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#CelticsTalk: #Celtics Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Mickael Pietrus and Greg Stiemsma not participating in (cont) tl.gd/h4itos
— A. Sherrod Blakely (@SherrodbCSN) April 24, 2012
#CelticsTalk: #Celtics Mickael Pietrus says he's definitely out tonight, may play Thursday vs. #Bucks.
— A. Sherrod Blakely (@SherrodbCSN) April 24, 2012
Ray, Stiemer, and Pietrus won't lace it up tonight and Rondo is a game time decision with his balky back. Anybody else worried? I understand Doc's decision to opt for health over home court, but home court advantage against the Hawks could shorten that series. Picture this: with HCA, Game 5 of that series could be in Boston. If Boston won both games at home and stole one in Atlanta, we could be resting up for dog fight with Chicago rather than potentially travelling back and forth to Atlanta for Games 5-7.
The Heat haven't shown their cards yet with who's playing tonight but Wade, Lebron, and Bosh all made the trip to Boston. Miami still has something to play for just in case they face OKC in the Finals, so I'm betting Lebron and Bosh suit up. In Atlanta, the Hawks are facing a hungry Clippers team still fighting for playoff position. A Celtics win and a Hawks loss puts us in the driver's seat going into the finale on Thursday. Pietrus said today:
#CelticsTalk: #Celtics M.Pietrus on having pain in his knee. "In this locker(room), they say, pain or regrets? I will rather get the pain."
— A. Sherrod Blakely (@SherrodbCSN) April 24, 2012
If that's true, I'd rather they try and gut out a win tonight rather than regret it two weeks from now.
UPDATE:
It appears Miami's Big Three are all out tonight. #heat #celtics
— gary washburn (@GwashNBAGlobe) April 24, 2012
Gary Washburn is reporting that Bosh, Wade, and Lebron are sitting out tonight's game even though they participated in today's shootaround/practice. Personally, this game was already a "must win" game for the Celtics, but I've now elevated it to "should win."