Finn's NBA Today - Friday, Nov. 9

Finn's NBA Today - Friday, Nov. 9
By Tony Finn \| Published 11/9/2007 \| NBA \| Unrated

Tony Finn Managing Editor and Director of Operations for Sports Grumblings LLC, is nationally published covering the National Football League, Major League Baseball, College Football and has been a FSWA Writer of the Year finalist. Involved with Fantasy Sports since 1973, Tony has hosted radio and internet broadcasts that include the 'Dog and Tony Show' with NFL draft analyst D.J Boyer, 'Football Central', 'Finn on Sports', 'Gridiron Gamblers', and is the Senior NFL analyst for the PBS broadcast of "NFL Intellect". View all articles by Tony Finn Finn's Friday Night Hoops... Big Game on Tap Friday, Nov. 9 Atlanta at Boston -8 / 193 (7:30 p.m. EST). After impressive wins over the Suns and Mavericks, the Hawks take on the unbeaten Celtics, but the vegas number concerning Boston has already taken on a life of its own. The shade is in, and the value is out when siding with the Celts. Boston looks to open with four straight wins for the first time in 20 seasons when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. The Celtics(3-0), were nearly perfect in their 119-93 home victory over Denver on Wednesday. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce combined for 71 points as the Celtics shot 64.5 percent from the field - including 72 percent in a 77-point first half. The additions of Garnett and Allen to support Pierce have immediately cast the trio as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference and while the Celtics have lived up to the hype so far, the eight points in tonight's game against a good Atlanta squad is more a reflection of the public than that of what the number should be. Sure, Atlanta (2-2), is looking to avoid extending its road losing streak to 16 games dating to last season, when it went 12-29 away from home, but the Hawks have held their own during a brutal early stretch that included an opening-night home win over Dallas, followed by road losses to Detroit and New Jersey by a total of six points. This team could easily be 4-0, and if they were, the line in tonight's battle with the Celtics would still be shaded, but not to the key number of eight. Atlanta's chance to contend for its first playoff spot since 1998-99 would increase if it can play better on the road and they start that tonight with a favorable matchup and deeper bench against Boston. The Hawks won 96-93 over the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 14 for their most recent victory away from home. The Hawks split two games at Boston last season while going 3-1 overall against the Celtics. Take the Celts minus the eight points in an easy win over the Hawks... Finn's season NBA record 4-3 AP News and Notes from Thursday. STAR Thursday -Richard Jefferson, Nets, scored 25 points, including the winning free throws with 24 seconds to play, and New Jersey rallied for an 87-85 victory over Washington. WINLESS The New Jersey Nets rallied for an 87-85 victory over the winless Wizards on Thursday night. The 0-4 start is the first for Washington since 1992-93. ... The Golden State Warriors dropped to 0-5 after a 120-115 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. SNAPPED Tyrus Thomas had 19 points and 14 rebounds and the Chicago Bulls finally got their first victory after four losses, beating the Detroit Pistons 97-93 on Thursday night. STRONG IN DEFEAT Rasheed Wallace scored 36 points in Detroit's 97-93 loss to Chicago on Thursday night. ... Baron Davis scored 15 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter of Golden State's 120-115 loss to the Mavericks. SIDELINED Nuggets power forward Nene is expected to miss up to six weeks with a torn ligament in his left thumb. Nene was injured in Denver's 119-93 loss at Boston on Wednesday night. He saw a hand specialist in Denver on Thursday. Dr. Carlton Clinkscale will operate on the thumb Friday, the team said. STERN WARNING NBA commissioner David Stern warned Thursday that if the SuperSonics leave Seattle he sees no way the league would ever return to the city. At a news conference following his announcement that the 2009 All-Star game would be held in Phoenix, Stern criticized the city of Seattle and the Washington legislature for its handling of the issue of funding a replacement for Key Arena. SPEAKING ''Regardless of my game, it ended in an 'L'. I'm old school so it didn't matter what I did, the team lost the game.'' - Rasheed Wallace after scoring 36 points in Detroit's 97-93 loss to Chicago on Thursday night.