reflections
May 24th, 2008 Series Shifts to The Palace

1  @ 1
Eastern Conference Finals, Game 3
Saturday, May 24, 2008 – 8:30 pm ET
The Palace of Auburn Hills (Auburn Hills, MI)
Game aired on ABC

With the series tied up at 1-1, the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals has shifted to The Palace in Auburn Hills, where the Detroit Pistons will host the Boston Celtics for the next two games.Tonight, the Celtics will face something they have yet to come across as a group: the possibility to trailing in the playoff series. Throughout the first two rounds against Atlanta and Cleveland, the Celtics were never down in a series. They were either in possession of the series lead or it was all tied up. Should they lose tonight, however, Detroit would take a 2-1 series lead. The scariest part about that? Game 4 is in Detroit as well, where the Celtics would have all of the pressure in the world on their shoulders to avoid a 3-1 deficit.

Games 3 and 4 of this series will not only provide the Celtics with their biggest test of the year, but it will also reveal their true colors. Heading into tonight, the green have an abysmal 0-6 road record throughout the postseason, and with Detroit snatching away the crutch of homecourt advantage, the Celtics have no choice but to finally win a game away from the TD BankNorth Garden.

Let’s go, green. Show the world what you’re made of.

Projected Starters

C Kendrick Perkins / Rasheed Wallace
PF Kevin Garnett / Antonio McDyess
SF Paul Pierce / Tayshaun Prince
SG Ray Allen / Rip Hamilton
PG Rajon Rondo / Chauncey Billups

Key Matchup: Rajon Rondo vs. Chauncey Billups

Rondo got the best of a banged up Billups in Game 1, but Game 2 was a completely different story. Rondo filled the stat sheet as always, but the numbers were deceiving, as the second-year guard put together one of his worst games of the postseason from a mental standpoint. Billups undeniably got the best of him, and looked much better than he did in the initial meeting, despite tweaking his hamstring again late in the second quarter. This time, “Mr. Big Shot” is home at The Palace, where he elevates his game nearly each time (especially down the stretch). Rondo is going to have to play his best game of the series, at least defensively, to contain Billups in this one.

Celtics X-Factor: Supporting Cast

Game 2 was the first time of the postseason that all of All-Star Boston’s trio were on offensively at the same time, but they still dropped the game. Part of the reason was awful defense down the stretch, but another big reason was the supporting cast. Outside of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, nobody on the roster stepped up to provide a lift. Rajon Rondo didn’t do it, Kendrick Perkins didn’t do it, Eddie House didn’t do it, James Posey didn’t do it, etc. P.J. Brown was the only one to make a big play/shot down the stretch. That cannot happen on the road. The supporting cast needs to provide some help when they are on the floor.

Injury Report
BOS – Scot Pollard (torn tendon in left ankle – out for season)

Celtics Keys to the Game

  • Defensive Rotations
  • Rebounding
  • Bench Play
  • Attack
  • Sense of Urgency
  • Ball Movement
  • Ball Control
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