For a while, every single game is going to be a referendum on the 2025-26 Celtics’ potential and Jaylen Brown’s ability to be an alpha and Joe Mazzulla’s coaching ability.
Some fans will be hoping for the playoffs. Others are monitoring possible lottery picks. And everybody will monitor the Jayson Tatum return rumors.
It’s going to be an unusual year.
The early returns didn’t look great as the Celtics blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead on Wednesday and lost their opener at home. Making matters worse, it came against a Sixers team that isn’t elite on its best day and on Wednesday, they were missing Paul George and Jared McCain and got very little out of Joel Embiid, who is less healthy than usual.
They lost despite 25 points each from Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. What happens if they have an off night?
Is that reason for panic?
It might be.
Or was it simply the result of guys in newer and bigger roles not quite being comfortable in the moment?
Might be that too.
Had Payton Pritchard made either of his two shots in the final seconds, the Celtics would have won the game, but most of the same questions would still be unanswered. That will be just as true even if they beat the Knicks on Friday.
These early games are all symptoms of a team whose real potential is still undiagnosed.
Some of it will just be reps. What’s the right lineup to have on the floor in a close game late? Who do the Celtics trust to take, but not force the last shot?
Jaylen Brown tried to offer perspective.
“Definitely a winnable game for us. We had some opportunities. Even at the end, we had some opportunities that didn’t go our way. It’s a learning experience,” Brown said. “It’s going to be a learning experience from day one. We got a bunch of new guys, we’re playing a new style. I thought we played hard today. I thought we played a winnable game. Some crucial errors that cost us. … We got a new group that’s still figuring things out. I’m looking forward to just learning every day with the group. And I’m looking forward to when we get to that point where we catch our wind, what that could possibly be.”
Even he doesn’t really know. The Celtics should get better. But how much is fair to expect or hope for?
A lot of their opponents will be better than the Sixers squad that came to Boston on Wednesday and it won’t be long before everyone the Celtics play has plenty of scoutable video to prepare with.
Either way, without Jayson Tatum, there’s a lot less room for error.
As a public, we’re funny about crime. We’re against most of it, but certain types of crime end up being captivating.
And we love heists. Priceless jewelry gets stolen from the Louvre in broad daylight by guys on motorbikes. My first thought? Oh, that’s going to make a good movie someday. My second? Doesn’t anything other than crime happen in broad daylight?
Steal from a person, you’re despicable. Steal from a museum or a bank, you’re a legend.
Speaking of crime. If a Hockey player A jumps Player B and starts punching him, he’s kind of a punk. But if Player A also steals Player B’s helmet and takes it apart on the way to the penalty box, as Brad Marchand did to Rasmus Dahlin on Saturday, that’s kind of funny and the punkness is more forgivable.
The players change, but Bruins’ Halloween tradition of wearing costumes to the area Children’s Hospitals remains a wonderful constant. On Wednesday afternoon, several Bruins visited Mass General dressed as superheroes from both the D.C. and Marvel universes. Naturally, rookie Fraser Minten wore the Robin costume.
I hate the existence of the cash-grab gimmick that was the Nordiques vs. the Whalers on Thursday.
I love both uniforms, but I hate what it says to fans in Hartford and Quebec City.
This is obviously unrealistic, but I’m saying it anyway: When a franchise moves from one city to another, if they don’t continue to use the name in their new spot, they should surrender the rights to the name and logos, at least until the abandoned city gets another team.
Putting the Avs in Nordiques sweaters is another kick in the teeth to fans in Quebec City, whose bid to bring back the NHL is likely to get passed over so the NHL can give hockey-ambivalent Atlanta a third try.
And let’s not pretend they’re honoring the Nordiques heritage either. Not when Cale Makar is wearing the same No. 8 that the Nordiques retired for Marc Tardif.
If the Avalanche want to wear throwbacks, they should wear Rockies uniforms.
Sports clues from actual editions of America’s favorite quiz show. As always, mind the date
CATEGORY: SPORTS TROPHIES & AWARDS $800:
Date: March 2, 2021
College football rivalries can have their own trophies; the Ireland Trophy goes to the winner of Boston College vs. this school?
— Answer below
5 — Ghosts – Bruce Springsteen
4 — Monster – Rihanna and Eminem
3 — If We Were Vampires – Jason Isbell
2 — Haunted – Taylor Swift
1 — Zombie – The Cranberries
Oct. 24
2004 — Red Sox win Game 2 of the World Series vs. St. Louis at Fenway Park.
2018 — Red Sox beat Dodgers in Gaem 2 of the World Series at Fenway Park.
What is a Notre Dame?
(Is that true? I’ve never heard of that).
Happy National Bologna Day to all who celebrate.
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