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Celtics Gift a Game in Charlotte

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CHARLOTTE – Hornets forward Miles Bridges, recently reinstated from an NBA suspension, drilled a tie-breaking 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left in overtime as Charlotte pulled off a 121-118 upset victory against the visiting Boston Celtics on Monday.

Charlotte delivered a startling fourth-quarter comeback, scoring the last nine points in regulation over a span of the final two minutes, en route to snapping a four-game losing streak.

LaMelo Ball contributed 36 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Hornets. Ex-Celtic Gordon Hayward had 20 points, Mark Williams posted 18 points and 16 rebounds, Bridges finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds and P.J. Washington had 15 points off the bench.

Jayson Tatum scored 31 of his 45 points in the first half for the Celtics, whose six-game winning streak ended. He also had team-high totals in rebounds (13) and assists (six).

Boston’s Payton Pritchard produced 21 points off the bench, while teammates Kristaps Porzingis (17 points), Jaylen Brown (13) and Jrue Holiday (11) were also in double figures.

After Bridges’ basket, Tatum made two free throws and Hayward matched that to account for the final score.

Until the final minutes Monday, the Celtics had a wildly successful four-game road trip — and they were greeted by many of their adoring fans on this final stop.

Bridges played in his third game since serving a suspension stemming from a domestic violence case, but he was in the starting lineup for the first time. Bridges replaced Washington.

Charlotte, which was down 11 points with six minutes left, trailed 108-99 with two minutes to go before rallying.

Williams’ putback of an offensive rebound made it a two-point game with 33 seconds left.

Holiday missed a pair of free throws with 10.1 seconds to play in regulation, and Ball’s driving, double-clutch layup tied the score with seven seconds left. Boston’s Sam Hauser missed a potential winning shot at the regulation buzzer.

The Celtics led 65-54 at halftime. Charlotte was within 90-87 on Washington’s jumper with about 9 1/2 minutes to play.

Ball had 17 first-half points, but that seemed pedestrian compared to Tatum, who shot 10-for-15 from the floor and sank five 3-pointers in the half.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Skip Past Grizzlies, 102-100; Tonight, It’s On to Charlotte

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CHARLOTTE – The Boston Celtics have been among the best teams in the NBA for the first month of the season.

That’s not the case for the Charlotte Hornets, who need something good to happen.

The teams with opposite types of streaks will meet tonight in North Carolina where the Celtics will conclude a four-game road stretch.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 26 points to lift Boston to its sixth straight victory on Sunday with a 102-100 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Even that wasn’t totally satisfying for the Celtics, however.

“We got lucky enough to win that game,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “You can learn from losses. You can learn from wins. I didn’t think we deserved to win the game because a lot of the stuff that we did.”

With that in mind, Mazzulla will have a motivational angle to use for the game in Charlotte. He said the Grizzlies played harder than the Celtics in Sunday night’s game. It’s all part of the heightened expectations for the Celtics, who are led by Jayson Tatum’s averages of 26.9 points and 8.7 rebounds a game.

“Guys in the locker room set a high standard for themselves,” Mazzulla said.

The Hornets probably are in a totally different state of mind as they try to break a four-game losing streak. In home games, Charlotte has dropped six straight since winning the season opener.

Charlotte’s offense has been regularly sparked by guard LaMelo Ball, who has reached the 30-point mark in five of the last seven games. He’s averaging 24.4 points per game. With 25 or more points in each of those seven games, that’s the second-longest Hornets streak in that category in franchise history.

Rookie Brandon Miller is coming off a career-high 29 points against the New York Knicks on Saturday night. Yet Miller is receiving hard lessons on the pro level about the necessity for focused defensive intensity.

“I think we kind of struggled maintaining our man in transition,” Miller said. “I think that’s just an effort thing with us, something we’ve got to clean up going into the game against Boston. Our focus is just individual defense. I think if we shut down a few players, we will have a great outcome in any game.”

Miller’s offensive skills have translated well in the early part of his NBA career.

“He does it the right way. He works in practice,” Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said.

Clifford said the defense must be addressed across the roster with the team. The Hornets shot 49 percent from the field Saturday night against the Knicks, a rate that should be good enough to at least keep the team in tighter games.

The Hornets have lost by 14 or more points in three of the four games in their skid.

Ex-Celtics forward Gordon Hayward has scored a total of 12 points in 90 minutes across the last three games combined for the Hornets. He has shot 6-for-25 from the field in those games, missing all six of his 3-point attempts.

“That’s something we have to work on,” Clifford said of getting Hayward and P.J. Washington to pick up the pace offensively.

The Hornets were missing backup center Nick Richards, who was in the concussion protocol, on Saturday night.

–Field Level Media

Nuggets, Jokic Edge GS Warriors

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Nikola Jokic produced 35 points and 13 rebounds, Reggie Jackson scored 20 points and the host Nuggets beat the Golden State Warriors 108-105 on Wednesday in a matchup of the past two NBA champions.

Michael Porter Jr. added 17 points while Aaron Gordon finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for Denver, which swept a four-game homestand.

Stephen Curry put up 23 points and Klay Thompson had 15 for the Warriors, who have lost two of their past three games. Thompson’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer slipped out of his hands.

The Warriors played without Draymond Green (personal reasons) and Gary Payton II (non-COVID illness). Denver guard Jamal Murray missed his second straight game with a right hamstring strain.

76ers 106, Celtics 103

Joel Embiid had 27 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots, Tyrese Maxey added 25 points and nine rebounds and host Philadelphia held on to clip Boston.

Tobias Harris scored 17 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 14 for the Sixers, who won their sixth game in a row following a one-point loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in their season opener.

Kristaps Porzingis led the Celtics with 29 points, Derrick White added 19 and Jayson Tatum had 16 points, 15 rebounds and six assists. Trailing 106-103, the Celtics had a chance to tie the game, but Porzingis missed a 3-point try with 6.2 seconds left.

Kings 121, Trail Blazers 118 (OT)

Domantas Sabonis’ free throw with 42.8 seconds remaining in overtime broke a tie, Malik Monk dropped in a pair of foul throws with 13 seconds left and Sacramento snapped a three-game losing streak with a victory over visiting Portland.

The Trail Blazers’ Jerami Grant (38 points, nine rebounds) had two looks at a potential tie but missed consecutive 3-point attempts in the final 9.1 seconds. The extra session was required after Monk scored the final four points of regulation for the Kings.

Sabonis led the Kings with 27 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Monk had 23 points and a team-high 10 assists.

Suns 116, Bulls 115 (OT)

Grayson Allen scored 26 points while sinking a career-high eight 3-pointers and Kevin Durant added 25 points to lift Phoenix past host Chicago in overtime.

Jusuf Nurkic scored the go-ahead layup off a screen-and-roll pass from Durant with 7.3 seconds left in OT and finished with 20 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists. Nurkic missed two free throws with 0.4 seconds to go, but the Bulls’ backdoor lob attempt on their final possession was unsuccessful.

Making his regular-season debut for the Suns after dealing with back spasms during the preseason, Bradley Beal contributed 13 points. His night featured three 3-pointers, as Phoenix finished 19-for-48 from beyond the arc.

Heat 108, Grizzlies 102

Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 30 points and added 11 rebounds to fuel visiting Miami past Memphis, which remains winless at home in four tries.

Adebayo made 8 of 15 shots from the floor and 14 of 16 attempts from the free-throw line. That effort came on the heels of his 22-point, 19-rebound, 10-assist performance in the Heat’s 108-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.

Miami’s Tyler Herro sustained a right ankle sprain after landing on the foot of Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. during the first quarter. Herro did not return to the contest, finishing with six points and two assists in eight minutes. Jackson scored a team-high 28 points.

Wizards 132, Hornets 116

Kyle Kuzma pumped in 33 points and Washington snapped a four-game losing streak with some huge offensive bursts against host Charlotte.

Danilo Gallinari and Delon Wright paced Washington’s bench scoring with 18 points apiece. The Wizards’ reserves outscored the Hornets’ backups 72-23.

LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 34 points and seven assists. Gordon Hayward added 18 points.

Rockets 128, Lakers 94

Jalen Green scored a game-high 28 points while Alperen Sengun chipped in 19 as host Houston extended its winning streak to four games with a wire-to-wire victory over injury-ravaged Los Angeles.

Green was efficient throughout, making 11 of 15 attempts. Sengun was 8 of 10 from the floor while, like Green, adding seven rebounds.

The Lakers, who added Anthony Davis (hip) to a long list of sidelined rotation players, dropped their third game in a row. Los Angeles reserve Rui Hachimura scored a team-high 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds in his return from a four-game absence caused by a concussion.

Pacers 134, Jazz 118

Aaron Nesmith scored 24 points to lead six players in double figures as Indiana took control in the fourth quarter to beat Utah in Indianapolis.

Myles Turner and Bennedict Mathurin scored 22 points apiece, while Tyrese Haliburton scored all 16 of his points in the second half for the Pacers, who have won three of their past four games.

Jordan Clarkson scored 33 points to lead the Jazz, who lost their fourth straight. Lauri Markkanen had 24 points and nine rebounds.

Knicks 126, Spurs 105

Julius Randle posted another double-double for host New York, which scored the first 13 points of the game and was never seriously threatened in a win over San Antonio.

Randle finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds in his seventh double-double in eight games this season. Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 25 points while RJ Barrett had 24 points for the Knicks, who committed just four turnovers.

Jeremy Sochan scored 16 points while Malaki Branham and No. 1 draft pick Victor Wembanyama each had 14 points for the Spurs, who have lost three straight. Wembanyama missed his first seven shots from the field and scored just six points in the first three quarters.

Nets 100, Clippers 93

Lonnie Walker IV scored a season-high 21 points and host Brooklyn survived a shaky finish to defeat Los Angeles and keep James Harden winless with his new team.

Walker stepped up for the Nets after Cam Thomas was lost for the final 20:33 due to a sprained left ankle. Royce O’Neale clinched Brooklyn’s first home win by hitting a 3-pointer with 18.3 seconds to go.

The Clippers’ Paul George scored 24 to lead all scorers, but they shot just 39.6 percent and missed 28 of 36 3-point tries in their third straight defeat. Harden contributed 12 while hearing boos every time he touched the ball against the team that traded him to Philadelphia at the 2022 trade deadline.

Timberwolves 122, Pelicans 101

Anthony Edwards scored 26 points and dished eight assists as Minnesota cruised past New Orleans in Minneapolis.

Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting for the Timberwolves, who won their fourth game in a row. Rudy Gobert registered 17 points and 21 rebounds.

Brandon Ingram scored 24 points on 11-for-25 shooting and rookie Jordan Hawkins added 14 points for the Pelicans, who lost their third straight game.

Bucks 120, Pistons 118

Damian Lillard had 34 points as host Milwaukee overcame Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ejection and a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Detroit.

Bobby Portis had 18 points for the Bucks, and Brook Lopez added 14, including a pivotal 3-pointer in the late going. Antetokounmpo was whistled for a technical in the first quarter and picked up another three minutes into the second half, triggering an automatic ejection. He stared down Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart after a dunk.

Cade Cunningham put up 33 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and Marcus Sasser supplied 26 points for the Pistons, who have lost six straight games.

Raptors 127, Mavericks 116

Pascal Siakam recorded season bests of 31 points and 12 rebounds and also had five assists to help Toronto knock off host Dallas.

OG Anunoby added 26 points and Dennis Schroder had 18 for the Raptors, who won for the third time in the past four games. Scottie Barnes contributed 14 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

Luka Doncic registered 31 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and four steals for the Mavericks, who fell for just the second time in eight games this season. Kyrie Irving added 22 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. buried five 3-pointers while scoring 17 points.

Thunder 128, Cavaliers 120

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a season-high 43 points to lift host Oklahoma City past Cleveland.

The Thunder closed out their season-high, six-game homestand with a 3-3 record, winning the final two games. Oklahoma City swept the two-game season series with the Cavaliers.

Caris LeVert led Cleveland with 29 points off the bench while Evan Mobley added 22 and Donovan Mitchell had 20. Mitchell shot just 1 of 9 from beyond the 3-point arc, however.

–Field Level Media

NBA Round-Up; Celtics Fall

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics were the last team to fall from the ranks of the undefeated and James Harden made his debut with the LA Clippers on a busy Monday night in the NBA.

Timberwolves 114, Celtics 109 (OT)

Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 38 points in as Minnesota prevailed in overtime to hand Boston its first loss of the season.

Edwards, who also had nine rebounds and seven assists, came through in OT by making jump shots on three consecutive possessions. Jaden McDaniels had a 20-point performance for the Timberwolves, who received 14 points and 12 rebounds from Rudy Gobert.

Jayson Tatum scored a team-high 32 points for the Celtics, who got 26 points from Jaylen Brown and 20 from Kristaps Porzingis.

Knicks 111, Clippers 97

RJ Barrett, returning from a two-game absence caused by a sore left knee, scored 11 points during a fourth-quarter surge as the host New York Knicks broke open a tie game and cruised to a 111-97 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.

The Knicks outscored the Clippers 35-21 in the fourth quarter and 69-51 in the second half, spoiling the debut of new Los Angeles acquisition James Harden.

Barrett finished with 26 points while Julius Randle posted a season-high 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who won at home for the first time in three tries this season. Mitchell Robinson (13 points, 15 rebounds) also had a double-double for New York.

Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points while Harden finished with 17 points in 31-plus minutes in his first action since the Philadelphia 76ers dealt him to the Clippers on Oct. 31.

Nuggets 134, Pelicans 116

Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, rookie Julian Strawther scored a career-best 21 points and host Denver rallied from a 20-point deficit to rout New Orleans.

It was Jokic’s 108th career triple-double, fourth most on the all-time list. Rookie Jordan Hawkins scored a career-high 31 points and Brandon Ingram added 22 for the Pelicans.

New Orleans guard CJ McCollum was out after an MRI on Sunday revealed he had a collapsed lung and would likely miss multiple games. The Nuggets were missing guard Jamal Murray, who will be out for an extended period of time due to a hamstring injury.

Warriors 120, Pistons 109

Stephen Curry had 34 points and visiting Golden State defeated slumping Detroit.

Chris Paul finished with 17 points, six assists and five rebounds off the bench, and Klay Thompson had 17 points. Dario Saric added 12 points, while Jonathan Kuminga and Kevon Looney chipped in 10 apiece.

Cade Cunningham and Killian Hayes each had 21 points and combined for 12 assists for Detroit, which has lost five straight games. Isaiah Stewart contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Ausar Thompson had 16 points, seven rebounds and four steals.

Pacers 152, Spurs 111

Tyrese Haliburton scored 23 points, 20 of them in a dominating first half, and Myles Turner added 15 points and 11 rebounds as Indiana rolled past San Antonio in Indianapolis.

Indiana has won two of the first three games on its current homestand and ran the Spurs and rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama out of the building while forging a 25-point lead by halftime and a 39-point advantage late in the third quarter. Indiana finished with its highest-scoring game of the season.

Doug McDermott led San Antonio with 17 points off the bench. Keldon Johnson added 16, Zach Collins had 14, Wembanyama produced 13 points and 10 rebounds and Charles Bassey scored 10 points for the Spurs, who were playing the second game of a home-road back-to-back.

Mavericks 117, Magic 102

Luka Doncic poured in 29 points and Kyrie Irving scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half as Dallas improved to 6-1 with a big comeback win over host Orlando.

Tim Hardaway Jr. added 21 points for Dallas, which trailed by as many as 15 points in the second quarter before outscoring Orlando 64-36 in the second half.

Paolo Banchero scored 22 points to lead Orlando. Moe Wagner and Cole Anthony had 19 points apiece off the bench for the Magic, who missed their first 13 3-point attempts in the second half.

76ers 146, Wizards 128

Joel Embiid had 48 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to lift host Philadelphia over Washington.

Tyrese Maxey added 22 points and a career-high 11 assists, Tobias Harris contributed 18 points and De’Anthony Melton had 14 for the Sixers, who won their fifth game in a row after a season-opening loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Kyle Kuzma led the struggling Wizards with 28 points, while Jordan Poole added 23 and Deni Avdija followed with 16.

Heat 108, Lakers 107

Bam Adebayo recorded a triple-double of 22 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists, Jimmy Butler scored a season-high 28 points and Miami survived a late-game surge to beat visiting Los Angeles.

Tyler Herro finished with 22 points despite going just 2-for-10 from 3-point range on a night when the Heat collectively went just 12-for-37 from beyond the arc. The Miami defense forced Los Angeles into an even worse shooting performance from deep, however, limiting the Lakers to 8 of 26 from long range.

LeBron James scored seven of his game-high 30 points in a 1:19 stretch late in the fourth quarter, helping trim a 10-point Miami lead to one. His last points of the burst, a three-point play with 2:39 remaining, capped the game’s scoring.

Bucks 129, Nets 125

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points and hit the tiebreaking basket with 71 seconds remaining as Milwaukee outlasted Brooklyn in New York.

Antetokounmpo shot 15 of 27 from the field and scored nine points in the final six-plus minutes to help the Bucks get their second straight win. Damian Lillard added 21 points and seven assists for Milwaukee.

Cam Thomas led all scorers with 45 points and Mikal Bridges added 31 in the loss. Ben Simmons grabbed 15 rebounds for the Nets.

Bulls 130, Jazz 113

Zach LaVine scored 24 points and DeMar DeRozan added 21 as Chicago snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over visiting Utah.

Coby White hit 7 of 9 shots to finish with 18 points and had seven assists for the Bulls, who had eight players score in double figures as they successfully opened a three-game homestand with their top offensive output of the season.

Lauri Markkanen had a game-high 29 points, including five 3-pointers, but the Jazz posted a third consecutive loss.

Rockets 122, Kings 97

Jalen Green scored a game-high 23 points while Alperen Sengun posted a double-double as Houston dismantled visiting Sacramento for the second time in three days.

Green needed only nine shot attempts to pace the Rockets in scoring, doing most of his damage at the free-throw line, where he finished 10 of 12. Sengun, meanwhile, was the offensive linchpin, pairing a career-high 12 assists with 17 points to help Houston to its third consecutive victory.

The Kings, playing their third straight game without guard De’Aaron Fox (ankle), lost for the third straight time. They fell 107-89 at Houston on Saturday.

Thunder 126, Hawks 117

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points to lead Oklahoma City past visiting Atlanta, ending the Thunder’s two-game skid while also ending the Hawks’ four-game winning streak.

Gilgeous-Alexander missed Friday’s loss to Golden State with a sprained left knee. Trailing by 19 entering the fourth quarter, the Hawks didn’t go away quietly and steadily cut into the Thunder’s lead, eventually getting it down to six with a minute remaining.

But rookie center Chet Holmgren grabbed a rebound of Gilgeous-Alexander’s miss and laid it in, then was fouled by Onyeka Okongwu and made the free throw to finally put the game away.

–Field Level Media

NBA to Play ’25 All-Star Game in SF

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SAN FRANCISCO – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The National Basketball Association announced that the San Francisco Bay Area has been selected to host NBA All-Star 2025. as the 74th NBA All-Star Game will be played at Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors, on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025.

NBA All-Star 2025 will mark the first time that the event has been held at Chase Center, which opened in 2019. Additional signature events will take place throughout the Bay Area, including at Moscone Convention Center, Oakland Arena and the Warriors’ Oakland facility.  The Warriors previously hosted NBA All-Star in the Bay Area in 2000 at Oakland Arena in Oakland and in 1967 at the Cow Palace, home of the San Francisco Warriors, in Daly City.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made the announcement during a press conference at Chase Center, where he was joined by Warriors Co-Executive Chairman and CEO Joe Lacob, Warriors Co-Executive Chairman Peter Guber, Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer Brandon Schneider, and San Francisco Mayor London Breed.

“We are thrilled to host our NBA All-Star festivities in the San Francisco Bay Area, where there is a long and storied history of basketball,” said Silver.  “I want to thank Joe Lacob, Peter Guber and the entire Warriors organization for their support in bringing NBA All-Star back to the Bay Area.”

“It has been 25 years since the NBA All-Star Game was played in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we are delighted to bring the NBA’s marquee event to Chase Center in 2025,” said Lacob. “In addition to the significant economic impact and tourism business that NBA All-Star will drive, we look forward to hosting various events in San Francisco and Oakland to bring together basketball fans from all over the world.”

“San Francisco is honored that NBA All-Star 2025 will be coming to our incredible city,” said Breed. “Major sporting events like this bring excitement to our city and generate significant economic activity that creates jobs and support for our small businesses. We are proud to be home to an organization like the Golden State Warriors that not only provides thrills to all of our amazing fans night after night at Chase Center, but is a great partner to our city and supporter of communities across San Francisco.”

NBA All-Star on-court events will tip off on Friday, Feb. 14 at Chase Center with NBA Rising Stars, an annual showcase for top rookies and second-year NBA players.  On Feb. 15, the fourth NBA HBCU Classic will feature men’s basketball programs from two historically Black colleges and universities followed by State Farm All-Star Saturday Night which will feature the Kia Skills Challenge, the STARRY 3-Point Contest and AT&T Slam Dunk.  NBA All-Star 2025 will culminate with the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 16.

The NBA will host several events for fans of all ages at venues throughout the Bay Area, including at Moscone Convention Center, Oakland Arena and the Warriors’ Oakland Facility. These events, including NBA All-Star Practice, the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game and the official NBA All-Star fan event, will feature basketball, media, technology and pop culture as diverse and vibrant as the Bay Area.

The league will also continue its commitment to social impact with a full schedule of community engagement events during NBA All-Star 2025.

Jayson Tatum Sets Cs Milestone

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BROOKLYN – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jayson Tatum scored 32 points on Saturday night as the Boston Celtics pulled away midway through the fourth quarter to remain unbeaten with a 124-114 victory over the Brooklyn Nets in New York.\

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The Celtics did not lead by more than 14 and appeared sluggish at times before improving to 5-0 for the first time since starting the 2009-10 campaign with six straight victories.

Tatum reached the 30-point mark for the fourth time this season and also reached 10,000 career points by converting a three-point play in the second quarter. At 25 years, 246 days old, Tatum became the youngest player in Celtics history to reach the 10K milestone.

Tatum made 10 of 20 shots, hit six of Boston’s 15 3-pointers and collected 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 23 points while Kristaps Porzingis had his way inside against Brooklyn’s smaller lineup and contributed 22 to help the Celtics get 52 points in the paint.

Jrue Holiday added 18 points and 10 assists as the Celtics shot 47.8 percent and improved to 11-1 in the past 12 meetings with the Nets, including playoffs.

Playing the second night of their first back-to-back, the Nets shot 43 percent and saw a three-game winning streak end. Brooklyn also shot 32.7 percent (17 of 52) from 3-point range.

Cam Thomas led the Nets with 27 points while Spencer Dinwiddie and Mikal Bridges added 19 apiece. The Nets played without Nic Claxton (ankle) and also rested Ben Simmons for the first time.

Brooklyn briefly moved ahead in the second, but the Celtics scored the last eight points of the quarter and took a 70-58 halftime lead on Tatum’s trey at the horn.

Dinwiddie scored 12 points in the third quarter as Brooklyn erased nearly all of its halftime deficit and rallied from an eight-point hole to get within 91-88 going into the fourth quarter.

Boston let the lead slip to 96-95 when Dennis Smith Jr. hit a 3-pointer with 7:47 remaining, but Tatum hit two threes in a 14-4 spurt that extended the lead to 110-99 with about five minutes left to effectively seal the victory.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Oct 29

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While We’re Young (Ideas) on the Sports Equinox

By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – When the NBA tipped-off the 2023-24 regular season earlier this week while MLB’s Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks became unlikely World Series foes and the Boston Bruins began their NHL season at 6-0 before falling to the Anaheim Ducks, 4-3 in overtime, and the NFL hit “Week 8” of a promising season to come, we all looked forward to Sunday, October 29th when all four major sports will be in action of the same day. It’s come to be known as “Sports Equinox.”

If you’d like, you can toss-in the English Premier League and the MLS for a five sport equinox with a tip of the cap to the PGA Tour which is smartly taking a weekend off before returning with the World Wide Technology championship in Los Cabos, Mexico from November 2-5.

Add-in some weekly college football and you have what many believe is the best week of the year for sports fans.

Great? Only great if you prefer a World Series between such unlikely participants Arizona and Texas instead of a Fall Classic with 100-win teams like Atlanta Braves and LA Dodgers vs upstart and extremely likable Baltimore Orioles.

The NFL and NHL are knee-deep in highly competitive and unpredictable seasons ahead. Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francesco 49ers look good in the NFC while the Kansas City Chiefs look like the team to beat in the AFC. But, don’t be surprised if you’re watching the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jags or Baltimore Ravens rep the AFC this February.

Similarly, the NBA of 2023-24 will be rush to the finish for talented teams that can stay healthy and peak on the 1st of May. In the East, the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics are getting the most favorable look by Las Vegas oddsmakers while the West is still in the hands of the Denver Nuggets for most observers.

And, they’ll run the first ever “In-Season” tournament to get the ball rolling. It should be interesting as it makes early season game count even more than usual. This columnist likes the idea a lot and loves the NBA promo just as much. If you haven’t seen the spot, it’s entitled, “The Heist” and it’s a take-off of a Sopranos episode meeting Ocean’s 11. I only wish they’d have put some of the players in team uniform and had a cameo by team mascots Rocky or The Coyote. The theme will repeat in additional spots as the In-Season Tournament progresses. Give it a look, knowing the tournament’s finale will be in Sin City:

The full cast of “The Heist” includes:

  • The Mastermind: Michael Imperioli (“Goodfellas,” “The Sopranos”)
  • The Heavy: Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
  • The Sly Guy: DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls)
  • The Ice Man: Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks)
  • The Lookouts: Julius Randle (New York Knicks) and Darius Garland (Cleveland Cavaliers)
  • The Vet: Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
  • The Inside Man: Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers)

WWYI will do a more in-depth look at the NBA in the next week or two. Preseason predictions are often quite inaccurate, so this columnist will await the 10-game mark of the regular season to make some enlightened observations and predictions.

For the others?

  • MLB World Series: Texas is up 1-0 as of column creation, so Texas 4-games-to-1
  • NFL: KC Chiefs over the San Francisco 49ers – 27-21.
  • NHL: Las Vegas Knights over the Boston Bruins – 4-games-to-2

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: With the start of each pro season, WWYI usually runs Team Valuations calculated by our friends at Sportico, but since my company subscription ran-out a few weeks back, we’ll look to the old standard of Forbes for NBA Team Valuations of 2023-24.

Team, State, Current Value, 1-year change in value (%), debt/value (%), revenue, income

1. Golden State Warriors CA $7.7b 10 14 $765 M $79 M

2. New York Knicks, NY $6.6b 8 4 $504 M $169 M

3. Los Angeles Lakers, CA $6.4b 8 1 $516 M $159 M

4. Boston Celtics, MA $4.7b 18 4 $443 M $88 M

5. Los Angeles Clippers, CA $4.65b 19 2 $425 M $-12 M

6. Chicago Bulls, IL $4.6b 12 4 $372 M $115 M

7. Dallas Mavericks, TX $4.5b 36 3 $429 M $83 M

8. Houston Rockets, TX $4.4b 38 5 $381 M $125 M

9. Philadelphia 76ers, PA $4.3b 37 3 $371 M $120 M

10. Toronto Raptors, 🇨🇦 $4.1b 32 5 $305 M $75 M

NFL FUTURE FANS: A new kids’ game, Future Fans, was born when one of those iconic sports moments happened but for a young Dad watching the game with his young child, there was no one there to really share it with. The specific game was the 2022 AFC Championship game and the Cincinnati Bengals were about to earn their first trip to the Super Bowl in 33 years. Mike Schroder, a lifelong Bengals fan, watched nervously alone, wishing his then five-year-old daughter would watch with him.

Mike had spent countless hours trying to teach her about football and she knew the players and the fight song, but he couldn’t get her to watch the game. In that moment, he wondered whether there was a better way to get her engaged as a fan, and what that might mean for their future relationship together.

Mike (Schroder) sought out his friend Michael (Gold) and a small business was built on the belief that shared experiences in sports creates and sustains lifelong bonds. Michael (Gold) saw the power of his friend’s idea, reflecting on the central role of sports in the relationships in his life – going to Cincinnati Reds games as a kid with his grandmother, Ohio State college football games with his dad, and now Columbus Crew soccer games with his own kids.

Together, Michael and Mike set out to teach kids the rules of sports in ways they could understand – through stories, games and toys. They built Future Fans with the knowledge that life for parents of youngsters is quite busy – but win or lose, participation as a player or viewer in sports provides an opportunity to spend time together, and maybe, all week long talk about the next big game. Sports adds a bond between people over a shared passion – the experience of life as a true fan. Future Fans exists so everyone can experience a lifetime of great moments with their favorite teams, and enjoy the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat – together.

To get a Future Fans game for yourself or a friend or family member, visit: AMAZON

TIDBITS: The NBA on TNT and its emmy award winning wrap-around show enjoyed its debut this week, and was certainly beyond “mid-season form.” … Amongst the revelry and chaos, Charles Barkley made his viewpoint known when he commented, “Golden State is the fourth-best team in California,” placing the Warriors behind an unnamed order of the Los Angeles Clippers, LA Lakers and Sacramento Kings.

Later on as the “Inside the NBA” stars were enjoying local cuisine, the producers had a little surprise – especially for Shaquille O’Neal and Barkley.

Shaq: “Chuck, if you put him around your neck, I’ll give you 100,000 dollars.”

The BIG NOON (Big 12) game on FOX on Saturday ended at 4:30 (ET). Good game, but a rain (and some lightning) delay from 1:08pm (ET) to 2:02pm (ET). Kansas upset OK, 38-33, to snap an 18-game losing streak. … Saturday, in the FOX studio show before the Clemson vs N.C. State, Steve Smith Jr. said that “N.C. State was a basketball school.” After N.C. State upset Clemson, 24-17, Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren told the game announcers of CW Network, to tell Steve Smith “he can kiss my ass.” … On Friday night, with the Miami Heat in town to take on the Celtics in Boston’s home opener Celtics all-stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown told guard Derrick White that he had to be more aggressive this season. White responded and was trending on “X,” the artist formerly known as Twitter, all day Saturday after posting a 28 points, six rebounds, three blocked shots and five 3-pointers made line vs the Heat. Celtics opponents can expect – at least – four players to score in double figures, maybe six players. Tatum, Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and toss in Jrue Holiday and Al Horford for the six-some.

WEMBY & WILT: Much was said this week over San Antonio Spurs rookie first overall selection Victor Wembanyama’s NBA debut when he finished with 21 points on 7-of-19 shooting (0-for-6 from deep), 12 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in the Spurs’ 126-122 overtime victory. … Without any doubt, he’ll be fabulous. … But consider this, Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA rookie debut on October 29, 1959 showed a final (hand-written) boxscore of 43 points, 28 rebounds. … Keep in mind, the NBA didn’t track blocked shot until the 1973-74 season. Can you imagine?

While We’re Young (Ideas) continues to grow and is enjoying a whopping, grand, incredible 73% “open rate,” as of last Sunday. FYI (for those not in the business of PR or e-Newsletters, the norm of 27.9% is considered quite good.

LPGA – BOSTON: While the PGA Tour has taken a pass on the Boston market the last few years, the LPGA and Fenway Sports Group are planning a tournament at TPC Boston for 2024.

In a formal announcement this week, which included Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy on the dais, the LPGA Tour and FM Global named TPC Boston in Norton, Mass., as host golf course for the 2024 FM Global Championship. From Aug. 29 to Sept. 1, the newly created tournament will feature a field of 144 players competing for a $3.5 million purse, the largest prize fund on the LPGA Tour outside of the majors and Tour Championship.

The last time the LPGA played in Greater Boston/Mass was 20 years ago and the 2004 U.S. Women’s Open, held at Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass. It was won by Meg Mallon.

NBA Looking Into 76ers’ Mess

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NBA’s new player-participation regulations are being put to the test right from the start of the season, as the league is investigating James Harden’s absence from the Philadelphia 76ers’ opener on Thursday in Milwaukee, multiple media outlets reported.

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During the offseason, Harden requested a trade to the Los Angeles Clippers, but the sides have been unable to reach an agreement. As Harden feuded with the Philadelphia front office, he was in and out of the team’s preseason training camp, and then he didn’t make the trip to Milwaukee.

The new league rules require star players to be available for nationally televised games (the 76ers-Bucks contest aired on TNT) and for games in the inaugural In-Season Tournament.

“We are looking into the facts around James Harden’s availability tonight to determine whether an approved reason exists for his lack of participation,” league spokesperson Michael Bass said in a statement.

The team stated on its injury report that Harden was sidelined because of “return to competition reconditioning.”

The NBA can fine teams $100,000 for the first offense of the participation policy, barring “rare and unusual circumstances,” with penalties rising thereafter.

Harden, 34, was an All-Star for 14 consecutive seasons until the streak ended in the 2022-23 campaign. He averaged 21 points, a league-high 10.7 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 58 games, all starts, for Philadelphia last season.

–Field Level Media

Porzingis Leads Celtics Over Knicks

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire service Report) – Boston’s newly acquired center Kristaps Porzingis scored nine of his 30 points in the final 2:34 on Wednesday night for the visiting Celtics as they overcame a late six-point deficit to beat the New York Knicks, 108-104, in the season opener for both teams.

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Porzingis drained all six of his free throws down the stretch and hit a key three-pointer with 1:29 left that put Boston ahead for good at 104-101. His perfect performance from the foul line highlighted a fourth quarter in which the Celtics made 14 of 15 free throws. They finished the game 22-for-26 from the line.

Porzingis’ 30 points are the most ever by a Celtics player in his first game for the team. The 7-foot-3 center, who spent the first three seasons of his career with the Knicks, was acquired from the Washington Wizards on June 23.

Boston all-star Jayson Tatum (34 points, 11 rebounds) had a double-double for the Celtics, who led by as many as 12 in the third quarter and opened the fourth with a nine-point lead before the Knicks stormed back, rocking Madison Square Garden as though it was 1969-70.

New York’s RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley each had 24 points for the Knicks, who were 18 of 41 from 3-point land but just 14 of 26 from the free-throw line, including 5 of 9 in the fourth quarter.

Knicks’ center Julius Randle (14 points. 11 rebounds) had a double-double while point guard Jalen Brunson scored 15 points but shot just 6-for-21 from the field. NY’s Quentin Grimes added 11 points.

Barrett scored the first seven points of the fourth to begin a 13-2 run for the Knicks, who took their first lead at 86-84 on Josh Hart’s 3-pointer with 8:56 left. New York twice opened up a six-point lead, the last time at 101-95 on Brunson’s floater with 3:39 left, before Jrue Holiday’s layup began the Celtics’ game-ending run.

The Knicks missed their next six shots from the field, a span in which Porzingis scored nine unanswered points. Isaiah Hartenstein converted a putback with 18 seconds left to cut the Celtics’ lead to 106-104, but Payton Pritchard hit a pair of free throws and Brunson missed two 3-point attempts in the waning seconds.

Boston led 51-46 at the break behind 19 points from Tatum. Barrett paced New York with 14.

NBA: Celtics Sign Knight, Waive Scrubb

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Celtics announced signed forward/center Nathan Knight to a two-way contract. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Knight (6-10, 253) played in 108 games with the Atlanta Hawks (2020-21) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2022-23). He owns NBA career averages of 3.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the field.

The Syracuse native was a three-time Lou Henson Mid-Major All-American (2018, 2019, 2020) during his four-year colligate career at William & Mary, where he averaged 17.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 125 games. During his senior year, Knight was named the Lou Henson National Player of the Year by CollegeInsider.com, which is presented annually to the nation’s top Division I mid-major player. He was also selected as the Basketball Times National Mid-Major Player of the Year and 2020 CAA Player of the Year.

Knight attended Nottingham High School in Syracuse, New York and finished his high school career at Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire.

In a corresponding roster move the Celtics have waived guard Jay Scrubb.