Category: Basketball

Basketball News

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Nets fall to short-handed Celtics, 104-96

BOSTON (AP) — Baylor Scheierman scored 13 of his career-high 20 points in the fourth quarter, Kristaps Porzingas had 25 points and 13 rebounds and the Boston Celtics beat the Brooklyn Nets 104-96 on Tuesday night.

Scheierman took advantage of some bonus playing time as the Celtics rested injured stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown against the struggling Nets. Boston still had plenty down the stretch to hold off Brooklyn, which couldn’t stop Scheierman’s second-half surge.

After beating the buzzer at the end of the third with a 3-pointer that put Boston up 71-70, Scheierman hit three more from beyond the arc in the fourth before leaving to a standing ovation with about four minutes left. Scheierman, a rookie out of Creighton, had never scored more than 15 points before Tuesday.

Derrick White scored 18 points, Jrue Holiday had 12 points and eight assists and Payton Pritchard added 10 points for Boston, which won its third straight.

D’Angelo Russell led Brooklyn with 18 points. Ziaire Williams scored 15 and Cameron Johnson and Trendon Watford added 11 points apiece.

Takeaways

Celtics: With 13 games remaining in the regular season and facing the struggling Nets, Tatum (knee) and Brown (right knee, back) got some extra rest. The remaining Celtics beat the Nets for the ninth straight time in the regular season.

Nets: After snapping a three-game losing streak Sunday with a win over Atlanta and leading after two periods Tuesday, Brooklyn couldn’t hold off the Celtics in the fourth.

Key moment

After a layup by Tyrese Martin put Brooklyn up 80-71 midway through the fourth, Scheierman hit the first of back-to-back 3-pointers that put Boston in control.

Key stat

The Celtics shot 11 for 20 in the fourth quarter, outscoring Brooklyn 33-26 in the period.

Up next

Brooklyn visits Indiana on Thursday night. The Celtics start a six-game trip on Friday night at Utah.

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The Associated Press 2024-25 men’s college basketball All-America teams

The Associated Press 2024-25 All-America men’s basketball team with statistics through regular-season and conference tournaments: Cooper Flagg, Duke, 6-9, 205, Freshman; Newport, Maine; 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists (61 of 61 first-place votes, 305 points* Johni Broome, Auburn, 6-10, 235, Fifth year; Plant City, Florida; 18.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists (61, 305* Braden Smith, Purdue, 6-0, 180, Junior; Westfield, Indiana; 16.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.7 assists (44, 268) Mark Sear

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Gregg Popovich 'ahead of schedule' in recovery, but no timeline for when he might return to bench

About three weeks ago, on an off-day between games, Gregg Popovich returned to the Spurs practice facility to address the team for the first time since his Nov. 2 stroke. He may have moved a little slower and been a little more deliberate, but he was still himself, according to an insightful report from Ramona Shelburne and Michael C. Wright of ESPN. And he let the players know he'd been watching their games.

"Everybody shut the f*** up when he walked in," [Keldon] Johnson said. "That's just how it's always been with Pop. Obviously, he's still recovering. But he was still cussing. 'Y'all need to play defense. Y'all need to rebound.' Knowing that, s***, he really is watching the games because he's calling out specific situations, was huge.

"It was what we needed. I feel like he brought that life, that spark. That Pop that we all knew and loved. He came into that meeting and that's who he was. It was like he didn't skip a beat."

News of Popovich's recovery was all good — he is "ahead of schedule," according to Harrison Barnes — but it doesn't mean he is near a return to the court. Popovich already announced he would not return this season and it's unknown if he could return next season, according to the report.

"It's Pop's decision," one person close to the situation told ESPN. "He's earned that."

He has. He just needs to make the best decision for himself, the Spurs will be there whatever and whenever he decides.

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Butler makes Warriors history as fastest player to hit stat benchmark

Butler makes Warriors history as fastest player to hit stat benchmark originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jimmy Butler nearly recorded his second triple-double as a Warrior while leading Golden State to a 104-93 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday at Chase Center.

On a night when Steph Curry sat out for some needed rest, Butler filled up the stat sheet with 24 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.

Not only was Butler’s performance critical to getting the Warriors a bounce-back win, but it also put him in the franchise record books.

The veteran forward needed just 17 games to reach both 100 rebounds and 100 assists in a Golden State uniform, which is the fastest mark in the franchise’s storied history, according to StatMamba.

In those 17 games, Butler has helped his new team to a red-hot 15-2 record and a much-improved NBA playoffs outlook.

With Curry absent, the Warriors especially relied on the six-time All-Star down the stretch to carry their offense.

In the fourth quarter alone, Butler recorded nine points, four assists and three rebounds to help stave off a Bucks squad that went on a huge run to start the second half. His witty drawn foul on a 3-point attempt at the end of the third quarter — he converted all three free throws — restored Golden State’s lead for good.

With the Western Conference standings crowded, the Warriors wouldn’t mind another 100 rebounds and assists from Butler over their last 13 regular-season games.

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