Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

  Keith Smith just posted what so many Celtics fans have been thinking. Grant Williams has been working on his body and his game, and he seems to have transformed himself into the 3-and-D/rebounding forward that had been hoped for Semi Ojeleye . Random thought: Skinny Grant Williams is everything the Celtics hoped Semi Ojeleye would become. — Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 21, 2021 Last season, I felt that Boston could not hold onto both Semi and Grant, and that came to pass with Ojeleye heading to Milwaukee. Last season for the Celtics, Semi logged 17.0 minutes per game, averaging 4.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 0.7 APG, while hitting 40% from the field and 37% on 3-pointers.   This season for Boston, GWill is averaging 20.6 MPG - 7.5 PPG - 3.2 RPG - 1.0 APG, while shooting 51% from the field and 43% from beyond the arc . Last night, in the Celtics 111-105 win over the thunder, Grant came away with 14 points, 8 boards, one assist, one steal and two blocks. He was 56% on field g...

  Building physiques for close to 30 years via my business, Advanced Fitness Systems , forces me to temper expectations of Jayson Tatum this season with his newly-acquired - and jacked - body . Photos can lie, and I will wait to see what his listed weight is heading into training camp. But with that aside, Jayson with a physique resembling that of former-Celtic, Semi Ojeleye , would be scary for the rest of the League.  Last season, Tatum was listed at 6'8" and 210 pounds . An additional 10 pounds of muscle would put him at 220, and I doubt we would see any more than that. I would expect a weigh-in between 215 and 218 pounds . That may be enough because anyone that strength trains on a regular basis knows that strength arrives before muscle , and additional strength would allow Jayson to strongly finish at the rim, either scoring the hoop or picking up fouls and getting to the line more often. PSA from Tatum Train, Inc: Hide ya favorite players and your wives. First-team Tat...

     Will Grant Williams fit into this year's Celtics plans? This photo kinda sums up what Celtics fans feel about him . Are there enough minutes for him given all the moves the Mad Scientist, Brad Stevens, has made? Celtics fans have seen that he does make plays but also you question what the heck is he doing out there?! Have inconsistent minutes affected his progress as well. Given the way the roster is shaping up, where do the minutes end up being split?      Grant has shown flashes since he's been a part of the Celtics organization, reminding you of Semi Ojeleye - but maybe with a tad more skill offensively ? Works hard, has a basketball mind, willing to do whatever it takes to be on the floor. He has a knack for big rebounds. Can occasionally hit a three, down low he has some skills for a smaller sized player. Pretty decent passer and gives what he has on the defensive end. We all know he was an SEC player of the year.       Ques...

     Semi never filled up the stat sheet on the Celtics, but he gave you everything he had on the floor. Some guys on the bench just mail it in and are content with the role that they have. Semi Ojeleye , on the other hand improved each and every day and had he actually had consistent minutes maybe he would have developed more.       Whether the Celtics needed Semi to start or come off the bench he was always ready. When Giannis needed to be guarded Semi was willing to take on that humongous challenge and now they are teammates. Semi offers a lot to a team and the Bucks see that. He's a strong yet athletic player. He can knock down the occasional three and get to the hoop. He also is willing to do anything on the defensive end.       Guys like this that work their butts off to make and keep their roster spots are those that should be applauded in the NBA. They push their more highly-decorated teammates in practice to get better. He...

     With only a second round pick right now in this year's draft, it can be either hit or miss. Even when given the chance to get a top prospect. Danny Ainge had his successes and failures. Now will we see Brad Stevens make his mark in future drafts?      Over the years we have watched Danny do really well drafting top tier players like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, both went 3rd overall but given how they have developed should have been the number-one picks in their respective drafts. We look at other gems like the Wolverine Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier who both have shown they can play in this league. But Trader Danny has had first round misses. James Young anyone?! RJ Hunter? Last year's draft picks Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard showed they can ball in this league. The jury is still out on Romeo but he just needs consistent minutes and opportunity on the court. When healthy, Robert Williams is a diamond in the rough who has been known to sh...

 Grant Williams is heading for his third season in the League and is slated to earn $2.6 million in 2021-22. The real question is whether or not he will stick in Boston. There are varying views around Beantown. The guy benched the league MVP. He deserves a chance with... A mentor A new coach & A real off season. I think there is only a 35% chance he balls out-- but he needs to get that chance. https://t.co/0NtvuecWjH — Anthony Merino (@tdubisMerino) June 29, 2021 Many NBA analysts and fans downplay the use of per-36-minutes stats on a player, but they have significance. They partially display what a player may have produced given the chance to play big minutes. Here are Grant's per-36 stats: 9.3 PPG - 5.6 RPG - 2.0 APG - 1.0 SPG - 44% FG - 37% 3s - 59% FT  Doesn't look like stuff of legend does it? Williams does not have any specific skills that stand out. He is not a great shooter, scorer, rebounder or facilitator. At least not yet. I have already written that Semi Ojeley...

 This one is tough to write. I had positive hope for Semi Ojeleye after Danny Ainge plucked him with the 37th pick in the 2017 NBA draft. But Celtics fans need to face reality. This past season was most-likely Semi's last stint in a Celtics uniform. Semi has simply not progressed all that much in his four years in the League. He has been a stalwart on the defensive end from the start, and his 3-point shooting has improved somewhat, but he adds little else. Ojeleye is not a reliable rebounder, facilitator or rim protector, and he averaged only 40% on field goals this season. He earned a mere $1.8 million in the 2020-21 season, and it is always possible that Brad Stevens could keep him in the fold as a 3-and-D guy, but the better chance is that will land with another NBA team or head oversees. Boston Celtics 2020-21 individual players grades: Semi Ojeleye https://t.co/VS1MaGckM3 — The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) June 21, 2021 At the age of 26, it just may be that the Du...

Who are the projected starters for the 2021-22 season? Will we see a starting five of  Rob Williams, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart? Does Marcus have the skill set to embrace the point guard role? Or are the Celtics in the market for a pure point guard in free agency or a trade? My stand is The Green definitely needs a facilitator who can maximize Udoka's team play mentality!  In regards to Boston's bench, should Brad Stevens resign Evan Fournier because his impact off the bench given a full season with us could be special. With new Coach Ime Udoka , will we witness growth in Payton Pritchard, Aaron Nesmith and Romeo Langford ? Where does Moses Brown fit into all of this? Can he earn minutes with the Jay Team?  Other questions that arise include - is it time to move on from Semi Ojeleye or Grant Williams - or possibly both? Which one would you keep? I feel Carsen Edwards may not work out here given his lack of playing time. He hustles and giv...

I broached the idea one year ago - Semi Ojeleye-as-starter in place of Gordon Hayward . Well, it took a while, but Brad Stevens has been doing just that over the past several games. The original idea was to transfer some of the scoring from the top-heavy starting-5 to the bench. Even with Hayward gonzo, that still applies. Semi has always been a solid defender right out of the gate, and over the past five games his minutes and offensive production have risen significantly. Over the five-game stretch , his minutes are up to 27.6 MPG - his points show 10.6 PPG - and his rebounding has improved to 4.4 boards per contest. In that same span, he has hit 14-of-36 from 3-point land (46.7%) and his field goals are at 46.2%.  Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are combining for almost 52 points per game this season, and the only other players averaging double-digit points are Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart . Well, Ojeleye, with increased minutes over the last five games, has moved into that ...

The 120-106 Celtics win over the Raptors was welcome, and the scoring explosion by Semi Ojeleye and Payton Pritchard was not anticipated, but damn exciting. But it was what led to both outcomes that sticks out. The only rookies in Celtics history to make 6+ threes in a game: ☘️ Marcus Smart ☘️ J.R. Bremer ☘️ And now, Payton Pritchard 🎥 @NBA pic.twitter.com/1yLVznEGq2 — The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) February 12, 2021 Both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had bad shooting nights, combining for 29 points on 8-of-27 from the field and 1-of-7 on treys . Conversely, their passing skills were on display. Brown passed off for a team-high 10 assists, closely followed by Tatum with nine dimes. No other Celtic had more than three assists. Attribute the victory over Toronto and the eruption by Ojeleye and Pritchard as a direct result of both members of the Jay Team digging deep into their bag of skills to get the ball to their open teammates. If either, or both, Tatum and Brown aspire to Al...

The Celtics 120-106 win over the Raptors was only one game, but it certainly got our attention. One game is a mighty-small sample, but it can reveal much. Semi Ojeleye (6-8 3-PT) and Payton Pritchard (6-8 3-PT) are the first pair of teammates in Celtics franchise history to both make at least six 3-pointers in the same game (Confirmed by @EliasSports ) — Celtics Stats (@celtics_stats) February 12, 2021 Semi Ojeleye got a rare start versus Toronto and cashed in with a career-high 24 points. Like Payton Pritchard, he was 6-of-8 from 3-point land, but it was his six rebounds that got my attention. I have repeatedly written that he needed to improve his work off the boards. Pritchard came off the bench but stayed on the floor for a total of 29 minutes. His 20-point production and 3-point accuracy  were noteworthy so soon after coming back from a knee injury. But like Semi, his five boards let us know once again that the 6'1" guard can rebound the ball. So history aside, where does...

I never expected the Celtics much-depleted roster to dominate the Orlando magic to the tune of 124-97. But they did it.  J aylen Brown reappeared from the COVID-generated mist to distribute the ball (8 assists) and score a team-high 21 points on 50% from the field, 2-of-5 on threes and, get this, a perfect 7-of-7 from the free throw line. Getting better at the charity stripe has just been another part of Jaylen's journey to All-Stardom. Payton Pritchard once again stood out, producing 16 points, four boards and five assists. He seems too damn consistent for a rookie, but Celtics fans love it. By the way, get him a better nickname before it's too late! Talking of consistency, much-maligned Semi Ojeleye came through again with 18 points (6-of-10 FG, 3-of-6 on 3s) and six rebounds. He keeps getting the minutes out of necessity, and we may see that continue once the roster is back to whatever is considered normal by today's standards. Jeff Teague needs a mention here with ...

The Celtics blew a 28-point lead in this one but still managed to come away with the 116-107 victory over the Washington Wizards. The Jay Team starred as usual, with Jayson Tatum scoring a team-high 32 points and Jaylen Brown notching a double-double consisting of 27 points and 13 boards. With centers Tristan Thompson, Rob Williams and Grant Williams out for seven days due to COVID protocol, Daniel Theis had an efficient outing with a line of 10 points via 4-of-7 from the field and 1-of-1 from 3-point-territory. He added six rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Love this sequence. Tacko with the block - Smart gains control - quickly outlets long to Tatum for the fast break. Need more of that. https://t.co/7mYTFlrNpf — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) January 9, 2021 The short-handed Celtics needed the subs to come through, and they did just that. The much-maligned Semi Ojeleye started at the power forward spot - logged 27 minutes - scored eight points - took down five rebounds ...

This was a close one all the way, but the Boston Celtics walked away with a 122-120 victory over the Detroit Pistons thanks to a last-second 2-pointer by Jayson Tatum. Here are my 10 takeaways: Jaylen Brown seems headed for his first All-Star appearance Jaylen poured in 31 points in the game on an exquisite 13-of-16 from the field and 5-of-8 on treys. Brown has quietly transformed into one of the top 2-way players in the League. Previously known largely for his defense, his offensive arsenal now includes 3-pointers, mid-range shots and  successful drives. His is a strong finisher at the rim, and his handles have improved significantly. He has become a star in the NBA. Stevens' Triple-T, Twin Tower lineup experiment continues Both T ristan T hompson and Daniel T heis started the game and finished it. They combined for 27 points on 12-for-18 shooting, along with 15 rebounds. I broached playing the two centers together back in November as an experiment. The results remain incomplete, ...

My readers will notice that I did not employ the term "happy" (with the present roster), nor did I go crazy and suggest the Celtics boss is "thrilled" with the crew he has right now. And I am sure that upon writing this piece, we will get bombarded with noise of a major deal he has in mind. But for now, I do believe Danny is (somewhat) content with what he has at hand. Do not be fooled by the smile on Ainge's face in the above photo. He is being stalked by my daughter, Lisa Lane McCarty, outside the old Boston Garden back in the mid-80's. He just wants to go home or out to eat. Danny wants to win. Period! Can he do it with his present roster? Of course he can, but it is far from a sure thing. Things are library-quiet in the Celtics environs concerning any impending deals, and it just may be that Ainge is going with what he has - and will look more at developing his young guys. Tristan Thompson's arrival in Beantown brings the much-needed toughness that w...

  The good news? The Celtics are back. After a long 2 and a half months with the bitter taste of an Eastern Conference Finals loss, we finally were able to watch some Celtics basketball last night. I'll never complain about that The bad news? It's just the preseason. After the most unprecedented season in NBA history, the 20-21 season promises to be strange as well. Some teams haven't played a competitive game in over 9 months, while the Lakers and Heat finished play about 2 months ago. Also, a shortened training camp for everyone never helps, especially rookies trying to find their footing in the league. The beginning of this season is going to be a roller coaster for every team, not just the Celtics. Regardless, let's take a look at some numbers from the C's game against Philly last night. Yes, this is an incredibly small sample size, and yes, it's still the preseason, so everything here should be taken with a pound of salt, but let's work with what we hav...

With 10 players on the Celtics roster with three years-or-less experience, it now is time for coach Brad Stevens needs to sort this all out. Who plays - who stays - who goes? Here they are: Payton Pritchard - rookie Aaron Nesmith - rookie Grant Williams - 1 year Carsen Edwards - 1 year Romeo Langford - 1 year Tremont Waters - 1 year - 2-way contract Tacko Fall - 1 year - 2-way contract Javonte Green - 1 year Robert Williams - 2 years Amile Jefferson - 2 years  - Exhibit 10 contract Semi Ojeleye - 3 years I doubt that rookies, Nesmith and Pritchard , are going anywhere, and they really need to see some floor time early in the season to determine the wisdom of drafting them. Aaron was pegged by NBA TV as "most exciting rookie to watch this season"  out of the League-wide rookie crop. Payton just seems like Danny Ainge's type of player. Boston's 2-way player duo of Tacko Fall and Tremont Waters look once again to be spending most of their time with the Maine Red Claws. T...

Even with the free-agent acquisition of center, Tristan Thompson, in the Celtics attempt to improve strength, toughness and physicality , I still maintain that Danny Ainge needs to bring back Aron Baynes. Marcus Smart already covers those three bases, and the Celtics wisely fully-guaranteed the $1.8 million contract for Semi Ojeleye for this season, despite the 6'6" wing having naysayers among the Boston faithful ( Per Celtics blog's Adam Taylor ): Fresh off an impressive season in Phoenix, where he averaged career highs in points (11.5), rebounds (5.6), assists (1.6), and three-point percentage (35.1 on four attempts per game).  Aron Baynes  is an unrestricted free agent and fits the bill of a rotation caliber center that Boston so sorely needs. Ojeleye is 240 pounds of solid muscle. To opponents jockeying for position against him, it must seem like bumping against a cement wall. "But he can't play", his critics might say. I say he can. He has been an elite ...

Gordon Hayward has been diagnosed with a Grade 3 ankle sprain and is exected to be out of action for at least four weeks. Coach Brad Stevens has been given no choice. In Game One of the Philly series, the starting five accounted for 101 of the Celtics' total of 109 points. Boston's Critical Core of Walker, Smart, Brown, Tatum and Hayward logged 203 of a possible 240 minutes. Time to look to the bench for much-needed help. Despite Boston's win in Game One, Joel Embiid had his way in the early going. He could not be contained down low. Expect that to change in Game Two of the series. The Celtics simply do not have the size to contend with Philly's big man, but they do have the strength in Marcus Smart and Semi Ojeleye. Expect both to have a shot at slowing down Embiid. Brad Stevens' strategy of employing a 6-man rotation in the series opener was never going to work long-term. Fatigue and injuries would eventually have reared their ugly head. Celtics back-up cente...

Almost five months ago, I wrote that Brad Stevens needed to balance his top-heavy starting lineup , and now it appears I have a supporter for my idea from NBA TV's Sam Mitchell, who proposed having Gordon Hayward come off the bench to pair with Marcus Smart. I had originally proposed the same move, specifically pointing to Semi Ojeleye as the new projected starter. This was my argument in March: The Boston Celtics have generally had their top-4 scorers in the starting unit, and that may need to change. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward and Kemba Walker account for 82.4 points per game, while the Boston bench ranks 28th in points-production at 27.6 PPG. You know I have broached this before. Only Gordon and Marcus have the mindset to come off the bench and not be hurt emotionally. The offense is too centered on the starting unit. Hayward's minutes should not drop though. — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) March 5, 2020 In last night's scrimmage versus the Houston ...