Author Topic: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18  (Read 28088 times)

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Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« on: November 30, 2018, 03:28:25 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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  at 
Saturday, December 1, 2018
8:00 PM EST
Regular Season Game #23, Road Game #14
TV: NBATV, NBCSB, FSN
Radio: 100.7 WZLX, WCCO-AM 830
Target Center




Probable Starters
PG SG SF PF C
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Marcus Smart
SF:  Jayson Tatum
PF:  Al Horford
C:   Aron Baynes

Celtics Reserves
Daniel Theis
Terry Rozier
Gordon Hayward
Semi Ojeleye
Marcus Morris
Guerschon Yabusele
Brad Wanamaker
Robert Williams

Injuries
Jabari Bird
Jaylen Brown

Two Way Players
P. J. Dozier

Coach
Brad Stevens




Probable Starters
PG SG SFPF C
PG: Jeff Teague
SG: Andrew Wiggins
SF:  Robert Covington
PF:  Taj Gibson
C:   Karl-Anthony Towns

Timberwolves Reserves

Keita Bates-Diop
Luol Deng
Tyus Jones
James Nunnally
Josh Okogie
Derrick Rose
Dario Saric
Anthony Tolliver


Injuries
Jerryd Bayless

Two Way Players
Jared Terrell
C. J. Williams

Coach
Tom Thibodeau

Game Notes
Tonight, the Boston Celtics travel to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves in the second game of a back to back, after a dominating 128-95 victory over the lowly Cleveland Cavaliers last night. Boston has won two games in a row and 3 of their last four games. This will be the sixth time the Celtics are playing in a back to back in this young season and have only been 2-3 in the second games of back to backs this year. A win tonight for the Celtics would be just the 2nd time this year where the Celtics have won both games of the back to back. Minnesota is coming into the game riding a four game winning streak and have won 7 of their last 9 since coming out of the gates slowly and struggling to a 4-9 record. The Wolves turnaround can be directly linked to the trading disgruntled star, Jimmy Butler, and Justin Patton to the Philadelphia 76ers for Dario Saric, Jerryd Bayless, Robert Covington and a 2nd round pick on November 11th.

The Timberwolves will be an excellent test for the Celtics to see if Boston has finally turned a corner in their season going into another nice four day break between games. Minnesota has just been a completely different team since moving Covington into the starting lineup and Saric into the bench rotation, especially on the defensive side of things. Prior to the trade the Wolves averaged giving up 117.3 points per game. Since the trade Minny gives up just 97.6 points per game. Offensively, even though the Timberwolves lost Butler's 21 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists per game, Covington and Saric have made up for it with Minnesota only scoring  2 points less per game since their arrival. Any trade that can give your team a +17 point differential is a good trade and the cessation of the drama surrounding the young Wolves when Butler was around, has made Minny a much better overall team. How much better? At the time of the trade Minnesota had the worst defense in the league with a def-rating of 116.5. Since then their 99.8 def-rating is the 2nd best in the league.

Of course, the player everyone has been talking about since the trade has been Robert Covington. He has brought a bulldog defensive intensity that has infected this Minnesota squad with crazy on/off court numbers in the last nine games. Covington has also added 14 points and rebounds per game while shooting 40% from three on 7.5 3PTA per game. Covington has also led the team in scoring the last 2 games. The Wolves star center, Karl -Anthony Towns is off to another excellent season putting up 20.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per game(8th best in league). The Timberwolves other young star, Andrew Wiggins is having easily his worst year as a pro putting up career lows in a multitude of categories and has struggled mightly his last 5 games scoring just 8.6 PPG over his last 5 games on 25% from the field and 18.1% from three. Luckily, Wiggins poor play has be offset with a tremendous bounce back year for former NBA MVP Derrick Rose, who is the Wolves sixth man putting up 19 PPG and 4.4 APG with incredible shooting% numbers of 49.8/48.6/85.5.

Jaylen Brown, as of this writing, is listed as doubtful for tonight and it looks like he will missed his third consecutive game with a bruised tailbone. But the Celtics will get Al Horford back into the starting lineup after a missing a game due to rest. I have Stevens going with a big starting lineup of Baynes and Horford but don't be surprised to see a Horford and Morris starting frontcourt tandem as the Horford/Morris/Tatum/Smart/Irving starting looked very potent in the game against New Orleans. Keys for Boston tonight will be to try to solve the revamped Minnesota defense that has led the league in limiting opponents from scoring after turnovers, scoring on the fast break and scoring in the paint. The Timberwolves can be attacked through their guards as Teague, Wiggins and Rose have been the worst defenders on the Wolves all year. Expect Smart, Rozier and especially Irving to attack to create shots for themselves and others. Boston will also need to be careful with the ball as Minnesota leads the league in steals per game and are a very good team at creating turnovers. But the biggest key will be for all Celtics players to bring the intensity on both ends of the floor all night, like every single Celtic who played last night did. Here's hoping for a three game win streak.

« Last Edit: December 01, 2018, 03:13:15 PM by nickagneta »

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2018, 05:44:33 PM »

Offline Celtic Fan Forever

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TP for the Game Thread, Nick. Let’s win this one C’s!
2023 CelticsStrong Historical Draft Champions - OKC Thunder
PG: Chauncey Billups/ Baron Davis
SG: Michael Redd/ Dan Majerle/ Allan Houston
SF: Peja Stojakovic/ Gerald Wallace/ Toni Kukoc
PF: Shawn Kemp/ Antonio McDyess
C: Dwight Howard/ Tyson Chandler

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2018, 05:48:51 PM »

Offline hwangjini_1

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almost frist!!!

thanks for the game thread, and just in time for the game! ;)

tp for the good work and its now time for the celtics to win two in a row!!!

grrrrrrrrrr.....celtics gonna stomp some butt tonight and win big time!

goooooooooooooooo celtics!!!  ;D
I believe Gandhi is the only person who knew about real democracy — not democracy as the right to go and buy what you want, but democracy as the responsibility to be accountable to everyone around you. Democracy begins with freedom from hunger, freedom from unemployment, freedom from fear, and freedom from hatred.
- Vandana Shiva

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #3 on: December 01, 2018, 05:51:06 PM »

Offline hpantazo

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Alright, let's get a legit streak going!

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2018, 05:51:20 PM »

Offline Surferdad

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3rd!  Looking forward to this one BIG TIME.

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2018, 06:07:42 PM »

Offline BringToughnessBack

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Ready to start consistently winning! TP for game thread

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2018, 06:11:48 PM »

Kiorrik

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LETS GO CELTICS

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2018, 06:19:42 PM »

Kiorrik

  • Guest
Looking forward to this game - been following DRose a bit actually. Kinda cool to see him produce again.

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2018, 06:23:07 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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TP to CFF for being the first to post in the game thread.

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #9 on: December 01, 2018, 06:45:54 PM »

Offline KG Living Legend

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 Almost 7th!

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #10 on: December 01, 2018, 07:09:01 PM »

Offline ozgod

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Looking forward to a more true test for our rejigged starting five. I hope they come out snarling.
Any odd typos are because I suck at typing on an iPhone :D

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #11 on: December 01, 2018, 07:22:08 PM »

Offline blink

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Thanks for the game thread Nick.  Go C's!!!!!

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #12 on: December 01, 2018, 08:03:36 PM »

Offline coco

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Darn League Pass.
I can’t understand why NBA TV isn’t included when you purchase NBA League Pass.  Is is stupid...

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #13 on: December 01, 2018, 08:08:25 PM »

Offline jpotter33

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Darn League Pass.
I can’t understand why NBA TV isn’t included when you purchase NBA League Pass.  Is is stupid...

It is with DirectTV/AT&T!  ;D

Re: Celtics (12-10) at Timberwolves (11-11) Game #23 12/1/18
« Reply #14 on: December 01, 2018, 08:10:53 PM »

Offline knuckleballer

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Ow!  My eyes!

I need shades.   8)