If Game 1 against Indiana was any indication, the Boston Celtics are going to be relying on their defense in the 2019 playoffs. Boston’s 84-74 win left fans understandably concerned about certain aspects of Boston’s offense, but the effort at the other end was undeniable, especially in the second half when they held the Pacers to a season-low 29 points. While the final margin was just ten points, Boston was in total control for most of the second stanza, stretching a nine-point lead at the end of the third quarter (63-54) into a 22-point lead (84-62) with just over three minutes left in the game. The Celtics were sizable -400 favorites to win the series before Game 1, and are now -850 chalk after shutting down Indiana for a solid 24 minutes. According to the analysts at SBD, though, their odds to win the East remain basically unchanged at +350. That’s because of a looming second-round matchup with the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, who looked as good in Game 1 against Detroit as they did in their historic 60-win regular season. Soon-to-be league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and company put a 35-point beatdown on the Blake Griffin-less Pistons (121-86) and it will be a massive surprise if that series goes to five games. While the Celtics should be able to close out Indiana relatively quickly, it’s undeniable that Boston/Indiana is going to be a much more physical, fatiguing series than Milwaukee/Boston. Brad Stevens said to the Associated Press that Game 1 “looked like a 1980s playoff game … [The Pacers] are physical”. Adding to the doubts about Boston’s long-term playoff success, the Celtics will be playing shorthanded for the foreseeable future, down Marcus Smart until at least the Eastern Conference finals. Only eight Celtics played more than five minutes in Game 1. Compare that to the Bucks, who had 11 players log at least 12 minutes in Game 1 against Detroit. When/if they do meet in the second round, Milwaukee is likely to be the fresher, healthier team from the outset, an advantage that will only become more pronounced as the series progresses. The injury to Smart is not just a manpower concern, either. As arguably the Celtics’ best on-ball defender, his absence will be felt a lot more in a series with Milwaukee, which finished fourth in Adjusted Offensive Rating, than against Indiana, which finished 18th (even with half a season of Oladipo). The optimists will point to last year’s seven-game win over Milwaukee in the first round and note that Boston didn’t have Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward in that series. Subtracting Smart for Irving and Hayward is still a net gain, surely? But that argument ignores the progress Milwaukee has made under Mike Budenholzer. The Bucks jumped from 9th to 4th in Adjusted Offensive Rating and from 21st to 2nd on defense. They now attempt and make the second-most threes in the entire league. Last year, they were 25th in attempts and a brutal 27th in makes. Even at full strength, this year’s iteration of the Bucks would be a handful for this year’s iteration of the Celtics. Milwaukee won the regular-season series 2-1, despite Boston getting two home games. If Boston is going to match their playoff performance from last year and get back to the East finals, they will likely need to be every bit as good on defense as they were on Saturday while improving on the offensive end, where they shot just 36.4% from the field. Yes, the Indiana defense is very good. Milwaukee’s is better.
The Celtics will play their final regular season game on Tuesday night when they take on the Washington Wizards. If you were to click on over to Sportsbook Review, you would see what the best online sportsbooks are dealing on that game, and every other, all on one page. Chief among them is Heritage Sports and at this moment Heritage’s oddsmakers have pegged the Green as 4 ½ point road underdogs due to the fact that Boston has locked up the fourth seed in the East and should be resting their key players. We know for certain that extra caution will be paid to Marcus Smart, who suffered a strained oblique, as well as Jayson Tatum who is dealing with a bruise to his shin courtesy of Sunday’s game against Orlando.
The Celtics would go on to lose 116-108 to the Magic, but what’s more perplexing than Boston dropping three of four this season to a pedestrian squad like the Orlando, is Boston’s apparent insouciance to their own plight. This team is the C+ student with straight A potential looking directly at a big final exam coming up, without a care in the world. Kyrie Irving has said as much, repeatedly declaring that the Celtics will be ready for the playoffs when they start. It’s as if the postseason will suddenly morph this underachieving group into championship timber, and we will all forget about head-scratching losses like this one.
Speaking of the which, after the C’s Sunday night defeat, in which Brad Stevens rolled out his starters despite the fact that they had clinched the No. 4 seed, Al Horford gave us this little postgame gem, “I think it is important (playing the starters in a meaningless game). Tonight, and this whole week has been good for us. We’ve been challenged, and I feel like our team has answered and played at a high level like we needed to. Tonight, was just another night I felt like we played really well, but we just came up short.”
Is that right, Al? How many times does this team have to lose winnable games before they begin to question exactly what they are doing – and not doing? This is a team whistling past the graveyard and seem to collectively believe that they’re never going to die. If all of this potential was actually realized on a regular basis then the Celtics would be the top seed in the East, preparing for whichever among the playoff dregs emerges to cop the eighth spot. That’s the team we believed we would see after their epic run last season, sans superstars Irving and Haywood. Okay, so things don’t always go as planned, that’s understandable. However, when the team itself snickers at every inference that they could be in for a short postseason stint, it’s downright peculiar. Apparently, they’re not worried in the least and are wondering why everyone else is.
Ironically, the one team that Boston matches up very well against will be their first-round opponent. The C’s have taken three of four from Indiana, with the most recent being a 117-97 slaughter at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse just last week. Assuming our boys roll through the Pacers, then the test truly begins because there are three teams in the East alone that could deliver a punch big enough to knock some sense into what seems to be a blissfully ignorant group of Celtics. But who knows? Maybe Kyrie’s right and so too are his teammates who don’t share their fans’ sense of urgency…emergency even. Perhaps the Celtics were biding their time and tinkering with what worked and didn’t so that they could unleash their full potential once playoff basketball begins. We may not be buying what they’re selling but as long as they go deep in the postseason, all of this hand-wringing and angst will be a distant memory. Let’s hope.
There’s a common misconception that you have to be a professional gamer in order to crack it in the esports industry. Truth is, there are plenty of ways to get in on the esports action without trying to be the next Saahil Arora or PewdiePie.
If you’re interested in a career in esports, we’ve got a helpful esports guide for you on the avenues that are available to you.
How to get started in esports
The esports industry is very diverse and offers a lot of different job opportunities. Some are intrinsic to the esports industry and some play more of a supportive role. Some of the most lucrative and coveted jobs within the esports industry include:
Professional player: Pro gamers usually start by joining a team or organization that participates in gaming tournaments and work their way up through consistent gaming from amateurs to professionals.
Coach: As the name implies, an esports coach is someone that’s responsible for keeping the players motivated. A coach helps to accentuate the player’s strengths and overcome their weaknesses. They must also analyse opponents to make the most of the tournaments they participate in. This is a great role for anyone that has natural leadership abilities or anyone that has experience as a sports coach.
Agent: Responsible for taking care of the player’s interests.
Organisation manager: Oversees esports team or company.
Observer: Works behind the scenes to control the esports game broadcast camera.
Journalist/ content creator: Shares breaking news about esports tournaments, events, players, teams etc., for the fans and the industry as a whole.
How to get started in esports
As you can see, there are many doors through which you can enter the esports industry. But, esports is going through a considerable boom right now, so there’s a lot of competition out there. That’s why you need to have a fair amount of dedication and commit to working hard if you want to make it. Here are a few tips that will help you get started in this lucrative industry.
Find a niche
The best way to get ahead in esports is to specialize in one particular area of the industry. In fact, it’s better to concentrate on one thing instead of trying to be a “jack of all trades”.
If you’re not sure which of the available jobs is right for you, you can start by doing some research to find a position that resonates the most with you.
You may choose something in the communications and media aspect of esports if you have a background in journalism, for example.
Or you might be a die-hard fan of a particular game whose dream is to become a part of the company that produces it. The trick to finding your niche is to figure out where your interests lie and follow that route.
Start small
So many people want to see themselves at the top of the esports industry without “paying their dues” as it were. But, the best way to get ahead in any industry is to start at the bottom. Before you can become the CEO, you need to learn the basics of how the business works, right?
The same goes for esports. You need to be willing to start at the bottom before you can start earning the big bucks that you see esports players making. This could mean doing something as simple as starting a gaming blog or YouTube channel.
Sure, it might take a few months (or even years) to get it off the ground, but if you produce content on a regular basis, you’ll soon have a following that you can leverage.
Alternatively, find an organisation or corporation that you like and build your career from there. Or, study a relevant degree to further your knowledge of the particular niche that you’d like to specialize in. For instance, business studies and marketing are both in-demand skills in the esports industry, especially in roles that serve a supportive nature.
You could also try and find the contact details of a senior member of a company you’re interested in, someone who’s a decision maker.
While going through your internship, be sure to ask plenty of relevant questions and show a willingness to learn and work hard. Build a reputation for yourself as “the Golden Goose” or someone that’s willing to break their back to carry out any given task.
Work experience is extremely important in any field, including esports.
The key is to take initiative, improve your skills, get yourself out there and just get started!
Be on the lookout
There are plenty of online platforms that advertise esport job opportunities, such as the Esports Observer, Hitmaker, Glassdoor, Jobs in Esports and Indeed. All you have to do is Google any one of these platforms and you’re bound to come up with a job position that you’re excited about!
Go for it!
You can sit all day mulling over your options, but the best way to get started in esports is to just go for it. Start where you are with what you have. Even if you don’t have any experience, you can always learn on the job.
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that almost all residents of Boston are mad about sports. Many outstanding teams of all US professional sports leagues are based in Boston. It is one of the greatest sports cities in the US, and the passion of its citizens for sports is overwhelming — it is manifested in its every nook and cranny.
Bright billboards on huge stadiums are advertising sports events. In many shops, you can see a wide variety of sports equipment with emblems of local professional sports clubs and names of famous players.
The most beloved sports in the US are baseball, ice hockey, basketball, and football (not soccer). Those four sports are presented by the four world-famous Boston sports clubs, and you can read about them in this article. Also, you can use a professional writer service to order a paper on this topic.
BOSTON CELTICS
Being the best NBA club, Boston Celtics is the most titled basketball team of Massachusetts that has eighteen (!) NBA championship titles. Its history began in 1948 when the Club had to survive in the first and most difficult years of the US National Basketball Association. From the very beginning, the Celtics have been dedicated to winning, so it’s not surprising that the team has been dominating in the Eastern States for almost all the years since the foundation, with a few exceptions.
The success of the team is associated with Arnold Auerbach (Red), who was not only a coach but also a team agent and manager. The Celtics were awarded their first title in the 1957–1958 season by winning the final series of matches with the St. Louis Hawkes. Red’s brother, Zach Auerbach, a cartoon artist, has created a logo for the Club — a leprechaun with a cane. It was his personal present to the team to mark their first victory.
In 1978, Larry Bird, one of the most reputable players of the team, joined the Celtics. At the same time, Red Auerbach constantly disputed with the new team owner, John Brown, who used to interfere with the training process, making wrong decisions. Sports fans who adored the team creator protested against the new president’s policy. And, as a result, Brown could not stand such pressure and sold the club.
New success to the Celtics came in 1983. During four seasons, the Club participated in the NBA final matches. The team won the championships in 1984 and 1986, and Larry Bird was nominated as the best NBA professional player. However, on a par with the outstanding achievements, the Club also had fizzling years. In 1995, the Club moved from the legendary Boston Garden to the Fleet Center. Regardless, it did not bring new victories. During the years 1996 and 1997, the Celtics managed to win only 15 times during the championship.
In 2002, the team entered playoffs for the 1st time in 7 years. The Celtics defeated both Detroit and Philadelphia teams but lost to New Jersey Nets. The 2006–2007 season began with a tragedy — the legend, Red Auerbach, passed away. The whole team played with distinctive patches on their uniforms in memory of their deceased coach. During that season, the team was defeated 19 times in a row.
Incredibly enough, but in the next season, Boston Celtics conquered Los Angeles Lakers by the results of six matches in the finals and became the champions for the seventeenth time. Now, the team is undergoing a process of “rejuvenation,” and the club may well count on the highest ranks in championships.
2. BOSTON RED SOX
It is hardly possible to find a state resident who could not call themselves a fan of this Club. If the Boston Celtics team is the most award-winning in the state, then the Red Sox baseball team, which won in seven finals of MBL, can be called the most famous team in Massachusetts. Boston Red Sox is a club of professional baseball players, founded in 1901 along with other eight teams that formed the US Major League Baseball. The Club participated in 12 World Series and won 8 of them.
The enthusiasts of this team can be found all across the USA: from Maine, whose residents always considered the Red Sox their favorite team and every weekend fill the stands of Fenway Park, where the Red Sox games usually take place, to the West Coast, where Boston Red Sox fans have long united in sports societies. Also, the Red Sox brand is known in every country where baseball is popular.
Red Sox won the match with Pittsburgh Pirates in 1903 in the first World Series and came out victorious during the following four championships up to 1918. But then, the team was affected by one of the most extended series of consecutive failures in baseball history, also called “The Curse of Bambino.” Red Sox were not able to win the World Series for 86 years, well until 2004. However, the team was not forsaken by their fans in this period.
During that time, this Sports Club used to get to the finals of World Series 4 times, and the notorious losing streak of the team players became known as “Mad Dash” of Enos Slaughter in 1946, a home run of Carlton Fisk in 1975, and an error of Bill Buckner in 1986. The “curse” has been broken in 2004 by the team’s victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Then, the Red Sox Club was the first in the World Series in the years 2007 and 2013.
Boston Red Sox is owned by the Fenway Sports Group, which also possesses Liverpool, the British Football Club that plays in the Premier League.
3. BOSTON BRUINS
This famous ice hockey team was established in 1924. Among American clubs of this sport, this professional team with six Stanley Cups is second after Detroit Red Wings according to the number of the most valued trophies. Today, it is considered one of the most consistent teams of the East Coast, and it is regularly entering the playoffs during championships.
Success came to the Bruins in 1929. Thanks to the fantastic game of their goalkeeper Tiny Thompson, the team got the Stanley Cup for the first time, having defeated New York Rangers in the final match. Then, the team was victorious in the American division five times in nine years.
The Bruins got the second Stanley Cup in 1939, also thanks to their goalkeeper. That time, Frank Brimsek (or “Mr. Zero”) brought the team to the victory. The striker Mel Hill, who was nicknamed “Sudden Death,” also demonstrated brilliant skills. In 1941, the Club took its third Stanley Cup by a shutout victory over the Detroit team. In the 1950s, the Bruins took places in the middle of tournament tables. In the 1960s, they didn’t even reach the playoffs once and finished last six times in the regular championships.
After that, thanks to the efforts of the team’s coach, Harry Sinden, and great players like Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito, the Boston Bruins won their fourth Stanley Cup, having conquered the St. Louis team in 1970. When The World Hockey Association was created in 1972, this event crossed out the plans of the club managers — several leading players abandoned the Club and switched to a new league. Also, the injury of Esposito had robbed the team of its main sniper.
However, Boston Bruins did not lose its position among the NHL leaders, and the team repeatedly got to the Stanley Cup finals in the next years. The team’s coach, Don Cherry, made a significant contribution to the team’s success at that time. He managed to create an efficient team without in-game super players.
After that, the coaches changed quite often, but the team’s purpose remained the same — to win the Stanley Cup again.
In the 2008–2009 season, the Bruins were superior in 17 out of 20 matches and heralding the revival of the famous “Big Bad Bruins” of the past. So, in the years 2010–2011, Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup for the first time after the year 1972. It also happened in the Fenway Park, the home place of Boston Red Sox.
4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The New England Patriots Club presents one of the most known national teams playing American football. Formerly, it was called the Boston Patriots. It was organized in 1959, and it has not been able to reach the top positions for many years in a row. Only when its current owner, Robert Kraft, bought the team in 1994, the Patriots unleashed their true potential — the team won three Super Bowls in just 4 years.
Thanks to Tom Brady, their quarterback, Patriots became the 2nd team in the NFL history after Dallas Cowboys, having taken three Super Bowls in 4 years, and the eighth team, having won the two biggest prizes between years 2000 and 2005. Also, the Patriots made the longest winning series in the history of the NFL with 21 victories in the years 2004—2005. With all those achievements, the team was just getting started. They were awarded the Super Bowl again 10 years later.
In 2017, the team was ranked first in the Super Bowl Tournament in Houston. The Club became the champion of the National Football League for the fifth time. Their quarterback, Tom Brady, was recognized as the most valuable player — he was awarded the fifth NFL champion ring.
In 2018, the team entered the Super Bowl for the 10th time in its history. This sports event took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and ended with the victory of Philadelphia Eagles. In February 2019, the Patriots played in the 4th Super Bowl in five seasons. The match has finished with the team’s win and the sixth champion title. After that, Julian Edelman has been acknowledged as the best football player.
Other Boston Sports Teams
Well, several other sports teams playing in both major and premier leagues are actually based in Boston. Those include New England Revolution (soccer), Boston Breakers (women’s soccer), and three rugby clubs — Boston Irish Wolfhounds, Boston RFC, and Mystic River Rugby Club. Apart from professional teams, many student sports clubs successfully represent their institutions on the national arena and abroad.
The Celtics will snap their four-game losing streak tonight in Cleveland because if they don’t, then their postseason won’t last much longer than a cup of coffee against Philadelphia (or Indiana) in the first round. The oddsmakers over at one of the best online sportsbooks in the industry, 5Dimes, is dealingBoston as a5 ½ point road favorite over one of the worst teams in the league, and the same one that prevented them from advancing to the NBA Finals last season. Of course, that was then, and this is now, with LeBron taking his talents to LA while the Celtics are looking more and more like a group of guys out to get theirs, with little regard of the endgame which is winning a title.
Are you getting a bit tuckered out of this all too predictable Celtics’ soap opera? This rollercoaster of a season has featured glimpses of greatness but far too often, months of malaise mired in mediocrity. Don’t ever get your hopes to high with this team because they will break your heart quicker than you can say, “Kyrie is leaving Boston.” And Kyrie will leave because he now realizes that his one wish, to dribble out of LeBron’s shadow and bask in the glow of a white-hot spotlight all his own, isn’t as easy as he once thought. In retrospect, he had a pretty good gig being Scottie Pippen to LeBron’s Michael Jordan, and winning a world title in Cleveland. He didn’t have to be the man because he wasn’t the man, he was just a damn good sidekick. Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it, is a phrase Kyrie Irving knows all to well.
But perhaps the irony and absurdity of this entire season is the Celtics players somehow concocting this alternate reality that things will all come together the moment the postseason commences. Just read a few of these quotes and try not to arch your eyebrows or scratch your head.
Marcus Smart: “We got a lot of guys back, and we’re all trying to figure out exactly what everybody’s favorite things to do and what spots that everybody excels at and make sure we get everybody in the right position. We’re still fooling with it. But I see great progress, and I’m excited, I’m ecstatic, and I’m happy with what we’re doing.
Kyrie Irving: “You can’t worry about the standings now. It’s too late in the season. I mean, obviously the four or five spot, but one and two is pretty much locked up, 1-2-3. So, as long we get there. I can’t wait for all this other B.S. about the regular season and keep getting better and talking over and over and over again about what we can do to keep getting better in the regular season. I just want to be at the highest level playing. I mean, that’s what I’m here for.”
In the C’s first game in the month of March, a 107-96 win over the Wizards, Marcus Smart lauded the defensive efforts of Jaylen Brown and said, “Ridiculous. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Jaylen play defense like that. He looked like me out there, diving for balls and things like that. We need Jaylen to do that every day. He has the athletic ability to do it. He has the potential to be a great two-way player so, once he finally gets that down it will be hard for anybody to keep him off the court.”
Unfortunately for the Celtics, Jaylen Brown is not fond of routinely getting floors burns on his knees, and a flash here, and a sparkle there, of hustle isn’t enough. Over the last four games the Celtics have lost to three very good teams in Denver, Philadelphia, and San Antonio with a setback to the less than stellar Charlotte Hornets sandwiched in between for good measure. But we know the script by now, Boston will bully a bad team tonight and thump the Cavaliers which will woo those who bleed Green back on the bandwagon. But the rest of us are not only leery, but weary as well, of a team that seems to care less about winning than we do.
Photo by MatthewReid / CC BY-SA 2.0 Caption: It was 2011 when the Boston Bruins last won the Stanley Cup
The Boston Bruins have only missed the playoffs twice since 2008. They are always in the mix, and though they often have a lot to give, they haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 2011. But this year could be different. And though the Bruin’s season has had its ups and downs, you can be sure, but long spells of point streaks and impressive victories over the best teams in the NHL make them serious contenders for a playoff victory dance. Impressive Results in Late Season A rough start early in the season left it looking like the Bruins wouldn’t even make it to the playoffs this year. It all started with an initial defeat by the Washington Capitals, and it pretty much all went downhill from there. Constant injuries haven’t helped matters. Nearly every player on the team, bar David Krejčí who has played every game, has been sidelined with an injury at some point. Still, the early season upsets were not the end for the Bruins, who mounted a comeback that has now led them close to the top of the table in the Atlantic Division. The Bruins didn’t lose a game between January 19th and March 10th, a point streak that lasted for a total of 19 games. During this time, the Bruins wrecked the Tampa Bay Lightning, one of the current favorites to win the Stanley Cup, by 4–1. The streak eventually came to an end against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but since then, the Bruins have gone on to slam the New York Islanders by 5–0, among other victories. This season, they have beaten rivals Toronto Maple Leafs by three games to one over the course of the season and have finally ended their long and bitter losing streak against the Capitals. These results have shot them up to second place in the league, chasing the Tampa Bay Lightning right to the end. Determined Roster of Talent
Photo by Sarah Connors / CC BY 2.0 Caption: The Bruins have a talented roster of players.
The Bruins have proven that they can beat the best teams in their division. They look strong, and right now, their roster shines with talent, both elite and upcoming. There are currently four players who have more than 20 goals this season. They are David Pastrňák and Brad Marchand, who both have over 30 goals, as well as Patrice Bergeron with 28 and Jake DeBrusk with 23. Center David Krejčí currently has 19 goals. The Bruins have always drafted effectively. They picked up Bergeron in 2003 and Krejci in 2004, and then in 2006, went wild and bought Marchand, Phil Kessel and Milan Lucic. That was the year that they topped the league in points, and it was no coincidence. Since then, the drafting has calmed down, but the Bruins also have an excellent eye for homegrown talent and are always bringing youngsters up through the ranks. The likes of DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy have contributed significantly to the squad this year, and four out of the top six goal scorers are under 23. Both the elite players and newcomers proved their worth in the current Bruins squad, which could be a team capable of winning the playoffs, especially when they brought out the A-team to play. Who to watch? The Bruins sit at number two in the Super 16 rankings right now. They have 189 points and a record of 44–20–9, and are right behind the Lightning, both in the Super 16 and in the Atlantic League. It goes without saying then, that the Lightning will be one of the ones to watch, and unfortunately, for the Bruins, they will have to play each other before the third round, along with rivals the Maple Leafs. Another team to watch, the Vegas Golden Knights have recently surged up the rankings following a winning streak of nine of their last 10 games. They go from number 11 to number seven and have had an incredible season. The Penguins and Capitals are others who might take the Stanley Cup, and both have given the Bruins difficulty in the past. Nobody can say for sure who will win the Stanley Cup. It’s a competition that can have its upsets easily. Though it’s safe to say the Bruins will have a tough field to get through early on, and every team will be fighting to make the most of the playoffs. Still, this year is one of the strongest we’ve seen the Bruins in a while, and should they find the form they had in February, they have every chance of being unstoppable.
The Bruins have proven that they can beat the best teams in their division. They look strong, and right now, their roster shines with talent, both elite and upcoming. There are currently four players who have more than 20 goals this season. They are David Pastrňák and Brad Marchand, who both have over 30 goals, as well as Patrice Bergeron with 28 and Jake DeBrusk with 23. Center David Krejčí currently has 19 goals. The Bruins have always drafted effectively. They picked up Bergeron in 2003 and Krejci in 2004, and then in 2006, went wild and bought Marchand, Phil Kessel and Milan Lucic. That was the year that they topped the league in points, and it was no coincidence. Since then, the drafting has calmed down, but the Bruins also have an excellent eye for homegrown talent and are always bringing youngsters up through the ranks. The likes of DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy have contributed significantly to the squad this year, and four out of the top six goal scorers are under 23. Both the elite players and newcomers proved their worth in the current Bruins squad, which could be a team capable of winning the playoffs, especially when they brought out the A-team to play. Who to watch? The Bruins sit at number two in the Super 16 rankings right now. They have 189 points and a record of 44–20–9, and are right behind the Lightning, both in the Super 16 and in the Atlantic League. It goes without saying then, that the Lightning will be one of the ones to watch, and unfortunately, for the Bruins, they will have to play each other before the third round, along with rivals the Maple Leafs. Another team to watch, the Vegas Golden Knights have recently surged up the rankings following a winning streak of nine of their last 10 games. They go from number 11 to number seven and have had an incredible season. The Penguins and Capitals are others who might take the Stanley Cup, and both have given the Bruins difficulty in the past.
Nobody can say for sure who will win the Stanley Cup. It’s a competition that can have its upsets easily. Though it’s safe to say the Bruins will have a tough field to get through early on, and every team will be fighting to make the most of the playoffs. Still, this year is one of the strongest we’ve seen the Bruins in a while, and should they find the form they had in February, they have every chance of being unstoppable.
The Celtics got a taste of what it’s like to face a legitimate Western Conference power clicking on all cylinders when they bowed to the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. If you had clicked on over to Sportsbook Review prior to the game and check out a Sportsbetting.ag review, it would have told you why Sportsbetting.ag is one of the preeminent online sportsbooks in the industry, as well as letting you know that they had Boston favored by four points against one of the best in the West. It proved to be a glorious opportunity to bet with your mind and not with your heart as Denver not only covered the number but won the game outright by the score of 114-105.
Once again, the Celtics build us up just to tear us down. Preceding that contest, the Green had won five of six, starting with an enormous blowout of the Golden State Warriors but then, just as quickly as they started this roll, it came to a screeching halt with a lackluster fourth-quarter effort where they were outscored by nine points, the precise margin of victory for Denver. Boston is now half a game behind Indiana for the fourth spot in the East and 2 ½ games behind the 76ers for the No. 3 seed. This column is being written prior to their tango in the City of Brotherly Love tonight so be prepared for a Thursday morning where the sky is the limit – or at least a conference championship – or gloom, doom, and a big ol’ broom right out of the playoffs once they begin.
Watching the Celtics and investing your heart, soul, and maybe even a few bucks over at Sportsbetting.ag, has been like being married to Sybil, a woman with 16 distinct personalities. Although the Shamrocks may not be quite that complicated, they are difficult to love especially when they continually let you down. We expect the big games, the 30 plus point scoring nights from Kyrie, and the blossoming of a superstar in Jayson Tatum. Yet there are evenings, like Monday night, when Tatum plays more like a star-struck kid when he scored just eight points on 3-of-12 shooting over the course of 36 minutes of action.
Another young gun, Jaylen Brown, is simply not the player he was last year, despite glimmers of excellence that occur all too infrequently. Terry Rozier continues to struggle in a backup role, after a stellar postseason last year in place of Irving, with visions of increased playing time and a much fatter paycheck somewhere else next season. Gordon Hayward, who was in concussion protocol for the game against Denver and therefore gets no grief for that loss, has been coming around but hasn’t quite made the bend. At least Hayward doesn’t grouse about being demoted from a starter to a role player, but then again, he is being paid over $30 million to ride the pine so let’s not get too carried away with him being a “team first” kind of guy.
So who are the Boston Celtics? Well, as much as we may hate to say it, they are what their record says they are, which is a very good, although not elite, team. Boston is a tough out for any team in the league, but they are not good enough to derail a juggernaut over the course of a seven-game series. They are better than Indiana, this we know. And if you were to base your opinion on how dominant they have been against the 76ers this season, winning all three meetings this season and owning a 13-3 straight up mark over the last three years including playoffs, then it would be fair to say they are better than Philadelphia.
But tonight will tell the tale because this is a game the Celtics absolutely need if they have any shot at ascending to the No. 3 spot and displacing the Sixers. If they win, or lose narrowly, there’s hope for them in the postseason, but if they get blown out then don’t make any reservations for a road trip to the Oracle Arena in June. Let’s kick back, grab a cold one, and continue to be vexed by a team that we love but doesn’t seem to love us back quite often enough.
The New England Patriots just love being the underdogs. So often favorites to win on the big stage, Bill Belichick’s men strolled into Kansas City – with many backing the Chiefs to go on and represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. New England’s doubters got it massively wrong on that day and critics were wrong again in the National Football League’s showpiece game just two weeks later.
Heading into the 2019 season, New England may slip further down the projected pecking order. Tom Brady is the greatest player of all-time but age will catch up with him at some point. However, he showed no signs of slowing down last season and plenty of punters will fancy the Patriots quarterback to lead the franchise to another successful year. Write New England off at your peril; that will only fuel their hunger and desire.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-lang=”en”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the Patriots and NFL (more competition for Patriots players in free agency creates challenge for team; Adam Humphries; wide receiver remains big need; Patriots-Browns too good for opener?; special 2018 locker room etc.). <a href=”https://t.co/Q0ambzH12v”>https://t.co/Q0ambzH12v</a></p>— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) <a href=”https://twitter.com/MikeReiss/status/1107225444796059649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>March 17, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
Tom Brady will be 42 years old when the 2019 season gets underway. We repeat: Brady will be 42 years old. He is playing like a 24-year-old and it would be foolish to suggest that his decline is imminent. With Peyton Manning, you could see his form deteriorate but Brady is still one of the best in the business. In those clutch situations, he gives the Patriots a clear advantage over his rivals at the quarterback position.
On paper, the AFC Conference is wide open – the gap between the Patriots and the chasing pack is now closer than ever. There are at least seven or eight contenders to win the AFC title and that enhanced competition will act as the catalyst to motivate Belichick and co. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see New England send out a real statement of intent in the early stages of the 2019 campaign.
While the standard inside the conference is improving, the same cannot be said for the AFC East. This is New England’s territory and the free sports picks will all suggest another divisional title. It is hard to see one of the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills or Miami Dolphins bridging the gap to the Patriots. At some point, New England’s rivals will turn things around but not whilst Brady and Belichick are at Gillette Stadium.
Predicting the Patriots to win the Super Bowl is almost expected these days but reaching the showpiece fixture at 42 years old would be Brady’s best achievement. Retaining the AFC East title for the 11th year in a row has to be the primary objective but New England fans will want more than that. With time running out for both Brady and Belichick, Patriots followers will be hoping for at least one more Super Bowl crown.
The Patriots might not have the most talented roster but anything can happen when you have the greatest head coach of all-time and the greatest player of all-time on your team. If New England reaches the latter stages of the playoffs, the rest of the NFL will start to panic. When push comes to shove, the Patriots step up and prove their worth on the big stage. Watch this space, another Super Bowl berth beckons in 2020.
One day it’s the Good Ship Lollipop and the next it’s the Titanic. That pretty much sums up the year the Shamrocks have had despite the fact that they remain one of the beasts in the East. Unfortunately, they’re not quite as ferocious as we all believed they would be prior to the start of the season. As a matter of fact, if you were to click on over to Sportsbook Review, you could read a Bovada review detailing why Bovada is one of the preeminent online sportsbooks in the industry and one that was dealing Boston as a favorite to win the Eastern Conference this season. But much has changed since October and it appears all of the major threats have added to their arsenals except the Celtics.
After winning nine of 10 from mid-January through early February, the Green proceeded to undo most of that momentum by dropping six of eight. Then they won four of five, including a dominating victory over the world champion Golden State Warriors at the Oracle Arena. The Celtics were quickly closing the gap on the 76ers and Pacers for the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference before the Monday night massacre in LA. The best online sportsbooks like Bovada may have hung them as slight road favorites but they played like dogs – and not underdogs, mind you. It was a 25-point drubbing by a good, although unspectacular, Clippers club. Perhaps the most troubling aspect of the loss was Kyrie Irving’s postgame comments heaping praise, and I mean mounds of praise, on Clippers’ head coach Doc Rivers, formerly of the Celtics. Here’s just a snippet.
“It’s so easy to play for a guy that’s been a player in this league,” Irving said. “He’s won a championship and he’s done unbelievable things in this league for his players while giving them confidence to go out there and be who they are. Lou (Williams) signed an extension for a reason, and that’s Doc. He puts those guys in position, gives them the freedom and keeps them encouraged throughout the whole game — especially when they’re at home.”
Kyrie went even further but you don’t have to be an ardent disciple of Freud to figure this one out. In essence, Irving was praising Rivers while taking a tacit swipe at his own coach. Brad Stevens was never a player “in this league”, has never won an NBA championship, and apparently is not inspiring confidence in his players, ala Doc Rivers. Kyrie Irving’s personality mirrors the Celtics’ performance this season. One day he says all the wrong things and gets killed in the press while the next day he’s contrite, mature, and somewhat resembles the leader he so desperately wanted to be when he signed with the Celtics, and withdrew from LeBron’s immense shadow in Cleveland.
The Celtics are like the weather in New England – if you don’t like it, just give it a day or two and it will change. Boston still has 14 games remaining on their schedule and trail the Sixers and Pacers by only 1 ½ games for the third playoff spot. Of those 14 games, there are five that could be classified as dangerous. Dates against Denver (home), Philadelphia (road), San Antonio (home), and a home and away against Indiana could prove to be landmines. If they were to lose those but win the other nine, that would give them a winning percentage of .642 which is an uptick over their current .603. That would probably land them in the No. 4 spot over Philly but a pair of losses against the Pacers would more than likely solidify Indiana’s third seed if they continue to play at their current pace. There will be more trials and travails with this edition of the Boston Celtics so we must weather the storm, keep calm, and carry on.
The Boston Celtics were hailed as one of the most deserving contenders in the Eastern Conference, but inconsistencies dominated the air in the regular season.
The Celtics ended up losing four consecutive games following the All-Star break. Even sharp gamblers who know how to read basketball betting lines were caught off-guard by the team’s losing streak.
Recently, Kyrie Irving, the star guard, gave insight on the team’s problems and conceded that he can’t afford the prospect of the team not playing in the top league until the regular season is over.
“I can’t wait for all this to be over. I keep talking about what we can do to play better in the regular season. We just need to play at the highest level.”, Irving said.
To make a case for the Celtics, he gives the example of the Cleveland Cavaliers team of 2017, which advanced to the NBA Finals, though struggling at times.
Irving explains, “We have lost a few games consecutively before sweeping the entire Eastern Conference. When we’re playing at our highest level, nobody can really beat us in the Eastern Conference.”
Is the losing streak over?
Though Celtics’ won against Wizards following a 4-game losing streak, it dropped one against Rockets.They did, however, score another win against the Sacramento Kings afterward.
Last year, it was interesting to watch how resourceful Boston’s roster was when the Celtics advanced just a game short of the NBA Finals even though Irving and Gordon Hayward were not available at all throughout the postseason. Players such as Jayson Tatum, Terry Rozier, and Jaylen Brown showed immense capability and carried on with the offensive that Irving and Hayward are usually supposed to bring to the game.
Boston is currently placed fifth in the Eastern Conference, but it is only three games away from reaching the 3rd standing. If the Celtics manage to go up in the standings, it is more likely that they will get to play easier teams in the initial stages of the playoffs.
Can this team really make a turnaround?
There is some substance to this notion; the refresh button on April 9 can really aid Boston. Regardless, its accomplishments in the regular season would not make a difference to how it is eventually going to be judged.
If Boston is able to turn things in its favor in the postseason, its inconsistencies will be remembered as part of the journey.
However, what is apparent is that the team must get its act together in dealing with adversity if they are serious about staging a comeback from a tough loss or in-game run.
In the postseason, Irving is expected to be particularly motivated and Boston has a reputation of pushing the elite competition. Maybe, Irving’s narrative this week changed due to this. The regular season is surely mentally exhausting and he recognizes the need to get past the ordinariness of the regular season. He seems to be suggesting that the team is going to play perfectly in the playoffs, thanks to his presence.
The good news is the Celtics have stayed at the top of the ESPN’s Basketball index.
There’s plenty of hard work ahead for the team before it recovers from the recent losses. But they must know, the reward will be that much sweeter.
