Tag: Sam Cassell

On this day: Kevin McHale gets 56; Sam Cassell signed; Jayson Tatum, Jordan Walsh born

On this day in Celtics history, legend Kevin McHale scored 56 points, Sam Cassell signed with Boston, and Jayson Tatum was born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, champion reserve guard Sam Cassell signed with the storied franchise as a late-season addition in the Celtics’ push for Banner 17.

Cassell had played just under half — a total of 38 games of the 2007-08 NBA season — with the Los Angeles Clippers before he managed to negotiate a buyout at the end of the month of February. After listening to the pitches of several NBA teams, Cassell ultimately decided to hitch his proverbial wagon to the team, inking an agreement as an unrestricted free agent on this date in 2008 to finish the season in green and white.

The Florida State product would play an important role for the Celtics in the postseason, and after being reunited with former teammates Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen won his third and final title.

On this day: Sam Cassell traded to Kings; Phil Pressey born

On this day in Celtics history, former Boston guard Sam Cassell was dealt to the Sacramento Kings, and Phil Pressey was born.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, former Celtics veteran guard Sam Cassell was traded to the Sacramento Kings in 2009. Cassell was traded to the Kings for a conditional second-round draft pick halfway through the 2008-09 season after winning a championship with Boston, and never actually played for Sacramento.

Instead, the Florida State product served as something of an assistant for the team’s head coach Doc Rivers before the trade while not playing any games despite being listed as an active player. It was, oddly enough, the second time in his pro career that he was traded on this day.

Cassell had previously been shipped to the (then) New Jersey (now Brooklyn) Nets by the Dallas Mavericks.

8 candidates to be the Bucks’ next head coach, including Doc Rivers

Who will the Bucks pick to coach them in a championship push?

The Milwaukee Bucks were a good team, but they probably weren’t great. And that was precisely Adrian Griffin’s problem.

News of Griffin’s firing in Milwaukee floored the NBA world on Tuesday. Not because folks were shocked the Bucks fired Griffin, who reportedly had issues with his scheme and some of his players. But because of the timing. At 30-13, Milwaukee is tied for the second-best record in the NBA at the halfway point of the regular season. There was no guarantee that standings success would last but, again, the second-best record in the league! It’s late January!

Nonetheless, the Bucks clearly have their eyes on someone who they believe can elevate their roster in the postseason. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard won’t be around forever. One of the rumored early favorites is Doc Rivers, who might be able to deliver on that promise.

Here’s a list of head coaching candidates for the Bucks to consider as they chase a second title with Antetokounmpo.

How much credit should the Boston Celtics’ coaching staff get for the team’s hot start?

What is the role of the Celtics’ coaching staff in the ball club’s strong early-season performance?

How much credit should the Boston Celtics’ coaching staff get for the team’s hot start? Following the Celtics’ close 120-118 victory against the Toronto Raptors at TD Garden on Friday night, the hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast analyzed the significant role of the Celtics’ coaching staff in the ball club’s strong early-season performance to date.

Credit is certainly due in part to Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and his two new assistants in Sam Cassell and Charles Lee, but also veteran Boston assistant coach Tony Dobbins. Their combined efforts in crafting effective strategies for the team and building a resilient culture was particularly evident in the Raptors win, pulled off despite the absence of stars Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis.

Check it out the clip embedded below to hear what the Garden Report crew had to say about the role of coaching in the Celtics’ recent success.

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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Paul Pierce, Sam Cassell, and Eddie House: 2008, trash talk, working with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown

Thirteen years after hanging Banner 17, the bond between members of the 2008 championship-winning Boston Celtics squad remains strong.

Thirteen years after hanging Banner 17, the bond between key members of the 2008 championship-winning Boston Celtics squad remains strong. In a recent interview, former Celtics Paul Pierce, Sam Cassell, and Eddie House traded memories from that historic season. They described the intense team practices fueled by ruthless trash talk that built an unbreakable trust and brotherhood known for its “ubuntu” ethos.

The champions emphasized how the friendships formed off court strengthened them as players and people. From team dinners to bonding overseas during training camp, they grew tight. That culture established by coach Doc Rivers and staff paved the championship path.

The 2008 title trio recently sat down for a chat as part of the team-produced “View From The Rafters” to talk old times and how they lessons they learned might lay the groundwork for a new generation of Celtics to hang Banner 18.

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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Mazzulla on why assistant coach Sam Cassell’s experience is a ‘gift’

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla outlines why assistant Sam Cassell is such a “gift” for Boston.

The Boston Celtics are currently one of the most potent teams in the NBA, and bona fide contenders to win a title this spring. Much of this is thanks to a re-vamped roster full of current and former All-Stars, but for second year head coach Joe Mazzulla, the cohort of assistant coaches on his bench deserves similar credit for Boston’s early success this season.  This includes former Celtic and NBA champion Sam Cassell.

Cassell is a former All-Star himself, and won three titles as a player, including in 2008 with Boston. Since retiring in 2009, Cassell has served as an assistant with several teams before joining Mazzulla’s staff this offseason.

Cassell headlined a busy summer of changes to Boston’s coaching staff, as the 35-year-old Mazzulla looked to add experience and wisdom to the Celtics sidelines.

On this day: Len Bias, Garfield Smith, Sam Cassell born; Bob Cousy traded

On this day, Celtics Len Bias, Garfield Smith, and Sam Cassell — while Boston icon Bob Cousy had his rights traded to the Cincinnati Royals.

On this day in Boston Celtics history, small forward Len Bias was born in Landover, Maryland in 1963. Bias would attend his hometown University of Maryland after graduating high school, where he would rise to national attention with the Terrapins.

He would be taken by the Celtics with the second overall pick of the 1986 NBA draft, only to have tragedy follow soon after. To celebrate his good fortune of landing with the storied franchise, the former Terrapin returned to the University of Maryland campus to celebrate his ascent to a contending team in the NBA with several of his friends.

Bias would have a seizure and collapse after using cocaine, a cardiac arrhythmia triggered by the use of the drug that eventually killed him. His unexpected passing is one of the great tragedies of Celtics and NBA history — rest in peace.

Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Can Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell help Jayson Tatum win the NBA’s 2024 MVP?

Tatum can benefit from Cassell’s expertise in mid-post play and playmaking, as well as his considerable leadership experience accrued over his years in the league.

Can new Boston Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell help All-NBA Boston forward Jayson Tatum win the NBA’s 2024 Most Valuable Player award? Cassell’s addition to the Celtics coaching staff has sparked discussions about how he can benefit the St. Louis native’s game, and rightfully so given Cassell’s considerable pedigree as both an assistant and as a player, having won multiple titles in the latter capacity including one with Boston in 2008.

Tatum can benefit from Cassell’s expertise in mid-post play and playmaking, as well as his considerable leadership experience accrued over his years in the league on both sides of the clipboard, and from the swagger he carried himself with as a player just as the Duke alum is poised to be a top MVP candidate on his own.

The hosts of the “True Hoop TV” podcast Jarod Hector and David Thorpe recently sat down to discuss the potential impact Cassell could have on Tatum’s MVP odds on a recent episode.

Check out the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say.

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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Paul Pierce, Sam Cassell, and Eddie House hold impromptu 3-point shooting contest

The trio of 2008 titlists put on a show for today’s Celtics at camp.

Three legendary Boston Celtics players, Paul Pierce, Sam Cassell, and Eddie House, recently took fans down memory lane with a 3-point shooting contest joined by a few other Boston assistants during a Celtics practice session at their 2023 training camp on Thursday.

Pierce, also known as “The Truth,” is a Celtics icon who spent 15 seasons with the team. Cassell, another former Celtics star, was known for his clutch performances during his time with the team. House, a sharpshooter in his own right, played a vital role off the bench during the Celtics’ championship run in 2008. His ability to knock down 3-pointers with consistency made him a fan favorite during his time in Boston.

The shooting contest quickly caught the attention of all in the building, with even current Celtics stars pausing to watch the spectacle.

To see it for yourself, check out the clip embedded above.

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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Celtics assistant Sam Cassell works with Boston’s Jayson Tatum at training camp

Training camp is officially underway with the ball club’s many new arrivals getting in reps with the new coaching staff.

The Boston Celtics‘ 2023 offseason is over with their Media Day proceedings for the looming 2023-24 NBA season behind them and training camp is officially underway with the ball club’s many new arrivals getting in reps with the new coaching staff.

Integrating the likes of Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Dalano Banton, Oshae Brissett, Svi Mykhailiuk, Lamar Stevens, Jordan Walsh, and others spending time under the tutelage of new assistants Charles Lee and Sam Cassell is underway. Catching up with the media to get them apprised of what has been going on, and seeing if players like Wenyen Gabriel and Neemias Queta can give the team the bench big play it needs are also at the top of the docket.

To see the results of some of that action for yourself, check out the clip embedded below to see Cassell working with Jayson Tatum.

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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