Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 17: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics gestures to the crowd before Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

We’ve decided to try a little something different today, which is to say that there is not one obvious, dominant story in Boston sports. But this is the beauty of having the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox fill your screen as if on an assembly line, and so – until someone out there can offer up a better name – we’re introducing Fourthought.

There was a time not so long ago, of course, when championships in Boston felt like a birthright. That is obviously no longer true. But in the wake of the Bruins’ 2-0 loss last night to the Philadelphia Flyers at the TD Garden, one can’t help but wonder if the pendulum has swing even further in the opposite direction. The Bruins have now lost games this season to a Nashville Predators team that was previously winless and a Flyers outfit that has allowed the fifth-most goals in the NHL. Boston’s point percentage ranks 23rd in the league, tied with the moribund Buffalo Sabres. (Yuck.)

Meanwhile, the Red Sox have once again been relegated to serving as spectators during the baseball postseason, their seemingly endless rebuild matched by that of only the Patriots. That means three of the four major Boston teams now lose at least as much as they win, leaving the Celtics (who are up for sale) all alone in a rather expansive field of green.

Nonetheless, as Felger & Mazz contributor Greg Bedard put it yesterday, we here at the Sports Hub are paid to offer you both the micro and the macro depending on the circumstance. As such, as the calendar turns to November, we offer you one take each on the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox with the hope that, somehow and sometime soon, the winds will shift.

  • Shoot the puck, Charlie

    SUNRISE, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 08: Charlie McAvoy #73 of the Boston Bruins in action against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena on October 08, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

    Let me get this off my chest: I’m borderline obsessed with Charlie McAvoy, and I have been since he entered the league. And here’s why: the Bruins had a lineage of No. 1 defensemen like perhaps no other team in the sport, from (loosely) Bobby Orr to Ray Bourque to Zdeno Chara. Then came McAvoy, who entered this season at plus-144 for his career, which is hardly anything to sneeze at. So why do I feel like he hasn’t quite lived up to the hype?

    True fact: in his postseason career, McAvoy is a minus-5. In the last five postseasons – since the Bruins last went to the Stanley Cup final and lost to St. Louis – he is a minus-9. Theoretically, part of the reason the Bruins signed Nikita Zadorov was to free up McAvoy more offensively, something that seemed to pay immediate dividends early in the season. In the Bruins first four games of the year, McAvoy had 10 shots on net, two goals, three points and sat at plus-3 – and even coach Jim Montgomery remarked at one point about how much McAvoy seemed to be shooting. In six games since then, he’s had just six shots, zero points and rests at minus-5. Anyone see a correlation? The Bruins’ situation at forward is what it is. That’s not going to change anytime soon. McAvoy needs to be more of an ignitor on offense. Currently, among all NHL defenseman, he ranks 49th in the league in shots on goal. Hampus Lindholm is among those with more.

  • The good and bad of Jayson Tatum  

    BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts during a conversation with referee Tony Brothers #25 during the second half at the TD Garden on October 28, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)

    BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts during a conversation with referee Tony Brothers #25 during the second half at the TD Garden on October 28, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)

    Even before this season began, Jayson Tatum said he’d like to become the greatest player in Celtics history, which seems like a lofty goal. It really isn’t. Given his combination of size, skill and athleticism, Tatum might be the most talented player in the history of the franchise. He’s a better athlete and individual defender than Larry Bird, bigger and more athletic than Paul Pierce, more skilled than Bill Russell, much bigger than Bob Cousy. Given the number of Celtics who qualify as above-average shooters – even in the absence of Kristaps Porzingis – Tatum this year could become just the third Celtic in history to average at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists per game, joining both Bird and John Havlicek. He’s averaging 28.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game so far. And despite the fact that he has played fewer average minutes, his steals and his blocks are up while turnovers are down.

    Simply put, he can impact the game in more ways than any Celtics player in history.

    Now, what Tatum really has to do is to continue winning, which brings us to Monday night. In a victory over Milwaukee, Tatum recorded his second technical foul of the season, already tied for most in the league. Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Tatum has totaled, in order, 14 (10th), 13 (ninth), 14 (fifth) and now two (first) technicals. On the one hand, head coach Joe Mazzulla defended Tatum the other night. (Mazzulla also effectively incurred a technical foul for delay of game.) On the other, Mazzulla was quick to point out that the Celtics saved roughly 3.8 points on their two challenges and politely bantered with a reporter about the value (1.3) of the Celtics’ transition defense.

    If the Celtics are going to be that detailed and analytically driven – which is fine – shouldn’t they be loathe to give up points by constantly bitching at the officials?

  • Anyone else feel a draft?

    LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 20: Jerod Mayo of New England Patriots looks on after the NFL match between New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 20, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

    LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 20: Jerod Mayo of New England Patriots looks on after the NFL match between New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on October 20, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

    The Patriots claimed a much-needed victory over the New York Jets on Sunday, the merits of which we can certainly debate. But if you are among those who believe the Patriots would be better-served to continue losing games this season with the idea of securing a higher draft pick to accelerate (or not) the rebuilding process, you should know this: even if the Patriots match their record from a year ago – when they went 4-13 – they might not even come close to the No. 3 pick. Here’s the point: at the moment, there are a whopping 10 teams in the NFL with just 1 or 2 wins, including the Miami Dolphins and both New York teams. The point? The middle class in the NFL feels as small as ever. If the Patriots defeat the wretched Tennessee Titans this week, they could easily fall out of the top five in the draft, which undoubtedly would cause consternation in the minds of some.

    Oh, one more thing: the Kansas City Chiefs have a very real chance to go undefeated. The Chiefs one big, remaining game is at Buffalo on Nov. 17. And while there is always a chance of an upset in the NFL, it’s hard to pick against the Chiefs with that defense and Patrick Mahomes.

  • Hope for the Red Sox?

    DENVER, CO - JULY 23: Rob Refsnyder #30, Jarren Duran #16 and Tyler O'Neill #17 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate a 6-0 win against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 23, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

    DENVER, CO – JULY 23: Rob Refsnyder #30, Jarren Duran #16 and Tyler O’Neill #17 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate a 6-0 win against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 23, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

    Yap all you want about bad contracts and cost per win, but the fact is that the three teams with the highest payrolls were all in the two League Championship Series this year, and two of them are in the World Series. Spending in baseball might not be the most efficient way to win, but it is still among the best strategies if championships are the ultimate goal. And despite the infamous, hollow claim by Red Sox owner Tom Werner last offseason that the team would go “full throttle” in rebuilding the roster, there actually might be a reason to believe the Sox this year.

    Immediately after the season, both president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made comments to the effect of – and I’m paraphrasing here – “The time is now.” Does that mean the Sox are ready to go $50 million beyond the $241 million luxury tax? Probably not. But it might mean that the Sox have every attention of being at least more aggressive with a roster that still needs some proven, front-end pitching.

    The problem? As was the case last offseason, we have to wonder whether the Sox can actually execute. At one point last offseason, Breslow said the Sox were looking to add one or two starters, after which the team basically fell flat on its face. Their one signing (Lucas Giolito) was hardly inspiring, then missed the year with an injury. The Sox simply don’t have the leadership experience they used to, which makes it hard for fans to have confidence in any part of the operation.

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