Inside Hoops – Page 290 – NBA Blog

Should the Heat pursue Spencer Dinwiddie in free agency?

Here’s the Sun Sentinel answering one of their reader’s questions, on if Nets free agent guard Spencer Dinwiddie would be a good addition to the Miami Heat:

I believe he would be an excellent fit . . . if fully healthy. Among the reasons Spencer Dinwiddie might fall to the Heat’s price point in free agency would be the fact that he is coming back from a partially torn ACL. Still, he is confident enough to the point that he elected to bypass his $12.3 million player option from the Nets. For the Heat, the question becomes whether they can afford another risk on a player with such a recent injury, after coming up short in their move with Victor Oladipo. At least with Oladipo, the Heat have the direct medical reports. When signing an outside player, it’s even riskier. But yes, Spencer can play on the ball and off the ball, which helps in the Heat’s system with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. And at 6-5, there is decent size, as well. But if Dinwiddie, then no Kyle Lowry. So it also could come down to how that sits with Butler, or if Kyle will opt to sign elsewhere. Basically, Spencer could be one of many moving parts for the Heat this offseason, including potentially in a sign-and-trade.

Celtics set to announce their new head coach

Here’s the Boston Herald on the next head coach of the Boston Celtics:

The Celtics will introduce Ime Udoka on Monday as the 18th head coach in franchise history — thus far they’ve had one coach for every title — and perhaps the former Brooklyn assistant’s greatest initial advantage is one of familiarity.

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, who were all reportedly consulted on the choice by Brad Stevens, got to know Udoka during the 2019 World Cup, where the 43-year-old coach served on the support staff of his former mentor, Gregg Popovich.

It’s hardly a coincidence that Udoka emerged from his time as a Spur, including twice as a player and then an assistant coach, with a reputation for defensive strategy.

When the Nets confounded the Celtics in this year’s first round by blanketing Tatum with a defensive swarm while also cutting off his passing lanes, Udoka was the architect. Even the Nets’ staunchest supporters reasoned that the star-studded roster was good enough scoring the ball that playing defense would be a minor consideration on the way to the title.

Suns now one win away from reaching the 2021 NBA Finals

The Phoenix Suns are now one win away from reaching the 2021 NBA Final. Here’s Arizona Sports on it:

The Suns survived a game from the Dark Ages, from a bygone era when defenses ruled the earth. Rarely have style points mattered less.

They fought their emotions. They haggled with referees. They scored 84 points in a playoff game and somehow awaken on the doorstep of the NBA Finals.

Their victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals was a masterpiece of winning ugly. No apologies necessary.

“That was a slugfest,” Suns head coach Monty Williams said. “That’s what playoff basketball is all about.”

What a bizarre triumph. What a strange game. Devin Booker ditched his mask after missing a layup. Chris Paul lost a shoe. Abdel Nader took Torrey Craig’s minutes, playing for the first time since mid-March. The two teams combined to miss 111 shots. They played four full minutes in the fourth quarter where neither team made a field goal.

It remains unclear when Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard may return to action. At this point, there is no reason to think it’ll be for tomorrow’s Game 5.

A look how how the Miami Heat use their G League affiliate team

Here’s the Sun Sentinel on how the Miami Heat have made use of their G League affiliate squad, the Sioux Falls Skyforce:

The Heat have taken a mixed approach with their two two-way slots since the inception of the program in 2017-18, sometimes with an eye toward added depth to the NBA roster, other times for full developmental-league immersion.

The Heat in 2017-18 opened with Matt Williams Jr. and Derrick Walton Jr. as their two-way players, before replacing Williams in that role with Derrick Jones Jr.

In 2018-19, the Heat’s two-way players were Duncan Robinson and Yante Maten.

In 2019-20, when the G League shut down for the season in March due to the pandemic, the Heat opened the season with Daryl Macon and Chris Silva as their two-way players, before moving on to Gabe Vincent and Kyle Alexander.

This past season, Vincent and Max Strus held the team’s two-way slots.

On the Nuggets the night they were eliminated from playoffs

Here’s the Denver Post on a scene after the Nuggets were escorted out of the playoffs:

On the sad night the Nuggets were swept from the NBA Playoffs, center Nikola Jokic and coach Michael Malone sat down together and poured out a beer to kill the pain.

“We wind up hanging out for like two hours after that game. Talking about the season, talking about the summer, talking about his horses, talking about everything,” Malone recalled Friday. With the gratitude of a coach blessed with a good gig, he described a conversation with the league MVP and his boss in the wake of a 125-118 home loss to Phoenix that ended a ballyhooed Denver season in frustration.

Franchise owner Josh Kroenke joined Malone and his star player.

“(He) was there with me (and) Nikola … for two hours,” Malone added. “When I went home that night, I said, ‘Man, we got a really unique setup here.’ We’re all disappointed, we lost, no one was happy. … But to have an owner and an MVP who are just so down to earth and committed to doing whatever it takes to be better and find ways to win a championship, those two hours were so important.”

Losing guard Jamal Murray to injury was a huge blow for the Nuggets. It wasn’t a surprise to see their postseason hopes cut short.

Murray, Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. are all under contract at least through next season, while Will Barton has a player option this offseason. Paul Millsap and JaVale McGee are free agents.

Down 3-1 in WCF, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue says to take it one game at a time

The Suns lead the Clippers 3-1 in the Western Conference Finals, and L.A. remains without the services of forward Kawhi Leonard, which puts a massive amount of pressure on Paul George, Reggie Jackson and the rest of the squad. It’s a tough situation for the Clippers. Via the Los Angeles Times:

Coach Tyronn Lue said he isn’t fazed by the latest either, a 3-1 hole sealed in the Western Conference finals after an 84-80 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday at Staples Center.

Lue is the only coach whose team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-seven NBA Finals, a title path in which two of the final three victories came on the road, which would be the same scenario required for the Clippers to advance.

“Just focus on Monday’s game, that’s it,” Lue said. “Not focus on winning three games. Got to take it one game at a time, and that’s got to be our mind-set. We beat Utah and won four games in a row. So it’s very doable.

“We’ve just got to make sure we’re locked in and understand what we’re doing offensively. I think we’ve got to be more locked in offensively to beat this team.”

Chauncey Billups reportedly a candidate for Trail Blazers head coaching job

Los Angeles Times: Chauncey Billups, the first-year assistant coach with the Clippers, has emerged as the candidate the Portland Trail Blazers have identified to be their next head coach, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Billups’ representatives and Neil Olshey, the president of basketball operations for the Trail Blazers, have been having contract discussions about Billups replacing recently fired Terry Stotts as coach, according to the people with knowledge of the situation. The two sides are continuing to work on a deal, but nothing has been signed yet.

Suns beat Clippers 84-80 to take 3-1 Western Conference Finals lead

Los Angeles Times: Imperfect but impossible to count out in Game 4 of their Western Conference finals against Phoenix, the Clippers followed what had become their traditional playoff plot line Saturday inside Staples Center: tie themselves in knots by mistakes often of their own doing, then produce a daring, improbable escape to stay alive. Their 16-point deficit in the third quarter was down to just one with 10 minutes to play, the arena coming alive at the same time as the home team. But given shot after shot to even this series, one of the NBA’s top offenses missed over and over, sapped by a devastating combination of tired legs and woeful execution on their way to an 84-80 loss. The Clippers were 0 for 12 in the fourth quarter with a chance to tie or take the lead and did not make a field goal for more than five consecutive minutes in the quarter. And still, another 2-2 tie, after falling behind 2-0, was there for them.

OC Register: Phoenix will be playing for an opportunity to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993. With a Staples Center sellout crowd of 18,222 agonizing on its collective feet for much of the suffocating fourth quarter Saturday, when the Clippers shot 3 for 19 and the Suns went 4 for 19, and 0 for 6 and 0 for 3 from 3-point range, respectively. The Clippers were 0 for 12 on fourth-quarter shots that could’ve tied the score or given them the lead, the most such attempts without a make in the fourth quarter of a game over the past 25 postseasons. They drew within one point four times in the fourth, but they couldn’t ever pull in front. “We just couldn’t get over the hump,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said.

OC Register: In his second game back following COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Paul finished with 18 points and seven assists. Deandre Ayton finished with 19 points and a career playoff-high 22 rebounds. And Devin Booker scored a game-high 25 points on 8-for-22 shooting before fouling out in the final minute.

OC Register: The Clippers shot 32% (27 for 83) for the game; Phoenix was a smidge better at 36% (31 for 86). The Clippers made just five 3-pointers in the game – fewer than in all but one game this season. The Suns hit just four from deep.

Will Warriors pursue Ben Simmons?

Sixers guard Ben Simmons is young, talented, but will also probably be the subject of serious trade rumors throughout the offseason. Via the Philly Voice:

The Ben Simmons rumor mill continues to churn, and the latest potential suitor is a name you should expect to hear a ton up until draft night in late July: the Golden State Warriors.

That’s the word from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, who has been a source of a lot of Simmons gossip this past week…

Any trade the Warriors are making this offseason is going to be in an effort to put a stronger supporting cast around Stephen Curry in the final year of his contract next season. Curry has never said anything to suggest he wants to leave the franchise where he became a megastar, but playing elite-level basketball only to miss the playoffs entirely surely is not what he has in mind for his twilight years.

Timberwolves hire Joseph Blair, Micah Nori and Pablo Prigioni as assistant coaches

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced its front bench coaching staff, naming Joseph Blair, Micah Nori and Pablo Prigioni as assistant coaches.

“Chris and I are excited to have Micah join our coaching staff in addition to giving new responsibilities to Joseph and Pablo. With staff development at the forefront, we look forward to supporting Joseph and Pablo as they continue to progress in their new roles, as well as provide guidance for Micah as he steps into a new coaching chapter,” said Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas. “We had a diligent process to evaluate our front bench needs and determined the coaching styles, philosophies and ideologies that best complement Head Coach Chris Finch and the vision we see for the future of the Timberwolves. We’re confident that with Chris at the helm and with the support of the assistant coaches, we have a group in place that will maximize our top players’ potential both on and off the court and also untap our young talent.”

“Gersson and I executed a collaborative process to evaluate the purpose and talents of the coaches we needed on staff to support the future goals and accomplishments of the Timberwolves,” said Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch. “It was an easy decision to round out our front bench staff with Joseph, Micah and Pablo because of the different skills, approaches and backgrounds each bring to the table. I look forward to getting to work with each coach starting this summer.”

Blair spent the past season with the Timberwolves after serving as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2019-20 season. Prior to the 76ers, Blair spent four seasons with the Houston Rockets G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, one of which as head coach (2018-19). Blair led the team to the 2019 G League title over the Long Island Nets after amassing a 34-16 overall record. In 2015, he originally joined the Rockets organization as an assistant with Rio Grande Valley. He also spent two seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, the University of Arizona.

Nori joins Minnesota after spending three seasons as an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons. Prior to his time in Detroit, he spent three seasons with the Denver Nuggets. A 23-year veteran of the NBA, Nori also spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings. He entered the NBA in 1998, spending 15 seasons with the Toronto Raptors organization including four years as an assistant coach. Before being named assistant coach, Nori held roles of director of NBA scouting, an advance scout and an assistant to the coaching staff with the Raptors. The Middleton, Ohio native was a four-year starter and captain of Indiana’s 1996 Big Ten Championship baseball team. He also holds a master’s degree in Sports Organization from Miami (OH) University.

Prigioni was named an assistant coach for the Timberwolves during the summer of 2019, becoming the team’s offensive coordinator. He also led the club to the championship game of the 2019 NBA Las Vegas Summer League. Prigioni spent the 2018-19 season as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets. Prior to the Nets, he enjoyed a 20-year playing career that featured stops both overseas and in the NBA. The Argentina native spent the majority of his career playing in Spain, where he led Baskonia to three Spanish King’s Cup titles, four Spanish Supercup titles and a Spanish League championship. Prigioni became the head coach of Baskonia in 2017 after retiring as a player for the club. In 2012, Prigioni became the NBA’s oldest rookie, when at age 35 he embarked on a four-year NBA stint which included stops with the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. As a member of the Argentine national team, Prigioni won a bronze medal in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and finished fourth in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.