The Celtics look to win their fifth straight recreation as they host the New York Knicks. That is the second straight recreation in opposition to division rivals. That is the third of 4 video games between these two groups this season. The Celtics received 132-109 in Boston on opening evening they usually received 131-104 in New York on February 8. They may meet yet one more time at Madison Sq. Backyard on April 8.
Final season, the Celtics received the collection between these two groups, successful the primary 4 video games (2 in Boston and a couple of in New York) and shedding simply their ultimate assembly at Boston. They performed one additional recreation as a result of in-season event. The Celtics are 306-190 total all time vs the Knicks and they’re 165-68 in video games performed at house.
The Knicks made strikes this offseason with the aim of matching up higher with the Celtics. In Mikal Bridges, the Knicks added a wing defender who can counter the Celtics All Star wings and who may unfold the ground. With the addition of Karl-Anthony Cities, they’ve addressed their weak point at heart. Cities can match up with the Celtics facilities and may hit the three, having received the three level contest in 2022.
The one query in regards to the Knicks is their depth. Having misplaced Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, Keita Bates-Diop, Alec Burks, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Isaiah Hartenstein, the Knicks depth took successful. They transformed Ariel Hukporti from 2 strategy to an everyday contract and signed OG Anunoby, Cameron Payne and Valuable Achiuwa in free company and traded Jericho Sims for Delon Wright on the commerce deadline.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East. They’ve received 4 straight video games however have fallen to six behind 1st place Cleveland, who’ve received 6 straight. They’re 3 video games forward of third place New York and eight video games forward of 4th place Indiana. They’re 17-10 at house and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 29-9 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups and 8-2 in opposition to the Atlantic Division. They’ve received their final 4 video games.
The Knicks are third within the East, 9 video games behind the primary place Cavaliers. They’re 3 video games behind 2nd place Boston and 5 video games forward of 4th place Indiana. They’re 17-9 on the highway and 26-12 in opposition to Japanese Convention opponents. They’re 9-2 in opposition to different Atlantic Division groups. They’d received 3 straight earlier than shedding 142-105 to Cleveland on Friday.
The Celtics started the ultimate stretch after the All Star break with a 20 level win at Philadelphia earlier than returning house to host the Knicks. They then play on the Raptors and on the Pistons earlier than a 7 recreation house stand in opposition to Cleveland, Denver, Portland, Philadelphia, LA Lakers, Utah, and Oklahoma Metropolis. After the 7 house video games they’ll play 8 of the subsequent 9 video games on the highway, together with one other journey out West.
For the Celtics, Xavier Tillman will miss this recreation with a knee harm and Neemias Queta is questionable on account of a non-covid sickness. For the Knicks, Mitchell Robinson stays out with an ankle harm. Kevin McCullar is out with a calf harm. Josh Hart is questionable for this recreation on account of a knee harm. If he can play, he’ll doubtless begin at small ahead. OG Anunoby is questionable with a foot harm however he performed of their recreation on Friday and can doubtless play on this one additionally.
Possible Celtics Starters
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PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesLuke KornetAl HorfordPayton PritchardBaylor ScheiermanJordan WalshSam HauserTorrey Craig
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutXavier Tillman (knee) outNeemias Queta (sickness) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Knicks Starters
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PG: Jalen BrunsonSG: Mikal BridgesSF: Valuable Achiuwa PF: OG AnunobyC: Karl-Anthony Cities
Knicks ReservesPacome DadietCameron PayneMiles McBrideTyler KolekDelon WrightLandry ShametAriel Hukporti
2 Manner PlayersJacob Toppin Kevin McCullar, JrMatt Ryan
Accidents/Out Mitchell Robinson (ankle) out Kevin McCullar, Jr (calf) outJosh Hart (knee) questionable OG Anunoby (foot) questionable
Head Coach Tom Thibodeau
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Sam Hodde/Getty Photographs
Jalen Brunson
Picture by Evan Bernstein/Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs Jalen BrunsonKnicks’ All Star Jalen Brunson was fifth in MVP voting final season. He’s averaging 26 factors, 2.9 rebounds, and seven.5 assists. He’s capturing 49.1% from the sector and 39.1% from past the arc. In 2 video games in opposition to the Celtics to date, he averaged 29 factors, 0.5 rebounds, and three.5 assists whereas capturing 59.4% from the sector and 44.4% from past the arc. Slowing him down must be a precedence.
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Kristaps Porzingis
Picture by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photographs
Karl-Anthony Cities
Picture by Scott Taetsch/Getty Photographs
Kristaps Porzingis vs Karl-Anthony Cities Cities provides the Knicks a powerful presence within the paint together with the flexibility to unfold the ground. He’s averaging 24.8 factors, 13.4 rebounds, and three.3 assists. He’s capturing 53.4% from the sector and 42.7% from past the arc. In 2 video games in opposition to the Celtics this season, he averaged 10.5 factors, 8.0 rebounds, and a couple of assists, whereas capturing 47.1% from the sector and 75% from past the arc. He shall be an issue on the boards and likewise on the perimeter.
Honorable MentionJayson Tatum vs OG AnunobyAnunoby is averaging 16.1 factors, 4.6 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.4 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 48% from the sector and 36.5% from past the arc. In 1 recreation in opposition to the Celtics this season he completed with 4 factors, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal whereas capturing simply 14.3% from the sector and no 3 pointers. Jayson Tatum has been taking part in very effectively however he may have his work lower out for him as Anunoby is an excellent defender introduced in for the very objective of guarding gamers like Tatum.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is the important thing to successful each recreation. IThe Celtics have a defensive ranking of 109.6 (fifth) whereas the Knicks have a defensive ranking of 114.1 (18th). The Knicks rating 118.1 factors per recreation (4th) whereas the Celtics rating 117.3 factors per recreation (sixth). The Celtics try 48.4 threes per recreation whereas the Knicks try simply 34.1 threes. However the Knicks have a greater 3 level share than the Celtics (37.4% to 36.9%). The Celtics should win this recreation with their protection.
Rebound – Rebounding is second to protection as the important thing to successful. The Celtics are ninth within the league, flattening 45.2 rebounds per recreation whereas the Knicks are twenty third with 43 rebounds per recreation. It takes effort to get rebounds and the Celtics should go all out of their effort to beat the Sixers on the boards. The Celtics additionally want to present themselves additional possessions by rebounding on the offensive finish and preserve the Knicks from getting 2nd likelihood factors on the defensive finish. If the Celtics need to win this one, it’s essential that they go all out to crash the boards.
Transfer the Ball Rigorously – 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 battle. They’re at their greatest once they cross the ball and preserve it transferring. However they must make cautious passes and never get sloppy as a result of the Knicks common 19.5 factors off turnovers per recreation (4th).
Play All Out for 48 Minutes – When the Celtics have misplaced this season, it is actually because they weren’t taking part in as onerous as their opponents. Tom Thibodeau has his groups play onerous. The Celtics can’t afford to permit the Knicks to play tougher than them in the event that they need to win this recreation. They must play onerous from the opening tip till the ultimate buzzer and never enable the Knicks to out-work them for any stretch in the course of the recreation.
X-Components Matinee Recreation at Residence – The Celtics are again at house after an enormous win on the highway in Philadelphia. Ordinarily, groups are at their greatest when taking part in at house in entrance of their very own followers, however the Celtics this season have performed higher on the highway than they’ve at house. They’re saying the correct issues about needing to play tougher at house so hopefully we see them use house court docket and the Knicks having distractions of taking part in on the highway to their benefit on this one. Additionally, taking part in within the afternoon will be an x-factor as typically it throws gamers off their recreation.
Officiating – Officiating all the time has the potential to be an x-factor. Every officiating crew calls the sport otherwise. Some refs name it tight and consistently name fouls whereas others allow them to play with few fouls known as. The Celtics want to regulate to how the refs are calling the sport and never enable unhealthy calls or no calls to remove their focus.
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