Boston Celtics, Former Hoosier Juwan Morgan Advance to NBA Finals

The Celtics defeated the Miami Warmth 100-96 in recreation seven of the Jap Convention Finals on Sunday night time. Jayson Tatum grew to become the primary participant to win the newly-named Larry Chook Trophy, which is given to the MVP of the Jap Convention finals. Tatum led the Celtics with 26 factors, adopted by 24 factors from each Jaylen Brown and Marcus Sensible.

Regardless of a 35-point effort from Miami’s Jimmy Butler, Boston now advances to its first NBA Finals look since 2010. And for Indiana basketball followers, there’s a acquainted face on the Celtics trying to win essentially the most highly-desired trophy in basketball. 

Former Indiana ahead Juwan Morgan signed a two-year, $1,834,863 cope with the Boston Celtics in April to fill an open roster spot earlier than the NBA playoffs. Since becoming a member of the Celtics, Morgan has appeared in 4 video games for a complete of 10 minutes. He scored his lone level of the playoffs in Boston’s 127-102 recreation two win in Miami on Might 19. 

Because the No. 3 seed, the Celtics have now taken down the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Warmth en path to the NBA Finals the place they will face Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in a seven-game sequence. Morgan first appeared for the Celtics throughout this 12 months’s playoffs when the Celtics defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in recreation seven of the Jap Convention Semifinals.

Taking part in for the Hoosiers for 4 seasons from 2015 to 2019, Morgan was a two-time All-Large Ten choice, averaging 16.5 factors and seven.4 rebounds as a junior and 15.5 factors and eight.2 rebounds as a senior. He began 85 of 128 video games and was a part of Indiana’s 2016 Large Ten common season championship group as a freshman.

Morgan joined Steve Downing because the second Indiana basketball participant to ever file a triple-double when he scored 10 factors, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on Dec. 22, 2018 in Indiana’s 94-64 win over Jacksonville. He scored a career-high 35 factors in Indiana’s win over Butler within the 2018 Crossroads Basic, which additionally broke his personal file of 34 factors within the Crossroads Basic set the earlier season. 

The 6-foot-7 ahead began his skilled profession as an undrafted free agent with the Utah Jazz. Morgan performed for Utah within the 2019 Summer season League and signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Jazz in August of 2019. He spent the next two seasons enjoying for the Jazz and their G-League affiliate, the Salt Lake Metropolis Stars.

Morgan notably began his first NBA recreation for Utah in Sport 1 of the 2020 Western Convention first-round matchup in opposition to the Denver Nuggets. Utah misplaced the sport 135-125, however Morgan completed with a team-high plus-17 plus/minus score, contributing three factors, seven rebounds, one help and one steal.

Following two seasons with the Jazz and Stars, Morgan signed with the Celtics in September of 2021. He was waived a couple of weeks later, however was rapidly resigned by Boston’s G-League affiliate, the Maine Celtics. Taking part in 13 video games, Morgan averaged 12.3 factors on 53.1 p.c capturing, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.0 steals in 28.2 minutes per recreation.

Morgan signed a 10-day contract with the Toronto Raptors in December of 2021 however was reacquired by the Maine Celtics on Jan. 1, 2022 after his 10-day contract expired. The primary 12 months of Morgan’s new contract with the Celtics will enable him to play by the playoffs, however subsequent 12 months’s portion of the deal is just not assured, in response to reporter Keith Smith, who covers the Celtics.

Whereas Morgan hasn’t performed a significant position for the Celtics of their run to the NBA Finals, Boston’s massive man Robert Williams has been coping with nagging accidents all through the playoffs. Morgan may see an elevated position if Williams or one other Boston ahead is sidelined with an damage. However, it is good to see the undrafted Morgan have an opportunity to win basketball’s most coveted trophy. 

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