The Clippers are still a bit wobbly, and will have maybe their stiffest test of the year so far against the Boston Celtics, who have the NBA’s best record.
Game Information
Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
When: 7:30 PM PT
How to Watch: NBA TV, Bally Sports SoCal
Projected Starting Lineups
Celtics: Marcus Smart – Jaylen Brown – Jayson Tatum – Grant Williams – Blake Griffin
Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Marcus Morris – Ivica Zubac
Injuries
Celtics: Robert Williams Out (Knee), Al Horford Out (Personal), Danilo Gallinari Out (Knee)
Clippers: Norman Powell Out (Groin), Moussa Diabate Out (G-League)
The Big Picture
The Clippers course corrected a bit Saturday with a nice come-from-behind win against the Wizards, powered by a massive game from Paul George. Still, the Wizards are playing terribly and without their best player, so the challenge wasn’t all that great. With more than a third of the season officially over, the Clips continue to remain just over the .500 mark and towards the bottom of the playoff picture in the Western Conference. However, things are shaping up at least a bit, as the only player currently injured is Norm Powell, and he should be back soon. If the Clippers can sustain decent health for even a few weeks, they could start to build real momentum and cohesion, regardless of their record.
The Antagonist
The Celtics are the best team in the NBA. They boast a 21-6 record, a staggering figure that is backed up by advanced stats, as the Celtics’ Net Rating of 8.2 leads the league by a vast margin. Their play is centered on a league-best offense, which is healthily the strongest in the NBA, though their defense is top 10 as well. Jayson Tatum was 6th in MVP voting and made All-NBA 1st Team last season, but has taken yet another leap. Tatum’s numbers are up almost across the board, and his combination of scoring (30 points per game), rebounding (8 per game) for a team lacking their starting center (making the Celts’ success more impressive), and defense makes Tatum perhaps the most well-rounded player in the NBA. Malcolm Brogdon has fit in like a glove, Jaylen Brown is a great second scorer, Marcus Smart is having his most efficient and best playmaking season in his career, and just about every Celtics rotation player is contributing positively to the team. They are formidable, and certainly up there with the Bucks as co-title favorites.
Notes
Kawhi & PG vs Tatum and Brown: The Celtics duo of Tatum and Brown have long been comped to the Clippers’ combo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. While Tatum is the Kawhi role as the best player, he plays more like George, while Brown has a bit more of Kawhi stylistically. While Clippers’ fans have long scoffed at claims that the Celtics’ stars are the better combo, this year it’s not close. I’d still take George over Brown (better shooting, playmaking, and defense) but the gap has narrowed, and Tatum has been much better than the still-recovering Leonard. Whether he’s better than a fully healthy and rust-free Kawhi is a question, but at this point we don’t know how good Kawhi will ever be again, and Tatum is so good that he has to be in a different tier now. If the Clippers’ stars can come close to matching the Celtics’ younger duo, the Clippers should be in a strong spot to win.
Attacking the Rim: Not only is the Celtics’ starting center out, but his replacement Al Horford is as well. Blake Griffin is the next man up, though the Celtics will also use Luke Kornet and go small with Grant Williams at center. Kornet is a shot-blocker, but the Clippers should be able to attack him in space and on switches. Grant is stout in those regards yet doesn’t offer rim protection. Blake knows where to be and takes charges, but that’s about it. In short, the Clippers should be able to go to the rim in this game, and must continue attacking the paint rather than settling for jumpers against the Celtics’ phenomenal and lengthy perimeter defenders.
