Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 It is quickly becoming obvious why Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla have high hopes for the Spanish import, Hugo Gonzalez . In the Celtics first Summer League contest, he was team-high in minutes (36.57) and field goals attempted (16). Boston won the game in OT, 83-80, versus the Raptors and "The Spaniard" was everywhere - on offense and defense. He came close to a triple-double, with 17 points, 10 boards and eight assists . The problem was Hugo's shooting efficiency. He was only 3-of-16 from the field and 1-of-9 on 3-pointers. But Stevens knew this kid needed work on his offensive game prior to the draft - so no surprises here. The real pluses with Gonzalez are his length (6'6" in height} - age (20 years old) - versatility (close to a triple-double) - and his hustle and tenacity at both ends. He takes no plays off . Particularly if Hugo improves his offensive game significantly, the Boston fans will love this guy. And with Brasd Stevens, defense gets a player o...

 It was  October, 2006 , and the Boston Celtics were in Manchester, NH for an exhibition game against the Cavaliers. As my wife and I entered the lobby of the arena, several younger members of the Celtics had been sent out to greet the fans.  Among the players was rookie Rajon Rondo , and he absolutely looked like a "deer in the headlights" . I will never forget that look.  The team at the time also included Paul Pierce (of course), Ryan Gomes, Tony Allen, Gerald Green, Leon Powe, Brian Scalabrine, Sebastian Telfair and Delonte West. Doc Rivers was at the helm. In the previous exhibition contest, the rookie R ondo had a great game in Boston's loss to the Toronto Raptors ( per Toronto City News ) "For the visitors (Celtics), rookie Rajon Rondo poured in an impressive 29 points, including a buzzer beating three pointer that forced the extra frame." I guess that told Doc Rivers (and us) that Danny Ainge made a solid move in acquiring this 6'1", 180-lb ...

 It took a while, but with only four games remaining for the Celtics in the regular season, they have signed G_leaguer, Justin Champagnie, to their 15th roster spot. The 6'6", 21-year old went undrafted in the 2021 NBA draft and has alternated between the Sioux Falls Skyforce and Toronto Raptors. Champagnie saw action in three games this season with Toronto, averaging a mere 3.7 minutes per game The Boston Celtics are planning to sign NBA G League Sioux Falls forward Justin Champagnie, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium . Champagnie spent parts of last two seasons with the Raptors, and has averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds for Sioux Falls. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 3, 2023 .  Boston will take a look at the young wing for the remaining four games and then decide whether to retain him for the post-season.

  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...

 The Boston Celtics lost a close one in overtime to the Toronto Raptors, 137-134 , in part due to a minor emotional reaction that got Jayson Tatum his second technical - and ejection - with 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter. His first "T" came at the 3:37 mark of the third period after he slammed the ball to the court after being called for a personal foul. His ejection, which came as a surprise to virtually anyone watching the game - including me , came about after Jayson performed an overhead, exasperation-type arm movement following another personal foul called on him. Jayson Tatum got ejected from the Celtics' preseason game after his second tech. pic.twitter.com/pnal83haRj — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 15, 2022 Tatum's game has come full-circle, and he has morphed into a complete player - perhaps even top-5 in the League. But he has never rid himself of the need to protest many of the calls against him. Getting tossed in a pre-season contest ...

  As things sit right now, the Brooklyn Nets would take on the Toronto Raptors (in Toronto) in the first game of the Play-in Tournament, as the 7th and 8th seeds , respectively. So, what's the glitch? Toronto is the only NBA city where the still-unvaccinated Kyrie Irving can't play. Irving has been on a tear since the All-Star Break , and his absence could lower the Net's chances at making the final eight teams in the East - although a loss to the Raptors would still give Brooklyn a second game in which to remain the the playoff picture. Here are Kyrie's post-All-Star stats : Post All-Star break stats:  38.7 ppg | 4.0 rpg | 5.7 apg | 2.0 spg It is obvious that Irving would be sorely missed if this scenario comes to fruition. A loss in Toronto would mean a second game versus the winner of the Atlanta-Charlotte Play-In contest and a win would move Brooklyn to the 8th seed against the Miami Heat. A loss to Charlotte or Atlanta would remove them from the post-season . We...

  I wrote about this portrayal pre-season  when Sports Illustrated rated the Boston Celtics 14th in "watchability" , based on how entertaining their performance would be. Frankly, SI was not far off, but Boston's win last night over the Toronto Raptors was a team-generated victory - and a damn entertaining one. The Guys-in-Green did it the right way this time, starting with Jayson Tatum . He only took 16 shots in the game - making two of them . But he did his best Larry Bird impression on an off shooting night , handing out a team-high 10 assists , to go with seven rebounds and a plus/minus of +13 . The guy that publicly criticized the Jay Team for being selfish at times put forth a solid line of 21 points (team-high), 8 boards and six assists . Marcus Smart , often taking heat for his reckless shot-taking hit 44% of his field goals, 40% from deep and 100% from the foul line . Al Horford had yet another double-double consisting of 17 points and 11 rebounds . Grant Will...

      "We're going to figure it out, I'm certain of it," -- Jayson Tatum.         1st Quarter        Ball Movement Leads to Good O        Ball movement is the key to good offense , when we see this team move and make the extra pass we get what they can be as a team. Multiple possessions, found their way home in the bottom of the cup. What was a hair worrisome was some lax play on D against a team that is struggling. If they can clean up their D things will play out well.       Al brings the calm waters in the game      When Al Horford is on, he brings so much to this team . His leadership and play on the court bring a calm to this team . He does whatever is asked of him, His level of play is elite given his age. When the rest of the team follows his lead they are very successful.  Celtics lead 27-26.      2nd Quarter        More Ball Movement i...

        First Half Thoughts       1st Quarter      Celtics should hopefully be ready to give the Raptors a taste of their own medicine and light them up. Al opening up the O with a nice fall away. RWill follow up dunk, always hustling. JT coming up roses hitting his first shot. RWill following up another shot with a tip in.      Al crashing the offensive board, getting second chance points. DS for three off a JT pass! Nice ball movement . Marcus with a smooth jumper that wasn't a three. JT with a sweet pass to Romeo for three! JRich hustling and swatting the shot on the other end. Get that weak stuff outta here!        JT driving and kicking to Romeo for three again! The man knows how to distribute the rock! JRich off the dribble with a nothing but net jumper! Smooth as the other side of the pillow! DS for three, silky smooth! DS to the cup! Celtics lead 33-26 .       2nd Quarter  ...

 At least the Celtics/Knicks game was forced toi two overtimes prior to the eventual loss. Last night's 115-83 loss to the Raptors was a drubbing .Here are some synonyms for "drubbing": beating - thrashing - walloping - thumping - battering - pounding You get the idea! But do the current crop of Celtics players understand it? The conclusion is tough to miss. The cure for some of the many Celtics shortcomings would be to repeatedly watch the performance and effort from the 4th-overall pick in this year's draft by the name of Scottie Barnes . If you watch the video, pay strict attention to his play at the 3:11 mark of the fourth quarter , with the came well out of reach for Boston. The assignment for the Boston Celtics today: Watch Toronto rookie, Scottie Barnes, help take The Green apart. My upcoming article is a 2-minute read. Take it in. Scottie Barnes 25 PTS 13 REB Full Highlights vs Celtics - October 22, 2021 https://t.co/6AFGaUdeLP via @YouTube — Tom Lane (@Celti...

      Random Thoughts - First Half       Al Horfords impact was felt like the cool wind on a hot day . Blocking shots, dunking the rock, and just being the true professional he is. The double big with him and RWill is a nice weapon to have out there.        RWill can honestly do it all. Blocking shots, slamming alley oops, he's a human eraser . He cuts hard, and gave up his body with reckless abandon. He's a stat machine, and honestly if he can keep this energy going,  should be a great game for him.        JRich had a nice impact on the floor knocking down threes and bringing that swag , bringing a hard nosed attitude.. Dennis Schroder is a pest and Celtics fans love it. Now that he's on the right team, you see how good he really is. He's going to drive other teams nuts!      It wasn't all good. Defensive intensity was lacking - way too many turnovers. The Raptors had their way and the Celtic...

      Some random Celtics thoughts from Celtics 113-111 victory over the Raptors. Refs suck even in preseason, Tatum goes to hoop no call, Drajic gets barely hit it's a foul! When will the scales ever be equaled out with calls for the Green? Never!       Romeo is building confidence! Will he stay healthy, does his impact carry into the regular season?       Marcus can drive, shoot and get to the hoop! He can also get the rock where it needs to be. A Junior DJ in the making?       Grant can do it all! Threes! Drives! Defense! It's preseason so let's see how he carries everything into the regular season.          So far no Jaylen - no hierarchy? JT has to assume that leadership role on the floor without the other half to the Dynamic Duo       Al is back and it feels so good to be reunited! We have missed everything you do Al. The Jedi Master to this Celtics team.    ...

  Al Horford was back where he belongs in Boston's 113-111 win over the Toronto Raptors . He was the starter at power forward, supplying a bit of everything to the victory. Here is his production summary: 24 minutes - 16 P - 3 R - 2 A - 1 S - 2 B - 6/9 FG - 4/4 on 3s The numbers don't tell the whole story. The stability Al transmits to his teammates can not be minimized. I suspect he leads his life like he plays on the hardwood - never too high or too low. Horford will never be labeled a superstar in this League, but he brings exactly what the relatively-young crew has needed all along - a quality and seasoned vet with high character . Can you tell I love this guy? Al Horford’s now 4-for-4 from three @Wendys pic.twitter.com/UagCK1XiHQ — Celtics Lead (@CelticsLead) October 10, 2021 How much did Al's team and fans miss that reliable shot from long distance? His return to Beantown was not accompanied by bright lights and huge fanfare , but we are thrilled to have him back...

I openly admit to having an obsession with Robert Williams' per-36-minutes stats , always trying to project what he could do with more floor time. Over the past 10 games, Rob's 17.1 points per game don't really stand out, but there is hidden value in the rebounds (13.2 RPG), assists (3.7 APG), steals (2.0 SPG) and blocks (3.7 BPG). The obscure value pertains to the easy baskets that Rob may generate. Iso-ball requires a lot of individual effort, and the rewards from the physical strain don't always come to fruition. Easy baskets come from steals, blocks, offensive boards and the resultant (hopefully) fast breaks that lead to scores. The Celtics currently are ranked 20th in points per game scored on fast breaks , and hold 13th place in blocks . What team is first in both categories? That would be the Philadelphia 76'ers that, not coincidentally, also hold first place in the Eastern Conference. Boston is also in 12th place in steals and 4th place in offensive rebo...

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...

Kyle Lowry is 34 years old on the last year of his contract in Toronto. He’s a bulldog. He’s a leader. He’s a different version of Marcus Smart. Lowry also may be exactly what the Boston Celtics are missing: a point guard who doesn’t always need the ball in his hands to be effective.  Compare usage rates: Lowry 21% vs Kemba 29% Yes Kemba is having a serious off year. Do I believe that he will figure it out? Absolutely. But it still doesn’t change the equation: Kemba Walker isn’t the missing piece to a title. Given his size it’s obvious that he never was.  At 34 years old I believe that Lowry still at least has 3 solid years left. He’s never been a high percentage shooter. He’s never been the quickest player on the floor. Lowry is savvy and tough. Those qualities tend age very well. And as far  as resigning him in the offseason...why would he leave Tatum, Brown & Smart.  Is Lowry enough to get us a title? Nope. Danny would still need to use the TPE to get us a via...

  With three of Boston’s top options at point guard among the missing last night, the Celtics were able to upset the Toronto Raptors , with the final score at 126-114. Marcus Smart, Jeff Teague and Kemba Walker were all out of action with various injuries, but it didn’t matter. Payton Pritchard 2020 Romeo Langford 2019 Robert Williams 2018 Jayson Tatum 2017 Jaylen Brown 2016 Terry Rozier 2015 Marcus Smart 2014 pic.twitter.com/vQlVmJ2F0w — Colin (@CM1661) January 5, 2021 The main take from the victory may be that Danny Ainge , despite occasional negative noise about his decisions, has made some great moves over the years – and a number of them were on display last night. It starts with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown , taken with the 3 rd overall picks in consecutive drafts via the Paul Pierce/Kevin Garnett trade with the Nets. Tatum had a team-high 40 points and went to the foul line 13 times, making all of those attempts. He also came away with plus/minus honors with a +24. ...

Remember when the San Antonio Spurs were trying to develop a trade for their star forward, Kawhi Leonard. The Celtics at the time were rumored to be in the mix for his services, with the names of Jaylen Brown - and possibly Marcus Smart - tossed out there.  The rumored trade seemed to center around Brown and draft picks, and at least to me, the possible inclusion of Smart into the deal appeared ridiculous. Well, Jaylen, Marcus and the Celtics are still in the fight for a Title, while Kawhi and his new team, the Clippers, have been vanquished. Leonard's 2020 post-season stats are mostly ahead of Brown's, but not by a large margin, and we might add that Kawhi is now 29 years old while Jaylen is only 23. Brown is averaging 21.1 PPG in the playoffs compared to 28.2 PPG for Leonard. Rebounds are close with 7.3 RPG for Brown and 9.3 for Leonard. Assist honors also go to Kawhi (5.5 APG, 2.2 for Jaylen). With Leonard probably having reached his peak and Brown continuing to improve hi...

The Celtics elimination of the Toronto Raptors last night in the seventh game of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals reveals a few things about the 2019-20 version of the Boston Celtics. One of the most vivid revelations is the transition of Marcus Smart into a complete player (per Wikipedia): Kemba Walker: "It's exciting. It's energizing. He (Marcus Smart) just gets everybody going. Gets us going, gets the crowd going. Like I said, we just kinda feed off him. He just does so many great things. And propels our defense each and every night." In last night's 92-87 victory, Marcus put up 16 points, grabbed two rebounds and handed out six assists. But it was his three steals and one block that were so instrumental in the win. His first theft came at the 9:15 mark of the first quarter, after which he went full court for a layup. His second steal came in the second quarter and he then delivered a perfect lob pass to Jayson Tatum for the score. Later in the second per...