Celtics' trio achieves feat Boston hasn't done in over a decade in win vs. Cavs
The Boston Celtics are starting to find their stride. They believed progress was happening while combating early-season adversity and a 0-3 start. Quickly backing up that declaration, their last two tilts have produced victories vs. the New Orleans Pelicans and Cleveland Cavaliers.
In Wednesday's 125-105 win over the latter on the TD Garden parquet, Neemias Queta, Josh Minott, and Luka Garza became the franchise's first trio in over a decade to snag five offensive rebounds each in a game. That hasn't happened since Brandon Bass, Jared Sullinger, and Kris Humphries did so against the Pelicans in 2014, per Celtics in-house reporter Taylor Snow.
Queta, Minott, and Garza each created five second-chance opportunities for the hosts in their victory over the Cavaliers. It was a testament to Boston's aggressive approach. Joe Mazzulla's team is repeatedly sending several players in pursuit of offensive rebounds.
Against a frontcourt featuring Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, the Celtics manufactured an 18-11 advantage in offensive rebounds and a 23-19 edge in second-chance scoring.
Teams are selling out for what the Celtics accomplished
Boston's success on the glass, plus the ability to force 14 turnovers to Cleveland's 10, paved the way for the hosts to earn 95 shots to the visitors' 87. That's a difference-making gap that teams are selling out for. They're fouling more in hopes of creating turnovers and placing a premium on crashing the offensive glass.
"The league's in a great place with the physicality," said Mazzulla while discussing fouling going up across the Association. "And I think what that's the trade off of playing physical for 48 minutes is willing to live with those, right? And then, teach the guys and have an understanding of situational fouls, which ones you just can't have, whether it's at the end of a quarter, or, I think we've had two a couple [of] games ago with two seconds on a shot clock on a close-out situation.
"So, I think that's just a byproduct of playing physical over 48 minutes, you'll have some of that, and then being better at the situational ones that you can control."
Embracing a more aggressive approach defensively, making a concerted effort to force turnovers, has seen the Celtics go from averaging the second-fewest fouls per game last season to being responsible for the eighth-most to start the current campaign. However, a new-look roster requires a new approach to achieving victory. The trade-off is worth it. And if they can adhere to Mazzulla's message about avoiding them in certain situations, the cost-benefit ratio will skew even more in their favor.
Cubs Favored To Replace Kyle Tucker With $182 Million Red Sox Superstar
The Chicago Cubs took a risk and acquired Kyle Tucker in a blockbuster trade last winter, but the superstar is now a free agent. It seems like he’s going to leave town in free agency, as he’s projected to sign for north of $400 million, so the Cubs will need to do their best to replace his production.
Jordan Campbell of Cubbies Crib recently suggested the Cubs could replace Tucker’s production by signing Boston Red Sox infielder Alex Bregman. Bregman was recently projected to sign a massive $182 million contract in free agency, according to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden.
“The guess here is that the Cubs make a strong push for Alex Bregman. The Cubs identified Bregman as the piece last offseason that could transition them from being a good team into a great team,” Campbell wrote. “They weren’t wrong, but the problem was that the Cubs made a pursuit of Bregman a priority far too late in the offseason. The Boston Red Sox likely will make a strong push to bring Bregman back, but the Cubs being involved shouldn’t be that surprising.”
Bregman has been a solid fit for the Cubs for the last year, and they seemingly took a shot on him last free agency, but he opted to sign with the Red Sox.
This offseason, the Cubs need to prioritize landing an impact bat, whether it’s Tucker or a replacement. Bregman would fit that mold, especially considering the fact that he’s projected to sign for half the money.
It won’t be a cake walk for the Cubs to sign Bregman, but it’s certainly a possibility.
