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4 days ago

(Video) Rajon Rondo Continues To Dominate In Postgame Interview

Rajon Rondo is a tremendous player, but he tends to have a little bit of an issue scoring the ball late in games. I won’t go as far as saying he is scared, but he does pass up shots and defer to teammates in crunch-time….well a lot. Last night though may have been his coming [...]

2
4 days ago

Video: Full Kevin Garnett Reaction After Game 1

Garnett followed up his season-best effort against Atlanta in Game 6 with a new season-high in points and another sensational double-double, as well 60 percent shooting (12-of-20) from the field. Over his past two contests, Garnett is averaging 28.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, two steals and four blocks a game. After the game, KG was candid [...]

2
4 days ago

The Enemies List: Philadelphia, Part II

Before every playoff series this season, we’re doing some rundowns on the opposing roster for each team. Now that the Hawks have been dispensed with, we’re onto the Sixers. Here’s Part II. Players are listed in alphabetical order. Andre Iguodala: There are five guys in the league who have a claim on the title of [...]

4
4 days ago

NBA: Hawks Should Have Had Free Throw on Last-Second Foul

Mike Fratello had it right: the NBA announced today that Al Horford should have been given a free throw on Marquis Daniels’s off-ball foul at the end of Thursday’s game. At the time, ref Eric Lewis ruled that Daniels’s foul had occurred after the throw-in, making him probably the only person in the arena who [...]

1
8 days ago

Game 6 Time Set For Thursday Night

Boston will face off with the Hawks on Thursday night at 8pm at TD Garden. The broadcast can be seen on TNT or CSN locally. There was a risk that it would be a 6pm tip for Boston-Atlanta, if the Nuggets failed to extend the series last night against the Lakers. That would have created [...]

3
9 days ago

Atlanta Shakes Up Starting Five For Game 5

Desperate times call for desperate measures and after a blowout in Game 4, Atlanta’s head coach Larry Drew is going to shake things up a bit and add some bulk to his starting five at each position. Kirk Hinrich and Jason Collins will head to the bench, while Marvin Williams will be inserted at small [...]

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Game 14/66: Suns (5-9) @ Celtics (5-8) Open Thread

Phoenix at Boston
7:30 PM
TD Garden
CSNNE

Offensive Efficiency:
Boston: 99.1 points/100 possessions (16th)
Phoenix: 101.4 points/100 possessions (11th)

Defensive Efficiency:
Boston: 100.6 points/100 possessions (17th)  
Phoenix: 103.5 points/100 possessions (25th)

Probable Phoenix Starters: Stephen John Nash (PG), Jared Dudley (SG), Grant Henry Hill (SF),  Channing Frye (PF), Marcin Gortat (C)

Injury Report:
Phoenix: None.
Boston: Rajon Rondo is not in the building, so Avery Bradley will start. Keyon Dooling and Chris Wilcox are out. Jermaine O’Neal is permanently day-to-day.

View From The Opposing Bench: Valley of the Suns

THUMBNAIL

I only just remembered today that Kevin Garnett flicked Channing Frye in the clementines last season. What a treat that rivalry is. The next and last time the Celtics faced the Suns, Garnett added insult to Frye’s actual injury by burning him for 28 points on 12 of 14 shooting. That was a simpler time: Vince Carter and Nenad Krstic started. Mickael Pietrus was on the other team. Aaron Brooks was in the United States. The only Celtics bench player still with the team was Avery Bradley, who shot 1-4. The more things change, man. The more things change.

This season, both teams are old and struggling with the young talent that has disrespectfully taken over their divisions without permission. The once high-powered Phoenix offense has fallen out of the top ten, making them a great matchup for the declining Celtics defense. Only one will emerge tonight with the coveted sixth win.

PREGAME ANALYSIS

Avery Bradley is somehow starting tonight, but at least he’ll be matched up with Steve Nash, the most offensively lopsided player in history. Bradley, possibly the most defensively lopsided player in history, will have his hands full with Nash on one end, and they’ll both basically check out of the game on the other end. It would be great, though, to see Bradley drive past Nash’s cardboard cutout to the rim on several occasions tonight. Other players will also enjoy favorable matchups: Pierce will go up against Grant Hill, possibly the only time he’ll get someone older than he is. Garnett will face Frye, and already knows his weak spots. Ray Allen’s struggles, on the other hand, could continue: the Suns have upgraded on defense from VC to Jared Dudley, who shines at overpowering smaller guards and looking like Jim Jones.

PREDICTION
C’s 94, Suns 88

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