mavericks have been onerous hit with accidents and have 5 gamers out with one questionable. Anthony Davis (finger), Dante Exum (knee), Kyrie Irving (knee), Dereck Full of life II (foot) and PJ Washington (head) are all listed as out. Brandon Williams (leg) is questionable and will probably be a sport time resolution.
The Celtics have traded guard Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls in trade for middle Nikola Vucevic. So, neither will possible be accessible for this sport. Additionally Chris Boucher was a late scratch as a result of private causes.
Possible Beginning MatchupsPG: Derrick White vs Max Christie
SG: Payton Pritchard vs Naji Marshall
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Cooper Flagg
PF: Sam Hauser vs Caleb Martin
C: Neemias Queta vs Daniel Gafford
Celtics ReservesHugo GonzalezXavier TillmanJosh MinottJordan WalshLuka Garza2-Approach PlayersRon Harper, JrMax ShulgaAmari WilliamsInjuries/OutJayson Tatum (Achilles) outChris Boucher (private) outNikola Vucevic (commerce) outHead CoachJoe Mazzulla
Mavericks ReservesJaden HardyDwight PowellD’Angelo RussellKlay Thompson
2-Approach PlayersMoussa CisseMiles KellyRyan Nembhard
Accidents/OutAnthony Davis (finger) outDante Exum (knee) outKyrie Irving (knee) outDereck Full of life II (foot) outPJ Washington (head) outBrandon Williams (leg) questionableHead CoachJason Kidd
Key Matchups Jaylen Brown vs Cooper FlaggFlagg is averaging 19.8 factors, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per sport. He’s capturing 48.4% from the sphere and 28.9% from past the arc. In his final 2 video games he had 34 factors and 12 rebounds on Saturday after ending with 49 factors and 10 rebounds on Thursday.
Payton Pritchard vs Naji MarshallMarshall is averaging 14.6 factors, 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.0 steal per sport whereas capturing 53.8% from the sphere and 30.4% from past the arc. He has a peak benefit at 6’7” and can look to take advantage of that on this matchup.
Honorable MentionNeemias Queta vs Daniel GaffordGafford is averaging 8 factors 6.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per sport. He’s capturing 62.6% from the sphere with no 3 pointers. He’s coming off a sport in opposition to Houston the place he had 16 factors and 11 rebounds. He has had some massive video games in opposition to the Celtics prior to now. The Celtics must preserve him out of the paint and off the boards.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is all the time the primary key to successful video games. There is no such thing as a more true assertion than “Protection wins Championships.” The Mavs have an offensive ranking of 110.3 (twenty seventh) whereas the Celtics have an offensive ranking of 120.7 (2nd). The Mavs are tenth with a defensive ranking of 112.6 whereas the Celtics are eleventh with a defensive ranking of 113.1. When the Celtics wrestle on offense, as they’ve in some latest video games, they’ve to have the ability to cease the opposite staff from scoring. The Celtics particularly must defend the paint because the Mavericks common 53.7 factors within the paint per sport (4th).
Rebound – Second to protection, rebounding is the important thing to successful. One of many few instances I’ve agreed with Pat Riley was when he stated “No rebounds, no rings.” The Celtics are averaging 45.0 rebounds per sport (eleventh) whereas the Mavs are averaging 45.1 rebounds per sport (tenth). The Celtics must put out further effort on the boards to maintain the Mavs from getting further possessions and second probability factors and to present the identical to themselves.
Don’t Underestimate – As soon as once more, the Celtics are dealing with a staff that’s beneath .500 and lacking a number of key gamers. It might be simple for the Celtics to underestimate the Mavericks and count on a simple win in opposition to them. If the Celtics don’t play with effort and focus, any staff can beat them. The Celtics have to return out sturdy from the beginning and play onerous proper up till the ultimate buzzer. The Mavs are very able to beating them in the event that they don’t play their finest.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics should be the extra aggressive staff. They need to be aggressive in going to the basket, in diving for unfastened balls, and on protection. They need to aggressively crash the boards. They need to be the staff that desires to win the sport extra. In most of their losses, they’ve allowed their opponents to play tougher and be extra aggressive. They completely can’t let the Mavericks play tougher than them in the event that they need to win this sport.
X-FactorsOn the Street – The Celtics are taking part in within the first of again to again video games on the street. They should preserve their deal with taking part in the proper means and never let the distractions of the street take away that focus. The Mavericks, particularly the function gamers, are more likely to play higher on their house court docket and in entrance of their followers. The Celtics must dig down deep and match the power of the Mavs and play Celtics basketball on the street.
Officiating – The officiating can all the time be an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport a little bit otherwise and groups want to regulate to how the sport is being referred to as. Will they name the sport tight or will they allow them to play? The Celtics can’t let the officiating take away their focus and so they have to regulate to the best way the refs are calling it. The Celtics must play onerous and construct a lead and never enable the refs to take the sport away on some dangerous calls on the finish.
