Celtics vs Bobcats Preview

Depth Chart

	Charlotte (PPG)	Boston (PPG)
PG	D. Augustin 14.3	R. Rondo 10.2
SG	G. Henderson 8.3	R. Allen 17.2
SF	S. Jackson 18.8	P. Pierce 18.6
PF	B. Diaw 10.8	K. Garnett 15.0
C	K. Brown 7.1	N. Krstic 8.2

We should win this game, but I said that against the Grizzlies too. The Bobcats are a worse team than Memphis, but they always seem to give us trouble. However, with Gerald Wallace not on the team, I'm a lot less scared.

But this shouldn't be about X's and O's tonight, it should be about us being back to the mentally tough and physical team. Much like the Bruins last night we need to make this a statement and beat the shit out of this team. That all starts with the big 3. They need to lead by example and take advantage of their lesser opponents, hopefully that will get into Rondo's head and he can go back to playing at MVP level. This is a big game because Chicago has a full game on us for home court advantage and the Heat are only a game and a half back.

Celtics 112-85
Tommy Award: Pierce

94 Bobcats, 89 Celtics

Bmack eluded to it in the pregame and it was blatently obvious watching this game it was a trap. The second of a back to back game on the road after playing a very hard game against the Magic had all the makings of bad things to happen and they certainly did.

2 stats stick out to me the most, The Celtics gave up 29 fourth quarter points and were out rebounded 50-37.

Nothing more to say other than it was a crap game. Although, it's cool Ray Allen will be able to beat Reggie Miller's record at home. He needs 1 to tie, 2 to beat it.

Celtics @ Bobcats Preview

Ray Allen needs 4 more 3's to be the all-time leader, I think tonight is the night he gets it done.

Charlotte has little luck against the Celtics, losing 18 of their 23 meetings, and Ray Allen is a big reason for that averaging 17.5 points and shooting 52.5 percent from 3-point range during Boston's 6 game winning streak in the series. The Celtics do enjoy letting these game be a lot closer then they should, and I have a feeling they will do it once again tonight. Still, the Celtics always find a way to pull out these types of games even when they are disinterested.

The 2nd unit is starting to get thin for the Celtics, Daniels is out after that scary injury last game, both O'Neals are out, and Delonte is a little while away. That means Big Baby and Nate are really going to need to carry that 2nd unit. That will be the reason this game will be close, but like always the Celtics will just find a way to win.

Celtics win 98-94
Tommy Award: Ray Allen
Game starts at 7pm on Comcast

Bobcats @ Celtics Preview

Well it's Bobcat night at the Garden, and it really couldn't come at a better time for the Bobcats with West, O'Neal, and KG all most likely not playing, plus they are riding a 4 game winning streak.

Yet, the Bobcats are still trying to give away Gerald Wallace for basically nothing, but that is a story for another time.

The Bobcats have lost their last four games against the Boston Celtics by an average of nearly 27 points, and even though they are playing well I don't expect the results to be much different tonight. As good as D.J. Augustin has been playing there is no way he will be able to keep up with Rondo. Kwame Brown blows, so Shaq should put up some points early.

As long as the Celtics are able to keep Stephen Jackson and Wallace under somewhat control the Celtics should cruise to an easy victory.

Celtics win 108-93
Player of the Game: Shaq
Game starts at 7:30pm on Comcast.

104 Celtics, 80 Bobcats

I'm sold, lets re-sign Nate the Great.

It was a great game for the Celtics, and the 3rd time the Celtics shellacked the Bobcats. I don't understand why the Celtics can't do this every game, they played a complete game and played stellar on both ends of the courts. The interesting thing about the score is that we had only 3 scorers in double figures; Pierce 27, KG 12 and Nate with 16.

The bench had 46 which is the second strong showing in a row, and if they can keep killing like this, watch out NBA. The three point shooting was on the Celtics side as they shot 10-16 and held Charlotte to 0-9. The Celtics D had 8 blocks, 10 steals and held Charlotte to 36% FG shooting.

Either way, this was an amazing game and it feels good to really run a team. And hopefully they can keep this up until friday when they play the Sixers.

Bobcats @ Celtics Preview

Celtics will try to avoid a third straight defeat in Boston as they face the Bobcats tonight. The Celtics are 5-7 in their last 12 games at TD Garden, with only one of the victories against an opponent with a winning record.

With that being said this will be Pierce's 2nd game back and he should be back in flow of things (hopefully). You also have to be pleased with how the Celtics bench looked last game, which has been a big problem with this team all season.

Bobcats are looking to pull off at least one upset of the Celtics for a third straight season, and since they lost their last 2 games against the C's this is their last chance. The Bobcats always play us tough, but I like how the bench is progressing, and I think Pierce is due for a big game soon.

Celtics 98-92

Tommy Award: Paul Pierce

Jordan to be Bobcats owner

The AP reports that Commish, David Stern, said in a statement on Saturday that he expects His Royal Airness to become the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. Jordan and his management group have struck a deal with the current ownership which would make Jordan the majority owner of the franchise.


There are a lot more complicated details to this deal which I'll refrain from boring you with. The bottom line is Jordan will be the majority owner, and I don't expect him to be one of these absentee owners. I see him being more in the mold of a Mark Cuban, courtside and vocal about things going on - basketball and otherwise. I don't think he'll be as obnoxious as Cuban, but if anyone doesn't think he'll be a highly visible owner they are kidding themselves. It's MJ!

History shows that these types of owners don't always pan out, and Jordan's track record of basketball decisions isn't in his favor. (See, Kwame Brown #1 overall.) His best bet would be to own the team and let some other people help with the basketball decisions, but I doubt his ego will let him do that. The same thing that made him the most driven champion of all time is also the same thing that leads him to be a prick at times.

Anyway, the Bobcats are a long way from being really relevant, so he's got his work cut out for him.

Oh, and then there is that whole gambling thing. He might have to tidy that up a bit, now that he's an owner.

Tyrus Thomas Traded To Bobcats

The Bobcats, determined to add an athletic big man to their front court, have agreed to acquire Tyrus Thomas in a deal with the Bulls that would send Acie Law, Flip Murray, and a future No. 1 pick to Chicago, a person with knowledge of the situation told CBSSports.com.

This is an interesting deal, because Thomas was a shotblocking machine when he was at LSU, and has been somewhat of a dissapointment in Chicago. With a front court of Tyson Chandler and Thomas, it will a literal block party. The Bobcats defense just got better, and they are already number 3 in the league in ppg. However, I remain cautious to see if they have enough firepower on offense. Thomas is almost an identical player to Chandler but with somewhat more of a jumper. All in all, I like the move.

108 Celtics, 90 Bobcats

Who isn't loving Perk right now? He has been playing out of his fucking mind. Yes, it may have came against a very soft Bobcats frontcourt, but still 21 points, 12 boards and 3 blocks are something we aren't accustom to from the defensive center. Ray Allen also told me to never question him again, he dropped 27 points including 5-6 from beyond the arc. This game was a very comforting game, because they played great defense and their offense was on. I mean to be this dominant and have Rondo and Pierce only score in single digits is damn impressive. The Celtics won their fifth straight game as they snapped the Bobcats' four-game win streak. Boston is 7-1 on the road and has won three straight over Charlotte. The Celtics are the first team to score more than 100 points against the Bobcats this season and even though they did I'm still not falling for it, it will be a two point game next time.

Celtics/ Bobcats Preview

I get it Bobcats, that whole blow out loss earlier this season was a trap so I would say your going to get blown out tonight. I'm not falling for your shenanigans though, I'm keen to your plans. This game is going to be an extremely close game, because the Bobcats mostly play the Celtics very tight. Gerald Wallace has been playing out of his mind lately, and they have been hot winning 4 straight. The Starting lineups are:
PG R. Rondo 10.9 R. Felton 10.3
SG R. Allen 15.2 S. Jackson 16.9
SF P. Pierce 19.7 G. Wallace 15.9
PF K. Garnett 14.1 B. Diaw 11.7
C K. Perkins 11.2 T. Chandler 6.1
This will be our first time seeing Stephan Jackson and his ridiculously thuggish tattoo's in a bobcat uniform. I think he actually will be a very big factor on tonight's game. With all the off court stuff going on with Ray's kid and with Jackson being a very aggressive player, it will be tough. I expect a lot of Quisy on him. But the match-up tonight that will be most exciting is Wallace on Pierce. Both are playing at a high level and Wallace always plays the Celtics tough. Where the Celtics can take advantage of the Bobcats is down low. Both Diaw and Chandler are finesse big men, and the way KG and Perk have been playing the will have big games tonight.

Celtics 101-99

Tommy Award: has to go to KG

Stephen Jackson Traded To Bobcats

"Disgruntled Golden State Warriors forward Stephen Jackson is about to make a fresh start with a new team. The Warriors completed a deal Monday that sends Jackson and guard Acie Law to the Bobcats in exchange for veteran swingmen Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic. The trade will be announced Monday (ESPN)."

Stephen Jackson is a shithead, but I am still really happy the Cavs didn't land him. He can still score, and the Cavs have enough talent as it is. Jackson is a guy who can average about 20 points per game 5 boards and 5-6 assists. If he could ever just stop being such a thug he might really help the Bobcats. With this trade the Bobcats actually have a solid starting 5...

PG - Raymond Felton
SG - Steven Jackson (even though listed as SF)
SF - Gerald Wallace
PF - Boris Diaw
C - Tyson Chandler

Not to mention guys like D.J. Augustin, and Acie Law on the bench.

92 Celtics, 59 Bobcats

Well the Celtics literally bitch slapped the Bobcats up and down the court. I predicted the game was going to win by a last second basket and boy was I wrong. Ray Allen was the only Boston starter to play in the fourth, scoring 18 points in all. Rajon Rondo scored 10 with 11 assists, and newcomers Rasheed Wallace and Shelden Williams came off the bench to help; Wallace had three 3-pointers and Williams had 12 points and nine rebounds. Shelden Williams has already surpassed my expectations this year. He has been awesome, he is a vicious rebounder and can get to the line pretty much any time he shoots. He is pretty much a replica of Leon Powe, and it will be interesting how the minutes will be spread out once Baby comes back.

Either way, great win and this play was awesome:

Celtics vs Bobcats Preview

How come I'm more worried about Bobcat night than against the Cavs? The Bobcats always, always, always, play the Celtics extremely hard and extremely physical. I don't know what it is, but this game will come down to the last shot. The starting line-ups are:

PG R. Felton R. Rondo 8.0
SG S. Graham R. Allen 16.0
SF G. Wallace P. Pierce 23.0
PF B. Diaw K. Garnett 13.0
C T. Chandler K. Perkins 9.0

The guy who scares the crap out of me if Gerald Wallace, he always has a big game against us. But the biggest advantage the C's have are the physicality of our big men. No offense to Boris Diaw, or Tyson Chandler but they are finesse big men who don't want to get dirty. Garnett, Perk, Sheed, and Sheldon are all guys who can bang down low (if they want too) and can push around those guys for a nice high/low game. I believe the Celtics will win this game, but it is going to be close.

Celtics 99-98

Tommy Award: Ray Allen

Raja Bell Out For The Season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Charlotte Bobcats starting shooting guard Raja Bell has a partially torn ligament in his left wrist and will soon decide whether to have surgery which would sideline him up to four months.

The severity of Bell's injury, announced after he sat out Charlotte's 94-87 exhibition win over Milwaukee on Tuesday, is a major blow for the Bobcats, who could be without their best defensive player and team leader.

Bell was injured when his wrist bent awkwardly as he tried to grab a loose ball in Sunday's game against Utah. ESPN

The only reason this is relevant is due to the Celtics maybe working a trade for the defensive guru. I'm a big fan of Raja and he is not needed on the Bobcats, so the Bobcats are most likely going to deal him at some point this year. I believe T.A., Giddens or Walker and second round pick would probably do it.

Bobcats Give Felton 1 Year Deal

"Raymond Felton has signed Charlotte's one-year, $5.5 million qualifying offer after talks for a long-term contract broke down. The move means the Bobcats point guard will report on time to training camp next week, then become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Agent Kevin Bradbury said he turned in the paperwork to the team Wednesday morning (Sportsline)."

Felton is one of my favorite players in the NBA, and I think he is kind of underrated in the NBA. Felton averaged 14.2 points and 6.7 assists last season, and I feel like he can still grow a lot more. This downfall is his love for North Carolina, since he is stated several times he wants to stay in Charlotte. In my eyes the Bobcats will always suck. Still, this is a one year deal and hopefully he gets pissed off and takes over after the season is over. If he came to the Celtics I would be the happiest boy this side of the Mississippi.

Bobcats Trade Okafor to Hornets for Chandler

"The Charlotte Bobcats are finalizing a trade that would send Emeka Okafor to the New Orleans Hornets for Tyson Chandler, two people familiar with the deal told the Associated Press on Monday. The swap of 26-year-old centers wasn't expected to be completed until Tuesday and was unlikely to include other players, the people said on condition of anonymity because an official announcement has not been made. The deal would be another roster shake up for the Bobcats since Larry Brown took over as coach last season, and is a gamble because Chandler has been plagued by a left toe injury and recently underwent surgery (Sportsline)."

I really like this trade for the Hornets. I know Okafor never became the guy he was supposed to be when he was taken with the #2 pick over in 2004, but he still puts up solid numbers (13.2 points and 10.1 rebounds for Charlotte last season). Larry Brown questioned his passion, but I think he is what he is. He plays solid defense and can give you 10-15 points a game. With the NBA the way it is you just need a solid big man that can rip down boards, and complement the offense.

The reason I like this deal better for the Hornets is because Okafor is much more durable. Chandler is taller, at 7-1, but averaged only 8.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in a year when he was traded twice. He also had offseason surgery on his toe, which is always a red flag for any big man.

Overall nice trade for the Hornets...

Celtics VS Bobcats

Bobcat night, used to be fun, but now it seems like everytime these two teams square off it give me a heart attack. The Bobcats have been streaking and the Celtics are an emergency room. The Celtics will still win this game, but it will be physical, intense and be decided in the last 45 seconds.

Sorry for the BS preview. But Fuck You.

T.A. Rajon, because he tools on Felton.

Lakers Get Bobcats Morrison

The Charlotte Bobcats traded managing partner Michael Jordan's first draft pick on Saturday, sending struggling forward Adam Morrison and reserve guard Shannon Brown to the Los Angeles Lakers for forward Vladimir Radmanovic.

I like this deal for the Lakers. Morrison has had a bad rap since being originally drafted by the Bobcats. Like many, I was fooled into thinking he was the second coming of Larry Bird. He can still flourish in the NBA and this change of scenery should do nothing but help the youngster, unfortunately he will be at the bottom of the bench for the Lakers.

Around The NBA

117 Bobcats, 110 Lakers

For a team that is the laughing stock of the NBA, the Bobcats have added another impressive win to their resume on Tuesday night. The win was the Bobcats' fifth in their last six games against the Lakers, who got 38 points from Kobe Bryant before the Los Angeles star fouled out for the first time this season in the final minute of the first overtime. The Bobcats were lead by Boris Diaw who had 23 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. The Bobcats scrappiness is very impressive, and I hate playing them.

From Coobs
Normally I don't stay up late enough during the week to see these West Coast games in their entirety (because, as we all know, the Lakers seem to play every other game in the Staples Center), and I figured before tuning in that this game would be over within the first 12 minutes. Now I know that Charlotte always plays the Celtics tough, and that their record probably doesn't efficiently dictate their overall caliber as a team in the wide-open Eastern Conference playoff race, but I did not see this one coming. This was an exciting game from start to finish. The Bobcats played a very inspired game in which they shot the ball extremely well in the first half, and did just enough to hang with the Lakers in the second. They absolutely DOMINATED in the paint, outscoring LA by a wide margin. The Cats actually had a big lead late in the 4th quarter before missing EIGHT (count 'em) straight free throws to allow the Lakers to overtake them, relying on a big time 3-pointer by Boris Diaw with 30 ticks left to tie it up. Kobe was his usual unguardable self, scoring 36 in the defeat while entering into "can't-miss" mode late in regulation that, coupled with the Cats' failures from the charity stripe, kept the game relevant. But about midway through the first overtime, he picked up his 6th foul with some silly contact out on the perimeter, and after that, LA just didn't have enough offense. Bynum played really well while picking up the slack after Kobe fouled out, but he missed a crucial turnaround hook shot late in the second OT, and that, in effect, ended their chances. In my opinion LA was exposed a bit, losing to a team that was clearly inferior to them in height, but whose superior physicality wore them down as the game progressed (hello June of last year). I'm dead tired after watching this marathon game, but it makes it all worth it to see the Lake Show lose, and I'll be grinning like an idiot for at least a couple more days.

Fantasy note: Gerald Wallace got hurt in the first OT after he was flagrantly fouled by Bynum. I have no update whatsoever on his injury, but it looked like his rib area. It looked mad painful too.

106 Spurs, 100 Jazz

In a game that very much could be a play-off match-up this year, the Spurs needed a big effort from Manu Ginobelli to win this game. Manu's 10 4th quarter points were the reason that the Spurs were able to squeak this one out. Tony Parker added 24 points and six assists for the Spurs, who have won five of six. Matt Bonner scored 20, going 6-for-7 on 3-pointers as the Spurs went 11-for-20 from beyond the arc. Utah played a tough game but without Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilinko it is a pretty tough task.

114 Bobcats, 106 Celtics

Sure it sucks to lose 5 of 7, sure the Celtics aren't playing up to their Championship level, but you know what? I'm excited.

Last night's game was the best thing that may have happened to the Celtics. They played like shit in the first half, then played pretty well in the second but still got beat. Every time the Celtics got physical, the Bobcats matched and one upped them, every time the Celtics got momentum, the Bobcats killed it, and just when you thought the Celtics were going to win, the Bobcats crushed our dreams. The Celtics got flat out beat, and this will be the kick in the ass they need.

The past couple of games the Celtics played like they all hated each other. We didn't see the KG excitement, the Paul Pierce cocky smile, and the seemingly emotionless Ray Allen, seemed to be frustrated. Last night I saw some of the fire back, I saw them play more like a team. I saw Rondo be a lot more confident in the second half, I saw KG having more spring in his legs, I saw Ray Allen's deadly shot come back (other than the one he was too wide open for), I saw Doc Rivers get a technical, and I saw Paul Pierce become the Truth after tying it up to push the game to overtime.

I have the intensity feeling back that I lost the past couple of weeks, and even with the losses, I expect and predict a 8 to 10 game streak in the future. Watch out league, the Celtics are back.