Celtics (10-18) at Sonics (12-19) 12/31

at

Boston Celtics (10-18) at Seattle Supersonics (12-19)
New Year's Eve 12/31
10:00 Eastern time
Key Arena


Coaching Matchup
vs
Doc Rivers vs Bob Hill

Probable Starters
Point Guard
PPG 9 | APG 3.1 | 3P% .368 VS PPG 15.1 | APG 6.3 | SPG 1.3

Shooting Guard
PPG 9.3 | APG 1.4 | 3P% .158 vs PPG 7.9 | APG 4.2 | SPG 1

Small Forward
PPG 6.9 | RPG 2.4 | BPG 0.4 vs PPG 24.7 | APG 3.6 | 3P% .325

Power Forward
PPG 11.1 | RPG 6 | BPG 0.2 vs PPG 12.3 | RPG 7.9 | BPG 0.5

Center
PPG 13.1 | RPG 9.6 | BPG 1.5 vs PPG 1.4 | RPG 0.7 | BPG 0
Celtics
West, Allen, Green, Gomes, and Jefferson
Sonics
Ridnour, Watson, Allen, Wilcox, Glyniadakis

Key off the Bench
vs
Perk vs Sene

INJURIES:
Celtics - Center Theo Ratliff (sore back), Forward Paul Pierce (stress reaction) are out. Delonte West (sore back) and Wally Szczerbiak (sore right ankle) sat out Saturday's practice at Oracle Arena but are expected to play on Sunday.
Sonics - Forward Rashard Lewis (strained tendon sheath, right hand) is out. Center Robert Swift (torn right ACL) is out. Center Danny Fortson (sore knee) is out.

Keys to Game:
The key to winning more games would actually be to get a new coach. In the meantime, here are some things we need to concentrate on.

Get the ball inside. We have been settling for way too many outside shots that haven't been falling for us. We need to either drive to the basket and kick out to the open man or lay it in, or find Jefferson or Gomes under the basket. Special to Wally who is 5 for 25 in his last two games. If they aren't falling, stop shooting.

Defense. During our 5 game win streak, we were playing defense and getting stops. Since then, we have been playing defense very spariningly. Each player on the floor needs to commit to defense.

Be aggressive. We come out flat and let the other team set the tone of the game. We need to be aggressive in attacking the basket and playing hustle in your face defense.

I think this is going to be another case of the Celtics just getting outscored, Id like to see Delonte or Gerald at least come out and have a decent game, they've been somewhat disapointing since Pierce has been out

No Shard. Last game with the new ball. First of a back to back.

I think the Celtics should be able to win this one. Sonics D isn't anything to write home about and they have a very depleted frontcourt.

BTW, nice pre-game reports FLCF

Update to game thread

The Herald is reporting that Doc is planning to start Wally tonight in spite of just a few days ago saying that he likes Wally coming off the bench. Ok, explain to me again why Wally starts over Green? According to everyone else, Green has been progressing and has been playing well. In the past two games Wally has been 5-25 from the field, 1-6 from 3, with 5 assists and 13 rebounds. Green has been 8 -17 from the field, 7-11 from 3, with 4 assists and 8 rebounds. Can you show me where Wally is out playing Green enough to get the start in his place? Please don't tell me it is his defense either because Green's defense has been much better than Wally's, even before the ankle sprains.

It takes a lot to disgust a koolaid drinker like me, but Doc is really pushing it. Even Bulpett sounds incredulous that Doc is making this move. It really makes no sense. Now is the time to give Green minutes. Instead, Doc chooses to run a gimpy Wally into the ground. Ok, off my soap box.

Also reported is that Telfair has a cold and missed the morning's shoot around but should play tonight. With Telfair not feeling well, Rondo should get playing time but I wouldn't bet on it.

Also, Sene will probably be starting in place of Glyniadakis.

Wally starts over Green strictly on the fact that Wally is a veteran in the leauge...and maybe Doc figures that Gerald will add a little explosiveness to the second unit...still Doc has had me slamming my head into the wall all year with moves like these

Sene is starting at Center for SEA.

I think BOS will beat my Sonics. It's all about the boards, whoever controls the boards will win.

Eh...I dunno...we can be a pretty miserable team when it comes to rebounding and turnovers, and with Pierce out we dont really have a #1 offensive option like you guys do in Allen

heykid wrote:Sene is starting at Center for SEA.

I think BOS will beat my Sonics. It's all about the boards, whoever controls the boards will win.

Considering that Doc keeps one of our best rebounders on the bench and one of our other rebounders is struggling to get his timing back after 3 weeks out with plantar fasciitis, One of the others (Gomes) has been in a slump of some sort. and so that leaves us not being the greatest rebounding club.

Yea the fact that I keep hearing how hard up we are for another big makes it that much more frustrating to see Powe sit on the bench every game...and why on earth is Doc playing Sebastian at the 2 guard?!

The C's had more then enough chances to get back into this game, I thought that Doc did a decent job coaching although I would have liked to see Leon Powe play and try to stop some of those points scored in the paint by Seattle. I thought Seattle looked awful and we just looked god awful. Tony Allen had another big night, Al Jefferson another double double and Rajon Rondo finally got some decent minutes and looked good on the offensive end, the Celtics were just too sloppy and really gave this game to Seattle