Post by FLCeltsFan on Mar 25, 2008 12:00:03 GMT -5
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Phoenix Suns (47-23) at Boston Celtics (55-15)
Wednesday, March 25
7:00 PM ET
Game #71, Home Game #36
TV: ESPN, My45 HD, CSN HD
Radio: WEEI, Sirius 130
TD Banknorth Garden
Probable Starters
Rajon Rondo/Ray Allen/Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett/Kendrick Perkins
Off the Bench
Leon Powe, Big Baby Davis, Eddie House, James Posey, Sam Cassell, PJ Brown, Tony Allen, PJ Brown
Injuries
None
Steve Nash/Raja Bell/Grant Hill/Amare Stoudamire/Shaquille O'Neal
Off the Bench
Leandro Barbosa, Gordon Gricek, Boris Diaw, Eric Piatkowski, Brian Skinner, Sean Marks, DJ Strawberry
Injuries
None
Key Matchups
vs 
Rajon Rondo PPG10.6 REB 4.1 ASST 5.0 FG% 47.8 MIN 30.4
Steve Nash PPG 17.5 REB 3.4 ASST 11.3 FG% 51.6 MIN 34.6
Rondo has a tough matchup against the two time MVP. He will have to stay aggressive and keep his focus if the Celtics are to win this one. His defense will also be important to keep Nash from taking over the game.
vs 
Kevin Garnett PPG 18.8 REB 9.6 ASST 3.5 FG% 53.4 MIN 33.8
Amare Stoudamire PPG 24.6 REB 9.3 ASST 1.3 FG% 58.4 MIN 33.6
Amare is one of the toughest matchups KG will face this season on both ends of the court. In their last meeting, Amare scored 28 points and he has scored over 30 points in his past two games. KG's defense on Amare will be very important in this game
Honorable Mention
Kendrick Perkins PPG 7.4 REB 6.2 ASST 1.0 FG% 61.9 MIN 24.8
Shaquille O'Neal PPG 11.9 REB 10.6 ASST 1.8 FG% 62.4 MIN 28.5
Even though Perk gives up size to Shaq, he has played him very well in the past.
Keys to the Game
DEFENSE After building their reputation on defense, the Celtics have played little or no defense in their last two games. They can't outscore these running teams and must get back to playing the tough, in your face defense defense that got them here. If they don't, it could mean another loss.
REBOUND The Celtics were out-rebounded 50-32 by the Suns in their game out in Phoenix. They were out rebounded 42-34 by the Sixers. Much of rebounding is effort and desire and the Celtics need both as the Suns have Amare and Shaq who will be crashing the boards and the Celtics need to match their intensity and beat them to them.
Intensity and Aggressiveness The Celtics have lacked intensity in their last two games. They have allowed the Hornets and then the Sixers to come back from double digit deficits and didn't match their intensity or aggressiveness down the stretch. The Celtics lacked aggressiveness on defense, on the boards and on offense as they settled for jumpers and didn't attack the basket.
Game Notes:
The Celtics will need to bring their A game against the Suns who have been playing very well of late, winning 7 in a row before losing to the Pistons in OT. The Suns are 2nd in the league in points scored, 1st in FG percentage, 5th in free throw percentage, 1st in assists, and 2nd in blocks.
The Suns beat the Celtics in Phoenix and are coming in looking to be the only Western conference team to sweep the Celtics this season. They have won 5 straight games against the Celtics and 10 of the last 12. They have swept the series the past 2 seasons.
The Suns are the only team in the NBA that has not lost 3 in a row. The Celtics have lost 3 in a row only once and that was on the Western road trip right after the All Star break when the Suns beat the Celtics for their third loss in a row. The Celtics have lost their last 2 and the Suns will be looking to give them their second 3 game losing streak.
The Celtics and Suns are forever linked by a classic moment in NBA history. In game 5 of the 1976 finals, the Celtics beat the Suns 128-126 in triple OT after Garfield Heard hit the shot heard round the world to send the game into the third OT.
X-Factor
Intensity vs Fatigue
The Celtics may be fatigued after all the effort it took to beat the 3 Texas teams and after their tough road trip but they have to step up their intensity if they expect to beat the Suns.
