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TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | April 16

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Looks at The Week That Was, the 127th Boston Marathon, and Trying to Move On; Recognizing and Respecting our Mortality | And, The Boss!

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – It’s the pipes. Much like the playing of Taps at a military funeral honor ceremony, the bagpipers tear your heart and soul out as they led the procession down Boylston Street in the Back Bay to honor the victims of the senseless 2013 Boston Marathon bombing – now a full decade in the past.

The Finish Line

On Saturday morning, the pipes played and time stood still. The memorial services hurt more than they ever can help. We try to move on, but with every running of the Marathon, from here to eternity, we’ll close our eyes and see eight-year old Martin Richard’s face. Then, we see his family photo with his surviving siblings at his side. One is Martin’s sister, Jane, who lost a leg standing alongside her little brother – both innocently watching the 2013 race and the mid-range runners all crossing the finish line on a beautiful afternoon in Boston.

It all ended in 14 seconds and 200+ yards apart. It was sheer terror, smoke and carnage.

There were others who perished nearby. Lingzi Lu of China was here in Boston studying. She went home in a body bag after being torn to bits, dying from blood loss because of massive injuries from shrapnel, plastic bits and pellets, nails and other deadly propellents stuffed into a pressure cooker and concealed in a backpack. Lu will forever be a 23-year old in our mind’s eye.

Bostonian Krystle Campbell was killed by one of the two explosions purposely set-off in the areas where innocent people were enjoying one of America’s finest and longest standing sporting events. Campbell will forever be 29 years old, smiling that wonderful, endearing smile. She was the best of friends to those lucky enough to be within her inner circle.

Sean Collier, an MIT police officer and Boston Police Sergeant Dennis “DJ” Simmonds died in the aftermath of the terrorist bombing. Collier was assassinated by the two morons, shot at point blank range as he sat in his squad car on patrol on university grounds in Cambridge. He had no chance. They wanted his gun. They didn’t get it and the manhunt was on.

The final victim, Simmonds, was injured during a firestorm shootout in nearby Watertown after police identified the bombers and began the manhunt, the largest and most organized police detail every undertaken in one of America’s oldest, most beautiful and symbolic cities. Simmonds died of his wounds a year after that terrible day when the entire city of Boston was shut down as its citizens were instructed to shelter in place.

One of the terrorists was killed in the shootout in Watertown. He was then run over by the very S.U.V. being driven by his younger brother who was trying to escape but was later found bleeding and cowering in a winterized pleasure boat parked right in our backyards. The younger of the two domestic terrorist, the guy who chose to lay his backpack right next to the Richards family, was tried by his peers, convicted and sentenced to death by lethal injection. He awaits, sleeping on the USA’s dime on death row in a SuperMax prison in Colorado. I am very much against the Death Penalty. I do not think it acts as a deterrent to the criminal mind. However, there are exceptions. Regardless, I never want to see or hear about this guy ever again.

This Saturday afternoon, the bells tolled at the Old South Church in Copley Square at precisely at 2:49 p.m. to mark the time of the first explosion ten years ago. The cold, cruel facts of the domestic terrorist event and names of the victims are spoken and written today, over-and-over again to be sure we never forget. We have to remember their faces, those family smiles from the images. We have to recognize the overall importance of the victims to us all. Their diversity in age, occupation and nationality, symbolize what all that is great about Boston, a small college town with a huge heart and an extraordinary love of sports – from the Marathon to the Head of the Charles. The citizens of New England and all who come to run, visit and study here, will be out in force on Monday. After all – paraphrasing what David “Big Papi” Ortiz once said, “This is our F’ing city,” and we’ll all agree, “It’s our F’ing Marathon, too.”

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: While the lead-up to the 2023 Boston Marathon has taken on a somber note as the 10-year anniversary is marked this weekend, there was a certain complexity to the entire week just concluding.

This week began on Easter Sunday – and for those who believe – it was a day to reflect on death, resurrection and eternal life. The week continued – for this writer – with attendance at one of the most moving rock shows ever staged. It was a week when abortion rights were turned upside down by courts throughout the land, only to have the Supreme Court call a temporary “time out” for the very issue they tossed into the air last June 24th after 50 years of law settled the issue.

It was a week of extreme weather, deadly tornadoes in the Midwest and South and floods in Ft. Lauderdale while thousands of acres remained underwater from equally terrible flooding in California. It was a week when one of our own national air guardsman leaked classified documents and put the United States’ national security at risk, once again.

But, with all the upheaval and all the trouble lurking, we must endure and move forward as that is the only solution. “Survive and advance,” we said so confidently during March Madness. Now, we have to live by that saying. Yes, we will.

This week, the entire City of Boston will rally and move forward, as it must do to make any sense of the mental anguish of a monumental event in the city’s history now a full decade ago.

What might be a personal salve for the challenge as the anniversary comes along? Boston’s Sports will get the job done. The Celticws, the Bruins and the Red Sox will remember the best of times as they pay respect to the worst of times with ONE Boston Day celebration and day of service. After all, the Boston Bruins just completed the most successful regular season in National Hockey League history and one of its stars, David Pastrnak, netted 61 goals in his 82 games played. Things are looking good in 2023.

The Bruins and the NBA’s Boston Celtics (57-25) will embark on an every-other-day playoff march and it will be coupled with the Boston Red Sox attempt to compete in the ultra-tough AL East. Just 14-games into the 2023 season, the Sox (7-8) find themselves in last place in their division and trailing the first place Tampa Bay Rays by 6.0 games. Nevertheless, Fenway Park will be filled with hopefuls, especially Monday with the traditional 11:10am first pitch.

Here’s a sampling of what we’re up to, if the beer-guzzling, Sam Adams-loving, 26.2 chugging crowds can endure and the word “upset” isn’t uttered in this town until June:

Saturday April 15th:

  • 2:30pm – Boston Marathon Opening Ceremony
  • 3:30pm – NBA Playoffs, first round, Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics (112-99)
  • 4:10pm – MLB, LA Angels and Shoehei Ohtani at Boston Red Sox (9-7)

Sunday, April 16th:

  • 1:35pm – LA Angels at Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park
  • Eve of Pasta and Pastrnak!

Monday, April 17th:

  • 8:30am – The running of the 127th Boston Marathon
  • 11:10am – LA Angeles at Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park
  • 7:30pm – NHL Playoffs, Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins

Tuesday, April 18th:

  • 7:00pm – Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics, Game 2
  • 7:10pm – Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park

Wednesday, April 19th:

  • 7:10pm – Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park
  • 7:30pm – Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins at TD Garden

And, on we’ll go.

OHTANI’S IN TOWN: As noted, Major League Baseball’s two-way (pitcher and batter) sensation and most talented player, Shohei Ohtani, is in town this weekend and is scheduled to be the starting pitcher when the Angeles face the Sox on Patriots’ Day and that 11:10am (ET) start. (That’s eight in the morning for the Southern California crew).

The Sho is a fantasy baseball player’s dream and nightmare, especially in weekly leagues. Do you start him as a batter or a pitcher? Will he get two starts this week, with the first coming Monday morning?

A lefty batter, can he wrap a shot around the Pesky Pole or will he go with his picture-perfect stroke and line one out into left center field for a single? Will he steal a base or two? Will MLB superstar, but oft-injured OF Mike Trout be on base for Ohtani to knock-in, like a pinball wizard?

Friday night saw the Angels draw the devilish imprint of the game of baseball. They committed three costly errors, tossed wild pitches and allowed passed balls, all resulting in a 5-3 Boston victory. The Angels left 11 runners on base. The great Ohtani went 1-for-4 with two strike-outs. Boston only had five hits to produce the five runs needed to win. Saturday, the Angels were felled by consecutive catcher interference botch-ups. LA was winning 7-6 in the 8th and lost, 9-7. The Angeles are 2-for-2 in handing away wins.

LAST MAN STANDING:

“Faded pictures in an old scrapbook

Faded pictures that somebody took

When you were hard and young and proud

Backed against the wall running raw and loud”

BRUCE AND THE E STREET BAND: “It was 1965 and I was 15 years old,” began Bruce Springsteen this past Tuesday at the New York Islanders brand-new UBS Arena situated alongside the greatness of Belmont Park Race Track. Springsteen was doing an intro to the key song of his latest LP, the most important and telling song on the album. “I’d been playing guitar for about six months when one summer afternoon I heard a knock on my front door. It was George Theiss (The Castiles). “He was an old friend of mine and he was dating my sister at the time. She told him I was playing some guitar and he asked me to audition for his band. So that weekend, I followed him to a small shotgun shack of a house, just one block from the town’s road mill. It was there at that little house that I embarked on the greatest adventure of my life. I joined my first real rock ‘n roll band. And, we lasted for three years! That’s a lifetime for teenagers. We lasted from 1965-66-67, an explosive time in American history and an incredible moment to be in a rock band.

“Now, if you cut forward – cut forward 50 years from that summer afternoon – on another summer day, I found myself standing at the side of George’s deathbed. George had been in a terrible battle with lung cancer in the last years of his life and he only had a few days left to live.

“I realized with his passing, it would leave me as the last surviving member of that small group of guys that got together in that little corner house that afternoon. It will give you pause to think. It’s like you are standing on the tracks with the white, hot light of an oncoming train, bearing down upon you. It just brings a certain clarity of thought. Death’s final and lasting gift to the living is an expanded vision of life itself.

“It gives you another chance to look at life – to look at your life – to look at the lives you and your friends are leading.

“It was shortly after that afternoon when George passed away, just a little while later, I wrote this song. It’s just about the passions you follow as children, not knowing where they’re going to lead you. And, how at 15, it’s all tomorrow and tomorrow and hello and hello. And, later on, there’s a lot more yesterdays and good-byes.

“It made me realize how important living every moment is. So, be good to yourself. Be good to those you love and to this world we live in.

“This is Last Man Standing”

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During the many years (48 for yours truly), watching Springsteen evolve into the man he is today, he told many a short story as he introduced new songs and gave listeners deep insight into his song-writing processes. But, never have I witnessed a very deep introspective viewpoint such as what he chose to share this past Tuesday night in Elmont, New York. While he reached into his soul every night as he performed Springsteen on Broadway, this week, he paused in the middle of his two hour, fifty minute rock show to lay his mortal soul on the line, warning us all of the fact death is inevitable.

Put simply and very clearly: “It kicked my ass.”

To the many aging, gray haired, gray bearded faithful in the audience, it was as much an awakening as it was a death knell. After all, that train is coming – for some of us sooner than later – for some – unexpected and quick – while others might suffer the fate that George Theiss suffered, fighting dreaded lung cancer for years to the end.

“Rock of ages lift me somehow

Somewhere high and hard and loud

Somewhere deep into the heart of the crowd

I’m the last man standing now”

SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND’S SET LIST: The April 11, 2023 concert’s set list for the Boss & his E Street Band reflected his journey since that summer day in ‘65 and guided him through a lifetime of great success coupled with personal challenges which included immediate family issues and a very public break-up and divorce.

Unlike most concert trails, Springsteen has stuck with a core of meaningful songs which all tell of the journey he’s been on with his Band. The dedication of his passion and belief in his music via “No Surrender,” to the pursuits of the “Promised Land.” The April 11th show was not a “Farewell Tour” of all the greats in chronological order. No, it was a life lesson.

He remembered some of our darkest days of “The Rising,” and performed a version – like always – that provided inspiration if not relief. A first time in a LONG time was the insertion of “Born in the USA,” which reminded us of the tough times in these United States when a country was divided and George Theiss’ Castiles were performing during the heat of the Viet Nam war.

In a Michael Jordan “Last Dance” timeline kind of way, the concert waves (or was it sways) back and forth, to insert the glorious rock anthem of “Because the Night” intertwined with memories of New Jersey days gone by “Wrecking Ball” or additional Springsteen anthems like “Badlands,” “Thunder Road” and “Born to Run.”

Just when you’d think he had performed the greatest song of all-time in “Because the Night,” you were reminded of the iconic lyrics and ass-kicking rock of “the night bustin’ open and two lanes will take us anyplace.” When Springsteen was ready, he brought forth the greatest of ‘em all.

“Born to Run” reminded us of that fact, “The amusement park rises bold and stark, Kids are huddled on the beach in the mist, I wanna die with you, Wendy, on the street tonight, In an everlasting kiss.”

But, there was still time for a little “Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),” a purposeful look back again via “Glory Days,” a vision of Courtney Cox “Dancin’ in the Dark,” and a tribute to The Big Man himself, Clarence Clemons via his nephew, Jake, playing “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” as a contemporary and equal of Springsteen, not a fill-in any more.

When it was time to close it down, Springsteen did so with an acoustic guitar and a good-bye (for now, as he heads to Europe from April 28 to June 28 for a 20 concert, 13 city, 11 country tour segment) with a message of “I’ll See You in My Dreams.”

Here’s hoping it’s not a dream with a locomotive and a single bright light bearing down upon him.

To end this column of deep thinking … How about some SUN.

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: From the morning weather reports not more than 10-days ago, we awoke to hear it was 19-degrees on The Vineyard. Twenty-five degrees in Boston with the wind blowing. It was not pretty, as March came in like a lion and went out like old T-Rex.

Now, the 10-day forecast had smiley sun faces after smiley sun faces, temperatures in the 60s, 70s and maybe 80s. Sadly for tomorrow, Marathon Monday – more commonly known as Patriots’ Day in these parts – we’re looking at 45-to-67-degree temps and a 51% chance of rain in the morning but 14 mph SxSW winds which can provide a tailwind for the runners.

Generally, it’s Springtime in Boston and the Sun is King. It’s a great time of year. We’ll leave this column with an upside of inspiration, written by the great George Harrison and performed here by bass player extraordinaire Will Lee and The Fab Faux.

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While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly Sunday Sports Notebook & Column, written by Terry Lyons. Each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city newsstand on Saturday night around 10pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a sports-filled compilation of interesting notes, quotes and quips. TL’s Sunday Sports Notes is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook | Dec 4

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – USC lost and TCU lost!

USC is OUT while TCU is in.

The Georgia Bulldogs smoked LSU, 50- 30, to take the SEC championship and lock the No. 1 seed in the upcoming College Football Playoffs while the Purdue Boilermakers vs. Michigan Wolverines Big Ten Championship game was underway as this missive posted its “Bulldog” edition, the Wolverines with a 14-13 lead at the half.

There will be tons of speculation and reasoning for the CFP committee to toss-around the virtues of Ohio State, Alabama, and TCU to decide the final two teams to qualify. Ohio State and Alabama are probably the best two teams of the five, but TCU’s season-long resume might qualify the Horned Frogs to No. 3 as ‘Bama, Tennessee, Clemson and Penn State seem to blend into one, as in one short. USC finished 11-2 in the Pac-12, but lost to Utah twice in the season, once on October 16th, and again in the conference championship game Friday night, thumped 47-24. That places USC as a solid No. 8 or No. 9 at best.

Taking it all in, it might be easier to assign TCU and USC to the January 2nd Rose Bowl and let Georgia and Michigan play the final on January 9 and call it a season. That would make either the Fiesta Bowl or the Peach Bowl pretty annoyed.

By Sunday morning, the decisions were made:

College Football Playoffs 2022-23:

  1. Georgia
  2. Michigan
  3. TCU
  4. Ohio St.

Outside looking in?

  1. Alabama
  2. Tennessee

On the flip-side, let’s all celebrate the fact Miami (Ohio) and the University ofAlabama-Birmingham – their friends call ‘em UAB – will kick-off Bowl season with berths in the Bahamas Bowl on December 16th – just 12 days away. On Christmas Eve, Middle Tennessee and San Diego State will travel to Honolulu for the annual Hawaii Bowl on December 24th and enjoy a “Mele Kalikimaka” on a bright, Hawaiian Christmas Day, December 25th.

HERE NOW THE NOTES: The Boston Celtics are 18-5 to date, 11-2 at the TD Boston Garden. That amazing start was good enough for the NBA to recognize head coach Joe Mazzulla as the NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in October and November. It marked the Celtics 16th overall NBA Coach of the Month honor since the award’s inception during the 1982-83 season. Boston leads the league in points per game (121.9), field goal percentage (49.8), three-point field goal percentage (40.8), free throw percentage (85.3), while also ranking sixth in assists (27.5). … For the first time in franchise history, the Celtics averaged at least 123.0 points and shot over 50.0 percent from the field during one calendar month (min. 10 games) for games played in November when they posted a 14-2 record.

Not to be forgotten, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was named the Kia NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month for October/November. Tatum earned his second career NBA Player of the Month award and now holds the third-most monthly honors in Celtics history behind Larry Bird (7) and Paul Pierce (3). This season, Tatum has appeared in 21 games (all starts) and is averaging career-highs of 31.6 points on 48.8 percent shooting from the field and 87.3 percent from the line, along with 7.8 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 36.7 minutes per game.

BOSTON BREWIN’ – The Boston Bruins, the Celtics’ neighbors at TD Garden and their respective practice sites, are 20-3 for the season and 14-0 at home after Saturday night’s victory over the highly competitive Colorado Avalanche by the score of 5-1. … The Bruins and the red hot New Jersey Devils are 1 and 1A in the NHL power rankings. This column will delve into that full list in depth next weekend.

KNAPP MEMORIAL FUND: Eight NFL teams and up to 50 NFL coaches will participate in different ways to support the first-ever Coach Knapp fundraiser this December, which will benefit The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund. The fund was created this year to educate drivers on the dangers of distracted driving, reduce the number of distracted driving-related deaths, and promote distracted driving awareness reform in the United States. … Knapp’s wife, Charlotte, and his close friend and agent, Jeff Sperbeck, created the fund to honor the legacy of Greg Knapp who was killed after being hit by a distracted driver while he was bicycling in July 2021. Coach Knapp was known for climbing the stadium stairs before every single NFL game he coached over his 25 season career…. Stadium stair climbs and other fundraising activities will play a part of the tribute. … At the time of his passing, Knapp was previously named Passing Game Coordinator for the New York Jets under head coach Robert Saleh.

PGA TOUR BRUNCH: The six-days a week missive, known to you all as PGA TOURBRUNCH is right around the corner with the first issue of 2023 planned for Wednesday, January 4 with the Sentry Tournament of Champions scheduled to take place January 5-8 in Kapalua, on The Valley Isle of Maui in Hawai‘i. … After a wrap-up column on January 9th, PGA Tour Brunch returns January 11th with a preview of the first full-field event of 2023 when the PGA Tour pros tee-off for the SONY Open in Honolulu. You might’ve read it before, but PGA TOUR BRUNCH is the perfect gift for your favorite golf fan (maybe fans). It’s a gift that keeps on giving all season long, and up to the Tour Championship in late August 2023. … Why Brunch? Well, it is sent in advance of each round of golf and – with the tournaments played in different time zones throughout the season, the time can change a bit. Ideally, it pops-up in your inbox at 12 Noon (ET), at a time when you have a minute – over LUNCH or BRUNCH to relax, grab your mobile device and take-in a screen or two or three of the most important information on the tournament being played each week. Some basic stuff, yes! Tee Times, Leaderboard, what time the TV and Radio broadcasts will be for the day/week and just a few links to surf to get deeper information. … It saves time, as we’ve done the groundwork to put forth what you NEED to read to follow the Tour. For a limited time (Today through Dec 31, 2022), we’re offering a 20% discount as a Special Holiday Greetings and Gift idea. Click HERE

PGA TOUR BRUNCH is the “sister publication” to the missive you’re reading now – While We’re Young (Ideas) aka TL’s Sunday Sports Notes. Both are available for subscription via Substack and both are sent to your device by email and they’re archived on the Substack App and our home sites. Similar to PGA TOUR BRUNCH, you can gift a subscription to WHILE WE’RE YOUNG (Ideas) – before Dec. 31, 2022 by visiting HERE.

WORLD CUP: The hopes of the United States advancing in the 2022 World Cup soccer tournament came to an abrupt end Saturday, much to the 3-1 ear-slapping at the hands of The Netherlands. Although the FOX, USA-loving broadcast teams and studio commentators made excuses of “what an experience” and “too much youth,” stating, “we should be proud” cliches, and emphasizing on the incredibly un-professional use of the word “we,” the truth be told, the USA got their asses kicked.

Maybe some Kipling – from his Poem, “If” might fit the sitch:

“If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster.

And treat those two impostors just the same.”

See you in: (USA sites) – New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, Seattle, San Francisco/Bay Area, Los Angeles; Vancouver and Toronto for Canada and Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey for Mexico in the truly North American World Cup of 2026.

  • The Triumph* clip is NOT for office consumption and it dates back to a Conan show during the Rio World Cup.

WORLD CUP TID-BITS: Jennie Taft made the FOX and FOX Sports 1 studio shows work. Why, oh, why did they mover her to pitch-side reporter? … Has anyone ever seen NBA/ABA great Rick Barry at the same phone booth as former USA soccer player turned broadcaster Alexi Lalas? … Buried in the personal memory bank was a 1990 trip to London to see the likes of Tears for Fears, Elton John, Eric Clapton, a Genesisreunion with Tony Banks (piano), Mike Rutherford (guitar) and Phil Collins (drums, vocals) at Knebworth. The trip coincided with a World Cup quarterfinal win for England over Cameroon (3-2, on the 1st of July) and a (1-1) tie vs Germany which resulted in England losing 4-3 in the shoot-out on the 4th of July. England had several chances to win and a goal recalled for being off-sides to further the disappointment. The image embedded was a gentleman, sitting on the curb just outside an upscale pub near the JW Marriott Grosvenor House. He had his head in his hands for 10+ minutes, not moving a muscle otherwise. It was then, and only then, I could understand the meaning of World Cup soccer to the English, the Europeans and the world as a whole. Of course, I was thinking about MLB scores back home and the fact Pink Floyd headlined Knebworth, a notch above Paul McCartney and Wings. … Sadly, I think the excitement of the USA qualifying and advancing to the Round of 16 in this, the 2022 World Cup, will mean little to NOTHING for the MLS or television coverage for the sport of soccer in the USA. … FOX Sports commentators admitted to the lack of size, strength and depth for the USA team. Excuse the basketball reference, here, but the USA needs to develop a more “Jordan Rules” mentality and to utilize the Chuck Daly/Isiah Thomas invented strategy to bang, crack and hit anything that moved as it made its way in front of the rim (USA goal and especially the goal-keeper). I’m not talking about drawing yellow cards or penalties (allowing shots at point blank range), but I am very much aware of what the Detroit Pistons – via Bill Laimbeer, RickMahorn, Dennis Rodman and the rest of the “Bad Boys” – did to the mighty Chicago Bulls and its stars who took it to the rim. Additionally, the Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley did the same in the 1991-95 era of New York Knicks/NBA basketball. Riley convinced the Knicks that they were capable of winning and advancing in the playoffs if they played rough and tough. He convinced the likes of Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason and John Starks that they could win if they played very physical basketball. Team USA needs to hit the weight room or do some recruiting.

In closing, there’s one other important detail, call it another fact. The Netherlands was a better Futbol team. They out-played the USA, fair and square. In addition to The Netherlands, there are at least xx other teams better than the USA team and they include: Argentina, Brazil, England, France, Spain and Portugal, for sure. Add to the probably better teams of Switzerland, Poland, S. Korea, Japan, and Croatia. In other words, if you ranked the Round of 16, the USA was arguably 16th, maybe 15th or 14th.

Bill Russell (1934-2022)

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MERCER ISLAND/BOSTON – Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell died Sunday at the age of 88, his family announced.

Russell won 11 NBA championships and also became the first Black head coach in NBA history.

“Bill’s wife, Jeannine, and his many friends and family thank you for keeping Bill in your prayers. Perhaps you’ll relive one or two of the golden moments he gave us, or recall his trademark laugh as he delighted in explaining the real story behind those moments unfolded,” his family said in a statement. “And we hope each of us can find a new way to act or speak up with Bill’s uncompromising, dignified and always constructive commitment to principle.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Bill Russell:

“Bill Russell was the greatest champion in all of team sports,” said Silver.  “The countless accolades that he earned for his storied career with the Boston Celtics – including a record 11 championships and five MVP awards – only begin to tell the story of Bill’s immense impact on our league and broader society.

“Bill stood for something much bigger than sports: the values of equality, respect and inclusion that he stamped into the DNA of our league. At the height of his athletic career, Bill advocated vigorously for civil rights and social justice, a legacy he passed down to generations of NBA players who followed in his footsteps. Through the taunts, threats and unthinkable adversity, Bill rose above it all and remained true to his belief that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity.

“For nearly 35 years since Bill completed his trailblazing career as the league’s first Black head coach, we were fortunate to see him at every major NBA event, including the NBA Finals, where he presented the Bill Russell Trophy to the Finals MVP.

“I cherished my friendship with Bill and was thrilled when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I often called him basketball’s Babe Ruth for how he transcended time. Bill was the ultimate winner and consummate teammate, and his influence on the NBA will be felt forever. We send our deepest condolences to his wife, Jeannine, his family and his many friends.”

“To be the greatest champion in your sport, to revolutionize the way the game is played, and to be a societal leader all at once seems unthinkable, but that is who Bill Russell was,” said the Boston Celtics organization in a prepared statement.

“Bill was a champion unlike any other in the history of team sports – an 11-time NBA champion, including winning eight consecutive titles, a five-time MVP, an Olympic Gold Medalist and the NBA’s first Black head coach.

“Bill Russell‘s DNA is woven through every element of the Celtics organization, from the relentless pursuit of excellence, to the celebration of team rewards over individual glory, to a commitment to social justice and civil rights off the court.

“Our thoughts are with his family as we mourn his passing and celebrate his enormous legacy in basketball, Boston, and beyond.”

Former President Barack presented Russell with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011, the highest honor for American civilians. “As tall as Bill Russell stood, his legacy rises far higher—both as a player and as a person,” said Obama in a tweet Sunday.

“Perhaps more than anyone else, Bill knew what it took to win and what it took to lead,” President Obama added. “On the court, he was the greatest champion in basketball history. Off of it, he was a civil rights trailblazer—marching with Dr. King and standing with Muhammad Ali.

“For decades, Bill endured insults and vandalism, but never let it stop him from speaking up for what’s right. I learned so much from the way he played, the way he coached, and the way he lived his life. Michelle and I send our love to Bill’s family, and everyone who admired him.”

Funeral services will be announce soon, Russell’s family said.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 31

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State of the Commonwealth Sports

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – From June 19th to 27th, all was well in the Nation of Sox. After a very well documented — call it crummy (10-19) — start to the 2022 season, the Boston Red Sox battled back to the .500 mark by June 5th at Oakland. While still mired in 4th place in the American League East, Boston clawed their way to a (35-30) record when – on June 17th – Sox SP Michael Wacha out-dueled his former St. Louis Cardinals teammate, Adam Wainwright, 6-5, for Wacha’s fifth victory (5-1).

After dropping a game to the Cards the following day, Boston went on to win seven games in a row and climb to second place in the AL East, 11 games over the coveted .500 mark.

As the calendar turned to July, all hell broke loose.

As this is being written from Fenway Park on a gorgeous New England Saturday afternoon, Boston (50-52) dropped a game to Milwaukee, is 7-19 in the month of July, and that includes a 3-13 mark over their previous 16 games. The not so secret sauce is the fact that since Uncle Sam’s birthday, Boston is playing teams with records plus-.500 up until August 3 when they face AL Central cellar-dweller Kansas City.

Combined with the tougher comp, a slew of devastating injuries crashed down on the Sox. In no particular order:

  • June 12 – SP Nathan Eovaldi – lower back pain
  • July 2 – SP Rich Hill – left knee sprain
  • July 5 – SP Michael Wacha – right shoulder inflammation
  • July 9 – INF Christian Arroyo – groin strain after bout with COVID+
  • July 14 – 2B Trevor Story – right hand contusion (hairline fracture)
  • July 19 – SP Chris Sale – left hand, finger fracture
  • July 19 – J.D. Martinez – back spasms
  • July 23 – 3B Rafael Devers – right hamstring inflammation
  • 13 Red Sox players were on the IL at one point

In their place, Boston was forced to call-up “F-Troop” from their Triple A Worcester WooSox farm team, and the Red Sox became the Red SAAAwx for much of the month. Starting pitching prospects, a la Brayan Bello (0-3), Josh Winckowski (3-5) and Kutter Crawford (3-3) were thrown into the deep end of the drowning pool.

With the cumulative effect, the ‘22 Red Sox started to resemble a memorable team from 60 years ago, with comparisons to the expansion New York Mets.

The Sox are a calamity, whether it be fly balls falling between three players in the infield, throwing, fielding and mental errors costing runs, pitchers failing to properly cover first base on routine ground balls to the right side of the infield, batted baseballs lost in the sun or twilight gleaming in both right and center field at Fenway. You name it, and it happened to the home team.

The lowlight was a July 22 inside the park home run by Toronto’s Ramiel Tapia during a 28-5 beat-down of the Red Sox by the Blue Jays, and a score falling two runs shy of the MLB record for most runs scored in a single game.

Overall, it seemed the Sox fell apart when the long-expected return of their ace – Chris Sale – went flat after an inning as a come-backer broke the fifth finger on his pitching hand. The injury sucked the life from the team, as Story, Martinez and Devers were all absent from the line-up.

Thus is the “State of the Red Sox,” as of July 30.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: If there’s one thing the New England fan base can do better than any other in the land, it’s turn the page and change with the seasons. Just as the aforementioned Sox fade to the bottom of the AL East, the footballs are out at Gillette Stadium as NFL training camps began this week. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the 2022 New England Patriots.

On Day One of Patriots’ training camp, all eyes were on second-year QB Mac Jones who appeared to be all business, in great condition and prepared for the challenges ahead of the Patriots team in transition from its many waltzes to the Super Bowl. While coach Bill Belichick and the Pats are accustomed to being the favorites in the AFC East, this year, they’ll be fortunate to win 10 games (as they did a year ago) and finish second to the ‘21 division champion Buffalo Bills. In many circles, it is the Bills, not the Patriots, who are destined for AFC glory and a trip to the Super Bowl.

Belichick is beginning his 23rd season with the Patriots as the team avoids any sense of the word, “rebuilding,” but does face uncertainty at many key offensive positions. Meanwhile, a look to the south and AFC East rival, Miami, has stocked up with arguably the best wide-out in the NFL in former KC Chief Tyreek Hill to pair with second-year QB Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins won nine games a year ago and will fight it out with New England for a possible Wild Card berth, for sure.

Meanwhile, there’s a lot of news and speculation as the NBA off-season hits midstream. For the Boston Celtics, all eyes are on Nets F Kevin Durantwho has asked for a trade from Brooklyn and reports have the Celtics offering some unknown package of players (with one piece likely to be F Jaylen Brown).

Of course, the Celtics made the NBA Finals but simply saw the fatigue of prior match-ups vs. Brooklyn, Milwaukee and Miami finally take their toll against Jayson Tatum and the team. Boston made one major move to acquire a true point guard in former Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdan for Milwaukee who the Cs acquired from Indiana in a multi-player trade in July.

The allure of an offensive threat, like Durant to pair with Tatum, is attractive to the Celtics and their fan base, but the lack of defensive intensity shown by Durant in the playoffs makes one wonder if his Achilles’ injury is limiting his defensive mobility against quicker players.

The foundation of the Celtics is “Team Defense” and the questions is whether Durant can buy-in? Brown’s contributions to that defense might be too costly a loss, never mind if 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smartbecomes part of the deal.

On the ice, the Boston Bruins are another team, like the Patriots, in total transition. Gone is goalkeeper Tuukka Rask, while Brad Marchand injured his hip and out for six months since his late May surgery. Then, there’s the uncertain status of forwards Patrice Bergeron and un-signed David Pastrňák, the club’s two best players.

On defense, more injuries and surgeries. Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk will be out until late November after shoulder surgeries. Mike Reillyis recovering from May ankle surgery.

In goal, Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark will share the netminding duties, trying to replace the talents of Vezina Trophy-worthy and former winner Rask has officially retired after some back-and-forth during the pandemic.

All the while, Boston is welcoming new coach, Jim Montgomery, to a team that is deep with talent but largely uncertain of its short term destiny.

If you take a step back and look at all four major pro sports, it’s a one for-four (.250) average for sure-fire success and that is only the Celtics.

DIAMOND DUST-UPs: Trade winds are blowing in Major League Baseball prior to Tuesday’s (August 2 – 6pm ET) trading deadline. Of course, the big fish in the MLB pond are Washington’s Juan Soto, who turned down a megabucks deal of 15-years and $440 million, and possibly Boston’s J.D. Martinez. The Seattle Mariners already acquired former Cincy ace Luis Castillo in a deal for a ton of top prospects. The terms “Buyers” and “Sellers” will be over-used this week.

Others MLB players reportedly on the block:

  • Josh Bell, 1B, Washington Nationals
  • Wilson Contreras, C, Chicago Cubs
  • Ian Happ, OF, Chicago Cubs
  • Tyler Mahle, SP, Cincinnati Reds
  • Frankie Montas, SP, Oakland Athletics
  • Noah Syndergaard, SP, Los Angeles Angels

That leads us to the extremely slim chance of the LA Angeles moving Shohei Ohtani before the deadline. The multi-talented Ohtani would be a game-changer as a starting pitcher and DH for any contender, but the question would be: “At what cost?”

 

Celtics Make Roster Moves

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BOSTON – As expected, the Boston Celtics re-signed reserve forward Sam Hauser and reserve 7-2 center Luke Kornet. Boston was pleasantly surprised to have Kornet return to the club. “We are thrilled that Luke chose to come back,” noted Celtics President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens. “Luke is a skilled big who can play off the roll and is a good rim protector on defense. On top of that, he’s always added value as the consummate pro who puts team above self.”

The Celtics also signed 2022 second round draft pick J.D. Davison to a two-way contract in time to have him participate in the annual NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. A 19-year old out of Alabama, Davison (6-3, 195), competed in 33 games (six starts) as a freshman in 2021-22, averaging 8.5 points on 46.3% shooting (30.1% 3-PT), 4.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.0 steals in 25.8 minutes. He made the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team.

In a final transaction before the NBA Summer League began, the Celtics confirmed what was widely reported on NBA Draft night and made public their acquisition of guard Malcolm Brogdon from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for reserve center Daniel Theis, guard/forward Aaron Nesmith, forwards Malik Fitts and Juwan Morgan, shooting guard Nik Stauskas and a conditional 2023 first round draft choice.

Celtics Dominate in Paint, Win 116-100

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While Tatum, Brown, Smart Score and Do Their Thing, Boston’s Robert Williams III Makes the Difference

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Teams that are talented enough to make it to The NBA Finals have their superstar players, maybe three of them. Those players perform at high levels all season long, as every single game might mean a playoff berth and an edge in the all-important race for home court advantage, especially when criss-crossing East to West for The Finals.

For the Boston Celtics, it’s been Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown, carrying the team with Tatum looking more and more like Kobe Bryant’s student and protege each and every night.

For the Golden State Warriors, it’s been their Splash Brothers, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, although Thompson splished more than splashed when he tore his right Achilles and missed the entire 2020-21 NBA season, a good year to miss if there ever was one.

Quite a few NBA teams have their “regular season” stars. They register their share of points, rebounds and assists, maybe make The NBA All-Star Game at mid-year, but then crap-out at NBA Playoff time. We’ve seen it this spring, as good teams from Utah, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Brooklyn and Memphis didn’t have what it takes to progress through the rough and tumble NBA postseason.

Here in Boston, the Celtics were dealt a rough hand back in April, as their playoff journey was scheduled through a formidable but inconsistent Brooklyn Nets team, then two heavyweight and former NBA champs, requiring a set of skills and size to play as physical as it gets with Boston series wins over 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee (sans Kris Middleton) and then the Eastern Conference top seed, the Miami Heat.

While Tatum and Brown carried the Celtics, key elements of the 2022 Celtics’ personnel emerged. Let us count the ways:

  1. Center Al Horford stepped up to play the best basketball of his career in the September of his career.
  2. Guard Marcus Smart, in many ways, the backbone and spark to the Boston team, as he scored, defended and scrapped.
  3. The difference-maker, center Robert Williams III, returned from a knee injury and nursed his sore knees from April to June to create the secret weapon, the rim protector, the clutch defender and capable finisher, especially when an alley-oop dunk is concerned.

Williams was a risky No. 1 draft pick by the Celtics (GM Danny Ainge) when he fell to the 27th overall slot after two years at Texas A&M. Williams had a bit of a “rep” from college and he even missed his inaugural “introduction” media conference when the lines of communication were somehow crossed on his first day in Boston that June.

But what did Williams turn into?

Despite the injuries, he’s classified by NBA Coaches as a second team NBA All-Defensive player. His presence this spring lifted the Celtics as Williams guarded every player under the rafters, including Milwaukee MVP level superstar, 6-foot-11 Giannis Antetokounmpo and then Miami’s All-Star Bam Adebayo.

While Tatum and Brown earn and deserve their hefty paychecks, Tatum a supermax to be sure, the Celtics would not be in The 2022 NBA Finals if it weren’t for Robert Williams III. In fact, if it weren’t for Williams, the Celtics might be trailing by a game in these Finals instead of their current situation, leading 2-games-to-1 after a through and convincing 116-100 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

Just how and when did Williams make such a difference tonight?

In the first half, he scored only four points with four rebounds and two blocks. He finished the game with eight points, 10 rebounds, three steals and four blocked shots. Down the stretch, when the Warriors were applying pressure after outscoring Boston 33-25 in the third quarter, Williams stepped-up.

When the Warriors were within six points of the Celtics with 11:16 remaining, Williams grabbed a key defensive rebound. From there, he made his mark.

  1. At 10:41, Williams made a steal off of Curry’s bad pass.
  2. At 9:29, he recorded another steal off another bad pass from Curry, the Warriors’ 12th turnover.
  3. At 9:19, yet another steal of yet another Curry bad pass, the Warriors’ 13th turnover.
  4. At 9:11, a rebound and put-back to make it 102-91 Boston.
  5. At 8:53, Williams came up with a key defensive block against Curry.
  6. At 7:10 and 6:45, he controlled two rebounds, one on each end of the floor.
  7. At 3:52 he scored on an alley-top pass from Horford to extend the Celtics lead to 112-98.
  8. He grabbed another rebound at 3:34 and the Celtics’ victory was sealed.
  9. At 2:19, Ume Udoka subbed-in for all his starters and Williams took a well-deserved seat and victory.

“Yeah, it was huge,” said Udoka postgame. “Not only the shots that he did block — I think he got four tonight — but the ones he altered and his presence down there of course deters guys from driving. He was a big part of what we did. Staying big tonight, getting those 15 offensive rebounds and 22 second-chance points.

“So those were much needed. We want to try to impose our will and size in this series. It’s going to be a back-and-forth battle as far as that, but when we get nights like this from him and Al, obviously it pays dividends for us,” said the Celtics coach.

Never a basketball stat to rival points, rebounds and assists, Williams led the Celtics team in +/- with his +21, as he finished the game shooting 4-for-5, with 10 rebounds and eight points.

Flashing back to that summer night in June 2018, there’s not a chance Ainge, then coach, now GM Brad Stevens or current Celtics Coach Udoka thought Robert Williams III, drafted at age 20 and now 24 years old, would be a difference-maker in an NBA Finals game just four years later, providing a little help to the stars.

Oh yeah, Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 27 points and nine rebounds, Jayson Tatum scored 26 points and added nine assists and six rebounds while Marcus Smart added a significant 24 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

For Golden State, guard Steph Curry led all scorers with 31 points on 12-for-22 shooting. Draymond Green, an older and more experienced version of Williams III, minus the attitude and technicals fouls that come along with it, had two points and four rebounds. Green fouled out with 4:07 remaining in the game.

Studying that inside game and comparing the difference, Boston scored 52 points in the paint while the Warriors had only 26. Boston had a 47-31 edge on the boards.

Game 4 of the series is Friday night at Boston’s TD Garden.

NBA Finals: Game 3 Notebook

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official Stat Release by The NBA postgame) – The Boston Celtics took a 2-games-to-one edge in the 2022 NBA Finals. Game 3, a 116-100 Boston victory, was the first NBA Finals game in Boston since Game 5 of the 2010 NBA Finals between the Celtics and Lakers on June 13, 2010.

• Teams that win Game 3 in a 1-1 NBA Finals have gone on to win the series 82.1% of the time (32-7).

• Teams that lead the NBA Finals 2-1 have gone on to win the series 80.3% of the time (49-12).

• With their victory in Game 3, the Celtics improved to 7-0 after a loss in the 2022 NBA Playoffs. The Warriors have not lost consecutive games in this postseason either; they are 5-0 after a loss, including a victory in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

• Boston’s Jaylen Brown (27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists), Jayson Tatum (26 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists) and Marcus Smart (24 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) are the first trio of teammates to each have at least 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in an NBA Finals game since the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Michael Cooper against the Celtics on June 10, 1984.

• Boston’s Al Horford (11 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists) joined Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart in having at least 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. This is the first time that four players on the same team have reached those totals in an NBA Finals game since the Celtics’ Bill Russell, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones and John Havlicek against the Lakers on April 26, 1966.

• Golden State’s Stephen Curry made six three-pointers in Game 3. He has made at least five threes in three consecutive games, matching the longest streak in a single NBA Finals. Curry’s 18 threes in the series are tied for the most in any three-game span in a single NBA Finals.

• The Celtics’ Robert Williams III had eight points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and a career playoff-high three steals. The four blocks match his 2022 postseason high, set in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Boston’s Veteran Center Al Horford Gets Back to Where He Once Belonged

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – In the spring of 2007, Al Horford capped two NCAA Final Four basketball championships by being the third overall pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, selected by the Atlanta Hawks. Together with Florida Gators frontcourt-mate and fellow rim protector, Joakim Noah, and impressive collegiate scorer, Corey Brewer, Horford thought a trip to the Final Four was his birthright. After all, his father, “Tito” Horford had made it to the NBA, playing four years with a combination of the Milwaukee and Washington. Surely. there’d be plenty of success in the future.

Life in the NBA can have a cruel side. The money’s great but the competition is pretty tough. You’ve got the pay your dues if you wanna play the Bulls, and playoff shares for NBA Finalists don’t come easy.

Horford toiled for nine years with the Hawks and his team made the playoffs every year sans one, 2013-14, when he was injured. He bounced right back and played in 76 of 82 regular season games and all 16 of Atlanta’s playoff games as the East’s No. 1 seed that won enough to make the Eastern Conference Finals. Not quite enough, as the Hawks were swept away, 4-0, by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

No NBA Finals for Big Al.

In the summer of 2016, Horford’s fortunes increased when he was signed to a multi-year contract by the Boston Celtics. In the spring of 2017, he played in 18 NBA Playoff games, again with the No. 1 seed in the East, but fell victim to James and the Cavaliers once again.

No NBA Finals for Big Al.

That cruel side of NBA life moved on and Horford signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019 and later traded to Oklahoma City in 2020.

No Finals.

On June 18, 2021 Horford’s NBA destiny and legacy would change for the better once again. He was packaged by Oklahoma City in a deal for Kemba Walker and returned to Boston to anchor the front court.

On Friday night, June 3, Horford celebrated his 36th birthday a day after playing his 142nd playoff game and doing so in a “Star of the Game” role in Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, a 120-108 Celtics road win against the Golden state Warriors.

Big Al led the Celtics in scoring with (26), including a 6-for-8 performance from three-point FG range. No NBA player had ever gone 141 playoff games without reaching the Finals and those six ‘threes’ were the most for any NBA player making his Finals debut. Two of the “threes” put the Celtics up 106-103 and 109-103 with about five minutes remaining in the game, and his 17-foot jumper at 3:40 in the fourth quarter made it 111-103 Boston, bolstering a 40-16 Celtics run in the final 12 minutes of the game. That’s not bad for a team that trailed by 15 late in the third quarter.

Horford’s eight important points keyed the Game 1 victory, but his offense is not what makes him such a valuable player for his team. Ask any Celtics player, coach or front office worker what Al Horford provides for the club and you’re likely to get the same answer.

“Phenomenal,” said Jaylen Brown of the Celtics. “That’s what we need. That’s what we want. We want that veteran leadership to carry us over. He came out for his first Finals game and played amazing. He carried us and led to a victory.

“His energy, his demeanor, coming in every day, being a professional, taking care of his body, being a leader, I’m proud to be able to share this moment with a veteran, a mentor, a brother, a guy like Al Horford, man,” added Brown after defeating Miami and earning g the Finals appearance for Horford. “He’s been great all season, really my whole career. I’m happy to be able to share this moment with somebody like him.”

What did Horford think?

It wasn’t about an offensive role, it was all about defense.

“Coach Udoka was very clear what he wanted us to be as a team, our identity, defensively, hang our hat on the defensive end,” said Big Al. “And on offense, play freely, use Jaylen and Jayson and just kind of just go. (Our team) understanding and buying into that – it took us a while – but I feel like once we started to understand how we needed to play, we became more consistent.

“This journey is not easy. We had a hard path. Brooklyn, Milwaukee, the defending champs, and Miami’s s a team that – look what they did – they took us to the brink.

“For our group it’s resiliency, it’s switching the page, moving on to the next thing, and we did that all season. I really noticed it, and I was telling this to JB (Brown), but it was like February, early February, that I just noticed how we started to click.

“People were like, ‘Well, you guys are beating teams that have guys out, guys are hurt and all these things,” and I was like, “It doesn’t matter, I’m seeing something different in how we’re playing. That’s how we’re just going to carry it on, and that’s what we’ve been doing.’”

Up 1-0 in The NBA Finals, the Celtics’ journey continues Sunday but there’s a long, long way to go. If you don’t believe that’s true, just ask Al Horford.
Al Horford (center) in his leadership role with Celtics (USA Today photo)

Smart Named Defensive Player of Year

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was named the 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year. It marks the first NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award for Smart, who becomes the first guard to earn the honor since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. Smart is also the second player to win the award with the Celtics, joining Kevin Garnett (2007-08).

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Smart received 257 points (37 first-place votes) from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges finished in second place with 202 points (22 first-place votes). Utah Jazz center and three-time Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert finished in third place with 136 points (12 first-place votes). Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

A starter in all 71 of his games played in the 2021-22 regular season, the 6-4 Smart ranked seventh in the NBA in steals per game (1.68) and tied for sixth in total steals (119). He had 19 games with three or more steals, including two games with a season-high five steals.

Smart, 28, ranked among the league leaders in several “hustle” categories, finishing tied for fourth in the NBA in loose balls recovered (75) and tied for 10th in both deflections (206) and charges drawn (16). He also set a career high in defensive rebounds per game (3.2).

Behind Smart, the Celtics led the NBA in defensive rating (106.2) and points allowed per game (104.5) and held opponents to the lowest field goal percentage (43.4) and three-point field goal percentage (33.9). The strong defense helped propel the Celtics to a 51-31 record and the second seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2022 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel.

An eight-year NBA veteran, Smart has been selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice (2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons). He also won the NBA Hustle Award for the 2018-19 season. This season, Smart averaged 12.1 points, a career-high 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game.

The voting results for the 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award are below. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP.

Celtics: Williams Injury Update

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Celtics center Robert Williams III this morning underwent a successful partial left knee meniscectomy. The surgery was performed at New England Baptist Hospital by Celtics Team Physician Dr. Tony Schena, assisted by Dr. Glen Ross.

Williams III is expected to be able to return to play in approximately 4-6 weeks.