NBA Notes: Celtics, Paul George, Heat, backup point guard, Thunder

Celtics

It’s safe to say Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla is pleased with what he’s seen from Paul George early.

“He’s got great instincts. Great instincts, great technique, great positioning,” Mazzulla said, via Joe Postrade of Sporting News. “It’s something he takes pride in, but I do think it’s very contagious.”

George scored 13 points in his preseason debut, a 144-106 win over the 76ers. Yes, that’s his former team. For the record, Philadelphia didn’t play its biggest names. Still, it was a good first run for George, and the Celtics will need plenty from him after trading Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia.

That leaves Jayson Tatum as the main man in Boston. But even Tatum admits he could use George’s help.

“Just to be able to be his teammate and learn from him and take on the role of any kind of mentor or assistance to myself and other guys,” Tatum said. “I obviously watched him play for a long time. It’s cool to be a part of it.”

Heat

The Heat may have themselves an actual competition for the backup point guard job.

Dru Smith entered camp as the logical favorite behind Davion Mitchell, but a calf injury has kept him out of the preseason. In the meantime, rookies Tre Donaldson and Ryan Conwell have made cases for themselves.

Amir Motameni of Sports Illustrated points to Donaldson as the steadier pure point guard, while Conwell has flashed more offensive upside.

Conwell was especially impressive against Minnesota, finishing with 22 points, nine assists, five rebounds and zero turnovers. He scored 13 points in the fourth quarter.

Donaldson, meanwhile, has looked comfortable organizing the offense without needing the ball constantly. That could fit nicely on a roster already featuring Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.

Smith still has the advantage of knowing Erik Spoelstra’s system and defending at a high level. But every preseason game he misses gives the rookies another chance to make the decision harder.

Thunder

Divisions don’t mean what they used to in the NBA. That doesn’t mean the Thunder can afford to ignore theirs.

Oklahoma City went 12-4 against the Northwest Division last season, and Ivan White of Sports Illustrated argues that continued success there could be a major factor in another run at the No. 1 seed.

The Thunder share the division with Denver, Minnesota, Portland and Utah, and those 16 games account for a pretty significant chunk of the schedule.

They also tend to come with some familiarity. Oklahoma City went through both Denver and Minnesota during its 2025 championship run, and those matchups aren’t likely to get any easier.

Nobody is throwing a parade for winning the Northwest Division. But if the Thunder keep taking care of business there, the larger rewards tend to follow.