Tonight will be a big game for the Celtics, they have lost to the Hornets twice already this season. The Celtics need to prove they can play with EC teams. They are 3-6 against EC teams with above .500 records and 5-3 against above .500 WC teams. Key Matchup Vin Baker, Marc Blount, and Chris Mihm/ PJ Brown Jamaal Magloire [quoteright]"I like Jiri's game. Jiri Welsch can play. I like all the little stuff he does." -- Lakers C Shaquille O'Neal, in the Dec. 29 Boston Herald, on G/F Jiri Welsch[/quoteright] In their two matchups the Celtics have been destroyed on the inside by PJ and Jamaal. Vin and Marc need to step up their games. Vin has been really struggling lately, but I think they will be able to rebound well and score from the post. Also though not a matchup the Celtics and Paul Pierce will need to be able to shoot well, Pierce hasn't shot well against the Hornets this year. Starters Mike James/Baron Davis Jiri Welsch/David Wesley Paul Pierce/George Lynch Vin Baker/ PJ Brown Marc Blount/Jamaal Magloire Celtics Hornets 94.8 PPG 92.9 94.9 PA 91.6 40.4 RPG 42.9 6-4 Last 10 5-5 Won 1 Streak Lost 1 ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS TEAM W L PCT GB New Jersey 16 14 .533 - Boston 16 16 .500 1 Philadelphia 14 17 .452 2 ? New York 14 19 .424 3 ? Miami 13 19 .406 4 Washington 8 21 .276 7 ? Orlando 8 24 .250 9 TEAM LEADERS Points P. Pierce 23.8 Rebounds P. Pierce 7.4 Assists P. Pierce 6.0 Steals P. Pierce 1.72 Blocks M. Blount 1.19 FG% V. Baker .513 FT% P. Pierce .852 3PT% W. McCarty .482 Prediction Hornets- 86 Celtics- 80
That was a good game, exciting right until the very end. Jiri Welsch was a force, and Baron Davis was great, as usual. I wasn't real happy with the Celtics' shot selection late in the game. Too bad the Celtics couldn't pull this one out. It was a good game.
Good game, though disappointing especially after they got it back after the bad pass by the Hornets. Great games from James and Welsch, but where were Pierce and Baker? Horrible shooting for besides Welsch and James. Good job by Marcus Banks in his limited minutes. He played the point well, with three assists, shot 3-3 with a 3 pointer, and had a rebound, not bad for the rookie. [imgr]http://celtics.bostonherald.com/images/celtics/davis12312003.jpg[/imgr] http://celtics.bostonherald.com/celtics/ce...g?articleid=251 <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">BOSTON - Baron Davis scored 29 points and had 10 assists while P.J. Brown scored 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, leading New Orleans past the Boston Celtics 96-94 on Wednesday and snapping the Hornets' four-game road losing streak. New Orleans is now 3-0 against Boston this season. Ricky Davis made it close late by hitting a 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left to cut the Hornets' lead to 96-94. Boston then forced the Hornets to throw the ensuing inbounds pass away. But George Lynch stole Jiri Welsch's entry pass to seal the win. Boston trailed 91-84 before Paul Pierce [news] hit a 3-pointer and Welsch added a pair of free throws to bring the Celtics within a basket at 91-89. The lead changed hands 10 times in the second half, but David Wesley hit a 3-pointer with 4:33 left to put New Orleans ahead 86-81 and Davis pushed that lead to 90-82 with a 20-foot jump shot off the glass with 2:06 left.</div>
