BSJ Daily Briefing 12.29.17: Oh, what a night (even though Boston split)

Good morning!

A few random thoughts while I try to keep my Tauntaun from freezing before I reach the first marker ...

• Man, was that some fun last night or what? It's like the Bruins and Celtics knew we were all locked inside by a fire and tried to keep us entertained.


• First, the Bruins came out smoking against their nemesis from Washington with a quick 2-0 lead. And all seemed glorious, but you knew Ovi and the Caps were going to wake up at some point. They always do against the Bruins.


• Then the Celtics started their game at home against the Rockets and quickly fall behind 12-0(!).


• Caps came back to tie it 2-2.


• The Celtics fall behind by 26. Brad Stevens got a technical. Cats and dogs, living together ... mass hysteria.


• Oh man, this isn't going well.


• David Backes scored his second to give the Bruins the lead.


• Bruce Cassidy makes a terrible challenge and it gives the Caps a power play.


• Celtics are chipping away.


• Doby ends up in his net as the Caps tie it and force overtime.


• Celtics are within single digits.


• I just have to say, that I absolutely love 3-on-3 overtime. It's must-see TV. Love the playmaking and the strategy.


• Oops, just noticed that Torey Krug hasn't been on the ice since he turned it over (again) with a man advantage. Overtime is Krug's thing. This is awkward.


• Going to a shootout in D.C.


• James Harden hits a 3 to quiet the crowd.


• Both the Bruins and Caps miss on their first two chances, but here comes Ovi and, of course, he scores.


• It's all good, though. Bruce Cassidy is surely going to have Charlie McAvoy take the third shot. Big Time Charlie is totally going to one-up Ovi and love very minute of it, and the Bruins still have Patrice Bergeron left...


• Who comes over the boards for the Bruins? RILEY NASH. Is Claude Julien secretly coaching the Bruins tonight in a Cassidy mask?


• Look, I get it. Nash has been hot and he's good in shootouts. But nobody loves a big stage more than Charlie. This was over-coaching. Uh, hello?

But he's a defenseman... pic.twitter.com/6FSxYpxw5S

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) November 23, 2017

Charlie McAvoy wires one home and the Bruins win in the shootout! pic.twitter.com/gsqGLMOsCY

— NHL Daily 365 (@NHLDaily365) December 22, 2017

• And Nash, predictably, misses the net. Thanks for coming.


• It was good for the Bruins to get a point, but that was a game they should have won. They just can't beat the Caps.


• Marcus Smart, less than 24 hours after B-Robb wrote this about him, goads Harden into not one, but two offensive fouls in the final 7.3 seconds to help the Celtics to an amazing comeback victory against Houston.


• As a person who led the Dual County League in charges drawn from 1990-92, Smart's actions made me feel warm inside.


• I'm one of the biggest Krug guys around, but Claud, err, Cassidy was totally right to bench Krug. Enough's enough.


• So, yeah, a great night of Boston sports viewing even if it wasn't another sweep. Let's do it again soon...

Danny Amendola: It was cold as crap today.

— Christopher Price (@cpriceNFL) December 28, 2017