Latest news with #KentaviousCaldwell-Pope
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Playoffs: Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis hang on late to lift Celtics past Magic in Game 4
The Boston Celtics didn't make it easy, but they are now just a single game away from closing out their opening-round playoff series. The Celtics held on late to grab a 107-98 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of their series on Sunday night at the Kia Center. That gave Boston a 3-1 series lead and will send it back home with the opportunity to close out the series at TD Garden on Tuesday night and keep its quest to defend last season's championship alive. The Magic kept things close for much of the night. They tried several times to mount a comeback, and nearly did so late in the fourth quarter, too. The Magic tied things up late in the final period after a huge Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 3-pointer and then a tip-in from Wendell Carter Jr. It marked the first tie in the game since late in the second quarter. But that was as close as the Magic got. The Celtics rattled off a quick 10-1 run, and only gave up the single free throw after an Al Horford technical foul, to pick up the nine-point win. Kristaps Porziņģis kicked that run off with a huge and-one dunk and then Jayson Tatum drilled a fadeaway jumper over Paolo Banchero. TATUM'S GOT 30 🔥🔥 Couldn't come at a bigger time for Boston! BOS-ORL | 4Q | Game 4 | TNT — NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2025 From there, Boston hit several free throws and kept the Magic's offense largely stagnant in the final few minutes to grab the win. Banchero led Orlando with 31 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Franz Wagner finished with 24 points and seven assists, and Cory Joseph added 12 points and six assists. Tatum finished with 37 points and 14 rebounds despite shooting just 3-of-10 from behind the arc. He now has 32 career playoff games with at least 30 points, which is the second-most in team history, and he went a perfect 14-of-14 from the stripe. Jaylen Brown added 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Derrick White finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Boston went just 9-of-31 from the 3-point line as a team, but it only missed two free throws as a group. The Celtics were without Jrue Holiday once again on Sunday. Holiday, who also missed Game 3, is dealing with a right hamstring injury. It's unclear how long he'll be sidelined. Is Kristaps Porziņģis OK? Porziņģis' health may be something to watch for the Celtics in the near future. Porzingis did not take the floor with the Celtics to start the second half, and was instead riding the stationary bike in the tunnel just off of the court. He was spotted with a wrap on his right calf on the bench, too. Porziņģis ended up returning to the game. He finished with 19 points and five rebounds, and was in foul trouble all night, but he appeared to be fine. The Celtics seemed to have a big spark when he came back off the bench in the fourth quarter, too. The injury, though, is just the latest he's faced so far this series. He was on the wrong end of a flagrant foul in Game 2 when he took an elbow to the forehead, which left him bloodied and bandaged. The Celtics are undoubtedly better when Porziņģis is both healthy and out of foul trouble. If they're going to close the series out on Tuesday night, it'll be much easier with Porziņģis fully available.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Playoffs: Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis hang on late to lift Celtics past Magic in Game 4
The Boston Celtics didn't make it easy, but they are now just a single game away from closing out their opening-round playoff series. The Celtics held on late to grab a 107-98 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of their series on Sunday night at the Kia Center. That gave Boston a 3-1 series lead and will send it back home with the opportunity to close out the series at TD Garden on Tuesday night and keep its quest to defend last season's championship alive. The Magic kept things close for much of the night. They tried several times to mount a comeback, and nearly did so late in the fourth quarter, too. The Magic tied things up late in the final period after a huge Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 3-pointer and then a tip-in from Wendell Carter Jr. It marked the first tie in the game since late in the second quarter. But that was as close as the Magic got. The Celtics rattled off a quick 10-1 run, and only gave up the single free throw after an Al Horford technical foul, to pick up the nine-point win. Kristaps Porziņģis kicked that run off with a huge and-one dunk and then Jayson Tatum drilled a fadeaway jumper over Paolo Banchero. TATUM'S GOT 30 🔥🔥Couldn't come at a bigger time for Boston!BOS-ORL | 4Q | Game 4 | TNT — NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2025 From there, Boston hit several free throws and kept the Magic's offense largely stagnant in the final few minutes to grab the win. Banchero led Orlando with 31 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Franz Wagner finished with 24 points and seven assists, and Cory Joseph added 12 points and six assists. Tatum finished with 37 points and 14 rebounds despite shooting just 3-of-10 from behind the arc. He now has 32 career playoff games with at least 30 points, which is the second-most in team history, and he went a perfect 14-of-14 from the stripe. Jaylen Brown added 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Derrick White finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Boston went just 9-of-31 from the 3-point line as a team, but it only missed two free throws as a group. The Celtics were without Jrue Holiday once again on Sunday. Holiday, who also missed Game 3, is dealing with a right hamstring injury. It's unclear how long he'll be sidelined. Porziņģis' health may be something to watch for the Celtics in the near future. Porzingis did not take the floor with the Celtics to start the second half, and was instead riding the stationary bike in the tunnel just off of the court. He was spotted with a wrap on his right calf on the bench, too. Porziņģis ended up returning to the game. He finished with 19 points and five rebounds, and was in foul trouble all night, but he appeared to be fine. The Celtics seemed to have a big spark when he came back off the bench in the fourth quarter, too. The injury, though, is just the latest he's faced so far this series. He was on the wrong end of a flagrant foul in Game 2 when he took an elbow to the forehead, which left him bloodied and bandaged. The Celtics are undoubtedly better when Porziņģis is both healthy and out of foul trouble. If they're going to close the series out on Tuesday night, it'll be much easier with Porziņģis fully available.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Celtics' Jrue Holiday not on injury report, on track to play in Boston's series opener vs. Knicks
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) during the first half in game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Celtics' Jrue Holiday (4) looses control of the ball against Orlando Magic's Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) during the first half in game 1 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) Boston Celtics' Jrue Holiday (4) looses control of the ball against Orlando Magic's Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) during the first half in game 1 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) during the first half in game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Celtics' Jrue Holiday (4) looses control of the ball against Orlando Magic's Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) during the first half in game 1 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball series Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) BOSTON (AP) — Celtics guard Jrue Holiday is expected to return from a strained right hamstring when Boston opens its Eastern Conference finals series against the Knicks on Monday night. No Celtics players were listed on the injury report Sunday, meaning they could be at full strength when Game 1 tips off. It's the first time Holiday hasn't been on the injury report since he missed the final three games of Boston's first-round series win over Orlando in five games. Advertisement Coach Joe Mazzulla said Holiday was able to 'work on everything he wanted to work on' during Boston's practice session Saturday. One of the Celtics' top defenders and facilitators on offense, Holiday averaged 10 points, 5.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds in the opening two games of the Magic series. Also not listed on Boston's latest report is Jaylen Brown, who has been dealing with a right knee injury that sidelined him for the Celtics' final three regular-season games. ___ AP NBA:
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Things got chippy for the Boston Celtics vs. the Orlando Magic in Game 2
Things got chippy for the Boston Celtics vs. the Orlando Magic in Game 2 Things got chippy for the Boston Celtics vs. the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of their first round series of the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs. Things have been predictably physical in this series from the start in Game 1, even resulting in star Celtics forward Jayson Tatum getting his wrist hurt on a questionable defensive plat by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. That got veteran Boston big man Al Horford angry, and the Florida alum had some words for Orlando postgame. The animus carried over into Game 2 when KCP appeared to intentionally trip Horford in the second half, sparking a near-fight between the two East ball clubs. The folks behind the "NBC Sports Boston" YouTube channel put together a clip taking a closer look. Check it out below! If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," "Celtics Lab," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Listen to the "Celtics Lab" podcast on: Apple Podcasts: Spotify:
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Magic count on ‘Playoff KCP' to show up when it matters most
Magic count on 'Playoff KCP' to show up when it matters most When the Magic signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last summer, it was because he's been a high-level shooter. And it was hard to blame team president Jeff Weltman. Caldwell-Pope had shot 40% or better from 3-point range in three of his past four seasons (the outlier being 39%) and was a part of two championship teams in the Nuggets (2023) and Lakers ('20). Advertisement His shooting prowess, however, took longer than expected to translate in Orlando. During the first 33 games, through Dec. 29 against Brooklyn, Caldwell-Pope shot 28.9% on 4.8 attempts from 3. He has since turned things around, and all it took was one game. On Jan. 1 at Detroit, where he spent the first four years of his career, Caldwell-Pope shot 4 of 6. Just like that he quickly returned to form and has shot 40.1% on 4 attempts from 3 across 42 games entering Tuesday night's Play-In Tournament game vs. the Hawks. The threat of Caldwell-Pope's accuracy has spread the floor for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, who thrive by attacking off the dribble to create their own shots.. Advertisement And whether the Magic advanced to the first round to No. 2 Boston or host the winner of the Nos. 9-10 Play-In game that takes place Wednesday night between Chicago and Miami, Caldwell-Pope has to be a postseason threat to give them a chance. 'KCP said he lives for these moments,' Wendell Carter Jr. said before the Magic hosted the Hawks. 'He was telling us we're going to see the 'Playoff KCP,' so we all know what that looks like. 'We've all seen what he's done in the postseason in recent years.' When Caldwell-Pope won his first championship with the Lakers, he shot 37.8% on 5.7 attempts from 3 in 21 playoff games. Advertisement Three years later when he won his second ring with the Nuggets, his 3-point accuracy improved to 38% on 4.6 attempts in 20 games. The Magic only had two players who appeared in at least six of their seven games in the first-round series against the Cavaliers shoot above 32% from distance: Banchero (40% on 5.7 attempts) and forward Jonathan Isaac (37% on 3.9). It's where Caldwell-Pope can be a difference-maker should the Magic advance to the playoffs for a second consecutive season. 'He's going to help us so much on both ends of the court,' Carter said. 'His shot-making ability and the way he can defend, him leading not only with his voice but by example, is going to help us take that leap.' Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@
