Top 5 Point Guards in Celtics History

Does Rondo make the cut?
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports

Honorable Mention:

Nate "Tiny" Archibald

Archibald was an amazing basketball player and one of the league's best point guards in his prime. He averaged 34 points and 11 rebounds in his third year in the league with the Kansas City Kings. He joined the Celtics towards the end of his career, and only played in green for 5 seasons. He was an all-star for three of those seasons, but never averaged more than 14 points and 8 rebounds per game. Tiny is not on the top ten of the Celtics all-time assist leaders. Archibald was ranked fifth in Bleacher Report's "6 Greatest Point Guards in Boston Celtics History".  

Number 5:

Rajon Rondo

Rondo, the current Boston point guard, has already played more seasons with the C's than Archibald (8). Rondo may still be traded from Boston before he retires, but for 8 seasons, Rajon Rondo has been great. He won the championship with the Big Three in 2008 and has led the league in assists twice. The Captain is sixth on the all time Boston Celtics assists leaderboard with 4,045 as of today, February 25, 2014. When it's all said and done, if Rondo stays in Boston for the rest of his career, he may have a legitimate shot at taking over Bob Cousy's #1 spot on the assists leaders. Rondo barely made this list because he still can't really score and he hasn't been the greatest friend to the Celtics' front office.

Number 4: 

Dennis Johnson

DJ was a huge part of the Bird-Havlicek-Parish original big three teams because he was great at handling the ball and making big shots. He was a clutch, timely shooter who took care of the ball and played excellent defense. There's really nothing bad to say about Johnson, there's just nothing too outstanding that would make him higher on this list. DJ won three NBA Championships and one Finals MVP. Larry Bird, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, played with Parish, Havlicek, Jordan, Magic, Hakeem, Barkley, and more whether they were on the C's or the Dream Team, but he had some interesting words to say about Dennis Johnson. 

"The best player I ever played with was Dennis Johnson"

-Larry Bird

 Number 3: 

JoJo White

White is probably the second best player on this list, but I couldn't put him ahead of K.C. Jones because of the winning factor. It's not like JoJo White wasn't a winner, it's just that K.C. Jones was an ultimate winner on a similar level to Bill Russell. White's stats are much better than Jones, for White was a consistent 18 and 5 guy who played a ton of minutes. White is 9th all time on the minutes leaderboard for the Celtics, but he only won 2 championships. Another reason I put Jones ahead of White is because White played just 7 of his 10 seasons in Celtic green. 

Number 2: 

K.C. Jones

Many people believe that White was a better point guard than Jones, but I disagree because Jones won more championships as a player and coach. K.C's offensive statistics don't really make sense because of how different the game was back then, but he was obviously a great defender and passer. Jones won 8 championships as a player and two as a coach. He also won 2 NCAA Championships in college; he's a true winner.

Number 1:

Bob Cousy

This wasn't a hard decision, Cousy is obviously the best point guard in Boston Celtics history. He was a 6 time NBA Champion, 13 time All Star, won the league MVP, and led the league in assists 8 times. He averaged a career 18.4 points and 7.5 assists. He played for the Celtics for all 13 seasons of his career, and is a true Celtic for that. He leads the team today in assists, is sixth in minutes played, games and points, and third in free throws made. 

image from espn.go.com

Beantown Ballin' 2/19 - 2/22

via ESPN

Another week, and three more losses. The Celtics are continuing their spiral down into the dungeons of the Eastern Conference.

Phoenix Suns

Ladies and gentlemen, Rajon Rondo is officially back. In a Rondoesque game, the star point guard dropped 18 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds. Rondo has finally been playing like himself again. Unfortunately, this was not enough for the Celtics to grab a rare win and they lost 100-94. There were some positives to draw from this game though, as Brandon Bass (18) and Jeff Green (17) had nice scoring games. However, Phoenix had six players in double figures including Markieff Morris (18), Gerald Green (17) and Goran Dragic (17).  Even though it was a losing effort, this game formally re-introduced Rajon Rondo back into the NBA.

For game highlights, click here.

Los Angeles Lakers

This game was disappointing. Who remembers the fierce battles between the Lakers and Celtics in the last decade. Or Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird? That is how Celtics vs Lakers should be. However, this battle was Chris Kaman vs Brandon Bass. Speaking of them, Kaman had 16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists, and Bass had 20 points and 8 rebounds. MarShon Brooks faced his former team in this game as he made his debut as a Laker. Brooks showed the Celtics why they should have played him more dropping 14 points, 2 rebounds and 3 steals. Kent Bazemore also made his debut as a Laker and tallied 15 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. For the Celtics Jeff Green led the team with 21 points. Jared Sullinger pulled down 12 boards to go with his 12 points, and Rajon Rondo had 6 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds. However this was not enough as the Lakers won 101-92, but it was a fun one to watch. 

For game highlights, click here.

Sacramento Kings

In a game where Rajon Rondo (Rest) and Jared Sullinger (Concussion) were both out, the Celtics lost to the Kings 105-98. Jeff Green led all scorers with a whopping 29 points. Kris Humphries wasn't far behind with 19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Off the bench, Kelly Olynyk had 16 points. However, the Kings had seven scorers in double digits and the Celtics could not hold on to the victory and the game ended in a lopsided loss for the Celtics. For a more in-depth recap including video footage, statistics, opinions, and more, click here.

For game highlights, click here.  

Celtics @ Kings Recap

Photo Courtesy of cowbellkingdom.com

Sacramento avenged their loss to  Boston earlier in the season with a 105-98 W on Saturday night.

Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, and Jared Sullinger were not avaliable to the Celtics disposal. Avery Bradley was out with an ankle injury, Rajon Rondo was resting, and Jared Sullinger had a mild concussion. Jeff Green put the team on his back with a 29 point performance. Kris Humphries did a good job filling in for Jared Sullinger. He finished with 19 points and 8 boards. Jerryd Bayless had 16 points of the bench. It's worth noting that Boston only had 9 players to their disposal. They had 26 bench points in total. Brad Stevens and Gerald Wallace were ejected with 35.7s left in the fourth quarter for getting four technical fouls in a short period of time. 

That was Brad Steven’s first ejection as an NBA coach, and he did it with class. While being thrown out of the game, Stevens was persistent on saying, “good game” to Sacramento’s coach.

Stevens told reporters after the game what he thought on the call,

“I don’t know what Gerald said,” Stevens told reporters. “I’ll just avoid talking about it, that’s probably the best thing.” 

The Kings were led by Isiah Thomas and Rudy Gay. Thomas has 21 points and 12 assists (career high). He is averaging a career best 20.3 PPG. Rudy Gay had 22 points and 7 rebounds. He is averaging 19.7 PPG.The Kings shot 52.1% as a team, which was a season high. The game was tied at 85 a piece with 6:23 left in the fourth. That is until SAC pulled away with a pair of J's and Cousins FT's.

Before the game, the Kings announced that Jason Terry would be out the rest of the season due to his knee. He was acquired 2 days earlier along with Reggie Evans for Marcus Thortnon. 

Demarcus Cousins fouled out with 31.4s left in the 4th. He fouled Jerryd Bayless who was running down the baseline. He finished with 13 points and 7 rebounds. 

SAC improves to 19-36, while BOS worsens to 19-38. 

Next Games:

2/24: BOS @ Utah 

2/25: HOU @ SAC

Celtics @ Lakers Preview

Bill Simmons, founder of Grantland.com, will be calling this game. He's a hardcore Celtics fan.
Photo Courtesy of sportsillustrated.com

Lebron James has said that there are "no rivalries in the NBA, but the 2 biggest rivals in the NBA are set to go to war tonight. The last time these two teams played, the Lakers prevailed 107-104 to spoil Rajon Rondo's return. Now the Celtics will look for some vengenance as they will take on the Lakers on Friday Night at Staples Center. Both teams will come into this one looking for a win. Boston is 19-36 overall, while Los Angeles is 18-36. It's good to note that both of these franchises were at the very top just a few years ago. Both teams have combined to win 33 NBA championships(Boston 17, Los Angeles 16). Los Angeles has lost 4 in a row, while Boston has lost 3 of it's last 5. Projected starting line-ups: Boston PG- Rondo SG- Wallace SF- Green PF- Bass C- Sullinger Los Angeles PG- Marshall SG- Meeks SF- Johnson PF- Kelly C- Kaman Jared Sullinger is questionable for the game as he limped off the floor last game against the Suns. He is averaging 8.2 RPG and 13.2 PPG. 

The notable injuries for LA include Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, and Nick "Swaggy P" Young. With the Lakers starting 5 consisting of rookies and second-year pros, experience will not be on their side. Expect Boston to take advantage. Line: LAL -1.0 Over/Under: 207.5 PREDICTED FINAL SCORE: BOS- 102 LAL- 93

Being a Celtics Fan in London

via ESPN

First off, just a little background of myself. I grew up in Minnesota where I became a huge fan of Kevin Garnett. I then moved to Sacramento, California in third grade and lived there until 6th grade. I now live in London. As you can see, I have never lived in an area where the Celtics are widely supported. My fandom of the Celtics was inspired by Garnett. After being traded to the Celtics in 2007, all I wanted Garnett to do was win a championship. He was such a class act for Minnesota and I just wanted him to succeed. That is when I started following the Celtics.

Now residing in London, it is tough to be a fan of any NBA team. With a five hour time difference, I was forced to invest in NBA League Pass so I could watch games at suitable times. Games can start as late as 2:30 AM. This makes it incredibly tough to watch games.

One other negative besides not being able to watch games is no one is interested in the NBA anyway. Soccer is huge in England along with rugby and cricket. The British Basketball League (BBL) is so unpopular that courtside seats are sold for $7. The BBL is pretty pathetic and is well below Division I college basketball competition--garbage. No one is interested in the game over here and it is extremely rare to even find basketball hoops at the local parks.

In summary, being an NBA fan in London sucks. It is difficult to watch games, no one is interested and it is hard to even play yourself. My advice to you, if you love basketball stay in America.

Letter to Management: Written by Rajon Rondo

Photo Courtesy of ngngsports.com

Reminder: This letter was not actually written by Rajon Rondo, it was written by Danny Emerman. 100% of this dialogue is fiction. 

To Whom it may Concern,

Thank you so much for not trading me this trade deadline. It should be another three and a half months before my name comes up in rumors again, but I'm glad to be a Celtic for now. 

For years you have put my name out there every February for GMs around the league to fantasize about me joining their team, but it's always just a big tease. 

This time around, teams like the Rockets, Kings, Raptors, and Knicks have called you guys about me. You turned them all turned around. I'm flattered that you value me so highly, but if you think I'm such a great player, why don't you just keep me? Why does my name always on the table? 

While I'm flattered by what you think I'm worth, I'm unhappy that you keep listening to trades with me involved. I love the city of Boston and I love all the Celtics fans. I'm a Boston Celtic and I'm here to stay. 

Even though this has been a rebuilding year, I really do see myself with the Celtics organization in the future. I'm all about winning and I trust this team to turn it around to become a championship contender soon.

The only thing I don't like about Boston is hearing my name on 98.5 and 93.7 when they're talking about trade rumors on the radio. There's a simple solution to eliminating that one flaw in this city; stop shopping me around and just sign me to a max deal already! 

I'm one of the best point guards in the NBA and I feel like I'm just entering my prime now. I don't understand how trading me would make this franchise better, so don't. Open your eyes and smell the roses, management. 

Like I said, I want to be a Celtic for the rest of my career, so please don't trade me. 

Sincerely, 

Rajon Rondo

TRADE DEADLINE UPDATE

via bleacherreport

The NBA Trade Deadline is set to be Thursday, February 20, and it has been uneventful so far for all teams. For the Celtics, there have been many rumors, but Danny Ainge has yet to pull the trigger on any trade so far.

Here are some rumors that are flying around Boston. 

•  Boston has received interest in almost every single player on their roster. They have received calls about Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, Kris Humphries, Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, and Jeff Green. 
• Danny Ainge: "We would go over the [luxury] cap to make the right deal."
• The Knicks REALLY want Rondo
• The Raptors and Kings also want Rondo
• The Kings have reportedly offered a trade involving Isaiah Thomas, Ben McLemore, and two picks for Rajon Rondo.
• Jerryd Bayless for Will Bynum?
• Some league executives have said that they think the Celtics will keep the current roster intact for the rest of the season. 
• The Celtics are expressing interest in Omer Asik and would potentially trade Brandon Bass and more for him. 

Beantown Ballin' 2/9 - 2/16

via ESPN

In the week before All Star Weekend the Celtics came away with one win and two losses. Now entering the second half of the season, Boston's playoff chances are slowly crumbling.

Dallas Mavericks

In a 102-91 defeat, the Celtics could not do enough against a revived Dallas Mavericks team. Even though Rajon Rondo has looked better and better as he is still on his way from recovering from ACL surgery. Rondo totaled 15 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds and 1 steal. Jeff Green carried the Celtics 18 points and 5 rebounds. Off the bench, Chris Johnson led the way with 14 points and 3 rebounds. However, Dirk Nowitzki and Jose Calderon had 20 and 18 points respectively and the Celtics could not hang with the Mavericks.

For game highlights, click here.

Milwaukee Bucks

This was a must win for the Celtics. The Bucks are by far the worst team in the NBA and if the Celtics did not beat this team, morale across the organization would go way down. However thanks to Jeff Green and his 29 points Boston came away with the win. Rajon Rondo sat out the game due to rest. Avery Bradley was out for a sore right ankle. In their place, Kelly Olynyk stepped up in their absence and went off for 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Phil Pressey and Jared Sullinger had 13 points apiece. A critical win for the Boston Celtics.

For game highlights, click here.

San Antonio Spurs

An embarrassing loss for the Celtics. The Spurs were without Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter and the Celtics could not put together a win. Tim Duncan dropped 25 points and 9 rebounds against the Celtics' frontline. Boston had balanced scoring with Rajon Rondo having 16 and Kris Humphries and Kelly Olynyk totaling 15 apiece. A disappointing loss for the Celtics and their fans.

For game highlights, click here.

Dunk Contest Preview:

John Wall, Paul Geroge, Damian Lillard, Terrence Ross, Harrison Barnes, and Ben McLemore are all promising stars in the NBA. But that's not the only thing they have in common. 

It was announced today that those six players will be competing in the 2014 Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday night. The high-flyers will be participating in a contest like no other, for new commissioner Adam Silver has installed some new rules that completely change the game. 

This year, the dunkers will be competing against each other in teams; Western Conference versus Eastern Conference. Representing the East will be Paul George, Terrence Ross, and John Wall. The latter is Ben McLemore, Damian Lillard, and Harrison Barnes. 

This group of contestants is very intriguing because it's an excellent mix of underrated players, well-proven stars, and young talent. Whether or not every player in the bunch is a household name, the dunking will definitely be entertaining because all six of them have had posterizing, highlight reel dunks in games this season or in years past. Overall, the field is the strongest it's been in years, ever since superstars decided they were too cool for the dunk contest.

Terrence Ross, the defending Slam Dunk champion, will look to defend his championship. But it's a guarantee that he won't be the talk of the All-Star Weekend even if he wins back to back. Fellow contestant, Damian Lillard is already the talk of the games. Lillard will compete in all five events; he will be the first player ever to play in the Rising Stars Game, Skill Challenge, 3-Point Challenge, Slam Dunk Contest, and All-Star Game. 

Paul George of the Indiana Pacers will be Ross' biggest threat at a repeat. George has thrown down some vicious slams in the regular season, including the 360 Windmill on the fast break; arguably the dunk of the year.

It shouldn't matter who wins this year, the Dunk Contest this year will be a testament to Adam Silver's future as commissioner. In his first two weeks of being active commish, Silver will be respected by the fans for completely reviving the Slam Dunk Contest and All Star Weekend. He somehow regained star power in the Dunk Contest, something that David Stern failed to do in his later years as NBA commissioner. 

Life as a Celtics Fan: California

• 

  basketballwallpapers.com

  
  

  Warriors, Kings, Lakers, Clippers, Trail Blazers.

  These are all the teams you could root for if you want to stay loyal to your West Coast home.

  It's different for me. I never liked any of those teams since I started watching basketball during the 2009-2010 season. 

  I didn't have a favorite team back then when I first started watching the sport. When the 2010 NBA Finals began, featuring the Celtics and Lakers, I wasn't really rooting for any team. All the people I knew here in California were rooting for the West Coast, Lakers. 

  We all know how the 2010 Finals turned out. 

  The Lakers took the Celtics to 7 games. The Celtics were leading in Game 7 through 3 quarters but few through in the 4th. What really turned me into a Celtics fan was Game 2. In Game 2, I was impressed with how Boston fought back after losing the first game. I was also impressed with Ray Allen, who made eight 3 pointers in the game. He later went on to become my favorite player (and still is now). Now here we are. I have stuck with the Celtics through the hard times and good times. I am confident Danny Ainge will put us in good shape moving forward to win Banner 18.

  Here in California, it is really hard to be a Celtics fan. I only know about 5 other Celtics fans here in the West Coast. Most people are either Lakers or Warriors Fans. When I try to talk to my Warriors friends about the Celtics they just respond by saying, "Celtics Suck" or "Rondo can't shoot". I simply respond with "17 is greater than 0" or "How many times has Curry won the assist title?" 

  If you live on the West Coast(or any other part of the world), tell us how you became a Celtics Fan, or if you have had any other memorable experiences with fans from another team!
• 
  

Sully Awarded EC POW

espn.go.com

Sully had a great week in the NBA for the Boston Celtics and was rewarded for it. He earned the Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging 20.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 1.65 blocks per game. 

Those are some all-star caliber stats for Sullinger, but here are some more awesome advanced stats for him over this latest stretch of games.

• Celtics were +34 with him on the floor, -228 when he was on the bench
• He played over 30 minutes in every game
• His career night was when he recorded 31 points and 16 rebounds (see video)

Rondo Joins Great Company with 4,000 Assist

Photo credit celticslife.com

Last game against the Dallas Mavericks, Rajon Rondo recorded his 4,000th career assist. His first career assist was on a Ryan Gomes jumper. His 4,000 was a beauty to Kris Humphries. Here is the list of Boston Celtics legends Rondo joined with his individual milestone:

1. Bob Cousy (6,945)
2. John Havliceck (6,114)
3. Larry Bird (5,695)
4. Paul Pierce (4,305)
5. Bill Russell (4,100)
6. Rajon Rondo (4,000)

That's pretty good company for Rondo. He will probably pass Russell by the end of this season and will be in striking distance of The Truth.

"It’s definitely an honor, especially to have so many [great players in] this organization," said Rondo. "But for the most part, goals like that come across you when you try to work hard and do what’s best for the team." 

Potential Celtics Trades (Special Edition: NBA Trade Deadline)

The NBA Trade Deadline is February 20 at 3:00 p.m ET. Many teams, including the Celtics, will be frantically trying to shop for players, expiring contracts, and draft picks. In this post, I will be using ESPN's NBA Trade Machine to predict possible trades involving teams who will be trying to improve their team at the deadline. For more Potential Celtics Trades, click here, here, and here. Without further adieu....

The Atlanta Hawks have reportedly been "aggressively shopping" for Jeff Green, and Carroll would be involved. The Celtics would also receive multiple picks in this upcoming and future drafts. 

It says that this trade fails because the Heat would then be over the luxury tax, but Miami has already expressed that they don't really care about that tax. This trade rumor has been all over the Internet for a number of reasons. Humphries has been great and Haslem, not so much. I don't see how this trade works and I don't like it in any way, shape, or form. I just don't understand it. I suppose if the Heat included a few future picks, it might be interesting. I only included it in this post because it's a legitimate rumor that the Heat have been publicly interested in.
Dear Danny Ainge, Don't do this trade. 

This trade makes a lot more sense than the previous one for both teams. The Celtics receive Ben Gordon, a solid scorer. But more importantly, they get his expiring contract. Also, the Bobcats would have to include a future second round draft pick in this deal, which could benefit the Celtics immensely. The Bobcats would want to do this trade because it would supply them with a legitimate front court option in Brandon Bass. Also, it would help the Cats with their softness; Bass is a physical player who would compliment the finesse-heavy Bobcats. Michael Jordan desperately wants to get into the playoffs and end his reputation as a terrible GM, so he would be quick to pull the trigger on a trade that helps his team now. 

This deal only works if the along with Shawn Marion, the Celtics receive the Maverick's 2014 second round pick. This trade is similar to the Bobcats trade, in which Boston gets an established, solid player who has an expiring contract. This trade really sets the Celtics up for the future and it helps the Mavericks right now. The Mavericks want to get into the playoffs because they feel like the end of Dirk's career is near the end so they want to pay their respect to him by being a good team in his final year. Jeff Green would help Dallas do that. 

Avery Bradley may leave at the end of this season (I really hope not), so adding O.J. Mayo would solidify the shooting guard spot for a few years, even though he's not playing very well in Milwaukee. Mayo is only 26 years old, so he should be entering his physical prime. He still has a lot of upside, but at the same time he has experience which would help the young Celtics. 

Unlike the shooting guard position, the Boston Celtics have an excess of power forwards with Bass, Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, and Kris Humphries. The value of O.J. Mayo is most similar to that of Brandon Bass, so this trade makes sense. A straight up Bass for Mayo could be beneficial to both teams in this specific case. 

I wish this trade could work, but it probably wouldn't. It's a blockbuster deal including both team's best players. Faried is still on his rookie contract, so he's a steal and would probably not leave Denver. The Manimal would be an excellent addition to the Celtics even if Boston gave up Rajon Rondo. I'm usually not a fan of trading The Captain, but this one would be amazing for the Celtics. 

In this trade, the Celtics would send their two 2014 first round picks to Denver. That would make this lopsided trade a little more beneficial for Denver, who would be officially blowing it up and tanking. I don't think they would do that because they are in tenth place in the Western Conference. This is a crazy trade that could change the future of both franchises, but especially the Boston Celtics.

Another exciting, blockbuster deal, which kind of-but not really- makes sense. The only reason why this could work is that Minnesota suddenly decides that they know Love is definitely leaving in a few years and they believe that Wallace, Bass, and a whole bunch of picks are the most they can get for the star. 

The details of this trade would include two 2014 first round picks and a 2015 first round pick. The Celtics would do this in a heartbeat and without a doubt would drastically improve immediately. 

The Warriors don't use Barnes to the best of his ability and they really need some help defensively. This trade works for them because they improve defensively and they give up someone they don't really need. The Celtics would love this trade because they would get a young player with a lot of potential. But they would also probably have to surrender a future draft pick. 

Quite a few trades are pretty much just fiction with a 1% chance of possibility. These trades are all either just fun, rumors, or speculation. A lot of these trades were brought to my attention from requests through Facebook. Send in your trade ideas to postsfromtheparquet@gmail.com or connect through Facebook and Twitter.

Decoding the Marcus Smart Situation and What it Really Means!

Marcus Smart, the outstanding combo guard who plays at Oklahoma State University, will never be looked at the same by fans, teammates, coaches, evaluators, and everybody else. In a 65-61 loss to Texas Tech, Smart's actions were unacceptable.

Smart will be facing disciplinary action from OKState or the Big 12. He will likely be suspended; the Big 12 Conference is reviewing the incident as you read this.

With his team down two points, Smart hustled back on defense to block a layup but was called for a foul. He fell into the crowd when he obviously heard a man say something he didn't like. Smart pushed that man, Jeff Orr, with two hands and with what looked like a good amount of force. Orr stumbled back but didn't fall.



It has now been reported that Marcus Smart claims Jeff Orr called him a slur.
..............................................................................................................................................

It's these types of incidents that make the game of basketball worse. If players keep doing this at any level and it becomes more of a frequent thing, leagues will begin to take action. And those actions would be nothing but trouble to themselves, the players, and the fans. If players keep this up, people in high authority will consider 'protecting' the fans with a barrier or wall of some sort. That would take away the unique experience of basketball in which you feel like you're right next to the stars.

A barrier between the court and the fans would drive away season-ticket holders, drive ticket prices and sales down, so inevitably making the league less profitable.

This incident wasn't as extreme as the Malice at the Palace, but it may make the NBA and NCAA think a little more about the safety of their fans and players. After the fan vs. player brawl in the Pistons and Pacers game, the NBA changed many rules regarding alcoholic beverages that still stand today. They also enforced that at least three security guards must be between the players and the fans.



With those precautionary measures not working, could the NBA or NCAA possibly be considering walls or barriers that would ultimately ensure fan safety but also take away from the overall experience? Probably not right now, but if this keeps happening, that would definitely be a topic of discussion in the future for Adam Silver.
..............................................................................................................................................

Back to Marcus Smart now; how will the incident affect his draft stock and the way NBA organizations look at him? Smart is projected to be picked sixth according to ESPN's mock draft, but I suspect his stock will drop to around 10 because of his now questionable character.

If the Celtics drafted Smart, I would actually be happy. I wouldn't be concerned with his personality because of the leadership in the front office and coach Brad Stevens. If Boston were to draft Marcus Smart, I suspect they would attempt to trade for a veteran player to put Smart under his wing. That would reassure nothing like this ever happens again with him.

The only thing that would concern me about drafting Smart would be if the Celtics didn't have a ton of veteran leaders in the locker room and he didn't get along with Rondo. It seems like both Rondo and Smart have strong personalities, so if they clashed, it would not be pretty.

Beantown Ballin' 2/2 - 2/8

Photo Courtesy of ESPN

In the first full week with Adam Silver acting as NBA Commissioner, the Boston Celtics had a great week; stringing together three wins in a row.... Amidst a season of struggle and a lot of losing, the Celtics pulled out wins against all three of their opponents this week. For a change, the Celtics are undefeated in this week's edition of Beantown Ballin'.

Orlando Magic

Two words are to be said about this game. Rajon Rondo. In Rondo's first victory since coming back from a torn ACL, he looked like the Rondo we all know and love. Rondo dropped 19 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals. Not only was he a great scorer, but the star floor general scored efficiently shooting 9-11 from the field. Beantown's leading scorer this game was Jared Sullinger who tallied 21 points and 12 rebounds, Sullinger has been playing fantastic lately and is looking more and more like a future star in the association. Brandon Bass and Avery Bradley were also scoring the ball well totaling 19 and 17 points respectively. Boston looked like a legitimate playoff squad in this game and showcased their true potential as a cohesive unit.

For game highlights, click here

Philadelphia 76ers

In one of the most thrilling games of the Celtics season thus far, Boston pulled out with a 114-108 over their division rivals. Jeff Green had 17 points in the third quarter and 36 for the game. Rajon Rondo was his old self and flirted with a triple double against the Sixers. Rondo had 8 points, 11 assists, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals. Sullinger continued his climb to stardom with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. Jeff Green and the Boston Celtics proved too much for the 76ers.

For game highlights, click here

Sacramento Kings

Even without Rondo playing, the Celtics came up with a 99-89 thumping of the Sacramento Kings. Rondo sat out for rest and is not injured. Jared Sullinger went toe-toe with DeMarcus Cousins and stayed competitive with him throughout the whole game. Both Cousins and Sullinger totaled 31 points and 16 rebounds. The real surprise of the game was Gerald Wallace who nearly finished with a triple double. Wallace had 8 points, 12 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. In Rondo's absence, Wallace took up the role as primary facilitator and filled in admirably. Jerryd Bayless came off the bench and made vital contributions scoring 19 points and adding on 4 assists.

For game highlights, click here

Quick Preview: Injuries Fo' Days

sportsillustrated.cnn.com

Tonight at 7:30 ET, the Celtics and Sacramento Kings will square off, well, whatever's left of the teams.

We saw that the Lakers are so banged up and their lineup was so reduced that they had to play Bob Sacre in the fourth quarter even though he already fouled out. That won't happen tonight, but both teams have a ton of injuries to take care of.

For the Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley are both out. The Celtics are undefeated this season when they are playing together in the backcourt so they will both be gravely missed. Rondo has been playing great lately, but his minutes have been reduced and it's precautionary to sit him on back-to-backs. He's still recovering from his knee injury and needs some rest; believe it or not. The Captain had this to say about his injury situation, 

"I'm getting back to my old self...I'm not there yet but I'll take the progress."

The Sacramento Kings, led by DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins, will be without recently acquired Rudy Gay or Marcus Thornton. The Kings have been playing their best basketball this season why Gay is efficient on offense and takes care of the ball. He will be a key part to their future as an organization and it will be tough to win games without him.

It will be very tough to score for Boston with Rondo and Bradley out. Their defense will also suffer monumentally. Jared Sullinger and Jeff Green will both have to have terrific games if the C's want to come out on top tonight. 

Both teams are injured, but the Kings will still have the best player on the court, Cousins. They will also probably have the second best in Isaiah Thomas. 

PREDICTED FINAL SCORE:

BOS: 84

SAC: 91

Who is Chris Johnson?

      

rantsports.com

  On January 17, the Boston Celtics took a chance on Undrafted FA Chris Johnson. A '6"6 Forward out of Dayton College, Johnson had the skills to become a solid bench player in the NBA. All he needed was a chance, a team that would be willing to give him a shot in the NBA. The Celtics were that team. With the departures of Jordan Crawford and MarShon Brooks, Boston was starting to look thin at the G position.

         This is where Chris Johnson came in. He was signed to a 10-day contract beginning on the 17th. He made his anticipated debut just 4 days later against the Heat. He concluded with 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal. He went on to average 10 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 steals until his second 10-day contract on the 28th. His second 10-day contract will expire on Thursday. Boston must decide whether to keep him on-board for the rest of the season or cut him. He has averaged 8.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 1 SPG over the course of 20 days. 

        Johnson played college ball at Dayton College. He averaged 11.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 1.6 SPG during his junior season. While there, he also led his team to a 20-13 record during his senior season.

        Boston does not want to pay the luxury tax this season. If they sign Johnson for the rest of the year, they will NOT go over the luxury, but they will lose a roster spot. Each roster spot is very crucial with the trade deadline looming over our heads. 

"It's a complicated time of the year for us with the trade deadline coming up,"Qinge told CSNNE." We like everything about Chris. We're hoping to keep him around, but there's a lot more that prevents that from happening or could prevent that from happening."

 Don't be suprised if the C's don't sign him for the reminder of the season at this point, solely because of the financial situation of the deal. Judging on his play, though, Johnson has definitely played well enough to deserve another contract. If Ainge doesn't pull off any big deals then expect Boston to sign him again if they don't come Thursday.

BOS @ PHI: Recap

Photo courtesy of concordmonitor.com

This was an excellent game from both teams. It was entertaining, there were excellent performances, great plays, and it came right down to the wire. Some of the players must have saw my report card post because they played like they had a chip on their shoulder. Jeff Green and Brandon Bass expressed through their play that they didn't appreciate my harsh grading. Jared Sullinger made me look like a genius....

TOP PERFORMERS:

BOSTON:

• Jeff Green-- 36 points, 12 rebounds
• Brandon Bass-- 18 points, 6 rebounds
• Jared Sullinger-- 19 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
• Rajon Rondo-- 8 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists

PHILADELPHIA:

• Thaddeus Young-- 20 points
• Michael Carter-Williams-- 11 points, 6 assists
• Spencer Hawes-- 13 points, 14 rebounds

With the win, the Celtics have their first winning streak since December. Boston was led by the scoring of Jeff Green, Sullinger and Bass, while Rajon Rondo flirted with a triple double. Even though he didn't score a ton of points, Rondo took over and owned this game down the stretch. The Captain controlled the pace of the game and the offense played through him. Every play in the half court was a pick and roll executed to perfection. Rondo either kicked it out, found a big man down low, or finished at the basket himself. The Celtics are undefeated with the Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley back court, but AB apparently aggravated his sprained ankle in the win. 

"Rondo was a significant part of what's going on. You can see that it's a better-functioning offense than what we've seen all season long."
— Tommy Heinsohn (@CSNTommy) February 6, 2014

Jared Sullinger was huge; he cashed in his second double double in a row. After a sub-par January, Sully has launched off February with two unbelievable performances. He gets it done in so many ways. He works on both the offensive and defensive glass, can score on the inside and outside, and is a very good passer. 



Check out this fresh 3/4 court shot from Tony Wroten to end the third quarter...

REPORT CARDS: All-Star Break

thesacklunch.com

The Celtics have been right on par with their preseason expectations; they have shown short signs of success for the future, but mostly have been struggling to play well. The roster is a rotating cast of over the hill, under-achieving castaways who struggle to play in a team concept on both sides of the ball. With that said, there have been some impressive performances on the Celtics' squad. 

Even though not all the players attended four years of college or necessarily received a proper education for whatever reasons, they will all be getting a grade based on their performance halfway through the season. It's currently 11 days before the all-star break and the Celtics have 5 more games until then. The formerly known writer of this post, Danny Emerman, will write this under his teacher alter-ego, Mr. Emerman. 

THE DEPARTED/ACQUIRED: 

Jordan Crawford: B+

Even though this man was traded to the Warriors, he played excellent in a green jersey. When he was playing, he led Boston in scoring and assists, which were both career highs for him. His solid play earned fantastic trade value for Danny Ainge and his play indirectly rewarded Boston with future draft picks. He averaged 13.6 points and 5.7 assists per game in his time with the C's.

Jerryd Bayless: C+

 Bayless was traded to the Celtics in part of the Courtney Lee trade. He hasn't dazzled in green, but he has been injured so the sample size is small. Bayless plays limited minutes, but makes the most of them with explosiveness and playmaking ability. In 11 games, Bayless is averaging 7.5 points and 2.9 assists in just 21.2 minutes per game. If he can improve his grade if he stays healthy and works hard on defense in his limited minutes. 

Marshon Brooks: D-

Thank god this guy was traded. He has so much potential but he's obviously doing something wrong. His talent is there; he scored 40 points in the D-League. But there has to be something wrong with his work ethic or practice regiment because Brooks rarely got off the bench when he was on the Celtics. He was in and out of the D-League and he was traded to the Warriors with Crawford.

 Joel Anthony: C-

His performance is nothing special, but he's not expected to be anything special. 

Courtney Lee: B

Off the bench, Lee shot almost 50% from the field and 44% from downtown. His shooting behind the arc was especially impressive. He's now tearing it up in Memphis and it seems like that trade was not a great one for the Celtics. Mr. Emerman wants Lee back on the Celtics because of his productive shooting and consistent defense. 

IN-AND-OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE: 

Chris Johnson: B+

This guy consistently finds himself waiting in the corner and the ball finds him. He's been shooting lights out from the corner 3 and has been extremely impressive. His defense has been solid and what really distinguishes him from other players in this tier is his ability to rebound on the offensive glass. He does that because of his athleticism, hustle, and basketball I.Q. Mr Emerman thinks Johnson should be signed for the rest of the season.

Vitor Faverani: C+

vuhoops.com

Early in the season, it looked like Faverani was a serious threat at the Center position and was competing with Olynyk for the starting job. After a hot start to the season, Faverani definitely cooled off and his stats and every category dipped. The C's then labelled him as a work in progress and sent him down to the Maine Red Claws in the D-League. He has been in and out of the NBA ever since then. 

Vander Blue: C+

Blue has shown flashes of brilliance in green but has been doing most of his work in the D-League and on the practice court. He's athletic and he plays very good defense, but his offensive game is very raw to say the least. For a fantastic post on who Vander Blue  is written by Danny Emerman, click here. 

THE YOUNGINS:

Phil Pressey: B

Pressey has been one constant for this ever-changing roster of Boston Celtics. Pressey has played well for the whole year, but has gained confidence in the last month especially. Pressey's passing ability is excellent but his overall offensive game needs a lot of improvement. He's a very streaky shooter but he pushes the pace better than anyone on the team not named Rajon. He doesn't have a huge role on the team and he doesn't play many minutes, but he's very young and has a lot of potential. He knows his role and makes the most of his playing time. For an awesome article on Phil Pressey's growth as a player as well as his background, click here. 

Kelly Olynyk: B-

Olynyk, Boston's 2013 first round draft pick, has physically struggled in the NBA at times, but makes up for it with an underrated passing ability, rebounding, and quickness. He's not very athletic, but he's a very good passer for a big man and he's quick with the ball. Olynyk's not a fantastic defender, but there's room for improvement because of his size. If I had to compare him to another player, I think he would be a poor man's Joakim Noah. Olynyk is averaging 6.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in just 18 minutes per game. Olynyk has been reliable, playing in 39 games. 

Avery Bradley: B-

Bradley is just 23 years old and has already solidified himself as one of the peskiest on-ball defenders in the league. But his offense still needs a lot of work. His jump shot has looked great at times, but his role in the offense has exceeded his capabilities. Bradley often finds himself shooting at least 20 times in some games, which is terrible because he's very inconsistent and inefficient. Bradley still can't really handle the ball and he has turnover problems. But those problems won't be as apparent when Rondo returns to full strength and can contribute legitimate minutes. Mr Emerman loves the defense, but would like to see some major improvement. 

THE VETS: 

Gerald Wallace: C+

Wallace, 31, is definitely eroding physically, but he has been a pleasant surprise in my opinion. He has show signs of leadership on the court and he consistently makes the right decisions. He doesn't put up great stats, but he often makes basic backdoor cuts and outlets the ball up the floor after rebounds which results in easy buckets. If hockey assists were a stat, Wallace would probably average a respectable 4 or 5 per game. He's physically not there anymore because of his age, but making the right decisions goes a long way for a young team that can be stagnant or wild at times. With all that said, he really doesn't play enough minutes, put in enough effort, or contribute on the offensive or defensive side of the ball enough to get a great grade from Mr. Emerman. 

Jeff Green: B

He's always been agonizing to watch, but it's becoming insane for Green. He's unstoppable when he's aggressive and he stinks when he settles for jump shots. I can't believe he hasn't caught on with his own scouting report yet! All he needs to do is attack the rim on a nightly basis and he would be a fantastic player. Instead, he's incredibly inconsistent and averages just 15.9 points and 4.9 rebounds as the number one option. He shoots 42 % from the floor and a pedestrian 36% from behind the arc. Get the hint, Jeff! Stop shooting threes unless your in the corner!!! He gets a B just because he's the leading scorer and go-to option with Rondo out. He also single-handedly won the Miami game. 

Kris Humphries: B

Humphries has picked up the slack from the under performing Brandon Bass, while coming off the bench and often tagging Bass out of the game. Hump has been very impressive, grabbing 6 rebounds per game and doing a bit of scoring: 7.8 PPG. Humphries always plays hard and that's all Mr. Emerman is looking for. 

Brandon Bass: C+

Bass has been solid, just like all his other years with Boston, but he was expected to make a leap with all of the talent that left the team. He's the best big man on the team, so Boston relied heavily on his offensive production early in the season. He couldn't execute on the offensive side of the ball and his size monumentally hurts him defensively. He's under performing, averaging 10.9 PPG and 5.9 RPG. Mr. Emerman wants to see Bass take on a more prominent offensive role. 

realcavsfans.com

THE FUTURE: 

Rajon Rondo: N/A

Rondo was absent to too many days of school because he was recovering from his knee injury. Rondo has played in just 7 games, hustling for 25 minutes per game. He doesn't qualify for a grade, but Mr. Emerman was very impressed with The Captain's performance against the Magic. Rondo was very rusty before the battle versus Orlando, but he dropped 19 and 10 in that contest and looked like vintage RR. Rondo will be an intricate part of the Celtics' future and their rebuilding phase.

Jared Sullinger: A-

Even though Sully has struggled lately, he has been Boston's best player throughout the season. He's good on offense, 13 PPG with a solid 16.77 PER, but that's not what stands out for Sullinger. Sully, the undersized power forward, grabs 7.9 rebounds per game. He uses his body better than any big man in the league and this man is only 21 years old. Sully has been ripped for his defense, but wrongfully so. He's not a shot blocker because of his size, but he does a great job contesting shots at the rim without fouling using the rule of veridicality. He wasn't great in the month of January, but he started off February strong with an enormous 21 points and 12 rebounds. Sully has the most potential on the team and Mr. Emerman thinks he's the key to the Celtics' future along with Rajon Rondo.