Red Auerbach Would Be Proud Of Marcus Smart

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Post by bobheckler Thu Jan 01, 2015 5:09 pm




http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2014/12/red_auerbach_would_be_proud_of_marcus_smart



Red Auerbach would be proud of Marcus Smart




Red Auerbach Would Be Proud Of Marcus Smart 123114celtsms24
Photo by: Matt Stone
NOT A FESTIVE NEW YEAR’S EVE: Marcus Smart is held back by Celtics teammate Jameer Nelson after getting into a scuffle with the Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins.


Thursday, January 1, 2015


By:  Steve Bulpett


Red Auerbach was smiling yesterday. Even if just in the imaginations of Celtics followers, he was smiling.

’Twas the Old Redhead who oft stated that he wanted instigators — not retaliators — on the Celtics. So when rookie Marcus Smart decided to go through DeMarcus Cousins’ pick, rather than around it, and then put a little extra into a blockout on a Sacramento shot a few seconds later, it was easy to envision Auerbach laughing and fogging the celestial sitting room with cigar smoke.

“Hey, Red, are you trying to kill us?”

“Calm down. We’re already up here. Enjoy the damn game.”

The Celts were well on their way to the 106-84 clobbering of the Kings, who were wearing Rochester Royals throwback uniforms (Red liked that, too), when Smart’s instigation produced retaliation.

The 6-foot-4 guard ran into the 6-11 center on the pick with a little less than eight minutes left, and the latter was knocked back. Then when Smart went lower than Cousins thought proper on the box-out, the Kings big man grabbed Smart by the jersey and shoulder and threw him to the court.

Cousins got a technical foul for rookie-tossing. Smart got a technical for . . . well, no one ever really got an explanation for that, but the Celtics’ thought is that the officials were just trying to chill things out in a game that was pretty much out of hand on the scoreboard.

According to Cousins, his actions weren’t just about frustration with the way the Kings were playing, though there was plenty of that.

“I did have an issue (with Smart),” said Cousins, who had received a first-quarter technical for screaming at ref Danny Crawford and was ejected. “It didn’t start with the box-out. It was the pick. He tried to run through my chest, then he came and I felt he took a cheap shot on the box-out, and that’s what resulted to what happened.

“But even with that being said, I’ve got to make better decisions. The team depends on me every night, and I just can’t do things like that.”

By that point, more than 20 minutes after the game, Cousins appeared to have settled down. That wasn’t the case in the immediate aftermath.

According to multiple sources, Cousins said, “That’s OK. I’ll get him after the game,” on his way from the scene. There was, therefore, a bit larger security presence in the hallway between the two dressing rooms.

Smart, meanwhile, was profoundly unruffled by his significantly larger adversary.

“To be honest, I’m not really worried about that,” he said of the altercation after going for 11 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. “He knows that I’m not going to back down from it. I don’t see why I got the tech though, but it’s all good. They didn’t really tell me that, but it’s all good. I’m one of those guys that’s not going to back down from anything, so I’m going to let that be known.”

Told of Cousins’ objections, Smart said, “Man, it was a box-out. That’s his opinion. Everybody saw the play. Like I said, I’m not going to back down from anything. If that’s what he thinks, that’s what he thinks.”

And the pick?

“Once again, that’s what he thinks,” Smart said. “I’m just playing defense.”

More to the point, and of far greater importance, Marcus Smart was just playing yesterday.

The kid is clearly having some issues in the transition to NBA point guard, which is why playing next to Jameer Nelson with the second backcourt unit seems to help him. But most of his issues stem from the struggle to go from consciously thinking the game to simply being instinctive.

When Smart trusts himself and lets his aggressive and competitive natures out to play, he is far more valuable and impactful to the Celtics.

“When you’re tasked with running the offense and getting people in spots, and playing well yourself, it’s a difficult job,” coach Brad Stevens said. “I think that being able to manage those duties a little bit with a guy like Jameer is helpful. We’ll see how it continues to play itself out, but (Smart is) going to have some ups and downs. I just hope he continues to play hard through them.”

As for Smart playing more on instinct, Stevens said, “Yeah, that’s when he’s at his best. No question.”

Said Smart: “You can say that. I’m a very competitive guy, just like everybody on this team. I just come out there to play, and, you know, when it gets chippy like that, you just raise your intensity a little bit more.

“That’s the way I have to be able to play, just instinct, just go out there and play. Don’t think too much, and just let it happen.”

Asked what he wants his NBA reputation to be, Smart said, “When people think of me? Just a tough guy that’s never going to back down from anything and is not going to take nothing from nobody.”

Red would like that. He wouldn’t even mind the double negative.




bob
MY NOTE:  Not to diminish Bulpett's piece but I'd sure like to hear someone who played gritty "D" for Red, like KC Jones, say this.  Why doesn't Bob Ryan or some other longtimer who know some of Red's players make a few calls?



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Post by Sam Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:34 pm

Bob, I'll give you a name.

Gene Conley.

Now age 84, won championship rings pitching with the Milwaukee Braves (1957) and backing up Bill Russell in 1959, 1960 and 1961. His lifetime ERA (11 seasons) was 3.82, he was a two-time baseball all-star. His highs for the Celtics were in the 1959-60 and 1960-61 season when (in 18 mpg), he averaged 6.5 points and 7.8 rebounds. (That's 16 rebounds per 36 minutes.)

Geno had razor blades for elbows, and Red loved him. No opponent wanted to face the rawboned defensive giant, and he really loved to mix it up. Occasionally, Red would play both him and Russ together, and together they would practically shut out the other team for brief periods.

Gene, who began his baseball career with the Boston Braves and ended it with the Boston Red Sox, was a character. When Pumpsie Green jumped the Red Sox in New York City for a little holiday, it was Geno who went along with him. His wife, Kathryn L. Conley, wrote a very entertaining book about him entitled, "One of a Kind."

When we held a celebration for Sam Jones in Sam's adopted home town of Sharon, MA, Geno was the only Celtic representative other than Sam who attended. What an affable Assassin he was. He used to live in the Foxboro area of Massachusetts, but I'm not sure where he is now. I hope he's doing well. I wonder whether he's in the New England Sports Hall of Fame. Have to look into that.

Anyway, if you want to hear about tough, tough defense on guys like Chamberlain, Geno's your guy.

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Post by bobheckler Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:56 pm

sam wrote:Bob, I'll give you a name.

Gene Conley.

Now age 84, won championship rings pitching with the Milwaukee Braves (1957) and backing up Bill Russell in 1959, 1960 and 1961.  His lifetime ERA (11 seasons) was 3.82, he was a two-time baseball all-star.  His highs for the Celtics were in the 1959-60 and 1960-61 season when (in 18 mpg), he averaged 6.5 points and 7.8 rebounds.  (That's 16 rebounds per 36 minutes.)

Geno had razor blades for elbows, and Red loved him.  No opponent wanted to face the rawboned defensive giant, and he really loved to mix it up.  Occasionally, Red would play both him and Russ together, and together they would practically shut out the other team for brief periods.

Gene, who began his baseball career with the Boston Braves and ended it with the Boston Red Sox, was a character.  When Pumpsie Green jumped the Red Sox in New York City for a little holiday, it was Geno who went along with him.  His wife, Kathryn L. Conley, wrote a very entertaining book about him entitled,  "One of a Kind."

When we held a celebration for Sam Jones in Sam's adopted home town of Sharon, MA, Geno was the only Celtic representative other than Sam who attended.  What an affable Assassin he was.  He used to live in the Foxboro area of Massachusetts, but I'm not sure where he is now.  I hope he's doing well.  I wonder whether he's in the New England Sports Hall of Fame.  Have to look into that.

Anyway, if you want to hear about tough, tough defense on guys like Chamberlain, Geno's your guy.

Sam


Sam,

I don't question the hard-nosed defense played by Red's players, I'd just to like to hear one of them say (or, at least, quoted directly) "Red would be proud of Marcus Smart" and not a scribe, even Bulpett.





bob



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Post by swish Thu Jan 01, 2015 8:03 pm

Sam

Update on Conley.

"Prior to retiring Conley and his wife ran their own business for 35 years in Foxboro, Massachusetts called the Foxboro Paper Company (I didn't know paper companies really existed, other than Dundler-Mifflin)."

“I was the CEO and she was the President,” said Conley. “We had a couple of people help out, but it was what you called a low overhead business. We made it work real well for 35 years.”

Gene and Kathryn lived in Orlando up until 2009, but have since moved to Waterville Valley, New Hampshire.

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Post by Sam Fri Jan 02, 2015 12:36 am

Thanks for the update, Swish.  Geno has always been one of my favorite Celtics and one of my favorite people.  Interesting that they're reversing the trend of moving to warmer climes in their old age.

BobH,

I don't believe K.C. Jones is all that well, and Conley was the next most appropriate informant on Red's defensive views that I could think of.  Other than Russell, of course.  Loscy could also be considered; but I considered him more of a tough guy than a skilled defender.  Of course, laying the wood on some guys somehow made them easier to defend.

Edit: I just read a squib in Wikipedia that says KC works for the University of Hartford and does color commentary for the U. of Hartford men's basketball team.  Unfortunately, I don't know when that information was posted.  But perhaps KC is healthier than I had heard.  I hope so.

Sam


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Post by beat Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:21 am

In thinking of the GREAT memorable Celtics individual plays.... are not the best of those defensive moments?

In no particular order...

Havliceck stole the ball
Russ runs down Colman to get the block
Bird picks Isiah dishes to DJ
Cowens strips the Big O then dives and slides 10-15 feet to recover the ball
Rondo doing virtually the same thing to (someone)

these are just 5 I can think of off the top.....

Smarts play the other day diving on a loose ball then getting it down the floor for a layup is one to remember for now. For a player not even old enough to drink (legally) yet, the upside is pretty high.

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Post by Sloopjohnb Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:37 am

Gerald Henderson picks off lazy James Worthy pass for a game tying layup that saved the Celtics from an 0-2 hole with the next two in LA.

Not as dramatic but just as vital was Don Chaney's defense of Oscar Robertson in '74 finals. Duck made the Big O work for every inch of the floor. Simply put, no Chaney no title in '74.

Yeah, that Smart play was pretty impressive. Physically Smart reminds me a bit of Quinn Buckner. His shooting also reminds me of Buckner. Not denigrating Buckner but let's hope that isn't Smart's ceiling.

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Post by gyso Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:57 am

I remember a James Posey steal.  It wasn't a kind of steal where it brought it back from the brink of disaster.  Our bacon was sliding towards the edge of the pan and it did keep the bacon from falling into the fire.

Time was running out (less than a minute to go?), they had the ball and it was perhaps a two possession game at the time.  Posey was "hanging in the weeds" and then curved around to steal it before they could get it over the half court line.

The part I cannot remember exactly is who it was against.  I'm pretty sure it wasn't against the Lakers because if it was, it may have been significant enough to be listed up in Beat's post.  I think it may have been against the Leavland Bronnies.

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Last edited by gyso on Fri Jan 02, 2015 10:22 am; edited 3 times in total (Reason for editing : *steal plus other things)

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Post by Sloopjohnb Fri Jan 02, 2015 10:07 am

Rookie Kevin McHale blocks an Andrew Toney drive in game six of the Celtic's comeback from 3-1 deficit.

Toney was a load.  Even after all these years, there haven't been too many players that struck the sheer terror in my heart that Toney did.  He didn't get the moniker Boston Strangler for nothing.


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Post by gyso Fri Jan 02, 2015 10:18 am

gyso wrote:I remember a James Posey steal.  It wasn't a kind of steal where it brought it back from the brink of disaster.  Our bacon was sliding towards the edge of the pan and it did keep the bacon from falling into the fire.

Time was running out (less than a minute to go?), they had the ball and it was perhaps a two possession game at the time.  Posey was "hanging in the weeds" and then curved around to steal it before they could get it over the half court line.

The part I cannot remember exactly is who it was against.  I'm pretty sure it wasn't against the Lakers because if it was, it may have been significant enough to be listed up in Beat's post.  I think it may have been against the Leavland Bronnies.

gyso

Nope, it was against the Pistons.  Game 6, 1:42 to go, 4 point game.  We lead 3-2, so it did lead to a series clinching win.


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Post by Sloopjohnb Fri Jan 02, 2015 10:53 am

I Loved Posey. He and Rondo were the best players on the court when the Celtics raced to a 25 point halftime lead in the clinching game six against LA.

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Post by rickdavisakaspike Fri Jan 02, 2015 12:00 pm


My favorite Celtics defensive play occurred just seconds before my favorite Celtics offensive play.

It happened in Game 4 of the 1969 Finals. The Celtics were down 2 games to 1, and behind by a point with about 7 seconds left. The Lakers were a juggernaut that season, and the Celtics were a fourth-place team. With the next game scheduled for L.A., if the Lakers went up 3 games to 1, even Bill Russell may not have been able to overcome the deficit.

Then journeyman Emmette Bryant, playing point guard, came out of nowhere, stole the ball deep in the offensive end and immediately called timeout. This set the stage for Sam Jones's game-winning shot, arguably the most clutch shot in NBA history (considering Sam was about to retire and all that).

Everyone remembers Sam's shot, as well they should, but nobody remembers Emmette's, steal, although they should.

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Post by rickdavisakaspike Fri Jan 02, 2015 12:23 pm

About Cousins' bodyslam of Smart, Red put a premium on toughness, Loscy being the prime example, but there were many others. You have to wonder what Dave Cowens or Larry Bird would have done if a big bully like Cousins did that to one of their teammates.

Danny's trying to acquire talent, which is all well and good, but he also needs to find players with toughness. Jared Sullinger! Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you. Next time the Celtics play the Kings, you need to put this guy on the floor.

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Post by Sloopjohnb Fri Jan 02, 2015 3:16 pm

I haven't seen Cousins play that much but from what I've seen he wasn't first in line when they handed out the mental toughness DNA.

Really talented guy but I've seen him just give up when he's beaten on defense and he's got the pouty demeanor of someone that had everything handed to him.

Bird would have wanted him to stay out on the court so he could torment him by dropping baskets right in his face while trash-talking him to death. Bird hated rich, entitled punks.

Cowens would have just creamed him.

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Post by cowens/oldschool Sat Jan 03, 2015 1:16 am

rickdavisakaspike wrote:About Cousins' bodyslam of Smart, Red put a premium on toughness, Loscy being the prime example, but there were many others.  You have to wonder what Dave Cowens or Larry Bird would have done if a big bully like Cousins did that to one of their teammates.

Danny's trying to acquire talent, which is all well and good, but he also needs to find players with toughness.  Jared Sullinger!  Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.  Next time the Celtics play the Kings, you need to put this guy on the floor.


whos the idiot who got rid of our enforcer?

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