Tag: Wally Szczerbiak

MSG Network analyst Wally Szczerbiak goes off on Nets star Ben Simmons

MSG Network analyst Wally Szczerbiak said on Monday that Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Ben Simmons is ‘overrated’.

MSG Network analyst Wally Szczerbiak said on Monday that Brooklyn Nets guard/forward Ben Simmons is overrated. To add to the rant, the Nets host the New York Knicks at 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.

Simmons has had a terrible start to this season and has been torched on the defensive end. Simmons is averaging 5.6 PPG and is shooting only 43.2% from the field.

On Monday, Simmons was the primary defender on Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, which played a big part in Doncic scoring 36 points. Even though Simmons played just 16 minutes, he had the second-worst plus/minus on the team (minus-5). Szczerbiak seems to be ranting about all of the above.

“Most overrated player is Ben Simmons. It’s not even close. The guy couldn’t even play in the playoffs two years ago. Then he was scared to get on the court all of last year. The guy is scared to shoot. He’s the first pick in the NBA draft and you can’t even get him on the basketball floor. He’s supposed to be a good defender. He was playing for the Brooklyn Nets and they were giving up 125 points per game, and they got their coach fired because they couldn’t stop anybody. Ben Simmons is so overrated you can’t even put him in the game anymore. It’s a little bit of a shame.”

Simmons looks for improvement on Wednesday when the Nets take on the Knicks.

[listicle id=48035]

[listicle id=48033]

Real ones know about former Boston Celtic Wally Szczerbiak

The University of Miami alum managed to put up impressive numbers with the team during his two seasons playing for Boston.

Fans of the Boston Celtics today may not know too much about the tenure of small forward Wally Szczerbiak with the team in the early 2000s, but the onetime University of Miami player put up impressive numbers with the team during his two seasons playing for the storied franchise.

Traded to the Celtics with Dwayne Jones, Michael Olowokandi and draft assets for Marcus Banks, Mark Blount, Ricky Davis, Justin Reed and picks, Szczerbiak ended up being a part of Celtics history when he was a key part of the deal that brought Ray Allen to the team from the (then) Seattle SuperSonics (now, Oklahoma City Thunder).

To learn a little more about the contexts of his career, check out this short put together by the folks over at The Score’s YouTube channel.

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

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

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

[mm-video type=video id=01gggcmxn5bk7s5z3rms playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gggcmxn5bk7s5z3rms/01gggcmxn5bk7s5z3rms-c7008615fd5c894f63e2076cfe2c9eec.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=111483,111625,111636,111480,111646,111631]

[vertical-gallery id=111649]

[listicle id=111623]

[listicle id=111663]

[listicle id=111616]

[listicle id=111597]

Every player in Boston Celtics history who wore No. 55

This is every player in Boston’s history who wore the Celtics’ No. 55 jersey for at least one game as of October 2022.

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 13 players who wore No. 55 over the years as of October 2022.

What are the 5 biggest Celtics trades made during the NBA draft?

The Boston Celtics have made some hugely impactful trades during the NBA draft. Check out the miraculous story behind some of these deals.

The NBA draft is all about roster design. There are a lot of different strategies out there, but let’s stick with what legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach once offered: “They said you have to use your five best players but I found you win with the five who fit together the best.”

With that frame, the draft offers a tantalizing number of opportunities. Sure, you can select the best available player and hope he grows with your system. But fortune favors the bold — the NBA draft is a chance to really swing for the fences and bring in the right player. A smart trade on draft night can change everything.

Boston, unsurprisingly, has a history of moving and shaking far beyond the limited frame of their own specific pick. Following the leadership of Auerbach, the Celtics’ NBA draft trade history is a rich and storied one. As we’ll see, some of the franchise’s best players landed in green by way of a draft-day trade. Let’s discuss.

Snapshot: A look back at Steve Francis, the bouncy, shifty point guard

With his athleticism and shifty dribble, Steve Francis was one of the most talented guards of his era.

When Steve Francis elevated off the floor and hung in the air, he was prepared to posterize someone if necessary.

Francis, who played his first five NBA seasons with the Houston Rockets, was one of the bounciest and most athletic guards of his day. He had a shifty dribble that helped him regularly skirt past his opponents, ready to finish at the rim.

As the league’s 2000 Rookie of the Year, Francis made an immediate impact. He averaged 18.0 points per game, 6.6 assists and shot 34.5% from the 3-point line in his rookie season.

He made the 1999-00 All-Rookie first team, joining Elton Brand, Andre Miller, Lamar Odom and Wally Szczerbiak.

Francis’ scoring ability was the best attribute of his game. Francis had three seasons where he scored 20 or more points a game — two of those seasons were with Houston. The 2001-02 campaign marked the first of his three All-Star appearances, and it was also his best season scoring-wise.

During that season, Francis scored a career-high 21.6 points per game, grabbed a career-best 7.0 rebounds and dished 6.4 assists. According to NBA.com stats, Francis was fourth in rebounds per game among guards that season.

He played nine seasons, and the only time he didn’t average double figures in scoring was his last season in 2007-08, which was with the Rockets.

Though Francis had individual success, he didn’t go to the playoffs often. He made it to the postseason once in 2004, and the Rockets lost in five games against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first round.

Francis led the Rockets in scoring and assists during the series; he was second in rebounds behind Jim Jackson. Francis averaged 19.2 points per game, 7.6 assists and 8.4 rebounds in those five games.

After starting his career in Houston, Francis then played a season and a half for the Orlando Magic.

Francis was traded to the New York Knicks from Orlando during the 2005-06 season, and he played with New York through the 2006-07 season. Francis finished his career with averages of 18.1 points per game, 6.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds. He shot 42.9% from the field and 34.1% from deep.

Despite not having many playoff appearances, Francis was one of the most talented guards of his era.

Perhaps more importantly, he was a predecessor for players like Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, two of the most explosive and athletic guards of all time.

[lawrence-related id=3128,3125,28384,27876]