Magic (0-2) at Celtics (2-0) Game 3 5/22

[greg683x]

I'm normally not a gloom and doom kind of guy, but I gotta admit I'm worried about these two home games.

Whether he really wrote them or not, the Magic are going to be really fired up after the Twitter remarks and postgame remarks from Pierce and theyre going to be looking to make a statement in BOTH of these games.

I'm also expecting Orlando to stop trying to post Dwight up the majority of the time on offense and run a WHOLE lot of pick and roll with Dwight instead.  I hope the Celtics are prepared.

I know we're up 2-0 but I just have a bad feeling, and it's mainly just bc with these comments from Pierce and the twitter thing, it keeps reminding me of the 2002 playoffs when he told the media that the New Jersey Nets couldnt guard him.  I think everyone here knows what happened from there.  I realize we were'nt up 2-0 on NJ but this series is far from over also.

[celticinorlando]

I'm normally not a gloom and doom kind of guy, but I gotta admit I'm worried about these two home games.

Whether he really wrote them or not, the Magic are going to be really fired up after the Twitter remarks and postgame remarks from Pierce and theyre going to be looking to make a statement in BOTH of these games.

I'm also expecting Orlando to stop trying to post Dwight up the majority of the time on offense and run a WHOLE lot of pick and roll with Dwight instead.  I hope the Celtics are prepared.

I know we're up 2-0 but I just have a bad feeling, and it's mainly just bc with these comments from Pierce and the twitter thing, it keeps reminding me of the 2002 playoffs when he told the media that the New Jersey Nets couldnt guard him.  I think everyone here knows what happened from there.  I realize we were'nt up 2-0 on NJ but this series is far from over also.

i am usually the gloom and doom guy on the board and i feel good about game 3. i just can't see boston playing as bad as they did in game 3 vs the cavs.

[greg683x]

I'm normally not a gloom and doom kind of guy, but I gotta admit I'm worried about these two home games.

Whether he really wrote them or not, the Magic are going to be really fired up after the Twitter remarks and postgame remarks from Pierce and theyre going to be looking to make a statement in BOTH of these games.

I'm also expecting Orlando to stop trying to post Dwight up the majority of the time on offense and run a WHOLE lot of pick and roll with Dwight instead.  I hope the Celtics are prepared.

I know we're up 2-0 but I just have a bad feeling, and it's mainly just bc with these comments from Pierce and the twitter thing, it keeps reminding me of the 2002 playoffs when he told the media that the New Jersey Nets couldnt guard him.  I think everyone here knows what happened from there.  I realize we were'nt up 2-0 on NJ but this series is far from over also.

i am usually the gloom and doom guy on the board and i feel good about game 3. i just can't see boston playing as bad as they did in game 3 vs the cavs.

haha I know you're the resident gloom and doom guy here CelticinOrlando, and Ive actually given you a hard time about it in the past when I use to participate in the game threads.  So feel free to let me have it! haha.

Anyway, it's not necessarily game 3 of the Cavs series thats messing with me, it's the bulletin board material being thrown around in the media.  After that NJ series in 2002, as stupid as it sounds, the first thing I couldnt help but think of after it was over was if the series would have played out differently if Pierce had kept his mouth shut.  Most Likely not but still, the same stuff is popping in my head now.

We shall see Saturday.

[FallGuy]

I think we need to give the Magic a reason to quit, just like we did to Cleveland last round and L.A. in 2008. If we punch them in the face for 2.5 quarters, I can see the fight going out of them. Because they  know we're the better team.

[celticinorlando]

i think howard was the first to say they would win the series because they were the better team. just today rashard lewis said that they were still the better team. and really...if it takes some bogus twitter post or PP being confident to get orlando motivated..then they are a mentally weak team.....

just today Matt barnes called PP a flopper and he wanted to cover him:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_magic/2010/05/matt-barnes-would-love-to-guard-paul-pierce-calls-pierce-a-flopper.html

barnes and lewis both said today that boston had the right to talk because they have backed it up so far:

lewis said it's not overconfidence b/c the c's have a title. barnes said pierce "can talk (stuff) right now b/c they’ve been backing it up"
about 2 hours ago via HootSuite

the #magic are pretty unanimous right now that the #Celtics have every right to talk sweep and be confident because they have a 2-0 lead.
about 2 hours ago via Hoo


i just get the sense this celtic team believes they are better mentally and physically than orlando and they are on a mission to prove everyone wrong who called them old, finished and no good. i just don't see orlando being mentally tough enough to win 1 or 2 games in boston. i just think they are like mo williams...they are great when everything is going great...but when it gets tough (like this year...like last year's finals) they quit.

and to me..orlando has to win both games in boston....going back to orlando down 3-1 does them no good in my mind...but if boston wins game three...then they will sweep

[RebusRankin]

I think the matchups favour Boston and they'll come out strong on Saturday.

[Bahku]

Wow ... Dwight's FG percentage is lowest against the Celtics than any other team. People taking Perk's importance in this series a little lightly, I think.

Go Celtics!

[twinbree]

Wow ... Dwight's FG percentage is lowest against the Celtics than any other team. People taking Perk's importance in this series a little lightly, I think.

Go Celtics!

Yeah Perk has been great defensively for us and not just in this series. It's so great to see him out there working hard even with the sore knees and being fed a steady diet of elbows. He's such a tough kid. It took me a while to recover from the multiple replays of Shaq falling on him. I don't know how he managed to get back up and keep playing.

[Bahku]

Wow ... Dwight's FG percentage is lowest against the Celtics than any other team. People taking Perk's importance in this series a little lightly, I think.

Go Celtics!

Yeah Perk has been great defensively for us and not just in this series. It's so great to see him out there working hard even with the sore knees and being fed a steady diet of elbows. He's such a tough kid. It took me a while to recover from the multiple replays of Shaq falling on him. I don't know how he managed to get back up and keep playing.

Yeah ... that was brutal ... 320+ ponds on your head, lol! So much being made of either the "Big Three" or now Rondo, that Perk is almost an after-thought. The Big Guy needs to get some props ... he's been great in the playoffs, and as essential as the rest of the starting five, IMO. (TP)

[twinbree]

Wow ... Dwight's FG percentage is lowest against the Celtics than any other team. People taking Perk's importance in this series a little lightly, I think.

Go Celtics!

Yeah Perk has been great defensively for us and not just in this series. It's so great to see him out there working hard even with the sore knees and being fed a steady diet of elbows. He's such a tough kid. It took me a while to recover from the multiple replays of Shaq falling on him. I don't know how he managed to get back up and keep playing.

Yeah ... that was brutal ... 320+ ponds on your head, lol! So much being made of either the "Big Three" or now Rondo, that Perk is almost an after-thought. The Big Guy needs to get some props ... he's been great in the playoffs, and as essential as the rest of the starting five, IMO. (TP)

LOL I honestly thought Shaq was going to break him. And he wasn't even dazed or anything. Just popped right back up. Yeah Perk does gets overlooked a lot but I agree he's definitely one of the most important keys to our success. Here's hoping he keeps making Dwight's life as tough as possible.

[Drucci]

Definitely a must win for the Magic. For us... not so much but I'd much rater see us step on their throats by being up 3-0 than giving them the momentum and coming back 2-1 on our homecourt, with the pressure on us in game 4.

Doc said the practices went well this week so we shouldn't expect a collapse like in game 3 against Cleveland. Plus the players have this collapse in mind and they are really focused right now so I'm confident.

The Magic will probably give us their best shot once again and try to involve Lewis early on. We have to stop them or counter their punches with ours.

It's been a long time since game 2 but finally we can see the C's again tonight!

TP FL and go Celtics!!

[celticinorlando]

i think the series ends tonight. i just get the feeling we are going to see PP, Ray and rondo all having good offensive nights while the defense does the rest

[fan33]

Oh, come-on, these next 12 hours can't pass soon enough, til pre-game time !!!

This is going to be GREAT !
( My lucky-charm big pre-game statement  )

I truly believe the elongated rest between games here highly favors our Celtics, I expect nothing less than a 110% defensive effort expended by each Celtic that takes the court tonight, a hyper-major key to these Celtics success, and yet so very hard to produce. A real back-breaker for teams, and especially offensively minded teams of individuals to match... And even for self proclaimed "experts" to appreciated or predict for ie. "effort & desire" factor presupposing skills and potential endurance ability(s)...

Go CELTICS , you , my under-DOGS 

( So says, this old-man now
(bad knees and all), who feels like a kid again watching and appreciating the effort these fine atheletic specimens produce, endure and overcome leading to their goal for the team, themselves and the fans of the game well played which we all love ...   

Do it for, Johny , man 

The house is gonna be - a - rockin' ...

GO Celtics~   

[thirstyboots18]

Wow ... Dwight's FG percentage is lowest against the Celtics than any other team. People taking Perk's importance in this series a little lightly, I think.

Go Celtics!

Yeah Perk has been great defensively for us and not just in this series. It's so great to see him out there working hard even with the sore knees and being fed a steady diet of elbows. He's such a tough kid. It took me a while to recover from the multiple replays of Shaq falling on him. I don't know how he managed to get back up and keep playing.

Yes, that scared me, too.  I thought it was funny, though, when shaq got up holding his arm!  How could he get hurt?  He was on top....

[celticinorlando]

my thing is this...if boston comes out and hit orlando hard...right out the gates..orlando will quit. and if boston wins tonight...then they will sweep the magic. the magic aren't mentally tough enough to come back from 0-3. But honestly...orlando needs BOTH games in boston. i still would feel good heading to orlando up 3-1. but i want to end these suckers tonight