Category: Boston Celtics Blog

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Abdel Nader wins D-League Rookie of Year award

Maine Red Claws forward Abdel Nader today was named the 2016-17 NBA Development League Rookie of the Year. The award, voted on by the league’s 22 head coaches, recognizes the first-year professional who most significantly contributed to his team’s success during the season.

Nader (6-7, Iowa State) averaged 21.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 40 games, propelling the Red Claws to a 29-21 record and the Eastern Conference’s second seed in the 2017 NBA D-League Playoffs. In addition to shooting 44.6 percent from the floor, Nader recorded a team-high 99 three-pointers.

Nader led the Red Claws in scoring 16 times, logged five games with at least 30 points and posted three point-rebound double-doubles to help the Red Claws capture their third consecutive Atlantic Division title. The 23-year-old tallied 16 points, four rebounds and four assists in this year’s NBA D-League All-Star Game in New Orleans.

Born in Alexandria, Egypt, Nader is the first internationally-born player to be named NBA D-League Rookie of the Year and the third Red Claws player to earn the honor. Selected by the Boston Celtics with the 58th overall pick in NBA Draft 2016 presented by State Farm, the Celtics hold Nader’s Draft rights.

Nader will be presented with the 2016-17 NBA D-League Rookie of the Year trophy prior to the Red Claws’ Eastern Conference Finals game against Raptors 905 on Sunday, April 16 at the Portland Exposition Building in Portland, Maine.

Isaiah Thomas out with bruised knee

The Celtics (43-25, second best record in Eastern conference through Wednesday’s games), will be without star guard Isaiah Thomas for a few games. Here’s the Boston Herald reporting:

Isaiah Thomas out with bruised knee

Isaiah Thomas is not on the Celtics flight to New York today after the team announced a right knee bone bruise will keep him out of games against Brooklyn and Philadelphia tomorrow and Sunday.

A Celtics spokesman said he is staying back for treatment and rest, while a team source characterized the injury and his potential return as “day to day.”

Isaiah Thomas great on second night of back-to-back games

This is the sort of stat that many fans won’t care about, but it’s still impressive and says a lot about what kind of competitor Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas is. Here’s ESPN Boston reporting:

Isaiah Thomas great on second night of back-to-back games

Of all the ridiculous offensive numbers that Boston Celtics All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas has put up this season, there may be none more impressive than this: Thomas is averaging a league-best 34.2 points per game on the second night of back-to-backs.

In a league that’s trying desperately to cut down on the number of back-to-backs and game-heavy stretches, Thomas is the anti-DNP Rest movement. The 5-foot-9 guard saves some of his best basketball for when he’s had the least rest. What’s more, Thomas is averaging more than three points better than his nearest competitor (Russell Westbrook, 30.9) for scoring on the second nights of back-to-backs.

The only player in the last 20 years to average more points per game on the second nights of back-to-backs is one of Thomas’ idols, Allen Iverson, who averaged 34.9 points during the 2004-05 season.

Celtics not beating good teams yet this season

Celtics not beating good teams yet this season

The Celtics have become a stay-in-your-own-yard team. They have been beating up on the sub-.500 opponents, but another painful late-game fade has left them just 2-6 against those from the NBA’s higher rent district.

And it’s clear after last night’s 99-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder — coming, as it did, on the heels of Friday’s fold against Toronto — just how badly the C’s would like to break the chain and run with the bigger dogs.

“Words can’t even explain it at this point,” said Marcus Smart, whose rushed 3-pointer to tie at the buzzer caught only iron. “We’ve been in too many situations like this, and it’s got to stop. We played good for three quarters, first half, and then a goose egg in the fourth and we let teams come back and take over the game on us.”

The Celts squandered a 14-point lead against the Raptors and dispensed with a 13-point advantage against the Thunder. Another potential big win dissolved in 1-for-8 shooting down the stretch, as the Thunder won the last minute-plus, 7-2.

— Boston Herald

Quick Take: Despite their unimpressive start, the Celtics have the 6th best record in the East, but are just one game behind the Hornets, who are the East 3-seed right now. So, a quick leap in the standings is a very realistic goal.

Al Horford taking a while to recover from concussion

We often hear that about NBA players suffering “concussion-like symptoms,” and perhaps being diagnosed with an actual concussion, and missing a game or two, and then returning to action. But new Celtics big-man Al Horford took a serious hit, and he’s still recovering. Here’s WEEI reporting:

Al Horford taking a while to recover from concussion

The waiting game continues for Al Horford and the Celtics.

The big man is still dealing with the lingering effects of a concussion and said after practice Tuesday that he’s not sure when he might play again.

Horford suffered the concussion when he was accidentally struck by a teammate at practice on Oct. 31. There was a glimmer of hope when he traveled with the team on the two-game trip through Indiana and New Orleans. But on Tuesday, following a light workout, he told reporters that he’s just not ready.

“I’m just not where I want to be right now, but trying to work through it,” Horford said. “This is something very new to me, so it’s just trying to get used to this.”

Al Horford still recovering from concussion

New Celtics addition Al Horford’s concussion was the real thing. And it’s taking a little while for him to fully recover from it. Here’s ESPN Boston with the latest:

Al Horford still recovering from concussion

One week after Boston Celtics big man Al Horford suffered a concussion during an off-day practice, coach Brad Stevens said the 10th-year veteran has not progressed in the NBA’s concussion protocol and he is uncertain when Horford will return to basketball activities.

Horford, who signed a four-year, $113 million contract with the Celtics over the summer, has missed Boston’s past three games. The concussion was diagnosed Tuesday, after he experienced nausea while attempting to practice a day after absorbing an inadvertent blow to the head from a teammate.

Al Horford in NBA concussion protocol program

Al Horford in NBA concussion protocol program

Celtics center/forward Al Horford reported being hit in the head Monday (October 31) during practice and was asymptomatic Monday evening and during the pre-practice period on Tuesday (November 1) and he was subsequently cleared to practice.

However symptoms presented during practice and Horford was immediately removed from practice. He was evaluated last night by Celtics team physicians and has been placed in to the NBA’s concussion protocol program.

Horford is out for tonight’s game against the Chicago Bulls and his status will be updated as appropriate per the NBA concussion protocol.

Celtics exercise contract options on Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier

Celtics exercise contract options on Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier

The Celtics today exercised the contract options for Terry Rozier’s third year and Marcus Smart’s fourth year. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Rozier, a 6’2” guard, has appeared in all three games for the Celtics during the 2016-17 season and has posted averages of 6.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.33 steals in 23.9 minutes per game. He posted a career-high of eight points to go along with four rebounds and four assists against Chicago on October 27, 2016. During his rookie season last year, Rozier appeared in 39 games for the Celtics and totaled 72 points, 63 rebounds and 37 assists in 311 minutes. He increased his production during the 2016 preseason when he averaged 9.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 17.2 minutes per game while shooting 54.0 percent from the field and 60.0 percent from three.

Smart, a 6’4” guard, has posted career averages of 8.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 128 career games since the Celtics drafted him 6th overall out of Oklahoma State in the 2014 NBA Draft. During the 2015-16 season, Smart posted career-highs in points (9.1 per game) and rebounds (4.2 per game) while being selected to participate in the 2016 Rising Stars Challenge during All-Star weekend.

Gerald Green has a Celtics haircut

Gerald Green played for the Celtics as a rookie in 2005-06 and in 2006-07. After bouncing around the league for a while, he’s wearing Celtics green again this season.

Green apparently wanted to make a statement about his return. A positive one. In the form of a cool hairstyle. Here’s MassLive reporter Tom Westerholm with the photo:

That is awesome.