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.
Brad Stevens has repeatedly said he’s not giving the All-Star game much thought, let alone whether he and his staff will be coaching in it.
But at this point, he doesn’t have much of a choice.
When the Celtics (31-18) take to the floor on Friday against longtime rival the Los Angeles Lakers, a win will do more than deliver another loss to struggling Lakers and pad Boston’s already-impressive run of wins.
It will also punch Stevens’ ticket to the All-Star Game as the head coach of the East squad.
So, beating the Lakers is not just beating the Lakers, it’s sending Brad & Co. to the All Star game–something which I legitimately believe means more to the people around Brad than it means to Brad himself. Brad would probably prefer the time off.
Page 2: Where beating the Lakers is really beating the Lakers
Lakers lose to Wizards and remain tied with Celtics for most wins in NBA history (3,252). C's can overtake LA with a win tomorrow night!
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) February 3, 2017
So, if Boston wins tonight, they overtake LA for the most wins in NBA franchise history.
The Lakers passed the Celtics in ’01, after Boston’s decade in the wilderness. It’s definitely a chance to beat LA in more ways than one.
I really hope the team shows up for this one; they didn’t the last time the Lakers came to the Garden.
Page 3: About that halftime harangue
“It wasn’t that bad,” Shrewsberry said with a chuckle on Thursday. “It wasn’t as bad as they made it out to be. I just don’t think he’s done it this year, which is why they made it out to be such a big deal. I remember at least one time over the last four years he’s been here where he’s been madder. This one got overblown.”
“He never raises the tone of his voice and he just raised it a little bit on them and it kind of just surprised and jolted them a little bit,” Shrewsberry said.
Yesterday, Gary Washburn credited the Celtics’ comeback against Toronto in part on Stevens ‘screaming’ at the team. Apparently, it wasn’t quite that dramatic.
College basketball can be filled with more emotion, with younger, less mature players who require molding. The NBA is a profession in which the next game is always just a night or two away, and most players are paid more than their coaches.
Stevens has gotten a lot out of his players by treating them like professionals. He seems to be in the vanguard of a new generation of coaches who aren’t interested in playing head-games with their teams. The era of the George Karls, the Phil Jacksons and yeah, even the Doc Rivers types is closing.
Page 4: Where #4 is your Eastern Conference Player of the Month
The All-Star point guard led the NBA in scoring at 32.9 points per game and tied for fifth in the Eastern Conference in assists at 6.9.
Boston went 10-4 during January and surged past the Raptors into second place in the conference standings.
“Sometimes we catch ourselves looking at him, watching it, and kind of looking like a fan, because he’s so small and look at what he’s doing,” Celtics guard Marcus Smart said on Wednesday. “You’re looking like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe he did that.’ At the end of the game, ‘He had how much?’”
Know what time it is? It’s about dang time IT got some recognition for what he’s doing out there.
Page 5: Where I’m just going to throw this stuff out there
Thomas’ fourth-quarter scoring outbursts are unlike anything the league has seen since per-quarter tracking started 20 years ago. Thomas is averaging 10.5 points per game in the fourth quarter this season. That’s a full point better than Kobe Bryant’s record (9.5 points in 2005-06) and would be the most points averaged by a player in any quarter since per-quarter tracking began.
Thomas has scored at least 15 points in the fourth quarter 10 times this season. That’s twice as often as his nearest competitor. Thomas has scored 20 points or more in the fourth on four occasions and no other player has done it more than once.
Fourth quarter ain’t for everybody.
CSNNE: Stevens and Scal: Paul Pierce’s final game in Boston | Isaiah Thomas named NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month
MassLive: Isaiah Thomas in 2017 NBA Skills Challenge: Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins will also participate | NBA Dunk Contest 2017: Aaron Gordon, DeAndre Jordan lead high-flying field | Boston Celtics news: Isaiah Thomas named Eastern Conference Player of the Month
NESN: NBA Rumors: Celtics’ International Draft Picks Drawing Trade Interest
Boston Herald: Celtics Notebook: Isaiah Thomas named Player of the Month for January
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