The Celtics are on the highway for final sport earlier than their Christmas Day sport. They face the Orlando Magic for the primary of three video games this season. They’ll meet two extra occasions, as soon as in Boston on January seventeenth and as soon as extra in Orlando on April 9. The Celtics had been simply 2-1 towards the Magic final season, dropping their lone sport within the collection in Orlando and successful each video games in Boston.
The Celtics are 75-55 total, all time towards the Magic and they’re 26-37 in video games performed in Orlando. The Celtics have misplaced their final 2 video games that they performed in Orlando. These 2 groups are endlessly linked collectively of their histories. The ultimate sport performed on the Boston Backyard was towards the Orlando Magic in Sport 4 of the 1995 NBA Playoffs. The Magic secured a 95-92 win, marking the tip of the Boston Backyard’s 67-year operation and it additionally marked the primary time in franchise historical past that the Magic received a playoff collection and superior to the second spherical.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, 2.5 video games behind the primary place Cavaliers. They’re 4 video games forward of the third place Knicks and 5 video games forward of the 4th place Magic. They’re 11- at dwelling and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 20-4 towards Japanese Convention groups. The Magic are 4th within the East, 7.5 video games out of first place and 5 video games behind 2nd place Boston. They’re 1.5 video games forward of fifth place Milwaukee. They’re 11-2 at dwelling and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 14-7 towards Japanese Convention groups. Each groups are on the lookout for their 2nd straight win.
After this sport in Orlando, the Celtics will return dwelling to play the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas Day, which would be the first sport of a 4 sport dwelling stand. After Philly, they are going to face Indian twice and Toronto. They’ll then head out on a 4 sport Western highway journey by way of Minnesota, Houston (and Ime Udoka), Oklahoma Metropolis and Denver. They’ll return dwelling to face 2 extra Western groups, Sacramento and New Orleans. They then head to Toronto earlier than going through Orlando and Atlanta at dwelling.
This sport for the Magic is the 4th sport of a 7 sport highway journey. They misplaced the primary two video games to the Knicks and Thunder after which beat the Warmth on Saturday. They’ll end the house stand towards Miami, New York and Brooklyn. They’ll then play at Detroit and at Toronto earlier than one sport at dwelling towards Utah, one sport on the highway towards New York and residential once more towards Minnesota, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia.
The Celtics ought to have their beginning 5 wholesome. The one participant on the damage report is Sam Hauser, who’s questionable resulting from again spasms. His standing might be a sport time choice. For the Magic, Jalen Suggs is questionable resulting from an ankle damage he suffered towards the Thunder on Thursday. He missed Saturday’s sport towards the Warmth and might be a sport time choice for this one. If he can’t play Anthony Black will possible get the beginning in his place.
Mac McClung is questionable with a leg damage and Gary Harris is questionable with a hamstring damage. Each might be a sport time choice. The Magic will even be with out 3 of their high gamers. Paolo Banchero is out with a torn proper indirect. Franz Wagner can be out with a torn proper indirect. Franz’ older brother, former Celtic Moritz Wagner, tore his ACL after simply 2 minutes of play in Saturday’s sport towards the Warmth and is out for the remainder of the season.
Possible Celtics Starters
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PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesLuke KornetAl HorfordPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJaden SpringerJordan WalshXavier Tillman
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutSam Hauser (again) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Magic Starters
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PG: Jalen SuggsSG: Kentavious Caldwell-PopeSF: Tristan da Silva PF: Wendell Carter, JrC: Goga Bitadze
Magic ReservesCole AnthonyAnthony BlackCaleb HoustanJett HowardJonathan IsaacCory Joseph
2-Manner Gamers Mac McClungTrevelin Queen
Accidents/OutPaolo Banchero (indirect) outFranz Wagner (indirect) outMoritz Wagner (knee) out Gary Harris (hamstring) questionable Mac McClung (leg) questionable Jalen Suggs (ankle) questionable
Head Coach Jamahl Mosley
Key Matchups
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Payton Pritchard
Photograph by Greg Fiume/Getty Pictures
Cole Anthony
Photograph by Nic Antaya/Getty Pictures
Payton Pritchard vs Cole Anthony With each Wagners and Banchero out, Anthony has stepped up for the Magic off the bench. He’s averaging 6.2 factors, 2.2 rebounds, and a couple of.2 assists per sport. He’s capturing 40.4% from the sector and 30.6% from past the arc. Nevertheless, on Saturday, he completed with 35 factors, 8 rebounds, 9 assists 1 steal and 1 block whereas capturing 52% from the sector and 25% on 3s. He has had huge video games towards the Celtics up to now and they also want to concentrate to him on protection.
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Kristaps Porzingis
Photograph by Adam Glanzman/Getty Pictures
Goga Bitadze
Photograph by Stacy Revere/Getty Pictures
Kristaps Porzingis vs Goga Bitadze Bitadze is averaging 9.5 factors, 8.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 blocks per sport. He’s capturing 65.4% from the sector and 0% from the perimeter. On Saturday, he additionally stepped up with their high 2 scorers out, ending with 18 factors, 13 rebounds, 1 help and a couple of blocks whereas capturing 100% from the sector however didn’t take a 3. The Celtics want to attract him out to the perimeter on protection as he is an effective rim protector and rebounder and they should preserve him out of the paint on offense.
Honorable MentionJrue Vacation vs Jalen Suggs Suggs is averaging 16 factors, 4.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1 block per sport. He’s capturing 40.5% from the sector and 31% from past the arc. He missed Saturday’s sport after injuring his ankle in Thursday’s sport. He’s questionable for this sport. If he can’t play, Anthony Black ought to get the beginning in his place. Black is averaging 8.7 factors, 2.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists per sport whereas capturing 42.7% from the sector and 27% from past the arc.
Keys to the GameDefense – I can’t say it sufficient, however protection is all the time the important thing to successful. The Celtics are eighth the league with a defensive score of 109.5. The Magic are third within the league with a defensive score of 106.5. The Magic are twenty eighth in scoring at 106.8 factors per sport. They’ve been successful with their protection and if the Celtics hope to beat them, they should play robust lock down protection themselves.
Rebound – Rebounding can be essential if a crew needs to win video games. You may’t rating if you happen to don’t have the ball and the easiest way to get the ball is to seize rebounds to provide themselves additional possessions. A lot of rebounding is effort and hustle and if the Celtics put the additional effort into grabbing rebounds, they often present effort in all components of the sport. The Celtics are 14-1 when tied or out-rebounding their opponents and 8-5 when they’re out-rebounded. The Celtics want to provide additional effort on the boards on this sport.
Don’t Underestimate – The Celtics are inclined to let up once they face groups which might be lacking stars. With each Wagners and Banchero out on this one, the Celtics might underestimate this Magic crew and are available out with lower than 100% effort. That will be a mistake as a result of this similar brief handed Magic crew beat the Warmth on Saturday. The Celtics must play this crew as exhausting as they’d the highest crew within the league at full power.
Keep Targeted – The Celtics want to remain centered and care for the ball. The Magic are third within the league with 20.4 factors off turnovers. The Celtics can’t unfastened focus and switch the ball over or the Magic will make them pay. Additionally they should keep centered on enjoying the sport the best means and never permit unhealthy calls to get into their heads and make them lose their composure. Additionally they have to remain centered on taking good pictures and making them. If the 3s aren’t falling, they should get into the paint.
X-Elements Highway Sport and injuries- The Celtics are enjoying on the highway. They’re going through distractions of journey and enjoying in an unfamiliar area in entrance of hostile followers. They should shake off these distractions and preserve their deal with enjoying the sport. Often accidents to an opponent’s finest gamers is cause to anticipate a straightforward win, however for some cause, that tends to be an equation for the Celtics to play a lackluster sport and lose to a crew they need to beat.
Officiating – Officiating can all the time be an X-Issue. In some video games, you don’t even discover the referees and in different video games, they appear to make the sport all about them (see the primary sport towards the Bulls). Some crews name the sport tight and others let the groups play. Some crews favor one of many groups whereas others name it pretty. Irrespective of how the sport known as, the Celtics should modify to the way in which the sport is being known as and never permit the officiating to remove from their focus.
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