1.23.06 @ Boston

[Doug Loudenback]

Our Hometown Hornets visit Boston tonight, 6:30 p.m., on Cox, following night-before-last’s tremendous win at Madison Square Garden (109-98 ... but it wasn’t that close). The Hornets’ starters did well, particularly Chris Paul (27 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds) and David West (19 points, 1 assist, 8 rebounds). Desmond Mason had another fine game (16 points, 1 assist, 0 rebounds), Kirk Snyder had 9 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, and PJ Brown got 8 points, 1 assist, and 9 rebounds. Bench support was solid, too, from Speedy Claxton (10 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound), Rasual Butler (12 points, 0 assists, 1 rebound), Chris Anderson (5 points, 1 assist, 2 rebounds) and JR Smith got a 3 pointer in his slightly more than 5 minutes playing time in the 4th quarter.

The 20-20 Hornets now rank 8th in the Western Conference, tied with Minnesota at .500. With a win at Boston, the Hornets will be .512195, in sole possession of the 8th place playoff slot.

At 16-24, the Celtics are 3rd in the Atlantic division of the Eastern Conference. Boston got whacked by and at New Jersey in their last (Saturday) game, 83-103.

Last Saturday’s Celtics starters @ New Jersey were Ricky Davis (#12, 6-7, Iowa; 19.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.3 apg); Delonte West (#13, 6-4, St Joseph’s; 11.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.2 apg); Paul Pierce (#34, 6-6, Kansas; 16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.7 apg, but is also 5th in NBA turnovers per game @ 3.21); Raef LaFrentz (#45, 6-11, Kansas; 7.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 0.9 apg); and Kendrick Perkins (#43, 6-10, Clifton J. Ozen HS, TX; 3.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.8 apg). Good bench support came from Tony Allen (#42, 6-4, Ok State; 5.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.1 apg, 10 points in last game) and Al Jefferson (#7, 6-10, Prentiss HS (MS); 8.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.6 apg, 11 points in last game).



At home, the Celtics have defeated New York, Memphis, Houston, Toronto, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Indiana, Golden State, Utah, Charlotte, Minnesota, and New Jersey; they have lost to Detroit, San Antonio, Seattle, Orlando, Chicago, Milwaukee, Atlanta (!), and Dallas (but losing by only 2). In January, they are 4-7.

Although both teams have an Eddie Sutton product, they missed playing on the same OSU team, I’m pretty sure. Someone correct me if I’m wrong. Desmond Mason was drafted by Seattle with his 1st season there in 2000-2001, and Tony Allen was drafted by the Celtics, his 1st season being 2004-2005.

The Celtics' home is the TD Bankworth Garden (formerly Fleet Center), 18,624 capacity but Boston doesn’t beat down that beautiful facility’s doors ... they rank 25th, averaging 15,835.

[windowphobe]

Frankly, I miss the old Boston Garden. (When I was a grunt, back during the French and Indian War or whenever the heck it was, I spent a lot of weekends in Beantown.)

Fleet, incidentally, no longer exists as a separate entity, hence the name change. (Bank of America bought it.)

[Patrick]

Can't possibly replace the history of the old Boston Garden.

I'm no fan of destroying history like that.

That's why I oppose demolishing facilities like Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, Fenwick, etc.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!!]

Can't possibly replace the history of the old Boston Garden.

I'm no fan of destroying history like that.

That's why I oppose demolishing facilities like Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium, Fenwick, etc.

Fenwick?