Gameday Preview: Celtics Look to Rebound Against Luka and the Mavs

Winslow Townson | USA TODAY Sports

Winslow Townson | USA TODAY Sports

Following a 24-point collapse against the Pelicans, the C’s will look to rebound tonight against the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs have won five of their last six games led by superstar Luka Doncic.

Doncic is averaging 29.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 9.4 assists on the season. He was recently voted in as a starter in the NBA All-Star game. Kristaps Porzingis (20.1 points) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (16.7 points) are second and third on the team in scoring. The Mavericks got off to a rocky start this season but have slowly been gaining traction in the West as of late. They’re one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the league (35.1%), but live at the free-throw line (23.5 FTA/G). As well as that, they rank just above the Celtics as one of the worst teams in the league in terms of assists.

Speaking of Boston’s ball movement, it’s been nothing short of atrocious this season. They’re a solid team through the first three quarters, but everything falls apart in the fourth. Just look at their last game against New Orleans. They blew a 24-point lead, and the fourth-quarter collapse was one of the worst so far this season. Kemba Walker struggled to get things going in that one, and the team as a whole shot terribly from the field. Their inconsistency in every aspect of the game has been something to note this year.

Doncic will be a real test for the C’s who have been without their best on-ball defender in Marcus Smart. On top of that, Porzingis is 7’3” which gives him a significant height advantage over everyone on Boston’s roster if he plays. The Celtics should look to penetrate the Mavericks’ defense every chance they get and limit how much they foul on the other end.

Smart and Romeo Langford will remain out in this one for the C’s. Dallas will be without Maxi Kleber, who suffered a sprained ankle against the Grizzlies last night, and Porzingis is questionable. The Celtics will tip-off against the Mavs at 7:30 PM EST tonight on TNT.

Jack Simone

Jack Simone is the founder of Banner Town, USA and now works across the NBA landscape. He is the site expert at Hoops Habit and a contributing writer for At The Hive. He has also spent time with CLNS, Hardwood Houdini, and All U Can Heat. In addition, he is currently attending Regis College to earn a Master’s degree in Strategic Communication focused on sports. Make sure to check out the From the Rafters podcast on all podcast platforms.

Twitter - @JackSimoneNBA

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