PF Jared Sullinger (2x 1st Team ALL B1G & All American, Anyang KGC, S.Korea)

[Buckskin86]

Boston Celtics news 2013: Jared Sullinger's starting spot in question?

Boston Celtics' Jared Sullinger, right, makes a pass as Minnesota Timberwolves' Ricky Rubio defends during first quarter of an NBA preseason basketball game in Montreal, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes)
By Jay King, MassLive.com
October 24, 2013

BOSTON – Even as the Boston Celtics switched lineups throughout the preseason, Jared Sullinger’s starting spot seemed pretty much cemented.

Despite an admitted lack of proper conditioning, he impressed in the preseason opener and has been one of Boston’s best players since. He’s a top-notch rebounder for a team that always struggles on the glass; and since the Celtics drafted him, he’s tended to finish with better plus-minus numbers than just about anybody else on the team. That’s largely due to his wealth of skill and basketball intellect, which allows him to make a bigger impact than his athleticism level would otherwise dictate.

But according to head coach Brad Stevens, Sullinger won’t necessarily start when he returns from an illness that kept him out of Wednesday night's 101-97 win against Brooklyn. After the Celtics concluded their preseason with the aforementioned victory, Stevens hinted Brazilian rookie Vitor Faverani could also be in the mix to open games.

“I don’t know when Jared gets back, if we’ll start Jared or bring him off the bench. I think generally we needed more length on the interior,” Stevens said, explaining why he started Faverani against the Nets. “Brandon (Bass) and Jared are both going to play huge roles on this team, and whether they start or come off the bench doesn’t really matter. Because there’s going to be nights like (Wednesday) where Brandon comes off the bench at six minutes left in the third quarter, and all of a sudden I feel most comfortable with him out there, and he’s going to play the rest of the way.

"I think there’s going to be a lot of that, but I think having that length at the beginning of those games – that hurt us in a couple of these preseason games. … We thought more length was needed.”

Faverani responded to his first start with his best preseason outing, finishing with 15 points, seven rebounds and six blocks.

But regardless of where Sullinger starts the games, I would bet he finishes more than he doesn't.

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2013/10/boston_celtics_news_2013_jared_5.html

 

[BayBuck]

Charges dismissed.

http://buckeyextra.dispatch.com/con.../10/10-28-13-sullinger-charges-dismissed.html

 

[Buckskin86]

Jared Sullinger suspended for opener
Updated: October 29, 2013
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com
WALTHAM, Mass. -- Boston Celtics second-year forward/center Jared Sullinger said Tuesday that he understands why the team elected to suspend him for the first game of the season despite having domestic violence charges dismissed against him in court Monday.

Sullinger will stay home as his teammates travel to Toronto to open the 2013-14 season against the Raptors on Wednesday. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in a statement that Sullinger "failed to meet the high expectations we have for all Celtics employees."

Steve Babineau/Getty Images
Jared Sullinger appeared in 45 games as a rookie before suffering a season-ending back injury last January.
Said Sullinger: "Honestly, we're trying to build a culture around here. And so I totally accept that one-game suspension."

After the Celtics' afternoon session at HealthPoint, Ainge elaborated on Sullinger's suspension.

"We have higher expectations and standards, and it was a distraction to our team during an important time this summer," Ainge said. Later he added, "We're trying to send a message, not just to Jared, but the rest of our players that their behavior has an effect on all of us."

Both Ainge and first-year coach Brad Stevens have stressed a desire to install that culture in a young team. Team brass huddled Monday after the charges were dismissed to determine Sullinger's in-house punishment.

Asked if Sullinger's one-game suspension was sending a message to his squad, Stevens said, "I don't know necessarily about making a statement, it was just about what we felt was the right thing to do in this situation."

Sullinger said he's eager to move forward with the legal process behind him.

"[The charges being dismissed] was a relief, now I can focus back on basketball and get back to the swing of things," Sullinger said. "It is what it is. Now I can put it [behind] me."

Later, he added: "It really didn't affect me, honestly, because when I come out [to practice] I really don't think about much. But when I go back home, I remember the court date and what I have to go through and all that stuff. It was a very good learning lesson and now I can move forward from it."

cont...

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story...linger-suspended-boston-celtics-season-opener

 

[Buckskin86]

Jared Sullinger’s staying



C’s pick up third-year option

Photo by:
Patrick Whittemore
A GOOD SIGN: The Celtics extended their third-year option on Jared Sullinger.
Friday, November 1, 2013

By:
Steve Bulpett, Celtics Notebook

WALTHAM — The Celtics exercised their third-year option on Jared Sullinger yesterday, guaranteeing the forward will be paid $1,424,520 for the 2014-15 season.

After being held out of the season opener because of an offseason arrest for domestic violence (charges that were recently dismissed), Sullinger feigned surprise.

“No, I didn’t expect that,” Sullinger said jokingly of the option being picked up. “I was kind of in shock. It made my day. It made the suspension that much sweeter.”

Turning more serious, Sullinger added, “Honestly it makes me feel comfortable knowing that even though (there were) a lot of ups and downs this summer, that they’re still willing to work with me. It shows a lot of confidence upstairs (in the basketball administration offices), which also fuels confidence in me.”

Sullinger did, indeed, watch the opening loss Wednesday night in Toronto with president of basketball operations Danny Ainge on TV at the practice facility.

“It was interesting,” he said. “It was really interesting. Everything that he sees, you pretty much see. Even as a GM, he still pays attention to the game. Even though we had one screen on our game and a couple of screens on the World Series, we were still paying attention to our game.”

When it was suggested that didn’t sound much like a trip to the principal’s office, Sullinger replied, “No, it was definitely being in the principal’s office after school. He was one great principal though, I will say that.”

As for what he learned, the forward said, “He’s similar to (Hall of Famer and TV analyst) Tommy (Heinsohn), I learned that much. But other than that it’s typical Danny Ainge.”

Sullinger admitted to being a bit nervous for tonight’s home opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, in that his rookie season ended with back surgery after he played four minutes in a Jan. 30 win over the Sacramento Kings.

- See more at: http://bostonherald.com/sports/celt...ared_sullinger_s_staying#sthash.5A1xfXaF.dpuf

 

[MaxBuck]

As for what he learned, the forward said, “He’s similar to (Hall of Famer and TV analyst) Tommy (Heinsohn), I learned that much. ...”

So, Ainge also uses profanity every other word and spouts off stupid racist commentary?

(I'm not a fan of Heinsohn.)

 

[Buckskin86]

Notebook: Sullinger missed by C's
November, 14, 2013
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

BOSTON -- Who knows if Jared Sullinger could have saved the Boston Celtics from themselves on Wednesday night. But you can't shake the feeling that he would have helped.

Alex Trautwig/Getty ImagesThe Celtics missed Jared Sullinger on this night.
The Celtics allowed the visiting Charlotte Bobcats to start fast and build an early double-digit lead and Boston never cranked up its own level of play enough to compensate, dropping an 89-83 decision in which Boston trailed from start to finish.

Here's the nitty gritty: Sullinger has been a plus/minus beast for Boston since he slid into its lap in the 2012 draft. In the 138 minutes he's played this season, Boston is plus-30 and owns glossy ratings (points per 100 possessions) on both offense (107.4) and defense (98.9). In the 294 minutes that Sullinger has been off the floor, Boston is minus-38 and its ratings sputter on offense (94.4) and defense (100.8).

Sullinger's impact is impossible to ignore; good things happen when he's on the court. The team rebounds better, it defends better, it passes better. The second-year forward is an extremely important part of any success this team will enjoy this season. To bottom line it: The Celtics are 0-2 in the games he's missed this season and 4-3 when he's played.

Sullinger missed Wednesday's game when a bone bruise on his right knee left him unable to dress. He remains day-to-day while waiting for the pain to subside after Orlando's Mo Harkless bumped the knee while Sullinger took a charge in the first half of Monday's win over the Magic.

cont...

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4708276/notebook-sullinger-missed-by-cs

 

[Buckskin86]

Jared Sullinger surprised he’s back

Photo by:
Matt Stone
Jared Sullinger
Friday, November 15, 2013
By:
Steve Bulpett

WALTHAM — Jared Sullinger expects to be back in the Celtics lineup tonight against Portland after missing Wednesday’s loss to Charlotte with a bruised right knee. And the fact there has been so much talk around the club of this relatively minor injury amuses him.

The 6-foot-9 inside presence is just nine months and two weeks removed from back surgery that some feared would derail his young career.

He missed the season opener due to a team suspension stemming from his dropped domestic violence charge and was out last game after taking a low hit from Orlando’s Moe Harkless on Monday. In the seven games between, Sullinger has averaged 11.3 points on 50 percent shooting and 5.1 rebounds in slightly less than 20 minutes a night.

Not bad, considering men with scalpels were messing with his lumbar discs not that long ago.

“I thought people forgot about my surgery,” Sullinger said after yesterday’s light practice. “Hardly anybody ever talks about it anymore.

“Honestly I’m shocked with the way I’m playing now coming off of surgery, to be able to do the things I’m doing. I feel pretty good about it myself, as far as the movements and stuff.”

At the time of the surgery, the Celts were being criticized for spending a first-round draft pick (No. 21 overall) on a guy with a history of back issues. The team line was that the procedure would alleviate the problem for the long term and that Sullinger would be even better movement-wise than before the issue arose.

Let’s just say such statements were met with a good measure of skepticism. But it appears now they were on target.

“For me at least,” Sullinger said. “Especially to be able to move my feet quicker. There’s a lot of things that back surgery really helped me out with. I’m just slowly progressing every day.”

And doing more than before.

“Totally,” he said. “Some of those spin moves I did on Monday night, if this was last year, I wouldn’t come close to successfully pulling that move off. I mean, back surgery has been a big help to me.

“It’s definitely more than I’ve ever been able to do. The back problem goes from two and a half years ago, from my freshman year in college. From there it just kind of messed up the mechanics of my walk, as y’all seen last year where I had the hitch in my walk with my right leg and the sciatic nerve in my right leg. It was a whole bunch of things going on with me at once.”

cont...

http://bostonherald.com/sports/celt...s/2013/11/jared_sullinger_surprised_he_s_back

Jared Sullinger ‘shocked’ by his back improvement
By Baxter Holmes
| Globe Staff
November 15, 2013

Yoon S. Byun/Globe Staff

“Some of the spin moves I did on Monday night — if this is last year, I wouldn’t come close to successfully pulling that move off,” said Jared Sullinger, guarded during Monday’s game by Orlando’s Kyle O’Quinn.

• 
  WALTHAM — Jared Sullinger didn’t think it would be this way less than a year after back surgery.
  
  “Honestly, I’m shocked the way I’m playing now,” the Celtics forward said after practice Thursday.
  
  Shocked in a good way, he means. His back had been giving him trouble since his freshman year at Ohio State, and doctors had said that the surgery, performed in February, would make the second-year Celtics big man better than ever.
  
  Sure enough, the 6-foot-9-inch Sullinger said he feels better, and referenced his play in the Celtics’ Monday win against the Magic — he scored 14 off the bench — as evidence.
  
  “Some of the spin moves I did on Monday night – if this is last year, I wouldn’t come close to successfully pulling that move off,” he said.
  
  Sulliger added that his back issues, which many have said is why he fell to the 21st pick in the first round of the 2012 draft, affected him in several ways, including how he walked.
  
  That is no longer the case, he said.
  
  “There’s a lot of things that back surgery really helped me out with,” he said.

cont...

• 
  http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...improvement/ITfXYfRhZXQ2rpw2REnBVM/story.html

 

[Buckskin86]

Celtics soph Sully's stock is rising
His bad back a thing of the past, Jared Sullinger looks ready to make the leap
Updated: November 14, 2013
By Chris Forsberg | ESPNBoston.com

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Hey, Jared, how's your back?

"I thought people forgot about my surgery; hardly anybody ever talks about it anymore," replied Boston Celtics forward Jared Sullinger, who underwent season-ending lumbar disk surgery back in February and worked hard to get back on the court for the start of his sophomore campaign.


Alex Trautwig/Getty Images
Jared Sullinger has excelled in limited action, with a C's-best 22.6 PER in 19.7 minutes per game.

The reason his surgery has become a mere footnote is because Sullinger is playing so effectively. The 6-foot-9 forward is averaging 11.3 points and 5.1 rebounds over 19.7 minutes per game in seven appearances.

Even as he works to ramp up his conditioning after a surgery that left him inactive for much of the summer, Sullinger has surprised even himself with how well he's started the year. He's a team-best plus-30 in plus/minus (Boston is minus-38 when he's off the court). It's just one of many numbers that reflect glowingly on his performance thus far.

"Honestly, I'm shocked the way I'm playing now," said Sullinger. "Coming off of surgery, to be able to do the things I'm doing. I feel pretty good about myself, as far as the movements."

cont...

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story...tics-jared-sullinger-healthy-ready-raise-game

 

[Buckskin86]

Jared Sullinger’s Growth Continues and Other Impressions From Celtics’ Loss to Spurs
by Ben Watanabe
on Wed, Nov 20, 2013

It’s getting a little old now, but “Jared Sullinger plays well despite Celtics’ loss” is becoming the battle cry of the 2013-14 Celtics. Once again, Sullinger played well despite a Celtics loss on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs. For more than a half, the Celtics (4-9) played the Spurs (10-1) tight and had a chance to cut the deficit to three points as late as the middle of the third quarter, But in the end, the Spurs did what they usually do and clamped down defensively, while the Celtics did what they usually do and faded away. Sullinger finished with 19 points and 17 rebounds, finally breaking through on the double-double he has flirted with all season long. Sullinger now has at least 10 points and eight rebounds in four of his last six games, and his field goal percentage is inching up toward 50 percent. As nice as Sullinger’s development is for the Celtics, the true measure of a good player is his ability to get wins for his team. Sullinger clearly understands that, which is why he hasn’t been too receptive lately to fans or TV reporters telling him he’s had some good games. Every game is a bad one for Sullinger if it comes in a loss.

Read more at: http://nesn.com/2013/11/jared-sulli...other-impressions-from-celtics-loss-to-spurs/

 

[Buckskin86]

Jared Sullinger already anchoring Boston Celtics defense: 'The good news is, I think he can get a lot better,' says Brad Stevens

San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker (9), of France, shoots over Jared Sullinger (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
By Jay King, MassLive.com
November 27, 2013

BOSTON – Jared Sullinger remembers a moment from last season, his rookie campaign, during which he felt somewhat disrespected. He entered what became a double overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks and drew a difficult assignment, Al Horford. As soon as he stepped onto the court, Sullinger heard Hawks coach Larry Drew call for Horford to attack his young opponent.

Back then – I write “back then” like it wasn’t this calendar year – Sullinger was a foul-prone rookie with back issues that would soon require surgery. But even as a rookie, he was still a helpful defender. Sullinger became the rare Celtics backup big man who allowed the team to succeed during Kevin Garnett’s rest time. If you don’t think that’s impressive, look at KG’s on-off splits throughout the years. The Celtics relied on him for just about everything, but Sullinger allowed the team to survive – and sometimes even thrive – without its best two-way big.

Drew might have been unaware of all that, or perhaps he just wanted to feed the hot hand; Horford finished the game with 24 points and 13 rebounds.

“(Drew) pointed down and was like, ‘Yo, go at him,’ and kind of pointed at me,” Sullinger remembered after Tuesday’s practice. “Al Horford came down and got charged with two fouls on me. And from there it kind of clicked. I take pride in my defense. Even though some people don’t think I play defense, I do.”

Underestimations of Sullinger’s defensive contributions seem to be the norm, both now and in the past. He anchored some of the nation’s best defenses at Ohio State, but nobody gave him any credit; everyone still wondered if athleticism would hold him back in the NBA. Very few people seemed to notice when the Celtics defense was stingier with Sullinger on the court as a rookie, but now he’s once again serving as the Oversized God of Plus/Minus – according to NBA.com, the Celtics are almost 10 points per 100 possessions better with Sullinger in the lineup, including 3.1 points per 100 possessions better defensively. Those 3.1 points might not seem like a lot, but they are the difference between a top-10 defense and one that resides in the bottom-10.

In the same way some players will forever be labeled “deceptively quick,” some of Sullinger's talents remain relatively camouflaged when they should stand out. His defense might always be underrated because of his body shape, because he does not block a lot of shots, because he does not fit the normal profile of a low-post stopper. Whereas Dwight Howard might be the Calvin Johnson of defenders – an athletic specimen seemingly born for success – Sullinger is decidedly non-Calvin-Johnsony. The 21-year-old power forward is more neutron than Megatron, a stabilizing force as opposed to an electric one.

Yet since Sullinger moved into the starting lineup four games ago, opposing starting centers are shooting a combined 21-for-57 (36.7 percent) against the Celtics. And even though Tim Duncan is having a slow start, the centers have been some of the game’s best. Neither Duncan, Roy Hibbert, Al Horford or Al Jefferson managed more points than field goal attempts against the Celtics.

cont...

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2013/11/jared_sullinger_already_anchor.html

 

[Buckskin86]

Jared Sullinger Talks Second-Year Jump With Boston Radio

 

[Buckskin86]

Jared Sullinger goes down fighting

Photo by:
Matt Stone
PLAYING KEEPAWAY: Celtics forward Jared Sullinger tries to keep the ball from Memphis’ Tony Allen and Kosta Koufos during last night’s game at the Garden.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Steve Bulpett

The Celtics weren’t going to win last night. It just wasn’t going to happen, and there were several reasons for this, including the fact the Grizzlies are simply a better basketball team.

But of the Celtics’ 99 problems, Jared Sullinger wasn’t one of them.

And the fact he kept playing long after this game was “over” actually allowed the Bostonians to turn this turkey of a game into something that was at least a mathematical probability in the waning seconds, from deficits as great as 19 in the game and 15 in the final quarter.

Sullinger went for 17 of his 23 points and six of his 12 rebounds in the last period to keep some folks in their seats.

The Celtics never had the possession to take a lead at the end, or even in the last three quarters, for that matter, but Memphis had to hit free throws on its last four possessions to keep the hosts at bay.

And to keep Sullinger from joining Tom Brady in this week’s colossal comeback club.

The 6-foot-9 widebody did his part and then some down the stretch, coming in with 10:31 left and bulling his way inside for three hoops and a free throw (as part of a 3-point play). Sullinger then stepped out to the arc to hit a pair of treys on consecutive possessions as the C’s began to make it interesting with a little more than a minute left.

He later converted a couple of offensive rebounds to make things even tighter.

“I just wanted to win,” Sullinger said. “I mean, honestly, we kind of let everybody come in and take control of our home court advantage, and I just wanted to keep fighting.

“That team gave up a 10-point lead with like a minute to go against Houston or something crazy like that (the Rockets outscored the Grizzlies by 15 in the last period and won by seven on Monday). I felt like it was an opportunity for me to assert myself and just try to score the basketball.”

cont...

http://bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2013/11/jared_sullinger_goes_down_fighting

 

[Buckskin86]

Jared Sullinger's presence makes everything better for Boston Celtics

Milwaukee Bucks' O.J. Mayo is covered by Boston Celtics' Jared Sullinger and Brandon Bass during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Tom Lynn)
By Jay King, MassLive.com
on December 01, 2013

For the second time in November, the Boston Celtics blew a double-digit lead against the Milwaukee Bucks. That would be a distressing sentence under any circumstances, but the Bucks have only beaten one other team this season. They took an 11-game losing skid into Saturday, but the visiting Celtics failed to make it 12.

I could focus on Celtics negatives from their 92-85 defeat (they hit 4-of-19 from behind the arc and, well, they lost to the Bucks) or Milwaukee positives (Giannis Antetokounmpo might need a permanent exclamation point attached to his name). But instead let’s discuss Jared Sullinger. That sounds like more fun than delving into why the Celtics lost to what is possibly the NBA's worst team.

Sullinger continued to be Boston’s best healthy player Friday night, connecting on 10-of-18 shots while scoring 21 points with 14 rebounds. If the 21-year-old were contributing so much for a contender – since becoming a starter seven games ago, he’s averaging 15.4 points and 9.9 rebounds over 31 minutes while remaining the Oversized God of Plus/Minus – the buzz surrounding him would probably be getting fierce. But instead he’s achieving big games in relative anonymity, impressing only whoever decides to watch the godforsaken Celtics.

(Note: That low blow was meant only for humor, and it probably failed at that. In all honesty, I enjoy watching these Celtics. They sometimes forget how to play successful basketball, but they generally fight regardless.)

Sullinger has been rebounding, which everybody expected him to. But since he became a starter, the Celtics have actually grabbed more than 50 percent of available rebounds … something they haven’t done over a full season since 2008-09, the second year of the Kevin Garnett era. Last season the Celtics were dead last in rebound rate, but they’re now at 21st and climbing. Their 50.5 percent rebounding rate since Sullinger entered the starting lineup would put them right outside the top 10 for the whole season. And with Sullinger on the court this season the Celtics have snagged 51.5 percent of misses, which would almost put them in the top 5.

I don’t want to jump to crazy conclusions and call Sullinger the team’s most important healthy player (OK, I definitely do), but when he’s in the lineup the Celtics hit the glass like an elite rebounding team; shoot with seriously heightened accuracy (53.9 true shooting percentage on, 49.8 percent off); take better care of the ball (15.8 percent turnover rate on, 18.8 off), and assist on a higher percentage of their baskets (15.4 percent on, 13.3 percent off). They are 11.1 points per 100 possessions better offensively with Sullinger and 4.0 points per 100 possessions better defensively.

cont...

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2013/12/jared_sullingers_presence_make.html

 

[Buckskin86]

Double team a good sign for Celtics’ Jared Sullinger
By Gary Washburn
| Globe Staff
December 02, 2013

TANNEN MAURY/EPA

Jared Sullinger shoots over Bucks guard O.J. Mayo (center) and forward John Henson Saturday night.

• 
  Jared Sullinger was given the ultimate compliment Saturday night in Milwaukee, something he didn’t expect in the NBA so soon, especially since he’s been hearing for years that he’s too small and too stumpy to score in the post.
  
  After a 15-point first half against the Bucks when he scored at will in stretches with a variety of jump hooks, leaners, and short jumpers, Sullinger received the ball in the third quarter and saw two defenders converging. For the first time in his NBA career, he was facing double teams, and he knew it immediately.
  
  Spinning to make his first post move and seeing a guard running at him was a familiar sight from his days at Ohio State, where Sullinger constantly faced two defenders each time he gathered the ball down low.
  
  Sullinger remembers all the criticisms of him before he fell to 21st overall in the draft: He was too chunky, too slow, not tall enough to play power forward, and his bad back would prevent him from making an immediate impact. But Sullinger has proven to be more than a capable scorer and rebounder at the highest level, and the fact he was doubled in the second half Saturday was a sign of respect.
  
  In seven games as a starter, Sullinger is averaging 15.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and is shooting 48 percent from the field. And he is just rounding into playing shape after back surgery caused him to miss the last three months of last season and most of the summer.
  
  Sullinger doesn’t turn 22 until March, but he is already turning into the type of cornerstone the Celtics wanted to eventually replace Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. And what helps Sullinger is that he did not enter the league as a perceived underdog. He was projected as the first overall pick had he come out after his freshman season and he was the primary focus of opposing defenses.
  cont...

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...s-sullinger/u5rF5uhZ1EVAIyuKygaGxK/story.html

• 
  

 

[ScriptOhio]

Celtics' Sullinger says no, tanks: 'Y'all can kiss our butts'

Jared Sullinger probably wouldn't mind having Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker as a teammate next season. He just isn't playing that goal in mind.

Sullinger and the Celtics ended November with a 7-12 record, which won't remind anyone of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls but won’t remind anyone of the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers, either. The fact that the Celtics have been this competitive is a surprise to some observers and a disappointment to some fans, who would rather see the Celtics lose as many games as possible to "tank" for a top draft pick and a chance to get Wiggins or Parker.

Sullinger has a message for the pro-tanking crowd, though, and it's not friendly.

"A lot of guys expect us to tank for Parker or Wiggins," Sullinger told reporters after practice Monday. "Y'all might as well throw that out the door. I don't know why people keep talking about tanking. We have competitors out here. We're really not like that. We don't care if [Jeff] Green averages 20 or I average eight. We just want to win and show everybody that y'all can kiss our butts about the tanking stuff."

Entire article: http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/celtics-sullinger-says-no-tanks-y-all-can-kiss-our-butts-120213