Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 We already knew rookie Hugo Gonzalez - alias "The Spaniard" - needed to develop his outside shot. He was only 4-of-12 from the field and 1-of-5 from the charity stripe in Boston's win over the Grizzlies. But he did hit 3-of-5 from beyond the arc . But he is a newcomer to watch. He never stops moving - whether on offense or defense . A matador, he is not. He may have given Celtics fans a brief return to the days of John Havlicek . Great to see that movement.  And the kid is versatile . He ended the game with four rebounds, five assists, one steal and two blocks . Hugo is only 19 years old , and a newcomer to American basketball. He has a lot of growth ahead of him, and I am excited to watch him develop over the next few seasons. Looks like another (at least minor) coup by the figuratively-handcuffed Brad Stevens . Forced to trade two valued starters to save money, Hugo Gonzalez could end up a prize with the 28th pick in the draft.

 Is a person's grip strangth all that important for his or her present quality of life and the avoidance of negative, future outcomes? The answer is a resounding "YES" according to many research studies conducted over the years. I have been deeply involved in the fitness business for 33 years and have recently refocused on measuring the grip strength of my present clients. Beyond helping people to open stubborn jars, a strong grip appears to have a positive effect on an individual's longevity, quality of life, risk of some serious diseases, bone density, number of hospitalizations - and numerous other benefits still being studied ( per National Center for Biotechnology Information ): "Several diseases have shown a correlation with low HGS (hand grip strength), e.g., Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney and liver disease, some cancers, sarcopenia and fragility fractures. The low HSG is also associated with increased hospitalization, n...

 Let me go on record that I despise far-out, fantasy-filled NBA acquisition rumors , but the idea of recently-waived point guard, Damian Lillard, coming to Boston is intriguing. The 6'2", 9-time All-Star was waived by the Bucks , who by the way, will be paying for the remaining seasons on his contract. The chance of that happening is admittedly slim since Lillard has close ties to the west coast, and may favor landing on a team closer to home. Damian is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season due to a torn Achilles suffered in this year's playoffs. He averaged 25.1 points, 4.3 boards, 6.7 assists and 1.2 steals during the 2024-25 season in Milwaukee. The idea of him coming off the bench as a volume scorer and able assist guy excites me. He could be returning to the court at about the same time as Jayson Tatum , and he can sign with Boston for very-low money - with Celtics rival Milwaukee paying the bulk of his salary. Lillard may not have the size and defensive in...

 Celtics fans have been hearing that the The Green appear to be taking a "step back" by cutting costs and acquiring some younger players, some of which may be in Brad Stevens' long-term plans . There is nothing wrong with Boston taking a one-year breather while waiting for Jayson Tatum's return. I personally would like to see Al Horford return for next season, but if his price is too high, I wish him the best elsewhere. Backing up a step and cutting costs allows for flexibility down the road , and I find that exciting. New faces on the parquet always instills interest, and I look forward to seeing what "The Spaniard", Hugo Gonzalez can do . And there is always the possibility of a "Cinderella Story" whereby The Green surprise everyone with their ravaged roste r and go deep into the post-season. The pressure on Brad Stevens has to be tremendous. But he is a master craftsman at constructing a winning roster, and even with restricted finances - ...

     The Celtics have let Luke walk out the door as he signs with the San Antonio Spurs. In return the Celtics have signed Luka Garza. I think we will all remember Luke's time in Boston. Honestly the man fit like a glove on these Celtics teams. Especially the connection he had with Jayson Tatum. Congrats to the Spurs for getting a great team player.       Al Horford is still available and I hear that the Warrior's are hot on his trail. Personally I don't want him to leave but something in my gut says he might. I don't believe that the Celtics will pony up for Al given how much money they cut in the off-season. Honestly I don't see any plan in the Celtics approach other than cutting costs. Shame on new ownership for not giving us another shot at a title led by JB and the fellas.       PS getting to see JT working out shows me how committed the young man is to the Celtics.        

  Don't expect miracles from the Celtics newly-acquired Hugo Gonzalez , who I refer to as "The Spaniard" . He is only 19 and played limited minutes in his pro career overseas. But at 6'6" and 205 pound s, the frame seems NBA-ready, and Brad Stevens used the terms "tough", "hard playing" and "winning basketball player" in describing the youngster. The suggestion right now is that the Celtics may hang onto him. The other Spaniard, played by Russell Crowe in the Movie, Gladiator, was told to "Win the Crowd" . The Boston crowd can be tough, but they love toughness, hard-playing and a winning mindset in their players.  The 28th-overall picks in the NBA rarely get to the "star" level, and this kid has a some work to do . But with his work ethic and some court time, he could become a fan favorite . Hopefully - down the road - if fans are asked, "Are you not entertained" (by Hugo's play), they will a...