Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

The Celtics Bruise Brothers, Semi Ojeleye and Grant Williams, kept up their fine bench play in the Celtics 119-104 victory last night over the Golden State Warriors. In a combined 56 minutes of play, the Dynamic Duo notched 13 points, nine boards, four assists and four steals. And they tied for plus/minus honors, coming away with team-highs of +14 each. They shot a combined 5-of-10 (50%) from the field. Grant Williams showing off his elite touch pic.twitter.com/aekgyfMcXi — Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) January 31, 2020 In November of this season, the two wings averaged only a combined 26.8 minutes per game. That number has soared to 40.2 minutes/game over the last four games, in large part due to injuries to Jayson Tatum and Enes Kanter. But with Tatum back in the lineup last night, the pair was on the floor for 56 minutes - playing their usual brand of tough defense, but also producing on the offensive end. Even if a trade occurs in the next six days, expect that the Bruise ...

The NBA coaches have spoken, and the seven reserves from the Eastern Conference slated to participate in the 2020 All-Star competition have been chosen. The Celtics Jayson Tatum was voted in as a wild card, while his teammate - and fellow Jay Team member, Jaylen Brown was snubbed. Kemba Walker had already been voted in as a starter for The East, and now Jayson will be joined by fellow-reserves Ben Simmons, Domantas Sabonis, Jimmy Butler, Kris Middleton, Kyle Lowry and Bam Adebayo. With only five starters and seven reserves allotted for both teams, snubs will happen. Brown's companions as spectators include Bradley Beal, DeMar DeRozan, Kyrie Irving, Paul George, Zach Lavine and Andre Drummond ( per NBA's Michael C. Wright ): Jaylen Brown missed the cut despite averaging 21.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists, and we’ve all seen him take over games this season when needed. Perhaps three Boston Celtics on the All-Star squad would’ve been too many. This is Jayson's firs...

Danny Ainge has learned patience as an NBA Executive, but after going through an 11-year Title drought, he may break his habit of not trading at the February deadline. The Celtics bench gets mighty thin when injuries strike. With both Jayson Tatum and Enes Kanter out of action for the last few games, Brad Stevens has had to rely on Semi Ojeleye and Grant Williams to fill the void . There is simply no doubt that Boston needs to add a seasoned veteran to the fold. The only current Celtics core players that can be defined as seasoned vets are Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward, with Marcus Smart barely missing the designation. I have previously broached Jamal Crawford as a free agent addition and Andre Iguodala as a trade-or-buyout pickup. Boston's last Title was in 2008, and you can bet Ainge is getting antsy. With the possibility of injuries always lurking in the background, the Celtics bench is not sufficient to withstand the rigors and intensity of the post-season. The trade dea...

Realizing the immense impact the late Kobe Bryant had on the NBA, I truly believe that the Kobe-as-logo proposal is too emotion-of-the-moment based. Making his image the logo of the NBA would certainly give a boost to those mourning his loss, but it would also demean the present Logo, Jerry West, and other League stalwarts that were never considered for the honor. I will start with West. The 14-time All-Star, 8-time Champion as Executive and 2-time Executive-of-the-Year earned the honor and is still deeply involved in the NBA. How about Bill Russell? He is an 11-time Title holder and 2-time Champion as player/coach of the Celtics. This proud man never received the accolades he deserved when he was active. And then there is Larry Bird - 3-time Champ, 12-time All-Star - and the only player to earn MVP, Coach-of-the-Year and Executive-of-the-Year. Those are fine credentials. The Lakers Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar would certainly be worthy of consideration. You get my point...

Andre Iguodala doesn't play or practice with the Memphis Grizzlies, but he remains under contract with them. Memphis has failed to find a trade partner willing to give up assets for the 6'6" wing, and the trade deadline is set for February 6. It appears that a number of NBA teams still have their sights set on a buyout of Andre's contract. Iguodala may still have affection for his former team, the Golden State Warriors. In a recent interview, he indicated that Steph Curry should take the rest of the season off and come back next season "on a wrath". His mention of his view as being "selfish" might indicate he is leaning towards returning to Golden State alongside a rejuvenated Steph Curry. Andre Iguodala on Steph Curry: "He's gonna comeback on a wrath next year." 😈 pic.twitter.com/Pl0yiNZHvq — Chris Montano (@gswchris) January 24, 2020 Time is running out on Memphis' bid to trade Iguodala. He will earn $17.2 million this seas...

With both Jayson Tatum and Enes Kanter out of action last night versus the Miami Heat, the wing pairing of Grant Williams and Semi Ojeleye accounted for 43 of the 56 bench minutes and provided some quiet-but-effective support for the 109-101 win. The duo combined for 12 points on 56% shooting (5-of-9) from the field, along with 10 rebounds and two steals. Look at how open Semi Ojeleye (37) gets on this sequence It's like the Heat just forgot about him pic.twitter.com/SsCdRnexPC — Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) January 29, 2020 In the above sequence, Semi was ignored by both the Miami defense and the Celtics offense. Such is his lot in life - at least as a Boston backup. In his third year in the NBA, his offensive game progression has been painfully slow, but it is moving in an upward direction. it’s funny that grant williams and semi ojeleye are pretty much the only celtics to hit a corner 3 this year. — Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) January 25, 2020 GWill and Semi hav...

You be the judge. In his final NBA game, Kobe Bryant had already racked up 59 points and he was at the free throw line in an attempt to reach the 60-point level. Gordon Hayward stepped into the lane, probably to ensure that Kobe would get a second try at 60 points. Hayward later denied making the generous gesture. Very cool move by Gordon Hayward in Kobe’s last game. I had never heard of this before. It’s a shame it sometimes takes a tragedy for good stories to be heard. pic.twitter.com/ei7SeW74jW — Dan Kelley (@DanKelley66) January 28, 2020 You've seen the video. And you read Gordon's denial. Intentional or accidental? What do my readers think. Gordon gets my accolades for the fine gesture and then denying it so as to not demean Bryant's feat. Was Gordon Hayward's lane violation in Kobe Bryant's final NBA game intentional or accidental? Read my impending article and vote. — Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) January 28, 2020 Follow Tom at @CelticsSentinel, @Causewa...

Javonte Green had what we might call a triple-quad in last night's 123-108 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. In 16 minutes of action, Green scored four points, grabbed four boards and handed out four assists. He was high-man off the bench in all three categories and tied with Semi Ojeleye for bench-high with one steal. He is a defensive-minded guard with sky-high athleticism that adds a lot of energy when he enters the game. Javonte Green gets the rebound, helps up a teammate, then scores the and1 in transition. I love this team pic.twitter.com/s1CXvEE8lv — Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) January 23, 2020 The 26-year-old rookie is signed for $0.9 million this season and a non-guaranteed $1.5 million for 2020-21. His height and frame (6'4", 205 pounds) allow him to play the small forward spot on occasion, and there is simply too much potential for the Celtics to allow him to walk away prior to next season. Javonte Green has been great defensively the last few games. He...

The best way to deal with death and tragic misfortune is to move on from it. The news of Kobe Bryant's death in a helicopter crash yesterday quickly brought back to us his impact on the Boston Celtics. His words to Gordon Hayward after Gordon's gruesome, season-ending injury in 2017 put on display The Black Mamba's growth as a valued member of the human race. What Kobe Bryant wrote after Gordon Hayward suffered his gruesome ankle injury in 2017: pic.twitter.com/svIafkMKog — Boston.com Celtics News (@BDCCeltics) January 27, 2020 "Time to move on ...it's a long journey but if you focus on the mini milestones along the way you will find beauty in the struggle of doing simple things that prior to this injury were taken for granted. Best of luck to you on this journey my brother #mambamentality always." Simple words - but very meaningful. These are words from someone who has undergone hardship, some of it admittedly self-caused. Byrant's death at 41 years...

With the Celtics facing a 16-point deficit in the second quarter, Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward stepped up big-time to bring Boston back. The Guys in Green eventually walked away with a hard-fought 109-98 victory over the Orlando Magic. With Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Enes Kanter out, Gordon Hayward stepped up and helped lead the Celtics to a 16-point comeback win over the Magic! 22 points 14 rebounds 5 assists pic.twitter.com/Y9cMW1kybN — Guy Boston Sports (@GuyBostonSports) January 25, 2020 Kemba came away with a team-high 37 points on 12-of-23 from the field, 6-of-12 on treys and a perfect 7-of-7 from the charity stripe. He did a bit of everything to keep Boston in the game, adding six assists and four steals (per NBA's Bill Fay): Walker scored 19 of his points in the second quarter, when the Celtics faced a 46-30 deficit. The Celtics point guard single-handedly kept a disorganized offense from digging too deep a hole by hitting 10 of 16 shots in the first half, incl...

NBA fans, media and players have spoken, and Celtics point guard, Kemba Walker, will be a starter for the 2020 NBA All-Star game in Chicago on February 16. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Pascal Siakam, and Trey Young will also be in the starting lineup. The final rosters will be determined in a draft by the two team captains, Giannis and Lebron James. The Greek Freak and The King will choose their teams regardless of Conference. A total of 14 reserves will be chosen by a vote of the NBA coaches, with seven from each Conference. Both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are in the mix among the seven Eastern Conference reserves possibly heading to Chicago. Starters joining Lebron from the Western Conference are Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. In addition to Brown and Tatum, other players from the East vying for a spot on the roster include Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Bradley Beal, Ben Simmons, Domantas Sabonis and Kyle Lowry. From the West, Nikola Jokic...

Celtics fans sometimes forget that Daniel Theis, prior to coming to Boston, was a 3-time German League Champion, 1-time Best Defender and 4-time All-Star. He is only in his third season in the NBA and just keeps getting better. Not to often do you see Giannis get blocked 👀😳 What a play by Daniel Theis pic.twitter.com/nyYq8ug3mE — Baseline Hoops (@baseline_hoops) January 17, 2020 In a mere 18 minutes of action in the Celtics 119-95 win over the Grizzlies last night, Theis notched 14 points on 5-of-7 from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 on 3-pointers. He also racked up four rebounds, two assists, two steals and three blocks. Daniel has become a legitimate rim protector and 3-point threat. And he averages only 0.8 turnovers per game for the season. Over the last 10 games, he is shooting 59% from the field and 42% beyond the arc. Those numbers rise to 70% and 50%, respectively, over the last five games. Theis earns $5 million this season and the same amount in 2020-21, with the...

I speak from experience when I write that the much-troubled Delonte West needs the right mentor more than anything right now. And that person needs to be a stable, well-meaning person dedicated to leading West back into a contented life. That needs to happen before monetary donations and visits to medical folks and social services. pic.twitter.com/W3QxPsbYSu — Jameer Nelson (@jameernelson) January 21, 2020 As a police lieutenant, I dealt almost daily with situations similar to what DWest is going through - mental illness and alcohol and drug abuse. Arrests were common because it was the only way to quickly take away the threat that the erratic and often-combative individuals would harm themselves or others, and that would include the threat of harm to the responding officers. The courts and Social Services would usually come into play, but the results were almost always the same. The troubled individual would soon be back on the streets, and law enforcement would await the...

In Boston's win over the Lakers, I was in awe of Marcus Smart's behind-the-back bounce pass to Enes Kanter for two points. Not so much for Jaylen Brown's dunk over Lebron James. Apparently, Danny Ainge agrees. It's simple math. Brown got a technical for his hanging-on-the-rim, taunting antics - the result being it was a one-point play. In the first video, Ainge displays absolutely no excitement over Jaylen's jam. Dang @FCHWPO over here throwin down and TD gettin 🔥🔥 and @danielrainge still got his Sunday church-face on 😎or it’s Poker night somewhere. #Stonecold #AllBiz #AllLove ☘️☘️ pic.twitter.com/dqawfGA8EF — marcus smart (@smart_MS3) January 22, 2020 I think I liked the @smart_MS3 pass to @EnesKanter a little more. I’m hard to impress. Seen a million dunks in the last 40 years. Just two points minus the one for the Tech is just a net one point dunk☘️ https://t.co/u7l9LLkkcZ — Danny Ainge (@danielrainge) January 22, 2020 Marcus Smart with the dime 👀 ...

Boston College is scheduled to retire the jersey of Eagles' All-American, Troy Bell, on Saturday, September 25, 2020 in conjunction with BC's game versus Virginia Tech. Bell was taken by the Celtics with the 16th overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft and quickly traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a deal that brought Marcus Banks and Kendrick Perkins to Boston. Troy later went on to play for seven different teams in the EuroLeague and other locations around the globe. As a collegian, Bell was a 2-time Big East Player-of-the-Year, 2-time Concensus Second Team All-American and 3-time First Team All-Big East ( per Athletic Communications, Boston College ): A two-time consensus All-American in 2001 and 2003, (Troy) Bell finished his four-year career at Boston College as the program's all-time leading scorer, with 2,632 points. During that span, from 1999-2003, Bell was the top scorer in all of college basketball, at 21.6 points per game. The Big East Rookie of the Year in ...

As a retired Police Lieutenant, I have seen what is contained in the following videos all too often. Young lives destroyed by alcohol, drugs and mental illness. Delonte West has taken a self-destructive path since his days in the NBA, four of those years spent in Boston. Slim doing bad NBA need to offer him some help pic.twitter.com/b7MtTj9JAt — Maybe: Damani (@damani_givens) January 21, 2020 The former 24th-overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft had his best season during the Celtics 2006-07 campaign in which he notched 12.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 4.4 APG and 1.1 SPG. He was traded to the Seattle Supersonics after that season as part of a package that brought Ray Allen and Big Baby Davis to Boston. West was reacquired by the Celtics for the 2010-11-season as a backup to point guard, Rajon Rondo. Recent videos apparently show Delonte getting beaten on the street and in handcuffs yelling out an unintelligible rant. He is clearly close to the end of the line and needs help quickly and despe...

It is amazing what health and hot hands can accomplish. The Jay Walkers trio of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker, assisted by Gordon Hayward, combined for 83 points, 19 rebounds and 21 assists to take out Lebron James' Lakers, 139-107. Make no mistake - this victory was vital and convincing. Brad Stevens, never one to overstate an issue, had this to say about his troops all being able to hit their shots in the same game ( per NBA's Jimmy Golen ): ''We were fortunate to put the ball in the basket quite a bit,'' said Stevens, whose team shot 56% overall. ''The ball going in masks some things.'' Jaylen Brown with the dunk on LeBron 🤭 pic.twitter.com/acREMvraKZ — Dante Turo (@DanteOnDeck) January 21, 2020 Fortunate, indeed! With all of the injuries behind them, Walker, Tatum, Brown and Hayward shot a combined 30-of-57 (53%) from the field and 11-of-22 (50%) from beyond the arc. The Green's offensive attack was just too much for th...

I am giving my readers four choices for the top, all-time Celtics point guard, projecting that player propelled into the 2019-20 season. One of the choices, Rajon Rondo, is here already and playing for the Lakers. Two others, JoJo White and Dennis Johnson, have sadly left us. Bob Cousy fortunately, is still with us. In a previous article , I gave my arguments for putting DJ as my choice, with JoJo as his backup. He had size, savvy and a terrific sense of team play. And he was a fierce, dedicated defender. I also have written on legend, Bob Cousy, having less stature in today's NBA . But I understand those that may aggressively disagree. My readers will notice that I chose point guards from four eras, the 60's (Cousy), 70's (White), 80's (Johnson) and 2,000's (Rondo). That was not intended. It just fell that way. Here's your chance! Putting him in TODAY's NBA, who's your top Celtics point guard - all-time. Vote for a starter and backup. And tell ...

I never thought I would be writing this. Marcus Smart setting a franchise record for 3-pointers in a game? Well, it's true. In last night's 123-119 loss to the Phoenix Suns, Marcus poured in a team-high 37 points, 33 of which came from beyond the arc. He also had team-highs in assists (8) and steals (4). 11 👌s for Marcus Smart! 🔥 @smart_MS3 scores a career-high 37 PTS and sets a @celtics franchise record with 11 3PM. pic.twitter.com/GgWHMVOHjv — NBA (@NBA) January 19, 2020 In his last two games, Smart has hit half of his treys, 16-of-32 for 50%. The question is whether this is an aberration that will disappear soon, or will his long-range accuracy continue. "Once you get in that zone, it’s kind of hard to get out." A recap of Marcus Smart's record-setting 3-point barrage: https://t.co/vRuusvioF7 — Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 19, 2020 Marcus was in a zone last night, and he took advantage of it. But this was not simply a 1-game fluke. We are l...

The Boston Celtics current makeup may not require drastic alterations, but a change in the starting-5 may be in order. Among the current first-stringers, Jaylen brown, Jayson Tatum, Gordon Hayward and Kemba Walker are all capable of scoring 20-plus points in any given game. Last season, one of the negative issues was the fact there were too many mouths to feed. We may have a replay of that this season. One member of that high-scoring quintet may need to transfer to the second unit, and the best choice may be Gordon Hayward. Kemba needs to stay where he is, and neither member of the Jay team would take kindly to becoming substitutes. We are not talking demotion for Hayward here, but rather a shot at using his many skills to better advantage. Gordon Hayward being Gordon Hayward 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/cnxzxFPCN1 — CelticsContent (@CelticsContent) January 12, 2020 So who gets added to the starting-5? Enes Kanter does. Kanter at center and Daniel Theis at power forward needs a look....

I am not about to hop on the anti-Hayward bandwagon! He has had too many solid, even great, games this season to do that. By the numbers, this season Gordon Hayward has set career highs in field goal percentage (51.6%), free throw percentage (86.0%) and rebounds (5.9 RPG). I took the liberty of mathematically adjusting his stats this season to mirror his minutes (34.5 MPG) from Gordon's All-Star 2016-17 season with the Utah Jazz. He averages 31.6 minutes/game for 2019-20. 2016-17 Season (Utah): 21.9 PPG - 5.4 RPG - 3.5 APG - 47.1% FG - 84.4% FT 2019-20 Season:(Boston) 17.6 PPG - 6.5 RPG - 4.4 APG - 51.6% FG - 86.0% FT I imagine this is an average day for Gordon Hayward https://t.co/02XOALzSFF — Sam ☘️🐐 (@S_Scott019) January 12, 2020 It is amazing to see how quickly Celtics fans turn on Hayward after one bummer of a game, such as last night's 128-123 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Gordon scored only seven points in 32 minutes of action and was missing almost every shot he ...

Balance has been one of the Celtics main attributes right out of the gate this season. The Jay Team and Gordon Hayward give them three wings capable of scoring 20-or-more points in a game. Ditto for point guard Kemba Walker. That balance has been lost, and injuries have played a major role. The Celtics have lost their last two games and six of their last 11 contests. Jaylen Brown was out of action last night with a sprained right thumb, and Boston went down to the rival Milwaukee Bucks, 128-123. Jayson Tatum played a team-high 40 minutes - scored 17 points while adding seven rebounds and three assists. But his 8-of-20 shooting on field goals, 1-of-5 accuracy on treys and 0-of-2 from the free throw line may be an indication that the knee issue that kept him out of the last game remains bothersome. Gordon Hayward's shot was way off in this one. He was a mere 1-of-10 from the field and 1-of-9 beyond the arc. It just may be that the pain from hand surgery persists and rears its ug...

The Piston's Derrick Rose played a significant role last night in handing the Celtics a 116-103 loss. He scored 22 points on 11-of-13 from the field - grabbed two boards - and handed out six assists. The NBA MVP (2011) and 3-time All-Star would be a fine addition to the Celtics over the second half of the season and playoffs. The Detroit Piston currently sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with a 15-27 record. Forward, Blake Griffin, very likely is out for the rest of the season with a knee issue, and it looks like Detroit is going nowhere this year. Detroit has made it known that many of the team members are available. In a previous article, I wrote that the addition of a big man to the Celtics roster could happen, but acquiring another perimeter shooter is most-important. Rose fits that description, and he can play both back-court positions. And he is still only 30 years old. 🌹 D-Rose DIMES! 🌹 20 PTS (10-12 FGM), 6 AST for Derrick Rose gives him his 7th straight...

Unlike what I have done in the past, there is no way I can defend Kyrie Irving on this one. His exclamation that the Brooklyn Nets have a "glaring" need for one or two more pieces, while at the same time mentioning himself and four teammates as the main players was out of line. But his omission of other teammates as keys to success was even more "glaring" that his perceived need for additions. Kyrie Irving flatout saying this Nets team isn’t enough and they need more pieces (Via @TimBontemps ). pic.twitter.com/PVA6P6PRT4 — Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 16, 2020 Irving seems to get irritated when things don't go right. Apparently, the Nets' 117-10-6 loss to the 76'ers did not sit well with him. Kyrie mentioned himself, Kevin Durant, Garrett Temple, Caris Lavert, DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie as team kingpins, but totally omitted Taureen Prince, Joe Harris and Jarrett Allen. Irving shot only 6-of-21 from the field last night for 14 po...

The Memphis grizzlies are not cooperating! Before the start of the season, they were slated to be high-lottery bound by the end of this year's campaign. That's not happening - at least not yet. They are currently sitting in the 8th spot in the Western Conference with a 19-22 record. They are looking at the playoffs rather than acquiring a high-lottery pick. The Boston Celtics own the Grizzlies first rounder this year, top-6 protected. Most Celtics fans were hoping for Memphis to falter this season and walk away with one of the top-6 picks in the draft, thereby allowing Boston to acquire the Grizzlies first round pick, totally unprotected, in 2021. JA MORANT x JAREN JACKSON JR... OH MY! 😳✨💥 📺: @NBATV pic.twitter.com/VtXey3nt4x — NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2020 Danny Ainge can blame super-rookie, Ja Morant, veteran center Jonas Valanciunas and former-Celtic, Jae Crowder for much of the disappointment. Crowder leads the Grizzlies in minutes with 30.2 MPG, averaging 10.4 PPG...

The future of the Boston Celtics is becoming clearer as this season progresses. It is now possible to project, or at least guess, what Danny Ainge's plans are for the next several years. The Jay Team of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the focal point here. In their third and fourth seasons, respectively, they are emerging as potential All-Stars right before our eyes. Unless something unexpected happens, this duo is destined to be in the spotlight for Boston for the foreseeable future. NBA TV's Sam Mitchell recently compared the Jay Team with the Clippers' pairing of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Brown and Tatum could reach that level in as little of a year or two. Who's the #Celtics MVP through the first half of the season -- and which reserves are most invaluable? @ChrisForsberg_ has power ranked the C's roster from 1 to 17. https://t.co/kzobCZcGjr — Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 14, 2020 Jaylen Brown was granted a 4-year/$115 millio...

A compliment from Gary "The Glove" Payton means a lot. Gary recently gave Celtics guard, Marcus Smart, a huge shout-out. The NBA Champion, 9X All-Star, DPOY (1996) and 9X All-Defensive Team star doesn't hand out accolades all that often. I'm not sure some of you younger folks understand what kind of compliment this really is https://t.co/jlZqk6QszV — John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@RedsArmy_John) January 14, 2020 Here are a few of Payton's plaudits to Smart: "You remind me of myself - a lot!" "You got the dog in you." "You gotta be on the vocal side." "You gotta be the one to take over." The Glove won his only Championship as a reserve with the 2005-06 Miami Heat. In the 1995-96 season, Gary's 6th year in the NBA, he had averages of 19.3 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 7.5 APG and 2.9 SPG. But his best statistical season may have been 1999-2000 when he averaged an astounding 24.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 8.9 APG and 1.9 SPG. The following analysis ...

Following the Celtics 113-101 win over the Chicago Bulls, NBA TV's Grant Hill and Rex Chapman had some thoughts on the current makeup of the team and changes that may be needed for the post-season. Although there was general agreement that Brad Stevens having four go-to scorers in Kemba Walker, Gordon Hayward and the Jay Team gives The Green a huge advantage over other teams, the lack of another big man and one more perimeter bench player may hurt Boston's chances in the playoffs. Hill stated the Celtics need "one more big to complement (Enes) Kanter", and there appeared to be agreement that Kanter has been "picked on" in the past during post-season play. Grant even mentioned the possibility of going after former-Celtic Aron Baynes to fill the bench-big-man role. Chapman agreed for the need for another big off the bench, stating "I think they're a big away ... they are gonna have to go out and get an Aron Baynes type of guy." They really t...

This is Gordon Hayward's 10th season in the league, and by this summer, he will have earned roughly $140 million in the last six seasons alone. He has a player option for next year that will pay him $32.7 million more if he opts in. The best path for him may just be to opt out and renegotiate a multi-year deal with Boston for significantly less money per year. Here's why. I have spent the last half-century dealing with the wealthy both as a Police Lieutenant and Personal Trainer. Over the years, some have survived, thrived and found near-total contentment. Others have taken their own lives when the rest of the world felt they had everything to live for. But nothing is ever what it appears to be. More money brings additional happiness - to a point - beyond which more dollars don't make a hell of a lot of difference in the contentment of the individual. Back to Gordon. How much money does a person need to like themselves and the world around them? Hayward doesn't rel...

The Boston Celtics currently go 12-deep for players averaging double-digit minutes. But the 7-man bench includes two rookies (Grant Williams and Romeo Langford), two second-year men (Brad Wanamaker and Robert Williams) and one player in his third season (Semi Ojeleye). Veterans Marcus Smart and Enes Kanter round out the bench corps. Inject the facts that most successful playoff teams go 8-10 deep, and the reality of injuries usually rears its ugly head - and it quickly becomes apparent that this Celtics crew does not appear playoff-ready. Danny Ainge has until February 6, 2020 (trade deadline) to determine if Gordon Hayward has his mind set on remaining with The Green - and also whether a compatible deal can be reached with Gordon having a player option for next season. Once we look past Smart and Kanter, outlooks get a bit shaky for the post-season. We haven't seen enough of Langford to make any solid evaluations, and although Grant Williams has shown poise and savvy on the co...

The Boston Celtics broke their 3-game skid with a convincing 140-105 victory over the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans last night. Here are some lessons-learned from that one game. A day off is just what the team needed After losing all three its last three games, Celtics coach Brad Stevens gave the boys a day off. They needed it, and the break was well-timed. The Pels were without three key players. Don't get too high on the win. Jrue Holiday, Derrick Favors and JJ Redick were among the missing (injuries) for New Orleans. Just as the Guys in Green shouldn't have sunk too low on the 3-game losing streak, getting too high on this victory would be a mistake. Ball movement wins games for Boston This was just too pretty. That's the ball movement that's been missing these last few games pic.twitter.com/z8qiRols61 — Adam Taylor (@AdamTaylorNBA) January 12, 2020 When the ball moves like it did last night, it seems that the Celtics are close to unbeatable. Call it yout...