Celtics (20-46) at Hornets (29-37) 3/19

[FLCeltsFan]

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Boston Celtics (20-46) vs. Oklahoma City Hornets (29-37)
Monday, March 19, 2007 • 8:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #67 • Road Game #35
Ford Center - Oklahoma City, OK




Probable Starters
PG SG SF PF C
PG: Rajon Rondo PPG 5.5 | APG 3.4 | SPG 1.43
SG: Delonte West PPG 11.7 | APG 4.6 | RPG 3.0
SF: Paul Pierce PPG 24.5 | RPG 6.3 | APG 4.2
PF: Al Jefferson PPG 15.3 | RPG 11.1 | BPG 1.5
C: Kendrick Perkins PPG 4.2 | RPG 4.6 | BPG 1.4

Off the Bench
Green/Powe/Ray/Scal/Kandi

Injuries
Gomes foot
Szczberiak ankle
Ratliff back
Allen knee



Probable Starters
PG SG SF PF C

PG Chris Paul PPG 17.4 | APG 8.8 | SPG 1.8
SG Devin Brown PPG 11.6 | APG 2.8 | RPG 4.5
SF Desmond Mason PPG 13.8 | RPG 4.8 | APG 1.6
PF David West PPG 16.8 | RPG 8.5 | BPG 0.8
C Tyson Chandler PPG 9 | RPG 12.5 | BPG 1.9

Off the Bench
Butler/Jackson/Pargo/Jackson/Armstrong/Simmons

Injuries
Stojacovic back

Key Matchup
vs
Rondo is coming off a very good game against the spurs. I still am amazed that he pulled down 14 rebounds.. Playing against Chris Paul will be a challenge.

Keys to the Game
Rebound. When we out rebound the other team chances are good we win.
Move the ball. When we move the ball and find the open man we get good shots and the team plays well. When players try to do too much individually we lose.
Hustle We need to come out with energy and hustle for loose balls and rebounds.
Defense We have to play good team defense and get stops. Defense wins games.

[The Eye of the Q is upon you!]

Keep Paul out of the game and this game is ours.

[DERRENMATTS]

I'll like watching this game. I enjoy watching Chris Paul and I hope our PG's can pick up a few things from watching him too. We should be able to win this game now that our players have seemed to pick up chemistry with one another.

[ferbo]

I'd like to see Doc use Kandy Man some and see what he has. He had a pretty respecrtable line againsst SA. if he could do that against them, maybe he can do it against some others.

[The Eye of the Q is upon you!]

Kandi has always played well against Duncan. I doubt he plays tonight. We could use our small lineup effectively though. Paul Pierce should have his minutes cut and give the kids a chance to gain more confidence without him.

Got the Celtics announcers so I expect some Tommy Points to be earned.

Atlanta leads Sacremento in the other game which is good on two counts:

1) Atlanta keeps arms length ahead of Boston.
2) Sacremento is one step closer to finishing out of the offs and is at risk to be blown up.

[FLCeltsFan]

We have the Celtics feed tonight. That makes me happy. Pierce will be the cohost on NE Sports tonight on Thursday and he will interview Delonte. That should be a good show.

Rondo, West, Perk, Al and Pierce starting for the Celtics. The Hornets use the pick and roll a lot and we don't usually defend that very well. Hopefully we are learning to. Hornets win the tip and Mason gets to the basket for a layup. Celtics turn it over and Hornets inbound on their baseline. Paul hits a 3. Rondo with a nice cut to the basket and PP gets him the ball for a layup. Mason misses inside but Chandler is there to jam home the miss. Rondo hits a runner in the lane. Al with a block on Chandler inside. PP hits a 3. Hornets miss a jumper and Chandler is called for a foul over the back on the rebound. Mason steals the ball from PP. Brown takes it to the basket but couldn't finish. Delonte rebounds and takes it all the way to the basket for a layup. Defensive 3 seconds violation on Celtics. Paul hits the T. Rondo tips the ball away from Paul and Delonte, Rondo and PP run the floor. West to Rondo to PP who lays it in and draws the foul. He hits the FT. Chandler hits a hook shot in the lane. Delonte hits a jumper from the corner. Chandler hits a jumper in the lane. Al takes it into the lane and then shoots a hook shot and Chandler is called for a goal tend. Al called for a foul on Chandler as he blocks the shot. Chandler front rims the first FT. misses the second and Al rebounds. PP hits a 3 from the corner. He was bumped but no call. Chandler just dipped his shoulder into Al and shoved him out of the way. Again no call. Chandler hits a hook shot in the lane. Al draws the foul on Chandler. He misses the first. Jackson comes in for Chandler who has 2 fouls. hits the second. Jackson gets the ball inside and lays it in. Al hits a baseline jumper. Rondo called for a foul. Time out with 5:52 left woth Boston up 22-16. I like what I see so far.

[FLCeltsFan]

Starters come back out after the time out. Hornets inbound on the side. Mason gets inside for a layup. Perk gets the ball inside he his fouled but no call as it is knocked away. Hornets ball. Hornets miss outside. Perk rebounds. Al called for a travel as he works his way into the paint. D West (David West of the Hornets - I will use Delonte for our D West) hits a shot in the lane. Time out with 4:18 left in the first and Celtics up 22-20

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound on the side with 16 on the Sc. PP misses and DWest rebounds. West misses from the top of the key and Al rebounds. Delonte to Perk and Perk to a cutting Al for a dunk. paul gets inside but can't finish. Mason gets the rebound and takes it in for a layup. Perk called for a foul setting a screen. Time out with 2:46 left in the 1st and Celtics up 24-22

[FLCeltsFan]

Hornets inbound. Jackson misses inside and Hornets get the rebound. Jackson gets it inside and misses again and Al rebounds. Celtics miss and Hornets rebound. Hornets get a 3 second violation. Rondo misses a jumper and Powe muscles in between 3 Hornets for the rebound and put back. Mason is fouled and misses the first and hits the second. He has a very awkward looking shot. PP goes hard to the hoop and lays it in. Mason loses the ball on the spin. PP steps into a 3 and hits from the top of the arc. Powe called for his required foul of the night. Green comes in for PP. West hits both FTs. Jackson called for a foul as Rondo drives past him. Celtics inbound with 17 on the SC. Rondo called for an offensive foul and Hornets inbound on the side. The hold for the final shot. Rondo with a steal from Paul and Paul steals it from Green. Paul misses the first and hits the second. Celtics inbound with 3.1 in the quarter. Powe gets it and misses a 3/4 court heave at the buzzer. Score at the end of 1 is Boston 31 and OKC 26

[The Eye of the Q is upon you!]

Q_KS at the Qtr - Celtics got off on a high shooting %. NOK is not showing much defense. We kept Paul out of the lane but their bigs scored on us - notably Chandler. Perkins and Jefferson is not a bad big man defensive combination. Too bad it took 60 plus games for Doc to realize that. Rondo handling the ball = High PP shooting % trailing the fast break.

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound to start the second. West Powe, Ray, Kandi and Green on the floor. Celtics miss and Hornets rebound. Jackson misses and Powe rebounds. Delonte misses a jumper and Hornets rebound. Jackson takes it to the basket and has it partially blocked Kandi comes away with it. Green misses and Hornets rebound. Powe picks off a bounce pass . Green misses a jumper. Chandler rebounds. Kick called on Delonte. Hornets inbound with 17 on the SC. Jackson misses and Chandler tips out the rebound but Powe comes up with it. Celtics miss and Chandler rebounds. Pargo hits a jumper. Ray takes it to the hoop and misses a layup. Chandler rebounds. Green called for a foul on Butler. Hornets inbound on the side. Butler hits a long 3 at the SC to tie the game. Kandi has it slapped away. Butler loses it out of bounds. Time out with 8:20 left in the 2nd and score tied at 31

[The Eye of the Q is upon you!]

Wow! the first three minutes of the 2nd qtr has stunk on both sides. Neither team can find a reliable shooter right now. Gerald Green is really in a slump. Allan Ray ain't much better. Perhaps Telfair should have been used in this spot.

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound and Delonte brings it up. Powe misses a baseline jumper and Kandi called for a foul on the rebound. Hornets inbound on the side. Rondo comes in for Delonte. Butler misses a jumper and Ray rebounds. Ray misses a jumper and Powe was fouled on the rebound. Celtics inbound on the side. Kandi throws it away. Butler is fouled by Powe as he goes up for a layup. Butler rims out the first. Perk and Al come back in. Butler hits the second. Ray called for a carry. PP comes in for Green. Chandler makes a move around Al on the baseline and lays it in. Perk hands off the Ray who misses a layup. Al rebounds and Rondo gets the ball inside and as he gets Chandler to commit, passes to Perk for a dunk and foul. Perk hits the FT. Hornets miss and PP rebounds. Rondo misses a layup and Hornets rebound. Pargo hits a 3 from the top of the arc. Pierce's pass inside to Al is too high for him to get to and Celtics turn it over. Time out with 5:17 left in the half and Hornets up 37-34.

[FLCeltsFan]

Hornets inbound. Starting lineup back on the floor. Butler hits a 3. Celtics lose the ball out of bounds. Brown hits a 3. PP takes it to the hoop for a layup. West hits a jumper at the SC. Rondo misses and Hornets rebound. Hornets miss a dunk and Delonte gets the rebound. Hornets miss and Paul gets the rebound and hits a jumper. Perk called for a foul and Time out is called with 2:28 left in the half and Hornets up 47-36

[The Eye of the Q is upon you!]

Boy we have fallen apart here. Just plain poor energy this 2nd qtr - nothing more nothing less.