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Golden State Warriors win 2022 NBA championship

NYTimes.com: “It turns out the dynasty had just been paused. Golden State has won the N.B.A. championship again, four seasons after its last one. It is the franchise’s seventh title and the fourth for its three superstars: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, who have spent the past decade growing up together, winning together and, over the past three years, learning how fragile success can be. On Thursday, they defeated the Boston Celtics, 103-90, in Game 6 of the N.B.A. finals. They won the series, 4-2, and celebrated their clinching victory on the parquet floor of TD Garden, below 17 championship banners, in front of a throng of disappointed partisans. With 24 seconds left in the game, Curry found his father near the baseline, hugged him and shook as he sobbed in his arms. Then Curry turned back toward the game. He put his hands on his head and squatted down, then fell onto the court. “I think I blacked out,” Curry said later.”

ESPN.com: “Draymond Green played his best game of the series, scoring 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, grabbing 12 rebounds, recording eight assists with two steals and two blocks. He also hit two 3-pointers after missing his first 12 attempts of the series. He struggled on the other end, however. With Green as the primary defender, the Celtics shot 9-of-17 from the floor. Andrew Wiggins continued his strong series, finishing with 18 points, six rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks. Jordan Poole added 15 points off the bench, while Klay Thompson scored 12. Gary Payton II had just six points, but finished with a plus-18 net rating.”

San Francisco Chronicle: “All through these NBA Finals, Steph Curry has been more openly emotional than usual, getting into it with Boston fans and doing audaciously early celebrations. Those emotions completely took over on Thursday night as his Warriors put away the Celtics late in a 103-90 win that clinched their fourth NBA title since 2015 and their first since 2018. After coach Steve Kerr pulled the Golden State starters with the win — and the title — assured, Curry began crying on the baseline, embracing his father Dell, who had a victory cigar at the ready. When time expired, the tears really started to flow, with Curry weeping through his ABC interview with Lisa Salters.”

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Jayson Tatum shot off through first four games of NBA Finals

Via the Boston Herald:

As evidenced by Steph Curry’s elevated level of shotmaking in this series, the greatest players are at their best in the NBA Finals.

Jayson Tatum, who has struggled to reach that level heading into Monday night’s Game 5, is still searching to do more after a slow start over the first four. He’s shooting 34% overall (28-for-82) and a particularly rough 27.5% on 2-point attempts, with a 45% 3-point percentage (14-for-31) that’s a bit misleading, considering his lack of opportunities and makes late in those games.

Though the Celtics star has admitted he needs to do more in a scoring sense, he remains focused on making the right play – an approach supported by his assist numbers (7.8 average).

“Obviously I want to win by any means necessary and I’ll do whatever it takes,” Tatum said before Sunday’s practice when asked about building his young legacy on the Finals stage.

“That’s all I really care about right now is winning,” he said.

Draymond Green comments on Jayson Tatum’s play in NBA Finals through Game 4

Via Boston.com:

Celtics star Jayson Tatum hasn’t played to his usual standards through four games of the NBA Finals, but Warriors forward Draymond Green — who has grilled his share of beef with Celtics fans — believes Tatum has still been integral to the Celtics’ success…

“It’s tough,” Green said. “You’re experiencing something for the first time. I think he’s handled it well. He’s maybe not shot the ball as well as he’d like or everyone else would like, but overall I think he’s been playing well, and that’s why it’s a 2-2 series, coming back for Game 5.

“I think he’s handling it all extremely well. He’s taking what the defense gives him, and that’s what great players do. But I think he’s doing a good job.”

Jayson Tatum discusses his shot heading into NBA Finals Game 2

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum did lots of great things in Finals Game 1 – when he wasn’t shooting. Here’s Boston.com on it:

Celtics star Jayson Tatum didn’t shoot well in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. He made just 3-of-17 shots from the field and was 1-of-5 from 3-point range, giving him 12 points on the evening.

Despite that, not only did the Celtics beat the Warriors in Game 1, but they also scored an astonishing 120 points against the league’s second-best defense. A big reason for that was Tatum’s playmaking. He finished with a career-high 13 assists on Thursday, which were also the most ever by a player in their first NBA Finals game.

While Tatum’s certainly expecting to shoot better in Sunday’s Game 2, he said he isn’t going to go out of his way to try and score.

“I don’t think [I’ll try to force shots],” Tatum told reporters at Saturday’s practice. “I had more assists than points last game. So I feel like I made the right play more often than not. You know, it’s not much to overthink. I feel like it’s a lot of shots, the open shots that I miss more often than not that I make.

“So it’s not something that I’m losing sleep over. You know, we won. That was most important, right? It’s the Finals. That’s all that matters. Obviously, I know I’ve got to play better. I can’t shoot like that every game and hopefully we win. I expect to play better shooting-wise, but just impacting the game in different ways to do my part, and let’s get a win. I will continue to do that. Just read the game, read each play. That’s how I kind of approach next game.”

Finals Game 2 is Sunday night at Golden State.

Jaylen Brown reportedly signing with Kanye West’s Donda Sports

Some sports marketing news, via ESPN.com:

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown said he believes joining up with Kayne West’s marketing firm is the start of a “beautiful collaboration.”

It became public this week that the Celtics forward was the first NBA player to sign with Donda Sports, a fledgling marketing company that is part of West’s larger clothing line. Los Angeles Rams star Aaron Donald recently said he’d joined the firm.

With the NBA Finals set to begin, Donda Sports would be smart to issue a press release on this, sooner rather than later.

Finally, Al Horford reaches the NBA Finals

The Celtics’ big Game 7 win over the Heat was of course huge for everyone on Boston’s squad, but for Al Horford it was a big different. Via Boston.com:

Al Horford has experienced just about everything in his 15-year NBA career, one in which he long ago earned the reputation as Mr. Reliability, a poised and almost regal presence who could be leaned on to do the right thing under any circumstance.

But in the most satisfying moment of his career, Horford was temporarily stumped.

As he secured the rebound of the final missed shot of the Miami Heat’s season in the Celtics’ 100-96 victory in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday night, he wasn’t quite what to do next.

For understandable reasons, too. After playing 950 regular-season games and another 141 in the playoffs, Horford was heading to the NBA Finals for the first time. No player in NBA history has played more playoff games before reaching the Finals.

2022 NBA Finals game schedule

Game 1: Thursday, June 2: Boston vs. Golden State, 9 ET, ABC

Game 2: Sunday, June 5: Boston vs. Golden State, 8 ET, ABC

Game 3: Wednesday, June 8: Golden State vs. Boston, 9 ET, ABC

Game 4: Friday, June 10: Golden State vs. Boston, 9 ET, ABC

Game 5: Monday, June 13: Boston vs. Golden State, 9 ET, ABC (If necessary)

Game 6: Thursday, June 16: Golden State vs. Boston, 9 ET, ABC (If necessary)

Game 7: Sunday, June 19: Boston vs. Golden State, 8 ET, ABC (If necessary)

Celtics injury list update heading into ECF Game 2 vs. Heat

Here is the latest Celtics injury list update, via ESPN.com:

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (right midfoot sprain) is listed as probable for Thursday’s Game 2 against the Miami Heat, while Boston center Al Horford (health and safety protocols) is doubtful.

Also, Celtics head coach Ime Udoka was sick Wednesday with a non-COVID-19 illness.

Both starters missed the team’s 118-107 loss in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in Miami on Tuesday night.

As of this evening, Heat guard Kyle Lowry is still listed as Out.

Celtics take 2-0 playoff series lead on Nets

Via the New York Daily News:

Steve Nash wants fans to think that the Nets’ playoff aspirations aren’t just dependent on Kevin Durant; his team’s success is a result of good teamwork rather than the superstars they signed to max contracts.

The Nets’ 114-107 Game 2 defeat to the Celtics, as well as a regular season that spiraled while both of those stars were unavailable, proved otherwise. The Nets’ supporting cast couldn’t handle the weight in a game where none of their stars showed up.

Durant, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and four-time NBA scoring champion, bowed to the pressure and intensity of the league-best Celtics’ defense for the second game in a row. And the Nets paid the price with a loss for the second game in a row, which hurt even more than the buzzer-beating game-winner that lost them Game 1.

In Game 2, Durant turned the ball over six times after missing 15 shots and turning the ball over six times in Game 1, and he shot 4-of-17 from the field for 27 points, almost all of which came at the foul line. He went to the free throw line 20 times, converting on 18 of them.

— Full Article

Marcus Smart wins 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of Year award

The NBA announced today that Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been chosen the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Smart wins his first NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, becoming the first guard to do it since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. Smart is the Celtics’ second player to earn the award, following Kevin Garnett (2007-08).

A global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters gave Smart 257 points (37 first-place votes). Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns came in second with 202 points (22 first-place votes). Rudy Gobert, the Utah Jazz center and three-time Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, finished third with 136 points (12 first-place votes). For each first-place vote, players received five points, three points for each second-place vote, and one point for each third-place vote.

Smart, who started all 71 of his regular-season games in 2021-22, was seventh in the NBA in thefts per game (1.68) and tied for sixth in total steals (119).

Smart, 28, tied for fourth in the NBA in loose ball recovery (75), and tied for tenth in both deflections (206) and charges drawn (16). In addition, he set a new career high for defensive rebounds per game (3.2).

The Celtics, led by Smart, topped the NBA in defensive rating (106.2) and points allowed per game (104.5), as well as holding opponents to the lowest field goal percentage (43.4) and three-point field goal percentage (33.3). (33.9). The Celtics’ excellent defense helped them earn a 51-31 record and the Eastern Conference’s second seed for the 2022 NBA Playoffs.

Smart has twice been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in his eight years in the league (2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons). For the 2018-19 season, he also received the NBA Hustle Award. Smart averaged 12.1 points, 5.9 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game this season.