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Post by Admin on May 10, 2024 22:17:08 GMT -5
Cavaliers injury report: 2 players upgraded for Game 3 vs. Celtics
Two of their rotation players were upgraded on the injury report ahead of Game 3, set for 8:30 p.m. Saturday in Cleveland.
Both Dean Wade (knee) and Jarrett Allen (rib) are listed as questionable ahead of Game 3. The series is currently tied up 1-1 after the Cavs blew out the Celtics, getting their first road win of these playoffs Thursday in Game 2. Now, Cleveland snatched home-court advantage in the East semis.
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2024 21:45:58 GMT -5
Kristaps Porzingis likely to miss start of East Finals
(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com
Kristaps Porzingis is expected to sit out at least the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com...
Porzingis did begin light on-court workouts this past week while on the road in Cleveland but Joe Mazzulla has not given any hints about his return timetable while speaking Friday via a conference call. Boston opens up their East Finals series at home against the Knicks or Pacers starting on Tuesday at TD Garden.
Wojnarowski hinted however there is optimism about Porzingis’ returning sometime in the East Finals as the big man progresses with his recovery. Boston will play every other day in the series starting on May 21.
Without Porzingis available, Boston will benefit from some extra rest for their front court players who should see additional playing time next round. Al Horford will remain the starting center while Luke Kornet is expected to continue to see reserve minutes at center after a solid series against the Cavs. Horford played his best game of the postseason in a series-clinching Game 5 win over the Cavs, posting 22 points and 15 rebounds in the victory.
The Celtics tip off Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at 8 p.m. on Tuesday night.
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Post by Admin on May 17, 2024 22:23:16 GMT -5
Celtics offense tactics, East Finals, missed trade opportunity?
By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com
Charles Krupa, AP
Can someone ask Joe about playing Tillman a bit more to get Al a break? Al played great when they needed him but keeping him fresh is important as they work KP back in. — Cs Fan Man
I think Tillman’s chance in the playoff rotation has probably already come and gone barring more injuries hitting. Tillman was given more of a shot in Game 2 but the team’s offense really fell off when he was on the floor. The Cavs ignored him on the perimeter and he doesn’t have enough size to finish consistently in the paint. With Luke Kornet holding his own as a backup center, it’s hard to see Tillman unseating him at this point. Tillman could get another look as an option against Nikola Jokic down the line if all other options are failing but it’s hard to see a matchup where it makes sense to play him in the East Finals. The eventual return of Kristaps Porzingis is also going to push him back further down the depth chart.
Tatum was 0 for 12 this season in last minute high pressure ( Close Game ) shots...the only close game dagger shot vs Cleveland he passed to JB who hit the shot... Would you consider him a choker? He obviously does great in blowouts. - Smoky
He’s had a rough year on that front but if you zoom out over the course of his career, he’s had a lot of big performances in clutch spots. Whether it was Game 7 last year against the 76ers, Game 6 against the Bucks in 2022, there’s enough to outweigh his struggles in a small sample size this year. With that said, I think the Celtics will get their best offense when he’s moving the ball in those clutch moments and doesn’t rely on isolation. The ball may make it back to him on those possessions but the Celtics have enough talent around him now where they are letting opponents off the hook if they don’t try to make the defense get off balance by involving secondary options.
Do you think what we are seeing from the Celtics right now on offense is what we will see from them in the Finals, or is this Mazzulla feeling they can win the East without giving Denver or Dallas or whoever anything on film to prepare for? I can’t imagine any basketball minds thinking this stagnant offense will have a chance against any of the West teams still in the mix. — John D
It’s hard to complain too much about the Celtics offense when it has the best offensive rating (119 points per 100 possessions) in the playoffs. With that said, there have been some troubling stretches in games, particularly falling into some old bad habits while Kristaps Porzingis has been sidelined. I do think Mazzulla has kept it simple against the undermanned Heat and Cavs to a degree simply because Boston had the positional edge in so many spots on the floor. The fourth quarter of Game 5 against the Cavs was a great example of this as the Celtics continually broke down a Cavs defense with simple actions, used patience and ball movement to find wide open looks at the rim and 3-point range. Outside of the Pacers, all remaining defenses will pose more challenges than the Cavs and Heat did so there’s little doubt that a few wrinkles will be mixed in by Boston’s coaching staff with the added time to prepare. This group isn’t going to reinvent the wheel though. Ball movement will be key as well as creating a high quality 3-point attempts.
Playing the Knicks is like a dream come true isn’t it? — Shawn D
Assuming OG Anunoby isn’t back from a hamstring injury, the Knicks will be one of the more depleted teams we’ve seen in the Conference Finals for a long time. The first playoff matchup between the two franchises in 11 years would be a lot of fun to watch but the Celtics couldn’t ask for a more easy path at this level of the playoffs against this group. The Knicks are going to be playing hard as hell but the Celtics have the personnel to make life tough for Jalen Brunson and the offensive firepower to run the Knicks down as they play a short rotation. Things get more challenging if Anunoby is back but otherwise, I’d bet on another short series if the Knicks can close out the Pacers.
Were the Celtics trying to stay under the 2nd luxury tax threshold before the Jrue trade opportunity? With the K.P. injury and PJ Washington playing so well it has me wondering if they could have acquired him/Used GWill s salary if they resigned him to bolster the bench. — PD
I do think they were trying to keep their options open this summer, thinking Williams was not going to be a strong investment as a bench player at that money. Having Williams off the books entirely made adding salary like Holiday more feasible for the short term without going over budget. Ultimately, the Mavs had to include some draft capital to the Hornets in the Washington deal to help offload Williams (in addition to giving up draft capital to land Washington). Ultimately, I don’t think the Celtics would have had the assets to land Holiday and Washington without emptying their draft cupboard so they made the right call here. Holiday is the perfect fit for this group and his willingness to sacrifice as a veteran has been instrumental this year. Washington is at a far different point in his career.
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Post by Admin on May 19, 2024 14:04:10 GMT -5
Celtics' path to another banner continues to break in their favor Unlike in past years, fortune has smiled on the Celtics so far this postseason. By John Tomase •
Usually, the path to the Finals is littered with landmines, rock slides, and maybe Mad Max biker gangs, too. Let down your guard for even a second, and it's over.
Not this year. The Celtics are getting the Yellow Brick Road treatment, their path brightened by rainbows and daisies and butterflies and frolicking ponies. After winning 64 games and obliterating their first two undermanned and overmatched opponents of the playoffs, they're ready to claim the first title of the Brown and Tatum era. That would be the case regardless of external circumstances.
But now? The route is wide open, and they've got a police escort.
Looking back, playing Miami without Jimmy Butler and Cleveland without Donovan Mitchell turned the first two rounds into glorified scrimmages. Looking ahead, if they get the Knicks, it would be without All-Star big man Julius Randle and with a potentially diminished Jalen Brunson, who's playing through a foot injury (not that it stopped him from dropping 44 the other night). If it's the Pacers, the Celtics will pit their historically great offense against the worst defense in the playoffs.
From there, the most likely matchup still feels like it will be the defending champions, but Denver isn't the team it was a year ago, not with Jamal Murray battling calf and elbow injuries that have sapped him of his marksmanship. He shot just 4 for 18 in a blowout Game 6 loss to the Wolves on Thursday night, and if he doesn't get right, it's hard to imagine even the great Nikola Jokic beating the Celtics by himself.
Otherwise, it might be the Mavericks, who hope to close out the No. 1 seed Thunder on Saturday. But Dallas superstar Luka Doncic is dealing with a litany of injuries, as well as a tendency to focus on the referees more than the opponent. His backcourt partner, Kyrie Irving, has already pulled one disappearing act in Boston as a member of the Nets, clearly impacted by the hostile crowd that will forever consider his departure traitorous. The Mavs made a couple of smart additions at the trade deadline, but the Celtics play a tougher brand of basketball and handled Dallas twice during the regular season.
As for defensively stout Minnesota or versatile OKC, they're young teams that would be in the NBA Finals ahead of schedule. If experience means anything, either would present the classic matchup of battle-tested vs. upstart. Advantage: Celtics.
We mention the path not to preemptively diminish what the Celtics hope to accomplish. A title is a title is a title, and the Celtics will still need to earn it. A case can be made that this parting of the Red Sea won't help them in a tough series, provided they ever get one. They've been building towards a championship basically since the day Danny Ainge fleeced the Nets for the picks that became Brown and Tatum, and their time is now.
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Post by cole on May 19, 2024 16:51:07 GMT -5
Looks like indy. Brunson broke his hand. That dude takes a beating like a Mexican wrestler
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Post by kdp59 on May 20, 2024 9:21:10 GMT -5
already have the off-season ( the run at two in a row) in the books ( in my head). my crystal ball says Opie drafts the best Big on the board at #30, maybe Deron Holmes then makes draft day trade where he send Springers $4M expiring salary out with a second round pick, to a team with cap space ( say Detroit or SA) with 12 player under contract including the rookie and over the second apron still, Opie re-signs Kornet to deal somewhere up to $4M. leaving two open roster spots which he fills with Ring chasing vets on minimum deals say hello to your new (old) Boston Celtics coming in for the repeat fun. and IF Brissett opts out of his player option then one more for the road to a repeatIF Kornet wants too much money, bring back this guy Attachments:
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Post by kyceltic on May 20, 2024 9:46:54 GMT -5
already have the off-season ( the run at two in a row) in the books ( in my head). my crystal ball says Opie drafts the best Big on the board at #30, maybe Deron Holmes then makes draft day trade where he send Springers $4M expiring salary out with a second round pick, to a team with cap space ( say Detroit or SA) with 12 player under contract including the rookie and over the second apron still, Opie re-signs Kornet to deal somewhere up to $4M. leaving two open roster spots which he fills with Ring chasing vets on minimum deals say hello to your new (old) Boston Celtics coming in for the repeat fun. View AttachmentView Attachmentand IF Brissett opts out of his player option then one more for the road to a repeatIF Kornet wants too much money, bring back this guy I like it
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Post by kdp59 on May 20, 2024 17:14:04 GMT -5
well we are a second apron team ,so as long as we are Opie should be looking at Vet Minimum ring chasers from now on
IMO
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Post by rkarp1 on May 20, 2024 18:04:56 GMT -5
just so we are all on the same page, Opie is the nba executive of the year? right?
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Post by Admin on May 20, 2024 18:11:08 GMT -5
That's right!
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Post by cole on May 20, 2024 19:06:32 GMT -5
just so we are all on the same page, Opie is the nba executive of the year? right? I'd say the Hayward debacle vs getting a stronger big disqualifies presti Hard to believe the gobert trade may actually pay off
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Post by hedleylamarr on May 20, 2024 19:39:25 GMT -5
already have the off-season ( the run at two in a row) in the books ( in my head). my crystal ball says Opie drafts the best Big on the board at #30, maybe Deron Holmes then makes draft day trade where he send Springers $4M expiring salary out with a second round pick, to a team with cap space ( say Detroit or SA) with 12 player under contract including the rookie and over the second apron still, Opie re-signs Kornet to deal somewhere up to $4M. leaving two open roster spots which he fills with Ring chasing vets on minimum deals say hello to your new (old) Boston Celtics coming in for the repeat fun. View AttachmentView Attachmentand IF Brissett opts out of his player option then one more for the road to a repeatIF Kornet wants too much money, bring back this guy I would take Morris back on a vet min in a heartbeat. Kornet? Okay. Theis? Fine. The other guy in the picture? Number 20? NO THANK YOU
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Post by Admin on May 20, 2024 20:19:09 GMT -5
just so we are all on the same page, Opie is the nba executive of the year? right? I'd say the Hayward debacle vs getting a stronger big disqualifies prestiHard to believe the gobert trade may actually pay off
This has already happened:
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Post by Admin on May 20, 2024 20:35:04 GMT -5
Northwest Notes: Hayward, Thunder, Wolves’ Size, Wolves’ Future by Dana Gauruder
Gordon Hayward was added by the Thunder from the Hornets at the trade deadline but wound up having no impact during the postseason. He only made seven appearances in the playoffs, averaging 6.6 minutes in those contests. That was a source of frustration for Hayward, who is headed for free agency, Ryan Stiles writes in a story at Sports Illustrated.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
The Thunder were the youngest team in NBA history to clinch a No. 1 seed. Though they were eliminated in the second round, the best is yet to come for this franchise, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman writes. “I feel like we can do anything we want to do,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said.
The Timberwolves’ Game 7 triumph over the Nuggets on Sunday was a tribute to Tim Connelly‘s decision to build with size, according to Rob Mahoney of The Ringer. The trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid wore down Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic. No team can match Minnesota’s collective size, Mahoney notes, which allows the Timberwolves to play superior defensive coverage.
Another columnist, Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune, also heaped praise on the team president, declaring the Timberwolves are built to win this year and also to contend for years to come. Souhan notes that Kyle Anderson is the only member of the Wolves’ regular eight-man rotation who is not signed long-term.
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Post by Admin on May 24, 2024 14:46:10 GMT -5
Haliburton injury is the latest clearing in Celtics' playoff path
The basketball gods appear to be on the Celtics' side as they steamroll through the postseason.
By John Tomase •
With Haliburton in the lineup, Indy stood no better than a remote chance of upsetting the Celtics, but without him, the Pacers probably shouldn't plan on setting foot in Boston again this spring.
That's just how it's been for the Celtics, who have suffered their share of heartbreaking losses during this run of five conference finals in seven years, none bigger than their Finals defeat to Steph Curry and the Warriors in 2022.
Perhaps the basketball gods are finally clearing a path, since this was supposed to be the season of their coronation anyway. Or maybe they're just benefiting from blowing away the field during the regular season, thus allowing for virtually the entire roster to be healthy and unstressed, save for oft-injured big man Kristaps Porzingis (calf), who now has the luxury of convalescing until the Finals.
Not many teams could tell their third-best player to take his time coming back in the playoffs, but the Celtics have been that good, and their opponents, frankly, that diminished.
Again, no need to apologize. The Nuggets won last year's championship by beating two play-in teams, including the Heat in the finals. In fact, the only team they've beaten that qualified for the postseason outright over the last three years is the Suns. No one is calling for Denver to return its title.
It's possible the Celtics will never be tested en route to Banner 18. We keep saying they haven't played anywhere near their best, but they maybe they won't have to, because they keep winning by double digits anyway.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks are coming off hard-fought series with the Clippers and top-seeded Thunder, while the Wolves needed seven intense games to eliminate the Nuggets. Both teams have been pushed far harder than the Celtics, and eventually that grind catches up to you.
For now, the Mavericks and Wolves are basically at full health, although it's worth noting that both Doncic and Edwards look a bit gimpy – the former with a litany of injuries, the latter ever since taking a hard fall in Game 6 vs. the Nuggets.
It's enough to make you wonder if the basketball gods have one more gift pending: "Nice teams they've got there. It would be a shame if something happened to them before the Finals..."
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