Panthers

Young point guards Quincy Olivari and Yuki Kawamura have been rewarded by their respective ball clubs after impressing in the preseason.
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies both gave out two-way NBA contracts to the young guards, upgrading their previous Exhibit 10 deals.&nbsp;
To make the move, the Lakers had to waive two-way center Colin Castleton and guard Grayson Murphy, allocating the space to Olivari.
The 22-year-old Olivari in his preseason stint with the Lakers, having totals of 35 points on 12-23 shooting, 8-14 3PT, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists across 4 games.
Olivari particularly stood out for the Lakers in their game against the Milwaukee Bucks and the Golden State Warriors, providing necessary energy on both ends of the floor.
Olivari quickly became the best wholesome story of the whole preseason <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/undrafted-lakers-guard-quincy-olivari-gets-emotional-after-exchange-with-stephen-curry-thats-my-favorite-player-ever">after his exchange with lifetime favorite player Stephen Curry.</a>
Kawamura, 23, has also shined for the Grizzlies in a similar way by fighting over screens and playing on and off ball defense with a concerted effort despite just standing at 5-foot-8.
Kawamura has been a playmaker for the Grizzlies&rsquo; offense and will now be the shortest active player in the NBA &ndash; and the ninth player 5-foot-8 or shorter since the merger.
The Japanese guard&rsquo;s play has caught Memphis&rsquo; eye and this has resulted in a two-way contract. The Grizzlies brought in Kawamura this offseason following a strong performance for Japan at the Olympics, where he nearly led his country to a monumental upset against Victor Wembanyama and hosts France. Kawamura stood tall amongst the giants by pouring in 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists despite falling short in the end.
Kawamura averaged 3.4 points, 4.2 assists and 15.1 minutes in preseason, leading Grizzlies with 21 total assists, and has now earned a roster spot.
In other news, the New York Knicks have waived guard Landry Shamet after he suffered a dislocated shoulder.&nbsp;
The Knicks are expected to keep 12 standard roster players and look to bring Shamet back once he recovers after averaging 0.8 PPG on 36% FG and 30% 3PT in the preseason.&nbsp;
The Knicks also waived Chuma Okeke and TJ Warren in the process.

Young point guards Quincy Olivari and Yuki Kawamura have been rewarded by their respective ball clubs after impressing in the preseason.

Olivari, Kawamura get rewarded by Lakers, Grizzlies after strong preseason play

Every NBA hooper&rsquo;s dream is to be able to meet and have a wholesome exchange with the players they have looked up to since they were kids. It is one of the most fulfilling things a player can achieve entering the NBA, and a moment like that could make that player&rsquo;s day.
For some however, that would be their lifelong wish granted and more.
Lakers guard Quincy Olivari just had that time of his life when he met Warriors superstar Stephen Curry after their preseason game on Friday night. The Lakers lost big against the Warriors 74-132 as they sat out their starters. In their place, Lakers head coach JJ Redick started Olivari and he delivered, scoring 22 points on 8-16 shooting including 5-9 from three with 7 rebounds. Olivari was all over the floor for the Lakers, providing energy and picking up full court against the Warriors&rsquo; ball handlers.
Although the Lakers&rsquo; lost, Curry took notice of the young guard&rsquo;s performance and chatted with him post-game. The two dapped up and had a brief moment, with Curry talking to Olivari about the game, giving him some advice.
When asked by the reporters in the post-game press conference, Olivari could not help but tear up at that wholesome instance.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s crazy &lsquo;cause I liked him since like I was in 6th grade,&rdquo; said a teary-eyed Olivari. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t even know what to say, man &ndash; that&rsquo;s like my favorite player ever. The first thing he told me was like &lsquo;I&rsquo;m a big fan of your game.&rsquo; And truth be told, I&rsquo;m a big fan of him &ndash; I had his jersey, he signed it twice and I used to sleep on that jersey. I just want to be like him so bad.&rdquo;
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"Just to be able to meet him, he be able to have some respect for me... it means a lot." &mdash; Quincy Olivari got emotional about meeting his idol Stephen Curry 🥹 (via <a href="https://twitter.com/SpectrumSN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpectrumSN</a>)<a href="https://t.co/4LmOP5tcJb">pic.twitter.com/4LmOP5tcJb</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1847521000378020200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Although Olivari is not guaranteed a roster spot with the Lakers having only an Exhibit 10 contract, his story is easily one of the best moments of the preseason. Having that moment with the player you idolized means the whole world for a young player like Olivari.
&ldquo;Just to be able to meet him and him being able to have some respect for me &ndash; and he gave me a pair of his shoes and signed them. Like, that meant the world to me &ndash; my dad knows, my mom knows. It just means a lot.&rdquo;

Lakers guard Quincy Olivari just had that time of his life when he met Warriors superstar Stephen Curry after their preseason game.

Undrafted Lakers’ guard Quincy Olivari gets emotional after exchange with Stephen Curry: “That’s my favorite player ever”

The New York Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx have set up a grand finale clash in the WNBA Finals after beating their respective opponents in the semifinals.&nbsp;
The Lynx ousted the Connecticut Sun, 88-77, in Game 5 of their best-of-5 series at home in Target Center. Napheesa Collier, the 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the All-WNBA First Team, had 27 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks in an all-around performance. Collier went 10-16 from the field in an efficient performance while Courtney Williams added 24 points.&nbsp;
On the other hand, the Liberty finished off the defending champions Las Vegas Aces in just four games, winning 76-62 in Game 4. Sabrina Ionescu was brilliant for New York in their WNBA Finals 2023 rematch with 22 points while Breanna Stewart had 19 points and 14 rebounds as the Liberty effectively ended the Aces&rsquo; bid for a three-peat this season.&nbsp;
The Liberty-Lynx Finals matchup immediately starts Friday night in New York for Game 1 and continues to Game 2 and then the series shifts over to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4. If necessary, Game 5 will be played back in New York.&nbsp;
In their season series, the Lynx own a 3-1 advantage over the Liberty, including their Commissioner&rsquo;s Cup title win midseason. Minnesota finished second in the standings behind just New York by just two games.&nbsp;

The Liberty and the Lynx have set up a grand finale clash in the WNBA Finals after beating their respective opponents.

Liberty-Lynx set for WNBA Finals clash

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly targeting University of Connecticut coach Dan Hurley for their vacant head coaching job, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Adrian Wojnarowski.
According to Woj, the back-to-back NCAA coach for the UConn Huskies has been the Lakers&rsquo; top-secret target after previous reports suggested that the franchise has been in contact with several other names in the NBA space. Former player and now-ESPN analyst JJ Redick and Charlotte Hornets&rsquo; top assistant James Borrego were among those mentioned in reports.
The Lakers have already been reported to have met with Hurley for initial meetings and their discussions are expected to ramp up in a few days, with the franchise preparing a massive, long-term contract offer to pry Hurley to the NBA.
ANALYSIS: With Hurley&rsquo;s name thrown to the Lakers&rsquo; head coaching job candidates, this could mean that Redick&rsquo;s opportunity with the Lakers could either turn out to be a smokescreen for the grander scheme of things of plans by the Lakers to hire the NCAA champion coach. Numerous reports have already been out there with Redick&rsquo;s name as the top candidate for the franchise&rsquo;s head coaching job and with this development, this shakes things up for a lot of reasons.
More notably, signing Hurley would mean the Lakers are going all-in with their pitch to make superstar LeBron James stay with the team, pending his decision in free agency. LeBron has expressly shown on social media platforms like X and Instagram his admiration for Hurley and his creative and innovative offensive schemes.
Furthermore, Hurley seems like the type of coach who LeBron might listen to and/or is good enough/brave enough to coach LeBron considering the type of player that he is on and off the floor.
Lastly, Hurley&rsquo;s possible hiring would likely affect the Lakers&rsquo; drafting process in which LeBron&rsquo;s son Bronny James could likely be drafted to the team using its 55th pick in the upcoming draft. Hurley has been known as a master in player development and could potentially help the younger James&rsquo; growth moving forward.

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly targeting University of Connecticut coach Dan Hurley for their vacant head coaching job.

Lakers targeting UConn’s Dan Hurley for head coaching job

Japan&rsquo;s best professional teams Hiroshima Dragonflies and Ryukyu Golden Kings have qualified and will represent the country in the upcoming East Asia Super League 2024-2025 season, announced the league in a press release.
Champions Dragonflies and runners-up Golden Kings of Japan&rsquo;s top-flight league &ldquo;B.League&rdquo; will compete with other champions and runners-up from different East Asian leagues to be called champions of East Asia.
Among the teams they will be facing are Taiwan&rsquo;s P.League+, Korea&rsquo;s Korean Basketball League (KBL), and the Philippines&rsquo; Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Already qualified are Korea&rsquo;s champions and runners-up Busan KCC Egis and Suwon KT Sonicboom. Teams from the P.League and PBA are yet to be determined.
EASL CEO Henry Kerins said, &ldquo;EASL is delighted to have the B.LEAGUE champions and runners-up competing once again to be the champions of East Asia. We&rsquo;re looking forward to returning to Okinawa with the Ryukyu Golden Kings, after a tremendous series of games there last season. And we can&rsquo;t wait to see what the Hiroshima Dragonflies will bring to the 2024-25 Season.&rdquo;
B.LEAGUE Chairman Shinji Shimada said, &ldquo;The 2023-24 season champions Hiroshima Dragonflies and runners-up Ryukyu Golden Kings will represent the B.LEAGUE in the EASL next season.&nbsp;
&ldquo;After a year of battling it out in the B.LEAGUE, which is improving year by year, and achieving impressive results as champions and runners-up, they have proved that they are Japan&rsquo;s two best teams.
&ldquo;Last season, the Chiba Jets were crowned EASL champions. We hope that one of these two teams will bring the EASL championship to Japan again.&rdquo;
The draw for the EASL 2024-25 Season Group Stage was made earlier this year in agreement with the participating leagues. The eight participating teams will be divided into two groups, containing four teams each.
As B.LEAGUE champions, the Dragonflies have been placed into Group A. The Golden Kings have been placed into Group B.&nbsp;
Hiroshima will match up in Group A against Korean Basketball League (KBL) runners-up Suwon KT Sonicboom, the P. LEAGUE+ runners-up, and one of the best-performing teams from the Philippine Basketball Association&rsquo;s (PBA) 2023-24 conferences.
In Group B, Ryukyu will face KBL champions the Busan KCC Egis, the P. LEAGUE+ champions, and a second top-performing PBA team.
&mdash;
About East Asia Super League
East Asia Super League (EASL) is the Champions League of East Asian basketball. Combining the best clubs, from the best leagues, with best-in-class production values, EASL&rsquo;s vision is to become one of the world&rsquo;s top professional basketball leagues. At the same time, the league aims to elevate the sport of basketball across the East Asia region.
EASL operates with a 10-year agreement with FIBA, the world governing body for basketball, granting FIBA Asia&rsquo;s recognition. It also operates under agreements with the East Asia region&rsquo;s leading basketball leagues, securing the participation of their teams. Those leagues are the Japan B.LEAGUE, the Korean Basketball League (KBL), the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), and Chinese Taipei&rsquo;s P. LEAGUE+.&nbsp;
For more information about the East Asia Super League, please visit <a href="http://www.easl.basketball/">www.EASL.basketball</a>.

Japan’s best professional teams Hiroshima Dragonflies and Ryukyu Golden Kings have qualified for the EASL 2024-2025 season.

Japan B.League top two teams to compete in EASL 2024-2025 season

Let the world be warned: &lsquo;The Avengers&rsquo; are coming.
USA Basketball has officially unveiled its roster featuring several NBA superstars and this generation&rsquo;s best basketball players in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 12 players to be part of the exclusive list include:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">LeBron James</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Stephen Curry</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kevin Durant</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Kawhi Leonard</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Joel Embiid</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jayson Tatum</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Devin Booker</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Jrue Holiday</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anthony Davis</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Bam Adebayo</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Anthony Edwards&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tyrese Haliburton</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Stars Align in the City of Light. 🇺🇸 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USABMNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USABMNT</a> <a href="https://t.co/RV1tIGoxXa">pic.twitter.com/RV1tIGoxXa</a>
&mdash; USA Basketball (@usabasketball) <a href="https://twitter.com/usabasketball/status/1780604665505149074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2024</a>
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Barring any unforeseen circumstances or injuries, these 12 men will be flying to Paris in July. Team USA officials headed by managing director Grant Hill have reportedly notified those players who have been selected (and those who have not) from the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/usa-basketball-announces-player-pool-for-team-usas-2024-mens-national-team">original 41-man pool</a> revealed earlier this year. Those selected have been visited by USAB officials to be presented with &lsquo;special Team USA Olympic jerseys.&rsquo;
Team USA is set to defend again its Olympic gold medal in men&rsquo;s basketball after winning it for the past 4 iterations of the quadrennial event.&nbsp;
Leading the team are James, Curry, and Durant, who are arguably the game&rsquo;s biggest stars over the past decade or so.
James will play in his 4th Olympics after winning bronze in Athens 2004 and gold in Beijing 2008 and London 2012. Curry, a winner of two FIBA World Cup medals in the past, will be playing in his 1st Olympics. Durant, the Americans&rsquo; all-time leading scorer, is looking for his 4th Olympic gold medal (won in 2012, 2016, and 2020) to break a tie with Carmelo Anthony (won in 2008, 2012, and 2016) for the most ever.
Supplementing its three-headed monster are Tatum, Booker, and Holiday &ndash; members of the gold medal-winning squad in Tokyo 2021. Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid and two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, who have never played in any international competition in their careers, will each be making their debuts in Paris.
Previous Olympic gold medal winners Davis and Adebayo add additional size to the roster while Edwards and Haliburton, who emerged as USA&rsquo;s best players in the World Cup last year, round out the team.
Coaching this vaunted USA roster is Curry&rsquo;s NBA coach Steve Kerr, who also coached Team USA in the World Cup.&nbsp;

USA Basketball announces its official roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics featuring the best the NBA has to offer.

‘Here come the Avengers’: USA Basketball announces roster for 2024 Paris Olympics

There has been a level of dominance the Boston Celtics have had this season that not a lot of teams in the history of the league have reached or come close to. The team&rsquo;s mixture of star power, depth, and chemistry within the tight-knit group of guys has been the source of power for the historically dominant regular season team.&nbsp;
In their March 17 game vs Washington, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford combined to destroy the Wizards, 130-104. Bench player Sam Hauser, who started the game, led the team in scoring with 30 points built on 10 three-point shots.&nbsp;
Then on their next game, in came Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porzingis, who then annihilated the Detroit Pistons 119-94 on the second night of a back-to-back. Another bench player, Payton Pritchard starred with 23 points and 7 assists as the Celtics earned yet another win.&nbsp;
This speaks to their depth as a team as well as the adaptability of each player to play with either of their core six guys with relative ease and without skipping a beat. The Celtics are a machine that keeps going with pieces and parts that are versatile enough to keep their brand of basketball going no matter who you sub in or slot onto the floor whenever someone is out.
With their dominant regular season coming down to a close, one question awaits the rest of the league as the playoffs arrive.&nbsp;
Who is stopping the Boston Celtics?&nbsp;
The guys in green have been far away the best team in the league by a wide margin, racing past ahead of all the other teams.
The Celtics just speedrun through everything, especially in the East, where they were far away the best team and are just cherry-picking to wait and see whoever will finish second behind them. The only disappointment thus far was not winning the In-Season Tournament title, which probably wasn&rsquo;t the championship they wanted to win anyway.
They have the league&rsquo;s best record at 64-18 and they never lost more than two straight throughout the year. They blew out three teams by 50 or more points and they have only lost four games at the Boston Garden, and have only just lost to an Eastern Conference team at home for over a year &ndash; since March of 2023. The only team to win two and claim the season series over Boston are the defending champions Denver Nuggets, which makes sense considering they&rsquo;re the team all teams in the NBA are chasing after.
The Celtics will be the only team that will finish in double-digits in plus/minus efficiency (+11.3) and they rank 1st in offensive rating (120.4) and 5th in defensive rating (110.5) in the entire league. This level of dominance in the regular season makes it one of the most impressive ones in recent NBA history.
The Boston Celtics might go all the way this year and take that coveted 18th championship title, but what makes them so good?
'The Jays' superstar duo: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown&nbsp;
The Celtics start and end with their star forward duo. They would not be near where they are right now without these two. The way they complement each other and play off of each other has been spectacular, and their chemistry has been built since 2016-2017 when Boston drafted both guys back to back with the no.3 pick. With the Celtics having two dynamic two-way guys in Tatum and Brown, they have the foundation to allow them to surround the team with guys that complement their skills, which president Brad Stevens and coach Joe Mazzulla have done an incredible job of doing so over the past couple years.
Roster construction
After trading away mainstays Marcus Smart, Robert Williams, and Grant Williams this season, Brad Stevens built the roster with some awesome replacements in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
Porzingis just fits the Celtics&rsquo; scheme so much as he gives them a stretch big that can space the floor for their 5-out offense. On defense, his towering 7&rsquo;3 frame can alter and block shots. Porzingis is also the perfect Al Horford replacement who has been key to the lineups the Celtics run in the previous years. Although Horford is now 37 and is nearing the end of his career, he's still bringing that veteran leadership and the floor spacing to give the Celtics more options on offense.
Holiday&rsquo;s transition into the team has been seamless, filling in the place of Smart. A 2022 champion with the Milwaukee Bucks, Holiday brought the championship mindset along with his trademark defensive versatility and a plug-and-play offensive repertoire that has elevated the Celtics&rsquo; play all season long.&nbsp;
Around Tatum and Brown and their new acquisitions Porzingis and Holiday, the ever-consistent Derrick White and the ageless Al Horford come into place to complete their starting five and their fearsome six-man lineup. Solid bench pieces led by Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser provide quality backup minutes to ensure Boston does not lose a single step whenever their mainstays rest during the games. Depending on the matchup, big men Xavier Tillman and Luke Kornet will see some minutes and both have proven they can play the style of basketball the Celtics need to win. Overall, this team is arguably the best the Celtics have in years, and they have all the makings to have a deep playoff run.
However, Boston knows the job is not done yet and the real test is at hand. No matter how good they have been in the first six months of the year, it all comes down to how they will perform and execute in the season&rsquo;s final three months when it matters the most. And they certainly hope they can reach the pinnacle again and this time, come out on top in June.
To further strengthen that point, it isn&rsquo;t a guarantee to win all the time, especially in the playoffs. Although it is an indication of good habits built throughout the season, the playoffs are a different beast. According to NBA.com, only five teams in the last 20 years had the best record winning the title that season. The last best-record champions were the 2016-17 Warriors as teams deal with a variety of challenges throughout the postseason.&nbsp;
As the road to the 18th banner looms close, the Celtics have themselves as their biggest obstacle &ndash; only they can stop themselves from achieving their full potential.&nbsp;

As the road to the 18th banner looms close, the Celtics have themselves as their biggest obstacle.

Who’s stopping Boston? Dissecting the Celtics’ juggernaut after their dominant season

The Dallas Mavericks have acquired forward PJ Washington and a 2027 first-round pick from the Charlotte Hornets for forward Grant Williams, guard Seth Curry and two second-round picks, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic&rsquo;s Shams Charania</a>.
Washington, 25, goes to a Mavericks team in search of an upgrade at power forward to pair with superstar Luka Doncic. This season, he's averaging 13.6 points per game in 44 games while shooting 63% around the rim and 55% on floaters, per Synergy Basketball.
Charlotte will also be receiving a 2027 first-rounder, which is top-two protected, and sending out two second-round picks to Dallas to complete the deal.
Williams, 25, signed a four-year deal with Dallas over the offseason, but the 6-foot-6 power forward is averaging just 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds while making 37.6% of his threes.
Curry, 33, is averaging just 4.3 points in 36 games. In his third stint with the team, the 6-foot-1 shooting guard played sparingly this season with the Mavericks, who elected to play younger guys like Jaden Hardy and Dante Exum over him. Curry will now get to play for his hometown Hornets, who are building around young star LaMelo Ball and 2023 No. 2 pick Brandon Miller.

The Mavs have acquired PJ Washington and a 2027 first-round pick from the Hornets for Grant Williams, Seth Curry and two picks.

Mavs acquire PJ Washington from Hornets for Grant Williams, Seth Curry

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers survived Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in double overtime, 145-144, on Saturday night in a frantic finish to the NBA's Rivals Week.
In what turned out to be an all-time classic game, James and Curry went head-to-head just like old times, pouring in clutch basket after clutch basket in the fourth quarter and both overtime periods.&nbsp;
Curry hit a booming triple at the top of the key to give the Warriors the 144-143 lead with six seconds to play. James got fouled on a drive on the Lakers' possession and swished two clutch free throws to take back the lead, 145-144. Curry had one last shot to save the Warriors, but his 68-foot heave did not find the bottom of the net.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Respect after a hard-fought battle for the two legends l🫡🤝<a href="https://t.co/KbkoxMh2LL">pic.twitter.com/KbkoxMh2LL</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1751473405671706965?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2024</a></blockquote>

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James had a monster game, finishing with a triple-double of 36 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists. He becomes the oldest player to have a 30-point triple-double and the oldest player with a 30-20 game. Even at 39 years old, he continues to top himself, as his 20 rebounds were a career-best.
Curry, for his part, had 46 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds in 43 minutes in the losing effort, as the Warriors suffered their second-straight heartbreaking loss (after losing to the Sacramento Kings by one point two nights ago).

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers survived Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in double overtime, 145-144.

LeBron James, Lakers outlast Steph Curry, Warriors in Rivals Week showdown

USA Basketball announced today a 41-athlete player pool for the 2024 USA Basketball Men&rsquo;s National Team. The players were selected by USA Basketball Men&rsquo;s National Team managing director&nbsp;Grant Hill&nbsp;and is subject to change. The 12-member 2024 USA Men&rsquo;s National Team, which will represent the United States at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris, will be announced at a later date.
Featuring 28 players who have represented the USA in Olympics and/or FIBA Men&rsquo;s World Cup and who together have collected 23 Olympic or World Cup gold medals, the 2024 USA Men&rsquo;s National Team finalists are&nbsp;Bam Adebayo,&nbsp;Jarrett Allen,&nbsp;Paolo Banchero,&nbsp;Desmond Bane,&nbsp;Scottie Barnes,&nbsp;Devin Booker,&nbsp;Mikal Bridges,&nbsp;Jaylen Brown,&nbsp;Jalen Brunson,&nbsp;Jimmy Butler,&nbsp;Alex Caruso,&nbsp;Stephen Curry,&nbsp;Anthony Davis,&nbsp;Kevin Durant,&nbsp;Anthony Edwards,&nbsp;Joel Embiid,&nbsp;De&rsquo;Aaron Fox,&nbsp;Paul George,&nbsp;Aaron Gordon,&nbsp;Tyrese Haliburton,&nbsp;James Harden,&nbsp;Josh Hart,&nbsp;Tyler Herro,&nbsp;Jrue Holiday,&nbsp;Chet Holmgren,&nbsp;Brandon Ingram,&nbsp;Kyrie Irving,&nbsp;Jaren Jackson Jr.,&nbsp;LeBron James,&nbsp;Cam Johnson,&nbsp;Walker Kessler,&nbsp;Kawhi Leonard,&nbsp;Damian Lillard,&nbsp;Donovan Mitchell,&nbsp;Chris Paul,&nbsp;Bobby Portis,&nbsp;Austin Reaves,&nbsp;Duncan Robinson,&nbsp;Jayson Tatum,&nbsp;Derrick White&nbsp;and&nbsp;Trae Young.
&ldquo;The United States boasts unbelievable basketball talent and I am thrilled that many of the game&rsquo;s superstars have expressed interest in representing our country at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games,&rdquo; Hill said. &ldquo;It is a privilege to select the team that will help us toward the goal of once again standing atop the Olympic podium. This challenging process will unfold over the next several months as we eagerly anticipate the start of national team activity."&nbsp;
The 2024 USA Men&rsquo;s National Team will be led by head coach&nbsp;Steve Kerr&nbsp;(Golden State Warriors), who is assisted by&nbsp;Mark Few&nbsp;(Gonzaga University),&nbsp;Tyronn Lue&nbsp;(L.A. Clippers) and&nbsp;Erik Spoelstra&nbsp;(Miami Heat). Last summer, the quartet coached the 2023 USA Basketball Men&rsquo;s National Team to a fourth-place finish at the 2023 FIBA Men&rsquo;s World Cup in Manila. Kerr is a 2020 Olympic gold medalist after serving as an assistant coach to&nbsp;Gregg Popovich&nbsp;in Tokyo.
In related news, USA Basketball also announced that the 2024 USA Men&rsquo;s National Team will host Canada at Las Vegas&rsquo; T-Mobile Arena as part of the USA Basketball Showcase. The exhibition contest is set for July 10 at 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET live on FS1.
The USA Basketball Showcase features a series of games that help the USA Basketball National Teams prepare for major competitions, including the Olympic Summer Games and FIBA World Cup.
Following Las Vegas, the Americans will embark on an international training window that features exhibition games against the national teams of South Sudan on July 20 and Germany on July 22 at the O2 Arena in London.
Tickets for all three contests are on sale now at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.usab.com/tickets">www.usab.com/tickets</a>.
"USA Basketball is excited to return to Las Vegas as our men's national team program looks forward to tipping off the journey to the 2024 Olympic Games there in July," said&nbsp;Jim Tooley, USA Basketball CEO. "The game at T-Mobile Arena against Canada is an important opportunity in our preparations and a great opportunity for our fans to support the U.S. national team before heading overseas."&nbsp;
Prior to the Canada game, the USA will hold training camp in Las Vegas, its longtime training hub. Additional information will be announced at a later date.
The USA officially qualified for the 2024 Olympics as one of the top two nations from the FIBA Americas zone at the 2023 FIBA World Cup in September. The American men will compete for their fifth straight &ndash; and 17th&nbsp;overall &ndash; Olympic gold medal.
In total, USA Basketball will be represented by four teams at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games, including 5-on-5 men and women and 3x3 men and women. The USA are reigning Olympic champions in 5-on-5 men and women and 3x3 women, with 3x3 men set to make their Olympic debut next summer. &nbsp;More information about all four USA Basketball teams will be announced at a later date.

USA Basketball announced today a 41-athlete player pool for the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team.

USA Basketball announces player pool for 2024 Men’s National Team

Pascal Siakam made his Indiana Pacers debut on Friday night, but the Portland Trail Blazers spoiled the party by beating Indy, 118-115, at the Moda Center.
The Blazers, who currently have the second-worst record in the Western Conference, captured a rare win behind big performances from veterans Jerami Grant and Malcolm Brogdon.&nbsp;
Grant finished with 37 points on 14-of-28 from the field, while Brogdon filled the stat sheet with 30 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.&nbsp;
Grant and Brogdon carried the offensive load for Portland, who were without young stars Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe in the game. Then, in the second half, the Blazers lost 2023 No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson after he suffered a nasal contusion. Henderson had 10 points at halftime.
The 29-year-old Siakam, who was traded to Indiana from the Toronto Raptors, scored 21 points on 65% shooting from the field. Siakam's Pacers debut coincided with Tyrese Haliburton's return from a hamstring injury, and the two are starting the process of developing chemistry and learning to play together.
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Haliburton, who played for the first time since Jan. 2, racked up 21 points and 17 assists with 0 turnovers. This marked his sixth career 20+ point, 15+ assist game with no turnovers &mdash; the most in NBA history.
Indiana's stars played well, as Myles Turner also contributed 29 points and 12 rebounds with 6 triples, including one to cut the lead down to 3 points. However, the Pacers just could not get it done at the end with their comeback being a little too late.
The Pacers are now 24-18 (tied for the sixth-best record in the East) and will head to Phoenix to face the Suns and try to get their first win of the Siakam era.

Pascal Siakam made his Indiana Pacers debut on Friday night, but the Portland Trail Blazers spoiled the party by beating Indy, 118-115.

Blazers spoil Siakam's debut, Haliburton's return with win over Pacers

In today&rsquo;s NBA, the league is undeniably dominated by big men. 
The last five MVPs went to Giannis Antetokounmpo (two), Nikola Jokic (two) and Joel Embiid. Rookies Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren stand at a towering 7-foot-4 and 7-foot-1 respectively, and both are starting to make their mark in the NBA.
As the league embraces this new era filled with giants, it is awesome to see the two sub-6-foot guys match up against each other: New Orleans&rsquo; Jose Alvarado and Minnesota&rsquo;s Jordan McLaughlin.
Alvarado and McLaughlin, who are both listed as 5-foot-11 without shoes, have each carved out a role on their squad. The two provide different valuable skills off the bench, and they have been vital pieces to their team&rsquo;s success. 
Alvarado impacts the game on the defensive end by suffocating and pestering ball-handlers. He also comes up with his signature blindside steals, which earned him the nickname Grand Theft Alvarado (GTA). McLaughlin, on the other hand, is a crafty playmaker who sets up the Wolves' offense off the bench and serves as a reliable backup for Mike Conley.&nbsp;
In a league where there are 34 players who are 7-feet or taller this season alone, Alvarado and McLaughlin remain outliers and part of a dying breed.
There are only 12 players who are listed at 6-feet or below in the NBA this season, with the shortest being Markquis Nowell at 5-foot-7 and Jacob Gilyard at 5-foot-8. Together, they represent only 3% of the league population &ndash; which means small guards are largely going extinct in the NBA.
Unless you&rsquo;re an established point guard like Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry or Chris Paul, there has been little to no room for these shorter players on NBA rosters.&nbsp;
The current trend of positionless basketball and do-it-all forwards has certainly hurt these smaller guards. Whether it be less reliance on traditional point guards to set up an offense or getting hunted out for switches defensively, teams have been shifting away from said player prototypes. Even a former All-NBA teamer and super scorer like Isaiah Thomas was virtually driven out of the league mainly because of his unfortunate trait of getting exploited on defense due to his height.
Given this, it&rsquo;s impressive how Alvarado and McLaughlin are staying in the league. This could be attributed to their specific skill-sets. Both guys show that short players still have a place in the NBA as long as they provide value and play a certain role effectively and efficiently. In a league where height is often equated to success, it&rsquo;s refreshing to see two sub-6-foot players hold their own on the court.

As sub-6-foot players, New Orleans’ Jose Alvarado and Minnesota’s Jordan McLaughlin are the last of a dying breed.

Jose Alvarado, Jordan McLaughlin are the last of a dying breed

The NBA announced Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for November for giving back to his hometown of Flint, Michigan and hosting a special event through his foundation (Kyle Kuzma Family Foundation).&nbsp;
Each month, the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award recognizes a player monthly for their outstanding work in the community.
On November 26, Kuzma surprised mothers at the Genesee County Jail in Flint with clothing and gifts for them and their children for the holidays.&nbsp; Kuzma also unveiled Kuz&rsquo;s corner &ndash; two newly renovated jail cells as a part of a larger effort to upgrade the facility&rsquo;s conditions.
In conjunction with the event, Kuzma announced the launch of a special partnership through his foundation with I.G.N.I.T.E. and R.I.S.E. to support residents of the facility for a successful future when they re-enter society.&nbsp; I.G.N.I.T.E&rsquo;s mission is to reverse the cycle of generational incarceration through education by providing residents with valuable job training and skills that they can use upon release to gain employment and reduce the likelihood of reoffending.&nbsp; Since inception in 2020, I.G.N.I.T.E. has provided more than 250,000 hours of educational training to over 2,500 residents leading to a reduction of assaults and violent offenses in the jail by 97%.&nbsp; R.I.S.E.&rsquo;s mission is to ensure that residents in the Genesee County Jail have access to behavioral and social health support services and complements the work of I.G.N.I.T.E.
Also in November, Kuzma and others from Monumental Basketball (Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Capital City Go-Go and Wizards District Gaming) partnered to host Thankful Meals presented by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, a community outreach event to serve Washington D.C.&rsquo;s Ward 7 and Ward 8 residents.&nbsp; Kuzma distributed over 1,500 hot meals from Black-owned restaurant Henry&rsquo;s Soul Caf&eacute;.&nbsp; Those in attendance also went home with a GIANT food store gift card.
&ldquo;Helping to uplift the communities that are special to me is a privilege, so being recognized for that work is a humbling experience, particularly when it takes place during the season of giving,&rdquo; said Kuzma.&nbsp; &ldquo;I&rsquo;m proud to share this honor with my family and support system as well as my teammates and the entire Wizards organization, as all of us are committed to continuing to make a difference in the lives of others.&rdquo;
Kuzma will be recognized in-arena as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner during pre-game of the Dec. 29 Nets-Wizards game.&nbsp; Washington Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins will present him with the award.

The NBA announced Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma as the NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award winner for November.

Wizards' Kyle Kuzma wins NBA Cares Bob Lanier Community Assist Award

Since Halloween is just two-and-a-half weeks away, BasketballNews compiled a list of the best costumes worn by NBA players.

Which NBA players have rocked the best Halloween costumes?

Joel Embiid is the latest superstar to commit to Team USA for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
In recent weeks, Team USA managing director Grant Hill had been recruiting Embiid, who was born in Cameroon and also has French citizenship. Ultimately, Embiid decided to represent the United States.
"After talking to my family, I knew it had to be Team USA," Embiid <a href="https://twitter.com/JoelEmbiid/status/1710067831339884793" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>. "I want to play with my brothers in the league. I want to play for my fans because they&rsquo;ve been incredible since the day I came here. But most of all, I want to honor my son, who was born in the US. I want my boy to know I played my first Olympics for him.
"I&rsquo;m really proud and excited about this decision. It was not easy. I am blessed to call Cameroon, France and the USA home."
Embiid will join a star-studded squad that could also include Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis, Kawhi Leonard, Bam Adebayo, Donovan Mitchell and Jimmy Butler &ndash; all of whom have said that they will play for Team USA if selected.
"It's exciting for USA Basketball that Joel Embiid wants to represent the United States," Hill <a href="https://www.espn.com/olympics/basketball/story/_/id/38574625/joel-embiid-commits-team-usa-2024-olympics-sources-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. "Joel and I have had several conversations about his goals and I'm looking forward to continuing that dialogue knowing that one of those goals is to represent USA Basketball next summer in Paris. As I've said before, I'm looking forward to the process of building the 2024 USA Basketball Men's national team roster over the next several months."
Team USA failed to medal at this summer's FIBA World Cup in the Philippines, and a major reason was their lack of size of rebounding. The only big men on the World Cup roster were Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler (who barely played), with Paolo Banchero and Josh Hart serving as small-ball 5s.
By the end of the World Cup, Team USA head coach Steve Kerr found himself turning to five-guard lineups that featured Hart at center. Hart led Team USA in rebounding with 5.1 boards per game, followed by Anthony Edwards' 4.6 rebounds per game.&nbsp;
Now, Team USA will be able to turn their biggest weakness into a legitimate strength after adding Embiid, who averaged an absurd 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks, 1.0 steal and 1.0 three per game last season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
It's worth noting that this is a huge blow to France, the reigning Olympic silver medalist. The French national team would have been much scarier if they entered the Paris Olympics with Embiid, Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, Bilal Coulibaly and Evan Fournier among others.
To recap, Embiid's commitment means that Team USA added the NBA's reigning Most Valuable Player, filled their biggest need and kept him from joining arguably their biggest competitor in the 2024 Olympics.
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

Joel Embiid is the latest superstar to commit to Team USA for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Joel Embiid is latest superstar to commit to Team USA for Olympics

Paying customers and plenty of media members have loudly expressed their frustrations with how the New Orleans Pelicans have handled the injuries and updates regarding Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, to the point of calling the organization outright liars.
Sure, there were frustrations with injuries derailing the season, but the messaging did not come from a place of dishonesty. It came from the type of misunderstandings and miscommunications that can ravage any type of relationship.
The obvious friction within the team the last few seasons were publicly expressed through curt answers and solemn body language on gamedays. Executive vice president David Griffin even admitted last July that the Pelicans &ldquo;did a really bad job organizationally" in handling some situations, especially after Williamson&rsquo;s viral pregame dunk and vague comments to the media. It took a summer of reconciliation, but the most pressing relationship issues have been resolved. Everyone understands how to speak each other&rsquo;s basketball love language and approach expectations for the coming season.
It all started with listening sessions this summer, which were a reason Williamson stuck around town for the offseason. But go back and listen to how Williamson and Ingram talk about basketball in press conferences over the years. Examining how they speak about the game explains a lot in how they&rsquo;ve approached their careers thus far.
Ingram has been using the term "professional" and "basketball" while talking like a hardwood scientist since his rookie season. It would not be surprising for B.I. to break down film at 4 a.m., making calls to wake sleepy-eyed teammates. Specifically, Devonte&rsquo; Graham and Josh Hart have shared on record how Ingram&rsquo;s film studies helped their game. Even when Ingram was out with an injury, the deep film sessions to help his teammates improve remained part of his routine. His methodical game reflects his intense devotion to his craft, though Ingram&rsquo;s personality comes off as a bit more laid back.
Williamson &ldquo;just loves hooping&rdquo; by his admission this Monday and in past interviews. Both are highly talented and naturally gifted and, as one source put it, &ldquo;They both love the game, but show it in different ways. The game has loved them back in different ways.&rdquo; Organizationally, there have been some growing pains as perhaps some things got taken for granted along the way for a franchise shaping a new identity.
That&rsquo;s starting to change and it is a two-way street. This team knows it was in first place last December and Williamson&rsquo;s renewed commitment has been the theme of the offseason with those I&rsquo;ve spoken with.
"This was the first summer where we&rsquo;ve seen Zion take his profession seriously like that and invest in it off the court on his own in a way that, I think, is meaningful," Griffin revealed during media day.
This is a reassuring development considering the past four years. Now, Zion still loves to hoop. There is no doubt. No one shows up on an outdoor court in New Orleans to work up a mid-summer sweat with some high-school kids without loving to hoop. Roll a ball out on a court and a smiling Williamson is like an overeager puppy. At least Alvin Gentry got that right in Zion&rsquo;s rookie season.
However, Williamson has not had a healthy relationship with NBA basketball the last few years. The NBA Draft is a crap shoot and New Orleans was not exactly a prime location. The new front office had a few growing pains earlier than expect as a result. NBA HQ added some bumps and bruises to the process as well. The national-TV-heavy schedule as a rookie and through the COVID bubble was unwarranted, unnecessary attention; it was just premature pressure on someone who couldn't legally buy a drink.
Attention before production paired with injury setbacks put pressure on every strained relationship, which partly factored into the Pelicans parting ways with coaches Gentry and Stan Van Gundy after just a year each with Williamson on the roster. Zion even went to rehab in Oregon away from the team, returning to the bench just weeks before the team&rsquo;s playoff run.
Publicly and privately, it&rsquo;s &ldquo;all water under the bridge&rdquo; between the locker room and front office. Aaron Nelson is still with the team, but in an advisory role that&rsquo;s far more hands-off on the day-to-day. Newly-hired Amy Atmore, the team's physical/performance therapist and director of rehabilitation, has already made the players comfortable with the revamped staff and new "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" process. There are a few more full-time staffers to welcome into the group but by all accounts, head coach Willie Green has righted the ship culturally in the locker room. The leadership hierarchies and trust circle bonds are very strong and have been unanimously agreed upon.
In contrast to Williamson&rsquo;s on-court hooper mentality paired with a dozen endorsement deals, Ingram loves professional basketball and has been able to operate as an under-the-radar, one-time All-Star. This approach leads to multi-generational wealth that secures family futures. Ingram did not sign a contract extension this summer because "they handing a lot of people big money, [and] I&rsquo;m trying to get some big money&rdquo; next summer.
Ingram smiled while delivering that media-day-gold statement, but Zion was refusing to flash a grin for anyone to start training camp. This isn&rsquo;t just hooping anymore. This is serious, professional basketball and it would be a disservice to his talents and teammates to not approach this season as the opportunity of a lifetime. It&rsquo;s also a chance to win back all the fans and provide a return on the team&rsquo;s investment. Williamson loves to be loved. Ingram, especially after the FIBA experience, is after All-NBA respect before negotiating a contract extension.
The revamped player performance and medical staff changes were a direct result of the front office listening to player feedback. Williamson, who just signed a max-level extension, can see that.
"The Pelicans have put in a lot of things this offseason&hellip;" Williamson said. "I think what the Pelicans have done is add good structure and we'll see as the season goes&hellip; being on the same page with the personal trainers, really locking into every aspect of my body.''
Williamson also listened to feedback from the front office and the team&rsquo;s veterans. He got the message from CJ McCollum and Larry Nance Jr., who played through injuries last season, to set an example.
"I think [the changes] should help us," McCollum said. &ldquo;A lot of it is on us and how we prepare. Your staff can only do so much."
Off the court, Williamson&rsquo;s larger-than-life, crowd-pleasing ways mesh well with Ingram&rsquo;s reserved, low-key-funny, musically-inclined chill. Now, the Pelicans need them to make it work on the court when the stakes are highest. Like any relationship seemingly stuck running in place, huge consequences are resting on the next decision.
&ldquo;If this team can&rsquo;t take that next step, we need to know that as quickly as possible,&rdquo; Griffin stated straightforwardly at media day.
It&rsquo;s tough to hear for a young team, but at least the tough love is understood as coming from a place of caring about what&rsquo;s best for everyone.
Former NBA vet and Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon said he felt players have returned with a bitter taste in their mouths after the way last season ended and expects them to come into camp highly motivated to show their true potential. Griffin, who is passing off some of the medical-team-oversight responsibilities to Langdon, feels this group is &ldquo;really optimistic."
"We have pieces that can be really dynamic and win together," Griffin said. "They haven&rsquo;t done a lot of it and they know they have something to prove."
Williamson definitely has something to prove and has new motivations in life to live up to his potential. The expecting father with no more viable professional excuses or blame to be placed on youth ''wanted change."
"If I want change, I have to do something different so I sat down with the Pelicans and came up with a great plan," Zion said.
All public signs from the front office, All-Stars and those speaking behind the scenes point to a mended, healthy relationship between all parties as reason for future optimism. Reports of mutiny or group dissension are downright wrong according to what I&rsquo;ve been hearing. Hot takes to insinuate the franchise operates from behind a smoke screen miss the mark at best and at times show the worst of biases from people who wouldn&rsquo;t know which coach or player had a family sitting next to them in the arena.
There were no ultimatums. It was a remodel, not a revolt. The front office took feedback from their players and ran with it. That&rsquo;s a positive relationship. It&rsquo;s boring for offseason news but has long-term benefits for the team and it&rsquo;s fans.
"If we would have controlled the narrative, it would have made (the media&rsquo;s) jobs a lot more boring, but it would have put [Williamson[ in a better position to succeed," Griffin said last summer. "I feel like to a huge degree, I failed him in that sense."
The Pelicans and Williamson are now in a position to succeed with a clear narrative: Win and show the world their true capabilities. Williamson, who trained to be &ldquo;un-guardable&rdquo; this offseason, switched vocabulary halfway through the press conference with an admission that he is &ldquo;a basketball player."
"I simply want to win and impact the game. I train to impact the game from all areas&hellip; Griff, Trajan and Swin [Cash], those three have been really helpful," Williamson added. "They've supported me, they've had my back and we all got the same goal in mind, which I think is what family is about &ndash; people having your back no matter what and wanting the best for each other.&rdquo;
Williamson went further, going out of the way to declare his loyalty to New Orleans.
&ldquo;This is home for me. This is where I want to be&hellip;" he said. "If something were to happen to me where basketball wasn&rsquo;t there or my life is changed, who would be there for me? Realistically, who would be there for me? I had to come to that realization that when it comes to them, the family, and the city, it&rsquo;s always good so I focus on that.&rdquo;
Frankly, if that doesn&rsquo;t hit you right in the feels as a fan of the Pelicans, it might be time to re-examine your engagement with basketball and this team. Either way the franchise is moving forward with stronger relationships just as their championship window is truly opening. A great start to the season might even feel like a second honeymoon for fans with an open mind and little bit of hope for the future.
Other news from around the web: <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/dress-to-impress-why-barbie-and-ken-are-the-hottest-couples-costume-this-halloween/ar-AA1iaTEh" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barbie and Ken are the hottest couples costume this Halloween</a>

The New Orleans Pelicans are all on the same page and could be poised for a big season, writes Christopher Dodson.

Pelicans better understand love languages of All-Star relationships

Who are these Boston Celtics?
As of late, they have consistently been a top-four team in the NBA, but rarely top-two and never No. 1. They have flashes of brilliance followed by periods of uncertainty and indecisiveness. They take games off, beating the best teams in the league while dropping games to some of the worst.
It is difficult to gauge which Celtics team will show up on any given night, or even any given quarter. For a team that is that good when they&rsquo;re on, they really are that bad when they&rsquo;re off.
It was impressive that they almost came back from a 0-3 deficit in the playoffs &ndash; something that has still never happened in NBA history. But the flip side of that coin is that they dropped three-straight games to the Miami Heat to start that series. They are a team of high highs and low lows.
Now, they could become even more volatile with the loss of their leader Marcus Smart. Smart played all nine of his NBA seasons in Boston, slowly earning a starting spot, but quickly earning the adulation of the fans. He led their defense with his tenacity and &ldquo;Smart&rdquo; plays. He also led their offense with his playmaking and shot creation. It's a big hole to fill, but at a guard position that was absolutely stacked, they do have some guys to pick up the pieces.
Derrick White will step up to fill that role and he will likely do a great job. White has elevated his game on both sides of the ball since joining the Celtics and has already proven he is a great culture fit. Malcolm Brogdon will also see increased minutes without Smart and, like White, has fit right in.
On the other hand, I am worried that Kristaps Porzingis will not be a good fit in Boston, which is ironic because they traded their glue guy (Smart) for him. Positionally and skill-set-wise, Porzingis might seem like a great fit. His numbers speak for themselves and this offense is perfect for him. Their starting lineup will be one of the best in the league with White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Porzingis and Robert Williams III.
But Porzingis isn&rsquo;t exactly battle-tested. He has never really been on a good team, playing in just 10 playoff games throughout his NBA career. Compare that to Smart, who has played significant minutes in 108 playoff games, with at least one series per year. It&rsquo;s not entirely Porzingis&rsquo; fault that he hasn&rsquo;t been on teams that could compete in the playoffs, but he&rsquo;s unproven in an area where Boston has struggled.
To add insult to injury, the Celtics also lost Grant Williams because they decided to spend their money elsewhere. It's rare for a team to have multiple glue guys, but Boston had two and decided to part ways with both of them in the same offseason. Williams was seemingly on the way out ever since he rejected their extension offer last summer. During last year&rsquo;s playoff run, he had multiple puzzling healthy scratches.
With all that being said, they still have a strong team leader in Al Horford, and Joe Mazzulla had a good first year as head coach. Brown and Tatum have emerged as leaders, despite how young they are. Even though they have yet to reach their prime, they are becoming veteran presences with seven years and six years in Boston, respectively.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s surprising that the Celtics aren&rsquo;t more consistent given the deep playoff experience that their key pieces have. They made at least the Eastern Conference Finals in five of the past seven years, losing there in Game 7 twice while only appearing in one NBA Finals series. Two years ago, they were up 2-1 in the Finals and led in Game 4 only to lose in six games to the Golden State Warriors.
So, what&rsquo;s going wrong? Are they underperforming or are they just a step behind the best teams in the league? Do they just need to let Brown and Tatum reach their prime? Will this new-look Celtics team finally bring the Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy back to Boston? Or has losing Smart and Co. pushed them even further away from that reality?
Only time will tell. Usually, I&rsquo;m glass-half-full before the season starts, but losing both halves of their heart &ndash; Smart and Williams &ndash; is not a good look. 
I don&rsquo;t see this team winning a championship this year or even making the NBA Finals. No, it's likely a return to Eastern-Conference-Finals purgatory for the Celtics. Many teams would be ecstatic over a Conference Finals appearance, but for a Boston team and fan base that has been there so many times before and want so much more, it's not nearly enough.

The Celtics have been a team of high highs and low lows. Jake Flynn breaks down what to expect entering the 2023-24 season.

Boston Celtics 2023-24 NBA season preview: Can the C's win it all?

The 2023-24 NBA season is rapidly approaching, yet there are still a lot of uncertainties around the league. Typically, there's a clear group of potential champions in the NBA. This year is a little different, as a number of teams improved and put themselves in a position to contend. 
Recently, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/which-nba-teams-are-under-the-most-pressure-entering-202324-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we broke down the teams facing the most pressure</a> entering this season. Today, we'll break down the players who are under immense pressure to lift the Larry O'Brien trophy at the end of the season. Here are my top-five players under the most pressure to win a championship this year.
5. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Devin Booker is widely regarded as one of the NBA's best shooting guards, but he hasn&rsquo;t seen much playoff success. The Suns have had a lot of regular-season success in recent years, and they reached the NBA Finals in 2021. However, they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in embarrassing fashion and they haven't had much postseason success since. Booker is now surrounded by the best roster he&rsquo;s had in his entire career and has every tool necessary to reach a championship. He still has time, so he won&rsquo;t face too much backlash if he doesn&rsquo;t win this year, but the window for that Suns team to win is rapidly closing. 
4. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers
Paul George is now on his third playoff team, and second team with an elite duo. His pairing with Kawhi Leonard should have led to much more success by this point, but both players have struggled to stay on the court. They have been a solid team, but nothing more. Leonard hasn&rsquo;t been to the NBA Finals since he was in Toronto, and George hasn&rsquo;t ever been to the NBA Finals. The clock is ticking for these two, and the backlash they&rsquo;ll receive if the pairing amounts to nothing will be very unpleasant. 
3. Chris Paul, Golden State Warriors
The narrative around Chris Paul&rsquo;s lack of a championship has gotten so bad that he&rsquo;s been given the nickname &ldquo;CP0," as in zero rings. While this play on his actual nickname is harsh, it&rsquo;s painfully accurate. Paul has been on elite team after elite team, and he's yet to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy. He&rsquo;s been in the league for 18 years and hasn&rsquo;t won anything significant. For a player who has always been viewed as one of the best at his position, this is just unacceptable. He won&rsquo;t play as prominent of a role this year with the Golden State Warriors, but either way, a championship would silence his doubters and do wonders for his resume.
2. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid isn&rsquo;t even under pressure to win a championship; he's under pressure to get out of the second round. Embiid has been to the playoffs every season aside from his rookie year (in which he played 31 games). Granted, Embiid has been through a lot of drama throughout his tenure with Philadelphia and his teammates haven&rsquo;t always performed great in the playoffs. Also, nobody can forget Kawhi Leonard&rsquo;s iconic buzzer-beater back when he was on the Raptors. Even still, he has had opportunities and he&rsquo;s let his team down. If he doesn&rsquo;t at least make it past the second round, he will face a ton of criticism.
1. James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers
James Harden has had more success than most players without a championship, but he&rsquo;s quickly tarnishing all of the positive goodwill he has built up. Had Harden not displayed such immaturity while requesting a trade from the 76ers, Embiid likely would have been first on this list. With that said, Harden showed the NBA world yet again what he&rsquo;s like when he doesn&rsquo;t get his way. For a player who has never even been to the NBA Finals, he sure demands a lot when he gets bored of staying in one place for too long. All of this is assuming he even plays this season, but he will need to finally back up his talk to keep the critics off his back.

Hunter Simpson breaks down five NBA players who are under the most pressure entering the 2023-24 season.

5 players under the most pressure entering the 2023-24 NBA season

SlamBall co-founder Mason Gordon spoke to Alex Kennedy about the sport's return, the new season on ESPN and much more.

The return of SlamBall: Co-founder Mason Gordon discusses new season

Alex Kennedy is joined by 7-time NBA All-Star and Hall-of-Famer Tracy McGrady! 
T-Mac discusses his Ones Basketball League that he recently founded, staying with Kobe Bryant when they were teenagers, the NBA's age limit, the time he nearly teamed up with Michael Jordan on the Chicago Bulls, the Orlando Magic's potential Big Three of T-Mac, Tim Duncan and Grant Hill, his dream one-on-one matchup, today's players who play like him and much more.
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Alex Kennedy is joined by 7-time NBA All-Star and Hall-of-Famer Tracy McGrady.