Bobcats (19-38) at Celtics (44-12) 2/29

[FLCeltsFan]

at
Charlotte Bobcats (19-38) at Boston Celtics (44-12)
Friday, February 29
7:30 PM ET
Regular Season Game #57, Home Game #29
TV: NBA LP ch 752, CSN HD, WMYT
Radio: WEEI, Sirius 121
TD Banknorth Garden



Probable Starters

Rajon Rondo/ Ray Allen/ Paul Pierce/ Kevin Garnett/ Kendrick Perkins

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

Injuries:
Brian Scalabrine, groin, probable
Tony Allen, calf, day to day





Jeff McInnis/ Raymond Felton/ Jason Richardson/ Emeka Okafor/ Nazr Mohammed

Off the Bench
Matt Carroll, Ryan Hollins, Jermareo Davidson, Jared Dudley, Earl Boykins, Othello Harrington

Injuries:
Derek Anderson, knee, doubtful
Sean May, knee, out
Adam Morrison, ACL, out
Gerald Wallace, concussion, out

Key Matchups
vs
Kevin Garnett 6'11" PPG 18.5 RPG 9.70 APG 3.7 EFF + 25.40
Emeka Okafor 6'10" PPG 13.5 RPG 11.10 APG 0.8 EFF + 19.05

vs
Paul Pierce 6'7" PPG 20.4 RPG 5.50 APG 4.8 EFF + 20.16
Jason Richardson 6'6" PPG 20.1 RPG 5.00 APG 3.0 EFF + 17.39

Keys to the Game
Defense. The Bobcats are a good 3 point shooting team as well as having players who can get to the basket. The Celtics must defend both on the perimeter and in the paint.

Play 48 Minutes. The Celtics have to start off strong and not let up. The Bobcats have given the Celtics problems in both games this season and so the Celtics shouldn't think they can coast against them in spite of their record.

Rebound The Celtics must crash the boards and get the rebounds. They were outrebounded by the Cavs in their last game and have been allowing way too many second chance points in recent games. They have to make a conscious effort to box out and go get the rebounds.

Game Notes
This is the 3rd of 4 meetings between these two teams this season. The first game came right down to the last second as Ray Allen hit a 3 at the buzzer to give the Celtics a 96-95 win in Charlotte. In the second game between the two teams, the Bobcats came into the Garden and beat the Celtics 95-83. The Bobcats have just 4 wins on the road and one of those was in Boston. We absolutely can't take this team for granted.

Gerald Wallace is one of the players who have given the Celtics problems in the past but he is out with a concussion and so the Celtics may be catching a break there. Jason Richardson is 2nd in the league in 3 point field goals and so he still can give the Celtics problems. Pierce is going to have to stay on him on the perimeter to try to keep him in check.

The Bobcat's first year coach, Sam Vincent, was the 20th pick of the Boston Celtics in 1985 and played 2 seasons for them. He won a ring on the 1986 championship team. Eddie House played 13 games for the Bobcats in their inaugural season in 2004-05.

The Bobcats have lost 4 in a row, including the last one in New York. In that game, Nate Robinson raked Richardson across the face and he left the game with a scratched cornea but is expected to play in this game. They are just 1-9 in their last 10 games.

[The Eye of the Q is upon you!]

I'm stuck here at work because the evening shift guy did not show up. So no observations of the game from the Eyes of Quiniela are available.

Relying on FL to keep me informed. Lemme know if there any SC sightings.

[FLCeltsFan]

Bobcats have released Jeff McInnis today. Matt Carroll is starting at shooting guard. Perk wins the tip and PP pulls up and hits a jumper. Richardson misses a deep 3. Cats get the rebound. Okafor gets a rebound of a miss. Carroll misses and finally the Celtics rebound. RA fumbles a pass out of bound. Okafor makes a move around KG and is fouled. He hits both FTs. RA misses a jumper. Perk with a block. Felton hits a straight away 3. PP with a bounce pass down the lane to Perk who is fouled. Perk hits both FTs. Okafor got away with a travel before putting in a hook shot. RA hits a 3 from the top of the arc. KG picks up his second foul as Richardson takes it to the hoop. He hits the first. Davis comes in for KG. He hits the second FT. Rondo gets to the hoop and kicks out to PP who misses a 3. Cats rebound and quickly get back for a dunk. Carroll called for his second foul. Perk misses a hook shot in the lane and Cats rebound. Okafor lays it in and is fouled by Ray. He hits the Ft. PP goes baseline and hands off to Perk for a big 2 handed dunk. Perk with a steal and he tips it to Rondo who takes it to the hoop but has it stripped as he goes up for the shot. Celtics inbound and RA hits a 3 from the corner. Richardson front rims a 3. Celtics rebound and Rondo takes it hard to the hoop and lays it in. Time out with score tied at 14 and 6:47 left in the first

[FLCeltsFan]

quinielabox said:

I'm stuck here at work because the evening shift guy did not show up. So no observations of the game from the Eyes of Quiniela are available.

Relying on FL to keep me informed. Lemme know if there any SC sightings.

Happy to do so. I will miss your great insights though. No SC sightings but they had him on the phone in the pregame show and he sounds excited to join the team. He was talking about how he can help the team and what he likes about the team.

[FLCeltsFan]

Cats inbound on the side. Felton's shot is blocked by Perk as he goes to the hoop. Cats inbound with 4 on the SC. Airball at the SC is corralled by Davis. Davis misses off the catch and Okafor rebounds. Mohammed misses a jumper. PP rebounds. Rondo slow coming back. Celtics miss and Cats rebound. Carroll hits a from the side. Rondo is ok. Perk called for an offensive foul. not a good call. Perk with block on Richardson's shot but they call it goal tending. RA loses the ball and Felton takes it away. Pierce with a steal. He gets inthe lane and spins and hands off to Perk for a dunk and foul. Perk hits the FT. Felton hits a jumper. Rondo takes it hard to the hoop and hits a circus scoop shot and is fouled. He hits the FT. Richardson is fouled by Pierce as he takes it to the hoop. Richardson hits both FTs. Pierce get it inside and lays it in. Cats miss and Rondo rebounds. Davis makes a strong move to the hoop and lays it in. Rondo with a steal and gets to the basket way ahead of everyone else. He stops and waits a couple seconds for Perk to come trailing the play for a dunk. Funny play. Offensive foul on the Cats. Time out with Celtics up 26 -23 and 2:17 left in the first.

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound in the back court. Pierce inbounds to Rondo who brings it up against pressure. Baby hits a 15 foot jumper on the baseline. Travelling called on Mohammed as Perk plays very good defense. Posey comes in for RA. Rondo into the paint and dishes off to Perk for a dunk. Richardson hits a 3 from the corner. PP misses a 3 and Davis hustles for the rebound and is fouled. He hits the first and misses the second. Cats rebound. Felton misses in the lane and Perk rebounds. PP gets the ball inside from Rondo and lays it in. Felton hits a jumper. Rondo misses a jumper at the buzzer. Score at the end of 1 is Boston 33 and Charlotte 28. Perk with 11 first quarter points. Mike asked if it was Perk's birthday or something the way they kept feeding him the ball inside.

[FLCeltsFan]

Cats inbound on the baseline and bring it up. Dudley misses a jumper and Perk rebounds. PP misses a fall away jumper Dudley rebounds. Richardson misses a 3. Perk rebounds. Davis misses a layup and Cats rebound. Boykins misses a 3 and Posey rushes in for the rebound. House misses a 3. Davis rebounds but misses the put back. Baby called for a hard foul over the back. He came right down on Richardson's back and laid him out on the floor. It is called a flagrant foul. 2 shots and the ball. He misses both FTs. Cats inbound on the side. Powe comes in. Pierce loses the ball and Cats come back for a Dudley dunk at the other end. Baby misses a layup but Powe rebounds and is fouled. Celtics inbound on the side. KG comes in for Davis. KG misses and Powe fights for the rebound and is fouled by Mohammed, his third. Powe hits the FT. PP tips the ball away but falls down and can't get the ball. it is chased down by the Cats in the back court but a shot at the SC is short and 24 second violation called. Time out with Celtics up 36-32 nd 8:39 left in the half

[cfoo]

C's are playing such a solid high energy game tonight. Pierce continues to make his case for mvp. That steal and pass to perk where he went coast to coast was a thing of beauty. That steal by rondo was so nice as well. Garnett still needs to get with it, and we are gambling a bit too much off of guys on defense, but other than that its a good game.

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound in the back court. House brings it up. House hits a 3 from the corner. Cats miss but get the rebound. Davisdon hits a shot in the lane. House misses a 3 off the catch. Davidson rebounds. Hollins rebounds a miss and is fouled as he goes up for the put back. He misses the first. hits the second. KG is fouled as he misses a baseline jumper. He hits the first. Mike was saying that he is usually soaking wet by this time but he isn't sweating at all because he is dehydrated as he is still has the flu. He hits the second. Cats called for an illegal screen. Powe gets the ball inside from KG. He misses a layup and getst the rebound and is fouled as he goes back up. His rebounding is pure desire and willpower. He hits both FTs. KG with pressure in the backcourt as the Cats bring it up. Posey gets away with a foul. Ridardson misses on the baseline and KG gets the rebound. House hits a jumper. Time out with Celtics up 45-35 and 5:51 left in the half

[FLCeltsFan]

Cats miss and Celtics rebound. KG is fouled and will go to the line. KG misses the first FT. hits the second. Cats miss a layup and Celtics rebound. House misses a jumper. Cats rebound. Richardson gets away with a travel and lays it in. Powe gets the ball inside and lays it in, in spite of 3 defenders around him. Carroll misses and Powe rebounds. RA hits a 3 from the corner off the catch. House called for a foul. Mohammed pulls in an Okafor airball and is fouled by Perk. He hits the first and misses the second. RA gets the rebound. KG misses a jumper from the FT line. Cats rebound. Carroll hits a 3 off the catch. Posey hits a 3 Perk with a great block. Celtics come away with it. Rondo puts it in high off the glass. Carroll misses a 3 from the corner. Posey rbounds. Celtics turn it over and Cats hit a jumper. Time out with Celtics up 56-44. 1:43 left in the half. KG and Mohammed were going at each other. My huibby read Mohammed's lips and he said "I'll f--- you up" to KG and KG said something back with a smirk on his face as he was being shepherded off the floor. That will be something to watch.

[FLCeltsFan]

Celtics inbound and Rondo throws it away. Mohammed misses from the outside. Celtics rebound. KG hits in the lane. KG and Mohammed were charged with double technicals for that exchange. Rondo misses a layup and Cats rebound. Richardson takes it to the hoop for a layup. PP misses a step away jumper. KG chases down the rebound. Time out with 16 seconds left in the half and Celtics up 58-46. Celtics setting up for the final shot of the half. PP inbounds to Rondo. He holds it up top and then drives as KG sets a screen. He passes out to Pierce all alone beyond the arc who hits a 3. Score at the half is Celtics 61 and Bobcats 46.

[Celtic17]

We need to market you play-by-play...
You do such a great job, everyone needs to know.

[FLCeltsFan]

celtic17 said:

We need to market you play-by-play...
You do such a great job, everyone needs to know.

Why thank you kind sir! I enjoy doing it and am glad that it helps some people enjoy the game who can't watch it.

[FLCeltsFan]

Cats inbound to start the third. Carroll hits a 3 as he is fouled by Ray Allen. He goes to the line and makes it a 4 point play as he hits the FT. KG hits a jumper off the catch from Rondo. Okafor is fouled by Rondo as he goes up for a layup. He goes to the line to shoot 2. He misses the first. Rondo is over at the bench talking something over with Doc. He misses the second and KG rebounds. RA misses the 3 and rebound is tipped around and KG tips it to the basket and misses but Perk is there and hits the layup and fouled. He misses the FT and Cats rebound but turn it over. Rondo with a pass inside to Pierce who is called for a 3 second violation. Mohammed misses a jumper. Rondo rebounds. KG misses a jumper and Richardson grabs the rebound. Felton hits a jumper. RA misses a runner in the lane and Cats rebound. Okafor misses inside. Celtics rebound and Rondo with an incredible bounce pass inside to Perk who goes straight up and lays it in. That is twice that Perk laid it in without putting it on the floor first. Time out with Celtics up 67-52 and 9:10 left in the third.

[FLCeltsFan]

Perk with a great block and he comes up with it. That was a Russellian block. KG hits a jumper on the other end. Richardson hits a 3 off the catch. PP misses a 3 and rebound goes out of bounds to the Cats. Felton misses a jumper. KG rebounds. RA gets the ball too far underneath and the Celtics turn it over. RA deflects a pass out of bounds. Rondo with a foul on the baseline as they inbound. Cats inbound . Cats turn it over. Pierce loses the handle and Celtics turn it over. Cats miss and RA grabs the rebound but is hit in the eye by Mohammed, his 5th. RA hits a jumper off the catch. Cats miss and Celtics rebound. Long pass up court goes out of bounds. Felton hits a 3 from the top of the arc. KG misses a layup and Perk grabs the offensive rebound. Davidson called for a foul. Celtics inbound on the side. Rondo throws it up for KG who misses a layup. Cats come away with it. KG blocks Felton's shot. RA called for a foul. Felton hits both FTs. Rondo hits a jumper from the FT line. Richardson misses. Cats rebound and Carroll hits a 3. Time out with 4:40 left in the third. Celtics up 73-63. The Cats have cut a 17 point lead down to 10.