Boston Celtics vs. Portland Trailblazers Preview: Celtics, Blazers Fight to Improve Playoff Standing
The Boston Celtics and Portland Trailblazers will be playing against each other to solidify their playoff spots in their respective divisions.
Situated at the number five spot at the Eastern Conference standings, the Celtics will be travelling to the Moda Center in Portland to face the sixth-seeded Blazers on Thursday, March 31st.
The first time the two teams met this season was last March 2nd, with Boston emerging victorious via a 23-point margin, with a final score of 116-93. At the time, the Celtics also marked their 12th consecutive win at home.
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Guard Isiah Thomas was the green-and-white team's main man for the night, dropping 30 points, along with four rebounds and two assists, shooting 11 out of 20 from the field, through 29 minutes of playing time. Guard Avery Bradley also made big contributions, scoring 17 points, along with three assists, shooting 7 out of 14 from the field, through 30 minutes of playing time.
For their part, the Blazers were on a six-game winning streak on the road when the Celtics ended it that night. According to head coach Terry Strotts, the main cause for their defeat was being outrebounded.
"I think all night their offensive rebounds, their putbacks hurt us, and their transition hurt us," Strotts said in an NBA.com report. "We got some unfortunate bounces where they ball's kind of bouncing around and it came up with them. They kept the pressure on us all night at both ends."
Boston ended the game with a total of 57 rebounds, as opposed to the Blazers' output, with a total of 48.
The Celtics are currently on a four-game winning streak, defeating the Toronto Raptors, twice, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Orlando Magic. They hold a record of 43-31.
The Blazers, on the other hand, are on a two-game win streak, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings, respectively. They hold a win-loss slate of 39-36.
