Pacers (9-17) at Celtics (21-5) 12/22

[FLCeltsFan]

  at     
Indiana Pacers (9-17) at Boston Celtics (21-5)
Tuesday, December 22
7:30 PM ET
Game #27, Home Game #14
TV:  CSN-NE, FSI, NBA LP 753, 754
Radio:  WEEI, WFNI
TD Garden


Probable Starting Matchups
PointGuard
  vs 
Rajon Rondo  vs  Earl Watson 

Shooting Guard
  vs 
Ray Allen   vs  Dahntay Jones 

Small Forward
  vs 
Paul Pierce  vs  Mike Dunleavy     

Power Forward
  vs 
Kevin Garnett  vs  Troy Murphy 

Center
  vs 
Kendrick Perkins  vs  Roy Hibbert   




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

Injuries:
Marquis Daniels (thumb) out
Big Baby Davis (thumb) out
   
D League
Bill Walker


Off the Bench
TJ Ford
Solomon Jones
Luther Head
Tyler Hansbrough
AJ Price
Josh McRoberts
Brandon Rush


Injuries
Travis Diener (toe) Out
Jeff Foster (back) day to day
Danny Granger (heel)  out

Team Connections
Danny Granger and J.R. Giddens are both former New Mexico Lobo
Jim O’Brien coached the Celtics from 2001-04
(censored) Harter, Lester Conner and Frank Vogel were all assistant coached under O’Brien with the Celtics from 2001-04
Pacers President of Basketball Operations Larry Bird won three championships with the Celtics and had his #33 retired on 02/04/93…
Marquis Daniels played for the Pacers from 2006-09
A.J. Price and Ray Allen are former UConn Huskies…Dahntay
Jones, Mike Dunleavy, Josh McRoberts and Shelden Williams are former Duke Blue Devils and McRoberts and Williams were teammates at Duke
Brandon Rush and Paul Pierce are former Kansas Jayhawks…
Solomon Jones and Shelden Williams were teammates in Atlanta from 2006-08
Tyler Hansbrough and Rasheed Wallace are former North Carolina Tar Heels

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Earl Watson
Another matchup of 2 quick points guards.  If Rondo comes out focused, this matchup should go the Celtics way. 

vs
Kevin Garnett vs Troy Murphy
With Granger out, Murphy has become a key player for the Pacers.  He is their high rebounder and it will be up to KG to keep him off the boards. 

Game Notes
• Celtics won the season series 3-1 against Indiana in 2008-09
• Ray Allen led the Celtics with 25.6 points per game last season
• Danny Granger averaged 20.0 points per game against the C’s last year
• The C’s are 11-7 against the Pacers since the 2004-05 season
• The Celtics are leading the all-time series 77-64 with the Celtics 50-21 at home

Since losing Danny Granger, the Pacers have been struggling.  They are 3-7 in their last 10 games while the Celtics are 9-1.  The Pacers have lost 3 in a row including an 84-81 loss to Milwaukee on Monday night.   The Celtics are 9-4 at home While Indy is 3-10 on the road. 

The Pacers are playing the the second of back to back games and are coming off a game at home vs the Bucks.  The Celtics will be looking for revenge in this game as in their first meeting in Indiana, the Pacers handed the Celtics their only road lost so far this season. 

Keys to the Game
Defense - first, foremost and always
Rebound - This is  one area the Celtics still need to improve in
Focus - The Celtics found their focus at home in the Wolves game.  They need to have the same focus in this one.
Play 48 Minutes The Celtics need to come out strong and not let up.  Too many times they come out strong and then let up, or start off slow and then have to play catchup.  They need a consistent effort for 48 minutes. 

[Donoghus]

Let's not get caught looking ahead to Christmas Day. 

No Granger is a nice break for us. 

[nickagneta]

Everyone must be out doing last minute Christmas shopping if I'm the 2nd person commenting here and it's only a half hour until game time. Revenge will be sweet tonight!!!

[Drucci]

TP FL!

Indeed, the absence of Granger will be a blessing for us since he usually kills us but we must not get complacent like we did against Philly or in the second half against Minnesota.

I'm hoping to see a focused Celtics team, from start to finish, and a big blowout. I want a big payback, and I want to see Dahntay Jones go 0/10 and cry on the bench. Can't stand the guy and I remember him going crazy last night he played us because he was having a night and his team was winning...

Let's go Celtics!

[xmuscularghandix]

whenever the opposition is missing it's best player they do awesome against us.... can we please not let it happen tonight.

[RebusRankin]

Celtics by double digits.

[xmuscularghandix]

KG out because of soreness.

[USG]

My finals are done! Celtics Basketball is on! What a glorious moment to be alive!

[celticinorlando]

so i take it sheed starts and sheldon gets more minutes? tis this KG thing just a precaution?

[USG]

No KG? There goes my bright, shining moment. =(

[nickagneta]

KG out because of soreness.

OUCH...hope Sheed is up for the task.

[celticinorlando]

hope the bench is up to it....my guess is scal and sheldon have to get a lot of minutes tonight....

[Drucci]

Hope KG is OK... don't like to read "strategic rest", sounds bad to me.

No Tommy either due to the snow.

[USG]

And no Tommy? What have I done, God?

[celticinorlando]

Hope KG is OK... don't like to read "strategic rest", sounds bad to me.

No Tommy either due to the snow.

don't think it is that big of a deal...getting him ready for orlando. and really we need the bench to be put in situations that they have to contribute....bigger question is which pacers scrub has a career night tonight?