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Celtics Notes: Theis, Porzingis, Holiday, Mazzulla

January 28th, 2024 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Daniel Theis considered rejoining the Celtics after reaching a buyout agreement with Indiana in November, according to Brian Robb and Souichi Terada of MassLive. After the Clippers played Saturday at Boston, Theis said he discussed the move with some of the Celtics’ stars before deciding on L.A.

“Obviously, I had a couple of conversations (with Boston),” Theis said. “I talked to Jayson (Tatum) a little bit there with Jaylen (Brown). But like I said, the Clippers were pretty fast, gave me the right chance at the right time. So, for me, it was just all about getting back on the court. Indiana just wasn’t right for me, it wasn’t a fit. For me, it was just getting back on the court as quick as I can and just compete out there and enjoy basketball.”

Theis was looking for an immediate opportunity to play after being stuck on the Pacers’ bench, and the Clippers were able to offer that with backup center Mason Plumlee sidelined at the time with a knee injury. Robb and Terada note that Boston may be looking to add another big man before the trade deadline, and Theis would have been perfect for that role.

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Saturday’s loss displayed how shorthanded the team can be in the frontcourt without Kristaps Porzingis, who sat out the game after spraining his ankle Thursday night, Robb notes in a separate story. However, the injury is considered minor, and coach Joe Mazzulla doesn’t expect Porzingis to miss much time, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
After Jrue Holiday expressed a desire to sign an extension in Boston, Chris Forsberg speculated Saturday on Celtics Pregame Live that the veteran guard might be open to a new deal that starts at around $35MM and declines slightly each season, relays Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston. Forsberg notes that Al Horford accepted a similar structure (at a much lower price point), and it would provide security for Holiday while preserving some financial flexibility for the team.
Mazzulla doesn’t have a strong opinion on whether the recent trend of players reaching the 70-point mark is beneficial for the league, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. “I don’t really care,” he said. “Either way I don’t really care if it’s good or not. What’s good is that our teams play defense. If you look around the league one of the things that separates us — and there’s a few other teams — is the best players play defense.”

Atlantic Notes: Porter, Porzingis, Thomas, Claxton

January 27th, 2024 at 11:09am CST by Tristan Tucker

A pathway to playing time for Jontay Porter quickly opened up after signing with the Raptors on a two-way contract in December, an opportunity he’s taking advantage of, writes Sportsnet.ca’s Michael Grange. Toronto traded away Precious Achiuwa, and then Jakob Poeltl got injured, resulting in Porter starting five games in a row for the Raptors.

Porter, 24, had a brief stint with the Grizzlies in 2020/21 but had his career set back by numerous knee injuries and hadn’t appeared in a game since May 2021. Now with the Raptors, some of his recent starts have been productive, including going for 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks against Chicago. He also had nine points, six rebounds, six assists, two blocks and two steals against Utah.

“I’d have to write a book to write down all the things I’ve learned in this short period of time,” Porter said. “Every game, every matchup it seems like when I’m learning something new. A lot of the time it’s from mistakes I’m making, which, you know, it sucks to make mistakes, but at the same time, not having a lot of experience, I’m just happy to be out there. But I’m learning so that hopefully the next game out I can do better, eliminate those mistakes, and help our team win. But for the steady minutes and the steady gameplay, it’s just a blessing, man. And yeah, it’s been a lot of fun to just play basketball.”

Head coach Darko Rajakovic isn’t just handing out minutes, Grange writes, and Porter’s playing time will likely continue to fluctuate by virtue of the fact that he’s on a two-way contract. He’s also currently dealing with an eye injury. However, Grange points out that Rajakovic was an assistant in Memphis when Porter played there, and that level of comfortability helped Porter get acclimated.

“I like his game,” Rajakovic said. “I think he’s a young player with potential and definitely we want to give him a chance. We’re learning a lot about the team, we’re building a new team over here, so we’re going to give him a really good look, so we know what he’s got to do.”

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Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis sprained his ankle and left Boston’s Thursday game against the Heat midway through the third quarter. Porzingis went straight to the locker room and the sprain diagnosis was made minutes later, but according to ESPN, Porzingis said postgame he doesn’t think it’s a big deal. “I just went to contest Bam [Adebayo]‘s shot and just landed on his foot and rolled my ankle,” Porzingis said. “Not too bad. Got me pretty good in the moment. But feeling pretty good now.“
The Nets have experienced a handful of recent close losses and Cam Thomas is frustrated by the “same exact stuff” that’s plaguing them during this stretch, NetsDaily’s Lucas Kaplan writes. Thomas hasn’t been able to crack Brooklyn’s closing lineup and said his fourth quarter minutes seem to be “random.” Additionally, when asked whether most of Brooklyn’s issues came on offense or defense, Thomas said to “ask the coach.”
Nic Claxton squared off against Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns on Thursday as the Nets took on the Wolves, holding his own in the matchup and finishing with 16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. “I think I’m a great big man,” Claxton said via the New York Post’s Bridget Reilly. “Any time I have a matchup like that, one of the quote unquote top centers in the league, I always take it personal to go out and be the best version of myself. I’m an extremely competitive person. I love basketball and I love to compete so I bring that every single night.“

Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Brown, Pritchard, Horford, G. Williams

January 22nd, 2024 at 11:56am CST by Arthur Hill

With the Rockets focused on shutting down Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics relied on Kristaps Porzingis in Sunday’s win at Houston, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Providing an option that Boston has lacked in recent seasons, the 7’3″ Porzingis was able to easily shoot over Houston’s smaller defenders on a 32-point night.

“Each night it could be a different guy that has a good game,” Porzingis said. “And we have the trust in each other that we’re willing to sacrifice, ‘let’s get this guy the ball, he’s having a good night.’ And tonight it was my night. Got a couple passes from (Brown) late and took advantage of the mismatch.”

Porzingis also sank a season-high six three-pointers as he tormented the Rockets from both inside and outside. With Porzingis dominating the scoring, Brown became a distributor, registering a triple double and reaching 10 assists for the first time in almost two years.

“He’s becoming a better play-maker, he’s becoming a better guy at understanding the flow of the game,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “There were a couple of plays that were a direct learning experience from the (Denver) game with the reads and them trying to change matchups. I thought Jaylen did a good job of playing with poise, using his speed to generate a cross-match, finding it and making the right play. He continues to get better and better.”

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Rockets coach Ime Udoka noted the development of Payton Pritchard, whose playing time was limited during the season Udoka coached in Boston, Washburn states in a separate story. Udoka gave more minutes to veteran guard Dennis Schröder before he was traded at midseason. “The year I was there [Pritchard] wasn’t happy, and was visibly unhappy at times,” Udoka recalled. “You understand what we had with the guys that were playing in front of him. Obviously Dennis was playing at a high level, but once the trade happened what I told him was to stay patient and be ready at all times, which I knew he was going to be. He came and talked to me about it two or three times to convey that message. But he was ready when it counted.”
Al Horford sat out Sunday’s game and will be active for tonight’s contest at Dallas, Washburn adds. The Celtics continue to be careful with the 37-year-old big man, who hasn’t played in a back-to-back since returning to Boston in 2021. “Mostly it’s just what’s best for the team,” Mazzulla explained about the decision process on when to play Horford. “He’s very open. Whatever he has to do for the team, he’ll do. Just an ongoing discussion about what the matchups are, what we think is best for him and the team.”
Brown joked that he expects former teammate Grant Williams to have “an annoying game” when the Mavericks host the Celtics tonight, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Williams was a vocal presence during his four seasons in Boston before being shipped to Dallas in a sign-and-trade deal last summer.

Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Tatum, Holiday, Trade Deadline

January 20th, 2024 at 8:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics lost a home game for the first time this season on Friday night, but the matchup with Denver gave Kristaps Porzingis a taste of a championship atmosphere, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Weiss notes that not only was Porzingis the only starter on Friday who hasn’t been to the NBA Finals, he’s never won a playoff series. Matching up with Nikola Jokic in a potential Finals preview offered a hint of what Porzingis and his team will face when the playoffs begin.

“It’s just pure basketball talent,” Porziņgis said of Jokic. “Pure basketball mastermind. He’s the best player in the world and he’s just so crafty. Kind of almost makes you fall asleep like he’s not doing anything and just slides by you. He has so many tricks and so many things that he can do and then making so many tough shots that are not really tough for him because — I guess they’re not because he’s just been making them for a long time and you have to live with those.”

The Celtics acquired Porzingis last summer to fortify their frontcourt and provide size and shooting for another long playoff run. Injuries have been the main concern surrounding Porzingis throughout his career, but he has appeared in 31 of Boston’s first 42 games and he told Souichi Terada of MassLive before Friday’s contest that he’s happy with how he feels halfway through the season.

“Feeling great,” Porzingis said. “Of course, the medical staff is always on the more cautionary side of things and understanding that we have to look at the big picture. I’m feeling great and ready to go tonight.”

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Friday’s loss showed that the Celtics need more late-game options than just giving the ball to Jayson Tatum and expecting him to make a play, observes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Washburn, who points out that Tatum is shooting just 33.3% in clutch situations, calls on coach Joe Mazzulla to get Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Porzingis more involved in the offense when games are tight.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone believes the Celtics have a better chance to win the East this year because of their offseason additions, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Boston was aggressive on the trade market after falling in the conference finals last season, acquiring Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in separate deals. “Porzingis has length, shot-blocking and is a tough matchup because at the five he can step out and shoot the three,” Malone said. “He can roll with force, he can handle the ball. So, a tremendous addition. And Jrue Holiday, to me, is one of the best two-way players in the NBA.”
Finding another veteran guard or wing is likely to be the team’s priority heading into the trade deadline, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. He mentions the Hawks‘ Saddiq Bey as a player who would fit into Boston’s $6.2MM traded player exception and suggests the Grizzlies‘ Xavier Tillman if the Celtics opt to pursue a big man.

Celtics Notes: Brown, Trade Candidates, Tatum, Porzingis

January 9th, 2024 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown and head coach Joe Mazzulla weren’t happy about the reversal of a foul call in the closing seconds of Monday’s 133-131 loss to Indiana. As Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe details, with the scored tied at 131 and three seconds to play, Buddy Hield was initially whistled for a foul on Brown’s shot attempt (video link), but the call was overturned after the Pacers challenged it.

While Mazzulla was clearly irritated, he didn’t have much to say in his postgame presser, according to Himmelsbach, who notes that the Celtics coach repeatedly referred to waiting until Tuesday afternoon to see what the league has to say in its Last Two Minute report. Mazzulla also mentioned that Hield admitted to him that he thought he fouled Brown.

“I mean, I told Joe what I told Joe,” Hield said. “But they have three refs out there and they had the replay center, and that’s what replay is for, I guess. I was thinking I might have hit (Brown) a little bit, but they have three refs out there and they have cameras and they slow down the angles of it. I felt like it was not excessive contact. I know I touched the ball, I maybe nicked Brown in the head a little bit. I’m not too sure.”

Brown was more vocal in expressing his frustration and was upset in particular because he was told by referee James Williams that the replay hadn’t shown Hield hitting him in the head. The Celtics star said he thought the call should be the subject of an investigation.

“That’s what pissed me off, because I know I got hit in the head,” Brown said. “And you see on the replay, it’s pretty obvious I got hit in the head. Then you look me in my eye and tell me that I didn’t. I think that needs to be investigated. Cost my team a game and of course I’m pissed about it.”

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Although the 2023/24 salaries for Luke Kornet, Dalano Banton, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Lamar Stevens will now be fully guaranteed, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll finish the season in Boston, a source tells Brian Robb of MassLive.com. Robb suggests it’s possible that one or more of those players could be used for salary-matching purposes in a trade. It’s also worth noting that attaching a future second-round pick or some cash to one (or more) of them would allow the team to reduce its projected luxury tax bill.
After signing a super-max extension over the summer, Jaylen Brown entered this season looking to improve his play on defense and said he wanted each member of Boston’s starting five to earn All-Defensive votes. As Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston details, Brown has delivered on his personal goal so far, with advanced statistics suggesting he has been one of the NBA’s better defensive players in the first half of 2023/24.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum missed Monday’s loss due to what the team called left ankle sprain injury management. Tatum also sat out games on December 20 and 29 as a result of that left ankle issue, so it appears that the club is just being cautious with his workload. Kristaps Porzingis, meanwhile, was back in action on Monday after leaving Saturday’s contest early due to an eye issue.

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.”

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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.”

Atlantic Notes: Finney-Smith, Nets, Embiid, Celtics

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

The Nets made a change to their starting lineup on Friday night against Washington, with Dorian Finney-Smith replacing Cam Thomas, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Head coach Jacques Vaughn suggested earlier this week that Finney-Smith was likely to return to the starting five.

Thomas is Brooklyn’s leading scorer, averaging 22.8 points per game. However, he also takes 18.8 shots per game, and doesn’t provide much in terms of rebounding (2.8 RPG) or play-making for others (2.3 APG). He has improved defensively in his third season, but it’s still not a strong point.

As Lewis wrote earlier this week, it was seemingly inevitable that Vaughn would make the change, because the Nets have struggled mightily with Thomas starting and have thrived with Finney-Smith playing alongside the other four starters — Spencer Dinwiddie, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and Nic Claxton.

Finney-Smith can’t create his own shot like Thomas, but he’s bigger, a far superior defender, plays within the flow of the offense, and has been scorching hot from deep in 2023/24, averaging 44.8% from three on 5.5 attempts per night.

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Joel Embiid — the reigning MVP and current Eastern Conference Player of the Week — will miss the Sixers’ back-to-back set on Friday and Saturday, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). Saturday will mark Embiid’s fourth straight absence. He’s been dealing with a right ankle sprain, which he sustained last Friday vs. Toronto. Nicolas Batum (right hamstring strain) is also out Friday, but he’ll be back tomorrow against Chicago, Pompey tweets.
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.

Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Embiid, Porzingis, Ollie

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

The Sixers could put off acquiring another star player until the offseason, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link).

Speaking on the “NBA on ESPN” show, Wojnarowski stated that Philadelphia would prefer to preserve its cap space for next summer and then pursue a max salary player in a trade or free agency. As for this season, the Sixers are more likely to just seek a less splashier move.

“When (the Sixers) made the James Harden trade with the Clippers, there was a sense they may have to … at the trade deadline, find a star player to be able to keep up with Boston and Milwaukee in the East. They’re showing with this group they can do it maybe without a third star, maybe (do) something around the edges,” Wojnarowski said.

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The Sixers will have to go without their superstar for at least one more game. Joel Embiid, who didn’t play against Miami on Christmas Day, won’t suit up against Orlando on Wednesday, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Embiid, named the conference’s Player of the Week on Tuesday, is nursing an ankle injury he suffered on Friday against Toronto.
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.”
Kevin Ollie joined Jacque Vaughn‘s Nets staff early in the summer after being one of the finalists for the Pistons’ head coaching position. The New York Daily News’ CJ Holmes details the impact Ollie has made on the staff and the players.

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.”

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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.

Injury Notes: Martin, Porzingis, Tatum, Towns, Cavs

December 22nd, 2023 at 11:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Fifth-year wing Cody Martin was unfortunately limited to seven games last season following left knee surgery, and he has yet to play in 2023/24. However, he could make his season debut on Saturday against Denver, as the Hornets have officially listed him as questionable (Twitter link).

As Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer tweets, Martin’s last appearance was on January 14, so it’s been 11-plus months since he suited up. Second-year center Mark Williams (low back contusion) seems likely to miss his seventh straight game though, as he’s doubtful for Saturday’s contest.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

After sustaining a left ankle sprain on Wednesday against Sacramento, Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis has been ruled out for Saturday’s contest vs. the Clippers, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Jayson Tatum, who missed his first game on Wednesday, is questionable with the same injury as Porzingis. Adam Himmselsbach of The Boston Globe speculates (via Twitter) that Porzingis won’t be sidelined for very long, as he spotted the Latvian big man carrying his own massage table at the team’s hotel on Friday.
Timberwolves forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns (left knee soreness) is out for Saturday’s contest in Sacramento, the team announced (via Twitter). However, Towns’ absence is only “precautionary,” according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who reports that the big man isn’t expected to miss extended time (Twitter link).
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell will miss his third consecutive game on Saturday due to an illness, while Sam Merrill is questionable for the matchup with Chicago with a right wrist sprain, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.