Elephant in the Room: Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown

Elephant in the Room

With the young C’s surging in the 2018 playoffs, there’s no question the amount of productivity that’s come from everyone on the roster. With All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward out for the season, every single player has stepped up. There was even a Jabari Bird (who?) sighting late in the season, who gave the Celtics some key minutes. Still, there’s been this weird debate Boston faithful has brought up with the emergence of both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and that’s “Who would you rather keep?”. This stems from possible trade talks surrounding both Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard, which you’d have to give up one in said scenarios, right? Most likely. Even so, the resounding opinion seems to be keep Tatum, but have we forgotten just how valuable JB is? I’m not here to pick sides, but let’s take a look at some variables to see if this is as clear as most think, or clouded judgment. You be the judge.

Jaylen Brown, Round 1, Pick 3 – 2016/2017

Being his rookie year, JB came into the league as an athletic G-F who had a sweet stroke and a smooth game. Young sure, but poise is what separated him from his rookie class, establishing a quiet, yet fierce, demeanor. Having to ride pine behind Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder, Brown was still able to excite TD Garden for about 17 MPG. However, he could only muster up 6.6 PPG through 78 games and 20 starts. Hardly the Jaylen Brown we know today. Having been offense heavy with ol’ faithful IT4, JB still found a way to contribute nightly, delivering 26 10+ point nights and some flashy play. He fell off a bit in the playoffs, still his promise and intrigue is what kept fans excited and hopeful.

Final 2016 Stats:

PPG – 6.6
MPG – 17.2
FG% – 45.5
3P% – 34.
RPG – 2.8
APG – 0.8
BPG – 0.2
SPG – 0.4
FT% – 68.5
TOPG – 0.9

Jayson Tatum, Round 1, Pick 3 – 2017/2018

With the NBA draft lottery over, and the luck of the Irish in place, the first pick in the 2017 NBA draft was awarded to the Boston Celtics. However, trading that pick with the Philadelphia 76ers for the number three pick confused fans. But let’s fast forward to now, where Jayson Taytum dons the old Walter McCarty and is shaking and baking defenders on a nightly basis. Added to the core of Brown, Smart, Horford and Rozier, the Celtics coupled a soon-to-be fan favorite in JT with the bunch. It was tricky to think how he’d fit in, but it left no doubt in C’s fans’ minds that he was something special.

Adding Irving, Hayward, and some other pieces, Boston created a formula of success in young talent. Since the start of the 2017, Tatum came in right away and was a clear choice for the Celtics future. He brought the sexy shooting and slashing prowess, while triggering defensive sparks and led fast breaks with high-flying dunks. No question this guys a pure bred scoring machine, totaling 65 10+ point nights in his rookie year, ten of those being for 20+. Interesting note, he also started 80 games for the C’s as well. Not to be diminished though, Hayward’s season ending injury and Kyrie going in and out of injury and eventually for the season allowed Tatum to excel and advance. That’s not to say he wasn’t a star because believe me, he will be and certainly was for Boston thus far. Here are his stats from season one:

Final 2017 Stats:

PPG – 13.9
MPG – 30.5
FG% – 47.5
3P% – 43.4
RPG – 5.0
APG – 1.6
BPG – 0.7
SPG – 1.0
FT% – 82.6
TOPG – 1.4

The Breakdown

No doubt JT had himself a rookie season, even earning himself some playoff records as a young gun. He is simply a basketball player. He can shoot over you, dribble past you, and dunk over you. Who wouldn’t want a guy like that? BUT, let’s not forget about the other young C, Jaylen Brown. The dude has been equally as stellar, delivering big moment after big moment down the stretch of games. He’s truly been as clutch as any other player in the league, and has turned into a prolific scorer in the interim. He went from 20 starts to 70 (+50), and added 51 10+ point games with 17 20+ point games (seven more than Tatum), and three with 30+. He also was one of the main factors in the first round of the playoffs, and added to his game since last year. Let’s take a quick peek at JB’s 2017 stats compared to JT:

2016 Stats: 2017 Stats: Tatum 2017 stats:

PPG – 6.6 PPG – 14.5 PPG – 13.9
MPG – 17.2 MPG – 30.7 MPG – 30.5
FG% – 45.5 FG% – 46.5 FG% – 47.5
3P% – 34.3 3P% – 39.5 3P% – 43.4
RPG – 2.8 RPG – 4.9 RPG – 5.0
APG – 0.8 APG – 1.6 APG – 1.6
BPG – 0.2 BPG – 0.4 BPG – 0.7
SPG – 0.4 SPG – 1.0 SPG – 1.0
FT% – 68.5 FT% – 64.4 FT% – 82.6
TOPG – 0.9 TOPG – 1.8 TOPG – 1.4

Comparably, these two seem almost like the same player. Some stats have a few numbers north or south, but nothing that really stands out. Both are electric and can get the fans behind them in an instant, and both are part of the youth movement in the NBA. Tatum, without a question, will thrive with the ball in his hands. Brown will also, but think of him as a mid-level Dwayne Wade. Without boring details, Brown actually has better stats than Wade did in his second year. But then again, so does Tatum.

Who Do You Love, Are You for Sure?

In 2021, the Celtics will have to deal with the question everyone is wondering: do you keep Jaylen Brown? The answer should be yes. Obviously, Tatum will bud and flourish and will be a household name in all of New England and beyond. But Brown will eventually want more money and longer security. Assumed the same for Tatum, added with Kyrie, Horford and Hayward, Celtics fans will have to break out the paper and pencil to do some math. Boston just wont have enough, and they kind of put all their eggs in the baskets of Kyrie and Hayward. Horford in getting a little seasoned, so he may be out soon. It’s a tough call either way.

Brown certainly deserves more credit than he gets, and Tatum hasn’t gotten the praise he will in the future, but both deserve to be loved by all of Celtics nation. Without either, the Celtics may not be on the verge of dethroning LeBron. Still, don’t snub JB just yet. Not to take anything from the once-in-a-blue-moon rook in Tatum, but Jaylen has doubled in points since last year, made himself more of a scorer and deep threat, AND is work horse on either end of the floor. What more can Brown do for you?

Please follow me on Twitter @JaxBrown725 and Instagram @drew_joseph1020

Why Jaylen Brown Will Be Better Than Kawhi Leonard

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“We often use the phrase growth-oriented,” Stevens said in regard to Jaylen Brown. “Nobody is more focused on getting better and the process of growth than Jaylen. Jaylen is easy to coach because he wants to be coached, he wants to be good. And he is really important to us. I really appreciate his mindset in that regard.”

Brad Stevens has admitted that he has set the bar higher for Jaylen, because he knows he can take it. Brad recognizes Jaylen’s desire to be the guy to guard the best player on the other team every game, and recognizes his growth mindset and his never quit attitude.

There is no question that Jaylen Brown has loads of potential. As a lengthy wing, standing in at 6’7” 230 pounds with a 7′ wingspan and elite athleticism, all the physical traits needed to star in the league are there. Coming into the league as the Renaissance man of his draft class, Jaylen brings in a fresh perspective and offers intellectual takes on complex world issues as a 21 year old. He’s known as a straight forward guy who seeks nothing more on the basketball court than to improve. Improve every single day, no days off.

So who’s to say he can’t be better than a guy like Kawhi Leonard?

Intangibles

Physically they are nearly identical. They both pride themselves on their defense, and both have a tendency to light it up in bunches, bringing to the table efficient offensive playstyles. They possess elite athleticism, but in different ways. Jaylen comes at opponents with high-flying vertical explosiveness, whereas Kawhi’s lateral movement is insane. The dude just explodes from side to side. Both belong to a winning environment on playoff caliber teams.

To give credit where credit is due- Kawhi Leonard is widely considered to be one of the top 5-10 players in the NBA. A two-time DPOY award winner and MVP finalist just a year ago, the guy is arguably the top two-way player in the game today.

So why do I think Jaylen Brown has the ability to not only catch up with, but overtake Kawhi and take his place among the ranks of the NBA’s best?

Let’s dive into the numbers.

Stats

Statistics Via ESPN.com

These stats emphasize on Jaylen and Kawhi’s second season numbers. It is easy to see how wildly similar on the offensive part of the floor these two are. Jaylen carried the load often for the Celtics this year. In times when Kyrie was out, he notched 14.5 points a game in nearly 31 minutes of floor time. Though his free throw percentage needs a bit of work, all other facets of his game on this side of the court are comparable, or better, than Kawhi’s. This holds true even as we dip into Leonard’s year three numbers.

Jaylen Brown had a PER of 13.69 this season, with a true shooting percentage of .562 and a VA of 102.4. Comparatively, during the ‘12-13’ season, Kawhi Leonard produced a PER of 16.46, true shooting percentage of .592, and a VA of 160.9. Jaylen showcased an offensive rating of 107.4 during his second season, whereas Kawhi produced a rating of 106.9 during his sophomore campaign. Very similar numbers considering their usage rates were within six points of one another.

Jaylen more than doubled his point total from year one to two, added five percentage points to his three point shot, and dished out twice as many assists. He has already started taking leaps at such a young age.

Comparison

Blessed with elite vertical and downhill explosiveness and a very respectable three point shot hovering around 40%, once he fills out he will have the physical ability to better compose himself at the rim on attacks at the basket, as his effective field goal percentage will rise greatly. Most importantly, as his confidence grows, he will be a formidable offensive player in this league. One that could even be very nearly impossible to stop.

Based on where Kawhi was by his second year, it is safe to say that on the offensive side of the ball Jaylen Brown compares well with Kawhi Leonard. Brown has potential to be an even greater threat than him.

Let’s take a look into the defensive side of the ball, an area that Kawhi has certainly made a name for himself during his run of two straight DPOY awards.

Statistics Via NBA.com

Defense

Brown’s numbers are from the 2017-18 season, whereas Leonard’s numbers are from the 2012-13 season (his second). The big number to look at here is the DEFRTG, where Kawhi held a better rating by 3.5 percentage points. Both guys were routinely assigned the toughest player on the opposition, and in turn both performed well with their assignments all season long.

Jaylen has already proven himself as a formidable defender against some of the league’s best. Earlier this season the Golden State Warriors came to town looking to put an end to the Celtics’ hot start to the season. Jaylen Brown had other plans for them. In the win, the Celtics held the Warriors to 62.1 points per 100 possessions when Brown matched up against Kevin Durant. On the 29 possessions the two faced off, Durant was held to just seven points.

Physical Build

Utilizing his super athleticism, Brown is able to fight around screens and switch on and off opponents with ease. He was doing these things easier and much more effectively than most players. Even as talented as Kawhi Leonard is, he does not possess even close to the same level of raw athletic ability that Brown brings to the table.

NBA: Playoffs-Milwaukee Bucks at Boston Celtics

Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

At 21 years old, Jaylen is still growing into his frame. Once he becomes stronger, he will be better able to body up against his opposition. In turn his defensive rating will assuredly get even better. His elite athleticism and lengthy body will grant him the ability to guard just about anyone in the 1-4 range. His high basketball IQ and well-developed understanding of defensive schemes will certainly serve him well moving forward. The potential is there for a defensive rating in the mid 90s, just as Kawhi had during his two best years defensively.

Real Recognize Real

Jaylen looks up to Kawhi, and has spoken in the past about his appreciation for the way Leonard plays on the defensive side of the ball. He likes how Kawhi is the type of guy that would rather let his game do the talking then spend time trash talking on the court. Jaylen himself approaches the game in a similar way. He will only continue to feed off of what Kawhi does and learn from him. With limitless potential and a dash of optimism, only time will tell if he can make the leap into the upper level of the NBA’s talent pool.

As the saying goes, “The student has become the master.” Make no mistake, Brown is one of the fiercest competitors in the league. My money is on Jaylen Brown when the moment comes in his career to “become the master”,

Sox Bullpen Takes a Step in the Right Direction

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There have been mostly positive things about this Red Sox team thus far in 2018. But even the best of the best have weaknesses, and for the Red Sox, it’s the bullpen. Besides Craig Kimbrel and Joe Kelly, there haven’t been any other reliable guys who you can trust to go pitch in a close game in the later innings.

Hembree & Barnes

Heath Hembree has been one of the guys you cannot trust so far. He’s riding a 5.17 ERA in 17.1 innings. Hembree’s biggest problem has been walking batters, as he is averaging 4.2 walks per nine innings. Walks have also been an overall problem bullpen as a whole, especially for Matt Barnes.

Barnes is the king of having several good outings to make it seem like he’s effective, but then has a game where he implodes. Barnes has a 3.24 ERA in 16.2 innings, which of course isn’t bad. The problem is his control. He tends to come late into games and give guys one too many free passes. He’s walking 6.5 per nine innings, which is exactly someone who has no business pitching in a big moment late in a game.

On Friday night in Toronto, he came in at the beginning of the tenth inning. He walked not just the one, but the first two hitters he saw to open the inning. Not sure about the exact statistics, but I’m pretty positive that most of the time, that will come back to bite you. Barnes ended up getting out of it. But that won’t always happen. Barnes has the ability to be effective, the key for him is just to tone down the free passes.

On the Bright Side

Carson Smith has been much better. He pitched a shutout eleventh inning on Friday night, and relieved David Price in the sixth inning on Saturday to get the last two outs. One of them was a strikeout. Joe Kelly continued to be dominant after pitching a scoreless eighth inning on Saturday night. He went back out on Sunday and get the final three outs for the save, giving Kimbrel a much needed day off.

Overall, what we saw from the bullpen this weekend is very encouraging and a step in the right direction. With Drew Pomeranz having a shortened outing on Sunday, the bullpen had a great day. Starting with Hector Velasguez and ending with Joe Kelly, the Red Sox bullpen went five innings, allowing five hits while walking nobody, and giving up no earned runs.

So along with J.D. and Mookie staying hot, the biggest takeaway from this weekend was the bullpen. Leading into the series, they were struggling, but they were able to come out and do their job. Hopefully this trend can continue on from this, as the bullpen can only get better once Thornburg makes his return.

Josh McDaniels Speaks with the Media

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Josh McDaniels Spoke Friday

FOXBORO, MA – SEPTEMBER 22: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots (R) talks with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels during the first half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on September 22, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Josh McDaniels spoke with the media on Friday on his decision to not take the head coaching job in Indianapolis and return to the Patriots. We know when his next coaching job will be: in New England when Belichick retires. There was a meeting between Kraft, Belichick, and McDaniels, which I’ve stated before, that McDaniels will be taking over for Belichick after this upcoming season.

The way the draft went for the Patriots is starting to make sense. They know Brady has two more years left and they need to start planning for the future. All Brady’s talk about playing until he’s 45 was just to ship Jimmy Garoppolo out of town. When that worked he’s talking about spending more time with his family and missing voluntary workouts. If Garoppolo was still on the team, Brady would be at those workouts- no doubt about it. Brady also had a say about McDaniels coming back to the Patriots.

Josh Will Be a Head Coach Again

Via SI.comMcDaniels was asked what went through his decision to come back on Friday to the Patriots. His response: “I’ll say this, I’ve stated again and again that I definitely want to be a head coach again. At the same time, I love being here. This is where my kids were born and raised. We’ve made a pretty special life here and that’s not an easy thing to leave. There’s a lot to consider.” Remember, he also did an interview with the Boston Globe when he first made the choice to come back, saying he had to know what his future was going to be like. Once he found out what that was, he decided to come back.

From this point forward it’s about the future of the team. They’ll make another Super Bowl run I’m sure. Maybe they’ll win another one more before this 18-year run comes to a close. But all the pieces are coming together in this giant puzzle in Foxborough. The Patriots won’t release right now that Belichick is leaving at the end of the season. With all the rest of the drama, the last thing Belichick wants is a going away tour. Enjoy the final couple of years, because in 2020 we’ll be looking at a completely different team. A team with Josh McDaniels at the helm.

Bruins Offseason Preview

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Despite a disappointing end to the 2017-18 campaign, the Boston Bruins should have plenty to look forward to for the upcoming season. Until then, there’s plenty going on over the summer to keep fans interested.

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Going on Now: IIHF World Championship

Many NHL players have ventured to Denmark to represent their home countries in the World Championship. From the Bruins, David Krejci and David Pastrnak are playing for Team Czech Republic, as well as Charlie McAvoy for Team USA. In his first game of the tournament, McAvoy got two goals and three assists in the USA’s 13-1 thrashing of South Korea. In a 3-0 win over Belarus and a 4-3 win in an overtime thriller against Russia, Krejci and Pastrnak have tallied five and three points, respectively. The tournament will continue through May 20.

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June 22nd, 2018: NHL Draft

Although the Bruins traded their first round draft pick as part of the Rick Nash deal, they have plenty of late round picks to bolster the lineup. As things currently stand, Boston holds five picks. They have one each in the second, third, fourth, sixth, and seventh rounds. The third round pick was acquired from the Panthers as part of the Frank Vatrano deal. The Bruins’ original third rounder went to the Rangers in exchange for Nick Holden. The Bruins lost their fifth round pick to Winnipeg as part of a 2017 trade for Drew Stafford. Four of the first six overall picks belong to teams in the Atlantic Division.

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July 1st, 2018: Free Agency Begins

The Bruins will have plenty of work to do once free agency rolls around. The B’s have multiple contracts set to expire. Notable potential unrestricted free agents include Nick Holden, Anton Khudobin, Rick Nash, Riley Nash, Tim Schaller, and Tommy Wingels. Potential restricted free agents are Matt Grzelcyk and Sean Kuraly. As of early April, Bleacher Report reported that the top 10 free agents were Islanders center John Tavares, Caps defenseman John Carlson, Leafs winger James van Riemsdyk, Sharks winger Evander Kane, Golden Knights winger James Neal, Red Wings defenseman Mike Green, KHL forward Ilya Kovalchuk, Senators winger Mark Stone, Jets center Paul Stastny, and Rick Nash.

While it is unlikely that Kovalchuk will rejoin the NHL, the other nine players on this list are still up for grabs. The Bruins could have as much as $10 million in cap space to work with. Although Mark Stone isn’t the league’s best defending forward, the Ottawa right winger is consistently a 20 goal scorer who, at 25 years old, could be a bargain long-term replacement for Rick Nash.

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September 2018: Preseason/O.R.G. NHL China Games

As part of their scheduled preseason exhibition games, the Boston Bruins will travel to China for two match-ups against the Calgary Flames. The first will take place on September 15th in Shenzen, China, and then the second will be on September 19th in Beijing.

Obviously, Boston has a lot to do between now and October. With a number of players on their way out, head coach Bruce Cassidy has some work to do to get past the conference semifinals next season. But, with plenty of old and young talent signed through 2019, GM Don Sweeney might just wheel and deal his way to a Stanley Cup next June.

Down on the Farm- May 5th- May 12th

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*Every weekend, I will be updating you on weekly results from the Red Sox’ farm teams: Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA), the Portland Sea Dogs (AA), and the Greenville Drive (A).

Pawtucket Red Sox

The Red Sox went 2-4 over the week, and they are now on the 16-16 year. On May 5th, they defeated Scranton 2-0 thanks to seven shutout innings from Chandler Shepard. Tyler Thornburg also had a clean eighth in a rehab outing. On May 6th, they defeated Scranton by the same score. Justin Haley picked up the win, and he now has a 3.60 ERA. Brandon Workman pitched the sixth, seventh, and eighth while Bobby Poyner picked up the save. On May 7th, they fell to Lehigh by the score of 4-1. The Paw Sox only recorded six hits and starting pitcher Josh Smith struggled over four innings. On the 8th, they lost 4-1 again.

They only have one batter hitting above .300, and the offense has struggled all year. On the 9th, they were shutout by the score of 3-0. Starting pitcher Jordan Beeks kept them in the game, but they only recorded two hits. On the 10th, the bats were quiet again as they fell to Syracuse 6-4. Starting pitcher William Cuevas struggled, giving up four runs in as many innings. On the 11th, the bats finally exploded with a 12-2 win. They scored eight runs in the first and Chandler Shepard picked up the win.

Portland Sea Dogs

The Sea Dogs went 4-4 on the week, and they are now 11-20 on the year. On the 5th, they were defeated by Hartford 9-6. Portland tied it in the eighth, but Trevor Kelley blew it in the bottom half of the inning. On the 6th, they lost by the score of 12-4. Starting pitcher Matthew Kent only lasted 2.2 innings. On the 7th, they lost to New Hampshire 10-2. Starting pitcher Kevin McAvoy gave up five runs in four innings.

On the 8th, they won by the score of 5-3. Teddy Stankiewicz threw 5.2 innings of scoreless baseball out of the bullpen. On the 9th, they won by the score of 7-1. They put the game away by scoring five runs in the ninth. Mike Shawaryn threw seven innings and gave up no runs. On the 10th, they defeated Binghamton by the score of 7-2. Tate Matheny was 2-4 with three RBI’s. On the 11th, they lost 5-1. It was competitive until the eighth, but Trey Ball gave up three runs.

Greenville Drive

The Drive went 4-2 during the week to improve to 9-25. On the 5th, they defeated Greensboro 2-1. They were losing 1-0 in the eighth, but Frankie Rios and Lorenzo Cedrola scored to give the Drive a win. On the 6th, they dominated by the score of 10-2. Kevin Suarez knocked in three runs and Denyi Reyes gave up one run over seven innings. On the 7th, they won 3-2, with all three runs coming in the eighth. Left fielder Victor Acosta hit the go-ahead home run.

They had an off day on the 8th then they were crushed by Kannapolis 10-2. Starting pitcher Angel Pardon only lasted 1.1 innings and gave up five runs. On the 10th, they were shutout by the score of 2-0. Starting pitcher Kutter Crawford pitched well, but the Drive only recorded three hits. On the 11th, they won 6-4 behind Jagger Rusconi’s two-run home run.

Celtics Crush Cavs, Win Game 1 in Boston

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Celtics Crush Cavs, Win Game 1 in Boston

The Boston Celtics destroyed the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, winning 108-83 on Mother’s Day.

The Celtics came out of the gate firing and never looked back. They dropped 36 in the first quarter and built their lead to as much as 28 points in the first half. LeBron and Co. attempted to mount a comeback late in the third quarter. J.R. Smith hit a buzzer beater jumper to cut the deficit to 14 before the fourth. That was as close as they would come; the Celtics put their foot back on the gas pedal and cruised to the victory.

Cleveland Flounders Offensively

LeBron James, coming off a series sweep against the Raptors, struggled mightily this afternoon. Marcus Morris covered him most of the game, and it worked.. He had just 15 points on 5 for 16 shooting, and accounted for seven of the team’s nine turnovers. He finished with a plus/minus of -32. The rest of the team was no better, shooting 36% from the field. This included a dismal 4 of 26 from behind the three point arc. Kevin Love led the team in scoring with 17. He was followed by James and Rodney Hood with 11 and Jordan Clarkson with 10. The stifling Celtics defense was hard at work, rotating beautifully all day on switches and screens and closing out well on almost every single shot.

Boston Has a Great Day Shooting

The boys from Boston also flourished on the offensive end. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 23 points on 9-16 shooting. Marcus Morris had an enormous day, which started with getting the call to start. It finished with him gathering a double-double, collecting 21 points and ten rebounds. Al Horford contributed 20 points along with six assists and four rebounds, meanwhile Jayson Tatum added 16. “Scary Terry” Rozier only had eight points, but it didn’t seem to matter as the Celtics continually outplayed the Cavs. The team shot 51% from the field and 37% from deep.

Pundits and fans alike have counted the Celtics out time and again this year, but the team does not care. This afternoon was just another example of the resilient squad defying expectations. The Celtics go up 1-0 in the series, and head into their next game on Tuesday night with lots of momentum. It will be interesting to see how Cleveland adjusts when the two teams meet again, and if the Celtics can stay in the driver’s seat.

Boston Red Sox vs Oakland Athletics Series Recap

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The Red Sox will be back home in Boston after their 11 day road trip. Facing the Oakland Athletics are Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Chris Sale. The Sox have won the last seven out of 13 games, while Oakland won five out the last 12 games. The Red Sox will face pitcher Sean Manaea for the first time since his no hitter game in April. The Sox hope that being on Fenway soil will help them defeat the Athletics. This series will also be the last time that the Red Sox will face the Athletics during the regular season.

Porcello vs. Manaea

Sean Manaea pitched a no hitter to the Red Sox last month. J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers each hit a solo home run for the Red Sox. Porcello let up five runs and nine hits over six innings, and struck out five. Trailing in the fourth inning, the Athletics grasped the lead with three runs. Lucroy had a two-run double into the left-field corner before Fowler tripled off the Monster. The Red Sox caught up 4-3 in the fifth, when Hanley Ramirez scored a run with a ground ball. J.D. Martinez hit straight out to the Sox bullpen in the eighth to score. Benintendi and Ramirez got back to back RBI singles. Unfortunately, it was not enough, and Oakland won Monday night’s game 6-5.

“We talked about not expanding down in the zone,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “Overall, we did a good job of it. His stuff is still good.”

“2B Dustin Pedroia (recovering from offseason left knee surgery) started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket. He singled and scored a run in three at-bats while playing five innings at second base.”

Rodriguez vs. Mengden

Due to the weather, the 7:10 start time moved to 8:50 on Tuesday night. As a result, Oakland beat the Sox in nine innings. Rodriguez took his first loss of the season after Oakland had six hits through the first three innings, starting with back-to-back singles by Semien and Pinder to start the game. Piscotty hit a monster home run out of Fenway Park in his first at-bat against Rodriguez. Piscotty’s home run was the first he had hit since his mother’s death on May 6th. Andrew Benintendi hit a homer and Mitch Moreland hit two doubles.

“It was pure joy. It’s been an emotional week,” said Piscotty, whose mother, Gretchen, died May 6 after a one-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. She was 55.”

“We haven’t been able to put them away,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “They’re young and it seems like they’re turning a corner. Whatever they’re doing over there is pretty good.”

Sale vs. Cahill – A Sale Day Win to Avoid an Athletics Series Sweep

In Rafael Devers’s 100th major league game, the Sox came out with a win. Xander Bogaerts hit a three run homer, and J.D. Martinez hit a two run homer. Chris Sale gave up two runs and two hits in five innings. Sale also struck out nine and walked four. Trevor Cahill gave up three runs out of the first four batters he faced. After Sale’s career high 15 strikouts in his last outing, he struggled, but hung on long enough to keep the Sox up over the Athletics. Craig Kimbrel grasped his 12th save of the season and avoided the Sox meeting their season high losing streak. The Sox beat the Athletics 6-4 after Xander and J.D. had quite the night.

“It’s pretty impressive what he does when you’re behind looking at him,” Bogaerts said. “Normally I’m a guy who gets to the on-deck circle a little bit later. I’ve got to get there early if he swings at the first pitch and gets a hit. He hits some bombs on the first pitch.”

“Four walks, that’s not my game,” Sale said. “That’s not who I am. Obviously, you want to be better than that. Anytime your bullpen throws almost as many innings as you do, that’s not what you’re looking for.”

Up Next

The Red Sox will be at home again to face the Orioles for a four game series starting Thursday. David Price will be up first for his Fenway return. Dustin Pedroia will play another game in Pawtucket by the end of the week as Tuesday night’s game was postponed due to the weather. Jackie Bradley Jr. is still spending an immense amount of time on the bench as he has constantly had bad games. Cora is hoping that Bradley Jr. will come out of his slump soon, as he has been working on improving both his defense and his offense.

Sources

Statcast

MLB

Red Sox Twitter

NESN

ESPN

Boston Celtics Eastern Conference Finals Preview

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Creating the Villain

The atmosphere in the Garden during the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals was electric. Kevin Garnett registered a big time triple double, and the Boston Celtics capped off a series-clinching Game 6 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron James walked toward the locker room as the cameras panned his way just in time to catch him removing his number 23 jersey. Many wondered if that would be the last time we would ever see LeBron don the Cavs’ wine and gold.

The rest is history. LeBron took his talents to South Beach and won two rings for the Miami Heat. Then, he returned to Cleveland and brought the organization their first championship in franchise history. Along the way, James got revenge and defeated the Boston Celtics four times in seven years, dismantling the team relentlessly. He did all he can to ensure he would never relive that bitter taste in his mouth as he walked off the parquet floor in 2010.

Modern Day

We have yet another Eastern Conference Finals showdown against King James and his Cleveland Cavaliers, a rematch of last year’s match-up and the seventh installment in the LeBron era. James has made a career of killing the Celtics, averaging 29.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 6.8 APG, 2.2 SPG, and 1.2 BPG in last year’s matchup. He has tallied more points against the Celtics than any other individual player in NBA history.

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— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) May 10, 2018

Things have changed drastically since last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. With a total of nine returning players from both teams, there isn’t much to analyze from that series. The new look Boston Celtics dismantling and disposing of the Philadelphia 76ers in five games has the team riding high. The Cavs struggled in their first round series against the Indiana Pacers, seeking out a Game 7 victory only to turn around and make mincemeat of the Toronto Raptors in a four game sweep.

The Guys in Green

No, we won’t get to see the much sought after Kyrie vs LeBron match-up that seemed all but destined since game one of the season. There will not be an Isaiah Thomas revenge series against his former Celtics either. Nonetheless, this match-up definitely has a lot of tasty content headed our way. The Celtics boast a roster led by the savvy veteran Al Horford, who has been an absolutely dominant force this postseason. He outplayed Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Bucks series and Joel Embiid in the 76ers match-up. With a line of 17 PPG, 8,7 RPG, 3.3 APG, while shooting 58% from the floor, he has taken his game to a whole new level. Al has rallied this young and hungry team around him.

Jayson Tatum has looked like a fifth year vet, making big shot after big shot without hesitation or even the smallest hint of fear. No moment has been too big for Jaylen Brown, who is averaging 16.9 PPG while sinking 41.5% of his threes. Scary Terry Rozier is playing like a mad man. He has exploded onto the spotlight and is making a big name for himself across the nation with his play.

The Other Guys

As for the Cavaliers, it has been a roller coaster ride of a season. After the big offseason trade that saw Kyrie Irving go, many feared that Isaiah Thomas would not fit well in the system the Cavs had in place. These fears soon became reality as the team struggled mightily out of the gate, going 31-22 before Isaiah was shipped to the Lakers for Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr.

This seemed to be the saving grace for the Cavs, as they have gone 27-13 since the flurry of trades on the deadline that changed the complexion of the team. Oh, and they have the greatest basketball player on the face of the earth on their side. Since entering the playoffs the core of the team surrounding LeBron has slipped up a bit. LeBron has responded with playoff averages of 34.4 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 9 APG. He has absolutely carried the team through the first two rounds.

So the question is- can this young Celtics team find a way to end LeBron’s chokehold on the rest of the East? With home court advantage on their side, meaning a potential Game 7 would be played in the comforts of TD Garden anything is possible. There are four keys to a Celtics victory in this match-up to illustrate:

Contain LeBron

Make LeBron a score first, pass second player. James is a do it all guy that can destroy a team from all areas of the court. But his teammates are a lackluster group that have major consistency issues. LeBron is no stranger to a poor supporting cast, but it remains Cleveland’s biggest flaw and the area the Celtics need to focus most of their attention. The team needs to do everything they can to limit everyone around LeBron. Do not send help, as he will just pass out of it and find a wide open Korver for a three or a cutting Love for a slam. If the Celtics can make LeBron feel the need to score everything, they may be able to pull the rest of his team out of rhythm.

When the fourth quarter comes around and LeBron tires of relentlessly attacking the teeth of the Celtics’ number one ranked defense, he may miss some big shots. And with his teammates taken out of the game the Celtics should have some opportunities to come away with a victory. If they can hold everyone surrounding LeBron to 60-65 points per game in the series, they may have a fighting chance.

Brad Stevens

I can’t say it enough- the man is the best coach in the NBA. He has out-coached his opposition in the first two rounds, making brilliant both in game and between game adjustments that placed the team in the best possible position to win. In Game 3 against the 76ers, he called up two plays that resulted in layups at the end of the game. He will need to be at his best in the toughest and most important match-up of his young career.

Don’t be shocked if we see some lineup adjustments frequently throughout this series. Stevens inserted Semi Ojeleye into the starting lineup in the last three games of the Milwaukee series to guard Giannis. Expect a bigger role in this series for Semi, as he will be asked to guard LeBron during stretches. Brad will continue to get Brown and Tatum the best looks possible, and make Horford a focal point of the offense.

Young Core

With the exception of Al Horford, this Celtics team has built a successful postseason run on the backs of three young talents. Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Terry Rozier have been instrumental in the success of the team. Tatum has been out of his mind, averaging 18.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 3.2 APG, while consistently shining his brightest in the biggest moments of each game. Jaylen Brown has shown tremendous progress from last season’s playoff run, highlighted by his 10-13 shooting night in Game 5 of the 76ers series, going off for 24 points in the victory. Boston still faces a mammoth of a task in playing against Lebron James. If the core can continue to prosper as the series goes on, it would prove invaluable to the ultimate success of the team .

Role Players

Boston boasts a much deeper and more talented bench than the Cavs, and will look to use it to their advantage throughout this series. Marcus Morris, Semi Ojeleye, and Aaron Baynes are expected to step up for the team and play some valuable minutes. The Celtics will need a lot more out of Marcus Morris than what they got throughout the 76ers series. If this team has any chance at pulling the upset off, they need him to play like he did in March. Morris needs to continue taking over games and keeping the team afloat by making shots when the rest of the team can’t buy a bucket.

Marcus Smart will need to continue being a bulldog and provide the team with a shot of adrenaline when the offense disappears and Cleveland starts making runs. Hopefully the team will have Shane Larkin back soon to give a spark of energy off the bench. If the role players can build off of the success in the past two match-ups, and find ways to limit Cleveland’s bench, the Celtics will be in a good spot to win this series.

Prediction

I’m picking the Celtics in a tough fought seven game series. The Celtics boast arguably five of the seven best players in this series, and hold advantages in every position in the starting lineup with the one exception of LeBron James. Cleveland’s roster is so poor this season that Marcus Smart, with a playoff scoring average of just 10.8 PPG, would be the third highest scorer on the Cavs. Boston’s core will be able to at least sustain the success they have had during the first two rounds, and it should be just enough to sneak away with a Game 7 victory in the TD Garden behind the greatest fans in the world. The Celtics will finally get their long-awaited payback on LeBron and make it back to the NBA finals for the first time since 2010.

Regardless of what the outcome may be- what a heck of a season for these Celtics. To go through the adversity they have and considering in the position they are in, it is a truly remarkable and noteworthy accomplishment. The future is bright in Boston.

Looking Ahead for the Boston Bruins

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TOUGH ENDING FOR THIS SPECIAL TEAM

It’s been a few days since the second round exit of the Bostons Bruins, and things are settling down. As with any team that has been eliminated, everyone has their take on what happened: what went wrong, and was it all on Rask?, Marchand’s “lick gate” antics, what can be improved, lack of defense, etc. When it comes right down to it, Tampa was faster and better at clearing the zone. The Bruins couldn’t adjust and found themselves playing from behind. The officiating was extremely frustrating (to put it nicely), but there’s no question; we need better defense. Despite the loss, this team did a lot. If you think about it, they weren’t even projected to make it in, never mind being mixed in the playoff conversation. Things looked tough in the beginning of the season, but the season turned around and Boston fans got to see some really great hockey.

YOUTH MOVEMENT

In the beginning of the 2017-2018 season, the Black and Gold knew they would be in the rebuilding phase, which is why the Bruins weren’t expected come out as they did. Boston had many first year guys, mixed with a few veterans, with no playoff experience. Let’s not forget, Bruce Cassidy was in his first full season as head coach of the Bruin. He had his work cut for him. In the preseason, the Bruins looked pretty good, but things had to improve. As the regular season rolled around, the Black and Gold had a tough start. Injures started and some of the new guys started to pick up some slack. The cohesiveness wasn’t there yet. and after a trip out west, the Bruins started winning games. They gelled. They became that special team.

MANY FIRSTS

Fans were able to witness many first NHL goals for many of the young guys- seven to be exact. The youth movement was in full swing. But injuries were plaguing this team. As we saw, the Bruins showed not only the rest of the NHL, but themselves that nothing would stop them. As one guy went down, another stepped up and every line contributed. The Bruins steamrolled through their opponents and became that team no one wanted to face. Our first line alone was one of the best in the NHL. But even in this series, they were having a hard time producing any offense, despite combining 23 points over five games.

The mentality and strong resiliency did not go unnoticed by their opponents. As Jon Cooper, head coach of Tampa stated,

“All right, I’ll tell you — I guess I can say it now. Boston set the bar for us. And we played them three times late in the year, and the first two times we played them, they literally manhandled us. The scores were tight, the first one was 3-2 and then they beat us here, and it was men amongst boys. And we knew if we were going to go anywhere when we made the playoffs — or if we made the playoffs — that we had to be as good as Boston. And it happened. We beat them 4-0 (in the final regular-season meeting), and that gave us a bit of confidence. Well, it gave us a lot of confidence. But they set a bar for us to better our team. And ultimately, we carried that through into this playoffs round.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

Admittedly, it’ll be sad not to write about the Bruins doing the improbable: a team in their rebuild phase winning the cup. It’s about exciting as having a team like Vegas making into the playoffs in their inaugural year. Winning the Stanley Cup is one of the hardest trophies to win, and hockey isn’t for the weak. It’s a tough sport with tough athletes. They give their bodies for this sport, playing through a car wreck of injures. This year’s Bruins team won as a team and they lost as a team. For fans, understand this year’s Bruins were a treat. There were lots of ups/downs and Don Sweeney will no doubt look make some moves. They made it in with a bunch of young, fresh-faced players who will now have the experience needed for the new season.

CLOSING QUOTE

Captain Zdeno Chara had some great insight:

“If we’re gonna look back throughout the whole season, I think there is a lot that we can be proud of. There’s a lot that we can take from this and use as a positive. A lot of people didn’t expect us to be a playoff team. A lot of people didn’t expect us to be a 50-win team. And we were fighting for the first position in our conference.

“We went through some challenges and obstacles this season and we handled it very well. There’s a lot to be proud of and a lot to be looking forward to next season.”

For this writer, October can’t come soon enough.

To the Boston Bruins, thank you for one hell of a season.

Follow Liz Rizzo on Twitter: @pastagrl88