Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

  "SATISFYING" ? You bet!  Westt Coast versus East Coast. Land of sunshine and warmth against a lanscape being blanketed in snow as I write this, A team that seems to have stars drooling to be there pitted against a franchise that almost always comes through via intelligence, strategy and great decisions . The LA Lakers always seem to sign superstars, in large part because of the lights, the stars of the big-and-small screens and the chance for film credits of their own. Lebron James and Luka Doncic were the two latest star additions on the court last night when Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard and a cast of able supporters walked away with the victory. In Los Angeles, it started with Wilt Chamberlain heading to the City of Angels. And he was followed by Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and Pau Gasol . Quite a cast. And meanwhile, Red Auerbach, Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens were wheeling and dealing for Bill Russell, John Havlicek, JoJo White, Dave Cowens, Larry B...

  The Athletic chose a panel of 43 writers, podcasters and editors to vote for their 25 top NBA players of the 21st century - a tough task, indeed. But they did it anyway, and it was gratifying, as a Celtics fan,  to find three members of The Green , both past and present, on that list . Kevin Garnett came in at #11 , and his MVP Award in 2004 , as a member of the Timberwoves , was mentioned in the article - but his 2008 Championship with Boston was somehow omitted . That omission sticks out because "The Big Ticket's" addition to the Celtics was the transaction that spurred the Title. Paul Pierce came in at #20 . As one would expect, "The Truth's" 2008 Title with Garnett, and his Finals MVP Trophy in the same year, got him into the list. Jayson Tatum was the "Third Celtic Picked" (at #23) , and he belongs . His Eastern Conference Finals MVP Award and 2024 Championship got him there.   Voting in such a poll appears to be highly subjective . ...

 Remember the 1-on-1 competition during the 1972 NBA All-Star festivities . It came down to the Celtics 6'3" point guard, JoJo White, versus the Pistons 6'11" center, Bob Lanier . Size mattered as Lanier took the honors - and the $15,000.00 prize. Reintroducung this type of contest during All-Star weekend - while revising it to a 2-on-2 competition - may be helpful in spurring interest in the activities that take place during the League celebration. And making it a 4-man contest (2-on-2) introduces passing skills into the fray. My personal choice would be to have each pair come from the same team . In 1972, it could have been Lanier and teammate, Dave Bing, against White and Dave Cowens . This season, had Jayson Tatum not been injured , teaming him with Jaylen Brown would have been interesting. And how about pitting them versus the Lakers' Luka Doncic and Lebron James . Almost every NBA fan is bored with what goes on during All-Star weekend, and help is nee...

  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 ...

 The Lakers Bronny James is in a vise - and he knows it. As a father, grandfather and great grandfather, I want my progeny to be better than me - in as many ways as possible.  Lebron James, Jr. has minimal chances at achieving what his dad has accomplished. At 6'1.5", the younger James will (literally) never achieve the 6'8" height of his dad. Or the NBA longevity, prowess and fame that "The King" has earned. But here he is - a member of the Los Angeles Lakers who almost certainly would not have been drafted if Lebron, Sr. didn't manipulate the franchise into doing so. And to make matters worse, his Summer League stats are lackluster - to say the least.  But the 19-year-old youngster did break loose a bit in the Lakers 87-86 win over the Hawks last night . He scored 12 points on 5-of-11 from the field and 2-of-5 from long distance . He admitted post-game that "It felt good". Lebron James, Sr. has been in the spotlight well-before being drafte...

  Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes suggested just that. This is from a recent article: Often, the Lakers' legacy, star power and glamor market allow them to secure talent at a discount. This time, L.A. lost out on a key target who took less to go elsewhere. Missing on (Klay) Thompson wouldn't have stung as much if the Lakers had pivoted to other difference-making acquisitions. But because they've only re-signed LeBron James, agreed to terms with Bronny James and handed Max Christie a four-year, $32 million extension, their offseason rates as a major disappointment. Maybe the allure of L.A. isn't what it used to be. Klay finally decided to head to Dallas, as opposed to signing for more money with the team (Lakers) that traded for his dad in 1987. The title of Hughes' article is (by the way), Every NBA Team's Biggest Miscalculation This Offseason. So, what's Hughes' take on the Celtics offseason ( per Grant Hughes ):   We'll only do this once, but t...

 In an NBA TV segment called, Basketball Stories: Indiana Glory , Former-Celtic, Larry Bird , sat down with Isiah Thomas and Reggie Miller to discuss many subjects, including the "Mount Rushmore" of NBA superstars.  Larry stated the following: "I always knew how good I was. I didn't care what you thought about my games. I knew in the majority of the games I played in - with the team we had - we're gonna win most of them." "Quit whining about Lebron (James). Enjoy him while he's here. He's unbelievable. He's one of the greatest - if not the greatest ever." It is fitting that Bird mentioned himself in "the best ever" conversation. He belongs there . And it particularly noteworthy that Larry sent accolades "The King's" way. Lebron may not be the most-likable individual on the planet, but he has to be included in the "Best Ever" talk because of his skills, longevity in the League, his conditioning, his ve...

 I'm talking about the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers . The Lakers camp has been favored by NBA stars for decades , with the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and Lebron James ending up there. The sun, warmth, bright lights and chances for off-court stardom beckoned. And both Shaq and Lebron also played for the Miami Heat . The warmth, beaches and night life were calling. And I almost forgot they played together for Cleveland, forgoing the warmth and beaches for a bit. Well, it's 2024, and both teams have been eliminated from the post-season, and I love it . The Lakers won't acquire their Banner 18 prior to the Boston Celtics doing the same, and apparently the sun and nightlife of Miami wasn't enough to cure the ailments of Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier . The current Celtics team doesn't have any classic "Ring Shoppers" in the fold. No member of The Green is known for constantly seeking supposed greener pastures.  Ok...

 Don't rule this out. NBA.com's Steve Aschburner and Shaun Powell have tabbed the Los Angeles Lakers as having a decent shot to end up coming out of the West in pursuit of Banner 18 . Imagine Lebron James Lakers facing Jayson Tatum's Celtics in the Finals. The Lakers are currently sitting at #9 in the Western Conference, so they may need to get through the Play In Tournament first, but the added drama of both teams vying - not only for the 2024 Title - but also that 18th Banner to hang in their rafters. Los Angeles has "The King" and "The Brow", but there is one big caveat for them ( per Steve Aschburner ): The Lakers are 7-7 with, er, one big caveat: They are 0-3 against Denver this season, 0-8 counting the 2023 Western Conference Finals and the last 2022-23 regular-season clash. Somebody else will need to bump off the Nuggets for this scenario to happen. Count me as a Celtics fan who has some fear of Boston facing Denver in the Finals. They are th...

 Short and sweet, folks - as always. The Celtics take on the Lakers this Christmas Day. Adore him- like him - hate him - despise him, but Lebron James will turn 39 years old on Saturday , December 30 and he still plays like he is in his prime - which is generally regarded as roughly 28 years old for NBA . players. 34.2 MPG - 25.7 PPG - 7.7 RPG - 7.3 APG - 1.5 SPG - ,544 FG - .412 3s Those are not "geezer" stats for "The King" this season. Love him or hate him - give him his due . The man takes extraordinary care of his body - for the good of himself, his team and the NBA.  With that aside, as a loyal 6-decade fan of the Boston Celtics, here's hoping for a Christmas present in the form of a solid Celtics victory.

  Where do I start? There are many potential negatives involved in the Boston Celtics choosing Bronny James in the 2024 NBA draft. Bronny's dad, Lebron James , has stated he would sign with the team that drafts his son . His present contract with the Lakers has a "player option" attached to it for the 2024-25 season. So, should he choose, he could opt out and become a free agent - able to pick his own team. But there would be no way Boston could afford the $51.4 million Lebron is slated to earn if he remains with Los Angeles. So what if agrees to take far less? Then comes to mind the massive ego and the fit and synergy with the Jay Team - or lack thereof. And how about the medical concerns with Bronny - who went into cardiac arrest this past summer due to a heart defect. That could be a major concern. Mock NBA drafts have the younger James going anywhere from the late-lottery to not being drafted at all. The incentive for some teams to go ahead and draft Bronny woul...

  Oh no, not Lebron again! Yes, the Los Angeles Lakers have defeated the 2022 Champ Warriors and will move on to the West Finals versus the Denver Nuggets . And Lebron James will potentially be seeking his fifth Title. It is possible that we could be seeing yet another Celtics-Lakers Finals if LA takes out Denver and Boston defeats the 76'ers in Game-7 of the East Semis and then takes care of business against the Miami Heat. That is a lot of "Ifs" , but it could happen, this time for all the marbles . He has battled with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett,  but this time, The King would be facing  Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart .  There is little question that yet another Celtics-Lakers Finals clash would draw a lot of attention, and the "age-versus-youth" hype would be loud and long. plus, the Tatum/James matchup would be interesting. But without suggesting any clandestine workings within the referee crew or NBA generally, the question must be ask...

 This one can - at least in part. No, I am not enthralled with Lebron James breaking Kareem's all-time scoring record last night. Nor is it the fact that The King is in his 20th season in the NBA. And I would not rate him as one of my all-time favorite individuals . So what is it? James takes care of his body as well as any NBA player I can recall , and I admire that - in pro athletes and for  "the rest of us". When I went in for cancer surgery 17 years ago - and then for aortic valve surgery last March - the medical teams marvelled at my physical shape for someone at such an advanced age. I just turned 79 years old. It doesn't come easy. As a mentor for anyone wanting to work hard to stay vibrant, fit and healthy , Lebron James as role model just works. For the rest of it - the other human qualities - folks may want to seek mentorship elsewhere. 

 This comes as no surprise. The National Basketball Referees Association has determined that Lebron James was fouled by the Celtics Jayson Tatum on the last play in regulation - with no foul being called. Here is how the 38-year-old superstar reacted ( per NBA.com's Tim Reynolds ): “We don’t have room for error,” James said after Saturday’s game. “And it’s one of the best games we played all year. For it to fall on somebody else’s judgment, or non-judgment, it’s just ridiculous. It’s ridiculous.” Since when does any NBA referee, or any other occupant of this planet, have no "room for error" ? My readers know well that I rarely criticize League refs, and there is a reason. They have to make split-second decisions during an extremely-fast game. Errors will happen. There is nothing "ridiculous" about that.   Over the years, Lebron, listed at 6'9", 250 pounds, often bulls his way to the hoop, and his superstar status earns him plenty of calls that could h...

 Here's the latest proposal that would send Lakers C/F, Anthony Davis, to the Boston Celtics . Los Angeles Lakers Receive: F/C Al Horford, F Grant Williams, 2025 First-Round Pick (BOS), 2027 First-Round Pick (Swap – BOS)  Boston Celtics Receive: F/C Anthony Davis The writer of this piece must think that cold-hearted Danny Ainge is still in charge of the Celtics. Head Honcho, Brad Stevens would have to think long-and-hard before sending the Dominican Gentleman, Al Horford,   to a west coast team going nowhere this season. Granted, AD is still only 39 years old and is having one terrific season, averaging 24.3 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG and 1.8 BPG. But his team sits at #14 in the West with a 3-10 record. A pairing of Davis with soon-to-return Rob Williams would seem enticing, but I doubt Boston fans would ever see this deal go down. The Boston Celtics under new Head Coach, Joe Mazzulla , are cruising, and Horford is playing a significant role in that success. The...

 Ever notice that Jaylen Brown doesn't make a lot of noise . He's not demonstrative on the court and doesn't usually have a lot to say. Until now! After the Celtics took Game 3 from Golden State to advance to a 2-1 series lead, the often-subdued Brown is making plenty of noise in the NBA Finals, rising to number-one in NBA.Com's Finals MVP Ladder . Brown joined the elite company of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan, Vince Carter and James Harden as players since 1997 to rack up at least 15 points, five rebounds and three assists in the first quarter of a playoff game. Boston's "Quiet Man" has been on a roll . In the three Finals contests, he has averaged: 35.1 MPG - 22.7 PPG - 7.3 RPG - 4,3 APG - 42,9% FG - 36.0% 3s - 84.6% FT Those are great stats and terrific company. Let's not forget, this is the guy that, in his rookie season, shot only 68.5% on free throws and averaged only 0.8 assists per game in the regular season. Like he does everythi...

 Lebron James has four Championships to his credit - moving from team-to-team like some low-caliber journeyman. But his latest super-team in Los Angeles has been eliminated from post-season play. The James/Anthony Davis/Russell Westbrook matchup failed. Kyrie Irving has one Title under his belt, and teaming up with James Harden and Kevin Durant in Brooklyn looked like Number-2 was on the near horizon. Harden left the fold, replaced by Ben Simmons - who has yet to be seen in a Nets uniform. Brooklyn, with a disappointing 41-38 record, is locked into the Play-In Tournament. If the Boston Celtics ever had visions of acquiring a third star to match up with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown , that potential scenario may have changed. Ime Udoka and Brad Steven s may be the most-intelligent coach/head honcho pair in the NBA and realize that the proper blend of talent and synergy almost-always trumps star power. The Celtics hold a 50-30 record - are second in the Eastern Conference - and...

 If I restrict the definition of athleticism to speed, quickness and leaping ability , which NBA player, all-time, combines that attribute with overall basketball skills? Starting with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird , two of the most-highly-skilled players ever , we need to admit their athleticism was not in the supreme realm.  Michael Jordan? Now we're talking! Lebron James? Maybe. Both superior athletes with amazing skills. We can only imagine what they could have accomplished with additional height. Bill Russell had that height and awesome quickness and leaping ability, but he was never known as a shooter. So, how about Giannis Antetokounmpo? At 6'11" and 242 pounds, he is big, strong, supremely athletic - and except for his long-range shooting (30% on 3s last season) and free throws (68% last season), he does everything else very well. His numbers from 2020-21 clearly show it: 28.1 PPG - 11.0 RPG - 5.9 APG - 1.2 SPG - 1.2 BPG - 57% FG Let's face it, The Greek Fre...

Yahoo Fantasy Sports has the Celtics Jayson Tatum at the sixth spot in their rankings this season. I honestly didn't project that he would be quite so high in the rankings.  1. Nikola Jokic 2. Giannis Antetokounmpo 3. Luka Doncic 4. James Harden 5. Damian Lillard 6. Jayson Tatum 7. Karl-Anthony Towns 8. Paul George 9. Zion Williamson 10. Bradley Beal 11. Stephen Curry 12. Trae Young 13. Domantas Sabonis 14. De'Aaron Fox 15. Bam Adebayo 16. LeBron James 17. Joel Embiid 18. Julius Randle 19. Russell Westbrook 20. Kevin Durant 21. Fred VanVleet 22. Donovan Mitchell 23. Nikola Vucevic 24. LaMelo Ball 25. Anthony Davis My first reaction to the list is that Yahoo expects a bit of a jump for Jayson . But there is also some irony here. Does Tatum and Karl Anthony Towns together at the 6-and-7 spots a sign that the Minnesota big man may team up with Tatum in Boston?   And JT four spots ahead of his mentor, Bradley Beal , hopefully bodes well for the Celtics star going forward. Also, J...

     One of the greatest Celtics to ever play gets inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this Saturday! Now he has endeared himself even more to fans by going at ESPN and Lebron. This year's Celtics team could use his fire and spirit! There are a few Celtics who could harness that. Whether you love him or don't, Paul Pierce aka The Truth has never been afraid to speak his mind!       Most fans remember when ESPN was great, but now they have taken that turn where they coddle to certain stars. This writer remembers ESPN not being afraid to look at Michael Jordan's gambling . Anytime Lebron does anything questionable it's swept under the rug. Plus for them to "mandate" talking about Lebron is a joke. Good for him to throw that out there! NBA basketball doesn't start and end with LeBron . There are far too many past and present players who are better and deserve recognition!        Paul Pierce isn't afraid to hold a sports grud...