Boston Celtics @ San Antonio Spurs

<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span>
March 17, 2007 - 8:00 pm ET</div>

<span style="color:#009900">Boston Celtics</span> <span style="color:#000000">(19-46)</span>

<span style="color:#000000">PG</span> <span style="color:#009900">Rajon Rondo</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">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">Gerald Green, Allan Ray, Sebastian Telfair, Leon Powe</span>

<span style="color:#000000">San Antonio Spurs</span> <span style="color:#999999">(46-19)</span>

<span style="color:#999999">PG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tony Parker</span> <span style="color:#999999">SG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Brent Barry</span> <span style="color:#999999">SF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Bruce Bowen</span> <span style="color:#999999">PF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span> <span style="color:#999999">C</span> <span style="color:#000000">Francisco Elson</span>

<span style="color:#999999">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Manu Ginobili, Robert Horry, Michael Finley, Jacque Vaughn, Matt Bonner</span>

Injury Report
<span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Ryan Gomes will not play (sprained foot)</span>
<span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Brian Scalabrine will not play (wife just had a baby girl)</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:#009900">Paul Pierce</span>
<span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 24.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 4.2 apg</span>

<span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson</span>
<span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 15.5 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg</span>
<span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 16.6 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg</span>

<span style="color:#009900">Delonte West</span>
<span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 11.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.6 apg</span>
<span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 13.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.5 apg</span>

<span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span>
<span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 20.0 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 3.4 apg, 2.3 bpg</span>

<span style="color:#000000">Tony Parker</span>
<span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 18.4 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 5.5 apg</span>

<span style="color:#000000">Manu Ginobili</span>
<span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 17.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.5 spg</span>
<span style="color:#999999">Off the Bench: 18.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.0 spg</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, 3.1 rpg, 3.4 apg, 1.4 spg</span>
<span style="color:#000000">As A Starter:</span> <span style="color:#009900">10.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 6.6 apg, 2.4 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">3.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg</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">5.1 ppg, 1.2 rpg</span>

<span style="color:#009900">Boston's X-Factor</span>

<span style="color:#009900">Kendrick Perkins</span>
<span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 4.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.4 bpg</span>
<span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 4.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg</span>
<span style="color:#000000">Last 3 Games: 7.3 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 1.0 bpg</span>
<span style="color:#009900">Perk has been a beast lately, these last few games he's been awesome. He needs to do the same tonight, because his job doesn't get any easier tonight with Tim Duncan.</span>

<span style="color:#000000">San Antonio's X-Factor</span>

<span style="color:#000000">Bruce Bowen</span>
<span style="color:#999999">Season Stats: 6.3 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.5 apg</span>
<span style="color:#000000">Bruce Bowen, arguably the best perimeter defender in the NBA (he is, in my opinion), needs to do his job tonight - contain Paul Pierce.</span>

<div align="center">Key Matchup
vs.
<span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000000">Tim Duncan</span></div>
<span style="color:#000000">Last time these two teams met, Big Al took it to Duncan like he didn't care who he was. He put up 26 and 14, and he had an outstanding game. Will he do it again? Let's hope so, but we'll see.</span>

CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/Notes
- The Celtics have not beaten the Spurs since Tim Duncan was drafted, in 1997.
- The Celtics have not won in San Antonio since 1990.

CelticBalla's Prediction
I'm convinced, we will never beat the Spurs again.

 

Geralds last stop in Texas, expect something big.

 

Well, the Spurs are my #1 team and the Celtics are my #2 or #3 team, and I think it is safe to say that the Spurs have the Celtics number. Like CB32 said, the C's havent beaten the Spurs since they drafted Duncan. Spurs are most likely going to take this one. I am going to expect Big Al to do well again though. Duncan has trouble with these faster and more athletic type players like Al.

 

We are winning this one. We've got a REALLY good chance to win this one tonight. Close game and Celtics win by 5.

 

^What makes this game different from any other one? The Celtics havent beaten the Spurs in 10 years and the Spurs are playing great ball right now. Im just curious as to why you think they are going to win this one.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Mar 17 2007, 04:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>^What makes this game different from any other one? The Celtics havent beaten the Spurs in 10 years and the Spurs are playing great ball right now. Im just curious as to why you think they are going to win this one.</div>I think we've developed a lot more lately. We have started playing more team basketball, and I think if Delonte, Pierce and Al can step it up, we've got this.

 

I'd love to see the unthinkable, but the way todays going for me, Celts are gonna get waxed.

 

We are playing pretty good right now. I think if we keep this tempo, we got this game in the bag.

 

You are a little bit too confident...the Spurs are the 3rd best team in the NBA, and have won 13 of their last 14 games. The Celtics have I think the worst record in the NBA, and they have a terrible track record against the Spurs. I wouldnt be so confident...

 

Um . . We almost beat the Mavericks yesterday which are the best team in the NBA. I know it's different style of play, but the Maveicks are loaded. I just think we can finally end this drought and beat the Spurs tonight.

 

wow...we're only down by 2! with 5 minutes to go!

 

OH MY GOD UP BY 4 WITH 16 SECONDS!!! WHAT A SHOT BY PIERCE!!

 

We won

 

impressive win for the Celtics

 

sh*t. hahah....airupthere was right. Ill give you props for the lucky call.

 

lmao I needa wait for this to sink in

 

14 rebounds for Rajon Rondo!!!

 

We beat the Spurs! We beat the Spurs! Yup, that's right folks, the Boston Celtics beat the San Antonio Spurs for the first time since 1997. They won in San Antonio for the first time since 1990. Donny Marshall put it perfectly: "The Celtics, and Paul Pierce, finally got that gorilla off their backs. Not money, gorilla." It feels so good to get this win, man, wow. And IN San Antonio.

While I am very happy with the victory, I have to point out a couple negatives. First of all, the refs were hounding us all night long. The veterans vs. the puppy's, we get no respect. Also, Doc playing Allan Ray the entire 4th quarter? No Rondo late in the game? No center? What the hell?

To the Players
Paul Pierce was, once again, amazing in the clutch. I love The Truth, he gets it done when he's called upon. He wanted this win more than anybody, because he's never beaten the Spurs. I'm very happy for Paul that he finally "beat Duncan" and I'm very happy that he came up big in the clutch, once again in his career.

Big Al is a beast, another 20/10 performance. He just does it every night, this is the second straight time he has done a very good job with Duncan. Way to go, Big Al!

Rondo contributed a great deal tonight. He didn't score, but he did literally everything else. He's the only one than could stick with Parker, he grabbed 14 rebounds at 6'1'', he made some beautiful passes, he played solid defense, he pushed the ball. He didn't play well in Dallas, and he was benched. He definitely made up for it tonight.

D-West was stroking the mid-range jumper quite a bit and he made some key hustle plays down the stretch.

The Kandi-Man can! It was nice to see him actually get off the bench, but wow he really produced tonight. He even played more than Perk! Perk got into foul trouble early and O had to step it. He did just that, and he did an excellent job of clogging the lane.

Allan Ray played a lot of key minutes in this game. Why did he play over Rondo and/or Perk? I have no clue. While he wasn't aggressive with his shot, and while he did make a couple defensive mistakes, he also had a key pass deflection.

Player Stat Lines
<span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce: 30 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block on 11-21 shooting, 2-8 from 3, 8-12 FT
Al Jefferson: 20 points, 12 rebounds, 1 block on 9-18 shooting, 2-3 FT
Rajon Rondo: 2 points, 14 rebounds (career high), 6 assists, 1 steal on 1-6 shooting, 0-1 from 3
Delonte West: 23 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists on 8-18 shooting, 2-5 from 3, 5-6 FT
Michael Olowokandi: 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks on 4-7 shooting
Kendrick Perkins: 4 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks on 1-3 shooting
Allan Ray: 2 rebounds, 2 assists on 0-3 shooting, 0-1 from 3
Gerald Green: 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist on 1-1 shooting
Leon Powe: 2 points, 1 rebound on 2-2 FT</span>

Next Game: Monday (3/19/07) @ New Orleans/Oklahoma City at 8:00 pm ET.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AiRuPtHeRe™ @ Mar 17 2007, 04:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>We are winning this one. We've got a REALLY good chance to win this one tonight. Close game and Celtics win by 5.</div>
We won by 6, good prediction though. :dribble:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zards @ Mar 18 2007, 12:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>14 rebounds for Rajon Rondo!!!</div>
He is an unbelievable rebounder for a guard, man, one of the best in the league. He grabbed 19 rebounds in a game last year in college.

 

Haha, I called everything yesterday. Delonte West and Jefferson stepped it up tonight. We almost blew the lead bigtime though in the 4th quarter with like 5 minutes left.It's offical - Rajon Rondo is the next Jason Kidd. Awesome night for him. 14 rebounds for a PG?!?!

 

*Poor mans Jason KiddBut yeah, this just sunk in when I woke up. Way to go guys, congrats on getting over this hump!Here's to another 17 winless years in San Antonio!