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Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« on: April 03, 2010, 09:43:41 PM »

Offline FLCeltsFan

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at
Cleveland Cavaliers  (60-16) at Boston Celtics (47-28)
Sunday, April 4
1:00 PM ET
Game #76, Home Game #39
TV: ABC 
Radio:  WEEI, WTAM, ESPNR 
TD Garden



Probable Starting Matchups
Point Guard
  vs 
Rajon Rondo vs Mo Williams

Shooting Guard
  vs 
Ray Allen vs Anthony Parker

Small Forward   
  vs 
Paul Pierce vs LeBron James

Power Forward 
  vs 
Kevin Garnett vs Antawn Jamison

Center
  vs 
Kendrick Perkins vs JJ Hickson 



Reserves
Rasheed Wallace
Glen Davis
Tony Allen
Nate Robinson
Shelden Williams
Brian Scalabrine
Michael Finley
Marquis Daniels 

Injuries
None

D League
Marcus Landry

Reserves
Daniel Gibson
Delonte West
Jamario Moon
Jawad Williams
Daniel Green
Leon Powe 
zydrunas Ilgauskas

Injuries
Sebastian Telfair (groin) out
Shaquille O'Neal (thumb)  out
Anderson Varejao  (hamstring) questionable

Team Connections
Leon Powe and Delonte West are former Celtics
West was drafted by the Celtics with the 24th overall pick in the 2004
Draft
Powe played for the Celtics from 2006-09
Daniel Green, Jawad Williams, Antawn Jamison, and Rasheed Wallace are former North Carolina Tar Heels
Shaquille O’Neal and Glen Davis both attended Louisiana State
Antawn Jamison and Michael Finley were teammates in Dallas during the 2003-04 season.

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Mo Williams 
Mo Williams is capable of putting up big numbers and Rondo will need to keep his defensive focus to keep Mo in check. Rondo needs to especially stay with Mo on the perimeter.   He also needs to keep up his aggressiveness on offense if the Celtics have any chance of winning this.   

  vs 
LeBron is always a tough matchup for every team.  In the past Pierce has looked forward to the challenge of defending him and has been up to the task.   We can only hope for a classic Pierce performance in this one on the defensive end to try to contain LeBron.   We all know that LeBron doesn't commit fouls so Pierce will be at a disadvantage but he can't let that distract him.   He has to keep his focus in spite of the hacking, shoving and pushing that doesn't get called. 

Honorable Mention
Kevin Garnett vs Antawn Jamison
After a very rocky start on his new team, Jamison has settled down and is playing well.   KG needs to get back to playing the in your face team defense that the Celtics have hung their hats on.  KG must set the tone for the defense. 

Game Notes
 The Cavaliers are currently leading the season series 2-1; Celtics and Cavaliers split season series 2-2 during 2008-09 season
 Paul Pierce is currently leading the C’s with an average of 20.5 points per game this season against Cleveland
 LeBron James is averaging 34.7 points per game against the C’s this season
 Celtics are 7-13 against Cleveland since the 2004-05 season
 The Celtics are leading the all-time series 110-67 with the Celtics 67-20 at home
The Celtics only win against the Cavs this season came on opening night.   At that time, the sky was the limit for this Celtics team and then the injuries started to hit and the Celtics fell apart while the Cavs have continued to build.   The Celtics have lost 3 games in a row, all at home, while the Cavs have won their last 3. 

The Cavaliers,  who are only the ninth franchise in league history to post consecutive 60-win seasons, can clinch home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a win over the Celtics in this game.  The Celtics are locked in a battle with the Atlanta Hawks for the 3rd seed.  The Celtics are  a game and a half behind the Hawks with their win over Detroit on Saturday night.   They wasted a good chance to pull even when the Hawks lost to the Cavs on Friday and the Celtics put out a lackluster effort against the feisty Rockets and lost.  The Celtics need this win to avoid falling 2 games back of that 3rd spot. 

With a Cavaliers win or a Lakers loss, the Cavs would become the first team to have the league's best record in 2 consecutive years since Chicago did it in the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons.  The Cavs can't afford to let up or become over confident, as their loss in the conference finals last season proved. 

Anderson Varejao, who gave the Celtics a lot of problems in their last two meetings has missed his last 3 games with a sore hamstring.  He is listed as questionable for this game and the Cavs have said that he won't play.   But, as has been most of the season, players always seem to have miraculous healings and come back for the games against the Celtics.  I'll count him out when I see him on the bench in street clothes. 

Keys to the Game
1 Defense Defense Defense  -Defense wins games and it wins championships.  The Celtics have allowed their last 3 opponents to shoot over 50% and unless they get back to playing team defense and get stops instead of trying to outscore the other team. 
 
2. Play 48 Minutes -  The Celtics have to be focused from the tip off until the end of the game.   They can't afford to come out flat or lose their focus for any period against a team like the Cavs or they will take full advantage of it.   

3.  Rebound - The Celtics have to improve their rebounding.  When opponents get offensive rebounds, the Celtics give up second chance points and LeBron is one of the best in the league at getting tip ins and put backs.   When opponents get defensive rebounds it keys their fast break for easy baskets at the other end.  The Celtics have got to box out and to fight for rebounds and not allow the Cavs to beat them to them. 

X-Factors
Officials and Focus
We know that the Cavs will get the majority of the calls and the Celtics need to focus on their game, especially on the defensive end and not let the bad calls and no calls ruin their focus.    They have to know that the bad calls are coming and just play through them.   The Bucks almost beat them in spite of a 45-9 free throw disparity and the Celtics have to know that they won't get the calls and they can't let the refs be an excuse.   

Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2010, 09:51:39 PM »

Offline celticinorlando

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man we need a big time win

Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2010, 09:55:15 PM »

Offline pengaloo

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I think the big key to this game is Rondo. It looks like priority #1 for the Cavs is to take Rondo out of his game.

"Rondo is the glue," Brown said. "Night in and night out he's always on the floor. Very seldom does he miss games, and he's effective. Not only is he scoring or helping other guys score, but he's coming up with big possessions. He's creating possessions for their team. Eventually that team will be his completely, but right now he's continuing to pay his dues. But he definitely is the piece that makes it all fit together."

Like Brown, Powe thinks the answer to beating the Celtics is containing Rondo, who is averaging about 14 points and nine assists in three games against the Cavs this season. Cleveland is 2-1 against Boston.

"If you can slow him down, you've got a great chance of beating the Celtics." Powe said. "He holds everything together. He's the person that makes them go. If he's not pushing the ball, not getting steals, not disrupting the other team's offense, it would be a much easier task to beat them."

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/04/rondo_not_big_three_will_be_fo.html


Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2010, 10:18:59 AM »

Offline Drucci

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Don't know what to except from the boys in green once again, when you expect them to win they lose and vice versa, so... a win would be great, whatever the manner they get it.

TP FL and let's go Celtics!

Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2010, 10:33:39 AM »

Offline ACF

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An Easter Sunday Tommy Point for FL.

GO CELTICS!

GO CELTICS!

GO CELTICS!

Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #5 on: April 04, 2010, 10:59:20 AM »

Offline barefacedmonk

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Nationally televised game on a Sunday afternoon against the Cavs....the odds are stacked against us...so this win would be a great boost going into the playoffs.

CELTICS HOORAH...CELTICS HOORAH...CELTICS HOORAH...1 2 3 Ubuntu!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqxIrERLYiI


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Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #6 on: April 04, 2010, 12:14:42 PM »

Offline Celtics18

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This would be an appropriate day for a Boston Celtics Resurrection.
DKC Seventy-Sixers:

PG: G. Hill/D. Schroder
SG: C. Lee/B. Hield/T. Luwawu
SF:  Giannis/J. Lamb/M. Kuzminskas
PF:  E. Ilyasova/J. Jerebko/R. Christmas
C:    N. Vucevic/K. Olynyk/E. Davis/C. Jefferson

Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #7 on: April 04, 2010, 12:45:45 PM »

Offline Edgar

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Go Celtcs!!

tp Fla.


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Open at 12:45...  ;)
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Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #8 on: April 04, 2010, 12:52:32 PM »

Offline celticinorlando

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come on boys...man up and win today

Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2010, 12:58:38 PM »

Online Who

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I think the play of JJ Hickson and Leon Powe will go a long way to deciding this one.

If Cleveland gets good service out of them, then they still have a good chance of winning. If they don't, then I don't think LeBron gets enough help ... and the Celtics should be able to take advantage.

Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2010, 01:00:23 PM »

Offline barefacedmonk

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I hear the ESPN/other media "experts" say "LeBron is playing at a level I've never seen him play" ....what does that mean? What is that level?....he plays at a new level every year yet its not the level that you need to be on to win a ring?
"An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching." - M.K. Gandhi


Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2010, 01:01:34 PM »

Kiorrik

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An Easter Sunday Tommy Point for FL.

GO CELTICS!

GO CELTICS!

GO CELTICS!
Seconded.

Let's hope Rondo goes off for 30+ points, 15+ assists and 10+ rebounds.

Seriously, they're hoping to contain Rondo -> I hope they do that by doubling and tripling him, defending him up close, because that's when he's at his best.

If they sag off him like Manu did, we're toast. :x

STEAK OR CHICKEN???

Tonight btw, is another STEAK or CHICKEN day. Voting starts now, TP for the person that comes up with the most original reason for eating either of the two.

Images are allowed ;)

Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2010, 01:04:06 PM »

Offline JohnBagleyValueMeal

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I hear the ESPN/other media "experts" say "LeBron is playing at a level I've never seen him play" ....what does that mean? What is that level?....he plays at a new level every year yet its not the level that you need to be on to win a ring?

LeBron is an incredible player, but ESPN has successfully made me hate him more intensely with every passing year. Some joker just said he's the best ever at improving the play of his teammates.  Uh, what?
McHale's favorite ruse is putting paper in the mouths of sleeping teammates. "Try using one of these cocktail napkins," he said. "When just the edge sticks out of a guy's mouth, it looks like he's got fangs. The best part is when he wakes up."
-- Sports Illustrated, 12/19/1983

Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2010, 01:04:57 PM »

Offline Drucci

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Nice start.

Re: Cavs (60-16) at Celtics (47-28) 4/4
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2010, 01:05:37 PM »

Offline Meadowlark_Scal

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I would put TA on lebron, tire him out, TA can be relentless, in his face...why tire PP out covering him, that is always a coaching mistake..it would be fine if PP was 26...