Boston Celtics News (2024-2025)

bygone wrote:Not sure how many more seasons I get to watch this legendary team, but all you guys and gal above have put a big sh**ty grin on my face in anticipation of the upcoming season. Mahalo to all of you and much love for our players, coach, GM and all the Celtic's staff.

Cousy was/is priceless too.

bygone,

Glad you've been with us for this fabulous ride.


Bob


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Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
2 days ago
Tatum shot 10.4% on tightly contested 3s in the playoffs. Cutting out bad shots has to be a focus for him this season while balancing being that threat to make tough attempts.


Bob
MY NOTE:  He has no excuses for this anymore.  He's old enough, he's certainly seasoned enough.  He's got to abandon the KoME-ball mentality.  We saw more of that last year, he tried to be more of a facilitator, but he has to go up one more notch.  He has to dribble less, go into his set sooner.  A lot of his contested 3s are NOT because the ball doesn't get passed to him until there's only 1-2 seconds left on the clock and he has to take the shot.  They're caused by him running down the clock with his one-on-one dribbling routine out beyond the arc.  It's ok for him to do that early in the halfcourt offense but not with < 8-10 seconds left.  That let's the defense gamble because the clock becomes their ally.


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Tatum hit a big shooting slump from 3 all during our playoff run. A blessing that he is on such a deep team that really wins big on defense and a blessing that coach Joe finally gave the green light to Jaylen to get his share of clutch situations with the ball this playoff run. Jayson was still a dynamic force with his post ups and drives and passing and defense. I just know he can play alot better and has in previous playoff series/games with monster 40-50 point games.

JT is a very skilled basketball player.  Over the past few seasons we have witnessed his propensity for taking ill advised shots.  His signature step to the side, fadeaway 3 pointer is a dreadful shot.  During the playoffs Tatum shot 28.3% from deep.  Jaylen also struggled at only 32.7%.

The difference between these players on offense comes down to the ability to score with a high level of efficiency.

While Tatum shot 42.7% from the field during the Playoffs, Jaylen Brown shot an eye popping 51.6%.  JB was a bucket getter for the Celtics and stepped up to defend the top scorer on the other teams that we faced.

His Larry Bird ECF MVP award and the treasured Bill Russell finals MVP award was achieved by Jaylen because he was simply the best overall player on the court throughout our finals run.

JT is no longer some up and coming kid trying to make his mark.  He is an experienced playoff tested guy who should know by now what a bad shot is.  

While JT was 'grandfathered in' for an Olympic spot on the roster,  Jaylen was actually snubbed.   Again and then again after KL  could not play.  All the lame excuses in the world cannot account for keeping him off the team.  It simply defies logic so it has to be something else at work here.

A long time ago I learned that money talks and BS walks.  The NBA sold out to Nike owner, Phil Knight.  Nike was the major sports apparel company during the Olympics and they also inked a new contract with the NBA to be the Brand for the NBA.  All players will wear Jerseys with the swoosh.  The cost for this privilege?  A Cool 1 billion dollars to the NBA.  As we already know Jaylen called out Nike after they severed ties with Kyrie Irving.  JB is really an NBA union rep in conjunction with him being a VP of the NBA Players Association.  JB basically pointed out Nike's hypocrisy given their less than ethical business practices.

The NBA should take note that when you crater 'For A Few Dollars more'  you compromise your integrity.  The NBA has been a significant advocate for social justice issues.  The JB situation flies in the face of that significant advocacy.

Ramp to Camp: What is Celtics' biggest obstacle in quest to repeat?

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/ramp-camp-celtics-biggest-obstacle-134211114.html

Chris Forsberg
Mon, September 2, 2024 at 9:42 AM EDT·4 min read

Ramp to Camp: What is Celtics' biggest obstacle in quest to repeat? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

September is here and a new season of Celtics basketball isn’t far behind.

The NBA champion Celtics being their title defense when training camp opens later this month, and a preseason trip to Abu Dhabi means Boston gets an early jump on most of its rivals.

The Celtics worked quickly to bring back much of their championship roster at the start of the offseason, and aside from the recent addition of Lonnie Walker IV, it’s been very quiet in CelticsLand lately. But it’s time to start thinking about basketball again.

Welcome to our Ramp To Camp 2024 series. We asked members of our NBC Sports Boston staff to ponder 15 topics aimed at setting the table for Boston’s 2024-25 campaign.

In the first installment of our late-summer forecast, we asked our staff to identify the biggest obstacle the Celtics might encounter in their quest to repeat as champions.

When we first pondered the subject last month, we landed on four primary pitfalls: Health, complacency, beefed-up competition, and the general burden of being a champion.

Not surprisingly, health was the most common response from our panel. The Celtics are set to start the 2024-25 season with big man Kristaps Porzingis, who is sidelined after offseason leg surgery. And yet this is a team that steamrolled through the 2024 playoffs even with Porzingis hobbled by his leg ailment.

The Celtics leaned into their depth last season, and even if their biggest strength was the totality of talent in their top six, it was a bench full of net rating darlings that helped Boston stay afloat regardless of who was available.

Which is why our vote for biggest obstacle lands on the general burden of defending champions. Don’t misconstrue. This doesn’t seem like a team that will get content after reaching the mountaintop. But it’s simply difficult to stay up there.

Defending champs have to fight any bit of complacency that might creep in. They have to deal with a perpetual target on their back. They can’t skip steps, even if there’s only one acceptable outcome to the season which can’t truly be achieved until June.


There’s a reason why the NBA hasn’t seen a repeat champion in the past half decade. (The Warriors were the last to go back-to-back in 2017 and 2018). The Celtics have all the potential to end that repeat drought but they have to manufacture the same sort of desperation that fueled their blitz to Banner 18.

The good news is that Boston’s key pieces ought to embrace that challenge. Coach Joe Mazzulla has consistently pushed his team to be mentally tough throughout his two seasons at the helm. The All-Star tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown got a little fuel from Team USA this summer and seem perpetually motivated to show the rest of the NBA that they deserve to be considered among the elite (and they have the trophy to prove it now).

The Celtics faced similar obstacles in their quest to secure Banner 18. They rarely tripped on those hurdles. Now they just need to do it again.

Here are some other obstacles our NBC Sports Boston panel identified:

John Tomase: Size

Center isn't supposed to matter in today's positionless NBA, but between Porzingis's health and Al Horford's age, the C's are so thin up front, it's fair to wonder what toll it will take if the Celtics go small all year. Every possession that Tatum or Jrue Holiday has to lean on Joel Embiid comes with a cost that might come due in June.

Tom Giles: Health

It was a short offseason already with the Celtics playing well into June, and an even shorter offseason for Tatum, Holiday and Derrick White, who were part of Team USA.  Managing the 82-game regular season while ramping up for another 16 playoff wins will be key.

Mark Hazlett: Bad luck

The NBA is so deep now, even the most talented teams need some breaks. Margins are way thinner than we like to admit. That's why we've had six different champs over the last six years. Thankfully, the Celtics' mascot is Lucky.

Darren Hartwell: Health

The Celtics shouldn't have to worry about the championship complacency curse -- they have two extra-motivated superstars and a head coach who's never had a complacent day in his life. The only thing that can derail Banner 19 is a significant injury to Tatum, Brown, White or Holiday, as Boston already proved it can win without Porzingis.

Justin Leger: Health

Can the Celtics overcome the loss of Porzingis for an extended period? I'm not scared of anyone in the East, even with the Sixers adding Paul George and the Knicks acquiring Mikal Bridges. Health is the only potential roadblock on the quest for Banner 19.

Nick Goss: Health

Kevin Miller: Health of Porzingis

This article shows how the league has changed and how the stakes have changed drastically.  

Back 40 years ago during the 80's with Bird and Magic, after each team won a championship and looked to repeat the following season, I'm going to put up dboss's paycheck again and say injuries never made the list of potential derailers.  Certainly not what I recall.  Of course, we all remember the NBA was just coming out of survival mode from the 70's and Bird vs. Magic or Magic vs. Bird was the only marketing plan.  It worked.  Through the roof.    

But as a result of those two alone and the league's we're going down like the Titanic, all-in/all or nothing marketing plan, the much bigger, more valuable chess pieces of today create a mood of protectionism of the players from the owners on down to #15 on the bench.  Without Bird and Magic, there is no Michael.  No Kobe.  No Shaq.  No Curry.  No JT.  Somehow the athletes of today are much better physically and have everything at their fingertips, yet they appear WAY more injured.

What did the 80's generation know about injuries that this generation does not?  Or is there anything of substance regarding different generations of injuries at all?  Players in the 80's were injured, but either time and memories erase what we (well at least me!) remember or some things have changed drastically. 

You had to beat it and drag it out of the Larry's and Kevin's of the 80's that they were injured.  Today we just go to ESPN Injury Report before every game to see who's in and who's out.

The league is not desperate anymore.  It is thriving.  No one or two players are "saving" the league.  Now there are multiple matchups we all want to see on a daily basis.  LP allows us to see whatever games we want to see, whatever matchups we want to see.  It's a beautiful world!!  And Boston is WINNING!!    

db

dbrown4 wrote:
The league is not desperate anymore.  It is thriving.  No one or two players are "saving" the league.  Now there are multiple matchups we all want to see on a daily basis.  LP allows us to see whatever games we want to see, whatever matchups we want to see.  It's a beautiful world!!  And Boston is WINNING!!    
db

Truer words may have never been spoken.

db,

Injuries have always played a role in ending potential playoff runs, even before the 80's.  The reason that many "played through the pain" was mostly due to a combination of poor medical advice, inadequate medical science and an unequal power equation between management and players.

Modern medical science can pinpoint exactly is going on, and the decision can be made how better to go forward.  "Will playing now affect playing in the future?"  Before, it was more like, "tape it up, let's see how it goes", which often led to future failure and a shortened career. (McHale)

Both Bird and McHale did stupid things that affected their careers; roof installation (back) and playing hurt (McHale), right?  Back then, a knee injury was a career ender, now it is fixed arthroscopically, with less down time and less career-ending sadness.

Now, players sit out more, return from injuries quicker and healthier, have maternity leave (even during the playoffs!), etc. on the one hand.  On the other, players are introduced to the grind of the NBA season much earlier, and many of them haven't allowed their bodies to mature due to their youth (something about the bone caps, ends, whatever, Worcester can better define that aspect) and they rack up more mileage in the youth leagues.

I imagine some of the older fans on this site can elaborate more, but in the single hole in the '60's championship resume was due to injuries.  There was no internet then, but I can imagine the narrative towards the end of that season (1968) was about health, as it was the very next season (1969).

I don't think trying to suggest that back then, "the players were made of stronger stuff", will serve as a rational argument as to why the injury list appears to be larger.  Did they even publish an injury list prior to each game back then?

Things change, the world moves on.  For good or bad, who can say?

Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
yesterday
Pritchard, Hauser, Walker, Springer, Brissett trajectory. Defense (right) is why Springer still intrigues. pic.x.com/meaxkc59lg





Bob
MY NOTE:  DARKO means "Daily Adjusted and Regressed Kalman Optimized", which means absolutely nothing to me.  DPM means "Daily Plus-Minus".  DPM is similar to the Defensive Rating on basketball-reference.com.  It's the difference in points allowed per 100 possessions when the player is on the court vs points allowed when he's off the court.  So the difference is that it also compares his contributions to defense vs his team and not just as a standalone metric.  This makes sense to me.  You could put a great defender on a lousy defensive team and his career DefRtg will suffer, but if you look at how he's doing vs the rest of his teammates he's still the best defender on the floor by far.   Marcus Smart's DefRtg last year with Memphis was the worst of his career, but how much of that was his fault and how much was the tepid defense by other players on his team dragging him down?


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Jayson Tatum says Larry Bird is the greatest Celtic ever: ‘That’s the guy I’m chasing’


By Khari Thompson Boston.com Staff, Updated September 26, 2024, 9:41 a.m.



The two games that Jayson Tatum didn’t play during the Olympics are a hot topic in the NBA right now, but Tatum told NBATV’s Jared Greenberg in a recent interview that he’s not letting the situation affect his motivation.

His motivation comes from within, namely his desire to etch his name into Celtics history, he said.

“I don’t give anybody or a situation like that much attention or credit,” Tatum said. “I didn’t need any extra motivation coming into the season. My motivation came from us winning the championship and the company that I joined in doing that.”

“The motivation came from not being satisfied,” Tatum added. “Larry Bird is the best Celtic to ever wear this uniform and that’s the guy that I’m chasing. Even if I fall short of that, if I aspire to be as great as he was and if you fall a little short you had a hell of a career. My motivation is to chase the best players to ever play, the best players to ever wear a Celtic uniform.”


There have been many great Celtics over the years, including Bird, who won three NBA championships, three MVP awards, and two Finals MVP awards, and made 12 all-star teams.

The late Bill Russell won 11 titles and five MVP awards, and also made 12 all star teams. The league was smaller back then, but the accomplishments speak for themselves.

Bird’s position, like Tatum’s, was forward. Russell was a center. Both players retired before Tatum was born in 1998. Bird was more recent, playing from 1979-1992. Russell, who died in 2022, played from 1956-1969.

Tatum, a five-time all-star who is coming off of his first title, still has work to do to reach the Mount Rushmore of all-time great Celtics. But, he is off to a remarkable start. He already has a championship under his belt at age 26, which is younger than Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry were when they won their first titles.

But, Tatum was not named Finals MVP when the Celtics won this past summer. That honor went to Jaylen Brown, who also won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award that is named for Bird.


Tatum said he’s not too worried that he didn’t win the award this time. He led the Celtics in points, rebounds, and assists during the postseason.


“It just wasn’t my time, I guess,” Tatum said. “I’m not the only superstar to not win Finals MVP. Steph Curry got four rings and he only has one. Isiah Thomas didn’t win every time. Larry Bird didn’t win Finals MVP every time he won a championship.”

“The most important part is that we won, and I know I played a huge role in us winning a championship,” Tatum added. “I know that JB played his butt off and I know that we needed [Kristaps Porzingis} for Game 1. We needed everybody, Jrue and D-White. I was happy for JB. I was happy that we won. I know that I’m going to win Finals MVP one day, which means I get to win another championship.”


Bob
MY NOTE:  As much as I love Bird Bill Russell was the greatest Celtic.  You cannot, in one breath, say "it's all about 18" or, now, "it's all about 19" and not say the leader of the team that got 11 of those 18 isn't the greatest.  What are your priorities?  As a Celtic it should always about being the World Champion.  Any accolades that come along with that are gravy.  If it's now "all about 19", then it's all about chasing Russell.

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What happened happened. If he is chasing Russ, he will keep it inside him, let it push him furthr and further, No one will ever compare to Russell. I watched game afteer game with him just quietly dominating others. Then he gave credit to his fellow teammates. A joy to watch. Tatum needs to start ssaying, "next question" when they ask him about the Olympics. Continue to talk about it only feeds press and the rest of the league. Jayson.......just say NO and move on. I truly believe he still has so much inside of him that we have not seen or given him credit for. This could be a fun year for him

WHY THE CELTICS ARE BETTER EQUIPPED TO REPEAT THAN THE LAST FIVE NBA CHAMPIONS.

The Celtics hope to become the first repeat champions since the 2017-18 Warriors, and they've got no shortage of recent examples to examine in the hopes of avoiding what can go wrong.

Only one other time in NBA history (from 1975-80) has there been six straight unique champions, and the C's just extended that run last season, following the Nuggets, Warriors, Lakers, Bucks, and Raptors.

So what can we learn from the five teams that failed to repeat? Quite a bit, actually.


The Raptors are easy. They were a Kawhi Leonard one-off, and when he left for the Clippers in the summer of 2019, he took Toronto's title-defending hopes with him. The Raptors gambled brilliantly on one year of Leonard, and it paid off with the ultimate prize. It bears little relevance to the Celtics, whose stars are well-established and not going anywhere.

Then there are the Warriors and Lakers. You can lump them together, because they suffered the same issue: age.

LeBron James turns 40 this December, and even though he has maintained an MVP level of play far longer than anyone in history – he's the NBA's Tom Brady at this point – there comes a time where carrying a franchise is too much, especially considering all the years he spent as Cleveland's 1, 1-A, and 1-B. Since winning his fourth and presumably final title, James has seen his Lakers miss the playoffs once, get bounced in the first round twice, and make one fluky run to the conference finals. He has missed 90 games over the last four seasons and the Lakers have lacked the supporting cast to bolster him.

The Warriors aged as a team, with the core of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green reaching their mid-30s together. It felt that way at the time, and it's obvious now – beating the Celtics in '22 represented their last stand.

So how about the Bucks and Nuggets? Here's where things get interesting.

The Nuggets had an easy postseason path two years ago, beating three play-in teams and the overrated Suns. That's a cautionary tale, I suppose, considering the starless path the Celtics stampeded to the Finals.

But the Nuggets also lost their key glue guy in Bruce Brown, who's a poor man's Jrue Holiday or Derrick White. Brown does all the little things so the stars don't have to, and Denver missed his versatility last season. The Celtics, by contrast, haven't lost anyone.


Watch the Nuggets play last year, and they obviously depended too much on the superstar duo of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. Those two needed to be great every night, and it wore them down. Denver went 44-15 with Murray in the lineup and 12-10 without him.

The Celtics, by contrast, are much deeper, which is why they could go 21-4 without Kristaps Porzingis, 7-1 without Jayson Tatum, etc... They can, and frequently have, won without both of their superstars dominating. Last year's Denver team is cooked in that scenario, because Aaron Gordon is a rim-runner/garbage man (whom I'd take in a second, by the way), and Kentavius Caldwell-Pope doesn't scare anyone.

Then there are the Bucks. They've always lived on the edge, because they're built around a flawed superstar. Giannis Antetokounmpo can't shoot free throws or 3s, and in the playoffs, the Celtics have consistently proven that Milwaukee cannot win by runaway train alone.

Also, 2021 was Khris Middleton's last healthy postseason, and the Bucks haven't been able to replicate the dimension he adds to their offense, which isn't just 3s, but that silky smooth mid-range game. Perhaps most egregiously, they replaced Jrue Holiday with Damian Lillard, an all-time classic swap of underrated winner with overrated loser, which sounds harsh, except Lillard's playoff resume speaks for itself. It was a desperation move designed to keep Giannis happy, and it worked, because he signed a three-year extension a couple of weeks later.

The Celtics have zero contract drama (for this year anyway) because they super-maxed their two stars and surrounded them with the perfect complementary pieces.

So to recap, the Celtics aren't a one-off like the Raptors, old like the Lakers and Warriors, a two-man team like the Nuggets, or making desperation moves like the Bucks.

It doesn't guarantee they'll go back-to-back, but it gives them a better shot than their recent predecessors.

Great observations...so who will be the first idiot sports guy to pick the knicks to win it all

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Great observations...so who will be the first idiot sports guy to pick the knicks to win it all

Rosie, We know for sure that the 4 letter network will be all over them, one Stephen A. Smith in particular will monopolize the network to tell us why the Knicks will be the team to beat.

I have not turned on that channel in almost a year. What I want to find out I will go elsewhere. Shaq will be unbearable too, but so be it. I love being up against the wall. Celtics responded well last year when pushed. There is one thing I do not hope to see this year....the blowouts like that horror show with Milwaukee, the Indy game, and a few others. I know there will be down times, but please, no 50 point quarters for the opposition!!

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I have not turned on that channel in almost a year.  What I want to find out I will go elsewhere.  Shaq will be unbearable too, but so be it. I love being up against the wall.  Celtics responded well last year when pushed.  There is one thing I do not hope to see this year....the blowouts like that horror show with Milwaukee, the Indy game, and a few others.  I know there will be down times, but please, no 50 point quarters for the opposition!!

I am the same way about the four letter network. I don’t watch any of their original programming, the only thing I watch on it is pro and college football and the Celtics. I don’t watch Sportscenter I get my sports news from the internet. I’d rather watch paint dry than an “embrace the debate” crapola and that includes the same for Fox Sports also. I don’t need them and they don’t need me, it’s a perfect relationship. Different strokes for different folks, too each his/her own. IMO the entertainment part of their name has long since made the sports part irrelevant and seeing that I’m not entertained by their antics I have absolutely no need or desire to view the network.

Willjr

That is an outstanding piece of work on the 5 previous championship teams and why the Celtics are in a class by themselves.

Our continuity is a huge factor for success.

You probably used to ACE your term papers.

dboss, thanks! I hope you and your family came through the hurricane or fine or with minimal damage to your health and property.

i have to admit, I'm a bit surprised at Steven A.!  He's containing himself after this recent Knicks trade.  At least on the public airwaves.  I have to wonder what he's saying behind the scenes.  I know about futility with NC State after David Thompson in the early 70's and Jim Valvano in the early 80's.  Even in the face of them making the Final 4 last year, you did not want to get out in front of that knowing all that had come before it.  We were not disappointed.  Knicks fans are the same way.  Well, some of them.  

Most are looking for a big voice (say a Steven A.) to bust the door down and then everyone can safely jump on the championship bandwagon with the Townes addition, but they are not getting it from anyone quite yet that I can tell.  But Steven A. had his wings significantly clipped, along with his credibility, with his initial projection of the Celtics as title winners, then his ship jumping through NY and Minn all the way until he had to ride the Allas "No D" Mavericks for the title since we wouldn't allow him back after abandoning us.  How'd that go, Steven A.?!  Not toooo gooood!!     

Great piece, willjr!!

db

willjr wrote:dboss, thanks! I hope you and your family came through the hurricane or fine or with minimal damage to your health and property.

Willjr

Thank you

We were ready to get slammed. As it turns out, the storm stayed East of us. Most of what we got even before the storm arrived was a lot of rain. A few wind gusts and it passed us by with an hour or two.

My heart goes out to folks down in Florida and NC.

dboss

dboss wrote:

willjr wrote:dboss, thanks! I hope you and your family came through the hurricane or fine or with minimal damage to your health and property.

Willjr

Thank you

We were ready to get slammed.  As it turns out, the storm stayed East of us.  Most of what we got even before the storm arrived was a lot of rain.  A few wind gusts and it passed us by with an hour or two.

My heart goes out to folks down in Florida and NC.  

dboss

Glad to hear that you and your family made it through safely. I had power throughout the storm, no downed trees or limbs, no lost roofing shingles but the next day, sunny and bright, about 1pm we lost power it stayed out until 8am the next morning. Considering what happened to South Georgia, Florida, and the Carolina’s I realize that how fortunate I was. I pray that the people affected will get some help and relief ASAP.

willjr wrote:

dboss wrote:

willjr wrote:dboss, thanks! I hope you and your family came through the hurricane or fine or with minimal damage to your health and property.

Willjr

Thank you

We were ready to get slammed.  As it turns out, the storm stayed East of us.  Most of what we got even before the storm arrived was a lot of rain.  A few wind gusts and it passed us by with an hour or two.

My heart goes out to folks down in Florida and NC.  

dboss

Glad to hear that you and your family made it through safely. I had power throughout the storm, no downed trees or limbs, no lost roofing shingles but the next day, sunny and bright, about 1pm we lost power it stayed out until 8am the next morning. Considering what happened to South Georgia, Florida, and the Carolina’s I realize that how fortunate I was. I pray that the people affected will get some help and relief ASAP.

Where do you live?

Gyso

Did you get hit hard up in NC?

dboss wrote:

willjr wrote:

dboss wrote:

willjr wrote:dboss, thanks! I hope you and your family came through the hurricane or fine or with minimal damage to your health and property.

Willjr

Thank you

We were ready to get slammed.  As it turns out, the storm stayed East of us.  Most of what we got even before the storm arrived was a lot of rain.  A few wind gusts and it passed us by with an hour or two.

My heart goes out to folks down in Florida and NC.  

dboss

Glad to hear that you and your family made it through safely. I had power throughout the storm, no downed trees or limbs, no lost roofing shingles but the next day, sunny and bright, about 1pm we lost power it stayed out until 8am the next morning. Considering what happened to South Georgia, Florida, and the Carolina’s I realize that how fortunate I was. I pray that the people affected will get some help and relief ASAP.

Where do you live?

Macon.

dboss,

Thanks for asking.  I am glad the storm passed you by with little trouble.

We had heavy wind and rain because we were on the "dirty" side of the storm (it passed to the west of us).  The rain had almost stopped when we lost power, because the wind kept on blowing well after the precipitation ended.  We lost power for almost 40 hours.  We have no generator, so we lost all our food in two refrigerator/freezers and a chest freezer.

We have never lost power for that long in the ten years we've lived here.   Never more than four hours or so.   I am now thinking of generating up.

We consider ourselves lucky.  We actually paid to take down two big sick trees and grind the stumps just last month.  During the storm, my neighbor to the left had a big tree come down through his garage and cut it in two.  I may post the pictures of that later.  On the other side of us, just past the next two houses, a street goes by and another big tree came down across that street and took the power lines with it.  Those power lines feed 94 houses on that circuit, ours included.  Our low house count on the circuit meant that we had to wait more than some before Duke got to us. I used Duke's power outage app to see the outages.

When Duke did get around to getting our power back up, they hung new wires and left the tree across the road.  They trimmed it a bit, but the tree stayed blocking the street.  I haven't checked today, but it was still there yesterday.

Once power was back on, I got everything back up and got back to bed at 3AM Sunday.  I got up Sunday and spent most of the day processing spoiled food into the trash and cleaned up the refrigerators and freezers.

The worst of it happened in the mountains.  Ashville to Boone (and more) got wiped out, roads and bridges gone.  The dam at Lake Lure almost collapsed.

We had no power (A/C) for most of two nights, so it was hard sleeping.  The temps were 70-80 degrees with humidity and our bedroom is upstairs, so you know what that means, living in the south.

Yes, we consider ourselves lucky.