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The Celtics return from the All Star break with a go to to the Brooklyn Nets for the third of 4 video games this season. The Nets gained the primary recreation between these two groups 123-104 in Boston on November 24. The Celtics gained the second recreation 126-91in Boston on February 8. The Celtics are 132-73 in opposition to the Nets all time. They’re 60-40 on the highway and 8-9 when enjoying within the Barclays Heart. The Nets gained the sequence 3-0 final season.
The Celtics are sixth within the East. They’re 9-1 of their final 10 video games and 14-15 on the highway. The Celtics gained 9 straight earlier than shedding to Detroit earlier than the break. They’re 7-6 in opposition to Atlantic Division groups and 24-15 in opposition to different Jap Convention groups. The Celtics are simply 2 video games behind third place Philadelphia, 4th place Cleveland and fifth place Milwaukee, who’re all tied. The Celtics are 4.5 video games behind 1st place Miami and 2nd place Chicago, who’re additionally tied. The Celtics are simply half a recreation forward of seventh place Toronto. The Celtics have 4 video games left in opposition to the 5 groups forward of them and one in opposition to Toronto, who’re simply half a recreation behind them.
The Nets are eighth within the East. They’re 2-8 of their final 10 video games. That they had misplaced 11 straight video games after which gained 2 video games earlier than a loss to the Wizards simply earlier than the break. They’re 7-2 in opposition to Atlantic Division groups and 21-13 in opposition to different Jap Convention groups. The eighth place Nets are 2.5 video games behind the sixth place Celtics and a pair of video games behind the seventh place Raptors. They’re 2.5 video games forward of ninth place Charlotte and tenth place Atlanta, who’re tied.
They’re the one group within the league with a greater highway report than residence report. They’re the highest ranked highway offense however have simply the twenty seventh ranked offense at residence. That may be resulting from Kyrie Irving not enjoying in residence video games and enjoying on the highway solely. The Nets are simply 13-15 at residence however 18-13 on the highway. The Nets have 10 video games left in opposition to the 7 groups which are in entrance of them within the standings, together with their first 6 video games after the All Star break.
The Celtics are enjoying within the first recreation of a 3 recreation highway journey that can take them via Brooklyn, Detroit, and Indiana. They may them have a 3 recreation residence stand in opposition to Atlanta, Memphis and Brooklyn as soon as once more. After the Nets host Boston, they are going to then play Milwaukee on the highway. They may then have a house and residential sequence with the Raptors. The Celtics carry a 5 recreation highway win streak into this identical vs the Nets.
The Celtics count on to have Marcus Sensible and Robert Williams again within the beginning lineup for this one after they each missed the ultimate recreation earlier than the break. There are not any gamers on the harm checklist for the Celtics right now. The Nets are lacking the newly acquired Ben Simmons who is predicted to be out till at the least March 8 to ramp up his conditioning after not having performed this season to date. Kyrie Irving might be out since this can be a residence recreation and he nonetheless is unvaccinated. Kevin Durant (knee) and Joe Harris (ankle) each stay out.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Aaron Nesmith
Grant Williams
Derrick White
Daniel Theis
Luke Kornet
Sam Hauser
Malik Fitts
Kelan Martin
Accidents
None
Two-Method Gamers
Brodric Thomas
Head Coach
Ime Udoka
Possible Nets Starters
Nets Reserves
Bruce Brown
Day’Ron Sharpe
Cam Thomas
LaMarcus Aldridge
James Johnson
Nicolas Claxton
Goran Dragic
Blake Griffin
Accidents
Kevin Durant (knee) out
Joe Harris (ankle) out
Kyrie Irving (not harm associated) out
Ben Simmons (conditioning) out
Two-Method Gamers
David Duke, Jr
Kessler Edwards
Head Coach
Steve Nash
Key Matchups
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Jaylen Brown
Picture by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE by way of Getty Photos
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Seth Curry
Picture by Adam Starvation/Getty Photos
Jaylen Brown vs Seth Curry
Curry came visiting to the Nets within the commerce for Ben Simmons and with Kyrie out, he’s beginning for the Nets. Curry is averaging 15.2 factors, 3.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per recreation. He’s taking pictures 48.7% from the sphere and 46.1% from past the arc for the season. In his final recreation for the Nets, he had 23 factors, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. He has had huge video games in opposition to the Celtics in Philly and the Celtics have to defend him effectively to maintain him from placing up huge numbers on this one.
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Marcus Sensible
Picture by Omar Rawlings/Getty Photos
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Patty Mills
Picture by Rocky Widner/NBAE by way of Getty Photos
Marcus Sensible vs Patty Mills
Mills is averaging 13.4 factors, 2.2 rebounds and a pair of.6 assists. He’s taking pictures 42.5% from the sphere and 41.9% from past the arc. He put up 23 factors within the Nets win over the Celtics earlier this season. Will probably be good to have Marcus Sensible again for this one and he must hold Mills from having one other huge recreation.
Honorable Point out
Robert Williams III vs Andre Drummond
Drummond got here to the Nets from the 76ers within the commerce that despatched James Harden to Philly. He’s averaging 6.2 factors, 8.8 rebounds and three.0 assists. He’s taking pictures 50% from the sphere and isn’t a risk to shoot 3’s. Drummond is an excellent rebounder and so the Celtics have to put out additional effort to beat him to rebounds on each ends of the courtroom. Will probably be good to have Robert Williams again within the lineup additionally.
Keys to the Recreation
Protection – Protection will at all times be the important thing to profitable. The Celtics protection has been spectacular in latest video games, apart from within the loss to the Pistons simply earlier than the break the place they allowed Detroit to shoot 53.3% from past the arc. They should proceed to make protection their precedence. They’ve moved as much as 2nd with a defensive score of 104.9. The Nets are nineteenth with a defensive score of 111.2. The Nets might be lacking KD and Kyrie together with Harris and Simmons, however that shouldn’t permit the Celtics to chill out. They should come out and play as if the Nets are all wholesome and the highest group within the league. They should get again to that lock down protection they had been enjoying of their 9 recreation win streak.
Rebound – With the intention to rating, the Celtics want the ball and to get the ball, they might want to crash the boards as a group. The Celtics common 46.6 rebounds per recreation (2nd) whereas the Nets common 44.8 rebounds per recreation (14th). A lot of rebounding is effort and when the Celtics put out additional effort on the boards, it normally carries over into the remainder of their recreation. The Celtics should come into the sport decided to work arduous and to hustle for each rebound. They had been out-rebounded by the Pistons 47-30 and that reveals that they had been very brief on effort in that recreation.
Keep Targeted and Play Exhausting – The Celtics want to remain targeted on enjoying the best manner. A lot of their lapses after they wrestle to attain and switch the ball over might be defined by an absence of focus. The Celtics should keep targeted on making good passes and on taking and making good photographs. They’ve to remain targeted on protection and on enjoying as a group. They’ve to maneuver the ball and never play hero ball. They’ll’t lose focus at any time in the event that they need to win this recreation.
Don’t Underestimate – The Nets had misplaced 11 straight video games earlier than profitable two after which shedding their final recreation in opposition to the Wizards. They’re additionally nonetheless brief handed with out Kyrie, Durant and Simmons. It will be simple for the Celtics to return in anticipating to stroll away with this recreation however they will’t have that mindset. The Nets are nonetheless a harmful group and if the Celtics underestimate them and are available enjoying lower than their greatest, they may come out with a loss.
X-Components
Rust vs Relaxation – Each groups have been off for per week and only a few gamers on both group probably performed a lot basketball over the break. When groups are off for any time period, many instances they’re rusty to start out the sport and it’ll take very severe focus to be able to not get down early. It’s a profit that each groups had been off, so whichever group is extra targeted and able to play will probably get the win.
Officiating – Simply as protection will at all times be a key to the sport, officiating can at all times be an x-factor. Will they name the sport tight or will they allow them to play? Will they favor the house group? Will they be honest and name it even? The Celtics have to regulate to nonetheless the officers are calling the sport and never lose their focus whereas complaining about calls as a result of even in a effectively referred to as recreation, there might be missed calls.
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