<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> February 20, 2007 - 10:00 pm ET</div> <span style="color:#009900">Boston Celtics</span> <span style="color:#000000">(13-38)</span> <span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Delonte West</span> <span style="color:#000000">SG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">SF</span> <span style="color:#009900">Ryan Gomes</span> <span style="color:#000000">PF</span> <span style="color:#009900">Brian Scalabrine</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">Wally Szczerbiak, Rajon Rondo, Gerald Green, Kendrick Perkins, Sebastian Telfair</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Sacramento Kings</span> <span style="color:#000000">(22-29)</span> <span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Mike Bibby</span> <span style="color:#000000">SG</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kevin Martin</span> <span style="color:#000000">SF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Ron Artest</span> <span style="color:#000000">PF</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Shareef Abdur-Rahim</span> <span style="color:#000000">C</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Brad Miller</span> <span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kenny Thomas, John Salmons, Corliss Williamson, Francisco Garcia, Justin Williams</span> Injury Report <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:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 26.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 4.1 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 13.9 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.5 bpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 15.1 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 1.6 bpg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally Szczerbiak</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 15.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.7 apg</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Mike Bibby</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 16.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.3 apg</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Ron Artest</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 18.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.2 spg</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Kevin Martin</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 21.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.1 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">5.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.4 spg</span> <span style="color:#000000">In February:</span> <span style="color:#009900">10.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 7.7 apg, 2.3 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">2.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.5 bpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">SAC:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Quincy Douby</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 19</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">2.4 ppg, 0.6 rpg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#009900">Ryan Gomes</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 12.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.8 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Gomes will be guarding Artest for the most part tonight. Artest is a straight bulldog, we all know that. Gomes played Artest pretty well in January when we played Sacramento, however, so let's hope he can do it again.</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Sacramento's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Brad Miller</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 9.6 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.7 apg</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Miller has missed some games recently due to personal issues, let's hope that doesn't effect his game tonight. Or, as a Celtic fan, should I say I hope it DOES effect his game tonight. But in all seriousness, he hasn't had a normal season, but when he's on top of his game he is VERY effective. He's probably still the best passing center in the league. Watch out for Big Bad Brad if he's feeling good.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#6600CC">Ron Artest</span></div> <span style="color:#000000">The Truth and Artest have, as you all know, had some great 1-on-1 battles. Artest thrives off defending the superstars and Pierce thrives off trying to score on guys like Artest/Kirilenko/Prince, etc. I can't wait.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/Notes You think this will be a tough game? It probably will be, but get ready for the ride, because this 5 game west coast trip is brutal. All I am saying is "brace yourselves." CelticBalla's Prediction If we are going to win any game on this trip, it has to be this one or the Laker game. We have an outside chance at winning 1 or 2 games on this trip, but it is unlikely, IMO. I personally see us going 0-5, 1-4 if we are lucky. We'll see. As for this game, I see us losing. We always have trouble playing in Arco.
We will win thisI think with Gerald's confidence at skyhigh..if Doc gets him minutes he can have a huge impact on this gameplus we have Pierce back..THE TRUTH baby!we can win this..I can feel itbut besides that we will get wrecked on this trip
Sorry, just had to post that.Anyways, I see us winning the game too. If we can stop there 3 point shooting, we should come out with a win. POTG = Wally. 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assist.
I think that this is a winnable game for the Celtics. I feel alot more confident going in to games now that Paul is back. The team has been playing pretty well since he has been back, so I think this is a winnable game. Wally is going to have to play well, and I want to see Gerald get some time. I think he will come out and play really well. Jefferson is going to have a huge night IMO. I think he is going to abuse whoever is guarding him downlow...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Feb 20 2007, 07:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think that this is a winnable game for the Celtics. I feel alot more confident going in to games now that Paul is back. The team has been playing pretty well since he has been back, so I think this is a winnable game. Wally is going to have to play well, and I want to see Gerald get some time. I think he will come out and play really well. Jefferson is going to have a huge night IMO. I think he is going to abuse whoever is guarding him downlow...</div> I agree about Big Al, but the team has to get him the ball!!! So many times, they go away from him, and I can't stand it. That's a mixture of stupidity and bad coaching (I say bad coaching because Doc obviously isn't telling them to go to Al when they need to). So many times, Big Al will make his first 3 shots and have a mismatch, then they'll go away from him. That's stupid. The only guys that consistently get him the ball are Pierce and Rondo.
Hmm..when you're down by 3 and you pull down a rebound with a solid 4.4 seconds left you call a timeout..not let Delonte West run up the court and miss a hopeless three
I don't even know where to begin, so bare with me: - We have 3-4 the ball with 3-4 seconds left, we are down 3, and we have a 20 second timeout available. Doc tells Delonte to "go." Result: aaaaaiiiir baaaallll. Doc, why the F*ck to you never call timeout in the closing seconds of the game when we can win/tie? Why? Why? Why? Screaming from the sideline with a 3 second window to young players like this will NOT get it done. F*ck you. Go back to TNT. - The refs were absolutely f*cking ridiculous tonight. The calls the made were just absurd. If you were within 3 feet of a player in the act of shooting, it was a foul. Sacramento shot 40+ free throws by the end of the 3rd quarter. Gomes fouled out, Green had 5, Pierce had 4, 3 guys had 3, etc. - Wally sprained his ankle again... oh, and his left one again (the one he just sprained)! Great. I feel so bad for the guy, he just can't catch a break. - Delonte's decision making in the second half was HORRID. He tore it up in the first half, he was on FIRE! But that 2nd half was horrible for Delonte. - Big Al doesn't come into the game in the 4th until the 5 minute mark or so? Come on. But Al did a very decent job. They went to him early and he had a great first half. - A guy I was very pleased with tonight was Bassy. He came in and did a very solid job at the point. He played under control, took it to the basket, made smart plays, and he even knocked down a couple 3's. A couple of his fouls weren't exactly great plays, but he did a very solid job tonight. It's good to see from him. - Gomes was non-existent in the first half, but he really played his ass off in the 2nd half. He was good old hustling Gomes and he knocked down a couple jumpers. - This is one of those nights where Rondo's stat line doesn't tell the story at all. He was awesome in the second half tonight, he really was. The plays he made on the defensive end were beautiful, and he really made some terrific hustle plays. He hit a big jumper too. I love this kid, he makes things happen. - Paul got in foul trouble, but he was good old Paul Pierce. He was VERY effective on the offensive end, and he really took it to the bucket strong in the first half. In the second half, he really knocked down some jumpers. I love The Truth! Player Stat Lines <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce: 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists on 8-15 FG, 2-4 from 3, 8-11 FT Delonte West: 23 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists on 9-16 shooting, 5-8 from 3 Al Jefferson: 15 points, 15 rebounds on 7-16 shooting Ryan Gomes: 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals on 3-7 shooting, 4-6 FT Rajon Rondo: 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals on 2-6 shooting, 2-8 FT Sebastian Telfair: 9 points, 3 assists on 3-7 shooting, 2-3 from 3 Kendrick Perkins: 5 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block on 2-3 shooting</span> Next Game: Tonight (2/21/07) @ Phoenix at 9:00 pm ET. Yay...
Excactly, why the hell wouldn't Doc call a timeout with 3 seconds left on the clock? They could of had a better chance at making the shot then just letting Delonte run up the court and air ball it. And WALLY is always getting injured in his games, he needs to learn how to land on two feet and F*ck his feet up
