The LBJ Effect... How Stopping Westbrook Stops the Thunder

The Celtics take on the Thunder for the second time this season tonight, and are looking for their tenth win of the season. The last time these two faced off, Oklahoma City's star point guard Russell Westbrook was shut down for much of the game by our own star point guard, Rajon Rondo. Needless to say, The Celtics came out on top, the way they typically do when facing offenses that are fueled by a single star player. By minimizing Westbrook's presence on the court, Kevin Durant can only do so much damage, and Boston should be able to hold him down just enough to create a LeBron James effect where he will put together great fantasy basketball numbers, but his team will come up short. Boston's defense, veteran leadership, and depth will be the key differences in this matchup.

Not to mention dominance in the paint. The Thunder's starting big men do not match up well against any of Boston's big men, and while the Celtics' points will not neccessarily all come from down-low, very few of Oklahoma City's should. Jeff Green is very athletic and explosive for a big man, but is injured, and even if he plays, he and the rest of the Thunder's big men will get outmuscled on the boards against bigger guys, like Shaq and Big Baby. As for depth, Delonte West had a very solid first game back for the Celtics the other night against the Wizards, and Boston's bench seems to be finally coming together the way they should have been eleven games ago. I trust Doc to find a way to make it all work out in terms of creating both scoring and point guard opportunities for both Nate Robinson and West, and the backup big men should keep chipping in solid minutes off the bench.

Both of these teams are very talented, but I expect Boston to come out on top, largely because they are so well-meshed as a team compared to others around the NBA. The Thunder know that Durant is their star player, and that he led the league in scoring last year, and they love to win games fueled by his and Westbrook's explosive style of offense. If Rondo can shut down Westbrook while still putting up tons of assists, then Kevin Durant's numbers alone will not be enough to propel the Thunder to victory. Look for Paul Pierce to keep racking up the points while the Celtics pick up their tenth win tonight, and assert themselves even further in the power rankings.

Team Chemistry: Beating the Heat

The Celtics try to bounce back tonight after losing their last game to the Dallas Mavericks, as they take on the new and improved Miami Heat for the second time this season. The last time around, Boston's defense was able to stop Miami's big three from taking over the game, while Rondo racked up assists and set Boston's Big Three up for a ton of clutch baskets. Look for a similar outcome tonight, as I still do not think Miami's star-studded lineup will be able to work together to get it done against a quality basketball team. Miami has already lost three of their first eight games, and are coming off a loss against the Utah Jazz in which they completely collapsed, both offensively and defensively, in the second half. Based on how this season has started off, I think it is safe to say that team chemistry is no myth, and King James will absolutely not be leading any team to any win records this season.

While I do not think this game will come down to a last second shot by Boston, the Dallas game did, and it is becoming clear that the Celtics need to put some more planning behind the final play of the game. Rondo's missed jump shot at the end of regulation against the Milwaukee Bucks sent the game into overtime, when he absolutely could have driven in and tried to draw a foul or kicked it out to an open man when the defense collapsed on him. He again was left with the opportunity for an open jumper at the end of the Dallas game, and once again missed, only to be followed up by a sloppy last second in-bounds play that resulted in an airball from Kevin Garnett. Rondo's jump shot has improved vastly over the last couple of seasons, but it is absolutely not reliable enough of a weapon to be used in any game tying or game winning situation. Rondo needs to stay in the point guard role in these situations, and clutch jumpers should be left up to Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, two of the most clutch shooters in recent NBA history.

The Celtics should win this game because they are very good at stopping offenses that revolve around a single player. When LeBron starts bringing the ball up and trying to do everything himself, the Heat will again start sitting around and looking like the Cavs of old, just like they did in the season opener. If not, then it should be a great game, and the Celtics will need big games from all their big men to keep Miami's big three from putting up too many points in the paint. This could be an issue since both O'Neals are currently game-time decisions, and without a true center, the Celtics could get beat badly inside. Shaq should play however, and look for him to step up along with Big Baby when he gets his chance, and possibly even some valuable minutes from Semih Erden if Jermaine can't play. Rondo should be able to put up double digit assist numbers once again, and while Miami and Boston are arguably the two best teams in the East, I think the Heat will be the first to lose consecutive games.

Silencing the Thunder

The Celtics face the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight, another playoff team that is stacked with young talent led by Kevin Durant, who led the NBA in scoring last season. Both of these teams are fun to watch, but they play very different styles of basketball. It should be a great game as OKC's explosive offense goes up against a very physical veteran Celtics' defense. The Thunder have the ability to put up points in bunches when point guard Russell Westbrook and Durant are working their inside-outside game when both are knocking down jumpers and exploding to the hoop. Also, Jeff Green is one of the best up and coming big men as an aggressive big man who also will explode to the hook if given the opportunity, similar to Josh Smith from the Hawks. Boston's tough defense is matched by few, and they will need to be at their best tonight if they want to keep the Thunder under 100 points.

Where the Celtics should be able to outplay and outmuscle OKC is in the paint, even with Shaq still sitting out due to injury. Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis, and Jermaine O'Neal should be able to dominate the key both on offense and on defense against the inexperienced big men on the Thunder. It is a given that Westbrook and Durant will find a way to put up points, so just being consistent with scoring inside will be the key to this game. Rondo should keep putting up 10+ assists tonight if he can find his big men off the pick and roll, and the stellar shooting thus far from Paul Pierce and Ray Allen will help his cause as well. I expect Boston's defense to come alive this game the way they did against the Heat in the season opener. Also, look for Boston's Big Four to dismantle OKC's defense down low on the way to their sixth win of the season.

Rondo Vs. Rose

All eyes will be on the two best point guards in the Eastern Conference in this game. This should be a great game, as both these teams will be likely making a lot of noise come playoff time, and both have star-studded lineups to accompany their hard nosed physical style of play. Rondo and Rose tend to play some great basketball when they are up against each other, and tonight should be no exception.

Where the Celtics have the edge right now is from behind the three point arc, largely because of the energized play of Boston's Big Three. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce are all putting up large amounts of points, many of which are from jump shots. Chicago lineup is stacked with players who love to slash to the hoop and score from inside, but I doubt that they will be able to put up 90 points against the Celtics' veteran and very physical defense. While Chicago's defense is also tough, the Celtics have the ability to score from all angles, and Rondo will be running the court looking to tack on another 15 or so assists to his (so far) record season. Joakim Noah will absolutely make his presence known in the paint, so physicality, tight defense, and good ball movement are the keys to a Celtics' victory in this one. Based on the way they have been playing so far this season, these are three things that they should have no problem executing.

The game will be close, and if the Bulls do edge out the C's then it will likely be because their defense locked down Rajon Rondo from dominating on the offensive side of the ball. However, even if they are able to contain the guy, who may very well be the most explosive player in the NBA, Boston's Big Three is playing too well right now for the Celtics to not put up a significant amount of points. Look for big games from each of them, as well as Big Baby Davis, whos jumper is looking as nice as any other power forward's in the league. Brian Scalabrine's been playing a couple minutes a game for the Bulls, and I really hope we get to see him back on the court in Boston. Like I said yesterday, Boston's fans better give Scal a standing ovation when they see him. Regardless, l see this being a hard fought game with the Celtics just barely coming out on top, and again asserting themselves as the beasts of the East.

20,000 Points for Paul Pierce

Paul Pierce broke the 20,000 career points barrier and Rajon Rondo racked up another 15 assists en route to a thriller of an overtime win over the Bucks last night. The back and forth contest featured at least 15 ties and 15 lead changes over the course of the game, but in the end the Celtics came out on top, fueled by double digit scoring from Rondo, Pierce, Ray Allen, KG, and Big Baby, most of whom were being consistently set up by some precision passing from Rondo. The Bucks played hard and showed they may be a little more resilient than their 1-4 record indicates with a double-double from Andrew Bogut, solid play by Brandon Jennings, and some clutch points being chipped in from role players such as Delfino and Ilyasova. Regardless, it was not enough to overcome the cohesive play of a very tough Boston team, and Paul Pierce's overtime free throws put the game out of reach.

What did concern me during this game was the fact that the Celtics had a nine point lead earlier on in the game, and let the Bucks back into it instead of stepping on their necks and putting them away early. This game was much closer than it should have been. Also, the final play at the end of regulation (after a Boston timeout, mind you) ended with a pull-up jump shot from Rajon Rondo. I have done nothing but rave about Rondo's explosive play and ever-improving jump shot, but this was not the last second play I wanted to see for breaking the tie. Rondo should have drove to the hoop the way he does best and tried to draw a foul, and if anyone was shooting a jump shot for the win, I would hope it would be Ray, Pierce, or Garnett. Rondo's jumpshot is no longer abysmal and can be utilized in games effectively, but it should absolutely not be the Celtics' first option for any last second game winning shots.


Tomorrow night the Celtics have another home game, and they are up against the Boozer-less Bulls. I expect everyone in Boston to be on their feet to welcome back BRIAN SCALABRINE, even though he will be wearing the wrong colors. The Bulls are a tough team that could make their presence known in the playoffs this year, with some great slashers on their team including Luol Deng who put up 40 points against Portland on Monday. The Rondo-Rose matchup will be fun to watch like it always is, and look for Rondo to chip in another 15 dimes to help add to his record breaking season thus far. I hope that at least one time tomorrow night we'll see Scal for three, but more importantly, look for the Celtics to clog up the paint against all of Chicago's inside scorers and to win the game with tough defense, great passing, and three pointers. Check back tomorrow for a more in-depth analysis and keys to the game.

Rondo is Setting Records

Rajon Rondo has broken the NBA record for assists through the first four games of the season with 67 assists, 17 of which came last night against the Pistons. The game before that, Rondo had 24 assists and a triple-double against the Knicks, and is now clearly running the offense for Boston. His agility, incredible passing, and ability to drive and score makes him one of the biggest offensive threats in the NBA, and with so many all-star veterans surrounding him on the court, the quality of Boston's offense may be rapidly catching up to their championship worthy defense. Rondo should be able to keep up this solid play as he keeps improving and developing, and he could have another huge game tonight when the Celts take on the Milwaukee Bucks in Boston.

The Bucks surged their way into the playoffs with very solid play at the end of last season, but so far this Milwaukee team looks neither tough nor cohesive, and the Celtics should have no trouble beating them down. Look for Rondo to have another big game, but at the same time give up a lot of open shots to Brandon Jennings because of his high-risk, high-reward style of defense. Jennings is much more dangerous as a shooter than most other guards Rondo has had to defend so far this year. As for the other eight players on the court, the Celtics have the edge everywhere except the 5 spot, where Andrew Bogut is always a potential threat for a double-double. Look for KG and Big Baby to help out a lot in the paint, and for the Celtics to jump out to a significant lead sometime in the first half. Boston's Big Three is looking great so far, and Rondo is setting records, while the Bucks scored 76 points last night against Portland, and their SG John Salmons no longer appears to be the scoring threat that he was at the end of last season when the Bucks were surging. Barring a third or fourth quarter meltdown, the Celtics should go home tonight with their fourth win.

Not Finishing Strong

If the Celtics want to be successful this season, they need to dispel their reputation as a team that lets up in the second half. Their failure to beat the Cavs was a perfect example of the Celtics' tendency to get complacent when it comes to closing out teams, as was their minor collapse in the second half against Miami when their gigantic lead was slashed into by LeBron's individual attempt to take over the Heat's offense. Furthermore, they failed to put away a Knicks' team that is definitely improved, but should still be no match for our defending Eastern Conference champs. Keeping up their solid play after halftime is always an area of concern for this team, like it has been for seasons past, and the younger guys like Rondo, Nate, Big Baby, and even Marquis Daniels need to bring the energy when all the older veterans on the roster cannot. Very few teams match up talent-wise with the Celtics, and they need to close out games and secure these easy wins against teams like the Cavs. J.J. Hickson should not be able to outmuscle all the all-star and former all-star big men that Boston has down low.

The Celtics take on the Pistons tonight, and while this Detroit team has so far played better than some people expected, they are the third team in a row that the Celtics should have no real trouble beating. Rodney Stuckey is their playmaker, and should be much easier to contain than guys like LeBron and D-Wade. The key to this game is how Jermaine O'Neal plays in his first start with Shaq sitting out due to injury. J.O. was suppossed to be the starter this year, and while his play has been sub-par this season, I expect good things from him in his first start via blocks and rebounds, and hopefully some clutch baskets down low too.

On another note, It will be difficult for the Celts to get through the game using only Jermaine, Kevin Garnett, and Big Baby down low since none of them are in tip-top physical shape, so don't be too suprised to see some minutes from Semih Erden or maybe even Luke Harangody. I wanted Shaq to be coming off the bench this year, and as a starter he is already missing time because of injuries after only three games. I hope that J.O. can assert himself tonight as the potential starting center for the Celtics, so that the second unit of Shaq, Big Baby, and Nate Robinson can come in to dominate other teams' benches all season long. Shaq is still good enough to be starting, but will not be able to do so without missing a significant amount of time this season, and he is much more valuable to the Celtics on the bench than on the injured reserve.