Miami Heat All-Star Bam Adebayo will sign a three-year, $166 million maximum contract extension to remain with the team through the 2028-29 season, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.

Adebayo, a three-time All-Star and five-time member of the NBA's All-Defensive Team, intends to formally sign the new deal when the league's moratorium on the free agent period ends on July 6.

The 26-year-old has two seasons remaining on a five-year, $163 million extension he signed in 2020.

Adebayo has spent his entire seven-year career with Miami after being selected by the franchise with the 14th overall selection of the 2017 draft, and has developed into a cornerstone player for a Heat team that reached the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023. The 6-foot-9 center has also emerged as one of the NBA's premier stoppers, having been named to the All-Defensive Second Team four times before earning First Team honours this past season.

The former University of Kentucky standout received his third career All-Star selection in 2023-24 after averaging 19.3 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 71 games.

One of seven active players to average at least 15 points and nine rebounds per game in each of the last five seasons, Adebayo has career rates of 15.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game over 489 regular-season contests.

Adebayo has appeared in 74 post-season games as well and has averaged 16.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists in those outings.

The Heat's current captain will also participate in his second Olympics this summer as part of the United States team headed to Paris. Adebayo previously helped the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games. 

The New York Knicks have agreed to a trade that would have coveted forward Mikal Bridges playing in Madison Square Garden next season, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.

The Knicks reportedly acquired Bridges for a king’s ransom, with Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round draft picks and a protected first-round pick via the Milwaukee Bucks headed to the Brooklyn Nets in return.

News of the trade broke a day before the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, as the Knicks continued to add talent around All-NBA Second Team guard Jalen Brunson.

Bridges, 27, has two seasons left on the four-year, $90.9million rookie extension he signed when he was with the Phoenix Suns, and the Nets reportedly feared that he may leave for nothing if he reached free agency.

A six-year veteran, Bridges averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 82 games last season in Brooklyn.

Bridges will reunite with former college teammates in Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart as the Knicks continue to build a Villanova alumni club in their locker room.

A versatile two-way threat, Bridges is expected to bring secondary scoring and ball-handling on offence and could see plenty of open 3-point looks with defenses focusing on Brunson and Julius Randle.

Bridges is also the NBA’s active Iron Man with 474 consecutive games played, a welcome addition for a Knicks team that was devastated by injuries down the stretch last season.

The trade is not without risk for the Knicks, however.

In addition to the vast amount of draft capital sent to the Nets, Bridges’ addition casts doubt on New York’s ability to retain both OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein, who will be free agents on June 30.

Bridges is able to easily swing between guard and forward positions, but a frontcourt that included Randle, Anunoby, Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson could be too crowded.

The Knicks gave up talented pieces in RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to acquire Anunoby at last season’s deadline, but his skill-set could be somewhat redundant with Bridges on the roster.

If Knicks president Leon Rose is able to keep even one of Anunoby or Hartenstein, however, New York will add talent and depth to a team that won 50 games last season and broke down in the playoffs only after several key injuries.

The Nets will almost certainly take a step back after losing last season’s leading scorer, but the trade helps replenish the franchise’s arsenal of future assets that was diminished by acquiring James Harden in 2021.

With early reports touting the 2025 draft class as deep in high-level talent, Brooklyn turned its focus away from the 2024-25 season and toward the future.

Scottie Barnes has emerged as a legitimate star for the Toronto Raptors.

The Raptors are rewarding him with the richest contract in franchise history.

Barnes plans to sign a five-year maximum rookie extension that could be worth up to $270million, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The deal, which was reported Monday, can't officially be signed until July 6, when the NBA's moratorium period on free agents ends.

The fourth overall pick of the 2021 draft by the Raptors, Barnes took home Rooke of the Year honours in his first year in the league and is coming off his best year as a pro.

The 22-year-old wing was named to his first All-Star team after averaging 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.47 blocks.

He made huge improvements with his long-range shooting, making an average of 1.7 3-pointers a game while shooting 34.1 per cent from beyond the arc last season after averaging 0.8 made 3-pointers and 28.1 per cent shooting from the perimeter in 2022-23.

He played in Toronto's first 60 games before a fractured left middle finger sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

The injury isn't considered serious, as he likely could've returned if the Raptors were in the play-off conversation.

Toronto, however, finished with the NBA's sixth-worst record and is in full rebuilding mode with Barnes as the centrepiece of the franchise moving forward.

One year after one of the most predictable No. 1 picks in the history of the NBA, this year’s draft has plenty of intrigue at the top – and throughout the first round, for that matter.

And one year after Victor Wembanyama was the clear-cut top pick by the San Antonio Spurs, another Frenchman could go first overall with two of Wemby’s fellow countrymen routinely slotted into the top spot by many prognosticators.

But while Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher have both been projected to be drafted at No. 1, it’s uncertain who will hear their name called first by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Wednesday.

Or if it will even be one of those French prospects with a number of Americans expected to be selected early.

One thing is for certain, though, and that's the most well-known American in this draft class – Bronny James – will not be the top pick.

The Atlanta Hawks will be picking first after surprisingly winning the draft lottery on May 12, despite having just a three per cent chance of securing the top pick after going 36-46 this past season and finishing in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

Picking first for the first time since 1975, their decision at No. 1 will set in motion how the rest of the evening will transpire.

That is, if they keep the pick.

Atlanta general manager Landry Fields said last week that he isn’t planning on trading the top pick, but he’s listening to offers.

Risacher has recently been linked to the Hawks after excelling for his team in France’s top league and also in the EuroCup. The 6-foot-8 wing appears to have a high ceiling as both a catch-and-shoot 3-point specialist and is an exceptional defender. An excellent dribbler and ball-handler for someone of his size, the 19-year-old plays as a point forward, as he reads the floor well and is able to deliver crisp passes.

Atlanta could also choose to follow in the footsteps as San Antonio from a year ago and go with the elite rim protector in Sarr. With a 7-foot-4 wingspan, the versatile19-year-old brings not only length, but also athleticism, and has displayed marked improvements with his mid-range and 3-point shooting. He has the size of a centre at 6-foot-11, but shows the agility and ball-handling of a wing and can pull up from deep just as easily as he can drive to the hoop.

If the Hawks pass on Sarr, he would seemingly be a good fit for the owners of the second pick, the Washington Wizards.

Washington allowed a league-worst 123 points per game last season, and Sarr would provide an immediate upgrade on defense.

While either Risacher or Sarr are the overwhelming favourite to go first by most pundits, an American from the college ranks could end up being the second pick.

Reed Sheppard from Kentucky, Donovan Clingan and teammate Stephon Castle from national champion Connecticut all potentially could go to the Wizards at No. 2.

The 20-year-old Sheppard is a deadly shooter from 3-point range, and should make an easy transition to the NBA as he possess a high basketball IQ. Not only did the Big East freshman of the year lead all Division I American college players in 3-point shooting at 52.1 per cent, but he also displayed his athleticism at the NBA draft combine with a 42-inch vertical jump – the best among all participants. He’s only 6-foot-1, but he’s hard-nosed and tough and plays with an edge defensively, as he averaged 2.48 steals in 2023-24.

Castle will never be confused with Sheppard for his 3-point shooting – as he shot a mere 26.7 per cent from outside the perimeter on 75 attempts – but he is terrific at creating a shot off the dribble inside the arc – as he shot 54.4 per cent on all 2-point attempts as a freshman with the Huskies last season. Explosive with the ball in his hands, he also brings size and tenacity to the defensive end, and has the capability to guard just about anyone.

Clingan, however, may be the best defensive prospect in this draft class. The linchpin of the defense for the back-to-back national champions, the 7-foot-2, 280-pounder averaged 13 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.46 blocks per game and is an ultimate rim protector with his nearly 7-foot-7 wingspan. He’s physical near the basket, but is also quite agile for someone of his size.

Two of the more recognizable American collegiate players – notable for vastly different reasons – are nowhere to be found near the top of the draft boards.

The back-to-back American collegiate AP national player of the year, Zach Edey, dominated against the young men in college but is viewed as being a tad slow to do the same against grown men in the NBA. With a nearly 8-foot wingspan, the 7-foot-3 Canadian will likely still be tough to defend near the basket and if he can develop a long-range shot, he could one day become a serviceable player in the pros.

Possibly the biggest name in the draft class – and easily the biggest question mark – is the son of the one and only LeBron James.

Rarely do 6-foot-1 guards who averaged 4.8 points in 25 games in their one collegiate season as a freshman garner this much attention, but never before has the son of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer been in this position. The younger James performed well at the NBA’s draft combine – his 40 ½-inch vertical jump was the third best among all guards – and obviously has strong basketball bloodlines, but his game is a work-in-progress.

The elder James had previously said it would be a dream to play with his son, so do the Los Angeles Lakers pull the trigger at 17 to select the 19-year-old?

Well before the younger James joins his dad in the NBA, prospects Matas Buzelis, Dalton Knecht, Cody Williams and Devin Carter are all expected to be drafted.

Buzelis is a Lithuanian-American who opted to play for the G League Ignite in 2023-24 instead of continuing his career at the college level. Once considered the early favourite to go first overall in this draft, the 19-year-old is an excellent two-way player with good length and a strong motor. So why is he no longer the projected No. 1? He somehow forgot how to shoot from long range. After connecting on better than 40 per cent of his 3-pointers as a senior in high school, he made just 27.3 per cent of his 3-point attempts in his one season in the G League. The hope is he’ll be able to regain his shooting touch.

Knecht didn’t have the same issue as Buzelis last season. Knecht lit it up from deep in 2023-24, shooting 39.7 per cent from 3-point range as a transfer at Tennessee. With good size and the ability to create shots from just about anywhere on the court, the 6-foot-5 wing may have the highest upside as anyone in this draft class. His one drawback? His defense leaves something to be desired. If teams are willing to overlook his defensive shortcomings, he should excel in the NBA as an offensive playmaker.

Williams, meanwhile, brings it on the defensive end and can also shoot. Though he’s most dangerous with the ball in his hand by driving to the rim, he also proved last season as a freshman at Colorado that he can’t be given too much space on the outside, as he connected on 41.5 per cent of his 41 3-point attempts. The brother of 2022 lottery pick Jalen Williams by the Oklahoma City Thunder, the 6-foot-6 Williams is also an excellent ball-handler and adept passer.

Carter is another projected lottery pick after earning Big East Player of the Year honours in 2023-24 at Providence. He averaged 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists and is able to score in a variety of ways. His defence may be his best attribute, however, as he is able to defend just about anyone on an opposing team.

It’s been suggested that this particular draft is one of the least compelling in several years, with no “can’t-miss superstar” and lacks overall talent depth.

Yet those factors also make this draft a bit more interesting, with so many unknowns and a plethora of potential selection scenarios

Despite all the uncertainties, however, one thing can't be argued, and that is it’s anyone’s guess how this draft will unfold.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are set to hire Kenny Atkinson as their next head coach.

Atkinson will take over for J.B. Bickerstaff, who was fired after Cleveland was eliminated by the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics in five games in the second round of the post-season.

Atkinson, 57, will be an NBA head coach for the second time after going 118-190 and making one play-off appearance with the Brooklyn Nets from 2016-20.

After stepping down as head coach of the Nets in March 2020, Atkinson was an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Clippers (2020-21) and Golden State Warriors (2021-24).

Bickerstaff went 170-159 with Cleveland after taking over for John Beilein in 2020 and led the franchise to the play-offs in each of the last two seasons following a four-year post-season drought.

In early May, the Cavaliers beat the Orlando Magic in seven games to win their first play-off series since reaching the 2018 NBA Finals.

It also marked Cleveland's first trip to the Eastern Conference semi-finals without LeBron James on the roster since 1992-93.

The Sacramento Kings will retain a key piece into the foreseeable future as they look to build upon two straight trips to the NBA's play-in tournament.

Deft scoring guard Malik Monk agreed to remain with the Kings on a four-year, $78million contract, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported late Thursday night.

The last year of the deal reportedly carries a player option.

Monk set career highs last season by averaging 15.4 points and 5.1 assists while finishing second in Sixth Man of the Year award voting.

Monk, a seven-year veteran out of Kentucky, was due to be an unrestricted free agent on June 30.

Monk had been linked to several teams searching for an infusion of perimeter scoring in free agency, including the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic, but those clubs will now need to look elsewhere.

Monk has averaged 11.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 458 career NBA games.

While the Kings have yet to win a play-off series since 2004, Sacramento have strung together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2004-06. In 2023, the club ended a 16-year post-season drought and forced the defending champion Golden State Warriors to a Game 7 in their first-round play-off series loss.

The Sacramento Kings will retain a key piece into the foreseeable future as they look to build upon two straight trips to the NBA’s play-in tournament.

Deft scoring guard Malik Monk agreed to remain with the Kings on a four-year, $78million contract, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported late Thursday night.

The last year of the deal reportedly carries a player option.

Monk set career highs last season by averaging 15.4 points and 5.1 assists while finishing second in Sixth Man of the Year award voting.

Monk, a seven-year veteran out of Kentucky, was due to be an unrestricted free agent on June 30.

Monk had been linked to several teams searching for an infusion of perimeter scoring in free agency, including the Philadelphia 76ers and the Orlando Magic, but those clubs will now need to look elsewhere.

Monk has averaged 11.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 458 career NBA games.

While the Kings have yet to win a play-off series since 2004, Sacramento have strung together back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2004-06. In 2023, the club ended a 16-year post-season drought and forced the defending champion Golden State Warriors to a Game 7 in their first-round play-off series loss.

Oklahoma City and Chicago have swapped guards, with the Thunder acquiring Alex Caruso from the Bulls in exchange for Josh Giddey on Thursday.

ESPN was the first to report the trade, which cannot become official until July 6.

The 30-year-old Caruso is considered one of the NBA's top defenders, having been named to a pair of All-Defensive teams.

He is also viewed as an important role player for a potential championship contender after helping the Los Angeles Lakers win the 2019-20 title.

The Thunder finished with the Western Conference's best record this past season, but were knocked out of the play-offs in the semi-final round by the Dallas Mavericks.

A seven-year NBA veteran, Caruso averaged career highs of 10.1 points and 3.8 rebounds this past season, along with 3.5 assists and 1.69 steals while starting 57 of 71 games.

Giddey, the sixth overall pick of the 2021 draft, started 80 games for the Thunder this past season, but saw his numbers drop from 2022-23.

After averaging 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists in his second season, the 21-year-old Giddey averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 boards and 4.8 assists in 2023-24. He is a career 46.4 per cent shooter from 3-point range.

He was investigated for having an improper relationship with an underage girl, but the NBA and police were "unable to corroborate any criminal activity."

The NBA dropped its investigation.

The Los Angeles Lakers will hire JJ Redick as their next head coach, handing him the job despite the former NBA guard having no coaching experience whatsoever.

Redick was not the Lakers’ first choice after they were recently turned down by Dan Hurley, who led the University of Connecticut to its second straight NCAA Tournament title this past season.

Los Angeles will instead have the 39-year-old Redick – and LeBron James’ podcast partner - on the sidelines next season after the former Duke University star spent the last few years with ESPN following his retirement from the NBA in September 2021.

Redick and James started a podcast called “Mind the Game” in March, and Los Angeles hopes that relationship convinces James to exercise his $51.4million contract option this month and not become a free agent.

Redick takes over for Darvin Ham, who was fired in May after the Lakers went 47-35 before losing to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.

Ham guided Los Angeles to the Western Conference finals in his first season as head coach in 2022-23. The Lakers were swept by the eventual NBA champion Nuggets.

The Orlando Magic selected Redick with the 11th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, and he went on to play 15 seasons in the league.

He is 20th all-time in NBA history with 1,950 made 3-pointers and ranks 15th in league history with a 41.5 shooting percentage from 3-point range.

Though the 2024 NBA playoffs saw its share of surprising outcomes, in the end the best team reigned supreme.

And the Boston Celtics left no doubt of their superiority by seizing the franchise's record 18th Larry O'Brien Trophy with one of the most successful post-season stretches of the NBA's modern era, maintaining the level of dominance they displayed while winning a league-best 64 games during the regular season.

Monday's clinical 106-88 victory over the over-matched Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the Finals was the fitting conclusion to a stellar play-off run in which the Celtics went 16-3. That winning percentage of .842 is the second-best by an NBA champion since the league moved to a best-of-seven format for all four rounds in 2003, bettered only by the 2017 Golden State Warriors super-team that lost just once during that year's play-offs.

Detractors will be quick to point out Boston's relatively easy path to glory, as they didn't have to face any of the Western Conference's top four seeds in the Finals and also avoided the East's second and third-best teams, the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks, in earlier rounds. 

The numbers suggest it may not have mattered.

Boston finished the regular season with the league's best offensive rating (120.2) and ranked third in defensive rating (109.0), and their 11.2 net rating (the difference between offensive and defensive rating) was the highest by any team since the aforementioned 2016–17 Warriors posted a 12.1 mark en route to capturing their second of three NBA titles within a four-year span.

And the Celtics cruised through the play-offs despite Kristaps Porzingis, one of the team's three 20-point-per-game scorers, missing 12 total games with a leg injury that rendered him to a reduced supporting role for much of the Finals.

So, what were the main factors behind Boston's season-long run of brilliance, one this budding dynasty appears to be fully capable of extending beyond 2024? Here's a closer look:

Three-point markmanship

Head coach Joe Mazzulla's offence is built around the 3-point shot, as the Celtics hoisted up a league-high 3,482 trey attempts during the regular season - 240 more than the next highest team -  and had a staggering 47.1 per cent of their total shots taken from beyond the arc.

If you're taking that many long-distance shots, you better have guys that can make them. And Boston certainly did.

The 2023-24 Celtics became the first team in NBA history with seven players that shot 37 per cent or better from beyond the 3-point line while having 250 or more attempts in a season, and their overall 3-point percentage of .388 ranked second in the league behind only Western Conference regular-season champion Oklahoma City's .389.

And when Boston was hitting its threes, it was virtually unbeatable. The Celtics were 36-1 in the regular season when shooting over 40 per cent from 3-point range, and 8-0 in the post-season when that number was higher than 37.5 per cent.

Disruptive defence

The Celtics also had the NBA's best net rating in 2022-23, a season which memorably ended with a stunning seven-game loss to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. Miami pulled off the upset by beating Boston at its own game, as it shot a scorching 43.4 per cent from 3-point range for the series while the Celtics struggled to a 30.3 per cent success rate.

Dallas, which had the second-highest rate of 3-point shots attempted per total field goal attempts during the regular season at 44.1 per cent, was determined to follow the Heat's blueprint in the Finals, but this Celtics team would have none of it.

The Mavericks made good on over 40 per cent of their shots from beyond the arc in their Game 4 blowout win, but were held under 30 per cent in three of their losses and under 32 per cent overall for the series as Boston's perimeter disruptors - led by six-time All-Defensive Team member Jrue Holiday and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown - put the clamps on Dallas' sensational backcourt duo of Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving.

Doncic made just 11 of 45 (24.4 per cent) of his 3-point tries for the series, and the ex-Celtic Irving wasn't much better at 27.6 per cent. The Mavericks shot 29.7 per cent as a team from long distance when Holiday was on the court and 29.9 per cent when Brown was in the game.

Dynamic depth

Boston was able to navigate Porzingis' lengthy absence, as well as the shooting struggles of top scorer Jayson Tatum for sizeable portions of the Finals, with relative ease due to strong contribtions from a few of its role players, most notably Al Horford and Sam Hauser.

The 38-year-old Horford stepped into a starting role with Porzingis either unavailable or limited for much of the post-season and handled it with aplomb, especially on the defensive end where the Celtics were a stingier outfit with the grizzled veteran on the court.

Hauser, an undrafted 3-point specialist whose role off the bench steadily increased during the season, made his presence felt as well by going 11 of 23 (47.8 per cent) from beyond the arc for the Dallas series. The Celtics were a plus-17 with him on the court over the five games.

A dynasty brewing?

Under a steady sequence of shrewd moves from former coach turned president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and predecessor Danny Ainge, the Celtics have assembled the NBA's most complete roster and one that has the capability of potentially wreaking havoc for years to come. With Horford hinting at his intentions to return for an 18th NBA season, Boston will have all of its main players back for next season with its core of Tatum, Brown and Porzingis still in their primes. 

Add in a coach in Mazzulla who's still not 36 years old with still room to further perfect his craft, and it's not hard to envision yet another banner or two hanging from the rafters of TD Garden in the near future.

The up-and-coming Indiana Pacers have retained a core member for next season and beyond, as ESPN reported Wednesday the team has agreed to a four-year, $189.5 million maximum extension with forward Pascal Siakam.

Siakam, a major contributor to Indiana's surprise run to this year's Eastern Conference finals, will officially sign the new deal when the NBA's moratorium on free agents expires on July 6.

The Pacers acquired Siakam on Jan. 17 in a blockbuster trade with the Toronto Raptors in which Indiana gave up three players, including valued guard Bruce Brown, and three first-round picks. The two-time All-Star proved to be an excellent fit, as he averaged 21.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 41 games following the trade and shot 38.6 per cent from 3-point range.

Siakam then averaged 21.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 17 play-off games to help the sixth-seeded Pacers eliminate two higher-ranked teams, the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks, and advance to the conference finals for the first time since 2014. 

The 30-year native of Cameroon was also an integral part of the Raptors' 2018-19 NBA championship team and was named the league's Most Improved Player that season.

Siakam has averaged at least 21 points and seven rebounds per game in five consecutive seasons and has received All-NBA honours twice during that period.

In 551 regular-season games over eight NBA seasons, Siakam has averaged 17.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists. He entered the league as a first-round pick (27th overall) of the Raptors in 2016.

With Siakam's new deal now agreed to, the Pacers will have their top five scorers from last season currently under contract. Indiana re-signed All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a five-year, $260 million max contract last summer and reached a two-year extension with standout center Myles Turner in January 2023.

The Detroit Pistons fired head coach Monty Williams on Wednesday after going an NBA-worst 14-68 in his first season on the sidelines.

Detroit gave Williams a six-year, $78.5million contract last June after he was fired by the Phoenix Suns following the 2022-23 season.

At the time, the deal was the richest ever for an NBA head coach.

Detroit, though, finished with the worst record in franchise history and set an NBA single-season record along the way when it lost 28 straight games after opening 2-1.

It’s been an eventful off-season for the Pistons, who hired New Orleans Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon as president of basketball operations and fired general manager Troy Weaver.

Detroit also had no luck in the NBA Draft lottery after being tied with the Washington Wizards for the best odds to secure the No. 1 overall pick at 14 per cent.

The Atlanta Hawks won the lottery despite having just a three per cent chance to win, and the Pistons fell back to the No. 5 selection.

Pep Guardiola's advice helped the Boston Celtics win the NBA Finals, so says Joe Mazzulla.

The Celtics clinched the NBA title with a 106-88 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 on Monday.

That sealed a 4-1 series win for Boston, who won their 18th Championship, and first since 2008.

And head coach Mazzulla revealed that Manchester City manager Guardiola, who was in attendance for Game 1 of the Finals, played a part in his team's success.

"Dallas has one of the smartest defenses," Mazzulla said.

"We had to be creative to counter them."

"Pep helped me in transitions and how to move guys."

Perhaps when he does eventually leave City, Guardiola might just try his hand in the NBA?

Jeff Van Gundy will finally make his NBA coaching return next season after reportedly agreeing to become Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue’s top assistant.

The 62-year-old Van Gundy spent this season as a senior consultant for the Boston Celtics, who won their 18th NBA title by beating the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 in Game 5 of the Finals on Monday.

Prior to working with the Celtics, Van Gundy was a television analyst for ESPN for 16 years after being the head coach of the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.

Van Gundy took over the Knicks in March 1996 and resigned 19 games into the 2001-02 season, a stretch that saw New York reach the NBA Finals in the lockout shortened 1998-99 campaign.

Houston hired Van Gundy in June 2003 and fired him after a first-round playoff exit in 2007.

Van Gundy owns a career coaching record of 430-318 in the regular season and 44-44 in the playoffs.

The Clippers went 51-31 this season and won the Pacific Division title for the first time since 2013-14, but they were eliminated by the Mavericks in six games in the first round of the playoffs.

Los Angeles signed Lue, who coached the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA title in 2016, to a five-year, $70million extension last month.

Kyrie Irving is confident the Dallas Mavericks can be regular championship contenders after their NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics came as a "bitter" ending to a "really positive journey".

Jayson Tatum delivered a magnificent performance in Game 5 with 31 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists, as the Celtics capped a dominant season by cruising to a 106-88 victory over the Mavericks on Monday to capture their first league championship since 2008.

It was a difficult night for Irving at TD Garden. Boston's All-Star forward and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown compiled 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists and played lock-down defence on the Mavericks star, who was held to under 39 per cent shooting in three of Dallas' four losses.

Irving, who spent two seasons with Boston before signing with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019, went just 5 of 16 from the field while managing 15 points, the third time in the series he produced 16 points or fewer.

But Irving was looking at the positives despite the 4-1 series loss and hopes Dallas will be back to go one better in the years ahead.

"We answered a lot of questions this year on what we were capable of doing and now it is just about being consistent," Irving said, per ESPN.

"I said that I wanted to be remembered as one of the best teams of this era and our last few champions have been a new one each and every year.

"So, I see an opportunity for us to really build our future in a positive manner where this is almost like a regular thing for us, and we are competing for championships. 

"From a spiritual standpoint, I think I enjoyed this journey more than any other season, just because of the redemption arc and being able to learn as much as I did about myself and my teammates and the organization and the people that I'm around."

After Dallas substituted its starters in the closing stages, Irving and Doncic exchanged an embrace and a few words on the sideline as the final seconds of the Celtics' victory ticked away.

"We said, 'We'll fight together next season, and we are just going to believe'," revealed Doncic.

Doncic battled injuries during the postseason and it remains uncertain if he will be able to represent Slovenia at the Olympic Games.

"I don't want to talk about what's next, man," Doncic said. "I have some decisions to make. I'm just trying to get a little bit healthier.

"It doesn't matter if I was hurt, how much was I hurt. I was out there. I tried to play but I didn't do enough."

With Doncic on the team, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd is optimistic there will be more NBA Finals appearances to come for Dallas.

He said: "For [Doncic] at the age of 25 to get to the Finals, to be playing his basketball at the level that he's playing...

"Now it's just being consistent. When you have one of the best players in the world, you should be always fighting for a championship."