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BC Handles Pitt, Awaits Bowl Game

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – BC QB Grayson James threw for a pair of second-half touchdowns and six passes of at least 25 yards as Boston College defeated Pitt 34-23 in Saturday’s Atlantic Coast Conference action in Massachusetts.

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James finished 20-of-28 for 253 yards, helping the Eagles (7-5, 4-4 ACC) to their second straight and third win in four games. He connected with Reed Harris (three receptions, 85 yards) and Kamari Morales for scores, with the former scoring for the second week in a row.

Jordan McDonald and Kye Robichaux rushed into the end zone to help the Eagles open up a 13-0 lead that they would never relinquish, reaching the seven-win mark in the regular season for the first time since 2018.

Despite Nate Yarnell throwing for 296 yards and three touchdowns in place of injured starter Eli Holstein, Pitt (7-5, 3-5) suffered its fifth consecutive loss since a 7-0 start.

Gavin Bartholomew caught Yarnell’s first two touchdowns before Konata Mumpfield finished a 144-yard day on eight receptions with one of his own.

Boston College sacked Yarnell six times. Standout defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku had 10 total tackles (4 1/2 for loss) and 3 1/2 sacks.

After Pitt closed within 20-17, James hit Jeremiah Franklin on a third-and-10 scramble to continue a key eight-play, 83-yard scoring drive that Harris finalized on a 28-yard jump-ball in the front corner of the end zone with 2:33 left in the third quarter.

Pitt’s fumbled snap on 4th-and-2 turned the ball back to James, whose 15-yard dot to Morales with 6:12 remaining added insurance. A Lewis Bond conversion on fourth-and-4 set the table.

Mumpfield made a 15-yard touchdown reception with 3:59 left.

A play after James completed his third 25-yarder of the first quarter over the middle to Franklin, Jordan McDonald broke out for a 36-yard touchdown run to give Boston College a 6-0 lead with 1:53 left. The PAT attempt was unsuccessful following a bad snap.

James’ 53-yard strike to Harris set up the Eagles to extend their lead to 13-0 on Robichaux’s 2-yard run with 6:35 left before halftime.

Pitt used a 75-yard drive to score in the ensuing eight plays. Facing third-and-11, Yarnell found a wide-open Bartholomew for an 11-yard score, cutting the Panther deficit to 13-7.

Yarnell then drove the Panthers into opposing territory in four plays, but Neto Okpala’s pressure and tipped pass landed in the hands of defensive tackle Ty Clemons for a 55-yard interception return with 33 seconds left before halftime.

Pitt’s Ben Sauls snuck in a 57-yard field goal as the first-half clock expired.

After a fourth-and-2 hold inside their own territory, Bartholomew caught Yarnell’s last two passes of an eight-play, 65-yard drive, including a five-yarder with 7:50 left in the third to make it 20-17.

–Field Level Media

NBA Cup: Celtics Eliminate Bulls

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CHICAGO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Jayson Tatum had 35 points and 14 rebounds and Payton Pritchard came off the bench to score 29 points as the Boston Celtics beat the Chicago Bulls 138-129 Friday in the fourth NBA Cup game for each team.

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A Tatum free throw handed Boston a 125-115 lead with 4:11 to play. Chicago sliced its deficit to three points on a Zach LaVine 3-pointer with 3:03 left but failed to get any closer after that.

Pritchard made 7 of 11 3-point attempts, and he tossed in 19 of his points in the fourth quarter. Boston received 21 points from both Kristaps Porzingis and Jaylen Brown.

Chicago was eliminated from the NBA Cup with the loss with a 2-2 record. The Bulls would have advanced as the East Group C champion with a victory.

Any chance Boston had of winning the group disappeared when Atlanta beat Cleveland 117-101 on Friday, since the Hawks beat the Celtics 117-116 in an NBA Cup game on Nov. 12. Atlanta is the East Group C champion with a 3-1 mark. The Celtics, also 3-1, have a slim chance to move on in the tournament as a wild card.

Nikola Vucevic scored 32 points and had 11 rebounds for Chicago in the loss. LaVine added 29 points, hitting four 3-pointers. With his third 3-pointer, he passed Kirk Hinrich for most made treys in franchise history, and he ended the game with 1,051 3-pointers in his Bulls career.

Boston grabbed its first double-digit lead on a Porzingis dunk that put the Celtics in front 23-12 with 5:38 left in the opening quarter. The Celtics extended its lead to 33-20 on a Tatum 3-pointer and led 39-30 after 12 minutes. Boston made 9 of 16 3-point attempts in the opening quarter.

The Bulls used a 16-3 spurt to tie the game 42-42, and an 11-0 run later in the second quarter gave Chicago a 55-46 advantage. Boston answered with a 14-0 run capped by a Derrick White 3-pointer that gave the Celtics a 60-55 edge. It was 67-67 at halftime.

A 13-2 run gave Chicago an 80-72 lead with 8:07 left in the third quarter, but the score was tied 97-96 entering the fourth.

White left the game with a foot injury in the second half and did not return. He finished with 16 points in 24 minutes.

–Field Level Media

Bruins Surging Since Coaching Change

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Bruins, winners of three of four games under interim head coach Joe Sacco, will look to keep the run going when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins today.

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A struggling offense had been a common theme between the end of the Jim Montgomery era last week and Sacco’s start behind the bench, as the Bruins endured a stretch of six consecutive games without scoring more than two goals prior to a 6-3 road win over the New York Islanders on Wednesday.

Could the latest game be a sign of things to come? Captain Brad Marchand hopes that, at least, his team’s three-goal third period to break a 3-3 tie will be.

“I just love the way that we played in the third,” Marchand said. “It’s always about a 60-minute effort. You can start well and tail off throughout the game, but we did a good job continuing our pace and executing.”

Marchand scored twice in the first 6:31 of the game, and Pavel Zacha led the Bruins’ finishing kick with two goals in less than a three-minute span after assisting on a previous Morgan Geekie tally.

David Pastrnak and Elias Lindholm each dished out three assists, helping Boston match its season-high goal total. The only other time the Bruins notched six goals was on Oct. 10 against the Montreal Canadiens — the team’s home opener and second overall game of the season.

“It’s good for the confidence of the group (to have nine players record points),” Sacco said. “I think it helps everybody. When you’re chipping in, you feel a little bit better about yourself, but being able to help the team is the most important thing.”

Despite being Boston’s leading scorer with 22 points, Pastrnak had not previously recorded a three-point game through the first 23 games. He had 14 such efforts last season, including a pair of hat tricks.

On the flip side, Pittsburgh had endured longer-lasting struggles.

A stretch of eight losses in 10 games (2-5-3) preceded the Penguins producing a four-goal first period on Wednesday en route to a 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks, who had posted a 2-0 shutout a night earlier in Boston.

“We should feel good about it because we really worked hard,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I thought we played on our toes. When you’re going through a skid like we’ve gone through, as you guys can imagine, it’s human nature (that) we’re scarred, and it’s because they care.”

Similar to the Bruins’ win over the Islanders, the effort against Vancouver allowed many Penguins to enter the holiday with a good feeling about their game. It was a night when they needed to kill off just a single penalty after allowing three power-play goals to the Utah Hockey Club in a 6-1 loss on Saturday.

Bryan Rust led the way for Pittsburgh on Wednesday. He scored twice and registered an assist in his 25th career multi-goal game, but only his second multi-point game of the season.

Defenseman Erik Karlsson logged three assists and captain Sidney Crosby had two.

“We play a game for a living,” Rust said. “I think sometimes everybody forgets that. It’s supposed to be fun. Yes, it’s our job. Yes, it’s hard. We obviously take it very seriously. But it’s a game. We’re supposed to have fun. That breeds confidence, and everybody is on their toes when that happens.”

The Penguins snapped the NHL’s longest active road winning streak at eight with their Wednesday victory over Vancouver. Now they will now look to stunt a Bruins team that has not scored a third-period goal in Boston since its home opener.

–Field Level Media

Thanksgiving Day in Detroit

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DETROIT – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NFL’s slate of Thanksgiving Day games kicks off with an NFC North battle between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions at 12:30 ET on Thursday.

For the Lions, it’s an opportunity to improve to 11-1 and stay atop the NFC standings. For the Bears (4-7), it represents a critical game to just stay in the conversation for a wild-card spot.

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ODDS & TRENDS
The Lions are consensus 9.5-point favorites — and popular ones at that. They have been backed by 71 percent of the spread-line money at BetRivers, while the Lions’ -590 moneyline to win the game outright has been backed by 91 percent of the money.

Of the three Thanksgiving Day games, Detroit’s moneyline has been the most wagered-on play, followed closely by the Lions’ spread line.

DraftKings reported the Lions’ to have drawn the most total moneyline bets and money among Week 13 games, while they have also been backed by the most Super Bowl winner bets since Week 12.

The Over/Under for Thursday’s game is at 48.0 at BetRivers, where the Over has been supported by 86 percent of the money and 83 percent of all bets.

PROP PICKS
–Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs 70+ Rushing Yards (-140 at DraftKings): Gibbs is coming off a 90-yard game against the Colts when he logged a season-high 21 carries. With David Montgomery nursing a sore shoulder, a bigger workload could again fall to Gibbs to attack a Bears run defense allowing an average of 129.7 yards per game on the ground.

–Bears RB Roschon Johnson Anytime TD (+225 at BetRivers): What inconsistent work Johnson gets in Chicago’s backfield often comes near the goal line. He scored one a one-yard run last week for his sixth rushing touchdown of the season. That includes reaching the end zone in consecutive games.

THE NEWS
Riding a nine-game winning streak, their longest since a 10-game streak during their first season in Detroit in 1934, the Lions are burdened by losses in their traditional Thanksgiving Day game the past seven seasons. Three of the defeats are courtesy of Chicago.

The Bears and Lions get together for the 20th time on Thanksgiving — the Bears have 11 wins — this week in the first of two meetings between the teams in a 25-day span. Detroit goes to Soldier Field on Dec. 22.

“I think there’s two things,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of the Thanksgiving losing streak. “No. 1 — Get a W. And it’s a division win that’s why this huge. No. 2 is because the players are going to get a couple of days off. So, they have family, friends in, it’d be nice to feel good about it when you’re with everybody because it’s just not real fun. It’s not real fun to be around.”

Detroit owns the best record in the NFC but the Lions aren’t even assured of a division title. Minnesota sits one game behind them and Green Bay is two games back. The Bears sit in last place and would likely need to run the table to have any chance of making the playoffs.

The Lions have been dominant in all phases and haven’t allowed a touchdown in the past 10 consecutive quarters.

Detroit’s offense ranks first in points per game (32.7) and second in total yardage (394.3) The Lions defense has not given up a touchdown in the last 10 quarters.

The Bears are saddled with a five-game losing streak and Chicago’s defense has been destroyed for nearly 2,000 total yards in the past four games.

The Bears failed to reach the 20-point mark four times in five outings since they last won a game. In their latest defeat, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense perked up but they lost to Minnesota in overtime, 30-27.

“We have to play complementary football for us to be able to win these games,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “The games we have won, we have done that. The games we have been close we’ve missed the mark a little bit. Over the course of the year, it’s been one side or the other, this side or that side. In this league you have to be good on all sides to win. That’s what we are searching for.”

Williams threw for 340 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. The wide receiver trio of DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Romeo Odunze combined for 21 receptions and two touchdowns while tight end Cole Kmet caught seven passes.

INJURY REPORT
The Lions put two defensive backs on injured reserve in the past week and top cornerback Carlton Davis isn’t expected to play due to knee and thumb injuries.

Detroit offensive tackle Taylor Decker (knee) and top returner Kalif Raymond (foot) are also expected to miss the game, though Campbell expressed optimism that running back David Montgomery (shoulder), formerly of the Bears, would play. Bears safety Elijah Hicks was listed as a DNP for Tuesday’s walkthrough.

KEY STAT
Lions rookie placekicker Jake Bates has made all 16 of his field-goal attempts, including four from 50-plus yards over the past three games.

THEY SAID IT
“What I’ve been impressed with is just how he has grown. He has grown every game but these last two I really feel like he’s taken off and what they’re doing with him has been really good for him and he just looks very composed. He doesn’t get frazzled, plays pretty fast, and he’s an accurate passer, big arm, and he’s got some guys that can get open for him.” –Campbell on Williams

PREDICTION
The Lions have been putting their foot on the gas early of late, and refusing to back down. They’ve won their past two games by a combined 76-12 and have put up at least 42 points three times this season. The Bears’ defense will pose a stiffer test than most, but Chicago’s offense isn’t ready to keep pace in a track meet. –Lions 30, Bears 20

–Field Level Media

NFL Thanksgiving Day in Dallas

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DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – A matchup between teams with a combined six wins through 22 games probably wasn’t what the NFL envisioned when scheduling the New York Giants at the Dallas Cowboys for the second of three Thanksgiving Day games.

No matter the records, the matchup between bitter NFC East rivals always draws national attention — even if both teams are jockeying primarily for draft position.

The Giants (2-9) are expected to start their third different quarterback in as many weeks in an attempt to snap a six-game losing streak, while the Cowboys (4-7) will trot out their own backup signal-caller in search of their first home victory since 2023.

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ODDS & TRENDS
The Cowboys are consensus 3.5-point favorites, which the public views as a big opportunity. Dallas has been backed by 83 percent of the spread-line money while its -200 moneyline to win the game outright has drawn 95 percent of the money.

This has also been the second most wagered-on Week 13 game at DraftKings, where the Cowboys’ moneyline has drawn more money this week than every team other than Detroit.

What oddsmakers don’t expect is a high-scoring game between two backup quarterbacks. The low 37.0 total points line at BetRivers has seen the Over draw 65 percent of the money and 77 percent of the total bets.

PROP PICKS
–Giants RB Tyrone Tracy 70+ Rushing Yards (+100 at DraftKings): The rookie has taken over as the primary ballcarrier, and this prop will likely be determined by how long New York remains competitive on Thursday. After logging at least 16 carries in three consecutive games, Tracy was limited to 42 yards on nine carries in a blowout loss to Tampa Bay last Sunday. The Giants must run the ball effectively to stay in the game, and Tracy has at least 66 rushing yards in four of his past seven games.

–Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb Anytime TD (+155 at BetRivers): Lamb has been targeted 118 times this season — 60 more than anyone else on the team. That includes 12 targets last week, when Lamb caught 10 passes but for only 67 yards. He hasn’t scored since last month, however, a trend Dallas will look to break at home against a defense that has allowed 12 passing touchdowns this season.

THE NEWS
Cooper Rush helped the Cowboys return to the win column at Washington before the three-day prep for playing holiday host to the Giants, who have shuffled plans amid another potential quarterback switch.

“The fight has definitely been there,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “But we’re still pretty far down in the valley of adversity right now. We’ve made one step in the right direction, so we’ve still got a lot of climbing to do.”

The playoffs are an afterthought at the moment. Dallas is tied for 12th in the NFC and the Giants are dead last with the final third of the season ahead.

Beating the Commanders 34-26 on Sunday helped the Cowboys exhale, if only briefly, and they will now try to win at home for the first time in six tries.

Last in the NFL in scoring (14.8 points per game) and 28th in passing offense at 187.9 yards per game, the Giants are devoid of highlighter-worthy names on the offensive scouting report. They traveled to Texas on Wednesday without last week’s starting quarterback, Tommy DeVito, who was officially listed as questionable because of a forearm injury.

The last win for the Giants, 29-20 at Seattle, came one week after losing 20-15 to the Cowboys in September. New York is 0-4 against the NFC East including two losses by a combined eight points to the Commanders.

Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers are among those who have been publicly critical of the team’s effort of late.

“When you lose a game like that, there’s frustration,” Daboll said of Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay. “Certainly, you’d like to keep it in house. But you understand them, and I’ve been doing this for a while. There’s conversations that you have to have if comments like that are made. I respect the opinions of the players and of the coaches. We’ll work as hard as we can to get this fixed.”

Extra blockers likely are mandatory to keep Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons from feasting. Parsons had two sacks at Washington, his second game with multiple sacks in three outings since returning from a high-ankle sprain. He had two sacks of Daniel Jones the last time the Giants visited for Thanksgiving in 2022.

Nabers caught 12 passes for 115 yards from Jones in defeat against the Cowboys Week 4. That was before the QB switch. Nabers wasn’t targeted in the first half last week.

Beyond their 0-5 home record, the Cowboys are 2-1 in the NFC East but have been outscored by 98 points on the season. The nine-loss Giants own a minus-89 scoring margin.

Rush was not special at Washington, but he threw a pair of TDs, completed 75 percent of his passes and didn’t throw an interception. He was limited Monday with a knee injury, but .

Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle handled a career-high 19 carries, for a career-best 86 yards last week, erasing his previous best — 12 carries for 79 yards and a touchdown — against the Giants last season. He caught a 15-yard TD pass in the Cowboys’ win over the Giants in September.

New York gave up 156 rushing yards to the Buccaneers, the fifth consecutive game of allowing at least 140.

INJURY REPORT
Banged up in the aftermath, DeVito wasn’t asked to complete a full practice the past three days but did throw a few times Monday and Tuesday. He didn’t practice Wednesday and didn’t accompany the team to Arlington, Texas, leaving Drew Lock to get the call for the Giants if DeVito doesn’t get transportation to Texas and medical clearance by Thursday afternoon.

Giants offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (quad) was ruled out. Evan Neal (hip) was on the long list of injury concerns for the Giants but had no injury designation Wednesday. Eluemunor left last week’s game in the first half and couldn’t return.

The Cowboys are hopeful for the return of key players, including tight end Jake Ferguson (concussion), guard Tyler Smith (ankle/knee) and No. 1 cornerback Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) after they sat out Week 12. Wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) is expected to be back for the first time since Week 4, but left guard Zack Martin (shoulder, ankle) won’t play.

Cooks was activated to the 53-man roster on Wednesday, when the Cowboys moved rookie cornerback Caelen Carson (shoulder) and second-year offensive lineman Asim Richards (ankle) to injured reserve. Defensive backs Andrew Booth and Kemon Hall were elevated from the practice squad.

KEY STAT
Dallas was 8-0 at home in the 2023 regular season, then started a streak of six consecutive losses — including the wildcard blowout by the Packers — by an average of 22.3 points.

SERIES HISTORY
The Cowboys are shooting for a season sweep of the Giants for the fourth consecutive season.

THEY SAID IT
–“Blood is in the water now. You’ve got to understand this is the NFL and ball security is job security.” –Tracy, who has three fumbles — losing two — in the past two games.

–“It was great to get some wind under our wings, but this Thursday’s game comes on you so fast. That’s really where my mind is and my heart is, too.” –McCarthy

PREDICTION
The switch to the Lock has the potential to bring the Giants’ offense some much-needed veteran leadership. But he’s playing behind an offensive line that will struggle to protect him and the constant uphill sledding against poor field position will eventually lead to a comfortable Cowboys victory. –Cowboys 27, Giants 17

–Field Level Media

NFL Thanksgiving Night Preview

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GREEN BAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love played interception-free football for the first time this season during a home rout of the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

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The Packers’ Thanksgiving night home clash with the Miami Dolphins offers a chance to be equally efficient. Just don’t expect Love to scale back his approach in the meeting of playoff contenders.

“I definitely am a guy who always wants those big plays, want to put that pressure on the defense and take some of those shots,” Love said.

Love threw for a season-low 163 yards on 13-of-23 passing to go with two touchdowns against the 49ers. Still, with Josh Jacobs (26 carries, 106 yards, three touchdowns) wreaking havoc in the running game, Love found opportunities to strike a balance.

“Those are the lessons that I had to learn last year and I’ll continue to learn: just when the right time (is) to take those shots,” he said. “If guys get a step or we’re in the right coverage versus just finding those completions. Because these check-downs and just finding those completions turn into big plays, as well, sometimes.”

Green Bay (8-3) is third in the rugged NFC North but holds a two-game lead in the loss column for the No. 6 seed in the conference playoff race.

Winners of three straight, the Dolphins (5-6) are 1 1/2 games behind the Denver Broncos for the seventh seed in the AFC.

“I think this is an awesome opportunity,” Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said. “Being able to play Thursday night football, prime time on Thanksgiving.”

Tagovailoa continues to surge since returning from injured reserve in Week 8. With four touchdown passes during a 34-15 home win against the New England Patriots on Sunday, he has 11 TDs through the air against just one interception in his five games back.

Tagovailoa dismissed the notion that chilly temperatures in Green Bay on Thursday could be enough to cool him. The Hawaiian-born signal-caller is 0-7 when the temperature is 40 degrees or lower.

“To me, it’s just a mindset,” he said. “That’s really all there is.”

Added Miami defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver: “I’ve never lost a game and thought, ‘Guys, it was too cold outside.’”

Miami boasts a versatile set of playmakers for Green Bay to defend. Running back De’Von Achane also is active in the passing game, as he made two touchdown receptions against New England.

Among the Dolphins’ receivers, wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and tight end Jonnu Smith each have at least 41 receptions and 535 yards. The three have combined for nine TDs.

Green Bay is hoping for another jolt from second-year linebacker Lukas Van Ness, whose strip-sack against the 49ers was the big play he said he needed for his confidence. It led to Jacobs’ third TD.

“I told myself I’m going to get off the ball, use my God-given abilities and just get in the backfield and make a play,” Van Ness said. “So I think that’s what I’ve wanted to do all year. I just need to continue that.”

Miami leads the all-time series 10-6, but Green Bay has won five of the past six matchups. The teams’ most recent meeting also came on a holiday, with the visiting Packers prevailing 26-20 on Christmas Day 2022.

Green Bay won each of its previous November home games against Miami, in 2002 and 2018.

–Field Level Media

NHL: Canucks Blank Listless Bruins

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BOSTON – (Staff and wire Service Report) – Vancouver’s Kevin Lankinen recorded a 33-save shutout and made former Bruins’ forward Jake DeBrusk’s second-period goal stand up as their Canucks edged past the host Boston Bruins 2-0 on Tuesday.

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Lankinen made 13 saves in the middle frame and another 11 in the third en route to his second shutout of the season. The 29-year-old goaltender was supported by a defense which blocked 26 shots.

DeBrusk’s game-winning goal against his former team marked his third tally in two games for Vancouver, which has now banked consecutive wins and won each of its last eight on the road.

Conor Garland added an empty-net tally with 12.5 seconds left to finish with a goal and an assist.

Jeremy Swayman stopped 13 of the 14 shots he faced for Boston, which was unable to stretch its win streak to three games for the first time this season and lost for the first time under interim coach Joe Sacco.

The Bruins had a 32-15 edge in shots on goal, but finished 0-for-3 on the power play compared to the Canucks’ 1-for-2.

DeBrusk gave the Canucks a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal at 5:53 of the second. Quinn Hughes had his shot from the high slot deflected off Conor Garland in front and right to DeBrusk at the right crease, where he corralled it and slid home the rebound on the backhand.

Lankinen held strong during the final frame, diving back to cover up a loose puck as Marc McLaughlin set up Trent Frederic for a redirect on the doorstep with 14:09 left remaining. He later stopped Zacha point-blank during the first of two Boston man advantages in the period.

David Pastrnak recorded the first shot on goal for either team at the 7:00 mark of a scoreless first, helping the Bruins open a 9-3 advantage in that department by the intermission.

Lankinen was tested coming out of the first break as well, including making a stop on Pastrnak’s semi-breakaway that Zacha set up with a stretch pass only 1:08 into the second.

–Field Level Media

Clips Fall to Streaking Celtics

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s All-Star tandem of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum led a 51-point second quarter as the Celtics stretched their winning streak to six games by defeating the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 126-94 Monday.

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Brown scored 13 points and Tatum added 12 as Boston tied an NBA record by connecting on 12 three-pointers in the second quarter. The Celtics made 22 of 51 3-point attempts in the game (43.1 percent).

Kristaps Porzingis made his season debut for the Celtics, who own the NBA’s longest winning streak. Porzingis missed Boston’s first 17 games while recovering from offseason foot surgery.

Porzingis made 6 of 12 field goal attempts and scored 16 points in 23 minutes. He also had six rebounds and two blocked shots.

Tatum led the Celtics with 20 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Payton Pritchard came off the bench to add 20 points, 18 of which came on 3-pointers.

It was the second stop on a four-game road trip for the Clippers, who allowed an opponent to score more than 100 points for the first time in their last five games.

 

MNF: Ravens End Chargers Win Streak

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INGLEWOOD – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson accounted for three touchdowns and his teammate Derrick Henry rushed for 140 yards on 24 carries to help the Baltimore Ravens record a 30-23 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night in the “Harbaugh Bowl” in California.Calif.

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Justice Hill added a long scoring run and Rashod Bateman caught a touchdown pass to help Baltimore coach John Harbaugh improve to 3-0 against younger brother Jim, the coach of the Chargers.

Jackson completed 16 of 22 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for a touchdown for Baltimore (8-4), which won for the eighth time in 10 games. Mark Andrews caught a touchdown pass and converted a stunning fourth-down gamble for the Ravens.

Justin Herbert was 21 of 36 for 218 yards and rushed for a score for the Chargers (7-4), who had a four-game winning streak snapped. Cameron Dicker kicked three field goals for Los Angeles.

John and Jim Harbaugh exchanged a quick handshake and hug after the contest.

The big meeting between the brothers was Baltimore’s 34-31 win over Jim’s San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl following the 2012 regular season. The other meeting was on Thanksgiving Day in 2011 when the host Ravens won a 16-6 decision.

Baltimore star linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) sat out the Monday contest.

Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (knee), a former Baltimore player, exited in the first half. He gained 40 yards on six carries and had three catches for 19 yards.

The Ravens took a 23-16 lead when Jackson hit Andrews on an 8-yard touchdown pass with 12:32 left in the game. The two-point conversion pass failed.

Baltimore added on when Hill exploded for a 51-yard scoring run to make it a 14-point margin with 7:24 remaining.

Gus Edwards ran in from the 1 for the Chargers with 46 seconds left, and the Ravens recovered the ensuing onside kick to seal it.

Baltimore overcame a 10-point second-quarter deficit to lead 14-13 at halftime.

The Ravens got on the board with Jackson’s 10-yard run with 7:48 left in the half.

After the two-minute warning, Baltimore lined up to go for it on fourth-and-1 from its own 16-yard line. Andrews, the tight end, lined up behind center and took the snap and gained 2 yards for a first down.

The gamble paid off when Jackson tossed a 40-yard touchdown pass to Bateman to give the Ravens a 14-10 lead with 24 seconds left. The drive covered 93 yards on eight plays.

Dicker booted a 52-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

The Chargers scored the first 10 points on Herbert’s 5-yard run in the opening quarter and Dicker’s 42-yard field goal with 11:26 left in the second quarter.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Nov 24

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Over the course of the year, this column focuses the majority of its effort on sports, covering the what’s new, what’s old, what’s coming, what’s gone. It occasionally drifts away from sports to meet-up with some current event or to toast a new music act while often remembering some of the classic rock artists of our days gone by. In the end, it’s a sports notes column, delivered to your inbox every Saturday night in preparation of your Sunday morning routine – Coffee? Tea, or TL?

As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s only appropriate to pay tribute to the things in sports we should appreciate. This column of thank-yous will concentrate on sports and sports only for a giant thank you and a reminder to those in the industry to not take our sports or our colleagues for granted.

And, most importantly, please don’t take our athletes for granted as they deserve the most thanks for their life-long effort to practice, develop, train for conditioning, perfect their technique and – all the while – be good citizens of our sports world and contribute to make the world a better place. In many instances, that’s called “Giving Back” instead of “Thanks Giving.”

You might remember a thanks to all column from a year ago. Feel free to reference it for old times sake. There might be a few repeats, but hopefully not too many. But, if mentioned in both columns, the athlete or the sport must be doing something right.

It’s our weekend edition of November 24th, and we’re looking forward to this Thursday, November 28, 2024 – Thanksgiving Day in the USA. Let’s stop for a moment and give thanks for what we have in this crazy sports world. Here we go.

Since it’s November 24, let’s give thanks to Dave Bing and Rudy T, both Nov 24ers, and the very best the NBA ever offered to its fans. And, donlt forget Oscar Robertson, born on this date in 1938. The Big O lost his longtime rival, friend and 1960 USA Basketball Olympic Games teammate, Jerry West, this year, so while we’re at it, let’s remember West and give thanks for everything he meant to so many sports fans around the country and the world.

As stinging as a loss that West was to the NBA (logo himself), many of us are still mourning the loss of the great Bill Walton this year. Not only was Walton the very best collegiate basketball player, along with his counterpart Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) leading UCLA, Bill had an impactful NBA career, winning two NBA titles, the most recent, the ’86 Boston Celtics championship when Walton was the Sixth Man of the Year and an un-guardable force inside. Bill was also a dear friend to so many of us and I think of him everyday – twice when I hear “Fire on the Mountain” by Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.

Let’s give thanks to college football and the fact it will have its first 12-team playoff this winter. Thanks to all the great teams over the many years fans have enjoyed the rivalries. Thanks to Michigan and Ohio State, to Alabama and Auburn, to Georgia and LSU. Thanks for The Game – Harvard vs Yale(this weekend’s score: Yalies 34, Harvard 29) Thanks to Ole Miss, USC, UCLA, Oregon, Penn State, and thank God for Notre Dame and all the other great schools fielding college football teams.

While we thank the athletes of Air Force, the Coast Guard and the U.S. Merchant Marine Acdemy, there’s a special thanks to Army vs Navy, coming to Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland just 20 days from today, or simply December 14th.

Aside from the Stanley Cup, the Commander in Chief’s Trophy just might be the best in sports in America.

Let’s give thanks for our Cons (Chuck Taylor All-Stars), our adidas superstars with three green bands for the Holy Trinity Titans. Thanks for our Air Jordans, our Reeboks, Under Armours, our New Balance training shoes, and our Puma Clyde model shoes – as much fashion as you can pack in a basketball shoe. Steely Dan might pass along thanks for bad sneakers and a pina colada, but let’s just thanks Walt Clyde Frazier.

Thanks to NBC Boston Sports’ Mike Gorman and NESN’s Jack Edwards for their longtime efforts as respective voices of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins. They each retired in the Year 2024 – a good year in sports, thank-you very much.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Let’s give thanks to the NBA and Warner Brothers-Discovery-Turner Sports for working out a compromise that will enable NBA fans to see “Inside the NBA” on ABC and ESPN instead of the troubled pre-game and halftime shows of ESPN past. Let’s hope ESPN’s Malika Andrews is worked into the mix for both NBA coverage and general sports coverage and let’s hope ABC moves Jay Bilas into the game analyst spot alongside play-by-play man Mike Breen.

On the parquet, it’s a thanks to Bob Cousy and Tom “Satch” Sanders. … On the ice, it’s thanks to Pasta and Jeremy Swayman, but a sad good-bye to Bs head coach Jim Montgomery who was fired this past week and replaced with Joe Sacco (interim, it said). … On the Sox, welcome aboard to Outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia. … Don’t hold your breath on Soto.

For the Boston-New-England-Route 128-Providence Patriots, it’s a warm Thanksgiving Day wish for rookie QB Drake Maye. Maybe the Patriots need to find 21 other guys?

We’re thankful for better and speedy video challenges. Get the call right. … We’re thankful for Peyton Pritchard and Derrick White of the Celtics, both drafted late in Round 1, (Pritchard, Boston 2020, Rd. 1, Pick 26), (White, San Antonio 2017, Rd. 1, Pick 29).

Thanks to the New York Mets of yesteryear. Sadly, we lost Ed Kranepool this year. He was a fan favorite for every kid who loved the Mets in the ‘62 until June 23, 1970 when he was demoted to the minors – the Tidewater Tides. Kranepool fought his way back to the Mets and the Majors, and played until he was 34 years old in 1979. He holds the record for Most Games Played for the NYM.

Here’s a line of gratitude for some of the other Mets greats. To Ron Swoboda, Tommie Agee, Tom Seaver, Donn Clendenon, Cleon Jones, Jerry Grote, Ed Charles, Gary Gentry and my personal favorite, lefty – should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame – Jerry Koosman. Great memories stem from the names, Cal Koonce, Duffy Dyer, Ron Taylor, and TugMcGraw. Here’s to Managers Gil Hodges and Casey Stengel.

When the Mega Millions Lottery heads north of $300m, there are some “pick your own numbers” to be played.

Mine are:

  • 10 – Frazier
  • 12 – Barnett
  • 19 – Reed
  • 22 – DeBusschere
  • 24 Bradley
  • 15 – The bonus number for both Dick McGuire and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe
The Islanders alternate logo; aka the new Coke of the NHL team

If playing another, which is usually the case

  • 5 – Potvin
  • 9 – Gillies
  • 19 – Trottier
  • 22 – Bossy
  • 31 – Smith
  • 18 – for the Captain, Eddie Westfall

Every now and then, alternate numbers such as No. 23 for Bobby Nystrom, No. 27 for John Tonelli, and maybe a No. 1 for Glenn “Chico” Resch or No. 6 for one of the all-time greats, yet underrated players in Ken Morrow.As a reminder, Morrow was a member of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” USA Hockey gold medal team, then ran off with four consecutive Stanley Cup championships from the spring of 1980 through 1983. Not a bad stretch.

Butch Goring deserves mention, for sure, but I don’t play his No. 91. Thoughts go back to Germaine Gagnon, Gary Hart, Billy Harris, Lorne Henning, Garry Howatt, and goalkeeper Gerry Desjardins.

TIDBITS: In the “did you know” category of NHL history, DYK that Garry Howatt (then New Jersey Devils) and Mickey Volcan (then Hartford Whalers) are the only two (active) players to officiate an NHL regular season game? The date was January 15, 1983 and a Boston to Hartford snowstorm delayed the assigned officials from making a NJ at Hartford game. The Whalers won the game, 2-1, and Howatt and Volcan were relieved from their duties after the other “real” refs arrived at the Hartford Civic Center.

A bit off my original pledge to keep this on sports, let’s pay tribute to the Allman Brothers Band and two of the great instrumentals of all-time, Jessicaand In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (November 9, 1845 – May 3, 1935). Both were written by ABB guitarist Dickey Betts.

If Thanksgiving is near, it’s time to tune into the Detroit Lions (hosting Da Bears) and Dallas Cowboys (vs NYG) games on TV (along with a Miami at Green Bay tilt in the evening). Although Dallas and Detroit host games every year on Thanksgiving Day, they necver seem to be good/great at the same time. Thinking back, the years with Barry Sanders running for the Lions and Emmitt Smith carrying the ball for the Cowboys were certainly the glory years, complete with John Madden and Pat Summerall calling the games. To the winners went the “TurDucken.” Let’s hope for two of the three games being entertaining and close. Whoever loses the NYG at DAL game will surely pack it in for the remainder of the season.

THIS JEST IN: Pick-up improvement? The NBA is addressing the major problem of the downfall of serious competition at the annual NBA All-Star Weekend. The league is reportedly trying an approach that just might put more intrigue into both the Rookie vs Sophs (Rising Stars) game and the ASG itself. Proposed to the NBA Competition and Rules Committee this week was the outline of a new four-team tournament-style format for this season’s All-Star Game in San Francisco. The league is expected to have two semifinal games played up to 40 points, with the winners advancing to the final match up to 25 points, as reported by NBA television partner ESPN.

“The first-of-its-kind event is expected to serve as a quick-burst competition that resembles pickup games where the winner moves to the championship round in single-elimination play,” said ESPN before any official announcement was made.

Sources told ESPN last week that the NBA was in serious discussions to have three All-Star teams of eight players each and the winner of the Rising Stars game take part in an All-Star Game tournament on Sunday.

Aside from the exciting “Elam Ending” game in Chicago in 2020, the recent games have been lopsided three-point chuck-fests. Last season’s 211-186 blowout by East of West at Indiana was the breaking point.

The tournament style set-up is worth a try.

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: Six years after the fact, but we’ve now got it confirmed that former Titans coach Mike Mularkey is – well – full of malarkey. On a podcast report this week and then on the NFL Network, reporter Ian Rapoport commented on Mularkey’s admission that he played a joke, using Rapaport to report that Mularkey was going to get an extension to his contract. In fact, Mularkey dropped the nugget when he himself was in fear of being canned by the Titans.

“That is not cool,” said Rapoport on NFL Network, recalling the setback of his early career as a major NFL reporter. “That’s not funny. I was a younger reporter back then, and the amount of online hate and ridicule I got because Mike Mularkey thought it would be funny to get back at his old boss. It was not fun.”

In the WWYI’s realm of reporting, it’s usually the reporter who gets the last laugh in these situations. “Never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel,” is the old political quip, credited to Indiana Congressman Charles Bruce Brownson (1914-1988).