Category: Audio/Video

How important was adding veteran big man Blake Griffin to the Boston Celtics?

Will Blake Griffin provide bulk in the frontcourt the Celtics desperately need, or will his role be more impactful in the locker room?

How important was adding veteran big man Blake Griffin to the Boston Celtics? The Celtics have taken some pretty big, unexpected hits this off-season, one of the biggest among the several being sudden injuries to key frontcourt players.

Part of the reason the team likely brought on the former Brooklyn Nets big is to help the team weather those big man injuries, but is that the only reason Boston had in mind when they signed him to a one-year deal? Will the six-time All-Star provide some bulk in the frontcourt that the Celtics desperately need, or will his role with the team this season be more impactful in the locker room as an experienced, steadying voice?

Take a look at the clip embedded below to see what the hosts of the CLNS Media “A-List” podcast had to say about Griffin’s addition to the team on one of their most recent episodes.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Super-early mock 2023 NBA draft has Boston Celtics taking Iowa forward

The man in question already has a brother in the league, to boot.

Is it too early to think about the 2023 NBA draft? Not if you happen to be Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, who thinks about every draft for a living as that outlet’s resident draft expert.

To such an end, Wasserman has already released his first full mock draft for the 2023 class, which has the Boston Celtics going all in with their sole pick in that draft on an Iowa power forward who has family already in the league. That would be one Kris Murray, whose brother Keegan was picked by the Sacramento Kings in the 2022 draft.

The B/R draft expert has Boston taking Kris at a projected No. 42 pick, writing that with “scouts locked into Keegan Murray last season, Kris made some watch lists for his 6’8″ size, shooting efficiency, defensive activity, and flashes of attacking closeouts.”

With the Celtics in need of some flexible depth on the upper end of the wing spectrum, Kris would make a lot of sense for the Celtics.

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It also wouldn’t shock us if Boston dealt away this pick in order to fortify their roster in the present, but if they did hold onto the pick, the Iowa junior gets our stamp of approval at the Celtics Wire.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Will Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown take the Boston Celtics back to the NBA Finals?

Very much easier to talk about than to do, by all early accounts, this iteration of the Celtics is laser-focused on pulling it off.

It is very, very hard to make it to the NBA Finals in any given season. In fact, many of the greatest to play the game never made it that far as clear evidence of that fact. It is even harder still to make it back again, which is exactly what the Boston Celtics hope to do with their two young star wings, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Very much easier to talk about than to do, by all early accounts, this iteration of the Celtics is laser-focused on pulling it off — and with reinforcements in tow at that.

After having added some big man depth to bolster the frontcourt during Robert Williams III’s absence, traded for point guard Malcolm Brogdon, and signed forward Blake Griffin, this team is poised to do some serious postseason damage.

And it isn’t out of the question that injured swingman Danilo Gallinari might return in the playoffs. But will it be enough?

“Hoops Tonight” host Jason Timpf gave his opinion on a recent episode of his show — take a look at the clip embedded above to hear it for yourself.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Was it a snub for Boston Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum to not get any MVP votes in the annual NBA GM survey?

Was the absence of votes for Jayson Tatum in the Most Valuable Player candidate projections a snub — or apropos?

The Boston Celtics had a good showing in the 2022 NBA general managers’ survey, but there were a couple of glaring snubs to the team and its players. Chief among them was the lack of votes for veteran point guard Marcus Smart in defensive categories — and an absence of votes for Jayson Tatum in the Most Valuable Player candidate projections.

To talk about the snubs, and whether the team is currently overrated in the wake of the Ime Udoka scandal and a spate of injuries to the Celtics’ big man rotation, the hosts of the NBC Sports Boston “Early Edition” show dug into the survey results on a recent episode.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what Chris Forsberg, Trenni Casey, Tom Giles, and Andy Hart as they make sense of the results of the annual NBA survey.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Boston’s Derrick White talks about joining the Celtics’ starting lineup

White also assessed how new Boston big man Blake Griffin has looked in practice.

Boston Celtics guard Derrick White talked about joining the Celtics’ starting lineup in the preseason opener against the Charlotte Hornets after practice on Tuesday morning and whether he might continue to start in the place of injured big man Robert Williams III.

The Colorado native also discussed his thoughts about the other big men, such as Luke Kornet, competing for that spot, his job as a roller in some of those lineups and the ultra small lineup interim Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla tried that White wasn’t used to during the team’s blowout win over the Hornets. White also assessed how new Boston big man Blake Griffin has looked in practice and rising swingman Sam Hauser’s role on the team.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear the interview in full for yourself courtesy of CLNS Media.

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Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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How the Boston Celtics used Robert Williams III to unlock their offense

The bulk of media attention has rightfully been trained on his defensive impact in recent years, but his offensive game is worth a second look as well.

Why is starting Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III so dangerous in the way he is used? The Celtics deploy Timelord in an unusual way to warp the spacing of the game on both ends of the court to devastating effect when the oft-injured big man is available to play.

Unlike most modern NBA approaches to spacing, the Celtics’ scheme for Williams helped set up Boston as among the best defenses AND offenses in the league last season. The bulk of media attention has rightfully been trained on his defensive impact in recent years, but his offensive game is worth a second look as well.

And that is exactly what the focus of a recent video breakdown by our friends over at the Alex Hoops YouTube channel is about — how Timelord makes everyone around him more dangerous on the offensive end of the court.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what he has to say about the former Texas A&M player!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Was new Boston Celtics big man Blake Griffin throwing shade at the Brooklyn Nets in his introductory presser?

The veteran frontcourt player said he wasn’t used to the kind of environment he encountered in Boston.

New Boston Celtics big man Blake Griffin raved about the overall maturity of the Celtics upon signing with them officially this past Monday, as well as meeting new teammates such as star wing Jaylen Brown this week.

The veteran frontcourt player said he wasn’t used to the kind of environment he encountered in Boston upon his arrival. The comment was, perhaps, a subtle reference to his recent experience with the supremely dysfunctional Brooklyn Nets. Longtime Celtics nemesis Goran Dragic didn’t have rave reviews about that team after also leaving it this offseason.

Join CLNS Media reporter Bobby Manning as he breaks down Griffin’s arrival in Boston in the clip embedded below while we wait to see the six-time All-Star playing ball in green and white for the first time of his career in the Celtics’ exhibition game against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Boston rookie JD Davison on Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum mentoring him

Smart and Tatum have evidently been helping the Alabama guard with his transition to the NBA.

It was a bit of a surprise for many Boston Celtics fans when the team elected to roll the dice on an unproven prospect out of Alabama who flashed some seriously high-level potential amid an absolute mess of a debut season with the Crimson Tide.

But trusting in their ability to help that prospect — JD Davison — find his footing at the NBA level, Boston selected the Alabama floor general with its only pick in the 2022 NBA draft. Wowing fans with his summer league play soon after, it seems probable the Celtics made the right call. Veteran players Marcus Smart and Jayson Tatum have been excellent mentors to Davison per the man himself.

Watch the video embedded above to hear him talk about his time with Boston so far, and what that duo has been helping Davison with as he adjusts to the NBA game courtesy of our friends at CLNS Media.

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Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla reacts to Blake Griffin signing

The Celtics coach called Griffin a big body with great experience that can help the ball club on both ends of the floor.

Boston Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla reacted to the Blake Griffin signing after the team’s practice on Monday, the day on which the deal became official.

The Celtics coach called Griffin a big body with great experience that can help the club on both ends of the floor. The veteran big man expects to play in some preseason action and earn a role in a frontcourt missing starting center Robert Williams III for at least the first few months of the 2022-23 regular season. With fellow bigs Al Horford, Grant Williams, Luke Kornet and Mfiondu Kabengele already competing for floor time with the benefit of a week of training camp under their belts, Griffin starts with a disadvantage.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear everything Mazzulla had to say courtesy of the CLNS Media YouTube channel.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

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Seven Boston Celtics make HoopsHype’s 20 greatest centers list

Some of the greatest players to play the game have suited up for Boston at the 5 over the course of the organization’s storied history.

Perhaps the most impactful position in the history of the Boston Celtics, centers have been instrumental in winning most of the team’s NBA-record 17 banners. Some of the greatest to play the game have suited up for the Celtics at the 5 over the course of the organization’s storied past.

Scholars of the team’s history are already aware of the names mentioned in the latest edition of HoopsHype’s 20 greatest centers list. A number of the all-time great Boston big men made the cut for H/H’s list.

Let’s dive into which former Celtics made the list.