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Boston Celtics (25-21) at Philadelphia 76ers (26-20)
Friday, March 23
8:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #47, Road Game #23
TV: ESPN, NBAC, CSN-NE, CSN-P,
Radio: WEEI, WIP
Wells Fargo CenterProbable Starters PG: Rajon Rondo..................................................SG Mickael PietrusC: Kevin Garnett SF: Paul Pierce ................................. ............PF Brandon Bass Coach: Doc Rivers
Boston Bench MobMickael Pietrus
Greg Stiemsma
JaJuan Johnson
E'Twaun Moore
Marquis Daniels
Sasha Pavlovic
Avery Bradley
Keyon Dooling
Ryan Hollins
InjuredJermaine O'Neal (wrist) out
Greg Stiemsma (foot) probable
Brandon Bass (ankle) probable
Ray Allen (sprained right ankle) out
Probable Starters PG: Jrue Holiday ......................................................SG: Evan Turner
C: Spencer Hawes
SF: Andre Iguodala .................................................. PF: Elton Brand
Sixers BenchThaddeus Young
Sam Young
Nikola Vucevic
Lou Williams
Tony Battie
Craig Brackins
Lavoy Allen
Jodie Meeks
Craig Brackens
Injuries None
Key Matchups vs
Paul Pierce vs Andre Iguodala
Both of these players were all stars and both are key to their team's success. The Celtics will need a big game from Pierce on both ends of the court for the Celtics to win this one. In their first meeting this year, Pierce shot 5-13 from the field for 16 points with 4 rebounds and no assists. Iguodala scored 10 points on 5-11 shooting but he also passed out 8 assists and pulled down 7 rebounds.
vs
Rajon Rondo vs Jrue Holiday
As has been the case so many times, as Rondo goes, so go the Celtics. They will need him to be aggressive and to set the pace for the game. In their first meeting Holiday's line was 10 points, 1 rebound, 6 assists and 3 steals. Rondo had 5 points, 8 assists, 1 rebound and 2 steals, but we know he is capable of so much more when he sets his mind to it. This is a game the Celtics need and so hopefully he sets his mind to it.
Honorable Mention Ray Allen vs Evan Turner
Turner had a breakout game in their last meeting with 26 points (11-19), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, while Ray had a very un-Ray-like game with 2 points (0-5), 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Ray owes him one in this game. Hopefully Turner has come back to earth and the Celtics can play better defense on him while Ray continues his hot shooting from the second half of their last game.
Keys to the Game Defense - As always, defense is key to getting the win. The Celtics must play tough in your face defense from start to finish. They can't let themselves get caught up in a shoot out and must concentrate on getting stops. They especially have to be sure that Turner doesn't go off on them again.
Rebound - The Sixers are a good rebounding team, ranking 4th in the league at 43.5 rebounds per game. The Celtics, however are ranked 30th at 38.1 rpg. Much of rebounding is effort and the Celtics have got to put out more effort on the boards as the team that wins the rebounding battle will more than likely win the war. The Celtics have to limit the Sixers' rebounds to prevent second chance baskets and tip ins.
Take Care of the Ball - The Celtics tend to turn the ball over way too much. They are 11th in the league with 15.3 turnovers per game. The Sixers on the other hand turn the ball over the least in the league at 10.8 turnover per game. The Celtics must move the ball and find the open man without making sloppy passes and turning the ball over. It seems as though the Celtics go on a run and then they lose focus and get sloppy and turn the ball over on several possessions. They must keep their focus and take care of the ball as the Sixers will make them pay if the Celtics turn it over.
Effort and Focus - With the prospect of winning the division on the line, the Celtics should give nothing less than their absolute best effort. They need to be aggressive in going after loose balls, in defending, in rebounding and in taking the ball to the basket. They must keep their focus on the boards, handling the ball, getting good shots, and defending.
Game Notes This is the second meeting between these two division rivals. The first meeting was also in Philly and ended with a 103-71 blow out loss for the Celtics. The Sixers are 16-9 at home while the Celtics are 9-13 on the road. The Sixers are coming off a loss while the Celtics have won 2 games in a row.
The Celtics are playing in back to back games, having played in Milwaukee on Thursday, while the Sixers were off on Thursday after playing the Knicks on Wednesday night. This game has huge playoff implications for both teams.
Entering the game, the Celtics are just 1/2 game behind Philly for the Atlantic Division lead and for the 4th seed in the East. A win would put them in that 4th spot and on top of the division. They are also just 1.5 games behind Atlanta for the 6th spot and 2.5 games ahead of New York for the 8th spot. Every game counts and with so much on the line, the Celtics must find a way to get this win.
They need to remember how they were blown out in Philly the last time and they need to realize what is at stake in this game. They have won in back to back games on the road before and they have to reach deep down and do it again.
There are big games, but this one is huge! This is finally the last game on their brutal road trip and with the end in sight and the Atlantic Division lead within reach, the Celtics must give all they've got to get this win.
X-FactorFatigue and the Road
The Celtics are playing in the second of back to back games and they are closing out a long stretch of 8 road games. They are road weary to be sure, but they should be energized by their win vs the Bucks that ended their 6 game win streak and they have to be motivated by the blow out they received from the Sixers in their last meeting.