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[Boston Celtics]

Miami extinguishes Boston’s winning streak, Celtics lose 124-103 vs. Heat

The Heat snap the Celtics' nine-game winning steak in blowout fashion.

Coming off an undefeated 6-0 west coast road trip the Celtics returned home to face off against the Miami Heat who are in the midst of a five game winning streak. With two hot teams, it was Miami that snapped Boston’s winning streak as the Celtics lost 124-103.

Jaylen Brown led the way for the Celtics with 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists on 10-20 shooting but it wasn’t enough to stop the Heat as Tyler Herro led the Heat with 25 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds on 7-18 shooting. Herro wasn’t the only Miami player to go off as they had seven players finish with double digit points as Boston couldn’t slow them down with Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis out.

This is the sixth time this season the Celtics have lost their first home game coming back from a road trip as the intensity level was lacking. Boston did a great job of rebounding the ball and getting second chance points but just couldn’t find their three ball as they shot 28% from three as a team.

The Celtics scoring started with one of the best two man pick and roll duos in the NBA as Jayson Tatum found Luke Kornet for an easy layup. Kornet continued to score for the Celtics as Boston scored their first 10 points in the paint while Tyler Herro was the main catalyst for the Heat’s offense as both teams traded baskets.

Luuuuuuuuuke ️ pic.twitter.com/qaUM9vrf0C

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 2, 2025​

Boston’s three point shooting started really slow however and Miami went on a 9-2 run to open up a small lead as the Celtics trailed 29-22 after the first quarter. The Celtics shot 2-12 from three in the quarter and it really slowed their offense down. Kornet led Boston with 10 points and 3 rebounds while Herro led Miami with 8 points. The Celtics did have 11 second chance points which was a byproduct of their tenacious efforts on the offensive glass.

The Celtics offense continued to be ice cold to start the second quarter with Tatum on the bench as the Heat opened up a double digit lead. Frustration started to boil over on the Celtics sideline as after a missed foul call on Luke Kornet and an 8-2 run by Miami, Joe Mazzulla received a technical foul for arguing with the ref.

That seemed to light a little bit of a spark for the team as Derrick White made a couple of fantastic plays in a row. After hitting a fadeaway jumper, White blocked Bam Adebayo on a 2 on 1 fast break and found Payton Pritchard for a corner three after some elite ball movement.

This sequence >>> pic.twitter.com/4uNq68xH4T

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 3, 2025​

After a Miami timeout the Celtics started to hit a couple shots but couldn’t cut into the Heat’s double digit lead. Luke Kornet received his third foul of the game early in the quarter and the Celtics decided to run a small ball lineup that the Heat were just picking apart.

Boston went on a 15-6 run to cut the Heat’s lead to 9 points towards the end of the quarter but a Haywood Highsmith buzzer beater three gave Miami a 59-45 lead going into halftime. The Celtics shooting woes continued as they finished the half shooting 37% from the field and 17% from three. Jayson Tatum especially struggled as he only scored 8 points on 1-8 shooting.

The third quarter started with much of the same in both sides as the Heat started the quarter on a 14-7 run and opened up a 20+ point lead as the Celtics continued to miss shots. Pele Larrsson started to dominate for Miami as he hit three shots in a row as the Celtics small lineup could not stop the Heat from getting whatever they wanted.

However, Jaylen Brown started to heat up as he scored 10 points as a part of a 20-6 run got the Celtics back in the game and cut Miami’s lead to single digits and forced the Heat to call a timeout.

A Jaylen Brown three caps off a Celtics 14-1 run, and JB tells Spoelstra he needs to call a time out. pic.twitter.com/GD4hWohsT9

— Danielle Hobeika (@DanielleHobeika) April 3, 2025​

The run continued as Tatum started to find his shot with a layup and found Baylor Scheierman for a no-dip corner three to make it a 3 point game with 4:28 left. Miami responded 5 straight points but Brown continued his hot quarter with an and-1 midrange jumper.

Davion Mitchell started to swing momentum for Miami as he not only scored to make it a double digit game again, he also forced Tatum into an offensive foul. Tatum was naturally upset with the bad call and called for another technical foul for clapping, his 14th tech this season.

After Kyle Anderson went on another small run for Miami, the Celtics trailed the Heat 91-81 going into the fourth quarter. Boston shot the ball a lot better in the third quarter, shooting 58% from the field and 54% from three. Brown finished the quarter with 13 points and 5 rebounds on 5-7 shooting as his contributions kept Boston in the game.

The fourth quarter began with Sam Hauser walking into a pull up three and Neemias Queta forcing an and-1 layup as Boston tried to mount a comeback. Kyle Anderson continued to torment Boston however as he scored 6 points to begin the quarter to match every Celtics basket.

Midway through the quarter the Celtics offense went cold once again at the worst time as another Davion Mitchell three put the Heat up 15 with five minutes left in the game. That was when the Celtics waived the white flag and put in the stay ready and ending their 9 game winning streak.

The Celtics next game is on Friday April 4th where they face off against the Phoenix Suns.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...eak-celtics-lose-vs-heat-jaylen-brown-124-103

 

[Boston Celtics]

10 takeaways from the Heat outpacing and outshooting the Celtics

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Miami found its rhythm through smart pick-and-roll play, relentless energy, and elite shot-making. Boston had bright spots, but couldn’t keep pace physically or defensively without its key veterans.

#1 - Boston drop coverage​

The first eight points from the Miami Heat were generated from pick-and-roll actions involving Luke Kornet. His defensive assignment was to stay low after the screen, giving Tyler Herro space to either gain speed to drive or pull up for a mid-range shot.

While the analytical approach made sense—since long mid-range shots are the least efficient type—leaving one of the best shooters in the league free to get to his spot so easily can be problematic. Miami’s offense generated a lot of shots in the short mid-range and was highly accurate from this zone (56% field goal on 27 attempts).

From these actions, Herro also drew fouls as the defense collapsed on him when he entered the paint, giving the Heat easy points. Overall, the Heat drew 13 shooting fouls—far more than the Celtics’ four.

When the Heat ball-handlers weren’t shooting or drawing fouls to punish the drop coverage, they could also turn to Bam Adebayo’s mid-range game. The pick-and-pop is a great alternative to beat drop coverage.

Later in the game, the Celtics decided to change their pick-and-roll coverage to put more pressure on the ball handler, but Adebayo is such a good connector that the Heat offense still functioned well out of these actions.

Overall, without Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics had a hard time containing Miami’s pick-and-roll actions involving Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.

#2 - Luke Kornet early impact​

With both Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis sitting out, Luke Kornet was the most impactful Celtic at the start of the game. With his strong screens creating a lot of space for the ball handler, Kornet was able to generate quality offense and finish at the rim.

His usual two-man game in the pick-and-roll with Jayson Tatum is known to be deadly, but recently there has also been more emphasis on his pick-and-roll synergy with Derrick White.

The Celtics’ depth at the ball-handler position is impressive, and it’s great to see them developing Kornet’s chemistry beyond just Tatum.

Alongside his 10 points in seven minutes, Kornet was again crucial in extending Celtics possessions with two offensive rebounds. Funny enough, he finished the game with only offensive rebounds—six in total. In this 21-point loss, Kornet had a +3 plus/minus, and the Celtics looked at their best when he was on the floor.

#3 - Boston small-ball struggle​

Despite the strong performances with Kornet on the court, the Celtics ended the second quarter and began the third with a small-ball lineup. Joe Mazzulla opted to use Torrey Craig to space the floor on offense and switch everything on defense. However, without Kornet, the defense fell apart.

To start the third quarter, the Miami Heat piled up shots at the rim. Within three minutes, they scored four baskets at the rim and earned three free throws. By the time Kornet was reinserted, the score was 73–52.

The small-ball experiment against Miami’s twin towers was bold, but the lack of preparation was obvious—Heat players should not have had such easy access to the rim.

#4 - Jaylen Brown looking good in the post-up​

Most of the Celtics struggled offensively last night. Jayson Tatum made only four of 17 shots, Sam Hauser struggled to get open and had just five attempts in 25 minutes, and Derrick White turned the ball over far more than usual. Still, there was a silver lining: Jaylen Brown’s post-up offense.

His gravity on these actions provides a lot of value. When he posts up on an empty side, the defense is forced to adjust. In the example below, Miami’s defensive shell collapses with four players dragged into the paint, leaving Jayson Tatum open from three.

The Celtics’ coaching staff also designed great plays to give Brown advantageous positions against weaker defenders. In the play below, a screen from Hauser allows Brown to switch from Bam Adebayo to Tyler Herro—a profitable trade for JB.

Once he got position to dominate Herro, Tatum just had to pass him the rock and watch JB do the rest.

Among the 27 players with more than two post-up actions per game, Jaylen Brown ranks 10th in efficiency. He is among the elite this season on these plays.

#5 - Best offensive rebound performance of the season​

Another positive takeaway from this game was the Celtics’ ability to dominate the offensive glass. Per Cleaning the Glass, they extended possessions on 43% of their missed shots. Even better: in half-court possessions only, the Celtics grabbed an offensive rebound on 51% of their misses. No other NBA team has done better on the offensive boards this season.

From these putback opportunities, the Celtics averaged 1.36 points per possession—well above their 0.94 points per possession in half-court sets. However, this aggressiveness came with a defensive cost: Miami had more open looks in transition—but we’ll get back to that.

#6 - Boston usual turnover rate​

The Celtics struggled to take care of the ball—credit to Miami’s defense for that. Led by Bam Adebayo, the Heat applied pressure on Celtics ball-handlers and off-ball players as soon as the ball was live.

The Heat featured many strong defenders—Davion Mitchell, Kyle Anderson, Kel’el Ware, and the surprising Pelle Larsson. Combined with Erik Spoelstra’s defensive scheme, which mixed zone with aggressive man-to-man coverage, Miami forced many turnovers… and those transitions crushed the Celtics.

#7 - Miami transition offense​

The last two takeaways lead directly to this one. Transition defense has been an ongoing theme for Boston this season. While they started slowly in that area—despite being one of the best transition defenses last year—the Celtics ramped up over the course of the season and returned to the top of the rankings, allowing just 1.16 points per transition shot attempt. But last night was different.

On transition shot attempts, the Miami Heat scored an absurd 2 points per possession (!!). While shooting luck played a part, this also showed how much Miami was willing to run and pressure a Celtics defense that looked more fragile than usual. In the play below, for example, you can see the Celtics weren’t ready to match the pace as the Heat looked for a two-for-one opportunity to close the quarter.

Miami is far less talented than Boston, but they brought more energy and executed their game plan perfectly. They came ready to outrun the Celtics because they knew they couldn’t out-talent them.

#8 - Miami was too hot from three​

Miami did a great job rotating and pressuring the Celtics’ ball-handlers, which may have contributed to Boston’s poor shooting from three. Meanwhile, Miami was on fire.

While Boston made only 12 of 43 threes, it took just 30 attempts for the Heat to convert 14 triples. Some of those shots were ones the Celtics were willing to give up to protect the paint—but sometimes teams shoot better than expected.

On that topic, I came across an interesting stat from Owen Phillips: the Celtics have had a top-five three-point defense in 16 of the last 18 NBA seasons. No other team has more than six such finishes during that time.

Feeling lucky?

#9 - Kyle Anderson punishing Joe mind trick​

A few weeks ago, OKC coach Mark Daigneault said Joe Mazzulla was great at playing mind tricks with defensive matchup alignments. Last night, Mazzulla went back to it—putting Neemias Queta on Kyle Anderson in the fourth quarter. The idea was to ignore Anderson off-ball, punishing his lack of shooting and slow movement. But the Heat flipped that against Boston by giving Anderson the ball and letting him attack Queta one-on-one.

There’s no doubt Mazzulla will continue to experiment with these kinds of matchups. That’s fine—even when it doesn’t work. These “mind tricks” often disrupt the opposing offense, but sometimes, teams still manage to take advantage.

#10 - One quote to sum it up​

Sometimes, a game can be summed up in one sentence — and Joe Mazzulla nailed it last night:

Joe Mazzulla: "I think they just played better than us tonight."

— Jack Simone (@JackSimoneNBA) April 3, 2025​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...len-brown-luke-kornet-bam-adebayo-tyler-herro

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 4/3/25

Sam Hauser vs Grizzlies 3/31/25 | Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

All the Celtics news you need in one convenient place.

Herald Celtics’ win streak ends with lopsided loss to Heat after Joe Mazzulla pulls starters​

Jaylen Brown still playing through pain, but optimistic on health for playoffs​

Globe Erik Spoelstra hated how much he liked coaching Celtics stars​

Heat snap Celtics’ winning streak: 7 takeaways​

Heat stop shorthanded Celtics’ nine-game winning streak​

Heat stop shorthanded Celtics’ nine-game winning streak​

Maine Celtics’ JD Davison G League MVP​

Can the Celtics keep Jaylen Brown healthy for the playoffs?​

CelticsBlog Heat extinguishes Celtics’ winning streak, Boston loses to Heat 124-103​

Jaylen Brown might be handling his knee injury in the best way, even if we’re all begging him to sit these games out. ​

Celtics-Heat Notebook: Jaylen Brown discusses knee injury management, Luke Kornet a bright spot in loss ​

Payton Pritchard inks shoe deal with Converse ​

10 takeaways from the Heat outpacing and outshooting the Celtics ​

Celtics Green Comments from the Other Side - Heat 4/2/25 ​

CLNS Media Shorthanded Celtics Stumble at Home Against in 124-103 Loss to Heat ​

Jaylen Brown Hoping for Less Playoff Pain After Knee Injury Lingers vs. Heat​

Al Horford Heading Back to Post at Age 38 Before Celtics Enter Playoffs ​

Celtics .com Keys to the Game: Heat 124, Celtics 103​

Red-Hot Heat Halt Celtics’ Win Streak at Nine ​

JD Davison Named 2024-25 Kia NBA G League MVP ​

NBC Sports Boston Jaylen Brown shares knee injury update as NBA playoffs loom​

Celtics-Heat recap: C’s win streak snapped as comeback bid falls short ​

NESN Three Studs, Three Duds As Heat Shock Celtics To End Win Streak​

Why Joe Mazzulla ‘Loved’ Celtics Being ‘Miserable’ After Loss To Heat​

Mass Live Hated Celtics rival coach makes candid admission about Boston stars ​

New Boston Celtics owner attends Heat game with Wyc Grousbeck​

4 takeaways as Boston Celtics fall to Heat in largest loss of season ​

Celtics stunning rout to Heat opens door for surprise first round opponent​

Joe Mazzulla pulls Boston Celtics starters early in Heat blowout loss ​

Jaylen Brown injury: Boston Celtics star saw specialists for knee issue​

The Athletic NBA Awards Watch: Are All-NBA and other honors bad for your favorite team? ​

If NBA playoffs started today: Matchups and what to expect in each series​

Boston Sports Journal BSJ Game Report: Heat 124, Celtics 103 - C’s stumble again returning from long road trip​

Home hasn’t been sweet after long trips, but luckily that’s no longer an issue for the Celtics this season​

Celtics Wire Celtics’ Jayson Tatum deserves more credit​

Can Kristaps Porzingis stay healthy for the Celtics postseason run?​

Celtics’ Jrue Holiday must be causing sellers remorse in Milwaukee​

Boston’s comeback bid vs Heat falls short as winning streak snapped​

Will the NBA really expand into Europe?​

What foods do Boston Celtics players avoid at all costs?​

Celtics history: Pervis Ellison born; Kobe’s last game vs. Celtics​

Should we be worried about star Celtics forward Jaylen Brown’s knee?​

Celtics jersey history No. 14 - Don Eliason (1946)​

Hardwood Houdini A Celtics story so impossible it seems fake: The tale of two Tyler Lashbrooks​

CLNS Media/YouTube Jaylen Brown on Knee Injury: “I was in some pain” | Celtics Postgame 4-2 ​

Joe Mazzulla on LOSING a MEANINGLESS game: “We’re all pissed” | Celtics Postgame 4-2 ​

Derrick White: Would Not Be SURPRISED if Celtics Face Heat in Playoffs | Celtics Postgame 4-2 ​

Luke Kornet on His CHEMISTRY with Jayson Tatum | Celtics Postgame 4-2 ​

Why Is Jaylen Brown Playing Hurt? | Garden Report After Hours ​

Si .com Celtics Guard Payton Pritchard Signs Sneaker Deal With Converse​

Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla Calls Winning NBA Honor, ‘Dumbest Thing Ever’​

Social Media Reacts To Miami Heat Victory Over Boston Celtics Behind Pelle Larsson​

Hoops Rumors Award Candidates Who Still Need To Reach 65-Game Mark​

YouTube The reason Jayson Tatum will win an MVP award in the near future | Jones & Keefe ​

Fadeaway World Celtics Tried To Land Kevin Durant With Jaylen Brown Offer In 2022—Nets Said No ​

The Sports Hub Jaylen Brown gives his own update on knee situation​

Nike Converse Basketball Signs Boston Celtics Guard Payton Pritchard ​

NBA Analysis Jaylen Brown’s worrying injury admission after Heat snap Celtics’ 9-game win streak, ‘Not gonna feel like my normal self...’​

Barstool Sports “Losing Still Sucks” - After Just Their Second Loss In A Month, The Celtics Were Given A Valuable Reminder Of What Can Happen When You Play Like A**holes ​

Talkbasket Joe Mazzulla: Coach of the Month is ‘the dumbest thing ever’​

Athlon Sports Celtics Announce Exciting Jrue Holiday News Before Heat Game​

The Lead The NBA Has Backed The Celtics Into a Corner ​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/3/24400644/boston-celtics-daily-links-4-3-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Maine Celtics Notebook: JD Davison carries Maine to huge win, Jordan Walsh wants a G League title, Miles Norris thrives

Photo by Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images

Plus, other notes from the Celtics’ playoff victory over the Westchester Knicks.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The Maine Celtics advanced to the G-League’s Eastern Conference Finals with a 122-113 playoff win against the Westchester Knicks.

Maine led by double-digits early on, but the Knicks made a second-half push to tie the game at 76 midway through the third quarter.

Then, the Celtics closed out the third quarter on a 27-10 run to take a 17-point lead entering the fourth quarter, in large part thanks to JD Davison, who exploded for 14 points in the final four minutes of the period.

JD Davison catches fire in the third quarter to lead the Celtics ​

Just a day after he was awarded G League MVP, JD Davison put together another masterful performance: 32 points, 17 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.

After struggling early on, Davison scored 14 points in a pivotal final four minutes of the third quarter and hit two clutch baskets in the final minutes to put the game out of reach, a floater and a pull-up three with just under two minutes to go.

Clutch basket for JD Davison

He’s up to 29 point and 16 assists pic.twitter.com/10w68zM7rV

— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 4, 2025​

“I kind of started off slow today, especially in that first half — I missed a couple floaters, I don’t think I hit a three,” Davison said. “Once I hit a three, I think I felt more confident. The team believes in me with the ball in my hand, so I just had to carry the load.”

For Maine Celtics head coach Tyler Lashbrook, Thursday’s performance was just another example of Davison’s prowess at the head of the snake for the team.

“You saw it tonight,” Lashbrook said. “We had a little struggle against the two-three [defense] for a little bit, and then JD comes in, settles us down, gets us where we need to be, and then makes the right play from there. I said it in the locker room just now, but that’s why he’s the MVP. It’s not just the numbers, it’s the leadership, its ability to put guys in the right spots and having the answer for every problem that we see.”

Lashbrook reflected on the chance to let Davison know he won the MVP award on Tuesday night.

“It was really special,” said the first-year head coach. “It was a special moment for him. He’s been working a long time to get to this point, and he’s taken a real commitment to himself to get better every day, on both sides of the ball, and he’s taking a real leadership role in our team.

The moment JD found out he was MVP pic.twitter.com/H7NONR3nyo

— Maine Celtics (@MaineCeltics) April 2, 2025​

Miles Norris, who was on the Memphis Hustle earlier this season, reflected on the challenge of guarding Davison.

“It’s a lot better being on the team with him now,” Norris said. “I didn’t like playing against JD.”

Jordan Walsh shared how Davison asserts himself as a leader on the team, despite his quiet nature.

“I feel like a lot of people also underestimate the fact that he’s commanding the floor and telling guys where to go, telling them what to do, getting everybody on the same page, which is really important,” Walsh said, pointing to a moment where he let his emotions get the best of him and Davison got things in order.

“After I pushed that guy on the free throw line, he was like, ‘Get off the free throw line and go stand back there.’ And I was like, ‘All right, cool.’

Jordan Walsh once again joins Maine, eager to win a championship​

Jordan Walsh has spent the entire season with the Boston Celtics, but has been a key part of the Maine Celtics’ playoff run. He finished Thursday’s game with 19 points on 6-19 shooting, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists — and is enjoying getting the chance to compete for a G League title.

“It’s as important as the Boston Celtics going on their playoff run — both of us have a goal of being somewhere, winning something,” Walsh said.

Walsh was a member of the Maine Celtics team that lost in the Finals last season and said he feels he has “unfinished business” from that loss.

“The first thing I told him was we needed him to rebound — and he got 11 of them, and so love that,” Lashbrook said.

Walsh reflected on his growth from his rookie year with Maine to now.

“I’m better, for sure,” Walsh said. “I feel like I understand my play style and how I fit into systems better. I feel like the buy-in is also greater. The team is different, so trying to find a way to find my role with this team, whether it’s scoring, rebounding, getting stops, or whatever it is, trying to make that happen. But at the end of the day, whatever it is to win is the most important thing, so whatever that moment calls for, that’s how I’m going to try to step up and do.”

Miles Norris has his best game as a Celtic ​

Miles Norris signed a two-way deal with the Celtics last month after spending most of the season with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlie’s G League affiliate. Norris took some time to adjust to Maine’s terminology and schemes but had his highest-scoring game with the Maine Celtics when it mattered most, posting 27 points on 9-12 shooting, including 4-7 from three.

“The first couple weeks, I was just getting the feel for the guys’ style of play,” Norris said. “But I played enough games, practiced enough with the team — I feel really comfortable out there. And a lot of guys help me out as well — playing with JD, [he’s] a great leader, great point guard. So, pretty easy out there.”

Photo by Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images
Miles Norris shoots a free throw in Thursday’s playoff game between the Maine Celtics and Westchester Knicks.

Norris made crucial plays on both ends in the final minutes — sprinting out to contest a Knicks’ corner three and then subsequently running the floor for an and-one dunk to put the game out of reach.

Norris was on the College Park Skyhawks last year, and didn’t make the G League playoffs. He’s excited by the prospect of winning a G League championship.

“Not making the playoffs last year — I was pretty hurt about that,” he said, adding: “Winning is a big thing in this organization.”

Lashbrook has been impressed with Norris’s growth over the past month.

“He’s just shown a high level of shot making and athletic ability,” he said. “He’s really bought into what we want from him on the defensive end.”

Jordan Shakel provides spark off the bench ​

Shakel, a second-year Maine Celtics player, scored 15 points and made 5 of 10 three-point attempts in Friday’s game.

“Shak is such a culture center for us in terms of his toughness and his energy and his resilience,” Lashbrook said.

GO OFF @jordanschakel pic.twitter.com/xyu4joKkwB

— Maine Celtics (@MaineCeltics) April 3, 2025​

Shakel suffered a season-ending knee injury last year but has become an integral part of the Maine rotation this season.

“Early in the year, he had to sort of battle his way back and get into shape and get his rhythm,” Lashbrook said. “It’s all been built and sorted for this moment. So, we’ve known that he was going to be ready for this. But I just love the energy that he brings and the intensity that he brings. And really, he sets the tone.”

Shuttling back and forth from the Celtics to the G League ​

Jordan Walsh, JD Davison, and Drew Peterson were all at TD Garden on Wednesday night for the Celtics’ regular season game against the Miami Heat, logging 5 minutes each.

Then, the trio travelled to White Plains to meet up with the rest of the team for Wednesday’s playoff game.

“I‘m kind of used to it,” Davison said of the two-way grind. “We did it last year, so we knew what was ahead for us. I think everybody was just locked in yesterday.”

Lashbrook said there was never a doubt about whether Walsh, Davison, and Peterson would return in time for the G League playoff game.

“They were going to play this game no matter what,” Lashbrook said. “And that just kind of speaks to their resilience, and their grit and the way that they’re wired, and the way that they’re built, and how much they care about this team and that the guys in that locker room.”

Walsh doesn’t mind missing some time in Boston to be with the team.

“I feel like this is my home first,” he said. “So I feel like this is just me coming back.”

A Westchester player signed with the Cavaliers in the middle of the game ​

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported — in the third quarter of Thursday’s game — that Westchester Knicks forward Chuma Ekeke agreed to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ final roster spot. Ekeke had already played 18 minutes, recording 8 points, 3 assists, and 3 rebounds, but didn’t check back into the game the rest of the way.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and former first-round pick Chuma Okeke have agreed to a deal, filling the East leaders' final open roster spot, sources tell ESPN. Okeke averaged 17 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists for NBA G League Westchester this season. pic.twitter.com/WuW3DAWLAM

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 4, 2025​

The signing didn’t have too much of an impact on the game’s outcome, but it served as a quintessential G League moment that saw a top player in a playoff game switch teams mid-game.

Next up: Eastern Conference finals vs Mac McClung and the Oceola Magic ​

The Celtics will next face the Osceola Magic, the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The team took a bus from White Plains to the airport on Friday morning and are flying straight to Orlando.

“It’s gonna be a challenge,” Lashbrook said. “It’s gonna be a battle. That team has been on a roll — about the same time that we started getting on our run, they went on their own run. To me, it’s been the two best teams over this last back half of the stretch, and so it’ll be fun game for us to match up.”

The Magic are led by Mac McClung, who won G League MVP last year and dropped 39 points and 6 assists on Thursday night.

“Mac is probably the quickest guy I’ve ever guarded,” Davison said. “So I just try to stay in front of him, rough him up a little bit, he’s smaller than me — try to put my hands on him a little bit.”

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...rris-jordan-walsh-westchester-knicks-g-league

 

[Boston Celtics]

10 takeaways from the Celtics outclassing the Suns on both ends

Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The Celtics tightened the screws on defense, controlled the paint, and showed off improved offensive balance. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum set the tone with force and precision, while the team’s collective execution kept Phoenix in check from start to finish.

#1 - Jaylen Brown’s efficiency​

This has been talked about often enough, so there’s no need to dig too much into it, but Jaylen Brown’s efficiency hasn’t met expectations this season. For context: among the 50 players averaging more than 20 points per game, he ranks 45th in True Shooting percentage, trailing RJ Barrett and Paolo Banchero.

Yet last night, Jaylen Brown scored 31 points on impressive efficiency. Let’s have a look at how that was possible and what it means.

One of his first buckets came from a backdoor cut. Brown’s cutting game has kinda disappeared since he became an All-Star, but that was a big part of his game when he was younger. In his first year in the league, he was taking 48% of his shots at the rim. That number is now down to 30%. More cuts—especially in the Celtics’ spacing—could lead to easier shots and better efficiency.

Another area where Jaylen Brown has struggled this season is above-the-break threes (the triples that aren’t from the corners). From there, he has been shooting just 30%, while making 44% of his corner threes.

The pull-ups haven’t been falling for JB this season, and that’s why the play below is a great example of what he could do to make up for it. With great patience, he isolated and attacked Nick Richards to finish above the rim.

Despite the lack of overall efficiency, there is one play type he has been mastering all season: the post-up. He is one of the most efficient players in this area, and last night’s game was another great example of why. With his bulk and size, he can get into the paint and finish over his matchup.

Another action that gives Jaylen a lot of freedom is when he has the ball on an empty side. On the right wing, for example, that gives him plenty of space to drive and attack without help from the defense.

Overall, this performance shows how much Jaylen Brown should get to the rim and into the paint more often—and how he can benefit from the Celtics’ elite spacing.

#2 - Book couldn’t cook well enough​

Without Kevin Durant, it was expected we’d see a lot of Devin Booker. The guard took one-third of the Phoenix Suns’ shot attempts and half of their free-throw attempts. The volume was impressive, but the efficiency wasn’t high enough to compensate for the lack of talent around him. With a 59% True Shooting percentage, Devin Booker wasn’t able to perform well enough to counter the Celtics’ strategy: letting Booker’s teammates try to beat them.

The screenshot below perfectly illustrates what the Celtics were trying to achieve. On the play, there is a spread pick-and-roll in the middle of the court with Booker on one wing. Note how close Al Horford is to Booker on the weak side compared to the rest of the Celtics players and their matchups. The Celtics were happy to let them play four-on-four as long as Devin Booker didn’t get the ball.

When Booker did get the ball, they put a lot of pressure on him, clogging the driving lanes and sending extra defenders in the pick-and-roll coverage. Even when Devin Booker started possessions off-ball, the Celtics’ defense trapped him as soon as he touched the ball.

With the lack of supporting cast talent—and Bradley Beal’s one-point performance—Devin Booker tried his best but couldn’t do anything against the Celtics.

#3 - Jayson Tatum loves to attack big men​

Last night in Boston wasn’t a good time to be a Suns big man because of Jayson Tatum. The Celtics’ go-to guy spent the game attacking Ryan Dunn, Oso Ighodaro, and Nick Richards. Through drives, pick-and-rolls, and pull-ups, he was able to dictate the offense and punish the Suns on every switch.

The highlight of that big man hunt was this dunk over Ryan Dunn, and the night reminded us all what a big man hunter Jayson Tatum can be.

#4 - Horns Flare variations​

A little bit of X and O’s today in the 10 takeaways. The Celtics used their classic Horns Flare action. The play starts with a Horns set: two players in the corners, two at the free-throw line, and one at the top. Derrick White passed the ball to Porzingis at the elbow and ran right to use Jayson Tatum’s screen at the opposite elbow.

In the first example below, Royce O’Neale wants to protect Bradley Beal from Jayson Tatum and stays low… which opens White for three.

A few moments later, the Celtics ran the same play with the exact same set and movements. However, this time, O’Neale didn’t want to leave White open and positioned himself higher… leaving Beal on an island. When Tatum caught the ball, it was too late for Booker to help—two free throws for the Celtics.

They also ran the same play with Al Horford later in the game.

Great offensive design from the Celtics coaching staff once again. They’ve been doing great work lately.

#5 - Getting to the line​

As we just saw with Jayson Tatum’s cut to the basket from the Horns Flare, the Celtics were able to stretch the defense and get to the line more than usual. They are one of the teams with the lowest free-throw rates (27th out of 30), with 17.5 free-throw attempts per 100 field goal attempts. This isn’t due to bad refereeing, but because of Boston’s shot diet, which is heavy on jumpers.

Yet last night, the Celtics relentlessly attacked the rim through drives, cuts, and pick-and-rolls. Thanks to that emphasis on putting pressure on the paint, they were able to generate twice as many free throws as the Suns.

#6 - Another Luke Kornet classic​

For the second game in a row, Luke Kornet grabbed only offensive rebounds. Is he the best NBA player when it comes to extending possessions?

#7 - Forcing tough floaters​

What stood out defensively was the number of floaters and short mid-range shots the Phoenix Suns were forced to take—and how well the Celtics disrupted them.

From that zone, the Suns are one of the best teams in the NBA, shooting 48% on attempts between four feet from the rim and the free-throw line. Last night, that efficiency dropped to 34% on 23 attempts—and only two shooting fouls were drawn.

Great discipline from the Celtics’ rim protectors, who managed to take away the layup while still contesting the floaters.

#8 - Protecting the rim at all costs​

Speaking of rim protection, Kristaps Porzingis gave all he had trying to block this dunk attempt from Cody Martin.

Thankfully, it turned out to be nothing serious for the Celtics big man. Still, it’s worth noting that Boston was able to lower the Suns’ rim efficiency despite Phoenix being the best team in the NBA at rim field goal percentage (71%).

#9 - Brown & Kornet alley-oops​

In a previous 10 takeaways, we talked about Luke Kornet’s growing synergy in the pick-and-roll with Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. Last night, we got a look at Luke’s developing connection with Jaylen Brown, too.

During the fourth quarter, the Celtics ran two pick-and-rolls in a row for JB and Kornet. Both plays ended in great alley-oop opportunities—stopped only by Bradley Beal fouls.

Luke Kornet’s growth as a rim runner and Jaylen Brown’s passing improvements were on full display.

#10 - New 3-point record​

The Celtics broke the record for most three-pointers in a regular season. Any thoughts from Joe Mazzulla?

Joe Mazzulla on what setting the NBA single-season three-point record says about this team:

“It says that we fight for a good shot, regardless of what it is… That’s the most important thing, continuing to understand how we’re being defended.” pic.twitter.com/Nv5JKm3Ef6

— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) April 5, 2025​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...-brown-jayson-tatum-three-points-joe-mazzulla

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 4/5/25

Ja Morant vs Celtics 3/31/25 | Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

All the Celtics news you need in one convenient place.

Herald Celtics notebook: Al Horford, Teammate of the Year? ‘No-brainer,’ Joe Mazzulla says​

Celtics smash NBA 3-point record, Jaylen Brown shines in rout of Suns​

Globe Celtics break NBA’s all-time single-season 3-point record​

Celtics’ Al Horford a finalist for NBA’s Teammate of the Year award​

Celtics bounce back with dominant win over Suns: 7 takeaways​

Jaylen Brown is studying Paul Pierce’s game as he adjusts to injury​

Jaylen Brown leads Celtics to redemptive home win over the Suns​

Sunday Basketball Notes: Dave Cowens reflects on Celtics’ history​

Celtics have some goals for the final five games of the season​

Celtics Green Comments from the Other Side - Suns 4/4/25​

CelticsBlog Payton Pritchard and the Celtics make NBA history against the Suns ​

Celtics fully eclipse the Suns, beat Phoenix 123-103 ​

Jaylen Brown has somehow upped his efficiency through knee pain — thanks to some mental resilience and Paul Pierce film ​

10 takeaways from the Celtics outclassing the Suns on both ends ​

CLNS Media Jaylen Brown’s 31 Leads Celtics to Historic Win over Suns ​

Best Photos from Celtics vs. Suns on April 4th, 2025​

Jaylen Brown Impressive On and Off Court for Celtics Battling Knee Injury ​

Celtics .com Keys to the Game: Celtics 123, Suns 103 ​

Celtics Set NBA 3-Point Record, Brown Moves Up C’s Scoring List ​

NBC Sports Boston Celtics break Warriors’ 3-point NBA record, on track to set new milestones ​

Jaylen Brown trolls Kristaps Porzingis after nasty cut on nose ​

Celtics-Suns recap: C’s make NBA history in dominant 123-103 win​

NESN Three Studs, Three Duds As Celtics Down Suns, Make NBA History​

Jaylen Brown Clowns Kristaps Porzingis After Celtics Star’s Injury​

Mass Live Kristaps Porzingis injury: Boston Celtics big leaves Suns game after ugly elbow ​

4 takeaways as Boston Celtics crush Suns while making NBA history​

Jaylen Brown makes blunt statement on knee injury ahead of NBA Playoffs​

Jayson Tatum explains Boston Celtics starter needs more ‘street cred’ ​

Why Jaylen Brown is studying Boston Celtics legend amid knee woes ​

Paul Pierce makes bold declaration about treatment of Boston Celtics star ​

Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird among those who will be enshrined into Basketball Hall of Fame ​

The Athletic Jaylen Brown, studying Paul Pierce game tape, looks to adjust his game for injury ​

Celtics Wire The Boston Celtics set the NBA 3-point record Friday night during a 123-103 win over Phoenix​

Jaylen Brown scored 31 as the Celtics beat the Suns 123-103 at home​

Why Autism Acceptance Night was such a moving and personal event for the Boston Celtics​

Sam Hauser had backup Boston big Xavier Tillman Sr. on his podcast​

How much are the Celtics worth compared to the other teams in the NBA?​

Celtics history: Alvin Julian, Shammond Williams, George Nostrand born​

Derrick White impressed with rise of Celtics’ Baylor Scheierman​

Celtics jersey history No. 14 - Bulbs Ehlers (1947-49)​

Jaylen Brown has been studying the game of Celtics legend Paul Pierce​

Boston Sports Journal BSJ Game Report: Celtics 123, Suns 103 - Brown shakes off knee pain, drops 31​

Jaylen Brown tries to channel Paul Pierce as he adjusts to a new reality caused by a painful right knee​

NBA Notebook: Erik Spoelstra remembers Derrick White blocking everyone on Team USA​

This Jaylen Brown learning process has been incredible for the Celtics​

Hardwood Houdini Payton Pritchard just helped the Celtics make ridiculous NBA history​

New Kristaps Porzingis injury update after hit to face is important news​

This Jaylen Brown learning process has been incredible for the Celtics​

Joe Mazzulla and Jaylen Brown’s Luke Kornet comments are absolutely perfect​

CLNS Media/YouTube Jaylen Brown Thanks Joe Mazzulla For Letting Him Feel Out Knee INJURY | Celtics vs Suns 4-4 ​

Jayson Tatum was UPSET That Derrick White Didn’t Get a Tech | Celtics vs Suns Postgame 4-4 ​

Encouraging Sign for Jaylen Brown’s Knee? | Celtics Suns Postgame Reaction ​

Destined for Celtics-Knicks Playoff Matchup? | Big 3 NBA Podcast​

Jaylen Brown’s GREAT Game & Presser is Good News for Celtics | You Got Boston w/ Noa Dalzell ​

Essentially Sports Jayson Tatum Reveals Disappointing Derrick White Realization as Private Conversation With Celtics Teammates Unearthed ​

YouTube Why Kendrick Perkins Still Likes the Celtics Over the Cavaliers in the Playoffs ​

Payton Pritchard feels at home in Boston and as a Celtic | New England Connection ​

NBA .com Joe Mazzulla’s commitment to 3-point shooting has disrupted NBA coaching ​

SI .com Celtics Make NBA History for Nailing the Most Three-Pointers in a Single Season​

Celtics’ Jayson Tatum is Making Late Case for MVP​

Celtics News: Insider Breaks Down How Boston Can Trade for Kevin Durant This Summer​

Celtics Center Kristaps Porzingis Leaves Suns Game With New Injury​

Shaquille O’Neal Praises Celtics’ Jayson Tatum While Ripping ‘Soft’ NBA​

The Smoking Cuban NBA’s bold Kyrie Irving move finally shuts up petty Celtics and Nets fans​

Sir Charles in Charge 9 Role players who will swing the 2025 NBA Championship race​

The Sports Hub Luke Kornet joins Grande and Max 4-4-25​

Barstool Sports The Boston Celtics Are Now Officially The New 3-Point Kings Of The NBA ​

Last Word on Sports Derrick White Makes History in Win Over the Suns - Last Word On Basketball​

ESPN Celtics pass Warriors for most 3-pointers in an NBA season ​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/5/24401987/boston-celtics-daily-links-4-5-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Maine Celtics continue G League title pursuit on Sunday in clash of MVPs

JD Davison and Mac McClung will face off in an Eastern Conference Finals game between the Maine Celtics and the Osceola Magic — as both teams look to punch their ticket to the Finals.

The Maine Celtics are one win away from another G League Finals appearance — but standing in the way are the Osceola Magic, the top seed in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics and the Magic face off at 7pm ET in the Eastern Conference Finals in Kissimmee, Florida.

The winner of that match-up will punch their ticket to the Finals, where they’ll face the winner of the Western Conference match-up between the Austin Spurs and Stockton Kings in a three-game series that begins on Tuesday.

JD Davison continues ridiculous postseason run​

The Celtics will once again be led by G League MVP JD Davison, who is averaging 35 points on 56% shooting, along with 14.5 assists across two playoff games. Davison struggled in the first half of Thursday’s win over the Westchester Knicks, but exploded for 14 points in the final four minutes of the third quarter to help blow the game open and finished that one with 32 points and an astonishing 17 assists.

“He can hoop,” said Jordan Walsh of the MVP. “He’s really good at just controlling the pace of the game.”

Alongside Davison, Miles Norris has also been a key contributor; Norris is averaging 21.5 points and shooting 69.2% from three this postseason, and has become increasingly comfortable since signing a two-way contract with the Celtics in early March.

Norris didn’t make the G League playoffs last year as a member of the College Park Skyhawks but has enjoyed being a part of this year’s postseason run.

“Winning is a big thing in this organization and for everybody,” he said. “So, just taking this game one game at a time. We know it’s a March Madness type of style. You just gotta lock in every game, no matter who you play, just taking it one game at a time.”

Fellow two-way player Drew Peterson has been one of the team’s steadiest players all season, averaging 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists this year. Peterson is one of five returners from last year’s Maine rosters that came up one game short of a franchise-first G League title. (That list also includes Davison, Walsh, Jordan Schakel, and James Banks III).

Walsh, who spent all year with Boston, has joined Maine for the playoff run and provided a burst of energy and rebounding; he’s averaging 15 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3 assists with Maine these playoffs.

Another player to watch is Jordan Schakel, a second-year Maine Celtic player who has stepped up his game this postseason and is averaging 15.5 points and shooting 50% from three.

“Shak is such a culture center for us in terms of his toughness and his energy and his resilience,” said head coach Tyler Lashbrook of the 26-year-old sharpshooter.

What to expect from Mac McClung and the Osceola Magic ​

On the other side, the Magic are led by last year’s G League MVP Mac McClung, who averaged 23 points and 5.3 assists this past season. McClung exploded for 39 points on 12-21 shooting in the Magic’s opening game of the playoffs, and has consistently been one of the G League’s most dominant players in recent years.

“Mac is probably the quickest guy ever guarded,” Davison said. “So I just try to try to stay in front of him, rough him up a little bit, he’s smaller than me — so, try to to put my hands on him a little bit.”

The Magic finished the season with a 22-12 record, tied for best in the G League. They ended up with the league’s third-best offensive rating at 115.5 — in part due to McClung’s strong play. In addition, Magic two-way player Ethan Sampson has been a key contributor all year, averaging 18.4 points and shooting 39% from three.

“We gotta guard our yard,” Davison said. “They play a lot of small ball, where we gotta play a lot of 15, lot of switching. So we gotta go out there yard and compete. And I think we’re gonna come up with one.

JD Davison will be tasked with slowing down Mac McClung in the Celtics’ playoff game on Sunday:

“Mac is probably the quickest guy I’ve ever guarded. I just try to stay in front of him, rough him up a little bit, he’s smaller than me — try to put my hands on him a little bit.” https://t.co/VkoqRk0gJE pic.twitter.com/bSr4rwC5ok

— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 4, 2025​

The Celtics and Magic last faced off on March 20th, when Osceola came away with a 140-133 win. The Celtics nearly overcame an early 20-point deficit,

“I threw that game out the window,” Davison said. “It’s a different type of game. Now we’re in the playoffs, so I’m not worried about that game, the game we lost.”

Lashbrook is looking forward to the rematch.

“It’s always been a battle against those guys, and they do a really good job as an organization, as a coaching staff, players are well prepared, so we’re excited,” said the first-year head coach. “It’s gonna be a challenge. It’s gonna be a battle. That team has been on a roll. About the same time that we started getting on our run, they went on their own run. To me, it’s been the two best teams over this last back half of the stretch, and so it’ll be fun game for us to match up.”

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...davison-mac-mcclung-jordan-walsh-miles-norris

 

[Boston Celtics]

Maine Celtics’ playoff elimination poses questions about JD Davison, Drew Peterson’s futures

Photo by Evan Yu/NBAE via Getty Images

JD Davison’s 34 points and 11 assists weren’t enough to overcome a monster 42-point night by Mac McClung in the G League Eastern Conference Finals.

A special Maine Celtics season ended on Sunday night with a 135-119 loss to the Osceola Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, despite continued strong play from G League MVP JD Davison.

Davison dropped 34 points and 11 assists, 14 of which came in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a 42-point performance by Mac McClung. A Davison jumper brought the Celtics to within single digits with four minutes to play, but the Magic pulled away behind hot shooting and superb offensive execution.

Celtics two-way forward Drew Peterson recorded 25 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 turnovers. Fellow two-way signee Miles Norris added 19 points and 8 rebounds on 7-11 shooting from the floor. Starting center James Banks III, a second-year player on the Maine Celtics, once again faced foul trouble, and was limited to 4 points and 5 rebounds in just 11 minutes.

Tristan Enaruna, who finished with 20 points on 7 of 17 shooting, started in place of Jordan Walsh. Walsh was in Boston for the Celtics’ 124-90 win over the Wizards, and played 7 fourth-quarter minutes in the victory, grabbing two rebounds.

Jordan Walsh is here for Celtics-Wizards, so he won’t be with the Maine Celtics for their playoff matchup against the Osceola Magic today pic.twitter.com/mHjZUuVeBL

— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 6, 2025​

Mac McClung leads a dominant effort for the Magic ​

On the other side, Mac McClung led the way with 42 points and 6 assists. McClung, the 2024 G League MVP, shot 16 of 26 from the field and 3 of 7 from threes.

Mac McClung was a man on a mission in the Eastern Conference Finals! The former G League MVP broke his own franchise scoring record in a playoff game, erupting for an efficient 42-point game to power the No. 1 @OsceolaMagic to the #NBAGLeagueFinals. pic.twitter.com/SfHQDjvMik

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) April 7, 2025​

Ethan Sampson, another Magic two-way player, and Jalen Slawsoh each added 20 points. Osceola shot 18-39 (46.2%) from three, with five players hitting at least three three-pointers.

Maine knew beating the Magic wasn’t going to be easy.

“It’s gonna be a challenge,” Lashbrook said after the Celtics’ win over the Westchester Knicks on Thursday. “It’s gonna be a battle. That team has been on a roll — about the same time that we started getting on our run, they went on their own run. To me, it’s been the two best teams over this last back half of the stretch, and so it’ll be fun game for us to match up.”

As a result of the victory, the Magic (22-12) will advance to face the Stockton Kings (22-12) in a three-game G League Finals, while the Maine Celtics season comes to an end.

What’s next for JD Davison and the Maine Celtics? ​

The Celtics’ three two-ways — Davison, Norris, and Peterson — will rejoin the Boston Celtics for the postseason run, as will Maine Celtics assistant coach Tyler Lashbrook, who was an assistant coach on the Celtics’ championship team last year. The two-ways will be eligible to play in the Celtics’ final four regular season games — against the Knicks, Magic, and Hornets (twice), but given their two-way status, they won’t be eligible to suit up in the playoffs.

The Celtics still have a 15th roster spot available on their main roster and could sign one of their two-way players to the final sport, as they did with Neemias Queta toward the end of last season. Queta spent far more time (13.7 minutes per game across 28 games) with Boston last year than any two-way player has this year, but it’s still quite possible that Boston would convert one of the two-way contracts to a guaranteed deal.

Davison has been by far Maine’s best player this season, averaging 25.1 points and 7.5 assists this season — and 35 points and 13.3 assists in the postseason. In his third season with the Celtics, Davison dominated the G League from start to finish and was named MVP of the league last week.

But, Peterson has spent more time around Boston than Davison, and could also be up for consideration for the final roster spot. Peterson has appeared in 22 regular-season games for the Celtics this season, averaging 7.2 minutes per game on 40% shooting.

Davison, meanwhile, has only appeared in 13 games, averaging 4.3 minutes. But his dominance in the G League has been unrivaled and has been the coaches in noticed by the coach in Boston, too.

“His leadership has really grown — just his ability to impact winning in different ways,” Joe Mazzulla said last week.

Joe Mazzulla on JD Davison winning G League MVP:

“It’s always tough being here because of balance and winning and developing at the same time, and it takes a level of patience.”

“His leadership has really grown, just his ability to impact winning in different ways.” https://t.co/8p8lU7Glhy pic.twitter.com/eivOfEtgvB

— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 2, 2025​

It seems most unlikely that Norris, who has spent just a few weeks with the Celtics organization, would be converted from a two-way to a guaranteed contract so quick.

A decision regarding the 15th roster spot will be made in the coming weeks, with the Celtics’ regular season coming to a close on April 13th at home against the Hornets.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...avison-mac-mcclung-drew-peterson-miles-norris

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics Daily Links 4/7/25

Baylor Scheierman vs Grizzlies 3/31/25 | Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images

All the Celtics news you need in one convenient place.

Herald Celtics dominate Wizards, win by 34 without Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis​

Marcus Smart involved in altercation with Celtics fan in latest return to Boston​

Globe Celtics roll past Wizards for 11th win in last 12 games​

Marcus Smart gets into a shouting match with fan in his return to TD Garden​

Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla a fan of Geno Auriemma and UConn program​

Marcus Smart still feels part of Boston, two teams after trade from Celtics​

CelticsBlog Celtics rack up 33 assists, cruise past Wizards 124-90 ​

Maine Celtics’ playoff elimination poses questions about JD Davison, Drew Peterson’s futures ​

Monday Mailbag: Ask your Celtics beat writer any questions about the team! ​

Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are primed for the playoffs ​

10 takeaways as Celtics flatten Wizards behind balanced effort ​

Celtics Green Comments from the Other Side - Wizards 4/6/25​

Celtics .com Keys to the Game: Celtics 124, Wizards 90 ​

Celtics Display Scoring and Rebounding Dominance vs. Wizards ​

NESN Three Studs, Three Duds From Celtics Pummeling Wizards​

NBC Sports Boston Sam Hauser wants Celtics fans to join in on this Luke Kornet celebration ​

How Jaylen Brown can be become All-NBA eligible over Celtics’ final games ​

Celtics-Wizards recap: C’s catch fire from 3 in blowout victory ​

NBA playoff race: These four teams could play Celtics in first round​

Mass Live 4 takeaways as Boston Celtics crush Wizards without 2 starters ​

Fan ejected after fiery Marcus Smart altercation in Boston Celtics win ​

Marcus Smart reveals emotions after surprise Wizards trade​

Former Celtics coach is beefing with Steph Curry, ‘crying’ Warriors​

Boston Celtics can add to another impressive NBA lead ahead of playoffs ​

The Athletic How dominant are Thunder and Cavs, and what does it mean for the NBA playoffs? ​

Celtics history: White draft, Cousy record 19 asts; Abdul-Aziz born​

Are the Celtics the best 3-point shooting team in NBA history?​

Celtics jersey history No. 15 - Howard Crisler (1946)​

Boston Sports Journal BSJ Game Report: Celtics 124, Wizards 90 - Balanced attack, 3-point barrage, leads to easy win​

Sam Hauser continues to grow beyond more than just a shooter, ‘he’s a basketball player’​

Hardwood Houdini Wizards are making Marcus Smart realization the Celtics already knew​

10 Notes from Celtics 124-90 blowout win over Wizards every fan should see​

Celtics finally find themselves on other side of narrative that haunted them​

CLNS Media/YouTube Joe Mazzulla on Celtics Heading Into Playoffs:“Just playing winning basketball.” | Postgame 4-7 ​

Marcus Smart on Fan Ejection in Boston “He Crossed The Line” | Celtics vs Wizards 4-6 ​

Derrick White Praises Luke Kornet Performance “He’s Unbelieveable” | Celtics vs Wizards 4-6 ​

Sam Hauser Requests Celtics Fans Start Barking When Kornet Makes Big Play | Celtics vs Wizards 4-6​

SI .com Former Celtics Star Marcus Smart Reacts to Return Chants​

Barstool Sports With The Playoffs On The Horizon, The Celtics Continue To Play Their Best Basketball Of The Season ​

Audacy Joe Mazzulla is pleased with Celtics heading into playoffs​

Athlon Sports NBA Star Restrained, Fan Ejected As Celtics-Wizards Game Turns Hostile​

Bullets Forever Recap: Wizards blown out by Celtics, 124-90 ​

The Numbers Crunch: Breaking down the Wizards’ loss to the Celtics​

YouTube SOUND OFF: Luke Kornet is a monster and Payton Pritchard is a wizard ​

Baylor Scheierman with two 3s, a steal and behind-the-back assist on the fastbreak, ​

12 News Paul Pierce TRANSFORMING Jaylen Brown’s game | Celtics SHATTER shooting records​

Sportsnet NBA record for three-pointers in a season falls yet again ​

Essence NBA Star Jayson Tatum Is Investing in His Hometown Of St. Louis With $2M Homeownership Initiative ​

Press Herald Maine Celtics’ season ends with loss to Osceola Magic in conference finals​

Heavy Celtics’ Secret Weapon Revealed​

Al Horford Gives Encouraging Answer on Basketball Future​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/7/24403192/boston-celtics-daily-links-4-7-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Derrick White and Jrue Holiday are primed for the playoffs

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Boston’s backcourt could be the key to back-to-back banners.

Derrick White and Jrue Holiday have been through some stuff this season.

A tough stretch during the dog days of the NBA season had White feeling joyless and low energy during the holidays. For Jrue, nagging injuries to his shoulder and shooting hand have hampered the 34-year-old vet all year.

However, it’s now April and with the Celtics planning on another long playoff run, Boston’s backcourt seems to be primed and ready to defend their title. In a Sunday tune-up against the Wizards, White (19 points, 5-of-9 from 3, four assists) and Holiday (13 points, 3-of-5 from 3, five assists) turned in efficient box scores in the blowout, continuing a steadying trend over the last couple of months that comes in right on time at the end of the regular season.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are near locks to lead the team in touches and usage rate in the playoffs, but we’ve seen more on-ball responsibilities from White and Holiday of late. We’ve seen high assist games for both since the All-Star break. In a home-and-home against Brooklyn, Holiday racked up twenty dimes. Since the six-game road trip and returning to TD Garden, White has 60 assists over nine games. Their playmaking gives more versatility to the offense and coupled with Porzingis’ successful return, makes the Celtics even more unpredictable on offense.

“I think every game is a little bit different. Some games, I can have 10 and some games I can have one,” White said after dishing out four assists against the Wizards. “So, just understanding that...We’ve got a lot of talented players, so just makes it really simple.”

They’ve both also started to ramp up from behind the arc, too. Since January 29th, White has hit the most three pointers (114) on the team at a 40.3% clip — that stretch fueled White’s growing record as the team’s most prolific single season 3-point shooter. After missing a handful of games (no pun intended) with mallet finger, Holiday has also found his stroke, shooting with only four fingers with his pinkie in a cast; over the last four games, he’s hit 12 of his last 19 threes.

On the other side of the ball, the All-Defense duo should be called upon a lot throughout the Celtics’ run through the East. They’re scheduled to face Trae Young, Jalen Brunson, Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on their path to the Finals. In last year’s championship run, they combined to hold Kyrie Irving to 22-for-47 shooting, Tyler Herro 11-for-30, and Garland 13-for-34. While it will most certainly be a team effort, this is potentially a guard-heavy road.

Eye test-wise, White and Holiday looked a step behind early in the season. Maybe that was the product of running the odometer up after a Finals and Olympic gold run last summer. Maybe it was just mental fatigue. Now, they seem rejuvenated, particularly Holiday who has played fewer minutes and games this year than he has in the last four seasons.

Beyond the numbers and at least from this fan’s perspective, it’s really just a matter of confidence — for me, not for them. Some early doubts crept in after their slow starts and the conversations about salary cap restrictions, a new owner, and the looming tax burden fed those fears. Now, with four games left in the regular season, I want the playoffs to start yesterday. Over the last three weeks, the pair is playing their best basketball together in not just complementary roles, but as alphas during long stretches of games or in big moments. Think Holiday’s Game 3 performance in Indiana or White’s block in Game 2 of the Finals.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...ay-are-primed-for-the-playoffs-boston-celtics

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics (58-20) at New York Knicks (50-28) Game #79 4/8/25

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

The Celtics look for their 9th straight win on the road as they visit the New York Knicks at that other Garden.

The Celtics look for their 9th straight road win as they travel to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks. This is the 4th, and final, meeting between these two teams this season. The Celtics are 3-0 so far this season against the Knicks, winning twice in Boston and once at Madison Square Garden. The Celtics are playing on the first night of back to back games. They are 10-2 so far in the first of back to back games and they are 6-1 when the first game is on the road.

Last season, the Celtics won the series between these two teams, winning the first 4 games (2 in Boston and 2 in New York) and losing just their final meeting at Boston. They played one extra game due to the in-season tournament. The Celtics are 307-190 overall all time vs the Knicks and they are 129-109 in games played in New York.

The Celtics remain 2nd in the East. They are 4 games behind 1st place Cleveland. They are 8 games ahead of 3rd place New York and 11 games ahead of 4th place Indiana. They are 32-7 on the road and 9-1 in their last 10 games. They are 36-12 against Eastern Conference teams and 13-2 against the Atlantic Division. They have won their last 2 games.

The Knicks are3rd in the East, 12 games behind first place Cleveland. They are 8 games behind 2nd place Boston and 3 games ahead of 4th place Indiana. They are 27-12 at home and 7-3 in their last 10 games. They are 33-15 against Eastern Conference teams and 11-3 against the Atlantic Division. They have won their last 2 games.

The Celtics lost their first game back at home after a 6-0 road trip to the Heat. They won their 2nd game at home 123-103 over the Suns on Friday and the 3rd game after the trip over the Wizards. They are back on the road for back to back games at New York and at Orlando. They will finish the season with 2 games against the Charlotte Hornets at home.

The Knicks are coming off a loss at Cleveland and a win at Atlanta and a win at home against Phoenix. After this game at home against the Celtics,they will play on the road at Detroit. They then return home to face the Cleveland Cavaliers and they will close out the season on the road at Brooklyn.

The Celtics have a lengthy injury list at this time but just one player has been ruled out. Al Horford will miss this game due to injury management of a sprained toe. Kristaps Porzingis is questionable with an illness. Jalen Brown is questionable due to a knee injury. Jayson Tatum is questionable due to an ankle sprain. Derrick White (knee) and Jrue Holiday(shoulder) are both probable. I’ve included the regular starters since at this time it’s unclear who will play and who will sit.

The Knicks Have just one player listed as out on their injury list. Ariel Hukporti is out after undergoing surgery on Feb. 28 for a torn meniscus and has yet to resume basketball activities. Jalen Brunson returned Sunday from missing 15 games due to a sprained ankle. He is probable for this game. Miles McBride is also probable with a groin injury.

Probable Celtics Starters

Celtics Reserves
Payton Pritchard
Neemias Queta
Baylor Scheierman
Jordan Walsh
Luke Kornet
Torrey Craig
Sam Hauser
Xavier Tillman, Sr

2 Way Players
JD Davison
Drew Peterson
Miles Norris

Injuries/Out
Jaylen Brown (knee) questionable
Jayson Tatum (ankle) questionable
Derrick White (knee) probable
Jrue Holiday (shoulder) probable
Kristaps Porzingis (illness)questionable
Al Horford (toe) out

Head Coach
Joe Mazzulla

Probable Knicks Starters

Knicks Reserves
Delon Wright
Cameron Payne
Miles McBride
Pacome Dadiet
Precious Azhiuwa
Tyler Kolek
PJ Tucker
Mitchell Robinson
Landry Shamet

2 Way Players
MarJon Beauchamp
Kevin McCullar, Jr
Anton Watson

Injuries/Out
Miles McBride (groin) probable
Jalen Brunson (ankle) probable
Ariel Hukporti (knee) out

Head Coach
Tom Thibodeau

Key Matchups

Jrue Holiday vs Jalen Brunson
Knicks’ All Star Jalen Brunson was 5th in MVP voting last season. He is averaging 26.1 points, 3 rebounds, and 7.4 assists. He is shooting 48.9% from the field and 38.2% from beyond the arc. In 3 games against the Celtics so far, he averaged 26.7 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 54.9% from the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc. Slowing him down needs to be a priority.

Kristaps Porzingis vs Karl-Anthony Towns
Towns gives the Knicks a strong presence in the paint along with the ability to spread the floor. He is averaging 24.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. He is shooting 52.3% from the field and 42.2% from beyond the arc. In 3 games against the Celtics this season, he averaged 15 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, while shooting 45.9% from the field and 75% from beyond the arc. He will be a problem in the paint and also on the perimeter.

Honorable Mention
Jayson Tatum vs OG Anunoby
Anunoby is averaging 18.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He is shooting 48% from the field and 37.9% from beyond the arc. In 2 games against the Celtics this season he finished with 7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting just 21.4% from the field and 20% from beyond the arc. Anunoby is also a very good defender and will make harder for the Celtics to score in this game.

Keys to the Game
Defense - Defense is the key to winning every game. The Celtics have a defensive rating of 110.4(5th) while the Knicks have a defensive rating of 113.2 (13th). The Knicks score 116.1 points per game (9th) while the Celtics score 116.9 points per game (8th). The Celtics attempt 48.3 threes per game while the Knicks attempt just 33.8 threes. Both teams shoot 37% from beyond the arc. The Knicks are 5th with 52.9 points in the paint while the Celtics are last with just 41.5 points in the paint. The Celtics must win this game with their defense.

Rebound - The Celtics can’t score if they don’t have the ball, and the best way to get the ball is to grab rebounds. The Celtics need to rebound as a team with every Celtic battling on the boards. It will take a team effort to beat the Knicks on the boards. The Celtics are 6th with 45.3 rebounds per game while the Knicks are 24th with 42.8 rebounds per game. The Celtics must put in extra effort to crash the boards and beat the Knicks to rebounds.

Move the Ball Carefully - The Celtics need to move the ball in order to find the best shot on each possession. When the ball sticks and players try to do too much, the Celtics struggle. They are at their best when they pass the ball and keep it moving. But they have to make careful passes and not get sloppy because the Knicks average 19.3 points off turnovers per game (4th).

Play All Out 48 Minutes - When the Celtics have lost this season, it is usually because they weren’t playing as hard as their opponents. They can’t afford to allow the Knicks to play harder than them if they want to win this game. They have to play hard from the opening tip until the final buzzer and not allow the Knicks to out-work them for any stretch during the game. The Celtics shouldn’t let up on their effort because they have beaten the Knicks 3 times already. The Knicks are a dangerous team and will beat the Celtics if they don’t play hard.

X-Factors
On the Road Again - The Celtics are playing on the road once again, where they are playing better than they are at home. They need to overcome the distractions of playing on the road and in front of a hostile crowd and stay focused on playing the right way. They have to come out playing hard right from the beginning to keep the Knicks’ crowd from getting into the game.

Officiating - Officiating always has the potential to be an x-factor. Each officiating crew calls the game differently. Some refs call it tight and constantly call fouls while others let them play with few fouls called. Some refs just make terrible head-scratching calls. The Celtics need to adjust to how the refs are calling the game and not allow bad calls or no calls to take away their focus.

And make sure to check out CelticsBlog’s Playback stream for a live conversation about the game. To participate, just create a free account, connect your LP sub if you have it, and join our community.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...58-20-at-new-york-knicks-50-28-game-79-4-8-25

 

[Boston Celtics]

Boston Celtics complete season sweep of New York Knicks, winning overtime thriller 119-117

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

The Celtics are one road win away from tying the NBA record after their OT win against New York

With the playoffs on the horizon, the Boston Celtics are all but certain to finish as the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. But while their Tuesday night showdown on the road against the New York Knicks did not necessarily come with many practical stakes, they took the court at Madison Square Garden with a chance to put themselves in the history books. Riding an eight-game winning streak on the road, wins against the Knicks and the Orlando Magic on Tuesday and Wednesday night would tie the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors for the most road wins in a single season in NBA history. Though it came down to the final moments of overtime, the Celtics triumphed over the Knicks — recording a 4-0 season sweep over New York in the process — and kept themselves alive for a share of the record, winning 119-117.

Jayson Tatum was excellent from wire-to-wire tonight, scoring 32 points — including the three-pointer that sent the game to overtime — while grabbing seven rebounds, dishing five assists and recording two stocks. Kristaps Porzingis surged in the second half to add 34 points and eight made threes, but Jaylen Brown struggled to play through a knee injury, recording just six points on 2-of-8 shooting in 22 minutes played. For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns scored 34 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson added 27 points and nine assists.

Towns has struggled in his matchups against the Celtics this season, but early in tonight’s matchup, that trend seemed to reverse. The Knicks went to their star center early and often, and he responded by connecting on a three-pointer and putting his stamp on the paint, compiling 12 points in the first quarter. Brunson added 10 points of his own, but the Celtics’ superior depth — and 11 from Tatum — helped keep the game close, and the Celtics trailed by just three points heading into the second quarter, 30-27.

Flex on em JT pic.twitter.com/mCBIdku2zq

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 9, 2025​

Playing through a knee injury, the first half looked particularly rough for Brown. His mobility appeared to be somewhat limited, and he struggled on both ends in the early going. In the second quarter, he missed badly on consecutive three-pointers before plowing into a Knicks defender for an obvious charge, giving him more personal fouls (3) than points scored (2) in his first 12 minutes of game action. Each of those figures would each remain his totals entering the halftime break.

Upon his return to the game, Towns continued his barrage against the Boston defense. He pushed his game-leading point total to 22 in the first half of the night, and the New York lead pushed as high as 10 points as quarter wore on. The Celtics continued to battle, though, including a trio of made threes from Porzingis, who otherwise struggled in the early going this evening. Boston prevented the Knicks from pushing the game into blowout territory, and the teams entered halftime separated by just six points, with New York ahead 58-52.

This pass tho pic.twitter.com/UT27dzmqec

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 9, 2025​

The Celtics kicked off the third in assertive fashion, rattling off an 8-0 run in the first minute and a half to quickly reclaim the lead behind Porzingis’ fourth triple of the evening, prompting an early Tom Thibodeau timeout. The Latvian center was the tip of the spear for Boston’s resurgent effort, exploding for 13 points in the third quarter to take over the game lead in scoring. His effort helped the Celtics flip the entire script of the game, and after Tatum beat the buzzer with a fadeaway jumper, Boston entered the final frame with an 83-78 lead.

KP ARE YOU FOR REAL pic.twitter.com/7itKuVmLEb

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 9, 2025​

The Knicks did not intend to go quietly. In the early minutes of the fourth quarter, center Mitchell Robinson recorded an impressive block on Tatum in a one-on-one situation, which led to a triple from Cameron Payne on the other end. A couple possessions later, though, Robinson tripped over a fallen Celtics player and came up favoring his knee — a worrying sign for a Knicks team that values his defensive impact. Robinson departed the game and did not return.

With eight minutes remaining in regulation and the Celtics leading by six, Towns drove for a dunk but the attempt was stuffed by the rim. Porzingis was whistled for the foul on the play, prompting an immediate challenge from Joe Mazzulla. Upon review, the challenge was successful and the Celtics retained their timeout (though it was their last challenge of the night), but after a turnover by White, the Knicks cut the lead to three on a triple by Mikal Bridges. Tatum answered with a three of his own, but Towns returned with an and-one bucket, and Boston’s lead sat at three points with just under seven minutes to play in regulation.

The Celtics fended off New York for the next few minutes, but the Knicks ever so slightly clawed away at the lead. A midrange jumper from Brunson brought New York within one point of the lead, and a two from OG Anunoby on their next possession gave them the lead once again — a 10-2 Knicks run. White launched the ball out of bounds on the Celtics’ next offensive possession, and another Bridges jumper abruptly gave New York a three-point lead with just 50 seconds remaining in the game.

Towns gave the Celtics a jolt with a costly mistake, fouling Tatum behind the three-point line and granting him three free throw attempts and the chance to tie the game. Tatum converted only two of three, however, but with 35 seconds remaining, the game clock could theoretically give the Celtics the game’s final shot attempt. After a Thibodeau timeout, Hart converted a layup to put New York ahead by three with 11 seconds to play.

Then, it was time for Tatum. Needing a three-pointer, Mazzulla opted not to use one of his two remaining timeouts, and Tatum rewarded him by bringing the ball up court and drilling a clutch pull-up three to tie the game at 107 points apiece with three seconds remaining. New York’s Josh Hart was able to find a quality look on a pull-up three-pointer on the final possession of regulation, but the shot didn’t find the bottom of the net, and the game proceeded to overtime.

BANG pic.twitter.com/J0ilbQxDGO

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 9, 2025​

Overtime was a slugfest early on, with over a minute and a half passing before Sam Hauser recorded the extra period’s first points, a layup with 3:35 on the game clock. Tatum and Towns traded splits at the free throw line, each connecting on 1-of-2, before Towns tied the game on a fast break with just over two minutes left. A sequence of traded buckets later, and the teams found themselves in a 112-all tie with just under two minutes remaining to play.

Continuing his second half surge, Porzingis provided the game-defining sequence against his former team as the clock ticked under a minute remaining in overtime. He connected on a mammoth 30-foot three-pointer with 40 seconds left to put the Celtics ahead by three, then defended Brunson on the perimeter on the ensuing possession and forced a missed shot from deep. The Knicks retained the ball on an out-of-bounds call, but Bridges couldn’t handle a pass from Towns on their ensuing possession, handing the ball back to the Celtics with just 12 seconds to play. Hart fouled out putting Jrue Holiday on the line with an intentional foul, and Holiday’s two made free throws put the game on ice for the Celtics.

Next up, the Celtics will eye the regular season road win record, traveling to Orlando to face the Magic in Game #79, tomorrow at 7 PM EST on NBC Sports Boston.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...york-knicks-winning-overtime-thriller-119-117

 

[Boston Celtics]

Celtics update injury report for Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford

Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

Jaylen Brown is officially ruled out, and the Celtics will be without their top six players in Wednesday’s game against the Orlando Magic.

ORLANDO — On the second night of a back-to-back, in a game against the Orlando Magic, the Celtics will be without most of their rotation. Al Horford (right knee sprain), Jayson Tautm (left ankle sprain), Derrick White (left ankle sprain), Kristaps Porzingis (return from illness reconditioning), and Jrue Holiday (right shoulder impingement) will all miss Wednesday’s contest. Horford is missing his second consecutive game, while Tatum, White, Holiday, and Porzingis all rest on the second night of a back-to-back.

Jaylen Brown has ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the Magic ​

Jaylen Brown was initially listed as questionable on Wednesday as he continues to deal with a right knee impingement, but after warming up, Brown was ruled out.

To reach the 65-game minimum and be eligible for NBA awards, Brown has to play in three of the Celtics’ final four regular-season games. He’s played on a minutes restriction of late, limited to just 21 minutes on Tuesday night against the Knicks and playing 30 minutes or less in each Celtics contest since March 15th.

On Tuesday, Kristaps Porzingis suggested there might not be value in Brown playing through his knee injury.

Kristaps Porzingis asked about Jaylen Brown playing through his knee injury:

"He's a tough dude. He always preaches his warrior mindset. He lives by it. But to what extent we need that right now? Maybe he needs to take care of it and make sure he's going to be ready for the most… pic.twitter.com/tZaX3ChnPp

— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) April 9, 2025​

“He’s a tough dude,” Porzingis said. “He always preaches his warrior mindset. He lives by it. But to what extent we need that right now? Maybe he needs to take care of it and make sure he’s going to be ready for the most important moment.”

When Joe Mazzulla was asked about Brown not playing in the fourth quarter or overtime against the Knicks, he said: “We just got what we needed to get out of him as he continues to push himself and test himself.”

The Orlando Magic will continue to play without two key players​

The Magic, meanwhile, will be without Jalen Suggs, who tore the trochlea cartilage in his right knee, and Moritz Wagner, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear earlier this season. They’ll also be without two-way players Mac McClung and Ethan Thompson, who are competing in the G League Finals.

Who do the Celtics have available?​

With Brown ruled out, the Celtics have the following players available tonight: Payton Pritchard, Torrey Craig, Jordan Walsh, Sam Hauser, Xavier Tillman, Luke Kornet, Baylor Scheierman, and Neemias Queta.

Two-way players JD Davison, Miles Norris, and Drew Peterson are also available for the matchup, and went through warm-ups with the player development staff.

The Celtics two-way players — Miles Norris, JD Davison, and Drew Peterson — are all here and could see some big minutes with the Celtics shorthanded tonight (no Jrue, Derrick, Tatum, Brown, Horford, Kristaps) pic.twitter.com/ZCG9ukn8d7

— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 9, 2025​

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...derrick-white-jrue-holiday-kristaps-porzingis

 

[Boston Celtics]

Orlando Magic blow out Boston Celtics’ reserve squad, 96-76

Mike Watters-Imagn Images

The Celtics fell one win short of the NBA road wins record after their bench squad was unable to top the Magic

The Boston Celtics are locked into the second seed in the Eastern Conference, but on Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic, they had a chance to cement themselves on top of the league in a different way. Taking the court in Orlando with an away record of 33-7, a win would tie the NBA record for road wins in a single season, set by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately, though, a rotation consisting primarily of second- and third-string players weren’t able to keep pace with the Magic, and the Celtics suffered a 96-76 loss.

If the record was on the Celtics’ mind, it didn’t show in their lineup choices. Playing the second night of a back-to-back, coach Joe Mazzulla opted to sit most of the core rotation, with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford hitting the pine with an assortment of listed injuries. It was going to be up to Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and the Boston bench squad to bring home against a mostly healthy Magic lineup.

The group of reserves struggled to generate consistent offense against the Orlando defense. Pritchard helmed the offense and recorded a 15-point, 10-assist double-double, but shot just 7-of-17 from the floor. Rookie Baylor Scheierman added 15 points of his own in a strong outing, shooting 6-of-14, and Luke Kornet thrived in the paint with a 14-point outing — his fourth double-digit outing in his last five games. Franz Wagner led the Magic with a strong night, scoring 23 points on 9-of-17 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds, while guard Cole Anthony scored 18 off the bench.

Despite an active rotation that had more of a scoring focus to it, the Celtics made their bread defensively in the first quarter. They did an excellent job holding Orlando’s inconsistent offense in check, even as they took some time finding their footing offensively themselves — they didn’t cash in on their first three-pointer until there were three minutes remaining in the first. After a slow start, the Celtics rattled off an 8-0 to give themselves a narrow advantage that they held for much of the frame. They faltered late in the quarter, though, and after a costly foul by Scheierman handed Orlando’s Cole Anthony a four-point play, and the Magic found a scoring groove in the closing minute. The Celtics entered the second quarter trailing by six, 27-21.

What a bucket for Baylor in the first start of his career ‍ pic.twitter.com/8dehZwvBN2

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 9, 2025​

Orlando’s momentum carried over into the second quarter, as they resumed play with a 10-2 run to put the Celtics behind by double-digits. That lead continued to build and build as the quarter wore on, with Wagner spearheading a punishing two-way effort from the Magic. The run stretched as far as 20-5 as Orlando continued to hit shots and Boston’s field goal percentage slipped below 40%. The game began to teeter on disaster.

In an unusual sequence of events, Anthony appeared to vomit on the court midway through the second quarter, prompting a stoppage in play. Anthony did not depart the game, however, remaining on the bench. Magic PR noted that he was available to return to the game, which he eventually did in the game’s second half.

Following the stoppage, the Celtics asserted themselves. The Magic were never to push the game into true blowout territory, with their lead capping out at 19 points, and their inability to do so left the door open for a Boston comeback. Energized by a colossal dunk from Neemias Queta, the Celtics closed the half on a 14-2 run in which they held the Magic scoreless across the last three minutes of the half. They entered the halftime break right back in the thick of the game, trailing 49-41.

Throwin' DOWN pic.twitter.com/eNte4yh5nx

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 10, 2025​

The pendulum once again swung in Orlando’s favor as play resumed in the second half. Led by continued excellent play from Wagner, the Magic built another significant run, erasing Boston’s second quarter progress with a 13-2 run midway through the third quarter that again pushed their lead to 19 points. The Celtics’ inability to connect from range was a significant factor in their slump — midway through the third, they had connected on just five of their 26 shot attempts from three-point range.

The 20-point threshold was not a barrier for the Magic this time around. Orlando’s lead continued to grow and the Magic seemingly couldn’t miss from behind the arc. Boston trailed by as many as 26 points, and though they managed another — more modest — run late in the third, they faced a steep uphill climb in the fourth quarter if they wanted to claim a share of the road wins record, trailing the Magic 80-61 with 12 minutes remaining in regulation.

LUUUUKKEEEE ️ pic.twitter.com/mU5utvQJLv

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 10, 2025​

The late run gave the Celtics a fighting chance, at the very least. A flaccid start to the fourth quarter made it clear that a chance was the most they were going to get, though. The Magic re-established a 21-point advantage early in the quarter before both teams fell into an intense dry spell, going nearly four minutes of in-game time without scoring a point between the two of them. All of the sudden, there were just four minutes left to play, and Boston had run out of time to realistically mount a comeback.

Next up, the Celtics will return home for their penultimate game of the season, hosting the Charlotte Hornets this Friday at 7:30 PM EST on NBC Sports Boston.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...yton-pritchard-baylor-scheierman-franz-wagner

 

[Boston Celtics]

Celtics share Jaylen Brown injury update ahead of Hornets game

Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

Brown will sit out of Friday’s contest between the Celtics and the Hornets as he continues to deal with a right knee impingement.

The Celtics will be without Jaylen Brown in Friday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets, their second-to-last game of the regular season. That means that Brown — who has missed 11 games with a right knee impingement this season — won’t reach the 65-game minimum to be eligible for end-of-season awards like All-NBA.

Brown had previously maintained that the 65-game minimum was not a factor in his decision to play down the stretch. Now, having played in 63 games with two games to play, he officially won’t reach that minimum.

Joe Mazzulla gave an update on Brown’s status on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Zolak & Bertrand show Thursday.

“He’s doing well,” Mazzulla said. “No one knows their body, no one knows how to push themselves, no one knows how to prepare themselves, body and mind, through the rigors of a season (like him).

“At the end of the day, the most important thing is just kind of trust in Jaylen, and trust in his work, trust in his process and also trust in the training staff and the sports science and the guys that put the time in all the time. ... I trust that he’ll be ready to go when it matters most.”

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
Joe Mazzulla has deferred to Jaylen Brown as he’s navigated injury this season.

Last week, Brown opened up about the knee injury he’s dealt with since February.

“There’s no guarantee, honestly, that rest is going to make anything better. I wish it would, but it’s the cards that are laid out.”

“It is what it is. It sucks. I wish I could share more details, but whatever my team needs, whatever I can do, whatever I got, Imma give. I’m looking forward to just taking it one day at a time, and I’m hopeful that some things will improve over the course of these next two weeks or so.”

The rest of the Celtics rotation will be available against the Hornets ​

The Celtics rested their top six players in Wednesday’s game against the Magic in Orlando; Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis were ruled out in the morning, while Brown was scratched after undergoing warm-ups. As a result, the Celtics fell 96-76 to the Magic, their lowest-scoring game of the season.

But, outside of Brown, the full lineup will be available on Friday — likely for the last time this season.

The Celtics play the Hornets once again on Sunday afternoon for their last game of the regular season. Then, the first round of the playoffs begins on Sunday, April 19th, when the Celtics will play the winner of the Play-In game between the Magic and whoever secures the No. 8 seed.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/10/24405568/celtics-injury-report-hornets-jaylen-brown

 

[Boston Celtics]

CelticsBlog roundtable: favorite storyline of the Celtics season

Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

Handing out some made up awards as the season winds down

Question for the staff:

What has been your favorite storyline this season?

Nate Moskowitz

There’s a lot that comes to mind, but I really appreciate how the team has handled this title defense season so far. Mazzulla started the season with an all-timer, “People are gonna say the target is on our back, but I hope it’s right on our forehead in between our eyes. I hope I can see the red dot.” It’s safe to say they’ve gotten hit with every team’s best shot this year, but they haven’t shied away from it. Despite a difficult couple of weeks in the middle of the winter, they’ve played exceptional basketball. This recent stretch of games shows that they’re still taking the regular season seriously, and using it as an opportunity to gear up for the playoffs. I’ve also enjoyed how the team continues to operate at an extremely high level even when they’re down a few key players.

Oliver Fox

“Do the Celtics want it enough?” has been far-and-away my North Star this year. It’s hard to say if Boston will summon the same killer instinct that saw them destroy, not just beat, everyone last year, but I didn’t see it much during the regular season. They’re still awesome, loaded with more top-end talent than most teams see in a decade, but last year their desire-to-destroy was palpable. I don’t know if it’s the same this year, but how could it be? You can’t manufacture need, and Boston doesn’t need this year like they did last time. Do they have something else to drag themselves over the finish line… perhaps the pursuit of true greatness?

Mark Aboyoun

The three point race to the franchise record. Going into the season we all knew the Celtics would shoot a lot of threes, but I don’t think anyone would have predicted Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Jayson Tatum would all be in for a chance to set the franchise record for most threes in a season. It’s uncanny to have one guy break the record but to have three teammates gunning for it is amazing. Whoever wins it out of the three will definitely not let the other two hear the end of it.

Sam LaFrance

Though it seems premature, the “how can the Celtics sustain success?” piece feels pretty important to me. Of course, we know that every franchise’s goal is to be great for an extended period of time. Very few actually have the opportunity in front of them to do so. Boston has two superstar level players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, along with some elite supporting-cast guys like Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford. The challenge that they now face is similar to a game of jenga. The new second apron penalties leave Brad Stevens with some surgical decisions to make over the summer, when he’ll likely have to move off of Holiday or Porzingis to avoid the league’s harsh consequences for overspending. Ultimately, the team’s ability to withstand the pulling of pieces from their championship tower will have to be built on homegrown talent. Thankfully, Baylor Scheierman has emerged as someone the team feels they can trust down the line. This season’s NBA Draft will be another great chance for Stevens to take a swing at sustainability.

Mike Shearer

I’m not sure if it’s my favorite storyline, but the sale of the Celtics is arguably the second-most-important thing to happen to the franchise this year after the team’s immediate title defense.

We still have a lot of questions, some of which will be answered this offseason. How will the new owners steward the franchise (I know Grousbeck is sticking around for now, but things will still change)? Will they have the spending power and chutzpah to shell out hundreds of millions in luxury tax payments? Where is the line?

The full ramifications of the sale won’t materialize for years, but it’s something that could impact Celtics fans for decades. (edited)

Bobby Manning

It’s Pritchard. That run of 20-point scoring nights to begin the year carried the team through slow starts. The Sixth Man case emerged early and carried throughout the year. He drew ovations from the crowd every time he entered the game in arenas all over the league, with fans following them around the country like the Warriors fans used to, another fun story. With his sharpened skills and larger impact on the team, we also heard a more deliberate leader, more willing to speak his mind and express himself publicly. We all remember the 2023 trade request and his diminished role from 2021-23. Pritchard even reminded The Athletic that his role lessened into the 2024 Finals, despite his famous pair of heaves, which provided more motivation for this summer. I loved learning about the summer runs where he hires overseas pros to defend him, his offseason decision to quit drinking and all the opponents, headlined by Doc Rivers, who have raved about how dangerous he is. It’s the story of this Celtics season in a year where so much has remained the same.

Nirav Barman

I’m not sure if it counts as a “storyline,” but one of my favorite things about this season has been seeing Jayson Tatum’s ability to handle criticism. He’s never had any issues online or with the media, and he’s always shown his confidence in his ability, but this year it feels like he’s silently, and even a little not-so-silently pushing back. He’s a top-5 player in the world - top-3 if you ask me. He knows it just as well, and he’s been showing it on the court, while still continuing to be his normal, non-chalant self. He’s taken the time to address a few comments here and there too, but for the most part, he’s let his game do the talking.

Mike Dynon

My favorite topic has been the Celtics walking into arenas across the league and dominating the competition, to the point where they can tie the NBA record for most road wins in a season. I wrote about this superpower during their March trip west, in which they won all six games by double figures. If they take their remaining road games (at New York and Orlando on April 8-9), they will equal the 2016 Warriors at 34-7 away from home. And if these Celtics happen to win just one of those last two, they’ll surpass the 1973 Celtics (32-8 as visitors) and set a Boston franchise record.

The current Celtics have had road winning streaks of eight games twice and seven games once. Their home net rating of plus 7.6 is good, but their road net rating of plus 10.4 is better. And 20 of their road wins have been by more than 10 points. This effectiveness away from home has been the key to their success all season, because through games of April 2, the Celtics had a far better record away (32-7) than at home (24-13). Truly, a rare situation in the NBA.

Rich Jensen

This one’s a bit sentimental...

My dad and I followed Baylor Scheierman’s career at South Dakota State, and when the Celtics drafted him last June, it was a bittersweet moment for me. My dad had passed away the February before and missed his chance to see Baylor’s adjustment to the NBA game and his evolution to a key reserve role with more possibilities to come.

Robby Fletcher

I would not generally consider myself a toxic fan or writer, but there’s something deeply entertaining about the goal posts being constantly pushed back by media members and fans outside of Boston. We saw it all season long a year ago, up until the Finals. You’d think a title against the so-called “favorites” in Dallas would dispel a lot of those narratives, but oh boy, did we get a real treat after the ring ceremony.

After shooting 61 threes in a blowout win over the new-look Knicks, the latest online discourse sought to attack the 3-pointer itself, with talks of rule changes and “boring basketball” placing Boston at the epicenter. You just have to laugh. The people that have seen the team’s process, style and success know it goes well beyond a lazy narrative, and so far, it’s generated one championship. Imagine what happens if it generates two.

Jeff Clark

I might have to write about this more at length, but for me I’m just struck by how downright likeable this team is. From Tatum’s easygoing superstar swag, to the Cookies ‘n Cream buddy comedy of Jaylen and Porzingis, to Luke Kornet’s dad humor, and down to the tandem of Horford and Holiday (the Starsky and Hutch of role models). It seems kind of obvious or cliche to say it, but I really just love this team.

Source: https://www.celticsblog.com/2025/4/...of-the-boston-celtics-season-staff-roundtable