<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> March 7, 2007 - 7:30 pm ET</div> <span style="color:#FF0000">Houston Rockets</span> <span style="color:#000000">(36-24)</span> <span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Rafer Alston</span> <span style="color:#000000">SG</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Tracy McGrady</span> <span style="color:#000000">SF</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Shane Battier</span> <span style="color:#000000">PF</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Chuck Hayes</span> <span style="color:#000000">C</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Yao Ming</span> <span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Luther Head, Dikembe Mutombo, Juwan Howard, Kirk Snyder</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston Celtics</span> <span style="color:#000000">(17-42)</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">Brian Scalabrine</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">Ryan Gomes, Rajon Rondo, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Leon Powe</span> Injury Report <span style="color:#000000">HOU:</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Bonzi Wells is doubtful (sore right foot)</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally Szczerbiak is out for season (ankle surgery)</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">Tracy McGrady</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 24.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 6.0 apg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Yao Ming</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 25.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.2 bpg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Shane Battier</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 10.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.3 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 25.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.1 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 14.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 16.1 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 1.6 bpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">Last 5 Games: 21.2 ppg, 14.2 rpg, 2.4 apg, 2.2 bpg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Delonte West</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 11.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.6 apg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 13.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 5.6 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">5.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.4 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, 2.7 rpg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Houston's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Shane Battier</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 10.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.3 apg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Battier will be guarding Paul Pierce a little bit, and he is an excellent defender. When Paul is on, you can't stop him, but Battier needs to make sure Paul gets off to a tough start and play the best defense he can on him down the stretch.</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#009900">Kendrick Perkins</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 3.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.3 bpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 4.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.4 bpg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Perk needs to really have a good game tonight. I don't care if he scores a point, in fact I'd rather him not get any post isos ever again. But tonight, he has to play good defense and stay out of foul trouble! I know Yao is a very tough load to handle, but Perk has to bring his A-Game tonight.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#FF0000">Tracy McGrady</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce</span></div> <span style="color:#000000">This is self explanatory. Both are top great players, unbelievable offensive talents. Both are capable of going off for 40+ on any given night.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/Notes That win in Houston last week was a fluke, and we all know it. They didn't have T-Mac or Yao. They have been losing some games lately, they are going to want to a) get revenge on us for beating them on their home floor, and get back on track to their winning ways. Have fun at the game, playa. CelticBalla's Prediction Our glorious 4 game winning streak finally comes to an end...
I don't think we'll win but with the team's newfound "defense" theory ( Doc JUST realizing we need to play D) it can be a good gameoh yeah and im goin..I hope it's a good game
f*cking I was supposed to go but can't go because of my knee again. I'd love to see Al dominate Yao and another win.
Gomes got balls he kept on it for a while. He'll be fine. Jesus Christ the Rockets need to start missing a little. The Celts played pretty well, Al had 18/11 in the first half, the kid has been straight up awesome. They're just getting wrecked because the Rockets weren't missing from three. Hopefully the Rockets will cool off though.
That was a pretty good game. Al gettin those big numbers for the Celts. Finally the Rockets' shooting has gotten back to normal.
<span style="color:#FF0000">Injury Updates</span> Delonte West: Diagnosed with a concussion. Mutombo elbowed him in the head (big surprise, huh?). He will be going to the hospital for observation. Ryan Gomes: Has a sprain in the middle of his foot. He will have serious X-Rays tomorrow. Al Jefferson: Al told Doc his foot was hurting a little bit.. hopefully it's nothing. This was just a bad game. Ugh. Injuries to some of our best players, of course. We lose by 31. We play horrid defense. The bench was awful tonight, except Gomes (who only played in the first half). Perk was in foul trouble. Gerald had the worst shooting night of is career (1-14). Houston knocked down almost every open 3 they had. I mean tonight was just horrible. Houston is the MUCH better team, and I expected them to beat us, but not like this. Come on man. Just horrible. Big Al was a beast tonight, once again. That face-up jumper was absolutely incredible tonight (he hit like 5 of them) and he was dominating the glass. His foot was apparently hurting though, so let's hope it isn't too serious. Pierce caught fire in the 3rd, but overall he didn't have a great night. He clearly doesn't have the quickness or lift that he had before. It will come back in time, but as of right now he is still 10 lbs. overweight. Gomes was doing an excellent job until he sprained his foot (coming down on someone else's foot, much like Wally). Please be OK, Gomes! Please! Perk did a horrible job. He went for stupid up-fakes, he got into foul trouble, and he took himself out of the game. Scal on T-Mac - self explanitory. Gerald had the worst shooting night of his NBA career, 1-14. Jesus Christ, Gerald. I love ya, but wow. Gerald couldn't buy a basket tonight. I loved what Powe did while he was in there though, as usual. The Powe Show, baby! I love the hustle. Player Stat Lines <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson: 20 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists on 8-19 shooting Paul Pierce: 20 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists on 6-14 shooting, 1-3 from 3, 7-7 FT Ryan Gomes: 9 points, 3 rebounds on 4-6 shooting in 13 mins Leon Powe: 9 points, 5 rebounds on 2-3 shooting, 5-8 FT Delonte West: 7 points, 5 assists, 2 steals, 1 block on 2-6 shooting, 3-3 FT in 30 mins Kendrick Perkins: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks on 1-1 shooting, 3-3 FT Rajon Rondo: 4 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal on 2-4 shooting Gerald Green: 2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal on 1-14 shooting, 0-2 from 3</span> Next Game: Friday (3/9/07) at home vs. Seattle at 7:30 pm ET. I will be at the game. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (yankshater213 @ Mar 7 2007, 08:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Gomes got balls he kept on it for a while. He'll be fine.</div> No not necessarily. Doc just said that he has a sprain, but it's not his ankle like we thought at first.. it's more in the middle of his foot (which is scary).
Goddamn, I didn't get to see this game. I was looking forward to it too. Oh well.Chucky Hayes with the Double Double! BTW, I know TMac put up 25 and 9 but wth is up with the six turnovers? Gee wizz.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>No not necessarily. Doc just said that he has a sprain, but it's not his ankle like we thought at first.. it's more in the middle of his foot (which is scary).</div>Well obviously I thought it was his ankle, and I have rolled my ankle millions and millions of times and sprained it thousands of times, and I've rolled it and still been able to keep on doing what I was doing. His didn't look real bad, and they said it was his ankle, so I just assumed it wasn't that bad, especially since he almost beat everyone up the floor on the next posession. Regardless the kid has balls. I didn't know it was his foot though, hopefully he's ok.
Ahhhsuch a bad gameI had nasty seats though so I just enjoyed itbut the 4th quarter sucked..they played Olowokandi the whole 4th...uglyeven though he had a nasty putback but it was called offensive goaltending Al was a beast again though
What I don't understand is why Doc put Scal on Tracy. That's a huge speed difference, and Scal couldn't cover him for nothing. Our outside defense was terrible (Shane Battier was killing us from distance) Just a bad game overall.
