GAME PREVIEW Projected Starters for The Boston Celtics Center- Mark Blount Power Forward- Raef Lafrentz Small Forward- Jiri Welsch Shooting Guard- Paul Pierce Point Guard- Gary Payton VS. The Miami Heat Projected Starting Lineup " target="_blank">http://www.nba.com/media/playerfile/shaquille_oneal.jpg"></a> Center- Shaquille O'Neal Power Forward- Udonis Haslem Small Forward- Rasual Butler Shooting Guard- Eddie Jones Point Guard- Dwayne Wade ______________________________________________ CELTICS KEYS TO THE GAME -Boston must limit Shaq's ability to score and grab rebounds at will. They can't let him have a huge game. -Gary Payton cannot have Wade as his defensive assignment. The only players that should be guarding Wade should be Welsch, Davis, or Tony Allen. -Boston must play good perimeter defense. They cannot let another good shooter have a huge game because they are consistently left wide open. (ie. Kyle Korver) Jones and Butler will kill you if you let them shoot wide open 3's all game. -The best way to take Shaq out of Miami's defense is to run. Boston should be trying to run an uptempo style all night long. -The Boston starters need to start moving the ball much more than they do. The only time Pierce should be trying to take his man one-on-one is when it's on the up-quick. They need to learn how to score using other means on a consistent basis. MY PREDICTION Boston will make a game of it. They will hang in the game and make Miami work. But, I'm afraid we're in for more disappointment as the Heat take full control in the closing moments of the game. Miami 94 Boston 87
