Post by Admin on Oct 18, 2017 18:11:50 GMT -5
Celtics host Bucks in home opener
Celtics host Bucks in first home game of the season.
by flceltsfan
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Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Milwaukee Bucks (0-0) at Boston Celtics (0-1)
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
7:30 PM ET
Regular Season Game #2 – Home Game #1
TV: NBCSB, FSN-WI, NBA-LP 757(DTV)/754(Xfinity)
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, 620 AM WTMJ
TD Garden
The Celtics welcome the Bucks to the Garden for their home opener of the 2017-18 season. The Celtics are already playing in their first back to back set of the season, having played in Cleveland on Tuesday night. The Bucks are playing in their season opener.
Tuesday's season opener took a lot out of every player on the Celtics. With just over 6 minutes to go in the first quarter, Gordon Hayward went down with a fractured ankle and was taken back to Boston to the hospital for surgery. The Celtics certainly were playing with thoughts of Gordon on their minds. They fell behind by as many as 18 points but came back to take the lead at one point but they ended up losing by just 3.
The Celtics will need to regroup and find the best player to fill in for Hayward in the starting lineup. I'm just making a wild guess that Marcus Smart will fill in at shooting guard with Jaylen Brown moving to small forward. That will allow the rest of the starting lineup to remain the same. Another possibility could be to start Irving, Brown, Tatum, Horford and Baynes.
Marcus Morris is still out with a sore knee and will likely join the starters when he comes back. There is no injury and the MRI was clean, but he has been experiencing soreness and so the Celtics are being cautious so as not to cause an injury. Guerschon Yabusele missed Tuesday's game with an illness and is questionable for this game. Gordon Hayward is out with the ankle injury. Jabari Parker is out for the Bucks as he rehabs from a torn ACL. He is targeting a February return.
Boston Celtics Probable Starters
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Marcus Smart
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Al Horford
Celtics Reserves
Daniel Theis
Shane Larkin
Abdel Nader
Semi Ojeleye
Terry Rozier
Aron Baynes
Injuries
Marcus Morris (knee) out
Guerschon Yabusele (illness) questionable
Gordon Hayward (ankle) out
Head Coach
Brad Stevens
Milwaukee Bucks Probable Starters
PG: Malcolm Brogdon
SG: Tony Snell
SF: Khris Middleton
PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
C: Thon Maker
Bucks Reserves
Sterling Brown
Matthew Dellavedova
John Henson
Greg Monroe
Mirza Teletovic
Jason Terry
Rashad Vaughn
DJ Wilson
Injuries
Jabari Parker (knee)
Head Coach
Jason Kidd
Key Matchups
Kyrie Irving vs Malcolm Brogdon
After an emotional return to Cleveland for Kyrie, he makes his home debut at the TD Garden against last season's Rookie of the Year. Brogdon averaged 10.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season and was a surprise ROY winner. Kyrie should be able to have his way against the 2nd year player.
Jayson Tatum vs Giannis Antetokounmpo
"The Greek Freak" is a tough cover for anyone. It will be an even tougher cover for Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum. If Brad Stevens adds Aron Baynes to the starters instead of Marcus Smart, then it will be Al’s job to cover him. Even more importantly, Jayson or Al will need to make Giannis work on defense to try to wear him down.
www.celticsblog.com/2017/10/18/16500866/boston-celtics-host-milwaukee-bucks-in-home-opener
