Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

  Jaylen Brown's stelar play in the 2024 Finals versus the Mavericks was evident once again in the Celtics convincing win over the Knicks in Game-5 of the Eastern Semis. In 37 minutes , he did a great defensive job on New York's Jalen Brunson , while supplying 26 points, eight rebounds, 12 assists (not a misprint), one steal and a plus/minus of +28. That's 12 assists with only two turnovers for Brown. And he held Brunson to 41% shooting on field goals and 25% on 3-pointers , while Jaylen was 53% from the field and 60% on treys.  Even if you missed the game, Brown's 12 assists show that he didn't try to make up for the loss of Jayson Tatum all by himself.  Admittedly, his foul shooting (5-of-8) was off a bit, but his overall game, in a do-or-die situation, was admirable.. Can he do it again on Friday night in New York? Boston fans hope so. With Tatum out of action for (at least) most of next season - and with the upcoming cost-cutting - almost every player on the ...

  Well, the Lakers did it again. In the past, the sunshine, warmth and glamor of Los Angeles played a huge role in landing Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Shaq, Lebron - and yes - even the guy they just traded away, Anthony Davis. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6106196/2025/02/02/luka-doncic-trade-lakers-anthony-davis-mavericks/?campaign=12489530&source=athletic_email&userId=13383794 No one saw this coming . Effectively trading AD for the Mavericks Luka Doncic  was a shocker , but now the Lakers have added one more big name to their list of NBA stars who have landed in "Tinseltown" . And it is ironic that they sent another such "big name" packing (Davis). Boston can't compete with LA for warmth, sunshine, glamor - or the shot to get on the big screen . But the Celtics, through smart acquisitions and trades (read: The Jay Team) nailed Banner 18 before the Lakers - and will be seriously competing for "Number 19" this season. How well ...

 As no surprise, the Celtics have picked up the $2.1 million team option on Sam Hauser for the upcoming season, and the team is expected to extend his contract in the coming weeks. Hauser was one of eight Celtics players who logged double-digit minutes in the NBA Finals versus the Dallas Mavericks - with the other seven being Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford . In the five Finals contests, Sam averaged 8.2 PPG and 3.0 RPG - while hitting on 57.6% from the field and 47.8% from the hinterlands. Brad Stevens is determined to go for Banner 19 in 2024-25, and Hauser is expec ted to play a major role in that quest.

 Boston may not have the sun and warmth of Los Angeles - or the bright lights of New York - but the city's status as a preferred destination for free-agent veterans may be quite elevated. It's not simply that the Celtics won the Finals against Dallas - or that the Title window is very wide open. The Celtics franchise as a whole has earned a ton of respect , from the bench crew - to the starters - to the coaching staff, execs and ownership. Wic Grousbeck was willing to spend the cash, while Brad Stevens was determined to build a squad on both talent and high character. And let's not forget Joe Mazzulla . He is one-of-a-kind - often a bit of a wise guy (which I like) - but he got the job done. One more word on character. This team played like a T-E-A-M! Any vet that comes on board would need to fit in with what has been built. That requires character. Lebron James would not fit that profile. Could be an interesting off-season.

  Danny Ainge was generally a willing disciple of Red Auerbach , but Danny veered away from Red's practice of retaining stars well-past their prime. Auerbach traded Ainge in his prime but kept Larry Bird and Kevin McHale in the Celtics fold even when age and injuries were stifling their production. Not so Danny. It was his trade of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett that brought Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to Boston. The pair were taken with the third-overall draft picks in successive years. It took a while, but the Jay Team improved every season - learned to play team ball - and finally ended the season earning Banner 18 for TD Garden. #Celtics brothers and sisters how about a big shout-out to #44 Danny Ainge. Danny's hands are all over #banner18 . He brought us Tatum/Brown, Brad Stevens, and I could go on! pic.twitter.com/R9o68ZmImD — Ty Ray (@coug88) June 18, 2024   The general feeling around the League is that this present Celtics crew may not be done in their Champions...

 I personally consider the NBA Finals MVP Award one of the highest honors a player can achieve , and that is what the Celtics Jaylen Brown has accomplished. It was a close call, since Jayson Tatum finished with t eam-highs in minutes, points, rebounds and assists for the 5-game series. Biu in the end, it was probably Tatum's poor shooting percentages (.388 FG, .263 on 3s) and Brown's lock-down defense that made the difference. Regardless, the present and future of The Green rests primarily with the Jay Team - and Jayson and Jaylen certainly are a team-within-a-team. Take either one out of the picture, and Banner 18 may not have happened. So congrats to Jaylen Brown . He earned this prestigious award . The Finals MVP Trophy indicates he was the most-indispensable player in the series - and in this case, it was awarded to a player on the winning side. Brown has worked hard to get where he is. Nicely done, Jaylen!  

  Red Auerbach may be "dead-and-gone" but his undeniable mark remains . Danny Ainge learned much from the the Celtics Patriarch and used that knowledge and experience to  wheel-deal-and-construct Celtics teams that were almost always in the fight.  And now we have Brad Stevens at the helm . He is more subdued than either of his predecessors, but he is damn  clever - and outright smart. His present crew sits at 3-1 in the NBA Finals following a disastrous loss in Game-4 of the series . But Brad's team does not consist of robots. Their Game-4 performance versus Dallas made them look like an overmatched YMCA assemblage. They went from dominant to vulnerable. But don't be fooled. This current version of The Green was masterfully put together to win Banner 18. They are good - very good. And seasoned to withstand one lousy performance . Tomorrow night they will be back home at TD Garden and out to prove just how good they are. I refuse to use the metaphor of Red smiling d...

 It's only two games, but some too-early guesswork of the eventual winner of Finals MVP for 2024 tells us quite a bit. The first revelation is that the Boston Celtics are loaded - but we knew that. Kristaps Porzingis came back from injury in Gane-1 and powered his team to the win. Game-2 saw Jrue Holiday prove why Brad Stevens was so smart in signing him long-term. And Jaylen Brown  played so well in both games, he has quieted his many critics. But despite his poor shooting and propensity for turning the ball over, Jayson Tatum had done everything else on the floor in the two games thus far . And don't forget Dallas' Luke Doncic . His team may be down 0-2, but he has generally excelled. Here are the basic stats for the foursome: Tatum: 43.5 MPG - 17.0 PPG - 10.0 RPG - 8.5 APG - .5 SPG - .5 BPG Brown: 40.0 MPG - 21.5 PPG - 5.0 RPG - 4.5 APG - 3.0 SPG - 1.5 BPG Holiday: 38.0 MPG - 19.0 PPG - 9.5 RPG - 4.0 APG - 1.0 SPG - .5 BPG Doncic: 40.5 MPG - 31.0 PPG - 10.5 RPG - 6....

 Most Celtics fans heard the noise from NBA analysts . They chant that the Mavericks duo of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic are superior to the Celtics Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown pairing . That simply doesn't ring true, at least using a limited sample of Game-1. Using win/loss as a category, and including points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, FG%, 3-pt% and FT% , the Tatum/Brown take out Luka/Irving by a score of 7-to-3. Dallas duo wins points, steals (barely) and turnovers (barely), while the Celtics pair takes all the rest. The rebounding (17-13), assists (7-3) and blocks (4-0) for Tatum/Brown over Luka/Irving were outstanding . Also noteworthy that the Boston team as a whole took honors on blocked shots, sending nine shot attempts away - to only one for the Dallas team. It is vital for the Celtics to lose any complacency from their convincing win in Game-1 - and to take ZERO plays off in Game-2. I have mellowed on any negative feelings for Irving, but I would ...

 I assume it would be difficult to be the "Latest Basketball Hero In Town" when the home team has seen the likes of Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, Larry Bird, Paul Pierce , etc., etc., etc. Off nights for a star can come with flak. But Jayson Tatum is up to the task . Tatum has matured and is one of the most-skilled Celtics to ever take to the parquet. But we will hear from some fans and analysts about his "quiet" performance in Game-1 of the Finals versus Dallas . His 16 points came in third place to Jaylen Brown (20) and Kristaps Porzingis (20) , he was 6-of-16 from the field and had six turnovers. But Jayson was team-high in rebounds (11) and came in a close second to Jrue Holiday in plus/minus (+19) . And he tied the backcourt duo of Holiday and Derrick White with five boards . Granted, this was not a Tatum win. It was a team win, with six guys scoring 12-or-more points. That is the ultimate goal, and Jayson knows it. Unlike previous sea...

 A number of NBA analysts have stated that a healthy Kristaps Porzingis is an absolute requirement for the Boston Celtics to hoist Banner 18. I don't agree entirely, but the "Long Latvian's" performance last night demonstrated just how valuable he is. A total of 20 points in less than 21 minutes - on 62%/50%/100% accuracy from the field, beyond the arc and free throw line, respectively. Add to that three blocks and six rebounds. Porzingis hit from deep, mid-range and down low. His length allows him to simply shoot over opposing defenders. And his three blocks took a lot of air out of the Mavericks . Kristaps' presence alone altered at least a few other shots by Dallas. So Kristaps may not be vital for Boston's success, but he is damn important - so much that Celtics fans (me included) constantly worry as to whether or not he can stay injury-free the rest of the series. He will have three days rest prior to Game-2 on Sunday. Just occurred to me that the Cel...

 The 1971 film, Billy Jack , was far from one of my favorites, but Tom Laughlin's portrayal of the heroic skilled combatant was very well done.  "You know what I'm gonna do then - and there's not a damn thing you're gonna be able to do about it." Larry Bird was the Celtics Billy Jack. Told the opponent what he was going to do - he could not be stopped - and then did it. Is Jayson Tatum heading there? 'Billy Jack' (1971) I'm gonna take this right foot... https://t.co/jtBluG1s7s via @YouTube https://t.co/vdsz3GqvP8 — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) June 6, 2024 That is what the hero said to the prominent local enemy and his crew of cronies. Laughlin then explains how he going to kick the side of his foe's head - and there was nothing he could do about it. Then he did it! Sounds like Larry Bird, doesn't it . Bird did that to so many opponents - told them what he was going to do - there was nothing they could do to prevent it - and then Larry c...

  "Leadership"? "Kyrie Irving"? In the same sentence? Yup, I said it. Former-Celtic, Kyrie Irving, has found a secure home with the Dallas Mavericks and basketball fans have never seen the level of maturity the "Master-of-handles" has displayed in the "Big D". So, no longer will my readers see headlines such as what I wrote a year ago: "Kyrie me no Irvings" -- Tom Lane It starts with his stats, but that is only part of the story. In last night's win over the Timberwolves in Game-1 of the West Finals, Irving came away with 30 points, five rebounds and four assists. He continually wormed his way through the Minnesota defense, hitting on 12-of-23 from the field. His scoring and efficiency were critical in the Dallas victory. "We had a lot of long meetings with J-Kidd… Once I saw we had a chance, I was like well I’m not going to take this for granted, so every single day I remind those guys what it’s like to fail, what it’s like...

  Xavier Tillman logged 15 minutes as the fourth man off the bench in Boston's win over the Dallas Mavericks last night . He produced six points on a perfect 3-of-3 from the field - and also picked up one rebound, two assists and one block in Boston's victory. Tillman may be a blast from the past as a rebounding, rim-protecting, defensive center that doesn't shoot from distance, but he keeps improving out there with limited floor time. So don't cancel out the X-Man for the upcoming playoffs . Count me as one of the Celtics fans that loves his game. Joe Mazzulla may also be on the same mind track.

 After four games, the Boston Celtics are tied with the Dallas Mavericks for best record at 4-0 . Here's part of the reason why. Average Points Per Game: 1st -127.0 points Point differential: 1st - +20.5 points Rebounds: 1st - 52.3 rebounds Field Goal Percentage: 2nd - 50.7% 3-Point Percentage: 5th - 40.4% Free Throw Percentage: 3rd - 83.8% So this season's version of The Green scores a lot of points , and does so with efficiency . And their work on the boards is topnotch with almost every player involved. How about the defense? The Celtics are ranked 9th - allowing 105.7 points per game. And they still attempt a lot of 3-pointers (ranked 4th at 41.5 attempts per game) - but thus far are hitting them at a good clip (see above). Only four games, but a promising start to the season. And I love watching this crew play the game. "Are you not entertained?"

 Grant Williams has been traded Celtics fans. How does everyone feel? To me it's a cost cutting move because all you get in return are second round picks. What you are losing is a guy who has balls. A guy who wasn't afraid to go toe to toe with Jimmy Butler. Not the smartest move, but ballsy. He was also a guy who wasn't afraid to bang with Giannis on the block. He was a defender willing to guard anyone. On offense he could knock down threes pretty damn well. He killed the Bucks in game seven as we all remember.  Unfortunately trades happen because this is a business. It's not about winning, it's about Wyc saving himself money. He has Brad say I'm willing to spend, but in the dark shadows that's bull. We all know Wycs objective, money and hosting Prince Harry and his wife. Wyc to me is content with one ring in twenty years. That's a loser mentality, at least Robert Kraft won six before his true cheapness kicked in.  Back to Grant, personally I've had...

 First to go was Marcus Smart . Now it appears the turmoil surrounding Grant Williams' future has ended with his reported trade to the Dallas Mavericks . Sources: The Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics are finalizing a three-team trade: - Mavs: Grant Williams - Spurs: Reggie Bullock and an unprotected Dallas pick swap in 2030 - Celtics: Multiple second-round picks pic.twitter.com/7Bi6Dykydf — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 5, 2023 For many Celtics fans, this means the loss of two likeable, tough members of The Green . The two deals are intertwined since the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingas (for Smart) meant that Grant was going to be too expensive to retain. To be clear here… • I understand the new CBA • I understand the 2nd tax apron • I understand the potential value of a TPE (if used) and 2nd round picks (if useful) That said, the Celtics losing both Marcus Smart & Grant Williams the same summer is very disappointing to me. https://t.co/OkTlmHjUgB ...

  Trade deadline today, will we see any minor moves by the Celtics?! A wing and a big?! Or are we waiting for the buyout market?!  It's been busy already with the Jazz, Fakers, and T-wolves three team deal. Kyrie heading to Dallas and KD heading to Phoenix. Unfortunately I think the Fakers make out in their deal. The Mavs and Suns on paper make out. Although the Nets have accumulated a group of guys who have various skill sets.  Huge huge huge shout-out to Blake Griffin for always being ready to do what's needed. The C's had come out flat last night and after a few threes from Blake that energy shifted. You have to love a guy like Blake, who once was a star but now is your utility guy and is always willing step up. His defense on Embid was solid, his rebounding was sound, and let's face it he was an assassin from deep. Love guys like this!  DWhite has proven to be an invaluable piece to this Celtics team. He's a solid point guard when needed, he can shoot the three,...

Sports fans in Boston totally realize that the current version of The Green is something special, but here come some quotes from a Dallas Mavericks writer who hates liking the Celtics 2022-23 entry into the NBA Sweepstakes: "After all, they (Celtics) have a MVP candidate in Jayson Tatum. Tatum fans rightfully note he’s among one of the best scorers in the NBA. He’s an outstanding defender as well, making himself one of the premier two-way wings in a league where that position reigns supreme. He’s likely to be a fringe MVP player, the kind who gets discussed in podcasts but doesn’t make a real dent in the voting.  Then there’s Jaylen Brown, one of the league’s most underpaid players relative to his on-court value and Marcus Smart is the skeleton key which makes it all work for Boston. Don’t agree on Smart being a sidekick? I get it. Al Horford is there, same with Derrick White, Robert Williams, and even Malcolm Brogdon. The Celtics are DEEP. The wing-to-wing starter debate betwee...

     First Half Thoughts       1st Quarter       Lackluster offense to start , never got it going. Luka as always came out to kill the C's. Defense didn't look very sharp to start.        JT blocked Porzingis , he had active hands on D . Tatum did nail a three in Lukas face . JT had a nice steal on Luka. JT got to the line.        DS to RWill on the oop never gets old . DS got the tip on his own miss. He also had a very nice floater. We saw Nesmith early and he had a nice steal! Overall not the best start. Celtics trail 29-15 .       2nd Quarter       Al with a nice fall away , plus another nice score. Al makes it look Easy Like Sunday Morning ! JRich for two - he's been a solid addition this season . PP brought the rain on nice shot, need more of him!        Smart to RWill off the ballerina move was poetry in motion . RWill also followed up a Nesmith ...