Celtics (19-4) at Grizzlies (10-13) 12/14

[FLCeltsFan]

  at 
Boston Celtics (19-4) at  Memphis Grizzlies (10-13)
Monday, December 14
8:00 PM
Game #24, Road Game #13
TV: CSN HD,  SSO-MEM, NBA-LP 754, 755
Fed Ex Forum   
Home of the Memphis Grizzlies, the FedEx Forum is one of the newest arenas in the NBA. The Grizzlies have a short history as they became an expansion franchise in 1995 in Vancouver, Canada. The team spent six season in Vancouver, never having a winning season. Their lack of success showed at games as few fans attended games. The team was bought by Michael Heisley in 2000 with the assumption that the team would stay in Vancouver. However after the 2000-01 season the team moved to Memphis. The Memphis Grizzlies played at the Pyramid for three seasons.
 
A new state of the art arena was constructed in the southern area of downtown Memphis for the Grizzlies. FedEx Corporation, whose headquarters are in Memphis, purchased the naming rights to the arena, thus getting its name FedEx Forum. Built at a cost of $250 million, the arena was financed through public bonds by the Memphis Public Building Authority. Fans have many options for seating as the FedEx Forum has five levels of seating with just over 18,000 seats. It has 22 courtside suites, 32 club seats and 80 club boxes. The arena was designed with a Memphis theme that shows the history of music throughout the concourses of the building. Themed areas through the concourses include the Radio and Recording Zone. Public art by local artists display paintings of the area’s music history. The FedEx Forum has many amenities including a team store, the Jack Daniels Grill that is a casual sports bar and a premium restaurant.



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

Probable Starters

Rajon Rondo/Ray Allen/Paul Pierce Pierce/Kevin Garnett/Kendrick  Perkins

Off the Bench
Rasheed Wallace
Shelden Williams
Eddie House
Tony Allen
JR Giddens
Brian Scalabrine
Lester Hudson

Injuries
Glen Davis (thumb) out
Marquis Daniels (wrist)  out

D-League
Bill Walker 




Coach: Lionel Hollins
Average Age: 24.7
Average Height: 6-8
Average Weight: 228

Probable Starters

Mike Conley/OJ Mayo/ Rudy Gay/Zach Randolph / Marc Gasol

Off the Bench
Hasheem Thabeet
Jamaal Tinsley
Sam Young
DeMarre Carroll
Hamed Haddadi
Steven Hunter
Marcus Williams
Marco Jaric

Injuries
Darrell Arthur (pectoral) out

Team Connections
General Manager Chris Wallace held the same position with the Celtics from 1997-2007
Rudy Gay, Hasheem Thabeet, Marcus Williams and Ray Allen are all former UConn Huskies
Darrell Arthur and Paul Pierce are former Kansas Jayhawks
O.J. Mayo and Brian Scalabrine are all former USC Trojans
O.J. Mayo and Bill Walker were teammates at Huntington High School(WV)
Steven Hunter played for Doc Rivers in Orlando from 2001-04
Marko Jaric and Kevin Garnett were teammates in Minnesota from 2005-07
Zach Randolph and Rasheed Wallace were teammates in Portland from 2001-04
Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels were teammates in Indiana from 2006-09

Key Matchups
vs
Paul Pierce vs Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay will be a very tough matchup for Paul Pierce.  He is averaging over 20 points and 6 rebounds a game.  He went off for 41 vs Miami on Sunday and Pierce will need to play very well on both ends of the court to get the best of this matchup. 


vs
Ray Allen vs OJ Mayo
Mayo has been on the national radar since high school and is a very promising young player and very athletic.  Ray needs to use his veteran wiles if he hopes to keep May from going off.   

Honorable Mention
Kendrick Perkins vs Marc Gasol
Gasol has been playing well and Perk needs to be physical inside to keep him from getting easy baskets.  Gasol has a height advantage, but Perk has a strength advantage. 

Game Notes
• Celtics won the season series 2-0 against Memphis in 2008-09
• Ray Allen led the Celtics with 21.0 points per game last season…Glen Davis netted 24 points in his only game against the Grizzlies last season
• Zach Randolph averaged 21.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game against the Celtics last season with the Clippers and Knicks
• The Celtics are 7-3 against the Grizzlies since the 2004-05 season
• The Celtics are leading the all-time series 17-10 with the Celtics 8-5 at home

The Grizzlies are a dangerous team with some very talented young players.  They have added veteran leadership from Zach Randolph who has been a beast on the boards lately, setting several team records recently.  Rudy Gay exploded for 41 against Miami in his last game and OJ Mayo is always capable of putting up big numbers.

In spite of all the talent on this team they are just 10-13. They have a winning record at home of 6-4 at home, however.  The Celtics are a league best 11-1 on the road and are riding a 10 game win streak coming into this game. 

The Grizzlies are playing in the second of back to back games and are coming off a 118-90 blow out win over Miami on the road.  The Celtics are coming into this game with a day's rest but are playing in the final game of a 3 game road trip and 7 of their last 8 wins have come on the road. 

The Celtics need to take this game very seriously because the Grizzlies aren't a pushover team any longer.  Any given night they can be very dangerous.  They also have a lot of young and athletic players who can give the Celtics problems.   

Keys to the Game
Defense -  Defense is the key to every game.  They especially need to bring their defense against this young and talented Grizzlies team.

Focus - The Celtics need to come in focused and get off to a good start.  They also have to be careful not to lose focus and finish strong as well.  The Grizzlies will take advantage of any lapses on the Celtics part.

Rebound - The Celtics need to make an effort to crash the boards to prevent the Grizzlies from getting second chance points off of offensive rebounds and fast break opportunities on the defensive end. 

Rondo   As goes Rondo, so go the Celtics.  He is the engine that makes the team run.  He has been aggressive in pushing the ball and also on defense and that sets the tone for the rest of the team.  He needs to continue to be aggressive on both ends of the court. 

Bench  The Celtics should have an advantage on the second unit if they play up to their capabilities.  Sheed needs to go inside as he did against the Bulls.  Eddie needs to hit his shots. Shelden needs to crash the boards.  And most of all, Tony needs to engage his brain. 

[Bahku]

Been to the FedEx Arena ... very cool building. This is one of those teams that we should blow out, but that seems to have some energy on their side when we meet ... I'm looking for the C's to keep the streak going, though. Thanks again, Florida ... great set-up! (TP as usual)

[RAcker]

Been to the FedEx Arena ... very cool building. This is one of those teams that we should blow out, but that seems to have some energy on their side when we meet ... I'm looking for the C's to keep the streak going, though. Thanks again, Florida ... great set-up! (TP as usual)

It's a 3 hour trip on a Monday. Should I do it?   

[KCattheStripe]

Been to the FedEx Arena ... very cool building. This is one of those teams that we should blow out, but that seems to have some energy on their side when we meet ... I'm looking for the C's to keep the streak going, though. Thanks again, Florida ... great set-up! (TP as usual)

It's a 3 hour trip on a Monday. Should I do it?   

I'll be there, Y'all hold down the fort for me!

[Atzar]

I just want to stress how important it is to rebound in this game.  Randolph has over 100 offensive rebounds this season, and he'll score 20 off of second chances alone if we don't get the boards.

[gPowell]

I just want to stress how important it is to rebound in this game.  Randolph has over 100 offensive rebounds this season, and he'll score 20 off of second chances alone if we don't get the boards.

This is so true and might be the key to tonight's game. I'm a little worried about how big this win would be for the Grizzlies. They are on a streak (so are we obv) and they will have a good crowd tonight. We have too be decent on the boards to win this one.

Now, our bench is vastly superior to theirs. Thabeet will get some blocks but should also be very outmatched by Rasheed. His spacing will really play with Thabeet as he's very uncomfortable on the perimeter. I hope Sheed's shot is on because I can see him taking 7 threes tonight.

Ray will have a good night with Mayo; same for Peirce and Gay. I wouldn't expect KG and Zach to play nice together either. Again, like we said before, this should be Rondo's night. I think he's going to destroy Mike Conely in every area.

[RAcker]

Been to the FedEx Arena ... very cool building. This is one of those teams that we should blow out, but that seems to have some energy on their side when we meet ... I'm looking for the C's to keep the streak going, though. Thanks again, Florida ... great set-up! (TP as usual)

It's a 3 hour trip on a Monday. Should I do it?   

I'll be there, Y'all hold down the fort for me!

I can get lower bowl tickets for 20 bucks, but my wife is not being convinced easily on a school night when we have a 2nd grader in the house.

Aaaaah!

[Drucci]

TP FL!

This game is definitely a trap game... or not really, since the Grizzlies have won almost all their games this past week and against quality opponents. The Celtics will be aware that this team is to be taken seriously and that they can't allow sloppy plays to happen.

I'm confident though. Maybe it will be a close game but we will win it. Rondo will be great I predict.

No live broadcasting for me, I will catch the replay tomorrow!

[Jon Niednagel]

Been to the FedEx Arena ... very cool building. This is one of those teams that we should blow out, but that seems to have some energy on their side when we meet ... I'm looking for the C's to keep the streak going, though. Thanks again, Florida ... great set-up! (TP as usual)

It's a 3 hour trip on a Monday. Should I do it?   

I'll be there, Y'all hold down the fort for me!

I can get lower bowl tickets for 20 bucks, but my wife is not being convinced easily on a school night when we have a 2nd grader in the house.

Aaaaah!

I'm going to be there too, not that I'm anyone special but it is nice to know other C-bloggers will be in attendance. I'll be headed over to the game after work. I work at a downtown hospital, so the commute to the FedEx Forum is 15 minutes at worst. I understand a three-hour is a long time, but it is the C's and they only come once a year. That is worth a three-hour drive isn't it?

[houlana]

grizz have been playing well lately. celts better not take them lightly.

Mayo, randolph, gasol and mayo.

totally agree with u guys. need to take care of business on the boards, randolph and gasol are very good at attacking the boards

[Greenbean]

Another team gets better when AI leaves them. Promising young group these Griz are. We need to come out strong on defense. Im thinking a Rondo full court press right from the outset to set the temp in our favor. I like young teams taking shots early in the shot clock.

[celticinorlando]

need to run memphis off the floor...they are on a back to back tonight....

[CelticG1]

Hopefully it's a blowout and I get to see my Iranian brother Haddadi play!!

[nickagneta]

I say we see a close game through the first 2 quarters with the C's pulling away in the third and fourth. I think Rondo has a huge game tonight.

[Kiorrik]

TP ofc, FL.

Looking forward to kicking this off. Watching Sixers Warriors now. Not bad tbh. Iverson looks good