Charlotte Bobcats at Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m., Friday | News & Observer

Bobcats at Celtics

7:30 p.m., TD Garden

TV: SportSouth. Radio: WFNZ-AM 610

Projected Starters

Bobcats		Celtics
Pos, Player	Ppg	Rpg		Pos, Player	Ppg	Rpg
G, K. Walker	17.8	4.6		G, R. Rondo	11.5	5.3
G, G. Henderson	14.3	4.0		G, J. Bayless	9.4	2.0
F, M. Kidd-Gilchrist	7.2	5.1		F, J. Sullinger	13.2	8.1
F, J. McRoberts	7.7	5.1		F, B. Bass	10.9	5.7
C, A. Jefferson	21.7	10.6		C, J. Green	16.7	4.6

Matchup to Watch

Kemba Walker versus Rajon Rondo: Rondo is the only significant remnant from when the Celtics were champions. For the Celtics to play spoilers this late in a lost season, Rondo has to be that guy again.

Observations

• Lots of veterans out for the Celtics these days. Ex-Bobcat

Gerald Wallace

is out for the season following two surgeries.

Kris Humphries

is also out and

Avery Bradley

is day-to-day with a strained Achilles tendon.

• Soon as Celtics GM

Danny Ainge

dealt

Kevin Garnett

and

Paul Pierce

, this became a bad-to-be-good mission. Rondo is clearly the carryover asset. Rookie

Kelly Olynyk

has had some good moments.

Tap-ins

• The Bobcats were off Thursday in Boston, as coach

Steve Clifford

sees late-season rest as a benefit over fine-tuning.

• The Bobcats haven’t played the Celtics since late November. They’re tied 1-1, but the Celtics were a very different team then.

Did you know?

The Bobcats’ current five-game winning streak is longest of the season.

Rick Bonnell