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On the day after an energetic commerce deadline, the Celtics host the Washington Wizards. That is the seventh and closing sport in a 7 sport house stand. That is the 2nd of 4 video games between these 2 groups. The Celtics received the primary sport 126-107 in Washington on October 30. They’ll meet once more in Washington on March 17 and in Boston on April 14. The Celtics are 59-43 general all time in opposition to the Wizards and 36-16 in video games performed in Boston. Boston received the sequence 2-1 final season.
The Celtics are 1st within the East, 4.5 video games forward of 2nd place Cleveland, 6.5 video games forward of third place Milwaukee and 4th place New York, 8.5 video games forward of fifth place Philadelphia and 11 video games forward of sixth place Indiana. The Celtics are 24-3 at house and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 26-6 in opposition to different Japanese Convention groups. They’ve received their final 2 video games.
The Wizards are 14th within the East, 2 video games forward of final place Detroit. They’re 1 sport behind thirteenth place Charlotte, 8.5 video games behind twelfth place Toronto, 12.5 video games behind tenth place Atlanta and a spot within the play-in video games. They’re 6-19 on the street, which is definitely higher than their 3-22 house report, and they’re 2-8 of their final 10 video games. They’re 6-29 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups and have misplaced their final 4 video games.
The Celtics are 4-2 to this point on their house stand, beating Indiana, New Orleans, Atlanta and Memphis and dropping to the Lakers and Clippers. After this closing sport within the house stand, the Celtics will go to the Warmth for a matinee sport on Sunday after which face the Nets for a again to again house and residential sequence, first in Boston after which in Brooklyn. They’ll then go to Chicago and New York earlier than one other 3 sport house stand in opposition to Philadelphia, Dallas, and Golden State.
The Wizards simply accomplished a 4 sport house stand the place they went 0-4, dropping to the Clippers, Miami, Phoenix and Cleveland. They’ll return house after this one street sport in Boston to host Philadelphia earlier than heading out on a 4 sport street journey that may take them by Dallas, New Orleans, Denver and Oklahoma Metropolis.
Jrue Vacation is now not on the harm listing and may play on this sport. Nevertheless, Jayson Tatum has been added to the listing because of an sickness. His standing will likely be a sport time determination, however I wouldn’t be stunned to see him sit this one out. He was current at shoot round so he could also be on monitor to play on this sport. If he doesn’t play, I count on Al Horford to begin in his place. The Celtics 2 new acquisitions, Xavier Tillman is out because of a knee harm. Jaden Springer is questionable because of simply being traded.
For the Wizards, Marvin Bagley III is out because of a low again contusion. With Daniel Gafford traded and Richaun Holmes additionally out because of simply being traded to the Wizards on Thursday, I’m guessing that their two method participant, Eugene Omoruyi, will begin and Kyle Kuzma may even see some minutes at heart. Isaiah Livers is out with a hip harm. He was traded to the Wizards on January 14 however has but to make his debut. Patrick Baldwin can be out because of a sprained proper ankle.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Oshae Brissett
Sam Hauser
Al Horford
Luke Kornet
Svi Mykhailiuk
Payton Pritchard
Xavier Tillman
Jaden Springer
Jordan Walsh
2 Manner Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Neemias Queta
Accidents/Out
Xavier Tillman (commerce) questionable
Jaden Springer (commerce) questionable
Jayson Tatum (sickness) questionable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Wizards Starters
Wizards Reserves
Bilal Coulibaly
Johnny Davis
Anthony Gill
Corey Kispert
Landry Shamet
Delon Wright
Two Manner Gamers
Jared Butler
Jules Bernard
Eugene Omoruyi
Accidents/Out
Marvin Bagley III (again) out
Richaun Holmes (commerce) out
Isaiah Livers (hip) 0ut
Patrick Baldwin, Jr (ankle) out
Head Coach
Brian Keefe (interim)
Key Matchups
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Jayson Tatum
Photograph by Brian Babineau/NBAE through Getty Photos
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Kyle Kuzma
Photograph by Scott Taetsch/Getty Photos
Jayson Tatum vs Kyle Kuzma
Kuzma is averaging 21.9 factors, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He’s taking pictures 45.5% from the sphere 33.1% from past the arc. Towards Boston within the first sport, he completed with 21 factors, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. He shot 60% from the sphere and 50% from past the arc. Jayson Tatum is questionable and so Al Horford could get the beginning reverse Kuzma.
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Derrick White
Photograph by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photos
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Jordan Poole
Photograph by Patrick Smith/Getty Photos
Derrick White vs Jordan Poole
Poole is averaging 15.9 factors, 2.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1 steal per sport. He’s taking pictures 40.4% from the sphere and 29.7% from past the arc. Within the first sport in opposition to the Celtics he completed with 11 factors, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and three steals. He shot 45.5% from the sphere and 20% from past the arc.
Honorable Point out
Jaylen Brown vs Deni Avdija
Avdija is averaging 12.6 factors, 6.2 rebounds, and three.8 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 50.8% from the sphere and 38.9% from past the arc. He is likely one of the higher shooters on the Wizards and so Jaylen must gradual him down and restrict his pictures.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection is at all times the important thing to successful. The Celtics must defend the paint with out letting up on their perimeter protection. The Wizards are 2nd within the league, averaging 55.8 factors within the paint per sport. They should make protection their precedence and their id to be able to win each sport and to win a championship. It should take a number of effort and dedication from every participant to play nice crew protection together with nice particular person protection.
Rebound – It’s essential for groups to rebound to present themselves further possessions and to restrict their opponents’ possessions. A lot of rebounding is effort and hustle and when the Celtics give further effort and hustle on the boards, it often interprets into the remainder of their sport. The Celtics are 1st within the league with 47.5 rebounds per sport whereas the Wizards are final within the league with 40.6 rebounds per sport. Every participant must decide to crashing the boards and going after each rebound on each ends of the court docket.
Be Aggressive – Previously, the Celtics have misplaced video games that they need to have received as a result of they allowed groups to play tougher and be extra aggressive than them. The Celtics have to be the extra aggressive crew on protection, in grabbing rebounds, in going after unfastened balls, and in taking the ball to the basket for all 48 minutes. They’ll’t enable the Wizards’ 9-41 report to trigger them to return into the sport anticipating to win with out placing out the trouble. (See the Lakers Sport).
Keep Centered – The Celtics have to remain targeted. They’ve to remain targeted on enjoying the suitable method, taking and making good pictures, enjoying good protection, boxing out and rebounding, and on having one another’s backs and trusting one another. Additionally they need to deal with making good passes and taking good care of the ball as a result of the Wizards are 4th with 18.1 factors off turnovers per sport. It might be simple to let their focus go on this one however it will be a giant mistake on their half.
X-Elements
House Sport – The Celtics are as soon as once more at house. They need to get a lift from the house crowd and from being in acquainted environment. The Celtics must have a way of urgency at house to guard house court docket and never count on to win as a result of the Wizards haven’t been good to this point this season. Additionally the Wizards must take care of journey, staying in a lodge, and a hostile crowd and hopefully that may give the Celtics a bonus.
Officiating – Officiating is at all times an x-factor in each sport. Each crew officiates in a different way. Some name it tight, others allow them to play. Some favor the house crew. Some favor the street crew. Some simply make unhealthy, head scratching calls as now we have seen many occasions. The Celtics want to regulate to the way in which the refs name the sport and never let unhealthy calls and no calls take them out of the sport or have an effect on their focus. They’ve to remain targeted on the sport and never on complaining in regards to the officiating.
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