Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 A quick answer to my title question is, "Yes, they are now." I compared Jaylen Brown's assist numbers with former, Celtics star shooting guards and small forwards, The past crew of nine is shown below - with their career assist averages: Bill Sharman - 3.0 APG Sam Jones - 2.5 John Havlicek - 4.8 Larry Bird - 6.3 Paul Pierce - 3.5 Ray Allen - 3.4 Danny Ainge - 4.0 Dennis Johnson - 5.0 ______________________________________ Average - 3.7 assists per game Jaylen's average over seven seasons is 2.2 APG, but he has raised that number to 3.5 APG in his last two seasons . So what does this mean? Turnovers come into play , and Brown has been known to throw the ball away somewhat often. His assist-to-turnover ratio for last season was 1.2 assists for every turnover committed. A s hooting guard or small forward tries to have at least a ratio of 2.0 assists/turnover.  Both Brown and his fellow Jay Team member, Jayson Tatum tied for most turnovers committed in 2022-23 (2.9 p

  Last time we saw the C's in Washington they got their butts handed to them. Better not happen today!  1st Quarter 🏀 Great job by JB off the dribble and gets inside. That's the part of the court he should own no matter who's guarding him. Whether it be off the dribble or cutting to the cup. JT just made Jordan Poole look like a guy who got punched in the face on defense. Porzingis is dominant in the paint tonight. The Wizards have no one to guard him. Not too many teams do! C's defense seems locked in right now. I absolutely love it! Grind these Wizards into nothing more than a cloak and wand! Celtics ball movement has been looking smooth! Let's Go Celtics! This is the kind of basketball I can get behind! I know Tommy would approve of what we are watching right now.  Jrue Holiday is a brick house physically and he makes the guys defending him look small. Everything about his game is solid, solid as a rock! His defense is tenacious, and he rebounds like a forward.

 I certainly get that the current NBA is "Big Business" , and as such, there will always be a battle between the teams making more money and the ethics surrounding any transactions . The essential deal that sent Marcus Smart packing and brought Kristaps Porzingis to Boston seems to have been a positive transaction for the Celtics, but it has put some hurt on a guy that Red Auerbach would have loved. For Smart, it wasn't the trade itself - but the way it went down that took a toll on him: “If I’m being quite frank, I knew I would be traded eventually,” Smart said. “Just figured it would be the next season, just based off my contract and with the new CBA. We already knew that. But it was just the way it happened. I was told everything was good after asking multiple times. Like, ‘I’m hearing (rumors), what’s going on?’ And they’re like, ‘No, you’re good, you’re good, you’re good.’ And then when I do hear about the trade, it’s from  Shams (Charania) on Twitter  before I hea

 Celtics sub, Oshae Brissett, definitely played a role in Boston's win over the Miami Heat. The energy he brings has to be contagious (per SI's Bobby Krivitsky) Tatum voiced that Brissett was "the sole reason that we got back into the game, and I told him that. He came right in, and we were kind of flat, and his energy, his offensive rebounding, giving us second and third chance opportunities was big. And that's his job. And for him to come do that, not play last game, and come in today and give us a spark to turn the game around was huge, and that's what I love about our team." There's also this beauty where Brissett blows by Kyle Lowry and knives his way to the rebound. Great job to quickly get the ball up and away from Lowry. He then spots a cutting Payton Pritchard, leading to a Sam Hauser three. #Celtics pic.twitter.com/HHRTjKWzTQ — Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) October 28, 2023 At 6'7" and 210 pounds , the tireless Toronto native can

 Realizing that the Kia MVP Ladder was alphabetically (first letter of last name), the Celtics Jayson Tatum still ended up dead-last (#15). But it is clear that he is not favored to acquire the honor this season. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics Offseason additions leave Boston looking primed for legit contention. Tatum enters a critical 2023-24 campaign coming off All-NBA first team honors in each of the last two seasons, after becoming the first Celtics player to average 30 points per game. Tatum opened the season with his 91st career double-double. But that thinking may be premature. Boston has won both contests thus far, and Tatum seems on a mission. He has added much-needed physicality to his game and fans are see him using his body strength and control to finish at the rim. That is somewhat new. His averages over the two games - and the 2-0 record - are a great start to his quest for MVP and Banner 18. 40.0 MPG - 28.0 PPG - 9.5 RPG - 4.5 APG - 1.5 SPG Jayson is up against tough co

 Celtics coach, Joe Mazzulla wants to win every game. That won't happen, but achieving home-court advantage for all or most of the post-season clashes is a very real possibility. But there may be a cost. Once we get past the " Solid Six" of Tatum, Brown, Porzingis, Holiday, White and Horford, things thin out a bit. In Boston's 119-111 win over the rival Heat , the bench trio of Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard and Oshae Brissett logged a combined 36.7 minutes of floor time, producing a total of eight points, six assists and three rebounds. Brissett saw the most time (14.0 minutes), scoring two points - but hauling down five boards. He was active out there, The 6'7" Canadian may see more time in the future. Luke Kornet was a DNP-CD and that may be indicative of things to come. The point is that Mazzulla may have to risk some losses while he develops the bench and see what other players might have the potential to produce in the post-season. Because right now t

  After coming away with a victory in New York, the Celtics return to the Garden. They will face the team that kept them from the Finals last season. That same team beat them the last time they played a game that mattered. If these Celtics can't get up for tonight, then there's an issue here. I don't see any issues honestly, I expect the Celtics to play very well. The Heat are here as the Garden is rocking! Eddie House says we need to be physical and I agree 100 percent! Coach Mazzulla just said that the C's need to be the more physical team. 1st Quarter 🏀 Jrue opens up the offense with a three on a catch and shoot! C's need to run in transition and blow the Heats doors off! JB is pressing early and missing his shots. DWhite with a corner beauty that splashes the net! Both Holiday and White can knock down their shots consistently. With that consistency the defense has to stay home which will open up the court for Tatum. Tatum with space is a dangerous predicament f

 The heat endured by Jaylen Brown after his less-than-spectacular performance on Boston/s win over the Knicks in the season opener will fade. Many Celtics fans are wondering, "Is this what we can expect after JB getting that massive contract"? The reality is that Brown is trying to fit into a new system with new teammates. It has to be tough for him to watch the younger Jayson Tatum (with one season less with Boston) become the "Alpha" Celtic. And now comes newly-acquired Kristaps Porzingis who performed brilliantly in his debut in Beantown, even sealing the win after a few botches by the "temporarily erratic" Brown. Can it be possible that the "Long Latvian" could overtake Jaylen as the number-2 option on the team? It could happen. But it doesn't matter . All that does matter is a successful season for the team, and hopefully Banner 18. Brown's team-high five assists versus New York tells me he is trying to alter his game for the

 Only one game, but the Celtics win over the Knicks presented the same question - namely, is Boston's bench playoff material? Tatum, Brown, Porzingis, White and Holiday started the game, and this looks like a lock for most contests. Al Horford is certainly that sixth man. At least for last night, things looked shaky after that. The trio of Payton Pritchard, Luke Kornet and Sam Hauser scored a total of four points in a combined 33 minutes of play . They shot 1-of-9 from the field and missed all nine attempts from beyond the arc. The threesome did add a combined four boards, three assists, one steal and two blocks. Play can admittedly be shaky at the start of the season, so the bench may straighten itself out. But be assured that Joe Mazzulla will experiment with the likes of Delano Banton, Oshae Bissett, Svi Mykhailiuk, Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta and Lamar Stevens.   It becomes obvious that Brad Stevens strengthened the top-6 in his rotation by picking up Porzingis and Hol

  Jaylen Brown didn't look like he was worth the huge contract he signed this summer. But it was only one game.  In the Celtics 108-104 win over the Knicks last night, Jaylen seemed off his game . He scored only 11 points on 4-of-11 from the field, and he missed all four of his 3-point attempts . But he had six rebounds, five assists, one steal, only two turnovers and a plus/minus of +8.  That plus/minus was second to Kristaps Porzingis' team-high +13 . And Brown's team-high five assists stand out for a guy not known as the heir to Bob Cousy as "assist-man-of-the-year".  I have at times criticized Jaylen for his lack of assists and poor free throw shooting . But he was 3-of-4 from the charity stripe in the game, and he has improved his work at the line over the years. Brown may be trying to change his game to the style Joe Mazzulla sees as the path to Banner 18, and it may take a few games for him to get acclimated. He is not an adept passer but still managed

  Game one of eighty two finds our beloved Boston Celtics in the big apple. Looking to take a big bite out of the Knickerbockers. Personally speaking I feel the lore of the Knicks is overrated! With that said I expect to see a team in the Boston Celtics that is ready to show a glimpse of who they can be! We here at the Sentinel want to wish Mike Gorman the best on his final year and we thank him for all the memories! We also want to welcome Drew Carter and hope he has a great start to his career!  1st Quarter 🍀🏀☘️ JT opened up the scoring by using his body inside. That's what we need to see more of from him. He can physically dominate his opponents. Utilize the gifts you have as a player. JT has a wide variety of gifts on the basketball court. I fully expect him to be in the MVP conversation.  Porzingis looks like a gazelle out there. It's so awesome to see the Celtics have a big that can do a number of things on the floor. What I never realized is how long he is out there. H

As we get older life seems to keep us so busy we forget about the joys in each day. Waking up first and foremost, but for today it's the return of our Boston Celtics. Think back to when you were a kid and the excitement you felt for the game of basketball. Getting to watch your favorite team and players. For Celtics fans it's the gift of getting to see what this team can be. It's a long season so win or lose take what you will from it. Just sit back and enjoy getting a glimpse of what could be a special year.  Tonight we will see what Brad Stevens off-season plan was. Trading away a fan favorite for a Unicorn. If that Unicorn is healthy, the NBA better watch out. Not only is he gifted offensively but he's no slouch on D. Plus he's going against the team that drafted him so he knows what to expect in the big apple. We also get to watch one of the better point guards in the NBA. It's a Holiday type vibe he gives because he's a very good gift giver in the form

 The Androscoggin River in Northern New Hampshire has claimed yet another life. My wife, Linda, and I were returning from Massachusetts yesterday afternoon - and were only minutes from our home when we encountered a road block. The edge of the road was packed with emergency vehicles, and we were told that the road had been shut down due to a vehicle being spotted underwater mid-stream . We later found out that the vehicle contained yet another dead body claimed by the picturesque trout stream . As of this writing, the matter is still being investigated. Ironically, my wife and I were also driving on Route 16 in Errol in 2017 when a 19-year old cold case was solved. The truck and remains of a man reported missing 19 years prior was located and  we drove by as it was being pulled from the Androscoggin. Also, as recently was March of this year, a third vehicle and individual had suffered the same fate.  So, what's going on here?  Speed? Inattentiveness? Alcohol? Attempting to avoi

Clint Eastwood:    "Every day when I wake up, I don't let the old man in. My secret has been the same since 1959: staying busy. I never let the old man into the house. I've had to drag him out because he was already comfortably settled, bothering me all the time, leaving no space for anything other than nostalgia. You have to stay active, alive, happy, strong, and capable. It's in us, in our intelligence, attitude, and mentality. We are young, regardless of our ID. We must learn to fight to not let the old man in." Amen to that. As I near 80 years of age, I remain physically and mentally active - short hikes, yard work, weight lifting, writing about pro basketball and life, improving my basement gym, learning about wild foods - and generally eating and supplementing to stay fit, strong and healthy. I have worked as a research engineer, game warden, police officer, personal trainer, weight management consultant - and now spend a lot of time doing online researc

You have three more days to enter our "3rd-Guy-Off-The-Bench" Contest . Hit the link for more info. This all about the Celtics season-opener versus the Knicks on Wednesday, October 25. Who will rack up the 8th-most minutes in the contest and how many minutes (three digits , Ex: 15.5 minutes) will that player log. As a prep, Sam Hauser has averaged the 7th-most points (21.6 MPG) in the four preseason games, followed by Al Horford (8th, 20.4 MPG), Svi Mykhailiuk (9th, 17.9 MPG) and Delano Banton (10th, 17.6 MPG). In the blowout win against Charlotte, Sam Hauser logged the 7th-most minutes (15.0 MPG), followed by Neemias Queta (8th, 13.1 MPG). You get the idea. Take a guess today, and you can change your choice right up to 3:00 PM ET on October 25. Start the season early .

  NBA analyst, Sam Mitchell , has a bit of an accent and can be difficult to understand at times. But he was crystal clear on his praise of the Boston crew following their 127-99 drubbing of the Charlotte Hornets. Per Sam Mitchell: "Just trying to figure out how the rest of the League allowed them (Celtics) to put this team together." -- Sam Mitchell There is no misconstruing those words. This current Celtics roster has to be scary for the rest of the NBA . Boston had 10 players pick up significant floor time , and Al Horford and Luke Kornet were not among them. Seven Celtics put up double-digit points. And how does a team 55 boards, 34 assists, 22 steals and six blocks sound? There are solid reasons for Boston fans to be excited about the 2023-24 season. Going back to Sam's quote about the strength of the Celtics roster, it sounds somewhat like what was said about past Lakers and Heat teams - when Bostonians asked, "How the Hell was this roster (Lakers, Heat, e

C's are in Charlotte for one final tune up! Jrue Holiday is going to impress every Celtic fan this season. He may even make you forget Marcus Smart... Marcus played the 1 but he was more of a 2. Jrue is a true 1, which means he will keep the ball longer as a floor general. Marcus used to give the ball up before things could really settle in. I'm not saying Marcus did a bad job, but pay attention to Jrue this season. He's a stud point guard! Can we talk about Z's D, a very underrated part of his game. Everyone knows about the injuries and his offensive skill set. Watching him over the years he has the ability to guard 4s and 5s. He also can play D against the 3s, something that should be applauded. His length causes issues for whoever he is guarding. Expect him to be the green hole for anyone driving against him this season.  I love how Joe is using both PP and Sam I Am at the same time. Someone is going to end up getting some damn good looks this season. Both guys can b

  I can offer no single cause of the Celtics 0-3 start against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Finals this past post-season. But I doubt Boston fans will see the same again this season. At least to me, it took a chewing out by owner, Wic Grousbeck , to right the ship and get his team to even the series at 3-3. I can't rid myself of the feeling that the guys-in-green had the ability to win all along , but for some elusive reason(s), they simply did not have the desire, intensity, drive (pick one, or add your own) to go all the way to get out of the East. The current version of the Boston Celtics seems ready. Despite being "only preseason", versus the Knicks, Joe Mazzulla put out a starting-5 that we should see often when the regular season gets underway. Jayson Tatum looked like a true MVP candidate. He fought his way to the hoop - even playing a bit of "bully ball" . And his complaining after calls and no-calls has diminished. Kristaps Porzingis has looked re

 Some of our readers got it right when they envisioned Joe Mazzulla might bring Al Horford off the bench . The starting five consisted of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. Al and Sam Hauser entered the game with 6:12 left in the first period, and Payton Pritchard came in at the 2:53 mark. It is obvious that Mazzulla is experimenting to determine if Hauser has progressed enough to be that 8th man in the regular season rotation. Which brings to mind our "3rd-Man-Off-The-Bench" contest . Hit the link to find out what it's about. If this had been the Celtics regular season opener versus the Knicks scheduled for October 25 - and you chose Sam as logging the 8th-most floor time at 21:58 minutes, you would have won. Give it a shot. Hauser produced 15 points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal - hitting on 4-of-9 from the field and 3-of-7 beyond the arc. He was solid on both ends. Horford coming off the bench should keep his mi

  From all reports we will see the Celtics starters play regular minutes. DWhite gets the start and we will get a glimpse of what we can be. Al will come off the bench tonight. I really want to see how Jrue and DWhite play together. Back to DWhite, let's sign this man to a contract extension! I want him to be here and retire here! Love watching him play for us.  First play of the game sees JT run point as Jrue posts up and kicks out to Z for three! Tatum again runs the point and finds DWhite for three! The C's have unicorns on this roster. When you have a guard who can post up like Jrue does watch out! That's old school basketball when you see guys posting up! C's are playing with true aggression! Plus they are hitting that glass! It's the little things that add up!  You want the ring, every play matters.  Al Horford with the hustle play of the day! Throwing it off of the Knicks player out of bounds! Gotta love the hustle out of your oldest player. Hoping this is th

 Past Celtics teams have had them - the big bruiser that isn't a star but can bump, grind and help wear out the burly stars of the opposition. Jim Loscutoff, Wayne Embry, Kendrick Perkins and Aron Baynes come quickly to mind. But I see no current guy on Boston's roster that fills that need. Who is going to take the buffeting from Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic? Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet will tussle with that trio, but none are up to the task for extended minutes. Neemias Queta, at 7-feet and 245 pounds , was signed by Brad Stevens to a 2-Way Contract, which allows him to play up to 50 games in the regular season . He is primarily a defender, rebounder and rim protector. In Boston's win over the 76'ers on October 11 in preseason, the big guy played less than eight minutes and supplied 10 points (4-of-4 FG), three boards, two assists and a plus/minus of +14. The Portuguese big man still looks a bit raw, but at only 24 years

 Celtics coach, Joe Mazzulla , has made it clear that fans should not make lineup evaluations based on the preseason. Well, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown only playing in one-of-the-three exhibition contests would attest to that. Assuming Mazzulla goes with a Starting Five of Tatum, Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Derrick White, Jrue Holiday would definitely be the 6th man. After that, Payton Pritchard has logged the most total minutes in preseason play (76.2 minutes), and should get a lot more play this season. Sam Hauser comes in next at a total of 70.7 minutes, and he could very well be that 3rd-guy-off-the-bench . There is a significant minutes-drop after that - with Delano Banton (59.9 minutes), Oshae Bissett ((57.1), Lamar Stevens ((48.3), Luke Kornet (47.2) and Svi Mykhailiuk ((44.5) trailing Pritchard and Hauser. Take a look at our article from yesterday - and our "3rd-guy-off-the-bench" contest. The initial response has been slow, most likely due to re

 The Boston Celtics' top-6 players (Tatum, Brown, Porzingis, Horford, White, Holiday) appear to be in place, and with Payton Pritchard's solid performances in the three preseason games thus far, it seems that he would be the 7th guy - the second player off the bench.  Pritchard leads all Celtics players in total minutes in exhibition (76.2), followed in order by Sam Hauser, Delano Banton, Oshae Bisset, Lamar Stevens, Luke Kornet, Svi Mykhailiuk, Jordan Walsh, J. D. Davison, Neemias Queta, and Wenyen Gabriel. Expect Joe Mazzulla to continue experimenting with his lineups and there will be cuts when Brad Stevens trims down the roster prior to the regular season. Here's the deal. We are looking for our readers to predict the Guy-in-Green with the eighth-most minutes in Boston's first regular season game versus the Knicks on October 25, 2023 . We also need an estimate of that 8th guy's total minutes-played in that one contest . The player's name and minutes must

What does getting paid mean to you?! I'll tell you what it means to Payton Pritchard... It's the confidence the Celtics have in him and every game he's played up to that. He has a knack for knocking down shots with no fear and tonight was no different. His confidence and heart make him the truest Celtic.  Tonight's game left me with a lot of positives. There was balanced scoring from everyone. It was nice to see Sam I Am get going and he's gonna need to be a weapon off the bench. I love how he moves off the ball and get his shots off. He must have heard me say he was on the bubble.  Svi looked like a polished guy and I really like what he's showing us. He just needs to show he can do it with the Jays in the regular season. Imagine a line up of he and Hauser giving JT two deadly shooters from the outside . We know JT sees the floor very well.  In short limited minutes we got a glimpse of what DWhite and Jrue can do on the floor. Both guys are defensive studs and

  Svi Mykhailiuk may never be a star, but he has looked like a rotation guy for the Boston Celtics. The "Ukrainian Unicorn" has appeared in two of Boston three preseason games thus far, and his per-36-minutes stats stand out: 24 PPG - 7.2 RPG - 2.4 APG - 0.8 TOPG - 66.7% FG - 54.5% 3s - 100% FT  With three outstanding performances from Payton Pritchard in preseason competition, the top-7 players appear sound, and Svi just may end up being that 8th, 9th or 10th guy off the bench. He signed a one-year deal with Boston, earning $2.3 million - with $200,000 guaranteed. Mykhailiuk is listed as 6'7" and 205 pounds . He plays both shooting guard and small forward - and possibly could compete with Sam Hauser for floor time. Fans can expect Joe Mazzulla to experiment with various lineups early in the season. Also expect frequent cries of "Svi-for-three" to ring out at TD Garden.

I decided tonight to take a look at the guys I feel will be impactful during the season. Along with a few guys who definitely deserve a longer look. Plus a guy I guy I feel may be on the bubble. I chose to leave PP off this piece because he's gonna be a huge part of our team this season.  Svi Mykhailiuk is a guy who has some pretty damn good range. I was very impressed by his drive and kick to PP for three in the game. To me he has what it takes to challenge Hauser for minutes off the bench. C's paid him so expect to see him in the regular season with the big guns. Svi can get up as well grabbing a rebound and jamming it home like thunder and lightning!  Brissett is a player that I love his energy and what he brings to the floor. He's a spark plug type player who can do a little bit of everything. That dunk he had the other night was off the chain! Dude has some game and it's going to be elevated playing with the Jays.  Walsh had great steal on Randle who dribbles way t

  Anyone else feel this excited to see the Celtics back on our TV's, phones, tablets and pCs? Last season I was totally hyped for the start given the finals the year before. This year has me hyped and excited... yet still nervous. Cs need to send Mike Gorman off in the right way!  Porzingis opens his Celtics career with a nothing but net three! Personally don't want to see him hanging out behind that death trap that is the three point line. Anyone who truly understands basketball, sees the potential in Porzingis and why Phil Jackson drafted him. If he's healthy watch out! Congrats to PP on signing a long term deal. As I told my old man expect him to have a big year. Last night was step one towards that goal. This kid has the stones to play here in Boston. Ever since they drafted him I've been high on him. That hasn't wavered, expect him to knock down a big shot in the playoffs this year.  The first unit had some issues to start but let's give them time. Jrue nee

  Kristaps Porzingis took no time to meld with his Celtics teammates. In Boston's 114-106 win over the 76'ers in exhibition play, he was smooth, confident and damn effective - to the tune of 17 points, five boards and one block. And Payton Pritchard, coming away with a game-high 26 points on 9-of-14 from the field and 6-of-11 on treys, is already starting to earn the $30 million/4 year contract he just signed with Boston. It is quite possible, that with continued significant minutes, he could be a real factor in the Celtics quest for Banner 18. There were other positives in The Green's victory, but more on that later. I may hear "It's only exhibition" from some readers, but last night was a great start for the Celtics' 2023-24 season. In a Celtics system that has favored wing-dominated lineups in the past , it was the little guy and the "Long Latvian" that stood out in the victory.

 First off how about this move! Some might say the C's gave up too much but... not me. Malcolm Brogdon was incredible for the Celtics last season until he got hurt. He won the sixth man of the year award and was one of my favorites last season. Yet I feel Jrue is a better overall player. Tough to see Rob go though, I remember the day he was drafted and how excited I was.  On to Jrue Holiday who brings championship DNA! That run they had I watched most of their games and he was vital to that title. Jrue plays exceptional defense and his offensive game is solid as a rock! This dude is CLUTCH! A huge upgrade over Marcus Smart. Holiday and White at the starting guards is gonna be hell for other teams. Couple that with the Jays and Zingus oh boy!  The key to any season is health... if these Cs are healthy the league runs through them. Followed by the Bucks, Nuggets and Suns. Every other team is flawed and honestly not worthy of winning a ring.  Bleed Green! Celtic Pride! 

 Brad Stevens is being aggressive!. First trading fan-favorite, Marcus Smart, effectively for Kristaps Porzingas - and now reportedly picking up 2-way guard, Jrue Holiday , from the Blazers for Rob Williams and Malcolm Brogdon. I am thrilled with the move! Williams III is a super-athletic, but apparently fragile, center/forward. It has become a habit with Boston fans to wait for his next extended absence from the court. And if the reports are true on Brogdon's unhappiness with Brad Stevens' attempt to trade him, A trade elsewhere may have been necessary. Plus there was some question on his arm injury and the 6'5" guard's effectiveness this coming season. I view Holiday's addition as near-perfect in the Celtics quest for Banner 18 . Stevens may be on the way to establishing his legacy in the NBA.