Boston (6-1) at New Jersey (0-6)

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  • Game info: 7:30 pm EST Sat Nov 7, 2009
  • TV: CSNE, YES

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO, STATS Writer Nov 7, 1:26 am EST

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A season-opening stretch of eight games in 12 nights may have appeared to be daunting, but the Boston Celtics managed to win six before finally losing.

They have an ideal chance to rebound Saturday night when they try to continue their dominance of the injury-riddled New Jersey Nets, who are off to the worst start in franchise history.

The Celtics (6-1) opened the season with a 95-89 win at Cleveland on Oct. 27 and followed with five more victories. That streak was snapped Friday with a 110-103 loss to Phoenix as Boston shot 4 of 18 from beyond the arc.

“The only thing I didn’t like, with 3 1/2 minutes left, instead of searching for wide-open 2-pointers, we went into 3 mode. And I didn’t think we had to do that,” coach Doc Rivers said. “That, to me, was uncharacteristic of us.”

Boston has a key chance to rebound immediately as they conclude a stretch of four games in five nights against the Nets (0-6), the only winless team remaining.

“If we were in the NFL, we’d have to wait a whole week,” said guard Ray Allen(notes), who had 16 points and seven rebounds against the Suns. “So we like the position we’re in. We get a chance to go out and correct our mistakes.”

The Celtics have won nine in a row against the Nets by an average of 13.2 points. They’ve also taken six straight meetings at New Jersey since April 16, 2006.

The matchup could also provide Kevin Garnett(notes) a chance to build off his season-high 26 points with eight rebounds Friday. The star forward’s performance came after he totaled 15 points while going 7 for 20 from the floor over the previous two games.

Garnett missed two of the four matchups with the Nets last season due to a knee injury, which sidelined him for 24 of the final 34 games and all of the playoffs.

The Nets have been ravaged by injuries thus far, and coach Lawrence Frank was left with a four-man bench - of which he used three players - during a 97-94 loss to Philadelphia on Friday. They’ve been outscored by an average 12.1 points during the season-opening losing streak, which eclipsed the previous franchise record of five set in 1996.

“You go with what you got,” said Frank, who is in his seventh season and is the longest-tenured coach in the Eastern Conference. “It’s not a sympathy league.”

New Jersey lost guard Courtney Lee(notes) early in the third quarter Friday with an apparent leg injury. The Nets were already missing guards Keyon Dooling(notes) (hip surgery), Chris Douglas-Roberts(notes) (flu), and Devin Harris(notes) (strained right groin) along with forwards Tony Battie(notes) (right knee), Yi Jianlian(notes) (sprained right knee) and Jarvis Hayes(notes) (strained left hamstring).

One player seemingly benefiting from an increased role is Brook Lopez(notes), the 10th overall selection out of Stanford in the 2008 draft.

The center scored 22 points and pulled down 11 rebounds while playing a career-high 43:41 against the 76ers. He leads the Nets with averages of 17.2 points and 7.8 boards.

Updated Nov 7, 1:26 am EST
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Team Comparison

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Boston 12-4 1st Atlantic / 3rd East 100.4 91.7 Road 5-1 Won 3 6-4
New Jersey 0-16 5th Atlantic / 15th East 85.6 96.2 Home 0-6 Lost 16 0-10

Notes

F Kevin Garnett spent the entire game on the bench, mostly standing. In the opener, he was there for the first half but stayed in the locker room after intermission. ... Red Sox pitchers Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Justin Masterson attended the game. Masterson was the winning pitcher in a 12-1 victory over Baltimore on Monday, allowing one run in 5 1-3 innings. ... Owner Wyc Grousbeck was at the game after finishing the Boston Marathon earlier Monday in 4:16:49. He sat next to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

Apr 20, 11:42 pm EDT

Nets coach Lawrence Frank walked onto the floor in disgust Wednesday after calling timeout midway through the fourth quarter with the Knicks flirting with a 30-point bulge. Frank hopes he is still part of the Nets plans, with speculation that New Jersey's 34-48 record could cost him his job.

Apr 15, 10:47 pm EDT
NBA

56 Comments

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  1. GO BACK TO IRELAND STUPID BOSTON KELTICS
    56. Posted by GO BACK TO IRELAND STUPID BOSTON KELTICS Wed Nov 11 5:42am EST

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    why do people say seltics, its pronounced KELTICS! from ireland. REMEMBER KELTIC WARRIORS. CELTICS DOESNT MAKE sense
  2. Jose
    55. Posted by Jose Mon Nov 9 1:06pm EST

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    lakers 6-1 with no gasol and no bynum..imgaine the celtics without perkins or garnett.
  3. Jose
    54. Posted by Jose Mon Nov 9 1:06pm EST

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    @ Anthony, the Celtics ONLY won the 2008 championship because we had no Bynum, no Ariza, and yall had home court. The Hawks were giving you trouble on the road, the hawks man! the hawks!
  4. <i>kriknav2020</i>
    53. Posted by kriknav2020 Mon Nov 9 9:31am EST

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    Its amazing that you have this much time to argue about things you have no impact on. Just watch the game and move on.
  5. <i>sofar4ncounting</i>
    51. Posted by sofar4ncounting Mon Nov 9 12:56am EST

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    Terry Bradshaw.....Wow, preach on, my brother!!!!! Tell it like it is, sorry Jen.....hehehe.....Anthony, "You can throw out all the excuses you want, "the refs were on the Celtics side", "we didn't have Andrew Bynum"... That's all you Celtic fans cry about "We didn't have Garnett", really? We didn't have Bynum and Ariza (at full strength) BUT at least showed up to the big dance.........
  6. Terry Bradshaw
    50. Posted by Terry Bradshaw Mon Nov 9 12:09am EST

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    Anthony,

    If anything is embarrassing, it's your lack of reading comprehension. I'm not going to continue to argue and state a THIRD time what you didn't read or understand the first and second time. Anyone else (even Celtics fans, except maybe Jen) who reads what I wrote knows what I meant about 15-1 and knows I wasn't referring to last season. Of course the Lakers didn't roll through the playoffs last season. They were challenged by both Houston and Denver and I was happy to see it. They had it way too easy the previous playoffs. They needed to get smacked in the mouth and learn that nothing would be given to them -- and they did. The Lakers team grew up last season and won't be a pushover for anyone. Anthony, I don't expect you to understand or even be able to read what I just said so just ignore it. But you might want to try watching a little more Hooked on Phonics and Sesame Street and a little less Celtics basketball.

    As far as you complaining that Lakers fans are using excuses, I find it ironic since all I've heard from Celtics fans since last year is KG was hurt this or KG was hurt that. Talk about excuses...
  7. GO BACK TO IRELAND STUPID BOSTON KELTICS
    49. Posted by GO BACK TO IRELAND STUPID BOSTON KELTICS Sun Nov 8 11:59pm EST

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    Paul pierce got stabbed outside a night club back in 09/25/2000. Dave Chapelle made fun of him on Chapelle Show, look it up on YouTube.
  8. boston fever
    48. Posted by boston fever Sun Nov 8 11:57pm EST

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    @blumoon... how old are you?!?
  9. bluemoon
    47. Posted by bluemoon Sun Nov 8 10:29pm EST

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    man love perkins he hit it wrong on boston do put themselves into trouble some time by relaxing and not exercuting ,playing fundemental basketball , boston dose take thing for granted some time, that why you gert game like the phonix game where boston lost , or a team like jersy giving boston so much trouble! well i hope bosten can beat the better team this year, if they rexaling like they did with phonix and jersy boston won'r be able to beat the great team trhis year , every has the clevelandf or orland or lakers and duncan and company going to the finals even phonix , boston is not even so to be in the final that what all the sport analist say!
  10. Anthony
    45. Posted by Anthony Sun Nov 8 8:14pm EST

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    I hate the Patriots, so your little jab there at the end saying something about them has no effect on me. But as for your lack of your "team knowledge" its just embarrassing. Get your facts straight or don't come at all my friend.
  11. Anthony
    44. Posted by Anthony Sun Nov 8 8:10pm EST

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    Terry Bradshaw... Your just another bitter Lakers fan. The Celtics rolled through the Lakers in the Finals in 2008 for one reason, the Celtics were just better. The Celtics played all those games and the Lakers flew through the playoffs until they hit a brick wall A.K.A. the Boston Celtics. The Celtics were figured the underdog because they were "old and tired". It wasn't the case, playing all those games just made the Celtics better. You can throw out all the excuses you want, "the refs were on the Celtics side", "we didn't have Andrew Bynum", etc.. But the bottom line is the Celtics won, and they won in a big way. So please keep your excuses to yourself, its a detriment to the game. And still you saying how LA cruised through the playoffs last year at 18-1, thats probably the most retarded statement I've read on the Yahoo! boards and lemme tell ya, thats saying something. If you were a true LA fan and not just a bandwagon jumper then you would understand and know the facts. So enjoy your "Donaghy argument" cause thats all you got and frankly, no one cares.
  12. Terry Bradshaw
    43. Posted by Terry Bradshaw Sun Nov 8 8:07pm EST

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    Anthony,

    Actually I need to correct myself. The Lakers went 15-1 in 2001, not 18-1. I don't know why I wrote 18-1... I must have been thinking of the 2007-2008 New England Patriots. Sorry, wrong sport.
  13. Terry Bradshaw
    42. Posted by Terry Bradshaw Sun Nov 8 8:03pm EST

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    Anthony,

    If I was your English teacher, I'd be embarrassed of you. If you actually read what I said and what was said by the person I was responding to (Jen - which I wrote in my message), you'd understand what I was talking about. She said that the Lakers championships from 2000 on were tainted because of what Tim Donaghy said in his book. I said "Hahahah. I'm sure the Lakers really needed help from the refs when they rolled through the playoffs/Finals at 18-1." I was referring to 2001, where the Lakers didn't lose until Game 1 of the NBA Finals against Philadelphia, and promptly went on to win the next four to win the series. My point was that I don't think a team that goes 18-1 through the playoffs needed much help from the refs. Sorry if that went over your head.
  14. Terry Bradshaw
    41. Posted by Terry Bradshaw Sun Nov 8 7:54pm EST

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    BTW, Jen, some of the referees that Donaghy mentioned intentionally making bad calls in his book included Dick Bavetta, Joe Crawford, Danny Crawford, Bob Delaney, Steve Javie, and Mark Wunderlich. Why is this important? Because all of those guys reffed at least one game in the 2008 Lakers/Celtics Finals including 2 games by Bavetta and Joe Crawford. I wondered why the Celtics shot 28 more free throws in Game 2 that Dan Crawford and Bob Delaney reffed.

    So since these guys are refs that manipulate games, and they reffed the Celtics during their Finals, then the Celtics championship* is tainted too. Hahaha, I love when stupid Celtics fans try to take down another team and end up taking their own team down. Thanks for mentioning Tim Donaghy... if you hadn't, I wouldn't have done the research to see how tainted the Celtics 2008 Championship* actually is. Like you said, you don't have to believe me, Ask Tim Donaghy. Hahahaha. Pure genius.

    So congrats, Celtics - 2008 NBA Finals Champion *
    Enjoy your tainted 17th Championship!

    Hahahaha
  15. Terry Bradshaw
    40. Posted by Terry Bradshaw Sun Nov 8 7:41pm EST

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    Wow, talk about ignorant (I'm looking at you, JEN). In today's time, how can any American call their own fellow citizens terrorists and compare them to Iranians? That's what I get for trying to have a discussion about SPORTS with people who are too stupid to understand that one is only a game. Jen, do you even know what Tim Donaghey wrote? The only way you would I'm sure is if someone read it to you, as it appears you are too ignorant and stupid to understand and make those statements on your own. So go ahead and celebrate your 17 tainted asterisk championships while you watch the Lakers take over the lead for most NBA championships won... Hahahah.

    Oh, and in case you think your fellow Celtics fans are angels, here are some links to chew on. Maybe you can ask someone to read and explain it to you:

    http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/06/police_arrest_1.html

    http://www.insidehoops.com/blog/?p=1316

    http://www.necn.tv/Boston/Sports/14-arrested-as-Celtics-celebrate-championship-/1213789760.html

    http://www.bpdnews.com/2008/06/unruly_fans_arrested_during_ce_1.html

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY7wKGpfe4U

    http://multimedia.boston.com/m/20292616/celtics-fan-arrested-after-win-dies-in-hospital.htm?col=en-vid-pod_bcom-ep#q=nba

    Yep, none of your so-called terrorists in Boston at all... Owned again... Hahahaha
  16. boston fever
    39. Posted by boston fever Sun Nov 8 7:39pm EST

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    good thing celts is back on the winning trail... 2 bumps in the road, man all these pathetic laker fans would have been drinking their heart out and would think of every single stupid posts they can write... oh wait, they actually posts these stupid and ignorant ideas regardless if celts win or lose. i missed the king and so cal...
  17. Anthony
    38. Posted by Anthony Sun Nov 8 6:43pm EST

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    Terry Bradshaw.... I sure hope your not a LA Lakers fan. Because this is what you said in a previous post..

    "I'm sure the Lakers really needed help from the refs when they rolled through the playoffs/Finals at 18-1, not having to win in 6 and 7 games in every series like a certain recent Finals winner"

    Umm.. If I remember correctly this last playoffs the Lakers won the Finals in 6 games and they went to 7 games with the Houston Rockets. So that means that they lost 5 games combined right there. And you sit there and say they rolled through the playoffs/Finals at 18-1. Get your facts straight buddy. And if your gonna gloat about your team, at least get the facts straight. If I was a Lakers fan, I'd be embarrassed of you.
  18. Anthony
    37. Posted by Anthony Sun Nov 8 6:35pm EST

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    The Celtics are still winning though. They've played the most games so far of any team in the league. The Suns beat them because the Suns are a good team. And a team to be reckoned with. But its not like the Celtics were going to go 82-0 or anything. Its the first loss of the season. They were the last team to lose a game. Although it was a close one today, a win is a win. The funny thing is how horrible Boston can play, and yet they still win. Its funny for me, but scary for fans of other teams. Go Celtics
  19. Hello, My Name Is Johnny Cash...
    36. Posted by Hello, My Name Is Johnny Cash... Sun Nov 8 6:25pm EST

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    Jen, your ignorance is simply mind-blowing. You have the audacity to compare a few little fires in Los Angeles to the complete destruction of an entire nation. To think that my brother died serving idiots like you makes me truly sad. You're so quick to judge an entire fan base on the actions of a few morons. No one attacked you personally(Not really), yet there you are comparing every faithful Lakers fan to a damn terrorist. Calling us gang bangers like every Boston fan is an upstanding citizen...who the hell do you think you are passing judgments around like candy you fu(king twit? You're the same idiot fan that you hate, you have to resort to ridiculous analogies and childish attacks to feel like your representing your team. If you lack the capacity to make an intelligent argument regarding your team, then do your team a favor and shut up. Moron...
  20. joey
    35. Posted by joey Sun Nov 8 5:49pm EST

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    the Celtics are Soft? Are we on the same planet? Why did the Celtics beat the Lakers in theFinals that last time?? Because the Lakers are pure Hollywood actors , or did you just recently start to watch basketball instead of beach volleyball and missed seeing that last Celtic Championship??
  21. jen
    34. Posted by jen Sun Nov 8 5:45pm EST

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    Heres another thing for you Faqueers fans to chew on, YOU ARE THE ONLY FANS IN THE NBA THATS EQUIVALENT TO TERRORISTS. You make Al Queda Proud. Your state and city is in financial ruins but yet you tear it down and shred it to pieces making it worse for yourselves. Lakers fans are the DUMBEST piece of sht to be fans. Nothing but gang bangers and...of course Terrorists. They should've held the Faqueers Fraud Cheating Victory parade in Terhan, Iran, that would've made more sense.

    You CHEAT to win Titles, all LAkers titles from 2000 are FRAUDULENT and have big Fat Asteriks* on them. Don't blame me, just ask Tim Donaghey, he'd like to release a book and tell you all about it.
  22. joey
    33. Posted by joey Sun Nov 8 5:42pm EST

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    does anyone really believe today's Lakers could beat any of the Celtics teams from the 60's??? No Way!! Basket ball teams in the 60's were 7 or 8 deep with All-Stars, unlike today's watered down version of 1 or 2 overpriced crybaby's on each team. The best teams nowadays have 3 allstars and a good cast of extra's. Less teams meant better skilled teams and better quality basketball, better than most of the selfish, all about me basketball played today.
  23. Terry Bradshaw
    32. Posted by Terry Bradshaw Sun Nov 8 3:14pm EST

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    Finally, if anyone wants to talk fraud and asterisks, we should be talking about the so-called Celtics dynasty. No one ever mentions how 11 of those 17 titles were won in the late-50's and 60's, when there were 8, 9 and then 10 teams in the league. You have more teams than that in a single conference now! Those titles were won so long ago they weren't even Larry O' Brien trophies... they were Walter A. Brown trophies.

    As far as I'm concerned, any titles before the NBA/ABA merger are insignificant -- they don't have any relevance in the modern era. Just as no one today cares about those old AFL/NFL championships before the Superbowl was created in football. Notice how people only talk about Superbowls won?

    I do find it interesting that while the Celtics won the title the last season before the NBA/ABA merger, it took them 5 seasons to win one after the merger and they've won only 3 more titles after that... with the last two separated by over 20 years of futility. Funny what a little competition does, huh?

    But whatever... we'll play by your rules. Phil Jackson already took Auerbach's victory cigar and record and in a few years the Lakers will have the Celtics record for most NBA titles... And most of them will actually come in a era where there were more than 10 teams playing. ROFL.
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