The Celtics did pretty much whatever they wanted in Game 3. For example, Ray Allen decides to drive for a power dunk rather than drain the three. It was that kind of game.
As for the Magic, the question on this play is the one you could ask all game: Where was the help? The teamwork?
PARIS — Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points and 12 rebounds and the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks beat the Charlotte Hornets 116-103 on Friday night in the first NBA regular-season game in France.
Top plays from The Greek Freak:
30 PTS | 16 REB | 6 AST | 68% FG pic.twitter.com/cNnMIpridy
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 24, 2020
Milwaukee improved to 40-6 with its eighth straight victory. The Bucks have the best 46-game start in franchise history. They were 39-7 in 1970-71 when they went on to win the NBA championship.
Eric Bledsoe added 20 points and five assists for the Bucks.
Malik Monk led Charlotte with 31 points. The Hornets have lost eight in a row.
Milwaukee rallied to tie it at 78 going into the fourth quarter. Pat Connaughton put the Bucks in front with a dunk in the fourth. Then Antetokounmpo got going, drawing a foul as he slalomed through the defense.
Dallas took a big hit this week when center Dwight Powell went down with a torn Achilles. The Mavericks’ starting center was a critical pick-and-roll partner with Luka Doncic, a roll man and vertical threat that allowed Kristaps Porzingis to space the floor (along with other Dallas shooters), plus Powell was a solid team defender.
Willie Cauley-Stein is going to get a chance to fill that role.
Golden State is trading Cauley-Stein to Dallas for a second-round pick.
Golden State is finalizing a deal to trade C Willie Cauley-Stein to Dallas, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 24, 2020
Dallas is sending Golden State a 2020 second-round pick (via Utah) for Cauley-Stein, league source tells ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 24, 2020
Dallas just made a trade for Justin Patton to waive him and clear out a roster spot for this trade.
Cauley-Stein is averaging an efficient 7.9 points and 6.2 rebounds a game for Golden State. More importantly for Dallas, he provides the athletic dive man, a threat on the roll they need to keep things open for Doncic.
Dallas could have waited out the market to try and land a better center, but this gives them a reliable fit for minimal cost (a late second-round pick, they kept Golden State’s own second rounder). Cauley-Stein will split time at the five with Kristaps Porzingis, Maxi Kleber, and Boban Marjanovic.
Willie Cauley-Stein is on a two-year minimum contract- $2.17M and $2.28M. The second year has a player option. As a result of the trade, Dallas will waive Justin Patton.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 24, 2020
For those of you crunching the numbers at home:
Dallas is acquiring Cauley-Stein with the $11.7M trade exception created from the Harrison Barnes trade last February. The exception is needed because WCS signed for part of the non-tax ML (slightly north of the minimum). Golden State will now have a $2.17M trade exception. https://t.co/1hC38E40Fu
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 24, 2020
For Golden State, in the short term, this move creates a couple of open roster spots. One of those likely will be used to re-sign Marquese Chriss, who was waived last week. The other roster spot likely will go to Ky Bowman.
Golden State adds a pick and a trade exception for sending out a player that was not part of their long-term plans anyway.
We have a trade…
That shifts things around on the end of the bench in Dallas so they could create a roster spot forWillie Cauley-Stein (a trade that was announced later). A trade that is mostly about saving some and rolling the dice on a project in OKC.
Dallas is sending Isaiah Roby to OKC for Justin Patton, a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Dallas is trading forward Isaiah Roby to Oklahoma City for Justin Patton and cash consideration, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 24, 2020
What is really going on here?
For Dallas, this is about clearing out a roster spot, it plans to waive Patton. That roster spot is going to Willie Cauley-Stein in a trade with Golden State, that was just reported. The Mavericks lost center Dwight Powell to a torn Achilles this week and needed to bring in a player or two — via trade or free agency — to help bolster the existing front line of Kristaps Porzingis, Maxi Kleber, and Boban Marjanovic. Here is Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.
We just landed in SLC, catching up, told the Roby-for-Patton move is clearing roster spot for potential future move. Patton will be waived.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) January 24, 2020
The move also clears out a little cash for Dallas.
In Oklahoma City, they get a young player to develop but also save some money.
Isaiah Roby is in year one of a four year contract.
* 19/20: $1.5M
* 20/21: $1.5M (fully guaranteed)
*21/22: $1.8M (guaranteed on 7/3/21)
* 22/23: $1.9M (guaranteed on 7/3/22)Tax bill in OKC goes from $2.3M to $2M. The Thunder are now $801,066 over the threshold.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) January 24, 2020
Roby has not played in an NBA game yet. The rookie out of Nebraska — taken 45th overall last June — is a development project, but one who passes the eye test for an NBA power forward. He did a lot of things well in college — scoring, rebounding, works hard off the ball — but can he do that at an NBA level? He’s played in nine G-League games this season, averaging 9.2 points and 7 rebounds a game.
Lauri Markkanen ranked No. 34 on our list of the 50 best players in 5 years entering the season.
Instead of building toward that promise, Markkanen has underwhelmed. His shot just isn’t falling as hoped.
Now, the news get even worse.
Bulls:
INJURY UPDATE:
Lauri Markkanen underwent an MRI of his right hip at Rush Hospital on Jan. 23 which revealed an early stress reaction of his right pelvis. Following a period of rest, Markkanen will resume basketball related activities with a full return anticipated in 4-6 weeks.— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 24, 2020
The Bulls (2.5 games and two games out) have been hanging in the playoff race. But there was already little reason to believe they’d make a postseason push. Now, there’s even less rationale to predict a longshot postseason run.
Markkanen will be eligible for a contract extension next offseason. The 22-year-old can still fulfill his potential as a 7-foot shooter with defensive versatility. But he’s running out of time to show consistent contributions. That’ll make it tougher for Chicago to offer a satisfactory extension.
Two of the very things that could happen for the Bulls are Markkanen shaking off his extended slump and landing a high draft pick.
This could help with both.