Nets’ Assistant Ime Udoka Finalizing Deal With Boston Celtics To Become Next Head Coach

Nets’ Assistant Ime Udoka Finalizing Deal With Boston Celtics To Become Next Head Coach

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by | Jun 23, 2021 | Featured, NBA

If you were looking for an expedited and exclamatory offseason for the newly-appointed President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens, you’ve seemed to rub the right lamp for the genie to come out.

It’s only been two weeks, but in that time, the Celtics have seen executive adjustments and personnel revolutions, much quicker than usually anticipated with a new regime in control. Now that coaching duties have been relinquished, you can say they’ve permanently delegated their vacant position to the newest member of the Celtics’ organization.

Boston finalized a deal that’ll send Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Ime Udoka to become the 17th head coach in the history of the legacy-enshrining Boston Celtics, and in doing so, they have appointed the same number of coaches as they have won championships. Udoka’s new gig puts him in an exemplary and historic class, as he’ll be the sixth African-American coach in the history of the 17-time world champions.

And especially in an age where the outcry for social justice and player empowerment hasn’t been louder, diversity and the need for a black coach in arguably one of the most ethnically and politically homogenous parts of the nation, this hiring comes as a relatively big deal in the wake of isolated fan incidents and vocalized experiences (which, are entirely up to one’s perspective of the town and its fans) from former Celtics players – and visiting opponents – over the xenophobic remarks and fan culture in the city of Boston, Massachusetts.

Though he’ll officially have his first press conference on Wednesday, Boston fans can expect a coach that utilizes the importance of team basketball, grit, intensity, and synergetic capacity.

“I definitely believe in team basketball, unselfish, all the stuff that breeds winning,” Udoka said when asked about a potential opportunity to become a head coach back in 2019. “I want a tough, physical, aggressive team…If you’re coming in that night, it’s gonna be a battle.”

Udoka, 43, was a team favorite, sources say, and had his candidacy for the vacant position bolstered during the 2019 FIBA World Cup in which the former Portland Trail Blazer, Laker, King, Knick, and Spur served as an assistant coach for Team USA Basketball and helped maximize the talents of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart — key Celtics stars hand-picked to represent their home nation in the worldwide tournament.

For seven years, Udoka served as an assistant coach under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio as soon as his playing career ended. From there, he transitioned into a similar role in Philadelphia under another Popovich disciple in Brett Brown and then moved on to assist Steve Nash this past season in his lone year in Brooklyn.

Udoka will replace Brad Stevens as the head coach of the Celtics, who in his final year under coaching responsibilities, finished seventh in the Eastern Conference this season with an even 36-36 record and lost to Udoka’s Brooklyn Nets in five games in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Boston still found a way to reach the postseason for the seventh time in eight years this season, even in a year marred by COVID-19 difficulties and persistent injury woes to star players like the recently-traded Kemba Walker and budding star forward Jaylen Brown.

As Boston’s roster looks to improve in Free Agency this year and in the next, with Jayson Tatum quickly ascending the ranks as one of the league’s best players under the age of 26, the Ime Udoka era in Beantown could start out brighter than imagined.

Photo Cred: Darren Hartwell/NBC Sports Boston

Jun 23, 2021 No Comments
2021 NBA Draft Lottery Results And Reaction

2021 NBA Draft Lottery Results And Reaction

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by | Jun 23, 2021 | Featured, NBA

And in a matter of seconds, as the collective NBA universe waited with bated breath over who would own the rights to the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, league Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum took to the podium for another year on Tuesday night to announce that the league’s first selector in the summer’s upcoming draft would be going to the Detroit Pistons.

And before that, Tatum revealed the order of the NBA Draft’s selectors in this year’s Draft Lottery, with teams like Toronto, Cleveland, Houston, and 10 other lottery teams set to pick as soon as Detroit picks who they hope to be the purveyor of greatness for the next decade or more.

And as Detroit landed the first overall pick, that means that highly-touted 2-way prospect Cade Cunningham will likely become a Detroit Piston. He’ll join forces with a young but impressionable core with burgeoning talents Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey, Isaiah Stewart, and Sekou Doumbouya.

The Houston Rockets entered as heavy favorites to land the top pick in the 2021 draft due to their odds nearly being higher than their adversaries. But since they landed the second-overall pick, either Gonzaga standout Jalen Suggs or USC stretch big Evan Mobley are at the disposal of choice.

As for the rest of the draft order made by the lottery selections, it goes as follows:

2021 NBA Draft Order:

Lottery Picks for First Round

  1. Detroit Pistons
  2. Houston Rockets
  3. Cleveland Cavaliers
  4. Toronto Raptors
  5. Orlando Magic
  6. Oklahoma City Thunder
  7. Golden State Warriors
  8. Orlando Magic (via Chicago by way of the Nikola Vucevic trade)
  9. Sacramento Kings
  10. New Orleans Pelicans
  11. Charlotte Hornets
  12. San Antonio Spurs
  13. Indiana Pacers
  14. Golden State Warriors

Rest of First Round

15. Washington Wizards

16. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Boston)

17. Memphis Grizzlies

18. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Miami)

19. New York Knicks

20. Atlanta Hawks

21. New York Knicks (via Dallas)

22. Los Angeles Lakers

23. Houston Rockets (via Portland)

24. Houston Rockets (via Milwaukee)

25. Los Angeles Clippers

26. Denver Nuggets

27. Brooklyn Nets

28. Philadelphia 76ers

29. Phoenix Suns

30. Utah Jazz

Cunningham was the No. 1 player in the 2020 recruiting class and lived up to the hype all season in his freshman year at Oklahoma State. Detroit will be drafting the 6’8 guard that averaged 20.1 points and 3.5 assists off of 43.8 shooting against collegiate physicality and spacing, and more importantly, the lengthy guard fits the prototypical description of the on-ball facilitator, floor stretcher, and threat as a wing scorer. He will fit in like a glove into Dwayne Casey’s scheme, as the Pistons have quite the offensive arsenal to supply help for the 19-year old potential superstar that flourished playing just one year in the Big 12.

And for the Rockets, getting Jalen Suggs or Evan Mobley aren’t consolation prizes at the slightest. The 2021 draft is awash with talent who can score off the bounce, and the two players mentioned did just that for their respective programs. Suggs made national headlines during the 2020-21 season with the Gonzaga Bulldogs as the best pass-first guard with top-tier court vision and Ball IQ to compliment his ability to beat opponents off the bounce, as well as finish with adeptness at the rim with his league-ready 6’4 frame.

Suggs made his name known even more during the 2020-21 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament, getting his Bulldogs to the National Championship game from his averaged 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in his last three collegiate games. He also made sure to contribute the single-greatest highlight of the 2020-21 college basketball season – a buzzer-beating half-court heave in Overtime to down the UCLA Bruins during a Final Four semifinal battle.

And conversely, Evan Mobley is perhaps the most gifted prospect in the draft just off of pure intangibles alone. He’s likely to get selected as a top-3 pick, and with his 13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2 blocks during March Madness this year, the 7-foot-tall power forward showed flashes of being that franchise-altering pick as a skilled stretch four that can score at all three levels.

We have a while until the NBA Draft in late July and others like Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Green will move up and down as the NBA Draft process unfolds in the following weeks. And again, keep in mind – this year’s draft class is stock full of guys who can be handed the keys to help drive a franchise to the promised land. Anticipation has been building for this particular draft for the past two years, and with the Draft Lottery now in the books, the mock drafts will start to flow like water in a tributary.

We can’t wait.

Photo Cred: SB Nation/Pounding The Rock

Jun 23, 2021 No Comments
SR – 2020-2021 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Preview: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Atlanta Hawks

SR – 2020-2021 NBA Eastern Conference Finals Preview: Milwaukee Bucks vs. Atlanta Hawks

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by | Jun 23, 2021 | Featured, NBA

Truly in an underdog fashion, the Atlanta Hawks beat the Philadelphia 76ers in a grueling 7 game series to secure their spot to this year’s Eastern Conference Finals to face off against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. These two teams that many had brushed off going into this year’s Playoffs will be compete for their chance to play on the biggest stage that is the NBA Finals.

 

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Match-Up Preview:

This year’s Eastern Conference Finals match-up is one perhaps many would admit they didn’t see coming. After respective teams won their series’ against what seemed to be this year’s favorites in the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets, it would appear the Eastern Conference is up for grabs entirely for the two remaining organizations.

The #3 Milwaukee Bucks persevered against all the odds, having beat what appeared to be the team expected to win it all this year in the Brooklyn Nets. With such a victory behind them, the Bucks have all the momentum they need to continue on their journey towards a championship. The team has a different feel to it this time around in comparison to its previous iterations, with additions such as Jrue Holiday and P.J. Tucker to help on both ends of the floor, while the other staple pieces of the roster in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton continue to play at a high level. The Bucks have a multitude of 2-way players who can impact the game on both ends on the floor, which is more than needed when going into a series against Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks.

The #5 Atlanta Hawks have really seemed to be the Cinderella Story of this year’s Playoffs, especially after winning against the 76ers. Like the Bucks, they too have a great a deal of momentum as well. Trae Young has seemingly led the way with their push to the championship, averaging almost 30 points per game throughout the entirety of the Playoffs. The roster, unbeknownst to many, came as quite as a surprise in regards to how they’ve been able to gel as a bonafide Playoff contender considering their standings in year’s past. They’ve quite the blend of young talent in Trae Young, John Collins, and Kevin Huerter and veteran presence in Danilo Gallinari, Lou Williams, and Bogdan Bogdanovic. It will be must-see television to see who can get the edge on over the other upon the start of this series.

Ultimately this series comes down to getting stops on the defensive end, for both teams can and will score and make plays without question. Which team will be able to make the correct adjustments on both ends of the floor to propel themselves forward in the series to win it when it is all said and done? With that in mind the amount of different defensive players the Milwaukee Bucks have may provide the edge that they need to make life difficult for the Hawks. However, the Hawks have been seen as the underdogs the entirety of the post-season and have been exceeding expectations over the course of the first two rounds, and they just may continue to do so.

Prediction: Milwaukee in 6

The Eastern Conference Finals kick off with the Atlanta Hawks taking on the Milwaukee Bucks today, June 23rd, at 8:30PM ET on TNT.

 

Jun 23, 2021 No Comments
Kicks Through the Lens (Week 5 of Playoffs)

Kicks Through the Lens (Week 5 of Playoffs)

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by | Jun 22, 2021 | Featured, NBA, Sneakers

Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers will have to keep “trusting the process” for a little while longer. The young upstart Hawks eliminated Philadelphia in 7 games to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. On the other side of the East, Kevin Durant’s heroics fell just short (literally by a toe’s length), in OT of game 7 against the Bucks. Milwaukee will face Atlanta in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. In the Western Conference Finals it will be Devin Booker vs. Paul George in the meantime until CP3 and Kawhi Leonoard are able to return. With the 76ers being eliminated we may have seen the last Kobe Protros from Tobias Harris. Trae Young debuted a standout colorway in his new signature shoe, inspired by his nickname “Ice Trae.” Remember, for the remaining of the NBA Playoffs our Kicks Through the Lens list will only consist of 5 shoes due to the amount of teams and players left playing. Scroll below to see who snagged the top spot.

 

 

5. adidas Trae Young 1 “Ice Trae” – Trae Young

 

           

 

 

4. Nike Kobe 4 Protro P.E. – P.J. Tucker

 

           

 

 

3. 2008 Nike Hyperdunk (Kobe Bryant P.E.) – P.J. Tucker

 

     

 

 

2. Nike Kobe 6 Protro P.E. – Tobias Harris

 

                 

 

 

1. 2007 Nike Kobe 3 “Rice High School” P.E. – P.J. Tucker

 

           

Jun 22, 2021 No Comments
SR – 2020-2021 NBA Western Conference Finals Preview: Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers

SR – 2020-2021 NBA Western Conference Finals Preview: Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Clippers

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by | Jun 19, 2021 | Featured, NBA

After an emphatic win against the Utah Jazz in a thrilling 6-game series, the Los Angeles Clippers punch their ticket to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in team history to face off against the Phoenix Suns. Both teams are both eager to get the series going to see who will continue their journey to the NBA Finals.

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Match-Up Preview:

The situation revolving around this year’s Western Conference Finals is an interesting one nonetheless. With Kawhi Leonard out for Games 1 & 2 due to knee injury and Chris Paul to miss Game 1 due to COVID-19 protocols. This leaves the first couple of games up for grabs for whichever team can gain an edge on the other early into the series.

The #2 Phoenix Suns have bulldozed their way though the first two rounds of the Playoffs, having had quite the break after sweeping the #3 Denver Nuggets. It seems as if the Suns just figured things out, with pieces of their roster stepping up with names like Jae Crowder, Cameron Payne, and Deandre Ayton. Alongside Devin Booker who has been a problem for teams and Chris Paul finding a second wind going into the Playoffs, it seems as if the Suns are the team to beat coming out of the West this season. However, with a losing regular season record to their opponents 2-1, the Los Angeles Clippers hope that they can keep that same pace going into their series.

The #4 Los Angeles Clippers are seemingly quite opposite of the Phoenix Suns these Playoffs this season, having had to play more games within their series’ in comparison to other standing teams at this time. Like the Suns, however, the Clippers have had some solid breakout performances by their role players like Terance Mann, Marcus Morris Sr., and Reggie Jackson. Once Kawhi can come back into the mix with Paul George after being cleared for his knee, this team will surely make things difficult for Chris Paul and crew.

It is difficult to say with any certainty which team has the edge going into the series, but what can be expected is some high level performances from both sides, and it will ultimately come down to which team can string together such performances to win the series.

Prediction: Phoenix in 7

The Phoenix Suns will take on the Los Angeles Clippers at the Talking Stick Resort Arena for Game 1 of this year’s NBA Western Conference Finals tomorrow, June 20th at 12:30pm PST on ABC.

Jun 19, 2021 No Comments
SR – NBA Trade Grades: Boston Celtics Trade Kemba Walker to OKC for Al Horford, Moses Brown

SR – NBA Trade Grades: Boston Celtics Trade Kemba Walker to OKC for Al Horford, Moses Brown

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by | Jun 19, 2021 | Featured, NBA

NBA fans everywhere caught wind of a very unexpected surprise yesterday morning, June 18th, upon learning the Boston Celtics have sent 10-year veteran and UCONN legend Kemba Walker to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Al Horford’s second stint in a Celtics jersey alongside young big Moses Brown.

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Trade Details

OKC Thunder receive: Kemba Walker, 2021 1st round pick, 2025 2nd round pick

Boston Celtics receive: Al Horford, Moses Brown, 2023 2nd round pick

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Trade Analysis

Boston Celtics

With all the changes that the Boston Celtics made after their first round exit against the Brooklyn Nets in this year’s Playoffs, it came with no surprise that the front office changes were only the beginning for the organization. Al Horford was able to help the Celtics make deeper Playoff runs during his first stint with the team, and surely they’re hoping that may continue with him back within the rotation. Additionally, Moses Brown showed glimpses of a solid traditional big, something that felt like was lacking with Daniel Theis’ departure during the trade deadline. This time around it also seems like they’re truly keeping focus on their core of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who in which would be the primary ball handlers for the team. This would also likely bring Marcus Smart into the starting lineup, an all-around guard who can score within the flow of the team. Although some many find sending Kemba Walker away as a bit of a head scratcher, there is a lot of potential for both the Celtics and Thunder to be better this time around.

SR Trade Grade: B+

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder have found themselves in quite an interesting situation. They have some very strong emerging names with the likes of Isaiah Roby, Darius Bazley, Luguentz Dort, and Aleksej Pokuševski. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at the front of it all, what the Thunder have in front of themselves is a very young team with loads of potential, which with the amount of presence they have in the NBA Drafts to come, will seem to hold true for years to come. Now throwing Kemba Walker to the mix, you are left with a guard that can take some of the pressure of Shai as the sole primary ball handler, and allow him to play more freely to score and play within the offense rather than having to run it entirely by himself. Additionally, with the amount of picks they have in the future, they’ll be able to draft players that they can utilized beneficially for the young core they already have. There’s loads of potential in Oklahoma, and hopefully in time things will begin to pan out for this organization.

SR Trade Grade: B

 

Jun 19, 2021 No Comments