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7 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 [...]

3
8 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
8 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
8 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
11 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
12 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 [...]

8
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Game 32/66: Celtics (15-16) @ Thunder (25-7) Open Thread

Boston at Oklahoma City
7:00 PM
Chesapeake Energy Arena
ESPN

Offensive Efficiency:
Boston: 97.9 points per 100 possessions (23rd)
Oklahoma City: 106.1 points per 100 possessions (2nd)

Defensive Efficiency:
Boston: 95.3 points per 100 possessions (3rd)
Oklahoma City: 99.2 points per 100 possessions (14th)

Probable OKC Starters: Russell Westbrook (PG), James Harden (SG), Kevin Wayne Durant (SF), Serge Jonas Ibaka Ngobila  (PF), Kendrick Le’Dale Perkins (C)

View From The Opposing Bench: Daily Thunder

Injury Report:
Boston: Chris Wilcox, Brandon Bass, and Jermaine O’Neal
are all out with injuries. Rajon Rondo is serving a time out. Kevin Garnett will play and Greg Stiemsma will start.
Oklahoma City: Thabo Sefolosha is out.

 

For those of you that think Rondo getting suspended is evidence that the NBA is rigged for some reason, consider that he’s sitting out for two national television games that the Celtics weren’t favored in to begin with. The league would prefer he play in these games.

Of course, with KG in and Rondo out, the Celtics are about to replicate a tweaked version of the lineup that crushed Orlando in consecutive games almost exactly one month ago. This could be a fun test to see if the defense is tighter without Rondo, as some have been speculating. Of course, Oklahoma City is much better than Orlando.

Possibly of interest in the absence of a competitive game will be increased minutes for JaJuan Johnson, Avery Bradley, and Greg Stiemsma. Stiemsma will start with the top two centers out: the last time he got more than 20 minutes, he put up 13 points on 5-7 shooting. Since then he’s taken 17 shots in 20 games. Should be fun to watch him tonight, along with Johnson and Bradley trying to build on their efficient scoring performances against Dallas. (UPDATE: Stiemsma’s not starting anymore. Mickael Pietrus is, moving Pierce to the 4 and Garnett to the 5. Weird!)

Blah blah Kendrick Perkins blah Kevin Durant blah James Harden’s beard. Enjoy the game!

PREDICTION
Celtics 85, Thunder 91

 

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