Preview, Clipers @ C's

[Steve Huffman <stevhuff@eastky.net>]

 BOSTON CELICS ON TV @ 7:00 P.M.
-----------------------------------
W1-14    SpChNE
W1-14    SpChNE    Replay @ 11:30 A.M., Monday
Direct TV
PrimeStar

NBA on Satellite TV
 -------------------------------
Utah at Cleveland, 6 p.m. - W1-4s
LA Clippers at Boston, 7 p.m. - F1-21s, W1-14s
Portland at Vancouver, 9 p.m. - No scheduled television

Tv listings for NFL, National Hockey League, College
Basketball, and Women's College Basketball can be found
at the following web site:
http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp



NBA Preview (La Clippers-Boston)
----------------------------------------------------

LA Clippers (5-21) at Boston (11-12) 7:00 pm EST

The Boston Celtics go for their fifth win in six games and fourth
straight at
home when they host the Los Angeles Clippers tonight.

Boston's four consecutive victories have all come against sub-.500
opponents,
including Wednesday's 88-83 win in Toronto. The Celtics matched their
season low for points allowed and the 88 points were the fewest they
have
scored in a victory.

Antoine Walker led Boston in points, rebounds and assists for the third
time in
the last four games, finishing with 18, nine and six. He has led the
team in
each category in the same game seven times this season.

The Clippers opened a four-game road trip Saturday by blowing a
three-point
lead with 17 seconds to play and losing to Minnesota, 92-91. It was
their
fourth loss in the last six games and 11th in 13 road outings this
season.

Lorenzen Wright has been dominating the glass for Los Angeles. After
grabbing 17 rebounds in Thursday's win over Golden State, Wright
recorded a
career high for the second straight game by pulling down 22 boards
against the
Timberwolves, including 12 on the offensive end.

The Clips won both meetings with the Celtics last season and have won
three
of the last four in Boston.

                   © 1997 SportsTicker Enterprises, LP
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*** Sports on Satellite from The Sports Network ***

 Los Angeles Clippers (5-21) at Boston Celtics (11-12), 7 p.m.

These two teams are meeting for the first time this  season.
The Clippers  won both contests last season, taking a four-point
affair in L.A. and topping the Celtics in Boston by 15. Boston
is 65-23 all-time versus the Clippers.

The Clippers dropped a one-point  decision  to  the  Timberwolves
Saturday  night.  That  was  Los Angeles' fifth loss in six games.
The Clippers are just 2-11 on the road. Los Angeles is 0-9 in the
Eastern Conference and 0-4 versus the Atlantic Division.

The Celtics are winners of two  straight  and  four-of-five.  The
secret  to  Boston's success of late appears to be defense --
the team has allowed its last five opponents no more than 93 points,
 and  held three  of  those  to less than 90. That comes after a
stretch in which the Celtics allowed seven of 10 foes to score more
 than  100  points.

During  that  time,  the  Celtics lost six games. Boston is 8-6 at the
FleetCenter, but 0-2 versus the Pacific Division.



 *** NBA Matchup - LA Clippers at Boston ***

(From The Sports Network)

Los Angeles Clippers (5-21) at Boston Celtics (11-12), 7 p.m.
-------------------------------------------------------------

1997-98 Head-to-head record - First meeting
1996-97 Head-to-head record - Los Angeles 2-0
1995-96 Head-to-head record - Boston 2-0
1994-95 Head-to-head record - Los Angeles 2-0
Overall Head-to-head record - Boston 65-23
Home Record: Los Angeles 3-10; Boston 8-6
Away Record: Los Angeles 2-11; Boston 3-6
Record vs. Atlantic Division: Los Angeles 0-4
Record vs. Pacific Division: Boston 0-2
Record vs. Eastern Conference: Los Angeles 0-9
Record vs. Western Conference: Boston 1-2

1996-97 Meetings
----------------
02/11 - Los Angeles, 116-112 (at LA)
04/04 - Los Angeles, 117-102 (at Bos)
Los Angeles last five games
---------------------------
12/12 - L vs. Atlanta, 74-83
12/14 - L at  Seattle, 101-107
12/16 - L vs. Seattle, 94-109
12/18 - W vs. Golden St (Anaheim), 82-78
12/20 - L at  Minnesota, 91-92

Boston last five games
---------------------------
12/10 - W vs. Milwaukee, 96-91
12/12 - W vs. Washington, 97-88
12/13 - L at  Detroit, 77-93
12/15 - W vs. Philadelphia, 100-83
12/17 - W at  Toronto, 88-83
-----------------------------------------------------------

LA CLIPPERS' PROBABLE STARTERS

F    Lorenzen Wright
         Last 4 games is averaging 14.3 points and 15.8
         rebounds... has recorded a pts/reb
        double-double last 4 straight...

F    Lamond Murray
         As a starter has averaged 16.0 points and 6.1
         rebounds in 14 starts.

C    Stojko Vrankovic
          Last night at Minnesota tied a season-high with
          8 points along with 4 rebounds in 20 minutes

G    Brent Barry
          In last 5 games has averaged 15.2 points, 2.6
          rebounds and 32.4 minutes.

G    Darrick Martin
          Started the last 2 games, averaging 14.0 points,
          5.0 assists and 3.5 steals while shooting 10-24
          FG (42%), 5-11 3FG (46%)...


CLIPPERS' INJURY REPORT:
Placed forward Loy Vaught on the injured list (12/4) with a
degenerative disc condition in his lower back.




                  LAST GAME:

                  12/20 Timberwolves 92 - Clippers 91 (Target Center) On

the first game of thier
                  current three-game road trip, the Clippers lost a
tight one down the stretch, falling
                  to the Timberwolves, 91-92, at the Target Center. The
game was the Clippers to
                  be taken, up by 3 with 34 seconds remaining. But Tom
Gugliotta hit a long
                  jumper to get within one, then Terry Porter stole the
inbonds pass and Gugliotta
                  got a tip in with under 6 seconds left to go ahead by
the final margin, 91-92. The
                  Clippers got off a final jumper that missed off the
back of the rim. It was a good
                  effort by the Clippers in the second hald that got
them back in the game, after
                  having fallen back by 10 at the half. The Clippers
starting guards combined to
                  shoot just 2-15 in the first half, but came on in the
third to score the team's first
                  10 points and 18 of 28 in the quarter to take a
three-point lead into the final
                  period. It was a battle the entire fourth, and it
looked as if the Clippers sealed it
                  when rookie Maurice Taylor hit a key jumper with under

a minute remaining. But
                  the Clippers couldn't close it, and Tom Gugliotta took

advantage, leading the
                  Timberwolves with 24 points and sealing the win,
91-92. Despite the loss, it was
                  a big night for the Clippers' Lorenzen Wright, who
pulled down a career-high 22
                  rebounds (the most by a Clipper since Benoit Benjamin
coollected 22 on 4/6/90
                  at Portland). Darrick Martin also stepped up for the
Clippers, scoring a team-high
                  16 points, 13 coming in the third when LA made its
move. The Clippers shot just
                  39% and allowed the Timberwolves to shot 50% from the
field.

from NBA.com