How we see it goin' down: Celtics vs. Trailblazers

Tip: 10pm Court: Moda Center Watch it: CSNNE Hear it: 98.5 The Sports Hub

Referees: Jason Phillips, Kevin Cutler, Mark Lindsay

Line: POR -8.0

The Matchup


Record: 13-26	Record: 31-12
On road: 4-13	At home: 19-4
Streak: Lost 3	Streak: Lost 1

Leaders	Leaders
Buckets: Jared Sullinger (13.9 ppg)	Buckets:LaMarcus Aldridge (23.2 ppg)
Boards: Jared Sullinger (8.1 rpg)	Boards: LaMarcus Aldridge (10.2 rpg)
Dimes: Evan Turner (4.2 apg)	Dimes: Damian Lillard (6.2 apg)

For the Stat Geeks:	For the Stat Geeks:
Offensive Rating: 101.3 (22nd)	Offensive Rating: 105.3 (10th)
Defensive Rating: 104.0 (19th)	Defensive Rating: 99.6 (5th)
Pace: 99.1 (3rd)	Pace: 96.8 (12th)

Last time

Led by LaMarcus Aldridge’s 20 points and 14 assists, Portland took the last matchup, 94-88. Backup big Chris Kaman also posted 16 points and the Trailblazers used a big defensive second half to pull away from Boston early in the fourth. The Celtics were lead by Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger (19 points apiece).

This time

Get it to: Jared Sullinger

With Lamarcus Aldridge (thumb) and Robin Lopez (hand) out tonight, the Trailblazers frontcourt will be thin, and we’ll need to attack it if we have any chance of winning. Sullinger is averaging 15.1 ppg and 8.6 rpg, only scoring under double digits in one game this month. The Trailblazers aren’t a team that digs deep into their bench, so Sullinger should have a big advantage against Thomas Robinson.

Gotta stop: Damien Lillard

Lillard is going to be the main point of the Trailblazers offense. He’s a threat from deep, can finish in the paint, and has potential to drop 40 points on any given night. Boston will need to utilize a plethora of players and schemes to throw Lillard off-balance. Granted, in this league you’re never going to completely shut down stars, but as long as Boston makes him take tough shots they should have a chance to win the game.

The Wild Card: Marcus Smart

It’s been well-documented that Marcus Smart has improved his three point shooting (posting a 42.9 3p% in January). Being in the reserve role he’s put in a position where he controls his playtime. Good games equal more time while bad equal less, against the Blazers he’ll have a stiff matchup against Damien Lillard and it will be another good measuring stick for him as he plays some of the West Coast elites.