Celtics (13-39) at Suns (40-12) 2/21

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Boston Celtics (13-39) at Phoenix Suns (40-12)
Wednesday, February 21
9:00 PM Eastern time
NBALP (DTV 758), FSNE
US Airways Center


Probable Starting Matchups:
Point Guard
West vs Nash

Shooting Guard
Pierce vs Bell

Center
Jefferson vs Stoudamire

Power Forward
Scalabrine vs Marion

Small Forward
Gomes vs Diaw



Key Bench Players

Wally/Perk/Rondo/Green

Key Bench Players

Banks/Barbosa/Jones/Thomas

Key Matchup
vs
Playing against Stoudamire will be good experience for Jefferson. Stoudamire is all the way back from his injury and playing strong.

Keys to game:
I am not sure there is anything we can do to win this game unless Phoenix plays below their normal level. They are a veteran team with great chemistry and hold the advantage at every position except at Shooting Guard with Pierce. Nash is back and with him at the point they are a very strong team. Both teams are playing the second of back to back games so neither will have the advantage in that area. Doc insists on starting Scal at Center or PF and also West at the point. We are a much better team starting Rondo at the point and NOT starting Scal. I liked the starting lineup that Celtics.com had for the Kings game that Doc didn't use and that is Rondo at the 1, West at the 2, Pierce at the 3, Gomes at the 4, and Al a the 5.

If we do win, we will need to
Play tough defense without any lapses from start to finish. Against the Kings we played good D at the end but virtually none for the first 3 quarters.
We will need to shoot a very good percentage
Limit turnovers and play team ball We seemed to get away from the passing game and when we did pass, they were bad passes that ended up in turnovers.
RUN! we will have to run on both offenses and defense because we know the Suns will.

Catching the Suns at a bad time, Nash is back and they're gonna be rolling again...

For the second game in a row, Celtics.com is reporting that Rondo is starting at the point and West moves to the 2. I like that lineup, but Doc didn't go with it last night and I doubt he goes with it tonight because it makes too much sense.

We're gonna get SPANKED like a little kid who stole something.

The sad part is that the C's have the personnel to run the same system as the Suns and be good at it... I'd love for Mike Iavaroni to be the coach next year...

Scal starting again... I swear, I get angrier and angrier each time he starts a game in the NBA.

Sloppy passing, but at least they don't look overmatched yet.

Gomes is going to have a big game. He looks hungry.

The 1st quarter is big against the Suns, they usually come out hot and blow teams away right off the bat. They shot 78% in the first quarter last night against the Clips.

Hopefully we can hang in there.

Doing a decent job so far, but Scal is just standing around on defense... Jefferson has to guard both Amare and Thomas...Scal is useless.

If we do end up making any kind of trade we need to toss Scals in just to get rid of the guy!

We're still within striking distance, but this isn't a good team to be trailing.

Christ, Jefferson needs to learn how to take a charge...he's just getting abused by Amare because he's scared he'll foul. All he has to do is stand his ground and take the charge.

lol.

Phoenix pbp guy: "Those are some bizarre substitutions late in the game from the Boston Celtics..."

so true...so sad.

It's so painful to watch West ignore a wide open Gerald Green... Telfair looked really good tonight.

You know it's bad when the opposing team even mentions how bad your substitutions are.

^ Well looks like where not the only ones who see how terrible Doc is.

OH!

Another Loss Closer To Oden.