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The Celtics host the Atlanta Hawks for the 2nd of 4 conferences this season.
Atlanta Hawks (22-28) at Boston Celtics (38-12)
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
7:30 PM ET
Common Season Sport #51, House Sport #27
TV: NBCSB, BSSE-ATL, NBA-LP
Radio: Rock 92.9, WZGC, Sirius XM
TD Backyard
The Celtics host the Atlanta Hawks for the second of 4 conferences this season. The Celtics received the primary recreation 113-103 in Boston on November 26. They’ll meet twice extra in Atlanta on March 25 and March 28. Boston received the collection 3-0 final season, successful twice in Atlanta and as soon as in Boston. The Celtics additionally beat them 4 video games to 2 within the first spherical of the playoffs final season.
The Celtics stay 1st within the East. They’re 5 video games forward of 2nd place Cleveland, 5 video games forward of third place Milwaukee, 5.5 video games forward of 4th place New York, 7.5 video games forward of fifth place Philadelphia, and 10 video games forward of sixth place Indiana. Milwaukee continues to be enjoying as I write this so their place could change. The Celtics are 23-3 at dwelling and 7-3 of their final 10 video games. They’re 25-6 towards Japanese Convention groups and they’re coming off a win of their final recreation.
the Hawks are tenth within the East, 1 recreation behind ninth place Chicago, 4 video games behind eighth place Miami and 5.5 video games behind sixth place Indiana and a assured spot within the playoffs. They’re 1.5 video games forward of eleventh place Brooklyn and dropping out of play-in place. They’re 10-14 on the highway and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 13-20 towards Japanese Convention groups and are coming off a loss of their final recreation.
The Celtics are enjoying within the sixth recreation of a 7 recreation dwelling stand. They’re 3-2 thus far on the house stand, shedding to the Lakers and Clippers and beating New Orleans, Indians and Memphis. They’ve yet another recreation on this dwelling stand towards the Wizards earlier than a recreation on the highway towards Miami after which a again to again dwelling and residential collection towards the Nets.
The Hawks are coming off a 6 recreation dwelling stand the place they went 4-2, beating Toronto, the Lakers, Phoenix, and Golden State and misplaced to the Clippers and Mavericks. That is the primary of two consecutive highway video games for them and they’re going to play at Philadelphia after this recreation. Then they’ve 2 video games at dwelling towards Houston and Chicago earlier than enjoying at Charlotte after which a 3 recreation dwelling stand.
Jrue Vacation was listed as questionable for this recreation with a proper elbow sprain. He has been downgraded to out. I’d guess that Derrick White will transfer to the purpose and both Sam Hauser or Al Horford will get the beginning in his place. Jaylen Brown is not listed on the harm report. The Celtics have traded for Xavier Tillman however I doubt that he’ll have the ability to play on this recreation. Lamar Stevens can be heading to Memphis within the deal for Tillman.
For the Hawks, Clint Capela was identified with a left adductor pressure following an MRI on Sunday and can miss this recreation and will likely be re-evaluated in 7-to-10 days. Mouhamed Gueye is rehabbing from a again harm and is listed as out for this recreation. De’Andre Hunter is listed as possible for this recreation. He has been coming off the bench and enjoying by knee soreness. Coming off one among his greatest video games of the season, it’s attainable that Hunter will return to the beginning lineup instead of Saddiq Bey.
Dejounte Murray was initially questionable for Wednesday’s recreation towards the Celtics as a consequence of decrease again tightness. He’s a late scratch and is now listed as out. I’m guessing that Bogdan Bogdanovic is more likely to get the beginning in his place.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Delano Banton
Oshae Brissett
Al Horford
Luke Kornet
Svi Mykhailiuk
Payton Pritchard
Jordan Walsh
2 Means Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Neemias Queta
Accidents/Out
Jrue Vacation (elbow) questionable
Xavier Tillman (commerce) uncertain
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Hawks Starters
Hawks Reserves
Kobe Bufkin
Bruno Fernando
AJ Griffin
De’Andre Hunter
Garrison Matthews
Wesley Matthews
Patty Mills
2 Means Gamers
Trent Forrest
Seth Lundy
Vit Krejci
Accidents/Out
Mouhammed Gueye (again) out
Clint Capela (thigh) out
Dejounte Murray (again) out
De’Andre Hunter (knee) possible
Head Coach
Quin Snyder
Key Matchups
Jrue Vacation vs Trae Younger
Younger is averaging 27.3 factors, 2.8 rebounds, 10.9 assists and 1.5 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 43.5% from the sector and 38.4% from past the arc. Within the first recreation towards Boston, he completed with 33 factors, 5 rebounds, and seven assists whereas taking pictures 44.4% from the sector and 37.5% from past the arc. I’m hoping that Jrue can play, but when not, Derrick White must be matched up with Younger on the level. The Celtics may have their arms full attempting to sluggish him down and preserve him from having a giant recreation.
Derrick White vs DeJounte Murray
Murray is averaging 21.4 factors, 5.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.3 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 46.6% from the sector and 37.3% from past the arc. Murray can be one of many Hawks greatest defenders. Within the first recreation towards the Celtics, he completed with 6 factors, 4 rebounds and three assists. He shot simply 15.4% from the sector and didn’t shoot a 3. As soon as once more, if Jrue Vacation is out, Jaylen Brown will possible be the taking pictures guard for the Celtics. The Celtics might want to work exhausting on each ends of the courtroom to get the higher of this matchup.
Honorable Point out
Jayson Tatum vs Jalen Johnson
Johnson is averaging 15.6 factors, 8.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals per recreation. He’s taking pictures 52.4% from the sector and 36.7% from past the arc. He didn’t play towards the Celtics within the first recreation between these two groups. The Celtics have to preserve Johnson off the boards as he is among the higher rebounders on the staff.
Keys to the Sport
Protection – Protection is all the time a key to successful video games. Protection is very vital for the Celtics on this recreation as a result of the Hawks are a great scoring staff, averaging 121.6 factors per recreation, which is third within the league. The Celtics are fifth, averaging 120.3 factors per recreation. The Celtics have a defensive ranking of 110.6 which is third whereas the Hawks have a defensive ranking of 120.0, which is twenty seventh. The Celtics should make protection a precedence on this recreation and so they need to play that powerful protection for 48 minutes and never let up.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is a key to successful. A lot of rebounding is effort and need. When the Celtics put out the additional effort on the boards, it normally carries by to the remainder of their recreation. The Hawks are averaging 44.9 rebounds per recreation (eighth) whereas the Celtics are averaging 47.5 rebounds per recreation (1st). The Hawks are third with 16.1 second probability factors per recreation. The Celtics have to aggressively go after each rebound. They will’t afford to provide the Hawks additional possessions and 2nd probability factors by permitting them to seize rebounds.
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Keep Targeted – The Celtics want to come back in targeted and keep targeted all through the sport. They should give attention to their photographs and shot choice. They should give attention to making their free throws. They should give attention to enjoying protection and making the suitable switches. They should give attention to making good passes and never turning the ball over because the Hawks common 17.5 factors off turnovers per recreation. And they should give attention to sharing the ball and making the suitable play. Lack of focus ends in these horrible taking pictures nights and excessive turnover video games and so they can’t afford both of these on this recreation.
Vitality and Physicality – The Celtics misplaced to the Lakers, who had been quick handed, however they performed tougher than the Celtics. The Celtics need to be the staff that performs tougher and with extra vitality. They have to be extra bodily to counter the physicality of their opponents. The Celtics have expertise, however they’ll’t afford to permit groups to play tougher and with extra vitality than them, even groups with a shedding file just like the Hawks.
X-Components
House Courtroom– They name it dwelling courtroom benefit for a cause and the Celtics have to benefit from enjoying on their dwelling courtroom. The Celtics have to get motivation from the house crowd, which must be loud and doing the whole lot of their energy to help the Celtics and rattle the Hawks. The Hawks have the distractions of journey and an unfamiliar enviornment and a hostile crowd and hopefully that may give the Celtics a bonus.
Officiating – Officiating is all the time an x-factor. Each crew calls the sport somewhat in a different way with some calling it tight and others letting them play. Some refs simply make head scratching calls whereas others attempt very exhausting to get them proper. Typically they’re tech loopy for each little factor. In some video games they name the two halves fully in a different way. The Celtics have to regulate to how the sport is being known as and give attention to enjoying the sport and never on the officiating.
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