Tag Archives: #CelticsNation

Celtics vs Sixers: The Rivalry Renewed

photo cred- phillyvoice.com

Celtics vs. Sixers: NBA Playoffs Round 2

In every sport there are rivalries that always have fans hooked to the TV. In the NBA, one of those rivalries have come back to life after the 76ers turned themselves, along with the C’s, into one of the better young teams in the NBA. After years of tanking and being the laughing-stock of the league, the Sixers are FINALLY back to being a top-tier team. This renewed rivalry with the Celtics is great for the NBA and its fans.

This will be the 20th playoff match-up between the two teams. The Celtics have gotten the better of these match-ups throughout their rivalry, with a 54-46 record in the postseason. This rivalry goes back to the days of Bill and Wilt, Larry and Dr. J, and now our young guns vs. their young guns. With guys like Simmons, Embiid, Saric, Tatum, Brown, Rozier, and veterans like Horford and Reddick, this series has ALL the makings of an INSTANT CLASSIC. Let’s not forget that the C’s are on this playoff run with All-Star players out of the lineup (Kyrie and Hayward) and with a banged up Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown.

NBA FANS GET YOUR DINNER TRAYS READY, TAKE THE FOOD OUT OF THE OVEN AND FIND A SEAT IN THE LIVING ROOM… THIS SERIES IS GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE!

GAME 1 WRAP-UP

photo cred- www.sbnation.com

The Celtics took Game 1 at The Garden 117-101, which saw three Celtics players with 20+ points. Terry Rozier was absolutely on FIRE after continuing his dominant play at home, shooting a CRAZY 7/9 from three point land. Al Horford posted a solid line of 26/7/4, while Tatum contributed 28/3/2. Tatum did not show signs of being a rookie at all (as mentioned by C’s great Kevin McHale). There were contributions all around in this game both on offense and defense, and the Celtics bench outplayed the Sixers bench. Overall, we basically ran them out of the gym all while missing TWO SUPERSTARS!

Game 1 was neck and neck for a while, with the Celtics losing some double-digit leads but ultimately got it together. Trust me, I have my doubts with this series because of the talent the Sixers have compared to the injuries Boston has. But after last night I am convinced we can STEAL this series. However, it’s going to take ONE thing: WINNING ON THE ROAD, which the Celtics have failed to do so far in this postseason.

Predictions & X-Factors

Celtics fans have to be happy with getting an early jump on this young, athletic, and talented Sixers team. Although we are missing key players due to injuries, I believe we match-up better in this series with their starting five and bench than we did last series having to deal with Giannis and Middleton.

The X-factors in this series are multiple guys who will need to help this team win. In my opinion, the Celtics need Rozier, Horford, Smart, Tatum, and Brown to continue playing well at home and on the road. The bench production will be hot and cold for both teams. But, ultimately it will come down to how the starters play both at home and on the road. Plus they need to make sure the defense contains Ben Simmons and J.J. Reddick because let’s face it, Joel Embiid is going to do WORK!

I love the way this team is playing now with young guys firing on all cylinders. There is one guy I think that should get more playing time against Embiid, and that’s Greg Monroe. Monroe hasn’t played since early in the Bucks series. I think he can be a huge compliment to Baynes and Horford when it comes to an inside presence. However, like the old saying goes, “If it aint broke, don’t fix it”. Another X-factor for me will be the atmosphere inside the Garden, which was electric last night. The fans always seem to pump this team up, and last night they hit Ben Simmons with a “Not A Rookie” chant, which was an absolute classic!

Series Prediction

My prediction for this series is the Celtics FINALLY get a road win and they take the series in 6 games, moving on to the Eastern Conference Finals where they will meet LeBron James and the streaky Cleveland Cavaliers. Yes, I get it, the Cavs aren’t what they use to be, but they still have LBJ and Kevin Love mixed with championship experience that I think will get them by the Toronto Raptors.

Judging by the picture below of the Sixers bench completely leaving the court with 10.5 seconds still remaining. It seems that Scary Terry did his job and had them retreating to the locker room in FEAR.

LETS GO CELTICSSSS!!!!

Garnett to the Rafters? I Sure Think So

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I know there’s been a debate about whether Garnett should be next in line to have his number retired with the Celtics. After Paul Pierce’s wonderful and well deserved ceremony, it got me thinking. Beforehand, I had always felt as though the number of years you played for a team took precedent. For Garnett however, I think I would make an exception.

Quality over Quantity

What I mean is, the quality of his years with the Celtics have more weight than the quantity. He only spent six seasons in green compared to his 14 in Minnesota. In those six seasons, he averaged 15.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, shot 83% FT and 52% from the floor. And let’s not forget his contributions that led to two NBA Finals trips, winning one of them. Boston took the 2008 series 4-2, with Garnett posting a double-double (26 pts. 14 rebs) in Game 6. I know he dealt with a lot of injuries while with us, but it was only expected considering how many miles he already put on his body. After 14 seasons in Minnesota, we were lucky to see the production we did.

“But We Can’t Retire Everyone’s Number…”

And we aren’t asking to! Listen, Kevin Garnett came to us maybe a few years past his prime. He gave it everything he had, even through all the injuries. He helped Boston win their 17th NBA Championship in franchise history. Anyone who gets the opportunity to wear Celtic green knows it is a HUGE honor and that not everyone is brought into the fold here. When a player such as Garnett comes in and:

puts up a double-double in just about EVERY playoff matchup in 2008

AND

becomes part of the reason Boston gets to raise a banner

He deserves to have his number retired. It’s not common for a player after 14 years with one team, to come in and help put another over the top. I mean, after 14 years, most players accept bench roles and decreased minutes. But not KG; he put in the work and it paid off. We should not only appreciate the hard work and dedication, but recognize it.

It’s not everyday we are reminded of the glory days brought to Boston by legends like Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parrish—the list goes on. But Garnett did that for us when he came to join Pierce and Allen as Beantown’s “big three”. It’s time too show some love to the Big Ticket. Besides, his #5 would look really good next to 34!

Cover image courtesy of UPI.com

Celtics Lose Another, 129-119

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Thank God for the All-Star break, because the Celtics need it. Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers was their third straight, and it’s the second straight game in which they gave up 120+ points. They’re really going to have to regroup here.

Where’s the Defense?

Although they still lead the league in defensive rating, Boston’s defense has been suspect. This team has just not been able to make any defensive stops. LeBron and his shiny new toys stepped into the Garden on Sunday and the Celtics had no answer. On Wednesday night, they allowed DeAndre Jordan and the Clips to penetrate the paint all night. Jordan had 30 points— a season high I’m pretty sure. If you’re allowing your opponent 56 points in the paint, you are clearly not playing hard enough on defense. What they were doing tough, is playing silly. There were a number of bad fouls committed by the Cs, which put them into an even deeper hole. I know they’re missing defensive warrior Marcus Smart, but they’ve got to be able to adjust.

Celtics Shaking Things Up?

It appears coach Brad Stevens has thought about switching the lineup. This loss will for sure solidify that decision. Defensively, I don’t know if it’s so much a line up issue. It just feels like lackluster effort on the part of the Celtics, which is odd. But the offensive production has been and still is a huge concern. The rookies stepped up big when Irving, Morris, Larkin and Smart were out. But since Morris and Irving’s return, Nader’s minutes have dramatically decreased. Meanwhile, Ojeleye is on this wild roller coaster of either 20 minutes or no playing time at all. I’m no coach, but let them play on a consistent basis. It takes some weight off the starters and their minutes can be spread out more evenly. I don’t know, but hopefully we can see some sort of turnaround when Smart and Larkin get back. I feel some experiments coming. Is there a world where Jaylen Brown DOESN’T start? Or where Greg Monroe DOES? Maybe even taking some perceived pressure off of Tatum and making him apart of the second unit? Decisions, decisions.

I really hope they can use this break as a time to reflect and get on the same page. But I also hope they use it to relax and have fun Congrats to Al and Kyrie on being All-Stars and to Jayson and Jaylen on being in the Rising Stars game. It’s about to be lit!

Cover image courtesy of CelticsLife.com.

Celtics’ Youth on Fire: Can They Sustain the Flame?

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We already began to see the emergence of the Celtics’ youth in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown early on this season. Then Rozier and Smart added some fuel to the fire, with Rozier carrying it into his three starts at point guard. But during that three-game span without Irving and others, the young Celtics really got a chance to show everyone what they could do.

Banged Up and Short-handed

The Celtics had to go three games without some key players:

Kyrie Irving sat out all three games with a sore quad; he probably could have played against the Trailblazers but with Toronto right after, pretty sure the plan was to conserve energy.
Marcus Smart continues to sit out with a self-inflicted hand injury. I heard the stitches are out, but they are being cautious.
Marcus Morris had a nasty fall against the Knicks. He missed the next two games with a sore hip.
Shane Larkin sat out with a sore knee and wasn’t available for the Hawks and Trailblazer games.

Although they only had to face the Knicks, Hawks and Trailblazers, the Cs had fans worried about how the games would play out.

Developing Celtics’ Youth: How are They Doing It?

Time and time again, the Cs youth had been inconsistent with their efforts on both sides of the ball. But this time, they proved that they can hold their own. They went 3-0 in those games, and here’s my take on how:

building up minutes : It used to frustrate me that coach didn’t play the young guys more, but now I’m seeing the bigger picture. I’ve compared it to teaching someone how to ride a bike. The minimal minutes to start out are the training wheels — but Brad Stevens has finally removed them. The guys are adapting to the pace, gaining more awareness and building confidence —10-20 minutes at a time.
coaching : Stevens is so good at helping his guys utilize their strengths. Nader and Ojeleye can knock down the perimeter shots when encouraged; Theis can get the basket if he’s fed the ball in the paint; Tatum is encouraged to use his length and athleticism not just on offense, but on defense as well. Brad’s expectations for his guys are realistic, which takes the pressure off. A lot of rookies in the league don’t have that luxury.
leadership/confidence : the youth on this team knows how fortunate they are to be able to play with (young) vets like Irving and Horford. They also know how fortunate they are to play for Brad, who is quite young and probably easier to communicate with. But in general, having the supportive foundation that they have really helps. If you watch, you can see that these guys play hard for each other. The trust and confidence they have in one another makes it easier to handle business on the court. Why do you think they’re still rated #1 in defensive efficiency?

Other people may have more technical explanations for this emergence of the Celtics’ youth. But really, sometimes it’s just that simple.

Cover image courtesy of MassLive.com

Views from the 6: Will Raptors Steal #1 Seed and Home Court?

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Kyrie Irving and Marcus Morris made their return last night as the Celtics headed to Toronto to take on the Raptors. After a four-game win streak, (3-0 without Irving) the Cs fell 111-91. Peculiar, considering they won the first match up 95-94 without Irving. Anyway, the Celtics are now 39-16, only one game ahead of the Raptors.

Raptors Put on a Show

Toronto was absolutely electric. Kyle Lowry had 23 points, while C.J. Miles had 20 of his own off the bench. Both were a combined 11-18 from behind the arc, contributing to their team’s overall 47% three-point shooting. DeMar DeRozan added 15 points of his own and six assists. Shots were falling for the Raptors ALL night, no matter who had the ball. Didn’t see the game? Well, all you have to know is their bench put up 59 points— that’s more than 50% of the team’s point total for the game. Apparently, Brad Stevens praised this second unit before the match up. I wonder if he still feels the same way.

The Celtics Looked a Bit… Stale

On the other hand, the Celtics just didn’t play that well. The defense wasn’t up to par, giving up points left and right. But the offense looked equally unimpressive. Horford and Tatum combined for 6 points, going 3-14 from the floor and 0-3 from three. Irving and Brown were the only starters with double digits, while the bench contributed 51 points. When you look at the team stats, this really should have been a close game. Unfortunately, the Cs just couldn’t make any defensive plays and they couldn’t score consistently. The Raptors were just more efficient.

Preview of Eastern Conference Finals?

With the Celtics and the Raptors being the top two teams in the east, there is definitely a chance we’ll see them in the eastern final. But with the way the Raptors are playing, we could possibly see a #1 seed takeover. This means they would get home court advantage in the series. Now that should make everyone in Boston uncomfortable, considering the Raptors have lost only two games at home so far this season. Hopefully, with the addition of Greg Monroe or whatever else they are trying to do before the trade deadline, they will put up a fight. I guess the idea of Tyreke Evans adding depth to the bench isn’t so bad after all.

UPDATE via Adrian Wojnarowski @ 1;14 PM: Lou Williams getting three-year deal with Clippers.

Greg Monroe Available, DPE at Disposal…What’s up Ainge?

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Yesterday, the Phoenix Suns agreed to buyout the contract of Greg Monroe, essentially making him available to go elsewhere. The 6’11” center spent some time in Detroit and Milwaukee as well, and now he’s got a lot of interest from around the league. But wouldn’t Boston make the most sense?

Greg Monroe as a Celtic

The Celtics only have one true center in Aron Baynes, which I’m sorry to say isn’t enough. Baynes is only averaging 5.2 rebounds a game. A bit low for a big man don’t you think? Don’t get me wrong, he’s defended other big men very well, but the Celtics need more help. Greg Monroe would be more than ideal. So far this year, he is averaging 10.4 points and 7.4 rebounds. And not to bring age into the conversation, but Monroe is 27 and Baynes is 31. I think having someone like Monroe starting and have Baynes come off the bench could only make this team better. Besides, Baynes has proven himself sufficient in that role thus far. It’s always great to have guys like Horford and even Theis who can switch and play the 5, but at some point you’re going to need a true center. More than one to be exact! Nabbing Monroe would fix that AND the rebounding problem. More possessions = more point opportunities.

What Else Can You Do with that DPE?

I’ve heard some rumors circulating that the Celtics, among other teams, have expressed interest in the Grizzlies’ Tyreke Evans. He didn’t even play last night— that’s how serious the Grizzlies are about trading him. But if I’m not mistaken, wouldn’t the Cs have to give something in return? Would it mean… no. Not even going to think about it because it’s ridiculous. We don’t need another guard. We need another TRUE center to get blocks and most importantly, rebounds. The Cs lose the battle on rebounds sometimes, and it’s usually the difference between a win and a loss. I’m telling you, Greg Monroe is the way to go!

Shout out to Terry Rozier for his first career start AND triple double. I’m sure Kyrie was very proud. Let’s hope the Cs can carry that momentum into Friday when they host the Hawks. Oh, and let’s hope Danny get’s moving on using that DPE (*cough* on Monroe *cough*).

Irving, Celtics End Four-Game Skid

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Finally! Although it’s only been one game, the Celtics are back to winning. That heartbreaking one-point loss was the kick they needed to come back to the Staples Center and take care of business. They were able to top the Clippers 113-102, leaving a lot of Celtics fans breathing a bit easier.

Contributions from Everyone

When I say this was a good game for almost everyone on the team, I mean it. But hey, if you don’t believe me just look at the stats:

Kyrie Irving- 20 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast
Jayson Tatum- 18 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast
Aron Baynes- 12 pts, 6-8 FG, 6 reb
Marcus Morris- 15 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast
Bench- 39 pts,17 reb, 10 ast

Jaylen Brown had a rough shooting night, but he was able to contribute in other ways. It was an important win for the Cs, especially since they were missing Horford and Smart. To be honest, going into this match-up without those two had me worried. But once again this team has proven to be resilient.

How Did the Celtics Win This Game?

Now, if you look at the team stats, it could cause a bit of confusion. The Celtics lost the rebound battle, points in the paint, points off turnovers; just to name a few. But, they made up for it by winning in:

3-PT %: they were 14-40 from behind the arc while the Clippers were 5-21. I swear LA only began hitting them when it didn’t matter anymore.
FT %: after only getting ten free throws against the Lakers, they were more aggressive and forced twenty-two attempts against the Clippers. Oh yeah, and they only missed one, while the Clips were 27-39.
Steal: ten steals to the Clips’ six. Not a huge difference but it gave the Cs more possessions.
Turnovers: I know I already said they lost the battle of points off turnovers. But if you notice, the Cs had thirteen turnovers and only gave up sixteen points off of them. That’s pretty good. But overall the Clippers turned the ball over more, which gave the Cs more possessions.

The Road Ahead

The Celtics have two more games on this road trip before heading home. Next, they head to the Bay to face the Golden State Warriors. This is a top team in the west that they’ve already beaten in Boston, holding them well under 100 points. After, they head to Denver to take on the Nuggets, another team they’ve already beaten at home. The Warriors have the best record in the league, but the way they lost to Houston has everyone shook. The Nuggets are only one game over .500 and are 2-3 in their last five. Can the Cs dig deep enough to take another win from both teams?

Tune in for ABC’s Saturday Primetime to watch the Boston take on Golden State. And don’t forget to watch them play the Nuggets on NBATV on Monday!

Isaiah Thomas Concedes, February 11th Belongs to #34

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The Celtics lost last night to the Pelicans 116-113 in overtime. That was a big deal for a lot of people, even though they are 34-11 and still lead the East by 3.5 games. For me though, I couldn’t get over the tweet Isaiah Thomas sent out about his tribute video—and I still can’t.

Isaiah Thomas: Petty or Classy

Last night Isaiah Thomas sent out a tweet asking the Celtics not to run his tribute video on February 11th. He said he appreciated the honor of sharing that night with Paul Pierce, but knew it was becoming an issue. I felt like this tweet was a small jab at Pierce because he complained about it right off the bat. But many other people had things to say about sharing the night. When talking to the media yesterday, Rondo had this to say about the tribute video in general: “What has he done? This is the Boston Celtics… you don’t hang conference titles” (NBC Sports). Now, that’s cold. But I will say this: Isaiah, you had your chance for a tribute video on January 3rd. YOU turned it down because you already had a plan in your mind of how you wanted it to go down. You knew you were coming to Boston that night, so you had ample time to plan accordingly.

#34 Shouldn’t Have to Share

When this all initially went down, people said Pierce was being a baby about it. Ummm… NO! He wasn’t being a baby or selfish or whatever else people were saying. Pierce gave fifteen years to the Boston Celtics, bringing them to the Finals twice and winning one. Did I mention he was also the Finals MVP? We watched him grow into an elite player in Boston. He helped carry our team to the playoffs ten out of the fifteen seasons he was a Celtic. His loyalty for us was unreal. So any Boston fan who watched Pierce for those fifteen years and called him a baby for not wanting to share HIS night should be ashamed. Isaiah Thomas came here for three years and you all just forgot what Pierce accomplished while in Boston? No disrespect to Isaiah but… I’m going to have to go with #34 on this one.

“But I Thought You Had Love for I.T.”

Yes, I did write an open letter to Isaiah Thomas earlier this month. I still respect him and everything he did in his three years as a Boston Celtic. But let’s be real, he’s been acting petty since his trade. I know it was an emotional shock, but he could have handled it with a bit more grace. And like I said above, he had his chance for a tribute video, but he wanted to be petty about that as well. He should have pushed his debut to January 3rd against us and flew his family out if it was such a big deal. And I know he had that day circled on his calendar so there’s no defense.

So, lesson here guys: we don’t always get second chances!

Boston Celtics Rising in the Eastern Conference

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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.

Why Celtics Nation Should Trade for Kyrie

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With reports running wild out of Cleveland about the possibility of a Kyrie trade, Celtics fans need to ask themselves just one question. “Do we have a chance?”

Conflicting reports continue. The C’s and Cavs have stayed in touch about the possibility of a deal between the two clubs involving Kyrie and multiple Celtics assets. If these reports pan out and a trade does happen, then this would be HUGE for the Celtics now, and going forward in the future. Consider some of the reasons why I feel like the trade would make the Celtics a better team in the long run, and my possible trade scenario:

-Via @AdamHimmelsbach / Celtics writer for the Boston Globe

– Via @ByJayKing / Boston Celtics reports for MassLive.com

The Age/Injury Factor:

Although IT4 is not an old man, he has three years on Kyrie who is currently only 25. There is also the lingering concern when it comes to injury, with IT4 who just avoided major hip surgery. Although he doesn’t need surgery (yet), a hip problem is a big red flag for me when it comes to a 5’9 point guard who likes the drive the lane and cause contact against bigger bodies in the paint.

When I hear hip injury for IT, I can only believe this has a high probability to shorten his career. Kyrie has no major injury concerns, besides soreness in his knee this past year. The risk of injury factor leans towards IT more than it does Kyrie.

Kyrie – 1

IT- 0

The Contract Situations

One thing to always consider when it comes to a trade, especially of this magnitude — the contracts involved and the value for each team.

First we have Kyrie who signed a five-year, $94M deal. In 2017-18, Irving will earn a base salary of $18,868,625. This may seem like a high dollar amount, but quite frankly he is UNDERPAID for how good he is and ranks 48th, YES 48TH among player salaries going into next season which is quite low for possibly the second best point guard in the NBA. Kyrie is under control for the next couple of seasons and has already said he would re-sign if traded to the Spurs. Don’t count the C’s out just yet especially since reports broke that he wants to play for Brad Stevens.

Next we have IT who is currently ranked 168th next year in NBA salary rankings. IT4 will be making a little north of $6M next season, clearly low, and he deserves much, much more. But I am not sold on a 5’9 PG with a new hip injury receiving a max contract….NOT FROM THE CELTICS ANYWAY! Contract wise, the favorable choice here for the Celtics would be to trade for Kyrie who you would control for another few years, as opposed to taking a risk and paying IT4 a max-dollar amount.

Kyrie- 2

It4- 0

Via Pro Basketball Reference

Kyrie vs IT4

Now lets take a look at both players overall and determine who really ranks highest. As ALL of Celtic Nation knows by now, IT4 “Mr. 4th Quarter” has earned his nickname. Big shots late in games pointing to his wrist at an imaginary watch asking, “what time is it?” But we all knew it was HIS time. What Thomas did for this team last season in late games and in BIG games was nothing short of miraculous and heroic. But in playoff games, we needed the same IT4 late in games but we did not get same outcome.

In his career, Isaiah has averaged 19.1 ppg to go along with 5.2 apg , 2.6 trb , and one steal per game. Thomas saw a huge incline last season in ppg where he went from 22 to 28 ppg with NUMEROUS clutch shots to guide the Celtics team to victory. One huge fault of IT4 is his tendency to take some bad shots or too many shots, and he plays ZERO defense….Lets not forget before signing Gordon Hayward, IT4 was the primary scorer on this team.

Kyrie dhas average 21.6 ppg to go along with 5.5 apg , 3.4 trb , and 1.3 steals per game. Kyrie seems to only be getting better every year he plays and this guy is one of, if not the BEST ball handlers. He absolutely COOKS his defenders and makes them looks silly. Although Kyrie is not much of an upgrade over IT4 defensively, he is still the bigger guard and I would take him on defense over IT4 any day of the week. I cannot stress enough to Celtics fans or any NBA fans that Kyrie is overshadowed on Cleveland’s roster by a guy named Lebron James who is a top-three player of ALL-TIME.

While we are discussing the two players and speaking about IT4 being Mr. 4th Quarter lets not forget that Lebron wouldn’t have two rings without two big shots late in Final’s games. One of those big shots came from Ray Allen in the corner when the Heat beat the Spurs. The other shot came from Kyrie himself in game seven vs Golden State to bring a long awaited title to “The Land.” Kyrie seems to always make a HUGE shot when it matters most or takes the ball to the hole on bigger defenders in big games and finish at the rim effortlessly….. That is the kinda guy I want wearing green in big games. So who makes the team better in my opinion? KYRIE ALL DAY, NO QUESTIONS ASKED!

OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 19: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots a three-point basket late in the fourth quarter against Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 19, 2016 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Kyrie – 3

IT4 -0

(CLEAN SWEEP)

THE TRADE PROPOSAL:

Boston Receives:

Kyrie Irving

Cleveland Recevies:

Jae Crowder

Isaiah Thomas

Terry Rozier

Lakers 2018 1st round draft pick

Why you make the trade

So this one is actually easy for me. If I am Danny Ainge, I pull the trigger on this deal for a few reasons. Take away IT for a second and look at what else you’re giving up. If the Celtics give up Crowder and somehow keep Tatum (who Cleveland is reportedly interested in) then you have depth at the forward position with Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Morris, Semi Ojeleye, and Gureschon Yabusele. Clearly, there is a log jam at the 3-4 position so losing Jae isn’t that big of a deal. Losing IT4 hurts, but you’re getting a younger and better guard in return. Losing Rozier really doesn’t do much because of the emergence of Marcus Smart as an all around guard and a more than capable backup/6th man off the bench.

This is an easy one for me fellow Celtic fans. If this deal materializes, you pull the trigger and you pull it ASAP! Sorry IT, I love ya bud, but I’m just looking at the best option for the team now and in the future!