Boston Celtics Week in Review- 4/21
By Greg Cassoli
This might have been the worst week for the Celtics in years.
A lot can happen in the NBA in just one week, and the Celtics are no exception. Here are all the most important things to happen in the last seven days. We’ve attempted to rank them from most relevant to least.
A Tragic Loss
Isaiah Thomas’ sister, Chyna, passed away in a single car crash last week. It happened the day before Boston’s first playoff game- the start of what he declared to be the hardest week of his life. Thomas is totally justified in that feeling. The suddenness and severity of his grief are such that no amount of empathy or public outpouring of support are likely to alleviate his pain. That doesn’t mean those things aren’t helpful or meaningful though. Celtics fans should continue to show their support for Thomas as he navigates what is undoubtedly one of the most spiritually and emotionally draining periods of his life.
Poor Playoff Performances
Boston has not played well through its first two playoff performances. We’ve gone into fine detail about the ways in which the Celtics have struggled and some potential solutions elsewhere, so we won’t belabor the point here, but suffice is to say, there are a lot of issues to clean up.
Chicago has appeared to be the superior team throughout the series, and they’ve put themselves in a very strong position. Boston will have to win four of its next five games to advance to the second round, including at least two road victories. We’ll find out tonight if the Celtics can cook up a strategy to get back to their winning ways.
Marcus’ Middle Finger
Marcus Smart’s frustration with his team’s performance came to a head in game two of their series against the Bulls. He flipped the bird to a heckling fan, and the league took note, levying a $25,000 fine. It’s hard to find fault with Smart for being upset, but he likely could have handled his emotions in a more reserved and less costly way.
Abdel Nader, Rookie of the Year
The Celtics D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, was bounced from the playoffs this week, but the team also received some uplifting news. Forward Abdel Nader was named the league’s Rookie of the Year.
Nader averaged 21.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.0 steal per game, with .466/.347/.794 shooting splits. His athleticism isn’t off that charts, but he’s crafty and versatile, and those are valuable assets at any level of play. Nader’s selection as the Rookie of the Year is no guarantee of an NBA future, but the list of previous winners does include two legitimate rotation pieces in Tim Frazier and Robert Covington. If Nader turned into a player of similar value, the Celtics would be satisfied.
Next: How can the Celtics Stop Robin Lopez
Second Round Selections
The NBA settled all of its non-lottery tiebreakers for the upcoming draft, and the Celtics are officially slotted to make the 37th, 53rd, and 56th overall selections (in addition to their first round pick). Those picks may not wind up being particularly useful, and it’s possible the front office will try to move some of them, given how much young talent the team has. A second round hit could function as low cost end of the bench and/or new two-way contract candidate though, which may come in handy as the Celtics seek to free up max cap space this summer.