Updates
Mon, May 4th 2009, 10:39
J.J. READY FOR CELTICS, RAY ALLEN IN GAME 1
Ray Allen has been the preeminent shooter of this NBA postseason, leading the Boston Celtics past the Chicago Bulls in an epic seven-game series with an array of clutch, cold-blooded shots. So who better to guard him in the Round 2 series against the Orlando Magic than a player who has extensively studied Allen’s arsenal of shots? That player, of course, is Magic shooting guard J.J. Redick, who has used Allen’s NBA career as a learning tool for his own game.
While guarding Allen now might not be an enviable task for most players, J.J. is actually excited about the opportunity. J.J. was so anxious to face Allen that he actually found himself pulling for the Celtics in their Game 7 showdown against the Bulls.
``I’m a competitor and of course I want to guard him,’’ J.J. said of Allen. ``I was hoping that Boston would win. We were watching the game (Saturday) night at Dwight (Howard’s house) and a lot of us were hoping that Boston would win. It’s not like an arrogant thing like we think we’re going to go in there and it’s going to be an easy thing, but we want that challenge. It’s a challenge to beat the best and they are the best because they are the defending champs.’’
So, J.J., still wants a piece of Allen, who averaged 23 points against the Bulls?
``I’m not going to say that I want the challenge of guarding Ray Allen because that’s bulletin board material,’’ he said with a chuckle. ``It’s going to be tough and I know that. I’ll have my hands full.’’
J.J. was a regular part of the Magic’s rotation during the regular season, but his role is a much more prominent one now following an injury to rookie Courtney Lee. With Lee out indefinitely with a fractured sinus cavity and concussion-like symptoms at least for the first two games, Redick is expected to start at shooting guard.
``It’s a testament to how quickly things can change with one injury. Hopefully we’ll get Courtney back soon, but in the meantime I’m going to try and make the most of this opportunity,’’ J.J. said. ``It’s about being ready because you don’t know when you’re going to be thrust into a role. My role will be the same, but my minutes won’t be the same.’’
In the first postseason start of his career, J.J. came through with a huge performance. He hit five 3-pointers and scored 15 points in the Magic’s close-game Game 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers. J.J. made two long 3-pointers in the game’s first four minutes, sparking an Orlando team that might have lacked confidence because it was playing without the suspended Howard. J.J. said the confidence from Orlando’s Game 6 rout carried over to the preparation for the Celtics and they are certainly carrying a positive vibe into this showdown against the defending champions.
``It was good for us to win the way we did. It gave us some real momentum,’’ J.J. said. ``If we would have slogged through that game and then played Game 7 we would be feeling a lot different about ourselves now. It was good for us to play like we did in Game 6.’’
As for guarding Allen, J.J. will share those responsibilities with Mickael Pietrus. While at Duke, J.J. studied endless hours of Allen’s game films to see how he ran defenders off picks, got off shots over outstretched arms and found open spots in the defense for 3-pointers. He’s hopeful those hours of studying will be helpful now in trying to slow down Allen in this playoff series.
``Ray and Reggie (Miller) and Rip (Hamilton), those were the guys I watched film on because they were always so good at catch-and-shoot stuff, their releases and how they set their man up,’’ J.J recalled. ``Ray’s always tough to guard. I got to guard him a lot this season and he’s always tough. He’s absolutely playing out of his mind with the shots that he’s hitting at all the right times. Even with a hand in face, he’s knocking down everything.’’
J.J. said the keep will be trying to cut down Allen’s airspace. He’ll have to closely stick him off screens and there won’t be any helping on other players – especially with the way Allen is burning foes for threes these days.
``The thing we have talked about as a team is Ray’s space and how he doesn’t need a lot of it, especially when he’s coming off those catch-and-shoot screens,’’ J.J. said. ``I have to stay as close as possible to him. It’s going to be tough, I know that.’’