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Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« on: December 13, 2012, 09:45:42 PM »

Online FLCeltsFan

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Boston Celtics (12-9) at Houston Rockets (10-11)
Friday, December 14, 2012
8:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #22, Road Game #10
TV: ESPN,  CSN-NE, CSN-H
Radio:  WEEI, KBME
Toyota Center



Probable Starting Matchups
Point Guard
  vs 
Rajon Rondo vs Jeremy Lin

Shooting Guard
   vs 
Jason Terry vs James Harden 

Small Forward
  vs 
Paul Pierce vs Chandler Parsons     

Power Forward
  vs 
Brandon Bass vs Patrick Patterson 

Center

  vs 
Kevin Garnett vs Omer Asik   



Bench  
Jared Sullinger
Jason Collins
Courtney Lee
Jeff Green
Leandro Barbosa
Chris Wilcox

Injuries
Avery Bradley (shoulders) out

D-League
Kris Joseph
Fab Melo

Bench
Marcus Morris
Greg Smith
Terrence Jones
Carlos Delfino
Daequan Cook
Toney Douglas
Donatas Motiejunas
Royce White
Cole Aldrich

Injured
None

D-League
Scott Machado 

Team Connections
Terrence Jones, Patrick Patterson and Rajon Rondo all attended the University of Kentucky
Celtics Assistant Coach Mike Longabardi worked for Houston from 2003-07
Courtney Lee played for the Rockets from 2010-12
Rockets Coach Kevin McHale played for the Celtics from 1980-93, was a member of three championship teams and had his #32 retired on January 30, 1994
Marcus Morris and Paul Pierce both attended Kansas
Jared Sullinger and Daequan Cook both attended Ohio State
Jeff Green and James Harden were teammates in Oklahoma City from 2009-11.

Game Notes
The Celtics begin their 3 game road trip in Houston where they take Linsanity and The Beard.   They also will face old friend and former Celtic,  Kevin McHale, who is back on the Rockets bench after missing over a month due to the death of his daughter.

The Rockets are a decent home team with an 8-5 record at the Toyota Center.  The Celtics have slipped to 4-5 on the road.  Both teams are 6-4 in their last 10 games.  The Celtics, who are going for their second 3 game win streak of the season, have climbed past Philly for 3rd in the Atlantic and have the same 12-9 record as the Nets.   Both teams are 4 games behind the Knicks.  Houston is looking for their second straight win and are 4th in the Southwest division, 7 games behind the Spurs. 

First, Jeff Green faced his former team,  then KG faced his former team, and in the last game, Jason Terry faced his former team.  Now, it's time for Courtney Lee to face his old team.  Lee has been struggling to find his role in the Celtics system and this would be a good time for a break out game from him. 

The Celtics have a game in San Antonio on Saturday so they need to play smart and save some energy for the Spurs.  Hopefully the bench will come through and allow the starters to get some rest.  . 

Key Matchups
  vs 
Rajon Rondo vs Jeremy Lin 
As Rondo goes, so go the Celtics.  The fact that Rondo played over 52 minutes in the Celtics 2OT win over the Mavs shows how important he is on the court.  The Celtics simply don't have a replacement for him.  The last time Rondo faced Lin in NY, he delighted in shutting him down.  I can see him doing the same thing in this game. 

  vs 
Jason Terry vs James Harden
James Harden is capable of putting up a lot of points and Jason Terry will need to work extra hard on defense to contain him.  At the same time, the Celtics need JET to get his shot back on track as they need his offense.   

Honorable Mention
Kevin Garnett vs Omer Asik
Asik is a good defender and so KG will have to use his veteran wiles to get his shot off against him.  Asik won't put up a ton of points, but he is a double double threat and KG will need to try to keep him off the boards. 

Keys to the Game
Defense - The Celtics must keep their defensive mindset.    Defense wins games and it will win a championship.  The Celtics are beginning to come together defensively, and  that trend needs to continue as they now need to develop more consistency on that end.  They allowed Dallas to score 60 points in the paint.  They have to keep the Rockets from getting into the paint to score. 

Rebounding -  Rebounding is second to defense in importance in winning games.   The Celtics need to put out effort to crash the boards and prevent the Rockets second chance points and fast break opportunities which Lin and Harden will take full advantage of.   Rebounding is effort and desire and when they Celtics bring the effort on the boards, it spreads to the other areas of their game.     

Be Aggressive -  Too many times  we see the Celtics get beat to loose balls and rebounds.  The Celtics have to be aggressive in going after loose balls, grabbing rebounds and taking the ball to the basket.  After the double OT game on Wednesday, their legs may tire quicker and if the jumpers aren't falling, they have to get into the paint.   The more aggressive team will get  more respect from the refs and they also take some steam out of the other team by attacking and being aggressive.   

Bench Play - The Celtics need their second unit to come in and contribute on both ends of the court.  The starters are going to be tired and they are playing back to back and so the bench will be needed to come through with some quality minutes. 

X-Factor
Focus on the Road
The Celtics are on the road and need to keep their focus in order to win despite travel, hostile crowd and fatigue. 
« Last Edit: December 13, 2012, 09:56:42 PM by FLCeltsFan »

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2012, 10:07:02 PM »

Offline hwangjini_1

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another great game thread, another great tp for you. thanks once more.

go celtics!!!!!!
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.
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Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2012, 10:18:50 PM »

Offline slamtheking

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too early to ask if that's a Rocket in your Pocket or are you just glad to see me?
;)

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2012, 10:46:24 PM »

Offline letsgoblue86

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Really gonna have to crash the boards tomorrow night.

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2012, 11:11:42 PM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

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Wilcox and ANYBODY and Everybody  else have to control the dribble into the paint when KG sits.

This teams just absolutely sucks on defense when KG sits down.   The opponets IMMEDIATELY attack the paint for easy layups or dunks.

I would play Garrent ENOUGHT to win one game probally....if he sits we an't winning.

Asik will run wild when KG sits.

Can't beat the good teams with no interior defense. (besides KG)

I just don't feel good about this matchup. All those young legs , and our best players have to ride the bench to rest.

Harden has 50 point game  if everybody stands around looking lost and tired  . ... this man is gonna wipe the floor with the C's

This is gonna be an up hill battle.


Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2012, 11:38:18 PM »

Offline CantBeRight

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Going to the game!!
Celtics fan in Houston.

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2012, 11:53:30 PM »

Offline mr. dee

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Rooting for the Rockets...... but not against the C's.!

Go Celtics!

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2012, 12:09:22 AM »

Offline Who

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I want Courtney Lee to start to defend Harden.

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2012, 04:25:01 AM »

Offline jdz101

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Lets win this and start rolling.


how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck was chris bosh?

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2012, 05:26:26 AM »

Offline InfiniteMH

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I want Courtney Lee to start to defend Harden.

Yes I'm a little worried about Jet guarding Harden, too. We'll see what happens.

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2012, 07:19:59 AM »

Offline BudweiserCeltic

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I want Courtney Lee to start to defend Harden.

I want Courtney Lee to start over Terry in pretty much all games :P

But not going to happen.

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2012, 10:43:21 AM »

Offline Fafnir

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I want Courtney Lee to start to defend Harden.
Yeah having Terry defende either Lin or Harden to start the game is just asking for us to dig an early hole for ourselves.

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2012, 11:13:43 AM »

Offline csfansince60s

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Many on this board are worried about the Harden match-up, and rightfully so.

Scrolling through the OP, that jumped out at me too.

Doc can be so stubborn. Jet played 48 last game, someone said, could that be correct??

If he insists on starting Jet, I'd put Rondo on Harden to begin with,and let Terry guard Lin. I would then rotate through Lee and Green to pester and harass and smother Harden all night.

C'mon Doc. Smarten up!

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2012, 11:15:00 AM »

Offline Fafnir

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Many on this board are worried about the Harden match-up, and rightfully so.

Scrolling through the OP, that jumped out at me too.

Doc can be so stubborn. Jet played 48 last game, someone said, could that be correct??

If he insists on starting Jet, I'd put Rondo on Harden to begin with,and let Terry guard Lin. I would then rotate through Lee and Green to pester and harass and smother Harden all night.

C'mon Doc. Smarten up!
48 minutes inclued the 2 OTs, so 38 minutes in regulation probably.

Re: Celtics (12-9) at Rockets (10-11) 12/14
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2012, 11:34:11 AM »

Offline csfansince60s

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Many on this board are worried about the Harden match-up, and rightfully so.

Scrolling through the OP, that jumped out at me too.

Doc can be so stubborn. Jet played 48 last game, someone said, could that be correct??

If he insists on starting Jet, I'd put Rondo on Harden to begin with,and let Terry guard Lin. I would then rotate through Lee and Green to pester and harass and smother Harden all night.

C'mon Doc. Smarten up!
48 minutes inclued the 2 OTs, so 38 minutes in regulation probably.


Thanks, but still....WOW! Terry should be finishing games, but should in no way play 38 or anything close to it in 48.

Doc is far too short-sighted.