The Celtics proceed their highway journey with a cease in Portland to tackle the Path Blazers. That is the primary of two conferences between these two groups this season. They are going to meet a second time in Boston on April 7. The Celtics gained the collection 2-0 final season. They’re 73-49 all time general and they’re 34-27 in video games performed in Portland.
The Celtics are 1st within the East. They’re 8 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 8.5 video games forward of third place Cleveland, 12.5 video games forward of 4th place New York, 13 video games forward of fifth place Orlando and 13.5 forward of sixth place Philadelphia. They’re 20-11 on the highway and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 16-7 towards Western Convention groups and are coming off a win of their final recreation.
The Path Blazers are 14th within the West, 4.5 video games forward of final place San Antonio. They’re 3 video games behind thirteenth place Memphis, 9.5 video games behind twelfth place Utah and 15 video games behind the ultimate play in spot. They’re 10-22 at dwelling and 3-7 of their final 10 video games. They’re 10-10 towards Japanese Convention groups and are coming off a win of their final recreation.
The Celtics began their present highway journey off with 2 straight losses towards Cleveland and Denver. They then gained the third recreation in Phoenix. After this recreation they may end the highway journey in Utah. They are going to return dwelling to face the Suns earlier than a recreation in Washington. They then have dwelling video games towards Detroit and Milwaukee earlier than a 6 recreation highway journey via Detroit, Chicago, 2 video games in Atlanta, New Orleans and Charlotte.
The Path Blazers are taking part in within the 4th recreation of a 6 recreation dwelling stand. They’re 2-1 up to now, having misplaced to Oklahoma Metropolis and Houston after which they beat Toronto on Saturday. They are going to host Altlanta and New York to complete off their dwelling stand. They are going to then play at New Orleans and Chicago earlier than dealing with the Clippers at dwelling twice after which Denver, adopted by a 7 recreation highway journey ending in Boston.
The Celtics’ total beginning lineup was initially listed on the harm report. As of now, Jrue Vacation is out with left knee tendinopathy, Svi Mykhailiuk is out for private causes, and Kristaps Porzingis is out with a hamstring harm. Brown, Tatum and White are all accessible. Al Horford will seemingly begin at middle and I’m going to guess that Sam Hauser will get the beginning at small ahead.
The Path Blazers have Shaedon Sharp (stomach), Jabari Walker (hip), Malcolm Brogdon (elbow) and Robert Williams III (knee) out for this contest. Scoot Henderson returned from and eight recreation absence as a result of an adductor harm on Saturday. He got here off the bench in that recreation and will return to the beginning lineup or might proceed off the bench on this one. Deandre Ayton returned from a hand harm on Saturday and completed with 30 factors and 19 rebounds and may stay within the beginning lineup for this recreation. Jerami Grant missed the final 2 video games with a hamstring harm and is questionable for this recreation.
Possible Celtics Starters
Grid View
Celtics ReservesOshae BrissettLuke KornetPayton PritchardJordan WalshXavier TillmanJaden Springer
2 Method PlayersJD DavisonNeemias QuetaDrew Peterson
Accidents/OutJrue Vacation (knee) questionable Kristaps Porzingis (hamstring) out Svi Mykhailiuk (private) out
Head CoachJoe Mazzulla
Possible Path Blazers Starters
Grid View
Path Blazers ReservesMoses BrownDuop ReathRayan RupertMatisse ThybulleScoot Henderson
Two-Method PlayersIbou BadjiAshton Hagans Justin Minaya
Accidents/OutMalcolm Brogdon (elbow) out Shaedon Sharpe (stomach) out Jabari Walker (hip) out Robert Williams III (knee) out Jerami Grant (hamstring) questionable
Head Coach Chauncey Billups
Key Matchups
Grid View
Derrick White
Photograph by Carmen Mandato/Getty Photos
Anfernee Simons
Photograph by Wealthy Schultz/Getty Photos
Jrue Vacation vs Anfernee Simons Simons is averaging 22.9 factors, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per recreation. He’s taking pictures 43.1% from the sphere and 38.9% from past the arc. He’s their most constant participant and slowing him down will go a good distance towards getting a win. As I acknowledged above, Vacation might or might not play however I’m unsure who would begin right here if he sits.
Grid View
Al Horford
Photograph by Steven Ryan/Getty Photos
Deandre Ayton
Photograph by Soobum Im/Getty Photos
Al Horford vs Deandre AytonAyton is averaging 14.7 factors, 10.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 56.9% from the sphere and doesn’t shoot 3 pointers. He returned Saturday after lacking time with a hand harm and completed with 30 factors and 19 rebounds. The Celtics must maintain him out of the paint and off the boards.
Honorable Point out Jaylen Brown vs Delano Banton Banton will likely be dealing with his former group for the primary time since being traded. He’s averaging 6.2 factors, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per recreation on the 12 months. In his final recreation, he completed with 25 factors (9-16, 5-8), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block. Scoot Henderson returned in that recreation from an 8 recreation absence and got here off the bench. He might return to the beginning lineup on this recreation with Banton returning to the bench.
Keys to the GameDefense – I do know I say it each recreation, however protection is the important thing to profitable each recreation. The Blazers common 108.1 factors and the Celtics common 120.7 factors per recreation. The Celtics are 2nd within the league with a defensive ranking of 110.3 whereas the Blazers are twenty first with a defensive ranking of 116.7. The Celtics must maintain making powerful protection their precedence and identification. They need to make protection their identification persistently in each minute of each recreation, particularly as they get nearer to the playoffs.
Rebound – The Celtics are 1st with 47.2 rebounds per recreation whereas the Path Blazers are twenty fourth with 42 rebounds per recreation. The Celtics should make an additional effort to seize rebounds so as to give themselves further possessions in addition to to maintain the Blazers from scoring second probability factors. The Celtics have to be the group that works more durable on the boards in the event that they need to win this one. A lot of rebounding is effort and need and the Celtics want each to get a win on this recreation.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics need to be the group that works more durable and desires the win extra. They need to dive for free balls, go for each rebound and simply hustle on each play on each ends of the courtroom. They need to be aggressive in attending to the basket as properly and never accept outdoors pictures, particularly in the event that they aren’t falling. The Celtics have misplaced video games they need to have gained by not taking part in as onerous as their opponents. They will’t let the Blazers be the group that works more durable in the event that they need to win this recreation.
Don’t Get Complacent – They’re first within the league, 8 video games forward of the 2nd place Bucks. They’re taking part in a foul Path Blazers group with a number of gamers out. The Celtics want to return out able to play their greatest and never play right down to a brief handed Blazers group pondering they will coast to a win with out giving a powerful group effort. If a number of of the Celtics starters sit, then the reserves who exchange them must up their recreation to make up for enjoying quick handed.
X-Components On the Highway – The Celtics are on the highway and need to cope with journey, a hostile crowd, and an unfamiliar courtroom together with a time change. They’ve to dam out all of the distractions that taking part in on the highway brings and focus on taking part in Celtics basketball. The Moda Middle has an important environment for the house group and the Celtics might want to work onerous to beat them there. With journey and jet lag, fatigue might turn into an element on this one.
Accidents – Each groups are coping with gamers out for one cause or one other. The Celtics ought to be capable of win with Vacation and Porzingis out, however the remainder of the group wants to select up their recreation to fill in for the injured gamers. Additionally, if a number of the Blazers can return then it might give them a lift. Depth will come into play for each groups.
Officiating – I do know that I say this each recreation, however the officiating actually is all the time an x-factor in each recreation. Each crew calls the sport otherwise whether or not they name each little ticky tack foul or they let a number of contact go and let the groups play. Some refs favor the house group and a few not a lot. The Celtics have gotten to regulate to the way in which the sport is being referred to as and never let themselves get pissed off by the officiating.
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