Boston Celtics Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Joe Mazzulla, Tyronn Lue Named Coaches Of The Month

January 4th, 2024 at 7:35pm CST by Rory Maher

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue have been named the Coaches of the Month for December, the NBA announced (via Twitter).

Mazzulla, the Eastern Conference winner, led Boston to a 12-2 record last month. The Celtics have the best record in the NBA at 26-7.

While Mazzulla’s group has looked like a championship contender throughout its first 33 games, Lue’s Clippers had a rocky start after trading for James Harden, losing six straight at one point to hold a 3-7 record.

But L.A. has had an impressive turnaround over the past several weeks, going 18-5 over the past 23 games, including an 11-2 record in December. Harden shook off some early rust and has been playing at an extremely high level of late (20.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 9.4 APG, 1.4 SPG and 1.2 BPG on .483/.467/.883 shooting over the past 17 contests), and Kawhi Leonard has been dominant on both ends of the court.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the Eastern Conference were J.B. Bickerstaff, Adrian Griffin, Nick Nurse and Erik Spoelstra, while Mark Daigneault, Chris Finch and Michael Malone were nominated in the West.

Celtics Notes: White, ’18/19 Team, Holiday, Horford

January 3rd, 2024 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

Fans in San Antonio, where Derrick White spent the first four-and-a-half seasons of his NBA career, are on board with the campaign to get the Celtics guard to his first All-Star Game this season. As Brian Robb of MassLive details, Sunday’s broadcast of Boston’s blowout victory over the Spurs picked up multiple “White’s an All-Star!’ chants from the San Antonio crowd.

“I’m just thankful and grateful,” White told reporters after the victory. “I just try to go out there and help us win. If I were to make the All-Star game, it’s because of how much we are winning and the type of team we have. I’m just thankful to be a part of this team and the culture we’re building here. Me making it or not making it doesn’t change the fact that I’m just thankful to be here.”

White’s former head coach Gregg Popovich said on Sunday that he “couldn’t be more proud of a player” than he is of White, who was a starter in the Spurs’ backcourt before being shipped to Boston at the 2022 trade deadline.

“When he first came, I don’t think he believed he belonged in the NBA,” Popovich said. “To watch him develop through the years, started here with the G League. Playing with us and then starting for us and then taking more steps in Boston has just been a thrill to watch.

“He’s one of the greatest guys ever. His confidence has just exploded. It’s been a process. He’s been in the league now, six, seven years. I’m not sure anymore. But he’s a great story. And starting out at the bottom and believing in himself and doing the work necessary to get where he is now. Just thrilled for him.”

Here’s more on the Celtics:

Appearing on the latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George, former Celtics forward Gordon Hayward revisited the 2018/19 team that lost to Milwaukee in the second round of the playoffs and posited that “too many agendas” in the locker room led to that club’s downfall (hat tip to Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report). “In my eyes it was just, we all had too many agendas, and the agenda to win the whole thing was not the main one,” Hayward said. “Not to blame anyone either, because I think it was all human nature.” That Celtics team featured Hayward in his first healthy season in Boston and Kyrie Irving in his final year with the organization.
Addressing Hayward’s comments, Jayson Tatum clarified that there were no locker room issues on that Celtics club, but agreed with his former teammate that the on-court chemistry was a problem, referring to it as a learning experience. “What Gordon said was kind of right,” Tatum said, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. “Guys would come back from injury, guys were trying to prove themselves, like myself. I was trying to be better than I was last year, and it was just kind of a tough year. … Everybody wanted to do more, and we didn’t quite understand how we all could coexist with each other.”
Celtics guard Jrue Holiday missed Sunday’s game due to a sprained right elbow, but head coach Joe Mazzulla said he had no long-term concerns about that injury, tweets Jay King of The Athletic. Holiday was back in action on Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City.
Prior to the Thunder‘s win over Boston on Tuesday, OKC head coach Mark Daigneault raved about the impact that Celtics big man Al Horford had during Daigneault’s first year as a head coach in 2020/21, according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “Every first-year NBA head coach should be as lucky as I was to have Al Horford on their team. Stud professional and person,” Daigneault said. “And for a guy that has as much experience as he has, not cynical, very solution-oriented, not a know-it-all — he knows it all, but he always channels that toward solutions and toward the team.”

Bulls Notes: DeRozan, White, LaVine

December 31st, 2023 at 3:56pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With two starters and one reserve sidelined due to long-term injuries, Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has assumed a bigger responsibility offensively, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Star shooting guard Zach LaVine, center Nikola Vucevic and reserve forward Torrey Craig are all on the shelf, which has compelled DeRozan to play an average of 38.7 minutes per game this month.

DeRozan suggested that his veteran awareness has helped him find moments in a game where he can tactically rest, even when he’s on the hardwood.

“Me just knowing when a TV timeout is coming,” DeRozan said. “Me knowing a foul is going to happen at some point. Me understanding if you need to tie your shoe, it’s a lot of little things that go into it. If you’re not in the penalty, you can take a foul… Playing so long, you kind of understand when a stoppage is going to come and take advantage of those moments. When a timeout comes, sit there until that two minutes, 30 seconds is up. Just take advantage of the little gaps when you can because you know you want to be out there.”

Head coach Billy Donovan acknowledges he is somewhat worried about the mileage he’s putting on the 34-year-old.

“I’m concerned about that,” Donovan said. “I mean, he’s great. I talk to him all the time. But it’s kind of the situation we’ve been in with Torrey out, Vooch out and Zach out. I want to be mindful of that and always talk and communicate with him. He has played a lot of minutes and I probably need to look at that.”

There’s more out of Chicago:

Bulls point guard Coby White praised his teammates for their resilient resurgence following the team’s nadir thus far this season, a 124-97 blowout loss to the Celtics on November 28, writes Johnson in a separate piece. “At that moment, when adversity hit and we were at our lowest this season, we could’ve all grew apart,” White said. “Instead of doing that, we all came together. I think that contributes to how we played in the month of December.” Chicago has gone 9-5 this month. In December, White is averaging 22.6 PPG on .469/.402/.815 shooting, along with 6.4 RPG and 5.7 APG, across 14 bouts.
Billy Donovan revealed that LaVine, still dealing with right foot inflammation, could participate in contact practice for the Bulls late next week, Johnson writes in an additional article. “If (his recovery) continues to go like it’s going, I think that’s a very, very strong possibility,” Donovan said. After a two-game East Coast road trip, Chicago will return home for a game against the Hornets on Friday. “He has responded well [to treatment],” Donovan added.
In case you missed it, the present trade market for LaVine, a maximum-salaried former All-Star, remains fairly limited.

Knicks Notes: Anunoby Trade, Murray, Barrett, Quickley

December 31st, 2023 at 10:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks will remain active on the trade market after acquiring OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn from Toronto on Saturday, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Having previously named Dejounte Murray as a possible Knicks trade target, Scotto reports that New York is still interested in Murray following this weekend’s deal. However, the team would no longer be able to offer Immanuel Quickley, who might have been a key piece of any outgoing package for the Hawks guard.

Scotto also spoke to multiple NBA executives to get their thoughts on the Anunoby trade for the Knicks. One of those execs questioned whether it might have been overpay, but acknowledged that the team remains well positioned to make another big move and said that justified the decision to part with two talented scorers in Quickley and RJ Barrett. A second exec is curious to see what New York’s front office has up its sleeve for its next move.

“There’s not a lot of shot creation for other players on the roster now, and there’s a lot of pressure on (Jalen) Brunson,” the exec told Scotto. “I get why New York made the trade. The team was playing selfishly. Anunoby is a better fit with what they have than Barrett.”

Here’s more on the Knicks and their latest trade:

The Knicks players who weren’t involved in Saturday’s deal had mixed feelings about the move, as Peter Botte of The New York Post details. “This probably for me is one of the toughest ones just because of the relationship I built with those two,” Julius Randle said, referring to Barrett and Quickley as “little brothers” and suggesting he’ll continue to root for them. Taj Gibson expressed excitement for the addition of Anunoby but said that it “kind of sucked” to say goodbye to the two departing Knicks: “I’ve been around them since they came into the league. Great young men. It’s just tough, one of the tough parts about the business. Being able to see them this morning and talk, it was tough.
Zach Kram of The Ringer, John Hollinger of The Athletic, and Keith Smith of Spotrac took a closer look at the five-player trade from both the Knicks’ and Raptors‘ perspectives, breaking down why it could be a win-win move for the two Atlantic rivals. Smith also explores each team’s financial situation and considers how new deals in 2024 for Anunoby and Quickley will affect their cap outlooks going forward.
Frustration about roles and playing time had been mounting in the Knicks’ locker room, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, which is one key reason why the front office was motivated to make a consolidation trade sooner rather than later. Within Katz’s story, which examines the trade in greater detail, he cites league sources who say the Knicks and Celtics briefly discussed a deal centered around Quickley and Marcus Smart in the offseason before Smart was sent to Memphis. In other words, the team has been mulling swapping Quickley for an elite defender for a while.

Celtics Notes: Kornet, Trade Deadline, Title Odds, Porzingis

December 30th, 2023 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Luke Kornet looked comfortable in the Celtics‘ starting lineup Friday, even though he was making his first start in two-and-a-half years, writes Jay King of The Athletic. With Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford both sitting out the second night of a back-to-back, Kornet played 30 minutes and delivered a season-high 20 points and eight rebounds while shooting 9-of-11 from the field.

There had been doubts this week regarding Kornet’s future in Boston’s rotation considering the recent surge by two-way big man Neemias Queta. Kornet missed six games due to an adductor strain earlier this month and was held out of the last two in favor of Queta. He decided to focus on doing whatever he can to help the team rather than worrying about his own playing time.

“I feel like when you’re concerned about yourself and you’re in that situation, one, you start feeling a little bit powerless and stuff like that, which isn’t great,” Kornet said. “But then also you’re not really uplifting or benefiting anybody. And especially on an NBA roster and those 18 spots, there’s going to be a lot of guys who aren’t playing on any given night and you kind of have the choice to be able to, yeah, sort of like offer your work to the good of the group or just kind of close in on yourself. To me, it seems like the better solution is pretty clear in that.”

There’s more from Boston:

Kornet’s performance may reduce the urgency for the Celtics to pursue another big man before the trade deadline, observes Brian Robb of MassLive. Robb points out that that Boston doesn’t have many sizeable contracts to use for salary matching outside of its top six players, and Kornet and Queta are playing as well as any center who might be available in that salary range.
The Celtics are an even bigger favorite to win the NBA title after a successful West Coast trip and rival executives are taking notice, per Steve Bulpett of Heavy. “Before, they’d fall into a lot of one-on-one with (Jayson) Tatum and (Jaylen) Brown when things got tough, but you’re not seeing that really now,” a rival front office member told Bulpett. “Those guys are giving it up more when they should, and they’ve got too many people who can beat you.” Bulpett also spoke to sources about the impact that Boston’s offseason trades have had on the club.
In an interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Porzingis acknowledges that it wasn’t easy coming to a team that traded its emotional leader to acquire him. “What they’re giving up for me was a big piece of this team — Marcus Smart,” Porzingis said. “I’m having to come in and not replace him, but come in with who I am and bring what I bring to a team. There was some responsibility.”

Shorthanded Friday; King Considers Deadline Options

December 29th, 2023 at 7:05pm CST by Rory Maher

The Celtics are shorthanded for Friday’s game against Toronto, with Al Horford (rest), Kristaps Porzingis (left calf — injury management) and Jayson Tatum (left ankle sprain — injury management) all out, relays Jared Weiss of The Athletic (via Twitter). It’s the second end of back-to-back for Boston, which defeated Detroit in overtime on Thursday.
Jay King of The Athletic considers what moves the Celtics might make ahead of the trade deadline, noting that Boston has a $6.2MM trade exception acquired in the Grant Williams sign-and-trade. Considering how well the team has performed to this point, King doesn’t think the Celtics will make a major deal, but suggests a smaller move around the edges could make sense if it doesn’t negatively impact the locker room.

Injury Notes: Brown, Doncic, Payton, Vincent, Nance, Heat

December 28th, 2023 at 3:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown has been ruled out of Thursday’s game against Detroit due to a lower back contusion, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Brown sustained the injury on Monday against the Lakers after being accidentally kneed in the back by LeBron James. Both players were down in pain for a few minutes, but were able to return later in the contest.

Brown, who signed a five-year, super-max extension in the offseason, is averaging 22.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.6 APG and 1.1 SPG on .478/.335/.734 shooting in 28 games (33.8 MPG) this season for Boston.

Here are some more injury notes from around the NBA:

The Mavericks will be without Luka Doncic for Thursday’s game in Minnesota, as first reported by Marc Stein (via Twitter). Doncic is dealing with left quad soreness. As Stein notes, it’s the second game of a back-to-back for Dallas, which lost to Cleveland on Wednesday.
Warriors swingman Gary Payton II practiced on Wednesday, according to Jon Schultz of The San Francisco Chronicle. “He had a lot of energy today,” Trayce Jackson-Davis said of Payton. “Had a great practice, and we need them out there. Obviously our guard depth is a little shallow right now, and just having another defensive two-way guard on the floor is going to help us a lot.” However, Payton has been ruled out of Thursday’s contest vs. Miami, per the league’s official injury report. It will be the 13th consecutive absence for Payton, who has been battling a right calf strain.
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Wednesday and will be reevaluated in about eight weeks, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Jarred Vanderbilt is one of the players who will receive more minutes with Vincent out, Turner adds. “It obviously hurt. He’s a big component of what we do,” Vanderbilt said of Vincent. “Great player, great system player. So, obviously health comes first. So, we want him to get healthy. For us, it’s the next-man-up mentality. Continue to play the right way and have some guys step up in his absence.”
Pelicans big man Larry Nance Jr. has missed the past month after aggravating a rib fracture, but he’ll be active tonight against Utah, he told Christian Clark of NOLA.com and other media members (Twitter link). Nance has been limited to 14 games thus far in 2023/24.
The Heat have dealt with numerous injuries once again this season and will be shorthanded during Thursday’s contest in Golden State, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Jimmy Butler (left calf strain), Kyle Lowry (soreness), Caleb Martin (right ankle sprain) are all out, Josh Richardson (back discomfort) is doubtful, and Orlando Robinson is away from the team after being assigned to the G League.

Tatum: Porzingis' Presence Creates Problems For Foes

December 26th, 2023 at 7:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics made a controversial move by trading for Kristaps Porzingis during the offseason. Jayson Tatum says the team is reaping the benefits of having Porzingis’ large presence in the lineup, Jared Weiss of The Athletic tweets. “We haven’t had a low post presence like that since I’ve been on the Celtics and it creates so many problems,” Tatum said. “Are you gonna switch us? Are you in drop?…I’m just happy to be on this side of it.”

Celtics Notes: White, Trade Assets, Tatum, Holiday

December 26th, 2023 at 1:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics guard Derrick White has become one of the most valuable players on a team filled with stars, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. White did a little bit of everything in the Christmas Day showdown with the Lakers, delivering 18 points, 11 assists, two steals and two blocks. He also helped to steady Boston’s offense after losing an 18-point lead in the first half.

“I didn’t realize how good D. White was,” Kristaps Porzingis said. “He’s kind of under the radar a little bit, but man he’s special. The way he plays, how 90+ percent of the time he makes the right play all the time. That’s the perfect teammate you want. On top of that he’s shooting great percentages and being super efficient. He’s special, man, and I’m happy I have both of those guys on my team, Jrue (Holiday) and D. White.”

White’s impact on the team is felt at both ends of the court, Robb adds. The Celtics have the league’s best record at 23-6 despite facing the toughest schedule through 29 games, and they rank in the top five in both offense and defense. White leads the team in three-point and free throw shooting percentage, along with assists and steals, and Porzingis has joined the campaign for him to be an All-Star.

“He has been improving and he has been playing incredible this whole season, but especially this last stretch,” Porzingis said. “And I think maybe it doesn’t stand out, because the stats are not incredible. They’re gonna, but they’re not incredible. But when you watch the game, people who understand really appreciate what he’s doing on the court.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Undefeated at home, the Celtics answered doubts about their ability to win on the road by compiling a 3-1 record on their current trip, Robb states in a separate story. Team president Brad Stevens needs to add more depth for a title run, Robb adds, noting that Boston has a $6.2MM traded player exception available along with three tradable first-round picks and a wealth of second-rounders.
Jayson Tatum has been finding ways to help the team even when his shot isn’t falling, observes Souichi Terada of MassLive. Tatum was just 6-of-15 from the field and 1-of-3 from three-point range in L.A., but coach Joe Mazzulla was raving about his performance after the game. “That’s what we talk about when he’s got to reinvent,” Mazzulla said. “It’s not so much sacrifice as it is reinvent. You’re starting to see what leadership looks like and what value looks like for him. … And so it’s just not being defined by just scoring, but being defined by playmaking. Being defined by how do you create advantages for your teammates and yourself.”
Holiday is often the fifth option in Boston’s offense, but he appears to be finding a role with 18 points on Monday after topping 20 points in each of the previous two games, notes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. “He’s opened up our system and philosophy a ton because of his ability to be involved in the play and ability to help off the ball as well,” Mazzulla said.

Stein’s Latest: Olynyk, LaVine, Tucker, Murray, McClung

December 25th, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics view Jazz big man Kelly Olynyk as a possible trade target, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column.

With a $12.2MM expiring contract, Olynyk is one of several Utah veterans who might be on the move prior to the trade deadline. Boston drafted him in 2013 and he spent his first four NBA seasons with the Celtics, so he’s familiar with the organization.

After being a starter last year, Olynyk has moved into a reserve role in his second season with the Jazz, although he has started seven games because of injures to teammates. He posted 27 points, three rebounds, six assists and four steals in Thursday’s win at Detroit.

Boston’s current salary structure makes an Olynyk trade challenging, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Without giving up one of their rotation players, the Celtics would have to have to send out several minimum contracts to match Olynyk’s salary.

Stein also expects the Knicks to have interest in Olynyk after starting center Mitchell Robinson underwent ankle surgery that could sideline him for the rest of the season.

Stein passes along more inside information on potential trades:

Citing conversations at the G League Winter Showcase, Stein remains skeptical that the Sixers have interest in trading for Bulls guard Zach LaVine. League sources tell Stein that Philadelphia wants to find someone who can contribute on both ends of the court, and the team is reluctant to give up its cap space for next summer to acquire LaVine, who still has three seasons left on his five-year, $215MM deal. The Lakers may be more inclined to consider LaVine after going 2-5 in their last seven games, but Stein notes that L.A. also prizes salary flexibility and tends to seek out players with shorter contracts to team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Bucks and Heat still have “a healthy level of admiration” for P.J. Tucker, league sources tell Stein, but his $11MM salary for this season and a guaranteed $11.5MM for 2024/25 will limit trade interest. Tucker, who was acquired from Philadelphia as part of the James Harden deal, hasn’t played for the Clippers in nearly a month.
Rival teams expect the Hawks to consider a Dejounte Murray trade before the deadline, Stein adds. Atlanta’s front office may explore deals involving several players as it tries to assemble a better mix of talent around Trae Young. Stein states that the Hawks would be hoping to replenish their draft assets after sending three future first-round picks and a pick swap to San Antonio in the trade to acquire Murray.
In an interview with Mac McClung, the 2023 Slam Dunk Contest champ says he’s still deciding whether he’ll return to the event to try to defend his title.