NBA ALL-STAR Jayson Tatum = at # 3 overall = the right choice - (Erik Drost photo)

Kristaps Porzingis - ( NBA photo)   Jrue Holiday - (NBA photo)

The Celtics Jaylen Brown can see the 3 and be the 3 - (All-Pro Reels photo)

Bill Russell is seen here in the green uniform guarding Wilt Chamberlain. They had some of the NBA's most classic battles. Russell sadly passed away Sunday at the age of 88 - (US Library of Congress image) ALL TIME NBA 1st TEAM - BREAKING IT DOWN

SPORTS NOTES - CELTICS have the Right Stuff?

James Loving/National Radio Text Service

Money talks in building a title winning team. The main ingredient is the General Manager selecting the right players to blend in with the talent and personalities of team members. This season the Boston Celtics have a team enjoying tremendous success, they have the potential to be a dynasty. Who and how has this team come together? Read on… - THIS DAY IN THE NBA - NBA's ALL TIME BEST PLAYERS 1st and 2nd TEAMS

Wednesday May 22, 2024

MONEY TALKS - SHOW THEM THE MONEY

The Boston Celtics have matured into the premier team in the NBA. When you appraise how this season's exceptional team was put together it reveals that there were a lot of doubters along the way. Then Celtics GM Danny Ainge bit the bullet and made controversial choices.

The first doubt was Jaylen Brown, who was drafted third overall in the 2016 NBA draft. The question was Jaylen who? It appears that Celtics fans were living in the NO HAPPY ZONE. There seemed to be gasps from the crowd when his name was announced.

The 76ers selected Ben Simmons as the # 1 overall pick. The Los Angeles Lakers selected Brandon Ingram as the second overall choice and the Celtics chose Brown in the number three spot. Thus far Brown and Ingram have realized their promise.

The second doubt was who was Jayson Tatum when he was also drafted as the 3rd overall pick in the 2017 draft. That was the draft that had the highly touted Lonzo Ball.

Ball was selected 2nd overall to the Los Angeles Lakers. Surprisingly the first overall choice was the Philadelphia 76ers selecting Markel Fultz. As that scenario has played out, Tatum has been the best of the lot. His career has progressed to being selected for the NBA's All-star first team.

Since those selections Ainge departed from the club and his job was taken buy Brad Stevens another Ainge hire to be the coach of the Celtics. What Ainge left behind was the foundation for the current Celtics squad that is on the threshold of being one the best teams in Celtics history.

Stevens rounded out the squad by trading for big man and three-point threat Kristaps Porzingis. He solidified the squad by trading for veteran Jrue Holiday who is in charge of quarterbacking the team.

As they say it takes three stars to have a championship team, the Celtics have four. It will take time to see how long and how successful this combination of stars can qualify to be in the category of being one of the greatest Celtics teams ever. The ingredients are right, the team maturation remains a question.

One issue stands out, that being can Brown and Tatum play together. The answer thus far is they can. Each seem to be satisfied that the other can be the star of any game. Brown showed his worth by hitting a clutch game tying three point shot from the corner in game one of this season's Eastern finals. That shot was huge since it enabled the Celts to come from behind, tie the contest and go into overtime for the win.

The new dynamic duo have had solid NBA careers. Brown has a 18.6 ppg. average during his eight seasons in the league. Tatum has a solid 23.1 ppg. average during his seven seasons in the league. Both are 100% pure Celtic with the green monsters being the only team each has played for.

In his first season with Boston, Porzingis put up a 20.1 ppg. average but missed 25 games due to injury. He is currently on the injured list but is expected to return soon. Being 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m), he plays both the power forward and center positions. The Latvian has a career 19.7 ppg average during his eight seasons in the league. The former NBA All-star has played with four teams including the NY Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards and now Boston.

Holiday, at 33 is the second oldest player on the squad. He brings intense defensive play in his 15 seasons in the league. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft with the 17th overall pick. Holiday played four seasons with Philadelphia before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in 2013. In 2020, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks and won his first NBA championship with the team in 2021. Holiday is a two-time NBA All-Star and six-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He also won a gold medal with the 2020 U.S. Olympic team. He has a career 16.1 ppg. average.

With only two players over 30 the foundation for a dynasty is in place. What needs to occur is the maturation of team play. The saying money can't buy you love may be true but in this case it's possible that it can buy the franchise an NBA title.

Should that be the case it may bring back the glory years of the franchise's title winning history. The Celtics are regarded as one of the most successful teams in the NBA. They are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for the most NBA championships with 17.

The cost of the Celts BIG FOUR is huge. The salary list is as follows:

1. Jarue Holiday - $36,861,707

2. Kristaps Porzingis - $36,016,200

3. Jayson Tatum - $32,600,060

4. Jaylen Brown - $31,830,357

That totals $137, 308,632! That's LeBron James money! Agree or not?

Thus far this is money well spent. Agree or not? The All-star blend is complimented by having a sold big man and former starter Al Horford who has produced with reliable play off the bench. At 37-years-old he has the right stuff in talent and mature mentality to solidify what could be a championship season for the Celts. Will it come to past… stay tuned.

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