Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

  Hey! Why not? The loss of Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Luke Kornet means Joe Mazzulla has to find 63 points (per game), 25 rebounds and 12 assists somewhere. So why not acquire Ben Simmons if his price is right for Boston's cost-cutting financial situation. He won't be 30 years old for another year, and he has averaged 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists per game for his career.  Ben is not a shooter, even from the foul line . But he does almost everything else well , including defense . Wikipedia lists him as a point guard/power forward. He is versatile .  No, he won't be chucking up 3-pointers, but his ball handling, passing skills and transition offense will create scoring opportunities for others. Mazzulla just may be relying on his troops to force turnovers via tough defense, and it just happens that Simmons has a career average of 1.5 steals per game . Ben Simmons badly needs a redemptive season, and he has some skills that c...

 I was eating lunch when the call came in of an unkown "problem" at a gravel pit . Once in the pit, I spotted several heavy hauler trucks and their drivers -  who all were pointing to a distant location where a front-end loader sat unattended. I knew this was not going to be good. None of the drivers wanted to be near the site of the "problem". Once by the loader, I knew why . The dead body and the round wet spot on one of the enormous tires told part of the story. The man's head had been totally crushed by the machine , and his brains were strewed on the ground. Upon locating the loader operator, he told me that the deceased t ruck driver had jumped onto the loader in order to indicate what type of gravel he wanted to transport. As bad luck would have it, a tree started to fall in their direction from the top of the embankment. The loader operator quickly swerved his machine to try to protect the truck driver from harm. It failed . The truck driver, who...

      Where were you when you heard the tragic news. That spring with my birthday I bought my first jersey. That jersey was the number 35 with Lewis on the back. That summer we were in Disney. We had gotten into the car and heard the news on the radio. I was devastated and honestly couldn't believe it. The next guy of the Celtics had passed away from heart complications. Thirty two years later and it still brings me sadness. I feel lucky enough to have watched Reggie play and block the great Michael Jordan 4 times in one game.       I wonder how things would have went if Reggie was healthy. The Celtics could have built the team around him. He and Dee Brown could have been a heck of a duo. Plus imagine the guys they could have drafted to compliment him. I truly feel Reggie would have kept the Celtics away from those dark years. Maybe we never have to deal with Rick Pitino ruining our franchise. I bet Reggies numbers would be amongst the top of the Celti...

 If you think you have an interesting story - maybe you do, but a veteran cop has many, many more. I spent 20-plus years as a cop, retiring as Lieutenant, and this is one of the many incidents that my brain cannot dispose of. The father came to the police station, reporting he had found his son dead . He was clearly distraught but lucid. My partner and I went with the father to the young man's home and found him deceased on his bed. It was a clear suicide - but an unusual one. The son had put a rope noose around his neck and tied the other end to the headboard of the bed . And he apparently worked his body towards the foot of the bed - thereby tightening the noose - which led to his death. The young man's dad told us that his son owned a handgun and did a lot of target shooting. We found the gun which was an expensive, Colt .45 ACP target pistol. The question arose - why did the son not take his life with the pistol . His dad answered that his offspring loved that weapon s...

 Remember Hank Finkel , the tall guy that tried to replace Bill Russell after Russ retired. Finkel did his best to fill the gap bwtween Big Bill's retirement and Dave Cowens' arrival in Beantown, but other than size (7-feet) and a decent ability to rebound the ball, his limited production in the 1969=70 season drew undeserved criticism from the Boston faithful. To be kind, Hank's athleticism left something to be desired. Now comes Georges Niang , sent to Boston in a trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis packing. And the Finkel Flak has started . Jaylen Brown and Georges Niang were both given a technical foul after Niang appeared to grab Brown's leg from the bench. pic.twitter.com/rBwelUVROZ — ESPN (@espn) May 14, 2023 Is the leg-grabbing incident involving Jaylen Brown /the initiator of the whining? Could be, but as with "High Henry" Finkel, some fans may see Niang as poor compensation for the loss of Porzingis . That is not his fault.  In the mid-70s, as a...

 I have recently written about Marcus Smart reportedly signing with the Lakers after being waived by the Wizards. Now I am concerned about his return to Boston this coming season in a Lakers uniform. I actually don't expect Celtics fans to boo Marcus Smart https://t.co/RmZwtJPsPK — Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) July 23, 2025 I agree with Noa Dalzell . Smart has his fans and critics in Beantown, but he gave his all when here. That should suffice for any Bostonian that may have thoughts of  jeering "The Wolverine" when he takes to the parquet. The sometimes-bitter Celtics-Lakers rivalry is at the core of this question. Why did Smart sign with the Lakers? Was it animosity towards Brad Stevens for the trade - or how it was handled ? Or does he see a good fit there for himself? Did Brad Stevens even approach him? I have no idea, but I am behind this guy that gave so much and got traded prior to his team achieving Banner 18 without him. Will Celtics fans boo Marcus Smart ...

 According to Shams Charania , former-Celtic, Marcus Smart , is about to be bought out by the Wizards and sign a 2-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Good Lord, get me through this. Marcus Smart and Carson Thomas Lane My readers know quite well the affection I hold for "The Wolverine" - alias Marcus Smart. That affection goes beyond what Marcus did for my family after my great grandson was orphaned after the death of his mom. BREAKING: Marcus Smart has agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards and intends to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers after clearing waivers, sources tell ESPN. A return to a grand stage for the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/8g9Bxzz11E — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 19, 2025 Let me go on record here. I do not hate the Lakers. But for decades, they were the team that were the major block to the Celtics taking more NBA Titles . Just think back to the Russell-led Bo...

  Three NBA stars suffered season-ending Achilles injuries this post-season. Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton were the casualties. Why? "Overuse" seems to be the major culprit. And today's game involves a faster pace than fans witnessed in past decades, and the moves can be explosive . Existing calf injuries can also make a player more susceptible to tearing his Achilles tendon. It is no surprise that Jayson Tatum was high man for Boston in minutes per game at 40.2 MPG this post-season.   "Big deal", some may say. Hell, Bill Russell logged 42.7 minutes/game in the 1968-69 season. But the present game, as already indicated, is not the same now. Here's more on the Achilles tendon ( per ESPN's Maria Dawson): "The stresses that go through the Achilles tendon are probably the highest in the body, many times body weight, [just from] walking," he said. "... When you're talking about a professional athlete who's big...

 At age 81, one of the chores I can still do is tree removal, but I leave the bigger trees to the pros . The guy I rely on is Brad Montague, head honcho of Brad's Tree Service . Brad and his crew have removed roughly 40 trees from our lot in Errol, New Hampshire over a period of 25 years, and the above video is from their recent last visit . As always, the 3-man crew worked fast and effectively . I was mesmerized when that first tree went into the shredder. That machine literally "ate" the entire tree in seconds. Loggers up north will tell you they "work in the woods" . Montague will stress that he is not a logger (in the strict sense) - he usually doesn't work in the deep woods - but he knows his craft and does it well. I will also add that his cleanup is flawless .

 I have spent a lot of time in the very-northern tip of New Hampshire over the past 50 years , and it has been common to see trees changing color starting in mid-August , just about the time blueberries are ripening all over the landscape. But this year, I have been picking blueberries for a week now , and it is only mid-July . And now this! Photo by Linda Lane Yes, that is Fall-like color in that tree by the river that borders my property. A fluke? Maybe, but I will be checking other hardwood trees for similar changes. My acqaintences know that Autumn is my favorite season - warm days, cool nights, little rain, very few bugs. But mid-July might be pushing things a bit . 

 I live in an area in northern New Hampshire with very few swiming pools. Why? Well, locals say we have eight months of winter and four months of "mighty poor sleddin' ". Definitely not worth the price of a pool. But right now, it is summer and quite hot up here . I am fortunate enough to live on two acres bordered by a beautiful trout stream, which has a deep water hole . I just took another plunge into the absolutely clear water, - and damn it - it is so refreshing. At the age of 81, I am not as surefooted as I was at a younger age, so I avoided my soaks in the stream last year. But not this year. I am able to navigate the steep river bank to get into the water with the assist of a walking stick. So why not go back to my almost-every-day water ritual? It is worth it (per Henry David Thoreau from his book, Walden): "I got up early and bathed in the pond; that was a religious exercise, and one of the best things which I did. " I could not agree more.

      How quickly a potential dynasty can come crashing down. This photo above gives me the feeling of what if... Brad Stevens had finally put together a roster that was damn near incredible. This starting five was at points unbeatable. They put together a regular season where no one came close to showing they were actual competition. The Cs protected the Garden as if their lives were on the line. As we entered the playoffs it was Banner 18 or bust. The Celtics took that with pride and had one of the most dominant post season runs of all time. As the confetti settled I truly thought they were going back 2 back. Unfortunately KP was hampered by a mystery illness and JT tore his ACL. Let's not forget JB was hurt with a knee I jury. The team was sold to new ownership during the year and this summer all hell has broken loose. Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were traded, and for all we know Al.Horford is gonna retire or join the Warriors.      The question i...

      I remember when the Celtics drafted Dee Brown. Dee was athletic and had the ability to knock down jumpers. He was quick and could be tough on defense. We all remember that 91 dunk contest where he pumped up his reeboks. Then proceeded to do the no look dunk. I honestly felt Dee was going to be a Celtic for life. I expected he and Reggie to be part of the new wave of Celtic greats. Unfortunately Reggie passed and Dee was eventually traded by Rick the Rat Pitino. I was lucky enough to meet Dee this past weekend. He was very kind and even came out to take another picture with me wearing my reeboks. He told me he loved my shirt. It's always cool when you get to meet guys you grew up watching. Especially when they are part of the Celtic family. 

 In a recent interview, Brad Stevens stressed that the 2025-26 version of his Celtics will f ocus on the "strengths" of the present crew. Well, 3-point shooting accuracy does not appear to be a strong point for the returning veterans or the new additions to the roster. Starting with Summer League , in two games - both wins - Boston is shooting 10-of-29 (34.4%) from the hinterlands. Not horrible, but probably not a number that indicates anything resembling "strength" . Ironically, Jayson Tatum , now lost for the upcoming season, hit almost that same percentage (34.3%) last season - down from 37.6% in 2023-24 . The big loss in long-ball shooting has to be Kristaps Porzingis (among the missing), who shot  41.2% from deep last season . He constantly bailed out his team with 3-point shots that were released with a quickness that opponents found difficult to handle. Jrue Holiday (also gone) hit an uncharacteristic 35.3% from deep last season , after hitting 42.9% i...

 I just finished reading the excellent article by CelticsBlog's Noa Dalzell on Jaylen Brown and the upcoming Celtics season. Let me go on record that I am a major fan of Brown - and excited by what he and his team can accomplish this season. Labelled as "too smart for the NBA" (whatever that means) by some prior to being drafted by Boston, let me answer that with one of my mantras.  "A brain can get you through almost anything" . Frankly, when you piece together Jaylen's smarts, physique, athleticism and his dedication to improving his performance on the court,  I truly believe he is ready to take on the role of on-court leader . But beyond Brown's physical and cranial attributes , I love the fact that he is "understated" . He has a low-key demeanor and a quiet way of expressing himself off the court. Granted, he can be flashy on the hardwood , as evidenced by his spectacular, in-game dunks, but his overall gentlemanly way of expressing hi...

 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 - ...