I really don’t know what to expect from tonight’s game against the Cavs. The Celtics continue to be an enigma to me in that one night they are leading with the best of them and the next they are hanging on for dear life against some scrub team. If Boston only had to play 24 minutes they would be awesome, the problem is that after coming out for the second half they forget how to play. Image may be NSFW.
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Paul Pierce has the flu on top of his sprained thumb. His scoring average has dipped below 18 PPG for the first time since he was a rookie and has been oddly ineffective for stretches of games. Marquise Daniels also has the flu (thanks for bringing that garbage over, Nathan) and Boston will be extremely thin at the small forward position and that means more Scalabrine. Ugh.
Meanwhile, LeBitch James is averaging a shade under 30 PPG and is two full APG above his career average. If James has any thoughts on the end of season moves it’s not showing in his game. Not that it should, he’s obviously going to get a max deal wherever he goes and then some.
Antawn Jamison was off to a shaky start after making the transition to Cleveland but has picked up the last couple games with 19 and 18 PTS respectively. Speaking of shaky starts, Nathan Robinson. That’s it.
What?
Anyway, Rajon Rondo has been in and out of games mentally at some points. He has been making some lackadaisical passes thinking that just because he is capable of making spectacular plays that they will just happen. Unfortunately for him (and the turnover stat) it doesn’t work like that. If Rondo can play a smart game with minimal turnovers while getting about 15 PTS, I think that he will be the key for the Celtics success.
Ray Allen has been the Ray-Ray of old as of late with a 23.5 PPG rate in the last four games. Ray is having some sense of security after not being shipped out before the deadline and it’s been apparent by his aggressive play. Allen has been cold from beyond the arc but has transitioned to making in cuts for layups and even turning a few over for flushes.
This is definitely not a matchup between the same two teams that played the first game of the season but for better or for worse this will be a huge measuring stick for the Celtics, with 26 games remaining in the season, and they still have to play the Cavs twice after this game.
Lee Herman covers the NBA and Boston Celtics for North Station Sports.
Find more of his great work here.
