Toronto Raptors (0‐1) at Boston Celtics (1‐0)
Preseason Game #2 – Home Game #1
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
7:30 PM ET
TV: CSNNE
Radio: WEEI (850AM)
TD Garden Probable Starters PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Ray Allen
SF: Marquis Daniels
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Jermaine O'Neal
Celtics ReservesAvery Bradley
Chris Wilcox
Brandon Bass
Keyon Dooling
E'twaun Moore
Greg Stiemsma
JaJuan Johnson
Gilbert Brown
Michael Sweetney
Sasha Pavlovic
Jamaal Sampson
InjuriesPaul Pierce (heel) day to day
Sasha Pavlovic (wrist) day to day
Probable Starters PG: Jose Calderon
SG: DeMar DeRozan
SF: James Johnson
PF: Andrea Bargnani
C: Jamaal Magloire
Raptors Reserves Solomon Alabi
Jerryd Bayless
Rasual Butler
Anthony Carter
Ed Davis
Gary Forbes
Aaron Gray
Amir Johnson
Linas Kleiza
InjuriesNone
Team Connections Rajon Rondo, Raptors Head Coach Dwane Casey and Jamaal Magloire all attended the University of
Kentucky
Jermaine O’Neal played in Toronto during the 2008‐09 season
Linas Kleiza and Keyon Dooling both went to the University of Missouri
Keyon Dooling and Rasual Butler were teammates on the Miami Heat during the 2004‐05 season
Rasual Butler and Brandon Bass were teammates in New Orleans from 2005‐07
Brandon Bass and Jamaal Magloire were teammates in Dallas during the 2007‐08 season.
Game Notes Unless Paul Pierce's heel injury is more serious than the team is saying, I expect Paul Pierce to play in this game. I would think that Doc would like to get his starting 5 at least a few minutes playing together before the first game of the season. However, the game notes have Quisy in the starting lineup again so I've put him there. I'll change it if I hear anything different.
We will probably see plenty of the young guys again as Doc will have to depend on his bench a lot this season to avoid burning out the starters and he needs to get them some experience. Doc may try to play the guys with training camp contracts like Stiemsma, Sweetney, Brown, and Sampson in order to give them some playing time as well as to evaluate them. Of the 4, I see Stiemsma having the best chance of sticking, although both Danny and Doc are high on Brown.
The Raptors will more than likely play their starters and regular rotation once again. Doc has said that he isn't concerned about winning the preseason games and he showed that in the first game by playing the young guys down the stretch. Hopefully the Celtics will get the win, even with heavy minutes by the younger guys, and go into the season on a winning streak.
Keys to the GameImprove conditioning
Improve chemistry
Don't get injured