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The Celtics return dwelling from a 2-0 highway journey the place they simply beat Washington and gained an in depth one towards Detroit. The Celtics simply beat the Knicks on opening night time at dwelling. The Bucks beat Philadelphia 124-109 and misplaced to the Bulls and the Nets thus far. The Bucks are taking part in on the second night time of again to again video games after shedding to the Nets in Brooklyn on Sunday.
That is the primary of three video games between these 2 groups this season. They’ll play once more on November 10 in Milwaukee and at last on December 6 in Boston. The sequence was tied 2-2 final season with every group successful 2 video games at dwelling. The Celtics are 118-114 general all time towards the Bucks, and they’re 75-40 in video games performed in Boston.
The Celtics stood pat for probably the most half within the off season, bringing again their total core of gamers and shedding simply Svi Mykhailiuk and Oshae Brissett. They added Baylor Scheierman, who was the thirtieth choose within the draft and signed 2nd spherical choose, Anton Watson to a 2 means contract. They’ve one open roster spot. They’ve additionally added a few chips on their shoulder after Olympic snubs and different drama over the summer season.
The Bucks made a number of adjustments after a disappointing 49-33 end within the 2023-24 season. They parted methods with Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jae Crowder, Danilo Gallinari and Thanasis Antetokounmpo. They added veterans Taurean Prince, Gary Trent, Jr, and Delon Wright. Additionally they added rookies AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith.
The Celtics can be with out Kristaps Porzingis, who remains to be rehabbing from off season ankle surgical procedure. He isn’t anticipated to return till someday in December. Sam Hauser missed the final 2 video games with soreness in his decrease again and is questionable for this sport. Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) and AJ Inexperienced (toe) are possible for this sport whereas Khris Middleton is predicted to overlook his 4th straight sport to start out the season as he rehabs from off season ankle surgical procedure.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Luke Kornet
Payton Pritchard
Neemias Queta
Baylor Scheierman
Jaden Springer
Xavier Tillman, Sr
Jordan Walsh
2 Approach Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson
Accidents/Out
Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) out
Sam Hauser (again) questionable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Bucks Starters
Bucks Reserves
MarJon Beauchamp
Pat Connaughton
Andre Jackson, Jr
AJ Johnson
Chris Livingston
Bobby Portis, Jr
Tyler Smith
Delon Wright
Two Approach Gamers
Liam Robbins
Ryan Rollins
Stanley Umude
Accidents/Out
AJ Inexperienced (toe) possible
Khris Middleton (ankle) out
Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) possible
Head Coach
Doc Rivers
Key Matchups
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Jaylen Brown
Picture by Brian Babineau/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
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Giannis Antetokounmpo
Jaylen Brown vs Giannis Antetokounmpo
Final season, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 factors, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. He shot 61.1% from the sector and 27.4% from past the arc. In his first 2 video games this season, he averaged 31.5 factors, 12.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists whereas capturing 67.8% from the sector. He didn’t hit a 3 in both sport. We are going to doubtless see others, particularly Jayson Tatum matched up with him at occasions.
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Dylan Buell/Getty Photographs
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Damian Lillard
Picture by Jeff Haynes/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs Damian Lillard
Final season, Lillard averaged 24.3 factors, 4.4 rebounds, and seven.0 assists. He shot 42.4% from the sector and 35.4% from past the arc. Over the primary 2 video games this season, Lillard averaged 29 factors, 6.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.0 steal whereas capturing 50% from the sector and 37.5% from past the arc. This ought to be a great matchup between one of many higher shooters within the league and top-of-the-line perimeter defenders.
Honorable Point out
Payton Pritchard vs Bobby Portis
This can be a matchup between key subs off the bench for every group. Pritchard comes off the bench for the Celtics and brings power and well timed pictures. Portis does a lot of the identical for the Bucks. Final season Portis averaged 13.8 factors, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists whereas capturing 50.8% from the sector and 40.7% from past the arc. In two video games this season, he’s averaging 13.5 factors, 7.5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.5 steals per sport. He’s capturing 57.9% from the sector and 50% from past the arc.
Keys to the Recreation
Protection – Protection is all the time the most important key to successful. Protection actually does win championships. The Celtics are thirteenth with a defensive score of 113.1. The Bucks are twentieth with a defensive score of 115.8. Towards the Pistons, the Celtics allowed them to shoot 48.9% from the sector and 35.9% from past the arc. They performed good protection initially of the sport and clamped down on the finish, however in between, they let up on the defensive finish and it allowed the Pistons to come back again from 23 factors down and to nearly steal the sport. The Celtics should work tougher than the Bucks on protection and maintain their deal with the defensive finish in order to not enable any straightforward baskets for the Bucks.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is all the time an enormous key to successful. The important thing to rebounding is effort and focus. When the Celtics enhance their rebounding effort, it normally improves their play in different areas as effectively. The Bucks are eleventh with 46.5 rebounds per sport whereas the Celtics are nineteenth with 42.0 rebounds per sport. Towards the Pistons, the Celtics have been out rebounded 44-37. The Celtics should struggle tougher on this sport to beat the Bucks to rebounds.
Most Effort for 48 Minutes – The Celtics are going through certainly one of their closest rival within the Japanese Convention. There’s a good risk that they are going to them within the playoffs in some unspecified time in the future. The Celtics effort of their win over Detroit was good at occasions and never so good at others. The Celtics have to present max effort on the boards and on protection they usually have to present that effort for your entire sport and never simply 2 quarters.
Transfer the Ball – For a lot of Saturday’s sport, the Celtics stored the ball transferring each inside out and across the perimeter. However for some motive, the Celtics went away from that and there was much less motion and extra iso play. The Celtics should maintain the ball transferring to search out the very best shot on each possession. When the ball stops transferring, they aren’t practically as dominant.
Factors within the Paint – The Celtics consider capturing from the perimeter and normally that can result in a dominant win for them since, as Joe Mazzulla says, 3 is greater than 2. Nevertheless, they’ve been outscored within the paint in all 3 of their video games thus far by a big margin. The Celtics are final within the league with simply 34.7 factors within the paint per sport. The Bucks are 14th with 47 factors within the paint per sport. The Celtics want to attain inside extra, particularly when the three’s aren’t falling. Additionally they should defend inside higher to stop opponents from getting straightforward buckets within the paint.
X-Elements
Residence Recreation and Fatigue – The Celtics are dwelling as soon as once more for the second sport this season. They’ve the house crowd behind them to present them further motivation. The Bucks are on the highway taking part in within the 2nd sport in as many days. The Celtics have had someday off whereas the Bucks are taking part in on the second night time of again to again video games. The Celtics have to make the most of taking part in at dwelling and play with power and energy to profit from the Bucks’ fatigue.
Teaching – The Bucks are coached by former Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who stop the Celtics after Pierce and Garnett have been traded as a result of he didn’t need to coach a rebuild. Since then, the Celtics have carried out nothing however win whereas Doc’s groups have struggled, despite the truth that he was teaching a number of stars at every cease. I’m positive Doc can be further motivated to beat his former group whereas Joe Mazzulla can be motivated as a result of he’s Psycho Joe and is simply further motivated to win each single sport.
Officiating – The officiating can all the time be an x-factor. Some referees name the sport tight and others allow them to play. Some favor the house group and others name it evenly. Some refs simply appear to have an agenda that doesn’t match the play on the court docket. And typically the refs are merely atrocious. Giannis appears to all the time get greater than his share of calls as he plows by gamers on his method to the ring, leaving our bodies in his wake. The Celtics should play by nonetheless the refs name the sport, whether or not it’s tight or they allow them to play or they make horrible calls. The Celtics can’t enable dangerous calls or no calls to remove their deal with the sport.
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