Game 30: Where, COME ON! DADDY NEEDS TO STAY A GAME AHEAD OF THE KNICKS!
by Tom Bellinger on Feb 19, 2012 4:43 PM EST
in Boston Celtics Games
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PrintBoston Celtics at Detroit Pistons, Feb 19, 2012 6:00 PM EST
Boston Celtics (15-14) at Detroit Pistons (10-22)
Sunday, February 19
6:00 PM ET
Regular Season Game #30, Road Game #11
TV: CSNNE, FSD, LP 751/752 (DTV)
Radio: WEEI, 97.1 FM The Ticket
Palace of Auburn Hills
Officials: Tom Washington Brent Barnaky Sean Wright
Game Thread | Chat Room
As the esteemed Lord Tariq once said, 'Splat, like deja-vu'.
We've been here before, so I won't bore you. The Celtics need the win tonight. They've dropped 4 of the last 5 and are playing some spectacularly 'not quite good enough basketball' right now. Two of the losses were somewhat justifiable heart-breakers to the Bulls and Lakers, but the other two losses were against cellar-dwellers.
On the bright side, one of those losses to 'cellar dwellers' is redeemable. They dropped a 10 point game at home against Detroit, tonight they can pay them the same service back to their old 'friends'. Beating the Pistons on their home floor doesn't make the previous loss 'okay', but it does bring a certain amount of symettry, and you know what they say, 'you're only one win away from starting your next win-streak' (nobody says that).
Please, please do not let our boys pull even with the Knicks. This whole 'Linsanity' thing is bad enough as it is (another stellar game earlier today, getting harder to ignore), we don't need the whole 'Knicks on the rise pull even with the Celtics for second in the division' storyline as well.
Come on, baby! No whammies!!
Starting lineups, match-ups to watch are provided by the Queen of Previews, FLCeltsFan!
Probable Starters
PG
SG
SF
PF
C
Rajon Rondo.... Ray Allen.... Paul Pierce.....Kevin Garnett.... Jermaine O'Neal
Celtics Reserves
Marquis Daniels
Greg Steimsma
JaJuan Johnson
E'Twaun Moore
Keyon Dooling
Mickael Pietrus
Chris Wilcox
Avery Bradley
Injuries
Sasha Pavlovic (wrist) day to day
Brandon Bass (knee) out 
Probable Starters
PG
SG
SF
PF
C
Brandon Knight...Rodney Stuckey...Tayshaun Prince...Jason Maxiell..Greg Monroe
Pistons Bench
Ben Wallace
Jonas Jerebko
Brandon Knight
Austin Daye
Damien Wilkins
Vernon Macklin
Will Bynum
Ben Gordon
Walker Russell
Injuries
Charlie Villanueva (foot) out
Team Connections
Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva and Ray Allen all attended the University of Connecticut
Tayshaun Prince, Brandon Knight and Rajon Rondo attended the University of Kentucky
Pistons Head Coach Lawrence Frank was an assistant coach with the Celtics during the 2010‐11 season
Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace were teammates on the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2007‐09
Pistons Assistant Coach Roy Rogers played for the Celtics during the 1997‐98 season and was an assistant coach during the 2010‐11 season.
Chris Wilcox played for the Pistons from 2009-11.
Key Matchups 
vs 
Rajon Rondo vs Brandon Knight
In the last meeting between these two teams, Rondo won this matchup, but the Celtics lost the game. Rondo finished with 35 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. Knight had 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. The Celtics need Rondo to be aggressive but he needs to balance his own scoring with setting up his teammates. 
vs 
Paul Pierce vs Tayshaun Prince
This has been a great matchup over the years, Prince's length can give Pierce problems but Pierce's strength can also give Prince problems. These two played each other fairly even in the last game with Pierce putting up 10 points, 1 rebound and 5 assists while Prince had 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Pierce has been in a mini slump lately and the Celtics need more from their Captain.
Honorable Mention
Ray Allen vs Rodney Stuckey
Stuckey scored 25 points in their last meeting while Ray put up just 10. The Celtics' offense has been sluggish and their ball movement has been terrible and that explains why Ray has struggles in the last few games. Ray hit a couple of big shots in the loss to the Bulls and that may get him going but he needs Rondo to find him when he's open.
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https://twitter.com/#!/SeanGrandePBP/status/171350400274927616
Jeremy Lin
This kid is light years ahead of Rondo’s skill level as a rookie. This Knicks beat a Dallas team that is old like the Celtics but still has a higher all around. talent level. They also have a much better head coach at their helm than we do. The Celtics and Knicks are two teams headed in two vastly different directions. I wonder how Melo is going to fit back in this mix. D’Antoni better kiss Lin’s butt every night because he was about one more bad loss away from being fired two weeks ago.
Stop hating on Lin!
The guy has led his team to an 8-1streak! I wish the Celtics were doing that! So if our team sucks, do not hate on a guy like Lin who is exremely humble and all he’s doing is play great basketbal!
I'm not hating on Jeremy Lin
Jeremy Lin seems like he might be a really good basketball player that somehow fell through the cracks. I’m hating on ‘Linsanity’. Jeremy Lin has had a really decent 9-game stretch. But, since he’s new, he’s different, he plays for New York (I’m from New York, but not the city part), and the Knicks are on the upswing (everyone loves a redemption story, particularly NY media), we have Linsanity.
And, I hate the Linsanity. I hate the ‘this kid is for real, a top player in the game now’ line, because its based off of less than 10 games. If it were based off of less than a full season, I’d still be somewhat skeptical. I hate that going 8-1 for a team that needed it just to get to .500 suddenly means people can throw around words like ‘contenders’, just like I didn’t buy it when the Celtics went on a 4 game winning streak.
And most of all, I hate the puns. Lord, do I hate those puns.
"Shaq is like paradise, man," Garnett said. "You ever wash your sheets and then go outside and hang them out, and the sun dries them? You ever smell the sheets? That’s what Shaq is, Shaq is like,"
Follow me on twitter
by Tom Bellinger on Feb 19, 2012 5:17 PM EST up reply actions
Bah
Who cares about Linsanity. The only thing that matters in this league is winning. If they were losing and he was playing this well, nobody would care. But they’re winning and they look really good with him out there on the floor. So, yeah, if they keep playing at this level, they’re contenders. If the Celtics were still playing at a high level, we’d have people on this site bragging about how good we are and droolling over Rondo’s awesomeness (like they did after ONE win against the Bulls). Let’s focus on what we’re doing over here and on talking about how to turn things around and not hate on Linsanity/Lin. Winning is all that matters in this league.
You shouldn't expect much (or anything) from the media like you said they love underdog stories
They are going to milk linsanity for all it’s worth. Give Jeremy Lin credit for this win streak and move on, Lin is a good player who can still get a lot better. His play shows he has a high ceiling and is a legit nba player, whether he can be a star is yet to be seen.
Kg is out tomorrow too
and u thought our play in the paint was weak before…
by Kgwillkillyou on Feb 19, 2012 6:09 PM EST via mobile reply actions
According to the box score
Ray is getting owned…true or false? The game isnt on tv here im so cal
by Kgwillkillyou on Feb 19, 2012 7:11 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I changed the channel...
This is just painful to watch. I should look at the bright side… Walking Dead in three hours!
Pathetic effort so far for most of the team.
Lygafe
Lionel Gaffen / Fotomix | International Hockey Forums > Europe > ISRAEL
Israel Recreational Hockey Association 2009-2010 & 2010-2011 [ Lygafe ] | Israel Ice Skating Federation - From the Media [ Lionel Gaffen ]
Is this their cry saying "blow us up"?
I mean how many player meetings can you have? It seems like this team is tired of each other and sant to move on forcing Ainge’s hand.
by bbeingphilled on Feb 19, 2012 7:44 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I don't get how you can hate linsanity
During the Knicks game the showed the most points scored in the NBA by individual players since Feb 4. Lin is leading the league. He’s scored more points than LeBron, Durant, Westbrook etc. Honestly when was the last time the Celtics had a guy who had a streak like that?
by OFWG1554 on Feb 19, 2012 7:46 PM EST via iPhone app reply actions
Rondo just got ejected - I'm betting the C's win this game.
I like Avery Bradley’s energy – and I like his chemistry with the C’s starting lineup (especially Pierce)
by milt palacio's shot on Feb 19, 2012 8:01 PM EST reply actions
Hahahaha...thanks
If anyone can provide a video of that, I would be forever grateful lol
by Kgwillkillyou on Feb 19, 2012 8:25 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Rondo drove the lane and got hammered
But didn’t get the call. Had words with the official. Tossed the ball back to the ref with a little too much … enthusiasm …
Ejected.
Horrible game.
NBA Officiating - Corrupt? Incompetent? Which is worse? Does it matter? It sucks.
by mmmmm on Feb 19, 2012 8:24 PM EST via iPhone app up reply actions
did not deserve to get ejected for what he did, one tech...but the missed call was really bad
"It seemed that Brandon's financial manager had speculated in some kind of futures and lost everything...Mary could not rid her mind of the word "speculate." It meant to guess, in terms of money to gamble. How could a man gamble a college?"
From the short story, In the Garden of North American Martyrs--Tobias Wolff
GET TO THE RIM HEAT (and SKY)! ATTACK THE PAINT!
i actually didn't see - he picked up his second Tech for something
I missed the replay because I was typing that last comment on CsBlog!!
but Mike and Donny seem to think he’s going to be suspended a couple games!
by milt palacio's shot on Feb 19, 2012 8:11 PM EST reply actions
throwing ball at ref
this team not looking good for playoffs
Ok so I was wrong about the Cs winning after Rondo's ejection. BUT...
… if he is suspended it will be very interesting to see how the Cs play goes without him on the floor. Like I said, I think Rondo’s court chemistry with the starting lineup isn’t all that great. As soon as he got injured and Bradley started to play, that’s when the Cs started to go 9-1. Are the Celtics somehow older now than during the 9-1 stretch? Nope – but they are not gelling on the court like they did during those 10 games.
I really think it has to do with “energy” – hustle, decision-making, ball-movement, and attitude. Bradley’s is great for the whole team. Not sure about Rondo’s right now.
by milt palacio's shot on Feb 19, 2012 8:37 PM EST reply actions
I think this is a big correlation does not imply causation.
You MIGHT (I’m using this very loosely) be onto something, but I doubt it. Pierce is playing subpar and KG has been in and out of the lineup. Plus, Bass, their main scorer off the bench has been out.
Sure, you might think that these are just excuses but they’re not. Simply put this team isn’t good enough anymore where they can just rely on three players to win games against even bad teams.
Maybe KG is more valuable to this team than people (especially the haters) thought
After the first couple of weeks he has been playing great defense again. His rebounding, scoring, and fg% are also approaching last year and last year was a solid year. Good to see him still playing at a high level, when many people including plenty of Celtics fans said he was completely done.
15-15 After this game
Boston Celtics
Mayday Mayday!!!
we are going down!
I repeat we are going down…
Are we going to playoff??????
Boston Celtics
Mayday Mayday!!!
we are going down!
I repeat we are going down…
Relax.
We’re going to make the playoffs…just as a six, seven, or eight seed though. Unless DA pulls off a magical trade or this team somehow manages to get their collective shits together.
lucky?
who’s passing us?
The Cavs? Raptors? Bobcats? Nets? Pistons? Wizards?
Doubt it.
But we’ll be lucky not to get destroyed by Heat in 1st round. Would be better to be a lottery team than get owned by lebron.
by florida dodger on Feb 19, 2012 8:49 PM EST up reply actions
better to miss playoffs
could get lucky and win the lottery
Milwaukee’s three games behind us and won’t have their best player for the majority of the season. Do you really think the Cavs will get the eight seed instead of the Celtics?
Look at all of you looking down on the cavs
how you forget the Celtics loss to them once and almost got beat a 2nd time. So yes I really think the cavs can overtake the Celts. So can the Bucks and any other team the way the celtics are playing. The bobcats can make the playoffs over them
-Sammyg
its official...
NY is the better team right now. I cannot believe im saying this now since 2 weks ago they were given up for dead while the C’ were rocking.
I get this crunching feeling we might not even make the playoffs…sad
That's Linsane!
But yeah they are and will probably remain better than the Celtics.
The infusion of Tyson Chandler and Iman Shumpert (who has been an absolute beast) has helped their defense tremendously. Of course, their defensive efficiency is a little skewed because they’ve played a good stretch of bad teams but they more than held their own against an up and coming Minny team, an aging but still playoff bound Laker team, and a rounding into shape and looking scary again Mavericks team.
Getting Carmelo will only help relieve the pressure on Jeremy Lin (freaking fantastic in case you haven’t heard).
Seriously, they’re trapping him the way teams trap CP3 and Rose. It’s a little scary what’ll happen when they won’t be able to trap as often with Melo on the floor.
Plus, Lin's done the amazing by making the Knicks likable.
As a New Yorker, albeit a youthful one, I don’t think I’ve ever been able to say that.
That is like......
Boston being down by 10pts with 30secs to go in the 4th.
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