San Antonio Spurs vs. Boston Celtics Preview, Prediction
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San Antonio Spurs (11-4) vs. Boston Celtics (4-9)
Game Time, TV: Sunday, Nov. 30 — 1:00 p.m. ET on CSNE (BOS)/ FSSW (SA)
Projected Starting Lineups:
San Antonio Spurs: PG: Tony Parker, SG: Danny Green, SF: Kawhi Leonard, PF: Tim Duncan, C: Boris Diaw
Boston Celtics: PG: Rajon Rondo, SG: Avery Bradley, SF: Jeff Green, PF: Jared Sullinger, C: Kelly Olynyk
The Spurs are playing their best basketball all season and their six-game winning streak is blatant evidence of that. The veteran savvy and momentum of success will look to be enough to add another win to the streak on Sunday afternoon against the Celtics.
The Celtics are coming off of a disheartening loss to the Chicago Bulls and continue to struggle overall. Boston’s defense is atrocious, sitting at 28th in the NBA right now. They do not guard anybody well and lack an identity on both ends of the floor. They are better at putting the ball in the basket (sixth in the NBA), though, especially when Rondo is creating for them.
San Antonio is almost the opposite of Boston, in the way they approach the game. The Spurs have the second-best defense in the league, holding teams to 92.7 points per game. The offense has not yet picked up, which is probably due to the injuries of Patty Mills, Marco Belinelli and Tiago Splitter.
This will be the 86th meeting between the two storied franchises. The Spurs hold control over the all-time series with 45 wins. A fun fact is that the Spurs have never beaten Boston in the playoffs, but that won’t be relevant for years to come.
This game has all the ingredients for total domination by the Spurs, unless they decide to rest some players. With Parker shooing the lights out, Duncan and Manu Ginobili playing solid basketball and Leonard continuing to be a lockdown defender, there is not much the Celtics are going to be able to do. This game will be over before it starts.
Prediction: Spurs 120, Celtics 95.
Winston Harris is a San Antonio sport writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on twitter @winstonharris34. “Like” him on Facebook and add him on Google.
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