Daniel Donabedian Articles - Page 4

It’s no surprise that the Boston Celtics have high standards. The reigning champions go into nearly every game expecting to win, and when they fall short, they’re always looking to respond. Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis embodied this bounce-back mentality on Tuesday night during a 118-106 win over the Denver Nuggets. Before facing the 2023 NBA […]

The Boston Celtics have made a habit of snapping winning streaks. However, even the reigning champions couldn’t stop the rolling Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon, as the Green Team fell 105-92 following an abysmal second half. In November of the 2024-25 regular season, the Celtics snapped the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers’ 15-game winning streak. The […]

The Boston Celtics didn’t have to do much soul-searching in 2024. They were the best team in the NBA all of last year and have the hardware to prove it. However, the Celtics hold themselves to a high standard, which means they’re always looking to improve, regardless of their record. The Green Team went 8-6 […]

BOSTON — After falling to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, 123-114, the Boston Celtics are 2-4 in their last six games. Despite these recent struggles, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is looking forward to his team’s schedule becoming even harder in the coming days. Following the nine-point loss, which is tied for Boston’s largest […]

BOSTON — The new year is almost here, and it’s been an incredible 365 days for the Boston Celtics. The C’s captured an NBA title in June and carried their winning ways into the 2024-25 regular season. In fact, Boston won so much that dropping three of its last four games felt like a brutal […]

BOSTON — Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown is primarily thought of as a scorer. Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard is generally considered an undersized shooter, and not much else. However, after a 142-105 blowout win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, they asserted — on one another’s behalf — that they’re both more than […]

BOSTON — In today’s NBA, almost everybody can shoot, so teams have to choose wisely when deciding which player to sag off of. The Boston Celtics chose poorly on Christmas Day, allowing Philadelphia 76ers forward Caleb Martin to catch fire at TD Garden and burn them during a 118-114 loss. Martin finished with a season-high […]

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics built their 2024 NBA title on consistency. But, the road to repeat as champions is always difficult and the C’s have been plagued by inconsistencies this December, which was evident during a 118-114 loss on Christmas Day to the rival Philadelphia 76ers. Following the Celtics’ third defeat in four games, […]

The storyline currently dominating the 2024-25 season doesn’t center around the reigning champion Boston Celtics and their quest to repeat. It doesn’t even feature the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers, who got off to one of the best starts in NBA history. Instead, talking heads and league officials are discussing 3-pointers and if they’ve become too common […]

BOSTON — Christmas is almost here, and Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla wanted to spread some holiday cheer in his own way on Thursday night following a 117-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls. After the Celtics trailed by nine points with 7:41 remaining in the fourth quarter, they rattled off a 6-0 run to […]

BOSTON — Boston Celtics center Al Horford is the perfect example of basketball adaptation. In the modern NBA, where most players won’t last long if they can’t shoot the ball, Horford has survived and thrived despite coming up in an era when three-pointers were much less common. Two decades ago, Horford was a freshman with […]

BOSTON — Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown is coming off the best basketball season of his life. He became an All-Star for the third time in his impressive career, won his first championship, and was crowned the 2024 NBA Finals MVP. None of these accolades have stopped the 28-year-old from improving his game every day. […]

BOSTON — Memphis Grizzlies point guard Marcus Smart hasn’t been with the Boston Celtics for over a year. The offseason trade that sent the nine-year Celtic out of Beantown in 2023 shocked fans and players, yet Smart’s departure never changed the fact that he is still family in the eyes of the Celtics and their […]

BOSTON — Once Boston Celtics fans step into TD Garden, they’re not known for their hospitality. Opposing players and coaches are always booed, but the crowd might have to make an exception on Saturday night when former Celtic Marcus Smart comes to town. Smart’s homecoming in Boston is expected to be such a spectacle that […]

BOSTON — Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday still loves the Milwaukee Bucks. He spent three seasons with them and even lifted his first Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy at Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee. Ironically, that love for the Bucks also fueled his competitive fire on Friday night, when the C’s beat their midwestern foe 111-105 […]

BOSTON — On Wednesday night, Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown sent a message to Detroit Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart. After dunking on the Pistons enforcer late in the first quarter, Brown made a throat-slash gesture, reminding his opponent that he’s cutthroat at the rim. This reminder cost Brown $25,000, as the NBA fined him […]

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics’ talent can be overwhelming. Therefore, opposing teams often meet Boston’s star power with increased physicality. That was the case on Wednesday night versus the Detroit Pistons, but the Celtics refused to be daunted and triumphed 130-120, improving to 18-4 on the season. Before the end of the first quarter of […]

BOSTON — It’s almost unheard of to see a reigning NBA Finals MVP defer to a bench player on offense. However, the Boston Celtics boast such an embarrassment of riches that this exact scenario occurred with star Jaylen Brown and backup point guard Payton Pritchard on Monday night during the Green Team’s 108-89 victory over […]

BOSTON — In today’s NBA, it’s such a struggle to get stars to take the court consistently that league commissioner Adam Silver instituted a Player Participation Policy last year, punishing teams for load managing. That rule never impacted the Boston Celtics, and they showed why on Monday night during a 108-89 win over the rival […]

Boston Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard was once an afterthought on the Green Team’s bench. He now commands the attention of opposing teams across the NBA, including the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers. Although Cleveland held a four-point lead with 22 seconds to go in a Sunday night showdown with Boston, Pritchard rattled in a 3-pointer to […]

The Boston Celtics were stuck in a back-and-forth battle with the Chicago Bulls on Friday night with their NBA Cup hopes at stake. With just 8:09 remaining in the fourth quarter, the scoreboard showed 108-108 at the United Center. Then, Payton Pritchard happened. The fifth-year Celtic scored 11 points in a row, cashing three triples […]

BOSTON — Boston Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis haven’t even played 60 games together, but that hasn’t stopped them from creating an apparent, on-court connection. That bond was on display on Monday night, as the Celtics prevailed 126-94 over the Los Angeles Clippers in Porzingis’ season debut. In the second quarter of the […]

BOSTON — The NBA Sixth Man of the Year trophy is named after Boston Celtics legend John Havlicek, so it’s only right that one of the early front-runners for the award is Celtics guard Payton Pritchard. And on Monday night, during a 126-94 drubbing of the Los Angeles Clippers, Pritchard showed why he deserves to […]

BOSTON — Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Minnesota Timberwolves franchise cornerstone Anthony Edwards engage in different forms of trash talk. Edwards is fiery and vocal and will inform opposing players of their shortcomings before, during, and after the game. Tatum will respond to some on-court teasing, yet rarely provokes others. He prefers to let […]

BOSTON — Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown grew up just 30 minutes away from Minnesota Timberwolves franchise cornerstone Anthony Edwards. The two Georgia natives reunited in Beantown on Sunday afternoon and were up close and personal for the last possession of Boston’s 107-105 win. With Minnesota down two points with just 7.1 seconds remaining, it […]

The Boston Celtics were in first place in the Eastern Conference for almost an entire year until the Cleveland Cavaliers took the top spot at the end of October. Thanks to a 15-0 streak, which was good enough for the second-best start in NBA history, it was hard to deny the Cavs the title of […]

BOSTON — As the reigning champions, the Boston Celtics entered the 2024-25 NBA season as the team to beat. And in many ways, they still are. However, the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers are also notable contenders who happen to be on a collision course with the C’s. On Tuesday night, the Celtics and Cavs will square […]

BOSTON — With a wide-open jumper lined up at the end of regulation, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum had the perfect chance to break his team’s tie with the Toronto Raptors on Saturday night. But, instead of swishing the uncontested game-winner, the five-time All-Star completely missed the rim and the Green Team headed to overtime. […]

BOSTON — Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is dedicated to sharpening his mind and body. Anything that detracts from that personal commitment could generate weakness—even a simple hug. Following a Friday morning practice, Mazzulla told reporters he’s “cordial” with some opposing NBA coaches, but not overly friendly. “It’s very important to not give away […]

A championship team needs stars. And while productive bench players aren’t always considered necessities, they can work wonders for a contender too. Luckily for the Boston Celtics, they have a pair of stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and can bring energetic point guard Payton Pritchard off the bench. On Wednesday night against the […]

BOSTON — On Tuesday night, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla walked into his pregame press conference with a sweatshirt that featured the word “MINDSET” in a large, bold font. He donned the same sweatshirt after the Celtics were stunned by the shorthanded Atlanta Hawks, falling 117-116 at TD Garden. For Mazzulla’s men, having a […]

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics are expected to dominate, and they’ve done just that for an entire year. However, they have lapses, especially on Tuesday night against the shorthanded Atlanta Hawks. Although the Hawks were without star point guard Trae Young and shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, they erased a 15-point deficit at TD Garden and […]

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla doesn’t like to criticize his players for yelling at referees because he also likes to shout at them. He shared that tidbit with the media following the Celtics’ first meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks. It was just as relevant to their second matchup, which saw the C’s prevail 113-107 […]

BOSTON — When the Boston Celtics struggle, head coach Joe Mazzulla just smiles. Well, not during the Celtics’ 108-104 overtime win to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night. However, he does occasionally sport a grin when his team is in a grind-it-out game, according to star forward Jayson Tatum. The rebuilding Nets were far from […]

Impressing Boston sports fans is tough. They’ve seen plenty of winning and expect the most from their team, which can create a lot of pressure. They also have the backs of those who work hard for them, so it’s no surprise that they were there to support Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum on Wednesday night. […]

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum had a chance to make a statement on Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors. And while he played well enough to notch a game-high 32 points, the Dubs still prevailed with a 118-112 victory in Beantown. An early November contest is rarely the time for statements, yet there was […]

Former Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams weighs around 236 pounds, which is close to the size of fearsome Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis. Celtics star Jaylen Brown thought the resemblance was uncanny on Friday night when Williams bowled into five-time All-Star Jayson Tatum. Grant Williams has been EJECTED after this hard foul on Jayson […]

The Boston Celtics are already playing without big man Kristaps Porzingis. Now, they have another big man on the injury report: Al Horford. The veteran won’t play on Friday night as the Celtics face the Charlotte Hornets. However, there’s no reason for Celtics fans to worry. According to Celtics PR, the veteran center is out […]

The reigning champion Boston Celtics finally faltered on Wednesday night, falling 135-132 to the Indiana Pacers in overtime. Indiana seemed to have the win clinched after going up 24 points in the third quarter, yet the Green Team roared back and even took a two-point lead in OT with 40 seconds remaining. Yet, Pacers star […]