The Celtics host the Golden State Warriors for the primary of two video games this season. They may meet once more on January 20 in San Francisco. This can be a sport that the majority Celtics followers have had circled for the reason that schedule got here out. If the gamers are trustworthy, they’ve additionally had this sport circled. Warriors coach, Steve Kerr, coached the Olympics staff he handled Jayson Tatum shabbily, not enjoying him in 2 video games and restricted minutes in others.
This can be a rematch of the 2022 Finals that the Warriors received in 6 video games. Since that Finals assembly, these two groups have break up their video games with every staff successful at dwelling. Final season, the Celtics demolished the Warriors 140-88 in Boston whereas the Warriors received 132-126 at Golden State. The Celtics lead the all time collection 210-139 total and 116-40 in video games performed in Boston.
The Celtics stood pat for essentially the most half within the off season, bringing again their total core of gamers and dropping simply Svi Mykhailiuk and Oshae Brissett. They added Baylor Scheierman, who was the thirtieth choose within the draft and signed 2nd spherical choose, Anton Watson to a 2 means contract. They’ve one open roster spot that they’re more likely to preserve 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 time, largely due to Warriors coach, Steve Kerr.
The Warriors made some important modifications after ending tenth within the West final season. They waived Chris Paul. They made the primary 6 staff signal and commerce of Klay Thompson to the Mavericks for Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson. They misplaced Dario Saric to free company. They traded 2 second spherical picks for Lindy Waters III. They signed 52nd choose within the draft, Quinten Put up.
The Celtics have been anticipated to be among the many prime contenders once more this season after bringing again their championship staff from final season. The Warriors struggled final season and after dropping Klay Thompson, a key a part of their championship groups, they weren’t anticipated to do very properly this season. Nonetheless, they’re stunning everybody by beginning the season 6-1, with their solely loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. They’ve received their final 4 video games, together with 2 video games over the Pelicans and a win over each the Rockets and the Wizards.
The Celtics are getting back from a 4 sport street journey the place they went 3-1, dropping to the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics will likely be bouncing round over the subsequent few video games, with 2 video games at dwelling earlier than enjoying on the Bucks then dwelling vs the Hawks after which on the street once more to go to the Nets. The Warriors are enjoying within the third sport of a 5 sport street journey, with video games at Cleveland and OKC earlier than as soon as once more heading dwelling.
The Celtics will likely be with out Kristaps Porzingis, who remains to be rehabbing from off season ankle surgical procedure and isn’t anticipated again till December. Jaylen Brown will miss his third straight sport with a hip damage. I’m going to guess that Joe Mazzulla will as soon as once more begin the double bigs. I’m guessing that Queta will begin once more, however it could be Kornet or Tillman. With Joe, it’s onerous to inform. Solely De’Anthony Melton (again) is out for the Warriors.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardLuke KornetJaden SpringerXavier Tillman, SrJordan WalshSam Hauser
2 Means PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonAnton Watson
Accidents/OutKristaps Porzingis (ankle) outJaylen Brown (hip) outBaylor Scheierman (GLeague) out
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Warriors Starters
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Warriors Reserves Kyle AndersonBuddy HieldJohathan KumingaKevon LooneyMoses MoodyPrandin Podziemski Gui SantosLindy Waters III
2 Means PlayersReece BeekmanQuinten PostPat Spencer
Head CoachSteve Kerr
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Justin Casterline/Getty Photographs
Stephen Curry
Picture by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs Stephen CurryCurry remains to be the Warriors finest participant and it is going to be essential for the Celtics to attempt to restrict his scoring. He’s averaging 19.8 factors, 4.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.5 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 41.2% from the sphere and 41.7% from past the arc. The Celtics have to particularly guard him on the perimeter as he can hit from just about wherever on the court docket.
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Payton Pritchard
Picture by Brock Williams-Smith/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
Buddy Hield
Picture by Tim Warner/Getty Photographs
Payton Pritchard vs Buddy Hield As soon as once more, we have now a matchup between sixth Man of the Yr candidates. Payton Pritchard (+400) and Buddy Hield (+550) are first and second in odds to win sixth man. Hield is averaging 21.9 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 51.4% from the sphere and 50% from past the arc. The largest query about Hield is whether or not he can sustain that sort of manufacturing since he has been inconsistent in earlier years.
Honorable MentionDerrick White vs Andrew WigginsWiggins is averaging 15.8 factors, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1 block per sport. He’s taking pictures 44.8% from the sphere and 44.8% from past the arc. As soon as once more the Celtics might want to follow him on the perimeter the place he’s taking pictures very properly. Derrick White might want to step up a bit extra to assist to make up for Jaylen Brown’s contributions.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is at all times the important thing to successful. The Celtics are 1st within the league, averaging 123.6 factors per sport. They’re 4th within the league with a defensive score of 107.7. The Warriors are third within the league, averaging 121.6 factors per sport. The Warriors are 2nd with a defensive score of 102.1. The Celtics should commit to creating protection their precedence on this sport. It’s extremely possible that the staff that defends higher on this sport would be the winner.
Rebound – Rebounding is at all times a key to successful as you want the ball to attain and a great way to get it’s to seize rebounds. The Celtics are 18th with 43.8 rebounds per sport whereas the Warriors are 1st with 49 rebounds per sport. It takes effort to seize rebounds and the Celtics should make an additional effort to crash the boards and beat the Warriors to rebounds. The Warriors are sixth with 16.7 second probability factors per sport and so the Celtics particularly have to preserve them from getting offensive rebounds.
Transfer the Ball Rigorously – The Celtics play the very best after they transfer the ball and discover the open man. They battle extra when gamers attempt to do an excessive amount of and when the ball sticks with one participant too lengthy and after they take fast pictures with out in search of the very best shot. The Celtics are twenty second with 23.9 assists per sport. They should look to share the ball and never over dribble or attempt to take over on the expense of open teammates. They should watch out with their passes because the Warriors are 2nd with 21.4 factors off turnovers per sport. The Warriors transfer the ball very properly and are third with 30.4 assists per sport.
3 Level Taking pictures – Each of those groups take plenty of threes. The Celtics are 1st with 50.9 three level makes an attempt per sport. The Warriors are 4th, taking 42 threes per sport. The Warriors shoot the next share from 3 with 39.1% in comparison with 37.3% for the Celtics. Each groups will possible take plenty of 3 pointers on this sport as properly and so much will come right down to which staff makes their threes and which staff misses them.
X-FactorsHome Sport vs Street Fatigue – The Warriors have received the primary 2 video games on this street journey and have 2 extra video games to go on the journey after this one.. The Warriors are away from household and residential and have the distractions of staying in a resort and enjoying in an unfamiliar area in entrance of a (very) hostile crowd. Hopefully the Celtics crowd will likely be loud and rowdy and provides the Celtics additional power to avenge Kerr’s remedy of Tatum within the Olympics together with their loss within the 2022 Finals. The Celtics simply returned dwelling from a 4 sport street journey and generally the primary sport at dwelling after a street journey is a troublesome one.
Officiating – Officiating at all times has the potential to be a think about each sport. Each officiating staff calls the sport otherwise. Some name it tight and others allow them to play. Some favor the house staff whereas some name it evenly. Nonetheless the sport is known as, the Celtics should regulate to it and never enable the officiating to remove their concentrate on enjoying the sport. Complaining about calls not often modifications something apart from to remove from their concentrate on enjoying the sport and irritate the officers.
