The Celtics proceed their season lengthy 6 recreation street journey with a cease in San Antonio to tackle the Spurs. That is the second, and ultimate recreation between these two groups this season. The Celtics gained the primary assembly 116-103 in Boston on February 12. The Celtics gained the sequence 2-0 final season.
They’re 46-58 total in opposition to the Spurs all time and 22-30 in video games performed in San Antonio. The Spurs are enjoying on the primary night time of again to again video games. They’re 5-8 within the first of again to again video games and they’re 2-3 when the primary recreation is at residence. The Spurs have a 3 recreation residence win streak going whereas the Celtics are on a 6 recreation street win streak.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East. They’re 4.5 video games behind 1st place Cleveland, who misplaced to the Pistons on Friday. They’re 8.5 video games forward of third place New York and 11 video games forward of 4th place Indiana. They’re 30-7 on the street and 9-1 of their final 10 video games. They’re 19-8 in opposition to Western Convention opponents and so they have gained their final 7 video games.
The Spurs are thirteenth within the West, 29.5 video games behind first place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re 4 video games behind tenth place Dallas and tied with twelfth place Portland. They’re 16 video games forward of fifteenth place Utah. They’re 19-16 at residence and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 11-15 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups and have misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are enjoying within the fifth recreation of a 6 recreation Western street journey. They gained the primary recreation in Utah 121-99 on Friday and the second recreation 129-116 in Portland on Sunday. They then gained the third recreation 113-95 in Sacramento on Monday and the 4th recreation 132-102 in Phoenix on Wednesday. The journey will end up in Memphis. After this journey, the Celtics will play 2 at residence in opposition to Miami and Phoenix. Then it’s again on the street for video games at New York and at Orlando. They are going to end the season with 2 video games in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets at residence.
The Spurs are enjoying within the first recreation of a 3 recreation residence stand. They are going to play Golden State on Sunday in again to again video games and can full the house stand in opposition to Orlando. They play one recreation at Denver earlier than enjoying the Cavaliers at residence. They then go on a 4 recreation street journey by Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State and Phoenix. They end the season at residence in opposition to Toronto.
Jayson Tatum sprained his ankle in opposition to the Kings on Monday and missed Wednesday’s recreation at Phoenix. He’s anticipated to be again within the beginning lineup for this recreation. Payton Pritchard has been added to the harm report with left hip flexor tightness and is out for this recreation. Xavier Tillman (knee) has been upgraded to accessible for this recreation. Al Horford was a late addition to the harm with the toe harm and is out for this recreation.
For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama is out for the season after present process surgical procedure on the deep vein thrombosis in his proper shoulder. Commerce deadline addition De’Aaron Fox can be out for the season after present process surgical procedure to restore tendon harm to his left pinkie finger. Charles Bassey is out with a knee harm and 2-way participant Riley Minix is out with a shoulder harm.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJordan WalshLuke KornetTorrey CraigSam Hauser
2 Approach PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonMiles Norris
Accidents/OutXavier Tillman (knee) availablePayton Pritchard (hip) outAl Horford (toe) outJayson Tatum (ankle) accessible
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Spurs Starters
Grid View
PG: Chris PaulSG: Stephon CastleSF: Devin VassellPF: Harrison BarnesC: Bismack Biyombo
Spurs ReservesMalaki BranhamJulian ChampagnieKeldon Johnson Sandro MamukelashviliJordan McLaughlinJeremy SochanBlake Wesley
2-Approach Gamers David Duke, Jr Harrison IngramRiley Minix
Accidents/OutCharles Bassey (knee) out Riley Minix (shoulder) out De’Aaron Fox (finger) out Victor Wembanyama (shoulder) out
Head Coach Gregg PopovichMitch Johnson (interim head coach)
Key Matchups
Grid View
Jaylen Brown
Picture by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Pictures
Devin Vassell
Picture by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
Jaylen Brown vs Devin VassellVassell is averaging 16.5 factors, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 44.3% from the sector and 36.3% from past the arc. Within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics he completed with 8 factors, 2 rebounds, and three assists whereas taking pictures 33.3% from the sector with no 3 pointers.
Grid View
Derrick White
Picture by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Pictures
Stephon Fort
Picture by Brian Sevald/NBAE by way of Getty Pictures
Derrick White vs Stephon CastleCastle is averaging 14.2 factors, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1 steal per recreation. He’s taking pictures 45.7% from the sector and 36.2% from past the arc. Within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics, he completed with 20 factors, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a couple of steals whereas taking pictures 43.8% from the sector and 33.3% from past the arc.
Honorable MentionJayson Tatum vs Harrison BarnesBarnes is averaging 11.7 factors, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per recreation. He’s taking pictures 50% from the sector and 41.8% from past the arc. Within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics, he completed with 14 factors, 7 rebounds and three assists whereas taking pictures 38.5% from the sector and 25% from past the arc.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is a very powerful key to profitable video games. The Celtics are fifth with a defensive score of 110.2 whereas the Spurs are twenty fifth with a defensive score of 116.0. The Celtics must defend within the paint for the reason that Spurs common 48.3 factors within the paint per recreation. In addition they have to defend the perimeter for the reason that Spurs are sixth within the league, trying 39.6 threes a recreation. The Celtics have to make protection a precedence and play robust crew protection in from begin to end and never let up.
Rebound – The Celtics can’t rating in the event that they don’t have the ball, and they’ll wrestle if they provide up second likelihood factors to the Spurs. The Celtics are averaging 44.8 rebounds per recreation whereas the Spurs are averaging 44.0 rebounds per recreation. Rebounding takes effort and when the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, that tends to unfold to different areas of the sport as properly.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to play arduous and be the extra aggressive crew. They must go after rebounds, free balls, and 50/50 balls. They must be aggressive on protection and in attending to the basket. They must be the crew that works more durable and desires it extra. The Celtics can’t let up on effort as a result of the Spurs are a lottery crew. Even the final crew within the standings can beat the #1 crew in the event that they play more durable and are extra aggressive.
Transfer the Ball – The Celtics want to maneuver the ball so as to discover one of the best shot on every possession. When the ball sticks and gamers attempt to do an excessive amount of, the Celtics wrestle. They’re at their greatest once they go the ball and preserve it shifting. The Celtics are 39-2 once they have extra assists than their opponent however simply 13-16 once they have fewer assists than their opponent. The Spurs common 29 assists per recreation whereas the Celtics common 25.9 assists per recreation. They should make an effort to maintain the ball shifting on this recreation.
X-FactorsRoad Fatigue – The Celtics are enjoying within the fifth recreation of a 6 recreation street journey. After enjoying 4th video games in 6 nights, they’ve had 2 days off earlier than this recreation. They’ve had plenty of journey over a number of time zones and needed to sleep in inns and play in hostile arenas. They could be gettng considerably street weary. They should dig deep and proceed to be street canines on this one.
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 crew? Will they name it tight or allow them to play? Hopefully we get truthful officiating and so they allow them to play and the Celtics concentrate on enjoying and never on the officiating.
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