It’s hard to be a basketball player. Even though players get paid well and no one will cry over guys who fly in private jets and stay in fancy hotels, an 82-game season does take a real toll on a player’s body and mind.

There are different ways for each player to handle it. A player needs time off to heal, and some spend it with family, learning an instrument, or playing video games. Some people deal with stress in different ways.

Markus Smart said, “Dogs just make things a little better.” “Whether you’re having a bad day or a good one, they can feel it. They’re very understanding. They can feel the love and everything else you feel, so having a dog definitely helps with stress.”

Like many of us, some Celtic people have dogs. Some people, like Smart, grew up with dogs, mostly pit bulls. Some, like Kemba Walker, have never had best friends that make their tails wag. In fact, there is a special link between Walker and Smart here.

I had Marcus Smart over to my house. He asked, “Can I get one?” when he saw how calm and cool my dog was the first time he met him. “I said, ‘Yeah,'” Walker said. “We called the dog breeder. I was about to get another dog, so we found him one and took it from there.”

Walker has two Labradoodles. The newest one is named “Bronx” after the borough where Walker lives. The labradoodle Smart got is named “Dallas,” and it’s his first dog in about 12 years.

Smart said, “My first small dog ever.” “When I get my house, I’m going to get my big bud, the big guy, my big dogs, and other things like that.” I have a small condo, so this is great for a smaller dog right now.

It was about a year ago that Walker got his first dog. Now he’s enjoying having two friends.

“Those are my little boys.” The man smiled widely and said, “Those are my kids right now. I don’t have any other kids.” “But it’s cool. There are some responsibilities, but it’s also fun. With my first dog, I got to see him grow up, which was pretty cool.

Creed is the name of Jayson Tatum’s new boxer. The sad reason he got Creed was that he had just lost Lennox, his childhood boxer dog. You can see a small heart-shaped tattoo with a paw print on it on Tatum’s left hand. He just got it recently to remember Lennox.

Tatum said, “I love dogs.” “And people who have dogs or have lost dogs are the only ones who notice this tattoo.”

Tatum loves boxers and gives his dogs names that sound like boxers to fit the theme. Lennox was named after Lennox Lewis, a winner in the past. Creed was named after Apollo Creed from the movie Rocky.

Tatum said, “They’re just really nice dogs.” “For protection. They had a lot of energy. Big dogs are cool to me. It’s enjoyable to utilize them. They let you box with them. Different characters. They look great to me.

Tatum’s life is different now that she has a child. Tatum’s son Jayson Jr., also known as Deuce, acts as a link between the two dogs. But dogs may not be able to handle little kids well.

Tatum said, “Lennox was really good friends with Deuce.” “Deuce was still young when he was around.” He just began to walk. Like, Creed is scared of Deuce because he’s making him feel bad. Toys were being used to hit him. Creed just leaves when Deuce is around. He stays in his cage.

If you think one kid is hard, try three. The way Gordon Hayward’s three young girls poke and prod the family’s two German Shepherds, Siber and Ebby, is no different.

Hayward said, “The girls don’t know what they’re up against, especially when they’re younger.” “So they’ll hit them in the face, grab their tail, and do everything else.” Our two dogs get along great with our kids.

He also didn’t have a dog as a child because his folks said they didn’t have time to take care of one. His dream German Shepherd finally came true, and he also got peace of mind and a family pet.

Hayward said, “That’s why we got Siber in the first place.” Siber came to live with the Haywards as a puppy, but he was taught to protect them later on. It gives me peace of mind to know that he is there to protect Robyn, his wife. Everyone knows when we’re home and when we’re away.

“We ordered her about five or six months ago.” Hayward said, “She’s a trained guard dog from Slovakia.” “She came over in the middle of summer…” They worked together for about three months to help her get used to living in the U.S. and everything that comes with it. We got her not long ago, maybe a month ago.

There is one thing that all Celtic dog owners have in common: they want their dogs to protect them or be their friends. They’re glad to have a friend whom they don’t have to tell about their day.

Walker said, “It’s good to have a dog who just doesn’t know.” “When things aren’t going well for me, I know he’s happy when I get home to little dogs wagging their tails. It makes me happy.”

Smart concurred.

Smart said, “It keeps me young.” “I felt the same way. It works for me. “Having a puppy is perfect for me because I’m a big kid who likes to play and joke around.”

Tatum said, “They can’t wait for you to get home.” “Have fun with them. It was kind of like having a baby until you have one.

“The dog only knows when you’re coming home, not where you are,” Hayward said, describing what it was like to open the door to a happy dog with a wagging tail. “Just greets you at the door, happy to see you, and it’s nice to come home to.” There is no question about it.”