[tinfw17]

5-Star NBA Game of the Week

5* Celtics (703) at Bobcats:

Beware! The Celtics are getting serious! We’ve been wondering whether the deep and talented Green would start hunkering down and playing some defense. On a 2-0 SU/ATS run, it appears they are focused in, especially after shooting 51% at Miami and allowing 41% shooting. The Celtics withstood the charge and countered with precision, execution, and steady play down the stretch. Beasley didn’t score for the final 8:01 and the Heat didn’t record a field goal in the final 4:27, a testament to Boston’s defensive domination in the clutch. Kevin Garnett spearheaded a fourth-quarter Celtics rally for a 92-85 road win, a gritty victory because they could have relented to the younger Heat. Instead they fought back with fundamentals. The Heat missed 11 of 17 shots in the fourth and couldn’t even rely on Dwyane Wade, who had only 4 of his 27 points while being checked by Ray Allen. Boston has won the last two games by 13 and 7 points. Charlotte doesn't have a tall frontcourt outside of Tyson Chandler, who is not an offensive player. They prefer to slow the pace down, but that will be a problem here as Boston can play the half-court game and has big frontcourt bodies with Kendrick Perkins, Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rasheed Wallace. Even in Charlotte’s surprising road win the last game, at Washington, it was their first road win of the season. Both teams played on Friday night and the Wizards appeared especially drained. The Celtics are 6-1 on the road. You need a defensive backcourt player to guard Ray Felton and the Celtics have one in the quick, long armed Rajon Rondo. Play the Celtics!