Also note that this preview was done by Dogma (he's not sure if he will be around to post it, but I'm posting it 1 day earlier anyway haha). He will be covering all the away games while I will be making threads for all of the home games. <div align="center"> @ October 10, 2006 - 7:30 pm ET</div> <u>Cleveland Scouting Report</u> -Their key guy is obviously LeBron James. The offense revolves around him, whether he's scoring or dishing out to an open teammate. It all starts with him. However, the stars likely won't be playing too much so the guys who will be doing the damage in the fourth quarter are likely Anderson Varejao, Shannon Brown, and Daniel Gibson. Varejao thrives on energy, so it's pretty hard to come up with a game plan to stop him. All you can really do is slow him down. as for Brown and Gibson, I don't see them doing too much, as they are rookies, and if Rondo and Allen are in, they shouldn't be a problem at all. <u>Keys to the game</u> -Keep running. This Cleveland team isn't very deep, especially since they'll be limiting LeBron's, Hughes' and Zydrunas' minutes. They are more adept to a half court offense anyways, so I feel we can run this team out of the gym. We are simply a much much deeper team. -Try to keep LeBron for scoring alot in the beginning. I say we double hard and fill the gaps, I'm okay with Cleveland shooting from the outside, as long as we fill in the gaps in the lane, LeBron's playmaking shouldn't be too much of a problem. -This one's for Wally, Al, and Delonte. Take it slow. there's no use in re-injuring anything for a preseason game. This goes especially for Delonte. He'll probably feel as if he has to make an impact early on with the crowded backcourt. I just hope he's mature enough to see that it's not worth it. X Factor Sebastian Telfair. I can imagine he'll be playing the majority of the minutes at pg with Delonte's back hurting, so I feel he'll be the Cs catalyst for the night. His penetration will be key for the bigs and even the shooters, and this will be the first time us Celtics fans can see his leadership in a green uniform. <u>Key Matchup</u> vs. Pierce vs. James -This is obviously, even though these guys' minutes will be cut down dignificantly. It always seems to be a shootout between these two. Most notably the 2-OT game in which Pierce dropped 50 while LeBron recorded 44 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists with 4 steals to boot. <u>Dogma's Prediction</u> BOS 99 CLE 86 I know the game is tomorrow, but there is really no news at all so I decided to post it 1 day early so we can discuss it. But it's finally here! I can't wait, man! Tomorrow is going to be such a long day due to being so anxious for the game. But to hold us over tomorrow, the Sixers and Suns will be on ESPN2 tomorrow at 3:00 pm ET.
I wish this was a regular season game, the Pierce vs. LeBron matchup is extremely entertaining. They have a mini-rivalry brewing....but on the other hand pre-season is good because you get to watch the young guys. Should be a good game.
do you guys want to have a tally to see who predicts the most games closest? like me, cb32, wttj, and anyone else who wants to join. whoever's prediction was closest that game gets a point, whoever has the most points at the end of they year wins. idk, just a thought.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nba dogmatist @ Oct 9 2006, 04:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>do you guys want to have a tally to see who predicts the most games closest? like me, cb32, wttj, and anyone else who wants to join. whoever's prediction was closest that game gets a point, whoever has the most points at the end of they year wins. idk, just a thought.</div> Eh. I'm not one to predict the final scores if that's what you mean. But, no I think I'll pass on this. I'm not all into predictions like that, so you and WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE can do it up if you want, but I don't think I'll be a part of it. I'll stick to just making game threads.
Good Luck Boston I like PP but I am rooting for my 2nd fav player James.I see Larry Hughes on Paul and I hope and think he will shut him down but glad it is pre season and Hughes can get the touch of playing again.He is pretty much 100% and I can't wait t'll see this game.Once again Good Luck. :dribble:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I see Larry Hughes on Paul and I hope and think he will shut him down but glad it is pre season and Hughes can get the touch of playing again.</div>that's hilarious if you think Hughes is able to shut down Pierce. Paul dropped 50 on LeBron last year. Granted it's pre-season and they both probably won't even play that much but in a regular season game Paul would light up Larry Hughes. He has advantages in size and talent.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE @ Oct 10 2006, 12:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>that's hilarious if you think Hughes is able to shut down Pierce. Paul dropped 50 on LeBron last year. Granted it's pre-season and they both probably won't even play that much but in a regular season game Paul would light up Larry Hughes. He has advantages in size and talent.</div> But you can't argue that Larry Hughes is a good perimiter defender. Granted, even Ron Artest can not "shut down" Pierce, but Larry Hughes is no slouch defensively (or offensively). Paul Pierce is bigger, he's stronger, and he's definitely more talented, but you can't take Larry Hughes' defensive ability away from him.
James is NOT a better D-# man then Hughes, Hughes shuts down superstars all the time I am getting sick of hearing that he can't because he has!he shut down Kobe, Allen, Iverson.Paul is a great player Hughes will give him a fight and Hughes is pretty much 100%.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Larry Hughes @ Oct 10 2006, 02:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>James is NOT a better D-# man then Hughes he shut down Kobe, Allen, Iverson.</div> First of all, I don't recall anyone ever saying LeBron was a better defensive player than Hughes. If someone thinks that, they are terribly wrong. Also, I guarentee Larry Hughes did not SHUT DOWN Kobe, Allen, and Iverson. There is just no way. You know how I know that? Because nobody can shut them down. Not Bruce Bowen, not Ron Artest, and definitely not Larry Hughes. I bet Hughes caused a few problems for Kobe/AI, but he did not, by any means, SHUT THEM DOWN. You need to be more careful when you use words like that.
If u check up top a few post you will see somone say "He droped 50 on LeBron".Thats pretty much a way of saying that.He held them to a lower score then they do when he goes up on them last season he didn't do that well but he did good enough job on Gilbert to send the cavs to the next round.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ Oct 10 2006, 12:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>But you can't argue that Larry Hughes is a good perimiter defender. Granted, even Ron Artest can not "shut down" Pierce, but Larry Hughes is no slouch defensively (or offensively). Paul Pierce is bigger, he's stronger, and he's definitely more talented, but you can't take Larry Hughes' defensive ability away from him.</div>true, but hughes is more of a pesky, quick defender. That won't be as effective when Paul is just alot bigger than him. Hughes can steal the ball very well and beats guys to spots, but Pierce plays smart and uses his body. He could still dominate hughes.
I did not like the defense at all when we went small with Telfair, Rondo, Szczerbiak, Pierce, and Gomes on the floor. Speedy but gives up way too much on the inside and makes them way too suseptable to over the top passes and offensive rebounds. That would be a great lineup if they didnt have to play defense.EDIT: Seems like they're tinkering with small lineups as Tommy noted. Now Jefferson is in with Pierce, Allen, Rondo, and Telfair. As I type this the "new" Al lays down a pretty nice post move.
I like the "new" big al tooit seems like the free throw shooting is bad (I can imagine that with the new ball though)as well as the defenseI dont think theyve found the lineup that "clicks" yetwell delonte isnt there so...
I have to say thus far, Big Al has looked extremely impressive. His movement looks so much more fluid, and a lot quicker out there. AND GGGGMONEY LAYS DOWN A PRETTY NICE DUNK.hahahah lebron airmailed a 3
I think when we do fast break our offense is so much bettter..I like the lineup thats in right now as a bench lineup...
