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Poll: Who Will Win Game 4 Of Bucks Vs. Celtics?

May 9th, 2022 at 1:38pm CST by Rory Maher

In our poll before the No. 2 seed Celtics faced the No. 3 seed Bucks in the East’s second round, 62.87% of our respondents predicted Boston to emerge victorious in the series.

Through three games, Milwaukee holds a 2-1 lead in a hotly contested matchup. The first two games were both fairly lopsided, with the Bucks putting on a defensive clinic in Game 1’s 101-89 win, followed by the Celtics making key adjustments in a blowout 109-86 victory in Game 2, holding Milwaukee to just 3-of-18 on three-pointers.

Game 3 had some controversy, as both sides were unhappy with the officiating. The Bucks ultimately emerged victorious by a score of 103-101 after the Celtics missed three put-back attempts in the closing seconds.

Reigning Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the best player in the series to this point, averaging 31.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal and 1.7 blocks in 38.1 minutes per contest, although he’s struggled with shooting percentages (.439/.167/.625). In the absence of Khris Middleton, who will miss at least Game 4 (and possibly the rest of the series), Antetokounmpo is carrying a heavy load and will have to continue to play at an extremely high level to triumph over Boston’s top-ranked defense.

For the Celtics, Jaylen Brown (23 points, 9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.3 steals on .489/.417/.867 shooting) and Al Horford (15 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.7 blocks on .459/.429/1.000 shooting) have both been fantastic. However, the team needs more from star Jayson Tatum, who shot just 6-of-18 from the field in Game 1 and 4-of-19 in Game 3, sporting an overall slash line of 20 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 2 steals and 1.7 blocks on .351/.360/.688 shooting.

Wesley Matthews has done a great job shadowing Tatum and making him uncomfortable, but Tatum is 11 years younger (24 vs. 35) and four inches taller (6’8″ vs. 6’4″) than Matthews, so he should still be able to get his shot off. Of course, if he drives to the paint, Antetokounmpo and/or Brook Lopez will be waiting for him, so that makes things more complicated.

Who will Monday’s crucial Game 4? Will it be another nail-biter? We want to know what you think. Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts on Celtics/Bucks!

Celtics' Turnaround Began In January; Ime Udoka Points To Addition Of Derrick White

May 9th, 2022 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics‘ turnaround can be traced to a January game at Washington, Bontemps observes in a separate story. Coming off a tough loss to the Trail Blazers, Boston took advantage of Jayson Tatum‘s 51-point night in a rout of the Wizards. From that point through the end of the regular season, the Celtics posted the NBA’s best record at 28-7 and led the league in both offensive and defensive rating. “After that game, we just had this mentality and mindset and this sense of urgency that we can feel that a change was starting,” Marcus Smart said. “Once that got rolling, and we got on the right track, it was just smooth sailing from there.”
Coach Ime Udoka believes the changes the Celtics made at the trade deadline were critical to the team’s success, Bontemps adds. They acquired Derrick White from the Spurs, filling the roles that previously belonged to Josh Richardson and Dennis Schroder. “If I could have picked the guy who would have been the perfect guy to come in and complement our group, it’s [White],” Udoka said. “He’s a better offensive player than J-Rich, and a much better defender than Dennis, so you kind of get those guys combined into one.”

Celtics Notes: Game 3, Smart, Tatum, G. Williams

May 8th, 2022 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics are angry over what they believe was a miscalled foul involving Marcus Smart in the final seconds of Game 3, writes Andrew Lopez of ESPN. With Boston trailing by three points, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday hit Smart on the arm. Smart contended he was already in his shooting motion, but the officials ruled he was “sweeping his arms” and gave him two free throws instead of three.

“He caught the ball, he’s turning into a shot,” said Celtics coach Ime Udoka, who added that he looked at the replay before talking to the media. “Both feet set. You can’t say that’s a sweep. You’re going into a shot. That’s a poor call. Poor no-call.”

Smart also lobbied for three shots on the play, saying it made no sense for him to try a rip-through move considering the score and the time remaining.

“You need three [points] with 4.6 seconds, they know we need three,” Smart said. “We know they are gonna foul. It’s not like he got me when it was down low. I was already in my shooting motion. I thought it was gonna be three free throws; they said it wasn’t.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Jayson Tatum wasn’t involved on the final play and didn’t make much of an impact in Game 3, observes Brian Windhorst of ESPN. To have a chance in the series, Boston will need more production from its leading scorer, who was 4-of-19 Saturday and missed all 10 shots he took with Wesley Matthews as his primary defender. “Today was just a one-off where I was thinking a little too much,” Tatum said. “Knowing they were going to give me a lot of attention, I passed up some open looks that I should’ve shot.”
Tatum is still dealing with soreness in his left wrist that started when he fell on it two months ago, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. He appeared to aggravate it Saturday on a dunk in the second quarter. “That’s something I’ve been dealing with for probably like two months now,” Tatum said. “It wasn’t anything abnormal. When I fell on it, it bothered me. but nothing I haven’t been dealing with the last two months.” (Twitter link)
Grant Williams is increasing his chances for a rookie-scale extension with his performance in the playoffs, per Brian Robb of MassLive. The third-year power forward will become eligible this summer, and Robb believes he might get offered at least the $54MM over four years that the Celtics gave Robert Williams.

Atlantic Notes: Smart, Knicks, Rose, Simmons

May 6th, 2022 at 1:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics guard Marcus Smart will be listed as probable for Saturday’s Game 3 and is expected to play barring any last-minute complications, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. Smart missed Game 2 with a right thigh contusion, but he’s made significant progress, coach Ime Udoka said after this morning’s practice. Smart explained that the injury was actually closer to his knee, causing a build-up of fluid.

“Just take it, like I said, day-by-day,” Smart said. “The staff is doing a great job with treatment and exercises to help strengthen the quad and get the blood flowing and things like that.”

Udoka also said Jaylen Brown should be ready to play despite experiencing some hamstring tightness. He seemed to be grabbing his hamstring a few times in Game 2, but the Celtics don’t believe it’s a cause for concern.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks won’t have many attractive free agency options at point guard other than top choice Jalen Brunson, per Fred Katz of The Athletic. Katz warns that Brunson could get expensive, as other teams are expected to have interest in him as well. He adds that the team could easily clear about $20MM in cap space to make a bid for Brunson by waiving Taj Gibson, whose salary for next season is non-guaranteed, using second-round picks as sweeteners to get teams to trade for Alec Burks or Nerlens Noel, and waiving and stretching the final year of Kemba Walker‘s deal. Katz also reviews some alternatives if New York can’t land Brunson.
Marc Berman of The New York Post talks to an orthopedic surgeon for insight into why Knicks guard Derrick Rose never returned from his two ankle surgeries. Dr. Anish Kadakia of Northwestern University said Rose and the team were being careful not to aggravate the ankle after the second procedure, which was necessary after an infection was discovered. Kadakia doesn’t believe there are any degenerative issues with the ankle, and he expects Rose to return next season. Rose still has two years left on his contract at a total of $30MM, but the final season is a team option.
Ben Simmons‘ decision to have back surgery on Thursday is further evidence that the Nets got “damaged goods” in their trade with the Sixers, Berman states in a separate story. Even though Simmons is expected to be ready for training camp, Berman says it’s not a good sign that he’s about to go through another summer of limited activity.

Marcus Smart: “Strong Likelihood” Of Game 3 Return

May 5th, 2022 at 11:55am CST by Rory Maher

Speaking on Thursday to reporters, including Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link), Celtics guard Marcus Smart said there’s a good chance he’ll return for Saturday’s Game 3 against the Bucks.

“Strong likelihood I should be back for Game 3,” Smart said. “We’re just dealing with the last part of it getting that restriction of the knee and the joints so I’ll be able to bend it. Once that goes away, I should be back to myself.”

Smart missed Game 2 with a right thigh contusion, but he said it was close to his knee, leading to fluid buildup.

“I’m better than I was. Some of the swelling’s gone down…I did get beat up, but it’s part of the game. It’s just the quad, the fluid. Where I got hit was closer to the knee area, so a lot of the fluid went to the knee,” Smart said, adding that he was “a little sore” after testing it out today due to the fluid (Twitter thread courtesy of Weiss).

The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year had been grappling with the thigh injury ahead of Game 1 and it was aggravated during the contest after he got hit in the thigh a couple of times in short succession. The series is now tied at one game apiece after Boston blew out Milwaukee in Game 2.

After averaging 12.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 5.9 and 1.7 SPG on .418/.331/.793 shooting during 71 regular season games (32.3 MPG), Smart’s usage rate has increased in the playoffs (18.3% to 21.6%) and he has averaged 15.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 6.8 APG and 1.4 SPG on .397/.289/.786 shooting through five games. He was limited to 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting in Game 1, but hopefully the extra days of rest will help him be closer to full strength.

Saturday’s Game 3 in Milwaukee tips off at 2:30pm CT on ABC.

Will Celtics Guarantee Horford's 2022/23 Salary?

May 4th, 2022 at 12:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Al Horford‘s $26.5MM salary for 2022/23 is only partially guaranteed for $14.5MM, but that doesn’t mean the Celtics will necessarily part with him this offseason, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. “He has been so valuable to them, the way he has defended, the way he passes, the way he shoots,” a rival executive told Deveney. “He has helped develop Robert Williams, too. He is a leader.” As that exec pointed out, Horford’s partial guarantee would also increase to $19.5MM if Boston makes the NBA Finals, which would affect the team’s decision.

And-Ones: Coaching Candidates, Kirkwood, Garuba, Embiid

May 4th, 2022 at 11:39am CST by Luke Adams

Suns assistant Kevin Young, Bucks assistants Darvin Ham and Charles Lee, Celtics assistant Will Hardy, Grizzlies assistant Darko Rajakovic, Heat assistants Chris Quinn and Malik Allen, and Warriors assistants Mike Brown and Kenny Atkinson are among the assistants around the NBA who are viewed as potential head coaching candidates by league insiders, according to ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz (Insider-only link).

A number of the names on Arnovitz’s list have been linked to one or more of the NBA’s three current head coaching openings. Ham and Brown, for instance, all believed to be under consideration by all three of the Hornets, Lakers, and Kings.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Harvard senior guard Noah Kirkwood, who declared for the 2022 NBA draft as an early entrant, has decided to remain in the draft and go pro rather than using his final year of college eligibility, according to agent Ronnie Zeidel (Twitter link via Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports).
Rockets forward/center Usman Garuba said in an interview with Spanish outlet AS.com that he’s committed to representing Spain at this year’s EuroBasket competition, as Eurohoops relays.
In an intriguing bit of international basketball news, an RMC Sport report indicates that Sixers center Joel Embiid is exploring the possibility of obtaining French citizenship and representing France in future international events. Embiid was born in Cameroon, but has family from France and has never suited up for the Cameroonian national team.

Marcus Smart Out For Game 2 Due To Thigh Contusion

May 3rd, 2022 at 4:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Celtics starting point guard Marcus Smart has been ruled out of tonight’s critical Game 2 against the Bucks due to a right thigh contusion, the team has announced (Twitter link). Smart had previously been listed as questionable with the injury.

The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year had been grappling with the thigh injury ahead of Game 1 in Boston’s second-round matchup against Milwaukee. The injury worsened during the contest after Smart took contact in the region.

In Game 1 on Sunday, a 101-89 Bucks victory in Boston, Smart was limited to 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting from the floor. His Bucks counterpart Jrue Holiday, another excellent defender, scored 25 points on 8-of-20 field goal shooting.

With Smart sidelined, reserve guards Derrick White and Payton Pritchard seem primed for a minutes boost. White’s and Pritchard’s shooting in Game 1 was fairly inefficient in its own right. The duo combined to make just 4-of-14 shots from the field. A Bucks 2-0 series advantage heading into Milwaukee could prove close to insurmountable for Boston.

Boston head coach Ime Udoka revealed that White will start in Smart’s stead tonight, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

“Swelling, pain, restricted movement,” Udoka said of Smart’s symptoms. “I don’t think it’s long term. With three days off [prior to Game 3], we assume he’ll be okay.”

Exploring How Celtics Could Adjust If Marcus Smart Is Injured

May 3rd, 2022 at 2:00pm CST by JD Shaw

Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston explores how the Celtics could adjust if Marcus Smart (thigh bruises) isn’t 100% healthy. Smart, the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, finished with 10 points, six assists and two steals in the team’s Game 1 loss, shooting 3-of-11. His defense is especially important against the Bucks, who start Jrue Holiday at point guard. Holiday scored 25 points in Game 1.

Draft Notes: Walker, Abmas, Hall, Travers, Freeman-Liberty, Kiss, Big Board

May 2nd, 2022 at 10:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Colorado’s Jabari Walker, a First-Team All Pac-12 selection, intends to stay in the draft, his father and former NBA player Samaki Walker told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter link).

“Jabari is fully committed to becoming a professional basketball player and has no intentions on returning to school. He wants to sign with an agent and go all in,” Samaki Walker said.

Jabari Walker averaged 14.6 PPG and 9.4 RPG as a sophomore for the Buffaloes. A power forward, Walker is rated No. 61 on ESPN’s Best Available list.

We have more draft-related news:

Oral Roberts’ Max Abmas, Saint Joseph’s Jordan Hall, Australian forward Luke Travers and DePaul guard Javon Freeman-Liberty have been invited to the NBA G League Elite Camp, Hoops Rumors’ JD Shaw reports (Twitter links found here). Among that group, Hall (No. 76) and Travers (No. 87) are on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Guard Peter Kiss will work out for the Celtics on Tuesday, Adam Zagoria tweets. Kiss averaged a Division I-best 25.2 PPG and 5.8 RPG for Bryant this past season.
Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren remain the top two players on Sam Vecenie’s latest big board, which includes his top 100 prospects. The Athletic’s draft expert considers Smith a somewhat safer pick because his shooting and defense translates well to the NBA game. Separating players into tiers, Vecenie ranks Arizona’s Bennedict Mathurin and Kentucky’s Shaedon Sharpe just outside the top five.