Category: recap/preview

Boston Celtics alum Pete Maravich’s wrist pass was a devastating weapon

The NBA great was better known for his long-distance shooting (thus the nickname “Pistol”) but was also among the better and more creative floor generals of his time.

There may have been no more devastating of a pass in the early modern era of the NBA than former Boston Celtics guard “Pistol” Pete Maravich’s renowned “wrist pass.” It could have a confused defender chasing after a ball that was simply not where his eyes were saying it was supposed to be.

Executed in transition, it was all the more confounding, with defenders sometimes ending up lost and behind the play with a dazed look on their faces as Maravich’s target lays up an easy make. The NBA great was better known for his long-distance shooting (thus the nickname “Pistol“), but he was also among the better and more creative floor generals of his time.

To see how the wrist pass works in action, the folks over at the ESPN Rewind YouTube channel put together a short clip of Maravich deploying it to amazing effect.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EITISGPgF0k

Take a look for yourself in the video embedded above.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

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The greatest shot that never counted: Jae Crowder’s illegal buzzer-beating full-court heave

The Celtics lost the game, but it was one heck of a way to go out.

With 1.1 seconds left on the clock, Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder knew he needed a miracle. So, he dialed the basketball gods up for a special favor, and heaved the ball more than 94 feet across the court only to have the shot go in. If you are confused why the sentence you just read ended in “only to see the shot go in,” we get it.

But Crowder, a former Marquette standout, wasn’t trying to accomplish a long distance Hail Mary. Instead, the Celtics swingman was trying to bank the ball off the backboard, allowing a teammate located under the basket to tip the ball in for an unlikely victory.

The win eluded Boston and Crowder that night, but the full-court heave that went in as an illegal basket (it was not a shot but an entry pass, effectively) is easily, in our opinion, the greatest shot that never counted.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/b6El4FFyrRg

Take a look at the clip embedded above to see 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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Boston Celtics Hall of Fame forward Larry Bird’s best highlights: Volume II

Check out part II of this highlights series of Larry Legend himself.

While we have not seen too much yet of the legendary counterpart to Los Angeles Lakers icon Earvin “Magic” Johnson in the hit HBO NBA basketball series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” Boston Celtics Hall of Fame small forward Larry Joe Bird plays an important foil to the Los Angeles title teams of the 1980s. Better known as the ‘Showtime” Lakers, the team joined the Celtics, through the on-court wizardry of Magic and Bird, to help revitalize a moribund NBA in the early 1980s.

With many younger Boston fans becoming aware of that era of play and the Celtics’ own titles teams of that decade, it behooves us to share more highlights of Larry Legend and his play with the Boston teams from that era.

And NBC Boston Sports has put out the best of Bird’s highlights, with ep. II below.

Check out the clip embedded above for the first installment of the Hick From French Lick’s (as Bird was lovingly called) best plays, whether you’re just getting to know Larry’s game or know it like the back of your hand.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Five minutes of Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum hitting fadeaway jumpers

The Kobe Bryant-inspired shot used to be a weak spot in Tatum’s arsenal — not anymore.

Boston Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum began his basketball career idolizing Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard (and Celtics nemesis) Kobe Bryant, and would later be mentored by the Laker legend before his untimely death. In particular, the St. Louis native has sought to add Bryant’s signature fadeaway to his game, a tough shot for moments only a tough shot will do.

To the consternation of Celtics fans everywhere, Tatum would often try the difficult shot often earlier in his career, passing up on hitting an open teammate to take the lower-percentage shot himself. Now, a more complete player who trusts his teammates to make a shot when their number is called, Taco Jay uses the fadeaway less — but to deadly effect.

The former Blue Devil is now a master of the shot, which caught the attention of the league itself when they decided to put together a clip of five minutes of Tatum unleashing his Kobe-inflected fadeaway.

Check out the clip embedded above to see him in action, letting it fly in a way that used to make Celtics fans wince that now seems to be having the same effect on Boston’s opponents in the present.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston Celtics Hall of Fame forward Larry Bird’s best highlights: Volume III

Check out part III of this highlights series of Larry Legend himself.

While we have not seen too much yet of the legendary counterpart to Los Angeles Lakers icon Earvin “Magic” Johnson in the hit HBO NBA basketball series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” Boston Celtics Hall of Fame small forward Larry Joe Bird plays an important foil to the Los Angeles title teams of the 1980s. Better known as the ‘Showtime” Lakers, the team joined the Celtics, through the on-court wizardry of Magic and Bird, to help revitalize a moribund NBA in the early 1980s.

With many younger Boston fans becoming aware of that era of play and the Celtics’ own titles teams of that decade, it behooves us to share more highlights of Larry Legend and his play with the Boston teams from that era.

And NBC Boston Sports has put out the best of Bird’s highlights, with ep. III below.

Check out the clip embedded above for the first installment of the Hick From French Lick’s (as Bird was lovingly called) best plays, whether you’re just getting to know Larry’s game or know it like the back of your hand.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Sin City Celtics fall to Summer Sixers 103-98 in Las Vegas Summer League consolation game

It might have come n a loss, but Jordan Walsh had his breakout game.

The Boston Celtics did not make the postseason of the NBA’s 2024 Las Vegas Summer League with their play in Sin City, but they did manage to earn themselves a consolation tilt with the Summer Philadelphia 76ers.

Not that it would matter much, with the Sin City Celtics falling to the Summer Sixers 103-98, this despite the best game from second-year Boston wing Jordan Walsh (18 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks). Guard Jaelen House (17 points, 4 boards, 6 assists) also had a good night off the bench. Forward Tyler Cook (16 points, 4 rebounds), forward Anton Watson (15 points, 4 boards, 3 assists), and wing Baylor Scheierman (13 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists) also had good games.

With the loss, the Celtics have completed their full slate of games in Las Vegas Summer League action with a 2-3 overall record.

And while such outcomes are less important than in other context, Boston got a good luck at several prospects it likely would want to bring into the team’s talent development pipeline.

How that shakes out over the next few days will signal what the Celtics’ front office values for their future rotation hopes.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston Celtics drop final game of Las Vegas Summer League to Dallas Mavericks

Thankfully, this was not the NBA finals.

The Boston Celtics had perhaps their best game of team play in the NBA’s 2024 Las Vegas Summer League to date. But having a total of six players scoring in double figures was not enough to put the Sin City Celtics past the Summer Dallas Mavericks on this past Friday (July 19) night, falling 101-90.

The Celtics were led by guard Jaelen House with 18 points, 2 rebounds, and an impressive 9 assists. Boston also saw good games from rookie wing Baylor Scheierman (15 points, 5 boards, 3-of-6 from 3), forward Anton Watson (14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2-of-4 from 3), wing Jordan Walsh (12 points, 11 boards, 4 assists), and forward Killian Tillie (12 points).

Forward Ron Harper Jr. also had a solid outing for the Celtics coming off the bench with 11 points.

With the loss, the Celtics’ summer league record falls to 2-2, likely ending their run in the state of Nevada until next summer/

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston Celtics beat Los Angeles Lakers 88-74 in Summer Celtics second game of Las Vegas Summer League

The Boston Celtics got their first win of the NBA’s 2024 Las Vegas Summer League, fittingly against their biggest rivals.

The Boston Celtics got their first win of the NBA’s 2024 Las Vegas Summer League, fittingly against their biggest rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Sin City Celtics beat the Summer Lakers 88-74 to bring Boston to 1-1 in summer league play to date, and Los Angeles to 0-2.

Big man Neemias Queta led all scorers with 22 points, along with 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. Guard Jahmius Ramsey had a good game off the bench with 13 points, and forward Drew Peterson put up a solid 12 points, 5 boards, and 3 assists. Wing Jordan Walsh (9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block) and guard JD Davison (9 points, 7 assists, 1 block) also had good games.

The Summer Celtics will next face the Sin City Charlotte Hornets this coming Wed., July 17.

Let’s take a look at the best photos from the Celtics’ summer league win. Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Best photos of Boston Celtics fans in the Banner 18 duck boat parade

Let’s take a look at some of the best photos of the fans at the parade.

The Boston Celtics are your 2024 NBA Champions after they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the 2024 NBA Finals. Star Boston forwards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have hung Banner 18 after one of the longest title gaps in the history of the storied franchise.

In the City of Boston, when a local team wins it all, the ancient tradition of a duck boat parade has been revived for a new generation of Celtics champions and the fans who stuck with them over the years. The parade itself was unbelievably immense in terms of attendance, with a small army of Celtics fans in the streets to pay their respects to the champs.

Let’s take a look at some of the best photos of some of those fans at the parade.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Best photos of the Boston Celtics in the Banner 18 duck boat parade

Let’s take a look at some of the best photos of the Celtics in the parade.

The Boston Celtics are your 2024 NBA Champions after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the 2024 NBA Finals, the core around star Boston wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown having finally hung the long-coveted Banner 18 after one of the longest title droughts in Celtics history.

And as we are wont to do in the City of Boston when a local team wins it all, the duck boat parade was revived, revamped, and redeployed for a new generation of Celtics champions and the fans who stuck with them over the many near-misses. The parade itself was unbelievably immense in terms of attendance, with a small army of Celtics fans in the streets to pay their respects to the champs.

Let’s take a look at some of the best photos of the Celtics in the parade.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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