Celtics (19-2) at Raptors (14-10)

[FLCeltsFan]

at
Boston Celtics (19-2) at Toronto Raptors (14-10)
Sunday, December 16
1:00 pm Eastern
Game #22, Road Game #10
TV: SCORE, NBA LP ch 752, CSN
Air Canada Center



Probable Starters

PG: Rajon Rondo PPG 8.8 | APG 5.3 | SPG 1.7
SG: Tony Allen PPG 4.3 | APG 1.4 | 3P% .375
SF: Paul Pierce PPG 21 | RPG 5.3 | APG 5.1
PF: Kevin Garnett PPG 18.9 | RPG 10.5 | BPG 1.6
C: Kendrick Perkins PPG 7.1 | RPG 4.9 | BPG 1.4

Off the Bench:
Eddie House, Scot Pollard, James Posey, Leon Powe, Big Baby Davis, Gabe Pruitt

Injuries:
Scot Pollard, back, day to day
Ray Allen, ankle, out


Probable Starters:

PG: Jose Calderon PPG 10.3 | APG 7.9 | SPG 0.8
SG: Anthony Parker PPG PPG 11.2 | RPG 4.3 | APG 1.5
SF: Jamario Moon PPG 7.7 | RPG 7.1 | APG 1.2
PF: Chris Bosh PPG 19.1 | RPG 8.5 | BPG 1.3
C: Rasho Nesterovic PPG 4.8 | RPG 4.8 | BPG 0.6

Offthe Bench
Carlos Delfino, Juan Dixon, Chris Humphries, Andrea Bargnani, Jason Kapono

Injuries
Jorge Garbajosa, knee, out
TJ Ford, neck, out



Key Matchup:
Kevin Garnett vs Chris Bosh
vs
Kevin Garnett is one of the best power forwards ever and Chris Bosh is one of the best up and coming power forwards. This should be a good match up with KG having the advantage because of experience and a height advantage.

Keys to the Game
Defend the Perimeter. The Raptors are the top 3 point shooting team in the league and have 3 players in the top 15 three point shooters: Jason Kapono leads the team in shooting at .543,
followed by Anthony Parker (.500) and Andrea Bargnani (.460). They can beat you from long distance and so the Celtics must have good perimeter defense.

Come out with Energy. The Celtics need to set the tone of the game right from the beginning. They need to play with energy for 48 minutes and not just the second half because the Raptors are capable of scoring in bunches and have also been playing good defense. If we dig a hole, we may not be able to get out of it.

Be aggressive. The Celtics need to be aggressive on the boards and attacking the the basket. They shouldn't settle for outside shots but should try to get into the paint. They also need to limit the Raptors' second chance baskets.


Game Notes
In their first meeting in Toronto, Ray Allen had 33 points and hit the game winner at the buzzer in overtime. In their second meeting in Boston, The Celtics won easily 112-84 but the Raptors were without both Bosh and Bargnani. The Raptors are playing for pride in this one. They are the defending Atlantic Division champs and have lost to the Celtics in all three meetings this season already.

With Ray Allen out, Tony should again get the start and his defense will be needed. The first meeting in Toronto was very close and the Celtics won on the strength of Ray Allen's big game and game winning shot at the buzzer. Both teams will be without a key player. The Celtics will miss Ray Allen and Toronto will miss TJ Ford, who has given the Celtics problems in the past.

The Raptors have won 4 in a row and during their win streak, they held their opponents to 84.3 points on 40% shooting. The Raptors defeated Indiana 104-93, Houston 93-80, Atlanta 100-88 and Dallas 92-76. So, they are winning with defense as well as their outside shooting and the Celtics have struggled against teams that clamp down on defense. Hopefully they have figured out how to beat the pressing defenses. The Celtics have also been winning with defense and so this should be a grind it out defensive matchup.

[streetballcelt]

Thank you once again for the report before the game ... But i have some Q .. Please tell me did any television (no matter what ) will broadcast the Game ... because I'm on work and we have more than 3000 programs ...

[FLCeltsFan]

streetballcelt said:

Thank you once again for the report before the game ... But i have some Q .. Please tell me did any television (no matter what ) will broadcast the Game ... because I'm on work and we have more than 3000 programs ...

The game will be broadcast on SCORE, NBA LP ch 752, and CSN.

[runrondo]

I don't like these games at 1:00pm because usually the Celtics play very slowly and look like they don't have any energy..And agaisnt this team we'll need lots of energy considering Allen will be out...

[FLCeltsFan]

Starting lineups as posted above. They are having a blizzard there in Canada so even though the game is sold out, it won't be a full house. We have Mike and Tommy announcing. Yea! Perk wins the tip but PP couldn't get to it and Raps have it. Raptors miss their first shot. Celtics with the rebound. Perk has it stripped by Bosh and is fouled but no call. Raptors called for a carry and Celtics get it back. Rondo gets into the lane and kicks out to the open KG who hits a jumper. Moon misses a jumper and KG grabs the rebound. PP goes up and under with a finger roll around Moon. Bosh misses and Rondo rebounds in traffic. He gets it to KG and then gets it back. KG with a leaner in the lane. Bosh is fouled going to the hoop. He hits both FTs. Celtics miss and Raptors rebound. Calderon hits a deep 3. Pierce misses a 3 and Rasho rebounds. Tony with a steal and Calderon steals it right back. Bosh misses and KG rebounds. Bosh called for a foul on KG over the back. Celtics inbound on the side. PP gets inside and lays it in. Celtics deflect the ball out of bounds. Raptors inbound with 10 on the SC. Nesterovic misses a jumper and Raps with a 24 second violation. PP once again moves on Moon and lays it in. Calderon pulls up at the FT line and hits a jumper. Celtics miss a jumper and Raptors rebound. Defensive 3 second violation. Raps miss the T and inbound with 14 on the SC. Bosh misses a jumper and PP called for a foul on Bosh as he attempts a put back. Bad call as reply shows no contact. Bosh misses the first and hits the second. Rondo hits a jumper from about 18 on the baseline. Perker misses and Perk rebounds. PP forces up a shot and Raps rebound. Parker hits a 3 from the corner. Delfino called for a foul on PP. Time out with 4:55 left in the first and Celtics up 12-11

[FLCeltsFan]

PP at the line hits both FTs. Bosh drives down the line for a wide open layup that he misses but is fouled. He hits the first and misses the second. Perk rebounds. Rondo hits another jumper from around 18. Rondo with a steal. Hard push up the middle and Rondo with an alley oop for a one handed dunk by KG. Parker misses from the corner. KG rebounds. Rondo is knocked over as he misses the layup. No call. But Perk is there for the reboudn and put back dunk. Delfino misses and Bosh rebounds. Parker hits a 3. Foul on KG. Time out with 2:33 left in the first and Celtics up 20-15

[FLCeltsFan]

Big Baby in for KG who has 2 fouls. Raps miss and Perk rebounds. PP lays it down for Davis who lays it in. Raps miss and Tony tracks down the rebound. PP drives baseline and Delfino called for a foul. Kapono replaces Delfino who has 2 fouls. PP hits both FTs. Bosh is fouled by Perk as he prevents the layup. Bosh hits both FTs. Rondo misses a runner in the lane and Raptors rebound. Humphreys misses and Davis tips the rebound to Rondo. Posey hits a 3 from the top of the arc. Kapono misses a runner and Posey rebounds. Celtics looking for the final shot of the quarter. Tony misses a 3 at the buzzer. Score at the end of 1 is Boston 27 and Toronto 17

[FLCeltsFan]

Davis gets a tough pass inside and lays it in. Raps miss and Celtics rebound. PP takes it hard to the hoop and lays it down for Davis who is fouled. He hits 1 of 2. Bargnani misses and Humphreys tracks down the rebound. House slaps the ball off Dixon out of bounds. PP kicks it out to Posey in the corner for a 3. Time out with 33-17 and 10:26 left in the half

[FLCeltsFan]

Parker drives into the land and throws it right to Eddie House. House hits a jumper. Raptors turn it over. Celtics miss and Humphries rebound. Carry called on Bargnani. House misses a jumper and Humphries rebounds. Humphries gets inside for a dunk. PP takes parker into the lane and lays it in. Raps miss a 3 and PP rebounds. PP drives into the lane and is fouled. KG comes in for PP. Celtics inbound on the side. House passes into Davis and 3 second violation on the Celtics. Davis gets into the passing lane and Raps will inbound with 6 on the SC. Dixon forced to take a wild shot and Celtics rebound. Tony hits a 3 from the corner. Time out with Celtics up 40-19 and 7:02 left in the half

[FLCeltsFan]

Raps inbound on the side. Calderon misses and rebound goes out of bounds to Boston. Celtics defense has been incredible. Celtics miss a jumper and Raptors rebound. Kapono misses and KG rebounds. Kapono delflects the ball out of bounds. Celtics inbound with 21 on the SC. Posey misses a 3 and Calderon rebounds. Moon hits a fall away jumper over Tony. KG and Tony with a give and go and Tony is fouled as he goes up for a layup amid boos from the crowd. Time out with Celtics up 40-21 and 5:17 left in the half

[FLCeltsFan]

Tony misses the first FT. Misses the second and Raptors rebound. Bosh misses as he goes to the hoop. Rebound is slapped around and goes out off Boston. Kapono misses and Posey rebounds. KG misses a floater in the lane and Bosh rebounds. Posey ties up Bosh as he goes to the basket. He hits both FTs. Rondo gets to the hoop and lays it in. KG Perk, Posey, PP and Rondo on the floor. Kapono misses and Bosh rebounds. Humphreys hits a fall away in the lane. Perk hits a hook shot over Bosh in the lane. Rondo slaps the ball away from Calderon. Time out with Celtics up 44 -25 and 2:59 left in the half

[CelticsLoyalist]

With TJ being out and Ray being out, it negates any advantage on either side. SO, the haters have no excuses.

[CelticsLoyalist]

Rondo will be the forgotten man until teams start respecting him.

[FLCeltsFan]

Delfino gets the ball inside and lays it in. Perk misses under the basket and raps come away with it. Humphreys is fouled by PP before the shot but they give him FT's anyway. He hits the firts and misses the second. PP with the rebound. ROndo gets a cross court pass from KG and he drives to the hoop and hits up and under. Humphries misses and the tips home his own miss. Rondo drives by Calderon and lays it in. Calderon hits a 3 from the corner. KG faces up on Humphries and spins away from the double team and lays it in. Bosh hits a jumper. Posey is short from the corner and Raps rebound. Posey running hard knocks the ball out. Tony and Davis back in. Raps inbound with 20 on the SC. Rondo called for a foul. Raps inbound on the side with 6 on the SC. Bosh is fouled by Big Baby. House and Posey come back in. Bosh hits the first and misses the second. Kapono called for a push on the rebound. Celtics will inbound in the back court. Rondo gets to the hoop and kicks it out but it goes out of bounds. Score at the half is Celtics 50 and Toronto 36. Toronto was able to cut into a 21 point lead. Hopefully the Celtics will come out hard in the 3rd like usual and put them away

[runrondo]

Wow, great display of defense for most of the 1st half..my eyes were glued to the television...Rondo's also attacking nicely