(2-3) 
at 
(3-2)
Orlando Magic (2-3,10-3) at Boston Celtics (3-2,11-5)
Friday, May 28
8:30 PM ET
Post Season Game #16, Home Game #8
TV: ESPN
TD Garden
at (3-2) Orlando Magic (2-3,10-3) at Boston Celtics (3-2,11-5)
Friday, May 28
8:30 PM ET
Post Season Game #16, Home Game #8
TV: ESPN
TD Garden
Referees: Monty McCutchen, Mike Callahan, Ken Mauer
The Celtics once again have a chance to close out this series. After going up 3-0 and looking invincible, the Celtics have lost their defensive intensity and they have given the Magic confidence. Now, the lack of focus and intensity in game 4 is coming back to haunt them.
They are coming into game 6 bruised and beaten. Big Baby will play but whether there will be any after effects from his concussion remains to be seen. . Rasheed is a game time decision with back spasms. Rondo has been battling back spasms. KG was reportedly walking off the court gingerly after game 5. Tony is still struggling with an ankle injury. And Perk is precariously perched on the edge of a suspension should he get one more technical.
They are coming into game 6 bruised and beaten. Big Baby will play but whether there will be any after effects from his concussion remains to be seen. . Rasheed is a game time decision with back spasms. Rondo has been battling back spasms. KG was reportedly walking off the court gingerly after game 5. Tony is still struggling with an ankle injury. And Perk is precariously perched on the edge of a suspension should he get one more technical.
There is a lot of history that comes to mind when we take a look at this game 6. First, there has never been a team to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a 7 game series. The Magic think they can be the first and it is up to the Celtics to prevent it. Second, last season the Celtics were up 3-2 on the Magic with home court advantage. The Celtics had never lost a series when in that position in franchise history. But yet, the Magic won the last two games, winning game 7 on the Celtics court , to go on to the Finals. Finally, some very recent history has the Bruins choke away a 3-0 start to lose in their series this season.
The Celtics are on their home court, but that hasn't always been a good thing this season, although they blew out the Magic in their first game at home in this series. Maybe the Celtics will get a little better treatment from the refs in this one. The Celtics will need to leave it all out on the court in this one because this is their game 7. They just can't think that they have one more chance after this one. This is it, because the longer the series goes, playing every other night, the more the chance that the Magic will win it.
The Celtics are on their home court, but that hasn't always been a good thing this season, although they blew out the Magic in their first game at home in this series. Maybe the Celtics will get a little better treatment from the refs in this one. The Celtics will need to leave it all out on the court in this one because this is their game 7. They just can't think that they have one more chance after this one. This is it, because the longer the series goes, playing every other night, the more the chance that the Magic will win it.
Probable Starting Matchups
Point Guard
vs 
Rajon Rondo vs Jameer Nelson
Shooting Guard
vs 
Ray Allen vs Vince Carter
Small Forward
vs 
Paul Pierce vs Matt Barnes
Power Forward
vs 
Keven Garnett vs Rashard Lewis
Center
vs 
Kendrick Perkins vs Dwight "the Elbow" Howard
Key Matchups
vs 
Kendrick Perkins vs Dwight Howard
Howard has dominated in the past two games because of Perk being limited by foul trouble or ejected. Perk has got to play Howard tough but smart and keep him from getting to his spots in the paint. Hopefully the refs will let Perk play in this one. The way I see it, they owe him one.
vs 
Rajon Rondo vs Jameer Nelson
Rondo was incredible in games 1-3 and the Celtics won them. He has been tentative and out played by Jameer Nelson in games 4 and 5 and not surprisingly, the Magic won. Like Perk, Rondo has been plagued with foul trouble right from the start of games. Rondo has to be aggressive on both ends of the court but without picking up early fouls. He also must set the pace of the game and keep the Celtics offense moving.
Honorable Mention
The Celtics bench has been great in this series but now there is a major question mark there. Sheed and Big Baby are both game time decisions and Tony Allen has been struggling with a sprained ankle. Doc has had to go deeper into his bench with all the injuries and foul trouble and the results haven't been all that successful. The Celtics reserves must come through for the team to have a chance to win. The starters can't do it by themselves.
Keys to the Game
Defense - Defense wins championships isn't just a saying. It is an absolute fact. The Celtics' defense was amazing in games 1-3. But in games 4 and 5, they allowed the Magic way too many open and easy shots. They seemed to lose their defensive focus. Terrible officiating may have something to do with it. But, the Celtics must find a way to deal with the refs and win anyway. Defense is the key. They have to get back to playing the tough in your face defense that won the first 3 games.
Rebounding - Second to defense is rebounding. The team that is more aggressive on the boards will get more second chance baskets and more fast break points. So much of rebounding is effort and desire as is evident when the shortest guy on the court can come up with a lot of rebounds. In game 5, the Magic out rebounded the Celtics 43-26. The Celtics can't win when they give up that many rebounds. The team that wants it more will show it in their rebounding numbers.
Hustle and Intensity - The Celtics must go after every loose ball and every rebound. They have to set the tone with their hustle and their intensity. If they do that, they can take the Magic out of the game early as they did in the first 3 games. In games 4 and 5, it was the Magic who got all the hustle plays and if the Celtics want to win this game they have to turn that around. The team that wants it more and gets the hustle plays will get the game.
Play 48 Minutes - The Celtics must come out with focus early and get the jump on the Magic right from the start. They can't let the Magic get off to a fast start or to build a lead. The Celtics must also not let up. They have a habit of fading in the 4th quarter, whether from fatigue or lack of focus, but they can't afford to do that. They have to put out the effort from the opening tip until the final buzzer.
Run the Offense - The Celtics must run their offense and move the ball and find the open man. In games 4 and 5, the ball was getting stuck and there was too much dribbling around and too many iso's and too many players trying to do it themselves. They have to trust the offense and play as a team. They can only win this if they play as a team. No hero ball.
X-Factor
Officiating and Injuries
As we saw in game 5, the officials can have a huge effect on a game. Let's hope that after the way the Celtics were absolutely taken out of the game by the refs in game 5, they owe us one and they will call it fairly. Maybe even give the Celtics the benefit of a few calls. Now that the referees have allowed the Magic to commit assault and battery on the Celtics, whether they can overcome their bumps and bruises and injuries to play well enough to win this one will be a factor.
Point Guard
vs Rajon Rondo vs Jameer Nelson
Shooting Guard
vs Ray Allen vs Vince Carter
Small Forward
vs Paul Pierce vs Matt Barnes
Power Forward
vs Keven Garnett vs Rashard Lewis
Center
vs Kendrick Perkins vs Dwight "the Elbow" Howard
Key Matchups
vs Kendrick Perkins vs Dwight Howard
Howard has dominated in the past two games because of Perk being limited by foul trouble or ejected. Perk has got to play Howard tough but smart and keep him from getting to his spots in the paint. Hopefully the refs will let Perk play in this one. The way I see it, they owe him one.
vs Rajon Rondo vs Jameer Nelson
Rondo was incredible in games 1-3 and the Celtics won them. He has been tentative and out played by Jameer Nelson in games 4 and 5 and not surprisingly, the Magic won. Like Perk, Rondo has been plagued with foul trouble right from the start of games. Rondo has to be aggressive on both ends of the court but without picking up early fouls. He also must set the pace of the game and keep the Celtics offense moving.
Honorable Mention
The Celtics bench has been great in this series but now there is a major question mark there. Sheed and Big Baby are both game time decisions and Tony Allen has been struggling with a sprained ankle. Doc has had to go deeper into his bench with all the injuries and foul trouble and the results haven't been all that successful. The Celtics reserves must come through for the team to have a chance to win. The starters can't do it by themselves.
Keys to the Game
Defense - Defense wins championships isn't just a saying. It is an absolute fact. The Celtics' defense was amazing in games 1-3. But in games 4 and 5, they allowed the Magic way too many open and easy shots. They seemed to lose their defensive focus. Terrible officiating may have something to do with it. But, the Celtics must find a way to deal with the refs and win anyway. Defense is the key. They have to get back to playing the tough in your face defense that won the first 3 games.
Rebounding - Second to defense is rebounding. The team that is more aggressive on the boards will get more second chance baskets and more fast break points. So much of rebounding is effort and desire as is evident when the shortest guy on the court can come up with a lot of rebounds. In game 5, the Magic out rebounded the Celtics 43-26. The Celtics can't win when they give up that many rebounds. The team that wants it more will show it in their rebounding numbers.
Hustle and Intensity - The Celtics must go after every loose ball and every rebound. They have to set the tone with their hustle and their intensity. If they do that, they can take the Magic out of the game early as they did in the first 3 games. In games 4 and 5, it was the Magic who got all the hustle plays and if the Celtics want to win this game they have to turn that around. The team that wants it more and gets the hustle plays will get the game.
Play 48 Minutes - The Celtics must come out with focus early and get the jump on the Magic right from the start. They can't let the Magic get off to a fast start or to build a lead. The Celtics must also not let up. They have a habit of fading in the 4th quarter, whether from fatigue or lack of focus, but they can't afford to do that. They have to put out the effort from the opening tip until the final buzzer.
Run the Offense - The Celtics must run their offense and move the ball and find the open man. In games 4 and 5, the ball was getting stuck and there was too much dribbling around and too many iso's and too many players trying to do it themselves. They have to trust the offense and play as a team. They can only win this if they play as a team. No hero ball.
X-Factor
Officiating and Injuries
As we saw in game 5, the officials can have a huge effect on a game. Let's hope that after the way the Celtics were absolutely taken out of the game by the refs in game 5, they owe us one and they will call it fairly. Maybe even give the Celtics the benefit of a few calls. Now that the referees have allowed the Magic to commit assault and battery on the Celtics, whether they can overcome their bumps and bruises and injuries to play well enough to win this one will be a factor.