NBA Notebook: Celtics coach Ime Udoka prepared for his own absence in COVID protocols

Ime Udoka talked to his staff in recent weeks and came up with a contingency plan, which many across the NBA have been forced to make this month. The Christmas Day schedule itself stood to change as COVID cases exploded last week and the NBA broke the previous record of 540 players appearing in games before the new year. 

Udoka knows any day -- like 13 of his players have over the past month -- he could join COVID protocols too. He only needed to look to the opposing sideline for a reminder, where Suns acting head coach Kevin Young stood in Monty Williams' place during the Celtics' 123-108 win over Phoenix on Friday. 

Clippers head coach Ty Lue joined Michael Malone (Nuggets), Doc Rivers (76ers), Frank Vogel (Lakers), Billy Donovan (Bulls), Chauncey Billups (Trail Blazers), Mark Daigneault (Thunder) and the Suns' Williams in protocols this week. Lue's case is unique, occurring in Canada, possibly stranding him in the country until he fully recovers from the virus. 

The Pacers' Rick Carlisle and Sacramento's Alvin Gentry recently exited protocols, now 10 NBA head coaches missing time over the past month. In Malone's case, multiple assistants and players joined the list at the same time as him, postponing Denver's game against Golden State late this week. 

"It's been discussed and also it's something that seems inevitable," Udoka said pre-game Friday. "We're probably the most exposed to the guys who all end up being positive, which are players. The head coaches are usually not masked as much, obviously you're yelling directions and need them to understand and hear you from a distance, but also in the huddles and every one-on-one conversation. So it's just something you're aware of and we've talked about it with our assistants that things may happen. I think, as you see with six or seven guys out now, it's why you hire the guys you trust behind you." 

Will Hardy, another former Gregg Popovich assistant, who's regularly in Udoka's ear and assessing video on the bench, would likely be first to take over. Damon Stoudamire or Ben Sullivan would step up in Hardy's absence, while Brad Stevens assistant and Celtics Summer League head coach Joe Mazzulla and Aaron Miles would be in the mix behind them. With a staff of 11, Udoka's circle is about as deep as the Celtics' players, with another staff surely in line in Maine. The Celtics hope it wouldn't get close to that point. 

Udoka, who is vaccinated, contracted COVID in September and missed only the first day of training camp before returning for the second. His and other potential absences could become shorter, as the NBA works to speed up the turnaround for players and staff to return from positive tests. ESPN reported the league is lowering the days needed to return from seven to five, in line with this week's CDC announcement, as long as the vaccinated and asymptomatic player's infectious level (cycle threshold) is above 30, down from the 35 previously needed. Testing negative twice remains a path out of protocols as well, Udoka said Friday.  

It's been a frustrating month of breakthrough cases and teams courting barebones rosters filled with G-Leaguers and former veterans on hardship exemption deals. The Celtics have signed Justin Jackson, C.J. Miles, Joe Johnson, Al-Farouq Aminu and Norvel Pelle, who began departing the roster following their 10-days, in Jackson's case, as Boston nears full health. Some players and coaches have complained about 11 postponements when their teams have been forced to play on. Most look at the situation as something that's challenging all 30 teams this season. 

"We always are measuring viral loads with our PCR tests, that's part of the protocol," Adam Silver told ESPN last month. "It's something ... not just our doctors, but the medical community is looking at. One, I think they're already realizing that you can move away from the 10-day protocol when you have players who are vaccinated and boosted. It seems like the virus runs through their systems faster. They become not just asymptomatic but, more importantly, they're not shedding the virus anymore."

Nonetheless, teams have made efforts to limit their exposure to each other and contacts. The Celtics haven't had a typical shootaround since their outbreak began, with Udoka moving toward individual film sessions and conversations before games. The NBA is allowing more condensed, masked walkthroughs that teams can forego anyway. 

Udoka met with Jaylen Brown for 45 minutes and had a session with Payton Pritchard before the pair prepared to lead the Celtics offense on Monday against the Timberwolves. Marcus Smart went through his own shooting and practice in returning from a Christmas hand laceration that cost him two games. They're not getting the court time they want together, so they've leaned deeper into preparing for opposing personnel, especially with lesser-known players factoring larger into opposing game plans.

Young, coaching Phoenix on Friday, compared the experience taking over the Suns to his time coaching the Delaware 87ers in the G-League in terms of getting to know new players day-in, day-out and making game plans on the fly. He's stayed in touch with Williams about the foundational plans they have. With the Suns trailing by double-digits late in the fourth quarter, he kept the team's starters in and continued to work on things possession-by-possession, until about one minute remained. 

"We had a slogan going back to last year with navigating uncertainty, and here we are," Young said when he took over Phoenix on Dec. 27. "You kind of get lost in the task at hand, to be honest with you. You don't really have time to worry about, it's unnatural or this or that, you just have a job to do and I think that's the approach we've all taken."

Brian Shaw took over the Clippers with the same approach, having already prepared to take over and running what Lue did, only aiming to simplify the game for a roster already in flux. David Fizdale became the Lakers' acting head coach shortly before Christmas seamlessly, he said, thanks to the plans Vogel left in place. He even received notes from the head coach during halftimes. 76ers acting head coach Dan Burke received an ice bucket shower following his win over Brooklyn, which marked his first as a head coach in the NBA

When Carlisle returned in Indiana, he spent the time away taking a greater overview of where the Pacers stood compared to the rest of the league. 

"With the way technology is, I can have games and films sent to me via wifi," he said. "I was watching a lot of our team, I was watching other teams as well. It was a good opportunity to study our team going back a ways, to see where we were before and where we are now and where we're trying to go to. It's a good perspective, and you've got to view things like this as sort of an opportunity to view it more broadly, and from that perspective it was healthy ... (but) when somebody's out, everybody's responsibilities really ratchet up a pretty significant amount."

Here's what else happened in the NBA last week.

Atlanta (16-19): Salvaged a win over the Cavaliers after getting lit up for 130 points in back-to-back games against the Bulls over their mini series in Chicago. Trae Young and Nate McMillan -- starting Skylar Mays and Chaundee Brown Jr. with Malcolm Hill, Cameron Oliver and Lance Stephenson coming off the bench amid injuries and COVID cases -- criticized the NBA for not postponing their games like other teams. McMillan endorsed pausing the season, while Young quipped about not knowing teammates.

“I was just confused," Young said this week. "We had like four guys fly in last night just to make the roster and play today. We were able to find a way. I don’t know if it’s on the league or on our part to complain and be forceful with what’s going on ... other teams have gotten games postponed and are waiting on guys to get back. We have, really, three guys who play big minutes for our team, when you include (Skylar Mays), we have four guys. It’s kind of crazy.”

Boston (17-19): Capped a rough week with a dominating win over the Suns, headlined by Robert Williams III becoming the second NBA center after Nikola Jokic to log a triple-double this season. Williams remains a release valve for the Celtics' stars, who don't have a straight path to adding talent around them. He could become their third star if he starts consistently reaching his potential, he's averaging 13.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.0 steals and 3.0 blocks on 77.5% shooting over his last five games. 

"I didn’t know how good of a passer he was,” Ime Udoka said. “Obviously, we did some of that stuff with Al (Horford) coming into the season. We can run stuff through both of those guys."

Jayson Tatum remains in COVID protocol, home after the team evidently found a way to get him home from Milwaukee. Boston plays a lighter schedule against Orlando, San Antonio and New York (twice) this week. 

Brooklyn (23-10): Rolled through the Lakers and Clippers with back-to-back James Harden 30-point games, before Kevin Durant returned and got out-dueled by Joel Embiid in Brooklyn. Embiid's 34 points, with 25 from Tyrese Maxey, outdid Durant and Harden's 66, with Embiid playfully emulating Durant's sendoff when the Nets beat the 76ers last time. 

More relief is on the way for the Nets, part-time, with Kyrie Irving returning from COVID protocols to practice and addressing the media for the first time. The Nets play on the road again Jan. 5 in Indiana. 

Charlotte (19-17): Winners of three straight over Denver, Houston and Indiana. Terry Rozier, who battled injuries and inconsistency early this year, joined the offensive party, averaging 24.8 PPG on 48.8% three-point shooting over Charlotte's last four games. Gordon Hayward, interestingly, given his recent injury history, has logged the eighth-most minutes in the NBA and sustained his production. 

“I’m feeling real confident, as you can see. I’m not hesitating at all. From the beginning, all the way to the end. I could score the ball, I’ve been like that all my life," Rozier said this week. "It’s gonna be huge ... (LaMelo Ball and I) go out there play off one another and have fun. He’s a helluva player to play next to."

Chicago (23-10): Atop the east with Brooklyn after winning six straight games as they slowly escape COVID turmoil. DeMar DeRozan continued his unlikely MVP candidate campaign with a game-winner and 28 points over Indiana. Lonzo Ball sat in COVID protocols, celebrating DeRozan's feat at home. 

Fourth in offense and 10th in defense, they're an outside contender for a championship nearing 11 years after Derrick Rose won MVP in Chicago's last great season. The Bulls didn't see that year through with a long postseason run, and Zach Lowe raised an interesting prospect this week. Would they trade a future prospect in Patrick Williams to go all-in on this year? 

Cleveland (20-16): Suffered another crushing blow when Ricky Rubio (13.1 PPG, 6.6 APG this season) tore his ACL in a loss to New Orleans, which slid into three straight for the Cavaliers, who already lost Collin Sexton earlier this season to knee surgery. Without many outlets for playmaking and offense on a defensive team, they'll lean into Darius Garland more, and struck quickly in the trade market over the weekend, adding Rajon Rondo from the Lakers in exchange for Denzel Valentine. Rondo will need to clear COVID protocols before joining his ninth team, who ranked fifth in offense and second in defense in December. 

Dallas (17-18): Kristaps Porzingis continues to lead them through heavy fire from COVID, averaging 27.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 4.3 APG with 1.0 SPG and 2.3 BPG on 51.4% shooting over his last four games. Chimezie Metu topped the Mavs at the buzzer in the middle of the week, but Dallas got them back in the second half of the mini-series and beat Portland by 15 to begin the week. Holding the line. The team re-upped Theo Pinson and Marquese Chriss, and added Isaiah Thomas with Boban Marjanovic and Brandon Knight joining Luka Dončić and four others in COVID protocols. 

Denver (17-16): Jokic posted near 20-20 games back-to-back to beat the Clippers and Warriors early in the week, before their rematch with Golden State got postponed amid surging cases on Denver's side. Head coach Michael Malone, two assistants, Jeff Green, Zeke Nnaji and Bones Hyland joined various Nuggets injuries and left the team without the eight necessary to play. 

Detroit (5-28): They may be playing as thin as anybody I've watched over the past week through COVID cases and injury. Hamidou Diallo led them with 59 points through their last two losses, with Kelly Olynyk and Jerami Grant still out injured while Cade Cunningham (COVID protocols) and Killian Hayes (illness) sit too. Worse, Frank Jackson sprained his ankle on Wednesday, but several players including Cunningham project to return for the team this weekend.

Golden State (27-7): Going to Andre Iguodala down three against Denver at the buzzer raised my eyebrows. Otherwise, Steph Curry's 33 points helped the Warriors cruise by the Suns to begin a quiet week, capped by a postponement against Denver. Draymond Green, like others, sounded off on their opponent Denver seemingly getting a break after their win over the Warriors. 

Houston (10-26): They've lost six straight since mid-December, all but one by double-digits. They ranked last in defense (121.3 rating) in December, despite their offense joining the top-10. Jalen Green averaged 20.0 PPG in his three games returning from injury, with Alperen Şengün consistently making them a fun watch. Jae'Sean Tate returned from COVID protocols, with Garrison Mathews and others likely soon on the way. 

Indiana (14-22): Lost three straight this week on Friday's buzzer-beater. Stephenson is back on a 10-day contract that could be fun, but as attendance and their record lags all eyes fixate on their rebuilding plans roughly one month from the trade deadline. Four Pacers including Malcolm Brogdon joined COVID protocols late in the week. 

Clippers (18-18): They scrapped by with 23 points from Marcus Morris and held the Celtics to a historic 9.5% from three in their 2-3 zone, but that effort didn't translate north of the border in Toronto for a severely shorthanded group. They're missing Ivica Zubac, Brandon Boston Jr. and their head coach Ty Lue to the virus now, with Morris complaining of breathing issues following his stint in protocols earlier this month. Reggie Jackson returned on Friday with 17 points. 

Lakers (18-19): LeBron James rung in the new year with 43 points and 14 rebounds in a blowout win over Portland, another unmatched feat for a 37-year-old after his birthday passed last week. Begrudgingly, considering his role in roster building here, he should be a distant MVP contender averaging 28.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 6.6 APG on 52.5% shooting. Rondo departed to Cleveland via trade Friday, as the team aims to keep hardship signing Stanley Johnson around, in what's likely to be a busy month ahead of roster tinkering. 

Memphis (23-14): Just how big of buyers could they become as they ascend to home court status in the west on another four-game winning streak? Lowe dreamed as big as Jaylen Brown, tossing around potential Boston-Memphis packages. Patience will likely be reality for a usually-quiet franchise on the additions front. They ranked sixth in offense and No. 1 in defense by over two points per 100 possessions (102.0). It's been an astounding turnaround for coach of the year frontrunner Taylor Jenkins, winning largely without Ja Morant over these past four weeks. Morant is averaging 26.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 6.2 APG in six games back from injury.

Miami (23-13): Winners of five straight. Jimmy Butler posted 11 rebounds, 15 assists, then 37 points in his first three games back after he missed 12-of-13. Of course, this team found one of the hardship/G-League gems in Kyle Guy, who dropped 17 in his debut on a team that just keeps digging deeper and finding more talent at the bottom of its roster. Mario Chalmers, who won two championships on those Big Three Heat teams, returned on a 10-day too. 

Milwaukee (24-13): Giannis Antetokounmpo led an epic comeback over the Celtics on Christmas Day before unloading 61 points on Orlando in back-to-back wins. He pummeled Magic defenders, and appears every bit the MVP contender Curry, Jokic and Kevin Durant have been after a brief COVID absence. They've won five straight, with Donte DiVincenzo returning after his injury early in the NBA Playoffs, starting 4-for-17 in his first three games back.

Minnesota (16-19): A short-handed group scored a baffling win over the Celtics led by Jaylen Nowell and Greg Monroe, who had joined the team that morning and had just gotten to know head coach Chris Finch. They lost to the Knicks and Jazz after, returning Anthony Edwards for the latter game, but still missing Karl-Anthony Towns and D'Angelo Russell. 

New Orleans (13-22): Achieved a 15th-ranked, net neutral rating this month, a win for new head coach Willie Green who simply needs to hold the line while Zion Williamson is out. Brandon Ingram averaged 25.2 PPG over a 6-5 stretch, while Jonas Valanciunas averaged a 16.6-10.9 double-double before entering COVID protocols. That trade, more and more, looks like a win for NOLA. Herb Jones, one of my favorite players from last year's draft with a Marcus Smart-like defensive impact, shot 47.5%. 

New York (17-19): Sat Kemba Walker and watched Evan Fournier score three points over 20 minutes in a 15-point loss to the Thunder. Tom Thibodeau's group continues to spin their wheels, likely better off investing in Miles McBride and Quentin Grimes, but last month's awkward benching of Walker and his comeback surge that followed showed how awkward that could be. 

“It was last minute,’’ Thibodeau said of Walker, who averaged 19.3 PPG on 38.5% shooting to close the month. “He was warming up, and something didn’t feel right. So, I haven’t talked to the trainers yet. It was a last-minute scratch.’’

Oklahoma City (13-22): Ranked 29th in offense and again became a dreadful watch in December, but won 7-of-15 and competed in many games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, averaging 26.2 PPG, and Lu Dort deserve to be on winning teams before long. Aaron Wiggins, the No. 55 pick last year up from the G-League, averaged 9.7 PPG on 58.9% shooting.

Orlando (7-29): Franz Wagner joined Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley in a legitimate three-way, heated rookie of the year race as he continues to impact the game in every area for the Magic. He averaged 19.5 PPG, 5.1 RPG and 3.1 APG with 1.1 SPG shooting 47.6% from the field in December. He scored 38 points in 38 minutes against Milwaukee on Tuesday and leads the NBA's rookie ladder to close 2021. Golden State may end up regretting passing on him at No. 7, given his glue guy abilities. 

Philadelphia (19-16): Joel Embiid's December: 29.2 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.3 SPG on 49.6% shooting. They can't waste another year of his prime where he showed he can beat the Nets nearly all alone. They have to find a way to resolve this Ben Simmons situation, one way or another, before Feb. 10. I can't see him wearing the 76ers uniform again, but if that's the solution, so be it. 

Phoenix (27-8): Lost 3-of-4 to close December with Deandre Ayton in COVID protocols, Javale McGee joining him while Dario Saric and Frank Kaminsky still nurse long-term knee injuries. Bismack Biyombo joined them on a hardship deal late this week, while Jalen Smith continues to receive run even after the Suns declined his team option for 2022-23. Devin Booker joined the 10,000-point club and good company earlier in the week.

Portland (13-22): Their defense got worse with each passing game over a four-game skid before allowing 139 points to the Lakers on New Year's Eve. Damian Lillard returned late this month and averaged 29.6 PPG, but shot 41.3%, committed 3.4 TO/G and the Blazers lost 7-of-9. They ranked 28th in offense and 29th in defense last month. Perhaps they'll sink deep into the lottery naturally, but they should still look to be aggressive sellers at the deadline with Jusuf Nurkic and Robert Covington entering free agency. 

Sacramento (15-22): Spinning their wheels at 4-6 over their last 10. Alvin Gentry hasn't change much as head coach, the Kings finishing bottom-10 in offense and defense in December. Tyrese Haliburton remains a hopeful player to build around, averaging 16.5 PPG and 8.8 APG this month on 50% shooting. Everyone else's future should be weighed by the deadline, including De'Aaron Fox in the right deal. 

San Antonio (14-20): They've improved consistently this year under Gregg Popovich, but his succession plan became murkier with assistant Becky Hammon leaving the Spurs to lead the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA. 

"It always changes when you move over one seat," Popovich said Friday. "Nobody knows what the future is going to be. But she has all the attributes to be a heck of a head coach. She's been important to our program from day one when I brought her on board ... she's interviewed for a few jobs in the NBA, and she would have been more than qualified and done a great job, but it didn't work out. That happens to everybody who's out there interviewing. You don't get what you want right off the bat."

Toronto (15-17): Got back on their feet with a win over the Clippers after two straight losses and a long layoff prior. Fred VanVleet, who scored 31 points with nine assists in Friday's win, is in a fun battle amongst the second-tier guards in the east like Garland to make the All-Star Game. Toronto, who played in Tampa last year, will again face unique circumstances with Ontario limiting their home attendance to roughly 1,000 this week amid the Omicron surge. 

Utah (26-9): Dropped at least 110 points in each of their six straight victories to close December. They're the best offense in the NBA, constantly brushing against shooting history and dismantling defenses. They face Golden State Saturday night in a west powerhouse matchup, after posting a 119.6 offensive rating for the entire month of December, finishing 12-2. Donovan Mitchell averaged 30.2 PPG on 50.2% shooting, and should be a borderline MVP candidate alongside Rudy Gobert (16.1-15.4).

Washington (18-17): Bradley Beal scored 29 points with 10 assists to beat the Cavaliers and shake off a 5-9 December for Washington. The Wizards ranked 19th in offense and 26th in defense (-6.0), Beal bouncing back from early-season struggles with a 50% shooting month, but Kyle Kuzma and Spencer Dinwiddie in deep slumps of their own. Dinwiddie entered COVID protocols, and hardship replacement Brad Wanamaker followed, forcing the team to sign another former Celtic Tremont Waters.