Celtics need to focus on size, smarts and synergy in any transactions

The NBA Champion Denver Nuggets have all three of those attributes - size, smarts and synergy - and none of those can be taught. The rest of the League can expect the Denver roster to look very-much like it does right now for next season. They are not going away.

How in the world does the eighth seed (Miami Heat) put the Boston Celtics in a 0-3 hole in the Eastern Finals - and then fall to the Nuggets in a 5-game series? That is a good question for Brad Stevens, and he knows the answer.

No way would the present Celtics squad have defeated Denver had they advanced past Miami. Despite having one of the most-talented crews in the League, there had to be some level of discord within the Celtics organization for the players to perform (at times) so poorly. There is always discord within any organization, but The Green could not overcome whatever was bugging them.

Stevens can talk all he wants about Joe Mazzulla being his guy going forward - and Jaylen Brown being such a vital part of the team - but he is expected to say that. Does he mean it? I hope not! The 2022-23 Celtics had reasonable size, but certainly lacked smarts and synergy, at least in the post-season.

Give me a crew of overachieving, nose-to-the-grindstone, non-superstar players anytime. The 2004 Champion Detroit Pistons come to mind. They had All-Stars - yes. But no true superstars in Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace and Tayshaun Prince.

For the Nuggets, everything starts with Nikola Jokic, but it does not end there. Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter, Jr,, Kantaveous Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown - and even Jeff Green - fulfilled their roles.

Denver will be the major block to the Celtics, or any other teams aspiring to be champs this coming season. Is Mazzulla the answer at head coach. I am not so sure, and I doubt Stevens is totally sold on that concept. Is Jaylen Brown as vital to Boston's future success as Stevens claims? Once again, I am not so sure.

Size, smarts, synergy. They can't be taught. They need to be acquired, so Brad Stevens' "tweaks" to the roster may not suffice. Acquisitions that mesh well with the right present Celtics core is the key. That starts pretty soon.

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 six (6) 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.) That kidnapped woman fled to the Gillogly residence on Elm Street after escaping from the armed fugitive, Laplante. 4.) He was arrested and transported to Massachusetts State Police Barracks on Elm Street in Concord . 5.) He was tried, convicted and sentenced for the murders at Superior Court , corner of Elm Stree t and Gorham Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. 6.) The author, Thomas Lane, lived on Elm Steet, Pepperell, Massachusetts while a police Sgt./Lt. for the town police force. When evil and cleverness reside in the same mind, the st

In defense of Marcus Smart

Let me make it clear first of all that I am totally against making a threat of any kind that even hints at harming, or certainly killing, another human being. Marcus Smart was wrong in doing so in the Celtics loss to the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder , and he deserved the one-game suspension. But to be honest, part of me loved that it occurred. . This type of thing can happen when a player gets to a point "beyond frustration" and is having a bad game. Marcus and his teammates have been under-performing generally - were in the process of losing to a pathetic-and-tanking Thunder team - and Smart was having a bad game . And he let loose verbally at the closest target - an NBA official. Wilt Chamberlain did a similar act versus referee, Earl Strom when Wilt was having his usual tortuous time at the free throw line (per Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith): ''He was in one of those 1-for-13s,'' recalls referee Earl Strom. ''Nothing was getting close. S

Did the Celtics Kevin McHale really have a wingspan of 8-feet?

According to many sources, the Celtics Kevin McHale did indeed have an estimated wingspan of 8-feet. One of those sources is Wikipedia, as seen below: Kevin McHale American basketball player DescriptionKevin Edward McHale is an American retired basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Boston Celtics. He is a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, and is regarded as one of the best power forwards of all time. He was named to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Wikipedia Born: December 19, 1957 (age 61 years), Hibbing, MN Wingspan: 8′ 0″ Height: 6′ 10″ Spouse: Lynn McHale (m. 1982) NBA draft: 1980, Boston Celtics (Round: 1 / Pick: 3) Hall of fame induction: 1999 Number: 32 (Boston Celtics / Power forward, Center) Kevin was listed at 6'10" tall when he was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 1980 draft. Red Auerbach, in yet another heist, brought in both McHale and center Robert Parish (via trade) prior to the Celtics' 1980-81 Champion

Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

Search This Blog