Post by Admin on Mar 20, 2023 15:20:48 GMT -5
While a loss to the Kings on Tuesday would push the Celtics into the 3rd seed for certain, unless the Sixers lose at home Monnday night against the Bulls, the Celtics remaining schedule vs the Sixers does favor them going down the stretch for the second seed.
[Doc] Rivers lamented what he called an "insane" stretch that included three straight road games late last week, one home game Monday night against the Chicago Bulls, and then another four-game road trip with stops in Chicago, Golden State, Phoenix and Denver.
"This flying home from here (Indiana) to play one game to go back on the road for four is just insane," Rivers told reporters, via Sports Illustrated. "But it is what it is, and there's nothing you can do about it."
In fact, Rivers said he doesn't even view Monday as a true home game, since his players will only sleep in their own beds for one night.
"The one game is still a road game," Rivers said. "You know, our crowd will give us support, and that only be the reason we know that we're at home. But we're literally coming home to do laundry. Then we go back on the road."
Rivers has a point: Seven road games in an eight-game stretch is quite the grind. But lest you feel too much sympathy for Rivers' squad, only one of the Sixers' last seven opponents currently has a winning record, so they haven't exactly faced stiff competition.
That will change later this week, however: After back-to-back games against the middling Bulls, the Sixers will face the Warriors (who are 27-9 at home), a Suns team that could have Kevin Durant back in the lineup and the Western Conference No. 1 seed Nuggets.
If that "insane" schedule succeeds in cooling Philly off, the Celtics have an opportunity to take advantage: After a matchup with the West No. 2 seed Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, the C's have three winnable games against the Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards.
Boston can't afford to overlook any opponent right now, however. Joe Mazzulla's squad is 4-5 in its last nine games and has blown multiple double-digit leads in that span, so the Celtics need to cure what ails them if they want any chance of regaining the No. 2 seed.
"This flying home from here (Indiana) to play one game to go back on the road for four is just insane," Rivers told reporters, via Sports Illustrated. "But it is what it is, and there's nothing you can do about it."
In fact, Rivers said he doesn't even view Monday as a true home game, since his players will only sleep in their own beds for one night.
"The one game is still a road game," Rivers said. "You know, our crowd will give us support, and that only be the reason we know that we're at home. But we're literally coming home to do laundry. Then we go back on the road."
Rivers has a point: Seven road games in an eight-game stretch is quite the grind. But lest you feel too much sympathy for Rivers' squad, only one of the Sixers' last seven opponents currently has a winning record, so they haven't exactly faced stiff competition.
That will change later this week, however: After back-to-back games against the middling Bulls, the Sixers will face the Warriors (who are 27-9 at home), a Suns team that could have Kevin Durant back in the lineup and the Western Conference No. 1 seed Nuggets.
If that "insane" schedule succeeds in cooling Philly off, the Celtics have an opportunity to take advantage: After a matchup with the West No. 2 seed Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, the C's have three winnable games against the Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards.
Boston can't afford to overlook any opponent right now, however. Joe Mazzulla's squad is 4-5 in its last nine games and has blown multiple double-digit leads in that span, so the Celtics need to cure what ails them if they want any chance of regaining the No. 2 seed.
Rob is supposed to be ready vs the Kings but it's doubtful he'll be in the starting lineup ... it will take him a few games to get his legs/stamina back so look for him to get restricted minutes if at all ... maybe they wait till they come home at this point.
The Boston Celtics and their March 21 opponent, the Kings, are both coming off losses to a Jazz team that was supposedly on the downturn after profiling as sellers at the 2023 NBA trade deadline. Boston, though, is coming off three days of rest. Sacramento will be taking on the Cs on the second night of a back-to-back.
The loss to Utah halted a three-game win streak for the Kings, who has been one of the surprise stories of the season with a 43-28 record — good for the seventh-best record in the league and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference as of this writing.
Boston, meanwhile, seemed to be crawling out of their post-All-Star break malaise before being stunned by the Jazz this past Saturday. Utah center Walker Kessler swatted away Grant Williams’ game-winning attempt, which temporarily knocked the Celtics out of the No. 2 seed in the east. Tuesday night will be a game with plenty of postseason implications for both teams.
The loss to Utah halted a three-game win streak for the Kings, who has been one of the surprise stories of the season with a 43-28 record — good for the seventh-best record in the league and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference as of this writing.
Boston, meanwhile, seemed to be crawling out of their post-All-Star break malaise before being stunned by the Jazz this past Saturday. Utah center Walker Kessler swatted away Grant Williams’ game-winning attempt, which temporarily knocked the Celtics out of the No. 2 seed in the east. Tuesday night will be a game with plenty of postseason implications for both teams.
Sacramento Kings: 1st (ORtg), 25th (DRtg), 10th (Pace), 7th (NRtg)
Boston Celtics: 4th (ORtg), 4th (DRtg), 18th (Pace), 2nd (NRtg)
Boston Celtics: 4th (ORtg), 4th (DRtg), 18th (Pace), 2nd (NRtg)
Boston Celtics Projected Starting Lineup
PG – Marcus Smart, SG – Jaylen Brown, SF – Jayson Tatum, PF – Al Horford, C – Robert Williams III
PG – Marcus Smart, SG – Jaylen Brown, SF – Jayson Tatum, PF – Al Horford, C – Robert Williams III
Sacramento Kings Projected Starting Lineup
PG – De’Aaron Fox, SG – Kessler Edwards, SF – Harrison Barnes, PF – Keegan Murray, C – Domantas Sabonis
PG – De’Aaron Fox, SG – Kessler Edwards, SF – Harrison Barnes, PF – Keegan Murray, C – Domantas Sabonis
Boston Celtics vs Sacramento Kings Injury Report
Celtics PG Payton Pritchard (heel) – Out < What's up with this? Looking more & more like Brad should have traded him and signed IT cheap
Kings SG Kevin Huerter (popliteus) – Questionable
Celtics PG Payton Pritchard (heel) – Out < What's up with this? Looking more & more like Brad should have traded him and signed IT cheap
Kings SG Kevin Huerter (popliteus) – Questionable
Boston Celtics vs Sacramento Kings Prediction
“The Time Lord” Robert Williams III is back, and the Celtics are near full strength. Meanwhile, the Kings are missing Kevin Huerter, their third-leading scorer and top 3-point marksman on the roster.
All of this adds up to what should be a comeback night for the Cs on the west coast. The Houdini regretted saying this against the Jazz, but there’s no hesitation in saying this now: lay that chalk.
Celtics 127 Kings 120
“The Time Lord” Robert Williams III is back, and the Celtics are near full strength. Meanwhile, the Kings are missing Kevin Huerter, their third-leading scorer and top 3-point marksman on the roster.
All of this adds up to what should be a comeback night for the Cs on the west coast. The Houdini regretted saying this against the Jazz, but there’s no hesitation in saying this now: lay that chalk.
Celtics 127 Kings 120
Hoping the video above (King of Pain) doesn't apply to the result of this final game of the road trip ... we need a win for my minimum expectation of 4-2 to pan out. When the trip began, everyone was looking for 5-1 or even a clean sweep of 6-0 to stay even or bypass the Bucks but I figured at least 1 loss was in the cards and losing to the Rockets wasn't the loss I was expecting ... it was these Kings, so now to go home respectable, the C's must get this win to hold onto that 4-2 minimum expectation ... GO CELTICS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!