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Articles by Simon Pollock
Celtics sign Jay Scrubb to two-way contract
Photo by Louis Grasse/Getty Images After three notable performances for the Summer Celtics in Vegas, scorer Jay Scrubb has signed a two-way contract with Boston, according to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. Scrubb’s ability to get buckets—at least in this setting, where individual performances often earn most of the attention— appears to have earned him another shot. He’ll certainly get time to play in Maine.
The Brooklyn Nets will look into hiring Boston’s suspended coach Ime Udoka
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images The Brooklyn Nets are interested in hiring the Boston Celtics’ head coach Ime Udoka and Boston may be willing to let them, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Brookyln’s interest in Udoka, who was suspended by the Celtics just weeks before the 2022-2023 season began for violation of team policies, came in practically the same breath as reporting that the Nets had parted ways with Steve Nash.
Jaylen Brown didn’t go far enough with his rebuke of Kanye West and Donda Sports
Photo by Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images Jaylen Brown seems to have mastered the art of saying everything and nothing. Too bad. He may have just missed an opportunity to say something powerful. In an exclusive with The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn on Monday, Brown addressed his relationship with Donda Sports, the marketing agency founded by Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.
On flying across the country to see a playoff loss, inheriting and sharing Celtics fandom, and cheering for two during this NBA Finals appearance.
Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images I can’t wait to hear the Game 3 crowd in Boston. 19,850 butts out of seats, letting these Celtics know they’re at home, playing for a title. It takes me back. April 28, 2016. My first playoff game in the Garden. A Game 6 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Featuring then-Hawk Al Horford, who went for 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 assists, and 2 steals—a +19 in the win to close out the series.
Must C’s: Boston’s Jayson Tatum drills a turnaround three-pointer over Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving
In their primetime matchup on Christmas Day 2020, Jayson Tatum is looking every bit of the rising superstar role he stepped into last season. Late in the clock here, he cashes in on a beautiful turnaround trey over his former teammate, Kyrie Irving. Just an absurd shot from Jayson Tatum pic.twitter.com/6c9i49iZVZ — Chris Grenham (@chrisgrenham) December 25, 2020 Moments later, Tatum made Jeff Green pay for giving him a cushion on a switch.
NBA games are postponed tonight. What happens now? And what can fans do?
During Wednesday’s media availability, Jayson Tatum spoke out about the shooting of Jacob Blake—the latest in a decades-long string of police brutality that disproportionately targets people of color in the United States.
NBA games are postponed tonight. What happens now? And what can fans do?
During Wednesday’s media availability, Jayson Tatum spoke out about the shooting of Jacob Blake—the latest in a decades-long string of police brutality that disproportionately targets people of color in the United States.
Boston Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum’s eight threes against Trail Blazers are a career high.
After offering a dazzling performance on Sunday in Los Angeles against the Lakers, Jayson Tatum logged another stellar night for the Celtics against the Portland Trail Blazers. The third-year forward notched a new career high in made three-pointers, going 8-12 from downtown. He was 14-22 overall, totaling 36 points. He added 5 rebounds and 2 blocks, doing it all, miraculously, without earning a trip to the foul line. 36 points for Tatum with a career-best 8 three-pointers made.
Must C’s: Boston Celtics announce they’ll retire Kevin Garnett’s jersey
Another number is headed to the rafters at TD Garden! During the first quarter of Thursday night’s game with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Boston Celtics made a surprise announcement: Kevin Garnett’s No. 5 jersey will be retired next season. To the rafters #KG5 pic.twitter.com/lKMo1wmhM9 — Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 14, 2020 Kevin Garnett's statement on the Celtics retiring his #5 jersey next season: “I’m honored and thankful to have my number retired with the Celtics.
Robert Williams scheduled to return to Boston Celtics practice after the NBA All-Star break
As the Boston Celtics prepare to host the LA Clippers tonight in their final game before the All-Star break, second-year big Robert Williams will still be on the bench. But, perhaps, not for much longer. According to Celtics head coach Brad Stevens, Williams is scheduled to suit up for practice next week when team activities resume. “It’ll be the first time he’ll have participated in any team activities [since the injury] as far as a full practice,” Stevens told reporters at shootaround today.
Here Are The Spirit Scores From 2019 Club Championships
October 30, 2019 by Simon Pollock in News with comments Portland Schwa were one of a couple teams to disrupt the traditional Big Four narrative in the women’s division at 2019 Club Championships. Photo: Sam Hotaling — UltiPhotos.com USA Ultimate has released spirit scores from the 2019 Club Championships. Semifinalists Portland Schwa (women’s), 12th place Montana MOONDOG (mixed), and 13th place Toronto GOAT (men’s) topped their respective divisions.
Club Championships 2019: Prequarters and Quarterfinals Streaming Schedule
October 25, 2019 by Simon Pollock in Livewire with comments The brackets are set and Day 2 of the 2019 Club Championships is here. Ultiworld will livestream and tape six games from the prequarter and quarterfinal rounds. Watch all Ultiworld and USA Ultimate streamed games on ultiworld.com/live All Times Eastern. Livestreamed games in bold; tape-delayed games in italics. 12:00 PM: Vancouver Traffic v. Portland Schwa (Women’s Prequarter) 12:00 PM: Asheville Superlame v.
Report: Maine Red Claws Center John Bohannon to join Boston Celtics training camp
The Boston Celtics have signed center John Bohannon to an Exhibit 10 contract, per CelticsBlog’s own Keith P. Smith. Sources: The Boston Celtics have signed center John Bohannon. — Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 27, 2019 Bohannon played for the Maine Red Claws of the NBAGL last season. The Celtics continue to build their roster with garnering Affiliate Player rights for the Red Claws. Bohannon is the 20th player on Boston's roster. No signings of either Kaiser Gates nor Yante Maten as of yet.
Third year’s the charm: Semi Ojeleye and Daniel Theis look to solidify roles in rotation
Which third year player is a Celtic after the trade deadline: Semi Ojeleye or Daniel Theis? Jeremy Stevens: This is tough because both are towards the end of the rotation, but not completely out of it. They also both play log-jammed positions without a clear hierarchy. I think Ojeleye stays since he’s on a cheaper deal and he’s one of our own draft picks. Theis is good trade bait on a 2-year, $10 million deal with a team option for the second year.
USA Ultimate Announces Final Bid Allocation For Club Championships
September 5, 2019 by Simon Pollock in Livewire with comments Fury’s Sarah Griffith and Kirstin Johnson handle the trophy at 2018 Club National Championships. Photo: Rodney Chen—Ultiphotos.com USA Ultimate published the final regional bid allocation for all three club divisions late Wednesday night, and with them came the last issue of the regular season rankings. https://twitter.com/USAUltimate/status/1169414942052646913 The women’s Northeast leads the way with four bids, the most in any division.
Tales from CelticsBlog Slack: a staff conversation about expectations for next season
What are your expectations for the upcoming year and how have previous seasons shaped those expectations? Jeff Clark: This team has been a bit of a rollercoaster in the last few years. On the macro level, they were overachievers for years, then massively underachieved last year. So I guess this year I’m cautiously optimistic that they’ll meet the general muted expectations that have them hovering at around 48-49 wins.
Danny Ainge sheds more light on Kyrie Irving’s intentions to leave the Boston Celtics in free agency.
After the Boston Celtics welcomed in new star point guard Kemba Walker and center Enes Kanter today, President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge offered additional comments on the departure of Kyrie Irving, per Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston. “I think I had a pretty good idea in March or April,” said Ainge. “Not for sure, though. Not certain. But I was obviously thinking about moving in a different direction at that point.
Aron Baynes says his heart is ‘still in Boston’
Aaron Baynes loves being a Boston Celtic. But even the dedicated Australian big is choosing his words carefully when fielding questions about the offseason. At an event for the Shamrock Foundation, Baynes offered comments on his player option and the disappointment of the 2018-2019 season. MassLive’s John Karalis had the story. “I know my heart’s still here in Boston. I love Boston. It’s been great to my family,” Baynes said.
Gordon Hayward could benefit from following the Paul George roadmap for recovery.
By early March, Gordon Hayward was tired. But the Boston Celtics were cooking. After a well-fêted flight to California, they went 3-1 on a trip through the Western Conference. Hayward looked solid. He went super efficient from the field against Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. He hit a game-winner to take down the frisky Sacramento Kings. Gordon Hayward looked physically fit, but he was mentally drained. An inconsistent season was eating away at him. And the binary narrative—Is he finally back?
2019 College Championships Qualifiers Thread
Here are the teams headed to Nationals! April 28, 2019 by Simon Pollock and Keith Raynor in News with comments Here is the list of teams that have qualified for the 2019 D-I & D-III College Championships. This list will be frequently updated with new information. We will also provide a breakdown of each region’s qualifiers later on Sunday.
An undercurrent of resilience buoys Celtics comeback in Game 2
Being a part of the Boston Celtics in the 2018-2019 season has been rough. For players, staff, media, and fans, the unpredictability of a team so deeply talented and so obviously flawed grew beyond frustrating. It’s not quite the misery of a sub-20 win season, but the mercurial and amorphous season-long performance that was anointed for The Finals long before they played a single game was maddening.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Marcus Smart could miss first two rounds of playoffs with torn oblique
The Boston Celtics could miss starting guard and defensive heartbeat Marcus Smart for the first two rounds of the playoffs. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski dropped the news on Twitter Wednesday evening. Marcus Smart has suffered a torn oblique on left side and could be sidelined for the first two rounds of the playoffs, league source tells ESPN.
Injury Update: Celtics’ Jayson Tatum’s MRI comes back “Completely clean”
Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart are making progress with their respective injuries, both suffered during Sunday’s eventual loss to the Orlando Magic. At shootaround on Tuesday in Washington, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens provided updates. #NEBHInjuryReport Brad Stevens says Marcus Smart (left oblique contusion) felt better yesterday.
Gordon Hayward leads Boston Celtics to 112-102 win over Miami Heat
Five Boston Celtics hit double figures in their 112-102 win in Miami on Wednesday night. Gordon Hayward lead the way with a promising 25 points, 5 assists, and 8 rebounds. Kyrie Irving added 23 points and 4 assists, Horford had 21 points and 8 rebounds, while Jayson Tatum added 16 points and Aron Baynes offered a valuable double-double. With the W, the C’s closed out the season series against the Heat 3-1 and ended Miami’s playoff chances. Boston mostly stayed in front through two quarters.
Celtics release official statement on banned fan
The Boston Celtics released a statement to the public today, detailing a two-year ban that was issued to a fan who allegedly used a racial slur while being “verbally abusive” to Golden State Warriors center Demarcus “Boogie” Cousins. The incident occurred on January 26, 2019 during the Warriors visit to the TD Garden. Here is the full statement, per the Celtics PR team. On January 26, we were alerted by DeMarcus Cousins that a fan had used racially offensive language towards him.
Celtics sign center Greg Monroe to 10-day contract
The Boston Celtics signed center Greg Monroe to a 10-day contract today, filling an immediate need while Aron Baynes remains a game-time decision today against the San Antonio Spurs. Al Horford will also see rest again before the end of the regular season. The Boston Celtics have officially signed Greg Monroe to a 10 Day contract. — Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) March 24, 2019 If you’re flashing back to the cat scene in the Matrix, fear not.
Injury Update: Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III leaves game against Charlotte Hornets
Celtics rookie center Robert Williams III left Saturday’s contest against the Charlotte Hornets late in the second quarter with an injury to his tailbone. He took a hard fall after a putback attempt. Robert Williams III has left the game after falling on his back vs the Hornets (@AAANe_MAnews) #AAANortheast pic.twitter.com/9SIXEnDIGg — Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 23, 2019 When the teams returned to the court, media in attendance were informed that Williams would not return.
Expect Celtics star Kyrie Irving to miss games for rest before the NBA playoffs
As the Boston Celtics rattle into their home stretch, expect a couple of DNP-Rests for the Celtics star guard, Kyrie Irving, per himself. Mark Murphy of the Herald had the quote. Irving plans to miss a game or 2 for rest, and made it clear where seeding ranks in importance. "As long as we get in there. I don’t think our focus is in seeding, that’s pretty clear.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Kyrie Irving’s knee sprain isn’t serious
After undergoing further testing today, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski took to Twitter to nullify fears about Kyrie Iriving’s longterm health. Kyrie Irving’s right knee sprain isn’t serious and expected to be day-to-day on a return, league source tells ESPN.
Daniel Theis’ strong game was a quiet hope for the Boston Celtics in a noisy loss at home to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Rajon Rondo got the last word in Boston Thursday night, draining a soft-touch jumper to take a game on the road for the Los Angeles Lakers. It was one swoosh of many for LA, on a night when one of the worst-shooting teams in the league got hot in the second half, while almost the entirety of Boston’s rotation went cold. But in the darkness that erased an 18-point Celtics lead, second-year big Daniel Theis glimmered.
D-I College Men's 2019 Season Primer
Your guide to the 2019 college D-I men's season. January 18, 2019 by Simon Pollock, Daniel Prentice, Alex Rubin, Patrick Stegemoeller, Chris McGlynn, Graham Gerhart, Jonathan Alton, Hugo Sowder, Ben Hornung and Charlie Enders in Preview with comments North Carolina prepares for the National Championship game in 2018. Photo: Paul Rutherford — UltiPhotos.com Ultiworld’s 2019 college coverage is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the authors.
Gordon Hayward is back in form
What does an NBA team get when they give a player a max contract? It may be custom to assume that max money means high points per game or flashy counting stats. But that isn’t always what a team needs. And that’s not who Gordon Hayward is. The Boston Celtics forward has solid career numbers: 15.5 PPG, 3.4 AST, 44.3 FG%, and 36.6 3FG%. He earned his current contract on the back of his best season yet (2016-17 in Utah), when all those marks were a good bit higher.
The Celtics’ BWA flexes on the Pistons
Unclench your jaws and stop wringing your hands, Celtics fans. Boston’s 20-point win over the Detroit Pistons Saturday night was a glimpse of the team that was promised. The switch-heavy defense, the selfless offense, the team-first ethos—it was all on display as the Celtics, lead by their self-styled Bench With Attitude (B.W.A), ran away with their second win in a row Saturday night.
PoNY Dismantles Revolver To Win National Title
Ultiworld’s coverage of the Men’s Division at the 2018 Club Championships is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the authors. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! SAN DIEGO — A team that wins a national title gets their names etched in the history books, right at the top of the table. Their plaque gets forever added to the trophy. But fans forget title-winners, or jumbles the year, or mixes up the location.
Revolver, PoNY To Meet In Inevitable Final
The men's division favorites face off against the best player in the division. Ultiworld’s coverage of the Men’s Division at the 2018 Club Championships is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the authors. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! San Francisco Revolver returns to the men’s final for the fourth straight year this afternoon, squaring off against New York PoNY, who are making their finals debut.
Broken Ring: Revolver Wins On DGP To Return To Final
Broken Ring: Revolver Wins On DGP To Return To Final Ring of Fire can't capitalize on early advantage. Ultiworld’s coverage of the Men’s Division at the 2018 Club Championships is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the authors. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! For the third straight year, San Francisco Revolver inched past Raleigh Ring of Fire 15-14 in a shootout semifinal.
Club Championships 2018: Quarterfinals Roundup (Men's)
Read the rundown on all the action from the Men's Division quarterfinals in San Diego. Ultiworld’s coverage of the Men’s Division at the 2018 Club Championships is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the authors. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! DEL MAR, CA—A wild PoNY comeback against Chicago Machine in the west headlined the Men’s Division quarterfinals rounds.
Friday Outlook: What We Learned In Nationals Pool Play (Men's)
Friday Outlook: What We Learned In Nationals Pool Play (Men’s) Some crazy upsets set the stage for elimination play. Ultiworld’s coverage of the Men’s Division at the 2018 Club Championships is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the authors. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! Pool play offered some big surprises in the Men’s Division. We recapped it all in the liveblog — here, we tell you what matters and why.
Road Warrior: Jay Froude's Hard Earned Stardom
How Jay Froude earned his elite ultimate status after years on the road. How does an ultimate player become an elite ultimate player? The special sauce for many household names contains at least one key ingredient: consistency. Sandy Jorgensen chased down her notoriety for half a decade in a Washington DC Scandal jersey. Beau Kittredge reached full power in nine seasons with San Francisco Revolver. Jay Froude hasn’t had the luxury of home games.
Club Championships 2018: Pool A Preview (Men's)
Familiar foes will face off in Pool A. Ultiworld’s coverage of the Men’s Division at the 2018 Club Championships is presented by Spin Ultimate; all opinions are those of the authors. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at Spin Ultimate! It’s been six years since Revolver lost a pool play game at Nationals, so don’t hold your breath for a wild result at the top of Pool A.
Northwest Regionals Regionals 2018 Recap: Furious George's Resurgence, Riot and Mixtape Strong
Eight spots at Nationals were decided across men's, women's, and mixed. Seattle, WA– Had all three Northwest tournaments gone to seed, the region would have fallen beneath the Seattle reign, a sweep of Sockeye, Riot, and Mixtape. But the tournament had surprises in store, not the least of which was a regional championship for Furious George. Meanwhile, #3 Seattle Riot cleaned up a tidy title and #2 Seattle Mixtape won another cross-town matchup with BFG to take the region.
Club Regionals 2018: Mega-Preview (Men's)
With just days left in the regular season, it looked like multiple regionals might be thrilling affairs, with two or three teams duking it out for the last bid. But when the Southwest lost their second bid and the South Central picked it up, it settled most Regionals into more predictable races. Still, there are plenty of question marks and always the possibility of a wild upset or two. Here’s a breakdown of each region.
Report: Phoenix Suns target Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier for possible trade and strike out
The Phoenix Suns are in the market for a point guard and have recently come asking after Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier. According to a report from John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, the Suns have asked after a number of high-value backcourt leaders, but have yet to gain any traction in proposed deals. Phoenix was already on the move today, after a significant trade sent Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss to Houston.
U.S. Open 2018: Tournament Preview (Men's)
There's a lot of uncertainty going into the U.S. Open as teams jockey for position. The 2018 World Ultimate Club Championships are over, #1 San Francisco Revolver remain the rulers of their division after adding the WUCC jewel to their crown, and it’s officially early August. So what now? Continue on with the Triple Crown Tour!1 It’s U.S. Open time.
Pro-Elite Challenge 2018: Tournament Recap (Men's)
BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Intense heat and altitude served up quite the early-season test at the 2018 Pro-Elite Challenge. Denver Johnny Bravo, the hometown team, may have had their hands on the answer key in advance. They hucked and hammered their way to a flawless weekend, dispatching an upstart Pittsburgh Temper 13-11 in Sunday’s final. Here are some takeaways about the various contenders sweating it out last weekend a mile above sea-level.
Product Review: TOKAY Ultimate Cleats
The world of footwear for ultimate players gets a little bigger with the latest entrant in the cleats market. Disclosure: Ultiworld was compensated for writing this product review. All opinions are the reviewers’ own and are not subject to approval from the sponsor. Please support the brands that make Ultiworld possible and shop at TOKAY Ultimate! Two reviewers are better than one, right? This spring, Katie and I got to spend some quality time with the latest cleat offering for ultimate players.
Pro-Elite Challenge 2018: Day One Recap (Men's)
BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Heat, uneven attendance, and first-tournament-of-the-season jitters combined to upend the pre-tournament seedings in the Men’s Division at the Pro-Elite Challenge today. As the temperature notched a 20-degree increase from the first to the third round of play today, Pools A-C were all one by the two-seed1 and Pittsburgh Temper, Pool D’s original four-seed, notched a perfect 3-0 day to get a well-deserved bye to the quarterfinal round.
Pro-Elite Challenge 2018: Tournament Preview (Men's)
Gearing up for the start of the club season! Whether a team is competing at WUCC in Cincinnati or not, early tournaments like the Pro-Elite Challenge are fact-finding missions. Most rosters are set (though some teams will make notable additions after Worlds) and teams have played their first tryout or warmup tournament, but in most cases they’ve yet to have two full days of grinding it out against other top competition.
Kyrie Irving wants to bring the Boston Celtics a championship. He’s going to release a movie first.
Boston Celtics star point guard Kyrie Irving is out on the press circuit. In an interview with The Undefeated’s Kelly L. Carter, the quirky point guard sat down to talk about his previous acting turn in High School Musical (when he was actually in high school), his love of Rent, and his connections to the Uncle Drew character, who he’s portrayed in shorts since 2012.
D-I Men's 2018 All-American Teams, Presented by Spin Ultimate & NUTC
The 14 best performing players of the 2018 college season. Ultiworld’s 2018 Men’s College Awards are presented by Spin Ultimate and the National Ultimate Training Camp. All opinions are those of the authors. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Ultiworld possible! We are pleased to announce Ultiworld’s 2018 D-I All-America teams. These 14 players were selected for their performance in the 2018 college season, looking at both the regular season and the full college Series, including Nationals.
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