Ranking the 10 Best Players in Celtics-Raptors Series

The Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors will meet in the postseason for the first time ever during the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The third-seeded Celtics are tasked with beating the Raptors, the No. 2 seed, without forward Gordon Hayward. Hayward is expected to miss the series after injuring his ankle in Game 1 of Boston's first-round series against Philadelphia.

Pascal Siakam and Jaylen Brown are set to battle in the Conference Semifinals. (Michael Dwyer/AP)

With Hayward out for Boston, the Celtics will be devoid their fourth-best player. So who are the best players in this series? Let's rank the top-10 ahead of the Celtics-Raptors best-of-seven showdown.

10. OG Anunoby

Toronto's starting small forward, OG Anunoby is most known for his defense. He guarded Brooklyn's Caris LeVert well in the opening round, holding the wing to 11 points on 5-of-13 shooting in total minutes of 1-on-1 defense in the Raptors' sweep.

9. Normal Powell

The Raptors hold a +62 with Norman Powell on the court, the best player +/- of the 2020 NBA postseason. The guard averaged 17.5 points in the first round, shooting 60.5% from the floor and 45.5% on 3's.

Powell shined in the Raptors' series-clinching victory over the Nets. He went off for 29 points (9-for-14), five rebounds, two assists and two blocks in just 24 minutes.

8. Serge Ibaka

Serge Ibaka, Toronto's top reserve, averaged 19.3 points and 10.3 rebounds in the opening round. 

Due to in-season injuries to Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol, Ibaka started 27 games this season. He logged 15.4 points and 8.2 rebounds in 55 appearances. Ibaka is a far more important player than Gasol, the starting center who failed to crack this list.

7. Marcus Smart

One of the best defensive players in basketball, Marcus Smart is the heart and soul of the Celtics. He registered career highs in points (12.9), assists (4.9) and free throw percentage (83.6) this season.

In the wake of Hayward's injury, Smart has been pressed into Boston's starting lineup. Due to various injuries for the Celtics across the year, Smart made 40 starts in 60 games played in 2019-20.

6. Fred VanVleet

Fred VanVleet was Toronto's best player in its four-game shellacking of the Nets. He averaged team-bests in points (21.3) and assists (7.8), while shooting a remarkable 55.9 percent from downtown. 

An impending free agent, the combo guard will be one of the most coveted players on the open market this offseason.

5. Kemba Walker

Boston's prized offseason acquisition, Kemba Walker finally won his first career playoff series, producing 24.3 points in the Celtics' sweep of the 76ers. He poured in a game-best 32 points in the series finale.

Walker, a starting guard for the Eastern Conference All-Star squad, had just four turnovers all series despite a hefty 26.9% usage rate.

4. Jaylen Brown

Jaylen Brown, Boston's top two-way player, accumulated 21.5 points with 5.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and one steal per contest in the first round.

3. Kyle Lowry

Lowry's status (ankle sprain) for Game 1 remains a mystery, but assuming he's good to go, the Raptors' longtime All-Star point guard can be expected to do the playmaking on offense and spearheading the NBA's top-ranked defense. 

2. Pascal Siakam

Siakam led the Raptors in scoring and player efficiency this season. An All-Star starter, Siakam is Toronto's best player, a year after being the No. 2 option on its championship-winning squad.

1. Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum was on fire against Philadelphia and looks like a true superstar. Holding massive value to the Celtics, Boston owned a +19 net rating in his 145 minutes on the court versus the 76ers. The Celtics logged a -9 during his 47 minutes on the bench.

Tatum produced team-bests per-game marks in points (27.0), rebounds (9.8) and blocks (2.3) in round one.

Tremont Waters Named G League Rookie of the Year

Boston Celtics guard Tremont Waters has been named the NBA G League's Rookie of the Year for the 2019-20 season. In 36 games with Boston’s G League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, he averaged 18 points, 3.2 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.9 steals in 33.8 minutes per game.  

The 51st overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft out of LSU, Waters split his time between the Celtics and the Red Claws this year as a two-way player. The point guard appeared in 10 games with the Celtics, posting 3.3 points, 0.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 8.9 minutes per contest.

Tremont Waters won the 2020 G League Rookie of the Year. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Waters became the fourth Red Claw in franchise history to earn Rookie of the Year honors, joining Abdel Nader, Tim Frazier, and DeShawn Sims. In addition, Waters was selected to the Eastern Conference Midseason All-NBA G League team.

While the G League’s season was cut short, the NBA will soon begin its reboot in Orlando at the end of July. Waters will be eligible to play, as the league expanded its roster capacity to 17.

Kemba Walker to Sign 4-Year Deal with Celtics

Kemba Walker has told the Charlotte Hornets of his intention to sign with the Boston Celtics when free agency officially begins. Walker will finalize a formal agreement for a four-year, $141 million deal with the Celtics, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Walker averaged 25.6 points, 5.9 assists and 4.4 rebounds last season, playing in all 82 games. The 29-year-old three-time All-Star earned All-NBA Third Team Honors last year, his best season as a pro. Walker spent the first eight years of his career in Charlotte, reaching the playoffs just twice. The Hornets failed to put sufficient talent around the talented point guard. Walker is the only Hornets' player to make an All-Star team since he was drafted ninth overall in 2011.

Boston can renounce the rights to restricted free agent point guard Terry Rozier to clear the necessary cap space to ink Walker to a max contract. Walker will replace All-Star guard Kyrie Irving, who plans to leave the Celtics after just two seasons to join the Brooklyn Nets. Irving has an agreement in place with the Nets on a four-year, $141 million contract.

All-Star Kemba Walker will sign with the Celtics and replace the departing Kyrie Irving as Boston's starting point guard. (AP Photo)

The Hornets declined to offer the supermax contract to Walker, paving the way for the former UConn star to leave in free agency. Charlotte's unwillingness to move Walker at last season's trade deadline could set the franchise back for years. Walker was the team's only attractive asset, yet management opted to keep him in an attempt to reach the postseason. Charlotte failed to reach its goal and missed the playoffs for the third straight season.

As for Walker, he finally gets the chance to play with formidable talent. He is set to join a starting lineup that will include Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and former All-Star Gordon Hayward. 

Al Horford Opts Out of Contract

Al Horford is officially a free agent.

The Boston Celtics center will not exercise his $30.1 million option for the 2019-20 season and will become an unrestricted free agent, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Boston Celtics center Al Horford will not exercise the $30.1M option on his 2019-20 contract and become an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell ESPN. Horford and the Celtics both have interest in working toward a new deal in July, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 18, 2019

Horford has spent the last three seasons with the Celtics after signing with the franchise in 2016. He earned an All-Star nod in his second season with the Celtics and played a critical role in their consecutive runs to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017 and 2018.

Horford declined his $30.1 million player option. (AP Photo)

Before joining Boston, Horford played the first nine years of his career with the Atlanta Hawks, attaining four All-Star selections.

Reports initially claimed that the 33-year-old five-time All-Star was interested in returning to Boston on a new contract. Horford could help Boston's salary-cap flexibility by inking a new, less expensive deal. However, according to Wojnarowski, the two sides could not come to an agreement and Horford is now expected to leave the Celtics and find a new home in free agency. 

Horford averaged 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 blocks in 29 minutes per contest last season.

Pelicans Set High Asking Price for Anthony Davis

The New Orleans Pelicans have set forth their desires for a trade for six-time All-Star Anthony Davis. Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin is looking to acquire a current All-Star, a future one and two first-round picks in exchange for Davis, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Griffin told teams he prefers to make the trade before the NBA Draft on June 20. To this point, the teams who have inquired about Davis (since the end of the regular season) include the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers.

Davis wants out of New Orleans after spending the first seven seasons of his career with the franchise (Seth Wenig/AP)

The only team, however, that could deliver a trade package to fit the Pelicans’ massive asking price is the Boston Celtics. They could offer Gordon Hayward or Al Horford (assuming he opts into the final year of his contract), Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum and two of the three first-round selections they own for the upcoming draft in a potential deal. Problem is, the Celtics will be hesitant to give away all these assets for Davis—an unrestricted free agent after next season—unless they can agree on a long-term extension with All-Star Guard Kyrie Irving, who could leave Boston in free agency.

Given the unlikelihood that one team can fulfill the Pelicans’ needs, Griffin has made it known he is open to multi-team trade scenarios that could redirect assets for players or draft selections, according to Wojnarowski.

The Pelicans plan to build around a nucleus of Jrue Holiday, Zion Williamson (who they plan on selecting with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft) and the assets they acquire in the Davis trade.

Nuggets Win in Thomas' Return to Boston

The Denver Nuggets are heading to the NBA playoffs for the first time since 2013, clinching a postseason berth in Monday's 114-105 win over the Boston Celtics.

Nikola Jokic scored 21 points, corralled 13 rebounds, dished seven assists and added two steals and three blocks. Will Barton had 20 points in the victory.

Isaiah Thomas played in his first game back in Boston since being traded in the summer of 2017 for Kyrie Irving. 

The TD Garden crowd roared as the Celtics played a two-minute tribute video on the jumbotron dedicated to Thomas during the first timeout of the game. Thomas, a two-time All-Star with Boston, held back tears as the Boston fans saluted him.

"I was emotional," Thomas said. "I almost cried. That was everything. I appreciate them for doing that."

Thomas was all smiles as the Celtics played a tribute video for him. (Getty Images)

Thomas played just seven minutes, failing to score. He had two assists and one turnover.

Denver outrebounded Boston 51-37. Paul Millsap registered a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double as Denver dominated the Celtics on the boards.

The Nuggets took control of the game in the fourth quarter. Entering the final period tied, the Nuggets grabbed a 12-point lead with under four minutes remaining after Gary Harris (16 points) stole the ball from Boston's Al Horford and drove the length of the court for a layup that put the game out of reach.

Horford finished with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists in the defeat. Irving logged a game-high 30 points with five rebounds, four assists and four steals.

The Celtics play at Philadelphia on Wednesday, while the Nuggets will play the second contest of their four-game road trip in Washington on Tuesday.

Report: 'No Way' Pelicans Trade Davis to Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers failed to acquire six-time All-Star Anthony Davis at the trade deadline. The New Orleans Pelicans were not pleased with how the Lakers handled trade negotiations back in late-January/February for Davis, who publicly stated he wanted to be dealt.

A new report suggests that the Pelicans won’t even consider trading Davis to the Lakers this offseason.

"I have been told that there's no way Anthony Davis is coming here [to the Lakers], through the Pelicans," Marc J. Spears said while appearing on ESPN's The Jump. "They're just not going to do it."

ESPN’s Michael Wilbon claimed he also heard that Davis-to-LAL is a no-go come this summer.

Trade talks turned contentious before the NBA's trade deadline when Davis' agent, Rich Paul, made it public knowledge the big man did not want to play for the Pelicans in the long-term. Paul also represents Lakers superstar LeBron James, who stated his desire to play with Davis.

The Lakers reportedly leaked details of the offers they presented to New Orleans for Davis, incensing the Pelicans’ front office.

LeBron may not get his wish to play with Anthony Davis next season. (Joe C. Hong/AP)

Another major hurdle for the Lakers is that two of their biggest trade chips—Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball—have been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Ingram is dealing with blood clots, having been diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in his right shoulder. This could be a serious detriment to the remainder of his career, and as a result, has lowered his trade value. Ingram finished this season averaging 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, while shooting 49.7 percent from the floor, 33.0 percent from beyond the arc and 67.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Ball has not played since mid-January after suffering a Grade 3 ankle sprain. He averaged 9.9 points and 5.4 assists per game this season and shot 40.6% from the field and 32.9% from three. Ball has played in just 99 out of a possible 164 games in his two-year NBA career.

The Pelicans will have plenty of suitors for Davis this summer. The Boston Celtics will be the favorites to land Davis, so long as they agree to deal rising star Jayson Tatum to New Orleans. The Lakers could get back in the mix for Davis, but their chances of trading for the forward/center have decreased significantly in recent months.

Brown, Hayward Lead Celtics Past Mavs

Gordon Hayward followed up his top scoring game as a member of the Boston Celtics with an all-around terrific outing, accumulating 16 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in a 114-93 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. Hayward put together another strong performance off the bench after he scored 35 points on Wednesday night.

Jaylen Brown, starting for the injured Marcus Morris (neck), posted a game-high 21 points to continue his hot streak. In his last five games, Brown has averaged 17 points and four rebounds. He is shooting 63.5 percent from the field, 46.7 percent on 3's and 70.6 percent from the free throw line in this stretch.

Jaylen Brown has scored 20 or more points three times in the past seven games. (AP Photo)

Al Horford logged 10 points, eight rebounds and eight assists—tying Hayward for a team-high. Point guard Terry Rozier, filling in for Kyrie Irving (scratched cornea), dished seven assists. Boston totaled 35 assists on 42 made field goals.

Rookie Luka Doncic had 19 points and nine assists for the Mavs. Harrison Barnes registered a team-best 20 points, while DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and corralled 15 rebounds.

The Mavs are 3-16 on the road this season.

The Celtics play the third contest of their four-game homestand Monday night versus the Brooklyn Nets.

Hayward has Best Game as a Celtic, Scores 35 in Win over Wolves

Gordon Hayward had his best game since suffering a dislocated ankle in his debut with the Boston Celtics last year. He scored a season-high 35 points Wednesday night as the Celtics beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-102 at TD Garden.

Coming off the bench, Hayward shot an efficient 14-for-18 from the field, including 4-of-7 from 3-point territory, in his highest point total as a member of the Celtics. He dished five assists in the victory. Hayward's 35-point outburst came on the heels of a scoreless performance (his first since 2012) on Monday night.

Gordon Hayward scored 35 points, his most since joining Boston. (Charles Krupa/AP)

Terry Rozier started in place of Kyrie Irving, who suffered an eye injury in Monday's loss to the San Antonio Spurs, and scored 16 points and logged five steals. Rozier posted 11 of his 16 points in the first quarter. The Celtics improved to 2-1 with Rozier starting.

While Rozier was cooking in the first quarter, Hayward had the hot hand the remainder of the night. Hayward scored 13 in the second quarter and 15 in the third. Hayward's 35 bench points were the most scored by a Celtics reserve since Ricky Davis totaled the same figure in 2005. 

Gordon Hayward can't miss! pic.twitter.com/VNFsf3dbAE

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 3, 2019

The Timberwolves, playing without Jeff Teague, Robert Covington and Derrick Rose, were led by Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. Wiggins scored 31 points, while Towns registered 28 points and 12 rebounds. Towns had a big third quarter with 20 points and five rebounds, cutting Boston's 22-point lead to just six. But Boston took control of the fourth quarter, ultimately outscoring Minnesota 28-21 in a 13-point victory.

Hayward scored 30 points against the Timberwolves earlier this season, adding nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals in the December victory at Minnesota. 

Boston has not lost to Minnesota at home since 2005. The Celtics return to action on Friday night when they host the Dallas Mavericks.

Irving, Celtics Rally to Beat Grizzlies

Kyrie Irving saved his best for last on Saturday night. After scoring only four points on 1-of-4 shooting with a minus-10 in the first half, Irving totaled 22 points after intermission on 7-of-12 shooting as the Boston Celtics rallied for a 112-103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum.

Kyrie Irving drives past Garrett Temple. Irving's 26 points led Boston to a road win. (Brandon Dill/AP)

Boston erased a 19-point second-half deficit, using an 11-2 run in the closing minutes of the third quarter to cut into the lead. Entering the fourth quarter down by eight, the Celtics outscored the Grizzlies 33-16 in the final period. 

Picking up the defensive intensity after halftime, the Celtics forced the Grizzlies into shooting contested deep range jumpers. The Grizzlies went ice cold from the floor, missing 15 of their first 16 fourth-quarter shots. Boston's Al Horford knocked down two critical threes in the game's final two minutes, putting the contest out of reach. He finished with 18 points—hitting five three-pointers—with six rebounds, three assists and a block in 23 minutes of action. Horford’s five 3-pointers matched a career high.

The Celtics got a strong effort from the bench, led by Gordon Hayward's 14 points. Guerschon Yabusele turned 16 minutes into a plus-11—the second best number on the team behind only Irving—with one made three-pointer, four rebounds and two blocks.

Marcus Morris scored 22 points in the win. 

Mike Conley led the way for Memphis, accumulating 26 points. Dillon Brooks came off the bench to score 19. Rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. and former Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol added 15 points apiece. Gasol logged 10 assists in the loss.

The Celtics relied on their defense and three-point shooting in their come-from-behind win. After surrendering 64 first-half points, the Celtics limited the Grizzlies to 39 points in the second half. Boston got hot from downtown after intermission, going 9 of 18 from three-point territory.

Celtics Hit Team-Record 24 3-Pointers, Beat Bucks

The Boston Celtics made it rain from downtown on Thursday night, sinking a franchise-record 24 three-pointers in a 117-113 victory to hand the Milwaukee Bucks their first loss of the season.

Kyrie Irving scored a team-high 28 points for the Celtics, making six treys. Al Horford had four triples in an 18-point outing with eight assists and five rebounds, Gordon Hayward added a season-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers, and Marcus Morris posted 17 points off the bench with five treys.

Marcus Morris celebrates after hitting a three-pointer. (Christopher Evans/Boston Herald)

The Celtics topped their previous club record of three-pointers (19) before the end of the third quarter and came one shy of tying the NBA record.

The World Series champion Boston Red Sox were honored at the TD Garden during a timeout in the first quarter.

YOUR 2018 WORLD CHAMPION BOSTON @REDSOX #DamageDone 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Te8bKXUhnV

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 2, 2018

Morris admired the way the Red Sox utilized most of their active roster to capture a title.

“That was special,” Morris said. “I’m a big Red Sox guy. I’d been watching them throughout the playoffs, even throughout the season. The way they came together and won that championship is special. The biggest thing is they had a lot of different guys step up. Even when guys played well, like when Brock Holt made the cycle, he sat out. (Andrew) Benintendi had a couple amazing catches and he sat out a game and they still won. That was special to watch that. They play together.” 

The Celtics have the best bench in the league and will look to take a page out of the Red Sox’s book by relying on their unmatched depth to win a championship. The Celtics' deep roster was on display against the Bucks as six players scored in double-figures, including 10 points from fill-in starter Semi Ojeleye, who replaced the injured Jaylen Brown (sore foot) in the first-unit. Backup guard Terry Rozier filled up the stat sheet with seven points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in 27 minutes.

Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the lineup after missing one game recovering from a concussion and registered game-highs in points (33) and rebounds (11). But Milwaukee (7-1) played terrible defense all night, allowing Boston to take far too many uncontested three-pointers.

“We got a lot of open looks. We were taking what they were giving us,” Hayward said after playing a season-high 27 minutes.

The Celtics begin a five-game road trip on Saturday night against the Indiana Pacers, while the Bucks return home to host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday afternoon.

Brad Stevens Voted NBA's Best Coach in GM Survey

According to NBA general managers, Brad Stevens is the best coach in the league. In the 17th annual NBA.com GM survey, Stevens received 47 percent of the votes for the league’s best head coach, ahead of San Antonio Spurs five-time NBA champion Gregg Popovich, who earned 82 percent of the votes last season.

Stevens led the Boston Celtics to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season, despite All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward missing the entire postseason.

Not only was Stevens selected as the league's best coach, he was also picked as the coach with the best in-game adjustments, receiving 53 percent of the vote. According to the survey, Stevens is the third-best manager/motivator of people, trailing Popovich and three-time champion Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors. NBA GM's believe Stevens runs the third-best offense in the league, trailing Kerr and Houston Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni. Stevens was the runner-up in the voting for best defensive schemes, ranking behind Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz.

NBA GM's voted Brad Stevens the best coach in the league. (AP Photo)

Stevens was snubbed in the voting for Coach of the Year for the 2017-18 season. He finished third for the award, which was won by Dwayne Casey, the former coach of the Toronto Raptors and current head coach of the Detroit Pistons.

Last regular season, Stevens witnessed Hayward, the team’s purported second-best player and top two-way player, suffer a gruesome leg injury minutes into opening night. Later in the year, Irving went down with a season-ending knee injury after playing in just 60 games, while backup center Daniel Theis also saw his season cut short after 63 contests. In addition, Marcus Morris and Marcus Smart each played in merely 54 of 82 games. And yet, the Celtics finished second in the Eastern Conference standings under the tutelage of Stevens.

The Celtics are favored to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. Stevens deserves a lot of credit for that league-wide expectation.

Boston Celtics 2018-19 Schedule Breakdown: 5 Must-See Games

The NBA released its full schedule for the 2018-19 season on Friday. The Boston Celtics, the purported favorites in the Eastern Conference, play 27 nationally televised games this season.

Here are the five most compelling matchups for the Celtics:

5. Oct. 19, at Toronto Raptors

Despite finishing in first in the East last regular season, the Toronto Raptors were an after-thought in conference championship conversation—that was until they acquired Kawhi Leonard. When healthy, Leonard is one of the best players in the league. Leonard, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year and former Finals MVP, gives the Raptors hope in winning the East.

A Raptors-Celtics Eastern Conference Finals is a realistic possibility.

4. Mar. 18, vs Denver Nuggets

Isaiah Thomas, who signed a one-year veteran’s minimum contract with the Denver Nuggets, will finally make his long-awaited return to TD Garden. Thomas, a two-time All-Star with the Celtics, finished fifth in MVP voting in his final year in Boston (2016-17) and was selected to the All-NBA Second Team. He spent two-plus seasons with the team, before being dealt in the summer of 2017 to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Thomas did not get the chance to play in Boston last year. The Cavs visited the Celtics last January and the game fell on the second night of a back-to-back for Cleveland—directly following his comeback from his hip injury—when he wasn't permitted to play on consecutive days. He sat out that contest and then got traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, who had already made their only visit to Boston earlier in the year, denying Thomas the chance to play at TD Garden in 2017-18.

Isaiah Thomas will play at Boston for the first time since 2017. (Getty Images)

Although his tenure with Boston was brief, he left his mark in the franchise record books. Remarkably, he is the all-time leader in points per game (24.7) in team history—albeit in a small sample size (179 regular season games played with Boston).

3. Feb. 7, vs Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James defeated the Celtics in consecutive postseasons with the Cavs. After signing with the Lakers in the offseason, he will now be entrenched in the most storied rivalry in league history.

Kyrie Irving versus James brings fireworks. Add in that former Celtics star Rajon Rondo joined Los Angeles in the offseason and the storylines are off-the-charts in this contest.

2. Oct. 16, vs Philadelphia 76ers

Opening night turned disastrous for the Celtics last year when Gordon Hayward suffered a season-ending injury in the first five minutes at Cleveland.

The Celtics begin their season in Boston this time around and face off against a familiar foe in the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics easily dispatched the 76ers in the Conference Semifinals in five games last postseason, despite playing without All-Stars Irving and Hayward for the entire series.

Though Philly was no match for the short-handed Celtics, the series was filled with emotions and physical play between two teams that could play each other in the postseason for the foreseeable future.

The Celtics-76ers rivalry has been revitalized and is rightfully the first televised matchup of the NBA season.

1. Jan. 26, vs Golden State Warriors

Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving are set to battle at TD Garden on Jan. 26  (Noah Graham/Getty Images)

The two-time defending champion Warriors make their lone regular-season visit to Boston on a Saturday night. Irving renews his rivalry with Stephen Curry, as does Kevin Durant with the city of Boston. A potential NBA Finals preview, this is undoubtedly the must-see Celtics game of the year.

Las Vegas Win Projections: Take the Over for Celtics

The Westgate Las Vegas Superbook released its over/under win totals for the 2018-19 NBA season, and the Boston Celtics are placed at 57.5 wins. The over/under of 57.5 victories is the highest in the Eastern Conference and ranks second in the entire league, trailing only the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors (62.5).

The Celtics won 55 games last season, their most victories since Brad Stevens took over the coaching duties in 2013. Because they accomplished this feat with Gordon Hayward sidelined for all but five minutes of the season—in addition to Kyrie Irving missing the final quarter of the year with a knee injury—taking the over total of 57.5 victories seems like free money.

Not only are All-Stars Hayward and Irving returning for the Celtics, their lineup also features Al Horford and two rising stars in 21-year-old Jaylen Brown and 20-year-old Jayson Tatum.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum could help Boston reach 60 wins in 2018-19. — by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Brown is entering his third season in the league, while Tatum will embark on his sophomore campaign after finishing third in the voting for Rookie of the Year.

Both Brown and Tatum could further develop their overall games and may even reach stardom after shining in the 2018 postseason.

Retaining their two biggest free agents, Marcus Smart and Aron Baynes, the Celtics are returning the squad that reached the seventh game of the Conference Finals.

The Celtics should dominate the East, even with the Toronto Raptors’ acquisition of Kawhi Leonard, who brings a nearly-unmatched NBA résumé—but also a lot of question marks and baggage—north of the border.

With its highest projected win total since 2008-09, expect Boston to win over 60 games and earn the top seed in the East for the second time in three seasons.

Raptors Interested in Signing Greg Monroe

The Toronto Raptors are looking to add frontcourt depth and free agent big man Greg Monroe could fit the bill.

According to a report from Josh Lewenberg of TSN, the Raptors are interested in signing Monroe for one of their remaining roster spots.

After trading away center Jacob Poetl—who played in all 82 regular-season games and nine of 10 playoff contests—in the Kawhi Leonard blockbuster deal, the Raptors covet another big man on the roster. The Raptors have 13 players on guaranteed or partially-guaranteed contracts and are looking to fill the 14th spot with a frontcourt player.

Monroe could give the Raptors depth at center and power forward. The 28-year-old began last season with the Milwaukee Bucks, before he was traded to the Phoenix Suns in November. He was waived by Phoenix after 20 games, before ultimately signing with the Boston Celtics. He averaged 10.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in 26 games for Boston, but fell out of the rotation in the postseason.

Greg Monroe is a free agent option for Toronto. (Michael Dwyer/AP)

The Celtics have shown no interest in retaining Monroe. They are fully stocked at center with Aron Baynes re-signing, Daniel Theis returning for a second season, in addition to selecting Robert Williams in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft.

Monroe is a talented scorer and rebounder with underrated passing skills, but he does not provide a defensive presence in the middle. He especially struggles when defending the pick-and-roll.

Still, he would be worth taking a flier on if he agrees to a veteran’s minimum contract. If Monroe wants more money, he will likely end up elsewhere as the Raptors are unlikely to use the smaller mid-level exception ($5.3 million) to sign him as they are already projected to pay a hefty luxury tax bill, according to Lewenberg.

Celtics Must Re-Sign Aron Baynes

Aron Baynes took a gamble on himself and was rewarded with a major role on a championship-contending team.

The Australian big man declined his $6.5 million dollar player option last summer, reliving him of his contract with the Detroit Pistons. Once he hit the open market, the Boston Celtics inked the center to a $4.2 million deal.

Sacrificing $2.3 million to play with a contender, Baynes became a key figure in the Celtics’ playoff run—playing a bigger role than anyone could have imagined. He started in 12 of Boston’s 19 postseason contests, after earning the starting nod in 67 of the 81 regular season games he appeared in. The Celtics employed a small-ball lineup in the games he did not start, sliding Al Horford from the four to the five position.

The Celtics were the No. 1 defense of the 2017-18 season, thanks in large part to Baynes. He had the top-ranked defensive rating on a team that surrendered just 97 points per 100 possessions. Baynes didn’t just top the Celtics’ marks—he had the best individual defensive rating in the entire NBA.

Aron Baynes manned the middle for the Celtics all season. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Baynes recorded career highs in minutes (18.3), rebounds (5.4) and assists (1.1).

Guarding the paint and providing elite rim protection all season, Baynes earned a spike in minutes (20.5 per contest) in the postseason. He was excellent defending Philadelphia 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

And seemingly out of nowhere, Baynes became a knockdown three-point shooter.
In six seasons in the NBA, Baynes had made only four three-pointers. But this postseason, he showed a willingness to drop back behind the arc and fire away from deep. He attempted 23 three-pointers and made 11. His 47.8 percent mark was the second-best among all players who attempted at least 20 3’s this postseason.

The Celtics’ first priority this offseason will be to re-sign Marcus Smart, a restricted free agent. They will look to keep the core intact for a team that reached Game 7 of the Conference Finals, despite season-ending injuries to All-Stars Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving, and backup center Daniel Theis.


Aside from Smart, Baynes is the only key rotation player that is not under contract for the Celtics. Assuming another team doesn't throw ridiculous money at the free agent center, the Celtics have no excuse not to lock up the put-together big man—whose defensive prowess and toughness are unmatched—for its title conquest next season.

Ty Lue Offers Absurd Reason for Not Playing Kyle Korver More in Game 5

The Cleveland Cavaliers were a mess in Game 5. They were overwhelmed by rookie Jayson Tatum, four-time All-Star Al Horford and a raucous crowd which has now witnessed the Boston Celtics win 10 consecutive playoff games at TD Garden. The Cavs, pushed to the brink of elimination, left Boston searching for answers after the lopsided defeat.

LeBron James’ apparent fatigue and the lack of production from George Hill and J.R. Smith were topics of discussion, but another question arose: why didn’t Kyle Korver receive more playing time?

Kyle Korver was a non-factor in Cleveland's Game 5 loss. (Ken Blaze/USA Today Sports)

The often-beleaguered Cleveland head coach Tyronn Lue said Korver—who averaged 13 points in the past three contests—saw limited action because Celtics backup rookie forward Semi Ojeleye did not play.

“Well, initially, he's been putting Ojeleye in,” Lue said of Stevens. “So that's been kind of Kyle's matchup when he comes in the game. He didn't play him tonight, so it kind of threw us for a loop.”

Apparently, Ojeleye’s absence (DNP-coach’s decision) was enough for Lue to sit the Cavaliers’ lone effective bench player. Score that another win for Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who also wisely inserted the bruising Aron Baynes into the starting lineup in order to defuse Tristan Thompson’s impact on the glass, particularly on the offensive end.

Playing Korver less because Ojeleye was removed from the Celtics’ rotation is asinine no matter how the matchup-based Lue spins it. Korver has been a spark-plug for Cleveland. But his reduced minutes (19) limited him to just six shot attempts from the floor in Game 5. He knocked down two 3-pointers and hit one free throw, finishing with seven points. Korver came into the contest averaging 10.7 points and 25.1 minutes per game in the postseason.

Lue’s logic for not playing Korver doesn’t add up. Ojeleye only saw nine minutes in Cleveland’s Game 4 victory, yet Korver received ample playing time (25 minutes) that contest and delivered his best performance of the postseason, posting 14 points, four rebounds and three blocks.

Coming into tonight's game, Korver had played 90 minutes in the series - just 31 of them were while Ojeleye was on the court.

What. Is. This. Dude. Talking. About

????? https://t.co/FyZ9XQ41Kx

— Ben Dowsett (@Ben_Dowsett) May 24, 2018

Regardless of whether Ojeleye returns to the Celtics rotation, Lue needs to find minutes for Korver in Game 6 if Cleveland is to keep its season alive.

Marcus Morris Shuts Down LeBron, Backing up Pregame Claims

For the first time all postseason, LeBron James did not lead his team in scoring. Kevin Love scored a team-high 17 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who got pummeled by the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. James has had some historic postseason games at TD Garden, but struggled mightily on Sunday—posting just 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting with seven turnovers—in a demoralizing 108-83 defeat.

It certainly took a team effort to shut down James, but Marcus Morris was the driving force behind the Celtics containing the NBA’s best player. Morris guarded James on a team-high 39 possessions and held him to 3-of-10 shooting with five assists and four turnovers in those instances. James missed all five of his three-point attempts and was never able to get into a rhythm offensively.

Morris played suffocating defense on James in the Celtics' Game 1 win. (David Butler II/USA Today Sports)

Before Game 1, Morris praised his ability to guard James.

"Personally, I think I’m probably the best guy defending him in the league, outside of Kawhi [Leonard],” Morris said.

Earning the start over center Aron Baynes as the Celtics went with their small-ball starting unit, Morris backed up his claims in the series opener. The 6'-9” forward used his strength and toughness to slow down James, who looked out of sorts all afternoon and finished with a stunning minus -32. It was just one game in what is expected to be a long series, but there is an extended history of “Mook” containing “The King”—proving that Morris' lofty claims have some serious merit.

UPDATED – LeBron's last 12 Games vs. a Marcus Morris team
– 20.6 PPG
– 14.6% from 3
– Has not reached 30 points in a single gamehttps://t.co/ajQR7pQppT

— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) May 13, 2018

Not only did Morris play terrific defense, he also had a strong game on the offensive end, posting 21 points with a team-best 10 rebounds. Morris says the injury-riddled Celtics—who were underdogs on Sunday for the fifth time in six games (5-1 record in those contests)—believe they are capable of defeating any opponent.

“Our confidence is very high,” Morris said. “The younger guys to the older guys, we think we can compete and play with anybody. At the end of the day, all the talking done off the court. Once we step between them lines, we have to compete no matter who we have out there, and that's what we've been doing.”

Rockets' Morey Tops Celtics' Ainge for Executive of the Year

Danny Ainge pulled off the firework offseason that the Boston Celtics had promised fans for years in the summer of 2017. A decade after acquiring future Hall of Famers Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in separate trades, Ainge landed perennial All-Star Kyrie Irving in a blockbuster deal with the rival Cleveland Cavaliers and signed All-Star Gordon Hayward to the most lucrative contract in franchise history.

Not only did Ainge acquire Irving and Hayward, he also fleeced the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that netted Jayson Tatum and a future first-round pick. Tatum is expected to finish third in Rookie of the Year voting, while the 76ers traded up for the top pick with Boston to select Markelle Fultz, who had a disastrous first season in the league and even forgot how to shoot.

Danny Ainge acquired two All-Stars this offseason. (Elise Amendola/AP Photo)

Boston's offseason changes also included the free agent signings of big men Aron Baynes and Daniel Theis, in addition to the initially-scrutinized trade with the Detroit Pistons that swapped Avery Bradley for Marcus Morris. It was arguably an A+ summer for Ainge—yet his offseason excellence shouldn’t earn him the Executive of the Year award. Instead that honor should go to Daryl Morey, the Houston Rockets general manager.

It’s an unfair reality that Hayward only played one game for the Celtics. A freak injury suffered to his leg on opening night sidelined him for the entire season and robbed him of the chance to contribute for the Celtics. Unlike Hayward, Morey’s prized offseason addition, Chris Paul, made a splash in his first season in Houston and helped lead the Rockets to the best record in the NBA.

Morey brought Paul to Houston in a stunning trade with the Los Angeles Clippers. Paul and MVP favorite James Harden, who Morey landed in a trade in the 2012 offseason, formed a dynamic duo that spearheaded the best regular season mark (65-17) in franchise history.

Harden—the league’s leader in scoring and player efficiency rating (PER)—and Paul are easily the best backcourt court in basketball. They average a combined 49.0 points and 16.7 assists per contest. Paul has posted a 55% effective field goal percentage, while Harden owns a 54.1% mark.

Paul was just one of the widely successful offseason moves Morey made. The bench was bolstered through the signings of defensive stalwarts P.J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute. Tucker and Mbah a Moute have built the Rockets into a top-eight defense. Tucker and Mbah a Moute allow the Rockets to hide guys like Harden and Eric Gordon on the defensive end, both of whom have struggled  in times on that side of the ball.

Daryl Morey has built the Rockets into a championship contender. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

In rare occasions, the Rockets have used Mbah a Moute and Tucker at the 5 and 4, respectively. When doing so, Houston has outpaced opponents by 38.4 points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning The Glass. This could be a lineup utilized for stretches when the Rockets inevitably play the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. The Rockets will counter the Warriors’ “death lineup”—which features Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green—with the length of Mbah a Moute and Tucker, rotating in-and-out starting small forward Trevor Ariza.

Morey managed to augment the bench during the season, too. He inked free agent guard/forward Gerald Green to a 1-year, veteran minimum deal in late December. The 32-year-old Green emerged as a reliable scorer off the bench, producing per game averages of 12.1 points over 22.7 minutes.

New additions galore, the Rockets cruised through the regular season. They were the only team to win 60+ games and clinched home court advantage throughout the playoffs two weeks before the season had even ended. The Rockets dominated the regular season because of the shrewd moves by Morey, who should be recognized as the 2017-18 Executive of the Year.

Celtics’ Win Streak Hits 16 as Irving Again Flexes Clutch Muscle

Comebacks continue to be the theme of the Boston Celtics’ winning streak, which reached 16 games on Monday night. The Dallas Mavericks became the latest casualty of the resurgent Celtics, who rallied from a 13-point (87–74) deficit with 7:47 remaining to force overtime before closing out a 110–102 road victory in the extra session.

As has been the case with the majority of Boston’s 16-game unblemished stretch, Kyrie Irving was the driving force for the Celtics. Irving dropped a season-best 47 points — 10 coming in overtime — on a remarkably efficient 16-of-22 shooting from the floor, connecting on five of his seven treys with six assists. 

Kyrie Irving is the first Celtic to score 45+ points and shoot better than 70% from the field since Larry Bird (50 points, 76% FG) did it on 11/10/89 vs. ATL.

— Michael Berger (@MichaelSBerger) November 21, 2017

Irving continues to awe in pressure-packed moments. He leads the league with 65 points on 24-of-39 shooting in clutch situations — which the NBA defines as the final five minutes of regulation (or overtime) with the score within five points. He has yet to commit a turnover in the clutch and has notched 10 assists.

Kyrie Irving in final 5 min and score within 5 this season:
- 38 mins
- 65 pts
- 24-39 FG
- 13-16 FT
- 11 drawn fouls
- 32 pts in the paint
- 10 assists
- 0 turnovers
- Plus-minus of +40

Dude is the literal definition of clutch.

— Micah Adams (@MicahAdams13) November 21, 2017

Delivering when it matters most, Irving doesn’t sweat having the game on the line.

"It's pretty simple," Irving said after the Celtics beat the lowly Mavs. "I don't really see it as a pressure situation. It's just like playing basketball, man. It's just like being in a park 7-7 and game is 8. Someone else calls win by two and you're calling straight up. That's when the defense just starts to crank up and you see some unbelievable plays.

Celtics fans in attendance at American Airlines serenaded Irving with deafening “MVP” chants as he made the game-sealing free throws to finish off his best performance of the young season.

Spearheaded by Irving, Boston (16–2) is undefeated in the month of November and is three wins shy of tying the franchise record of 19 consecutive wins set in the 2008–09 season.

Kyrie Irving dominated the Mavericks on Monday night to extend the Celtics’ win streak to 16 games. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)