Charlotte Bobcats at Boston Celtics game preview -- Game 71
by Ben Swanson on Mar 25, 2011 10:39 AM EDT
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PrintToday's Tunes:
A Tribe Called Quest - Stressed Out
Game Overview: I hope you're used to blowouts, like I am, by now. Head coach Paul Silas says he doesn't expect Jackson to return any time soon. And he's probably going to sit Tyrus, too, according to Rick Bonnell's article. So we're looking at where we were a week or two ago. I expect the starting lineups to be Augustin/Henderson/Cunningham/Diaw/Brown and Rondo/Allen/Pierce/Garnett/Krstic. Yeah, um, ouch. No worries, I'm sure our advantage of Kwame over Krstic will win the day.
As for the Celtics, their frontcourt has been decimated by injury. Shaq is out until the beginning of April and Jermaine O'Neal is injured as well. ESPN tells me it's some kind of knee injury, but I still think it could be a bad case of the Zombie Basketball Plague (see: Carter, Vince). Anyhoo, the trade deadline moves Boston made changed up the team a good bit. Not so much on the starting side, but the bench has changed a lot. Jeff Green and Troy Murphy join Big Baby (Glen Davis) in the frontcourt and Delonte West is back to get minutes at the point off the bench. Woo? Sure, woo. Regardless, the Celtics are still a formidable, elite opponent. I don't like their squad as much as I did before the trade, but it's not like Rondo can't get players involved and keep them happy with his passing.
So what do the Bobcats do if they want to win? Jeez. Just try to get players open any way possible. Pick 'n Roll offense? Not going to work. Running the PnR with Augustin and Boris against Rondo and Kevin Garnett is not going to be efficient. Those are two of the best defenders today. And the PnR with DJ and Kwame? Well, if Kwame can find his hands (hint: they're at the end of your arms, big fella!) this could work occasionally. The best bet would be running guys off screens for open jumpers or finding teammates cutting through the lane. Look to Livingston and D.J. White to bring scoring and rebounding off the bench. Defensively, I pray. Augustin and Diaw are bad defenders of the PnR. Henderson can bother Ray Allen. But Cunningham may have fits with Paul Pierce. The dude is just so crafty. Boris is an above-average defender in the post so Kevin Garnett may take a while to get going from there but I in no way expect Garnett to have much of an off night, if at all.
Guh.
Key Matchup: Me vs. Legal Drinking Age - just kidding! It's actually My Forehead vs. My Desk
NBA Artwork: a piece I did for a friend - former Celtic Semih Erden!
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Who's the other guy gettng posterized in that picture?
Cats' Magic number: 11
Games remaining: 12
Jim Mora: "Playoffs?! Don't talk about...playoffs? You kiddin' me?"
Yup, Javale McGee
Good eye
Lemonade was a popular drink and it still is,
I get more props and stunts than Bruce Willis
- Guru, of Gangstarr
by Ben Swanson on Mar 25, 2011 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Let's play a drinking game tonight!
Take a shot for every open look that Boris Diaw turns into a pass.
(You may want to use mixed drinks for this game…or maybe even light beer.)
Cats' Magic number: 11
Games remaining: 12
Jim Mora: "Playoffs?! Don't talk about...playoffs? You kiddin' me?"
Remembering the Last 1st Quarter...
The 1st Quarter against the Pacers was the best post-Gerald Wallace basketball I’ve seen the Bobcats play…both Offensively and Defensively. I just don’t understand why the Starters can’t (won’t) play like that the whole game?? The bench’s number one priority should be to come in and sustain leads!
The Celtics are going to treat the Bobcats like the Scrubs they are. We’ll see the starters for half the game. If the Bobcats happen to keep it close, then you’ll see increased minutes from their starters. Bottom line, Boston’s going to dis-respect the Bobcats like the Spurs did…“Take the night off Timmy, we got this.”
Such is life as a lower tier Eastern conference rebuilding team.
The draft
This year’s draft is going to be better than we think, don’t sleep on it. There are no Blake Griifin’s, But there are plenty of Lamarcus Aldrige’s types and guards that can score to help our needs. Let’s draft guys that can score not defensive minded ones that can’t shoot to save their lives. Learning to play defense is easier than learning to score. Our team is designed to play D not score the LB way. At the end of the game the team that scores the most points win. we are still respectable in points allowed, and next to dead last in points scored. Our team is actually 1/2 bad. Go Cats lets play hard and not get blown out.
ezrock
2011-12 DRAFT PROSPECT
Do we have any chance at the Arizona monster, Derrick Williams ?
by chris in union county on Mar 25, 2011 2:49 PM EDT reply actions
Very, VERY small chance
He’s probably gone within the first five picks, so we’d need to literally hit the lottery in order to draft him.
Cats' Magic number: 11
Games remaining: 12
Jim Mora: "Playoffs?! Don't talk about...playoffs? You kiddin' me?"
SORRY DAVID WEST BUT NO THANKS :(
by chris in union county on Mar 25, 2011 2:54 PM EDT reply actions
What about David West?
Lemonade was a popular drink and it still is,
I get more props and stunts than Bruce Willis
- Guru, of Gangstarr
lol...really
Wth does that mean, or even have to do with anything?
Cats' Magic number: 11
Games remaining: 12
Jim Mora: "Playoffs?! Don't talk about...playoffs? You kiddin' me?"
Hmm...I just read that West is done for the season, and possibly the playoffs.
I suppose that had something to do with it. I guess.
Cats' Magic number: 11
Games remaining: 12
Jim Mora: "Playoffs?! Don't talk about...playoffs? You kiddin' me?"
he was sent of in a wheelchair last night vs utah
think he is out for rest of season, no conformation on espn though, but when your rolled off the court its bad one way or the other. as a player of interest for the bobcats I think he WOULD be a nice addition, we need all the scorers we can get.
"..and we have scott may coming back this season.." bob johnson quote before the start of 07-08 season, when he didnt even know his own players name.
by bobcatsbrendan on Mar 25, 2011 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Unless you're Paul Pierce
In which case a wheelchair ride back to the locker room is just your way of saying, “I need to pee, brb”
by drapht00 on Mar 25, 2011 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
yeah, wasnt that for an elbow injury? what a pansy.
"Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable"-Mark Twain
David West
He would be a nice fit because he can score, but I don’t know if he’s beast enough for what we need he will also command big bucks. That means NO would have to do a sign and trade and take Boris off our hands. I still believe we need a vet at the PF even if we get lucky in the draft to acquire a young PF. We don’t need a center this year, because Kwame will be back Diop can play defense and rebound, If the vanilla gorilla signs for the vet minimum that would take care of that position until Diop’s big contract is gone. All of them are about the same skill wise, but Kwame is the best of the trio and could possibly be better next year. We need a beast PF period that is were the FA money should go.
ezrock
Have to think New Orleans would take the cap space and sign a better and/or cheaper PF than Diaw before they would consider that S&T. Charlotte has to be near the bottom of the list of West’s likely destinations.
i dont think WEST would be a good fit...esp after this ACL injury
i’ve been on Diaw’s side all year and the Knicks game further proves that he needs to stay. Diaw can get off at any time. and i think the recent direction of the Cats had him in a slump. seems that Silas or MJ have insured to the team something and ignited a fire under them.
Bobcats should win this game.
They have a sub .500 record when facing teams whos best player is out.
Nice song choice
I think Beats, Rhymes, and Life is a very underrated album.
Quick is how I flip from the tip of the lip
Punchin out hits like Gladys Knight and the Pips
-Phife Dawg
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