Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 It was obvious from the start that the Boston Celtics were not going to lose 3-straight games . The 142-105 victory over Indiana was decisive. Jaylen Brown was the undisputed star of the show - producing a team-high 44 points , along with five boards, three assists, four steals and a team-high plus/minus of +30. Payton Pritchard came off the bench, but played 32 minutes while flirting with a triple double (18 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists) . Pritchard has gone from a little-used sub to a vital part as potential Sixth-Man-of-the-Year. How does he sneak in for those offensive boards? Speaking of "little-used", fans had a lengthy sighting of Jordan Walsh (21 minutes) . The 6'6" G/F came away with nine points, five rebounds, two assists and one block. Joe Mazzulla put Walsh early in the game and Jordan showed a little bit of why Boston signed him to a 4-year deal.   The Celtics take on the Pacers onc4e again at, TD Garden on Sunday.

Jaylen Brown has taken a number of hits from some Celtics fans over the years, but he didn't falter . He kept on plugging - learning - fitting in - and getting better and better . Now, after winning the series against the Indiana Pacers, his work and progression have been recognized.   Jaylen Brown wins the Larry Bird Trophy for 2024 Eastern Conference Finals MVP 🏆 pic.twitter.com/rGa4U97cUW — NBA TV (@NBATV) May 28, 2024 We sometimes forget that Jaylen is the "senior" member of the Jay Team, but still has to play "second fiddle" to Jayson Tatum . That has to be difficult. But holding the Larry Bird Trophy in the hands that have been so productive getting his team back to the NBA Finals most-likely erases the verbal attacks by naysayers. Jaylen has been indispensable to his team, and the Larry Brown Trophy is in sight.  

 We are talking assists by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown - and winning the rebounding battle, particularly off the offensive glass . I have broached this previously. If The Jay Team gets the ball to their teammates in sufficient numbers - and the whole team hits the offensive glass - good things happen. In Boston's close win over Indiana in Game-1, Jaylen and Jayson combined for nine assists, five for Tatum and four for Brown. And the team came away with 13 offensive boards . Jrue Holiday alone had five of those. Jayson and Jaylen have both matured - now realizing that they have some real sharpshooters in their present starting-5. At least one-of-Horford, Holiday and White can have a 20-plus game , and last night it was Jrue with 28 points on 62%/50%/100%, from the field - deep - and free throw line, respectively. In the end, offensive boards are pure hustle , and assists by the team leaders display team play . Both can be critical against an Indiana team that doesn't appea...

  It certainly showed last night in Boston's close win over the fast-and-furious Pacers. Jrue Holiday was once again in his playoff mode. His stats for the game were: 28 points - 7 rebound (5 offensive) - 8 assists - 3 steals - 10-of-16 FG - 4-0f-8 3s He logged a team-high 48:19 minutes , a clear indicator of his importance to the Celtics cause. Jrue's always-intense defense was also on display, helping Indiana lose control of the ball for a total of 21 turnovers. Jaylen Brown called his teammate, Jrue Holiday, an "assassin". He is just that, but a quiet one - the most-dangerous kind for an opponent. What a great pickup by Brad Stevens.

 It's already out there. The vibes are resounding that the Boston Celtics , mostly due to key injuries to members of opposing teams, have had - and will have - an easy path - at least to the NBA Finals ( per nytimes.com ): "Boston faced a  Miami Heat  team without  Jimmy Butler . Now, it’s facing a  Cavaliers  team that misses  Jarrett Allen  and just had to sit Mitchell because of his knee. Also, this is a Cleveland team that gave away  the worst t-shirts ever  used as promo. Assuming the Celtics take care of business in the next game or two ( they beat Cleveland 109-102  last night to move to 3-1 in the series), they will face either a  young, inexperienced Pacers team  with one of the worst defenses we’ve ever seen, or an  extremely banged-up Knicks squad  missing at least two starters." No kidding! Since when has good luck not been a requirement for bringing the Championship Trophy back to your home city? G...

 Where do I start? Flashback to Game-5 of the 1991 Celtics-Pacers playoff series . Larry Bird spent the night before the game in traction with a spine ailment - was there for opening tap - and during one play, hit his head on the floor so hard, his head bounced. He was forced to head to the locker room with a fractured cheekbone, and possible concussion, but returned to the court with an astounding roar from the crowd . Boston took the game and the series as I watched every minute of the contest on TV. Now to the present. I have rightfully been critical of Jayson Tatum for his frequent complaints to officials . But after the hard foul on him by Caleb Martin in Game-1 of the Celtics-Heat series - and Jayson's quick bounce-back from the floor - and what could have been a serious injury - I saw a guy that is ready to be an on-court leader for his team. That is my focus. I am rightfully proud of Jayson - the entire Celtics team - and the coaches and execs. Not one of the folks conne...

 The "Cinderella" Pacers move on to the In-Season Tournament Semis, while the favored Celtics are out. The 122-112 loss by Boston was disappointing, but the real losers are the lower-salaried players for The Green. That octet includes Payton Pritchard, Luke Kornet, Oshae Brissett, Svi Mikhailuk, Lamar Stevens, Dalano Banton, Sam Hauser and Jordan Walsh . That group earns from a high of $4.0 million (Pritchard) to $1.1 million (Walsh). Every member of the Celtics will receive $50,000.00 for making the quarter-finals , but the prize for the Finals Champ is half-a-million dollars ($500,000.00) . That half-a-million is cheap change for the higher-paid members of the team - not so for the others. Both Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet did their best in the loss to keep their team in the running. Luke may have had his best game as a Celtic with six points, four boards, two assists, one steal and four blocks. Sam was on fire - with 15 points on 5-of-9 from the field and 5-of-7 on tre...

 The NBA In-Season Tournament is underway, and the Boston Celtics face the Indiana Pacers (in Indiana) tonight in the one-loss-and-gone Quarter Finals. Two stars - one from each team - are listed as "OUT" The Celtics Kristaps Porzingis will not play due to a strained calf muscle. The Pacers Tyrese Haliburton is out (or "questionable") with either a knee issue or illness.  Haliburton does everything for Indiana , and his loss for this contest is huge. This season, he is averaging 27.0 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 11.8 APG and 1.1 SPG . Did I mention he does everything? The game would normally be considered defense (Celtics with 2nd place in Defensive Rating) versus offense (Pacers 1st in Offensive Rating) , but Haliburton's near-12-assists per game will be missed. Boston holds first place in Net Rating, while Indiana is in 10th place . The odds are in Boston's favor, but The Green often get complacent against "inferior" teams. At least one NBA analyst has tagg...

 We can make a strong argument that Boston's starting-5 of Tatum, Brown, Porzingis, Holiday and White is tops in the League. But after six games, production drops off precipitously after that. The starting quintet are all logging 30-minures-or-more , and the next three off the bench (Horford, Pritchard and Hauser) are averaging 24, 19 and 19 minutes, respectively . The alarm comes with the bench scoring. The starters all average double-digits in points , with Jrue Holiday putting up the fewest at 13.7 PPG. Sam Hauser is the 6th-leading point guy at 7.3 PPG , followed by Al Horford at 5.3 PPG and Payton Pritchard at 3.7 PPG. That ain't going to cut it, either in the regular season and certainly not in the post-season. Unless there is a little-used gem on the bench just waiting for his shot, Brad Stevens may have to acquire another proven veteran, perhaps from the buyout market. I ndiana's (and former Celtic) Daniel Theis would be a decent addition. Stay tuned.

 I only post a few items about possible trades involving the Boston Celtics, but Daniel Theis-back-to--Boston could happen. He didn't see the floor in Boston's win over the Pacers, and he could end up being traded - or possibly a buyout candidate . This is the German C/Fs last guaranteed season with Indiana since next season is a team team option. It is doubtful if the Celtics could work a trade due to the $9.1 million owed to Theis for 2023-24.   The return of Daniel to Beantown is an intriguing idea, and the team could certainly use his services at the right price. The chances of that happening are not great, but stay tuned.

 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?"

 Celtics coach, Joe Mazzulla , has certainly given his 2-bigs starting lineup of Al Horford and Rob Williams a valid shot in the regular season, but don't expect to see much of it going forward. Frankly, Derrick White has been a true shot-in-the-arm for Boston this season . He plays hard-and-fast at both ends and now works nicely with Marcus Smart in the backcourt. His presence in the starting lineup allows Smart to do what he does best, often covering the oppositions top player. White ranks 5th in minutes per game at 28.3 MPG . And he has started 62-of-the-74 games he has played this season (84%). Rob Williams is 8th in minutes at 23.8 MPG - while starting 18-of-the-30 games in which he has particiupated.  (60%). Williams III coming off the bench serves as a disruptor , as evidenced by his eight boards, three steals and three blocks in the Celtics victory over Indiana last night . Having Derrick set the fast pace right out of the gate - and watching Rob enter the game and...

 There are various links between the late actor/pro athlete Chuck Connors and former NBA players Larry Bird and Chuck Person. Connors played for the Boston Celtics in the late 1940's and had the distinction of being the first pro basketball player to break a backboard (per Wikipedia): During his tenure with Celtics in  1946 , Connors became the first professional basketball player to  break a backboard . He did so during pre-game practice before the Celtics' first home game of their inaugural season with a shot and not a  slam dunk , which is what typically breaks a backboard in modern basketball.  He played 53 games for Boston before leaving the team early in the 1947–48 season. Chuck Connors played the role of Lucas McCain in the popular TV series, The Rifleman , in the 1950's. McCain was portrayed as a man of peace - who somehow managed to kill at least one or two bad guys per episode. Chuck Person was named "Chuck" by his parents after Chuck Connors and ...

 Their games are similar. Both Sam Hauser and former-Celtic (now Pacer) Aaron Nesmith are wings that can shoot the ball and work hard on both ends of the floor. For this season, their per-36-minutes stats are very close:' Nesmith: 14.4 PPG - 5.8 RPG - 1.8 APG - 43% FG - 38% 3s Hauser: 14.6 PPG - 5.7 RPG - 1.5 APG - 46% FG - 42% 3s In the 117-112 loss to Indiana last night, Aaron started the game and logged 28 minutes . He finished with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Sam came off the bench - played 17 minutes - and supplied 10 points, six boards and two steals . He shot 50% from both the field and 3-point range, while Nesmith hit 46% of his field goal attempts and 20% from 3-point territory. Brad Stevens obviously saw that Hauser could fill Nesmith's role with Boston and sent Aaron to Indiana as part of the summer deal that brought Malcolm Brogdon to Beantown. Thus far, the transaction seems to be working for all parties involved,

 There are parallels between former- Celtic, Al Jefferson , and present Celtics center, Rob Williams. Larry Bird praised Al's footwork soon after Jefferson entered the League, and despite early injuries, the 6'10" center broke out in his third season in Boston .Al became the main prize for the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston . And now in his fourth season, Rob Williams, despite early injuries, is having a breakout season , and be assured there will be much interest in his services from rival GMs. My take on all of this would be that RWill is the most-physically-gifted big men to grace the center spot for Boston since Bill Russell . He wing span and athleticism are through the roof, and his basketball IQ has progressed greatly. It would take a massive return (a la Kevin Garnett) to move him out of Beantown . Such a "massive return" would be the Pacers Domantas Sabonis, a multi-skilled 6'11" center who is only 25 year...

       Anytime the Celtics play the Pacers I can't but help think about the battles we would have against them towards the Original Big Threes end run together.  Especially that playoff series in 91 - an epic five game series. Followed by 92 where the Celtics swept them under the rug. Despite age and injury Bird, McHale and Parish always left it on the floor.       1st Quarter        My hope for tonight, I want solid, good basketball on both ends of the floor. I want to see ball movement, screens being set, pick and rolls, and DRIVING TO THE HOOP! On D I expect active hands, crisp switches, and hustle. We need to see Ime get plays where they Jays can play off of each other. Time to get back to 500, then we can watch this team make a run and show they can be a force to reckon with.       JT hits his 700th three, while I'm not big on the three, it's pretty impressive. Love seeing JT kicking to JB for three ...

      RWill fits with the Jays, like feta and kalamata olives on a nice Greek salad.        Check these stats 41 minutes, 14 points, 12 boards (6 offensive), 4 steals, 3 blocks, 6-of-6 from the line and only one personal foul. Tell me this doesn't deserve an award. Not to mention how many extra possessions he gets for this team because of intangibles! Did I mention he fits so well with the Jays! Did I mention steal of the draft at 27!! I just stinking love this dude on the floor.             Take a look at our Celtics Sentinel Citation Award Winner! RWill The Thrill! He's come so far in his career and the sky is the limit! It's like listening to a John Williams score . It just continues to get better. That's what we are seeing and hearing from this young stud! 

      Anytime we play Indiana how can you not think about the greatest player to ever come out of that state. Larry Joe Bird ! How about that 75th anniversary moment from the Celtics where Bird hit his face off the Garden Floor, not gonna lie at a young age I got choked up seeing him come back out and doing what he did! EPIC!       1st Quarter        Attack and off glass, that's the way you start the game JB! Driving and gliding, JT getting to the rack for the call. Out of the two stars, we see good offensive decisions. If Celtics fans learned patience, they would see both big dawgs are growing and maturing in their games. Still not big on Imes offensive sets, as I watch both Jays drinking their coffee in the corners. Where's the motion and movement?!         RWill aka Mr All Out Hustle, saving yet another possession for the Celtics this season. There should be a stat for that, and he would be leading that category. ...

  The Good Kemba Walker was on target. He was high-scorer for Boston with 32 points on 53% shooting from the field. And he did more than just hit his shots, coming away with six boards and three assists. He, and the team, needed this game from him. The bench came through. Payton Pritchard (30 minutes, nine points, four rebounds, team-high plus/minus of + 13), Jeff Teague (14 points) and Rob Williams (see next paragraph) all contributed to the victory. Adjusting Rob Williams minutes to the 37 played by Myles Turner , TIMELORD's numbers project to 27 points, 19 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and five blocks . Turner had 17 points, 10 boards, one steal and three blocks. Make what you wish from that.  The Bad Marcus Smart remains out of action with a calf tear/sprain. It is uplifting for fans that the Celtics took the win from an Eastern Conference rival without The Wolverine on the court, but this injury worries me. His grade 1 sprain tore some micro muscle fibers. If ...

Celtics fans starting to see more than just a freakish athlete Would you believe Rob Williams is leading the Celtics in at least seven (7) statistical categories at the 3-game mark of the 2020-21 season? Yes, it's true. Williams III leads all of his teammates in the following per-100-possessions categories: Offensive Rating (148) Defensive Rating (107) Blocks (4.3) Steals (5.7) Field Goal percentage (88.9%) Win Shares per 48 minutes (.246) Player Efficiency Rating (31.0) Rob really came through in the Celtics recent loss to the Indiana Pacers. He was energetic, focused and composed on the floor. We may be starting to see his emergence as a solid piece of the rotation. Brad Stevens is letting the kids play. With 22 minutes of floor time, this is Rob Williams best game as a Celtic. Robert Williams III Highlights vs Indiana Pacers (12 pts, 4 reb, 4 stl, ... https://t.co/9kNzTdC5az via @YouTube — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) December 28, 2020 Granted, the sample is small. Williams has...