Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday was the reason the Celtics team worked last year, and why they won the NBA Finals, according to reporter Bobby Manning.
According to Manning, Kristaps Porzingis gets most of the credit for their success, but he believes the Celtics only worked because of Holiday.
Only Holiday knew how to win a championship, winning the NBA Finals back in 2021 with the Milwaukee Bucks. He became a veteran leader on a younger team, and kept them focused on the goal.
While he didn’t put up the same offensive numbers as Porzingis, Jaylen Brown, or Jayson Tatum, he was the team’s leader on defense.
He was on the second team All-Defense, and had votes for Defensive Player of the Year. Before Holiday, the Celtics were purely offensive focused, and with him, they are balanced.
Holiday still has three years left on his contract, so here’s hoping he provides that veteran leadership for the next three seasons.
Bronny James should take the court for his first NBA preseason game, but it doesn’t appear he’ll share the floor with his dad.
The Lakers will face the Timberwolves in their preseason opener in Palm Springs, giving new Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick a chance to see Bronny in action. However, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported LeBron isn’t expected to play Friday.
Redick, who hosted a podcast with LeBron before the Lakers hired him, hasn’t revealed specific details about Bronny’s role in his rotation, but he is already impressed with the former USC guard.
WATCH:Bronny James’ preseason debut live on Sling
“Bronny, I feel very fortunate that I get to coach him, because he’s young and he’s hungry and he’s got a lot of inherent skill sets that we can really mold into a really good NBA player,” Redick said last month. “On top of that, he’s a fantastic kid. He’s extremely coachable. He’s got the right spirit and energy every single day.”
How many minutes will Bronny play against Minnesota? We’re about to find out.
Here is everything you need to know about Lakers vs. Timberwolves, including TV and streaming options for Bronny’s preseason debut.
How to watch Bronny James preseason game: TV channel, live stream TV channel: NBA TV Live stream: Sling Lakers vs. Timberwolves will air on NBA TV. Viewers can also stream the game on Sling.
Sling gives subscribers the ability to watch NBA preseason, regular season and postseason games. You can join Sling for as low as $15 for your first month, a $25 savings.
Lakers vs. Timberwolves start time Date: Friday, Oct. 4 Time: 10:30 p.m. ET | 9:30 p.m. CT | 7:30 p.m. PT Lakers vs. Timberwolves will tip off at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Oct. 4. The game will be played at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, Calif.
The Lakers open their preseason slate against the Timberwolves, headlined by the preseason debut for Bronny James.
However, LeBron James will not get the same preseason treatment as his 19-year-old son.
The No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, James is entering his 22nd season in the NBA. He’s still widely considered to be one of the best players in the league and is coming off of a season in which he averaged 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game.
James is expected to be at full strength for Los Angeles’ regular-season opener, but he won’t play in Friday’s preseason opener. Here’s more on his status.
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Is LeBron James playing tonight? LeBron James is not expected to play in the Lakers’ preseason game on Friday night, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick said earlier in the week that James would play at some point this weekend, so he could make his 2024 preseason debut on Sunday against the Suns. Los Angeles has a break between its second and third preseason game — the Lakers will be back to face the Bucks on Thursday, Oct. 10.
The Lakers have 21 players on their preseason roster, and they have to make decisions to cut the roster down to 18. This gives other players more of an opportunity to prove they belong on the team.
The Lakers haven’t had much turnover since last season, but they added two rookies to the roster in Bronny James and Dalton Knecht. Both suited up in Summer League and could see extended time in preseason.
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What time is Lakers vs. Timberwolves tonight? Date: Friday, Oct. 4 Time: 10:30 p.m. ET | 7:30 p.m. PT Los Angeles gets its preseason underway against Minnesota in Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., which is primarily the home of the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the Arena Hockey League.
MORE: Rui Hachimura primed for breakout season under JJ Redick
What channel is Lakers vs. Timberwolves tonight? Date: Friday, Oct. 4 TV channel: NBA TV Live streaming: Sling TV The Lakers’ first preseason game will be nationally broadcast on NBA TV. For those without cable, the game can be streamed on Sling TV.
Sling is the home for avid sports fans offering a range of sports channels so you can always cheer for your favorite teams with channels like ESPN, TBS, TNT, NFL Network, FS1 and more.
MORE: Bronny James was almost teammates with Stephen Curry
Lakers NBA preseason schedule 2024 The Lakers have six preseason games before they open the 2024-25 regular season against the Timberwolves on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Few rookies exceed expectations after being picked first in any American sports league. There are even fewer who run away with Rookie of the Year awards unanimously — or almost unanimously.
Fortunately for basketball fans in 2024, there were two players of such status, one from each major league. Victor Wembanyama became the seventh NBA player to win the honor by capturing every single vote and Caitlin Clark tallied all but one — which went to Angel Reese — when voted the WNBA’s premier rookie.
The two stars are familiar with one another, too. The Spurs center shouted out the Fever guard publicly in a Q&A on the team’s social media platforms Friday.
Here’s everything to know about Wembanyama paying Clark the ultimate compliment, explaining why he was “in awe” of her in college.
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What did Victor Wembanyama say about Caitlin Clark? Members of the Spurs roster were asked to name a WNBA player who inspires them and what makes them stand out in a video posted to the team’s social media accounts. Wembanyama quickly answered “Caitlin Clark” and then elaborated on his choice.
“When she was in college, the only college player that I was really in awe of the game,” he said. “Men and women’s college basketball, she’s probably the most impressive I’ve seen.”
and @wemby with the shoutout for @CaitlinClark22 👏 pic.twitter.com/xzaX6tRd8Q
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 4, 2024 Clark, of course, had a dominant career at Iowa.
In 139 games over four seasons, Clark averaged 28.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.4 rebounds. She finished with the most career points, most career 3-pointers and most career assists in Division 1 basketball, men’s or women’s. There’s plenty more where that came from, too.
MORE: The next steps for Fever to build contender around Caitlin Clark
Victor Wembanyama vs. Caitlin Clark rookie stats Clark and Wembanyama both had historic, record-breaking seasons in their respective leagues.
With San Antonio, the French national achieved many milestones his rookie year, like becoming the second first-year player ever to record a 5×5 game (at least five points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks) and notching a 40-point, 20-rebound game in March.
In Indiana, Clark propelled the Fever to attendance numbers never seen before in the WNBA and record-breaking viewership stats. Not to mention she earned Rookie of the Month four times, recorded the first two triple-doubles by a rookie in league history and broke the single-season assist record to name a few of her other accolades.
MORE: What’s next for Caitlin Clark after historic rookie season in Indiana
It’s worth mentioning when comparing the two that the NBA plays nearly twice as many regular-season games as the WNBA. However, the Fever did make their way into the postseason and the Spurs did not, which is another thing to consider.
The San Antonio Spurs could be better in 2024-25 than many people expect.
Second-year center Victor Wembanyama is one of the most unique players to ever enter the NBA, and he’s improving at a rapid pace.
The last player the league witnessed have such a dominant impact from such a young age was LeBron James. What most people forget about James’s early years in the league was how he single-handedly transformed the Cleveland Cavaliers into a winner.
The Cavaliers had already turned things around under LeBron by his second year, finishing the 2004-05 season above .500 at 42-40. The following year, James’s third, Cleveland went 50-32 and advanced into the second round of the playoffs.
Generational players tend to turn franchises around much quicker than people anticipate, and Wembanyama is certainly a generational talent.
Wemby’s ceiling is still unknowable (and scary), but it also should be said that even in his current state, Wembanyama is among the most impactful players in the league, especially on the defensive end.
Former Spurs vice president for strategic research Kirk Goldsberry declared Wembanyama the best defensive basketball player on Earth during The Bill Simmons Podcast on Friday.
“He’s the best defensive player in the world right now, and he’s still growing,” Goldsberry said. “It’s not close. … As we enter year two (of Wembanyama’s career), I think we’re going to see that he’s clearly the most impactful defensive player.”
“(The Spurs) were a top-five defense with him on the court at the end of the season … when he came off the court, they descended right back to that lottery-level defense that we expected from them. … He’s already there.”
The seven-foot-four Wembanyama is still just 20 years old.
The Spurs improved their roster around Wembanyama this past offseason, acquiring a much-needed floor general in Chris Paul and drafting a proven winner and versatile defender in UConn’s Stephon Castle.
The Miami Heat had somewhat of a curious offseason regarding their franchise player Jimmy Butler.
Heat president Pat Riley spoke scathingly of Butler during a postseason presser, specifically criticizing Butler’s availability. Recent reports from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (relayed by Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells) indicate that Butler is interested in signing another contract with Miami. But are the Heat fully in on Butler?
Whatever the situation may be, things have been murky enough in Miami for a Butler trade to be possible.
Riley is looking at the 35-year-old Butler and realizing now might be the last opportunity to get a great return in a trade involving Butler, thereby launching Miami into a new era built around 27-year-old stud All-Star Bam Adebayo.
As Riley scans the league for potential Butler suitors, the Houston Rockets could emerge as a team that provides an enticing package.
What if Riley asked the Rockets for rookie Reed Sheppard, along with Dillon Brooks and Jabari Smith Jr., in exchange for Butler?
Miami would be getting a tough-nosed defender in Brooks who perfectly fits their culture, not to mention two young talents to join with 23-year-old Jaime Jaquez and 21-year-old Nikola Jović, setting up a period of extended relevance for the Heat.
Smith’s value in the NBA is still not solidified, but he’s shown promise and comes with team options over the next two seasons if Miami’s ultimately disappointed.
Sheppard has looked exceptional so far in summer league and practice sessions to the point that some are wondering whether he should have been the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft.
Sheppard’s skill set as an elite shooter also fits in Miami’s system like a glove.
The only downfall to this trade might be that Houston wouldn’t want to part with Sheppard, in which case Miami might ask for Amen Thompson instead. Would Houston still not budge?
A Rockets core of Butler, Alperen Şengün, Jalen Green, Fred VanVleet, Steven Adams, and one of either Sheppard or Thompson might be difficult for Houston to turn down.
Butler to the Rockets could work for everyone involved.
