The Celtics come off a hard loss, and now have to play yet another talented club. Unfortunatly for the C's, Tracy McGrady has returned to Houston's starting lineup. Some Comparisons: Celtics Record: 2-3 PPG: 96.2 OPP PPG: 98.0 FG%: 45% OPP FG%: 46% Rockets Record: 2-3 PPG: 87.8 OPP PPG: 87.0 FG%: 40% OPP FG%: 39% My Prediction: Celtics get into another close one. But McGrady is unstoppable in the final four minutes and the Celtics lose another close game.
I'm gonna watch this one and see how it pans out....you're a Duke fan, huh? How did that happen? Were you born that way or did you find out when you were young? That's some old humor only people that spent years despising the Blue Devils would appreciate...Coach K is an excellent coach, though. One.
Man, I was really hoping we would get to play them without McGrady. As the boys in the Rockets forum say, T-Mac IS the Rockets. Our chances of winning this game would've been much greater if he was still out. However, I think we still have a good shot if we can make it an uptempo game. One thing I'll be watching is Blount's play, as he and Doc Rivers were engaged in a little war or words through the papers. Blount: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Yesterday Blount didn?t back off. Asked whether he was referring to needing the ball inside or setting up on the high post to draw Duncan away from the basket, he said, ?Either/or, man. I mean, if I can?t score it?d be a problem. I?ve put up numbers. In my past I?ve put up numbers. I mean, if you want me to come play defense, I?ll come play defense. But I?m out there to play the game also. There?s five people out there.? </div> Doc: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> ?You mean like we did in the first quarter (Friday) night?? Rivers said. ?Because that?s what we did. Mark got more (touches) than any single player on our team in the first quarter. So that was Mark being Mark.? Asked flatly if he disagreed with Blount?s statements, Rivers said, ?Yeah. I think we should think about playing defense. And that was the point I made after the game. You know, if we all were that concerned about our defense, I think we?d be a better basketball team.?</div> http://celtics.bostonherald.com/celtics/vi...922&format=text Anyway, nice to see you making a nice contribution, gocelts34. I hope to see more of you in the Celtics forum.
Big start for us. Blount has been hitting open shots because Yao keeps giving them to him. Pierce is locking down McGrady, leading to the best and smartest fast break we've had all year. And Ricky....with the steal and the breakaway slam. 13-4 Boston.
I loved that play were Pierce forced McGrady to turn it over then nice passing on the break for an easy two.
This is a good start so far. The defense is there, the jumpers are falling, everyones running, the balls getting moved. Is it just me or does Yao look like he was partying late last night cuz he seems like he's outta gas. It looks like Paul's okay. Great steal and breakaway dunk by Ricky Davis. It looks like Paul's okay...WHY DO THEY LEAVE RAEF OPEN? DON'T THEY HAVE CABLE? I'll comment more later..it's 16-6 with 4:58 left as of now. One
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting gocelts34:</div><div class="quote_post">I loved that play were Pierce forced McGrady to turn it over then nice passing on the break for an easy two.</div>Yup, that was some nasty d. Pierce has been great so far, defensively and he's been collapsing the defense and playmaking on offense. He got two WIDE open threes for Raef already. EDIT- Make that three wide open threes for Raef. Their defense is putting too much attention on Pierce and he's really taking advantage.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GrnDynsty:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm gonna watch this one and see how it pans out....you're a Duke fan, huh? How did that happen? Were you born that way or did you find out when you were young? That's some old humor only people that spent years despising the Blue Devils would appreciate...Coach K is an excellent coach, though. One.</div> When I was young and first started watching basketball, I just liked the teams that won. But then I continued to watch Duke, and I loved there passion for the game. I will never forget that team with Battier, Williams, Dunleavy, Boozer, and Duhon. They used to come out with some much intensity, and jump out to early 6-0 leads. It has always been so fun to watch them, so i've just kind of liked them ever since I started watching college hoops. Go ahead, call me a fair weathered fan if you please.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting gocelts34:</div><div class="quote_post">When I was young and first started watching basketball, I just liked the teams that won. But then I continued to watch Duke, and I loved there passion for the game. I will never forget that team with Battier, Williams, Dunleavy, Boozer, and Duhon. They used to come out with some much intensity, and jump out to early 6-0 leads. It has always been so fun to watch them, so i've just kind of liked them ever since I started watching college hoops. Go ahead, call me a fair weathered fan if you please.</div>I don't think you're a fairweather fan. I think everybody has a right to choose their favorite College BBall team. Allegiance due to location is not really prominent for college ball. Everybody pretty much gets to choose a team to like. On the game, my boy Raef is on fire. Four threes already. I hope Houston keeps leaving him and Blount open. I know it's a different conference, but damn, what are their scouts doing instead of watching us play?
Where I grew up everyone hated Duke because all of the best Duke players were overrated in comparison to the stars on other teams that didn't get as much love from sportscasters, commentators and the print media (Danny Ferry, Bobby Hurley, Christian Laettner, Cherokee Parks, William Avery, Jeff Capel, Trajan Langdon, Wojo, etc.). Plus, I loved those old UNLV, UNC, Syracuse, UMass, Kentucky and Cincinnatti squads that always seemed to get bounced by the damn Dukies! Why do they leave Raef open? He'll make you pay! Mark Blount is hotter than an oven in hell right now..That was a GARBAGE FOUL. End of the 1st quarter! Boston 28 Houston 14. Good start. One.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 44Thrilla:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't think you're a fairweather fan. I think everybody has a right to choose their favorite College BBall team. Allegiance due to location is not really prominent for college ball. Everybody pretty much gets to choose a team to like. On the game, my boy Raef is on fire. Four threes already. I hope Houston keeps leaving him and Blount open. I know it's a different conference, but damn, what are their scouts doing instead of watching us play?</div> I missed part of the game because my sister changed the channel. I saw Raef's first three where Pierce dribbled circles around three defenders then the rest of the D collapsed on him leaving Raef open for the easy three. I hope to see alot more of that.
What does Scalabrine mean in Italian? Unathletic? Don't let him shoot? What is he good for besides being posterized by real ballers? He just got a foul and a jumper stuck right in his grill over his outstretched hand (albeit late...due to his lack of athleticism and lead feet). Larry Bird and Kevin McHale were NOT ATHLETIC...however, they were two of the all time best players in the long and distinguished history of the NBA...Scalabrine couldn't carry these guys jockstraps in a Converse duffel bag! Even Doc is sick of his crap! One.
Ricky should keep taking that shot. David Wesley has absolutely no shot at blocking it. Houstons running a pretty good trap.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting gocelts34:</div><div class="quote_post">Houstons running a pretty good trap.</div>You're right about that. Their trap really slowed us down. We look totally unprepared for it. How about that Raef LaFrentz? 24 points and six threes...and the first half isn't over yet. Thanks for leaving him wide open, Rockets. EDIT- make that 7 threes! And that's 7/7....damn.
How about that Raef LaFrentz? 24 points and six threes...and the first half isn't over yet. Thanks for leaving him wide open, Rockets. EDIT- make that 7 threes! And that's 7/7....damn.
Viloet Palmer has to be one of the worst officials in the league if not the worst. Back when they bounced Dee Kantner, I thought Violet was right behind her. Raef yet again with the three! Guard him someone! Here goes the small ball lineup...nice hustle by Raef! See, Scalabrine! That's how it's done! TMac drains the deep three! Celts possesion, who's in the corner alone? RAEF FOR THREE! 27 POINTS AT THE HALF! He sits as the fans give a standing ovation. Inbound play to TMac...drains the corner three! This is some high drama! The NBATV audience must be enjoying this one. Foul to give. 3.6 left in the half. Inbound play to Pierce, he breaks to the middle...runner...IT'S GOOD! What an exciting first half. 55-45. End of the 1st half. I LOVE THIS GAME!!! One.
When Raef released that last three from the corner, all I could think was, no way he can hit another. I guess I was wrong. Nice play by Pierce to end the half. It's funny to watch Yao yell at himself when he's frustrated . Great half for the Celtics, lets hope they come out even better for the second half.
Man, either we're playing good defense or their entire offense consists of McGrady shooting threes in people's faces. If it weren't for T-Mac hitting those contested shots, we'd be up by 25 right now. What really confuses me is how open LaFrentz has been, and how often it's been like that. I know Yao, Juwan, and Mutumbo are mostly inside players, but they have to know that LaFrentz is a great long distance shooter, right? My guess is that JVG is going to get into them about it, and we'll see them out playing Raef and Blount deep. But that'll open up the middle and Pierce and Ricky will be able to take advantage.
Damn! Rafer Alston aka Skip To My Lou, the legendary street baller and And 1 spokesman who is regarded by SOME to be the greatest streetball legend in the history of the game is playing right now. I'd have to tell you that he was playing because up until now his line look like this: 0 points 0 rebounds 0 assists 2 turnovers. The C's are looking like the Globetrotters right now. It's a good look. Mark Blount and Raef are doing it big tonight. One.
We look great tonight. LaFrentz was the story the entire first half, so they have him tight-guarded by Juwan Howard...and we're still going on 7-0 runs. 73-56 Boston. EDIT- haha, Pierce just dunked in Yao's face.
