Celtics’ Ime Udoka Talks Preparations For Shorthanded Timberwolves

The Boston Celtics take on an extremely shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves team Monday night looking to get back in the win column.

After building up a big first half lead Christmas Day against the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks the Celtics stumbled in the second half and fell 111-107. The Celtics look to rebound Monday night against the Timberwolves who will be without four of their five starters in the contest including Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards.

Prior to the showdown, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka discussed how the team prepares for a different looking Timberwolves squad.

“It’s a lot of digging into personnel and plays they have ran. You look at the guys that they have available still and understand a guy like (Malik Beasley) is very dangerous and those guys are going to try to take advantage of their opportunity. But, you know, you can’t try to guess what they’re going to do offensively and how they’ll make up for the guys they’re missing,” Udoka said via team-provided audio. “That’s where the focus comes on us and what we want to focus on is to improve. If we handle our business and and play properly we feel good about every night. It’s more of that than trying to figure out what another team is going to do with seven of their top eight guys missing.”

If there’s any team that knows how the Timberwolves feel right now it’s definitely the Celtics. Boston has had at least 14 players enter into the league’s health and safety protocols with All-Star forward Jayson Tatum the latest to catch COVID-19 on Monday afternoon.