Digital Sports Desk, Author at Digital Sports Desk https://digitalsportsdesk.com/author/digital-sports-desk-staff/ Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:01:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/IMG_0364-2-150x150.jpg Digital Sports Desk, Author at Digital Sports Desk https://digitalsportsdesk.com/author/digital-sports-desk-staff/ 32 32 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conf ’26 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/sports-analytics/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sports-analytics Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:55:11 +0000 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/?p=9064 The influx of ESPNers improved the conference make up, including everything from moderating panels to in-depth interviews conducted on stage.

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – For a forward-looking group of MIT mathematicians, scientists, data-divers, sports analysts and masters of business candidates, there’s quite a bit of reminiscing done each year when the annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference (SSAC) tips-off each March, here at The Seaport in Boston. Looking backwards to find opportunities going forward is not a bad thing, so let’s look at the typical pontifications of veteran SSAC attendees:

  1. There’s the “I was there when it started group.” That’s a reference to a very small handful (136 people) of MBA candidates who were on hand for the inaugural 2006 SSAC, launched by Jessica Gelman and Daryl Morey, and staged in classrooms and common space on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.
  2. There’s a group, called “the visionaries” by Gelman. Together with ESPN’s buy-in and the inevitable desire for growth, a group of sports industry icons, media, luminaries and even the President of the United States of America got the place jumping over the massive growth periods for the conference – call it 2009-present.
  3. ESPN’s commitment coincided with massive participation by the sports network’s talent, including executives like John Walsh, John Kosner, and Marie Donoghue, along with columnists and writers such as Bill Simmons, Jackie MacMullan, Marc Stein, John Hollinger, and Henry Abbott. The influx of ESPNers improved the conference make up, including everything from moderating panels to in-depth interviews conducted on stage.
  4. It was Simmons who tagged the conference Dork-a-Palooza and the moniker was seconded by Mark Cuban, entrepreneur and former owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks who relished in the vibes of analytics. The Dork has out-paced the lifers, so maybe Dork-a-Palooza is an expression to forever be retired from this column.
  5. Add Bill James (Society for American Baseball Research, aka SABR), Michael Lewis (Moneyball), Nate Silver(writer/analyst at Baseball Prospectus and later the founder of political online site FiveThirtyEight), and Jonathan Kraft (President of the New England Patriots, an early investor in Boston-based Draft Kings fantasy sports/gambling site), and you were looking at the “the growth stage.”
  6. By the time 2014 rolled around, we were treated to an amazing “meeting of the minds” when author Malcolm Gladwell sat down to interview NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. The SSAC had hit the big time, unless you think a panel with President Barack Obama might top the Gladwell-Silver “above the title” flick.
  7. Yes, while Obama was visiting his oldest daughter, Malia, at Harvard University, he stopped by for an “off the record” chat with conference co-founders Gelman and Morey. (How could you expect them to delegate that interview to Bill Simmons)? – That might been the zenith for the once quiet, quaint sports analytics conference.

Along the way, the frequent complaint was whether the team owners, general managers and coaches would ever respect the analytics side of the equation enough to incorporate the number crunching into the strategy. That question was answered emphatically, especially in baseball and basketball as along came the relief pitchers and along came Golden State’s Steph Curry and the three-point field goal barrage that literally changed Dr. Naismith’s game.

If you were paying attention, the likes of Shane Battier, Sue Bird, Elton Brand, JJ Reddick, Steve Kerr, or Steve Nash, were there to tell you about the changing games, as were coaches like Mike D’Antoni, Mike Brown, Dave Joerger, David Fizdale and a host of team GMs and basketball operations gurus to map out the strategies. Reddick even focused on the jobs of former players who were plumbers or firemen.

Panel discussions delved into everything from improvements in the NBA refereeing systems to a total overhaul of the NBA’s schedule-making – an undertaking when all the great ideas were plugged into the state-of-the-art computers to find out it would only take 20+ years for the program to run and spit-out the perfect schedule for the games to be played, starting some seven months later.

Whether you look at it as good news or bad news, 2,500 participants from 31 countries, 630 different organizations, and representatives from over 80 teams and leagues will come together for the 20th edition of the MIT SSAC ‘26 which starts tomorrow morning at 8:30am with Opening Remarks by Gelman and Morey in a packed “Bill James Room” at the Seaport.


Among the highlights this year at the 2026 SSAC:

  • ESPN and Draft Kings Reshape Sports Betting for the Fan – Discussion with Stephen A. Smith, Kevin Neghandi and Burke Magnus of ESPN along with Draft Kings CEO Jason Robins.
  • What Six Years of AI Taught Us – SeatGeek’s Derek Zhou
  • The Next Play – AI’s Impact on Emerging Sports
  • A Conversation with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, led by Sue Bird
  • Where the Game Grows: Venues, Markets and Global Strategy
  • The Re-Invention of Golf
  • The Next Generation of Content |Unlocking Immersive and Interactive Sports Content
  • Unconventional Thinkers – a think tank panel of Morey, Sue Bird, Jay Sugarman (Philadelphia Union) and Nate Silver, moderated by Boston’s own Jackie MacMullan.
  • Innovation in Sports Leagues with Jessica Berman (Commissioner of NWSL) and Valerie Camillo (Chair of WTA), with Contessa Brewer, CNBC
  • A 1-on-1 with MLS Commissioner Don Garber, speaking with Jessica Gelman
  • Men in Blazers and the EPL
  • The Future of Hockey – Engineering the Next Era of Growth, with Bill Daly (NHL Deputy Commissioner), Warren Zola, Exec Director, BC’s Chief Executive Club, Marty Walsh, Executive Director of the NHL Players Association and Meghan Chayka, Co-Founder and CEO of Stathletes
  • Hot Takes: Celebrating 20 Years of SSAC
  • And, a Pablo Torre Finds Out Podcast, Live from the SSAC

Among many, many other interesting panels, break-outs, competitive research paper reviews and presentations.

It’s all packed into two fun-filled days at the Seaport Convention Center, a small gathering of your 2,500 best friends.


Personal Note: I’ve enjoyed the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference from its second year on. Coincidentally, the first year, I was asked to speak at Boston University’s sports management symposium which was held at the same time with the nightcap being my first “Hot Stove, Cool Music” concert at The Paradise.

(Where’s Eli “Paperboy” Reed when you need him)?

Two quick take-aways:

  1. Over the years, I’ve met so many smart and interesting people both within and out of the sports industry. The wide-ranging knowledge brought to sports is simply amazing, often ground-breaking and sometimes, just not enough to crack the big time.
  2. The Conference has grown so much that it’s become difficult to meet-up with colleagues, all being pulled in different directions for different panel discussions and topics. At first, I stayed in the “basketball lane,” but in recent years, it’s been more of a deep dive into everything else. … Think of it: Sports Gambling in the USA was just the “concept of a plan” when we first sat down at MIT Sloan. Now?

There will be more to come – depending on what merits coverage – with columns on Digital Sports Desk or maybe this week’s edition of TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook (available on Substack).

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Bruins to Hear Music at Trade Deadline https://digitalsportsdesk.com/bruins-to-hear-music-at-trade-deadline/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bruins-to-hear-music-at-trade-deadline Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/?p=9062 “We feel very comfortable, very confident at home. Even down a goal, no problem,”

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NASHVILLE – (Wire Service Report) – Less than 24 hours before the NHL trade deadline, the Boston Bruins take their playoff-chasing show on the road to close out the season series with the Nashville Predators on Thursday night.

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Boston is on an 11-game home win streak, but treks to Nashville having won only two road games this calendar year and need to break a five-game road skid (0-2-3). Tuesday’s 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins gave the Bruins a three-point lead for the final Eastern Conference wild-card playoff spot.

The Bruins’ latest victory came in come-from-behind fashion, as Marat Khusnutdinov and Casey Mittelstadt scored within a 50-second span in the first period to erase an early deficit.

Jeremy Swayman continued standing tall, making 34 saves.

“We’ve got to be comfortable in these kinds of tight games, especially down this playoff push,” Swayman said.

Coach Marco Sturm hopes that his Bruins can carry that type of effort and attitude to the road, where they will play 13 of their final 22 regular-season games.

“We feel very comfortable, very confident at home. Even down a goal, no problem,” Sturm said. “Sometimes, it feels a little different on the road. When the other team scores, the crowd gets into it and now we have to react. … We have to get better on the road.”

Thursday marks the Predators’ third  game in four nights, their first since dropping both ends of a back-to-back. Their most recent game was a 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, who are currently the first team outside the playoff cutoff in the East.

Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly lit the lamp to give Nashville a 2-1 lead after two periods before Columbus used a two-goal final frame to gain the upper hand.

Tuesday was difficult on more than just the scoreboard, though, as two Predators forwards were traded. Michael McCarron — an “amazing teammate” and “one of those glue guys,” as captain Roman Josi described him — was dealt to the Minnesota Wild during the game, while Cole Smith went to the Vegas Golden Knights after the game concluded.

“We’re going to miss two great people, two big parts of our culture in what they bring every day,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “… Sad to see them go, but at the same time, hoping for the best. They’re going to go to places that have a good opportunity to have a long run, further their career, but we’re going to miss them.”

In the midst of a playoff race, the Predators have little time to dwell.

Now five points back of the West’s final playoff spot, Nashville is 1-2-1 since returning from the Olympic break and has scored more than two goals in only one of its last five games.

“We’ve got to move on,” Josi said. “Obviously, it’s not an easy time for a lot of guys, but all we can control is our play. You have to accept the business side. It’s part of it and it’s not fun, but all we can do as players is to play and hopefully get some wins.”

O’Reilly left Tuesday’s game after taking a stick to the eye during a faceoff, but there has been no update on his status.

The Bruins won 3-2 in overtime when the teams played Jan. 27 in Boston. David Pastrnak scored the game-winning goal.

–Field Level Media

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Lou Holtz, Dead at 89 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/lou-holtz-dead-at-89/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lou-holtz-dead-at-89 Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:00:41 +0000 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/?p=9055 The College Football Hall of Famer is best known for his 11-season run at Notre Dame from 1986-96.

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ORLANDO – Famed college football coach Lou Holtz, who won the 1988 national title at Notre Dame, died Wednesday at 89, his family said.

Holtz died while under hospice care in Florida, supported and surrounded by family members.

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The College Football Hall of Famer is best known for his 11-season run at Notre Dame from 1986-96. He coached five other programs and also had a disastrous 13-game stint with the NFL’s New York Jets in 1976.

Holtz began his coaching career in 1969 at William & Mary and also coached North Carolina State, Arkansas, Minnesota and South Carolina, compiling a career record of 249-132-7 in 33 seasons.

Holtz went 10-12 in a two-year run at Minnesota (1984-85) before landing the Notre Dame job.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lou Holtz. Lou and I shared a very special relationship. He welcomed me to the Notre Dame family immediately, offering me great support throughout our time together,” current Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said in a statement. “… Lou’s impact at Notre Dame has gone well beyond the field.”

As his reputation improved, his popularity soared and Holtz restored the Fighting Irish from a mediocre program back to the national elite.

In his third season, Holtz went 12-0 and won the national title. A memorable 31-30 upset of No. 1 Miami opened the door and Notre Dame wrapped up the season by beating West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl.

In 1989, Notre Dame (12-1) finished second in the final rankings. The Irish (11-1) also were second in 1993.

Holtz went 100-30-2 in South Bend before resigning following the 1996 season.

A West Virginia native, Holtz’s fist head-coaching job was at William & Mary from 1969-71. He moved on North Carolina State for four seasons (1972-75), twice winning nine games.

He took the Jets job in 1976 and he went 3-10 before being shown the door before the NFL season was over. Holtz struggled with the pro game and with dealing with the egos of NFL players.

Holtz returned to college football at Arkansas and went 11-1 with a No. 3 final ranking in 1977. The Razorbacks put up an impressive 31-6 takedown of Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl to wrap up the season.

Holtz spent seven seasons with the Razorbacks before the short stint at Minnesota.

“We are saddened by the news of Coach Holtz’s passing,” the Arkansas football program said on social media. “He had a legendary tenure as the Head Hog from 1977-83. Our thoughts are with his family and all those who loved him.”

He had a two-season hiatus after his Notre Dame stint before returning to the field at South Carolina. He went 33-37 in six seasons with the Gamecocks before retiring.

Holtz also served as a television analyst for ESPN.

Skip Holtz followed in his father’s footsteps, spending 17 seasons as the head coach (2005-21) at East Carolina, South Florida and Louisiana Tech.

–Field Level Media

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Celtics Blitz the Bucks https://digitalsportsdesk.com/celtics-blitz-the-bucks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=celtics-blitz-the-bucks Tue, 03 Mar 2026 02:30:56 +0000 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/?p=9053 Boston's Payton Pritchard had a team-high 25 points and nine assists

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MILWAUKEE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the court after missing 15 games with a strained right calf, but his Milwaukee Bucks fell 108-81 to the visiting Boston Celtics on Monday night. Boston’s Payton Pritchard had a team-high 25 points and nine assists for the Celtics, who received 18 points and 16 rebounds, both career highs, from rookie Hugo Gonzalez.

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Derrick White added 18 points and nine assists for Boston, which made 20 of 50 3-point attempts. The Celtics played without leading scorer Jaylen Brown (illness) and starting center Neemias Queta (rest). Brown is averaging 29.0 points per game, and Queta had 27 points and 17 rebounds in the Celtics’ Sunday win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Antetokounmpo, who played for the first time since Jan. 23, produced team-high totals of 19 points and 11 rebounds. He entered the game averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists this season.

Milwaukee failed to score more than 23 points in any quarter and was outscored 25-16 in the fourth. The Bucks, who shot 27 of 74 (36.5%) from the field, received 13 points from Ousmane Dieng and 12 from Bobby Portis. Kyle Kuzma was a healthy scratch.

Milwaukee scored the game’s first seven points but trailed 30-20 after one quarter. Boston built a 22-point lead in the second quarter on a White 3-pointer and had a 57-43 advantage at halftime.

The Bucks cut the deficit to nine points early in the third quarter, but a 15-0 run gave Boston a 74-50 lead with 6:22 remaining in the quarter after a fastbreak layup by Gonzalez. Milwaukee scored the next 10 points, but the Bucks trailed 83-65 after three quarters.

Boston had its largest lead, 102-71, following a Pritchard 3-pointer with 4:06 to play.

The game was the third meeting between Boston and Milwaukee this season. The Bucks earned a 116-101 home victory on Dec. 11, and the Celtics prevailed 107-79 at home on Feb. 1.

–Field Level Media

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Vucevic Leads Celtics’ BIG 2nd Half https://digitalsportsdesk.com/vucevic-leads-celtics-big-2nd-half/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vucevic-leads-celtics-big-2nd-half Sat, 28 Feb 2026 06:00:43 +0000 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/?p=9046 The Celtics took control in the third, when they outscored the Nets 43-26.

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Nikola Vucevic had 28 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes as the Boston Celtics pulled away in the second half for a 148-111 victory over the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Friday night. Boston, which had a six-point lead midway through the third quarter, outscored Brooklyn 82-54 in the second half.

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The Celtics received 28 points, seven rebounds and nine assists from Jaylen Brown. Payton Pritchard came off the bench to score 22 points, and Derrick White added 12 points and seven assists. Boston made 52 of 78 field-goal attempts (66.7%). The Celtics were 22 of 34 from 3-point range (64.7%). White, Brown and Pritchard each made four 3-pointers. The Celtics, who scored at least 31 points in each quarter, are 10-2 in their last 12 games.

Michael Porter Jr. led lowly Brooklyn with 18 points. Danny Wolf scored 16 and Nic Claxton finished with 12 as the outcome extended Brooklyn’s losing streak to seven games.

A 10-0 run handed Boston a 26-15 advantage with 4:47 remaining in the opening quarter. The Celtics made each of their six 3-point attempts in the quarter and had a 35-32 lead after 12 minutes.

The Nets were within three points, 57-54, with 2:42 to play in the first half, but Boston held a 66-57 halftime lead.

The Celtics took control in the third, when they outscored the Nets 43-26. A 12-0 run put Boston up 94-76, and the Celtics had their first lead of at least 20 points when two Vucevic free throws made it 98-78 with 3:07 left in the quarter.

The Celtics led 109-83 at the end of the third, and pushed the lead to 34 by scoring the first eight points in the fourth. Boston’s lead peaked at 41 points.

It was Boston’s third victory in four games against Brooklyn this season.

–Field Level Media

 

 

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Women’s Sports Doesn’t Need More Moments, It Needs IX to Five https://digitalsportsdesk.com/sports-biz-women/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sports-biz-women Wed, 25 Feb 2026 19:00:39 +0000 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/?p=9042 Women’s sports doesn’t need more moments — it needs infrastructure

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NEW YORK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Horizon Sports & Experiences, a sports marketing, media and live experiences agency, and TOGETHXR, the popular women’s sports media company, recently announced IX to Five – a game-changing joint venture built to supercharge the business of women’s sports. IX to Five will focus on creating, developing, and commercializing  women’s sports content through premium storytelling, unique intellectual properties, signature live experiences, and high-value brand partnerships.

The joint venture launches with an initial content slate of programming featuring fan-favorite talent: the StudBudz, professional basketball players Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, and Lily Shimbashi, founder of Sportsish, known for her fresh perspectives on sports and pop culture.

The collaboration harnesses TOGETHXR’s powerful storytelling engine, deep athlete relationships, and built‑in multi‑platform audience, combined with HS&E’s expertise in IP development, sponsorship and media rights consulting, and experiential marketing to unlock long‑term value for brands, athletes, creators and fans alike.

IX to Five launches at a key inflection point as the industry experiences unprecedented growth across viewership, valuations, and fan and brand engagement. Created in response to a clear and growing demand for authentic and engaging women’s sports content, IX to Five signals a commitment to build an always-on ecosystem that extends beyond content or one-off-activations into scalable platforms and enduring cultural properties.

“Women’s sports is a high-growth, big ROI business,”  said David Levy, co‑CEO and Founder of Horizon Sports & Experiences. “IX to Five was born out of the industry’s need for infrastructure and a year-round strategy to turn unprecedented momentum into sustained media and commercial impact. We are creating a scalable platform which complements HS&E’s premium programming, for brands to invest in a more meaningful, authentic way.”

“Women’s sports doesn’t need more moments — it needs infrastructure that turns momentum into careers, culture, and commerce,” said Nancy Dubuc, Executive Chair of TOGETHXR. “TOGETHXR has helped move the space from ‘after hours’ attention to “always-on” storytelling, and this partnership with Horizon Sports & Experiences accelerates that shift — building a platform where athletes, creators, and brands grow together year-round.”

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Wake / BC Ready for Snowed Out Game https://digitalsportsdesk.com/wake-and-bc-ready-for-snowed-out-game/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wake-and-bc-ready-for-snowed-out-game Tue, 24 Feb 2026 23:30:33 +0000 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/?p=9028 Eight of Boston College’s nine victories this season have come at home. Wake Forest is 2-5 on the road.

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Not much has gone well for Boston College in the second half of the season. The Eagles are 2-12 since the calendar flipped to 2026.

They will attempt to end an eight-game losing streak when they face Wake Forest on Wednesday evening in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The game originally was scheduled for Tuesday before it was moved due to inclement weather.

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Boston College (9-18, 2-12 ACC) is at the bottom of the conference in several offensive categories, including scoring (67.7 points per game), field goal percentage (40.8) and 3-point field goals (30.3%). The Eagles shot 33.3% from the field (23 of 69) during Saturday’s 94-70 loss to SMU, getting outscored 54-34 after halftime.

“I thought their zone at the start of the second half stymied us,” Boston College head coach Earl Grant said. “We usually get excited when we see a zone, but we didn’t (against SMU). … We didn’t probe it good enough.”

Boston College’s Donald Hand Jr. (leg) did not play against SMU, missing his third straight contest. Hand has averaged 13.8 points, second on the team behind Fred Payne (15.4).

Wake Forest (14-13, 5-9) is coming off an 82-63 setback Saturday at Virginia Tech which snapped a three-game winning streak. Juke Harris led Wake Forest with 16 points in the loss. He has scored in double figures in all 27 games this season and is the No. 3 scorer in the ACC (21.1 points).

The Demon Deacons rank last among ACC teams in rebounding (32.8 per game).

“I thought we were doing a good job rebounding the ball on the glass,” Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes said. “Then I think they got four offensive rebounds in the last three possessions of the first half. They kind of smelled blood in the water, and then they got 13 offensive rebounds. They had great balance and six guys in double figures in scoring. I thought they came up with the majority of the 50-50 balls that led to easy baskets.”

Eight of Boston College’s nine victories this season have come at home. Wake Forest is 2-5 on the road.

–Field Level Media

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Winter Olympics Score Ratings Gold https://digitalsportsdesk.com/winter-olympics-score-ratings-gold/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=winter-olympics-score-ratings-gold Tue, 24 Feb 2026 22:00:21 +0000 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/?p=9031 “The Milan Cortina Olympics proved once again that the American audience will gather in large numbers over 17 days

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STAMFORD – (Wire Service Report) – NBC Sports struck ratings gold this month with its coverage of the Milan Cortina Olympics on NBC stations and the streaming platform Peacock. The network averaged 23.5 million viewers to become the most watched Winter Olympics since Sochi in 2014, while marking a 96% ratings improvement over the 2022 Beijing Games.

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Highlight moments across the two weeks of Olympic coverage included the opening and closing ceremonies, Alysa Liu’s gold medal in women’s figure skating and gold medals for both the women’s and men’s ice hockey teams, each with victories over Canada.

“The Milan Cortina Olympics proved once again that the American audience will gather in large numbers over 17 days to experience this unmatched global competition,” NBC Olympics president Gary Zenkel said in a statement.

The viewership data, through Nielsen, is through Thursday and subject to revision.

NBC reported that all 15 days when competition took place saw at least 20 million viewers per day. Peacock and NBCU digital platforms averaged 3.3 million viewers daily.

According to Nielsen, Milwaukee led all markets with a 13.7 rating and a 49 share. That was followed by Minneapolis, Fort Myers, Fla., Pittsburgh and Dayton, Ohio.

The Milan Cortina Olympics were part of a busy sports month for NBC, which included Super Bowl LX, the most-watched show in the 100-year history of NBC and the second-most watched show of all-time across any network. The month also included the most-watched NBA All-Star Game since 2011.

–Field Level Media

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Jaylen Brown is Hearing MVP Talk https://digitalsportsdesk.com/jaylen-brown-mvp-speculation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jaylen-brown-mvp-speculation Tue, 24 Feb 2026 16:00:10 +0000 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/?p=9019 The Celtics have compensated for the loss of Tatum and 2024 title team members Al Horford, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis

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PHOENIX – (Wire Service Report) – While the Phoenix Suns search for offense, the Boston Celtics are thriving behind Jaylen Brown, who belongs in the MVP conversation, according to one four-time MVP.

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“This whole MVP thing, I don’t understand why his name is not getting talked about some as well,” LeBron James said after Brown stuffed the stat sheet in the Celtics’ 111-89 victory at the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

“They’re playing great basketball, and it’s because of him and the rest of those guys. He’s taken that next step.”

Brown had 32 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals against the Lakers, and he brings averages of 29.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.9 assists — all career highs — into a back-to-back against the host Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, the third game of the Celtics’ four-game road trip.

The Suns, who have struggled to find offense in large part because of injuries to top scorers Devin Booker (24.7) and Dillon Brooks (20.9), have lost six of nine and enter after a 92-77 home loss to Portland on Sunday, their lowest point total since 2017 which was also a loss to the Blazers.

“We can’t get to the free throw line, can’t get to the rim,” Ott said. “Got to shoot jump shots. The way you shoot jump shots is to set screens. But we’re going to continue to find ways we want to play in transition. We want to get more shots up.”

Boston has won eight of nine and is a season-high 18 games above .500 in a season that was thought to be compromised by the loss of Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles.

Brown, who is fourth in the league in scoring, made his case in support of James’ praise.

“I feel like I’m the best two-way player in the world,” Brown said. “I play both ends on the court. Night to night, I’m available, which is hard to do.

“I’m a leader. I help lead my team, empower my team to come out and play confidently, stuff that doesn’t always show up on the analytics. And I’m a winner. I come out and try to win every single night. So I’m grateful.”

The Celtics have compensated for the loss of Tatum and 2024 title team members Al Horford, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis with a career year from reigning Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard and veteran Derrick White.

Pritchard scored 30 points against the Lakers and is 15 of 28 from distance in the last three games, all wins. He is averaging a career-high 17.6 points with increased playing time. White’s 17.0 scoring average is also a career high.

“The story’s not done,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzula said. “We haven’t done anything. All we’ve done is stick to the process of winning on both ends of the floor.”

–Field Level Media

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Celtics Dominate LA Lakers https://digitalsportsdesk.com/celtics-dominate-la-lakers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=celtics-dominate-la-lakers Mon, 23 Feb 2026 06:01:12 +0000 https://digitalsportsdesk.com/?p=9017 Boston's Jaylen Brown scored 32 points with eight rebounds and seven assists, while his teammate Payton Pritchard added 30 points with eight assists and the visiting Celtics continued their February surge

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LOS ANGELES – (Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Jaylen Brown scored 32 points with eight rebounds and seven assists, while his teammate Payton Pritchard added 30 points with eight assists and the visiting Celtics continued their February surge with a 111-89 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Boston’s Derrick White scored 12 points with eight assists as the Celtics’ defense held the Lakers to 39.1% from the floor, while improving to 8-1 since Jan. 30. Boston shot 48.2% while opening 2-0 on a four-game road trip against Western Conference teams.

Neemias Queta had 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Celtics

Luka Doncic scored 25 points and LeBron James added 20 for the Lakers, who lost for the third time in their past five games. Austin Reaves had 15 points as the Los Angeles star trio fell to 8-4 when all three were on the court this season.

James, the NBA’s all-time points leader, moved past the 43,000-point mark in his record 23rd season.

The Lakers were held to their second lowest scoring game of the season behind an 88-point effort in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 20.

The Celtics led by as many as 14 points in the third quarter and never allowed the Lakers to make a run in the fourth. Boston pushed the lead to 94-79 after a step-back jumper from Brown with 6:58 left.

Brown capped an 8-0 run on a 3-pointer that gave the Celtics a 102-81 lead with 4:11 remaining. Pritchard sealed the victory on a 3-pointer with 3:24 left for a 105-83 victory that prompted the Lakers to remove their starters the rest of the way.

The Celtics took charge in the second quarter, turning a first-period tie into a 60-50 halftime lead on 52.4% shooting as Brown scored 13 points and Pritchard added 11. Doncic had 18 points in the first half for the Lakers, who shot 41.9% over the first two quarters.

Boston won the season series 2-0 that includes a 126-105 victory at home on Dec. 5. The Celtics are 6-2 against the Lakers since the 2022-23 season.

–Field Level Media

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