Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

Danny Ainge signing Marcus Smart last year to a 4-year-$52 million contract was criticized by a few as a mistake - meaning too much money, and too many years for a player with limited offensive skills. That thinking may be changing right now. “Nah.” - Marcus Smart pic.twitter.com/3Iretg9WMK — Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 30, 2019 Marcus seems to get everybody's respect when it comes to his ferocious defense and never taking a play off. Well, after four games this season, that defense appears to have improved even more, and his offense has come around remarkably. Starting in the 2015-16 season his field goal percentage has steadily improved from 34.8% to 42.2% (last season). Same with his 3-point shooting, going from 25.3% in 2015-16 to 36.4% last season. Marcus Smart threes are a rollercoaster but don't question it just believe pic.twitter.com/yuIBgKzQ0c — Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) October 31, 2019 Both Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward are signed this seas...

After trailing the Milwaukee Bucks by 19 points (40-21) at the 10:00 point in the second quarter, the Boston Celtics went on a run in the third period to take the game - final score of 116-105. Tatum on the chest-bump he got from Hayward after this fast-break jam: "G’s normally a laid-back guy. So to get him fired up makes everybody feel good.” pic.twitter.com/sAJjBgtY89 — Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) October 31, 2019 The starters for Boston were Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, Daniel Theis, Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward, and that quintet accounted for 108 points of Boston's 116-point total in the contest. Jaylen Brown sat out this one due to illness. Dear Brad Stevens, Know you don't believe in captains. Totally get it. Everybody should take some ownership in leadership responsibilities. Give Marcus Smart the C. Kid gets it, he's signed long-term, got better after cashing in, everyone loves him. Please and thank you! Adam — Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) Octob...

Kawhi Leonard's return to Los Angeles with the Clippers may open the door to solving the murder of his father almost 12 years ago. As a retired Police Lieutenant/Investigator, I realize all too well that in this type of case, there are people walking the streets that know exactly what happened on January 18, 2008. The popularity and public exposure of the Los Angeles Clippers and the front office of Doc Rivers, Lawrence Frank and Jerry West - and Kawhi himself - may just bring this case to a conclusion ( per NBA's Shaun Powell ): Mark Leonard was from the South Side of Chicago and raised and lived most of his entire adult life in and around Compton, and people with that geographical bloodline usually carry a gene for detecting danger. His sixth sense did not betray him this day; indeed, the man reached for a handgun under his shirt and aimed. The first shot sent Leonard stumbling and the employees scattering. He told his wife to run and pushed her toward the office. She did...

Celtics fans are locked and loaded.  We had a nice win at home against Toronto and then we smashed a hapless NY Knicks team for our second win of the year. The NBA Championship is not decided in game 4 of the regular season but my guess is that Celtic fans will be ripping the roof off the Garden tonight.  This game will tell us where we stand.  And we all know it. Let's look at what we need to do to beat the Bucks: 1. Stop Giannis.  How are we gonna do that?  The man is a beast.  But what Milwaukee doesnt know yet is that we have a surprise in store for the reigning MVP. My sources tell me that Grant Williams will be heavily involved in the defensive gameplan against Milwaukee. He will see a lot of time guarding Giannis. #celtics #GreenTeam — Jimmy in NH (@JimmyMac257) October 29, 2019 That's right.  Our new rookie strongman Grant Williams is going to get his chance to show people how it is done.  Stay in front of the Greak Freak.  M...

If you are thinking my piece on Kyrie Irving and the Nets is a total Kyrie-bashing, read elsewhere. As I have previously written, I am a bit like him, and the blame for the Celtics disappointing 2018-19 season is shared by many within the organization. Any player that leaves the Boston Celtics of their own volition will be scourged by fans for decades. But the rumblings surrounding Irving in Brookline have already started according to ESPN's Jackie MacMullan , and frankly, I am not surprised. It all started this past summer (per Jackie Mac): THE NETS WERE delighted when their new power trio (Irving, Kevin Durant, DeAndre Jordan) organized summer workouts for the team at a Los Angeles middle school in July and August. The aim was to develop chemistry and learn each other's tendencies on the court. It was going swimmingly until Brooklyn dispatched its performance team to Santa Monica for an annual two-day minicamp with the players, which involved, among other things, gathering ...

Both Zion Williamson and R. J. Barrett attended the 2017 Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Barrett, the future #3-overall pick by the Knicks, dominated the Classic while Williamson had to sit out the competition with a deep foot bruise. Barrett's Montverde team won the tournament with a 70-42 victory over Long Island Lutheran. He poured in 27 points, grabbed 10 boards and passed off for seven assists - finally winning the Tournament MVP Award. Zion was not able to take the floor. The same story is playing out in the 2019-20 NBA season. In four games thus far, R. J. is averaging 20.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.3 APG and 2.0 SPG for the New York Knicks- all while hitting 50% on field goals and 47% on treys. Zion, meanwhile is out of action after meniscus surgery on his injured knee, and he is not expected back until December. He was the #1-overall pick by the Pelicans in the 2019 draft. Despite his unworldly physique, Zion carries roughly 300 pounds and can sky like few ...

Take it from me, one who hardly ever changes clothing styles. I merely wait for my attire to come back into vogue - or not. The Boston Celtics generally have taken the same path with their choice of team jerseys - they don't change the style very often. But I agree with Keith Smith, if these are for real, they have to go. Apparently the new Celtics “City” uniforms leaked. If true, burn these immediately and cancel the days they were supposed to be worn. These are awful. pic.twitter.com/UAykbilHPo — Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 28, 2019 Below are some Celtics jerseys over the years via JerseyMuseum.com. Hell, even the grey alternate jersey was okay. These new ones are not. Sometimes you can just try too hard to achieve change. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If the leakage of these new versions of attire are for real, I have to state that I hate them. Give us your views in my Twitter poll or comment section. @KeithSmithNBA wants the new Celtics alternat...

"Savvy" was not a term used when discussing Rob Williams' basketball IQ last season. Despite the length and athleticism, he often looked confused out on the floor. That is changing. In his rookie season, he only played in 32 games and averaged 8.8 minutes per game. He has played in all three regular season games thus far this season - averaging 15.7 minutes per contest. Great set play by Brad Stevens. RobWill gets the ball at the High Post (as if BOS was running Corner Offense) then quickly pivots & goes the other way for a "Chicago concept" (screen+DHO) with a Spain/Backscreen on MitchRob. Great design + execution. pic.twitter.com/czwSp0bmaz — NBEinstein (US) (@NBEinstein) October 27, 2019 This play set up by Brad Stevens, and broken down by @NBEinstein, is a classic representation of Brad's smarts and Rob's progression. The precise use of screens and back-screen work perfectly, allowing Gordon Hayward an almost-clear path to the hoop for the sco...

Celtics boss, Danny Ainge , has on occasion been labeled as somewhat heartless . Even his buddy, Kevin McHale, called him "one cold-blooded character" . Trading stars Antoine Walker, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Isaiah Thomas may have brought some of that thinking about. And he did let Leon Powe (pronounced POE) walk away in free agency after Leon suffered a severe ACL tear . But there is more to the tale.  Think Celtics boss, Danny Ainge is heartless? Read about what he has done for Leon Powe in my upcoming article. Here's his performance in the 2008 Championship series versus the Lakers. [HD] Leon Powe 21 points vs Lakers [2008 Finals G2] https://t.co/408e2O5HBd via @YouTube — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) October 27, 2019 Leon was the 49th overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft by Boston. He was primarily a back-up, but he exploded for 21 points in 15 minutes in Game 2 of the 2008 NBA Finals . Lakers coach Phil Jackson was so upset at losing that game, he went out ...

Celtics sophomore center, Rob Williams, is learning the NBA game. He has improved his defensive stance - battles for rebounds - and sets some hard screens for his teammates. And his passing skills have improved significantly. Williams' timing and elevation on his blocks may never match what Bill Russell could do, but Rob is learning how to block shots while keeping them in play. He still fouls too much, like most youngsters, and he needs more work on his foul shooting, but this kid can be the starting center by the latter part of this season. . @rob_williamsIII filled up boxscore last night with 4 points, 7 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals and one block. Really solid start to the season for him. Aside from rolling to the basket and staying active on defense, he's been also setting some good hard screens. Full highlights: pic.twitter.com/6oS31YELj4 — Tomek Kordylewski (@Timi_093) October 27, 2019 Rob got the starting nod against the New York Knicks and came through. He was ori...

I gotta keep the readers hungry for more! Celtics blog writing is heating up hot and heavy. There is SO much interest in the team, and rightfully so. The Celts have gotten off to a good start and there are a handful of players that fans are excited about, perhaps none more than GRANT WILLIAMS. And this is why Celtics fans are the best! Here are Grant's stats through 3 games (avg/game): Points: 3.7 Rebounds: 3 Assists: 1.7 Steals 1.3 Blocks: .7 I expected them to be much much higher. Obviously, these numbers are short of outstanding. Yet search the chats section of Celtics blogs online and you will find comment after comment about how people LOVE Grant Williams' game. This dude is a player! He is freakishly strong and holds his spot on the court extremely well. He looks a bit undersized but man this dude pulls down rebounds in traffic like a champ. He sets a mean pick and he knows where to go to space the floor and get open. Celtics fans know the game of ba...

It's no wonder the Washington Wizards signed Former Celtic, Isaiah Thomas, to a contract this season. He literally destroyed them in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Semi Finals. They could not stop the diminutive point guard as he scored 53 points from all over the court in a variety of ways. Here's a flashback to Isaiah Thomas' 53-point explosion against the Wizards in the 2017 playoffs. No wonder Washington signed him this season. https://t.co/vRUDOAg59I via @YouTube — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) October 27, 2019 Isaiah has not played much since then. He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Kyrie Irving deal and has bounced around the League with various teams, and dealt with assorted injuries, since that epic performance. But he is back, making his Wizards debut in a 124-122 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. Thomas looked like what Boston fans remember - totally healthy and an offensive dynamo. He scored 16 points in only 19 minutes of action on 43% ...

The short answer to the above question is that NBA General Mangers don't view old-school bigs like they did in Red Auerbach's (or even Danny Ainge's) day. A total of 30 GMs bypassed choosing the Green Giant, going instead with the much-sought-after ball handlers and wings. But the buzz around the League now is low-key amazement that Tacko never got taken - that is until Danny Ainge signed him up. As a former researcher, I know numbers don't lie, but they also don't tell the whole story. Fall made his NBA debut last night - played three minutes - scored four points (2-of-4) - took down three rebounds - and blocked one shot that never got into the stat sheet. Three minutes is a mighty poor sample (0.08% of possible regular season minutes), but there are worth looking at. I already did Rob Williams' per-36-minutes numbers , now lets look at those for Tacko. 36 points - 27 rebounds - 18 fouls Check out this amazing stat 😮📈 pic.twitter.com/EYrEeMN5zJ — Celtics...

The Boston Celtics pulled away in the third quarter with the game tied at 72-72 to defeat the New York Knicks by a score 0f 118-95. Kemba Walker was the star of the game, coming away with a team-high 32 points on 11-of-17 from the field and 7-of-12 on treys. he also managed five rebounds, four assists and two steals. The Knicks aren't even attempting to defend Tacko lmao pic.twitter.com/2L1L9s9ARL — Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) October 27, 2019 Brad Stevens' rookies got a good run in this contest, with both Grant Williams and Carsen Edwards getting the nod late in the first quarter. With Edwards manning the point in place of Walker, he logged 22 minutes, notching 10 points, three assists and two steals. Edwards was dogging the Knicks' ball handlers full-court, and his quickness on his steals was astonishing. G-Will put in a solid 19 minutes, putting up seven points along with three steals and two blocks. This youngster does not play like a rookie, and it is getting notic...

This post was originally supposed to be about Jaylen Brown. It is no secret that just a week ago I was begging Danny Ainge not to extend Jaylen Brown. Not yet. Let the season play through and see how he does and then we can go from there, I pleaded. I have just seen too many guys in sports get big contracts and then get "fat and happy". Jaylen Brown looks neither fat nor happy. This guy is playing mean. A good mean. And so I'm all in with Danny.   via GIPHY I have loved Jaylen for three years.  Last year he was not good, but as I got to thinking.......he was the first guy I heard come out and openly throw Kyrie under the bus.  Jaylen let it be known that Kyrie was a turd. We all owe him a bunch of thanks for that. SO Jaylen, spend the $100+ million well. Keep playing like you did last night and we got a steal of a deal. Now onto the real stuff.  Get out your wallet.  Tonight's game is the first one that I will encourage ALL OF YOU to bet on...

The quick answer to the question of Rob Williams not logging more playing time is, --- personal fouls. After two games, here are TIMELORD's projected, per-36 minutes stats: 15.8 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 2.9 APG, 4.3 SPG, 2.9 BPG, 1.4 TOPG Okay, so what's the hitch. He would also pile up 11.5 fouls per game if he played 36 minutes. You can't do that in an NBA game. Give him 36 minutes now, and he will be gone by half-time in most games. In his sophomore season, Williams is foul prone. More experience and seasoning should cure most of that. But NBC Sports' Chris Forsberg doesn't think it is an over-reaction to project Rob as the starting center. Here is Chris' analysis after the loss to Philadelphia: Robert Williams will eventually be the starting center on this team Judgment: Not an overreaction Kudos to Williams, who wasn’t just coming off a poor, over-caffeinated preseason showing but spent much of the ramp-up to the regular season recovering from a concussion ...

Who wakes up early to read a Celtics blog on a Saturday morning?  I'm not sure actually.  All I know is that I'm waking up early to write one. Last night's game against Toronto showed me a ton....about my blog writing abilities.  Seriously.  Yesterday's game preview blog talked about how Pascal Siakam is a monster and how Jaylen Brown needed to play strong in order for us to win.  You all saw what happened right? This is what we need all year from our man @FCHWPO pic.twitter.com/MWZSAtgHdN — Jimmy in NH (@JimmyMac257) October 26, 2019  Yesterday's blog also mentioned that Grant Williams would get some considerable run because he has the strength and the defensive footwork to guard Toronto's bigs.  Did I call it or what? AT this point I just need to ask the question: Who is the best Celtics blog writer you read?  Who is putting out better content than me?  Two weeks ago I wrote a piece on Carsen Edwards being the best shooter on the...

In The Celtics 112-106 victory over the Toronto Raptors last night, Celtics Rookie, Grant Williams, got the call last night and he answered it. With center, Enes Kanter already our with a knee injury - and Daniel Theis rolling his ankle early in the game - Grant was called upon to take over the center spot, and he fared well. Grant Williams................ 💪❤️ pic.twitter.com/kfQ0YkMTYv — TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) October 26, 2019 G-Will's shooting was off (2-of-9), but he showed his versatility by taking down seven rebounds, passing off for four assists and racking up one steal. Despite his lack of height for the 5-spot (6'6"), he held his own in the paint and on the perimeter. He drew so much attention post-game, that the media crowd around him expanded just a little too much for Jayson Tatum. Grant Williams is drawing such a large media scrum in front of his locker that his neighboring teammates are running out of space. “Damn Grant, can you give me some room ov...

This was a close contest all the way, but the Celtics pulled this one out, coming away with a 112-106 victory over the 2019 NBA Champs. The Jay Team of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum were the main instruments in the win. They had identical lines of 25 points, nine rebounds and four assists. This is what we need all year from our man @FCHWPO pic.twitter.com/MWZSAtgHdN — Jimmy in NH (@JimmyMac257) October 26, 2019 This was Team Ball all the way. Kemba Walker, trying to shed his poor shooting night in Boston's loss versus the 76'ers, missed his first five shots in this contest - but recovered to score 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. The Guys in Green seem to like each other this season ( per NBA's Kyle Hightower ): Walker said support from his teammates helped him shake off a 0-for-5 start from the field just two days removed from his 4 for 18 performance in Boston's season-opening loss to Philadelphia. ''That's what I needed,'' Walker...

There has been a TON of anti-Brad Stevens and anti-Jaylen Brown talk the past couple of days.  Yeah maybe it is mostly the internet nutjobs out there creating a fuss, but the number of folks dissing the Celts on social media after the beatdown by the 76ers on opening night is substantial.  I wonder if their voices only get louder after tonight.... The Toronto Raptors come to TD Garden with something to prove. Yes they are the defending champions but every player in their locker room knows that most fans think Kawhi is the only reason they did it.  They know people are doubting them this year, and that gives the guys a little something extra when they step on the court.  The Raptors will be ready to go, and the matchup scares me..... ✔️ Max Contract ✔️ #1 Option Pascal Siakam went off 🔥 34 points 18 rebounds 5 assists 1 block pic.twitter.com/baeyADLkgW — NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) October 23, 2019 We all watched Pascal Siakam in the playoffs last yea...

The Boston Celtics face their home opener against the Toronto Raptors tonight without the services of center, Enes Kanter. Kanter suffered a knee contusion in Boston's loss to the Philadelphia 76'ers on Wednesday. So who takes the center spot tonight to compete against Marc Gasol or Serge Ibaka, two seasoned pros. Hey look, TIMELORD should be getting some minutes tonight anyway, so why not put him in the game right out of the gate. Put him in there without the fidgeting on the bench, wondering when his name will be called. Get him in there with the first-stringers that can cover up his deficiencies. Rob only logged 8.8 minutes per game last season, averaging 2.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG and 1.3 blocks per game. Projecting those numbers to per-36-minutes has limited value, but I will do it anyways - 10.3 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 5.1 BPG, all while shooting 71% on field goals. Coming in recently at only 6'8" without shoes, Williams may be somewhat under-sized for the 5-spot, but...

The 2019-2020 Boston Celtics are going to be JUST FINE.  It was Philadelphia's night last night.  Sometimes that just happens. It was disappointing to watch us get stomped but there definitely were some things I liked.  Most of all, Gordon Hayward and Jaylen Brown. These are the two guys I care most about.  Hayward had a very 'under control' look about his game. I really like what I saw there on the offensive end. And Jaylen Brown definitely came ready to play.  F all of the fouls - who cares about that.  Jaylen looked like a guy who gets a $100+ million contract and stays hungry. Heck, he might even be hungrier, and I wasn't sure that would be the case. In addition I thought Robert Williams showed some ridiculous athleticism and some serious potential. Is it just me or does he look like put on about 20 pounds of muscle during the offseason?  This guy could become a serious weapon any day now.  Grant Williams didn't play much, but the first t...

The Boston Celtics 107-93 loss to Philadelphia in their season opener obviously wasn't a great start to the season. Here are some random thoughts on the game. Gordon Hayward was Boston's star Gordon was in the game for 35 minutes and came away with a team-high 25 points, along with five rebounds, two assists and only one turnover. He hit his shots from all over the court but took no 3-pointers. He was 8-of-15 on field goals and 9-of-11 from the free throw line. But most of all, he looked smooth and confident on the court. He was the one most-responsible for keeping the Celtics in the game in the second half. Boston had no answer for Ben Simmons Simmons looked virtually unstoppable out there. He flirted with a triple-double with a line of 24 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, while shooting 68.8% from the field. How about 3-pointers, you may ask? Please - zero, of course. He drove the lane at will - scoring, passing off or drawing a foul. Brad Stevens even tried Semi O...

The center spot for the Celtics opener against the Philadelphia 76'ers remains undecided as of this writing. Is it Enes Kanter against Joel Embiid for Kanter's size and strength? Or is it Vincent Poirier for his slight edge over Kanter for athleticism. How about Rob Williams for even more athleticism? My take is to go with Daniel Theis as starter. Undersized at 6'8", but mobile and a versatile defender. Hell, Brad Stevens needs to give him a shot. Will he get bullied by Joel Embiid? Probably? But Daniel at center can defend the perimeter and he has the quickness to at least stay with Embiid. And put Enes Kanter at the five-spot on the second unit, along with the wolverine-like ferocity of Marcus Smart. Throw Smart on Embiid for short bursts. I know of no one better than Marcus at disrupting opposing players of any description. The other starting slots will most likely be taken by Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward. But who starts this se...

I am on Twitter right now and I am reading post after post about people being all jacked up for the game tonight.  I feel the same way.  Can't wait.  It is the first game of the season and plenty of us are excited like it is Super Bowl Sunday with TB12 going for #7.  Why is that I wonder?  Let's consider some possible reasons.... 1. Kyrie is gone.  The wicked witch is dead.  The stank has been removed.  Phrase it however you want but I think most Green Teamers are just glad to have our team back. (PS can't wait until that turd comes to play us in Boston) 2. Jaylen resigned and wants to be here.  Hayward and Tatum and Kemba are all ready to go!  The youngsters look like legit potential players.  And Enes Kanter just seems like a dude we all want to root for with everything we got. It is great to actually like the guys you root for!!! 3. Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge seem like the smartest guys in the room.  This is the year...

There is nothing usual about Marcus Smart - and I love it. He can not be defined - absolutely defies description. When asked what his position on the court was, he replied "I'm a stretch 6." Of course he is. 😂 https://t.co/JUb0vxKs1e — Danny Ainge (@danielrainge) October 20, 2019 Marcus is not talking about his probable sixth-man role. He just invented a new position on the court. We already had 1-through-5, and he will be the only #6 on the floor. I am now convinced Smart can cover any opponent - of any height - any weight - any wingspan - any temperament - any level of strength or quickness. We know all about rotation defenses, but Marcus does it differently - major surprise there, right? We saw it in his coverage of Giannis Antetokounmpo during World Cup play. The Greek Freak is long, strong and damned skilled. No problem. Smart's strength and low center of gravity kept Giannis away from the hoop, and Marcus' fronting of Antetokounmpo kept the ball out o...

It is all well and good to view Jaylen Brown's 4-year/$115 million contract extension as insurance that he will be in Boston for five more years. I am all for that if Jaylen continues to progress as a player. But Jaylen requesting a max contract brought back to me memories of Isaiah Thomas' "Back up the Brinks truck" statements. As a player, Ainge may have voiced the same requests, but as a GM, he doesn't care for them. I truly believe Danny has never gotten over being traded by Red Auerbach - one of the few bad deals made by Red - and realizes that player-movement is the current way of the NBA. Brown's contract will be a bargain down the road if he fulfills his promise as a 2-way star. Chances of Brown being traded this season are very slim due to the "Poison Pill" nature of his contract. Making the numbers match on such a trade seems highly unlikely. But Danny is a summer trader anyway. With young Jaylen locked up long-term on a less-than-max dea...

There are many Celtics blog writers out there competing for your “clicks”.   I am just one of them.   So as we kick off the season tonight with a Celtics vs 76ers matchup that could very well be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals, I want you to get my best shot of Green Team information so that you are ready to fully enjoy the game when you turn it on.   Here’s what you need to know - short and sweet:  The 76ers are a loser organization.   There are tons of examples but one of the best is this: 1 year ago today, the 76ers dropped confetti after forcing OT against the Celtics and then lost the game. pic.twitter.com/YiHHUeTjoK — BostonCelticsForever (@BostonCelts4eva) May 5, 2019 That was awesomely embarrassing for 76er fans.  But want to know what I think is even worse? it was so nice we're showing you twice. pic.twitter.com/zTsOwEmFkX — Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) October 9, 2019 Look at how they celebrate a made 3 pointer. By a man who they ...

The Celtics versus the 76'ers is not simply a battle between two Eastern Conference rivals. It is a contest between two vastly-different organizational strategies - namely Danny Ainge's no-punt, never-tank policy against Philly's shameless, multi-year "Process". "The Process" is well into its sixth year in Philadelphia - and counting, having started in 2013 with the 76'ers trade of All-Star, Jrue Holiday, in a deal that brought in Nerlens Noel and Michael Carter-Williams, neither of which are still with the team. Future moves led to the acquisition of Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz - all occurring while the 76'ers were piling up losses at a record clip. Okafor and Fultz are also no longer in Philadelphia. Ainge, in contrast, never punts. He rebuilds on the fly - always wanting to remain in serious contention. One criticism Danny had of his mentor, Red Auerbach, was that Red retained his star players after they had...