Sometimes it is difficult to believe that the Big Three only
won a single championship together in Boston. Those Celtics teams seemed far too
complete and much too cohesive to only win one title.
Age and injuries contributed to their downfall. You can
partially blame Danny Ainge, if you’d like.
Nevertheless, the prospect of reuniting Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray
Allen to give the 2016-17 Boston Celtics one of the oldest, most experienced
and most intriguing benches in the NBA is too magnificent not to
romanticize.
The 41-year-old Allen reached out to the Celtics, Bucks and
several other teams this week about a potential comeback. He said during an
interview with the Hartford Courant, “It doesn’t necessarily have to be
championship-or-bust for me to go back to the NBA.”
Meanwhile the 40-year-old Garnett needs just one more season
under his belt to surpass Robert Parrish and Kevin Willis for longest career in
NBA history. He is entering the final year of his contract in Minnesota, but close
friend and former Timberwolves interim head coach Sam Mitchell says Garnett is leaning towards retirement because Mitchell was recently fired.
And, "The Truth" - Pierce turns 39 in October and is contemplating retirement after a rough year in Los Angeles. Whenever he is ready,he will retire as a member of the
Celtics and someday his #34 will be enshrined in the Garden rafters amongst the
other all-time Celtics greats.
But just imagine if Pierce’s second Celtics stint featured one
more long playoff run alongside the same future Hall of Famers who once united
to deliver Boston its only NBA title since 1986.
Wouldn’t that command your respect more than a one-day retirement
contract?
Ainge has quietly returned the Celtics to prominence in the
Eastern Conference by assembling a young, exciting and hardworking core under
Brad Stevens. The acquisition of Al Horford may put the Celtics in position to face
the Cavaliers in the Conference Finals next season.
Pierce, Garnett and Allen are in the final stage of their careers.
They cannot be relied on for consistent minutes anymore, but their very presence would
stimulate the team culture by instilling strong leadership tendencies and
providing a vital veteran cognizance off the bench.
Despite their age, they will play well together in spurts against
plenty of opposing bench units. More importantly, they will be invaluable teammates
to the younger players thriving on their guidance during practices, games and
especially during the postseason.
Amir Johnson is active and athletic, but how much better
could he be with Garnett teaching him to harness his energy more efficiently?
How much could sharpshooters R.J. Hunter and James Young
benefit from witnessing Allen’s intensive practice routine and flawless shooting
form firsthand?
How high could Jaylen Brown’s ceiling be with Pierce as a
mentor?
Reuniting the Big Three would require mild maneuvering. Fortunately,
the Timberwolves are always hungry for young players and draft picks. Ainge
could easily acquire the old brooding Garnett for some rookie reserves or
future second-round picks.
Pierce will eventually return to Boston, but Ainge can make
that happen sooner rather than later. Allen can sign pretty much anywhere, as most teams would be thrilled
to acquire one of the world’s greatest shooters.
The Celtics roster has terrific depth with players like Brown, Marcus
Smart, Terry Rozier, Jonas Jerebko and Gerald Green, but Ainge could still make just
enough room on the bench for the reunion and farewell tour for the Big Three if they all put
aside their past differences to seek out greatness one last time together.
Just picture Pierce, Garnett and Allen entering the game on
the final possession, joining Horford and Isaiah Thomas.
Garnett sets the screen. Horford inbounds to Thomas. He
drives. Defenders converge and he kicks the ball out to Allen, who dishes to Pierce.
Pierce launches up the contested jump shot…
Perhaps this is just a pipe dream. Maybe I am living in the past.
The wait is over and basketball season is back. The Celtics finished their preseason with a promising 6-1 record and tonight they seek to carry that momentum into the regular season. The game takes place at 7:30 pm in Boston against the lowly 76ers, whom the Celtics defeated 81-65 in their final preseason game last week.
The Sixers severely lack depth and scoring ability. They plan to rebuild around their talented new
rookie center, Jahlil Okafor, but overall they are currently one of the worst
teams in the NBA. The Celtics have the depth and talent to become one of the top teams in the East, so expect
an easy victory tonight. Here are some important things to watch for in the season opener:
1. The Starting Lineup –
Smart – Bradley – Crowder – Lee – Zeller
Brad Stevens dabbled with several different starting lineups
throughout the preseason, but this one was most prevalent. Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, and Jae Crowder
have all stepped into leadership roles while David Lee is also a natural
leader. However Amir Johnson is much more
capable on defense than Lee, making him one of several players who are banging
on the door of the starting lineup.
Lee is a great addition … just not necessarily a great starting
power forward. He brings intangible assets
such as veteran presence, leadership, and offensive versatility. Unfortunately he is just not that effective
on the court anymore. He helped Golden
State win a title last year but barely received any playing time during the
postseason.
His offensive awareness helps the team run smoothly and he
has developed a nice rapport with Bradley.
However Lee’s defense is unreliable and his scoring ability showed further regression during the preseason. If Lee
starts tonight, look for him to gradually relinquish that role to Johnson.
Lee and
Zeller have played well, but not as well as Johnson and Kelly Olynyk have
played off the bench. The rotation may change frequently throughout the season. Furthermore guards Isaiah Thomas and Evan Turner, two of the team's top playmakers, are part of the second unit right now. They are fighting for starting roles as well. Still, the biggest questions remain in the frontcourt, where six talented big men are fighting for four rotational spots.
2. Interior Presence – Somebody must step up
The frontcourt puzzle will play itself out.
The Celtics have plenty of talented big men and some will earn more
minutes than others. However one of the
best ways for these guys to establish themselves in the rotation is to
step up their interior defensive game.
The Celtics have spent the last five years getting
outmuscled and outrebounded. They need immediate improvement in paint
presence so that they no longer look helpless against opponents who can score effectively inside. Offensive rebounds have also been a major
issue.
Smart, Bradley, Crowder, and Terry Rozier give the Celtics an
elite defensive presence in their backcourt.
However, once opponents penetrate inside, the Celtics bigs often look
overmatched against (what should be) inferior opponents. Lee and Olynyk are the biggest culprits of
getting beaten inside by inferior players.
Zeller is guilty too.
Look for Johnson to fight for minutes, as well as a starting
role, by building upon his defensive prowess.
Johnson’s high level of activity on defense makes him very valuable. He has an underrated quickness that enables him to impact the game in many ways.
This team does not need Johnson to be a
big-time scorer. He just needs to consistently work hard and use his size and athleticism to maximize his defensive impact. Furthermore, Sullinger
and Mickey are on the outskirts of the rotation, but they can still earn some minutes if they are able to help control the paint by grabbing boards and playing physical defense. Sullinger got hot towards the end of the preseason, finally parking his gigantic body under the rim and proceeding to pull down 14 rebounds during their final preseason game.
3. Noel and Okafor – The Saviors of the Sixers?
Sixers fans have been waiting for months to see their star big men in regular season action together for the
first time. Okafor and Nerlens Noel are both exceptionally skilled centers. Okafor is a massive threat in the post while Noel is freakishly athletic. The young and talented 6’11’’ centers combine for an intriguingly ferocious frontcourt in Philly.
Many believed that Okafor would be the #1 overall pick this past summer. However the 19 year old, 270 lb freshman somehow slipped to Philadelphia at #3, right after leading Duke to a national championship. Nevertheless the massive youngster has NBA-ready post moves and an NBA-ready body. Essentially, he is teenage Al Jefferson with a 7'5'' wingspan.
Nearly half of this year's draft class believes that Okafor will win Rookie of the Year. It's easy to see why, especially when you put him alongside a blossoming Noel, the #6 overall pick in the 2013 draft. The exciting duo will give the Celtics a lot of trouble, but other than two big men, the Sixers don't have much else going for them.
Expect Okafor and Noel to combine
for approximately 25 points and 20 rebounds tonight.
The rest of the game should belong to Boston. Okafor will show off some nifty offensive plays in his NBA debut, working the post against Zeller and the Celtics. Nevertheless the Sixers stand little chance of winning the game.
Prediction: Celtics win 94-81. Look for Smart to dominate on
both sides of the ball, Crowder to set the pace in the hustle department, and rookie point guard Terry Rozier to come up with some big plays in his first official NBA game.
The Celtics showed off their depth
and versatility last night with a commanding victory over the Brooklyn
Nets. Boston defeated Brooklyn 109-105
however the Celtics never trailed and they firmly controlled the game from start
to finish.
Boston led by as much as 18 before
inserting non-rotational players such as Corey Walden and James Young into the
lineup for the entire fourth quarter. Overall,
the Celtics were undeniably impressive in their first taste of NBA preseason
action. Here are five key takeaways
from last night’s victory.
1. The Celtics defensive backcourt wreaks havoc. As expected, the Celtics
displayed high levels of energy and were incredibly active on defense. They contested nearly every single opposing shot
in the first half and frequently harassed opposing ball handlers with tight
defensive pressure. The Celtics recorded
12 steals and 9 blocks, frustrating Nets players and causing them to lose their
cool and play errant basketball. Brooklyn
point guard Jarrett Jack was ejected in the second quarter for tackling Jonas
Jerebko after Jack had turned the ball over to Jared Sullinger.
The Celtics use hustle, resilience, and
tenacity to create chaos for opposing offenses.
It was very impressive that the Celtics could keep their defensive
intensity level high even with three of their best on-ball defenders missing
the game. Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley,
and Terry Rozier are combo guards that bring explosiveness and tenacity to
their backcourt defense while often producing subsequent fast-break
points. The Celtics scored 18 fast break
points last night and that number will only go up when those guards return from
their respective ailments.
2. The Celtics defensive frontcourt still lacks
paint presence. This is an issue that
has plagued the Celtics for five years. While
the Celtics can outrun almost any opponent and can produce offensively in a
variety of ways, they still lack an interior defensive anchor. The Nets played poorly last night but they
still out-rebounded the Celtics while managing to score 50 points from inside the paint. The Celtics big men need to do better.
Amir Johnson is a slight upgrade from last
season in terms of defensive presence, but without a commanding force that truly
deters opponents from frequently attacking the rim, Johnson and the other bigs must
learn to work together more effectively.
It is worth noting that David Lee also did not play last night, however majority
of Lee’s contributions will come through his offensive versatility and veteran
leadership rather than his defense.
3. The Celtics have ridiculous depth. Before the game, I wrote about the depth on the Celtics roster and that depth is what enabled them to dominate the Nets even when four important Celtics players were sidelined.
The Celtics theoretically have enough talent to field three NBA starting lineups, so opposing second units will always be overmatched against Boston's bench. The Celtics backups exhibit zero drop-off
in both production and intensity.
There is no rest for the weary against the Celtics, who attack their opponents with intensity and fresh
legs by mixing in so many different hard-working defensive-oriented players into the lineup. Many teams find themselves struggling to field
a passable roster during the middle months of the long NBA season, but the
Celtics have the talent to always be productive, regardless of what
combination of players is on the court.
4. I’m going to keep saying it - R.J. Hunter may be the future face of this franchise. Deep down, we can all see that this kid is special and there is no ceiling on his
potential. Hunter was stroking it from
three-point range in the first half last night and then filled up the rest of his stat sheet
in the second half. He works hard and
has the ability to score like crazy.
Obviously he’s just a rookie and can’t be trusted yet as a reliable
volume scorer in the NBA, but that hasn’t stopped him from finding countless other ways to contribute.
His length and
basketball IQ often help him intercept passes and he
recorded a team-high 4 steals against the Nets.
He also contributed 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in his first game
against NBA opposition while showing no hesitation when pulling up from
three-point range. His jump shot will
only become more lethal as he gradually becomes more comfortable in the NBA.
5. Sullinger looks very out of
place. He’s clearly uncomfortable about
his uncertain role in the rotation and he honestly looks like he belongs on another team. After all the offseason hype about Sullinger
finally getting in shape, he predictably failed to do so. Furthermore he shot 1-8 from the field last night,
chucking up erroneous long range jumpers. It is hard to watch Sullinger launch three-point attempts when everybody knows that he should be using his gigantic backside to post up defenders.
There was a time when Sullinger was one of the best young players on this team, but with a measly two rebounds, three points, and
four fouls in 12 minutes of action yesterday, it is hard to envision him receiving meaningful playing time this year. The offseason
acquisitions of Johnson and Lee make Sullinger entirely expendable, but
truthfully there are no teams right now that would be interested in trading for a
young player that isn't showing any improvement either from a skills or a conditioning standpoint.
Sullinger will likely be relegated to a bench
role, and that’s probably for the best if Stevens wants his team to be as fast,
active, and aggressive as possible.
Sullinger could be a starter for many NBA teams but he is holding himself back from reaching his full potential. He will only play significant minutes this season when Lee is resting or when another big man gets hurt.
The Celtics were surprisingly productive last season, and
after upgrading in the offseason, they are ready to turn heads once again. Evan Turner, Avery Bradley, David Lee, and
other Celtics players have not been shy in talking about the team’s remarkable
depth at every position. This team expects
to be playoff-bound for the second straight year, and for the first time since
2010, the roster features fifteen legitimate players – all non-busts – who are
ready to compete.
Yes, the Celtics still lack a star scorer (let alone three
like the 2008 Championship team) but Danny Ainge has fashioned an undeniably
impressive foundation of young hard-working players. R.J. Hunter may eventually grow into a bigtime
scoring role, but in the meantime, the Celtics will operate with fifteen
different guys (arguably sixteen if you count James Young) with unique
skillsets and excellent work ethic. They
have fifteen different players that could potentially be starters in the NBA if
they were not all crammed together on one roster. Ainge
has quietly transformed the Celtics into the deepest team in the East.
Check out the box score from their preseason exhibition win against Olimpia Milano. Every single Celtics
player contributed. Turner, who led the
team with three triple-doubles last season, was out due to a knee injury. Fourteen of the remaining fifteen players
scored points. (way to go James Young – perhaps you would have gotten on the
board too if you were more concerned with consistency on the basketball court rather than consistency on the dance floor.)
The roster can be broken down into three logical rotations.
PG: Marcus Smart
Isaiah Thomas
Terry Rozier
SG: Avery Bradley
Evan Turner
R.J. Hunter
SF: Jae Crowder
Jonas Jerebko
Perry Jones
PF: David Lee
Amir Johnson
Jared Sullinger
C: Tyler Zeller
Kelly Olynyk
Jordan Mickey
*SG James Young is not listed on these rotations because he’s
clearly still not ready for meaningful minutes.
Defeating Milan is obviously no big deal. However it is extremely encouraging to
see that all fifteen Boston players who touched the court in their
first preseason game registered positive plus/minus ratings. In other words, the team played well from
start to finish, regardless of which combination of players was on the
court.
These preseason trips to Europe inherently build a great
deal of chemistry and comradery for NBA teams.
Many of these players have a chip on their shoulder from being cut or
traded by previous teams, and many of them have a chip on their other shoulder
from being told by many Celtics fans to tank for a lottery pick last season.
Ainge promised each and every one of these players an opportunity to
contribute for the Celtics and they all bought in, working hard under Brad
Stevens to silence the doubters and surge to a playoff spot in the second half
of the season. This roster is full of hard-working
talented players and that is no accident.
These like-minded individuals often form a brotherhood during
these kinds of trips and a passionate culture becomes infectious. The 2008 championship squad traveled to Italy
in the preseason and bred a powerful winning culture known as “Ubuntu” to unite
the team, while priding themselves on hard work, defense, and faith in a
coach that identifies with and speaks to the players. Sound familiar?
This team may not yet have the star power to win a
championship, but they have everything else they need to become a top-four team
in the East. With a team-wide focus on defense and three productive
players at every position, this team is incredibly well-equipped to handle the
grind of a long NBA season. Better yet essentially
every player is capable of playing multiple positions, so the possible lineup
combinations that Brad Stevens will dabble with are endless.
These Celtics are multidimensional with an ability to play big or small.
They will often look to outrun opponents – but they can also work the middle with newly acquired veteran big men, Lee and Amir Johnson.
There is a plethora of three point shooting
ability that will help their offense regardless of whether they play fast-paced or decide to slow it down. Working the ball inside and using Lee to establish a an inside-outside presence was very effective during their preseason games in Europe.
Something interesting to watch out for – Lee and Bradley
have formed an unlikely scoring duo in the starting unit. The two of them have combined for 57 points
in two preseason games. Isaiah Thomas obviously
continues to be the offensive lightning rod as their sixth man, but Lee’s veteran
leadership seems to be rubbing off on Bradley, who at 24 years old is the
longest tenured Celtic.
I wrote about Hunter’s bright future in Boston and mentioned
that Bradley’s inconsistent jump shot is one of the reasons that Hunter will
have the opportunity to shine as a sharpshooting volume scorer. However Lee’s presence, as well as the battle
for playing time, has seemingly motivated Bradley to “fix” his jump shot. Thus far in the preseason he is 7-8 from
three-point range while playing his usual tenacious defense, and while his long range buckets came mostly on wide-open
looks, it does appear that Bradley has removed a hitch from his jump shot
that hurt him last season.
Many of Bradley's three-pointers were also assisted by Lee, who
was scoring effectively and frequently drawing double-teams in the paint. The veteran leadership that Lee is
demonstrating is very valuable to a team with so many young players. Coming off a championship season with the
Warriors, Lee knows what it takes to be successful and has frequently drawn comparisons between the Celtics and the Warriors. Bradley seems to love having him on the court and in addition to helping him because more effective as a player, hopefully Lee
teaches the young veteran a thing or two about being a leader as well.
The Celtics get their first taste of NBA action tonight in
Brooklyn against the Nets.
Don’t be
surprised if the Celtics are out there running way too hard for a preseason
game. It’s not like they have to worry
about fresh legs.
Following a promising 2014-2015 campaign, the Celtics entered the
offseason with two glaring needs: a dominant rim protector who controls the
paint and a consistent three point shooter who stretches out opposing
defenses. Consequently it was no
surprise that a chorus of boos rang out from Celtics fans in the Barclays
Center when Danny Ainge opted not to address either necessity with the 16th
overall pick in the draft.
Instead of addressing specific needs, Ainge targeted rookies with great attitudes and a
lot of upside in order to continue building on Boston’s intriguing foundation
of scrappy, young, hardworking players. ESPN’s
Celtics reporter Chris Forsberg gave the Celtics a big “Thumbs Down” for their
draft choices – but I strongly disagree.
Here’s why they deserve a “Thumbs Up.”
(16th Pick) Terry Rozier: B+
Initially this pick floored me because I was
incredulous that Ainge would select anybody other than Sam Dekker. Most draft experts projected Dekker to be a
lottery pick so it seemed like a gift from God that the former Wisconsin star forward
was still available at sixteen. Ainge
then promptly slapped God in the face by passing on Dekker and selecting a point
guard that could have fallen out of the first round altogether.
But after the initial shock, and after Ainge selected a
sharpshooting R.J. Hunter later in the first round, the idea of Terry Rozier
running the offense for Boston’s second unit became increasingly
intriguing. The 21 year old Louisville
product is an incredibly dynamic player and Ainge climbed up the draft board to
select him early for a ton of good reasons.
First, Rozier plays like a pit
bull, measuring in at approximately 6’2’’ and
190 pounds, most of which is muscle. He
plays with intensity, aggression, and confidence. Rozier will be able to make an immediate
impact at the NBA level because of his athleticism, his raw strength, and his tenacious on-ball
defensive skills. These traits have
actually caused Rozier to appear on the Celtics’ radar since his freshman year at
Louisville and he has improved drastically over the past couple years.
Rozier penetrates inside both by blowing past defenders and
by outmuscling them through the lane. Furthermore
his ability to make accurate passes off the drive makes him very difficult to
cover. This past season, Rozier
increased his average points per game from 7 as a freshman to 17 as a sophomore. His average steals per game also doubled and he
improved in essentially every statistical category except for three-point
shooting.
His energy, quickness, and defensive intensity make him a
great fit for Boston’s fast-paced style of play. Right now he reminds me a little bit of
Atlanta’s backup point guard Dennis Schröder, but in time, Rozier will grow and
develop into a sort of Rajon Rondo/Marcus Smart hybrid who could find a home in almost any NBA starting lineup.
Much like Smart, Rozier combines physical strength with speed to become a relentless force in frazzling opposing
ball handlers. Summer League play provided
a chance to watch Rozier and Smart play alongside each other for the first
time and the two high-energy combo guards forced a ton of turnovers that led to
fast break points. With the addition of Rozier, this team could
easily average over 15 fast break points per game this season. (Last year they averaged 13.6)
Like Rondo, Rozier lacks height, but makes up for it
with explosive quickness and a freakish 6’8’’ wingspan that helps him create
chaos on defense. He is also an
extremely good rebounder for his height, pulling down nearly six rebounds per
game last year. Rozier is very
comfortable inside the paint and has a graceful finishing touch at the rim. His jump shot is a bit inconsistent and needs some work, but
fortunately it’s not broken like Rondo’s.
Rozier knocked down 33% of his three-point attempts and 77% of his free
throws in college.
Bottom line, Rozier does not directly address any of the Celtics' most glaring needs, but he helps them significantly in several important categories as a catalyst and a playmaker. Rozier will be able to create space for himself and others and generally make players around him better. He will strongly contribute to Boston's high level of defensive pressure in the backcourt and absolutely will outmuscle and out-hustle opponents for loose balls. Ainge knows the value of someone like that and jumped at the opportunity to acquire a hardworking young player who will likely make an immediate
impact. When asked if he will win the
NBA Rookie of the Year award, Rozier responded “does an elevator go up and
down?” This kid will literally be a Tommy Point machine.
Despite Boston's crowded backcourt, Rozier will almost certainly carve out minutes for himself early in the
season and will appear in three guard sets when the Celtics look to
outrun opponents. Rozier's new teammates are already very impressed with his work ethic and stellar play. He is effective alongside other point guards and his own confidence is through the roof. When asked on Twitter about the main goal for
his career, he responded “GOAT.”
Greatest of all time is certainly setting the bar high, but
according to Amir Johnson and several other teammates, Rozier stands
out at Celtics’ practices. His high
energy and superb athleticism speak volumes about his potential. His unwavering confidence and great work
ethic demonstrate his desire to win. Don’t
be surprised if Rozier leads the Celtics in Tommy Points this season. He’s doing things right and will soon win
over Celtics fans, coaches, and management.
He
has already won over his teammates.
The Celtics have lacked a legitimate paint presence since 2011
when they traded away Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City.
It will be interesting to see if Mickey can grow into this critical role. At 6’8’’, he is undersized for a big man, but
makes up for it with terrific athleticism, high energy, and a 7’2’’
wingspan. The former LSU power forward is
a true student of the game who models his style of play after Dennis
Rodman. With a role model like that, it
is no wonder that Mickey led the NCAA with 3.6 blocks per game last season.
Mickey blocked 219 shots in two seasons at LSU and last
season he averaged a double-double with 15.4 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Like Rodman, Mickey is intensely focused on
defense and rebounding. He harasses opponents
and loves getting under their skin. But
one of my favorite things about Mickey is that he frequently works with his stepfather, studying and watching film to identify potential areas of
improvement in his own game. Together they
compare rebounding and defensive tendencies from Rodman and other NBA stars
such as Dwight Howard in order to constantly find new ways to ensure that Mickey’s development never ceases. This willingness to learn from others show a great deal of maturity for such a young player in the league.
This deep work ethic and defensive commitment make Mickey
one of the most intriguing players in the draft class. Like Rozier and Hunter, his ceiling is
extremely high, which might explain why Ainge signed him to the biggest rookie contract in NBA history for a second round pick. Mickey understands his role as a rebounder and
shot blocker and those are two areas where the Celtics need immediate improvement.
In the Summer League, Mickey showed off his athleticism and impressive
leaping ability, averaging 2.4 blocks, 7.9 rebounds, and even scored 12.5 points per
game. He is quicker than he looks and his athleticism and
awareness make him effective for pick and roll and fast break situations. He finished some big alley-oop slams off lob
passes from Rozier and Hunter and also demonstrated an ability to knock down
open midrange jumpers from seemingly any angle.
Mickey is a fantastic pick because he cares deeply about both his
own development and about playing in Boston. He has very active hands on defense, always hustles,
and thoroughly understands the game.
Probably the only other player I would have considered drafting with the
33rd pick is former Kentucky center Dakari Johnson for sheer size purposes alone. However Johnson does not possess
the athleticism or basketball IQ that Mickey does, and Johnson cannot run the
floor effectively with the fast paced Boston offense.
In the opening weeks of the season, it may be difficult for Mickey
to find consistent playing time in Boston’s crowded frontcourt, but he will ultimately get his
chance – especially if the Celtics continue getting dominated inside the paint
as they did last season. If that happens, Mickey could well find himself patrolling
the key for Stevens' small ball lineups sooner rather than later.
(45th Pick) Marcus Thornton: N/A
Not much to say here as Thornton will play in Australia this season. Perhaps in a couple years, the
sharpshooter will find his way back to Boston after working on his game
overseas.
