Latest news with #SixthMan
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NBA Awards predictions: Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, and more
The NBA announced this season's awards finalists on Sunday. Is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a lock to win his first MVP award? At the end of the season, we asked our 10-person NBA voting panel to predict the winner for each individual award. Here were the results: Voting breakdownStephon Castle, Spurs: 100% Back-to-back NBA Rookies of the Year in San Antonio? A year after Victor Wembanyama took home the award, it appears Castle is on his way to becoming the fourth Spur to receive the top rookie honor (Tim Duncan and David Robinson also won the award in 1998 and 1990, respectively). The No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft received every single one of our panel's votes. While the rookie class as a whole has been underwhelming, Castle had a strong first year. He led all rookies in points and field goals made, as well as steals, showing his two-way potential. The future is bright in San Antonio. Voting breakdownKenny Atkinson, Cavaliers: 80%J.B. Bickerstaff, Pistons: 10%Mark Daigneault, Thunder: 10% The Coach of the Year race is typically one of the hardest awards to predict, given the number of standout candidates every year. Kenny Atkinson, in his first year in Cleveland, led the Cavs to the East's No. 1 seed, with his team jumping out to a 15-0 start to the season. J.B. Bickerstaff, in his first year in Detroit, led the franchise to a historic turnaround; after finishing last season with the NBA's worst record at 14-68, the Pistons won 44 games in '24-25 and made the playoffs. Meanwhile, Mark Daigneault led the Thunder to a franchise-best 68 wins, an NBA-best 12.7 net rating and the No. 1 overall seed in the playoffs, yet he wasn't named one of the three finalists for the award. Ultimately, our voters see Atkinson's work on the sidelines being rewarded. Voting breakdown Evan Mobley, Cavaliers: 60%Draymond Green, Warriors: 40% With Victor Wembanyama's season ending early due to a blood clot, the race has been wide open since the All-Star break. Heading into the final days of the season, it appeared it could come down to: Evan Mobley vs. Draymond Green. Mobley, who was named to the All-Defensive First Team in '22-23, has been the defensive anchor for a dominant Cleveland team this season. Green, meanwhile, had been making his case (on and off the court) as the Warriors' do-everything defender. In the latest BetMGM odds, Green (-500) had actually pulled ahead of Mobley (+400). This could be too close to call. Voting breakdownPayton Pritchard, Celtics: 90%Malik Beasley, Pistons: 10% The defending champion Celtics appear to be a lock to bring home more hardware this season. Our panel sees Pritchard winning the Sixth Man award with ease, with the fifth-year guard averaging 14.3 points and 3.5 assists in 28.4 minutes off the bench for the Celtics, while shooting 40.7% from 3. Pritchard would become the fourth Celtic to win the Sixth Man award, joining Malcolm Brogdon (2023), Bill Walton (1986) and Kevin McHale (1984 and 1985). Voting breakdownDyson Daniels, Hawks: 70%Cade Cunningham, Pistons: 20%Deni Avdija, Trail Blazers: 10% A candidate for DPOY, Daniels appears to have a better shot at the Most Improved Player award. After being traded from New Orleans as part of the Dejounte Murray deal last summer, the third-year guard had a breakout season in Atlanta, leading the league in steals (3.0), but also improving as a scorer. Daniels averaged a career-high 14.1 PPG and shot a career-high 49.3% from the field. Cunningham received votes for his impressive season in Detroit, earning his first All-Star selection and leading the Pistons to the playoffs. Avdija turned heads with his play in Portland this season, averaging 16.9 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Blazers. He wasn't named a finalist of the award. Voting breakdownJalen Brunson, Knicks: 60% Nikola Jokić, Nuggets: 20%Stephen Curry, Warriors: 10%Darius Garland, Cavaliers: 10% Yes, the Clutch Award is still on the ballot. In its third year, the award seeks to celebrate the player who performs the best in high-pressure moments. This season, Brunson led the league in points per game and field goals per game during crunch time — defined by the NBA as the final five minutes of a game with the score being within five points. Voting breakdownShai Gilgeous-Alexander: 90%Nikola Jokić, Nuggets: 10% As you might've heard by now, this year's MVP race was one of the best contests ever — it just might not be all that close. While Jokić had arguably the best statistical season in NBA history, SGA appears to be running away with his first MVP award. Last year's MVP runner-up, Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City to the best record in the NBA — and an 18-game lead over Jokić's Nuggets in the standings. If he wins, SGA will become the first guard to earn MVP honors since James Harden in 2018. Interestingly enough, when we posed the question to our panel on who win the MVP award (not who win), the results were much closer: 60% for SGA to 40% for Jokić. Co-MVPs, anyone?
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Celtics offseason outlook: Jayson Tatum's injury changes everything
When the Boston Celtics were down 2-1 to the New York Knicks, as they headed into Game 4, it was a fun little story due to the unexpected nature of it all. Most expected the Celtics to tie the series and, frankly, end the hilarity of the situation in six games. After Game 4, however, no one was laughing. Jayson Tatum, the best player on the team trying to defend its title, ruptured his Achilles, not only ending his season but raising questions about how he'll return from that injury, which is likely to be for the 2026-27 season. The Celtics getting destroyed in Game 6 Friday night doesn't compare to the loss of Tatum, which could have ramifications for years down the line. Everything is up in the air now. The Celtics are expensive, and without Tatum they might be too expensive to keep intact for next season. The assumption, for a while now, has been that this iteration of the Celtics, even with a healthy Tatum, had an expiration date due to the sheer volume of its continuous luxury tax bills. Might the organization expedite said expiration date due to its new situation? It can't be ruled out. This wasn't as strong of a year for the Celtics, as many had believed it would be. Jaylen Brown struggled with his offense for chunks of the season, and while Boston set 3-point record after 3-point record, it failed to establish secondary offensive options for when the 3 wasn't falling. This isn't to say their primary strategy was wrong. The 3 is here to stay, and Boston launching 48.2 per night is perfectly reasonable. What wasn't reasonable was the amount of opportunities they passed up throughout the season, as they essentially forgot the larger point of the outside shot: It opens up the floor, allowing for cuts, drives and interior scoring opportunities. Only 17.9% of Boston's shot attempts this season came from within three feet of the rim, a mark that ranked 26th in the NBA. This was additionally frustrating as they ranked third in the league in conversion rate on those close attempts, finishing 74.8% of those attempts. As such, despite winning 61 games, the Celtics are now on the outside looking in, wondering how it all came crashing down so suddenly. Record: 61-21, No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Lost to the New York Knicks in six games in the second round. The play of Payton Pritchard, who won the league's Sixth Man award. The 6-foot-1 combo guard unlocked a new level to his game and was one of the most consistent creators on the team. The Celtics would frequently unleash his scoring prowess when they needed a boost, and Pritchard was more than happy to oblige. He played so well in fact, one could make the argument that he'll be difficult to keep out of the starting lineup, especially if he comes back next year having further improved. Jayson TatumJaylen BrownJrue HolidayKristaps PorziņģisDerrick WhitePayton PritchardBaylor ScheiermanXavier TillmanSam Hauser Al Horford (UFA)Luke Kornet (UFA) $218,396,208 No. 28No. 32 Draft focus: Swing for the fences. If Tatum is out all year, and the Celtics begin to slowly remove key pieces from the roster to save money, drafting high-upside players is the right idea. These are late selections, so odds are low of finding real difference-makers, but that shouldn't prevent the Celtics from trying to find the highest-upside guys left on the board, positions be damned. If the Celtics run everything back, they'll have very few ways to improve the roster, given that they'll be over the second apron. Of course, if they begin selling off pieces and can position themselves to get a bit under the second apron, they could have their tax MLE handy. But that seems like a lot of trouble for very little return. This is a tricky one, because the goal is the same as this year, but with Tatum out, that expectation is unrealistic. If the Celtics are being honest with themselves, a year without Tatum means there's a chance to find a young wing whom they can give a ton of developmental minutes to and hope he takes a leap the following year when Tatum returns, possibly providing them with another crack at a title run.
CBS News
01-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Here's when the Celtics play next in the NBA playoffs
Are the Celtics better this year as they try to become back-to-back NBA champions? Are the Celtics better this year as they try to become back-to-back NBA champions? Are the Celtics better this year as they try to become back-to-back NBA champions? The Celtics took care of business in the opening round of the NBA playoffs, handling the Orlando Magic in five games. While the Celtics don't yet know who they'll be playing next, they do know when the games will take place. Boston will host the winner of the series between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons. Boston Celtics NBA playoff schedule Celtics-Knicks/Pistons Playoff Schedule Game 1: Knicks/Pistons at Celtics, Monday, May 5 at TD Garden Game 2: Knicks/Pistons at Celtics, Wednesday, May 7 at TD Garden Game 3: Celtics at Knicks/Pistons, Saturday, May 10 at Madison Square Garden/Little Caesars Arena Game 4: Celtics at Knicks/Pistons, Monday, May 12 at Madison Square Garden/Little Caesars Arena Game 5: Knicks/Pistons at Celtics, Wednesday, May 14 at TD Garden* Game 6: Celtics at Knicks/Pistons, Friday, May 16, at Madison Square Garden/Little Caesars Arena* Game 7: Knicks/Pistons at Celtics, Monday, May 19, at TD Garden* *If necessary Below is a look at how the Celtics fared against both of their potential opponents in the second round. Celtics vs. Knicks regular season The regular-season rivalry wasn't very much of a rivalry, as the Celtics won all four matchups. Boston won the first three games by 23, 27 and 13 points, respectively, before taking the final showdown, 119-117, in overtime back on April 8 in New York. The Celtics and the Knicks tipped off the 2024-25 NBA season after Boston raised its 18th championship banner to the TD Garden rafters. The Celtics cruised to a 132-109 victory as they tied an NBA record with 29 threes. The two teams didn't meet again until Feb. 8 in New York, when Tatum scored 40 and Payton Pritchard added 25 points off the bench in a 131-104 Boston win. Their Feb. 23 meeting in Boston was a little closer, 118-105, but the Celtics were victorious thanks to 25 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists from Tatum and 24 points and eight rebounds from Brown. In the April 8 matchup, Tatum hit a three with 2.9 seconds left in regulation to send it to the extra frame, and finished with 32 points. Boston has had New York's number the last two seasons, as the C's went 4-1 against the Knicks during the 2023-24 regular season. Celtics vs. Pistons in regular season The Celtics won three of their four regular-season meetings with the Pistons, but Detroit played them tough. Boston won the first matchup, 124-118, in Detroit on Oct. 26. Jayson Tatum scored 37 points for Boston, including six in the final 1:05 to hold off Detroit. The second matchup also went to the Celtics, 130-120, at TD Garden in Boston, despite Tatum and Jrue Holiday sitting out with injuries. Payton Pritchard sealed the win with a three with 45 seconds left, part of a 19-point night from the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year. The Celtics and the Pistons met at TD Garden again on Dec. 12, but it wasn't much of a contest. The Celtics got 27 points off seven three pointers from Pritchard (including the 500th of his career) while White also hit seven threes for 24 points as Boston cruised to a 123-99 victory. The Pistons took the final matchup of the regular season, 117-97, in Detroit on Feb. 26 to snap a 12-game losing streak against Boston.
CBS News
13-04-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Celtics sit starters, still beat visiting Hornets in regular season finale
Payton Pritchard scored 34 points on Sunday and the Boston Celtics swept consecutive home games against the Charlotte Hornets with a 93-86 victory despite blowing a 21-point first-half lead in a regular-season ending matchup of all reserves. Sam Hauser added 15 points for Boston (61-21), which begins the defense of its NBA title in the playoffs next weekend. Pritchard scored 12 in the final quarter. Josh Okogie and Jusuf Nurkic each scored 14 points for the Hornets (19-63), who lost their seventh straight. Neither team played any of their regular starters. The Celtics played all their regulars Friday — except Jaylen Brown — and won by 36 points. Brown missed the final two games to rest his troublesome right knee that's been bothering him for a month or so. Charlotte's Seth Curry didn't play and finished the season hitting 45.6% on 3s. On Friday, he slipped ahead of Sacramento's Zach LaVine and became eligible for the league's top percentage by making his 82nd. It was the second time this week the Celtics sat out their top six players. They also did in a 20-point loss at Orlando on Wednesday. Hornets: Lost 12 of their final 13 and haven't made the playoffs since 2016. Celtics: Completed their second straight 60-win season, the first back-to-back since 2007-08 and 2008-09 when they won the title and lost in the East semifinals, respectively. Pritchard, a strong candidate for the NBA's Sixth Man award, had nine points in the first quarter when Boston opened a 19-5 edge in the opening six minutes. Boston made 14 3's, increasing its NBA record for a season to 1,457. The Celtics passed the previous high this month, set by Golden State two years ago. The Hornets are done. The Celtics await their first-round playoff opponent for next weekend.
Associated Press
13-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Payton Pritchard scores 34 points in Celtics' 93-86 regular-season ending victory over Hornets
BOSTON (AP) — Payton Pritchard scored 34 points on Sunday and the Boston Celtics swept consecutive home games against the Charlotte Hornets with a 93-86 victory despite blowing a 21-point first-half lead in a regular-season ending matchup of all reserves. Sam Hauser added 15 points for Boston (61-21), which begins the defense of its NBA title in the playoffs next weekend. Pritchard scored 12 in the final quarter. Josh Okogie and Jusuf Nurkic each scored 14 points for the Hornets (19-63), who lost their seventh straight. Neither team played any of their regular starters. The Celtics played all their regulars Friday — except Jaylen Brown — and won by 36 points. Brown missed the final two games to rest his troublesome right knee that's been bothering him for a month or so. Charlotte's Seth Curry didn't play and finished the season hitting 45.6% on 3s. On Friday, he slipped ahead of Sacramento's Zach LaVine and became eligible for the league's top percentage by making his 82nd. It was the second time this week the Celtics sat out their top six players. They also did in a 20-point loss at Orlando on Wednesday. Takeaways Hornets: Lost 12 of their final 13 and haven't made the playoffs since 2016. Celtics: Completed their second straight 60-win season, the first back-to-back since 2007-08 and 2008-09 when they won the title and lost in the East semifinals, respectively. Key moment Pritchard, a strong candidate for the NBA's Sixth Man award, had nine points in the first quarter when Boston opened a 19-5 edge in the opening six minutes. Key stat Boston made 14 3's, increasing its NBA record for a season to 1,457. The Celtics passed the previous high this month, set by Golden State two years ago. Up next The Hornets are done. The Celtics await their first-round playoff opponent for next weekend. ___ AP NBA:
