Portland
at Boston

Classic defense vs. offense matchup.

Classic young vs. old, home vs. away, size vs. quickness,
red vs. green matchup.

(Oh, sure, red and green sort it out for the holidays, but
that’s just an act. They can’t stand each other.)

A blowout on either side shouldn’t surprise anyone. Portland could be overmatched and outwitted by the
defending champs, or (less likely) Boston
could start slow and never catch up. What’s more likely is a half-court battle
between the 2008 champions, and a team that wants to call themselves the best
from 2010 until 2017 or so.

And what’s the scariest thing about the Trail Blazers?
They’re not playing like they want to wait until 2010.

This could be the classic "not yet" slapdown from the
incumbent ring bearers, however, and that would still be a sight to see. The
Celtics have continually impressed all season with the way they have answered
acting as every team’s Game of the Season, and there’s no reason that should
stop tonight.

Unless the C’s lose Rudy Fernandez on the baseline, either
coming to meet the ball, or staying hidden and emerging for the
catch-and-reverse.

Unless Greg Oden makes it so Paul Pierce doesn’t get to
shoot 11 free throws.

Unless LaMarcus Aldridge turnarounds continually fly an
eighteenth of an inch over KG’s fingertips.

Unless the future is now.

We don’t suspect it is, but it will be interesting to watch.

Boston Celtics: 18-2, 91.5 possessions per
game (15^th-most in the NBA), 108.1 points scored per 100 possessions
(10^th), 98.1 points allowed per 100 possessions (1^st). Is It My Body.

Portland Trail
Blazers: 14-6, 86.3 possessions per game (30^th), 113.7 points
scored per 100 possessions (2^nd), 107.4 points allowed per 100
possessions (18^th). Be My Lover.

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You and I both know he got a boost.

And oh, in slightly related Magic news, Dante and Galante — remember them? — will debut their new television show tonight, December 5, following "The Late Show with David Letterman" at 12:30 am ET on WKMG-Local 6 (CBS-Orlando). The duo’s first guest will be NBA All-Star center Dwight Howard.

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A look around the league and the web that covers it. It’s also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren’t always listed in order of importance. That’s for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: Dime. The NBA’s only female scout, Bonnie-Jill Laflin, bares all in a new PETA ad. (Your safe to click.)
PF: TalkHoops.net. Warning: the Spurs are still really good and now that they’re healthy, watch out.
SF: Yardbarker. Win a Sony DVD remote control signed by Rasheed Wallace.
SG: Basketbawful. T’was the night before Birdmas, when all through the Garden …
PG: Lakers Blog, OC Reg. Trevor Ariza and the Baron Davis‘ new LA club, The Congo Room, opens soon.
6th: Bucks Diary. Dear sports talk radio, these Milwaukee Bucks are not "the same old Bucks."
7th: Rufus On Fire. The first paragraph of this post puts a smile on my face. Good stuff, Charlotte.
8th: The Hoop Doctors. An open letter to the Phoenix Suns about Shaquille O’Neal.
9th: Shutdown Corner. Could Allen Iverson start at QB for the Lions? Seriously. Could he?
10th: BDL reader Tim wants to talk nicknames: "I’m watching the TNT doubleheader and started to realize that besides Gilbert Arenas‘ Agent Zero nickname, that role players have far better quality nicknames than superstars. Some examples off the top of my head: Sasha Vujacic as The Machine, Leandro Barbosa as the Brazilian Blur, Chris Andersen as the Birdman, and now Matt Bonner as the Red Rocket. I mean, what gives?"

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Garbage Time All-Stars is by Josh Frankel and Mark Haven Britt: two cartoonists, illustrators and basketball fans.
GTAS post a new NBA comic on Ball Don’t Lie every week, but for more
wit and drawings check out garbagetimeallstars.com. Also, you can buy Britt’s critically-acclaimed graphic novel, Full Color, at Amazon.

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"Rocky, I know you’re innocent! I know about Frederick Sykes! I know about Dr. Charles Nichols! Rocky, he borrowed your t-shirt gun the night of your wife’s murder, he had your t-shirt! No forced entry, Rocky! He telephoned Sykes from your car, Rocky! Rocky, give it up!"

Did I just butcher (and mash together) two completely different scenes from The Fugitive? You bet I did! "I don’t care." Oh, that’s sort of three. Best caption wins a 6′ x 12′ x 30" crash mat. Best of luck, friends.

After the jump, Garnett sees Rondos.

Winner, Mash:
Garnett (singing): I can put you in a condo … all the way up in Toronto.
Rondo (joining in): Where the Raptors got schooled by me, Mr. Rajon Rondo.

Runner-up, The King:
No way! I was thinking of the number 12!

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