Toronto Raptors at Boston Celtics

Okay forget the run the Raptors made at the end yesterday. The Celtics were cruising and already planning the inflight movie for the trip home. Toronto played bad yesterday and I blame lack of preparation. Even my dog knows that Ray Allen is good. He was in a movie called He Got Game and clearly none of the Raptors have seen it. Well here is a clip, watch it. Ray Allen is going to hit threes with a hand in his face but if you are going to keep giving him wide open shots, well you saw what happened. Paul Pierce basically got to take the day off (playing hurt) and KG got to use all his energy slowing down Bosh on D. It was Rondo burning by the one-legged Calderon and Ray Ray dropping bombs that did the Raps in.

The rest of the league seemed to of figured out how to beat Boston and even Matt and Leo mentioned it several times. Slow down Rondo and you slow down the Celtics. So why did the Raps not do it? Did they actually think they could just play their normal game and win? Throw Jamario on Rondo to at least try it out. Everytime, Rondo drives to the hoop and either scores of kicks out to Ray. Frustrating.

So why is there any hope it will be any different tonight in Boston?

Here is everything you need to know for tonight’s game.

The Goods

  • Ray Allen made eight 3-pointers and scored a season-high 36 yesterday.
  • Jose Calderon (strained right hamstring) and Jermaine O’Neal (sore right knee) did not make the trip to Boston.
  • Boston could play without leading scorer Paul Pierce, who injured his right knee during a first-quarter collision with teammate Brian Scalabrine.
  • Kendrick Perkins could return after a one-game absence. Perkins is averaging 8.8 points and 8.1 rebounds this season.
  • Will Solomon will likely start in place of Calderon, and has averaged 10.7 points and 7.3 assists in six starts this season.
  • In three meetings this season with the Raptors, Allen has scored 25.3 points per game, shot 61.5 percent from the field, hit 14 of his 24 3-point attempts and made all 14 free throws.
  • The Celtics have won seven of the past eight games with Toronto and all three this season. They have also taken three of the past four in Boston.

For Bettors

  • The under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Boston.
  • The under is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.
  • The Raptors are 2-7 ATS in the last nine meetings.
  • The road team is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings.

Prediction

Are you kidding? This one is easy. As much as it pains me to say, the Celtics win again. The champs were down and on the ropes for the last few week’s but the Raps look like the team to get them back on track. Boston wins 95-85. Boo.

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