<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> March 30, 2007 - 7:00 pm ET</div> <span style="color:#009900">Boston Celtics</span> <span style="color:#000000">(22-49)</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">Gerald Green</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, Sebastian Telfair, Leon Powe, Allan Ray</span> <span style="color:#000000">Philadelphia 76ers</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">(28-43)</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Andre Miller</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">SG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Rodney Carney</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">SF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Andre Iguodala</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Steven Hunter</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">C</span> <span style="color:#000000">Samuel Dalembert</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Kyle Korver, Louis Williams, Louis Amundson</span> Injury Report <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce will not play (elbow, foot, eye)</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">Brian Scalabrine is out for season (strained left hamstring)</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Michael Olowokandi is out for season (fractured bone in left foot)</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Theo Ratliff is out for season (back surgery)</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PHI:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Willie Green is questionable</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PHI:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Joe Smith is questionable</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PHI:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Kevin Ollie is questionable</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PHI:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Shavlik Randolph will not play (broken ankle)</span> Who To Watch Out For <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 15.6 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 16.6 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 1.6 bpg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Delonte West</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 11.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.5 apg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 13.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 5.2 apg</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">Andre Iguodala</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 18.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 5.6 apg, 2.0 spg</span> <span style="color:#000000">Since All-Star Break: 19.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 5.8 apg, 2.1 spg</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">Andre Miller</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 13.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 7.9 apg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Sixer: 13.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 7.3 apg</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">Samuel Dalembert</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 10.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.0 bpg</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">5.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.5 spg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter:</span> <span style="color:#009900">9.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6.3 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">3.2 ppg, 2.9 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">5.0 ppg, 1.4 rpg</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PHI:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Rodney Carney</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 16</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#000000">6.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PHI:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Bobby Jones</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 37</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#000000">1.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#009900">Development</span> <span style="color:#009900">At this point, these games are for player development and evaluation. I just want to see the young guns play hard and show us something.</span> <span style="color:#000000">Philadelphia's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#000000">Steven Hunter</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 6.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.2 bpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">Hunter is athletic and he's a good shot blocker, but tonight he has to guard Al Jefferson. That's definitely a tough matchup. Chances are, Al will have a good game tonight, but we'll see.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#009900">Gerald Green</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#000000">Andre Iguodala</span></div> <span style="color:#000000">Two athletic freaks going at it. Iggy is the clear-cut better player, by far, it's not even close. But when Gerald is hot, he can definitely score in bunches.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/Notes It's my birthday, wooo! CelticBalla's Prediction It could go either way. I see another Celtic victory, even without Pierce. I think Big Al should have a nice game.
Read that Pierce is 50/50 on playing.The elbow got banged up vs the Magic again.I think he should call it a season and be able to heal and practice this summer to be 100% for October.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticFan @ Mar 30 2007, 12:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Read that Pierce is 50/50 on playing. The elbow got banged up vs the Magic again. I think he should call it a season and be able to heal and practice this summer to be 100% for October.</div> Well, let me just clarify, his elbow didn't just "get banged up the other night." It has been hurting him on and off for the past 2 months, but he's been playing through it. At this point, why play and risk further injury? He says some nights he can't even fully extend his elbow, that's no good. He's a warrior, he's played through it anyway, but I think it does make sense to shut it down now. Why not? 11 games left and right now all we are doing is developing and evaluating our young talent.
Aynone else think Andre Iguodala is vastly underrated? Kid can do everything well. He can shoot, score, pass, and most importantly now that he has more responsibility with AI gone, he can win. Not to mention he had 15 assists the other night, talk about Penny Hardaway-esque.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Trifecta @ Mar 30 2007, 01:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Aynone else think Andre Iguodala is vastly underrated? Kid can do everything well. He can shoot, score, pass, and most importantly now that he has more responsibility with AI gone, he can win. Not to mention he had 15 assists the other night, talk about Penny Hardaway-esque.</div>Iggy is incredably underrated, I watch 90% of Sixer games and he does everything on the court. His court vision is amazing, he's constantly finding the open man for an easy bucket. Next year is going to be his real coming out party. I expect him to put up numbers like 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists per game.
^^Which certainly isn't out of the question, he's been improving each year. I read the article in SLAM mag about him and I felt sort of bad that he gets criticized all the time because of Philly's deep history, even though he tries his hardest and puts up great numbers..
Iguodala is definitely underrated... he's only one of four players putting up 18/5/5 this year... and next year he'll probably put up 22-25/6/6, maybe even more assists and rebounds than that. Next year we'll have a full season without AI (the first), and AI2 will get the recognition he deserves... he is definitely a star in the making though... and the scary thing is that he still doesn't have a consistent jumper. He knocks them down a lot, but there is still room for improvement.
I thought his jumper had improved a lot lately? He seems to be hitting them more consistently..I thought. But anyway, back to the Celtics. I wouldn't be suprised to see Ryan start instead of Gerald, unless Ainge is telling Doc to 'showcase' Gerald to ^^^his value.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Trifecta @ Mar 30 2007, 01:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I thought his jumper had improved a lot lately? He seems to be hitting them more consistently..I thought. But anyway, back to the Celtics. I wouldn't be suprised to see Ryan start instead of Gerald, unless Ainge is telling Doc to 'showcase' Gerald to ^^^his value.</div>He is, but it can get even better... he can hit the open jumper, but once he develops a consistent pull-up jumper or a jumper off the dribble... game over. He also has to improve finishing at the rim... not dunks, but lay-ups... he was horrible at that when Iverson was here, but he's steadily improved in that aspect as well.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ Mar 30 2007, 12:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well, let me just clarify, his elbow didn't just "get banged up the other night." It has been hurting him on and off for the past 2 months, but he's been playing through it. At this point, why play and risk further injury? He says some nights he can't even fully extend his elbow, that's no good. He's a warrior, he's played through it anyway, but I think it does make sense to shut it down now. Why not? 11 games left and right now all we are doing is developing and evaluating our young talent.</div>I know it's been banged up, I just read he aggravated it more in the Magic game.Igoudala is underated for sure.he's really taken off after the Iverson trade.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Trifecta @ Mar 30 2007, 02:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I wouldn't be suprised to see Ryan start instead of Gerald, unless Ainge is telling Doc to 'showcase' Gerald to ^^^his value.</div> I wouldn't be surprised to see Gomes start either; in fact, it's more likely. But I definitely think it would make more sense to start Gerald for a few different reasons: 1. The athleticism of Iggy/Carney. We need someone who can stick with them. 2. Scoring: without Pierce, we need a guy that can create his own shot out there. 3. Experience: 11 games left, we aren't playing for anything except player development and evaluation. Why not start Gerald, run plays for him, and see how he responds?
There are some very, very intriguing match-ups in this game: Rajon Rondo vs. Andre Miller, Al Jefferson vs. Sam Dalembert, and my personal favorite, Gerald Green vs. 'Dre.
I know Boston fans don't want to think about this (and I doubt it will happen), but what would you guys do if you won the #1 pick, but both Durant and Oden decided to stay in school?Again, doubt it happens, but just thought that would be funny!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigMo763 @ Mar 31 2007, 04:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I know Boston fans don't want to think about this (and I doubt it will happen), but what would you guys do if you won the #1 pick, but both Durant and Oden decided to stay in school? Again, doubt it happens, but just thought that would be funny! </div> Smartest move at that point is to trade the pick unless there is someone specific who they plan on drafting. Oden/Durant are the heart and soul of this draft class and without them 2007 won't be remembered. It seems as though this could be a possibility however. I'm gonna go watch the final four now :dribble:
This was one of our worst performances, as a whole, all year long. It was just a sloppy game, we played bad defense, and the shot selection was not very good. I'm glad Paul finally took a rest, however. He's clearly hurting in many different areas of his body (elbow, knee, foot, eye), he needs to shut it down at this point. Without Pierce this year, however, we'd win 12-15 games at most. But in this game, Korver killed us with those pull-up jumpers. The kid is an unbelievable shooter. Iggy did it all, Dre made some great passes (although he didn't get many assists), and Dalembert had a very solid game. They went through a little slump for a while and we caught back up with our 3rd unit (basically) in, but they turned it back on when it counted. We just played too sloppy tonight, we need to take better care of the basketball. I understand it's tough to do without your #1 guy out there with you, but 24 turnovers is inexcusable. Philly didn't even force half of them. Player-by-Player Analysis - Big Al did solid. Not his best night, but not necessarily a "bad" night. He did end up scoring 20, but he did it quietly. - Delonte had a very solid all-around game. He did make some bad plays, due to him just not being a point guard, but he had a pretty solid overall night. He knocked down a few jumpers in that run we made and he brought a lot of energy. However, Doc needs to stop playing him 40-45 mpg, that's nuts. - Bassy did a good job tonight, I'm happy. I'm happy he got minutes, for one, but I'm happy that he had a good game. He didn't even score, but he was given the green light to run the show and he did a good job. He found all the open shooters and he played under control. Keep playing the kid, Doc, he's a playmaker. - Gomes did a good job tonight as well. I'm happy he had himself a nice, solid game. He's been a little off since his return, but he's been gradually getting better every game. - Gerald did ok. He got in foul trouble early, again, and he went for too many of Korver's up-fakes, but he didn't do bad on the offensive end. I wish he would have taken a few more shots, but he did alright. That putback was pretty nice, by the way. - Perk! Again, with another very solid night. I'm loving the way he has been playing over the past 3 weeks or so. Keep it up, big fella! - Rondo didn't have his best game. He played solid defense on Miller, but offensively he didn't do his best. He wasn't penetrating enough at all, so he couldn't score or exploit his drive-and-kick skills. Rondo also took a bad pull-up 3 in crunch time, when the game wasn't out of reach. - Ray was ice cold from the floor and Powe worked hard out there, as usual. Player Stat Lines <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson: 20 points, 8 rebounds on 7-17 FG, 6-6 FT Delonte West: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 1 block on 7-16 GH, 1-3 3FG Gerald Green: 12 points, 3 rebounds on 4-9 FG, 1-3 3FG, 3-4 FT Ryan Gomes: 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals on 4-9 FG Sebastian Telfair: 5 assists, 0-3 FG, 0-2 3FG Kendrick Perkins: 6 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block on 3-5 FG Rajon Rondo: 6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 1 block on 2-3 FG, 0-1 3FG, 2-2 FT Leon Powe: 6 points, 4 rebounds on 2-3 FG, 2-3 FT Allan Ray: 7 points, 1 steal on 1-6 FG, 1-4 3FG, 4-4 FT</span> Next Game: Tomorrow (4/1/07) at home vs. Cleveland at 6:00 pm ET. Paul Pierce is reportedly a gametime decision, but I doubt he plays. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigMo763 @ Mar 31 2007, 04:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I know Boston fans don't want to think about this (and I doubt it will happen), but what would you guys do if you won the #1 pick, but both Durant and Oden decided to stay in school? Again, doubt it happens, but just thought that would be funny! </div> If that happened, I would smile and say "it's just our luck." Either we'll get the #1 pick and nether will come out, we'll get the #2 pick and one will stay in school, or we won't get a top 2 pick and they will both come out. I'm prepared for that kind of let-down, it's just our luck. With that said, prepared or not, I would scream cuss words and throw something.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticBalla32 @ Mar 31 2007, 05:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>If that happened, I would smile and say "it's just our luck." Either we'll get the #1 pick and nether will come out, we'll get the #2 pick and one will stay in school, or we won't get a top 2 pick and they will both come out. I'm prepared for that kind of let-down, it's just our luck.With that said, prepared or not, I would scream cuss words and throw something.</div>Yeah, I'm expecting something similar to what happened to Boston in '97 when Duncan came out, and they lost out on the #1 pick. But I'm thinking if something like that happens, would you guys rather hold on the pick or try and trade it for a proven veteran to pair up with Pierce?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigMo763 @ Mar 31 2007, 06:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah, I'm expecting something similar to what happened to Boston in '97 when Duncan came out, and they lost out on the #1 pick. But I'm thinking if something like that happens, would you guys rather hold on the pick or try and trade it for a proven veteran to pair up with Pierce?</div> If we don't get a top 2 pick, I am 100% behind packaging that pick along with Theo Ratliff's giant expiring deal, maybe a Gerald Green, and 1-2 more little fillers for a good veteran. Jermaine could be available, Gasol could be available, KG??? Who knows what will be out there. I mean if the <u>right deal</u> is out there, then yes - deal that pick and get a good veteran. However, if that happens, I don't want Ainge to just panic and deal it for a veteran just to make Paul Pierce smile. If the right deal is not out there, then you keep that pick and get a good player, then you continue to try and make deals for a veteran. If that can't be accomplished, we may need to re-evaluate our situation and shop Pierce. So yes, if we don't get a top 2 pick, shop it. But I'm just afraid we'll turn Gerald Green into another Joe Johnson or Chauncey Billups situation (we drafted them, then traded them right away for average veterans just to make some noise). If the right deal isn't out there, keep our young talent and add that #3 or 4 pick to it.
^^Very nicely said. It's been rumored as well that we would trade the pick if we didn't receive a top 2. And I'm guessing if one of the two don't come out and we don't get the #1 then it still won't change. This team needs a player that is going to step in NOW and give them a boost, without Durant or Oden there doesn't seem to be a player that can do that.
