I don't have time to write one today. I could get one up at like 4, but that's too late. This'll do: <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Playing their third consecutive home game of the week, the Celtics really will know if they've stopped the bleeding if they can start another winning streak. The C's host the Philadelphia 76ers at the Garden tonight, and while they've got a 17-game edge on their Atlantic Division rival, the Celtics need a win tonight to ensure that they've put the mini-slump behind them. Before winning Wednesday night against the Portland Trailblazers, the Celtics had lost three of their previous four games, and just didn't resemble the juggernaut that won 29 of their first 32 games. Once again the Celtics will go it without Rajon Rondo, who didn't practice Thursday and will continue to sit out with a sore lower back and hamstring. "We're just going to wait. No rush. When he feels good we're going to play him," Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said of Rondo after Thursday's practice. "If he doesn't [feel good] by Monday, we won't. Obviously we need him, but the other guys will make due." Whereas Tony Allen had been starting at the point in Rondo's absence, Rivers went with a different approach Wednesday, starting Eddie House (10 points, 5 assists) and throwing rookie Gabe Pruitt into the fire with his first taste of significant, non-blowout NBA playing time. "He got us into our stuff for the most part. Defensively, he's starting to get it," Rivers said of Pruitt, who played just under 12 minutes in a reserve role. "He didn't get pressured at all so it was tough to tell in one game how [his] poise is. He wasn't panicked by the game, he just came in and played." The Sixers have won just two of their last 10 games and just eight of 21 road games and are still rebuilding in the wake of trading Allen Iverson to Denver last year. Sixers President and General Manager Ed Stefanski recently dealt the sweet-shooting Kyle Korver to the Utah Jazz, and there will undoubtedly be more moves in the coming months as the Sixers search for their identity. Coach Maurice Cheeks could be among the next ones to go. Still, the Sixers are anything but pushovers, as the Houston Rockets found out on Wednesday, losing to Philly 111-107 on their home court. "They play hard, they've won some nice games this year and we have to be ready to play them," Rivers said of the Sixers. Remodeling or not, one guy the team will likely hang on to is Samuel Dalembert, a walking double-double who's had a busy week, facing Tim Duncan on Monday, Yao Ming on Wednesday and then Kevin Garnett tonight. He's a presence in the paint on the defensive end, averaging 2.6 blocks a night, good for fourth in the league, and a guy Rivers called a "hell of a defensive player."</div>
So Rondo's out again, which sucks. I hope we give some extended minutes to Pruitt and more importantly Perkins and Baby with Dalembert in the game.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (aquaitious @ Jan 18 2008, 05:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>So Rondo's out again, which sucks. I hope we give some extended minutes to Pruitt and more importantly Perkins and Baby with Dalembert in the game.</div> I don't mind having Rondo sit out again. I'd much rather lose him for 5 games now than take the chance of him going out there and making it worse. I agree with Pruitt, this is the time Doc needs to play him. He played terrific defensively against Portland and is a bigger guard that would defend the likes of Andre Miller much better than Eddie. Tony shouldn't be played at the point for a second tonight.
I can't believe I've just witnessed five straight possessions where the whistle was blown. Tied at 61 apiece.
This is exactly why Glenn Rivers is such a high paid coach, we are getting killed on the boards so he puts a rebounder in Leon Powe in! Why didn't anyone else think of that?
<span style="color:#006400"><span style="font-size:36pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact">W</span></span></span>
