**Updated 2:39 p.m. EST** Boston Celtics All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo has torn his ACL, it was announced during the third quarter of the Miami-Boston game. It is likely that he is done for the season, and the East will have to find a replacement for Rondo to start in the 2013 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 17**
On Sunday, Ray Allen is shipping up back to Boston...wearing the colors of the enemy.
One of the NBA's bitterest rivalries renews again Sunday as LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and the reigning NBA Champion Miami Heat (28-12) take on fellow NBA All-Stars Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics (20-23) at the TD Garden in Boston, Mass. at 1 p.m. EST Sunday.
The last time the Heat and Celtics met on Oct. 30 to open the NBA season, the Heat pounded on the Celtics 120-107 in a high scoring affair that saw James score 26 points and Wade lead the Heat with 29 points. Miami have won four straight entering Sunday's game while the struggling Celtics have lost six in a row.
But perhaps the biggest storyline underscoring the game will be the return of Allen, a once-beloved Boston Celtic, to the TD Garden as a member of the Miami Heat, the same team that eliminated the Celtics from the playoffs in a bitter, physical and dramatic seven-game series in the Eastern Conference Finals last season-the last season that the Celtics' celebrated Big Three of Allen, Garnett and Paul Pierce were together.
During Allen's time in Boston, the best three-point shooter in NBA history--helped lead the Celtics to the 2008 NBA Championship, two NBA Finals appearances and three Eastern Conference Finals series (2008,2009,2010) before he split to Miami via free agency. His departure was seen by Celtics fans as an unpardonable betrayal.
Now, he comes home wearing the hated red-and-black colors of the team that eliminated Boston from the playoffs in two straight seasons. Needless to say, the Celtics crowd-one of the most colorful fan groups in the league-should make this game interesting to watch.
Latinos Post breaks down the matchups for Sunday's game:
Power forward: Kevin Garnett, Celtics vs. Udonis Haslem, Heat
Garnett, elected to his 15th NBA All-Star appearance this week, has drawn heat for being a starter in the game despite his declining production this season. However, he's been showing a few flashes of his old self on offense, averaging 16.0 points in the last five games, including 24 points against Atlanta in a 123-111 double overtime loss Friday. Haslem, who has a solid reputation as a good defender, and his rebounds have been picking up in the last five games, the 6'8" power forward grabbing 7.6 boards a night.
Advantage: Celtics
Small forward: Paul Pierce, Celtics vs. LeBron James, Heat
King James goes one-on-one with the man called "The Truth" in this marquee match-up.
Pierce is averaging 18.8 points in his 15th season with the Celtics, but has been fluctuating on offense lately, scoring only 13.8 points in his last five games. However, he has shown to rise to the occasion during big game situations, and with the Celtics desperately needing a win, and against the team that eliminated them in the eastern finals last season, expect Pierce to bring his "A"-game.
James, fourth in the NBA in scoring with 26.4 points per game, is pretty much untouchable when he gets into a groove on offense. Shooting for 61.4 percent in his last five games, James provides the biggest test for any power forward to handle. Look for Garnett to lend a hand to Pierce in double-teaming James in hopes of slowing him down.
Advantage: Heat
Center: Brandon Bass, Celtics vs. Chris Bosh, Heat,
Bass, at 6'8" and 250 pounds, has the big frame and the defensive skills needed to be a stopper, and he'll need it against the 6' 11" Bosh, who is scoring 17.2 points with 7.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks this season. His scoring has dribbled off in the last five games, averaging a meager 12.0 points, but Bosh is too dangerous to take lightly. Bass will need to bring his best stuff for this match-up.
Advantage: Heat
Shooting guard: Avery Bradley, Celtics vs. Dwayne Wade, Heat
With James being the main target, Wade becomes the real danger to offenses, the two-time NBA Champion ranked eighth among NBA scorers with 20.8 points this season. He's been battling a sore toe, but that didn't stop him from dropping 29 points on the Pistons Friday. Bradley, however, is an excellent defender, and is known for being a stopper among opposing guards. His reputation will be put to the test when he faces off against one of the best shooting guards of his generation in Wade.
Advantage: Heat
Point guard: Rajon Rondo, Celtics vs. Mario Chalmers, Heat
The savvy Rondo, who will start for the East for the 2013 All-Star Game this February, leads the league in assists with 11.0 assists per game and has kicked his offense into another gear with 18.8 points in the last five games. Chalmers' offensive stats can be deceptive; he can be a productive shooter and is deadly behind the three-point arc if left alone. Both are young points guards not even reaching their prime yet, and both are very quick. This one will be a dog fight, for sure.
Advantage: Celtics
Bench
Ray Allen will look pretty odd stepping on the court in red-and-black instead of Celtic green. But he's still Miami's primary scorer off the bench, shooting 48.8 percent from the field with an effective 45.8 percent shooting from three-point territory in the last five games. Shane Battier provides another three-point specialist with a hard-nose for defense while Joel Anthony and Norris Cole provide depth defensively for Miami.
Jeff Green, who scored 17 points against Atlanta Friday, will need to have a big game on offense from Boston's reserves and Jared Sullinger could also provide offensive contributions. Jason Terry adds his own solid defensive reputation and a smooth touch from beyond the arc while Courtney Lee can give productive minutes from the bench.
Advantage: Even
Game Time, TV Schedule
Game time happens at 1 p.m. EST Sunday, on ABC.
Live Streaming
Live Streaming not available for this game.
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