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Celtics Notes: Smart, Williams, Udoka, Game 7

May 15th, 2022 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Marcus Smart couldn’t sleep after the embarrassing end to the Celtics‘ Game 5 loss, but he redeemed himself as Boston won Game 6 in Milwaukee, writes Andrew Callahan of The Boston Herald. With the Celtics trailing by a point in the closing seconds on Wednesday, Smart had his shot blocked by Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, who clinched the game seconds later by stealing the ball from Smart.

“That final minute, those final minutes, ate me alive,” Smart said. “My guys, teammates, coaches, were doing a good job of making sure that I stay as composed as I could and keep my mind right, cause I was really hurt after that. I felt like I let my team down. ‘Just be you.’ That’s just all they kept telling me. (Celtics assistant) Damon Stoudamire pulled me to the side and just told me — cause I dropped my head a couple times in those possessions — he was just, ‘I’ve never seen you do that and I just want you to not to lose confidence in yourself because we need you.’”

Instead of lying awake, Smart spent the night at the Celtics’ practice facility and regained his focus for Game 6. He scored 21 points, handed out seven assists and showed why he was this season’s Defensive Player of the Year by limiting Bucks’ shooters to 33% from the field when he was their primary defender.

“That was to be expected. We have all the confidence in the world in Smart,” Jayson Tatum said. “We knew that he was gonna come back and be the player that we needed him to be on the road in this Game 6, and he stepped up. He was big for us tonight, especially in the beginning, making the right plays.”

There’s more from Boston:

Injured center Robert Williams has been upgraded to questionable for Game 7 on the Celtics’ injury report (Twitter link). Williams hasn’t played since suffering a bone bruise in his left knee in Game 3, and coach Ime Udoka said Williams’ pain tolerance will determine whether he’ll be active today, according to Trevor Hass of Boston.com. Udoka explained that the injury affects Williams’ mobility on certain movements, but he doesn’t believe it’s a long-term concern.
Warriors forward Draymond Green sent out a tweet Friday night stating that Udoka doesn’t receive enough credit for the job he’s done with the Celtics. “I just watched Bucks/Celtics highlights on (ESPN’s Sports Center),” Green wrote. “They showed something about Mike Buldenholzer and then some of the Celtics players talking about the game. But, did not show Ime Udoka at all. Did he make any adjustments from game 5 to 6? Does Ime do Interviews? Just wondering???”
The Celtics have lost twice at home to the Bucks already in this series, but they’re glad to have Game 7 in Boston, per David Brandt of The Associated Press. “It means everything,” Tatum said. “The best atmosphere in the NBA. Game 7s are the biggest and best games. Looking forward to it, truly. It’s basketball – biggest moments, biggest stage. What it boils down to is now go out there and just have fun.”

Celtics’ Robert Williams Out For Game 6 Vs. Bucks

May 13th, 2022 at 5:22pm CST by Rory Maher

Celtics center Robert Williams will miss Friday’s Game 6 against the Bucks due to pain from the bone bruise in his left knee, which he suffered in Game 3, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN.

Williams collided with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 3 and later experienced swelling from the incident, which kept him out of Game 4. The swelling has subsided, but the pain from the injury has lingered, causing him to miss Game 5 and now Game 6. He’d previously been listed as questionable.

“I’m disappointed, as we all are, but looking out for his health first and foremost,” said head coach Ime Udoka, adding that Williams won’t play until he’s 100 percent (Twitter links via Jared Weiss and Jay King of The Athletic).

Williams is considered day-to-day and there’s a chance he could return for Game 7 if Boston defeats Milwaukee, per Weiss (via Twitter). The Bucks currently lead the second-round series 3-2.

Although Williams underwent left knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus at the end of March, the bone bruise is unrelated to that procedure and stems solely from what happened in Game 3.

The 24-year-old has had a breakout fourth season, emerging as a legitimate candidate for an All-Defensive nod. He averaged 10.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.0 APG and 2.2 BPG with an impressive .736 FG% in 61 regular season games (29.6 MPG).

He’s been limited by conditioning and foul trouble in some postseason games, averaging 6.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 1.8 BPG in five games (20.2 MPG). Still, it’s a big absence for Boston in a must-win elimination game on the road. Game 6 tips off at 6:30pm CT on ESPN.

Eastern Notes: Knicks, R. Williams, Isaac, Portis

May 13th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks held a free agent mini-camp this week, according to Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog (Twitter link), who says a number of players with NBA experience were in attendance.

Guards Devon Dotson and Chris Clemons, swingman DaQuan Jeffries, forwards Louis King and George King, and big men Alize Johnson and Reggie Perry were among the players who participated in the Knicks’ mini-camp, per Zagoria. John Petty, Craig Randall, Carlik Jones, Aaron Henry, and A.J. Lawson also took part.

The Knicks won’t necessarily sign any of the free agents who attended the mini-camp, but it gave them a chance to see some of the talent that’s out there as they mull possible Summer League and training camp invites.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Celtics big man Robert Williams, who is still listed as questionable for Game 6 on Friday, was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his left knee after colliding with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 3, head coach Ime Udoka said today. Williams’ injured knee is the same one he had surgery on in March, but that procedure isn’t the cause of his current absence. “There’s no problems with the surgery at all,” Udoka said, per Andrew Lopez of ESPN. “It’s just that specific hit that he took (in Game 3).”
Because of the injury-related language and games-played requirements in Jonathan Isaac‘s contract with the Magic, his $17.4MM annual salaries for the next three years are now partially guaranteed instead of fully guaranteed, as Keith Smith of Spotrac tweets. Isaac has missed two straight seasons due to an ACL tear, but there’s no indication that the Magic are considering waiving him, which is the only way they could avoid paying his full salaries.
Bobby Portis only shot 4-of-14 from the floor in the Bucks‘ Game 5 win on Wednesday, but he grabbed 15 rebounds and made the sort of crucial hustle plays the team values, writes Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Averaging a double-double (11.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG) so far this postseason, Portis is once again displaying his value ahead of possible free agency. He holds a $4.6MM player option for 2022/23.

Atlantic Notes: Reddish, Knicks, Williams, Maxey

May 12th, 2022 at 10:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Forward Cam Reddish has been at the Knicks’ training center over the past week and has started basketball activities, including light shooting, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports.

Reddish, who was acquired by the Knicks from Atlanta in January, saw his season end prematurely in early March when he suffered a separated right shoulder. As a former first-round pick entering his fourth season, Reddish is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.

In 15 games (14.3 MPG) with the Knicks, Reddish put up modest totals of 6.1 PPG and 1.4 RPG on .415/.258/.906 shooting.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The realistic goal for the Knicks to upgrade their roster is to put the pieces in place to trade for a top-level player, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. In terms of the draft, if the Knicks don’t move up in the lottery, Hollinger believes they ought to target Australian guard Dyson Daniels. Daniels who played in the G League has a pass-first mentality and the ability to guard multiple positions.
Celtics center Robert Williams is listed as questionable for Friday’s Game 6 against the Bucks, Jared Weiss tweets. Williams averaged 23.3 MPG in the first three games of the series but sat out the last two games.
Tyrese Maxey was surprised he slipped to No. 21 in the 2020 draft, the spot where the Sixers snapped him up, as he told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. He thought he might go as high as No. 11 to the Spurs. He also thought the Magic at No. 15 and the Heat at No. 20 would take him. “Miami, Orlando and San Antonio. Those were the three teams I thought would draft me,” Maxey said. “When I started slipping, I was upset, but I kept reminding myself that my dream of getting drafted was coming true.”

Robert Williams Will Miss Game 5

May 11th, 2022 at 4:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics center Robert Williams will miss Wednesday’s game against the Bucks because of soreness in his left knee, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Williams, who underwent meniscus surgery on the knee March 27, returned midway through the first-round series with the Nets and was able to play in the first three games against Milwaukee. Coach Ime Udoka said the swelling that kept him out of Monday’s Game 4 has subsided, but the pain is persisting.

“Still has some soreness and is going to be overly cautious coming off of surgery until it’s pain free,” Udoka said, adding that the soreness affects Williams’ mobility (Twitter link).

Grant Williams will once again take his place in the starting lineup. The series is tied at 2-2.

Robert Williams Won’t Play Monday

May 9th, 2022 at 5:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Celtics center Robert Williams will not play in Game 4 against the Bucks on Monday due to left knee soreness, the team’s PR department tweets.

Williams’ knee soreness was expected, coach Ime Udoka told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (Twitter link) and other media members. The team’s starting big man tried to work out prior to game and couldn’t move like the team wanted, according to Udoka. Udoka believes that by resting Williams tonight, he’ll be able to play in Game 5, Jared Weiss of The Athletic tweets.

It’s a tough blow for a team facing a 2-1 series deficit on the road.

Williams missed the latter portion of the regular season due to meniscus surgery. He has appeared in five postseason games, including three starts, and has averaged 6.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 1.8 BPG in 2o.2 MPG.

Boston will go with a smaller starting lineup with Grant Williams starting in Robert Williams’ place.

Atlantic Notes: Rivers, Harden, VanVleet, R. Williams

April 30th, 2022 at 8:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers coach Doc Rivers is responding to criticism about having center Joel Embiid still on the court late in Game 6 against the Raptors with a 29-point lead, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid was struck by an inadvertent elbow from Pascal Siakam, resulting in an orbital fracture and concussion that has him sidelined indefinitely.

“It wasn’t four minutes left and 29 points,” Rivers said. “He scored the bucket [at the 4:10 mark] to make it 29. And in the playoffs, just so everyone knows, so we can not talk about blame and talk about winning this next series.”

After a reporter interrupted to ask, “So why was he in?” Rivers answered, “Because everyone was in. The other team had all their guys in, too. The last five minutes of the game, we made the run the last minute … right before that. That’s when we got up 29. After Joel made the shot and did the [celebratory] airplane, if you watched the game, I turned and said, ‘I’m calling a timeout on the next possession.’”

Rivers also pointed out that in the playoffs, virtually every team leaves its starters in until about three or four minutes are left, regardless of the score.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Embiid’s absence will result in James Harden becoming the focal point of the offense, Pompey adds. Harden averaged 19.0 points and 10.2 assists per game in the first-round series against Toronto, but Rivers indicated he’ll be asked to do more scoring until Embiid returns. “We are going to play more of a James-dominant offense than we have because we have to,” Rivers said. “We’re going to space the floor more. We’re going to play in space more.”
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet said the hip flexor that forced him to miss time in the playoffs shouldn’t linger into the offseason, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. VanVleet was also dealing with a bone bruise on his knee that happened before the All-Star break. He indicated that he’s interested in discussing an extension with the team this summer (Twitter link from Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports).
Celtics center Robert Williams has been doing extra conditioning work since returning from knee surgery, coach Ime Udoka tells Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Udoka also said the wrap that Al Horford is wearing on his left thumb and hand is just a result of “the regular nicks and bruises from the playoffs.” (Twitter link)

Injury Notes: Doncic, Williams, Lowry, Capela

April 23rd, 2022 at 10:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

Playing Saturday for the first time in nearly two weeks, Mavericks guard Luka Doncic showed no ill effects from his strained left calf, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Doncic logged 34 minutes, resting halfway through the first and third quarters. He posted 30 points, 10 rebounds and four assists and hit a late three-pointer to give Dallas a four-point lead before the Jazz rallied to win.

“I’m just excited to be back,” Doncic said. “I had fun out there, just having fun playing basketball. What could be better than in the playoffs? The playoffs are the most exciting, so I’m just glad to be back.”

Doncic admitted feeling winded during stretches of the game — MacMahon notes that Utah targeted him defensively, especially in the first half. However, Doncic said the calf didn’t slow him down.

“At the beginning, I was just thinking about it a little bit,” he said. “I think in the middle of the game I kind of forgot about it.”

There are more injury-related items to pass along:

There was also good news for the Celtics tonight as center Robert Williams returned for the first time since a meniscus tear on March 27. Williams played 16 minutes and said his knee didn’t hurt after the game (video link from Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe).
There’s “cautious optimism” from people close to Heat guard Kyle Lowry that the left hamstring injury he suffered Friday isn’t serious, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Lowry didn’t practice with the team today, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN, and was walking “gingerly.” A source close to Lowry tells McMenamin that the injury is day to day, but Lowry said he is monitoring it “hourly.” Miami’s injury report lists him as questionable for Game 4, which will take place Sunday night. Gabe Vincent or Tyler Herro would likely start at point guard if Lowry isn’t available, Chang states.
The Hawks have upgraded center Clint Capela to questionable for Sunday’s game, per Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who adds that his status may be a game-time decision. Capela hasn’t played since suffering a hyperextended right knee in an April 15 play-in game.

Robert Williams Cleared For Game 3

April 23rd, 2022 at 5:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

Injured Celtics center Robert Williams will return to action in Saturday’s Game 3 against the Nets, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Coach Ime Udoka said Williams will come off the bench and is expected to play in short spurts totaling 20 to 24 minutes.

Williams has been sidelined since having a surgical procedure in late March for a torn meniscus in his left knee. Boston was able to win the first two game of the series without Williams’ presence in the middle.

There have been reports over the past week or so that Williams was making progress and was targeting Game 3 or 4 for a possible return. His original recovery timeline was four to six weeks after suffering the injury on March 27 and undergoing surgery a few days later, so he’s coming back ahead of schedule.

The fourth-year center played an important role in the Celtics’ late-season rise up the standings to the No. 2 seed. He became a full-time starter this year and posted career-best numbers across the board with averages of 10.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 61 games.

Eastern Notes: Embiid, Williams, Adebayo, Durant

April 23rd, 2022 at 2:34pm CST by JD Shaw

Sixers superstar Joel Embiid is playing in Game 4 against the Raptors on Saturday despite dealing with a thumb injury. An initial exam revealed that Embiid may have suffered ligament damage, but an MRI is still needed to confirm that, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne (Twitter link).

Head coach Doc Rivers admitted on Saturday that there’s concern about the injury.

“The one thing we know is it can’t get worse,” Rivers said, as tweeted by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.

Embiid clearly has no plans of sitting and will likely undergo an MRI when the team returns to Philly.

There’s more from the Eastern Conference today:

The Celtics aren’t taking any additional risks by playing Robert Williams III in Game 3, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. Williams has been recovering from torn meniscus surgery and last played on March 27. “If you’re going to be working him hard and putting him through contact in practice to get him ready, there’s no real additional risk to having him do it in a game for a few minutes here and there,” an NBA medical source told Bulpett. “You’re not putting a lot on his shoulders, and you could be helping his progress.”
Heat center Bam Adebayo is once again struggling in the playoffs, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. After averaging 15.5 points on 46% shooting against the Bucks in last year’s first-round series, Adebayo has tallied just 28 total points through three games against the Hawks. He finished with 13 points on nine shots in Game 4, attempting only one shot in the fourth quarter. The Heat were outscored in that quarter by a score of 34-25.
Sam Amick of The Athletic examines how the Celtics have defended Nets superstar Kevin Durant, who has shot just 13-of-41 through two games (32%). Boston has one of the best defensive groups in the league, making it harder for Durant to get to his spots, abuse matchups and score.