The Celtics start their 4 sport Western a part of their 5 sport street journey with a cease in Denver to tackle the Nuggets. Denver is a troublesome place to play because of the altitude. The Celtics received the collection 2-0 final season and have received the final 6 conferences between these two groups and seven of the final 10 video games between them. That is the 2nd and last sport between them this season. The Nuggets received 102-100 on January 19 in Boston.
If any sport might be stated to be a giant sport, this one would qualify. The Celtics are coming off a sport wherein they gave up a 22 level lead and fell asleep down the stretch and utterly blew the ultimate play. They’re going through the defending champions, who by most stories are favorites to win the Western Convention and return to the Finals this yr. The Celtics misplaced to them by 2 factors in Boston and so this can be a huge sport as a result of 1) The Celtics have to get the style of that Cavs loss out of their mouths, 2) They might face the Nuggets within the Finals and might want to win there then and they should show they’ll, and three) they should avenge that January loss to the Nuggets in Boston.
They had been 1-1 final season with every group successful on their dwelling courtroom. The Celtics are 60-39 general all time towards the Nuggets and they’re 20-29 in video games performed in Denver. Each groups had lengthy win streaks damaged by a loss of their final sport. The Nuggets 6 sport win streak was damaged by a loss at dwelling to the Phoenix Suns. The Celtics 11 sport win streak was damaged by a loss on the street to the Cavaliers.
The Celtics stay first within the East. They’re 8 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 8.5 video games forward of third place Cleveland, 12 video games forward of 4th place Orlando, 12.5 video games forward of fifth place New York, and 13 video games forward of sixth place Miami. They’re 19-10 on the street and 9-1 of their final 10 video games. They’re 15-6 towards Western Convention opponents. They’re coming off a loss of their final sport.
The Nuggets are third within the West. They’re 1 sport behind first place Minnesota and 2nd place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re 1.5 video games forward of the 4th place Clippers, 5 video games forward of fifth place New Orleans, and 6 video games forward of sixth place Phoenix. They’re 24-6 at dwelling and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 18-6 towards Japanese Convention groups. They’re coming off a loss of their final sport.
The Celtics are taking part in within the 2nd sport of a 5 sport street journey. They misplaced the primary sport 104-105 in Cleveland on Tuesday. They’ll proceed their Western swing by Phoenix, Portland, and Utah. They’ll then head dwelling to play Phoenix earlier than one sport at Washington after which dwelling video games towards Detroit and Milwaukee. They then head out on a 6 sport street journey.
Denver is taking part in within the 2nd sport of a 4 sport dwelling stand. They misplaced the primary sport to Phoenix and can host Utah and Toronto earlier than a 4 sport street journey by Miami, San Antonio, Dallas and Minnesota. They’ll play New York at dwelling after which at Portland earlier than a 5 sport dwelling stand towards Memphis, Phoenix, Minnesota, Cleveland and San Antonio.
Jaylen Brown was questionable with knee soreness earlier than the Cleveland sport however ended up taking part in. He’s now questionable for this sport with a sacroiliac pressure. His standing will likely be a sport time resolution. If he can’t play, I’d anticipate Sam Hauser to get the beginning. Neemias Queta is out with a knee damage. For Denver, solely Vlatko Cancar is out with a knee damage.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettSam HauserAl HorfordLuke KornetSvi MykhailiukPayton PritchardJordan WalshXavier TillmanJaden Springer
2 Approach PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonNeemias Queta
Accidents/OutNeemias Queta (knee) out Jaylen Brown (sacroiliac) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Nuggets Starters
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Nuggets Reserves Christian Braun Justin HolidayReggie Jackson DeAndre JordanZeke Nnaji Jalen PickettJulian StrawtherHunter TysonPeyton Watson
2 Approach PlayersCollin Gillespie Jay HuffBraxton Key
Out/Accidents Vlatko Cancar (knee) out
Head Coach Michael Malone
Key Matchups
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Kristaps Porzingis
Picture by Stacy Revere/Getty Pictures
Nikola Jokic
Picture by Matthew Stockman/Getty Pictures
Kristaps Porzingis vs Nikola JokicJokic is has received again to again MVP’s and is within the dialog for MVP each season for a purpose. He’s averaging 25.9 factors, 12.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 1.2 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 57.9% from the sphere and 35% from past the arc. He’s a handful and the Celtics have to attempt to gradual him down by any means crucial.
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Stacy Revere/Getty Pictures
Jamal Murray
Picture by C. Morgan Engel/Getty Pictures
Jrue Vacation vs Jamal MurrayMurray is averaging 20.8 factors, 4.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists. He’s taking pictures 47.9% from the sphere and 41.7% from past the arc. The Celtics will want Jrue Vacation to proceed to play effectively on each ends of the courtroom and they should defend Murray very effectively as he can put up factors in a rush each on 3’s and within the paint.
Honorable Point out Jaylen Brown vs Michael Porter, JrPorter is averaging 16.6 factors, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He’s taking pictures 48% from the sphere and 39.6% from past the arc. Porter is an excellent 3 level shooter and they also have to stick with him on the perimeter however he also can rating within the paint. Jaylen is questionable for this sport and if he can’t play Sam Hauser might begin or they might go together with double bigs by beginning Al Horford.
Keys to the Recreation Protection – Protection is the important thing to successful each sport. The Celtics are 2nd with a defensive score of 110.2 The Nuggets have a defensive score of 113.0, which is twentieth. The Celtics common 118.7 factors per sport (2nd), whereas the Nuggets common 113.0 factors per sport (ninth). The Nuggets are twenty eighth within the league in 3 level makes an attempt however sixth with 53.2 factors within the paint They do have some good 3 level shooters, however the Celtics have to notably maintain them out of the paint.
Rebound – Rebounding is one other key to successful each sport. The Celtics are 1st within the league, averaging 47.2 rebounds per sport. The Nuggets are ninth within the league with 44.5 rebounds per sport. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics should work tougher to seize rebounds to restrict the Nuggets second likelihood factors and quick breaks. Of their loss in January, the Nuggets out-rebounded them 47-38. They’ll’t enable the Nuggets to outwork them on the boards once more.
Effort and Power for 48 Minutes – The Celtics should be the extra aggressive group. They should struggle for free balls, defend aggressively, be aggressive in driving to the basket, and simply play tougher than the Nuggets for the whole sport. They should be the group that desires it extra and play prefer it. They particularly have to start the sport with power and never enable the Nuggets to race out to a giant lead they usually can’t let up all through the sport. They particularly have to come back out robust within the third quarter and play laborious till the ultimate buzzer.
Transfer the Ball Fastidiously – The Celtics have to maintain transferring the ball to search out the open man and make it a lot tougher to protect them. Nonetheless, they should watch out with their passes and never flip the ball over because the Nuggets common 15.1 factors per sport 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. They should keep targeted on taking part in the proper manner.
X-FactorsMile Excessive on the Highway- It’s powerful to win in Denver due to the altitude that the groups are taking part in at. Denver known as the Mile Excessive Metropolis as a result of it’s 5,280 ft above sea stage. Nuggets gamers are used to the altitude however visiting groups typically battle with taking part in there and infrequently are fatigued earlier than the tip of the sport. It’s a very distinctive dwelling courtroom benefit. The Celtics additionally should shake off the distractions of journey and taking part in in entrance of a hostile crowd.
Officiating – I do know that I say this each sport, however the officiating can at all times be an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport in another way whether or not they name each little ticky tack foul or they let quite a lot of contact go and let the groups play. Some crews favor the house group and the Celtics should be prepared for that. The Celtics have gotten to regulate to the best way the sport is being known as and never let the calls have an effect on their focus or their play. In addition they have to maintain their minds on the sport and never continuously complain in regards to the calls as that does little to vary the calls and solely irritates the referees.
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