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.
If you think the Celtics need someone other than Danny Ainge making personnel decisions, you are either an unimaginative troll, a basketball dunce, or some incurable combination of the two.
…
Ainge has done virtually everything right – trading for assets and at least one true star, pulling off an all-timer of a draft-pick heist, hiring the ideal coach, creating cap space – to shepherd and accelerate a rebuild in less than four years. It is extraordinarily difficult to transition from old contender to ascending playoff team in a couple of years. Ainge has done that, while compiling premium draft picks along the way. The present is fun, the future is bright, and the lean times were minimized. It’s a remarkable achievement already, and the best is yet to come. They are set up to be a contender for years.
Chad Finn has had enough of the crap. I can’t say I blame him. There are thirty GMs in the NBA right now, the overwhelming majority of which aren’t doing half the job Danny Ainge has done, yet to judge by twitter and the radio, the Boston metro area has at least a few hundred, possibly several thousand people who believe they could do a better job than him.
As Finn is at pains to point out, Ainge hasn’t been perfect. But people who complain about Ainge at this point in time are basically the kind of people who complain about everything. You know them. Take them to an art museum, and they’ll say, “I could’ve done that.” Put them at a symphony and they’ll complain that Beethoven’s Ninth is too long, and can’t they trim some of that singing out of the 3rd movement? Take them to the beach and they complain about the salt air. Take them to the mountains and they’ll complain about the cold, or the altitude sickness, or that they wish they were at the beach. Some of them seem to think that complaining marks them as smarter than everyone else. Other seem to think that complaining more makes them more dedicated fans. “I’m not afraid to call it like I see it,” they say, as they expostulate on Jaylen Brown’s poor per-game averages, or how Al Horford “isn’t worth the money” despite Boston’s indisputable year-over-year improvement despite being about as healthy as 3rd act Doc Holliday in Tombstone.
You cannot please these people, and fortunately for the Celtics, Danny Ainge is neither under an explicit nor an implicit order to please these people. He does what he does, and it works.
Page 2: Where Bogut may be interested in the Celtics, and I don’t know what to think about that
The source told the Globe that reports stating Bogut has decided to sign with the Cavaliers after he clears waivers on Wednesday are inaccurate, and that the Celtics are very much in contention.
Bogut and Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge had a “good talk” on Monday night, the source said. The source said Bogut is also planning to speak to Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue, as well as Celtics coach Brad Stevens.
Bogut may even speak to a few Celtics players over the phone on Tuesday to get a gauge on how he might fit with their team, the source said. Bogut would like to select his new team by the end of Tuesday, the source said.
So Bogut may end up being a Celtic after all. I voiced concerns that both I and fellow Red’s Army contributor Kevin Koufras have on Saturday. Essentially, the guy’s injury prone and even if he’s not David Lee level unmotivated, we both wondered if he’d come around the Celtics with the chip on his shoulder and willingness to work that is basically a requirement for this Celtics team to not stink like, well, 3rd act Billy Clanton in Tombstone.
However, if he’s doing his due diligence and trying to make a well-researched decision talking to various players and coaches, hey, why not give him a shot?
Page 3: Where Avery Bradley is finally back.
After missing 18 straight games, the Boston Celtics guard will play and start Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Despite a minutes restriction of 15 or 25 minutes, Bradley is expected to play his normal minutes early in the game. Head coach Brad Stevens indicated he does not plan to save any of Bradley’s minutes for crunch-time.
“I’m just going to play him in the first couple of stints, and then when his minutes run out he won’t play anymore,” Stevens said before the game. “It is hard if you’re trying to save minutes for the end. I’m not sure that makes a lot of sense with getting stiff and sitting for a long time, coming off a long layoff.”
I have only the vaguest recollection of this A-Very Brad-Lee, but I seem to remember him playing basketball… Once. It all seems so long ago.
Bradley finally made it back to the floor–and as it turns out, it was a good thing Stevens wasn’t saving any of his minutes for crunch time, because it was really more like bug-splat-on-the-windshield time.
Finally: The Celtics played basketball last night and it didn’t go well.
Take my word for it. The less you know about the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the green team last night, the better.
When things get worse after Dwight Howard gets tossed, you know it’s just not your night.
The rest of the links (except game recaps)
MassLive: Boston Celtics rumors: Andrew Bogut wants to speak to Celtics players, has interest in signing (report) | Boston Celtics rumors 2017: Terrence Jones ‘unlikely’ to land with team
CSNNE: Raptors, in pursuit of Celtics in playoff race, lose Lowry for perhaps rest of regular season
Boston Herald: Celtics notebook: Rookie Jaylen Brown gives team best shot to win
Game recaps–if you’re a glutton for punishment
Boston Globe: What happened? Celtics routed at home by Hawks
MassLive: Atlanta Hawks defeat Boston Celtics: 10 things to like/dislike from a (very) off night | Isaiah Thomas struggles with shooting as Boston Celtics fall to Atlanta Hawks, 114-98
CSNNE: Shots don’t fall for Celtics in frustrating 114-98 loss to Hawks | Isaiah Thomas on the end of his streak: ‘I’ll break it again’
NESN: Celtics Wrap: Boston’s Offense Struggles In Ugly 114-98 Loss To Hawks
Boston.com: Hawks prevail 114-98 in crappy showdown with Celtics (‘s’ which was inadvertently tacked on to the front of ‘crappy’ removed by your ever astute editor)
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