The Celtics proceed their 6 sport highway journey with a cease in New Orleans to tackle the Pelicans. That is the second and remaining assembly between these two groups this season. The Celtics received the primary assembly 118-112 in Boston on January 29. The Celtics received the sequence 2-0 final season. The Celtics are 25-21 general all time towards the Pelicans. They’re 10-13 in video games performed in New Orleans. They’ve received 5 in a row towards the Pelicans.
The Celtics stay 1st within the East, 11 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 12.5 video games forward of third place New York, 13 video games forward of 4th place Cleveland, 14.5 video games forward of fifth place Orlando, and 16.5 video games forward of sixth place Indiana. They’re 25-13 on the highway and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 19-7 towards Western Convention groups and misplaced their final 2 video games after successful the earlier 9 video games.
The Pelicans are fifth within the West, 6 video games behind 1st place Denver, half a sport behind the 4th place Clippers, 1.5 video games forward of sixth place Dallas, and a pair of video games forward of seventh place Phoenix, and slipping into the play-in. They’re 21-14 at residence and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 19-9 towards Jap Convention groups and they’re coming off a win of their final sport.
The Celtics are enjoying within the fifth sport of a 6 sport highway journey. They’re 2-2 up to now on the journey, successful the primary 2 and shedding the final 2 video games. After this sport in New Orleans, they’ll then shut out the highway journey in Charlotte earlier than returning residence for 3 video games towards Oklahoma Metropolis, Sacramento, and Portland. Then it’s one sport on the highway in Milwaukee earlier than ending the season at residence towards New York, Charlotte and Washington.
The Pelicans are enjoying within the third sport of a 6 sport residence stand. They misplaced to Oklahoma Metropolis and beat Milwaukee within the first 2 video games of this residence stand. They may host Phoenix, Orlando and San Antonio to shut out the house stand. They may then head out on a 4 sport highway journey by means of Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento and Golden State earlier than ending the season at residence towards the Lakers.
Solely Jaden Springer (knee) and JD Davison (ankle) are listed as out for this sport on the damage report. For the Pelicans, Brandon Ingram has been out for the final week with a bone contusion in his left knee. He’s doing a little on courtroom work and is anticipated to return quickly, however he’ll miss this sport. Jose Alvarado is out with an indirect damage. Dyson Daniels is possible for this sport after lacking 21 video games after having meniscus surgical procedure on his left knee.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Oshae Brissett
Sam Hauser
Al Horford
Luke Kornet
Svi Mykhailiuk
Payton Pritchard
Jordan Walsh
Xavier Tillman
2 Approach Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Neemias Queta
Accidents/Out
Jaden Springer (knee) out
JD Davison (ankle) out
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Pelicans Starters
Pelicans Reserves
Dyson Daniels
Jordan Hawkins
EJ Liddell
Naji Marshall
Larry Nance, Jr
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
Cody Zeller
2 Approach Gamers
Malcolm Hill
Matt Ryan
Dereon Seabron
Accidents/Out
Jose Alvarado (indirect) out
Brandon Ingram (knee) out
Dyson Daniels (knee) possible
Head Coach
Willie Inexperienced
Key Matchups
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Jayson Tatum
Photograph by Brian Babineau/NBAE through Getty Photographs
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Zion Williamson
Photograph by Sean Gardner/Getty Photographs
Jayson Tatum vs Zion Williamson
Williamson is averaging 22.8 factors, 5.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steals per sport. He’s taking pictures 58.6% from the sphere and 35.7% from past the arc. Within the first sport towards the Celtics, he completed with 26 factors, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a pair of steals whereas taking pictures 58.6% from the sphere with no 3 pointers. The Celtics might want to defend him very carefully each in and out as he’s a menace within the paint and on the perimeter. He’s additionally very laborious to cease when he will get a head of steam heading to the ring.
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph by Alex Goodlett/Getty Photographs
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CJ McCollum
Photograph by Ned Dishman/NBAE through Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs CJ McCollum
McCollum is averaging 18.8 factors, 4.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 45.5% from the sphere and 41.5% from past the arc. Within the first sport towards the Celtics, he completed with 16 factors, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. He shot 50% from the sphere however simply 20% from past the arc. As with Williamson, McCollum can rating each in and out and so the Celtics have to defend him the place ever he’s on the courtroom.
Honorable Point out
Jaylen Brown vs Trey Murphy III
Murphy is averaging 14 factors, 4.6 rebounds, and a pair of.1 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 43.5% from the sphere and 37% from past the arc. Within the first sport he completed with 15 factors and 4 rebounds off the bench whereas taking pictures 42.9% from the sphere and 30% from past the arc. Murphy has been beginning instead of the injured Brandon Ingram.
Keys to the Recreation
Protection – Protection will all the time be the important thing to successful. The Pelicans common 115.6 factors per sport (thirteenth) whereas the Celtics common 121.1 factors per sport (2nd). The Celtics are 2nd within the league with a defensive score of 110.8. The Pelicans are fifth with a defensive score of 111.4. The Celtics must particularly defend within the paint because the Pelicans common 51.9 factors within the paint per sport. The Celtics allowed their offensive struggles towards the Hawks have an effect on their protection and it price them the sport. They must play robust crew protection for 48 minute in the event that they need to win this sport.
Rebound – The Celtics must crash the boards as a crew. Rebounding takes effort and once they put that additional effort out to dominate the boards, it typically interprets to all different areas of the sport as nicely. The Pelicans are averaging 44.5 rebounds (seventh) and the Celtics are averaging 46.4 rebounds per sport (2nd). The Pelicans are eleventh within the league with 14.4 second probability factors and so the Celtics are going to must work laborious to maintain them off the boards to maintain them from scoring second probability baskets. Rebounding was one of many greatest causes for the Celtics 2 losses towards the Hawks. They had been out rebounded 44-38 (18 2nd probability factors) within the first loss and 53-43 (28 2nd probability factors) within the second loss. They must put out extra effort to beat the Pelicans to rebounds in the event that they need to win this sport.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics have gotten to be aggressive in going to the basket, enjoying protection, diving for free balls and simply play more durable. Their effort and aggressiveness could make them very robust to beat and their lack of it could actually make them weak, as we noticed towards the Hawks. They’re as soon as once more going through a crew that performs laborious and are aggressive they usually can’t afford to come back out with lower than 100% effort. They particularly have to be aggressive and play laborious within the third quarter as they’ve been outplayed in that quarter prior to now 2 video games.
Push the Tempo and Transfer the Ball – Two issues which have helped the Celtics offense to be dominant this season are the truth that they’ve picked up the tempo and pushed the ball up the courtroom. Additionally they moved the ball and together with hitting from exterior, in addition they get to the basket. The Celtics have to proceed to do each of these issues as a way to maintain successful. They will’t play hero ball they usually can’t simply stroll up the courtroom. They must run and get into their offense earlier than the Pelicans protection will get set. They must watch out with the ball, nevertheless, because the Pelicans are fifth with 17.5 factors off turnovers per sport.
X-Elements
On the Highway – The Celtics are enjoying within the fifth sport of a 6 sport highway journey.. Whether or not it’s the journey, resort residing, or an unfamiliar area and hostile followers, there are many distractions to hinder a crew enjoying on the highway. The Celtics want to come back in targeted and never permit the distractions of enjoying away from residence to maintain them from enjoying their greatest.
Officiating – Officiating all the time has the chance to be an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport otherwise. Some name each little bit of contact whereas some allow them to play. Some favor the house crew and a few name it evenly and a few are simply unhealthy. Hopefully the Celtics get a crew that calls it even and lets each groups play. Nonetheless the sport is named, they should concentrate on the sport and never permit unhealthy or no calls to take that focus away. Refs have been very fast to name techs for complaining in current video games and the Celtics have to maintain their feelings underneath management to keep away from making a gift of factors on technical fouls.
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