ESPN's Brian Windhorst ruled out the possibility of the Boston Celtics, or the NBA's 28 other teams, extracting big man Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clipper

The Boston Celtics are sitting third in the Eastern Conference, a position few expected entering a season widely viewed as their bridge year.That strong start has begun to clarify how the front office may approach the NBA Trade Deadline.

After all, the Celtics are in the early stages of a retooling process. Joe Mazzulla is coaching a roster full of unproven talent, fighting to prove they belong in the league. Interestingly, all three of Boston's young forwards,

But fast forward to the present, and it is clear that the Celtics are a good team with postseason potential despite those high-profile exits, and Mazzulla is a major part of the reason why given how well he is getting those younger replacements to play this season.

Fans in attendance on Dec. 15, 19 and 22 can join the national blood stem cell donor registry by getting their cheeks swabbed.

Brad Stevens has to weigh several factors when considering Boston's next moves as NBA trade season begins on Monday.

It was on this date in 2005 that the Celtics held the Indiana Pacers to 71 points in an 85-71 win. The 71 points was one of the lowest point totals in modern NBA history. Boston was led by Paul Pierce's 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, and Mark Blount's 22 points and 5 boards.