NBA

Overrated, Huh?

May 22, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – In the NBA Playoffs, a series doesn’t really start until the road team wins a game. Last night, the NBA Eastern Conference Finals began with a high-scoring and seriously physical overtime game at a sold out Madison Square Garden. Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 points and his teammate, Aaron Nesmith, added 30, helping the visiting Pacers rally for a 138-135 overtime victory against the New York Knicks on Wednesday in Game 1 of the series.

The third-seeded Knicks squandered a 14-point lead in the final 2:39 of the fourth quarter due in large part to Nesmith’s sharp shooting. Nesmith highlighted an 8-for-9 performance from 3-point range by making five treys during the final 3 1/2 minutes of regulation.

Haliburton appeared to win it following a friendly carom off the rim on an apparent 3-pointer at the buzzer, only for replays to show that his toe was on the line. That made it a 2-pointer and forced overtime.

When he thought the game was over, Haliburton made a choke sign in the direction of the Knicks’ bench, reminiscent of former Pacers star Reggie Miller who was at courtside, calling the game for television.

Andrew Nembhard sank a 3-pointer and two layups in OT, the last lay-in giving Indiana a 136-135 lead with 26.7 seconds to play. An attempted pass to Brunson deflected off his fingers and out of bounds, and former Knick Obi Toppin’s dunk extended the advantage to three with 10.9 seconds left.

The Knicks’ Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns misfired on 3-point attempts in the final moments.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Friday night in New York.

Pascal Siakam scored 17 points, Nembhard finished with 15 and Myles Turner added 14 for the fourth-seeded Pacers. Haliburton handed out 11 assists.

Brunson scored 43 points and Towns added 35 to go along with 12 rebounds for the Knicks.

Towns sank 4 of 8 shots from 3-point range, a big improvement after he made just 3 of 19 attempts from beyond the arc during New York’s six-game series victory over the Boston Celtics in the conference semifinals.

Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby each scored 16 points in the loss.

Brunson committed his fifth foul with 10:05 remaining in the fourth quarter and retreated to the bench after T.J. McConnell made a free throw to pull Indiana within 94-92.

New York, however, went on a 14-0 run in Brunson’s absence, with Anunoby draining a 3-pointer and a short jumper to ignite the spurt. The Pacers did themselves no favors by fouling McBride and Towns on 3-point attempts, with the duo combining to make 5 of 6 free throws.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | May 18

May 18, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

Storing the Boston TD Garden parquet for the season (Photo by T Peter Lyons)

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – It’s officially baseball season in Boston after the New York Knicks eliminated the Boston Celtics on Friday night in a raucous Madison Square Garden beatdown of epic proportions. Not only were the defending NBA champion Celtics eliminated from the 2025 NBA Playoffs and their attempt to repeat as title holders was dashed, the Cs were embarrassed by a 119-81 final score. The Celtics trailed by 27 points at the half and the Knicks’ lead increased to a point where it was a 41-point debacle for the Bostonians.

While the Knicks’ players won, shook hands and acted as though they’d been there before, Knicks fans did not, as the 19,500 fans with tickets to Game 6 poured out to Seventh Avenue to join the thousands who watched the game in the square blocks surrounding Penn Station and MSG. How could the fans be blamed as they had to count back to 1999 when New York advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals vs Indiana (4-2) and then to the NBA Finals when they were whooped (4-1) by the San Antonio Spurs.

Of course, the Celtics had no fingers to point and no one to blame but themselves. Boston looked sharp in their series-clinching game against Orlando, outscoring the Magic by a 73-40 margin, including a 30-9 run to end the third quarter back on April 29th, seemingly a lifetime ago in these drawn-out but entertaining NBA Playoffs of 2025.

But, Boston’s downfall came in the opening two games of the best-of-seven series against the No. 3 seeded Knickerbockers. On both May 5 and 7th, the Celtics blew 20-point leads to go 0-2 in the Conference semifinal series, and in basic NBA folklore, you can blow one game in a best of seven, but you can’t cough-up two.

That old NBA adage caught up to the Celtics in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden, and the Boston loss vaults us all to summertime and baseball season.

Seasons change and so did I

You need not wonder why

You need not wonder why

There’s no time left for you

No time left for you – The Guess Who, composed by guitarist Randy Bachman and lead singer Burton Cummings

Yes, the seasons change fast in Boston, a town with its fans spoiled by 18 Celtics’ championship banners flying high in the rafters of TD Garden. With the Celtics, it’s either a championship or bust, and bust they did, especially after wingman JaysonTatum went down with a severe ruptured tendon in Game 4 of the Knicks series.

While the current iteration of the Celtics will always have the respect of being NBA Champions (2024), the Cs will also have to live with the fact they blew their chances for more than a single title.

The key games:

2023 Eastern Conference Finals vs. Miami Heat:

Game 1 at TD Garden, May 17: Miami 123, Boston 116
Game 2 at TD Garden, May 19: Miami 111, Boston 105
Game 7 at TD Garden, May 29: Miami 103, Boston 84

2025 Eastern Conference Semifinals vs New York Knicks:

Game 1 at TD Garden, May 5: NY Knicks 108, *Boston 105 (OT)
Game 2 at TD Garden, May 7: NY Knicks 91, *Boston 90
Game 6 at Madison Square Garden, May 16: **NY Knicks 119, Boston 81

* Boston led by 20 points

**Boston trailed by as many as 41 points

Those six games stand out as damn near inexcusable for a championship level team to put forth. In the most recent collapse, Boston went from being a defense-first team to a perimeter shooting, poor shooting fraction of what they could’ve been. The missed shots – many open, good looks – resulted in long rebounds and a transition game that favored New York.

Looking ahead, Boston has its hands tied with large, longterm contracts for its seven or eight rotation players. The Cs’ 2025-26 team salary is estimated at $223,928,825which will be the highest in the league. Big contracts with the dollars guaranteed for ‘25-26 are as follows:

Tatum: $54,000,000+
Brown: $53,000,000+
Holiday: $32,000,000+
Porzingis: $30,000,000+
White: $28,000,000+
Hauser: $10,000,000+
Pritchard: $7,000,000+
Horford: (Can sign a the NBA veteran minimum) – In 2025, it was $9,500,000

Reports surfaced Saturday that Jaylen Brown finished the season while playing through a partially torn right meniscus. Evaluations have yet to be made and surgery is a possibility.

There is not a lot of give and take with contracts that size and many with multi-year increases. NBA TV money will increase to drastically increase team salary next summer (July 2026). Team GM Brad Stevens will have to stick with the horse than brought him to the 2024 NBA title.

Switching gears, a bit: As Game 6 unfolded in New York, the (22-24) Red Sox were losing their fourth straight game, leaving even the most optimistic Boston fans feeling a bit unsettled heading into the Memorial Day to 4th of July stretch.

Should the Sox continue to falter, the hometown New England Patriots’ prognosis for the 2025 NFL season doesn’t look promising at all. The 0-for-4 in pro franchise forecast might make the Boston faithful seeking refuge in the September 1st TCU at North Carolina football game, also known as former Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s NCAA debut.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: With the Boston Bruins watching the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs from their North End condos, the Celtics sent packing to Cabo San Lucas, the Patriots staring a sub-.500 season ahead for sure, only the Red Sox might find their way to postseason play in 2025.

If they do, the Sox might be wearing new City Connect uniforms inspired by the famed Green Monster of Fenway Park (with a hint of the Pesky Pole yellow).

The new uniforms were unveiled as the Sox took the field against the Braves (loss, so they are 0-1 in the new duds) and will be worn on select home games throughout the season, including May 23. The original Nike City Connect yellow and blue uniforms will remain a core offering for the team, replacing the blue alternate jersey, and will continue to be worn during Patriots’ Day Weekend at Fenway Park.

The new jersey’s feature “Red Sox” in the Green Monster’s signature font across the chest in white, with an encircled “B” logo on the sleeve. Player numbers appear in yellow on the front – a nod to the Fisk and Pesky poles – and in white on the back. Inside the collar, “1912” is stitched onto a concrete, heather pattern, symbolizing the interior structure of the left field wall and the year Fenway Park opened. A replica of the Green Monster’s vintage ball, strike, and out indicator appears as a small graphic detail on the lower left of the jersey.

“The original Nike City Connect uniforms were a bold departure for the team, rooted in the spirit of the (Boston) Marathon, more than the club’s traditional identity,” said Troup Parkinson, Chief Marketing and Partnerships Officer for the Boston Red Sox. “This time, we started with a clear design thesis to create something lasting – drawn directly from Fenway Park itself. Every element has meaning and reflects a place that has defined Red Sox baseball for over a century.”

In doing so, the Sox chose to sway from their signature “BoSox font,” created by well known font author Lee Gordon.

TL’s Take: The new Sox City Connects are nice, and a great idea but I prefer the darker green of the Fenway scoreboard as opposed the lighter green of the ballpark, the dugouts and the Green Monster that is closer to the uniform color. Maybe we can get some paint out and fix ‘em up?

No Repeat, Just Surrender

May 17, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – No Boston Celtics team has repeated as NBA champions since the great Bill Russell led the immortal Celtics clubs of 1968-69. On sure thing: the 2024-25 Celtics are not immortal, they proved to be human. Human with flaws. Humans subject to injury and fatigue.

New York’s incredible guard Jalen Brunson and team mainstay OG Anunoby each scored 23 points as the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000 by steamrolling the visiting Boston Celtics 119-81 on Friday in Game 6 of their semifinal series at a raucous Madison Square Garden.

Knicks forward Mikal Bridges had 22 points and All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and 12 rebounds for third-seeded New York, which led by as many as 41 points. The Knicks wrapped up the best-of-seven series with the largest winning playoff margin in the OG franchise history.

In doing so, the Knicks proved they just might be championship material, but the upstart Indiana Pacers stand in their way. The Eastern Conference Finals begin Wednesday in New York.

NY’s Josh Hart contributed 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to record New York’s first postseason triple-double since the legendary Walt Frazier accomplished the feat in 1972. Frazier and his teammate, Bill Bradley, were in attendance for the Game 6 victory.

Defending NBA champion Boston was led by Jaylen Brown, who had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists before fouling out late in the third quarter. The Celtics were again short-handed after losing star Jayson Tatum to a ruptured right Achilles during Game 4 on Monday.

New York shot 46.2 percent from the field, including 16 of 46 (34.8 percent) from 3-point range. The Knicks held a 55-36 rebounding advantage.

Payton Pritchard scored 11 points and Al Horford added 10 for Boston, which shot 36 percent and was 12 of 41 (29.3 percent) from 3-point range.

The score was tied at 16 before the Knicks began pulling away.

New York led 26-20 at the end of the first quarter and then opened the second with a 16-4 surge to open up an 18-point lead midway through the period.

After Boston’s Luke Kornet interrupted the burst with a three-point play, the Knicks rattled off 16 of the next 21 points to take a 58-32 lead on a putback dunk by Miles “Deuce” McBride with 1:31 left.

McBride buried a 3-pointer as time expired in the half for a 64-37 lead at the break. That marked New York’s largest halftime advantage at the break since leading the Los Angeles Lakers 69-42 in Game 7 of the 1970 Finals, won by the Knicks.

The contest was effectively over when Brown fouled out with 2:50 left in the third quarter and Boston down by 33. Anunoby poured it on with consecutive 3-pointers to end a 10-0 push as the margin went above 40 at 92-51 with 1:51 remaining in the third.

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By that time, Knicks fans were taking over the blocks surrounding Madison Square Garden, rejoicing in the fact it’s been a quarter Century since the Knicks advanced to the NBA ECF or NBA Finals (1999 loss to Spurs). It’s been 52 years since the Knicks won an NBA title and Bradley and Frazier are the only remaining starters from that great Knickerbockers team, as center Willis Reed, forward Dave DeBusschere passed away long ago, and shooting guard Dick Barnett just died this month.

Maybe the ghosts of Madison Square Garden have caught up to the famous ghosts of Boston Garden?

Only time will tell.

–Field Level Media

Celtics: Alive and Well

May 16, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – It appears it wasn’t mentioned to the Boston Celtics that they were supposed to go away quietly in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s devastating and season-ending Achilles injury.

The Celtics were loud and boisterous while facing elimination and won in dominant fashion Wednesday. Now, they have the opportunity to even the Eastern Conference semifinals at three games apiece when they visit the Knicks on Friday night in New York.

Tatum’s serious injury in Game 4 inspired Boston, which delivered a 127-102 home-court rout in Game 5.

The Celtics are 10-2 without Tatum this season, including 2-0 in the playoffs.

“It’s easy to kind of write things off,” Boston co-star Jaylen Brown said. “Obviously, unfortunate what happened to J.T., but we’ve still got basketball to be played. I believe in this group. Don’t count us out just yet.”

The lopsided Game 5 victory transfers the pressure to the Knicks, who need to wrap up the series Friday to avoid a Game 7 in Boston on Monday.

New York star Jalen Brunson could feel the urgency after his club was outscored by 25 points in the second half.

He also made it clear the Knicks didn’t relax due to Tatum’s misfortune.

“No, not at all. Yes, they are missing a big piece, but they are a well-oiled machine that has been in situations where they’ve played without him, and they’ve played well,” Brunson said. “We need to understand that and trust the game plan and play to win. It’s as simple as that.”

Brunson scored 22 points in Game 5 before fouling out with 7:19 left to play. Josh Hart led the team with 24 points and made five of nine 3-point attempts.

But the Knicks shot just 35.8 percent from the field with OG Anunoby (1-for-12, six points) and Mikal Bridges (4-for-14, 9 points) both having poor shooting outings.

“We’ve got to play desperate,” Bridges said. “I don’t think we did that,”

Meanwhile, the Celtics had six players score in double digits. Derrick White knocked down seven 3-pointers while scoring 34 points and Brown had 26 points with 12 assists and eight rebounds.

Kristaps Porzingis didn’t play in the second half due to ongoing issues with a viral illness. He had one point and one rebound in 12 first-half minutes. Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said Porzingis was having trouble breathing.

His departure proved to be a stroke of good luck as journeyman Luke Kornet stepped up in the second half and finished with 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting, nine rebounds and seven blocked shots. The rejections were two shy of the franchise postseason record set by Robert Williams III a the 2021 first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets.

“I feel like it was just trying to make plays,” Kornet said. “Obviously, our season’s on the line, so I’m just trying to have a lot of energy, make plays. I feel like it was everybody. I feel like everybody stepped up and we were very connected and very aggressive and forceful and, obviously, did our job for the day. Now we have to get up and do it again, and it’ll require different things on Friday.”

Regardless of who Boston has on the floor, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau will be studying intently to make the right adjustments.

“They have a lot of shooting on the floor, that’s going to remain the same,” Thibodeau said. “The thing about their team is they are a great defensive team as well. We can’t be slow getting back and you can’t give open shots to them. We have to be closer with our close-outs and be better with our communication.”

Though New York still holds the series lead, Boston carries the momentum as it attempts to win its second straight elimination game.

“We did what was necessary to do and what we needed to do to get it back to New York,” Mazzulla said. “You don’t get to pick the test that you have, you pick how you respond to them.”

–Field Level Media

Blazers Not in Knight’s Future

May 15, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

PORTLAND – (Wire service Report) – Nike founder and chairman emeritus Phil Knight believes it’s too late in the game for him to buy an NBA franchise. Knight, 87, issued a statement citing his age as a primary roadblock to purchasing the Portland Trail Blazers. The team is on the market and being sold by the estate of Microsoft legend Paul Allen.

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“Five years ago, when I was a younger man, I had a great interest in being a part of the Portland Trail Blazers franchise. However, at my current age, I can confirm that I no longer have interest in acquiring the team,” Knight said in a statement issued by Nike.

Allen owned the Seattle Seahawks (NFL), the Blazers and a 25 percent stake in the Seattle Sounders (MLS) when he died at age 65 from non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2018.

Allen bought the Blazers in 1988 for $70 million and the franchise has a valuation of more than $3.5 billion, according to Sportico. The Boston Celtics recently sold for $6.1 billion.

The Seahawks and the minority stake in the Sounders are not for sale, according to the trust’s announcement of plans to sell the NBA franchise.

His sister, Jody Allen, is the acting governor of the Blazers and executor for the Paul G. Allen Trust. Jody Allen declined Knight’s offer — made in partnership with Los Angeles Dodgers minority owner Alan Smolinsky — to buy the Blazers for more than $2 billion in 2022, according to reports.

Paul Allen’s will directs the existing trust “to eventually sell his sports holdings and direct all estate proceeds to philanthropy.”

–Field Level Media

Knicks in Control; Tatum Hurt

May 12, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – With Boston’s All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum sidelined due to a major leg injury, New York’s Jalen Brunson scored 26 of his 39 points in the second half and the Knicks became the first home team to win in the series by dispatching the Boston Celtics 121-113 on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal matchup.

NY’s Karl-Anthony Towns added 23 points and 11 rebounds and Mikal Bridges also scored 23 for the Knicks, who recovered from a 14-point third-quarter deficit. OG Anunoby made some key plays late while contributing 20 points.

Boston’s Tatum sustained a serious right ankle or Achilles’ heel injury late in the contest. Tatum had 42 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals. He knocked down seven 3-pointers for the second-seeded Celtics, who squandered 20-point leads while dropping the series’ first two games.

Boston’s Derrick White made six 3-pointers and scored 23 points and all-star and 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds for Boston. Payton Pritchard had 12 points for the Celtics.

The Knicks can clinch the best-of-seven series with a win in Game 5 at Boston on Wednesday night or a victory on their home court in Game 6 on Friday.

Anunoby drilled a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 5:52 left to start a decisive 14-2 spurt.

A jumper in the lane by Bridges made it 111-104, and Anunoby added a steal and dunk to increase the gap to 113-104 with 3:03 left. Tatum was injured on the latter play and grabbed for his ankle and signaled for a timeout with 2:58 to go.

Tatum was helped off the floor with his right foot kept in the air and was later seen being pushed to the locker room while sitting in a rolling chair.

Brunson nailed a trey to cap the run and all but seal it at 116-104 with 2:25 remaining.

New York connected on 54.3 percent of its shots and was 12 of 34 (35.3 percent) from behind the arc.

Boston made 18 of 48 3-point attempts (37.5 percent) and is 38 of 88 (43.2 percent) over the past two contests after being a dreadful 25 of 100 in its opening two setbacks. Overall, the Celtics made 48.1 percent of their shots in Game 4.

Boston led 72-58 after White’s 3-pointer with 9:06 remaining in the third quarter before the Knicks went on a 30-13 burst over the rest of the period.

A 3-pointer by Anunoby with 32.1 seconds left gave New York an 86-85 edge, the hosts’ first lead since the opening quarter. Josh Hart added a layup with 3.5 seconds left before Bridges opened the fourth quarter with a short jumper to give the Knicks a 90-85 lead.

Tatum drilled a 3-pointer to knot the score at 96 with 8:22 remaining. Tatum knocked down another trey 65 seconds later to give Boston a one-point advantage, and he later converted a three-point play to tie it at 102 with 6:12 to go.

Tatum (20 first-half points) and White (17) each made four 3-pointers as Boston led 62-51 at the break. Brunson led the Knicks with 13 points in the half.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Confidence High

May 12, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics insisted they weren’t concerned by dropping the first two games of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Knicks.

They stuck to the story despite those two setbacks coming at home. Even the fact they swept the four regular-season meetings and nearly all observers projected New York to be the team down 0-2 didn’t cause a lot of distress.

Blowing 20-point leads in both Games 1 and 2? Painful, of course, but not devastating enough to wave the white flag.

But their performance improved mightily in the third game of the matchup, and now Boston has a chance to even the series at 2-2 when it plays Monday night at New York.

“You’ve got to beat us four times. That’s what it comes down to,” said Celtics star Jaylen Brown. “Not twice, not once, not three. You’ve got to win four games, so there’s a lot of basketball to be played.”

The one Boston win came in superlative fashion.

The Celtics led by as many as 31 points and regained their 3-point shooting touch. After being a combined 25 of 100 from behind the arc in the defeats, Boston connected on 20 of 40 in the 115-93 rout.

Jayson Tatum and NBA Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard each made five. Pritchard scored 23 points after averaging just 11 over the first two games.

“Who cares what the outside world is saying,” Pritchard said in reference to some of the chatter about Boston’s propensity for firing away from outside. “‘We shoot too many 3s.’ Everybody’s all saying that, but if you believe in your shot and you’re able to hit it, then take it confidently.”

Tatum added 22 points in a contest in which five Boston players tallied 15 or more.

The Knicks are facing their first adversity of the series after being walloped at home. New York never led and was down 71-46 at halftime.

Knicks star Jalen Brunson scored 27 points, but he wasn’t overly thrilled with his team’s frame of mind.

“I don’t think we came with the mindset of being satisfied, but I think it was just subconsciously satisfied being up 2-0,” Brunson said. “Just not the way we need to approach the game.”

New York knows a Game 4 loss removes the advantage it gained by winning twice in Boston. So, it basically is now must-win territory for the Knicks.

“You have to earn your wins. You have to put the work into winning,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said Sunday. “We knew coming in that they were going to be coming in with force and we’ve got to make sure that we’re ready for that. And you know — we’ve got to play a strong 48 minutes of basketball.”

Knicks forward Josh Hart said remaining even-keel is important for his club.

“We knew it was gonna be a tough series,” Hart said. “When we win, we’re not too high and when we lose, we’re not too low. We always try to stay even. Make adjustments, but the mentality, the character of the team doesn’t change.”

New York big man Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 15 rebounds in Game 3, but he also injured his left hand. Yet all appears to be well as Towns isn’t listed on the team’s injury report.

Boston listed reserve Sam Hauser (sprained right ankle) as questionable but is otherwise healthy.

Meanwhile, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t concerned that his team trails in the series.

“There’s no expectations,” Mazzulla said. “We’re on a path of trying to go after greatness. There’s nothing to dictate the test that’s in front of you.”

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Notes | May 11

May 11, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

2025: The Cooper Flagg NBA Draft Lottery

BOSTON – Just think of the excitement which would’ve surrounded the 1953 NBA Draft if there was a Lottery for the rights to select Ray Felix. Or, maybe, a better example would’ve been the nationwide hype in 1958, when the great Elgin Baylor – a sure fire NBA Top 10 talent – was available as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.

Later, there were coin flips between the worst team in the East and the worst of the West to determine the team to gain the rights to the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. But the Houston Rockets changed everything when they somehow maneuvered to select College Player of the Year Ralph Sampson (1983) and the great Hakeem Olajuwon(1984) in consecutive drafts.

Starting a year later, the NBA Draft Lottery was introduced, and the prize was Georgetown’s Patrick Ewing, a franchise player, who went to the New York Knicks. There have been other franchise players – some call them generational talents and others call them transformational players. Let’s list just a few with the teams and years they were drafted:

1985 – Patrick Ewing, New York Knicks
1987 – David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs
1992 – Shaquille O’Neal, Orlando Magic
1996 – Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
1997 – Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
2002 – Yao Ming, Houston Rockets
2003 – LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
2023 – Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Purposely left off the list above are the No. 1 picks in the NBA Draft Lottery era from Duke University:

1999 – Elton Brand, Chicago Bulls
2011 – Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
2019 – Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
2022 – Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic

That’s not a bad list of No. 1 picks from Duke, but there’s another player on the line this year, and he might – just might – be destined for the transformational player category, a true franchise man and a player who will make everyone around him much better.

Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound 18-year-old with one collegiate basketball season under his belt, leading Duke and garnering every Player of the Year honor in the nation, is destined for greatness as the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Yes, the conspiracy theorists are already dreaming up reasons for Flagg to be channeled to some NBA franchise in need. Here are the odds for this year’s event:

1. Utah Jazz: 14%

2. Washington Wizards: 14%

3. Charlotte Hornets: 14%

4. New Orleans Pelicans: 12.5%

5. Philadelphia 76ers: 10.5% – The Sixers’ first-round pick is top-6 protected; if it falls between 7-14, it will go to Oklahoma City

6. Brooklyn Nets: 9%

7. Toronto Raptors: 7.5%

8. San Antonio Spurs: 6%

9. Phoenix Suns: 3.8% – The Suns’ first-round pick will go to Houston

10. Portland Trail Blazers: 3.7%

11. Dallas Mavericks: 1.8%

12. Chicago Bulls: 1.7%

13. Sacramento Kings: 0.8% – The Kings’ first-round pick is top-12 protected; if it falls out of that range, it goes to Atlanta

14. Atlanta Hawks: 0.7% – The Hawks’ first-round pick will go to San Antonio

*Take that 0.7% and add it to the Spurs’ 6%, and San Antonio has a 6.7% chance of drafting three consecutive NBA Rookies of the Year.

While we all hesitate to put the pressure on and place Cooper Flagg in the same sentence as Larry Bird, truth be told, Flagg is much more like Larry Bird than he is Uwe Blab. Flagg does not score the ball anywhere near as well as Bird did, nor is it expected he can turn a franchise around completely the way Bird transformed the Boston Celtics, and he was 23 years old as a rookie (compared to Flagg being 18).

Remember, the Celtics’ records before and after Bird joined the club?

1978-79 – 29-53 (10th in East) – (Before Larry Bird)
1979-80 – 61-21 (1st in East)
1980-81 – 62-20 (NBA Champions)

Of course, Bird worked with a team and frontline reconstructed by GM Red Auerbachto add Bird to rookie power forward Kevin McHale and veteran center Robert Parish. And, as the great Charles Barkley famously quipped when questioning Bird’s ability to make ‘everyone around him better,’ – “Who’s it easier to make better? Kevin McHale or Shelton Jones?”

At 18 years of age, Flagg plays the game with an ease and ability to move and pass the ball on offense – almost in an Earvin “Magic” Johnson manner, rather than Bird. Flagg rebounds and defends at a rate higher than most collegiate senions, nevermind freshmen. At times, he’d create viral video highlights or posterize his opponent, but regularly, he’d score within the basic flow of the game, make big plays and passes while helping his teammates out on defense. Flagg’s game translates to the pro game but it will take two or three years for him to mature, grow and strengthen his body to compete at the highest level.

Flagg is joining an NBA with immensely talented players, many long/lengthy 6-8, 6-9 frames with the wingspan of a 747 and jumping ability of Darnell Hillman (look him up). Bird joined a much more physical, big man dominated league (think NY’s Marvin “The Human Eraser” Williams-Bill Cartwright or even Washington’s Elvin Hayes-Rick Mahorn-Jeff Ruland style players).

Neither era is better or worse, easier or harder to adjust to coming from the 30+ game college season to the 82+ playoff grind of the NBA. Time, coaching, maturity and a complementary teammate pool determines success in the NBA. But surely Flagg is destined for success, no matter which NBA team he ends up playing for in 2025-26.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday did a little double duty in the NBA Awards category this season. On May 1, Holiday was named the recipient of the 2024-25 NBA Sportsmanship Award and won the Joe Dumars Trophy. The veteran guard became the first member of the Boston Celtics to win the award since its inception in 1995-96. On Wednesday, the NBA announced Holiday was named the 2024-25 NBA Social Justice Champion and will receive the Kareem Abdul-JabbarTrophy. Holiday was selected from a group of five finalists for pursuing social justice and advancing Abdul-Jabbar’s life mission to engage, empower and drive equality for individuals and groups who have been historically disadvantaged. Finalists for the award were Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Harrison Barnes (San Antonio Spurs), Chris Boucher (Toronto Raptors) and CJ McCollum (New Orleans Pelicans).

WHATEVER YOU NEED: From the moments after Tristan Casas barreled down the first base line, clipped the leg of Minnesota Twins first baseman Ty France and tumbled down, rupturing his left patellar (knee) tendon, the Boston Red Sox were contemplating the best fix for the line-up. The immediate answer was to insert RomyGonzalez, a competent batsman who was already seeing time at 1B. A longer-range plan was to consider having 2025 designated hitter Rafael Devers take reps at first, thus allowing manager Alex Coro to fill the DH position depending on player availability and need.

When Spring Training began, the Red Sox asked Devers to “take one for the team” and shift from his usual third base position to DH, in order to place the golden glove fielding Alex Bregman at the hot corner. Undoubtedly, Bregman is a better fielder than Devers, but the elder mainstay of the Sox turned ornery upon hearing of the plans.

On Thursday afternoon, after the Red Sox blanked the Texas Rangers, 5-0, the topic of switching Devers to 1B surfaced yet again. And when Devers was asked if he was upset over the inquiry, he responded in Spanish, “Sí, claro.” – (Yes, of course).

Through Boston’s Spanish-language translator Daveson Perez to a group of reporters, Devers said, ““They’ve told me I’m a little hard-headed. [But] they already asked me to change once, and this time, I don’t think I can be as flexible. I don’t feel that they stayed true to their word. They told me that I was going to be playing this position, DH, and now they’re going back on that. So I just don’t think they stayed true to their word,” Devers repeated.

“I don’t understand some of the decisions that [Craig Breslow] makes. Next thing you know someone in the outfield gets hurt and they want me to play in the outfield. I think I know the kind of player that I am, and that’s just where I stand.”

THIS JEST IN: In addition to the locker drama created this past Thursday when Devers aired his point of view on a 2024-25 switch from 3B-to-DH-to-1B, the veteran said, “In Spring Training, they talked to me and basically told me to put away my glove and I wasn’t going to play any other position but DH.”

So much for the “Oh, put me in, coach, I’m ready to play today. Put me in, coach, I’m ready to play today, look at me (yeah), I can be centerfield” approach. (Apologies to John Fogerty).

To help resolve the situation, Red Sox principal team owner John Henry flew to Kansas City to join the team on its current road trip.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: As is customary in this space, the good people of SPORTICO have graced the sports industry with a fine list of the 50 most valuable soccer teams in the world. Here’s a Top 10 taste (All in billions of the US Dollar):

Real Madrid – $6.53
Manchester United – $6.09
FC Barcelona – $5.71
Liverpool – $5.59
Bayern Munich – $5.21
Manchester City – $5.16
Arsenal – $4.49
Paris Saint-Germain – $4.26
Tottenham Hotspur – $3.68
Chelsea – $3.57

Not So Fast, New York

May 10, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s All-NBA star Jayson Tatum finished with 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists and the Celtics went up by 20 (again) but pulled away for a 115-93 win over the host New York Knicks on Saturday afternoon in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series.

Celtics’ Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard scored a team-high 23 points off the bench for Boston, which cut the Knicks’ lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. Jaylen Brown scored 19 points and Derrick White had 17.

New York’s Jalen Brunson scored 27 points on 9-for-21 shooting to lead the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds.

After struggling to score in the first two games of the series, the Celtics found their rhythm on offense. Boston shot 48.2 percent (40 of 83) overall and 50 percent (20 of 40) from 3-point range, and New York shot 40 percent (32 of 80) from the field and 20 percent (5 of 25) from beyond the arc.

Tatum made a basket to put Boston on top 112-89 with 2:40 remaining. He assisted on a 3-pointer by Al Horford on the next possession, and Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla rested his starters for the remainder of the game with the score out of reach.

The Celtics led 96-70 at the end of the third quarter. Boston led by as many as 31 points after Pritchard made a basket with 1:42 to go in the quarter, and the Knicks trimmed slightly into the deficit by scoring the final five points of the quarter on an alley-oop dunk by Mitchell Robinson, a floating jump shot by Brunson and a free throw by Robinson.

Boston sprinted to a 36-20 lead at the end of the first quarter. Pritchard drove the ball across half court and hit a baseline jumper as time expired to put the Celtics on top by 16.

By halftime, the Celtics increased their lead to 71-46. Brown buried a 3-pointer to put Boston at the 70-point mark with 30.5 seconds left in the half, and he made one of two free throws in the closing seconds to give the Celtics a 25-point advantage.

–Field Level Media

Celtics: Season on the Brink

May 10, 2025 by Digital Sports Desk

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau had a simple message for his players heading into their matchup against the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series.

The Knicks grabbed a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series after storming back from 20-point deficits in back-to-back games. Thibodeau told his players to forget all about that.

“It’s really irrelevant,” Thibodeau said. “I think the big thing is to understand what it’s going to take to win Game 3, to not get lost in if you’re up (in the series). That doesn’t guarantee anything. What we have to understand is what we have to do to win Game 3.”

Meanwhile, the Celtics expect to play with a hint of desperation when Game 3 tips off on Saturday afternoon in New York.

Boston finished 61-21 in the regular season and earned the second seed in the conference playoffs. But the Celtics fumbled big leads in the first two games of the series, which resulted in a 108-105 overtime win by the third-seeded Knicks in Game 1 and a 91-90 win for the Knicks in Game 2.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla knows the series will not get any easier at Madison Square Garden.

“You’re down 2-0 heading on the road,” Mazzulla said. “You have an understanding of your environment and what you’re up against. There’s also obviously a lot of things that we’re doing well, but then there’s things that we need to be extremely better at in those situations.

“We’re down 0-2. We’ve got to get on the road and we’ve got to find a way to win.”

For Boston, that likely means Jayson Tatum will need to play better. He is averaging 18 points in the first two games but he is shooting a lowly 28.6 percent (12 of 42) overall and 25 percent (5 of 20) from beyond the arc.

Jaylen Brown (21.5 points per game) and Derrick White (19.5) lead the Celtics in scoring in the series, but the team has struggled to find its rhythm on offense. Boston is shooting 35.6 percent overall and 25 percent from 3-point range in the first two games.