Courtside Players Club (12/31/23)

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NBA

(1 Pick)

7:00PM EST: Celtics -14.5 (2 Units).

Lotta points but the Spurs matchup terribly against Boston and they're shorthanded. Zach Collins was ruled out with an ankle injury that he sustained in their last game. Keldon Johnson is also a Game-Time decision. He's dealing with a back issue and just played in both back-to-back games against the Trailblazers on the 28th and 29th. He'll play if he's healthy enough to go of course but he's one of the few bright spots on this Spurs roster the past few years and there's no need to push him. They have just 5 wins this year and they're up against the #1 team in the NBA.

Kristaps Porzingis is playing and by now you should be plenty familiar with what he brings to the Celtics defense. He changes everything on that end of the floor and will come in handy against rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama. Victor presents unique matchup problems for teams but the combination of Porzingis and Horford is as good a duo as any to stop him. Porzingis also stretches the floor and can pull Wembanyama out of the paint when Boston's on offense.

The Celtics haven't put a hurting on a team in a little while and this is a prime spot for it. The Spurs defense is just atrocious and their offense is missing some firepower today. The last couple games for Boston have been uninspiring to say the least. They were without Tatum and Porzingis last time out and beat the Raptors by 2. Game prior to that they had everyone but Jaylen Brown and nearly lost to the Pistons at Home which would have ended their 27 game losing streak.

Everyone's a go for today but Jrue Holiday is listed as questionable with an elbow sprain. It popped up prior to the Pistons game after playing the day prior but he was active anyway. There's optimism the Celtics are at completely full strength today. Holiday or not the Brown/Tatum duo is the important one and everyone else is active.

Just 4 games ago the Celtics beat the Clippers in LA 145-108, game prior to that was a 144-119 beatdown of the Kings in Sacramento. The last time they were at full strength came 3 games ago on Christmas Day and they beat the Lakers by 11 laying just 5 points.