Nets (12-15) at Celtics (10-16) Game #27 12/26/14

[FLCeltsFan]

  at 
Images courtesy of Fanatics.com
Brooklyn Nets (12-15) at Boston Celtics (10-16)
Friday, December 26, 2014
1:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #27, Home Game #16
TV: CSNNE, YES, League Pass  751(DTV), 751(xfinity)
Radio: 98.5 Sports Hub, WFAN
TD Garden


Probable Starting Matchups 
Point Guard
  vs 
Marcus Smart vs Jarrett Jack

Shooting Guard
  vs 
Avery Bradley vs Sergey Karasev

Small Forward
  vs 
Jeff Green vs Joe Johnson

Power Forward
  vs 
Jared Sullinger vs Kevin Garnett

Center
  vs 
Tyler Zeller vs Mason Plumlee




Celtics Reserves
Phil Pressey
Evan Turner
Brandon Bass
Tyler Zeller
Gerald Wallace
Jameer Nelson
Jae Crowder
Brandan Wright

Injuries
Marcus Thornton (calf) out
James Young (shoulder)  probable


Nets Reserves
Alan Anderson
Markel Brown
Cory Jefferson
Jerome Jordan
Mirza Teletovic
Brook Lopez
Bojan Bogdanovic
Darius Morris
Brandon Davies

Injuries
Deron Williams (calf) day to day

Game Notes
The Celtics and Nets meet for the 4th time this season and the 2nd time in the regular season.   The Celtics beat the Nets twice in the preseason and then again on opening night of the regular season.   The Nets are looking for their first 3 game win streak this season while the Celtics are hoping to avoid a 3 game losing streak. 

The Celtics are a much different team from the one that faced them on opening night.  Gone is Rajon Rondo and in his place will be either Jameer Nelson or Marcus Smart.  In spite of the slow start that the Celtics got with Nelson in their last game, he played very well down the stretch and so it's possible that Nelson will get the start again in this one. 

Deron Williams has been out with a calf injury and is day to day for this game.  If Williams can't go again, Jarrett Jack, who always plays well against the Celtics, will once again get the start.  Brook Lopez has been coming off the bench since coming back from a back injury as Mason Plumlee has been playing very well in the starting spot. 

The Celtics are 7-8 at home while the Nets are 5-8 on the road.  The Celtics trail the Nets by just 1.5 games in the Eastern Conference for the 8th playoff spot. 

Key Matchups
  vs 
Jeff Green vs Joe Johnson
Johnson leads the Nets in scoring at 16.7 points per game.  It will be key for Jeff Green to slow him down if the Celtics expect to get the win. 

  vs 
Tyler Zeller vs Mason Plumlee
Plumlee has been playing very well in the starting spot since Brook Lopez went down with a back injury.  He is averaging 18.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks as a starter in his last 7 games.  Zeller has also been playing very well for the Celtics and this should be a good test for him. 

Honorable Mention
Jared Sullinger vs Kevin Garnett
This is the student vs the teacher.  Sully has been struggling somewhat, especially since Rondo was traded, to the point where he was benched for the entire second half of the last game.  Sully is a proud player and that should fire him up to play well along with playing against his former mentor to show that he learned his lessons well.  KG also has a lot of pride and will do his best not to let Sully get the better of him.  This should be a good matchup, assuming that Brad Stevens gives him a chance to redeem himself and starts him in this one. 

Keys to the Game
Pace and Space - The Celtics must run and move the ball and get open shots.  Running on every possession will also allow them to get easy shots before the defenses can get set up.  They can also wear the older Nets down if they can keep the pace up. 

Rebound - The Celtics can't score if they don't have the ball. They have to rebound from every position on the court in order to give themselves extra possessions and to limit the Nets' fast break opportunities and second chance baskets.  They all have to make an effort on the boards to make up for the loss of Rondo, who was one of the Celtics better rebounders. 

Defense - Defense is always the key to winning.  The Nets allow only 98.4 points per game while the Celtics allow a whopping 104.3 points per game.  The Celtics absolutely must find ways to get stops.

Play 48 Minutes - The Celtics seem to either start out fast and build an lead and then slack off and let the other team back into the game.  Or, they start slow and dig a big hole and then have to play very hard to catch up and come up just short.  They have to play hard from start to finish and avoid those slumps. 

Be Aggressive - When the Celtics are aggressive, they are tough to beat.  They must be the more aggressive team in going after loose balls, in rebounding, on defense and just play harder in general.

X-Factors
Focus and Revenge
The Celtics seem to lose focus and go through periods when they can't hit a shot and seem to throw the ball away on every possession.  Can the Celtics keep their focus in this one?  The Nets will be looking to avenge 3 losses to the Celtics.  Will that give them an extra push to play harder? 

[Nerf DPOY]

TP FLCF! I Wouldn't be shocked if Sully didn't start.

[GetLucky]

Even on Christmas you come through! TP!

[hwangjini_1]

yet another christmas present!!! thanks flc working even on christmas, an elven tp for your labors.

the celtics will again earn a glorious victory!!!


gooooo celtics!!!!!!!!!!

[FLCeltsFan]

Thank you Nerf DPOY,   GetLucky,  and  hwangjini_1.  And a Merry Christmas TP for each of you!!!   

[celticslove]

TP FL! would be interesting to watching two hard working players in Zeller and Plumlee play against each other.

[cb8883]

The returning relic of a failed era returns. Garnett was never a true Celtic and will always be remembered as a Timberwolf. Still regret that trade, Ainge mortgaged future great position in future drafts for the quick fix. Only one title and then Ainge never went all in to capitalize. Awful.Imagine what we would be getting out of Big Al and G-Money plus a possible franchise talent?

[apc]

The returning relic of a failed era returns. Garnett was never a true Celtic and will always be remembered as a Timberwolf. Still regret that trade, Ainge mortgaged future great position in future drafts for the quick fix. Only one title and then Ainge never went all in to capitalize. Awful.Imagine what we would be getting out of Big Al and G-Money plus a possible franchise talent?

Do you realize how hard it is to get a title team? there are plenty of other teams trying, making all the right moves but still never successful.

DA made the right moves at the time. unfortualntly KG and Perk injuries held us back from another title or two.

[Fafnir]

Two Finals trips and a title a failed era?

I guess the Spurs last four years were a failure too...

[cb8883]

Two Finals trips and a title a failed era?

I guess the Spurs last four years were a failure too...

Look at what the Heat accomplished. 4 straight finals appearances. Ainge was responsible for keeping the team stacked with talent and instead signed overrated players that they had to beg to come here and drafting the Bill Walkers and Gave Pruitts of the world.

That's why they should have just let KG go and kept the kids at the time. Danny Ainge doesn't know how to draft or build a winner.

[Fafnir]

Two Finals trips and a title a failed era?

I guess the Spurs last four years were a failure too...

Look at what the Heat accomplished. 4 straight finals appearances. Ainge was responsible for keeping the team stacked with talent and instead signed overrated players that they had to beg to come here and drafting the Bill Walkers and Gave Pruitts of the world.

The Heat LBJ/Wade/Bosh team was more successful than KG/Pierce/Allen clearly.

Does that make the Garnett era Celtics a failure to you? Also will you please answer my question are the Spurs a failure the over the last four years?

Spurs: Lost in first round, Lost Conference Finals, Lost in a super close 7 games, won a decisive Finals victory

[greece66]

Really curious to find out our starting five.

[Fafnir]

That's why they should have just let KG go and kept the kids at the time. Danny Ainge doesn't know how to draft or build a winner.

Do you mean after the 2011-2012 season when they resigned KG? Or when they traded for him in the first place?

Also by definition Ainge built a winner, they won the Finals.

[greece66]

Two Finals trips and a title a failed era?

I guess the Spurs last four years were a failure too...

Look at what the Heat accomplished. 4 straight finals appearances. Ainge was responsible for keeping the team stacked with talent and instead signed overrated players that they had to beg to come here and drafting the Bill Walkers and Gave Pruitts of the world.

That's why they should have just let KG go and kept the kids at the time. Danny Ainge doesn't know how to draft or build a winner.

I am not a huge Ainge fan myself. But he drafted Smart at 6 (likely to be ROY), Kelly at 13, Rondo and Sullinger at 21. There have been several mistakes, but overall his draft record is well above average.

[cb8883]

Two Finals trips and a title a failed era?

I guess the Spurs last four years were a failure too...

Look at what the Heat accomplished. 4 straight finals appearances. Ainge was responsible for keeping the team stacked with talent and instead signed overrated players that they had to beg to come here and drafting the Bill Walkers and Gave Pruitts of the world.

The Heat LBJ/Wade/Bosh team was more successful than KG/Pierce/Allen clearly.

Does that make the Garnett era Celtics a failure to you? Also will you please answer my question are the Spurs a failure the over the last four years?

Spurs: Lost in first round, Lost Conference Finals, Lost in a super close 7 games, won a decisive Finals victory

Of course the Spurs aren't but that's apples to oranges. That core has won a bunch of titles. Putting the Celtics in the same sentence as the Spurs is an insult to Pops. The KG era really wasn't that spectacular.