After consecutive losses to the Bulls and Rockets, the Celtics are taking a lot of heat about not being the championship caliber team everyone thought they'd be at the beginning of the season. Doc Rivers tore into the starters for their uninspired play and apathetic defense after Monday's loss to Houston, and hopefully this inspires them to come out tonight with more energy, and put a beating on the lowly Sacramento Kings in the process. KG is doubtful for the game, but if he does make his comeback tonight, then Doc's harsh words will not be the only thing inspiring the Celtics to show more energy than they have been showing in recent games. Whether or not he returns, Boston needs to play some tight defense, and run their usual offense which revolves around much more than just Big Baby's jump shot. Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and Shaquille O'Neal should have a field day against Sacramento's inept defenders, as should Boston's second unit against Sacramento's inconsistent bench players. With the Kings losing a 136-133 shootout last night against the Washington Wizards in a game where neither team showed any interest in playing defense, Rondo and the Celtics should be able to pick the Kings apart. 
Tyreke Evans is also doubtful for this game, though if he does return from his ankle injury tonight, this will be a big boost for Sacramento's offense as players like Francisco Garcia, Beno Udrih, and DeMarcus Cousins have had to step it up in the absence of Evans, their leading scorer. If Evans doesn't play, Rondo should be able to exploit his explosive tendencies of dribbling, driving, and dishing out assists to tear into the Sacramento's lazy defense. Both Ray Allen and Paul Pierce should have no problem getting good looks both from downtown and inside the paint against defenders who simply cannot guard Boston's all-star wing men. Wizards' shooting guard Nick Young scored 43 points and dropped seven three pointers on Sacramento last night, and unless they try something new on defense, Ray Allen should be able to have a similar night tonight. Also, the young players such as Jason Thompson and DeMarcus Cousins that the Kings use as their starting big men will get outplayed and outmuscled by larger and stronger veterans like Shaq, Jermaine O'Neal, and even Big Baby Davis as long as he uses his size instead of his jump shot as his primary means of scoring. The Celtics will have a mismatch at just about every position, and whether or not Kevin Garnett or Tyreke Evans are on the court tonight, the Celtics have a great opportunity against an inferior team to show Boston's critics that they are still playoff bound, and do not need any dramatic changes to their roster.
What the Celtics need to watch out for is their own attitude on the court, because if they continue to play lethargically on defense and fail to run plays and set picks on offense, Sacramento could surprise them with a scoring surge like the 43 point one they had in the 4th quarter against Washington last night, which sent the game into overtime. They have some young and very athletic play makers, and if the Celtics don't show up on defense, guys like Garcia, Udrih, Eugene Jeter, and Carl Landry could make them pay. Assuming Garnett sits out again tonight, Harangody will need to box out and contain Landry, Sacramento's backup power forward, who scored 23 points last night and should probably be starting for this 8-27 team. Other than Luke's matchup, the Celtics have the edge just about everywhere else, and the only way that they lose tonight is if they beat themselves like they did on Monday against the Rockets. Look for Rondo and Daniels to be the play makers and difference makers in this one, with big contributions from Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. The C's need a big win tonight to show they are still a playoff contender, as well as to silence the critics who think Boston needs some sort of a trade or to reacquire Rasheed Wallace if the Celtics want a legitimate shot at the playoffs.
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