The Celtics face the Hawks in Atlanta for the ultimate sport of a 4 sport highway journey. They’re 2-1 thus far on the journey with their solely loss to the Pacers in additional time. The Hawks are taking part in on the second night time of again to again video games, having performed in New Orleans on Sunday night time. The Hawks received their first 2 video games after which misplaced 4 in a row earlier than beating the Pelicans on Sunday.
That is the primary of three conferences between these two groups this season. They’ll face off once more on November 12 and January 18, each video games in Boston. The Celtics and Hawks tied the collection at 2 video games every final season, with each groups profitable 2 at residence. The Celtics are 244-149 general all time towards the Hawks and they’re 112-95 in video games performed in Atlanta.
The Celtics stood pat for essentially the most half within the off season, bringing again their complete core of gamers and dropping simply Svi Mykhailiuk and Oshae Brissett. They added Baylor Scheierman, who was the thirtieth decide within the draft and signed 2nd spherical decide, Anton Watson to a 2 means contract. They’ve one open roster spot that they’re more likely to hold open in case of damage in the course of the season. They’ve additionally added a few chips on their shoulder after Olympic snubs and different drama over the summer season.
The Hawks made a giant commerce to start the off season. They gave up on DeJounte Murray and traded him to the New Orleans Pelicans for Larry Nance, Jr and Dyson Daniels together with 2 first spherical picks. Additionally they had the primary decide within the draft that they used to draft Zaccharie Risacher, a 6’9” ahead from France. Additionally they misplaced Saddiq Bey to the Wizards in free company.
The Celtics might be with out Kristaps Porzingis, who remains to be rehabbing from off season ankle surgical procedure and isn’t anticipated again till December. Sam Hauser missed 3 video games with soreness in his decrease again however has performed within the final 3 video games and is possible for this sport. Jaylen Brown will miss his second straight sport with a hip damage. I’m going to guess that Joe Mazzulla will as soon as once more begin the double massive of Al Horford and Luke Kornet in Brown’s absence.
The Hawks are having damage issues of their very own. Vit Krejci is out with a proper adductor damage. Bogdan Bogdanovic is out after a medical process to repair his proper hamstring tendinopathy. Kobe Bufkin is recovering from a shoulder subluxation and can also be out. Seth Lundy (ankle), De’Andre Hunter (knee), and Cody Zeller (private) are all questionable for this sport.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshSam Hauser
2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (ankle) outJaylen Brown (hip) outSam Hauser (again) possible
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Hawks Starters
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Hawks Reserves Mouhamed GueyeGarrison Mathews Onyeka OkongwuLarry Nance, JrDavid Roddy
2 Manner Gamers Dominick BarlowSeth LundyKeaton Wallace
Accidents/Out Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring) out Kobe Bufkin (shoulder) out Vit Kretjci (thigh) out Seth Lundy (ankle) questionableDe’Andre Hunter (knee) questionable Cody Zeller (private) questionable
Head Coach Quin Snyder
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph by Paul Rutherford/Getty Photos
Trae Younger
Photograph by Maddie Meyer/Getty Photos
Jrue Vacation vs Trae Younger Younger is averaging 27.7 factors, 5.2 rebounds, 11.7 assists and 1.3 steals per sport. He isn’t significantly environment friendly and is capturing 39.8% from the sphere and 30.5% from past the arc. The Celtics have to play him for the shot in addition to the cross as he has been superb at discovering open teammates. He’s additionally very fast within the passing lanes and so the Celtics have to be cautious with their passes.
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Derrick White
Photograph by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photos
Dyson Daniels
Photograph by Megan Briggs/Getty Photos
Derrick White vs Dyson DanielsDaniels is averaging 12.8 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.0 block per sport. He’s capturing 50% from the sphere and 35.3% from past the arc. It is a matchup between 2 defensive guards, who also can block photographs. The Celtics will want White to step up his sport with Brown out for this one.
Honorable Point out Jayson Tatum vs Jalen JohnsonJohnson is averaging 16.3 factors, 10.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals. He’s capturing 41.2% from the sphere however simply 25% from past the arc. Tatum shot simply 1-9 from 3 on Saturday towards the Hornets and hopefully he can discover his vary once more on this sport as they are going to want him to attain with Brown injured.
Keys to the Recreation Protection – Protection is at all times a key to profitable video games. Protection is particularly vital for the Celtics on this sport as a result of the Hawks are a very good scoring crew, averaging 117.2 factors per sport, which is ninth within the league. The Celtics are 1st, averaging 123.7 factors per sport. The Celtics have a defensive score of 110.7 which is twelfth whereas the Hawks have a defensive score of 118.6, which is twenty eighth. Of their solely loss, the Celtics perimeter protection was missing, permitting the Pacers to shoot 39.5% from three. The Celtics should make protection a precedence on this sport and so they must play that robust protection for 48 minutes and never let up.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is a key to profitable. A lot of rebounding is effort and want. When the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, it normally carries by to the remainder of their sport. The Hawks are averaging 42.2 rebounds per sport (twenty third) whereas the Celtics are averaging 42.9 rebounds per sport (twenty first). The Celtics haven’t been rebounding in addition to they did final season and they should aggressively go after each rebound. They will’t afford to offer the Hawks further possessions and 2nd likelihood factors by permitting them to beat them to rebounds.
Effort and Ball Motion – The Celtics misplaced to the Pacers as a result of they have been a step gradual and didn’t transfer the ball very nicely. Their effort within the first 3 quarters was very lackluster. They allowed the Pacers to out rebound them 57-51 and so they have been a step gradual on nearly each play. They weren’t shifting the ball, with simply 23 assists to 33 assists for the Pacers. The Celtics have to maneuver the ball and never play hero ball. Additionally they have to play with most effort for 48 minutes and never enable the Hawks to construct a lead or if the Celtics construct a lead, they should hold it and never enable the Hawks to return again.
Bench Play – Of their November 1 sport towards the Kings, the Hawks’ bench outscored the Kings’ bench 56-26. The Hawks’ reserves shot 51.3% from the sphere and 46.4% from past the arc. Even with damage woes, their reserves got here by for them. The Celtics want their reserves to return by with massive video games, particularly on protection.
X-Components Highway Recreation and Fatigue – The Celtics are taking part in of their 4th straight sport on the highway and can have the distractions of journey and a resort keep and taking part in in entrance of hostile followers in an unfamiliar enviornment. Nonetheless, that they had a time off since their final sport whereas the Hawks are taking part in within the second of again to again video games and needed to journey after Sunday’s sport. Fatigue for Atlanta may come into play down the stretch on this sport. Each groups are additionally taking part in brief handed. The final sport on a highway journey is normally the hardest and so the Celtics should keep centered.
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport a little bit in another way with some calling it tight and others letting them play. Some refs simply make head scratching calls whereas others attempt very exhausting to get them proper. Typically they’re tech loopy for each little factor. In some video games they name the two halves fully in another way. The Celtics have to regulate to how the sport is being known as and deal with taking part in the sport and never on the officiating.
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