<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> April 4, 2007 - 8:00 pm ET The Battle of the Ping Pong Balls, Part 1</div> <span style="color:#009900">Boston Celtics</span> <span style="color:#000000">(23-50)</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">Ryan Gomes</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">Sebastian Telfair, Leon Powe, Allan Ray, Kevinn Pinkney</span> <span style="color:#006600">Milwaukee Bucks</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">(25-48)</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">PG</span> <span style="color:#006600">Mo Williams</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SG</span> <span style="color:#006600">Charlie Bell</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SF</span> <span style="color:#006600">Michael Redd</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">PF</span> <span style="color:#006600">Ersan Ilyasova</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">C</span> <span style="color:#006600">Brian Skinner</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#006600">Ruben Patterson, Earl Boykins, Lynn Greer, Dan Gadzuric, David Noel</span> Injury Report <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Paul Pierce will not play (elbow, knee, foot, eye)</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Al Jefferson will not play (sore knee)</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Wally Szczerbiak is out for season (recovering from 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 (recovering back surgery)</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">MIL:</span> <span style="color:#006600">Andrew Bogut is out for season (sprained left foot)</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">MIL:</span> <span style="color:#006600">Charlie Villanueva is out for season (recovering from right shoulder surgery)</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">MIL:</span> <span style="color:#006600">Bobby Simmons is out for season (recovering from right ankle surgery)</span> Who To Watch Out For <span style="color:#009900">Delonte West</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 11.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 4.4 apg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 13.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.2 apg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Gerald Green</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats: 9.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.0 apg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter: 14.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.6 apg</span> <span style="color:#006600">Michael Redd</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 26.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.3 apg</span> <span style="color:#006600">Mo Williams</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 17.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 6.2 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, 3.5 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.5 spg</span> <span style="color:#000000">As A Starter:</span> <span style="color:#009900">8.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 5.9 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">3.3 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">4.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg</span> <span style="color:#000000">BOS:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Kevinn Pinkney</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: Undrafted</span> <span style="color:#000000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#009900">Has not yet played in NBA.</span> <span style="color:#000000">D-League Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#009900">18.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 spg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">MIL:</span> <span style="color:#006600">Ersan Ilyasova</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: Undrafted</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#006600">5.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">As A Starter:</span> <span style="color:#006600">8.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.6 apg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">MIL:</span> <span style="color:#006600">David Noel</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 39</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#006600">2.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">MIL:</span> <span style="color:#006600">Lynn Greer</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: Undrafted</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#006600">3.3 ppg, 1.1 apg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">MIL:</span> <span style="color:#006600">Damir Markota</span> <span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 59</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#006600">1.7 ppg</span> <span style="color:#009900">Boston's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#000000">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:#006600">Milwaukee's X-Factor</span> <span style="color:#006600">Brian Skinner</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 4.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">As A Starter: 5.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.1 bpg</span> <span style="color:#006600">Without Bogut, Skinner has a much bigger load to handle down low. Perk has been playing excellent lately and Gomes is always solid, so Skinner will need to work a bit tonight, but if he can rebound well and maybe block a couple shots, that would be nice for Milwaukee.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#009900">Gerald Green</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#006600">Michael Redd</span></div> <span style="color:#000000">I'm pretty prepared for Gerald to get absolutely eaten alive on the defensive end, but I just want to see him play well offensively and do something else other than score (improved defense? rebound? anything).</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/Notes CelticBalla's Prediction I don't think we will win this one. No Pierce or Al, they have Redd, we have 3 guys off the bench, they win.
Watch if Redd is playing well and it's a close game, I predict he'll get Zero mins in the fourth.If the game is over 10 pts difference in favor of the C's he'll play unless it becomes close.The Bucks are in big time tank mode. The C's have won a few and are hopefully smart enough not to win more than 1 game the rest of the way.If the C's don't have the 2nd worst record going into the lottery, I'd fire Ainge and Doc.
LAMO found this alternative pre-game intro at ESPN2's Bill Simmons;WARNING - do not read any further if you don't have a sense of humor.....Get ready for an epic battle in Boston tonight: Ersan Ilyasova and the Milwaukee Bucks battling Allan Ray and the Boston Celtics, in what Chris Harrison is calling "the greatest double-tank job yet!" Here are the tentative matchups:Milwaukee starters: Brian Skinner, Ilyasova, Michael Redd (unless he's poisoned before the game), Charlie Bell, Mo Williams.Boston starters: Kendrick Perkins, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Delonte West, Rajon Rondo.Bench players who should see action: Bassy Telfair, Leon Powe, David Noel, Ruben Patterson, Dan Gadzuric, Allan Ray.Coaches: Doc Rivers (career record: 272-294) vs. Larry Krystkowiak (career record: 2-7).Sidelined stars with dubious injuries who might be in attendance: Paul Pierce, Al Jefferson, Andrew Bogut, Charlie Villaneuva.Price of my dad's seats: $390 for two tickets.(The NBA ? it's FANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN-tastic!)
Damn, 7 injuries for us? I just realized we had that much. Anyways, looking forward to seeing how Kevinn plays tonight, hopefully he can get his name out there tonight. We won't win this one, Redd is just going to tear it up on us.
This is a game I hope we lose personallyIt's gonna be ugly and boringNo Al? No Paul?Ugh..Hopefully Gerald drops like 40 or Rondo gets a triple double or else this is one I'll regret wasting 2 1/2 hours of my life watching
I can't watch tonight's game because I'm at the library studying, I've been following it online. Pinkney has 13 points?!?!? Someone inform me how he's doing this
like I said, didn't see the game tonight but CB32....Sebastian Telfair (32 mins) 1 pt, 2 stl, 2 ast, 2 reb, 2 to, 0-9 FG, 1-3 FTAllan Ray (25 mins)15 pts, 3 ast, 3 reb, 3 to, 5-9 FG, 1-5 3PT, 4-5 FTbassy haters stand up and unite!!! I just love busting your chops about Bassy CelticsBalla haha, I'm mostly kidding, but seriously Bassy sucks.
even better, we lost!!sux that we have to root like this, but IMO it's for the best at this point.LMAO Gomes had the most assists.Rondo only had 1 in 39 mins of play!thankfully boykins forgot that they were in tank mode too
This game was as bad as advertised, but actually a little worse. Why? Michael Redd, Mo Williams, and Brian Skinner all played last night, but they sat tonight. Redd and Williams were both diagnosed with the same injury, as well. That is tanking at its finest. But I can't sit here and say the Celtics aren't guilty at all, which I'm not proud of. This was just a tough game to watch, and to add to the grueling list of "injuries" (13 combined coming into the game), Delonte West got hurt and did not return to the game. Yay. Another 10-day on their way to Boston soon? First off, Kevinn Pinkney! I'll tell ya, The Pink Panther (nice touch?) played well tonight. I'm happy he got to come in here and get his feet wet. He definitely took advantage of his opportunity and really played well. He has a solid touch around the basket and he looks like he can shoot from 18 feet or so. He's got a long/athletic body as well. He's not a bad guy to have on the end of the roster. Gomes did a pretty good job tonight, he just played so solid. He played good defense, was working very hard around the basket and he made the right plays in transition. I love Gomes, he's so solid, and I'm glad he's healthy again. I also loved that he was actually nailing 3's. Rondo did a pretty good job tonight. He was very aggressive, he was hanging around the boards, he was attacking the basket. He only had 1 assist, but I don't care, he did a very solid job tonight. I wish he'd start taking jumpers in games now, he needs to work on his weaknesses in game situations, especially when he's guaranteed minutes. Perk played well tonight, yet again. I love what I'm seeing from the big fella. Yeah he rebounded and moved well tonight, but that's not what I liked. He took a 2-3 jumpers, he had a great spin move, he even dribbled the ball between his legs! Nice to see Perk trying new things. I liked what I saw from The Powe Show tonight as well. He couldn't convert down low off those rebounds, but he was very aggressive. He was a monster on the glass and he was aggressive on both ends of the floor. Allan Ray did a solid job tonight too. He wasn't hitting his long-range jumpers tonight, so he took it strong to the basket a few times. That's what I want to see from him, some penetration. He had one of his better games as a pro because of that reason alone. Delonte was doing a decent job, on pace for another solid night, but he went down with an injury. He hurt his ankle (right ankle, I believe) and he did not return to the game. If he doesn't play Friday, we will have to sign another player. Get well soon, D-West. Tell Paul, Al, TA, Wally, Theo, Scal, and Kandi-Man we said "hey." Gerald didn't do too well tonight. He was struggling with his shot from the start. He made a few nice plays, though. He made a nice finish on the break and two solid passes. I also like that he was aggressive with his shot right away, it's just unfortunate they weren't falling tonight. Bassy did not have a good game tonight. He did make a couple hard pushes and he moved the ball fairly well, but he was getting murdered on the defensive end and he was shooting jumpers like he was Shaq. TAKE IT TO THE BASKET, Bassy. You didn't break New York City's scoring record with jump shots, take it to the cup. Player Stat Lines <span style="color:#009900">Rajon Rondo: 16 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist on 8-13 FG Ryan Gomes: 13 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal on 4-14 FG, 3-5 3FG Allan Ray: 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists on 5-9 FG, 1-5 3FG, 4-5 FT Kendrick Perkins: 9 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block on 4-13 FG Kevinn Pinkney: 15 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block on 5-7 FG, 5-5 FT in NBA debut Delonte West: 10 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists on 3-6 FG, 4-4 FT Leon Powe: 2 points, 11 rebounds, 1 block on 1-9 FG Gerald Green: 8 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal on 4-11 FG, 0-3 3FG Sebastian Telfair: 1 point, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals on 0-9 FG, 0-2 3FG, 1-3 FT</span> Next Game: Friday (4/6/07) at home vs. Miami at 7:30 pm ET. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WELCOMEtotheJUNGLE @ Apr 4 2007, 10:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>like I said, didn't see the game tonight but CB32.... Sebastian Telfair (32 mins) 1 pt, 2 stl, 2 ast, 2 reb, 2 to, 0-9 FG, 1-3 FT Allan Ray (25 mins) 15 pts, 3 ast, 3 reb, 3 to, 5-9 FG, 1-5 3PT, 4-5 FT bassy haters stand up and unite!!! I just love busting your chops about Bassy CelticsBalla haha, I'm mostly kidding, but seriously Bassy sucks.</div> I really hate you. But I could easily go look up horrid games from Ray and good games from Bassy. Ray had one of his better games as a pro, I liked that he was actually taking it to the basket. Bassy played poorly. Oh well.
Pinkey and Powe combined to put up an Al Jefferson type night. Ugly game, was fun to watch the lower end of the roster get lots of burn. Everybody was shooting horribly tonight it seemed. I agree I loved the aggresive play of Ray. Taking it to the hoop, haven't really seen him do that as a pro. A couple of 3's for Gomes, ha that was sweet. Kind of a fun game to watch. Still sucks to watch your team loose, but it doesn't matter.
