Tag Archives: #NBA

Celtics Beat Bucks 117-113 in Eastern Conference Showdown

Leave a reply

 

Kyrie Irving had a team-high 28 points and the Celtics drilled a franchise record 24 threes to hand the Bucks their first loss of the season on Thursday night. A few quick thoughts on last night’s wild win coming up right after I stop smiling like a doofus at this video…

Gordon Hayward Heating Up

The Celtics are still being careful with Hayward, with good reason. The star forward has been understandably inconsistent in his first 7 games, as he shakes off rust and continues to make his way back from last season’s gruesome injury. However, last night he showed flashes of why he was such a highly sought after free agent two summers ago. Hayward scored a season-high 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting, and added 4 rebounds and 5 assists. He drilled three triples as well, and is shooting 40.7% from downtown so far this year.

Hayward’s most encouraging moment came early in the 1st quarter:

That play is a microcosm of what a healthy Hayward brings to the table. Smart defense (and the athleticism to execute), the ability to go coast to coast, and finish strong in traffic. Hayward has now attempted double-digit shots in three straight games, a sure sign that his game is beginning to round into form.

Greek Freak: Definitively Good

Milwaukee’s MVP candidate was lights out again last night. Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in a 33-11-2 game, and added three steals to boot. He was also out there traversing time and space like William S. Preston Esq. and Theodore Logan:

I mean COME ON. He’s doing up-and-unders now?

The Celtics still have as good a chance as anyone to make the Finals this year. But they’ll likely have to go through Giannis and Kawhi Leonard to do it, making things a taller task than expected a couple of months ago.

Get ‘Em Mook!

Marcus Morris has been huge this season. With Gordon Hayward working his way back to form, the C’s have needed one of their top role players to step up. He’s done that, and more. After last night’s 17 point, 5 rebound performance, Morris is averaging 14.8 points and 7.1 boards in only 25.3 minutes per game. It helps that he’s been on fire from beyond the arc. He’s drilling threes at a 51.3% clip, including a 5-for-8 performance from downtown on Thursday.

There was some question entering the season whether or not Morris would have a defined role with the return of Hayward and the continued progression of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. As fate would have it, he’s been more important than ever.

Shot Selection Struggles

On one hand, last night was an improvement in this area. 55 attempted three pointers is better than the bevy of long twos we had seen through the first 7 games. It also helps when you make 24 of those shots.

Yet, despite nearly setting an NBA record with made threes, the Celtics nearly coughed this one away late. They’ll continue to find themselves in that position as long as they remain allergic to attacking the rim and getting in the paint. Boston is dead last in field goals attempted within 8 feet. They’re also only 13th in field goal percentage within that range. For comparison’s sake, Golden State has attempted the second fewest shots inside 8 feet, but is 1st in field goal percentage. It’s really difficult to build a championship level offense around that combination of lack of volume and middle of the road efficiency, especially when you aren’t getting to the line either (C’s are 26th in free throws attempted per game). The numbers bear that out: the Celtics currently rank 27th in ORtg.

Simply making more threes like they did against Milwaukee will be helpful towards rectifying things. But not being able to get easy buckets late was an issue last night. The Celtics missed their last 6 field goal attempts (4 threes and 2 mid-range jumpers). That gave the Bucks an opening which they couldn’t take advantage of. It’s absolutely something to keep an eye on going forward.

Don’t look now, but after a sluggish 2-2 start the C’s are 6-2 (a 61.5 win pace). They’ll take their 4 game winning streak on the road for the next 5 games, starting on Saturday night in Indiana vs. the Pacers.

Celtics Edge Pistons 108-105: Three Takeaways

Leave a reply

Tuesday night’s action was a welcome sight to sore eyes in Boston. The wait for Kyrie Irving, the Celtics star point guard, to score a lot of points and shake the monkey off of his back is finally over.

Irving scored 31, his highest point total of the season thus far, and added 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal to his game totals as well. Irving, with a freshly shaven head, seems to have moved on from his horrid start to the season that saw him averaging just 14 points per game through the first six games, and a stretch where he eclipsed 20 points just twice, an scored a career low, 3 points in 23 minutes, against the Pistons on October 27th.

Let’s jump into this game and see what we can takeaway from it.

Kyrie looked like his old self again

Photo courtesy of @BCelticNews

Kyrie Irving started this season with an Afro. It was a new look for Kyrie, and he didn’t perform well. Hours before the game, he posted on Instagram that he had shaved the Afro away to his more traditional look.

Kyrie has really struggled this season to get going, and it must have been really frustrating for him. To finally shake (er, rather, shave) the monkey off of his back and have a solid game must feel great, and hopefully he can continue with that.

His shot chart looked better too, as you can observe for yourself down below. The most encouraging thing that we saw from Kyrie last night is he had his step back. Check out the video I attached that’s blowing up #NBATwitter.

Kyrie Irving’s shot chart 10/30/2018 Vs Detriot. Courtesy of basketballreference.com

What’s going on with Kyrie?

Kyrie’s game has always been his ability to score at the basket, and then come back down the court and knock down a pull up three. He’s always been an offensive weapon more than anything else.

Yesterday, he struggled in his usual game, the mid range. As you can see, he missed everything from the high post. Still, despite that, Kyrie looked smooth on the court. We’ve wanted to see that for a while now, where Kyrie can just settle into his game. He did so, and in a beautiful fashion.

Another crazy stat: Kyrie scored the same amount of points alone in the third quarter than the entire Pistons team scored (13). This speaks volumes on the defense that the Celtics are capable of playing.

Seeing Kyrie shoot 10 of 16 from the floor (4 of 7 from behind the line) is extremely encouraging as a Celtics fan. With his struggles from the floor all season, we all love that he has gotten back into things with a special game in a crunch-time moment.

The Celtics have had an answer for Blake Griffin

Photo courtesty @celticsblog

When the Celtics beat the Pistons on Saturday Night, 109-89, they held Blake Griffin to just 7 points. Not so much the case in this game, as Griffin led his team with a bruising 24 points and 15 rebounds.

Griffin had been pretty effective from beyond the three point line so far this year before his couple of games against the Celtics. Going into last nights game, he was 15 of 27 on the season from that range, getting basically any shot he wanted.

Griffin had never been that kind of a player, until last year, when he started taking more three’s. He still wasn’t a great three point shooter, but apparently it’s something he’s working very diligently at adding to his arsenal. This season, he’s been shooting lights out.

Part of the equation for Blake so far this year is no one has known how to defend him.  They can’t cover him like an above ground pool cover pump. He’s hitting three’s and driving to the basket. If you try to defend his three point shot, he drives around you to get the uncontested lay-up. What do you do as a defender?

The Celtics switched to Zone Defense.

The Celtics spent a lot of their time last night in a 3-2 zone. They know that Detroit really doesn’t have any serious perimeter shooting threats, and decided that they could place their four and five defending the low post. Because Jaylen Brown is an over-sized guard who can play forward, he could contest Griffin on any three he might try to take. If Griffin tried to drive around him, he would run into Jayson Tatum or Al Horford on the low post.

The Celtics are the first team so far this year who had an answer for Griffin, and held him to his two lowest point totals this season. In Griffin’s 3rd quarter shift, Detroit was -15 on the floor.  It’s truly special that Boston held him to 31 points in two games.

 Aron Baynes is a better player this year

Photo courtesy of @BostonSportsBSJ

We really weren’t sure what to expect from Aron Baynes this season. Last season, he was certainly a valuable defender, but I certainly didn’t expect to see the offensive output that Baynes has added to the bench.

To put into perspective, Baynes averaged 6 points per game last season. He was a board guy, took a three once every 3 games, and only hit 14.3% from that range.

This season, he’s hitting 40% from that range, and is averaging 8 points per game. I don’t think there is a game he hasn’t hit a 3 point shot in yet this season. He’s on fire from deep.

Baynes has been missed the last couple of games as he dealt with a hamstring injury. When Daniel Theis went down injured, Baynes was brought back to the active roster.

What a welcome addition, too. He scored 9 last night, 2nd most off the bench, and grabbed 5 boards, shooting 3 of 5 from the floor. Good to have you back on the court, Aron.

Overall…

Despite this ball game being a good bit closer than any of us wanted to see, the Celtics got the win, extended their win streak to 3, and get ready for an All Saints Day match-up with the Milwaukee Bucks on TNT, Thursday, November 1st. It should be a good one folks. Stay tuned.

Why Marcus Morris is Starting the Season Hotter Than Ever

Leave a reply

In the Boston Sports Extra Podcast – Celtics Edition, we always sign out the show with a hot take. It’s one of our favorite parts of the show. We get to make an off the wall prediction that, at the time, sounds crazy. Without that segment, I think our Celtics Edition episodes would not ever be complete.

A few episodes back, Travis and I both predicted that a Boston Celtics bench player would win 6th Man of the Year, but we both had two different players winning the award. He believes Terry Rozier has a fantastic chance, which is completely understandable. Rozier is the rising star on this bench, who seems to be getting better every night he steps out onto the court. He’s one hell of a scorer, and comes up with some crazy good defense despite his small frame.

I predicted Marcus Morris.

Travis must have thought I was crazy. Y’all probably did too. Marcus Morris is 29 years old this year, being thrust into a bench role for really the first time in his NBA career. Normally, being moved from starter to bench would be demoralizing to a player. After all, he’s started games everywhere he has went.

However, as a Boston Celtic, it’s a little bit different. Morris has responded with a resounding yes, becoming a better bench player then anyone could have anticipated him becoming.

How did Morris come to respond to this “adversity” so positively?

Understand that it wasn’t really a demotion

But was this really a demotion to the bench? Was this really adversity that Marcus Morris was dealing with?

Not exactly.

When Morris was traded to Boston last season, for Avery Bradley, Morris knew he was entering a situation where probably wouldn’t be starting. Hell, the Celtics already had a powerful forward lineup. Jaylen Brown was still considered a small forward, they had just signed Gordon Hayward and drafted Jayson Tatum. When Hayward went down in the opening game, Boston had to readjust their roster a good bit to make the rotations work. Morris benefited from the extra minutes.

He ended up appearing in 54 games, starting 21 of them, while averaging 26.8 minutes per game.

Now that Gordon Hayward has returned, Morris has taken more of a back seat, and he’s been more then willing to do so. Being on a team worthy of winning a championship will do that to people.

What skills has Marcus Morris brought to Boston?

Let’s face the facts. Morris is good enough to be a starter almost anywhere else across the league. He has a nasty three point shot, and brings good intensity and leadership on defense. Morris isn’t a little guy either, being every bit of 6’9″ and 235 pounds.

It seems that every time the opposition starts a good run and gains momentum, Morris comes down the court on a pull-up three and sinks it through the bottom of the net. He’s cold all the time, never letting the heat of the situation effect his play.

The even crazier fact? Morris is averaging slightly more points per game then Kyrie Irving is this season. Morris is banging home 14.3 points per game, along with his 7.2 rebounds and filthy 48.1% from behind the three point line through the first six games of the season. Best stat – he’s playing just 24.5 minutes per game, several minutes against other teams starters while playing extra minutes for Gordon Hayward.

What went off for Marcus Morris?

Remember how I mentioned above that the fact of the matter is Marcus Morris could go start almost anywhere else in the league? Let’s re-enforce this fact for a minute.

Would you start him in Houston with the Rockets? Carmelo Anthony and James Ennis is starting there right now at the forward spots.

What about with the Philadelphia 76ers? Robert Covington and Dario Saric start over there right now.

The Los Angeles Lakers? LeBron James and Brandon Ingram are starting there right now.

I don’t know about y’all, but I would start Marcus Morris over all of those guys… Except for LeBron, of course. Point is that Morris really could go start anywhere else in the league, even for championship-caliber rosters.

I’m fairly certain that Morris knows this himself. When he comes off of the bench, he’s taking on bench talent. Not everyone in the NBA has a loaded bench like Boston does, y’all. I know that’s hard to remember.

So when Morris comes off of the bench, he’s the best forward on the court. It allows him to dominate at a level that he never has before. That’s why this season is starting so hot for Morris.

What to expect the rest of the season

My expectations say that you shouldn’t expect him to slow down. Once Gordon Hayward get’s back to his thirty minutes per game, Morris won’t be playing hardly any time against opposing teams starters. Possibly, just maybe, Morris will produce even more in that role.

If I were Morris, I would be very excited about my role with this team. Morris is the difference maker on this team this season, and relies on him more then people realize. The team will rise and fall with him.

That’s the true definition of a 6th Man in the NBA.

.

Celtics / Magic Preview

Leave a reply

Celtics / Magic Preview

B

PROBABLE STARTERS: 

  • Celtics: Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward, Al Horford
  • Magic: DJ Augustin, Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isacc, Nikola Vucevic

Both teams are coming off contested matches on Saturday. The Celtics (2-1) over the Knicks, 103-101. On the other hand, the Magic (1-2) lost by 1 point to the 76ers.

The Celtics have failed to exceed 40% shooting from the field, other than opening night when they shot just 43% against the 76ers.

KEY MATCHUP:

Vucevic / Horford

This game will feature two very talented big men. Vucevic had himself a night against the 76ers, finishing with 27 points (66.7%, 4/4 3PT), 14 rebounds and 12 assists.

Vucevic did a little bit of everything against the 76ers, from rebounding, playmaking and knocking shots down. He always plays well against the Celtics, so Al will have his hands full.

Horford finished the Knicks game with 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists.

PLAYER TO WATCH: 

Kyrie Irving (Again)

Fine, I’ll say it. Kyrie has been horrible to start the season, and we are at game 4. He will break out of this slump, sooner rather than later.

Wanna see how bad Kyrie has been? Through 4 games:

14.7 PPG, 6.0 APG, 3.0 RPG, on 34.0% from the field, 14.3 3PT%.

Not GREAT. But last season, Kyrie had a similar start. Also, let’s not forget he is coming off an injury.

INJURY REPORT: 

Gordon Hayward Pleases Boston Faithful in Return

Leave a reply

Gordon Hayward returned to the court for the first time during a regular season, against the Philadelphia 76ers, since his ankle injury in the opening game of the 2017-18 season against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Almost a full year has passed since the last time Gordon Hayward had played a regular season or post season game.

Hayward played just 25 minutes, scoring 10 points, collecting 5 rebounds and gathering 4 steals. Hayward’s real impact on the game was his defense, as he currently leads the league with a defensive rating of 74. His defense came up huge at several points of the game and pushed Boston ahead to the 105-87 victory.

Even though the stat sheet isn’t the most enthralling, we are very pleased with the performance Gordon Hayward put forward. Here are the good things we liked.

The Confidence Came Back

Hayward started slowly and cautiously when the game began, definitely holding back and being very careful with his ankle. That’s to be expected, a player doesn’t want to suffer the same horrid injury twice. However, as the game progressed, you saw the confidence coming back and the extra hop to his step. Hayward came alive and it was fantastic.

Confidence is what we really want to see from Hayward. He needs to be comfortable on his ankle top take his game to the next level. We know how good he actually is, now we want to see him get back to the player we saw for years playing in Utah.

His Defense is Still Great

Embed from Getty Images

As mentioned earlier, Gordon played his mind out on defense. He had 4 steals and shut down the people he faced against. To put into perspective, Robert Covington started at small forward against him. Covington finished the game at -11 on the field. Ouch. Covington shot 3 of 10 and scored 8 points. Hayward took on Ben Simmons at points of the game and looked solid. He played great defense.

Defense is what head coach Brad Stevens has hung his hat upon for years. Now, his star player, not even at 100% yet, is playing tough defense. That’s extremely bright for our man.

He Got Better as the Game Progressed

Hayward started slow, notching his first couple of steals earlier in the day, but being very limited offensively. As the game progressed, his offense ramped up and he finished his night with a bullet three point shot. He was shaking off the rust throughout the game, and that is encouraging.

The final thought on this from us here at Boston Sports Extra: Hayward is getting better, and within the next few weeks his minute restriction should be lifted. It’s a great time to be a Boston Celtics fan!

Rozier Celtics

Terry Rozier Situation Breakdown

Leave a reply

Trade rumors continue to surround Terry Rozier. The 24-year-old will become a restricted free agent come the end of the season. This means Rozier can agree to an offer sheet with any team, but the Celtics can retain him by matching the terms.

Unfortunately, there are two major issues complicating the situation.

Salary Cap

The Celtics are already over both the salary cap and luxury tax threshold. Signing Rozier would push Boston further over the threshold, restricting the Celtics from signing any outside players this offseason, or in the near future.

This forces Boston to replace any impending free agents, like Marcus Morris, with veteran minimum players.

Playing Time

Rozier Celtics

Terry Rozier #12 of the Boston Celtics celebrates with Marcus Smart #36 after the 112-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

It is well documented that Boston has a log jam in their backcourt. Kyrie Irving is the clear-cut starter, while Rozier and Marcus Smart are featured off the bench. Although this is a great scenario for the championship contending Celtics, it is a less advantageous spot for Rozier.

During Irving’s absence in 2017-18, Rozier started 19 playoff games, averaging 16.5 points, 5.7 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 36.6 minutes. His six 20-point games and one double-double helped the Celtics reach game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals.

With the Phoenix Suns reportedly interested in acquiring the point-guard, it is clear he is viewed as starting caliber in the NBA.

 

The Celtics options regarding Rozier’s future are as follows:

Contract Extension (Not Currently Viable)

The October 15th contract extension deadline has passed, meaning Rozier and the Celtics were unable to agree on an extension. “Scary Terry” reportedly rejected a $12 million offer from the Celtics. If the two parties are to come to a contract agreement, it will be during the free agency period.

Match Offer Sheet

One option for the Celtics will be to match the terms of another team’s offer sheet. This means that if the Phoenix Suns were to offer Rozier a $20 million contract, the Celtics would have two days to either match it or refuse. If the Celtics were to refuse, there would be no required compensation for Phoenix, and Rozier would walk. If Boston were to match the offer, their salary situation would become a farce, as Boston would be forced to pay a hefty luxury tax.

Assuming Irving signs with Boston for the max, and Al Horford accepts his player option, the Celtics will have three players making more than $30 million each next season. Including Marcus Smart’s new four-year contract and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s team options, the Celtics will have about $120 million tied up in just six players. If the Celtics match an offer sheet for Rozier, they will be forced to pay significantly.

Trade

Rozier Celtics

Terry Rozier has drawn interest from the Phoenix Suns according to reports. (Photo from ClutchPoints.com)

Another option for Boston is to trade. The point guard and his $3 million contract have drawn interest from the Phoenix Suns, who allegedly made the Celtics an offer before signing free agent Jamal Crawford to a one-year veteran minimum contract.

If the Celtics do not think they can retain Rozier, the best decision would be to trade him before the February 7th trade deadline. For Boston, trading means avoiding a hefty luxury tax next season, at the cost of losing a sixth man of the year candidate. If the Celtics move Rozier, another guard will receive significant minutes. Candidates include Marcus Smart (who already receives significant minutes), Brad Wanamaker, or a new acquisition.

Celtics are in the driver’s seat

“Scary Terry’s” future in Boston is uncertain, although the Celtics are still in control. If they are willing to pay the luxury tax, Boston will be able to sign or retain Rozier. Alternatively, they can trade Rozier in order to accumulate future assets.

Ultimately, the Celtics are trying to build a dynasty, so going over the luxury tax may be worth the risk.

I’m Concerned About the Gordon Hayward Injury – You Should Be Too

Leave a reply

Gordon Hayward is supposed to return to the Boston Celtics this season after missing all but five minutes of last season with a broken ankle. The former Utah Jazz star is expected to be a major part of this offense as the number two scoring option on the court.

Hayward appeared in three of the team’s four preseason games, playing 59 minutes and scoring just 21 points. He shot .250 from the floor, and .100 from deep. Now, reports have surfaced that he is dealing with a back issue, some “minor” pain in his back.

As much as some Celtics fans want to downplay this, this is an important issue that is concerning. Come on, John, you guys must be saying. You’ve been saying it’s just the preseason! Just relax!

While the stats don’t cause my concern, they help prove my concerns are legitimate. Here is why I am concerned about Gordon Hayward’s back injury, and why you should be too.

Gordon Hayward’s ankle injury

Embed from Getty Images

I’m certainly not trying to sound like a broken record, but this ankle injury Hayward suffered last season was absolutely brutal. Not only was his ankle broken, the muscles were twisted, snapped and contorted. Gordon Hayward didn’t walk for two months after the injury.

When an individual suffers an injury to that extent, they have to learn to walk again. Hayward had to retrain himself to walk, run, jump and shoot a basketball. The injury forced him to restart his career, and that’s the reality of the situation.

Confidence is critical

Embed from Getty Images

Confidence is indeed very crucial. It’s hard for a player to perform at the same level he did before when he is worried about how one of his legs will hold up. It’s not out of the ordinary to say that Gordon is worried about his ankle. You see him when he takes a shot. He doesn’t go up and command the shot like we are used to seeing him do. He looks timid and frightened.

If my ankle had busted the way it did less than a year ago, I would be too! Don’t think I am ragging the man, it’s natural to feel that way. However, the reality of this is that he won’t be a star if his confidence isn’t there. He will end up being an odd man out that Boston is overpaying.

He needs to feel comfortable on his ankle and have some confidence in it holding up before he can return to top form. I can almost promise you that his ankle doesn’t feel like he remembers. That’s because it is different, it’s completely rebuilt.

How does the back pain factor in?

Embed from Getty Images

Ah, yes. The back pain.

Have you ever played basketball for a few hours without stopping? If you have, you probably remember that it was fun until you drove home, plopped down on the couch and watched a movie or read a book, then tried to stand back up. Your legs become very sore. In your ankles probably, your calves for sure. Your legs might somewhat resemble jello.

Did your back ever hurt?

When players suffer back pain, there’s normally a reason for it. Maybe he fell on his back during a practice or a game and needs to get his spine realigned a little. Maybe he pulled a muscle and was just sore.

Or maybe something is wrong with his ankle.

Doctors perform these type of surgeries all of the time. However, you don’t really know how well the procedure went until it’s over and the patient is walking. Did something go wrong? Is his ankle not feeling right?

Any foot issues that an individual deals with usually affects the individual’s back. If someone is experiencing back pain, a doctor normally prescribes foot inserts for their feet. The way we walk, stand, run, jump and move on our feet impact the health of our back.

If something isn’t right in his ankle, it would explain why he is experiencing back pain.

Final Thoughts

I’m not saying that this speculation is fact, it could just be that Gordon Hayward has pulled a back muscle or maybe he just fell victim to a bad fall on his back in practice. I think people trying to downplay this as nothing aren’t looking into the situation enough. We all want Hayward to be healthy. So far, he has been everything but with the Celtics.

Teams like to downplay injuries all of the time, and it very well could be what the Celtics are doing. I am concerned, and you should be too.

Davis Celtics

Anthony Davis to Celtics is Inevitable

Leave a reply

The future of Anthony Davis is uncertain. He is currently under contract with the New Orleans Pelicans through the 2019-20 season with a player option for 2020-21. In six seasons with New Orleans, Davis has made two playoff appearances compared to the Celtics’ five.

With the departure of DeMarcus Cousins, Davis is not expected to exercise his player option. Rather, he will be traded prior to the 2019-20 trade deadline or will enter free agency prior to 2020-21.

Unfortunately due to stipulations around the “Rose Rule”, trading for Davis may be difficult.

That said, let’s look at why Anthony Davis to the Boston Celtics is inevitable.

Celtics as a Trade Partner

The Celtics have more assets than they can handle. General manager and president of basketball operations, Danny Ainge, has been compiling resources since 2013. Boston currently owns four first-round picks in the 2019 draft: Boston’s own, Sacramento’s (Top 1 protected), Memphis’ (protected 1-8 in ’19; 1-6 in ’20 and unprotected in ’21) and the Clippers (protected Top 14 in ’19 and ’20). If Ainge trades for Davis, a combination of picks will surely be exchanged.

Embed from Getty Images

Due to Davis’ contract, players must also be traded to ensure teams are salary cap compliant. This means that Al Horford ($29M), Gordon Hayward ($20M), or Marcus Smart ($11M) must be included in the deal. Other trade chips for Boston include Terry Rozier, who is a restricted free agent at seasons end, and Jaylen Brown, who has a club option for 2019-20.

The Celtics must be favorited to land Davis if New Orleans is to trade the superstar.

Boston as a Free Agent Destination

If Davis wants to win an NBA Championship, then Boston will be his destination.

He will likely enter free agency prior to the 2020-21 season. Boston will have ample money to sign Davis, as Al Horford and Marcus Morris will be off-the-books. Joining the Celtics would mean many things for the former first overall draft pick.

Davis Celtics

Smiling Jayson Tatum, right, and Jaylen Brown, seem to feel right at home during Celtics mini-camp, Friday, June 30, 2017, in Waltham. (Herald Photo by Jim Michaud)

Led by head coach Brad Stevens, the Celtics posses a young core destined for multiple deep playoff runs. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown look as promising of a duo as Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter. Them, along with Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, can allow Davis to reduce his field goal attempts, making him a more efficient scorer and willing passer.

According to Bovada Official, on September 28, 2018, the Lakers were favorites to land Davis in free agency. Though, by joining the Celtics, Davis will become the top title contender in his conference. Something he cannot do in the West while the Golden State Warriors dynasty remains in-tact.

Expect to see Davis in Celtic green soon.

Is Now a Time to Panic about the Celtics?

Leave a reply

The Boston Celtics have limped through the 2018 preseason thus far, starting 1-3 with a loss to the Charlotte Hornets and two losses to the LeBron-less Cleveland Cavaliers. Some Celtics fans are in panic. It is the preseason, but some of the losses haven’t been close! Is it time to start worrying about the Celtics season?

What the Preseason is

Embed from Getty Images

The preseason is simply what the word says it is. It’s the Preseason. The games before the season starts when rosters are fixing to trim down to fifteen players, when the kinks are being worked out and the chemistry put together as the players learn how to utilize each other among the new additions. The preseason isn’t designed to be very much more then that.

Boston had prepared for a new player last season, Gordon Hayward, and he lasted all of five minutes before going down with an awful ankle injury. Because of that, Hayward is really a new player on this roster. None of the guys have spent much time on the court with him, and he is rehabbing an injury.

What are the issues so far?

Embed from Getty Images

That being said, the Celtics have shown potential issues so far on the court. Hayward doesn’t look fully confident in his ankle yet. Sometimes when he goes up for a shot, he almost expects to come down tweaking something. That’s natural. His ankle was literally bent out of place when he went down with an injury. Without confidence, shooting percentage will go down.

With Hayward not playing confident yet, he almost seems to be out of place on this squad. This team is incredibly confident and poised to make a deep playoff run, and definitely seem to be looking at a championship run.

Brad Stevens seems to know this, and is pushing more minutes on him to get him more comfortable on the court. Confidence is contagious, and there really is no reason to believe why Hayward won’t get back to mid-season form.

The positives this squad is showing

Embed from Getty Images

Where to begin? I know some people are looking at the Celtics record right now, and it’s not pretty. Again, it’s preseason. Players are “sleepwalking” through the games, trying to avoid serious injuries and prepare for the season grind coming up.

Kyrie Irving looks healthy. It’s the first time I have ever written that in my short time doing basketball coverage, and it feels good to say. He says he’s not in pain for the first time since before he came to Boston. He has been very explosive going to the basket.

Marcus Morris looks primed to have a career year off of the bench. He’s been a beast so far, hitting a lot of threes so far in limited time this preseason. Jayson Tatum looks ready to take the next step in his progression. Jaylen Brown has led the team in scoring almost every night so far. That’s not mentioning Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier, who have been good too. Everyone is hitting all of the boxes we wanted to see, and the Celtics look really good.

Is it time to panic?

Some people pay too much attention to statistics and not enough attention to what’s going on downstairs on the hardwood. The Celtics look really good. They’re not playing 100% right now because there is no reason too. Nobody in NBA circles are fooled, though, and will be bringing their A-Game every time they step out on the court against these guys.

No, Celtics Nation. Now is not the time to panic. It’s preseason. The scoreboard is almost meaningless in preseason, and it shows no indication of the upcoming season. If the preseason had mattered last year, Boston would have been favored to play the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals. The year before, it would have been the Atlanta Hawks and the Golden State Warriors.

One more thing: The Cavaliers went 1-4 last preseason, the Golden State Warriors went 2-2. Preseason records mean nothing.

Don’t panic guys. This team is going to be great.

Celtics

Greatest Celtics to Never Win a Championship

Leave a reply

The Boston Celtics have a league high 17 NBA Championships. The franchise is represented by champions like Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, John Havlicek and many more. Despite the abundance of champions, there are many great Celtics who never won in Boston. The following players deserve to be recognized despite their lack of hardware.

Reggie Lewis

Lewis was selected by the Celtics with the 22nd pick in the first round of the 1987 NBA draft. In Lewis, Boston added a young scorer to their aging core of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. In his rookie season under coach K.C. Jones, Lewis would average just over eight minutes per game. The Celtics finished the season with a 57-25 record. They eventually lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Detroit Pistons.

On July 27, 1993, Lewis would suffer sudden cardiac death at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He was just 27-years-old. (Photo via Pintrest)

Things would change dramatically for Lewis in year two. An injury to Larry Bird and the addition of new head coach Jimmy Rodgers allowed Lewis to see a major increase in playing time. As a 23-year-old, Lewis played about 33 minutes per game while averaging 18.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists.

The Celtics would struggle without Bird, posting a 42-40 record in the regular season. The Detroit Pistons would eventually sweep Boston in the first round of the playoffs.

In years three and four, Lewis would continue being an integral secondary scorer. He averaged a combined 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists across 34 minutes per game during said span.

Lewis Breaks Out

His major breakout would come during the 1991-92 NBA season. Lewis played a team high 37.4 minutes per game due (yet again) to injuries to Bird and McHale. With the increased opportunity, Lewis would average 20.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He would also make his first All-Star team that season. In ten postseason games, Lewis would average an incredible 28.0 points per game. The Celtics eventually lost in the Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

1992-93 would be Lewis’ last season in the NBA. With Bird retired, Lewis was the primary scorer in Boston. In 39 minutes per game, Lewis averaged 20.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists. The Celtics would finish with a 48-34 record, good enough for second in the Atlantic Division. Lewis played 13-minutes of the Celtics first playoff game before collapsing to the floor and being taken to the hospital. Without Lewis, the Celtics lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Charlotte Hornets in four games.

On July 27, 1993, Lewis suffered sudden cardiac death at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He was just 27-years-old. His number 35 jersey is retired in Boston, making him one of two Celtics players (Ed Macauley #22) to have their numbers retired without winning an NBA Championship.

Antoine Walker

Although Walker did win an NBA Championship, he failed to do so in Boston.

He was selected with the sixth pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Celtics and made an immediate impact. At 20-years-old, Walker averaged 17.5 points and nine rebounds and was voted to the 1996-97 All-Rookie first-team. The Celtics won 15 games and were rewarded with the third pick in the NBA draft (Chauncey Billups was later selected).

In year two, Walker started all 82-games. He averaged 22.4 points and 10.2 rebounds across 39 minutes per game, while making his first All-Star team. The Celtics improved their record to 36-46, and would receive the tenth overall selection in the 1998 NBA draft (Paul Pierce was later selected).

Fast forward to 2001-02, Walker averaged 22.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists across 42 minutes per game. Alongside Pierce, Walker led the Celtics to the playoffs for the first time in his career. In 16 playoff games, Walker averaged 22.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists. The Celtics made a deep run into the playoffs, but eventually lost to the New Jersey Nets in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Close But No Cigar

Walker and the Celtics returned yet again to the playoffs in 2002-03. In what would be Walker’s final season as an All-Star, he averaged 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists. The Celtics would once again fall short to New Jersey, though in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

On October 20, 2003, Walker was traded by Boston to the Dallas Mavericks for Raef LaFrentz, Chris Mills, Jiri Welsch and a 2004 first-round draft pick (Delonte West was later selected). In February of 2005, Walker was traded by the Atlanta Hawks back to the Celtics for Tom Gugliotta, Gary Payton, Michael Stewart and a 2006 first-round draft pick (Rajon Rondo was later selected). In August of 2005, Walker was included in a five-team deal sending him to the Miami Heat. Walker would win a Championship in his first season with the Heat, although he will always be remembered as a Celtic.

Isaiah Thomas

Thomas was the final selection in the 2011 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. He would spend three seasons in Sacramento, averaging 15.3 points and 4.8 assists across 29.1 minutes per game. In 2014, the Kings traded Thomas to the Phoenix Suns for Alex Oriakhi and a trade exception. Thomas started one of his 46 games in Phoenix, averaging 15.2 points and 3.7 assists in 25.7 minutes per game. Half way through the season, the Suns parted ways with Thomas.

On February 19, 2015, the Celtics would acquire Thomas in a three-team deal including Tayshaun Prince, Marcus Thornton and a future first round draft pick (Skal Labissiere was later selected). Thomas averaged 19.0 points and 5.4 assists in 26 minutes per game in the final 21 games of the season. The Celtics would eventually be swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs.

Thomas’ first All-Star campaign came during the 2015-16 season. He averaged 22.2 points and 6.2 assists across 32.2 minutes per game. The Celtics would lose in the first round of the playoffs again, although this time forcing the Atlanta Hawks to six games.

The 5-foot-9 guard broke out during the 2016-17 NBA season. He averaged a career high 28.9 points and became the sixth Celtic ever to score 2,000 points in a single season. Thomas lead the Celtics to their third consecutive playoff appearance.

Tragedy Strikes and Thomas Overcomes with Valiant Effort

During the first round of the 2016-17 playoffs, Thomas tragically lost his sister in a car accident. In a heroic effort, Thomas would score 53 points – the second highest in Celtics playoff history – on what would have been his sister’s 23rd birthday. Thomas’ performances during these playoffs will never be forgotten.

The magical playoff run would inevitably come to an end against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite the lack of a championship, Thomas has indefinitely left his mark on the franchise.

On August 22, 2017, Thomas would be traded along with Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets’ unprotected 2018 first-round draft pick (Collin Sexton was later selected) in exchange for Kyrie Irving. The move was shocking, although it was clearly the best decision for Boston moving forward.

Since leaving Boston, Thomas has bounced around the NBA, landing in Cleveland, Los Angeles and now Denver. As Celtics fans, we must wish Thomas the best of luck. Without him, this rebuild process would not have been possible.