NBA roundup: Celtics pound Warriors for 11th straight win
Sun Mar 3 11:01pm ET
Field Level Media
A dominant first half allowed the Boston Celtics to extend their winning streak to 11 games by beating the visiting Golden State Warriors 140-88 on Sunday.
Boston made 15 of 24 3-point attempts in the first two quarters and led 82-38 at halftime. Boston's 44-point halftime lead was the largest in the franchise's history.
The Celtics shot 60 percent from the field in the first half (30 of 50), when they committed one turnover. The Warriors trailed by as many as 45 points in the second quarter. Each team rested its starters for all or most of the second half.
Jaylen Brown led Boston with 29 points, and Jayson Tatum added 27 on his 26th birthday. Boston made 25 of 49 3-pointers (51 percent) in the win.
Lester Quinones tossed in a team-high 17 points for the Warriors, who trailed 115-62 after three quarters. Boston led by as many as 56 points in the fourth. Stephen Curry went 2-for-13 from the field (0-for-9 from 3-point territory) in the first half and finished the game with four points. He did not play in the second half.
Knicks 107, Cavaliers 98
Josh Hart posted his third triple-double of the season for visiting New York, which lost Jalen Brunson in the opening minute before outlasting Cleveland in a battle of undermanned Eastern Conference contenders.
Brunson didn't return after suffering a left knee injury while hoisting his only shot barely 30 seconds after the opening tip. Following the game, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said Brunson has a knee contusion. X-rays came back negative.
Hart finished with 13 points and 10 assists while tying a career high with 19 rebounds. Donte DiVincenzo had 28 points, including the tiebreaking layup that gave the Knicks the lead for good with 5:39 left in the third. Evan Mobley (13 points, 13 rebounds) had a double-double for the Cavaliers, who also got a team-high 21 points from Sam Merrill.
Spurs 117, Pacers 105
Victor Wembanyama strutted his stuff while amassing 31 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, six blocked shots and a steal to help San Antonio to a rousing win over visiting Indiana.
Malaki Branham added 18 points for the Spurs, with Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson scoring 17 apiece.
T.J. McConnell led the Pacers with a season-high 26 points, while Pascal Siakam added 21. Myles Turner produced 16 points and 10 rebounds.
76ers 120, Mavericks 116
Tobias Harris scored 28 points and knocked down a critical 3-pointer as Philadelphia held off a ferocious rally by host Dallas to earn a win.
Philadelphia was in position to cruise to the finish line when it led by 15 with six minutes left in the game, but Luka Doncic (38 points, 11 boards, 10 assists) then took over. He scored nine points in a span of just two minutes to get the lead down to nine, helping Dallas eventually pull within 110-105 with 1:34 to go.
But Harris pushed the margin to eight with his triple from the corner, and the 76ers held on for their second straight win. Tyrese Maxey added 24 points for Philadelphia, which also got 21 from Kelly Oubre Jr. For Dallas, Kyrie Irving contributed 28 points.
Clippers 89, Timberwolves 88
Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points on 12-for-26 shooting and Los Angeles outlasted Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Norman Powell added 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting, including a 6-for-8 showing from beyond the arc, for the Clippers. Paul George finished with 15 points as Los Angeles overcame a rough game from James Harden, who finished with four points and went 0-for-10 from the field.
Anthony Edwards paced the Timberwolves with a team-high 27 points on 9-for-20 shooting. Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Rudy Gobert finished with 12 points and 16 rebounds.
Magic 113, Pistons 91
Paolo Banchero piled up 29 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Orlando pulled away from visiting Detroit.
Banchero has now scored 20 or more points in a team-high 39 games this season. Wendell Carter Jr. had 19 points and eight rebounds and Markelle Fultz made all eight of his shots for 16 points as the Magic completed a four-game sweep of the season series.
The Pistons have lost eight of their past nine games. Evan Fournier led Detroit with 17 points, Simone Fontecchio put up 15, Jalen Duren added 11 and Isaiah Stewart had 10.
Raptors 111, Hornets 106
RJ Barrett scored 23 points and Toronto defeated visiting Charlotte.
Immanuel Quickley added 22 points and 11 assists for the Raptors, who had lost their two previous games. Ochai Agbaji had 13 points and career-best nine rebounds to go along with two blocked shots.
Brandon Miller scored 26 points for the Hornets, who have lost four in a row. Miles Bridges scored 20 points.
- Russell Westbrook joins Nuggets on 2-year deal
- Warner Bros. sues NBA over media rights deal
- 76ers, Flyers need new sponsor for arena
- NBA denies TNT's attempt to be part of new TV rights deal
- Thunder 1st-round pick Nikola Topic has surgery for torn ACL
- Knicks, coach Tom Thibodeau agree to 3-year extension
- Hawks rookie Nikola Durisic undergoes foot surgery
- Andrew Nembhard, Pacers agree to 3-year, $59M deal
- 76ers introduce Paul George, celebrate ‘patient’ Tyrese Maxey
- Reggie Jackson to join 76ers after clearing waivers
- WBD, parent of TNT Sports, matches Amazon’s bid for NBA rights
- Mavs signing G Spencer Dinwiddie
- Bulls sign G DJ Steward to two-way contract
- Celtics' Sam Hauser agrees to 4-year, $45M extension
- Cavs F/C Evan Mobley lands 5-year, $224M extension
- Nets acquire F Ziaire Williams, draft pick from Grizzlies
- Kevin Durant practices with Team USA, targets exhibition game
- Clippers trade G Russell Westbrook to Jazz
- Raptors to host Wizards in preseason game in Montreal
- Magic co-founder Pat Williams dies at 84
The Phoenix Suns traded forward David Roddy to Atlanta in exchange for forward EJ Liddell. The 23-year-old began his career in Memphis but was traded to Phoenix ahead of last season's deadline. He played sparingly in Phoenix, averaging only 1.3 points in 17 games. With that in mind, Roddy likely won't see much action with the Hawks. However, he could be worth adding to fantasy rosters if Atlanta needs to put him on the floor during the 2024-25 campaign.
The Pelicans claimed center Trey Jemison off waivers. He was recently waived by the Grizzlies after spending time with the team last season. In 23 games in Memphis, Jemison averaged 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks. While the 24-year-old will likely spend time in the G League, the Pelicans may require his services at some point during the 2024-25 campaign, so the streaming potential is there for fantasy managers.
The San Antonio Spurs have signed guard David Duke Jr. to a two-way contract. The young guard signed a two-way deal with the organization last December. However, Duke only ended up playing in four games with the Spurs. Before that, Duke spent two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets. This is looking more like a depth move than anything else. The assumption is that Duke will spend a majority of his time in the G-League.
The Dallas Mavericks have signed forward Kessler Edwards to a two-way contract for the upcoming season. Edwards didn't make much of an impact on the court last season. He averaged 5.1 minutes per game across 54 appearances with the Sacramento Kings. Edwards started his career with the Brooklyn Nets but has played each of the last two seasons in Sacramento. He's a decent depth option but will likely spend most of his time in the G-League with the Mavs.
The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Russell Westbrook to a two-year deal. The veteran guard will receive $6.8 million over the next two seasons. Westbrook officially joins the Nuggets after being waived by the Utah Jazz following a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers. This was expected to happen after Utah waived the star guard. The assumption is that Westbrook is going to see significant minutes off the bench in Denver. He should immediately upgrade this bench that struggled to produce last season.
According to Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst, the team doesn't plan on trading center Brook Lopez. "Brook is so core to who we are," said Horst during an interview. "Of course, he has value around the league. That's a credit to him. But we've not engaged in any real conversations about trading Brook. I hope Brook retires as a Milwaukee Buck." The 36-year-old has been with the Bucks since the 2018-19 campaign. Since then, he's appeared in at least 68 games in all but one season. While Lopez's production has decreased over the years, he remains a double-double threat and one of the most durable big men in the National Basketball Association, giving him value for fantasy managers heading into the 2024-25 season. His abilities from deep and as a shot-blocker also give him a higher ceiling for category participants.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been instrumental to the team's success over the years. It's known his career is nearing an end. Yet, he added some clarity recently, stating during an interview he's "probably got two more" seasons left before he hangs it up. The 34-year-old has spent his entire career with the Warriors since entering the National Basketball Association, averaging 8.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks. He's also a four-time All-Star, four-time NBA champion, and the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year. Without question, Green has a Hall of Fame resume. While he should have more than a few quality showings for fantasy managers on the horizon, his days of consistent production are likely over, even with Klay Thompson now in Dallas.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry wants to finish his career with the team. While it's hard to envision the multi-time NBA champion playing for another club, he seemingly hasn't ruled it out. "I've always said I want to be a Warrior for life," Curry said during an interview with Marc J. Spears. "I'm taking it one step at a time, to be honest. I want to win. Let's put it this way, it's a long-winded way of saying that if it is a situation where you're a bottom feeder and it's just because you want to stay there, I'd have a hard time with that." The 36-year-old is entering the final phase of his Hall of Fame career. However, he's still playing at an All-Star level, most recently averaging 26.4 points and 5.1 assists while shooting 40.8% from deep during the 2023-24 campaign. It's a new era in Golden State, with Klay Thompson now a member of the Dallas Mavericks. But Curry has a chance to remain productive for fantasy managers, so he has a good chance of remaining a top-20 option in nearly every format imaginable.
Free-agent guard Josh Christopher agreed to a two-way deal with the Miami Heat. The 22-year-old spent the last two years with the Rockets. In 138 games in Houston, he averaged 6.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. With that said, he likely won't see much work with the big club during the 2024-25 campaign. However, even if Christopher gets his chance with the main unit, he probably won't play often enough to be a relevant fantasy option.
Free-agent forward Anthony Gill re-signed with the Washington Wizards. The terms of the deal haven't been disclosed. The 31-year-old has spent his entire career with the Wizards. However, he hasn't done much, averaging 3.6 points in 179 regular season contests. Gill was decent in his three starts in 2023-24, averaging 13.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks. Yet, he'll presumably spend most of his time at the end of the bench this season, making him nearly irrelevant for fantasy purposes.
Free-agent guard Killian Hayes agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Brooklyn Nets. It's an Exhibit 10 deal, so he'll have a chance to compete for a roster spot during training camp. The 2020 No. 7 overall pick has spent his entire four-year career with the Pistons. In 210 games, he averaged 8.1 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.2 steals. With the Nets recently commencing a rebuild, there's a chance Hayes could get minutes and even start, giving him streaming value for fantasy managers. However, he'll need to make the team first.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen is drawing trade interest from teams around the NBA. This isn't anything new. However, Allen's name resurfaced in trade rumblings after Evan Mobley signed a five-year extension with the Cavs. The 2017 No. 22 overall pick has two years left on his current deal. But he's coming off the best year of his career, finishing 2023-24 by averaging a career-high 16.5 points with 10.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Allen has a relationship with new head coach Kenny Atkinson dating back to their days in Brooklyn, so that could be enough to keep him on the roster. With that in mind, he's expected to remain a top fantasy producer no matter where he plays moving ahead.
The Grizzlies waived center Trey Jemison on Wednesday. The 24-year-old appeared in 23 games for Memphis last season. He showed promise, averaging 10.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 14 starts. There are still teams around the National Basketball Association who have two-way spots available, so there's a chance Jemison will link up with a new team. However, he's far from being a relevant fantasy option, and that's not expected to change in the near future. Memphis signed center Jay Huff to a two-way contract in a corresponding move.
Free-agent center Jay Huff agreed to a two-way contract with Memphis. The 26-year-old has spent time with the Lakers, Wizards, and Nuggets during his career. However, his most significant contributions came in the G League, most recently averaging 18.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks with the Greensboro Swarm last season. The Nuggets have Nikola Jokic in the middle, with Dario Saric, Peyton Watson, and DeAndre Jordan behind him on the depth chart. As a result, Huff isn't expected to be a relevant fantasy option anytime soon.
Free-agent center Orlando Robinson agreed to a one-year deal to join the Sacramento Kings. He spent the last two seasons with the Miami Heat. However, Robinson averaged only 3.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 67 appearances for the team. His statistical contributions likely won't improve in Sacramento, especially with Domantas Sabonis being one of the most durable players in the National Basketball Association.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant has resumed practicing with Team USA ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics. However, Durant's playing status remains a mystery, with Team USA head coach Steve Kerr stating there will be a "big collaboration" regarding when he will play. Fortunately, it appears the multi-time All-Star is moving in the right direction. While Durant likely won't suit up versus Serbia on Sunday, it appears he has a chance to get on the floor soon.
Free-agent center DeAndre Jordan re-signed with the Denver Nuggets. The 36-year-old averaged a career-low 3.9 points and 4.4 rebounds last season. While his presence adds depth to a team looking to capture another NBA championship, he will likely spend most of his time on the bench, especially with Dario Saric, Peyton Watson, and Zeke Nnaji on the roster. With that in mind, Jordan did average 16.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks in two starts during the 2023-24 campaign, so there is streaming potential for fantasy managers if Nikola Jokic misses time.
Free-agent forward James Johnson agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million contract to return to Indiana. The 37-year-old has played for 10 teams throughout his decade-plus tenure in the National Basketball Association. He spent the last two seasons with the Pacers, most recently averaging 0.9 points during the 2023-24 campaign. Johnson's leadership is his biggest asset for Indiana. However, it won't do much for his fantasy value.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic (knee) underwent successful surgery to repair a partially torn ACL. He's still expected to miss the entire 2024-25 campaign. While teams around the National Basketball Association were aware of the injury, that didn't stop OKC from selecting him with the No. 12 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft. With that said, Topic won't have any value in redraft leagues this season. However, patient dynasty managers can draft the 18-year-old accordingly, although it may take him a few seasons to find his rhythm.
Toronto Raptors guard/forward Bruce Brown continues to draw interest from several teams around the National Basketball Association. The 27-year-old is entering the final season of his current deal, making him an attractive commodity, especially for teams looking to make a deep postseason run. After signing with the Pacers before the 2023-24 campaign, he was traded to Toronto ahead of the deadline. However, Brown averaged just 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. His fantasy outlook isn't promising as long as he remains with the Raptors. Yet, it could increase significantly if Brown gets consistent minutes with a new team.