Share this
Mister Wong
Digg
Del.icio.us
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Netscape
Furl
Yahoo
Blogmarks
Technorati
Newsvine
Blinkbits
Googlize this
Blinklist
Facebook
Wikio
Tags
The Celtics, fresh off a relatively easy win in Cleveland last night, host the Charlotte Bobcats tonight at 7:30 p.m EST at the TD Garden in Boston.
The youthful Bobcats, led by wingman extraordinaire Gerald Wallace, and the point guard tandem of Ray Felton and D.J. Augustin, enter the 2009-2010 season looking to improve upon last year's 35-47 record, and possibly make a run towards the playoffs.
An extremely athletic team that has given the Celtics fits in the past (especially in 2007-2008 when the Bobcats gave Boston 2 of their 16 regular season losses), Charlotte shook things up this past offseason, exchanging starter and former #1 pick overall Emeka Okafor for Tyson Chandler of the New Orleans Hornets. The Bobcats hope that the acquisition of Chandler helps improve their defense, an area of emphasis for Charlotte head coach Larry Brown. Chandler, however, has been limited throughout preseason as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery, and looks to be still rounding himself into playing shape. He is expected to play tonight, though his minutes may be limited.
Guard/forward Raja Bell and guard Ronald "Flip" Murray will also miss tonight's game, leaving the Bobcats shorthanded in the backcourt. Bell, a wily veteran defensive presence, tore ligaments in his left wrist on October 19th, but after receiving a second opinion from a Chicago hand specialist, he's going to attempt to rehab the injury without undergoing surgery. He hopes to be back in a week or so. Murray is out indefinitely, recovering from a stress reaction in his left shin.
The Celtics, in the midst of a stretch of 7 games in 11 days, look to continue to build on Tuesday's successful showing and hope to put this game away early so as to rest their veterans and keep themselves fresh.
On the injury front, the Celtics are still limited to dressing 11 players, as Brian Scalabrine is still recovering from a sprained ankle. Joining him on the sidelines will be Tony Allen (ankle soreness), Glen Davis (broken thumb), and Bill Walker (meniscus tear).
What to Look For:
The Celtics, at least in the Big 3 era, have continually struggled against athletic teams (most notably the Atlanta Hawks during the opening round of the 2008 playoff run). Kevin Garnett will have his hands full on defense chasing around Gerald Wallace, who plays a very scrappy game based on quickness and hustle. Likewise, Rajon Rondo will be tested throughout the game attempting to keep Felton and Augustin in front of him. For the Celtics to be successful, they'll need to limit their turnovers, keep the Bobcats out of transition, and lock down the defensive boards, minimizing those areas of the game which the Bobcats can control with their athleticism.
Without the services of Bell or Murray, Paul Pierce looks to have an advantage on the wing. The Bobcats will probably start the super-buff bruiser Stephen Graham at small forward, but also have rookie Gerald Henderson to throw at Pierce. Look for Paul to have his way with both guys.
On defense, look for the Bobcats to give the Cs fits when they go to their two point guard lineup. Ray Felton and D.J. Augustin are both super-quick, penetrating point guards with good scoring ability. When they are in the game at the same time, the Cs will be forced to either match-up with another small at the 2-guard spot (like Eddie House or Lester Hudson), or take their chances with Ray Allen or Marquis Daniels. Ray Allen especially struggles against quicker players, and coming off a 42-minute night in Cleveland, he could be exposed on the perimeter in this game.
Although he didn't play in Cleveland, rookie Lester Hudson could make his season debut tonight if Felton or Augustin start running wild. Little used 2nd year player J.R. Giddens could also see his first action of the season, especially if the Bobcat athleticism starts to give the Cs problems.
Prediction: Celtics win 96-81. The starters get their rest. Hudson and Giddens make their season debut.
|
To create link towards this article on your website,
copy and paste the text below in your page.
Preview :
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
The Celtics, fresh off a relatively easy win in Cleveland last night, host the Charlotte Bobcats tonight at 7:30 p.m EST at the TD Garden in...
© 2010 - New England Sports Blog
in Titans v. Patriots Preview by Jon Rosario, 10/18 07:03
in Prospects by Joe Hume, 09/24 08:40
Hook up with other NESB members in our realtime 
Have a question for us? Get in touch with any of our authors or staff through our site's 
Have you seen our 
Comments