Hoops Rumors

6:38pm: Embiid will be in the Sixers’ starting lineup for Game 2, tweets Charania. 9:05am: Newly crowned Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid is on track to return to action in Game 2 of the Sixers‘ second round series against the Celtics, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Charania’s report suggests Embiid is expected to play on Wednesday night in Boston … [Read more...] about Joel Embiid Cleared To Return For Game 2

Since arriving in Philadelphia at the 2022 trade deadline, James Harden has accepted a reduced offensive role, playing second fiddle to Joel Embiid. Harden’s 25.0% usage rate in 79 regular season games since joining the Sixers is his lowest mark since his last year in Oklahoma City in 2011/12. With Embiid sidelined for Game 1 of the Sixers’ second-round series vs. Boston, … [Read more...] about Atlantic Notes: Harden, Embiid, Celtics, D. Rose

Joel Embiid has been named the league’s Most Valuable Player, according to the NBA (Twitter link). The Sixers center surged during the second half of the season and topped Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who won the award the past two seasons, and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who captured the league’s most prestigious individual award in 2019 and 2020. Embiid, the third … [Read more...] about Sixers Center Joel Embiid Wins First MVP Award

Maine Celtics head coach Alex Barlow has been hired by Butler University as an assistant coach, the Bulldogs announced in a press release. Barlow spent eight seasons with the Celtics organization after playing under president of basketball operations Brad Stevens at Butler. “From the day Alex walked on campus at Butler, his goal was to be a coach,” said Stevens. “In his time … [Read more...] about Maine’s Head Coach Named Assistant At Butler

Shortly after arriving in Boston last summer, Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon stressed that he was focused on team – rather than individual – success. He reiterated that message earlier this week, just a couple days before being named the NBA’s Sixth Man of The Year, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “All these awards are team awards,” Brogdon said when asked about the possibility … [Read more...] about Brogdon: Sixth Man Trophy Is Team Award

The league has suspended Hawks guard Dejounte Murray one game without pay for making inappropriate contact with a game official, the league’s communications department tweets. He will serve his suspension in Game 5 on Tuesday. Murray also verbally abused the official at the conclusion of the Hawks’ 129-121 loss to the Celtics in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series on … [Read more...] about Hawks’ Dejounte Murray Suspended For Game 5 On Tuesday

The Celtics are once again showing a burning desire to reach the Finals for the second straight season, Israel Gutierrez of ESPN writes. They feel a renewed sense of purpose in the playoffs. “Early in the year [the Finals defeat] was fuel, it really got us going,” big man Al Horford said. “We kind of got away from it a little bit. But now that we’re in the playoffs, we’re not … [Read more...] about Horford: Finals Loss Fuels Us

The second tax apron that’s included in the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement will be phased in over two seasons, sources tell John Hollinger of The Athletic. The new financial provision is designed to discourage excessive spending by the league’s wealthiest franchises. It is set at $17.5MM above the luxury tax threshold and places severe restrictions on teams that go … [Read more...] about NBA To Phase In Second Tax Apron