Magic vs. Celtics Previews

[duncan228]

Preview: Celtics (2) vs. Magic (3) (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/Preview_Celtics_2_vs_Magic_3.html)
Express-News

Season series: Tied, 2-2

Key Matchup: Kendrick Perkins vs. Dwight Howard

Perkins can’t match Howard’s scoring and rebounding, and unless he can limit Howard’s domination in the paint, the Celtics can’t win. If Boston is forced to double-team Howard, Orlando’s 3-point shooters will get too many open looks, so Perkins has to hope he can muscle up on Howard enough to keep him from getting to his sweet spots.

Celtics can win if: Ray Allen stretches the Magic defense enough that Paul Pierce has room to operate in the paint. Boston’s chances of getting to the Eastern finals may also hinge on a return to the court by Kevin Garnett before the end of this series.

Magic can win if: Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu take advantage of the open shots they are going to get because of Howard’s domination of the interior. Unless they’re knocking down perimeter shots and 3-pointers, the Celtics can get away with double-teaming Howard.

Prediction: Magic in 5

- Mike Monroe

[duncan228]

Orlando at Boston Preview (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2009050402&prov=ap)
Game info: 8:00 pm EDT Mon May 4, 2009
TV: TNT
By Jimmy Golen

Celtics coach Doc Rivers has a bed in Boston and a bed in Orlando and will get a chance to sleep in both in the second round of the NBA playoffs.

That’s if he gets any sleep at all.

The Celtics played a record seven overtime periods through six games of their first-round series against Chicago, and then beat the Bulls in Game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Magic. The defending champions had just one day off to rest up for Game 1 of the second round on Monday night at the new Boston Garden.

“And here we are again,” Celtics guard Ray Allen said, moments after the Game 7 victory over Chicago kept alive the team’s chances of an unprecedented 18th NBA title. “This is a great time of the year for the fans in Boston. There’s definitely more basketball, and it’s right here coming on Monday.”

Boston and Orlando split their four-game regular-season series, a record that is of little consolation for the Celtics because Kevin Garnett missed one and played 16 minutes in the other before aggravating the right knee injury that is expected to keep him out for the duration of the playoffs. He is expected to have surgery as soon as it’s clear he won’t be ready to help in the postseason.

“We didn’t win either game without Kevin,” said Rivers, a former Magic coach and still an offseason resident of Orlando. “And so we’re going to have to go and find out why.”

Confident of victory—or preparing, just in case—Rivers had his staff put a playbook for a possible Orlando series in the players’ cars when they arrived at the Garden for Game 7 on Saturday night. He gave the team the day off on Sunday to rest up, meaning the only time they’ll work specifically on Orlando would be Monday’s pregame shootaround.

“It’s similar to last year. I mean, we never got a break in the playoff series last year,” Celtics forward Paul Pierce said. “I’d rather keep playing anyway. I think you get three, four days off you kind of lose it a little bit. Hey, just like the regular season, you play every other day, let’s keep it going.”

The Magic wrapped up their series against Philadelphia in six games on Thursday, and apparently have time to spare: They watched film of Garnett on Sunday, skeptical of whether the injured star is really out for the playoffs as the Celtics maintain. (Rivers has compared reports of Garnett’s return to Bigfoot sightings.)

“I don’t have any idea if he’ll play, but we watched film on him,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “Besides that, it’s not like you’re going to go, ‘Kevin Garnett? I never heard of him. What does he do?’ I think we can make that adjustment pretty quickly. I think we all have a pretty good idea of who Kevin Garnett is.”

The Magic have their own injuries.

Guard Courtney Lee is recovering from surgery on a fractured sinus that he injured in Game 5 against the 76ers. He has been cleared to play with a protective mask, but he is expected to miss at least the first two games of the Celtics series. J.J. Redick is expected to start in his place.

Lee was injured by teammate Dwight Howard, but another one of the Magic center’s wayward elbows almost proved more costly. He was suspended for Game 6 in the first round for hitting Philadelphia’s Samuel Dalembert, leaving Howard back at his hotel room blogging and Tweeting while his teammates finished off the Sixers.

When he was done rooting for his teammates, Howard took an interest in the Celtics and Bulls.

He got what he wanted.

“If you want to be the champs, you have to beat the champs,” he said, dismissing any notion of a Celtics mystique. “I believe in the Magic mystique; I never thought about that. They put on their pants just like we do. There’s two baskets on the floor, and seats.”

Notes

Magic:

April 22 C Dwight Howard's previous playoff high was 29 points against the Raptors in the first round last year. He had 31 points and 16 rebounds in his 15th career playoff game. ... Central Florida resident and the Magic's most famous fan, Tiger Woods, was sitting at his courtside seat across from Philadelphia's bench. ... F Rashard Lewis had missed the last three games with right knee tendinitis. F Hedo Turkoglu had been sidelined for the last two games with a sprained left ankle.

Celtics:

F Kevin Garnett spent the entire game on the bench, mostly standing. In the opener, he was there for the first half but stayed in the locker room after intermission. ... Red Sox pitchers Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Justin Masterson attended the game. Masterson was the winning pitcher in a 12-1 victory over Baltimore on Monday, allowing one run in 5 1-3 innings. ... Owner Wyc Grousbeck was at the game after finishing the Boston Marathon earlier Monday in 4:16:49. He sat next to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Dwight Howard Orl 20.6
Paul Pierce Bos 20.5

Rebounds
Dwight Howard Orl 13.8
Kevin Garnett Bos 8.5

Assists
Jameer Nelson Orl 5.4
Rajon Rondo Bos 8.2

Team Comparison
Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10

Orlando 59-23 1st Southeast / 3rd East 101.0 94.4 Road 27-14 Won 1 5-5

Boston 62-20 1st Atlantic / 2nd East 100.9 93.4 Home 35-6 Won 2 8-2

[UltimA]

I like Magic here, mostly because Garnett won't be playing.

[Imposter Cleaner]

I would bet all my vbookie cash on Magic win if there was one on spurstalk.

[tomtom]

bostons so undersized right now. im gonna lol when big baby is gonna have to play dwight

[Ghazi]

This series really doesn't intrigue me with Garnett sidelined.

[shelshor]

Game 1:
Referee Assignments
Mon. May 4
Orlando @ Boston: M. Wunderlich, J. Capers, K. Mauer

[Morg1411]

This series really doesn't intrigue me with Garnett sidelined.

Same.

[jacobdrj]

I hope they play less sloppy ball than the Chi-Bos series. Rondo is going to eat Alston alive.

[Allanon]

The Magic have been kinda sloppy lately. They haven't been as dominating as they were earlier in the season.

Without Jameer Nelson, I'm not sure they're such an Elite team.

[angel_luv]

I am pumped about this series.

Go Magic! :)
Go Hedo! :D

[TampaDude]

This series really doesn't intrigue me with Garnett sidelined.

+1 No KG means the Magic own the post...this one goes 5 games, max.

[Xylus]

The Celtics are winning this series. The Magic just don't have the killer instinct required to take out a team like Boston, who haven't lost a playoff series in awhile. It'll go to 7 games, of course, and Boston will blow them out in the deciding game, just like they always do.

Boston in 7

[LnGrrrR]

I won't be able to watch all this game, unless I blow through my Spanish finals quickly... Hm... :lol

[JoeTait75]

Boston has the homecourt, the experience and the closer in Catfish Pierce. C's in seven.