Author Topic: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1  (Read 50601 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« on: December 31, 2011, 05:41:30 PM »

Offline FLCeltsFan

  • Kendrick Perkins #1 Fan
  • Author
  • Rajon Rondo
  • *****
  • Posts: 5280
  • Tommy Points: 11832
  • Marcus Smart Fan!
 at  
Boston Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3)
Sunday, January 1
6:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #5,  Road Game #4
TV:  CSN-NE, Comcast Sportsnet, NBA-TV,  NBAC  
Radio:  WEEI,  WJFK
Verizon Center  





Probable Starters
PG SG SF PF C
Rajon Rondo...Ray Allen...Paul Pierce...Kevin Garnett... Jermaine O'Neal

Boston Bench Mob
Brandon Bass
Sasha Pavlovic
JaJuan Johnson
E'Twaun Moore
Marquis Daniels
Keyon Dooling
Avery Bradley
Greg Steimsma

Injured
Chris Wilcox (shoulder)  day to day
Mickael Pietrus (knee)  out




Probable Starters
PG SG SF PF C
John Wall...Nick Young....Rashard Lewis...Andary Blatche...JaVale McGee


Wizards Bench

Tevor Booker
Jordan Crawford
Shelvin Mack
Roger Mason
Hamedy Ndiaye
Kevin Seraphin
Chris Singleton
Ronny Turiaf

Injured
Jan Vesely (hip) day to day
Maurice Evans (knee)  day to day

Team Connections
Wizards Assistant Coach Sam Cassell played for the Celtics during the 2007‐08 season and was a member of the
2008 NBA Championship team
Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen were teammates in Seattle from 2003‐07
Kevin Garnett played for Wizards head Coach Flip Saunders in Minnesota from 1995‐2005 He also played for Wizards Assistant Coach Randy Wittman in Minnesota in 2007
Garnett and Cassell were teammates in Minnesota from 2003‐05
John Wall and Rajon Rondo both attended the University of Kentucky
Avery Bradley and Maurice Evans both attended the University of Texas.

Game Notes
The Celtics are back on the road after winning their home opener and hopefully they can keep their winning ways going against the Wizards who are still looking for their first win.  

This is the first of 4 meetings in this shortened season between these two teams.  This is the first of a home and home set and the Wizards will play the Celtics in Boston on Monday night.    Last season these two teams split the series 2-2.

The Celtics haven't been the best defensive team this season so far, but like Pistons, the Wizards may be just what they need to get their defense on track.  The Wizards have shot just 38.6% from the field in their 3 losses this season.   They have also been allowing 49.7% shooting from their opponents.  

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo vs John Wall
 As Rondo goes so go the Celtics.  Wall is a young and exciting point guard, but Rondo has to set the pace and be aggressive against him.

vs
Jermaine O'Neal vs Javale McGee
Jermaine O'Neal finally came alive in the Celtics' home opener.  After 3 very bad games,  he broke out against the Pistons.  Hopefully he will continue playing well and step up and be a force on both ends of the court in this game.    

Honorable Mention
Kevin Garnett vs Andray Blatche
Kevin Garnett may have lost a step over the years, but he still has enough to get the better of Andray Blatche.  The Celtics will need aggressive play from KG on the offensive end as well as on defense.  

Keys to the Game
Rebound  The Celtics must crash the boards and keep the Wizards from getting second chance points, fast break opportunities and extra possessions.   As I have said before, when the Celtics put out the effort necessary to win the battle of the boards, that effort seems to pick up every area of their game as well.  

Defense    Defense always wins games.  The Celtics have to make defense their priority and shut down the paint as well as staying on their outside shooters. In their first 4 games, the Celtics have played defense in spurts but they have allowed way too many easy baskets.   When the Celtics clamp down on defense the rest of their game picks up.  

Be Aggressive  The Celtics need to play aggressively.  They need to take the ball to the hoop and try to get to the line early and often.   Make the officials call the fouls.  They also have to go for every loose ball and battle for all the rebounds.   If they play passively, they could be facing another loss to a team that is hungry for their first win.      

Limit Turnovers - The Celtics have turned the ball over too much in games so far.  The tend to make lazy passes and lose focus from time to time and give their opponents easy scoring opportunities because of it.  

X-Factors
Focus and Officiating
The Celtics will be on the road again and hopefully they won't let that change their focus.  They need to keep the same intensity and focus that they brought in front of their home crowd.   The officiating has been seriously bad in the Celtics first 4 games.  The Celtics can't let the bad calls and no calls get to them.  They have to just play through it.  
« Last Edit: January 01, 2012, 01:59:53 PM by FLCeltsFan »

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2012, 01:13:05 PM »

Offline Redz

  • Punner
  • Global Moderator
  • Bill Russell
  • ******************************
  • Posts: 30897
  • Tommy Points: 3765
  • Yup
Not a whole lot of buzz about this one, huh?

TP to FL

GO CELTS!

& Happy New Year all
Yup

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2012, 01:18:00 PM »

Offline j804

  • Satch Sanders
  • *********
  • Posts: 9188
  • Tommy Points: 3060
  • BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS
Not a whole lot of buzz about this one, huh?

TP to FL

GO CELTS!

& Happy New Year all
I'm amped for it this is a good game for us, athletic bigs and pg that'll be desperate for a win and be swinging. I am curious how well fare with them.
"7ft PG. Rondo leaves and GUESS WHAT? We got a BIGGER point guard!"-Tommy on Olynyk


Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2012, 01:29:50 PM »

Offline Drucci

  • Global Moderator
  • Tiny Archibald
  • *******
  • Posts: 7223
  • Tommy Points: 439
I won't be there live (hours of sleep to catch up).

On paper, an easy game... let's hope paper translates to reality!

TP FL and go Celtics.

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2012, 01:35:40 PM »

Offline j804

  • Satch Sanders
  • *********
  • Posts: 9188
  • Tommy Points: 3060
  • BLOOD SWEAT & TEARS
I won't be there live (hours of sleep to catch up).

On paper, an easy game... let's hope paper translates to reality!

TP FL and go Celtics.
Thing is it seems like we always have let downs against the Wizards  :-X
"7ft PG. Rondo leaves and GUESS WHAT? We got a BIGGER point guard!"-Tommy on Olynyk


Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2012, 01:35:52 PM »

Offline ACF

  • Danny Ainge
  • **********
  • Posts: 10756
  • Tommy Points: 1157
  • A Celtic Fan
TP. Go Celtics!

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2012, 02:03:05 PM »

Offline hwangjini_1

  • Kevin Garnett
  • *****************
  • Posts: 17837
  • Tommy Points: 2661
  • bammokja
two in a row for the celtics. this part of the season is where they need to rack up wins, and this game should give another to them.

thanks for the game thread.

go celtics!  :D
I believe Gandhi is the only person who knew about real democracy — not democracy as the right to go and buy what you want, but democracy as the responsibility to be accountable to everyone around you. Democracy begins with freedom from hunger, freedom from unemployment, freedom from fear, and freedom from hatred.
- Vandana Shiva

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2012, 02:56:57 PM »

Offline Swoopz

  • Derrick White
  • Posts: 278
  • Tommy Points: 32
Any update on Rondo? Heard he injured his ankle yesterday and that doesn't bode well for back to back match-ups against John Wall

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2012, 03:48:09 PM »

Offline GreenFaith1819

  • NCE
  • Reggie Lewis
  • ***************
  • Posts: 15402
  • Tommy Points: 2785
TP FL and thanks for post!

C'mon C's let's not sleep on these guys.

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2012, 05:13:17 PM »

Offline Eddie20

  • Don Nelson
  • ********
  • Posts: 8497
  • Tommy Points: 975
Can't help, but think that just 3 years ago or so, Wall and Bradley were ranked just about the same.

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2012, 05:40:27 PM »

Offline TA9

  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2712
  • Tommy Points: 118
  • I Bleed Green
Another day, Another game.. LETS GO CELTICS ;D
Hope i can see JaJuan play some MINUTES this game :)
Jack of all trades, master of none.

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2012, 06:10:40 PM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 36776
  • Tommy Points: 2961
Thunk its on league pass.   

I hope  "FATHER TIME" KG decides to come to play . and drinks about three Red Bulls .

Go Celts ... !!!

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #12 on: January 01, 2012, 06:10:42 PM »

Offline TA9

  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2712
  • Tommy Points: 118
  • I Bleed Green
Finally, Lets go :D
Jack of all trades, master of none.

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #13 on: January 01, 2012, 06:11:46 PM »

Offline IrishGreen

  • Joe Mazzulla
  • Posts: 133
  • Tommy Points: 17
Rondo not 100%?? Just listening to what Doc said pre-game. Anyone know much more on this? I know he's playing so it obviously isn't anything to worry about.

Re: Celtics (1-3) at Wizards (0-3) 1/1
« Reply #14 on: January 01, 2012, 06:11:46 PM »

Kiorrik

  • Guest
"their back-court combined to go 2 of 19" in the last game (vs Bucks)

... law of averages says they'll shoot the lights out today :(