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Spring Training: Red Sox Snap Two-Game Skid with Win Over Pirates

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BRADENTON – The Boston Red Sox snapped a two-game skid with a 7-4 win at Pittsburgh, to continue their trend to not lose more than two consecutive games at any point this spring. Boston went 3-5 in their first eight Grapefruit League games but have since gone 11-5-1.

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Since March 10, Boston’s 11 wins rank second in MLB behind only the Oakland A’s (12-4-1). The only teams with more than 14 wins this spring are Toronto(15) and Oakland (15).

Sox 1B Bobby Dalbec leads the majors in runs scored (15) and RBI (16) and is tied for the lead with seven HRs (also Joc Pederson). Dalbec ranks No. 2 in SLG (.822) and No. 3 in OPS (1.214). He also leads the Red Sox in Batting Average (.311) while Kiké Hernández ranks eighth in the majors in OBP (.442) and has recorded more walks (9) than strikeouts (8).

Utility man Michael Chavis ranks in a tie for third in the majors with six HRs (tied with Corey Seager and Josh Bell).

Chavis’ 36 total bases rank 5th in MLB spring training.

Celtics Rally for Win at OKC

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OKLAHOMA CITY – Jayson  Tatum scored 20 of his 27 points in the second half and the Boston Celtics rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 111-94. Celtics All-Star swingman Jaylen Brown added 25 points to help the Celtics close out a four-game trip and even their season record. Boston had lost five of six before winning at Milwaukee on Friday and at Oklahoma City on Saturday.

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OKC’s Moses Brown scored a career-high 21 points and tied a Thunder record with 23 rebounds. The team announced before the game that veteran center Al Horford will be inactive the rest of the season while the team’s young players develop. Brown moved into the starting lineup and set a franchise record for rebounds in a half with 19 before the break.

Theo Maledon chipped-in with 22 points for Oklahoma City.

The Thunder led 80-76 heading into the fourth quarter. Jaylen Brown kept the Celtics in it with 13 points in the third.

Bruins Hand Sabres 17th Straight Loss

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BOSTON – Back on February 23, 2021, the weather bureau issued warnings for the Northern Plains, there was a report on the decline on exports and soybean futures rose on news of the virus woes in Brazil. That Tuesday evening, the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Devils, 4-1, in New Jersey. It was their last win.

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The Buffalo Sabres lost their 17th consecutive game Saturday, twice blowing a single goal lead before Boston’s Craig Smith scored with 3:50 left to snap a third-period tie and give the Bruins a 3-2 victory. The fact that the Sabres have not won since Feb. 23, ties the 18th longest losing streak in NHL history. It was just the fifth time during that span that the Sabres have managed to lose by only one goal.

The Sabres have been without former Boston U star Jack Eichel since early March and had been forced to use a fourth-string goalie, Dustin Tokarski before Linus Ullmark returned tonight. Kyle Okposo had missed three games with an injury.

The Bruins play New Jersey today at TD Garden.

NBA: Celtics Strike Buck

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MILWAUKEE – Boston struck Buck, errr … back.

A night after the Boston Celtics lost to the Milwaukee Bucks at the TD Garden in New England, Jayson Tatum scored 34 points and added six rebounds, Marcus Smart had 23 and the Boston Celtics beat Milwaukee 122-114 on Friday night and snapped a Bucks’ eight-game winning streak and spilt the two-game home and home mini-series.

The Celtics, who led 60-55 at the half, hit nine of 14 three-pointers in the third quarter to build the lead to 103-89 entering the final period.

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Newly acquired Celtics bigman Moe Wagner and veteran Celtics guard Smart extended Boston’s lead to 118-97 with three-pointers in the fourth quarter. Boston’s All-Star guard Kemba Walker added 21 points, and All-Star swingman Jaylen Brown had 18 for the Celtics.

Boston finished 22 of 47 from beyond the arc. Smart was 7 for 10, and Brown and Tatum added four apiece.

As Spring Training Winds Down, Boston Red Sox Lose to Minnesota Twins

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FORT MYERS – Minnesota Twins SP Randy Dobnak gave up one hit in five innings, a solo homer by Boston’s Bobby Dalbec, as Minnesota prevailed as spring training winds down. The Twins’ Josh Donaldson and the Red Sox’s Jonathan Arauz and Cesar Puello also homered as the Twins snapped a three-game Boston win streak with last night’s 7-4 decision. Boston is (6-3) in their last 9 games and 10-4-1 in their last 15.

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Boston remains one of six teams with 13 wins (or more). The only teams with more wins are the Royals (14-7- 3) and Blue Jays (14-8-2). Boston has five games remaining in spring training before opening the regular season at home on Thursday, April 1, against the Orioles.

 

 

Celtics Acquire Fournier From Magic

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BOSTON – (Official News Release) – The Boston Celtics acquired guard Evan Fournier from the Orlando Magic in exchange for guard Jeff Teague and two future second round draft picks, the team announced.

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“Evan has established himself as a highly-efficient scorer, whose combination of shooting and playmaking will make an immediate impact on this team,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. “He’s someone who has consistently produced on the offensive end, and we think his unique abilities will fit in seamlessly with our current group.”

A nine-year veteran from Saint-Maurice, France, Fournier (6-7, 205) is averaging a career-high 19.7 points on 46.1% shooting (38.8% 3-PT) in 26 games played with Orlando this season (all starts). His 2.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.8 three-point field goals in 2020-21 also represent career-high averages.

Fournier has reached the 20-point mark 14 times in 26 games in 2020-21, with both of his 30-point efforts occurring over the last four contests. He has connected on at least five 3-point field goals in five games this season, including a career-high six 3-pointers made (of 8) against Brooklyn on March 19.

Originally drafted by Denver with the 20th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Fournier has produced 14.4 points (45.0% FG, 37.6% 3-PT, 80.6% FT), 2.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, while averaging 28.5 minutes played in nine seasons with the Nuggets and Magic. The 28-year-old is one of nine NBA players to average 15.0 points and shoot 35.0% from beyond the arc in each of the last five seasons since 2015-16.

Signed as a free agent on Nov. 30, Teague averaged 6.9 points (41.5% FG, 46.4% 3-PT), 1.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 34 games (five starts) during his lone season with the Celtics.

Celtics Get “Big,” Acquire Two Centers

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BOSTON – (From Official News Release) – The Boston Celtics acquired 6-11 center Moe Wagner from the Washington Wizards, and forward/center Luke Kornet from the Chicago Bulls as part of a three-team deal, the team announced today. Boston sent guard Javonte Green and forward/center Daniel Theis to Chicago to complete the transaction.

Wagner (6-11, 245), 23, is averaging 7.1 points (50.8% FG, 31.0% 3-PT, 78.8% FT), 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 25 games (13 starts) with the Wizards this season. He has scored in double figures eight times in 2020-21, including a season-high 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting against the LA Clippers on Feb. 23.

Originally selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 25th pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, the former University of Michigan standout has averaged 6.9 points (49.7% FG, 30.2% 3-PT, 81.0% FT), 3.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 113 games played over three seasons with the Lakers and Wizards.

Kornet (7-2, 250), 25, has averaged 2.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 7.2 minutes played in 13 games for the Bulls this season. The four-year pro has posted career averages of 6.1 points (39.7% FG, 33.5% 3-PT, 76.4% FT), 2.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 15.3 minutes in 115 career games (33 starts) with New York and Chicago.

Theis spent each of his first four NBA seasons with the Celtics after being signed as a free agent out of Germany on July 20, 2017, averaging 7.2 points (55.4% FG, 34.5% 3-PT, 74.0% FT), 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 18.8 minutes in 236 career games (106 starts). The Salzgitter, Germany native is averaging a career-high 9.5 points on 55.2% shooting (34.7% 3-PT) in 42 games this season.

“Daniel has been a hard worker and consummate professional that has continued to improve each year since he’s been in Boston,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge. “We thank him for all of the effort and sacrifice he poured into this organization, and wish him all the best moving forward.”

Ainge met with media members via a Zoom conference call this morning.

Red Sox Spring Training Update (Mar 25)

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FORT MYERS – The Red Sox defeated the Orioles last night at jetBlue Park, 2-0, as newly acquired Hunter Renfroe drove in the game’s only runs with a 2-run Home Run in the 3rd inning. Red Sox pitchers retired their final 13 batters faced after SP Nathan Eovaldi allowed four hits in 5.2 IP.

Hirokazu Sawamura (1.1 IP), Adam Ottavino (1.0 IP), and Josh Taylor (1.0 IP) each recorded perfect outings in relief.

The Red Sox have won their last three games and are 6-2 in their last eight, and 10-3-1 in their last 14. The Red Sox entered today leading the Grapefruit League in runs scored (130), HR (34), doubles (41), AVG (.270), OBP (.351), and SLG (.485).

Entering today, only the Toronto Blue Jays (14-8-1) had more wins than the Sox. and the only other teams with 13 wins are the KC Royals, NY Yankees, and Chicago Cubs.

The 2021 Chairman’s Cup between the Red Sox and Twins continues today, with the Red Sox leading 3-1-1…The Twins lead, 14-12-2, in the yearly series, with an 81-76-2 edge in games. The Red Sox and Twins will face each other 7 times during the 2021 regular season, with 4 games scheduled for 4/12-15 at Target Field, and 3 games set for 8/24-26 at Fenway Park. The Red Sox hold a 316-314 edge since the Twins moved to Minnesota prior to the 1961 season.

Boston has six games remaining in spring training before opening the regular season at home on Thursday, April 1, against the Orioles.

 

Celtics Edged by Milwaukee Bucks

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Milwaukee Bucks 121 – Boston Celtics 119

Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton scored 27 points and 13 rebounds and Bobby Portis added a season-high-tying 21 points off the bench to lead the Bucks to a tight victory over the struggling Boston. Milwaukee led by 20 points midway through the third quarter.

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Boston’s Jaylen Brown scored 14 of his 24 points in the opening quarter and added 10 rebounds throughout the game. Kemba Walker added 23 points for the Celtics. Celtics C/F Daniel Theis missed an open three-point FG attempt at the buzzer.

Boston has lost five of their last six games overall and 10 of their last 11 on the road.

Donte DiVincenzo made five 3-pointers to join Brook Lopez with 17 points for the Bucks, who nearly squandered a 25-point lead before extending their winning streak to a season-high e

Bruins, Fans Return to TD Garden

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BOSTON – After a two-game postponement and COVID-19+ pause in their season, the Boston Bruins will return to their home ice at TD Garden with a limited number of fans in the stands to watch the game in-person. The game tonight against the New York Islanders will be the first major sports game with fans in the stands since the global pandemic shutdown the world and the sports industry last March.

The Bruins cancelled a routine morning skate today. The club did practice yesterday after a week of being sidelined and that practice came after David Krejci, David Pastrnak and Craig Smith were cleared after spending five days in the NHL protocol.

Bruins Jake DeBrusk and Sean Kuraly remained on the list for a seventh consecutive day.

Game time is 7pm EDT on NESN.