Tag Archives: #BostonCeltics

BSE Week in Review

Read through the articles that our talented writers have put together as we go back and review the Boston sports week and elsewhere. Also included are what other sport fans are saying about our articles, join in and be heard!!

@PatriotsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/week-11-key-match-ups-score-predictions

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/super-bowl-xxxix-rematch

https://bostonsportsextra.com/nfl/2017/11/week-10-winners-losers

https://bostonsportsextra.com/new-england-patriots/2017/11/the-commish-on-the-ropes

@CelticsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/can-take-away-celtics-win-warriors

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/boston-celtics-week-4

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-celtics/2017/11/brad-stevens-finally-win-coach-year

@RedSoxExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/jbjs-san-fran-suitors

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/cy-young-reaction-rotation-red-sox

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/twitter-stanton-sources-trusted

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-build-offensive-machine

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

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-red-sox/2017/11/red-sox-greatest-first-basemen-ever

https://bostonsportsextra.com/mlb/2017/11/jeter-send-stanton-red-sox

@BruinsExtra News

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/bruins-tank-rest-season

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/bruins-journey-califonria

https://bostonsportsextra.com/boston-bruins/2017/11/boston-bruins-trade-zdeno-chara

 

News from other Sports Cities

https://bostonsportsextra.com/charlotte-hornets/2017/11/kemba-walker-deserves-respect

https://bostonsportsextra.com/uncategorized/2017/11/college-basketball-returns

https://bostonsportsextra.com/carolina-hurricanes/2017/11/panic-time-already-hurricanes

McHale’s Musings Vol. 4: A Whirlwind Week

Wow, what a whirlwind this week has been in the world of sports. The past seven days were filled with ups and downs, great wins and brutal losses, and everything in between. Let’s get right to my takes for the week!

Red Sox

  • I’m man-crushing hard on Alex Cora. Did you see that man strut his way up the Brookline Avenue Bridge on the way to his introductory press conference? What a badass. I’m hopeful he’ll inject the Red Sox clubhouse with some much needed enthusiasm.

  • If the rumors are true, and free agent outfielder J.D. Martinez is looking for a long-term deal upwards of $200 million dollars, I’m out. Do I think Martinez would be a good fit for this ballclub? Sure. However, I’m not pulling the trigger on a player 30 years of age or older.
  • Happy Birthday, Giancarlo Stanton. There are so many ways to celebrate future birthdays in the city of Boston. Click here for ideas! See you soon?
  • Mitch Moreland, we hardly knew ye.

Celtics

  • A 10 game winning streak is nice.

  • I’ve never seen someone handle the basketball as gracefully as Kyrie Irving. As much as I think he’s an odd character (Did he really go back to the flat earth theory?), he’s one of the most entertaining Celtics players in recent memory.
  • I’m already intensely infatuated with this Celtics team. They are, for my money, head and shoulders more interesting than last year’s group.
  • Jason Tatum is going to crush it in the NBA.

Patriots

  • John Lynch, you’re one crazy S.O.B.

  • Sorry, but the Patriots did not win the Jimmy G. trade. I know, I know. How dare I question The Hoodie. In Bill We Trust. I just don’t think New England managed the Garoppolo situation well at all.
  • Truthfully, I’m not a fan of Brian Hoyer.
  • I’d love to see the Pats snag Martellus Bennett off waivers tomorrow. The offense could use another passing option with so many key injuries. Dwayne Allen has been a bust, and Jacob Hollister has been…well…Jacob Hollister.

Bruins

  • Oh vey, it’s going to be a long year.

  • David Pastrnak, the $40 Million Dollar Man, needs to get it together.

Revolution

  • I’ll have more on this story later, but if the New England Revolution were hoping to reignite the wavering passion of their fan base, the rumored hire of Brad Friedel isn’t going to get the job done.

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  • Did you know that Friedel was once the roommate of the Revolution’s much-maligned GM, Mike Burns? Normally, I wouldn’t make such a big deal about this little tidbit, but it’s worth questioning the motive for such an uninspired hire.

Miscellaneous

  • Yes, I heard Mike Felger’s rant on Roy Halladay’s tragic passing. It was in poor taste. Without a doubt, it was #toosoon. However, I disagree with the notion that Felger must be suspended, or even fired, for his comments. At the end of the day, he’s playing a role. He’s an antagonizer. It’s how he makes his living. The very nature of sports talk radio requires on-air personalities to deliver takes that are controversial in nature – or at least against the grain. It’s frankly the only thing that separates one show from another. In the never-ending battle for ratings supremacy, it’s no wonder why hosts from both 98.5 and WEEI are continually filling air time with ludicrous remarks. Why is that? They know we’ll be tuning in tomorrow for more.
  • How did A.J. Green avoid suspension for his WWE-style sleeper-hold on Jacksonville CB, Jalen Ramsey? Frankly, he should have to sit a game for stupidly punching a helmet.

  • Do you all remember when the Arena Football League was an up-and-coming alternative to boring summers without the NFL? That was neat.
  • I’ve caved and started watching Stranger Things on Netflix. I “get it” now. Great show!

 

That’s it for me! Until next time…

McHale

Celtics Bench Stepping Up amid Increased Pressure

Importance of the Second Unit

Coming into the season, the Celtics were not expected to lean heavily on their bench players. That changed opening night, due to Gordon Hayward’s gruesome injury. This put more pressure on the Celtics bench, and those players have produced. It will be hard to replace Hayward’s talent, without making a blockbuster deal. The Celtics are relying on their second unit, and so far it’s worked. Players such as Terry Rozier, Daniel Theis, and Marcus Smart have stepped up. The Celtics will need this to continue as the season goes on, and they try to win a championship.

The Veterans On The Celtics Bench

The Celtics bench is comprised of young players. Through the early part of the season, these players have stepped up. Terry Rozier is in the midst of a break year. He is averaging nine points per game, along with 4.9 rebounds per game. Marcus Smart has continued to be a defensive enforcer, and has hit clutch shots of late. Both these players have multiple years of NBA experience, and are showing improvement in their game. Aron Baynes is the oldest of the group, he’s in his fifth year in the NBA. He doesn’t put up godly stats, but he has been a serviceable big man of the bench. The biggest and most pleasant surprise from the bench, has been the play of the rookies.

Celtics Bench

The Rookies

The Celtics bench includes four rookies, who have each stepped up. The two most impressive have been Daniel Theis and Semi Ojeyele. Stevens has showed trust in both these rookies, they are playing ten minutes a game. Theis has been a force on the boards at times, and provides the second unit with a spark. Semi hasn’t been as impactful on the boards, but he’s still contributed. He’s been smart handling the ball, and has earned praise from his teammates, such as Al Horford. These rookies will go through their struggles, but so far that hasn’t been the case, and coach Brad Stevens has rewarded them.

Celtcis Bench

What To Look For As The Season Goes On

As the season goes on, these players will have their ups and downs. It is critical that they continue to play with the confidence they have thus far. If they can, this Celtics team will surprise people. When Gordon Hayward went down, many feared the season had changed dramatically. So far this Celtics bench has shown that they intend to surprise people, and Celtics fans won’t mind that.

Brad Stevens isn’t Coaching Underdogs Anymore

Butler Bulldogs

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“We’re building a culture of accountability, trust, and togetherness. Entitlement will not be tolerated.”

Brad Stevens’ wisdom has been on display since he took a volunteer coaching job at Butler University in 2000. He abandoned a comfortable job as a marketing associate, and took a risk doing what he loved. That love would push him to work 14 hour days, while making very little money. Seven years later, this work ethic earned him a job as the head coach of the Butler Bulldogs. Since then, Stevens has become an expert at turning underdogs into contenders. In his third year as head coach, he led Butler to one of the most improbable tournament runs in NCAA History. The eighth seeded Bulldogs were counted out by everybody. They were a team comprised of underdogs, but with Brad Stevens’ coaching they still made an impressive run to the national championship.

Celtics Rebuild

Brad Stevens’ ability to turn underdogs into winners was pivotal to the success of the Celtics’ rebuild. Isaiah Thomas was the backbone of the team. Standing at only 5’9, he was drafted dead last, and bounced around from team to team, until the Celtics gave him a shot. The draft positions of the rest of the team prove their underdog status. Jae Crowder was drafted in the late second round, but his heart and physicality made him a force to be reckoned with on the roster. Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko were other players drafted late, but made steady contributions to the team. Brad Stevens was able to turn the Celtics into a team driven by heart and togetherness. However, this year things have changed.

Celtics New Roster

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After all the moves Danny Ainge made this off season, the Celtics gained a lot of talent. However, they lost their underdog status. Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson and Avery Bradley are all gone. With their departure, came the arrival of a multitude of high caliber players. The addition of these new players signals a new era for Brad Stevens. He is no longer coaching underdogs. Kyrie Irving is a former number one pick, an international superstar, a four time all star, and an NBA champion. The former ninth pick, Gordon Hayward, is in the prime of his career, and was just selected to his first all star game. Jayson Tatum was selected by Boston with the third pick. Just like that, the team has gone from a group of underdogs, to a team whose players have always been expected to play at a high level.

Nothing Has Changed for Brad Stevens

The size of the chip on the Celtics’ shoulder got a lot smaller after this off season. This year, the Celtics are a team of established high draft picks, contrary to what Brad Stevens has been used to. They lost many of the players that helped this team rebuild. This has left fans questioning if the Celtics still possess the same heart they did the year prior. However, after Gordon Hayward went down, it became clear that everyone on this team bleeds green. The Celtics flashy new roster means that Brad may have to adjust his coaching style. Even though the Celtics are no longer underdogs, Brad Stevens will still have the ability to mold these players the way he always has: with accountability, trust and togetherness.

McHale’s Musings Vol. 2

Hello again, everyone! Welcome to another edition of “McHale’s Musings.”

There’s been a lot happening in the world of Boston sports, so let’s get right to it!

Patriots

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  • Big-time win over the Falcons last weekend at Gillette. The effort from Matt Patricia’s defense was a stellar reminder of this group’s talent. If they can string together a few solid games, their confidence will grow.
  • Tom Brady is 40. 40!
  • Josh McDaniels needs to continue letting Dion Lewis be more of a factor on offense. He’s a dynamic running back who can stretch out a defense. He’s the ultimate weapon for Brady and Co. if used consistently. #fantasyfootballpickup
  • It sounded like Gillette was rocking on Sunday night. It’s about time! For myriad of reasons, Gillette Stadium is no longer a place opponents fear to visit. However, fans can help make a change. This team needs support from the 65,878 members of Patriots Nation in attendance each and every home game. Perhaps those early losses at the start of the season were a wake up call to fans. Things aren’t going to come easy on this “Blitz for Six.” Fans, you’ll have to do your part to make it happen. Get lubed up!

Celtics

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  • Hello, Kyrie. I’ll like to see your, “Suck my d**k,” and raise you a “Shut up and play.” You are a 25 year old professional athlete. You will be taunted by opposing teams’ fans. You’re the one with all the leverage here. By walking away, you’re making sure you don’t make headline news for all the wrong reasons. Sure, that Philly bro may hop on Instagram Live to boast, “Damn, you won’t believe what I said to Kyrie. He just took it like a chump.” However, I don’t think his 27 followers are going to band together and ruin your reputation. It’s like the world of teaching. Sure, I could rattle off some solid insults mixed with biting sarcasm at the student who refused to work, but what good would that do? At the end of the day, we can only control our own reaction.  Kyrie, I urge you to ignore the taunts and move on with your day.
  • I see you, Jaylen Brown.
  • It’s too early to say that the Celtics made the better move in drafting Tatum over Fultz. With it becoming increasingly clear that Fultz has been hurt to start the season. Let’s give it some time before we declare that Danny Ainge bamboozled the 76ers.
  • Through four games, the C’s are 9th in the league with an average of 46.3 rebounds per game. I’m hopeful that this team will be able to rebound with more efficiency than last year’s squad that finished 27th in the NBA.

Bruins

  • Last weekend’s loss to Buffalo was a colossal failure. Thus far in his tenure as head coach, it appears as though Bruce Cassidy has been unable to strengthen the mental toughness of this hockey club. The 3rd period and subsequent overtime was simply a train wreck. It will be inexcusable defeats such as Saturday’s debacle that prevents this team from making a deep postseason run.
  • What is up with the NHL schedule to start the season? I’m not liking this staggering of games, and I’m willing to bet the players aren’t fans of it either.
  • How good was it to see Bergeron back on the ice? The guy is a warrior through and through. He is Bruins hockey personified. With that said, he’s getting older and deserves to be surrounded by talent that has the potential of winning another Cup. Is he surrounded by that kind of talent now? Time will tell. One thing’s for sure…that kind of crippling loss to Buffalo can’t happen again.

Red Sox

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  • Dustin Pedroia is out seven months after undergoing knee surgery. I get the sneaking suspicion that we’ll soon be reading headlines along the lines of, “Pedroia Hopeful of Returning after All-Star Break.”
  • I love the Alex Cora hiring.
  • While I agree that we shouldn’t give up the farm for Giancarlo Stanton, it would be foolish not to put together a reasonable package for the All-Star slugger. This Red Sox lineup needs power in the worst way. He also has a personality that is sorely missing from the clubhouse after David Ortiz’s retirement. Go for it, Sox!

Revolution

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  • The Revs won a road game! I repeat…The New England Revolution won a road game!
  • In a match that proved to be well worth the watch, the Revolution closed out their disappointing season by finally winning a road match. The win over Montreal helps the team avoid going winless away from Gillette for the first time in franchise history.
  • I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…Diego Fagundez deserves to be the face of the Revolution. This young man is going to be a difference maker for the Revs for years to come.

That’s it for me! Until next time…

Ryan

Terry Rozier Poised for Breakout Season

Terry driving

Hayward Injured

With the gruesome injury to star forward Gordon Hayward, the Boston Celtics season filled with so much promise looks very different. It’s doubtful that Hayward will return this season.  That means the Celtics will need to find a replacement and certain players will need to step up. A lot of focus has been placed on former first-round picks Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. One player who could step up and surprise everyone is Terry Rozier. He has steadily improved every year and so far this season he looks poised for a breakout season.

Performance So Far

The Celtics drafted Rozier in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft. Last year Rozier played in a career high 74 games and is coming off an impressive preseason. Rozier has looked like a different player for multiple reasons. Through three games Rozier is averaging 12.7 points while shooting a career high 48.3 %. He is shooting the ball with more confidence than ever before. In the Celtics opener,  Rozier scored nine points.   However in the Celtics following two games he scored 29 points combined. He’s more aggressive offensively while making hustle plays on defense.  In addition to hustle plays, he’s aggressive on the glass with 17 rebounds through the first three games.

Terry playing offense

Rozier Has Something To Prove

Coming into the season, Rozier was one of the four returning Celtics from last year’s roster. He is well known by Celtics fans but for the wrong reasons. Rozier has frequently come up in trade rumors but General Manager Danny Ainge has refused to trade him because of his potential. It seems as if Rozier heard those rumors. The Celtics will have to decide next season on whether to extend Rozier once his rookie deal expires. With the Hayward injury, Rozier will get more playing time but he has to earn it. If he can continue playing with this aggression then this will be a big year for him. In the end Rozier could make Ainge look very smart for not trading him. That is a problem the Celtics wouldn’t mind having.   Terry Rozier is not only poised for big things this year but also the future.

Terry Rozier playing defense

Celtics Need To focus on what still can be

A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT WAS TO BE WITH THE CELTICS BIG THREE: KYRIE IRVING, GORDON HAYWARD AND AL HORFORD

The Celtics should not concentrate on ‘What Could Have Been’, but should solely focus on ‘What Still Can Be’. With the unfortunate loss of Gordon Hayward, early in the beginning of the regular NBA season, it tore down their platform of having a successful Big Three. With Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford as the new Big Three for Boston, it brought a lot of hopeful enthusiasm for a successful, legitimate standing in a weak Eastern Conference. Can we honestly assume that legitimacy has fallen apart with the loss of Hayward?

THE CELTICS MUST REMAIN STEADFAST IN TEAM DEVELOPMENT

In order to keep any semblance of legitimacy, the Celtics must remain steadfast in their ultimate goal of team development. They can still be a Top Tier team in the Eastern Conference without Hayward. There have been changes made to the starting lineup by Coach Stevens. One thing in their favor, is their ability to be versatile. Any team that adapts can still be capable of doing very well. It’s early enough in the regular NBA season for them to gain familiarity with the new lineups set by Coach Stevens. They have to adhere to  one key factor, strict team development.

THE CELTICS ARE STILL A YOUNG AND TALENTED TEAM

The Celtics are still a young, talented team with versatility. The odds of them gaining success is still valid, if they continually work together as a team and adapt. They have some good components in both the first and second units. And they have an excellent Coach in Brad Stevens, who’s very resourceful, intelligent and has a promising team to develop and solidify. At this time, they have a lot of positives, making their odds successful indeed.

CAN THE CELTICS HAVE THE FUTURE THAT WAS TO BE WITH GORDON HAYWARD

Can the Celtics have the future ‘That Was To Be’, without Gordon Hayward? Obviously the answer seems to be no. Yet they can also have that same future without Hayward, as long as they remain focused on their development as a young and talented team. If they can apply their talents, versatility, and unify, they definitely have a chance to be dominant without Hayward. They have proven they can be successful in the preseason.They should focus on the factors that worked well for them–unselfishness, good ball movement and taking advantage of good plays. Defense is vital as well, as their offensive strategies become established. They must utilize their fundamentals fully. If they use all of the key factors, and adhere strictly to team development, ultimately, they can still have a successful future without Hayward.

Celtics Lose, Now 0-2 on the Season

Celtics Lose, Now 0-2 on the Season

The Celtics Lost, and are now 0-2 on the season. The final score of 108-100, in favor of the Bucks, was a game where the Celtics simply could not make a run.

The NBA is an unforgiving league. Celtics came into the opening night with high expectations for this season. Now they are looking for answers, and last nigh they did not have a way to stop the Greek Freak. He finished the game with 37 points, 13 rebounds and three assists.

The Celtics looked like a young, inexperienced new team. The fourth quarter opened with the Celtics up by four points, but they quickly found themselves falling behind. Giannis kept drawing fouls–leading to Jaylen Brown fouling out of the game with 18 points, five rebounds and three assists. With just under three minutes left in the game, Marcus Smart hit a three to pull the Celtics back within 5 points. Kyrie snuck under the basket for a quick two. Next possession, Giannis drew a double team, then kicked it out and found his teammate Matthew Dellavedova, who drilled a three. Kyrie came down and took a quick three, but missed, and that was it.

 

KYRIE INEFFICIENT PERFORMANCE

Photo by Matt Stone

On a frustrating night, Kyrie attempted to assume a little too much of the offensive burden, missing tons of shots. The 4x All Star was 7-25, with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists.

ROZIER THE BACKUP

Rozier was Celtics best player of tonight. The second-year pro came off the bench and was both effective and efficient, with 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

ROTATION

Brad was forced to go a little deeper into the bench tonight. Nader was the first sub. We saw Semi drawing defensive assignments on Giannis and Daniel Theis.

Celtics are now 0-2 in the season. They need to gather quickly, they travel to Philly Friday to take on Embiid and the entire Philadelphia process.

Find me on Twitter at @kardohoops!

A Heartbreaking Opening Night for the Celtics and Hayward

 

If you have not heard, C’s starting SF Gordon Hayward suffered what for now looks like a fractured ankle just six minutes into the new NBA season. Before the game’s end, Hayward was en route to Boston.  Celtics dropped the 1st game to the Cavs, with a final score of 102-99.

 

After the freak accident, the Celtics looked out of sync all over the floor for the obvious reason. The shooting was flat, either long or short, and the ball did not move well, leading to a 54-38 Cavs lead at halftime.  Marcus Smart started in place of Hayward in the second half.  The Celtics came out like they wanted to win this for Hayward, with a 28-11 tear in the third quarter to take a quick lead.

One player responsible for the comeback tonight, Jaylen Brown, had a career night. He was not going to be denied taking it to the hoop and his never-back-down attitude. He finished the night with 25 points and six rebounds.

Kyrie did his stuff in the fourth quarter but it was not enough, as LeBron put the Cavs behind his back and led them to the victory.  Jayson Tatum had a shaky start, but the rookie found his touch later on the game, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds.  Marcus added 12 points and nine rebounds but shot 0-4 beyond the arc.

YOUNG PLAYERS TO STEP UP

I don’t want to speculate on any timetable for G’s return, but he will probably sit out a big portion of the season. The young players will have to step in line. Next man up mentally. They showed it tonight and will have to continue going forward.

Celtics open at home tonight when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks.

2017-2018 Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics Rising in the Eastern Conference

A breakdown of the potential success of the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference:

 

THE CELTICS BUILD AROUND A YOUNGER, HEALTHIER TEAM

The Boston Celtics have decided to build around a younger, healthier team this season. They’ve added experienced players, and decided not to build around rookies. The Celtics franchise has done a very good job building up a solid roster. Several potential star players are experienced and young, such as Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, All Horford and Marcus Morris. The real test is the effectiveness that the second unit can provide. The Celtics have loaded up a better roster than they had previously. It’s time to see what this new roster can accomplish. Theis, Tatum and Rozier coming off the bench is very promising. The second unit is full of versatile and talented players ready to prove that they are competitive.

 

DANNY AINGE ACQUIRING DAVID THEIS WAS A VERY WISE DECISION

The second unit has been very productive. There’s always room for improvement, but there have already been a few surprisingly positive moments coming off the bench–David Theis, the German powerhouse. Danny Ainge knew what he was doing saving cap space to acquire Theis.

 

PRESEASON SUCCESS- A POSITIVE OUTLOOK FOR THE CELTICS

If we look at the perfect preseason success the Celtics had this season, we can assume this is a positive indication of bigger things from this young roster. Changes can be extremely difficult for fans to accept, but without change there’s no room for growth, causing a team to become stagnant. Change usually makes the difference for future success, as we’re witnessing with the Boston Celtics.

 

RECAPPING GAME 4 OF PRESEASON

If we recap a few moments from the Celtics 4th preseason game, we can focus on the potential Boston is aiming for and achieving. Kyrie Irving had a Double-Double with 16 Pts., 10 Assts and 0 turnovers. All Horford put up 15 Pts., 8 Rbs. and 4 Assts. Shane Larkin was exceptionally quick to the basket. The Celtics shot 50% from deep range. Boston’s ball movement, as well as execution, were excellent and set up good plays involving the whole unit. They have outstanding half court sets as well.

 

REGULAR SEASON KEY FACTORS – THE CONTINUANCE OF PRESEASON TEAM DEVELOPMENT

The Celtics have both talent and versatility. Their daily focus has been continuing to develop as a team. The talent, chemistry and versatility are key factors for Boston to become dominant in their conference. The Celtics must continue to strive for excellence through team development. Over time they will improve, they’re already doing remarkably well. Boston ended their preseason perfect, they were 4-0; a clear indication of the Celtics future in the 2017-2018 regular NBA Season.

 

BOSTON PROVING THEY ARE NOT THE TEAM IN THE EAST TO SLEEP ON

Kyrie Irving has remarkable handles, and makes playing look exceptionally easy. He’s definitely filling the leadership role despite the Celtics not having a team captain; a progressive move by the Boston franchise, but seems to be working out very well.The Boston Celtics have proven that they’re not the team to sleep on. They are definitely a top tier team in the Eastern Conference. It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch them progress and be successful this season.