<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">17-7</span> <span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%">@</span> <span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">20-2</span> Wednesday, December 19, 2007 – 7:00 pm ET TD BankNorth Garden (Boston, MA) Game aired on ESPN & CSN</div> Here it is, folks – the night we’ve all been waiting for. That includes fans from other cities, not just the Beantown faithful. “The Celtics are 20-2, but they haven’t taken down any other legitimate contenders” is the motto that the average NBA fan is shouting, in disbelief that this thing is truly real. Tonight, the Celtics will be on the national spotlight, as they take on a fellow Eastern Conference powerhouse in the Detroit Pistons. Detroit has been the top dog in the East for some time now, and have made an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in each of the last five seasons. They feel as though they are still the team to beat in the East, and we should expect nothing short of a dog-fight tonight. While most Celtics fans are covering their thoughts with early-season victory cigars, the bulk of them realize that other fans have a legitimate point – the Celtics have been excellent, but they haven’t taken down another powerhouse. The fans know it, Doc knows it, and the players certainly know it. This Detroit Pistons team isn’t exactly the same one we saw last season. They’ve added promising young talent in this past June’s draft by selecting guards Rodney Stuckey (who is yet to play a regular season game after breaking his left hand) and Aaron Afflalo in the first round, they’ve aged a bit, and the jury is still out on the future of Chris Webber. They also made a minor shake-up this past week with a trade involving the Charlotte Bobcats. Joe Dumars pulled another rabbit out of a hat by somehow persuading Michael Jordan and company to take on Nazr Mohammed in return for the expiring contracts of Walter Herrman and Primoz Brezec. This adds needed frontcourt depth and gives them financial flexibility in the near future. Detroit also has a few matchup problems that they will exploit against the Celtics. The first one that comes to mind is the point guard matchup between Chauncey Billups and Rajon Rondo. Billups is one of the strongest point guards in the league and is extremely effective in the post. Rondo, while slender and sneaky, does not match Billups’ body type. This will either be the night where the average NBA fan says “he will be Boston’s downfall in the playoffs” or the night they finally come to realization that “hey, this kid is pretty good.” For the sake of national recognition and respect, let’s hope it’s the second option. It will be interesting to see how the Celtics respond to the call on national TV, with all eyes on them against a top tier team. The men in green are a terrific defensive team and have packed in victories based on their league leading defensive numbers, but Detroit is a team that thrives on that end of the floor as well. They don’t have very many outstanding individual defenders, but they play as a team and have developed a terrific chemistry level over the years. The Celtics are in luck, though, as they’ve gotten a key component back into the starting lineup to help pick apart that Detroit defense. Ray Allen has missed the last two games with a sore ankle, and after participating in practice yesterday, will make his return to the lineup just in time for tonight’s highly anticipated matchup. Let’s hope “Jesus” can make his presence felt and stab a couple daggers into the heart of the Pistons. Another reminder: Tonight’s game time has been changed from 7:30 pm ET to 7:00 pm ET, so don’t be late! Projected Starters C Rasheed Wallace / Kendrick Perkins PF Antonio McDyess / Kevin Garnett SF Tayshaun Prince / Paul Pierce SG Rip Hamilton / Ray Allen PG Chauncey Billups / Rajon Rondo Key Matchup: Chauncey Billups vs. Rajon Rondo As mentioned above, Billups is one of the strongest point guards in the league and is extremely effective in the post. Rondo, while slender and sneaky, does not match Billups’ body type. We’ll see if Rondo can wreak havoc once again, or get taken to school by the savvy veteran. Celtics X-Factor: Rajon Rondo Once again, Rondo cannot let Chauncey Billups take advantage of him tonight. If that happens, the Celtics will be forced to make too many unscheduled defensive rotations, leaving holes in the defense and giving this veteran team extra opportunities to capitalize on. Let’s hope our young guard shows up against his summer workout mate. Injury Report DET – Rodney Stuckey (recovering from broken left hand) Celtics Keys to the Game • Timely Defensive Rotations • Heart, Hustle, & Muscle • Stop That Rip! • Ball Movement • Limit Turnovers
I have to go to a damn dinner tonight. I will be taping this game and won't check this site until I've watched. Should be a great one. Can't remember the last regular season game I was this pumped for.
C’s tackle beasts of East <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>WALTHAM - The last time the Celtics [team stats] played Detroit, they were taken about as seriously as a Carrot Top memoir might be by the Pulitzer Prize review board. With a playoff berth wrapped up entering the final game of the 2006-07 season, the Pistons sat Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Chris Webber, allowing the far end of the bench to play against the Eastern Conference’s worst team. Amir Johnson had the best game of his career (20 points, 12 rebounds), and Flip Murray sank the winning jumper with less than a second remaining in a 91-89 victory that further kicked sand in the collective face of a Celtics squad already smeared by indignity. It is almost unfathomable to consider how much matters have changed during the past eight months. When the Pistons tip off against the Celtics tonight at TD Banknorth Garden, they will be doing so against a completely rebuilt team that has taken control of the top spot in the East. In fact, the C’s are the only team in the conference with a better winning percentage than Detroit. After tying a franchise record by improving to 20-2 with Saturday’s victory at Toronto, the Celtics can stake claim to the best start in team history by winning tonight’s showdown between the NBA’s top two defensive teams. Regardless of the Green’s incredible run, outspoken Pistons star Rasheed Wallace maintained this week that all Eastern Conference teams still have to measure up to perennial power Detroit. The emotionally grounded Celtics agreed. “They’re one of the better teams in the league, and to be honest, teams do rate themselves when they play them, so (Wallace’s claim) is accurate,” Kevin Garnett said. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said the Pistons’ experience and success allows them the right to make such claims. “Detroit has won in every situation you can think of,” Rivers said. “They’ve been in Game 7s; they’ve won championships; they’ve lost some heartbreakers. . . . Every imaginable situation, they’ve been in and we haven’t. We’ve been in nothing. So yeah, (Wallace) is right.” Rivers also said having two losses at this point will mean next to nothing soon. “If we win (tonight) and break this record and don’t get anywhere we want, it doesn’t mean anything,” Rivers said. Guard Ray Allen, who is expected to return to action tonight after missing the past two games with a sprained right ankle, said there is no reason to gloat about the great start. “I don’t think we ever step into a situation thinking we’ve got this won based on our record because that record makes us more of a target,” he said. Billups can’t wait to see how the teams match up. “We just look forward to it,” the point guard said. “That’s the best team in the NBA right now. It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to say that going against another team in the Eastern Conference.” Billups said the Pistons have an answer to the Celtics’ “Big Three” of Allen, Garnett and Paul Pierce [stats]. “We beat you in numbers, not just with one, two or three guys,” he said. “We’ve got six or seven guys who can get hot and hurt you every single night. That’s how we’ve always done it. They do have three great players - probably three Hall of Famers, but we’ve got some good players.” The Celtics enter tonight with the NBA’s top defense, having surrendered only 86.5 points per game. Detroit is second at 91.2 points. “It’s commitment,” Rivers said. “It’s that simple. When you have every single guy committed and understanding, that’s why you win. “There are a lot of teams that play defense but still think the offensive end is where you win. For the most part, we are starting to believe that we win with our defense. If we make a run, earlier we thought it was an offensive run, but we’re trying to convince them it’s actually a defensive run. The only reason you’re making a run is you’re making stops on the other end.”</div>
CB32 - Cleveland made the ECF last season, not Detroit But heck yeah, this is the biggest game of the NBA season so far for fans everywhere. Boston is #1 in fewest points allowed and lowest FG% against. Detroit is #2 in both categories. The question on my mind is whether the Celtics are completely unstoppable or whether they look human against an outright good team.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Dec 19 2007, 04:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>CB32 - Cleveland made the ECF last season, not Detroit But heck yeah, this is the biggest game of the NBA season so far for fans everywhere. Boston is #1 in fewest points allowed and lowest FG% against. Detroit is #2 in both categories. The question on my mind is whether the Celtics are completely unstoppable or whether they look human against an outright good team.</div> Sorry Denny, but if Cleveland made the ECF, I'm pretty sure another team had to make it, as they couldn't have played against themselves, and that other team was the Pistons. I do agree, it'll be one hell of a game tonight!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Dec 19 2007, 04:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>CB32 - Cleveland made the ECF last season, not Detroit But heck yeah, this is the biggest game of the NBA season so far for fans everywhere. Boston is #1 in fewest points allowed and lowest FG% against. Detroit is #2 in both categories. The question on my mind is whether the Celtics are completely unstoppable or whether they look human against an outright good team.</div> Detroit played Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals last year. Cleveland made it to the NBA Finals.
I can't fucking believe Tony Allen fouled Chauncey on that play. Why would you jump into him? Absolutely ridiculous.
Tony Allen sucks. He is officially the worst player on our team. Should have waived his useless vagina instead of Brandon Wallace, who may actually contribute to an NBA team someday. Fuck Tony Allen. If he's still a Celtic on Friday I'll kill myself. Sig it.
That and also Pierce taking the shot while Allen and House just had back to back threes. Give them the ball and take the time to make the shot, don't rush it or like Pierce did, it gave Pistons time to come back on the other end. But yeah the foul sucked at the end. Can't win them all.
Sure, Tony Allen fouling Billups was bad, but the Pistons should have never had that last possession. Pierce's shot was taken way too quickly. You need to take the last shot in a game like this.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Dec 19 2007, 09:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>That and also Pierce taking the shot while Allen and House just had back to back threes. Give them the ball and take the time to make the shot, don't rush it or like Pierce did, it gave Pistons time to come back on the other end. But yeah the foul sucked at the end. Can't win them all. </div> Pierce's shot was bad, but he's been taking retarded shots late in games all year. Bad decision, but we still could have put it in overtime after that. Tony Allen wrecked a whole fuckload of things we could have gotten from winning a game like this. Thanks a lot, Einstein.
Great game, but the Celtics fell victim to Chauncey Billups' court savvy. Garnett had a lot of key turnovers that game too. Very uncharacteristic of him. Btw, why did Pierce jack up that shot so early. They had 5 seconds on the clock... he just threw up the first thing he saw.
Yeah there were 5.7 seconds left I believe, enough time to bring the ball in and see if you have a good shot, or take it to the basket. Oh well. lol
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (David_Ortiz @ Dec 19 2007, 10:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Celtics fell victim to Tony Allen's I.Q.</div> I think most players would have jumped. There was only 1.7 left and knowing Billups' track record of hitting clutch shots it's only instincts. There was only 0.1 left after the foul, so it was pretty risky for both players.
Or should I say, Doc Rivers' I.Q. He put dumbshit into the game in the first place. Tony Allen jumped because he's stupid. He's getting in Chauncey's face way too much too late.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thrilla @ Dec 19 2007, 10:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Give it a rest, Ortiz. We get the point...you dislike Tony Allen.</div> So I take it you think that stupid play at the end of the game was justifiable?
