Undefeated Celtics Aim for 7-0 Against the Fast-Paced Phoenix Suns
by Greg Payne on Nov 6, 2009 3:24 PM EST
in Games
9 comments
Phoenix Suns at Boston Celtics, Nov 6, 2009 7:30 PM EST
Projected Starters:
Celtics: Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins
Suns: Steve Nash, Jason Richardson, Grant Hill, Amare Stoudemire, Channing Frye
Health Check: For the Celtics, guard Tony Allen (ankle), forward Bill Walker (knee) and forward Glen Davis (thumb) are all out.
For the Suns, center Robin Lopez (foot) is out and guard Leandro Barbosa (wristed) is listed as day-to-day.
Keep it in Mind: The Suns have not won in Boston since the 2006-2007 campaign.
Who's Hot: For the Celtics, Rajon Rondo shot 8-16 en route to 18 points against Minnesota on Wednesday.
For the Suns, Amare Stoudemire posted 25 points against the Magic on 10-21 shooting.
Who's Not: For the Celtics, Ray Allen was just 1 for 7 from three-point nation against the Timberwolves.
For the Suns, both Jason Richardson and Grant Hill were held scoreless against the Magic.
Key Matchup: Rajon Rondo vs. Steve Nash
Honorable Mention: Kevin Garnett vs. Amare Stoudemire
Skinny: The Celtics will have to make a concerted effort to not get caught up in Phoenix's run-and-gun style of play and it starts with Rajon Rondo at the top. If he can slow Steve Nash and force the Suns into the half court, Boston's defense should be able to take over from there.
The Celtics managed to employ a similar strategy against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday and it resulted in a 31-point victory. While Phoenix arguably has more talent than Philadelphia, Boston has seen an uptempo offense before and did an admirable job of forcing its own pace on the game. A similar strategy will be needed against the Suns tonight.
Watch the battle of the big men, as both Channing Frye and Amare Stoudemire are capable of pulling Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett out of the paint, thus freeing up the lane for slashers like Jason Richardson. Also, see if Paul Pierce can exploit his matchup with Grant Hill, who's actually leading the Suns in rebounding with 8.8 per game.
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they can do it
go green!
.
Don't fake the funk on a nasty dunk
by mcpu40 on Nov 6, 2009 3:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Heck Yes!!!
Keep the undefeated streak alive!
by funkstarrdeluxe on Nov 6, 2009 4:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
First three words in your pregame talk
“Pace, pace, pace.”
by feral on Nov 6, 2009 4:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Good early test
Let’s see if Rondo is ready to continue to play against the elite pgs and not take a night off. So far, he’s done well against NO and Chicago.
by thereallargejames on Nov 6, 2009 4:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Speed Kills
If Celts can slow the pace, they win. If Phoenix runs, the old men in green will get their first “L”.
Reality check given!
by Big Reality on Nov 6, 2009 4:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Rebounds Kill
Celts will control both boards = Suns won`t do much running, they`ll leave with an “L”.
by Title 18 on Nov 6, 2009 5:32 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Get Some.
Should be fun to watch tonight.
by Greg Payne on Nov 6, 2009 5:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I knew this headline was going to jinx them....
The minute I read this headline earlier I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. Just had a bad gut feeling about this one – I guess I was right. :-(
Anything is Possible!!!!!
by celtsrp33 on Nov 6, 2009 11:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
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