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[FLCeltsFan]

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Miami Heat (36-30)  at Boston Celtics (50-18)
Wednesday, March 18
7:00 PM ET
Game #69, Home Game #34
ESPN, CSN HD, 
TD Banknorth Garden   


ProbableStarting Matchups
Point Guard
  vs 
Rajon Rondo vs Mario Chalmers

Shooting Guard 
  vs 
Ray Allen vs Dwyane Wade 

Small Forward
  vs 
Paul Pierce vs Jamario Moon   

Power Forward
  vs 
Leon Powe vs Udonis Haslem
We are quickly running out of big bodies. Leon left the game last night with a bruised knee and is questionable for this one.  If he can't go Doc will either have to go very small or start Mikki Moore. Either way, we would be down to 2 bigs

Center
  vs 
Kendrick Perkins  vs Jermaine O'Neal     




Coach: Doc Rivers
Average Age: 26.8
Average Height: 6-6
Average Weight: 222

Reserves
Gabe Pruitt
JR Giddens
Bill Walker
Stephon Marbury
Mikki Moore
Eddie House

Injuries:
Tony Allen (thumb) out
Kevin Garnett (knee) out
Brian Scalabrine (head)  out
Glen Davis  (ankle) questionable
Eddie House (ankle/heel)  will play
Rajon Rondo (ankle) questionable 
Leon Powe (knee)  questionable
Ray Allen (elbow)  questionable
Paul Pierce (flu-like symptoms) probable


Coach: Erik Spoelstra
Average Age: 26.2
Average Height: 6-7
Average Weight: 222

Reserves
Jamaal Magloire
Daequan Cook
Michael Beasley
Chris Quinn
Mark Blount
James Jones
Dorrell Wright
Yakhouba Diawara
Joel Anthony
Luther Head

Injuries
None

Team Connections
Mark Blount  is a former Celtic (even though most Celtics' fans would rather forget that fact)   
Michael Beasley and Bill Walker were teammates at Kansas State
Mario Chalmers and Paul Pierce are former Kansas Jayhawks
Jamaal Magloire and Rajon Rondo are former Kentucky Wildcats
Eddie House was originally drafted by the Heat with the 37th pick in the 2000 draft. 

Key Matchups
vs
Ray Allen  PPG 18.4 RPG 3.50 APG 2.8 EFF + 17.27
Dwyane Wade PPG 29.4 RPG 5.10 APG 7.6 EFF + 28.97 
Wade had been mentioned as a possible MVP candidated and has been playing great basketball.   He will definitely make Ray work on the defensive end and thius limit Ray's energy on the offensive end.   He led the Heat to a victory in Miami just a week ago, now it is time for the Celtics to look for payback and a big game from Ray. 

vs
Rajon Rondo   PPG 11.4 RPG 5.40 APG 8.4 EFF + 18.86
Mario Chalmers   PPG 10.1 RPG 2.60 APG 4.6 EFF + 12.08
In the last game between these two teams, Rondo was out and Chalmers had an easy time against a rusty Stephon Marbury and the Heat got the win.  It will be interesting to see what kind of a difference having Rondo back will make for the team. 

Honorable Mention
Kendrick Perkins   PPG 8.1 RPG 8.10 APG 1.2 EFF + 13.97
Jermaine O'Neal  PPG 13.3 RPG 6.80 APG 1.7 EFF + 15.49
Perk has to have a strong game vs O'Neal with KG and Big Baby still out.  In their last meeting, Bill Walker played some power forward well enough to get under O'Neal's skin.  Perk will need to play the same kind of in your face defense in this game to keep O'Neal from getting easy rebounds and scores inside. 

Game Notes
This is the 3rd of 4 meetings between these two teams and the first in Boston.  The series is tied 1-1 with the Celtics winning in January and the Heat taking advantage of a depleted Celtics team a week ago. 

Miami is in 5th place in the East right now and the Celtics are clinging to the second seed and need a win to keep pace with both the Cavs and Magic, both of whom have been playing very well and winning the games they need to.

The Heat don't play quite as well on the road as they do at home with a 12-19 record away from Miami.  the Celtics are 27-6 at home and just as Wade is fond of saying that American Airlines Arena is his house, this is the Celtics' house and they need to take care of business here.

Miami is 9-0 when the shoot 50% or more from the field, so defense will be important if the Celtics hope to get the victory.     Wade and Chalmers have combined for252 steals this season, which is first in the NBAfor backcourt duos.  The Celtics have to take care of the ball or the Heat will make them pay for it as they did in the game a week ago.  Turnovers have been the Celtics achilles heel and they need to find a way go cut them down.

X-Factor
Home Court and injuries
The Celtics are at home and need to protect their home court.  Hopefully the focus and defense will be there to get a win in this game.  The Celtics were hit again by the injury bug in the Bulls game losing Leon Powe and having Rondo tweak his ankle again.  A lot will depend on whether both of them will be able to go in this game. 

[wdleehi]

I wonder if you are going to have to put a slash through Powe?

[FLCeltsFan]

Will we even have enough players to play the game?   Has there ever been an NBA game forfeited because of not having enough healthy players?  Unless Big Baby comes back or Leon heals over night we are down to 2 bigs.   We are in real trouble in this one with the list of healthy bodies shrinking by the game.

Wisdom would say that if Ray, Rondo and Leon have minor injuries we should sit them out and let them heal so they will be healthy for the playoffs but with 4 guys already out, can we afford to do that? 

[celticinorlando]

i dont expect rondo or powe to play tonight. i do expect another loss and my frustration level to continue to soar

[crownsy]

the heats starting cheerleader lineup is already kicking our sides butt.

[celticinorlando]

i predict the starting line up tonight:

marbury
house
perk
pierce
walker


bench:
moore, pruitt giddens.....and that is it...tonight is going to be rough!!!!

[TatteredOnMySleeve]

 not expecting a whole lot tonight...expecting to struggle, pretty much expect to lose....yikes
Go c's...No more injuries!

[celticinorlando]

ugh....i need a good solid win..how about you guys?

[Amager Celtic Fan]

TP for FL.

Here goes nothing! 

[twinbree]

I don't care about the win. All I want is for the players suited up to finish the game healthy. They have to be averaging at least one injury a game for the past week and a half.

[RAcker]

Can Paul and Perk play in bubbles?  Can Eddie have a forcefield placed around him?  

[Chris]

I wonder if you are going to have to put a slash through Powe?

Yup, Ainge says he is out.  But Davis is likely in. 

[rrc589]

Our injury list is just absurd. 

[silvershamrocker]

These injuries are getting ridiculous. We're missing 5 guys: Garnett, Powe, Scal, Tony, and Ray(probably). That leaves:

Rondo/Marbury/Pruitt
House/Giddens
Pierce/Walker
Davis/Moore
Perk

It'll be nice to have Davis back, but I don't see the Celtics winning. I hope they will, though.

 

[Brickowski]

The have a chance if the refs let them play.  But the refs probably won't.  Jermaine O'Neal is the league's biggest whiner and Perkins and Davis will get whistled every time they breathe on him.