In a 2022 Jap Convention Semifinals rematch and a doable 2023 Jap Convention Finals preview, the Celtics go on the highway to go to the Milwaukee Bucks. That is the third and last assembly between these two groups this season. The Celtics beat the Bucks 139-118 in Boston on Christmas Day. A really shorthanded Celtics crew misplaced 131-125 in OT on February 14 in Milwaukee. These groups have been 2-2 final season with every crew profitable at dwelling.
The Bucks are enjoying within the first sport at dwelling after a 4 sport highway journey. That is additionally the second of again to again video games for them, having performed in Indiana on Wednesday. They are going to then have 3 days off earlier than enjoying the 76ers on Sunday. They’re 9-2 within the second of again to again video games. The Celtics are enjoying within the second straight highway sport after dropping in Washington on Tuesday. The Celtics are enjoying within the first of again to again video games and can return dwelling to face the Jazz on Friday.
The Celtics stay 2nd within the East, 3 video games behind the first place Milwaukee Bucks who beat the Pacers on Tuesday. They’re 2 video games forward of the third place Philadelphia 76ers and 4.5 video games forward of the 4th place Cleveland Cavaliers. The Celtics are 24-16 on the highway and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 30-17 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents. They misplaced their final sport.
The Bucks are 1st within the East, 3 video games forward of the 2nd place Celtics. They’re 5 video games forward of third place Philadelphia and seven.5 video games forward of 4th place Cleveland. They’re 30-7 at dwelling and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 32-15 in opposition to Jap Convention opponents. They gained their final 2 video games. The Celtics are 115-110 all time in opposition to the Bucks. They’re simply 42-70 in video games performed in Milwaukee and 73-40 in video games performed in Boston. That signifies that dwelling court docket within the playoffs may very well be essential.
With Milwaukee enjoying within the second of again to again video games and Boston enjoying within the first of again to again video games, some gamers could also be added to the damage listing for damage administration. In the mean time, Danilo Gallinari (ACL) is the one Celtic listed as out. Robert Williams III (knee) is questionable and can probably sit out this sport or Friday’s in opposition to the Jazz. Grant Williams is questionable with a non-covid sickness. Payton Pritchard (heel) can be questionable.
For the Bucks, Khris Middleton is possible after sitting out Wednesday’s sport for damage administration. Jae Crowder (calf) is questionable and Meyers Leonard (calf) is questionable. The standing of the questionable gamers for each groups can be a sport time choice.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Malcolm Brogdon
Sam Hauser
Luke Kornet
Blake Griffin
Mike Muscala
2 Approach Gamers
JD Davison
Mfiondu Kabengele
Out/Accidents
Danilo Gallinari (ACL) out
Robert Williams III (knee) questionable
Grant Williams (sickness) questionable
Payton Pritchard (heel) questionable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Bucks Starters
Bucks Reserves
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
MarJon Beauchamp
Jevon Carter
Pat Connaughton
Goran Dragic
Joe Ingles
Wesley Matthews
Bobby Portis, Jr
2-Approach Gamers
AJ Inexperienced
Lindell Wigginton
Out/Accidents
Jae Crowder (calf) questionable
Khris Middleton (knee) possible
Meyers Leonard (calf) questionable
Head Coach
Mike Budenholzer
Key Matchups
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Jayson Tatum
Photograph by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE through Getty Photographs
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Giannis Antetokounmpo
Jayson Tatum vs Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the Bucks’ finest participant and presumably the league’s finest participant. He’s averaging 31.1 factors, 11.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per sport. He’s capturing 55% from the sphere however simply 28.5% from past the arc. In final yr’s playoffs, Grant Williams had some success guarding him and we might even see that matchup on this sport. Jayson Tatum has been struggling considerably and the Celtics want him to get again to enjoying nicely. Hopefully he’ll discover his exterior shot once more but when not, he must get to the ring.
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Marcus Sensible
Photograph by Patrick Smith/Getty Photographs
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph by Scott Taetsch/Getty Photographs
Marcus Sensible vs Jrue Vacation
Vacation is averaging 18.9 factors, 5.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.2 steals per sport. He’s capturing 47.1% from the sphere and 37.9% from past the arc. The Celtics have to play Vacation tightly on protection to restrict his manufacturing since he’s the largest risk aside from Antetokounmpo. He completed the February 14 sport with 40 factors, 5 rebounds, 7 assists and three steals. Vacation can be a great defender and so the Celtics want to concentrate on him forcing turnovers.
Honorable Point out
Jaylen Brown vs Khris Middleton
Middleton is averaging 15.5 factors, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per sport. He’s capturing 44.1% from the sphere and 31.5% from past the arc. He got here off the bench within the final assembly between these two groups to place up 16 factors, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Previously, Middleton has been a Celtics killer and has had fairly just a few massive video games in opposition to them. After being the Celtics finest participant lately, Brown had a sub-par sport on Tuesday and hopefully he’ll bounce again with a great sport on this one.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection is all the time the largest key to profitable. Protection actually does win championships. The Bucks have been profitable video games with their protection. They’re 2nd with a defensive score of 110.0. The Celtics have climbed as much as 4th with a defensive score of 110.9 however their protection has not been constant. They performed little or no protection of their loss to the Wizards on Tuesday. The Celtics should work more durable than the Bucks on protection and maintain their deal with the defensive finish in order to not enable any straightforward baskets for the Bucks in the event that they hope to win.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is all the time an enormous key to profitable. The important thing to rebounding is effort and focus. When the Celtics enhance their rebounding effort, it often improves their play in different areas as nicely. The Bucks are a great rebounding crew with 48.9 rebounds per sport (1st) whereas the Celtics are seventh with 45.2 rebounds per sport. The Bucks are 45-10 after they have extra rebounds than their opponents. The Celtics should out work the Bucks on the boards in the event that they hope to get a win on this one.
Keep Centered – An absence of focus can clarify numerous the Celtics issues after they battle. They lose focus and switch the ball over time after time throughout stretches within the sport. In addition they lose focus and battle to hit photographs that they might often make. At occasions in addition they lose deal with protection and miss assignments and permit opponents open photographs on the perimeter and simple photographs inside. The Celtics should keep centered and care for the ball, deal with taking and making good photographs, and deal with enjoying robust crew protection.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics must be the extra aggressive crew with the intention to have an opportunity to beat the Bucks, who’re enjoying very nicely. They must be extra aggressive in going for unfastened balls and in crashing the boards. They must be extra aggressive on protection they usually must be aggressive in going to the basket and never settling for 3’s in the event that they aren’t falling. They allowed a tanking Wizards crew to be the extra aggressive crew and it price them. They will’t enable the Bucks to play more durable than them.
X-Elements
Dwelling Courtroom and Fatigue – The Bucks are an excellent dwelling crew, dropping simply 7 video games to this point this season. They beat the Celtics as soon as already in Milwaukee this season. The Celtics can’t enable the distractions of enjoying on the highway to remove their deal with enjoying the proper manner. The Bucks are enjoying within the second of again to again video games, though it was a simple win over the Pacers, giving the Bucks’ starters some relaxation within the 4th quarter. Journey and again to again video games might have an effect on the play of the Bucks.
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 crew 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 solution to the ring, leaving our bodies in his wake. The Celtics must 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 unhealthy calls or no calls to remove their deal with the sport.
