The Spurs beat the Celtics, 100-95, on Jan. 10. The difference now? Boston has All-Star Jayson Tatum back.
SAN ANTONIO — Fresh off a thorough demolition of their in-state rival Houston Rockets, the vibes are as high as they can get in San Antonio.
The Spurs beat the Rockets, 145-120, on Sunday night, handing Houston their worst loss of the season while the home team tallied its most points in a game yet this season. The 25-point win is also the seventh 20-point win of the season for San Antonio and their fifth over a current playoff team.
The Silver & Black also dropped 145 on a team that only allows 109.9 points a game, the fourth-best statistical defense in the league.
The best statistical defense in the league only allowing 106 points a game? That would be the Spurs’ next opponent.
The 43-21 Boston Celtics will be making their way to the Frost Bank Center on Tuesday, just four days after getting their best player back.
Forward Jayson Tatum returned early from an Achilles tear, having suffered the injury during the playoffs last May. Apart from some obvious rust, “The Anomaly” played very well for Boston, scoring 15 points while grabbing 12 rebounds and recording seven assists against the Dallas Mavericks. He played even better Sunday against the Cavaliers, scoring 20 points.
An already scary Boston team got even scarier with the return of their perennial All-Star.
One player who’s benefitted statistically by Tatum’s absence is 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. The California product is having a career year, averaging 28.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists in a season some are saying may be worth MVP votes.
But it hasn’t just been Brown getting it done for the Celtics. Last season’s Sixth Man of the Year, Payton Pritchard, is also enjoying a career year, averaging 16.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists. Former Spurs player Derrick White is also averaging career highs 17.2 points and 5.7 assists.
Sprinkle in good play from Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser and new addition Nikola Vucevic, and you have a team a lot of people believe can represent the East in the NBA Finals.
And that was in a season that some people thought was a rebuilding year after they sent out Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in the offseason.
Add it all up, including San Antonio’s 15 wins in their last 16 games, and Tuesday’s game between two of the hottest teams in the league could be another possible NBA Finals preview.
In their previous (and so far only) meeting this year, the Spurs prevailed 100-95 on Jan. 10.
In that matchup, Victor Wembanyama came off the bench that game and led the way with 21 points, six rebounds and three blocks. De’Aaron Fox also scored 21 points, adding nine rebounds and six assists. Keldon Johnson off the bench scored 18 while grabbing 10 rebounds.
White’s revenge game saw him score 29 points while grabbing nine rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 27 points with eight rebounds and seven assists.
The difference this time around is the Celtics now have Tatum.
These teams also own the two best records since Jan. 1: the Spurs at 23-8 and the Celtics at 23-9.
Let’s see which hot team loses their flame Monday night.
How to watch
The game will be televised on NBC and Peacock. You can also listen to game action on WOAI 1200 and KXTN 1350.
Team stats leaders
- POINTS: Victor Wembanyama (23.9), De’Aaron Fox (18.9), Stephon Castle (16.4)
- REBOUNDS: Wembanyama (11.1), Luke Kornet (6.3), Julian Champagnie (5.8)
- ASSISTS: Castle (6.9), Fox (6.3), Dylan Harper (3.7)
- BLOCKS: Wembanyama (3.0), Kornet (1.1), Champagnie (0.4)
- POINTS: Jaylen Brown (28.7), Jayson Tatum (17.5 in two games), Derrick White (17.2)
- REBOUNDS: Neemias Queta (8.4), Tatum (7.5 in two games), Brown (7.2)
- ASSISTS: White (5.7), Payton Pritchard (5.4), Brown (5.1)
- BLOCKS: White (1.5), Queta (1.3), Nikola Vucevic (0.8)
Injury report
As of 6:30 p.m. Monday, the Spurs look to be without Harrison Barnes as he deals with an ankle injury. Mason Plumlee, for non-injury-related reasons, is a game-time decision.
For the Celtics, Payton Pritchard is a game-time decision with a neck injury. They will also be without Nikola Vucevic as he deals with a finger injury.
Five more things to know
- Not only do the Celtics allow the least amount of points in the NBA at 106.9 points a game, but they also allow the second-lowest field goal percentage (44%).
- The Celtics make the third most 3-pointers as a team in the NBA, with 15.4 a game. They shoot 36.3% from that range, ninth-best in the league.
- The Celtics are the third-best rebounding team in the league (46.4 rebounds a game), right above the Spurs.
- The Spurs shot 52% from 3-point range against the Rockets on Sunday, hitting 21 of 40. The Celtics allow the fifth most 3-pointers of any team this season at 14 a game.
- Against his former team, White has averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and six assists in six games against the Spurs.