Tag: Bruno Fernando

Who are the best international players to play for the Boston Celtics?

From Charlie Hoefer to Alaa Abdenaby to Rick Fox to Kristaps Porzingis, there has been no shortage of players who were born abroad who have worn the green and white.

The Boston Celtics are a storied franchise for more than just their titles. They have been a trailblazing team in terms of signing and fielding players from all over the world, a philosophy that started in their first season.

From Charlie Hoefer to Alaa Abdelnaby to Rick Fox to Kristaps Porzingis, there has been no shortage of players born abroad who have worn the green and white.

But who were the best and who were the worst? What criteria should we use to judge them across eras? In the spirit of the annual arrival of #RankingSeason, the thing to do is try.

And try the hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” did on a recent episode.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear how they assessed the international Celtics of all time.

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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Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 28

Today’s installment focuses on the 14 players who wore No. 28 over the years as of August 2023.

The Boston Celtics have more retired jerseys than any other team in the NBA, but that doesn’t mean the rest of their jerseys have little history of interest tied to them.

In fact, with 17 titles to their name and decades of competitive basketball played in them, their unretired jersey numbers pack in some of the most history not hanging from the rafters of any team in the league. To that end, we have launched our accounting of that history, with every player in every jersey worn by more than one Celtics player in the storied franchise’s history accounted for.

Today’s installment focuses on the 14 players who wore No. 28 over the years as of August 2023.

12 Boston Celtics included in HoopsHype ‘best player in country history’ list

Let’s take a look at which Boston alumni made the cut — and what countries they hail from.

The Boston Celtics are a founding member and the most storied ball club of the league now known as the NBA, having been among the handful of teams from the era of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) days as the precursor league that would grow into today’s NBA was called.

So it should not surprise that the players who have worn the green and white over the nearly eight decades of existence of the franchise have at times been among the best to play the game anywhere in the world. In fact, there is a notable number of Celtics alumni present in a HoopsHype assessment of the best players to come from specific countries around the globe.

Let’s take a look at which Boston alumni made the cut — and what countries they hail from.

On this day: Fab Melo dealt to Griz; Ed Stanczak, Bruno Fernando born

On this day , former Celtics center Fab Melo was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies, and Bruno Fernando and Ed Stanczak were born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics big man Fab Melo (rest in peace) was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Donté Green in 2013. Fabricio Paulino de Melo (his full name) was a native of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil who played his collegiate basketball at Syracuse University and was later selected 22nd overall by the Celtics in the 2012 NBA draft.

Melo would struggle to find his footing at the NBA level, spending much of his time with the team’s developmental franchise in the G League, (then) the Maine Red Claws (now, Celtics).

He also spent too much time in the press for his clumsiness, overshadowing his basketball abilities at times.

Podcast: Why Rafael Stone and Tilman Fertitta were trade deadline winners

With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving leaving Brooklyn and Eric Gordon traded for first-round value, the 2023 NBA trade deadline was a successful one for #Rockets management.

The 2022-23 NBA trade deadline came and went, and major changes came with it for the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets.

Veteran guard Eric Gordon is finally with a contender (the Los Angeles Clippers). Reserves Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando are out the door as well (Atlanta). For general manager Rafael Stone, both deals were made with draft capital in mind.

Sunday’s episode of “The Lager Line” (sponsored by Clutch City Lager of Karbach Brewing) explains why Stone and owner Tilman Fertitta deserve praise for what became a successful week for the franchise in its ongoing rebuilding efforts.

The show, hosted by Ben DuBose and Paulo Alves, also explores the ripple effects of Kevin Durant’s Brooklyn departure and whether it should make the Rockets more or less likely to hold those first-round draft assets from the Nets, which last through the 2027 cycle.

Sunday’s full podcast can be listened to below. Each episode of the show is also available via flagship radio station SportsTalk 790, as well as to all major podcast distributors under “The Lager Line.”

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Rockets GM Rafael Stone explains Houston’s trade deadline moves

In Friday’s press conference, #Rockets GM Rafael Stone shared his perspective on Houston’s trade deadline moves (Eric Gordon) and what comes next for the 2022-23 roster and beyond.

In Friday’s press conference, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone shared his perspective on Houston’s trade deadline moves — headlined by a deal sending Eric Gordon to the Los Angeles Clippers — and insight on what comes next for the 2022-23 roster and beyond.

Will newly acquired veterans like Danny Green, Justin Holiday, and Frank Kaminsky be sticking around? Stone made it clear Friday that Houston is at least open to the idea, though additional conversations will be had with each of those players to determine the right fit.

None of the players acquired by the Rockets has a salary beyond the 2022-23 season, so Houston’s plan to create significant salary cap space in the 2023 offseason remains very much intact.

The rebuilding Rockets also bolstered their stockpile of future draft assets through Thursday’s deadline dealings, both with a 2023 first-round pick swap obtained in the Gordon trade and a pair of future second-round picks (Oklahoma City’s in 2024, 2025) acquired in the deal sending Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando to Atlanta.

From a GM’s perspective, here’s insight from Stone on how and why those deals went down at the deadline, along with his plan moving forward as Houston attempts to climb back to NBA relevancy.

Podcast: Rockets trade deadline reaction and Eric Gordon’s legacy in Houston

Today’s podcast with @JTGatlin and @BenDuBose features #Rockets trade reaction, with insight on a long-awaited Eric Gordon deal and why it was a win for Rafael Stone and Tilman Fertitta.

The 2022-23 NBA trade deadline is in the books, and major changes came with it for the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets.

Veteran guard Eric Gordon is finally on his way to a contender (the Los Angeles Clippers), while reserves Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando are out the door, as well (to Atlanta). For general manager Rafael Stone, both deals were made with future draft capital in mind.

Led by credentialed media members Jackson Gatlin and Ben DuBose, today’s “Locked on Rockets” podcast explains why this deadline should be viewed as a win for Stone and owner Tilman Fertitta.

Discussion topics include the team’s thought process behind all of its deadline dealings; Gordon’s legacy in Houston after spending nearly seven years with the franchise; what rotation changes are likely now that Gordon, Mathews, and Fernando are no longer with the Rockets; and the ripple effects from Brooklyn trading Kevin Durant.

Thursday’s “Locked on Rockets” episode can be listened to via Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, and nearly all major podcast distributors. It can also be watched on YouTube below.

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Rockets trade Garrison Mathews, Bruno Fernando to Atlanta for second-round draft picks

By trading Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando to Atlanta and taking on larger salary, the #Rockets acquired Oklahoma City’s second-round draft picks in 2024 and 2025.

On the same day they traded veteran guard Eric Gordon to the Los Angeles Clippers for draft capital, the Houston Rockets also traded a pair of sparingly used reserves to Atlanta for draft capital.

In a trade made by the Hawks for financial reasons, the Hawks are sending veteran wing Justin Holiday and big man Frank Kaminsky to the Rockets for Garrison Mathews and Bruno Fernando.

Neither Holiday nor Kaminsky has a contract for the 2023-24 season, so the move does not impact Houston’s salary cap room this offseason. However, their combined 2022-23 salary is larger than Mathews and Fernando, which was the incentive for Atlanta to do the deal.

In exchange for taking on the larger salaries and helping reduce Atlanta’s luxury-tax figure, the Rockets are receiving Oklahoma City’s second-round draft picks in 2024 and 2025. Both were owned by Atlanta due to a previous trade involving the Hawks and Thunder.

Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the minutes that had previously gone to Fernando and Mathews are now likely to go to second-year prospects Usman Garuba and Josh Christopher. Neither player acquired from the Hawks appears likely to have a large role.

Here’s a look at immediate reaction to the deal.

Rockets status updates: Kevin Porter Jr. questionable, TyTy Washington back with team

Rookie guard TyTy Washington is back with the #Rockets after a stint with Houston’s NBA G League affiliate, and he could prove useful now that Kevin Porter Jr.’s status is in question.

Rookie guard TyTy Washington is back with the Rockets after a stint with Houston’s NBA G League affiliate, and he could prove useful with Kevin Porter Jr.’s status in question.

Porter, Houston’s starting point guard, is listed as questionable for Thursday’s game in San Antonio due to right knee soreness. If he is unavailable, second-year guard Daishen Nix is the backup at that position and could see an enlarged role against the Spurs.

However, should that occur, there’s no one behind Nix on the depth chart. Enter Washington, a rookie out of Kentucky who averaged 20.2 points (48.3% FG, 37.3% on 3-pointers) and 4.7 assists in 31.7 minutes with the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers.

“He is back now,” head coach Stephen Silas said at Wednesday’s practice, as relayed by Coty M. Davis of Inside the Rockets. “And we will see if we can get him some minutes.”

“He has done a good job down there,” Silas said of Washington, who helped lead the Vipers to an 8-3 record. “He has made plays for himself, his teammates, and his defense has been good.”

Washington was drafted at No. 29 in the 2022 first round with a pick that was effectively acquired as part of a series of trades that sent last year’s starting center, Christian Wood, to Dallas.

Beyond Porter, reserve big man Bruno Fernando (non-COVID illness) and second-year guard Josh Christopher (left knee contusion) are also questionable for Thursday. Jae’Sean Tate remains sidelined indefinitely with right ankle soreness as has been the case for weeks.

Tipoff between the Rockets (7-17) and Spurs (6-18) is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Central from the AT&T Center. Houston enters with four wins in its last seven games, and Porter is the team’s assists leader and second-leading scorer for the 2022-23 season to date.

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Rockets credit short memory for massive rally at Phoenix

“We needed this,” said Jalen Green, who scored a team-high 30 points in Houston’s epic rally at Phoenix. “I always say that after a win, but we really needed this heading into Golden State.”

The odds were stacked against the Houston Rockets heading into Friday’s road matchup versus the Phoenix Suns. Many NBA analysts looked right past the game and were caught up in discussing more significant matchups around the league.

Even on local sports shows, the Rockets discussions were pushed to the fourth segment and deservedly so. Houston had looked abysmal in consecutive games against the Denver Nuggets.

Making matters worse, the Suns entered with the best record in the Western Conference and their superstar Devin Booker had just scored 51 points in only three quarters in the team’s previous game versus Chicago.

So, it was safe to say that the Rockets were entering a game most had already predicted the outcome. However, envisioning how a game will go in this business is equivalent to trying to forecast weather. Houston pulled off its biggest win of the season by defeating the Suns, 122-121, and ending Phoenix’s six-game winning streak.

Houston started at the same methodical pace it had in Denver and fell behind quickly, as the Suns dominated the first five minutes. Even though the Rockets clawed their way back and made the score look respectable at the half, it never seemed as if they had continuity. Jalen Green struggled to get going. He only made two of the 12 shots he attempted and scored just 9 points.

In the third quarter, the game’s tempo still favored Phoenix, as Houston trailed by as many as 16 points. In the past, the Rockets would likely have allowed games like this to slip away from them. But this year, they have more frequently fought through adversity, and that is precisely what Green did as he took over the game by scoring 20 of his team-leading 30 points in that quarter.

“One thing about my young guys is they have a short memory, they keep going,” said Rockets head coach Stephen Silas.

The third-year head coach was extremely proud of the job Green did defensively by taking on the challenge of guarding Booker.

“He took on the challenge of guarding Booker,” Silas told reporters postgame. “That’s growth. Showing his competitiveness, showing what he can be. I was really proud of him for that.”

Houston still trailed by double-digits heading into the fourth quarter, but Green’s play had turned momentum in the Rockets’ favor. Midway through the quarter, they tied the game at 106. Reserve center Bruno Fernando came off the bench and gave the Rockets a huge spark, finishing at the rim with authority.

“It is great having those guys with energy off the bench,” Green said.

The Rockets (6-16) will face the Golden State Warriors on Saturday in the final game of a difficult four-game road trip.

“We needed this,” Green said of the win. “I always say that after a win, but we really needed this heading into Golden State.”

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