Wizards (19-16) at Celtics (30-5) 1/14

[FLCeltsFan]

at
Washington Wizards (19-16) at Boston Celtics (30-5)
Monday, January 14
7:30 PM ET
Game #36, Home Game #19
TV: NBALP ch 752, CSN HD, CSN (Both teams broadcast on CSN)
Sirius channel 127
TD Banknorth Garden



Probable Starters
PG Tony Allen PPG 5.7 | APG 1.5 | 3P% .429
SG Ray Allen PPG 17.6 | APG 3 | 3P% .369
SF Paul Pierce PPG 21 | RPG 5.7 | APG 5
PF Kevin Garnett PPG 19.2 | RPG 9.9 | BPG 1.5
C Kendrick Perkins PPG 6.8 | RPG 5.7 | BPG 1.2

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

Injuries
Rajon Rondo, back, questionable




Probable Starters
PG Antonio Daniels PPG 8.9 | APG 5.1 | SPG 1.1
SG DeShawn Stevenson PPG 9.3 | APG 3 | 3P% .357
SF Caron Butler PPG 21.7 | RPG 7 | APG 4.4
PF Antawn Jamison PPG 21.3 | RPG 10.9 | BPG 0.5
C Brendan Haywood PPG 10.3 | RPG 7.8 | BPG 1.8

Off the Bench
Darius Songaila, Roger Mason, Andre Blatche, Neil Young, Dominic McGuire, Oleksey Pecherov

Injuries
Gilbert Arenas, knee surgery, out
Etan Thomas, heart surgery, out

Key Matchups
vs
Paul Pierce vs Caron Butler
Pierce PPG 21.2 RPG 5.70 APG 4.9 EFF + 21.00
Butler PPG 21.9 RPG 6.80 APG 4.6 EFF + 24.22
Pierce and Butler were going at each other both verbally and physically the entire game on Saturday. Butler got a slight edge in the stats with 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block to 15 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks for Pierce and of course, Butler got the win. This matchup could get very heated by the end of the night.

vs
Kevin Garnett vs Antawn Jamison
Garnett PPG 19.2 RPG 10.00 APG 3.6 EFF + 26.73
Jamison PPG 21.6 RPG 10.60 APG 1.5 EFF + 22.27
KG was outplayed by Jamison in Saturday's game. He finished with 10 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals while KG had 9 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks. KG will be playing for pride in this one and I expect a big game from him on both ends of the floor.

Keys to the Game
REBOUND The Celtics have been out-rebounded by big margins in their last 2 games. The Wizards had 26 second chance pointson Saturday. They cannot allow teams to get 19 more rebounds than them. Doc has got to keep his rebounders in the games and not spend so much time playing small ball.

Consistent Effort and Energy The Celtics have put in very lackluster performance in their last 3 games. They won against the Nets but that had more to do with the Nets' collapse as it did with the Celtics effort. Against the Wizards, the effort just wasn't there. Much of rebounding is desire and effort and the Celtics just didn't have it. They were getting beat to loose balls and on the boards and it will take a consistent effort to get this team back on track.

Don't Settle for 3's. The Wizards outscored the Celtics 30-20 in the paint and against the Bobcats they were outscored 48-28 in the paint. The Celtics have been settling for 3's and outside shots and those shots haven't been falling. KG is even settling for outside shots. They need to get back to driving to the hoop and getting into the paint.

The Celtics will be playing for pride in this one and will be at home with the crowd behind them. Hopefully we will see a better effort than we have seen in the past 3 games.

[FLCeltsFan]

Rondo is active and will be playing tonight. Hopefully he isn't coming back too quickly and will not be limited in his movement.

[FLCeltsFan]

Wizards get the tip. Rondo stripped Daniels on the baseline but they recover. Butler misses a jumper and rebound goes off the Wiz out of bounds. PP hits a 3 from the top right of the arc to start the scoring. Perk called for a foul as he is battling for possession under the basket with Haywood. Butler hits a jumper. PP hits a jumper. Wiz miss a jumper. PP gets ther rebound on teh baseline. Rondo misses a pull up jumper. Wiz rebound. Perk falls for Haywoods fake and Haywood spins around him and is fouled. He hits both FTs. PP misses a jumper as the SC winds down. Wiz rebound. Wiz lose the ball out of bounds. KG drives into the paint and is doubled. He hands off to Perk for a reverse dunk. Stevenson hits a 3 at the SC. RA loses the ball out of bounds. Jamison misses. Perk blocks out Haywood and PP tips the rebound that goes out off the Wiz. PP misses a jumper. Wiz rebound and quickly score on the other end. KG hits a turn around jumper. Wiz miss a jumper at the SC. Rondo rebounds. Stevenson takes it to the hoop and misses a layup. Celtics rebound. Rondo hits a runner in the lane. Perk with a big block and RA gets out ahead of the pack and misses a layup but gets his own rebound and puts it in. Time out with Boston up 13-9 and 5:46 left in the first.

[cfoo]

Who says we need a pg? We've got Perk! Perk is playing out of his mind and I love it and I'm sure you do too FL.

[FLCeltsFan]

Wiz inbound on the baseline and bring it up. Jamison hits a jumper at the SC. PP loses the ball out of bounds as he drbbles around against the double team. Wiz miss from the corner and RA rebounds. KG called for an offensive foul as he spins to the hoop against Jamison. Stevenson takes it to the hoop and puts it too hard off the glass. Rondo rebounds. Perk knocks the ball away and RA goes to the floor to save the ball in to Rondo. He gets it back and hits a 3. Butler hits a jumper. Celtics nearly turn it over but recover and Rondo misses a layup off the glass. Wiz rebound. Perk with a steal. Perk with a behind the back pass to PP who gives an ally oop to KG for the dunk. Stevenson hits a 3 from the wing. RA misses a 3 and Wiz rebound. Time out with Celtics up 18-16 and 1:46 left in the first

[FLCeltsFan]

Yep, CF00 I am loving Perk's play out there. Loved that last play... Wiz inbound and bring it up. Celtics not pressing in the back court. Posey is in for KG and is called for a foul. House is in for Rondo. Jamison misses a jumper and rebound goes out of bounds to Boston. PP drives into a double team and misses a layup. House tracks down the rebound. PP's cross court pass is picked off and Posey called for a foul to prevent the layup. Stevenson hits the first. Big Baby comes in for Perk. Stevenson hits the second to tie the game at 18. Wiz are trapping and pressuring the ball. RA misses a jumper off the catch. Wiz rebound. Stevenson misses a jumper House rebounds. House is fouled with 5.3. Wiz had one to give and Celtics inbound on the side. House misses a jumper and RA rebounds and misses at the buzzer. Score tied at 18 at the end of 1

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound to start the second. Tony drives to the hoop and misses a layup but stays with it and gets the rebound and put back. Davis blocks Blatche's shot out of bounds. Wiz inbound with 8 seconds on the SC. House deflects the inbounds pass out of bounds. Wiz get it in. Stevenson misses a long 3 at the buzzer and Songaila is called for a foul on the rebound. PP hits a step back jumper. Mason hits a jumper off the catch. PP misses a fall away on the baseline that goes off the side of the backboard to the Wiz. Young hits a jumper on the baseling. House misses a jumper. Mason with the rebound. Mason misses a jumper. PP tips the rebound to Posey. PP drives hard to the hoop and is fouled by Blatche. PP hits the first and misses the second. rebound goes off Big Baby out of bounds. RA comes in for PP. Posey, Baby, RA, House and Tony on the floor. Wiz miss and Celtics rebound House misses a jumper and Wiz rebound. Blatche called for an offesnive foul as Baby takes the charge Time out with game tied at 23 and 8:46 left in the half

[cfoo]

Good game so far. The wizards are a tough team. I like how we are pushing the tempo. The wizards are playing pretty tough defensively though. Need to look inside more.

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound and House brings it up. Pass inside to Big Baby who lays it down to Posey who misses a scoop shot. Wiz rebound and turn it over. RA grabs the loose ball and gets an easy layup. KG comes in for Posey. Young misses as Tony bothers the shot. KG rebounds. Celtics miss a layup. Pecherov misses and Celtics rebound. RA drives into the lane and his pass inside to Big Baby goes off his hands out of bounds. Songaila hits a jumper from the FT line. Davis gets the ball inside from Tony and is fouled as he goes up for the shot. The first FT rattles in and out. Second goes off the back of the rim and Wiz rebound. Wiz turn it over and House finds KG cutting down the lane for a layup. Time out with Boston up 27-25 and 6:04 left in the half

[runrondo]

Rondo didn't look completely healthy..I'm thinking it would have been better for him to rest a bit more it's not like we need to rush guys back anyway..Perk is playing out of his mind on defense but yet, Doc will most likely not play him much :/..Perk was blocking, stealing, and juking it..Also had a nice behind the back dunk..We're playing alright..I like our tempo..Not completely all out fast but a nice up tempo game though we're taking too many threes...Ray just isn't looking like himself, missing wide open threes and getting blocked taking it to the hole..Not sure he's completely healthy too

[cfoo]

Awesome passing. We just need to look inside and we will win this game going away.

[FLCeltsFan]

Perk comes back in for Baby. Haywood misses and KG is inside battling for the rebound. Blatche is called for a foul over the back. KG goes one on one with Haywood on the baseline and hits a jumper. Jamison hits a jumper. Celtics have KG, Tony, RA, Perk and House on the floor. KG gets inside and is fouled by Mason. KG hits both FTS. Butler is short. rebound is tipped and Tony comes away with it. KG gets the ball inside to Perk for a dunk. Mason steps out of bounds on the baseline as Celtics defense picks up. Perk gets the ball inside and misses the layup but stays with it and grabs the rebound and is fouled. He hits the first and misses the second. Wiz rebound. Butler gets RA off his feet on the fake and is fouled. He hits both FTs. Perk with a pass inside to KG who misses the layup. Perk tips the rebound but Wiz come away with it. The ref blew the whistle to call 3 seconds and then said it was his mistake so jump ball. Wiz get the tip. 3 seconds called this time and Time out with Celtics up 34-29 and 2:44 left in the half

[FLCeltsFan]

cf00 said:

Awesome passing. We just need to look inside and we will win this game going away.

Defintely, CF00. That is one of the things we have been missing the past few games. They got away from the passing game and were settling for 3's and they weren't falling. We just weren't looking to get inside and wern't passing the ball. Good to see them getting back to what got them here.

[cfoo]

We are but Washington is playing good defense and killing me here. Our interior passing has been great the past several possesions. We are trying to go inside at least.

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound in the back court and bring it up. PP passes inside to Perk who has it stripped from behind. Perk with a block out of bounds. Wiz inbound and Jamison misses a layup. House fumbles the pass and is called for a travel. Daniels is fouled as he misses a jumper. He misses the first. Hits the second. KG gets the ball inside to Perk who is called for a travel as he goes up for the dunk. Wiz miss and RA rebounds. Offensive foul called on Perk as RA was gettin mugged with the ball. Doc was absolutely amazed by that call. Terrible call. Haywood gets a dunk. KG gets inside and is fouled. the first FT rattles in and out. The second one is good. Celtics are 5-10 from the line. Wiz lose the ball out of bounds but they call it Wiz ball. The inbound on the baseline and Stevenson hits a 3 from the corner off the catch. Game tied at 35. Time out with game tied at 35 and 15.2 left in the half