<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> December 11, 2006 - 7:30 pm ET</div> <span style="color:#009900">Boston Celtics</span> <span style="color:#000000">(6-13)</span> <span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Sebastian Telfair</span> <span style="color:#000000">SG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Tony Allen</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">Al Jefferson</span> <span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Delonte West, Gerald Green, Rajon Rondo, Brian Scalabrine</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">New York Knicks</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">(8-14)</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">PG</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Stephon Marbury</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">SG</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Jamal Crawford</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">SF</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Quentin Richardson</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">PF</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">David Lee</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">C</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Eddy Curry</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Nate Robinson, Jared Jeffries, Renaldo Balkman, Malik Rose, Jerome James</span> Injury Report <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally Szczerbiak will not play (recovering from sprained ankle)</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Kendrick Perkins will not play (plantar fasciitis)</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> <span style="color:#FF6600">NY:</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Steve Francis will not play (right knee tendinitis)</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">NY:</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Channing Frye (sprained left ankle)</span> Who To Watch Out For <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 25.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 4.1 apg</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Eddy Curry</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 17.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 56% FG</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Stephon Marbury</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 10.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 4.8 apg</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Jamal Crawford</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 15.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 3.7 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">3.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.0 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">3.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.6 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">3.3 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.3 apg</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">NY:</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Renaldo Balkman</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 20</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">3.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.7 bpg</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">NY:</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Mardy Collins</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 29</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">1.3 ppg, 0.3 rpg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 10.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.1 bpg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Big Al had an incredible game @ NJ on Saturday (29 points, 14 rebounds). He needs to really hold it down in the paint today, especially with the way Eddy Curry has been playing lately. He's going to have his hands full, and he must stay out of foul trouble considering he's the only active player on our team that can play center.</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">New York's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">David Lee</span> <span style="color:#FF6600">Season Stats: 10.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 64% FG</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Boston is very short on big men, and Channing Frye is out. Lee has been rising to the occasion and he has been stepping up consistantly, but he has to make sure he takes advantage of Boston's weak frontline tonight.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#009900">Sebastian Telfair</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Stephon Marbury</span></div> <span style="color:#000000">Bassy vs. Steph, the battle of the cousins. You know the drill: Bassy returning home to play in front of his friends/family, while playing against his cousin. He ALWAYS has awesome games in New York, I don't see how tonight is any different. Oh, and Marbury? He has been terrible lately, but he is due for a solid game.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/Notes Coming off a nice win in New Jersey, we can't crap the bed tonight. We have to come out strong again, and we need to win this game. We are better than these guys, we can take them. Please get a win! CelticBalla's Prediction I think we are going to take this one. People are going to play their hardest, IMO, because of the trade rumors. Guys don't want to get traded, they will try and step up to change Danny's mind about them. We'll see though, I just want to focus on the game tonight, and I want to get a win against a team that totally embarrassed us in our own building at the end of November.
how'd crawford sneak his way into the starting lineup?he was doin good off the bench..and oh yeahGERALD GREEN's GONNA DUNK ON SOMEONE TONIGHT
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (playaofthegame @ Dec 11 2006, 08:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>how'd crawford sneak his way into the starting lineup?</div> Did you look at the Injury Report? Steve Francis is out, and Jared Jeffries has been too. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>GERALD GREEN's GONNA DUNK ON SOMEONE TONIGHT</div> You say that every night. I hope it's true every night though! EDIT: I just found out that Jared Jeffries will make his Knicks debut tonight.
Boston can take this game, they're more than capable coming off the good momentum from the game in NJ.... I think they will...
I dont feel that great about this one for the C's. Perk is out so they really dont have a defensive presence in the paint to stop Curry. Although Jefferson played great last game, I have a hard time believing that he could do that again. Pierce will have a better game obviously, AND wally is back so you never know. I will definitely be watching this one.
Man, Scabs has 3 three's already this game shooting 100 percent. Big Al ready has 8 boards and Telfair had another sick crossover. The C's are dominating right now. great game so far
Best half of the season? Rondo played excellent, Pierce, Gomes, Scalabrine were all hitting, Powe was rebounding, everyone was playing pretty well. Now just hopefully they don't blow this one.
What an incredible first half, wow. I know it's just the Knicks, but it's still nice to see. Big Al played pretty well, Pierce came out firing, Scalabrine is the best player in the world, Rondo played well, D-West made some nice plays, Leon Powe has been a beast. Let's keep this up, C's, huh? Please?
Wow. I was ready to cut my balls off if they didn't win this one. Doc needs to teach these clowns how to hold a big lead like they had, because that wasn't the first time. They showed an interesting stat during the game though, it was like 2 wins after trailing by 16+ and 3 losses while blowing 15+ lead or something. Someone else here was bound to see it as well and hopefully remembers it so they can correct me if its wrong. Whatever though, I'll take it. Note: I f*cking hate Curry, f*cking fatass.
first half: things are going great. we're hitting shots, playing good defense, the teamwork has been excellent.second half: I hate this team. We can't execute against a zone, horrible rebounding, ugh. thank god for stephon marbury.
If basketball was only a one half game.....this team would be the best team in the league. Why does Gerald continously ride the bench? Hell, if we're not going to play him we might as well trade him if it helps us get A.I.
Terrible 2nd half, WOW. Absolutely unacceptable 2nd half. We are sooo lucky that we hung on for the win. Doc made some messed up decisions. Terrible subtitutioning. Paul Pierce <u>31 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists on 11-22 shooting</u> He started off on FIYAA! He cooled down a little bit, then he threw up some terrible shots in the 2nd half, but he also hit a HUGE 3. Al Jefferson <u>14 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks on 6-12 shooting</u> I love you Big Al. He really did a pretty good job on Curry. He was blocking shots, a beast on the boards, he was running hard, working hard. Big Al's 2nd outstanding game in a row. Ryan Gomes <u>8 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists on 3-7 shooting</u> Gomes really had a tough night offensively. He wasn't hitting any of his open jumpers like he usually does and he was having trouble blocking out David Lee. Tony Allen <u>8 points, 5 rebounds on 4-6 shooting</u> TA did pretty solid. He made some nice slashing moves to the bucket, he rebounded, and he hustled. I liked that TA brought, too bad he was in foul trouble. Delonte West <u>6 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals on 1-6 shooting</u> D-West's shooting SUCKED... AGAIN. But he did hustle and he did make some nice passes. Also, I'm not mad at the shots he took, they were all good clean looks, but his shot just isn't falling this year. Maybe when he old ball comes back, that will help him. I hope so anyway. Brian Scalabrine <u>9 points, 2 rebounds, 6 fouls on 3-5 shooting</u> Scal in that 2nd quarter knocked down 3 three's!! Haha way to go man boobs! He played tough on Curry, but he fouled too much and he just simply can't handle Curry. Sebastian Telfair <u>8 points, 4 assists, 2 steals on 3-10 shooting</u> Bassy played terrible. He made some bad decisions, missed every open shot he had, and got burned on defense. Ugh... Rajon Rondo <u>6 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals on 3-5 shooting in 16 minutes</u> Rondo played pretty well and he brought a lot of energy. He made a few runners as well. He should have played a little more down the stretch though, with Bassy playing poorly. Leon Powe <u>7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks on 3-4 shooting in 14 minutes</u> Powe needs to play more, plain and simple. He was excellent tonight. He is a banger, he brought a lot of energy, and he played well around the basket. Powe needs more run! Gerald Green <u>6 minutes, did not take a shot</u> Gerald is untouchable, huh? Well PLAY HIM if TA is in foul trouble, Wally is out, and Delonte is sucking! Next Game Wednesday (12/13/06) @ Philadelphia at 7:00 pm ET.
I've been impressed with TA's play lately. he's been playing EXCELLENT defense, and he's not forcing a lot on the offensive end. Keep it up.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nba dogmatist @ Dec 11 2006, 11:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I've been impressed with TA's play lately. he's been playing EXCELLENT defense, and he's not forcing a lot on the offensive end. Keep it up.</div> I agree, this is the Tony Allen that I absolutely LOVED 2 years ago. He is not forcing things at all really, he seems to have gotten the message from the coaches/criticts that he should not dribble so much. He has gone back to focusing on defense only, and offensively he has reverted back to his old slasher self. I'll tell ya, if TA can keep this up, I'll be a very happy man. VERY happy. We need his perimeter defense again, and lately he has been showing up. Keep it up, TA!
neither knicks fans or celtics fans should be happy about what happened tonight. the knicks fall behind by 30 and then the celtics blow the lead and the knicks cut it to 3. I mean that is just sad. the zone killed the celtics. they couldn't hit a shot. I really thought the knicks were gonna come through. they had all the momentum in their favor. they had the ball with 1:30 or so left, marbury has the ball...........you know what happened after that. I am sick of this guy. how can you play this man when no knicks fan has his back anymore? he gets booed even when he scores. he sucks and I can't take that he's gonna be here for 3 more years. what a bad game by both teams.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nykfan4life @ Dec 12 2006, 12:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>neither knicks fans or celtics fans should be happy about what happened tonight. the knicks fall behind by 30 and then the celtics blow the lead and the knicks cut it to 3. I mean that is just sad. the zone killed the celtics. they couldn't hit a shot. I really thought the knicks were gonna come through. they had all the momentum in their favor. they had the ball with 1:30 or so left, marbury has the ball...........you know what happened after that. I am sick of this guy. how can you play this man when no knicks fan has his back anymore? he gets booed even when he scores. he sucks and I can't take that he's gonna be here for 3 more years. what a bad game by both teams.</div> Yeah, this was a terrible game. That Marbury turnover late in the game killed any momentum the Knicks had at that point. The only bright spots about this game was Pierce lighting it up in the first half, Al Jefferson playing well again, and Leon Powe playing well in his limited minutes. Also, you guys allowed Brian Scalabrine to hit 3 open three's in one quarter. :HAHAHA: You want something even more sad? The Celtics are 7-13, and that is only 1 GB from 1st place in the division to the 8-12 Nets. :no3: Such a sad division.
