The Celtics and Cavaliers meet for the 2nd of 4 video games between them this season. The Celtics gained the primary assembly 120-117 in Boston on November 19. They’ll meet once more in Cleveland on February 4 and in a last recreation in Boston on February 28. The Cavaliers had been undefeated and on a 15 recreation win streak when the Celtics defeated them in Boston and now they’ll attempt to return the favor and finish the Celtics 7 recreation win streak.
The Cavaliers are first within the Japanese Convention. They’re 10-1 at dwelling and 13-3 in opposition to Japanese Convention opponents. They’re 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’ve misplaced their final 2 video games, each in opposition to the Atlanta Hawks. The Celtics are 2nd within the East, simply half a recreation behind the Cavaliers. They’re 8-1 at dwelling and 13-2 in opposition to Japanese Convention opponents. They’re 8-2 of their final 10 video games and have gained their final 7 video games.
The Celtics had been 2-1 final season with every staff profitable at dwelling. The Celtics are 140-87 general in opposition to the Cavaliers all time and they’re 55-60 in video games performed in Boston. Cleveland has misplaced 3 of the final 5 that they’ve performed in opposition to the Celtics. The Celtics are taking part in within the first of again to again video games and can face the Warmth at dwelling on Monday. They’re 2-1 on the primary evening of again to again video games up to now this season. Each of the wins had been at dwelling and the loss was on the street.
The Celtics performed on Friday, getting an NBA Cup win over the Chicago Bulls. After this recreation at Cleveland, they’ll return dwelling for a 5 recreation dwelling stand in opposition to Miami, Detroit, Milwaukee, Memphis and Chicago. They then go to Chicago in a house and residential set after which journey to Orlando earlier than one other 4 recreation dwelling stand the place they host Philadelphia, Indiana twice, and Toronto.
After dwelling and residential losses to the Atlanta hawks the Cavaliers have a 3 recreation dwelling stand beginning with the Celtics after which Washington and Denver. They then play at Charlotte and Miami earlier than 3 extra at dwelling in opposition to Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Utah. They then head out on the street for a visit out West to tackle Denver, Golden State, the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas.
After one recreation the place everybody was out there for the Celtics, they now have 4 gamers on the harm listing. Al Horford is questionable with a toe harm and Kristaps Porzingis is questionable attributable to knee harm administration. My guess is that Porzingis will play tonight and Horford will play in opposition to the warmth on Monday, or vice versa. Jrue Vacation is questionable with adductor tightness. Lastly, Derrick White left Friday’s recreation with a foot harm and is questionable for this recreation. I’ve included the traditional starters as I don’t know who will play and who can be out.
The Cavaliers have 3 gamers on the harm listing. Dean Wade has missed 5 video games up to now with an ankle sprain and is out for this recreation. Okoro ought to proceed to start out in his place. Former Celtic Max Strus has been dominated out this recreation with an ankle harm. Strus has but to make his 2024-25 regular-season debut. Emoni Bates can be out for this recreation with a knee harm.
Possible Celtics Starters
*(Jrue Vacation, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis are all questionable. At the moment, I’m unsure who will play and who would begin in the event that they don’t.)
Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Luke Kornet
Jaden Springer
Xavier Tillman, Sr
Jordan Walsh
Sam Hauser
Baylor Scheierman
Neemias Queta
2 Method Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson
Accidents/Out
Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) questionable
Al Horford (toe) questionable
Jrue Vacation (groin) questionable
Derrick White (foot) questionable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Cavaliers Starters
Cavaliers Reserves
Ty Jerome
Caris LeVert
Georges Niang
Craig Porter, Jr
Tristan Thompson
Jaylon Tyson
Sam Merrill
2 Method Gamers
Emoni Bates
JT Thor
Luke Travers
Accidents/Out
Max Strus (ankle) out
Dean Wade (ankle) out
Emoni Bates (knee) out
Head Coach
Kenny Atkinson
Key Matchups
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Derrick White
Photograph by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe by way of Getty Photographs
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Donovan Mitchell
Photograph by Jeff Haynes/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs
Derrick White vs Donovan Mitchell
Mitchell is averaging 24.1 factors, 4.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 45.1% from the sphere and 38.9% from past the arc. Within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics, Mitchell completed with 35 factors, 8 rebounds and three assists whereas capturing 44.8% from the sphere and 27.3% from past the arc. Slowing Mitchell down can be key to getting a win for the Celtics. Derrick White might or might not play on this one. If he’s out, I’m unsure who would begin, however I’d guess that Jaylen Brown would transfer to capturing guard if simply White is out. If 2 or extra gamers are out, I actually don’t know who Mazzulla will begin.
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Jrue Vacation
Photograph By Winslow Townson/Getty Photographs
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Darius Garland
Photograph by Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs
Jrue Vacation vs Darius Garland
Garland and Donovan have shaped an excellent backcourt for the Cavs. Garland is averaging 20.7 factors, 2.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.2 steals per recreation. He’s capturing 49.5% from the sphere and 44.2percentfrom past the arc. He was embarrassed within the first recreation in opposition to the Celtics, ending with simply 8 factors,2 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal. He shot simply 14.3% from the sphere and didn’t hit a 3 pointer. Hopefully, the Celtics can as soon as once more gradual him down on this recreation. As soon as once more, I’m unsure if Jrue will play on this one or who would begin in his place if he’s out.
Honorable Point out
Jayson Tatum vs Evan Mobley
Mobley is averaging 18.2 factors, 9.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steal and 1.5 blocks per recreation. He’s capturing 55.8% from the sphere and 32.4% from past the arc. In contrast to within the first 2 matchups, each of those gamers are anticipated to play. The Celtics must attempt to preserve him out of the paint and off the boards.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection is at all times a key to profitable video games. The Cavaliers are a very good defensive staff with a 112.0 defensive score, which is twelfth within the league. The Celtics have a defensive score of 111.0, which is eighth within the league. Final season, the Celtics had been 1st and the Cavaliers had been eleventh with mainly the identical rosters. The Celtics should get again to creating protection a precedence they usually need to play that powerful protection for 48 minutes and never let up. The Celtics should particularly defend the Cavs on the perimeter as they’re tops within the league, capturing 40.2% as a staff on threes. The Cavs are going to play powerful protection and so the Celtics might want to match or exceed their defensive depth.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is the most important key to profitable. A lot of rebounding is effort and want and when the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, it often carries by way of to the remainder of their recreation. The Celtics are averaging 43.3 rebounds per recreation (18th) whereas the Cavs are averaging 42.9 rebounds per recreation (twenty first). Final season, with largely the identical roster, the Celtics had been 2nd with 46.7 rebounds per recreation. The Celtics should work more durable to seize rebounds and to field out the Cavaliers on the boards. Of their first assembly, the Celtics out-rebounded the Cavs 42-41. They should do an excellent higher job on the boards on this one.
Factors within the Paint – The Celtics have struggled to maintain opponents from scoring within the paint. The Celtics are twenty seventh within the league, permitting 53.1 factors within the paint per recreation. Cleveland is seventh, permitting simply 44.8 factors within the paint whereas being The Celtics must particularly defend the paint in opposition to the Cavaliers as they’re 4th in scoring within the paint with 53.2 factors within the paint per recreation. The Cavs are fifth averaging 54.4 factors within the paint together with capturing a league finest share from past the arc. The Celtics should defend the paint and restrict the Cavs from scoring there.
Effort and Focus for 48 Minutes – The Celtics want to remain centered for 48 minutes. They need to play with further effort. The Cavs play arduous and so the Celtics must match that effort and play even more durable. The staff that performs more durable and is extra aggressive is often the staff that comes out on prime and that additionally will get the higher whistle. The Celtics even have to remain centered. They need to deal with taking good pictures and making them and on taking part in as a staff and making the proper play each time. Additionally they need to preserve that effort and focus up for 48 minutes with no let up and no collapse. The Celtics effort and focus have been lacking in some video games and they should come into this recreation centered and able to play more durable than the Cavaliers.
X-Elements
On the Street – The Celtics are taking part in on the street and might want to keep centered regardless of the distractions of journey and taking part in in entrance of a hostile crowd. Cavs followers actually don’t just like the Celtics and can possible be loud and antagonistic. They should come into this recreation centered and able to play more durable than the Cavs, whatever the venue.
Accidents – It goes with out saying that if considered one of extra of Vacation, White, Horford and Porzingis are out, the Celtics have a a lot more durable street to get a win. Particularly, if a couple of are out, that makes each the entrance court docket and the again court docket each a bit skinny. The Celtics might have as many as 3 starters out and so everybody should decide up their recreation and play more durable and smarter so as to fill in for the gamers who’re out.
Officiating – The officiating is at all times an x-factor. Generally a crew will name the sport tight and blow a whistle on each play. Different instances they’ll allow them to play and let the sport get bodily. The Celtics want to regulate to the way in which the sport is known as and never let missed calls or dangerous calls have an effect on their focus. If the calls are dangerous, they only must play more durable to make up for them and never waste time arguing with the officers.
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