CelticsBlog - Boston Celtics Media Day 2017A Boston Celtics Blog: 17 Banners and Countinghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48431/celtic-small-1.png2017-09-26T08:00:04-04:00http://www.celticsblog.com/rss/stream/161236612017-09-26T08:00:04-04:002017-09-26T08:00:04-04:00The renaissance man has his role: Jaylen Brown needs to be “lock down defender”
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<figcaption>Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Jaylen had one of the most eventful summers of the Celtics. He played in the summer league and the NBA Africa Game, documented his off-season in a YouTube series, and produced a rap song that would help him prepare for big games. But with training camp opening up, the second year pro has one assignment to concentrate on: defense.</p> <p id="UVl43l">In all the coach speak, player speak, and GM speak of Media Day, there are little nuggets of information that stick out and reveal something that maybe wasn’t known before. There are things that are obvious. <span>Marcus Smart</span>’s weight loss is going to make him quicker and more athletic. <span>Kyrie Irving</span> and Jayson Tatum’s scoring ability will help on the offensive end. The versatility from 1 through 14 is going to make a difference on both sides of the ball.</p>
<p id="cItcuJ">But then there are those throw away quotes that you don’t think anything of at first, but if you pick up enough bread crumbs, you might be able to connect the dots and see the bigger picture. One of the big questions heading into training camp is <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/19/16320444/celticsblog-roundtable-who-joins-kyrie-irving-in-the-back-court-jaylen-brown-marcus-smart">who will start in the back court</a> with Kyrie Irving. One option is the slimmed down Marcus Smart who was <span>Brad Stevens</span>’ “sixth starter” last season and the most tenured Celtic on the roster. <span>Al Horford</span> called him the heart of the team yesterday and you’d think that the heart of the team would be in the starting five.</p>
<p id="8Nw968">But then there’s <span>Jaylen Brown</span>, the second year #3 pick who is looking to build off his strong finish from last season. When asked about what Stevens’ expected from Brown going into 2017-2018, he said:</p>
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<p id="44to4C">Brown had flashes of offensive brilliance in summer league and flew out of the gym in the NBA Africa Game. His game showed improvement in his jumper and with his handle, but Stevens practically discounts Brown’s development on offense if he doesn’t fulfill that <span>Avery Bradley</span> role of “lock down defender.”</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Stevens: “We need Jaylen to be a lock down defender. If we’re going to be the best that we’re going to be, that’s going to be important.”</p>— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaredWeissNBA/status/912347642293899264">September 25, 2017</a>
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<p id="ZTsGpu">A month ago, <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fthe-vertical-podcast-with-chris-mannix%2Fid1078713316%3Fmt%3D2" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Brad Stevens had similar thoughts on Chris Mannix’s podcast</a> and said, “(Brown) works hard. He's going to continue to be good at that stuff. But especially with losing Avery, it's going to be really important that Jaylen takes the next step defensively." Brown echoed those sentiments during his media availability as well:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jaylen Brown on his new defensive responsibilities: "My job each and every night is to slow the best player on the other team down."</p>— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianTRobb/status/912363116482179072">September 25, 2017</a>
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<p id="7nYIEX">You have to think that before yesterday, Stevens sat with Jaylen to discuss his role next season and made defense priority #1 during the off-season. Work on your shot, clean up your dribble, but when you come back in October, your role is going to be on defense, defense, defense.</p>
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<p id="tBwfit">Based on last year, there’s some strong evidence that Brown could slide in seamlessly into the starting lineup. Brown started 16 games when Bradley was on the shelf and in the 98 minutes he played with <span>Isaiah Thomas</span>, <span>Jae Crowder</span>, Al Horford, and <span>Amir Johnson</span>, the team had a defensive rating of 90.6. By comparison, the regular starting lineup with AB was a 106.2 (in 433 minutes). Individually, Brown stacks up, too. In 56 possessions defending isolations, Bradley gave up 1.04 points per possession; the taller, bigger Brown was stingier at 0.87 ppp in 30 possessions. Here’s how they compare in NBAMath.com’s play type profiles:</p>
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<p id="BL2WV0">You can see how Brown’s size advantage really gives him an edge in spot-ups, coming off screens, and in the post. <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/14/16283758/what-can-the-boston-celtics-expect-from-jaylen-brown-nba-shawn-marion-boston-celtics">In Greg Cassoli’s player preview for Jaylen</a>, he illustrated how Brown is able to defend players as different as <span>LeBron James</span> and Steph Curry and wrote:</p>
<blockquote><p id="yxcHXd">Brown isn’t consistent enough to handle either of those types of responsibilities full time, but the fact he has the tools to even consider covering players as different and talented as Curry and James is endlessly tantalizing. It’s a level of versatility that very few players possess.</p></blockquote>
<p id="YU5CEA">Jaylen turns 21 at the start of the season. A lot of responsibility comes with that age, but if you’ve been tracking Brown since his arrival in Boston, you know that he can handle it. When asked about the recent developments with President Trump and politics intersecting with sports, he answered in a very measured and dignified way, <a href="http://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20170925/celtics-brown-irving-stevens-react-to-trump-comments">calling for unity and an open discussion</a>. The Cal kid may seem wise beyond his years, but his accelerated maturity will be tested this season. He’s called himself a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0pWle2FFvY&t=116s">student of life and on the basketball court</a>, but every night, he’ll be tested by the league’s best. </p>
https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/26/16364320/the-renaissance-man-has-his-role-jaylen-brown-needs-to-be-lock-down-defender-boston-celticsBill Sy2017-09-25T15:34:08-04:002017-09-25T15:34:08-04:00Danny Ainge wants to “Wait and see what we have first” before addressing final roster spot
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<figcaption>Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Danny Ainge wants to give the young guys a chance to prove themselves before deciding on Boston’s 15th roster spot.</p> <p id="O4q73b">After the <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Celtics</a> sent <span>Isaiah Thomas</span>, <span>Jae Crowder</span>, and <span>Ante Zizic</span> to the <a href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cavaliers</a> in the package that brought <span>Kyrie Irving</span> to Boston, Danny Ainge was left with an open roster spot. </p>
<p id="abW0T7"><a href="http://www.spotrac.com/nba/boston-celtics/cap/">The Celtics have 14 guaranteed contracts</a> on their roster, and the available free agents <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/23/16354704/thomas-robinson-signs-with-russia-gerald-green-to-milwaukee-boston-celtics">like Gerald Green, Andrew Bogut, and Thomas Robinson are signing deals with other teams each week</a>. Ainge isn’t concerned with this however. He wants to give the current players a shot to prove themselves first. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ainge: "You wouldn't believe how many phone calls I've gotten on that 15th roster spot...I want to see what we have first."</p>— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrianTRobb/status/912389783728599041">September 25, 2017</a>
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<p id="OVnBr7">So there seems to be plenty of interest from free agents in playing for the Celtics this year, but it doesn’t look like Boston is going to make a move before the preseason begins. </p>
<p id="v2wxU2">It’s also important to keep in mind that the Celtics have two players on two-way contracts in <span>Jabari Bird</span> and <span>Kadeem Allen</span>, and also signed <span>L.J. Peak</span>, Andrew White and Daniel Dixon to training camp contracts. Ainge might want to see what he has there before moving forward. </p>
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https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/25/16363260/danny-ainge-wants-to-wait-and-see-what-we-have-first-before-addressing-final-celtics-roster-spotMichael DePrisco2017-09-25T14:48:05-04:002017-09-25T14:48:05-04:00Marcus Smart insists he has only gained from offseason weight loss
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<figcaption>Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Smart lost 20 pounds this offseason, but wanted everyone to know that his impressive strength hasn’t left him. </p> <p id="9ZuIvn">One of the bigger stories heading into the 2017-18 season for the <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Celtics</a> is Marcus Smart’s improvement in a contract year. He slimmed down his frame, losing 20 pounds to weigh about 219 lbs. While that should help his quickness and explosiveness, there were questions to whether Smart could still keep up with bigger player’s strength down low. At Celtics Media Day, Smart assured us that his strength is still there. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Marcus Smart wants it to be known, with his weight loss: "My strength has never been lost."</p>— Jay King (@ByJayKing) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/912368532339519488">September 25, 2017</a>
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<p id="e0U5l2">Some of Smart’s teammates have already noticed how fast he has become after the weight loss. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"He looks good. He's a lot faster, jumping higher. It's weird." - <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics">@celtics</a> Jaylen Brown on Marcus Smart who lost about 20 lbs. <a href="https://twitter.com/CelticsCSN">@CelticsCSN</a> <a href="https://t.co/9ShzBELKDF">pic.twitter.com/9ShzBELKDF</a></p>— A. Sherrod Blakely (@ASherrodblakely) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASherrodblakely/status/912362446232399873">September 25, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Terry Rozier: "You see Marcus, he got smaller. Let's bring that up. He's ready to push the ball too. We're going to be a fast team."</p>— Jay King (@ByJayKing) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/912384181665239041">September 25, 2017</a>
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<p id="uPK3BF">This is a scary thought for opposing coaches. Smart also said that his new-found quickness will help him guard, <a href="https://twitter.com/ByJayKing/status/912366799454441472">“The guards like Bradley Beal and John Wall a lot better.”</a> For him to improve his perimeter defense without losing his edge in the post should make for a special year for Smart on the defensive end. </p>
<p id="46RTbg">Another concern going into the year was that the Celtics would have to take some time in developing a new identity after the departures of <span>Isaiah Thomas</span> and Jae Crowder. Smart is the longest tenured Celtic on the roster, so if anyone is going to spearhead that effort, it’s probably him. However, Smart is confident that other than the players on the roster, nothing has changed. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Marcus Smart: "Even though we lost a core group of guys, the culture and attitude in the locker room hasn't changed."</p>— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamHimmelsbach/status/912369239620771841">September 25, 2017</a>
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<p id="k1vpbb">Some of Smart’s most noteworthy comments had the same theme. While Smart lost weight, he has only gained from it, and while the Celtics lost core players, the culture is still the same. This is a promising development heading into training camp, and we’ll see how quickly the players on the team now get acclimated with each other on the floor. </p>
<p id="jkdfmP">Take a look at Smart’s full press conference below in the video produced by CLNS Media.</p>
<div id="TteE1Z"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HwSfea51f70?rel=0&" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no"></iframe></div></div>
https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/25/16362578/marcus-smart-insists-he-has-only-gained-from-offseason-weight-loss-boston-celticsMichael DePrisco2017-09-25T13:47:19-04:002017-09-25T13:47:19-04:00Brad Stevens seeks to build system around new look roster
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<img alt="Boston Celtics v Cleveland Cavaliers - Game Four" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/x5r8OiqGK7pGRGQiCyj3dD51DnU=/70x0:2328x1505/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56843931/687506882.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>With so many new faces in play, the Celtics leading man is excited to find what works.</p> <p id="NJiWYh">In an interview with <a href="http://www.nba.com/celtics">Celtics.com</a>’s Amanda Pflugrad and Mark D’Amico at <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a> Media Day, <span>Brad Stevens</span> touched on the topic of incorporating his many new players into the team’s system. </p>
<p id="xGD9xX">“I think our system will fit into them,” he said, flipping the paradigm of incorporation on its head. Stevens has long been a proponent of building offensive and defensive frameworks based on the talent at hand, and while he is likely to bring a core set of principals to that work, this year’s team should be no different.</p>
<p id="mXBrVK">The current roster construction would suggest that positional fluidity and versatility will become a major component of the Celtics style of play. Stevens, somewhat tepidly, hinted as such.</p>
<p id="qO1RW0">“We have to figure out who complements who the best. If it becomes a group of all 6’8, 6’9 guys out on the court, that’s great,” he said. “The more guys that can guard more positions the better, and to be versatile enough offensively to, at the very least, be able to space the floor, is critical.”</p>
<p id="4PbMBp">Stressing the importance of identifying lineups of complementary players was a common refrain for Stevens, who appears to be more concerned with finding what combinations will yield the most effective play than what will best allow the Celtics to maintain the same philosophies they leaned on last year. That’s the right perspective to be operating from, and it should allow him to maximize the talent he has to work with.</p>
<p id="N6DUIb">Doing so will likely mean re-envisioning the roles that players have traditionally filled in other places, in particular the team’s new All-Star point guard.</p>
<p id="T1sZyt">“The narrative is about him as an isolation player,” Stevens said of <span>Kyrie Irving</span>. “But it’s not about the narrative. It’s about all the things he can do.”</p>
<p id="j2rKNa">It will be up to Stevens to figure out just what all those things are, and Irving to deliver on them. That process will take time, but it will be well worth the effort.</p>
https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/25/16361624/brad-stevens-seeks-to-build-system-around-new-look-roster-boston-celtics-kyrie-irvingGreg Brueck-Cassoli2017-09-25T13:37:33-04:002017-09-25T13:37:33-04:00Al Horford “blown away” by watching Kyrie Irving in practice
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<img alt="NBA: Playoffs-Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tbnTiHjwS1xXkaRF_Fm5bR8bWqM=/10x0:2353x1562/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56843677/usa_today_10069118.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Al Horford is impressed with what he sees out of his new point guard at Celtics Media Day.</p> <p id="ZkBEA9"><a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Celtics</a> Media Day is off and running, and the preseason hype trains can officially leave the station. Boston center <span>Al Horford</span> is one of four returning players from last year’s team, which is weird to think about him as a mainstay on the team after joining the Celtics last summer. </p>
<p id="PhiBJ9">The on court chemistry with new point guard <span>Kyrie Irving</span> will be one of the main storylines throughout the year for this Celtics team. From what he’s seen so far, Horford is very impressed. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Al Horford said he was "blown away" watching Kyrie Irving in practice. "He's special. ... I don't think people understand how good he is."</p>— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNForsberg/status/912352980191477760">September 25, 2017</a>
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<p id="TfopNA">This is an exciting thing to hear from someone who played a lot with <span>Isaiah Thomas</span> during the best season of his career. For Horford to be impressed to this extent already is a positive sign that Irving can take his game to a new level. </p>
<p id="59ZHTP">The last time the Celtics acquired two all stars in the same offseason, they won a championship the following year with <span>Kevin Garnett</span> and <span>Ray Allen</span> alongside Paul Pierce. This time around, we get a look the new “Big Three” in Boston. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward & Al Horford step onto the scene for the first time together as <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics">@celtics</a> teammates! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/xULfTweLyA">pic.twitter.com/xULfTweLyA</a></p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/912352379948929024">September 25, 2017</a>
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<p id="weIyRS">You can check out the full video of Horford addressing the media in Canton below from CLNS Media. </p>
<div id="pgjifd"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bo5U7KvtnM4?rel=0&" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no"></iframe></div></div>
https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/25/16362068/al-horford-blown-away-by-watching-kyrie-irving-in-practice-boston-celticsMichael DePrisco2017-09-25T09:43:45-04:002017-09-25T09:43:45-04:00A casual fan’s Boston Celtics preview
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<img alt="NBA: Playoffs-Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Nw0mOHe5V-FrPPvCRiQX28xg4oY=/7x0:2629x1748/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56834447/usa_today_10071458.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Wait, what happened?</p> <p id="mE9xlU">The NBA is increasingly becoming a 12 months a year sort of thing, but there are still fans out there that check out during the summer. Some of them dive into baseball and some are just too focused on vacations, summer jobs, or running kids from one camp or another. </p>
<p id="V786lN">So if you are one of those folks, I am writing this for you to get you caught back up on the <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a>’ summer and their outlook for this season. Let’s start with a quick rundown.</p>
<p id="ZDoAb9"><strong>Guys that are no longer here: </strong></p>
<p id="So1q2D"><span>Isaiah Thomas</span> (you may have heard about this), <span>Avery Bradley</span>, <span>Jae Crowder</span>, <span>Kelly Olynyk</span>, <span>Amir Johnson</span>, <span>Jonas Jerebko</span>, <span>Gerald Green</span>, <span>Tyler Zeller</span>, <span>James Young</span>, <span>Demetrius Jackson</span>, Jordan Mickey<span>.</span></p>
<p id="sLAuNk"><strong>New guys that are here now:</strong></p>
<p id="59zE6b"><span>Kyrie Irving</span>, <span>Gordon Hayward</span>, <span>Marcus Morris</span>, <span>Jayson Tatum</span>, <span>Aron Baynes</span>, <span>Abdel Nader</span>, <span>Semi Ojeleye</span>, <span>Guerschon Yabusele</span>, <span>Daniel Theis</span>, <span>Shane Larkin</span>.</p>
<p id="D0uHBs"><strong>Wait, why would we trade Isaiah Thomas???</strong></p>
<p id="JO3Oy0">That was my first reaction as well. Thomas was nothing less than a hero in my eyes. He exceeded everyone’s expectations, except his own which powered by his limitless self-confidence. He played through pain, both physical and emotional. He flat out made Boston Celtics basketball fun again for the first time since the Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were traded to the Brooklyn Nets all those years ago. So why would the Celtics trade him away?</p>
<p id="h4iAkj">Because Kyrie Irving was available. Thomas may have had a better season last year, but that was most likely the best we’ll ever see of Isaiah. Irving is younger and considered the better player by most basketball experts. He’s also under contract for two more years, where Thomas was going to be a free agent at the end of the season. Finally, Thomas has a hip condition that ended his playoffs last season and there are at least some indications that it could be a serious and/or lingering issue.</p>
<p id="4hUigo">In short, it was a cold business decision that feels horrible but could end up being the smartest decision in the long run. Remember how the Pierce and Garnett trade felt at first? That deal then is the reason why this team is positioned now to be a contender for years. This deal may look genius a year from now. It all depends on how well Irving fits in and develops his already impressive game.</p>
<p id="OOgUCB"><a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/11/16264638/how-kyrie-irving-will-evolve-in-boston-celtics-nba-offseason-preview-2017">Read more about Kyrie Irving here.</a></p>
<p id="QERwqj"><strong>Is Gordon Hayward really worth a max contract?</strong></p>
<p id="zcfb6y">Yup. <span>Brad Stevens</span> is one of the best coaches in the NBA and he recruited Gordon Hayward back at Butler, so they know each other extremely well. However, even if Stevens had never met Hayward before and was asked to describe his ideal player, that guy would sound an awful lot like Hayward. </p>
<p id="X0GHUN">He’s an efficient and effective scorer, an exceptional passer, a solid rebounder, and a solid defender. He can move with or without the ball; work in the pick and roll or create his own shot; drive to the hoop; stick a midrange shot; or launch from outside the arc. In short, he might be the best all-around player on the Celtics this year (which is saying something for a team that employs <span>Al Horford</span>).</p>
<p id="4IbPGe"><a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/13/16299806/new-possibilities-how-gordon-hayward-could-broaden-the-boston-celtics-offensive-horizons-2017">Read more about Gordon Hayward here.</a></p>
<p id="efTpAx"><strong>The Celtics won the lottery, how did they end up picking 3rd?</strong></p>
<p id="lGJo4f">I think most people heard that the Celtics won the chance to pick the No. 1 draft pick (by way of that <a href="https://www.netsdaily.com/">Nets</a> trade that sent out <span>Paul Pierce</span> and <span>Kevin Garnett</span>). What some people might have missed was the fact that the Celtics traded that No. 1 overall pick for the No. 3 pick and future draft considerations.</p>
<p id="EBGUvZ">The consensus number one pick around the league was <span>Markelle Fultz</span> from the University of Washington. He is a remarkable talent at point guard and most believe that he’s a sure thing star in the league. Fultz is also 6’5”, which definitely would’ve been an improvement over the 5’9” Thomas, and beats out Irving at 6’2”. However, according to the Celtics, Jayson Tatum from Duke was higher on their draft board. So they got their guy at three and picked up an extra pick in the process.</p>
<p id="v5uG1W">About that other pick: It could be a top-five pick next year if the <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Lakers</a> are really terrible again (and if they don’t get the top overall pick). Next year’s draft might be even better than this past year’s one was at the top. So there’s at least a chance that Ainge traded one top pick for two top-five picks. </p>
<p id="WH6NSJ">Five years from now we’ll still be measuring this deal as Fultz vs. Tatum, but that extra pick could swing the balance and give the Celtics another trade asset to make yet another move.</p>
<p id="mR7VSB"><a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/18/16301034/the-truth-about-jayson-tatum-boston-celtics-nba-2017-rookie-player-preview">Read more about Jayson Tatum here.</a></p>
<p id="JRWgNC"><strong>That’s a lot to process, what else do I need to know?</strong></p>
<p id="QsEoBP">Well, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, and even Amir Johnson did a lot to establish a defensive intensity that this team was known for the last few years. They are all gone now but <span>Marcus Smart</span> remains and a lot of other players are going to need to step up and defend to make this team successful. </p>
<p id="0LF9zF">There are also five guys on this roster with no NBA experience (rookies) and at least one of them (Tatum) figures to play a major role in the rotation. Chances are good that we’ll see some minutes being played by Ojeleye, Yabusele, Theis, or Nader at some point too.</p>
<p id="D1n8hW">You can also expect to see more from <span>Jaylen Brown</span> and Terry Rozier. Both showed flashes of brilliance in the playoffs last year and Brown might even compete for the starting off-guard spot.</p>
<p id="8kOr2B">The team still won’t be able to rebound much and it could take a little while for all the moving pieces to fit together and for Brad Stevens to figure out the best combinations on the floor. Seems like every year they start slow, but by the end of the year Stevens has them performing optimally.</p>
<p id="tN8vNB"><a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/12/16294302/boston-celtics-player-previews-2017-18-season-kyrie-irving-gordon-hayward-al-horford-marcus-smart">Read all our player previews here.</a></p>
<p id="EiZ6UD"><strong>Ok smart guy, give me a prediction.</strong></p>
<p id="5nX1sN">Last year the Celtics won 53 games and Vegas puts the over-under for the 2017-18 season at 56.5 wins. Call me conservative, but I am going to guess that they start off slow, pick up steam, and finish with 50 wins. I also predict that they’ll make a return trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Can they win that series and head to the Finals? Maybe...maybe.</p>
https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/25/16359148/a-casual-fans-boston-celtics-preview-isaiah-thomas-kyrie-irving-gordon-haywardJeff Clark2017-09-23T15:00:02-04:002017-09-23T15:00:02-04:00Boston Celtics announce Media Day and training camp schedule
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<img alt="Boston Celtics Introduce Kyrie Irving" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PGeAp5z_Bvj5yRbNrBLq8gNvbbk=/0x0:4031x2687/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56820347/841591222.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward will have plenty of time to answer questions during Media Day on Monday Sept. 25. | Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>CLNS Media will have full coverage of Celtics Media Day, training camp and preseason games.</p> <p id="K4ngHZ">It’s not quite all the way back, but yes, the NBA season is near, and that can only mean one thing: The <a href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Boston Celtics</a> Media Day and Training Camp Schedule is out.</p>
<p id="2PO7M9">Tune in on Monday, Sept. 25, as CLNS Media will have full coverage from Media Day, including press conferences with <span>Brad Stevens</span>, Danny Ainge and members of the Celtics’ new-look roster, as well as a Garden Report show to wrap up the day’s proceedings.</p>
<p id="iwkorX">(CLNS covered Media Day in 2014 when a young <span>Marcus Smart</span> took the podium alongside players like <span>James Young</span>, <span>Evan Turner</span>, <span>Marcus Thornton</span> and Tyler Zeller. Oh, how the times have changed.)</p>
<div id="WXS4Nl"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/atEs3Bu6yvc?rel=0&" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="YvF7tn">Once Media Day concludes, the Celtics will regroup as a team and head to Newport, RI, for three days of training camp practice—from Tuesday, Sept. 26, to Thursday, Sept. 28—at Rodgers Recreation Center on the picturesque campus of Salve Regina University. CLNS will be there in Rhode Island with full coverage of training camp action.</p>
<p id="uPCVMA"><span>Kyrie Irving</span>, <span>Gordon Hayward</span> and the rest of their Celtics teammates will leave the comfortable confines in Newport and head back to practice at The Celtics Training Center at HealthPoint, with CLNS once again present on Friday, Sept. 29, as the Celtics will look to develop some rhythm and chemistry in preparation for their first preseason game on Monday, Oct. 2, against the <a href="https://www.atthehive.com/">Charlotte Hornets</a> at the TD Garden.</p>
<p id="l28g5a">CLNS will be at the TD Garden with full coverage of Boston’s two home preseason games, the other taking place on Monday, Oct. 9 against the <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com/">Philadelphia 76ers</a>. </p>
https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/23/16354516/boston-celtics-announce-media-day-and-training-camp-scheduleCoryPrescott_CLNSMedia