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Boston Celtics (27-2) at Lakers (23-5)
December 25
5:00 PM ET
Game #30, Road Game #12
TV: ABC
Staples Center
Probable Starting Matchups 
vs
Rajon Rondo PPG 11.3 RPG 5.00 APG 7.5 EFF + 19.04
Derek Fisher PPG 11.2 RPG 2.60 APG 3.3 EFF + 12.04
vs
Ray Allen PPG 18.8 RPG 3.50 APG 2.6 EFF + 17.14
Kobe Bryant PPG 25.8 RPG 5.40 APG 4.2 EFF + 22.92
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Paul Pierce PPG 18.5 RPG 5.80 APG 3.8 EFF + 17.79
Luke Walton PPG 2.9 RPG 1.40 APG 1.5 EFF + 3.50
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Kevin Garnett PPG 16.3 RPG 9.10 APG 2.8 EFF + 22.19
Pau Gasol PPG 17.5 RPG 9.30 APG 3.4 EFF + 23.24
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Kendrick Perkins PPG 9.1 RPG 8.50 APG 1.3 EFF + 14.79
Andrew Bynum PPG 12.3 RPG 8.60 APG 1.8 EFF + 17.92
Coach: Doc Rivers
Average Age: 26.7
Average Height: 6-6
Average Weight: 222ReservesTony Allen
Glen Davis
Eddie House
Leon Powe
Gabe Pruitt
Brian Scalabrine
Patrick O'Bryant
Sam Cassell
Injuries:Big Baby Davis (car accident) out
D-LeagueJR Giddens
Bill Walker
Coach: Phil Jackson
Average Age: 26.4
Average Height: 6-8
Average Weight: 227ReservesLamar Odom
Trevor Ariza
Sasha Vujacic
Chris Mihm
Vladimir Radmanovic
Josh Powell
Sun Yue
Jordan Farmar
DJ Mbenga
Injuries Jordan Farmar (torn meniscus) out
Pau Gasol (strep throat) probable
Lamar Odom (respiratory infection) probable
Sasha Vujacic (bone bruise on hand) will play
Key Matchups
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Kevin Garnett vs Pau Gasol
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Kendrick Perkins vs Andrew Bynum
The Lakers are #1 in the league in points in the paint and the Celtics are #4. It will be up to KG and Perk to protect the paint and keep the Lakers from getting easy baskets. These will be interesting matchups since Bynum didn't play in the Finals and all we heard was that if Bynum had played it would have been a different series. Perk has played well against Bynum in the past and KG matches up better with Gasol than Perk does. Defense in the paint is the key to these matchups.
Honorable MentionRay Allen vs Kobe Bryant
Although we can expect to see Pierce on Kobe some of the time, it goes without saying that slowing Kobe is one of the keys to stopping the Lakers. It will fall on Ray and sometimes Pierce to get that job done.
Game NotesWith the win against the Knicks Phil Jackson passed Red Auerbach for the most games coached. With the win in New Orleans he moved within 1 of getting 1000 wins. If he reaches that milestone in the next 12 games, he would pass Pat Riley as the fastest to reach 1000 wins. Hopefully the Celtics will deprive him of his milestone one more game.
The Lakers lost their first two games on their road trip but bounced back to win the final two games. They are coming off an easy win over the Hornets and the Celtics are riding that historic 19 game win streak. The Lakers would like nothing better than to end the Celtics' streak. Phil Jackson has already made excuses for his team by complaining about their schedule and the road trip just before the Celtics game. Both teams will be off on Wednesday and both teams will be travelling the day before their Christmas day matchup.
There were questions as to whether the Hawks and Celtics is a rivalry and whether the Knicks and Celtics is a rivalry but there is no question whatsoever that the Celtics and Lakers are a rivalry and Celtics and Lakers fans all over the world have had this game circled since the schedule came out. The Celtics will want to send a message to the Lakers and the Lakers definitely want some payback. This should be a very intense game.
The Lakers have one of the most explosive offenses in the league while the Celtics have one of the stingiest defenses in the league. If the Celtics can play their game, their defense should win out over the Lakers' offense but too often in the playoffs, the Celtics failed to play their game on the road.
Keys to the GameContain Kobe
Defense - Both in the Paint and on the Perimeter
Limit Turnovers
Bench Contributions
Keep their Focus
X-Factor Statement vs Revenge
The Celtics will be looking to make a statement vs the Lakers while the Lakers will be looking to avenge their Finals' losse to the Celtics. It is a toss up as to which team wants it more.
Celtics Basketball
