The Celtics face the Hawks in Atlanta for the ultimate recreation of a 4 recreation street journey. They’re 2-1 to date on the journey with their solely loss to the Pacers in time beyond regulation. The Hawks are enjoying on the second night time of again to again video games, having performed in New Orleans on Sunday night time. The Hawks gained their first 2 video games after which misplaced 4 in a row earlier than beating the Pelicans on Sunday.
That is the primary of three conferences between these two groups this season. They’ll face off once more on November 12 and January 18, each video games in Boston. The Celtics and Hawks tied the collection at 2 video games every final season, with each groups profitable 2 at house. The Celtics are 244-149 general all time towards the Hawks and they’re 112-95 in video games performed in Atlanta.
The Celtics stood pat for probably the most half within the off season, bringing again their whole core of gamers and shedding simply Svi Mykhailiuk and Oshae Brissett. They added Baylor Scheierman, who was the thirtieth decide within the draft and signed 2nd spherical decide, Anton Watson to a 2 manner contract. They’ve one open roster spot that they’re more likely to maintain open in case of damage through the season. They’ve additionally added a few chips on their shoulder after Olympic snubs and different drama over the summer season.
The Hawks made an enormous commerce to start the off season. They gave up on DeJounte Murray and traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans for Larry Nance, Jr and Dyson Daniels together with 2 first spherical picks. Additionally they had the primary decide within the draft that they used to draft Zaccharie Risacher, a 6’9” ahead from France. Additionally they misplaced Saddiq Bey to the Wizards in free company.
The Celtics shall be with out Kristaps Porzingis, who continues to be rehabbing from off season ankle surgical procedure and isn’t anticipated again till December. Sam Hauser missed 3 video games with soreness in his decrease again however has performed within the final 3 video games and is possible for this recreation. Jaylen Brown will miss his second straight recreation with a hip damage. I’m going to guess that Joe Mazzulla will as soon as once more begin the double large of Al Horford and Luke Kornet in Brown’s absence.
The Hawks are having damage issues of their very own. Vit Krejci is out with a proper adductor damage. Bogdan Bogdanovic is out after a medical process to repair his proper hamstring tendinopathy. Kobe Bufkin is recovering from a shoulder subluxation and can be out. Seth Lundy (ankle), De’Andre Hunter (knee), and Cody Zeller (private) are all questionable for this recreation.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshSam Hauser
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (ankle) outJaylen Brown (hip) outSam Hauser (again) possible
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Hawks Starters
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Hawks Reserves Mouhamed GueyeGarrison Mathews Onyeka OkongwuLarry Nance, JrDavid Roddy
2 Method Gamers Dominick BarlowSeth LundyKeaton Wallace
Accidents/Out Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring) out Kobe Bufkin (shoulder) out Vit Kretjci (thigh) out Seth Lundy (ankle) questionableDe’Andre Hunter (knee) questionable Cody Zeller (private) questionable
Head Coach Quin Snyder
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Paul Rutherford/Getty Photographs
Trae Younger
Picture by Maddie Meyer/Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs Trae Younger Younger is averaging 27.7 factors, 5.2 rebounds, 11.7 assists and 1.3 steals per recreation. He isn’t notably environment friendly and is capturing 39.8% from the sphere and 30.5% from past the arc. The Celtics must play him for the shot in addition to the cross as he has been excellent at discovering open teammates. He’s additionally very fast within the passing lanes and so the Celtics have to be cautious with their passes.
Grid View
Derrick White
Picture by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photographs
Dyson Daniels
Picture by Megan Briggs/Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Dyson DanielsDaniels is averaging 12.8 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.0 block per recreation. He’s capturing 50% from the sphere and 35.3% from past the arc. This can be a matchup between 2 defensive guards, who also can block pictures. The Celtics will want White to step up his recreation with Brown out for this one.
Honorable Point out Jayson Tatum vs Jalen JohnsonJohnson is averaging 16.3 factors, 10.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals. He’s capturing 41.2% from the sphere however simply 25% from past the arc. Tatum shot simply 1-9 from 3 on Saturday towards the Hornets and hopefully he can discover his vary once more on this recreation as they are going to want him to attain with Brown injured.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is all the time a key to profitable video games. Protection is particularly necessary for the Celtics on this recreation as a result of the Hawks are scoring staff, averaging 117.2 factors per recreation, which is ninth within the league. The Celtics are 1st, averaging 123.7 factors per recreation. The Celtics have a defensive ranking of 110.7 which is twelfth whereas the Hawks have a defensive ranking of 118.6, which is twenty eighth. Of their solely loss, the Celtics perimeter protection was missing, permitting the Pacers to shoot 39.5% from three. The Celtics should make protection a precedence on this recreation and so they must play that powerful protection for 48 minutes and never let up.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is a key to profitable. A lot of rebounding is effort and need. When the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, it often carries by means of to the remainder of their recreation. The Hawks are averaging 42.2 rebounds per recreation (twenty third) whereas the Celtics are averaging 42.9 rebounds per recreation (twenty first). The Celtics haven’t been rebounding in addition to they did final season and they should aggressively go after each rebound. They will’t afford to provide the Hawks further possessions and 2nd probability factors by permitting them to beat them to rebounds.
Effort and Ball Motion – The Celtics misplaced to the Pacers as a result of they had been a step sluggish and didn’t transfer the ball very properly. Their effort within the first 3 quarters was very lackluster. They allowed the Pacers to out rebound them 57-51 and so they had been a step sluggish on nearly each play. They weren’t transferring the ball, with simply 23 assists to 33 assists for the Pacers. The Celtics have to maneuver the ball and never play hero ball. Additionally they must play with most effort for 48 minutes and never permit the Hawks to construct a lead or if the Celtics construct a lead, they should maintain it and never permit the Hawks to return again.
Bench Play – Of their November 1 recreation towards the Kings, the Hawks’ bench outscored the Kings’ bench 56-26. The Hawks’ reserves shot 51.3% from the sphere and 46.4% from past the arc. Even with damage woes, their reserves got here by means of for them. The Celtics want their reserves to return by means of with large video games, particularly on protection.
X-Components Highway Sport and Fatigue – The Celtics are enjoying of their 4th straight recreation on the street and could have the distractions of journey and a lodge keep and enjoying in entrance of hostile followers in an unfamiliar area. Nevertheless, that they had a time without work since their final recreation whereas the Hawks are enjoying within the second of again to again video games and needed to journey after Sunday’s recreation. Fatigue for Atlanta might come into play down the stretch on this recreation. Each groups are additionally enjoying brief handed. The final recreation on a street journey is often the hardest and so the Celtics should keep centered.
Officiating – Officiating is all the time an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport a little bit in a different way with some calling it tight and others letting them play. Some refs simply make head scratching calls whereas others strive very onerous to get them proper. Generally they’re tech loopy for each little factor. In some video games they name the two halves fully in a different way. The Celtics have to regulate to how the sport is being known as and give attention to enjoying the sport and never on the officiating.
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