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Boston Globe
10 hours ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Court Sense: The small-market NBA Finals
I joked a few months ago, in the aftermath of a Celtics-Lakers primetime showdown at TD Garden, that Adam Silver might be dreaming of a Boston-Los Angeles NBA Finals, a surefire ratings bonanza renewing the league's biggest rivalry in the Finals for a 13th time. Well, Adam, get ready to learn America's heartland, buddy! The NBA Finals are set, Does it matter? Not really. Ratings are important, but they're not exactly a direct revenue driver for the league, which is paid a fixed amount in its rights deals. It helps that a shiny new deal was inked last summer (roughly $76 billion over 11 years — I think the league will be OK). Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Most expected the Thunder to be here after Oklahoma City won an NBA-best 68 games during the regular season, the highest win total since the Warriors' record-setting 73-win campaign in 2015-16. Behind MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the league's best defense, the Thunder swept aside the Timberwolves in the Western Conference finals with relative ease. Advertisement But the Pacers? Who were set as 50-to-1 longshots to win the title before the season and finished 14 games off the pace in the Eastern Conference? Not so much. Indiana's been on some run this postseason, taking care of the Bucks in the opening round, burying the top-seeded Cavaliers in the second round, and closing out the Knicks in six games in the Eastern Conference finals. Advertisement They've caught a couple of breaks: Bucks star Damian Lillard tore his Achilles' in the first round; Indiana didn't have to go through the Celtics after Boston's incredibly cursed second round series against New York; and the Knicks are, after all, still the Knicks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (right) and Tyrese Haliburton will do battle in the NBA Finals. Kyle Phillips/Associated Press The Thunder are big favorites and for good reason. They suffocate the NBA's best offenses while their own is driven by the MVP, a combination that has resulted in a team that looks ready for a coronation. But at this point, how can you count out these Pacers? Indiana, 12-4 in the postseason, has swept aside two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, smoked the 64-win Cavaliers, The Pacers will need to be pretty much perfect to take down the Thunder. Or they need to keep casting whatever spells they've been using to get this far. Either works. (Anyway: Thunder in five.) Let's get into it. ICYMI 🗞️ Tyrese Haliburton will lead the Pacers into their first Finals since 2000. Michael Conroy/Associated Press You may not know much about the Pacers and Thunder, but you'll enjoy the show they put on in the NBA Finals By Gary Washburn Celtics faithful are still in their mourning period, despite the pleasure taken from the Knicks losing to the Pacers in six games in the Eastern Conference finals. Similar to two years ago, the Celtics watched a conference foe they feel they're better than advance to the NBA Finals. The Pacers earned their way to this matchup with the Thunder, learning from their conference finals sweep at the hands of the Celtics last year and bringing back a more experienced and savvy roster. Advertisement Although this is not an NBA Finals featuring any of the league's darling markets, it is the best team in each conference, which makes for a compelling matchup. The Pacers and Thunder are a lot alike, their cornerstone players each acquired through trade. Other top stories we're watching ... Celtics assistant GM Austin Ainge is leaving for new role as Jazz president of basketball operations. You know who really loved the Knicks' playoff exit at the hands of the Pacers? The NBA offseason hasn't really kicked into gear, but the potential moves of stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant could shift the landscape in the Celtics' favor. Trivia Tuesday 🧠 Congratulations to Nathan Weinberger of Cambridge, the first person to correctly answer last week's question. As a refresher, we asked you to name the two single-digit uniform numbers that have never been worn by a Celtics player. The answer is Nos. 1 and 2 . The former was retired in honor of Celtics founder Walter Brown in 1964 and the latter in honor of legendary coach and executive Red Auerbach in 1985. Neither number had been officially issued to a player in the years before they were raised to the rafters at the Boston Garden. Walter Brown (left) and Red Auerbach (right) have numbers retired in the Garden rafters, despite never having suited up for the team as players. Paul Connell/Globe Staff Here's this week's question: When the Celtics won the 1986 NBA Finals, which Celtic finished the series with a perfect 3 for 3 shooting from the field? (Hint: He's got some important basketball games coming up!) Know the answer? Send us an email at The Joe Mazzulla Quote of the Week Congratulations to TNT's Charles Barkley, a first-time winner of the Joe Mazzulla Quote of the Week. In their final series covering the NBA for TNT, the 'Inside the NBA' crew was high — and I mean high — above the court at Madison Square Garden, Advertisement 'We up in the clouds, I could touch God right now,' Barkley said. 'That's the only chance I'm ever going to get to see him. I'm going to hell.'But I'll see a lot of y'all with me. A lot of y'all laughing at home — I'm [going to] see you!' As this show moves to TNT, I'm already ready to riot if ESPN tries to sanitize the 'Inside the NBA' guys. Don't you do it, Disney! This story first appeared in Court Sense, a biweekly Celtics newsletter from Boston Globe Sports. Amin Touri can be reached at
Hamilton Spectator
5 days ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Anthony Edwards and the T-wolves again enter the summer focused on the final 2 steps to an NBA title
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — For all the strides the Minnesota Timberwolves have made since they drafted Anthony Edwards first overall five years ago, a once-woebegone franchise now playing deep into the playoffs as a habit and not a hiccup, a noticeable gap remains between them and an NBA title. Reaching the last two Western Conference finals, particularly this spring after a surprise shuffle of the roster right before training camp and the pains of adjustments and injuries throughout the regular season, was a remarkable accomplishment. The last team to appear in two in a row was Golden State in 2018 and 2019. Edwards will turn 24 in about two months, a superstar only beginning his prime years with a handful of mid-20s role players around him. But the five-game defeat delivered in machine-like fashion by Oklahoma City raised fair questions about whether these Timberwolves can clear two more hurdles to win their first championship. 'Nobody's going to work harder than me this summer. I'll tell you that much,' Edwards said after the 30-point loss on Wednesday that ended the series in five games. The offseason commitment has never been in question for Edwards, whose set career highs in 2024-25 in points per game (27.6), 3-point shooting percentage (39.5) and free-throw shooting percentage (83.7) while playing in 79 of 82 games. He also led the league in made 3-pointers (320). In five seasons, Edwards has missed a total of nine games. But the Thunder and their NBA-best defense posed a distinct challenge. Edwards shot just 6 for 31 from 3-point range in the four losses and was held under 20 points in three of them. He still found ways to drive to the basket and kick the ball through traffic to teammates in the corner, but the discrepancy in production between his counterpart Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was stark. The NBA MVP outscored Edwards 157-115, with a 116-87 edge in field goal attempts and a 51-32 edge in free throw attempts. 'Obviously, he's got to learn to play against that physicality and that type of holding all the time. They made it really hard for him,' coach Chris Finch said. 'I thought for a lot of the series, he did make the right play, and we preach that to him all the time. Yeah, we need him to be aggressive, for sure. He's got to find some easier buckets. I've got to help him do that.' Edwards was also a culprit in the overall dip in effectiveness and intensity on defense, after the Wolves led the league on that end of the court during the 2023-24 season. Even after slipping from first to sixth in defensive rating for 2024-25, they held the Los Angeles Lakers under 100 points in three of five games in the first round and did the same to the Warriors in the second round. But Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder were a different story, albeit with an attack fueled by their steal-happy defense that made Edwards, Julius Randle and Naz Reid in particular pay for dribbling too much in tight coverage. 'Fifteen puppets on one string,' was how Edwards marveled at the Thunder's execution of their defensive scheme. Though three of their starters — Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert and Randle — this season were 30 or older, the Wolves with their mid-20s core of Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo weren't consistently disciplined and focused enough in following the game plans. 'I think for individuals it has to become even more important to them,' Conley said on Thursday as players went through exit interviews at team headquarters. 'Maybe that means studying the game more. Maybe that means doing more individual coaching, taking coaches on the side and getting some individual stuff there, bringing me aside every now and then even more often, and just using the minds around you to help you grasp certain concepts and certain things about the game.' The eight-player rotation Finch was hesitant to extend will certainly change, with Terrence Shannon Jr. clearly ready for more playing time in the backcourt and the Wolves hopeful that Rob Dillingham and Jaylen Clark are too. Nickeil Alexander-Walker will become an unrestricted free agent, creating one potential opening. Then there's the tricky contract situation in the frontcourt, where Randle and Reid each have an option to exercise for next season they could decide to decline in favor of a longer-term, more lucrative deal. Reid, for his part, said he would likely opt out. The 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year also said he would prefer to be a starter. 'But if you want to be in a winning position,' Reid said, 'sometimes you might have to sacrifice.' ___ AP NBA:
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Anthony Edwards and the T-wolves again enter the summer focused on the final 2 steps to an NBA title
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — For all the strides the Minnesota Timberwolves have made since they drafted Anthony Edwards first overall five years ago, a once-woebegone franchise now playing deep into the playoffs as a habit and not a hiccup, a noticeable gap remains between them and an NBA title. Reaching the last two Western Conference finals, particularly this spring after a surprise shuffle of the roster right before training camp and the pains of adjustments and injuries throughout the regular season, was a remarkable accomplishment. The last team to appear in two in a row was Golden State in 2018 and 2019. Edwards will turn 24 in about two months, a superstar only beginning his prime years with a handful of mid-20s role players around him. But the five-game defeat delivered in machine-like fashion by Oklahoma City raised fair questions about whether these Timberwolves can clear two more hurdles to win their first championship. 'Nobody's going to work harder than me this summer. I'll tell you that much,' Edwards said after the 30-point loss on Wednesday that ended the series in five games. The offseason commitment has never been in question for Edwards, whose set career highs in 2024-25 in points per game (27.6), 3-point shooting percentage (39.5) and free-throw shooting percentage (83.7) while playing in 79 of 82 games. He also led the league in made 3-pointers (320). In five seasons, Edwards has missed a total of nine games. But the Thunder and their NBA-best defense posed a distinct challenge. Edwards shot just 6 for 31 from 3-point range in the four losses and was held under 20 points in three of them. He still found ways to drive to the basket and kick the ball through traffic to teammates in the corner, but the discrepancy in production between his counterpart Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was stark. The NBA MVP outscored Edwards 157-115, with a 116-87 edge in field goal attempts and a 51-32 edge in free throw attempts. 'Obviously, he's got to learn to play against that physicality and that type of holding all the time. They made it really hard for him,' coach Chris Finch said. 'I thought for a lot of the series, he did make the right play, and we preach that to him all the time. Yeah, we need him to be aggressive, for sure. He's got to find some easier buckets. I've got to help him do that.' Edwards was also a culprit in the overall dip in effectiveness and intensity on defense, after the Wolves led the league on that end of the court during the 2023-24 season. Even after slipping from first to sixth in defensive rating for 2024-25, they held the Los Angeles Lakers under 100 points in three of five games in the first round and did the same to the Warriors in the second round. But Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder were a different story, albeit with an attack fueled by their steal-happy defense that made Edwards, Julius Randle and Naz Reid in particular pay for dribbling too much in tight coverage. 'Fifteen puppets on one string,' was how Edwards marveled at the Thunder's execution of their defensive scheme. Though three of their starters — Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert and Randle — this season were 30 or older, the Wolves with their mid-20s core of Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo weren't consistently disciplined and focused enough in following the game plans. 'I think for individuals it has to become even more important to them,' Conley said on Thursday as players went through exit interviews at team headquarters. 'Maybe that means studying the game more. Maybe that means doing more individual coaching, taking coaches on the side and getting some individual stuff there, bringing me aside every now and then even more often, and just using the minds around you to help you grasp certain concepts and certain things about the game.' The eight-player rotation Finch was hesitant to extend will certainly change, with Terrence Shannon Jr. clearly ready for more playing time in the backcourt and the Wolves hopeful that Rob Dillingham and Jaylen Clark are too. Nickeil Alexander-Walker will become an unrestricted free agent, creating one potential opening. Then there's the tricky contract situation in the frontcourt, where Randle and Reid each have an option to exercise for next season they could decide to decline in favor of a longer-term, more lucrative deal. Reid, for his part, said he would likely opt out. The 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year also said he would prefer to be a starter. 'But if you want to be in a winning position," Reid said, "sometimes you might have to sacrifice.' ___
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Anthony Edwards and the T-wolves again enter the summer focused on the final 2 steps to an NBA title
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — For all the strides the Minnesota Timberwolves have made since they drafted Anthony Edwards first overall five years ago, a once-woebegone franchise now playing deep into the playoffs as a habit and not a hiccup, a noticeable gap remains between them and an NBA title. Reaching the last two Western Conference finals, particularly this spring after a surprise shuffle of the roster right before training camp and the pains of adjustments and injuries throughout the regular season, was a remarkable accomplishment. The last team to appear in two in a row was Golden State in 2018 and 2019. Edwards will turn 24 in about two months, a superstar only beginning his prime years with a handful of mid-20s role players around him. But the five-game defeat delivered in machine-like fashion by Oklahoma City raised fair questions about whether these Timberwolves can clear two more hurdles to win their first championship. 'Nobody's going to work harder than me this summer. I'll tell you that much,' Edwards said after the 30-point loss on Wednesday that ended the series in five games. The offseason commitment has never been in question for Edwards, whose set career highs in 2024-25 in points per game (27.6), 3-point shooting percentage (39.5) and free-throw shooting percentage (83.7) while playing in 79 of 82 games. He also led the league in made 3-pointers (320). In five seasons, Edwards has missed a total of nine games. But the Thunder and their NBA-best defense posed a distinct challenge. Edwards shot just 6 for 31 from 3-point range in the four losses and was held under 20 points in three of them. He still found ways to drive to the basket and kick the ball through traffic to teammates in the corner, but the discrepancy in production between his counterpart Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was stark. The NBA MVP outscored Edwards 157-115, with a 116-87 edge in field goal attempts and a 51-32 edge in free throw attempts. 'Obviously, he's got to learn to play against that physicality and that type of holding all the time. They made it really hard for him,' coach Chris Finch said. 'I thought for a lot of the series, he did make the right play, and we preach that to him all the time. Yeah, we need him to be aggressive, for sure. He's got to find some easier buckets. I've got to help him do that.' Edwards was also a culprit in the overall dip in effectiveness and intensity on defense, after the Wolves led the league on that end of the court during the 2023-24 season. Even after slipping from first to sixth in defensive rating for 2024-25, they held the Los Angeles Lakers under 100 points in three of five games in the first round and did the same to the Warriors in the second round. But Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder were a different story, albeit with an attack fueled by their steal-happy defense that made Edwards, Julius Randle and Naz Reid in particular pay for dribbling too much in tight coverage. 'Fifteen puppets on one string,' was how Edwards marveled at the Thunder's execution of their defensive scheme. Though three of their starters — Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert and Randle — this season were 30 or older, the Wolves with their mid-20s core of Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo weren't consistently disciplined and focused enough in following the game plans. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'I think for individuals it has to become even more important to them,' Conley said on Thursday as players went through exit interviews at team headquarters. 'Maybe that means studying the game more. Maybe that means doing more individual coaching, taking coaches on the side and getting some individual stuff there, bringing me aside every now and then even more often, and just using the minds around you to help you grasp certain concepts and certain things about the game.' The eight-player rotation Finch was hesitant to extend will certainly change, with Terrence Shannon Jr. clearly ready for more playing time in the backcourt and the Wolves hopeful that Rob Dillingham and Jaylen Clark are too. Nickeil Alexander-Walker will become an unrestricted free agent, creating one potential opening. Then there's the tricky contract situation in the frontcourt, where Randle and Reid each have an option to exercise for next season they could decide to decline in favor of a longer-term, more lucrative deal. Reid, for his part, said he would likely opt out. The 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year also said he would prefer to be a starter. 'But if you want to be in a winning position,' Reid said, 'sometimes you might have to sacrifice.' ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cavs' Jarrett Allen not derailed by injury this time, but playoff performance a letdown
INDEPENDENCE — After Jarrett Allen played all 91 games (82 in the regular season and nine in the postseason) for the 2024-25 Cavaliers, the starting center said he felt fine. 'It was more of a mental challenge to get through all 91 like that. The body definitely feels good,' Allen said Wednesday, May 14, during his season wrap-up news conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Advertisement Last year, Allen missed Cleveland's final eight playoff games with a fractured rib. This year, Allen became the only member of the core four to avoid injury through the playoffs, albeit during a shorter run than the top-seeded Cavs anticipated because they were eliminated with a 4-1 series loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. All-Star guards Donovan Mitchell (calf strain, sprained ankle) and Darius Garland (sprained big toe) and All-Star forward Evan Mobley (sprained ankle) dealt with injuries during the playoffs. Mitchell played in every postseason game, Garland missed four of them and Mobley sat out one. In the end, none of it could be used a legitimate excuse for the Cavs being thoroughly outclassed by the Pacers. 'We could have been more locked in mentally for longer, been more physical for longer,' Allen said. Advertisement 'We came into the first game not playing how we usually do and not playing with that force, and it just carried throughout.' Cavs season review: Cleveland Cavaliers need Evan Mobley to be top player, not 'nonexistent' in NBA playoffs Jarrett Allen's stats: Regular season vs playoff comparison Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, left, battles Indiana Pacers forward Thomas Bryant (3) for a rebound during Game 5 of a second-round playoff series May 13, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. In the regular season, Allen averaged 13.5 points on an NBA-best 70.6% shooting from the floor, 9.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocked shots and 28 minutes. In the playoffs, Allen averaged 13.4 points on 72.1% shooting from the field, 8.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.9 blocks and 29 minutes. Advertisement Allen characterized his second-round performance against the Pacers as 'not enough.' Here are his game-by-game statistics from the best-of-seven series: Game 1, Pacers 121, Cavs 112 : 12 points (6 of 7), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 30 minutes Game 2, Pacers 120, Cavs 119 : 22 points (7 of 9), 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 38 minutes Game 3, Cavs 126, Pacers 104 : 19 points (6 of 11), 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 31 minutes Game 4, Pacers 129, Cavs 109 : 2 points (0 of 1), 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 20 minutes Game 5, Pacers 114, Cavs 105: 9 points (4 of 6), 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 30 minutes Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33), Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) and guard Donovan Mitchell (45) battle for control of the ball during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Pacers defeated the Cavaliers 114-105. Allen's lack of production in the final two games stands out. Heading into the series, he explained defending Indiana's five-out offense would be a challenge because playing on the perimeter is not among his strengths. He still managed to grab 12 rebounds in both Game 2 and Game 3, but his presence on the glass subsequently decreased. 'Positioning is definitely a factor in grabbing the boards,' Allen said. 'With those questions, I always think of [Cavs center] Tristan [Thompson], and one of his things to say is, 'Just go get it, and just go get every ball. No matter how it bounces, no matter where it bounces, just go get it.' Advertisement "And I just didn't. I just didn't go get the ball in those two games. And it reflected in the stats.' More Cleveland Cavaliers: 'Hope we all feel it': Donovan Mitchell takes blame for Cavs playoff loss, delivers message Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) shoots the ball while being guarded by Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) during the first half of Game 5 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Allen also lamented a lack of physicality hurting the Cavs on defense in Round 2. He said the Cavs were at their best when they played with a 'hit-first mentality' but struggled against the Pacers when they didn't. 'They're a great offensive team,' Allen said. 'They were able to figure out how to get past our defense. [Under Pacers coach Rick] Carlisle, they did a great job playing with force. It's always been our thing, just playing with force.' Advertisement How will the Cavs respond in the offseason? Will they run it back with Allen and the rest of the core four? It all remains to be seen. In the meantime, Allen wants Cavs players to use their unmet playoff expectations in constructive ways. 'It's going to be something we wake up to, look at every single day and wonder what we could do more,' he said. 'When you're tired, get an extra rep. When you do this, do it more, do it for longer, and that's just going to stick with us throughout the summer. So I hope it fuels everybody to go back stronger.' Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@ On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cavs' Jarrett Allen says his playoff performance was 'not enough'
