Mavericks take 3-2 series lead on Thunder

Per the Dallas Morning News:

Sprained right knee. Sore left ankle and Achilles. Stiff back.

The accumulation of injuries clearly has taken a toll on Luka Doncic during this second-round series, but Wednesday night he conquered the pain, and Oklahoma City, by summoning Luka Magic in the Mavericks’ 104-92 Game 5 victory in Paycom Center.

“The old Luka, with a smile on my face,” as Doncic put it.

Was it vintage Playoff Luka? No, but he was plenty overpowering, with 31 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds as Dallas took a 3-2 series lead over the No. 1 seed Thunder and moved within one victory of its second Western Conference finals berth in three seasons.

Not coincidentally, care to guess when and where and in what situation Doncic’s other dominant performance was since these injuries mounted? It was Game 5 of the first round, when he had 35 points and 10 assists in Los Angeles in a 30-point Dallas victory that broke a 2-2 series tie.

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Celtics advance to 2024 NBA Eastern Conference Finals

Per the Boston Herald:

The Celtics withstood a spirited effort by an injury-ravaged Cavaliers squad Wednesday night to book their third straight trip to the Eastern Conference finals.

Boston won 113-98 at TD Garden to eliminate Cleveland in five games.

Jayson Tatum finished with 25 points on 9-of-16 shooting, 10 rebounds, nine assists and four steals to lead the top-seeded Celtics, but he wasn’t the one hearing “MVP” chants as the game wound down.

That honor went to Al Horford, who posted a stat line never before seen in NBA postseason history.

Making his sixth consecutive start in place of the injured Kristaps Porzingis, the 37-year-old big man racked up 22 points, six 3-pointers, 15 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in 35 minutes.

Before Wednesday, no NBA player ever had recorded 20-plus points, 15-plus rebounds, three-plus blocks and five-plus made threes in a playoff game. Seven of Horford’s rebounds were on the offensive glass; Cleveland as a team had six offensive rebounds.

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Cavs eliminated from playoffs in second round by Celtics

Per the News Herald:

If the NBA handed out a participation trophy, the Cavaliers would have earned a gigantic one for the effort they showed while losing Games 4 and 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. But it doesn’t work that way when the participants are being paid millions upon millions of dollars.

The Cavs, playing without Donovan Mitchell (calf strain), Jarret Allen (rib injury) and Caris LeVert (knee injury), did not bow to the superior Celtics in Game 5 on May 15 in TD Garden. But in the end the home team prevailed, 113-98, to move on to the conference finals.

Mitchell also missed Game 4 with his calf injury. Allen missed all five games of the semifinals after missing the last three games of the Orlando series, which the Cavs won in seven games. The Cavs lost Game 4 to Boston, 109-102, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Once all the “Our guys never quit” talk subsides, Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman will have some important decisions to make. Or maybe they will be made by Altman’s boss — Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.

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Atlanta Hawks win 2024 NBA Draft Lottery

The Atlanta Hawks secured the first overall pick at the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, which was conducted earlier today in Chicago. The first pick in this year’s draft is Atlanta’s own.

Entering today’s lottery, the Hawks held a 3% chance of receiving the top overall pick in this year’s draft. It’s just the second time in Atlanta history the club owns the first overall pick, as the Hawks selected David Thompson with the first pick in the 1975 NBA Draft.

The 2024 NBA Draft will mark the 78th year of the event.

New this year, the NBA Draft will expand to a two-night format. The first round will take place on Wednesday, June 26 at the Barclays Center, while the second round will take place at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios on Thursday, June 27.

The first round will continue to have five minutes between draft picks and the second round will increase to four minutes from two minutes.

Hornets hire Charles Lee as new head coach

Charlotte Hornets Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson announced today the team has hired Charles Lee as head coach. Lee, who brings 10 years of experience as an NBA assistant coach, will join the Hornets after concluding the NBA Playoffs with the Boston Celtics, where he has spent the 2023-24 season as the team’s top assistant.

“We are excited to welcome Charles Lee as the head coach of Charlotte Hornets,” said Peterson. “His high character and his ability to connect with players while also instilling a culture of accountability will serve us well as we construct a competitive team built for long-term success. Charles possesses a championship pedigree with a wide range of basketball knowledge and NBA experience, has a tremendous work ethic and is a great communicator. He shares our vision for this organization, and I look forward to partnering with him in building something special here in the Carolinas. I can’t wait for our Hornets community to meet Charles, his wife Lindsey and his beautiful daughters, and feel Charles’ passion for the game and the intensity of his desire to win.”

Prior to his time in Boston, Lee served five seasons (2018-2023) as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks, ascending to associate head coach and helping guide the team to the 2020-21 NBA championship. He started his NBA career as an assistant coach for four seasons (2014-2018) with the Atlanta Hawks. Throughout his 10 NBA seasons, Lee’s teams have accumulated a 510-291 (.637) regular-season record, reached the playoffs nine times, captured seven division titles and earned five Eastern Conference No. 1 seeds. In four of the last six seasons, his teams have finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA.

“The opportunity to be the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets is a dream come true,” said Lee. “I want to thank Rick Schnall, Gabe Plotkin and Jeff Peterson for the trust they are placing in me to lead this team. The Hornets have a talented young core of players and I’m excited about our future and what we can build here. There are few places as passionate about basketball as the Carolinas, and I look forward to coming to Charlotte and getting to work.”

Nikola Jokic wins 2023-24 NBA MVP award

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is the recipient of the Michael Jordan Trophy as the 2023-24 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player. Jokić has been named the Kia NBA MVP for the third time, having previously earned the honor in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

The nine-year NBA veteran from Serbia is the ninth player to win three or more MVPs, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain (four), LeBron James (four), Larry Bird (three), Magic Johnson (three) and Moses Malone (three).

In the 2023-24 regular season, Jokić ranked 10th in the NBA in points, fourth in rebounds and third in assists per game. He became the second player in NBA history to have at least 2,000 points, 900 rebounds and 700 assists in a season, joining Oscar Robertson (1961-62).

Jokić finished second in the NBA in both double-doubles (68) and triple-doubles (25). He shot 58.3% from the field, the 10th-highest mark in the league.

Behind Jokić, the Nuggets (57-25) matched the franchise high for victories in a season and tied for the best record in the Western Conference.

Victor Wembanyama wins 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year award

The NBA today yesterday that Victor Wembanyama has been named the 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year. He is the first French player to win Rookie of the Year and third Spur to capture the award, joining Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

Wembanyama appeared in 71 games, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.58 blocks and 1.24 steals in 29.7 minutes, leading all rookies in scoring, rebounds and blocks per game.

WEMBY SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Accumulated 1,522 points, 755 rebounds, 274 assists, 254 blocks: The first player in NBA history with 1,500+ points, 700+ rebounds, 250+ assists, 250+ blocks and 100+ 3-pointers in a season.

Second rookie in NBA history to lead the league in blocks: 3.58 BPG and 254 total blocks (Manute Bol, 1985-86).

Registered 342 combined steals and blocks: First rookie to eclipse 300+ combined steal and blocks in a season since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992-93.

Youngest player in NBA history to record a 20/20 game: 20 points, 20 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks vs. Chicago on Dec. 8.

Youngest player in NBA history to register a 5×5 game: 27 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals, 5 blocks at LA Lakers on Feb. 23.

Youngest player in NBA history to post a 40/20 game: 40 points, 20 rebounds, 7 assists vs. New York on March 29.

First NBA rookie to have a triple-double involving blocks and another involving assists in the same season.

First player in NBA history to average 3.50 blocks and 1.0 three-pointers.

Nets hire Jordi Fernandez as their new head coach

The Brooklyn Nets recently named Jordi Fernández as the 24th head coach in the franchise’s NBA history.

“We’re thrilled to announce Jordi Fernández as Brooklyn’s new head coach,” said General Manager Sean Marks. “As we progressed through an extensive search over the past six weeks, it became increasingly clear that Jordi is the best coach to lead our team forward. Jordi brings a diverse set of experiences and basketball knowledge gained over the course of a coaching career that has taken him around the world. Each step of the way, Jordi has consistently demonstrated the ability to implement strong processes and creative systems designed to optimize each team’s specific roster. He’s proven the ability to build genuine relationships and garner the respect of players of all levels, and we’re confident that our players will benefit greatly from his expertise. We look forward to Jordi, Kelsey and their children joining the Nets family and calling Brooklyn home.”

Fernández joins the Nets after spending the last two seasons (2022-24) as associate head coach of the Sacramento Kings. Last season, he helped lead the Kings to the 2023 Pacific Division title and the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference in Sacramento’s first postseason appearance since the 2005-06 season.

The Badalona, Spain, native also currently serves as the head coach of Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team, a position he has held since June 2023. Last summer, he led Canada to a bronze medal at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, representing Canada’s first-ever medal in the event. Under Fernández’s direction, Canada registered an overall record of 6-2, including a win over Team USA for third place.

“We are excited to welcome Jordi Fernández and his family to the Nets big family. Jordi’s character as a leader and his emphasis on structure, process and habits will instill a Nets identity that our fans will want to root for,” said Nets Governor Joe Tsai. “We look forward to working with Jordi to build a sustainable winning culture in Brooklyn.”

Tyrese Maxey wins 2023-24 NBA Most Improved Player award

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Tyrese Maxey has been named the 2023-24 NBA Most Improved Player. Maxey becomes the second player in franchise history to earn the honor, joining Dana Barros in 1994-95.

“Congratulations, Tyrese! The Most Improved Player award is a testament to your incredible work ethic including countless early mornings in the gym perfecting your craft,” Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey said. “Your journey to All-Star in just your fourth season is inspirational to everyone who watches you play. Your dedication to continuous improvement and excellence has you on the path from MIP to MVP.”

In his fourth NBA season, Maxey’s statistical leap included becoming a top-11 scorer in the NBA as his average jumped from 20.3 in 2022-23 to 25.9 in 2023-24. Maxey also boosted his rebounding average to 3.7, assists to 6.2, and steals to 1.0, with each mark representing a career high.

Naz Reid wins 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award

Minnesota Timberwolves center-forward Naz Reid is the recipient of the John Havlicek Trophy as the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

Reid has been named the NBA’s top reserve for the first time and becomes the first player to win the award with the Timberwolves. He is also the third player to earn the honor after not being selected in the NBA Draft, joining John Starks (1996-97) and Darrell Armstrong (1998-99).

In his fifth NBA season, Reid averaged career highs of 13.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 24.2 minutes in 81 games (14 starts). He made 169 three-pointers, exceeding his total from the previous two seasons combined (132). Reid also shot a career-high 41.4% from three-point range.

Reid helped the Timberwolves (56-26) finish with the second-best record in franchise history.