Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

  "SATISFYING" ? You bet!  Westt Coast versus East Coast. Land of sunshine and warmth against a lanscape being blanketed in snow as I write this, A team that seems to have stars drooling to be there pitted against a franchise that almost always comes through via intelligence, strategy and great decisions . The LA Lakers always seem to sign superstars, in large part because of the lights, the stars of the big-and-small screens and the chance for film credits of their own. Lebron James and Luka Doncic were the two latest star additions on the court last night when Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard and a cast of able supporters walked away with the victory. In Los Angeles, it started with Wilt Chamberlain heading to the City of Angels. And he was followed by Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and Pau Gasol . Quite a cast. And meanwhile, Red Auerbach, Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens were wheeling and dealing for Bill Russell, John Havlicek, JoJo White, Dave Cowens, Larry B...

  Fans of the Boston Celtics are not used to this . After 12 games , The Green show a 5-7 record . Many Beantown fans are not thrilled with that, but the season is young - and so are many of the Celtics players that are trying to find a niche - in the NBA - and on one of the most-storied franchises in sports history. Boston fans are used to their basketball team being dominant , as opposed to subordinate . The Green were superbly dominant in the 60s , garnering eight Championships in that decade. They also ruled the 80s , taking three titles in the 10-year span. Head Honcho, Brad Stevens , prior to this season, was forced by ownership to strip the roster for financial purposes , ending up with four players heading elsewhere, and one (Tatum) heading to the bench with a serious injury. Money was saved, but at a significant price . I have been a fan of the Boston Celtics since 1960 , and frankly, particularly in the 60s, the Celtics domination of other teams could sometimes be borde...

 At least to me, the Boston Celtics have the only true dynasty in the NBA's history . They won 11 Titles from 1957 to 1969 , and not incredibly, Bill Russell owns all of those rings. Thinga have changed in the League. No team has even won back-to-back Championships since the Golden State Warriors did it in 2017 and 2018 . And the last six Titles have been won by different teams every season.  Sports Dynasty (definition): A team or individual that dominates their sport or league for an extended length of time. Sure, the Lakers, Warriors and Bulls had their runs as imitators of the Celtics, but none of them had the 8-in-a-row Titles (1959-1966) that Russell and his team had. But that is all in the rear view mirror now. A repeat of Boston's record will never be achieved again . And I believe that is a good thing. Salary caps, payroll aprons, injuries and players with wanderlust (read: Lebron, Durant, etc.) have ensured that. The Russell-led Celtics of the 60s were so dominan...

 I have recently written about Marcus Smart reportedly signing with the Lakers after being waived by the Wizards. Now I am concerned about his return to Boston this coming season in a Lakers uniform. I actually don't expect Celtics fans to boo Marcus Smart https://t.co/RmZwtJPsPK — Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) July 23, 2025 I agree with Noa Dalzell . Smart has his fans and critics in Beantown, but he gave his all when here. That should suffice for any Bostonian that may have thoughts of  jeering "The Wolverine" when he takes to the parquet. The sometimes-bitter Celtics-Lakers rivalry is at the core of this question. Why did Smart sign with the Lakers? Was it animosity towards Brad Stevens for the trade - or how it was handled ? Or does he see a good fit there for himself? Did Brad Stevens even approach him? I have no idea, but I am behind this guy that gave so much and got traded prior to his team achieving Banner 18 without him. Will Celtics fans boo Marcus Smart ...

 According to Shams Charania , former-Celtic, Marcus Smart , is about to be bought out by the Wizards and sign a 2-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Good Lord, get me through this. Marcus Smart and Carson Thomas Lane My readers know quite well the affection I hold for "The Wolverine" - alias Marcus Smart. That affection goes beyond what Marcus did for my family after my great grandson was orphaned after the death of his mom. BREAKING: Marcus Smart has agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards and intends to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers after clearing waivers, sources tell ESPN. A return to a grand stage for the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/8g9Bxzz11E — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 19, 2025 Let me go on record here. I do not hate the Lakers. But for decades, they were the team that were the major block to the Celtics taking more NBA Titles . Just think back to the Russell-led Bo...

  Well, the Lakers did it again. In the past, the sunshine, warmth and glamor of Los Angeles played a huge role in landing Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Shaq, Lebron - and yes - even the guy they just traded away, Anthony Davis. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6106196/2025/02/02/luka-doncic-trade-lakers-anthony-davis-mavericks/?campaign=12489530&source=athletic_email&userId=13383794 No one saw this coming . Effectively trading AD for the Mavericks Luka Doncic  was a shocker , but now the Lakers have added one more big name to their list of NBA stars who have landed in "Tinseltown" . And it is ironic that they sent another such "big name" packing (Davis). Boston can't compete with LA for warmth, sunshine, glamor - or the shot to get on the big screen . But the Celtics, through smart acquisitions and trades (read: The Jay Team) nailed Banner 18 before the Lakers - and will be seriously competing for "Number 19" this season. How well ...

 Do you remember Payton Pritchard in the 2022-23 season? You are forgiven if you don't. The undersized combo guard only saw action in 48 games and averaged a mere 13.4 minutes/game. That has all changed this season . In the last four games, the 28th pick (first round) in the 2020 draft is averaging: 30.5 MPG - 24.5 PPG - 5.3 RPG - 3.0 APG - 1.3 SPG - +11.5 plus/minus And how about his shooting accuracy in those four games! He nailed 55% from the field , 4 9% on threes and 90% from the foul line. Pritchard is currently leading all bench players in most ratings for 2025 Sixth-Man-of-the-Yea r - and frankly - he is already in the conversation for NBA-Most-Improved. And Payton-as-All-Star talk might begin if he keeps up these performances.  I have previously compared Payton to 6'1" former-Laker guard, Gail Goodrich , who garnered five All-Star appearances when he was finally given ample floor time. Also, on two occasions, I wrote about Pritchard's lack of minutes an...

 The Lakers Bronny James is in a vise - and he knows it. As a father, grandfather and great grandfather, I want my progeny to be better than me - in as many ways as possible.  Lebron James, Jr. has minimal chances at achieving what his dad has accomplished. At 6'1.5", the younger James will (literally) never achieve the 6'8" height of his dad. Or the NBA longevity, prowess and fame that "The King" has earned. But here he is - a member of the Los Angeles Lakers who almost certainly would not have been drafted if Lebron, Sr. didn't manipulate the franchise into doing so. And to make matters worse, his Summer League stats are lackluster - to say the least.  But the 19-year-old youngster did break loose a bit in the Lakers 87-86 win over the Hawks last night . He scored 12 points on 5-of-11 from the field and 2-of-5 from long distance . He admitted post-game that "It felt good". Lebron James, Sr. has been in the spotlight well-before being drafte...

 Celtics sophomore, Jordan Walsh , is off to a bad start in Summer League competition. His averages in the two games thus far are as follows: 25.5 MPG - 6.5 PPG - 5.5 RPG - 1.5 APG - 2.0 SPG - 1.0 BPG - 25% FG - 0% (0-of-11) on 3s But at least in Game #2, a win for Boston versus the Lakers, Walsh fared somewhat better than in the Game-1 loss to the Heat. So he may be settling in and not forcing his offense. His Game-2 points, rebounds, assists, steals, field goal percentage and plus/minus all improved over Game-1.  Tonight's contest against Charlotte will have some importance for Jordan. Despite his 4-year contract with the Celtics (year #4 is a team option) , he will have competition as backup wing for Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Sam Hauser. And he knows it. But that is what Summer League is all about . Walsh seemingly is desperately trying to participate in more Celtics games this season. He appeared in only nine Celtics games in his rookie season, spending most of his...

  Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes suggested just that. This is from a recent article: Often, the Lakers' legacy, star power and glamor market allow them to secure talent at a discount. This time, L.A. lost out on a key target who took less to go elsewhere. Missing on (Klay) Thompson wouldn't have stung as much if the Lakers had pivoted to other difference-making acquisitions. But because they've only re-signed LeBron James, agreed to terms with Bronny James and handed Max Christie a four-year, $32 million extension, their offseason rates as a major disappointment. Maybe the allure of L.A. isn't what it used to be. Klay finally decided to head to Dallas, as opposed to signing for more money with the team (Lakers) that traded for his dad in 1987. The title of Hughes' article is (by the way), Every NBA Team's Biggest Miscalculation This Offseason. So, what's Hughes' take on the Celtics offseason ( per Grant Hughes ):   We'll only do this once, but t...

 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...

  "Anything can happen in the playoffs!" I like that quote better than the one in the title.  Flashback to Game-4, 1987 NBA Finals - Celtics versus Lakers. In the closing seconds, Magic Johnson goes to a sky hook to win the game - all the while i gnoring open teammate, Kareem Abdul Jabbar - he the of "Sky Hook" fame. A Boston win would have tied the series at 2-2 . The teams split the next two contests, meaning the series would have been tied at 3-3 as opposed to LA taking the series in six games. Meaning there would have been a Game-7. How about Don Nelson's "look-what-I-found" shot in the closing seconds of the 1969 Finals against the Lakers. Nellie's shot took a high bounce off the rim and settled right through the net. That sealed the win - and the Championship for the Celtics. The 2023-24 Celtics are the best team on paper - and the best in the regular season. They are favored to take the Title, but luck, good or bad, can intervene. It ...

 Quick question! What Celtics team holds the team's record for most wins in the regular season? The answer is - the 1972-73 crew led by John Havlicek, Dave Cowens and JoJo White. The Green won 68 games in that campaign. But that team did not win the Title that year. Why? Primarily because Hondo Havlicek suffered a severe right arm injury in Game-3 of the Eastern Finals versus the New York Knicks . He sat for Game-4 and returned for games five and six - both wins for Boston. John played the role of one-armed man for the final three games of the series, with the Knicks moving on to the Finals and winning the 1973 Championship. Now to the present. The Celtics have a 57-16 record with nine games to play . Their nearest competitor is the Minnesota Timberwolves at 51-22. Home court is likely for the entire playoffs, but what does that mean? "Very little" is the correct answer. Injuries - illness - poor game or series by a key Celtics player - an MVP-type performance by an...

 Don't rule this out. NBA.com's Steve Aschburner and Shaun Powell have tabbed the Los Angeles Lakers as having a decent shot to end up coming out of the West in pursuit of Banner 18 . Imagine Lebron James Lakers facing Jayson Tatum's Celtics in the Finals. The Lakers are currently sitting at #9 in the Western Conference, so they may need to get through the Play In Tournament first, but the added drama of both teams vying - not only for the 2024 Title - but also that 18th Banner to hang in their rafters. Los Angeles has "The King" and "The Brow", but there is one big caveat for them ( per Steve Aschburner ): The Lakers are 7-7 with, er, one big caveat: They are 0-3 against Denver this season, 0-8 counting the 2023 Western Conference Finals and the last 2022-23 regular-season clash. Somebody else will need to bump off the Nuggets for this scenario to happen. Count me as a Celtics fan who has some fear of Boston facing Denver in the Finals. They are th...

 There is only outer space beyond the exosphere , and that is where the expectations for the Boston Celtics reside this season. No excuses! No alibis! Anything less than Banner 18 for The Green is failure. But is that even fair. I admit to being disgusted by the 0-3 start for Boston - with home court - in last season's Eastern Finals versus Miami. It took a harsh scolding by owner, Wic Grousbeck, to even the series (barely) at 3-3 - with Boston losing Game 7. Boston sports fans are terrific, but they are also very demanding . They see 17 banners in TD Garden rafters and expect the next one very soon - probably this June. The last Title was in 2008 , so with 30 teams in the League, most fans around the League would be content with waiting until 2038. Not so in Beantown. We have been spoiled. Red and Russ got us 11 Titles. Then came another two in the 70's - three in the 80's - and the last one in 2008 . May I introduce the 10 present NBA teams that have ZERO Titles , gran...

 After 59 games, the 2023-24 Celtics hold the 8th-best NBA point differential (PD) all-time . The 71-72 Lakers own the top number at 12.28 , while this version of the Celtics lies at 10.73. At #11 in the list are the 07-08 Celtics (10.26) and the 85-86 Boston crew sit at #14 (9.41) . Both of those Boston teams were Champions . So, does this bode well for Banner 18 this season? Maybe! We know regular season dominance gets you home court - but little else . The post season in the NBA is a whole other deal. But particularly lately, this season's Celtics have been d ominant, confident - and they are playing the right way at the right time in the season . They are well-poised to bring Banner 18 to TD Garden. But how about a little luck and storing Kristaps Porzingis in a plastic bubble for the rest of the regular season. 

  February 8, 2024 @ 3:00 PM ET. That is the NBA trade deadline, and Yahoo!Sports has broached a potential deal that most Boston Celtics fans, including this one, never wanted to see (per Jake Fischer): Marcus Smart blocking The Greek Freak "While several clubs — including the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, sources said — have phoned Memphis about obtaining defensive stalwart Marcus Smart, the Grizzlies have shut down any overtures for the veteran guard, sources said." When Smart was sent packing to Memphis , he was not thrilled with hearing the news via social media. Marcus had his share of critics among Boston fans, but most never wanted to see " The Wolverine" return to Beantown as an opponent - ready to defend any member of The Green, regardless of size or ability. The Grizzlies Ja Morant is out for the season with an injury, and center, Steven Adams (also out for season) is heading to the Houston Rockets. This season is a lost one for Memphis , and ...

 "(Jaylen) Brown and (Jayson) Tatum are great players, but they are nice guys. I never met a great player  that was really, really a nice guy". --- Charles Barkley That is what Sir Charles had to say about a Celtics team that had been destroyed (114-105) by a Lebron-less, Brow-less Lakers crew. Is it true? "You can't tweak your little finger without your brain initiating the action." --- Tom Lane This is not simply part of a bad stretch for Boston. Their minds are not into the regular season, and they are once again bored with the 82 games that lead to the post-season. "I'm almost off their bandwagon... They don't win on toughness and defense." Chuck sounds off on the Celtics' first-half performance pic.twitter.com/8Olm13SR7W — NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 2, 2024 The "toughness" and "defense" Barkley mentioned as requirements for Titles were sorely missing in last night's contest. Do any long-time Celtics fans...

 Short and sweet, folks - as always. The Celtics take on the Lakers this Christmas Day. Adore him- like him - hate him - despise him, but Lebron James will turn 39 years old on Saturday , December 30 and he still plays like he is in his prime - which is generally regarded as roughly 28 years old for NBA . players. 34.2 MPG - 25.7 PPG - 7.7 RPG - 7.3 APG - 1.5 SPG - ,544 FG - .412 3s Those are not "geezer" stats for "The King" this season. Love him or hate him - give him his due . The man takes extraordinary care of his body - for the good of himself, his team and the NBA.  With that aside, as a loyal 6-decade fan of the Boston Celtics, here's hoping for a Christmas present in the form of a solid Celtics victory.

  Where do I start? There are many potential negatives involved in the Boston Celtics choosing Bronny James in the 2024 NBA draft. Bronny's dad, Lebron James , has stated he would sign with the team that drafts his son . His present contract with the Lakers has a "player option" attached to it for the 2024-25 season. So, should he choose, he could opt out and become a free agent - able to pick his own team. But there would be no way Boston could afford the $51.4 million Lebron is slated to earn if he remains with Los Angeles. So what if agrees to take far less? Then comes to mind the massive ego and the fit and synergy with the Jay Team - or lack thereof. And how about the medical concerns with Bronny - who went into cardiac arrest this past summer due to a heart defect. That could be a major concern. Mock NBA drafts have the younger James going anywhere from the late-lottery to not being drafted at all. The incentive for some teams to go ahead and draft Bronny woul...