The Celtics will put their new lineup on display when they open the NBA Europe Live preseason tour in Rome against the Raptors.
Revamped Boston Celtics, with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, take on Toronto Raptors in Rome
By ANDREW DAMPF, AP Sports Writer
October 4, 2007
ROME (AP) -- Andrea Bargnani will be the center of attention inside the arena for the Toronto Raptors. NBA rivals back home probably will be more interested in the performance of the revamped Boston Celtics.
The Celtics take on the Raptors on Saturday in Rome to open the NBA Europe Live preseason tour.
Bargnani was selected by the Raptors with the No. 1 pick in last year's NBA draft and will be playing his first game in an NBA jersey in his hometown. The Celtics added two all-stars to their roster -- former MVP Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen -- and have nine other new players.
"It's a brand new team, brand new players. We're still finding out about each other," said Celtics veteran Paul Pierce. "The game versus Toronto is going to be a good game for the people to come out and see two of the better teams in the NBA."
The 10,500-seat Palalottomatica arena is sold out for the game.
The Celtics have been training in Rome since last weekend. On Wednesday, the first team lost scrimmages to both the second and third teams, and ended practice by running wind sprints. In one eight-minute scrimmage alone, the starters allowed 25 points.
"Defensively, we got to get better as a unit," Pierce said. "We know we can score."
The Celtics have won an NBA-record 16 titles, but none since 1986. They compiled a 24-58 record last season and failed make the playoffs for the second straight year. With the arrival of Garnett and Allen, they're now being tapped as one of the stronger teams in the league.
"Expectations mean opportunity," said Doc Rivers, who is entering his fourth season as Celtics coach. "Who wants to be a team with low expectations? I don't."
The Raptors, who joined the NBA in 1995, won the Atlantic Division for the first time last season but were eliminated in the first round by New Jersey.
Toronto brings one of the league's most international rosters to Italy. Besides Bargnani, the team features Spanish players Jorge Garbajosa and Jose Calderon, Rasho Nesterovic of Slovenia and Carlos Delfino of Argentina.
Delfino played previously in the Italian league, and Garbajosa was Bargnani's teammate at Benetton Treviso.
The Raptors take on Roma on Sunday, then travel to Spain to play Real Madrid. The Celtics meet Garnett's former club, the Minnesota Timberwolves, on Wednesday in London.
Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Basketball ’07. Get off the bench and register today.
Updated on Thursday, Oct 4, 2007 11:11 am, EDT
Revamped Boston Celtics, with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, take on Toronto Raptors in Rome
By ANDREW DAMPF, AP Sports Writer
October 4, 2007
ROME (AP) -- Andrea Bargnani will be the center of attention inside the arena for the Toronto Raptors. NBA rivals back home probably will be more interested in the performance of the revamped Boston Celtics.
The Celtics take on the Raptors on Saturday in Rome to open the NBA Europe Live preseason tour.
Bargnani was selected by the Raptors with the No. 1 pick in last year's NBA draft and will be playing his first game in an NBA jersey in his hometown. The Celtics added two all-stars to their roster -- former MVP Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen -- and have nine other new players.
"It's a brand new team, brand new players. We're still finding out about each other," said Celtics veteran Paul Pierce. "The game versus Toronto is going to be a good game for the people to come out and see two of the better teams in the NBA."
The 10,500-seat Palalottomatica arena is sold out for the game.
The Celtics have been training in Rome since last weekend. On Wednesday, the first team lost scrimmages to both the second and third teams, and ended practice by running wind sprints. In one eight-minute scrimmage alone, the starters allowed 25 points.
"Defensively, we got to get better as a unit," Pierce said. "We know we can score."
The Celtics have won an NBA-record 16 titles, but none since 1986. They compiled a 24-58 record last season and failed make the playoffs for the second straight year. With the arrival of Garnett and Allen, they're now being tapped as one of the stronger teams in the league.
"Expectations mean opportunity," said Doc Rivers, who is entering his fourth season as Celtics coach. "Who wants to be a team with low expectations? I don't."
The Raptors, who joined the NBA in 1995, won the Atlantic Division for the first time last season but were eliminated in the first round by New Jersey.
Toronto brings one of the league's most international rosters to Italy. Besides Bargnani, the team features Spanish players Jorge Garbajosa and Jose Calderon, Rasho Nesterovic of Slovenia and Carlos Delfino of Argentina.
Delfino played previously in the Italian league, and Garbajosa was Bargnani's teammate at Benetton Treviso.
The Raptors take on Roma on Sunday, then travel to Spain to play Real Madrid. The Celtics meet Garnett's former club, the Minnesota Timberwolves, on Wednesday in London.
Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Basketball ’07. Get off the bench and register today.
Updated on Thursday, Oct 4, 2007 11:11 am, EDT
