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Tonight, the Boston Celtics (5-0 at dwelling) will host the Milwaukee Bucks (4-3 on the highway) at TD Backyard. It’ll be their first of 4 matchups of the 2023-2024 season. In final yr’s marketing campaign, Boston received the common season sequence 2-1, together with a 140-99 blowout in April. Of their final ten conferences, the C’s are 6-4, and have an all-time file of 116-110 in opposition to Milwaukee. Tonight, the Celtics return to Beantown, the place they’re 73-39 versus the Bucks all-time of their dwelling area.
With one of the best file within the NBA, the Celtics are coming off a four-game, 3-1 highway stretch. With victories over Philadelphia, Toronto, and Memphis, the C’s wrapped up their highway journey with a 121-118 loss to the shorthanded Charlotte Hornets. Profitable 6 of the final 7 video games, Boston will look to retain management of the East.
Sure, head coach Joe Mazzulla and the C’s have high quality victories over the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. Nonetheless, most just lately, Mazzulla’s squad was barely capable of elevate themselves over the Grizzlies and Raptors, that are two sub-.500 groups.
Calling the Celtics “fortunate” after their victory over Memphis, Mazzulla acknowledged his workforce “blew the lead” of their first ever time beyond regulation recreation this season versus the Hornets. As soon as up 18 factors, the Cs gave up an absurd variety of transition factors and second probability factors off 17 offensive rebounds. In a nutshell, Boston was caught sleeping within the second half, and choked ultimately.
Don’t let that current lapse in opposition to the Hornets idiot you. The Celtics are an elite workforce this season, rating the third greatest defensive workforce within the NBA (107 factors per recreation). Though they’ve but to completely develop chemistry, they nonetheless lead the league in internet ranking (10.6) by a big margin.
For the Bucks, they initially struggled to search out their stride early on, and are coming off a five-game win streak. Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo have slowly discovered the right way to flourish collectively. After each groups accomplished blockbuster trades previous to the season, Milwaukee can have their hardest take a look at but in opposition to Boston.
With the lethal duo of Giannis and Lillard, the Bucks satisfaction themselves as a top-5 offensive workforce within the league. Tonight is the primary time Celtics guard Jrue Vacation will face his former workforce. Personally, I’m excited for the Vacation versus Lillard matchup we’ve all been ready for.
Whereas Jayson Tatum is listed as questionable, the Celtics can have guard Derrick White again, who missed Wednesday’s matchup with the Hornets for private causes.
INJURIES
Celtics:
- Jayson Tatum (sickness, non-COVID): QUESTIONABLE
Bucks:
- Chris Livingston (ankle): OUT
- Jae Crowder (belly tear): OUT
- Damian Lillard (indirect): PROBABLE
- MarJon Beauchamp (ankle): OUT
PROBABLE CELTICS STARTERS
- PG, #4: Jrue Vacation
- SG, #9: Derrick White
- SF, #7: Jaylen Brown
- PF, #0: Jayson Tatum*
- C, #4: Kristaps Porzingis
*If Jayson Tatum is unable to go well with up, count on Al Horford or Sam Hauser to get the beginning
CELTICS RESERVES
- G, #45: Dalano Banton
- G, #50: Svi Mykhailiuk
- G, #11: Payton Pritchard
- G, #27: Jordan Walsh
- G, #20: JD Davidson (2-way participant)
- F, #12: Oshae Brissett
- F, #30: Sam Hauser
- F, #77: Lamar Stevens
- F, #1: Nathan Knight (2-way participant)
- F, #42: Al Horford
- C, #40: Luke Kornet
- C, #88: Neemias Queta (2-way participant)
CELTICS HEAD COACH
PROBABLE BUCKS STARTERS
- PG, #0: Damian Lillard
- SG, #5: Malik Beasley
- SF, #22: Khris Middleton
- PF, #34: Giannis Antetokounmpo
- C, #11: Brook Lopez
BUCKS RESERVES
- G, #15: Cameron Payne
- G, #20 : AJ Inexperienced
- G, #44: Andre Jackson Jr.
- G, #28: Lindell Wigginton (2-way participant)
- G, #23: TyTy Washington (2-way participant)
- G, #3 : MarJon Beauchamp
- F, #99: Jae Crowder
- F, #24: Pat Connaughton
- F, #43: Thanasis Antetokounmpo
- F, #7: Chris Livingston
- C, #9: Bobby Portis
- C, #42: Robin Lopez
- C, #: Marquez Bolden (2-way participant)
BUCKS HEAD COACH
Keys for a Cs win
Dwelling courtroom benefit: By means of 14 video games, the Celtics have solely suffered three losses, and all of them got here on the highway. Heading into tonight’s matchup, Boston is 5-0 at dwelling. In 5 video games on the Backyard, the C’s are enjoying unbelievable basketball from an offensive level. Placing up 125 factors, 13 greater than their common on the highway, Boston has rising shot percentages from the sector (50.6 p.c) and from lengthy vary (41.8 p.c). They’ve a +22 on the courtroom in Boston in comparison with 4.1 on the highway.
I do know it sounds cliche, however given Milwaukee is the second greatest within the East, the house courtroom crowd will matter tonight.
Break down the opposing protection: Let’s face it, the Bucks protection took a significant hit with Jrue Vacation’s departure. As elite as Giannis is on each side of the courtroom, the remainder of the workforce lacks in defensive manufacturing. Twenty-third in defensive effectivity (115.4), the Bucks permit opponents to attain practically 117 factors per recreation. After swapping former head coach Mike Budenholzer for Adrian Griffin, it seems this complete workforce continues to be forming their id and chemistry. Tonight, it’s essential the Celtics assault and exploit their defensive weaknesses off the bounce.
Restrict Giannis Antetokounmpo: In at present’s basketball world, there are only a few groups and gamers that may cease Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak continues his dominance within the league, averaging over 30 factors per recreation, and 10.2 rebounds. A freakishly athletic participant, Giannis is coming off back-to again 40-point video games in opposition to Washington and Dallas. Having already examined Porzingis and Horford in opposition to Embiid, they are going to get a shot at defending Antetokounmpo tonight.
With the chance to proceed his streak, #34 has been unstoppable. If Boston performs a drop set protection, which will assist with the choose and roll, nonetheless, we’ve but to see how Boston will reply to their new offensive system underneath a special head coach. In his tenure with the Bucks, the previous MVP has a profession common of twenty-two.4 factors, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in opposition to the Celtics.
Management the boards: I’m actually inclined to say this each single matchup. Within the loss to the Hornets, Boston gave up a bunch of second probability alternatives. With Milwaukee ranked as one of the best rebounding workforce, it will likely be crucial for the C’s to field out and never let the Bucks dominate inside and on the glass.
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