Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
“I don’t know if there’s anything I need to do, but there’s some things that we’re still working on,” Ainge said as the Celtics prepared to work out at the Garden yesterday. “But I think that this roster is what it’s going to be.
“It’s always the case. Things that we would like to do are usually difficult to pull off, so we’re planning on this roster for now.”
Does said roster include enough size?
“Um . . . yeah, absolutely,” said Ainge, the pause in his answer perhaps telling. “We have enough size for sure.”
Enough low-post size?
“Take a look out there,” he said, motioning to the Celtics warming up on the parquet floor. “We’ve got a lot of size. . . . We have some guys that can bang underneath, too.”
Herald – Celtics longing goes unfulfilled
If that’s not a lukewarm endorsement, I don’t know what is.
The Celtics have some big bodies who can bang (Chris Wilcox, Brandon Bass), but Jermaine O’Neal aside, they have no one who can block shots. There’s a serious shortage of length on that bench.
Forget about Samuel Dalembert. He’s a $10 million player in demand. IF something drastic were to happen with Jeff Green that involved his removal from the roster and salary cap, the Celtics would need to a scoring wing more than Sam Dalembert.
Related links: WEEI – How much does size matter for Celtics? | CSNNE – Celtics looking for production from new bench | Globe – Rejuvenated O’Neal can fill void at center
On Page 2, it’s time for Avery Bradley to step up.
“We just gotta give him a chance,” said Ainge. “He needs game action. You gotta give him a chance to play. But, at the same time, just with his athleticism alone, and his energy defensively, he’ll help us. He’ll make mistakes, but he’ll bring something to the table as well that we don’t have.”
…
“Avery is our best athletic perimeter defender,” said Ainge. “He’s young without experience, so he has to learn to use that athleticism. But he’s also very intense kid, a little bit like Delonte [West]. He’s athletic, strong, and intense, and he has a ton of energy. Once he learns to bridle that energy, he could be one of the best defenders in the league.
The Celtics must have some confidence in Avery Bradley, or else they wouldn’t have let Delonte West walk. There are two giant question marks with the bench guards. Can Marquis Daniels stay healthy? Can Avery Bradley contribute? The Celtics need a big YES on one of those questions.
The rest of the links:
Globe – Cs in 5th year of 3 year plan | Team awaiting Green’s medical report | ESPN Boston – Newcomers get first taste of Garden | CSNNE – Pierce probably won’t travel to Toronto | Green may miss regular season play | Herald – Major health concerns for Jeff Green |
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
