Charlotte Hornets vs Boston Celtics Game Preview
INJURY REPORT:
HORNETS: DOUBTFUL: Gordon Hayward (Hamstring), OUT: Kelly Oubre
CELTICS: OUT: Jaylen Brown (Groin), Danilo Gallinari (Knee)
GAME PREVIEW:
The Charlotte Hornets take on the Boston Celtics for the first game of two that the teams will play in the coming days. The Hornets started their four-game road trip with a convincing win over the Milwaukee Bucks but finished the trip losing their last three games to Indiana and Toronto twice. The Celtics seem to be back on track as they've won their past five games and still sit at first in the Eastern Conference. Jaylen Brown, who has been a huge part of Boston's success this year, missed the last game with an abductor injury. Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla said he could "miss a week or two" with the injury, which means he most likely will miss both contests against the Hornets. Brown is averaging 27.2 points per game, along with 7.1 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.8% from the field. The Hornets might have a slightly easier matchup with Brown out of the lineup as they look to snap Boston's five-game winning streak.
Key Matchup: Hornets defense against Boston Celtics
The Celtics average the second-most points in the NBA this season with 118.4 points per game. The Hornets' offense has not been the biggest problem this season as they average just over 112 points per game. However, they allow the third most points per game with 118.6 points per game. The Hornets will need to play physically with a veteran tough team in Boston. Steve Clifford has been very critical of the Hornets' defense all season long and they just recently had a statement win over the Milwaukee Bucks, mostly in part to shutting down Giannis Antetokounmpo. The last time these two teams faced off the Celtics scored 140 points. Although, the Hornets were really shorthanded, that defense against the Eastern Conference-best is not going to get it done.
Position | Hornets | Celtics |
---|---|---|
Point Guard | LaMelo Ball | Marcus Smart |
Shooting Guard | Terry Rozier | Derrick White |
Small Forward | Jalen McDaniels | Jayson Tatum |
Power Forward | PJ Washington | Grant Williams |
Center | Mason Plumlee | Robert Williams lll |