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Rebound - Rebounding is second to defense as a key to winning. It takes effort to get rebounds and the Celtics must go all out in their effort to beat the Sixers to rebounds. The Celtics allowed 17 offensive rebounds per game in the preseason and they have to solve that as they won’t win many games allowing teams to grab that many offensive rebounds. The Celtics need to keep the Sixers from getting second chance points around the basket and they need to give themselves extra possessions by rebounding on the offensive end.
They also added Blake Griffin to add some inside scoring and rebounding. The 76ers were eliminated in the second round last season and they lacked toughness and defense last season. In the offseason, they added PJ Tucker, who will add toughness, defense and leadership, along with 3 point shooting. They also added De’Anthony Melton and Danuel House, Jr, both of whom will add toughness and defense. Even though the Celtics started a small lineup with Derrick White starting at shooting guard in the preseason, he stated that he wasn’t sure who he would start in this game.
Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics Game #1 10/18/22
Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics Game #1 10/18/22The Celtics begin the season at home against their long time division rival, the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics are 263-194 all time against the 76ers. They are 153-55 all time at home. They split the series 2-2 last season with each team winning one at home and one on the road. Both teams kept their core players together over the summer and both added some players who can help to fix some of the shortcomings of last year. The Celtics went through scoring droughts last season and they added Malcolm Brogdon to run the offense on the second unit and to be another scorer. They also signed Danilo Gallinari to help with the scoring, but he will miss the season with a torn ACL. They are hoping that Sam Hauser can take a leap in his development and add more scoring off the bench.
Jayson needs to find a way to score and play well. Keys to the Game Defense - Defense is always the key to winning every game. The Celtics made defense their identity and hopefully will keep that same identity this season. The 76ers should be a good defensive team with the addition of PJ Tucker, Danuel House, and De’Anthony Melton. It will be very important for the Celtics to play tough team defense and keep the Sixers from finding any rhythm on offense. The Celtics must match or exceed the Sixers effort and intensity on defense.
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Move the Ball - The Celtics play best when the ball keeps moving and doesn’t stick with one player. They had 41 assists on 48 baskets in their first preseason game. They need to try to move the ball like that in every game as that gives them the best chance to get the best shots and to beat the opponent’s defense. Effort and Focus - The Celtics need to stay focused on playing the game the right way and not on complaining about the refs’ calls that they disagree with. If the last preseason game was any indication, the referees are going to clamp down on complaining and the Celtics can’t afford to have players ejected for whining about calls.
If the Celtics want to win this one, it is crucial that they go all out to crash the boards. Take Care of the Ball - Last season, one of the Celtics biggest problems was turning the ball over too much. They started the preseason with 23 turnovers and they have to take better care of the ball. They need to focus on making good passes and on not dribbling into a crowd. It’s hard to win a game when you give the opponent 20+ extra possessions by turning the ball over.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics 8/17/20 - Lineups