Category: News

The Big Story – C’s Go Down 1-2 to New York: There’s not enough space to list the number of coaching decisions and non-decisions Joe Mazzulla made to cause the Celtics to lose Games 1 and 2 at home to the Knicks, in an astonishingly poor job of inaction to adjust during a game.

In Game 3 they were much more aggressive going to the rack. But ironically Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown missed tons of those shots and they got their 115-93 win thanks to making 15 more 3’s than NY. Game 4 went off after I filed this column.

Sports 101: Name the only Division I players in history to lead college basketball in scoring and rebounding in the same season.

News Item – Mazzulla Game 1 and 2 Box Scores: The players had something to do with it by missing an NBA record 45 three-point shots and being 25-100 overall. But those 45 misses were the point. They kept firing blanks with no intervention by Mazzulla as they blew a 20-point third-quarter lead without adjusting to stop the bleeding by going inside for better shots or to get free throws.

The first-quarter hacking of poor foul shooting Mitchell Robinson was dumb for two reasons. (1) You don’t have key people (Jrue Holiday, Payton Prichard, Luke Kornet) accumulate unnecessary early fouls because you can’t predict when more will come as the game proceeds. So Mazzulla handcuffed his end-of-the-game decision-making when Kristaps Porzingis couldn’t play in the second half and the now needed Kornet was chained to the bench with five fouls. (2) You don’t give free points to a guy who doesn’t have the ball or is nowhere near the basket. And guess what? While he only went 3 for 10, no free 3 points, no OT and C’s win Game 1 by two. Plus it puts teams in the bonus much earlier than normal to give the better shooters more free throws.

End of Regulation: As usual the C’s have no set play. Just a Tatum isolation that leads to a bad 23-foot fallaway, which (as usual) he bricked. Meanwhile Jalen Brunson got a back screen and slithered into a 10-foot leaner that went in and out. He missed it, but it was a good final shot.

Finally — with three seconds left in OT and down three — again no set play, and in the game are frigid three-point shooters Brown (1-10), Tatum (4-15), Holiday (2-7), Horford (1-5) and White (5-16). Who’s not in? Prichard, their best three-point shooter, who shot 45% on the year 2-5 in Game 1. The 91-90 Game 2 loss mirrored Game 1.

News Item – Here Comes The Judge: If the season ended today Aaron Judge would win the triple crown and be the first .400 hitter since you know who in 1941. To go along with the .409 average, his 14-homers 39-RBI stat line after 40 games projects to 64 and 156 to rank among the greatest single seasons ever.

News Item – Rest In Playoffs: A long rest after ending an NBA playoff series early isn’t as good as some think. It was the opposite again last week as the rested higher-seeded Celtics, Cavaliers, T-Wolves and Oak City all blew home court advantage with rusty, unfocused Game 1 play.

The Numbers:

21 – runs allowed by Colorado in a 21-0 loss to Arizona that dropped them to an astonishing 6-33, which got manager Bud Black fired the next day.

31 – years streak Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton are trying to end of a Canadian team (Montreal) not winning the Stanley Cup.

600 – cheapest ticket price in dollars at MSG for Celtics-Knicks Game 3.

… Of the Week Awards

Thumbs Up – Mike Tirico: For calling out ESPN’s Stephen A. Blowhard talking about being a Knicks fan during halftime of NBA playoff broadcasts. Sorry, nobody gives a flip who you’re rooting for, Steve A.

What A Stupid I Yam Award – Me: For last week’s Sport 101 Answer, which numerous people mentioned was wrong. I assumed Rickey Henderson holdingthe record for lead-off homers meant he’d broken up the most no-hitters by homer. It didn’t occur to me, but the Babe and others got up after two outs in the first inning and then homered to end the no-hit bid more often.

Random Thoughts:

The NBA shouldn’t limit coaches to just two replay challenges. Why should a team be penalized if the refs keep missing calls? Instead they should retain their right until their challenge fails.

Sports 101 Answer: Wichita State’s Xavier McDaniel (1985) and Loyola of Marymount’s Hank Gathers (1989).

Final Thought – Raphael Devers: Absolutely hard to believe the Red Sox let this immature player tell them he won’t switch from DH to first base. What they should say is, that’s insubordination. You’re suspended without pay. We’re bringing Roman Anthony up to DH, Marcello Mayer to play second base and moving Kristian Campbell to first base. And if you don’t like it, too bad.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.

The Big Story – Celtics vs. Knicks Playoff Series: There have been a few skirmishes the last two decades. But there hasn’t been a good one since 1984 or one of equals since the early 1970s.

It’s most reminiscent of the ’84 series when the Celtics had a huge talent edge but still needed a 39-12-10 Game 7 triple double from Larry Bird to survive. That’s because NY’s Bernard King was at the height of his dominant scoring powers. Similarly, this time NY’s best chance is built around their high-scoring point guard Jalen Brunson. And how he fares against Derrick White and Jrue Holiday is the series’ biggest key. If he plays like he did vs. Detroit, NY can give the C’s trouble. But if they keep him contained, the series will be over early. It’ll be two games in when you see this, so we’ll know if it’s followed the “C’s are favored” script.

Sports 101: What hitter broke up 81 MLB no-hitters with home runs?

News Item – Jayson Tatum Update: (1) Even missing Game 2, with a 26.3, 8.7, 6.0 stat line JT had one of his best playoff series ever. (2) Not much for contrived nicknames like “the Truth” for Paul Pierce. But I do like Tatum being called “Player A.” (3) Talk radio made a big deal that he joined Bird as the only Celtic with three straight playoff games of 35 points or more. They didn’t mention that the likes of John Havlicek, Sam Jones and Tommy Heinsohn didn’t have the 3-ball to pad their total. If JT didn’t have it, he would’ve been 32, 33 and 34. Not knocking him, just setting the record straight amid gushing from the green teamers.

News Item – Red Sox Update: How does the Triston Casas injury not solve the Red Sox DH/Of log jam? Put Raffy Devers at first and Masataka Yoshida at DH to see how Devers does there, and if Yoshida hits, it expands his trade market.

News Item – NBA Playoff Update:(1) After being taken out in R1 by the T-Wolves, so much for the Lakers catching Boston at 18 for most NBA titles. (2) Was that LeBron’s last game?(3) Steph Curry reminded in the Game 7 win over upstart Houston how generationally great he is.

The Numbers:

0 – after the release of long snapper Joe Cardona, players left on the roster who’ve won a SB with the Patriots.

3 – games lost by Justin Slaten as the Sox bullpen spit the bit all week, losing four times in five games.

7 – points scored by James Harden in L.A.’s 120-101 loss to Denver to add to his extensive list of Game 7 chokes.

… Of the Week Awards

Thumbs Up – Red Sox Brass: For resisting the suddenly revived Red Sox Nation and media impatience to throw 20-year-old stud Roman Anthony into a brand new position at first base to get him into the line-up. Rather, when it happens they’ll let him acclimate to baseball’s highest level playing a position in the field he knows.

Stat of the Week: If you’re wondering why the Lakers lost in Round 1, how about that Minnesota outscored them 127-85 in the fourth quarter? It brought to mind that a lack of conditioning is a reason why Dallas traded Luka Doncic.

Random Thoughts: Next stop Hall of Fame for retiring Spurs legend Greg Popovich. He earned those five titles and reverence given league wide at the announcement. But his obstinacy with the media was unnecessary and his invention of “load management” is an insult to any fan paying $150 to see a guy play who didn’t.

Sports 101 Answer: Rickey Henderson broke up 81 no-hitters before they got started by leading off those games with a homer.

Predictions: T-Wolves over GS, Oak City over Denver, Indy upsets Cavs and C’s best NY.

Final Thought – Patriots 2025 Hall of Fame: While fellow nominees Logan Mankins and Julian Edelman are worthy, Adam Vinatieri should be this year’s Patriot Hall inductee.

His FG through that blinding snowstorm is the NFL’s greatest kick and with the game winner later in OT vs. Oakland they kickstarted the dynasty. He then won two SB’s with kicks down broad street as time ran out. It’s not close, really, as he’s the greatest kicker in NFL history.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.