Category: Basketball

How likely are Celtics to trade up for a lottery pick in NBA Draft? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Let’s start with the obvious: The Boston Celtics almost certainly aren’t trading for Cooper Flagg.

But their work at the 2025 NBA Scouting Combine in Chicago — which reportedly included interviewing the Duke star and projected No. 1 pick — might provide some insight into how they’re approaching the 2025 NBA Draft.

Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor reported last week that Boston conducted interviews with both Flagg and Texas guard Tre Johnson (a projected top-five draft pick) at the Draft Combine. On a recent episode of NBC Sports Boston’s Arbella Early Edition, O’Connor confirmed the Celtics also spoke to Georgia forward Asa Newell, who projects as a top-15, late-lottery selection.

The C’s currently have picks No. 28 and 32 in the 2025 NBA Draft. So, why are they speaking with players who are seemingly out of their range? O’Connor shared his insight on Early Edition.

“You rank the guys you want to talk to,” O’Connor said. “The way it works at the Draft Combine in Chicago is, you rank the players you want to talk to, and the teams that have the players ranked the highest get the opportunity to talk to those guys.

“Each prospect can talk to up to 13 teams, so the Celtics may have had Cooper Flagg ranked second or third in their rankings of prospects. So, it’s not the biggest deal in the world they got to talk to him. But I do think it’s interesting they talked to at least three guys who could be drafted in the lottery.

“They talked to Cooper Flagg, likely No. 1, they talked to Tre Johnson, likely a top-five pick out of Texas, and then Asa Newell, a big man out of Georgia, a late-lottery pick, mid-first-round draft pick. So, they talked to at least three guys in theory they’d have interest in.

“You’re not going to talk to somebody if you don’t like the player.”

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens downplayed Boston’s reported interview with Flagg earlier this week, explaining that the team’s goal with these interviews is to gather general intel on players who normally wouldn’t come to Boston for in-person workouts with the team.

“The people we know who we can’t get in to work out is how we decide who we want to talk to. Otherwise, we may never get to talk to them again,” Stevens told reporters Monday. “So, the only people that come and work out for us are the people that think they’re in a range or bottom of our range, or whatever the case may be.”

Stevens also downplayed the possibility of “fireworks” in the form of a trade up on draft night, and Boston would have to give up a massive haul to jump from No. 28 into the top five. A move into the 13-15 range might be more feasible, however, especially if the Celtics see potential in a player like Newell.

At 6-foot-10 and 225 pounds, the Georgia product is an athletic big man who averaged 15.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game as a freshman last season. With Al Horford and Luke Kornet set to be free agents and Kristaps Porzingis a potential trade target, Boston could use frontcourt reinforcements, and the 19-year-old Newell has plenty of upside.

The Celtics may not want to part with the assets required to trade up in the draft, and they’ve had success near the end of the first round before (Robert Williams at No. 27; Payton Pritchard at No. 26). But if they’re serious about shedding salary to get under the second apron of the luxury tax, they’ll need to hit on draft picks, which could make it worthwhile to move up the 2025 draft board.

A few hours after he finished calling Game 1 of Knicks-Pacers, TNT’s Stan Van Gundy woke up in his New York hotel room and re-watched the tape.

“I really was going back over every play because my impression coming out of it was that the Knicks’ defense was just soft and they had way too many mistakes and breakdowns. And when I watched it again, it was even clearer,” Van Gundy, the longtime TNT analyst, said.

Does Van Gundy think the Knicks will let the loss impact them in Game 2?

“They’ll look at the mistakes and pick themselves (up) and get ready to go. I don’t think (Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau) has to worry about (hangover from Wednesday’s loss) at this time of year,” Van Gundy said. “Their pick and roll defense to me, early on in the game, (Karl-Anthony) Towns was really back. (Myles) Turner was just getting wide-open shots. And then they had some miscommunications on perimeter screens; small-small (screens). Are we switching or not? They had breakdowns there. And then late in the game, they were really soft on their switches and (Aaron) Nesmith was hitting threes. To me, they’ve got to clean up their pick-and-roll coverages, being up and more aggressive. And their communication’s got to be a lot better on what they’re doing.

“….There was not a hard three in that stretch (of Nesmith’s six threes late in the fourth quarter). It’s still hard to make six straight threes. But it wasn’t like the shot-clock ran down and someone had to throw one in. He got great looks. Nesmith, all five of his looks were great looks. And the one (Tyrese) Haliburton got, (Mikal) Bridges gave him a lot of space on that one, too. They got really good shots. I just thought the Knicks' defense in that stretch was very soft. And in the overtime, they had breakdowns on (Obi) Toppin’s dunk and (Andrew) Nembhard’s back cut. They just, defensively, didn’t get the job done.”

Van Gundy spent about an hour talking Knicks-Pacers with a small group of reporters on Thursday. He shared his thoughts on several other topics...

HALIBURTON VS BRUNSON

"(Haliburton) and Brunson are both great players, but their style of play is so different because Haliburton is a quick-decision, get-off-the-ball type of guy and Brunson’s a very ball-dominant guard. So if you look on – I think they chart seconds per touch. Every time I touch the ball, how long do I hold it? Haliburton holds it on the average about 2.5 seconds less than Brunson.

"Brunson holds it the most in the league. Over six seconds per touch. Haliburton is about 3.5 seconds per touch. (Van Gundy points out that Brunson averages three more dribbles per touch than Haliburton). It’s just a difference that sets up the whole style of play. The Knicks being a little more methodical. Brunson, the best comparison to him is probably (James) Harden. Dribble, dribble, dribble - not selfish because he’ll certainly give the ball to other people. But he’s going to keep it in his hands whereas Haliburton gets off of it, let’s other people play and the whole thing….Two great players with different styles.”

OBI TOPPIN’S DUNK ON A PICK AND ROLL TO SEAL INDIANA’S WIN IN OT

"That was really weird defense to me. First of all, they inbounded the ball really easily. Teams have trouble inbounding the ball. You saw the Knicks almost turn it over (earlier in the game). Teams have a lot of trouble inbounding and the Knicks just let them do it. They really didn’t do anything.

"And then on the pick and roll, I don’t really know what they wanted to be in because to me, Mitchell Robinson wasn’t up, he wasn’t really affecting Nembhard at all. But yet he let Toppin roll behind him….

"Those are all very preventable (mistakes) in my opinion and I’m sure in Thibs’ opinion too. Those are all preventable things that are just defensive mistakes and you can’t make that many of them in a game, especially against a team like Indiana.”

PACERS WEARING DOWN BRUNSON

“Indiana’s been a good ball-pressure team. What they try to do – I think Indiana’s plan against New York both within a game and over the course of a series – is they just really want to wear them down. They feel like they’ve got more depth. They play more guys. Their pace and their pressure. The Knicks are gonna face full-court pressure for 48 minutes – 53 minutes (in Game 1) – and we’re just gonna wear on them. And I feel like they think they were able to do that last year in a seven-game series, particularly on Brunson.

"He’s gonna be good, but we’re just gonna wear on him. They don’t blitz him a lot and make him get off the ball like some teams do because, number one, you open yourself up to three-point shooting and to offensive rebounding by other teams. But I also think they want Brunson to keep probing on the dribble and make plays. Obviously (43) points (in Game 1). But I think they feel like, ‘Hey, we’re wearing on them.’ I think that’s what their defense is designed to do. They gave up 62 paint points to New York (in Game 1). They’re so extended and spread out. Forty free throw attempts. So you’re able to attack them, but again, I think it’s calculated on their part to wear you down.”

ON HIS PREVIOUS COMMENTS ON KNICKS FANS BEING FRONT-RUNNERS

“I’ll stand by that. The Knicks fans are great fans, but if things are going bad… I’ve been in all these arenas (and if) things are going bad in Indiana, the Indiana fans are going to try to rally their team back. The Knicks fans are going to boo their team. If that 14-0 run had been the other way early in the fourth quarter and the Knicks went down 16, they’re getting booed. That’s just the way it is. That’s all I was talking about. Knicks fans are great, they’re passionate, they’re enjoying this moment so more power to them. My front-runner comment was just that. When things are going bad they’re not trying to rally everybody, they’re gonna pound you.”

REFS MISSED GOALTEND ON PACERS IN OVERTIME

“It was a goaltend and that was huge. That was huge because – four-point lead, you get the steal, you’re coming down on the break, they call a goaltend, it’s six. Instead, the ball stays in play in transition and Nembhard hits the corner three from Haliburton. That was a huge, huge play in the game on a missed goaltend. Usually, what we’ve seen in the playoffs, on those that are really close on the goaltend, they make the call so then they can take a look at it. But they didn’t make the call, so they couldn’t take a look at it. But on the replay, it got the board first. It should have been (a goaltend).”

LEON ROSE’S ROSTER

“Leon’s done a tremendous job here putting this roster together. You think back, for the value of the contract, has there been – ever – a better free-agent signing than Jalen Brunson…. Shaq to LA? Well, ok. But that’s a max contract. You think Brunson and I mean, a lot of people, even when he got what he got, thought he was overpaid. And he wasn’t getting a max. And now he’s – I think everybody recognizes – one of the best players in the league…. Those (trades for Towns and Bridges) haven’t all been met with great enthusiasm by fans and New York media all of the time. But they’ve proven themselves pretty darn good. They put together a heckuva roster right here. With a chance (to win).”

REGGIE MILLER CALLING GAMES AT MSG AND CALLING THE SERIES FOR TNT

“For us, it's fabulous. For TV, it’s fabulous. If you think about this, it's going to be the last series we’re going to do on TNT and we get Knicks-Pacers in the conference finals with Reggie Miller? That’s storybook stuff … the only thing missing from Game 1, quite honestly, was Spike (Lee). I think it’s great theater having Reggie there. Some of the fans were yelling at him. Most of it good good-natured. Some of it not so much, to be quite honest. Reggie handles it all really well. And for us it’s just a great, great storyline.”

Purdy teases NBA playoff game appearance to support Haliburton originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton’s public support of 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is well documented, and now the NFL star is returning the favor for his former Iowa State classmate.

During an interview on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” on Thursday, Purdy excitedly voiced his support for Haliburton after the star point guard’s epic heroics helped spark Indiana’s thrilling comeback win over the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

“We knew that was going in from the moment it left his hands, lets be real,” Purdy said regarding Haliburton’s game-tying shot at the end of regulation on Wednesday. “I’m so excited for him and what he’s done this playoff run so far. Just the competitive nature that Tyrese has, the energy that he brings to this team.

“I’m pulling for him and I hope they can pull off the whole thing, man. That would be awesome and I’m pulling for him.”

Now flush with $181 million in guarantees after signing a lucrative contract extension, could Purdy take his support to Madison Square Garden and join the row of celebrities sitting courtside in New York City?

“We’re going to have to find out,” Purdy teased. “There’s no promises right now, but this would be an amazing opportunity to go and support my guy, that’s right.”

Haliburton famously rocked Purdy’s jersey as a pregame fit the day after the 49ers clinched a berth in Super Bowl LVIII.

Tyrese Haliburton showing love to fellow Iowa State Cyclone, Brock Purdy 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fNGOZWiIcI

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) January 29, 2024

Might we see Purdy be the one sporting his former classmate’s jersey as they battle on the big stage in the playoffs? Stay tuned.

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Was Derrick White snubbed from NBA's All-Defense teams? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics boasted one of the NBA’s best defenses this season, allowing just 107.2 points per game (second in the league) and posting a 110.1 defensive rating (fourth in the league).

But when the NBA unveiled its 2024-25 All-Defensive Teams on Thursday, the C’s were nowhere to be found.

Below is a look at the First and Second Teams; Derrick White was the only Boston player who received votes with 15 total points (two First-Team votes and 11 Second-Team Votes).

It’s worth noting that Jaylen Brown (63 games played) and Jrue Holiday (62 games) both didn’t meet the 65-game minimum threshold to be eligible for an All-Defense team, which is why neither player received votes.

But should White have received more consideration for at least a Second-Team nod?

White faced an uphill climb to make All-Defense thanks to a rule passed prior to the 2023-24 season that removed position restrictions from voting. Many defensive metrics favor big men while undervaluing guards, which is why this year’s teams are loaded with big men: Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, who led the league with a whopping 229 steals, is the only non-forward or center among the 10 players on this year’s list.

That said, White had made Second-Team All-Defense in each of the previous two seasons — both before and after the eligibility change. His defensive counting stats were relatively comparable year-over-year, as well; White amassed 80 blocks and 72 steals this season after tallying 87 blocks and 74 steals in 2023-24.

His defensive rating actually improved slightly from 109.9 in 2023-24 to 109.5, and he held opponents to two percent below their expected field goal percentage.

White faced stiffer All-Defense competition this year, as Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams and Portland’s Toumani Camara are both excellent young defenders. But you could probably make the case for White on the second team over players like Jaren Jackson Jr or Rudy Gobert, who have strong reputations thanks to their recent Defensive Player of the Year awards but regressed in several defensive stat categories this season. (Jackson’s Grizzlies ranked 24th in the NBA in team defense, for the record.)

White’s omission means the Celtics won’t have any representatives on the All-Defense teams for the first time since 2021, and only the second time in the last eight years.

Why Kerr compares relationship with Steph to Popovich-Duncan originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

If the relationship between Warriors superstar Steph Curry and Golden State coach Steve Kerr reminds you of another famous NBA duo, you aren’t alone.

During a recent interview on “The TK Show,” Kerr explained why his bond with Curry is eerily similar to the close relationship between longtime San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and highly decorated big man Tim Duncan.

“Very similar, very similar,” Kerr told Tim Kawakami about his relationship with Curry having a strikinh resemblance to Popovich’s and Duncan’s. “I think Pop and I are a lot alike in many ways, and I think Steph and Tim are a lot alike. I would say that Tim and Steph, if you had to put down names who every coach who ever coached in the NBA, if you asked them to name a couple guys they would want to partner with, Steph and Tim would maybe be the first two guys.

“So, there’s no coincidence why this has lasted 11 years. Steph Curry is an incredible partner and an amazing guy to collaborate with. He sets the tone, culturewise for everything that we do, We have a great bond, I think we share a lot of the same values as human beings, share a similar vision for how the game should be played, and we look forward to seeing each other every day. So why wouldn’t we keep this thing going and why wouldn’t we still enjoy this.”

Kerr, who not only is close friends with Popovich, also played alongside Duncan in San Antonio from 1998 to 2003, giving Golden State’s coach a unique perspective about the similarities between the Spurs and Warriors respective dynasties and the foundational pieces that drove them.

“And I think that’s the dynamic I saw with Pop and Timmy when I played for four seasons with the Spurs. It was very similar, it was collaborative, it was genuine love and friendship. A lot of humor a lot of joy, it’s hard to find that. But Steph and Tim are very similar in that regard. They’re probably the two most collaborative superstars. the most easy to work with that I can imagine.”

Duncan, like Curry, is a two-time NBA MVP while also sharing the rare-but-distinguished honor of playing his entire professional career for one franchise, something every Warriors fan hopes the greatest shooter of all time adds to his resume as well.

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