Random Thoughts with Media Day 3 Days Away

http://celticsgreen.blogspot.com/2016/09/random-thoughts-with-media-day-3-days.html

The Celtics will open their 2016-17 NBA season on Monday, September 26, 2016. That's just 3 days away!! The Celtics will be holding daily practice sessions from September 27th through October 3rd before opening preseason play on Tuesday, October 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers in Amherst, MA. Here is the preseason schedule through opening day, which will take us to the Celtics season opener on October 26 against the Brooklyn Nets.

October 4, 2016 Philadelphia 76ers (Amherst, MA) 7:00 P.M.
October 6, 2016 Charlotte Hornets (Greensboro, NC) 7:30 P.M.
October 8, 2016 Charlotte Hornets (Uncasville, CT) 3:30 P.M.
October 13, 2016 Brooklyn Nets (Brooklyn, NY) 7:30 P.M.
October 15, 2016 New York Knicks (New York, NY) 7:30 P.M.
October 17, 2016 Brooklyn Nets (Boston, MA) 7:30 P.M.
October 19, 2016 New York Knicks (Boston, MA) 7:30 P.M.
October 26, 2016 Brooklyn Nets (Boston, MA) 7:30 P.M.(Opening Night)

I am so excited for this season I can't wait for it to start! Just a few more days of "what ifs" and "who wills" and then real, actual Celtics news to report. How many games will the Celtics win? Will they advance beyond the first round? Which players will take a leap in development? What can we expect from Jaylen Brown? Which players won't make the cut? Who will be the starters? So many questions and soon, we will have answers!

Many of the players have been in town for awhile now working out and working together. Al Horford posted some pictures of his move to Boston. Brian Doo has been posting photos of the young guys working out together. Newly married Isaiah Thomas had a date night at the Patriots game last night. The practice facility has been getting quite a workout with the players all trying to get into the best shape for the season. Almost makes me miss the daily reports of whether Sully has lost weight in the off season.

Remember Robert Swift? Danny really, really wanted Swift who was drafted 12th by the Seattle Supersonics in the 2004 draft. Danny settled for Al Jefferson. There were rumors that Danny had offered the farm to try to trade for him after the draft. Then injuries cut short his first two seasons and he wasn't the same player after that.

In 2010, Danny finally got his man, giving Swift a shot in Summer League. But Swift was out of shape and could barely make it up and down the court, clearly not the player he once was. He disappeared from the league and sunk into drug addiction and finally hit bottom.

He is now considering a comeback to the NBA and SI has an excellent article on what brought him to this point. It's a long read, but a good one. One thing that struck me was that he mentioned that Danny gave him a promise to take him in the first round. This makes me believe that all along the rumors of Danny lusting after Swift were true. I have to wonder if Danny will give him a look once more.

I really hated the Heat with their faux Big Three. I have always disliked Dwyane Wade, who is one of the dirtiest players in the league. But I have always kind of liked Chris Bosh. He never seemed to fit in with that group and he was constantly portrayed as the poor stepsister of the group. I gained a whole new respect for him after being diagnosed with a blood clot in my lung this summer.

Bosh wanted to return to the Heat to play in last year's playoffs but they wouldn't give him the go ahead. Now he is trying to come back this season and once again the Heat have been holding him off. His last two seasons were cut short by blood clots and now the Heat are afraid that playing will endanger his health. He's still got plenty of talent and could help the team but his health is a big question.

The Heat have released a statement that Bosh has failed a team physical and that he will not be cleared for training camp. Word is that they are hoping to convince him to take a medical retirement and that would let them off the hook for his salary. Bosh seems to have other plans as he released Part 1 of a documentary he produced to bring his plight to light. He feels that the Heat have not been fair with him.

I really feel bad for the guy but I still remember Kevin McHale's comment after Reggie Lewis' funeral. He said something to the effect that if Reggie hadn't tried to keep playing they would have been able to talk about the good old days but he would have been alive. The same may be true for Bosh. No matter how much he wants to play, if the blood clots are a threat to his life, it's not worth it.

Celtics fans will not just be watching for the Celtics progress and looking forward to the playoffs and possibly contending this season. They will also be watching the Nets and the progress of their lottery pick once again. In the previews I have seen so far, the Nets are being projected to end up last and looking at their roster, I think that's fairly accurate.

The Celtics were fun to watch last season. They are going to be even more fun to watch this season. Horford more than makes up for the loss of Jared Sullinger, especially toward the end of the season when Sully bogged down. I think our young guys are going to come back better than last season. Terry Rozier is poised to make a leap to fill in the void left by Evan Turner. We have an exciting rookie to watch in Jaylen Brown. Can you tell I'm excited for the season? I can't wait!!

If the Celtics were fun to watch last year (and they were!) thrn they are going to be a blast this year.  

The last 2 -3 years we've been playing with 16 tons of PF at center.  We now have a 4x All-Star center.

Jaylen is a rookie.  He will make rookie mistakes.  He will miss assignments, be late on roations, heave up some bricks and make some poor choices but he will produce a highlight film by year-end that will make us salivate.  All he needs to do is work hard on defense and run like a gazelle in the open court, both of which he can and will do.

Smart's shooting can't get worse, so I'm expecting a better year from him. His defense is stellar.

Kelly will be rusty coming back from shoulder surgery but by January we should see something.  The big problem is that his rehab prevented him from using the off-season to improve.

Rozier could be a very nice surprise.  Another year of watching Bradley and he could be another Bradley.


bob


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I was thinking of Reggie Lewis too, and trying not to think unkindly of his wife`s role in the affair