Celtics (12-4) at Heat (9-6) 11/29

[FLCeltsFan]

  at 
Boston Celtics (12-4) at Miami Heat (9-6) 
Sunday, November 29
6:00 PM ET
Game #17, Road Game #7
SunSpM HD, CSN HD,  NBA TV
American Airlines Arena   
    Although the Miami Heat has only existed for two decades they have already called two arenas home. The expansion Miami Heat began playing at the Miami Arena in 1988-1989 during their inaugural year.  For over a decade they played here along with the Florida Panthers (NHL). With a seating capacity of just over 16,000 both the Heat and Panthers wanted new modern facilities to play at.
In 1996, voters approved a bond for the construction of a new arena for the Heat. At a cost of $213 million, the Heat contributed $50 million to the project while hotel taxes were increased to fund the project. American Airlines purchased the naming rights for $42 million over 20 years to have the arena named after their company.
    American Airlines Arena was constructed along Biscayne Bay in downtown Miami. The Miami Heat played their first game at the arena on January 2, 2000. From the exterior American Airlines Arena features a sleek modern design. This design is also found inside where views of the city skyline and bay can been seen from the concourse. Nearly 20,000 fans can watch the Heat play from three levels of seats that enclose the court. The arena has five configurations that can be arranged to see 5,000 to 20,000 fans.


ProbableStarting Matchups
Point Guard
  vs 
Rajon Rondo  vs Mario Chalmers

Shooting Guard 
  vs 
Ray Allen vs Dwyane Wade 

Small Forward
  vs 
Paul Pierce vs James Jones   

Power Forward
  vs 
Kevin Garnett vs Michael Beasley 

Center
  vs 
Kendrick Perkins  vs Jermaine O'Neal     




Coach: Doc Rivers
Average Age: 27.9
Average Height: 6-6
Average Weight: 224

Reserves
Rasheed Wallace
Marquis Daniels
Eddie House
Shelden Williams
JR Giddens
Lester Hudson
Brian Scalabrine

Injuries
Tony Allen (ankle) day to day
Glen Davis  (thumb)   out

D League
Bill Walker


Coach: Erik Spoelstra
Average Age: 26.6
Average Height: 6-6
Average Weight: 222

Reserves
Daequan Cook
Udonis Haslem
Carlos Arroyo
Joel Anthony
Yakhouba Diawara
Jamaal Magloire
Shavlik Randolph
Dorell Wright

Injuries
Chris Quinn (foot) out
Quentin Richardson (back)  questionable

Team Connections
Bill Walker and Michael Beasley 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 NBA Draft
Dwyane Wade and Celtics Head Coach Doc Rivers both attended Marquette
James Jones and Eddie House were teammates in Phoenix during the 2005-06 season
Jermaine O’Neal and Marquis Daniels were teammates in Indiana from 2006-08

Key Matchups
vs
Ray Allen  vs Dwyane Wade
Wade has been playing great basketball.   He will definitely make Ray work on the defensive end and thus limit Ray's energy on the offensive end.  I imagine that Pierce will see his share of time covering Wade as well. 

vs
Kendrick Perkins  vs Jermaine O'Neal 
O'Neal likes to shoot from the perimeter and is a tough cover for Perk, but at the same time, Perk should get some easy baskets inside with JO covering him.

Game Notes
• Celtics won the season series 3-1 against Miami in 2008-09
• Ray Allen led the Celtics with 25.0 points per game last season in three games played against Miami
• Dwyane Wade led the Heat with an average of 29.3 points per game against the C’s last season
• The Celtics are 10-8 against Miami since the 2004-05 season
• The Celtics are leading the all-time series 49-35 with the Celtics 26-15 at home

Keys to the Game
Defense We saw in the last game that when the Celtics buckle down on defense it is hard for any team to stay with them.  They need to continue to make defense a priority.

Rebound The Celtics need to crash the boards to prevent the Heat from getting second chance baskets and also to be limit the fast break opportunities on missed baskets.

Run the Offense
When the Celtics move the ball, make the extra pass and find the open man, the offense is on track.  They have to avoid the do it myself mentality that they get at times.   

Be Aggressive The Celtics need to be aggressive on both ends of the court.  They have to come out strong and keep the pressure on throughout the game.

[twinbree]

Miami has won every close game I've watched them play this season so I don't want this to come to the wire. We have to start strong and not fall asleep at the wheel.

Keep them off the offensive glass please especially when Wade is shooting. And keep Haslem in check. He's been too active off the bench for my liking.

Sheed, Perk and O'Neal - Can't wait to see which one of these tech magnet picks up the first one tomorrow.

TP FL. Go Celtics!

[celticinorlando]

this is going one of 2 ways....boston in s ablowout or miami in a blow out

[Drucci]

Should be a good game.

I expect an easy win for the C's, though, betting that they will carry their great 3rd quarter from last Friday.

The game begins earlier than usual here (midnight instead of 1:30 am) but I don't think I will watch it live because I wouldn't be fresh for work tomorrow... but still, I may be tempted to watch the first quarter at midnight and then get sucked into watching the whole game. I will see if I follow my reason or my heart.

TP FL!

[FLCeltsFan]

TP Drucci!  That is dedication to watch games in the middle of the night. 

[Kiorrik]

TP Drucci!  That is dedication to watch games in the middle of the night. 

It's not dedication, it's madness. He's INSANE.

Plus he's missed a few, so he's a slacker as well

HARHAR

Right, Drucci-bashing aside, I'm looking forward to this game. I love the Heat nearly as much as I love Phoenix, and this is a good match-up to see where our defense is at right now.

TP for the OP, and I'll try and give you a few more since there's some really, really hot girls in there. R-A-W-R.

[Bahku]

TP Drucci!  That is dedication to watch games in the middle of the night. 

It's not dedication, it's madness. He's INSANE.

Plus he's missed a few, so he's a slacker as well

HARHAR

Right, Drucci-bashing aside, I'm looking forward to this game. I love the Heat nearly as much as I love Phoenix, and this is a good match-up to see where our defense is at right now.

TP for the OP, and I'll try and give you a few more since there's some really, really hot girls in there. R-A-W-R.

I very often have to watch the replay at 2AM if I'm on-call ... hey, when you're a die-hard like me, you do what you have to. I think there's a few game threads you can follow where I was the only one posting, cuz it was the middle of the night. Thank God for the replays on CSNNE at 2AM, and sometimes noon the next day, too ... when that happens, I get to watch twice! (But don't give me a TP for it ... I don't want to be accused of milking this thing )

[celticsclay]

Finally some basketball ball we can talk about. Unfortunately I cant get the game out here . I am thinking that Perkins can destroy the corpse of Jermaine Oneal inside. Rondo and Chalmers should be an interesting matchup. One of those games where Rondo has the chance to prove he really is at the elite level.

Some others things I am curious about:
Will House hit some shots?
Will sheed build off his previous balanced effort?
Will somebody besides pierce be able to carry this team on offense for a change?
Who will try to clam down on Wade, will quise be matched up on him at all?

[MattG12]

The Heat have never looked so good.

[Kiorrik]

I very often have to watch the replay at 2AM if I'm on-call ... hey, when you're a die-hard like me, you do what you have to. I think there's a few game threads you can follow where I was the only one posting, cuz it was the middle of the night. Thank God for the replays on CSNNE at 2AM, and sometimes noon the next day, too ... when that happens, I get to watch twice! (But don't give me a TP for it ... I don't want to be accused of milking this thing )

I know the feeling I haven't missed a game yet, this season - and I'm in Drucci's timezone. Have to get up at 1 at night to watch them, and get up at 7 for work. That leaves very little room for sleep

Bleed green!

[MattG12]

I very often have to watch the replay at 2AM if I'm on-call ... hey, when you're a die-hard like me, you do what you have to. I think there's a few game threads you can follow where I was the only one posting, cuz it was the middle of the night. Thank God for the replays on CSNNE at 2AM, and sometimes noon the next day, too ... when that happens, I get to watch twice! (But don't give me a TP for it ... I don't want to be accused of milking this thing )

I know the feeling I haven't missed a game yet, this season - and I'm in Drucci's timezone. Have to get up at 1 at night to watch them, and get up at 7 for work. That leaves very little room for sleep

Bleed green!

And the game threads wouldn't be the same without you.

[Casperian]

TP Drucci!  That is dedication to watch games in the middle of the night. 

It's not dedication, it's madness. He's INSANE.

Plus he's missed a few, so he's a slacker as well

HARHAR

Right, Drucci-bashing aside, I'm looking forward to this game. I love the Heat nearly as much as I love Phoenix, and this is a good match-up to see where our defense is at right now.

TP for the OP, and I'll try and give you a few more since there's some really, really hot girls in there. R-A-W-R.

I very often have to watch the replay at 2AM if I'm on-call ... hey, when you're a die-hard like me, you do what you have to. I think there's a few game threads you can follow where I was the only one posting, cuz it was the middle of the night. Thank God for the replays on CSNNE at 2AM, and sometimes noon the next day, too ... when that happens, I get to watch twice! (But don't give me a TP for it ... I don't want to be accused of milking this thing )

Pff..I also watch every game late at night, and I never got a TP for it.

That´s so cliquey...
(sorry, couldn´t resist  )

[Chief]

I think the Heat dancers look better than the Celtic dancers in the pictures above.

[Kiorrik]

I very often have to watch the replay at 2AM if I'm on-call ... hey, when you're a die-hard like me, you do what you have to. I think there's a few game threads you can follow where I was the only one posting, cuz it was the middle of the night. Thank God for the replays on CSNNE at 2AM, and sometimes noon the next day, too ... when that happens, I get to watch twice! (But don't give me a TP for it ... I don't want to be accused of milking this thing )

I know the feeling I haven't missed a game yet, this season - and I'm in Drucci's timezone. Have to get up at 1 at night to watch them, and get up at 7 for work. That leaves very little room for sleep

Bleed green!

And the game threads wouldn't be the same without you.

Hahaha, you give me too much credit I'm just happy I get to hang out with Celtic fans on game-day 'cuz I don't know a single person that watches NBA like I do, here in Holland.

[Kiorrik]

I think the Heat dancers look better than the Celtic dancers in the pictures above.

Unfortunately, not just in the picture above. I think our dancers are a bit more classy, the Heat dancers a bit more hotty. Harhar.

Didn't the Heat win that dancer championship thingymajingy a while ago?