Boston Celtics key to victory No.1) Smother the Kings early
As evident by the last time these two teams met, Boston’s defense can overwhelm the opposition. This typically leads to a victory for them, especially against teams with poor records like Sacramento.
The Kings do score more points per game than the C’s on the season, so there’s at least one positive to focus on if you’re a black and purple fan.
Teams like Sacramento struggle to get back in games when they fall behind early, thanks to their lack of depth and star power. Of course, the last time these two teams met, Domantas Sabonis was a member of the Pacers.
The addition of Sabonis helps Sac town matchup better with Boston this time around, but it’s not a huge difference-maker.
Expect the Kings to play through Sabonis early on, especially if De’Aaron Fox cannot suit up.
The big man posted a triple-double last time he met the C’s when he was still a member of the Pacers. Al Horford will likely spend most of his night guarding Sabonis or Trey Lyles, depending on the lineup interim head coach, Alvin Gentry, decides to deploy.
If the C’s pressure the Kings early and get ahead, they should have no problem holding on in the second half against this rebuilding franchise.