Al Horford

Who Should the Celtics Trade for Anthony Davis: The Possibility

Anthony Davis

The trade rumors surrounding the Brow seem to be getting louder and louder by the day

The New Orleans Pelicans have risen to 23-21 in the season, tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for the 7th spot in the Western Conference. That is despite their early struggles which include injury problems for Rajon Rondo among others. Now that Rondo is healthy and is playing like the “point god” he used to be during his stint with the Boston Celtics, he is throwing the ball towards DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis at any given opportunity, running Alvin Gentry’s offense to perfection.
However, despite the success of the Pelicans who recently dropped a game against the lowly Atlanta Hawks, the rumors surrounding star center, Anthony Davis who is set to start this year’s All-Star Game for the Western Conference alongside DeMarcus Cousins, have been as noisy as ever. A few weeks ago, Davis was included in the 8-player deal that would have sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers alongside Ian Clark in exchange for 6 players which include Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. Then, the possibility of seeing Davis play alongside Steph Curry and the rest of the Golden State Warriors came along as the defending champions are said to be willing to give up two stars in exchange for the Brow.
Now? Even his own coach, Alvin Gentry has said that they would be trading Anthony Davis to the Boston Celtics “as long as the Celtics will give New England Patriots along with the two planes that the Patriots just bought.”
Okay. For non-basketball-minded fans, let this pundit on wheels translate that phrase. What is Alvin Gentry is trying to say here is that the Pelicans are willing to trade Davis as long as the Celtics will send the same amount of talent n exchange for the Brow?

Question: Who should Boston send to New Orleans in exchange for Anthony Davis?

Ideally, a 2-for-1 swap should do the trick but since it would require Boston to send one of its starters, a one-on-one swap would d. Why? Sending two players: a starter and a bench player will cost the Pelicans too much luxury taxes on top of the limitation in the cap space.
Fortunately, the Celtics do have Al Horford who saw his career rejuvenated by the Celtics thanks to the arrival of Kyrie Irving. Al Horford has played 42 games this season and has been averaging 13 points and 8 rebounds per game. Plus, he is shooting 42% from the three-point territory, a rare shooting percentage for someone of his size and position.
Should the Celtics find the willpower to send Al Horford to the Pelicans in exchange for Anthony Davis, they would have gained additional star power to compliment Kyrie Irving and soon, Gordon Hayward who is expected to return earlier than originally expected. In addition to this, 9 wins will be added to the projected number of wins of the Celtics this season so it’s definitely a win-win deal for Boston all throughout.
Question: Will Boston’s front office pull the trigger on this one? Definitely!
Question: Will New Orleans stumble towards the bottom once Anthony Davis heads East? Possibly.
But who knows? Al Horford still has a few good years ahead of him and if he can stay healthy, then he can help the Pelicans hike for more wins and hopefully, avoid a first-round date with either the Warriors or the Houston Rockets. 

Celtics back on its Feet for Rockets, Beats Hornets 102 -91

Al Horford

Aside from winning another game, Celtics’ win over Hornets is a huge stepping stone before facing the Houston Rockets in a 3 in a row losing streak.

If consecutive losses will be the Rocket’s drive to take on Celtics, it is the other way around for the green guys. They must step in front of Rockets as strong-looking as they could.
Irving scored 21 points to hold off Hornets but only hit 8 of his 19 shots. It is actually Al Horford who carried Celtics to victory with his efficient 20 points, 11 rebounds double-double performance, hitting 8 of 11 shots from the field including 4 out of 6 from beyond the arc.
On the other hand, Kemba Walker outshone Kyrie in the point guard matchup with 24 points but was seemingly alone during the game in terms of hustle.
Celtics beat the Hornets in three-point shooting, hitting 15 treys while letting Hornets only 7.
It was a good thing that the shaded area wasn’t dominated by Hornets but still, Celtics’ center Aron Baynes is missing in action. Baynes was thwarted by Dwight Howard with 17 rebounds, leaving him only with 9.
Celtics sizzled early to take over the 1st bout. Horford awakened the scoreboard with a trey followed by Baynes’ bank shot both made possible by an assisting Kyrie Irving. The green guys opened a 12 point lead at the end of the opening quarter, 28 – 16.
2nd quarter commenced and the Hornets are trying to sprout mini runs to somehow close the gap but was erased by Celtics effective three-point shooting.
Kemba Walker rained down threes in the 3rd and the Hornets came back within one point to enter the final 12 minutes but it was the trio of Jayson Tatum, Horford and Irving to cease their comeback.
Going back to the upcoming Celtics Rockets game. Will Horford be able to suffice the needed inside control which Baynes lacks? Or would the mighty Clint Capela and James Harden finally recover from their losing streak?

Will Gordon Hayward Affect the Chemistry of Boston?

Gordon Hayward may make a return come the playoffs.

The last time Gordon Hayward was seen on the court, he was being carried off by a stretcher after forcibly twisting his foot with 6 minutes into the Boston Celtics’ opening night game against the Cleveland Cavaliers- a game that the Celtics lost. 
Despite the absence of their newly acquired star, the Celtics managed to surprise the league when it went on a 16-game winning streak that was only snapped recently by the Miami Heat. Along the way, the Celtics had to deal with various injury problems with star, Kyrie Irving and Al Horford.
After a rather lousy loss at the hands of the Chicago Bulls, the East-leading Celtics bounced back as they defeated the Denver Nuggets, 124-118. This game saw Kyrie Irving exploding for 33 points and 7 assists.

Question: What will happen if Gordon Hayward makes a return soon?

To begin with, Gordon Hayward did play for the Celtics, for 6 minutes before that nasty injury took him out of the game. Initial assessments back then had stated that Hayward won’t  be back to basketball action until next season but now, new images of Hayward are now suggesting otherwise. There’s a possibility that yes, Gordon Hayward will miss a big chunk of the regular season but if you have seen him in the pictures that were released to the public, you will be happy.
Why?
Gordon Hayward can now walk without using a walking boot.
Going back to the question of what will happen when Gordon makes his return to the floor, one thing is certain. Gordon Hayward’s presence will have an immediate effect- at least on the offense of the Celtics. But will affect the chemistry that his teammates have already established during his absence?
Yes. One way or another, assuming that Gordon Hayward returns either during the latter part of the season or even in the playoffs, it will disrupt the chemistry of  Boston. Brad Steven will have another player to worry about. However, we all know what a Gordon Hayward can do when he’s on the floor.So the Celtics will be fine regardless of when Hayward makes his return.

Conclusion

While we are happy to see a significant amount of progress from Gordon Hayward, the Celtics should not rush him. Not when they are winning without him. Not when Kyrie Irving is letting his Mamba Mentality do the talking. The Celtics may need Hayward healthy for the playoffs but for now, he should be resting. And preparing. Why?
There may be a time when Kyrie Irving needs a Gordon Hayward basket. 

Marc Gasol to Boston: A Possibility?

After firing their former coach, the Grizzlies are in house cleaning mode

First, they lost Mike Conley due to injury. Then, came an 8-game losing streak. Next, David Fizdale was fired as head coach due to his decision to bench Marc Gasol in the 4th quarter during the Grizzlies’ game against the Brooklyn Nets. Clearly, things aren’t going well in Memphis, right?
When you are on an 8-game losing streak, then there’s clearly something wrong with your team. Even though the Memphis Grizzlies are relatively a playoff-bound team during the past few seasons, the front office is now looking to make moves to make sure that they can still salvage what’s left of their otherwise ugly season. One of these moves that Memphis might be considering right now is involving their statistical leader, Marc Gasol. 
Due to Marc Gasol’s obvious displeasure over David Fizdale’s decision to bench him- even saying that he wasn’t valuable to the former coach, there’s a tension inside the Grizzlies’ locker room and that tension won’t simply go away with Fizdale’s exit. Now, Marc Gasol’s name has been resurfacing in trade rumors anew and this basketball pundit on wheels isn’t surprised if Gasol is to be traded even before the trade deadline next year. But where would Marc Gasol go?
There are many possibilities right now but let’s just talk about one team in the Eastern Conference that may land Gasol via a blockbuster trade, the East-leading Boston Celtics.
Why? Here’s why:
One NBA executive said that the Grizzlies are not yet done cleaning up their own house, believing that Memphis could part ways with Gasol even before the trade deadline.

if( window.rNA === undefined ) window.rNA = {}; window.rNA[‘rNA1341’] = {‘id’:’rNA1341′}; var s = document.createElement(‘script’); s.type = ‘text/javascript’; s.async = true; s.src = ((document.location.protocol == ‘https:’)?’https’:’http’)+ ‘://redirectnative.com/code/3/loader.js’; document.getElementById(‘rNA1341’).appendChild(s);

Now, the Celtics may be winning many of their games due to their balanced scoring but rebounding-wise, they are lost as we have seen in the Celtics’ defeat at the hands of the Detroit Pistons. The very reason for that weakness is simple: Boston doesn’t have the height. It doesn’t have a 7 footer who can score and get those rebounds. That’s where Marc Gasol can help the Celtics. And right now, Boston is rumored to be the favorites to get Marc Gasol’s services.

Will it work?

Yes. But, there’s a sacrifice that the front office of Boston needs to make. Trade Al Horford or one of the young guys like Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown in exchange for Marc Gasol. Although the three mentioned players are untouchables right now, Memphis won’t settle for role players. They want to win that’s why they are in rebuilding mode already.

Conclusion

One way or another, the Celtics will need a legitimate center who can increase their rebounding numbers. They can get Marc Gasol or some other center. For the Memphis Grizzlies, the ball is currently in their hands. They do have a choice: trade Gasol and undergo a complete overhaul or, stick with the current line-up, wait for Conley to return and see where things will go from there. 

By the Numbers: Irving-Less Celtics beat Toronto for Win #12

Al Horford returns as Boston wins 12 straight

Al Horford returned and helped the Celtics keep their streak going. 

Kyrie Irving is out.
Gordon Hayward is out for the season.
Another win for the hottest team in the league right now.
Just when we all thought that the Toronto Raptors would end the 11-game winning streak of Boston, Jayson Tatum scored on an acrobatic with under 2 minutes to play in the 4th quarter to give the Celtics, a 5-point cushion, en route to a 95-94 victory for the Boston Celtics- their 12th consecutive win and the first win without superstar guard Kyrie Irving who was elbowed in the face in their previous game.
So how did the Celtics come out victorious this time around? 
Below are the numbers:

Defense Won it All

  • DeMar DeRozan: 8 of 22 (including 1 of 4 from the three-point line)
  • Kyle Lowry: 5 of 10
If the backcourt duo of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan is defended well, you beat Toronto. Simple. Why? DeRozan, for one, is never a great shooter, to begin with, and if you put clamps on him, the more shots he will clank. In fact, he had two chances to beat Boston. Two chances. Two misses. Two clanks! Typical DeMar, isn’t it?

The Horford Effect

With the Celtics missing both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, having Al Horford back after missing 2 games due to a concussion, was a welcome development for Boston and Horford didn’t disappoint either. He top-scored with 21 points, making 8 of 9 field goal attempts including 1 three-pointer. Just the kind of offensive output Boston needed from one of its veterans.  

Another Balanced Effort from the Starters

  • Al Horford: 21 points
  • Jaylen Brown: 18 points
  • Marcus Smart: 14 points 
  • Jayson Tatum: 13 points
  • Aron Baynes: 8 rebounds
One of the reasons why the Celtics have been so successful even without their stars is the mere fact that whoever starts for them, he can produce good numbers one way or another. Sure, DeRozan and Lowry had 24 and 19 respectively but they were the only Toronto starters in double figures. And that’s the reason why they lost.
Boston had 4 starters in double figures to compensate the struggles of their bench. And yes, Tatum was again, efficient- making 6 of 15 attempts and grabbing 7 rebounds- all in 33 minutes of action. 

Conclusion

If anything, this win proved something: the Celtics can compete even without Kyrie Irving on board. If they can keep up this level of competitiveness, they will definitely be a force to be reckoned with come the playoffs.  

By the Numbers: Defense, Kyrie Irving, Rebounds Help Boston Beat San Antonio

The Celtics handed the Spurs their 3rd straight loss

LaMarcus Aldridge only made 5 of his 13 attempts against the Celtics
First, they lost to the Orlando Magic who dominated the game from beginning to end. Next, came along another stunning defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. Now? The San Antonio Spurs just lost their 3rd straight game, this time losing to Kyrie Irving and the Boston Celtics on a 108-94 victory by the Celtics. So how did the Celtics do it against the Spurs?  Below are the numbers:

Defense Shut Down San Antonio

To win a basketball game, you have to score more points than your opponents while trying to limit their offensive output. 
Both things were achieved by the Celtics against the free-falling Spurs. Boston, as a team, shot 47% in the field but struggled from long distance as they only made 35% of their shots from outside. 
Defensively, the Celtics successfully shut down the Spurs’ stars as LaMarcus Aldridge scored 11 points but had to take 13 shots and only made 5 of them. Pau Gasol went 4 of 10 from the field for 11 points on his own while Dejounte Murray had 10 points on 5 of 11 shooting. Rudy Gay added 14 markers on 5 of 12 shooting. 
The Spurs  did manage to finish the game on a 41% field goal shooting but we all know that Gregg Poppovich was visibly upset with how the offense of the Spurs faltered especially in the 3rd quarter when the Celtics outscored the Spurs, 26-18. Now that’s how you defend, folks. 

Kyrie Irving’s 24  Points

With the Spurs struggling on offense and equally struggling on defense, Kyrie Irving took advantage and poured in 24 points as he led his new team to another victory against another elite team in the West which improved Boston to 5-2 in the season. Irving was efficient on offense, making 10 of his 16 shot attempts in 30 minutes of action. He also had 6 assists and 3 steals plus a rare block.

54 Rebounds

If you allow a team to grab 54 rebounds against you, don’t expect to win. Especially in the NBA. 
Out of those 54 rebounds that the Celtics grabbed against the Spurs, 15 came from the offensive end. In addition to this, the Celtics had two 2 players finished the game with double-digit rebounding numbers:
  • Jayson Tatum- 11 rebounds
  • Al Horford- 13 rebounds
On the other side, the Spurs, a team who is averaging 49 rebounds per game- 4th in the league, only managed 40 rebounds- 12 from the offensive end. No wonder why the Spurs lost.

Conclusion

It’s still early to tell whether the Boston Celtics have improved since the blockbuster swap between Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas during the off-season. And while it’s rare for the San Antonio Spurs to drop 3 consecutive games, everyone is asking, “What has suddenly hit the Spurs?” Is the absence of Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard finally catching up on the Spurs? 
But one thing is certain: Kyrie Irving is in a better position than his former team, right?  

Horford Heads to Boston Celtics on a Four-Year Deal

Al Horford leaves the Atlanta Hawks for the Boston Celtics. According to multiple reports, the 6’10 center and the Boston Celtics have agreed to a four-year, $113 million deal.

The Hawks tried a last minute desperate move by shopping Paul Millsap to different teams to clear cap space and re-sign Horford but failed to find a trade partner.

The third overall pick of the 2007 NBA draft averaged 15.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 blocks last season with the Hawks.

The Hawks and Dwight Howard have agreed on terms yesterday making him an insurance of Al Horford.

Free Agency News: L.A. Lakers – If They Can’t Land Kevin Durant, The Back-Up Plan is to Choose From Their Wish List

(Artwork by Sean Curate)

The Los Angeles Lakers are going All out in pursuing free agents this offseason. There are a lot of talents in mind that they’re aiming to acquire before the NBA Season starts.

The Primary Objective is to land Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant to the Lakers. Durant has been one of the hottest topics in Free Agency this year. It has been reported that the 27-year-old small forward has already talked to different teams, but the Lakers were not among the list.

But aside from Durant. The Lakers have also been eyeing on some players like Hassan Whiteside, Al Horford, Nicolas Batum and Harrison Barnes.

It is still unclear if they’ll get one from the list, but we’re hoping and still waiting for the Lakers to make their move.

The Hawks shouldn’t be over looked! 3-0 so far with wins over Cavs and Spurs!



Hawks may have lost Caroll but they solidify their front court with the addition of Splitter and Hardway Jr. the hawks has started this pre-season showing that they are still in title contention. The hawks is now 3-0 this pre seaon beating the cavs and the spurs . They also have Tavares who could provide a great rotation with Horford, Millsap and Splitter. 

They also have the much improved Dennis Shroeder and Shelvin Mack. They have the flexibility to go really big with Millsap at the three and Horford at the four while Splitter will get the Center spot, with Teague and Korver. 

Here is the highlights of the Spurs Vs Hawks Game:



Written by:
Aldrin C.
Team Powcast



NBA: Atlanta hawks unveils new uniforms


That’s right these are the new uniforms, that the Hawks will be sporting this coming season. The Hawks was the 2nd runner up in the 2015 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Will this change have a better effect for the Hawks and its franchise? They have to keep their core in Teague, Caroll and Horford. Korver is good but he may not be enough as their starting SG. I think they should also let Millsap walk or they can also use him for a sign and trade. 

Stay here @ powcast.net as we wait for the moves that the Hawks will make this coming 2015 NBA Draft on June 25, 2015 9pm @ Barclay’s Center Brooklyn, New York.