Celtics (6-1) at Nets (0-6) 11/7

[FLCeltsFan]

  at 
Boston Celtics (6-1) at New Jersey Nets (0-6)
Saturday, November 7
7:30 PM ET
Game #8  Away Game #4
TV:  CSN HD, YES HD, LP 751, 752
Izod Center


ProbableStarting Matchups
Point Guard
  vs 
Rajon Rondo vs Rafer Alston

Shooting Guard 
  vs 
Ray Allen vs Courtney Lee

Small Forward
  vs 
Paul Pierce vs Chris Douglas Roberts 

Power Forward
  vs 
Kevin Garnett vs Eduardo Najera   

Center
  vs 
Kendrick Perkins vs Brook Lopez




Reserves
Eddie House
Rasheed Wallace
Marquis Daniels
Shelden Williams
Brian Scalabrine
Lester Hudson

Injuries:
Bill Walker (knee) out
Tony Allen (ankle) out
Big Baby Davis (thumb) out


Reserves
Josh Boone
Sean  Williams
Bobby Simmons
Trenton Hassell

Injuries
Keyon Dooling (hip) out
Tony Battie (knee)  out
Devin Harris (groin) questionable
Jarvis Hayes (hamstring)  out
Yi Jianlian (MCL)  out 

Key Matchups
vs
Rajon Rondo  9.2 PPG   9.7 APG   2.8 SPG
Rafer Alston 7.8 PPG4.6 APG    ,4 SPG

vs
Kendrick Perkins   9.2 PPG   5.5 RPG      2.3 BPG
Brook Lopez   16.2 PPG     7.2 RPG    2.2 BPG


Honorable Mention
Ray Allen  15  PPG    2.7 APG     .357 3P%
Courtney Lee  12.6  PP   2APG    .143 3P%

Team Connections
Brian Scalabrine played for the Nets from 2001-05
Josh Boone and Ray Allen are former UConn Huskie
Eddie House played for the Nets during  the 2006-07 season
Assistant Coaches Doug Overton (1999-2001) and Roy Rogers (1997-98) both played for the Celtics
Eddie House and Keyon Dooling were teammates with the Clippers during the 2003-04 season
Tony Battie played for the Celtics from1998-2004
Trenton Hassell and Kevin Garnett were teammates in Minnesota from 2003-07
Marquis Daniels and Devin Harris were teammates in Dallas from 2004-06
Jarvis Hayes and Rasheed Wallace were teammates in Detroit
during the 2007-08 season
Eduardo Najera and Marquis Daniels were teammates in Dallas during the 2003-04 season.

Game Notes 
• Celtics swept the season series 4-0 against New Jersey in 2008-09
• Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 19.0 points per game last season
• Devin Harris averaged 16.3 points per game against the Celtics last season in four games
• The Celtics are currently on a nine game winning streak against the Nets which marks their longest winning streak against the Nets since an 11
game winning streak that spanned the 1980-81 and 1981-82 season
• The Celtics are leading the all-time series 103-54 with the Celtics 55-24 at home

The Nets are traditional rivals of the Celtics as we think back to the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals where the Nets defeated the Celtics in a hotly contested 6 game series.   The Nets have fallen on hard times and this season are just marking time until they can make a play for LeBron or some other big free agent in 2010.  Their ownership and even location are up in the air at this point and that can't make for a very stable club.

Both teams are playing in the second of back to back games and both teams had to travel the night before.  New Jersey played at Philly and
Boston played the Suns at home.  However, older legs have a harder time in back to back games.  If the Wolves game was any indication,  this may be closer than it should be.

The Nets are still winless after a 3 point loss to Philly on Friday.  The Celtics are no longer undefeated so now they can get on with the rest of the season.   For the second game in a row, the Celtics allowed a team to shoot over 50%.  The winless Nets are an ideal team to get them back on track.   
 

[Bahku]

Yeah ... let's hope this one turns out like it should on paper ... we need a shot in the arm after last night. Great job, FCF ... and another TP!

[GreenFaith1819]

As long as Perk, Sheed, KG, Shelden can slow down Brooke Lopez we win this. Brooke can be a load.

CDR is a talented 3 as well. Pierce will have hands full, but so will CDR in that regard.

Najera is a physical PF, although undersized.

Hopefully Rondo can play a little better on Rafer today than he did in playoffs last year. Back then, Rafer made Rondo look bad a few times with his scoring.

[xmuscularghandix]

We better kill this team by 30. Foot on the throats, time to get back on it.

[ACF]

TP. Let's cut down those Nets!

Go Celtics.

[jackson_34]

They better destroy these Nets. That is all.

[Greenbean]

As soon as we lost last night I thought to myself, man I feel bad for the nets fans tomorrow night.

Lets hope it's gonna be a season where I can always feel that way after a C's loss.

[Drucci]

We better kill this team by 30. Foot on the throats, time to get back on it.

Agreed. But I'm a little worried about this game because it's a back to back and that the C's played full speed basketball yesterday in a close game... But I guess they will have enough gas to destroy the Nets (bugged by injuries by the way) and then get a well deserved rest for the coming days.

TP FL!

[jimmehx]

I need a pick me up after yesterday's game!
A good old fashioned stomping would be great...
Be able to put Eddie in half way through the third and let him shoot the lights out all day

[Fafnir]

Well talent wise we should abosolutely wreck this team. Hopefully the C's will be p---ed about their poor defensive game last night and will turn it on in NJ.

[celticinorlando]

time to regroup...focus on defense and blow the nets into the atlantic

[twinbree]

These Nets are the kind of opponents I dreaded last season -  losing team, worse if its a young one, missing key player. Cakewalk on paper becomes a hard-fought battle featuring a career night from a hitherto undiscovered allstar.

TP for the game thread. Go Celtics! Put them away early guys ad lets see Lester and J.R early in the 3rd.

[youcanthandlethetruth113]

Update: Courtney Lee is out with a groin injury

[chelsearules]

Update: Courtney Lee is out with a groin injury

wonder if doc will give the vets the night off?

[GreenFaith1819]

Update: Courtney Lee is out with a groin injury

wonder if doc will give the vets the night off?

Wow..that cake looks good....