Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 The In-Season Tournament seemed to inspire and energize a Celtics bench that wasn't exactly bringing back memories of Bill Walton, Scott Wedman and Jerry Sichting from the mid-80's .  It started with the somewhat-maligned Luke Kornet . He was aggressive while scoring seven points and hauling in nine rebounds - six of which were off the offensive glass . Payton Pritchard had a solid outing that fans were waiting for, with 13 points, five boards (4 offensive) and three assists . He and Luke were fierce on the offensive glass. Then there was Sam Hauser. "The Mauser" was on target , hitting five of his ten 3-point attempts for 15 points. His ability to get his shot off so quickly and hit the trey so consistently really opens up the floor. In all, Boston got 91 minutes, 37 points, 21 rebounds (13 offensive) and five assists from their bench . Not enough can be said for the ability of Pritchard and Kornet to take down offensive rebounds, setting things up for easy hoo...

 It seems the Boston Celtics have always had one of them - a big, strong guy that can joust with the giants of the NBA and offer protection to the little guys and stars. But they seem to lack one on the current 2022-23 roster. It started with 6'5", 215-lb. Bob Brannum. Bob Cousy needed someone to have his back in the early 50's, and that was Brannum. In the late 50's and early 60's, it was 6'5", 220-lb. Jim Loscutoff . They didn't call him "Jungle Jim" for nothing. The late 60's saw 6'8", 240-lb. Wayne Embry come on board in Boston. Part of his duties was to take some of the heat off Bill Russell , particularly when the Celtics faced Wilt Chamberlain . But "Wayne The Wall" was also a ready "protector of teammates". I am putting 6'8.5", 230-lb. Dave Cowens into this mix, because "Big Red" backed down to nobody and had his share of rumbles. Opponents were a bit afraid of Cowens. They never ...

 If the rumbles hold true, t he Celtics simply can't decide if Jeff Green belongs in Green or not . They may be looking to acquire him for the fourth time . New: Some thoughts on the Celtics reportedly showing trade interest in Jeff Green(!?!) and Jalen Smith https://t.co/gMySzSlKXD — Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) January 12, 2022 FIRST TIME: The Celtics drafted Jeff Green number-5 overall in the 2007 NBA draft but quickly traded him to the Seattle Supersonics (now Thunder) for Ray Allen and Big Baby Davis . SECOND TIME:  Mid-way through the 2011-12 season, Boston traded Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson for Green . The 6'8" forward failed his physical due to a heart ailment, and the contract was voided. THIRD TIME: Jeff missed the entire 2011-12 season after undergoing heart surgery, but the Celtics signed him to a 4-year contract prior to the 2012-13 season. Mid-way through the 2014-15 season, Green was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.  FOURTH TIME?: So here we go again. ...

Red Auerbach was right. He said you can't turn a bad shooter into a good one. And he never tried to do that. Red never forced long-range shooting into the repertoires of players like Bill Russell and Don Chaney . Don't tell me about their field goal percentages . They rarely shot anything past 10 feet. Merely a reminder to Brad Stevens NOT to try turning Rob Williams into a 3-point marksman. "Off the Expressway, over the river, off the billboard, through the window, nothing but net". MJ and Larry Bird Play HORSE | McDonald Commercial | 1993 https://t.co/Vmzcbv8MJ1 via @YouTube — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) April 3, 2021 The same can be said for Tony Allen and Kendrick Perkins . And frankly, for present Celtic, Marcus Smart . Marcus is hitting 40.1% from the field and 32.7% on 3-pointers this season, and that is sufficient for a guy that does so many other things for Boston - so long as his long-range attempts are kept under control. Jacking up too many shots from lo...

I really like the acquisition of 6'7" sharpshooter, Evan Fournier. He fulfills Danny Ainge's stated need for "shooting with size". What he does not supply is toughness. Ditto for big men, Moritz Wagner and Luke Kornet. I really don't want to hear about Kornet's ability to hit shots from the hinterlands. The Celtics have enough (too much?) of that. Remember the Celtics last Championship crew? That was 2008 - 13 years ago. The Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett pairing was not only super-skilled - it was rugged. And don't forget Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins. Perk may not have been a star, but he was tough as nails - and just what that team needed at the center spot. And Rondo may have been an irascible, but he never backed down. I won't go into depth about the toughness of the 60's teams or the 70's and 80's, but the numerous Titles speak for themselves. Bill Russell, Jim Loscutoff, Dave Cowens, Larry Bird, Dennis Johnson. Ever hear of Bob Br...

In November of 2019, the start of Rob Williams' second season in the NBA, I boldly compared Rob's shot-blocking ability to that of the legendary Bill Russell . I was cautious not to over-blow the praise to other areas, such as rebounding, savvy and leadership. It may be time to expand the expectations for this truly-superior athlete. The following from my November, 2019 article: Where Russ was a taller-than-average center at the time, Rob is undersized at the position. Doesn't seem to matter. I watch Williams' elevation, position and timing, and I immediately see Russell-like shot-blocking potential in him. More time on the floor will make him better. Robert will almost certainly never achieve Russell's overall talent level, fame or astounding rebounding ability, but don't be surprised if, with more seasoning, Rob electrifies Boston fans with his ability to deter shots. Actually, he is already doing just that. Williams' 16 points and 13 boards in a mere 19 ...

NBA analyst, and former-Celtic, Kendrick Perkins thinks Jaylen Brown should be named as a starter for the Eastern Conference in the upcoming All-Star game. I totally agree. . @KendrickPerkins has given us his All-Star votes early 👀📝 pic.twitter.com/LJ3cW8n8Dr — NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 29, 2021 This young man needs more credit. Jaylen's stats this season are very close to those of his partner, Jayson Tatum. The difference comes in the number of games each has played. Brown has participated in 12 contests, while Tatum has been there for 12. Jayson absolutely "held the fort" while Jayson was out of action due to COVID protocols. In addition, Tatum already has one All-Star appearance under his belt, and it's time for Jaylen to get recognized for his accomplishments on the hardwood.  Perkins has picked Brown to be alongside JB's former teammate, Kyrie Irving, in the back court. And Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kevin Durant make up his starting fiv...

Don't expect to read about any outrageous Celtics moves in this blog. I am not saying they won't happen because, after all, we are talking Trader Danny here. But bringing bruising center, Aron Baynes, back into the Celtics fold is doable and may be one of the roster tweaks that brings success. Aron is an unrestricted free agent and had a decent season with the Phoenix Suns in 2019-20. In 22.2 minutes per game, he averaged 11.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.6 APG while hitting 48% of his field goals and 59-of-168 (35%) from beyond the arc. With all of the talent on the present Boston roster, the team still lacks strength and physicality . Baynes possesses both of those qualities. Heading back in time to the 2007-08 Championship season, the Celtics did very well with Kendrick Perkins at the center spot, despite Perkins' weakness as a scorer from any distance. But Kendrick was tough and fit nicely alongside Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. Baynes can do likewise partne...

Marcus Smart's ferocity strikes fear into most of his opponents, but he has a tender side. The same dogged defender that harasses opponents into making mistakes and picks up floor burns diving on the floor for loose balls took the time to comfort my family when we were hosted at TD Garden on Saturday, February 29, 2020. This all started following the November death of my granddaughter, Courtney, after a 25-year battle with cystic fibrosis. She left behind my great grandson, Carson Thomas Lane, and I made a very simple request to Carson's namesake, Celtics rookie Carsen Edwards. My Twitter followers stepped up immediately with countless retweets and notifications. Edwards responded promptly via Twitter, as did Marcus Smart, who prompted Twitter followers to "send mail that uplifts & showers this kid with love" . Carson Thomas Lane- I lost my mom recently to. But it’s people like ur great grandpa who will get u thru the tough times as you grow up. Much love youn...

Let me clear this up right away! Boston.com's, Zachary Dupont, praised former-Celtic, Isaiah Thomas, for boosting his former-teammate, Marcus Smart, for NBA Defensive-Player-of-the-Year, which I agree with. But Isaiah didn't start it - I did ( per Boston.Com's Zachary Dupont ): Smart’s former teammate Isaiah Thomas took to Twitter to praise him, and to start a very early campaign for him to be the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. The sequence of Twitter posts is shown below in order of appearance. I got this ball rolling on November 12th, complete with CelticsSentinel article. Follow the sequence. And the 2020 NBA Defensive-Player-of-the-Year Award goes to ----- Marcus Smart. https://t.co/hkEe8hyc5u pic.twitter.com/ODKnSzZNmE — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) November 12, 2019 Marcus Smart DPOY — Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) November 21, 2019 Great minds think a like ✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾 — Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) November 21, 2019 Now that I have vented, Ma...

The quote in the title about rookie Carsen Edwards "looking like a lottery pick" is from former Celtic, Kendrick Perkins. Kendrick was fairly quiet during his tenure in Boston, but he has been expressing his views on the NBA quite a bit lately, and people are paying attention. It’s no way in Hell Carsen Edwards should have went in the second round. Looking like a Lottery Pick to me. GMs must have a different set of eyes then the rest of us lol! — Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) July 13, 2019 Perk was on the Celtics 2004 Summer League squad that included All Jefferson, Tony Allen, Delonte West and Marcus Banks. Jefferson averaged 18 points per game that summer, and Carsen just topped that in five games, averaging 19.4 PPG on 48% from the field and 47% from 3-point land. Carsen Edwards was a walking bucket for the #Celtics in #NBASummerLeague play, recording the highest PPG for the team since 2004👀 https://t.co/0PfpBQ7c7K pic.twitter.com/YgEsvcR1R3 — NBC Sports ...

Ice Cube's BIG3 League is signing players to compete in this summer's 3-on-3 competitions around the country. Two of the latest signings are Kendrick Perkins and Eddie House, both members of the Celtics team that took the 2008 NBA Championship. Former Wizards star, Gilbert Arenas, and former Laker, Lamar Odom, are also scheduled to join the BIG3. I was fortunate last summer to be chosen as part of the Press Corps to cover the BIG3 games at TD Garden in Boston. I came away impressed with the competitiveness of the games and the total availability of the players to attendees. FLASHBACK💥💥💥 Eddie brought down the house in the NBA semifinals against Orlando! Could he and former teammates White Mamba and Perk reunite in #BIG3Season3 and take the title from Big Baby and Power? pic.twitter.com/4BRvJ4FIge — BIG3 (@thebig3) February 15, 2019 Another former Celtics Champion from 2008, Brian Scalabrine, was a part of last summer's BIG3 games as a member of the Ball Hogs, and ...