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Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 13, 2007 13:31:44 GMT -5
 at  New Jersey Nets (4-3) at Boston Celtics (6-0)
Wednesday, November 14
7:30 PM ET
TV: NBA LP ch 755; CSN HD; Yes HD
TD Banknorth Garden   Probable Starters      PG: Rajon Rondo PPG 9.6 | APG 4 | STL 2.8 SG: Ray Allen PPG 22.6 | APG 3.2 | 3P% .515 SF: Paul Pierce PPG 23.6 | RPG 4.2 | APG 4.6 PF: Kevin Garnett PPG 22.6 | RPG 15.8 | BPG 1.6 C: Kendrick Perkins PPG 6.0 | RPG 5.2 | BPG 1.56 Off the BenchEddie House, Brian Scalabrine, James Posey, Big Baby Davis, Tony Allen, Scot Pollard, Leon Powe Key Bench Player  Eddie House - PPG 11.2 | APG 3 | 3P% .458 Injuries: none   Probable Starters      PG: Jason Kidd PPG 9.5 | APG 10.5 | SPG 2 SG: Antoine Wright PPG 11.8 | RPG 3.2 | APG 1.3 SF: Richard Jefferson PPG 26 | RPG 5.5 | APG 2.2 PF: Nenad Krstic PPG 6.5 | RPG 4.2 | BPG 0.5 C: Jason Collins PPG 0.3 | RPG 2.2 | BPG 0.2 Off the BenchMalik Allen, Darrell Armstrong, Josh Boone, Jamaal Magloire, Bostjan Nachbar, Sean Williams Key Bench Player Bostjan Nachbar PPG 9 | RPG 2.7 | APG 1.3 Injuries Vince Carter, Marcus Williams Key Matchups:  vs  With Carter being out, Kidd should try to take on more of the scoring load and it will be up to Rondo to stop him. Rondo also has to continue to take his shots when he is open to keep Kid from doubling off of him.  vs  PIerce vs Jefferson should be the toughest matchup in this game. Pierce has upped his defense and that will be needed on Jefferson as he has had the hottest hand for the Nets. It is also important that Pierce doesn't try to do too much against Jefferson and allow Garnett, Allen and Perk to exploit the easier matchups. Keys to the Game: Defense: As with every game, defense is the key to winning, period. We especially need to contain Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson as both can take over a game by themselves. Ball movement. When we move the ball, we are a very hard team to defend. It is when the ball slows down and there is too much dribbling and too many iso's that the team tends to faulter. Home Court Advantage: The Celtics will have the crowd behind them and all three of the stars have said that they want teams to fear coming into the Garden again. They need to use the atmosphere and home court to their advantage to intimidate the Nets. Game Notes: With Vince Carter sidelined with a sprained ankle, Ray Allen should have an easier time matched up with Antoine Wright. Expect the Nets to come out with a vengeance to avenge the loss in New Jersey. Richard Jefferson seemed rather caustic talking about the Celtics in his post game interview and he is going to bring his A-game for certain. The Celtics have an advantage at center and power forward and they need to exploit that. The Nets are division rivals and the Celtics need to take care of business and send them a message every time we play them. |
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Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Nov 14, 2007 13:38:08 GMT -5
Excellent pregame writeup FL - I look for Posey to work on RJ and possibly take him out of the game. Energy of the big three is a slight question mark because all three went long minutes in Indiana but I am not concerned at this point as this is only game 7 instead of game 70. This year's Celtics are taking a cue from their successful ancestors in getting off to fast starts and claiming the division lead. So things are the brightest they have been in almost 20 years.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 14, 2007 19:35:48 GMT -5
Eddie House is out tonight. Pruitt is active for the game and may see some playing time. Tony will also spend some time at the point.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 14, 2007 19:50:48 GMT -5
Perk wins the tip and KG gets it. They call a violation and say he tipped it too many times. Ball is picked off by KG and Perk hustled to save it from going out of bounds and gets a Tommy Point. Travelling called on RA as he tries to get a shot off over the double team in the paint as the SC winds down. KIdd hits a jumper. Pass comes inside to PP for a layup. Perk with good defense on Krstic adn Nets turn it over. RA misses a jumper and Kidd rebounds. Kidd hits a 3 from the top of the arc. KG misses a jumper and Nets rebound. Krstic misses and Perk rebounds. KG gets the ball inside and he steps out of bounds. Jefferson misses and the rebound comes out to PP. RA Drives to the hoop and draws a foul. He hits both FTs. PP called for a foul. Perk called for a foul. Nets inbound on the side. Kidd hits a 3 from the top of the arc. PP drives to the basket and has it stripped. Ball goes off PP out of bounds. Kidd misses Perk rebounds. PP hits a jumper. Jefferson misses and Rondo gets a hand on the rebound but it comes out to Jefferson. Jefferon misses and rebound goes out to Boston. PP spins in the lane and has it stripped again. He gets it back but misses a layup in traffic. Nets come away with it. KG with a great block. Collins with a foul inside. Celtics inbound on the side. Pass inside to Perk and he is fouled. He hits both FTs. Celtics with light pressure in the back court. Krstic hits a jumper. Perk with a bullet pass down the lane to KG in the post and he lays it in. Time out with Celtics up 10-9 and 5:31 left in the first.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 14, 2007 19:59:54 GMT -5
Nets inbound. Celtics double Jefferson. Wright hits a jumper. Perk has it slapped away and Pierce recovers. Foul on RJ.(Jefferson). Nets with a steal. Kidd draws a foul. He travels before the foul but they don't call it. He hits both FTs. Garnett is triple teamed. Ball tipped out of bounds with 7 on the SC. Posey comes in for Perk. RA misses a jumper. Kidd rebounds. Alley oop for Williams is good. KG misses a jumper from the top of the key. RA gets the rebound and saves it to PP. Rondo gets the ball inside to KG for a dunk. Kidd goes baseline and is fouled. Scal and Tony come in for the Celtics. Kidd hits the first. misses the second and Kidd gets the rebound. Jefferson misses and Malik Allen rebounds. Kidd misses from 3 but Williams is there for the rebound and put back. With Tony, RA, PP, Scal and Posey on the floor the Nets are getting second, third and even 4th chances Doc needs to keep a rebounder in there. He should have Big Baby in there or Powe or Perk ... just someone who will rebound. Time out with Nets up 19-12 and 2:39 left in the first
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 14, 2007 20:10:33 GMT -5
Celtics inbound and Tony brings it up. Tony drives to the hoop and is fouled. Big Baby came in for Scal after that time out. Tony misses the first and hits the second. Big Baby called for a foul. Williams misses the first. misses the second. Posey got the rebound. Tony hits a leaner in the lane. Tony with a near steal but it goes out of bounds. Nets inbound with 8 on the SC. RJ misses and Big Baby called for his second foul on the rebound. Wright hits the first and misses the second. Pierce with the rebound. Tony loses the ball out of bounds. Defensive 3 seconds called on Posey. RJ hits the T. Nets inbound on the side with 14 on the SC. Armstrong takes it to the hoop and lays it in. Tony takes it baseline to the hoop and draws a foul. He hits the first and Scal comes in for PP. He hits the second. Posey with a steal. He misses a 3 and Nets rebound. Big Baby with a steal and RA misses a 3/4 court shot at the buzzer. Score at the end of 1 is Nets 23 and Celtics 17
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 14, 2007 20:18:35 GMT -5
Celtics inbound to start the second. Scal misses a 3. Davis gets the rebound and misses a layup and is called for a foul on the rebound. Perk comes in for Big Baby. Nachbar hits a 3. Celtics miss a 3 and rebound goes out of bounds off Nets. Pierce comes in for RA. Tony front rims a 3. He gets his own rebound and ball goes out of bounds off Nets. Celtics inbound with 20 on the SC. KG comes in for Posey. Perk with a touch pass to KG who misses a jumper in the lane and Perk rebounds and lays it in. Jefferson is fouled by Tony. Nets inbound on the side. Nachbar misses a jumper. Pierce and KG fight for the rebound. PP comes away with it. Rondo hits a jumper. KG called for a foul away from the ball. (KG's 2nd). Nets inbound. Defensive 3 second violation on KG. RJ misses the T. Nets inbound with 14 on the SC. RJ hits a jumper on the baseline. Rondo drives down the lane and lays it in and draws the foul. He misses the FT and Nets rebound. KG poked the ball away from Nachbar but he recovers. KG knocks it away again and Nets with a 24 second violation. Time out with 8:40 left in the half and Nets up 28-23
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 14, 2007 20:24:42 GMT -5
KG, Scal, Perk, Rondo, PP on the floor. KG hits a jumper from the corner. Nets turn it over. Good defense by the Celtics to cause it. PP misses a fall away and Magloire rebounds. Armstrong misses a 3. Kidd the rebound. Armstrong hits a 3. Rondo called for an offensive foul, his 3rd. Tony comes in for Rondo. Tony forces an airball Perk saves it from going out of bounds. KG hits a turn around jumper. Kidd takes it to the hoop but has it blocked by Perk and rebound comes back out to Magloire. Tony called for his second foul. Magloire misses both FTs KG rebounds. PP moves on Nachbar in the lane and is fouled. Time out with 5:58 left in the half and Nets up 30-27
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Post by CelticsLoyalist on Nov 14, 2007 20:27:11 GMT -5
Well...NJ has either found the chink in our armor or we are doing it to ourselves. Either way, we are not playing well. Altho, KG finally keeping us in it. Nice blocks by Perk.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 14, 2007 20:32:51 GMT -5
PP misses the first. hits the second. PP in the passing lane gets a steal and takes it all the way for a layup. Kidd pulls up and hits a jumper from the top of the key. KG misses and Nets rebound. Krstic misses and RA rebounds. Tony with a bad pass inside is picked off. Nets miss and KG rebounds. Another bad pass by Tony and Celtics turn it over. Nets miss and PP rebounds. PP drives to the basket and loses the ball out of bounds. Kidd misses from the top of the key and Perk rebounds. RA takes it to the hoop and lays it in to tie the game at 32. Kidd misses in the lane. Gets his own rebound and misses again. Nets rebound again and hit a jumper. Celtics miss and nets rebound. Nets turn it over. RA's 3 is short and Nets rebound. Celtics look like they are tired and just aren't hitting their jumpers and are a step slow on rebounds and loose balls. Too many minuted for them last night
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 14, 2007 20:38:46 GMT -5
Nets inbound on the side. Jefferson front rims a jumper and KG grabs the rebound. PP hits a leaner in the lane. KG with a steal. Perk's hook shot was partially blocked by Williams and Williams comes away with the rebound. Nets turn it over. Tony on the break and is fouled to prevent the layup. tony front rims the first. FT. Posey comes in for KG. He misses the second. Nets rebound. Jefferson travelled and Celtics inbound with 8 seconds left in the half. Rondo comes in for Perk. PP hits a fall away at tthe buzzer. Score at the half is Boston 36 and Nets 34
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Post by CelticsLoyalist on Nov 14, 2007 20:40:13 GMT -5
Amazing! What a low scoring half! Yet somehow we are up 2! LOL!
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Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Nov 14, 2007 20:46:58 GMT -5
Q at the half -
The Celtics have poor execution at the offensive end. The D is doing a good job limiting NJ to 6 points in the last 8 minutes of the 1st half.
Tony Allen at the point is simply not working out. There have been like 6 turnovers in the short time I have watched.
Despite our poor play, we lead by two at the half so I think we will be allright in the 2nd half.
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Post by FLCeltsFan on Nov 14, 2007 21:02:57 GMT -5
Celtics inbound to start the 3rd. KG hits a jumper. Celtics with a steal. PP takes it into the lane in traffic and draws a foul. He hits both FTs. Jefferson hits a jumper. . PP with a bounce pass to Perk inside and he is fouled. He hits both FTs. Jefferson hits a jumper from the same spot. Perk misses a hook shot and Nets rebound. MAllen misses and KG rebounds. Perk with a pass to an open Rondo for a jumper on the baseline. RA called for a reach in foul. Collins hits the first and misses the second. RJ called for a foul. Celtics inbound on the side. PP hits a 3 after good ball movement inside and out. Kidd takes it to the hoop and lays it in. Celtics miss and Nets rebound. Perk with a block but is called for a foul. RJ at the line. He front rims the first. hits the second. Perk gets the ball inside and lays it in. MAllen misses and RA rebounds. KG hits a jumper. Time out with Celtics up 50-41 and 7:27 left in the 3rd.
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Post by The Eye of the Q is upon you! on Nov 14, 2007 21:04:54 GMT -5
Good start by the C's. THe ball moved on the O. Guys moved without the ball. THey were ready to shoot from their sweet spots. The defense remained active. The lead opens to nine points. I like this.
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