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Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Horford, Irving, Tatum

June 1st, 2024 at 4:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics haven’t offered any indication of whether Kristaps Porzingis will be ready when the NBA Finals open Thursday night, but he appears to be trending in the right direction, writes Matt Vautour of MassLive. Porzingis, who has been sidelined by a calf strain since April 29, was a full participant at Saturday’s practice, although coach Joe Mazzulla clarified that it was a light workout, with a more intense session planned for Sunday.

“He did everything the team did,” Mazzulla told reporters. “We’ll go significantly harder tomorrow. Today was kind of moderate, but he went through everything that the team did today.”

Porzingis’ presence will be important against Dallas, which has gotten stellar performances from its center duo of Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II throughout the playoffs. Mazzulla declined to say if Porzingis will return to a full workload if he’s medically cleared for Game 1.

“He’s a great player. He’s done a lot of great things for us,” he said. “Just like any other guy, you go through what gives us the best chance to win, what gives us the best possible chance to win this series, this game, these matchups. When K.P. is at his best he’s been tremendous for us. We know he’ll give that to us.”

There’s more from Boston:

  • Celtics players who were part of the NBA Finals team two years ago believe that playoff run will be beneficial this time around, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. In 2022, Boston faced a Golden State squad that had an edge in playoff experience, but now the Celtics will be in that role against Dallas. “I think it is gonna help tremendously, because the first time, it felt like a roller coaster,” Al Horford said. “Just a lot going on. The increased coverage of media and all the responsibilities that we had and just everything that came with it. So I just think that this time around, we all have an understanding. We know what things are like, and I feel like we’ll be able to manage everything better.”
  • Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving will be cast in the villain’s role as he returns to Boston with a championship on the line, notes Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated. Irving had an uneasy relationship with the fans during his two seasons as a Celtic, and he infamously stomped on the team’s logo at center court after Brooklyn completed a first-round sweep in 2021.
  • Those hard feelings don’t carry over to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who were Irving’s teammates early in their careers, Vautour adds along with Brian Robb in another MassLive story. Tatum and Brown are both grateful for the guidance Irving provided as they got accustomed to the NBA. “Obviously there were some ups and downs but I think, for me, being a first, second-year player, being around a superstar, essentially, every day and seeing how to navigate that space,” Tatum said. “And then obviously on the court, he’s one of the most talented guys I’ve ever seen. So it seems like a very long time ago, but I’ve got a lot of great memories from having Kai as a teammate.”
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Celtics Notes: Finals, Porzingis, Brown, Holiday, Stevens

May 28th, 2024 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics have lost four Eastern Conference finals and one NBA Finals since drafting Jaylen Brown in 2016, but the veteran wing believes this year’s club is capable of breaking through and being the one that wins a championship, as he told reporters after the C’s secured their spot in the Finals with a win over Indiana on Monday.

“We feel like we’re a different team than we were last year and the year before that,” Brown said, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “I know everybody wants to continue to kind of pigeonhole us to what was happening in the past but we’ve had a different team every single year, different coaches, we’ve had like three coaches in the last five years. And still people want to make it seem like it’s the same, it’s the same, it’s the same.

“Time has gone by, experience has been gained and I think we are ready to put our best foot forward.”

This year’s version of the Celtics was certainly the best regular season team in recent franchise history, winning 64 games and registering the third-best net rating in NBA history (+11.7). Boston’s critics remain skeptical of the team’s playoff résumé not only due to its past losses but also because the team had a relatively clean path to the NBA Finals. Each of the three opponents the Celtics have beaten so far in the postseason were missing their best player (Jimmy Butler, Donovan Mitchell, and Tyrese Haliburton) for part or all of the series.

Still, the C’s have handily beaten the opponents in front of them, performing well in clutch situations and recording a league-best +10.8 net rating in the playoffs (Dallas’ net rating, by comparison, is +3.5).

“We feel comfortable in any type of game,” Derrick White said on Monday, per Steve Buckley of The Athletic. “We feel like we have the answers for anything teams throw at us, no matter what the scenario is.”

Here’s more on the Celtics as they prepare for a lengthy layoff before the Finals tip off on June 6:

  • Will Kristaps Porzingis be ready to return from his right calf injury by the time the Finals begin next Thursday? That’s the hope, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, but it’s not a lock. “There’s definitely optimism. There are still some hurdles, I’m told, that he has to clear before he can play in Game 1 of the Finals,” Charania said on FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link). “… Porzingis has to make sure he’s 100% healthy. This could, of course, lead to worse injuries if you do end up getting back on the floor sooner than you’re supposed to. But there’s obviously hope the next week-and-a-half he’s able to ramp up and get ready.”
  • Brown and teammate Jrue Holiday each earned a contract bonus for making the NBA Finals, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter links). Brown has now maxed out his incentives this season, earning a total of $3,321,428 (on top of his $28,508,929 base salary) for a series of individual and team achievements, while Holiday earned an extra $297,600 as a result of the Celtics winning the East. Holiday can further increase his total bonus money for this season if Boston wins the title.
  • Brown, who made it a goal this season to be an All-Defensive player, admitted he was more disappointed to miss out on that honor than he was not to make an All-NBA team, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. But Brown added that he’s not dwelling on either outcome and knows his own value as a “versatile two-way wing,” which his teammates also recognize. “We ask a lot of him. (On Monday), he started out guarding (Andrew) Nembhard, then he switched up to (Pascal) Siakam, he probably was on (Myles) Turner,” Al Horford said. “He was on different people all over. That versatility is what makes us so tough as a team.” As we detailed in an earlier story, Brown was named the MVP of the Eastern Conference finals.
  • Brad Stevens‘ aggressive 2023 offseason – which included trading away longtime franchise pillar Marcus Smart in a deal for Porzingis and then making a second blockbuster deal for Holiday – has paid major dividends to this point, writes Brian Robb of MassLive.com. As Robb observes, the roster was constructed to withstand the absence of a starter like Porzingis, with Holiday and Horford among the players taking on larger offensive roles to make up for that loss.
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Jaylen Brown Named Eastern Finals MVP

May 28th, 2024 at 6:58am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown was named the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the Larry Bird trophy for 2024, the NBA announced (via Twitter).

Brown narrowly edged out teammate Jayson Tatum, who earned four of nine votes from media members for the honor at the conclusion of Boston’s 4-0 sweep over the Pacers. Brown received the other five votes (Twitter link).

“I wasn’t expecting that at all,” Brown said of the award, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. “I don’t ever win s–t. I was just happy we won.”

Brown scored at least 24 points in all four games of the series, including 40 in last Thursday’s Game 2 win and 29 in Monday’s close-out victory. He averaged 29.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals in 40.9 minutes per game vs. Indiana, making 51.7% of his shot attempts from the field, including 37.0% of his three-pointers.

“He was unreal this whole series, a complete player on both sides of the ball that you don’t really see much these days,” teammate Derrick White said, according to Vardon.

The NBA instituted MVP awards for the conference finals just three years ago, naming the trophies after Bird in the East and Magic Johnson in the West. Tatum was the first ever Eastern Conference Finals MVP in 2022, while Heat star Jimmy Butler took home the honor last spring.

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Celtics Notes: Game 3, Tillman, Tatum

May 26th, 2024 at 4:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Thanks to an impressive comeback from an 18-point deficit, the Celtics were able to improve their Eastern Conference Finals series edge over the Pacers to 3-0 on Saturday, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The decisive moment came when All-Defensive guard Jrue Holiday stole the ball from Indiana guard Andrew Nembhard and drew free throws on the other end, helping put Boston up for good. The Celtics would go on to win, 114-111.

After the game, Celtics All-Star shooting guard Jaylen Brown was still reveling in the moment, per Jay King of The Athletic.

“Hang it in the f—ing Louvre,” Brown said of Boston’s winning rally. “Like, it was crazy. We just had a great grit win tonight.”

Brown singled out Holiday for his excellent perimeter defense, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

“Jrue is different,” Brown said. “Nothing really else to say. Jrue is just different.”

There’s more out of Boston:

  • Celtics big man Xavier Tillman, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, helped give Boston a defensive spark off the bench in the Game 3 victory, posting a team-best plus-12 in his 13 minutes of action, notes Souichi Terada of MassLive. “He’s a great screener, he creates separation and he has the gift defensively to be able to play both drop and switch,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “So we were able to change our coverages when he was out there pretty frequently. He can guard different matchups because of his ability to play and drop and in switch, and so he just gave us some versatility.”
  • Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum submitted a terrific effort in leading the club to the brink of its second NBA Finals berth in the past three seasons, scoring 36 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out eight dimes without a turnover. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports writes that Boston’s cohesion as a unit, highlighted by the efforts of Tatum, Holiday and center Al Horford, seems to suggest the team could be ready to finally earn its first title since 2008.
  • For more on Boston, be sure to check out our Celtics team page.
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Celtics Notes: Brown, Tatum, Kornet, Brissett

May 24th, 2024 at 7:03pm CST by Luke Adams

After earning All-NBA honors for the first time a year ago as a member of the Second Team, Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown wasn’t included on the 2023/24 All-NBA teams that were announced on Wednesday. Brown responded on Thursday by performing like the best player on the court in Boston’s Game 2 win over Indiana, racking up 40 points on 14-of-27 shooting in 38 minutes of action.

Asked after the game if the All-NBA snub served as extra motivation entering Thursday’s contest, Brown initially responded, “No I wouldn’t say that. I mean, we’re two games from the (NBA Finals). So honestly, I don’t got the time to give a f–k.”

However, as Brian Robb of MassLive.com writes, when reporters pressed Brown on his thoughts on the All-NBA voting results, the Celtics star admitted to feeling as if not everyone fully appreciates his game.

“I watch guys get praised and anointed who I feel are half as talented as me on either side of the ball,” Brown said. “But at this point in my life, I just embrace it. It comes with being who I am and what I stand for, and I ain’t changing that. I just come out and I’m grateful to step out onto the floor each and every night, put my best foot forward and get better each and every year. Whether people appreciate it or not, it is what it is.”

While Brown didn’t get enough votes from media members to make an All-NBA team this season, his teammates certainly believe he deserved a spot, as Jay King of The Athletic relays.

“I don’t know what they missed, but Jaylen Brown is one of the 15 best players in this game,” Celtics guard Derrick White said. “The whole season, both sides of the ball, he just did so much for us to help us win games, which is the meaning of the game. It’s a shame.”

Here’s more on the Celtics:

  • Jayson Tatum, who made the All-NBA First Team for a third consecutive year, referred to the honor as “special” and said he doesn’t take it for granted, per Karen Guregian of MassLive.com. “I’m thankful to everybody that’s helped me along the way,” Tatum added. “Success is not something you can achieve by yourself. There’s a lot of people that deserve credit in helping me get to where I’m at.”
  • In addition to officially ruling out Kristaps Porzingis (calf strain) for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics announced today (via Twitter) that Luke Kornet is considered doubtful to play on Saturday. Kornet sprained his left wrist in Thursday’s victory. Assuming Kornet is unavailable, the Celtics could rely on smaller lineups when Al Horford rests or could turn to backup center Xavier Tillman, who returned on Thursday and played three minutes after missing Game 1 for personal reasons.
  • With Kornet unavailable for most of Game 3, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla gave playing time to forward Oshae Brissett, who provided a surprise spark after not playing for nearly two weeks, Robb writes for MassLive.com. Brissett scored just two points in his 12 minutes off the bench, but he recorded three steals and matched Brown’s team-high +18 plus/minus mark. “Just trying to do everything I can to get the win,” Brissett said. “Try to do everything I can to give us some energy. We were playing really well. But going into that time, we could definitely turn things around, positive or negative. So I feel like I did a good job of turning us in the positive way and keeping that energy up.”
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2023/24 All-NBA Teams Announced

May 22nd, 2024 at 7:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The All-NBA teams have been announced for the 2023/24 season (Twitter link).

A total of 99 media members voted on the honors, with players receiving five points for a First Team vote, three points for a Second Team vote and one point for a Third Team vote. This year’s All-NBA teams are as follows:

First Team

Second Team

Third Team

Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic were the only two unanimous First Team selections, receiving 99 of 99 possible votes. Doncic earned 98 First Team votes but was named to the Second Team on one ballot. Antetokounmpo (88), Tatum (65), Brunson (37), Edwards (3), and Durant (2) were the only other players to receive multiple First Team votes.

Others receiving votes and their point totals are the Celtics‘ Jaylen Brown (50), the Clippers‘ Paul George (16), the Sixers‘ Tyrese Maxey (16), the Timberwolves‘ Rudy Gobert (12), the Spurs‘ Victor Wembanyama (11), the Pelicans‘ Zion Williamson (11), the Magic’s Paolo Banchero (10), the Kings‘ De’Aaron Fox (9) the Heat’s Bam Adebayo (7) and the Bulls‘ DeMar DeRozan (1).

This is the first season that a minimum number of games was required to qualify for most postseason awards under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Among the stars who might have received All-NBA consideration if they had reached the 65-game threshold are Sixers center Joel Embiid, who was the 2023 MVP, along with Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Knicks forward Julius Randle and Celtics big man Kristaps Porzingis.

This was also the first season that voting for the All-NBA team was positionless, though that didn’t have a huge impact on the results, as the top two teams still feature two guards, a pair of forwards, and a center. The Third Team is made up a center, three guards, and just one forward.

Wembanyama, who received two votes for the Second Team and five for the Third Team, was the only rookie named on any of the ballots. Earlier this week, he became the first rookie to earn a spot on an All-Defensive First Team.

The Lakers with Davis and James and the Suns with Durant and Booker were the only teams to have multiple players honored. They were both eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

Several players became eligible for salary increases or earned a bonus by achieving All-NBA honors. Read more here.

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Celtics Notes: Horford, Brown, Porzingis, Mazzulla

May 16th, 2024 at 10:45am CST by Dana Gauruder

Veteran big man Al Horford delivered his best performance of the postseason at an opportune time. He contributed 22 points, 15 rebounds and five assists as the Celtics eliminated the Cavaliers on Wednesday. He also held down Darius Garland on switches, Jared Weiss of The Athletic notes.

“There’s obviously things that you have to focus on, rebounding and stuff like that, but it made us answer the bell,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “You’ve got to guard your yard. This is what it takes to win this game, this is what it takes to win this series.”

Horford felt his team looked flat in the first half and he needed to do something to change the momentum. “I just wanted to bring that energy to our group, and the group was able to feed off it,” he said.

Horford, 37, has one more year remaining on his contract with a $9.5MM salary.

We have more on the Celtics:

  • Jaylen Brown has taken note of the spirited battles between the Knicks and Pacers. He feels the key to the Eastern Conference Finals will be Boston matching the intensity level of the opponent, he told Jay King of The Athletic. “Definitely gotta get ready to just bring it,” Brown said. “Both of those teams play hard as s–t. That’s what you’ve gotta be ready for. It’s just, how bad do you want it? Those dudes are out there putting their lives on the line, it seems like. They’re diving for loose balls, pulling hamstrings, whatever. How much are we willing to do that? That’s going to be the key.”
  • Brown’s bank account got a boost thanks to Boston reaching the conference finals. He gained a $369,048 bonus under the terms of his contract, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets.
  • Ending the second round series in five games buys more time for Kristaps Porzingis‘ return to action from a calf injury, Brian Robb of MassLive.com notes. Boston’s regulars will be well rested for the conference finals, reducing the need to get Porzingis back into action right away. He’ll also get a couple extra days to recover if the Pacers-Knicks series, or the Nuggets-Wolves, goes the limit. In those instances, Boston would host Game 1 on Tuesday instead of Sunday. Porzingis has begun light workouts during his rehab.
  • Mazzulla showed his growth in the deciding game of the Cleveland series in terms of making in-game adjustments, Robb writes. The Celtics’ head coach was proactive with his timeouts and stuck with Horford instead of going with a smaller lineup in the second half. The offensive strategy also worked well in the fourth quarter with Brown and Jayson Tatum setting up their teammates.
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Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Pritchard, White, Holiday, Brown

May 14th, 2024 at 5:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kristaps Porzingis conducted a light workout on the court on Monday morning, according to Brian Robb of MassLive.com. However, the Celtics big man will miss his sixth consecutive game on Wednesday as he works his way back from a right calf strain, Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets. The Celtics can advance to the Eastern Conference finals with a Game 5 victory over the Cavaliers.

“It’s always great to have him around and we know he’s doing everything he can to get back as quickly and safely as possible,” Derrick White told Robb.

We have more on the Celtics:

  • Backup guard Payton Pritchard, who signed a four-year, $30MM rookie scale extension in October, has scored in double digits in three of the four games against Cleveland. He delivered 11 points in 26 minutes on Monday, including a pivotal 3-pointer late in the third quarter. With just five turnovers in four games, Pritchard has also been a steady ball-handling presence in the backcourt, Robb notes. “I thought Payton’s confidence, and becoming a really good two-way player, just affecting the game both offensively and defensively,” coach Joe Mazzulla said.
  • With Cavs star guard Donovan Mitchell sidelined in Game 4, the Celtics guards focused their attention on Darius Garland, Jared Weiss of The Athletic notes. Though Garland scored 30 points, he needed to take 27 shots to reach that figure with White and Jrue Holiday guarding him. “I’m just thankful those guys are on our team,” Jayson Tatum said of Holiday and White. “The intangible things they do on the defensive end night in and night out, whether it’s chasing shooters around, or fighting through screens, or coming over the top and contesting shots. They do it however long they’re in the game. They’re really the anchor of our defense.”
  • Jaylen Brown is averaging 26.5 points per game in the series, including a 27-point output in Game 4. He wasn’t bashful when discussing his offensive prowess during the series, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe tweets. “I don’t think anybody over there can really guard me,” he said.
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Eastern Notes: Wade, Allen, J. Brown, Claxton, Bucks

May 7th, 2024 at 12:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers forward Dean Wade, who continues to recover from a right knee injury, hasn’t played since March 8, but it’s possible he’ll return to action at some point in the Eastern Conference semifinals, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). Sources tell Fedor that there’s hope Wade will be able to play later in the series, possibly as early as Game 3 or 4 in Cleveland.

Wade is ramping up his on-court activity, having conducted an individual workout on Monday and then doing some light shooting and conditioning work at Tuesday’s shootaround, according to Fedor. His availability later in the series will depend on how his knee responds to the increase in activity.

After averaging a modest 5.4 points per game in 54 regular season appearances, Wade likely won’t be a difference-maker in the series vs. Boston. However, as Fedor observes, the Cavs haven’t gotten much this postseason from Georges Niang, who has made just 6-of-29 (20.7%) shots in six games and has nearly as many fouls (15) as points (17). Having another frontcourt option available off the bench could come in handy for Cleveland.

The presence of another power forward in the rotation would be even more crucial if center Jarrett Allen remains sidelined. Allen, who missed the final three games of the Cavs’ first-round series vs. Orlando, is listed as questionable to play in Game 1 on Tuesday.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

  • Celtics wing Jaylen Brown spoke back in the fall about wanting to take on more challenging defensive assignments and play at an All-Defensive level in 2023/24, and he has delivered on that promise, according to Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston, who says that Brown will likely “draw a heavy dose” of Donovan Mitchell in the second-round series vs. Cleveland. “He’s picking up point guards, he guards bigs,” teammate Derrick White said of Brown. “Just an athletic freak. He can guard so many different positions and he just really bought in this year. I think he was a good defender before the season but just taking it to that next level, just consistently night in, night out, and wanting those challenges. Taking on those challenges and stepping up big time.”
  • Within a look at the Nets‘ upcoming offseason, Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily cites sources who say Brooklyn remains “very confident” in its ability to re-sign unrestricted free agent Nic Claxton, even if his price is in the neighborhood of $25MM per year.
  • Adding athleticism to their roster figures to be a priority for the Bucks ahead of the 2024/25 season, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, who notes that the team will also benefit from many of its key pieces having their first full offseason together — Damian Lillard was acquired just ahead of training camp last fall, while Doc Rivers was hired in January. “I told Giannis (Antetokounmpo) and Dame I’m going to send them things all summer we’re working on for them to work on,” Rivers said. “And they both were very excited about that. I’m assuming Khris (Middleton) will like the same thing. That gives us an advantage.”
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Atlantic Notes: Williams, Martin, Tatum, Brown, Nurse, Randle

May 2nd, 2024 at 10:52am CST by Dana Gauruder

Could Bulls forward Patrick Williams get a fresh start with the Raptors? The Athletic’s Eric Koreen believes Williams could be a realistic free agent target and good fit in Toronto, even though he’ll be eligible for restricted free agency. Caleb Martin, Tyus Jones and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are some of the other free agents who could fill a need on Toronto’s roster, Koreen adds.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Jayson Tatum said that opponents’ game plans in the postseason against the Celtics put an emphasis to “pick up the pace, the pressure, be more physical, crash the glass, do all the intangible things.” Boston showed it could wreck those plans – at least against a depleted Heat team – while advancing to the second round.  “Why don’t we flip the script and be the tougher team?” Tatum told The Athletic’s Jay King. “Why don’t we crash the glass more? Why don’t we pick up the pressure on defense while still being the talented team that we are? It’ll be tough to beat us.”
  • Jaylen Brown‘s bank account benefited from the Celtics’ first-round victory. With his team reaching 49 wins and the second round of the playoffs, Brown received a $553,572 bonus, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets.
  • Sixers coach Nick Nurse said that his team’s improbable late rally in Game 5 against New York on Tuesday shows the value of playing at full tilt until the finish, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “Well, I think that the main thing is that — and I know it sounds very trite — it’s 48 minutes,” Nurse said. “You have to really understand this is 48 minutes and the amount of times I was saying, ‘This is only a two-possession game.’ It felt a lot worse than that. You know what I mean?”
  • Knicks forward Julius Randle has decided to return to Creative Artists Agency for representation, The Athletic’s Fred Katz tweets. Randle left CAA for WME Sports last year.
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