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Detroit Pistons holding minicamp

A number of teams that weren’t involved with the league restart at the Disney NBA bubble are currently holding minicamps of their own, each in their own individual location. Here’s the Detroit News on it:

By every stretch of Dwane Casey’s imagination, his team’s workouts during phase 2 of in-market minicamp, has been a rousing success.

But the biggest positive for the Detroit Pistons head coach has been what he’s getting out of 24-year-old shooting guard Luke Kennard, who’s taking part in his first basketball activities since Dec. 21, when the former first-round pick was sidelined with bilateral knee tendonitis.

“He’s healthy, he’s playing well, his body looks good, and that’s been another bright spot,” Casey told reporters on Saturday. “I really like what I see out of Luke.” …

The Pistons have not been together for organized scrimmages and full practices since their season ended on March 11.

The biggest areas of focus for the Pistons this offseason will of course be the draft and free agency, but also the health of Blake Griffin, who is coming off of a season-ending knee injury and reportedly not participating in the minicamp. Word is that Griffin is now healthy. For the Pistons, that could mean trying to trade the 31-year-old power forward, who is signed for several more seasons to a team that is clearly rebuilding and not about to be competitive anytime soon.

Celtics played harder than Heat in Game 5, says Jimmy Butler

The Heat are in good shape, up 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Celtics, but issues do exist for Miami that need to be addressed in their quest to end this thing tomorrow. Here’s the Miami Herald:

Defense was certainly an issue for the Heat in Game 5, as the Celtics scored a series-high 121 points on 45.2 percent shooting and committed only 11 turnovers. Boston also outrebounded Miami 50-38 and scored 15 second-chance points on 13 offensive rebounds.

“They were playing harder than we were,” Jimmy Butler said following the Heat’s Game 5 loss. “We’ve just got to correct that. That’s where it starts for us. Any time anybody is playing harder than we are, we are not playing our best basketball. I think a lot of it for us comes from how hard we play, how together we play, and we’ve got to get back to doing that.”

But the Heat’s defense, which was a strength in the first two rounds of the playoffs, has struggled for most of the series.

The Heat, using a mix of its zone and man-to-man schemes against the Celtics, has allowed 114.5 points per 100 possessions in the East finals. For context, only two NBA teams finished the regular season with a worse defensive rating.

Game 5 was fascinating in that the Celtics started slow and looked ready to pack it up and go home, then steadily improved as the game progressed, and have every reason to walk into Game 6 with increased confidence. Boston has momentum. Time for Miami to show what they’re truly made of.

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has stepped up big in Disney NBA bubble

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has definitely raised his stock at the Disney NBA bubble. Here’s the Denver Post on it:

Murray’s meteoric rise has been the story of the Nuggets’ bubble stay. Whatever inconsistency plagued him during last year’s playoff debut has been ironed out. Through 18 games, Murray’s averaged almost 27 points on over 50% shooting from the field, including over 46% from 3-point range. Murray has been electric, with his playmaking and his passion elevating the Nuggets to only their fourth conference finals in franchise history.

This regular season, Murray averaged 18.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. In the playoffs, he’s putting up 26.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game.

Celtics doing good job defending Heat three-pointers

The Heat remain in good shape in the Eastern Conference Finals, but upon seeing their 3-1 series lead on the Celtics become a 3-2 lead, it’s still a series. And one thing keeping the Celtics competitive has been their perimeter defense, especially in the last few games. Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel on it:

After going the entire season and two-plus rounds of the playoffs without shooting below 30 percent on 3-pointers in consecutive games, the Heat now have done so in the past three against the Boston Celtics, going 1-2 in that span.

“They’re very good at defending the 3-point line,” Spoelstra said. “They’ve taken us off of some of our normal rhythm threes. We’ve also missed some open ones. We just need to work more persistently to get the type of shots we want, in our wheelhouse, which we’re very capable of, even against a very good defense like Boston.”

The downturn started at .273 (12 of 44) in the 117-106 loss that drew Boston within 2-1 in this best-of-seven series. It continued at .270 (10 of 37) in the 112-109 victory that pushed the Heat to a 3-1 series lead. Then, Friday night, it went off the rails, at .194 (7 of 36) in the 121-108 loss that cut the advantage down to 3-2 going into Sunday’s 7:30 p.m. Game 6 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex.

“Our guys are extremely ignitable. It can happen just like that,” Spoelstra said, snapping his fingers. “But we have to do a lot more things defensively, where we’re not just hoping that we make a bunch of threes and a bunch of shots.”

As it is, the past two games mark just the second time this season the Heat have gone consecutive games without converting more than 10 3-pointers.

Game 6 is Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Celtics beat Heat in Eastern Conference Finals Game 5, 121-108

Miami Herald: “The Heat led the Boston Celtics by 12 points in the second quarter and never trailed in the first half of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. Miami, just one win away from the 2020 NBA Finals, was just two quarters away from completing its stunning run to the NBA’s championship series. In the third quarter, it all unraveled. A seven-point halftime lead swung into a 14-point deficit for the Heat and the Celtics, who blew double-digit leads in the first two games of the NBA Conference Finals, rallied to stave off elimination with a 121-108 win in Lake Buena Vista. Miami, which still leads the series 3-2, will have to wait until at least Sunday at Walt Disney World’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex to clinch a spot its first NBA Finals since 2014.”

Boston.com: “Boston opened the game 1-for-12 from the floor, with eight of those attempts coming from deep. That five-plus-minute span also included three turnovers to highlight their discombobulated opening stint. No rhythm and a lack of effort rose to the surface, just as it had in their previous three losses. The Celtics’ struggle to win the battle in the paint stuck out in the first quarter as well, getting outscored 12-2 in that category over the game’s first 12 minutes. With the season on the line, Boston shot 25 percent in the first quarter. They were lucky to be down just seven at the half, but the Celtics didn’t give in and quickly turned things around after the break.”

LA Times: “We’re prideful. We want to do well. … Our deal was to come out and play, come out and compete and give it our best shot, and I thought we played pretty well in the second half, but we’re going to have do it again and again because of the position we’re in,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “…We’re trying to be our best. We care about competing. We care about representing our team and our organization well, and we care about each other. It’s why you compete.”

South Florida Sun Sentinel: “Tatum has been all over the place this series. Good. Bad. Dominant. Disappeared. But in that third quarter he scored 17 points and picked up his Celtics as they turned a seven-point halftime deficit into a nine-point lead. Brown has been more in and out than Tatum. But on Friday night with the Celtics season on the line he did everything necessary in scoring 28 points and making all the plays that mattered. “They started attacking, we stopped guarding,” Jimmy Butler said. “Never a good thing for us. After that it was all downhill.” So that was that. The game. The night. The thought the Heat could move as easily into the Finals as they had in dispatching Indiana and Milwaukee earlier in the playoffs. Did anyone really think this series would be like those?”

South Florida Sun Sentinel: “The Heat got 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists from Butler, 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists from Bam Adebayo, as well as 23 points from Goran Dragic and 20 from Robinson. “We’ll be ready to go on Sunday,” Butler said. Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 31 points, supported by 28 from Brown… The Heat closed 7 of 36 on 3-pointers, the 19.4 percentage the Heat’s lowest of the postseason. But it also came after shooting 12 of 44 on threes in Game 3 and 10 of 37 from beyond the arc in Game 4. “Regardless of whether it’s going in or not,” Spoelstra said, “that can’t affect your commitment on the other side of the floor, and it felt like it did.” Robinson closed 3 of 11 on 3-pointers, the rest of his teammates 4 of 25.”

Utah Jazz add Dell Demps and Keyon Dooling to coaching staff

The Utah Jazz have hired Dell Demps and Keyon Dooling, adding them to their coaching staff.

“I was fortunate to work with Dell to begin my career as a head coach in professional basketball and I know he will delve into his role on the bench,” said Head Coach Quin Snyder. “He has an incredible work ethic and commitment to his craft. His vast experience both as a player and in front office roles brings a unique perspective that will be invaluable to our team. We’re excited to welcome him to the Jazz.”

“I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Coach Snyder again,” said Demps. “I have always had tremendous respect for Quin and the Jazz organization. I look forward to joining this talented coaching staff and working with our players. My wife Anita and I couldn’t be more excited to make the move to Utah and become a part of a tremendous community.”

Demps joins the Jazz after most recently serving as senior vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the New Orleans Pelicans. Prior to his time with New Orleans, he spent five seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, including three seasons as the General Manager of the Spurs’ NBA G League affiliate. Before joining the Spurs, the Long Beach, Calif., native worked for the New York Knicks from 2003-05 as a scout and was later promoted to Director of Pro Player Personnel. Demps also spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Mobile Revelers in the NBA Development League from 2001-03, helping the Revelers capture the 2003 league championship.

As a player, Demps had an eight-year career across the globe, playing for three seasons in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and the Orlando Magic. In addition, he played professionally in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), Philippines, France, Greece, Turkey, Croatia and Venezuela. He was a four-year starter at the University of the Pacific, also earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

“Keyon is a fantastic addition for us on multiple levels and someone I’ve always had tremendous respect for since our time at Missouri where we formed a close bond that has continued throughout the years,” said Snyder. “He’s a natural leader who was a captain on multiple teams in the league and I have no doubt that the way he approached the game as a player will translate to the work he puts in with our roster on the court.”

“I am so appreciative of the opportunity to join Coach Snyder’s staff,” said Dooling. “Every former player who loves the game would leap at a chance like this. Player development has always been a cornerstone of Coach Snyder’s programs and I couldn’t be more excited to get on the court and embrace that process with this next generation of players. My wife Natosha and I look forward to our family calling Salt Lake City home.”

A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dooling comes to the Jazz after most recently working as the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) wellness counselor and mental health advocate, spending eight years on the NBPA Board in various leadership roles. Since Dooling retired from the NBA, he has become an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, certified life coach and author, releasing his autobiography entitled, “What’s Driving You? How I Overcame Abuse and Learned to Lead in the NBA” in June of 2014.

Dooling had a 13-year NBA career after being drafted in the first round (10th overall) in the 2000 NBA Draft. He owns career averages of 7.0 points, 2.2 assists and 1.3 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per contest with the Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic, New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies. He spent two seasons playing at the University of Missouri, where in 1999-00 he played for Snyder.

New Kings general manager Monte McNair has a lot of work ahead of him

New Kings general manager Monte McNair has a lot of work ahead of him, sorting out a roster that is filled with talent and potential but also plenty of question marks. Here’s the Sacramento Bee reviewing McNair’s words on De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Marvin Bagley and more:

One of the more interesting aspects of this change in leadership will be McNair’s assessment of the roster former general manager Vlade Divac assembled over the past five years. Not long ago the organization was putting up posters and billboards featuring the promising young core of Fox, Hield, Bogdanovic, Bagley and Harry Giles III.

McNair now has to look at how those pieces fit and what else the Kings will need to end the NBA’s longest active playoff drought following 14 consecutive losing seasons. He offered some initial thoughts on a few of the team’s best players during Wednesday’s news conference.

He pointed to Fox’s speed and ability to create on offense and said Bagley’s injuries are just part of the game.

“I know he’s already working hard this offseason and I’m really excited to work with Luke and see him develop,” McNair said.

One of McNair’s most interesting answers came in response to a question about Hield, who grew unhappy after being moved into a backup role last season. Social media users have noted Hield seems to be flirting with Philadelphia 76ers fans who covet him in trade rumors, but Hield possesses the one skill McNair might value most.

“I think we all know in this league spacing is of the utmost importance and Buddy is one of the absolute elite shooters in this league, and we’re going to be able to utilize that skill set as we implement our system,” McNair said.

The Kings finished 12th in the West this shortened season, finishing with a 31-41 record. Fox led the squad in scoring at 21.1 PPG, with Hield second at 19.2 PPG, Bogdanovic third at 15.1 PPG, Harrison Barnes fourth at 14.5 PPG, and Bagley, who missed most of the season, fifth at 14.2 PPG.

For now, it sounds like head coach Luke Walton’s job is safe.

Dwight Howard plays well as Lakers starting center in Game 4 vs. Nuggets

Dwight Howard did big things as the Lakers’ starting center yesterday. The OC Register:

After Game 1, Dwight Howard joked (probably) that he was so committed to keeping Nikola Jokic in his sights this Western Conference Finals series that he was considering meeting the Serbian 7-footer right outside his room in the hotel that both teams are staying.

Now, after Thursday’s start, Howard might invade the Nuggets’ slumber, too.

In his first start these playoffs (and just his third this season), Howard to help set the tone as the Lakers rebounded in a big way from a poor performance on the boards in their Game 3 defeat Tuesday, when they were also lost the battle on the glass, 44-25.

“We knew what he could do in this matchup,” said Lakers Coach Frank Vogel of Howard, who is plus-30 in the 66 minutes he’s played through four games this series, which the Lakers lead 3-1 – but which is otherwise tied, scoring-wise, 439-439.

“We like to try to start the series with the lineups that we play throughout the season, and then you feel out the series,” Vogel added via Zoom video conference.

On what went wrong in the 2019-20 Knicks season

Here’s the New York Daily News reporting on some of the things that did not go as planned for the New York Knicks in the 2019-20 season:

The Knicks’ 22.1 assists per game was 27th in the NBA, a year after it finished dead last. The young point guards (Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina) either regressed or stagnated. It left the Knicks in the market for yet another point guard, whether in the draft or from free agency.

Although the Knicks got to the foul line a decent amount (23.5 times per game, 12th in the NBA), they shot a league-worst 69%. That dropped them to 24th in NBA in free throws made per game, and RJ Barrett’s 61% foul shooting was a major factor.

With 3-point shooting, the Knicks have fallen behind the trend for six years and last season was no different. No team made fewer 3s than the Knicks. No team converted fewer corner 3s. Only 27% of their total points arrived from 3-pointers, which would’ve been high 10 years ago but is now last in the NBA. They finished 29th in overall attempts, and 27th in 3-point percentage at 33.7.

The Knicks were an awful 3-point shooting team, and their unimaginative offense was as much a factor (especially under David Fizdale) as their personnel.

The best thing Knicks fans can do right now is focus on the future. Which of course will begin with the 2020 draft and free agency.

Hornets guard Devonte’ Graham thinks NBA Most Improved Player award needs clarification

Here’s the Charlotte Observer on a super-talented young Hornet who thinks it wouldn’t hurt if there was more clarity around criteria for the league’s Most Improved Player award:

Charlotte Hornets point guard Devonte Graham has made peace with not winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

But he still thinks he got ripped off, not even being among the three finalists. He’s for the NBA providing some definition to voters of what the award is.

“Obviously, I was upset about it. I’m pretty much over it now,” Graham said following the Hornets’ workout Thursday. “I just know the people who really watch and are around basketball know.”

Graham received endorsements, first from Dallas Maverick Luka Doncic, and then from Los Angeles Laker LeBron James, that he should have at least finished as a finalist. The former second-round pick jumped in scoring average from 4.7 points as a rookie to 18.2 last season.

New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram won the award. Graham finished a distant fifth in the balloting, among 100 media members. All four players ahead of him — Ingram, Bam Adebayo, Doncic and Jayson Tatum — were former lottery picks.

There are definitely many ways to determine who in the league truly improved the most from the previous season. Certainly this award, like the rest, will always be subjective. If there was a perfect formula, results could be calculated, and human voters wouldn’t even be needed. But Graham’s views are certainly valid. The discussion will continue.