Celtics ☘️ Sentinel

 ☘️       C's are short handed yet again, no KP or Jrue tonight. It's gonna take the next man up in multiple spots tonight. I expect a big game from PP tonight. Question is who will be that guy we don't expect? Is it Luke? Possible Torrey Craig? All I know is despite being shorthanded we have a good shot of beating these Cavs. Their record is good but they aren't a team I'm afraid of.        C's are off to a pretty impressive start tonight. The fellas are locked in tonight! JB is en Fuego to start, I love the way he looks tonight. The Celtics defense is unreal right now! Derrick White has three steals already. They are firing on all cylinders right now. The Garden is in a frenzy right now. This start is absolutely unreal, welcome to the Jungle Cleveland.       These uniforms are hideous but their play is Beautiful! Given the shorter bench tonight, sustaining the lead may be troublesome. Nice to see Luke back on the floor tonigh...

 ☘️       C's come into Detroit on a nice win streak. The Pistons themselves are on a decent win streak. Something is about to give and we will find out next. There will be no JB or Luke tonight. Everyone else is available to play. C's are currently 3-0 vs the Pistons, let's hope they make it four. I expect a big game from PP off the bench. C's have their double big lineup tonight.        Not a very inspiring start tonight. C's are cold on the second night of a back to back. Al makes a great defensive play and they call a foul. These refs suck! JT finally gets the C's on the board. Way too many missed shots tonight. There seems to be no gas in the tank right now. C's will have to muster up some strength from within.      Jrue Holiday puts Cade in the wash cycle and scores inside. So good to have him back tonight. C's trail by six early, as we have a timeout. The way Jrue is able to use his body in the paint is impressive. He uses hi...

 It is now widely known that Jayson Tatum's goal is to eventually reach-or-surpass Larry Bird as /best Celtics player ever.  Can he do it? My feeling is that his goal is a lofty on, but...... "Aim high or you will hit low" -- Tom Lane This quote doesn't relate to just target shooting . A shooter has to aim high to hit a distant-and-difficult target . It applies to most endeavors. I rate Bird as one of the top-5 NBA players of all time . Tatum has taken aim at a lofty goal indeed . Can Jayson end his career with three MVP awards, three Championships, two Finals MVP trophies and three 3-point Champ Awards?  Tatum has been an iron man for Boston and he should have a longer career than Larry. Jayson has become a complete player, and if he continues to improve, particularly in his passing skills, he has a shot at equalizing - or surpassing - Bird as Boston Celtics GOAT, but the odds are against him . I like this kid. I really like Jayson and his game. But I adore Bird - ...

 ☘️       C's will be without Jrue, Al, and Luke tonight. This should open up minutes for the stay ready group tonight. C's have to stay focused with who is front of them. Tonight against the Raptors and  tomorrow in Detroit. We all know who is on tap Friday night. It's the Cavs, who I believe are extremely overrated. C's are 2-1 against the Cavs this season. Honestly it should be 3-0. I guarantee we will see the Celtics best game of the season Friday night.        Last time we faced the Raptors here in Toronto we lost. It was a garbage less then and it still feels that way now. Tonight needs to be the C's going out here and wiping the floor with them. It's time to make the Raptors extinct. It still boggles my mind this franchise has an NBA title. While plenty of other deserving franchises don't. I saw a graphic the other day and in the four major sports there are so many teams that don't own a championship.        Wow, ap...

 ☘️       C's are out to a nice start on the offensive end. We need to keep pushing the pace and getting to the line. That Jrue Holiday turn around was pure! C's are moving in transition and getting to the cup. What an outlet from JT to Jrue for the layup! That's beautiful Celtics basketball right there. All five Celtics starters have scored here.        Most overrated player in the NBA is Sir Flops A Lot Brunson. I stand by that statement 100 percent. His game reminds me of that flopper James Harden. I have no respect for either of their games. You can throw the entire Knicks roster in that category as well! Except for KAT, but he's a choker. There's a reason why people look down on the NBA and certain players and load management contribute to that. I miss the days where guys like MJ, Larry and Magic gave their entire physical bodies to basketball.       This Knicks team isn't a threat to anyone in the NBA. Just look at how th...

 🏀       Well we are back from the All Star break and it's time to ball out. C's are wearing the traditional white uniforms with the green trim. JB opens it up with a lefty layup. He should be able to do what he wants in the paint. Both KP and Jrue have also scored in the paint. C's hit their first three thanks to DWhite and his sweet stroke. Early on the C's are attacking Maxey in the paint that young fella can't play D to save his life. JB will be able to smoke him all game!        C's defense isn't where it should be right now. JT is on the board as he scores with a lefty off the glass. All five Celtics have scored tonight. C's are a bit rusty coming off the break. Hopefully they can shake off the dust and blow this Sixer team off the floor. Anyone else find the All Star game to be a waste of time... It's never going to have the cache and magic it did when I was growing up. NBA needs to look at the NHLs template of the four nations. Go with a ...

 I am guessing the timeline was roughly the mid-1950's. The place was the Old Boston Garden. I was there with my family for a circus, and being around nine years old at the time, my father antagonized me, "I'm going to have it come over here" is what he said to me. The "IT" he referred to was a live monkey - across the arena - l eaping wildly from seat to seat - sometimes landing on the scared-or-delighted attendees. That's all I needed. I have not liked monkeys since that moment. When I related this story to others, I was usually met with skepticism. That was until the remains of (what I believe) that same monkey was found in 1998.   The Boston Garden monkey, photographed while taken out of hiding in 1998. If you hit on the above link, you will learn that the demolition crew taking down the old Garden had some fun with the mummified remains of the creature, apparently hiding the grisly find from superiors. Thus, the legend of the "rogue pri...

 TV viewers know that The Rifleman, played by Chuck Connors , was a fine long-gun shot. While he hardly ever missed with his rifle on the TV series , he was not a sharpshooter with a basketball . In his one season with the Boston Celtics , he shot 24% from the field and 46% from the foul line. Connors holds the dubious distinction of breaking the first backboard in NBA history. But it wasn't via a slam dunk. It was the result of an errant-too-strong set shot that hit the front of the rim and shattered the glass backboard. The backboard Chuck Connors shattered This happened in 1946 - prior to the emergence of "shatterproof backboards". I personally found this incident to be difficult to perceive, but apparently "the brick' launched by a 6'6", 2-sport pro athlete was sufficient to do the job. 

  ☘️       C's welcome the future of the NBA in Wemby to the Garden. No Brown or Holiday tonight. Let's hope the C's finish this first half of the regular season on a high note. I fully expect another Tatum thirty piece tonight. I've always found the Spurs uniform to be very sleek. My cousin has a David Robinson jersey growing up. Tonight's uniform kinda sucks!      I'm hoping we get to see Torrey Craig tonight. There's a dawg in that man and I expect to see it. C's must come out and put on a show tonight. JT hits his first shot out of the gate! I love the way JT has been playing lately! MVP type basketball from my perspective. JT sees the floor so well. That pass to Al was crisp! Al finds JT for three! That's Love between these two teammates! Timeout Spurs, I like what I'm seeing tonight.       Gotta say thanks to the Spurs for trading us Derrick White. JT with the one handed JAM! MVP! Back to back threes from Derrick White! Thanks...

 🏀       Three years to the day we traded for Derrick White. From the moment we traded for him I knew he was a steal. Very Red like by Brad to get him for what we did. I absolutely love Derrick White he's one of my favorite players. So glad he's a Celtic and I hope he never leaves. I expect him to have a big game tonight given no Jrue and Jaylen.       Tonight we get to see the new look Heat, given the trades last week. Question I have is who starts for the C's tonight? DWhite, Tatum, Al, KP and Sam? PP will have to be the catalyst off the bench. He's going to need some help that's for sure. I would guess Luke and Queta should get similar minutes from the other night. I'd love to see JT put up another forty piece.       I just heard from the pregame and I was correct with my predictions on the starting lineup. Game is ready to tip... C's need to get going early on. C's are wearing those ugly uniforms yet again. C's need to be ...

 The Celtics Kevin McHale was known in NBA circles as "The Torture Chamber" for his varied offensive skills near the hoop , but it was his comrade-in-arms, Larry Bird,  that may have been the toughest cover in League history. Bird had ZERO weaknesses at both ends of the court. He had the size, at 6'9", to shoot over many of his defenders - the ability to get a decent shot off despite heavy coverage - the passing skills to get the ball to a teammate if shooting was not an option for him - and the court savvy to make the right decision virtually every time. And Larry's anticipation was astounding. He seemed to know what was about to happen before it occurred. And "The Bird Man" would announce to the opposition exactly what his offensive plan was on the next play - and then carried it out successfully. The many opponents he tortured over the seasons offered that Bird's trash talking was not arrogance , since he made it all happen. He backed it ...

 ☘️       Is there a more overrated franchise in any sport? Yes I'm talking about the Knicks. The NBA is so starved to keep them relevant and it's sickening. Brunson is the most infuriating player to watch. He flops into the defenders all the time. I honestly can't believe he's an all star. I need whoever is guarding him to make him look like the jag he is.        JT just up and climbed the ladder for a two handed jam to bring down the hammer! JT follows up that dunk with a pure three. Luke Kornet has been a wall in the paint. I can't get over that Tatum dunk it should be on a poster. JB joins the scoring with a sweet jumper. JB sees the floor well and finds Al for three! So far the Jays are showing up in the big apple.          I'm enjoying watching Luke defend the paint like he owns it. He's been such an asset this season and he's balling on defense tonight. Hopefully he can continue to make an impact on tonight's game. ...

 ☘️       Once again Marcus Smart has been traded. This time by the Memphis Grizzlies. Bad news with the fact that Tony Brothers is doing the game tonight. C's might be in a dog fight with the refs tonight. Who is available for the C's who have two roster spots open after the trade of Jayden Springer. I'm hoping for Lonnie Walker to be the guy we tap on the shoulder.        Let's Go Celtics! They are wearing their hideous alternative uniforms tonight. They should burn those jerseys and never wear them again! KP opens us up at the line after the C's exposed the Mavs. KP hits the three from deep and he's on already. Great job by Derrick to force the turnover on the other end. C's defense isn't engaged right now. They better shape up or they will suffer.        JB is starting to light the fire as he does in first quarters. Early timeout for Joe as they aren't exerting effort on D. Let's hope off of the timeout they do what needs t...

 Lonnie Walker incoming? 

 In the Boston Celtics Championship 1985-86 season , their payroll amounted to $6,560,000.00 . In today's money , that comes to $23,353,000.00 - quite far from the projected, record-breaking $500 million attached to the Celtics 2025-26 season (includes luxury tax, etc.).   Larry Bird earned the most money on the Celtics that season - a "whopping" $1.8 million - or $6.4 million in today's money. Compare that to Jaylen Brown's present earnings for the 2024-25 season ($49.2 million). Overkill? Excess? Yes, possibly both . Inflation and the popularity and success of the NBA has driven everything connected to the League sky-high - ticket prices, player salaries, TD Garden beers, etc . Where (and how) does it end.  I have followed the NBA since 1960, and I admit to liking today's game as much-or-more than past decades. But this financial trend can not continue without some negative repercussions.  In 1979, Bird - after lengthy negotiations - earned $650,000.0...

 ☘️      C's enter Cleveland and it's time for some basketball. Derrick White is Mr D to start the game with a steal! JB gets us on the board with his patented jumper. I have a bad feeling C's are going to get screwed by the refs tonight. I hope I'm wrong. Unfortunately for the C's Jrue seems a bit off shooting wise. Actually it's brick city on both sides.        JB is the only Celtic to score early on. KP is blocking shots like a machine tonight. C's need to get their offense going. JB is the only one getting his offense going. If the rest of the team can follow we have a good shot of winning! PP for three! Nice to have him back after missing last game. DWhite for three! C's are slowly finding their rhythm. Mitchell annoys the hell out of me! I'd love to see him take a hard foul!       C's must continue to be Dawgs on D! Then the offense will follow suit. Al for three! C's are crashing the offensive glass and earn another poss...

 🍀      C's are in the city of brotherly love and look to win their third game in a row. Anyone else disgusted by the trade that has occured? I am, the NBA has continued their pro Laker agenda by allowing this farce of a trade. You're telling me no other NBA team would have given more to add Luka to their team? Instead as they always do the Lakers end up getting elite stars for nothing but a pair of old sneakers and a few new basketballs.        C's are wearing those ugly jerseys tonight, let's hope they play better than how these look. Great job by JT going at Maxey who draws his first foul. Sounds like a decent group of C's fans in Philly today. C's off of the KP block, pushes and scores in transition. That should be the game plan going forward. C's shooting sucks so far.       Refs are already favoring the Sixers early on... Let's hope this doesn't turn into the worst loss of the season. Joe calls a timeout as we look like ...

  Well, the Lakers did it again. In the past, the sunshine, warmth and glamor of Los Angeles played a huge role in landing Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Shaq, Lebron - and yes - even the guy they just traded away, Anthony Davis. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6106196/2025/02/02/luka-doncic-trade-lakers-anthony-davis-mavericks/?campaign=12489530&source=athletic_email&userId=13383794 No one saw this coming . Effectively trading AD for the Mavericks Luka Doncic  was a shocker , but now the Lakers have added one more big name to their list of NBA stars who have landed in "Tinseltown" . And it is ironic that they sent another such "big name" packing (Davis). Boston can't compete with LA for warmth, sunshine, glamor - or the shot to get on the big screen . But the Celtics, through smart acquisitions and trades (read: The Jay Team) nailed Banner 18 before the Lakers - and will be seriously competing for "Number 19" this season. How well ...