Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

  Who is going to rebound for the Boston Celtics this season? Thay have lost five of their top-7 board men through injury (Tatum), trades and desersions. In the 2024-25 regular season, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Luke Kornet and Jrue Holiday accounted for 31.3 rebounds per contest. The entire team averaged 45.3 RPG . "Boston, we have a problem". Only Derrick White and Jaylen Brown remain in green from the top-7 rebounders for last season. So, where are the boards going to come from? All of this assumes that Al Horford will be on the west coast soon , but Neemias Queta averaged 9.9 RPG (per 36 minutes) last season , and he is expected to be the starter - at least for the beginning of the season. It appears that Joe Mazzulla may go big at the power forward slot to help make up for the projected lack of board men. So, who is that fifth starter at the PF position? It is too early to totally answer that question, but 6'10" Luka Garza has averaged 9...

  Hey! Why not? The loss of Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Luke Kornet means Joe Mazzulla has to find 63 points (per game), 25 rebounds and 12 assists somewhere. So why not acquire Ben Simmons if his price is right for Boston's cost-cutting financial situation. He won't be 30 years old for another year, and he has averaged 13 points, seven rebounds and seven assists per game for his career.  Ben is not a shooter, even from the foul line . But he does almost everything else well , including defense . Wikipedia lists him as a point guard/power forward. He is versatile .  No, he won't be chucking up 3-pointers, but his ball handling, passing skills and transition offense will create scoring opportunities for others. Mazzulla just may be relying on his troops to force turnovers via tough defense, and it just happens that Simmons has a career average of 1.5 steals per game . Ben Simmons badly needs a redemptive season, and he has some skills that c...

 The Celtics Kristaps Porzingis is listed as "probable" for tonight's Game-2 clash with the New York Knicks. He saw only 13 minutes of action in Boston's Game-1 loss to New York - producing ZERO points (0-4 shooting), four boards and one assist - all in the first half .  Coach Joe Mazzula stated that the Latvian center simply could not continue in the second half. An unknown respiratory illness seems to be doing a number on the big man. Porzingis is taking some heat on social media , and that is unfair. The Celtics brought the big man into the fold because of his size and skills, knowing how fragile he is. But a number of Celtics fans have the perception that anyone making almost $30 million this year should be out there if they can move and talk . What Kristaps Porzingis is doing to our fanbase. GET IT TOGETHER pic.twitter.com/cKm3clwdtm — 𝙍𝙊𝘾🏖️(limited and can’t like) (@RavensOsCelts08) May 6, 2025 But the NBA playoffs are grueling , particularly for anyon...

 It was almost three years ago that (then) Celtics Head Honcho, Danny Ainge , voiced the need for his team to have a shooter at the big position . Well, Kristaps Porzingis certainly has the size at 7'2". And the guy can shoot - and hit - from anywhere on the court. With Danny Ainge off to Utah, present Celtics honcho, Brad Stevens made the move to acquire the Latvian big man when he became available. His height alone makes it difficult for defenders to block his shot attempts, and he gets his shots off fast - VERY fast . This season, he sits behind only the Jay Team duo in scoring at 19.7 PPG . Danny Ainge on 98.5 on what @Celtics need.... "I would say maybe shooting, with size. ... We could use shooting, we could use passing. But you always need defense. ... I think that shooting at the big position is something we haven't had." — Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) February 4, 2021 How about accuracy, you may ask. On that note, he is third on the team on accuracy fr...

  If you don't like the forthcoming gun analogy, jump to the next paragraph . As a former cop, I realize why many police officers carry a second (backup) gun on duty . It is there in the event the primary weapon misfires, jams or runs out of ammo. That is the Celtics' Al Horford. First of all, I don't consider the "Dominican Gentleman" as a backup - in the sense of a Celtics substitute - despite the media's habit of keeping him out of so many team photos. Al is vital to Boston's quest of Banner 19. Horford is seventh on the team in minutes (27.6 MPG), and Kristaps Porzingis is barely ahead (6th place at 27.7 MPG) . It's apparent that Joe Mazzulla is keeping "The Unicorn" (injury-prone) and "The Dominican" (38 years old) somewhat under wraps during the regular season . But Al's per-36-minute-stats are solid: 11.5 PPG - 7.0 RPG - 2.9 APG - .9 SPG - 1.2 BPG - .459 FG - .396 3s - .875 FT My point is that I love having Horford...

 Payton Pritchard is on the move - and I don't mean moving out of Boston. The Ringer has added the 6'1" combo guard to their Top-100 NBA Players . Pritchard sits at #84 in the rankings - between C J McCollum (#83) and Amen Thompson (#85) . The five other Celtics on the list bare Jayson Tatum (#4), Jaylen Brown (#12), Derrick White (#35), Jrue Holiday (#47) and Kristaps Porzingis (#48) Welcome to the NBA Top 100, Payton Pritchard: https://t.co/BHdHwfHIv7 — Zach Kram (@zachkram) December 11, 2024 With all things being equal, numerically we would have 3.3 players per team on this list, and it is noteworthy that Boston has placed six members of the team in the rankings. Hell, the Cleveland Cavaliers currently have the best record in the League and only placed four on the list . Congrats to Payton Pritchard for proving his worth and for working so hard to accomplish what he has.

 With free-agent centers such as Andre Drummond and Daniel Theis , recently signed by other NBA teams, the Boston Celtics may be content with their present center quintet of Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman and Neemias Queta.  Horford has shown he is not ready for the rocking chair quite yet. Porzingis may be fragile, but he is a positive difference maker when healthy . Simply stated, he does everything out there. Kornet gives the team size, rebounding and rim protection. Ditto for Queta . Tillman adds muscle and defense, particularly against opposing brutes. That all adds up to a ton of versatility at the 5-spot . Brad Stevens was intent on keeping the entire 2023-24 unit intact as much as possible, and he has done that. Add me to the list of fans concerned with Horford's age and Porzingis' fragility. But the three backups at the 5-spot have proven they are up to the task.

 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....

 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...

 No surprise here. Two Celtics players have made the NBA All-Defense Second Team , and their names are Jrue Holiday and Derrick White . Boston lost a former Defensive-Player-of-the-Year in Marcus Smart, but these two guys have filled in admirably. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis when he's healthy, may get most of the headlines, but the White-Holiday backcourt has played a major role in The Green's success this season. The NBA is going to announce the all defense team this afternoon at 2pm. We have 4 guys who have a strong case for being named. pic.twitter.com/3bCnp4Wzb7 — Boston_Die_Hard (@NbaSwingPass) May 21, 2024 Congrats to Jrue and Derrick. They do their jobs quietly - with no fanfare -  but Boston fans know what the have in these two stars.    

 I can't believe I am resurrecting the much-despised Rick Pitino's rant skewering Boston fans, but I felt it necessary (Pitino) “Larry Bird is not walking through that door, fans. Kevin McHale is not walking through that door, and Robert Parish is not walking through that door. And if you expect them to walk through that door, they’re going to be gray and old. ....the only thing we can do is work hard, and all the negativity that’s in this town sucks." In his rant, Pitino was shielding himself from criticism coming from Boston sports fans, and it failed - as did Rick with his stint in Beantown. Now we have a mastermind at the helm in Brad Stevens and a young, somewhat-inexperienced, but focused, coach in Joe Mazzulla - trying desperately to nail Banner 18. This present Celtics team is good - very good . But they just can't seem to get the job done when that Banner 18 seems within their grasp. Right now, with one exception (Kristaps Porzingis) , they are healthy ....

 The reasons behind the Celtics unexpected loss to the Miami Heat in Game-2 have all been discussed. Stifling Miami defense and dead-eye accuracy from the hinterlands  and Porzingis having trouble receiving passes and getting open, etc. But how about only three assists from Jayson Tatum and a meager one assist from Jaylen Brown . Hell, Miami's Tyler Herro had 14 assists all by himself in the win - and s till managed a team-high 24 points - while hitting 7-of-13 from the field and 6-of-11 on threes. Let's go back to the 1986 Celtics post-season . Larry Bird, from the forward position, averaged 8.2 assists-per-game. Even Kevin McHale, alias "The Black Hole", averaged 2.7 APG.   This is hardly an indictment against The Jay Team. The point is simply that they have seasoned scorers on the floor with them, and as good as Jaylen and Jayson are, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Al Horford need more looks - even in clutch time. Miami Coach, Eric Spoelstra , may be trying to ...

 It was apparent from the start that the Miami Heat were not giving away anything to the Celtics . Their defense was versatile and stifling.  But few expected their shooting display from the hinterlands in the Heat's 111-101 defeat of Boston . They hit on 23-of-43 shots from deep for a 53.5 percentage. In the regular season , they only attempted an average of 33.7 3-pointers per game, making 12.5 of them (37.0%) . What also didn't help the Celtics cause was Kristaps Porzingis having an off-shooting night . He was 1-of-9 from the field and 0-of-4 from long range for a total of six points . He did fine in the other categories, however, with eight rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks. And give credit to T yler Herro and his 24 points, five boards and 14 assists. He lived up to his name . So it's on to Miami with the series tied 1-1. Home court has once again been negated versus the Miami Heat - in a series that many felt would be a sweep by Boston - particul...

Guest article by "The Sports Machine with Slim"  Celtics Fans - Let's Get Busy! Today the Boston Celtics kick off what should be an amazing playoff run. We are the most talented team in the league and we have gotten the benefit of an incredibly easy draw. Jimmy Butler is down, and after we beat the Heat, Cleveland or Orlando will await us. Please excuse me while I laugh. If the Celtics come with the right effort level, there is no way on God's green earth that any of those teams can beat us four out of seven games. Zero percent chance. But what if the Celtics DONT come with the right intensity and effort? What if Jayson Tatum doesn't hustle back on D and instead chooses to whine at officials like he has done for most of his career? What if Jaylen Brown chooses to dribble too much and makes untimely turnovers like he has done for most of HIS career? And what if Kristaps Porzingis turns into the soft unicorn that he has been for most of his career? What will happ...

 I just like the move. The Boston Celtics have seen enough positive things from Neemias Queta that they have signed him to a standard contract. The 7', 245-lb. center will be eligible to participate in the upcoming playoffs, and he may see a little action if the injury bug hits Horford, Porzingis or Kornet. But Queta will basically be a role player - using his size and strength to score down low - take down boards - and defend the rim. His per-36-minutes stats with Boston this season (14.5 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 1.8 BPG) might indicate what value he could supply with more floor time and seasoning. We have signed Neemias Queta ☘️ pic.twitter.com/kyA5iLLMjV — Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 9, 2024 He is still raw, but kept improving throughout the season. I like Brad Stevens' move. And I like this kid.

 NBA.com's Sam Mitchell said it best. Kristaps Porzingis keeps his game simple . With him, it is not about great handles, acute passes or or intricate shots . Did I mention he keeps it simple. Most of the noise surrounding the Celtics play centers on the importance of the "Long Latvian" remaining healthy for the post season . Opponents have no solid answer for him . He shoots over the smaller defenders and takes it to the hoop against the bigger ones. This season, he is shooting .529 from the field and .360 on threes . If he gets fouled, Kristaps hits his free throws at a .845 clip . Lately, when he sets a screen, he heads for the basket and gets his share of jams. Oh, and he is blocking close-to-shots-per game (1.9 BPG). There is nothing complicated about Porzingis' game. Doesn't have to be. He posts up, rebounds and blocks shots like many of the big-men-of-old - and his shots from the hinterlands are quick, smooth and accurate. Does every other fan cringe each...

  The Athletics "Bouncies" Awards are out for this season, and the Boston Celtics are tied to two of the awards.  Kristaps Porzingis: Runner-up for "Best Acquisition". That's the good news for Celtics fans. The bad news is that he lost the top award in this category to the Clippers James Harden . But Harden has apparently found his place in LA. The Clips are on a roll. But so are the Celtics, and Kristaps Porzingis has a lot to do with that.  Grant Williams: Runner-up for "Worst Acquisition" Being runner-up for Grant in this category is actually a good thing since no player wishes to be tagged as the "WORST' anything . The Wizards Jordan Poole takes top (bottom) place in this category.  The trade for Porzingis and the deal that sent Williams packing had their share of critics, but at the mid-point of the 2023-24 season, Brad Stevens' moves are looking damn good.

 There is often a reticence among pro sports participants to broach the subject of race - but back in 2004, Larry Bird,  as Pacers president of basketball operations, had no such restraints ( per ESPN.com ):  "Well, I think so," said (Larry) Bird, the Indiana Pacers' president of basketball operations. "You know, when I played, you had me and Kevin [McHale] and some others throughout the league. I think it's good for a fan base because, as we all know, the majority of the fans are white America. And if you just had a couple of white guys in there, you might get them a little excited. But it is a black man's game, and it will be forever. I mean, the greatest athletes in the world are African-American." Larry was sarcastically dubbed "The Great White Hope" by one or two of his new teammates upon his arrival in Boston, and he became just that . Many felt that this relatively slow, only-moderately-athletic white guy could not make a major mark ...

 The NBA has sent notice to its teams that "Workload Management" doesn't appear to work  (per NBA.Com's Shaun Powell): "The NBA sent data from an exhaustive study to its teams this week that showed no link between load-managed players and a decreased risk of injury. This was the result of independent research on 10 years of NBA data where leaders in sports medicine took into account the schedule, the amount of games and the regular season load that players typically carry. For years, some league officials questioned whether players who constantly rested, even in back-to-back game situations, were in no danger of being seriously hurt. This study seems to support that notion." If this "exhaustive study" holds water , Celtics Coach, Joe Mazzulla , might try reducing minutes rather than games-played. Oh, wait a minute. He just did that in Thursday's blowout loss against the Milwaukee Bucks. Al Horford sat that one out on the second game of a back...

  I see little discussion of one factor in the Celtics' hold on the top spot in win-percentage (.788, 26-7) this season. The Green have torn down the most rebounds per game (47.3 RPG) , as well as most defensive boards (36.0 DRPG) per contest. Jayson Tatum leads the pack with 8.5 caroms/game , and is trailed by seven (7) players with 3.5-or-more rebounds per game. Boston's two centers (Porzingis and Horford) hold the second-and-third spots, respectively, then comes in the s omewhat-maligned Jrue Holiday with an impressive 6.5 boards per game from his backcourt spot. Neemias Queta is next at 5.3 per contest, despite limited minutes. Jaylen Brown (5.1), Derrick White (3.9) and Sam Hauser (3.5 RPG) round out the top-8 in board work.  NBA rebounding is, in large part, hard work and dedication to the task. The Celtics are excelling at it this season - and sharing the work load. "Sharing" is the key word there. These guys work very well together! Author's Note...