"I think we will (win); I really do," Doc Rivers said. "I think we’ll come in and play terrific. But we just got to play hard. There’s no guarantees."
Celtics Visit Cavs for a Matinee Game
at
(51-15)Boston Celtics (41-23) at Cleveland Cavaliers (51-15)
Sunday, March 14
3:30 PM ET
Regular Season Game #65, Road Game #34
TV: ABC
Radio: ESPNR, WTAM, WEEI
Quicken Loans Arena
Game Thread l Chat
The Celtics have recently lost games they should have easily won and they were booed off their home court after a lackluster effort against the Grizlies. With their pride on the line, they came through with a blowout win over the Pacers on Friday. That was a good start, but still, that was just the Pacers. The Celtics need to show that they are still a contender by beating a top team and in this game they have that chance.
On opening night, the Celtics got their first win in Cleveland since 2004. The Cavs returned the favor on the Celtics home court in February with a come from behind 20 point victory over the Celtics who were playing without Paul Pierce. Last season, the Cavs danced on the sidelines and taunted the Celtics in a win at the Q. The Celtics have to be motivated for this game if they have any pride at all.
The Cavs haven't faltered very much this season. They have the best record in the league and even with LeBron sitting out 3 games and with both Shaq and Jamison both out and Ilgauskas unable to return to the team yet they still have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games. The Celtics, on the other hand, with everyone healthy, are 6-4 in their last 10 games. The Cavs are tough to beat on their home court with a 28-4 record While the Celtics are 28-11 on the road.
Antawn Jamison has been out with a knee injury and will be a game time decision. He has said that he is targeting this game to return to the lineup. If he is unable to go, Leon Powe will probably get the start once again. With Shaq still sidelined with the thumb injury, courtesy of Big Baby, JJ Hickson has been starting at center with Varejao coming off the bench.
In their last game against the Pacers, the Celtics finally blew out a team that they should have blown out. They were finally moving the ball, grabbing rebounds, playing as a team, and playing with energy. If they carry that mentality and focus over to this game, they have a good chance of winning. But if they go back to their lackluster play of the previous games, then it will be another long night.
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Daily Links 3/14
Herald Celtics relish challenge
Michael Finley runs smooth transition game
Bill Walker, Knicks stop Mavs
Scouting Report: Celtics at Cavaliers
We talkin’ about practice…not a game!
Kendrick Perkins offers some candid comments on the Cavs
Globe Thumbs up for Shaq-less Cavs
Celtics turn the switch
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Celtics Stuff Live: Jessica Camerato
Join us tonight from 9-10pm when Jessica Camerato joins us from WEEI.com. We've long felt that the Cavs are a better team without Shaq, and now there is proof. We joked that the reason the Celtics lost the last match-up because Glen Davis took him out. Now it seems the joke is on us, and via Jess' story from yesterday, Kendrick Perkins agrees:
The Cavaliers are 6-1 since O’Neal suffered a sprained thumb on February 25 against the Celtics. While it should be noted that wins during that stretch came against the sub-.500 Knicks, Nets, Pistons, and 76ers, Perkins believes that the Cavaliers have more options and speed without O’Neal.
"In my opinion, I think they’re better," he said after practice on Saturday. "They can run more, you’ve got Anderson Varejao who’s more of an active body, he gets LeBron open a lot, opens up the paint for him, so I think they’re a better team. I mean obviously Shaq could help them, but I think they’re a better, more fast-paced team."
Listen To The Show | 1-866-751-9649 | CSL@CelticsStuffLive.net
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Doc Uses LA Quotes For Motivation
Gotta hand it to Doc, this was a very clever motivational tool. Read the story to see what I'm talking about.
Practice Over Games?
Doc Rivers talkin’ practice . . . over games
Rivers said he’d consider holding his veterans, both of whom are on the mend from injuries, out of games so they’re able to log practice time down the stretch.
"We have to have them playing at their peak (when the playoffs start). Whatever we have to do that, we have to do it," Rivers said before the C’s 122-103 win against the Pacers last night. "If that means working them more in practices and maybe them missing games - whatever it takes, that’s what we have to do and that’s what we’re going to do."
Garnett and Pierce didn’t exactly welcome the idea with open arms.
Personally I think the idea has merit. All year we've heard about how Doc has not been careful with not pushing his players too hard in practice, but that might be a big reason why they seem so out of sync so often. Maybe they do need some more coaching so they can work the finer points under supervision.
What is the drawback? Losing a few games? Doing that already. We all know the playoffs are the most important thing and this would be one more acknowledgement of that fact.
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Glen Davis Exhibiting Plenty of Effort
Sometimes you can't help but wonder what Glen Davis is actually thinking. He's certainly had his fair share of moments this season that have probably caused your face to slump into your hand (the thumb injury stemming from the fight, the incident with the Detroit fan, and "Uno Uno" come to mind), causing you to also wonder, possibly aloud, why the man doesn't just worry about basketball and forget all of the other shenanigans that have seriously threatened to define his season.
Fortunately, ever since that incident in Detroit on January 20, the artist formerly knows as "Big Baby" has cut out the superfluous junk that has plagued both his game and his reputation, and has seemed to re-focus his everlasting energy strictly on the basketball court. And that energy has in fact highlighted his play of late. He certainly hasn't been a perfect player, but the various flaws that have hindered his game, have so far, for the most part, been overshadowed by the relentless effort he's putting forth these days.
Obviously "hustle" stats are not kept in NBA game logs, but if you've watched this team of late, you'd be hard pressed to argue that the energy isn't there from Davis, which must be a welcome relief for Doc Rivers, because in these troubled times, effort has sometimes been harder to find than Carmen San Diego.
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Daily Links 3/13
Herald Celtics set fast pace, rebound well at home
Nate Robinson removes all doubt
Talk says it all
Doc Rivers talkin’ practice . . . over games
Kendrick Perkins strives for stronger play in paint
Kevin Durant’s 32 sets franchise record
Trade has brought new attitude, and a winning streak, to Dallas Mavericks
Globe Globe 10.0 - Sports video with Bob Ryan
Celtics 122, Pacers 103
Moving forward
This LA story has really hit home
Second chance from revamped second unit
Celtics turn the switch
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