Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 For an NBA team known historically as a defense-first crew , Boston fans could hardly tell that by the 2-5 start to the Celtics season . Where did the defense go, or was it ever going to be there this season? In the first 7 games, the Celtics went 2-5 while being 25th in defensive rating, at 110.3 Over the last 4 games, the Celtics are 3-1 with a league best 93.9 defensive rating (more than 4 points better than the next best team). This teams identity is on the defensive end. pic.twitter.com/u5k0Cs5d4Q — HOOPS EMPIRE (@HoopsEmpire_) November 11, 2021 We may be seeing a return of the hallowed Boston defense . It is true. Over the last four games, the team is 3-1, with the top Defensive Rating in the League . They are also tops in preventing Second-Chance Points by opposing teams - and fourth in Opponent Points in the Paint .  Since Boston only ranks 16th in Defensive Boards, it can be inferred that their interior defense, aka protecting the paint, has returned - at least for ...

Red Auerbach knew how to manage his troops, but he didn't hold back on criticizing some of them . Tom "Satch" Sanders and Don Nelson were often the recipients of Red's barbs, but it was Tom Heinsohn that was the most-frequent victim (per Sam Jones in his 1-on-1 interview with me): (Sam): "I saw a lot of it. I loved it. That means he (Red) kept off my back. That (Heinsohn) was Red's whipping boy. Better Tommy than me." Heinsohn helped the Celtics to eight Championships and played in six All-Star games. After Bill Russell's retirement in 1969, Tommy was chosen as Boston's next head coach, a move that was subject to much criticism at the time. But Celtics renowned announcer, Johnny Most, got it right (from Mark C. Bodanza's book, Ten Times a Champion): To me, Heinsohn represents the closest total of Auerbach coaching attributes of all the ballplayers that played for him. I think Tommy will turn out to be the junior edition of the Redhead. ...

Newly-acquired star guard, Kemba Walker, wanted to join his Celtics (and USA Basketball) teammates in a meal at a Japanese restaurant in Las Vegas, but they were refused service and were forced to eat elsewhere. So what happened with Kemba, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart, and why is this good news? Let me say that I avoid restaurants with strict dress codes like the plague, but that is what happened with the green quartet ( per NESN staff ): USA Basketball Men’s National Team training camp is ongoing in Las Vegas, Nev., with four Celtics participating in the practices. Boston’s Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown all are on the roster, so the group naturally is using this time to begin building some team chemistry. The foursome planned to go to Mizumi, a “high-end Japanese restaurant”, Sunday night, but according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the meal didn’t go as planned. The restaurant has a strict dress code, so the group was told they couldn’t be...