(TSX / STATS) -- BOSTON -- Any chance of a 10-day layoff hurting the Cleveland Cavaliers quickly disappeared Wednesday night.
"Starting the game, LeBron really controlled the tempo, really set the tone early," Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said after LeBron James scored 15 of his 38 points in the first quarter as the defending champions cruised to a 117-104 victory over the Boston Celtics in the opener of the Eastern Conference finals.
"He's playing at a high level right now, and that's the reason we're riding him so much."
James, looking to advance to his seventh consecutive NBA Finals (the most since Bill Russell in the 1960s) grabbed nine rebounds and seven assists while posting his seventh consecutive 30-point game. He is averaging 34.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.1 assists in the playoffs.
"Amazing, but he's better than when I first got into the league," Celtics fourth-year coach Brad Stevens said.
The Cavs, playing their first game since May 7, put on a clinic, leading wire to wire.
Cleveland built a 26-point lead in the first half, expanding it to 28 -- matching the largest home playoff deficit in Celtics history -- in the third quarter before Boston cut it down to 17 at the end of the quarter. The Celtics rallied some and actually cut their deficit to 11 with the benches cleared in the final minutes.
"I don't even think we played that great tonight," James said. "We definitely didn't shoot the ball as well as we're capable of shooting it. ... I think the energy and the effort and mindset was where it needed to be starting on the road, especially in the Eastern Conference finals."
Kevin Love, who hit four 3-pointers in the third quarter, scored a career playoff-high 32 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, becoming the first Cav other than James to amass 30 points and 10 rebounds in a playoff game since Brad Daugherty in 1992. Tristan Thompson had a career playoff-high 20 points (shooting 7-for-7 from the floor) and nine rebounds, and Kyrie Irving contributed 11 points and six assists.
"Tonight was another one of those games where I made a couple plays to help us get a win, but it was definitely our two bigs (Love and Thompson, who) set the tone," James said. "They were phenomenal."
Lue, a former Celtics assistant, said of Thompson, "He's our energy, he's our motor."
At one point in the third quarter, the Cavs were 28 of 45 from the floor. They finished the game at 48.1 percent.
Game 2 is Friday night at TD Garden before the series shifts to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4.
Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder led the Celtics with 21 points apiece, while Isaiah Thomas, hounded all night, had 17 points and 10 assists. He was just 7 of 19 from the floor, 2 of 7 from 3-point range. Rookie Jaylen Brown had 10 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
Thomas hit a 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left in the first half, his team's second trey in 16 first-half attempts.
Asked if the Celtics had a bit of a letdown after an emotional seven-game series with the Washington Wizards, Thomas said, "I don't think so. They were the better team tonight. They hit us first. They were more physical ... on both ends of the floor, and that was the difference."
"I think their energy level was by far higher than ours to start the game," Crowder added.
The win was the Cavaliers' 12th in a row in the playoffs (one shy of matching the NBA record, set by the 1988-89 Los Angeles Lakers), dating back to last year's finals, while the Celtics' five-game home playoff winning streak was stopped.
Some third-quarter unpleasantness erupted between Thompson and Boston's Marcus Smart, whose fiery play kept his team somewhat alive -- his flying slam on a rebound with 2.8 seconds left in the third igniting the crowd. The pair were whistled for double fouls on one occasion and came together on other occasions.
Before the season, the basketball world was predicting a Cavaliers-Golden State Warriors rematch in the finals. The teams are a combined 19-0 in this postseason, the first time two teams ever started one playoff year 9-0.
NOTES: Cleveland F LeBron James reportedly erased a white board of plays when told Boston F Kelly Olynyk had 26 points in Game 7 against Washington on Monday night. "Seriously?" he said. "We had like two weeks to get ready and now at the last second it turns out Kelly Olynyk has the ability to make shots and get rebounds and stuff? Well, back to the drawing board I guess." Olynyk scored two points in the final minute and had three rebounds Wednesday. ... Boston C Al Horford on the Celtics getting the top pick in the lottery: "That's big for our franchise. The first time in history -- that's pretty cool." ... Celtics coach Brad Stevens on winning the lottery: "It's a great opportunity for us." ... Former Red Sox DH David Ortiz was seated next to the Celtics' bench.
Thursday, May 18, 2017
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Hornets PG Walker undergoes arthroscopic surgery on knee
Typical recovery time for Walker’s procedure is approximately six weeks.
Last May, Walker had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. The Hornets gave Walker a four-year, $48 million extension in October 2014.
In his sixth season in Charlotte, Walker appeared in 79 games averaging a career-high 23.2 points, 5.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 34.7 minutes per game.
Walker was named to 2017 Eastern Conference All-Star team, the first NBA All-Star appearance of his six-year career.
The University of Connecticut product has appeared in 443 career games (398 starts) for Charlotte averaging 18.4 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 33.9 minutes per game.
Walker was selected by Charlotte with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Bulls G Valentine undergoes ankle surgery
Valentine, who dealt with two separate ankle injuries in his rookie season, had the surgical procedure to "clean up" the area of the ankle, ESPN reported.
Valentine, 23, posted a picture on Instagram of him wearing a walking boot on Tuesday. After his rehab, he is expected to be ready to play for the Bulls in the Vegas Summer League in July.
The 6-foot-6, 212-pound Valentine, drafted with the No. 14 overall pick last year out of Michigan State, averaged 5.1 points in 57 regular-season games. He played a total of 22 minutes in Chicago's first-round playoff loss to the Boston Celtics.
Celtics look to upset James-led Cavaliers
Stats, LLC
BOSTON -- It was five years ago that LeBron James walked into TD Garden and amassed 45 points and 15 rebounds in a Game 6 victory that avoided the Miami Heat's elimination from the postseason.
Many feel that was the first real signature event in what was already a proud career, as the Heat won Game 7 at home and then captured the championship.
"Now that you've brought it to my attention, yeah, I would say that," Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue, a Celtics assistant in that 2012 series, said Tuesday as his team prepared to go to Boston for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final on Wednesday night.
"Coming back home, up 3-2 and having a chance to close them out. Played a great series and we thought we had a chance to win that series. LeBron came in and had 45 points, think he made six 3s and he was just determined that he wasn't going to let his team lose."
James, looking to be the first player since Boston's Bill Russell (in the 1960s) to go to seven straight finals, opens his sixth playoff series against the Celtics -- the most he has played against any team.
Boston advanced with a 115-105 Game 7 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday night and then won the NBA draft lottery for the first time Tuesday.
"That felt pretty good," Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck said. "It felt like winning Game 7 last night. There's a lot of good feelings around the Celtics right now.
The Celtics took advantage of the Cavs virtually taking the final month off to grab the top seed in the conference. But the Cavs, 8-0 in these playoffs (Boston is 8-5), are clearly the favorites as they hope to repeat as NBA champions.
Asked after Monday night's game what it will take for his team to beat Cleveland, Boston guard Marcus Smart said, "Perfection."
"What a special opportunity to get a chance to compete against them," said Boston coach Brad Stevens, whose Celtics lost to the Cavs in four straight games two years ago.
"At the end of the day, the Celtics are our next opponent and ... they're a worthy opponent," James said Tuesday. "We have to game plan every game; we have to game plan for what they bring to the table. And when we have to mentally focus on our challenges that we have every game."
In 29 playoff games against the Celtics, James' teams are 17-12. He is averaging 29 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists in those games. He also comes in with six straight 30-point games in this year's playoffs and is the first player ever to amass 275 points, 70 rebounds and 50 assists in the first eight playoff games of a season.
"LeBron's been playing at such a high level, why would you go away from that?" Lue said. "Let's ride it while he's been playing great. Kevin (Love) understands that, Kyrie (Irving) understands that, all the guys understand it. We'll do a better job getting Kevin involved, getting him more touches. But LeBron's playing at such a high level, it was hard to kind of go away from that. We're just all about winning and in order to win you've got to sacrifice."
James showed up at Tuesday's media gathering wearing a T-shirt that had a leprechaun with a halo over its head on it. That happens to be his high school mascot, but was it also a sign the Boston leprechaun will soon be a dead and thus an angel?
"You guys are trying to create story lines," James said. "The only story line is Celtics vs. Cavs and who can win this series."
In the fourth game of that previous series, Boston's Kelly Olynyk knocked Kevin Love out of the postseason by ripping his arm back and creating a shoulder injury. Olynyk then did what looked like the same thing to Robin Lopez -- and was then involved in an incident in the Wizards series.
After a questionable screen, he was shoved by Kelly Oubre Jr., leading to a one-game suspension for Oubre, but also leading to Draymond Green, who knows a thing or two about dirty plays, calling Olynyk "a dirty player."
Monday night, Olynyk, who denies playing dirty, was just a great player, scoring a career-playoff-high 26 points to help send the Wizards home.
"If Kelly doesn't go nuts and they throw in a couple more 3s, we're not talking about the next step," said Stevens.
The Cavaliers won the season series with the Celtics 3-1, winning both home games and splitting the games in Boston.
James averaged 29.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game this season against Boston, while Celtics scoring leader Isaiah Thomas posted 29.5 points and 6.5 assists per game against the Cavs.
"They ain't (giving) us a chance in this series," Thomas said Monday. "They ain't (giving) us a chance when we was down 2-0 to Chicago. We got the No. 1 seed, they didn't give us a chance. They don't ever give us a chance and we keep going. We don't care about what others say."
Al Horford, brilliant in these playoffs, added, "Everyone's going to roll with the champs until somebody beats them."
Thomas, who has ridden a physically and emotional roller coaster in these playoffs, says he is banged up and there's no time to rest up for the powerful Cavaliers, who haven't played since May 7.
"I'm hurting but it's the playoffs, so there's no excuses," he said, adding it's "My whole body" that hurts.
BOSTON -- It was five years ago that LeBron James walked into TD Garden and amassed 45 points and 15 rebounds in a Game 6 victory that avoided the Miami Heat's elimination from the postseason.
Many feel that was the first real signature event in what was already a proud career, as the Heat won Game 7 at home and then captured the championship.
"Now that you've brought it to my attention, yeah, I would say that," Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue, a Celtics assistant in that 2012 series, said Tuesday as his team prepared to go to Boston for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final on Wednesday night.
"Coming back home, up 3-2 and having a chance to close them out. Played a great series and we thought we had a chance to win that series. LeBron came in and had 45 points, think he made six 3s and he was just determined that he wasn't going to let his team lose."
James, looking to be the first player since Boston's Bill Russell (in the 1960s) to go to seven straight finals, opens his sixth playoff series against the Celtics -- the most he has played against any team.
Boston advanced with a 115-105 Game 7 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday night and then won the NBA draft lottery for the first time Tuesday.
"That felt pretty good," Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck said. "It felt like winning Game 7 last night. There's a lot of good feelings around the Celtics right now.
The Celtics took advantage of the Cavs virtually taking the final month off to grab the top seed in the conference. But the Cavs, 8-0 in these playoffs (Boston is 8-5), are clearly the favorites as they hope to repeat as NBA champions.
Asked after Monday night's game what it will take for his team to beat Cleveland, Boston guard Marcus Smart said, "Perfection."
"What a special opportunity to get a chance to compete against them," said Boston coach Brad Stevens, whose Celtics lost to the Cavs in four straight games two years ago.
"At the end of the day, the Celtics are our next opponent and ... they're a worthy opponent," James said Tuesday. "We have to game plan every game; we have to game plan for what they bring to the table. And when we have to mentally focus on our challenges that we have every game."
In 29 playoff games against the Celtics, James' teams are 17-12. He is averaging 29 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists in those games. He also comes in with six straight 30-point games in this year's playoffs and is the first player ever to amass 275 points, 70 rebounds and 50 assists in the first eight playoff games of a season.
"LeBron's been playing at such a high level, why would you go away from that?" Lue said. "Let's ride it while he's been playing great. Kevin (Love) understands that, Kyrie (Irving) understands that, all the guys understand it. We'll do a better job getting Kevin involved, getting him more touches. But LeBron's playing at such a high level, it was hard to kind of go away from that. We're just all about winning and in order to win you've got to sacrifice."
James showed up at Tuesday's media gathering wearing a T-shirt that had a leprechaun with a halo over its head on it. That happens to be his high school mascot, but was it also a sign the Boston leprechaun will soon be a dead and thus an angel?
"You guys are trying to create story lines," James said. "The only story line is Celtics vs. Cavs and who can win this series."
In the fourth game of that previous series, Boston's Kelly Olynyk knocked Kevin Love out of the postseason by ripping his arm back and creating a shoulder injury. Olynyk then did what looked like the same thing to Robin Lopez -- and was then involved in an incident in the Wizards series.
After a questionable screen, he was shoved by Kelly Oubre Jr., leading to a one-game suspension for Oubre, but also leading to Draymond Green, who knows a thing or two about dirty plays, calling Olynyk "a dirty player."
Monday night, Olynyk, who denies playing dirty, was just a great player, scoring a career-playoff-high 26 points to help send the Wizards home.
"If Kelly doesn't go nuts and they throw in a couple more 3s, we're not talking about the next step," said Stevens.
The Cavaliers won the season series with the Celtics 3-1, winning both home games and splitting the games in Boston.
James averaged 29.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game this season against Boston, while Celtics scoring leader Isaiah Thomas posted 29.5 points and 6.5 assists per game against the Cavs.
"They ain't (giving) us a chance in this series," Thomas said Monday. "They ain't (giving) us a chance when we was down 2-0 to Chicago. We got the No. 1 seed, they didn't give us a chance. They don't ever give us a chance and we keep going. We don't care about what others say."
Al Horford, brilliant in these playoffs, added, "Everyone's going to roll with the champs until somebody beats them."
Thomas, who has ridden a physically and emotional roller coaster in these playoffs, says he is banged up and there's no time to rest up for the powerful Cavaliers, who haven't played since May 7.
"I'm hurting but it's the playoffs, so there's no excuses," he said, adding it's "My whole body" that hurts.
Warriors throttle Spurs to take 2-0 lead
(TSX / STATS) -- OAKLAND, Calif. -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich expected more from his ballclub Tuesday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals.
Golden State Warriors acting coach Mike Brown was happy to see his team stroll to a blowout victory, but he was prepared to head to San Antonio fully convinced it wouldn't occur again.
The Warriors took full advantage of Kawhi Leonard's absence, bombing the uninspired Spurs with 18 3-pointers en route to a 136-100 trouncing that gave Golden State a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Stephen Curry scored 15 of his game-high 29 points in a 33-16 first-quarter run-away, allowing the Warriors to hold the serve at home that they earned by running up the NBA's best regular-season record.
"Steve (Kerr) told our guys we've got to come out and play with a sense of urgency from the beginning. We can't ease into the game," Brown said of his ailing boss' address to the team in the locker room before the game. "Give all of our guys credit.
"And that was the message to the team afterward, too, going into Game 3. Think Game 1 was tough? Oh, down in San Antonio, it's going to be more than a dogfight. Game 3's going to be tough for us."
The Spurs get three days off to lick their wounds and hope Leonard, who sprained a previously injured left ankle in Game 1, can be ready for Game 3 on Saturday.
Leonard or no Leonard, Popovich insisted the series is over if his team doesn't get an attitude adjustment.
"I don't think we believed," he said. "I'm disappointed. The only way I can process this is I think it's not about the O's and X's or rebounds or turnovers or anything like that.
"You have to believe. I don't think as a group they really did, which means probably a little bit feeling sorry for themselves psychologically. It showed in the lack of edge, intensity ... That was disappointing."
Two days after falling behind by 25 points in the first half to a Leonard-led team, the Warriors had a 25-point lead of their own in the 16th minute of the rematch en route to a 72-44 halftime advantage.
The Spurs were never appreciably closer in the second half.
"We felt sorry for ourselves," Popovich said. "We need to get slapped and come back and play Game 3 and see who we are.
"All I care about is the next game, and we'll see how they come out. Whether they win or they lose, I want to see how they play. If they do the right things and play the game and obey the basketball gods, they'll have a great chance to win."
Curry used 6-for-9 shooting on 3-pointers to lead seven Warriors scorers in double figures. He also found time for seven rebounds, a game-high seven assists and three steals in 31 minutes.
Five other Warriors connected on multiple 3-pointers in an 18-for-37 barrage that dwarfed the Spurs' 8-for-23 success from beyond the arc.
"It's fun to watch. (Curry) gets everybody else open once he gets it going like that," said Kevin Durant, who added 16 points to the Warriors' cause. "If he's got it going, give him the ball."
Draymond Green contributed 13 points, a team-high nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocked shots to Golden State's 10th consecutive postseason win this season.
Only eight other NBA teams have ever opened a postseason 10-0.
Warriors reserve Patrick McCaw took advantage of 27 minutes of playing time to chip in with 18 points.
"When the game starts, it's whoever wants to grab that momentum early and set the tone for the game, and I think we did that a little bit better tonight. So that was huge," Curry said of the Warriors, who had 39 assists on their 50 field goals, and shot 56.2 percent from the field. "You don't want to give them any reason and any life."
Jonathon Simmons, starting in place of Leonard, had a team-high 22 points for the Spurs, who fell behind 2-0 in a playoff series for the first time since being swept by the Phoenix Suns in the Western semifinals in 2010.
Davis Bertans dropped in 13 points, and Dewayne Dedmon had nine points to go with a team-high nine rebounds off the bench for the Spurs, whose reserves outscored their starters 53-47.
"We can't necessarily play any worse than we did tonight," point guard Patty Mills said of the Spurs, who made only 37 percent of their shots. "We'll just lay it out there Game 3 on our home floor."
NOTES: The Warriors have won the last nine playoff series in which they took a 2-0 lead. The last time they lost a series when up 2-0 was against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1969 Western semifinals. ... The Spurs haven't rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to win a series since overcoming the New Orleans Hornets in seven games in the Western semifinals in 2008. ... Before the game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich labeled SF Kawhi Leonard (sprained left ankle) "questionable" for Game 3 on Saturday. ... The Warriors played without SF Andre Iguodala (sore left knee), then lost C Zaza Pachulia to a heel injury in the first quarter. X-rays on Pachulia's heel were negative, but he was scheduled for an MRI exam on Wednesday nonetheless. ... Warriors coach Mike Brown had a run-in with the police escorting the Spurs team bus while entering the Oracle Arena parking lot, an incident witnessed by Popovich. "Somebody's got to tell him," Popovich noted in a rare light moment, "if the California Highway Patrol tells you to move over, you move over."
Golden State Warriors acting coach Mike Brown was happy to see his team stroll to a blowout victory, but he was prepared to head to San Antonio fully convinced it wouldn't occur again.
The Warriors took full advantage of Kawhi Leonard's absence, bombing the uninspired Spurs with 18 3-pointers en route to a 136-100 trouncing that gave Golden State a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Stephen Curry scored 15 of his game-high 29 points in a 33-16 first-quarter run-away, allowing the Warriors to hold the serve at home that they earned by running up the NBA's best regular-season record.
"Steve (Kerr) told our guys we've got to come out and play with a sense of urgency from the beginning. We can't ease into the game," Brown said of his ailing boss' address to the team in the locker room before the game. "Give all of our guys credit.
"And that was the message to the team afterward, too, going into Game 3. Think Game 1 was tough? Oh, down in San Antonio, it's going to be more than a dogfight. Game 3's going to be tough for us."
The Spurs get three days off to lick their wounds and hope Leonard, who sprained a previously injured left ankle in Game 1, can be ready for Game 3 on Saturday.
Leonard or no Leonard, Popovich insisted the series is over if his team doesn't get an attitude adjustment.
"I don't think we believed," he said. "I'm disappointed. The only way I can process this is I think it's not about the O's and X's or rebounds or turnovers or anything like that.
"You have to believe. I don't think as a group they really did, which means probably a little bit feeling sorry for themselves psychologically. It showed in the lack of edge, intensity ... That was disappointing."
Two days after falling behind by 25 points in the first half to a Leonard-led team, the Warriors had a 25-point lead of their own in the 16th minute of the rematch en route to a 72-44 halftime advantage.
The Spurs were never appreciably closer in the second half.
"We felt sorry for ourselves," Popovich said. "We need to get slapped and come back and play Game 3 and see who we are.
"All I care about is the next game, and we'll see how they come out. Whether they win or they lose, I want to see how they play. If they do the right things and play the game and obey the basketball gods, they'll have a great chance to win."
Curry used 6-for-9 shooting on 3-pointers to lead seven Warriors scorers in double figures. He also found time for seven rebounds, a game-high seven assists and three steals in 31 minutes.
Five other Warriors connected on multiple 3-pointers in an 18-for-37 barrage that dwarfed the Spurs' 8-for-23 success from beyond the arc.
"It's fun to watch. (Curry) gets everybody else open once he gets it going like that," said Kevin Durant, who added 16 points to the Warriors' cause. "If he's got it going, give him the ball."
Draymond Green contributed 13 points, a team-high nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocked shots to Golden State's 10th consecutive postseason win this season.
Only eight other NBA teams have ever opened a postseason 10-0.
Warriors reserve Patrick McCaw took advantage of 27 minutes of playing time to chip in with 18 points.
"When the game starts, it's whoever wants to grab that momentum early and set the tone for the game, and I think we did that a little bit better tonight. So that was huge," Curry said of the Warriors, who had 39 assists on their 50 field goals, and shot 56.2 percent from the field. "You don't want to give them any reason and any life."
Jonathon Simmons, starting in place of Leonard, had a team-high 22 points for the Spurs, who fell behind 2-0 in a playoff series for the first time since being swept by the Phoenix Suns in the Western semifinals in 2010.
Davis Bertans dropped in 13 points, and Dewayne Dedmon had nine points to go with a team-high nine rebounds off the bench for the Spurs, whose reserves outscored their starters 53-47.
"We can't necessarily play any worse than we did tonight," point guard Patty Mills said of the Spurs, who made only 37 percent of their shots. "We'll just lay it out there Game 3 on our home floor."
NOTES: The Warriors have won the last nine playoff series in which they took a 2-0 lead. The last time they lost a series when up 2-0 was against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1969 Western semifinals. ... The Spurs haven't rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to win a series since overcoming the New Orleans Hornets in seven games in the Western semifinals in 2008. ... Before the game, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich labeled SF Kawhi Leonard (sprained left ankle) "questionable" for Game 3 on Saturday. ... The Warriors played without SF Andre Iguodala (sore left knee), then lost C Zaza Pachulia to a heel injury in the first quarter. X-rays on Pachulia's heel were negative, but he was scheduled for an MRI exam on Wednesday nonetheless. ... Warriors coach Mike Brown had a run-in with the police escorting the Spurs team bus while entering the Oracle Arena parking lot, an incident witnessed by Popovich. "Somebody's got to tell him," Popovich noted in a rare light moment, "if the California Highway Patrol tells you to move over, you move over."
Celtics win draft lottery; Lakers get No. 2 pick
(TSX / STATS) -- Four years ago, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett played their final games for the Celtics. A month later, they were traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a massive deal that involved multiple first-round picks going to Boston.
On Tuesday, the Celtics reaped the ultimate reward of acquiring a first overall pick by winning the NBA draft lottery. Boston will select first for the first time since the lottery began in 1985.
It is the second time the Celtics will pick first. The other time was 1950 when Boston picked Chuck Share, who never played a game for the team.
"I'm glad we didn't trade it, you can write it down," Boston managing partner Wyc Grousbeck said.
The Celtics obtained the pick from the Nets in 2013 and had a 25 percent of getting the top pick. The Nets finished with the league's worst record at 20-62 under first-year general manager Sean Marks, who replaced Billy King in February 2016.
When the Celtics traded Garnett and Pierce after the duo played six seasons together and won the NBA title in 2008, they began a rebuild. The Celtics won 25 games in the first season after the trade but their win total has improved in each of the next three seasons, culminating in getting the top seed in the Eastern Conference this season.
The Nets went the opposite way. They won 44 games and lost in the second round to the Miami Heat in the only season Pierce and Garnett played together in Brooklyn.
Pierce signed with the Washington Wizards in free agency and Garnett was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves at the 2015 deadline for Thaddeus Young. In 2015-16, the Nets lost 61 games and fired King along with coach Lionel Hollins in January.
"Back in 2013 it felt like a fair deal for both sides," Grousbeck said. "This is what Brooklyn wanted to do, wanted to go all on it, chase a championship. They put together really a heck of a team, a great team. Now it's our turn four years later to take some benefits from the trade."
Besides getting the first overall pick a night before they open the Eastern Conference finals at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics also get another first-rounder in 2018 from the Nets. Boston already obtained first-round picks from Brooklyn in 2014 and 2016.
"That felt pretty good," Grousbeck said. "It felt like winning Game Seven last night. There's a lot of good feelings around the Celtics right now."
After the lottery ended, Pierce wrote on twitter: "And look what I leave behind for the Celts on my way out #1 pick."
Markelle Fultz is projected to be the top overall pick, and the Celtics could use the pick to pair him in the backcourt with Isaiah Thomas. Both players went to the University of Washington. Thomas was the last overall pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2011 draft.
While Boston was going to get a top-four pick, the Los Angeles Lakers had to sweat out the lottery. They moved up one spot to No. 2, but if the pick had fallen outside the top three, the Philadelphia 76ers would have received the selection.
The 76ers, who used the top overall pick in Ben Simmons last year, will select third. It is the third straight season Philadelphia is in the top three as part of a rebuilding process started by former GM Sam Hinkie telling fans to "Trust the process."
"Tonight was a great night as we continue to build our team into a contender," Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said. "There really was no way to walk out of here disappointed given the possible outcomes we faced. We'll now zero in and focus on drafting a quality player at No. 3 who adds to our dynamic young core. We also now have clarity that we'll have a 2018 unprotected pick from the Lakers."
Phoenix will get the fourth overall pick in its eighth straight lottery appearance.
The Sacramento Kings rounded out the top five. The Orlando Magic and Minnesota are sixth and seventh while the New York Knicks are eighth.
The Dallas Mavericks are ninth and the New Orleans Pelicans are 10th. New Orleans traded the pick to Sacramento in the deal involving DeMarcus Cousins at the trade deadline.
The Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat will get the final four lottery picks.
2017 NBA Draft Lottery Results:
14. Miami HEAT
13. Denver Nuggets
12. Detroit Pistons
11. Charlotte Hornets
10. Sacramento Kings
9. Dallas Mavericks
8. New York Knicks
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
6. Orlando Magic
5. Sacramento Kings
4. Phoenix Suns
3. Philadelphia 76ers
2. Los Angeles Lakers
1. Boston Celtics
On Tuesday, the Celtics reaped the ultimate reward of acquiring a first overall pick by winning the NBA draft lottery. Boston will select first for the first time since the lottery began in 1985.
It is the second time the Celtics will pick first. The other time was 1950 when Boston picked Chuck Share, who never played a game for the team.
"I'm glad we didn't trade it, you can write it down," Boston managing partner Wyc Grousbeck said.
The Celtics obtained the pick from the Nets in 2013 and had a 25 percent of getting the top pick. The Nets finished with the league's worst record at 20-62 under first-year general manager Sean Marks, who replaced Billy King in February 2016.
When the Celtics traded Garnett and Pierce after the duo played six seasons together and won the NBA title in 2008, they began a rebuild. The Celtics won 25 games in the first season after the trade but their win total has improved in each of the next three seasons, culminating in getting the top seed in the Eastern Conference this season.
The Nets went the opposite way. They won 44 games and lost in the second round to the Miami Heat in the only season Pierce and Garnett played together in Brooklyn.
Pierce signed with the Washington Wizards in free agency and Garnett was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves at the 2015 deadline for Thaddeus Young. In 2015-16, the Nets lost 61 games and fired King along with coach Lionel Hollins in January.
"Back in 2013 it felt like a fair deal for both sides," Grousbeck said. "This is what Brooklyn wanted to do, wanted to go all on it, chase a championship. They put together really a heck of a team, a great team. Now it's our turn four years later to take some benefits from the trade."
Besides getting the first overall pick a night before they open the Eastern Conference finals at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics also get another first-rounder in 2018 from the Nets. Boston already obtained first-round picks from Brooklyn in 2014 and 2016.
"That felt pretty good," Grousbeck said. "It felt like winning Game Seven last night. There's a lot of good feelings around the Celtics right now."
After the lottery ended, Pierce wrote on twitter: "And look what I leave behind for the Celts on my way out #1 pick."
Markelle Fultz is projected to be the top overall pick, and the Celtics could use the pick to pair him in the backcourt with Isaiah Thomas. Both players went to the University of Washington. Thomas was the last overall pick by the Sacramento Kings in the 2011 draft.
While Boston was going to get a top-four pick, the Los Angeles Lakers had to sweat out the lottery. They moved up one spot to No. 2, but if the pick had fallen outside the top three, the Philadelphia 76ers would have received the selection.
The 76ers, who used the top overall pick in Ben Simmons last year, will select third. It is the third straight season Philadelphia is in the top three as part of a rebuilding process started by former GM Sam Hinkie telling fans to "Trust the process."
"Tonight was a great night as we continue to build our team into a contender," Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said. "There really was no way to walk out of here disappointed given the possible outcomes we faced. We'll now zero in and focus on drafting a quality player at No. 3 who adds to our dynamic young core. We also now have clarity that we'll have a 2018 unprotected pick from the Lakers."
Phoenix will get the fourth overall pick in its eighth straight lottery appearance.
The Sacramento Kings rounded out the top five. The Orlando Magic and Minnesota are sixth and seventh while the New York Knicks are eighth.
The Dallas Mavericks are ninth and the New Orleans Pelicans are 10th. New Orleans traded the pick to Sacramento in the deal involving DeMarcus Cousins at the trade deadline.
The Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat will get the final four lottery picks.
2017 NBA Draft Lottery Results:
14. Miami HEAT
13. Denver Nuggets
12. Detroit Pistons
11. Charlotte Hornets
10. Sacramento Kings
9. Dallas Mavericks
8. New York Knicks
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
6. Orlando Magic
5. Sacramento Kings
4. Phoenix Suns
3. Philadelphia 76ers
2. Los Angeles Lakers
1. Boston Celtics
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Leonard out, Spurs fuming ahead of Game 2 vs. Warriors
Stats, LLC
OAKLAND, Calif. -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich shifted the attention of the Western Conference finals away from his team's problems Monday and squarely onto what he labeled the unsportsmanlike means by which the Golden State Warriors grabbed an early lead in the best-of-seven series.
While disclosing that Kawhi Leonard would be held out of Game 2 on Tuesday night, Popovich blasted Warriors center Zaza Pachulia for contact on the Spurs star that the coach compared to manslaughter.
"This is (baloney). It can't be, 'Oh, this was inadvertent; he didn't have intent,'" Popovich said less than 24 hours after Pachulia, attempting to defend a 3-pointer, stepped underneath Leonard and caused an ankle injury that will keep the Most Valuable Player candidate out of Game 2, and perhaps longer.
Leonard underwent an MRI on his left ankle/foot Monday. It came back negative, which keeps the door open for him to return when the series shifts to San Antonio on Saturday.
"Who gives a (darn) what his intent was?" Popovich continued. "Have you ever heard of manslaughter? You still go to jail, I think, when you're texting and you end up killing somebody, but may have not intended to do that.
"All I care is what I saw. All I care about is what happened. And the history there exacerbates the whole situation and makes me very, very angry."
Popovich went on to cite three examples of unsportsmanlike acts Pachulia, formerly of the Dallas Mavericks, performed on his players.
One involved former Spurs big man David West, who is currently one of Pachulia's teammates on the Warriors.
West sidestepped the issue when asked about it at practice Monday, labeling Pachulia a guy who plays "hard."
If the goal of the accusation was to get people talking about anything other than the historic collapse of the Spurs in Game 1, Popovich succeeded. The only Warrior who wouldn't get sucked in was Draymond Green, but even his silence on the issue raised additional questions when he was perceived not to have had his teammate's back.
Warriors coach Mike Brown went as far as to accuse San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge of similar tactics against Stephen Curry on Sunday.
You never would have known the Warriors were riding the incredible high of having erased a 20-point halftime deficit with the third-biggest comeback in NBA playoff history.
"So, Game 2?" Green queried at one point, attempting to change the subject.
Playing brilliantly on both ends of the floor, the Spurs led the series opener 78-55 after Leonard had made his two free throws following the Pachulia foul with 7:53 left in the third quarter.
Leonard never played again, and a team that had scorched the Warriors for 78 points in 28 minutes was held to 33 in the final 20.
Spurs veteran Manu Ginobili was brutally honest afterward, fearing his team had just lost Game 2 as well.
"It's the toughest part," he said when asked to project the Spurs' ability to bounce back. "It's very hard to react from a game like this. I always prefer to lose by 20 ... in which case the home team relaxes a little bit, feels good about themselves, and we are hurt, we are angry. (But) the opposite happened.
"We played an outstanding game for a half and a little bit. Then they came back. They overplayed us. They were more aggressive. They made more shots. So if it wasn't bad enough, we lost our best player that was struggling already with a bad ankle. So it's hard to see the positives, even though we were 20-something up. A very bad outcome of the game."
The status of Warriors super-sub Andre Iguodala for Game 2 remained up in the air Monday after he underwent an MRI on his sore left knee.
Iguodala sat out the second half on Sunday, although Brown insisted afterward it was more of a coach's decision than a necessity.
OAKLAND, Calif. -- San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich shifted the attention of the Western Conference finals away from his team's problems Monday and squarely onto what he labeled the unsportsmanlike means by which the Golden State Warriors grabbed an early lead in the best-of-seven series.
While disclosing that Kawhi Leonard would be held out of Game 2 on Tuesday night, Popovich blasted Warriors center Zaza Pachulia for contact on the Spurs star that the coach compared to manslaughter.
"This is (baloney). It can't be, 'Oh, this was inadvertent; he didn't have intent,'" Popovich said less than 24 hours after Pachulia, attempting to defend a 3-pointer, stepped underneath Leonard and caused an ankle injury that will keep the Most Valuable Player candidate out of Game 2, and perhaps longer.
Leonard underwent an MRI on his left ankle/foot Monday. It came back negative, which keeps the door open for him to return when the series shifts to San Antonio on Saturday.
"Who gives a (darn) what his intent was?" Popovich continued. "Have you ever heard of manslaughter? You still go to jail, I think, when you're texting and you end up killing somebody, but may have not intended to do that.
"All I care is what I saw. All I care about is what happened. And the history there exacerbates the whole situation and makes me very, very angry."
Popovich went on to cite three examples of unsportsmanlike acts Pachulia, formerly of the Dallas Mavericks, performed on his players.
One involved former Spurs big man David West, who is currently one of Pachulia's teammates on the Warriors.
West sidestepped the issue when asked about it at practice Monday, labeling Pachulia a guy who plays "hard."
If the goal of the accusation was to get people talking about anything other than the historic collapse of the Spurs in Game 1, Popovich succeeded. The only Warrior who wouldn't get sucked in was Draymond Green, but even his silence on the issue raised additional questions when he was perceived not to have had his teammate's back.
Warriors coach Mike Brown went as far as to accuse San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge of similar tactics against Stephen Curry on Sunday.
You never would have known the Warriors were riding the incredible high of having erased a 20-point halftime deficit with the third-biggest comeback in NBA playoff history.
"So, Game 2?" Green queried at one point, attempting to change the subject.
Playing brilliantly on both ends of the floor, the Spurs led the series opener 78-55 after Leonard had made his two free throws following the Pachulia foul with 7:53 left in the third quarter.
Leonard never played again, and a team that had scorched the Warriors for 78 points in 28 minutes was held to 33 in the final 20.
Spurs veteran Manu Ginobili was brutally honest afterward, fearing his team had just lost Game 2 as well.
"It's the toughest part," he said when asked to project the Spurs' ability to bounce back. "It's very hard to react from a game like this. I always prefer to lose by 20 ... in which case the home team relaxes a little bit, feels good about themselves, and we are hurt, we are angry. (But) the opposite happened.
"We played an outstanding game for a half and a little bit. Then they came back. They overplayed us. They were more aggressive. They made more shots. So if it wasn't bad enough, we lost our best player that was struggling already with a bad ankle. So it's hard to see the positives, even though we were 20-something up. A very bad outcome of the game."
The status of Warriors super-sub Andre Iguodala for Game 2 remained up in the air Monday after he underwent an MRI on his sore left knee.
Iguodala sat out the second half on Sunday, although Brown insisted afterward it was more of a coach's decision than a necessity.
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