The Celtics proceed their street journey with a sport in Memphis towards the Grizzlies. That is the primary of two video games between these two groups this season. They may meet in Boston on February 4. The Celtics gained the sequence 2-0 final season and have gained the final 4 video games between these two groups. The Celtics are 33-19 general all time towards the Grizzlies and 17-10 in Memphis.
That is the second of again to again video games for the Grizzlies They performed at San Antonio on Saturday evening after which needed to journey again dwelling for this sport. They misplaced their solely different again to again sport this season. That is the primary of again to again video games for the Celtics. They gained each video games of their first again to again set. Each of these have been at dwelling whereas each of those video games are on the street.
Memphis simply completed a 3 sport street journey on Saturday. They play this one sport at dwelling earlier than heading out on the street to Houston for a sport on Wednesday. The Celtics are taking part in within the third sport of a 4 sport street journey. They gained the primary two video games in Philadelphia and Toronto. They’ve yet one more sport on the journey in Charlotte on Monday earlier than returning dwelling.
The Celtics have gained their final 5 video games. They’re 0-1 towards Western Convention groups, having misplaced their solely sport towards the West to the Timberwolves. They’re 5-2 on the street. The Grizzlies are coming off a win on the street towards the Spurs. They’re 0-2 towards Jap Convention groups. They’re 0-5 at dwelling. The Celtics have performed their final 6 video games, and eight of their 12 video games thus far, towards Atlantic Division groups.
Marcus Good spent 9 years with the Celtics and have become the guts and soul of the staff. He was included within the commerce that introduced Kristaps Porzingis to Boston. It was thought that he was going to a contender within the West, however there have been accidents and setbacks proper from the beginning. Now, Marcus himself is out for 3-5 weeks. It’s unhappy that he is not going to be taking part in on this sport. Hopefully he might be wholesome and the Grizzlies might be on monitor by the point they play in Boston in February.
Jaylen Brown is questionable for this sport. After slipping on the courtroom on Friday towards the Raptors, Brown is coping with a proper adductor pressure. With the Grizzlies being damage riddled, they might be cautious and maintain Brown on the sidelines for this one, particularly with the Celtics taking part in again to again video games. If Brown can’t play, Sam Hauser will possible begin as soon as once more. We may additionally see Al Horford sit out one of many two again to again video games.
The Grizzlies are very quick handed. Steven Adams is out for the season with a knee damage. Brandon Clarke is out with a torn Achilles. Ja Morant is out resulting from a suspension. Marcus Good is out for 3-5 weeks with an ankle sprain. Luke Kennard (knee), Jake LaRavia (eye), and Xavier Tillman, Sr (knee) are all questionable and might be a sport time resolution.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Delano Banton
Oshae Brissett
Sam Hauser
Al Horford
Luke Kornet
Svi Mykhailiuk
Payton Pritchard
Lamar Stevens
Jordan Walsh
2 Method Gamers
JD Davison
Nathan Knight
Neemias Queta
Accidents/Out
Jaylen Brown (adductor) questionable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Grizzlies Starters
Grizzlies Reserves
Santi Aldama
Kenneth Lofton, Jr
David Roddy
Ziaire Williams
2 Method Gamers
Jacob Gilyard
GG Jackson II
Vince Williams, Jr
Accidents/Out
Steven Adams (knee) out
Brandon Clarke (Achilles) out
Luke Kennard (knee) questionable
Jake LaRavia (eye) questionable
Ja Morant (suspension) out
Xavier Tillman, Sr (knee) questionable
Marcus Good (ankle) out
Head Coach
Taylor Jenkins
Key Matchups
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Jaylen Brown
Photograph by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Photos
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Desmond Bane
Photograph by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE through Getty Photos
Jaylen Brown vs Desmond Bane
Bane is averaging 25.5 factors, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals per sport. He’s capturing 45.6% from the sphere and 35.2% from past the arc. With Jaylen Brown questionable for this sport, we might even see Sam Hauser begin at small ahead if Brown can’t play.
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Jayson Tatum
Photograph by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Photos
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Jaren Jackson, Jr
Photograph by Meg Oliphant/Getty Photos
Jayson Tatum vs Jaren Jackson, Jr.
Jaren Jackson, Jr is averaging 19.4 factors, 6.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 blocks per sport. He’s capturing 44.3% from the sphere and 32.1% from past the arc. He’s the reigning Defensive Participant of the 12 months and can possible make issues tough for Jayson Tatum.
Honorable Point out
Kristaps Porzingis vs Bismack Biyombo
Biyombo is averaging 7.5 factors, 9.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks. He’s capturing 54.8% from the sphere and has not taken a 3 pointer. The Celtics have to maintain him out of the paint and off the boards.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection is all the time a key to profitable. The Celtics are third with a defensive score of 106.5. The Grizzlies are nineteenth with a defensive score of 113.7. The Grizzlies are twenty sixth in scoring with 108.5 factors per sport. The Celtics are 1st in 3 level makes an attempt with 43.1 and twelfth in 3 level share at 36.7%. The Grizzlies are 4th with 41.8 three level makes an attempt per sport however simply twenty sixth in 3 level share at 33.7%. The Celtics should play lock down protection for 48 minutes towards the Grizzlies.
Rebound – The Celtics can’t rating in the event that they don’t have the ball and to get the ball, they need to seize rebounds. The Celtics are 1st within the league, grabbing 47.6 rebounds per sport whereas the Grizzlies are twenty third, with 42.0 rebounds per sport. The Grizzlies are eighth with 15.2 second likelihood factors per sport. A lot of rebounding is effort and hustle and the Celtics have to put out extra effort than the Grizzlies with the intention to beat them to rebounds.
Transfer the Ball Rigorously – The Celtics have to proceed to maneuver the ball to search out the open man and the most effective shot. It’s tougher to protect a staff that strikes the ball than it’s to protect a staff that depends on iso’s and over-dribbling. However, the Celtics need to make cautious passes because the Grizzlies common 20.6 factors off turnovers per sport (third). The Celtics have to be cautious passing and dealing with the ball in order to not flip it over and provides the Grizzlies further factors.
Don’t Underestimate – The Grizzlies have 4 gamers out and three extra questionable. They’ve gained simply 2 of their 12 video games thus far. It might be simple for the Celtics to return in anticipating a simple win and never giving their finest effort. The Celtics have to begin sturdy and play arduous all through the sport. They will’t anticipate to win, even towards the staff with the worst file within the West, in the event that they don’t play arduous and provides it their all.
X-Components
On the Street and Fatigue – The Celtics are on the street for the third straight sport away from TD Backyard. They should get previous the distractions of journey and being away from their houses and households they usually need to maintain from being rattled by the hostile crowd. They’ve to focus on taking part in the fitting manner and ignore all of the distractions. The quick handed Grizzlies are taking part in on the second evening of again to again video games and so fatigue might change into an element for them.
Officiating – Officiating is all the time an x-factor. Some officers name the sport tight and name each little little bit of contact. Others allow them to play and permit each groups to be bodily. Some refs name it one sided for one staff whereas others name it even. Some refs give the house staff the good thing about the calls whereas others favor the street staff or favor neither. The Celtics have to focus on taking part in their sport and never enable dangerous calls and no calls to remove from their concentrate on taking part in.
