Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks game preview, injury report, and info - November 6, 2021
MavsMoneyball.com
The Boston Celtics are currently on a two-game winning streak, their longest of the season. They are coming off a huge win vs. the Miami Heat, and have held their last two opponents to under 80 points. Tonight, they take on Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.
How to Watch
Location: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Time: 8:30 p.m. (EST)
Channel(s): NBC Sports Boston, NBA League Pass
Team Breakdowns
Boston’s win against the Miami Heat last game was by far their most impressive win of the season. Going into that one, the Heat were 6-1 and arguably the hottest team in basketball. Well, the Celtics put out that fire pretty quickly. Boston’s offense still wasn’t great, but their stifling defense led the way. Miami had a rough shooting night, but a large part of that was due to the great defense of the Boston Celtics.
Weirdly enough, Boston’s biggest contributions came off the bench. Dennis Schroder, Romeo Langford, and Aaron Nesmith each scored in the double digits. The Celtics bench outscored Miami’s by a large margin. Jaylen Brown also chipped in a healthy 17 points while simultaneously clamping up Tyler Herro on the other end of the floor. Jayson Tatum struggled to get shots to fall early on, but he made sure to make an impact in other areas of the game. By the fourth quarter, Tatum saw a couple of shots fall and fans got a glimpse of the Tatum everyone loved last season.
Based on their offensive and defensive ratings, Dallas should not be a good basketball team. They are bottom-five in offensive rating and middle-of-the-pack defensively. They even have an average margin of victory of -5.25. However, they currently sit at 5-3, good for third in the Western Conference. Luka Doncis’s numbers are down, but the team is still marching on through the season. Outside of Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr. (15.0 points), Jalen Brunson (15. points), and Kristaps Porzingis (12.7) have also been making solid contributions.
Injury Report
There are two players listed on the Boston Celtics injury report for tonight. Most notably, Jaylen Brown is listed as out due to right hamstring tightness. He left midway through the Heat game and did not return. Also, Josh Richardson is listed as questionable for tonight’s contest due to a foot injury. He did not play last game vs. Miami.
Dallas has three players listed on their injury report. Maxi Kleber remains out as he continues to nurse a strained oblique. In addition, the Mavericks are hopeful that Kristaps Porzingis will play, but he is dealing with a back injury. Lastly, Reggie Bullock (face) is listed on the report, but Jason Kidd says he is “good-to-go” for tonight’s game.
Keys to the Game
The number one key for tonight’s game is to make sure Jayson Tatum sees a few shots go down. So far this season, the team has been leaning on Jaylen Brown as Tatum has struggled. However, with Brown not available tonight now is the time for Tatum to step up. If he isn’t making his shots, then the offense could get really ugly really fast. If there were ever a night for him to break the slump, it would be tonight while Brown is out.
Next, Aaron Nesmith needs to see minutes in tonight’s contest. Just because Josh Richardson is back doesn’t mean Nesmith should be sent back to the end of the bench. He played great last game and gave them a huge boost from behind the three-point line, an area where they have struggled so far this season. Nesmith’s energy and shooting could go a long way.
Finally, and most obviously, the Boston Celtics need to watch out for Luka Doncic. It’s easily the most obvious key to note, but he’s just that good of a player. Doncic is going to be a perennial MVP candidate for as long as he is in the league. The new NBA rule changes have affected his game a bit, but he’s still Luka Doncic. He will find ways to kill the Celtics, so they need to account for him at every turn.
Pregame Show
Make sure to tune in to our live pregame show, “The Banner Town Build Up.” We are live 30 minutes before every Celtics game at @GuyBostonSports on YouTube and Facebook. See you there at8:00 p.m. (EST) tonight!
