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Terry Lyons

Grizzlies’ Brandon Clarke, Dead at 29

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke has died at the age of 29. Clarke’s death was announced Tuesday by the Grizzlies and his representation, Priority Sports, and confirmed by the authorities in Los Angeles, California.

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Los Angeles’ NBC affiliate reported that his death is being investigated as a possible overdose. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a 911 call of a medical emergency shortly after 5 p.m. on Monday and paramedics declared Clarke dead after they arrived, per the report.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten. We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Clarke played in just six games during the 2023-24 season due to a torn Achilles and suited up for just two this campaign. He was out at the start of this season due to a right knee injury. He returned in mid-December and injured his right calf in his second game.

The Grizzlies ruled Clarke out for the rest of the season on March 24.

“We are all beyond devastated by the passing of Brandon Clarke,” Priority Sports said in a statement. “He was so loved by all of us here, and everyone whose life he touched. He was the gentlest soul who was the first to be there for all of his friends and family. Our hearts are so broken as we think about his mom, Whitney, his entire family, and all of his friends and teammates. From high school to San Jose State to Gonzaga to the Grizzlies, Brandon impacted everyone who was part of his life.

“Everyone loved BC because he was always there as the most supportive friends you could ever imagine. He was so unique in the joy he brought to all of those in his life. It’s just impossible to put into words how much he’ll be missed.”

On April 1, Clarke was arrested on four charges, including possession of and trafficking a controlled substance. He also was charged with two driving offenses — improper passing and fleeing in a vehicle or conveyance with speeding.

Clarke had career averages of 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds in 309 games (50 starts) since he was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Grizzlies shortly afterward.

“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit. Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization.”

 

 

Filed Under: NBA

Two Words: “Game Seven”

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics will try to avoid a series collapse Saturday night when they face the visiting Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Second-seeded Boston held a 3-1 lead in the series, but lost Game 5 at home and then dropped Game 6, 106-93, in Philadelphia on Thursday night. If the seventh-seeded 76ers can find a way to win Game 7 on the road, Boston would become the 14th team in NBA history to lose a series after holding a 3-1 advantage.

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“I’ve been playing these guys for so long,” said Philadelphia center Joel Embiid. “I’m tired of losing to them. So we have a chance to accomplish something special. They’re a great team. You look at everything they have. That’s a super team. We just gotta go in with the mindset that we’ve had for the last two games. One play at a time. Tough environment, but we’ve been there. We won two games over there.”

Boston was 12 of 41 from 3-point territory in Thursday’s loss, after being held to 11-of-39 shooting from behind the 3-point arc in its 113-97 setback in Game 5.

“Very good game by us,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said following Thursday’s victory. “I think we played really well. Probably most impressed with our defensive effort, and shot creation was good. I don’t think the shot-making was great, but the shot creation was very good.”

Boston received a scare Thursday when Jayson Tatum exited the court with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter and did not return. Tatum said he felt tightness in his left leg, but is slated to play Saturday.

“Y’all probably saw when I went to the back,” Tatum said. “So I was on the bike. My leg was just a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter. But just kind of assessing the moment, like the game was a little out of reach. We took the starters out.

“Our intentions aren’t good,” Tatum continued. “We want to go out there and play the right way and win. It’s just we just got to be a little bit more together, a little bit tougher, play with more pace, play faster. How they have played majority of the season. Then since I’ve been back (from an Achilles injury), just kind of getting back to who we are.”

Two of Boston’s three wins in the series came by more than 30 points. The Celtics won Game 1 123-91, then prevailed 128-96 in Game 4.

“We definitely made some adjustments,” Mazzulla said after Game 6. “Some of them worked, some of them didn’t. Like I said, I thought tonight the Sixers played well, and we didn’t.”

Tyrese Maxey led all scorers with 30 points in Game 6. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 18 points.

“Sometimes it’s not about the Xs and Os, it’s about the Jims and the Joes,” Maxey said. “Who you have on your team, our Jims and Joes got to be better than theirs. It’s going to be a dogfight. It’s going to be extremely difficult. Every single second will be a roller coaster ride. Us as a group, we have to stay connected. Stay with one goal in mind – that’s you’re trying to win the game.”

–Field Level Media

Boston Bruins on the Brink

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BUFFALO – (Wire Service Report) – After taking a second straight home loss in “embarrassing” fashion, the Boston Bruins are on the brink of elimination as the scene of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series shifts back to Buffalo.

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The Sabres will look to land the knockout punch against their Atlantic Division rivals and earn their first playoff series win since 2007 in Game 5 on Tuesday night.

Buffalo’s 6-1 win in Game 4 on Sunday quickly became a laugher. Four first-period goals were more than enough, and Alex Lyon was 39.9 seconds away from shutting out the Bruins in his second straight start in the series.

“We have an extremely high-competitive group. We all have a standard that we all carry ourselves to — and it wasn’t met,” said Boston goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who appeared to yell at his teammates while exiting the bench after being relieved by Joonas Korpisalo in the third period.

The Bruins have never come back from a 3-1 series deficit (0-25) and the Sabres have never let such a lead slip away (7-0) in each franchise’s playoff history.

While history certainly does not favor Boston, the series is not over yet.

“As far as I know, you have to win four games to move on. So they’ve got three. That means we still have a chance,” Bruins coach Marco Sturm told reporters after Sunday’s game. “I can cry about it, but I also have to push my guys for the next game and make sure our intensity is gonna be there.”

“We have a one-game mission,” Sturm added on Monday.

Buffalo’s dominant start on Sunday made Lindy Ruff one happy coach, and not just because his team scored the opening goal for the first time in the series and built a commanding lead.

“That first period was the best period we played all year,” Ruff said. “Puck pressure, scoring opportunities. We moved the puck and got the puck up ice. We didn’t spend much time in our end.”

On Sunday, six different Sabres scored goals, with four of them adding an assist as well.

One shining star in the series has been defenseman Bowen Byram, whose tally at the end of the four-goal frame marked his third in the last three games. He finished the game plus-3.

“He’s obviously been awesome all year and has brought it to another level in the playoffs,” said Owen Power, Byram’s defense partner. “It’s nice having him and all the other guys in here that have some playoff experience to lean on and have them help lead us.”

Byram won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022.

Power, Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch have all notched points in all four games of the series, with Power and Krebs logging those streaks to begin their playoff careers. Krebs scored the first goal just 4:17 into Sunday’s game.

The rock-solid team effort has extended to the net, where Lyon took over for Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in relief in Game 2 and has since posted a league-best .964 save percentage in the playoffs.

The vibes are good in Buffalo, but the message is clear: The Sabres still have to finish.

“We’ve done a good job in this series, but the fourth one is always the hardest,” Byram said of the challenge of closing.

The Bruins had to shuffle their Monday practice lines with forward Viktor Arvidsson and defenseman Nikita Zadorov both off for maintenance days. Arvidsson left Game 4 due to an upper-body injury and did not return.

“We still have to check with medical, but we have to wait until probably (Tuesday) on both of them,” Sturm said of both players’ status.

Ruff expects Buffalo forwards Jason Zucker and Tyson Kozak — who both missed time in Sunday’s third period — to be available going forward.

–Field Level Media

NFL Draft: LV Picks Indiana’s Mendoza

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QB Mendoza to be New Centerpiece for Vegas

PITTSBURGH – (Wire Service Report) – The Las Vegas Raiders selected Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thursday, confident the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion just keeps winning.

The 22-year-old becomes the centerpiece of a franchise rebuild following his own meteoric rise, culminating in the Hoosiers claiming a football national title for the first time in program history.

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Las Vegas went 3-14 last season and fired Pete Carroll as head coach, which prompted a change at quarterback under first-time head coach Klint Kubiak. The Raiders traded starter Geno Smith to the Jets and signed Kirk Cousins to bridge any potential gap for Mendoza to be deemed ready for the QB1 role.

General manager John Spytek and Kubiak said their “perfect world” would allow for Mendoza to be worked into the starting role gradually. Considered a cerebral field general more than a physical freak or elite specimen at quarterback, Mendoza has already openly discussed the presence of a priceless sounding board in Las Vegas: minority franchise owner Tom Brady. He read the “TB12 Method” book before the NFL Scouting Combine in preparation for a potential interaction with Brady.

That didn’t come until he took his official team visit to meet the team’s top brass.

“Everything that he’s all about is something that I’ve always emulated as a football player,” Mendoza said in February. “And anything the coaching staff has as coaching points, like, ‘Hey Fernando, we need you to get better at this, this and that,’ I’m gonna be like, ‘Hey Tom, how do I get better at this, this and that?’ If I get selected by Mr. Spytek and the Raiders, if that does happen, it’d be a great opportunity.”

Welcome to the Best Day of the Year

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By TERRY LYONS

HEARTBREAK HILL, NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS  – Twenty miles into the Boston Marathon, the runners enter “my kinda town.” Yes, Newton, Massachusetts is the location of the world famous “Heartbreak Hill.” To those not familiar with the area, it’s really a series of four hills along Commonwealth Avenue which runs diagonally through the center of Waban, Newton, Newton Centre and Chestnut Hill. Normally, it’s quite nice and scenic.

But, today, the tree-lined and bucolic streets of Newton turn into the most challenging aspect of the race course for the 130th Boston Marathon.

A Boston Globe delivery truck navigates Heartbreak Hill on Raceday. (Photo by T. Peter Lyons/Digital Sports Desk)

Runner’s World accurately describes it like this:

“Heartbreak Hill is located between mile 20 and mile 21 of the Boston Marathon. As the last and most famous of the four Newton hills, this roughly half-mile incline begins around mile 20.3 and peaks near the 20.4-mile marker, specifically notorious for testing runners after 20 miles of racing.

Quick Facts

o Starting Point: Just past the 20-mile marker on Commonwealth Avenue (Comm Ave) in Newton.

o Summit Point: It ends roughly at mile 21, near Hammond Street and the Boston College campus.

o The Incline: The hill is about 0.4 to 0.5 miles long with a vertical rise of approximately 88–91 feet.

o Difficulty: While not the steepest hill on the course, it is notorious because it occurs at a point where runners’ glycogen stores are often depleted—the point where many  “hit the wall”

Heartbreak Hill earned its name during the 1936 race when defending champion Johnny Kelley caught up to and patted leader Ellison “Tarzan” Brown on the back. The gesture motivated Brown to surge ahead and win, “breaking Kelley’s heart”. A statue of Kelley, titled “Young at Heart,” stands at the base of the hill near mile 20.

Like that of Johnny Kelley and Tarzan Brown in 1936, the Boston Marathon, each and every year, has about 30,000 incredible stories to tell. Data from race organizer – the Boston Athletic Association – shows 33,267 applications for today’s race, so the actual number of participants will fall between 30,000 and 32,000 runners.

That’s a lot of runners.

 

While it’s not as many participants as New York’s record 59,662 runners for last November’s New York City Marathon, Boston is known as the most prestigious race to run (and finish). I often cite that 1968 Boston Marathon champion Amby Burfoot famously describes the Boston Marathon as “the Carnegie Hall” of marathons. This analogy highlights the race as the premier, ultimate venue for runners—a place of prestige where one has to earn the right to perform, similar to performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City.”

I’m lucky enough to call Amby Burfoot a friend.

I met him as a colleague/co-worker when he was the Editor-at-Large for Runner’s World magazine. I was asked by Runner’s World’s PR team (Chris Brienza, David Tratner and Laura Beachy) to help out with their work – both preparing and then executing efforts to publicize the wonderful and informative magazine, a product of Rodale publishing. To say it was a marvelous experience would be the understatement of the century.

After 26 years at the NBA, you think you would’ve experienced just about everything sports has to offer. Well, running marathons is a whole different story. Quite frankly, I learned more from a three minute talk with Amby than I ever learned in school.

As Editor-at-Large, Burfoot could unearth the stories of the champions and the everyday, weekend warriors. When in Boston (from his Mystic, Connecticut home), he was the “people’s champion” for sure, taking pictures and interacting with thousands of runners and fans. It was quite amazing to see any everyday guy turn into this incredible celebrity champion for a couple of weeks, leading up to race day.

Instead of paraphrasing one of Amby’s great stories, I’ll simply turn the column over to him to tell you this one. To frame it, this is what Amby wrote on August 21, 2011 of the death of “young” John Kelley, his friend and idol.

John J. Kelley, RIP, 1930-2011: 1957 Boston Marathon Winner; America’s First Modern Road Runner

Nineteen fifty-seven Boston Marathon winner John J. Kelley “The Younger” crossed the final finish line early this morning in North Stonington, CT, just a few miles from Mystic, where he had lived most his adult life. Kelley died with few more possessions than he began with 80 years ago on Christmas Eve, 1930. But he ran his heart out every step of the way. And those of us lucky enough to have shared a few miles at his side will forever remember his vigor, his encompassing warmth, and the way he loved all creatures great, and especially the small and powerless.

Kelley, whom I first met in 1962, was the most sincere, humble, gentle, and authentic human being I have ever known. He was the first person I ever saw stop his car to help a turtle across the road, and he never ever, without exception, said a word about himself and his considerable accomplishments. He also never uttered a negative word about anyone else, with the possible exceptions of Joseph McCarthy and Richard Nixon.

Kelley was an extraordinary gentleman, yet also a radical free thinker. A friend, writer and marathoner Gail Kislevitz, called Kelley “the last rebellious man standing.” The phrase fits.

In his final days Kelley was surrounded by his three daughters–Julie, Kathleen, and Eileen–and a number of his grandchildren. He died from a melanoma that eventually spread to his lungs. Kelley’s wife Jacintha passed away in 2003.

Kelley’s athletic record is unparalleled among American distance runners. In 1957 he became the first and only member of the BAA running club to win the BAA Boston Marathon. In addition to his win, Kelley finished second at Boston five times. He won the 1959 Pan American Games Marathon, and captured eight consecutive USA National Marathon titles even though this event took place on the hot, hilly Yonkers course just four to five weeks after Boston. Kelley represented the U.S. in the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Marathons, with a best finish of 19th in the Rome Olympic race famously won by barefoot Abebe Bikila.

“Kelley didn’t like the limelight, and people don’t even know about him today,” says Bill Rodgers, four time Boston and New York City Marathon winner, “But his eight straight wins at Yonkers stand second only to Grete’s nine wins in New York, and it’s better in some ways. Grete’s longest streak was five straight.

“Kelley was at the epicenter of American marathoning. He was in the trenches doing the spade work for the likes of Frank Shorter and me and everyone who has come along since. Marathoning wasn’t a business then. There wasn’t any money, and it wasn’t entertainment. The runners had to put up with a public and sports media who basically knew nothing. Marathoners were treated as second-class athletes. But Kelley didn’t let that stop him. He was quiet but had tremendous drive. He was tough as nails.”

In many ways, Kelley was the first modern American road runner. The generations before him–including greats like Clarence DeMar and “Old John” A. Kelley (no relation, despite the similar name and similar Boston Marathon histories)–came from working-class roots. So did Kelley, but he loved books and learning, and ultimately received a masters degree from Boston University.

Another big difference: Where his predecessors were relatively slow plodders, Kelley was fast. A high school prodigy in the mile in New London, CT, he was recruited to B.U. by an ambitious track coach who aimed to turn him into the next Glenn Cunningham. The plan didn’t work. Kelley had no taste for endless track repeats and races on a small oval. He yearned for greater adventure, less coaching, and more personal exploration. Midway through his college years, he was rising at 4:30 a.m. to run a dark, lonely 16-mile loop around the Charles River. He spent more time listening to Boston Marathon organizer/masseur/running-team coach Jock Semple than to his college coach, and ran his first two Bostons while still a college student.

“Kelley argued with his college coach Doug Raymond about the value of long, slow runs vs endless, gasping 440-yard sprints around the track,” notes Boston Marathon historian and author Tom Derderian. “Kelley’s fight against the conventional wisdom lifted him to the crest of the new wave of American distance running that led to Frank Shorter’s Olympic gold medal.”

The Boston Marathon’s former executive director Tom Grilk observed: “John J. Kelley’s victory in the Boston Marathon wearing the unicorn of the BAA has been an inspiration to all of us at the BAA, as well as to generations of Boston and American runners. He ran and won at a time when there was no money to be won; a time when victory was sufficient unto itself. His legacy is that of striving for excellence for its own sake, and for the quiet satisfaction that it brings to those with a deep sense of personal values. I hope we will all continue to learn from that. It remains John’s gift to us all.”

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A pretty amazing backstory coming from the ’68 champion who happens to be running Boston again – today!

What strikes me the most every Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts (it’s celebrated in Maine, Florida, Wisconsin, Connecticut, North Dakota, and Utah, too) is that the whole Commonwealth STOPS. At some point in the day, every person that is able gets out to cheer on a friend or a random runner passing by. Some families create their makeshift tailgate parties while those fortunate enough to own a house on the course throw the party of the year (rain or shine, in all degrees of temperature). The estimates are some 500,000 people are spectators for the Boston Marathon, not counting the local broadcast (now on WCVB-5 Boston, after decades on WBZ-TV Boston), the national broadcast on ESPN2 and a host of international broadcasters, many who send their commentators to cover the race live and in person.

Others, like your favorite columnist, will detour over to Fenway Park for today’s game pitting the hometown Red Sox vs. the Detroit Tigers. First pitch is 11:10am.

Regardless, the spirit and pure inspiration of the race permeates the very cold air we breath on this wonderful day, the best day of the year in Boston.

I’ll provide links to a couple of columns from year’s past. They are amongst my personal, all-time favorites.

I highly recommend you take a stroll through those two columns which both provide incredible backstories of experiences from much earlier this century, noting that we moved to Newton, Mass in 2008.

Stating that, I urge you to take a few minutes today, log on and follow the race, look at the thousands of photos and videos provided by WCVB-TV or ESPN2. You will truly be inspired.

NBA Playoffs: Saturday Round-Up

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LOS ANGELES – (Wire Service Report) – Luke Kennard scored 27 points and LeBron James added 19 points with 13 assists as the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers earned a 107-98 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Saturday in Game 1 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Deandre Ayton scored 19 points with 11 rebounds and Marcus Smart added 15 points with eight assists as the fourth-seeded Lakers won with leading scorers Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) watching from the bench.

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In just his seventh start since joining the Lakers from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline, Kennard went 9 of 13 from the floor and 5 of 5 from 3-point range while delivering a season high in points to fill the scoring void at guard.

Alperen Sengun scored 19 points while Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard each added 17 for the fifth-seeded Rockets, who were playing without leading scorer Kevin Durant (knee).

Jabari Smith Jr. scored 16 points with 12 rebounds and Tari Eason also had 16 points for Houston, which has lost three consecutive road games to Los Angeles since the middle of March.

Nuggets 116, Timberwolves 105

Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, Jamal Murray scored a game-high 30 points and host Denver beat Minnesota to take a 1-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.

Murray was perfect from the line, hitting a career-high 16 free throws. Aaron Gordon finished with 17 points, nearly half of which came during the Nuggets’ 14-0 third-quarter run which broke a deadlock and put them in control of the game after a slow start.

Anthony Edwards, who was questionable after missing 11 of the Timberwolves’ final 14 regular-season games with right knee issues, led Minnesota with 22 points. Rudy Gobert produced 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who led by as many as 12 points in the first quarter.

Knicks 113, Hawks 102

Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to start the decisive third-quarter run for host New York, which pulled away for a win over Atlanta in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Jalen Brunson scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in the first quarter for the third-seeded Knicks, who reached the Eastern Conference finals last year for the first time since 2000. Towns finished with 25 points and was 10 of 10 from the free throw line while Anunoby collected 18 points.

CJ McCollum scored 26 points for the Hawks, who earned the sixth seed in their first trip to the playoffs since 2023. Jalen Johnson had 23 points while Onyeka Okongwu (19) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (17) each scored in double figures.

Cavaliers 126, Raptors 113

Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points and James Harden added 22 points and 10 assists, powering Cleveland to a victory over visiting Toronto in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Max Strus had 24 points off the bench and Evan Mobley scored 17 for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers, who have won 11 straight playoff games over the Raptors. Game 2 is Monday in Cleveland, where Toronto is 0-8 all-time in the postseason.

RJ Barrett scored 24 points and Scottie Barnes contributed 21 points and seven assists for the fifth-seeded Raptors. Brandon Ingram added 17 points and Jamal Shead had 17 points in his playoff debut, starting for injured guard Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring strain).

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NBA

Illinois to Face Iowa for Final Four Berth

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HOUSTON – (Staff and Wire Serice Report) –  David Mirkovic and Keaton Wagler produced double-doubles as third-seeded Illinois parlayed a 17-0 second-half run into a 65-55 victory over second-seeded Houston on Thursday in the South Regional semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.

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The Fighting Illini (27-8) advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time in three seasons. They will face a Big Ten rival, ninth-seeded Iowa (24-12), on Saturday with the winner advancing to the Final Four in Indianapolis.

Wagler responded to a driving layup from Joseph Tugler that pulled the Cougars (30-7) to within 27-26 by sinking a second-chance layup at the 17:37 mark of the second half. That ignited the decisive rally for Illinois, with Jake Davis and Mirkovic adding layups off dribble penetration before Davis knocked down a second-chance 3-pointer that extended the lead to 36-26.

Mirkovic and Ben Humrichous later added 3-pointers as the Illini extended their lead to 44-26. The Cougars went six-plus minutes without scoring before Milos Uzan hit a trey with 11:18 left.

Mirkovic paired 14 points with 10 rebounds. Wagler posted 13 points, 12 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Andrej Stojakovic scored 13 points off the bench, including nine in the first half to keep the Illini afloat.

Emanuel Sharp led the Cougars with 17 points and led a furious rally that closed the deficit to seven in the waning moments. Kingston Flemings added 11 points, six rebounds and four assists for Houston, which shot just 34.4%.

Only Stojakovic appeared able to play through the first-half slog.

Houston missed its first seven shots yet pulled even at 3-3 when Sharp drilled a 3-pointer at the 15:12 mark, thanks in part to Illinois’ 1-for-10 start. Mirkovic lifted the Illini to a 14-10 lead when he followed his trey with a layup, only for Tugler to tie it with consecutive hook shots.

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Stojakovic sank a difficult turnaround jumper that beat the shot-clock buzzer, giving Illinois a 21-14 lead. Wagler pushed the Illini to their largest advantage of the first half at 24-16 with a 3-pointer at the 3:23 mark.

The Cougars cut that deficit to 24-22 entering the break when Flemings beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer. Houston shot 27.3% and committed five turnovers in the first half, but the Illini countered with 35.7% shooting and scored only two points from seven offensive rebounds.

– Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | March 15

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St. John’s Wins Second Consecutive Big East Title

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – What – on Earth – did we do before we had the annual BIG EAST basketball tournament? Well, I’m old enough to remember being at the Nassau Coliseum, watching St. John’s compete against the likes of Iona (1978-79) or the Wagner College Seahawks, coached by P.J. Carlesimo for an ECAC tournament bid a year before the BIG EAST became reality in 1979-80.

This year marked the 46th annual BIG EAST. I think I’ve only missed one year (terrible food poisoning in 2003).

Let me try to do a short flashback of most memorable players or moments:

  1. 2009, Six Overtimes – Syracuse outlasted Georgetown (127-117) in a game that began on March 12, 2009 and ended on March 13 – a four hour battle royale.
  2. 2020, COVID-19 – St. John’s, having won the night before, was up 38-35 at the half, when the great BIG EAST Commissioner Val Ackerman called off the game and the tournament on the advice of New York City authorities. It was the eeriest atmosphere for any game in the history of Madison Square Garden. Put it this way, they even “closed the bars.”
  3. 1986, Pearl Washington – Although his Syracuse team fell short in the final, there’s never been a more amazing and entertaining show at the BIG EAST than Pearl Washington in ‘86, although Pearl put up 27 points in a 1984 final round loss to Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas.
  4. 1984-85, Georgetown – For two+ years, Patrick Ewing and his Hoyas dominated the BIG EAST. Ewing is – by far – the greatest player in conference tournament history.
  5. 2017-18-2019, Villanova – Coach Jay Wright’s Villanova Wildcats took over Madison Square Garden for three solid seasons.
  6. All years, The Coaches – Highlighted by St. John’s coach Lou Carnesecca and Georgetown’s Big John Thompson, the cast of characters (and tremendous coaches, all around) deserve mention. Villanova’s Rollie Massimino, Seton Hall’s P.J. Carlesimo, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, Rick Pitino’s years at Providence (and Louisville, and now St. John’s), Boston College’s Al Skinner, UConn’s Jim Calhoun, Notre Dame’s Mike Brey, Villanova’s Jay Wright, Providence (and now Georgetown’s) Ed Cooley, a face-off between St. John’s legend Chris Mullin and Georgetown’s incomparable Patrick Ewing who both returd to coach their alma maters, however unsuccessfully), and now Danny Hurley of UConn.
  7. Many years, UConn Greatness – At the risk of leaving someone off the list, let’s remember Ray Allen, Donyell Marshall, Richard Hamilton, Khalid El-Amin, Kemba Walker, Caron Butler, Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Rudy Gay, Alex Karaban, and I’ll stop at Stephon Castle. Just incredible.
  8. 2025, and St. John’s Coach Pitino – It took St. John’s 25 years – from 2000 to 2025 – to win the BIG EAST Tournament title. You have to give credit to coach Rick Pitino for pulling off the feat.
  9. Syracuse, 1981 and 2006 – Aside from Pearl Washington’s incredible performances, the Syracuse Orange won in 1981 over Villanova (remember John Pinone?) on a Leo Rautins tip-in and some last second free throws after Nova Coach Rollie Massimino called time-out when he’d run down to zero left. Then, in 2006, Syracuse guard Gerry McNamara single-handedly willed his team to victory after vistory after the Orange had lost nine of their last 13 regular season games.
  10. The Garden, every year since 1983 – After fooling around in Providence (1980), the Carrier Dome in Syracuse (1981) and the Hartford Civic Center in 1982, the BIG EAST made – with no argument at all – the greatest move in conference history by establishing a longterm agreement for Madison Square Garden to host the annual tournament. With NYC being the center of the sports media world while also being squarely in the middle of the heavily northeast member schools (call it Boston to DC for the most part – all Amtrak connections), the BIG EAST jumped on the World’s Most Famous Arena and The Garden has paid it back 100-times over and over and over. There is no better college bsaketball tournament, no better venue and no better place for teams, players, coaches, media, alum, fans and TV than a packed house at Madison Square Garden – the Mecca of College basketball.

*Special mention must be made as a tribute to the late Dave Gavitt, the founder of the BIG EAST, and his successors, Michael Tranghese, the late John Marinatto, Mike Aresco and, now the best of ‘em all in Val Ackerman, the incredible Commissioner of the conference which is known for basketball (men’s and women’s), but checks every box in terms of top notch inter-collegiate athletics.

**There’s also a special very, very special honorable mention for 1985, when the BIG EAST sent three teams to the NCAA Final Four in Lexington, Kentucky and Ed Pinckney and the Villanova Wildcats upset Georgetown in the final, one of the greatest games in college basketball history. Chris Mullin and St. John’s were eliminated by Georgetown on Final Four Saturday when 30-minutes before the tip-off of that game, an earbud breaking chant of “Anybody but Georgetown, Anybody but Georgetown” rang out.

The 2025-26 BIG EAST standings when the week began (ESPN)

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: There’s no better way to recap the 2026 BIG EAST championship and five days at Madison Square Garden than with a popular WWYI timeline. We’ll have to see if the week merits a special song for Parting Words & Music.

Here We Go:

Tuesday, March 10, 2026: Travel Day

10:14am – Amtrak, Southbound to Penn Station/Moynahan Terminal: One of the easiest trips of all-time. It’s affordable and efficient, arriving right under The Garden where I’ll be spending an amazing number of hours. Plus, the top half of this column was written on the train ride (and, yes, off the top of my head- fact checkers be damned).

It always strikes me, tourists come from all over the world to experience New York City. They visit Lincoln Center, Broadway, see all the sites. Meanwhile, I stay within a four-block radius of Penn Station and Madison Square Garden for five days, and, as Maxwell Smart said so well, “And, loving it.”

1:01pm – Check-in with my wonderful sister-in-law, APM, and all is well. For one night, I’ll be crashing at the apartment of APM and WBG and a chance to see my niece and her dog, Cosmo. – Also checked with my brother-in-law, WBG, who was so kind in nailing two tickets to see the great Tedeschi-Trucks Band at The Beacon Theatre tonight – thus the early travel day.

6:00pm – Planned a meet-up at Dive 75, an old favorite where we once surprised the great Kevin Sullivan by walking from The Beek to the bar after an Allman Brothers Band show, only for him to discover and be astonished that Derek Trucks and the whole band (minus Gregg Allman) was there. Sully held court with the band and merch guys, telling stories about traveling on Air Force One with President George W. Bush, as Kevin was the President’s Director of Communications.

7:45pm – After a quick beer at Dive 75, it was short walk to Paradise and one of my favorite places in NYC in The Beek. The rest of the night belonged to TTB for their residence in one of the world’s great venues (Beacon Theatre – 74/755th/Broadway) – The Tedeschi Trucks Band is the best touring band in the world.

7:46pm – The Tedeschi Trucks Band took the stage at the sold out Beacon. They did not disappoint. Here is the set they played. Click HERE.

11:45pm – Smart move, starting the week off, and turned in “early.”

Wednesday, March 11: (New York City)

8:00am – A good night’s sleep and a short walk to a fave Dunkin’ and it was “New York, just like I pictured it.”

8:30am-12 Noon – Took opportunity to gather content, information, great photos and built out the entire evening’s BIG EAST competition previews.

3:00pm – Check-in at MSG and, as usual, the buttoned-down Big East staff had everything in order. Easy security check and two seconds to get my credentials, lovely Courtside, Row 6 on the Seventh Avenue baseline. That’s the same EXACT seat occupied for about five straight years. (Yes, I did thank the staff and after all these years, and it felt like this tournament was my first one. I take nothing for granted). By the way, the first one was the 1970 NIT when Marquette beat St. John’s in the final, 65-53, and Dean Meminger was the MVP. Meminger was later draft and starred for the New York Knicks 1973 championship team. I was 10.

4:00pm – In the 2026 BIG EAST tournament opener, No. 8 seed Butler took on #9 Providence. The Friars handled Butler, 91-81, and played hard for coach Kim English who was facing the firing squad quad from Providence athletics.

6:30pm – In closest game of day, Xavier edged Marquette, 89-87. Neither team impressed, and that is reason the Big East Conference might only send two or, possibly, three teams to the NCAAs.

9:00pm – In the nightcap, fans were witness to the low No. 11 seed Georgetown Hoyas upsetting No. 6 DePaul, 63-56. This game was the first to tip the scales towards an “old skool” – “OG” – BIG EAST tourney.

Georgetown vs. Villanova | The Battle of the Patagonia Vests.

Thursday, March 12: (NYC, Madison Square Garden – all day and night)

10:30am – After a decent night’s sleep and a good Marriott provided breakfast, it was an easy walk to The Garden from 28th Street & 7th Ave to the press entrance at Tower Bridge (31st and 8th Ave). Our spring-like weather Tuesday, in the 70s, turned to 36 degrees, cold and breezy.

12 Noon – St. John’s handled a determined and energetic Providence team, 85-72. The rumor mill since mid-season was the final 2026 Providence game would be coach Kim English’s last with the Friars. That came true on Friday, as Mid-term report cards reached home and every single student at the college dropped English.

2:30pm – No. 4 Seton Hall and No. 5 Creighton enjoyed byes and opened their tournament efforts with a highly contested, typical, physical BIG EAST game. The Jersey side Hall sent Creighton packing and flying back to Omaha, 72-61.

That set-up a Seton Hall vs St. John’s Friday semi-final.

One personal note was that I was able to spend some quality time with my brother (Wednesday evening and Thursday’s night session) and with my NBA colleague Matt Winick for the St. John’s vs Providence game. It’s now a nice, little tradition to join Matt for a couple of the Thursday games. Please note, as he was the person who interviewed me for an internship at the NBA on December 20, 1980. Sometimes, I think what might’ve been if Matt ditched my resume into the circular file. Sheesh.

7:00pm – The night session was packed with the UConn faithful, an incredible sight that was noticeably missing when Connecticut stuck with the football side of the BIG EAST and decided to play in the American Conference where they’d be hanging in Birmingham, Alabama instead of the World’s Most Famous Arena. UConn dominated Xavier, 93-68.

9:30pm – The Late Show featured the “old skool” match-up of Georgetown vs. Villanova, aka the “Battle of the Patagonia Vests.” Of course, many think of one of the greatest college basketball upsets ever when ‘Nova defeated Patrick Ewing and the Hoyas at the Final Four (championship game) in Lexington, Kentucky in 1985. (Yes, I witnessed it in person). On this night, No. 11 Georgetown sent Villanova to the Moynihan Amtrak Terminal and the late departing Crescent to New Orleans with stops at Metro Park, Newark, and to 30th Street Station. Georgetown advanced, 78-64, holding off several Villanova attempts to comeback. Georgetown’s Malik Mack played 37 minutes and orchestrated the Georgetown offense while scoring 12 points on a night he did not shoot the ball well (4-for-15). Teammate Julius Halaifonua (Go ahead, say that three times, fast) had 21 points and 10 rebounds, (on 9-for-12 shooting).

Upon very late night departure, WWYI caught the end of OKC’s 104-102 win over the Boston Celtics on TV.

Friday, March 13 (New York City):

Once again, it was some coffee and a Marriott provided breakfast in the hotel restaurant area where French, Spanish, German and Japanese were the languages of tourists visiting NYC. They sight-see, go to Lincoln Center, and Broadway. I prefer staying in a four block radius of Madison Square Garden.

Early AM Hours – Plenty of time to write, catch-up on emails and our NBA Basketball School Turkiye online site. Then, quality time watching The PLAYERS Championship on Golf Channel.

3:30pm – It’s Time.

3:45pm – Proceeded right to my press seat at The Garden and settled in nicely to a mostly empty building.

4:00pm – Early arrival at MSG provides a glimpse of the night ahead, as game ops rehearses national anthem, some introductions, and other event-related rituals. The Garden’s sound system is tremendous, and we went from the late Bob Weir and the Grateful Dead doing Playing in the Band to Nipsey Hussle doing Reckless to Emerson, Lake and Palmer doing Karn Evil 9, First Impression.

5:30pm – The ball is tipped and St. John’s vs. Seton Hall is on. The Johnnies hold Seton Hall scoreless for the first three minutes of the game and take an early 8-0 lead before Pirates’ coach Shaheen Holloway calls time-out to talk things over. St. John’s scored each of its first four FGs inside, while controlling the boards early (6-2 in rebounds). Seton Hall subbed out four players, sort of like taking four cards after the initial deal in poker, eh?

5:45pm – The Hall Strikes Back. It’s 10-7 by the 15:00 minute media time-out. Lotta basketball and – for this timeline, it’s only going to be the KEY moments going forward as opposed to a running story.

6:45pm – St. John’s led Seton Hall, 38-30, at the half. Stat sheet showed a very even game all-around with Red having a slight rebounding edge, 17-13. St John’s guard Dylan Darling logged 13 of the first 20 minutes and got to every loose ball. The coaches call them the 50-50 balls, but Darling somehow comes up with the 25-75 balls when his opponent has the edge. Amazing player, but is struggling with his shot in this tournament.

6:58pm – St, John’s came out for the second half with an impressive 9-0 run, (to make it 47-30), and Holloway was forced to call a time out to regroup (again). As the second half progressed, Seton Hall made a number of runs to cut the lead to six points with 4:41 remaining, but SJU scored six straight points, to eventually close it out at 78-68.

Afterward, St. John’s coach Rick Pitino met with the media: “We bent a little bit down the stretch after playing great basketball, but we never broke, and Seton Hall breaks everybody,” he said. “They come back against everybody because of their intensity, So, I’m really proud of our guys. They made good defensive plays down the stretch. Certainly, when you can break pressure and make your free throws, you’re always going to have a great chance of maintaining your lead. So, [we] did a lot of good things tonight offensively. I thought we were excellent the entire night.”

8:00pm – The second game of the night pitted upstart Georgetown against No. 2 UConn, who had their loyal, faithful fans occupying 75% of the seats in Madison Square Garden.

UConn took care of business, just as expected, by a 67-51 score. UConn guard Braylon Mullins scored 15 of his 21 points in the first half to set the tone.

11:00pm – Not exactly a breaking news story, but a very noticeable change was quite evident upon exiting Madison Square Garden to “ZERO” ticket scalpers being outside on Seventh Avenue. Like Final Four Saturdays of yesteryear when scalpers sprinted across the arena to buy tickets from the team who lost the first game, the Garden would always be buzzing with “Who’s Selling” shout-outs after each game. In 2026, it’s all about Ticketmaster, StubHub, Seatgeek and the others. UConn fans seem to have the secondary market covered for the Big East final.

Saturday, March 14 (New York City):

Early AM Hours saw a check of The PLAYERS golf championship take top priority as PGA Tour Brunch waits for no man (or woman). If you’re a fan of pro golf, you should highly consider a subscription!

Tuesday’s 70-degrees have given way to 40-degrees and 30 mph wind gusts in Manhattan, ruining plans on CPW and a stroll to Strawberry Fields, an old fave from days of first apartment on West 74th Street.

3:30pm – The BIG EAST has advised us of a 3:30pm opening of the press gate, but your favorite columnist will tuck-in some additional time with The PLAYERS golf on TV until 4:30pm (two full hours before the tip on FOX TV).

The BIG EAST Championship has been televised by Peacock Network, FS-1, FOX, back to FS-1 and finally back to FOX for the title game.

4:30pm – A wind-blown, five minute walk to MSG and right to my Courtside seat.

5:05pm – Sound check for the National Anthem. When I hit St. Pete and the Pearly Gates, I want every minute that I’ve stood for National Anthems back on my side of the ledger. It would buy me another five years of life, easy.

A quick check online: Ticket-buyers are forking over $6,600-to-$4,900 for Courtside, $800 for seats in the Lower Bowl 100-sections, $327 for baseline lower bowl, and about $250 for Upper Level 200s. Get-in price seems to have settled at about $180 for 400s.

6:30pm – “The Ball is Tipped” to a raucous, sold-out crowd at The Garden. As noted, the UConn fans have mastered the use of the secondary ticket department and have 50% of the seats, unlike last season when St. John’s defeated Creighton in the final and Johnnies’ fans controlled 95% of the building. At tip-off time, it seems to be quite a 50-50 crowd and a lot of red. The neutral fans will jump on St. John’s bandwagon if they play well.

UConn fans are quite annoying, especially with the fact they all stand until their team scores the first basket. At this game, St. John’s fans are just choosing to stand and apply a very high level of pressure to UConn. It is working, as UConn is out of sorts.

6:33pm – Nothing compared to Willis Reed, as Zuby is not injured nor did he come out of locker late, but his first easy jumper swished just like the Knicks’ captain’s first two shots in 1970. St. John’s out to 10-2 start at first media timeout.

6:50pm – MSG (Pro St. John’s crowd) playing a major factor in this game. A frustrated UConn coach Danny Hurley took a T to rattle-up his crew. (23-9). Unless UConn can stop St. John’s players from driving right to the rim, it’s going to be interesting. UConn counters, a lot of physical play, shoving, swatting. (no calls which are correct calls).

7:29pm – Halftime shows the scoreboard to be St. John’s 40, UConn 27.

8:13pm – Ole ‘mo changed dramatically and UConn made its run to cut the lead for St John’s to seven (49-42) with 12:34 remaining in the second half. UConn fans woke up and building is rocking from both sides of the street. After time-out, St. John’s countered with a 5-0 run, including a Zuby 26-footer. A possession later, he hit a jump hook to put the lead back to 13 (56-43) with 10:07 remaining.

8:24pm – With 7:36 remaining, momentum swung back to UConn and they cut lead to 10 points. Pitino subbed in big man Ruben Prey to give Zuby a breather. Arena turned quiet for first time since National Anthem.

8:28pm – After an eternally long time out, UConn had possession and gathered four offensive rebounds of their missed shots. Dylan Darling of St. John’s scored down the other end and St. John’s regained the vibe, and fueled the crowd by taking a 61-49 lead. Darling drilled two subsequent free throws and St J lead went back to 62-49. UConn can’t get “over the hump” and they’ve resorted to tossing up 3s.

8:32pm – After struggling all tournament long, St. John’s guard Dylan Darling sinks his “J” to make it 65-49. Oziyah Sellers drills a 19-footer, Bryce Hopkins gets a feed and takes it to the rim to score and the St. John’s lead expands to 20 points, 69-49 with 3:26 remaining. The Garden rocks, louder than at anytime this week.

8:42pm – Zuby bucket – It’s 72-49, now an ass-kicking, as a St. John’s 24-8 run made the difference at a time when UConn was threatening.

8:45pm – St. John’s just walks it up, but turns the ball over. Next whistle, Pitino subs to get Zuby Ejiofor a massive standing ovation, a memory of a lifetime. This is his last game at The Garden as a collegian, but he’ll be back as a pro.

8:47pm – UConn shows a ton of class by inbounding and walking the ball to neutral territory to allow the clock to run out. Game Over. St. John’s 72-52. Boxscore HERE.

8:55pm – The BIG East Trophy presentation takes place on a court filled with fans as MSG security “let it go” and gave peace a chance. St. John’s Dillon Mitchell says, “This is OUR city.” (He left out one of David “Big Papi” Ortiz’ words.

The Empire State Building is now lit with Red Lights.

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9:00pm – Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman and FOX talent Gus Johnson are with St. John’s Coach Rick Pitino at Center Court. Not a St. John’s fan has left The Garden.

Pitino got the Trophy, noting it was back-to-back Regular Season and Post Season titles, and Zuby got MVP. His teammates Bryce Hopkins and Dillon Mitchell made the All-Tournament team. And, a great Big East tradition, every member of the team and staff have their name announced as they accept a Big East medal.

9:13pm – St. John’s cuts down the nets at Madison Square garden, a dream of every basketball player in New York.

9:20pm – It’s time to sign off. Please excuse any typos, as this was done LIVE on site.

10:00pm – Your edition of TL’s Sunday Sports Notes is delivered, hot off the presses.

Sunday, March 15 (New York City to Boston)

9:00am – Amtrak home to Boston to be on couch with the annual NCAA Selection Show and a nice fire in fireplace.

PARTING WORDS & MUSIC: This is a song played at The Garden to psych-up the crowd before the Friday night tip-off. It’s the classic “Karn Evil 9” from a circa ‘74 show clip by Emerson, Lake & Palmer, all 18:59 of it, complete with drum solo and their Moog synthesizer – a rare MUST WATCH is attached. Over the past two seasons at The Garden, St, John’s has “Put on a Show That Never Ends.”

While We’re Young (Ideas) is a weekly (every weekend) collection of Sports Notes and News written by Terry Lyons. The posting of each notebook harkens back to the days when you’d walk over to the city news stand on Saturday night around 10:00pm to pick-up a copy of the Sunday papers. Inside, just waiting, was a compilation of interesting sports notes, quotes and quips in a column that always sold a few newspapers. Wire Service reports are utilized within the column.

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – Brought to you by Digital Sports Desk.

-TL-

Big East: The Hall vs. St. John’s

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – St. John’s began defense of its first Big East tournament title since 2000 by securing five offensive rebounds. The hustle set the tone for a comfortable win over Providence on Thursday and possibly foreshadowed another physical encounter with Seton Hall. After easily advancing, the top-seeded and 13th-ranked Red Storm will face fourth-seeded Seton Hall in the first semifinal on Friday.

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The Red Storm (26-6) never trailed in an 85-72 victory over the Friars, and they are in the semifinals for the third straight season. St. John’s dominated the glass by a 51-30 margin with an effort that featured in 18 offensive rebounds and 21 more shot attempts than Providence managed.

“We played awesome defense tonight, especially the first half was as good as we played all year,” St. John’s coach Rick Pitino said after a game in which his team scored the first nine points and led by 21 at halftime.

Zuby Ejiofor, the Big East player of the Year and defensive player of the year, finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. He became the first player in the history of the tournament to achieve those numbers in the same game.

St. John’s endured two tough regular-season challenges from the Pirates. The Red Storm rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half for a 65-60 home win over Seton Hall on Jan. 20, then earned a 72-65 win in the rematch at Newark, N.J., on March 6.

Ejiofor scored 21 points in the most recent meeting after getting held to nine in the first encounter, when the Red Storm shot 35.6%.

“It’s not easy winning on the road against one of the best defensive teams in the country,” Pitino said after last week’s game. “My message to the guys, ‘When you play a team like Seton Hall, your defense has to be every bit as good as their defense in order to win.’”

Seton Hall (21-11) was swept in two games each by St. John’s and second-seeded UConn by a combined 21 points in the regular season. The Pirates are in the semifinals for the first time since 2021 after earning a 72-61 victory over fifth-seeded Creighton on Thursday.

“Obviously, we just played them not too long ago,” Seton Hall coach Shaheen Holloway said of the Red Storm. “You got to get back, watch a little bit of film and come up with a game plan. They’re a very good team, obviously very well-coached, great players, but our guys played well throughout both games. We’re going to do what Seton Hall do. We’re going to defend, play hard, and what happens from there, happens from there.”

Holloway used 10 players vs. the Bluejays and got a big lift from Jacob Dar. The senior reserve scored all of his season-high 16 points in the second half after entering the game averaging 2.4 points.

Dar scored three points in 19 minutes during the two meetings with St. John’s. His timely contribution on Thursday helped support a steady showing from Adam “Budd” Clark, who collected 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Clark experienced mixed results in the two meetings with the Red Storm. He scored three points and shot 0-for-7 in the first game, then led the Pirates with 15 points in the March 6 game.

“We’re in the semifinals,” Clark said. “That’s what we came here to the Big East for.”

The Pirates relied on Dar to support Clark vs. Creighton because AJ Staton-McCray (12.0 ppg) shot 2-for-9 for eight points after shooting 4-for-17 for 11 points last week against the Red Storm.

– By Larry Fleisher, Field Level Media

 

Hornets Easily Handle Celtics

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Charlotte rookie Kon Kneuppel tossed in 20 points as the visiting Hornets beat the Boston Celtics 118-89 on Wednesday for their sixth consecutive win. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller each added 18 points for Charlotte, which received 17 points and six assists from Coby White. Moussa Diabate finished with nine points, nine rebounds and six assists.

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Each victory in the Hornets’ six win streak came by at least 16 points as Charlotte (32-31) moved over the .500 mark for the first time since they were 2-1 in October. The Hornets lost 14 of their first 18 games.

Charlotte, which has a 16-3 record in its past 19 games, scored the first eight points and never trailed.

Boston’s Derrick White led all scorers with 29 points. Jaylen Brown added 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, but he shot 7 of 19 from the field. No other Boston player scored more than nine points.

The Celtics’ Payton Pritchard missed each of his six field-goal attempts and failed to score. Pritchard entered the contest averaging 17.1 points per game.

Boston, which had won 12 of its previous 14 games, finished 30 of 79 (38%) from the field.

Grant Williams (knee) and Tidjane Salaun (knee) didn’t play for Charlotte. Salaun was injured in the Hornets’ Tuesday victory over the Dallas Mavericks. The Hornets elected to not play Williams on the second night of back-to-back contests.

Charlotte had a 35-23 advantage after one quarter and led 64-43 at halftime. The Hornets made 12 of 25 3-point attempts in the first half.

Boston cut its deficit to 14 points with 7:44 left in the third on two free throws from White, but a 12-2 run put the Hornets up 82-58 when Knueppel sank a layup. Charlotte had a 91-68 lead after three quarters.

The Wednesday contest opened the teams’ three-game season series. Boston will play at Charlotte on March 29, and the Hornets will visit the Celtics on April 7.

–Field Level Media