Preview: Magic @ Celtics vs <font color="Blue">Orlando Magic</font> at <font color="Green"> Boston Celtics </font> When: Wednesday, January 7 Where: Fleet Center Time: 7:00 ET TV: Local Records Celtics: 17-19 Magic: 8-26 Previous Games <u>Orlando</u> <ul>January 6 Loss 114-107 @ Indiana January 3, Loss 112-103 @ Memphis January 2, Loss 112-101 @ Miami[/list] Last 10: 4-6 <u> Boston</u> <ul>January 5, Loss 78-68 vs Detroit January 3, Won 88-77 @ Chicago January 2, Loss 103-90 vs Indiana [/list] Last 10: 4-6 Probable Starters Andrew DeClercq vs Mark Blount Juwan Howard vs Walter McCarty Gordan Giricek vs Jiri Welsh Tracy McGrady vs Paul Pierce Tyronn Lue vs Mike James Injury List <u> Orlando</u> Pat Garrity Reece Gaines Grant Hill <u>Boston</u> Raef LaFrentz Chris Mills Kendrick Perkins Team Updates <u>Orlando</u> The Magic are at rock bottom once again. They are on a 5 game losing streak and things don't appear to be picking up. Teams have deeply exposed them and their lack of defense. In their 114-107 loss to the Pacers, Tracy McGrady was the only player to show up. He scored 43 points on 8-11 shooting from 3 point land. Juwan Howard followed with 19 points and 4 rebounds. <u>Boston</u> The Celtics have lost 3 of their last 4 and are 17-19 for the season. Their previous game was a 78-68 loss to the Pistons. Paul Pierce had a good overall game with 27 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Ricky Davis came off the bench and added 10 points on 4-8 shooting. Vin Baker was suspended for three games Jan. 6 after the team said he failed to comply with his alcohol treatment program. [quoteright] "What he was saying was, 'Vin has slipped up again and I can't depend on the guy.' What he was saying was, 'That Vin Baker you saw last fall? He's gone.' " -Boston Globe columnist Peter May, interpreting coach Jim O'Brien's recent plan[/QUOTERIGHT] Keys to the Game <u> Orlando</u> <ul>Play Defense. Pierce and Davis are both capable of making the easy shots. The Magic must put a hand in their face, or this could get ugly.[/list] <ul>Bench Production. McGrady scored 43 points in their previous game, he needs his teammates to help him out. He cannot do this alone.[/list] <ul>Contain the shooters.[/list] <u>Boston </u> <ul>Contain McGrady. He has tried to win games by himself, and he just may do that one day.[/list] <ul>Set the tempo early. Once the Magic fall behind, they cannot come back.[/list] Current Team Leaders <u> Orlando</u><ul>Points: Tracy McGrady (25.1) Rebounds: Drew Gooden (8.0) Assists: Tracy McGrady (5.9) Steals: Tracy McGrady (1.2)[/list] <u>Boston </u> <ul>Points: Paul Pierce (23.7) Rebounds: Paul Pierce (7.1) Assists: Paul Pierce (5.7) Steals: Paul Pierce (1.53)[/list] Key Bench Players <u> Orlando</u> Drew Gooden<ul>13.2 Points Per Game, 8.1 Rebounds Per Game, 1.4 Assists Per Game[/list] Rod Strickland <ul>6.3 Points Per Game, 2.2 Rebounds Per Game, 2.8 Assists Per Game[/list] Shammond Williams <ul>5.7 Points Per Game, 1.2 Rebounds Per Game, 2.3 Assists Per Game[/list] <u> Boston</u> Ricky Davis <ul>9.7 Points Per Game, 3.6 Rebounds Per Game, 4.4 Assists Per Game[/list] Marcus Banks <ul>4.8 Points Per Game, 1.7 Rebounds Per Game, 1.9 Assists Per Game[/list] Jumaine Jones <ul>2.0 Points Per Game, 1.7 Rebounds Per Game, .7 Assists Per Game[/list] Key Matchup <font size="1">Tracy McGrady/Paul Pierce</font> Should be a great matchup; two players carrying the same role. The 'X' Factor <ul>Do the Magic want to win?[/list] Ice's Take Celtics by 5+ Recap and Boxscore following the game <font size="1">Go to NBA.com for the official preview</font>
I think that Rod should start. We are coming off several 1st quarter blow-outs, and I feel that his veteran leadership could help hold the team together in the early stages.
Celts by 12. Look for Tmac to be stone cold from the floor tonight after that outstanding performance last night. Howard, Gooden, Giricek need to have 15+ pts tonight for us to have a shot at winning.
Not looking good again...I think they should of held back last night, to try and beat the celtics.. A Team they have more of a shot at beating.. Celtics will probably win.. This really is getting ridiculous with them losing. I hope the streak does not start up again.. cause it sure does look like they want it to happen..
If we lose tonight. We need to snap the streak against Washington or Philadelphia. Otherwise we could easily be looking at another 10+ losing run.
Nice preview, one of my favorite form of layouts. Oh man, TMac and the Truth? That's gonna be one hell of a battle for boards, shots and second chance opportunities. Maybe TMac will be benched, he's been working too hard. I'm real glad Lue is getting in good minutes, great learning experience and opportunity for him to show his offensive prowness. As always I hope Gooden plays a major factor on the boards and second chances. It'll be good to see Vin do his thing. What a great fighter he is, yes sir, he sure is. I say it's pretty even, I have no choice for who to win. I hope either does.
I am loving the fact the Keith Bogans is the high scorer of the game so far... They really did something right with giving him time.. Give him more.. Cause hes gonna be a player.. And we need it bad... I think the fact that Bogans is doing so well is draining out the whole fact of us losing this game.. I think this is a turn for the good, even though we lost.. (if we end up losing)
Tmac came alive down the stretch, hitting a bunch of 3's in the 4th, but he could have cut the lead to 7 with 3 free throws on a stupid Pierce foul, he bricked them all. Bogans had a good game, except that he missed 3 easy layups. No defense again and fell too far behind again, same old stuff. I wouldn't be suprised if we went on a huge losing streak again. Pierce had 15 10 9 assists and 9 turnovers towards the end of the game, I don't know what he finished with though.
Top Players <u>Orlando</u> Tracy McGrady- 28 points, 4 assists (11-29 shooting) Tryonn Lue- 10 points, 9 assists Keith Bogans- 18 points, 8 rebounds <u>Boston</u> Paul Pierce-19 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists Ricky Davis-12 points, 7 rebounds Mike James- 21 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds <div class="quote_poster">Quoting :</div><div class="quote_post">Paul Pierce had an off shooting night but got plenty of help from his teammates as the Boston Celtics snapped a three-game home losing streak. Pierce had 19 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, and five other Celtics scored in double figures en route to a 101-93 victory over the Orlando Magic. Starting guard Mike James led Boston with 21 points and Jiri Welsch had 13. Ricky Davis and Walter McCarty had 13 points apiece while Chris Mihm added 11 and 11 rebounds as they picked up the slack for Pierce, who made just 6-of-17 shots. </div> Recap Box Score
We really could not take advantage of Pierce's bad night... The defense couldnt hold the other guys, and they made us pay.. I say once again though. I am still impressed with Keith Bogans.. Hes gonna be something.. We better hold onto him..
Once again we let up alot of points in the 1st quarter. Same old same old... I say start Rod, bring some stability to the early play.
We need to give Lue less minutes. When I watched, I noticed that Lue took a bunch of bad shots. A couple was with the shot clock winding down, so he had to shoot it, but others werent'. I don't think he's doing a very good job of running our offense right now. I say start Rod Strickland and let Shammond Williams and Reece Gaines play more.
I defenetly agree with letting shammond williams play more and I also think we should let Hunter come in at the same time gooden comes in and bring howard out like half 1st quater..and both should play way more mins shammond and bogans can bring a lot of energy and when that happens good things happen..im tired of this 15 point all game long defecit then come back at the end then lose..at a time in the floor bogans williams tmac gooden hunter.
