<div align="center"> <font color="Green">Boston Celtics</font> (36-46) @ <font color="Yellow">Indiana Pacers</font> (61-21) </div> <div align="center">Series Overview Game 1: at IND Sat, Apr 17 - 2:00 pm EDT TV: ESPN Game 2: at IND Tue, Apr 20 - 8:30 pm EDT TV: NBATV <font color="green">Game 3: at BOS Fri, Apr 23 - 7:00 pm EDT TV: ESPN Game 4: at BOS Sun, Apr 25 - 1:00 pm EDT TV: ESPN</font> Game 5: at IND Thu, Apr 29 - TBA <font color="green">Game 6: at BOS Sun, May 2 - TBA</font> Game 7: at IND Tue, May 4 - TBA</div> <font color="green">*<font size="1">Games in green are Celtics home games</font></font> <div align="center">Season Series: Pacers lead 3-1 Nov. 11: Celtics 78 at Pacers 76 Jan. 2: Pacers 103 at Celtics 90 Jan. 31: at Pacers 99, Celtics 98 Mar. 12: Pacers 99 at Celtics 81 Team Leaders O'Neal - 20.1 PPG Pierce - 23.0 O'Neal - 9.9 RPG Pierce - 6.5 Tinsley - 5.8 APG Pierce - 5.1 Artest - 2.08 SPG Pierce - 1.64 O'Neal - 2.57 BPG Blount - 1.28 Foster - .542 FG% Blount - .563 Miller - .401 3P% Welsch - .384 Croshere - .898 FT% Pierce - .819</div> Head Coaches John Carroll/Rick Carlisle Probable Starters Atkins/Jamaal Tinsley Paul Pierce/Reggie Miller Jiri Welsch/Ron Artest Walter McCarty/Jermaine O'Neal Mark Blount/Jeff Foster 6th Men Ricky Davis/Al Harrington <div align="center">Players To Watch </div> <div align="center">Paul Pierce/Ron Artest</div> Prediction This is a very interesting series and could be very exciting, or it could be a complete blowout. I'm leaning towards a close series going to game seven, but this year I see Indy winning. I think Boston will win one of the games at Indy and then two at home, but lose at Conseco on May 4th. I think the Celtics unlike what many people are saying, the Celtics have some advantages. The Celtics have much more depth at center and Blount and Mihm should be able to rebound and block some shots. Also if this is anything like last seasons matchup Pierce will step his game up and torch Indy. But the Celtics main problem will be stopping Jermaine O'Neal. O'Neal has been pretty much unstoppable this season. That means Blount, Mihm, or even McCarty, whoever covers him will need to try to deny him the ball, especially on the baseline where O'Neal seems to never miss. I think Chris Mihm will be the wildcard in this series, if he plays and plays well the Celtics have a good shot to win. Mihm had not been play much until last week when he gave the team a lot of minutes against Miami. Another possible wildcard for the Celtics is Ricky Davis/Jiri Welsch, when Pierce is being guarded by Artest they should be able to take advantage of having Reggie Miller on them. For Indy, the Celtics need to watch out for Al Harrington who is averaging 17 and 7 in his last five, and he has lit up the Celtics this season averaging almost 20 and 7.
Very nice BC. That point on Artests head always cracks me up. Looks like he's wearing a dunce cap 24/7! Game 1 is a 2pm tilt on ESPN. That's 2 strike against it right away: 1. I hate ESPN announcers, I'd rather have Tommy and Mike. 2. 2pm tip off doesn't afford me the time to get really liquored up and scream at the tv. <font color="DarkRed"><font size="1">(That's a joke BTW)</font></font> Can't wait for this one. Not sure why, but I'm excited for this series.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">Very nice BC. That point on Artests head always cracks me up. Looks like he's wearing a dunce cap 24/7! Game 1 is a 2pm tilt on ESPN. That's 2 strike against it right away: 1. I hate ESPN announcers, I'd rather have Tommy and Mike. 2. 2pm tip off doesn't afford me the time to get really liquored up and scream at the tv. <font color="DarkRed"><font size="1">(That's a joke BTW)</font></font> Can't wait for this one. Not sure why, but I'm excited for this series.</div> I hate how when ESPN covers a game Mike and Tommy don't do it. The same thing happens when I wanna watch the Red Sox Yankees, I can't listen to Jerry Remy and I'm forced to here Michael Kay's annoying voice. I'm also surprisingly pumped for this series, this team has barely excited me the whole season and for soem reason right now I can't wait for the series to start.
I think I may go out on a limb here (and the NBA forum) and say that this is the series to watch. For some reason I can see this one going down to the wire even though JO will dominate Boston's front court. BTW Hagrid- The point on his head is actually his secret weapon. How do you think he gets to the basket in the first place? Head first.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">How do you think he gets to the basket in the first place? Head first.</div> That's good stuff. "He leads with his head and he's got the bump to prove it!" Love it. :thumbsup:
Nice preview BC i think the Celtics will win this one, Pierce and Welsch will be big and Banks will be a great spark plug off the bench.
Pacers will sweep the Celtics, that is my call. Hold it against me people, and if I end up being wrong, let me have it. Will be fun watching Artest and Pierce go at it again.
i'm looking forward to this series. Great offensive player vs. great defensive player. King James, sorry i just don't see this to be a sweep. I'm very sure the pacers will take the series, 4/1 or 4/2
I'm picking Pacers in 5. Maybe the Celtics can prove me wrong like last year. Pierce has to have the games of his life in order for the Celtics to beat the Pacers 4 times. Should be a fun one to watch.
Halftime: 65 - 43 PACERS <u>What we know so far:</u> 1.The C's have gone away from what kept them in it in the 1st Quarter. But are completely capable of putting up a fight with the Pacers. 2. Jermaine O'neal spent the 2nd quarter flopping more than Vlade Divacs. I lost some respect for you JO. You locked up Hunters arms and then complained like you were wronged when it gets you tossed to the floor. Feel free to step to Hunter again. Next time I hope he doesn't just laugh you off. Too bad the cut next to your eye came from incidental contact with Jiri Welsch. 3. If the NBA does it's job, Artest will be suspended for the next game. He clearly left the bench during the incident with Hunter and O'Neal. Not a few steps from the bench, but all the way out to half court was Artest's run to the incident. <font color="DarkRed">BY LEAGUE RULES: HE MUST BE SUSPENDED.</font> 4. Chucky Atkins, of all people, is schooling Jamal Tinsley off the dribble. Too bad Carroll put Banks in and killed the momentum. 5. We forgot how to BOX OUT!? Damn fellas, put a body on someone. Maybe they wouldn't be whooping us right now if you'd put forth a little more effort in that regard, cause we're getting schooled on the boards, AGAIN. Thus far, Lambier, Stephen A. and Steve Kerr have called 4 game sweeps. Let them talk, take cheap shots, etc. The C's will prove they can step up to the occasion. Stop reverting to the 3 when paniced. OB is not on the sidelines to bench you. Get out of the bad habits and take the damn ball to the hole. <font size="7"><font color="DarkGreen">Go C's</font></font>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post"> 3. If the NBA does it's job, Artest will be suspended for the next game. He clearly left the bench during the incident with Hunter and O'Neal. Not a few steps from the bench, but all the way out to half court was Artest's run to the incident. <font color="DarkRed">BY LEAGUE RULES: HE MUST BE SUSPENDED.</font> </div> I don't think that will happen. The NBA would take a lot more crap if they suspended him than if they didn't suspend him. Artest didn't run out into the mess; he ran out and ran back. As soon as reason prevailed over instinct in his mind, he went back to the bench. Anyway, this game is brutal. The Celtics came out great, but the Pacers just wore them out. They've lost their fire. I'm hoping they can make a series out of it, but it looks grim right now.
02:23 to play in 3th quarter Indy up 80-58... Damn... They totally outplay the Celtics... Foster and JO are just controlling the paint... No way the Celts win this series
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Artest didn't run out into the mess; he ran out and ran back.</div> It doesn't matter, he still left the bench and must be suspended. You're right in that the NBA will turn it's head on this like it always does in matter like this, but the rules are clear and Artest didn't turn around on his own accord, he was screamed at by assistant coaches. You could tell by the look on his face he clearly knew what he did was wrong. As long as we're talking about things being overlooked because of the situation, let's talk about the refereeing. I hope they take a long look at the tapes and realize that they decided this one before it had even started. I don't care how hyped Indy's defense is, the amount of slapping and reaching they got away with this game has been ridiculous, especialy when you take into consideration that the C's are being called on the tic tac stuff out front. 88-64 entering the 4th. The Celtics have given up and it's all been at the behest of thier coach, John Carroll. They miced them during a timeout and Carroll was quoted as saying the following: "I just want you to improve your play, Either to get back into this game, or improve for next game." Problem is, this was said early in the 3rd quarter. Nice of you to convey the message that it's ok to give this game up, there's always another one. This is playoff basketball. You don't ever look to the next game until this one is over, particularly that early. Check out the CelticsRant blog at www.sportsrant.net, because I'm going to submit an article on that one.
Celts got spanked, the best thing they had was that 12-0 run that could've been 14 if Chris didn't miss that layup so bad. And Artest shut down Pierce, the only Celtic that could score is Atkins but dissappeared in the 2nd quarter.
The Pacers really sent a message in this blow out victory, they are for real this year. The Celtics were embarrassed to say the least. I'm considering changing my prediction to Pacers in 4 instead of 5. The Celtics looked lost and unorganized, Pierce could not do anything with Artest in his face. And about the Artest situation, as much as I would hate to see it, Artest should be suspended. He left the bench which is an automatic suspension, whether or not he retreated afterwards. I liked the restraint that he used but rules are rules.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Celtics were embarrassed to say the least.</div> Yes they were. I'm saddened and disgusted that the 1st quarter wasn't the way all the quarters were played in this game. The Celtics reverted to thier stupidity again and made this game easy for Indy to win. That's not to take anything away from Indy, because they did what they were supposed to do, kick the hell out of a team playing badly. However, I don't see this win being majority-based on Indy's play, but rather the lack of execution and second half effort by the C's. John Carroll has finally gone over the edge with me. I can no longer find anything good to say about the man and anyone who caught the post game interviews will know what I'm saying. The man is an idiot, pure and simple. I just can't find anything to try to paint a good picture for what he's done here. If the Celtics pull this one out somehow, it'll be because the players deemed it so, like they always do, not because John Carroll is a good coach.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">John Carroll has finally gone over the edge with me. I can no longer find anything good to say about the man and anyone who caught the post game interviews will know what I'm saying. The man is an idiot, pure and simple. I just can't find anything to try to paint a good picture for what he's done here. </div> You're telling me, why for the first time this season does he actually play the bench for the first time all season? Why is the opening round of the playoffs the time to start testing new lineups? Since when has Michael Stewart been part of their rotation? Hopefully they can pull out a win Tuesday, but I can't wait for a new head coach next season.
