The Celtics start their 4 sport Western a part of their 5 sport highway journey with a cease in Denver to tackle the Nuggets. Denver is a troublesome place to play as a result of altitude. The Celtics gained the collection 2-0 final season and have gained the final 6 conferences between these two groups and seven of the final 10 video games between them. That is the 2nd and closing sport between them this season. The Nuggets gained 102-100 on January 19 in Boston.
If any sport may be mentioned to be a giant sport, this one would qualify. The Celtics are coming off a sport by which they gave up a 22 level lead and fell asleep down the stretch and fully blew the ultimate play. They’re dealing with the defending champions, who by most studies are favorites to win the Western Convention and return to the Finals this 12 months. The Celtics misplaced to them by 2 factors in Boston and so this can be a large sport as a result of 1) The Celtics must get the style of that Cavs loss out of their mouths, 2) They might face the Nuggets within the Finals and might want to win there then and they should show they will, and three) they should avenge that January loss to the Nuggets in Boston.
They have been 1-1 final season with every crew successful on their dwelling court docket. The Celtics are 60-39 total all time towards the Nuggets and they’re 20-29 in video games performed in Denver. Each groups had lengthy win streaks damaged by a loss of their final sport. The Nuggets 6 sport win streak was damaged by a loss at dwelling to the Phoenix Suns. The Celtics 11 sport win streak was damaged by a loss on the highway to the Cavaliers.
The Celtics stay first within the East. They’re 8 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 8.5 video games forward of third place Cleveland, 12 video games forward of 4th place Orlando, 12.5 video games forward of fifth place New York, and 13 video games forward of sixth place Miami. They’re 19-10 on the highway and 9-1 of their final 10 video games. They’re 15-6 towards Western Convention opponents. They’re coming off a loss of their final sport.
The Nuggets are third within the West. They’re 1 sport behind first place Minnesota and 2nd place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re 1.5 video games forward of the 4th place Clippers, 5 video games forward of fifth place New Orleans, and 6 video games forward of sixth place Phoenix. They’re 24-6 at dwelling and 6-4 of their final 10 video games. They’re 18-6 towards Japanese Convention groups. They’re coming off a loss of their final sport.
The Celtics are enjoying within the 2nd sport of a 5 sport highway journey. They misplaced the primary sport 104-105 in Cleveland on Tuesday. They are going to proceed their Western swing via Phoenix, Portland, and Utah. They are going to then head dwelling to play Phoenix earlier than one sport at Washington after which dwelling video games towards Detroit and Milwaukee. They then head out on a 6 sport highway journey.
Denver is enjoying within the 2nd sport of a 4 sport dwelling stand. They misplaced the primary sport to Phoenix and can host Utah and Toronto earlier than a 4 sport highway journey via Miami, San Antonio, Dallas and Minnesota. They are going to play New York at dwelling after which at Portland earlier than a 5 sport dwelling stand towards Memphis, Phoenix, Minnesota, Cleveland and San Antonio.
Jaylen Brown was questionable with knee soreness earlier than the Cleveland sport however ended up enjoying. He’s now questionable for this sport with a sacroiliac pressure. His standing might be a sport time resolution. If he can’t play, I might anticipate Sam Hauser to get the beginning. Neemias Queta is out with a knee damage. For Denver, solely Vlatko Cancar is out with a knee damage.
Possible Celtics Starters
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Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettSam HauserAl HorfordLuke KornetSvi MykhailiukPayton PritchardJordan WalshXavier TillmanJaden Springer
2 Means PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonNeemias Queta
Accidents/OutNeemias Queta (knee) out Jaylen Brown (sacroiliac) questionable
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Nuggets Starters
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Nuggets Reserves Christian Braun Justin HolidayReggie Jackson DeAndre JordanZeke Nnaji Jalen PickettJulian StrawtherHunter TysonPeyton Watson
2 Means PlayersCollin Gillespie Jay HuffBraxton Key
Out/Accidents Vlatko Cancar (knee) out
Head Coach Michael Malone
Key Matchups
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Kristaps Porzingis
Picture by Stacy Revere/Getty Pictures
Nikola Jokic
Picture by Matthew Stockman/Getty Pictures
Kristaps Porzingis vs Nikola JokicJokic is has gained again to again MVP’s and is within the dialog for MVP each season for a cause. He’s averaging 25.9 factors, 12.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 1.2 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 57.9% from the sphere and 35% from past the arc. He’s a handful and the Celtics must attempt to sluggish him down by any means needed.
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Stacy Revere/Getty Pictures
Jamal Murray
Picture by C. Morgan Engel/Getty Pictures
Jrue Vacation vs Jamal MurrayMurray is averaging 20.8 factors, 4.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists. He’s taking pictures 47.9% from the sphere and 41.7% from past the arc. The Celtics will want Jrue Vacation to proceed to play nicely on each ends of the court docket and they should defend Murray very nicely as he can put up factors in a rush each on 3’s and within the paint.
Honorable Point out Jaylen Brown vs Michael Porter, JrPorter is averaging 16.6 factors, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He’s taking pictures 48% from the sphere and 39.6% from past the arc. Porter is an excellent 3 level shooter and they also have to stick with him on the perimeter however he may rating within the paint. Jaylen is questionable for this sport and if he can’t play Sam Hauser might begin or they could go together with double bigs by beginning Al Horford.
Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is the important thing to successful each sport. The Celtics are 2nd with a defensive ranking of 110.2 The Nuggets have a defensive ranking of 113.0, which is twentieth. The Celtics common 118.7 factors per sport (2nd), whereas the Nuggets common 113.0 factors per sport (ninth). The Nuggets are twenty eighth within the league in 3 level makes an attempt however sixth with 53.2 factors within the paint They do have some good 3 level shooters, however the Celtics must notably hold them out of the paint.
Rebound – Rebounding is one other key to successful each sport. The Celtics are 1st within the league, averaging 47.2 rebounds per sport. The Nuggets are ninth within the league with 44.5 rebounds per sport. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics need to work more durable to seize rebounds to restrict the Nuggets second likelihood factors and quick breaks. Of their loss in January, the Nuggets out-rebounded them 47-38. They’ll’t enable the Nuggets to outwork them on the boards once more.
Effort and Power for 48 Minutes – The Celtics have to be the extra aggressive crew. They need to struggle for unfastened balls, defend aggressively, be aggressive in driving to the basket, and simply play more durable than the Nuggets for your entire sport. They need to be the crew that desires it extra and play prefer it. They particularly have to start the sport with vitality and never enable the Nuggets to race out to a giant lead and so they can’t let up all through the sport. They particularly have to return out robust within the third quarter and play arduous till the ultimate buzzer.
Transfer the Ball Fastidiously – The Celtics must hold shifting the ball to seek out the open man and make it a lot more durable to protect them. Nevertheless, they need to watch out with their passes and never flip the ball over because the Nuggets common 15.1 factors per sport off turnovers. The Celtics additionally have to be cautious once they dribble the ball and never drive right into a crowd and switch the ball over. They should keep centered on enjoying the fitting method.
X-FactorsMile Excessive on the Street- It’s robust to win in Denver due to the altitude that the groups are enjoying at. Denver is named the Mile Excessive Metropolis as a result of it’s 5,280 ft above sea stage. Nuggets gamers are used to the altitude however visiting groups typically battle with enjoying there and infrequently are fatigued earlier than the tip of the sport. It’s a very distinctive dwelling court docket benefit. The Celtics additionally need to shake off the distractions of journey and enjoying in entrance of a hostile crowd.
Officiating – I do know that I say this each sport, however the officiating can all the time be an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport in a different way whether or not they name each little ticky tack foul or they let a variety of contact go and let the groups play. Some crews favor the house crew and the Celtics have to be prepared for that. The Celtics have gotten to regulate to the best way the sport is being referred to as and never let the calls have an effect on their focus or their play. Additionally they must hold their minds on the sport and never always complain in regards to the calls as that does little to vary the calls and solely irritates the referees.
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