Category: Basketball

In the wake of New York’s captain and leading scorer Jalen Brunson injuring his ankle, many questions arose about how the Knicks would respond in his absence after playing 61 of their 62 games with him at the helm.

Some suggested his injury would force the Knicks to learn how to play and win without him, which would be a beneficial development as the playoffs near. One player in particular is proving this theory right -- Mikal Bridges.

The starting shooting guard acquired for a bundle of first-round picks has had an up-and-down season, but he has stepped up since Brunson went down.

In his last five games, Bridges is averaging 23.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists on 63.4/47.1/95.0 shooting splits, helping the Knicks go 3-2 without their best player.

It’s been a departure from Bridges’ season averages of 17.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 48.8/35.0/72.7, stemming from newfound aggressiveness and trust in his ability to create and score. He’s looked much more like the guy New York hoped they would get when emptying their asset chest this past offseason, and the hope is he’ll continue this approach once Brunson returns and the postseason begins.

Bridges is actively seeking out his own creation opportunities, calling for more pick-and-rolls with himself as the ball handler, and putting an emphasis on getting into the paint. This has not only opened up easier close-range scoring opportunities for Bridges but more playmaking chances -- an underrated part of his game.

Where Bridges used to be more connective in the offense, he’s now initiating, leveraging defenses with his scoring threat and finding open shooters and cutters. There’s an argument for him being the third-best passer on the team, and it seems he and the Knicks have realized this and taken advantage.

Another benefit of his attacking offense: he’s finally getting to the free-throw line. Bridges had previously shied away from contact, dropping his free throw attempts per game from 3.9 last year to 1.3 this season.

He’s attempted 20 free throws in the last five games; a total that he needed the previous 22 games to match. A willingness to take contact at the rim won’t just grant him free points at the stripe but will keep defenses honest and open up his mid-range game more.

Bridges’ offense was on full display against the Trail Blazers, when he scored 33 points on 13-of-21 shooting and buried the buzzer-beating three in overtime to give New York the win. What’s more, his offensive eruptions haven’t taken away from his stout defense.

New York has taken full advantage of Brunson being out to get back to its defensive roots, boasting a 104.9 defensive rating over the last five games, good for third in the league. Bridges has been a pivotal part of that despite the increase in minutes and offensive load.

The Knicks are hoping Bridges can keep up this level of play as Brunson rehabs and even once he’s back in the starting lineup. While Brunson can dominate the ball, Bridges has had many chances to take over like this in bench lineups or on nights when New York’s stars aren’t up to par, with mixed results.

This stretch could earn him some added comfort and trust to consistently bring his game to another level, which would pay dividends come the postseason. Bridges is built to be a key performer there, with defense taking precedent and offenses being pushed toward the inefficient mid-range where he thrives.

Now it’s time to show he can step up to that responsibility. So far, Bridges looks ready.

Scheierman has breakout performance in Celtics' win over Nets originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics are pretty much locked into the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference standings and the Brooklyn Nets are destined to finish in the draft lottery, so there wasn’t a ton at stake in Tuesday night’s matchup at TD Garden.

But that didn’t stop fans from creating an amazing atmosphere, and the primary reason for the excitement was Baylor Scheierman.

The 2024 first-round draft pick scored a career-high 20 points on 6-for-7 shooting from 3-point range. His best moment came at the end of the third quarter. He banked in a long 3-pointer but it was waved off due to a whistle. The rookie forward got another chance with 1.7 seconds left and drilled a 3-pointer as time expired, sending the crowd into a frenzy and firing up his teammates.

“It’s pretty special. When I hit that buzzer beater and the crowd was going crazy, that was probably a top-three environment I’ve ever been a part of,” Scheierman told reporters postgame. “It’s just special, and that’s obviously what makes Boston so elite and the best sports city in the country.”

It can be tough for a rookie to find a rhythm on a team like the Celtics that wins a lot of games and has a bunch of veteran players, but Scheierman has done a nice job staying ready and taking advantage of opportunities whenever they come.

“I think I’ve just done a good job of just trying to be where my feet are, whether that’s Maine or here, and try to learn as much as possible and take bits and pieces from everybody and mold it into my routine and how I go about things,” Scheierman said.

“I think that’s the biggest thing I’ve seen over the course of the year is just the growth that I’ve learned and staying ready for whenever my number is called.”

Scheierman was labeled as a very good outside shooter when the Celtics drafted him out of Creighton, and his ability to knock down 3-point shots is obviously quite valuable. But he’s more than just a shooter. He crashes the boards, he plays with toughness, he gives great effort defensively, he dives on the floor for loose balls — a lot of the little things that add up to winning. In addition to his scoring, he tallied three rebounds, two steals and one assist in 16 minutes versus the Nets.

“The thing I really like about him is his toughness,” C’s head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters postgame. “He’s got a high level of toughness. He’s got a chip on his shoulder and kind of an F-U mentality to where he’s going to make it work. We saw that on some of his box-outs, some of his offensive rebounds. Again, the threes were great, but I like the mindset and the toughness that he brought on both ends of the floor.”

Scheierman agreed with his coach’s remarks.

“You kind of have to have that mentality to make it in this league with a lot of talented players,” he said. “Every time I step on that court I’m trying to go 110 percent and play as hard as I can regardless of the score or who we’re playing against. Just trying to put my best foot forward every single time.”

The Celtics have a pretty soft schedule the rest of the regular season. There are a lot of matchups against non-playoff teams coming up. If Mazzulla chooses to rest some of his veterans to keep them fresh for the playoffs, there could be lots more chances for Scheierman to develop his talent and prove he belongs at this level.

And if Scheierman continues to play well, maybe he could earn some minutes in the playoffs. Celtics history is full of unexpected playoff heros who played a key role in winning a single game or an entire series.

Draymond makes DPOY case while dominating Giannis in Warriors' win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – News began to spread Monday night in the Warriors’ locker room that the Denver Nuggets would be without Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Christian Bruan a little more than an hour before tipoff. 

Relief wasn’t felt. Disappointment was, perhaps from Draymond Green more than anybody. 

Battling Jokić, a three-time NBA MVP who is averaging a triple-double this season, is like wrestling a bear blindfolded. All you hope for is survival. Most don’t make it out. But those are the challenges Green lives for. 

It’s not like Draymond didn’t show up in the Warriors’ letdown of a loss to the Nuggets, especially defensively, where he had five blocked shots and three steals. If his intensity always is at a 10, though, he turned the knob to 12 or higher 24 hours later guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo in a game where the Warriors were without Steph Curry against the Milwaukee Bucks on the second night of a back-to-back. 

The Warriors needed to set a tone early Tuesday night, and fire could be felt rising from the Chase Center hardwood, with Green being the architect of a gut-check 104-93 win over the Bucks. 

“He’s always like that. It’s not just Giannis. He don’t give a damn who he’s going against. If he’s going up against a damn five-year-old,” Jimmy Butler said, earning laughs from reporters. “No, seriously. He would hate for that individual to score on him, and he wouldn’t want anybody helping. It’s like, this is my matchup, this is on me and I got to get a stop.” 

Green let Antetokounmpo and the rest of the Bucks know what kind of night they were in for from the start. Within the first four and a half minutes of the game, he already blocked three shots, beginning with the Bucks’ opening possession where Green trailed Antetokounmpo, stayed vertical and met him under the basket. Green’s second blocked shot was his most impressive, highlighting how unique of a defender he is. 

A mere two minutes after Green’s first block, he showed on a Damian Lillard high screen, going past the free-throw line, only to recover quick enough to flip his hips, slide and meet Antetokounmpo, who is at least five inches taller than him, at the rim. 

His third block of the first quarter was another example of how there aren’t any defenders like Green. Maybe ever. He went from guarding 7-foot center Brook Lopez in the post to recognizing Taurean Price was beating Quinten Post off the dribble fast enough that Green was able to rotate and block his attempt of a floater. 

Green on his fourth and final block of the night lured Kevin Porter Jr. into thinking he had enough space behind the arc. He didn’t. Green stepped up right as Porter went to unload for three, knocking the ball upon its release. 

Below are all four of his blocked shots. Each shows the many ways Green can completely disrupt an offense. 

“He’s the best defender I’ve ever seen,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I mean, you see the pick-and-roll with Dame. If he’s in it, he kind of does this fake blitz thing with his speed, with his anticipation. He forces Dame back out towards halfcourt and he’s able to get back. The speed and recovery with Draymond is just stunning. 

“And then the brain that goes with it. If he’s on the weak side, he’s constantly coming over to help. He’s one of the great defenders of all time, and he’s still doing it at a high level.” 

Blocking shots wasn’t the only way Green dominated defensively, too. He also had two steals in the second quarter, including this one that again emphasizes how he sees and affects everything. 

Butler is in his 14th NBA season. Playing 17 games alongside his fellow 35-year-old has given him an enhanced sense of appreciation for Green. 

“Hell yeah,” Butler said. “I think you have to respect the hell out of what he does, and it’s so hard to do. To shoot the ball, I don’t know, four times maybe, if that, and then just lock in on defense every possession down and get mad when anybody scores — not just the guy he’s guarding — you don’t find that around the league too often. 

“He has won at this level. He is a Hall of Famer for a reason. I just respect what he brings to this squad, what he brings to this locker room and how he affects winning in every single way.” 

Stats of course play a major part in awards. Voting also can be subjective, which is why Green somehow only has one Defensive Player of the Year award. He’s coming for No. 2 right now, and believes he should have a strong case, even more so with Victor Wembanyama out for the season. 

What he did to Antetokounmpo should be the film every voter watches. Green guarded him for seven minutes, and Antetokounmpo, who is second in the NBA averaging 30.2 points per game, didn’t score once on him. He was 0 of 7, trapped in Green’s defensive spell. 

The stats Tuesday night did Green justice. Often times they don’t tell the full story, particularly on defense, requiring watching the game to actually make it clear why Green deserves so much applause. 

“I look around the league and I don’t see many players impacting the game on the defensive side the way I do,” Green said. “I don’t see many players completely throwing off an entire team’s offense the way I do. So, one thousand percent. Especially with Wemby going down. Seemed like he had it won, and now it’s right there. 

“One million percent I have a case, and I’ll continue to build a case over these next 13 games. But tonight I think was a prime example of it.”

The stats against top players matches the eye test. Zion Williamson in two games has been blocked six times by Green and has shot 41.7 percent (10 of 24) this season. Paolo Banchero went 7 of 21 (33.3 percent) when guarded by Green in two games. Kyrie Irving was 4 of 13 (30.8 percent) in their four matchups, and Jalen Green is 0 of 5 with two turnovers in three games against the Warriors while being defended by Draymond this season. 

He’s a terror to players of all skill sets, all shapes and sizes. Those on the East Coast, this is your reminder to stay up late to appreciate a defensive clinic. Those on the West Coast, consider yourself lucky. 

Draymond only having one Defensive Player of the Year is a crime equal to Kevin Garnett just claiming one, and Tim Duncan having none. The Warriors will have to keep winning, and Green will have to remain healthy, but he’s on a mission and the league knows trying to get in his way is never a good idea.

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Which player will own Celtics' 3-point record at season's end? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics have three players currently on pace to shatter the team record for most 3-pointers in a single season. The only question is which one will own the top spot in the Celtics’ record book at season’s end?

With 13 games remaining in the regular season, the trio of Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, and Payton Pritchard are all on pace to eclipse Boston’s single-season record of 245 3-pointers by Isaiah Thomas during his magical 2016-17 season.

White leads the pack at 228 made 3-pointers, while Tatum is close behind at 227. Pritchard is lingering at 223. 

The White/Tatum/Pritchard trio already slots in spots 5-7 on Boston’s all-time list and should soon comprise three of the top five spots overall.

Boston’s trio also sits in spots 4-6 among the NBA’s leaders in 3-pointers this season:

Who emerges as the Celtics’ single-season leader could hinge on games played, which could help Pritchard make up ground. If the Celtics prioritize rest for veterans like Tatum and White, particularly after all the basketball they’ve played over the past 18 months, it could open a pathway for Pritchard to make a late surge.

While Pritchard has prioritized team success over all individual accomplishments, he’s acknowledged that winning Sixth Man of the Year is an obvious goal of any player in a bench role. Landing the Celtics’ single-season record would be another bold line on his 2024-25 resume when voters make their end-of-the-year selections.

Tatum owned spots 2-4 on Boston’s single-season list entering the season and, if he doesn’t get the single-season record this year, it feels like there could still be plenty of chances moving forward in Boston’s 3-point heavy attack.

White tops the team with 4.2 3-point makes per game since the All-Star break. He’s shooting 41.7 percent over a 13-game span, leaving a little midseason slump in the rearview mirror. If games played are equal among the three players, White is on pace to stiff arm Tatum and Pritchard at the finish line.

The Celtics have loftier goals than a single-season record but it’s no easy task to muscle your way into Boston’s record books. The three-horse race could add a tiny slice of intrigue to the Celtics’ final games of the season, particularly if the combatants playfully jockey for the honor.

Imagine a scenario where Tatum and White rest on the final day of the regular season but Pritchard has the opportunity to catch them. TD Garden hummed with intrigue on opening night when the Celtics nearly set the league record for 3-pointers in a single game versus the Knicks. Might the building have a little extra energy on 3-pointers if aware of the 3-horse race for the single-season record?

And if you want to monitor the fun straight into the postseason, here are the Celtics’ top six in 3-pointers made in one season when including postseason games (with total 3-point output and total games played):