No Respect, Part II: Marcus Smart in the forefront!

The Celtics Marcus Smart may go his entire NBA career without getting his accomplishments to the forefront. The recent Sports Illustrated cover may be the start of a turnaround.

Let's start with a comparison with the late Dennis Johnson, a player that was so damn good I place him at the starting point guard on my All-Time Celtics squad. By the way, DJ is accompanied on that Fab Five by John Havlicek (SG), Bill Russell (C), Larry Bird (SF) - and one of the following at PF: Kevin McHale, Kevin Garnett or Dave Cowens - I just can't make up my mind.

I don't place Marcus at DJ's level - not quite. Dennis was a superb defender (6X All-Defensive First team) but was never able to cop that DPOY Trophy that Smart was able to earn. Dennis was also Finals MVP (1979) 3-Time Champion and 5-Time All-Star - all awards that have eluded Marcus thus far. Stats? Here are the 8th-season stats for both players:

Marcus: 12.1 PPG - 3.8 RPG - 5.9 APG - 1.7 SPG - .418 FG - .331 3s

DJ: 13.2 PPGT- 3.5 RPG - 4.2 APG - 1.2 SPG - .437 FG - .125 3s

Smart takes four-of-the-six categories. Not bad for a guy that has taken so much flak over the seasons. I loved DJ. He adjusted his game in Boston to the play of the stars around him. Smart has done the same. Johnson was tagged as having "rocket launcher legs" that allowed him to soar over larger opponents. Marcus can do the same, but like DJ, often contains the athleticism to make key plays.

So nice job, SI, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown - placing Marcus Smart at the forefront of the SI cover! It's where The Wolverine belongs. He's earned it!

Marcus Smart has been a "Man on a Mission" since Danny Ainge wisely drafted him. He has grown as a man and a basketball player since - always belonged on that cover - and kudos to The Jay Team for having him up front. https://t.co/IjSHDpSPxd
— Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) October 14, 2022

Comments

The Elm Street Nightmare

A true-and-suspenseful horror tale of haunting, homicides and the hunt for triple-murderer, Daniel Laplante - as told by the cops that were there By Lt. Thomas Lane (Ret.) Daniel Laplante - cold, calm, clever, calculating- Photo: YouTube Elm Street surfaces on four occasions in the Laplante saga: 1.) He resided on Elm Street in Townsend, Massachusetts 2.) He kidnapped a woman at gunpoint on Elm Street, Pepperell , Massachusetts 3.) He was arrested and transported to Massachusetts State Police Barracks on Elm Street in Concord . 3.) He was tried, convicted and sentenced for the murders at Superior Court , corner of Elm Stree t and Gorham Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. When evil and cleverness reside in the same mind, the stage is often set for true horror. Such was the case with triple-murderer, Daniel Laplante . As a 16-year old , he quickly transitioned from: Minor thefts and breaking into homes To: Taunting and threatening a father and his two daughters as an unseen

Rules of survival: When search-and-rescue turns into body recovery

How the Hell did this happen? Two days after 19-year-old Emily Sotelo was supposedly dropped off in Franconia Notch (NH) at roughly 5:00 AM ET, Sunday, November 20, 2022 by her mother, to hike several mountains alone, the search continues for the young lady. Photo by Linda Lane The information from news agencies indicated that Emily started hiking the trails while it was still dark. She was supposedly wearing only sneakers, a coat and workout pants. I can persona;ly attest that the weather in the area was very cold with high wind speeds, and gaining elevation on the trails would only add to the horrendous conditions. Ms. Sotelo was reportedly a seasoned hiker, but had little or no experience hiking in winter. At the peaks, temperatures on that Sunday dropped to zero degrees with a wind chill of minus-30 degrees. It is beyond my comprehension to imagine a hiker-of-experience tackling that kind of travel - in extreme weather - with only basic clothes and few (or no) supplies. I have hik

Nik Stauskas adds "shooting with size" voiced by Brad Stevens

As a 6'6" shooting guard, 28-year-old Nik Stauskas adds that shooting with size sorely needed by the Boston Celtics. Drafted 8th-overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2014, Stauskas has bounced around to various teams since then. Nik Stauskas' deal with the Boston Celtics includes non-guaranteed salary for the second season in 2022-23, a source tells @celticsblog . — Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 4, 2022 Nik has never averaged more than 9.5 points per game in the NBA, but Boston is most likely counting on his production for Grand Rapids in the G League as the incentive to sign him. In 17 games thus far, he has averaged 24.7 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.8 APG - while shooting 50% on field goals and 45% on treys. Nik Stauskas is signing a two-year deal with the Boston Celtics, his agents Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. Stauskas had an historic week, scoring 100 points on 57 and 43 point performances in back-to-back games for Grand Rapids. — Adrian Wo

Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

Search This Blog