The Sacramento Kings go to the Celtics for the 2nd and ultimate sport between them this season. The Celtics gained the primary assembly 144-119 in Sacramento on December 20. The Celtics have been 2-0 final season. They’re 191-119 all time towards the Kings and 103-33 at residence. The Kings are enjoying on the second night time of again to again video games after enjoying in New York on Thursday. They’re 7-5 on the second night time of again to again video games.
The Celtics stay 1st within the East, 13 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 14.5 video games forward of third place Cleveland, 15 video games forward of 4th place Orlando, 15 video games forward of fifth place New York, and 17.5 video games forward of sixth place Miami. They’re 33-3 at residence and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 21-7 towards Western Convention groups and have gained their final 3 video games.
The Kings are eighth within the very crowded West. They’re simply 1 sport behind sixth place Phoenix and seventh place New Orleans and a pair of video games behind fifth place Dallas. They’re half a sport forward of the ninth place Lakers, and a pair of.5 video games forward of tenth place Golden State. They’re 21-17 on the highway and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 15-12 towards Jap Convention groups and they’re coming off a loss of their final sport.
The Celtics are enjoying within the 2nd sport of a 3 sport residence stand after a 6 sport highway journey. They went 4-2 on the journey, beating Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans and Charlotte and dropping 2 video games to Atlanta. They beat the Thunder 135-100 within the first sport again at residence. After this sport they’ll keep at residence for 1 sport towards Portland. Then it’s one sport on the highway in Milwaukee earlier than ending the season at residence towards New York, Charlotte and Washington.
The Kings simply completed a 3-2 residence stand, beating Philadelphia, Utah and the Clippers and dropping 2 video games to Dallas. That is the 2nd sport of a 4 sport highway journey. They misplaced in New York on Thursday and can play at Brooklyn and Oklahoma Metropolis to complete up the highway journey. They may end the season with 3 video games at residence, internet hosting New Orleans, Phoenix, and Portland.
The Celtics have little to show. They’ve gained 60 video games and clinched residence courtroom benefit for the complete playoffs. I can think about that they’ll sit some gamers of their ultimate 6 video games to heal up some bumps and bruises earlier than the playoffs. Derrick White is out for this sport attributable to a low again contusion. Jaylen Brown is out with a left hand sprain. Right now of the season, it’s onerous to foretell who will play and who will begin. Who would have predicted level Jayson? I’m guessing that Sam Hauser will begin rather than Brown and Tatum will transfer to small ahead and Al Horford will begin on the 4. However, that’s only a guess.
The Kings are within the midst of a mad scramble within the West. There are simply 2 video games separating fifth place and ninth place. As with the Thunder loss to the Celtics, a staff can transfer from 1st to third or from the play-in to a assured berth or vice versa. Kevin Huerter is out with a shoulder damage and Malik Monk is out with a knee damage. Jordan Ford is questionable with a again damage.
Possible Celtics Starters
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PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Sam HauserSF: Jayson TatumPF: Al HorfordC: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettSvi MykhailiukLuke KornetPayton PritchardJordan WalshXavier Tillman
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonNeemias Queta
Accidents/OutJaylen Brown (hand) out Derrick White (again) out Jaden Springer (knee) out
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Kings Starters
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PG: De’Aaron FoxSG: Keon EllisSF: Harrison BarnesPF: Keegan MurrayC : Domantas Sabonis
Kings Reserves Chris DuarteKessler Edwards Colby JonesMason JonesAlex LenTrey LylesJaVale McGeeDavion MitchellSasha Vezenkov
Two Manner PlayersJordan FordJalen Slawson
Accidents/OutJordan Ford (again) questionableKevin Huerter (shoulder) out Malik Monk (knee) out
Head CoachMike Brown
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph by Ron Hoskins/NBAE through Getty Pictures
De’Aaron Fox
Photograph by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Pictures
Jrue Vacation vs De’Aaron Fox Fox is averaging 26.3 factors, 4.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists and a pair of.0 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 46.3% from the sector and 36% from past the arc. The Celtics might want to gradual him down and likewise deal with the ball as he’s at all times a menace to steal the ball.
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Kristaps Porzingis
Photograph by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Pictures
Domantas Sabonis
Photograph by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Pictures
Kristaps Porzingis vs Domantas SabonisSabonis has been enjoying very effectively in current video games. He’s averaging 19.6 factors, 13.7 rebounds, and eight.3 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 59.9% from the sector and 37.7% from past the arc. The Celtics must maintain him out of the paint and off the boards and they should guard him each inside and on the perimeter.
Honorable Point out Al Horford vs Keegan MurrayMurray is averaging 15.1 factors, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 46.3% from the sector and 36.0% from past the arc. Murray may be very able to placing up a whole lot of factors if not defended effectively. Right now of the 12 months, it’s onerous to guess who will play and who will begin if guys are out. It’s only a guess that Horford will begin right here.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is at all times the important thing to profitable each sport. The Kings have a defensive score of 115.0 (seventeenth). The Celtics defensive score is 110.6, third within the league. The Celtics must defend the paint because the Kings common 51.7 factors within the paint per sport. The Kings are 4th within the league with 38.8 three pointers tried per sport so the Celtics should additionally defend the perimeter. The Celtics must tighten up their protection as that’s seemingly what’s going to win this sport.
Rebound – A lot of rebounding is effort and need. The Celtics should put out additional effort to seize the rebounds on each ends of the courtroom. By doing so, they restrict the second likelihood factors and quick breaks for the Kings and likewise give themselves additional possessions. The Celtics are averaging 46.5 rebounds per sport to 43.9 rebounds per sport for the Kings. The Kings common 14.4 second likelihood factors per sport and they also should put out additional effort to beat the Kings to the boards and to restrict their second likelihood factors.
Focus and Effort – The Celtics want to remain targeted on enjoying the appropriate means. They should give attention to transferring the ball fastidiously, on taking good photographs, on going after unfastened balls and on enjoying as a staff. The Kings are nonetheless enjoying for positioning within the put up season and want to keep away from the play-in so they are going to be targeted and can play onerous. The Celtics should play with elevated focus and energy in the event that they anticipate to beat the Kings on this one. Although the Celtics have secured their spot on the high of the league, they nonetheless must play as if they’re attempting to make the playoffs. They don’t need to let their effort slack off going into the playoffs.
X-Components Residence Court docket Benefit – The Celtics have labored onerous to get residence courtroom all through the playoffs. They should use residence courtroom benefit on this sport to offer them a lift. They’re enjoying in entrance of their very own followers and on their very own acquainted courtroom whereas the Kings are enjoying on the highway and have journey and a hostile crowd and highway fatigue to distract them.
Officiating – Officiating can at all times be an x-factor. Each crew will name the sport in another way. Some will name each little factor and the sport can have no stream. Others will let rather a lot go and allow them to play. Some crews favor the house staff whereas others name it evenly or have a private agenda. The Celtics want to regulate to how the sport is known as and never let the officers take away their focus.
