Do Not Press the Panic Button because of the 3 Game Losing Streak

Don’t Panic, It’s Only August

The recent Red Sox 3 game loss has caused panic, as the team has not experienced such a streak since April 21-24. There is still a little over 5 weeks left of regular season baseball. The Red Sox will face 10 teams to round out the season, 2 coming against the rival New York Yankees. Starting ace, Chris Sale, will soon be off of the DL and into the pitching rotation.

The Red Sox have a strong group of defensive players. Both the infield and the outfield provide support for the pitchers on a daily basis. Playing the Cleveland Indians allows the team to get a closer look at a potential postseason matchup. It’s only 3 games, and the MLB regular season consists of 162. luckily for the Red Sox, the first half of the season was one for the books. In recent interviews, members of the team appear hopeful and ready to move on.

The Red Sox Still Have the Best Record in the Majors

Although the past 3 losses have concerned many, the Sox still hold a 88-39 record with an 8 game lead over the New York Yankees. The Yankees are the only team that come close to the Red Sox in the AL Eastern Division. The team leads the division in RBI’s, batting average, runs scored, OPS, and SLG. The Cleveland Indians are the most recent Red Sox opponents, and they have earned the title of one of the most competitive teams in the MLB. Playing the Indians also means facing off with past manager, Terry Francona. Such a matchup presents a possible advantage for the Indians. It only makes sense that they would give the Sox a hard time.

Sources

MLB
NESN

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.

Countdown to Celtics Tipoff: 55 Days

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Welcome back to the Celtics season tipoff countdown!

Each day, we’ll give a review of news surrounding the Celtics. We’ll also look back in history to see what happened on today’s date in team history (August 22nd). To round out the day’s post, we’ll give you stats and fun facts related to the number of days remaining before the first game (55 today). Let’s get to it!

Recent Team News

The Celtics officially signed guard P.J. Dozier to a two-way contract. Dozier, a guard from the University of South Carolina, spent last season with the Thunder on a two-way deal. He played in 43 games in the G-League, averaging 13 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest. He appeared in two games for the Thunder, totaling just three minutes of action. Per the terms of a two-way contract, Dozier can spend no longer than 45 days with the Celtics. This means he will be spending a lot of time with the team’s G-League affiliate Maine Red Claws.

Via NBC Sports

On This Date

August 22, 2017: Fireworks. The Celtics make the biggest deal of the summer. The team trades Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and Brooklyn’s 2018 first rounder to the Cavs for Kyrie Irving. A 2020 second round pick later completed the transaction. The blockbuster swap saw fan favorite IT shipped out of Boston on a bum hip just months after the death of his sister. The return was Kyrie, who took over the team and was an MVP candidate before going down with an injury. Many pundits saw this trade as a victory for the Cavs initially. It’s safe to say that the Celtics won this one.

August 22, 2008: Boston signed forward Darius Miles to a deal. He would never play for the team due to an injury.

August 22, 2005: The team signed point guard Tyus Edney. He appeared in 52 games that season for the Celtics, averaging 5.3 points per contest.

August 22, 1969: The Rockets traded Hank Finkel to Boston for cash considerations. The center played six seasons in Beantown, averaging 4.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

Stats (2017-18)

Aron Baynes averaged 5.5 shots per game, netting the big man 6.0 points per contest.

Fun Facts

The Celtics won 55 games this season to finish second in the Eastern Conference.
Greg Monroe wore number 55 last season for the Celtics, becoming the 11th player in franchise history to don that number.

Via Hardwood Houdini

That concludes today’s Countdown to Celtics Tipoff. Make sure to check back here tomorrow as the clock continues to tick towards the 2018-19 season!

Rookie Jersey Number Prognostication: Part 2

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This is the epic conclusion to the rookie jersey number prognostication. If you missed the first part you can find it here: https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2018/08/rookie-number-prognostication-part-1

Picking a jersey number is a very important decision in a rookies’ young career. It can mean the difference between Hall of Fame worthy statistics and retiring after only a few years. Below are the Rookie numbers that the latter half of the New England Patriots’ 2018 rookie class chose and how the previous wearer’s career unfolded. Based on the history of the number you can easily see how this will go. So read on and you can forget about any other analysis!

Keion Crossen — No. 35

This number is a veritable who’s who of one hit wonders on the Patriots with a single exception. “Big Jim” Nance wore this number proudly as a hard hitting fullback in the 60’s. Since then it has been filled with running backs that can now be served as answers to trivia questions. Tyler Gaffney, Jonas Gray, Patrick Pass, and Mike Gillislee all wore this number. Even a special teams safety by the name of Ross Ventrone wore it.

Greatness Verdict: He’s got a shot. Given the age and different position of the last great player who wore this number it’s ready for a hero. Crossen could be the guy that ushers in a new age for the No. 34.

Duke Dawson — No. 42

Can former players’ personalities and attributes live on in their numbers? I think so. Ronnie Lippett, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Mack Herron, and Don Webb. Each wore this number and I’m pretty sure that they are all in the Pat’s dictionary under the word “Grit.” Whether its picking off Dan Marino, being an undersized returner scoring touchdowns or having a cool nickname like “Law Firm.” This number has some star power.

Greatness Verdict: Not Great but close. There is no way that he can’t be a gritty, hard-nosed slot DB while wearing this number. I’m pretty sure he was born holding a lunch pail. I can’t wait for him to grab a roster spot with both hands and keep it for the better part of a decade.

Christian Sam — No. 44

If you’re number 44 for the Patriots you’ve got to have a fantastic name, or at the very least a good name. John Outlaw might be the best name for a DB to have hands down. He would’ve rivaled Deion Sanders had he played in a different day and age. It’s a shame he played his best football as a member of the Eagles starting in ‘73. And there are a load of other good names; White Graves, James Idhegibo, Asante Cleveland, The Don Calhoun and even a Heath Evans. I’m not sure if Christian Sam is going to cut it.

Greatness Verdict: Our second “Not wearing this number.” I like his future but clearly the stars are against him on this one. Not only does the number not have a personality identity, but it also needs a good name for it. Switch it quick!

Ja’Whaun Bentley — No. 51

This number is fascinating. A mix of the pious and the illegal. Don Davis the current New England Patriots chaplain vs. Eugene Lockhart who served 3 years for federal fraud charges. Off the field “star” power and on the field star power. Bob Golic of Saved by the Bell: the College years and a member of the ESPN Golics, and Jerod Mayo, a stalwart captain of the defense for the Patriots.

Greatness Verdict: Slam Dunk! Getting Mayo’s old number will serve this young star well. This number will only help him prove he is more Mayo than Spikes as a linebacker.

Isaiah Wynn — No. 76

Not good. Again a personality trait keeps coming up and it screams underrated. Sebastian Vollmer and Brian Holloway are perfect examples of this. You have one bonafide star in Charley Long playing in a long ago age and plenty of workhorse players; Brandon Gorin, William Roberts, Dave Rowe. Its going to be tough to break that mold and remake the number in today’s age.

Greatness Verdict: 50/50 chance. If Wynn returns from his injury healthy and wins a tackle spot he has a chance to make a name for himself. I’m rooting for the kid and would rather see him live up to his 1st round status and outshine the other big men who wore this number.

Ryan Izzo — No. 85

Not only does this number have a Hall of Fame inductee, it also has a member of the 1985 Super Bowl team. But do to unfortunate events it will forever be known as the number held by one of the most infamous ex-players in the history of the league: Aaron Hernandez. Can Ryan Izzo overcome the checkered past of this number and make it his own?

Greatness Verdict: I just can’t see this happening. He’s got to overcome the stain that the former tight end has casted on this number. If Izzo was a linebacker or lineman I would say that he has a shot.

Thank you for reading and I hoped you enjoyed my humorous take on the numbers that the rookies chose as well as learned a little about the history of some Patriots that have worn them.

All photos courtesy of Getty images unless noted otherwise.

Be sure to check out other great articles for all of your favorite Boston sports teams at Bostonsportsextra.com

Follow me on Twitter @ALykins32
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Mookie Betts Like You’ve Never Seen Him Before

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It’s always great to watch Mookie Betts on a nightly basis. He’s always having fun playing baseball, and it rubs off on his teammates and the fans. So it was no surprise that his annual Citi Mookie Betts Youth Baseball Clinic was based on enjoying yourself and to always have fun while playing. This year 200 kids from a wide variety of ages came to see the All-Star outfielder. The boys and girls from 1st grade up to 8th grade all got a chance to meet their hero.

MOOKIE WAS TEACHING LIKE A GM

Throughout the day the kids were rotating to different stations set up to teach the basic fundamentals of baseball. Each station had a high school or college coach set up to teach the kids hitting, catching, running and fielding ground balls. Mookie stopped by every station and interacted with each kid. Mookie gave the groups a chance to pick his brain, and of course he had to get in on the fun. Along with the different groups teaching fundamentals there were also games going on towards the end of the day. Toward the end of the day Mookie made his rounds to the mini wiffle ball games where he took over as the pitcher.

MOOKIE TAKES THE MOUND

This was by far the most exciting part for the kids. Mookie let everyone swing until they got a hit. He is a really patient man, as there were 200 kids wanting to hit a home run off of the All Star. A few of the kids managed to take him yard! Mookie continued to have a smile on his face all day, just like he does on the field.

THE CLINIC WAS A SUCCESS

From the beginning of the Mookie Betts Baseball Clinic until the end everyone who was in attendance was all smiles. Especially the man of the hour…Mookie. Throughout the day he was talking to the kids about life, baseball, happiness and positivity. He was explaining to the group that he is where he is today because he doesn’t let negativity get to him, and he always tries to maintain a happy positive attitude playing for the Red Sox. He went on to say that if you make baseball fun then you will get better results. Having a positive attitude is infectious and will make you others around you better, hinting at this years Red Sox team.

Adam McQuaid’s Role In Boston

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Adam McQuaid has spent his entire nine-year career in Boston. He is not the Bruins top defender or even in the top four. That does not mean he has not been valuable to the Bruins since making his NHL debut in the 2009-2010 season. McQuaid affects the game in many ways that do not show up on a stat sheet. This season he will be fighting for minutes as the Bruins have eight defensemen under contract. The only locks appear to be Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, Zdeno Chara, John Moore, and Brandon Carlo. That will leave Kevan Miller, Matt Gryzelcyk, and McQuaid fighting for limited minutes. McQuaid will more than ever need to show the intangibles that have made him so valuable to the Bruins over the years to get consistent minutes.

Where Adam McQuaid Excels

McQuaid is not an offensively gifted defenseman. In his career, he has only scored 13 goals and distributed 53 assists. His best offensive season was 2010-2011 when he had three goals and 12 assists. What separates McQuaid is the way he affects the game with his physical style of play. He is not afraid to throw his body around and often acts as an enforcer on the ice. Last season he had 6 fighting majors which was the most on the Bruins. Four of them came on the road which showed that McQuaid was not afraid to stand up for his teammates regardless of where he was. For that reason, McQuaid has endeared himself to his teammates. It may however not be enough as his offensive liabilities could impact his spot in the lineup.

Photo Credit: NHL.Com

Adam McQuaid’s Future In Boston

This season marks the final campaign of McQuaid’s four-year deal. Next off-season the Bruins will have a tough decision to make regarding McQuaid in free agency as a potential trade candidate. Some Bruins who will be free agents include Danton Heinen, Ryan Donato, Charlie McAvoy, and Brandon Carlo. That means McQuaid’s future is bleak as those four will likely be the main priorities next offseason. The Bruins will also have a handful of prospects such as Ryan Fitzgerald entering free agency who will be looking for a significant pay raise next year. The Bruins will want to give their top prospects chances to show what they can do which will impact McQuaid’s playing time.

This season McQuaid will most likely serve as the seventh defenseman. He will make 2.75 million which is expensive for the role he will play. If the Bruins do deal their enforcer to free up salary he could net them a mid-round draft pick. He has shown that he is capable of holding down a bottom pair role and his toughness could interest other teams. That is the unique trait that the Bruins would struggle to replace. Regardless of how the season plays out, McQuaid has created an endearing legacy in Boston. He will be remembered for his toughness and willingness to defend his own teammates. His role in Boston may have diminished but his legacy will not.

Tom Brady Felt Rusty On Thursday Night

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Tom Brady Felt Rusty In His First Preseason Game

Tom Brady missed all offseason voluntary workouts but did attend minicamp. Brady also went to training camp a few days early. With Julian Edelman out the first four games of the season, the wide receiving group is struggling to connect with Brady. On Thursday Brady’s time on the field consisted of throwing passes to James White, Julian Edelman, and Chris Hogan. He did not throw a pass to Eric Decker or Cordarrelle Patterson. The connection between Brady and Decker has been especially troublesome, as he’s dropped a lot of passes during training camp.

Tom Brady has been reported to being rusty during training camp. On Thursday he looked sharp throwing to the receivers he feels comfortable with. However, according to Brady, he felt rusty. Brady told WEEI this morning that he felt rusty because it was his first game since the Super Bowl. Without the joint practices, the preseason games provide key opportunities. Especially with Brady missing the offseason workouts the preseason provides him with the opportunity to get the workouts in he would’ve gotten had he attended.

Tom Brady Behind With His New Receivers

It seems like Tom Brady is behind which could be a cause for concern as the season approaches fast. Cordarrelle Patterson or Eric Decker is going to have to step it up. One of them will have to be a key factor besides Chris Hogan and Rob Gronkowski. Kenny Britt was on the practice field yesterday but is still recovering from a hamstring injury. Britt told reporters on Sunday that he’s behind.

“I definitely feel like I’m behind, because I’m not out there with the guys, getting the chemistry I need with the quarterbacks, and getting on the same page with everyone.”

Overall this is not a good look. If Hogan, Edelman, or Gronkowski get hurt the Patriots could be in for a bumpy start to the season. Brady will play at a high level but if his new receivers can’t catch the ball you’ll be seeing a very frustrated Tom Brady.

Countdown to Celtics Tipoff: 56 Days

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Welcome back to the Celtics season tipoff countdown!

Each day, we’ll give a review of news surrounding the Celtics. We’ll also look back in history to see what happened on today’s date in team history (August 21st). To round out the day’s post, we’ll give you stats and fun facts related to the number of days remaining before the first game (56 today). Let’s get to it!

Recent Team News

In a thought-provoking piece about mental health in the NBA, Paul Pierce spoke out about his depression and anxiety. After Pierce was attacked and stabbed 11 times at a nightclub in September of 2000, he said he battled depression for a year. He was so anxious and nervous in public settings that he had the police around his house 24 hours a day. He played all 82 games that year, not because he was fully healed but because “The only thing that saved me was basketball.” He also said that he should have sought professional help far sooner than he did. “My depression was bad-really bad,” he admitted. “I never want to feel that way again.”

Via USA Today

In a year where multiple stars have opened up about their personal struggles, Pierce decided to share his story as well. Read the full story here on ESPN.

On This Date

August 21, 2000: The Celtics sign free agent Chris Carr to a deal. The shooting guard appeared in 35 games for Boston that year, averaging 4.8 points and 1.3 rebounds per contest.

August 21, 1997: The team traded Eric Williams to the Nuggets for a 1999 second rounder and a 2001 second rounder.

August 21, 1972: Boston signs first round pick Paul Westphal. Westphal played with the Celtics for three seasons, winning a title with the team in 1974. He averaged 7.3 points and 2.1 assists during his time with the franchise.

Stats (2017-18)

Terry Rozier had 5.6 win shares on the season. Win Shares is an estimate of the number of wins a player contributed to a team.

Jim Davis/Globe Staff

Fun Facts

The 1956 Celtics team went 39-33.
Two players have worn the number 56 for the Celtics, most recently Sean Williams in 2012.

That concludes today’s Countdown to Celtics Tipoff. Make sure to check back here tomorrow as the clock continues to tick towards the 2018-19 season!

Jayson Tatum vs LeBron James By the Numbers

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I know how crazy this will sound. Who in their right mind would even consider comparing an unproven 20-year-old to arguably the greatest basketball player to ever live? Before you all get out the torches and sharpen your pitchforks let me explain.

This piece focuses on how much potential Jayson Tatum has. With some recent articles floating around social media making the case that Taco Jay is ‘overhyped’ I felt the need to come to his defense. There is no defense stronger than proving to the world that the 20-year-old talent put up comparative advanced metrics to the King in their respective rookie seasons. Let’s dive into the numbers.

Jayson Tatum Advanced Metrics for 2017-18 Season

LeBron James Advanced Metrics for 2003-04 Season

Player Efficiency Rating and Usage Percentage

The first metric that strikes my eye is each player’s PER (Player Efficiency Rating) vs their USG% (Usage Percent).

To clarify- the PER sums up all of a player’s positive accomplishments, subtracts the negative accomplishments, and returns the per-minute rating of a player’s performance. The USG% figure refers to the percentage of team plays used by a player while on the court.

Jayson Tatum finished his rookie campaign with a respectable 15.3 PER against a modest 19.5 USG% in 2438 minutes played.

LeBron James finished his rookie campaign with a slightly higher 18.3 PER against a MUCH higher 28.2 USG% in 3122 minutes played.

Simply put, Jayson Tatum was only slightly less efficient than James while receiving significantly fewer touches and play calls. This comes as a testament to the abnormally high efficiency Tatum exhibited throughout his first season in the league.

Entering as a ball stopping ISO heavy talent, Tatum’s biggest question marks were his outside shooting and efficiency in an NBA offense predicated around ball movement. Tatum responded by shooting 43.3% from 3 (good for 8th in the league) and quickly proved he can do what is needed for the betterment of the team. His modest 19.5 USG% reveals that he was not the ‘ball stopper’ that he was predicted to be. In fact, it is Tatum’s malleability and selflessness that has quickly become his biggest strength heading into his 2nd season. His ability to get off whatever shot he desires at will coupled with the basketball IQ to know when to give up the rock bodes well for his future outlook.

True Shooting Percentage, Total Rebound Percentage and Win Shares

(Boston MA, 05/03/18) Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum celebrates after dunking during the second half of Game 2 of the Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden on Thursday, May 03, 2018. Staff photo by Matt Stone

Jayson Tatum actually tops LeBron James in multiple advanced metrics in their respective rookie seasons. First, let me clarify what each of these statistics means.

True Shooting Percentage (TS%) measures a player’s efficiency at shooting the ball. It considers total points scored over all field goals made including free throws, 2-point field goals and 3 pointers plus free throws attempted. It is the most accurate measurement of a player’s overall shooting efficiency.

Total Rebound Percentage (TR%) is a statistic used to gauge how effective a player is at gaining possession of the ball after a missed field goal or free throw. Essentially the stat measures the percentage of missed shots the individual rebounds while on the court.

Win Shares (WS) is a bit of a complex metric but in a nutshell it estimates the number of wins a player produces for his team. It is essentially a measurement of how important the player is to his team’s success.

How Does Tatum Compare?

Now onto the fun stuff. Jayson Tatum’s impressive rookie PER shines through when looking at his TS%, which sits at 58.6%. Comparatively, LeBron finished his rookie campaign with a 48.8% TS%, nearly 10% lower than that of Tatum’s. This is directly correlated to Tatum’s shot taking decisions. He very rarely takes tough shots and doesn’t force anything. With everything he does he always appears to be comfortable and confident, as shown by his 49% shooting from 2 and 43% from 3 for the season.

Jayson Tatum finished his rookie campaign averaging 5 rebounds per contest. He accomplished a 9% TR%, 1.4% higher than James’. LeBron has gone on to average an impressive 7.4 rebounds per game for his career. Taking Tatum’s rookie season under consideration, there is no reason the 6’8” forward can’t accomplish the same if not better than the King in this department.

The final measurement that caught my eye in this comparison was Win Shares plus Win Shares per 48 minutes. LeBron James played 684 minutes more than Jayson Tatum in his rookie season. Yet it was Tatum who held a higher WS metric. Essentially, Jayson Tatum individually produced 2 more wins for the Celtics than LeBron for the Cavs in significantly less playing time. Taking it a step further, if that measurement is rounded out to 48 minutes (the length of a full game) Tatum still outshines James with .139 WS to .078, respectively. What does this mean? According to this metric one can make a legitimate argument that Jayson Tatum was more important to the Celtics his rookie year than LeBron James was to the Cavaliers.

Is Jayson Tatum ‘Overhyped’?

Jayson Tatum finished 3rd in the Rookie of the Year race and landed on the NBA All Rookie 1st Team. He was thrusted into the spotlight a mere 5 minutes into his first NBA game against (ironically) LeBron James. He averaged 13.9 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per contest as a 19-year-old. The team needed him to step up in the playoffs due to devastating injuries to valuable teammates. He responded by leading the entire roster in scoring through 19 playoff games. His 18.5 points per game scoring average got him within 1 point of tying basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points scored by a rookie in the playoffs in NBA history.

Some believe that Tatum will end up being the best rookie to come out of his draft class. Doubters will shake their heads and say the guy has already peaked. That he won’t get much better than he is now.

What do I believe?

I believe that the sky is the limit for Jayson Tatum. He has every tool in his arsenal necessary to become one of the NBA’s elite. I would say he is arguably the most gifted talent that the Boston Celtics have drafted since Larry Bird (sorry Paul). The situation could not be more perfect for Tatum. The system around him will provide every opportunity to maximize his talents and realize his full potential. Now, he’s just got to go out and prove to the world that he can do it.

Ben Simmons adds fuel to the Celtics-76ers Rivalry

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The Celtics-Sixers feud is starting to heat up

The teams faced off against each other four times in the regular season, and again in the Eastern Conference finals. Things got heated, and each game they played became must-see television. Joel Embiid got in a scuffle with Terry Rozier, and also had an altercation with Marcus Morris during the series. He’s been very vocal about his desire to beat the Celtics, and now Ben Simmons has joined the fray.

The Quote

Simmons said during an interview, “We’ve got to get past Boston, those are the guys at the top right now. Beating them, that’s our next goal. Obviously getting further than the second round and winning the Eastern Conference Finals and then moving on to the Finals.”

Via CBS Sports

What It Means

It’s clear that he and the Sixers know who the alpha dog is in the East. Including both the playoffs and regular season, the Celtics were 7-2 against Philadelphia last season. Interestingly, of the three playoff series Boston played, the Sixers were the only team not to take it the full seven games. They have a ways to go to become serious threats to the team.

However, they certainly have the potential to do so. Simmons isn’t even close to his prime yet, and Embiid is just entering his. If Markelle Fultz finally lives up to his number one pick, this team could have the firepower to challenge Boston. Now that Simmons has publicly identified beating the Celtics as the Sixers’ goal, they’re going to be ready to meet the challenge.

Via NBC Sports

It won’t take long to see if Philly can back up their young star’s words. The two teams meet on opening night in the TD Garden. They’ll also see each other again on Christmas Day. Be prepared to grab the popcorn – this rivalry is only getting started.