at     
Indiana Pacers (9-17) at Boston Celtics (21-5)
Tuesday, December 22
7:30 PM ET
Game #27, Home Game #14
TV:  CSN-NE, FSI, NBA LP 753, 754
Radio:  WEEI, WFNI
TD Garden

Game Thread     l    Chat

Referees:   Mike “Duke” Callahan  l   James Capers  l   Olandis Poole

The Celtics are 9-1 on the road this season and their lone road loss was to the Indiana Pacers. Tonight the Celtics get a chance to avenge that earlier loss as the Pacers visit TD Garden.  The Pacers will have a different look in this one than they had in their first meeting.   The Pacers' star, Danny Granger,  is out with plantar fasciitis.  Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy were out with injuries in the first game and are expected to start in this one.  Roy Hibbert is the only constant for the Pacers in their starting lineup. 

Since losing Danny Granger, the Pacers have been struggling.  They are 3-7 in their last 10 games while the Celtics are 9-1.  The Pacers have lost 3 in a row while the Celtics are looking for their second win in a row.   The Celtics are 9-4 at home While Indy is 3-10 on the road.  The Celtics have struggled with their focus at times at home, most recently in the loss to the Sixers.   If the Celtics come out focused and play the way they are capable of playing, this should be an easy win.  But, then again, the Sixers game should have been an easy win as well.  It all comes down to focus.

The Pacers are playing the the second of back to back games and are coming off an 84-81 home loss to the Bucks.  The Celtics have had a day off and should be ready to play.   They are also coming off of a very strong performance against the Wolves and need to build on that to gain momentum going into their Christmas day matchup with the Orlando Magic.

(19-4) at   (10-13)
Boston Celtics (19-4) at  Memphis Grizzlies (10-13)
Monday, December 14
8:00 PM
Game #24, Road Game #13
TV: CSN HD,  SSO-MEM, NBA-LP 754, 755
Fed Ex Forum  

Referees:   Bill Spooner  l   Jason Phillips  l   Scott Wall

Game Thread     l      Chat   


The Grizzlies are a dangerous team with some very talented young players.  They have added veteran leadership from Zach Randolph who has been a beast on the boards lately, setting several team records recently.  Rudy Gay exploded for 41 against Miami in his last game and OJ Mayo is always capable of putting up big numbers.

In spite of all the talent on this team they are just 10-13. They lost 8 of their first 9 games but have gone 9-5 since, including recent home wins over Dallas and Cleveland.  They are coming off an impressive 118-90 blow out win over Miami on the road last night.   They have a winning record at home of 6-4 at home, however.  The Celtics are a league best 11-1 on the road and are riding a 10 game win streak coming into this game. 

The Grizzlies are playing in the second of back to back games but their previous game was a blow out win and with all the young legs on this team, fatigue shouldn't be much of a factor.    The Celtics are coming into this game with a day's rest but are playing in the final game of a 3 game road trip and 7 of their last 8 games have come on the road.  Road weariness could become a factor for the C's and they must stay focused on the task at hand. 

The Celtics need to take this game very seriously because the Grizzlies aren't a pushover team any longer.   Their starting 5 have been playing very well and will take advantage of any lack of focus on the Celtics part.  The Grizzlies have a lot of young and athletic players who can give the Celtics problems, especially when they have been on the road for a couple of weeks.  The Celtics must come out focused and take the Grizzlies out of the game from the beginning.  .