Celtics (5-2) at Knicks (2-2) 10/21

[FLCeltsFan]

  AT 

Boston Celtics (5-2) at New York Knicks (2-2)
Preseason Game #8 – Road Game #4
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
7:30 PM ET
TV:  CSN, MSG
Radio:  WEEI
Madison Square Garden
New York, NY

Probable Starting Matchups

Rajon Rondo vs Chris Duhon
 
Ray Allen vs Jamal Crawford
 
Paul Pierce vs Quentin Richardson
 
Kevin Garnett vs Wilson Chandler
 
Kendrick Perkins vs Zach Randolph
 
Bench
Tony Allen
Glen Davis
JR Giddens
Eddie House
Leon Powe
Gabe Pruitt
Brian Scalabrine
Bill Walker
Sam Cassell
Patrick O'Bryant
 
Injuries
Rajon Rondo (ankle)  probable
 
  Bench 
Stephon Marbury
Nate Robinson
Anthony Roberson
Patrick Ewing Jr
Dan Grunfeld
Mardy Collins
Malik Rose
Eddy Curry
 
Injuries
Jerome James (quad)  probable
Danilo Gallinari (back) doubtful
David Lee (ankle)  doubtful
Allan Houston  (Quad)  out
Jared Jeffries  (fibula) out
 
The Knicks came into Boston and gave the Celtics their second loss of the preseason.  Now, the Celtics try to return the favor and hand the Knicks a loss in their house.  The Knicks are are playing in the second half of back to back games, having played the Nets the previous night.   
 
Mike D'Antoni has the Knicks running and playing defense and definitely aren't the pushover of previous seasons.  Since this is the Celtics' final game of the preseason,  we should expect to see the starters play more minutes than in previous games and we should also see a rotation that will be closer to what we will see in the regular season. 
 
Matchups to Watch
  vs 
There has been bad blood between these two players in the past including Q Rich calling out Paul Pierce and challenging him to a fight off the court.  This is always an interesting matchup to watch. 

  vs 
  It will be interesting to see if Perk can build on his solid performance against the Nets.   He has traditionally played well against the Knicks.  Randolph is a strong player under the basket and so this should be a real battle in the paint. 

[CountChockula]

I'll be at that game tommrow! In the NBA Skybox Suite

[Emperor Young]

Well they beat us last time.. Marbury looked pretty good, I wonder if he is going to get released? Randolph looked tired through out the game but was effective. I like to see the celtics beat them this time.

[stoyko]

I like D'Antoni but it looks like the same old Knick squad.

[crownsy]

Q rich is taking some of the most comedic shots ive ever seen.

also, new ive deceided on a new commandment for perk.

"thou shall not try a behind the back dribble"

[Surferdad]

Celts look sharp.  2nd quarter and the bench is extending the lead.

Look, there's nothing else on.  Pats game last night.  Baseball is done.

[crownsy]

seriously, q-rich has me in the aisles with some of these shots.

is he trying to get cut?

[liam]

It's only preseason but Gabe Pruitt is for real!

[Cman]

Seems like a good old fashioned whuppin.
 

[Dybdal]

Looking at the boxscore it seems Patrick is getting a DNP yet again, now i havnt seen any preseason games since the rockets game but does anyone have any idea why he's suddonly on doc's blacklist?

[crownsy]

Looking at the boxscore it seems Patrick is getting a DNP yet again, now i havnt seen any preseason games since the rockets game but does anyone have any idea why he's suddonly on doc's blacklist?

doc said he's going to play the starters mostly tonight. i think leon having a beast of a game at the 5 isn't helping either.

EDIT: he just checked in for leon

[Dybdal]

Yeah i saw on the boxscore, still dosnt make me scratch my head any less at this offseason.

We go out and aquire: Patrick O'Bryant, Darius Miles, JR Giddens, Bill Walker, Tony Allen, Eddie House and Sam Cassel

yet it seems that doc is only interrested in seeing substantial minutes to Tony Allen and Eddie House.

[crownsy]

POB looks awful tonight so far. not running the floor, several bad looks, and some silly D-3 secs and fouls.

leon looks like a seasoned vet on the other hand. be intersting to see wheather he can carry that over to the regular season.

tony looks aggersive, but he's not making good decisions.

[crownsy]

Yeah i saw on the boxscore, still dosnt make me scratch my head any less at this offseason.

We go out and aquire: Patrick O'Bryant, Darius Miles, JR Giddens, Bill Walker, Tony Allen, Eddie House and Sam Cassel

yet it seems that doc is only interrested in seeing substantial minutes to Tony Allen and Eddie House.

he said coming into this game that he was going to play the starters regular season minutes. and pruitt and leon powe have played a ton of minutes as well, along with walker and baby.

i'd say he's playing what he thinks will be his typical 9-10 man rotation.

starters
pruitt
powe
house
TA
baby

with a slight dash of walker.

P.s the third unit is out thier now, and looks baaaddddd.

thank god the scal/walker/ta/baby/pob lineup won't be heavily relied upon in the regular season. its given the knicks a fighting chance in this game hehe.

[Dybdal]

If thats the lineup we are going to see thoughout this season, then this offseason has been an absolute failure.

For a team that need'et to cover lost assests (poss) we, if your right, have added nothing but pruit from the d-league and some more street wearing cash collecting scrubs.

I personly think there's a ton of potential in Patrick O'Bryant and Walker to some extent, what you have to do, to get a break in the face of Doc Rivers, thats what i dont understand.