![]() I worry about his injury history - please, Joe, do not play him a minute of garbage time, ever. Malcolm Brogdon: He’s exactly what Celtics fans who coveted him for years presumed he’d be if he ever came here - a calming, versatile, clever player whose play complements everyone around him. But man, don’t you miss watching him play so much? Watching him come into his own last season, swatting shots into orbit and throwing down ridiculous alley-oops, was the most enjoyable aspect of last year’s team.īoston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (0) shoots as he gets past Orlando Magic’s Terrence Ross (31) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. The priority is, of course, to have him at his best for the postseason gauntlet. Robert Williams III: He should take all the time he needs to recover from his latest knee procedure. (I’m ignoring that Bill Laimbeer is also on that list.) He won back-to-back titles in college at Florida, has made five All-Star teams, and his most similar players statistically include Hall of Famers Wes Unseld, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, Bob Lanier, and Robert Parish. If the Celtics win the title this season and Horford, at age 36, remains basically the same player he was a season ago, he will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame someday. He cares, man, and that’s what makes him the truest of Celtics.Īl Horford: Here’s a prediction for you. But those imperfections make him distinctive. He’s always going to take those “no-no-YES!” shots and plenty of “no-no-C’MON MARCUS” ones too. It’s a never-ending wild ride, with his irrational confidence in his shot, underrated playmaking, and trademark relentless defense. Marcus Smart: This is somehow already the ninth season of the Marcus Smart Experience, and I’m grateful for it. ![]() The next, and perhaps final, step in his ascent: Stop forcing it on those nights when the shot isn’t falling. The guy works, and I suspect the payoff comes this season when he’s finally regarded as a perennial All-Star in his own right and not just the 1B to Tatum’s 1A. ![]() Jaylen Brown: It’s so impressive how he comes back a little bit to a lot better every season, and we don’t talk about it enough. He’s a top-three MVP candidate, but like Celtics greats before him, it’s the quest for the ring that now drives him. His candor about his haunting frustrations with his Finals performance is one more sign of his maturity. OK, I am saying he’s motivated by revenge, and his vengeance is going to be something to behold. I’m just saying he looks like he spent the summer devouring barbells, working on his footwork and finishing touch from dawn ‘til dusk and then back at dawn again, and muttering, “I’ve got something for you, Wiggins,” when each new variation of a move is added to his repertoire. Jayson Tatum: I’m not saying Tatum is motivated by revenge. ![]()
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