http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/5627365.html [rquoter]Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen will not play when the Eastern Conference's top team faces the Rockets on Tuesday night at Toyota Center. Allen injured his left heel in a game on Friday night. Before Monday's announcement, the Celtics said on their Web site that the team is erring on the side of caution regarding Allen. "We want to be 100 percent healthy going in to the playoffs," coach Doc Rivers told celtics.com. On Tuesday, the Celtics play the second game of a rare Texas triangle schedule, having played in San Antonio on Monday and heading to Dallas on Thursday. The Celtics were the first team this season to 50 wins, matching the 72-73 Celtics for the fastest in franchise history to 50, and reaching the milestone for the first time since 1991-92, Larry Bird's last season. Allen discussed Tuesday's game with the Chronicle's Fran Blinebury on Monday. ."They (the Rockets) are feeling real good about themselves, so regardless of what happens (against the Spurs), we're going to that building and they'll be on a high,'' Allen said. "What they've done has been amazing. They're going to see us, with that group of guys together, for the first time. So we look forward to getting in that building and showing them how we can play."[/rquoter] The Celtics will still be a tough, as they showed against the Spurs tonight. And they are the toughest team in the league on the second night of a back to back.
Boston will be using this reason as a buffer if they lose. Oh well... I'll take the W anytime of the day.
But we can respond that they won in San Antonio without him. And then the retort is, "Yeah, they were playing back to back". And then, we check mate them with, "Sure .. but the Celtics were 13-2 in back to back situations." See, I already got this figured out.
Doc is right. They wouldnt want to risk more injuries unless the game is very important. Nobody can chase their record now in the East, and very likely not any teams in the West either. I dont see the game will be as competitive and intense as the Lakers game.
Critics don't matter at all. What we need to focus on more than anything else is (1) making the playoffs, and (2) getting the highest seed possible, not in that order. I'm totally glad Allen is out- the only important thing is the W, not the critical evaluations of our streak. I'm telling you, absolutely no one will remember which player was out or when as we piled up the wins- in future discussions, it is only going to be "remember those Rockets that had a 24...25...26... whatever winning streak?" The odds are very likely that we will make the playoffs-but we haven't clinched yet. The odds are that we can get a high seed- but we're only separated from most teams by 2-3 games. So anything that gives us an advantage to win, we'll take it.
I was hoping he would play too but oh well. I wonder how far we will drop in the "power rankings" when the streak is broken? I can see us falling out of the top 5 for sure with comments from these experts like "losing to the hobbled Celtics practically erases the 22 game winning streak this team had accomplished against the bottom feeders of the league. We knew the streak would end sooner rather than later."
To clarify. I did not mean for this post to sound like I believe the Celts will win tomorrow night because they won't.
They beat a great team in San Antonio without Allen, so they better not even start with that damn excuse of not having Ray Allen after the Rockets wipe the floor with them tomorrow. 23-0 Go Rockets!!!
Real challenges are coming.... Celtics,Hornets,Warriors,and the Suns..... We have passed the Lakers,but the schedule is really tough.... Like the Celtics this week.. They are a team,and we ,too. Hope we can grab another win....
