How we see it goin’ down: C’s – Suns

So we're still tinkering with the previews.  We're ditching the last one.  Let us know what you think of this one in the comments.

Tip: 7:30pm    Court: TD Garden    Watch it:  CSN    Hear it:  WEEI

The Matchup

Record

43-15 (1st Atlantic, 1st East)   At home: 25-5  Streak: Won 2

Leaders

Buckets:  Pierce (19 ppg)
Boards:    KG (9.3 rpg)
Dimes:    Rondo (12.1 apg)

For the stat geeks:

Offensive Rating: 107.1 (14th NBA)
Defensive Rating: 99.9 (1st NBA)
Pace: 90.9 (22nd NBA)

Record

31-27 (2nd Pacific, 9th West),  On the road: 14-14  Streak: Won 4

Leaders

Buckets:    Nash (16.4 ppg)
Boards:    Gortat (8.2 rpg)
Dimes:    Nash (11.4 apg)

For the Stat Geeks:

Offensive Rating: 110.1 (7th NBA)
Defensive Rating: 109.9 (24th NBA)
Pace: 94.2 (7th NBA)

Last time

The C's came out and sucked.  But that was the back-to-back after the cross-country trip to Portland.  Marcin Gortat (19 pts, 17 reb) killed the C's.  It's also the game where KG got into it with Mickael Pietrus and got tossed for tapping Channing Frye in the jewels. 

This time

Get it to:  KG

Kevin Garnett now has double-double in seven of his last eight games.  In February, he averaged just over 15 and 10.  And after the crap that went down in the last Phoenix game, KG is going to be chomping at the bit to redeem himself. 

He's on a mission, and he's vowed to be more aggressive on offense.  When that happens, teams have no choice but to run another guy at him.  And KG is STILL the best passing big in the game.  Run the offense through him.

Gotta stop: Channing Frye

In his last 10 games, he's scoring just under 17 points on about 51% shooting.  He only had 7 against the Nets, though, so he might be showing signs of cooling off.  He's dropping 14.6 ppg in wins, and 9.7 in losses… so keep him cold and that'll help. 

Look, Steve Nash is gonna get his.  Let Rondo check him one-on-one and see where it goes.  We gotta make sure Frye's not banging 3's or else this will be another long night.

The Wild Card:  Jeff Green

Doc's tinkering with how to use Green, so its hard to expect him to be entirely comfortable with the system.  But the pace picks up when the Suns are in town… and Jeff's the type of athletic wing that will make Rajon Rondo salivate on the break.  Plus, the Suns have Hakim Warrick, Mickael Pietrus and Jared Dudley coming off the bench… and Jeff will probably have to check each one of those guys at some point.  This could be a breakout game for Jeff if he can run with Rondo and play good D.

How we see it goin' down

The Sun have been on a little bit of a role lately, but they're starting to run out of gas. They just beat the Pacers and Nets by two points each.  The road weary Suns will walk into the Garden and find a group of guys finally home after being gone for two weeks.  A night of sleeping in their own beds, getting back to their own routines, and playing in front of their home crowd send the C's roaring out of the gate.  Of course, it's the C's, and this will get close again in the second quarter.  But the C's will come out hot again in the 3rd quarter and this time put it out of reach.  Watch for Jeff Green finishing on the break.  Watch for KG and Frye to get into it again.  And watch Gino dance as the C's win by 15, 105-90.