Thanks for posting. First one was great. I'm going to try to wait to get through the second one.
They better win it all. Win it for Mike!
2023-24 Celtics
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They better win it all. Win it for Mike!
Maybe this is better in the 2024-25 Cs thread but BOS considering (hoping?) to have Van Gundy join CJM's coaching staff next year - since a spot has opened when Charles Lee goes to CHA.
Celtics considering intriguing role change for Jeff Van Gundy (report) - masslive.com
Celtics considering intriguing role change for Jeff Van Gundy (report) - masslive.com
I understand JVG potentially leaving a front office consulting position for head coach, but assistant coach? His résumé seems a little too strong for an assistant move.
I could see it. He's been out of the in-game action for a while (almost 20 years) and the Celtics bench could be a conveyor belt for HCs over the next few years. It's also possible he just likes to coach and there are no HC jobs in the immediate offing. Right now he's seen for his announcing schtick by most fanbases. If he helps the Celtics go back-to-back or something, he'll be right in the the game for HC jobs with Casell and others.
He last coached in the NBA in 2007. (FIBA 2017) We don’t really know how he is viewed in front offices. This may be a springboard to a head coaching job or he might just be sick of the head coaching thing and just wants to work with players.
If there was a coaching job that made sense and wanted JVG, I suspect he'd take it. But as far as I can tell, he hasn't really been seriously considered for a job since HOU in 2020 and maybe as noted above he think this is the way to rebuild his brand. Besides, going from consultant to assistant coach isn't that big of a change I would think. I'm sure he watches a ton of film already and would relish the opportunity to work with guys on the court.
Sorry, I don't mean to suggest that there's no logic to the move, I just assume anyone at his career level is going to have too much of an ego to take an assistant coach job, but maybe I'm wrong.
No worries, I certainly understand where you're coming from. However, JVG seems to me to really enjoy coaching and if he thinks he has to take an assistant job to "get back in the game," my WAG is that he'd do so.
Also, knowing absolutely nothing about him other than the High School where he coached (which, interestingly enough, was the high school where the actor who portrayed Father Dwer in teh Exorcist - William O'Malley (Jesuit) - Wikipedia - taught) and his self-deprecating sense of humor, it seems like JVG doesn't have a ton of ego. Maybe I'm way off base on that.
Did JVG ever really have an ago though? He was driving a used Honda Civic when he was coaching the Knicks. That doesn’t come across as someone who is overly full of himself.
I have no inside info or anything, but my impression has always been that JVG just really loves basketball. So I can believe he's made plenty of money and just wants to stay involved, and also that he might feel like he doesn't need the hassle of being the head coach (and public face) of a team at this point.
Being an advisor, or an assistant, for a good organization is an awfully nice way to meet those interests. Presumably, he had lots of things he could have done other than come to Celtics so we can safely infer he likes the org/people seems to me
Being an advisor, or an assistant, for a good organization is an awfully nice way to meet those interests. Presumably, he had lots of things he could have done other than come to Celtics so we can safely infer he likes the org/people seems to me
I remember that, but there's a pretty big difference between driving a car far below your stature and having to answer to someone barely half your age who has just a fraction of your HC experience. Maybe it's for the love of the game, maybe he wants to be a head coach again and this is the smoothest way he can make that happen, or maybe Stevens told him that if he does have to fire Joe, it would be JVG's job to lose if he's already on staff.
Right, plus being an assistant coach for Boston is totally unlike being an assistant coach for the Wizards. There's some reciprocal prestige going on here.
Mazzulla should get the Best Available Coaches for his bench. If that means laying on the flattery with a trowel to get a longtime NBA HC with a national media reputation to join his bench, so much the better. Unless JVG starts sniping anonymously about Mazzulla to the press in order to angle for the big job, but he doesn't strike me as that sort.
JVG and Hubie Brown are cut from the same cloth.
I'll bet there are more than zero teams that Hubie could help *today* as some sort of advisor. And JVG will be able to do the same when *he* is 90.
Best I could find is that Larry Brown was on the Memphis staff until 2022 when he stepped down because of health reasons. As of October 2023, he was at UNC watching games but not working (he has three family members at UNC I believe).
From Blue to Gold - UNC Media Hub
“Have to fire Joe?” You can’t be serious with this. There have been many older head coaches over the years who settled into a less stressful assistant role if that’s all he wants. If he wants more….who in their right mind hire JVG who last coached in the league when it was a different era without a recent body of work as a lead Asst? If JVG wants to be on the sideline again, for either of those reasons, this would seem to be a no-brainer after having already been in the organization.
I'm not. I think it's funny that when he was brought aboard last fall as an informal FO advisor there were people (mostly tongue in cheek) saying that he would eventually take over for Joe if the Celtics disappointed again, and now that he's (reportedly) significantly closer to the job, it hasn't come up. Likely because if feels like the overall coaching has improved exponentially between this year and last (in part because the team now has a stronger and more fully engaged coaching staff, and in part because Joe has improved personally).
JVG may recognize this for what it is.....probably likely considering he has been getting paid to study the situation.
This may well represent the best (or one of the 3?) best possible ways to win a ring over the next 3-5 years. Worse things then helping an Excellent team, with little real responsibility (or at least potential blame), while getting paid (I am sure) handsomely to do so.
Maybe he loves CJM.
Maybe he thinks he will be in the Cat Bird to be the Next Prez if PBS decides he wants to go back to a college bench.
Maybe he likes being a very respected elder voice in the room.
Seems easy enough to see lots of reasons to take the job without using it as a way to jump to Phoenix or OKC in a year or 2 or while quietly rooting for CJMs demise.
This may well represent the best (or one of the 3?) best possible ways to win a ring over the next 3-5 years. Worse things then helping an Excellent team, with little real responsibility (or at least potential blame), while getting paid (I am sure) handsomely to do so.
Maybe he loves CJM.
Maybe he thinks he will be in the Cat Bird to be the Next Prez if PBS decides he wants to go back to a college bench.
Maybe he likes being a very respected elder voice in the room.
Seems easy enough to see lots of reasons to take the job without using it as a way to jump to Phoenix or OKC in a year or 2 or while quietly rooting for CJMs demise.
Let's fire the winningest coach in NBA history for JVG? Unless you have inside line on Spoelstra, I really don't think you going to get a significantly better package for HC than Joe. Look at how Doc Rivers has passed through other EC contenders.
Thanks. I guess he's finally slowing down at 83. My favorite Larry Brown factoid is that he was inducted into the Basketball HOF (in 2002) before he won his NBA title with the Pistons in 2004. First trophy at age 64, up there with Bruce Arians (68) and older than Dick Vermeil (63) or Andy Reid (62 for his first).
Just watched 1 as well, that's a great look at the team. No Kornet cameo though, major missed opportunity.
Pulling for this team to get a championship for their sakes as much as for me as a fan.
Unfortunately, no games means I find myself listening to sports talk radio about the Celtics - which is kind of like saying there's no food in the house so i'll lick dust bunnies off the floor.
One of the hosts was going off about "this is the Celtics window" if they don't win this one, they will never have a chance with this group. This is the most ridiculous take. Other than Hauser, literally the entire core roster is signed for next season. Of course, Horford could theoretically retire, but even with Al, we are talking about the #6 guy. The Celtics may not win the title, but is there any rational reason to expect they won't run it back next year and try again (hopefully for #19)?
One of the hosts was going off about "this is the Celtics window" if they don't win this one, they will never have a chance with this group. This is the most ridiculous take. Other than Hauser, literally the entire core roster is signed for next season. Of course, Horford could theoretically retire, but even with Al, we are talking about the #6 guy. The Celtics may not win the title, but is there any rational reason to expect they won't run it back next year and try again (hopefully for #19)?
They’ll have a very good chance probably for the next couple of years. But it might be fair to say they’ll never have an easier chance at it.
By virtue of being in the Finals, the best chance for this group to win a title is this season. Too many things can go wrong next year. Biggest concern with failing to win a title this season is that the luxury tax bills start to mount real soon. And players sometimes get hurt when they get older. Lots of promising teams that have lost in the Finals sometimes took a lot longer than expected to get back (and some never did).
The Celtics certainly aren't going to "blow it up" this offseason if they fall short at this stage. But the pressure to make changes will be there, and Brad doesn't look like a GM to stand pat.
Unless I'm missing something, Hauser is under contact for next year. He's got a very team friendly option ($2.1M), he's not going anywhere next year, at least.
There was a preview of part 3 in the Celtics All-in series, tweeted and subsequently deleted by the Celtics twitter account. Featuring Tom Brady.
*edit - back up:
View: https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1797800924380836137
*edit - back up:
View: https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1797800924380836137
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Seen in an arcade midway in Myrtle Beach SC:
Just notice which one all the balls migrated to, i.e. which one everyone wanted to play.
Just notice which one all the balls migrated to, i.e. which one everyone wanted to play.
Cs 24-0 when holding teams under 100 points this year. Wow.
View: https://twitter.com/StoolGreenie/status/1800001010125111704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1800001010125111704%7Ctwgr%5Ebbe3b9e12d0a9551562ffb7f10dc9890abfc2670%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barstoolsports.com%2Fblog%2F3516397%2Fafter-a-massive-game-2-win-the-boston-celtics-continue-to-show-the-world-they-are-the-true-definition-of-a-team
View: https://twitter.com/StoolGreenie/status/1800001010125111704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1800001010125111704%7Ctwgr%5Ebbe3b9e12d0a9551562ffb7f10dc9890abfc2670%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.barstoolsports.com%2Fblog%2F3516397%2Fafter-a-massive-game-2-win-the-boston-celtics-continue-to-show-the-world-they-are-the-true-definition-of-a-team
Someone posted this in another thread; I can't find it; so I wanted to post it here for posterity.
Even Embiid knows that MIL screwed up. And yes, Jrue turned out to be the most important acquisition of the offseason.
View: https://twitter.com/JoelEmbiid/status/1801076572671156678?ref_src=twsrc^tfw
Even Embiid knows that MIL screwed up. And yes, Jrue turned out to be the most important acquisition of the offseason.
View: https://twitter.com/JoelEmbiid/status/1801076572671156678?ref_src=twsrc^tfw
Embiid: Did the bucks give them the championship?
This tweet sums up a lot for me (with the caveat that they obviously need to finish the job).
View: https://twitter.com/Tom_NBA/status/1801241132711461135
"If you can't find a satisfactory narrative in the Celtics overcoming demons after a decade of intricate team-building with young two stars who improved all of their problem areas, culminating in one of the more unselfish teams in recent history, that might be a skill issue." westerholm
View: https://twitter.com/Tom_NBA/status/1801241132711461135
"If you can't find a satisfactory narrative in the Celtics overcoming demons after a decade of intricate team-building with young two stars who improved all of their problem areas, culminating in one of the more unselfish teams in recent history, that might be a skill issue." westerholm
Nobody tell Embiid that the 76ers traded Jayson Tatum away to get Markelle Fultz
There's an outside possibility that deal has had a bigger impact on this series than the Jrue deal
Was just thinking how crazy it is that this whole run truly kicked off 11 summers ago with the Billy King trade. We’ve come a long way since rooting against the Lopez/DWill Nets!
Also don’t tell him the 76ers traded away Jrue Holiday and Al Horford, and drafted Ben Simmons over Jaylen Brown and Jahlil Okafor over Kristaps Porzinigis, and definitely don’t mention that the pick for trading up to take Fultz over Tatum was turned into a player used to trade for Derrick White.
Celtic 2nd half adjustment against the MAVs 1-man zone
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myZrj06fHsY
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myZrj06fHsY
I have a lot of thoughts tied to the building of this roster but feel compelled to save them until after the deed is done. Let’s just say I’ve spent a lot of time marveling at my ecstasy on the day the Celtics won the lottery and my agony on the day Ainge traded the 1 away. Just an amazing convergence of events over the last decade+.
Their GM was busy creating burner accounts to slam Joel...
so Embiid gave them the championship
They never had Jayson Tatum. If Elton Brand wasn't 100% taking Markelle Fultz, and Danny is less than like 95% confident LAL is taking Ball, Danny never trades PHI #1. We were getting Tatum one way or another - I just prefer the way we got him.
LAC strongly considering trying to hire JVG as lead assistant. Clippers have ‘strong interest' in Celtics' Jeff Van Gundy: Report - Yahoo Sports .
I think it's been said elsewhere, but MIL is trying to bring Cassell in as lead assistant. Bucks Will Try To Hire Sam Cassell Away From Celtics As Lead Assistant - RealGM Wiretap
I think it's been said elsewhere, but MIL is trying to bring Cassell in as lead assistant. Bucks Will Try To Hire Sam Cassell Away From Celtics As Lead Assistant - RealGM Wiretap
Given how close Cassell is with Doc, that one makes sense. I do wonder if it's still in the works since Milwaukee did just hire Darvin Ham, supposedly as the "top assistant."
This is almost certainly technically true and also a less funny basis for the joke
Saw a cray tweet the other day. This seems unbelievable for some reason
Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Isaiah Thomas, Joe Mazzulla, and Brad Wanamaker were all in the same draft class (2011).
Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Isaiah Thomas, Joe Mazzulla, and Brad Wanamaker were all in the same draft class (2011).
Man. I guess the trick there is that Kyrie entered the league a lot younger than those other guys, which is why he feels like he's still in his physical prime. Dude has been playing for awhile though.
Jeff Van Gundy gives an emotional, heartfelt statement of appreciation for the Celtics bringing him aboard this year. Brian Robb has the story:
https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2024/06/jeff-van-gundy-reveals-how-celtics-rescued-him-after-tragic-summer.html?outputType=amp
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“I got fired from ESPN on June 30, and then my youngest son went to school in August so we became empty nesters,” Van Gundy said. “Then my sister-in-law tragically passed away in the middle of August as well. Then, my best friend in Houston contracted cancer, and he died this spring.
“When I went to work for the Celtics after the FIBA World Cup last fall, I only knew Brad Stevens a little bit. I was really in an awkward place in life, not really knowing where I was going or what my purpose was, or how I’d be with this new group of people where I didn’t know anyone. It’s been one of the most rejuvenating things I’ve ever gone through. Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla threw me a lifeline.”
---
(More at the article, including that he might stay on, taking Charles Lee's spot on the front bench)
https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2024/06/jeff-van-gundy-reveals-how-celtics-rescued-him-after-tragic-summer.html?outputType=amp
---
“I got fired from ESPN on June 30, and then my youngest son went to school in August so we became empty nesters,” Van Gundy said. “Then my sister-in-law tragically passed away in the middle of August as well. Then, my best friend in Houston contracted cancer, and he died this spring.
“When I went to work for the Celtics after the FIBA World Cup last fall, I only knew Brad Stevens a little bit. I was really in an awkward place in life, not really knowing where I was going or what my purpose was, or how I’d be with this new group of people where I didn’t know anyone. It’s been one of the most rejuvenating things I’ve ever gone through. Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla threw me a lifeline.”
---
(More at the article, including that he might stay on, taking Charles Lee's spot on the front bench)
That's amazing. ESPN's loss is the Celts gain and who knew how his summer had been so tough.