The Celtics journey to Atlanta to tackle the Atlanta Hawks for the second of three video games between these two groups this season. Within the first match, the Celtics beat the Hawks 126-101, additionally in Atlanta. The Celtics and Hawks will meet yet another time on April 9 at Boston. Final season, they tied the collection 2-2 with every staff successful twice on their residence courtroom.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East. They’re 2.5 video games behind first place Milwaukee. They’re 1.5 video games forward of third place Philadelphia. and 5 video games forward of 4th place Cleveland. They’re 20-12 on the highway and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 28-16 towards Jap Convention opponents. That they had misplaced 3 straight video games earlier than successful their final recreation.
The Hawks are eighth within the East, 2 video games behind seventh place Miami and 4 video games behind sixth place Brooklyn. They’re 1.5 video games forward of ninth place Toronto and three video games forward of eleventh place Chicago and out of the play-in. They’re 18-13 at residence and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 20-22 towards Jap Convention opponents. They’ve gained their final 2 video games, each towards the Wizards.
That is the second of again to again video games for the Hawks. They performed on the highway towards the Wizards on Friday night time and needed to journey again residence for this recreation. That is the primary recreation again at residence for them after a 4 recreation highway journey the place they went 2-2. That is the primary recreation of a 3 recreation residence stand for the Hawks that may even embody the Minnesota and Golden State.
The Celtics are coming off a house stand the place they went 1-2, lastly getting a win over Portland of their final residence recreation earlier than heading out on a 6 recreation highway journey. That is the primary recreation of that highway journey that can take the Celtics via Houston, Minnesota, Portland, Utah and Sacramento. The Celtics have had 2 days off going into this recreation.
Payton Pritchard is out with a heel harm and is predicted to be out till at the very least March 15. Robert Williams stays out with a hamstring harm, though he plans to journey with the staff. I’m guessing that Derrick White will stay within the beginning lineup in his place. Danilo Gallinari stays out with the ACL harm. The Hawks haven’t any gamers listed on the harm checklist.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Malcolm Brogdon
Grant Williams
Sam Hauser
Luke Kornet
Blake Griffin
Mike Muscala
2 Method Gamers
JD Davison
Mfiondu Kabengele
Out/Accidents
Danilo Gallinari (ACL) out
Payton Pritchard (ankle) questionable
Robert Williams III (hamstring) out
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Hawks Reserves
Saddiq Bey
Bogdan Bogdanovic
Bruno Fernando
AJ Griffin
Aaron Vacation
Jalen Johnson
Vit Krejci
Tyrese Martin
Garrison Matthews
Onyeka Okongwu
2 Method Gamers
Trent Forrest
Donovan Williams
Out/Accidents
None listed
Head Coach
Quin Snyder
Key Matchups
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Marcus Good
Photograph by Omar Rawlings/Getty Photos
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Trae Younger
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports activities
Marcus Good vs Trae Younger
Younger averaging 26.7 factors per recreation. He’s additionally averaging 3.0 rebounds, 10.1 assists and 1.2 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 43.2% from the sector and 32.9% from past the arc. The Celtics could have his fingers full attempting to sluggish him down and maintain him from having an enormous recreation.
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Derrick White
Photograph by Jason Miller/Getty Photos
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Dejounte Murray
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports activities
Derrick White vs DeJounte Murray
Murray is averaging 21.0 factors, 5.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.5 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 46.7% from the sector and 36.2% from past the arc. The Celtics might want to work exhausting on each ends of the courtroom to get the higher of this matchup.
Honorable Point out
Jaylen Brown vs De’Andre Hunter
Hunter is averaging 15.6 factors, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per recreation. He’s capturing 46.5% from the sector and 36.3% from past the arc. The Celtics will want Jaylen Brown to play effectively on each ends of the courtroom to win this one.
Keys to the Recreation
Protection – Protection is at all times a key to successful video games. Protection is very vital for the Celtics on this recreation as a result of the Hawks are a superb scoring staff, averaging 117.2 factors per recreation, which is sixth within the league. The Celtics are 4th, averaging 117.6 factors per recreation. The Celtics have a defensive score of 110.9 which is 4th whereas the Hawks have a defensive score of 114.8, which is twenty second. The Celtics should make protection a precedence on this recreation they usually should play that robust protection for 48 minutes and never let up.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is a key to successful. A lot of rebounding is effort and need. When the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, it often carries via to the remainder of their recreation. The Hawks are averaging 43.5 rebounds per recreation (14th) whereas the Celtics are averaging 45.3 rebounds per recreation (sixth). The Celtics have to aggressively go after each rebound. They will’t afford to present the Hawks further possessions by permitting them to seize rebounds.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to be the staff that performs more durable and that desires this win extra. They should be aggressive in diving for free balls, in going to the basket, in getting stops on the defensive finish, and in going after rebounds. The Celtics have to play with vitality and aggressiveness for 48 minutes on this recreation with no let up.
Keep Centered – The Celtics want to come back in targeted and keep targeted all through the sport. They should deal with their photographs and shot choice. They should deal with making their free throws. They should deal with enjoying protection and making the best switches. They should deal with making good passes and never turning the ball over. And they should deal with sharing the ball and making the best play. Lack of focus leads to these horrible capturing nights and excessive turnover video games.
X-Components
On the Street – The Celtics are enjoying within the first of 6 consecutive highway video games. The Celtics should deal with enjoying their recreation and never be distracted by enjoying on the highway and on journey and on the hostile crowd. The Celtics should work even more durable to get a win when on the highway.
Teaching – The Celtics have a rookie coach who has been doing a superb job to date this season. The Hawks simply modified coaches and now have a really veteran coach in Quin Snyder, however he has solely been teaching the Hawks for a short while. Snyder has led the Hawks to 2 straight wins. Can he do it once more on this recreation?
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport a bit of otherwise with some calling it tight and others letting them play. Some refs simply make head scratching calls whereas others strive very exhausting to get them proper. In lots of video games this season, they name the sport tight within the first half after which loosen up on the calls within the second half or vice versa. The Celtics have to regulate to how the sport is being known as and deal with enjoying the sport and never on the unhealthy calls or no calls.
