Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 Five (5) ex-Celtics players are not having a great week. It starts with the Big One! Adrian Griffin: The Milwaukee Bucks just fired Adrian Griffin . Griffin was hired as Head Coach by the Bucks this past summer, and despite the team's 30-13 record (2nd in East) , management apparently wants a veteran presence on the bench, and former Celtics Coach, Doc Rivers , may be that guy to take over. Rob Williams: Williams III was sent packing to Portland this past summer and was quickly out of action for the remainder with another injury. Rob's injury history does not bode well for a long, productive NBA career. And he may be on the trading block once again. Malcolm Brogdon: Brogdon was also traded by Boston to the Trailblazers this summer, He is having a fairly-productive season thus far - when he plays. But he has already missed nine of Portland's 43 games due to recurring injuries. And his team sits only behind the Spurs in the West with a 12-31 record. Marcus Smart: Since ...

 The issue with the Boston Celtics that is not often discussed is - how much longer can the team rely on a 3-headed big man at the center spot? T he Green really have not seen that since the 1969-70 season when Red Auerbach and Tommy Heinsohn were forced to go with Rich Johnson, Jim Barnes and Hank Finkle sharing the 5-spot. The 6'7" Johnson jumped center - Barnes came in when muscle was needed - and Finkel racked up the most minutes (23.3 MPG) following the retirement of Bill Russell . Boston fans now see the aging Al Horford, the undersized Grant Williams and the oft-injured Rob Williams filling that role .  We read about Boston having a plethora of guys at the guard position and needing another wing to hopefully cut the minutes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown . But not much is seen or heard on finding a long-term remedy at the center slot.  There is general agreement that Nikola Jokic and his Denver Nuggets could very well have another two or three Titles in their ...

 Yes, I know the odds of The Suns' Chris Paul ending up with the Boston Celtics after possibly being waived by Phoenix are quite slim, but I honestly think that offering CP3 a second shot as the initiator of Lob City - and possibly his first Championship. Picture it. That would mean putting Chris back with Blake Griffin - and r eplacing the Dunk Machine, Deandre Jordan, with Rob Williams . Blake and Chris are not the same players fans watched with the Clippers, but both can still operate at a fairly-high level in somewhat-restricted minutes. CP3’s market, at least for a short-money deal, will be strong. Memphis, which should be aggressive. Both LA teams. Boston, which could be on the hunt for more playmaking. Miami, even. Lot of possibilities. — Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) June 7, 2023 Let me continue. Two of the several issues that cost the Celtics from competing in the Finals this past season careless passes and turnovers . Chris Paul averaged 7.9 assists per game this past...

 Celticvs coach, Joe Mazzulla went back to his 2-big starting lineup for the final two games in the East Semis agains Philadelphia, both wins for Boston. Expect the same when the Celtics take on the Miami Heat for Game-1 of the East Finals on Wednesday. Miami doesn't generally put a big lineup out there, but Kevin Love has been starting games alongside Bam Adebayo . Love has not been playing large minutes, but his r ebounding remains solid, and his outlet passes remain some of the best in the business. But it is Jimmy Butler that does everything for the Heat - everything but shoot (and hit) a lot of 3-pointers. He leads his team in points, assists and steals and does a lot of his damage close to the rim .  Part of Rob Williams job will be to keep rebounds out of the hands of both Kevin and Bam -and also Butler who averages 6.6 rebounds per game thus far in the post-season. Re-experimenting with Rob and Al Horford starting for the Celtics proved effective against the 76'...

  Robert Williams III is such a damn delight to watch . And his entry into Game-2 versus Atlanta turned the contest in Boston's favor. The Green were stumbling until Rob entered the game at the 6:45 mark of the first quarter - with the score at 17-9 with Boston trailing. Here's what then took place: 5:04 - Williams III layup on a feed from Jaylen Brown 3:45 - Defensive rebound by Williams III 3:37 - Layup by Rob on feed from Malcolm Brogdon 2:29 - Another layup by Rob on feed from Brogdon The first quarter ended with Boston leading, 28-25 . The Hawks were flying high until the appearance of Boston's SkyLord into the fray . Rob finished the game with eight points, five boards, one assist and two blocks. The Celtics are now uo 2-0 in the Atlanta series, with Williams III doing his efficient and effective work close to the hoop.  Did I mention what a delight he is to watch?

 Celtics coach, Joe Mazzulla , has certainly given his 2-bigs starting lineup of Al Horford and Rob Williams a valid shot in the regular season, but don't expect to see much of it going forward. Frankly, Derrick White has been a true shot-in-the-arm for Boston this season . He plays hard-and-fast at both ends and now works nicely with Marcus Smart in the backcourt. His presence in the starting lineup allows Smart to do what he does best, often covering the oppositions top player. White ranks 5th in minutes per game at 28.3 MPG . And he has started 62-of-the-74 games he has played this season (84%). Rob Williams is 8th in minutes at 23.8 MPG - while starting 18-of-the-30 games in which he has particiupated.  (60%). Williams III coming off the bench serves as a disruptor , as evidenced by his eight boards, three steals and three blocks in the Celtics victory over Indiana last night . Having Derrick set the fast pace right out of the gate - and watching Rob enter the game and...

 Celtics center, Rob Williams , is out of action once again - this time for a hamstring issue. If he is shut down (as is possible) for the remainder of the regular season his games-played numbers in his five NBA seasons are: 32 - 29 - 52 - 61 - 28 Those numbers don't bode well for his future , with Boston or the NBA generally. His Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome goes back to his college days, but other culprits appear to be in play here . His supreme athleticism may be hius major attribute on the hardwood - but also might be his downfall. #Celtics brothers and sisters, I love Robert Williams, but he hasn't even come close to ever playing a full season. This needs to be addressed in future seasons. How can the team get any continuity if line ups are constantly changing. They can't! — Ty Ray (@coug88) March 7, 2023 Basketball may have been designed as a non-contact sport, but injuries keep mounting . Many injuries occur with no contacting of other players. The high jum...

  Who knew? Who leads the entire League in "Average Seconds per Touch"? None other than newly-acquired Mike Muscala . "Moose" has possession on the ball a mere 1.12 seconds before launching a shot or passing to a teammate. His two partners at The-5, Luke Kornet and Rob Williams, can't exactly be labelled "ball hogs" either. Luke comes in at #5 at 1.23 seconds per touch , and Rob is at #8 at 1.24 seconds/touch . So Williams III holds on to the ball 0.01 seconds longer than Kornet . Why do I even write about what some may feel is an insignificant statistic? I find it fascinating. Rob's number is low, in part due to his many put-backs off offensive boards and lobs . If he has the ball in his hands longer than one second on those plays, I would be surprised. The same holds for Kornet. He has his share of lobs and put-backs. Muscala gets his shot off from deep with no hesitation. And he appears to be damn good at it. Make of it what you will, but the...

  Mettle: (Definition) "A person's (team's) ability to cope well with difficulties or to face a demanding situation in a spirited and resilient way." That about sums it up relative to the Celtics 106-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors . With their best player (Jayson Tatum) out of action with a sore wrist - and losing both Marcus Smart and Rob Williams to injuries in the first half - a number of players dug in and produced what was needed. It starts with Jaylen Brown . His team-high 27 points were just the beginning. Eight rebounds, six assists and three steals were the frosting. Grant Williams put up a career-high 25 points , making 4-of-6 from the hinterlands. Then came Malcolm Brogdon with 23 points and seven boards . And Payton Pritchard showed once again why trading him may be a bad move . He produced all of his 12 points in the fourth quarter, hitting 4-of-7 from deep. But perhaps Brown said it best following the game: ''To win in the NBA is hard eno...

 This game was in question the whole way, but the Boston Celtics held the fort (barely) in overtime to take the game. And they answered some questions that have been lurking all season. Does the two-big pairing work? It sure does. Al Horford and Rob Williams combined for 34 points on 67% from the field, along with 21 rebounds - 10 of which off the offensive boards.  Is Al Horford ready for the rocking chair? Hell, no! He played 37 minutes and came up with three key blocks and two vital 3-pointers . The Dominican Gentleman won't be occupying that rocking chair at "The Home" anytime soon. Is Jayson Tatum's MVP status valid? It sure is. Despite poor shooting (33% FG, 31% 3s) on his 34 points, he showed how complete his skills have become. He has transformed into a superb rebounder, grabbing 19 boards in this one. He also racked up three steals, six assists - and shot a perfect 12-of-12 from the free throw line. He does everything out there. How's Malcolm Brogdon d...

 I am going with Chris Forsberg on this one. The rumblings on The Celtics going with another big center (read: Jacob Poetl ) to back up Al Horford and Rob Williams is folly. Forsberg figures that a big wing in the way to go if Brad Stevens sees fit to add another player to the roster (Per Forsberg): "But Boston might have a bigger need for a big wing -- someone who could play Hauser’s role, limit the wear and tear on the Jays, and be a trusted defender in a playoff series." Boston recently fully guaranteed Justin Jackson's $2.1 million for this season, but the 6'8" wing doesn't look like a keeper. Jayson Tatum may be an iron man, but he is not made of steel. Jaylen Brown is currently out with a groin injury. Without this pair in decent condition - no Title this season. Tatum is approaching that time in his career where star players peak. Scary thought for the rest of the League since he won't turn 25 uintil March. Stevens needs to discard thoughts ...

  The Boston Celtics are flawed. Yes, it's true . But that single flaw may be about to be attenuated.  The Green are ranked 26th in the NBA in offensive rebounding - averaging a mere 8.3 per game . But is that really an issue? According to USAToday's Jeff Zillgitt , part of the reason for the low ranking in that category is that Boston does not miss many shots. They currently are ranked 4th in the League in field goal accuracy (49.3%) and first in 3-point percentage (40.0%). Regardless, help may be on the way in the healthy body of one Robert Williams III . Last season, the super-athletic C/F took down 9.6 rebounds per game, with 3.9 of them on the offensive boards . Rob is a difference maker out there, and offensive boards are part of that. And one more thing on Williams III's return. He shot 73.6% from the field last season , so he won't be hurting Boston's high-ranking in that category anytime soon.

 The quick answer to my title question is - Yes, I believe so. I must admit that Luke Kornet has surprised me - somewhat. My fear was that Joe Mazzulla may never give him a shot at significant minutes - or Joe would use him as a 7'2" 3-point threat . Instead, Kornet is averaging 13.7 minutes per game and is displaying more of an old-school type of center play. In 21 gamnes thuis far this season, he has attempted a mere six treys and made two of them. He is averaging 5.0 points/game and hitting 71% from the field and a remarkable 15-of-16 from the free throw line.  On defense, Luke moves his feet much better than I anticipated and almost always seems to be in the right spot - both on offense and defense. In limited minutes, he is averaging 1.0 blocks per game . We already know what Rob Williams can do. He also avoids 3-point attempts (which I view as a positive) - and like Kornet - blocks shots, intimidates others, and gets great position for lobs and offensive boards. Ro...

  Rob Williams ceiling still remains in question. His skills and athleticism are beyond question, but his injury history and transgressions in his younger days linger. His 61 regular-season games last season were a career high, but he only saw the floor for an average of 38 games his first three seasons in the League. He was suspended for two games for violation of university policy at Texas A&M and had a few glitches making appointments after being drafted by the Boston Celtics. Then there were the negative vibes on his game prior to the draft . Weaknesses:  Has a tendency to leave you wanting more. Disappears for stretches of games, particularly offensively … Competitive level has been questioned by some … Doesn’t always seem in control on the court, opponents can speed him up and make him uncomfortable … Has been working to extend his range, but still lacks any consistency with his jump shot … Very poor free throw shooter who needs work on his shot mechanics … Someti...

 In last night's 134-121 win over the Miami Heat , royalty was in the stands and on the court. Prince William and the Duchess of Wales were in attendence and they were treated to a regal performance by Jayson Tatum . Tatum looked like The King of the Court , pouring in a team-high 49 points along with 11 rebounds. He was 15-of-25 from the field, 8-of-12 from deep, and 11-of-12 on freebies. While William and Kate maintained decorum in their seats, Jayson was out there looking damn majestic . He owned the court. Evertything worked. There was more. Looking dignified and noble, as always, Satch Sanders , was right where he belonged - next to the Prince. Is Satch really 84 years old? He looks great. On another matter, Coach Joe Mazzulla , other wise known as the "TIMEOUT MISER", actually called one after a 19-5 run by Miami in the first period. Known for hoarding timeouts like Danny Ainge used to clutch his draft picks, his stoppage of the Heat's rampage was timely. Yet ...

 Where do I start? The Celtics one-point loss (114-113) in OT to Cleveland most of all revealed a lack of "effective depth" against a strong opponent. A healthy Rob Williams would have made the difference, intimidating the Cavs attack in the paint and keep Al Horford's minutes below the 40-minute stint he endured. Both teams went 8-deep with Boston's bench trio of Grant Williams, Malcolm Brogdon and Sam Hauser supplying 26 points, 11 rebounds and three assists to the 16 points, nine boards and 0 assists garnered by Cleveland's Dean Wade, Kevin Love and Cedi Osman . The Celtics Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum were forced to log 45 and 43 minutes , respectively, in the loss. The presence of Williams III would have cut those minutes at least somewhat. Overall, it was an exciting game by two talented Eastern rivals. The score was fairly close for most of the contest, and the addition of Boston's "SKYLORD " would have added more rebounds, blocks, put-...

 If Celtics fans are thinking that Al Horford looks a bit slower this October, they may be correct - but don't expect any "slump" to last. Remember what I wrote in January? What Has Happened to Al Horford? "Al Horford started the 2021-22 season off strong and active, but the likable vet seems to be slowing down. Or is something else going on? Here is the October-to-January comparison:" October: 30.3 MPG - 13.0 PPG - 10.5 RPG - 3.0 APG - 3.8 BPG - 44% FG - 21% 3s January:  26.9 MPG -  5.2 PPG -  6.0 RPG -  2.8 APG - 1.2 BPG - 34% FG - 25% 3s Boston's Dominican center came out on fire at the start of the 2021-22 season , but seemed to cool off as the season progressed. But Horford was himself in the post-season when the Celtics came damn close to Banner 18. In an average of 35 minutes of playoff action, Al supplied 12.0 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 3.3 APG - while hitting 52% from the field and 48% of his threes . In last night's 111-104 win over the Heat , he ...

 It now looks like Celtics center, Rob Williams , will not be back on the court until the season is half-done . What was originally planned as 4-6 week absence transitioned into an 8-12 week hiatus - and now we hear he may not return until well into January of 2023. Williams III has reportedly undergone PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy for his knee issue, which basically involved the injection of his own blood cells into the injured knee . The procedure appears to still be in the experimental stage, but the hope is that PRP will hasten the healing process for a superb athlete the Celtics are counting on to help raise Banner 18.

Sports fans in Boston totally realize that the current version of The Green is something special, but here come some quotes from a Dallas Mavericks writer who hates liking the Celtics 2022-23 entry into the NBA Sweepstakes: "After all, they (Celtics) have a MVP candidate in Jayson Tatum. Tatum fans rightfully note he’s among one of the best scorers in the NBA. He’s an outstanding defender as well, making himself one of the premier two-way wings in a league where that position reigns supreme. He’s likely to be a fringe MVP player, the kind who gets discussed in podcasts but doesn’t make a real dent in the voting.  Then there’s Jaylen Brown, one of the league’s most underpaid players relative to his on-court value and Marcus Smart is the skeleton key which makes it all work for Boston. Don’t agree on Smart being a sidekick? I get it. Al Horford is there, same with Derrick White, Robert Williams, and even Malcolm Brogdon. The Celtics are DEEP. The wing-to-wing starter debate betwee...

  Turnovers (4 last night vs. Charlotte) and a few defensive lapses aside, if Noah Vonleh can supply more games like this one, he deserves a roster spot in Boston. Born in Salem, Massachusetts, Vonleh was taken with the 9th-overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft , but has yet to supply the promise he displayed at Indiana as a collegian. Brad Stevens is hoping that changes in Beantown. If we can see repeats of this game, Noah Vonleh is in with Boston. Noah Vonleh Highlights vs Charlotte Hornets (14 pts, 13 reb, 2 ast) | 20... https://t.co/1MbthU3ym1 via @YouTube — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) October 8, 2022 Noah supplied a double-double in 31 minutes as the starter at center versus the Charlotte Hornets, to the tune of 14 points (6-of-8 from the field) and 13 boards. His footwork is decent inside, and he seemed to have little trouble scoring down low . At 6'10" and 257 pounds, it is unlikely he will get bullied close to the hoop. He is an excellent rebounder. In short, the N...