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Celtics Take It to the Lakers

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis scored 28 points and had 11 rebounds to lead the visiting Celtics to a 126-115 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA’s featured game on Christmas Day.

Porzingis, who did not play in Boston’s win against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday because of an ankle injury, helped the Celtics overcome a 40-point performance by Lakers center Anthony Davis, who shot 15 of 26 from the field. Davis also pulled down 13 rebounds.

The Lakers trailed by nine points after three quarters and trailed by at least eight points throughout the fourth. Los Angeles never led by more than two points.

Boston’s Jayson Tatum finished the game with 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. The Celtics also received 18 points and 11 assists from Derrick White, 19 points from Jaylen Brown and an 18-point effort from Jrue Holiday.

Taurean Prince (17 points), LeBron James (16), Rui Hachimura (12) and Austin Reaves (11) also scored in double figures for the Lakers. James, who had nine rebounds and eight assists, collided with Brown with 4:02 remaining in the first half, but both returned to the game.

It was the final game of Boston’s four-game California road trip. The Celtics went 3-1 in those contests.

The Celtics scored the game’s first 12 points. The Lakers didn’t get on the scoreboard until Cam Reddish sank a 3-pointer with 8:59 remaining in the first quarter.

Boston extended its lead to 32-14 with 3:11 left in the opening quarter, but Los Angeles ended the frame with a 9-0 run and trailed 32-23 after 12 minutes.

The Lakers tied the game, 52-52, on a Prince 3-pointer with 2:04 remaining in the second quarter, but Boston led 58-57 at halftime.

Los Angeles had its first lead of the game after a James basket made it 59-58 24 seconds into the third quarter. The Celtics outscored the Lakers 41-33 in the period, however, and had a 99-90 advantage entering the fourth.

After making a total of 47 3-pointers in their previous two games, the Celtics were 13 of 42 from deep on Monday.

–Field Level Media

Ravens Make Statement to Niners, NFL

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SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Lamar Jackson threw for 252 yards and two third-quarter touchdowns while the Baltimore Ravens intercepted San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy four times in a 33-19 win Monday night in California.

Baltimore (12-3) entered as a 6 1/2-point underdog in a matchup of the top teams in their conferences, and the visitors overcame a slow start. Jackson decisively outplayed Purdy in a matchup of the quarterbacks considered by many to be the top candidates for Most Valuable Player.

Jackson, who completed 23 of 35 passes, turned a four-point game at the half into a rout with scoring strikes of 6 and 9 yards to Nelson Agholor and Zay Flowers, respectively, in an 18-second span early in the third.

The result means Baltimore can clinch the AFC North and the top seed in the conference Sunday with a home win over the AFC East-leading Miami Dolphins.

Purdy hit on 18 of 32 attempts for 255 yards before leaving during a fourth-quarter touchdown drive with a stinger in his neck. Sam Darnold replaced him and finished the drive with a 12-yard touchdown strike to Ronnie Bell but later tossed the team’s fifth interception of the night. Christian McCaffrey rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

Raiders 20, Chiefs 14

Bilal Nichols and Jack Jones scored defensive touchdowns seven seconds apart in the second quarter to lead Las Vegas to an upset of host Kansas City, preventing the Chiefs from clinching the AFC West for the eighth straight season.

Zamir White rushed for a career-high 145 yards on 22 carries as Las Vegas (7-8) remained alive in the AFC West race. Patrick Mahomes completed 27 of 44 passes for 235 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Kansas City (9-6).

The Raiders’ first touchdown came when Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco took a direct snap but botched a handoff to Mahomes. Nichols picked up the ball and went 8 yards for the score with 4:55 left in the half. On the next offensive play, Jones jumped an out route, easily picked off Mahomes and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown.

Eagles 33, Giants 25

Jake Elliott kicked four field goals and host Philadelphia scored 13 points in the fourth quarter en route to a victory over New York.

The Eagles (11-4) moved a game in front of the Dallas Cowboys (10-5) atop the NFC East. Jalen Hurts threw for a TD and rushed for another for Philadelphia. He completed 24 of 38 passes for 301 yards and was picked off once.

Tyrod Taylor connected with Darius Slayton for a 69-yard scoring strike to pull the Giants (5-10) within 30-25. Taylor took over under center for Tommy DeVito, who was benched to start the second half. Taylor finished with 133 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 7-for-16 passing. DeVito was 9 of 16 for 55 yards.

–Field Level Media

Chiefs Face Christmas Challenge

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KANSAS CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Preview) – The Kansas City Chiefs don’t resemble a formidable football team with three games remaining in the regular season. However, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes insists there is still time to get into top form.

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Kansas City (9-5) is just one victory away from clinching its eighth straight AFC West title as it enters a Monday contest against the visiting Las Vegas Raiders. The Chiefs can also clinch if they tie the Raiders and the Denver Broncos lose to the New England Patriots on Sunday.

The Chiefs have lacked the consistency this season of some of their recent Mahomes-led squads, but the man who makes the offense go believes that can be turned around.

“You always want to be playing your best football going into the playoffs,” Mahomes said. “Let’s put that complete game together. I think if we can do that and start getting better and better these last few games, we can get to the playoffs and be playing our best football.

“Then I think the AFC is wide open and we’ll be able to go out there and try to find a way to get to the Super Bowl.”

Kansas City enters the weekend with the third-best record in the AFC behind the Baltimore Ravens (11-3) and the Miami Dolphins (10-4), so there is plenty of work to do in terms of home field advantage.

Standing in their way is a Las Vegas squad that set a franchise record for points with a 63-21 steamrolling of the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 14.

“We know it won’t be easy,” Mahomes said. “The Raiders are playing good football and they definitely want to beat us. And so we have to come in with the mentality that we’re gonna play our best game and have our best week of practice in order to go out there and win that game.”

Kansas City posted a 31-17 road win over the Raiders on Nov. 26 for their 18th victory in the past 21 meetings. Mahomes passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns.

But Las Vegas is well-rested and should be full of confidence after the wipeout of the Chargers.

Raiders cornerback Jack Jones went the bravado route while expressing that the Kansas City receivers are not a concern.

“We’re not worried about them,” Jones said. “It’s Patrick Mahomes we’ve got to stop. You stop the magician, then the act is over.”

Christmas Day: Celtics vs. Lakers

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LOS ANGELES – The Boston Celtics can continue their recent torrid shooting toward some familiar rims when they visit the Lakers for a Christmas Day matchup between longtime rivals Monday.

After beating the Sacramento Kings 144-119 on the road Wednesday, the Celtics earned a 145-108 victory in Los Angeles against the Clippers on Saturday. Boston made 47 3-pointers during the two victories, a franchise record for made 3-pointers in a two-game stretch.

The Celtics weren’t even at full strength for the pair of games. Jayson Tatum didn’t play against Sacramento because of a sprained ankle, and Boston didn’t have Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) against the Clippers.

Tatum returned to the lineup Saturday and scored a game-high 30 points against the Clippers, while hitting half of his 10 attempts from 3-point range. Monday’s game will be played in the same downtown Los Angeles arena.

“We just play to our strengths,” Tatum said. “Nine times out of 10, everybody on the floor can space the floor and shoot. No matter if we’re shooting 50 percent or 20 percent, we always want to create the advantage and find the open man.

“I think that’s what makes us so dynamic. Everybody can space the floor, so it’s hard to guard us one-on-one. And if you help, we always got shooters around. It’s all about taking the right shots.”

Saturday’s victory over the Clippers marked the first time the Celtics have scored at least 140 points in back-to-back games since 1966. It was Boston’s seventh win in its last eight games, and the Celtics scored a combined 289 total points in consecutive contests.

“I do like the fact that we’re developing a fast-paced identity and not turning it over,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said when asked about the high-scoring pair of games. “I think at times in the past, we’ve played fast but turned it over. So we’re finding a good balance of pace and execution, which I think is important. But it’s not because of the points. I just liked our execution.”

The Lakers ended a four-game losing streak with a 129-120 road victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday. LeBron James was moved to point guard and scored a season-high 40 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter and 11 in the final 4:29.

James was 13 of 20 from the field and made all of his five 3-point attempts. He also had seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks.

“To know I can go out and still make game-winning plays and affect the game in multiple ways, and I can still close out a game in the fourth quarter when my team needed it, when they started making a run, it’s always a good feeling, for sure,” James said.

Anthony Davis added 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers, who also received a 21-point performance off the bench from Rui Hachimura.

James changed positions after point guard D’Angelo Russell was moved into a reserve role. Jarred Vanderbilt was inserted into the Lakers’ starting lineup.

“The result was a win,” Russell said. “For me, that’s all that matters.”

The Lakers entered Saturday’s game with one victory in six games since winning the NBA’s in-season tournament.

“We’ve been kind of struggling,” Hachimura said. “The schedule, the travel, all of that, but we talked about it after the game, the last game in Minnesota, and said the next game has to be a must win. (Anthony Davis) said it.

“We’ve got to keep doing it. We just got to get into a rhythm and the next one’s big too, the Christmas game against the Celtics. We’ve just got to go out there again like we just did and try to get into rhythm.”

–Field Level Media

Patriots Upset Broncos Hopes

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England PK Chad Ryland drilled a 56-yard field goal with two seconds left on Sunday night as the New England Patriots upset the host Denver Broncos 26-23, dealing a serious blow to their playoff hopes.

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The Broncos (7-8) missed out on a chance to join Indianapolis, Houston, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati at 8-7 with two weeks left in the regular season. They will have to win their final two games — against the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders — if they want to have any chance of securing an AFC playoff berth.

On its final drive of the game, New England (4-11) went 43 yards in seven plays, the big one Bailey Zappe’s 27-yard pass to DeVante Parker that set the Patriots up at the Denver 47. Zappe hit a couple of short passes to get one more first down, and Ryland then delivered the game-winner.

Zappe was 25-of-33 passing for 256 yards and two touchdowns, which both came in a 20-point third quarter. He found Ezekiel Elliott and Mike Gesicki for 15 and 11-yard scoring strikes, respectively, as the Patriots built a 23-7 lead that they took into the fourth.

Russell Wilson, who completed 25 of 37 passes for 238 yards, headlined a Broncos rally with two touchdown passes and two two-point conversion throws in a 5:40 span of the fourth quarter. He connected with Brandon Johnson for a 21-yard TD with 2:53 left, then tied things with a two-point pass to Javonte Williams.

Denver missed a chance to score in the game’s first two minutes. D.J. Jones strip-sacked Zappe on the first offensive snap of the contest and returned the fumble to the New England 6. But the Patriots came up with a goal-line stand, as Williams’ fourth-down run at the 2 was stopped after a gain of 1.

However, the Broncos were able to score first with 5:15 left in the first quarter, as Williams barged in from the Patriots 3. Ryland hit a 33-yard field goal with 13:30 left in the first half to get New England on the board.

It stayed 7-3 at the break after both teams missed field goals in the final minute of the half.

After Zappe’s TD throw to Gesicki, Marvin Mims Jr. fumbled on the ensuing kickoff. Cody Davis recovered at the Denver 1 and fell into the end zone to put the Patriots up 23-7.

Wilson hit Lucas Krull for a 3-yard touchdown and found Johnson on the two-point try to make it 23-15 and ignite the Broncos’ rally.

–Field Level Media

Big Day, Big East

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HARTFORD – Saturday’s BIG EAST action began with a thrilling overtime affair and ended with a hotly contested battle between two original league members before a raucous sellout crowd.

In the first game of the day, Providence guard Ticket Gaines hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left in regulation before the Friars (11-2, 2-0 BIG EAST) prevailed 85-75 in OT over Butler. PC’s Devon Carter scored 10 of his game-high 24 points in the extra period. The Friars got double-doubles from Josh O’Duro (18 pts., 12 rebs.) and Bryce Hopkins (14 pts., 13 rebs.). DJ Davis led Butler (10-3, 1-1) with 22 points. Pierce Brooks had 20. The Bulldogs committed only five turnovers.

Xavier used a 14-0 run in the second half to pull away from Seton Hall in a 74-54 victory. The Musketeers (7-6, 1-1) got a game-high 29 points and seven rebounds from

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 Ousmane (16 pts., 10 rebs.) and Dayvion McKnight (15 pts., 10 rebs.) contributed double-doubles. Dre Davis led the Pirates (8-5, 1-1) with 18 points. Kadary Richmond had 13 points and eight boards.

Villanova made it a 2-0 road trip with an 84-48 victory at DePaul. The Wildcats (9-4, 2-0) shot 55.1 percent from the field and built a 46-28 lead by halftime. Hakim Hart came off the bench to post a game-high 20 points. Eric Dixon added 12 points. The Blue Demons (2-9, 0-1) got 11 points each from Chico Carter Jr., Da’Sean Nelson and Jaden Henley.

Fifth-ranked Connecticut and St. John’s engaged in an intense BIG EAST battle at a sold-out XL Center. The Huskies (11-2, 1-1) managed to score eight of the game’s final 10 points and win 69-65. Samson Johnson scored a career-high 16 points. Tristen Newton made all-around contributions with 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists. St. John’s Joel Soriano had his eighth double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Daniss Jenkins added 13 points and four assists.

The BIG EAST holiday break is a little longer than usual this year. Games do not resume until Dec. 30.

NFL: Cowboys Hit Road (Again)

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MIAMI GARDENS – Dallas looks unbeatable at home. Taking the show on the road is proving to be more than the Cowboys can handle. The Cowboys were thrashed last weekend in Buffalo and look to post a much better performance when they play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday this afternoon in Florida.

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Dallas (10-4) is perfect in seven home games. That level of play isn’t translating over to the road. Quarterback Dak Prescott is perplexed by the difference in play.

“This next week of preparation and honestly these next couple of weeks are about figuring out what that difference is and trying to close that gap,” Prescott said. “Obviously, we’d love to come out and produce like we do at home but that just hasn’t been the case.

“So we’ve got to find out what those answers are and try to close that gap and we can’t be those two different other teams.”

The Cowboys were pushed all over the field in the 31-10 loss to Buffalo and allowed 266 rushing yards. The nature of the beating disturbed Dallas coach Mike McCarthy.

“That’s the message,” McCarthy said. “We play so well at home, and there’s just too big of a gap on the road, and we’re conscious of it. We got to be better than this.”

Earlier this season, Dallas was pummeled 42-10 by the host San Francisco 49ers. The Cowboys’ other road losses are to the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles.

The Dolphins (10-4) hold a two-game lead over the Bills in the AFC East, but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also is dealing with a narrative he doesn’t like.

Though he has passed for 3,921 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, the narrative is that Tagovailoa is performing better than his abilities due to having talented teammates like wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and running back Raheem Mostert.

“Whether I’m the best, whether I’m the worst, I couldn’t care less. I don’t listen to it,” Tagovailoa said. “At the end of the day, I really don’t care. …

“Yeah, sure. I am only good with Tyreek, you’re right. That is the only time I’m at my best. You’re right, I’m only good when Jaylen is in. I couldn’t care less about it. … I’m only as good as Raheem Mostert allows me to be. That’s what the narrative needs to be. And we’re able to win games and we’re able to go where we want to go as a team. I am the worst football player if that’s what you want. I don’t care.”

Hill missed last weekend’s 30-0 rout of the New York Jets with an ankle injury he sustained during a 28-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 11. Hill played less than half the game against the Titans and Tagovailoa didn’t have a touchdown pass. He tossed a 60-yard scoring pass to Waddle against the Jets.

Hill leads the NFL with 1,542 yards and also has 97 catches and 12 scoring receptions. He was limited in practice on Friday and listed as questionable, although ESPN reported Saturday that the team was optimistic Hill would play Sunday.

The report said the decision on Hill would be made on Sunday.

Mostert (knee) and fellow running back De’Von Achane (toe) missed practice and their status for Sunday was listed as unknown. Mostert had two touchdowns against the Jets to set the franchise single-season record with 20. He also is 34 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season.

Dolphins guard Robert Hunt (hamstring) is listed as out. Offensive tackle Terron Armstead (knee) does not have an injury designation. Safeties Elijah Campbell (knee) and Jevon Holland (knee), wide receiver Hill (ankle), cornerbacks Xavien Howard (hip) and Cam Smith (hamstring), offensive lineman Austin Jackson (oblique) and defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (hamstring) are listed as questionable.

Two eight-time Pro Bowl selections, guard Zack Martin (thigh) and tackle Tyron Smith (back), missed practice earlier in the week for Dallas. Martin was limited in practice on Friday and is questionable, while Smith was downgraded from doubtful to out on Saturday after not practicing this week. On the defensive side, Malik Hooker (ankle) was limited on Friday and is questionable, while defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins (knee, ankle) was ruled out on Friday.

Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb is having a sensational season with 107 receptions for 1,306 yards and eight touchdowns. He needs nine catches to break the single-season franchise record set by Hall of Famer Michael Irvin in 1995.

Dallas had won the past four meetings against the Dolphins, the most recent being a 31-6 home victory in 2019.

–Field Level Media

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Officials from the NBA, the players association, the Golden State Warriors and Draymond Green are meeting virtually as a way of assessing the veteran forward’s progress toward returning from an indefinite suspension, ESPN reported Monday.

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Green was suspended after punching Phoenix’s Jusuf Nurkic on Dec. 12, the latest incident in Green’s sometimes tempestuous career.

The conditions for his eventual reinstatement include individual counseling sessions as well as his participation in the meetings over Zoom. So far, Green has been “open and engaged” in the process, per the report.

The NBA will determine the length of the suspension, though ESPN said there’s a “general belief” that it likely will run for 11 to 13 games. He is allowed to practice with the team and use facilities for conditioning.

So far, Green has missed six games, and the Warriors have won the past five. They play at Denver on Monday.

The incident with Nurkic resulted in Green’s third ejection of the season. He also made headlines on Nov. 14 when he was ejected for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a headlock during an on-court scrum.

That led to a five-game suspension for Green, who was first thrown out of a game this season on Nov. 11 after being tagged with two technical fouls against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He has been suspended six times in his career.

In 15 games this season, the 33-year-old Green has averaged 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists. He is in his 12th season with Golden State and has won four NBA titles with the Warriors. He’s also a four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Christmas Notebook | Dec 25th

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While We’re Young (Ideas) Wishes You a Merry Christmas

By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Merry Christmas 2023 to all who celebrate the day. To others, this columnist wishes you sincere best wishes and joy for 2024 with peace in the holiday(s) you celebrate.

May we all wish for Peace on Earth and Goodwill Towards Men (and women)!

As in years past, this Christmas-themed column carries the torch of the legendary writings of the late, great Shelby Strother. It also takes a look back at 2023 with a week-by-week listing of what was covered by While We’re Young (Ideas). Also in years past, there’s been some details written about Shelby and his family. Check it out HERE, from this antique December 2013 column.

Let’s get to it.

Each Christmas Day Contains the Past, Present and Future

By SHELBY STROTHER

It did not matter that the wind-chill was life threatening. It was Christmas morning, and a bright sun stabbed the frozen land. And children were playing.

The decision over which to play with – the official World Cup soccer ball or the Turbo Football – never materialized. With all the snow, a soccer match was out of the question. So spirals of pink and black performed in the most sincere imitations of Rodney Peete and Joe Montana floated back and forth in the yard.

What a nice sight.

The Annual Second Chance is near – it’s called New Year’s Eve. It is the window of opportunity where the hopes and fears of all the year (not to mention the mistakes) can be erased.

But Christmas Day is a time of reinforcement and the essence of tomorrow. And children playing with toys are the finest examples of what that tomorrow looks like.

I look out the window. I’ve been in that yard. All young boys have. Sports become such a part of childhood. Santa is aware of all of this, naturally.

This particular day is exquisite, I think to myself. I take personal inventory, not only of blessings and personal satisfaction, but of the presents of Christmas past. Still the kid, I suppose.

I got my first basketball when I was six. I made my first basket a year later. There was a tetherball set; I must have been eight. And a football helmet when I was ten. A Carl Furillo-model baseball mitt at eleven. There were tennis rackets and fishing poles and boxing gloves and shrimp nets and a Mickey Mantle 32-inch Little League bat and one time, even a badminton set.

Every Christmas, I’d play out my dreams and my mind would fly over the rainbow, imagining my propulsion. Of course, I would become a major-leaguer, an All-Star, an all-time great, a Hall of Famer. We all would. My vision extended well beyond the day.

My athletic ability, alas, never kept stride. It was not the worst realization I would ever make.

But I have noticed a direct correlation between Christmas gifts and sporting dreams. The dreams are for the young. So are the gifts. Usually, the two disappear in unison. The rare few who project into greatness discover they do not need imagination to make those lofty flights of fantasy. Hope is not the co-pilot. Expectation is.

It must be a wonderful view.

I was thinking about all of this when another memory nudged me. My 17th Christmas I got a typewriter.

It was about the same time that I’d maneuvered my fantasy a few extra miles. I’d received a baseball scholarship to pitch at a small school in Florida. There were other opportunities, other colleges available. But none that would allow my athletic vision to continue.

I had expected a Christmas of more games in the yard. More dreams to celebrate. I got a typewriter instead.

“What am I going to do with a typewriter?” I asked.

My mother said I’d need it for college. But she also said, “Sometimes you get too old to play games. But you never get too old that you can’t use your imagination.”

Sometimes Christmas is taken for granted. Almost always, in fact. I think Christmas music, and I hear bells. I turn on the radio and I hear someone named Elmo and Patsy lamenting their grandmother’s head-on collision with a reindeer. I think of the meaning of Christmas, and I think of the most special birthday in the history of the world. But I turn on the TV and there are all these Claymation raisins doing Doo-Wop homages to the joys of buying machines wherein a microchip can seize command of entire generations.

Christmas (will soon) be gone, 364 days to go. But children still play. They chase the wonderful image of themselves as they would like to be seen. Christmas is their favorite arena. But they settle for lesser stadia.

But remember this – the present is sometimes confused with the package it comes wrapped in. Sometimes the gift is simply the freedom to imagine. There may be no greater one.

It was a great typewriter. I still play with it.

– A column by Shelby Strother

Digital Sports Desk was founded on January 1, 2012 and was redesigned October 1, 2016. For Sunday Sports Notes columns posted on Christmas or Christmas Eve over the many years, I’ve alternated by posting memorable columns from a few of my all-time favorite writers. This column is, by far, my favorite column of all-time so read on my friends and “followers.” Here is to Shelby Strother and a Peaceful Christmas to his widow, Kim, and to all.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Let’s take a look back at 2023 with Part One to follow and Part Two to come in next week’s missive. Here’s January to June 2023:

Part One – January

1st

  • New Year’s wish for World Peace – the difficulties of today and tomorrow
  • Sentry Tournament of Champions Preview
  • Salute to David Bowie

8th

  • Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin Injury
  • Hamlin’s Toys for Kids charity went from $3,900 to $8,327,000 in four days
  • Duke vs BC at Chestnut Hill
  • College Football Playoff
  • NFL Tanking

14th

  • MSG – World’s Most Famous Arena
  • Favorite Moments/Events at The Garden
  • KC Chiefs Top NFL Power Rankings
  • Salute in Memory of Jeff Beck

22nd

  • Prediction: Red Sox = Cellar Dwellers
  • Boston Bruins = Leading the NHL
  • Major League Pickleball
  • LIV Golf Schedule

29th

  • Pointing fingers at Bill Belichick
  • AFC/NFC Championship Preview
  • Chef of ‘da Future
  • EPL Franchise Valuations

February

5th

  • Dog Days of Winter; 19 NBA Ts in five Days
  • Marty Walsh to NHL Players Association
  • Charlie Baker to NCAA
  • Sports Catch Phrases – “Just Like That”

12th

  • Super Bowl LVII Preview (KC vs Phila)
  • PGA Tour’s Phoenix Open – LODR than LOUD
  • World Baseball Classic
  • Tennis Player Younes Rachidi Banned for Life

19th

  • Mass shooting and murder on campus of Michigan State
  • Coach Ed Cooley Feature
  • 40th Anniversary – Marvin Gaye National Anthem at ’83 NBA ASG

26th

  • PGA Tour Load Management
  • NBA Load Management Issue
  • Ideas for a Better NBA All-Star Weekend – None
  • Music: One Hit Wonders

March

5th

  • Memorial Tribute to David Benner

12th

  • Timeline of the 2023 BIG East Basketball Tournament

19th

  • St. Patrick’s Day Salute
  • March Madness Upsets
  • World Baseball Classic

26th

  • Willis Reed Memorial Tribute
  • Rick Pitino Hired by St. John’s
  • National Lacrosse League Playoffs
  • MLB Opening Day

April

2nd

  • Opening Day at Fenway Park
  • Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes
  • Jim Nantz’ Last NCAA Final 4 Broadcast

9th

  • The Masters
  • LIV vs. PGA Tour Golf
  • MLB and Austin Meadows’ Mental Health

16th

  • Boston Marathon
  • Amazing Shohei Ohtani
  • Bruce Springsteen and Last Man Standing

23rd

  • The Curse of the NHL President’s Cup
  • NHL Team Valuations
  • NBA Playoffs and Injuries
  • Suggestion: LIV World Team Golf

30th

  • Sports Gambling in Massachusetts
  • NBA Moves Up Finals Start Times
  • QB Aaron Rodgers to J-E-T-S
  • NCAA, Committees and Charlie Baker
  • Death of Boston Celtics’ veep Heather Walker

May

7th

  • Future Days for Saudi Basketball
  • Euro Soccer Team Valuations
  • Kentucky Derby Review

14th

  • Michael Jordan Barcelona Olympics Jacket Auction
  • Buzzword Bingo
  • MLB’s Oldest Ball Parks

21st

  • World’s 10 Highest Paid Athletes
  • Troubles of NBA’s Ja Morant
  • Beginning of the End for the PAC-12
  • Baseball Buzzword Bingo
  • Set Tribute to Meatloaf (RIP)

28th

  • Send-off to TNT’s Very Best (Tara, TK)
  • Brandel and Brooksie Mix It Up for PGA Tour/LIV
  • Busy Summer of ’23 Listings
  • SBJ Awards
  • TNT’s “Yes” Man

June

4th

  • Connor McDavid, Jack Michael and Nikola Jokic
  • Stanley Cup Final or NBA Finals – “s” or no “s”
  • Sox Chris Sale Out Again
  • NHL Stadium Series – NY/NJ Style

11th

  • Surprise of Potential PGA Tour/LIV Merger
  • Most Beloved USA Athletes
  • Harvard’s/WCVB-5 Mike Lynch Inducted Mass Broadcasters Hall of Fame

18th

  • NYC Father’s Day Fire
  • Ja Morant More Trouble – 25-game suspension (ended 12-19)
  • The Four’s is Closed
  • Bradley Beal shipped to PHX
  • Sports Hall of Fame Line-ups

25th

  • PGA Tour: The Traveler’s Championship
  • 2023 NBA Draft
  • No. 1 Pick: France’s Victor WembanyamaSlamBall is Back (and on ESPN)

(Tune-In Next Week for the rest of 2023 Look Back – July 1st through December 31st)

TIDBITS: You’ve heard of World Team Tennis which debuted in 1974 with Billie Jean King leading the way as player-coach of the Philadelphia Freedom, runners-up to the champion Denver Racquets, coached by Tony Roche. The league had talented stars such as Jimmy Connors who led the Baltimore Banners. Here in Beantown, we had the Boston Lobsters. The team played at the Walter Brown Arena and lost about $300,000 in its first year of operation … Fast forward to the conclusion of the 2021 WTT season and you’ll note the tennis league vanished. The following July, the WTT announced it was seeking expansion franchises at $1 million a clip. That news release was the last we heard of World Team Tennis. “World TeamTennis, the nation’s only professional, mixed-gender team tennis league, has announced that it is accepting expansion proposals from prospective ownership groups and markets that are interested in acquiring a WTT franchise.” … With WTT in the history books, tennis fans now have the World Tennis League, based in Abu Dhabi. Saturday morning, the Tennis Channel aired Taylor Fritz’ extra time match vs Daniil Medvedev and the new version of team tennis, featuring the Kites and Hawks, the Falcons and Eagles. The new league is big on entertainment and concerts, but short on match results and realtime stats. … Sports Business Journal’s media mind John Ourand announced he’s leaving the post he’s held since 2006 to join Puck.

MLB: A week ago we wrote of the urgent need for Major League Baseball to enact a form of maximum team salary after the LA Dodgers broke the bank and the concept of deferred compensation with a $700 million deal to pay for the services of Shohei Ohtani. This week, the Dodgers landed prized free agent in Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto who scored a 12-year, $325 million deal Thursday, per multiple media reports. Yamamato’s deal out-distanced New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole’s deal by $1 million, making it the largest contract for a pitcher in major league history. The Dodgers will also pay $50.6 million in a posting fee for Yamamoto. … A posting fee is MLB terminology for a transfer fee.

NFL Christmas Day Games

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Detroit Lions control their own destiny and can clinch the NFC North when they play the Minnesota Vikings this afternoon and the San Francisco 49ers will host the Baltimore Ravens in a possible Super Bowl LVIII match-up on Christmas night in Week 16 games in the National Football League.The New England Patriots travel to Denver to face the Broncos in a game reminiscent of days gone by when Tom Brady faced Peyton Manning in AFC Championship games.

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Indianapolis Colts (8-6) at Atlanta Falcons (6-8): The clock is ticking on Falcons coach Arthur Smith. While Falcons owner Arthur Blank said this week he would wait until after the season to make a decision on Smith’s future with the team, a loss to the NFL-worst Panthers has him on alert. Atlanta quarterback Desmond Ridder connected on 12 of 20 passes for 152 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Even considering the rainy conditions, that wasn’t good enough, which is why Smith is making a QB change for the third time this year, ping-ponging back to Taylor Heinicke. A former Washington Commanders starter, Heinicke took over for Ridder prior to the Falcons’ Week 9 loss to the Minnesota Vikings and started a Week 10 loss to the Arizona Cardinals before Smith went back to Ridder. In Indianapolis, Gardner Minshew has gone 6-4 as the starter, including a 30-13 home win over Pittsburgh last week that made the Colts 5-1 in their past six games and forged a three-way tie in the division. The Colts have dominated the all-time series against Atlanta, posting 15 wins in 17 games.

Green Bay Packers (6-8) at Carolina Panthers (2-12): Spoilers as the season runs its course, the Panthers shoot for a two-game winning streak as playoff-minded Green Bay arrives for Sunday afternoon’s game, with the Packers knowing another loss likely ends any postseason prayer they have left. “You’re being introduced to adversity and there’s two ways you’re going to respond to it,” Green Bay linebacker Quay Walker said. “You’re either going to lay down or you’re going to get up.” After a three-game winning streak that included victories against division leaders Detroit and Kansas City, the Packers suffered defeats to the New York Giants and Tampa Bay to put their postseason prospects in jeopardy. The Panthers secured their second victory of the season last week by topping visiting Atlanta 9-7, knocking the Falcons out of their share of first place in the NFC South. For Green Bay, a loss in Charlotte could be similarly devastating.

Cleveland Browns (9-5) at Houston Texans (8-6): Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud’s absence proved glaring for the Texans last week even in a 19-16 overtime win. The victory kept them in the thick of the AFC playoff picture in advance of their showdown with the visiting Browns on Sunday. But Stroud remains in concussion protocol, unlikely to play this week. Houston’s defense — operating without top rookie Will Anderson Jr. — helped pick up the slack with seven sacks. They’ll be asked to carry the load once more and face a Browns offensive line besieged by injuries. The Browns have gotten mileage from their veteran backup signal caller, the fourth QB to start for Cleveland in 2023, in Joe Flacco. He passed for 374 yards last week and has a security blanket with his own defense. The Browns are fifth in the AFC playoff picture and ascending behind a stifling defense that ranks first in yielding just 158.9 passing yards per game. One pressing challenge for the Browns: reversing a trend where their last three losses have been on the road.

Detroit Lions (10-4) at Minnesota Vikings (7-7): One more win and the Lions clinch their first division title in 30 years. The first-place Lions have three games remaining — two against the second-place Vikings. They’ll get their first shot at clinching the NFC North championship on Sunday afternoon, when they take on the Vikings in Minneapolis. “We control our own destiny as it pertains to winning the division, no matter what happens (elsewhere),” coach Dan Campbell said. “We win (Sunday) and we win the division. We’re in (the playoffs) and we get a home game. That’s right where I want to be.” Minnesota can remain in the chase for the division with a victory on Sunday and improve its chances of a wild card. They currently hold the sixth seed in the NFC. The Lions bounced back from a 28-13 road loss to Chicago on Dec. 10 with a resounding 42-17 victory over the Denver Broncos on Saturday night. Jared Goff tied his career high with five touchdown passes. Detroit didn’t commit a turnover against the ball-hawking Broncos after six giveaways in losses to Green Bay and Chicago. Goff has been intercepted 10 times and lost two fumbles this season but Campbell doesn’t want him to play tight. That’s true of the Vikings and their fourth starting QB this season, Nick Mullens, who is making his second consecutive start. Mullens threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns but also was intercepted twice in a 27-24 overtime loss to Cincinnati on Saturday. Vikings RB Ty Chandler is coming off a 132-yard rushing performance filling in for injured Alexander Mattison.

Washington Commanders (4-10) at New York Jets (5-9): Aaron Rodgers is on the active roster but joins Zach Wilson as a probable gameday inactive on Sunday. With that dose of truth, down goes one of the few intriguing storylines left for the only matchup in Week 16 between teams already eliminated from the NFL postseason as the Commanders come to New Jersey. Wilson remains in concussion protcol after being injured during New York’s 30-0 loss Sunday to the Miami Dolphins. Veteran Trevor Siemian steps in and becomes the fourth different QB to start for the Jets this season. The shutout loss to Miami included a season-low 103 total yards for the Jets with a combined four turnovers and six sacks from their quarterbacks. The Jets are gaining the fewest yards (255.1 per game) of any team in the league. But if there’s a defense they can thrive against, it’s a Commanders unit that has given up more yards (384.5) and points (30.2) per game than any team in the NFL. During their current five-game losing streak, opposing receivers running wide open have been a familiar sight for the Commanders, including last week in a 28-20 loss to the Rams when Cooper Kupp went uncovered on a 62-yard touchdown catch.

Seattle Seahawks (7-7) at Tennessee Titans (5-9): The way rookie quarterback Will Levis sees it, if he can walk onto the field Sunday, he wants to start. Levis suffered a sprained left ankle in overtime of the Titans’ 19-16 overtime loss at Houston last week, a defeat that officially eliminated Tennessee from playoff contention. Levis, the 33rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is 3-5 as Tennessee’s starter since taking over for the injured Ryan Tannehill in mid-October. Levis was absent from practice on Thursday. Coach Mike Vrabel said Tannehill would start if Levis is unable to play with an ankle injury the coach said was very similar to the issue that first sent Tannehill to the bench eight weeks ago. The Titans, who are starting two rookies on the left side of their offensive line and are down to a third starter at right tackle, allowed seven sacks last week. RB Derrick Henry, a two-time NFL rushing champion, had his worst game as a pro with just 9 yards on 16 carries. The Seahawks expect QB Geno Smith to return from a groin injury after backup Drew Lock rallied them to a 20-17 victory against visiting Philadelphia on Monday night. Lock threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 28 seconds left to cap a 92-yard drive that breathed life into Seattle’s postseason chances. The Seahawks snapped a four-game losing streak last week and are among a bevy of teams with .500 records vying for the conference’s final two playoff berths.

Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7): Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence made a late push to make his 51st consecutive start after four days in concussion protocol and needed only final clearance to board the team charter to Tampa on Saturday. Winners of three in a row, the Buccaneers have the advantage of the holiday home game in hoping to deal a fifth straight loss to their Sunshine State neighbors. “Momentum is coming with winning,” Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said. “The urgency is there. We know we have to win out to get to the playoffs; that’s been our mindset since we played Carolina (a 21-18 win on Dec. 3). That’s our mindset this week, as well, against a good Jacksonville team.” Baker Mayfield was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 381 yards and four touchdowns in Tampa Bay’s 34-20 road victory over the Green Bay Packers last Sunday. While the Bucs’ winning ways have kept them tied with the New Orleans Saints atop the NFC South, the Jaguars’ slump has allowed the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans to pull even in the AFC South. Lawrence’s status was in question after he was placed in concussion protocol following last Sunday’s 23-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Lawrence has started every game since he was selected with the top overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft. If he can’t start, veteran backup C.J. Beathard will.

Arizona Cardinals (3-11) at Chicago Bears (5-9): Chicago has won its last three games at Soldier Field, toppling the Las Vegas Raiders, Panthers and Lions, and the Bears are looking to bounce back after a 20-17 loss on the road last week against the Cleveland Browns. Big-picture plots include the future of QB Justin Fields. He has three more games to show Chicago’s front office and coaching staff why he deserves to keep the starting job heading into next season. Fields has completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season, and he has rushed for 488 yards and a pair of scores. Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon said his team faced a tough task in stopping Fields. “Here’s what I know about him,” Gannon said. “He can make every throw on the field when it’s cold and rainy in Chicago, like it’s going to be. Wind doesn’t matter because he’s got a huge arm. He’s extremely mobile. He’s hard to tackle. His extension of plays is very productive.” Cardinals Kyler Murray is set to make his sixth start since returning from injury. The 26-year-old Murray has completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 1,075 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. He has rushed for 155 yards and three scores. Murray takes on a Bears’ pass defense torched for 374 yards by Joe Flacco and the Browns last week. The Cardinals’ top receiving target is tight end Trey McBride, who has 66 catches for 712 yards and two touchdowns. Wideout Marquise Brown has 51 catches for 574 yards and four touchdowns, but his status is in question because of a heel injury.

Dallas Cowboys (10-4) at Miami Dolphins (10-4): Dallas looks unbeatable at home. Taking the show on the road is proving to be more than the Cowboys can handle. Dallas is perfect in seven home games, but that level of play isn’t translating away from home. The Cowboys were pushed all over the field in the 31-10 loss to Buffalo and allowed 266 rushing yards. The nature of the beating disturbed Dallas coach Mike McCarthy. “That’s the message,” McCarthy said. “We play so well at home, and there’s just too big of a gap on the road, and we’re conscious of it. We got to be better than this.” Dallas was pummeled 42-10 by the host San Francisco 49ers. The Cowboys’ other road losses are to the Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles. The Dolphins hold a two-game lead over the Bills in the AFC East but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also is dealing with a narrative he doesn’t like. Though he has passed for 3,921 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, the talk is that Tagovailoa is performing with All-Pro level seasons from WR Tyreek Hill and RB Raheem Mostert. Hill missed last weekend’s 30-0 rout of the New York Jets with an ankle injury he sustained during a 28-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 11. Hill played less than half the game against the Titans and Tagovailoa didn’t have a touchdown pass. Hill leads the NFL with 1,542 yards and also has 97 catches and 12 TDs, and Mostert has scored 20 times. Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb is having a sensational season with 107 receptions for 1,306 yards and eight touchdowns. He needs nine catches to break the single-season franchise record set by Hall of Fame member Michael Irvin in 1995. Dallas had won the past four meetings against the Dolphins, the most recent being a 31-6 home victory in 2019.

New England Patriots (3-11) at Denver Broncos (7-7): The Patriots and Broncos are nearly 10 years removed from the final regular season meeting that pitted Tom Brady against Peyton Manning. New England won that game 43-21 on Nov. 2, 2014, behind four passing touchdowns from Brady. If Sunday night’s clash between Denver and the visiting Patriots proves anything, it might just be how much truly can change over the course of a decade. Both offenses have fallen far from the perch they sat atop nine years ago, with New England’s decline especially evident. The Patriots are averaging a league-worst 13.3 points per game following last Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Denver sported the least explosive offense of the 2022 campaign (16.9 points per game), but Sean Payton, in his first season as Broncos coach, has started to turn things around. A winner of six of its past eight games, the Broncos are averaging 21.7 points under Payton. Patriots coach Bill Belichick called QB Russell Wilson a “unique player.” He was relatively quiet against Detroit, completing 18 of 32 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown. Wilson was also shown getting laid into by Payton on the sideline late in the third quarter after a Denver TD was nullified because of an offensive offside penalty. Payton said he is making sure no negative feelings from that altercation — or the loss itself — spill over into Sunday’s meeting with the Patriots.

Monday NFL Capsules

Las Vegas Raiders (6-8) at Kansas City Chiefs (9-5): The Chiefs don’t resemble a formidable football team with three games remaining in the regular season. Last season’s MVP, Patrick Mahomes, insists there is still time to get into top form. Kansas City is just one victory away from clinching its eighth straight AFC West title as it enters a Monday contest against the Raiders. The Chiefs can clinch if they tie the Raiders and the Broncos lose to the Patriots on Sunday. “You always want to be playing your best football going into the playoffs,” Mahomes said. “Let’s put that complete game together. I think if we can do that and start getting better and better these last few games, we can get to the playoffs and be playing our best football. Then I think the AFC is wide open and we’ll be able to go out there and try to find a way to get to the Super Bowl.” Kansas City enters the weekend with the third-best record in the AFC behind the Baltimore Ravens (11-3) and the Miami Dolphins (10-4). Standing in their way is a Las Vegas squad that set a franchise record for points with a 63-21 steamrolling of the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 14 to start Week 15. Kansas City posted a 31-17 road win over the Raiders on Nov. 26 for their 18th victory in the past 21 meetings. Mahomes passed for 298 yards and two touchdowns. Las Vegas is well-rested and should be full of confidence after the wipeout of the Chargers that included a team-record 63 points. Las Vegas led 42-0 at halftime and scored the first 49 points. Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell passed for 248 yards and a career-best four touchdowns, and the defense forced five Los Angeles turnovers.

New York Giants (5-9) at Philadelphia Eagles (10-4): The Eagles know what they want for Christmas: a three-game winning streak to erase their current three-game losing streak. The upcoming schedule offers two games with the rival Giants. Even though his Eagles are 0-3 this December, scoring fewer than 20 points in all three setbacks, coach Nick Sirianni said there’s no reason to panic. The team has not lost confidence in quarterback Jalen Hurts, whose 12 interceptions are twice his 2022 total. Since the start of November, Hurts has more rushing touchdowns (eight) than passing scores (six). Hurts (542 rushing yards) and D’Andre Swift (896 rushing yards, four TDs) will be facing a Giants defense that ranks 29th against the run, allowing 131.6 yards per game. A New York offense led by undrafted rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito squares off against a leaky Eagles defense that is allowing 24.4 points (26th in the NFL) and 255.4 passing yards (28th) per game. While Philadelphia’s losing streak continued with a 20-17 defeat at Seattle on Monday, DeVito and New York had a three-game winning streak snapped with Sunday’s 24-6 loss at New Orleans. DeVito has played at Las Vegas, Dallas, Washington and New Orleans since replacing the injured Daniel Jones in Week 9, but he hasn’t experienced anything like the reception awaiting him in the City of Brotherly Love. Asked if he enjoyed playing the role of villain, DeVito answered with his customary swagger. “It’s fun,” he said. “It’s part of the game. I like a hostile crowd.” The Eagles won’t have Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson following thumb surgery, but right guard Cam Jurgens (pectoral) was a full participant Thursday after missing Monday’s loss in Seattle.

Baltimore Ravens (11-3) at San Francisco 49ers (11-3): A possible Super Bowl preview on Christmas night matches two primo MVP candidates. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is enjoying his best season since 2019, when he threw for 36 touchdowns and ran for 1,206 yards in an MVP season. His completion percentage is a career-high 66.3 percent. He has thrown for 17 touchdowns, and he has a chance to finish with 1,000 yards on the ground for the third time in his career. Baltimore’s defense wants to make teams one-dimensional, but San Francisco’s scheme consistently has avoided that trap. 49ers QB Brock Purdy has completed 69.8 percent of his attempts for 3,795 yards and a league-high 29 touchdowns with only seven interceptions to date this season, the general of a top-five offensive team in points, rushing yards and passing yards. He credits supporting star power such as RB Christian McCaffrey, who has a league-leading 1,292 rushing yards and 57 catches for 509 yards. McCaffrey accounted for 187 yards from scrimmage last week in a 45-29 win at Arizona that allowed San Francisco to clinch the NFC West title. He caught two of Purdy’s four touchdown passes. The Ravens have won five of seven meetings between the teams, including a 20-17 decision four years ago in Baltimore. The franchises’ most famous matchup was the Ravens’ 34-31 win in Super Bowl XLVII after the 2012 season.

–Field Level Media