Celtics Avoid Collapse in Indiana
Despite the win on Tuesday night, I could start this thing off being negative, I really could. But, I told myself I wouldn’t do that. At the end of the day, the Celtics came away with a 114-111 win on the road against a tough Indiana Pacers team. Jayson Tatum lead the way with 30 points on 11-22 (3-9) shooting with 6 boards. He looked in control all night and was able to get exactly what he wanted on the offensive end. He was no slouch on the defensive end either coming away with four steals and finding ways to disrupt passing lanes throughout all four quarters. Indiana native Gordon Hayward felt right at home on Tuesday night. Hayward had 27 shooting 10-19 (3-7) along with 10 boards and 5 assists. He’s just looked so much more comfortable these past two games. This is the Gordon Hayward the Celtics paid for, we just need to see him on a more consistent basis.
The Celts have been nothing short of inconsistent since coming back from the All-Star break, but one thing has remained constant: Daniel Theis. With Tatum and Hayward being in the zone, Theis quietly put up 20 points shooting 8-12 (2-2) adding 6 boards and 3 assists. The guy just knows his role so well, and knows how to produce in it. For a team that had questions about the center position most of the year, Theis has been the answer. He’s climbing up the list of my favorite Celtics and quickly becoming one of the more underrated centers in the league. We got some early Romeo Langford minutes in this one, folks! Now, he only played 10 minutes and went 0-4 from the field, but it was still nice to see him in the rotation. It looks like Brad is starting to trust him more and I think with more consistent minutes, he’ll find his groove offensively.
It’s time for the bad stuff now people. It was another double digit lead heading into the 4th quarter, and the Celtics fell apart….again. For whatever reason they started exclusively playing isolation ball and all the ball movement that helped create the nice lead went away. These guys had 17 assists as a team at the start of the 4th and ended with 19. Two assists in the 4th…..TWO!?!?!?!? I don’t know if it’s coaching or if the players are just getting out of attack mode, but whatever it is needs to stop for the sake of my well being. I need Kemba to start knocking the cobwebs off, too. He had another tough shooting night going 3-12 from the field, including 2-8 from three point land. I have full confidence he’ll get back to where he was before the injury, but my patience is running thin.
I wish Brad went with Robert Williams instead of Enes Kanter in this one. Kanter has never been very stout defensively, and tonight he got exposed. Whenever he was in, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner got whatever they wanted. Not to say Williams would’ve totally shut them down, but with his defensive ability he surely would have made their lives a little bit tougher in the paint. Honestly, I don’t think anyone had plans to stop Sabonis in this one, he went crazy. Sabonis torched the C’s all night putting up 28 points on 13-23 shooting along with 9 boards and 8 assists. The Pacer starters were just awesome in general. Victor Oladipo added 27 points and 7 boards, TJ Warren had 22 points, 5 boards and Turner had 16 points, 8 boards and 4 blocks. Again, this is a solid Pacers team who will give whoever they play in the playoffs a run for their money. But, when you’re up 14 and playing the way the Celtics were for the first three quarters, you shouldn’t only win by 3.
Still, a win is a win and I’ll take it, but it only gets tougher from here. The Celts head to Milwaukee on Thursday for a battle with the No. 1 seed in the East. However, the Bucks could be without the reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. If this is the case, I expect the Celts to take full advantage. Jaylen Brown could be making his return Thursday night, but that remains to be seen. If Brown plays Thursday, expect him to sit the second leg of the back-to-back on Friday against the Wizards, and if he doesn’t play I would bet they hold him until Sunday’s game in Chicago.
It felt good to be back in the win column, but please……stop blowing 4th quarter leads.
Celtics Give it Away, Literally, in Loss to Thunder
With about 13 seconds left in the game, the Celtics had a 104-103 lead and the ball. All they had to do was get it in bounds, make their free throws and they probably come away with a win on Sunday. Sounds easy right? Well, when the pass went in to Kemba, he looked like a deer in the headlights dribbling away from the rest of the team, and when he made his turn, the Thunder’s Dennis Schroder was right there for the steal and took it in for the easy lay up. This 105-104 loss was probably one of the most painful losses in recent memory.
They had their chance to win on Sunday, but it really shouldn’t have been that close. With about a minute left in the first half, the Celtics had just completed a stretch where they hit 5 straight three pointers and increased their lead to 18. For an offense that had been struggling, this was a pleasant site to see. But, in a minute of game time the Thunder went on a 7-0 run to bring the deficit down to 11 heading into halftime. The Celtics have had double digit leads in the last four home games….and are 0-4 in those games. It just looks like they take their foot off the gas when they get up big. For a team that prides itself on defense, it was an ugly effort against the Thunder. The Celts could not stop fouling, which allowed the Thunder to get to the line 35 times and in turn, really kept them in the game. Not to mention, the Thunder shooting 44 percent from the field and 40 percent from three isn’t so good for the brand either.
Defense wasn’t the only problem, though. The offensive struggles continued for the Celtics, especially for two of their starters. Kemba, who has looked incredibly rusty since returning from his injury went 4-14 for 14 points and Tatum, who has cooled off since his 5 straight games of 32+ points went 8-22 for 19 points. Kemba and Tatum gong a combined 12-36 for 33 points is not a recipe for success. Shooting 37 three pointers as a team is pretty wild, too, even in today’s NBA. I LOVE the three pointer but these guys were just chucking them up at times leading to a lot of bad offensive possessions.
This game was frustrating, disgusting and just all around disappointing. But, as always, there’s still some good to take out of it! Hayward looked like he is starting to find his stroke again going 9-19 (4-7) for 24 points. He also added 5 boards and 4 assists, a nice all-around game from him. Of course, the last time I praised him in one of these, he went on a BRUTAL stretch, so fingers crossed I don’t jinx him again. Two of the young guys had some nice minutes as well. Robert Williams looks like he’s going to be the No. 2 center behind Theis. Williams had 6 points 5 boards, including four offensive rebounds and a key block late in the game. No matter how bad the defense was on Sunday, Williams was always active. I need more Romeo Langford minutes, all this kid does is produce. He had 6 points on 2-3 shooting and 5 boards, including two offensive rebounds. Plus, his on ball defense is awesome, so is he defensive energy as a whole. Especially with Jaylen out, this could be a nice test to see what the lottery pick has to offer. Hopefully Brad lets the kid play more and more.
I need to give my quick respects to the Thunder. Chris Paul was awesome on Sunday going for 28 points on 9-19 shooting, including 10-10 from the line and adding 7 assists and 6 boards. Dennis Schroder was equally as awesome going 10-21 for 27 points off the bench. The Celtics didn’t have an answer for either of these two all game. And credit to the Thunder defense for putting the clamps on the Celtics in the second half. They forced 13 turnovers and never letting Boston get comfortable. This Thunder team could really be a problm for whoever they face in the playoffs.
For one of the more important stretches of the season, this isn’t what we wanted to see. A Friday night 99-94 loss to Utah and this heartbreaker on Sunday. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get any easier with Indiana and Milwaukee on the schedule this week. Right now the Celtics are 1-3 to start March, with blown double digit leads in all four games….not great! For the sake of my well being, they need to get back to the type of basketball they were playing in February and find a way to beat the Pacers and Bucks, or else I’ll start pulling hair out of my head.
Fade Fernando’s Picks from God 3-7-20
Howdy everyone and welcome back to this week’s version of Picks from God. Well folks, it can’t get much worse than last week: Winless, 0-4, down 4 units, etc. The last 2 weeks the Picks are 1-7 and let me tell you the ego is hurting. I have friends telling me they read this stupid blog just so they know which picks not to take. Honestly, it’s just nice to know people take the time to read my hard work. I’m going to continue to give the people what they want as I have decided to start a biweekly podcast, “Highly Educated,” which will discuss sports gambling as well as the top stories around the sports world. You can thank me later. That being said, let’s get to this week’s picks.
*Grad School Sports reminds you to please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please call 1-800-522-4700.
Arkansas vs. Texas A&M +3.5: Although the Aggies didn’t cover last weekend at LSU, they really did look good last weekend in Baton Rouge and were within 5 points with around 5 minutes to play. However, a pair of missed free throws allowed the Tigers to go on a run which put the game out of reach. Coach Buzz Williams got his first signature as head coach with win on the road at Auburn on Wednesday and the Aggies will hope to keep the momentum going when Arkansas comes to Reed Arena Saturday. Boosted by a very weak non-conference schedule, the Razorbacks 19-11 record truly does not reflect how average of a basketball team they really are. They really struggle on the road as well and I think the Aggies have what it takes to not only cover, but potentially win the game as well.
Oklahoma State vs. Texas -3.5: It pains me to say this, but the Horns are playing great basketball as of late and are a true bubble team. After losing 4 straight midway through the season, Shaka Smart’s squad has reeled off 5 straight wins and play an average Cowboys team whom they beat by 12 on the road in Stillwater in January. The Longhorns defense has been really good of late and should limit an Oklahoma State offense that has struggled at times throughout the season. I like the Horns to continue the late season momentum and get their 20th win by covering on Saturday.
Louisville vs. Virginia -1: This is one of the most intriguing games on Saturday’s slate. Louisville is one of the most talented teams in the ACC while Virginia is the hottest team in the league. While some have them cutting down the nets in April, the Cardinals are 3-3 in their last 6 and are 0-3 in their last 3 road games. The Cavaliers will be celebrating their seniors Mamadi Diakite and Braxton Key who were both very influential in last year’s national championship run. After struggling early on, the Hoos are playing great basketball and have vaulted themselves into the discussion of teams that could make a run in the big dance. I like the Cavaliers pace of play at home which will slow down Louisville star Jordan Nwora. Take the Cavaliers on senior night.
North Carolina +11.5 vs. Duke: The last time these two teams met in Chapel Hill, the Dukies barely survived in overtime. This is a huge line especially for a rivalry game. While the Tar Heels still aren’t winning games, they’ve been managing to keep them very close thanks to the play of Cole Anthony. Duke has lost 2 of 3 and has looked vulnerable yet. I still think Duke is one of the most complete teams in the country and has to be amongst the favorites to win it all if Vernon Carey Jr. can stay out of foul trouble. That being said, in a rivalry game such as this 11.5 is just too big a number for me. The Tar Heels may be under .500 but they are better than people give them credit for. I like them to keep it close in front of the Cameron Crazies.
This is a Disaster
This has to be some kind of cruel joke. Not even two weeks ago, we got the news Luis Severino would be out for the year after undergoing Tommy John, and now this. Aaron Judge has a stress fracture in his ribs and there’s no telling how long he’ll be out. The Yankees say they’ll rest him for two weeks, and surgery isn’t off the table. Dude, just do the surgery now, we know how this stuff ends.
Three months ago, we as Yankee fans could all but guarantee a World Series after signing Gerrit Cole, but now it’s looking like the Yanks will be lucky just to have nine guys playing. First, James Paxton gets back surgery, then the Severino news, Giancarlo Stanton’s calf strain and now this. The Yankees dealt with not a lot of pitching depth last year and still managed to win 100+, but with Aaron Judge out it’s different. He’s the heart and soul of this Yankees team and if he can’t come back from this, it could be a long 2020.
I hope this two week rest is all he needs to heal, but after it took MORE THAN TEN tests to find the stress fracture, I’m expecting some sort of season ending surgery here. I just don’t know why the baseball gods have it out for the Yankees, man. The Astros cheated their way to a World Series, and their lineup is just fine! Yes, I’m still mad about it and no, I won’t get over it.
I’m convinced Stanton and Judge are just too jacked to play baseball. They need to start sneaking in some cheeseburgers or something to get a little more fat on them, and get well soon, Aaron…..please?
94 Feet: Episode 1
94 Feet Podcast: Celtics superfan, Jackson Boland, and 76ers superfan, Andrew Edwards, attempt to reconcile their differences as they discuss the top stories circling around the NBA in this weekly podcast.
Short-Handed Celtics Survive in Cleveland
The Celtics starting lineup Wednesday night was Brad Wanamaker, Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum, Grant Williams and Daniel Theis. No, I’m not making that up. Being down three starters, Jayson Tatum was expected to carry the load offensively against the Cavaliers, and boy did he do just that. He ended the night with 32 points, 9 boards and 6 assists in the 112-106 win. This was his fifth straight game with 32+ points, and as needed as that production was, I thought this was the best he’s been passing the ball. Yes, he only ended up with 6 assists, but he seemed to always make the right read to find the open man instead of forcing up terrible shots. If he can consistently start putting up better passing numbers, he’ll truly be unstoppable.
Obviously, Tatum can’t score every point, so it was really all about who would be the number two scorer. If you say you knew it’d be Semi Ojeleye, you’re lying. Semi played the best game of his Celtic career Wednesday night. He put up 22 points on 8-11 shooting, including 5-8 from three point land and added 6 boards and 2 assists. This was a HUGE boost, especially for a Celtics bench that always seems to have trouble scoring. Because the Celtics were so short-handed, this game was full of weird minutes and rotations, so Tatum and Semi were the only ones to really put up big numbers. It was a great chance to see what the young guys on the team were capable of and if they’d be worthy of any playoff minutes. I’m going to go out on a limb and say Robert Williams needs some of those minutes. In 14 minutes of play, Williams had 6 points, 5 boards, 3 blocks and a steal. These aren’t numbers that will blow you away, but he’s smart with his shots and always active defensively. I won’t be surprised if he takes some minutes away from Kanter in the postseason.
Romeo Langford was another guy I was really excited to see get some extended minutes. Unfortunately, he didn’t play in the second half, but he was able to do some good things in his limited playing time. He played the best on-ball defense of any Celtic and grabbed 3 offensive boards. If he can get more consistent playing time to find his shot, he could be a nice role player for this team. Grant Williams was another young guy with some quality minutes on Wednesday night. He gave the Celtics 8 points and 5 boards on a steady 4-6 shooting and was able to end a couple of impressive Cleveland runs.
As valiant an effort as this was and considering the blown lead the night before, I can’t only gush. Marcus Smart was terrible on Wednesday. He looked completely checked out for the first 46 and a half minutes of the game. He struggled shooting the ball going 5-15, including 0-5 from three. Normally, we can count on Marcus for awesome defensive efforts, but even those weren’t there Wednesday. But, as I said, that was during the first 46 and a half minutes. Once there was about a minute and a half left, we got the Marcus Smart we know and love. He was making hustle plays, getting to the line in crunch time and just doing what you need to do with the game on the line.
And I’ll give my proper credit to Cavs. They just never went away, and that’s thanks to Collin Sexton. He’s been unreal lately and that trend continued on Wednesday as he finished with 41 points on 17-30 shooting. Kevin Love added another 26 points and 14 boards along with Larry Nance Jr.’s 19 points and 15 boards. At 17-45, this Cavaliers team has nothing to play for, but they’ve played much harder since John Beilein resigned during the All-Star break.
The Hospital Celtics came away with the win, but I hope I never have to see this again. Things should get back to normal, at least a little bit, Friday night against the Jazz. You have to figure Hayward’s bruise will be healed, and a rehabbing Kemba should be ready to go. But, we really just can’t have nice things because the Celts will be without Jaylen Brown for the next week, at least, after he tweaked his hamstring against Brooklyn. This is a tough stretch for this to happen, too. This is what the next week looks like for Boston:
- Friday: Utah
- Sunday: Oklahoma City
- Tuesday: @ Indiana
- Thursday: @ Milwaukee
I just want a completely healthy top 7 on this Celtics team, is that too much to ask?
Al Horford: Disaster
It seems like just yesterday when the Sixers had a fully healthy roster, and had the option to move Al Horford to the bench. Up until that point, Horford’s struggles had been written off as a fit issue, and it seemed as though staggering his minutes with Embiid’s, as opposed to playing them at the same time, would solve the issue. As it turns out, that is far from the case.
With three of the starters out for an extended period of time during a tough west coast road trip, many expected the Sixers to struggle. It would almost be blind faith to predict anything else. But the one bright side we had to look forward to was seeing Al Horford in a role that would best fit his skill set. His response to this opportunity was to play his worst basketball of the season. After a decent enough showing against the Cavaliers, Horford has been nothing short of a disappointment in games against relevant teams.
All of the things that made Horford an appealing option in free agency have been non existent this entire season, specifically during this stretch. His low post offense has been sub par. His shooting, both from midrange and from deep, have been bad. His accurate passing, quick decision making, good shot selection and finishing have been non existent. His defense, which may have been the most eye popping part of his game, has been TERRIBLE.
He’s good for a block and a steal every now and then, but all season Horford has looked like it’s his first time playing basketball on the defensive end. He has gotten absolutely cooked by every matchup, and undrafted free agent Norvelle Pelle, Kyle O’Quinn and Mike Scott have frankly all held their ground defensively better than he has.
Not only has Horford not stepped up for the Sixers as they’ve become short-handed, he’s been one of the players keeping them out of games. It’s becoming more and more clear that if the sixers are going to make a playoff run, it will be in spite of Horford, not because of him.
What Just Happened: Celtics Blow 17 Point 4th Quarter Lead
If I told you the Celtics had a 84-67 lead heading into the 4th quarter of Tuesday night’s game, would you think they’d lose that game? Neither would I. Unfortunately, that was the reality when they took on the Nets in Boston. They just collapsed in the fourth, there really isn’t another way to put it. For a team that prides itself on defense and was rock solid through three quarters, they allowed an inexcusable 51 points in the 4th quarter. As much of a collapse as this was, I need to give the Nets their proper credit. They just never quit and willed their way to a 129-120 win in overtime. About three or four minutes into the first it looked like the Celtics were ready to blow the Nets out of the building. Kemba was back, the offense was cooking and life was good.
The Nets made the switch to a 3-2 zone early in the first and really got the Celtics out of their offensive rhythm for the rest of the first half. Despite some offensive struggles, they still took a 56-43 lead into halftime. The Celts expanded that lead to 21 halfway through the third…that just pains me to write. Then the 4th quarter happened. Caris Levert was a PROBLEM. He ended the night with 51 points and 37 of them, yes 37, came in the 4th and overtime. As I watched the lead shrink by the second, I kept thinking, “there is NO WAY this is happening,” but when Marcus Smart fouled Levert on a three point attempt with less than a second left, I knew it was over. This is a depressing blog I know, but man, how can in not be? This is one of the bigger Celtics’ collapses in recent memory.
Plus, it looks like the Celtics lost more than just the game. Yes, Kemba was back, but if you blinked, you might have missed him. He was on a strict minutes restriction after being out 5 games with a bad knee. Thanks again, Nick Nurse. The game against Brooklyn was the first of a back-to-back, so it’s reasonable to think he’ll sit out against The Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Gordon Hayward didn’t play at all in the second half after leaving the game with a knee contusion, and Jaylen Brown looked to have some hamstring issues toward the end of the game. So, it looks like the Celtics will be without three of their top four in Cleveland. Tatum was out with an “illness” against Brooklyn, but I think he might have just partied too hard before turning 22 on Tuesday. If he’s active on Wednesday, it just opens the door for Tatum to drop 50.
There were some good things to take away from this one, I guess. I really couldn’t help but smile just seeing Kemba back on the court. He didn’t shoot it too well, but he looked to be quick on his feet and the patented Kemba step back looked good. He looks like he’s healthy, so if he’s out on Wednesday, I would guess it’s just precautionary. Robert Williams made his long-awaited return after not playing since December, and he did some good things, too. He had 10 points in as many minutes, grabbed three boards and was active defensively. Can’t ask for much more from the Timelord. Aside form the fourth quarter, the defensive effort was there. The Celtics forced the Nets into 20 turnovers. And here are some cool things Marcus Smart did to help you forget about that foul on Levert:
Combine this loss with Saturday’s heartbreaker to Houston, and this may be saddest I’ve been all year in terms of losses. This one just hurts, man. BUT, the Celts are 41-19, currently 3rd in the East and could easily be the 2 seed by the time the playoffs come. Hopefully this one lights a fire under them, and if it does, that could be bad news for Cleveland. #InTatumWeTrust
The Proposed CBA
The new CBA proposal is intriguing for a variety of reasons. The complexity of it all is enough to make a sports attorney salivate, meanwhile the psychological and physical consequences of the deal have sports psychologists and physicians pondering what this will do to the future of the NFL. While the deal can be perceived as being beneficial to both the owners and the players, the real question is whether the deal makes sense for the National Football League (“NFL”) as a whole. The answer to that question is as intricate as the proposed deal itself. While the owners and the players are essentially the official members of the NFL, I believe this deal affects the fans as well as the league’s future players. Put simply, this proposal could have a lasting impact on the league.
The NFL is currently concerned about the safety of its players due to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (“CTE”) findings, and rightfully so. The findings are troublesome and have prompted some young NFL players to consider early retirement for fear of future mental illnesses. So, while the revenue split between the owners and players would move from 47 to 48.5%, players would be forced to play an extra regular season game. Is that worth it for the players? That depends on whom you ask. Stars who have big contracts as well as prime sponsorships, such as J.J. Watt and Russell Wilson, are strongly opposed to this deal. Whereas, lesser-known players, the ones who make up the majority of the league, would be all for a deal that would ultimately give them more money in their pocket at the end of the day. For star players who are making millions off the field in endorsements and other business ventures, adding one more game to an already grueling schedule in exchange for a little more money is a deal-breaker. Likewise, there are 2nd and 3rd string players who make around the league minimum salary at $480k per year who understand their playing careers could potentially last 1-2 more years. Thus, it is important they make as much money as possible each year, and in this case the new CBA deal would make sense. Additionally, will future NFL stars in the college ranks forego careers in the NFL for fear of injury due to the increased schedule length? The NFL has seen several great players the last 3 years retire in the primes of their careers specifically due to fear of CTE. Could the added schedule push more players to early retirement? Only time will tell.
NFL fans around the country should be enthused by this deal because it means more football. The regular season schedule would include an added game as well as 2 extra games in the 1st round of the playoffs. What’s not to love? However, the added schedule could mean more serious injuries for players which in turn could lead some parents to question whether or not they should allow their children to play the sport. Participation in high school football around the country has been declining the past few years, and high school athletes could decide to partake in other sports if they feel there are too many negative consequences associated with playing football long term. The NFL and football are not disappearing anytime soon, but the NFL has to be concerned with the declining levels of participation. I am not sure this deal will impact youth involvement, and if this deal is made we would have to wait 10-15 years for more conclusive evidence. Bottom line, as a fan of the NFL I would be excited about the possibility of a few more games each year.
Any proposed CBA deal will come with scrutiny. While we did not dive into the added specifics of the deal, on the surface level I believe this deal all depends on what each individual player values. If its a player who values the money, then you hope this deal is made. If it’s a player who is more concerned with their overall health and wellness, then this deal has its flaws. Overall, it will be intriguing to see the arguments being made on both sides of the aisle, both for and against this proposed CBA.
Grad School Sports™ 