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Celtics Notes: Smart, G. Williams, Strus, White

May 20th, 2022 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

After missing Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals due to a right mid-foot sprain, Celtics guard Marcus Smart was determined to get back on the court for Game 2 on Thursday, he told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Smart was especially motivated to return after having called out his teammates for letting a lead slip away in an ugly third quarter on Tuesday.

“I actually got into the guys. I really chewed into them,” Smart said. “They felt it and I felt bad for them because it’s one thing to be out there with your guys and then another thing to not be playing and hearing me come at them the way I did. So for me, when I inserted myself back in for Game 2, I wanted to come back and show the guys what I meant by my words and with my actions. I’m showing them I got y’all backs.”

Smart showed no signs of rust in his return on Thursday, recording a near triple-double with 24 points, 12 assists, nine rebounds, and three steals. As Haynes notes, Smart was the first Celtic to put up at least 20 points, 10 assists, and three steals in a playoff game since Rajon Rondo did it 10 years ago.

“I did not see that stat, but I’ll take it,” Smart told Haynes. “That’s an awesome, awesome accomplishment. I’m just trying to do what I can to help my team win. These games are important.”

Here’s more on the Celtics:

After playing a huge role in the Celtics’ Game 7 win over Milwaukee last round, forward Grant Williams was once again a difference-maker on Thursday, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Williams, who is extension-eligible this offseason, can space the floor offensively and is a versatile defender. He had 19 points and was a plus-37 in 32 minutes in Game 2. “He just (has come) a long way from his first year,” teammate Jayson Tatum said of Williams. “He’s worked on his game, and he’s developed into somebody that we believe and trust in to catch it at half court.”
Heat guard Max Strus, who has started every game for Miami since the start of the postseason, began his professional career by signing a two-way contract with the Celtics in 2019, but was waived before that season began. Celtics head coach Ime Udoka acknowledged on Thursday that Boston “might have missed out on that one,” tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Strus was also on Chicago’s roster before joining the Heat in November 2020.
Sam Hauser is the only Celtic listed on the injury report for Saturday’s Game 3, so the team should have its full rotation available for that pivotal contest, tweets Bontemps. That includes Derrick White, who missed Game 2 for family reasons.

Celtics’ Al Horford Available For Game 2

May 19th, 2022 at 1:56pm CST by Rory Maher

1:56pm: Horford has cleared the health and safety protocols and is now listed as available for Game 2, the Celtics announced in a tweet.

12:09pm: Celtics big man Al Horford has been upgraded to questionable after previously being listed as doubtful for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat, Boston announced (via Twitter).

Horford entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Tuesday, causing him to miss Game 1’s loss to Miami. Head coach Ime Udoka told reporters, including Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link), that Horford didn’t feel sick when he evidently tested positive for COVID-19.

“He’s feeling fine, he’s feeling ok since that day. Just tests and protocols he has to pass,” Udoka said.

If Horford registered a positive COVID-19 test, he would have to remain in the protocols for at least five days unless he records two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart. Considering he was upgraded to questionable, it seems like he may have returned at least one negative result.

The 35-year-old had a nice season for Boston, averaging 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 blocks on .467/.336/.842 shooting in 69 regular season games. He’s upped those averages in the postseason, averaging 13 points, 9.4 boards, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks on .524/.451/.833 shooting in 11 games.

Game 2 of the ECF takes place tonight in Miami at 7:30 pm CT. If Horford tests out of the protocols, he figures to return to the starting lineup and provide much-needed frontcourt depth to the Celtics, who trail the series 1-0.

Celtics’ Derrick White To Miss Game 2 For Personal Reasons

May 19th, 2022 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

10:58am: Celtics head coach Ime Udoka confirmed that White is away from the team for the birth of his child, telling reporters that the veteran guard is expected to be available for Game 3 on Saturday (Twitter link via Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press).

10:02am: The Celtics will likely be getting one point guard back in their lineup for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Heat on Thursday, with Marcus Smart (foot) listed as probable. However, the team’s other top point guard won’t be available.

Derrick White will miss Thursday’s contest for personal reasons, the Celtics announced today (via Twitter). The team didn’t offer any more information than that, but Keith Smith of Spotrac notes (via Twitter) that White and his wife had been expecting a child, so that could be the reason for his absence.

Acquired by the Spurs at the trade deadline, White was a key part of the Celtics’ rotation during their dominant second half of the season, averaging 11.0 PPG, 3.5 APG, and 3.4 RPG in 26 games (27.4 MPG).

White made four starts during the regular season and has made two more in the playoffs, including in Game 1 on Tuesday when Smart was out. He struggled in that contest vs. Miami’s defense, scoring just three points on 1-of-4 shooting and registering a plus-minus of -11 in Boston’s 11-point loss.

Assuming Smart plays, the Celtics will likely lean heavily on him and Payton Pritchard in the backcourt tonight.

Southeast Notes: Wizards, Butler, Tucker, Hawks, Hornets

May 19th, 2022 at 9:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards will have plenty of options with the No. 10 pick in the 2022 draft, but it’s not realistic to expect the team to select its starting point guard at that spot, writes Ava Wallace of The Washington Post.

President of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard referred to the Wizards’ need for a point guard and their objectives in the draft as “two separate issues,” adding that the team will target the best talent available, rather than focusing on fit. He also left the door open for the possibility of moving up or down in the draft — or trading out of the first round entirely.

“For us, you’ve got to step back and say: ‘Do we have enough young guys? Do we need more talent?’ Whatever it is, we have this time to evaluate our roster, and the league tells you what it thinks about your players by the calls you get,” Sheppard said, according to Wallace. “We’re going to hear from a lot of people, already have heard from a lot of people. We can move up, we can move out, we can move — all these things are on the table.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

The sideline altercation between Heat star Jimmy Butler and head coach Erik Spoelstra during a March game vs. Golden State was the culmination of “three seasons’ worth of give-and-take” between the two men, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. However, as Windhorst writes, they quickly moved past the confrontation and Butler has proven once again with his performance in the 2022 postseason that he’s worth some occasional drama.
Heat forward P.J. Tucker rarely puts up big numbers, but teammates and coaches appreciate his contributions that go beyond the box score, writes Wes Goldberg of The Miami Herald. “He’s one of the biggest reasons why we’re winning, because he does all the little things,” Butler said after Game 1. “It’s easy to follow suit whenever you’ve got somebody like that leading your team.” Tucker holds a $7.35MM player option for the 2022/23 season.
In a conversation with Chris Kirschner about the Hawks‘ upcoming offseason, John Hollinger of The Athletic explains why he thinks it’s unlikely that Atlanta and De’Andre Hunter reach an extension agreement this offseason and suggests that no one on the roster outside of Trae Young should be off-limits in trade talks.
The Hornets control the Nos. 13 and 15 picks in next month’s draft, and Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscriber-only link) believes the team should be willing to trade both of them for more immediate help, arguing that bringing in two more rookies wouldn’t do much for the team’s 2022/23 playoff aspirations.

Lowry Out For Game 2; Smart Probable, Horford Doubtful

May 18th, 2022 at 8:46pm CST by Rory Maher

The Heat and Celtics have released their latest injury updates (Twitter links) for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Finals matchup on Thursday. Miami’s Kyle Lowry (hamstring) remains out for Game 2, but Boston’s Marcus Smart (right mid-foot sprain) has been upgraded to probable after both players missed Game 1.

In addition to Smart, Al Horford (health and safety protocols) is listed as doubtful for Boston, while little-used backup Sam Hauser (right shoulder) is out.

For Miami, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent are both listed as questionable with hamstring issues, but both Heat players have appeared in all 12 postseason games to this point, so it would be surprising if they’re unavailable on Thursday.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported earlier today that Smart was targeting a Game 2 return and that Horford was “highly unlikely” to be available, and Boston’s official designations align with Haynes’ sources.

Strangely, the Heat have gone 7-0 in the playoffs in Lowry’s absence to this point, and lost both games he played against Philadelphia, when he was clearly still hampered by the hamstring strain. Vincent has filled in admirably for the team’s normal starting point guard, and that’s likely to continue.

Miami leads the series 1-0 after a 118-107 victory on Tuesday, led by 41 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks (plus stellar shooting) from Jimmy Butler. The turning point in the first game was the third quarter, when Miami outscored Boston 39-14, led by Butler’s 17 points.

2022 NBA Draft Picks By Team

May 18th, 2022 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

Not only did the Thunder move up in Tuesday’s draft lottery to claim this year’s No. 2 overall pick, but they’re also one of just three teams with four picks in the 2022 draft. No team’s 2022 selections are more valuable than Oklahoma City’s — in addition to the second overall pick, the Thunder control No. 12, No. 30, and No. 34.

The Spurs and Timberwolves also each own four 2022 draft picks, with San Antonio controlling three first-rounders and No. 38, while Minnesota has No. 19 and three second-rounders.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, four clubs don’t currently own any 2022 draft picks. The Lakers, Suns, and Jazz are three of those teams, and either the Sixers or the Nets will be the fourth, depending on whether Brooklyn decides to acquire Philadelphia’s first-rounder or defer it to 2023.

To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2022 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 58 selections by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…

Teams with more than two picks:

Oklahoma City Thunder (4): 2, 12, 30, 34
San Antonio Spurs (4): 9, 20, 25, 38
Minnesota Timberwolves (4): 19, 40, 48, 50
Orlando Magic (3): 1, 32, 35
Sacramento Kings (3): 4, 37, 49
Indiana Pacers (3): 6, 31, 58
Portland Trail Blazers (3): 7, 36, 57
New Orleans Pelicans (3): 8, 41, 52
Charlotte Hornets (3): 13, 15, 45
Cleveland Cavaliers (3): 14, 39, 56
Memphis Grizzlies (3): 22, 29, 47
Golden State Warriors (3): 28, 51, 55

Teams with two picks:

Houston Rockets: 3, 17
Detroit Pistons: 5, 46
Washington Wizards: 10, 54
New York Knicks: 11, 42
Atlanta Hawks: 16, 44

Teams with one pick:

Chicago Bulls: 18
Denver Nuggets: 21
Philadelphia 76ers: 23
Milwaukee Bucks: 24
Dallas Mavericks: 26
Miami Heat: 27
Toronto Raptors: 33
Los Angeles Clippers: 43
Boston Celtics: 53

Teams with no picks:

Brooklyn Nets
Los Angeles Lakers
Phoenix Suns
Utah Jazz

Kyle Lowry To Miss Game 1 Of Eastern Conference Finals

May 16th, 2022 at 5:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat point guard Kyle Lowry has officially been listed as out for Game 1 against the Celtics due to his lingering hamstring injury, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets.

The news comes as no surprise since Lowry didn’t practice on Monday. Hobbled by the injury, Lowry has appeared in only five postseason games. He last took the court in Game 4 of the semifinals against Philadelphia, when he scored just six points with seven assists and four turnovers in 30 minutes on May 8.

Caleb Martin (ankle sprain), Max Strus (hamstring strain), P.J. Tucker (calf strain) and Gabe Vincent (hamstring strain) are listed as questionable, Chiang adds in another tweet. Most Heat players who have been listed as questionable throughout the playoffs have ended up being active.

Strus has been one of the breakout performers in the postseason. He averaged 19.5 PPG and 10.5 RPG in Games 5 and 6 against Philadelphia. Tucker averaged 8.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG and 1.7 APG in 30.7 MPG during the Sixers series while providing his usual hard-nosed defense.

Celtics/Heat Injury Updates: Smart, Williams, Lowry

May 16th, 2022 at 1:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics are listing guard Marcus Smart as questionable for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday due to a right mid-foot sprain he sustained in Game 7 of the Eastern Semifinals, the team announced today (via Twitter).

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter), Smart underwent an MRI on his injured foot and the imaging came back clean, which bodes well for the Celtics and the Defensive Player of the Year going forward. The hope, Wojnarowski says, is that Smart will be good to go for Game 1 vs. Miami, but the team will see how he feels on Tuesday before making a final decision.

In other Celtics injury news, Robert Williams will be available for the series vs. Miami with no minutes restrictions after missing the last four games of the Milwaukee series due to a bone bruise in his left knee (Twitter link).

Williams was technically active and available for Game 7 on Sunday, but head coach Ime Udoka said he didn’t want to adjust his rotation, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).

Meanwhile, Heat point guard Kyle Lowry, who continues to battle a left hamstring injury, didn’t practice on Monday and appears unlikely to be available for Game 1, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

For what it’s worth, Jimmy Butler expressed confidence on Monday that Lowry is close to returning, telling reporters his teammate is in good spirits and remains engaged (Twitter link via Jackson).

Warriors To Host 2022 California Classic Summer League

May 16th, 2022 at 12:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The California Classic Summer League will return for a fourth year in 2022, with the Warriors taking over for the Kings as the event’s host, according to a press release.

The California Classic, a four-team Summer League, was launched by the Kings in 2018, and took place again in 2019 and 2021. In each of those three years, it was played at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, with the Kings, Warriors, Lakers, and Heat taking part.

This time around, the same four teams will participate, but the mini-Summer League will be held at Chase Center in San Francisco. It will take place on the weekend of July 2-3.

Like the Salt Lake City Summer League, which will be played in Utah from July 5-7, the California Classic is something of an opening act for the Las Vegas Summer League. The Vegas Summer League, scheduled for July 7-17, will feature all 30 NBA teams.

The Kings, Warriors, Lakers, and Heat will take advantage of the earlier California event to take a longer look at their rookies, young players, and undrafted free agents.

Heat Notes: Lowry, Starting Lineup, Strus, Butler

May 15th, 2022 at 8:15pm CST by JD Shaw

Heat guard Kyle Lowry (hamstring) didn’t practice with the team on Sunday, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets. Lowry was with the team for practice, but he didn’t participate. As Jackson notes, this doesn’t bode well for his status this week, as the Eastern Conference Finals will tip off on Tuesday.

Lowry suffered a hamstring injury in the first round against Atlanta. Last round, the Heat went 4-0 against the Sixers without him and 0-2 with him, but he was playing through the injury in his two games. Lowry ranked fourth on the team in scoring (13.4 points per game) and first in assists (7.5 per game) this season.

With Miami playing Boston next round, the team could use Lowry as an offensive option, as the Celtics are viewed as one of the league’s elite defenses. The Heat will likely continue to rely more on Gabe Vincent, Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo until Lowry returns.

Here are some other notes from Miami:

Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines whether playing Lowry off the bench is a viable option. The Heat have started Vincent in place of Lowry and may not want to impact its ongoing chemistry, but Lowry started in all 63 of his regular season games this season. Aside from being a better player, Lowry also holds more playoff experience than Vincent does, making a move to the bench seem unlikely.
Max Strus has played a key role in the team advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press writes. Strus finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds in Game 5 against the Sixers last round, then recorded 20 points and 11 rebounds to win the series in Game 6. “It’s one of the biggest moments, not only in my career, but in my life,” Strus said. “This is the moment you want to be in being a basketball player and doing what we do for a living. And I’m super excited and want to start [next series] tomorrow.”
Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald explores how most advanced metrics say Jimmy Butler has been the best player in the playoffs. Butler’s traditional stats have also been superb, as he’s averaging a career-high 28.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. He has also shot 52.5% from the floor and 36% from three-point range, leading Miami to an 8-3 postseason record.