The Celtics return residence after a 3-1 Western highway journey to host the Sacramento Kings. That is the primary of two video games between these two groups this season. They are going to meet once more in Boston on March 24. The Celtics received the sequence 2-0 final season. The Celtics are 192-119 all time towards the Kings and they’re 70-75 at residence. They’re 47-29 towards the Kings within the Sacramento period and 30-7 in Boston over that interval.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East, however have slipped to six video games behind the primary place Cleveland Cavaliers, who’ve received 12 straight video games. They’re 2.5 video games forward of third place New York and 5.5 video games forward of 4th place Orlando. They’re 13-6 at residence and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 5-3 vs Western Convention opponents and are coming off a win of their final sport.
The Kings are eleventh within the West, 12.5 video games behind first place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re tied with tenth place San Antonio and half a sport behind ninth place Golden State. They’re 2.5 video games behind the sixth place Lakers and 1 sport forward of twelfth place Phoenix. They’re 8-7 on the highway and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 5-5 towards Jap Convention groups. They’re 5-1 since Mike Brown was fired as coach and have received their final 5 video games.
The Kings made one massive transfer within the off season. They traded Harrison Barnes, Chris Duarte and picks to Chicago for DeMar DeRozan. They signed Jordan McLaughlin, Orlando Robinson and Keon Ellis in free company. They drafted Devin Carter. Gamers misplaced from final season’s staff embody Kessler Edwards, Jordan Ford, JaVale McGee and Jalen Slawson. The most important transfer got here on December 27 after they fired Mike Brown and moved Doug Christie to interim coach. They’re on a 5 sport win streak and are 5-1 since that transfer.
The Celtics simply accomplished a 4 sport highway journey that began with again to again wins over Minnesota and Houston and ended with a win over Denver. Their solely loss was to the Thunder. That is the primary of two residence video games towards Western Convention groups with New Orleans developing on Sunday. They then head to Toronto to face the Raptors for the third time. They are going to then host Orlando and Atlanta earlier than their 2nd Western highway journey of the month by means of Golden State, Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers and Dallas.
The Kings final performed at residence on Monday after they beat the Warmth in double time beyond regulation. They’re starting a 3 sport highway journey and can play at Chicago and Milwaukee after this sport. They are going to then head residence to face Houston, Washington and Golden State earlier than heading out on a 6 sport highway journey by means of Denver, New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Oklahoma Metropolis and Minnesota.
Derrick White missed Tuesday’s sport with an sickness however has been faraway from the damage record for this one. Jordan Walsh missed Tuesday’s sport with an sickness and is questionable for this sport. Drew Peterson is out with a concussion. For the Kings, De’Aaron Fox is out with a hip damage. Malik Monk will doubtless get the beginning in his place.
Possible Celtics Starters
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PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesLuke KornetPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaSam HauserBaylor ScheiermanJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshAl Horford
2 Approach PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutDrew Peterson (concussion) out Jordan Walsh (sickness) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Kings Starters
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PG: Malik MonkSG: Keon EllisSF: DeMar DeRozanPF: Keegan MurrayC : Domantas Sabonis
Kings Reserves Devin CarterJae CrowderKevin HuerterColby JonesAlex LenTrey LylesDoug McDermottJordan McLaughlinOrlando Robinson
2 Approach PlayersIsaiah CrawfordIsaac Jones Mason Jones
Accidents/OutDe’Aaron Fox (hip) out
Head CoachDoug Christie (interim)
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph by Ron Hoskins/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
Malik Monk
Photograph by Eakin Howard/Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs Malik Monk Monk is averaging 17 factors, 3.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists. He’s capturing 43.9% from the sector and 34.9% from past the arc. With Fox out, Monk will doubtless get the beginning. He’s a risk from the perimeter but in addition can get to the basket.
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Kristaps Porzingis
Photograph by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Photographs
Domantas Sabonis
Photograph by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photographs
Kristaps Porzingis vs Domantas SabonisHe is averaging 20.6 factors, 13.8 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per sport. He’s capturing 59.2% from the sector and 44.4% from past the arc. The Celtics have to preserve him out of the paint and off the boards and they should guard him each inside and on the perimeter. After the Denver sport, Porzingis mentioned that he’s virtually again to feeling like he’s wholesome. Now we have to hope that may proceed and that he stays wholesome.
Honorable MentionJaylen Brown vs DeMar DeRozanDeRozan is averaging 20.8 factors, 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per sport. He’s capturing 48.6% from the sector and 30.7% from past the arc. He’s additionally excellent from the midrange and so the Celtics should guard him for your complete possession, inside, midrange and on the perimeter.
Keys to the Recreation Protection – Protection is at all times the important thing to profitable each sport. The Kings have a defensive score of 112.5 (sixteenth). The Celtics defensive score is 109.4, sixth within the league. The Celtics have to defend the paint because the Kings common 48.3 factors within the paint per sport. The Kings common 35.5 three pointers tried per sport so the Celtics should additionally defend the perimeter. The Celtics have to make protection a precedence and decide to taking part in robust lock down protection for 48 minutes.
Rebound – A lot of rebounding is effort and need. The Celtics must put out further 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 in addition give themselves further possessions. The Celtics are averaging 44.9 rebounds per sport to 44.1 rebounds per sport for the Kings. The Kings common 14.3 second likelihood factors per sport and further effort from the Celtics can restrict these.
Effort and Vitality for 48 Minutes – The Celtics should be the extra aggressive staff. They must battle for free balls, defend aggressively, be aggressive in driving to the basket, and simply play tougher than the Kings for your complete sport. They’ve to start the sport with power and never permit the Kings to get an enormous lead and so they can’t let up all through the sport. They particularly have to come back out sturdy within the third quarter and play exhausting till the ultimate buzzer. As proven towards the Thunder, the staff that’s extra aggressive and that performs tougher often will get the advantage of extra calls from the refs as properly.
To three or To not 3 – The Celtics are first within the league, making an attempt 49.8 threes a sport. After they fall, the Celtics are robust to beat. However, after they aren’t falling, the Celtics battle. If the Celtics aren’t hitting their 3s, they must go to Plan B and take the ball to the basket or shoot from midrange. The Celtics tried simply 35 threes towards Denver and so they received the factors within the paint. 60-46. The Celtics have to do the identical on this sport. If the 3s are falling, nice!! If not, go to Plan B.
X-Components Dwelling Courtroom Benefit – The Celtics labored exhausting to get residence courtroom all through the playoffs final season, shedding simply 4 video games at residence all season. They’ve already misplaced 6 video games at residence this season and they should get again to dominating on their residence courtroom. They’re taking part in in entrance of their very own followers and on their very own acquainted courtroom whereas the Kings are taking part in on the highway and have journey, a hostile crowd and highway fatigue to distract them. Nonetheless, the primary sport again after an enormous highway journey is at all times a troublesome one.
Officiating – Officiating can at all times be an x-factor. Each crew will name the sport in a different way. Some will name each little factor and the sport could have no move. Others will let so much 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 known as and never let the officers take away their focus.
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