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Cleveland at Boston (03/06/2009)

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Posts: 49

cipdogg

Prospect

Joined: Sep, 2008

Posts: 473

Posted: Mar. 6, 2009 - 1:05 PM ET #26

Quote Originally Posted by cipdogg:

ALL BUT TRUE............GREAT QUOTE!

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Reckoner

Veteran

Joined: Nov, 2007

Posts: 1646

Posted: Mar. 6, 2009 - 1:43 PM ET #27

Cleveland Cavaliers v Boston Celtics Over 185

Cleveland Cavaliers +2

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wnnerwnner

Prospect

Joined: Oct, 2007

Posts: 97

Posted: Mar. 6, 2009 - 2:35 PM ET #28

[Quote: Originally Posted by bigeiii] I sure like adding 15 onto the Cavs for C'town+17.

bigeiii

Should have known I would see this fu,ck stick with his 15 fukn' point teaser going on..

Anyway, my lean is Cavs simply because of how well they are playing right now. King Lebron is unstoppable and Celts without their big deffensive man KG out. The edge deffinately goes to the Cavs in this one.

Cavs win by 5 in a close one that goes back and forth all game.

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angrytiger

Rookie

Joined: Apr, 2008

Posts: 534

Posted: Mar. 6, 2009 - 2:42 PM ET #29

To me, this is a really tough game to handicap with any certainty, but I do have a lean, and here's why.

On the one hand, if you're just comparing the way these teams have played over the last 5, Cleveland obviously looks better. Hotter. The addition of Mo Williams has legitimized them in a whole new way this season, and their record is a reflection of that. They've also been a fantastic cover this year, which I'm sure we all appreciate.

BUT, how much have they "grown up" mentally?

Can they roll into Boston and finally buck that trend?

For me at least, they're gonna' have to prove it first. And they could tonight . . . they could . . .

But to me, Boston is the team with it's back against that wall right now, and that's why I like them tonight.

They've got this game, and then Orlando on sunday and they're short-handed, which means focus and mental toughness are everything, and I still believe that they have more of that, collectively and within the coaching staff, than Cleveland. Right now. That's the thing that Cleveland hasn't proven yet.

Because Boston, besides the obvious need to acclimate to life without KG, is also trying to get two guys up to speed that they desperately need minutes from, in Mikki Moore and Marbury. And I think that's really the larger issue. Marbury himself just admitted that he's never really played basketball at a "championship level" before.

However, these guys have now had some opportunity to get practices in and that's pretty huge. I have a feeling that Marbury will play better tonight and knock a few shots down. And I like Mikki Moore. I like that guy alot. He plays with alot of heart and I think he'll fit in there really well.

In specific terms of the last 5 games, with Boston's losses - you gotta' throw out that Clipper game - just throw it out. They were just not interested in playing that game, and for good reason. And as far as the Detroit game goes, putting AI on the bench is the best thing they could have ever done, because Detroit looks like they care again. That's just a tough loss against a perennial playoff team that, in my opinion just fixed itself big time.

And look, we all know that stats are in no way, the final word on anything, but I just found two little stats. which, at the very least, are interesting to me.

Boston, on the season, is 8-2 ATS after allowing 105 points or more, while Cleveland, is only 12-7 after allowing 85 or less.

Mental toughness . . . .

Also, turnovers . . . Cleveland averages 15.3 a game over the last 10 while Boston is at 12.7 - BUT, the past two games, Cleveland has 39 turnovers while the C's have only 20.

If this is a close, cautious game with fewer possessions, the fact that Boston is taking better care of the ball right now, could be important. If it's a shootout - hey, who the hell knows?

But that brings me to my final point, which is about Rajon Rondo.

I absolutely agree with those on this thread who believe that Boston can win this game without KG in the lineup, because I think maybe the biggest key for Boston, is how well Rondo plays.

We all know that Boston will get it's points from other players, but if Rondo takes care of the ball and has a good shooting night, and that defensive trend I noticed holds to form, and the new guys prove they've benefited from the practice time, I expect Boston, with more at stake, and having more mental toughness, to play big tonight as a team and prove they're still the team to beat in the East.