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Countdown to Celtics Tipoff: 62 Days

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Welcome back to the Celtics season tipoff countdown!

Each day, we’ll give a review of news surrounding the Celtics. We’ll also look back in history to see what happened on today’s date in team history (August 14th). To round out the day’s post, we’ll give you stats and fun facts related to the number of days remaining before the first game (62 today). Let’s get to it!

Recent Team News

Gordon Hayward sent Celtics fans into a frenzy with a video posted by his trainer on Monday. The clip shows Hayward throwing down a dunk over his training partner in the gym. Hayward continues to show big improvements in his rehab. Fans can’t wait for his return to the court in October. Here’s the tweet from trainer Jason Smeathers:

On This Date

August 14, 2011: Celtics legend Satch Sanders is inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Sanders was drafted by the franchise in 1960 with the eighth overall pick. He played 13 seasons in the NBA, all with Boston. Sanders helped the team win eight championships in his time there, being a lockdown defensive presence. He then went on to take a role within the NBA offices.

Stats (2017-18)

  • Kyrie Irving’s season Box Plus-Minus was 6.2. This is a stat determining how many points per 100 possessions a player contributed over a league average player.
  • Daniel Theis’s True Shooting Percentage was 62%. This is a determination of shooting efficiency based on twos, threes, and free throws.

Fun Facts

TERRY ROZIER

  • The 1962 Celtics wrapped up their fifth NBA championship. The team went 60-20 and defeated the Lakers in the NBA Finals in seven games. The team was coached by Red Auerbach and was led by Bill Russell and Bob Cousy.
  • Terry Rozier is listed at a height of 6 feet 2 inches.
  • No Celtic has ever worn the number 62.

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

 

Countdown To Celtics Tipoff: 67 Days

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Welcome Back to the Celtics Season Tipoff Countdown!

Each day, we’ll give a review of news surrounding the Celtics. We’ll also look back in history to see what happened on today’s date in team history (August 8th). To round out the day’s post, we’ll give you stats and fun facts related to the number of days remaining before the first game (67 today). Let’s get to it!

Recent Team News

As the NBA continues to release more scheduling information, it has been revealed that the Celtics will start their season at home in a showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers. The two teams are set to rule the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future, making this a must watch marquee matchup. Let’s see if reigning Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons can score more than 1 point this time around.

In other news, Jaylen Brown turned some heads on a guest appearance with the “Pull Up” podcast. Trail Blazers guard C.J. McCollum asked Brown to give an honest prediction for the Celtics’ upcoming season. Brown responded “Oh, we’re getting to the Finals. No question about it.” While the Celtics are the early favorites to make it out of the East this season, one has to admire the guy’s confidence.

On This Date

August 9th 1928: Celtics legend Bob Cousy was born in Brooklyn, New York. Cousy played for the Celtics for 13 seasons (1950-1963.) Nicknamed the “Houdini of the Hardwood” and most commonly referred to in Boston as “Mr. Basketball,” Cousy played on six Championship teams, was voted to 13 All-Star Games, and led the league in assists for eight straight seasons. His number (14) has been retired in the rafters of the Garden since his 1971 Hall of Fame Induction.

Stats (2017-18)

Aaron Baynes started in 67 games for the Celtics, averaging 6 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest. He played a key role on the defensive side of the ball last season, which likely aided the big man in his new 2-year contract with the team.

Fun Facts

Bill Russell became the NBA’s first African American Head Coach at the start of the 1966-67 campaign. Red Auerbach retired as head coach of the franchise and entrusted Russell (who was still an active player at the time) with the duties.

In 1967, the Philadelphia 76ers ended perhaps the most impressive championship streak in sports history when they defeated the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. The defeat marked the first time in 10 seasons that the Celtics failed to reach the finals, while simultaneously ending a streak of eight straight Titles.

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

 

Kyrie Irving Readdresses Future with Celtics

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It’s been just a day since Kyrie Irving caused a storm of rumors centered around his future with the Celtics. On Monday, he spoke once more on the topic. In an interview with Boston Sports Journal, Irving expressed his excitement to get back on the court next season and play with a completely healthy group.

“I’m just excited to see what that looks like, really getting that experience with (Hayward) and seeing what other pieces we have going forward,” Irving told BSJ’s Brian Robb. “I think that’s the exciting part about all this is that when you’re shaping up to gear up to be a championship-caliber team for years to come- which I think (Danny Ainge) has echoed for a little bit. I’m just appreciative to be a part of it and see where my career can take off as well. I’m excited.”

It’s safe to presume that Kyrie Irving is excited about next season and what the future has in store. While this statement does expand upon his earlier quote published by NY Times’ Sopan Deb, it still leaves a bit of ambiguity in the air for further interpretation on his long-term future with the team.

Esoteric Kyrie

Anyone who knows Kyrie Irving should expect this level of vagueness out of him in response to such a question. Irving has always been the ‘live in the present type’ of guy. He is famous for his obscure statements about topics such as the flat Earth theory, diet preferences, faked moon landings, and the nonexistence of dinosaurs.

Kyrie Irving is either a major conspiracy theorist, or one of the NBA’s biggest trolls. He tends to take long-winded routes to his response to even the simplest questions. Take this post game interview with Jaylen Brown for instance.

If Kyrie Irving was asked about what he was going to eat for dinner later, he would probably tell you that he needs to focus on lunch first. He would follow that up with another two or three sentence response about why he feels that way. Expecting Kyrie to commit his future to the Celtics with a year left on his contract just isn’t realistic.

Kyrie In the Present

What the world knows now is that in the present Kyrie Irving is happy. He is excited to get back to basketball and play with a good young group of guys. Kyrie cannot wait to see fellow All-Star Gordon Hayward back at full health. He’s also ecstatic about the direction the organization is heading in, and he is excited to be a part of it.

The Celtics will have to wait another year before Kyrie Irving makes a decision on his future with the franchise. Until that day arrives, Celtics fans should relax and enjoy the ride. Oh, and definitely some more of this.

Celtics Concerned about Kyrie Irving’s Upcoming Free Agency

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When Kyrie Irving sat down with the Cavaliers in the summer of 2017, he gave Dan Gilbert a list of several teams he wished to be traded to.  The New York Knicks, a franchise Irving has reportedly long sought after and even told his former teammates about, topped that list.

Kyrie was ultimately traded to the Boston Celtics, one team not on the list Kyrie gave to the Cavaliers.  However, it’s widely presumed he added the Celtics prior to the trade.

Early Irving

When the Celtics took on Kyrie they knew that they only had two seasons to convince the young star to stay. Irving now sits at the helm of a young team loaded with potential and loaded with talent. Boston made it as far as the Eastern Conference Finals, falling to Kyrie’s former team in a tightly contested seven-game series. They did all of it without the presence of both Irving and star forward Gordon Hayward.

Irving produced an exceptional first season with the Celtics, putting up 24.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game in 60 games played. Despite his individual success as well as the team’s overall success, reports indicate that the Celtics are concerned about his impending free agency in 2019.

Talk on the Street

Here is the full quote from Yahoo Sport’s Chris Mannix who broke the news earlier today.

“I think they’re scared. I think they’re scared and should be scared to some degree of Kyrie walking in 2019. I know he had a great year, but you know there are people in Cleveland that will tell you that the Knicks should be considered a real threat for Kyrie Irving. Because Kyrie had talked about it—about playing with the Knicks with some players in that Cleveland locker room—from what I was told.”

It would make sense that Kyrie looks at the Knicks favorably. He grew up in New Jersey and the Knicks will have a ton of cap space available by 2019. Though the team does not have nearly as bright a future as Boston’s, Irving would get his opportunity to be the lone shining star on a rebuilding franchise. This is something he has openly desired and was a major reason for his departure from Lebron James and the Cavaliers.

Ultimately the Celtics should be the favorites to re-sign Kyrie next summer. He has seen what the team can do without him.  Imagine how formidable the team will be with an active Kyrie and Hayward. Money shouldn’t be an issue as Boston will offer Irving a max contract level deal by 2019.

The concerns are very real and present, but they shouldn’t cause Danny Ainge to make a panic deal now. The team can offer Irving more than enough reason to stay on board long-term.

Cavs, Celtics Set for Showdown in Game 7

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Well, here we are folks.

The two greatest words in sports: Game Seven. The Celtics versus the Cavaliers. LeBron James will get his shot at an eighth straight trip to the NBA Finals as the two teams square off in Boston on Sunday, May 27th. The Celtics will do all they can to prevent a fifth straight loss at the hands of LeBron and reach the Finals for the first time since 2010.

Cleveland Takes Game 6

LeBron James put on a clinic in Game 6, dropping 46 points to go along with 11 rebounds and nine assists. The Cavaliers displayed a team effort in the victory, getting major contributions from the bench, which outscored Boston’s bench 36-23. For the first time in the series Cleveland looked like a deep team, with four players scoring in double figures. George hill scored 20, Jeff Green contributed 14, and Larry Nance added ten and seven rebounds.

The three major factors in the game was the rebounding discrepancy, missed free throws, and Al Horford being a no-show. Boston was out-rebounded in the game by 13, 44-31 and gave up a whopping 15 offensive boards. In Boston’s three wins in the series they have out-rebounded Cleveland, and in the three losses it was the other way around. This will be a major factor going into Game 7. The Celtics also missed nine free throws, going 11-20 from the charity stripe.

Al Horford will need to play significantly better in Game 7 if his team will have any hopes of a victory. He produced six points on eight shots, and often looked out of sorts on the floor. He focused more on the ball than his man, giving up several offensive rebounds that resulted in second chance opportunities for the Cavs.

Kevin Love

The major storyline as Game 7 approaches is the announcement that Kevin Love will not play. After a collision with Jayson Tatum in the first quarter of Friday’s game, Love was sidelined with a concussion. Love is averaging 12.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in the series. He has been most impactful in Boston, averaging 17.6 points and 14.3 rebounds in the three match-ups.

Love has been the second leading scorer for Cleveland in these playoffs. His high IQ passing ability and double-double threat will surely be missed for the Cavs. He is also one of the most battle tested veterans on the roster as an NBA champion back in 2016.

Cavalier Role Players

With the All-Star big man out, Cleveland will need their role players to step up now more than ever. George Hill understands the circumstances and the need to fill a bigger role in Game 7.

“It’s gonna be tough,” Cavs point guard George Hill said. “No team has won there in these playoffs so far. We’ve got to try to be the first.”

LeBron James is taking a very level-headed mindset into the game. He said he doesn’t put “too much added pressure” on himself in Game 7’s.

“I just go out and play my game,” he said. “It’s just basketball for me. I know what I’m capable of doing.”

Boston’s Mentality

The Celtics have tied an NBA record as they have won ten straight games to start the postseason. The team has outscored their opponents by an average of 11.5 points per game thus far.

In spite of their recent success the team knows they are in for a battle.

“It’s about just winning the game now,” Marcus Smart said after Game 6. “It’s not going to be pretty. You got to be able to get down and get dirty… You have to be ready for a dogfight.”

Terry Rozier is confident going into Game 7, but understands LeBron James is going to give the Celtics all they can handle.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun, first and foremost. Obviously, we came up short tonight. But we need the whole city of Boston to be behind us. We know LeBron is different than a lot of other guys, but we’ve got to get the job done. That’s no excuse, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Boston has fed off of the energy their fans bring to the Garden each game, and they expect more of the same in Game 7.

“It’s going to be electric,” Horford said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to Sunday.

Al Horford: The Celtics’ Pillar of Success

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In a league full of high-flying athletes, dazzling handle displays, flashy passes, and awe inspiring highlight real dunks, it is inevitable that Al Horford would be overlooked.

When people watch the Celtics, they see Kyrie Irving performing magic with the ball. They see Jaylen Brown slam home highlight reel worthy breakaway dunks. Fans might catch a Jayson Tatum finesse move at the rim finished off with a rim-rocking jam. They will also see plenty of big time Terry Rozier three pointers.

What they won’t necessarily see is everything Al Horford does to make these things happen. Fans won’t see Al set a hard screen on Kyrie’s man to give Irving space to make his move. They might miss him ripping down a rebound and heaving an outlet pass to a cutting Brown for a dunk. No one sees him set a pick and pop and run it to perfection, freeing up Tatum for his drive to the rim. They also won’t pay attention to the pass Horford makes out of a double team in the post to set up Rozier for the dagger three pointer.

The Man Behind the Curtain

It is not always what you see on the stat sheet that makes Al Horford special. Make no mistake- Al Horford is the most important player on a Celtics team two wins away from the NBA Finals.

When Gordon Hayward went down early, Horford was there. When Kyrie went down and was announced out for the remainder of the year, Horford was there. In a season full of injuries, on a team with four returning players and a roster full of inexperienced talent, Horford has been the savvy veteran for his teammates to rely on. He has provided the Celtics with a stabilizing force through the turmoil, and kept the motor churning smoothly at the heart of the team’s success.

Boston may not have escaped Milwaukee in the first round if not for Horford’s abuse of the Buck’s smaller defenders. He forced Embiid to the bench in crunch time minutes in the 76ers series. He was too quick to guard outside of the key, and too deadly of a shooter to leave uncontested. His help-side defense on Ben Simmons snuffed out the brightly burning flame that once was the promise of Philadelphia’s season.

The Celtics wouldn’t be up 2-0 on the Cavaliers if Horford didn’t dominate Kevin Love on both ends of the court in Game 1, and follow up the performance by taking over down the stretch in Game 2.

Al is a Leader

One of the things that makes Al Horford unique is his ability to fill whatever roll Brad Stevens asks him to fill. Some nights he might be a role player. He’d willingly take a backseat to the Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum show by setting up screens, making passes, and even running point. Other times he may be asked to be the focal point of the offense. He’d run constant pick and rolls and be fed in the post against undersized and outmatched defenders.

In the playoffs this year Horford has been the team’s veteran leader and star.

Playoff Al

Al Horford is averaging 17.1 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 57% from the field in 14 playoff games. He has a true shooting percentage of 65.4%, which is up from 57.5% in the regular season. He has been notably more aggressive when attacking the rim, throwing down momentum-shifting dunks and flexing his muscles for the crowd.

The team has taken notice to Horford’s increased production and energy on the court, particularly at the end of games. After Game 2 against Cleveland, Jaylen Brown was asked to comment on Al Horford’s production down the stretch.

“That’s why Al gets paid the big bucks,” Jaylen Brown said. “We lean on Al in those tough moments. And he really went to work. Hitting some big free throws, made some big post-ups, hit the 3. Al, when it gets close to crunch time, we look towards Al to make some big plays.”

Take this play, for example.

This play came right after Horford was intentionally shoved to the ground by J.R. Smith. J.R. was called for a flagrant 1 on the play, sending Horford to the line. Horford went on to make Cleveland continue to pay in the last few minutes to put the game on ice.

The job is not yet finished for Horford and the Celtics. The team is preparing for their next major task: going into Cleveland for Games 3 and 4. The team will look to steal at least one of the two and come back to Boston to close the series out.

Whatever the future has in store for these Celtics as they continue their quest for banner 18, without a doubt Al Horford will be at the heart of it all.

Celtics

LeBron Struck First, but the Celtics Got the Last Laugh

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Grit, determination, and a never quit attitude. Those are traits the Celtics have embodied all season long, and everything the team exemplified in Game 2.  After a hard-fought battle the Boston Celtics pulled away late for a 107-94 victory and a 2-0 series lead. LeBron’s monster game proved not quite enough, as the Celtics attacked the Cavaliers with a huge team effort.

The Cavaliers started the game with revitalized energy after inserting big man Tristan Thompson into the starting lineup in place of Kyle Korver. Thompson did a good job of locking down the pick and roll early on. He managed to disrupt the C’s offensive flow, forcing them into some tough looks.

LeBron James poured in a whopping 21 points in the first quarter, the most points in any quarter in any playoff game of his career. He added four threes on 8-13 shooting, but the rest of the Cavs shot 3-11 for a total of six points in the frame. LeBron finished the night with 42 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds.

Bringing LeBron to a Halt

If it wasn’t for the valiant efforts of Jaylen Brown, the Cavs could have ran away with it early. Jaylen led the charge with 14 points in the first quarter, finishing with a team high 23 to go along with seven rebounds and three assists.

Jayson Tatum picked up where Jaylen left off. He started the second quarter with nine quick points to keep the team afloat as LeBron continued to stay hot. Towards the end of the quarter, LeBron took a hard shot to the jaw and had to leave the floor to get checked out. He was quickly cleared to play and returned before the end of the period. Meanwhile, the Cavs built their lead up to double digits for the first time in the series. Marcus Smart made some big plays with under a minute left in the quarter and the Celtics trimmed the Cavalier lead to seven.

It Takes a Village

Terry Rozier was the hot hand in the third. He overcame a rocky start by producing 14 points on his way to an 18 point and five rebound night. The momentum started to shift in favor of the Celtics, as the team dominated the period in the open floor. They barraged the Cavs with 36 points in the quarter while creating havoc on the defensive side of the ball. Marcus Morris was huge, hitting a tough and one with 5:14 to play in the quarter to tie the game up. He took a moment to wave his hands in the air, gesturing the garden faithful to their feet as the crowd roared with en electric energy.

Less than a minute later Marcus Smart canned a three from the top of the arch to give the Celtics their first lead since 3-2. It became a lead they would not relinquish.

Marcus Smart was absolutely crucial in the second half. He provided an adrenaline shot of energy that infected the whole team. Smart gave the Celtics all the momentum necessary to continue pouring in basket after basket, relentlessly attacking the teeth of the Cavalier defense. He finished with 11 points, nine assists, five rebounds, four steals, and a team high +/- of +21.

Playoff Al

Smart’s efforts must have particularly affected Al Horford. After an eight point and five rebound fourth quarter, Al put the Cavaliers to rest. He finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the game.

Horford’s biggest moment came with just under four minutes to go. After Al set a pick and rolled for an alley-oop. J,R. Smith gave him a shove in the back on the way up. Consequently, Smith got issued a Flagrant 1 on the play. Horford hit both free throws and on the ensuing possession tacked three more to put the Celtics up 12. All hopes of a comeback were all but over for the Cavs.

It was a team effort fueled victory for the Celtics. Four different players stepped up and led the team in scoring in each quarter for the game. The team also did a great job of handling the ball, giving up only eight turnovers to the Cavaliers’ 15.

The Cavs gave LeBron a bit more help in the game, mostly from fellow All-Star Kevin Love, who produced a 22 point and 15 rebound double double. Tristan Thompson finished with an eight point and seven rebound effort, and Kyle Korver gave the team 11 points off the bench.

A True Competitor

After the game Brad Stevens gushed about Marcus Smart and what he brings to the table for the team. “He’s as tough as they come. A true competitor. He matches his intensity with a physical toughness. We are really glad he is on our team”. Marcus Smart continues to be the hot glue guy for this Celtics team. The Celtics have gone an impressive 8-2 since inserting him back into the lineup. He seems to never fail to make the big plays down the stretch of games, not afraid of any moment and willing to bump and scrape to win every possession. 

Stevens finished his press conference stating that the team will, “have to be tougher and even more resilient as we move to Cleveland”.

History will be on the their side, as the team is 37-0 after leading a best of seven series 2-0.

Game 3 will take place Saturday night at 8:30 pm. The Celtics will look to take a commanding 3-0 lead as LeBron will do anything to claw the Cavaliers back into the series.