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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 9:40:28 GMT -5
at [glow=green,2,300]Boston Celtics[/glow] at [glow=red,2,300]Toronto Raptors[/glow] 7 pm Eastern Time Televised on DTV League Pass Ch 751 and FSN Probable Starters[glow=green,2,300] Boston[/glow] Celtics.com has listed the starters as Telfair, Jefferson, Pierce, Allan Ray, and Ratliff. [glow=red,2,300] Raptors[/glow] www.nba.com/media/playerfile/anthony_parker.jpg[/img] Probable starters for the Raptors are Nesterovic, Bargnani, Ford, Bosh and Peterson. Doc is still tinkering with his lineups. He is putting Allan Ray in the starting lineup in place of Wally and Al in place of Gomes. Ratliff, Pierce, and Telfair remain from last night's starters. He is probably looking to see what combinations work the best. I hope Telfair gets off to a better start than he did last night. Key Players to Watch Mo Pete always seems to have his best game of the season against the Celtics. Hopefully the Celtics will continue to play defense and will curtail that this season. Gerald Green loves the Raptors and no one on either team can forget his two dunks from the end of last season that almost caused an international incident. Keys To the Game Intensity on defense and on the boards Our free throw shooting has got to improve Our PG's have to continue to run and to find the open man. Telfair has to take better care of the ball This is where our youth should benefit us since even on the second half of back to back games, they should have enough energy to play well.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Oct 11, 2006 10:49:44 GMT -5
Nice job, FL.
I think Doc will stay with the same lineup for the 1st 4 games, if I remember what he said correctly. But honestly, I'm not excited about that starting 5. We got killed in the 1st quarter of yesterday's game (gave up 34 pts to the Cavs) and it was because that starting unit couldn't get this going and were turning the ball over too much. A big part seemed to be Telfair's inability to take care of the ball and run the offense smoothly, so Doc needs to monitor this and encourage Telfair to do a better job on both fronts.
Off the bench, we have 2 ignitors to look forward to. Rajon is giving everyone the taste of the Rajon Experience and Gerald Green is starting to make his mark as an impact scorer. Hope these 2 will continue to jumpstart the offense as they did yesterday.
Nice to see Olowkandi look like an actual NBA player. Its a bit worrisome that he could not do this throughout his career, which makes me wonder if its an up and down thing, where he looks good one or two games and for the next 5 to 6 games he's an invisible man.
Wally needs to hit more shots tonight. Yeah, it may be the new ball that's screwing him up (lot of players are commenting that it gets slippery when wet). Hopefully he'll make the adjustments to the new ball (maybe powedering up his hands more often) so that he can knock down the passes that come his way.
Doc needs to play Big Al and Perk a lot more tonight. They showed good things in their limited time last night and its time to let the leash come off and set them loose.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Oct 11, 2006 16:51:01 GMT -5
How about some predictions for this game.
Pierce goes for 8 pts. Wally goes for 15 pts. Gerald sparks again off the bench, this time for 17 pts.
Telfair plays better tonight and goes for 8 assists.
Perk starts and pulls down 10 boards.
Al comes off the bench and gives us 12 pts and 7 boards.
Olowokandi disappears tonight and fans are torn what to think of his future (should we keep him, should we cut him?).
DJ gets some playing time and pulls down 5 boards and blocks 2 shots, and proves that he should be the one to stay and not Kandi.
Rajon continues his impressive play and puts up an all around game again: 12 pts, 7 assists, 5 boards, 3 steals. His stats show how versatile he is, but they don't give an accurate indication of all he does on the court. He offers so much more than stats will show us.
We will outrebound Toronto, 50 - 38.
We win the game 111 - 88.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Oct 11, 2006 16:53:12 GMT -5
On a side note, it'll be fun to watch lightning quick PG's at work. Toronto now has TJ Ford, another blazing quick PG. I don't know if Telfair will be able to stay in front of him, so Rajon will probably be tasked to do the job.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Oct 11, 2006 17:02:46 GMT -5
According to Celtics.com, Gomes and Wally will not be starting tonight. Al Jefferson and Allan Ray will be taking their places. I'm surprised to see Allan Ray in there. Looks like Doc is trying to give him a long hard look before making his decision to keep him and cut someone else. www.nba.com/celtics/schedule/preview101106-raptors.html
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 17:32:41 GMT -5
I had modified the game thread earlier with those lineups Derren. I wasn't surprised to see Al starting but was surprised to see Ray in place of Wally.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 18:10:44 GMT -5
Very happy that LP has the Celtics feed tonight. I really don't like the Raptors announcers and I miss Mike and Tommy!! Starters are Telfair, Allen, Perk, Gomes and Pierce. So the Celtics website was off also. They are showing the Raptor's dancers now. Key matchup is Telfair vs TJ Ford.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 18:20:20 GMT -5
Perk is jumping at center. Raptors win the tip. Perk gets a hand on the pass but Raptors recover. Mo Pete starts off hitting a 3. Celtics foul called and Celtics inbound. Wally is not playing tonight because of some swelling in his Knee. Telfair turns the ball over. Ford called for his second foul. Tony Allen's jumpshot goes out of bounds. Bosh takes a step back and hits a jumper over Gomes. Score 5-0. Allen almost loses the ball but recovers. Telfair misses and Perk saves the rebound. Pierce hits a rebound. Raps miss a layup and Perk gets the rebound. His outlet pass is picked off. Raps hit a jumper. Good ball movement and Pierce hits a 3 with 1 on the SC. Perk called for a foul on the baseline. Raps turn the ball over as Perk steps in the lane to cut off the penetration. Tony with a bounce pass to Perk who is fouled as he goes up for a layup. Perk hits the first FT. Misses the second and Raps rebound. Bosh hits a 3 from the top of the key. Raps lead 9-7. Foul called on Bosh. Celts inbound. Gomes turns the ball over as his cross court pass is picked off. Bosh hits another jumper. Telfair called for palming. Allen gets in the passing lane. passes up court to Gomes who hits a cutting Pierce for a jam. Ford misses from the baseline PP rebounds. Gomes misses from the baseline Mo Pete rebounds. Celtics get back on defense. Raps miss. Perk rebounds and shoots the outlet pass up the court to Pierce who hits a layup. Bassy called for a foul. Bargnani checks into the game.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 18:27:18 GMT -5
Ford misses the first hits the second FT. Pierce is fouled along the baseline and continues on to hit a layup. Score the bucket and Pierce at the line. PP hits the FT. Ford is fouled by Perk as he drives to the basket. Ford hits both FTs. Score tied at 14. Telfair goes up the court quickly and blows by everyone and is fouled as he goes in for the layup. He hits the first and misses the second. Perk is called for his third foul on the rebound. Al comes in for Perk. Raps inbound Mo Pete misses and Al rebounds. Pierce was out in front but Telfair didn't see him. Al is stuffed under the basket and Bargnani gets the rebound. Bargnani misses a jumper and Al rebounds. Tony turns it over. Bosh hits a 3 from the top of the key. Bargnani called for a foul. Time out with Raps up 17-15. 4:56 left in the first
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 18:31:43 GMT -5
Celtics inbound. Rondo and Telfair both on the floor. Pierce at the 4, Green at the 3 and Al playing center. Al misses the first and hits the second FT. Green with a steal. Pierce takes it hard to the basket and is fouled. Pierce hits 1 of 2 and Pierce was called for a lane violation after the shot. Bargnani hits a short jumper in the paint. Bassy takes it to the basket and is fouled by Calderon. Bassy hits both FTs. Celts are going small and Raps are going big. Pierce gets a steal and then throws it away. Graham hits a jumper. Blocking foul called on Graham.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 18:35:01 GMT -5
Bassy front rims the first. Kandi comes in for the Celtics for Pierce. Bassy hits the second. Graham misses a 3 and Rondo rebounds. Toronto pokes the ball away twice but both times, Rondo recovers. He drives the land and draws the defenders and passes out to Green who hits a 3. I think Tommy is in love ... He can't say enough good things about Rondo. Boston 23- Toronto 21 with 2:57 left in the first.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 18:39:53 GMT -5
Offensive foul called on Graham as Green gets position and draws the foul. Green misses a scoop shot under the basket. Raps rebound. Raps miss a shot and Kandi rebounds. Green misses a shot Kandi rebounds but steps out of bounds. Raps turn it over. Al misses a jumper. Bargnani rebounds. Bargnani misses and Al rebounds. Offensive foul on Kandi. Ray in the game for Telfair. Fred Jones on the line and he hits both FTs. Rondo draws the defenders and kicks it out to Ray who hits a jumper. Jones misses a jumper and Graham gets the tip in. Bargnani tries to walk Rondo off the play but commits the foul.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 18:42:52 GMT -5
Rondo hits both FTs. Rondo pressing as Raps bring the ball up. Bargnani misses from the corner and Al rebounds as the buzzer sounds. Celtics lead 27-25 at the end of 1. They had the funniest commercial on. Perk is running on the treadmill and Al is sitting on the side and they have Lucky (one of those cutouts) on the other treadmill and Al is saying No fair... if we have to work out you have to work out. Then he turns the treadmill on and Lucky just goes back and falls off and Perk just keeps running. Too funny.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 18:50:10 GMT -5
Rondo Ray Green, Kandi and Jefferson on the court to start the second. Good ball movement. Ray is called for an offensive foul taking the ball to the basket. Ray steals the ball and Gerald is called for a travel as he makes a move along the baseline. Graham hits a jumper. Gerald hits a 3 from the corner. Bargnani misses a 3 from the top of the arc. Raps rebound and Jones hits a floater off the glass. Gerald backs in and is fouled as he spins for the jumper along the baseline. Green hits the first and misses the second. Lane violation called on Pierce. Ray called for a foul. Raps inbound. Nice pass inside to Graham for a layup. Rondo finds Ray on the side and he passes up an open shot and sends it back to Rondo who loses it out of bounds. Raps miss and Kandi rebounds. Al's hook shot is very short and Raps rebound. Raps miss and Kandi rebounds. Ray takes it to the basket and draws the foul. Time out with score tied at 31 and 8:57 left in the second.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Oct 11, 2006 18:58:54 GMT -5
Ray at the line and he hits both FTs. Tommy with another comparison between Rondo and Cousy. Humphreys misses and rebound goes out of bounds. Rondo takes it all the way up the court and passes up a layup to kicke it out to an open Ray who misses the shot. Celtics rebound. Kandi called for setting an illegal screen. Raps hit a jumper. Rondo takes it baseline and hits a layup. Raps miss and Celtics rebound. Celtics miss and Kandi rebounds and gets the put back. Humphreys misses and Kandi rebounds and is fouled. Green slips on the floor and loses the ball. Ray steals the ball from Ford. Ford steals the ball from Al Humphreys hits a layup. Ray misses in the paint and Raps rebound. Humphreys is fouled by Al. Humphreys hits the first FT. Scal Gomes and Bassy enter the game. Humphreys hits the second FT. Foul called on Tucker. Time out called. Raps 38 Celtics 37 with 5:52 left in the half.
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