Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 Recently-acquired 6'3" guard, Kris Dunn , may supply the defense sought by Brad Stevens , but his durability comes into question. Dunn, taken at number-5 in the 2016 NBA draft, was never expected to be a major scorer, but his defense and facilitation prompted the high-lottery pick . His best season occurred in his sophomore season with Chicago when he averaged 13.4 PPG, 6.0 APG, 4.3 RPG and 2.0 SPG . The trouble is that he never has produced those numbers in the following seasons as injuries continued to plague him. Brad Stevens always seeks the 4-Ds in his pick-ups - defense, durability, dollars (right contract) and dimensions (vertical, as in height). Kris checks only two of the boxes - defense and dollars ($5 million expiring deal). But that may suffice if he can avoid injuries and stay on the court. At 6'3" and 205 pounds, he does not present a significant liability on defense, and he could fill some critical minutes this coming season - although Stevens may ...

 Thursday's quiet draft night for the Boston Celtics has turned quickly into a trade whirlwind, starting with sending center Tristan Thompson on his way while acquiring Kris Dunn . The Celtics are trading Tristan Thompson to Atlanta for Kris Dunn, and a 2023 second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 30, 2021  You may remember that many Celtics fans were promoting Dunn as the Celtics choice for the number-3 pick, when Danny Ainge instead went with Jaylen Brown . Kris will earn $5 million this season in the final year of his contract. Now we have B rad Stevens working a deal to bring Josh Richardson to Boston. The 6'6" guard/forward fits right in with Boston's all-wing corps. The Dallas Mavericks are finalizing trading G/F Josh Richardson to the Boston Celtics, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium . Richardson is exercising his $11.6 million player option for the 2021-22 season for the deal. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 31, 2...

      Isn't it ironic that a guy nicknamed "Red" could be so color-blind when it came to choosing his players. He only saw talent and character .  Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach should be referred to as one of the greatest coaches of all time! A man of morals who stuck up for his players when dealing with racial issues. A innovator as a coach who went on to win 9 titles as a coach and when he served as GM and President in the front office he was part of another 7 titles!        Before he was coach of the Boston Celtics he was coach of the Washington Capitols and Tri Cities Blackhawks how many of you knew that? When you hear the name Red Auerbach you think top coach in NBA history. He amassed 938 wins! He was coach of the year in 1965 and executive of the year in 1980. Think about this number of 16 titles in 29 years.       Red was the coach who put together the modern game with his coaching style. He redesigned basketball . He ...

I needed to write this! I fully understand that the NBA is big business now, meaning big money . The teams spend fortunes on player contracts and enormous money on untold numbers of staff folks . I stopped counting when I got to 100 Celtics staff members for the upcoming season . As a comparison, here is the complete front office list for the 1960-61 Celtics season : Staff Member Position Start Season Previous Job Walter Brown Owner 1946-1947 N/A Lou Pieri Owner 1950-1951 N/A Red Auerbach Head Coach, General Manager 1950-1951 Head Coach ( Atlanta Hawks , 1949 to 1950) Johnny Most Radio Broadcaster 1953-1954 N/A You get my point. How much is too much? Take out the owners and the much-loved announcer, Johnny Most , and Red Auerbach WAS the Celtics front office . He did everything. Now with Danny Ainge exiting, Brad Stevens has been installed as President of Basketball Operations - Ime Udoka is in as head coach - and the team is searching for a General Manager. Is this a case of too m...

           Larry Joe Bird also known as Larry Legend, The Hick from French Lick , and The Great White Hope . One of the greatest players of all time. Larry could do it all and he made sure his opponents heard it. His passing skills were second to none, He had eyes in the back of his head. He was a killer from three and had a great mid range game and could get to the hoop with ease. He literally and physically gave his entire body on the court. There was never a player more willing to give his body up for the good of the team .       Larry was a local phenom and originally played for Bob Knight at Indiana but he dropped out a month in. Eventually he made his way to Indiana State and led them to an undefeated season all they way up to the NCAA final where they fell to the Spartans and Magic Johnson . A rivalry was born that day and would spur each player to do their best. That 79 title game was the highest rated title game ever! Larry h...

        Kevin Garnett was intense (but you knew that), versatile, and a defensive monster and one of the greatest power forwards of all time! He brought a fire to the Celtics they were lacking and changed how things were done when he was traded to the Celtics. In that trade the Celtics gave up Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, and Theo Ratlif, the most players given up for one player in NBA history. Celtics fans will say that was the most lopsided deal ever and they won the trade!       Before he became a Celtic he lead the Wolves to eight straight playoffs and the 2004 Western Conference Finals. He is one of only five players to be win the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year . He in fact was the first Celtic to ever win that award and think about that given their stories history. During the Celtics Game-6 Clincher vs the Lakers, he scored 26 points and had 14 rebounds. During that special year he and the great Bill Russ...

      Paul Pierce labeled The Truth by the great Shaquille O'Neal . Was one of the greatest Celtics to ever put on the green and white. He could get to the hoop with ease , he had a nasty midrange game that was at times unstoppable and could he knock down the three! No one embodied being a Celtic like Paul, and his love for the franchise was evident even when he played for other teams later in his career.       An early indication of his greatness in the post season came during the Eastern Conference Finals vs the then New Jersey Nets . Where the Celtics were trailing by 21 points in the fourth quarter and he scored 19 of his 28 points in that fourth quarter to to lead the Celtics to the greatest fourth quarter comeback ever! Talk about incredible! In game 7 vs the Cavs during their epic title run he scored the 2nd most points in Celtics playoff history where he scored 41 points and out did Lebron. During the Finals that year he was carted off the f...

  Rick Carlisle , present coach of the Indiana Pacer s, played a limited role for the Boston Celtics from 1984 to 1987, averaging a mere 2.2 PPG, 1.0 APG and 0.8 RPG. He collected one Title ring as a player with Boston in 1986, and a second one, this time as coach of the Dallas Mavericks, in 2011. Carlisle employed what he calls a : "free-flowing Boston offense" in the 2011 playoffs, taking out the Miami Heat, loaded at the time with the likes of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, in six games (per Rick Carlisle): "By the time we got into the playoffs in 2011, we were calling virtually NO plays. (It was a) random style we called "flow" Rick likened that free-flowing style to what he and his Celtics teammates did in 1986 . In 2011, Carlisle had six players carrying most of the scoring load, from Dirk Nowitzky's 27.7 points/game to Peja Stojakovic's 7.1 PPG. That crew also included Jason Terry, Shawn Marion, J. J. Barea and Tyson Chandler . The ...

      Dear Jayson and Jaylen, look at this year's NBA playoffs and Giannis as an example that loyalty and hard work can pay off. If you give your all to a franchise and they give back to you then you can achieve the ultimate glory on the hard wood. Look at how much that title in Milwaukee meant to those fans and that collective team. Ask any player from the Celtics what it means to win here - there is no better experience .       The culture of winning titles in Boston has been passed on from the 60s, 70s and 80s to the eventual 08 title team. There is a bond that is unbreakable when you win in Boston! Just ask KG or the Truth how much that title meant to them and the entire Celtics organization. Anything is Possible!       Look at the joy and exuberance that Giannis had by staying true to the team that drafted him. He didn't go and run away. He got down and dirty improved his game and dominated in the Finals. Look at Larry, Magic a...

      Ray Allen was a player who was admired by Celtics fans. There were dreams of the young man who played at UConn in Celtics fans minds. In a steal of a trade by Danny Ainge, he acquired Ray and Big Baby Davis for Delonte West, Wally Z, and what turned out to be Jeff Green. Celtics fans will say Danny definitely won this trade.       Ray was a player who could score from  anywhere especially from three point land he was deadly out there. Ray also had a heck of a midrange game and could get to the hoop easily. An absolute complete player who, when teamed up with KG and The Truth, was a true threat to go off at any moment.       As a Celtic Ray had some memorable moments . During game 4 of the Finals vs the Lakers he played all 48 minutes scoring 19 points and had 9 rebounds. He was part of the 24 point comeback and even scored the clinching layup to put the Celtics up five. In the clinching game vs the Lakers. He had had a ...

      Where did we end up as a team this season in our style of play ? It all starts on the defensive end. Do we see that effort and fight on every play defensively! Can Udoka's defensive system motivate this core we have. Is it less complicated than Stevens system which gave other teams wide open shots on a lot of occasions. Let's get back to basics and work harder then any team defensively and let the Wolverine Marcus Smart lead us out there on the defensive end.       Offensively we need a team oriented system that gets everyone involved and leads to easy shots. No more just going one on one. Here's an idea how about we run more just like Tommy Heinsohn used to say! Imagine a team that works hard defensively and and runs the fast break flawlessly. We have the players who can do it. Imagine having Brown and Tatum just flying down the floor getting easy transition baskets.       Another offensive idea that should be encouraged ...

      The Bucks winning a title proves that super teams are not necessary to win an NBA championship . Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks proved if you have a team that plays as a team, you can win it all. A team that believes in itself. A cohesive unit with one goal in mind. Giannis proved that loyalty to the team that drafted you is something special. They went through tough losses together yet he didn't pack up and join a super team. His team in fact beat a so called super team.       Super teams were a response to Danny Ainge, through shrewd trade, was able to put together a team that had Kevin Garnett , The Truth , and Ray . When they broke Lebron James in Cleveland instead of going back there, The King went and started a so called super team with Wade and Bosh.  And even though they won a few titles, they lost more than they won. What the Finals showed us is that a trio of superstars isn't necessary to go really far in the post-season. All...

 I don't label Danny Ainge taking Giannis Antetokounmpo 15th in the 2013 NBA draft as a blunder, or even bad judgement. No NBA coach, GM or analyst could envision what the now-League Champion and Finals MVP could be. So lets call it unfortunate that we won't be seeing a starting-5 of The Greek Freak alongside The Jay team, Marcus Smart and Al Horford this coming season. The Celtics slipping to number-3 in the 1997 draft and missing out on Tim Duncan won't be included in this rating. The Evil Emperor of Beantown, Rick Pitino , was in charge and would most-likely would have butchered his handling of such a fundamentally-sound talent.  So the greatest misfortune in Celtics history has to be the early deaths of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis , taken in successive (1986 & 87) NBA draft s. I lump the two players together since, had they lived, they would have paired to possibly prolong the careers of Bird, Parish and McHale in Boston, and perhaps add a couple of banners to ...

           Kevin McHale was the man of many moves. He could fake you out of your jock in the low post. He had it all. He could go inside and destroy you or even hit that midrange shot and later in his career knocked down some threes. He out leapt, out spun, and out maneuvered all his opponents and that led Charles Barkley to say he was the best player he ever played against .       Drafted with the 3rd overall pick in that steal of a trade for Robert Parish by Red Auerbach . Kevin's impact on the floor came very quickly. In game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 1981 during their 3 to 1 comeback he rejected Andrew Toney to secure the win for the Celtics. In game 4 of the NBA Finals in 84 with the Celtics trailing in the game and series, he made the infamous Rambis clothesline play which not only spurred the Celtics to a win in the game but eventually a title!       A little known fact was in free agency Kevin ...

      Robert Parish also known as The Chief, had no ego when it came to playing for the the Boston Celtics. A versatile big who could run the floor and finish fast breaks. His longevity and dependability were very impressive for a big. His high arching shot was like watching rain fall down. He was a strong defensive player who always had the knack for clutch rebounds and blocked shots.       Starting his career in Golden State, The Chief was labeled with a bad reputation. You never know a player until he's on your team and when Red Auerbach went calling to Golden State and offered the number one pick for Robert and the third overall pick history, was made. At first he was surprised to be traded but he was jumping up and down for joy to have a fresh start. Chief loved that the Celtics were all about team. They played for the name on the front of the jersey not the back of it.        When Robert joined the Celtics they also used ...

      Danny Ainge the player could be described as hard nosed, brash, a pest that infuriated his opponents. He was also a legit three point threat and could he score! He was tough as hell, willing to go up against guys like Jordan and get in heated exchanges as he did in 93. Danny Ainge the executive could be described as shrewd, intelligent, probably brash! It got to the point where no GM wanted to trade with Danny in fear he would make them look like a fool.       Ainge was a three sport athlete playing baseball, football and you guessed basketball . He played three years of professional baseball with the Toronto Blue Jays. You could say his toughness on the court came from playing football. He won two titles with the Boston Celtics in 84 and 86. During one of his seasons in Bean town he had career highs in three point and free throw percentage. Danny made the All Star team in 1988.       In 89 Danny was traded to the Kings for ...

      Dennis Johnson was a late bloomer in regards to his NBA career. Early on in his career he was known as a scorer and dunke r. Later in his career he was know as a defensive stopper and some say the most underrated player of all time. No matter where he played he left an impact on that organization.       Early on in his career he was coached by the great Bill Russell . Things didn't work out and eventually DJ was coached by Hall of Famer Lenny Wilkins who was able to maximize DJ and they went on to win the 1979 NBA title where he won the NBA Finals MVP . After maximizing his time in Seattle he ended up with the Suns where he never reached that title glory.       Then Red Auerbach came calling and traded for DJ. When asked about the trade DJ said " Dream Come True" and when asked about Red he said " living history" . When he came to the Celtics he was established as their point guard and boy did he flourish. He became the ...

      Steph Curry has become the deadliest outside three-point shooter of a generation , if not historically. No matter where he is on the floor, when he lets it fly, it's a thing of beauty. That release and follow through, the sound of an all-net swish - it's basketball heaven. His handles are impressive as anyone's on the floor and he can get to the hoop as easy as anyone. When he gets to the free throw line it's game over. This season showcased he could put a team on his shoulders and elevate them all.      Steph was the 7th overall pick taken by the Warriors. He's a three time NBA Champion winning in 15, 17, and 18. His game is transcendent and that's why he's won the MVP twice . He's a seven time All Star. Been named to the All NBA first team four times and the second team twice as well as a third team honor. He's a two time NBA scoring champ as well.       As all greats do,  Curry has gotten better in all aspects of the gam...

  In northern New England  most of us call them camps, not cottages or cabins . I was  lucky   enough to have had two of them.  Sundown on the west shore of Aziscohos Lake My first camp was not really mine, but as a kid I felt that it was.    My grandfather built it in the    mid 1950’s by the shores of    Merrymeeting Lake  in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.  My   grandfather was an avid fisherman, and the area lakes, ponds and streams provided new    opportunities for him. However, he was not able to enjoy the camp for long. He died soon  after its completion. My mother named the camp  “Joe’s Haven”  in memory of her dad and   painted a sign with that inscription. The camp was a simple structure. It was small and had no insulation, running water or indoor   toilet facilities. We carried drinking water from a nearby spring, and we bathed in the lake.   For a 10-year-old...