Charlotte at Boston
TD Garden
7:30 PM
CSNNE

Offensive Efficiency

Charlotte: 92.0 points/100 possessions (30th)
Boston: 100.0 points/100 possessions (17th)

Defensive Efficiency

Charlotte: 106.4 points allowed/100 possessions (28th)
Boston: 94.5 points allowed/100 possessions (2nd)

Probable Charlotte starters: Kemba Walker (PG), Reggie Williams (SG), Boris Diaw (SF), Tyrus Thomas (PF), Bismack Biyombo (C)

View from opposing bench: Queen City Hoops

REVENGE

Eight long years ago, the Charlotte Bobcats selected Brandon Hunter in the 2004 Expansion Draft.  Hunter, if you don’t recall, was one of the first second round sensations Danny Ainge was able to select during his tenure as GM of the C’s.

Like many great second round picks before him, Hunter was an under sized power forward that played well above his station and seemed poised to blaze the trail for the undersized power forwards to come (Ryan Gomes, Leon Powe, and Glen Davis).  Unfortunately, after showing promise in 12 games during the 2003-2004 NBA season, the Charlotte Bobcats pilfered Hunter from the C’s and promptly traded him 5 months later to the Magic for Keith Bogans.  Hunter’s career was never the same.

Now, every time Celtics play the Bobcats it’s a revenge game.  The Ballad of Brandon Hunter rages on tonight as the C’s look to stay on track against the worst team in the league.  You could make an argument that the Wizards and/or Nets are worse, but I won’t.

WHY IT’S WORTH WATCHING

Say it with me now: BIZ-MAK BEE-OM-BO!

This guy has Serge Ibaka athleticism and an awesome name to boot.  Hopefully, you’ll see him block some shots and dunk some balls tonight.

We’ll have more as the night continues including the injury report and the pregame interview with Doc Rivers.  Follow us @CelticsHub for that schtuff and in-game Tweets!

Memphis at Boston

Offensive Efficiency

Memphis: 101.2 points/100 possessions (21st)
Boston: 101.8 points/100 possessions (19th)

Defensive Efficiency

Memphis: 99.8 points allowed/100 possessions (8th)
Boston: 98.0 points allowed/100 possessions (3rd)

Probable Memphis starters: Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Rudy Gay, Maurice Speights Marc Gasol

View from opposing bench: 3 Shades of Blue

Injury Report: Marquis Daniels (ankle) is out. Keyon Dooling (hip) and Jermaine O’Neal (knee) are game-time decisions. Brandon Bass will start if O’Neal can’t go.

The Grizz have dropped five of seven overall, including a meltdown Friday night against the Thunder. I caught up with the boys at ESPNBoston for a quick 3-on-3 for today’s matinee for a quick take on all things Memphis. You can check out the full piece by clicking HERE

1. What’s the biggest concern for Memphis?
Health combined with a competitive Western Conference. The talent is clearly there, but a solid playoff seed will be tough to manage with Zach Randolph sidelined a couple more weeks and so many teams playing well around them. Like we saw last year though, this will be a team to watch when they get healthy.

2. Do C’s still miss TA?
Without a doubt. Allen has continued to improve on both ends of the floor since he left Boston, providing the defensive energy and, surprisingly, now some consistent offense (averaging 10 points per game; 17.3 over in his last three games). Given the fact the C’s would have likely retained Allen had they forked over an extra year or a couple extra million dollars, it still has to be a bit upsetting to C’s fans.

3. Prediction for both games Sunday?
Same score for both games? Wait, that won’t work. Let’s go for a Boston sweep though. C’s, 87-85 in a defensive “thriller,” and Pats get revenge, 23-20.

Toronto at Boston
7:30 PM
TD Garden
CSNNE

Offensive Efficiency
Boston: 99.2 points/100 possessions (19th)
Toronto: 94.0 points/100 possessions (27th)

Defensive Efficiency
Boston: 95.7 points/100 possessions (4th)
Toronto: 99.9 points/100 possessions (17th)

Probable Toronto Starters: Jose Calderon (PG) Jerryd Bayless (SG), DeMar DeRozan (SF), James Johnson (PF), Amir Johnson (C)

View from the Opposing Bench: Raptors Republic

Injury Report
Boston: Rajon Rondo (Kleiza’d wrist) is out. Keyon Dooling (hip pointer) is out.
Toronto: Andrea Bargnani (too much pasta) is out.

THUMBNAIL
This one has the potential to be nasty/entertaining if the Celtics decide to enact any kind of physical revenge against the Raptors for injuring Rajon Rondo last time out. It could turn into a blowout. It also has the potential to be a deadbeat SEGABABA with Boston bricking jumpers and playing just enough defense to let Toronto hang around till the fourth quarter. There’s probably a third option but I’d bet on one of those two.

Also, in case the bait above didn’t get you to click, I’m embedding the youtube clip of this Bargnani all-star promo from The Basketball Jones. It’s one of the most joyful things about the Raptors these days, besides that weird hologram and the joyfully creepy alternate Raptor mascot. Actually, I’m going to give you that one too.

PREGAME ANALYSIS

It’s a cakewalk!

The Raptors return to Boston without Bargnani, which will probably cripple their already-terrible offense. Bayless, who never seems to be healthy against Boston, could cause some problems, but beyond that, DeRozan is having a brutal year, and there’s not much shot creation on this team. A modicum of effort on rotations and closeouts should pin the Raps to the perimeter and allow Boston to rebound and run. On top of that, if the Celtics move the ball like they did against Cleveland last night, this Raptors team will surrender good shots.

It’s a trap!

This one just begs for a half-hearted effort from the Celtics, who know Toronto is missing its best player, and who have the perfect offensive and defensive schemes to shut the Raps down — if they’re engaged enough to do so. If the C’s come out sluggish, it may be a grueling night and come down to effort and execution in the last five minutes.

PREDICTION

Boston 97 Toronto 85

Boston at Cleveland
7:00 PM
Quicken Loans Arena
CSNNE

Offensive Efficiency
Boston: 98.9 points/100 possessions (18th)
Cleveland: 97.6 points/100 possessions (22nd)

Defensive Efficiency
Boston: 95.4 points allowed/100 possessions (3rd)
Cleveland: 101.5 points allowed/100 possessions (22nd)

Probable Cleveland Starters: Kyrie Irving (PG), Anthony Parker (SG), Omri Casspi (SF), Antawn Cortez Jamison (PF), Anderson França Varejao (C)

View from the Opposing Bench: Cavs the Blog

Injury Report
Boston: Rajon Rondo is out. Jermaine O’Neal will play.
Cleveland: Anthony Parker and Boobie Gibson are both out.

Tonight the Celtics trudge into an arena named after an online mortgage lender to steal their dignity back after giving it away for free on Sunday night. In the one giant game that spans that game and tonight’s, the Celtics are currently on the wrong end of a 12-0 run and are struggling both to stop Kyrie Irving and score against Brazilian Justin Guarini. But even though Rondo’s still out tonight, Boston remains a better team that Cleveland is, and capable of finding solutions after a two-day halftime.

PREGAME ANALYSIS
The loss earlier this week came down to offensive rebounding, turnovers, and Alonzo Gee shooting nine free throws.

Offensive rebounding: The Cavs had 11 to the Celtics’ 5, including a couple by Anderson Varejao in the final minutes that kept Cleveland alive. Jermaine O’Neal will triumphantly limp onto the court tonight, and he should contribute a lot more on the boards than Brandon Bass did as a starting big. O’Neal was forcing people to question his reputation as a bad rebounder in the games before he got hurt; he actually has the highest rebound rate of any non-blonde Celtic.

Turnovers: Pierce turned the ball over seven times, six of them on bad passes after being forced to act as distributor after the Avery Bradley Point Guard Experiment ended in an unfortunate lab explosion. Pierce needs to realize that he’s not in the game to replace Rondo, or find the same impossible looks that Rondo does (though Pierce has done that successfully on several occasions this past week). He either needs to create offense for himself or hit teammates who find space out of Doc’s playbook.

Alonzo Gee shooting nine free throws: This had never happened before, so there is no research on how to prevent it.

PREDICTION
Celtics 90, Cavs 85

Offensive Efficiency:
Boston: 98.8 points/100 possessions (18th)
Cleveland: 97.6 points/100 possessions (T-21st)

Defensive Efficiency:
Boston: 95.3 points allowed/100 possessions (3rd)
Cleveland: 101.5 points allowed/100 possessions (22nd)

Key Injuries:
Boston: Rajon Rondo is out.  Ray Allen and Keyon Dooling are both questionable.  And it looks like Jermaine O’Neal is going to give it a go.
Cleveland: Injury free.

UPDATE: Boobie Gibson for Cleveland  is out with a stiff neck.  Ray is going to play.  Rondo and Dooling are out.  Jermaine O’Neal is a true game time decision.  Doc still doesn’t know.

Probable Cleveland Starters: Kyrie Irving (PG), Anthony Parker (SG), Omri Casspi (SF), Antawn Jamison (PF), Anderson Varejao (C)

View From The Opposing Bench: Cavs The Blog

THUMBNAIL

The Celtics get their first look at the number one overall pick Kyrie Irving tonight and I doubt the outing will disappoint.  While I have serious doubts about Irving’s ability to become an elite player, it was cool to see him put up an efficient 32 points against the Nets.  I don’t expect the same kind of production against the C’s.  If Avery Bradley can slow down Jameer Nelson and John Wall it’s only natural to assume he’ll pester to rook’ all evening.

On the injury front, the Celtics look like they’ll be without Rajon Rondo, Keyon Dooling, and Ray Allen.  This is all subject to change but honestly, I hope it doesn’t.  The C’s are rolling right now and the none of those players are going to allow Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett to play less minutes.  It’s true that with Rondo and Allen back, Pierce won’t be required to be as versatile but he’s still going to be running up and down as much.

As for the Cavaliers, the league’s worst team last season have played much better this season.  They are still going to need some time before the young guys really put it all together but there are definitely reasons to be encouraged (if you’re a Cavs’ fan, of course).  The Cavs have played pretty well in their wins, sporting double-digit point differentials in 6 out of their 7 victories.  They can score and they also give themselves extra opportunities by how well they rebound the ball offensively.  Brian said as much today in ESPN Boston’s 3-on-3:

Varejao is an absolute menace.  He never stops moving and works hard for every board, point, and scrap he can get on the court.  To Cavs fans, he’s the quintessential energy player.  To everyone else, he’s annoying.  The Celtics will need to do everything necessary to contain him.  And I mean everything:

PREDICTION

There’s really no point in betting against the C’s right now with the way they’re rolling.  Couple that with the fact that the Cavs only have one quality win on the season (1/6 against Minnesota) and the C’s should prevail.

Celtics 101, Cavaliers 93