Pregame Thread - Boston Hosts Chicago Friday 11/5/2010 8 PM

[dboss]

The Up and coming Bulls travel to the Celtics at 8 PM.
I watched the Bulls/Knicks game last night and it was a real shootout as the Knick beat them 120-112.
While all of us have been praising the early play of Rajon Rondo and deservedly so, Derrick Rose has emerged as one of the top 5 PG’s based on his early season performance. Rose is averaging 26.8 PPG to go along with 10 assists and 4 rebounds. He plays above the rim and is doing a better job finding his teammates. The matchup with Rondo should be fantastic.

The last few years, the Bulls have given the Celtics fits and I think it really has a lot to do with Noah and his ability to rebound the basketball and play very solid defense with his shot blocking abilities (averaging 14.8 rebounds to lead the league including 5 off the offensive glass) and is averaging 13.8 PPG.

It continues to be inexplicable why a team like the Celtics are flawed when it comes to checking their man and proper positioning to control the glass.

I’ll go out on a limb and state that if Boston outrebounds the Bulls they will win the game.

In addition to the great play from Rose and Noah, Deng is really looking more and more like the player that he did 2 years ago before his injury. Deng has always been one of my favorite players because he can do so many things well. He is averaging 19.8 PPG and shooting the 3 ball very well (.500) and plays good defense.

The starting 5 is rounded out by Bogans ( an average 2 guard) and the energetic but foul prone Taj Gibson who is scoring 14 a game and collecting 6 rebounds.

Last night Scalabrine was in the game and he looked exactly like…Scalabrine.

Sharp shooter Kyle Korver was picked up in the off season and he is shooting .600 from 3 point land, play 20 MPG but must depend on his teammates to get him the ball. The rest of the main rotation includes BU PG C J Watson and little used center Omer Asik.

Keys to the Game

Rebounds, Rebounds rebounds. The Celtics need to keep the Bulls off the offensive glass where they are averaging 12.5 rebounds per game.

Control the Rose…Derrick is finding a lot of creases in the defense. If you relax on him he has that hesitation move where he will stand you up and blow right by you. Good defense on him begins with Rajon Rondo. Rajon is going to get bumped off picks all night long so the supporting cast needs to close out the lanes in anticipation of Rose driving for layups.

Limit turnovers

Continue to feed Ray Allen…some of those wide open looks have got to start falling

Push the ball…last night the BU PG for the knicks Douglas was on a coast to coast mission, repeatedly running out on a one man fast break and beating the entire Bulls team to the hoop.

Close out the perimeter on Korver and Deng

dboss

[bigpygme]

wonderful, dboss. thanks as always for your thoughts ...

was just listening to Colin Cowherd ESPN radio who was dunning the Bulls defense. he said that, except for Noah, they don't play any - otherwise how could the lowly Knicks hoist 120 on em? i know it was raining 3's, but i thought he had a point.

as do you - several, and i agree with them.

rebound, and PUSH the ball - go after them before their D is set. or, when that's not there, run the offense without giving the ball up - take care of the ball, and we could score in bunches.
and of course, play our Team Defense with Rose's skills in mind, and keep him out of the paint as much as possible.

i hope we come out ready to play from the get-go and get after it hard. definitely a winnable game for us.

Michael

[mrkleen09]

dboss

I am a bit confused by your comments about the Celtics and rebounding.

With Perk out, Shaq being hurt for 2 games, and rotations the often finding them with KG at the 5 - they are STILL out rebounding their opponents by 19.

Of all the things to be concerned with, I dont see how rebounding is even on the list at this point.

[sinus007]

Hi,
One important key to tonight's (and some of the future games) game is our second unit. I know: there's no Shaq and no DW and nobody knows when AB's coming. So, the solution, IMO, is to crank their energy level to 110%. After all they don't have to play 30+ minutes. Just keep the afterburner on for 15-20 minutes. Look at the Cavs. I bet that if NBA games were 30 or 36 minutes they'd be 5-0 by now.

AK

[beat]

mrkleen

Without checking I think we were out rebounded by the cavs..........and lost. Yeah we have outrebounded people by a slim margin and have won some by that same slim margin, in most of our wins. And without the guys you mentioned it becomes even more important.

I agree with dboss in that if we get outboarded tonight......we loose.

beat

[mrkleen09]

mrkleen

Without checking I think we were out rebounded by the cavs..........and lost. Yeah we have outrebounded people by a slim margin and have won some by that same slim margin, in most of our wins. And without the guys you mentioned it becomes even more important.

I agree with dboss in that if we get outboarded tonight......we loose.

beat

The only team that out rebounded the Celtics was the Pistons and we WAXED them...so not sure your stats hold up. Of course it would be best to out rebound your opponents every night. But when a team is +19 and 4-1 - I dont see where "concern" is even part of the discussion. To each his own.

[beat]

mrkleen Like I said I didn't look it up.

as for the +19 edge I assume that would mean we are outrebounding teams by about 4 per game on average. In a close game those 4 possessions can be huge. And its 4 less for them too!

beat

[gyso]

Celtics coach Doc Rivers will have 12 healthy players from which to choose tonight against Chicago because the league allowed Boston to move Delonte West to the suspended list to serve the final five games of his suspension, an NBA spokesman confirmed.

Read here for more:

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2010/11/celtics_get_ros.html?camp=localsearch:on:twit:celtics

Not only did West have to sit out for the 5 games so far this season, he also counted as an active player and the Celts could only suit up 11 players. I didn't know that.

[mrkleen09]

mrkleen Like I said I didn't look it up.

as for the +19 edge I assume that would mean we are outrebounding teams by about 4 per game on average. In a close game those 4 possessions can be huge. And its 4 less for them too!

beat

Beat - saying rebounding is important is like saying you are in favor of free ice cream and more days off - who could disagree with you???

My point was that the Celtics ARE winning the rebounding most nights and they ARE 4-1. When it becomes a problem, I will be right there with you worrying about it. Until then, no issue.

[dboss]

Opps!

Corrected location of the game.


personal foul dBoss

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