• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Digital Sports Desk

Online Destination for the Best in Boston Sports

  • BOSTON SPORTS
    • Red Sox
    • Patriots
    • Celtics
    • Bruins
  • MLB
  • NHL
  • NBA
    • WNBA
    • USA Basketball
  • NFL
    • Super Bowl LIX
  • PGA TOUR
    • TGL GOLF
    • LIV GOLF
  • NCAA
    • NCAA Basketball
      • Big East
      • March Madness
    • NCAA Football
  • SPORTS BIZ
  • BETTING HERO
  • WHILE WE’RE YOUNG

NBA

Bah, Humbug

December 26, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey collected 33 points and 12 assists to lead the visiting 76ers to a 118-114 victory over the Celtics on Wednesday.

The 76ers received 27 points and nine rebounds from Joel Embiid and 23 points from Caleb Martin, who made 7 of 9 3-point attempts.

YouTube player

The Celtics, who trailed by 15 in the fourth quarter, trimmed their deficit to 116-114 with 4.9 seconds to play, but Embiid made two free throws to put the 76ers up by four with 2.8 seconds left. Philadelphia has won six of its past eight games.

Jayson Tatum led Boston in points (32) and rebounds (15). Jaylen Brown added 23 points and seven rebounds but shot 10 of 23 from the field. Payton Pritchard missed all eight of his 3-point attempts.

Boston, which was coming off a 108-104 setback against the Orlando Magic on Monday, lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Jrue Holiday didn’t play for Boston because of a right shoulder impingement. The Celtics also played most of the game without Kristaps Porzingis, who sustained a left ankle injury and didn’t play in the second half.

Philadelphia was without Andre Drummond, who missed his first game since Dec. 4 because of a sprained left toe. Drummond leads the 76ers in rebounding (8.0 boards per game).

The 76ers had a 30-25 advantage after one quarter and stretched the lead to 52-36 after a Paul George dunk capped a 17-2 run with 5:22 remaining in the first half. Philadelphia had a 66-58 halftime lead even though the Celtics made 13 of their 28 3-point attempts in the first two quarters.

Boston tied the contest, 74-74, on a Brown 3-pointer and took a 78-76 lead on a Tatum jumper with 4:03 left in the third quarter. The Celtics led by as many as four points in the frame, but it was 82-82 entering the fourth.

Philadelphia began the final quarter with a 12-2 spurt and led 94-84 after a Maxey jump shot with 8:50 to play. The 76ers extended their lead to 103-88 on a Martin 3-pointer with 6:37 left.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: Boston Sports, Celtics, NBA Tagged With: Boston Celtics, NBA, NBA on Christmas, Philadelphia 76ers

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Christmas ’24

December 22, 2024 by Terry Lyons

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

Merry Christmas ‘24 to all who celebrate the day. To others, this columnist wishes you sincere best wishes and joy for 2025 with peace during the holiday(s) you celebrate.

A sincere wish for Peace on Earth for all of us while we live our lives conveying 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. Later in the column, we’ll take a look back at 2024 with a week-by-week listing of what was covered by While We’re Young (Ideas).

I hope you enjoy this tradition.

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


HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Let’s take a look back at 2024 with Part One to follow starting today, and Part Two to come in next week’s missive. Here’s January to June 2024:

Part One – January 2024

Jan. 7th:

The PWHL Begins; The politics of Pro golf; PGA Tour Top 20 Players; NCAA TV Deal

Jan. 13th:

Bill Belichick saga; Jerod Mayo named Patriots head coach

Jan. 21st:

Celtics (20-1) at home; RIP Bud Harrelson; Sports Illustrated ^ sold (again)

Jan. 28th:

AFC/NFC Champ Sunday; BC vs. BU (ice hockey); Red Sox Truck Departs Fenway

February 2024

Feb. 4th

BIG EAST Update; 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend; Connor McDavid

Feb. 11th

Super Sunday (KC); NFL Honors (MVP Lamar Jackson); Super Menu; Clipped

Feb. 18th

NBA All-Star Weekend and Mac McClung; NBA All-Star ‘92 with Magic Johnson

Feb. 25th

Summer of ‘69 … From the Earth to the Moon; St. John’s Rick Pitino Meltdown

March 2024

March 3rd

March Madness; MIT Sloan Sports Conference; Hockey East; UConn Hoops

March 10th

MLB Spring Training & Seoul Game; The PLAYERS; Hockeyville, USA

March 17th

☘️ St. Patrick’s Day ‘24; BIG EAST at MSG; NYK St. Patrick’s Day tease

March 24th:

BC v. BU in Ice Hockey; National PUPPY Day ‘24; Irish Hurling

March 31st

MLB Regular Season; Predictions; UConn Dominating

April 2024

April 7th

Fenway Park; Basketball Hall of Fame Class; Caitlin Clark

April 14th

Boston Marathon/Patriots’ Day; Macklin Celebrini/Hobey Baker; Masters

April 21st

WNBA; Comparisons Miss the Facts; Scottie Scheffler Making History

April 28th

RIP St. John’s & ESPN’s Howie Schwab | The Who for Howie

May 2024

May 5th

FIBA Hall of Fame; The UFL; NBA’s Best Scorers Exit the Playoffs

May 12th

The NBA Draft Lottery; Thank you Mike Gorman; MLB Prospects

May 19th

Ice Hockey World Championship; ‘24 PGA Championship/Scheffler Arrested

May 25th/Memorial Day

The Sky is Falling at TNT; NLL Finals; 2024 Sports Emmy Awards

June 2024

June 2nd

Rest in Peace – Bill Walton (1952 – 2024) – Grateful Dead Tribute at The Sphere

June 9th

NBA Finals in Boston; Hockey’s Four Nations tournament

June 16th

Memorial tribute to Jerry West (1938 – 2024); Most Impactful in NBA History

June 23rd

The 2024 Travellers Championship; PGA Tour Update; Future CFB Playoffs

June 30th

The Greatest Things of Summer; BC Swimming/Dara Torres Hired to coach


TIDBITS: As the year comes to a close, it’s always fun to look at some sports business facts and figures, complete with a peek at the NBA team valuations provided by dear friends at Sportico. Each year, Sportico does a great job with the valuations of the major North American sports leagues. To see the full listing and the archives of others, you’ll need to subscribe (it’s a great value). Here? We’ll look at the Top 10:

  1. Golden State Warriors … $9.14b
  2. New York Knicks … $8.3b
  3. Los Angeles Lakers … $8.07b
  4. Brooklyn Nets … $5.7b
  5. Los Angeles Clippers … $5.68b
  6. Boston Celtics … $5.66b (team is for sale)
  7. Chicago Bulls … $5.56b
  8. Miami Heat … $5b
  9. Houston Rockets … $4.77b
  10. Toronto Raptors … $4.66b (US)

You’ll note, the Golden State Warriors took over the No. 1 slot previously held by the New York Knicks.

Also of note, the valuations were issued the week before the Dallas Mavericks hired longtime NBA Executive and Hall of Famer Rick Welts as its CEO. With that in mind, Digital Sports Desk estimates the Mavericks valuation improved mightily.

  • Dallas Mavericks (as of December 10, 2024) … $4.46b
  • Dallas Mavericks (as of this Thursday, December 19, 2024) … $5.46b

BOSTON PLAYER SALARIES: Here’s a look at the TOP 10 list of pro players cashing the loot during the 2024 season here in the Boston area:

  1. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics … $49,205,800
  2. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics … $34,845,340
  3. Jrue Holiday, Boston Celtics … $30,000,000
  4. Kristaps Porzingis, Boston Celtics … $29,268,293
  5. Mike Onwenu, New England Patriots … $26,000,000
  6. Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox … $25,000,000
  7. Drake Maye, New England Patriots … $24,262,100
  8. Trevor Story, Boston Red Sox … $22,500,000
  9. Kyle Dugger, New England Patriots … $21,000,000
  10. Derrick White, Boston Celtics … $18,821,429

THIS JEST IN: Harvard announced its first foray into the land of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). The press announcement read, “We are excited to announce the launch of Harvard’s One Crimson NIL Exchange platform, designed to connect businesses with our talented student-athletes for Name, Image and Likeness opportunities.

“This platform, powered by INFLCR, offers a streamlined process for businesses to engage directly with Harvard student athletes, facilitating collaborations that can enhance your brand’s visibility while providing our athletes with valuable partnerships.”

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: The FBI arrested and charged Atlanta-based Eugene Toriko travel agency’s CEO Maurice Eugene Smith in connection to the failed George Mason men’s basketball trip to the Bahamas this year. Again, credit to Sportico along with the D-1 Ticker, both reporting that $159,756 designated for accomodations and flights for George Mason’s team were allegedly utilized for private trips to Mexico and Panama. There is a possible 20-year sentence awaiting if convicted of wire fraud.

The complaint was filed this week in U.S. District Court in Virginia. Apparently, none of the money was returned to the school or its athletic department.

Filed Under: While We're Young Ideas Tagged With: 2024, NBA, NBA Valuations, TL's Sunday Sports Notes, Year in Review

Rick Welts Named Mavs’ CEO

December 18, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

DALLAS – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Dallas Mavericks organization has named Rick Welts the new Chief Executive Officer of the NBA franchise, effective Jan. 1, 2025, following Cynt Marshall’s nearly seven-year tenure.

In his remarkable 46-year career in sports and entertainment, Welts has previously held roles as President and COO of the Golden State Warriors, President of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and the NBA’s Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and President of NBA Properties.

“Inspiring leadership has been a staple of the Dallas Mavericks since Cynt Marshall started leading the organization in 2018 as CEO. I’m extremely proud that her legacy of success and our family’s vision for the future of this franchise will soon be in the hands of another great leader,” said Mavericks team Governor Patrick Dumont. “Rick Welts is among the most successful executives in the history of the NBA and a member of the Hall of Fame. To have him join us as we continue to build on the successful history of the Mavericks is a clear signal that this organization is serious about both growing its position as an elite NBA team and further positioning the franchise among the most popular sports teams in the world.”

“The chance to lead this organization in this city at this time is both incredibly exciting and unexpected,” said Welts. “I appreciate Patrick’s confidence in selecting me to build upon the culture and success that Cynt Marshall and Nico Harrison have created. My long-standing friendships with them both give me a lot of confidence in accepting this opportunity. I can’t wait to get started learning all I can about Dallas and how best to serve our fans and this community.”

“It gives me great pleasure to pass the baton to my friend, Rick Welts. From the day I joined the Mavs, I’ve benefited from his knowledge and vast experience in the sports and entertainment industry,” said Marshall. “I love our team so much and I’m happy that they will be in such great hands. There is no doubt that Rick and his family will embrace and enjoy the wonderful fans, employees and communities in Dallas.”

Welts began his NBA career as a ballboy with the SuperSonics in 1969 at the age of 16 and, a decade later, was a part of the franchise’s lone NBA championship in 1979 as its public relations director. During his 17 years with the NBA league office in New York, Welts’ notable accomplishments included the creation of NBA All-Star Weekend in 1984 and the marketing program for USA Basketball’s Olympic “Dream Team” in 1992. Along with (former WNBA President and current BIG East Commissioner) Val Ackerman, he was named “Marketer of the Year” by Brandweek in 1998 for his role in launching the WNBA.

Filed Under: NBA, Sports Business Tagged With: Dallas Mavericks, NBA, Rick Welts

Greek Freak was Out in Vegas

December 18, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

LAS VEGAS – Milwaukee’s Giannis “Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo scored 26 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and dished 10 assists and to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup title with a 97-81 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.

Milwaukee became the second winner of the Cup, following the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship in the inaugural tournament last season.

YouTube player

Damian Lillard added 23 points for the Bucks.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points but shot just 8-for-24 from the field, including 2 of 9 from 3-point range. Jalen Williams added 18 points on 8-of-20 shooting, while Isaiah Hartenstein added 16.

Lillard gave the Bucks an 11-point lead by draining one of his signature long range 3-pointers with 9:08 remaining in the third quarter. The bucket came directly following back-to-back technical fouls on Thunder forward Luguentz Dort and coach Mike Daigneault, leading to two free throws that Lillard sank.

Antetokounmpo scored 14 points in the first half and Lillard chipped in 12 as Milwaukee led 51-50 at the break. Hartenstein paced the Thunder with 14 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the half, despite earning a technical foul after a dust-up with Bucks guard Andre Jackson Jr. Neither team was able to extend the lead to more than five points in the second quarter as the Bucks outscored the Thunder 24-22.

The Thunder opened the game on a 16-9 run, forcing the Bucks to call timeout after 4 1/2 minutes. Lillard promptly answered, scoring seven of Milwaukee’s point Bucks as they went on a 13-4 run to take their first lead with 3:26 remaining in the first quarter.

Oklahoma City held a 28-27 advantage going into the second, in part because of a go-ahead 3-pointer by Gilgeous-Alexander with 1:22 left in the quarter.

Milwaukee made 34 of its 81 attempts (42 percent) from the field for the game, shooting 17 of 40 (42.5 percent) from 3-point range. The Bucks outrebounded Oklahoma City 52-43 and led by as many 20 points in the second half.

The Thunder shot 29 of 86 (33.7 percent) from the field, making only 5 of 32 attempts (15.6 percent) from long distance.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NBA Tagged With: NBA, NBA Cup

Celtics, Tatum Shoot Past Bucks

December 7, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Celtics extended their home winning streak to seven games by beating the Milwaukee Bucks 111-105 on Friday.

Boston used a 10-2 run to take a 105-101 lead with 1:29 left, and Jrue Holiday hit a jump shot that put the Celtics up 107-102 with 25.6 seconds to play. Holiday, who finished the game with 20 points, also made two free throws that handed Boston a 109-105 lead with 14.9 seconds remaining.

YouTube player

Jaylen Brown added 25 points for Boston, which was outrebounded 51-41 and shot 32.1 percent from 3-point range (17 of 53). Derrick White was 0-for-8 from 3-point territory, 1-for-10 overall, and scored six points.

Damian Lillard tossed in a team-high 31 points for Milwaukee, which received 30 points and 11 rebounds from Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bobby Portis finished with nine points and 18 rebounds.

Khris Middleton came off the bench and made his season debut for the Bucks, amassing 11 points, five assists and two steals in 23 minutes. He had been sidelined after undergoing offseason surgery on both ankles.

Milwaukee’s Taurean Prince was scoreless in nine minutes during the first half and did not play in the final two quarters. He had been questionable to play due to an illness. Gary Trent Jr. started for Prince in the second half, and he wound up with 11 points.

Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis (injury management) did not play in the win. Porzingis is averaging 21.0 points and 7.8 rebounds in four games this season.

Boston led 29-27 after one quarter, but Milwaukee had a 57-53 halftime lead. The Bucks trailed throughout the first half until Trent hit a 3-pointer that gave them a 46-45 advantage with 3:33 remaining in the second quarter.

Lillard scored 20 points in the first half. Boston missed each of its 12 3-point attempts in the second quarter.

Milwaukee closed the third quarter on a 5-0 run and had an 82-78 lead with 12 minutes to play.

It was the third and final regular season meeting between the teams. Boston won all three games.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: Boston Sports, Celtics, NBA Tagged With: Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA

NBA to Return to China with Nets, Suns

December 6, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

BEIJING – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NBA’s relationship with China that turned cold over a general manager’s tweet in 2019 apparently is defrosting with an announcement expected Friday of two preseason games in Macao in October, according to multiple reports Thursday.

The Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns will play on Oct. 10 and 12, 2025, at Macao’s Venetian Arena, marking the first games since 17 NBA teams played 28 preseason contests in China from 2004 to 2019.

Basketball is extremely popular in China, and the market was worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the NBA. However, a rift was created when then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support of anti-government protests in Hong Kong in October 2019.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver supported personal freedom of expression and did not punish Morey, the current GM of the Philadelphia 76ers.

In response, lucrative sponsorships were ended and league games were not shown on CCTV, the state-sponsored broadcaster in China, for one year after Morey’s tweet. Silver estimated in 2021 that the NBA lost $400 million that year because of the frayed relationship.

NBA games, however, started appearing regularly on CCTV in 2022 and became available on a streaming service.

NBA players, including stars Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings, have made appearances in China. Macao will host a celebrity basketball game on Saturday featuring former NBA standouts.

The Venetian Arena is owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corp., which operates a casino there. Macao is the only place in China with legal casino gambling. Dallas Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont is the president and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands.

Joe Tsai, the co-founder and chairman of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, owns the Nets.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: NBA, Sports Business Tagged With: Brooklyn Nets, NBA, NBA in China, Phoenix Suns

Celtics Outplay Pistons

December 4, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 28 points and dished out nine assists to lead the Celtics to a 130-120 victory over the visiting Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.

YouTube player

Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis added 26 points and nine rebounds, and Sam Hauser made 5 of 10 3-point attempts while logging 20 points. Payton Pritchard contributed 19 points, Derrick White added 14 points and 11 assists, and Al Horford also had 14 points.

The Celtics extended their home winning streak to six games and won for the ninth time in 10 games overall. Detroit took its third straight defeat.

Cade Cunningham amassed 27 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists for the Pistons, who lost despite making 20 of their 39 3-point attempts (51.3 percent). Tobias Harris also tossed in 27 points for Detroit, and Malik Beasley finished with 23.

Boston played without Jayson Tatum (right knee) and Jrue Holiday (left knee). Tatum is averaging a team-high 28.4 points per game and a team-best 8.6 rebounds per game. Holiday is averaging 11.7 points per contest.

Before the game, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said Tatum is working through an ailment that is getting better each day.

The Celtics led 39-24 after one quarter and 72-58 at halftime. Before the break, Boston made 11 of 26 3-point attempts (42.3 percent) and shot 56.5 percent from the field.

Brown scored 23 of his 28 points in the first 24 minutes.

The Pistons were within 10 points after a Harris 3-pointer made it 90-80 with 5:19 remaining in the third quarter, but Boston stoked the advantage to 103-88 entering the fourth.

The Celtics led by 20 early in the final quarter before Detroit went on a 12-0 run to make it 109-101, capped by a Beasley 3-pointer. A Cunningham jumper cut the deficit to six with 6:48 to play, but the Pistons failed to get closer than five the rest of the way.

The contest was the second between the Celtics and the Pistons this season. Boston won 124-118 at Detroit on Oct. 26. The teams meet again in Boston on Dec. 12 and in Detroit on Feb. 26.

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: Boston Sports, Celtics, NBA Tagged With: Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, NBA

NBA Cup: Celtics Eliminate Bulls

November 30, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

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

YouTube player

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–Field Level Media

Filed Under: Boston Sports, Celtics, NBA Tagged With: Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, NBA

Clips Fall to Streaking Celtics

November 26, 2024 by Digital Sports Desk

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

YouTube player

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

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

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

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

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

 

Filed Under: Boston Sports, Celtics, NBA Tagged With: Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers, NBA

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | Nov 24

November 24, 2024 by Terry Lyons

 

By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

Mine are:

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

If playing another, which is usually the case

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

The tournament style set-up is worth a try.


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

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

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

Filed Under: NBA, While We're Young Ideas Tagged With: ESPN, NBA, TL's Sunday Sports Notes, While We're Young Ideas

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 5
  • Page 6
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 31
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

NBA & NHL Sports Desk

Loading RSS Feed
Loading RSS Feed

Trending on Sports Desk

2023 NBA Playoffs 2024 NBA Finals Baltimore Orioles Basketball Hall of Fame BC Eagles Big East Big East Basketball Big East Tournament Boston Bruins Boston Celtics Boston College Boston Red Sox Buffalo Bills Chicago White Sox Dallas Mavericks FedEx Cup Playoffs Houston Astros Kansas City Chiefs LIV Golf MLB MLB Postseason NBA NCAAB NCAAF New England Patriots New York Yankees NFL NFL Thursday Night Football NHL PGA Tour PGA Tour Brunch Red Sox Sports Biz Sports Business St. John's Texas Rangers The Masters The Open TL's Sunday Sports Notes TL Sunday Sports Notes Tokyo Olympics Toronto Blue Jays USA Basketball While We're Young Ideas World Series

Twitter

DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 Follow 27,572 10,838

Boston Sports Commentary 🏀 ⚾️🏒🏈 Pro point of view; Expert analysis of #RedSox #NBA #PGATour #NHLBruins #SportsBiz #NFL & BIG EAST hoops

DigSportsDesk
DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
9h 1926320711842296138

Red Sox announced Game 1 start time is 1:30pm EDT

DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
9h 1926320491343609881

Fenway Park Grounds Crew makes its move at 12:51pm

Image for the Tweet beginning: Fenway Park Grounds Crew makes Twitter feed video.
DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
9h 1926315779735040292

Game Delay at #FenwayPark

Image for the Tweet beginning: Game Delay at #FenwayPark Twitter feed video.
DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
21 May 1925131163162509800

Well put POV for a generation of #Cheers fans

Well put POV for a generation of #Cheers fans
Mike Greenberg @Espngreeny

If you are my age, you just lost one of your best friends. #ripgeorgewendt

DigSportsDesk avatar; DigitalSportsDesk 🏆 @DigSportsDesk ·
16 May 1923529357865201968

Ahhh - Mike Breen’s voice. Ahhhhhh

Load More...

Facebook

Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons
DigitalSportsDesk.com
2 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Sunday Sports Notebook

... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

TL's Sunday Notes | March 30

open.substack.com

While We're Young (Ideas) and March Go Out Like a Lyons
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

DigitalSportsDesk.com
3 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Gotta Give Pitino the credit. Constant and Full-Court Press made the difference and his players were in condition to wear down UConn. digitalsportsdesk.com/st-johns-defeats-mighty-uconn/ ... See MoreSee Less

Gotta Give Pitino the credit.  Constant and Full-Court Press made the difference and his players were in condition to wear down UConn. https://digitalsportsdesk.com/st-johns-defeats-mighty-uconn/
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

DigitalSportsDesk.com
4 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Groundhog Day!

whileyoungideas.substack.com/p/tls-sunday-sports-notes-feb-2 ... See MoreSee Less

Groundhog Day!

https://whileyoungideas.substack.com/p/tls-sunday-sports-notes-feb-2
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

DigitalSportsDesk.com
4 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

Plenty O' Notes and a Look at Boston Pro sports for 2025 - ... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

TL's Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 12 - Digital Sports Desk

digitalsportsdesk.com

In each round-up, there are far too many questions and not nearly enough definitive answers to the woes facing the New England clubs, the Celtics included. It might be time for some major shake-ups at...
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

DigitalSportsDesk.com
5 months ago
DigitalSportsDesk.com

The first Sunday Sports Notes of 2025 | Including Some Predictions

... See MoreSee Less

Link thumbnail

TL's Sunday Sports Notes | Jan 5 - Digital Sports Desk

digitalsportsdesk.com

KEY DATES IN 2025: Everyone needs to circle these dates on their sports calendar: KEY DATES IN 2025: Everyone needs to circle these dates on their sports calendar:
View on Facebook
· Share
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
View Comments
  • likes 0
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

0 CommentsComment on Facebook

Load more

The Custom Facebook Feed plugin

Digital Sports Desk

May 2025
S M T W T F S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Apr    

Digital Sports Desk: Copyright © 2022
www.digitalsportsdesk.com