The Celtics take on the Bobcats tonight in Boston, and are going to need a big contribution from their second unit if they want to overcome their injuries and pull out a win. The Celtics typically play very well against the Bobcats who are just 15-21, but with Perk, KG, and Jermaine O'Neal all sitting out due to injury, the remaining big men need to step up and play hard like they did Wednesday night against the Kings if they want to win. I expect rookie Semih Erden to play very well and to continue bringing tons of energy to the floor as his minutes increase, as long as he's not also sitting out tonight after aggravating a groin injury and missing practice yesterday. He does a great job controlling the paint, and played exceptionally well the last time they faced the Bobcats logging a plus/minus rating of +34. The other three remaining big men are Shaq, Big Baby Davis, and rookie Luke Harangody, and all of them need to dig deep and play hard tonight to help the Celtics contend in the paint and on the scoreboard.
The Bobcats may not currently be the playoff caliber team that they were last season, however they are on a four game winning streak, and are coming off a big win against the Bulls on Wednesday night. Their players are by no means more talented than Boston's, however like the Celtics, they have an uncanny ability to score from all angles when their players are hot. Their starting wingmen Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson love to drive to the hoop, as does their scoring big man off the bench, Tyrus Thomas. However, they are not only capable of scoring from inside the paint, as everyone in their starting lineup can consistently knock down three's except for Kwame Brown. They are solid on the boards, and can exploit any weakness you
r defense gives them, which in Boston's case could very well be on those boards. Their starting big man, Boris Diaw, is an incredibly good shooter for his size, and could be a huge threat to the Celtics who have a group of big men right now who can get easily worn down, and will not want to contest Diaw's jumpers. For the Celtics to win this game, they need to play solid defense and get rebounds to eliminate Charlotte's second chance points, and then expose the Bobcats' inconsistent defense which can get very complacent at times.
Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo led the C's to victory against the Kings, driving in and exposing Sacramento's weak interior defense. They need to play the same way tonight, as when Charlotte's defense lets up, they become incredibly vulnerable inside the paint. Rondo should have no problem penetrating the middle and finding open teammates, while Pierce, Marquis Daniels, and all of Boston's big men need to use their size to get some easy buckets and make plenty of trips to the free throw line. Inside scoring should not be a problem for the Celtics tonight, and that should open the door for Pierce, Ray Allen, Von Wafer, and Nate Robinson to show off their range when the Bobcats start collapsing on Boston's guys penetrating the middle. These two teams are actually quite similar other than Boston's slight edge in talent and effort, and huge edge in leadership, coaching, and basketball smarts. However, this game could end up being very close, and the Celtics need to make sure they don't let up or get down on themselves since Rondo, Pierce, and Ray Allen have the ability to pick Charlotte's defense apart.
With the driving ability of guys like Wallace, Jackson, and Thomas, as well as the sharp shooting and improved play of point guard D.J. Augustin and Stephen Jackson, the Bobcats can score in bunches and are often not easy to stop. Boston's defense needs to play tough, and make sure that when Charlotte misses their shots, the Celtics wind up with the ball instead of Kwame Brown or Tyrus Thomas coming down with loads of offensive rebounds. Typically Boston does a very good job of stopping the Bobcats' versatile offense, but with so many key big men out due to injury, the rookies really need to step up tonight as big guys Glen Davis and Shaquille O'Neal are undeniably going to need to take some breathers. Until starting big men Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett return from injury, the Celtics will truly be scrapping for wins.
When I said the Celtics were going to have to dig deep to pull out a win tonight, I was expecting a lot of hustling, tough play, and clutch performances from guys like Semih Erden, Luke Harangody, and Marquis Daniels. However, with Semih's nagging groin injury and early foul trouble due to some ambiguous fouls called by the referees, Shaquille O'Neal wound up logging a season high 35 minutes on the court and promptly punished the Bobcats' weak interior defense with 23 points. Shaq also grabbed 5 rebounds in the game, as well as a season high 5 blocks. Kwame Brown and the Bobcats had no answer for O'Neal's size, as Rondo penetrated all game long and was always looking to find Shaq down low for an easy bucket or alley-oop. Rondo played extremely well on offense, as he not only worked his usual dribble, drive, and dish moves, but made some key jump shots as well. Rajon finished the game with 18 points and 13 assists. 
The Celtics played tough defense and pulled out a 99-94 point victory despite getting outrebounded 42-29. Boston's field goal percentage and eight three point shots made up for the lost rebounds, while Rondo and Shaq led them to an offensive attack that also featured 19 points each from Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Luckily the banged up Celtics have a couple days off before they square off on Monday against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. We'll all be holding our breath for the good news that KG will return for the game, but if not, Shaq is going to have to come up big again and stay out of foul trouble against his Howard, his younger nemesis. Hopefully Semih's groin will be feeling a little better by then so he can get back on the court with the energy he usually brings to the floor, and help the Celtics to continue playing tight constricting defense with frequent offensive onslaughts led by Pierce, Allen, and Rondo. Also, despite their off game tonight, I still believe the Celtics' bench is one of the most dangerous in the NBA, and luckily there is almost always somebody there to pick up the slack for the Celtics spark them to a win. Tonight, Shaq came up big for them, and was playing more like a 28 year old than a 38 year old. With KG, Perk, and Delonte West all on the way back from injury, this Celtics team is only going to keep getting better.
