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.
Standings update:
8 days to go..
3 ATL 46-32
4 BOS 45-32
5 MIA 45-32
6 CHA 44-33Reminder: Celtics last three games…@ ATL, Vs CHA, Vs MIA#DoubleJeopardy
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) April 6, 2016
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The season ends one week from tonight, with everything about the Celtics’ playoff position still to be determined. Last night’s good news: Charlotte lost to Toronto to drop a full game behind Boston. The bad news: Miami and Atlanta both won.
The Hawks beat Phoenix, making a second-half comeback when the Suns faded after leading by 12 at half. A Suns win would have not only pushed Atlanta down, it would’ve tied Brooklyn at 21 wins each for #NetsPick lottery purposes. But instead of a two-fer, we got zip.
Four of the Cs’ final five games are at the Garden, starting tonight versus New Orleans in the first home game back after the long western road trip. Enjoy your normal bedtime.
On Page 2: A team full of Isaiah Thomases
“Being the guy in arguably the best sports city there is, you can’t ask for anything more. It’s like a dream,” he says. “You couldn’t tell anybody my story from the streets and they’d believe that this is really happening.”
It’s been an incredible basketball odyssey that has taken him from the Pacific Northwest to New England and back across the country again. One wonders, in the wake of all this success and validation, if that legendary chip on his shoulder might be dissolving ever so slightly.
“Nooooo,” Thomas says. “It’s honestly getting bigger. For some reason people think this is a fluke. I’ve never been given anything. I’ve earned everything. I’m going to make sure my team continues to win and the next thing is trying to lead a team to a championship. It sounds far-fetched right now but making the All-Star Game sounded far-fetched to some people.”
SB Nation – All Isaiah Thomas Needed Was to Be Wanted
This in-depth look at our favorite “little guy” covers a lot of familiar territory, such as how Isaiah was the last pick of his draft class; that he never exactly fit in with his previous teams; and how he shares a Seattle connection with many of his NBA peers.
But there’s much more in this piece, such as that this season IT has the highest win shares (9.4) in NBA history for players 5-foot-9 and below – ahead of even Calvin Murphy, who happens to be in the Hall of Fame. That Isaiah’s confidence is off the proverbial charts. That everyone in the franchise sees Thomas as a leader both on and off the court. And that he personifies this group of overachievers.
“When we bring somebody in we look at all the great things they can do,” Brad Stevens says. “There’s a reason they’re here. A lot of them have also been nitpicked, and probably unfairly. You can go through our entire group and find out all the things at one point in time people thought they couldn’t do. Guys with a chip on their shoulder that want to work that have that ability, we want them to be themselves.”
In other words, the Celtics have become a team full of Isaiah Thomases. They returned for this season largely intact and have progressed from the playoff fringes to competing for home-court in the first round. With youth on their side, an enjoyable up-tempo style and an enviable locker room camaraderie, there’s a collegial atmosphere that surrounds them. They eat together on the road and group texts become epic ball-busting sessions. As Thomas puts it, “There’s no ego. There’s no beef.”
There are two things I appreciate about these comments and the state of the team.
- They have the right spirit and the winning attitudes that make them not only successful, but enjoyable to watch.
- To the extent possible without knowing them personally, I like these guys as people. That’s crucial. Fans who closely follow a team invest so much of their time, energy and money over the course of each long season (year-round, actually, what with the draft, free agency, summer league, etc.). It’s not fun to do that if the players and coaches aren’t good people. That’s why my favorite single moment as a Celtics fan was not when Bird stole the ball and fed DJ for the game-winning layup; it was when they hugged afterward.
All Thomas needed was to be wanted? If the Celtics make any noise in the playoffs, that will never, ever be a problem again.
Related: MassLive – Boston Celtics All-Star Isaiah Thomas’ sixth-grade moves looked a lot like his current ones (video)
And, finally: AB takes Rozier under his wing
There’s one number Bradley could have shared with Rozier that would have summed up all of his preaching, and gave the 22-year-old renewed hope for better times ahead: 162.
That’s the number of minutes Bradley played over 31 games his entire rookie season.
Bradley went from a seldom-used, mid-first-round draft pick to a starter on a playoff team, with a long-term contract, averaging more than 15 points per game.
Through the first 77 games of his career – of which he’s played in 35 – Rozier is already on pace to double Bradley’s court time as a rookie. Of late, amid a string of Boston backcourt injuries and absences, he has seized a shot at the rotation as the Celtics jockey for postseason positioning in the Eastern Conference.
Providence Journal – Celts’ rookie Rozier making progress with helping hand from Bradley
It’s so good to see Terry Rozier respond well to his chance for playing time. It’s even better to know that Bradley is guiding him — another example of how these guys stick together.
Related: CSNNE – Rozier Making the Most of Chance to Play More | MassLive – Terry Rozier showing regular glimpses of potential for Boston Celtics
The Rest of the Links:
CSNNE – Sean Grande: Celtics Should Be at Top of Desirable Places for Free Agents in the NBA | Five Lessons Learned About Celtics During West Coast Trip | Celtics-Pelicans Preview: Opportunity and Confidence
Herald – Celtics health, form trump playoff seed | Celtics notebook: Evan Turner avoids serious eye damage
Globe – Celtics take aim at third seed in the East | Evan Turner out, Avery Bradley back against Pelicans
ESPN Boston – Brad Stevens on NCAA title game: ‘I usually turn it off when the confetti’s falling’
NESN – Celtics Playoff Preview: Which Team Is Boston’s Best Postseason Matchup?
CBS Boston – Mannix: Brad Stevens — NBA Coach Of The Year
Celtics.com – C’s Back At Work Despite Grueling Travel Schedule
Providence Journal – Reynolds: Win over Warriors helps put Celtics back on map
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