This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.
Records: The Boston Celtics (5-1) vs. The Oklahoma City Thunder (3-2)
Time: 6:00 P.M. Central Daylight Time
Place: A Nameless Multipurpose Sports Complex, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
TV:Fox Sports Net Oklahoma, Comcast Sportnet New England
Radio:WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), WEEI-850 AM
Enemy Blog(s): CelticsBlog, Hardwood Houdini, Red's Army
Previous Meetings:None.
There was once a time when using the term, "Big Three" didn't bring up images of South Beach, The Flash, Predator, or LeBron eating donuts (Hi Chuck).
No, tonight the Thunder are taking on the original"Three Amigos." The Boston Celtics have mostly grabbed headlines this season for beating the Miami Heat on opening night, outstanding point guard play from Rajon Rondo, and for some questionable comments that may or may not have been said to Pistons big man Charlie Villanueva.
Tonight they come face-to-face with the Thunder, who is no stranger to publicity. In the preseason, columnists all over the country wrote long, tender love letters to the team nestled in the heart of America and its champion scorer, who wins so many over with his pearly white humility. Now that the season is underway, the Thunder still find themselves the talk of the town, but this time with much less adoration. They can't defend the paint! They can't shoot the three! They settle for jumpers too much! The Thunder can chalk up this criticism as a mere bad stretch of games with a win tonight. Whether they chose to oblige is up to them.
Below: More Celtics Info, How The Game Will Go, Prediction!
The main Celtic lineup doesn't need much of an introduction. Paul Pierce leads the team in scoring (19.3 ppg), Kevin Garnett in rebounds (9.3 rpg), and Ray Allen is still productive (18 ppg). Better than all of them however ,may be Rajon Rondo. Correction: he IS the best of them all. He'll never lead the league in scoring, he'll never even come close. But he's a sensational offensive rebounder, creates steals with the best of them, and his assist numbers so far this season have been down right historic. You have to stop and chuckle for a moment when you think back on tonight's point guard match-up. A couple of years ago, not even the zaniest among us could have foreseen this as a battle between two of the NBA's top point guards, yet here we are.
Unfortunately, OKC fans won't be seeing Shaq tonight, who is out with a knee injury. You are, however, likely to see large doses of the one who was once dubbed "Baby Shaq" -- Glen Davis, and an appearance by Jermaine O'Neal, who shares the Big Leprechaun's last name. Davis, who trimmed down a little in the offseason, is having a fantastic season off the bench and Jermaine's numbers aren't bad, considering his decreased role.
Given the direction the two teams appear to be heading in, tonight's game looks like it could turn into another hard lesson in defending the basket. Color me crazy, but I have this strange notion that if the shots are falling tonight for the likes of KD, Russ, Harden, and maybe even Cook, the Thunder could feed off of what is sure to be an electric atmosphere in the "New Myriad." Having said that, the Celtics won't be intimidated easily, having tons of experience in hostile environments. I like wisdom over youth in this one.
Prediction: Boston 93, Oklahoma City 89.
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