Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

It is no contest. In the vote count for the most-despised Celtics opponent of all time, Bill Laimbeer of the Detroit Pistons takes first place, and no runner-ups are even close. Bill's the winner in this race. Laimbeer wouldn't just annoy and antagonize, he would whip opposing players into an absolute frenzy. Bill's takedown of Larry Bird in Game Three of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals earned him a $5,000 fine. Larry was fined $2,000 for retaliating. Bird was known for his controlled anger, but he lost it in this confrontation - apparently for good reason. The game Larry Bird and Bill Laimbeer went at it. Seeing Larry Legend go full berserk is rare. You have to take him to the limit to see that. FULL VID https://t.co/CgVt6hvPgn pic.twitter.com/kg6BPguWCb — OLDSKOOLBBALL (@Oldskoolbball1) April 11, 2020 In Game Five, the normally-mild mannered Celtics center, Robert Parish, got so angry at Laimbeer that he golfed him three times in plain view of three officials, non...

Tommy Heinsohn has been around the Boston Celtics for so long, he seems to have a padlocked connection to the team. He has played the role of player, coach and analyst going back 64 years. The guy Red Auerbach called "the oldest 27-year-old body in the history of sports" earned eight Championship rings with The Green as a player and two more as coach. But his work as a TV analyst often spawns criticism from fans that view his analysis as perhaps too slanted in favor of Boston. These occasional attacks on Tommy's rhetoric go back as much as 53 years (from Bob Ryan's book, Scribe: My Life In Sports Everybody talks about (Celtics radio announcer) Johnny Most, and nobody watches Celtics games on TV without listening to him on the radio. That's too bad because if you really want a laugh, you should listen to Tommy Heinsohn, who is so partisan he makes Most seem like Walter Cronkite. Most is essentially a reporter, however ridiculous he may sound on occasion. Heinsoh...

Red Auerbach knew how to manage his troops, but he didn't hold back on criticizing some of them . Tom "Satch" Sanders and Don Nelson were often the recipients of Red's barbs, but it was Tom Heinsohn that was the most-frequent victim (per Sam Jones in his 1-on-1 interview with me): (Sam): "I saw a lot of it. I loved it. That means he (Red) kept off my back. That (Heinsohn) was Red's whipping boy. Better Tommy than me." Heinsohn helped the Celtics to eight Championships and played in six All-Star games. After Bill Russell's retirement in 1969, Tommy was chosen as Boston's next head coach, a move that was subject to much criticism at the time. But Celtics renowned announcer, Johnny Most, got it right (from Mark C. Bodanza's book, Ten Times a Champion): To me, Heinsohn represents the closest total of Auerbach coaching attributes of all the ballplayers that played for him. I think Tommy will turn out to be the junior edition of the Redhead. ...

Our on-line draft of 32 Celtics stars is complete, and we have now whittled down that number to the Sweet Sixteen. The only current player to make the cut is Al Horford. The remaining 15 Boston players are either retired or deceased, having played for The Green for more than two full seasons over the past sixty years. The 16 stars from the Lakers squad is as formidable. CELTICS: BIGS Bill Russell Dave Cowens Robert Parish Al Horford WINGS Kevin Garnett John Havlicek Paul Pierce Larry Bird Tom Heinsohn Kevin McHale Reggie Lewis Dennis Johnson Sam Jones BALL HANDLERS Bob Cousy JoJo White Tiny Archibald LAKERS: BIGS Wilt Chamberlain Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Shaquille O'Neal Pau Gasol George Mikan WINGS Magic Johnson Elgin Baylor Kobe Bryant James Worthy Bob MaAdoo Jamaal Wilkes Michael Cooper BALL HANDLERS Jerry West Byron Scott Gail Goodrich Derek Fisher What sticks out immediately is the triple-tower combo of Wilt, Shaq and Kareem. The Celtics can...

The Celtics-Lakers rivalry goes back six decades and isn't over yet. It started with Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn, Bob Cousy and the Jones Boys in the early 60's, and with the current talent-laden rosters of both LA and Boston, it may not be over soon. CelticsSentinel held an online 4-team draft yesterday focusing on Celtics players with more than two years of service in Boston. The goal was to create a Celtics team that could take on a 60-year compilation of Lakers stars. The results are below: @LisaLaneMcCart1 Team Horford (C) Pierce (F) Havlicek (F) Rondo (G) Dennis Johnson (G) Bench: Antoine Walker (F) Smart (G) Isaiah Thomas (G) — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) April 1, 2020 @DanKelley66 Team Parish (C) Bird (F) Heinsohn (F) Sharman (G) Cousy (G) Bench: Macauley (C) Maxwell (F) Ray Allen (G) — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) April 1, 2020 It is quickly obvious that @DanKelley66 went old-school, taking Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Tom Heinsohn and "Easy Ed" Macauley. Des...

A thin 6'5" in the 1980's, Danny Ainge looked like the president of your high school science club, but he never backed away from a fight or any type of confrontation. But unless you were a Celtics fan, you probably despised him. His most infamous scuffle involved Atlanta's Tree Rollins, resulting in the "Tree Bites Man" headlines when Rollins chomped down on Danny's digit. But Ainge was so hated by opponents, many still think it was Danny that did the biting. There were many dust-ups involving the guy now called "Trader Danny", and many are encapsulated in the following video. Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Mario Elie and Sam Cassell are only a few of Ainge's combatants. Take a look. Ainge may have been hated by most opponents, but he was often praised by those who admired his ferocious competitiveness( per LA Times' Joe Hamelin ): "He's the best all-around athlete that I've ever seen." - Larry Bi...

President Donald Trump announced yesterday that he is extending social distancing guidelines until April 30. On Sunday, however, Trump seemed to acknowledge that the spread of the virus had not slowed, at least not yet. He said that modeling shows that the peak of the death rate will likely hit in two weeks, but stressed that he hopes the country will be on its way to recovery by June 1. "We can expect that by June 1st, we will be well on our way to recovery, we think by June 1st. A lot of great things will be happening," he said. The extension may bode well for the health of Americans, but it certainly puts a damper on hopes for a re-start of the 2019-20 NBA season. The playoffs were originally scheduled to begin on April 18, 2020, with the Finals set for June 4. It is becoming very difficult to imagine playoffs-as-usual with thousands of spectators filling the stands anytime in April or May. And then the question is raised, what happens with the draft lottery and draf...

I wrote in December of last year that Gordon Hayward can be expected to be on the Celtics roster next season, and that view has not changed, despite the suspension of NBA action. Whether Gordon opts in to his $34.2 million deal for the 2020-21 season or chooses to see what else Boston or other teams can offer, the best chance is that we see him in green for 2020-21. Despite much personal success, an NBA Title has eluded Hayward. Boston's Core-5 of Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart are slated to earn roughly $115.9 million next season, and the Celtics are projected to be over the luxury tax threshold. That's not the major issue. Tatum will be in a contract season in 2020-21, and he is due for a major raise once his 4-year, rookie deal is done. Fitting the salaries of Gordon and Jayson into Boston's financial landscape for 2021-22 will require masterful maneuvering by Danny Ainge. But Hayward recently turned 30 years old, and this may be h...

"Journeyman" defines Boston Celtics center, Enes Kanter. In his ninth season in the NBA, Kanter has played for six different franchises - three of them twice. In other words, he has performed alongside a total of nine different rosters. He may be on the move once again this summer. Enes is signed with Boston for the sum of $5 million for 2020-21, but he has a player option. His 17.5 minutes per game this season mark the least floor time for him since the 2012-13 season, his second in the League. His minutes have dropped from 12.0 MPG (last 10 games) to 11.1 MPG (last 5) to 10.2 MPG for the last two contests. Daniel Theis has clearly been Brad Stevens' center of choice. Theis has averaged 23.8 minutes/game this year - 28.2 MPG over the last 10 games - and 31.0 MPG for the last two contests. Daniel's minutes have soared, while Kanter's time has plummeted. The message is clear. If a player doesn't dedicate himself to Brad's constant-movement, switching d...

Whether you like Kyrie Irving or hate him, when he came to Boston in 2017 he may have been the most-dangerous players with the ball in his hands of any point guard in the League. He put his skills on display early in his stint with the Celtics when Boston traveled to Dallas on November 20, 2017 to take on the Mavericks. The Celtics won the game in overtime, 110-102, largely on the supreme play of Irving. Kyrie came away with 47 points, three rebounds, six assists - scoring 10 of his points in the overtime period. He shot 16-of-22 from the field, 5-of-7 from beyond the arc and 10-of-11 from the free throw line. His plus/minus of plus-21 was a team-high ( per NBA's Dave Jackson ): In the extra period, Irving scored his team's first six points. Then after Jaylen Brown gave Boston a 104-102 lead with a jumper with 1:39 to play, Irving went to work on Yogi Ferrell, backing him down and drawing contact on a lay-up with 48.5 seconds to play. Though Irving missed the free throw to ...

Tom Meshchery is a Russian-born 10-year NBA veteran known as one of the toughest players in the NBA during the 1960's. But he was also a poet and once wrote an ode to the Celtics Bill Russell titled "Eagle with a beard". More recently, in 2014, Meschery wrote a sequel to his original work . Bill Russell Once, in a poem I call him an eagle with a (beard). I was young and the poem held promise that the writer might improve. I always liked the image. It asked the reader to see Bill with slightly stooped shoulders, long feathery arms and talons hovering above the paint protecting it like his nest intruders entered at their peril. His beard was dark as was he, a shadow that darkened our attempts to score. I am older. As is he. I saw him recently on TV still an eagle, giving an (interview) and tried picturing him as something else and couldn't. I found it comforting to think I got him right so many years ago, that now, so close to both our dying I hope...

Red Auerbach was known for acquiring All-Star players who were nearing the end of their careers. Here are some of the most-notable additions that the wily legend brought to Boston. Shaquille O'Neal Shaq was picked up by the Celtics in 2010 on a 2-year, vet-minimum contract totaling $2.8 million. An assortment on injuries limited the 15-Time All-Star to 37 games, in which he averaged 9.2 PPG and 4.8 RPG. Boston traded center Kendrick Perkins in February, partially in the hope that O'Neal would overcome his injuries and return to form. That never happened, and Shaq retired from the NBA at the conclusion of the season. Dave Bing The 6'3" Bing played most of his career with the Detroit Pistons and totaled seven All-Star appearances. He played his final NBA season in 1977-78 with the Celtics, averaging 13.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 3.8 APG. After retiring from the League, Dave transformed himself into a successful business owner, political activist - and finally was elected May...

Call it confidence or arrogance, but Larry Bird was so skilled, he would often horse around during a game - even the close ones. Against the Portland Trailblazers on February 14, 1986, Bird said that he was going to play the game left-handed because (as he stated), "I'm saving my right hand for the Lakers", the team next on Boston's slate. Larry Bird was so skilled, he would often horse around - even in a close game. This was one of those games. Read my article later today. Did Larry Bird Really Play A Whole Game Using Only His Left Hand? https://t.co/kZWbaoP8RA via @YouTube — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) March 20, 2020 This game was not a throwaway for either team. It went into overtime, ending in a 120-119 victory for the Celtics. Larry finished with a triple-double of 47 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, with 10 of his 21 field goals scored with his left hand, according to NBA.com . The 1985-86 Celtics squad also featured Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Denni...

With 6-Time Champion Tom Brady possibly heading out of town to join to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, what player from what Beantown team has the best shot at replacing him as the darling of Boston sports? Bucs and Tom Brady still trying to finalize contract language as of Wednesday night and those discussions will go into Thursday, per source. Contract language more challenging this off-season than any time in recent memory. No problems forseen with Bucs-Brady, but no deal yet. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 19, 2020 Red Sox icon, Ted Williams, was truly beloved in his time and still revered enough many decades later to have a Boston tunnel named after him. For the Celtics, Larry Bird captured the hearts of Boston fans, winning three Titles and putting his heart and soul into his game. The Bruins Bobby Orr only picked up two Stanley Cups in his stint with the Bruins, but he was one of the most-adored pro athletes in The Hub, despite his shyness and avoidance of the pres...

Was Larry Bird that good? Wasn’t quick. Couldn’t jump. Not athletic. But he had everything else. The Bird is the Word. Yes he was – he was that good. Larry Bird wasn’t quick – couldn’t jump – wasn’t athletic. But COULD HE PLAY! The highlight reel below is a great reminder of just how good he was. If there was a reward for getting the most out of your limited, God-given assets on the hardwood, he gets my vote. The background so-called music is Surfin Bird by the Trashmen? Try to get through it. Hey, the League is in shutdown. Give it a look. Basketball was Larry’s life, his dream, his passion. He worked for everything he accomplished. That is why he was so good.

Most young Celtics fans see Tommy Heinsohn as the aged Celtics TV analyst. Some may know the 8-Time Champion and 6-Time All-Star was 1957 Rookie-of-the-Year when Bill Russell was a fellow-rookie in the same season. What most don't know is that then-coach, Red Auerbach, belittled Heinsohn unmercifully - because Red knew Tommy could take it ( per NBA.com Staff ): In addition to employing him as a go-to scorer, Auerbach directed his criticism of the team at Heinsohn, knowing that other players' egos were too fragile for such a direct assault. "[Auerbach] knew that some of the big guys had sensitive egos -- egos that didn't like it if Red started to get on them verbally," Heinsohn recalled in an article in the Boston Globe. "So when he wanted to get on someone to stir up things in the dressing room, he got on me. He knew I could take it. I was his whipping boy. I understood what he was doing, so I could handle it." For example, Heinsohn remembered one ga...

We have heard of most of the negative aspects of the NBA's decision to put the 2019-20 season on hiatus because of the coronavirus outbreak. But one major concern is the fact that even elite athletes, including professional basketball players, can become deconditioned in a very short period of time. Admittedly, two of the very few positive aspects of the shutdown are that the players get some relief from the grind of a long season and sufficient time to recover from injuries. Certainly, Jaylen Brown, who has been out of action for a while with a knee issue, can use the down time. But having worked as a Personal Trainer for 27 years in athletic clubs, gyms and corporations, with many clients being athletes, I found that even one week's absence from training results in measurable losses in conditioning. This may not be an issue for Lebron James and other NBA players who live in mansions equipped with massive gymnasiums, but how about the low-salaried players, particularly th...

Past long-term NBA lockouts, one in 1998-99 and another in 2011, led to shortened seasons of 50 games and 66 games, respectively. Both were resolved by means of compromise between two groups, labor and management. That is, the players and the owners. The current shutdown has a third party involved, the virus known as COVID-19, and you don't negotiate with a virus. Therein lies the uncertainty of when this shutdown will end. The National Basketball Association took the extreme route of not simply closing arena doors to the public, as originally discussed - but rather putting an end to all games until - or if - a better solution can be reached. And the shutdown may possibly be the right one, for now. The total cessation of game play gives Adam Silver and his cohorts breathing room and time to come to a compromise between all parties involved and possibly restart the season with specific precautions in place. The best solution to most problems lies somewhere in the middle - betwe...

On this morning's NBA TV broadcast, the question was raised concerning the Eastern Conference team that would give the Philadelphia 76'ers the tougher battle - the Miami Heat or the Boston Celtics. Analyst, and former star for the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, answered in the following manner: You want to go to Miami. They've (Philadelphia) had some success in Miami in the playoffs. You don't want to go to Boston. Why would you? Shaquille O'Neal chose the Heat as the tougher opponent for the 76'ers, indicating "They (Celtics) don't have a big". Candace Parker took the middle road, stating that both Miami and Boston would be tough to handle in the playoffs, citing "the way Brad Stevens makes adjustments in the playoffs" as a positive factor for the Celtics. Actually, contrary to what Shaq had to say, Boston does have a legitimate big man in the guise of the German import, Daniel Theis. Daniel may not measure up to O'Neal's 7'1...

The Boston Celtics have generally had their top-4 scorers in the starting unit, and that may need to change. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward and Kemba Walker account for 82.4 points per game, while the Boston bench ranks 28th in points-production at 27.6 PPG. Because of injuries to some starters, Semi Ojeleye has seen an increase in minutes over the past few games. In the past two contests, he has averaged 31.9 MPG, 15.5 PPG and 6.5 RPG, while hitting 57% on field goals and 50% on 3-pointers. He may never be a volume scorer, but he is adequate on team defense and an exceptional one-on-one defender. And his rebounding has improved significantly this season. Hayward's confidence seems to be coming and going and that drives me crazy. Coming off the bench he could have a bigger role for himself and do a really decent job in my opinion. — Brother Andrej (@BriGGySmaLLzb) March 5, 2020 So who goes to the second unit? Gordon Hayward is the logical choice. As a starter,...