Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

      Cs are in Minnestoa tonight and are holding their own vs a good team. Cs are up six here in the third after having a damn good first half. JB has been excellent tonight. Cs force a shot clock violation and that's why you play hard on D. Cs are in these City Edition uniforms and I'm not a big fan. Cs will need to really get their offense going if they want this win. It's been a bit stagnant so far. Minott forces the turnover on the inbounds. That's a Tommy point and he's a player Tommy would have loved.       JB with a huge block but it's for naught as Edwards grabs the lead for the Wolves. Edwards is starting to heat up. That man can bring it against the best. He's got a fire in him that you love to see even when he's doing it vs the Celtics. There needs to be a kicks cam to check out what the fellas are wearing. I know every time MJ was on the floor I made sure to see what kicks he had on. I always make sure my kicks match my outfits. I've alw...

 Former Celtics Head Honcho, Danny Ainge once mentioned his team needing a shooter with size . And Brad Stevens appears to have that same mindset. At 6'6" and 205 pounds , sophomore Baylor Scheierman , is showing he may be that commodity . The 30th pick in the 2024 draft racked up 13 points (5-of-7 FG, 2-of -5 on 3s), three rebounds and a plus/minus of +13 in 30 minutes of play in Boston's win over the Detroit Pistons. . In limited minutes t his season he is hitting on 61% of his fireld goals and 54% of his 3-pointers . The Celtics recently lost a very effective (but fragile) shooter-with-size in Kristaps Porzingis , and Baylor may never achieve what The Unicorn did, but as a fixed rotation guy going forward, Scheierman could continue to improve and fit securely in Stevens future plans ( per Wikipedia ): On June 26, 2024, Scheierman was selected with the 30th overall pick by the  Boston Celtics  in the  2024 NBA draft . [ 12 ]  His selection received genera...

      Cs played some decent basketball in that first half. Despite such poor shooting, and the Pistons being on a 13 game winning streak. Baylor played very well and his shot looked even better. These Pistons are a very tough team with good skill players. Cade Cunningham is a legit MVP candidate. Duren is only 22 and already one heck of a player. Cs will need to shoot a lot better this half if they want to pull off this upset.       Cs have grabbed a six point lead here, let's see if they can make it last. JB is up to 21 points and continues to shoulder the load this season. Cade is up to 22 and isn't gonna stop there. DWhite is starting to simmer a bit and get his shot going. We really need him to find his form from last season. He has been excellent for the Cs since he was traded here. If he gets it in gear the Cs will be a team to worry about playing. He's an all star level player and can take over a game at will.       JB with t...

       Cs with 80 points in the first half was pretty impressive. The defense has led to a quicker pace in play. I can't believe we lost to the Nets, yet are killing the Magic. The NBA is wild on a nightly basis. Minott has some shifty moves and it gets him plenty of opportunities to score. Orlando is missing players and on a back to back, so it makes sense why we are rolling. JB has lost a contact on that foul. Pretty crazy that his contact fell out on that foul.       Kudos to the Patriots for winning in Cincinnati today. What a season to this point for a team on the rise. DWhite with eleven points so far. Nice to see him involved and doing Derrick White type things. What a block by DW right there! That was awesome to see! DWhite with another block! He's a defensive dynamo! Putting on a master class of how to block shots. Josh  Minott continues to impress tonight, especially with his spacing.       Cs next game will be h...

 It is an early winter in the North Country of New Hampshire. Today is a relatively warm (34 degrees) day, and the ground is covered with a few inches of snow . There is limited sun , but overall, it is a "blue bird" day up here. The road I walk is plowed , but a layer of snow is maintained to please the snowmobile crowd . The first part of the walk is a steep climb , so metal cleats and walking sticks are almost a necessity for a guy approaching 82 years of age. I discard sunglasses for the walk since limited sunlight into the eyes is a good thing for positive brain chemistry and therefore, better sleep patterns . Coyote tracks in the snow are everywhere, revealing the increase in their numbers, although they are rarely seen up here - b eing mostly nocturnal and wanting no part of humans. There is an open hunting season, year round for them in New Hampshire, and no bag limit.  I walk year round for pleasure and recreation , but also for weight management and cardiovas...

      Cs take on the Nets for this third cup game, I know I'm super excited. Cs need to win this game and build on the momentum from winning these last few games. Yet they trail by seven early. Joe calls a timeout and we need help! Cs still trail even after the timeout. They better wake up or this win streak will be out the door. Hauser just hasn't found his shot this season. He did a great job finding PP who did knock down the three. Cs are finally putting things together and are up by six. Their passing has been really good and their knocking down their shots.       Kudos to the Cs who have limited their turnovers unlike they did in Brooklyn. We see Queta with an excellent pass to Baylor for the deuce. Nice to see the big guy distributing the rock. Cs have lost the lead and need a timeout, they better wake the heck up. It's going to take a strong defensive effort to pull away from this Nets team. Anfernee Simons has such a sweet stroke. Huge rebound ...

 The Celtics season is roughly 18% done after 15 games , and Jaylen Brown has confirmed what he set out to do. He was confident that he could assume Boston's "Alpha" role in the absence of the injured Jayson Tatum . Brown is currently third in usage rate (35.6%) behind such luminaries as Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo . So much of the Celtics offense goes through Brown, and he is hitting on 50.3% of his field goal attempts and 34.9% of his 3-pointers . He leads in team in scoring at 27.5 points per game . He leads Boston in field goal attempts but comes in fifth in shot attempts from beyond the arc . His ability to get into the paint and launch a successful 2-pointer or layup has been great to watch. It seems his only downside is his turnover ratio of 3.5 miahaps per game . The season is still young, but thus far Jaylen has been as good as his word . The Celtics now sit ninth in the East Standings with an 8-7 record. The East is a real melting pot where the ...

      Cs in Brooklyn looking to build on two wins in a row. Cs see the Nets strike first tonight. JB with back to back midrange jumpers. Cs get called for a terrible offensive foul. These refs suck and we just started the game. Which means they can only get worse as the game progresses. Cs can't lose to this Nets team tonight. It was bad enough losing to Utah. Cs haven't found any rhythm on offense right now. Cs are down by six early and I'm disgusted.       Joe has called a timeout and now we need to come out firing. I'd really like to see the Celtics move the ball and attack the paint. They definitely need to tighten things up defensively. Queta finally gets us a bucket to cut into this lead. JB finds PP for three! I don't like what I'm seeing tonight. You can't allow garbage teams to beat you. Cs better go on a run and grab the lead. Timeout by Joe as the Cs trail by ten. They should be ashamed of themselves.       PP for three o...

 I have menbtally penciled in Dennis Johnson as my choice for all-time Celtics point guard playing in today's NBA game . John Havlicek joins him in the back court. Bill Russell takes center spot. And Larry Bird takes one of the forward positions. The fifth slot is somewhat up for grabs, with Jayson Tatum (yes, Jayson Tatum), Kevin Garnett, Dave Cowens and Kevin McHale in the running as either power forward or small forward. So, why Dennis Johnson. Why not Bob Cousy, JoJo White or Rajon Rondo? Although not being a 3-point marksman, DJ had it all - athleticism, defense, scoring, distributing, rebounding . But most of all, he was adaptable to what his team needed to win ( per Wikipedia ): "During this period (with Seattle) Johnson played  shooting guard  and was known for his aggressive  slam dunking , in contrast to the more cerebral roles he played later in his career." But Johnson clashed with Coach Lenny Wilkins and was traded to the Phoenix Suns . By now, Denn...

      JT looking good in his Jordan gear on the sidelines. Cs are rocking the black uniforms today. I can't wait to watch one of my least favorite players in James Soft I mean Harden. DWhite gets us going early with the deuce. No Leonard today since he's always injured or maybe it's Mafia induced. PP for three! He's starting to finally find his stroke. Gotta love the fact he's getting his groove back! He's such a key piece to any success we are gonna have this season.       Cs are up early and let's hope they keep it rolling. Queta crashing the grass is a recipe for success. I will say this much Harden is going to eat Walsh alive. If the Cs can grab this win they will have a chance to string a few wins in a row. Love seeing Queta with the touch on that shot. He's such a lovable player given how far he's come since last season. PP is locked in right now and looks like an assassin. These Clippers look overmatched and the Cs better capitalize on it. Gre...

 As the saying goes - The most stress is caused by things over which we have no control. Well, that is what Celtics GM, Brad Stevens is experiencing, after being forced by ownership to cut monetary costs by stripping the once-Championship roster considerably. Stevens came to Boston as Celtics coach prior to the 2013-14 season . Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry, all members of the 2008 Title team , had been traded, and the roster had youngsters such as Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley and Jordan Crawford vying for playing time. The Green ended the 2013-14 regular season with a 25-57 record , obviously missing the playoffs. In the following years, GM Danny Ainge left for Utah and Brad Stevens took his place as Head Honcho, eventually winning the 2024 NBA Championship with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way. Back to the present. The ravaged roster , now minus Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Luke Kornet (all lost to trades or free a...

      Cs look to get back on track with a win tonight. Did you know the Celtics only give up about 109 points per game defensively. But.... they only score about 111 points per game. These are their averages and probably a tell tale sign of why we have the record we do. Clearly we play decent defense but just can't win in the clutch. This is what happens when you allow 4 incredible players to walk out that door. Once again thank you Billionaire Bill.       Losing 4 key players and JT being unavailable is mucking up rotations. JB’s playing like a superstar! But, JB’s not the finisher that JT is hence why we are where we are. They are out of sequence. White’s used to handling the ball as a facilitator and then the shot. Pritch is accustomed to coming off the bench. Joe’s been trying to get the starters set. It might be time to focus the second unit. The Cs could definitely benefit from getting a solid post player. One that can be a legitimate threat to s...

  Fans of the Boston Celtics are not used to this . After 12 games , The Green show a 5-7 record . Many Beantown fans are not thrilled with that, but the season is young - and so are many of the Celtics players that are trying to find a niche - in the NBA - and on one of the most-storied franchises in sports history. Boston fans are used to their basketball team being dominant , as opposed to subordinate . The Green were superbly dominant in the 60s , garnering eight Championships in that decade. They also ruled the 80s , taking three titles in the 10-year span. Head Honcho, Brad Stevens , prior to this season, was forced by ownership to strip the roster for financial purposes , ending up with four players heading elsewhere, and one (Tatum) heading to the bench with a serious injury. Money was saved, but at a significant price . I have been a fan of the Boston Celtics since 1960 , and frankly, particularly in the 60s, the Celtics domination of other teams could sometimes be borde...

      Yet again we are playing the Philadelphia 76ers. I can't say the game really matters other than it's on NBCs peacock. With a win tonight the Cs can get back to 500. DWhite opens our scoring. Nice to see Minott get on the board with a corner three. Sam Hauser hits his first shot of the game. So far I'm seeing a Celtics offense that absolutely can't hit a shot. Defensively we are lazy and lacking effort. How can an entire team shoot so poorly and barely give any effort???      What are we watching Celtics fans? A team that needs something or someone but that ain't happening. Cs trail by ten but it honestly feels like we are down by 30. Cs will really need to find their heart in the second half. It starts with max effort in D and then actually making shots on the other end. Give me something to watch guys because that first half made me want to turn off the TV. This third quarter is already off to a rough start. With that said the Cs are starting to figh...

  The Athletic chose a panel of 43 writers, podcasters and editors to vote for their 25 top NBA players of the 21st century - a tough task, indeed. But they did it anyway, and it was gratifying, as a Celtics fan,  to find three members of The Green , both past and present, on that list . Kevin Garnett came in at #11 , and his MVP Award in 2004 , as a member of the Timberwoves , was mentioned in the article - but his 2008 Championship with Boston was somehow omitted . That omission sticks out because "The Big Ticket's" addition to the Celtics was the transaction that spurred the Title. Paul Pierce came in at #20 . As one would expect, "The Truth's" 2008 Title with Garnett, and his Finals MVP Trophy in the same year, got him into the list. Jayson Tatum was the "Third Celtic Picked" (at #23) , and he belongs . His Eastern Conference Finals MVP Award and 2024 Championship got him there.   Voting in such a poll appears to be highly subjective . ...

      We are in Disney for one more night, will the Cs get it going? The question is do they have anything in store for the Magic. I just want to see a team that plays hard defense and crashes the glass. Cs are trending in the wrong direction, it's going to take a full 48 minutes to get this win. If not this season will continue to drag along. JT is on the bench and here to support his teammates. This isn't a cup game so I'm a bit more invested.       Cs are in their standard white jerseys with the green numbers and letters. Cs commit a bad foul right of the jump. Cs first offensive set is a turnover. That's not a good sign for the good guys. All of a sudden it's eight quick points for the Magic. DWhite gets the three and we are on the board. JB is really perfecting that midrange step back. Cs with an early timeout as they are trailing early on. The Celtics are running in mud and not competing right now. Unacceptable play right now.     ...

 My wife, Linda, and I were on the road today doing a few errands. It is still early November , and it is snowing - not enough to generate bad driving conditions - but just enough to decorate the landscape . Our front yard with second snowfall of the season. Photo by Linda Lane And we saw our first tractor trailer loaded with Christmas trees heading for "down below" - as folks up here call anyplace south of New Hampshire towns such as Lancaster and Gorham. The Christmas trees are generally cut, bound and shipped in Northern New Hampshire e arly in November , and the baling machines compress the branches so tightly for transport, it is a wonder that they ever spring back to their original state. Our area of New Hamshire is know for many things, with heavy yearly snowfall being one of them. The area averages roughly 6-feet of snow each year , but the higher elevations can average close to 17-feet. The Balsams Resort, in nearby Dixville Notch , has been closed for 14 years...

      Cs are in the land of fantasy as they take in the Magic in Disney. Minott with a three that sounded like it splashed in the ocean. Cs D is allowing the Magic to get it going early. If i failed to mention it, this is a cup game. Not sure about all of you but I'm super excited. If you could hear the sarcasm in my voice you know this Emirates Cup is a joke. Nobody cares about watching these games. I care because I love the Celtics and basketball.       I have a feeling this game could get ugly real soon. Joe has called a timeout and will try to get this group going. Offensively we haven't been bad, but defensively we suck. I'm not gonna pull any punches with how I feel this season. I'm still extremely frustrated with new owner Billionaire Bill Chisolm and how he gutted this team of so many quality players. JT is on the bench rocking a St Louis jersey like hoodie that looks pretty sweet. I don't care for the Blues after they beat the Bruins in the St...

 There is something I truly like about the Celtics Jaylen Brown , and I believe it is his gentle, quiet demeanor , coupled with his often-spectacular play on the court .  I constantly have to defend him in the presence of my daughter, Lisa, who consistently admonishes the 6'6" forward.  Granted, Brown still has a few issues with turnovers , but he has been true to his word about being the go-to guy on his team this season. He is hitting career-highs in points per game (27.7 PPG), field goal percentage (53.5%), free throw percentage (78.6%), assists (4.5 APG) - and unfortunately in turnovers (3.6 TOPG). Jaylen is also hitting 38.7% of his 3-pointers and grabbing 5.8 rebounds per game . After last night's win over Washington, his team has a record of 4-5, which projects to a 36/37-win season . With improvement from his comrades, Brown and the Celtics could end the season as a playoff (play-in?) team - particularly if Jayson Tatum is ready-and-able to return in time to b...

      Celtics enter tonight after losing to the lowly Jazz, if they lose to the Wizards we are in severe trouble. This Wizards team is on a five game losing streak. Cs must defend and rebound if they want to get this win. I really hope we don't see the Celtics shoot and miss so many threes. Basketball can be a beautiful sport, but when you jack up so many threes it becomes very boring. We have finally made it to tip off, I'm hoping for a wire to wire win.       Cs run a nice set seeing DWhite finding Queta on the pick and roll for the JAM! We have a quick substitution as Simons enters for PP. Cs trail by three early on and that's concerning for me. JB is going to have to lead this team to victory. JB drives and gets fouled and no whistle whatsoever. We have reached our first timeout as the Celtics trail by four. I tell you this much if the Celtics lose tonight heads should roll. Everyone from top to bottom should be questioned for their play and coachi...

 Celtics Coach, Joe Mazzulla's, love of the 3-point shot may have been a cceptable during the 2024-25 season . But last season he had Jayson Tatum (.343 from three), Kristaps Porzingis (.412), Al Horford (.363) and Jrue Holiday (.353). Last season's version of The Green shot . 368 from deep ,  Well, how is that long ball affection working out this season? The team as a whole is hitting only .312 on 3-pointers . Yet, despite the poor marksmanship beyond the arc, Boston is s till launching roughly the same number of shots (47.8 attempts) as last season (48.2 attempts) from deep. The two Celtics starters with the most minutes (Payton Pritchard and Derrick White) are shooting .213 and .263, respectively from deep . Last season , those numbers showed .407 and .384, respectively for the back court duo.  It is obvious that the loss of Tatum, Porzingis, Horford and Holiday is sorely felt because of the heavy defensive coverage they demanded beyond the arc. Perhaps Mazzul...

 The winters in very-northern New Hampshire are very cold and snowy . Great for snowmobilers . Late spring and summer bring the bugs . A lot of bugs. Well, I dislike frigid weather and hate bugs. So, why do I live here ?  Riverside foliage close to our home My wife, Linda, and I just returned from a 40-mile round trip to the nearest grocery store. The route we took is an interstate highway, and there were very few cars on the road . T ailgaters are almost nonexistent in the north country, but there is a strong tendency to pull to the side of the road to allow drivers that appear to want to speed up to pass.  I must admit that when I travel "down below" (as locals call travelling south), the traffic volume and tailgaters stress me out . I am not accustomed to it. We do find that the exployees at the local pharmacies, grocery stores, health care centers and restaurants are generally courteous and efficient . People that reside in northern New Hampshire either have a be...

      Queta opens up the scoring as he gets an easy bucket. DWhite nails a three and we are off and running! JB and PP both hit their first shots and tonight feels like a winner already. Queta is gobbling up all the boards early on and I love it. He's improved so much from last season. He's only going to get better and better. We have a timeout as the Cs are rolling. Not sure what the plan is in Utah but they suck. I love how Garza gets into the fray and keeps the ball alive. Simons is playing some aggressive defense and that's what we need from him. Cs have just about lost the lead they built. On to the second quarter we go.       So far the second quarter has been underwhelming and I need the Cs to wake up. Simons scores and hopefully that's the start of plenty more. JB follows suit and scores, need him to dominate tonight. Simons lines one up and nails the three! Bang! Simons again BANG! This kid is a walking bucket when he's on. Cs are on a nice ru...

      Tonight the Celtics welcome the Rockets to the Garden. We all remember the history these two teams have. Meeting in the 81 and 86 Finals both resulting in Banners! Those two series had some incredible talent on both ends. This version of the Rockets has high hopes given their new star in Kevin Durant. A guy who has been good everywhere he's been. What's crazy is the amount of teams he's been on. In all reality he could have been drafted here if not for those damn ping pong balls. Let's also not forget when he almost signed here after talking to Tom Brady.       KD opens the game with a mid range jumper, C's miss on their first set. DWhite gets to the rack and gets us on the board. His three point shooting hasn't been very efficient but inside of that he's been good. Cs are going to need to get on the boards tonight. If they don't it's going to be a long night. Not to pleased with some of these defensive sets. What a move by JB getting to the cu...