NBA: MIAMI (1-7) at BOSTON (7-0) <h3>Celtics look to remain undefeated vs. Heat</h3> Miami (1-7) at Boston (7-0) 7:30 pm EST BOSTON (Ticker) -- Success is nothing new to the Boston Celtics.However, their start this season is rivaling some of thefranchise's best teams. The Celtics look to remain the NBA's lone undefeated team Fridaywhen they host the struggling Miami Heat. Boston is off to its best start since it was 10-0 in 1972-73 andhas won by at least 11 points in six of its first seven games.The Celtics are halfway to matching the franchise's best startever - a 14-0 record to begin the 1957-58 season. As anticipated, Paul Pierce has blended in nicely with theoffseason additions of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, as the triois combining to score 62 percent of the team's points throughseven games. Pierce, Garnett and Allen all are averaging at least 20 points. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Heat, who haveplayed miserably and are coming off a loss on Wednesday in whichit was not very competitive against the previously winlessSeattle SuperSonics in a 104-95 setback. Dwyane Wade made his season debut and scored 15 points in 24minutes against Seattle, but his presence alone could not helpMiami notch its second win of the season. Miami owns the league's worst scoring offense, averaging lessthan 85 points per game.
Re: NBA: MIAMI (1-7) at BOSTON (7-0) Shouldn't be that tough to win this game. </p> KG with a triple double.</p>
Re: NBA: MIAMI (1-7) at BOSTON (7-0) Tale of two starts: Unbeaten Celtics host withered Heat</p> <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> Friday's matchup between the Miami Heat and the host Boston Celtics is evidence of how quickly things can change in the NBA.</p> The last-place Heat (1-7), the Southeast Division champions last season and NBA champs in 2005-06, reached a new low Wednesday, losing 104-95 at home to previously winless Seattle despite Dwyane Wade's return from injury.</p> Boston (7-0), meanwhile, has gone from the second-worst record in basketball last season to its best start since the storied franchise began 10-0 in 1972-73.</p> Many expected a drastic improvement for Boston after the team acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in the offseason to complement veteran Paul Pierce. All three are averaging more than 20.0 points."Anything is possible," Garnett said of the 7-0 start. "You never have a detailed kind of vision like that. You want to jell as a team. You want to make sure that you're having fun. But, at the same time, as a team, you're accomplishing something."So far so good."</p> </div></p>
Re: NBA: MIAMI (1-7) at BOSTON (7-0) <table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" class="tablehead"> <tbody> <tr> <td bgcolor="#555555" align="center" colspan="8" class="gamehead"><font color="#00ff00">Gameday Matchup</font></td> </tr> <tr align="right" class="colhead"> <td></td> <td>W-L</td> <td>PF</td> <td>PA</td> <td>HOME</td> <td>ROAD</td> <td>STK</td> <td>L10</td> </tr> <tr align="right" class="evenrow"> <td align="left">MIA</td> <td>1-7</td> <td>84.8</td> <td>91.1</td> <td>0-4</td> <td>1-3</td> <td>L2</td> <td>1-7</td> </tr> <tr align="right" class="evenrow"> <td align="left">BOS</td> <td>7-0</td> <td>104.3</td> <td>87.1</td> <td>4-0</td> <td>3-0</td> <td>W7</td> <td>7-0</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </p> <table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" class="tablehead"> <tbody> <tr> <td bgcolor="#555555" align="center" colspan="3" class="gamehead"><font color="#00ff00">Depth Chart</font></td> </tr> <tr class="colhead"> <td>POS</td> <td>MIAMI (PPG)</td> <td>BOSTON (PPG)</td> </tr> <tr valign="top" align="right" class="evenrow"> <td align="left">PG </td> <td align="left"><nobr>J. Williams 11.6</nobr></td> <td align="left"><nobr>R. Rondo 9.4</nobr></td> </tr> <tr valign="top" align="right" class="evenrow"> <td align="left">SG </td> <td align="left"><nobr>D. Wade 15.0</nobr></td> <td align="left"><nobr>R. Allen 20.6</nobr></td> </tr> <tr valign="top" align="right" class="evenrow"> <td align="left">SF </td> <td align="left"><nobr>R. Davis 15.3</nobr></td> <td align="left"><nobr>P. Pierce 23.4</nobr></td> </tr> <tr valign="top" align="right" class="evenrow"> <td align="left">PF </td> <td align="left"><nobr>U. Haslem 13.5</nobr></td> <td align="left"><nobr>K. Garnett 21.0</nobr></td> </tr> <tr valign="top" align="right" class="evenrow"> <td align="left">C </td> <td align="left"><nobr>S. O'Neal 14.6</nobr></td> <td align="left"><nobr>K. Perkins 6.4</nobr></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </p> <table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" class="tablehead"> <tbody> <tr> <td bgcolor="#555555" align="center" colspan="3" class="gamehead"><font color="#00ff00">Team Stat Leaders</font></td> </tr> <tr class="colhead"> <td></td> <td>MIAMI</td> <td>BOSTON</td> </tr> <tr valign="top" class="evenrow"> <td>Points</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">R. Davis 15.3</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left">P. Pierce 23.4</td> </tr> <tr valign="top" class="evenrow"> <td>Rebounds</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">U. Haslem 10.6</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left">K. Garnett 14.0</td> </tr> <tr valign="top" class="evenrow"> <td>Assists</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">J. Williams 6.1</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left">K. Garnett 4.9</td> </tr> <tr valign="top" class="evenrow"> <td>Steals</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">D. Wade 3.0</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left">K. Garnett 2.9</td> </tr> <tr valign="top" class="evenrow"> <td>Blocks</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">S. O'Neal 1.8</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" align="left">K. Perkins 2.1</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </p> <table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="3" class="tablehead"> <tbody> <tr> <td bgcolor="#555555" align="center" class="gamehead" colspan="5"><font color="#00ff00">Today's Line</font></td> </tr> <tr align="center" class="colhead"> <td width="28%">FAVORITE</td> <td width="18%">OPEN</td> <td width="18%">CUR</td> <td width="24%">UNDERDOG</td> <td width="12%">O/U</td> </tr> <tr align="center" class="evenrow"> <td>@BOSTON</td> <td>-11</td> <td>-12</td> <td><nobr>MIAMI</nobr></td> <td>184</td> </tr> <tr class="colhead"> <td>ATS</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">Miami</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">Boston</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow"> <td>Record:</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">1-7-0 (.125)</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">7-0-0 (1.000)</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow"> <td>As Favorite:</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">0-2-0 (.000)</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">5-0-0 (1.000)</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow"> <td>As Underdog:</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">1-5-0 (.167)</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">2-0-0 (1.000)</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow"> <td>At Home:</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">0-4-0 (.000)</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">4-0-0 (1.000)</td> </tr> <tr class="evenrow"> <td>On Road:</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">1-3-0 (.250)</td> <td align="center" colspan="2">3-0-0 (1.000)</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
Re: NBA: MIAMI (1-7) at BOSTON (7-0) I didn't have the time, or really feel like, making a full head-to-head table like I usually do - so I just copied and pasted my quick write-up I do for another Celtics site.</p> Check it out here.</p>
NBA: MIAMI at BOSTON <div class="pre">MIAMI VS BOSTON - INACTIVES MIAMI BOSTON PLAYER NAME REASON PLAYER NAME REASON E BARRON COACH'S DECISION G PRUITT COACH'S DECISION C QUINN COACH'S DECISION J ANTHONY COACH'S DECISION</div>
NBA: MIAMI at BOSTON <div class="pre">MIAMI AT BOSTON - PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS MIAMI BOSTON F Ricky Davis F Kevin Garnett F Udonis Haslem F Paul Pierce C Shaquille O'Neal C Kendrick Perkins G Jason Williams G Ray Allen G Dwyane Wade G Rajon Rondo OFFICIALS: Bill Spooner Jason Phillips David Guthrie</div>
NBA: MIAMI at BOSTON <div class="pre">NBA END 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- MIAMI 24 24 BOSTON 24 24 END 1ST QTR HIGH SCORERS AFTER 1ST QUARTER MIA - SHAQUILLE O'NEAL 6, RICKY DAVIS 4, DWYANE WADE 4 BOS - KEVIN GARNETT 10, RAY ALLEN 5, PAUL PIERCE 5</div>
NBA: MIAMI at BOSTON <div class="pre">NBA HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL --- --- --- --- ----- MIAMI 24 22 46 BOSTON 24 28 52 HALFTIME HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME MIA - DWYANE WADE 11, SHAQUILLE O'NEAL 10, RICKY DAVIS 10 BOS - KEVIN GARNETT 16, RAY ALLEN 14, PAUL PIERCE 8</div>
