What Niang Brings to Celtics + Are Cavs best team in East? | Big 3 NBA Podcast

What Niang Brings to Celtics + Are Cavs best team in East? | Big 3 NBA Podcast

up for the layup. Oh, blocked by James. Larry Bird scores 60 points. Look at the Boston players m Jordan is not only the best basketball player, but he’s the most exciting basketball player to ever play. Fires away, cuts it in. 51 for the Big Three NBA podcast is powered by prize picks and the game time app. Welcome to another edition of the Big Three NBA podcast. I’m your host Sher Blakeley. I’m joined by Ethan Sans, uh, Cavs beat writer, uh, for, uh, the Cleveland Plane dealer. What’s going on, Ethan? How you doing? I’m doing great. How are you doing, Sherrod? Thank you for having me on. Not a problem. I I I enjoy this. We’re going to, uh, be spending time throughout the offseason between now and when things kick off with training camp, just talking to different folks throughout the NBA ecosystem. Uh, and we’re going to probably spend a little bit more time talking about teams in the East who are supposed to make a little bit of noise this year. teams like I don’t know the Cleveland Cavaliers maybe. Uh they’re obviously coming off a really really strong season. Didn’t have the kind of postseason they were hoping to. Injuries certainly played a role as that and we’ll talk a little bit about that as well. Uh but when you look at where Ethan where things ended for the Cavs last year and you look at kind of where they are and we’re still in the summer off season period, we’re still there, but when you look at what they ideally wanted to do this off season, where do you see them right now as we kind of inch closer and closer towards the start of training camp? I still think that they made every move that they were supposed to in the offseason. It might not have been splashy, but the signs of a team that understands who it is and what they needed were exactly what this Cavs team did this off season. Obviously, losing Isaac Aoro hurts defensively and Ty Jerome was a stabilizing force when healthy, but Lonzo Ball’s addition does more than patch those holes. It enhances the entire structure. He’s a connector who raises the floor and the ceiling of your offense. He doesn’t just dominate the ball or he doesn’t dominate the ball at all if you don’t need him to, but he speeds it up. He doesn’t need plays run for him, but he moves with purpose and brings order to chaos. I think this is a team that is again going to try and fight for that number one seed in the Eastern Conference. They realize how important that is, how helpful that can be in their playoff runs. And I know there’s a lot of teams trying to make moves and they have this target on their back from being the number one overall uh seed in the Eastern Conference from last year and it’s just going to be a dog fight in the Eastern Conference. As we know, it’s more wide open than it’s been in a long time. Absolutely. And and you know, when you start looking at teams throughout the Eastern Conference, it really does feel as though teams are preparing for this arms race where uh your success may not necessarily be because you’re the better team, but maybe because you just have to be the healthier team or the deeper team or the team that has more counters. And I’m I’m glad you brought up Lonzo Ball because I I think that that’s one of those subtle but very impactful potential moves that could be the difference between, you know, getting bounced in the first round or getting all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals or even the NBA Finals. Speak to what you anticipate Lonzo is going to bring to the table because as as we know, uh, you know, Garland’s help was a factor uh in the playoffs and certainly when you look at the contributing uh factors to Cleveland not being able to finish off being that top seed, his health was one of them. It seems that Lonzo is a direct uh means of addressing that. I mean 100%. And obviously when you come into this 2025 2026 season, we know Darius Garland is more than likely going to start on the injury list. He had surgery on that toe that was bothering him since game two of the Eastern Conference first round against the Miami Heat. Um so Lonzo Ball is going to have to come in and play a major role from the get-go, right? And I think that’s part of what the expectation was when the Cavs went and got Lonzo. He fits Kenny Atinson’s system like a glove. Pace, movement, quick decisions. That’s what allowed the Cavs to lead the league in offensive efficiency last season. And Ball elevates that further, which is a little bit scary when you talk about how the Cavs were able to operate last season. Now you’re getting players that fit more into the system that Kenny Atinson wants to run. Plus, Lonzo is a agrade defender when it comes to the opposite end of the ball. He’s a guy that the Cavs have needed when you talk to about not only having a small back court and Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. Now, you throw Lonz Ball who’s 66, but also he can defend. Also, he can arguably guard some of the best perimeter players in the league when he’s healthy. And if need be, because of the lineup construction that the Cavs have done in the past, they could use him as a small forward and still give him ball handling opportunities to get Donovan Mitchell off the ball and get him in space that he wants to be in. Absolutely. Absolutely. And and you before we go any further, just want to let folks who are listening to this that you are listening to the Big Three NBA podcast. Uh and when you get a chance, show some love to our good friends at Prize Pix, which is America’s number one daily fantasy sports app. Download the app today and get a $50 bonus after your first $5 lineup. And as a friendly reminder, you are listening to again the Big Three NBA podcast, which is part of the CLNS Media Network, which is where you’ll find this content and other great past and present Celtics content. Uh, and so now again, let’s get back to the regularly scheduled program. Uh, we are having a a conversation with Ethan Sans of the Cleveland Plane dealer talking about the Cavs and their off season. uh which again there’s still plenty of time left in the offseason, but certainly they’ve made some moves that clearly uh will bolster their chances of repeating as the top seed in the East and potentially getting past uh that Eastern Conference kind of log jam, if you will, and getting to the NBA Finals. Well, one of the keys for them in any type of discussion about their growth and their evolution, uh particularly in the playoffs, is Evan Mobley. Uh I I I think I speak for like 99.9% of the folks who cover the NBA and say that he had a breakout season. Uh showed a lot of I think the proven body of work that many kind of put in the category of potential. He could be this, he could be that. And we saw a lot of that come to fruition this year. What’s the next step for Evan Mobley as he continues to evolve into an allstar and for the Cavs? I think addition eventually a perennial all-star type on the front court. He’s 24 years old, Sherrod. That’s the most important feature factor in all of this, right? We talk about a guy who was a firsttime alltime first time all-star, excuse me. He had the second team allNBA defensive player of the year. You talk about a leap, you talk about a jump, and the Cavs still think there’s more to go. Donovan Mitchell keeps saying that he hasn’t even reached his floor yet. This is what Evan Moy is supposed to be on an off year. Now we’re talking about being in the MVP conversation. Now we’re talking about being a perennial contender for defensive player of the year. It’s supposed to be Victor Wemanyama and Evan Mobley, right? That’s who it’s supposed to be in these conversations. And as you mentioned, an all-star every single year going now. But I I think there’s also a mental part to this. Obviously, Donovan Mitchell is a top 15 player in the NBA, but he knows that Evan Mobley has to be the guy or at least play like he thinks he’s the guy on the Cleveland Cavaliers for them to get past the Eastern Conference semi-finals, for them to get to the NBA Finals, for them to get to the Eastern Conference Finals. Let me not get ahead of myself. But the thing about Evan Mobley is he has all the tools. He’s 7 foot tall. He acts like a guard. He needs to dribble the ball up the floor more. Kenny Ainson is going to do that this coming season. But the physicality, the demeanor, the toughness, the mentality of physicality is so important for Evan Mowgli because of what he can bring and what the expectation is for him. There’s so much that the Cavs are going to want from him. And I think they’ve been doing it behind the scenes, right? As much as Donovan Mitchell has been pushing him in these conversations, pushing him even in his own interviews during the season last year, talking in the background, Evan, speak up. Talking in the background, Evan, say that you’re an allstar. Tell them who you are. That’s in part because he knows that what comes with being a number one option, what comes with that is criticism, crit criticism, critique, and being able to make mistakes and fail is okay. It’s part of the process. And I think over the last couple of years of Evan Mobley’s career, he’s had to realize that. I think he has had the physical tools all along. It’s about the mental growth that he needs coming into this next season. And that’s what’s going to separate him between being a all-star and being a first team allNBA type of player. Yeah. I I think Donovan Mitchell recognizes that this is the point in his career where he’s got to kind of go into big bro mode where you’ve got to really kind of get his get his guys to believe in themselves on a on a much higher plane because when you look at the teams that have won titles in recent years, none of them are oneman shows. When the Celtics won a title, yeah, Jason Tatum may be the best player, but it was Jaylen Brown who was finals MVP and Eastern Conference MVP. Uh, when you look at the Denver Nuggets and what they were able to do, you look at OKC, as great as SGA was, uh, you know, that Jaylen Kid was pretty good. Uh, you know, Chad Homegr had his moments where he was really good. uh you start going down the line and there are so many guys, you know, uh that you could make a legitimate case played a significantly vital role to them winning above and beyond their best player. And and so I I think Moy, it’s kind of like a game of tag and he’s it. Uh if Cleveland, I think, is going to make that that next step and be that team that so many believe they can be and their record has shown that they can be during the regular season, he’s probably going to have to be the guy to make that happen. Now, one of the things that, you know, and I again, I’ve learned this being around the Celtics. I’ve learned this being around the Detroit Pitch Pistons previously. Whenever your season comes up short in a year where you kind of position yourself for greatness, uh there are lessons learned uh that you typically bring into the next season that give you maybe a little bit more of whatever it is that you were missing, you kind of figured it out, unfortunately, by trial and error, and experience. What do you think are the biggest lessons that this Cavs team took away from last season? They had such a great regular season, but obviously didn’t end the way they they wanted it to. I mean, first and foremost, it starts with Evan Mobley. They realize that he has the potential to be that guy. The Cavs can’t just rely on Evan Mobley as a defensive defensive anchor or complimentary piece. They need him to initiate offense, bend defense, and dictate matchups. That means becoming a reliable offensive hub, not once in a while, but every night. The consistency needs to be there. They also learned, as we talked about, that winning 64 games and securing the best record in the East doesn’t guarantee you anything in May. They also found out that the hard way that playoff basketball is about execution under duress. Max Truce’s message during the Indiana series in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. He texted his group and says, “If you don’t believe, don’t show up.” That’s not motivational. That’s a warning. That’s his team has cracks in its confidence even after leading the East in wins. So, we all know this. Basketball isn’t about offensive fireworks. It’s about resilience. The half court gets mucked up. The pace slows down. And if you can’t generate multiple actions or survive pressure defense, you’re done. So, I I just think there’s a priority in versatility this off season, adding Lonzo, as I mentioned earlier, and keeping Sam Merrell instead of Tai Jerome that puts everyone on the floor, being able to shoot under pressure, handle the ball, cut space, and defend. That’s what Kenny Atinson’s offense needs, especially that’s what they learned after this last season. And again, the last part of that is conditioning is another red flag. You cannot get run off the court even if the Indiana Pacers are playing at a blitzing speed. It’s a it’s not about scheme, it’s about pride. And so, I think the lesson was clear. The Cavs don’t need to change who they are. They just need to fully embrace who they are. While their offense took a sizable leap last year, their defensive identity is something that they kept coming back to throughout the entire 2024 2025 season. They were like, “Oh, yeah. We’re a defense first team. Well, in the playoffs, I think you got to show it at this point.” Yeah, absolutely. And you know, when you look at the way just the way that they went about their business, uh, and it was really, you know, certainly for them and I think for a lot of people who were really starting to kind of believe in them because, you know, it it seemed, and you saw this up close and personal, Ethan, it seemed that as the season progressed, there was a sense that any minute now, they’re just going to collapse. They’re not going to get it done. They’re going to falter. They’re going to do this and that. And it didn’t happen in the regular season. And you know, lots of factors, as we’ve already talked about, contributed to them not being able to to seal the deal, uh, you know, in the playoffs. But, you know, when you look at the way that this team is is kind of constructed, you look at the way they kind of carry themselves, you you you got to believe that, you know, for them, a lot of this success is going to come back to just uh confidence, uh understanding uh the crucial moments of big games and being able to kind of fight through some of the adversity uh and at the end of the day, complete the deal, get it done. uh they’ve got the tools that pos that are going to position them to be certainly in the top tier in the Eastern Conference. Even if even if it was a normal year in the East, you’d still look at them as a top three team, but because there’s so much uncertainty and so much I think parody in the East, uh I I it’s hard I’m finding it hardressed to believe that there’s a team on paper right now that is better than them. Uh and and that’s and again all as you know and I know uh paper looks good, how you play is even better. Uh that will really determine it and they’re going to be positioned to do that. Uh for sure. Uh for those and just again for those who are listening to the show, we ask that you subscribe to the podcast, like and leave a review. And for those watching the show on CLNS, go ahead and hit that like button and subscribe to Celtics All Access YouTube channel uh where you can find our show and a lot of other great Celtics content out there. And also, please make sure to turn on your notifications so that you’ll get the in you’ll know the instant a new video drops like this one. And also, while we are showing love to the network, let’s show love to our partners at Prize Pix, uh, which is America’s number one daily fantasy sports app. Don’t miss your chance to cash in while your favorite athletes and teams are playing this summer. 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After you play your first $5 lineup, prize picks run your game. and we’re gonna continue running along with the Cavs and just kind of looking at where they at, where they’re going, and all that good stuff with our good friend Ethan Sans of the Cleveland dealer. Ethan, uh, we’ve talked a lot about what the Cavs have and who they’re bringing in and what they’re doing, but how do you see them or where do you see them position-wise in the Eastern Conference and and who do you think are the biggest threats to them? because they’re coming in as, you know, the team with the best record in the Eastern Conference and obviously there are lots of teams that want that spot. Who do you think are the biggest threats to them at the top of the East going to the postseason? Well, first and foremost, as you mentioned a little bit ago, I do think that the Cavs still should be viewed as the number one team in the Eastern Conference, especially with Indiana dealing with Tyresese Hallebertton going to be sidelined for the entirety of this next season and Boston. Not saying Jason Tatum is not gonna come back, but he’s coming back from an Achilles injury, and if he does come back, it’s gonna be in the playoffs, if that, late into the playoffs. So, I I do think that the Cavs are the number one team to beat in the Eastern Conference, but I do think that there are teams that made acquisitions this past off season that are going to make it difficult on the Cavs, right? And so, you’re This is funny you mentioned this on my own podcast, the Wine and Gold Talk podcast. We went through the the top six 17. So, I’m just going to give you my top three. I had Atlanta, I had Orlando, and I had the New York Knicks. And a lot of people are going to look at me crazy and be like, “Well, you have the New York Knicks too low on this list.” The reality of it, it’s not because the Knicks don’t have the star power. It’s not because the Knicks don’t have the players to get it done. It’s because of the style of play that Atlanta and Orlando play that are so crucial in slowing down what the Cavs do that’s successful. You remember earlier in the 2024 2025 season, there was maybe one team that had beaten the Cleveland Cavaliers twice. It was the Atlanta Hawks before Jaylen Johnson got injured. They were able to run the floor on the Cavs. They were able to get out in space. They had defenders with length and and speed that were able to keep up with them and it was surprising to the Cavs who got off to a 15-0 start last year. The Orlando Magic of course are going to be a difficult teams because they’re known for their defense and they have the pedigree and the roster to do all of that. Plus, now you’re telling me they add Desmond Bane, something that they needed, a shooter that can snipe from long range and he plays defense and he’s tough and he almost got into a fight with Donovan Mitchell last year. I just think there’s so much that those two teams do that have already proven, not to mention that Orlando just two years ago took the Cavs to seven games in the first round of the playoffs. So, I I do think that those are the two teams that peak my ear the most on who gives the Cavs the most challenge, but the New York Knicks are right up there, and a lot of different power rankings have the New York Knicks as the second or third best team in the NBA. So, I definitely think there’s conversations for all three of those teams to be the biggest threats to the Cleveland Cavaliers this coming season. I’m glad you mentioned Atlanta because I I think Atlanta is one of those teams that folks are going to act like, “Wow, I didn’t see where they came from.” But then when you start looking at their roster construction and you see what they have done in terms of where they are now versus where they were a year ago, it’s clear that they are taking a page from teams like Cleveland, from teams like Boston. In fact, hell, they went so far as to get the guy that was in on in Boston, Chris Porzingis, uh to give them that high low action, to give him that stretch big. And it it to me Atlanta is the one team that I think will give Cleveland the toughest run for the money simply because of the way that their roster is constructed. The fact that they’ve got a guy that is not only in terms of his ability a difference maker, he literally was a differencemaker in a team winning a championship or not. Uh when even though he did not play a ton in the playoffs uh during the Celtics title run, when he played in that Dallas series, it was game over. Lights out. He have he he was able to give them a super terrific game that was one of many one of the keys to them getting over that Dallas getting past that Dallas team and winning a championship. Uh and you got and the thing about Trey Young, you know, we think about Trey Young as, you know, this this shot chucker, which he is. I mean, let’s just keep it real. He does that. But we all we often forget about the fact that this dude has gave you 10, 11, 12 dimes a night. And now you add a seven-footer who can stretch the floor, who can knock down threes, who can score on the block, who can help defend interior, and and you got a bunch of wing defenders who are just like a bunch of pir piranhas out there. The way they just got to snapping and and just making your life miserable. It’s they’re they’re going to be a tough out. They’re to me their health is going to be everything. If they can keep their core guys healthy, they’re going to be very very difficult to beat. And as you said, Orlando, I mean, they haven’t a guy, they have not had a guy that shoots the ball as well as Desmond Bane since JJ Re. Uh, and the thing about Desmond Bane and and I I pointed this out to folks, you know, in the previous episodes that a bad year for Desmond Bane is shooting like 38% from three-point range. That’s a bad year for him. Uh, and so when you got a guy like that and you’re playing with, you know, with PO Paulo now all of a sudden, you’re probably gonna get a few more good looks than you’ve got in Memphis. And so they’re definitely going to be uh to me that’s the big three in in the East, Atlanta, Orlando, and Cleveland. And New York, I think New York is going to be good. But the thing that when I look at Atlanta, I look at Cleveland, I look at Orlando, they each have what I would consider multiple dynamic players. Cleveland to me New York the the best shot that they have is getting the right matchup. Like I think if they were to play, let’s say Atlanta, I think that’s a good match up for them. I don’t think Cleveland is a good matchup for them because when you look at Mobley and then you look at Cat, Cat has a tendency to kind of become kitty cat uh when the games get big. And Moy, I think he showed that, you know, he got a little more dog in him than I think people realize. Uh, and so and then then you’ve got Donovan Mitchell and then you’ve got Jaylen Brunson. At worst, they neutralize each other. I would say Donovan is probably a little bit more dynamic. Donovan is not a lockdown defender, but he’s a better defender than Jaylen Brunson. Uh, let’s just get that out the way. And so, that’s a matchup that I don’t think is a good one for them. Uh, and and again, I think matchups will be vital and health will be vital. Um, but it’s a good it’s a good issue to have if you’re if you’re Cleveland because I mean those those are teams that you can see your roster is constructed in a way where you’ve got a better than average chance of getting past those teams. Uh, for sure. And I don’t mean to cut you off, but people are going to look at you a little funny because they’re like, “Oh, the Knicks are going to be not a good matchup with the Cavs.” Well, the Knicks beat the Cavs a few a few postseasons ago and made them look silly. But that’s not the same Cavs team, right? We’re talking about a different, more vital, more built up team, more physically ready. That was the first time that the cla that the Cavs core four played together in a postseason with Donovan Mitchell there. Now you’re talking about they’ve had the experience to play Boston, Indiana, Miami, who wasn’t really a playoff team, but still we’re going to throw them in there. I I just think you have the expectation of they’re going to play to a different standard against the Knicks and they have the two big lineup to match up with Mitchell Robinson, Jared Allen and Evan Mobley to go up against Carl Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. I just think their matchups are too similar rather than when you mention the Atlanta Hawks. Sure, they could go with a double big lineup in on a conu and Chris Porzingis, but I don’t know if either of those guys are handling Mitchell Robinson, right? I I just think he’s too big of a offensive rebound hub and it’s hard to predict how his health is going to be um in the play playoffs, especially after the last couple of years that he’s had. But I think you’re absolutely right, and we’ve talked about this already. It’s not the talent, it’s not the experience, it’s the health that is going to get them. Right. A couple of years ago, Indiana was getting clowned because they had an easy route to the to the Eastern Conference Finals because they had to play everybody that was hurt. Well, that was kind of the same situation, but they had the good charm on this side this time. And then uh they get past the Boston Celtics. All of these things that have to happen to for them to get there. and then Tyresese Hallebertton blows out his tire and has to deal with all of that again. So, I guess you have to look at it from multiple different angles and not every situation is the same. People who people who uh try and look back a few years to get the same sentiment as a team that has grown since then, I think you’re losing the beauty of the game and how teams change over time. Nobody’s the same and not every situation is going to happen two times over, right? Especially when you have a team where you keep the core of that team together. And when they first came together, they were relatively young. I mean, and again, go back to the Celtics. I mean, you know, Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown, you know, they were making deep playoff runs early, really throughout their entire career, but it’s clear that there was a level of maturation that they needed to get to in order to go from being a team that can get to the playoffs and maybe do a few things, you know, dunk on LeBron every now and then and whatever, to a team that could just, you know, absolutely run just run through anyone and everyone in their way to winning a championship. It there is a journey. There’s a process with that for sure. Uh, and and I think that they are definitely, you know, Cleveland I they seem well on their way to to doing that and we and one of the guys that we we touched on a little bit. I wanted you to talk a little bit more about him uh before we head out of here is um Jared Allen. Um ju just putting anyone and everyone in the broadcast world on notice. When that man retires, he taking somebody job. Uh just let y’all know that right now. Don’t act like Don’t say I didn’t know. Uh he is inc. He is going to do this TV damn thing before he’s all done with uh in in sports. Uh because he’s really good as as you you probably do. I mean he’s a hell of a not just good quote just really smart, funny in intellectual guy, but he can also ball. He’s an also he’s a good baller. And I’m just curious what’s your take on just the impact that he has on this team and specifically his ability to help Evan Mobley be a better player because I think that’s the one guy maybe more than anyone else on the roster who benefits from having Jared Allen on the floor. Yeah, I mean Jared Allen we saw it two years ago before uh he got injured in that series against the Orlando Magic. He was arguably the best most impactful player for the Cleveland Cavaliers on the floor. And then you see him play against the Indiana Pacers in those first four games of that series, he was unstoppable. And then in the game five and six, he disappeared. That can’t happen, right? So I think there’s a duality with Jared, right? You go back two, three years when he has the infamous quote after the Knicks series, the lights are too bright, which as we know, he’s going to give you a quote or two and he gets clowned for that still to this day. But the fact of the matter is he can still have fun with it. Um, and I think Jared Allen, his game, his screen ability, he’s one of the best screeners in the NBA. He’s one of the best big on big threats, especially if we talk if Evan Mobley does what I was talking about earlier. If he’s bringing the ball up, if they’re doing big on big screens and now you have Jared Allen rolling to the basket and you have to decide whether to stay out on Evan Mobley or Evan Moley is trying to drive past you. I think there is so much room for that group to go. And I think also the fact that you bring this up, they help each other out on the defensive end of the floor more than anything else. There’s been times when Jared Allen has had to play by himself and Evan Moley’s been sidelineed or sitting out or whatever and Jared Allen’s like caught looking around because he expects Evan Mobley to fly in and get a help side block or whatever it may be. So there’s sometimes an over reliance, but you see the trust in that. You see the uh the help factor in what they do for one another that allows the defense to play so well. They’re both the defensive anchors on the team, but Jared Allen is the cru is the crux of that uh defense because he is the one that’s calling out everything. He’s the main talker. And as much as they want that to grow, as much as they want him to talk more, Jared Allen has been probably one of the most stable pieces of this Cleveland Cavaliers team when it comes to lob threats, when it comes to the defensive end, all of these things. And he does it without asking for anything. There have been people on Max Struce. Last last year, I wrote a story about Jared Allen and his unselfishness. Max Drew called Jared Allen probably one of the best people, human beings he’s ever met. That doesn’t happen in the man for for poke ship. Here we go. I’m saying. So I I I just think there’s an understanding of what Jared Allen means to the Cleveland Cavaliers, not only on the floor, but off it. Like he is the glue that holds them together because of how he operates, his unselfishness, his creation, and just his mindset. And sure, he gives you a good quote or two, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he pulls a Tibby D and dunks off and doesn’t come back for a while because he loves the the the environment. He loves um just the world and traveling. He was end up he was in Japan this summer and all that. So, I don’t know if he’s gonna end up on your TV screen after his career is all said and done, but he gonna be doing something. You just might not know about it. Yeah, we may have to follow him on social media to keep up with his whereabouts when he’s done playing. For sure. For sure. Uh and and you mentioned Max Stress, who is a former Celtic. Uh and that that’s you know, there’s a there’s a part of Celtics Nation that’s just like, “Oh man, we probably fumbled the bag with that one.” But, you know, not to dwell on the past, we’re going to talk about the present. And the present has another actually has a Cavalier player now playing with the Celtics, George Nang. Uh what can you tell us about him other than the fact that him and Jaylen Brown have have had their uh had a kurfuffle moment that I I guess their past none of their teammates but what else can you tell us about the type of player type of person that the Celtics are are getting and he’s a he’s from Massachusetts I I know that but just again being around him on a regular basis what what’s this guy like? George Niang is one of those players that fans fall in love with quickly and not just because of the shooting. Whenever wherever he’s gone, Utah, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Niang has been beloved. Now, does he fit the Celtics traditional mold of gritty switch heavy defenders? Not exactly, but that doesn’t mean he won’t matter. N brings locker room presence, vocal leadership, and just enough edge to keep teammates sharp. I mean, this is a guy that in the locker room he had only been in for two seasons, he was like there was a a telling sign that he was no longer there. The Cavs were beside themselves, some of them, when they found out that George Na was being traded. I mean, he’s also not going to win you a series, but he might win you a quarter. And sometimes that’s all that it takes. He’s a tone setter. And some of my favorite things about him, he loves to talk. He loves to compete. He faces the floor with confidence. He hits threes you don’t expect him to hit. And he frustrates defenders, not only because he’s hitting them in their face, but you can’t sag off him. And he’s going to talk to you after every single bucket. But Boston fans might look at the at his frame and assume he’s a defensive liability. Maybe so, but you know what else? He is a winner. He plays with edge, holds teammates accountable, and hits shots that matter. And again, as you mentioned, don’t discount the hometown angle. Nang grew just okay. He was just outside Boston, right? He’s a Massachusetts guy, so he doesn’t he’s going to pour everything he can into that Celtics jersey. Even if he’s not a postseason rotation lock, he’ll bring leadership and lift. And especially in a season where Jason Tatum’s uh injury is going to sideline him for a good amount of time, that kind of glue that Nang can bring is going to matter a whole whole lot. He’s one of the one of the players that even being in Cleveland for just a short amount of time, not only players, but fans have come up to me and been like, “You know what trade I hated the most and we made this year? George Nie, because he was one of my favorite players.” And I had to question myself. I was like, “Y’all seen him play in the playoffs, right?” Right. Like, but hey, if you if you love him, if you loved, you’re loved. So, I I think Niang is one of those guys that Boston fans are going to hate to love and love to hate. Yeah. The thing about him, uh, when I when I watch him play, even in Cleveland and and and elsewhere, uh, he he makes me think about something Doc Rivers used to say all the time when he was in Boston, and that is when you’re constructing a team, you got to have a at least one or two agitators, guys that just, you know, they may not be your best player. They may not be, you know, you know, awesome at any particular skill. They just get under guy’s skin. Uh, and you know, every his thing is every team that’s contending for a championship or wins a championship, you usually find one or two of those guys on your roster. Uh, and when I think about Nang, that’s exactly what I think of. He’s an agitator. I mean, I’ve, you know, I’ve gone back and and and watched, you know, some of the games that he’s played against the Celtics, and as he would get on my damn nerves as a player. Uh, I would be I mean, I would seriously be ready to just pop him. Uh, and then I think about that from a competitive standpoint, you kind of want a guy like that in your in your in your bunker. You kind of want a guy like that, you know, when you’re going to battle and you’re trying to win one game. To your point, he may not win you a game, but he could win you the quarter that you needed to win in order to win the game. And that could be the one game that gets you over the top and get you on to the next round of the playoffs. And even though someone else may get all the credit for what they did in last two minutes of the game and how someone had an amazing 20 point 15 rebound game, he may have had five, six points, but he may have had five or six points in the to kick off a 170 run that led you to the win. Uh he’s that kind of guy. Uh but but you know, with the Celtics and just the way they’re kind of, you know, playing musical chairs with this roster, we don’t know if he’s going to stick around. But I I I think that he’s a guy that again because of his track record of success. I mean, damn near every team he plays for wins at a high level. Um whether he is playing big minutes or not, he may be that lucky charm that you need that you didn’t realize you needed. Uh he could be that guy. Uh but but certainly, you know, the Celtics, they again, as they try to get their financial house in order. Um they’re trying to find that balance between let’s let’s get the money down, but let’s get the talent relatively high enough to compete. And certainly, he is the guy that gives them a chance to compete going forward. Uh before we get out of here, uh for those of you listening to the show, we ask that you subscribe to the podcast, like and leave a review. And for those watching the show on CNS media and Celtics all assets YouTube channel, that’s where you can find all our shows and a lot of other great Celtics content. Uh, and one more thing, please make sure to turn on your notifications so you will know the instant a new video like this one will drop. Uh, for this is uh Shra Blakeley for our good friend Ethan Sans of the Cleveland Plane dealer. This is the big three NBA podcast. [Music] Duh. D [Music]

On this week’s show, Sherrod Blakely is joined by Cleveland.com Cavs beat writer Ethan Sands. They discuss the Cavs’ new point guard, Evan Mobley’s emergence, the biggest threats in the East besides Cleveland, and the newest Celtic (and former Cav), Georges Niang. 

0:00 ⏰EPISODE TIMELINE⏰
1:19 Where are the Cavs at?
3:05 What does Lonzo Ball bring to the table?
6:01 Next step for Evan Mobley
10:28 Biggest lessons learned for Cleveland
14:39 Subscribe to CLNS and Celtics All Access on YouTube!
15:06 PrizePicks
16:11 Biggest threats to Cleveland in the East
26:13 Impact of Jarrett Allen
30:44 What type of player is Georges Niang?
35:59 Thanks for watching! Subscribe!

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