Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

Time dulls our perceptions of the NBA stars of the 60s, 70's and 80s Bill Russell would not star in today's game? Larry Bird is overrated? REALLY? I don't agree! I will focus mainly on the Boston Celtics since I have closely  followed them for 66 years. Russell hasn't played since 1969 - when he earned his 11th Title ring . He was big (for his time), supremely athletic, and had one of the keenest basketball IQs ever. He was not a volume scorer (career 16.2 PPG) - but did not need to be . However, his rebounding (24.9 RPG), defense, team play and rim protection were phenomenal. Russ just knew how to win . And he was the ultimate team player. His comrades knew if they slipped up on defense, "Big Bill" was there to correct their miscues. Could he play, or even star, in today's game? Yes on both counts. I immediately put him at the center spot of my all-time Celtics team - and probably on my all-time NBA starting quintet. Ditto for Larry Bird . He joins R...

 Start your day with a little "make-believe" . How would superstars who played 40-plus years ago fare against the stars of today? This is totally objective fantasy, so I expect differing views. My choices assume all players are at their peak. Old School Stars Honestly, I went with the 40+ year cutoff to get Larry Bird and Magic Johnson into the mix as starters. Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain are there also. Michael Jordan is obviously the 5th starter.  The bench consists of Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Dirk Nowitsky .  Today's Elite Eight Four of the starters are non-USA players , and a two more are in as backups . That says a lot about the modern NBA. Starters are Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum . The bench consists of Joel Embiid, Victor Wembanyama and Steph Curry. In a given era, any NBA team has the ability to win a contest against another - as evidenced by Philly's win over the favored Celtics i...

 It was Celtics versus Warriors - Bill Russell against Wilt Chamberlain . But one incident stole the show. Sam fouled Wilt - hard -  and Chamberlain thought the hit was over the hill and went after Boston's shooting guard. Wilt was pissed! He hated getting fouled because that meant he probably had to go to the foul line. Chamberlain was a menace on offense close to the hoop, but he shot better from the field (.540) than from the foul line (.511). What fans may have been watching was an early version of "Hack-a-Shaq", a strategy to foul Shaquille O'Neal and send him to his personal torture chamber, the foul line.  I can picture Coach Red Auerbach possibly telling his guys, "When you foul Chamberlain, make sure he doesn't score. Send him to the foul line. He can't hit shit from there."  The confrontation came down to a "David-vs.-Goliath" scenerio, and Sam's only weapon was a wooden photographer's stool . It slowed the giant'...

 I'm talking about the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers . The Lakers camp has been favored by NBA stars for decades , with the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and Lebron James ending up there. The sun, warmth, bright lights and chances for off-court stardom beckoned. And both Shaq and Lebron also played for the Miami Heat . The warmth, beaches and night life were calling. And I almost forgot they played together for Cleveland, forgoing the warmth and beaches for a bit. Well, it's 2024, and both teams have been eliminated from the post-season, and I love it . The Lakers won't acquire their Banner 18 prior to the Boston Celtics doing the same, and apparently the sun and nightlife of Miami wasn't enough to cure the ailments of Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier . The current Celtics team doesn't have any classic "Ring Shoppers" in the fold. No member of The Green is known for constantly seeking supposed greener pastures.  Ok...

  "That's a high-percentage shot!" --- Bill Russell -as-commentator Old-timers may recall NBA Analyst Bill Russell would often repeat that sentence when Wilt Chamberlain would jam another shot through the hoop. It got old. That's my point. Wilt's 100-point explosion in March of 1962 when Chamberlain's Warriors took down the New York Knicks may never be eclipsed. Here's why. "The Stilt", at 7'1" and 280 pounds, was a mismatch for any opposing center . Almost all of his scores came on dunks and close-in finger-rolls . The Knicks centers he faced in that contest were the immortal rookie Cleveland Buckner and the rather-average Darrall Imhoff. Buckner actually had a good offensive game in that outing with 33 points and eight boards, but Wilt had a field day against the 6'9', 210-lb. rookie . Buckner was out of the NBA after two seasons . Sophomore I mhoff, at 6'10" and 220 pounds did no better against Goliath, fouling...

 Has anyone else noticed that there seems to be a trend towards "slenderness" in the NBA . A number of present and future stars are thinner that what prevailed in the past seven (7) decades. It starts with the top-2 players in the Kia Rookie-of-the-Year Ladder. Victor Wembanyama is listed at 7'4" and 210 pounds, while Chet Holmgren is 7'1" and 195 pounds. In earlier times,  Bill Russell was considered to be a "slender" center at 6'9.5" and 220 pounds , and Reggie Lewis, listed at 6'7" and 195 pounds , was slim for the times. Now to the Kia MVP Ladder . Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is 6'6" and 180 pounds , while Tyrese Haliburton is 6'5" and 185 pounds . Both are top-10 in the ROY rankings.  Trae Young isn't in the MVP Ladder, but he is a legit star and stands at 6'1" and 164 pounds . That is shades of Allen Iverson. Is this a lasting trend or simply a temporary phenomenon?  I believe "slenderne...

  Joe Mazzulla has made it clear that he wants the long-distance shooting barrage to continue versus the Philadelphia 76'ers, particularly with Joel Embiid doing his Wilt Chamberlain impression under the hoop on defense. And previously little-used Payton Pritchard fits that plan. In last night's blowout of Philly, Pritchard played the entire fourth quarter , producing eight points, two rebounds, three assists and one steal. Granted, the Celtics were ahead 92-65 upon his entry to the court, but the fact he can hit from anywhere on the court, sometimes in bunches (he was 3-for-3 last night) could mean fans may expect him to be the 9th-man, at least in this series. Payton Pritchard NBA player Highlights CELTICS vs 76ERS Play-Offs 03-05-... https://t.co/IgwJ09paJr via @YouTube — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) May 4, 2023 Despite what some may see as Payton being a liability on defense, he works hard at it. Barring injuries to Marcus Smart, Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon , don...

 Last night's Celtics/76'ers game went fast for me. It always seems to happen when the two teams clash. It came down to the wire, with Philly coming away with the win. Boston appears to have Philly's number, but always have trouble containing the big guy, Joel Embiid . He had a line of 52 points, 13 boards and six assists and made it look easy . He shot 80% from the field and 92% from the free throw line . Grant Williams did his best to slow down Joel but continually got abused by the big man.  The Celtics definitely missed Jaylen Brown (back issues) and Rob Williams, and Payton Pritchard once again never saw the floor. Mike Muscala and Luke Kornet were in for significant minutes but had limited effect on the on the outcome. The Green seemed to get a boost when Blake Griffin came in , but he only logged eight minutes. Philadelphia remains pretty much a Joel Embiid/James Harden show, while Boston is definitely deeper, with Derrick White, Malcolm Brogdon, Al Horford, Marcu...

 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...

 Celtics and Bucks fans are only watching the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, but pro basketball doesn't get any more exciting than this. It's Jayson Tatum (46 points last night ) against The Greek Freak (44 points) - as Boston evened the series at 3-3. Perhaps the greatest player on the planet (Giannis) versus one (Tatum) that may some day take over that label. And we are seeing two savvy coaches preaching tough defense, and neither team giving an inch.  The matchup brings me back to the Bill Russell-led Celtics against Wilt Chamberlain and the 76'ers or Warriors. Sam Jones matching up against Hal Greer - and sometimes against Wilt (see photo below) . K C Jones against Wali Jones. The outcome was never assured for either team.  We see the same with the Celts and Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo has no weaknesses , and he never takes the easy way out. He very well could be the most-omnipotent physical force the NBA has ever seen . And Jayson Tatum? When he is on his gam...

 Let me make it clear first of all that I am totally against making a threat of any kind that even hints at harming, or certainly killing, another human being. Marcus Smart was wrong in doing so in the Celtics loss to the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder , and he deserved the one-game suspension. But to be honest, part of me loved that it occurred. . This type of thing can happen when a player gets to a point "beyond frustration" and is having a bad game. Marcus and his teammates have been under-performing generally - were in the process of losing to a pathetic-and-tanking Thunder team - and Smart was having a bad game . And he let loose verbally at the closest target - an NBA official. Wilt Chamberlain did a similar act versus referee, Earl Strom when Wilt was having his usual tortuous time at the free throw line (per Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith): ''He was in one of those 1-for-13s,'' recalls referee Earl Strom. ''Nothing was getting close. S...

My previous article on the Top 5 NBA players of all-time drew a lot of controversy, and I expect this one will do the same. I am solid and unmovable on my choices at the guard and forward slots - Larry Bird and Lebron James take the two front court positions, while Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan occupy the guards slots. 2001 MVP Shaq was the best center I have ever seen in th league. He was literally unstoppable I remember thinking there was no way his team could lose because he COULD NOT BE STOPPED except by fouling him. Such a tough decision to take Shaq over Kareem but he gets the edge... — Matty Vegas (@MattyVegas22) February 21, 2021 Younger responders will often tend to go with more-recent stars, and that showed in the Twitter posts. The major question seems to "center" around the five spot. The names of Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O"Neal all showed up in the discussion. I find it hard to argue with those that pick Wilt, Sha...

The game was always winnable for the Boston Celtics, but Philadelphia walked away with the 117-109 win. Without Jayson Tatum, both Marcus Smart and Daniel Theis stepped up with 25 and 23 points, respectively, but it was Theis' performance that was a pleasant surprise. Theis versus 76'ers showed nice movement and toughness against Embiid. Had 23 points, 10 boards. Plus he was getting good position and perfect feeds from the guards. Daniel theis highlights vs Philadelphia 76ers! ( Jan 20, 2021) https://t.co/wxzwftLFHF via @YouTube pic.twitter.com/sLTf1vPHZe — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) January 21, 2021 His 23 points came on 10-of-11 from the field and 1-of-1 on treys. His 10 rebounds gave him a double-double in only 27 minutes of action. Daniel gives up four inches and 40 pounds to Embiid, but he handled it well this time. Joel is big, strong and has a light shooting touch for someone of his size. To say he is a tough cover is an understatement. Daniel and former-Celtics star...

Our on-line draft of 32 Celtics stars is complete, and we have now whittled down that number to the Sweet Sixteen. The only current player to make the cut is Al Horford. The remaining 15 Boston players are either retired or deceased, having played for The Green for more than two full seasons over the past sixty years. The 16 stars from the Lakers squad is as formidable. CELTICS: BIGS Bill Russell Dave Cowens Robert Parish Al Horford WINGS Kevin Garnett John Havlicek Paul Pierce Larry Bird Tom Heinsohn Kevin McHale Reggie Lewis Dennis Johnson Sam Jones BALL HANDLERS Bob Cousy JoJo White Tiny Archibald LAKERS: BIGS Wilt Chamberlain Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Shaquille O'Neal Pau Gasol George Mikan WINGS Magic Johnson Elgin Baylor Kobe Bryant James Worthy Bob MaAdoo Jamaal Wilkes Michael Cooper BALL HANDLERS Jerry West Byron Scott Gail Goodrich Derek Fisher What sticks out immediately is the triple-tower combo of Wilt, Shaq and Kareem. The Celtics can...

The Celtics-Lakers rivalry goes back six decades and isn't over yet. It started with Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn, Bob Cousy and the Jones Boys in the early 60's, and with the current talent-laden rosters of both LA and Boston, it may not be over soon. CelticsSentinel held an online 4-team draft yesterday focusing on Celtics players with more than two years of service in Boston. The goal was to create a Celtics team that could take on a 60-year compilation of Lakers stars. The results are below: @LisaLaneMcCart1 Team Horford (C) Pierce (F) Havlicek (F) Rondo (G) Dennis Johnson (G) Bench: Antoine Walker (F) Smart (G) Isaiah Thomas (G) — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) April 1, 2020 @DanKelley66 Team Parish (C) Bird (F) Heinsohn (F) Sharman (G) Cousy (G) Bench: Macauley (C) Maxwell (F) Ray Allen (G) — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) April 1, 2020 It is quickly obvious that @DanKelley66 went old-school, taking Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Tom Heinsohn and "Easy Ed" Macauley. Des...

It happened in 1962 during Game 5 of the Eastern Finals that pitted Bill Russell's Celtics against Wilt Chamberlain's Philadelphia Warriors. Boston took the game, but it was Sam Jones' hard foul on Wilt that really got the crowd's attention. Wilt, all 7'1" of him, was pissed and went after Sam - who promptly snatched the closest weapon available - a photographer's stool. I interviewed former Celtics great Sam Jones, and the author of his biography, Ten Times a Champion, Mark C. Bodanza, last year. It was fun, informative and a bit tense on one subject. I loved all of it. Sam told me that Chamberlain threatened that he was going to make Jones eat that stool. Russ and Sam's other teammates came to his aid, and things calmed down after that. Sam was picked up the next day by Wilt and they had dinner together with Wilt's mom. When Wilt's mother asked Sam what he intended to do with that stool, he answered: "I was going to break your son...

No one ever knows what to make of the next NBA big man. As the seasons passed, the League welcomed George Mikan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - and now Tacko Fall. Mikan was big and talented, but no one ever called him super-athletic. Red Auerbach saw the potential in Russ, and it paid off with 11 Championships for the Celtics. For a player close to 6'10", Big Bill could run, jump, rebound, block shots and defend like no center before him. He was athletic with a Capital A. Wilt came into the NBA at 7'1" and 250 pounds. His "Wilt the Stilt" nickname fit his physique. He later went up to roughly 300 pounds, and he was super-strong and tough to defend physically. Even Russell needed some occasional help from his back-up, Wayne "The Wall" Embry. Grinding in the paint with Goliath could take a toll. Jabbar brought a new challenge for opposing centers. He was tall, slender and graceful. His sky hook was virtually unstoppable. A...