The Celtics go to the Charlotte Hornets for the primary of three conferences this season. They’ll play once more in Charlotte on April 1 and can meet in Boston on April 12. The Celtics received the collection 4-1 final season and have received 8 of their final 10 video games towards the Hornets. The Celtics blew out the Hornets 127-99 in Charlotte of their preseason finale. The Celtics have received the final 4 conferences in Charlotte.
The Celtics are 75-45 total all time towards the Hornets. They’re 35-25 when enjoying in Charlotte. The Celtics are first within the East and have received their final 6 video games. They’re 6-2 on the highway and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. The Hornets are thirteenth within the East and have misplaced their final 4 video games. They’re 1-6 at house and 2-8 of their final 10 video games.
The Hornets are enjoying the 4th sport of a 5 sport house stand. They’re 0-3 to date on the house stand shedding to Miami, Milwaukee and New York to date. They’ll play yet another sport on the house stand as they face the Wizards on Wednesday, earlier than heading out on a 3 sport highway journey. The Celtics are enjoying within the ultimate sport of a 4 sport highway journey. They’re 3-0 to date on the journey. They’ll return house to face the Bucks on Wednesday.
The Hornets are quick handed and have been plagued with accidents to date this season. Former Celtic Terry Rozier has missed the final 7 video games with a groin harm. Jame Bouknight has but to play this season with a knee harm however has been cleared for staff actions. Nick Richards has a concussion. Cody Martin (knee) hasn’t performed since January and Frank Ntilikina (leg) has been out for the reason that preseason. All are anticipated to be out for this sport.
Jaylen Brown was questionable for Sunday’s sport however performed and appeared fantastic so ought to play on this sport. Al Horford is on the harm listing as out for relaxation, which isn’t a shock since he hasn’t been enjoying in again to again video games. Derrick White was a late addition to the harm listing for private causes. I’m guessing that Jaylen Brown will slide to the two guard and Sam Hauser will begin at small ahead.
Possible Celtics Starters
PG: Jrue Vacation
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Sam Hauser
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics Reserves
Delano Banton
Oshae Brissett
Sam Hauser
Al Horford
Luke Kornet
Svi Mykhailiuk
Payton Pritchard
Lamar Stevens
Jordan Walsh
2 Approach Gamers
JD Davison
Nathan Knight
Neemias Queta
Accidents/Out
Al Horford (relaxation) out
Derrick White (private) out
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Hornets Starters
PG: LaMelo Ball
SG: Brandon Miller
SF: Gordon Hayward
PF: PJ Washington
C: Mark Williams
Hornets Reserves
Miles Bridges
Bryce McGowens
Ish Smith
Nick Smith, Jr
JT Thor
2 Approach Gamers
Amari Bailey
Leaky Black
Theo Maledon
Accidents/Out
James Bouknight (knee) out
Cody Martin (knee) out
Frank Ntilikina (leg) out
Nick Richards (concussion) out
Terry Rozier (groin) out
Head Coach
Steve Clifford
Key Matchups
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Jrue Vacation
Picture by Maddie Meyer/Getty Photographs
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LaMelo Ball
Picture by Wealthy Schultz/Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs LaMelo Ball
Ball is averaging 24.4 factors, 5.3 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.5 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 42.3% from the sphere and 38.5% from past the arc. He’s a enjoyable participant to observe and may give Vacation a problem to defend.
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Sam Hauser
Picture by Maddie Meyer/Getty Photographs
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Gordon Hayward
Picture by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Photographs
Sam Hauser vs Gordon Hayward
Hayward is averaging 14.6 factors, 4.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.5 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 43.1% from the sphere and 32.1% from past the arc. He has performed in 11 of the 12 video games for the Hornets to date, which along with his harm historical past is excellent. I anticipate Sam Hauser to start out reverse Hayward, which might be enjoyable with as a lot alike as the 2 gamers look.
Honorable Point out
Jayson Tatum vs PJ Washington, Jr
Washington is averaging 14.8 factors, 5.3 rebounds and a couple of.0 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 45.5% from the sphere and 30.6% from past the arc.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection is at all times a key to profitable. The Celtics are 2nd with a defensive score of 106.5. The Hornets are final with a defensive score of 121.4. The Hornets are fifteenth in scoring with 113.1 factors per sport. The Celtics are 1st in 3 level makes an attempt with 44.3 and twelfth in 3 level proportion at 33.1%. The Hornets are twenty eighth with 29.5 three level makes an attempt per sport and twenty eighth in 3 level proportion at 33.1%. The Celtics particularly want to protect the paint because the Hornets are 2nd within the league with 58.3 factors within the paint per sport.
Rebound – The Celtics can’t rating in the event that they don’t have the ball, and one of the best ways to get the ball is the seize rebounds. The Celtics are 1st within the league with 47.6 rebounds per sport whereas the Hornets are thirteenth with 44.4 rebounds per sport. It is going to take a staff effort to beat the Hornets on the boards. The Hornets are seventh within the league with 15.3 second probability factors per sport and so the Celtics must crash the boards to maintain them from getting put backs and 2nd probability factors.
Don’t Underestimate – The Hornets are shorthanded with 5 gamers both out or questionable. They’ve received simply 3 of their 12 video games to date. It will be straightforward for the Celtics to return in anticipating a simple win and never giving their finest effort. Nevertheless, a detailed brush towards the equally shorthanded Grizzlies on Sunday ought to be a get up name for them to not underestimate the Hornets. The Celtics have to start out robust and play arduous all through the sport. They will’t anticipate to win, even towards a depleted staff that’s not enjoying properly, in the event that they don’t play arduous and provides it their all.
X-Components
On the Street and Fatigue – The Celtics are on the highway for the fourth straight sport away from TD Backyard. They’re enjoying within the ultimate sport of a highway journey, which is commonly the hardest to win. They should get previous the distractions of journey and enjoying in entrance of a hostile crowd. They’ve to focus on enjoying the precise method and ignore all of the distractions. They’re enjoying on the second evening of again to again video games and so fatigue might come into play on the finish of the sport.
Entice Sport – The Hornets are lacking 5 gamers. Derrick White and Al Horford are out. It’s the final sport of a highway journey. They’re going through the Bucks on Wednesday. It’s the second evening of again to again video games for the Celtics and so they needed to journey after Sunday’s sport. The Hornets are rested. There are quite a few elements that make this a entice sport for the Celtics. Hopefully, after a detailed escape in Memphis, they may take this sport critically and play to place them away early.
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor. Some officers name the sport tight and name each little little bit of contact. Others allow them to play and permit each groups to be bodily. Some refs give the house staff the advantage of the calls whereas others favor the highway staff or name it even. Some refs simply make head scratching calls as they did within the Grizzlies sport. The Celtics have to focus on enjoying their sport and never permit dangerous calls and no calls to remove from their concentrate on enjoying.
