The Celtics start the preseason with 2 video games in opposition to the Denver Nuggets in Abu Dhabi. The final 2 NBA Champions will start play after a brief off season for the Celtics, who performed into June earlier than successful their 18th Championship. The Nuggets had a barely longer off season as they misplaced in 7 video games to the Timberwolves, ending the season on Might 19. Each groups had gamers within the Olympics with Jokic and Murray of the Denver Nuggets and Tatum, Vacation and White of the Celtics collaborating within the Video games.
That is the second time in 3 months that Tatum, White, Vacation, Jokic and Murray have been to Abu Dhabi to play basketball. They have been there for the USA Basketball Showcase main as much as the Paris Olympics. Murray, on workforce Canada, Staff Canada exited within the quarterfinals whereas Staff USA went on to win Gold and the Serbian nationwide workforce completed with the Bronze medal.
That is the third 12 months in a row that the NBA has scheduled preseason video games in Abu Dhabi. In 2022, the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks confronted off in 2 video games in Abu Dhabi with the Hawks successful each video games. In 2023, The Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks traveled to Abu Dhabi for a pair of exhibition video games. This was a preview of the Western Convention Finals. The Timberwolves received each video games within the preseason, but it surely was Dallas that received within the WCF.
The Celtics misplaced the sequence to the Nuggets 0-2 final season, shedding 109-115 in Denver and 100-102 in Boston. The Nuggets have been the one workforce that the Celtics didn’t beat within the common season final 12 months. The Celtics return final 12 months’s workforce largely intact, shedding simply Svi Mykhailiuk and Oshae Brissett. Key additions are Baylor Scheierman and Anton Walker by the draft and Lonnie Walker IV as a free agent on a coaching camp contract.
The Nuggets misplaced their beginning two guard, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Orlando Magic in free company. Additionally they misplaced Reggie Jackson and Justin Vacation. They’ve added a few very key gamers in Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric together with DaRon Holmes II. Westbrook is a horrible quantity shooter and generally is a defensive legal responsibility however he brings vitality and is an explosive playmaker. They anticipate Saric to be a distinction maker off the bench for them.
The largest query for the Nuggets is who will inherit the beginning taking pictures guard spot with Caldwell-Pope gone. Most consider that Christian Braun will fill that spot however Malone could go together with Julian Strawther, and even Russell Westbrook. We are going to probably see Michael Malone experimenting with that place in these preseason video games except he has already made that call.
The largest query for the Celtics would be the middle rotation with Kristaps Porzingis out till December. Xavier Tillman has been getting reward in coaching camp. Luke Kornet was very constant in his minutes final season and Neemias Queta brings vitality. I anticipate Al Horford to get the beginning on this sport however Joe Mazzulla will probably be watching every of these gamers to see which of them earn extra enjoying time.
Kristaps Porzingis is the one participant on the harm checklist for the Celtics. He’s out after having ankle surgical procedure after the playoffs and is predicted to be out till no less than December. For the Nuggets, Peyton Watson is out with a hamstring harm. The harm shouldn’t be severe however he’s anticipated to overlook no less than the primary two preseason matchups. DaRon Holmes is out after tearing his Achilles tendon in Summer season League
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Sam Hauser
Luke Kornet
Payton Pritchard
Neemias Queta
Baylor Scheierman
Jaden Springer
Xavier Tillman, Sr
Jordan Walsh
2 Method Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson
Coaching Camp Contracts
Tristan Enaruna
Ron Harper, Jr
Dmytro Skapintsev
Lonnie Walker IV
Accidents/Out
Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) out
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Nuggets Starters
Nuggets Reserves
Vlatko Cancar
DeAndre Jordan
Zeke Nnaji
Jalen Pickett
Dario Saric
Julian Strawther
Hunter Tyson
Russell Westbrook
2 Method Gamers
Trey Alexander
PJ Corridor
Spencer Jones
Coaching Camp Contracts
Gabe McGlothan
Jaylin Williams
Jahmir Younger
Out/Accidents
DaRon Holmes II (Achilles) out
Peyton Watson (hamstring) out
Head Coach
Michael Malone
Key Matchups
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Al Horford
Photograph by Adam Glanzman/Getty Pictures
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Nikola Jokic
Photograph by Matthew Stockman/Getty Pictures
Al Horford vs Nikola Jokic
Jokic is has received again to again MVP’s and is within the dialog for MVP each season for a purpose. He averaged 26.4 factors, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists final season. He shot 58.3% from the sector and 35.9% from past the arc. In opposition to the Celtics final season, he averaged 33 factors, 12 rebounds and 10 assists whereas taking pictures 61% from the sector and 50% from past the arc. In January, when these groups performed, Malone had Jokic defend Jrue Vacation and he held him to 3-8 taking pictures, so Jokic is an issue for the Celtics on each ends of the court docket. I don’t anticipate the starters from both workforce to play large minutes.
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph by Stacy Revere/Getty Pictures
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Jamal Murray
Photograph by C. Morgan Engel/Getty Pictures
Jrue Vacation vs Jamal Murray
Murray averaged 21.2 factors, 4.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists final season. He shot 48.1% from the sector and 42.5% from past the arc. In January in opposition to the Celtics, he put up 35 factors on 71% taking pictures to go together with 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Though Murray struggled within the playoffs and the Olympics, he’s anticipated to be wholesome and able to play on this sport.
Honorable Point out
Jaylen Brown vs Michael Porter, Jr.
Porter averaged 16.7 factors, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He shot 48.1% from the sector and 39.7% from past the arc. This must be an excellent matchup and it’s Jaylen Brown’s first alternative to indicate his added motivation from the snubs this summer time.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Whether or not it’s preseason, common season or publish season, protection will all the time be the important thing to successful video games. Final season, the Celtics have been first within the league with a defensive ranking of 108.2 and the Nuggets have been fifth with a defensive ranking of 110.9. The Celtics must make protection a precedence as soon as once more this season in the event that they need to repeat as champions.
Rebounding – Rebounding is one other key to successful each sport. Final season, the Celtics have been 1st within the league, averaging 46.3 rebounds per sport. The Nuggets have been 2nd within the league with 44.4 rebounds per sport. Rebounding takes effort and the Celtics must work tougher to seize rebounds to restrict the Nuggets second likelihood factors and quick breaks. The Celtics can’t enable the Nuggets to outwork them on the boards.
Effort and Power for 48 Minutes – I do know it’s simply preseason, however the Celtics should be aggressive. They must struggle for unfastened balls, defend aggressively, be aggressive in driving to the basket, and simply play tougher than the Nuggets for your entire sport. They must be the workforce that desires it extra and play prefer it. I anticipate the reserves and camp guys to be enjoying fairly a couple of minutes and they need to all present additional effort as they attempt to earn enjoying time or a roster spot.
3 Level Capturing – The Celtics relied on taking pictures threes final season. They have been first within the league, taking 43.5 three pointers per sport. They have been additionally 1st within the league, making 16.5 threes a sport. Michael Malone has stated that he needs his workforce to shoot extra threes this season. Final season they have been tenth in 3 level proportion with 37.4% however they have been thirtieth in 3 level makes an attempt with simply 31.2 per sport. We may even see a variety of 3s taken on this sport by each groups.
X-Components
Rust – That is the primary preseason sport for each groups. Each groups have 4 of their starters from final season within the line ups that I’m assuming will begin. Each have been working towards since September 27. Will they each present rust to start the sport or will they’ve shaken off the rust in coaching camp?
On the Highway – This sport takes enjoying on the street to extremes. Will the gamers have jet lag or journey fatigue? The Celtics have been 27-14 on the street final season whereas the Nuggets have been 24-17 on the street. The Nuggets have among the best residence court docket benefits as they play at excessive altitude. On this sport no workforce has the benefit.
Officiating – I do know that I say this each sport, however the officiating can all the time be an x-factor even within the preseason and even in Abu Dhabi. Each crew calls the sport in another way whether or not they name each little ticky tack foul or they let a variety of contact go and let the groups play. The refs are of their preseason additionally, so it’s onerous to know the way they are going to name this one. The Celtics have gotten to regulate to the way in which the sport is being referred to as and never let the calls have an effect on their focus or their play.
