Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Celtics Notes: Irving, Horford, Hayward, Rozier

March 20th, 2019 at 7:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

No matter how it affects the Celtics‘ playoff seeding, Kyrie Irving plans to take at least a game or two off before the regular season ends, writes Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. Irving said at today’s shootaround that he is focused on being fully healthy for the postseason, which begins three weeks from Saturday.

“I’m definitely taking some games off before the playoffs,” he told reporters. “Makes no sense, the emphasis on these regular games, when you’re gearing up for some battles coming in the playoffs.”

Coach Brad Stevens has talked about resting Al Horford, who has pain in his left knee, and agrees that health heading into the postseason should be the team’s priority.

“I think this is the bottom line: If we choose to rest Al in a game, or Kyrie in a game, then we have other guys who should be able to step up and play well, and they’re approaching that as a great opportunity for those other guys, too,” Stevens said.

There’s more news out of Boston:

Gordon Hayward is making progress in the concussion protocol and could be ready to play by this weekend, Murphy adds in the same piece. Hayward, who was injured Saturday, worked on the treadmill yesterday and will be evaluated tomorrow. “Every indication is that he felt OK today,” Stevens said. “But he will go to the doctor in Boston (Thursday). If he’s cleared to go, he’ll go through the next steps and keep on going.”
During a recent radio interview, Terry Rozier discussed the problem of having too many players who feel like they can take over games, relays John Karalis of MassLive. Rozier admits that getting players to accept their roles has been an ongoing problem. “When you’re playing on a team you’re dealing with different types of personalities,” he said, “but now you’re dealing with so many different guys that feel like they the man, and now it’s like, how do you handle that?”
President of basketball operations Danny Ainge is looking on the bright side of a season that most observers consider disappointing, relays Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. Heavy favorites to win the East before the season began, the Celtics entered tonight in fifth place at 43-28. “There’s been a few games here and there when we’ve played really well,” Ainge said. “It’s like you take one step forward and take a step backward, and then you take two steps forward and take another step back. But I feel like there’s a lot of good things I see on our team.”

Eastern Notes: Magic, Howard, Hayward

March 18th, 2019 at 7:06pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Nikola Vucevic is in his seventh season with the Magic and he has yet to see the postseason with the club.

“In past years, this time of year we’d already be planning our vacations, unfortunately,’’ said Vucevic, who will be a free agent at the end of the year (via John Denton of NBA.com). “It’s much different now and much more fun. As a basketball player and a competitor, you want to be in this situation, fight for something, play for something and be in the big moments. So, it’s up to us to respond.’’

Orlando entered the day just one game behind the Heat for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. Vucevic, who made his first All-Star game this season has been a major reason why the playoffs are in reach. The big man prides himself on his consistency.

“Being able to sustain a certain level of play is important for individuals and teams,” Vucevic said. “For us, that’s been the biggest issue. When play well, we’re very good and when we don’t, we struggle. But for me personally, [consistency] is something I take a lot of pride in, and throughout my career I feel like I’ve been able to show that when I’m out on the court, you know what you’re going to get from me.’’

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Magic coach Steve Clifford believes Vucevic’s stability and smarts are two things that set him apart from other centers, as Denton adds in the same piece. “It’s invaluable to have anybody else on the floor who can do that other than your point guard, particularly a center who can play like that,” Clifford said. “In many ways, when he’s out there, it’s like playing with two point guards.’’
The Wizards have yet to rule out Dwight Howard out for the season, though head coach Scott Brooks says the big man isn’t over his injury woes yet, as Candace Buckner of the Washington Post passes along on Twitter. “He’s still getting his work in — the hamstring problem has not turned the corner,” Brooks said.
Gordon Hayward remains in the early stages of the league’s concussion protocol, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated tweets. Coach Brad Stevens called Hayward doubtful for the Celtics‘ game on Wednesday but left the door open for him to play on Saturday against Charlotte.

IT Open To Celtics Return; Horford To Sit 3-4 Games Down Stretch

March 18th, 2019 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Although he only played for the Celtics for three seasons, it felt like 15 based on the love he was shown by fans in Boston, Isaiah Thomas tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Suggesting that he’ll always consider Boston home, the veteran guard said he wouldn’t close the door on returning to the Celtics at some point. “You never know,” Thomas said. “You can’t predict the future. My options are always open for anybody. I’m a Denver Nugget now, but I’m a free agent at the end of the season, and you never know what can happen. Who knows?”
Over the weekend, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens told reporters, including Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston (Twitter link), that the club plans to sit Al Horford for three or four games down the stretch. Horford’s impact has been a little inconsistent this year, which is due in part to nagging injuries, so the C’s want to make sure he’s ready for the postseason.

Gordon Hayward Enters Concussion Protocol

March 17th, 2019 at 2:30pm CST by JD Shaw

Celtics forward Gordon Hayward has entered the NBA’s concussion protocol, the team announced Sunday in its injury report. He’s currently being listed as doubtful to play in Monday’s home game against the Nuggets.

Hayward suffered the injury while colliding into a screen against the Hawks on Saturday, leaving early and missing the rest of the contest. The team sent him home at halftime and labeled the injury as a strained neck shortly afterward.

Hayward, 28, has held per-game averages of 10.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 25.4 minutes this season, playing mostly off the bench in his new role with the team. He’s shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, participating in his first full season since fracturing his ankle in 2017.

Al Horford (left knee soreness) is probable to return against Denver, while rookie forward Robert Williams (illness) is being listed as questionable. Maintaining good health is imperative for the Celtics, who continue to fight for playoff positioning with a 43-27 record and 12 games left on the season. They currently trail the No. 4 Pacers by just one game.

Hayward must pass a series of in-depth tests to exit the concussion protocol, which could cause him to miss an extended period of time. The Celtics originally signed him to a four-year, $128MM contract in the summer of 2017.

Celtics Notes: Rozier, Thomas, Horford, T. Robinson

March 17th, 2019 at 12:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics guard Terry Rozier has formed a strong bond with president of basketball operations Danny Ainge even though he has been on the trading block this year, writes Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Rozier shined while Kyrie Irving was sidelined with an injury during last year’s playoffs, but has struggled to fit into a backup role this season. With restricted free agency looming this summer, Rozier seemed like a natural candidate for a deal.

“I know he had some thoughts about trading me this year,” Rozier said. “I respected the business side of it. I don’t ever try to get too much in other people’s jobs. I try to do my job, which is on the court. Like I said, I know he had thoughts, but it didn’t happen.”

Ainge has been a believer in Rozier since drafting him with the 16th pick in 2015 when he was projected as a late first-rounder at best. He resisted trading Rozier because of his potential value in the playoffs, but there’s still no guarantee that the fourth-year guard will remain in Boston beyond this season.

There’s more Celtics news to pass along:

Isaiah Thomas can expect a warm reception when he returns to Boston tomorrow night, both from fans and former teammates, relays Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports. Thomas, who has fallen out of the Nuggets’ rotation, may finally get a tribute video. He was injured in his only other trip to the city since being traded and requested that the Celtics not produce a video then. “One of the reasons I came here (to Boston) was to play with him, and one of the things I always admire about Isaiah is his heart,” Al Horford said. “Just leaving it all out there. It didn’t matter if he was hurt or there was something wrong. He’s a guy that loves to compete, that plays hard, that plays to win, and it was just a lot of fun to play with him.”
An injury scare for Horford during yesterday’s win over the Hawks showed why the Celtics want to give him some rest before the playoffs, notes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Horford left the game after banging knees with an Atlanta player in the third quarter. He was able to return, but Boston plans to give him three or four games off to ensure his health for the postseason.
The Celtics’ G League affiliate in Maine has officially added former NBA forward Thomas Robinson, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, who suggests that Robinson might be considered for Boston’s open roster spot. The Red Claws play four more games before their season ends Saturday.

Atlantic Notes: Gasol, Brown, Knox, Fizdale

March 16th, 2019 at 11:15am CST by marksuleymanov

The Raptors‘ big deadline acquisition was veteran Marc Gasol, bolstering Toronto’s frontcourt entering the final stretch of the regular season. Thus far, Gasol has seen nearly equal time as a starter (six games) and as a reserve (seven games).

In those 13 games, Gasol has averaged 9.4 PPG and 6.2 RPG for the Raptors, well below his career rates. After spending his first 10-and-a-half seasons in Memphis, the big man is still getting used to his new team and teammates, as Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca writes.

“It’s an adjustment. I think it’s an adjustment for me, an adjustment for my teammates, for the coaches,” Gasol said. “You know, you play a certain way and it’s hard to change certain things on the fly. But you can’t try to force the issue. You have to organically improve and I’m here to work and do my best with a very positive mindset every day. It’s about what’s best for the team and how we can take another step at both ends of the floor.”

While the three-time All-Star figures out his role, the Raptors are focused on the postseason, clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference last week. Heading into that stretch, Gasol’s experience will be a factor but he does not want the attention to be solely on him.

“I don’t want to make a big deal out of it,” Gasol said. “Whatever role you’re given, it’s about having a good mindset. It’s not so much about starting — it’s about finishing games. It’s about the team playing well, and contributing to that. I know now that I’m going to have to start for the next few games, probably. And that contributes to a routine and a habit and a little bit of consistency. That helps you get that out of your mind. But I definitely don’t want to make a big deal out of it.”

Check out more Atlantic Division notes below:

Jaylen Brown has embraced his role off the bench to the Celtics‘ benefit despite being a starter and the team’s second-leading scorer a season ago, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes. “He’s done a good job of embracing that,” Boston head coach Brad Stevens said. “He’s done a good job of not letting that affect his aggressiveness or his game.”
It has been an up and down season for Knicks rookie Kevin Knox who had been in a slump since December. Knox is appreciative of the rebuilding Knicks’ patience with his development but head coach David Fizdale has a strategy to help him improve, Marc Berman of New York Post writes.“His strength is going to be a big, big thing, fine-tuning his shooting, solidifying his post game,” Fizdale said. “Obviously, defensively I’m going to be all over him about taking another step forward, about being a playmaker, a shotblocker, a guy who can take a challenge one on one and really slide his feet against the best attackers.”
Speaking of Fizdale, earlier we relayed the head coach’s confidence in the Knicks doing well with free agents this summer.

Thomas Robinson Signs G League Contract

March 15th, 2019 at 2:16pm CST by Luke Adams

Former lottery pick Thomas Robinson has signed an NBA G League contract as he looks for a path back to the NBA, reports Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days (via Twitter). According to Johnson, the veteran power forward is eligible to be claimed off waivers by an NBAGL team.

Robinson, who was selected fifth overall in the 2012 draft, never developed into a reliable rotation player in the NBA. Over the course of five seasons, he appeared in a total of 313 regular season games, averaging 4.9 PPG and 4.8 RPG for the Kings, Rockets, Trail Blazers, Sixers, Nets, and Lakers. Although he was in camp with the Hawks last fall, he hasn’t seen regular season action since the 2016/17 season, when he played 48 games for the Lakers.

Having continued his career in Russia and China over the last two seasons, Robinson is hoping to catch on with an NBA team in advance of the playoffs. In fact, Johnson tweets that the 27-year-old is specifically hoping to land with the Maine Red Claws in the G League, since he’d like to earn the open spot on the Celtics‘ 15-man roster for the postseason. The Red Claws are Boston’s NBAGL affiliate.

Claiming a roster spot on a playoff team may be a long shot for Robinson, but he’d be postseason-eligible if he signs anytime before the end of the regular season, since he hasn’t been on an NBA roster yet this season.

Tatum, Brown Settling Into Respective Roles

March 14th, 2019 at 10:51pm CST by JD Shaw

The Celtics‘ young stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are settling into their respective roles just in time, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com writes. “We know what we’re capable of, and we were close to getting to the championship [last year],” Tatum said. “Now we’re trying to get over that hump and get there.” Boston badly needs the production from Tatum and Brown if they want to compete for a championship, with the team currently holding the fifth seed in the East one month before the playoffs.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/14/19

March 14th, 2019 at 9:15pm CST by JD Shaw

Here are Thursday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:

The Raptors assigned forward Malcolm Miller to the Raptors 905, G League affiliate of the team, announcing the news on social media. After playing for the Raptors 905 earlier today, Miller was recalled by Toronto and suited up for the NBA team against the Lakers.
The Celtics have recalled Robert Williams from the Maine Red Claws, the team announced on social media. Williams was drafted by Boston with the the No. 27 pick in 2018, spending part of this season with Maine.
The Jazz assigned center Tony Bradley to their G League team in Salt Lake City, announcing the move in a press release. Bradley has seen action in 17 games with the team’s G League affiliate, averaging 13.6 points per game on 56% from the field.

Doc Rivers: Celtics "Going To Be Fine"

March 14th, 2019 at 12:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Count former Celtics head coach Doc Rivers among those who isn’t ready to place the blame on Brad Stevens for Boston’s struggles this season. In fact, Rivers still has full confidence in the C’s despite their up-and-down year. “They’re going to be fine,” the Clippers’ coach said, per Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. “They are as good as anybody in the East and as talented as anybody in the NBA. And when the playoffs start, I think everybody will see that.”