Brown, Hayward Lead Celtics Past Mavs

Gordon Hayward followed up his top scoring game as a member of the Boston Celtics with an all-around terrific outing, accumulating 16 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in a 114-93 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. Hayward put together another strong performance off the bench after he scored 35 points on Wednesday night.

Jaylen Brown, starting for the injured Marcus Morris (neck), posted a game-high 21 points to continue his hot streak. In his last five games, Brown has averaged 17 points and four rebounds. He is shooting 63.5 percent from the field, 46.7 percent on 3's and 70.6 percent from the free throw line in this stretch.

Jaylen Brown has scored 20 or more points three times in the past seven games. (AP Photo)

Al Horford logged 10 points, eight rebounds and eight assists—tying Hayward for a team-high. Point guard Terry Rozier, filling in for Kyrie Irving (scratched cornea), dished seven assists. Boston totaled 35 assists on 42 made field goals.

Rookie Luka Doncic had 19 points and nine assists for the Mavs. Harrison Barnes registered a team-best 20 points, while DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and corralled 15 rebounds.

The Mavs are 3-16 on the road this season.

The Celtics play the third contest of their four-game homestand Monday night versus the Brooklyn Nets.

Celtics Hit Team-Record 24 3-Pointers, Beat Bucks

The Boston Celtics made it rain from downtown on Thursday night, sinking a franchise-record 24 three-pointers in a 117-113 victory to hand the Milwaukee Bucks their first loss of the season.

Kyrie Irving scored a team-high 28 points for the Celtics, making six treys. Al Horford had four triples in an 18-point outing with eight assists and five rebounds, Gordon Hayward added a season-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers, and Marcus Morris posted 17 points off the bench with five treys.

Marcus Morris celebrates after hitting a three-pointer. (Christopher Evans/Boston Herald)

The Celtics topped their previous club record of three-pointers (19) before the end of the third quarter and came one shy of tying the NBA record.

The World Series champion Boston Red Sox were honored at the TD Garden during a timeout in the first quarter.

YOUR 2018 WORLD CHAMPION BOSTON @REDSOX #DamageDone 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Te8bKXUhnV

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) November 2, 2018

Morris admired the way the Red Sox utilized most of their active roster to capture a title.

“That was special,” Morris said. “I’m a big Red Sox guy. I’d been watching them throughout the playoffs, even throughout the season. The way they came together and won that championship is special. The biggest thing is they had a lot of different guys step up. Even when guys played well, like when Brock Holt made the cycle, he sat out. (Andrew) Benintendi had a couple amazing catches and he sat out a game and they still won. That was special to watch that. They play together.” 

The Celtics have the best bench in the league and will look to take a page out of the Red Sox’s book by relying on their unmatched depth to win a championship. The Celtics' deep roster was on display against the Bucks as six players scored in double-figures, including 10 points from fill-in starter Semi Ojeleye, who replaced the injured Jaylen Brown (sore foot) in the first-unit. Backup guard Terry Rozier filled up the stat sheet with seven points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in 27 minutes.

Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the lineup after missing one game recovering from a concussion and registered game-highs in points (33) and rebounds (11). But Milwaukee (7-1) played terrible defense all night, allowing Boston to take far too many uncontested three-pointers.

“We got a lot of open looks. We were taking what they were giving us,” Hayward said after playing a season-high 27 minutes.

The Celtics begin a five-game road trip on Saturday night against the Indiana Pacers, while the Bucks return home to host the Sacramento Kings on Sunday afternoon.

Marcus Morris Shuts Down LeBron, Backing up Pregame Claims

For the first time all postseason, LeBron James did not lead his team in scoring. Kevin Love scored a team-high 17 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who got pummeled by the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. James has had some historic postseason games at TD Garden, but struggled mightily on Sunday—posting just 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting with seven turnovers—in a demoralizing 108-83 defeat.

It certainly took a team effort to shut down James, but Marcus Morris was the driving force behind the Celtics containing the NBA’s best player. Morris guarded James on a team-high 39 possessions and held him to 3-of-10 shooting with five assists and four turnovers in those instances. James missed all five of his three-point attempts and was never able to get into a rhythm offensively.

Morris played suffocating defense on James in the Celtics' Game 1 win. (David Butler II/USA Today Sports)

Before Game 1, Morris praised his ability to guard James.

"Personally, I think I’m probably the best guy defending him in the league, outside of Kawhi [Leonard],” Morris said.

Earning the start over center Aron Baynes as the Celtics went with their small-ball starting unit, Morris backed up his claims in the series opener. The 6'-9” forward used his strength and toughness to slow down James, who looked out of sorts all afternoon and finished with a stunning minus -32. It was just one game in what is expected to be a long series, but there is an extended history of “Mook” containing “The King”—proving that Morris' lofty claims have some serious merit.

UPDATED – LeBron's last 12 Games vs. a Marcus Morris team
– 20.6 PPG
– 14.6% from 3
– Has not reached 30 points in a single gamehttps://t.co/ajQR7pQppT

— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) May 13, 2018

Not only did Morris play terrific defense, he also had a strong game on the offensive end, posting 21 points with a team-best 10 rebounds. Morris says the injury-riddled Celtics—who were underdogs on Sunday for the fifth time in six games (5-1 record in those contests)—believe they are capable of defeating any opponent.

“Our confidence is very high,” Morris said. “The younger guys to the older guys, we think we can compete and play with anybody. At the end of the day, all the talking done off the court. Once we step between them lines, we have to compete no matter who we have out there, and that's what we've been doing.”

NBA 2017–18 Eastern Conference Standings Predictions

1. Boston Celtics

The Celtics finished in first place in a historically weak Eastern Conference last season with a 53–29 record. The East got worse and the Celtics improved by adding All-Star forward Gordon Hayward, who is in the prime of his career.

Trading Avery Bradley may present some initial bumps in the road, but the Celtics netted a quality player in Marcus Morris from the Detroit Pistons. A versatile forward, Morris has done a commendable job guarding LeBron James in recent years. Furthermore, the move opens up more court time for second-year guard/forward Jaylen Brown, who will look to play his way into the starting lineup.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers are the three-time reigning Eastern Conference champions, and yet, the franchise is in turmoil. Kyrie Irving demanded a trade, a trade for Paul George was scraped at the last minute and LeBron may skip town (again) next summer.

LeBron James will become a free agent next summer. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Remarkably, the Cavs remain the favorites to reach the Finals for a fourth straight year, even though it’s likely Irving will be moved at some point before February’s trade deadline.

As long as James is in Cleveland, the East is the Cavs to lose.

3. Toronto Raptors

Toronto brought back Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, but lost P.J. Tucker and Patrick Patterson in free agency. Still, the core of Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Ibaka, Jonas Valančiūnas and the emerging Norman Powell — set to be a starter in 2017–18 following the trade of the underachieving DeMare Carroll to the Brooklyn Nets — makes the Raptors a near-lock to finish in the top-half of the East standings. 

4. Washington Wizards

The Wizards locked up John Wall for the foreseeable future with a supermax contract and re-signed Otto Porter to a max deal to maintain one of the best starting units in the conference. 

The bench, which was terrible a season ago and hampered the team in its postseason run, managed to get worse with Bojan Bogndanovic defecting to the Indiana Pacers via free agency. With that said, they have the conference’s top point guard and have a great shot to win a playoff series for the second straight year.

5. Milwaukee Bucks

A starter in the 2017 All-Star Game, Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the NBA’s must-watch players. ‘The Greak Freek’ showcased his all-around game last year, becoming the first player in league history to finish in the top 20 in total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks for a single season. Antetokounmpo’s presence alone makes the Bucks a playoff contender in the East. 

The return of forward Jabari Parker — who tore his ACL this past February, abruptly ending his third season in the league — could be the added boost that propels the franchise to its first playoff series win since 2001.

6. Charlotte Hornets

After reaching the postseason in 2016, the Hornets took a step back last year, finishing 10 games under .500 and missing the playoffs all together. 

Kemba Walker was the lone bright spot, as the 27-year-old point guard earned his first All-Star appearance. 

Dwight Howard holding his Hornets jersey in his introductory press conference. (David Foster III/Charlote Observer)

Active in the offseason, the Hornets traded for Dwight Howard, who should fit perfectly in Charlotte’s inside-out offensive attack.

Howard joins a strong frontcourt that includes Frank Kaminsky, Marvin Williams, Cody Zeller and lengthy forwards Nicolas Batum (who actually starts at shooting guard, even though he stands at 6'10") and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a defensive stalwart.

Howard has had a rough-go since forcing his way out of Orlando, but the three-time Defensive Player of the Year actually played quite well for Atlanta a season ago — averaging 13.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per contest . He should see his role on offense expand for the playoff-bound Hornets.

7. Miami Heat

Miami came up just short in its bid for a playoff spot last season. After a woeful 10–31 start to the year, the Heat flipped the script and registered a 31–10 mark for the second half of the season. 

Returning the same cast of characters with Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside and James Johnson leading the squad, Miami also added former Celtics center Kelly Olynk in free agency. The Canadian sharp-shooting big man bolsters one of the strongest benches in the league — which already includes combo guard Tyler Johnson and guard/forward Josh Richardson. 

Add in that 21-year-old Justice Winslow — who played just 13 games last season after tearing his labrum in his right shoulder —will return to the fold and likely become a major contributor, and it’s hard to foresee a scenario where Miami misses the playoff for a second consecutive year.

8. Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers will be the ultimate wild card team for the 2017–18 season. In all likelihood, health will be the major determinant of success. Joel Embiid, who showed flashes of brilliance last year before his season was cut short after undergoing surgery to address a meniscus tear in his left knee, needs to prove he can stay on the court. Ben Simmons — who sat out the entire season — must also live up to expectations in order for Philadelphia to become a force in the East.

Joel Embiid has played in just 31 games in three years since being drafted by the 76ers. (Aaron Doster/USA Today)

The depth of the 76ers is impressive. J.J. Redick was signed to a 1-year deal in the summer and will likely slide into the starting shoot guard role, while free agent addition Amir Johnson is expected to come off the bench.

If the top overall selection of June’s NBA Draft — Markelle Fultz — joins Simmons, Embiid and Dario Saric in the starting rotation, swingman Robert Covington, one of the league’s most unappreciated players, would anchor a formidable second-string unit.

Philadelphia fans have adhered to the “Trust The Process” philosophy set forth by former general manager Sim Hinkie for years now. This seems like the season their faith in the longterm rebuild is rewarded with a postseason appearance.

Rest of the Pack

9. Detroit Pistons

10. Orlando Magic

11. New York Knicks

12. Indiana Pacers

13. Atlanta Hawks

14. Chicago Bulls 

15. Brooklyn Nets

Bradley-For-Morris Trade Gives Celtics Another Defender vs. LeBron, Paves Way for Jaylen Brown to Start

                In order to make room for Gordon Hayward and his reported 4-year, $128 million max contract, the Boston Celtics opted to part ways with shooting guard Avery Bradley. The Celtics traded Bradley, one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, and a 2019 second-round pick to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward Marcus Morris.

                Before President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge and his team sent Bradley to Detroit, Boston reportedly shopped Marcus Smart and Jae Crowder in trade talks. When the 2017-18 season concludes, Smart will be a free agent—albeit a restricted one—like Bradley (unrestricted), but the popular opinion held that Crowder was the most likely to be moved because he plays small forward, the same position as the newly-signed All-Star forward Hayward, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the No. 3 overall pick from June’s NBA Draft. That logic was flawed in many aspects. As evidenced by the 2017 Finals, the NBA is becoming a positionless league—a sentiment echoed by Celtics head coach Brad Stevens.

                “I don’t have the five positions anymore,” Stevens said. “It may be as simple as three positions now, where you’re either a ball-handler, a wing or a big.”

                By Stevens’ definition, Crowder is a wing—one who is fully capable of starting alongside Hayward. Crowder’s contract—which pays him $6.7 million this season, $7.3 million in 2018-19 and $7.8 million in 2019-20—is one of the best in the league and makes him an asset worth holding onto. Furthermore, the 6’9” 27-year-old remains Boston’s top defensive option against Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James.

                The Celtics realistically had no shot of re-signing Bradley in the summer of 2018. They just inked Hayward to a massive deal—a summer after signing Al Horford to a monster contract—and still need to pay Isaiah Thomas, a free agent in 2018 who averaged 28.9 points per game last season and finished 5^th in MVP voting. Teams, including the Pistons, will likely offer Bradley a lucrative, long-term deal, perhaps in the $25 million (annual) range, a contract the Celtics will not be able to match.

                Even if the Celtics could fit Bradley in the team’s cap, it’d be senseless to throw massive amount of money at the guard who has sit his ceiling as a player. Not when his understudy Smart, 23 and three years younger than Bradley, can do many of the same things defensively and is still evolving on offense. Smart took a big leap this past season, elevating his scoring and ball distribution on offense, while also improving his off-ball guarding and one-on-one defense.

                Assuming Crowder starts next to Hayward and Horford in the frontcourt and Smart continues to be the first guy off the bench for the Celtics, Jaylen Brown is set to become a permanent member of Boston’s starting-five. Brown played much better as a starter, averaging 9.5 points in 20 starts and reaching double-figures in scoring 10 times. Brown, who saw in uptick in minutes as the season wound down and even managed to be a part of the Celtics’ playoff rotation, has as much upside as any player from the 2016 NBA Draft Class. And while the Summer League is hardly a preview of things to come, it’s impossible to ignore Brown’s dominance in the exhibition contests in Salt Lake City. In the summer league games in Utah, Brown averaged 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

Jaylen Brown looks to build upon a strong rookie season. (Winslow Townson/AP)

               Brown’s insertion into the starting unit also opens up more playing time at the wing positions to rookie Jayson Tatum and the newly-acquired Marcus Morris, a tweener forward who last season averaged 14 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on 42 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point territory.           

                The 6’9” Morris is not nearly the player Bradley is, but he provides the Celtics with two things the often-injured Bradley did not: elite durability and a lengthy defender to guard LeBron. Morris has played in 77 or more games in each of the past five seasons and no player guarded LeBron more effectively than Morris in the 2015-16 regular season.

One under the radar positive about Marcus Morris? Durability. Here's his games played totals over last 5 seasons:
77
82
81
80
79

— Brian Robb (@CelticsHub) July 7, 2017

            According to ESPN.com’s Tom Haberstroh, James averaged just 20.5 points per 100 possessions when defended by Morris that season—much lower than his 36.5 points per 100 possessions average on the season.

LeBron James has words with Marcus Morris, then a member of the Pistons. (USA Today Sports/Tim Fuller)

                In this past regular season, Morris ranked 66^th among all players in defensive win shares. The only two Celtics players that ranked ahead of Morris?—the aforementioned Crowder and Smart.

                While it may be tough for the Celtics to wave goodbye to Bradley, who became a solid role player under former head coach Doc Rivers before ultimately becoming a First-Team All-Defense member (2015-16) and reliable offensive player (16.3 points per game in 2016-17) under Stevens, he was the odd man out after a trade became inevitable following the Hayward signing.

                        The Celtics were never going to get equal value for Bradley—not when it became obvious they were looking to deal the guard before he hit free agency—but acquiring another guy for Stevens to throw at LeBron on defense is hardly a major loss. And while Bradley’s tough-nosed defense and underrated shot-making ability will be certainly missed, especially as the Celtics’ newcomers take time to jell with their teammates, his departure opens the door for Brown to potentially become a star, something Bradley will never be.