Category: NBA

‘Celtics City' beyond the episode: Reggie Lewis and a dark time in C's history originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Episode 7 of Max’s Celtics City docuseries, titled “Not Again,” spotlighted a dark era in the franchise’s storied history.

Only seven years after Len Bias’ tragic death, the Celtics experienced another devastating loss. In July 1993, Reggie Lewis suffered sudden cardiac death at age 27 while working out in preparation for the 1993-94 NBA season.

Lewis, an NBA All-Star in 1992, collapsed on the court three months before his death during Game 1 of the Celtics’ playoff series against the Charlotte Hornets. He briefly returned to the game but was eventually pulled again after experiencing dizziness and shortness of breath.

The next day, Lewis was diagnosed with “focal cardiomyopathy,” a disease of the heart muscle that can cause irregular heartbeat and heart failure. Lewis was told his condition was likely career-ending, but after seeking a second opinion, he was told he had a less serious and non-fatal condition called neurocardiogenic syncope.

More Celtics City ‘Beyond the Episode’

• Episode 1: “Founding Fathers”
• Episode 2: “No Final Victories”
• Episode 3: “All Swept Up”
• Episode 4: “Great Hope, Period”
• Episode 5: “F**k the Celtics”
• Episode 6: “Untenable Toll”

Longtime NBA reporter Jackie MacMullan knew Lewis personally and was in attendance when he collapsed on the court. She recalled Lewis’ tragic death during NBC Sports Boston’s Keys to the City show recapping Episode 7, as seen in the video player above.

“I saw it in real time, but I don’t think I understood. Did he trip on something?” MacMullan said. “I was so relieved when he came back into the game, I really was. Then I saw him go with the team doctor and I thought, ‘Well this isn’t good.’

“What went on from then on was the worst story in the history of my life and everybody else around it. There was nobody I loved more than Reggie Lewis, that’s just the truth. He was a wonderful person, he was a great teammate, never had a technical foul in his entire life, and was an MVP in the community in Roxbury and Dorchester much the way no one since Bill Russell had invested in the community. … His story deserved a better ending.”

Celtics City Episode 7 delved into how the team went downhill following Larry Bird’s retirement, spiraling into crisis and irrelevance upon Rick Pitino’s arrival in 1997. One month before the 2000-01 season, promising forward Paul Pierce was left clinging for his life after being stabbed in a Boston nightclub. Those 15 years dating back to Bias’ untimely death marked a horrific time in franchise history, to say the least.

Learn more about the life and legacy of Reggie Lewis with NBC Sports Boston’s exclusive interviews and footage below:

Reggie Lewis’ family and friends discuss his life and the impact he made on and off the court with the Celtics andthe city. Included are moments from Lewis’ number being retired by Red Auerbach and the Celtics, interviews with Dee Brown, Tommy Heinsohn, Jackie MacMullan, Muggsy Bogues, David Wingate, Kendall Gill, Jim Calhoun, and his mother, Inez Ritch.

SportsChannel and Mike Gorman, longtime voice of the Celtics, look back at the life of Reggie Lewis.

Reggie Lewis career highlights:

Steph's season-long stats show his longevity as NBA's best shooter originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Programming Note: Tune into “Warriors Pregame Live” at 6 p.m. PT on Tuesday on NBC Sports Bay Area before the Warriors and Grizzlies tip-off. Immediately after the final buzzer, tune back in for “Warriors Postgame Live.”

The stats say star Warriors guard Steph Curry remains the NBA’s best shooter. 

Yes, even at 37 years of age, there is no one that can outshoot the Chef from the floor.

Curry ended the 2024-25 NBA regular season with a shooting score of 178.8, putting him 26.4 points clear of Kings star Zach LaVine, who finished second on the list. 

Top 30 Shooters: The Finale https://t.co/xyBSlljtfGpic.twitter.com/3kkfQe2FTB

— Automatic (@automaticnba) April 14, 2025

Additionally, Curry finished first in points per 75 possessions at 2.8 while proving a balanced efficiency through other categories such as pull-up 3-pointers, catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, free throws and long two-pointers. 

Curry, who became the first player in NBA history to record 4,000 made 3-pointers in March, is the only Golden State player on the Top 30 list. 

In his 16th regular season, Curry averaged 24.5 points, shooting 44.7 percent from the floor and 39.7 percent from beyond the arc. 

The years keep passing by, but Curry, the game’s greatest shooter, continues to secure his throne. 

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Bronny James saw his share of highs and lows during his rookie season with the Lakers organization.

Before the team's regular-season finale Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers, coach JJ Redick was asked how he'd assess James' first season.

From his answer, it's clear that Redick saw only highs out of Lakers superstar LeBron James' oldest son.

"I give him an A+," Redick said. "How he has personally handled a lot of attention, good and bad, he doesn’t even break character. He’s the same guy every day. He doesn’t allow the good attention to get to him, and he doesn’t allow the bad attention to get to him. He just continues to work."

Redick's comment came before Bronny James' first career start, as the Lakers rested their regular starters with the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference already wrapped up.

Read more:Plaschke: I was wrong. Drafting Bronny James was a win for the Lakers

James struggled overall during his 38 minutes in the Lakers' 109-81 loss on the road. He finished with four points on two-of-10 shooting (zero for two from three-point range), three rebounds, six assists, four steals, three turnovers and a plus/minus of -23.

The 6-foot-2 guard James did produce a couple of highlights. He had a two-handed dunk and found a wide-open Christian Koloko under the basket.

Great play design to Bronny!#LakeShowpic.twitter.com/472zft8MtU

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 13, 2025

Bronny with the 👀#LakeShowpic.twitter.com/huv9F657bI

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 13, 2025

Afterward, James was asked to assess his rookie season so far.

“Thought I got better, I thought I grew as a player and a person," he told Spectrum SportsNet. "There’s just more work to be done. Feel like my progression has been slow, but getting better every day.”

"I felt like I grew as a player and person… there's more work to be done."

Bronny James (4 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast, 4 stl) reflects on his rookie season, as the Lakers fall in Portland, losing 109-81. #LakeShowpic.twitter.com/ghX7K4FUBj

— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 13, 2025

The Lakers drafted James with the 55th overall pick last summer and gave him a guaranteed four-year contract that could be worth nearly $8 million. On opening night, the two James men became the first father and son to share an NBA court together.

Bronny James would end up splitting his time between the NBA and its G League. With the South Bay Lakers, James showed marked improvement between his seven games in the tournament portion of the schedule early on (13.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists a game) and his 11 regular-season games (21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.4 assists a game).

Read more:Lakers' Bronny James scores career-high 39 points in G League game: ‘I belong out there'

During his final G League game, James scored a career-high 39 points in a 122-118 win over the Santa Cruz Warriors on March 25 at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo.

"I thought [coach] Zach [Guthrie] and his staff did a phenomenal job with him when he was down with the South Bay Lakers," Redick said. "He’s improved and we saw this particularly — you know, I went to some early games and seeing his confidence grow from October, November, to really that second part of the G League season, post Showcase [tournament], was phenomenal."

With the Lakers, James has played in 27 games, averaging 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 6.7 minutes. His breakthrough game was March 20 at Crypto.com Arena, where he scored 17 points during a 118-89 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in which most of the Lakers top players did not play.

"I think every time he’s been on the court for us in the second half of the season, you can see that level of confidence and level of comfort," Redick said. "He’s a guy you can tell things to and they don’t let it affect their work or their attitude. I told him I’m very high on him long-term being a part of our rotation."

Time will tell if James fits into the Lakers' postseason plans. They open the first round of the playoffs Saturday at home against the No. 6-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.

Read more:Team LeBron or Team Stephen A? Charles Barkley and others weigh in on the heated feud

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Lillard details ‘chasing' Curry's Warriors dominance with Blazers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Milwaukee Bucks guard and East Oakland nativeDamian Lillard made an admirable confession involving Warriors superstar Steph Curry.

Lillard admitted he chased Curry – and his success as a four-time NBA champion – in discussing his 11 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers to retired NBA veteran Austin Rivers on his “Eye for the Game” podcast last week.

“I would say Steph,” Lillard told Rivers when asked about who his biggest competitor is (h/t Athlon Sports’ Dibyendu Mondal). “I’ve played more playoff series against Steph, and obviously being in the West, we played against each other all of those times. We played them in the preseason.”

Lillard, for much of his 13-year NBA career, has been overshadowed by Curry.

The Warriors legend has the rings, stats, accolades and virtually everything else that other star guards over the years – like Lillard, Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving and Russell Westbrook – simply have never been able to match, no matter their own respective successes.

Plus, Curry owns a 28-8 record in games against Lillard, including their 10 vintage playoff duels.

“With Steph, it’s always like Steph was … He took off, and I was like, I’m chasing … I want what he has,” Lillard told Rivers. “He’s winning the championship. Everybody’s talking about what he’s doing, so like I was very competitive with Steph, especially in those years where I’m like, ‘No, I can do that too.’”

Lillard has averaged 25.1 points on 37.1-percent 3-point shooting with 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds throughout his career – with no rings. Curry, meanwhile, has averaged 24.7 points on 42.3-percent 3-point shooting with 6.4 assists and 4.7 rebounds and is a four-time champion.

To each their own when it comes to believing who is better between Curry and Lillard. However, Lillard didn’t shy away from the fact that he has spent years chasing Curry’s prowess to no avail.

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If you're a Knicks fan looking to purchase tickets to any games during New York's first-round playoff matchup against the Pistons that are taking place in Detroit, you're going to need a credit card billing address in the Michigan area -- or help from someone who has one.

The Pistons have restricted purchases for all possible home games of the matchup (Games 3, 4, and 6) to those who have a credit card billing address located in "Michigan and in certain parts of Ohio, Indiana and Ontario, Canada."

Knicks fans are notorious for traveling well, and have recently made some road arenas sound like Madison Square Garden, including during last season's first-round games against the 76ers in Philadelphia.

The ploy the Pistons are implementing -- though a team spokesperson asserted to The New York Post that they're not intentionally trying to keep Knicks fans out of the arena -- has become common for playoff games across the four major American sports.

The Carolina Hurricanes do it regularly, and even the Yankees have done it recently.

As far as the Knicks and Pistons, this is their first playoff matchup since the 1991-92 season, when the Knicks prevailed in five games in what was then a best-of-five first-round series.

While certain fans will be restricted from purchasing directly from the team/Ticketmaster, there's seemingly nothing preventing them from scooping up ducats on the secondary market.

Game 1 of the Knicks-Pistons series tips off at Madison Square Garden on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Warriors receive great injury news before play-in game vs. Grizzlies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Programming Note: Tune into “Warriors Pregame Live” at 6 p.m. PT on Tuesday on NBC Sports Bay Area before the Warriors and Grizzlies tip-off. Immediately after the final buzzer, tune back in for “Warriors Postgame Live.”

SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors ended the 2024-25 NBA regular season not only with a tough 124-119 overtime loss Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers, dropping them to the play-in tournament game as the No. 7 seed, but also injury worries to their three veteran stars, Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. 

Monday’s injury report ahead of Tuesday’s play-in game, in which the Warriors will host the Memphis Grizzlies, brought good news. None of Curry, Green or Butler are listed on the injury report, nor are any other Warriors players. 

Curry in the Warriors’ previous game, a blowout road win over the Portland Trail Blazers, jammed his right thumb early and showed clear discomfort. He even received X-rays during the win before returning to the game. Imaging came back negative, and Curry ended with 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting and was 2 of 8 from 3-point range in 27 minutes on Friday. 

His thumb was taped and padded when Curry returned Friday. He was questionable going into Sunday’s regular-season finale, but played and again tried to protect his right hand as much as possible while playing through a problem that first popped up as far back as December. Though he scored a team-high 36 points, 21 of them came in the fourth quarter and overtime, plus Curry committed a season-high eight turnovers. 

When asked about his right thumb after the loss, Curry was short and coy in his answer. 

“It was fine,” Curry said. “I try not to think about it too much … yeah, just keep playing.”

A few minutes into the first quarter Sunday, Green tried to save a poorly placed pass from Curry but paid the price. Green was clobbered in the back of the head by Norman Powell’s left hip and immediately began grabbing at his neck. 

Draymond went to the locker room after colliding with Norman Powell on this play pic.twitter.com/GseBoJ7aRF

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) April 13, 2025

Green returned from the Warriors’ locker room with a little under two minutes left in the first quarter. He played 38 minutes and was a minus-5 with 14 points, three rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocked shots. So much happened in the Warriors’ loss that Green wasn’t even asked about any concerns to his head and neck area afterward. 

Instead, he assured everyone that fatigue won’t be a factor for the 37-year-old Curry, as well as himself and Butler – both 35 – having to play so many minutes in a loss that still led to the play-in tournament for a quick turnaround. 

“We’ll be fine,” Green said. “… We’re not senior citizens. We’re high-level basketball players.” 

If Green’s injury scare was somewhat lost in the shuffle, Butler’s wasn’t. 

Playing a game-high 48 minutes, Butler rose to the occasion. Butler battled Kawhi Leonard all day and had his first 30-point game since joining the Warriors at the NBA trade deadline a little more than two months ago. Butler’s 30 points came on 12-of-20 shooting, but he was visibly limping near the end of the game. 

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Butler told him he’d be good to go for Tuesday, and the same message was relayed by Butler in the locker room. 

“I’ll be all right,” Butler said. “Go home and play some dominoes, drink some coffee. That’ll help me feel better.” 

Butler said he took a knee from Leonard to his thigh under the basket. Was he worried in the moment?

“No,” Butler responded. “I mean, it hurt. But I’m not too worried. I know I’m going to be good to go. [Longtime personal trainer Armando Rivas] is going to take great care of me.” 

The health of the Warriors’ three stars is what can lift them into the NBA playoffs and propel them for a deep run, or bring their season to a crashing end if something goes wrong. 

Going into Tuesday’s play-in tournament game against the Grizzlies, with a chance to move on and face the Houston Rockets in the first round, the injury report is on the Warriors’ side – in spite of nursing obvious bumps and bruises. 

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Why former NBA players believe ‘sneaky' Kings can escape play-in originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Programming Note: Tune into “Kings Pregame Live” at 6:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday on NBC Sports California before the Kings and Mavericks tip-off. Immediately after the final buzzer, tune back in for “Kings Postgame Live.”

Two former NBA players are convinced the Kings will walk away victorious on Wednesday night – and potentially could be one of the playoffs’ surprises. 

Ahead of Sacramento’s 2025 Western Conference play-in game against the No. 10-seeded Dallas Mavericks at Golden 1 Center, Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams each signaled why interim coach Doug Christie and Co. could cause havoc if they get past their first must-win bout. 

“And by the way, the Kings are sneaky,” Parsons said to host Michelle Beadle and Williams on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back” on Monday. 

“The Kings win this game, and they can go and win the next game and get the [No. 8] seed. The Kings are rolling.”

"Kings are sneaky. Kings win this game, they can go win the next game and get the 8-seed, too. They're rolling." –

Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams believes Sacramento is beating the Mavericks in the play-in.@MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsonspic.twitter.com/QBFzo9lMyJ

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 14, 2025

After all, the Kings won all three regular-season matchups against Dallas, who on roster and injury fronts, experienced a lot of turbulence throughout the 2024-25 NBA season.

“I think they beat them one more time,” Parsons added. “I think Dallas without Kyrie Irving, they have a huge hole to get out of. 

“Anthony Davis, we don’t know if he’s completely healthy. They just went through so much this year, and the Kings, right now, are playing so good.” 

Like Dallas, Sacramento underwent a rollercoaster season of its own, characterized by the dismissal of 2022-23 NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown after 31 games and the departure of star guard De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs shortly after. 

Parsons, however, points to the Kings’ offensive force and their roster depth as to why Sacramento will move on to play the winner between the No. 7 seed Golden State Warriors and No. 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies in hopes of a first-round showdown against the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder.

“[DeMar] DeRozan is rolling. Zach LaVine is rolling. Sabonis. They’re just a better team,” Parsons concluded. “They’re just a deeper team. I think they get this game.” 

Williams echoes the former Mavericks forward’s perspective. 

“I’d agree. One thousand percent. Like, I won’t even make it difficult,” Williams said. “I just think they have the healthier team. They’re poised to win this basketball game.”

“They’re at home. And the Mavs have just been banged up all year. I don’t think they have enough manpower to get over that hill.”

Surely, Sacramento will take any support ahead of the season-defining clash — especially if it’s coming from a pair of proven former players.

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Mike Budenholzer is the latest NBA coach to be fired as the Phoenix Suns announced they are parting ways with him after just one season in charge.

The team announced Budenholzer’s departure in a short, terse statement on Monday. “Competing at the highest level remains our goal, and we failed to meet expectations this season,” the statement said. “Our fans deserve better. Change is needed.”

The move was unsurprising after the Suns missed the postseason, despite the presence of All-Stars such as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. The Suns lost nine of their last 10 games to slump to a 36-46 record, meaning they finished 11th in the Western Conference, three wins short of a place in the play-in tournament. That snapped a four-season run of postseason appearances for Phoenix, including a run to the NBA finals in 2020-21, when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks that season were coached by Budenholzer.

Related: Nuggets announce shock firing of Malone less than two years after NBA title

Budenholzer was hired in May, replacing Frank Vogel, who also had a one-year tenure that ended in disappointment. It was hoped that Budenholzer – an Arizona native – could finally bring a championship to the desert. He didn’t come close.

The season started with optimism after the Suns jumped to an 8-1 record, but Durant went down with a calf strain that knocked the team into a tailspin. Even after the 15-time All-Star returned to the lineup a few weeks later, Phoenix were unable to recapture their early momentum.

Budenholzer couldn’t seem to settle on a regular playing rotation with rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro playing big minutes one night before being benched the next. Veteran center Jusuf Nurkic had an awful start to the season – and complained about a lack of communication with Budenholzer – before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets.

Booker and Durant stayed relatively healthy for most of the season, but Beal had constant injury issues and missed more than 20 games in the regular season for a sixth straight year. The Suns tried to retool at the trade deadline, but Beal’s no-trade clause and the team’s salary cap status above the second apron made making any major moves difficult.

Budenholzer’s departure signifies major upcoming roster upheaval for a team who have underachieved for three straight seasons. Owner Mat Ishbia has deep pockets and a desire to win, but almost every move he has made since taking over the team in February 2023 has backfired.

Budenholzer has a 520-363 career record over 11 NBA seasons with the Hawks, Bucks and Suns.

Budenholzer’s departure comes a week after the Denver Nuggets fired their coach, Michael Malone.

Four games and no information? A season series that offers little roadmap for the postseason meetings to come?

It’s a bit of a weird situation as the Lakers head into the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, their roster overhaul and strange December making it hard to really look to the past for information on the future.

“We had games the last, six, seven weeks where we hadn't played the team since [Anthony Davis] was on the team and didn't have Luka [Doncic]. So we have a way of prepping based on previous games, previous games against Luka,” JJ Redick said Sunday. “We have a general idea of what their rules are, just like they have a general idea of what our rules are.”

Still, there have to be things from the Lakers games with the Timberwolves this year that are going to matter.

As the teams open their first-round playoff series Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Crypto.com Arena, let’s take a quick look at how they match up.

Read more:How the NBA's play-in tournament works and when it starts

KEY TEAM STATS

Lakers

Record: 50-32

Offensive rating (OFF RTG): 115.0 (11th)

Defensive rating (DEF RTG):113.8 (17th)

Net Rating (NET RTG)*: 1.2 (14th)
(*Net rating subtracts defensive rating from offensive rating for a projected margin of victory.)

Timberwolves

Record: 49-33

Offensive Rating (OFF RTG): 115.7 (8th)

Defensive Rating (DEF RTG): 110.8 (6th)

Net Rating (NET RTG)*: 5.0 (4th)
(*Net rating subtracts defensive rating from offensive rating for a projected margin of victory.)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Lakers

Luka Doncic: 28.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 7.5 apg, 43.8 fg%/37.9 3-pt. fg%/79.1 ft%

LeBron James: 24.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 8.2 apg, 51.3 fg%/37.6 3-pt. fg%/78.2 ft%

Austin Reaves: 20.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.8 apg, 46.0 fg%/37.7 3-pt. fg%/87.7 ft%

Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards: 27.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 4.5 apg, 44.7 fg%/39.5 3-pt. fg%/83.6 ft%

Rudy Gobert: 11.9 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.4 bpg, 67.4 fg%/67.5 ft%

Julius Randle: 18.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 4.7 apg, 48.5 fg%/34.7 3-pt. fg%/80.6 ft%

HOW THEY FARED

Season Series: 2-2

Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles

Lakers 110, Timberwolves 103

The Lakers won their season opener as LeBron James and Bronny James become the first father-son duo to play as teammates in an NBA game. JJ Redick’s first win was sparked by the Lakers holding Minnesota to just 42 first-half points. Anthony Davis dominated with 36 points, Rui Hachimura had 18, LeBron James had 16 and Austin Reaves scored 12, the Lakers shooting five of 30 from three-point range. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 27.

Dec. 2 in Minneapolis

Timberwolves 109, Lakers 80

The Lakers had a season low for points, playing without an injured Austin Reaves (hip contusion). The team made only six of 31 from three, with D’Angelo Russell making four of them. Anthony Edwards shot just three of 13 , but three different Minnesota reserves scored in double figures off the bench.

Read more:Lakers rest on final day of regular season, prep to face Timberwolves in playoffs

Dec. 13 in Minneapolis

Timberwolves 97, Lakers 87

The Lakers offense was only slightly better in Austin Reaves’ first game back from injury. LeBron James was out dealing with a foot injury. Four players not currently on the roster played significant minutes — Anthony Davis, Max Christie, D’Angelo Russell and Cam Reddish.

Feb. 27 in Los Angeles

Lakers 111, Timberwolves 102

Playing with their full rotation, the Lakers held Minnesota to 17 first-quarter points while leading by as many as 17 points. LeBron James scored 33 and grabbed 17 rebounds while Austin Reaves had 23 and Luka Doncic 21 against Minnesota, which was playing without Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert. Rookie Terrance Shannon Jr. led Minnesota with 25 points off the bench. Anthony Edwards got ejected and played just 26 minutes.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Why Parsons believes Butler's impact will help Draymond win DPOY originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Programming Note: Tune into “Warriors Pregame Live” at 6 p.m. PT on Tuesday on NBC Sports Bay Area before the Warriors and Grizzlies tip-off. Immediately after the final buzzer, tune back in for “Warriors Postgame Live.”

Retired NBA veteran Chandler Parsons believes Warriors forward Draymond Green will win the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year award because of Jimmy Butler’s impact.

Parsons laid out his reasoning on Monday’s edition of FanDuel’s “Run It Back Show” with co-hosts Michelle Beadle and Lou Williams.

“They’re a much better team with Jimmy Butler – that’s undeniable,” Parsons told Beadle and Williams. “They’ve struggled as of late, [but] they’re so much better defensively. Draymond Green is going to win Defensive Player of the Year because Jimmy Butler went there and their team got way better defensively – and he’s great defensively.

“Offensively, defensively, they’re a better overall team with Jimmy Butler.”

Golden State has won 23 of 30 games Butler has played in since acquiring the six-time NBA All-Star on Feb. 5 in a blockbuster trade with the Miami Heat, so while Dub Nation might be torn after the Warriors’ 124-119 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday at Chase Center, it would be wise to lean into the franchise’s big-picture momentum entering Tuesday’s NBA play-in tournament game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Nonetheless, Green individually has flourished since Butler’s arrival and has generated serious buzz to earn Defensive Player of the Year, an award he has won once before in 2016-17. Green has averaged 1.9 steals, 1.0 blocks and 6.2 rebounds in the 31 games since Butler’s first Warriors appearance – on Feb. 8, a 132-11 win over Butler’s former Chicago Bulls in which he scored 25 points – and is viewed as a finalist among other top-notch defenders such as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley, Houston Rockets’ Amen Thompson and Clippers’ Ivica Zubac.

The Warriors have their work cut out for them as they pursue their fifth NBA championship in 11 seasons. And Parsons doesn’t want people to forget how Butler has helped Golden State and Green emerge as contenders for the league’s highest honors.

But most importantly, Parsons isn’t writing off the Warriors.

“So I can’t sit here and say teams figured them out,” Parsons said. “I think [the Warriors] are going to have to make some adjustments on the fly [about] how Steph [Curry] is being guarded. But the other guys got to step up. … It’s going to be a collective effort from them.”

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How this year's Celtics compared to 2024 championship squad originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The 2023-24 Boston Celtics steamrolled their opponents en route to Banner 18, cruising to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and posting a 16-3 record in the playoffs.

While they’ve remained one of the NBA’s top teams during their title defense, the road to a repeat won’t be a cakewalk.

Unlike their predecessors, the 2024-25 Celtics weren’t the most dominant team in the league, or even their own conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder owned the best regular-season record at 68-14 to claim the top seed in the Western Conference, while the Cleveland Cavaliers edged out the 61-21 Celtics for the top spot in the East with a 64-18 finish.

Boston dropped both of its regular-season matchups against Oklahoma City and split its season series against Cleveland, 2-2.

Statistically, the 2024-25 Celtics came up short in nearly every major category compared to the 2023-24 championship squad. Aside from a slight edge in opponent points per game, this year’s team only surpassed last year’s in 3-point attempts and makes. (They set NBA records in both categories.)

The 2023-24 Celtics led in points per game, rebounds, assists, field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, offensive rating, defensive rating, and net rating.

Of course, while they may not be the juggernaut like the championship group, the 2024-25 Celtics still should be considered a heavy favorite to win it all. Their only rough patch of the season came in December and January, when they went a mediocre 11-9 over a 20-game span with a 3-8 record after wins. Since Jan. 25, Boston has rediscovered its championship identity with a 30-7 record.

As reigning champs, the C’s have excelled despite having a target on their back. Superstar Jayson Tatum has embraced the unique challenge of defending a title.

“It’s been a lot of fun, honestly, this year,” Tatum said before the team’s penultimate regular-season game against Charlotte. “Bringing everybody back besides Oshae (Brissett), we have such a joy and a connection with each other. There was some tough moments, but with one game left in the season I can say that everybody has felt valued, everybody has played a part in our success this season, everybody understands the common goal that we share, and we know who we are. We know who we are individually, we know what we bring to this team and to make it what it is, and we have so much fun doing what we do.

“We realize when you’re on special teams, and you’re with special guys, you just try to cherish those moments. The season goes by fast, but it’s been a fun one so far.”

The No. 2 seed Celtics will meet the winner of Tuesday’s NBA play-in tournament showdown between the No. 8 Atlanta Hawks and No. 7 Orlando Magic in Round 1 of the playoffs. If they advance, they will meet the Detroit Pistons or New York Knicks in the East semifinals.

Game 1 at TD Garden is scheduled for Sunday, April 20 with the tip-off time to be determined.

Tatum joins Larry Bird as only Celtics to accomplish this rare feat originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum played arguably the best basketball of his career this season, and he made some team history in the process.

Tatum led the C’s in total points (1932), rebounds (623), assists (431) and steals (76). As a result, he joined Larry Bird as the only players to lead the Celtics in all four categories during a single season multiple times.

Tatum also accomplished this feat in the 2020-21 campaign.

Tatum led the C’s with 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and six assists per game this season. He has scored 26-plus points per game in five consecutive seasons. His 250 made 3-pointers were the most of any forward in the league this season. No other forward made more than 200.

The 26-year-old superstar should make first team All-NBA for the fourth straight season. The last Celtics player to do that was Bird, who made All-NBA first team in eight straight seasons from 1979-80 through 1987-88.

Regular season success is great, but Tatum and the Celtics have higher goals.

The 2025 NBA playoffs begin this weekend, where the C’s will try to repeat as champions.

Boston’s first-round opponent will be the winner of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in tournament game between the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks.