Advertisement

Jason Kidd, Ime Udoka named Coaches of the Month

JD Shaw: Mavericks coach Jason Kidd and Celtics coach Ime Udoka have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Coaches of the Month for March and April:
Source: Twitter @JShawNBA

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Ime Udoka has won coach of the month for the second month in a row,
tied with Monty Williams for the league lead with two. Likewise, Jayson Tatum lead the league in player of the week awards with 4 this season, though he didn’t win a player of the month award. – 1:06 PM

Marc J. Spears @MarcJSpears
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in March and April. pic.twitter.com/zjCqXqTOC61:05 PM

Marc Stein @TheSteinLine
Dallas’ Jason Kidd and Boston’s Ime Udoka were just named West and East Coach of the Month by the NBA.
More NBA from me: marcstein.substack.com1:01 PM

JD Shaw @JShawNBA
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd and Celtics coach Ime Udoka have been named the Western and Eastern Conference Coaches of the Month for March and April: pic.twitter.com/615wocRzI11:01 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Monty Williams was a nominee for Western Conference Coach of the Month, Jason Kidd won it – 1:01 PM

Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Veronica Burton was selected seventh overall by the @DallasWings in the 2022 @WNBA Draft.
@Brian Scalabrine compares her to a mix of Jason Kidd and Mike Bibby.
#WNBADraft | @nuwbball pic.twitter.com/TcqfEXyIt69:54 AM

Grant Williams @Grant2Will
Ime Udoka = COY too 👍🏽 Love Monty Williams and all that he did this year but #1 net rating #1 Offense #1 Defense and the difference between expectation of the season gives value imo. – 7:22 PM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Mavs just announced they’ll have their first playoff practice tomorrow morning with media availability for Jason Kidd and at least one player around 12:30 p.m.
I’m confident there will be some Luka Doncic update before then and also confident Luka Doncic will not be that player. – 4:17 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
Luka Dončić has MORE career 30-point Triple Doubles than:
• Larry Bird
• Magic Johnson
• Kobe Bryant
• Jason Kidd
• Michael Jordan
• Giannis
Nikola Jokic
Kevin Durant
Luka is 23 years old.
#MuseTakeover pic.twitter.com/lDxzEfCHL53:30 PM

Jason Quick @jwquick
On his first day with the Celtics, Ime Udoka introduced The Can Man. Three months later, The Can Man changed the Celtics’ season. On the Boston turnaround and the Portland, Oregon roots that help steady the new coach. theathletic.com/3230403/2022/0…10:48 AM

Rob Peterson @ShotDrJr
How did the Boston Celtics and coach Ime Udoka turn around their season after a slow start? Udoka listened to two voices on the C’s staff from his hometown of Portland, Ore. Let @Jason Quick take you behind the scenes. A must-read: theathletic.com/3230403/2022/0…10:12 AM

David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
A great read from @Jason Quick on the Northeast Portland connection between Boston coach Ime Udoka and his assistants Damon Stoudemire and Aaron Miles, that helped lead to the Celtics’ breakthrough this season. In @TheAthletic: bit.ly/3xjOyGW9:25 AM

Jay King @ByJayKing
My man ⁦@Jason Quick⁩ wrote a banger about the Celtics. This is an awesome read.
How Ime Udoka became the Can Man: Behind the scenes of how a Portland connection reshaped the Celtics theathletic.com/3230403/2022/0…9:01 AM

Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Hearing from Jason Kidd and others that the Mavericks’ Game 1 could be noon on Saturday. But that’s totally unconfirmed. – 12:04 AM

Jeff Wade @SkinWade
Whoa, Jason Kidd with the very confident “we’re probably playing Saturday at noon” – 11:57 PM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jason Kidd said he hasn’t talked to Luka or medical staff yet.
Said starters were going to play normal minutes for three quarters, and Luka’s injury came 2:24 before then.
Kidd: “We weren’t playing the New Orleans score. We were just trying to get better with the long layoff.” – 11:55 PM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Dwight Powell just took an awkward fall and is grimacing before his free throws.
Jason Kidd said he’s not following the Warriors’ score (a 22-point lead rn), but at what point do Mavs consider No. 4 a lock and shift to injury-prevention mode? – 11:06 PM

Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Jalen Brunson took a bad step making a move on the offensive end and has been hobbling for a couple possessions. Jason Kidd called timeout to give him a rest. Doesn’t look like he’s departing the game. – 9:52 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka: “We have a plan mapped out for Saturday or Sunday (for Game 1). We want to get some scrimmaging in, while also getting into whoever we are playing. We’ll get into their plays and personnel when we know who we are playing.” – 9:42 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka: “We’ll get started on Brooklyn and Cleveland. We haven’t seen Cleveland in a while, and we just played Brooklyn. But we’ve got work to do and we’ll get started on it right away.” – 9:39 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka on seeding: “We were worried about ourselves.” – 9:38 PM

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Ime Udoka on how Celtics handled seeding scenarios: “We were worried about ourselves.” – 9:37 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka’s 51 wins are the sixth-most for a first-year Boston Celtics head coach:
K.C. Jones – 62
Bill Fitch – 61
Bill Russell – 60
Chris Ford – 56
Jimmy Rodgers – 52
Ime Udoka – 51 – 9:32 PM

Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops
Give Ime Udoka and Celtics credit. Could have tried to tank to avoid potential Brooklyn matchup.
Instead, Boston gets No. 2 seed and a likely date with KD, Kyrie and the Nets in the first round.
Would love to see Boston with Robert Williams in the first round. Appears unlikely. – 9:25 PM

Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
The Celtics — who looked dysfunctional back in December — will be the No. 2 seed in the East playoffs. What a remarkable turnaround. And what a coaching job by Ime Udoka. – 9:23 PM

John Karalis @John_Karalis
Ime Udoka will finish with 51 wins in his first year as a head coach. – 9:21 PM

A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
Up by 24 points with 1:13 to play in the third, I guess Ime Udoka is ready to go a little deeper than usual, into the bench. pic.twitter.com/Nec48YOkfN8:54 PM

Eddie Sefko @ESefko
Jason Kidd was informed that players get a maximum of seven technical fouls in the playoffs before they earn a suspension. Regarding Luka, Kidd said: “You get seven? I’m telling him six.” – 8:41 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Four fouls on Jaylen Brown now.
Looks like Ime Udoka is gonna let him go, because why not? – 8:35 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka is not going to be happy with 12 first half turnovers. – 8:12 PM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Maxi Kleber will miss a fourth consecutive game tonight vs. Spurs, but no concerns about his playoff availability next weekend.
Jason Kidd: “Yeah, he’ll be ready to go.” – 8:02 PM

Brad Townsend @townbrad
Jason Kidd was under the impression that players get 6 technicals in the playoffs before getting a suspension, but when told the number actually is 7, Kidd says: “I’m going to tell Luka he only gets 6.” – 7:58 PM

Dwain Price @DwainPrice
A player in the playoffs is suspended for one game after receiving his 7th technical foul. Jason Kidd said he’s going to tell Luka Doncic that he gets 6 technical fouls before he’s suspended. – 7:56 PM

Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Mavs F/C Maxi Kleber will miss his fourth straight game due to a sore right ankle, but Jason Kidd says “he’ll be ready to go” for the playoffs. – 7:50 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka on the in-game interview about playing his starters: “We don’t want them to be off too long. And we’ve still got things to play for as far as the standings and seeding.” – 7:48 PM

A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
With the No. 2 seed in the East at stake, it’ll be interesting to see how much Ime Udoka will lean on his starting five in the next three quarters. Keep in mind that the C’s next game won’t be for nearly a week. Injury, more than late-season rest, is what you worry about. – 7:47 PM

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Ime Udoka continues to sound optimistic about Rob Williams recovery from knee surgery: “Everybody kind of reacts to it differently and so we’re not ruling him out (of first round) because of that.” masslive.com/celtics/2022/0…6:30 PM

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
How will Ime Udoka and Celtics handle tonight’s game? @SouichiTerada breaks it down along with all the scenarios in play for Boston masslive.com/celtics/2022/0…6:17 PM

Joe Mullinax @sbnGrizzlies
Was interesting to see how open Ime Udoka was in regards to the playoff positioning situation the team is in. A win moves them to the 2-seed (and potential matchup with Brooklyn) a loss could keep them at 3 or drop them to 4 – 5:49 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
More Ime Udoka on Rob Williams: “We anticipate playing the first round without him.” But Udoka said they aren’t ruling anything out with Williams’ recovery. – 5:43 PM

Meghan Triplett @Meghan_Triplett
Celtics Head Coach Ime Udoka said it’s “normal as planned” and he plans on playing their normal starters. Al Horford is dealing with back tightness and will be a game-time decision. – 5:41 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka on Rob Williams: “He’s doing well, as he has been since surgery. He’s doing two-a-days back in Boston and doing really well…The 4-6 week timetable is what it is, but guys have come back early. Some guys have come back in three weeks. We’re not ruling anything out.” – 5:40 PM

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Ime Udoka on Rob Williams recovery timetable: “We anticipate playing the first round without him.” – 5:40 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
Ime Udoka said Robert Williams is doing well and has been since the surgery. He’s doing two a days back in Boston. Still not ruling out a first round appearance, but still anticipate playing the first round without him. – 5:39 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka: “Everyone is talking about Brooklyn, but they have a Play-In game to play. You can run from teams, and they don’t even end up being there. What we concluded was: Let’s do what we do and let the chips fall where they may.” – 5:37 PM

Chris Forsberg @ChrisForsberg_
Ime Udoka: “We’ll do what we do and let the chips fall where they may.” – 5:37 PM

John Karalis @John_Karalis
Ime Udoka: We’ll do what we do and let the chips fall where they may – 5:37 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
Ime Udoka said the Celtics looked at the possible playoff paths and discussed options: “What we kind of concluded was: Let’s do what we do.” – 5:37 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka on seeding: “We’ve talked. We’ve looked at all the scenarios. We concluded that doing what we do is what is most important. Health, playing our best basketball, that’s what’s important.” – 5:36 PM

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Ime Udoka on seeding possibilities: “We’ve talked about it and looked at all the scenarios.” – 5:36 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka: “We’ll play our guys, see how it’s going and go from there.” – 5:35 PM

John Karalis @John_Karalis
Ime Udoka says the plan is to play the regular starters, though Al Horford has some back soreness and is testing it pregame to see how it feels – 5:35 PM

Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Ime Udoka says Celtics haven’t predetermined anything as far as minutes tonight. – 5:35 PM

Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
“We’re going to play our guys” says Ime Udoka.
So there you have it. – 5:35 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka said the Celtics are going to play their guys. Al Horford is working on some back tightness, but they expect him to play. Regular starters. – 5:35 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
Ime Udoka: “We’re gonna play our guys.”
Al Horford had a little bit of back soreness though. He will test it out before the game. – 5:35 PM

Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Chris Paul will lead the league in assists per game (10.8) for the fifth time in his career.
He becomes the sixth player in NBA history to do it at least five times, joining Jason Kidd (5), Steve Nash (5), Oscar Robertson (6), Bob Cousy (8) and John Stockton (9). – 2:59 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
All-NBA Surprising Team
G: Darius Garland
G: Ja Morant
F: DeMar DeRozan
F: Julius Randle
C: Robert Williams
Coach: Jason Kidd pic.twitter.com/vfCcp5PvVD1:21 PM

Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
📅 On this day in 2003, the Nets’ Jason Kidd had 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists in a loss to the Hawks, becoming the fifth player in NBA history to reach 50 career triple-doubles.
Kidd ended his career with 107 triple-doubles, the fourth-highest total in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/FHoWRSlSp43:01 PM

More on this storyline

Omari Sanfoka II: Cade on his RoTY resume: “I think I made a strong case for it. I had some big moments this year that will show that I feel like I’m the best rookie this year, and there’s other guys that have had big moments as well.” -via Twitter @omarisankofa / April 11, 2022

Marc J. Spears: Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green and Toronto Raptors guard/forward Scottie Barnes have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in March and April. -via Twitter @MarcJSpears / April 11, 2022

Shams Charania: NBA Players of the Week for the final week of the season: Mavericks‘ Luka Doncic and 76ers‘ Joel Embiid. -via Twitter @ShamsCharania / April 11, 2022