The Celtics proceed their season lengthy 6 sport highway journey with a cease in San Antonio to tackle the Spurs. That is the second, and last sport between these two groups this season. The Celtics received the primary assembly 116-103 in Boston on February 12. The Celtics received the collection 2-0 final season.
They’re 46-58 total towards the Spurs all time and 22-30 in video games performed in San Antonio. The Spurs are enjoying on the primary evening of again to again video games. They’re 5-8 within the first of again to again video games and they’re 2-3 when the primary sport is at dwelling. The Spurs have a 3 sport dwelling win streak going whereas the Celtics are on a 6 sport highway win streak.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East. They’re 4.5 video games behind 1st place Cleveland, who misplaced to the Pistons on Friday. They’re 8.5 video games forward of third place New York and 11 video games forward of 4th place Indiana. They’re 30-7 on the highway and 9-1 of their final 10 video games. They’re 19-8 towards Western Convention opponents and so they have received their final 7 video games.
The Spurs are thirteenth within the West, 29.5 video games behind first place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re 4 video games behind tenth place Dallas and tied with twelfth place Portland. They’re 16 video games forward of fifteenth place Utah. They’re 19-16 at dwelling and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 11-15 towards Jap Convention groups and have misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are enjoying within the fifth 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. They then received the third sport 113-95 in Sacramento on Monday and the 4th sport 132-102 in Phoenix on Wednesday. The journey will end up in 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 may end the season with 2 video games towards the Charlotte Hornets at dwelling.
The Spurs are enjoying within the first sport of a 3 sport dwelling stand. They may play Golden State on Sunday in again to again video games and can full the house stand towards Orlando. They play one sport at Denver earlier than enjoying the Cavaliers at dwelling. They then go on a 4 sport highway journey via Portland, the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State and Phoenix. They end the season at dwelling towards Toronto.
Jayson Tatum sprained his ankle towards the Kings on Monday and missed Wednesday’s sport at Phoenix. He’s anticipated to be again within the beginning lineup for this sport. Payton Pritchard has been added to the harm report with left hip flexor tightness and is out for this sport. Xavier Tillman (knee) has been upgraded to out there for this sport. Al Horford was a late addition to the harm with the toe harm and is out for this sport.
For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama is out for the season after present process surgical procedure on the deep vein thrombosis in his proper shoulder. Commerce deadline addition De’Aaron Fox can also be out for the season after present process surgical procedure to restore tendon injury to his left pinkie finger. Charles Bassey is out with a knee harm and 2-way participant Riley Minix is out with a shoulder harm.
Possible Celtics Starters
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PG: Jrue HolidaySG: Derrick WhiteSF: Jaylen BrownPF: Jayson TatumC: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics ReservesNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJordan WalshLuke KornetTorrey CraigSam Hauser
2 Means PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonMiles Norris
Accidents/OutXavier Tillman (knee) availablePayton Pritchard (hip) outAl Horford (toe) outJayson Tatum (ankle) out there
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Spurs Starters
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PG: Chris PaulSG: Stephon CastleSF: Devin VassellPF: Harrison BarnesC: Bismack Biyombo
Spurs ReservesMalaki BranhamJulian ChampagnieKeldon Johnson Sandro MamukelashviliJordan McLaughlinJeremy SochanBlake Wesley
2-Means Gamers David Duke, Jr Harrison IngramRiley Minix
Accidents/OutCharles Bassey (knee) out Riley Minix (shoulder) out De’Aaron Fox (finger) out Victor Wembanyama (shoulder) out
Head Coach Gregg PopovichMitch Johnson (interim head coach)
Key Matchups
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Jaylen Brown
Photograph by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photos
Devin Vassell
Photograph by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE by way of Getty Photos
Jaylen Brown vs Devin VassellVassell is averaging 16.5 factors, 4.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 44.3% from the sector and 36.3% from past the arc. Within the first sport towards the Celtics he completed with 8 factors, 2 rebounds, and three assists whereas taking pictures 33.3% from the sector with no 3 pointers.
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Derrick White
Photograph by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photos
Stephon Citadel
Photograph by Brian Sevald/NBAE by way of Getty Photos
Derrick White vs Stephon CastleCastle is averaging 14.2 factors, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1 steal per sport. He’s taking pictures 45.7% from the sector and 36.2% from past the arc. Within the first sport towards the Celtics, he completed with 20 factors, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a couple of steals whereas taking pictures 43.8% from the sector and 33.3% from past the arc.
Honorable MentionJayson Tatum vs Harrison BarnesBarnes is averaging 11.7 factors, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 50% from the sector and 41.8% from past the arc. Within the first sport towards the Celtics, he completed with 14 factors, 7 rebounds and three assists whereas taking pictures 38.5% from the sector and 25% from past the arc.
Keys to the Recreation Protection – Protection is an important key to profitable video games. The Celtics are fifth with a defensive score of 110.2 whereas the Spurs are twenty fifth with a defensive score of 116.0. The Celtics should defend within the paint because the Spurs common 48.3 factors within the paint per sport. Additionally they have to defend the perimeter because the Spurs are sixth within the league, making an attempt 39.6 threes a sport. The Celtics have to make protection a precedence and play powerful staff protection in from begin to end and never let up.
Rebound – The Celtics can’t rating in the event that they don’t have the ball, and they’re going to wrestle if they offer up second likelihood factors to the Spurs. The Celtics are averaging 44.8 rebounds per sport whereas the Spurs are averaging 44.0 rebounds per sport. Rebounding takes effort and when the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, that tends to unfold to different areas of the sport as effectively.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to play laborious and be the extra aggressive staff. They should go after rebounds, free balls, and 50/50 balls. They should be aggressive on protection and in attending to the basket. They should be the staff that works tougher and needs it extra. The Celtics can’t let up on effort as a result of the Spurs are a lottery staff. Even the final staff within the standings can beat the #1 staff in the event that they play tougher and are extra aggressive.
Transfer the Ball – The Celtics want to maneuver the ball in an effort to discover the most effective shot on every possession. When the ball sticks and gamers attempt to do an excessive amount of, the Celtics wrestle. They’re at their finest once they move the ball and hold it transferring. The Celtics are 39-2 once they have extra assists than their opponent however simply 13-16 once they have fewer assists than their opponent. The Spurs common 29 assists per sport whereas the Celtics common 25.9 assists per sport. They should make an effort to maintain the ball transferring on this sport.
X-FactorsRoad Fatigue – The Celtics are enjoying within the fifth sport of a 6 sport highway journey. After enjoying 4th video games in 6 nights, they’ve had 2 days off earlier than this sport. They’ve had a variety of journey over a number of time zones and needed to sleep in motels and play in hostile arenas. They might be gettng considerably highway weary. They should dig deep and proceed to be highway canine on this one.
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an X-Issue. Each crew officiates in a different way and groups want to regulate to the best way the sport is known as. Will they name the sport evenly or favor the house staff? Will they name it tight or allow them to play? Hopefully we get honest officiating and so they allow them to play and the Celtics concentrate on enjoying and never on the officiating.
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