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Another game, another defensive-minded opponent for the Hornets. But hey, after beating the Bobcats and dropping 117 on the Magic, New Orleans ain't scurred. Final game before the Mardi Gras All-Star break, tipping at 7 Central.

The Celtics are 32-17 on the season, 17-8 on the road, but have gone just 9-12 since beating the Magic on Christmas Day. As a result, there are trade rumors galore.

Boston have a trio of All-Stars in Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo, but Garnett has been struggling (13ppg, 6.3rpg since returning from injury last month) while Pierce has been battling a foot injury (though he will reportedly play tonight). Rondo has been brilliant of late however, averaging 19 and 12 in the C's last five games.

The Celtics last played on Sunday, imploding in the third quarter and losing 89-96 to the Magic in Boston. The C's last met the Hornets back on November 1, winning 97-87 behind 27 points from Pierce. Peja Stojakovic led New Orleans in that one with 26 points off the bench.

The Hornets will have Marcus Thornton back for tonight's game, hoping his return helps snap a four-game home losing streak. On Monday, the Hornets scored 70 points in the first half in Orlando, but eventually fell to the Magic.

Numbers:

Pace: Celtics 93.7 (24th), Hornets 94.4 (20th)
Offensive Efficiency: Celtics 105.4 (13th), Hornets 105.1 (14th)
Defensive Efficiency: Celtics 99.1 (1st), Hornets 105.9 (20th)

Linkage:

• Earlier on the blog: Ryan blames Morris Peterson
• Lagniappe: Rookie diaries, Dirk prefers Deron, Hollinger criticizes Posey
  
• Rival bloggers: CelticsBlog | CelticsHub.com (THN) | RedsArmy.com

(Many thanks to Dariusz for today's banner featuring Larry Johnson, one of the main reasons I became a Hornets fan way back when. Be sure to check out more of Dariusz's designs in our Wallpapers vault.)

The Hornets led at the start, kept it close the rest of the game, and then were out-executed by the Celtics when the Boston starting five entered with a few minutes left.  As usual, there was some good, some bad, and some ugly, but the guys played hard, displayed improving familiarity with one another, and generally showed enough that I came away satisfied.  Let's get to the observations.

• First and foremost, the Hornets lost the game because of Kevin Garnett.  After keeping him in check fairly well through the first three quarters, the Celtics went to him consistently in the fourth and he couldn't be stopped.  David West played excellent defense on him, contesting every shot and anticipating his moves, but Garnett kept drilling tough shots over the top of him.  It was a tour de force.
  
  
• On the offensive end, West and Okafor had a terrible game.  The Celtics battled West all game for position and then attacked him aggressively every time he managed to catch the ball in the post, making it impossible for him to work.  Their traps came from all sides, and sometimes he ended up taking some very bad shots since he had no open avenue for passing out. Okafor had the same problems that Dwight Howard encountered last year playing against Kendrick Perkins.  Perkins is limited, but he's as strong as a bull and defends the post extremely well.  Okafor missed some point-blank shots he normally wouldn't early, and by the second half he was so tired of battling Perkins he took a trio of mid-range jumpers.  I haven't done a full Emeka Okafor post to detail his offense, but as a mid-range shooter, he's terrible.  Terrible.  As in 30% shooting from there last season.
  
  
• Chris Paul was very quiet in the first half, picking his moments and trying to get his big men going.  In the second half, he realized it wasn't likely to happen and dropped fifteen points and four assists in the quarter.  It was vintage Paul.  I also wanted to point out that Paul's jumper, if he's given only a little room, has been automatic so far.  Until a forced three at the end of the shot clock in the third, he'd hit every three-pointer he'd taken this season, even the three-quarter's court heave he put up just after the buzzer to end the half tonight.  I know it won't happen, but if he continues to shoot this well, I'm going to have a Paulgasm.  That could be messy.

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Big test for the Hornets tonight in Boston. The Celtics have started 3-0, including huge blowouts of the Bulls and Bobcats in Beantown.

The C's are fully healthy (apart from Glen Davis), and provide all kinds of problems at both ends of the floor. They've shown a balanced offensive attack and stingy defense in all three of their wins.

The Hornets haven't inspired confidence in their opening two games, getting blown out in San Antonio on Wednesday, and needing all 48 minutes to beat the visiting Kings on Friday.

Still, no telling how tonight's game will turn out, especially since Chris Paul could unleash the dragon on Rajon Rondo.

On the injury front, Ike Diogu reportedly practiced yesterday but will remain inactive for this one with a strained left knee.

Linkage:

• Lagniappe: Rip Hamilton, rookie treatment, and dismissing the notion that Chris Paul puts up big numbers because he dribbles around a lot.
• Ray Allen does Halloween better than you
  
• Rival bloggers: CelticsBlog | CelticsHub.com (THN) | RedsArmy.com

(Many thanks to Dariusz for the banner. Plenty more lined up.)

Out of necessity, my recap is going to have to be short.  My broadcast was so bad that I didn't even see half the plays in the first quarter, and the second and third were only marginally better.  The fourth was fairly clear, but I would have rather had the other three quarters.  I hope you all can fill in the gaps for me. 

Anyways, here's what I did see:

• Paul was back, and you could tell his 5th gear wasn't there yet.  The way he played reminded me of the end of the last season in Oklahoma City, when he was playing on a bad foot that would require surgery and a screw after the season to repair.  He is still nearly impossible to stop because of his dribbling skills, but that little explosion he has when he reaches the free throw line - the one that elevates him above shot blockers so quick they can't contest - that wasn't there.
  
  
• West hasn't had a good game since he came back from his back injury.  He'll never say it's slowing him, but his jumpers consistently draw the front of the rim and come off hard.  The problem with that is it generates long rebounds which helps put pressure on the defense.  West is also having more trouble finishing his forays into the paint - and that had little to do with the Celtics defense tonight.  He missed a lot of shots we saw him make over and over the first half of this year.  He hurt us more than helped us tonight.
  
  
• Hilton Armstrong and Sean Marks were excellent offensively through the first half - aggressively running to the rim and trying to dunk.  The fact still remains, however, that they managed 9 rebounds between them in 46 minutes and there were plenty of missed shots to grab.  We've gotta have a rebounder out there.
  
  
• Our wingmen were pretty much all off.  Peja missed 5 wide open jumpers, Posey couldn't do anything but foul people and turn the ball over and Rasual Butler was consistently run off his spot and couldn't get his shots away.
  
  
• Devin Brown and Antonio Daniels seemed sharp in the first half, and seemed like completely different people in the second. 

I hope the All-Star break helps our guys get put back together.  Peja was nursing a bum shoulder in the fourth, and we need Tyson in the middle.

Last game before the All-Star break and the Hornets welcome the defending champs to the New Orleans Arena. Boston have lost two of their last three, but won 12 straight before that and are 42-11 on the season, 18-7 on the road. We played the C's in Beantown back in December and came away with a hard-fought 82-94 loss.

Tyson Chandler has been ruled out for this one, while Chris Paul will be a game time decision. David West will be back in action after serving that one-game suspension. Morris Peterson will be wearing a suit.

Game tips a little after 7 Central. Enjoy.

Linkage:

• Ryan's game preview
• Journals: It's time to trade Posey
  
• Lagniappe: Half-naked Kiwi, Chris Paul's All-Star kicks, Hornets staying here, and plenty more.
  
• Rival bloggers: CelticsBlog | RedsArmy.com
  

(Special thanks to Dariusz for the banner and the above image.)