Draft expert Sam Vecenie recently spent time with evaluators and league insiders at the G League Showcase and the CBS Sports Classic in Las Vegas. He reported that McDaniels has been one player who has improved his draft stock so far this season (via The Athletic):
“One player evaluators did note as having helped himself so far this season is Jaden McDaniels at Washington. Due to the general unrest throughout the lottery, I’d say McDaniels has settled in as the No. 5 guy right now — with a heavy emphasis on right now given how uncertain everything is across the board with this draft. Some evaluators are actually willing to throw him into the conversation with the aforementioned four players at the top, but there is also a group of evaluators who are lower on McDaniels than anyone else in that top grouping. Thus, I feel most confident putting him at No. 5.”
The 6-foot-9 freshman has a 7-foot-1 wingspan and was a five-star recruit for the Huskies. The power forward was the highest-rated player at his position in his class as well as the top player coming out of the state of Washington.
Awesome debut for Jaden McDaniels in Washington's win over Baylor. Looked like the top-10 pick his obvious talent suggests he should be. True 6-9 wing, flashed the handles to create drives + dribble jumpers. Totally fluid with athleticism/skill execution. pic.twitter.com/mOvOZZkIa3
Vecenie noted that scouts have been most impressed with his defensive skill set as a freshman. But on the offensive side of the ball, McDaniels is a tough-minded player currently averaging 14.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for the Huskies.
His best game of the season came against Ball State during the CBS Sports Classic. He recorded 22 points while shooting 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. The following game, his scoring was quieter but he pulled down 13 boards against Hawaii.
Overall, McDaniels has scored some flashes of greatness but needs to be more reliable and more consistent at the next level. However, in a draft relatively weak at the top, the potential may be enough to earn him Top-5 consideration.
The Celtics took the shine off Terry Rozier’s return to Boston Sunday night with a big fourth quarter from third-year forward Jayson Tatum.
For a little while, it looked like “Scary” Terry was the least of the Boston Celtics’ problems.
Second-year guard Devonte’ Graham nearly stole the show on the eve of Terry Rozier’s return to TD Garden, knocking down five three pointers and scoring 17 points in the first quarter, threatening to run away with the game early.
But the Celtics would adjust in the second frame, limiting Graham to just seven points over the next two quarters, Boston riding a career night from swingman Jayson Tatum to victory.
Scoring a career-best 39 points and 12 boards, including 22 points in the fourth quarter alone, the Duke product blew a close game wide open with his offensive eruption in the final frame.
Devonte' Graham knocks down 5 3⃣-pointers in the 1Q! #AllFly
Rozier, for his part, had a solid homecoming, greeted with cheers and a few boos ahead of the game, and logging a respectable-if-inefficient 14 points and 4 assists over 38 minutes on 6-of-17 shooting.
Graham would provide the bulk of the Hornets’ scoring with 23 points and 10 dishes while veteran center Bismack Biyombo added 18 points for good measure. Forward Miles Bridges chipped in 15 points and 6 boards as well.
Former Charlotte floor general Kemba Walker put up 23 points on his former team, wing Jaylen Brown added 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, and rookie forward Grant Williams logged 12 points as well for the Celtics.
The adored Boston two way center Tacko Fall was called for often and early yet again, checking in late in the final frame after Tatum’s fourth-quarter onslaught made it safe for the still-green big man to check in.
Checking in to the usual chants of “We want Tacko” with a smattering of “M.V.P.”, the UCF product managed 4 points, 2 boards and a block in just four minutes of playing time.
The Boston Celtics next face an injury-riddled Toronto Raptors in Canada on Christmas Day at noon ET.
Previewing Sunday’s Charlotte Hornets at Boston Celtics sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.
The Charlotte Hornets (13-19) visit the Boston Celtics (19-7) on Sunday at TD Garden for a 6 p.m. ET tip-off. We analyze the Hornets-Celtics odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.
Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.
Hornets at Celtics: Key injuries
Hornets
SF PJ Washington (finger) out
Celtics
SF Gordon Hayward (foot) out
C Vincent Poirier (finger) out
SG Marcus Smart (eye) out
C Robert Williams (hip) out
Hornets at Celtics: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Even as the more shorthanded team, the Celtics (-1112), second in the Eastern Conference, will win handily over the ninth-seeded Hornets (+650). The Celtics are 11-1 on home court for the season and have won back-to-back games coming into Sunday. They dropped the Detroit Pistons 114-93 on home court last time out. The Hornets are 6-10 on the road and have lost two straight games, the most recent a 114-107 defeat at home at the hands of the Utah Jazz on Saturday.
There’s no play to be made here with a $10 bet on the Celtics to win outright returning a profit of just $0.90. It’s far too much chalk to swallow, and we’re looking to make dollars not cents. Make this a more competitive and more worthwhile wager by laying the points on the spread.
The CELTICS (-13.5, -106) win this one comfortably, by at least 14 points. They have the rest and home advantages on their side, and they’re the all-around better team, even if Hayward needs to sit. Boston is 16-8 against the spread overall and 8-3 at home. Charlotte is 17-15 ATS overall and 9-7 on the road.
The Hornets have lost by at least 14 points eight times this season, including a 22-point loss to the Indiana Pacers a week ago today. The Celtics have won by 14 or more points six times, including Friday’s game against the Pistons.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Celtics to win by at least 14 returns a profit of $9.43.
The juice is on the OVER 209.5 (-115) but that is just fine. It’s an easy pick on a slightly low projection. The second-half situation for Charlotte will help open scoring for Boston, while the Celtics’ injuries — particular to Smart and Hayward — make for easier paths to the hoop for the Hornets.
Esten’s NBA betting record: 110-77
Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
After over a month of the college basketball season, we are starting to get a better picture of what the 2020 NBA Draft will look like.
After over a month of the college basketball season, we are starting to get a better picture of what the 2020 NBA draft will look like.
For example, Georgia Bulldogs freshman Anthony Edwards is beginning to separate himself as a near-consensus No. 1 overall pick. On the other side of the coin, though, several of the projected top selections (LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman, Cole Anthony and RJ Hampton) will miss extended time due to either injury or suspension.
In order to get a better read of the bigger picture, we collected opinions from the top experts and analysts that cover the draft. The latest 2020 NBA mock drafts from ESPN, CBS Sports, SI.com, Bleacher Report, NBADraft.net, The Athletic as well as USA Today Sports Media Group’s Rookie Wire were used for these rankings.
Cassius Winston, Aaron Henry, Xavier Tillman in top-45 of The Athletic's NBA Draft Big Board https://t.co/LFrVsMcvZD
One of the most interesting takeaways is that the Michigan State Spartans have three players (Cassius Winston, Aaron Henry and Xavier Tillman) all trending up.
After making the Final Four in last year’s March Madness, the program was expected to take another leap forward for their 2019-20 campaign.
Despite three losses in their first 10 games, the Spartans still rank No. 15 overall this season. This can be attributed to the fact Michigan State currently has the third-best offense in college basketball, per KenPom.com.
They also have three of the most improved players since our last aggregate mock draft. The full list, and more on each of the MSU players moving up draft boards, is included below.
Since our last AMD, this has moved up 17 spots in our rankings.
Despite already being 21 years old, the 6-foot-1 guard currently has a first-round grade from ESPN as well as Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports.
Winston has been one of the best distributors since he began at MSU. 67.1 percent of all field goals for the Spartans have been assisted, which is the sixth-most among all teams so far this season. His career assist rate (44.1 percent) ranks No. 1 overall among all college players who have played at least 50 games since 2009-10, via Sports-Reference.
With 7 assists today vs Rutgers, Cassius Winston now has the 2nd-most career assists (770) in Big Ten History, passing Illinois’ Bruce Douglas.
Winston is now just 46 assists behind Mateen Cleaves for the conference career record (816). pic.twitter.com/BLzMQGjpzx
During his freshman season, he had the second-best assist rate (46.7 percent) in the NCAA. Then as a sophomore, his assist rate (43.5 percent) trailed only Trae Young for the best in college basketball. Last season, his assist mark (44.8 percent) ranked third-best and behind only Ja Morant among all who played for teams that made the tournament.
But he has also shown strength as one of the more accurate shooters in the NCAA.
Winston was 75-for-151 (49.7 percent) from beyond the arc in 2017-18. That helped him join the exclusive 50-40-90 club for field-goal percentage, three-point percentage and free-throw percentage. Even as a sophomore then, the guard was one of the few to have a membership with at least two three-point attempts per game.
There is some enough NBA readiness to show he can contribute right away for a winning team.
Aaron Henry, Wing
AMD Rank: 33
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Since our last AMD, this has moved up 26 spots in our rankings.
Henry was of the players who helped himself the most during the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Then a freshman, he put up 20 points with 6 rebounds and 6 assists during a victory over LSU.
While he has not yet taken the leap some expected as a sophomore, draft experts still have confidence in him as a prospect. His highest ranking right now comes from Jonathan Wasserman, who has him at No. 28 overall (via Bleacher Report):
“The eye test on Henry looks more convincing than the numbers. He isn’t a high-level creator, which limits him in Michigan State’s offense. But the 6’6″ guard is hitting open shots, capitalizing on driving lanes and making impact defensive plays. This late, teams will overlook Henry’s production for his fit.”
Perhaps the best news for the wing is that there is room for improvement. However, there have also been moments that show what Henry is capable of accomplishing at the next level.
This season, for example, the sophomore has been one of the most effective shooters off the catch. He is averaging 1.78 points per possession on catch-and-shoot attempts in a set offense, per Synergy Sports, which ranks in the 98th percentile.
Henry is also shooting 72.7 percent at the rim, which is an especially solid rate for a wing. Overall, he looks like someone capable of being a 3-and-D player in an NBA rotation.
Xavier Tillman, Big
AMD Rank: 50
Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Since our last AMD, this has moved up 13 spots in our rankings.
Michigan State has always been a team that plays better with Tillman on the court. Last season, for example, the big actually had the third-best box plus-minus in the NCAA — trailing only Zion Williamson and Brandon Clarke.
Jeremy Woo recently helped contextualize what professional teams may like about the 6-foot-8 junior (via SI.com):
“Tillman specializes in doing the dirty work and has been a largely unheralded yet invaluable piece of the Spartans’ success dating back to last season. He’s not particularly tall for a center but has a chance to be a quality rotational big in the pros with what he adds defensively and on the glass. Tillman has worked on extending his shooting range, and if he ends up being able to shoot the three, he’ll have a fairly strong window of opportunity as a role player. A lot of the things he does as a screener and defender don’t show up in the box score, and while he’ll never be more than a fourth or fifth offensive option, he might be able to thrive in that capacity.”
His best trait so far this season has been his ability to cut to the basket. He is shooting 15-for-17 (88.2 percent) on these attempts, per Synergy.
But he has also added value on the offensive glass and as a rim protector for Michigan State. His willingness and ability to make the most of time on the floor makes him a draftable professional prospect.
The Golden State Warriors were easily the most dominant NBA team in the 2010s decade. What teams followed them? Our full rankings included.
The end of the decade is upon us, which a good time to look at the teams that thrived and those that took a nosedive over the 2010s.
For clarity, the period examined begins with the 2010-11 NBA season and ends Dec. 12, 2019, rather than bridging games that were played in the second half of 2009-10. Remember, the 2011-12 season was limited to 66 games due to a players’ strike.
30. Sacramento Kings
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
The Kings have been consistent … as in consistently under .500. The last time the franchise had a winning season was 2005-06. It will be interesting to see if they can get over the .500 mark this go-round. The Kings are currently flirting with .500 but still under.
Jarrett Allen feels Brooklyn’s loss to the Hornets could help the Nets with their approach to the Raptors and Sixers.
Wednesday’s loss to the Charlotte Hornets was both disappointing for the Brooklyn Nets, yet understandable, as well.
Now, the Nets led by as much as 20 and the Hornets are not exactly one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. So, in that sense, Brooklyn absolutely should’ve won.
On the other hand, this is the third time the Nets and Hornets have played each other, and it’s only Week 8 of the 2019-20 season. The last time they played one another, prior to Wednesday, was Friday (12/6). In each of the first two meetings, Brooklyn won. And everyone knows the old cliche, “it’s hard to beat a team three times.”
Ultimately, it was a game the Nets were very much in control of and they let it slip away.
Now Brooklyn has a challenging road-home back-to-back coming up on Saturday and Sunday. First, the Nets visit the Raptors, then they host the Sixers.
But a loss like Wednesday’s could, in a way, jumpstart Brooklyn. Because, as Jarrett Allen pointed out to reporters on Wednesday, the loss was unacceptable:
Ya know, it’s a wake-up call. After we lose a game like this — ya know, credit to them still, but once we lose a game like this, we’re going to prepare extra hard for the next game. Ya know, look at our mistakes and improve on them.
The Brooklyn Nets lost a very winnable game to the Charlotte Hornets. At one point, Brooklyn led by 20.
The Brooklyn Nets held a sizeable lead over the Charlotte Hornets for much of the night on Wednesday — leading by as much as 20 at one point — but could not finish the job. Charlotte outscored the Nets 60-44 in the second half and went on to win 113-108.
A large part of what led to the Hornets’ comeback was the play of Charlotte guard Devonte’ Graham. In his 37 minutes of action, Graham scored 40 points on 12 of 21 shooting (7 of 12 from deep). He also had five rebounds and five assists.
What also hurt the Nets was Joe Haris (1-for-8), Garrett Temple (1-for-5), Taurean Prince (1-for-5) and Spencer Dinwiddie’s (2-for-9) struggles from three. As a team, Brooklyn shot 26.3% from deep. Overall, Prince went 2-for-12 from the field.
Dinwiddie still led the Nets in scoring with 24 points, finishing 8-for-16 from the floor (5-for-7 from two). He also had six assists.
Brooklyn’s bench offered a healthy amount of scoring, finishing with 37 points between the five reserves who played. Theo Pinson scored 12 on 5-for-9 shooting (2-for-4 from three).
Three members of the Brooklyn Nets logged double-doubles in Friday’s win over the Charlotte Hornets.
It took a little while for the Brooklyn Nets to gain an edge, but they were able to sneak past the Charlotte Hornets on Friday with a 111-104 win.
Jarrett Allen had himself another double-double — his seventh in a row — but, this time, he was not the only Net to do so.
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 13 points — marking only the second time he’s scored less than 20 since Kyrie Irving was sidelined by a right shoulder impingement — and logged a season-high 12 assists.
As a whole, the Nets distributed the ball well. Taurean Prince and Joe Harris had five assists apiece, Garrett Temple finished with four and DeAndre Jordan, Dzanan Musa and Iman Shumpert each had three.
Harris drilled a season-high six 3-pointers on eight attempts. He led the Nets with 22 points.
Prince was efficient in his 16-point performance. He went 6-for-9 from the floor, 2-for-4 from deep.
David Nwaba continues to provide a spark off the bench on both offense and defense. In 16 minutes of action, he scored a season-high 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting (2-for-3 from long-range).
