Boston Celtics (20-12) at Sacramento Kings (8-25)Thursday, January 1, 202610:00 PM ETRegular Season Recreation #33, Highway Recreation #18TV: NBCSB, NBCSCA, NBA-LPRadio: 98.5 Sports activities Hub, 1140 AM, Sirius XMGolden 1 Middle
The Celtics play their 4th recreation of a 5 recreation street journey as they go to the Sacramento Kings. That is the primary of two video games between these two groups this season. They’ll play the 2nd, and remaining, recreation in Boston on January 30. They cut up the collection 1-1 final season with every crew profitable on the street. The Celtics are 193-120 general all time towards the Kings and 71-75 in video games performed in Sacramento. The Kings are taking part in within the first of again to again video games and can play at Phoenix on Friday.
The Kings have made just a few strikes since final season. They traded Jonas Valanciunas to Denver for Dario Saric in what is probably going a wage transfer. They misplaced Jake LaRavia as a free agent to the Lakers. They signed Drew Eubanks, Dennis Schroder, Valuable Achiuwa, and Russell Westbrook as free brokers. They drafted Nique Clifford with the twenty fourth decide within the 2025 draft that they acquired from OKC for a 2027 protected first spherical decide. In addition they drafted Maxime Raynaud with the forty second decide.
The Celtics are third within the East, 4.5 video games behind 1st place Detroit, and a couple of.5 video games behind 2nd place New York. They’re 1.5 recreation sahead of 4th place Toronto, 2 video games forward of fifth place Orlando and a couple of.5 video games forward of sixth place Philadelphia. The Celtics are 5-4 towards Western Convention opponents. They’re 10-7 on the street and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re coming off a win of their final recreation.
The Kings are 14th within the West, 20 video games behind 1st place Oklahoma Metropolis, 12.5 video games behind sixth place Minnesota, 6 video games behind tenth place Portland, 5 video games behind eleventh place Utah, 4 video games behind twelfth place Dallas, and the thirteenth place Clippers. They’re half a recreation forward of 15h place New Orleans. They’re 2-4 towards Japanese Convention opponents. They’re 5-10 at house and 2-8 of their final 10 video games. They’ve misplaced their final 2 video games.
That is the 4th recreation of a 5 recreation street journey. They began the journey with a win in Indiana after which misplaced in Portland after which beat the Jazz. They’ll conclude their journey with a go to to the LA Clippers. All 5 groups on this street journey are under .500. After the journey, they’ll head house for a 4 recreation house stand the place they host Chicago, Denver, Toronto, and San Antonio earlier than a 4 recreation street journey by Indiana, Miami, Atlanta and the ultimate recreation at Detroit.
The Kings full a again to again set at Phoenix on Friday. After that, they host Milwaukee and Dallas earlier than a recreation at Golden State. They then have a 7 recreation house stand the place they host Houston, the Lakers, New York, Washington, Portland, Miami and Toronto. They then head out on a 6 recreation street journey by Cleveland, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington.
Jayson Tatum stays out as he rehabs the Achilles he tore in final yr’s playoffs. Chris Boucher, who missed the final 2 video games for private causes, is listed as questionable for this recreation. Zach LaVine will miss his seventh straight recreation because of a left ankle sprain. Domantas Sabonis has been rehabbing from {a partially} torn meniscus in his left knee that he sustained in mid-November and can miss this recreation.
Possible Beginning Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Russell Westbrook
SG: Payton Pritchard vs DeMar DeRozan
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Keegan Murray
PF: Jordan Walsh vs Valuable Achiuwa
C: Neemias Queta vs Maxime Raynaud
Celtics ReservesAnfernee SimonsHugo GonzalezXavier TillmanJosh MinottSam HauserLuka GarzaBaylon Scheierman2-Means PlayersRon Harper, JrMax ShulgaAmari WilliamsInjuries/OutJayson Tatum (Achilles) outChris Boucher (private) out
Kings ReservesDevin CarterNique CliffordKeon EllisDrew EubanksDoug McDermottMalik MonkDario SaricDennis Schroder
2-Means PlayersDylan CardwellDaeqwon PlowdenIsaiah StevensInjuries/OutZach LaVine (ankle) doubtfulDomantas Sabonis (knee) outHead CoachDoug Christie
Key Matchups Payton Pritchard vs DeMar DeRozanDeRozan is averaging 18.5 factors, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per recreation whereas capturing 50.1% from the sphere and 36.0% from past the arc. Over his profession towards the Celtics, he has averaged 21.3 factors, 3.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists. DeRozan particularly must be defended for mid-range photographs the place he excels.
Jaylen Brown vs Keegan MurrayMurray is averaging 14.7 factors, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per recreation whereas capturing 43.1% from the sphere and 26.3% from past the arc. Over his profession, he has averaged 12.2 factors, 5.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.2 steals per recreation.
Honorable MentionDerrick White vs Russell WestbrookWestbrook is averaging 14.5 factors, 6.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.4 steals per recreation whereas capturing 42.7% from the sphere and 36.0% from past the arc. Over his profession, he has averaged 22.3 factors, 6.5 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.5 steals per recreation. He’s nonetheless a risk for a triple double each recreation and is an excellent rebounding guard.
Keys to the GameDefense – Protection is at all times the important thing to profitable each recreation. The Kings have a defensive ranking of 119.5 (twenty eighth). The Celtics defensive ranking is 114.3, fifteenth within the league. The Celtics must defend the paint because the Kings common 49 factors within the paint per recreation. The Kings common 30.5 three pointers tried per recreation, which is twenty ninth within the league and they’re final with 10.6 3 pointers made per recreation. The Celtics must make protection a precedence and decide to taking part in robust lock down protection for 48 minutes, whatever the opponent’s statistics.
Rebound – The Celtics should put out further effort to seize the rebounds on each ends of the courtroom. By doing so, they restrict the second probability factors and quick breaks for the Kings and likewise give themselves further possessions. The Celtics are averaging 43.9 rebounds per recreation to 41.0 rebounds per recreation for the Kings. The Kings common 14.0 second probability factors per recreation and further effort from the Celtics can restrict these. The Kings are lacking their greatest rebounder (Sabonis) however that doesn’t imply the Celtics can calm down on the boards.
Don’t Underestimate – For the 4rd straight recreation, the Celtics are going through a crew that’s beneath .500. It could be simple for the Celtics to underestimate the Kings and count on a straightforward win towards an 8 win crew. That may be a mistake as a result of this Kings crew has crushed Denver, Minnesota, Miami and Houston in order that they aren’t a straightforward crew to beat should you don’t deliver the trouble. The Celtics have to return out robust from the beginning and play exhausting proper up till the ultimate buzzer. The Kings are very able to beating them in the event that they don’t play their greatest.
To three or To not 3 – The Celtics are third within the league, trying 42.9 threes a recreation. After they fall, the Celtics are robust to beat. However, after they aren’t falling, the Celtics wrestle. Towards the Jazz, the Celtics shot simply 29.5% on threes however drove extra and shot midrange photographs within the 4th. If the Celtics aren’t hitting their 3s, they should 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-FactorsFatigue on the Highway – That is the 4th recreation of a 5 recreation street journey. The Celtics have needed to journey throughout the nation and throughout 3 time zones. Fatigue might come into play for them. Additionally they should ignore the distractions of journey, an unfamiliar area and a hostile crowd and focus on taking part in collectively, taking part in exhausting, and taking part in the appropriate approach.
Officiating – Officiating can at all times be an x-factor. Each crew will name the sport in another way. Some will name each little factor and the sport can have no move. Others will let lots go and allow them to play. Some crews favor the house crew whereas others name it evenly or have a private agenda. The Celtics want to regulate to how the sport is known as and never let the officers mess with their focus.
