<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> February 2, 2007 - 7:30 pm ET</div> <span style="color:#FF0000">Los Angeles Clippers</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">(22-22)</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">PG</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Sam Cassell</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">SG</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Cuttino Mobley</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">SF</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Quinton Ross</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">PF</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Elton Brand</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">C</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Chris Kaman</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Corey Maggette, Shaun Livingston, Tim Thomas, Doug Christie, Daniel Ewing</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston Celtics</span> <span style="color:#000000">(12-33)</span> <span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Delonte West</span> <span style="color:#000000">SG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Gerald Green</span> <span style="color:#000000">SF</span> <span style="color:#009900">Ryan Gomes</span> <span style="color:#000000">PF</span> <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson</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">Wally Szczerbiak, Rajon Rondo, Brian Scalabrine, Sebastian Telfair, Michael Olowokandi</span> Injury Report <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce will not play (stress reaction in left foot)</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Tony Allen is out for season (torn ACL/MCL)</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Theo Ratliff is out for season (back surgery).</span> Who To Watch Out For <span style="color:#FF0000">Elton Brand</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 20.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.2 bpg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Sam Cassell</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 14.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 5.6 apg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Corey Maggette</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 15.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.0 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 13.9 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.4 bpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 15.4 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 1.6 bpg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Delonte West</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 10.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.1 apg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 12.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.2 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Gerald Green</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 9.2 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.0 apg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 14.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.6 apg</span> Rookie Watch <span style="color:#3333FF">LAC:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Paul Davis</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 34</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">1.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg</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">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#009900">4.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.2 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">3.0 ppg, 2.9 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">5.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">LA's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Shaun Livingston</span> <span style="color:#3333FF">Season Stats: 9.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.2 apg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">With his massive size advantage over Rajon Rondo (and Delonte West, for that matter, although Delonte is stronger and tougher), Livingston needs to have a good game. He has a chance to really kill the Celtics PG's.</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#009900">Rajon Rondo</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 4.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.2 spg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Shaun Livingston is going to be one hell of a challenge for Rajon, and I'm sure he'll get a minute here and there on Sam Cassell. We all know Rondo is an assassin on defense, he has to show it down and not let the major mismatches get the best of him tonight. He has a 6'7'' PG and a strong veteran PG going up against him tonight, he needs to show something.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#FF0000">Elton Brand</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson</span></div> <span style="color:#000000">Brand is a superstar and one of the best big men in the NBA. Big Al is trying to get to that status, and with the way he has been playing lately, there isn't much of a doubt that it is very possible that he could become one of those players in a couple years. Big Al needs to really stay out of foul trouble (unlike last night) and have a bounce-back offensive night from Wednesday's game vs. the Lakers. Kaman and Brand swatted Big Al a ton of times at the end of December on the road trip, let's hope that doesn't happen again.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/Notes With Wednesday night's loss, we tied an all-time franchise record for most consecutive losses (13). Let's not break that record tonight, please. CelticBalla's Prediction I have to go with the Celtics. I don't know if I see this horrible record getting broken tonight. I think we are going to come out with a ton of fight, and I think we'll hold them off. They are the better team, without question, but I just have a feeling tonight.
Didn't get to watch, was at our school's game, but from the box as if it looks like Rondo played very very well, which is excellent news.
Geez oh man.14 in a row?? Are you guys trying to beat the Suns record?Wait, those are all in the 'L' spot. Whats going on with Boston? And the Nets? Matter fact, this Division is just terrible.
The Celtics made history!!! They did it!!! WOW!!! Oh wait... the historical record was most consecutive losses in one season in franchise history. Oops. :ranting: I understand the Clippers are a pretty good team, but they were beatable tonight, no doubt about it. This is just embarrassing. Count em, 14 straight losses. 14! This is just getting out of hand. And to top it off, our next 2 games are @ Detroit and vs. Miami. Whoopdie doo! We showed fight. We played hard. Blah blah blah, all the same things we hear every day. But come on, there has to be a night where everybody on this team just says "F*ck it" and goes out there and leaves their heart on the court. This is just ridiculous. GET A WIN! But on the game, Doc surprised the hell out of me by going with a different starting lineup. He started Rondo at the 1, Delonte at the 2, Gomes at the 3, Scal at the 4, and Big Al at the 5. Personally, based on the matchups tonight, I liked the move. Props to Doc for doing it and recognizing the much better matchup solution. HOWEVER, that was a bit of a slap in the face to Gerald Green. Coming off probably his best game as an NBA player, Doc takes him out of the lineup and plays him just 13 minutes. You can't continuously F*ck with these kids' confidence like that. Gerald plays his best game, then he gets his minutes cut into a third for the next game? That's absurd. Again, I liked the starting lineup out there tonight, but 13 minutes for Gerald after what he did on Wednesday night? Ridiculous. Back to that lineup, Rajon Rondo (in his first NBA start) was phenomenal. Yup.. PHENOMENAL, I said it again. He was all over the place on both ends, he was very aggressive going to the basket, he played pretty good man-up defense on Cassell, the energy level was off the charts, he knocked down a couple 3's, he rebounded and got in there to battle for boards with Elton Brand and Chris Kaman, and he made some terrific decisions passing the basketball. Rajon Rondo deserved and earned that start, and he showed why he got it. Rajon Rondo is a better player than Marcus Williams, and he should have been on the Rookie team over him. But all All-Star weekend festivities aside, Rajon played a hell of a game tonight. Big Al didn't have a good first half, and he had trouble grabbing boards with Brand/Kaman, but his offensive second half was great. He gave us that HUGE lift in the third quarter offensively, and he was the catalyst of that run. Gomes is just so solid and consistent. I know I say that every game, but it needs to be said. He deserves the props. He goes out there and plays hard every night, and that 15-17 foot jumper is just dynamite. He didn't shoot well in the first half, but he was unconscious in the 2nd half. Another good game from Gomes, I love this kid. Delonte really didn't look to shoot at all tonight. Why? I have no idea. Doc said after the game that a big reason why he started him alongside Rajon was to try and get him some more shooting opportunities, but Delonte didn't take advantage of it at all. He was passive. Other than the lack of aggression shooting the ball, Delonte did a ton of other things and he brought great hustle. Looking at his numbers, he was actually 4 POINTS short of a triple-double (grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing 11 assists). That is very unusual to see. But Delonte hustled as always tonight, but he NEEDS to take advantage of opportunities offensively. Shoot the ball, D-West. Wally had a good first half, and I'm glad to see it (finally!). He was knocking down his shots, something he hasn't done lately at all. Hopefully tonight was the start of Wally returning to form and shooting the ball at a high level. I'm sure things will come easier for him once Paul comes back, but for now it's good to see him knock down some shots like he did. Gerald didn't play much, and he really didn't do particularly well, but I have to say NICE DUNK! A little Gerald fly-by, baby! I needed that. Now, hopefully the NBA is smart enough to allow Gerald to do that in Vegas. Elton Brand was great tonight. He had 15 and 11 at halftime, or something like that, and he did basically the same in the 2nd half. He's such a beast, and he's so underrated. Mobley hit some BIG shots. A couple of them were just killers. Player Stat Lines <span style="color:#FF0000">Elton Brand: 26 points, 19 rebounds, 4 blocks on 11-21 shooting Cuttino Mobley: 20 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists on 7-14 shooting Corey Maggette: 19 points, 3 rebounds on 2-6 shooting, 15-17 FT Sam Cassell: 13 points, 3 assists on 6-13 shooting Tim Thomas: 17 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals on 6-12 shooting, 2-5 from 4</span> <span style="color:#009900">Rajon Rondo: 23 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals on 10-16 shooting. Just 1 turnover too. Al Jefferson: 21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks on 7-13 shooting Ryan Gomes: 16 points, 7 rebounds on 7-14 shooting Delonte West: 6 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists on 2-8 shooting Wally Szczerbiak: 13 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist on 5-10 shooting, 3-4 from 3</span> Next Game Tuesday (2/6/07) @ Detroit at 7:30 pm ET. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cavsrules @ Feb 2 2007, 11:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Geez oh man. 14 in a row?? Are you guys trying to beat the Suns record? Wait, those are all in the 'L' spot. Whats going on with Boston? And the Nets? Matter fact, this Division is just terrible.</div> Are you just now noticing all of this?
No, I just never really looked at how bad these teams are playing. It makes me feel so much better about the Cavaliers really...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (playaofthegame @ Feb 3 2007, 09:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>We'll be right up there with the Cavs and maybe even better next year once we get the Odenater</div> Don't count your chickens before they hatch. We aren't even sure if Oden is going to come out this year, we don't know what kind of trades Ainge will make with the deadline being 2 and a half weeks away, and we don't know if we will actually even have the 1st or 2nd worst record once Pierce comes back.
