Tip: 8:30 PM Court: BMO Harris Bradley Center Watch it: CSN Hear it: WEEI
Referees: Marc Davis, Bennie Adams, Haywoode Workman
Get your tickets here: Boston Celtics Tickets
The Matchup
 |
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| Record: 9-7 | Record: 7-7 |
| On Road: 4-3 | At Home: 3-4 |
| Streak: Won 1 | Streak: Lost 2 |
| Leaders | Leaders |
| Buckets: Pierce (19.2 ppg) | Buckets: Monta Ellis (18.9 ppg) |
| Boards: Garnett (7.4 rpg) | Boards: Larry Sanders (7.1 rpg) |
| Dimes: Rondo (12.9 apg) | Dimes: Brandon Jennings (6.8 apg) |
| For the Stat Geeks: | For the Stat Geeks: |
| Offensive Rating: 104.6 (12th NBA) | Offensive Rating: 102.4 (23rd NBA) |
| Defensive Rating: 104.9 (16th NBA) | Defensive Rating: 103.3 (12th NBA) |
| Pace: 92.5 (14th NBA) | Pace: 94.5 (2nd NBA) |
Last time
The Celtics scored 57 second half points and held off the Bucks 96-92. Paul Pierce scored 25 for the C’s. Jason Terry had 15 on 5-7 shooting. Monta Ellis had 32 for the Bucks.
This time
Get it to: Jason Terry
He’s shooting 51.3% over his last 10 games, 54.8% over his last 5, and 69.2% against Milwaukee. And Monta Ellis isn’t going to put forth too much defensive effort… so I say let the JET fly….
Gotta stop: Brandon Jennings.
The Celtics withstood a 32 point barrage by Ellis the last time around and survived… mostly because they held Jennings to 4 points on 1-11 shooting. Courtney Lee should draw this assignment, and if he even comes anywhere close to keeping Jennings to a similar performance, he’ll earn his game check and then some.
The Wild Card: Larry Sanders
Sanders just blocked 10 shots as part of his first career triple double. Will he be able to come close to that against the C’s, or will he be so anxious to replicate it that he bites for every fake?
I say test him when he’s in the game. Attack him, challenge him, throw some fakes and see if you can draw fouls on him. Get yourself in to the penalty early and give yourself a chance to score some points from the free throw line.
How we see it goin’ down
Both teams will be on back-to-backs and their third game in 4 nights. The difference is the Bucks big guns of Ellis and Jennings played 35 and 36 minutes last night while only Lee logged big minutes for the C’s. The Bucks are scuffling along while the C’s are in “rally without Rondo” mode.
I know Chuck said he wouldn’t be surprised to see the Celtics lay an egg tonight… but I think the blowout last night helped rest the core guys and they’ll pull through in the end. It’ll be a close one, but I like the C’s over the struggling Bucks who have lost 5 of their last 6. The Celtics defense is improving and the Bucks aren’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard.
Celtics 92
Bucks 84
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