On Friday, December 7, The 10-8 Sixers will take on the 9-8 Celtics. The two Atlantic powers will collide at Wells Fargo Center, and this should be a close one. The Sixers (third place) are led by assist leader and scorer Jrue Holiday. Unfortunately for Philly, it seems that only Jrue is putting up good numbers. Evan Turner is going to have to show why he was the 2nd overall pick soon or the Sixers are going to have a serious problem.The Celtics are led by leading scorer Paul Pierce, and of course the all-mighty Rajon Rondo. But don’t forget about Kevin Garnett, he is the Celtics leading rebounder and doesn’t seem to know when to give up. Both teams are down in their division, and a win like this could really boost their status.
Starting 5 matchups:
| Boston | Philadelphia | |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Rajon Rondo | Jrue Holiday |
| SG | Jason Terry | Nick Young |
| SF | Paul Pierce | Evan Turner |
| PF | Brandon Bass | Thaddeus Young |
| C | Kevin Garnett | Lavoy Allen |
If the Sixers are going to win this game it’s going to be decided on the defensive end. They are allowing more than 90 points a game, and are struggling on the glass. The Sixers are grabbing 40.8 rebounds per game (21st in the league), and the Celtics are averaging 37.4 rebounds per game (30th in the league).
Key Players
Jrue Holiday:
As the Sixers leading scorer, Jrue Holiday has to show up. I don’t trust Evan Turner enough to say that he is a consistent scorer. Jrue also leads in the assist column for the team with 9.3 per game. This game could also be close, so look for the ball to be in his hands with time running out on the clock.
Kevin Garnett:
As the leading rebounder and shot blocker on the team, Kevin Garnett is a presence in the paint. The Celtics are a very undersized team, and Kevin Garnett is one of there only big men on the team. Although he isn’t the best option, he is a fighter. Look for a very emotional game out of him on Friday night.
Two ambitious teams with playoff hopes . Coached by very good coaches in Doug Collins and Doc Rivers .
Tophatal …………….
Two teams with definite playoff ambitions and each has a very good coach , in , Rivers , with the Celtics and Collins , with the Sixers . It may well come down their expertise in that specific area .