# Boston Celtics 14-15 Season Thread: Brad's army of misfit toys



## Bogg

Well, September's rolled around and the promised fireworks of this past summer never quite happened. There's still some roster trimming that needs to be done and the finalization of Evan Turner's contract, plus the Rondo speculation that's pretty much going to be happening nonstop until he either moves on or (improbably) re-signs next summer. My predictions for the coming season: Marcus Smart makes the all-rookie team, Rondo's traded, Jeff Green and Brandon Bass are not, Boston finishes fourth in their division and third-worst in the conference, Munro comes up with a half-dozen new nicknames for players on the team (only one of them remotely nice). 

Some season "highlights":

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/08/13/celtics-open-season-home-nets-oct/Ul0ZHMwJyt02eIvJUxlZ2N/story.html



> Oct. 29, vs. Brooklyn — The Nets are without Paul Pierce, and opening night serves as an opportunity for the Celtics to get off to a positive start against a team that’s not the contender it was last season.
> 
> Nov. 14, vs. Cleveland — LeBron James returns to TD Garden, site of some of his most notable games, but this time in a Cleveland uniform again.
> 
> Nov. 28, vs. Chicago — If the Cavaliers aren’t the favorites in the Eastern Conference, the Bulls are. Derrick Rose is expected to enter the season healthy, joined by Joakim Noah and free agent acquisition Pau Gasol.
> 
> 
> Nov. 30, vs. San Antonio — A treacherous November ends with the defending champion Spurs, who have methodically broken down the Celtics at TD Garden over the past few years. It could be the final visit for San Antonio’s Big Three of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker.
> 
> Dec. 7, vs. Washington — It will be Pierce’s return to the Garden, but also the return of Kris Humphries, who turned in a positive season with the Celtics in 2013-14. The Wizards come to Boston with expectations after reaching the conference semifinals last season.
> 
> Jan. 19, at Los Angeles Clippers — It will be the Celtics’ first matchup of the season against Doc Rivers and the Clippers, who have championship aspirations after a turbulent offseason.
> 
> Feb. 11, vs. Atlanta — Could this be Rondo’s final game as a Celtic? It’s the Celtics’ final game before the All-Star break and trade deadline, and the Celtics may well be dangling Rondo, who is in the final year of his contract and may be an attractive piece for a contending team.
> 
> Feb. 27, vs. Charlotte — These aren’t the old Bobcats, these are the new Hornets, and they’re ready to challenge Miami and Washington for the Southeast Division title. With Haverhill native Noah Vonleh, newly signed Lance Stephenson, and Cody Zeller, brother of Tyler, the Hornets will be a team to watch.
> 
> March 9, at Miami — They’re not the Heat of the past four years, but Miami is still a formidable team with Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, and Roxbury native Shabazz Napier. Will the rivalry with the Heat continue without LeBron?
> 
> April 15, at Milwaukee — The Celtics’ regular-season finale, and the question is whether they will be playing out the string or making a bid for a playoff spot.


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## Bogg

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4714229/sullinger-turner-finally-set-to-team-up



> BOSTON -- Jared Sullinger will always wonder what might have been if Evan Turner had returned for his senior season at Ohio State.
> 
> ...
> 
> The two players worked out together at Ohio State this summer with Turner posting a snapshot of him and Sullinger on Instagram after the duo scrimmaged some current members of the Ohio State squad. Sullinger said both he and Turner are excited about the potential to play together.
> 
> But Sullinger also acknowledges that Turner's stock is low at the moment after he faded from Indiana's playoff rotation despite being acquired from Philadelphia for a postseason push last season, but expects big things from him.
> 
> “I think everyone is down on him because of how the trade happened and what happened in the trade and how Indiana played," said Sullinger. "I think people misunderstand Evan. He’s a great basketball player, great teammate. I’ve known him for years, he’s all about winning. That’s his main goal. We bring a great opportunity for him."


Little bit of a write-up on the relationship between Sullinger and Turner, who I keep forgetting Ainge managed to sign as a reclamation project. I'm actually a little bit intrigued by the possibility of Turner fulfilling some of his unrealized potential under Brad Stevens, and he put up good volume stats in Boston last year. If he doesn't work out there's nothing to be lost, but he's got some real potential to soak up plenty of possessions and keep the offense somewhat afloat if/when Rondo and Green wind up in different cities.


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## UNHFan

I'm intrigued to see what Stevens can do with Turner, Zeller, Rondo and Olynx.


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## Bogg

UNHFan said:


> I'm intrigued to see what Stevens can do with Turner, Zeller, Rondo and Olynx.


I expect Rondo to give some solid effort over the start of the season in hopes of being traded, and I don't really expect anything more from Zeller and Olynyk than them being solid rotation bigs, but Turner's the real question mark for me. If you hopped out of a time machine I'd believe anything between "he's averaging 20 points a night" and "he was out of the rotation by February". 

This is another thing that I haven't really gotten around to posting about, but even if the team isn't all that good again this year (and they aren't) I'm much more intrigued by them now than I was last year. This year there's Marcus Smart to over-analyze, the Even Turner reclamation project, Rondo and Jeff Green attempting to play up their value (and the associated trade talk), and endless speculation on free agency 2015. Last year was just kind of treading water until the draft for an entire season.


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## Bogg

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/09/19/celtics-will-start-training-camp-sept/neuJz9HBILD2ZaZsQW1VlK/story.html



> The Celtics announced Friday that they’ll hold media day for the upcoming season Sept. 29 at their training facility in Waltham and that training camp will begin the following day at the same location.
> 
> Training camp, which was held in Newport, R.I., last year, will last through Oct. 5. The Celtics open their eight-game preseason schedule against the 76ers Oct. 6 at TD Garden.
> 
> 
> The Celtics, who finished 25-57 last season, then face the Knicks Oct. 8 at the XL Center in Hartford before traveling to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto to face the Raptors Oct. 10.
> 
> The Celtics also will play at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., and at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine — their first game in Portland in 20 years.
> 
> All of the preseason games will be broadcast on Comcast Sportsnet New England.


It'll be interesting to see how the Evan Turner situation plays out. I think they're planning on using the non-taxpayer mid-level to bring him in, but still need to cut some salary in the lead-up to do it and stay officially under the hard cap that it imposes. It's simple enough to just waive Keith Bogans, but I think Ainge wants to keep him around as long as possible as a building block for trade purposes. Wouldn't surprise me to see Brandon Bass go out to a win-now team with Boston mostly just getting a trade exception or non-guaranteed contracts in return. Is Alonzo Gee's non-guaranteed cap figure big enough to make the numbers work in a one-for-one trade sending Bass to Sacramento?


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## E.H. Munro

No, because Bass makes $6.9 million this year. But throw in Scotty Hopson and Quincy Acy's non-guaranteed deals and it probably works.


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## Bogg

E.H. Munro said:


> No, because Bass makes $6.9 million this year. But throw in Scotty Hopson and Quincy Acy's non-guaranteed deals and it probably works.


Only problem is that Terry trade was made official like last week, so I don't think that Gee or Hopson can be packaged with another player for something like two months (correct me if I'm wrong). Otherwise I expect the Kings would be all over that kind of move.


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## Bogg

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/515285683150127104

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/515286339198001153

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/515287475019718657
This means that some non-guaranteed contracts are going to be waived tomorrow and the Evan Turner signing will finally be made official. Also, some other reactions:

A) Keith Bogans is about to get mid-level money for another season, which is hilarious considering how unhappy he's been to be overpaid and

B) Cleveland's _really_ loading up on trade assets. Gilbert looks like he's not going to repeat the same mistakes he made the first time around with Lebron.

EDIT: Apparently Boston also gets the rights to Dwight Powell out of Stanford and two second-round picks for their trouble. Nothing major, but more minor trade chips.


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## E.H. Munro

Yeah, 16 large and a guaranteed lottery pick are a pretty good trade package.


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## 29380

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/515631233372794881


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## Bogg

Well that's just lovely. Now there's _really_ a question of what's going to happen with the last couple roster spots - they just may need Pressey now and supposedly are thinking of keeping John Lucas around.


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## Bogg

Little bit of post-Bogans-trade housekeeping....


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/516333571360174080

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/516334657520926720

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/516365294798110720
Glad Chris Johnson got a soft landing after being released, he played hard for Boston last year. Also, looks like Lucas won't be sticking around, so Phil Pressey's spot on the team is probably safe. They have 16 guys with guaranteed money this year, though, so it'll be interesting to see who goes.


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## Bogg

Zach Lowe made some Celtics notes in his start-of-the-season article today. He's pretty much come to the same conclusions I did about possible landing spots for Rondo, but he seems to think there's a good-sized market for Jeff Green, which is encouraging. Interesting to see that he thinks Rondo will stick around long-term (or at least that Ainge will try), because I don't know what that means for Marcus Smart's future.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/33-crazy-predictions-for-the-nba-season/



> 2. Boston will keep Rajon Rondo and trade Jeff Green.
> 
> Gather all the intel you’d like, and this will still be a borderline 50/50 guess on both guys.
> 
> Boston has gauged the market for both over the last year or so, and its expected price for Rondo has been sky-high, per several league sources. That price will drop as Rondo’s deal ticks toward expiration, but the market for him is thin. Point guard is stacked leaguewide, and Rondo is 28, coming off ACL surgery, and seeking a max contract as he approaches free agency. A few suitors could wait to chase him in the offseason instead of dealing assets now and risking that Rondo walks in July.
> 
> If Boston wants a big haul, it has to hope a potential Rondo suitor feels some unexpected desperation early in the season. Houston is under pressure to win now, and if it starts slowly, Daryl Morey might swallow hard and meet Boston in the middle. Rondo and James Harden make for an awkward fit, but talent tends to work itself out, and the Rockets are confident they can re-sign stars once they get them.
> 
> Sacramento has outsize expectations after Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins won gold with Team USA, and any owner with outsize expectations is an explosive wild card. The Kings have three point guards, including two free agents they signed this summer, but they will soon realize their team just isn’t very good.
> 
> Depending on what happens with Rudy Gay, a Rondo pal, the Kings might not have enough cap space to chase Rondo in free agency — building an urgency to trade for him now.
> 
> There are other theoretical fits, but none that has the required combination of trade assets, devil-may-care boldness, and confidence in winning the Rondo free-agency game.1 If a frothy market doesn’t materialize, the Celtics might resign themselves to keeping Rondo in hopes that the extra year they can offer in free agency coaxes him to return at a price below the max.
> 
> Rondo is a flawed, temperamental player, but he’s a pass-first star who could work as bait for an alpha dog. Without him, Boston is just a collection of unmolded pieces waiting for a unifying force, playing the lottery in the meantime.
> 
> Green has a player option for 2015-16, meaning he may be working on a de facto expiring contract. His price will come down as the season moves along, but Boston might be willing to accept a diminished return. He’s a likable guy with more fans across the league than you might expect, and he can split minutes between the two forward positions.
> 
> We know now that Green isn’t a primary offensive option, but he has become a good spot-up shooter, he runs the floor, and he’s a nice secondary threat. He can attack gaps in the defense, provided a teammate cracks them open first.
> 
> New Orleans and Washington have obvious needs on the wing, and both have sniffed around Green in the past. But the Pelicans have already traded a bundle of first-round picks, and the Wiz are just $1.5 million below the tax without an obvious midrange salary to move in exchange.
> 
> The Raptors have bad memories of Joe Johnson bulldozing them in the post, and they have all their own picks, plus the midsize expiring deals linked to Landry Fields and Chuck Hayes. Atlanta and Detroit could use a boost on the wing, and it’s easy to see Green fitting as a hybrid forward in both Houston and New York. Denver’s roster seems ripe for a trade, though the Nuggets are crowded on the wing.
> 
> Green could fit in lots of places. If Boston doesn’t view him as a long-term core piece, he’ll be easy to move.


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## Bogg

It looks like Ainge has made his decision on the 15 roster spots, and Joel Anthony was the odd man out. It's looking like Will Bynum and his smaller guaranteed contract will be the waived upon arriving in Boston, although I certainly wouldn't mind it if Ainge could find someone (Washington? Indy) who wanted to absorb Bynum into a trade exception for free. 

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/11716140/boston-celtics-talks-detroit-pistons-trade-improve-roster-flexibility



> The Boston Celtics traded center Joel Anthony to the Detroit Pistons for guard Will Bynum on Friday.
> 
> The Celtics made the move with roster flexibility in mind. They have 16 fully guaranteed contracts on their books and must trim that to 15 before the start of the regular season. Swapping Anthony, who is set to make $3.8 million this season, for Bynum, who will earn $2.9 million, saves the team $900,000.


http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/10/18/celtics-likely-waive-will-bynum/nPSsKzckjaiCkRa4Qltl1J/story.html



> Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge and guard Will Bynum are expected to meet on Saturday, according to two NBA sources, and the team is likely to waive Bynum, who was acquired Friday from the Detroit Pistons.
> 
> Bynum, 31, is in Boston and will take his physical before he and his representatives meet with Ainge. NBA sources said the Celtics are content with their point guard lineup of Rajon Rondo, Marcus Smart, and Phil Pressey, leaving Bynum out of the equation.


One interesting possibility, though, would be using the stretch provision on Bynum to open up some additional breathing room from the tax line to help make any in-season trades easier to execute. With the way the cap's set to balloon over the next two years, keeping about $933K of Bynum's money on the books the next two seasons shouldn't matter much, but trading away Anthony and stretching Bynum would have the cumulative effect of backing down the Celtics' "on the books" salary for this year almost $3 million.


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## Bogg

Well, the season officially kicks off tonight and the Celtics open up tomorrow, but it's going to be a brutal first month:

http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&page=nba/teams/092/schedule.aspx?team=092,season=2014



> October
> 10/29 vs Brooklyn, 7:30 PM
> 
> November
> 11/01 at Houston, 8:00 PM
> 11/03 at Dallas, 8:30 PM
> 11/05 vs Toronto, 7:30 PM
> 11/07 vs Indiana, 7:30 PM
> 11/08 at Chicago, 8:00 PM
> 11/12 vs Oklahoma City, 7:30 PM
> 11/14 vs Cleveland, 7:30 PM
> 11/17 vs Phoenix, 7:30 PM
> 11/19 at Philadelphia, 7:00 PM
> 11/21 at Memphis, 8:00 PM
> 11/23 vs Portland, 6:00 PM
> 11/28 vs Chicago, 1:00 PM
> 11/30 vs San Antonio, 1:00 PM


They play all of _one_ team that doesn't figure to be in playoff contention (Philly, obviously) during that entire stretch. If they're 4-10 on December 1st I'll be impressed. I suppose the only positive about that is a particularly slow start could put Ainge into "let's make a deal" mode, for better or for worse. I want more than anything for this team either to swing a trade for some good veterans and play for a postseason berth OR to jettison the vets for a decent return and roll with the young guys.


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## RollWithEm

The only thing I would be worried about at this juncture of the rebuild if I were Celtics brass would be the happiness of Brad Stevens. I just hope this losing doesn't overwhelm him.


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## Bogg

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/11/10/for-depleted-celtics-benchmark-win/2EXE0dN5IgiIu4ZNPAhtyL/story.html



> It’s been rather uncomfortable the past two nights for Celtics coach Brad Stevens. He has watched helplessly as his team has eked out close victories, including Saturday’s 5-point win over the Chicago Bulls, perhaps the biggest win of his era.
> 
> The Celtics were missing two players. Rajon Rondo and Marcus Smart did not make the trip, but Stevens shuffled his lineup, placing Evan Turner at point guard and banking that his younger core would understand that nights like these are part of the growth period.
> 
> 
> Kelly Olynyk has to get tougher. Jared Sullinger has to continue to play with the edge that allows him to defend bigger men and avoid discouragement when they score over him. Jeff Green has to impose his will on every game, not just occasional ones. And Avery Bradley has to become more discriminating about his shots.
> 
> All of those objectives will come in time, but Stevens and the organization want it occur sooner than later. Stevens is weary of the difficult losses. He wants to see his arduous work come to fruition. He wants his team to win in adverse circumstances, and Saturday’s victory was a benchmark.
> 
> For 2½ hours, the Celtics ignored Rondo’s absence and Smart’s injury and just played ball with the 12 guys who made the trip. That is the perseverance Stevens has been waiting for, and the victory was a significant step in the Celtics’ quest to return to respectability.
> 
> The consensus around the NBA is that the Celtics have improved and played relentlessly under Stevens. That final point is critical because it is how the Celtics are going to win their share of games, by simply outhustling the opponent.


Well, 6 games in an they're 3-3, which is more wins than I thought they'd have all month. They've also got Philly coming up and an injury-ravaged OKC as winnable games left. They might make it to December in.....well, not _good_ shape, but better than I thought.


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## Bogg

So Boston played another close game last night in which they looked better than expected, and again they folded in crunch time to come away with a loss. A huge part of this is simply that they don't have a go-to scorer and as such are destined to struggle in "gotta get a basket on _this_ possession" situations, but it sure would be nice to at least see them get good shots off even if they don't go in.


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## Bogg

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11910253/virus-leaves-7-memphis-grizzlies-uncertain-vs-boston-celtics



> MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Seven members of the Memphis Grizzlies now are dealing with a stomach virus, and their status is uncertain for Friday's game with the Boston Celtics.
> 
> The Grizzlies announced Thursday that guards Tony Allen, Courtney Lee and Beno Udrih, forwards Jon Leuer and Jarnell Stokes, center Kosta Koufos and guard/forward Quincy Pondexter all are ill and are questionable for the Boston game.
> 
> Pondexter and Stokes are new additions to the injury list. The other five Grizzlies didn't play in a 96-92 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday due to the virus that kept them away from the arena.


In the latest of Boston's string of opponent-health-related good luck, fully half of the Grizz may not play tomorrow night against the C's. If Memphis finds themselves without their _entire_ reserve frontcourt and half of their swingmen (including both starters!) Boston just might have a chance.


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## Bogg

Bogg said:


> Well, the season officially kicks off tonight and the Celtics open up tomorrow, but it's going to be a brutal first month:
> 
> http://scores.heraldinteractive.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=bostonherald&page=nba/teams/092/schedule.aspx?team=092,season=2014
> 
> 
> 
> They play all of _one_ team that doesn't figure to be in playoff contention (Philly, obviously) during that entire stretch. If they're 4-10 on December 1st I'll be impressed. I suppose the only positive about that is a particularly slow start could put Ainge into "let's make a deal" mode, for better or for worse. I want more than anything for this team either to swing a trade for some good veterans and play for a postseason berth OR to jettison the vets for a decent return and roll with the young guys.


Well, 4-10 it is. The funny thing is that the East is so bad that Boston's only a game and a half out of the eighth seed, meaning that they could theoretically still make a win-now trade and subsequent playoff push any day now (unless/until they fall too far out of the picture later on).


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## Bogg

So, even with last night's loss, Boston's only a game out of the eighth seed with their next four being against NY, Philly, Orlando, and Minnesota. Given the way Brooklyn looks to be unraveling and the _tough_ schedule Milwaukee's got coming up, the sixth seed is in sight. It's starting to make me wonder how much Ainge would be willing to give up in order to get the likes of Wilson Chandler or Aaron Afflalo from Denver, perhaps Nik Pekovic from Minnesota, and make a run at the 6-seed this season. Any ideas?


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## E.H. Munro

Given the January schedule and the severe drop off after 10-11 in next year's draft I'm hoping that they don't mortgage the future for a one and done.


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## Bogg

E.H. Munro said:


> Given the January schedule and the severe drop off after 10-11 in next year's draft I'm hoping that they don't mortgage the future for a one and done.


Giving up some portion of the Clips, Cavs, and Philly picks to get some useful vets would hardly be mortgaging the future. I'm not in love with the idea and could get behind trading Rondo for the right return (Pelicans pick, please), but if the team really is going to try to keep Rondo around long-term I'd rather they do something to create an attractive landing spot for the next star that hits the trade market, something sort of like Houston did pre-Harden. Basically, I need Ainge to pick a direction, because spending the season hanging out as the 10th seed in the East is going to drive me crazy.


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## Bogg

Well, things are getting interesting in Boston as of late. Last night's win, coupled with Brooklyn's loss, has Boston sitting a half-game out of 8th and likely to jump up into the playoff seedings soon, but it looks like Ainge is more likely to finish tearing things down than he is by jettisoning Jeff Green and Rondo than he is to pick up some veterans and make a post-season appearance.


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## BobStackhouse42

When is Smart coming back?


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## Bogg

BobStackhouse42 said:


> When is Smart coming back?


Tonight, apparently. Steady diet of Pressey and Turner in the first half though, which makes sense. No point in letting Smart hurt himself again in his first game back.


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## Bogg

Eight seed!


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## BobStackhouse42

Celtics better than the Heat?


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## Bogg

BobStackhouse42 said:


> Celtics better than the Heat?


Not at full strength, but Miami looks like they're going to be beat to hell all season, whereas Boston is just chock full of bench-quality players that they can afford to run into the ground/interchange. I think the January schedule eventually knocks the C's out of the playoff picture and Ainge does some more selling-off at the trade deadline, but if Bosh misses tomorrow's game Boston might steal one from Miami and hop up into seventh, if only briefly.


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## Bogg

Well, Boston's starting to drop out of the playoff picture, and as Charlotte and Detroit look to be improving relative to where they were, the "competition" at the bottom of the East playoff picture may get a little....less weak (I'm not going to use the term stronger to describe that). Jeff Green's had more than a few off nights lately, and I'm still waiting to see what jersey he's wearing in March. On the plus side, Jae Crowder looks like he might be a keeper as a roleplayer, Marcus Smart's shooting is much-improved from his early numbers, and James Young had a successful debut during the team's most recent loss to the Hornets. Looks like they're headed into the lottery and could finish anywhere from 4th to 7th (from the bottom) at the end of the season, depending on how other teams shake out.


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## Bogg

This is largely for bookkeeping purposes, as most of these moves have been covered elsewhere, but Danny Ainge went a little bit nuts in the last week or so. Now that the dust has almost settled, the final count is as follows:

*Out*
Jeff Green
Brandan Wright
Jameer Nelson

*In*
Memphis first-rounder likely to be conveyed in 2019
Minnesota first-rounder likely to become second-rounders in 2016 and 2017
Clippers second-rounder in 2017
Shavlik Randolph
$5 million trade exception for Brandon Wright
roughly $2.4 million trade exception for Austin Rivers

*In, then right back out*
Nate Robinson (bought out)
Austin Rivers (flipped to the Clips)
Tayshaun Prince (to be bought out if no trade is found, not joining the team)
Chris Douglas-Roberts (to be waived)


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## Bogg

Evaluating Kelly Olynyk's development and his shot at the new USA-International format for the Rookie-Sophomore game. Remember, Kelly's from Canada, which technically _isn't_ the third Dakota. 

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4717278/this-rising-stars-challenge-delivering-a-ko-punch-at-both-ends-of-floor



> The NBA announced Wednesday that the annual Rising Stars Challenge will shift to a USA vs. the World format for this year's event at All-Star Weekend in New York. The league's assistant coaches will choose 10 players for each team from the eligible field of rookies and sophomores.
> 
> Even after shifting to a reserve role early this season, Kelly Olynyk has shown progress in most major areas.
> Even with a deep group of young, international big men in the league (OKC's Steven Adams and Chicago's Nikola Mirotic jump immediately to mind), it would seem a good bet that Boston Celtics second-year forward/center (and Canada native) Kelly Olynyk is in line for a return to the youth showcase.
> 
> So this seems like a good time to dive into the numbers and evaluate Olynyk's progress as we near the midway point of his sophomore campaign.
> 
> What stands out, from a big-picture perspective, is that even after shifting to a reserve role early in the 2014-15 season, Olynyk has shown progress in most major areas. As would be expected, his scoring is up (11.3 points per game) while playing 4 ½ more minutes (24.6 per game). He's shooting a higher percentage overall (50.9 percent) especially inside the arc (57.3 percent this season, up from 50 percent last year).
> 
> And yet it still feels like the Celtics have only scratched the surface with Olynyk, and there is a lingering curiosity about what he could do in even heavier minutes. Part of that is on Olynyk, who remains a work in progress on the defensive end and whose foul trouble has sometimes limited how long he has stayed on the floor.
> 
> Olynyk has made solid progress on the offensive end. His field goal percentage at the rim is up 5 percent from last season to 68.8 percent. Olynyk looks more confident going at the basket and he's even raised some eyebrows by finishing with loud dunks in transition.
> 
> ...
> 
> There are more encouraging numbers in regards to Olynyk's defense, however. The team's defensive rating with him on the floor is essentially in lockstep with Boston's season average, suggesting he's not having a particularly negative impact. But maybe most interesting is that the league's player tracking data suggests that opponents shoot only 0.9 percent higher than their season averages against Olynyk. He's holding those opponents to 59.4 percent shooting inside of 6 feet, which is only 0.3 percent above those players' averages. For numbers inside of 10 feet -- and 2-pointers overall -- Olynyk is holding players below their season marks.


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## agoo

USA vs. World format? Why do they make that change the one time there's a shot at rookies beating sophomores?


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## Bogg

agoo101284 said:


> USA vs. World format? Why do they make that change the one time there's a shot at rookies beating sophomores?


Probably seemed like a good time with so many Canadians/other internationals hitting the league in one two-year period. 

My guess at the international team: 
Wiggins
Olynyk
Exum
Dieng
Mirotic
Giannis
Steven Adams
Alex Len
German Rondo
Gobert and Bojan Bogdanovic fight over the last spot, while Pero Antic sits around convinced he was screwed out of a spot.


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## Bogg

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/01/26/kelly-olynyk-miss-few-weeks-with-sprained-ankle/0hv3nXQvQdyujQpNxJcpgK/story.html



> OAKLAND, Calif. — As expected, the Celtics will be without power forward/center Kelly Olynyk for a few weeks as an MRI revealed a badly sprained right ankle.
> 
> Olynyk, who is in his second season, missed 10 games as a rookie with a badly sprained left ankle. Olynyk rolled his right ankle when he landed on the foot on Portland’s Thomas Robinson in the third quarter of the Celtics’ 90-89 win on Thursday.
> 
> “He’s got a few torn ligaments, but it’s typical to a bad sprain,” coach Brad Stevens said before Sunday night’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. “Nothing broken.”


Well, so much for Kelly in the USA vs. The World format. I suppose that makes it easier on the people picking the teams, though. There are one or two more foreign bigs that have a case for making the team than there are roster spots.


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## Bogg

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2015/02/celtics_notebook_stable_roster_helps_brad_stevens



> WALTHAM — The numbers aren’t staggering, but for a team like the Celtics, they certainly are worthy of note.
> 
> The C’s are 6-6 since Tayshaun Prince joined the outfit for the beginning of a six-game Western Conference trip last month, and though he has missed some time with a sore hip and Kelly Olynyk went out with an ankle sprain, that run of par was earned with a stable roster. And when you consider the Celts were 13-25 when they flew to Los Angeles and had just completed a dizzying set of transactions, it’s easy to see the benefits in having a base of tranquility, if only for a few weeks.
> 
> Coach Brad Stevens laughed when the notion was raised.
> 
> “I think some would argue multiple years would be better,” Stevens said before yesterday’s practice. “I think you look at it, that’s usually the best-case scenario and why continuity is so important on some of these teams. I don’t know if you can really gauge anything after a couple of weeks, to be honest, in a team sport. The one thing that we’re doing pretty consistently is, with the exception of lapses here and there, we’re really getting after it. We’re going to make a lot of mistakes on both ends of the court, in part because of our youth, in part because we’re going to be asking them to really stretch themselves, especially defensively as we head into the last couple months of the regular season.
> 
> “I think we’ve got a good, good foundation, but I think we’ve got to get better at some little things or else we won’t be able to grow the way I want to grow and make the leaps and steps we want to make, especially on the defensive end of the floor.”
> 
> Just when Stevens and his troops are getting used to some continuity, the NBA trade deadline stands on the horizon. The Celtics will be active before the league throws up the stop sign a week from tomorrow, and if successful at the deadline, they will make the coach’s job even more difficult.


Hopefully this coming deadline (and subsequent buy-out period) is the last time the core of the roster gets thrown into a blender between now and if (when?) Ainge makes a trade for a star. I'm starting to really like some of the young guys, beginning with Smart and Crowder, and even Turner's growing on me a little bit.


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## Bogg

Mid-season report card from the Herald. I have to say, I'm not sure of what to make of this recent...well....not "hot" streak, but maybe competent streak? It'd be fun to get in a playoff series, but long-term (with _this_ roster) it's better for the team if they get a higher draft pick and better prospect (or for use in trades). 

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2015/02/celtics_midseason_report_card_a_work_very_much_in_progress



> The Celtics begin the stretch run with a game in Sacramento on Friday, and despite a 20-31 record, talk of the playoffs persists.
> 
> They are one loss out of both the seventh and eighth playoff seeds in the Eastern Conference. The weakened state of the East considered, the Celtics have a very good chance of remaining within reach of the postseason. The most telling sign of improved play is their 7-5 record over the last five games.
> 
> The trade deadline arrives on Thursday, and with it, more stability for coach Brad Stevens. He started the season with a plan based on the talents of Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green, and once those two players were traded, had to reconfigure his entire strategy.
> 
> It’s difficult for a young coach to work on the fly like this, but to Stevens’ credit, his players continue to buy into the plan.
> 
> As always, grades are based on how well each player has lived up to his role in that plan.
> 
> BRANDON BASS:
> 
> A-
> 
> One of the season’s great mysteries is why contenders haven’t made a bigger push for the Celtics forward. As always, he’s one of the best mid-range shooters in the league, and on this team, one of the best defenders. Though Brad Stevens has shuttled Bass between the starting lineup and the bench more than any other player on the roster, he’s responded by sticking to his hard-working routine. His professionalism has been a great example for younger players.
> 
> AVERY  BRADLEY:
> 
> C
> 
> He’s an undersized, streaky shooting guard without ballhandling skills. After all of this time, that much hasn’t changed. The good news is that Bradley’s recent defensive play has reflected more on his early years as a stopper, and he’s once again moving without the ball and finishing at the rim. He’s even worked his old back-cut move into the mix, now that Marcus Smart seems to be picking up on his game.
> 
> JAE  CROWDER:
> 
> B+
> 
> He’s not part of the solution offensively, but in a very short time Crowder has become the most consistent agitator in the lineup. Consistent effort has been a problem this season, but this undersized power forward always moves the hustle needle in the right direction. His 3-point shot also seems to be improving. It increasingly seems that the Celtics would like to bring him back. He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer.
> 
> ANDRE  DAWKINS:
> 
> Inc.
> 
> The Celtics like his shooting, though he’s been one of the leaders in shuttle miles between Portland and Boston.
> 
> KELLY  OLYNYK:
> 
> C
> 
> Aggressiveness, as always, is the key for Olynyk. Brad Stevens wants him to shoot more, but Olynyk has been a player more content to let the flow come to him. Still, he remains an important part of the plan because of his ballhandling and potential from beyond the arc.
> 
> PHIL  PRESSEY:
> 
> C
> 
> There may not be a better player on the roster at pushing the ball. Pressey’s role has also rapidly diminished because of the Marcus Smart project. Beyond the energy boost he gives the lineup, though, size gets in the way. Pressey works on his shot religiously, but that, too, remains a weakness.
> 
> TAYSHAUN  PRINCE:
> 
> A
> 
> He became the steadiest, most polished player on the roster the moment he arrived via the Jeff Green trade. Since the Celtics have no intention of getting older — at least not now — Prince will probably be gone soon.
> 
> SHAVLIK  RANDOLPH:
> 
> Inc.
> 
> Hamstring trouble has curtailed his participation. His size and offensive polish might actually help.
> 
> MARCUS  SMART:
> 
> B
> 
> He will eventually receive a lot of first-team defense votes; Smart is that good. Then again, everyone knew the rookie would be fine on that end of the floor. As advertised, his jump shot is skittish and his point guard skills need years of refining. But he’s also fearless with the ball — a willing shooter who always seems to hit shots in the fourth quarter that he missed in the first. Analytics types don’t believe in a clutch stat, but Smart is one of those players who may eventually prove its existence.
> 
> JARED  SULLINGER:
> 
> C-
> 
> Jeff Green’s departure put a lot more of the offensive load on Sullinger. And like Green, Sullinger can disappear. But he is one of the most skilled players in the lineup when given the ball in the right spots. His playmaking ability complements the same talents in Kelly Olynyk. Weight and maturity also remain issues. The Celtics downplayed the two successive pre-game shootarounds he missed because of heavy traffic, but a trend was indeed established.
> 
> MARCUS  THORNTON:
> 
> B
> 
> This tail-gunner belongs on a better team, but until that moment arrives when GM Danny Ainge either finds a taker this week, or Thornton signs elsewhere, he’s one of the most welcome additions on this team. His 3-point shooting has already sparked several comebacks — successful as well as not.
> 
> EVAN  TURNER:
> 
> B-
> 
> Brad Stevens seems to understand what other coaches haven’t — that Turner needs the ball in his hands. He’s played a lot of point guard and has alternately been effective and turnover-prone. He can be a tad wild at times, but he makes as many plays as anyone in this lineup. Exhibit A was his game-winning shot against Atlanta last week.
> 
> GERALD  WALLACE:
> 
> Inc.
> 
> He’s gone from a seldom-shooting small forward to a guy who only plays in the event of someone else’s foul trouble. Wallace’s greatest contributions have come in the locker room, where he has been asked by the coaching staff to mentor his many young teammates. Perhaps the greatest compliment is that Wallace has maintained his spirit through this tough season.
> 
> JAMES  YOUNG:
> 
> C
> 
> His best nights have Celtics fans dreaming. Young has tremendous shooting form, probably the best on the team, even though he’s mainly owned the NBADL to this point. But at a particularly green 19 years old, there’s so much to learn. His challenges are the opposite of Marcus Smart’s — defense, especially. But Young also has to learn the proper work habits to succeed in this league.
> 
> TYLER  ZELLER:
> 
> C
> 
> Zeller replaced some early offensive struggles — especially apparent when Rajon Rondo wasn’t on the floor — with solid play in the paint. He’s proven to be better defensively than the coaching staff anticipated, and he is the best running big man on the team.
> 
> COACHING:
> 
> B
> 
> Stevens has been handcuffed by his general manager’s moves. Trade season has gouged the lineup, leaving the coach with almost no opportunity to form a consistent rotation. No one will be happier when the trade deadline passes on Thursday.
> 
> MANAGEMENT:
> 
> Inc.
> 
> All of the draft picks and movement considered, this grade probably shouldn’t be determined for three or four years.


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## Bogg

We're only, what, two games into the Isaiah Thomas experience and I'm already a big fan. I loved the last high-scoring 5'9" guard from the Seattle that they had, so let's run it back. Glad they were able to snag him for only a (likely) late first-round pick. 

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2015/02/new_things_on_menu



> PHOENIX *— For now, Isaiah Thomas has to take it on faith that he’s in the right system.
> 
> In his short time with the Celtics, he has been assured by coach Brad Stevens that the system is very amenable. Thomas can be his attacking, unpredictable self with the ball, and eventually the finer points of what Stevens is attempting to implement will come through.
> 
> “You can’t,” the point guard said of the challenge that comes with preparing for a new team. “But at the end of the day, it’s basketball. Even coach says the offense has freedom for anybody to go out there and make a play.”
> 
> Freedom, though, has its intricacies.
> 
> Stevens has been forced to revamp his plans so often this season thanks to seven trades that date back to Rajon Rondo’s move to Dallas. He’s never had a rotation last more than a week or two. The true stars of this particular process, he says, are the members of the Celtics staff responsible for compiling a video library — Stevens calls it a menu — for newcomers Thomas, Jonas Jerebko and Luigi Datome.
> 
> This is where Celts assistant coach and video coordinator Kwame Graves, fellow video coordinator Brandon Bailey and statistics analyst Matt Reynolds have been busy all season. According to Sean Grande, the radio voice of the Celtics, Jerebko became the 21st player to appear for the Celtics this season when he checked in during the team’s loss to the Lakers on Sunday night.
> 
> The C’s record of 22 was set in the 1948-49 season on a team that finished 25-35. Should Datome eventually get to play, that record will be tied.
> 
> But that video menu continues to grow.
> 
> “The video guys are the most important right now because they’re doing all of the breakdown for our team,” Stevens said. “They’re doing all of our video work getting ready for the opponent, and they’re doing the playbook for the newcomers, which we’ve only had to update because we use them every two to three weeks. That’s a lot of extra work. Kwame, Brandon Bailey and Matt Reynolds are doing a lot of work to get them up to speed quickly.”
> 
> On one level, as Thomas said, it’s still basketball.


----------



## Bogg

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4718117/thomas-named-east-player-of-the-week



> Boston Celtics newcomer Isaiah Thomas earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors during his first full week with the team.
> 
> Thomas averaged 22 points (third in East) and 6.5 assists (seventh in East) while helping Boston to a 3-1 record that included a win over his former team.
> 
> The Celtics acquired Thomas from the Phoenix Suns at the trade deadline in exchange for Marcus Thornton and a first-round pick.
> 
> A snapshot of Thomas' week from the league:
> • Feb. 23 @ Phoenix: Scored 21 points and added seven assists in a 115-110 win over the Suns.
> 
> • Feb. 25 vs. New York: Tallied 19 points, seven assists and six rebounds during a 115-94 win over the Knicks.
> 
> • Feb. 27 vs. Charlotte: Posted a season-high 28 points and added seven assists in a 106-98 win over the Hornets.
> 
> Thomas is Boston's first Player of the Week honoree since Jared Sullinger won the award last February. Jordan Crawford also won the award in December of last season.
> 
> Celtics coach Brad Stevens was nominated for Coach of the Month for February, but the award went to Indiana's Frank Vogel.
> 
> Boston went 7-4 in the month of February, Stevens' first winning month with the Celtics.


The early returns on Thomas have been impressive. I still think he's best suited as a third option that can carry the offense for stretches, but having a scorer like him on the roster makes a lot of a team-building that has to happen going forward a bit easier. If nothing else, he's easily the most fun post-KG/Pierce Celtic so far.


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## Bogg

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/573282749831901185


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## Bogg

Evan Turner had his third triple-double in the last twenty-one games last night. The more I watch him, particularly since Rondo left, the more it becomes clear that he makes a lot of sense if you aren't looking for him to be a franchise swingman (and he isn't trying to be one) and you just start viewing him as something like post-knee-injury Shaun Livingston. The isolation scorer who wasn't actually good enough to run iso sets for wasn't long for the league, but if he can come off the bench and run a backup unit's offense while (sort of) guarding three positions he's got a future.


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## RollWithEm

Bogg said:


> Evan Turner had his third triple-double in the last twenty-one games last night. The more I watch him, particularly since Rondo left, the more it becomes clear that he makes a lot of sense if you aren't looking for him to be a franchise swingman (and he isn't trying to be one) and you just start viewing him as something like post-knee-injury Shaun Livingston. The isolation scorer who wasn't actually good enough to run iso sets for wasn't long for the league, but if he can come off the bench and run a backup unit's offense while (sort of) guarding three positions he's got a future.


His draft position just made expectations too high on him. The underlined portion is something he can do better than almost any other bench swingman in the league.


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## Bogg

RollWithEm said:


> His draft position just made expectations too high on him. The underlined portion is something he can do better than almost any other bench swingman in the league.


Still though, it's not like he came into the league as a miscast point guard - he's made big strides even from the start of the season until now. Hopefully he spends the summer working on his point guard skills, because that's looking more and more like his best position, the guy's averaging something like a 10-6-6 since being moved into the starting spot, I think.


----------



## Bogg

Surprisingly, with only five games to go Boston controls their playoff hopes. Honestly did not expect this when Ainge started wheeling and dealing back in December and didn't stop until the buzzer sounded at the trade deadline....

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4718750/celtics-control-their-playoff-opportunity



> Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens often references a desire for his team to control all the variables that are within his team's ability to influence. His philosophy is simple: There are things in basketball that you simply can't control -- a bad call, an opponent making a tough shot, the outcome of another game. But Stevens often emphasizes that his team must be diligent with what it can control -- whether that's defensive intensity, taking care of the basketball, or offensive execution.
> 
> After the Miami Heat lost to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, the Celtics are now in control of one very important thing: Their playoff opportunity.
> 
> It's as simple as this: With five games to play, currently eighth-seeded Boston owns a one-game advantage over both the Heat and Pacers. If the Celtics win their final five games -- or simply keep pace with whichever of their closest Eastern Conference rivals finish strongest -- Boston is guaranteed a trip back to the NBA postseason after just a one-year absence while rebuilding on the fly.
> 
> That Boston has that control at this point of the season is truly astounding. The Celtics are 22-16 since Jan. 22 and the aftermath of the Jeff Green trade (having dealt away Rajon Rondo the month before). Boston is 10-6 over the past month, brushing itself off after a rough patch against some Western Conference juggernauts and, mostly, taking care of business with its backs against the playoff wall recently.
> 
> That included Saturday night's thriller in Toronto in which Stevens' clipboard and Marcus Smart's buzzer-beater lifted Boston to a one-point triumph over the Raptors. When both the Brooklyn Nets and Heat lost that night, Boston shuffled back into the eighth spot. And they'll stay in playoff position until at least Wednesday night when the Celtics visit the Detroit Pistons in their first national TV game of the season (ESPN broadcast).
> 
> Sure, a dilapidated Eastern Conference and the struggles of the teams around it in the playoff hunt has contributed mightily to Boston's ability to make this playoff push. But the Celtics have also played some inspired basketball lately, showing both some incredible resiliency and an ability to win close games -- two areas of particular weakness during last year's lottery season.
> 
> There's still work to be done to secure a playoff berth. Boston's five remaining games feature four playoff-bound opponents, including a home-and-home series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Boston will cross its fingers and hope that LeBron James & Co., with the second seed essentially in hand, elect to rest bodies when the teams meet twice next weekend. Alas, that's out of their control.
> 
> For a short time this week, Boston didn't have control of its postseason opportunity. It needed the Nets or Heat to stumble. They did, now the Celtics must capitalize.
> 
> Stevens keeps coming back to the idea of control. For example:
> 
> While discussing the team's playoff quest recently: "We have to stay in the moment," Stevens said. "As a coach, that's what you're trying to do, trying to stay in the moment. Coach the next game, prepare the right way, control what you can, and move on."
> 
> On making defense his team's primary focus late in the season: "I think that's a good emphasis to have, because you're focused only on what you can control and nothing else."
> 
> On success in March during his time at Butler: "The best teams -- the teams that ended up going as far as the Final Four -- were laser focused. They never missed something they could control ever. And that's what you look at out there."
> 
> Tiebreakers in focus
> 
> The NBA's tiebreaking procedures are documented here. This is the main takeaway at this juncture (with eyes on head-to-head matchups; let's worry about three-way tiebreakers down the road if they come into play):
> 
> • Boston owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Brooklyn (won season series, 3-1)
> 
> • Miami owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Boston (won season series, 3-1)
> 
> • Boston owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Indiana (won season series, 3-1)
> 
> • Boston and Charlotte split the head-to-head series (2-2); the next tiebreaker is conference record (Boston is currently 23-24; Charlotte is 25-22)
> 
> Asked about tiebreakers recently, Stevens noted, "I don't care about the tiebreaker stuff. I don't even want to get my mind wrapped up in all the five-way tie-breakers and all that stuff. I don't really pay attention to -- I'll pay attention to it in a general sense, but I couldn't tell you where each team stands right now. I know we're all in the mix and none of us are separating ourselves. And my focus is more on us, just trying to play good basketball. We've talked about this before with the Boston media a lot, we have to play really well to win. And that's gotta be our focus."
> 
> Then came the "C" word again.
> 
> "We can't get caught up in anything we can't control," Stevens said.


----------



## Bogg

So, down 0-2 to the Cavs, and it's not looking good, but they haven't folded at any point, either. Crowder looks like a keeper, and Smart's actually been better getting into the paint than he was during the regular season, so some positives are coming out of it. Hopefully they can take one of the next two in Boston, some of the young guys grow from the playoff minutes, and the combination of a playoff appearance and a very weak conference helps the C's on the recruiting trail this summer.


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## maafkari4

I'm intrigued to see what Stevens can do with Turner, Zeller, Rondo and Olynx. 
get-mobdro.com


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