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Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2021 14:09:39 GMT -5
C's injury report: Jaylen Brown out, Robert Williams doubtful vs Thunder Saturday (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com
The Boston Celtics will likely be without two starters for the third straight matchup on Saturday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team ruled All-Star Jaylen Brown out due to a strained hamstring while center Robert Williams has been labeled doubtful for the prime time match-up at TD Garden.
Brown’s absence against the Thunder will be his eighth straight game missed but Ime Udoka sounded optimistic before Friday’s win over the Lakers that Brown’s return is in sight.
“He’s close, he’s raring to play,” Ime Udoka said Friday. “We’re going to hold him back a little bit, myself and the medical staff. He really wanted to play tonight - let alone back home in Atlanta - but we feel he needs a little more time. He’s ramped it up over the last week or so. He’s not quite ready but he’ll be back soon.”
Brown has dealt with hamstring injuries numerous times over his five years with the Celtics so it’s evident that the team’s training staff is taking a cautious approach in his return to the court to avoid any setbacks.
“Just the build-up in his workload,” Udoka said of Brown’s recovery. “Have him shooting, playing a little bit, contact. We felt he needed another session or two.”
Williams is also out for the third straight game with left knee tendiopathy after suffering the injury during Monday’s win over the Cavaliers. Williams and Udoka have called it a day-to-day injury in the past week but Grant Williams will continue to start in place of R. Williams with Al Horford shifting to the starting center role.
Dennis Schroder is also listed as probable with a sprained ankle injury for the Thunder match-up. The veteran point guard played through that ailment during Friday’s blowout win over the Lakers, torching his former team with 21 points and 6 assists in 34 minutes.
The 8-8 Celtics face off with the 6-9 Thunder at 7:30 p.m. at the TD Garden on Saturday night.
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Post by cole on Nov 20, 2021 14:15:44 GMT -5
This team is so good, if they had horford and schroeder, they would never get off the bench!
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Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2021 14:21:22 GMT -5
This team is so good, if they had horford and schroeder, they would never get off the bench!
So it's not an automatic win is what you're saying.
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Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2021 15:48:43 GMT -5
Three things to watch for: Celtics vs. Thunder
Boston faces a scrappy Oklahoma City Thunder team after a big win against the Lakers.
By Greg Brueck-Cassoli David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The Oklahoma City Thunder are coming to town to square off against the Boston Celtics, and they’re on a relative roll. The Thunder - who were expected to be the worst team in basketball by many this year - have won five of their last eight contests.
The Celtics are riding some good vibes of their own, coming off of a convincing victory over the Los Angeles Lakers and now winners of six of their last nine games. Let’s take a look at some of the key aspects of the matchup that will define who is likely to keep their winning ways rolling.
1 - Can the Celtics avoid heavy legs?
Boston is on the second night of a back-to-back, coming off an emotional victory over a historic rival. They’ve been short several key players due to injury and have had to tax out their healthy players a little more than ideal to start the year.
The Celtics should win on talent regardless, but there is some serious trap game potential here. The Thunder are better than their reputation as a bunch of hapless tankers might suggest. They play hard every night and have proven to be a surprisingly competent defensive outfit. OKC ranks 13th in non-garbage-time defensive rating, per Cleaning the Glass.
The Thunder’s offense has been a mess to start the year, but the team’s effort and defense keeps them in games against teams that opt not to lock in and slow them early, and they’ve got a couple of players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lugentz Dort who are capable of getting red hot and taking their team home down the stretch.
Boston should hit the gas early and try to build up a sizeable lead before it starts to feel the effects of the back-to-back later in the game.
2 - Preparing for the pick-and-pop
The Thunder are attempting to build an offensive ecosystem where essentially every player on the floor is capable of doing a little bit of everything. That vision is far from a reality at the moment, but it still influences their style of play in the present.
OKC starts Jeremiah Robinson-Earl as a small ball center. They love to run the pick-and-pop with him. He’s a decent threat from beyond the arc as a big, canning 35.0 percent of his threes to-date.
The Celtics will likely switch that action to start the game. Robinson-Earl isn’t a threatening enough post player to worry them about mismatches. The greater fear is allowing Gilgeous-Alexander to attack Boston bigs off the bounce. SGA is slithery ballhandler with all sorts of wrong-footed, off-balance finishing ability. Al Horford may have the chops to defend him in isolation consistently, but asking any of the Celtics’ backup options to do so could be a dicey proposition.
(NOTE: If Robert Williams is available, he too may be able to handle some time defending SGA on the perimeter)
3 - Dort
Have you ever played pick-up against a football player? It’s a miserable experience. Even if you win you wind up exhausted and battered. That’s roughly what it is like to match up with Lu Dort. The Thunder’s wrecking ball of a wing is strong as an ox and seems to play the game with an endless amount of energy.
Dort made his bones as a physical perimeter defender, but he’s consistently added offensive polish to his game. He’s been on something of a roll lately, scoring 20+ points in five of OKC’s last six games. Dort has been bombing away from three and using his rugged frame and explosiveness to rumble towards the hoop when defenders close out too hard.
Boston has a strong competitive psychopath of its own in Marcus Smart and another potential option to defend Dort if Jaylen Brown is available to play. The Celtics might be wise to use Smart on Gilgeous-Alexander either way. He’s a more gifted and dangerous offensive threat. If Brown is out, then Boston may have trouble with Dort.
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Post by kyceltic on Nov 20, 2021 16:34:30 GMT -5
One thing is for sure, OKC will play better defense then the Lakers played!! Who you pulling for tonight, Cole??
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Post by cole on Nov 20, 2021 16:55:35 GMT -5
This team is so good, if they had horford and schroeder, they would never get off the bench!
So it's not an automatic win is what you're saying.
I'm actually trying to make a play on the irony that the thunder are not really trying to win
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Post by kdp59 on Nov 20, 2021 17:47:24 GMT -5
I was hoping Rob would play and Al could take the night off, dammit!
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Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2021 19:21:02 GMT -5
So it's not an automatic win is what you're saying.
I'm actually trying to make a play on the irony that the thunder are not really trying to win
as in Tristan Thompson irony?
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Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2021 19:21:22 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2021 19:21:43 GMT -5
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Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2021 19:22:48 GMT -5
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:33:30 GMT -5
Big Al a little bitter with this team for sitting him? Let's hope...
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Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2021 19:38:54 GMT -5
Break out the rum and keep the wins coming!
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:41:45 GMT -5
Time for tip off
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Post by Admin on Nov 20, 2021 19:41:58 GMT -5
Celtics lineup change (Dennis Schroder, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Grant Williams, Marcus Smart)
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:42:21 GMT -5
C's win the tip. Smart for 3.
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:43:19 GMT -5
Tatum stops the Thunder break. Nice block.
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:44:43 GMT -5
24 sec shot clock violation.
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:45:32 GMT -5
Tatum the pull up jumper for 2
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:46:40 GMT -5
Smart to Al over the top
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:47:32 GMT -5
Thunder turnover
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:47:59 GMT -5
Schroder 2 on the drive and contact.
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:51:40 GMT -5
Another Thunder turnover.
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:52:39 GMT -5
C's need to hit some shots here.
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Post by drboogiebone on Nov 20, 2021 19:53:04 GMT -5
Nice ball movement. Jayson for 3. nice...
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