Tag: Christian Wood

Report: Celtics made offer for Detroit’s Wood, but Pistons balked

The Boston Celtics reportedly made a call about the Detroit Pistons’ Christian Wood, but were rebuffed — will they make a move for a big man today?

It seems like reporting suggesting the Boston Celtics are looking for a big man is accurate, with word coming from The Athletic’s Detroit Pistons beat writer James Edwards III that Boston made an offer for forward Christian Wood.

Detroit, evidently, was not especially interested in whatever the Celtics had in mind, but Wood should definitely be on Boston’s short list of low-cost options to bolster their bench rotation.

Scoring 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in 18 minutes per contest in a reserve role with the Pistons while shooting 37.6 % from three 1.7 times a game, the 6-foot-10 big fits the profile of the sort of player the Celtics should be looking into.

The UNLV product shoots well and often enough from the perimeter that he’d be able to fill in as a starter in some lineups, and would give Boston an excellent option off the bench most nights.

The rejection by Detroit’s brass doesn’t necessarily mean any potential deal for the 24-year-old big man is dead in the water, but if negotiations continue, it’ll likely require a significant offer for a player that seems to be part of the Pistons’ plans going forward.

The reporting, if accurate, does help us tease out the sort of direction Boston hopes to move in before the 3pm ET deadline arrives, if nothing else.

With a team thriving off the chemistry they’ve built this season, there is no major urgency for the Celtics to make a move.

Conversely, with as many as three incoming draft picks and not enough spots available next season to roster them, a trade is also not out of the question.

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With Westbrook out, Harden’s 39 not enough in lethargic home loss

Playing their third game in four nights and second of a split back-to-back, the Rockets lacked their usual energy in a home loss to Detroit.

Playing their third game in a third city in four nights and the second of a split back-to-back, the Houston Rockets (17-9) lacked their usual energy in an uninspiring 115-107 home loss Saturday night to the Detroit Pistons.

The defeat (box score) snapped Houston’s winning streak at two games after wins Wednesday and Friday in Cleveland and Orlando, respectively.

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Former MVP Derrick Rose led the Pistons (11-15) with a throwback performance off the bench, posting 20 points and 12 assists in 26 minutes. Detroit led by a comfortable margin for most of the game.

James Harden scored a game-high 39 points, but the superstar Rockets guard didn’t seem to have his usual legs. The NBA’s scoring leader made just 4-of-13 three-pointers (30.8%), a night after hitting 10-of-15 (66.7%) in his 54-point outburst during Friday’s blowout win at Orlando.

“It is what it is,”Harden said when asked if the loss could be blamed on the schedule logistics. “We all know how difficult it is. You’ve got to just continue to play through it. It was a tough one for us tonight.”

Collectively, the Rockets made just 13-of-45 treys (29.5%) Saturday at Toyota Center after going 22-of-39 (56.4%) in Orlando on Friday.

 

Rookie guard Chris Clemons, who had relatively fresh legs after playing only three minutes on Friday, scored 17 points and hit 5-of-11 three-pointers (45.5%) off the bench. Outside of Clemons, though, the Rockets were just 8-of-34 from behind the three-point arc (23.5%).

“He made some big-time shots,” Harden said of Clemons. “His confidence continues to grow as he gets more minutes, and as he gets more comfortable on the floor. When his number is called, he’s ready to go.”

Despite 19 rebounds from Clint Capela amid the absence of usual Pistons starting center Andre Drummond (eye), the lethargic Rockets were still outrebounded by a 55-46 margin overall. Christian Wood led the Pistons with 13 rebounds in just 22 minutes off the bench.

Russell Westbrook sat out for planned maintenance after offseason knee surgery, as he’s done in one game of all back-to-backs so far this season. Westbrook entered Saturday on a hot streak, and his absence was especially significant in the team’s minutes without Harden (-11).

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The Rockets have an off day Sunday before wrapping up their current two-game homestand on Monday versus San Antonio (10-15).

Christian Wood has been among most versatile offensive players in NBA

Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood had 28 points and 10 rebounds with a block and a steal during a victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Detroit Pistons big man Christian Wood had 28 points and 10 rebounds with a block and a steal during a victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

Wood, 24, made his NBA debut back in the 2014-15 season and has bounced around the league since then. During the offseason, the 6-foot-10 big man signed a one-year, minimum deal with the Pistons. While it is still early in the year, he has already played more games for Detroit than he has for any of his previous four teams.

Back in August 2018, Wood told HoopsHype that he could be an “X-factor” in the NBA. That is exactly what he’s been during with the Pistons thus far.

Wood is averaging 1.24 points per possession, which ranks in the 98th percentile of the league. Among all players who have finished at least 100 offensive possessions, only two have been more efficient than him.

Despite his 6-foot-10 frame, more than one-third of his field goal attempts have been on jump shots. He is currently shooting 13-for-26 (50.0 percent) on jumpers in a set offense, where he has been more efficient than all but two players with as many opportunities.

Considering how lethal his frontcourt partner Blake Griffin can be when attacking the basket, opponents often leave Wood wide open from three.

Against the San Antonio Spurs, big man Jakob Poeltl stayed near Griffin — who was already guarded by Rudy Gay. As such, Wood was left unguarded on the perimeter and nailed an easy three.

Detroit has been the most effective team in the league on spot-up possessions and Wood has contributed to that. The Pistons average the most points per possession in the NBA when spotting up, and they trail only the Milwaukee Bucks for most points per game on this play type among all teams in the Eastern Conference.

But given his size, Wood has also been dominant as a presence near the basket. Wood ranks in the 96th percentile among all big men on his attempts at the rim, per Cleaning the Glass.

Among the 77 players in the East who have had as many attempts in the restricted area, no one has been more accurate (79.6 percent) than Wood.

Derrick Rose’s comfort running pick-and-roll has played a large part in this success and the two have established a nice two-man game for Detroit.

The fluidity that the two have in the PnR was on display against the Spurs. Wood set a high pick and the defender committed to Rose, who drove to the lane and then found his big near the basket for a dunk.

During the 118 minutes that Wood has been on the court with Rose, Wood has averaged 20.7 points per 36 minutes and Detroit has outscored its opponents by 22.5 points per 100 possessions. That net rating currently ranks No. 5 overall among two-man lineups in the East who have had as many minutes shared.

Wood may not enter the starting rotation for the team, but he is valued within the organization. Head coach Dwane Casey recently said that “he went to the wall” to make sure the 24-year-old was on the roster this year. With that kind of trust and confidence, expect to see more of Wood moving forward.

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