What are the keys to success against Orlando?

[GeoDim]

IMO, the most important thing is to attack the basket early and often.  There really is no way that we'll be able to contain Howard, so the key is to make him a non-factor, by getting him into early foul trouble.  Skip will not be able handle Rondo defensively, so it's important that he penetrates the lane from the get-go and keep the tempo high.  Perkins also needs to see the ball in the post a lot in the first quarter.  Regardless of how ineffective he may be going one-on-one with Howard, what's important is that he initiates contact.  We can't go into this game with Paul and Ray taking jump shots.

Personally, I don't see why our team doesn't make more of an effort to establish Perk at the beginning of the game.  A generation ago we did it with Parrish just about every game.  The championship Bulls teams always established their centers at the beginning of the game.  On this team, Perk's a stablizer:  he's consistent and effective.  When the others get rattled, Perk still does what he does and it gives the rest of the team a little opportunity to calm down and get back into the offense. 

I think that calling plays for Perk at the outset does a couple things:  (1) it allows the rest of the C's a chance to get the "yips" out; (2) we prove to ourselves that we have the solid option of interior scoring; (3) we show the other team that we can ram it down their throats, which takes some heat off our outside gunners; and (4) in this series, the opportunity to saddle Howard with early fouls seems to good to pass up.

Seriously, how about some comment?  Am I off base here?

No, you're dead on.  On both ends of the court, Perk has been the most consistent Celtic.  He also shot for 63% in the first round and 58% for the entire season.  Why we're not exploiting this more is beyond me.  Also, Perk has developed a hook shot that will be an effective weapon against Howard.

[ScoobyDoo]

1. I think Starting Scal against Lewis might not be a bad idea. You could then use Baby against Howard asap if Perk gets a couple quick ones. I could go either way on thsi though. Cause Baby will also casue them issues on defense for them and you could switch Baby to Howard and bring in Scal if Perk got a couple quick ones too.

2. Perk and baby, need to make this a fist fight for Howard, they need to kick the crap out of him every game. Nothing easy.

3. Rondo and Marbury need to attack the paint for 48 minutes and try to get Hoawrd into foul trouble.

4. Also, I'd pick one of Lewis or Turkoglu and try to ice them defensively based on which on I thought I had the best chance of doing that too. Probably Lewis. I'd crowd him with my goal being trying not to let him get a single three off. I don't think he's good putting it on the floor so I'd try to have him to that as much as possible and then jam him once he puts it on the floor. Harder to do that with Turkoglu cause he handle the ball so well... 

[cdif911]

Its pretty obvious, contain Dwight Howard defensively, and we've got a shot

I think Perk and Baby can both hang with him in some sense, because of that, I'd actually start Scal and have Perk and Baby rotate in and out - Moore has 6 fouls to give as well, if necessary, but Moore will get abused on the boards

Offensively, penetrate and kick, penetrate and cut, make Howard react to Rondo/Paul on the penetration, then find the open man.

Also Turkoglu (sp?) has been an achille's heel of ours, gotta stick him on the perimeter, I can deal with any of their other guys taking shots, but Hedo is a 6'9 Ben Gordon the way he nails unbelievable shot after unbelievable shot

This series is definitely winnable, heck the Magic had trouble with Philly (though their fans are saying heck the Celtics took 7 games to take out a 7 seed, so it goes both ways)

[Rondo_is_better]

This series WOULD have been easier for us than the Bulls series if we didn't have to worry about the extensive fatigue for our key players and a potential injury to Perkins, who is our onlyl hope of containing Howard. Now, I just don't know. I'll have to see game 1 before I pass judgment on how this series will go down.

[SaCaCh]

Easy, defend the three. Howard will get his but really can't sustain his team offensively. We must defend the perimeter.