Boston Celtics News and Links: Dirk Nowitzki Makes History, Celtics Injury Updates

Good morning, Celtics Nation!

Hope you enjoyed your Veteran’s Day, and took the time to pay your respects to our men and women in the military.  It’s important work they do, and we are lucky to have them.

There were some milestones reached yesterday in the NBA.  One will be found interesting only to those who love trivia, no matter how trivial –  Kobe Bryant set the NBA record for missed field goals – but the other record is pretty damn significant if you ask me.

Congratulations, Dirk!  You are one of the all-time greatest ballers, and I’ve got nothing but respect for you.  Keep ’em coming!

For these, and the remaining eight top stories in the NBA last night, head over to ESPN’s The Ten.  Why isn’t this called The Daily Dime any more?  Personally, I thought that was way more catchy.  

If you thought Boston was swimming upstream in using Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk as stretches, think again: big men who can step back and shoot are all the rage in the NBA right now:

"In terms of pure intrigue and implications, it’s hard to top Monday night’s showdown between the NBA’s present (LeBron James) and future (Anthony Davis). The two All-Stars didn’t disappoint, as LeBron went for a triple-double in an entertaining victory while Davis stuffed the boxscore to the tune of 27 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks in a losing effort.Still, Cavaliers–Pelicans also featured a stretch forward showdown that managed to be nearly as riveting as the headliners. Together, 6-foot-10 power forwards Ryan Anderson (New Orleans) and Kevin Love (Cleveland) scored 54 points while combining to hit 14-of-21 three-point attempts. Their marksmanship drove much of the game action: Anderson’s hot touch in the first-half helped New Orleans build a five-point halftime lead, while Love’s four fourth-quarter threes ensured that Cleveland would win going away.Through the first two weeks of the season, Anderson and Love are hardly alone among big men when it comes to perimeter prowess. Instead, the first few weeks of the 2014-15 season have the makings of a revival for the “stretch forward” position. Mandatory sample size disclaimers apply — given that we’re less than 10 percent of the way into through the season — but the early data suggests that 2014-15 could go down as one of the best seasons ever for big men shooting from deep."

I’m not a huge stat guy, but I’m not an idiot (bite your tongues!) – statistics serve a purpose, such as showing just how improved the Boston Celtics are on offense this season.

Finally, the Celtics face the Thunder tonight, so get caught up on Boston’s injured players . . . and Rajon Rondo’s choice of socks on Veteran’s Day.

Enjoy!