Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
“I think it’s one of those things that everybody’s still (got a) pretty bitter taste in everyone’s mouth,” Baynes said. “We all know what we want to do. Everybody was pretty locked in over the course of the summer when everybody stopped in. Nobody’s really taken a back step. Everybody’s in great shape. That’s gonna propel us into a good preseason, and hopefully that translates into a great season as well.”
As a busy summer winds down, Baynes is happy last year’s Celtics are more or less intact.
“We’re just happy everybody is coming back. We’re getting back up and down, and we’re getting to play with each other again,” Baynes said. “It was fun last year, and it’s going to be more fun this time.”
MassLive: Aron Baynes: Boston Celtics players have motivating ‘bitter taste’ after last year’s defeat
One of the biggest question marks heading into this season is how the Celtics will handle high expectations. So far this summer, we’ve seen the Celtics presumed starting five all ranked within the top 50 players in the NBA for this upcoming season and we’ve already heard about how the Celtics match up with Golden State.
There is a legitimate fear of a team believing its own hype in this situation. But as Aron Baynes says here, and Brad Stevens has said before, the return of 99% of the team will serve as fuel to get even better.
The classic example is the 2014 Spurs, who lost a heartbreaking Finals to the Heat the year before. After that loss, they came back with revenge on their minds.
“We were so hurt from the year before,” Ginobili told The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski of the Spurs’ 2013-14 season, which culminated in a five-game Finals victory over the Heat. “You know when a beast is bleeding and hurt and going with the last thing they have?”
There’s no real “revenge” factor here this season. The Celtics will just need that bitter taste in their mouths to fuel them all season long. Stevens will have to call on that whenever they start to feel too good about themselves, and the team will have to be aware that any single misstep can lead to an early exit and a lot of disappointment.
Page 2: Jayson Tatum’s workout with legends tour continues
Who got next? @Iam1Cent vs @jaytatum0
Check-up #GTG🐅 pic.twitter.com/eG8tpd0qWp
— Memphis Basketball (@Memphis_MBB) September 15, 2018
People might forget how devastating Penny Hardaway was in his heyday. I loved the Penny/Shaq Magic teams, and Hardaway can definitely show Tatum a thing or two about being a big, lanky ballhandler and how to get to the rim and finish.
One of Tatum’s biggest weaknesses last season was losing the ball as he drove. Penny can show him how to use his body to protect from reaching hands while also positioning himself to slide past defenders and get to the rim.
All Tatum needs to do is take one thing from each of these legends and incorporate them into his game. That’s all it takes to get a lot better in a short amount of time.
I’m going to stop here, because I’m getting a little too excited to continue. I just can’t wait for this season to start.
Related links: NBCSN Boston: Jayson Tatum works out with Penny Hardaway
And Finally…
A fan recently called out Damian Lillard for “not working out” because his social feed was full of stuff other than basketball workouts.
So Dame decided to have some fun with it, while also making fun of all the crazy workout videos that are out there.
https://twitter.com/Dame_Lillard/status/1041068734561968128
I find this to be pretty hilarious. It’s a direct shot at all the workouts players post and how idiotic some of the drills look. It’s also a shot at everyone who thinks it’s a requirement to post workouts on social media.
Let’s get one thing straight: All these guys are working out. They’re all playing ball and getting ready for the season. Whether they post a video or not, they’re working and honing their skills.
Guys are free to post their workouts or not. The guys who post are partially keeping fans updated and partially crafting an identity for themselves. Social media lets them take hold of the narrative, and some are pretty good at it.
But one guy’s workout video doesn’t mean the other isn’t out there. Just ask Paul Pierce…
The rest of the links:
Globe: Ex-Celtics Dino Radja truly an international star | WNBA players want better working conditions and they’re not afraid to speak up about it
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