logo
Boston Celtics' secure 'big win' over Dallas Mavericks to end road trip

Boston Celtics' secure 'big win' over Dallas Mavericks to end road trip

USA Today27-01-2025

Boston Celtics' secure 'big win' over Dallas Mavericks to end road trip
The Boston Celtics secured a bounce-back win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, Jan. 25,, ending their second West Coast road trip of the month with a 3-1 record. The victory was also Boston's first road win over the Mavericks since defeating them during the 2024 NBA Finals to secure the franchise's 18th championship. The Celtics needed this win, as it allowed them to quickly rebound from their disappointing performance against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Joe Mazzulla's team has been struggling to find consistency this season. They've dropped 14 games and are 16-11 over their last 27 outings. Still, there's no denying they produced a much-improved showing against the Mavericks to close out a difficult road swing on a high note.
During a recent episode of the "How 'Bout Them Celtics?" podcast, hosts Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance shared their thoughts on the team's latest win. The hosts dove into the Celtics' overall production, including Derrick White's monster third quarter that saw him snap out of a multi-game slump.
You can watch the full podcast episode by clicking on the embedded video above.
Watch to the "Celtics Chronicle" podcast on:
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS
Substack: https://bit.ly/3WoA0Cf

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ranking Nickeil Alexander-Walker free-agency destinations if he leaves Timberwolves
Ranking Nickeil Alexander-Walker free-agency destinations if he leaves Timberwolves

Yahoo

time27 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Ranking Nickeil Alexander-Walker free-agency destinations if he leaves Timberwolves

The post Ranking Nickeil Alexander-Walker free-agency destinations if he leaves Timberwolves appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Minnesota Timberwolves were just eliminated from the Western Conference Finals by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Unfortunately for Timberwolves fans, this may have been the team's best shot at winning the championship. Advertisement Minnesota had arguably the best eight-man rotation in the NBA. Their starting five consisted of Anthony Edwards, Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, and Jaden McDaniels, and their bench players were all starting-caliber hoopers. That bench consisted of Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The team is likely to get a whole lot thinner this offseason as both Reid and Alexander-Walker can and likely will become unrestricted free agents. It will be hard to re-sign either of them, let alone both. Alexander-Walker has had some big moments in these playoffs, so where are his best free-agent fits if he leaves Minnesota? 1. Hawks add more defense Alexander-Walker is one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the NBA. Surrounding Trae Young with elite defenders should still be the priority for the Atlanta Hawks, which is why the team should sign the wing in free agency. Young is an elite offensive player who has led the league in both points and assists. Advertisement He is a liability on defense due to his short stature and skinny frame, though. Dyson Daniels was in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation this year while sharing a backcourt with Young. Daniels had one of the best seasons stealing the ball ever, but even more defense would help because the Hawks still finished 20th in team defensive efficiency. Alexander-Walker is much more than just a defensive ace, too. The shooting guard/small forward shoots close to 40% from deep every season. He particularly thrives as a catch-and-shoot threat from the corner. Having another marksman for Young to kick out to would make the Hawks' offense even more dangerous. 2. Nickeil Alexander-Walker to the Pacers Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports The Indiana Pacers are so effective because everybody on their roster can shoot the basketball. Alexander-Walker would fit right in, in that regard. The Pacers are currently up 3-1 over the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The NBA Finals are right around the corner for the team, but despite that, they are still being overlooked by a lot of fans and media. Advertisement Some believe they are still a piece away from true contention. Regardless, by signing Alexander-Walker this offseason, the Pacers would certainly better their chances of winning. Indiana already has incredible depth, so why not add even more? Additionally, the Pacers are a pretty average defensive team, and Alexander-Walker help could get them over the hump in that regard. 3. Thunder pair cousins together The Thunder already have 15 players under contract for next season, and big paydays are coming for players such as Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. That makes it highly unlikely that the team would give a big contract to a free agent this offseason. They already did that last offseason when they gave Isaiah Hartenstein a three-year $87 million deal. Not to mention, the Thunder still have a surplus of draft picks coming in over the coming years. Advertisement Even so, there is no denying that MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his cousin, Alexander-Walker, share a special bond. If the cousins really wanted to play together, the Thunder could try and make it happen. The two battled in the Western Conference Finals against each other while singing each other's praises the entire time. Family ties are strong in professional sports, and while Alexander-Walker would fit exactly what the Thunder like to do, him signing to the Thunder is just too unrealistic. Oklahoma City is the favorite to win the NBA Finals this year, and Alexander-Walker signing with the team would be an example of the rich getting richer.

‘Stupid idea'? Charles Barkley says ‘Inside the NBA' hosts may have another show on TNT
‘Stupid idea'? Charles Barkley says ‘Inside the NBA' hosts may have another show on TNT

Los Angeles Times

time39 minutes ago

  • Los Angeles Times

‘Stupid idea'? Charles Barkley says ‘Inside the NBA' hosts may have another show on TNT

The 'Inside the NBA' crew bid an emotional farewell on TNT over the weekend in what was said to be the show's final airing on that network before being licensed to ESPN starting next season. But was it really the last time viewers will see Charles Barkley, Shaquille O'Neal, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson together on TNT in that format? Maybe not, based on comments Barkley made Monday on 'The Dan Patrick Show.' Before anyone gets too excited about the notion, however, know that Barkley introduced the topic by saying that 'TNT is trying to do something stupid behind the scenes.' He used the word 'stupid' several more times to describe an idea he says is in the works for a show to air on TNT, separate from the one that is moving to ESPN/ABC, that also would have Barkley, O'Neal, Smith and Johnson discussing the NBA. 'We taped a pilot about a month ago and it was the stupidest s— I've ever seen in my life,' Barkley said. TNT did not respond to requests for comment for this article. ESPN declined to comment. When TNT was left out of the NBA media rights pact last summer with NBCUniversal, Walt Disney Co. and Amazon, it seemed inevitable that 'Inside the NBA' would end its run after 35 years. But the popular show was given a lifeline months later. 'ESPN, in partnership with TNT Sports and the National Basketball Association, announced today that it will exclusively present the iconic Inside the NBA studio show on its platforms starting with the 2025-26 regular season,' ESPN said in a Nov. 18 press release. 'TNT Sports will continue to independently produce Inside the NBA from its Atlanta-based studios over the term of the agreement. 'The legendary Inside the NBA studio team will appear on ESPN and ABC surrounding high-profile live events, including ESPN's pregame, halftime and postgame coverage of the NBA Finals on ABC, Conference Finals, NBA Playoffs, all ABC games after January 1, Christmas Day, opening week, the final week of the season and other marquee live events.' Barkley referred to that schedule while talking with Patrick. 'We're not gonna be on ESPN as much as people think,' Barkley said. 'We're only probably gonna be working for ESPN like half the time to one-third of the time.' Barkley said that's where the idea of a separate show on TNT came from. 'I guess they want to feel like they're doing something to make us earn our money from TNT,' he said. Barkley said he thinks it's 'a stupid idea for a couple reasons.' 'Number one, we won't have basketball highlights [on TNT],' Barkley said. 'But also, we're probably gonna be going up against an NBA game. And anybody who likes basketball ain't gonna say, 'Hey, you know what? Let me turn off an NBA game on Amazon, ESPN or NBC to go watch these four dudes sit around and talk about nothing.' So it's complicated. And like I say, we taped a pilot doing stupid stuff and it was just stupid stuff.' Barkley continued: 'We can't show highlights, so we were sitting there for like an hour and a half taping this pilot, and we were looking at each other, 'What the hell are we doing?' But I give TNT credit. The first thing they said after the pilot [was], 'Yeah, that was really stupid. We gotta figure something out.''

2025 NBA Finals: Thunder and Pacers are the modern blueprint of what winning looks like
2025 NBA Finals: Thunder and Pacers are the modern blueprint of what winning looks like

Yahoo

time39 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

2025 NBA Finals: Thunder and Pacers are the modern blueprint of what winning looks like

The deeper we go into the NBA Playoffs, the more one truth gets hammered home: If you've got a guy on the floor who can't shoot or defend, he's getting exposed and you're probably getting sent home. But the 3-and-D archetype with the guy who just stands in the corner isn't quite enough anymore. All players on the floor must ideally be able to dribble and make quick decisions. That's why the Boston Celtics won the title last year. Sure, they had stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. But they also surrounded them with well-rounded pieces. When Tatum and Brown were sharing the floor with Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford, everyone could shoot and make a read, and nobody was a defensive liability. Even with bench units, there was no obvious weak link. Advertisement The same blueprint is playing out this season with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers facing off in the NBA Finals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and at least one of Lu Dort, Alex Caruso, or Cason Wallace have shared the floor for 88% of Oklahoma City's playoff minutes. In 176 of those minutes, at least four of them have played together and, during that time, the Thunder have outscored opponents by a staggering 18.1 points per 100 possessions. Every single one of those guys can defend, process the game fast, and create offense either for themselves or someone else. SGA is the hub, but OKC's success hinges on the fact that nobody else gums up the system. Dort cuts. Wallace connects. Caruso makes instant reads. There's no ball-stopper, no spacer who can't dribble, no defender the Thunder can't trust to ferociously execute a game plan. Even OKC's bigs fit the mold: Chet Holmgren can shoot, pass, and handle. And while Isaiah Hartenstein doesn't shoot 3s, he plays with elite feel as a finisher and facilitator. (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports Illustration) Indiana functions similarly. Tyrese Haliburton is their engine, but the pieces around him — Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner — are all skilled enough to play with tempo, precision, and relentless energy. And they all shoot the hell out of the ball: Nembhard, Nesmith, Siakam, and Turner are all shooting over 40% from 3 on over three attempts per game in the playoffs. Everyone can eat in this system. Nesmith of course had his all-time hot streak to fuel a historic Pacers comeback in Game 1. Siakam went off for 39 in Game 2 and 31 in Game 6 against the Knicks, winning himself East Finals MVP. Nembhard has had separate games with over 20 points and over 10 assists while playing lockdown defense. Even with bench units featuring T.J. McConnell and Thomas Bryant, the Pacers can go on a scoring flurry like they did to close out New York. Advertisement Their historic comebacks break the mold too. The Pacers don't turn to clear-out, hero-ball isolations. They stick with their flow: pace, movement, and speed. In the moments that most teams tighten up, Indiana just keeps running its offense. The throughline with both teams is clear: there are no dead zones, everyone is a threat. It's a roster with continuity and a system built on interchangeable skill sets, rapid processing, and nonstop effort. And two excellent coaching staffs led by Mark Daigneault and Rick Carlisle who constructed these systems and devised game plans to unleash their players' strengths. We've seen prototypes before, like the Beautiful Game Spurs, and the Warriors dynasty. But today's shift is a product of how the game has evolved. Pace is at an all-time high. So is spacing. A record-high 42.1% of shots were taken from 3 this season, and they were launched from farther than ever before: 26.2 feet on average above the break. Advertisement Screens are also being set farther from the hoop: the average on-ball screen came 25.7 feet from the rim, another all-time high. Defenses are switching more than ever: 24.6% of the time this year, up from just 7.7% a decade ago and 15.8% a half-decade ago. All of that means defenders have to cover more ground and do it faster than ever. Every offensive possession stretches the floor horizontally and vertically. On top of that, playoff officiating has made the game more physical than it's been in decades. Players have to be tough enough to absorb contact and relentless enough to fight through every screen, closeout, and rotation. That's part of why the Thunder and Pacers have made it this far. Both teams are deep with guys who meet those demands. Teams with shorter benches run out of answers fast. They either put a target on the floor or ask key players to dial it back to avoid fouling out. As always, when a blueprint starts working, everyone else tries to replicate it. But copying the trend and executing it are two very different things. And this year's playoff exits made that brutally clear. OKC is the model franchise. (AP Photo/Nate Billings) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) The Knicks and Timberwolves both made the conference finals, but neither felt like they belonged by the end of it. New York has a ton of guys who can generate shots and offer lengthy defense. But it's hard to win when your two best players are the weakest links on defense. Karl-Anthony Towns is an aloof liability at every spot on the floor. And Jalen Brunson is both tiny and unaware with poor technique fighting through screens. Until one of them is replaced, it's hard to take the Knicks seriously as a team that'll still be playing in June. Advertisement Minnesota looked like a team from another era against OKC. Julius Randle is a ball-stopper and Anthony Edwards dazzled on-ball but disappeared off it. At just 6-foot-3, Edwards has to evolve through movement: cuts, catch-and-shoot 3s, relocations, connective passing. And Minnesota's offense must change to best promote the development of its 23-year-old star. Coaches can only do with what they have though. The Pacers and Thunder were built from the top down by their front offices to play this way with rosters that can go deep into the bench. But the lead tacticians do have a choice in the matter. Daigneault spent all season experimenting with lineup combinations, playing everyone on his roster, creating a culture where everyone contributes to the greater good. The system Carlisle installed naturally promotes these habits on top of continuing to go deeper into his rotation as the playoffs advanced. One of the challenges for teams looking to take the next step will be navigating the new collective bargaining agreement with rules that make it nearly impossible to have three stars on max contracts and survive with one-dimensional role players on minimum deals. The Heatles approach is no longer a realistic option. We've exited the superteam era. And given the way the best teams are playing and the way they're constructed, and given the restrictions of the new CBA, this likely isn't a temporary trend. It's more of a structural shift where the teams that last are built around four pillars: shooting ability, quick decision-making, offensive adaptability, and defensive versatility. That foundation is necessary to support at least one superstar, who also must embrace those qualities. Some teams like the Cavaliers need to add more toughness. Others need shooting, like the Magic and Pistons. And some teams like the Rockets also need a star. Advertisement Even veteran teams will start to feel the pressure. If OKC levels up again next year, Denver will have to ask hard questions. Nikola Jokić checks every box the Nuggets could possibly want in a star. But do they have enough shooting around him? And can Michael Porter Jr. thrive in this era with his limited creation and defensive shortcomings? Golden State went out and got Jimmy Butler to support Steph Curry, but that isn't enough when the roster is littered with players who can't shoot or playmake. Has the contention window already shut on the Warriors and they just don't know it? And in Los Angeles, Luka Dončić's slow-it-down style may not get him quite as far as it did in Dallas given the way the NBA is evolving. The Lakers may need to rethink what it looks like to build around Luka. And Luka needs to rethink how much of the ball he really needs to dominate. Maybe being a top-five player isn't enough in this era. Maybe you can't be the system, but you have to thrive within one. So here we are: Thunder vs. Pacers for all the marbles. Two small-market franchises, built from the ground up, now defining what winning looks like in the modern NBA. They didn't do it with an aging max-contract trio. They did it with deep and versatile rosters that can throw out lineup after lineup of five guys who can all shoot, dribble, guard, and make decisions in half a second. Advertisement And none of this works without stars who buy in. SGA did. Haliburton did. When your best players excel within the system, the ceiling gets higher. The Thunder and Pacers are not just the Finals teams; they're the blueprint.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store