3* - Boston Celtics (+14)
Phoenix may not be the best team to go against right now as they have won seven of their last eight games and are a season high 18 games above .500. The Suns have scored at least 100 points 15 consecutive games, going 11-4 over that span. There is really little doubt who will win this game tonight as Phoenix is 20-8 at home and Boston has won only five road games this season. However, Boston backers get the benefit of a 14 point headstart tonight.
No doubt, the Celtics have had their troubles this year as demonstrated by their 21-32 record but lately, they have been playing some inspired basketball. When I say ?they?, what I really mean is Paul Pierce. Pierce has scored at least 30 points in six straight games, including a career best 50 in a 113-109 overtime loss to Cleveland last Wednesday. He is averaging 34.0 points per game in February which leads the league. The break does not to seem to have affected him either as last night at Utah, Pierce dropped 30 points on the Jazz, including 17 on 6 for 6 shooting in the third quarter, when the Celtics turned a 47-43 halftime deficit into an 80-64 lead. Boston was down at one point by 14 points but came back to win the game by a score of 103-83.
Don?t get me wrong, Boston is not a good team but they have averaged 105.4 points in their last five games. The Celtics can put Pierce, LaFrentz, West and Szczerbiak on the floor and that group is as good, if not better, a three point foursome as that of any team in the NBA, with Pierce being perhaps the worst of the bunch. I?ll take the buttload of points and ride Pierce?s scoring streak against a Phoenix team that allows over 100 points per game on the season.
Phoenix may not be the best team to go against right now as they have won seven of their last eight games and are a season high 18 games above .500. The Suns have scored at least 100 points 15 consecutive games, going 11-4 over that span. There is really little doubt who will win this game tonight as Phoenix is 20-8 at home and Boston has won only five road games this season. However, Boston backers get the benefit of a 14 point headstart tonight.
No doubt, the Celtics have had their troubles this year as demonstrated by their 21-32 record but lately, they have been playing some inspired basketball. When I say ?they?, what I really mean is Paul Pierce. Pierce has scored at least 30 points in six straight games, including a career best 50 in a 113-109 overtime loss to Cleveland last Wednesday. He is averaging 34.0 points per game in February which leads the league. The break does not to seem to have affected him either as last night at Utah, Pierce dropped 30 points on the Jazz, including 17 on 6 for 6 shooting in the third quarter, when the Celtics turned a 47-43 halftime deficit into an 80-64 lead. Boston was down at one point by 14 points but came back to win the game by a score of 103-83.
Don?t get me wrong, Boston is not a good team but they have averaged 105.4 points in their last five games. The Celtics can put Pierce, LaFrentz, West and Szczerbiak on the floor and that group is as good, if not better, a three point foursome as that of any team in the NBA, with Pierce being perhaps the worst of the bunch. I?ll take the buttload of points and ride Pierce?s scoring streak against a Phoenix team that allows over 100 points per game on the season.
