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The Celtics go to the Milwaukee Bucks as they appear to win their second straight sport.
Boston Celtics (29-8) at Milwaukee Bucks (25-12)
Thursday, January 11, 2024
7:30 PM ET
TV: TNT
Radio: 98.5 Sports activities Hub, WTMJ-AM/FM
Common Season Recreation #38, Highway Recreation #20
Fiserv Discussion board
The Celtics go to the Milwaukee Bucks for the second of 4 video games between these two groups this season. The Celtics received the primary assembly 119-116 in Boston. They may meet a second time in Boston on March 20. They may meet as soon as extra in Milwaukee on April 9. The Celtics received the collection 2-1 final season. They received on Christmas Day in Boston and 1 sport in Milwaukee. They misplaced one sport in Milwaukee.
The Celtics stay first within the East. They’re 4 video games forward of 2nd place Milwaukee, 5.5 video games forward of third place Philadelphia, 7 video games forward of 4th place Indiana and fifth place New York, and they’re 7.5 video games forward of sixth place Cleveland. The Celtics are 11-8 on the highway and 8-2 of their final 10 video games. They’re 22-5 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups and are coming off a win of their final sport.
The Bucks stay in 2nd place within the East. They’re 4 video games behind first place Boston. They’re 1.5 video games forward of third place Philadelphia, 3 video games forward of 4th place Indiana and fifth place New York, and three.5 video games forward of sixth place Cleveland. The Bucks are 16-4 at house and 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 20-10 in opposition to Japanese Convention groups they usually have misplaced their final 2 video games.
The Celtics are enjoying within the 2nd of again to again video games and needed to journey after Wednesday’s sport. They’re 5-1 up to now on the second evening of again to again video games. They’re 1-0 when the video games are Residence/Highway. They’re additionally enjoying of their fifth sport in 7 nights. The Celtics are 117-110 all time general in opposition to the Bucks. They’re 43-70 in video games performed in Milwaukee.
The Celtics received at house on Wednesday evening and tackle the Bucks on the highway on this sport. They may return house to host the Rockets earlier than heading out on the highway once more to play in Toronto. They may then have house video games in opposition to San Antonio and Denver. They may then tackle Houston and Dallas on the highway in again to again video games and the Warmth in Miami earlier than settling in for a 7 sport house stand.
The Bucks are enjoying within the 2nd of a 4 sport house stand. They may play Golden State and Sacramento again to again to complete the house stand. After that, their schedule will get simpler as they play Cleveland, and Detroit twice on the highway earlier than returning house to face Cleveland twice and New Orleans earlier than heading out on a 5 sport Western highway journey.
The Celics ought to be virtually at full energy for this sport. I anticipate that Al Horford will sit out for relaxation on the second evening of again to again video games. I additionally anticipate Kristaps Porzingis to return for this sport after sitting out Wednesday’s sport. For the Bucks, Jae Crowder is out with a groin harm. Cameron Payne is questionable attributable to being in concussion protocol.
Possible Celtics Starters
Celtics Reserves
Delano Banton
Oshae Brissett
Sam Hauser
Luke Kornet
Svi Mykhailiuk
Payton Pritchard
Lamar Stevens
Jordan Walsh
2 Manner Gamers
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Neemias Queta
Accidents/Out
Al Horford (relaxation) questionable
Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla
Possible Bucks Starters
Bucks Reserves
Thanasis Antetokounmpo
MarJon Beauchamp
Pat Connaughton
AJ Inexperienced
Andre Jackson, Jr
Chris Livingston
Robin Lopez
Bobby Portis, Jr
Two Manner Gamers
TyTy Washington, Jr
Accidents/Out
Jae Crowder (groin) out
Cameron Payne (concussion) questionable
Head Coach
Adrian Griffin
Key Matchups
Jayson Tatum vs Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the Bucks’ finest participant and probably the league’s finest participant. He’s averaging 31.4 factors, 11.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.3 assists per sport. He’s capturing 60.7% from the sector however simply 23.8% from past the arc. Within the earlier sport in opposition to the Celtics, he completed with 21 factors, 13 rebounds, 5 assists and a couple of steals. The Celtics held him to 35% from the sector and no 3 pointers. You’ll be able to’t cease Giannis, however you possibly can attempt to gradual him down.
Jrue Vacation vs Damian Lillard
Lillard is averaging 25.1 factors, 4.3 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.1 steals per sport. He’s capturing 42.8% from the sector and 35.2% from past the arc. Within the first sport in opposition to the Celtics, Lillard completed with 27 factors, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a couple of steals. He shot 46% from the sector and 30% from past the arc. The Celtics have to play Lillard tightly on protection to restrict his manufacturing since he’s the largest menace aside from Antetokounmpo. Hopefully enjoying his former crew will give Vacation added incentive to play properly to beat them.
Honorable Point out
Jaylen Brown vs Khris Middleton
Middleton is averaging 14.7 factors, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per sport. He’s capturing 49% from the sector and 38% from past the arc. Middleton all the time appears to rise up for Celtics video games and is a verified Celtics killer. Within the first sport in opposition to the Celtics, Middleton completed with 12 factors, 5 rebounds, and seven assists. He shot 29% from the sector and 40% from past the arc. Jaylen Brown has been enjoying very properly in current video games and the Celtics will want him to proceed that on this sport.
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Keys to the Recreation
Protection – Protection is all the time the largest key to profitable. Protection actually does win championships. The Celtics are 2nd with a defensive score of 110.4. The Bucks are twenty second with a defensive score of 116.3. The Celtics should work tougher than the Bucks on protection and maintain their deal with the defensive finish in order to not enable any simple baskets for the Bucks.
Rebound – Subsequent to protection, rebounding is all the time a giant key to profitable. The important thing to rebounding is effort and focus. When the Celtics improve their rebounding effort, it often improves their play in different areas as properly. The Bucks are twelfth with 44.1 rebounds per sport whereas the Celtics are 1st with 47.6 rebounds per sport. The Celtics should combat arduous to beat the Bucks to rebounds.
Keep Targeted – A scarcity of focus can clarify lots of the Celtics issues after they battle. At instances, the Celtics lose focus and battle to hit photographs that they’d often make. They often take questionable photographs, miss some layups and stopped shifting the ball, which will also be attributed to an absence of focus. In addition they miss free throws in video games the place they lack focus. Once they lose deal with offense, additionally they lose deal with protection and miss assignments and permit their opponent open photographs on the perimeter and straightforward photographs inside. They have to keep centered on enjoying the precise manner.
Be Aggressive – The Celtics should be the extra aggressive crew with a view to have an opportunity to beat the Bucks. They should be extra aggressive in going for free balls and in crashing the boards. They should be extra aggressive on protection they usually should be aggressive in going to the basket and never settling for 3’s in the event that they aren’t falling. Usually the extra aggressive crew will get extra calls. They’ll’t enable the Bucks to play tougher than them.
X-Elements
Residence Courtroom and Fatigue – The Bucks are an excellent house crew, going 16-4 at house up to now this season. The Celtics can’t enable the distractions of enjoying on the highway to remove their deal with enjoying the sport. The Celtics are enjoying within the second of again to again video games after a troublesome additional time sport in opposition to the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Journey and again to again video games may have an effect on the play of the Celtics.
Officiating – The officiating can all the time be an x-factor. Some referees name the sport tight and others allow them to play. Some favor the house crew and others name it evenly. Some refs simply appear to have an agenda that doesn’t match the play on the courtroom. And typically the refs are merely atrocious (see Pacers sport). Giannis appears to all the time get greater than his share of calls as he plows via gamers on his strategy to the ring, leaving our bodies in his wake. The Celtics should play via nevertheless the refs name the sport, whether or not it’s tight or they allow them to play or they make horrible calls. The Celtics can’t enable dangerous calls or no calls to remove their deal with the sport.
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