The Celtics are on the highway for final sport earlier than their Christmas Day sport. They face the Orlando Magic for the primary of three video games this season. They’ll meet two extra instances, as soon as in Boston on January seventeenth and as soon as extra in Orlando on April 9. The Celtics had been simply 2-1 in opposition to the Magic final season, shedding their lone sport within the sequence in Orlando and profitable each video games in Boston.
The Celtics are 75-55 general, all time in opposition to the Magic and they’re 26-37 in video games performed in Orlando. The Celtics have misplaced their final 2 video games that they performed in Orlando. These 2 groups are ceaselessly linked collectively of their histories. The ultimate sport performed on the Boston Backyard was in opposition to the Orlando Magic in Sport 4 of the 1995 NBA Playoffs. The Magic secured a 95-92 win, marking the top of the Boston Backyard’s 67-year operation and it additionally marked the primary time in franchise historical past that the Magic gained a playoff sequence and superior to the second spherical.
The Celtics are 2nd within the East, 2.5 video games behind the primary place Cavaliers. They’re 4 video games forward of the third place Knicks and 5 video games forward of the 4th place Magic. They’re 11- at dwelling and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 20-4 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups. The Magic are 4th within the East, 7.5 video games out of first place and 5 video games behind 2nd place Boston. They’re 1.5 video games forward of fifth place Milwaukee. They’re 11-2 at dwelling and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 14-7 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups. Each groups are in search of their 2nd straight win.
After this sport in Orlando, the Celtics will return dwelling to play the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas Day, which would be the first sport of a 4 sport dwelling stand. After Philly, they are going to face Indian twice and Toronto. They’ll then head out on a 4 sport Western highway journey by way of Minnesota, Houston (and Ime Udoka), Oklahoma Metropolis and Denver. They’ll return dwelling to face 2 extra Western groups, Sacramento and New Orleans. They then head to Toronto earlier than dealing with Orlando and Atlanta at dwelling.
This sport for the Magic is the 4th sport of a 7 sport highway journey. They misplaced the primary two video games to the Knicks and Thunder after which beat the Warmth on Saturday. They’ll end the house stand in opposition to Miami, New York and Brooklyn. They’ll then play at Detroit and at Toronto earlier than one sport at dwelling in opposition to Utah, one sport on the highway in opposition to New York and residential once more in opposition to Minnesota, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia.
The Celtics ought to have their beginning 5 wholesome. The one participant on the harm report is Sam Hauser, who’s questionable attributable to again spasms. His standing shall be a sport time choice. For the Magic, Jalen Suggs is questionable attributable to an ankle harm he suffered in opposition to the Thunder on Thursday. He missed Saturday’s sport in opposition to the Warmth and shall be a sport time choice for this one. If he can’t play Anthony Black will seemingly get the beginning in his place.
Mac McClung is questionable with a leg harm and Gary Harris is questionable with a hamstring harm. Each shall be a sport time choice. The Magic may even be with out 3 of their prime gamers. Paolo Banchero is out with a torn proper indirect. Franz Wagner can also be out with a torn proper indirect. Franz’ older brother, former Celtic Moritz Wagner, tore his ACL after simply 2 minutes of play in Saturday’s sport in opposition to the Warmth and is out for the remainder of the season.
Possible Celtics Starters
PG: Jrue Vacation
SG: Derrick White
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Kristaps Porzingis
Celtics Reserves
Luke Kornet
Al Horford
Payton Pritchard
Neemias Queta
Baylor Scheierman
Jaden Springer
Jordan Walsh
Xavier Tillman
2 Approach Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Anton Watson
Accidents/Out
Sam Hauser (again) questionable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Magic Starters
PG: Jalen Suggs
SG: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
SF: Tristan da Silva
PF: Wendell Carter, Jr
C: Goga Bitadze
Magic Reserves
Cole Anthony
Anthony Black
Caleb Houstan
Jett Howard
Jonathan Isaac
Cory Joseph
2-Approach Gamers
Mac McClung
Trevelin Queen
Accidents/Out
Paolo Banchero (indirect) out
Franz Wagner (indirect) out
Moritz Wagner (knee) out
Gary Harris (hamstring) questionable
Mac McClung (leg) questionable
Jalen Suggs (ankle) questionable
Head Coach
Jamahl Mosley
Key Matchups
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Payton Pritchard
Picture by Greg Fiume/Getty Pictures
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Cole Anthony
Picture by Nic Antaya/Getty Pictures
Payton Pritchard vs Cole Anthony
With each Wagners and Banchero out, Anthony has stepped up for the Magic off the bench. He’s averaging 6.2 factors, 2.2 rebounds, and a pair of.2 assists per sport. He’s taking pictures 40.4% from the sphere and 30.6% from past the arc. Nevertheless, on Saturday, he completed with 35 factors, 8 rebounds, 9 assists 1 steal and 1 block whereas taking pictures 52% from the sphere and 25% on 3s. He has had massive video games in opposition to the Celtics previously and they also want to concentrate to him on protection.
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Kristaps Porzingis
Picture by Adam Glanzman/Getty Pictures
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Goga Bitadze
Picture by Stacy Revere/Getty Pictures
Kristaps Porzingis vs Goga Bitadze
Bitadze is averaging 9.5 factors, 8.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 blocks per sport. He’s taking pictures 65.4% from the sphere and 0% from the perimeter. On Saturday, he additionally stepped up with their prime 2 scorers out, ending with 18 factors, 13 rebounds, 1 help and a pair of blocks whereas taking pictures 100% from the sphere however didn’t take a 3. The Celtics want to attract him out to the perimeter on protection as he is an effective rim protector and rebounder and they should preserve him out of the paint on offense.
Honorable Point out
Jrue Vacation vs Jalen Suggs
Suggs is averaging 16 factors, 4.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1 block per sport. He’s taking pictures 40.5% from the sphere and 31% from past the arc. He missed Saturday’s sport after injuring his ankle in Thursday’s sport. He’s questionable for this sport. If he can’t play, Anthony Black ought to get the beginning in his place. Black is averaging 8.7 factors, 2.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists per sport whereas taking pictures 42.7% from the sphere and 27% from past the arc.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – I can’t say it sufficient, however protection is all the time the important thing to profitable. The Celtics are eighth the league with a defensive ranking of 109.5. The Magic are third within the league with a defensive ranking of 106.5. The Magic are twenty eighth in scoring at 106.8 factors per sport. They’ve been profitable with their protection and if the Celtics hope to beat them, they should play powerful lock down protection themselves.
Rebound – Rebounding can also be essential if a staff desires to win video games. You’ll be able to’t rating in case you don’t have the ball and the easiest way to get the ball is to seize rebounds to present themselves further possessions. A lot of rebounding is effort and hustle and if the Celtics put the additional effort into grabbing rebounds, they often present effort in all components of the sport. The Celtics are 14-1 when tied or out-rebounding their opponents and 8-5 when they’re out-rebounded. The Celtics want to present further effort on the boards on this sport.
Don’t Underestimate – The Celtics are inclined to let up after they face groups which are lacking stars. With each Wagners and Banchero out on this one, the Celtics might underestimate this Magic staff and are available out with lower than 100% effort. That may be a mistake as a result of this identical quick handed Magic staff beat the Warmth on Saturday. The Celtics have to play this staff as arduous as they’d the highest staff within the league at full power.
Keep Centered – The Celtics want to remain targeted and deal with the ball. The Magic are third within the league with 20.4 factors off turnovers. The Celtics can’t free focus and switch the ball over or the Magic will make them pay. Additionally they should keep targeted on enjoying the sport the appropriate approach and never permit unhealthy calls to get into their heads and make them lose their composure. Additionally they have to remain targeted on taking good pictures and making them. If the 3s aren’t falling, they should get into the paint.
X-Elements
Highway Sport and accidents– The Celtics are enjoying on the highway. They’re dealing with distractions of journey and enjoying in an unfamiliar enviornment in entrance of hostile followers. They should shake off these distractions and preserve their concentrate on enjoying the sport. Often accidents to an opponent’s greatest gamers is purpose to anticipate a simple win, however for some purpose, that tends to be an equation for the Celtics to play a lackluster sport and lose to a staff they need to beat.
Officiating – Officiating can all the time be an X-Issue. In some video games, you don’t even discover the referees and in different video games, they appear to make the sport all about them (see the primary sport in opposition to the Bulls). Some crews name the sport tight and others let the groups play. Some crews favor one of many groups whereas others name it pretty. Irrespective of how the sport is known as, the Celtics should regulate to the way in which the sport is being known as and never permit the officiating to remove from their focus.
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