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 Celtics season is roughly 18% done after 15 games , and Jaylen Brown has confirmed what he set out to do. He was confident that he could assume Boston's "Alpha" role in the absence of the injured Jayson Tatum . Brown is currently third in usage rate (35.6%) behind such luminaries as Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo . So much of the Celtics offense goes through Brown, and he is hitting on 50.3% of his field goal attempts and 34.9% of his 3-pointers . He leads in team in scoring at 27.5 points per game . He leads Boston in field goal attempts but comes in fifth in shot attempts from beyond the arc . His ability to get into the paint and launch a successful 2-pointer or layup has been great to watch. It seems his only downside is his turnover ratio of 3.5 miahaps per game . The season is still young, but thus far Jaylen has been as good as his word . The Celtics now sit ninth in the East Standings with an 8-7 record. The East is a real melting pot where the ...

 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 ...

 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....

 Most Celtics fans heard the noise from NBA analysts . They chant that the Mavericks duo of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic are superior to the Celtics Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown pairing . That simply doesn't ring true, at least using a limited sample of Game-1. Using win/loss as a category, and including points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, FG%, 3-pt% and FT% , the Tatum/Brown take out Luka/Irving by a score of 7-to-3. Dallas duo wins points, steals (barely) and turnovers (barely), while the Celtics pair takes all the rest. The rebounding (17-13), assists (7-3) and blocks (4-0) for Tatum/Brown over Luka/Irving were outstanding . Also noteworthy that the Boston team as a whole took honors on blocked shots, sending nine shot attempts away - to only one for the Dallas team. It is vital for the Celtics to lose any complacency from their convincing win in Game-1 - and to take ZERO plays off in Game-2. I have mellowed on any negative feelings for Irving, but I would ...

The Stage is set and the Finals are finally here. The C's welcome the national media darlings in Complainer Luka and Logo Stomping Kyrie. Well we have JT, JB, Jrue, DWhite, KP, AL, and so much more. The start of Banner 18 begins tonight. I can't believe it's been 16 years since the last time the C's won it all. That's way too freaking long... 1st Quarter 🏀 Here we go! Al JAMS IT HOME! Jrue for a pure three! We get JB guarding Luka so far tonight. Gotta love seeing JT crash the boards already tonight. C's are missing some good looks so far but those will fall. Al gets a three followed by a JB steal and jam! C's are moving the ball pretty damn well tonight. KP has entered the conversation! Welcome back, no go ball out! It's been a busy first quarter as both teams are locked in. Need to see some tighter D from the C's though. Force both Luka and Kyrie to play defense. KP forces Luka into his first foul, smart basketball play. KP JAMS IT HOME! KP is a m...

  As we approach the NBA Finals, it's all about 18. The Celtics have come this far and I expect them to close the deal. Now it won't be easy, but this team is ready to break through. The national media will be all about Luka and Kyrie. I guarantee most of America will be rooting for them. Kudos to Luka and Kyrie for playing so well, but we have four guys who can guard the two of them. I feel Jrue, Derrick, and the Jays can guard Luka. While ideally Jrue and Derrick can get to Kyrie, I wouldn't mind the Jays taking a crack at him too. Now who is Luka going to stop?? I'll tell ya no one! Who is Kyrie going to stop, no one! Dallas plays decent team defense but they can't shut down the fab four. Now if you add KP and Al to the mix that's six studs who can't be denied.  The key for me will be defense, set the tone on that end and everything else will follow. Defense has predicated the games won this season. The playoff games won have been started and ended with d...

Luka and the flat earther visit the TD Garden. C's are looking for their 10th victory in a row . Watching this team this year, they are doing what's needed to win. They play exceptional D and on those switches they are seamless. Offensively they have been very productive and move that rock beautifully. C US RISE ... 1Q🏀 Luka just walks into an easy deuce. C's will need to lock him up at best they can tonight. KP opens us up and nails a three! C's are running in transition and scoring early on. These Mavericks play absolutely no defense at all. C's should continue to score at will tonight! C's offense is on fire tonight! Once again these Mavs play NO DEFENSE! I personally feel JT should win the MVP this season. Jrue Holiday just read Luka like a book and the C's are moving in transition at lights speed! C's lead after one... 2Q🏀🏀 Jrue Holiday is LETHAL from the corners! Talk about a huge weapon come post season! He's just incredible from those corn...

 According to Bleacher Reports' Greg Swartz , the Celtics acquiring Kristaps Porzingas for Marcus Smart - and the Mavericks paying Kyrie Irving $126 million over three years (with a 3rd-year player option, no less) will both "look the worst in 3 years" . Let's start with Irving (per Swartz): "This was a desperate move by the Mavericks, who were desperate not to lose another star guard in free agency. Unlike with Jalen Brunson, however, no other team was likely to give Irving this kind of money. Something will eventually affect Irving's availability. We just don't know what yet. Tying perhaps the most unpredictable player in the NBA to Luka Dončić is a dangerous game to play for Dallas, a franchise that is still widely carried by its Slovenian superstar. If (when?) Irving grows unhappy or becomes a distraction, the Mavs can only hope that Dončić doesn't ask out as well." I simply cannot disagree with this projection . Kyrie Irving seems to event...

 Prior to the 2017 NBA draft, Bleacher Report had Jayson Tatum projected as the number-6 pick  and compared his game to that of Harrison Barnes. Well, Tatum was taken with the 3rd pick and, thus far, has outpaced the Barnes comparison. Later comparisons have linked Jayson's game to that of Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant . Ironically, Tatum currently leads Durant in the KIA MVP Ladder with JT at number-2 and KD at number-3. How about Luka Doncic? NBADraft.Net (pre-draft) compared Luka to Toni Kukoc . He has already surpassed that projection, and some have compared Luka to a combo of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson . I peg Doncic as a modern replica of Oscar Robertson - both triple-double machines, big guards, not-terribly athletic but able to maneuver into any position on the court to shoot or pass to a teammate . Luka is currently placed at number-4 on the MVP Ladder. Now to Giannis Antetokounmpo, number-5 on the MVP Ladder. I have never seen an NBA player, past or present, who ...

 The look in the NBA has changed a bit since Danny Ainge drafted Kelly Olynyk 13th-overall in the 2013 draft. Players from out-of-the-USA like Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic combine size and skills -and only average athleticism - to constantly be high on the MVP Ladder. Well, the 6'11" Canadian-born Olynyk has the size and skills and could fit in nicely for a second stint in Beantown. He may not be the fiercest defender, but this season in UItah he is hitting 50% from the field, 40% from the hinterlands and 83% from the free throw line. In only 28 minutes/game, he adds 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He won't be making any potential MVP list, but the 31-year-old C/F  may be just what the Celtics need for the second-half of the season and playoffs. Kelly is set to earn $12.8 million this season and $12.2 million in 2023-24 - with only $3 million of that guaranteed. Would Ainge part with the guy he chose over Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2013? In a rebui...

 The best duo in the entire NBA? Mavericks star, Luka Doncic, thinks it is the pairing of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown   ( per Yardbarkers Darryn Albert): Luka: “They’re probably the No. 1 team (Celtics) in the league, and they probably have the best duo (Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown)  in the league too,” he said of Boston,  per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps . “And we’re in the Garden. It’s always a special game. You have to come 100 percent. If you’re not, you’re probably going to lose. It’s a big game.” The Celtics star duo bested another standout pair in Boston's 116-110 win over ther Clippers last night. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard need to be mentioned in any such discussion. The same with the 76'ers Joel Embiid and James Harden - Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kris Middleton (Milwaukee) - and Lebron James and Anthony Davis (Lakers). But when both Tatum and Brown are on their games - raining jump shots down on opponents and getting to the rim - they often seem unbeata...

     First Half Thoughts       1st Quarter       Lackluster offense to start , never got it going. Luka as always came out to kill the C's. Defense didn't look very sharp to start.        JT blocked Porzingis , he had active hands on D . Tatum did nail a three in Lukas face . JT had a nice steal on Luka. JT got to the line.        DS to RWill on the oop never gets old . DS got the tip on his own miss. He also had a very nice floater. We saw Nesmith early and he had a nice steal! Overall not the best start. Celtics trail 29-15 .       2nd Quarter       Al with a nice fall away , plus another nice score. Al makes it look Easy Like Sunday Morning ! JRich for two - he's been a solid addition this season . PP brought the rain on nice shot, need more of him!        Smart to RWill off the ballerina move was poetry in motion . RWill also followed up a Nesmith ...

 I apologize for labeling Jayson Tatum as a "commodity" , but the NBA is in the business of buying, selling and trading their players in order to improve themselves. Here's my view. The boxes to be checked to determine a franchise player include age (young, hopefully), skills, durability, leadership. and savvy. In short, who would you build your team around? Jayson recently turned 23 and probably won't reach his peak for another four or five years. His skills are undeniable. He no longer has any significant weaknesses . He rarely is out of action for very long due to injuries, and he often takes over games now - while getting his comrades involved. Brian Scalabrine once told me that Tatum has his head on straight, and I agree. He had added craftiness to his game, and it shows. Totally agree, and if @jaytatum0 stays healthy his raw numbers will be better than Bird’s when it’s time to put a ribbon on Tatum’s career. We’re blessed that he’s a Celtic. The rings are com...

  Making All-NBA may come down to Brown at SG or SF Here’s the short answer: It depends on what position he plays.  If Jaylen Brown is considered a forward then it’s unlikely (but not impossible) that Brown could be awarded all-NBA status at year end. The forward position is absolutely stacked. Jaylen would be competing not only against Jayson Tatum who was third team all NBA last season but against Giannis, Lebron James, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jimmy Butler and others for one of 6 spots.  If Jaylen is considered a guard (which is the position he played last night on his way to 33 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists) then his competition is not nearly as formidable  Steph Curry will get one of the six spots on reputation alone. Doncic will get one (and could also win his first of many MVP’s), and so will Bradley Beal who in my opinion is playing the shooting guard position as well as anybody has since Kobe. Let’s not forget a guy named Damian Lillard...

Let me first state that I didn't expect this. Kemba Walker is currently ranked third on the Kia MVP ladder, behind only Giannis Antetokounmpo at number-one and Lebron James at number-two. Kemba's season averages (21.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.0 APG) are solid but hardly outstanding. The fact that Walker stepped in to a Celtics team that lost two starters in Kyrie Irving and Al Horford in the off-season and directed Boston to a 13-5 start certainly comes into play. Kemba Walker No. 3 on Kia MVP Ladder, behind only LeBron, Giannis https://t.co/hjeIPu1Jc6 — The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 2, 2019 It is also noteworthy that Kemba's third-place ranking sits him ahead of Luka Doncic (4th), James Harden (5th), Kawhi Leonard (8th) and Anthony Davis (9th). How long Walker remains towards the top of the rankings remains to be seen, but count me as one that didn't expect this. With the Jays, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum stepping up their games this season, we can most likel...