Tag Archives: #BostonCeltics

Celtics Continue to Struggle with Former Teammates

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OLYNYK’S BIG NIGHT

Kelly Olynyk’s career-high 32 points on Wednesday night marked yet another instance where Boston couldn’t handle one of their former teammates this season. Stevens brought up the team’s recent ineptitude when facing off against former Celtics following their 90-89 loss to Miami:

“He [Olynyk] played a great game…It was definitely at our expense. Second time in a week one of our former players came in here and just gave it to us” –Brad Stevens following Wednesday night’s loss.

The Celtics have recently begun to show signs of concern on the defensive side of the ball. Lack-luster defensive efforts during the month of December have exposed Brad Stevens’ group. Boston has allowed seven 100-plus point games in their eleven contests this month.

Break-downs on defense have wavered fans’ confidence in this Celtics group. Despite recent struggles, they remain tied for first in the league for team defensive rating. The team’s current struggles may be over-stated when considering their whole body of work this year, but there has been one constant. This year, revenge games may be this team’s Achilles’s heel.

When Danny Ainge decided to ship out Isaiah Thomas and the rest of what seemed to be a temporary core for the green team, he was confident in his decisions. It is hard to argue with Ainge’s confidence as his new roster has spent almost the entirety of this season atop the Eastern Conference standings. However, what Ainge and company may not have foreseen was most of the players shipped out last summer coming back and taking revenge on the league’s best defense.

DOES BOSTON HAVE A FORMER PLAYER PROBLEM?

Olynyk’s 32 points are only the most recent example of former players getting up for their return to Boston this year. Piling on top of Olynyk’s career numbers Wednesday night was his teammate, and former Celtic, Jordan Mickey. The 2015 second round draft pick added eight points, eight rebounds and 2 assists in the victory over the Celts.
Just five days earlier, Jonas Jerebko made his return to the TD Garden with Gordon Hayward’s former squad, the Utah Jazz. On a night where no one expected more than a respectful applause upon Jerebko’s first check into the game, the big Swede proceeded to drop 17 points while adding seven boards and two steals. Two weeks prior, Amir Johnson returned to Boston with the 76ers, and while he didn’t exactly light the world on fire, Johnson exceeded his season averages in points, rebounds, assists and steals in the game.

Surprisingly enough, Avery Bradley, arguably the best player outside of Isaiah Thomas to depart from Boston this past summer, is the only former teammate the Celtics have been able to hold in check. Bradley has averaged a modest 12.5 points and 3.5 assists in his two games against gang green this season. Both are below his season averages.

If the Celtics were giving up big points to what, for the most part, are role players, then there may not be much concern surrounding it. Unfortunately for Boston, competing with their ex’s has proven to be costly in the loss column. The Celtics have lost eight games so far and five of those losses have come against teams with members of last year’s roster. In those five losses, Cleveland and Detroit are the only teams that are currently in a playoff spot.

SHOULD THE CELTICS BE NERVOUS?

In the grand scheme of this season I’m sure Brad Stevens and company have more on their mind than getting bested by their former comrades. While Jonas Jerebko may not be a threat to the Celtics immediate success, the one cast-off that may threaten Boston’s success has yet to make his return. I’m sure you can figure out that I’m referring to the aforementioned Isaiah Thomas.

Should IT decide to return for Cleveland’s match-up in Boston on January 3rd, it is clear that, emotionally, he is ready. He will look to exact his revenge against Trader Danny and his new crew. The Cleveland game is one many fans and players have marked on their calendar. If it does prove to be Isaiah’s return to Boston then recent history tells Boston fans to be weary. IT will be coming to exact his revenge.

Who Will Win a Championship First: the Boston Celtics or Boston Bruins

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On the surface it may seem as if the Boston Celtics are miles ahead of the Boston Bruins. At least in terms of contending for a championship. However the gap between the two franchises is not as great as it may appear. While the Celtics have a promising young pair in Brown and Tatum, the Bruins have their own franchise player in Charlie McAvoy and plenty of young promising players. Now which franchise will be able to piece it all together first and bring another title to the city of champions?

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Boston Celtics

Let’s start with the talk of the town, the Boston Celtics.

The green won the hearts and minds of the city with their impressive 16 game win streak. They have kept that level of dominance up on way to a 24-6 record. While most people point to Kyrie Irving when mentioning the success of the Boston Celtics, the thing that makes them a championship threat is their young talent. Both of the Celtics’ number three overall picks Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have flashed excellence in different ways. Tatum has been the more impressive and consistent of the two, averaging 13.8 PPG 5.6 RPG and 1.3 APG. The most exciting thing about the small forwards game is his poise and ability to make opposing teams pay when they leave him open behind the ark.

Brown on the other hand has always been a fantastic athlete. Now he is starting to learn how to use his athleticism. Brown has the length to be an elite defender and if he can develop a more consistent outside shot could be an absolute force on the offensive end. Along with having two superstars signed in Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward and a very talented big man in Al Horford. It seems like only a matter of time before the green bring home banner number 18.

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Boston Bruins

Only a few months ago many (including myself) thought that the Bruins should tank the season. But after a couple of adversity filled months all of a sudden the black and gold are showing they will not be slept on. Somehow even with the insane amount of injuries this team suffered they have fought their way into third in the Atlantic division. On top of that the Bruins have played the least amount of games in the division. Many may be thinking that the recent run of success by the Bruins is just a fluke. But that is not the case at all; similar to the Celtics the Bruins have a great mix of veteran and young talent up and down the roster.

Everyone knows about the future star of the Boston Bruins Charlie McAvoy. His importance to this franchise cannot be stated enough. McAvoy is the key to everything how good the young defenseman becomes will determine if the Bruins are able to win their second cup this decade. On top of that the promising young forwards Bjork, Debrusk, and Pastrank provide some creativity and skill on the offensive end. While Bergeron and Marchand continue to be the best one-two punches in the NHL. With Backes providing some much-needed snarl to the lineup. Along with Tuukka Rask being a solid enough backstop out of nowhere this Bruins team is starting to demand attention. Not just for this year but for years to come.

Verdict

Yes the Celtics are closer to a title and have a great future. However the Boston Bruins will win a title before the Celtics do. This is more of a reflection on the NBA then it is on the Celtics. LeBron and the Warriors have at least three more years of dominance in the NBA. While the Celtics are talented and promising they need a few more years to develop and for James to age. The Bruins on the other hand have the luxury of playing in the NHL where all you have to do is make the playoffs and you have a shot. Mark it up now your 2019 Stanley Cup Champions will be the Boston Bruins.

 

Celtics Reveal Their NBA 2K League Affiliate

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The NBA is joining the rapidly growing world of eSports

Back in February of this year the NBA announced that they are partnering with Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. to launch a professional competitive gaming league that will showcase some of the best basketball gamers in the world. Coined as the NBA 2K League, it will display NBA-branded teams from across the United States. Eventually the league hopes to branch out world-wide like other prominent eSports leagues.

A few months later the NBA released that seventeen teams will create 2K League affiliates for its inaugural season. The Boston Celtics will represent the league as they switch platforms to the gaming world.

The Celtics revealed their new 2K League affiliate, CLTX Gaming, yesterday afternoon. CLTX Gaming advertises themselves as a new team of pro basketball troops for a new league in Bean Town. They will keep the same green and white color scheme and will have Lucky the Lepracauhn as their logo like the real Celtics. Their team’s website states that they wish to incorporate the Boston tradition into their brand:

“Gaming is our heart; Boston is our soul. Each season, our players will represent the sports mecca of New England. CLTX Gaming is committed to building the infrastructure to support our team’s competitive edge, behind the scenes content to share with our passionate fans, and regional events to connect gamers to the competitive world of NBA 2K.”

2K League Logistics

NBA 2K18 gamers 18 and older will be eligible to try out for the 2K League in early 2018. Due to the competitive nature of the league, players must win at least 50 games in 2K18’s Pro-Am mode. Those who prove themselves will be invited to league tryouts, and from there the top players will be entered into the 2018 2K League Draft. Each team will select five players who will compete together all season. The league will release more information in the coming weeks.

Back in February Managing Director Brendan Donohue showed his excitement for the league, saying, “Our teams have expressed tremendous enthusiasm for eSports, and we are looking forward to forming something truly unique for basketball and gaming fans around the globe”.

CLTX Gaming will be exciting to watch as the NBA attempts to bring basketball to the electronic stage.

 

Why We All Secretly Want Lonzo Ball to Fail

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Despite his struggles and pedestrian stat line, Lonzo Ball isn’t an awful NBA player. But, his performance to date barely justifies a first-round draft pick, certainly not the #2 he was. Anyone can see that he would have benefited from another year playing college ball. That is, if UCLA would have even wanted him and his ridiculous father back.

Tyrannosaurus Dad

LaVar Ball represents everything that is wrong with not only sports parents, but everything else in this country. He is a talentless self-promoter who is more concerned with his own unjustified celebrity than in his children’s success.

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LaVar’s delusions of personal grandeur are well-known by now. He claimed he was a better player than Michael Jordan. He also said he was a better tight end in his brief NFL-Europe career than Gronk. And, he asserts at every turn he can coach better than Steve Alford at UCLA or Luke Walton with the Lakers.

He famously criticized UCLA for surrounding his son with “slow white players”, following their loss to Kentucky in last year’s Sweet 16. After the game, Ball lamented that “realistically you can’t win no championship with three white guys because the foot speed is too slow“. Besides the obvious racist nature of the comment, we should recall that in the game Lonzo was awful. He went 4-10 from the field for 10 points and the guy he was guarding, De’Aaron Fox, put up 39 of Kentucky’s 86 points.

And, of course, there was this timeless classic from his appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd in which he redefined misogyny.

LA Story

For all his many flaws, LaVar Ball did a great job marketing Lonzo to the NBA. He somehow managed to convince the Magic Johnson and the Lakers that Lonzo was something more than an average talent. That takes skill.

Prior to the draft, as he negotiated his way to getting Lonzo picked number two by the Lakers, he assured Magic that his behavior was all an act. It was marketing for his Big Baller Brand and promotion for his kids. Now that Lonzo was in LA, LaVar would tone it down and focus on LaMelo and LiAngelo.

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Considering that he continues to run his mouth criticizing Coach Walton and that the Lakers had to institute the “LaVar Rule” to keep microphones away from him in the aftermath of games, it’s pretty obvious that he has not toned down.

Ball can’t control himself. This is a man who thought he would win a Twitter war with Donald Trump. It’s obviously a psychosis, but it’s mostly our fault. LaVar is a Kardashian. He has neither talent nor substance. He is famous for being famous. Sports talk shows over analyzing his every outlandish comments and immature actions merely propagate his fake celebrity.

Lonzo in Perspective

Lonzo, in a vacuum sans his ridiculous father, seems like an almost likable kid. Almost. To date, he’s averaging 8.6 PPG, 7.1 APG, and 6.8 RPG. Not bad for a rookie. He is, however, an abysmal 47% from the free throw line which might play into why the Lakers don’t want him on the court down the stretch.

Celtics fans, ever willing to take joy in LA’s struggles, take added joy from the fact that Jayson Tatum, taken immediately after Lonzo, is already twice the player Ball will ever be. At 13.8 PPG, 1.3 APG, 5.7 RPG, and 82% from the field and 52% from beyond the 3-point line, Tatum is the clear candidate for Rookie of the Year and a key reason why the Hayward-less Celtics remain in contention.

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Tatum has always been a hardworking, quiet professional, and has risen to the challenge of the NBA. And, we haven’t heard a peep from his parents. Thank you.

Does Jayson Tatum Have a Shot at Winning Rookie of the Year?

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The NBA Rookie of the Year race has everyone excited this year. Although there is some stiff competition, Jayson Tatum has been quite efficient on both sides of the ball thus far. Does he have shot at winning? Let’s discuss:

Tatum’s Smooth Transition

Celtics’ small forward Jayson Tatum has been nothing short of impressive. Coming out of Duke as the third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, he averages 14 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. This kid is also leading the league in three-point percentage at 51.9 — as a rookie. His ability to get to the hoop, shoot the mid range and even the three has his teammates in awe. Kyrie Irving admits to being a fan since Tatum was a sophomore in high school. Al Horford also can’t help but praise his rookie. He refers to Tatum’s level of play on offense AND defense as one of the best he’s seen from a first year player. No issues with transitioning over here!

Stiff Competition

I think we can all agree that this year’s NBA rookie class has an insane amount of talent. Let’s take a look at some of the other top performing rookies from around the league:

  • Ben Simmons of the 76ers averages 18 points, 7.1 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game. Just last week he put up 31 points and had 18 rebounds against the Wizards. He’s shooting 50% from the floor.
  • Utah’s Donovan Mitchell has found his stride and is averaging 17.2 points per game. He became the first rookie since Blake Griffin in 2011 to score 40+ points in a game. He’s shooting 53.3% from the floor so far in December.
  • Kyle Kuzma, the unlikely breakout star of the Lakers, has outplayed fellow rookie Lonzo Ball. He averages 16.8 points and 6.5 rebounds. He was the Western Conference Rookie of the Month in November.
  • Dennis Smith Jr.  of the Dallas Mavericks averages 14.4 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds a game. His style of play has even garnered praise from LeBron James.

So Who Wins?

Jayson Tatum deserves the nod. His overall season stats are modest but admirable, while the other rooks have some work to do. Tatum is the only one shooting 50% or more from the floor AND from three. Mitchell is right there with him when it comes to free throws, with both players shooting roughly 82%. But other than that, Tatum is the clear front-runner so far if we’re going to look at the numbers. Just last night he put up 17 points and 10 rebounds in the win against the Mavs. Unfortunately, there are people who already want to give the nod Simmons. This is mainly due to how ‘The Process’ has revived the 76ers, with him being a crucial part of it.

My gripe: Ben Simmons is technically not a rookie, so everyone needs to take him out of the conversation. It’s not our fault he missed his first season due to a foot injury. No do-overs allowed.

But if you’re going to look outside of Tatum, keep an eye on Donovan Mitchell. His performance has helped to revive the Jazz since Gordon Hayward’s departure. He’ll continue to excite.

Really though, you should just root for Tatum. If he continues to play at this level, he’ll have Simmons’s bandwagoners jumping ship.

Defensive Warrior Marcus Smart Overcomes Offensive Struggles

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You ever yell at the TV when Marcus Smart had the ball in his hands? If you said no, you’re lying. How do I know? Simple: I watch every game, and I know for a fact that Smart’s performance early on was frustrating to watch. I mean, players go through slumps and that’s normal. Smart’s lack of offensive production had Celtics fans around the world worried.

Offensive Woes

The explosive production of the first unit wasn’t enough to make us disregard what was going on with Smart. After returning from an ankle injury, his offensive production was less than satisfactory. With the exception of a couple of games in which he scored 14 and 16 points, he shot poorly for the majority of November. The lowest points scored this season were against Golden State, where he went 0-7 with 1 point and 0-3 from three-point range. His struggles at the free throw line were also hard to miss, as he shot 56% from the line in October. He was able to improve it to 79% in November, but it still seemed as though he was missing those shots when they mattered the most.

Defensive Dominance

Smart’s defensive prowess should not go unnoticed. Although he only had 1 point in the game against Golden State, his plus/minus was an incredible +15. His aggressiveness on defense kept the Celtics in the game, allowing for a crucial 19-2 run late in the third quarter. Oh, and let’s not forget his willingness to sacrifice his body when necessary. This guy never hesitates when it comes to drawing the charge or going after a loose ball. Another great attribute of Smart’s is his defensive awareness. The fouls he is willing to give are ‘smart’ ones, as he refuses to give up that easy basket. Clutch defensive play in the fourth quarter has been his M.O. Who wouldn’t want a guy like this on their team?

Building His Confidence

The offensive reemergence of Marcus Smart began on November 25. The Celtics squared off against the Pacers, a very good offensive team that was coming in with a 5-game win streak. The Cs won the game 108-98 and Smart contributed 15 points, going 7-8 with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. He then followed it up with a season-high 23 points in the loss against the Pistons, shooting 6-9 from three-point range. Working theory: Smart’s turn around came after his bench talk with Al Horford. It seems valid, considering the conversation occurred the game before his performance in Indiana. Hopefully Smart can get back to his college form, where he averaged 16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists at Oklahoma State.

Smart still has some work to do, but he’ll get there. Celtics fans everywhere are rooting for you Marcus! Stay on the grind!

BSE Week in Review

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Hey Boston Sports Extra Fans! The writing crew came through this week and worked off the post-Thanksgiving pounds, so you didn’t have to. There are many new original articles by our fantastic writers. Support and spread this Week in Review around and comment on the articles.

@PatriotExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/12/five-forgotten-classics-bills-patriots-rivalry

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/12/brady-better-eli-period

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/will-garoppolo-return-new-england-patriots

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/patriots-fans-nothing-worry-last-month-season

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/jardines-means-will-beat-bills

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/inactive-mike-gillislee

@CelticsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/12/will-celtics-go-streaking

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/kyrie-irving-boston-may-win

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/boston-celtics-ups-downs-week-6

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/celtics-offense-catches-fire-blowout-win-orlando

@BruinsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/12/charlie-mcavoy-gone-beyond

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/rasks-rough-start-costing-bruins

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/jake-debrusk-future-nhl-superstar

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/short-term-solution-bruins-season

@RedSox News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/12/five-forgotten-classics-bills-patriots-rivalry

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/trade-jackie-bradley-jr

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/12/greatest-left-fielders-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/hof-case-moose-schill

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/greatest-shortstops-red-sox-history

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/roger-clemens-make-hall-fame

News from around the Sports World

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/12/rising-ashes-josh-gordons-return-gridiron

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/roger-goodell-fickle-father-nfl-football

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/barry-bonds-needs-hall-fame

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/unlikely-best-afc-west-emerging

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/analyzing-cfb-contenders-chances

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/eli-mannings-career

Brad Stevens Named Coach of the Month

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Brad Stevens has been named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month. According the nba.com, “The fifth-year Celtics coach guided his squad to a league-best 19-4 record during the first month and a half of the 2017-18 season, despite dealing with a plethora of unexpected obstacles”.

Some notes:

  • Brad and the team overcame the Gordon Hayward injury (so far).
  • They added 10 new players during the offseason.
  • The team’s margin of Victory is 7 point per game (teamrankings.com).
  • The team’s opponents points per game is first in the league (teamrankings.com).
  • Brad and the Celtics produced a 16 game win streak.

To top it all off, Wednesday (11/29) was the first time that the Celtics made it into their Waltham practices facility in over a month (nbcsports.com). That makes this accomplishment even more impressive. Brad coached through film, during games, on buses, on visitor practices courts – but without dedicated time at home. In my opinion, that makes his revisions and iterations even more unique.

Congratulations, Brad and the Celtics.

 

 

With Kyrie Irving, Boston May Win It All

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The Celtics continue to go from strength to strength this season but the odds of them dethroning Golden State continue to plummet. Boston has the league’s best defense under Brad Stevens.  And the team has shrugged off an injury to Gordon Hayward to top power rankings charts across the board. The Celts have already beaten the Warriors and have the best record in the league, with Kyrie Irving putting forward a strong case to be named regular season MVP.   Some claim that he Celtics could surpass the Red Sox and the Patriots in the popularity stakes.  Whether or not you buy into that, it is certainly a great time to be a sports fan in Boston.

Green vs. Gold

But can Boston really beat Golden State when it counts? The sport books remain unconvinced. Betonline will have odds for the Celtics, review them.   Favorites going into almost every game at present. But in future odds, Golden State is a  -162 favorite to win a second consecutive NBA Championship.  Boston is out at +1000. Odds makers don’t even favor the Green to win the East.  The Cavs sit at -191 to win the conference and Stevens’ men +300. But underdog status will suit them.  No pressure,  and they can focus on creating an upset.

Fans have many positives to be taken from the Celtics’ win over Golden State on November 17. They restricted the reigning champs to just 88 points, their lowest score since Kevin Durant joined.  The Celts made a real statement in the win.  The rest of the league has takien notice. Semi Ojeleye marked Steph Curry out of the game.  Marcus Smart was all over Andre Iguodola.   And the Celtics executed Stevens’ plan perfectly. They won with hustle, heart and determination, a rock solid defense that can thwart any team in the league, and second-half momentum that often proves unstoppable.

Who Will be the Beast of the East?

The Celtics look to be heading for a collision with Cleveland in the east.  Right now, they have the better end of that monster summer trade with the Cavs that resulted in Kyrie Irving head to Boston and Isaiah Thomas go in the opposite direction. Irving has been a blur with the ball in his hands and has scored at least 20 points on 50 percent shooting in five straight games. He is now third favorite to be named regular season MVP, behind only James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Meanwhile Thomas is still injured, but when he returns to action, the Cavs will be a formidable opponent.  Thomas will have a point to prove if the Celtics meet the Cavs in the playoffs. LeBron James is a one-man wrecking ball, but after shutting out the dream team at Golden State so well, Boston need fear no one.

Al Horford looks nailed on for All Star status alongside Irving, while Jaylen Brown has come on leaps and bounds, building an outside case for All Star inclusion. Smart looks impressive when not shooting, and Jayson Tatum shines like a superstar of the future.  Aaron Baynes, Marcus Morris, Ojeleye and Daniel Theis continue to play very well. Stevens has  proved as good a coach as any in the business.   Celts fans have a great deal to be positive about going into the festive period. If they keep it up, the odds on them will continue to plummet and Golden State’s period of domination could prove short-lived.

BSE Week in Review

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Welcome to a special Turkey Bowl edition of the Week in Review. While all enjoyed a few extra days with our families and our sports teams, the BSE family was working on fantastic articles for your enjoyment. Take another look and support our special writers.

Thanksgiving Specials News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/celtics-reign-begin

Patriots News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/week-11-winners-losers

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/end-legion-boom

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/marquis-flowers-blooming-patriots-injured-linebacker-corps

Bruins News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/bruins-defense-zone-needs-improve-quickly

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/bruins-slowly-getting-healthy

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/anton-khudobin-carrying-boston-bruins

 

Red Sox News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/2018-baseball-hof-ballot-hitters

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/2018-baseball-hof-ballot-pitchers

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-hot-stove-whose-job-safe

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-greatest-third-basemen-time