The Boston Celtics need to build on their momentum against the Memphis Grizzlies
The Boston Celtics will look to build on their strong start to the post All Star break portion of the season, but they could be facing a trap game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are far from a team that they should be scared of, but they have struggled in those situations this season.
The Celtics have played down to their competition far too often this season, and have let lesser teams hang around and go on crazy runs that have cost them multiple times this season. The Celtics know they should win this one, but it is just as important for them to set the tone and determine how the game is going to be played.
The Grizzlies have lost some of what made them great, but they are still a tough team that will love to muck up the game. The have some size that will cause problems for the Celtics, and they will do everything to make sure the Celtics cannot get comfortable
The Celtics need to make sure they get their small ball bigs going, and do not let the Grizzlies set the tone at all. The Celtics have taken their talent for granted too many times this season, and the Grizzlies are the exact kind of team they have been doing that against.
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The Celtics have quickly made up ground in the East since the break, and once again control their destiny for that top seed in the East. Those two games against the Raptors will be the most important, but winning the easy games is just as vital to getting that home court.
The Celtics can no longer afford to drop any of these games, and they need to use it as fuel for a great run. It has been a while since the Celtics went on a really great run, but the momentum is building right now. The Celtics need to use easier games like this to work on making sure they are always getting comfortable, and figuring out how this rotation should look come playoff time.
The Celtics still have a lot of things to figure out, which could make these kinds of games more difficult for them. That being said, it also makes these games more important, because they can offer more value that just a win.
The Celtics cannot waste their time bailing themselves out of a poor performance that they need to put behind them. They need to be able to use these opportunities to grow as a unit, and make sure they take advantage of every opportunity to et better come playoff time.
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The Grizzlies have lost a lot of their talent and edge this season, but the worst thing the Celtics can do right now is take anything for granted. They need to make sure they are at their best, and not playing down to the Grizzlies, not just because they need the win, but because they need to use these games to prepare for a great playoff run.