NBA Notebook: How Damon Stoudamire coaches Marcus Smart and the Celtics

Joe Mazzulla never played in the NBA. He never coached in the league until 2020. While a standout and resilient career at West Virginia endeared him to Marcus Smart and his strategic acumen appealed to the Celtics, Mazzulla lacked the NBA player's perspective Ime Udoka carried. That's where Damon Stoudamire, the 1996 Rookie of the Year and a 13-season pro, emerged from his bench midway through this season's early games, approached Mazzulla and whispered some advice. Maybe something he saw. A rotation suggestion. How a player could be reacting to a situation.

"Our whole staff has been tremendous, especially during the (coaching) change," Mazzulla told Boston Sports Journal. "Damon just brings a level of wisdom, a level of NBA experience. He's able to see it from a coaching perspective, but he's also able to see it from a playing perspective, because he's played at each level of the NBA. He was a rookie, he was a star on a team and then he was a vet. He's just able to bring multiple perspectives and he's been great for me." 

Stoudamire, a Portland native and briefly a teammate of Udoka's in San Antonio, joined a Celtics staff filled with long-time Udoka associates and Portland connections. Udoka aimed to combine NBA experience, familiarity with the team's players like Oregon native Payton Pritchard and communication. Smart and Stoudamire sat down after the assistant joined the staff late last summer, leaving his head coaching job at Pacific. He asked Smart what he needed from him and told him vice versa, recognizing the guard's desire to fill the point role like Stoudamire did during his career. Stoudamire watched Smart succeed in high school and college as a facilitator. 

So they got to work. 

"I'm gonna stay on you as much as I can," Stoudamire told Smart. "As much as I need to. As much as you need me to." 

The pair continued to partner in training camp and before games after Smart successfully transitioned to a ball-handling starting role one year ago. Stoudamire finds Smart rolling in one drill that they repeat often, catching a pass from the guard in the corner as Smart repositions himself to catch and shoot a three. The Celtics offense ranks fourth in efficiency so far, with Smart producing 1.31 points per possession (95th percentile) in spot pick-and-roll reps, despite struggling to shoot through five games. Those misses mounted in Friday's loss to the Cavaliers, Smart finishing 3-for-15 (2-9 3PT) with seven assists and two turnovers. 

He closed the game in overtime after a key giveaway where he missed Malcolm Brogdon open in the corner away from a Jayson Tatum double team and traveled late in the fourth. Smart missed a pair of threes ahead by two points in the final minutes, but Mazzulla stuck with him in a big lineup over Derrick White and Brodgon. Then, in overtime, Smart overthrew an outlet pass ahead of Brown that could've pulled the Celtics back within one point, down 126-123 with under two minutes left. Mazzulla, testing out larger lineups against the Cavs, consults assistants like Stoudamire on adjustments, who in turn communicate with players throughout the game. Friday, that didn't involve moving away from Smart in favor of the roster's other guards, who totaled 22 minutes each.

That could become part of the coaching staff's job this year as they pursue different play styles and combinations. Udoka found a Pritchard and White combination that worked in Game 1 of the Finals, but never returned to it. Brogdon is embracing a bench role and noted he and Smart will play together more often than not late in games. That changed with two big men on the floor for most of Friday night, which Mazzulla indicated on Saturday won't always be the case. Smart is willing to listen to criticism coaches deliver as the Celtics continue to emphasize an atmosphere of holding each other accountable. It remains to be seen if that extends to sitting late on his off nights. 

"Just giving me advice. Things that he sees that I probably wouldn't be able to see on the court," Smart said. "Things when he played, little tips here and there to make my life and the game easier for me. Things that he sees, when you've got a guy with his credentials, well respected and knows the game, you kind of tend to listen to him ... to be able to get some criticism, constructively. We don't take it personally. Both ends. If I see some things I don't like from him, I'm like, 'hey can we try this? These things.' We're very open. That trust right there and that communication allows us to have the relationship that we do."

Stoudamire spoke to BSJ on Thursday about coaching Smart, integrating White and Brogdon alongside him and easing pressure off Brown and Tatum through a hot offensive start.

BSJ: What have you been able to develop with Marcus so far in your time here?

Stoudamire: "Me and Marcus, I think we've developed a chemistry and friendship and I think he trusts me, so he's allowed me to coach him and talk to him, even when it's not going his way. I think that we've that developed familiarity. Therefore, the biggest thing about coaching is being honest and I'm able to be honest with him." 

Where do you feel like you've earned that trust? 

"You earn that trust when he'll confide in you about certain things and different things. That, for me, is when I knew he trusted me, but on the floor, it's just talking about the little things, the nuances. I think that a lot of things he does for this team go unnoticed and I just try to keep encouraging, and then, the one thing that I think for me is always locking him back into the turnovers. The careless turnovers that is. I think Marcus is a great passer, facilitator. Sometimes he gets a little bit careless with the pass. I think that those are one of the things, and then two, I just think keeping us organized. Those are the biggest things for me, that's really important. In terms of shots and all that stuff, I don't say nothing. I don't coach that. I try to coach the things, controlling the team, knowing what the game needs at that time on the floor." 

What kind of tips are you able to give from your experience at point guard and how has that position changed since you played? 

"Marcus, I've seen him play number one for a long time. I've seen him play since high school, and I always felt like the biggest attribute, from an intangible standpoint, is that he was a winner. He's won on every level and he hasn't particularly done it by offense or things of that nature, so he does a lot of little things. Compared to the guards in the league today, especially the point guards, most of them are scoring guards. Marcus isn't really in that nature. He's really kind of a throwback to be honest with you, in terms of how he plays. That's different in itself, but being able to, for example, guard one through five on the floor and be a catalyst and ignite us on that end of the floor to get us going. To me, that's just as big of role for this team as any. He's accepting of Jayson and Jaylen and understanding that those are our guys, but at the same time, he'll let them know when they need to be better as well. Those are the things that, for me, I see from Marcus. Those are the things that I try to help him with. The biggest thing that ties into all of that is you can't hold other guys accountable and be a leader, unless you're going to hold yourself to the same standard, because leadership doesn't have anything to do with how many points or rebounds or assists you've got. Leadership has to do with being consistent every day and trying to do the right thing. Teammates and people recognize that and that's how you earn respect." 

Is that an area he's grown in since you arrived or is that something he's always been good at? 

"In my mind, from afar, I thought that he was good at that, but since I've been here, I've thought he's done a great job and I think that he's bought in, more importantly. That's always the key, is buy in. It's been a pleasure being around him for this last year and four games. For me, I learn from him as well. Marcus, he's a guy that's honest too. He's going to hold you accountable the same way, so I appreciate that as a coach." 

What's it been like integrating (Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon) around him? 

"When I look at D.White, I see a guy who's gotten really comfortable. He knows who he is. I always told people this, it's hard to get traded to a team mid-season. I got traded to Portland back when I played mid-season, and once the excitement and everything wears off and everything kind of settles in, as a new player, you're trying to find yourself and I think Derrick had him moments for us for sure, but I think that he's just way more comfortable. Why? Because his family is here, he has a house, different things. He knows which way he's driving to work every day. He knows his teammate's tendencies, things of that nature. You can see that in his game, and I think that everybody in the gym has more confidence in him from that standpoint, and that's why he's had success here early on. With Malcolm, it's kind of like he's where Derrick is, only difference is at least he's been able to settle in a little bit, but I think that he'll get better once he gets even more comfortable. Those two guys are really keys, because Derrick, Malcolm and Marcus bring uniqueness and skill set to what they do well." 

How do you coach up a guy like (Payton Pritchard), who isn't in position to play right now? 

"You just keep him engaged and the biggest thing about Payton is he's a gym rat, so he's going to be in the gym, he's going to be working out and when his number's called, he's going to be ready to play, because that's who he is. I know that it can get difficult at times in those moments, and like I've told him, I've tried to be an ear. It's not a matter of me telling him what he has to do to get on the floor. It's a matter of me trying to help along with everybody else around here trying to help in keeping him mind right to that. It's not an indictment on who you are as a player, and you're a really good player. When you get an opportunity, you're going to be a really successful player." 

From my view, it looks like you've been focused on setting up (Brown and Tatum), letting those guards set them up. Has that been a change in approach going into this year, or do you still see development for those guys as playmakers? 

"I think that they're definitely developing as playmakers. I think that Jayson really took a huge step the last year, really astute in the game, knows the game well, and I think J.B. has taken steps this year as well. We both know that they're capable, not only (as) playmakers, along with scoring, but the other guys we have where we can get everybody involved and we're flowing, it just makes us more of a dangerous team. If you look at the early part, preseason included, the way the ball is moving. The way we've been getting clean looks and the way everybody's sharing in that, I think that's more of a testament to those guys growing as players and not feeling like they have to do it by themselves, even though they're more than capable. Those are the things that are going to keep elevating us as we go through this season, and the rest of it." 

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

Atlanta (4-1): Have remained engaged in talks for Jae Crowder after a defensive setbacks against the Hornets, a 126-109 loss. They took care of business in a mini series against the Pistons behind consecutive 35-point games from Trae Young. The Hawks managed to finish 13th in defense through that stretch, shaking off a cold start from three (33.8%, 21st) to rise to No. 6 in offense. Dejounte Murray's 2.4 steals per game have been as welcomed as any of his offensive contributions, including 7.6 APG, while John Collins contributed 1.4 SPG to go with his double-double average (16.0 PPG, 10.4 RPG). 

Boston (3-2): A net negative (-0.8) after a bad overtime loss to the Cavaliers where they led by 15 points at halftime and four in the closing minutes. Jayson Tatum and the offensive have thrived, ranked fourth overall, but fell from the top defensive unit to 26th by allowing 120 points to the Magic, Bulls and Cavs in consecutive games. Malcolm Brogdon's arrival, Sam Hauser's integration and a new array of centers forced the team to play a simpler drop scheme. Al Horford looks overwhelmed trying to stick with physical bangers while rebounding, taking on a larger role on Friday when Grant Williams got suspended for one game due to making contact with an official in Monday's meltdown loss in Chicago. Joe Mazzulla got ejected too, while Tatum received two technical fouls in five games. Boston will reportedly look to utilize its trade exceptions for depth help. 

Jaylen Brown separated from Kanye West's Donda Sports marketing agency amid controversial remarks from Ye, but will continue to work with Donda Academy's high school students to ensure a season after tournaments removed them from their schedule and the school announced its closure. 

Brooklyn (1-4): Kyrie Irving capped a bad week on the floor for the Nets by sharing a film including antisemitic tropes on his social media accounts, drawing condemnation from Nets owner Joe Tsai. Irving and Kevin Durant are off to a hot scoring start for Brooklyn. The team features the second worst defense in the league and Ben Simmons is fouling as often as he scores. Steve Nash got ejected from the team's close loss to the Bucks in a demonstrative moment, while Simmons nearly found some momentum with a final-second steal and feed to Durant to force overtime against the Mavericks, who promptly beat them there. Joe Harris missed the loss, continuing to manage foot pain, while Seth Curry is questionable to make his season debut against the Pacers on Saturday entering a weekend mini series. 

Chicago (3-3): Hanging in there after Zach LaVine returned from knee soreness to begin the season to average 23.3 PPG on 44.4% shooting as the Bulls won 2-of-3. They overcame an early 19-point deficit to beat the Celtics on Friday, receiving 22 points on 9-for-10 shooting from Ayo Dosunmu, who's now 27-for-30 in his young career against Boston. He entered concussion protocol during a narrow defeat to the Spurs on Friday after colliding with Keldon Johnson's knee. DeMar DeRozan remains lethal as a scorer (26.2 PPG) and this group looks at least formidable on any given night even if they're not healthy enough to make real noise in the east. They visit the Celtics for a rematch on Friday. 

Cleveland (4-1): They're incredible, shaking off an unfortunate Darius Garland eyelid injury on opening night that's kept him sidelined with swelling since to score four straight wins. Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert scored 41 points each in a comeback win over the Celtics on the road on Friday, shutting down Boston's high-powered offense after halftime to finish the week ranked seventh in offense and third on defense. That prowess stopping opponents propelled them near the top of the east last season early on, and a more balanced effort behind Mitchell's offense could put this team in the home court conversation, or an even greater one. LeVert, off to a scorching 55.2% start from three, could dictate their ceiling after edging out Isaac Okoro for minutes. Garland's status for Sunday is to be determined, J.B. Bickerstaff said on Friday, with his safety a concern as he nears a return. 

Dallas (2-2): The No. 1 offense by far through an uneven start, largely playing in shootouts aside from a blowout win over the Grizzlies. Luka Doncic leads the league with 36.3 PPG on 50% shooting with 9.3 APG, helping feed Christian Wood off the bench for 21.0 PPG. Switching to Javale McGee as the starting center, reintegrating Tim Hardaway Jr. and managing Doncic's defense have made the Mavs take a step back defensively, allowing 76 points combined to Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in what nearly became a late-game collapse due to a late Doncic turnover. 

Denver (4-2): Surprisingly shaky in the defensive end through a solid start, allowing 117 points or more to the Warriors, Thunder and Trail Blazers after an opening night loss to Utah. Michael Porter Jr. emerged in a blowout win over the Jazz on Friday, marking two wins in a row for Denver after discarding the Lakers on Wednesday. Jamal Murray threw down a dunk that night as he progresses back from ACL surgery slowly, averaging 12.4 PPG on 41% shooting. Porter is hitting 54.1% of his threes, while Nikola Jokic averages nearly a 20-point triple double on 60.6% shooting. Bruce Brown is posting 10.7 PPG on low usage, converting 52% of his looks to strengthen the offense around Jokic while waiting for him to find his three-point stroke. 

Detroit (1-5): Enjoying a hot Bojan Bogdanovic start (51% from the field and three) and positive early returns from Jaden Ivey, but otherwise they've struggled offensively. Cade Cunningham isn't shooting well (28.6% 3PT), neither is Saddiq Bey (31% 3PT) and Killian Hayes still doesn't look close to contributing. Worse, they rank last in defense. The Pistons can handle losses for another season. They need to also see more progress than this. 

Golden State (3-2): Beat the Heat behind Steph Curry's 33 points to put a frustrating loss to the Suns in the rear view. Klay Thompson butted heads with Devin Booker throughout the 134-105 loss, leading to his first career ejection. That loss, alongside other shootouts with Sacramento and Denver early, thrust the Warriors into net negative territory. They'll take some early strides from James Wiseman (11.0 PPG, 67.6% FG), but with Thompson struggling, lamenting comments from Charles Barkley. Jordan Poole passed him in minutes and with Moses Moody lurking it looks like Steve Kerr will have his hands full with juggling the rotation between the youth and veterans all year. Jonathan Kuminga awaits his opportunity too (0 min. vs. MIA).

"It hurts when someone like Charles Barkley, with the platform he has, says you're not the same player as prior to the injuries you had. It's like, no duh, man," Thompson said. "I tore my ACL and my Achilles in consecutive years and still helped a team win a championship. I mean, that hurt hearing that. Because it's like, man, I put in so much freaking effort to get back to this point. Like, it's hard to even put into words what I had to do to be the player I am today ... I played 55, 57 games in three years, like, give me some freaking time to get that back." 

Indiana (2-4): Bennedict Mathurin cooled over to 13-for-38 shooting over the past three games, remaining a revelation for the rebuilding Pacers and giving them coveted size and shooting alongside Tyrese Haliburton, who's averaging 23.0 PPG and 10.3 APG. Caitlin Cooper broke down how he meshes with what Rick Carlisle wants to do offensively, Haliburton joining the broadcast for a rare moment of insight on how Indiana wanted to manipulate Houston's defense with Mathurin. 

Clippers (2-3): The worst offense not named the Lakers, scoring 102.2 points per 100 possessions. The Thunder swept LA in a mini series to mark three straight Clippers losses, causing Paul George to call out the way they defend, turn the ball over (17.9%, 30th) and even practice. He missed the first loss, Marcus Morris stepped away from the team for personal reasons and Kawhi Leonard sat in three of the team's first five games after coming off the bench on opening night. Leonard's knee stiffness forced the team to send him back to LA from Oklahoma, an early concern as the Clippers sit a long way from connectivity across their many rotation possibilities. 

“It’s going to take at least two months to really get everything in the same groove, get set," Ty Lue said. 

Lakers (0-5): Quietly the No. 2 defense in the NBA behind Anthony Davis and younger, more athletic perimeter players. Russell Westbrook bought in on that end early too. Everyone's to blame for one of the worst offensive starts by a team in the modern era, with no spacing, shooting and limited playmaking leading to an epic collapse against the Trail Blazers on Sunday then two uncompetitive losses against the Nuggets and Wolves. Darvin Ham officially benched Westbrook on Friday, even with Davis (back) already missing time. LeBron James and Ham praised Westbrook's effort in the loss. The issues here transcend Westbrook. It's also hard to imagine altering this roster significantly without moving on from him, and the clock is ticking. 

"From Day 1, I mentioned I'm the guy that's willing to do whatever for the team," Westbrook said. "I'll sacrifice whatever it is that needs to be sacrificed -- parts of my game that I've done for years to accommodate whatever it is that the coach needs me to do, and I'll continue to do that."

Memphis (4-1): Lost Ziaire Williams for 4-6 weeks to knee tendinitis after sitting the first five games, where Ja Morant and Desmond Bane stood among any one-two punch in the league, combining for 55.2 PPG on 50% three-point shooting. The Grizzlies rank No. 2 in offense after wins over the Nets and Kings, though they're coming in shootouts while the defense sinks. Memphis' defense swayed between the top and bottom of the league last year, and defense separated the Warriors from them in a close series early on before Morant's injury, a loss he continued to discuss this week.

Miami (2-3): Six Heat scored double-figures including Kyle Lowry in a badly-needed win after trailing early in Portland. Miami dropped the next game to the Warriors, 123-110, throwing rookie Nikola Jovic into the fire for eight minutes seeking offense. Caleb Martin hasn't clicked with the starters and Max Strus remains a steady hand off the bench, which around him hasn't produced like it did last year. Bam Adebayo has scored more aggressively (16.5 PPG). The Heat need more spacing with the starters while Tyler Herro and Lowry struggle from deep to begin the year. Miami ranks 20th in 3PT% (34.2).

Milwaukee (4-0): The NBA's last unbeaten team through nearly two weeks, in a league of their own defensively, allowing 99.8 points per 100 possessions. A good number before the league saw a spike in scoring to 113.7 points per game from teams. Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to produce like nobody else, averaging 34.5 PPG, 13.3 RPG and 6.3 APG on 63.1% shooting. Mike Budenholzer played nine deep in search of shooting around him, an early struggle without Khris Middleton and Joe Ingles. Half court offense is their biggest challenge on the way back to the NBA Finals. 

"We have a very good team, but we got to stay humble as much as we can," Antetokounmpo said Friday. "I remember the year, 2018-19, we had the 7-0 start to the season, but we didn't win the championship. [The 4-0 start] doesn't really matter."

Minnesota (4-2): Righted the ship with wins over the Spurs and Lakers after a bad loss to San Antonio on the front end of their mini series earlier this week forced Karl-Anthony Towns to strangely rip Anthony Edwards over his diet. The topic came up due to Edwards' struggles in back-to-backs, saying he isn't happy to hear the young star eats Popeyes. Edwards took to the stairs for a workout following 34 points in a win two nights later, now shooting 47% while Towns struggles from the field (45.7%), with fouling and turnovers trying to connect with fellow big man Rudy Gobert. Weird. 

Pelicans (3-2): Zion Williamson (hip) missed his second straight game on Friday after leaving a loss to Utah with a posterior contusion. CJ McCollum dished 11 assists to beat the Mavericks without him on a perfect night for Trey Murphy III before the Suns took care of the Pelicans with ease on Friday. Murphy is shooting 61.5% from three and Jonas Valanciunas continues to cement the interior on offense. Seeing Jose Alvarado, Naji Marshall and Devonté Graham played significant minutes early this year does call into question this group's depth, though, if Zion is out for long. 

New York (3-2): Jalen Brunson took blame for a slow start in a loss to the Bucks that slowed some hot early season momentum from the Knicks. Mitchell Robinson hit foul trouble and the offense stalled, shooting 39.8%. They've played with balance so far, No. 12 on offense and No. 10 on defense, mixing young and old throughout their rotation and playing with a springy pace. Strong role player performances have made up for slow starts from Julius Randle and RJ Barrett though, who will dictate this group's ceiling in a loaded eastern conference. They won't be pushovers. 

“I feel like I was guarding people last year, ended up doing pretty well, finding [my] rhythm,” Barrett said. “I definitely could be playing better offensively and I feel my rhythm coming back after not playing for a while. But my rhythm [is] coming back slowly every game so I’ll be alright.”

Orlando (1-5): Won their first game behind a sixth straight 20-point game from Paolo Banchero, with the rookie in line for continued heavy work load with Cole Anthony (oblique) set to miss time. Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson delivered the only comparable scoring starts to their NBA careers. We discussed the intriguing Magic, including a hot start for former Celtic Bol Bol and Franz Wagner trying his hand as a playmaker this week. 

Philadelphia (2-4): Tyrese Maxey set the 76ers straight after a horrendous start to the season with 44 points and four assists in a blowout win over the Raptors. Seeing more Maxey and less James Harden on the ball was refreshing, highlighting Doc Rivers' dilemma as he fights for his job amid Joel Embiid's injury struggles and Harden's stagnancy on the ball. The star posted stats, 22.7 PPG and 8.7 APG, through a 1-4 star. He didn't consistently find Embiid, Maxey and Tobias Harris in their spots, setting up an offense that looks more Houston than Embiid's 76ers from recent years. Right knee soreness left Embiid out for the win over Toronto, not the plantar fasciitis he's reportedly dealt with. The Sixers rank just 21st in defense, and 28th against transition. 

Phoenix (4-1): Barack Obama could headline an ownership group interested in buying the Suns from Robert Sarver, Bill Simmons teased, intriguing Charles Barkley, who said he had no interest in owning a small stake of his former team. Monty Williams also appreciated the idea as Phoenix again shakes off uncertainty upstairs to knock off regular season victories. Concerns about a falloff might've been premature outside of the playoffs, with Devin Booker still an every night offensive engine opponents have to race into the 120-130 point range. The Suns rank No. 5 in offense and fourth in defense. 

Portland (5-1): Damian Lillard suffered a grade one calf strain in a loss to the Heat, which will knock him out of action for at least 1-2 weeks and set up Anfernee Simons to lead a winning Blazers team in his absence. He passed on Friday, scoring 30 points with seven assists to beat the Rockets. Lillard emerged as one of the league's best scorers again, but Simons allowed Portland to attack in layers. Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant and Nassir Little provided wing shooting, while Jusuf Nurkic dominated the middle, averaging a double-double. We'll see how they handle Lillard's absence. 

Sacramento (0-4): Tough start outside of some solid returns, 17.7 PPG on 51.3% shooting, from rookie Keegan Murray. They allowed 125 points to the Warriors and Grizzlies this week after the Kings' offense doomed them late in narrow defeats in the first week. De'Aaron Fox is shooting well while also turning the ball over. Mike Brown played deep into his rotations searching for the right combinations. It's worth waiting on a talented roster than can shoot. Does it have a floor general? 

San Antonio (4-2): Gregg Popovich's young team competed across all five games before the team shockingly released Josh Primo, the 19-year-old, No. 12 overall pick from the 2021 NBA Draft. The Spurs released a brief statement and Primo responded on his social media, stressing the need to address his own mental health. Popovich refused to comment before Friday's win over the Bulls, pointing to the team's statement. Primo had averaged 7.0 PPG in 23.3 minutes through four appearances this season. He split time last year between the NBA and G-League Austin. 

"It is our hope that, in the long run, this decision will serve the best interest of both the organization and Joshua," RC Buford said. 

Toronto (3-3): Sluggish start offensively won't be resolved by Otto Porter Jr.'s return from a hamstring ailment, as the veteran forward left the team late this week for personal reasons. They rank 29th in pace, Fred VanVleet hasn't been utilized often offensively (seventh in usage), helping settle the team's turnover rate and increase their assists. It's made the Raptors less dynamic though, leaning on Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes to make plays. 

“We want him to get some more attempts. He’s too good of a shooter for us to go up and down, up and down for a large section of the game without getting some attempts," Nick Nurse said. "We’ll try to involve him with setting screens for him, coming off the ball, not being on the ball or in ball screens because a lot of times teams are just switching to make him get off it. We’re setting some off the ball (for him). … We’re just trying to use him (with) a bunch of different tactics.”

Washington (3-2): Lost their first shootout against the Pacers, allowing three players to score 25 points in a loss. Rui Hachimura, Will Barton and Monte Morris shot well to support Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma through slow starts. Kristaps Porzingis looks great, leading the Wizards into Boston at 6 p.m. on Sunday averaging 17.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG and 1.0 BPG on 47.8% shooting. 

"I love playing with [Beal]," Porzingis said. "He takes so much attention away from me on those curls. The big has to help, otherwise, he has a layup... In the minutes that we got together, he was getting the ball wherever it had to go, and on that one, he threw the lob. Brad's great. I love playing with him."