<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> December 4, 2006 - 8:30 pm ET</div> <span style="color:#009900">Boston Celtics</span> <span style="color:#000000">(5-10)</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">Paul Pierce</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">Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen, Brian Scalabrine</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Chicago Bulls</span> <span style="color:#000000">(7-9)</span> <span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Chris Duhon</span> <span style="color:#000000">SG</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Kirk Hinrich</span> <span style="color:#000000">SF</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Luol Deng</span> <span style="color:#000000">PF</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Andres Nocioni</span> <span style="color:#000000">C</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Ben Wallace</span> <span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Ben Gordon, P.J. Brown, Tyrus Thomas, Michael Sweetney, Thabo Sefolosha</span> Injury Report <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally Szczerbiak will not play (sprained ankle)</span> <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">Michael Olowokandi will not play (strained abdominal muscle)</span> Who To Watch Out For <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 26.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.3 spg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Ben Wallace</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 5.6 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.6 spg, 1.6 bpg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Kirk Hinrich</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 16.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 6.3 apg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Luol Deng</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 18.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.2 spg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Ben Gordon</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 17.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.4 apg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Andres Nocioni</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 15.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg</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">4.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.9 spg</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">4.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.5 bpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Allan Ray</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: Undrafted</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#009900">0.5 ppg, 0.5 apg</span> <span style="color:#000000">CHI:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Tyrus Thomas</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 4</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">3.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 0.8 bpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">CHI:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Thabo Sefolosha</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 13</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">4.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.9 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#009900">Kendrick Perkins</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 4.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.0 bpg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Perk NEEDS to stay out of foul trouble, and he really needs to bang with Big Ben. He's our only true center that's active, with Theo and Kandi-Man out. He really needs to step up big tonight, no matter how bad his plantar fasciitis is bothering him (haha, easier said than done, huh?).</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Chicago's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Ben Gordon</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 17.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.4 apg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Gordon has been playing well lately back in the 6th man role, he needs to come off the bench and put points up on the board. The Celtics' perimiter defense is pretty bad except for Tony Allen and Rajon Rondo, but they don't log big minutes. Gordon needs to come out and score.</span> Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#009900">Kendrick Perkins</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Ben Wallace</span> <span style="color:#000000">The two beasts! Both of these guys are bangers, good shot blockers, low post defenders, tough as nails, badass demeanor. Ben just does it better. However, this should be a nice battle down low.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/Notes Chicago's defense is incredible, we are going to HAVE to be knocking down our perimeter shots. Other than that, I am very excited to see the Bulls, they are a good team and I enjoy watching them play. A lot of guys on this team which I like (Deng, Hinrich, Noc, Ben, Tyrus, Thabo, Duhon, Gordon, Brown, Sweets, Griffin... hell, the entire team). CelticBalla's Prediction Chicago is really getting their act together lately, and we are really banged up and out of sync as usual. I don't see us winning this, Chicago is just too good, IMO. Not to mention, it's an away game. I say the Bulls win this one by around 15, maybe more. No Wally as well, that obviously doesn't help (even though he has been shooting terribly lately).
Start Gerald over D-west... He has been producing more offense lately in his minutes and we should just keep West in his normal 6th man position.
I'd love to see Gerald get a chance to play an extended role tonight. Obviously the rotations will be even more messed up with Doc running it. Scalabrine will probably start and play the whole game at shooting guard knowing him.
[quoute] Scalabrine will probably start and play the whole game at shooting guard knowing him [/quote] :lmao-1: good oneYeah I would also like to see Gerald play a lot more minutes, I hate when Gerald comes in and plays like 15 minutes and gets 6 or 8 points, a few boards, and looks good then Doc yanks him. Leave him in the game, let him get in a rythym. Should be a good one tonight also, Chicago's been playing great as of late it should be interesting see how Boston comes into this one. We need a win badly and we got the Grizzlies on Wednesday. It would be nice to see Boston to start off on the right foot this week.
Perk will dominate Ben Wallace..im calling it..ive decided to be positive this season instead of negative
me and dogma are watching this one fo sho. it's unanimous with us that there is no luck for the Cs. Boston matches up poorly with Chicago, and with the injury to Wally, it would be a miracle to pull this one out.
I just got an update, Delonte West is going to start at SG tonight. While I am completely fed up with Doc having him a PG one night and a SG the next, I think this is the best decision. Delonte matches up very well with a small Chicago backcourt, and I think he'll be able to get shots off a lot cleaner than he would if he was playing against a 6'6'' wing. That should benefit him, and I am also happy that Rondo will get playing time tonight, and more Gerald. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (playaofthegame @ Dec 4 2006, 07:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Perk will dominate Ben Wallace..im calling it.. ive decided to be positive this season instead of negative</div> Something tells me that you will say at least one thing negative by about 11:00 pm ET tonight. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Gerald Green's also gonna dunk on somebody tonight</div> I have been saying that the last 5 games, but so far no good. Hopefully you are on to something.
The celtics are playing absolutley horrible. They are breaking down at the ends of possesions on defense, they arent boxing out, they are fouling jumpshooters and giving them 3 point opportunites, they are shooting poorly from the three point line, and nobody is playing good except for Gomes. They had 40 something points half way through the 3rd quarter. This has to be one of the worst 2 games of the year so far by the C's...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (playaofthegame @ Dec 4 2006, 08:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yes! I have a gut feeling! That's where the truth lies! In the gut!</div> Good call, Gerald didn't dunk. Terrible game. Most of the 2nd half was just garbage time, this was the worst game I've seen in a long time. Gomes played great, Tony Allen played great off the bench (20 points), Allan Ray looked good even though it was garbage time (9 points, 2 rebounds, a putback dunk!). Pretty much everyone sucked except for those 3. Some people did ok, but it was in too much garbage time. No Wally, and Doc only plays Gerald 3 minutes in the first half. :ranting:
pretty f*cking pathetic, but I guess I've been numbed too it. I was laughing during the game more than yelling. This team was a joke tonight. Horrible fouls, stupid plays on both ends, and really, no one came to play but gomes.
The Celtics just plainly sucked last night. They got too much fouls, Pierce was just OFF scoring 8 or 9 points. Pretty dissapointing to see the Bulls piss on us like that.