Preview: A Shamrock vs. A Guy Holding a Lightning Bolt

Posted by Brendan Jackson on Nov 18, 2009 42960 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2009%2F11%2F18%2Fpreview-a-shamrock-vs-a-guy-holding-a-lightning-bolt%2FPreview%3A+A+Shamrock+vs.+A+Guy+Holding+a+Lightning+Bolt2009-11-18+20%3A00%3A09Brendan+Jacksonhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D4296

Boston vs. Golden State
7:30 P.M.
TD Bank Garden
CSN

Opposing viewpoint: Warriors World

Boston: 109.1 points/100 possessions (7th);

Golden State: 109.5 points/100 (6th)

Defensive Efficiency

Boston: 97.8 points allowed/100 possessions (1st)

Golden State: 111.9 points/100 (27th)

Injury Report:

Celtics: OUT:  Tony Allen, Glen Davis PROBABLE: Paul Pierce

Warriors: OUT: Kelenna Azubuike, Raja Bell, C.J. Watson, Ronny Turiaf, Brandan Wright  QUESTIONABLE: Devean George, Andris Biedrins

Regardless of how poorly the Celtics have played their last two games, they are still a strong, cohesive team.  Pretty much the antithesis of the Golden State Warriors.  This week the Warriors traded away arguably their most consistent player for a guy who won’t play this season (Raja Bell) and a guy who just can’t play (Vladimir Radmanovic), at least against the Celtics…at least against Paul Pierce.   This team is more dysfunctional than Bobby and Whitney and might be just what the Doctor ordered for the C’s to get back on the winning path.

WHAT THE WARRIORS DO WELL/DID WELL LAST YEAR

The Warriors are one of those teams with the unique ability to lull a team into playing as poorly as they do.  The problem is they have some pretty solid players so when they force their opposing team to play as poorly as they do, they give themselves a chance to win.  The good thing about these players (for the Celtics) is that they all fancy themselves unstoppable one-on-one players.  I caught some of the Warriors-Cavs game last night and for the four minutes I watched I saw Corey Maggette and Monta Ellis try and beat the Cavs by themselves.  The game was close because Lebron did much of the same for the Cavs.   The Celtics don’t do stuff like that.

WHAT THE WARRIORS DO POORLY/DID POORLY LAST YEAR

Aside from keeping their players happy?  Let’s see…The Warriors have almost n0 interior presence with Biedrins and Turiaf out.  To put that in perspective, the Warriors starting front court was Mikki Moore and Vladimir Radmanovic.  Enough said.

PLAYER WHO WORRIES ME

Anthony Randolph….okay, not really, but this guy was a preseason stud and a freak athlete/ of nature.  I think he’ll be a real nice player in this league- just not right now.  The true player that worries me is Anthony Morrow.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I haven’t exactly seen Morrow play a whole lot as I don’t have NBA League Pass (Ahhh blasphemy!) but I have seen him fill up a box score.

PLAYER WHO DOES NOT WORRY ME

Mikki Moore.  Our old friend comes back to Boston with his new team.  Of course, as fans we wish him well but he has a real chance to get embarrassed tonight.  Imagine Moore being the primary defender of Garnett and/ or Perkins.  Well, you don’t have to, because you’ll see it tonight.

WHAT WE WANT TO SEE FROM THE C’s TONIGHT

Exploit their Post Dominance.  This Warriors is young and likes to run which doesn’t bode well for the C’s unless Rondo is going coast to coast taking right handed layups from the left side.  I want to see Moore try to body Perk and I want to see Vlad fake an injury.  Honestly, if it is in their repertoire, I honestly would not be surprised to see the Warriors play a zone. 

I also want to see the C’s get back to being a dominant defensive team.  I want to see hard close outs on Golden State’s shooters and I don’t want to see anyone get in the lane.  Too much to ask?  Perhaps but regardless, I want to see some fire.  Basically, I just want to see a game, these Saturday to Wednesday breaks drive me crazy (as a fan, I love them for the health and rest aspects for the team). 

Final Thoughts and Prediction after the jump.

PREDICTION:  Whose to say?  Although seeing a close Cavs/ Warriors game last night gives me little comfort, I think the back-to-back will hurt them enough.  Imagine having to play Cleveland and Boston back to back…when you only dress seven players…and you have a new guy in your starting line up…and you have a bad team….

Yeah.  Hopefully this will be a nice little blowout  to make us forget about the back-to-back losses last week.  Celtics 105, Warriors 90