Celtics (11-2) at Wolves (2-8)

[FLCeltsFan]

  at 

Boston Celtics (11-2) at Minnesota Timberwolves (2-8)
Friday, November 21
8:00 PM ET
Game 14, Road Game 6
TV:  CSN HD, KSTC-45, NBA LP 755
Radio:  WEEI
Target Center



b]Coach: Doc Rivers
Average Age: 26.6
Average Height: 6-6
Average Weight: 222[/b]

Probable Starters

PG:  Rajon Rondo  PPG 7.8 RPG 4.00 APG 6.7 EFF + 13.50 
SG:  Ray Allen   PPG 17.4 RPG 5.00 APG 2.7 EFF + 16.08 
SF: Paul Pierce  PPG 21.1 RPG 7.40 APG 3.8 EFF + 20.58
PF:  Kevin Garnett   PPG 16.3 RPG 9.80 APG 2.0 EFF + 19.55 
C:    Kendrick Perkins  PPG 6.3 RPG 7.30 APG 1.3 EFF + 11.67


Reserves
Tony Allen
Glen Davis
JR Giddens
Eddie House
Leon Powe
Brian Scalabrine
Patrick O'Bryant
Bill Walker
Sam Cassell 
 
Injuries:
None

Probable Inactive 
Sam Cassell
Bill Walker




Coach: Randy Wittman
Average Age: 26.6
Average Height: 6-7
Average Weight: 227

Probable Starters
       
PG:  Sebastian Telfair   PPG 5.1 RPG 1.40 APG 4.6 EFF + 6.29
SG:  Mike Miller  PPG 12.7 RPG 5.20 APG 4.5 EFF + 16.70
SF:   Ryan Gomes  PPG 9.5 RPG 3.60 APG 1.8 EFF + 9.70
PF:   Al Jefferson   PPG 22.6 RPG 10.30 APG 1.9 EFF + 25.60
C:    Jason Collins    PPG 2.3 RPG 3.00 APG 0.7 EFF + 3.00

Reserves
Randy Foye
Kevin Love
Craig Smith
Corey Brewer
Kevin Ollie
Rashad McCants
Rodney Carney
Calvin Booth
Brian Cardinal
Mark Madsen

Injuries
None

Probable Inactive
Calvin Booth
Brian Cardinal
Mark Madsen   

Key Matchups
  vs 
Rajon Rondo vs Sebastian Telfair
At one point, Rondo was behind Telfair in the rotation and Rondo eventually surpassed Telfair.  Telfair is fast and will make Rondo work on the defensive end, but he isn't known for his defense and so Rondo needs to be aggressive on the offensive end. 


  vs 
This is a matchup of one of the best all time vs one of the best up young power forwards who may one day be considered one of the best.   KG should get some love from the fans in Minny and that will hopefully spur him to a good game.  This will be a great matchup.

Honorable Mention  
Paul Pierce vs Ryan Gomes
These two have gone up against each other in practice when they were teammates and so know each other well.  Should be a good matchup with Pierce coming out on top. 

Team Connections
Of all the teams in the NBA, these two teams are probably the most connected after the big trades between them.
 Kevin McHale, the Wolves GM, was one of the original Big 3 of the Celtics.
 KG played for the Wolves from 1995-2007 and was traded to the Celtics in the trade that took Big Al Jefferson, among others, to Minnesota.   
Randy Foye, Al Jefferson, and Ryan Gomes were drafted by the Celtics.
Sebastian Telfair played for the Celtics in '06-07.
Wolves assistant coaches Jerry Sichting and Ed Pinkney are former Celtics. 
Mike Miller played for Doc in Orlando.
Jason Collins was a teammate of Scal's in New Jersey
Ray Allen and Calvin Booth were teammates in Seattle
Ray Allen was drafted by the Wolves in the 1996 draft

Game Notes: 
Last season, the Celtics swept the series with the Wolves for the first time since the 1995-96 season.   But, it wasn't easy as they won both games by a total of just 3 points. 
The Wolves have started off slowly in spite of an upgrade in talent over the summer and beat the Sixers on Wednesday after losing 8 in a row.   

X-Factor
Former Celtics and Wolf
This should be an emotional game for KG.  This will be his first time playing in Minnesota since the trade as he missed last season because of injury.   He will be fired up to play well against his former team and in front of the fans who still love him and should fire up the Celtics as well.   On the other hand,  Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes and Sebastian Telfair will all be fired up to try to beat their former team as well.    It should be another close game.   

[Celtic]

Celtics 12 and 2.

[ACF]

Please don't jinx us!
 

TP for FL, good stuff as always.

[lon3lytoaster]

I have a wolf fur Russian trooper hat. Tis awful warm this time 'o year.

[ma11l]

Celtics 12 and 2.

Don't count the chickens.  Both games last year were nail biters.  Former teammates get up for their old teams big time, especially when that team just got a ring.

Celts should win if they take care of their back to back.

[Celtic]

Celtics 12 and 2.

Don't count the chickens.  Both games last year were nail biters.  Former teammates get up for their old teams big time, especially when that team just got a ring.

Celts should win if they take care of their back to back.

Ok fine, I have fourteen chicken eggs, I bet only twelve of them hatch, is that better? 

[ManUp]

Telfair still starts over there? Wow.

This is going to be another good one for Rondo.

[RebusRankin]

One huge issue with the Wolves is an inability to hold leads. Something interesting to consider, especially given our trend of slow starts.

[ma11l]

Celtics 12 and 2.

Don't count the chickens.  Both games last year were nail biters.  Former teammates get up for their old teams big time, especially when that team just got a ring.

Celts should win if they take care of their back to back.

Haha much better.

Ok fine, I have fourteen chicken eggs, I bet only twelve of them hatch, is that better? 

[makaveli]

I can't wait, one of the most exciting games this season 

[Hoyo de Monterrey]

Big night for KG... He can be modest and unassuming all he wants, but this should be a good night for him. Congratulations to him, he deserves the ovation he's going to get.

[greg683x]

*Beware this is a generic Wolves vs Celtics post*

Hearing Doc say before that game that Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes still keep in contact with him and their former teammates with phone calls and texts and even showed up to playoff games to support their friends, really shows what quality guys they are.

Dont get me wrong I love our current situation and I wouldnt trade our team for anything in the world.  But Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes are class players and it's a shame it couldnt work out with them in a Celtics uniform.


.....now Go Celtics!

[Chief]

I excited to watch Love. I can't believe Collins starts over him.

[fairweatherfan]

Every starter has an assist...sharp offensively so far, but we can't keep letting them tee up from 3.

[Who]

I excited to watch Love. I can't believe Collins starts over him.

I didn't think Love and the Wolves were playing well when he was starting. I thought they had more success using him off the bench.

Also, I'm disappointed in Love's start to his pro career, I was expecting more in the early going. I still think he's a good prospect, just surprised and disappointed by his readiness. He put back on nearly all of that weight he lost before the draft too.