The Celtics proceed their street journey as they tackle the Suns in Phoenix. That is the third recreation of the 5 recreation street journey. The Celtics are 0-2 to this point on the journey. That is the primary of two video games between these two groups with the second recreation in Boston on March 14. The Suns and Celtics cut up the collection 1-1 final season with every staff successful on their dwelling courtroom. The Celtics are 75-60 general all time and 31-36 in video games performed in Phoenix.
The Celtics are 1st within the East, 7.5 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 8 video games forward of third place Cleveland, 11.5 video games forward of 4th place Orlando, 12 video games forward of fifth place New York, and 13 video games forward of sixth place Miami. They’re 19-11 on the street and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 15-7 towards Western Convention groups and have misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Suns are sixth within the West, 7 video games behind 1st place Minnesota, 4 video games behind the 4th place Clippers and half a recreation behind fifth place New Orleans. They’re half a recreation forward of seventh place Sacramento and a pair of video games forward of eighth place Dallas. They’re 21-13 at dwelling and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 15-7 towards Jap Convention groups. They’ve received their final 2 video games.
The Celtics began their present street journey off with 2 straight losses towards Cleveland and Denver. After this recreation they are going to end the street journey in Portland and Utah. They are going to return dwelling to face these similar Suns earlier than a recreation in Washington. They then have dwelling video games towards Detroit and Milwaukee earlier than a 6 recreation street journey by Detroit, Chicago, 2 video games in Atlanta, New Orleans and Charlotte.
The Suns are enjoying within the second straight dwelling recreation. They’re coming off a house win over Toronto. After this recreation they are going to begin a 4 recreation street journey by Cleveland, Boston, Charlotte and Milwaukee. They are going to return dwelling towards Philadelphia and Atlanta earlier than happening a 5 recreation street journey beginning with 2 video games in San Antonio after which Denver, Oklahoma Metropolis and New Orleans.
Jaylen Brown was questionable going into Thursday’s recreation towards Denver however ended up enjoying 41 minutes and scored 41 factors. He was as soon as once more listed as questionable for this recreation with a a light contusion to his pelvis. Jayson Tatum was added to the listing as possible with an ankle sprain. He struggled towards Denver and you would need to surprise if the harm had one thing to do with that. Each are actually obtainable for this recreation.
Porzingis is now listed as questionable for Saturday’s recreation versus the Suns resulting from proper hamstring tightness. Porzingis’ late addition to the harm report just isn’t a great signal for his availability for this recreation. If he’s dominated out, Al Horford will probably begin in his place. He’s listed as a recreation time choice. Neemias Queta was listed as possible however now can also be off the listing and might be obtainable. I’m not positive if he might be with the Celtics or the Maine Celtics.
For the Suns, Devin Booker has missed the final 3 video games with an ankle sprain. He was initially questionable for this recreation then downgraded to uncertain and is now as soon as once more questionable and might be a recreation time choice. Damion Lee is out with a knee harm. Nassir Little can also be out with a knee harm. Josh Okogie was initially questionable for this recreation however is now listed as out with an stomach pressure.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettSam HauserAl HorfordLuke KornetSvi MykhailiukPayton PritchardJordan WalshXavier TillmanJaden Springer
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonNeemias QuetaDrew Peterson
Accidents/OutNeemias Queta (knee) outJaylen Brown (pelvis) questionable Jayson Tatum (ankle) possible
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Suns Starters
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Suns Reserves Bol BolDrew EubanksEric GordonDavid RoddyThaddeus Younger
Two Manner Gamers Udoka AzubuikeSaben LeeIsh Wainright
Accidents/OutDevin Booker (ankle) questionable Damion Lee (knee) out Nassir Little (knee) out Josh Okogie (stomach) out
Head CoachFrank Vogel
Key Matchups
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Jayson Tatum
Photograph by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Photos
Kevin Durant
Photograph by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Photos
Jayson Tatum vs Kevin Durant Durant stays among the best gamers within the league and is hard to cowl and likewise continues to be a great defender. He’s averaging 28.0 factors, 5.5 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.3 blocks. He’s capturing 52.5% from the sphere and 41.9% from past the arc. He’s harmful to attain regardless of the place he’s on the courtroom and so the Celtics have to defend him properly.
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photos
Bradley Beal
Photograph by Chris Coduto/Getty Photos
Jrue Vacation vs Bradley Beal Beal has performed in simply 34 of the Suns video games to this point this season resulting from an assortment of accidents. He’s averaging 18.2 factors, 4.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 49.6% from the sphere and 37.3% from past the arc. Beal and Tatum go method again as frields and in previous video games, when Beal was in Washington, Tatum and Beal would make it private and try to protect one another. That technique often went higher for Tatum than Beal.
Honorable MentionKristaps Porzingis vs Jusuf Nurkic Nurkic is averaging 11.7 factors, 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.1 blocks per recreation. He’s capturing 51.7% from the sphere and 24.1% from past the arc. He’s not a giant risk from 3 however can hit them so he shouldn’t be left open. However, the Celtics particularly have to hold him out of the paint and off the boards.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is all the time a key to successful. The Celtics have a defensive score of 110.3 (2nd) however at instances let their protection slip, like when Dean Wade scored 20 on them within the 4th quarter within the Cleveland recreation. The Suns have a defensive score of 114.1 (twelfth). The Suns are a great capturing staff and the Celtics might want to up their protection in the event that they wish to beat the Suns at dwelling. The Suns are twelfth, scoring 117.1 factors per recreation and so the Celtics should make protection a precedence in the event that they wish to win.
Rebound – The Celtics have to rebound on the offensive finish to present themselves additional possessions and to forestall the Suns from racking up quick break factors. Additionally they should crash the boards on the defensive finish to forestall the Suns from getting tip ins and second likelihood factors. The Celtics are 1st with 47.2 rebounds per recreation whereas the Suns are twelfth with 44.1 rebounds per recreation. The Celtics are going to should put out additional effort to win the battle of the boards on this one.
Keep Centered – An absence of focus may clarify the 9 missed free throws towards the Nuggets. It could possibly additionally clarify the 28.9% capturing from past the arc. The Celtics have come into the sport targeted on taking and making good photographs. They should deal with their ball dealing with to keep away from turnovers. They should deal with protection to forestall the Suns from getting open photographs. They should come into the sport targeted on enjoying the proper method and hold that focus proper as much as the ultimate buzzer.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to come back out and be aggressive proper from the opening tip. They should be aggressive on protection, driving to the basket, rebounding, diving for free balls and simply enjoying more durable on the whole. They should get off to a robust begin and play arduous proper up till the ultimate buzzer. They will’t let the Suns outwork them for any time frame as a result of even one of the best staff within the league can lose to the worst in the event that they don’t play with effort.
X-FactorsRoad Fatigue – The Celtics are enjoying within the third recreation of a 5 recreation street journey. They’ve had a variety of journey and needed to sleep in accommodations and play in hostile arenas. They might be gettng considerably street weary. They’ve additionally modified time zones and should have a little bit of jet lag. Can they discover one other gear and get a win in a recreation towards one other robust staff?
Accidents – Jaylen Brown is as soon as once more questionable and Jayson Tatum is possible. If both of them can’t play, or in the event that they play however are restricted resulting from an harm, it’s going to undoubtedly be harder for the Celtics. Additionally, with Devin Booker questionable and probably coming back from harm, it could make the Suns a lot harder to beat as he’s averaging 27.5 factors 4.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per recreation.
Officiating – I do know that I say this each recreation, however the officiating all the time has the likelihood to be an x-factor in each recreation. Each crew calls the sport otherwise, whether or not they name each little ticky tack foul or they let a variety of contact go and let the groups play. Some refs favor the house staff and a few name for each groups evenly. The Celtics have gotten to regulate to the best way the sport is being referred to as and never permit the officiating to remove from their focus.
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