<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> November 1, 2006 - 7:30 pm ET</div> <span style="color:#00CCCC">New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">(0-0)</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">PG</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Chris Paul</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">SG</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Peja Stojakovic</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">SF</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Desmond Mason</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">PF</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">David West</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">C</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Tyson Chandler</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Bobby Jackson, Rasual Butler, Cedric Simmons, Hilton Armstrong, Linton Johnson III</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston Celtics</span> <span style="color:#000000">(0-0)</span> <span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Sebastian Telfair</span> <span style="color:#000000">SG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Delonte West</span> <span style="color:#000000">SF</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally Szczerbiak</span> <span style="color:#000000">PF</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">C</span> <span style="color:#009900">Kendrick Perkins</span> <span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Ryan Gomes, Al Jefferson, Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen, Gerald Green</span> Injury Report <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Theo Ratliff will not play (lower back)</span> Who To Watch Out For <span style="color:#00CCCC">Chris Paul</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">Last Season's Stats: 16.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 7.8 apg, 2.2 spg</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Chris Paul, last year's Rookie of the Year, had an incredible rookie campaign. He started off fast and was a gem from the get-go. He can do pretty much everything except hit a consistant 3-ball. Watch out for him, he can hurt you in many different ways.</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Peja Stojakovic</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">Last Season's Stats: 18.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 162 3PM</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Peja is simply one of the best shooters in the game. He can stroke it from anywhere, especially long range. If you leave him open, he will kill you.</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">Last Season's Stats: 26.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.7 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">This 5-time NBA All-Star is improving annually. He had the best statistical year of his career last season, despite the fact that the club only took home 33 wins. Paul Pierce is one of the most lethal players in the league offensively. If you let him get started, chances are he's not stopping.</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally Szczerbiak</span> <span style="color:#000000">Last Season's Stats: 19.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.0 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally got his knee fixed this summer and he looked great in preseason. He's one of the most reliable shooters in the NBA, and he shoots very high percentages from the feild, from 3, and from the line. Leave him open and he will burn you as well.</span> Rookie Watch <span style="color:#FFCC00">NOK:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Hilton Armstrong</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 12</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">The Scoop:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Armstrong is very athletic, a solid rebounder, and a good shotblocking presence.</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">NOK:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Cedric Simmons</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 15</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">The Scoop:</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">He's athletic, he can score the ball, he's an alright rebounder, and he can be pretty explosive at times.</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Rajon Rondo</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 21</span> <span style="color:#000000">The Scoop:</span> <span style="color:#009900">He can run, he's athletic, tenacious defender, good playmaker, heady player, good rebounder, suspect shot.</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Leon Powe</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 49</span> <span style="color:#000000">The Scoop:</span> <span style="color:#009900">He's athletic, very tough, and a very good rebounder. Little offensive game, slow learner.</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">New Orleans/Oklahoma City's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Tyson Chandler</span> <span style="color:#FFCC00">Last Season's Stats: 5.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg</span> <span style="color:#00CCCC">Chandler has no offensive game, but he is a skilled rebounder and a shot blocking presence. If he can control the glass and protect the basket, that will help the Hornets tremendously, especially with the penetrators on the Celtics.</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson</span> <span style="color:#000000">Last Season's Stats: 7.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.8 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">New Orleans/Oklahoma City has some shot blockers and guy that can protect the paint (Tyson Chandler, Hilton Armstrong, David West). Big Al needs to come in and provide some low post scoring. It's going to be tough to beat the Hornets with a perimiter game.</span> Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#00CCCC">Peja Stojakovic</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally Szczerbiak</span> <span style="color:#000000">Both of these guys are lights out shooters, and both are very key to their teams' offense. It will be interesting to see who wins the shootout between the two.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/Notes GO CELTICS!!! CelticBalla's Prediction As a Celtic fan, I have to be optimistic and go for the Celtics to win on opening night. We usually bring an incredible amount of energy on opening night, and I expect the same tonight. However, it's not going to be easy, the Hornets are a legit playoff contender this year. It should be a good one, but I say the C's grind out a victory to begin the season.
Bump (since it was just moved here) Tony, thank you for moving it all back to the Gameday forum. I appreciate it bro.
I wish this was on tv. I am looking forward to seeing some of the new players player (or new players at new teams like peja)
It is on tv. Hopefully they'll show their Auerbach ceremonies at 7 because I'm dying of bordem here and I need something to do to bypass time until the game.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (yankshater213 @ Nov 1 2006, 05:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>It is on tv. Hopefully they'll show their Auerbach ceremonies at 7 because I'm dying of bordem here and I need something to do to bypass time until the game.</div>hehe I mean national tv
Chris Paul has nearly 10 assists and its not even halftime very very nice. Peja played 5 minutes now he's on the bench. whuppeee
I watched the pre-game and the Auerbach celebration...It was great to see the legends out there with the bagpipes going. Pierce's little speech was wierd, he was walking around while talking. There is no NBA franchise like the Boston Celtics.
What a badly played first half. I will say that this team is so much better when they do go into the halfcourt with Telfair as opposed to Rondo. Jefferson really impressed me while he was in there as well. Hopefully they can play better in the second?
Despite losing, this was an absolute awesome game. It was good to see the team scrap in the end and make it close. I'll be honest, my heart was racing towards the end there.What else can we say about Pierce? He is just so damn good.
I don't know why many people are saying this was a great game, it was a horrible game, we were just lucky new orleans played crappy too. there were two bright spots: Pierce and Al. everyone else was pretty terrible. pierce did have a hell of a game tho.
Like dogma said, the only good thing for Boston in this game was Pierce and Al Jefferson... neither team could make a free throw if their life depended on it. Pierce played like a man possessed, but too bad it didn't translate into a victory on opening night.
I said it was a great game because I watched it, and I enjoyed watching the close game. I know we played terribly and I believe I even made a post suggesting that at some point in this thread. Wally had no jumper tonight as well, but when he started driving to the hole and getting to the line he started to pick it up a bit. Whatever, looking forward to Friday's game with the Pistons. I have tickets, woooooooo EDIT: Dogma, you didn't even enjoy watching them scrap out a close game after being down 18? I sure had fun watching this game despite the loss.
yeah, I did enjoy that lie 7 minute span of the game. but losing while playing sloppy is soo frustrating. I don't know if it's the new ball or what, but the free throw shooting was awful tonight on both ends. I'd expect more out of paul.and was that not the most bs tip in you've ever seen by West? dagger.
Two things I thought ruined the flow of the game:1. Missed free throws - I don't know if it was the ball as much as it could have been just rust on the parts of a few players. I mean, Wally looked excellent from the line. 2. Referee inconsistency - if you're going to call a few ticky tacky fouls, you've got to call them all so the players know what they can and can't do. So many horrible calls in this game for both sides. But yes, I do agree the entire first half was basically an unentertaining and frustrating shitfest. The second half made the game worth it. Whatever though, I was not expecting to win tonight anyways. It was good to see they were at least able to get back into it.
