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Articles by Tom Bisson
BRIDGE pilot study: a bilateral regulatory investigation of data governance and exchange - npj Digital Medicine
Abstract National privacy laws diverge between the European Union and United States, hindering transatlantic health data exchange and slowing AI-driven medical innovation. In response, the German Ministry of Health launched the pre-competitive Data for Health initiative, leading to the BRIDGE Pilot Study (2023–2025), a researcher-led effort to address this regulatory and legal gap.
What pro plays most like you?
OK, it's July and there is little news about the Celtics so we have to make something to talk about. I assume that everyone who reads this has played basketball - it might be just in pick-up games but probably high school and for some, college. I loved playing but I was never great and seldom very good. That didn't bother me. I kept playing until I was in my 60s. I'm now 70 and haven't tried to play in almost a decade.
I know that Brad Stevens is hoping to trade Anfernee Simons before the season, but what if he doesn't? What questions or possible concerns might it create? Here are some possible minefields: Possible problem #1: Assuming that the roster doesn't change, the Celtics starting five will be Neimas Queta, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Derrick White and...? Will it be Payton Pritchard or Anfernee Simons? Fans would root for Pritchard, but Simons might be the better player.
I am a casual follower of Summer League basketball but here are three things that caught my attention. Jordan Walsh's technical foul. Apparently coach Joe Mazzulla praised him for it, admiring Walsh's intensity. I saw the foul and it looked like a frustration foul caused by "no name" summer league opponent beating Walsh down the floor. It looked foolish to me. Walsh needs to play better to get into the rotation. Heck, he might not even make the team.
Big year ahead for ....?
I don't know how the Celtics are going to do as a team this year, but I assume that some of their players will play well above expectations. Which Celtic is most likely to out-perform his contract this season? Here are the Celtics ranked by contract - highest to lowest - in millions per year. Identify the player or players you think will surpass expectations and why you think so.
Roster needed renovations
Radio talk show host Joe Murray recently lamented that Brad Stevens was tearing down a championship team to save money. Matt Vautour recently wrote that if it were not for the NBA's harsh salary restrictions, that no changes would have been made to the Celtic's roster. I call this B.S. Here's why: The 2023-24 Celtics were a championship team but the 2024-25 team was not. They struggled in the first round against the Magic then were solidly beat by the Knicks who then lost in the ECF.
I will miss them
I I will miss any player the Celtics may lose this off season. I will miss Jrue Hioliday's defense and effort, I will miss his team first attitude. I will miss Kristap Porzingus' attitude. He loved playing here and he loved his team. It is sad that a player with that much enthusiasm missed so many games with injury. I will miss Luke Kornet. He is funny and serious. He is fun to watch and I expect him to have big season in San Antonio. I will miss Al Horford.
Getting More Athletic
Brad Stevens saw this year's playoffs and realized that the Celtics had to get more athletic. I think he would have looked to trade Holiday and KP regardless of the money pressure. Holiday is a terrific player but has slowed. KP is great but he is not exactly a floor runner, and he gets injured. Sam Hauser is a terrific shooter and smart defender, but he is not athletic like Anfernee Simons. The draft choices have size and quickness.
A Good Start
I think Brad Stevens has done a great job so far in reshaping the roster and I don't think he's finished. Here are some thoughts. On paper, the Celtics appear to have gotten worse. Certainly no one would think that Anfernee Simons is better than Jrue Holiday or that Georges Niang is better than Kristap Porzingus. However, those comparisons are based on the past, not the future. I loved watching Holiday play and be a big part of the 2024 championship team. Last year not so much.
Imagine
Imagine if the new owner tells Brad Stevens that he has to trade one of his max contracts - which means he has to trade either Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum. What does he do? Tatum is widely considered to be the best player on the team so naturally if one had to be traded, it would be Brown. But Brown was the MVP of the Finals last season so in the biggest series of their careers, Brown was better. Tatum's injury makes it more difficult to trade him but not impossible.
Expect to be underwhelmed
When this off season began, there was plenty of anticipation that the league was about to change. But lately I feel differently. First of all, everyone thought that Giannis was going to get traded and this move would be the first domino to fall, setting off a lot of fireworks. But what if the Bucks don't trade him? It's been awful quiet so maybe there will be no change. The next big move was going to be Phoenix trading Kevin Durant. Surely that was going to a league altering deal.
Is this firing a harbinger?
The Knicks' firing of Tom Thibodeau may be a warning sign of sorts - do not overly rely on one player to be your offense. From what I have heard and read, Thibodeau was seen as a stubborn coach without much offensive creativity. His offense relied too much on giving Jalen Brunson the ball and letting him play one-on-one. Critics point to when Thibs coached the Bulls and relied on Derrick Rose. While Thibs was very successful, his style was not going to win a title.
Say No to Antetokoumpo
There is a recent item in Boston sports media suggesting that the Celtics might be a destination for Giannis Antetokoumpo. No doubt that Giannis is a great player and could help Boston get its next title; but I would not enjoy that. Here is why: 1. I prefer teams with home-grown players over teams that have acquired top talent. Any deal to get Giannis would most likely mean trading Jaylen Brown. 2. I don't like Giannis' playing style. I don't like ISO players or players that simply over power others.
Is the Celtics playing style the problem?
I've heard a lot criticism about the Celtics' playing style lately. The criticism goes something like this: "They're too reliant on the three point shot!" "They don't attack the basket enough!" "Why is Tatum bringing the ball up the floor?" "They've got the most talent of any team and they should never lose!" I think there is some truth to these statements, but in my mind it goes deeper. First of all, the criticism almost never gives credit to the opposing team for being good.
Would You Make Changes Anyway?
What if there were no restrictions or penalties regarding the cost of of Boston's roster, would you make changes anyway? With Jayson Tatum out for next season, it's unlikely that the team could win another title without some additions. With professional sports, additions almost always means subtractions. Whom might you realistically trade for? Who would go? Now imagine that Jayson Tatum is healthy, but the team still loses to the Knicks.
No pace and space
I know the Magic play a physical style of game that is barely watchable; but let's put most of the blame for the Celtics lack of offense in the third quarter on themselves. Here is what Jayson Tatum said about it. "We just got stagnant," Tatum said. "Something we’re going to watch film on tomorrow. We’ve just got to play with some more pace and movement. That’s when we’re just at our best." This is not the first time the Celtics' offense has become stagnant.
Marcus Smart
I like Marcus Smart. I know that some fans would get aggravated by him and I understand that. I think the trade that sent him to Memphis was the right move, but I'm sad hie career seems to have fallen off a cliff since then. He didn't enter the game (coach's decision) against Boston on Sunday. Maybe it was his decision as well. This contrasted with Joe Mazulla's decision to start Xavier Tillman against the Grizzlies last week. I think that was a classy move.
Coaching hotseats
The recent firing of Denver's Mike Malone and Memphis' Taylor Jenkins was very surprising. I'm not sure what it means except that some owners expect instant results. Here are some other coaches that may not last another season with their current team. Tom Thibodeau - New York Knicks Mike Budenholzer - Phoenix Suns Doc Rivers - Milwaukee Bucks Nick Nurse - Philadelphia 76ers Jamahl Mosley - Orlando Magic I'm sure there will be others as well. Do you agree with this list?
Marcus Smart
I like Marcus Smart. I know that some fans would get aggravated by him and I understand that. I think the trade that sent him to Memphis was the right move, but I'm sad hie career seems to have fallen off a cliff since then. He didn't enter the game (coach's decision) against Boston on Sunday. Maybe it was his decision as well. This contacted with Joe Mazulla's decision to start Xavier Tillman against the Grizzlies last week. I think that was a classy move.
Not this year
I'm as big a Celtic fan as anyone and I'm rooting for them to win title 19 this year, but I wouldn't bet on it. The odds are less than 50-50 of it so I'm not exactly going out on a limb here. Here is what I think: The competition is better. The Cavs got better and they're playing well. And if the Celtics face them in the conference finals, they will have a healthy Donovan Mitchell - someone they didn't have last year. The Thunder create problems that the Celtics have a hard time fixing.
Harbinger
Wednesday night's game against Portland may be a harbinger of things to come for the Celtics next year. This game was a proof of concept that Derrick White and Payton Pritichard can be an effective backcourt tandem both offensively and defensively. Brad Stevens may be thinking that he should trade Jrue Holiday in the off season and go with the White/Pritchard backcourt. Another player that I'm sure Stevens will consider moving in the off season is Kristap Porzingas.
Tatum and Bird
Jayson Tatum recently said that he aspires to be as great as Larry Bird. That's great, so what would that mean? Tatum's and Bird's game are pretty similar. They are both "point forwards" who are excellent triple threats with the ball. I'll probably get criticized for this, but I think Tatum is a little bit better three-point shooter than Bird. They both have good mid-range games. They are both strong rebounders and good defenders.
Trade Rule I Would Change
A recent article the Celtics SB-Nation (this site) talked about the limited options the Celtics have if they wanted to trade Jaden Springer who makes $4 million a year. The options are limited because the Celtics need to take on an equal amount of salary in any trade. I've often wondered why this rule exists and since I couldn't come up with a good reason, I propose a rule change when it comes to trades.
NBA Rule Change Idea
I have been hearing talk recently that the 3-point shot is ruining the NBA. Too many teams are taking too many threes, the argument goes. I disagree. I like watching teams that pass the ball well to find an open three-point shot. That's good basketball to me. But there IS a rule change I would like to see. Most NBA teams rely heavily on the high pick-and-roll. and some variation of the "horns action." This is the most boring play in the game as it encourages over dribbling and ISO play.
Missing Jaylen Brown
Jaylen Brown has missed the past four games and Boston has gone 3-1 and needed overtime to beat the Nets. He tweaked his hip in the Celtics' win over the Hornets last Friday when he scored - just about his average for the season. Generally speaking, the Celtic's depth can cover Brown's loss, but they miss his defense and his ability to attack the rim. He's been out for a week now, and I expect him to play against the Cavs on Nov. 19 if not sooner. Do you think Brown raises this team's intensity?
Speed
I was watching the Celtics-Pacers game last night and decided it was over and went to bed. It was the best thing I could do to help them because I knew the basketball gods would punish me for it by letting the Celtics comeback thus missing out on an exciting finish. I deserved my punishment. Anyway, one thing I noticed is that the Pacers play fast and they sped up the Celtics most of the game.
What's the deal with Lonnie Walker 4?
I see the Celtics just signed Lonnie Walker IV to a non-guaranteed minimum deal. Walker was a high school All American and was drafted 18 in 2018. He is 25 years old and on his fourth NBA team. He is an athletic 6-4 guard who shoots 38% from three. So why doesn't this all add up? What's his deal? FanPosts are fan-created content and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CelticsBlog. Be respectful and keep it clean. Thanks.
Why was Jaylen Brown snubbed?
Why was Jaylen Brown snubbed for a spot on the Olympic team in favor of Derrick White? Whatever the reason, it doesn't seem possible that it was for a basketball reason. Let the conspiracy theories begin. The most likely conspiracy to me is that the NBA is really about player cliques of and only the "popular" players get to be members of the club. The president of the club is Lebron James with Steph Curry as Vice President.
Not so fast
The Globe's Gary Washburn says that the 76ers and Knicks re the big winners in free agency so far. I'm not buying it. Let's talk about the Knicks. Sure they traded for Mikal Bridges to join fellow Vanderbuilt alums; but they also lost Isaiah Hartenstein. Hartenstein was very important to them in the second half the season. They will need to find a replacement for him before they can claim that they are better than last May. The 76ers replaced Tobias Harris with Paul George.
Kornet's path
Luke Kornet just re-signed with the Celtics for something close to the minimum. He probably could have gotten more as a free agent, but another year with the Celtics might be a better path for a bigger payday. Kornet doesn't strike me as someone who wants to get all he can, and playing for this team might be more gratifying than a bigger paycheck. Besides, an annual salary of over $2 million would make most of us happy.
Brown's Defense
I've noticed that in the fourth quarter of the past couple of games against Indy, Jaylen Brown has guarded Pascal Siakam when the Celtics really need a stop. I think he is the best Siakam defender the Celtics have and I assume he doesn't guard him more is that Mazulla wants to make sure Brown doesn't get into foul trouble. OK, but I would use Brown on Siakam in the fourth quarter if fouls are not an issue. FanPosts are fan-created content and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CelticsBlog.
Mavs are in trouble
The Dallas Mavericks are 8th in the West with a 24-20 record. They have lost three straight and are in trouble. Their trouble is not so much about their record but about attitude. What do you think of the Mavs' bench complaining after the big screen operator replayed Doncics' embarrassing fall while trying to guard Jaylen Brown? Or about last night's game where Doncic had a fan removed because he didn't like the booing? My goodness.
Do the Spurs have a Patriots problem?
The San Antonio Spurs and head coach Greg Popovich have had an amazing run piling up winning seasons and championships. The team was anchored by Mr. Fundamental Tim Duncan. But their last winning record was the 2021-22 season. Duncan retired in 2016, Manu Ginolbi retired two years later. In other words the arrow is pointing down and their only hope last year was to win the lottery, select Victor Wembanyama and hope he does for them what Duncan did after he was drafted in 1997.
Brogdon's role
I think that Brad Stevens and his coaches are facing a dilemma with Malcom Brogdon. From what I read, Brogdon is expected to be the first guard off the bench like last year. But I don't think that's going to work for several reasons. The first reason is that Brogdon is the best point guard on the team. Now I still like Derrick White better overall, but as far as playing point, Brogdon is the better of the two.
Atlanta Trade
The Atlanta Hawks just traded John Collins for a TPE. My spider sense tells me that this is the first step for the Hawks to get Boston's Jaylen Brown. I know I'm crazy but the vibes are vibing. It's not just the TPE, but Atlanta has players the Celtics could be interested in. Be prepared. FanPosts are fan-created content and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CelticsBlog. Be respectful and keep it clean. Thanks.
Three Surprises
There are three things that surprised me about the Smart for Porzingas trade. The first and biggest surprise was waking up Thursday morning to see that the Celtics traded MARCUS SMART instead of MALCOM BROGDON for KRISTAPS PORZINGAS. The second biggest surprise was to see that Boston moved up 10 spots in this year's draft and got a first rounder in next year's draft. Those draft picks are going to be very critical going forward with the new CBA.
Insane or Crazy?
What is the best path for the Celtics next season? Good question. Some people like to quote the common wisdom that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. They argue that this team has repeatedly failed to to win a title and therefore and is not capable of winning a title - thus major changes are needed.
Stars to avoid
It's the NBA trade and free agent season, and this year there are several stars available to right bidders. But my advice is to not take the bait. Here are the stars to avoid: Kyrie Irving - He's an unrestricted free agent and an incredible player. Stay away. He has been a team and culture killer everywhere he's gone. (OK, not Dallas but he wasn't there long enough and the team failed badly after he arrived.) James Harden - Player option. I think he opted out of it.
Simplify the CBA - Impose a Hard Cap
The NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement is overly complicated and should be simplified. One goal of the CBA is to restrict owners with big egos and even bigger wallets from buying a championship contending team. (The players love it when they do this.) So the CBA creates a complicated scaffold of costly penalties and rules. It would give me a popsicle headache to explain it all here so I won't (and I really can't). Here is my proposal: Have a hard cap.
What has Damian Lillard done?
Recent interviews with and about Damian Lillard express laughter about the idea that he would choose to play for the Boston Celtics. Honestly, I don't know how to take that. Does he mean living in Boston or playing for the Celtics? Is it the city? Lillard seems to be fine with living in Portland. Boston is not that different. And if he misses Portlandia now and then, he could come to Burlington, Vermont and get the same vibe. So I don't think it's the city. Is it the team?
Issues facing the Celtics
Issues Redundant roster: A common criticism of the Celtics is that the skill set of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are too redundant. There is some validity to this complaint; but I would say that the best way to address this concern is to change the way the players play - not change the players. They have been doing this to some extent. Tatum has become a better passer, for example, Brown too but as much.
Questions and answers
Everyone has questions. So here are some answers: Should the Celtics get a new head coach? Will Joe Mazzulla grow into a good head coach? He probably learned quite a bit this season, but learning means not making the same mistakes over again. If you're Brad Stevens, you need to insist that Mazzulla have an experienced co-pilot and that he listens to him. It also means he's better prepared for games. Finally, it means he develops and trust his bench.
The Undrafted
The Undrafted. It sounds like a movie title. And perhaps a creative screen writer could come up with a pretty good movie featuring undrafted NBA players. This could be the year of the undrafted. A significant number of NBA players in the playoffs this year entered the league as undrafted free agents. There are 125 current NBA players who were not drafted. One of the announcers during the game last night said that the Miami Heat had seven undrafted players on its team. Amazing.
Good win but...
We all know what the "but " is: Letting a 32-point second half lead shrink to a 12 point lead in the fourth quarter with enough time remaining to put the win in danger. This win has some parallels to the season - hot start, mediocre middle, then finish well. It's a familiar pattern. Derrick White, who scored 24 points, said after the game, "You get up 30 and you kind of relax a little bit, playoffs or not." He added, "We've got to be better." Yes, they have to be better.
Confident against the Hawks
A lot has been written by people much smarter than me analyzing this first-round match between the Celtics and the Hawks, but let me add my thoughts. From the limited amount that I have seen the Hawks play, it seems to me that they are at their best when Trae Young gets it going. His scoring and passing can scramble a defense making boxing out very difficult and thus allowing the Hawks to feast on open threes and offensive rebounds.
Implications of Sunday's game
The Celtics are not playing Sunday but the game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers has important implications. Currently the Bucks are in first, 1.5 games ahead of the Celtics. The 76ers are in third, four games behind the Bucks and 2.5 games behind the Celtics. After Sunday's game, all three of these teams will have four games left to play in the season. A Bucks' loss to the 76ers would tighten the race considerably.
What was that?
For us Green Teamers: It was an offensive explosion from their two best players. It was physical team defense that shut down a former and (perhaps) future MVP. It was a statement staking the claim that they are the best team in the NBA. It was a proud win after the embarrassment in Washington. It was a Banner 18 preview. It was Celtic fan heaven. For the Debby Downers: It was an illusion against a tired Bucks team. It was the meteorite that symbolizes the team - hot and bright but only for a moment.
Cap'n, the switch is broken!
Here is a short script describing the Celtics situation. This script features "Scotty" of Star Trek Fame and Celtics' coach Joe Mazulla as "Cap'n." Scotty: "Cap'n, we're falling behind. If we don't fire up the engines, we'll be dragged down by apathy gravity." Cap'n Joe: "Scotty, you worry too much.
Final Two Weeks
Boston has nine games remaining over the next two-plus weeks. Except for Milwaukee and Philadelphia, it's a relatively easy schedule. Coach Joe Mazulla has choices to make over this period of time in order to be best prepared to win in the playoffs. Here are some of the choices as fans see them. Which fans should he listen to? Fan 1. Go for the number one seed. The Bucks have a two-and-a-half game lead. The Bucks have a slightly harder schedule and are due for a few bad games. Fan 2.
17 Offensive Rebounds!
The Celtics lost to the Utah Jazz by one point despite giving up 17 OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS. They gave the Jazz 12 extra possessions. First,how do you let that happen; and second, how do you lose by only 1 point? And again, the Celtics let a lead slip away in the fourth quarter. What is going on? These are problems with coaching solutions. FanPosts are fan-created content and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CelticsBlog. Be respectful and keep it clean. Thanks.
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