Boston Celtics: 10 Reasons They Will Beat the Los Angeles Lakers Tonight
What a night this will be; the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers will meet for the last time this season. Tonight at the T.D. Garden in Boston, Massachusetts is going to be the final meeting and last shot both teams have at each other until the NBA Championship game.
That is, if they both make it that far.
This will be a game that is as equally as important as the NBA Finals of last year. It'll be Boston's opportunity to sweep the L.A. Lakers for the regular season. If by chance these two teams do make it to the final series, Boston would have the morale advantage over them when they come out victorious tonight.
Expect a game to go right down to the buzzer tonight. No last chance intentional fouls in the closing minutes, for this matchup will be a game of heart and pride for both teams.
Home-Court Advantage
1 of 10
Boston has the best home record in the Eastern Conference (actually tied with Chicago at 23-4) going into tonight's game. Their previous meeting with the Lakers was at the Staples Center where they won the game 109-96.
With the Lakers in town, expect Boston fans to heckling L.A. all night long. Boos, jeers and thunder-sticks will be the only sounds the players will be hearing tonight.
Last season the Celtics only lost to the Lakers twice at home, both games ending with a 10-point or less margin. Expect the Celtics to win by more than 10 tonight.
Get Out the Brooms and Go Sweeping
2 of 10
As stated earlier, with a Boston win tonight, they will sweep the Lakers in regular season matchups. Granted it'll only be their second game against them; the victory could carry over into the playoffs if these two teams meet again.
Why is a sweep on the line so important? The players will want it more.
Boston has just come off a road loss against the Charlotte Bobcats, a team in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference. Are they upset? You betcha.
Having a game as big as this one after an upsetting loss will fire up the Celts and give them the extra motivation of wanting to win this game.
Hungry for the Ball
3 of 10
The Celtics have a league-best +1.70 steal differential and are in third with a 8.45 steals per game average.
Rajon Rondo is second in the league as well in steals per game average with 2.45. Chris Paul leads him by only .9 (he has 2.54.) Other notable stealers on the Celtics are Paul Pierce with 1.02 and Kevin Garnett with 1.62.
If the Celtics double team Kobe Bryant or Pau Gasol down low (which they might want to think about doing, considering Kobe dropped 41 last time they met), they can force the arid pass and steal the ball, pushing it into transition for an easy bucket.
Kendrick Perkins Versus Andrew Bynum
4 of 10
The tempo of this game can all start off from the tip-off between these two centers. Both players will be handling a lot when matched up against one another underneath the glass.
Bynum, who stands two inches taller than Perkins, has the height advantage in this matchup, but Perkins has the better rebound average with 8.4. This is also in only eight games so far this season.
Look for him to be a force to be reckoned with in the paint.
Ray Allen Will Go Off Tonight
5 of 10
A lot more is on the line for Ray Allen than just a victory over a rivalry team. Allen can break Reggie Miller's all-time three-pointer record with two from downtown tonight.
On a semi-hot streak, Allen has had 20 or more points in the last four out of five games he's played. In those five games, he's hit 14 out of 27 from long range—that's over 50 percent.
With a game against the Laker's and the all-time three-pointer record on the line, why would Allen want to drain shot after shot from behind the arc?
Kevin Garnett Will Be the X-Factor of Tonight's Game
6 of 10
He should be if he can repeat the performance he put on last time these two powerhouses met. KG accumulated 18 points, along with 12 rebounds and shot 9-12 from the court.
The Lakers are in his house now. Garnett will be the most electric and enthusiastic player out on the court tonight. His physical play and presence down low will make him the most exciting player to watch.
Anticipate Garnett at least match his performance from last meeting. A double-double won't be anything surprising from this forward.
Containment of Pau Gasol
7 of 10
Gasol was held to only 12 points last time these two played and had a less-than-par shooting average of .385.
Looking at Pau's last five games, 12 points were the least of what he put up. His shooting average was also the worst.
What the Celtics need to make sure to do this time is make him first priority when boxing out on rebounds. Gasol nabbed four offensive boards last time.
Look for Doc Rivers to set two guys on Gasol in the post.
The Lakers Need To Bring an Umbrella for All the Raining Threes Tonight
8 of 10
The Celtics sport a league fifth-best three-point percentage with .380 and also have the league's fourth-best three-point "D." They've held teams to a .341 three-point average throughout the season.
Who will be hitting the three-pointer all night long? Well, obviously Ray Allen will (as said before), but Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Nate Robinson will all be chipping in as well.
Last time the two teams were matched up, the Celtics shot 52.9 percent from three range while the Lakers only shot 44.4 percent.
It'll be raining all night long.
Rajon Rondo's Vision of the Court
9 of 10
Rajon Rondo is the best passer in the league. It's been determined.
He sports a league-leading 12.4 assists per game average and dished out 16 in the last game against the Lakers. His players love him and so does the home crowd.
Rondo should have no problem matching the performance he had just less than two weeks ago.
Two Words: Paul Pierce
10 of 10
How could he be be forgotten about? Kevin Garnett may be the X-factor to this game, but Paul Pierce will have a "player of the game" performance tonight.
Pierce drained 32 points against the Lakers and is a point under 20 with a 19 points per game average. He may not match the performance from their last meeting, but expect him to be alongside Ray Allen as they both drop three-balls throughout the night.
The matchup of Kobe Bryant and Pierce will be eventful. Hands will be in faces and elbows should be thrown. This grudge match will be the best game of February and 2011.
Celts come out on top 102-99.
