Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

  This mock draft was held several years ago, and eight teams consisting of 10 players each would be drafted - for a total of 80 players. A total of 76 players had to come from the members of the 75th Anniversary Team, and four others could be "wild cards". It was a snake draft. Larry Bird was the first Celtic chosen (by Sue Bird) with the 13th-overall pick. It is noteworthy that Dominique Wilkins chose himself with the #1 -overall pick . Bill Russell was the second player from Boston - taken with the 19th pick by Shams Charania . Kevin Garnett went to Sue Bird with the very-next (#20) pick . Kevin McHale was off the board at #24, and Ray Allen was next at #34 by Charania. Dave Cowens went to Charles Barkley at #38 and Wilkins chose Paul Pierce at #48. West took John Havlicek and Bill Sharman with his 8th and 10th picks, respectively, well after going with Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor as his first, 2nd and 4th choices, respectively.  Sue Bird took Sam...

 Just watched a replay of Game-6 of the 1963 NBA  Finals - Celtics versus Lakers. Brings back a lot. Celtics took the game (112=109) and the 1963 Championship. The game was close. This was Bob Cousy's last game as a Boston Celtic. He had 18 points and seven assists, even hampered by an ankile injury sustained late in the game. Tom Heinsohn was the hero - sealing the win with a key offensive rebound, put-back - all while getting fouled. He was high scorer for Boston with 22 points, while taking down nine boards. Ferocious is what describes Bill Russell's rebounding prowess. He had 24 rebounds in this one, but I had forgotten his passing skills from the low post. He too game honors in both rebounding AND assists (9 of them). I had also (somewhat) forgotten Elgin Baylor's overall superb talent and his "head-shake" habit as he brought the ball over half court. he had a line of 28/8/8 in this contest.  Jerry West had a line of 32P/7R/9A - just a routine night for...

  The Celtics had the game in their pocket versus the Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas Day , but it was the most-recent Finals MVP Award winner, Giannis Antetokounmpo , that made sure Boston didn't leave with the win. The Celtics just don't seem to have that player with the intensity to figuratively stick that dagger into the heart of an opponent and maybe twist it a bit . Bill Russell never won that specific award because it didn't exist until his last season (1968-69) in the League - and Jerry West took the award that year even though his Lakers lost to Boston in the Finals . "The Logo" was that good. But the prize is now known for Russ, an intense competitor who possessed that "killer instinct". Larry Bird took the Finals MVP Trophy twice - Paul Pierce won one of them - and even the often-dismissed Cedric Maxwell grabbed one . All three gave "no quarter" . No Quarter (definition): No pity or mercy I view Jayson Tatum as a transcendent player...

 Interesting fact! The Champion 2007-08 Celtics and current Warriors team have something in common. They hold down the 3rd-and-4th spots, respectively for Largest Point Differential (since the merger) over the first 19 games of the season. That Boston squad had a PD of +265 , while Golden State had a PD of +258 . So what? Well, it's all about team-construction. The 2015-16 Warriors team holds the number-one spot in Point-Differential-Over-First-19-Games, and Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green headed that crew. That also holds true for the current, 2021-22 version of Golden State , although Klay has yet to play this season due to injury. NBA TV's Steve Smith and Greg Anthony discussed the Warriors 17-2 (best in the West) start this season, and Draymond was the focal point . As in the 2015-16 season he remains the "point forward" , leading the team in assists once again with 7.8 APG. As Greg Anthony put it, "They run most of their offense through ...

  You just knew the premier of NBA Lane was going to be special right from the start when the overhead cloud formation is that of the NBA logo. Masterful stuff! Then, unbelievably, it got better. Once I got over the fact that, at 77 years of age, I am two years older than the League I write about , the film was absolutely charming. 'Bout time I've been recognized for my 6-plus decades of following the NBA. pic.twitter.com/pAHhPJbaih — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) October 5, 2021 NBA Lane has it all. The old guys - the youngsters - the rivalries - but most of all, the memories and the hope that the young guys bring to a League that has entertained us for 75 years through tough times and joyous seasons ( per NBA.com ):  • The morning clouds look like Logoman • Magic Johnson’s street address is 32 NBA Lane, Larry Bird’s is 33 NBA Lane – they (obviously) live across the street from each other on NBA Lane • Dwayne Wade lives at #3 NBA Lane • Oscar Robertson lives at #181 NBA Lane –...

 NBA Champion NBA MVP NBA All-Star All-NBA Team The above-four honors are the main indicators for lasting fame in the NBA. Bill Russell, Dave Cowens and Larry Bird hold a combined 81 awards from the four categories. Notice that of the four honors, only one can be attributed to a team effort, and that is NBA Champ. Take notice, Jayson Tatum! But even the three individual awards depend somewhat on team success . Making All-NBA often relies on a player being on a team with at least a moderately-good record. For example, Russell Westbrook is having one terrific season, recently breaking Oscar Robertson's record for triple-doubles in a season, but there is some doubt that he will make All-NBA this year because his team, the Wizards, own a 32-38 record . The Celtics Jayson Tatum has already achieved star status in the League, but to separate himself from the pack and get into serious consideration as future MVP or top-5 status , he needs to grab that leadership role next season and ...

 As a hopefully-welcome diversion to a disappointing Celtics season, I broach the following to my readers - and welcome them to join in. Here are my choices for the Magnificent-7 , along with a few guidelines in choosing them.   I broke my own rule when I put Russ into The Magnificent-7. He had a weakness. he could not shoot - at least beyond 10 feet. Only 15.1 PPG for his career, along with 56% on free throws. See my reasoning tomorrow and join in. https://t.co/99cOwo0pJR — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) May 7, 2021 As I stated in the above tweet, I did break my rule for "no significant weaknesses" in putting Bill Russell into the mix. He would never be compared to Sam Jones as an outside shooter, nor would he be close to Bob Cousy as a ball handler. But he was so damn dominant in most other categories - and such a winner - he can' be left out. As far as picking the sole player still on the hardwood, Lebron James , many may not like him as a person, but this guy has bee...

Former-Celtic, Kyrie Irving is going all out to promote the late Kobe Bryant as the new NBA logo , replacing the current one represented by Jerry West. This debate, though never actually happening in reality, will be presented as though it did. Red Auerbach : Kyrie, why are you campaigning to have Kobe Bryant as the next NBA logo. What's wrong with Jerry West. Kyrie Irving : There's nothing wrong with Jerry West. I am talking about my generation. Kobe was drafted at 17 years old. He's MY generation.  Red: Sounds like this is more about you than Kobe! Kyrie : No, it's just that " this is the guy for us and the guy for me . He is my mentor and more than an inspiration. I took a lot of wisdom and knowledge from that guy and he is always around me and Gigi is always around me ." Red : I think you just supported my position. A lot of "I's", "my's" and "me's" in there . Kyrie: Who would you want for the logo, Red? Red...

What goes unmentioned in the abrupt departure of Doc Rivers as coach of the Los Angeles Clippers is the role of Jerry West in the transition. "The Logo" only won one Title as a player with the Lakers, mainly due to the brick wall in the guise of the Boston Celtics. But he garnered eight Championship rings as an exec for the Lakers and Golden State Warriors. Between his stints with the Lakers and Warriors, West joined the Memphis Grizzlies as General Manager. He won no Titles there, but he turned around a franchise that was floundering (per Wikipedia): West's Memphis stint was not as spectacular as his Los Angeles stint, but he turned a franchise which was about to be sold into a reliable playoffs team, making few trades but getting the maximum from the players he had available (such as  Pau Gasol ,  James Posey  and  Jason Williams ) and signing coach  Hubie Brown , who became Coach of the Year in 2004 Jerry West came to the Clippers in 2017 as an executive boar...

Having already proposed the renaming of Christopher Columbus Park in Boston after Celtics-Great, Bill Russell, I will once again advocate strongly for the NBA logo to bear his likeness. Folks responding to @Advil & @CelticsSentinel plea to have Christopher Columbus Park named after Bill Russell. The time is right, and that time is NOW! @FCHWPO https://t.co/7sWY7KVFoL pic.twitter.com/8loOA0s2Re — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) June 3, 2020 Jerry West has been the image on the League's logo since 1969. The designer was Alan Siegel, and apparently Siegel had a reason for his choice (per sportscasting.com's Rick Thomas): The image of West was chosen as the basis of the NBA logo because Siegel felt it best embodied the league’s dynamism and athleticism. The silhouette manages to convey power, movement, and grace all at once West never made any money from his image representing the NBA, and he seems to have no strong feelings about remaining as the visual representation o...

Former-Celtics great, Bill Russell, walked around with a chip on his shoulder, but he also played basketball with that same attitude. Russ has mellowed over the years, but the chip remains in place for anyone attempting to knock it off. Could he play - or even be a star these days? Here's my analysis. Who am I to judge? I lived down the street from Russell in Reading, Massachusetts during the 1960's and started following the NBA at the same time. Bill's second home in Reading was more upscale and private than his first residence on busy Main Street. A line of cedar trees all-but-shielded the Haverhill Street home from view. It was "Big Bill's" (as Johnny Most called him) play on the court that largely fueled my interest in the Boston Celtics, all the way to his final game, and triumph, when he led his team to its 11th Championship on May 5, 1969 versus the Los Angeles Lakers. As Jim Murray, the late Pulitzer Prize-winning sports writer of the Los Angeles T...

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...

It was more than two years ago that Jerry West moved south from the Golden State Warriors to the Los Angeles Clippers' front office. The title of one of my first articles as a sports writer was, Look West, Danny- there's a new man in Clipper Town. The "West" double-entendre referred to Jerry remaining in the Western Conference, this time with the Clips. This is what I wrote: It almost seems like Jerry's (West) revenge, doesn't it. He collected only one championship ring in his career, mainly because of the strong Boston teams. We were always in his way. West created a super Lakers team that the Celts and every other team had trouble with. He convinced Kevin Durant to snub Boston and come to Golden State. We know how that turned out. Now he is with the Clips. The Logo has a way of building powerhouse teams. He did it with the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant Lakers and, more-recently, with the Warriors. Here he goes again. Last night's clash between wha...

Former Boston Celtics guard, Larry Siegfried was a 5-Time NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics in the 1960's, and like Gordon Hayward, he wore #20. I was always a fan of Siggy for his toughness and relentless defense. I never thought I would meet him in person, but that happened in the spring of 1972. I had recently walked away from my career as a Research Engineer at National Research Corporation in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where my scientist partner and I developed the disposable foam ear plugs that are so common today. I took a temporary job as a Game Warden patrolling the banks of the rivers and streams of central Massachusetts. While walking the along the banks of the Squannacook River in Townsend, I spotted a fly-fisherman mid-stream at a distance and recognized him immediately as Larry Siegfried. His fishing license was visible on his vest, so I told him he did not have to come out of the water. But he did anyway - he wanted to talk. He had just retired from the NBA a...

It wasn't just his physical toughness at 6'9" and 240 pounds. The Knickerbockers' Willis Reed certainly had that, as demonstrated in this video below. He took on the entire Lakers team all by himself. But it was in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals that his mental toughness was the inspiration for New York taking on the Los Angeles Lakers and coming away with the win. Reed sat out Game 6 due to a torn thigh muscle suffered in Game 5. LA tied the series at 3-3, with Wilt Chamberlain racking up 45 points and 27 rebounds. Virtually no one expected to see Reed on the court in the final game, but the Madison Square Garden faithful went wild when Willis suddenly appeared. I doubt the Garden rafters had ever resonated like that before. Take the time to watch the video below. The legends, and what they had to say, are priceless. To say Willis was hobbled is to vastly understate his condition. He took an injection of pain killer prior to the game, but his limp was unmistaka...

As a fledgling sports writer two years ago, I wrote on Celtics boss, Danny Ainge, possibly having a new rival NBA exec out west in the person of The Logo, Jerry West. After West's move from the Warrior's camp to Clipper Town, I wrote the following: So Danny has his eyes focused on the western conference, specifically on the Golden State Warriors. He may want to also gaze further south in California and take a look at the Los Angeles Clippers. There is a new guy in Clipper town, and his name is Jerry West, otherwise known as The Logo. But he is much more than simply the image on the NBA logo. The old Boston vs. LA battles may return in the next few years, but with a different look. Well, a combination of the California sun and the solid owner-leadership core of the Los Angeles Clippers, it now appears that the Clips have landed both the much-sought-after, Kawhi Leonard, and All-Star forward, Paul George . These deals now make the best-of-the-West fight even tighter - amazin...