Hoops Rumors

The Cavaliers seemed to use Game 1 to figure out how to handle the top-seeded Celtics for the rest of the series, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Cleveland was overwhelmed in the second half Tuesday on the way to a 25-point loss, but Vardon writes that the players didn’t appear shaken by the defeat and are viewing it as a learning experience. “I think you can see the … [Read more...] about Cavaliers Notes: Game 1, Strus, Allen, Wade

Cavaliers forward Dean Wade, who continues to recover from a right knee injury, hasn’t played since March 8, but it’s possible he’ll return to action at some point in the Eastern Conference semifinals, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). Sources tell Fedor that there’s hope Wade will be able to play later in the series, possibly as early as Game 3 or 4 … [Read more...] about Eastern Notes: Wade, Allen, J. Brown, Claxton, Bucks

Entering this year’s postseason, Donovan Mitchell had been knocked out of the playoffs in the first round in back-to-back years – and four of the last five – with the Cavaliers and Jazz. He said after Sunday’s Game 7 win that he was determined not to let that happen again, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “I’m tired of losing in the first round,” Mitchell said. “You work … [Read more...] about Cavs Notes: Mitchell, Game 7 Win, Celtics Series, Garland

Don’t expect Jason Kidd or Tyronn Lue to replace Darvin Ham as the Lakers’ head coach, Marc Stein reports in his latest Stein Line notes package. Kidd, who has one year left on his contract with the Mavericks, will likely receive a contract extension in the near future after the team advanced to the Western Conference semifinals, according to Stein’s sources. Kidd was a top … [Read more...] about Jason Kidd, Ty Lue Unlikely To Be Candidates For Lakers’ Job