Celtics (4-6) at Pacers (8-2) 1/14

[FLCeltsFan]

at
Boston Celtics (4-6) at Indiana Pacers (8-2)
Saturday, January 14
7:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #11, Road Game #5
TV: CSNNE, FSI, NBA-LP 755/756
Radio: WEEI, WJBC
Conseco Field House


Probable Starting Matchups
PointGuard
 vs  
Rajon Rondo  vs  Darren Collison    

Shooting Guard
 vs
Ray Allen   vs  Paul George  

Small Forward
 vs  
Paul Pierce  vs  Danny Granger    

Power Forward
 vs  
Kevin Garnett  vs  David West

Center
 vs  
Jermaine O'Neal  vs  Roy Hibbert  





Celtics Reserves
Brandon Bass
Marquis Daniels
Chris Wilcox
E'Twaun Moore
JaJuan Johnson
Avery Bradley
Sasha Pavlovic  
Greg Stiemsma
Mickael Pietrus

Injured
Keyon Dooling  (knee)  out



Pacers Reserves
Tyler Hansbrough
George Hill
Louis Amundson
Dahntay Jones
Jeff Foster
AJ Price
Jeff Pendergraph
Lance Stephenson

Injured
George Hill (back) day to day

Team Connections
A.J. Price and Ray Allen both attended the University of Connecticut
Jermaine O’Neal played for the Pacersfrom 2000‐08
Frank Vogel was an assistant coach under Jim 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 2/4/93
Pacers Associate Head Coach Brian Shaw was drafted by the Celtics with the 24th overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft and he appeared in 178 games for the Celtics averaging 11.1 points
David West and Brandon Bass were teammates in New Orleans from 2005‐2007.

Game Notes
This is the second meeting between these two teams this season.  In their first meeting, the Celtics were embarrassed by the Pacers 87-74.  The Celtics started out slowly and never seemed to get going in that game.  

It was an ugly game from start to finish.  Neither team played well on offense.  The Celtics scored only 25 points in the first half and trailed by 8 points going into the 3rd quarter.   The Celtics were out-rebounded 47-36 and were outscored in the paint 43-28.  

Both teams are playing in the second of back to back games.  The Pacers are coming off a win in Toronto while the Celtics are coming off a loss to the Bulls.  It was the Celtics 3rd straight loss.  

Doc tried to shake it up a bit in the last game by starting KG at center and Brandon Bass at the 4 but that didn't seem to work out very well and I expect him to abandon that lineup.  But then again he may give it one more try or even shake it up with other changes.  Right now, nothing seems to be working, so why not try some changes. Maybe Doc should sit all the starters and see if the second unit can get off to a better start.   

Key Matchups
vs
Paul Pierce vs Danny Granger
Danny Granger is a tough player who can hit from outside as well as take the ball to the basket. He always seems to play extra hard against the Celtics.   Paul Pierce has been struggling and is averaging 13.8 points on 38% shooting.  He has to snap out of it for the Celtics to snap out of their skid.  

vs
Rajon Rondo vs Darren Collison
As Rondo goes, so go the Celtics.    When Rondo is aggressive, he makes the Celtics very tough to beat.  Rondo should have a height and experience advantage over Collison and hopefully that will translate into a big game for him.  He has virtually been carrying the team of late but he can't do it by himself.  

Honorable Mention
Kevin Garnett vs David West
There has been a lot of talk about how KG has lost a step and just can't cut it on defense any more.  This would be a good time for a vintage KG game as West is a tough player and the Celtics will need KG to play well to get a win in this one.    

Keys to the Game
Defense - The Celtics defense has been up and down and they have clamped down in spurts.  The Celtics need to work harder on team defense.   When they won the title, defense was their identity.  They need to get back to that.  

Rebound -  Winning the rebounding battle prevents second chance points  and tip ins for the Pacers as well as limits fast break opportunities.   When the Celtics put out the effort on the boards, it often translates to other areas of the game as well.   Much of rebounding is desire and hard work and the Celtics just haven't had it. They were out- rebounded by double figures in their last two games and that has to change for them to start winning.  

Offense -  There have been times when the Celtics' ball movement is a joy to behold and others when they make sloppy passes and just can't seem to get anything going.  They have to continue to move the ball and find the open man.   They also have to hit their shots.  Scoring 25 points in a half just won't win games.  

Start Strong -  The Celtics have been coming out flat and end up in a huge hole at the half.  They always seem to make a run in the 3rd quarter but it seems to take a lot out of them and they run out of steam and fall just short at the end.  They have to come out and play with energy from the beginning.  Averaging 15 points in the first quarter is inexcusable.  

X-Factors
Revenge and Back to Back
The Celtics need to be looking to avenge their embarrassing loss earlier this season.  Both teams are playing in back to back games but the Pacers are a younger team and it could affect them less than it does the Celtics.  The Celtics looked tired playing after 4 days rest.  Back to back games might make for some more ugly basketball.

[Celtics18]

TP, I love your game threads. 

Thanks.

And, go Cs!

[letsgoblue86]

I hope the rooks get some pt tonight...besides the last 2 min of garbage time.

[Who]

I hope the rooks get some pt tonight...besides the last 2 min of garbage time.

Indiana has good big man depth. Tough place to get JaJuan Johnson some minutes.

Besides, Doc is still tinkering around with his big man rotation as a whole to find out the best combinations / rotations. He needs to stay focused on that task until he finds an answer.

[vinnie]

Here's hoping the old men can keep this within 10 tonight -- 

[ACF]

TP. Go Celtics!

[MF Doom]

i want paul george

[33_Larry Legend_33]

This game has the making of a "show up with fight and pride" or "lay down and die" type of feeling...

I think tonight will be very telling about this team.  Mental toughness is revealed more when you are tired and facing adversity than when the waters are calm and clear...

[j804]

This game has the making of a "show up with fight and pride" or "lay down and die" type of feeling...

I think tonight will be very telling about this team.  Mental toughness is revealed more when you are tired and facing adversity than when the waters are calm and clear...

LOL I've been saying this since the Sallas game and been continuously letdown. 

[FLCeltsFan]

The game notes showing Doc going with Brandon Bass at PF and KG at C to start.  

They also said that KG was icing his ankle but is expected to play. 

[Who]

The game notes showing Doc going with Brandon Bass at PF and KG at C to start. 

Crap ... not again. Start Wilcox or Stiemsma alongside KG if not J.O'Neal. Just not Bass.

It unbalances the whole team.

[green7]

The game notes showing Doc going with Brandon Bass at PF and KG at C to start. 

Crap ... not again. Start Wilcox or Stiemsma alongside KG if not J.O'Neal. Just not Bass.

It unbalances the whole team.

[FLCeltsFan]

Official Report
Tom Washington
Washington has officiated over 900+ regular season games and 60+ play-off games. The Celtics are 9-1 over their last 10 games with Washington calling the game. At least 2 of the games were poorly officiated. In one of those games against the Hornets, the officiating was very bad and Washington ignored the Hornets attempts to intentionally foul both Pierce and Allen at the end of the game even though he was staring right at the play. The Pacers are 5-5 in their last 10 with Washington as a ref. His home W/L record this season is 4-4.

Derrick Collins
Collins has been an official in the league for 10 years. He has experience in the CBA five years and in the WNBA three years. He has also officiated 7 years on the collegiate level and seven years on the high school level in California and Louisiana. The Celtics are 6-4 in their last 10 games with Collins. The Pacers are also 6-4 in their last 10 games with Collins. His home W/L record this season is 6-4.

Mark Lindsay
Mark Lindsay made his debut in the NBA in 2007 after spending time in the NBDL. Before the NBDL, Lindsay spent 9 years calling games at the college level. The Celtics are 5-5 in their last 10 games with Linday making the calls and the Pacers are also 5-5 in their last 10 with Lindsay. Lindsay appears to be a homer ref as his home W/L record this season is 7-1.

[dwlefty13]

I have this feeling that the Celtics will DOMINATE tonight. Unfortunately, I will be watching the Patriots playoff game so I cannot see if this comes true but I hope it does.

Let's go Celtics!!!!   

[Q_FBE]

Man, I think Shirley should be paid time and a half by the Celtics blog staff for all the hard work she puts in on these pregame writeups.

I won't be watching this game as it is played. I suspect a lot of the bloggers will be preoccupied by another game in another sport.

It is an attitude, passion, and pride game for the Celtics. Another non-competitive effort a la New Orleans is not acceptable. I have no rhyme or reason to think the Celtics will win. So on pure emotion, frustration, and anger I pick the Celtics to win tonight. THere is nothing monetary about this pick. It is the inner competitiveness that is driving me to make this selection.