Game 6: Boston @ Indiana

CelticBalla32 · Nov 12, 2007

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November 13, 2007 @ 7:00pm ET
Conseco Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, IN)
Game aired on CSN

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Boston Celtics
 (5-0)


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Indiana Pacers
(3-3)


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<h4 align="center">Projected Starters</h4>
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PG Rondo SG Allen

SF Pierce PF Garnett C Perkins


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PG Tinsley SG Dunleavy

SF Granger PF O'Neal C Murphy

 
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<h4>Team Stats</h4>
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<td class="strong">Scoring</td>
<td>107.6 PPG (4th)</td>
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<td class="strong">Field Goal %</td>
<td>52.4% (1st)</td>
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<td class="strong">3-Point %</td>
<td>44.2% (2nd)</td>
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<td class="strong">Rebounding</td>
<td>42.8 RPG (16th)</td>
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>26.0 APG (2nd)</td>
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<td class="strong">Scoring</td>
<td>101.5 PPG (11th)
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<td class="strong">Field Goal %</td>
<td>43.2% (22nd)
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<td class="strong">3-Point %</td>
<td>34.4% (18th)
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<td class="strong">Rebounding</td>
<td>46.2 RPG (3rd)
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>22.5 APG (9th)
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<h4>Team Leaders</h4>
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<td class="strong">Scoring</td>
<td>Paul Pierce (23.6 PPG)</td>
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<td class="strong">Rebounding</td>
<td>Kevin Garnett (15.8 RPG)</td>
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>Kevin Garnett (6.0 APG)</td>
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<td class="strong">Scoring</td>
<td>Danny Granger (18.7 PPG)</td>
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<td class="strong">Rebounding</td>
<td>Jermaine O'Neal (7.8 RPG)</td>
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<td class="strong">Assists</td>
<td>Jamaal Tinsley (7.5 APG)</td>
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<h4>Key Matchup
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Kevin Garnett vs. Jermaine O'Neal

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When talking about the best two-way (offense + defense) big men in the NBA, both Garnett and O'Neal are at the top of the list. O'Neal is not 100%, as he is battling back from a left knee injury, but KG doesn't shell out any sympathy. Jermaine better make sure he's on top of his game tonight, or Indiana is going to have real problems inside on both ends.
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<h4>Keys to the Game</h4>
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<ul>[*]Perimeter Defense: We all very well know what type of offense Jim O'Brien likes to run. Some would describe it as "chucker ball," as his teams usually live or die by the 3-point shot, such as the Celtics teams he coached earlier in this decade. Indiana has some shooters, especially with the improved jumper of Danny Granger, and they are a team you can't leave open from the outside. Don't let them run up the score, because they can do it in a hurry if you're not careful.

[*]Ball Movement: Keep it up, guys. The ball movement has been spectacular thus far, and while it's expected by now, it is a big key to this team's success. Indiana isn't a particularly good defensive team, and if we can confuse them with some good ball movement, we shouldn't have much of a problem offensively.

[*]Hurt Them Inside: Jermaine O'Neal is a terrific shot blocker, Jeff Foster is active defensively and on the boards, Troy Murphy can grab a handful of rebounds - but Indiana is a very soft team. We need to post them up, drive to the hoop, battle inside, and take it to them off penetration. Make them really work defensively, and abuse them in the paint.
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<ul>[*]Ball Movement: The Celtics are #1 in the league in field goal defense. Indiana is really going to have to work for clean looks. They need to move the ball, move off the ball, and do the best they can at getting open looks on as many possessions as possible. If they take too many contested shots against this defense, they're going to be sorry.

[*]Defense: Indiana isn't a great defensive team, but they have a few guys (O'Neal, Granger, Foster to name a few) who can play some excellent 1-on-1 defense when they want to. They need to talk defensively and play good team defense. Stopping Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, or Ray Allen is a hell of a lot to handle - let alone all three of them at the same time. The Pacers have their work cut out for them.

[*]Own the Boards: As of right now, Indiana is statistically a better rebounding team than Boston by a +3.4 margin, but the Celtics have some very capable rebounders at every position. Even Rajon Rondo is a guy that can do some real damage on the glass, despite his slender 6'1'' frame. Garnett, as we all know, is fighting for his 5th straight rebounding title. Indy needs to win the rebounding column against a tough team like Boston.
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<h4 align="center">X-Factors</h4>
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 Rajon Rondo

As mentioned above, the Celtics need to do a good job defending the perimeter against a trigger-happy team like Indiana. Rondo is a guy that can really wreak havoc defensively, and fluster Tinsley as he is trying to run the offense. Rajon needs to be Rajon: be active, force turnovers, poke balls free, contest shots, and frustrate opposition.

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 Jermaine O'Neal

It's rare that the X-Factor is also in the Key Matchup of the game, but Jermaine is so incredibly important in this game. Without him inside, they have no chance at defending or containing a guy like Kevin Garnett. Even with a healthy Jermaine, they don't have much of a chance - but without him at the very top of his game, it's torture. JO needs to bring it.

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<h4 align="center">Injury Report </h4>
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None.
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Ike Diogu: Torn left calf muscle.
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<h4>Prediction</h4>
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<td colspan="2">The Celtics are superior from every angle, and we should be able to pull out another victory. Indiana has an outside chance if they seriously dial in from long distance, but the Celtics should be able to take home the W. Besides, wouldn't it be terrible if we lost our first game of the season to a team led by Obie and Mike Dunleavy Jr.?</td>
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LakerBlood · Nov 12, 2007

Looks to me like Celtics will have quite a tough game tonight against the Pacers. Hopefully Perkins and Davis improve a little bit more. They're great at defence but not so good at making shots. It's going to be a good game for the Celtics and a tough one for the Pacers.

pegs · Nov 12, 2007

Dunleavy's gonna smack you guys up 

Indiana wins the battle of the token white boys, since Scals is out, and Scot doesn't stand a chance.

Unfortunately, that's probably the only battle they'll win in this game.

CelticKing · Nov 13, 2007

^ lol.

We're going to win this game by 15+. 

KG with 26pts 14rbs 8asts

GO CELTICS!!!!

CelticBalla32 · Nov 13, 2007

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peg182)</div><div class='quotemain'>

Indiana wins the battle of the token white boys, since Scals is out, and Scot doesn't stand a chance.

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Uh uh uh... not so fast. Scal is back in action, so that means we win the white boy battle since Scal basically rules the caucasian world. YEAH, it feels good to be back on top in that category.

CelticKing · Nov 13, 2007

Celtics-Pacers Preview

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>
Two weeks into the season, the new-look Boston Celtics have left little doubt they plan to be a serious contender in the Eastern Conference.
Off to their best start in 20 seasons, the Celtics look to remain the NBA's only unbeaten team when they visit the struggling Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.
Boston (5-0) hasn't won six in a row to open a season since 1987-88. The team's new star-studded trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce is hoping to end that drought this season.
Boston, though, could be in for a bit of a challenge Tuesday as it looks to avoid a fourth straight loss to Indiana (3-3), which has dropped three in a row since winning its first three contests. The Pacers went 3-1 against Boston in 2006-07.
With coach Doc Rivers back on the bench hours after attending his father's funeral in the Chicago area, Boston won 112-101 at New Jersey on Saturday.
Pierce scored 28 points, Allen added 27 and Garnett had 18 points and 14 rebounds for his fifth straight double-double. While the Celtics shot 45.6 percent from the field and 52.6 percent (10-for-19) from 3-point range Saturday, the team got its biggest spark from having Rivers on the sideline.
``It was a great boost of confidence,'' said Pierce, who averages a team-leading 23.6 points per game. ``It was a tough situation for him. He could have easily not come. It definitely brought my spirits up when I looked up and I saw him.''
Those associated with the team have lauded Rivers for the way he's dealt with a difficult situation.
``Obviously, it is tough for him,'' Celtics assistant Tom Thibodeau said. ``I think the big thing for him is it's sort of an escape. I don't know how he has balanced it, but he has been phenomenal throughout.''
Pierce, Allen and Garnett have also been phenomenal so far. They have combined to average 68.8 of the 107.6 points Boston is scoring a contest. They've also helped the Celtics post a league-leading 52.4 field-goal percentage and improve things on the defensive end where they are allowing 91.0 points per game - far better than the 99.2 given up last season.
Boston hopes for another solid overall effort at Indiana, where it has lost three in a row and five of its last six.
The Pacers, though, will try to bounce back after blowing a 25-point second-quarter lead in a 113-106 home loss to Denver on Saturday.
Despite 18 points and 10 rebounds from Troy Murphy and 15 points and 12 rebounds from Jermaine O'Neal, the Pacers were outscored 57-32 in the second half.
The Pacers have been outscored 62-32 in the fourth quarter of their last two games.
``In the second half, we made bad decisions and took bad shots,'' forward Danny Granger said. ``We have to figure out a way to close out games.''
Indiana averaged 109.0 points in winning its first three contests, but just 94.0 during its three-game skid.
O'Neal, who posted his first double-double of the season Saturday, averaged 17.5 points and 12.2 rebounds against Boston last season.

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CelticBalla32 · Nov 13, 2007

You guys can check out my game recap by clicking this link.

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Game 6: Boston @ Indiana

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Game 6: Boston @ Indiana

CelticBalla32 Basketball is back in Boston

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pegs My future wife.

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CelticBalla32 Basketball is back in Boston

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