Category: Boston Celtics Blog

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Celtics’ Jaylen Brown so excited for playoffs he’s had a bit of trouble sleeping

Here’s the Boston Herald on Jaylen Brown and the Celtics:

Jaylen Brown missed last season’s first-round loss to the Nets due to wrist surgery and it’s not hard to tell that the young Celtics star has some pent-up enthusiasm this time around for a Brooklyn rematch set to begin on Sunday in the Garden.

“You could tell (by the) smile on my face, right?” he said after Thursday’s practice.

“Yeah, it’s exciting. I’ve had a little bit of trouble sleeping. So I’m just trying to calm myself down,” he said. “I’m ready to go, I’m excited, it’s playoff time, it’s the best time of the year. This is what you work for. So ultimately, going out there and just breathing and being yourself is going to be key because I know it’s gonna be a lot of energy in the Garden, there’s gonna be a lot of energy in the arena. So sometimes the more calm, relaxed player is the one who gets the advantage. So just trying to stay balanced as much as possible, but I’m definitely excited.

And now for the hard part. How not for Brown and Jayson Tatum to get too caught up in the scoring derby that Kevin Durant and their former teammate, Kyrie Irving, are about to launch. The Nets are best in the league when it comes to isolation basketball. Indeed, Durant and Irving are two of the most gifted man-to-man scorers in the history of the game.

“It’s exciting. What more could you ask for?” said Brown.

Celtics sign forward Juwan Morgan

The Boston Celtics have signed forward Juwan Morgan. This on the final day of the 2021-22 NBA regular season.

Morgan (6-7, 232), 24, has played in 52 games over three NBA seasons with Utah, Toronto, and Boston, averaging 1.5 points on 31-of-59 shooting (52.5% FG), and 1.2 rebounds in 6.0 minutes. The Missouri native played in 33 games for the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League in 2021-22, producing 12.3 points on 53.1% shooting, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in 28.2 minutes. He reached the 20-point mark six times with Maine this season, two of which occurred over his last three games.

Morgan signed a 10-day contract with Boston on March 28 and appeared in one game during that span (April 3 vs. Washington). He originally participated in the team’s training camp earlier this season.

Celtics center Robert Williams undergoes knee surgery

Celtics center Robert Williams III this morning underwent a successful partial left knee meniscectomy. The surgery was performed at New England Baptist Hospital by Celtics Team Physician Dr. Tony Schena, assisted by Dr. Glen Ross.

Williams III is expected to be able to return to play in approximately 4-6 weeks.

Per Boston.com, “the Celtics have six games remaining in the regular season, and currently sit third in the conference with a 47-29 record. Williams has been a vital part of the Celtics’ in-season turnaround, especially on the defensive end. With him in the lineup, Boston has the best starting five in the league.”

Boston Celtics sign forward Juwan Morgan to 10-day contract

The Boston Celtics have signed forward Juwan Morgan to a 10-day contract.

Morgan (6-7, 232), 24, has played in 51 games over three NBA seasons with Utah and Toronto, averaging 1.5 points on 31-of-59 shooting (52.5% FG), and 1.2 rebounds in 6.0 minutes. The Missouri native participated in Boston’s training camp earlier this season and has played in 33 games for the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League in 2021-22, producing 12.3 points on 53.1% shooting, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in 28.2 minutes.

Morgan has reached the 20-point mark six times with Maine this season, two of which have occurred over the last three games.

Celtics are just winning these days

The Boston Celtics are absolutely on fire. Via Boston.com:

The Celtics are coming for a top seed in the Eastern Conference, and no one seems able to stop them at the moment.

Boston (42-28) currently sits fourth overall in the East with 12 games to play. Though they might be too far behind the conference-leading Miami Heat (four games) to claim the No. 1 seed, they have a legitimate chance at gaining the two games of ground on the Milwaukee Bucks for the second seed.

No matter where they end up, though, the Celtics could be a very tough out in the postseason. One could make the claim they’re the best team in the NBA right now.

Celtics sign forward Malik Fitts

The Boston Celtics have signed forward Malik Fitts.

Fitts, 24, originally joined the Celtics on Feb. 23 – his first of two 10-day contracts with the team – competing in two games during that span. He has competed in 12 career NBA games over the past two seasons with the LA Clippers, Utah, and Boston, averaging 0.8 points (37.5% 3-PT), 1.2 rebounds, and 4.3 minutes.

A native of California, Fitts has played in seven games with the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League in 2021-22, producing 15.1 points on 40.0% shooting, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steals in 29.7 minutes.

Celtics retire Kevin Garnett’s jersey No. 5 today

The number 5 today will join the ranks of Celtics legends overlooking the parquet floor from the rafters of TD Garden.

Kevin Garnett and his family will help raise the historic banner featuring his number 5 to the arena rafters, cementing a Celtics legacy which featured five All-Star appearances, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and a 2008 NBA Championship banner in his six seasons with the franchise.

“Everything changed the minute KG walked into the first practice,” said Celtics Governor, Managing Partner, and CEO Wyc Grousbeck. “A lot of people contributed to the championship, but KG would simply not let us lose that year. He is one of my very favorite people and very favorite Celtics.”

“KG embodies the heart and soul of what it means to be a Celtic,” said Celtics Co-Owner and Alternate Governor Steve Pagliuca. “His selflessness and team leadership were critical to bringing a 17th banner back to Boston. He proved that nothing is impossible when you play as a team and trust each other. He is simply the best.”

Acquired by the Celtics on July 31, 2007 from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for five players and two first-round draft picks, Garnett played six impactful seasons in Boston from 2007-08 to 2012-13, producing 15.7 points on 52.0% shooting, 8.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocked shots across 396 games with the franchise. He was named an NBA All-Star in five of his six seasons with the Celtics, including each of his first four from 2008 to 2011.

In his first season with Boston, the then 13-year NBA veteran averaged 18.8 points on 53.9% shooting, 9.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocked shots, all of which finished as his high marks with the team. He was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the first time in his career, becoming the first Celtics player in franchise history to receive the award.

Garnett played an integral role in the Celtics’ quest for Banner 17, averaging a double-double with 20.4 points (49.5% FG), 10.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocked shots in 26 postseason games in 2008. He finished with 30+ points twice during Boston’s historic playoff run – including a 33-point, 7-rebound performance in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against Detroit – and capped off his playoff dominance with 26 points (10-18 FG) and 14 rebounds in the Celtics championship-clinching Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers on June 17.

Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020, Garnett received 15 career All-Star selections in 21 seasons with Minnesota, Boston, and Brooklyn. The fifth overall selection of the 1995 NBA Draft is one three players in NBA history to tally at least 20,000 points and 10,000 rebounds for his career (Abdul-Jabbar/Malone), and one of two players to surpass 1,800 steals and 1,800 blocks (Olajuwon).

Celtics fans attending today’s game against the Dallas Mavericks will be greeted with a commemorative t-shirt featuring the number 5 and a silhouette of Kevin Garnett on the front, courtesy of TD Bank. Vistaprint and the Celtics have also teamed up with local artist Ally Thatcher of Fallen Cargo to create a mural across the 19,156 seats of TD Garden. Each fan will receive a piece of the overarching mural on its seatback.

GIFTS GARNETT WILL RECEIVE FROM CELTICS

As part of the ceremony, which will include Garnett’s family, Celtics alumni, current Celtics players, and Celtics executives on the parquet, the Celtics will present Garnett with a series of gifts acknowledging his memorable Celtics career, including:

– A replica of the retired number 5 banner, which is framed with authentic parquet flooring from the 2007-08 championship season.

– A framed collage including a number 5 square, iconic photos of Garnett, and an authentic piece of parquet flooring, etched with career accolades.

– Original painting by esteemed artist Daniel Maltzman, which was created behind the banners hanging in the rafters.

– NFT Gift Basket including five original collectibles from Gutter Pigeons, Bears Deluxe, SupDucks, The Doggies (Snoop Dogg), and Rug Radio.

– A custom engraved bottle of Cincoro Extra Añejo Tequila.

Paul Pierce speaks on the Celtics

This won’t shock you, but Paul Pierce has some good things to say about the Boston Celtics. Via the Boston.com:

Paul Pierce knows what it takes to bring an NBA title to Boston.

The Celtics legend was the NBA Finals MVP for the organization’s last championship team in 2008. Fourteen years later, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading a Celtics squad that’s won 18 of its last 21 games, Pierce believes that this current iteration of the Celtics might hit the same ceiling as the 2008 Celtics.

“Well, Jayson Tatum’s playing at an MVP level. The Celtics are playing their best basketball right now,” Pierce told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin during Friday night’s Celtics game. “If they continue to play like this, I could see them in the Eastern Conference Finals and possibly the NBA Finals.”

Pierce is perfectly correct on this, of course. The Celtics are currently 5th, and rising lately, in a tight Eastern conference race whose mid and upper seeds are wide open for the taking.

After a slow start to the season, Celtics basketball is on a serious roll these days, and they’re playing as well as almost any team in the league.

Jayson Tatum scores 54 points in Celtics win over Nets

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum had himself quite a game today on national TV in a win over the Brooklyn Nets. Here’s Boston.com:

As Jayson Tatum stepped to the line late in Sunday’s matinee game against the Nets, chants of “M-V-P” rained down from the rafters.

How can you argue with them? Tatum’s free throws were his 53rd and 54th points in the Celtics‘ 126-120 victory over a Nets team that was nearly whole — missing only Ben Simmons. Tatum rose to the occasion against Kevin Durant, who has arguably been the best player in the world for much longer than he gets credit. He beat double teams. He worked his way to the free-throw line 17 times. He buried eight of his 15 3-point attempts.

“Obviously, when you kind of get in that zone, the basket just seemed to be a little bit bigger,” Tatum said after the game.

Perhaps most importantly, when the Nets forced the ball out of his hands, he was a willing passer. The biggest shot of the game was Jaylen Brown’s back-breaking corner triple with 39 seconds remaining which was assisted by Marcus Smart, but the advantage was created when the Nets double-teamed Tatum.

“[Tatum] was unstoppable,” Brown said afterward. “I think that helps with your offense, right?”

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Boston Celtics sign Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin to second 10-day contracts

The Boston Celtics have signed forwards Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin to their second 10-day contracts.

Fitts, 24, has competed in 11 NBA games over the past two seasons with the LA Clippers, Utah, and Boston, averaging 0.8 points, and 1.3 rebounds in 4.5 minutes. The California native played in seven games with the Jazz in 2021-22 and produced career highs of six points and seven rebounds at Toronto on Jan. 7.

Martin, 26, has played in 94 games over parts of three NBA seasons with Minnesota, Indiana, and Boston, averaging 5.6 points on 41.5% shooting (30.9% 3-PT, 88.9% FT), 2.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 13.4 minutes. The Kentucky native produced 6.3 points (41.7% FG), 2.0 rebounds, and 16.4 minutes in 27 games (one start) for the Pacers this season, reaching double figures in scoring on three occasions.

Both Fitts and Martin competed in one game for the Celtics during their first 10-day contracts, which were signed on Feb. 23.