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Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Brunson, McBride, Simmons

February 3rd, 2024 at 9:51am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Celtics fell at home to the undermanned Lakers on Thursday, resulting in some of Boston’s starters being benched in the midst of a bad stretch in the second half. According to MassLive.com’s Brian Robb, center Kristaps Porzingis had no issues with the decision.

“We deserved it,” Porzingis said. “Of course we were pissed off. We’re pissed off at ourselves and I completely understood. I never want to come out of the game, but I completely understood we had to change something.”

All-Star guard Jaylen Brown, who was also benched in the second half, shared similar sentiments after Boston fell to an L.A. team that was playing without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“I haven’t been in that position too often, so it kind of is what it is,” Brown said. “We weren’t playing our best, I wasn’t playing my best, so nothing I can really say there. Every time I step on the court, I try to add to winning. Tonight, I tried to make sure I was being unselfish, hitting the guys in stride, sharing the ball. But I was a little lackadaisical, it wasn’t my best game. But I’ll put it behind me and get ready for the next one.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson accepted an invitation to participate in the Three-Point Contest during All-Star Weekend, according to TNT and Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Brunson has a shot to be the first Knicks player to ever win the event.
  • The Knicks have leaned on Miles McBride more since trading away Immanuel Quickley, and he’s rewarding their faith in him with improved offensive play. Since Dec. 30, McBride is averaging 8.5 points while shooting 46.6% from three — a vast improvement over the 28.2% clip he connected at during the first two years of his career. “Honestly, it’s all about my belief. I feel like I was taking the same shots, and now I’m just getting a little bit more of an opportunity,” McBride said, per The New York Post’s Peter Botte. “The organization and the coaching staff continued to believe in me, and it was just about me consistently working on my shot. I put in the work and it’s showing.“
  • Ben Simmons returned for the Nets on Monday, recording 10 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in his first game since early November. However, he was ruled out the following game against Phoenix on Wednesday with a knee contusion. He’s expected to play on Saturday against the Sixers and is listed as probable on the injury report, according to SNY’s Ian Begley (Twitter link). C.J. Holmes of New York Daily News tweets Simmons was a partial participant at practice on Friday and was set to receive treatments that night and Saturday morning.
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2024 NBA All-Star Reserves Revealed

February 1st, 2024 at 6:27pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The 2024 NBA All-Star reserves were announced on Thursday night, according to a release from the NBA (Twitter links). Below is a rundown of the 14 players set to join the previously announced starters in the All-Star Game set in Indianapolis on Feb. 18. All-Star reserves are selected by the league’s head coaches.

Eastern Conference Reserves:

Maxey, Brunson and Banchero are first-time All-Stars. Brunson was a strong contender for a starting guard spot in the Eastern Conference, a spot that ultimately went to Bucks guard Damian Lillard. Mitchell (five), Brown (three), Adebayo (three), and Randle (three) are all multi-time selections.

As observed by ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), Randle earns a $1.3MM bonus by making the All-Star Game. Though with the Knicks forward set to miss extended time, it’s likely the NBA will name an injury replacement player. Injury replacements are named by commissioner Adam Silver.

If Brown plays in 65 games by the end of the year, he’ll receive a $1.7MM bonus for his All-Star nod, according to Marks, who adds that Celtics guard Jrue Holiday had a $348K All-Star bonus that is now deemed unlikely.

Hawks guard Trae Young, Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, Boston’s Holiday, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Magic forward Franz Wagner, Bulls guard Coby White, Pacers center Myles Turner and Heat forward Jimmy Butler are among players who had cases to make the game but didn’t.

Western Conference Reserves:

Every player among the Western Conference’s reserves is now a multi-time All-Star. This is Curry’s 10th All-Star appearance, leading the group. George and Davis will be making their ninth appearances. Booker (four), Edwards (tw0), Towns (four) and Leonard (six) round out the list.

Having not been selected to the All-Star Game, Kings forward Domantas Sabonis will miss out on a $1.3MM bonus, according to Marks (Twitter link). Sabonis would regain that bonus if he’s named as an injury replacement, but none of the 12 Western All-Stars appear in danger of missing the game at this point.

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Sabonis, Rockets center Alperen Sengun, Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, Wolves center Rudy Gobert, Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, New Orleans forwards Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, Clippers guard James Harden and Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen are among those who missed the cut in the West.

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Team USA Announces 41-Player Pool For 2024 Olympics

January 23rd, 2024 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

USA Basketball has officially announced a pool of 41 players who are in the mix for the 12 spots on the 2024 Olympic men’s basketball team.

While the pool is subject to change, Team USA’s 12-man roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics will, in all likelihood, be made up of players from this group.

The list figures to shrink as the summer nears due to players suffering injuries or opting not to participate for other reasons, but at some point prior to the July event the U.S. decision-makers will have to choose a final roster from the remaining candidates.

Here’s the full list of 41 players, 28 of whom have represented Team USA in a previous World Cup or Olympics:

  1. Bam Adebayo (Heat)
  2. Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers)
  3. Paolo Banchero (Magic)
  4. Desmond Bane (Grizzlies)
  5. Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
  6. Devin Booker (Suns)
  7. Mikal Bridges (Nets)
  8. Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
  9. Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
  10. Jimmy Butler (Heat)
  11. Alex Caruso (Bulls)
  12. Stephen Curry (Warriors)
  13. Anthony Davis (Lakers)
  14. Kevin Durant (Suns)
  15. Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
  16. Joel Embiid (Sixers)
  17. De’Aaron Fox (Kings)
  18. Paul George (Clippers)
  19. Aaron Gordon (Nuggets)
  20. Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)
  21. James Harden (Clippers)
  22. Josh Hart (Knicks)
  23. Tyler Herro (Heat)
  24. Jrue Holiday (Celtics)
  25. Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
  26. Brandon Ingram (Pelicans)
  27. Kyrie Irving (Mavericks)
  28. Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
  29. LeBron James (Lakers)
  30. Cameron Johnson (Nets)
  31. Walker Kessler (Jazz)
  32. Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)
  33. Damian Lillard (Bucks)
  34. Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
  35. Chris Paul (Warriors)
  36. Bobby Portis (Bucks)
  37. Austin Reaves (Lakers)
  38. Duncan Robinson (Heat)
  39. Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
  40. Derrick White (Celtics)
  41. Trae Young (Hawks)

Adebayo, Booker, Durant, Holiday, Lillard, and Tatum were part of the Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo in 2021. Jerami Grant, Draymond Green, Keldon Johnson, Zach LaVine, JaVale McGee, and Khris Middleton were also on that roster, but aren’t part of the preliminary pool this time around. It’s possible some of them turned down invitations.

“The United States boasts unbelievable basketball talent and I am thrilled that many of the game’s superstars have expressed interest in representing our country at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games,” national team managing director Grant Hill said in a statement. “It is a privilege to select the team that will help us toward the goal of once again standing atop the Olympic podium. This challenging process will unfold over the next several months as we eagerly anticipate the start of national team activity.”

USA Basketball also announced today that Team USA will face Team Canada in Las Vegas on July 10 in an exhibition game. It sounds like that contest will take place during the NBA’s 2024 Summer League.

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Celtics Notes: Brown, Trade Candidates, Tatum, Porzingis

January 9th, 2024 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown and head coach Joe Mazzulla weren’t happy about the reversal of a foul call in the closing seconds of Monday’s 133-131 loss to Indiana. As Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe details, with the scored tied at 131 and three seconds to play, Buddy Hield was initially whistled for a foul on Brown’s shot attempt (video link), but the call was overturned after the Pacers challenged it.

While Mazzulla was clearly irritated, he didn’t have much to say in his postgame presser, according to Himmelsbach, who notes that the Celtics coach repeatedly referred to waiting until Tuesday afternoon to see what the league has to say in its Last Two Minute report. Mazzulla also mentioned that Hield admitted to him that he thought he fouled Brown.

“I mean, I told Joe what I told Joe,” Hield said. “But they have three refs out there and they had the replay center, and that’s what replay is for, I guess. I was thinking I might have hit (Brown) a little bit, but they have three refs out there and they have cameras and they slow down the angles of it. I felt like it was not excessive contact. I know I touched the ball, I maybe nicked Brown in the head a little bit. I’m not too sure.”

Brown was more vocal in expressing his frustration and was upset in particular because he was told by referee James Williams that the replay hadn’t shown Hield hitting him in the head. The Celtics star said he thought the call should be the subject of an investigation.

“That’s what pissed me off, because I know I got hit in the head,” Brown said. “And you see on the replay, it’s pretty obvious I got hit in the head. Then you look me in my eye and tell me that I didn’t. I think that needs to be investigated. Cost my team a game and of course I’m pissed about it.”

Here’s more on the Celtics:

  • Although the 2023/24 salaries for Luke Kornet, Dalano Banton, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Lamar Stevens will now be fully guaranteed, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll finish the season in Boston, a source tells Brian Robb of MassLive.com. Robb suggests it’s possible that one or more of those players could be used for salary-matching purposes in a trade. It’s also worth noting that attaching a future second-round pick or some cash to one (or more) of them would allow the team to reduce its projected luxury tax bill.
  • After signing a super-max extension over the summer, Jaylen Brown entered this season looking to improve his play on defense and said he wanted each member of Boston’s starting five to earn All-Defensive votes. As Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston details, Brown has delivered on his personal goal so far, with advanced statistics suggesting he has been one of the NBA’s better defensive players in the first half of 2023/24.
  • Celtics star Jayson Tatum missed Monday’s loss due to what the team called left ankle sprain injury management. Tatum also sat out games on December 20 and 29 as a result of that left ankle issue, so it appears that the club is just being cautious with his workload. Kristaps Porzingis, meanwhile, was back in action on Monday after leaving Saturday’s contest early due to an eye issue.
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Injury Notes: Brown, Doncic, Payton, Vincent, Nance, Heat

December 28th, 2023 at 3:52pm CST by Rory Maher

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown has been ruled out of Thursday’s game against Detroit due to a lower back contusion, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Brown sustained the injury on Monday against the Lakers after being accidentally kneed in the back by LeBron James. Both players were down in pain for a few minutes, but were able to return later in the contest.

Brown, who signed a five-year, super-max extension in the offseason, is averaging 22.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.6 APG and 1.1 SPG on .478/.335/.734 shooting in 28 games (33.8 MPG) this season for Boston.

Here are some more injury notes from around the NBA:

  • The Mavericks will be without Luka Doncic for Thursday’s game in Minnesota, as first reported by Marc Stein (via Twitter). Doncic is dealing with left quad soreness. As Stein notes, it’s the second game of a back-to-back for Dallas, which lost to Cleveland on Wednesday.
  • Warriors swingman Gary Payton II practiced on Wednesday, according to Jon Schultz of The San Francisco Chronicle. “He had a lot of energy today,” Trayce Jackson-Davis said of Payton. “Had a great practice, and we need them out there. Obviously our guard depth is a little shallow right now, and just having another defensive two-way guard on the floor is going to help us a lot.” However, Payton has been ruled out of Thursday’s contest vs. Miami, per the league’s official injury report. It will be the 13th consecutive absence for Payton, who has been battling a right calf strain.
  • Lakers guard Gabe Vincent underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Wednesday and will be reevaluated in about eight weeks, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Jarred Vanderbilt is one of the players who will receive more minutes with Vincent out, Turner adds. “It obviously hurt. He’s a big component of what we do,” Vanderbilt said of Vincent. “Great player, great system player. So, obviously health comes first. So, we want him to get healthy. For us, it’s the next-man-up mentality. Continue to play the right way and have some guys step up in his absence.”
  • Pelicans big man Larry Nance Jr. has missed the past month after aggravating a rib fracture, but he’ll be active tonight against Utah, he told Christian Clark of NOLA.com and other media members (Twitter link). Nance has been limited to 14 games thus far in 2023/24.
  • The Heat have dealt with numerous injuries once again this season and will be shorthanded during Thursday’s contest in Golden State, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Jimmy Butler (left calf strain), Kyle Lowry (soreness), Caleb Martin (right ankle sprain) are all out, Josh Richardson (back discomfort) is doubtful, and Orlando Robinson is away from the team after being assigned to the G League.
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Celtics Notes: Brissett, Pritchard, Hauser, Brown

December 16th, 2023 at 7:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

Oshae Brissett has mostly been out of the rotation since signing with the Celtics this summer, but he took advantage of an opportunity to play on Friday night, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. With Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet all sidelined by injuries, the 6’7″ Brissett was called on to help protect the rim in small-ball lineups. He responded by making all four of his shots and scoring 11 points in nearly 16 minutes. He had just 14 points all season before Friday’s game.

“It’s tough, wanting to win and wanting to do so well and trying to play perfect,” Brissett said. “You can’t really do that as a basketball player, especially in limited minutes. You’ve just got to be yourself and play a little free. It’s tough, again, because you want to do the right thing so bad. But, at the end of the day, it’s basketball and I’ve been playing basketball for a long time.”

Himmelsbach adds that Brissett has remained focused while he’s been out of the lineup, studying the game from the bench to identify ways he can help the team. Brissett also receives regular guidance from coach Joe Mazzulla, who reminded him that his shooting in a game two years ago with Indiana sparked the Celtics’ interest.

“I know what I can bring to the table, and that’s energy and being excited to be out there with these guys,” Brissett added. “And any given night I can get out there, I’m just going to do that.”

There’s more from Boston:

  • Jaylen Brown was dealing with hypertension in his right knee, but he was determined to play in what is becoming an intense rivalry with Orlando, per Brian Robb of MassLive. The Magic had won their previous four games against the Celtics, including an in-season tournament contest in which they ran up the score in the final minutes to help with point differential. “In my opinion, for us, I think one we had a bunch of guys out and were on a back-to-back versus a team that’s been kicking our ass the last four or five times we played,” Brown said. “I think this was the biggest game to me so far.”
  • Payton Pritchard is showing the Celtics that they’re better off keeping him than using him as a trade chip, Robb observes in a separate story. Pritchard, who scored 21 points in 28 minutes on Friday, and Sam Hauser have become the leaders of a bench unit that is exceeding expectations. “Like I said, those guys since day one,” Mazzulla said. “I coached them both in Summer League, so I’ve always known they were going to be great rotation players, and I had full confidence in them last year, and full confidence in them this year.”
  • Brown, a member of the NBPA’s executive committee, endorsed Andre Iguodala‘s recent ascension to interim executive director, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, who notes that Brown indicated he may also have interest in leading the players union after he retires from basketball.
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Celtics Notes: Tatum, Porzingis, Brown, Mazzulla

December 2nd, 2023 at 5:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics star Jayson Tatum didn’t believe he should have been ejected from Friday’s game, and the league office appears to be in agreement, tweeting that the flagrant foul called against Tatum late in the third quarter has been downgraded to a common foul.

As Souichi Terada of MassLive recounts, Tatum was whistled for the flagrant foul while battling for a loose ball with Philadelphia’s Robert Covington. When Tatum protested to the officials, he was given his second technical of the night.

“I was extremely surprised,” Tatum said. “Y’all all saw what happened. You might not know what I said, but I mean, I guess whatever I said doesn’t matter at this point. I don’t agree with that. One of the assistant coaches who was there with me doesn’t agree. But it doesn’t really matter, right? It’s like the ref’s word against ours.”

In his pool report after the game, crew chief Bill Kennedy wrote that Tatum was T’d up on the play because “he continued to complain about the foul called on the floor and overtly gestures toward the officials.” Tatum claims he was trying to have a discussion with referees Nick Buchert and Phenizee Ransom when they tossed him out of the game.

“It was like, they was ready to throw me out,” Tatum said. “One of the magic words? Did I cuss? No, I didn’t. I didn’t have to say a cuss word. If you watch the clips, you probably can read my lips. No hand gestures. … I’ve been in the league long enough, I’ve seen a lot worse behavior and reactions get tolerated for a lot longer. So for those two to throw me out the game, I was shocked.”

There’s more from Boston:

  • The Celtics are hoping Kristaps Porzingis can be ready for Monday’s in-season tournament quarterfinal, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Porzingis has missed the past three games with a strained calf, but coach Joe Mazzulla said he was able to complete an on-court workout before Thursday’s practice.
  • Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both posting up more often this season, with a combined 4.5 post looks per game heading into Friday, Himmelsbach adds. “I just think that’s two of our skill sets, me and Jayson,” Brown said. “Love to play with our back to the basket as big wings, take advantage of matchups and you score more efficiently, especially in the playoffs when things get a little tougher.”
  • Mazzulla directed an effort this summer for the Celtics to keep in touch with their former players, Himmelsbach states in a separate story. Emails were sent to about 225 ex-players, and Mazzulla asked new assistant coach Sam Cassell, a backup on the 2007/08 title team, to serve as a conduit for members of that squad. “Joe wants this to be a huge family,” Cassell said. “The tradition is there, but he just wants this to be a huge family.”
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Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Tatum, Brown, Tournament

November 25th, 2023 at 5:13pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kristaps Porzingis indicated on his Instagram account that he got encouraging results from an MRI today on his left calf, tweets Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Porzingis suffered a calf strain that forced him out of Friday’s game in Orlando, but he posted, “Good news this morning. Be back very soon.”

Injuries have been a frequent concern for Porzingis over the past six years, but he has been healthy so far in his first season with the Celtics. He has appeared in 15 of the team’s first 16 games, with his lone absence caused by a bruised knee. Porzingis walked “gingerly” to the team bus after Friday’s contest, but he didn’t seem worried that it might be a long-term injury, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.

“I felt a bit of something in my calf and just kept playing,” Porzingis said. “I felt like, OK, it’s some kind of strain or tightness, something happened there and you saw me limping a little bit. The medical staff pulled me out after that.”

Porzingis has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game against Atlanta.

There’s more on the Celtics:

  • Jayson Tatum is upset with the NBA’s new emphasis on preventing players from hanging on the rim, Washburn adds. Tatum received a technical foul Friday for holding the rim too long after a dunk, but Washburn points out that it won’t count toward a possible suspension because it doesn’t deal with sportsmanship. “That’s a rule that they implemented that quite frankly I don’t think makes any sense,” Tatum said. “Because anybody who has ever played or dunked the ball, your momentum, you just try to make sure that you are stable when you land. You don’t want anyone underneath you. Maybe they just want me to let go and just land on my back.”
  • Jaylen Brown is responding to coach Joe Mazzulla‘s desire for his players to be more versatile and find ways to contribute when they aren’t scoring, Washburn states in a separate story. Brown’s shot attempts have declined with the addition of Porzingis, but he has averaged nearly four assists per game in November and handed out eight in Wednesday’s win over Milwaukee. “It’s a new year, a new season, and I feel like I’m playing some of my best basketball in how I’m seeing the floor and I get into a flow and rhythm of things and I feel like I’ll be able to continue to do that,” Brown said. “I think when I get more guys playing off me, trusting that I’m going to make the right read, we should go to that a lot more.”
  • Friday’s loss means Boston no longer controls its destiny in Group C of the in-season tournament, notes Souchi Terada of MassLive. The Celtics need to hope for a three-way tie with Orlando and Brooklyn, giving them an opportunity to advance on point differential.
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Celtics Notes: Brown, Tatum, Porzingis

November 23rd, 2023 at 8:58pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Celtics All-Star swingman Jaylen Brown seemed to be having some hiccups as he learns to play alongside a third high-level scorer in new big man Kristaps Porzingis, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

Himmelsbach noted that, despite a pulverizing defense and incredibly talented roster, Boston’s offense hasn’t been as connected as it perhaps should be. Entering Wednesday’s game, a career-low 50 percent of Brown’s field goals had been assisted, and his 54.4 true shooting percentage was his lowest since his rookie year, as Himmelsbach details.

Brown may be on the upswing, however, as he submitted his best game of the year on Wednesday night, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. In a 119-116 victory over the Bucks, Brown poured in 26 points while shooting 10-of-16 from the floor and dishing out eight dimes, against one turnover. The passing was especially encouraging.

“Definitely just another part of my game that I’ve been growing,” Brown said of the eight assists. “This is a new year, it’s a new season, and I feel like I’m playing some of my best basketball just how I’m seeing the floor. And as I get into the flow and the rhythm of things, I feel like I’ll be able to continue to do that. I think when I get going, more guys playing off me, trusting that I’m going to make the right read, I think we should go to that a lot more.”

There’s more out of Boston:

  • Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum organized a preseason team meeting, Bontemps writes in a separate piece. With six starter-caliber players, Tatum wanted to suss out how the club could handle that. “Whether it’s fair or not, me and [Brown] are probably going to always start, and always finish the game,” Tatum told the gathered players. “But we have to be held to a different standard and be able to be coached differently. Whether it’s [Porzingis] and Al [Horford], one of you guys may not finish a game, and you have to be OK with that.”
  • Porzingis is already enjoying his time alongside Brown, writes Taylor Snow of Celtics.com. “I absolutely love playing with JB,” Porzingis raved. “I think we’re starting to connect more and more, and it’s becoming just natural for us. I’m learning his game, I’m learning the situations he likes to be in and, as you can see, we’re having some success with it. It’s really fun. It’s really fun to play with him and I look forward to more of those plays.”
  • In case you missed it, Jrue Holiday spoke prior to Wednesday’s game vs. Milwaukee about his feelings playing against his former team.
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Atlantic Notes: Reed, Oubre, Mazzulla, Celtics’ Starters

November 21st, 2023 at 5:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers retained Paul Reed in free agency on a three-year, $23.5MM deal this summer. Coach Nick Nurse would like to get more bang for those bucks and expand the big man’s playing time, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“I think that Paul (has) played so well that it’s hard to not let him stay out there. In fact, I’ve been trying to keep him out there a little bit longer, figure out a way to keep him out there,” the Sixers coach said of Reed, who is averaging 4.1 points and career highs of 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 13 minutes per night as Joel Embiid’s backup.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Kelly Oubre took another step in his recovery from being struck by a vehicle while walking in a hit-and-run accident. The Sixers forward returned to the practice court on Monday, Pompey writes. Oubre suffered broken ribs in the incident. He’ll be reevaluated in approximately one week. “I think getting him moving was the first step,” Nurse said. “Getting him into some contact and things is the next step. I think after [Tuesday] we’ll have a little better read on the timeline.”
  • Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla asserted himself and sent a message by pulling his stars in the third quarter against Memphis on Sunday and it worked, John Tomase of NBC Sports Boston notes. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday sat for a seven-plus minute stretch while reserves closed out the quarter. They returned for the fourth quarter as the team pulled out a 102-100 win. Still, Mazzulla wasn’t impressed. “I don’t think we deserved to win that game,” he said,
  • For the most part, however, the Celtics‘ starters have blended well while racing to an 11-3 record, Michael Pina of The Ringer writes. Prior to their loss to Charlotte on Monday, the starting five — that also includes Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White — had a league-leading plus-104 overall rating while generating 124.1 points per 100 possessions on a 66.6 true shooting percentage. “[They’re] one of the best starting fives in the league, if not the best starting five in the league,” Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said.
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