Celtics have a new center.

steve3344 wrote:http://sports.yahoo.com/news/boston-celtics-reportedly-chose-vitor-faverani-over-greg-155900006.html

steve,

Very interesting.

Well, considering what a bust Oden was when he was healthy, which was a rarity in and of itself, I don't feel bad about this. If this guy is anything at all, he's worth the bargain basement price we got him for. $2M/year? For a center who isn't straight out of D-league like Steamer was? Not bad, not bad at all.

This piece describes Faverani as being "raw offensively". That would include the basic concept of setting a pick that actually makes contact with someone.


bob


.

steve3344 wrote:Interesting take on Bynum and Oden.  The part about Bynum's knees is epecially scary if you're Cleveland:

"Bynum has arthritis. He will never be the same player he was before. He may not play again, or he may cobble together a few games here and there until he retires when the pain in his knees is too great. There's simply no cartilage there to withstand the physical exertion that comes with being an NBA big man. Doctors don't have the ability to re-grow cartilage. It's gone. The only time he played 5-on-5, his knees swelled up so badly that he couldn't walk. That shut the door on the hope that Bynum would ever play a game for the Sixers. Not one game."

http://www.sbnation.com/2013/7/31/4572296/greg-oden-nba-free-agency-2013-andrew-bynum

steve,

Didn't Kobe just have a procedure done on his knees last year at this time that put cartilage into his knees, where he admitted he had none left?


bob


.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4706317/faverani-wowed-by-playing-for-celtics


Faverani: Wowed to be playing for Celtics
August, 5, 2013
AUG 5 10:45 AM ET
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com


The folks at CelticsSpa -- a Spanish language Celtics fan site -- got a chance to interview recently signed center Vitor Faverani. A few highlights from the interview (the whole thing, which is translated to English, can be read HERE):
CS: How were the workouts with the Celtics and what were your impressions while you were doing them?

VF: Of all the teams I worked out for, Boston was the one that convinced me more of the possibility of playing there. And it was because of the way they treated me. I was used of the way people treat you in Spain: they talk to you, they are kind, they are smiling, they make jokes all the time...and in Boston I felt home right away. They greeted me and from the first moment there is someone in the organization, Austin, that talked to me in Spanish. We were talking for a while and then they treated me as if I was already playing for them. We did the medical check up and I started thinking that it wasn't normal that they were treating me so well. It was unbelievable. As for the workout itself it was great. It was very unstressful. There were several coaches watching me practice, but there wasn't any pressure at all in it. I didn't feel like I had to score the ball because they treated me so well that it was impossible to miss a shot, you see? I was joking all the time with one of the coaches about this and they made me feel comfortable and at home all the time.

CS: The Celtics said that you made a very good impression in your workouts and the fact that you convinced them too after that experience. When did you know that you had agreed to play with the Celtics and what was your reaction?

VF: I didn't know about it until right at the last moment. All the rumors that surfaced and everything that was told in the media...at that moment I had nothing with them yet. I had told my agent not to tell me anything about the possibility of signing with a good team unless there was a clear chance to do it because i didn't want to get dissapointed if it finally didn't happen. So I told them to call me when literally there is a contract on the table and I will sign it. So basically I knew about the chance to be a Celtic when they sent me the contract. I had to actually read it to check if it was real or not.

CS: I have to ask you, do you know Fab Melo, the other Brazilian player in the team?

VF: Yes, I had the chance to meet him when i was doing the workout in Boston because he was there. Before that I hadn't met in person. Obviously I had heard of him being a Celtic and playing for them. He is a very young player, very big. We are represented by the same agents. We didn't have the chance to play together in the brief time I spent in Boston but we will have the chance soon to know each other better very soon.


Here is the entire interview:

http://www.celticsspa.es/index.php/celticsusa/118-exclusive-interview-with-your-newest-celtic-vitor-faverani-talks-to-celticsspa


CelticsSpa: Thanks a lot for talking to us and to the vast amount of Celtics fans in Spain, Vitor. We would like to ask you first about your experience playing in Spain. You arrived here very young, what can you tell us about it?

Vitor Faverani: Good morning everyone, since it is still morning in Brazil. I would like to thank you for this opportunity to be able to talk to the Celtics fans in Spain. I imagine there will be a lot of people listening to this.

Well, I arrived to Spain when I was 14. Since then it was a daily fight to stay in teams. There were good and bad moments. Everywhere I played it was the hard work and the confidence in my abilities that made me what I am now.

CS: A lot of hard work, particularly in your time playing in Valencia where you reached another level in your game and drew the attention of NBA franchises, including Boston. What memories do you keep from Valencia?

VF: It is difficult to just name a few because there have been so many things that I have lived there. I will take every single good moment and bad moment with me because it is the whole thing that has made me be the player I am and to be able to sign with the Celtics. And I will also cherish every moment I spent in other teams in Spain as well. It is all part of me.

CS: Regarding the Celtics, did you know about the franchise before working out for them this summer?

VF: Of course, I knew not only about the Celtics but also about the NBA in general. What happens is that I am not a diehard fan of the NBA because the games are always played very late at night in Europe. I could not be watching a game at 4:30 am and practising or playing the following morning.

But apart from that, it is obvious that the Boston Celtics is a team that is known worldwide and the players that have been part of the franchise are known to everyone. I sincerelly couldn't believe it when I started working out for them this summer. I thought I was in a dream. I had to slap my face at times because I didn't know if what was happening was real. The history, the amount of championships and the players that have been part of the Celtics...for me it is an amazing thing to start being part of this team. I will probably realize what I am living once I will be playing the first game and put my feet on the court and say to myself: ''Wow. This is the NBA and I am playing for the Boston Celtics”.

CS: How were the workouts with the Celtics and what were your impressions while you were doing them?

VF: Of all the teams I worked out for, Boston was the one that convinced me more of the possibility of playing there. And it was because of the way they treated me. I was used of the way people treat you in Spain: they talk to you, they are kind, they are smiling, they make jokes all the time...and in Boston I felt home right away. They greeted me and from the first moment there is someone in the organisation, Austin, that talked to me in Spanish. We were talking for a while and then they treated me as if I was already playing for them. We did the medical check up and I started thinking that it wasn't normal that they were treating me so well. It was unbelievable. '

As for the workout itself it was great. It was very unstressful. There were several coaches watching me practice, but there wasn't any pressure at all in it. I didn't feel like I had to score the ball because they treated me so well that it was impossible to miss a shot, you see? I was joking all the time with one of the coaches about this and they made me feel comfortable and at home all the time.

CS: The Celtics said that you made a very good impression in your workouts and the fact that you convinced them too after that experience. When did you know that you had agreed to play with the Celtics and what was your reaction?

VF: I didn't know about it until right at the last moment. All the rumors that surfaced and everything that was told in the media...at that moment I had nothing with them yet. I had told my agent not to tell me anything about the possibility of signing with a good team unless there was a clear chance to do it because i didn't want to get dissapointed if it finally didn't happen. So I told them to call me when literally there is a contract on the table and I will sign it. So basically I knew about the chance to be a Celtic when they sent me the contract. I had to actually read it to check if it was real or not (laughs).

CS: I have to ask you, do you know Fab Melo, the other Brazilian player in the team?

VF: Yes, I had the chance to meet him when i was doing the workout in Boston because he was there. Before that I hadn't met in person. Obviously I had heard of him being a Celtic and playing for them. He is a very young player, very big. We are represented by the same agents. We didn't have the chance to play together in the brief time I spent in Boston but we will have the chance soon to know each other better very soon.

CS: It is always good to have a player from your country in the team. With which player are you more excited to play with next season?

VF: To me, the player that I would have loved to play with is Kevin Garnett. His physical abilities and everything what he could do on the court: his shooting, ball handling, jump, playing face to the basket...everything. He is an amazing player. I didn't know that he was about to be traded to Brooklyn when I was working out for the Celtics. I really would have loved to play with him. I wanted to greet him and be with such a legendary player for the Celtics.

As for the players that are in the current roster, the one I am trully excited to play with is Rajon Rondo. I can't wait to play with him and build some chemistry with him on the court and play together.

CS: Well, you will have a chance very soon to play against the Nets in October in preseason and you will be able to meet Kevin Garnett.

VF: It wasn't exactly the way I had pictured myself meeting with him (hitting each other, laughs) but at least I will be able to say I finally met him. I will shake his hand and tell him: ”this is Vitor, nice to meet you”. It is not the best way, but this is what destiny wants, so let's go for it.

CS: The Celtics have been lacking a center like you in the last year. How would you describe your game to those who haven't had the chance to see you play much?

VF: Talking about oneself is always difficult, I don't want people to think that now that I am a Celtic I think I am very good (laughs). But from what the coaches tell me, I can say I am a big player, very mobile, I can run, jump, and love to play in the post. I love playing in the paint and being physical there. I can also shoot and open the court with my shooting. I will not score 10 three pointers but I can stretch the floor with my shooting ability. I also love the pick and roll game and end with a dunk. What I enjoy more of basketball is dunking.

CS: You can do a good partnership with Rondo in that aspect of the pick and roll

VF: I can wait to build some good chemistry with him.

CS: We have high expectations for you in Boston. We trust you and wish you the best in the Celtics. We don't want to take more time from you, Vitor. We thank you so much for being able to talk to you. We hope we can talk again soon and that you tell us more about your life as a Celtic. Thanks a lot from us and from all the Celtics fans.

VF: Thanks a lot to you to give me the chance to talk to you all. I hope that next time we talk all the Celtics fans will have seen me play with the team so you know me already.

CS: Thanks a lot Vitor. We would like you to know that you have a lot of fans already. Greetings!

VF: I am glad to hear that. Thanks!



bob



.