Unlikely Celtics-inspired Awesome Old Song of the Week: "My Name is Jonas" by Weezer

The Celtics are currently the hottest team in the East and tied for the final playoff spot.  Two new players are largely responsible.  One is Isaiah Thomas, which was to be expected.  The other is Jonas Jerebko.

Jonas Jerebko?

Acquired in an afterthought trade (along with Luigi Datome) with the Detroit Pistons for Tayshaun Prince, Jerebko is suddenly the C's go-to big man in crunch time.  He played the entire fourth quarter in each of Boston's recent wins over New York and Charlotte.

In 21 minutes against the Knicks, Jerebko scored 20 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.  He followed that up with 16 points and 10 boards in 24 minutes vs. the Hornets.  In the two games combined, Jerebko shot 70 percent (7-for-10) from three-point land.

Here's Weezer performing their 1994 track, My Name is Jonas:



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Marcus Smart looks like Jameis Winston

A few times in recent weeks I've seen Winston's face on TV and thought at first glance that it was Smart.  You be the judge:

For my mom, Smart (left) is the Celtics rookie from Oklahoma State, Winston (right) is the Florida State quarterback and likely top pick in the NFL draft.

That's all I've got for today.

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Isaiah Thomas keeps hitting free throws, Evan Turner triple-doubles, comparing each to Rajon Rondo

Yesterday I discussed how Isaiah Thomas made as many free throws (12) in two games with the Celtics as Rajon Rondo did in 22 before being traded.  After his 11-for-11 performance last night, Thomas has now knocked down more foul shots than Rondo has all season, including the games he's played with Dallas:

Isaiah Thomas has made 23 FT in 3 games with Boston (11-11 tonight). Former Celtics PG Rajon Rondo has made 19 FT in 47 games this season.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 26, 2015

It's also noteworthy to compare Rondo's recent stats to Evan Turner's:

Since 12/19 … Rondo: 9.0 ppg (42.9 TS%), 6.2 apg (2.9 to), 4.5 rpg, 1.3 spg Turner: 8.7 ppg (43.8 TS%), 6.0 apg (2.6 to), 5.7 rpg, 1.0 spg
— Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) February 26, 2015

Last night Turner posted his first-ever triple double.  I've never been a fan Turner, but this morning on CelticsLife I wrote about how I'm starting to come around on him.  And if you only read one other thing on the internet today, check out my latest Stat Central feature on Hoops Habit:

Evan Turner Joins Unlikely List Of All-Time Celtics Triple-Doubles

There are only 10 players in Boston history ever to record one, some of the names on the list will definitely surprise you.

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Isaiah Thomas has made as many free throws in two games with the Celtics as Rajon Rondo did all season

A couple point guards are huge NBA stories today: Derrick Rose is hurt again, which I have to say is about the least surprising injury news I've ever heard.  And Rajon Rondo got benched for yelling at his coach, which clearly means he hates Dallas and intends to re-sign with Boston this offseason because the Celtics are the only team that can make him happy.

But I want to talk about another point guard, Isaiah Thomas, who's been spectacularly entertaining (and pretty darn good) since joining the C's.  After Thomas led Boston to victory over his old team in Phoenix on Monday, CSNNE's Rich Levine sent out this spectacular tweet:

Isaiah's made 12 free throws through two games in Boston. Same number Rondo made in 22 games before the trade.
— Rich Levine (@rich_levine) February 24, 2015

One of the many skills Thomas brings that the Celtics were sorely missing is a fantastic ability to get to the foul line.  Boston is 27th in the league in made free-throws this season.  Brandon Bass leads the current roster with an average of just 2.1 makes on 2.7 attempts per game.  Thomas went 6-for-7 (86 percent) at the foul line in each of his first two outings with the Celtics.

By comparison, in the 22 contests he played with Boston this year Rondo made a total of 12 of 36 foul shots (33 percent), an average of 0.6-for-1.6 per game.

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Guess what, Gonzaga is (still) not a top-3 college basketball team

Somebody who plays for Gonzaga helped them beat
St. Mary's 70-60 on February 21.

I haven't watched the Gonzaga Bulldogs play all season.  I can't name a single guy on their team.  And to be honest, I have paid next to no attention to college hoops this season.

But even having said all that, I am still 99 percent certain that Gonzaga is not worthy of their No. 2 USA Today Coaches/No. 3 AP ranking.  The Bulldogs climbed that high in the polls by virtue of their 28-1 record (16-0 West Coast Conference).  However, they've played one top-20 team all year--can you guess which game their lone loss is?  It came against then No. 3 Arizona on December 6.

I wrote this exact post two years ago, a few days before Gonzaga took over the No. 1 ranking for the first time in school history.  Then I wrote it again last season when 34-0 Wichita State (out of the Missouri Valley Conference) entered the postseason ranked No. 2.  Both clubs were awarded No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament, and each of them got upset in the second round.

Murdering your crappy conference schedule does not make you a top team.  Playing well against quality competition does.

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Why am I watching LeBron James Jr. highlights?

SportsCenter sent out this tweet today.  I chose to use a screenshot rather than embed it because I wanted to show the "Unfollow" button, which I was very tempted to click on:

LeBron James Jr. is 10 years old.  The highlight video is impressive, for a 10-year old.  To no surprise, LBJ Jr. (who is apparently called "Bronny") still plays like a kid.  Because he is a kid.  He's six feet below the basket--it's not like he's dunking or anything.  But yet he's the subject of ESPN.com articles and videos produced by a former NBA head coach.  Why am I watching this?

Good luck with that whole "adolescence" thing Bronny.

RELATED: Mo'ne Davis being in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game just doesn't sit right with me


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Awesome Old Song of the Week: "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister

I never actually knew the name of this song, or the group who sang it, until today.  I always referred to it as "that 80s hit with the chorus that sounds a lot Africa, but isn't."

This evening I was watching the movie The Way, Way Back and the song came on in the background.  I immediately paused the TV, whipped out my phone, turned on Shazam, and a few seconds later I was informed it was Kyrie by Mr. Mister.  Technology is awesome sometimes.

Not only that, but I just found the same movie clip on YouTube:



So what are the actual words in the chorus?  "Kyrie eleison," which apparently means "Lord, have mercy" in Greek.



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