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Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Marcus Smart signs with the rival Lakers, Al Horford remains in a holding pattern, and other thoughts on the Celtics
Advertisement Smart agreed to the buyout this past weekend, but his destination surely made Celtics fans cringe. The 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year has agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with the Lakers. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Smart, who was selected by the Celtics with the sixth pick of the 2014 draft, was the first key piece of Boston's swift rebuild. He helped the Celtics to the conference finals five times, along with the 2022 NBA Finals appearance against the Warriors. But after the Celtics lost to the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals in 2023, Smart was traded to the Grizzlies in the three-team deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis, and, eventually an NBA title, to Boston. Advertisement Smart's last two seasons have been slowed by injuries and inconsistent opportunities. He appeared in a total of just 54 games. But he is just 31, and if he is healthy he could become an essential part of a Lakers team looking to make perhaps one final run with LeBron James. The Lakers' backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves is potent on offense but a liability on defense, and Smart should fortify that group. On Tuesday, Smart was asked what it will be like to face his former team as a member of the rival Lakers. 'I'm expecting a lot of boos,' he said, smiling. 'I'm expecting a lot of hate. And it's OK. I understand it.' Smart becomes the latest longtime Celtics guard to join the Lakers late in his career, following Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, and Isaiah Thomas. ⋅ All indications are that center-forward Al Horford is in a holding pattern with the Warriors as wing Jonathan Kuminga's situation drags on. Kuminga, 22, is a restricted free agent and has made it clear he is in search of a large contract and larger role. The Warriors tendered Kuminga a $7.9 million qualifying offer that he clearly has no plans to accept. Golden State could work to orchestrate a sign-and-trade with another team to recoup an asset. Regardless, it's unlikely that Horford's future will be determined until that first domino falls. Celtics president of basketball operations ⋅ Drew Nicholas should sound familiar to longtime college basketball diehards. The Celtics' new executive director of player personnel was a guard on Maryland's 2001-02 national championship team that included future NBA players Steve Blake, Juan Dixon, Chris Wilcox, and Lonny Baxter. Nicholas averaged a team-high 17.8 points as a senior the following season. In Boston, he'll help fill the void created by the departures of assistant general manager Austin Ainge and director of scouting Remy Cofield. Advertisement ⋅ The Celtics' sale continues to push forward as scheduled. Look for the NBA's board of governors to approve ⋅ The New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League parted ways with former Celtics big man Tacko Fall. Fall averaged 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds over 18 games with the Breakers last season. ⋅ ⋅ Celtics big man Luka Garza, a Washington, D.C., native, threw out the first pitch prior to the Nationals' home game against the Reds on Wednesday. found a guy (luka garza 6'10 btw) taller than james wood (6'7 btw) to throw the first pitch → — Washington Nationals (@Nationals) Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at
NZ Herald
20-07-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Basketball: Wellington Saints beat Southland Sharks to clinch 13th National Basketball League title
A dominant second half has propelled the Wellington Saints to a thrilling 88-83 grand final win over the Southland Sharks to clinch their 13th National Basketball League title in Wellington. It's the Saints' first National Basketball League (NBL) title since 2021 and their first under coach Aaron Young, who has
Otago Daily Times
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Sharks carrying momentum into NBL final
The Southland Sharks will chase a fourth National Basketball League title thanks to a stunning resurgence. Coach Jonathan Yim could not be reached for comment to help shed some light on his side's form reversal. But here is a quick recap. Midway through the campaign, the Sharks were not really on the radar. They were winning the odd game and staying in touch. But they were also walloped by some of the stronger teams, including the Wellington Saints who they will play in Sunday's final in the capital. Now everyone is taking them seriously. The Sharks produced a huge team effort to overcome the Canterbury Rams in Christchurch last week. All five starters got into double figures to set up a 101-82 semifinal win against the two-time defending champions. Competition MVP Josiah Allick starred with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Caleb Asberry was influential with a haul of 19 points and nine assists. Fellow import Keylan Boone netted 18 points and grabbed 10 boards. If they had been flying under the radar, they are now flashing in neon. It is worth mentioning that their last two games against the Rams resulted in enormous losses (120-84 and 128-79). But they have improved dramatically since then. They have won their last nine games, which includes a 91-75 victory against the Auckland Tuatara in a playoff match in Invercargill last week to set up the semifinal with the Rams. All season, the Rams and the Saints seemed destined to meet in the final. The Saints dispatched the Tauranga Whai 93-68 in the other semifinal and they will start the final as favourites. They posted two comfortable wins against the Sharks during the round-robin. But the Sharks are in imperious form. They will lean on Allick around the hoop. The tireless power forward is the competition's leading rebounder with 11.4 boards per game. His battle with Hyrum Harris (10.3) will be fascinating. Sharks sharpshooter Boone (21.1 points) is the most accurate three-point exponent in the league. Former Otago Nuggets captain Sam Timmins adds another level of protection around the rim for the Sharks, and Caleb Asberry is a quality distributor. The Saints will rely on Nicholas Marshall to generate some offence. The talented guard has multiple ways to hurt the defence and will combine with Izayah Mauriohooho-Le'afa. Harris and Nicholas Muszynski will take care of the paint and Jordan Ngatai is a versatile forward who is vastly experienced and a big-game player.
Otago Daily Times
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Allick big influence as Sharks upset Rams to reach NBL final
The NBL's newly-crowned most valuable player has led the Southland Sharks to the big dance. Josiah Allick had 21 points and 15 rebounds as the Sharks stunned the Canterbury Rams 101-82 in Saturday's National Basketball League semifinal in Christchurch. With that the Sharks will take a nine-game winning streak into Sunday's final against the Wellington Saints, who beat the Tauranga Whai 93-68 in yesterday's other semifinal. Despite that run of form, and the Rams' late-season wobbles, the result was still an upset. The two-time defending champion Rams had beaten the Sharks by 49 points in their last meeting and have been team to beat in most of the season. But the Sharks raced out the gate and led 28-14 at quarter-time, as the Rams struggled to finish and the Sharks made them pay. The lead became 20 late in the second quarter at 44-24, and the game was all but done at end of the third quarter as the Sharks led 73-48. Alongside Allick, who had his 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting, Caleb Asberry finished with 19 points on 9-of-12 from the field. Keylan Boone added 18 points, while former Otago Nuggets centre Sam Timmins had 11. Sean Macdonald led the Rams with 23 points. Nick Marshall led the Saints with 22 points in their win yesterday. They will host the final. — Allick was also named most outstanding forward, and was joined in the All Star Five by Macdonald, Marshall, Carlin Davison (Taranaki) and Jeremy Combs (Nelson). Marshall was named most outstanding guard, while Wellington forward Hyrum Harris was named defensive player of the year. — APL
Straits Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Australia police arrest man over online racial abuse of player
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Victoria Police have arrested a man for alleged racial abuse of a National Basketball League (NBL) player via social media in a first for the sport in Australia, the national governing body said on Friday. Basketball Australia said that on July 2 police arrested and charged a 37-year-old Huntingdale man who allegedly sent the message to the player's social media account. It did not reveal the name of the athlete but the Adelaide 36ers said in a statement it was one of their players who received the message and that he was aware of the arrest. Victoria Police said the message was allegedly sent following a game at Melbourne's John Cain Arena on November 17, with Basketball Australia's integrity unit referring the matter to them for further investigation. "There are laws in place to govern appropriate behaviour towards athletes, and it's important the public understands that," a spokesperson for the integrity unit said. "The individuals targeted by hateful messages are human, and Basketball Australia commends the courage it takes to call out this behaviour." The man has been bailed to appear at Melbourne's Moorabbin Magistrates' Court on August 15. REUTERS Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore steps up nuclear viability, safety research with new institute and $66m in additional funds Singapore NDP 2025: Leopard tank transmission fault identified, vehicle to resume role in mobile column World Trump nominates 'alpha male' influencer to be ambassador to Malaysia Business CEO pay: At Singapore's top companies, whose pay went up and who saw a drop? Opinion Whisper it softly, there's a new Japan rising Business Popiah king Sam Goi makes $123.5 million offer to buy rest of PSC Singapore Youth who performed lewd act on cat ordered to undergo probation Life Singer Jacky Cheung adds 3 more encore concerts in Singapore, bringing total to 6 shows
