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Boston Celtics (1-0, 9-3) at Orlando Magic (0-1, 8-1)
Tuesday, May 18
8:30 PM ET
Playoff Game Game #13 , Road Game #7
TV: ESPN
Amway Arena Probable Starters ReservesRasheed Wallace
Nate Robinson
Shelden Williams
Michael Finley
Brian Scalabrine
Glen Davis
Tony Allen
Marquis Daniels
Tony Gaffney
Oliver Lafayette
Injuries Kendrick Perkins (knee) will play
Probable Starters ReservesMarcin Gortat
Mickael Pietrus
JJ Redick
Ryan Anderson
Brandon Bass
Anthony Johnson
Adonal Foyle
Jason Williams
Injuries Matt Barnes (back) expected to play
Key Matchups vs
Kendrick Perkins vs Dwight Howard
This should be Perk, Sheed and Big Baby vs Dwight Howard because the Celtics were able to stop the Magic big man in game 1 by throwing one physical big at him after another. All 3 of the Celtics big men did their job and by the end of the game, they were deep inside Howard's head. The refs in game 1 let them play and that favors the Celtics physical style of play, especially in the post, and hopefully they will do the same in game 2.
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Jameer Nelson
This is another key matchup. Rondo didn't really get going in game 1 but continued to run the offense well and set the pace of the game. Rondo needs to continue to control the pace and run the offense. Nelson got going in the second half and will more than likely look to be more aggressive in game 2. Rondo will need to be ready to defend him and limit his effectiveness in this game. One concern is the fact that Rondo has had to play big minutes and he may have run out of gas at the end of game 1. Doc has to find a way to get Rondo some rest.
Honorable Mention Bench vs Bench
The Magic have a talented bench. Gortat and Redick were effective off the bench for them in game 1. Without their contributions, the game wouldn't have been near as close. The Celtics bench: Big Baby, Sheed, and Tony must contribute and must play lock down defense.
Game Notes The Celtics came out strong in game 1and shut down the Magic with tough team defense. The Magic may have been rusty from being off so long after their sweep while they waited for the Celtics/Cavs series to end. But, they never led in the game and the Celtics were able to steal home court from them.
In the second half of game 1, the Magic's shots started to fall and they came back from 20 down to cut the lead to 2 at one point, and lose the game by 4. They won't be rusty in game 2 and so the Celtics defense becomes even more important. They have to focus on shutting down the Magic's 3 point shooters while continuing to defend Howard with single coverage.
The Magic know that if they go down 0-2 in the series they are in trouble. They will come out with intensity and try to jump on the Celtics early. The Celtics must be ready for it and match their intensity. If they come out focused and play the kind of tough defense they did in game 1, they could very well get another win in Orlando.
Things to WatchKG didn't get his offense going in game 1, but he was able to virtually shut down Rashard Lewis. It would be nice to see KG get some easy baskets in this one.
Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were hot in game one. Hopefully they can stay hot for game 2. The Celtics need both of them to lead the offense. With Rondo having a tough matchup with Jameer Nelson, it won't be as easy for him to score in this series.
Will the Celtics come out with the same intensity as they did in game 1, or will they be satisfied to get the split in Orlando. Hopefully they are just as hungry and go for the kill.
Keys to the GameDefense - I may sound like a broken record, but defense is always the biggest key to winning. It is the key to winning this game and the key to winning Banner 18. The games that the Celtics have lost in the playoffs were all lost because they didn't bring the same defensive intensity to the game. If the Celtics bring their defense from the opening tip and don't let up, they give themselves a very good chance to win it.
Rebound - Rebounding is very important to winning in the playoffs. Every rebound the Magic get is a potential 2 or 3 points for them. In game one, a few times, the Celtics gave the Magic second and third chances at a basket, allowing them to score. The Celtics must box out and crash the boards as a team. They have to commit as a team to crashing the boards and going after every single rebound. Rebounding takes effort and desire and the Celtics must show both if they want to win this game.
Ball Movement - The Celtics must move the ball and find the open man. When the ball is moving and the Celtics are racking up assists, their offense is hard to stop. They can't play the score or play the clock if they get a lead. They must keep pushing the ball and working to get good shots on every possession.
Bench Play - The Celtics won game 1 in part because of key contributions from Tony, Big Baby and Sheed off the bench. Rondo seemed to be running out of gas at the end of the game after playing 46 minutes once again. Doc needs to figure out some way to get him more than 2 minutes rest.
Focus and Hustle The Celtics must be focused from the opening tip until the final buzzer. They can't afford a lapse like they had in game 1 or like they have had in other games because the Magic will take advantage of it. They have to keep their focus and not let up. No playing the score or the clock. No let up on defense. Along with that, the Celtics must out hustle the Magic to get loose balls, rebounds, and all the 50-50 plays they can get.
X-FactorOfficiating
The first game was called fairly. The refs missed things on both sides. It wasn't one sided. But the key is that they let them play on both ends. When refs let them play, it favors the Celtics. Hopefully this officiating crew will let them play once again and call the game evenly.