Spurs at Celtics Previews

[duncan228]

Game is Wednesday, 6:30 CST.

This was out before tonight's game, has some Celtics quotes.


Celts host red-hot Spurs (http://www.wickedlocal.com/swansea/sports/x2135345857/Celts-host-red-hot-Spurs)
By Jim Fenton

They began the season in late October overshadowed by other teams in their respective conferences.

For the Boston Celtics, they watched as all the preseason attention in the Eastern Conference was focused on the Miami Heat with their high-priced acquisitions.

For the San Antonio Spurs, they were out of the Western Conference spotlight being dominated by the two-time NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Ten weeks into the season, though, the Celtics and Spurs reside atop their conferences.

Tonight, the teams with the two best records in the league will square off when the Spurs make their annual visit to the TD Garden to face the Celtics (7:30 p.m.).

A good deal of the luster from the matchup was taken away last week when Kevin Garnett suffered a strained calf muscle, and he will be watching on television from the locker room.

The Celtics will be at an obvious disadvantage without Garnett as they try to deal with a team that was 29-4 with 14 wins in its last 15 games entering Tuesday night’s road game with the New York Knicks.

While the Celtics have gotten off to a 26-7 start — putting them just ahead of the hard-charging Heat in the East — despite losing 102 man-games to injuries, the Spurs have been a surprise in the opening two months.

Like the Celtics, the Spurs were 50-32 during the regular season last year. While the Celtics got their act together and made it to the NBA Finals, the Spurs were swept by the Phoenix Suns in the second round.

It looked like Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker might have made their final run together, but just like that, the Spurs are back among the leading contenders to win the title.

They are 19-2 at home and entered Tuesday night with a 10-2 road mark. The Spurs are averaging better than 105 points per game with Ginobili (18.7), Parker (17.7 with 7.1 assists) and Duncan (13.6, 9.4 rebounds) leading the way.

Richard Jefferson has rebounded from a tough season and is scoring 13.4 points while DeJuan Blair is starting at center and contributes 7.3 points and 6.5 rebounds.

“One of the best teams in the league,’’ said Celtics center Shaquille O’Neal. “We are going to have our hands full. Against a team like that, you’ve got to do everything right.’’

The only losses suffered by the Spurs have come against the New Orleans Hornets on Oct. 30, the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 26, the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 1 and the Orlando Magic on Dec. 23.

The Celtics have struggled without Garnett and with Rajon Rondo returning from a severe ankle sprain, and a dose of inconsistency will cost them dearly against the Spurs.

“We can’t have a bad start,’’ said Ray Allen. “We can’t come out and think we’ll get back in the game. They have the best record in the league for a reason.

‘They play well at home and on the road. We have to come out and we have to execute. We have to know our personnel and take away the stuff they do well.’’

The Spurs are winning with regularity despite having Duncan play less than 30 minutes a game. They have nine players averaging at least seven points per game, giving Coach Gregg Popovich plenty of options.

“They improved their team with younger players who are being productive,’’ said Allen. “I’m looking at their roster and I’m watching them play and some guys I don’t know, but they’re in there for a substantial amount of time and are very productive.

“They are subscribing to Popovich’s philosophies. They’re able to give Tim Duncan a lot of rest. He’s not playing a lot of minutes and offensively he’s not producing what he’s done over his career because he’s got other guys stepping up and playing well for them.’’

The Celtics have won five of their last seven games against the Spurs after dropping 18 in a row from March 1997-January 2007.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/swansea/sports/x2135345857/Celts-host-red-hot-Spurs

[duncan228]

Wednesday: Spurs (29-5) at Celtics (26-7) (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/04/wednesday-spurs-29-5-at-celtics-26-7/)
Jeff McDonald

...Spurs are 2-4 against Boston since arrival of Garnett and Allen prior to 2007-08 season, but have won two straight at TD Banknorth Garden. … Celtics are 2-1 since Garnett was hurt, having won consecutive games over Toronto and Minnesota. …

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/04/wednesday-spurs-29-5-at-celtics-26-7/

[TE]

I don't have a good feeling about this game.

[LongtimeSpursFan]

I don't have a good feeling about this game.

Havent the Spurs done well lately in Boston in the Duncan era? I think the Spurs are a better matchup for Boston than the Knicks.

[duncan228]

San Antonio (29-5) at Boston (26-7) (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011010502)
Tipoff: 7:30 pm EST Wed Jan 5, 2011
TV: FSSW, CSNE
By Jeff Bartl

Doc Rivers insisted Paul Pierce shoot more in Boston’s most recent victory. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich didn’t seem to have the same confidence in his stars down the stretch of a tough loss.

The NBA’s two top teams, the Celtics and Spurs meet Wednesday night in a matchup that should present a contrast in styles.

Popovich has guided San Antonio to four NBA championships focusing mainly on defense. However, the Spurs (29-5) are scoring 105.6 points per game this season, good for fourth in the league. Their high-scoring offense sometimes causes opponents to play a more fast-paced game, which New York took advantage of Tuesday in a 129-115 home victory over San Antonio.

The 129 points allowed were a season high for the Spurs, who allowed New York to shoot 55 percent.

“If we score 115 points, I expect to win,” Popovich sad. “Our defense was pathetic. It was our worst defense of the year. Nothing else tricky about it.”

The coach yanked Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker from the game with the Knicks leading by 10 and three minutes remaining - possibly still enough time for a comeback. Parker scored 26 points, Ginobili finished with 15 and Duncan had 14 while shooting 5 of 14 from the field.

“I asked them if they wouldn’t mind maybe playing a little bit better (Wednesday). They said they’d think about it,” Popovich said. “We’ll see what happens.”

The Spurs have bounced back nicely from their other four losses, winning the subsequent four contests by an average of nearly 11 points. They haven’t dropped consecutive games since getting swept by Phoenix in the second round of last spring’s playoffs.

The San Antonio offense figures to be tested by the Celtics, who are allowing an NBA-low 90.8 points per game. However, the Spurs have won 14 of their last 16 visits to Boston (26-7), which has won two straight with Rajon Rondo back in the lineup.

Boston went 4-3 while Rondo sat out with a right leg injury. Paul Pierce, who sarcastically said he forgot the starting point guard had returned, attempted to spread the ball around rather than shoot it himself in the first half of a 96-93 victory Monday against Minnesota.

“I thought Paul in the first half tried way too hard to get everybody involved,” Rivers said. “I told Paul, `You don’t need to be the playmaker. We need you to score.”

Pierce took a more aggressive approach in the second half and finished with 23 points. Rondo had 16 assists.

Pierce’s scoring has become more important since Kevin Garnett’s right leg injury, which is expected to sideline the power forward for at least another week. Pierce has averaged only 11.7 points in his last three games against San Antonio.

Despite their lack of success against the Spurs at home, the Celtics have won five of the last seven overall in the series after losing 18 straight from 1997-2007.

*********************

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Manu Ginobili SA 18.7
Paul Pierce Bos 19.0

Rebounds
Tim Duncan SA 9.4
Kevin Garnett Bos 9.5

Assists
Tony Parker SA 7.1
Rajon Rondo Bos 13.6

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011010502

[DMC]

I don't have a good feeling about this game.

Goddamn someone says that about every game. Some of you need to realize it's a sport, and we are leading the league. Stop being so paranoid and pathetic and just root for your team.

Good grief.. you guys sound like my fucking wife:

"I think there's someone in the house"

Me: "No, there's not... we have an alarm system"

Her: "are you sure? I don't feel comfortable now"

Me: "well fuck...look at the monitor... do you see anyone?"

Her: "No, but I still don't feel comfortable"

Me: "fuck it, I will go clear every fucking room again"

[timtonymanu]

The Celtics are pretty banged up and they are much slower than the Spurs. Besides, if I know my Spurs correctly, they will come out tomorrow with better energy than they had tonight because that was an embarrassment.

This game shouldnt be deemed an automatic loss. The Spurs should come out fighting.

[DMC]

Though they are fast, the Spurs still run a lot of half court sets and they need time to set up on defense.

[ButtHurt Committee]

Just chalk this one up as a loss, you faggots.

[TDMVPDPOY]

this is a auto loss, lack of energy last night

dont bother playing the starters pop, i know u going to pull the white flag

[duncan228]

Tim Duncan, Spurs a likable bunch (http://bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1307475&srvc=sports&position=3)
Not a hated rivalry
By Steve Bulpett
Boston Herald Sports Reporter

The teams with the best records in their respective conferences will meet tonight and, in a stunning blow to those who manufacture bright lights and hype, neither LeBron James nor Kobe Bryant will be in the building.

You’ll just have to settle for good basketball. Please accept the apologies of the prime-time gods.

The Celtics still aren’t near full capacity because of injury (two of their starters and a key reserve remain out), but their group approach to problem solving has landed them at 26-7. The Spurs rolled into New York last night with a best-in-league 29-4 record.

Putting aside the drama the Lakers or Heat could bring to June, Boston-San Antonio may well be the best pure Finals matchup available. The Celts would sign up for it in a heartbeat.

The only problem from a Green point of view is the economic hit to the T-shirt makers who spur their sales with venomous verbiage. It is, alas, hard to spur against the Spurs.

“You can hate a lot of teams for a lot of different reasons, but not that team,” said Jermaine O’Neal. “They don’t talk. They don’t say much. They just go out and play and win games. You admire that as a player.”

The Celtics love to work themselves into a lather, finding reasons to revile their opponents. Kevin Garnett leaves no motivational stone unturned. “Hey, that mascot looked at me funny.”

But nobody doesn’t like the San Antonio Spurs.

“Yeah, because they go about their business quietly and just kick everybody’s (butt),” said Paul Pierce, smiling as he spoke. “They don’t say anything. They just stay under the radar and win.”

Tim Duncan may be the most unassuming superstar the NBA has ever seen, while Tony Parker has received more attention for his marriage and divorce, and Manu Ginobili plays with the poise of an international jewel thief. The last Spur to draw ire was Bruce Bowen, and people didn’t seem to mind his dirty fouls so much when he was committing them against Kobe.

Now San Antonio simply pounds you politely. The Spurs play hard, and Gregg Popovich has to be one of the more aggressive wine connoisseurs in existence, but they are all more professional than promotional.

“I think people like the way they play, and I think we play the game the same way,” said Doc Rivers. “I think people like them because they’re good people, No. 1. And I think they like them also because they all try to play team basketball. They all buy into the system. There are no selfish guys, no agenda players on their team. They are the most high-character team in the league. I think people like that. They appreciate that.

“It comes from two people. It comes from Tim Duncan and it comes from Gregg Popovich. They’re both just classy, quiet human beings. They’re humble; they do their jobs, and they do it with confidence. But they’re humble about it.”

“I like them for a lot of reasons,” Rivers went on. “One, because of the group of guys they have with the players and Pop, and, two, because they’re another team that can attack the Lakers.

“So I like them in a lot of ways,” he added with a laugh.

The Spurs have altered their course somewhat, using Duncan a bit less, but, perhaps, more effectively.

Keep Reading... (http://bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1307475&format=&page=2&listingType=celt#articleFull)


http://bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view.bg?articleid=1307475&srvc=sports&position=3

[Amuseddaysleeper]

That was a great article.

[greyforest]

“You can hate a lot of teams for a lot of different reasons, but not that team,” said Jermaine O’Neal. “They don’t talk. They don’t say much. They just go out and play and win games. You admire that as a player.”

“Yeah, because they go about their business quietly and just kick everybody’s (butt),” said Paul Pierce, smiling as he spoke. “They don’t say anything. They just stay under the radar and win.”

“Classy, quiet human beings. They’re humble; they do their jobs, and they do it with confidence. But they’re humble about it.”

wonder if RJ is taking notes?

[spurs10]

Great article. You know the Spurs will play hungrier than last night. It wasn't fun to watch, but the Knicks had more fire...plain and simple.

[the cat's balls]

Timothy may have secured a place in a nursing home but the 'Big Ticket' already has half a foot in the crypt.

The Spurs will win by the square root of 16.

Look for Tony Parker to take advantage of Rondo's gambling style of defense and rust. We may also see a Splitter sighting as the Celtics boast one of the biggest, slowest frontlines in the NBA.



I hope the 'Brazillian dream' fills our subsconsious thoughts with merriment and arousal.

[justinandimcool]

If we can't even beat the Clippers on a road B2B....

[justinandimcool]

On the bright side though, maybe last night's loss will fire this team up for the rest of the month...because I honestly can't imagine the D getting any worse. Nowhere to go but up.

And the Celtics don't spread the floor nearly as much as the Knicks, Magic, or even the Clippers so it'll be easier guarding them especially without KG.

[DesignatedT]

Pretty sure we bounce back with a solid performance. Spurs win a close 1

[ManuTastic]

From today's Boston Globe:


High-level meeting

Are the Celtics the Spurs North? Or are the Spurs the Celtics South? Each should be flattered by the comparison.

Root for a Lakers-Heat NBA Finals if you must. That would put you firmly in the majority of NBA fans worldwide. And it would be appealing, no doubt.

That’s not the Finals I want. I want the Finals featuring the Big Fundamental vs. the Big Ticket. I want the Finals with a point guard battle between the elegant Frenchman vs. the Next Great Thing. I want the Finals spiced by a confrontation between the two cagiest combination games of the ’50s and the 21st century, one belonging to an Argentine and the other to a guy from Inglewood who now plays with an Old Celtics soul.

We even would have a meeting between Shaq and mini-Shaq (DeJuan Blair).

The Spurs are in town tonight, and that is cause for celebration. It always was going to be an enticing matchup, but it’s safe to say that nobody foresaw the Spurs arriving here on the fifth of January with a 29-5 record. It is being done in typical San Antonio fashion, which is to say that there are very few Spurs sightings on ESPN’s daily list of top 10 highlight plays. About all they ever get is another somber report testifying to another methodical conquest of another NBA foe.

That, of course, is how Gregg Popovich likes it. The only coaching graduate of a service academy (Air Force ’70) in NBA history isn’t much for on-court histrionics. He insists that his players play the game straight and exhibit proper behavior. One Dennis Rodman was enough.



Keep reading...http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2011/01/05/high_level_meeting/?page=1

[Killakobe81]

Great article almost everyone says the same about the spurs EXCEPT maybe the Mavs and the Suns ...

But i laugh that Doc compares the two teams ... Celts play great team ball (like the Spurs) but it comes with lots of trash-talk, thuggery douche-bagness as well.

I dont mind trash-talk just saying ...doc with everyone likes "how we play" is taking it a bit far ...

[cheguevara]

we win this one. It's written.

[shelshor]

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignments
Wed. Jan. 5
San Antonio @ Boston: Bill Kennedy; Brent Barnaky; John Goble

[duncan228]

Advanced Scouting: San Antonio Spurs at Boston Celtics (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/spurs-stats-advanced-scouting-san-antonio-spurs-boston-celtics)
by Scott Sereday
48 Minutes of Hell

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/spurs-stats-advanced-scouting-san-antonio-spurs-boston-celtics

[duncan228]

Boston media all kinds of excited.


Celtics, Spurs put their own stamps on winning (http://www.necn.com/01/04/11/Celtics-Spurs-put-their-own-stamps-on-wi/landing_sports.html?blockID=385158&feedID=3352)
By A. Sherrod Blakely
CSNNE.com

BOSTON — The current NBA standings look like a blast from the not-so-distant past.

The San Antonio Spurs (29-5) are rocking the best record out West, while the Boston Celtics (26-7) are holding it down in the East.

With the Los Angeles Lakers looking for a third straight NBA title and the revamped Miami Heat garnering most of the headlines this summer, to see the Spurs and Celtics atop the NBA landscape is a bit surprising.

The way they've done it?

Even more unexpected.

Regardless of the different methods used by both teams, there are a couple of fundamental building blocks to success that each has employed to remain on the short list of NBA title contenders.

Keep Reading... (http://www.necn.com/01/04/11/Celtics-Spurs-put-their-own-stamps-on-wi/landing_sports.html?blockID=385158&feedID=3352)

*********************


Celtics-Spurs preview: Celts expect a challenge (http://www.csnne.com/01/05/11/Celtics-Spurs-preview-Celts-expect-a-cha/landing_celtics.html?blockID=385176&feedID=3352)
By Jessica Camerato
CSNNE.com

The Boston Celtics will face one of their biggest tests this season when they battle the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The Spurs hold the best record in the NBA, and the Celtics are ready for a challenge.

Shaquille O’Neal
“They’re one of the best teams in the league and we’re going to have our hands full. Against a team like that, you’ve got to do everything right . . . [They pose] major challenges. We match up with them very well, they match up with us very well. The team that plays the hardest and gets all the loose balls and gets all the rebounds is the team that’s probably going to win.”

Ray Allen
“We can’t have a bad start. We can’t come out and think that we’ll get back in the game, or we’ll kind of slow roll this into playing good basketball. They’ve got the best record in the league and for a reason. They play well at home and on the road. So we have to come out and we have to execute, we’ve got to know our personnel, and we’ve got to make sure we take away the easy stuff.”

Nate Robinson
“They’re rolling. They’re playing well. I’ve watched a couple of their games and they’ve got everybody clicking on all cylinders. They’re just a team that’s been together for a long time, and then they’ve got a couple new pieces - [Gary] Neal knocking down the shot - you’ve got the Red Rocket [Matt Bonner] over there, he’s knocking down shots, playing the way they’ve been playing. The team chemistry is awesome. So a team like that coming in, we’ve just got to match their intensity and just play our game and we’ll be fine.”

Delonte West
“They’re one of those teams to beat. They’re playing Spurs basketball, and they’re playing at their top level, a championship level. It’ll be a good midseason test for us and for them also. But we’re not at full strength, I think they may not be, so depending on how many guys we have out there or who’s going to be able to go, it might not be a strong indication of who’s the better team right now. But it’s all still a good matchup for both teams . . . I’ll be watching on the bench.”

Marquis Daniels
“They’re a good team. They play hard and they’re rolling right now. They’re doing a lot of great things . . . It’s a good matchup for us. We’ve just got to go out there and continue to do what we’ve been doing best -- getting after it on the defensive end, getting easy baskets.”

Von Wafer
“It’s going to be a good game and I’m excited because it’s going to tell us a lot about ourselves. It’s a big measuring stick for what we’re trying to accomplish and what we need to work on. I think they’re going to expose any weaknesses we have, and that’s a good thing so we can work on them and get them stronger.”

Luke Harangody
“I think just top to bottom, they’ve got a deep squad. They’ve got a number of veteran players that know how to win. There’s a lot of other talk going on, but year after year the Spurs are a quality team, a playoff team.”

http://www.csnne.com/01/05/11/Celtics-Spurs-preview-Celts-expect-a-cha/landing_celtics.html?blockID=385176&feedID=3352

*********************


A heckler's guide to the Spurs (http://www.csnne.com/01/04/11/A-hecklers-guide-to-the-Spurs/landing_insider_levine.html?blockID=385260&feedID=5709)
By Rich Levine
CSNNE.com

It’s been three-and-a-half seasons now since the Celtics regained their NBA relevancy, and in that time they’ve birthed more rivalries than Shaq has nicknames.

There's the Lakers (of course), the Pistons, Hawks, Magic, Cavs, Bulls, Bucks, Knicks and Heat, just to name a ton. Basically, since the day KG made the move from Minnesota, half the league has at one point considered themselves Celtic’ rivals. It’s apparently the cool thing to do. Or maybe they just bring that out in people. Or maybe . . . I don’t know.

But I do know that when making out that excessive list, you can’t include the Spurs — and that’s disappointing, if not completely understandable.

On one hand, what are you going to do?

Keep Reading... (http://www.csnne.com/01/04/11/A-hecklers-guide-to-the-Spurs/landing_insider_levine.html?blockID=385260&feedID=5709)

*********************


Celtics-Spurs brings buzz to Boston (http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/columns/story?columnist=may_peter&id=5990080)
By Peter May
Special to ESPNBoston.com

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/columns/story?columnist=may_peter&id=5990080

[tdunk21]

Goddamn someone says that about every game. Some of you need to realize it's a sport, and we are leading the league. Stop being so paranoid and pathetic and just root for your team.

Good grief.. you guys sound like my fucking wife:

"I think there's someone in the house"

Me: "No, there's not... we have an alarm system"

Her: "are you sure? I don't feel comfortable now"

Me: "well fuck...look at the monitor... do you see anyone?"

Her: "No, but I still don't feel comfortable"

Me: "fuck it, I will go clear every fucking room again"

:lol

[tdunk21]

are celtics the only team who have enough respect for us as good players?

[Killakobe81]

are celtics the only team who have enough respect for us as good players?

Are you kidding me? Kobe gets a glow in his eyes evertime he mentions Manu the whole league talks about how great duncan is ...

Celts are just not talking trash because KG not playing (he always had a boner for Tim) and the game hasnt started ...I bet if the game is close PP will run his yap at RJ ...Davis will primal scream with spittle flying if he does anything tonight ...

[duncan228]

Pregame Banter: San Antonio at Boston (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/pregame-banter-san-antonio-at-boston#more-12229)
by Timothy Varner
48 Minutes of Hell

Brendan Jackson of Celtics Hub sent me some questions. I sent him some questions. We talked. His half of the conversation is below, my half is at Celtics Hub (http://celticshub.com/).

If that isn’t enough of a pregame meal, the Heat Index asked me to try my hand at John Peel (http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamiheat/post/_/id/3208/if-the-heat-arent-the-beatles-then-who), Henry Abbott talks Popovich (http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/23600/gregg-popovich-rests-his-players), Zach Lowe talks Popovich (http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2011/01/05/two-coaches-two-curious-late-game-decisions/), Tim Griffin has bullets from the mugging in NY (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/01/05/notes-on-a-scorecard-just-another-mugging-in-nyc/), and greyberger is optimistic about the Spurs’ numbers (http://www.poundingtherock.com/2011/1/4/1909412/point-by-point-spurs-building-a-juggernaut). It’s a good day to be a Spurs fan, minus the beating that was last night.

And, Graydon, I had to Google ‘Jersey Shore’ (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/new-york-knicks-128-san-antonio-spurs-115-how-many-points-can-you-score-in-an-empty-gym). And, uh, no.

Brendan Jackson after the jump.

Keep reading → (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/pregame-banter-san-antonio-at-boston#more-12229)

[wontstartdumbthreads]

Goddamn someone says that about every game. Some of you need to realize it's a sport, and we are leading the league. Stop being so paranoid and pathetic and just root for your team.

Good grief.. you guys sound like my fucking wife:

"I think there's someone in the house"

Me: "No, there's not... we have an alarm system"

Her: "are you sure? I don't feel comfortable now"

Me: "well fuck...look at the monitor... do you see anyone?"

Her: "No, but I still don't feel comfortable"

Me: "fuck it, I will go clear every fucking room again"

No, your wife sounds more like:

"ooooohhh harder harder, give it to me in the butt!"

[duncan228]

Celtics and Spurs Clash in Battle for Top Spot (http://www.celtics247.com/2011/01/celtics-and-spurs-clash-in-battle-for-top-spot/)
By FLCeltsFan
Celtics24/7

...The Celtics and Spurs were both considered too old last season and this season they find themselves at the top of the league, with the Celtics leading the East and the Spurs leading the West. The one big difference is that the Spurs have been healthy for the most part and the Celtics have been playing short handed the entire season so far. This game is no different. The Celtics are playing without Perk, Delonte and KG while the Spurs are almost at full strength with just James Anderson out.

Last season, the two sides split the series 1‐1. The C’s won their fourth straight game in San Antonio. Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with an average of 16.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. KG will certainly be missed in this game. Rajon Rondo chipped in with 9.0 points and 9.5 assists per game. Manu Ginobili led the Spurs with an average of 19.5 points while DeJuan Blair (12.5 points, 11.0 rebounds) and Tim Duncan (12.0 points, 12.0 rebounds) both added double‐doubles.

The Spurs are taking a page out of the Celtics book and winning with team play with 4 of the 5 starters averaging in double figures. The Celtics lead the league with 24.5 assists per game while the Spurs are 4th, averaging 23.6 assists per game. The Spurs use ball movement and team ball to beat their opponents just like the Celtics have done.

Finally the Celtics catch another team on the second of back to back games while they have had the previous day off. The Celtics have already had 8 back to back sets this season and they always seem to catch a rested and healthy team in the second game. The Spurs lost to the Knicks on Tuesday night and this could be added motivation for the Spurs to win in Boston. Pop sat his starters with over 3 minutes to go in a winnable game. That will make his starters fresher for this game but also frustrated them as they sat on the bench throwing things and obviously very angry at being pulled from the game. Also, the Spurs haven’t lost 2 in a row all season. After every loss they have bounced back to get a big win in their next game.

Not sure what the officiating assignments say for this game but Bill Kennedy is calling his 4th game already this season for the Celtics. If you remember, Bill Kennedy is the referee who taunted Doc into getting a technical a couple of years back. Kennedy was fined for his actions after that incident. According to Tim Donaghy, Kennedy is gay and Doc questioned his sexuality in a game at one point and Kennedy has been out to get him ever since. The Celtics have won 2 of the 3 games he has officiated so far but of the 3, the Celtics had a free throw deficit. Kennedy and 2 relatively new refs is an interesting crew for a big game like this one.

The Celtics have been playing some uninspired basketball since KG went down, barely getting by the Wolves and pouring it on at the end to defeat a Raptors team even more depleted then the Celtics. Of course that may be as much playing down to the opponent than anything but one thing is for sure, if the Celtics want to win this one, they are going to have to bring their A game.


...Key Matchups

Rajon Rondo vs Tony Parker
Rondo has been compared to Parker at times and this matchup will be a big challenge for both players. When Rondo is aggressive and focused, he can pretty much take on any point guard in the league, including Parker. Rondo usually gets up for big games and this is a big one. The only question would be how close to 100% is Rondo at this point?

Glen Davis vs Tim Duncan
Big Baby will have his hands full in this matchup. Duncan still brings a lot to the table, especially defensively and Big Baby can’t try to do too much offensively if Duncan is blocking his shot or preventing him from getting good shots. On the other end, Big Baby will need to get good position and stand his ground and keep Duncan away from the basket.

Honorable Mention
Ray Allen vs Manu Ginobili
I have to say that Ginobili is one of my least favorite players in the league. He plays dirty and he also flops more than any player in the league. Ray will need to watch out for his dirty tricks to avoid injury and early foul trouble if the refs fall for Ginobili’s flops.

Keys to the Game
Defense - The Celtics must make defense a priority in this game.
The Spurs are having one of their best offensive seasons in franchise history. They are averaging 105.6 points per game this season. The Celtics must defend the perimeter because they are shooting .400 from beyond the arc. Matt Bonner ranks 2nd in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage at .495 and Richard Jefferson ranks 16th at .432 while Gary Neal ranks 1st among rookies in three-point field goals made. Of course the Celtics must also defend the paint with Tim Duncan a threat to score inside along with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili who can get to the hoop pretty much at will.

Focus - With the Spurs in town, the Celtics must keep their focus from the opening tip to the final buzzer. The Spurs are very capable of taking advantage of any lack of focus on the Celtics part. The Celtics have to come out strong as coming back from a big deficit would be very difficult against a strong defensive team like the Spurs. Also, they have to play strong until the end of the game. The Spurs won’t let up and neither can the Celtics if they want to win this one. Keeping their focus also includes taking care of the ball and not committing unforced turnovers.

Rebound The Spurs are a good rebounding team and the Celtics need to concentrate on crashing the boards. The Spurs are a top 5 rebounding team. Without KG, the Celtics have not been rebounding as well as they should and have been out rebounded in 6 straight games. The Wolves out rebounded the Celtics 45-30. The Celtics must crash the boards and keep the Spurs from getting second chance points, which they do very well.

Be Aggressive When the Celtics are aggressive in going after loose balls, taking the ball to the hoop and playing in your face defense, they are very tough to beat. When they get lazy and allow teams to beat them to loose balls and rebounds and when they settle for jumpers and don’t go to the basket, they are very beatable. They must stay aggressive.

X-Factors
Home Court and Back to Back
For the Celtics, the x-factor could very well be playing on their home court and with the home crowd behind them. For the Spurs, playing in the second of back to back games may be the x-factor, even though their starters played only around 30 minutes last night.

http://www.celtics247.com/2011/01/celtics-and-spurs-clash-in-battle-for-top-spot/

[Killakobe81]

LOL "Manu is my least favorite player in the league"?! ...
sure he flops ...but Manu is NOT dirty ...
not a bad write up but he loses a lot of credibilty for that line alone ...

[DBMethos]

LMAO @ Manu being dirty...from a Celts fan no less. :lmao

[duncan228]

Rivers wants to see Rondo shoot more (http://www.necn.com/01/05/11/Rivers-wants-to-see-Rondo-shoot-more/landing_sports.html?blockID=385640&feedID=3352)
By A. Sherrod Blakely
CSNNE.com

BOSTON — Even with key players like Kevin Garnett (right calf strain) out, tonight's Boston-San Antonio matchup will definitely have a playoff-like feel to it.

You expect that when the top two teams in the NBA face off for the first time.

You can also bank on the Spurs doing what most playoff-caliber teams will do to the Celtics: try and make Rajon Rondo a shooter.

Even non-playoff teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves have gone that route.

And it almost paid off for them on Monday, but several key plays by the C's down the stretch - including a 15-foot jumper by Rondo - helped the Celtics edge the T-Wolves, 96-93.

Aware of how Minnesota was defending Rondo, it was clear that Rondo's teammates wanted to make them pay for that.

But Rondo did what Rondo usually does, and that's pass up shots in order to rack up assists.

"We wanted him to take shots, because it's the next step for him," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "And he can make those shots. That's what's so frustrating for our guys."

In the win over the Timberwolves, Rivers said Rondo passed on taking at least a half dozen shots that were well within his shooting range.

"Rondo can make those shots," Rivers said. "We just have to get him to make them after a miss, and take another one."

Rivers added, "the way (Minnesota) guarded him, is the way they are going to guard us in the playoffs, all teams."

Here are a couple other pre-game nuggets before tonight's tip-off.

*

The Celtics knew before he came into the league that the former No. 1 overall pick Tim Duncan would be a pretty memorable player in Boston, but this is not exactly what they had in mind. Since the Spurs defied some major odds to land Duncan (Boston had the best chance of scooping him up due to their league-worst record), The Big Fundamental has an 11-1 record in Boston.

*

While the Spurs' defense isn't locking teams down like they have in past years, they do tend to get stingier as the game progresses. In the first quarter, opponents are shooting 48.2 percent against San Antonio. In the second quarter, teams are down to 46.5 percent. In the third quarter, they dip to 43.8 percent. And in the usually pivotal fourth, opponents are connecting on 43.8 percent of their shots.

http://www.necn.com/01/05/11/Rivers-wants-to-see-Rondo-shoot-more/landing_sports.html?blockID=385640&feedID=3352

[Manu-of-steel]

LOL "Manu is my least favorite player in the league"?! ...
sure he flops ...but Manu is NOT dirty ...
not a bad write up but he loses a lot of credibilty for that line alone ...

I have to agree with this.