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Latest On Anthony Davis

February 7th, 2019 at 1:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Some members of the Pelicans organization want to get the Anthony Davis trade done today to eliminate the public relations distraction, but those feelings don’t go all the way to the top, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link). The NFL’s Saints remain the priority for owner Gayle Benson and VP Mickey Loomis, who aren’t bothered by the Davis situation.

There’s more news about the top name on the trade market:

  • The Lakers’ last offer to the Pelicans involved Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Ivica Zubac, Josh Hart and a pair of first-round picks, tweets John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7. He suggests the Celtics are prepared to offer Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, Robert Williams, Al Horford (assuming he opts in) and possibly three first-round picks this summer.
  • Davis will pressure the Pelicans to start playing him if he’s not dealt before the deadline, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link). “Every game,” a source said. Davis has been sidelined with a fractured left index finger, but recently received medical clearance.
  • Gambadoro expects Davis to be in the lineup for tomorrow’s game against Minnesota (Twitter link).
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Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Smart, Baynes, Irving

January 20th, 2019 at 9:23pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

As the 2019 trade deadline approaches, more and more reports are surfacing regarding which teams are looking to make additions to their roster ahead of this season’s stretch run. Ken Berger of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the Bradley Beal sweepstakes, in which it is revealed that the Raptors may be looking to add an elite shooting guard this season.

The Raptors have been one of the best teams – if not the best team – in the league so far this season and certainly have the ingredients on their roster for a run to the NBA Finals. However, the team’s shooting has slipped in recent weeks as they are down to 34.3% shooting on 3-pointers, good for 24th in the league (they rank 11th in attempts per game).

While it may be hard for the Raptors to enter the Beal sweepstakes (especially if the Wizards aren’t focused on moving him), it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Toronto does make a move to add another shooter to its rotation for the remainder of the season.

There’s more from the Atlantic division:

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Celtics Notes: Irving, Hunter, Horford, Draft Picks

January 10th, 2019 at 9:49am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics wrapped up a dominant home stand on Wednesday night with a 135-108 win over Indiana, capping off a four-game stretch in which they outscored their opponents by over 20 points per game. Boston has now won seven of nine games since a home loss to Milwaukee on December 21, and Kyrie Irving points to the team meeting that took place after that game a turning point for the C’s, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com details.

“At that point, playing against Milwaukee, we weren’t at rock bottom, but we needed to address some s— in this locker room,” Irving said. “It’s just good to get stuff out in the air. As grown men and guys that have expectations for themselves, it was good to hear guys talk about what they wanted for themselves and what they wanted for this team.”

It has been a somewhat inconsistent first half for the Celtics, who were viewed as the Eastern Conference frontrunners entering the season. The club played just .500 ball in its first 20 games and had a couple more bad losses after that. But as the C’s reach the midpoint of their schedule, they’re back on pace for 50+ wins, and Irving believes they’re starting to hit their stride.

“Everything we talked about at the beginning of the season, I feel like it’s translating now as we continue to get to know one another,” he said. “Meat of the season right now and you can tell that our team is just feeling really good being around each other. And it’s totally different in terms of how we feel out there. It’s just really positive. And when I don’t have to go out there and score 30 it’s cool with me. I probably won’t have to score 30 for us until we play one of the best teams in the league — or, if any — until the playoffs. So I’m happy about that.”

Here’s more out of Boston:

  • Former first-round pick R.J. Hunter, who agreed to a two-way contract with the Celtics, called it a “crazy feeling” to return to his original team two and a half years after being waived, as Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe tweets. “R.J. wants to show the people of Boston they made the right decision when the Celtics drafted him,” agent Mark Bartelstein said, per Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter link). “He turned down all kinds of offers from overseas to make his way back to the NBA. I have so much respect for him.”
  • Al Horford, who missed time with a knee injury in December, figures to remain on a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future, writes Taylor Snow of Celtics.com. After initially looking to limit him to around 25 minutes per game, the Celtics are now willing to go up to 27-28 MPG for Horford, Snow notes.
  • In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Kevin Pelton explores how valuable the Celtics’ four 2019 first-round picks might end up being. Pelton believes that if Boston makes a play for Anthony Davis during the coming offseason, the team’s young players will likely be more valuable trade chips than those draft picks.
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Atlantic Notes: Ntilikina, Horford, Sixers, Irving

December 27th, 2018 at 7:02pm CST by JD Shaw

Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina is set to return to the rotation after sitting out of the team’s game on Christmas, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. The Knicks will play the Bucks on Thursday night, the second matchup between the teams this week.

“He’s a pro, man,” coach David Fizdale said of Ntilikina. “He says, ‘Coach, don’t you worry about that.’ That’s how he talks. He says, ‘I don’t want you to worry about that. I know you are going to get me back in there at some point and I won’t let you down.’

“For a 20-year-old kid to think that way and talk that way even though I know it hurt him, and I know it was hard on him, and I didn’t want to do that to him — he just handled it great. I want him to have a shot back at these guys.”

Ntilikina’s sudden benching likely harmed his confidence, but the 20-year-old has stayed ready for a second opportunity. His mother traveled to New York for the Christmas Day game, according to Berman, making the sudden DNP sting even more for the second-year player.

Ntilikina has averaged 6.3 points per contest in 31 games this season, shooting 34% from the field and 29% from 3-point range. The Knicks drafted him with the No. 8 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Al Horford‘s return brought a calming effect to the Celtics this week, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports writes. Horford returned to Boston’s lineup on Christmas against the 76ers, producing nine rebounds, six assists and solid all-around leadership. “[Horford] just brings a calming presence,” said teammate Kyrie Irving. “[There’s] nothing like having a plus-12[-year] vet out there that knows how to play basketball. He makes the game a lot easier with screening, rebounding, defense, all the intangibles that just demand that effort. And he’s just always locked in, in the game plan.”
  • Despite Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid not being a flawless fit together, the duo still has several years to work out the kinks and improve as members of the Sixers, David Murphy of Philly.com opines. Philadelphia currently owns a 22-13 record behind the production of Simmons, Embiid and Jimmy Butler, good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
  • Despite the Celtics‘ recent success, All-Star Kyrie Irving will need more help if the team hopes to make a late postseason run, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes. The Celtics were expected to be at the top of their conference entering 2019, but the team holds just a 20-13 record and the fifth seed 33 games into the season. Boston sports a talented mix of players around Irving that includes Horford, Jayson Tatum and Gordon Hayward.
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Atlantic Notes: Musa, Horford, Atkinson, Robinson

December 23rd, 2018 at 3:54pm CST by JD Shaw

Nets rookie Dzanan Musa will miss one month with a shoulder injury suffered last Sunday in a G League game, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Musa knew the injury would cost him time immediately, with the sharp pain quickly shooting through his arm.

“Oh yeah, because my arm just went off. I didn’t feel it for like five minutes,” Musa said, according to Lewis. “It was numb. [I couldn’t feel it], not at all. I felt like my arm was gone, so I was pretty afraid.”

The Nets released an official medical update on Musa last week, announcing that he’d begin rehabilitation immediately after being diagnosed with a shoulder subluxation. Musa has appeared in seven games with Brooklyn this season, spending most of the campaign with their minor league affiliate in Long Island.

Musa has held per-game averages of 20.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 16 NBA G League games this season, proving his worth as a young prospect. The Nets drafted him with the No. 29 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, making him the second-youngest player in franchise history.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division today:

  • Al Horford and Marcus Morris will make their returns on Sunday against the Hornets, head coach Brad Stevens announced. Horford will be on a minutes restriction and has missed seven straight games with patellofemoral pain syndrome in his knee, while Morris will return from a one-week absence due to knee soreness. The Celtics have lost three straight games and currently own a 18-13 record.
  • Nets coach Kenny Atkinson was fined $25K for verbally abusing game officials and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection on Friday, the NBA announced in a press release. The incident occurred in the fourth quarter of the Nets’ 114-106 loss to Indiana.
  • Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is progressing in his rehab from a sprained left ankle, according to the team (Twitter link). Robinson has moved from an immobilization boot to an ankle brace and will be out at least one more week, with the 20-year-old missing the club’s last four games.
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Celtics’ Al Horford Listed As Probable For Sunday

December 22nd, 2018 at 3:55pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Celtics may get a needed jolt to the lineup on Sunday as center Al Horford has been upgraded to probable for the team’s game against the Hornets, the team announced. 

Horford has missed the Celtics’ last seven games with, during which time Boston has gone 4-3. However, the Celtics have lost their last three games, which prompted a team meeting following a 13-point loss to the Bucks at home on Friday.

In 22 games this season, Horford has averaged 12.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.4 APG and shot 49.1% from the field. With Aron Baynes sidelined, the Celtics have missed the presence of an experienced big man on defense, which Horford — along with rookie Robert Williams — would provide upon his return.

Despite the recent struggles, the Celtics still wield an 18-13 record, good for a fifth place in the Eastern Conference. With a healthy Horford in tow, Boston would be in good position to snap out of the three-game losing streak.

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Celtics Notes: Baynes, Frontcourt, Roster, Bird

December 20th, 2018 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing this morning on Toucher and Rich in Boston, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge confirmed that Aron Baynes is undergoing surgery today on his broken hand, tweets Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston.

While an exact timeline for Baynes’ return likely won’t be determined until after that procedure is complete, Ainge said that he doesn’t expect the Celtics to seek out roster help while Baynes is sidelined. Boston’s frontcourt is banged up, but Al Horford and Guerschon Yabusele should be ready to return soon, according to Ainge, so reinforcements are on the way.

Here’s more on the Celtics:

  • After an eight-game win streak, Boston has taken a step back over the last two games, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com details. “This is the NBA season. You just want to have great pockets of games, you have good consistent run, and then now you have a lapse,” Kyrie Irving said. “Now it’s [time to] build it back up, continue to work every single day to be a very great team. It’s a work in progress every day.”
  • Coming into the season, the Celtics were viewed as one of the league’s deepest teams, with multiple All-Stars leading the way. However, the supporting cast around Irving has been somewhat underwhelming this season, writes Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. According to Forsberg, last year’s standouts like Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Terry Rozier have “rarely asserted themselves” when the C’s need someone other than Irving to save them this season.
  • Jabari Bird, who was arrested on assault charges in September, appeared in court on Tuesday and is scheduled to do so again on January 30, per Nicole Yang of The Boston Globe (Twitter link). The Celtics appear prepared to continue waiting on a decision from the league before they decide what to do with Bird, though if they really need an extra roster spot, that could change the equation, tweets Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports.
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Al Horford To Miss ‘At Least A Few Games’

December 12th, 2018 at 10:46am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics big man Al Horford is expected to miss “at least a few games,” head coach Brad Stevens told reporters today (Twitter link). According to the team, Horford – who has already missed Boston’s last two contests – has been diagnosed with patellofemoral pain syndrome, colloquially known as runner’s knee.

It’s the latest in a line of injuries or illnesses for the banged-up Celtics, who were also missing Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Aron Baynes, and Guerschon Yabusele on Monday.

If Boston has four players who all miss three or more games and are expected to remain sidelined for the foreseeable future, the club could apply for a hardship exception to sign an extra player, but that shouldn’t be necessary. Irving, Hayward, and Baynes all appear to be day-to-day, so Horford and Yabusele are the only C’s expected to remain on the shelf for the next several games.

The Celtics have looked just fine without Horford so far, beating the Bulls by 56 points on Saturday and the Pelicans by 13 on Monday. Daniel Theis, Robert Williams, and Semi Ojeleye figure to continue earning extra minutes up front until Baynes and Horford are ready to return. The Celtics also have an open two-way contract slot available if they want to add any more frontcourt reinforcements.

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Atlantic Notes: Hezonja, Miles, Dudley

October 1st, 2018 at 11:31am CST by Austin Kent

The Knicks have given offseason addition Mario Hezonja the green light to shoot more, an opportunity the 2015 lottery pick didn’t exactly have throughout three seasons in Orlando.

According to Greg Joyce of the New York Post, head coach David Fizdale plans to “hammer” the swingman about shooting more threes and wishes that he’d be greedier with the ball.

Hezonja understands that he’ll be shouldering some of the offensive load, especially as a potential starter, but wants to make a point of serving as a playmaker for his teammates.

“I’m new here, so I want to get used to other guys, which I’m pretty used to right now,” Hezonja said. “I just want to find them more, get them more involved, get them more shots, get them to feel more comfortable in the game. I know my stuff is going to come regardless.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Raptors have plenty of depth on the wing which could limit the opportunities that C.J. Miles gets to bounce back after a disappointing 2017/18 season. Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes about Miles’ defensive struggles last season and the competition he’ll be up against to get significant minutes this season.
  • The Nets will pay Jared Dudley $9.5MM this season but the 33-year-old could be more than just an expiring contract. Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes about Dudley’s defensive IQ and ability to provide leadership in the locker room as major assets. The slimmed down veteran could also earn minutes as the lone stretch four on the roster.
  • Well aware of the opportunity that the Celtics have to win the Eastern Conference and compete for a title, potential 2019 free agent Al Horford is focused exclusively on playing basketball this season. “We have such a big opportunity that we can’t allow ourselves to look ahead or look at any of that,” Horford told Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. “I’m really locked in with this season.“
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Celtics Notes: Irving, Horford, Butler, Bird

September 22nd, 2018 at 10:19am CST by marksuleymanov

Kyrie Irving is energized as the Celtics prepare for training camp and the preseason. After dealing with a nagging knee injury that ultimately cost him the final month of last season and the playoffs, Irving is ready to prove himself, Jackie MacMullan of ESPN writes.

“I’m moving completely differently,” Irving said. “I’ve worked on my strength and have a heightened awareness of what my body needs on a day-to-day basis. I spent all summer trying get my left leg to catch up with my right. And it’s there.”

Not only will the upcoming season be important for the Celtics — who chase another deep postseason run — it will be key for Irving as enters free agency next summer. Irving will be one of the most sought-after free agents available and a strong, healthy 2018/19 in Beantown will mean a heftier contract. However, interested teams should take note of how Irving worded his answer to why he hasn’t committed long-term to Boston.

“Who wouldn’t be a part of this?” Irving said. “Who wouldn’t want to be a part of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and Al Horford and Gordon Hayward? People keep saying, ‘Why won’t he commit to Boston?’ Well, there are financial implications involved.”

Check out more Celtics note below:

  • The Knicks have long been rumored as a potential destination for Irving next summer as the team will have the cap space to land at least one top free agent — possibly two. However, Irving has not spoken to Jimmy Butler — another potential Knicks target next summer — since 2016, which decreases the chances of New York landing both, SNY’s Adam Zagoria writes.
  • Al Horford is coming off a productive season with the Celtics, which leads to the question of what the veteran center can contribute in his third year with the team. A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston examines how Horford will impact Boston on the court this season.
  • Prior to his arrest for alleged domestic assault and kidnapping of his girlfriend, Celtics’ guard Jabari Bird was being treated for ’emotional issues,’ per Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. Sources tell Bulpett that this was an “out of character” occurrence for Bird, who had been experiencing “panic attacks” in the weeks before the incident. The Celtics were aware that Bird was undergoing treatment.
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