Celts beat Raptors: Boston 114- Toronto 102

[wfcooper@tiac.com (Bill Cooper)]

     The Celtics we've been watching for the last three weeks were
back in action tonight (I don't know where the rank impostors that
showed up in the Fleet Center Sunday, to play the Grizzlies were
banished to: Hopefully far enough away that they won't make it back
anytime this season).  Boston got a real solid team effort including 4
players scoring 20 points or more.  Except for a few moments in the
second quarter (when M.L. tried to get Wesley some rest) the C's were
in control of the game throughout.  Tommy and Couz were saying that
Wesley suffered a hip flexor in the game on Sunday, though it's
effects were indetectable.
     Early in the first quarter the two teams traded baskets until the
Celts went on a 7-0 run to take a 15-10 lead.  Neither team was
playing a whole lot of defense.  With about 3 minutes left to go in
the quarter Fox made a real nice turnaround against Christie, which
drew Doug's third foul, giving the Celts a 26-20 lead.  Apparently
Christie suffered a mild ankle sprain on the play and was unable to
return for the game.  The Celts led at the end of the period 32-26.
     The C'ss got their lead up to 10 at 38-28 early in the second
period.  The two teams traded baskets on that point for the next three
or four minutes.  With the Celts leading 40-30, M.L. took Wesley out
of the game and replaced him with Fox (with Stoudamire still in the
game, so Fox had to guard Damon).  The Celts got away with it for a
couple of possessions (probably because the Raptors were so
surprised).  After a couple of possessions, though, Fox fouled
Stoudamire (Rick's second) and M.L. put Wesley back in.  Later in the
period, Carr tried to get Wesley out again (Fox substitution), but
this time the roof fell in.  The score was 48-43 when Wesley went out.
The Raptors scored 9 straight points before Carr could get Wesley back
into the game, and Toronto led 52-48.  The C's got the lead down to 1
at 54-53 at the end of the half. =20
     Stoudamire was hot to start the third, and pushed the Raptors out
to a 9 point lead at 72-63.  But the Celts took control of the game
with a 16-0 run,  behind strong low post play by Eric Williams.  The
quarter ended with the C's up by 4 at 85-81.
     The Celts quickly pushed the lead up into double figures at
95-85.  It seemed like everytime that the Raptors would score a basket
and look like they might get some momentum, David Wesley would pick
Stoudamire's pockets on the next play.  On a Wesley 3 the C's got the
lead up to a dozen at 104-92.  The Raptors briefly pulled to within 8
(108-100) with about 1:30 left, but the Celts went on a 6-2 run to
close the game out for a solid 114-102 win.
     Both teams shot the same percentage from the field at .494.  The
Celts converted a small edge in the turnover column into 2 more FGA
and 10 more free throws.  And for one of the few times this year, the
Celts had a big advantage from the three point line as they shot 8-17
compared to 7-21 by the Raptors.  Rebounding was dead even.

Lineups- Celts- Wesley, Day, Fox, Williams, Walker
         Raptors- Stoudamire, Christie, Williams, Camby, Jones

Players- Wesley- Wesley's best game in a month.  26 points on 10-15
shooting, including 3-3 on treys.  Also had 7 boards, 11 assists, 6
steals and 4 turnovers in 44 minutes.  A fine game.  But that was only
half of it as he harassed Stoudamire all over the court, especially in
the 4th quarter.  Although Stoudamire scored 26 points, he shot 9-20
and had 8 turnovers.  5 of Wesley 6 steals where right off of
Stoudamire's dribble.

Williams- Shot 11-17, scored 27 points, 6 boards in 41 minutes.  Had a
great game shooting for the field, even hit an open jumper (not that
unusual anymore).  In the first half, CBA temp Reggie Slater came into
the game and caused the Celts some problems (matched against Conlon
and Lister).  With Christie out of the game the Raptors started Slater
in the second half against Williams and Eric just ate him alive.
Williams dominated him in the low post, and completely shut him down
on the defensive end.

Day- Todd only shot 6-16, but got to the foul line 11 times (and hit
10).  He was also 4-8 from 3 point range for 27 points in 38 minutes.=20
He did have some problems with Christie early in the game, and Carr
was forced to switch Fox onto Christie.

Walker- Antoine scored 20, to go with 13 boards, 5 assists and 3
steals in 44 minutes.  I think that the Celtics were trying to get
Camby pulled out from underneath the basket so Walker was on the
perimeter a lot.  Walker took quite a few jumpers, including 3 treys
(missed'em).  He did go 4-4 on free throws.

=46ox- after a couple of good games recently he was very quiet tonight.
He scored 10 (4-10 from the field), and had 1 board, 2 assists and 1
steal.  Carr went with Conlon instead of Fox for a lot of the 4th
period.

Conlon- another good hustle game for Marty, who scored 4 points and
had 7 boards in 26 minutes.  The Celts were having some trouble with
Popeye Jones (18 points), and I guess M.L. thought that Marty was his
best matchup.  For some reason the Celtics have gone back to using
Marty in the low post and his offensive game has gone to pot as a
result.=20

Lister/Hamer/Szabo- As part of M.L.'s "My whole bench is back-up
Centers, I got to play'em" policy they got a combined 10 minutes
during which they scored 2 points, had 2 rebounds and fouled 4 times.

Coaching- They came to play tonight.  Much improved effort over last
night.  In a disturbing trend, though, the Celts had some problems
with the Raptor's press late in the 4th (they just don't have much
experience having leads in the 4th).=20

Opposition Players of Note: Camby- Marcus had some real good moments
on the defensive end with 5 blocks.  He doesn't seem to be a huge
presence on the boards, though.  On the offensive end he needs work,
but there's no way that a player with that kind of quickness and
athleticism shouldn't be good.  That part of his game is still a
couple of years off.  He would be an ideal big man for a
running/pressing team.  I would say that the chemistry with Stoudamire
is still an open question.

This game makes the Celtic's record 11-32.  They play again at home
against Miami on Wednesday.

Bill Cooper
wfcooper@tiac.com
  =20
P.S. Dee Brown was doing the color on the Celts radio broadcast this
evening (I guess Cornbread is on the WEEI Injured List).  Did anyone
catch the radio show?  How did Dee do?  =20