Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 I recently wrote about the importance of the Celtics holding their ground in the top-heavy Eastern Standings. Well, as of this writing, they are doing better than that - t hey are separating themselves from the pack. They still hold the top record in the League (32-12, .727) and are on a 6-game winning streak. They are trailed by Brooklyn (27-14) and Milwaukee (27-16). For the Nets and Bucks, injuries to Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo/Kris Middleton , respectively, come into play here. But the Celtics have been without Jaylen Brown for the last two games, both wins for The Green. Certain players have stepped up to fill the void created by Brown's absence. In last night's 122-106 victory over Charlotte , it was Malcolm Brogdon (30 points, 65% FG),  Al Horford (16/7/6) and Marcus Smart (13 points, 12 assists). Can the Celtics keep up their winning ways? It seems quite probable. Thus far they have weathered the blow of being without their second-best (some may think ...

 The right knee injury Kevin Durant suffered on Sunday versus the Heat has been diagnosed a an MCL sprain. It is expected that he will miss roughly a month . So that puts the ball - almost literally - in the hands of former-Celtic, Kyrie Irving . If he wishes to be the main guy in Brooklyn , even for a short while, this is his chance. The Boston Celtics still have a hold on the top spot in the League Standings with a 29-12 record for the season and 7-3 over the last 10 games . The third-place (Eastern Conference) Bucks have hit a few bumps and are 4-6 over the last 10 contests. The Nets are 9-1 in that same span , with much of the success resulting from the play of MVP contender, Kevin Durant. Filling the void created by Durant's absence, in large part, will be in the hands of Irving, but replacing Kevin's 30 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists is no simple task .The Nets went 5-16 - with an 11-game losing streak - last season when Durant was out with a similar injury. So t...

 First-year Celtics Head Coach, Joe Mazzulla, has turned his players loose. And it's working. Boston (for the time being) may have eased up a bit on the defensive end (#14 Defensive Rating) , but they are Numero Uno in Offensive Rating - tops in the NBA. And by the way, what really counts are the wins, and The Green possess the best record in the League (13-3) and the top Net Rating (7.7). Who ever thought this would happen? The Celtics have shooters galore - move the ball around - take care of it - and are so damn unselfish   finding the right play. Previously a turnover machine, Boston now ranks second in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0) and first in True Shooting Percentage (61.9%). There is nothing better for basketball fans than to have their team with a strong winning record and play entertaining ball at the same time. The Green are a joy to observe and are on a roll. Can it continue? Who knows, but let's live in the present. Boston beat the Pelicans last n...