The Celtics proceed their dwelling stand as they host the Portland Path Blazers. The Celtics are 1-1 to this point on the homestand, dropping to the Cavaliers after which beating the Nuggets. That is the primary of two video games between these two groups this season. They are going to face off yet another time on March 23 in Portland. The Celtics received the collection 2-0 final season.
The Celtics are 75-49 total all time in opposition to the Path Blazers. They’re 40-22 in video games performed in Boston in opposition to the Path Blazers. The Blazers have misplaced 2 straight in Boston. The Celtics are enjoying within the first of again to again video games and can host Philadelphia on Thursday. The Celtics are 7-2 within the first of again to again video games and they’re 3-1 when the primary recreation is at dwelling.
The Path Blazers signed Sidy Cissoko and Bryce McGowens to 2 manner contracts within the off season. They traded Malcolm Brogdon for Deni Avdija. They drafted Donovan Clingan with the seventh decide within the draft. They misplaced Ibou Badji, Moses Brown and Ashton Hagans to free company. They had been one in all 5 groups that stood pat on the commerce deadline.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, and are 7.5 video games behind the primary place Cavaliers who’ve received their final 10 video games, together with a win over Boston. They’re 3 video games forward of third place New York and seven.5 video games forward of 4th place Milwaukee. The Celtics are 19-11 at dwelling and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 12-7 in opposition to Western Convention opponents. After they misplaced 2 straight, the Celtics are coming off a win of their final recreation.
The Path Blazers are twelfth within the West, 4.5 video games behind tenth place Dallas, and a spot within the play-in match. They’re half a recreation behind eleventh place Phoenix. They’re 1.5 video games forward of thirteenth place San Antonio and 12 video games forward of fifteenth place Utah. They’re 12-20 on the street and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 13-6 in opposition to Jap Convention groups and are coming off a win of their final recreation.
The Celtics are enjoying within the 2nd recreation of a 7 recreation dwelling stand. They misplaced the primary recreation to the Cleveland Cavaliers after which beat the Denver Nuggets on Monday. After this recreation in opposition to Portland, the Celtics will host Philadelphia, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah, and Oklahoma Metropolis. After the 7 dwelling video games they are going to play 8 of the subsequent 9 video games on the street, together with one other journey out West and a rematch with these Path Blazers in Portland.
The Celtics have 6 gamers on the damage report right now. Even by Jrue Vacation (finger) and Kristaps Porzingis (sickness) participated in apply on Tuesday, they’re listed as uncertain for this recreation. Jayson Tatum is questionable with a shoulder impingement. Jaylen Brown is questionable with a non-covid sickness. Derrick White (again) and Payton Pritchard (hip) are each listed as possible. I don’t know which gamers can be out and which is able to play. I’m guessing that the questionable and uncertain gamers can be out and the possible ones will play. I simply took a wild guess as to who will begin.
The Path Blazers have 5 gamers on the damage record right now. DeAndre Ayton is out with a left calf pressure. Two Method participant Justin Minaya is out with an ankle damage. Matisse Thybulle has but to play this season and is out with an ankle damage. Former Celtic Robert Williams III has missed the final 6 video games with a knee damage and stays out for this recreation. Jerami Grant missed the final 3 video games and is questionable for this recreation.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanXavier Tillman, SrJordan Walsh
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonMiles Norris
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (sickness) doubtfulJrue Vacation (finger) doubtfulJaylen Brown (sickness) questionableJayson Tatum (shoulder) questionableDerrick White (again) probablePayton Pritchard (hip) possible
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Path Blazers Starters
Grid View
Path Blazers ReservesDelano BantonKris MurrayDuop ReathRyan RupertJabari Walker
Two-Method PlayersSidy CissokoBryce McGowensJustin Minaya
Accidents/OutDeAndre Ayton (calf) outJustin Minaya (ankle) outMatisse Thybulle (ankle) out Robert Williams III (knee) out Jerami Grant (knee) questionable
Head Coach Chauncey Billups
Key Matchups
Grid View
Derrick White
Picture by Nic Antaya/Getty Photos
Anfernee Simons
Picture by David Dow/NBAE through Getty Photos
Derrick White vs Anfernee SimonsSimons is averaging 19.0 factors, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per recreation. He’s taking pictures 42.5% from the sector and 37.2% from past the arc. He’s one in all their higher 3 level shooters and so the Celtics have to you should definitely stick with him on the perimeter.
Grid View
Sam Hauser
Picture by Kevin Sousa/Getty Photos
Shaedon Sharpe
Picture by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE through Getty Photos
Sam Hauser vs Shaedon SharpeSharpe is averaging 17.5 factors, 3.9 rebounds, and a pair of.6 assists per recreation. He’s taking pictures 44.8% from the sector and 32.0% from past the arc. It’s only a guess that Hauser will begin right here. If Brown performs, he’ll seemingly begin on the two, or Mazzulla could go along with another person from the keep prepared crew.
Honorable MentionTorrey Craig vs Deni AvdijaAvdija is averaging 14.8 factors, 6.4 rebounds and three.6 assists per recreation. He’s taking pictures 46% from the sector and 33.2% from past the arc. As soon as once more, I’m simply making a wild guess that Craig will begin right here resulting from so many questions on who will and won’t play.
Keys to the GameDefense – I do know I say it each recreation, however protection is the important thing to successful each recreation and would be the key to successful one other championship. The Blazers common 110.7 factors and the Celtics common 116.8 factors per recreation. The Celtics are fifth within the league with a defensive ranking of 110.0 whereas the Blazers are twenty first with a defensive ranking of 114.4. The Celtics have to hold making powerful protection their precedence and id. They need to make protection their id persistently in each minute of each recreation, particularly as they get nearer to the playoffs.
Rebound – As Pat Riley as soon as said, “No rebounds, no rings.” The Celtics are eleventh with 44.9 rebounds per recreation whereas the Path Blazers are seventeenth with 44.0 rebounds per recreation. The Celtics should make an additional effort to seize rebounds as a way to give themselves further possessions in addition to to maintain the Blazers from scoring second probability factors, because the Path Blazers are 4th with 16.0 second probability factors per recreation. The Celtics should be the workforce that works tougher on the boards in the event that they need to win this one. A lot of rebounding is effort and need and the Celtics want each to out-rebound the Blazers.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics need to be the workforce that works tougher and needs the win extra. They need to dive for unfastened balls, go for each rebound and simply hustle on each play on each ends of the courtroom. They need to be aggressive in attending to the basket as nicely and never accept exterior pictures, particularly in the event that they aren’t falling. Whether or not it’s the starters or reserves, they should go all out with most effort.
Transfer the Ball Fastidiously – The Celtics have to hold shifting the ball to search out the open man and make it a lot tougher to protect them. Nonetheless, they need to watch out with their passes and never flip the ball over because the Path Blazers common 17.4 factors per recreation off turnovers. The Celtics additionally should be cautious once they dribble the ball and never drive right into a crowd and switch the ball over. The Celtics are normally superb at taking good care of the ball however they turned the ball over 17 occasions in opposition to the Pistons.
X-FactorsHome vs Finish of the Street – The Celtics are at dwelling for the third straight recreation. They need to get a lift from enjoying at dwelling in entrance of their dwelling crowd. The Blazers are simply 12-20 on the street and so the Celtics want to remain targeted and never give them any confidence or assist them by turning the ball over or taking pictures poorly. The Path Blazers are enjoying within the sixth recreation of a 7 recreation street journey and the workforce is probably going drained and able to be dwelling already.
Accidents – With 6 gamers on the damage report right now, accidents may be an x-factor on this recreation. With Vacation and Porzingis uncertain, it makes them brief handed. However with Tatum and Brown questionable, it makes them very brief handed and can make it obligatory for a number of of the reserves to play an ideal recreation. Will they step up?
Officiating – I do know that I say this each recreation, however the officiating actually is all the time an x-factor in each recreation. Each crew calls the sport in another way whether or not they name each little ticky tack foul or they let a whole lot of contact go and let the groups play. Some refs favor the house workforce and a few not a lot and generally they only make a bunch of head scratching calls. The Celtics have gotten to regulate to the way in which the sport is being known as and never let themselves get pissed off by the officiating.
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