Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka trusts in Jayson Tatum to stay aggressive while facilitating the team, heading into Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
The Warriors have largely been able to restrict Tatum's scoring output on the way to taking a 3-2 series lead, with the Celtics now needing a win on home court on Thursday to save their season.
Tatum has averaged 23.2 points per game on 37.3 per cent shooting from the floor in this series, compared to the 27.8 points on 44.1 per cent in the preceding three series, despite an improvement to 47.5 per cent from beyond the arc against the Warriors.
More pertinently, however, his ability to feed teammates has diminished after setting a new career-high with 13 assists in Game 1.
Speaking to the media ahead of Game 6, Udoka believes the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and three-time All-Star can find the necessary balance to keep the series alive.
"From a scoring standpoint at times this whole series, not only in the fourth quarter, he's missed some things that he usually makes," Udoka said. "But we do want him to be aggressive and find that balance, as he's done all year.
"With Golden State specifically, they are trying to take him out of actions at certain times in the game, but it's on him to read that in positions where, understanding he's going to be doubled and be the bait at times and get everybody else involved.
"We have to make them pay as far as that. So, I wouldn't say his fourth is not as good or as bad as some of the other quarters. We want him to be aggressive and make the right read, which he's done all year."
On the other end, Boston's defensive approach on Stephen Curry changed in Game 5, but it freed up space for Klay Thompson.
The Celtics were much more aggressive guarding Curry coming out of the pick-and-roll in Game 5, but averaging 17.3 points on 35.8 per cent shooting in the opening four games, Thompson scored 21 points on an even 50 per cent. Thompson also shot five-of-11 from three, making up for Curry and Andrew Wiggins combining to shoot zero-of-15 from distance.
For Udoka, that is also a matter of balance.
"We don't feel we're as good as we had been in the first few games in other areas," he said. "Obviously, Curry got a ton of the credit for the shots he was making early, but our physicality and some of our adjustments we made on him were better.
"But we don't want to lose sight of everything else we've done well which is off-ball actions, whether he slips to the basket or Thompson, you saw our first two or three possessions, we had slips for layups to the basket.
"It was something we had taken care of well throughout the series as well as getting to Thompson. I think we lost the rope a little bit there."
NBA: Celtics run winning streak to five games
Jaylen Brown scored 29 points and the Boston Celtics withstood a late charge from the Minnesota Timberwolves to hold on for a 107-105 win on Sunday.
Brown had seven of Boston's 21 makes from 3-point range to complement Jayson Tatum's 26 points and eight rebounds as the Celtics extended their winning streak to five games. Derrick White added 19 points and nine rebounds for the defending NBA champions, who at 14-3 trail only the 17-1 Cleveland Cavaliers for the league's best record.
Anthony Edwards compiled 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists to nearly lead the Timberwolves back from an 84-73 deficit after three quarters. Minnesota could not get a shot off in the final seconds, however, and was dealt a second straight loss and fifth defeat in seven games.
Julius Randle chipped in 23 points for the Timberwolves, who also received 20 rebounds and 10 points from Rudy Gobert.
The Celtics hit four 3-pointers, including a pair from Tatum, during a 14-0 run that extended a one-point lead into a 69-54 advantage with 7:20 left in the third quarter. The margin was still double digits with eight minutes to go before Minnesota began cutting into its deficit.
A 9-3 spurt capped by Jaden McDaniels' dunk with 2:04 left pulled the Timberwolves within 104-102, and Minnesota had a chance at the victory after Brown's miss on a late 3-point try followed Randle's inside layup that trimmed Boston's lead to 107-105 with 33.6 seconds to play.
Brown cut off Edwards trying to drive to the basket, however, and Naz Reid's 3-point attempt came just after the final buzzer as the Celtics hung on.
Butler comes up big as Heat outlast Mavericks in overtime
Jimmy Butler recorded a season-high 33 points and the Miami Heat closed out overtime on a 6-0 run to come away with a hard-fought 123-118 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Miami also got 19 points and 11 rebounds from Bam Adebayo and 18 points and 10 rebounds from Tyler Herro to earn back-to-back wins for the first time since Oct. 26-28.
Butler added nine boards and six assists while finishing 11 of 17 from the field in his second game back from a sprained ankle. The six-time All-Star forced overtime with a dunk off a Duncan Robinson feed that tied the game at 114-114 with 4.3 seconds left in regulation.
Playing its second straight game without Luka Dončić, Dallas had a season-high four-game winning streak halted. Kyrie Irving paced the Mavericks with 27 points, but went 3 of 12 from 3-point range on a night Dallas shot just 25 per cent from beyond the arc.
P.J. Washington chipped in 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Mavericks, while Dereck Lively amassed 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Lively's dunk off Washington's missed shot gave Dallas a 118-117 lead with 3:21 remaining in overtime, but the Mavericks were held scoreless the rest of the way. Adebayo drained a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to put the Heat back in front, and Butler later drove the lane and scored to give Miami a 122-118 edge with 1:38 to go.
The Heat owned an 87-77 advantage late in the third quarter, but Dallas finished out the period on a 7-2 run to get within five. Spencer Dinwiddie then scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to knot the score at 89-89, and neither team led by more than four points over the remainder of regulation.
Harden helps Clippers extend 76ers' woes
James Harden returned to Philadelphia to deliver 23 points and eight assists and help the Los Angeles Clippers continue the host 76ers' season-long struggles with Sunday's 125-99 rout.
The Clippers cruised to their fifth straight victory and dropped the injury-plagued 76ers to 3-13 by dominating from start to finish. Los Angeles shot 58 per cent from the field and built a lead as large as 33 points in the third quarter.
Los Angeles also received 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting from Derrick Jones and a 16-point, 12-rebound effort from Ivica Zubac, who missed just two of 10 field goal attempts.
The short-handed 76ers were again without former Clipper Paul George as well as 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid, both of whom continue to be sidelined with knee injuries.
Rookie Jared McCain led Philadelphia with 18 points but missed 12 of his 15 shot attempts. Backcourt mate Tyrese Maxey wasn't much more accurate, as he was held to 17 points on 5-of-13 shooting.
Harden, making his second appearance in Philadelphia since forcing a trade from the 76ers to the Clippers just over a year ago, tallied 12 first-quarter points as Los Angeles opened up a 39-27 advantage after 12 minutes.
The Clippers never trailed thereafter, as they outscored the 76ers by a 33-12 margin over the first nine minutes of the third quarter to take a commanding 95-62 lead. Jones had nine points for the period and Harden eight to go along with four assists.
Wembanyama 'flips the switch' to down Curry and Warriors
Victor Wembanyama said he had flipped a switch upon his return to action on Saturday, as the San Antonio Spurs managed an impressive 104-94 win over the Golden State Warriors.
San Antonio found themselves trailing by 17 points near the end of the third quarter and in danger of seeing their winning streak snapped at two games.
However, they rallied for the biggest comeback win by any team facing the Warriors this season, with Wembanyama the driving force.
Returning after sitting out three games with a right knee contusion, the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year had 25 points, seven rebounds and nine assists while also shooting 2-of-3 from 3-point range after half-time.
"I did find my rhythm physically," Wembanyama said afterwards. "It was a little hard to come back in terms of conditioning in the first half.
"There's a switch I'm trying to flip on demand.
"Strong catches, quick moves, not holding the ball, but also taking my time, taking shots with confidence, good feet and good preparation for the shot."
Point guard Chris Paul always knew a tough first half – in which Wembanyama went 2-of-6 from 3-point range – would not impact his team-mate's confidence.
"Vic's confidence never wavers, and it's so dope to see," Paul said. "He's confident. He knows the next one's going in.
"Vic was huge, just being his first game back. The defense, the shots. The plays that he made tonight were all winning plays. He's an alien. He's just so unique."
Golden State coach Steve Kerr was also left in awe of Wembanyama's all-round display, saying: "He was amazing, blocking shots, thwarting others, just being a presence in the paint.
"It was an impressive performance by him and by the whole team, defensively."
NBA: Bucks overcome Ball's 50 points in win over Hornets
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 11 rebounds and the resurgent Milwaukee Bucks overcame LeMelo Ball’s career-high 50 points in a 125-119 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night.
Milwaukee opened the fourth quarter with a 14-5 spurt for a 110-90 lead, but the Hornets got it to 121-119 on Brandon Miller’s 3-pointer with 15 seconds left.
Taurean Prince answered with a pair of free throws for the Bucks to make it a two-possession game, and Charlotte missed a pair of 3-pointers on the ensuing possession. Antetokounmpo hit two free throws with 4.5 seconds left to make it 125-119.
Ball hit 17 of 38 shots, including 6 of 17 from beyond the arc, and 10 of 13 free throws to surpass his previous personal best of 38 points, done twice.
Brandon Miller added 32 points for the Hornets, who have lost five of seven.
Milwaukee, which completed a 4-0 homestand, has won six of its last seven. The only loss in that span was a 115-114 loss to the Hornets on Nov. 16 following a controversial foul call.
Charlotte’s Grant Williams went to the locker room late in the fourth quarter with an apparent leg injury and did not return.
Milwaukee hit four consecutive 3s for a 12-3 run and a 96-83 lead late in the third quarter.
Nuggets use dominant 2nd half to rout Lakers
Nikola Jokic scored 34 points and Michael Porter Jr. added 24 as the Denver Nuggets used a strong second half to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 127-102.
Russell Westbrook had 14 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds for Denver against his former team.
Austin Reaves scored 19 points and LeBron James added 18 for the Lakers, who lost consecutive home games after starting the season 7-0 at home. Rui Hachimura, back in the starting lineup after he missed the previous five games with a left ankle sprain, scored 10 points in 22 minutes.
It was the teams' first meeting since the Nuggets beat the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs earlier this year. Denver also swept them in the Western Conference final the previous year.
Denver trailed by six points at halftime but outscored Los Angeles 37-15 in the third quarter and 70-39 for the second half while dominating inside and outside.
Westbrook had a putback dunk at the end of the third quarter to put the finishing touches on an authoritative quarter and extend the lead to 94-77. Westbrook then twirled his arms around emphatically in celebration as he ran back down the floor.
Magic down Pistons to continue surge
Franz Wagner continued his hot stretch with 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and the Orlando Magic defeated the Detroit Pistons 111-100 for their eighth win in nine games.
Wagner, who has scored 30 or more points in five of his last seven games, sat out the fourth quarter while the Magic’s bench stretched Orlando's lead to 22 with 7:19 remaining.
He has averaged 27.7 points in the 11 games since the Magic lost star Paolo Banchero to a torn oblique.
Mo Wagner had 18 points and seven rebounds off the Orlando bench, and Jonathan Isaac added five points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.
Jaden Ivey led the Pistons with 19 points and seven rebounds. Malik Beasley, starting in place of the injured Cade Cunningham, added 18 points.
Orlando remained unbeaten at home (8-0) despite playing without Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. and losing Jalen Suggs to a sore left hamstring in the first half.
After Beasley’s 3-pointer pulled the Pistons even at 56 at the outset of the second half, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope answered with a 3 and the Magic went off on a 20-9 run that included nine straight Magic points from Franz Wagner.
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