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Celtics Blitz the Bucks

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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

Vucevic Leads Celtics’ BIG 2nd Half

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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

 

 

White Leads Celtics Over Suns

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PHOENIX – (Wire Service Report) – Derrick White scored 22 points, Neemias Queta had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and the visiting Boston Celtics rolled over the short-handed Phoenix Suns 97-81 to extend their winning streak to four. Sam Hauser scored 16 points and Bailey Scheierman had 11 points and 11 rebounds in his third career double-double for the Celtics, who have won nine of 10 and are a season-high 19 games over .500. White and Hauser had four 3-pointers apiece for Boston.

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The Celtics trailed 41-30 at 6:41 of the second quarter before going on an extended 50-11 run to take control with an 80-52 lead on Nikola Vukevic’s basket with 1:39 left in the third quarter.

Collin Gillespie scored 15 points, Grayson Allen scored 14 and Jalen Green added 13 points for the Suns, who played without leading scorers Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks for the second straight game.

The Suns have lost seven of 10.

Boston has won five in a row in the series and the last four in Phoenix.

The Suns went on a 14-0 run over the late third and early fourth quarters to close to 80-66 with 9:24 remaining, but Scheierman’s corner 3-pointer pushed the Celtics’ lead back 90-68 with 5:51 to play.

The Celtics played without Jaylen Brown (knee contusion), who was held out in the first game of a back-to-back, and got only eight points from Payton Pritchard, who was 2 of 13 from the field.

Boston outscored the Suns 30-11 in the third quarter and led 80-57 entering the fourth. Hauser had 13 points and three 3-pointers in the third quarter, when Phoenix was 4 of 22 from the field.

The Suns shot 36.7% from the field and were 12 of 36 from distance.

Boston had a 61-34 rebounding advantage and turned 22 offensive rebounds into 15 points.

The Suns, coming off a season scoring low in a 92-77 loss to Portland on Sunday, led 26-21 after the first quarter, when Green and Ryan Dunn had seven points apiece. The Celtics were 3 of 15 from distance in the quarter.

Royce O’Neale’s third 3-pointer put the Suns ahead 41-30 lead midway through the second quarter before the Celtics began their extended run with a 14-0 spurt capped by Queta’s two free throws for a 44-41 edge.

–Field Level Media

Wake / BC Ready for Snowed Out Game

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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

Jaylen Brown is Hearing MVP Talk

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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

Celtics Dominate LA Lakers

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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

Golden Hour

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MILAN – (Wire Service Report) – USA forward Jack Hughes scored at 1:41 of overtime to lift the United States to a 2-1 victory against Canada in the gold medal game on Sunday at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.

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Hughes scored with a sweeping wrist shot from the inside edge of the left circle off a feed from defenseman Zach Werenski. The goal gave the Americans their first Olympic gold medal since the Miracle on Ice in 1980. Matt Boldy scored on the first shot of the game for the U.S. and Connor Hellebuyck made 41 saves.

Defenseman Cale Makar scored and Jordan Binnington made 26 saves for the Canadians, who were trying for their 10th Olympic gold medal. Canada was outshooting the U.S. 4-0 when Boldy split between Makar and Colorado Avalanche teammate Devon Toews at the Canadian blue line.

Toews had the best chance at snuffing out the play, but he whiffed on his clearing attempt. Boldy continued skating in on Binnington before sliding a backhand between his pads for a 1-0 lead at the six-minute mark of the first period.

Hellebuyck stopped Connor McDavid on a breakaway just before the midway point of the second period, and the Canadians failed to capitalize on a 5-on-3 power play for 93 seconds.

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The penalty kill for the U.S. went 18-for-18 in the tournament.

The Canadians avoided trailing at the start of the third period for the third straight game when Makar received a pass from Toews above the right circle and fired a wrist shot into the net to tie it 1-1 at 18:16.

Canada outshot the U.S. 19-8 in the second period to take a 27-16 advantage into the third.

Hellebuyck continued to make a string of miraculous saves early in the third, reaching back with his stick to tip a shot by Toews and then stopping Macklin Celebrini twice on a breakaway.

Canada was leveled by a four-minute double-minor high-sticking on Sam Bennett at 13:26 of the third, but the U.S. couldn’t capitalize for the first three minutes. The rest of the power play was negated by a high-sticking penalty on Hughes.

Canada played its second straight game without star captain Sidney Crosby, who was injured in the 4-3 overtime win against Czechia in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Crosby scored the overtime winner for Canada in a 3-2 win against the U.S. in the gold medal game at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010.

–Field Level Media

USA Routs Slovakia; Canada is Up Next

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MILAN  – (Wire Service Report) – The United States made light work of Slovakia with a 6-2 victory on Friday to set up the eagerly awaited Olympic men’s ice hockey final with Canada. Team U.S. was on cruise control heading into the final period, up 5-0 through Dylan Larkin, Tage Thompson, Jack Eichel and a double from Jack Hughes, before Brady Tkachuk scored between a pair of Slovakian consolation goals.

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NHL players returned to the Olympic Games following a 12-year absence and expectations had been high that the North American rivals would reap the benefits and face off in the decider.

The U.S. obliged with ease after Canada’s tense 3-2 semifinal win over defending champions Finland, and the sides will meet in Sunday’s gold-medal decider at Santagiulia Arena.

Slovakia will take on Finland in Saturday’s bronze-medal game at the same venue.

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media and Digital Sports Desk

Canada’s Crosby Might Play vs. USA

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MILAN – (Wire Service Report) – Captain Sidney Crosby missed Canada’s semifinal victory over Finland on Friday but has a chance to play in Sunday’s gold-medal game of the Milan Cortina Olympics, according to head coach Jon Cooper. Crosby, who is nursing an apparent right leg injury, watched from the wings as Canada scored a late winner to overcome a two-goal deficit and down the Finns 3-2 in Friday’s early semifinal at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

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“We have 48 hours to decide that, but I will tell you he’s got a better chance of playing in the gold-medal game than he had playing in tonight’s game,” Cooper told reporters postgame Friday.

The United States faced Slovakia in Friday’s second semifinal. The losing team will oppose Finland in the bronze-medal game Saturday.

Connor McDavid served as captain in Crosby’s absence for the semifinal and assisted Nathan MacKinnon’s game-winning power-play goal with 36 seconds remaining.

Sam Reinhart tipped in an earlier power-play goal and defenseman Shea Theodore tied the score midway through the third, helping Canada remain perfect in the tournament.

“We’re putting our country through it. A lot of stressful mornings for everyone back home,” McDavid said in a postgame interview with CBC. “But you know what? It’s been fun. It’s a best-on-best tournament. I keep on saying that. We’re playing the best teams in the world, the best players in the world, and they’re going at it and giving everything they have. The margins are razor thin.”

McDavid added he was “keeping the ‘C’ warm” for Crosby, who spoke to teammates in the locker room between periods. MacKinnon and Cale Makar were alternate captains against Finland.

Crosby was injured in Wednesday’s quarterfinal round as Canada rallied to defeat Czechia 4-3 in overtime.

“With what he’s done for the game, for our team, for all of Canada, we want to show up for him,” forward Brad Marchand said.

With six points in four appearances, Crosby is Canada’s fourth-leading scorer in Milan, trailing McDavid (13 points), Macklin Celebrini (10) and MacKinnon (seven).

One of the NHL’s most decorated players, the 38-year-old Crosby has 1,746 career points in 1,408 games over 21 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and led Canada to Olympic gold at Vancouver in 2010 and Sochi in 2014.

–Field Level Media

Canada to Go for the Gold

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MILAN –  (Wire Service Report) – NHL All-Star Nathan MacKinnon capped Canada’s extraordinary fightback to beat defending champions Finland 3-2 in a men’s Olympic ice hockey semifinal, firing in the kill shot with 35.2 seconds left on the clock in another nerve-searing game on Friday.

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The NHL’s leading goal-scorer, MacKinnon made magic happen at Santagiulia Arena with just one second left on a power play after Canada clawed its way back from a two-goal deficit in the second period.

Forward Sam Reinhart scored to spark the comeback, while defenseman Shea Theodore got the third-period equalizer for Canada.

Canada will face the United States for the gold, as the USA was significant winners over Slovakia on Friday. Finland will play in Saturday’s bronze-medal game. The gold-medal game is set for Sunday.

‘IT’S A CHESS MATCH’

The favored Canadians, with their roster packed with top-flight National Hockey League talent, had looked nearly untouchable early in the tournament, but have been made to work in their last two games. Canada needed an overtime nail-biter to get past the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Their charismatic captain and former Olympic hero Sidney Crosby left that game injured and Canada were lacking some of their usual firepower as he sat out Friday’s game.

Canada had just three shots on goal through the first half of the opening period, and Finland got the chance it was waiting for when Sam Bennett was sent to the penalty box for goalie interference.

Mikko Rantanen scored three seconds into the power play and Finland piled on more pain early in the second period, when Erik Haula sent in a short-handed goal with a backhand shot.

“The start of the game, everybody’s so excited to play, and so amped up, so much adrenaline, it’s just kind of natural, you get a little bit of a feel out process,” said Canada forward Brad Marchand. “Some of these teams you haven’t played before. It’s kind of a chess match.”

The Canadians moved the right pieces around on the next power play, with defenseman Cale Makar blasting the puck through traffic toward the net, where Reinhart deflected it in to trim the lead. Theodore rocketed in a slapshot from the point to tie it midway through the third.

The Canadian joy overflowed with MacKinnon’s mighty shot in the waning moments of the game off an assist from Connor McDavid to avoid overtime. But the fans were made to hold their breath as officials weighed a challenge from the Finland bench for offside that ultimately proved unsuccessful.

The win kept alive North American fans’ hopes for a gold-medal showdown between the two preeminent ice hockey powerhouse nations, with the NHL allowing their players to compete at the Games for the first time since 2014.

–Reuters, special to Field Level Media