Related items

• Jamaican prospect Marcus McDonald selected for Basketball Without Borders Camp in Brazil

  In an exciting development for Jamaican basketball, rising star Marcus McDonald has been handpicked to showcase his skills at the prestigious Basketball Without Borders Americas Camp. The event, jointly organized by the NBA and FIBA, will take place in São Paulo, Brazil, from May 17 to 20, 2024.

  McDonald, known for his exceptional talents on the court as a key member of Jamaica's Under 17 national team, stood out among his peers in the selection process. The camp, which focuses on developing top-tier players from across the Americas, promises an unparalleled opportunity for McDonald to refine his game alongside renowned coaches and NBA/FIBA players.

  Jamaica Basketball Association President Paulton Gordon expressed delight at Marcus' selection, highlighting the significance of this achievement for the nation's basketball development.

  "JABA is excited that the emerging young players are being recognized for their dedication and development trajectory," remarked Gordon. "This Elite NBA camp will certainly assist in the honing of skills and preparation for transition to the senior level."

  

  The announcement of Marcus' invitation to Basketball Without Borders Americas follows closely on the heels of another promising player, Antoine Daye from Calabar, who unfortunately had to decline due to scheduling conflicts with his Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exams.

  For McDonald, this invitation marks a pivotal moment in his basketball journey, offering him the chance to learn from the best and gain invaluable experience that could shape his future in the sport.

• Brown hails history-making White after Celtics draw first blood against Cavaliers

  Jaylen Brown hailed the growth of "aggressive" Derrick White, who continued his impressive postseason form in the Boston Celtics' victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

  The pair scored a combined 57 points as the Celtics prevailed 120-95 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semi-finals series at TD Garden.

  White notched up seven three-pointers - going four-for-six in the third quarter - as he became only the fifth player in NBA history to make 20 or more over a three-game span in the postseason, after Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Jamal Murray and Damian Lillard.

  And Brown, who was 12-for-18 shooting to go with six rebounds, two assists and just one turnover, paid tribute to his team-mate as the Celtics improved to 5-1 in the playoffs.

  "Derrick has grown," Brown said. "He's a new version that we haven't seen before.

  "He's put the work in, his body has developed a little bit, he's got some more playoff experience. He's being aggressive, and we urge him to do that more and more down the line."

  Asked if he felt like he was in a rhythm, White said: "I'd say so. It feels good. I just want to help us win."

  Meanwhile, Donovan Mitchell's haul of 33 points and six assists proved academic for the Cavaliers, who suffered their fourth successive road defeat in the postseason.

  J.B. Bickerstaff, whose side came through an epic seven-game series against Orlando Magic in the opening round on Sunday, saluted the efforts of his players.

  "There's a lot of areas we can improve on," he said. "I thought the guys came out with the right intent and the right effort. Facing a team like Boston, I think it's good to be able to play them.

  "You're not used to the speed, the spacing, the shooting and all those things until you get up against them - especially coming from a series we just came from that was more of a half-court slugfest, where they play with more tempo and more space. We'll learn from it, and we'll be better."

• NBA: Thunder pull away from Mavs, Celtics rout Cavaliers in opener

  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists and the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder kept Luka Dončić in check to pull away for a 117-95 victory in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Tuesday.

  Chet Holmgren had 19 points and seven rebounds and Jalen Williams scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Thunder remained unbeaten in the playoffs.

  Game 2 is Thursday night in Oklahoma City.

  Doncic entered this series averaging just under 30 points per game in these playoffs but was limited to 19 on 6-of-19 shooting, including 1 of 8 from 3-point range, and had five turnovers.

  Kyrie Irving led Dallas with 20 points and Daniel Gafford had 16, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

  The Thunder held just a 69-67 lead midway through the third quarter before a 20-7 run increased the advantage to 89-74.

  Dallas got the deficit down to 96-87 on Irving’s 3 with 8:31 remaining, but Williams hit consecutive 3s and then dunked to make it 104-87.

   

  Celtics handle Cavs in Game 1

  Jaylen Brown scored 32 points and Derrick White added 25 with seven 3-pointers to lead the Boston Celtics to a 120-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opener of their Eastern Conference second-round series.

  Jayson Tatum had 18 points and 11 rebounds and Payton Pritchard scored 16 for the Celtics, who improved to 5-1 in this postseason and will host Game 2 on Thursday night.

  Donovan Mitchell had 33 points and six assists and Evan Mobley added 17 and 13 rebounds as Cleveland lost for the fourth time in as many road playoff games.

  Boston shot 18 of 46 from 3-point range and took a 15-point lead into the fourth quarter. The Celtics started the final quarter with a 10-2 run to essentially put the game out of reach.

  Both teams played without their starting centres. Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen missed his fourth straight game with a bruised rib and Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis was sidelined for the second consecutive game with a strained right calf.