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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 25, 2006 21:52:39 GMT -5
at PEPSI CENTER (19,155)DECEMBER 26, 2006 9:00 Eastern TimeProbable Starters Boston CelticsPG: West - PPG 8.6 RPG 2.40 APG 3.1 EFF + 8.62 SG: Allen - PPG 8.4 RPG 3.00 APG 1.1 EFF + 8.17 C: Jefferson - PPG 12.8 RPG 9.20 APG 0.9 EFF + 16.89 PF: Gomes - PPG 11.3 RPG 6.10 APG 2.2 EFF + 14.35 SF: Green - PPG 6.0 RPG 2.00 APG 0.8 EFF + 5.79 Denver Nuggets PG: Iverson - PPG 30.6 RPG 2.70 APG 7.4 EFF + 23.31 SG: Diawara - PPG 5.3 RPG 2.00 APG 1.1 EFF + 4.68 C: Nene - PPG 6.4 RPG 5.20 APG 1.1 EFF + 8.64 PF: Najera - PPG 7.2 RPG 4.00 APG 0.8 EFF + 10.42 SF: Kleiza - PPG 3.6 RPG 2.00 APG 0.4 EFF + 2.90 Players out: Denver:Carmelo Anthony - Suspended JR Smith - Suspended Kenyon Martin - Knee Surgery Marcus Camby - Day to Day, fractured finger Earl Boykins - Probable, Hamstring strain CelticsTheo Ratliff - back injury Paul Pierce - Stress reaction Kendrick Perkins - Day to Day, Plantar Fasciitis Wally Szczerbiak - Day to Day, sprained ankle Michael Olowokandi - Probable, muscle tear Key Matchups: vs Look for Iverson to dominate this game. He is looking to prove that Philly made a bad move to trade him and will want to impress his new team. Telfair has to play defense or it will be a long night. vs Al will have to look for his offense with Pierce being out and he will also need to defend in the paint. The key to this game is DEFENSE!! We need to get stops as without Pierce and Wally we won't outscore them. We also need to take care of the ball as we have been turning it over way too much. Wally and Perk may be back for Wednesday's game but I don't expect them to play against Denver. Kandi is a probable for the game.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Dec 25, 2006 21:59:30 GMT -5
If memory serves me correct, Delonte has done a wonderful job of guarding Iverson in the past. For some reason, even though Iverson is 3x as quick as Delonte, Lefty has been able to stay in front of AI and disrupt his game. But I wouldn't want to take that chance too often. We have a defensive PG named Rajon Rondo, and its time to use him more.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 26, 2006 9:21:31 GMT -5
This is one of the things that really puzzles me and upsets me about the way Doc is benching Rondo. Defense is one of our biggest needs. He complains about the guys on the floor not playing defense and yet Rondo who is probably our best defender over all is sitting on the bench. I agree, Rondo should be getting more minutes because of his defense.
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Dec 26, 2006 10:37:40 GMT -5
I honestly think there's an underlying reason why Rondo's playing time has been drastically cut, and why Telfair isn't pushing the ball anymore--they are being handcuffed so that we won't be a running team anymore (at least for now). We've totally ditched our efforts to push the ball more this season.
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Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Dec 26, 2006 11:19:24 GMT -5
Due to Carmelo Anthony's temper tantrum in New York City, we don't have to defend him. The matchups of the Celtics against the Nuggets look good tonight (except at the coaching position). I think we have a chance tonight. Unfortunately, Denver Nugget games are blacked out here so I won't be able to watch.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 26, 2006 15:06:45 GMT -5
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Post by DERRENMATTS on Dec 26, 2006 16:18:27 GMT -5
This disgusts me. Doc is taking us further away from being a running team and slowing us down even more.
I think the underlying reason for Doc's decision to use Delonte is because of the double teams Jefferson will encounter in the post. Big Al is going to need shooters around him to knock down kick out jumpers when he passes out of the post.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 26, 2006 20:21:15 GMT -5
I was thinking that it was for defensive reasons on Iverson. Telfair's defense has been pretty weak and Delonte is a better defender. Rondo is our best defender at the PG but I think Doc wants more experience on a veteran like Iverson.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 26, 2006 21:23:44 GMT -5
I have the Nuggets feed tonight... I have a feeling I am going to be sick of all the gushing over Iverson tonight. They have been talking for 2 minutes and I am already sick of it. I sure hope Delonte can shut him down so I won't have to hear it quite so much. I really am tired of hearing about Iverson....
Starting for the Celtics West, Gomes, Allen, Jefferson and Green.
Al jumping against Nene. Nuggets win the tip. Diawara misses in the lane and Al gets the rebound. Allen misses and Al tips in the miss. Nene gets the ball inside and Tony fouls him to avoid the dunk. He back rims the first. hits the second. West dribbles the ball up the court. West almost falls and then recovers and takes the ball to the basket but is called for an offensive foul so no basket. Al blocks Nene's shot. ball goes out of bounds off Boston. 24 second violation on the Nuggets. Green takes the ball into the paint and misses a runner. Najera gets the rebound. Iverson hits from the corner. West takes it baseline and lays it in. Iverson is fouled on the drive by Tony. Nuggets inbound on the side with 20 on the SC. 3 second violation on the Nuggets. Telfair comes in for Tony who has 2 fouls. Gomes misses a jumper. Nene rebounds. Najera gets the ball inside from Iverson. He lays it in and draws the foul on Al. He misses the FT. Gomes rebounds. Telfair is way off with a jumper. gomes rebounds but can't get a shot off and Celtics have a SC violation. Iverson misses. Najera rebounds. his shot no good. Nene rebounds. Najera is fouled on the third attempt. He hits both FTs. Telfair brings the ball up. West hits a jumper from the top of the key. Telfair fouls Iverson. He hits the first misses the second and Gomes rebounds. Al has hits shot blocked by Nene and Nuggets come away with it. Iverson hits a 3 from the top of the arc. West hits a jumper from the wing. Nuggets miss a runner and there is a scramble for the rebound. Nuggets get it. Telfair is called for his second foul. Rondo is in for Telfair. Iverson at the line and misses the first. front rims the second. Green grabs the rebound. West misses a 3 and Al grabs the rebound and puts it back in. Rondo called for a foul on Iverson. He hits both FTs. Rondo drives the lane and is called for a charge. Time out with Denver up 13-10 and 5:52 left in the first.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 26, 2006 21:32:40 GMT -5
Johnson misses and West rebounds. West turns it over as Iverson intercepts it. Nuggets hits a jumper. Al gets the ball inside and lays it in. Iverson turns it over as Gomes intercepts the pass. West drives to the basket and draws the foul. He hits both FTs. Rondo with defensive pressure in the back court. Scal called for a flagrant foul. Evans will shoot 2 T's and Nuggets will get the ball. Evans hits the first. misses the second. Najera misses and Rondo gets the rebound. He runs it up the court and takes it to the basket but misses the layup. Najera called for a foul. Celtics inbound and turn it over. Nuggets get a fast break dunk. Scal takes it down the lane and lays it in. Iverson hits a jumper. Iverson called for a push, his third foul. Celtics with a block inside and they come away with it. Scal takes it hard to the basket and lays it in. Johnson misses an up and under move and gomes rebounds. Gomes takes it to the basket and is fouled by Evans. Time out with Nuggets leading 20-18 and 2:41 left in the 1st. I have been impressed with Scal. He has taken it twice down the lane to the basket and got layups. He also made a statement with the hard foul that we aren't going to allow them to get to the basket at will.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 26, 2006 21:41:43 GMT -5
Gomes hits both FTs to tie the game. Kleiza misses and Evans gets the rebound and is fouled by Gomes. The Celtics have 12 fouls to only 3 for the Nuggets. He misses both FTs. Gomes rebounds. Al is doubled. West misses Iverson rebounds. Iverson turns it over. West takes it to the basket and draws the foul on Nene. He hits the first and Green comes back in the game for Gomes. West hits the second. Evans takes it straight to the basket and lays it in. Green misses a jumper. Nene rebounds. Evans misses and gets his own rebound and puts it back in. Al has a hook shot blocked and Denver comes away with it. Kleiza goes for a dunk and hangs on the rim and the ball shoots back out. Kleiza is fouled by Al (his second). He misses the first. Powe in for Al. Kleiza hits the second. Green misses a 3. Nuggets rebound. Powe with a block on Nene and he forces a jump ball. Nene wins the tip with 10 on the SC. Iverson finds Nene inside for a dunk. Green goes baseline and lays it in with 1.8 seconds in the first. And he draws a foul. He hits the FT. Ray in for West and he breaks up the play and knocks the ball out of bounds. Nuggets can't get a shot off and the score at the end of 1 is Denver 27 and Boston 25.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 26, 2006 21:50:21 GMT -5
Celtics inbound to start the second. Telfair brings it up. Green hits a jumper. Evans is fouled inside by Scal. He misses the first. hits the second. push off called on Ray as Iverson flops. Evans shoots an air ball and goes out of bounds to Boston. Green takes it to the basket and misses a runner. He misses the tip. Nuggets rebound. Nuggets miss and Celtics rebound. Powe misses in the lane. Nuggets rebound. Boykins misses and the rebound comes out to Telfair. Telfair takes it hard to the basket and lays it in and draws foul on Iverson. He completes the 3 point play. boykins misses a layup. Evans rebounds and Green blocks his shot. Celtics come away with it. diawara called for a foul on Green. He misses the first. misses the second but Powe grabs the rebound and puts it back in. Boykins hits a jumper. Scal misses a 3. Powe tips in the miss. Kleiza is fouled by Green. time out with Boston up 34-30. 8:50 left in the second.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 26, 2006 21:58:08 GMT -5
Kleiza hits the first and misses the second. Green rebounds. Telfair dribbles through the lane and draws a foul. He hits both FTs. Boykins misses and Evans rebounds and slams it home. Telfair misses everything on a jumper and Scal dives out of bounds and saves it but Denver comes up with it. Najera hits a reverse layup. Telfair hits a jumper. Evans takes it to the basket and lays it in. Allen Ray hits from the FT line. Boykins takes it to the basket and the ball rolls around the rim 3 times before rolling out but he will go to the line. Iverson comes back into the game. Boykins hits both FTs. West passes out of the pressure in the back court. Tony takes it to the basket and misses a layup. Diawara rebounds. Nuggets miss. Tony rebounds. Tony misses again in the lane. Najera rebounds. Boykins takes it to the basket and lays it in. Over and back violation called on Scal. Time out with Denver up 41-40 and 5:48 left in the 2nd
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 26, 2006 22:01:27 GMT -5
Nuggets inbound on the side. Nene misses a layup and Gomes rebounds. Celtics miss and Al rebounds. Al misses and rebound tipped around. Nene comes up with it. Nene with a jumper at the other end. Celtics misses a layup and Nuggets rebound. Boykins stops and pops and hits a 3. time out with Nuggets up 46-40 and 4:42 left in the half
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Dec 26, 2006 22:10:46 GMT -5
Celtics inbound and brint is up. Celtics miss a jumper and Nuggets rebound. Nene misses and Green rebounds. Najera called for a foul on West as the puts up a shot in the lane. West misses the first. Hits the second FT. Celtics not pressing in the back court any more. Iverson misses a baseline jumper. rebound goes out of bounds off Boston. Iverson drives and kicks out to Boykins who hits a 3. Celtics miss a jumper and Green is there for the rebound and put back. Najera misses and rebound goes out of bounds off Boston. Iverson misses a jumper. Al rebounds. West drives to the basket and misses a jumper. Nuggets rebound and get the ball inside to Nene who lays it in. They are doubling Al every time as soon as he gets the ball. West misses a 3 from the corner as the SC goes off. Nuggets rebound but turn it over. Tony misses a layup and gets his own rebound and puts it back in. Iverson hits a tough shot with the SC winding down. Celtics miss and Nuggets rebound. Iverson with a pass from half court to Boykins inside and tony picks up his third foul. Boykins hits the first. Scal comes in for Tony. Boykins hits the second. Celtics turn it over and they pass all the way up the court to boykins under the basket he lays it in and West comes flying through to try to block it and he hits the floor hard and stays there. he is still down and they are attending to him
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