Tip: 7:30PM Court: TD Garden Watch it: CSN Hear it: WEEI
Referees: Mike Callahan, Sean Corbin and Tre Maddox
Spread: BOS -4.0
The Matchup
 |
 |
| Record: 30-27 | Record: 33-25 |
| At home: 20-9 | On road: 15-18 |
| Streak: Won 1 | Streak: Lost 2 |
| Leaders | Leaders |
| Buckets: Pierce (18.5 ppg) | Buckets: Stephen Curry (21.9 ppg) |
| Boards: Garnett (7.7 rpg) | Boards: David Lee (11.1 rpg) |
| Dimes: Pierce (4.5 apg) | Dimes: Curry (6.5 apg) |
| For the Stat Geeks: | For the Stat Geeks: |
| Offensive Rating: 102.6 (25th NBA) | Offensive Rating: 106.4 (11th NBA) |
| Defensive Rating: 102.6 (7th NBA) | Defensive Rating: 106.9 (20th NBA) |
| Pace: 91.2 (20th NBA) | Pace: 94.2 (6th NBA) |
Last time
The Warriors smoked the Celtics, 101-83, in December. The Celtics played without Rondo and any ability to shoot the ball.
This time
Get it to: Paul Pierce
The Truth was embarrassed in the first game vs Golden State. He shot 4-20 and looked very old playing against the 20 year old Harrison Barnes. Let’s resurrect my analysis: “This may have been the worst basketball I’ve seen Paul Pierce play, and I watched a lot of games in the lost seasons (1999-2006).”
I’m expecting a lot more tonight from the savvy veteran. He remembers what happened in that game and will seek redemption.
Gotta stop: Stephen Curry
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few days, you’re aware that Curry scored 54 against the Knicks on Wednesday night. He made 11 of 13 3 FGs. We’re all salivating at the chance to watch Avery Bradley and Curry lock horns, but this will be a team effort.
The Wild Card: Perimeter defense
Guess who leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage? The Warriors at 39.8%. The Celtics rank 5th (34.2%) in Opp. 3 FG. Curry gets all the attention (and deservedly so, he’s shooting 46%) but Klay Thompson, Jarrett Jack and Harrison Barnes are all shooting better than 36% from 3.
How we see it goin’ down
The Celtics have won 7 straight at home and own a 94.8 defensive rating* at the Garden this season. The Warriors are a high-scoring, fast-paced team. Can we dumb it down and say if the Celtics play their brand of defense, they win this game?
Celtics 101
Warriors 93
*Thanks to Chris Forsberg for the stat
David Lee. He’s pissed that he couldn’t play in his return to MSG the other night. He’s also well rested against a Celtics interior defense that has been less than fierce. Watch out for him tonight…hope Boston doesn’t focus to much on Steph and let Lee have a 20 & 20 paint party.
If someone will put Chris Wilcox in the game often enough, we don’t have to worry about David Lee.
“Someone”..being Doc. I hope he does..not sure why he has Wilcox in the doghouse..or did for a while anyway
Maybe cuz he plays zero defense. I like wilcox’s energy, but he’s a sieve defensively. He’s been better as of late. It needs to continue going forward. Lee/Bradley my eyes on you tonight…I wanna see a comPlete suffocation of curry. They’re capable….let’s go!!!!
You got your wish! If not for 10 points on FT’s, Curry would’ve had 15 tonight..they were great on him. Ref called a couple of total BS fouls on Avery too.
Doc’s all about effort. Collins was terrible, but it did seem like he gave everything he had at all times—there just wasn’t much there to give. With Wilcox, he seems to drift in and out of focus at times.
I’m pretty pumped for this game. Legs are rested, and we need payback for what happened when we came out to the bay area in december. Sitting there at the oracle, I was embarassed for that performance. We need this one
How I see it going down: celtics lose by 8, Curry 23 points
A very solid victory.
Nice call on the prediction!
Raoul- better luck next time