Round 2 - Game 1: Playoffs Game Thread Magic at Celtics 5/4/09 8:00 P.M.

[magicfan83 23]

We have a great chance to steal game 1 as long as we don't have to go 5 on 8. Run the pick and roll with Skip and Lewis relentlessly and post up Shard if they switch a guard on him. If Skip keeps making shots, they won't be able to go under screens and will be forced to switch. If they don't, you pound it into Dwight, hope Perkins actually gets called for the fouls he commits. Let Shard kill Davis and Scalabrine from the perimeter. Push the ball and don't let their half court defense get set. Pietrus, JJ, and Turk will have to be huge for us defensively.

[PEC 0]

quote:

Originally posted by You're Fat, Pat!:

quote:

Originally posted by PEC:

quote:

Originally posted by You're Fat, Pat!:

quote:

Originally posted by cunningstunt:

rafer will fight rondo at some point

 

Great point. He won't stand for what Rondo did to Rose. He's a vet who will not tolerate it.

 

Actually if Rafer is a smart player (and IMO he is) Rafer will not start a fight with Rondo, because the Magic need him too much to be thrown out of the game.

Only a fool would want Rafer to get in a fight that could cost the Magic the game.

The last time I checked there weren't any fools here on the board. So don't make me wrong now.

 

Oh I agree. I don't want him to fight, and I don't think he will...I'm just sayin, he's not gonna let Rondo be the dirty d***he that he was in Round One. By that, I mean, Skip won't do what Rose did...just let him do whatever without sayin/doin anything.

 

 

I'm sayin, Skip will talk back, he will get in his face, he will challenge him, he will foul him hard.

 

You get the picture. Rondo is in for a rude awakening.

 

I agree that our veteran pg Rafer will not let Rondo get away with what he did with Rose. If Rondo wants to get dirty it will be Rondo who gets kicked out not Rafer.

Yes I agree that Rondo is in for a very rude awakening.

[ThisIsTheYear 241]

I actually think we take game 1, not because we're catching them with their legs tired, but because we're better. Pierce will torch us as usual, but we'll keep Ray in control and Shard's gonna have a field day whenever Jackie Moon (Scalabrine) matches up with him.

 

93-87. Book it.

 

Ultimately, I see us taking this thing in 6.

[PEC 0]

quote:

Originally posted by gporter:

Charles just said the Celtics have no chance to win this series. Is that good or bad for us?

 

God I hope that's good.

[PEC 0]

quote:

Originally posted by Nyce_1:

why are you people banking on the fact the Sterns will be tired and we'll be able to steal game 1? Didn't they just play a 3OT game and on less than 48 hrs rest, win the series?

 

IMO, the Sterns are in a groove now, we'll be a lil' rusty with this extra rest. I hope I'm wrong, but Sterns take game 1, we take game 2.

 

Remember that both teams played overtime and then the Bulls had to go on the road while the Celtics were able to go home and sleep in their own beds rather then a hotel that can make a big difference.

Even with that they are going to be very tired for the next series and the Magic are well rested.

I don't see the Magic stealing game one I see them winning it out right.

[PEC 0]

quote:

Originally posted by magicfan83:

We have a great chance to steal game 1 as long as we don't have to go 5 on 8. Run the pick and roll with Skip and Lewis relentlessly and post up Shard if they switch a guard on him. If Skip keeps making shots, they won't be able to go under screens and will be forced to switch. If they don't, you pound it into Dwight, hope Perkins actually gets called for the fouls he commits. Let Shard kill Davis and Scalabrine from the perimeter. Push the ball and don't let their half court defense get set. Pietrus, JJ, and Turk will have to be huge for us defensively.

 

And remember with Dwight out the Magic can post up Lewis he did kill the 76ers with that all night long. Redick would get him the ball down low and Lewis finished it at the basket. Plus Lewis shoots free throws better then you know who.

So the Magic have that double option.

[Nyce_1 311]

JJ vs. Ray Allen ..... oh God.

 

I'd feel better if Lee was playing these first 2 games.

[Nike 2]

quote:

Originally posted by Darrell_Armstrong:

Well, besides the injury to Courtney Lee and an extra loss or two to the 76ers, I think the Magic got what most of us were hoping for: a long, tiring series for the Boston Celtics. The injury to Lee is huge, of course, because we need his defense against Allen. However, I'm sort of glad that he is missing the games in Boston because we only need to win one, and I think JJ has it in him to play at least one big game.

 

I say we win game one 98-92. One of the keys will be keeping Eddie House from getting hot. Their bench is very weak, but he can change a game (like he did tonight). Also, getting Big Baby and Perkins in foul trouble early will be important because Baby can draw our bigs out and Perkins plays Dwight solid one on one. I'm looking for a lot of high pick and roll because Perk doesn't have the quickness to defend it.

 

Go Magic!

 

Absolutely - if we can get Perkins in foul trouble they're in deep trouble. Without KG or Leon Powe, their frontline is really thin - imagine Dwight playing versus Mikki Moore, or having Brian Scalabrine as the other Celtics' "big" out there. At the same time we've got to make sure Dwight can stay in the game as well - the Warlock will have his hands full defensively if Dwight gets into foul trouble early. (I'm very confident that Gortat will be able to record a few kills, though.)

[Nike 2]

quote:

Originally posted by Nyce_1:

JJ vs. Ray Allen ..... oh God.

 

I'd feel better if Lee was playing these first 2 games.

 

Well, if it makes you feel better, think about game 6 of CHI/BOS - Allen was absolutely on fire that night (51 points) and anytime he shot the ball in the end of the fourth or the 3OTs you could literally see the ball swishing before he released it. (I don't know if that hyperbole quite works, but you get my point.) In any case, Chicago won, obviously.

 

yeah. I'm worried about this matchup as well.

[Nyce_1 311]

Anyone think KG will play this series?

[ThisIsTheYear 241]

quote:

Originally posted by Nyce_1:

Anyone think KG will play this series?

 

No. If they couldn't play him in a do-or-die game against Chicago, then he's clearly not ready.

[Ryan the Magic Fan 253]

quote:

Originally posted by PEC:

I agree that our veteran pg Rafer will not let Rondo get away with what he did with Rose. If Rondo wants to get dirty it will be Rondo who gets kicked out not Rafer.

Yes I agree that Rondo is in for a very rude awakening.

 

I seriously think that Rondo wont even play alston dirty. The league can only cover for him so much guys. Rondo is gonna have to tone down his act. He gets in one more scrap he WILL have a suspension, guaranteed. Just way too much negatives going on around him.

 

I think will be seeing a very tentative Rondo out there. And Alston is gonna eat him up for it.