Category: Boston Celtics Blog

Celtics blog – Boston Celtics blog. A great Celtics news blog

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?”

Full Article

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.

Celtics sign Nik Stauskas

The Boston Celtics have signed guard Nik Stauskas.

Per Boston.com, “Stauskas scored 100 points combined in his last two G-League games for the Grand Rapids Gold, including a 57-point explosion on Tuesday. Stauskas set the record for points in a half with 38.”

Originally selected by Sacramento with the eighth overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, Stauskas, 28, has averaged 6.8 points (38.9% FG, 35.4% 3-PT, 81.4% FT), 2.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.4 steals, and 19.8 minutes in 337 NBA games (63 starts) over six NBA seasons with the Kings, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Portland, Cleveland, and Miami. Stauskas competed in two games with the Heat earlier this season, tallying 11 points on 3-of-8 shooting (2-4 3-PT) and three boards.

Stauskas has played in 26 games (25 starts) with the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League this season, averaging 23.8 points on 47.6% shooting (41.6% 3-PT, 87.9% FT), 5.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 38.0 minutes. He scored a career-high and set the franchise scoring record with 57 points on 20-of-29 shooting (11-15 3-PT) against the Wisconsin Herd on March 1, and tallied 43 points on 16-of-21 shooting (9-13 3-PT) the very next night against the Lakeland Magic, becoming the second player in G League history to produce 100+ points in a two-game span.

Stauskas will wear no. 13 for Boston.

Celtics sign forward Matt Ryan to two-way contract

The Boston Celtics have signed forward Matt Ryan to a two-way contract.

Ryan, 24, has played in 28 games (seven starts) for the Grand Rapids Gold of the NBA G League in 2021-22, averaging 15.8 points on 42.7% shooting (38.5% 3-PT, 95.2% FT), 3.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 28.7 minutes. He has scored in double figures in 19 of 28 games this season, including a season-high 39-point performance on 12-of-23 shooting against Delaware on Jan. 16 (one of three 30-point games).

A 6-7 forward, Ryan has connected on at least five 3-point field goals eight times this season, shooting over 40.0% from beyond the arc in five of those contests. He made a season-best nine 3-point field goals and tallied 34 points against Cleveland on Jan. 8.

Ryan played in two games for Team USA at the most recent FIBA World Cup Qualifiers from Feb. 24-27, ranking second on the team in scoring at 13.5 points while shooting 9-of-18 from beyond the arc in 18.0 minutes.

A New York native, Ryan competed collegiately in four seasons over five years with Notre Dame, Vanderbilt, and Chattanooga, averaging 7.9 points (40.4% FG, 36.3% 3-PT, 84.2% FT), 2.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 18.9 minutes over 134 NCAA games (62 starts). He concluded his collegiate career at Chattanooga in 2019-20, producing 15.4 points (42.3% FG, 35.9% 3-PT, 87.9% FT), 4.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 30.6 minutes in 33 games (all starts).

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

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

Fitts, 24, has competed in 10 NBA games over the past two seasons with the LA Clippers and Utah, averaging 0.9 points, and 1.3 rebounds in 4.6 minutes. The California native has played in seven games with the Jazz in 2021-22 and produced career highs of six points and seven rebounds in his most recent contest at Toronto on Jan. 7.

Martin, 26, has played in 93 games over parts of three NBA seasons with Minnesota and Indiana, averaging 5.6 points on 41.7% shooting (30.9% 3-PT, 88.9% FT), 2.4 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 13.6 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.

Celtics sign rookie forward Sam Hauser

The Boston Celtics have signed rookie forward Sam Hauser.

Originally signed by the Celtics as a two-way player this past offseason, Hauser, 24, has produced 19.0 points on 48.0% shooting (42.4% 3-PT), 5.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 20 games played with the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League. Hauser has reached the 30-point mark twice with Maine this season – including his most recent game against Grand Rapids on Feb. 6 – and leads the team with 84 three-point field goals.

Hauser has played in 10 games for Boston this season, tallying 12 points and six rebounds in 41 minutes of action. He produced 9.0 points (50.0% FG, 46.2% 3-PT), 4.8 rebounds, and a team-high 2.0 assists in five games for the Celtics during the 2021 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League.

Boston Celtics sign Luke Kornet

The Boston Celtics have signed center Luke Kornet.

Kornet, 26, returns to Boston after being acquired by the team as part of a three-team deal with Chicago and Washington on March 25. He played in 18 games (two starts) with the Celtics last season, averaging 4.4 points on 47.3% shooting, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.4 blocked shots. The Texas native scored in double figures four times in 2020-21, three of which came as a member of the Celtics.

In five NBA seasons with New York, Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, and Milwaukee, Kornet has produced 5.7 points on 40.3% shooting, 2.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.9 blocked shots, and 15.0 minutes in 136 games (35 starts).