Chris Sale Is Making His Return, but Very Cautiously

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Chris Sale was pitching against the Orioles. It was his first start since coming off the DL and missing a few starts due to left shoulder inflammation. Sale wouldn’t disappoint as he’d strike out TWELVE Orioles in only five innings. He wasn’t going to be relied upon to go deep into the game. About one week later, news came out that he had to go back to another DL stint for the same reason. Sale and Cora both said it wasn’t too serious. Sale hasn’t pitched a game since that afternoon in Baltimore, but he’s finally returning… Sort of.

Chris Sale’s has a history of not being the same kind of pitcher come August and September. He kind of just burns out and doesn’t pitch the same way he did during the first four months. The Red Sox made a promise to change that this year. The plan was to limit his innings and make sure he doesn’t go deep into games when he doesn’t really need to be. That way, when September and  October roll around, he’ll be 100%. Without a good Chris Sale, you don’t have much of a shot in the postseason. Everybody knows it.

Sale’s injury was never too serious. Having a big division lead is a good luxury to have and it lets you do more things. Things such as putting someone like Sale on the DL. The team has to make sure he’s the healthiest he can be before he comes back. Now lets say the division race with the Yankees was a little closer. Sale himself said he would be pitching if that were the case. In reality, we really don’t know. Whatever the case is, Sale is going to be slowly brought back. His first game back will be Tuesday. He’s matching up against the Blue Jays and he’s going to be on a 40 pitch limit.

At the end of the day, its clear that Chris Sale is your most important pitcher on this pitching staff and just one of the most important players on the team as a whole. We’re talking about a guy who has an ERA south of 2.0 with over 200 strikeouts on the year. You need him starting games one and four of a five game series. He needs to be out there starting games one, four and seven of a seven game series. If you want to win in the postseason, you need him out there as much as possible. Its incredibly important that he’s as healthy as he can possibly be. He must be this way before you let him go out there without a pitch limit.

Alex Cora, Dana Levangie and the whole coaching staff have been doing a great job of doing so in building him back up. So the return will start on Tuesday and it will go from there. One thing is clear, if the Red Sox want to win a World Series title, Chris Sale has to be healthy. And you need to be willing to do whatever it takes in order for that to be the case.

Matchups To Watch For In Patriots Versus Texans

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Alas, Patriots Nation rejoice! Football returns tomorrow as the great Tom Brady and the New England Patriots take on the up-and-coming Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans who they beat last year in a close game. Here are several matchups to keep an eye out for as the game progresses.

DeAndre Hopkins versus Stephon Gilmore

This is essentially the matchup of the game. DeAndre Hopkins is easily one of the league’s best receivers with the athletic ability to make any throw catchable. He still had a 1300+ receiving season with the likes of Tom Savage and T.J. Yates at quarterback for most of the year.

Deshaun Watson was having a field day with the Patriots’ secondary last year. The key to stopping Watson is to shut down his most reliable target and make him force it to others. Think of it this way: whenever Hopkins is the primary read in a play (which is a lot) and he’s covered, it will take longer for the pass to occur and thus giving more time for pressure to come in or players to reposition themselves.

Enter Stephon Gilmore, who is easily the best cornerback on the roster. He needs to play very physical and aggressive to contain Nuk as he describes in the interview below. This is a very important test for Gilmore and the New England secondary down below. Do they have what it takes?

 

J.J. Watt versus Marcus Cannon

J.J. Watt is an elite player when healthy. Marcus Cannon is an elite player when healthy.  Both are coming off injuries. This will be exciting to see if Watt can power and finesse his way to sack Brady or can the developed Cannon hold his ground.

The rehiring of Dante Scarnecchia, the Patriots’ legendary offensive line coach, had done wonders with Cannon. In 2015, Cannon was beaten time and time again by Von Miller in the AFC Championship. When Scarnecchia returned, his coaching skills elevated Cannon’s game (along with the rest of the line). In 2016, he had only allowed 27 pressures and played in 99.3 percent of the snaps. Cannon looks to return to this form in 2018 but has a tough challenge in the former DPOY.

Rob Gronkowski versus Tyrann Mathieu/Aaron Colvin

The task of stopping Gronk plagues the minds of every team New England faces. Houston will most likely use the free agent signings of Mathieu and Colvin to cover him along with most likely a linebacker. Whatever linebacker who covers Gronk isn’t the concern at all.  Gronk can beat out most linebackers just with his route-running skills and athleticism.

Houston, if they want to slow down the New England offense, must try to do what the Chiefs did with Eric Berry last year. Only when Gronk lines up in the slot is when Colvin will cover him (as Evan Lazar had pointed out earlier yesterday).

This matchup with New England as a whole will be hard on the Texans secondary as a whole. Brady always finds a way to work with what he has, and that will always be dangerous.

 

Concussions in the NHL

NHL looking to settle concussion lawsuits

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In an interesting turn of events, the NHL is currently in talks with lawyers in hopes of settling lawsuits brought forth by many former NHL players. Many have alleged the league withheld information in regards to the dangers of repeated head traumas and concussions. Moving forward, what will this mean for the NHL? And will it have a big impact on how the league handles future cases?

Concussions

(Photo Credits: NESN)

Timing Is Everything

So why settle now?  Liability and uncertainty of outcomes-if the NHL decided to move forward with all those individual cases.  According to TSN, about 138 former players have filed lawsuits with 150 retaining lawyers. The original judge that presided over that case (and subsequently denied the lawsuit as a class-action case) recently stated:

“What I am going to suggest is that we, to the extent you want to continue to privately talk to each other about a private resolution, you are welcome and encouraged to do that”

As reported by Rick Westhead on TSN, Jodi Balsam, a former NFL lawyer, stated it would be easier for the NHL to settle rather than go through the motion of individual trials.

“If the NHL decides to go to trial on all these cases, they still have to go through further discovery and depositions, and then prepare to try hundreds of individual cases across the country”

As for the uncertainty of how those trials would turn out, Balsam makes a good point:

“As things stand, the NHL may have to eventually go into court facing hundreds of cases across the country. This case is like tobacco where lawyers tried to form a class action and failed because every smoker had a different story and health background. Then lawyers were able to go into courts across America, play to different juries, and have the opportunity to win a precedent-setting case. Juries are unpredictable. Every trial is a crapshoot.”

Settling For Less

Unlike the NFL, the NHL doesn’t have the money to pay out huge amounts. It’s likely players will settle their claims for less than what they were initially looking for. As part of the NFL settlement, players with brain injuries were able to receive up to $5 million dollars each-an amount that the NHL could never make.  Compared to the NFL, hockey has less viewership and players don’t get paid as much.

Since the case was initially denied as a class-action lawsuit, many players have filed cases. Players include Mark Hardy, former defenseman for the Los Angeles Kings, Rangers and North Stars. Former Penguins all-star John Cullen; Dan Quinn, an NHL center who was in the league for 14 seasons; Garth Butcher, a defenseman who played with the Canucks. Others include Ian Turnball (who played for the Maple Leafs) and Bryan Berard, who played for the Ottawa Senators.

Concussions cheap shots

(Photo Credits: AP Photo)

Crossed Lines

What the NHL does in the future remains to be seen. A question that is asked is will Commissioner Gary Bettman change his stance on the link between concussions and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). His staunch assertion that there is no definitive conclusion is misleading and according to researchers at Boston University, Bettman misquoted what was said to him during a meeting in 2012. Neuropathologist Dr. Ann McKee, who has been doing extensive research on NHL hockey players had specifically told Bettman:

Concussion in the NHL

Dr. Ann Mckee, researcher at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank (Photo Credits: SI.com)

CTE was first described in boxers, so it was not a surprise to diagnose CTE in [hockey] fighters. We told Mr. Bettman that with that sample, we could not conclude if the presence of CTE was most likely associated with head impact exposure from normal hockey play or fights.

“However, we were clear that the evidence supported the conclusion that in those four former NHL players, their CTE was due to the head impacts they received as a hockey player who participated in fights as part of the game.”

“However, it is misleading for Mr. Bettman to say we haven’t reached any conclusions. The evidence clearly supports that CTE is associated with ice hockey play. Since that 2012 meeting with Mr. Bettman, the VA-BU-CLF [Veterans Affairs-Boston University-Concussion Legacy Foundation] research team has identified CTE in more ice hockey players, including four amateur hockey players, not all of whom had significant fighting exposure. This provides evidence that normal ice hockey head impact exposure can be associated with CTE.”

Deny, Deny, Deny

Bettman has strongly asserted that there is no link and even wrote a letter to US Senator Richard Blumenthal. In that letter, he cited that the media were to blame for “fanning fears about long-term brain diseases.” Hopefully, players will continue to put more pressure on the league to better regulate “cheap” head-shots. It’ll be interesting to see how Bettman handles the media scrutiny and backlash from families of those that passed away.

“Concussions affect a life. They don’t just affect the ability to play a sport”-Hockey legend Ken Dryden.

Players are more than just commodities. The NHL, whether they like it or not, have to face this reality and need to take care of their own. Your move Bettman.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9XLs4BDdjk&w=560&h=315]

 

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter @pastagrll88

Credits to: TSN

Credits to: The Players Tribune

 

 

Patriots announce their team captains

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Patriots team captains announced

The Patriots have announced their team captains. Tom Brady has made the list along with David Andrews, Matthew Slater, James White, Patrick Chung, and Devin McCourty. One name that did not make the list was Rob Gronkowski and people are asking why not Gronkowski? Because of the things he pulled in the offseason. Now you can say Brady did that too but not to the extreme Gronk did. Gronk held a press conference talking about dirt bikes while OTA’s were going on. Brady was training and enjoying time with his family. Also, Brady has earned the right to be all about himself after the career he’s had, he’s the first person on the field he’s a captain because of the career and success he’s had on and off the field.

Brady has been a captain since 2002

James White is also deserving of being a captain. He’s a big part of that offense and I’m sure will have an impact especially with Edelman out the first month. Devin McCourty has always been a leader on and off the field. Matthew Slater seems like he’s always a team player and get the players fired up. He doesn’t get much playing time but his presence in the locker room is somewhat what drives the team.

Patrick Chung is well deserving of team captain as well. He brings talent to the defensive side of the ball which is somewhat weak but having him back there helps. David Andrews has always been Tom Brady’s go to as a center. Andrews was also a team captain last season. Dont’a Hightower, and Duron Harmon are no longer team captains for this season as well as Gronkowski. The speculation on whether or not Belichick wanted Brady as a captain is a waste of time to talk about. If Brady wasn’t a captain people would be calling out Belichick, now Brady is a captain people think Brady and Gronkowski should be captain together. Really a no-win situation, In my opinion, the captains are fine the way it is and Brady deserves it.

 

Will The Patriots Have a Steady Pass Rush?

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The Patriots pass rush could be back.  Not since Richard Seymour and Mike Vrabel, have the New England Patriots had a pass rush good enough to solidify one of the most talked about pass rushing defenses in the NFL.  With the acquisitions of Adrian Clayborn and Danny Shelton, along with the return of 3rd round pick defensive end out of Youngstown State Derek Rivers from injury, and 2nd year defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr.  The New England Patriots pass rush could under the radar, be one of the most effective in the league.  Derek Rivers, who tore his ACL in training camp last season, is back and at full speed.  Rivers has shown great potential rushing off the edge in training camp.  Rivers looks to make a mark as a substantial part on the Patriots defense and pass rush.

Evaluating Key Players 

Danny Shelton, was acquired through a trade from the Cleveland Browns.  Although Shelton did not record a sack last season, he will help other players get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.  Adrian Clayborn is a veteran defensive end who was a free agent coming over from the Atlanta Falcons. He has a heavy load of NFL experience, and has shown great potential in the pre season. Clayborn has hurried the opposing Quarterback nearly every snap he has played.  Clayborn is known for his 6 sack game last season against the Dallas Cowboys.  Dallas has probably had the best offensive line in the NFL the past 3 seasons.  Clayborn recorded 2 strip sacks in the preseason, and showed a great knack for blitzing the quarterback.  Deatrich Wise Jr is a 2nd year defensive tackle out of Arkansas.  He has shown tremendous growth through OTA’s and training camp.  He looks to be in incredible physical condition in training camp.  And finally, rookie linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley is a 3rd round pick out of Purdue.  Bentley has shown great progress throughout the preseason and training camp, adding a fumble recovery for a touchdown in the 2nd preseason game against the Eagles.

Tre Flowers, is returning for his 3rd season also out of Arkansas.  He has dealt with an injury throughout the preseason and training camp.  Flowers will also be a huge part of the pass rushing defense once he is back and healthy.  Dont’a Hightower, will also be a big help to pass rush but more notably it brings back the leadership and mindfulness the Patriots defense needs.

Who Is Brian Flores

 Although by technical terms, the Patriots do not have a defensive coordinator, the linebackers coach Brian Flores will be making the play calls on defense for New England.  Flores, has worked for the organization since 2006.  He was originally hired as a scouting assistant, and was promoted to the coaching staff in 2008.  Flores has built a great rapport with head coach Bill Belichick over the years he has worked for the team.  That will play a big part to Flores calling the shots on defense this season.  

Donato

Can Ryan Donato Live Up To The Hype

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Last year, Ryan Donato got his first taste of NHL action. He was impressive, which has only raised the expectations for the rookie this coming season. He is seen as a key part of the Bruins’ future. For a young player with his expectations, fans will have to be patient. Regardless of his talent, Donato will still experience growing pains next season. How he is able to respond to the NHL grind will reveal the player he will become. He has the talent and it could be a special season for the Harvard Product.

Brief Debut

Last season, Donato appeared in 12 regular season games. In those 12 games he had five goals and four assists. He was impressive on the power play, recording four points on the man advantage. He showed his terrific vision and good scoring touch. In the playoffs he did not make much of an impact and only appeared in four games. He did not look overmatched by the rise in expectations and seemed ready for the NHL grind. This season will be a true test to see how far he has come. It will only get harder for the Harvard product before it gets easier.

Donato

Photo Credit: Sporting News

Expectations For Donato This Season

Donato is projected to have a similar season as Jake DeBrusk’s rookie campaign. If he ends up on the second line with DeBrusk and Krejci, then a 20 goal season is very plausible. He will have many opportunities even if he does not end up on the second line, especially on the man advantage. The Bruins had a very good power play last season and adding Donato to the mix will only improve it. Unlike DeBrusk, Donato already has some NHL experience. That will only play to his advantage as he experiences the full grind of an NHL season. A disappointing playoff run has only left him more motivated for this season.

Donato

Photo Credit: Nesn.Com

Can Ryan Donato Fulfill The Hype

In 12 games Donato showed that he was no fluke. He showed that he could succeed in the NHL. Like last year, the Bruins youth will be key and Donato will be the most hyped Bruins prospect this season. He has the skills and will become a key piece on this team for years to come. His growth will be a storyline to watch this season and Bruins fans should be excited to see just how good this kid becomes.

Follow Me On Twitter: @JamieGatlin1217

W2W4: Red Sox vs. Astros

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The Red Sox take on the Houston Astros this weekend in a three game set that many believe is an ALCS preview. There will be plenty to take in at Fenway Park over the next few days. Here’s what I’ll be keeping my eye on:

Aces, Charles, You’re Aces

Aces are often the case when top flight teams face off, and there will be some big time pitching matchups worth tuning in for.

Friday night’s tilt features two of the AL’s best: Gerrit Cole and David Price. Cole was a CY Young favorite earlier this season. In his first 10 starts, he went 5-1 with a 1.86 ERA and a .169 batting average against. However, he’s cooled recently. Since the calendar flipped to August, he’s 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA. Conversely, Price is just hitting his stride. The 2012 AL CY Young award winner has been on fire since the All-Star break. He’s shut down opposing bats to the tune of a 1.62 second-half ERA, with an exquisite 6.14 K/BB ratio over his last 7 starts.

Saturday’s matchup is solid as well, with Houston’s Charlie Morton (13-3, 3.13 ERA) facing off against Eduardo Rodriguez (12-3, 3.34 ERA). Both guys are in the midst of career years, and overcoming recent DL stints. This will be Morton’s first start since August 28th, and Rodriguez’s second start since returning from the DL earlier this month. Of course, we all remember how that first start went:

As if that wasn’t enough, Sunday features the two of the last three AL CY Young winners. Rick Porcello is looking to rebound from an especially tough stretch; he’s allowed a HR in 10 of his last 13 starts, and has a 5.21 ERA since June 27th. Dallas Keuchel has been Houston’s 4th best starter, though he’d be a #2 or #3 guy on most clubs. He’s been effective all season long, and will be coming off of a 6 inning, 0 earned-run outing against the Twins on Monday.

Even without Chris Sale and Justin Verlander toeing the rubber, both teams have plenty of starting pitching to keep things interesting all weekend.

Mitchy No Bags

On May 25th, the Red Sox DFA’ed Hanley Ramirez. There were plenty of extenuating factors that went into that roster decision, including first-baseman Mitch Moreland‘s red hot start. It made sense at the time. Moreland was hitting .318/.393/.636 with 8 HR in 122 PA, along with his typically stellar defense. He’s since gone into a tailspin. In 75 games since May 26th, Moreland is only slashing .220/.294/.374 with 7 HR. He’s also 1 for his last 18 at bats.

Moreland is a career .252/.318/.440 hitter, and the totality of his 2018 has reflected that larger sample size. However, considering how hard he faltered in the second half of 2017, Sox fans have reason to worry that they won’t get enough out of a key cog come playoff time. If Moreland is going to get hot again, this weekend would be a good time to start.

Old Dogs, Old Tricks

Second base has been a struggle for the Sox this season. They rank 26th in the majors with a 83 wRC+ at that position. Dustin Pedroia‘s consistent offensive output and strong defense (*cough* Nunez *cough*) has been missed.

The good news? A couple of former All-Stars have made their presence felt at that spot recently. Ian Kinsler and Brandon Phillips may be long in the tooth, but they’re contributing in a big way down the stretch.

Kinsler got off to a slow start this season. But, he began to find a rhythm right before the Red Sox acquired him on July 30th. In 21 games for Boston, he’s hit .310/.355./408 with a 106 OPS+. His slick defense has been a major upgrade, too. Kinsler was 4-11 with 5 RBI in the Red Sox sweep of the Braves earlier this week, including a couple of rare (for him) opposite-field gappers.

Brandon Phillips signed a minor league contract in June, and made his Red Sox debut on Wednesday. His impact was, in a word, immediate:

There’s still about a month until the postseason roster shakes out. But these two former All-Stars have tons to offer the Sox in the here and now. We’ll see if they continue to make the most of their opportunities against the reigning world champs.

This weekend is must watch TV for Red Sox fans. The results may not be predicative of what will happen in October, but they will go a long way towards determining who has the upper hand should we see this matchup again.

 

You Won’t Believe What NBA Legend Grant Hill Had to Say About Jayson Tatum

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Spoiler Alert! Jayson Tatum is a good basketball player. The expectations for Tatum’s sophomore season, and his career, are soaring. After polishing off one of the greatest individual playoff runs in NBA history for a Rookie, people are talking about BIG things for the young star.

How Big, You Ask?

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame big. Fellow Duke basketball alumni and NBA legend Grant Hill will be enshrined into the Hall of Fame on Friday, and he believes Jayson Tatum will follow suite one day.

“I think he’s on his way,” Hill told MassLive’s Tom Westerholm. “… He’s in a great situation, which is really good. In some ways you could say it’s a blessing and a curse. Because (the Celtics) are so talented, he doesn’t have to do as much, which is great for a young player, and they have a chance to win a championship, and have a lot of runway for the next five, six, eight years. But also it doesn’t really allow us to see the full package. I think we did see that last year when injuries hit that team, and now it was like they needed him to show and prove, and he did. And he was just a rookie. 19 years old. I think time. Time is what he needs, and I can’t wait to watch and see what he ultimately becomes. It’s scary.”

This comes on the heels of comments made by former NBA All-Star turned ESPN Analyst Stephen Jackson. Jackson was speaking about Boston’s expectations for the upcoming season, and casually mentioned that he believes Jayson Tatum will be a top 10 player in the NBA by season’s end. Wow.

So, there you have it. The bottom line is- Tatum has an immense amount of expectations to live up to. These former NBA legends believe he has what it takes to cement his place among the league’s best. If Jayson Tatum proved anything his Rookie season, it’s that he has all of the talent necessary to get the job done.

Who Would You Want at Your Side for a Bar Fight: Boston Sports Edition

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Patriots: Rob Gronkowski -By @Boston_sports18

If I had to pick a Boston athlete to win a bar fight, it’s got to be Gronk. Rob grew up in a house with four brothers, and each has gone pro. They pushed each other every single day, making Rob an absolute beast.

The Gronkowski’s

Getty Images

Gronk’s father had them all on a training regimen at an early age. This eventually led Gronk to become arguably the best TE the NFL has ever seen. He has incredible blocking skills and unmatched work ethic. While running with the ball after the catch, forget about bringing him down without a cheap shot to the knee. He’s known for swatting linebackers and corners off of him like annoying mosquitoes at a BBQ. Gronkowski finished one block to the point he actually threw the defender off of the field into the media section. “I had to throw him out the club,” Gronkowski said after the game. THIS IS THE GUY I WANT.

Bar fight Champion

Keith Bedford Boston Globe

Besides Gronk’s football toughness, I’m pretty sure he can hold his own at the bar. He’s also good friends with WWE star Mojo Rawley, who Gronk has actually been training with. Last year Gronk even stepped into the ring. He got into a three-point stance and clotheslined another wrestler. Real or fake, Gronk is an animal and would be my top choice of Boston athletes to have in a bar fight. Tough, big and known to party. For me, this is an easy choice. It’s Rob Gronkowski.

Bruins: Zdeno Chara -By @TheBigBlue30

If I am picking any Boston sports athlete to win a bar fight, it is without a doubt Boston Bruins defenseman and Captain Zdeno Chara. At 6’9″ and over 250 pounds, Big Z is a physical powerhouse. If you follow him on Instagram, you would know how much of freak of nature the guy really is. His workouts put superheroes to shame, whether he is climbing up a 30-foot rope and back down in the blink of an eye, riding the Tour de France every summer, or shoulder pressing over 400 pounds. Chara is a physical specimen, unlike any other human being. The scary part, however, is that Chara’s physique and fitness are the least of people’s worries. His father is a former Olympic Roman Greco wrestler, which Big Z has been practicing since a young age.

On top of all that the guy is a genius. He earned a financial planning diploma from Algonquin College in Ottawa in 2015, and took classes at the University of Harvard over this past summer. There is a reason why nobody in the NHL fights Zdeno Chara. Just ask former NHL winger David Koci, who Chara beat so bad in a fight you would have thought he was making a blood donation to the Red Cross. In conclusion, if you don’t pick Zdeno Chara for a bar fight, you are just downright stupid.

Celtics: Marcus Smart -By @jackbuffett_

If I’m picking one player from the Celtics to have my back in a bar fight, I have to choose Marcus Smart. No matter what situation I’m getting into, if he’s on my side, he’s going to fight. Doesn’t matter how many guys, how big, how menacing, Smart will challenge each and every one of them. Ever seen an altercation during a Celtics game? Every time, without fail, Smart is either the one causing it or the first one to a teammate’s defense. It also helps that Smart is the most all-out hustle player on the team, so I’d assume he’d take the same attitude in a bar fight. Smart is an incredibly passionate player. Some players on the court are always emotionless- that’s never him. No matter what he’s doing, he’s going to get super into whatever that activity is. It also helps that Smart is built like a tank at 6’4″, 225 pounds, and absolutely ripped. If I get one phone call to fight some guys at a bar, it’s to Marcus Smart.

Red Sox: Joe Kelly -By @_porchie

BOSTON, MA – APRIL 11: Tyler Austin #26 of the New York Yankees fights Joe Kelly #56 of the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning at Fenway Park on April 11, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

If I were to pick any Boston Red Sox player to be on my side in a bar fight there would only be one option. Joe Kelly would totally have my back! Did you see not only the way he taunted Tyler Austin, but throw him down and was ready to beat him down. If it wasn’t for Aaron Judge that man would probably not be alive right now! He has the fire and intensity that I would want in my corner 100%. That’s why my pick is Joe Kelly.

Claude Dielna Working Out | Photo Credit | Claude Dielna

  Revolution: Claude Dielna -By @Marbies3762

While Claude Dielna is only 6’0″ tall and only weighs 190 pounds, he can pack a punch. Anyone who follows him on Instagram knows when he isn’t at practice he is in the weight room. There are plenty of taller guys on the Revs that could be good picks as well, but none are as good as Claude. He has a much different work mentality than everyone else on the team. When he leaves practice, he trains at home. If he isn’t playing in a game, he is training. When Claude goes to Chipotle, he orders double meat. Every game he plays, he out muscles and throws guys to the ground. In a bar fight, there’s no doubt that Claude would go off. The guy is jacked. Without a doubt, when it comes to bar fights, he’s the guy I want by my side.

Are the Boston Celtics Too Deep?

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I’m sure the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings among others would love to be in the position the Boston Celtics are in. The franchise hasn’t missed the playoffs since the 2013-14 Season, yet lottery picks continue to pour in due to Danny Ainge’s brilliancy in the trade market. They boast three perennial All-Star talents in Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, and Al Horford. Oh, and the ‘other’ two guys in the starting lineup aren’t too bad, either. Boston has the potential to send five guys to the All-Star game this season. In more ways than one, this team stacks up relatively well to the likes of the juggernaut Golden State Warriors. They also happen to be younger.

Boston Boasts Arguably the Deepest Bench in the League

SOURCE: AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Depth on this roster is no issue, either. Terry Rozier blew up last season as a key contributor down the stretch and throughout the playoffs. The 24-year-old point guard out of Louisville has been mentioned in the same sentence as Kemba Walker and Dame Lillard, both All-Star talents. Oh, and he isn’t even this team’s sixth man. That role belongs to $52 million-dollar man Marcus Smart. After signing a $13 million per year deal that retains his services in Boston for the next four years, Smart has now become one of the league’s highest paid bench players.

Worth it? Undoubtedly. The bulldog out of Oklahoma State won’t blow anyone away on the stat sheet, but he is the ultimate competitor and a true winner. He does all of the dirty things needed to be done to win, whether it’s ripping down a big rebound over a seven-footer to secure a big possession, or diving on the floor for a loose ball seconds after returning from a major injury.

The bench depth continues to roll on from there. Marcus Morris adds a lethal one-on-one option. ‘All of Australia’ Aron Baynes is a big body that started in 67 games for the C’s last season. Baynes is a starting caliber center that also happens to statistically be one of the best defensive players in the league. German forward Daniel Theis will assuredly compete for some quality minutes this season, perhaps against Rookie first round pick Robert Williams. Semi Ojeleye played some big minutes last season, often times tasked with locking down the opposition’s best player. Anyone remember when Semi bodied up Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Playoffs?

Believe in Brad Stevens

BOSTON, MA – MARCH 22: Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics goes over the next play with Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Indiana Pacers on March 22, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

No matter how you slice it, this team is DEEP and talented. Regardless of the position on the floor, there is a guy on this team that can step in and more than hold their own. That is just how Brad Stevens has designed this team to be. He likes interchangeability and trusts each player on his roster to perform when called upon. He gets the most out of the players he coaches because he believes in allowing them to play within themselves and refuses to limit a guy because of a weakness they may have. The trust he offers each player is returned, and that trust builds confidence. That confidence translates into production.

Now, Brad Stevens has yet another major task ahead of him. How will he find a way to manage arguably the deepest roster the NBA has to offer? Quite honestly, it’s a curious problem to have. Every team out there across any sport or level of play would love to have this ‘problem’.

Good Problem or No Problem?

Stevens, known as a bit of a playful guy with the media, had a humorous but logical response when asked about this ‘good problem’.

“I don’t think it’s any secret to anybody that there’s only 240 minutes in a game,” Stevens said. “If we all struggle with that more than just the human nature of being disappointed if you get taken out — that’s OK, that’s part of it — but if we struggle with that, then we won’t be very good. And if we don’t, we’ll have a chance to be pretty good.”

Of course, this would be an easy problem to solve if there were 240 minutes in a game. But to Stevens, it sounds like there isn’t an issue at all here. He even has the rotations written up ahead of training camp, and at this point is more concerned with ‘how’ they will play versus ‘who’ will play.

“I’m more focused on how we want to play than how we’re going to rotate,” Stevens said. “I mean, if last year’s not the best example, I don’t know what would be. Things can change. Your rotation can change in a heartbeat. So, you can work all summer on it, and you’ve got to adjust in one day. I think the bottom line is we have an idea of who will play together and who best fits together and what lineups we think we’ll try to use, but we’ll see how it all shakes itself out.”

It All Comes Down to Coach Stevens

(11/12/2017- Boston, MA) With 12 wins in a row, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has a lot to smile about during a victory over the Toronto Raptors at TD Garden on Sunday, November 12, 2017. Staff Photo by Matt West

The bottom line here is that as long as the team buys into the Brad Stevens philosophy and trusts that he will steer them in the right direction, this team will be successful. If this group of individuals can find a way to set aside their egos and personal desires for the betterment of the team there is no limit to what they can accomplish. Depth is a good problem to have, so long as the players have faith in their leader. Lucky for Boston, Brad Stevens may just be the finest leader out there.