No Pierce. No KG. No Rondo.
No problem?
No kidding.
[recap] [box score]
After Wednesday's 116-98 loss at Phoenix -- a game I couldn't watch because it was on NBATV and which I didn't bother writing about because the outcome was pretty much determined once Doc Rivers decided that Pierce and Garnett wouldn't play -- the Celtics returned home and avoided a four-game losing streak by beating the Raptors. This despite the fact that the injured list this time also included Rondo, who hurt himself last Sunday against the Clippers but had been trying to fight through the injury. Reportedly, after watching his point guard struggle against the Suns, Rivers realized how much Rondo was hurting and sat him tonight. The team is off until Wednesday, and the long rest should get the team back to full strength, minus Marquis Daniels.
Tonight's starting lineup was Tony Allen, Ray Allen, J.R. Giddens, Rasheed Wallace, and Kendrick Perkins. Credit Doc for starting Giddens in place of, say, Glen Davis. Although Giddens was basically a complete non-factor in 20 minutes, the move saved some of the team's precious firepower for the second unit. Led by Glen Davis (15 points, five rebounds) and Eddie House (12/4 with four assists), the Celtics bench outscored Toronto's reserves 34-21, despite the fact that a couple of key guys who are normally bench players ended up starting the game.
The Raptor bench is one reason why Toronto was a fortunate opponent for a depleted Boston club; it's not very good, so it was ill-equipped to take advantage of Boston's lack of depth. (In fairness, it should be noted that point guard Jarrett Jack, Toronto's best bench player, tallied 14 points and seven assists in a starting role, filling in for the injured Jose Calderon.) The other reason is -- as noted last time we played them -- the Raptors, for all their offensive firepower, are a terrible defensive team. Boston's offense hardly ran smoothly, but there was no shortage of looks coming off screens for Ray and House; Wallace hit a couple of threes and paired them with a couple of nice bankers out of the post; and the Celtics went to the line 31 times, making 25. Boston also enjoyed an 8-5 margin on the offensive glass.
Hopefully everyone is back for Wednesday. Next TV game is Friday, against Atlanta (8 p.m. Eastern, ESPN).
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1 comment:
I loved this game. Obviously I want us to be healthy, but it's kind of fun to have a little interlude where some of the other guys rise to the occasion.
It was interesting listening to the Toronto broadcast and hearing them praise the C's so much for playing hard, and playing smart.
As usual, I have no point. I guess mainly that it's fun to cheer for a team that plays hard, and seems to play the right way.
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