Celtics @ Grizzlies Stat Pack

*Only 3 times in franchise history have the Celtics started 0-4.
–The last time was 1969-70 (other times: 1949-50 and 1946-47)
–Only ONCE in franchise history have the Celtics started 0-5 (the 1946-47 season, the first season that the Celtics played).
–Never have the Celtics began a season 0-6.

*The Celtics have scored a combined 262 points through 3 games.
–The lowest combined points for a Celtics team through the first 4 games of a season since 1954-55 is 332 (1997-98), and the 2^nd-lowest combined total for the C’s is 360 (2000-01)

*The Celtics’ lack of assists…again
–This is the first time the Celtics have had 3 straight regular-season games of 15 or fewer assists since 2002 (in 2002, they had a streak of 4 consecutive games from December 21 to 28).
–There was only one streak in which an NBA team went 3 straight games of 15 or fewer assists in 2012-13, and it was in the playoffs! The Knicks from May 11 to 16.
–The longest such streak in the NBA since the beginning of the 2011-12 season is only 3 games.

*Now, there were quite a few steals in that game at Detroit.
–Sunday was the first time since 2002 that each team had at least 15 steals in one game: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200211180NJN.html
–It is also the first time the Celtics were involved in one of those games since 1998: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199804120BOS.html
–Full Basketball-Reference Reference Link: http://bkref.com/tiny/Wd3JP

*The Celtics have allowed at least 15 OREB in each of their first 3 games this season.
–The last time the Celtics gave up this many OREB in 3 consecutive games: April 2005.
–The last time the Celtics gave up 15+ OREB in 4 straight games: November/December 2004.

*With the exception of Game No. 81 against the Raptors at the end of last season, the last time Jeff Green played fewer than 20 minutes in a game was January 18, 2013 against the Bulls.
–The Celtics lineup that night: Rajon Rondo, Leandro Barbosa, Paul Pierce, Brandon Bass and Kevin Garnett.

*Jared Sullinger has begun the 2013-14 season 0-of-2 from 3-point distance.
–Including the 2013 preseason, he is now 2-of-17 from deep over the last month.
–On his jump shot last season, Sullinger was 27-of-98 (.276), including 1-of-5 from 3-point.

*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Grizzlies
–The Grizzlies swept the 2-game season series in 2012-13 from the Celtics.
–The Celtics have scored at least 105 points in each of the last 6 games in Memphis.
–Before dropping last March’s game at FedExForum, the Celtics had won the previous 5 contests in Memphis.

Game 3: Celtics (0-2) @ Pistons (1-1) Open Thread

http://www.celticshub.com/2013/11/03/game-3-celtics-0-2-pistons-1-1-open-thread/

Celtics @ Pistons Stat Pack

*Vitor Faverani’s 12 points, 18 rebounds and 6 blocks in the second game of his NBA career puts him in select company.
–Since 1985-86, the only other player with at least 6 rebounds and 6 blocks in either his first or second game of his NBA career was David Robinson (second game of his career, November 8, 1989: 19 points, 18 rebounds and 8 blocks).
–Here is the Basketball-Reference page for that one: http://bkref.com/tiny/msL1w

*Gerald Wallace might be right about the Celtics’ selfishness.
–The Celtics have consecutive regular-season games of 15 or fewer assists for the first time since March 2009.
–The last time the Celtics had 3 straight regular-season games of 15 or fewer assists was 2002 (4 straight games from December 21 to 28).
–There was only one streak in which an NBA team went 3 straight games of 15 or fewer assists in 2012-13, and it was in the playoffs! The Knicks from May 11 to 16.
–The longest such streak in the NBA since the beginning of the 2011-12 season is only 3 games.

*Before Friday, the last time the Celtics grabbed at least 18 offensive rebounds in a game was also against the Bucks.
–The Celtics had identical rebounding numbers in each of those games:
–November 1, 2013: 18 OREB, 34 DREB, 52 REB
–February 29, 2012: 18 OREB, 34 DREB, 52 REB

*The Celtics have allowed at least 17 OREB in each of their first 2 games this season.
–Only once in the previous 5 seasons (2008-09 to 2012-13) did the Celtics allow at least 17 OREB in consecutive games.

*The last time the Celtics shot worse than 70 percent from the FT line in consecutive games (min. 27 FTA) was December 2010.
–For just the 2^nd time in his career, Gerald Wallace has consecutive games of shooting below 30 percent from the line.

*Brandon Bass is the only Celtic to have a positive plus/minus in each of the first 2 games this season.
–The last time Bass had double-digit positive plus/minuses in consecutive games was April 2012.

*The Celtics have attempted more free throws than their opponent in each of the first 2 games this season.
–Since the beginning of the 2011-12 season, the longest streak of the C’s out-attempting their opponent at the line is only 3 games.

*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Pistons
–The Celtics have dropped their last 4 games at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Game 2: Bucks (0-1) @ Celtics (0-1) Open Thread

http://www.celticshub.com/2013/11/01/game-2-bucks-0-1-celtics-0-1-open-thread/

Sam Kennedy: The Quiet Leader of the Worst-to-First Red Sox

https://www.bsports.com/statsinsights/mlb/sam-kennedy-quiet-leader-worst-first-red-sox

Celtics vs. Bucks Stat Pack

*Friday’s game against the Bucks is the only Friday in November that the Celtics will not be on the first night of a back-to-back.
–All 4 back-to-backs will have the 2^nd night being on the road.
–The Celtics have no back-to-backs this season with consecutive home games.


*What a difference a year makes!
–It was a solid shooting performance for the Celtics in the opener: 48.5% from the field.
–The Celtics were 25-6 when shooting 48.5% or better last season.
–Only twice last season did the Celtics attempt 66 or fewer shot attempts in a game.

*Brandon Knight played just 2 minutes on Wednesday due to a hamstring injury, so he will miss Friday’s game.
–This is just the 8^th game that Knight will miss out of a possible 150 games in his NBA career.

*Friday is the first home game without Paul Pierce on the Celtics roster since April 17, 1998.
–Antoine Walker, Ron Mercer, Walter McCarty, Dana Barros and Zan Tabak started that night.

*In 40 minutes played on Wednesday, Gerald Wallace attempted just ONE SHOT!
–Last player to accomplish that feat (1 FGA or fewer in 40+ MP) in the NBA: Joel Anthony (0 FGA in 43 MP on January 18, 2011).

*Jeff Green began the season nicely:
–For only the 2^nd time in a Celtics uniform (out of 123 regular season and playoff games), Jeff Green scored 22+ points and attempted 9+ free throws in the same game (the other game: March 18, 2013 vs. Miami).

*The Celtics gave up 19 offensive rebounds to the Raptors on Wednesday.
–The Celtics gave up 19+ offensive rebounds in 3 games out of 87 games in 2012-13 regular season and playoffs (oddly, the Celtics were 3-0 in those games).
–Before Wednesday, the last time that the Celtics had lost a game in which they gave up 19+ offensive rebounds was January 14, 2012 at Indiana.

*Brandon Bass put up a nice +12 on opening night.
–In 2012-13, the Celtics were 8-1 when Bass was +12 or better.

*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Bucks
–The Bucks swept the 2 meetings at TD Garden last season after the Celtics took the previous 4 home games from Milwaukee.
–Overall, the Bucks have taken 3 of the last 4 games against the Celtics after Boston won 6 straight games against Milwaukee.

Game 1: Celtics (0-0) @ Raptors (0-0) Open Thread

http://www.celticshub.com/2013/10/30/game-1-celtics-0-0-raptors-0-0-open-thread/