I know pre-season’s all about preparation and practice but there’s something different about tonight’s game against Boston. Or at least there should be. They’re playing their Big Three 20-23 minutes a game so far this pre-season which means there’s a good chance we’ll see a competitive first quarter with the “real” lineup for both teams, especially after all three sat out the win against New Jersey last night. Hedo Turkoglu will play and Triano will put him out there with Bosh, Calderon, DeRozan and Bargnani. If nothing else, let’s just win the first quarter and then hand it off to the lesser players to see the formalities through. Other than my primal desire to see the Raptors win a game – any game – against Boston, there are some very interesting matchups and player comments to talk about.
First up, the attitude towards this game from Bosh is on point:
We’re going to play more minutes than we usually play than the previous four games. We’re probably going to get after it a little more, Boston comes out to play every time. We have to have the same mentality.
Mind you, he’s made very similar statements before games like these only to come up short. Second, got to love Jose Calderon’s take on Boston. He was asked about how the Raptors have had trouble with the C**tics:
I feel like we do have trouble with them but I don’t think they like to play us. I don’t think they play comfortable against us either.
He was the only one on the team who stood up to the mega-c**t when he pulled off that stunt last year and obviously doesn’t want to shell out respect to Boston as easily as everyone else. He also happens to be the player that led us to our last win against them in the winter of 2008. He commented on where he and the team are in terms of preparation:
First time I’m feeling 100%. I feel really comfortable today, hoepfully everything is coming. For sure we’ll be ready. I don’t know it’ll be perfect but we’ll be ready for the 28th. We’ve been practicing pretty good, but we just got to do it for 48 and [avoid] highs and lows. Sometimes we concentrate on defense and we don’t play as good on offense. Sometimes we play good offense, and miss something on defense. We’re happy where we are at this point and I’m comfortable with where I am. We have to just start playing like a team and put the little things together…today I had the best practice I had since I got here….with every day I’m getting better and my basketball is coming back.
It certainly sounds like he’s not too worried about his play so far so why should I be. Triano spoke about where the team offense is right now and it turns out there has been almost zero focus on it:
All of our offense is continuity based right now, we haven’t put in any of our screen and roll stuff yet, that’ll come naturally once these guys get to know each other. Everything we’re doing right now is just based on guys swinging the ball and playing together. When we get into screen ‘n roll right now we got two guys playing together and making reads. The project for training camp so far has been to get these guys acclimated together.
Other than the running game spawned by the guards the offense has looked very pedestrian and its good to know there’s a reason for it. It makes sense since Bosh and Turkoglu have been out and those two are going to be in the top three when it comes to touches. He’s split the pre-season into two halves, the first is where you get to know your nine new teammates and the other is understanding how to play with them. I suppose it’s far easier to be without your big guns for the first half than the second. I think it’ll take more than just reads and ball movement to crack the C**tics defense tonight but the game will provide an excellent measure of just how far along the offense needs to go before October 28th. This one could not have come at a better time.
On to some matchups:
DeRozan vs Allen/Pierce: The rookie should get a good run around the gym chasing Allen through screens stronger than anything he’s seen in his life. If he’s matched up with Pierce there’s a decent chance he’ll try to go at the rookie and DeRozan’s man-defense should be tested. After failing the Iggy assignment, let’s see how he regroups against an even better player. Offensively, the Celtics are rock solid in their transition defense so the run-outs won’t be plentiful forcing him to show us his scoring ability in the half-court. Should be fun. DeRozan yesterday also said that he’s never seen anybody as intense as KG.
Bosh vs Garnett: Usually the script here reads Bosh getting dominated when it counts. KG then goes to the bench only for Bosh to put up some meaningless numbers making his stat-line look less despicable. Unfortunately, the box score never tells you who you got your points against. Will this be year Bosh overcomes the fear of Garnett? I’ve seen this movie too many times to count on that happening. Garnett missed last night’s game against the Nets but is expected to play tonight.
Calderon vs Rondo: A friend of mine asked me two years ago how Boston would do and I remember telling him how Rondo was a huge weakness, what with the jumper and all. Well, that ‘friend’ doesn’t talk to me about basketball anymore. Back to the matchup, Rondo’s the guy who tore Calderon’s hamstring to shreds last year in the first game in Toronto. If there’s a chance this pre-season to make a statement about his health and recovery, the two games against Boston are it. So far he’s done little to show that he’s overcome any of the problems he had last year and we’re just brushing his play under the “he hasn’t played all summer” carpet, hopefully with good reason. Rondo is coming off a great game against the Nets where Lawrence Frank labeled him an “elite point guard”.
The interesting player to watch on Boston is Marquis Daniels who they got for $1.9M, perhaps the best bargain of the summer. The versatile swingman doesn’t do anything great but can play all three positions, something we hope Belinelli can do for us. There’s also the Jack v House matchup which will test Jack’s ability to stick with pesky little guards that constantly move behind screen after screen looking for an inch of space to fire that quick release. Lou Williams torched both our guards in 1v1 situations and although House doesn’t have the skill to pull that off, he will test the alertness of anyone guarding him.
Other than yesterday’s game when Garnett didn’t play, Rasheed Wallace has been coming off the bench but is questionable for the game with a sprained ankle which means we’re likely not going to see his protege, Amir Johnson go up against him. We’ve had trouble containing Wallace over the years since Bosh can’t defend him in the post because of the high-release and he’s always making us pay from outside with the three. Our first loss of the season last year was a great example of how Wallace goes about stuffing Bosh on both ends. The good news is that we’ll face Bosh’s worst nightmares, Garnett and Wallace, only four times this year, the bad news is that those could be four miserable games for him.
Boston is 3-1 in pre-season with wins against New Jersey twice, New York and a road loss in Houston.
The game’s not on TV or radio. Swing by the chat to see if there’s a live stream.
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35 Raps
Anyone know where I can catch this game. I have League Pass but am not sure if they are showing this game, if not any feeds…by the way LOL at Jose saying he finally feels 100%, lets see if he wants to decrease that amount signifcantly after hes going to be torn to absolute shreds by Rondo…and u thought Lou Williams was painful
where did u get League Pass from????? i didnt realize it was out..
justintv.com usually has the game
WOAH!! New and enhanced postings!!!!
On to the topic at hand, someone else really wants a piece of Boston as well (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TDwfAC2ltw) and I'm sure we'll give him a good 25 minutes on the floor.
Man, I love (love LOVE) the attitude going on here about the C**tics. I am so all over it! And Jose might be right saying he doesn’t think the C**tics play comfortable against them.
I don’t know if it was going on much before that game last January in Boston, but I like to think they’ve been wary of us, ever since.
(a whale of a game – up until the overtime, at least – that saw Bargnani break out, capping it with that last second 3 pt shot to tie the game. To refresh your memory, if you have six minutes to spare …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0v3fUvZ0xg )
What’s also burned into my memory about that one was seeing the mega-c**t going chest to chest with CB4 most of the night and Bosh looking near-hypnotized by it all. Reading about Bosh working his ass off to get stronger this summer, I found it easy to imagine his inspiration being that very game … and/or that very player (KG), telling himself with every crunch and every wind-sprint, “never again – never again”.
I know it’s only pre-season … but I’ve got it going on in a big way for these f*ckers. The Raps are a different team, but I’m still expecting those who weren’t here to catch on that we owe them a few. The C**tics. They always get me going.
Reports out of Boston are that Sheed likely will not play, after turning his ankle last night against the nets.
re. the poll – why isn't bargnani an option?
Probably a fair critique on Bargs in its way, because aside from a moment here or there, he hasn’t lit it up so far the way (I think) he can … and likely will, when he’s fully up to speed on things. Focusing on what Jay wants up to now during this pre-season, it looks to me like he’s feeling his way around the floor a bit, just yet. That said, I have to admit I liked what you said over on Smith’s blog, re Bargnani coming in after about six minutes or so for the better on-court balance. Probably ‘never gonna happen’ (like you said), but it made a lot of sense.
I guess this is the most important pre-season game so far, which isn't saying much really. Still, hoping there will be a stream. I'm most curious about Garnett's health – if Bosh runs circles around him, that's a bad, bad sign for the Celts.
Ya !!! like thats going to happen
myp2p.eu is usually pretty good about streaming although I have never tried a preseason game. Looking forward to seeing the starting lineup together, although with Turk, Bosh, and Calderon all being rusty/not in game shape I'm not getting my hopes up.
Looks like atdhe.net will be streaming the game tonight.
they stream almost everything. Whenever your in doubt atdhe usually has it.
F**k the f***ing C**tics!
Even though it's pre-season, I hope we crush those c*nts!
The G man must have some nba hierarchical thing going for him. I know he plays hard (and dirty) but howcome no one in the league has really backhanded him in the chops. I know Bosh isnt going to do it. I believe Bonner took him on once at least. Anyone seen Garnett's game against Shaq? Bet he is a bit of a puss.
I just so happen to be in the always underwhelming Boston tonight. Hopefully they’ll be playing it on the tele so I can give those massholes an earful.
We had better bring it.
Does anyone know if Weems will go tonight? Sure the minutes are gone with Turk back in the lineup, but it'd be nice to have him come in and provide some energy off the bench. I'm curious to see how he would handle Pierce on the defensive end, espescially if Pierce tries to take him in the post.
Turk's probably playing 12 minutes, so there's still plenty left to go around. I haven't heard anything about Weems though, I'd expect them to sit him out as a precaution anyway.
Weems is a game time decision.
Look how scared Moon looks in that picture.
Look how fat-ass Hassan Adams looks in that picture, and I thought he might contribute that season, lol.
I expect Turk to get owned this game. He is going to be even slower, and his shots will probably brick. He has not played, or practiced, or worked out seriously for a while now. This isn't an excuse, but it is what we should expect. Bosh is not anywhere near game-shape either, and he ain't running circles around anyone, especially Garnett.
This means, I think we can count on the Raps to lose, because the main reason for playing this game is to get Hedo into the rotation, and help him get his legs back. He won't be yanked if he plays poorly.
What will be interesting to see is how Calderon reacts. Is he going to play well? He has had enough practice and games to start to get into gear. I will be looking for signs out of him. I will be looking for DeRozan to use his athleticism to run around those hard screens, and see him learn as he goes. We have seen nothing but improvement game by game, and I look to see that trend continue. I am also looking forward to see how Amir and Evans fight for those boards against Garnett and whoever else they put instead of the injured Sheed. If Evans and Amir don't assert themselves against Garnett, and get up in his grill (even if he gets torched by Garnett from the outside) I will be disappointed.
From Bosh? Bosh cannot handle Garnett. And this isn't necessarily a condemnation of Bosh (superstar or all-star distinctions aside). Garnett focusses so intensely on Bosh that Bosh can barely breathe, and the refs always give Garnett leniency. I think that through the season this will open good options from Turk to run the pick and roll with Bosh, because 9/10 times Garnett fights through the screen, and keeps on Bosh after the pick.
Should be an interesting game – but I would not expect a win, unless it comes from our bench against theirs.
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by the way: IMO, the old format for comments was easier to read through…
Hopefully Hedo doesn't look as bad as Jose did in his first game but it really doesn't matter at this time.
Bosh was great in his first game but showed his true conditioning level the next time out.
It's preseason – it's all about conditioning and timing.
That is the purpose of preseason.
The question will be: will these players be better and conditioned by the time we play the Cavs? Shaq will be looking to dominate in the paint, and we have seen last year how tough a matchup he is for us. LeBron will be hungry – will Hedo? Can Bargnani's outside shooting open up lanes for him?
I am looking for signs that we can be ready for that game, not that we can win this one.
Will RuPaul or Chris Bosh show up against Cleveland?
How will Bosh get his points against Boston this season? With either Garnett or Wallace guarding him. Man, he'll have nightmares before those games.
my guess? he won't.
What worries me is not that Bosh can't shake off Garnett, because Bosh also neutralized Garnett on the other end. It is not detrimental to Boston, however, if Garnett does not score because they have Rondo, Allen and Pierce. Now, I am hoping that Garnett neutralizing Bosh won't hurt us so much because of our firepower with other players, especially Hedo. But, what worries me this season is that in addition to a neutralized Bosh, Sheed is mobile enough to defend Bargnani on the outside, so he too is neutralized.
This game in through the season against Boston, look for Bosh to assert himself defensively, and scrap on the boards for garbage points. He will not be seeing the same kind of iso's we used to run for him against Garnett. Hedo will have the ball a lot more throughout the season when we play them.
Good comment. Last year it's come down to the Raptors needing Bosh a lot more on offense than the C**tics need KG so if they each have statlines 4-15 for 13points, it hurts the Raptors a lot more. This year we're supposed to have greater ammunition in Turkoglu, Jack etc so maybe we can afford Bosh to have a bad game and still be competitive. We'll see, can't wait.
My thoughts exactly! Both KG and Wallace have completely owned Bosh throughout this career.
Until we eventually see KG and Wallace lose a step or see their skill level drop given their age, or, we see Bosh's skill and strength increase to fight either of them off the block, it'll be the status quo. But this could be the year we start to see Bosh surpass KG and Wallace as the better player.
BTW, Mr niceguy Garnett also had this with Belinelli last year…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAfp6ZCsvGc
CB4 VS KG – brings back memories of the Alien VS Predator posters doesnt it !?? Have faith Bosh is going to turn it on his opponents this year espacially with the added size, plus the inspiring fire and fight back Jose showed whilst being bullied and heckled by KG last year, that should inspire CB to take it to the big bad KG, someone his size.
I hope we dont push Turk today. He shouldnt play alot… Id like to see Derozan and Weems play well.
dont think it will be jose vs rondo . it would make more sense to put jack on Rondo on defensive end he can keep up on the feed and agility = less burn . on offence though Rondo doesnt have an answer for Jose , he is too anxious .
i hope bosh doesnt act like a pussy when he sees kg. and caldy better show his worth and hope for a miracle that he will not be raped by rondo like he was by lou williams. otherwise, i would rather have jack and even banks matchup against the speedy rondo.
fuck bosthong!!!!
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