BOSTON — Center Nikola Vucevic needed just one practice to slot into the Celtics’ rotation and deliver a double-double in his first appearance on Friday night against Miami.
Celtics
The 35-year-old veteran logged a team-high 28 minutes, posting 11 points and 12 rebounds while Boston erased a 22-point deficit. Head coach Joe Mazzulla praised the newcomer’s quick adjustment, saying the big man “put himself in position to help us” by mastering the club’s terminology and coverages in a single day.
“I’m 35, but I still feel like I have a lot left in the tank,” Vucevic said after the win. “To play for something big, to play in the playoffs, that’s extra motivation.”
Warriors
Draymond Green told listeners on his podcast that this year’s trade deadline felt different after general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. spoke with him directly about possible scenarios — including one centered on Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“He told me straight up that if a deal happened, you or Jimmy would have to be in it just to make it work,” Green recalled. The conversation left the four-time champion wondering about his immediate future: “Am I staying there? Is my family coming? What’s actually going on?”
Bulls
After completing seven trades before the deadline, Chicago vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas made it clear the team no longer aims for the play-in tournament. “A championship is [our goal]. We are not satisfied with being in the middle,” he said.
The Bulls now emphasize youth, draft assets and flexibility, identifying Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue as cornerstones. Karnisovas also underscored the changing value of second-round selections, calling them “a currency in our industry.”
The moves leave Boston bolstered in the frontcourt, Golden State reflecting on what might have been, and Chicago charting a new course toward contention.
Source: Hoops Wire
