Hoops Rumors

Third-year Nets shooting guard Cam Thomas is hoping to show the league at large that he is capable of being a two-way force in the NBA, reports C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. “My numbers are up there with some of the best of them, honestly,” Thomas told Holmes. “Mine are just overlooked because not that many people know me, I’m not the most vocal, talking and all that … [Read more...] about Atlantic Notes: Thomas, Hield, Holiday, Quickley

It came down to a blown DeMar DeRozan overtime buzzer beater attempt, but the Knicks finally clinched the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed by winning a nationally broadcast ESPN clash against the Bulls this afternoon. Earlier in the day, several other East playoff and play-in clubs wrapped up their 2023/24 regular seasons, thus cementing the conference’s top 10 heading into the … [Read more...] about Eastern Conference’s Top Six, Play-In Tournament Set For 2024

A harrowing family experience in 2016 helped Jrue Holiday keep things in perspective when he got the surprise news that he had been traded from Milwaukee to Portland last summer, writes Mirin Fader of The Ringer. Eight years ago, Holiday’s wife, Lauren, was diagnosed with a brain tumor while she was pregnant with their first child. Holiday took a leave from the NBA to care for … [Read more...] about Celtics Notes: Holiday, Brown, White, Tatum

While some star players may play reduced roles in the final days of the regular season to ensure they’re fresh for the postseason, Sixers center Joel Embiid is looking to go in the opposite direction. After logging nearly 36 minutes on Tuesday in his fourth game back following a knee procedure, Embiid suggested he’d welcome a big workload again on Friday and Sunday, per Keith … [Read more...] about Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Sixers, Holiday, Celtics, Raptors

The “stay ready crew” that comes off the Celtics‘ bench is significantly better than the reserves Joe Mazzulla had to work with last season, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Mazzulla rested his starters for the final six minutes of Friday’s win over Sacramento, giving the reserves some experience with a game on the line. “I feel like he’s doing a great job of … [Read more...] about Celtics’ Bench Stays Active; Xavier Tillman Savors Game-Winner

Jay King of The Athletic takes an interesting look at how big man Kristaps Porzingis has transformed himself into a far more efficient post-up player than he was during his days in Dallas and how Porzingis’ post-up ability could be a difference-maker for the Celtics‘ offense this postseason. … [Read more...] about Celtics’ Porzingis Has Transformed Post-Up Game

The Celtics are signing Jrue Holiday to a four-year, $135MM contract extension, agent Jason Glushon tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojanrowski. A source tells Adam Himmselsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) that the final season (2027/28) of Holiday’s new deal is a player option. As Wojnarowski writes, Holiday is declining his $37.3MM player option for 2024/25 in order to sign a … [Read more...] about Celtics, Jrue Holiday Agree To Four-Year Extension

The new deals signed by Jeff Dowtin with the Sixers and Neemias Queta with the Celtics are two-way contracts with second-year team options for 2024/25, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter links). Both Dowtin and Queta were on two-way deals before promoted to their respective teams’ 15-man rosters, and both players received minimum-salary contracts. Here are more … [Read more...] about Atlantic Notes: Dowtin, Queta, Melton, Poeltl, Barnes, Rajakovic

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has been named Western Conference Player of the Week, while Celtics big man Kristaps Porziņģis has claimed the Eastern Conference’s weekly honor, the NBA announced (via Twitter). Irving averaged 31.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while shooting 52.4% from the field as Dallas went 3-1 last week. Porzingis averaged 19.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and … [Read more...] about Mavs’ Irving, Celtics’ Porzingis Named Players Of The Week