Game 4 Predictions

[Norcalceltic]

It depends on which Celtics team shows up. If the Celtics who played very stupid ball against the Hawks and Cavs show up, we are in deep trouble. If the Celtics who played against the Pistons show up, we will be fine.

Mentally the Celtics made a lot of mistakes, especially Pierce. In the Finals you need to be extremely focused. Go Celtics!

[angryguy77]

It depends on which Celtics team shows up. If the Celtics who played very stupid ball against the Hawks and Cavs show up, we are in deep trouble. If the Celtics who played against the Pistons show up, we will be fine.

Mentally the Celtics made a lot of mistakes, especially Pierce. In the Finals you need to be extremely focused. Go Celtics!

I won't bet the house on it, but I think we have seen the last of that team from the those series.

[lon3lytoaster]

I predict that KG will still take those jump shots... But move in by like half a foot and start knocking them down. Paul will shoot atleast a bit better, I'm sure of that and we'll play just enough Leon and Eddie and we'll win by double digits, because this Lakers team can't hang with us, and I honestly believe that.

[cmoney]

I really don't know.  This team is so unpredictable.  KG and Paul will probably play better, but so will Pau (can't say the same about Odom). 

I could see us curbstomping them for 48 minutes in a 20+ blowout.

I could see (hell I already do see) Doc choking up again and falling into bad habits.  Relying on PJ for no real tangible reason.  Offenseless lineups that leave us struggling to score and waiting 2 minutes to switch it out.  Sam over Eddie.  Giving Kobe the Joe Johnson treatment instead of just playing him like you had been when we were so successful.  (i.e., only send the help when he's in a position to score.  Don't double him 40 feet from the hoop because that's retarded.  Don't just single him completely as he'll get in a groove).

I really don't know.  I'm so bitter this morning I'm inclined to think LA evens up the series.  We blew the chance of a lifetime.

[dorschrm]

TO ALL OVERCONFIDENT CELTIC FANS:

Please take the cautiously optimistic route.

I have taken the opinion that Game 4 is one of if not the most important game in this series.  If LA wins, the series is tied, and unlike the past, game 5 will be on their court, not ours, something that will give the team in yellow plenty of reason to be a lot more confident then the team in green.

I'm not calling it a must win, but game 4 right now is the pivotal part of these 3 games, it can and will shift the momentum of the series.

Side notes...

Pierce had his head so far up his own butt yesterday it almost made me sick.  I love what he has done for this team in playoffs (MVP for the green) but last night he looked extremely unmotivated, like he had been playing after a 3am night in Downtown LA.  I hope there aren't any lingering effects from his knee, but he quite literally took last night off.  I don't expect this from him again this series (real soon he's going to start smelling an award called Finals MVP off in the distance).

Although I am not a Zen-Fan, KG is getting fatigued.  Given that he puts the same absurd amount of intensity to every game all season, at this point hes running on fumes. He's played 94 games this season, not including pre-season, which is very high number for a person who plays the game at such a high level like himself.  Although minor, I have noticed this through his body language, progressively throughout the playoffs.  His legs don't have the same lift they did midseason, and his fatigued mindset is allowing him to settle for outside jumpers instead of putting hard time grinding in the post.  He knows its the finals, all or nothing, and at some point (sooner the better) I expect him to explode and go off for 30 and 15.

We need game 4, because if not, we'll all be sitting here (with reason) crapping our pants about going down 3-2 after game 5.

[chibi]

1.  It's a tough game to predict with the status of Rondo in question.  Because his quickness is one of his best qualities, an ankle injury may render him ineffective on both offense and defense.

2.  Gasol's reluctance and tendency to hold the ball is hurting the Lakers; that just allows the Celtics to entrench themselves and solidify their defense.  If Gasol is more decisive, then I believe the Lakers improve their efficiency on the offensive end.  If not, it's going to be a grind.    

3.  I look for Odom to play more intelligently.  When he's in the lineup with Pau, he'll play off-the-ball as best as he is able to against a tough Celtics defense and crash the glass hard.  When the Lakers go small and are able to better space the floor, I look for him to penetrate.

4.  I look for the Celtics to go into Perkins in the post and take advantage of his bulk and the good positioning he sometimes gets.  

5.  Pierce does not seem to have his legs, but I don't expect him to shoot as poorly as he did.  Although Allen has been hot, I think fatigue will be a factor in his G4 performance.  He will have to rely on drives to the basket if his legs aren't there, but in any case there shouldn't be a huge drop-off.

6.  Gasol has done a pretty good job on Garnett.  Garnett is shooting 35% for the series.  So, barring foul trouble, I expect Garnett to have another poor shooting night.  Nevertheless, he will put up his typically superb defensive numbers.

7.  I'm confident the Lakers have what it takes to win ugly, grind-out games.  Game 4 will mirror Game 3, only this time the Lakers will make their FTs.  Lakers 90, Celtics 80.  Big games from Kobe, Derek Fisher, and the bench.          

[angryguy77]

Dosen't matter if boston wins game 4. They just have to get one. Even if they don't get a win out there I still think its going to be tough for LA to win in boston.

One thing that I saw last night that will prove a problem for LA is House. If doc is smart he will go to him when rondo is on the bench. This will hopfully stop the cassel murdering offense. In a tight game like last night having a guy in there that could have added a few points could have made the difference.

[Discoflux]

please someone tell me your championship hopes aren't pinned to Rajon Rondo.

[CDawg834]

The Celtics will break their backs and make them humble!

But seriously, I think the C's win 1 in LA then close it out at home.  Now that Kobe has supposedly changed his ways, LA needs a new "selfish gunner" so maybe Sam can be left here...

[lon3lytoaster]

3.  I look for Odom to play more intelligently.  When he's in the lineup with Pau, he'll play off-the-ball as best as he is able to against a tough Celtics defense and crash the glass hard.  When the Lakers go small and are able to better space the floor, I look for him to penetrate.

Lol... An intelligent Lamar Odom? Haven't Faker fans been looking for that since you traded Shaq? Let's get real here, Odom is pretty much a big old negative, no matter what he does.

7.  I'm confident the Lakers have what it takes to win ugly, grind-out games.  Game 4 will mirror Game 3, only this time the Lakers will make their FTs.  Lakers 90, Celtics 80.  Big games from Kobe, Derek Fisher, and the bench.           

Annnnd I doubt it, highly. Lakers almost let Game Three slip. Even with all of Jackson's whining, you still only got 12 more FTA's, in your own building. So there is no telling how many free-throws the Lakers will even have a chance to make.

I can't see Paul and KG shooting any worse than they did last night, and if Game Four I doubt Ray will score 25, but then again I doubt he'll need to. If one of KG and Pierce step up, which atleast one will, I'd put money on it. Then I forgot what you guys call him, but I doubt that Shawn Hunter from Boy Meets World will score 20 against this team again.

[Mr October]

please someone tell me your championship hopes aren't pinned to Rajon Rondo.

Nope. If the C's go to the post game, with House as the PG, they are as devastating as the up tempo game with Rondo. The C's have more weapons than the Lakers.

[GaBerkowitz]

I am assuming(or is it praying) that Rondo is going to play.  He is the catalyst and the guy that makes things go.  Obviously if he is not playing we are at a serious disadvantage. 

I like Eddie as the backup guard off the bench, however when he is in the game I would prefer to see someone else handle the ball.  Much of the trouble with Eddie at the PG is that it takes so long to get into our office, thus hindering our ability to let our offense run its course and get good shots off the extra passes.  So if eddie is playing I'd much rather see Ray or even Pierce on the ball and use Eddie strictly to space the floor and knock down open jumpers.  Eddie in the game will also not allow Kobe to sag off and play the rover position he had so much success at in Game 3.

Pierce clearly is also key.  The fact that he scored 6 and we almost won is encouraging.  He needs to continue to attack the basket.  Paul personally and the Celtics as a team are most effective when he drives and everything else works off of that.  I would imagine being agressive will lead to an increase in trips to the line as well.  After all the talk in Game 2, i really felt the Celts were gonna have trouble getting to the line in Game 3, call it home court advantage call it whatever you want.

I really like our chances and think we win a close one. Since the beginning of the series i thought Odom could cause some matchup problems for us.  3 games has proven me wrong there, but he is the one guy I don't wanna see go off for the lakers.  kobe will probably play well again, but asking for another 20+ night out of the Machine (vujacic) is a lot to ask.

In the end I like the Celts in the game, and in the series as we are the better, tougher team.

[ACF]

That's pretty much it.

[Discoflux]

^^^  I guarantee you Lamar Odom got called for a foul on this play, lol

[celticmaestro]

i went for better d on the role players. main reason being, i don't believe we need to play our best basketball to beat this team. that's not over-confident. it's just my opinion.

my prediction though - whoever wins game 4 wins the series.