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Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« on: December 17, 2009, 12:20:04 PM »

Offline FLCeltsFan

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Philadelphia 76ers (6-19) at Boston Celtics (20-4)
Friday, December 18
7:30 PM ET
Game #25, Home Game #12
TV:  CSNHD, CSN-P, NBA LP 754
Radio:   WEEI, WIP
TD Garden




Probable Starters

Rajon Rondo  PPG 12.0 APG 9.5 SPG 2.5

Ray Allen   PPG 15.5 APG 3.0 3P% .364

Paul Pierce  PPG 18.0  RPG 4.4  APG 3.8

Kevin Garnett  PPG 15.3  RPG 7.5  BPG 0.7   

Kendrick Perkins  PPG 12.0   RPG 7.5  BPG 1.9

Reserves
Rasheed Wallace
Eddie House
Shelden Williams
JR Giddens
Brian Scalabrine
Tony Allen   

Injuries
Glen Davis (thumb) out
Marquis Daniels  (wrist)  out

D-League
Bill Walker   
Lester Hudson




Probable Starters

Jrue Holiday    PPG  5.9  RPG 2.7  SPG 1.0

Willie Green   PPG 8.0  APG 2.3   3P% .333

Andre Iguodala    PPG 19.7  APG 5.5  3P% .324

Thaddeus Young   PPG 16.0  RPG 5.4  BPG 0.1

Samuel Dalembert   PPG 6.5  RPG 8.4  BPG 2.0

Reserves
Rodney Carney
Willie Green
Royal Ivey
Jason Smith
Elton Brand
Jason Kapono
Mareese Speights
Primoz Brezec 

Injuries
Lou Williams (jaw)  out
Allen Iverson (knee, shoulder)  out

Team Connections
Tom Thibodeau was an assistant coach in Philadelphia from 1994-96
Eddie House and Elton Brand were teammate on the L.A. Clippers during the 2003-04 season
Primoz Brezec and Rasheed Wallace were teammates in Detroit during the 2007-08 season
Elton Brand and Shelden Williams are former Duke Blue Devils
Royal Ivey and Shelden Williams were teammates in Atlanta during the 2006-07 season
Shelden Williams and Rodney Carney were teammates in Minnesota during the 2008-09 season.

Key Matchups
  vs 
Ray Allen vs Allen Iverson
Ray Allen will have his hands full staying with Allen Iverson, who is getting acclimated with his new/old team and has been playing very well.  He is shooting 50% from beyond the arc and is trying to prove to Philly that they made the right choice in bringing him back.  Ray should be able to get some open shots as unless AI has turned over a new leaf to play defense also. 

  vs 
Paul Pierce vs Andre Iguodala
Andre Iguodala is a handful for any player to guard.  Pierce's defense will be needed to try to slow him down as he can put up big numbers if left open anywhere on the court as he is also a threat from beyond the arc.  He is also a good defender and Pierce will have to work to get any open looks.     

Game Notes
• The C’s are currently 2-0 against the Sixers this season; the Celtics swept the season series 4-0 against Philadelphia in 2008-09
• Ray Allen led the Celtics with 20.7 points per game last season
• Andre Iguodala led the 76ers with 17.5 points per game against the Celtics last season
• The 2008-09 season sweep marked the first time since the 1995-96 season that the Celtics swept the season series with the 76ers
• The Celtics are leading the all-time series 236-175 with the Celtics 138-48 at home

This is the 3rd meeting between these two teams this season.  The Celtics beat the Sixers in Philly 105-74 earlier in the season.  They also won 113-110 in Boston to begin their current win streak.  Since that last victory in Boston, these two teams have been going in opposite directions.   The Sixers have gone 1-9 in that time while the Celtics have won 10 straight. 

The Celtics haven't been as dominant at home as they have been on the road.  They are 8-3 at home while losing only once on the road.  The Sixers have been dismal on the road, however, with a 2-10 record. 

Just after finishing this thread, I read on CSN Philly that Iverson will out vs the Celtics.  I'm not sure what Philly will do to fill in for his absence.  They may just start Willie Green at SG or they may shift their lineup to what it was when they last played the Celtics with Iguodala at SG and You at SF and Brand at PF.  Their game notes still have Iverson starting. 

In spite of the Sixers' losing streak and poor record, the Celtics need to take them seriously because if they don't, they could get burned.  With Allen Iverson, Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young in the starting lineup, they have plenty of firepower to put points on the board.  They also have firepower off the bench with Elton Brand and Jason Kapono.  The Celtics need to continue to emphasize defense and not hope to trade baskets with the Sixers. 

Keys to the Game
Defense
As I have said many times before, defense is going to be the key to every game this season and to winning the championship.   We have seen the Celtics' smothering defense on the road, now they need to focus on keeping it at home as well.  The Sixers are a good 3 point shooting team and so the Celtics need to defend the perimeter as well as the paint. 

Rebound
The Sixers have a good rebounding team and with Allen Iverson back, he will push the ball up for easy baskets if the Celtics allow them to get rebounds.  They will also get second chance points as Iguodala is one of the best in getting put backs and taking advantage if given a second chance at scoring.    Much of rebounding is effort and desire and the Celtics must come into this game with both. 

Play 48 Minutes
The Celtics tend to start off slowly, choosing to trade baskets in the first half,and only after they fall behind or play even for awhile do they amp up the defense and pull ahead.   The Celtics need to get back to strong starts and playing the entire game instead of playing defense in spurts in the first half and clamping down in the second. 

X-Factor
Rest vs Rust
It's always hard to tell how a few days off will affect a team.  Usually, the Celtics come out strong after 3 days off.  But we have also seen teams come out rusty and take awhile to get back into a rhythm.  Hopefully, the Celtics will come out rejuvenated and put the Sixers away early.   


« Last Edit: December 18, 2009, 08:26:26 AM by FLCeltsFan »

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2009, 12:39:26 PM »

Offline Cman

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TP4UFLCF.

I wish this was being broadcast on a network to which I have access, like ESPN or TNT.

It'll be interesting to see Iverson on the Sixers again.
Celtics fan for life.

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2009, 02:42:34 PM »

Offline FLCeltsFan

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I just got this all done and saw a report that Iverson will be out vs the Celtics with arthritis in his knee and a shoulder contusion.  Will adjust the thread accordingly

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2009, 03:22:10 PM »

Offline RAcker

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I just got this all done and saw a report that Iverson will be out vs the Celtics with arthritis in his knee and a shoulder contusion.  Will adjust the thread accordingly

Wow. This may actually improve their chances.   ;)

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #4 on: December 18, 2009, 12:52:09 PM »

Offline houlana

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thats a bummer. i wanter iverson to play.

hopefully the C's will take care of business. they have looked great on the road, shaky at home.

want to see this trend end, and have the starters sit out the end of the game.

by the way, when is Davis supposed to be back?

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #5 on: December 18, 2009, 12:56:45 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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TP FL. Not because this game thread is any better than any of the other awesomely excellent game threads you put together, but more because it's just so good to know we are going to see some Celtics basketball again tonight. Your game thread reminds me that, gonna channel my inner Rock here,

"Finally..... the Celtics have come back to Bossssssssston!!!"


Bring on large men in green. It's been a while.

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2009, 01:03:05 PM »

Offline Tai

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thats a bummer. i wanter iverson to play.

hopefully the C's will take care of business. they have looked great on the road, shaky at home.

want to see this trend end, and have the starters sit out the end of the game.

by the way, when is Davis supposed to be back?

It's been posted here or there somewhere (helpful huh?) that BBD may be going on the next road trip. Before, it was Dec 27th vs the Clippers. Hopefully he could make the game against the Magic.

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2009, 01:12:42 PM »

Offline CbrewEra

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I got tickets to this game, really was lookin forward to seein iverson, what a **** bummer, i now dislike him more than ever.
"He trades like a drunk Texas oilman trying to impress a beautiful woman"

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2009, 01:23:13 PM »

Offline RAcker

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thats a bummer. i wanter iverson to play.

hopefully the C's will take care of business. they have looked great on the road, shaky at home.

want to see this trend end, and have the starters sit out the end of the game.

by the way, when is Davis supposed to be back?

It's been posted here or there somewhere (helpful huh?) that BBD may be going on the next road trip. Before, it was Dec 27th vs the Clippers. Hopefully he could make the game against the Magic.
Yeah, it'd be nice to see him shove that fat guy's kid again.  ;)

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2009, 01:52:46 PM »

Offline Drucci

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TP FL!

I will be there for the game tonight and I'm really excited about it, hoping that the C's will get dominant once again in Boston since they have lacked that dominance in their last games in Beantown.

Should be an easy game if we play at our level and not at the level of our opponent. Definitely the ideal game to start the Christmas Holidays! :) Let's increase the winning streak, go Celtics!

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #10 on: December 18, 2009, 02:04:31 PM »

Offline GreenFaith1819

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TP for you FLCeltsFAN and thx for post!

As long as we continue to play the way we have played during our streak we shouldn't have any problems. Would like to see a blowout at home for once, but I won't nitpick.

The extra rest should be a help for the C's as well.

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #11 on: December 18, 2009, 02:10:17 PM »

Offline Surferdad

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Sixers are a high energy athletic team and that could be a problem for the C's.

I'll be looking at that Dalembert-Perkins matchup as key.  It was only a few years ago that we were talking about them as more or less comparable.  I want Perk to continue to show he is the better center.

I also would have liked to see Iverson again.

Brand comes off the bench now?

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #12 on: December 18, 2009, 02:20:17 PM »

Online Amonkey

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Sixers are a high energy athletic team and that could be a problem for the C's.

I'll be looking at that Dalembert-Perkins matchup as key.  It was only a few years ago that we were talking about them as more or less comparable.  I want Perk to continue to show he is the better center.

I also would have liked to see Iverson again.

Brand comes off the bench now?

Also, the Celtics haven't been impressive at home on Fridays for some reason.  Not that I am worried, but hey, I guess it's worth a mention.  I look forward to seeing my Celtics.  My life has changed in so many ways since they last played.  Not really, but it feels like it.  Last monday seems so far away.
Baby Jesus!

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #13 on: December 18, 2009, 03:17:09 PM »

Offline FLCeltsFan

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Brand comes off the bench now?

They have been using him as their 6th man this season. Depending on whether they move Willie Green into the starting lineup or move Iguodala to SG,and Young to SF, they may start him with AI being out. 

Re: Sixers (6-19) at Celtics (20-4) 12/18
« Reply #14 on: December 18, 2009, 03:30:13 PM »

Offline xmuscularghandix

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Will be recording. So i won't be part of the thread.