Boston Celtics (26-15) at Detroit Pistons (30-10)Monday, January 19, 20268:00 PM ETRegular Season Sport #42, Street Sport #23TV: Peacock, NBCRadio: 98.5 Sports activities Hub, 97.1 The Ticket, SiriusXMLittle Caesars Enviornment
The Celtics have reached the tip of their 4 recreation highway journey as they go to the Detroit Pistons. That is the 4th and closing assembly between these two groups this season. The Celtics are 1-2 within the 3 video games to date. They misplaced 119-113 in Detroit on October 26. They received 117-114 in Boston on November 26 once they ended the Pistons 13 recreation win streak. The Celtics misplaced 112-105 in Boston on December 15. They’re 257-143 general all time in opposition to the Pistons and 100-87 in video games performed in Detroit.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, 4.5 video games behind 1st place Detroit. They’re 1.5 video games forward of 2nd place New York. They’re 2 video games forward of 4th place Toronto, 3 video games forward of fifth place Cleveland and three.5 video games forward of sixth place Philadelphia and seventh place Orlando. The Celtics are 19-9 in opposition to Japanese Convention opponents. They’re 14-8 on the highway and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’ve received their final 2 video games.
The Pistons are 1st within the east, 4.5 video games forward of 2nd place Boston, 5 video games forward of third place New York, 6.5 video games forward of 4th place Toronto, 7.5 video games forward of fifth place Cleveland, 8 video games forward of sixth place Philadelphia and seventh place Orlando. They’re 21-6 in opposition to Japanese Convention opponents. They’re 16-4 at house and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’ve received their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are taking part in within the closing recreation of a 4 recreation highway journey. They misplaced the primary recreation in Indiana and received in Miami and Atlanta. The Celtics will then play one recreation at house in opposition to Indiana earlier than taking part in Brooklyn and Chicago on the highway. They are going to then have one other 4 recreation house stand the place they are going to host Portland, Atlanta, Sacramento and Milwaukee. Then, they’re on the highway at Dallas and Houston earlier than taking part in Miami, New York, and Chicago at house, taking them into the All Star Break.
For Detroit, that is the ultimate recreation of a 6 recreation house stand. They beat New York, Chicago, Phoenix and Indiana and misplaced to the Clippers. Subsequent, they are going to play at New Orleans after which house vs Houston and Sacramento. Then it’s a 3 recreation highway journey by means of Denver, Phoenix and Golden State earlier than internet hosting Brooklyn, Denver, Washington, and New York. Then video games at Charlotte and Toronto will take them to the All Star break.
For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum stays out as he continues to rehab from the Achilles tear he suffered in final 12 months’s playoffs. Josh Minott will miss his seventh recreation with a sprained ankle. Chris Boucher is possible as a result of again soreness. Payton Pritchard missed his first recreation of the season on Saturday with ankle soreness however is on the market for this recreation. For the Pistons, Ron Holland II is questionable as a result of sickness.
Possible Beginning Matchups PG: Derrick White vs Cade Cunningham
SG: Payton Pritchard v Duncan Robinson
SF: Jaylen Brown vs Ausar Thompson
PF: Sam Hauser vs Tobias Harris
C: Neemias Queta vs Jalen Duren
Celtics ReservesAnfernee SimonsJosh MinottXavier TillmanJordan WalshHugo GonzalezLuka GarzaBaylon ScheiermanChris Boucher2-Method PlayersRon Harper, JrMax ShulgaAmari WilliamsInjuries/OutJayson Tatum (Achilles) outJosh Minott (ankle) outChris Boucher (again) probablePayton Pritchard (ankle) out there
Pistons ReservesJavonte GreenJaden IveyBobi KlintmanChaz LanierPaul ReedIsaiah StewartCaris LeVertMarcus Sasser
Two Method PlayersDaniss JenkinsColby JonesTolu Smith
Accidents/OutRon Holland II (sickness) questionable
Key Matchups Derrick White vs Cade CunninghamCunningham is averaging 25.9 factors, 6 rebounds, 9.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per recreation whereas capturing 45.8% from the sphere and 33.3% from past the arc. Within the 3 recreation in opposition to the Celtics, he averaged 33 factors 5 rebounds and seven.7 assists whereas capturing 47.7% from the sphere and 50% from past the arc. The Celtics should defend him effectively each within the paint and on the perimeter and they should count on him to cross to the open man since he’s averaging 9.6 assists per recreation.
Neemias Queta vs Jalen DurenDuren is averaging 17.8 factors, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per recreation whereas capturing 62.8% from the sphere with no 3 pointers. Within the first 3 video games in opposition to Boston, he averaged 14 factors, 12.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks whereas capturing 46.4% from the sphere with no threes. The Celtics have to attempt to preserve him out of the paint and off the boards.Honorable MentionSam Hauser vs Tobias HarrisHarris is averaging 13.3 factors, 4.7 rebounds, and a pair of.5 assists whereas capturing 46.2% from the sphere and 33.3% from past the arc. Within the first 3 video games in opposition to the Celtics, he averaged 14.3 factors, 6.3 rebounds, and three.3 assists whereas capturing 45.5% from the sphere and 17.6% from past the arc.
Keys to the GameDefense – As at all times, protection is the important thing to profitable this, and each, recreation. The Celtics have been up and down with their defensive effort, even quarter to quarter inside a recreation. The Celtics are 14th with a defensive score of 114.0. The Pistons, however, are 2nd with a defensive score of 108.5. The Celtics should particularly defend the paint because the Pistons are 2nd with 57.1 factors within the paint per recreation.The Celtics should be prepared for the powerful protection that the Pistons play they usually should make protection a precedence and match the Pistons’ effort on protection in the event that they hope to win this recreation.
Rebound – As with protection, rebounding will at all times be a key to profitable. The Celtics should crash the boards as a staff and go after each rebound. The Celtics are tenth within the league with 44.9 rebounds per recreation. The Pistons are third, averaging 46.4 rebounds per recreation. The Pistons common 17 second probability factors per recreation, which is sixth within the league. Each Celtic has to crash the boards they usually should work more durable to seize rebounds than the Pistons to restrict these 2nd probability factors.
Transfer the Ball Rigorously – The Celtics want to maneuver the ball to get the perfect pictures. The Celtics are significantly better once they transfer the ball and don’t lapse into iso ball. However, they should watch out with the ball and keep away from turnovers. They should make cautious passes and in addition deal with their ball dealing with in order to not flip the ball over. They’re greatest within the league with simply 12.0 turnovers per recreation. Nonetheless, they have an inclination to lose focus and at occasions flip the ball over approach an excessive amount of. The Pistons are 2nd within the league with 21.8 factors off turnovers per recreation and they’re going to make the Celtics pay in the event that they get sloppy.
Effort and Power for 48 Minutes- The Celtics should play with further effort general for all 4 quarters. In most of their losses and even in a few of their wins, they’ve allowed their opponents to play with extra power than them for durations of time through the recreation. They play effectively for stretches however let up and permit their opponents to surge forward. The Celtics have to make taking part in with extra effort and power their id this season and play that approach for your complete recreation, not only a quarter or two. Hopefully they’ll play effectively for 48 minutes on this one simply as they did in opposition to the Hawks.
X-FactorsOn the Street – The Celtics are on the highway for the 4th straight recreation. They should overcome the distractions of taking part in on the highway and in entrance of a hostile crowd and keep centered on taking part in the correct approach. They’ve to come back out taking part in onerous proper from the start and attempt to preserve the Pistons’ crowd from stepping into the sport. The ultimate recreation of a highway journey is at all times a tricky recreation and the Celtics want to remain further centered and play further onerous to get a win.Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor in each recreation. Each crew officiates in a different way. Some name it tight, others allow them to play. The Celtics want to regulate to how the refs are calling the sport and never permit unhealthy calls or no calls to remove their focus from taking part in the sport. We’ve got lately seen how a lot of an x-factor officiating may be. The Celtics should play so effectively all recreation that the officiating, irrespective of how unhealthy, can’t affect the end result.
