Author Archives: @JCEFS27

Why Jaylen Brown is a Future Superstar

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Why Jaylen Brown is a future superstar

With two excellent seasons under his belt, Jaylen Brown is starting to show us why he is a future superstar. His role has blossomed especially after Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward got injured. Jaylen Brown showed the basketball world his potential to become one of the top wings in the league. Although there are some holes in his game that needs to be fixed, such as his ball handling and offensive consistency, Brown can make the leap in his third season.

Here’s why Jaylen Brown is a future superstar:

Athleticism

Jaylen Brown can attack his defender and get to the basket without being a ball stopper. He doesn’t need ISO plays to get buckets. He also uses his strength to take advantage of his defender every time he’s faced with a mismatch on the floor. Every year Jaylen Brown is improving his offensive consistency. Combo that with his athleticism and strength and his numbers will undoubtedly rise up in the next few years.

Competitiveness

Jaylen Brown doesn’t back down from the competition, especially when it matters most. Remember during his rookie year when he played with an injured hip during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavaliers? Or how about last season when he suited up with a heavy heart after his best friend passed away? He wasn’t supposed to play that game against the defending champion Golden State Warriors, but he wanted to play that game for his best friend. The basketball world doesn’t need to question his competitiveness. Jaylen Brown will compete no matter what the competition is.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDDF4pPwEUU

Defense

Jaylen Brown can lock down his opposition by using his physical tools and competitiveness. He has the chance to become one of the best two-way wings in this league. He may not have the defensive abilities like Marcus Smart and former Celtics’ Avery Bradley or Tony Allen, but he has a major advantage in size, quickness, and his 7’0 wingspan to defend the best players in the league.

Clutch

Last but not the least Jaylen Brown is clutch. He doesn’t shy away from game-winning opportunities. He is ready when his number is called. Oh, and Celtics nation got a glimpse of these clutch genes when he knocked down a game-winner against the Jazz last season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cDem-kJlKQ

Jaylen Brown’s got the full package for what it takes to be a superstar. The rest of the league better watch out. 

 

 

The Celtics’ X-factors for the 2018-19 Season

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The NBA season is less than 3 months away from tip-off. The Boston Celtics are ready to roll again after falling short to reach the NBA Finals last season. After a great offseason by not trading away assets, signing back Marcus Smart, drafting Robert Williams and a successful summer by Irving, Hayward, and Theis, the Celtics are ready to retake the throne of the East. This team is one of the deepest and talented rosters in the NBA, capable of dethroning the Golden State Warriors.

These X-factors won’t play tons of minutes during this season, but if the injury bug hits this team again, it will be their time to show the basketball world what they are capable of.

Here are the Celtics X-factors for the 2018-2019 season:

Brad Wanamaker

Brad Wanamaker is a huge question mark for fans who haven’t watched him play. After spending time playing professionally in Europe, Wanamaker has finally got the chance to showcase his skills among the best basketball players. He’s got the size, combo guard skills who is excellent defensively which is a perfect fit for this team. With Larkin gone, Wanamaker will take his spot and hopefully his role as a spark when needed.

 

Daniel Theis

Daniel Theis shocked the whole Celtics nation last season by providing a spark with his defensive hustle and, timely offense, unfortunately, his excellent rookie year was cut short because of a knee injury he sustained during the regular season. Now that he’s healthy again, he’s ready to show excellence even in limited minutes.

 

Jabari Bird

After a fantastic summer league showing, Jabari Bird finally got the attention of the Celtics front office and replaced Nader on the roster. He definitely showed great strides with his summer league performance. Although he’s not expected to play 15-20 minutes per game, his time will come especially if Boston’s guards are injured and Brad Stevens won’t hesitate to pull him off the bench.

 

Semi Ojeleye

Semi Ojeleye is definitely a steal for this team. He showed everyone last season that he can guard and lock down superstars like Giannis Antetokounmpo which this team needs for them to conquer the East and hopefully the NBA. Ojeleye will definitely have that role similar to James Posey during 07-08 season that leads to banner 17. With his shooting prowess behind the arc and physical gifts, he will undoubtedly play a huge role next season.

Guershon Yabusele

Guerschon Yabusele is definitely a fan favorite because of his bench reactions and dab every time he hits a 3 point shot. He has definitely lost some weight compared to last season and showed vast improvement in the past summer league. He can positively contribute offensively and defensively as a stretch four or five for the next season, but with everyone healthy, he won’t have too much playing time.

 

Honorable mention: Robert Williams III

 

Hayward and Irving to play 5 vs 5 in 2-3 weeks

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Hayward and Irving cleared to play 5 vs 5 in 2-3 weeks

Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving and forward Gordon Hayward cleared to play 5 vs. 5 in 2-3 weeks. After having surgery to remove screws on his knee that caused him to miss the playoffs, Kyrie Irving will be cleared for full contact practice by August. Meanwhile Celtics forward, Gordon Hayward has shown fantastic improvements and ramping up his rehab ever since he broke his ankle during the Celtics season opener versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Gordon Hayward has even started dunking with his left foot. On a recent interview with Boston.com’s Nicole Yang, Hayward said “I dunked the basketball for the first time off my left foot without pain last week,” and noted “That felt awesome. I went into it very soft and gingerly, and after I did it, I was like, ‘OK, that didn’t hurt at all.’ I did it again, and it felt good.”

Hayward also said he can now do full sprints “linearly” and some lateral movements. Any movement without pain is “always exciting” according to Hayward.

Hayward posted some photos and videos of him recently of him working out with NBA trainer, Drew Hanlen.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlgufbEg937/?taken-by=bossportsextra 

Both Irving and Hayward should be ready for training camp come September, barring any setbacks.

Meanwhile, on other Celtics news, Boston has waived guard/forward Abdel Nader which leaves a roster spot open.

ShamRock Garden: Celtics Inspired Court in Philippines (@JCEFS27)

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The ShamRock Garden in Ugong, Valenzuela City

(Photo courtesy of Cong. Eric Martinez’ Facebook account)

The Philippines is known for a passionate basketball country. In a nation full of Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors fans, a fantastic basketball court in Ugong, Valenzuela City is a place for the Celtics fans. This Celtics inspired court is dubbed ShamRock Garden.

You definitely know it’s a home court for the Celtic Nation as you see a massive image of Larry Bird greeting you at the entrance. Leading into the building is a staircase filled with historic posters of the greatest moments in Boston Celtics history. Similar to the TD Garden in Boston, a signature of the great Red Auerbach lies on its wooden court.

A Celtics inspired court is never complete without championship banners hanging in the rafters. Large photos of Celtics Hall of Famers like Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, Robert Parish, Danny Ainge, Kevin Mchale, and Bob Cousy can be seen throughout the building.

I recently visited this fantastic court and took some pictures. I wasn’t able to take pictures of the court because there was a private team practice going on.

This court opened on June 14, 2018, through the effort of Congressman Eric Martinez.

The great thing about ShamRock Center is it’s free to use. You get to embody and learn the great Celtics history while playing basketball.

Williams

Report: Robert Williams Injury Not Too Serious

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Robert Williams Injury Update:

Robert Williams, the Celtics most promising rookie, has been sidelined by a knee contusion. He has only played two games in limited minutes this summer. Williams has been dealing with “an artery condition in both of his legs,” according to Fred Katz of Mass Live.

According to a source the condition is “not too serious.” However, this specific injury requires a procedure in the near future.  Williams is dealing with a condition called popliteal artery entrapment syndrome. PAES is commonly found in athletes.

“Because of where the muscles and tendons around Williams’ knee are positioned, they end up compressing the “popliteal artery,” the main one behind the knee, restricting blood flow to the lower leg. It can lead to cramping and calf pain during exercise, per Johns Hopkins Medicine.”

The Celtics and other NBA teams were aware of this situation at the time of the draft. It may have caused him to fall to the 27th pick. Williams has been playing with this condition for years, according to MassLive. The Celtics will regularly continue to monitor and treat his PAES.

After missing his first flight and summer league practice, Williams has been “putting up the work,” says Brad Stevens. Unfortunately, with injuries like this, patience and constant treatment is required. Robert Williams can be a crucial cog in the Boston defense if healthy, even in limited minutes.

Hopefully, this injury will not start the injury bug that bit the Celtics last season, ultimately costing them a chance to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals.

 

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Grading The Offseason Priorities Of The Boston Celtics

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What are the priorities of the Celtics this free agency period? Will Danny Ainge trade for Kawhi Leonard while retaining the young studs in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Terry Rozier? Has Marcus Smart played his last game in green? Will Aron Baynes re-sign in Boston? Who will take the 13th-15th spots in this stacked roster? We lay out the guide to navigating these free agent priorities.

Priority #1: Re-sign Marcus Smart

The Boston Celtics have tendered a qualifying offer to Marcus Smart. He’s now a restricted free agent. The Celtics can match any offer sheet Smart signs with another team.

You may not like his offensive numbers, but Marcus Smart is a huge piece for this team. His hustle, grit, heart, effort, and defensive skills are few and far between in the NBA. Marcus Smart is cut from a different cloth. The Celtics won quite a few games last season because of his defensive intensity. Just ask James Harden and those Houston Rockets.

We’ve seen what the Celtics were without Smart last season while he recovered from his thumb injury. They simply lacked the grit and defensive intensity that came to be their identity. In all likelihood, if he didn’t step foot on the court during that Eastern Conference first round series, the Celtics would surely have started their offseason early.

The Suns, Mavericks, and Kings are all rumored to be interested in Smart. However, he is a restricted free agent, which means the Celtics can match any offer. If he leaves for another team, it would be a tall task for Semi Ojeleye, Jabari Bird, Kadeem Allen, or Terry Rozier to replace his defensive prowess.

It should go without saying that Danny Ainge better pay him because he deserves every single penny he’s asking for. Smart is an old-school player in today’s NBA, a dying breed.

Priority #2: Re-sign Aron Baynes

Aron Baynes gave a massive boost for the Celtics in the front court this past season. The Australian-born big man provided the muscle down low to help Horford man a defensive wall in the paint. Baynes showed the Celtics that he is a great inside defender and a consistent mid-range shooter. He shocked the world when he revealed his three-point set shot during last years playoffs. 

Baynes is a necessary cog in the machine for the Celtics. With Daniel Theis starting his rehab and rookie Robert Williams III still needing to develop, Baynes will provide the veteran presence and mentorship to the young bigs on the roster. Baynes isn’t asking for too much cash and he clearly wants to win a championship. Boston is the perfect destination for him.

Honorable Mention: Trade for Kawhi Leonard?

Trading for Kawhi Leonard should absolutely not be a priority. As great as a player he has shown to be, the Celtics have the chemistry, young talent, and future assets to compete for a championship for the next 5 years and counting. The chemistry this team has worked hard to build would be wasted by trading Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum for the San Antonio superstar. Kawhi is about to enter free agency in 2019, and according to many sources, he wants nothing else but to play in Los Angeles. Why would Danny Ainge trade any of the young players on this roster for what can be described as nothing more than a rental?

Instead, an excellent addition for the Celtics would be a veteran player, like Jamal Crawford, who can score at will and could provide yet another spark off the bench for this juggernaut squad.

A Simple Solution

The best scenario for the Celtics this summer is to re-sign Marcus Smart and Aron Baynes while adding more depth to the bench as an insurance policy for the inevitable injury bug. With a healthy group of guys, this team can finally relive the glory days and hang banner number 18 in the rafters.

Will Danny Ainge Shock the NBA on Draft Day?

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It’s that time of the year again. Draft night is a few days away from us. We are now hearing rumors and speculations about the Boston Celtics moving up to the draft. A recent trade rumor says that the Boston Celtics are willing to trade Jaylen Brown for the fifth pick belonging to the Dallas Mavericks. However, Dallas wants Jayson Tatum, according to Mike Fisher. Now that Kawhi Leonard wants out of San Antonio things, just got crazier. What will the Celtics and Danny Ainge do? Will he shock everyone again?

Current Situation

Let’s be realistic here. The Celtics just finished an injury-ridden season and defied the expectations of everyone. During the first game against the Cavs, Gordon Hayward suffered a season-ending injury. Kyrie Irving also went down because of his troubling knee issues and decided to get surgery. Daniel Theis, who is a very good role-player and shocked the league with his hustle and timely shooting also injured his meniscus. These guys never played an entire season for us. The good news is they are all expected to be back in training camp.

What if these guys played the whole season?

That is the result we will never know.

This draft class is full of promising players. We all know what Danny Ainge did back in 2013. But this time is different. We now have promising young players like Tatum, Brown, Ojeleye, and Rozier. We have a great group of experienced players like Baynes (who’s a free agent), Horford, Hayward, and Kyrie.

Will Danny Ainge pull the trigger again and shock the world? Or will he stand pat and wait for the future?

If Danny Ainge stands pat this offseason, here are the Celtics future first round picks:

2018

No. 27 overall

2019

Sacramento Kings’ top-1 protected pick

Memphis Grizzlies (If pick falls outside top-8)

Los Angeles Clippers (If pick falls outside top-14)

Boston Celtics’ own pick

2020

Memphis Grizzlies (If the pick has not yet been conveyed and falls outside top-6)

Los Angeles Clippers (If the pick has not yet been conveyed and falls outside top-14)

Boston Celtics’ own pick

2021

Memphis Grizzlies (If the pick has not yet been conveyed. Pick would be unprotected)

Boston Celtics’ own pick

Win Now Mode

If Danny Ainge decides to light up the fireworks, he can trade that future picks for a young star player like Anthony Davis. However, NBA GMs are now cautious when negotiating when Danny Ainge. We all know the Nets got finessed during that 2013 trade, and if Markelle Fultz can’t get his shot right and play minutes for the 76ers in the upcoming seasons, then they fell victim to Danny too.

Here’s what I want you to expect on draft night, and probably in the offseason. Danny Ainge will stand pat unless there’s a young star available. We should expect these same group of guys next season because we haven’t reached our full potential yet. I think that’s what Danny Ainge will do.

If we lose again or if we can’t reach the finals next season, I think that’s the time we make some changes. For me, this group of guys can represent the East next year and compete with Golden State (if they don’t break up their core) for that trophy.