<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> November 3, 2006 - 7:30 pm ET</div> <span style="color:#3333FF">Detroit Pistons</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">(0-1)</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">PG</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Chauncey Billups</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SG</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Rip Hamilton</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SF</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Tayshaun Prince</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">PF</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Rasheed Wallace</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">C</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Nazr Mohammed</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Antonio McDyess, Flip Murray, Jason Maxiell, Lindsey Hunter, Carlos Delfino</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston Celtics</span> <span style="color:#000000">(0-1)</span> <span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Sebastian Telfair</span> <span style="color:#000000">SG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">SF</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally Szczerbiak</span> <span style="color:#000000">PF</span> <span style="color:#009900">Ryan Gomes</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">Delonte West, 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> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Brian Scalabrine will not play (shoulder)</span> Who To Watch Out For <span style="color:#3333FF">Chauncey Billups</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 25.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 8.0 apg</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Rasheed Wallace</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 0.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.0 bpg. Ejected in season opener.</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Rip Hamilton</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 25.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 2.0 apg</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Tayshaun Prince</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 16.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 4.0 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 29.0 ppg, 19.0 rpg, 4.0 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally Szczerbiak</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 21.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg</span> Rookie Watch <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">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#009900">6.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg</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">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Has not played</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Detroit's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Nazr Mohammed</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 8.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 1.0 bpg</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">If Nazr can come in and get double-digits in the rebounding column again, that will be huge. Boston is going small lately and they are also short of an inside force with Theo Ratliff out.</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#009900">Tony Allen</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 3.0 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.0 spg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Tony Allen has not been playing good basketball lately. However, he is probably the Celtics' best perimeter defender. He needs to come in and do a good job guarding Rip Hamilton. If he can do that and slow him down, that would be very beneficial.</span> Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#3333FF">Tayshaun Prince</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">Pierce is one of the best offensive players in the league and Tayshaun is a very good defender. Both of these guys have had good matchups in the past, and I expect tonigt to be no different.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/Notes Boston really needs to go all out on the boards and play defense. Detroit is obviously the much better team. If Boston doesn't win the rebounding battle and play good defense, it's over. CelticBalla's Prediction I don't see the C's winning this one. Detroit is too good of a team for this young roster to handle. We will get bullied inside and our young mistakes will kill us against Detroit (one of the best defensive teams in the league).
I think the Pistons will respond to the loss against the Bucks and win this one. It will be a good game but I see the Pistons edging out the Celtics in Boston.I think that Rip Hamilton will have a big game, he hit the gamewinner last year with .8 seconds left, that was also the second game of the season. He will play good against the Celts.
The Pistons will adjust to the loss and will come in their strong and physical. Detroit can not forget their defensive identity, just because Ben is gone, doesn't mean our defense is gone.
jesus celticsballa u go all out on these game threads, nice job!Lots of good matchups around the perimeter in this game. The last time these two met in Boston it was one of the best games in the NBA season in my opinion. Both of these teams are coming off of losses and I hope Pierce does a speech at the beginning of the game in the locker room because if they came out flat like they did on Red Auerbach night, who the hell knows how flat they can come out tonight. I think it will be a very good game but to be quite honest I don't see the Celts winning.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE @ Nov 3 2006, 10:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>jesus celticsballa u go all out on these game threads, nice job! Lots of good matchups around the perimeter in this game. The last time these two met in Boston it was one of the best games in the NBA season in my opinion. Both of these teams are coming off of losses and I hope Pierce does a speech at the beginning of the game in the locker room because if they came out flat like they did on Red Auerbach night, who the hell knows how flat they can come out tonight. I think it will be a very good game but to be quite honest I don't see the Celts winning.</div> Well, coming out flat after am emotional tribute to Red is pretty expected. I mean they've all met him, they all know what he did as a coach and a person, so it's hard to come out and really play your best when emotions are running through your head. I had a basketball game a few years ago when my grandmother passed away, and I think I shot like 2 for 9. I expect these guys to have a better game (but, to be realistic, Detroit would have to seriously play bad for us to win. They are too good). <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>I think that Rip Hamilton will have a big game, he hit the gamewinner last year with .8 seconds left</div> :ranting:
CelticsBalla what you just said can also have the reverse effect, on a night like last game wouldn't you think they might want to play their ass off for a sold out crowd as a nice dedication to win? It goes both ways, I wouldn't say it's expected to have the team come out and play flat.
Im taking Pistons. Prince will limit Pierce tonight IMO. I see Sheed having a big game because he is bigger than Gomes. I'm not saying Gomes is small I am saying he is like a stronger Mike Sweetney.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pinoy Balla @ Nov 3 2006, 02:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Im taking Pistons. Prince will limit Pierce tonight IMO. I see Sheed having a big game because he is bigger than Gomes. I'm not saying Gomes is small I am saying he is like a stronger Mike Sweetney.</div> 1. Prince has never really slowed Pierce down all that much. 2. Gomes a stronger Mike Sweetney? LMFAO you have never seen Gomes play then. Sweetney is obese, Gomes is in shape, Gomes is a better shooter than Sweetney by far, Gomes has a softer touch around the basket, Gomes is a better rebounder than Sweetney... and again, Sweetney is obese!
this is greatpierce has4 points 3 rebounds and an assist so far with like 7 mins into the gamewhile perk has 5 boards..hell Yeah
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (playaofthegame @ Nov 3 2006, 07:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>this is great pierce has 4 points 3 rebounds and an assist so far with like 7 mins into the game while perk has 5 boards..hell Yeah</div> Looks like somebody spoke too soon. Detroit 101 Boston 88 The first quarter was great, the second was alright. The 3rd was average as well, we stuck with them. 4th quarter was absolutely terrible, we played bad defense, fouled, and turned the ball over too much. I knew coming into the game that we weren't going to beat Detroit, but we played very well in the first 3 quarters, considering the matchup. Paul Pierce <u>22 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists</u> Paul played an ok game. At least he made his FT's tonight, eh? He ended that 3rd quarter beautifully with the steal and the 3, and he hit all his mid-range jumpers. Al Jefferson <u>11 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks in 28 minutes</u> Big Al didn't shoot well in the first half, but he played hard all night and rebounded very well. In the 3rd quarter, he really started playing awesome on the block, and he ended up getting a double-double. But he blocked 2 shots, hustled a LOT, and stayed out of foul trouble (played 28 minutes, only picked up 1 foul!). He also made a BEAUTIFUL pass to a cutting Rondo when Al was double-teamed. Big Al got the player of the game award and he deserved it. He is going to have a good year guys. Wally Szczerbiak <u>18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 turnovers</u> Wally shot the ball pretty well, but he turned the ball over way too much. He got a technical (for NOTHING!). He played very careless basketball in the 4th quarter. Kendrick Perkins <u>4 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block</u> Those numbers are terrific considering he only played 17 minutes. He stayed out of foul trouble, he rebounded, he had a huge block, and he hustled. He didn't play so much because Nazr caught his tooth on Perk's head, and he had to go to the locker room to get stitches. He returned though. But good game from Perk. Ryan Gomes <u>6 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists</u> Gomes didn't play so well tonight. He didn't play well defensively at all, and he didn't give us life on the boards like usual. Rajon Rondo <u>7 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists in 32 minutes</u> Rondo got extended minutes because Bassy was in foul trouble, but he played great ball tonight. He passed up too many open shots, but other than that he played very well. He disrupted Billups' shots and forced him to have a rough shooting night. He rebounded, he played excellent in transition, and he made some great passes. He played excellent. If he keeps this up, and Telfair keeps his play up, Rondo will win the starting job by Christmas. Michael Olowokandi <u>2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block in 19 minutes</u> Kandi-Man was exceptional tonight. He left Sheed open for a couple outside shots, but he played incredibly on the interior. He hustled like crazy, changed some shots, blocked one, was very active, and he helped on the boards (he and Al controlled the glass together). O was terrific tonight, excellent job. Sebastian Telfair <u>9 points, 1 assist</u> He scored ok, but he didn't play well. He was terrible with starting the break, Billups burned him, and he commited stupid fouls. He scored a little bit, which was good, but he did not play all that well at all. Rondo definitely outplayed him by a considerable margin. Delonte West <u>5 points (1-8 shooting), 2 rebounds, 4 assists</u> Delonte is still going through a shooting slump, he needs to get back into the swing of things. He did not play well tonight, and he still has a little PG mindset. He needs to re-adjust to the SG role and play off the ball. Tony Allen <u>1 point, 2 rebounds in 10 minutes</u> Tony did alright tonight. He made some very nice defensive plays and he didn't look to drive when he got the ball. He played within the team and playing decent defense. I don't have a problem with what he did, but he didn't do anything that jumped out at you. Gerald Green <u>3 points on 1-1 FG (it was a 3) in 1:36</u> Gerald got his token 1 minute and 36 seconds (F U Doc). He hit a 3 at the buzzer. Not much else to talk about, but he needs to play more. Doc is an idiot. He should have put him in at the 2:45 mark when Detroit was up 13 with all the momentum. Doc Rivers I didn't like what he did with managing minutes. Not only because he didn't play Gerald Green, but because he had Wally/Pierce play the last 5 minutes of the 3rd when they needed to be rested for the 4th. Also, he had Telfair, Rondo, and West in together late in the game. Terrible. But overall, the C's put up a very nice effort considering it was indeed the Pistons. We started off this season 0-2, we need to get the W in Washington tomorrow night.
The Pistons are not in sync...We still need sometime to adjust to the absence of Ben. I hate watching people just walk in the paint like no one's there.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nba dogmatist @ Nov 4 2006, 12:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>why the heck did Perk only play 17 minutes?! I didn't get to see the game.</div> He got 2 fouls in the first quarter, Big Al and Kandi-Man were playing very well, and then in the third quarter Nazr accidentally caught his tooth on Perk's head. Perk had to go to the locker room in the 3rd quarter to get stitched up. Then when he came back, Big Al had a double-double and hit two nice hook shots on Sheed, so that left Perk out for 2-3 more minutes. Needless to say, he grabbed 8 boards and had a sick rejection in those 17 minutes.
