NBA Notes: Celtics, Nikola Vucevic, Nets, Raptors, RJ Barrett

The Celtics are playing the waiting game with Nikola Vucevic.

The veteran center is recovering from a fractured right ring finger suffered March 6 and is expected to miss at least a month. So far, though, the early signs have been encouraging.

“The good thing is I can still do some stuff on the court,” Vucevic said, via the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn. “That will help me for when I come back, be in shape and hopefully get a couple games before the playoffs.”

That is the goal. Get back, get a rhythm, and avoid going in cold.

Vucevic said the swelling has gone down and the pain has been minimal. The next step is a clean X-ray, which would allow him to ramp things up and begin building strength in the hand again.

— The Celtics may once again find themselves operating below the first tax apron next season. As MassLive’s Brian Robb noted, Boston has roughly $185 million committed, including several non-guaranteed deals that could be moved if needed. The presence of young contributors on team-friendly contracts only helps.

Nets

The Nets, meanwhile, dropped another tough one, falling 93-92 to the Knicks. It marked their 14th straight loss in the rivalry. Josh Minott, who scored a career-high 22 points, did not hide his frustration afterward. “I wanted that s–t so (bleeping) bad,” he said, via Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “Ever since we’ve been here, it’s like every game is an away game. [Friday] was just the night to really just stick it to everybody, man. As an organization, as a team, to show people that we got s–t here, yo. Man, just a sea of blue, a sea of orange. Every game we play, it’s a sea of the other team.”

Raptors

The Raptors continue to hold steady, even after a loss to Denver. They sit fifth in the East and believe there is another level to reach as the group gets healthier. “The more we get healthy, the more we play together, the better it’s going to be for us,” RJ Barrett told reporters. “I think we’re showing that on a nightly basis. But there are times and moments that we can play better as a team.”