Celtics are scary

In a previous column, I wrote that the Boston Celtics after coming short in the last two seasons are finally on track to win their 18th crown. The brilliant acquisition of 7’3” Kristof Porzingis and Jrue Holiday has installed the Celtics as a heavy favorite to clinch the championship this season. In the game against the Indiana Pacers, the Celtics scored 155 points to massacre the Pacers by 51 points. The 155 total points was the second highest-ever in Celtics history, behind the 173 scored in a win over Minneapolis in 1959.  In blasting the hapless Pacers, Jayson Tatum scored 30 points while Jaylen Brown contributed 16. Porzinges tallied with 13 with Holiday chipping  in 15.  Derrick White who has been impressive in previous games scored 18. Even the bench was explosive with Sam Hauser’s 17 points and Payton Pritchard’s 15. Defense seems to be the key in Boston’s success. The towering Porzingis averages 1.5 blocks per game while White is tied among guards with 1.3. Holiday is likewise reinforcing the perimeter defensively. The Celtiecs currently lead the league with a 5-0 record after beating the Brooklyn Nets the other day. In their first game this season, the Celtics barely passed the New York Knicks 108-104 and the Miami Heat with 119-111 with White scoring 28 points. Before that trashing of the Pacers, the Celtics routed the Washington Wizards 126-107.  One NBA critic even said the Celtics are a scary team.

Harden to Clippers

A big surprise last week was the trade of James Harden from the Philadelphia Sixers to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, KJ Martin and draft picks. The Sixers also parted with PJ Tucker and sent him to the Clippers.  Now, with the addittion of Harden, Morris, Tucker and Covington, are the Clippers championship material? Of course, the team still has Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russel Westbrook but these superstars are aging and injury-prone. Leonard is 32, while Harden and Westbrook are 34. Paul George is 33. Let’s see if Harden could help the Clippers win a crown.  He was the 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player and a 3-time scoring champ from 2018 to 2020.

Jordan Clarkson fined

Fil-Am NBA player Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz was fined $2,000 for flopping during a road game with the Phoenix Suns in Arizona recently. Clarkson scored 7 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 22 minutes playing time. Clarkson, who played for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup, is in his 9th season in the league and fourth playing for Utah. The 2021 Sixth Man of the Year averaged 20.8 points, 4 rebounds and 4.4 assists last season. Clarkson is proud of his Filipino roots and has tattoos on his chest of his grandma, mother, and the Philippine flag.