The Celtics longest highway journey of the season continues as they tackle the Kings in Sacramento. That is the second, and remaining, sport between these two groups this season. The Kings received 114-97 in Boston on January 10. The Celtics received the collection 2-0 final season. The Celtics have received their final 5 video games whereas the Kings misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are 192-129 total, all time, towards the Kings franchise and 70-75 on the highway towards them. This contains video games when the franchise was positioned in Rochester, Cincinnati, Kansas Metropolis, and Sacramento. They’re 47-30 total towards the Kings within the Sacramento period and 17-22 in Sacramento.
The Kings are enjoying within the first sport of a again to again set and can face Oklahoma Metropolis at dwelling on Tuesday. They’re 7-7 on the primary evening of again to again video games. The Celtics are enjoying on the second evening of again to again video games. They beat the Path Blazers in Portland on Sunday evening and needed to journey after that sport. They’re 7-4 within the 2nd of again to again video games and they’re 4-2 when the second sport is on the highway.
This Kings group may be very completely different from the one which beat the Celtics again in January. They made a number of strikes on the commerce deadline. They traded Alex Len, Colby Jones and a 2nd spherical choose to Memphis for Jake LaRavia. They waived Orlando Robinson. They traded star De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio and obtained Zach LaVine and Sidy Cissoko from Chicago in a 3 group commerce. They then despatched Cissoko to Washington for Jonas Valanciunas. Lastly, they signed former #1 choose Markelle Fultz as a free agent.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East. They’re 5 video games behind 1st place Cleveland, who misplaced 4 straight video games earlier than beating Utah on Sunday. They’re 7 video games forward of third place New York and 10 video games forward of 4th place Indiana. They’re 28-7 on the highway and 9-1 of their final 10 video games. They’re 17-8 towards Western Convention opponents. They’ve received their final 5 video games.
The Kings are ninth within the West, 23 video games behind first place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re 1.5 video games forward of tenth place Phoenix and eleventh place Dallas. They’re 5.5 video games behind sixth place Golden State and the ultimate assured playoff spot. They’re 18-17 at dwelling and 3-7 of their final 10 video games. They’re 11-12 towards Jap Convention groups and have misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are enjoying within the third sport of a 6 sport Western highway journey. They received the primary sport in Utah 121-99 on Friday and the second sport 129-116 in Portland on Sunday. The journey will proceed by Phoenix, San Antonio and Memphis. After this journey, the Celtics will play 2 at dwelling towards Miami and Phoenix. Then it’s again on the highway for video games at New York and at Orlando. They’ll end the season with 2 video games towards the Charlotte Hornets at dwelling.
The Kings are enjoying within the fifth sport of a 7 sport dwelling stand. They received video games towards Memphis and Cleveland to start the house stand after which misplaced to Chicago and Milwaukee. After this sport they may play Oklahoma Metropolis on Monday in again to again video games. After that they go on a 6 sport highway journey by Orlando, Indiana, Washington, Charlotte, Cleveland and Detroit. They’ll end the season with 3 video games at dwelling towards Denver, the Clippers and Phoenix.
Because the Celtics are enjoying in again to again video games and so they have been sitting a participant or two for damage administration in latest video games, it’s onerous to inform who will play and who received’t. I’ve posted the common beginning 5 however a few of them could sit on this one. Jaylen Brown missed 3 video games on account of a knee damage and is questionable for this sport. Porzingis, and Vacation additionally missed Sunday’s sport and should not on the most recent damage report and can seemingly play. Al Horford (toe) and Xavier Tillman (knee) are each out.
The Kings are principally wholesome. Domatas Sabonis injured his ankle final Monday towards Memphis and was anticipated to overlook at the least 10 days because of the damage. Nevertheless he went by a full observe on Sunday and has been upgraded to questionable for this sport. If he can play, he ought to begin at Heart. Malik Monk missed Saturday’s sport on account of an sickness and is questionable for this sport. Devin Carter can be questionable on account of sickness. Doug McDermott was a late addition with an elbow damage and is questionable.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJordan WalshLuke KornetTorrey Craig
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonMiles Norris
Accidents/OutJaylen Brown (knee) questionable Xavier Tillman (knee) outAl Horford (toe) outSam Hauser (again) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Kings Starters
Grid View
PG: Malik MonkSG: Zach LaVineSF: DeMar DeRozanPF: Keegan MurrayC : Jonas Valanciunas
Kings Reserves Devin CarterJae Crowder Keon EllisMarkelle FultzJake LaRavia Trey LylesTerry Taylor (10 Day)
Two-Method PlayersIsaiah CrawfordIsaac JonesMason Jones
Accidents/OutDomatas Sabonis (ankle) questionableMalik Monk (sickness) questionable Devin Carter (sickness) questionable Doug McDermott (elbow) questionable
Head CoachDoug Christie (interim)
Key Matchups
Grid View
Jaylen Brown
Pictures by Michael Gonzales/NBAE by way of Getty Photos
DeMar DeRozan
Picture by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photos
Jaylen Brown vs DeMar DeRozanDeRozan is averaging 22.2 factors, 3.9 rebounds, 4.2 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 48.6% from the sector and 35.6% from past the arc. Within the first sport towards the Celtics, he completed with 24 factors, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 block and 1 steal whereas taking pictures 34.6% from the sector and 40% from three. He’s additionally excellent from the midrange and so the Celtics should guard him for the complete possession, inside, midrange and on the perimeter.
Grid View
Derrick White
Picture by Jamie Sabau/NBAE by way of Getty Photos
Zach LaVine
Picture by Rocky Widner/NBAE by way of Getty Photos
Derrick White vs Zach LaVineLaVine is averaging 23.3 factors, 4.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 51.3% from the sector and 44.1% from past the arc. In 3 video games towards the Celtics this season, all with Chicago, he averaged 26.3 factors, 3.7 rebounds, and three assists whereas taking pictures 50% from the sector and 51.9% from past the arc. This would be the first time the Celtics are going through him as a member of the Kings.
Honorable MentionJrue Vacation vs Malik Monk Monk is averaging 18.1 factors, 3.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1 steal per sport. He’s taking pictures 44.4% from the sector and 32.7% from past the arc. Within the first sport towards the Celtics, he completed with 22 factors, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 block and 1 steal, whereas taking pictures 37.5% from the sector and 27.3% from past the arc. (if Monk is out or if Sabonis performs, the middle matchup will probably be key. Sabonis had 28 rebounds within the first sport and provides the Celtics matchup issues).
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is at all times the important thing to successful each sport. The Kings have a defensive score of 115.1 (twenty second). The Celtics defensive score is 110.2, fifth within the league. The Celtics have to defend the paint because the Kings common 48.4 factors within the paint per sport. The Kings common 35.7 three pointers tried per sport so the Celtics should additionally defend the perimeter. The Celtics have to make protection a precedence and decide to enjoying robust lock down protection for 48 minutes.
Rebound – A lot of rebounding is effort and want. 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 likewise give themselves further possessions. The Celtics are averaging 44.9 rebounds per sport to 44.3 rebounds per sport for the Kings. The Kings common 14.4 second likelihood factors per sport and further effort from the Celtics can restrict these. The Kings out-rebounded the Celtics 56-43 of their first assembly (28 for Sabonis alone) and so the Celtics must work more durable on the boards in the event that they need to win this sport.
Effort and Power for 48 Minutes – The Celtics have to be the extra aggressive group. They must battle for unfastened balls, defend aggressively, be aggressive in driving to the basket, and simply play more durable than the Kings for the 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 return out sturdy within the third quarter and play onerous till the ultimate buzzer. The group that’s extra aggressive and that performs more durable often will get the advantage of extra calls from the refs as nicely.
To three or To not 3 – The Celtics are first within the league, making an attempt 48.2 threes a sport. After they fall, the Celtics are robust to beat. However, once they aren’t falling, the Celtics wrestle. Within the first sport towards the Kings, the Celtics shot simply 28.6% from past the arc whereas the Kings shot 38.3% on threes. 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. If the 3s are falling, nice!! If not, go to Plan B.
X-Components Fatigue on the Highway – That is the third sport of a 6 sport highway journey. The Celtics have needed to journey throughout the nation and throughout 3 time zones. They’re additionally enjoying on the second evening of again to again video games after enjoying in Portland on Sunday and within the third sport in 4 days with journey between them. Fatigue may come into play for them. Additionally they should ignore the distractions of journey, an unfamiliar enviornment and a hostile crowd and focus on enjoying collectively and enjoying the fitting manner.
Who Is and Who Isn’t Taking part in – This time of the season, it’s robust to foretell who’s going to play and who’s going to sit down in any given sport. Most gamers have nagging accidents that groups try to get healed up earlier than the playoffs. The Kings are a significantly better group with Sabonis enjoying and he’s questionable for this sport after sitting out the earlier 3 video games. The Celtics will most definitely sit Horford to relaxation his sprained toe and Brown could presumably nonetheless be out. Tatum could or could not sit to relaxation the tendinitis in his knee. Vacation could play or could sit because of the shoulder impingement. The Kings are preventing to make the playoffs and won’t sit any gamers until they completely must.
Officiating – Officiating can at all times be an x-factor. Each crew will name the sport otherwise. Some will name each little factor and the sport could have no stream. Others will let lots go and allow them to play. Some crews favor the house group whereas others name it evenly or have a private agenda. The Celtics want to regulate to how the sport is named and never let the officers take away their focus.
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