Morning sports update: What Kevin McHale had to say about LeBron James calling himself the ‘GOAT’
Also: The unwritten part of the Patriots' playbook, Craig Kimbrel's status, and Antonio Brown's Tom Brady DM.
The Celtics beat the Timberwolves on Wednesday night, 115-102. Gordon Hayward led the team with 35 points.
Kevin McHale on LeBron James’s ‘greatest of all-time’ comments: Celtics legend Kevin McHale recently spoke about LeBron James calling himself the “greatest player of all-time” during an ESPN special.
“We all sit at this table all the time and sing his praises, I think LeBron is a great player. I just think that’s disrespectful honestly to Bill Russell,” McHale explained. He went on to list other past greats.
“Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan,” McHale added. “There are just so many. Two of my good…Larry and Magic, just led teams and turned the league around. You don’t need to say that about yourself. Let other people say that for you. I mean I was kind of surprised because I’d read about it, but that’s the first time I’d actually heard him say it, ‘Made me the GOAT.’ I’m like, damn.”
Chris Webber, Isiah Thomas & Kevin McHale respond to LeBron’s comments saying he was the “GOAT.” pic.twitter.com/O9uN6hGCBy
— NBA TV (@NBATV) January 1, 2019
“I just didn’t like the way that sounded to me,” McHale concluded.
More from Boston.com:
- 4 takeaways from the Celtics’ uplifting 115-102 victory over the Timberwolves
- The Steelers seem to be coming unglued
- Why Tom Brady won’t get $5 million in contract incentives
- David Pastrnak is the Bruins’ only All-Star this season
- Lamar Jackson, run-happy Ravens potential Patriots road block
- Pro wrestling interviewer ‘Mean Gene’ Okerlund dies
- Brad Stevens says Kyrie Irving’s absence could extend beyond Wednesday
- Bill Belichick on Urban Meyer: ‘He’s a great friend’
The secret part of Bill Belichick’s playbook: There’s a chapter that’s perpetually missing from the Patriots’ defensive playbook. That’s because it seems to exist only in the mind of Bill Belichick. And this year, the team has been utilizing more of it, with great success. [MassLive]
Craig Kimbrel’s playing the waiting game: The Red Sox closer, now a free agent, is spending his offseason awaiting offers from other teams. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Kimbrel “might well be the biggest mystery in free agency not named Harper or Machado.” [ESPN]
Antonio Brown has been all over the news in the last few days: Among his notable activities on Wednesday, Brown shared an old DM with Tom Brady from September on his Instagram story.
Missed this from earlier this week but @AB84 Antonio Brown shared a private DM from #Patriots QB Tom Brady that was sent in September.
For… whatever reason… pic.twitter.com/9q3CLwcaPp
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 2, 2019
And Brown was also a guest on a new Fox television show called “The Masked Singer,” which was filmed in June. He was deemed the worst performer, however, and was eliminated.
On this day: In 1981, the Bruins lost 4-1 to the Colorado Rockies (who eventually became the New Jersey Devils). The game was notable for a massive brawl that involved 36 skaters on both teams. A total of 60 penalties (for 279 minutes) were issued.
Daily highlight: Marcus Smart reached back to complete the alley-oop for the Celtics on Wednesday night.
https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1080642482268889090
