{"id":649049,"date":"2017-04-01T09:38:38","date_gmt":"2017-04-01T13:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/?p=649049"},"modified":"2017-04-01T09:38:38","modified_gmt":"2017-04-01T13:38:38","slug":"your-morning-dump-where-its-time-to-get-used-to-wearing-a-target","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportsdaily.com\/news\/your-morning-dump-where-its-time-to-get-used-to-wearing-a-target\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Morning Dump… Where it’s time to get used to wearing a target."},"content":{"rendered":"

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here\u2026 highlighting the big story line. Because there\u2019s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.<\/i><\/p>\n

“You can definitely feel it. You can definitely tell. I was telling Isaiah, ‘I feel it. I feel teams are really coming at us.’ That’s part of the work we’ve put in. But we have to step up to the plate and match that. I told him for the past two games, we’ve been hit first. We got to get back to hitting first and imposing our will a little bit. I guarantee we won’t go down 10 next game.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

ESPN Boston<\/a><\/p>\n

This is a new experience for most of the Celtics–at least as professionals. Al Horford knows what it’s like, but that’s about it. The rest of the veterans? They’ve spent their careers climbing this hill.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis time it\u2019s like teams are chasing us. Me and Jae [Crowder] were talking about it, Orlando gave us their best shot,” said Isaiah Thomas, who scored a game-high 35 points. “Usually we\u2019re the team that\u2019s going after other teams. And it feels like now teams are just ready to play us from the jump.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s an adjustment. The NBA season, which has a length that was tailored by cigar chomping\u00a0arena owners for the benefit of cigar\u00a0chomping\u00a0arena owners, produces inconsistent effort from almost every team. There are games that teams are just not going to get ‘up’ for. But there’s one game that just about everyone can dig up some motivation for–on the second night of a back-to-back, or at the end of a long road trip–and that’s a game against the team at the top. Boston is that team. They expect to stay that team. That means they need to learn how to play as that team.<\/p>\n

It’s different.<\/p>\n

As Stevens says often, winning is hard. And it doesn’t necessarily get easier with more experience. Possibly a few of these Celtics have\u00a0thought that now that they’re good, things will get easier. Nope. There’s nothing easier than losing.<\/p>\n

Game recaps<\/h3>\n

Boston Herald<\/strong>: Isaiah Thomas\u2019 35 helps Celtics beat Magic<\/a>\u00a0| Celtics do just enough, beat Orlando to keep pace<\/a><\/p>\n

CSNNE<\/strong>: Celtics win fierce contest with Magic, 117-116<\/a><\/p>\n

MassLive<\/strong>: Amir Johnson injury: Boston Celtics big man surprised to roll his ankle at the 3-point arc<\/a>\u00a0| Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics hold on to beat Orlando Magic in 117-116 thriller<\/a><\/p>\n

NESN<\/strong>: Celtics Wrap: Boston Overcomes Slow Start To Top Magic, Stay In First<\/a><\/p>\n

Providence Journal<\/strong>: Celtics 117, Magic 116: Boston rallies after falling far behind<\/a><\/p>\n

Boston Globe<\/strong>: Celtics hang on, top Magic<\/a><\/p>\n

Page 2: Where the Dancing Bear has landed.<\/h2>\n
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.@celtics<\/a> draftee Guerschon Yabusele looked \ud83d\udcaa\ud83d\udcaa\ud83d\udcaa in his @maineredclaws debut!<\/p>\n

Points: 1\u20e37\u20e3
Rebounds: 9\u20e3 pic.twitter.com\/5oL0acmLft<\/a><\/p>\n

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) April 1, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n