Foxborough, MA - July 30: New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and Mazzulla's stepson Michael Harden arrive for Patriots training camp at Gillette Stadium on July 30, 2025. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The New England Patriots will play in the Super Bowl tonight. Stop me if you’ve heard that before.
I genuinely can’t imagine how my friends that aren’t Boston sports fans do it. How do you deal with someone who cheers for teams that seemingly don’t rebuild, don’t take gap years, and whose version of disappointment usually involves falling short on the biggest stages? That disappointment itself is a luxury. Most fanbases would kill just to be relevant long enough to be crushed that way.
And yet, here we are again.
The Patriots are playing in Super Bowl LX in Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach. The Celtics are near the top of the East despite reshuffling roles, missing stars, and redefining themselves in real time. None of the success feels frantic or accidental. Like clockwork, Boston simply continues to win.
DENVER, CO – JANUARY 25: New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) and head coach Mike Vrabel celebrate after a win against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game at Empower Field at Mile High on January 25, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
That’s the part worth paying attention to. Because this isn’t about luck, or magic, or Boston mystique. It’s about something much more repeatable: identity, clarity, and leadership that knows how to survive discomfort.
Joe Mazzulla noticed it immediately with Mike Vrabel.
“I think when you just take a look at it, they’re a team that’s developed an identity over the course of the season,” Mazzulla said of the Patriots after they clinched their Super Bowl berth. “Every coach, regardless of the sport, is looking for that — creating that type of identity and consistency, and playing to that throughout an entire season.”
He could have been talking about his own team. When you strip them down to their nuts and bolts, the Celtics and Patriots are largely building the same thing. They’re just doing it in their own ways.
Foxborough, MA – July 30: New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and Mazzulla's stepson Michael Harden arrive for Patriots training camp at Gillette Stadium on July 30, 2025. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Identity shows up before the results do
The Patriots didn’t make Super Bowl LX by reinventing themselves between Week 1 and now. They just figured out who they were early on and leaned harder into that week after week.
Close games. Defensive discipline. Playing ugly without apologizing for it.
The Celtics have followed a similar blueprint. Lineups have been changing nightly. Roles expanding and contracting like a living organism. Yet the structure has held. Decisions are still clean. That kind of consistency doesn’t come from talent alone, but rather a coach who cares more about how five guys function together than who gets credit for it.
Mazzulla has been open about what he values when things get uncomfortable.
“The togetherness stood out,” he said after a recent upset win over the Houston Rockets. “That s*** matters. The ability for us to stick together whether it’s perfect or not, is important.”
That soundbite does more than just describe how the Patriots and Celtics are operating. It says something about how Boston itself operates.
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 21: Derrick White #9, Al Horford #42, Jayson Tatum #0, Jaylen Brown #7, Kristaps Porzingis #8, and Jrue Holiday #4 of the Boston Celtics pose for a photo with the Larry O'Brien Trophy and the Bill Russell Finals MVP Trophy before the 2024 Boston Celtics championship parade on June 21, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As a Boston fan, there’s no expectation of approval from the outside. At least there hasn’t been in my lifetime. When the Patriots make the Super Bowl, the path was soft. If you ask a Lakers fan, they’ll tell you the Celtics benefitted from an injury-plagued playoff run en route to Banner 18 — which is funny, because if Boston doesn’t beat Dallas in 2024, Nico Harrison probably never starts staring at Luka’s midsection long enough to pick up the phone and call Rob Pelinka. So really, you’re welcome, Lakers fans.
What the Celtics and Patriots have done instead is lean inward. Trust the locker room. Trust the structure. I almost walked into “Trust the Process,” but caught myself.
Trust has been explicit from both coaches all season. Mazzulla has said it out loud, and the Patriots turned it into a slogan: We all we got. We all we need.
Neither group has been perfect. Both have had to adjust on the fly. But the through line has been belief in each other and a refusal to fracture when things get uncomfortable. In Boston, that mindset isn’t new. And it travels just as well from the locker room to the fanbase.
Vrabel and Mazzulla aren’t similar, but they’re aligned
Mike Vrabel and Joe Mazzulla are….different. If they were to sit next to each other on a long flight, I think Joe would be headphones in with The Town on before takeoff.
But listen to how they talk about leadership, and the similarities between them becomes obvious.
“Joe is fantastic,” Vrabel said last summer. “He’s always trying to learn and gain knowledge different ways — about building a team, about strategy, about scheme, about inspiring players to do their job well. So I always love my conversations with him.”
That curiosity matters. So does the emphasis on responsibility.
Mazzulla echoed that sentiment when Vrabel attended a Celtics practice earlier this season.
“There’s got to be communication and understanding,” Mazzulla said. “We’re all carrying a responsibility to compete at a high level and bring championships to this city. So you’ve got to learn from each other and have that perspective.”
Neither coach talks first about stars. They talk about standards, roles, and people knowing exactly why they’re there.
That’s how you survive a season in Boston when nothing goes according to plan.
Vrabel and Mazzulla don’t talk about winning as something you chase. They talk about it as something you arrive at together.
That shared language explains why this all feels so familiar in Boston. Coaches arrive, systems settle, expectations snap back into place. The Patriots went from irrelevance (and the occasional Lunatic Lateral) to the Super Bowl in one year. The Celtics are contending while redefining themselves in real time.
I think I always knew it deep down, but I’m starting to accept why this all feels unbearable from the outside — and like just another February in Boston for those of us on the inside.
Feb 7, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) shoots the ball against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
All is well that ends well. The Mitchell and Harden pairing struggled at the start of the game. They seemingly didn’t want to step on each other’s toes, which resulted in a stagnant half-court offense that mostly involved aimlessly swinging the ball around the perimeter with little off-ball movement.
The starting lineup featuring four guards with Tyson and Sam Merrill, with Allen as the only forward, didn’t do anyone any favors. I understand why you’d want to go small to simplify things for Harden, but this led to getting beaten on the defensive glass and giving up 27 second-chance points.
The Cavs were able to get back into the game thanks to their bench lineups, and closed with Mitchell and Harden playing their best.
Cleveland took the lead late with back-to-back Harden triples, the last coming from a nice Mitchell swing from the corner to a wide-open Harden.
Both are such talented offensive pieces that bring so much attention to the ball. It’s easy to see what made pulling the trigger on this deal so alluring. The question will be how often we get to see the level of synergy we saw in the fourth quarter.
In the meantime, we know that Harden is going to make Jarrett Allen’s life easier.
There are few guards better at feeding their forwards than Harden. His size, strength, vision, and ball placement allow him to set up his big man in the perfect spot to score.
Great players make what they do well look easy. Harden did that as he repeatedly found Allen on the block and in the short roll, to set up high-percentage looks.
“In the pick-and-roll, I feel like he found every opportunity to exploit it,” Allen said postgame. “Even if it wasn’t a pass to me, we were just creating action, creating gravity for players to bring it to us.”
Once Allen gets going, he can be difficult to handle. As we’ve seen throughout this season, Allen needs to be fed early if he’s going to have a major impact. Harden and the Cavs made it a priority to get Allen involved. He rewarded them for doing so with 29 points on 11-12 shooting with 10 rebounds.
This road trip has been a great reminder of how impactful Allen can be. He’s an incredibly good finisher in the paint (and even converted a post fadeaway) and is an underrated playmaker when he has the ball in his hands with room to operate.
Allen’s proficiency in the short roll is going to pair nicely with Harden, who once again showed how good he is when the defense doubles him.
This is one of the areas he’s going to help the offense out most. Harden requires the opposing defense to shift over to him. That will be useful when he’s sharing the floor with Mitchell and anchoring bench lineups.
Harden’s patience when the double team comes and skill to make the correct, on time, and on target pass give screeners like Allen, Tyson, and Craig Porter Jr. the ability to beat them in the short roll.
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Overall, this was a great debut from Harden, even if it wasn’t perfect.
He — understandably — looked like someone who was trying to find his place on the floor. He wasn’t assertive in the first half and struggled to find his defensive rotations.
Even when Harden got going in the fourth quarter, he seemed hesitant to drive to the paint, which resulted in his only two free-throw attempts coming once Sacramento had to foul in the final minute and no shot attempts at the rim. It’s not going to be an outstanding scoring night for Harden if he isn’t getting to the basket and the line early and often.
Still, it speaks to how talented Harden is that even when he isn’t at his best, he’s still incredibly valuable. The Cavs don’t come close to winning this game if it’s not for his scoring in the fourth and the playmaking he showed throughout.
This performance should make everyone excited about how things look when Harden gets more acclimated with his new teammates. He finished with 23 points on 7-13 shooting with eight assists and two rebounds.
Keon Ellis was everywhere defensively. He has the rare combination of being both a great individual defender, while also being able to get his hand on the ball anytime someone comes near him with it. Ellis provided three steals and a block in just 17 minutes.
That defensive effort was useful on a night when only a few of their players decided to show up on that end. It allowed Mitchell and Harden’s fourth-quarter scoring to matter as it did. This led to him being in the closing lineup and finishing the game with a plus/minus of +20.
Dennis Schroder’s production is much needed. His energy and ability to get into the paint have been sorely missed from the backup point guard position. That was on display on Saturday as he picked up seven points and four assists, while being a +22 in just 17 minutes.
The minute distribution is out of balance. Ellis and Schroder were phenomenal and fit exactly what the team needed, but neither played over 17 and a half minutes. Meanwhile, Porter saw just under 23. This isn’t a shot at Porter, but it’s difficult to see him as the superior option over either, especially on a night Mitchell and Harden are both playing.
The rotations are a work in progress. Head coach Kenny Atkinson likely wants to see as many different lineups as possible with the new additions, and it makes sense to reward Porter for how well he’s been playing recently. That said, it’s fair to point out that the lineup combinations — including the four-guard starting unit — left a lot to be desired.
This is still Mitchell’s team. Even though he was hesitant to step on toes at the start of the game, he wasn’t afraid to take over late. Mitchell scored 29 in the second half on 11-16 shooting, while being confident in taking over in crunch time.
Afterward, Harden praised Mitchell for doing so. He told sideline reporter Serena Winters that Mitchell is “the leader of the team” and that he’s just there to “support him and do whatever it takes to help.”
If this experiment is going to work, it will be because Mitchell and Harden elevate each other on the court as they did down the stretch in Sacramento.
For default Yahoo! fantasy leagues, Week 17 consists of two actual weeks because of the All-Star break. Add in teams working new additions into their rotations on the heels of the trade deadline, and there's a lot for fantasy managers to sift through ahead of the mad dash for the playoffs. Below is a look at the Week 17 schedule and some key storylines.
Week 17 Games Played
5 Games: ATL, BKN, CHA, CHI, CLE, DEN, IND, LAC, LAL, MIL, NYK, OKC, ORL, PHI, PHX, POR
4 Games: DAL, DET, GSW, HOU, MEM, MIA, MIN, NOR, SAC, SAS, UTA, WAS
3 Games: BOS, TOR
Week 17 Back-to-backs
Sunday (Week 16)-Monday: MIA, MIN
Monday-Tuesday: LAL
Tuesday-Wednesday: HOU, IND, LAL, NYK, PHX, SAS
Wednesday-Thursday: MIL, OKC, POR, UTA
Thursday (February 20)-Friday: ATL, BKN, CHA, CLE, DEN, IND, LAC, WAS
Friday-Saturday: MEM, MIA
Saturday-Sunday: CHI, NYK, ORL, PHI, PHX
Sunday-Monday (Week 18): None
Week 17 Storylines of Note
- Celtics, Raptors players won't help you much to begin Week 17.
Boston and Toronto are the only teams limited to three games during Week 17. The good news is that both play two of their games after the All-Star break, so fantasy managers are really only "sacrificing" the first half of the week. Boston's first game of Week 17 will provide another data point on how Joe Mazzulla will handle the center position. Neemias Queta remained in the starting lineup for Friday's win over the Heat, but he played 22 minutes while Nikola Vučević played 28 off the bench in his Celtics debut.
As for Toronto, they'll also go into Week 17 with questions to answer at the center position. At the time of publishing, Jakob Poeltl was questionable for the team's final Week 16 game, as he continues to deal with a back injury that first became an issue during training camp. Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili have helped fill the void admirably, but both stand to see their minutes decrease once Poeltl returns. Also, the Raptors acquired Trayce Jackson-Davis at the deadline, and he may also be in the mix for rotation minutes.
- Lakers, Bucks, Thunder, Trail Blazers and Jazz each play three games during the first "half" of Week 17.
For those who don't have a games-played limit to deal with and are looking to take full advantage of team schedules, these four are the ones to target in the first half of Week 17. Each will have a back-to-back to navigate, which could be an issue for the Lakers (Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić, if he's able to return from his hamstring injury), the Thunder (Isaiah Hartenstein, among others) and the Trail Blazers (Scoot Henderson, Deni Avdija, and Robert Williams). While the Lakers have their back-to-back at the beginning of the week, the Bucks, Thunder, Trail Blazers and Jazz each play their back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday.
Of these five teams, Utah will likely be the most infuriating for fantasy managers to deal with. While they started their best frontcourt in Saturday's loss to the Magic, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkić did not play at all in the fourth quarter. Orlando completed a rally from 17 points down to win by three; mission accomplished for the Jazz, who are clearly focused on doing all that they can to hold onto their first-round pick. For the sake of fantasy managers, the back-to-back may be better, as it should (in theory) lead to the team ruling players out immediately rather than engaging in shenanigans that do enough to avoid an investigation into tanking.
- Thirteen teams play three games during the second "half" of Week 17.
Having to deal with a back-to-back right out of the All-Star break is suboptimal, especially if it's on Thursday and Friday. Brooklyn, Cleveland, Denver, Indiana, the Clippers and Washington will have to deal with a Thursday/Friday back-to-back out of the break. Cleveland and Denver should be pretty straightforward since those teams have title ambitions, and the Clippers don't gain much from tanking since their first-round pick is going to the Thunder no matter what.
But the Nets, Pacers and Wizards? Be prepared for some interesting rotations, whether it's starters not playing at all or having their minutes cut during a game. Players like Egor Dëmin and Day'Ron Sharpe (Brooklyn), Jarace Walker (Indiana) and Will Riley (Washington) will likely have increased fantasy value the rest of the way due to the assumption that they should be safe from losing out on playing time.
As for the teams that will end Week 17 with a Saturday/Sunday back-to-back, New York (Mitchell Robinson), Philadelphia (Joel Embiid) and Phoenix (Devin Booker, Jalen Green) are the ones to watch in terms of availability. Obviously, none of these teams are tanking. However, playing a back-to-back that soon out of the break may lead to some of the more injury-prone players getting a night off.
- Tuesday and Thursday are the light game days of Week 17.
There are four games on Tuesday and three on Thursday, with at least six games scheduled for the other six days during Week 17. As noted above, the Jazz ends the first half of Week 17 with a Wednesday/Thursday back-to-back, so home games against the Kings and Trail Blazers could be "fun" for fantasy managers. The Kings may also look to prioritize their younger players, as they did in Saturday's loss to the Cavaliers.
While Russell Westbrook played 32 minutes and DeMar DeRozan 30, Nique Clifford played 40 minutes and Daeqwon Plowden logged 39 as a spot starter. Add in reserves Dylan Cardwell and Devin Carter, and those are the guys whose opportunities should only increase as the 12-42 Kings look to the future. Hopefully, Sacramento will be straightforward in handling its veteran players, and fantasy managers would likely appreciate that approach.
PERTH, Australia (AP) — South Africa won the Australian stopover in the sevens world series for the first time in nine years after topping Fiji 21-19 in the Perth final on Sunday.
It took a phenomenal second try by Ryan Oosthuizen, who crashed past four Fijians, to tie the score at 19 that was then converted from the sideline by Ricardo Duarttee.
“I'm not the fastest guy so sometimes I need to run over people,” Oosthuizen said.
New Zealand women won their third leg of four in the series, beating defending Perth champion Australia 29-7 in the 31-degree (C) heat and ending Australia's 10-match home win streak.
South Africa pounced on two Fiji errors to blast off 14-0 in four minutes. Duarttee converted tries by Oosthuizen and Sebastiaan Jobb.
But Fiji has been the comeback king lately. It rallied from 12-0 down to beat France in the Singapore final last weekend, and beat South Africa from 14-0 down in pool play on Saturday.
Terio Veilawa was at the center of Fiji's rally, setting up tries for Viwa Naduvalo and captain Jeremaia Matana to trail only 14-12 at halftime. Veilawa then claimed the second-half restart and broke two tackles on his own 22 line to score the go-ahead try, converted by Iowane Teba for 19-14.
But South Africa regained the lead when Oosthuizen high-stepped to his second try and Duarttee slotted his second big sideline conversion.
The last five minutes were all defense. Nacani Boginisoko made a try-saving tackle near the right corner flag on South Africa’s Donovan Don, and Luan Giliomee pulled off a try-saver on Boginisoko on the halfway line.
South Africa last won in Australia in 2017 and is the first two-time men’s winner in the ongoing series.
In the season's fourth women's final of four between the neighbors, the Australians, after being smashed by New Zealand 36-7 in the Singapore final, scored first through Heidi Dennis, their youngest player at 20.
But Jorja Miller, on her 22nd birthday, kickstarted New Zealand with a brilliant run. She slipped out of a double tackle near the right touchline in her half, tore away and threw off a third defender, and offloaded to send captain Risi Pouri-Lane over.
Kelsey Teneti then scored on both sides of halftime for a Perth-leading eight tries. Katelyn Vaha'akolo finished off another overlap, and New Zealand, which missed one tackle in the final, capped it in typical style: Stacey Waaka forced a desperation spill by Australia's Maddison Levi near her tryline and Alena Saili snapped up the gift.
“After back-to-back tournaments, for the girls to show consistency and connection and still turn up even when it's hot and you're hurting, I'm really proud,” Pouri-Lane said.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 21: New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye reacts during overtime in a game between the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 21, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Growing up in Massachusetts, Super Bowl Sunday felt like a national holiday in the 2000s and 2010s. Normally the New England Patriots would be playing in the big game at night but to set the stage for the evening, the Boston Celtics would play a game on the same day, most of the time in TD Garden. With the Patriots once again making the Super Bowl this season against the Seattle Seahawks and the Celtics scheduled to face off against the New York Knick at 12:30pm a holiday that sat dormant for years is making its triumphed return. I thought it would be a fun exercise to take a look at the history of the Celtics playing on a Patriots Super Bowl and what I found were some iconic memories in Boston history.
There were only three instances in the twelve Super Bowl appearances for the Patriots in their history where the Celtics did not play a game on the same day. The first coming on January 26th, 1997 when New England lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl 31. The second was on February 1st, 2004 when New England beat the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 38. The last occurrence came on February 3rd, 2008 when New England lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl 42.
1/26/1986: Celtics 105, 76ers 103
On January 26th, 1986, the 1985 New England Patriots played in their first ever championship game in Super Bowl 20 against the Chicago Bears. Kickoff started at exactly 3:21 Eastern Standard Time and they got crushed 46-10. Fans in the city of Boston didn’t have to wait long to find a distraction because the Boston Celtics tipped off against the Philadelphia 76ers at 8pm that same night in the Boston Garden.
In a matchup where Charles Barkley and Maurice Cheeks combined for 48 points and Kevin McHale was out, Larry Bird dropped 28 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals on the 76ers but on an off shooting night of 9-25. He was 3-5 from three point range and he had some help along side him with 19 points and 13 rebounds from Bill Walton, 17 points from Dennis Johnson, and 16 points from Scott Wedman who replaced McHale in the starting lineup.
Philadelphia was up 99-98 with two minutes to go, and threatening on the fast break before Dennis Johnson made an incredible block on Moses Malone to keep it a one score game. After some more great defense, Danny Ainge found Larry Bird streaking to the basket for an And-1 on a reverse layup to give Boston a 101-99 lead with a minute to go. The rest of the game ended in both teams taking turns at the free throw line. Boston hit all of theirs while Philadelphia went 3-5 including Charles Barkley missing a free throw at the end of the game to give the Celtics a 105-103 win. The 76ers fell to 29-15 on the season while the Celtics moved to 33-8 on their road to winning the 1986 NBA Championship.
2/3/2002: Celtics 104, Clippers 91
The Celtics and Patriots would not cross paths again until Super Bowl 36 on February 3rd, 2002. Where the underdog 2001 New England Patriots were going up against the St. Louis Rams who were known as “The Greatest Show on Turf” for how explosive their offense was. The Patriots were led by head coach 2nd year head coach Bill Belichick and 2nd year quarterback Tom Brady. But before the Super Bowl was played that night at 6:40, the Boston Celtics had a 3pm matinee matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Unlike the thriller the Celtics played in back in 1986, this game was more subdued with the Celtics taking care of business 104-91. It was a close game going into the fourth quarter with the Celtics holding a slim 81-78 lead. However, the Clippers offense was held to only 13 points on 3-17 shooting in the quarter while Boston rattled of a 19-7 run that was sealed by an Antonie Walker three with 5 minutes to go give Boston the victory. Walker (27 points) and Paul Pierce (24 points) combined for 51 points Boston’s win while Michael Olowokandi led LA with 27 in the loss. The Clippers record moved to 24-25 while the Celtics moved up to 27-20 however neither of these teams would make the playoffs in the 2001-02 season.
Back to the Super Bowl, after the Rams tied the game up at 17-17 with 1:37 left in the game, the Patriots quickly moved down the field to get into field goal range with 7 seconds left in the game. Future Hall of Fame kicker Adam Vinatieri drilled a game winning field goal and for the first time in their franchise’s history, the New England Patriots were Super Bowl champions.
3 Feb 2002: Paul Pierce #34 of the Boston Celtics takes a jumper against the Los Angeles Clippers during their NBA Game at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright 2002 NBAE Mandatory credit: Noren Trotman/NBAE/Getty Images | NBAE via Getty Images
2/6/2005: Celtics 103, Timberwolves 100
We fast forward three seasons into the future for our next double feature and the Patriots are turning themselves into a dynasty. After missing the playoffs in 2002, they came back and won Super Bowl 38 again in the 2003 season and are going for their fourth in three years in 2004 in Super Bowl 39. The Boston Celtics were on the road for this game, playing a 1pm matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This was a back and forth game throughout and the Celtics took a 101-96 lead on 2 made free throws by Paul Pierce with 1:26 left in the game. Minnesota answered with 2 free throws of their own and Kevin Garnett hit a midrange jumper with 10 seconds left to get the Timberwolves within 1 point. Pierce was fouled on the inbounds and hit two more clutch free throws to give Boston a 103-100 lead with 8.9 seconds left. Out of the Timberwolves timeout, future Celtics assistant coach Sam Cassell went up for a game-tying three but it was blocked by Gary Payton to secure the Celtics victory.
Paul Pierce was the leading scorer for Boston in this game with 32 points on 8-16 shooting while Gary Payton also had a big game, with 22 points on 10-18 shooting. Minnesota was led by Kevin Garnett and Michael Olowokandi who both scored 21 points. Both teams records went to 24-24 on the season but Boston would be the only team to make the playoffs from this matchup, losing in the first round to the Indiana Pacers in 7 games.
After that thrilling Celtics victory, the Patriots took on the Eagles for the Super Bowl. Philadelphia had 46 seconds to try and go down the field and win the game but Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb threw an interception to Patriots safety Rodney Harrison 17 seconds , sealing a New England victory. Tom Brady kneeled out the clock and the New England Patriots won their their third Super Bowl in four seasons, cementing themselves as a dynasty.
2/5/2012: Celtics 98, Grizzlies 80
Seven years passed in between the next time the Celtics played on a Patriots Super Bowl Sunday. The Celtics won a championship in the 2008 season with their big 3 of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett but lost in the 2010 NBA Finals and haven’t made it back since. New England had previously lost Super Bowl 42 to the New York Giants in the 2007 season and were looking for revenge in their rematch in Super Bowl 46 in the 2011 season. The Celtics were scheduled to play 12pm game at TD Garden before the very hyped up Super Bowl matchup and took care of the Memphis Grizzlies handedly, 98-80.
After a close three quarters, Memphis ran out of gas in the fourth quarter, scoring only 19 points on 8-26 shooting. Boston was able to capitalize on this by going on a 15-3 run to open up a 23 point lead and give the Celtics the win. Kevin Garnett led the way for the Celtics with 24 points and 9 rebounds on 9-12 shooting with Paul Pierce contributing 21 points of his own. Rudy Gay had 21 points but it was not enough. Memphis would fall to 12-12 on the season on the road to losing in the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers. Boston moved to 13-10 on the season and would make the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the Miami Heat.
After the Celtics win, the stage had been set for another successful New England double header. The Patriots had a 17-15 lead with 3:46 left in the game. However, Giants quarterback Eli Manning drove New York down the field and into the end zone to give them the lead. The Patriots had 57 seconds left to try and exact their revenge on the New York Giants but failed Hail Mary attempt at the end of regulation led to New England losing the Super Bowl 21-17.
2/1/2015: Celtics 75, Heat 83
Three years later, the 2014 Patriots were once again a power house and back in Super Bowl 49, looking for their first trophy since the 2004 season against the Seattle Seahawks and their “Legion of Doom” defense. The Celtics on the other hand were in the process of a rebuild. The Big 3 were gone and the team was led by Avery Bradley and a bunch of yound players like Marcus Smart, Jared Sullinger, and Tyler Zeller. Before the Patriots game, Boston played a 1pm tipoff against the Miami Heat in TD Garden.
The Heat were up by 13 at halftime of this game before the Celtics started to get hot in the third quarter. They chipped away at the deficit and ended up tying the game at one point before going into the fourth quarter down 61-59. Sadly, Miami responded with a run of their own in the fourth quarter and Norris Cole hit the dagger with a midrange jumper at the 1:07 mark to lead the Heat to a 83-75.
Hassan Whiteside was the leading scorer for Miami with 20 points and Chris Bosh added of his own to increase their record to 21-26. Avery Bradly and Tyler Zeller were tied for the most points for Boston with 17 and the Celtics fell to a record of 16-30. Somehow Boston would make a miraculous turnaround and make the playoffs in 2014-15 season but were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This was the only time the Celtics lost a game on a Patriots Super Bowl but luckily fans in Boston had something to look forward to that night. In another close game, the Patriots took the lead on a Tom Brady touchdown to Julian Edelman with 2:06 left in the game to make the score 28-24. Seattle moved down the field in response and were 1 yard away from winning the game. However, Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson decided to the ball and it was intercepted at the goal line by Malcolm Butler to secure the Patriots win in one of the most improbable ways possible.
2/5/2017: Celtics 107, Clippers 102
If I had to choose my favorite day on this list, it would have to be February 5th, 2017. The 2016 Patriots were scheduled to play the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51 at night but the city of Boston was set to honor one man: Paul Pierce. The Celtics were facing off against the Los Angeles Clippers at 2pm and this was going to be the final game Pierce played in TD Garden in his NBA career. Pierce was in the starting lineup for the Clippers and played the first five minutes of the game before being subbed out. In this game, Boston was able to run out with a lead early and never really give it up despite the best efforts from Los Angeles.
Although there was a very entertaining basketball game going on, you couldn’t help but just wonder when former Celtics head coach and at the time Clippers head coach Doc Rivers would put Pierce back in. It was a close game in the fourth quarter so there wasn’t a guarantee that he got a final send off. Luckily, the Celtics were able to expand upon their lead and make it so with 19.8 seconds to go, Paul Pierce checked in at the scorer’s table for the final time to a standing ovation from the TD Garden crowd. Pierce was able to hit one last three pointer as time was expiring for one of the most beautiful endings we have seen for a Celtics legend in Boston.
Blake Griffin and Jamal Crawford were the leading scorers for the Clippers with 23 points and Los Angeles fell to 31-20 on the season on the road to eventually being a first round exit to the Utah Jazz in the playoffs. Isaiah Thomas led the Celtics in scoring with 28 points and 8 assists and Boston had six other players in double digit scoring as well. Boston moved to 33-18 on the season and would end up making the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 5 games.
You could argue there is nothing that could possibly top this incredible game from the Celtics but little did anyone know what the Patriots had in store that night. New England started the Super Bowl awful, going down 28-3 at the 8:31 mark of the third quarter. However, something snapped in the Patriots and they started slowly chipping away at the deficit until suddenly, they somehow tie the game with under a minute to go at 28-28 and are going into overtime. The Patriots won the coin toss, drove down the field, and James White ran it into the end zone for the game winning touchdown. This is the second Super Bowl win in the last three years for the Patriots and it capped off maybe the greatest day in Boston sports history.
2/4/2018: Celtics 97, Trail Blazers 96
For the second season in a row, the Patriots were playing in the Super Bowl and the Celtics played in an instant classic. This time the 2017 Patriots were heavy favorites against the Philadelphia Eagles who were starting a backup quarterback named Nick Foles ijn Super Bowl 52. Before that game could start, the Celtics played a 12pm game in TD Garden against the Portland Trail Blazers.
This game was a slugfest all night long and came down to the final seconds of the fourth quarter. With 13.6 seconds left on the clock, Terry Rozier knocked down a tough midrange jumper to give the Celtics a 95-93 lead. However, Damian Lillard responded quickly, finishing a layup and getting the foul. Lillard made the free throw and made it a 96-95 game with 7.2 seconds to go. Out of the Celtics timeout, Jaylen Brown was inbounding and found Al Horford who got it and hit a fadeaway mid range jumper as time expired to give the Celtics a 97-96 win.
CJ McCollum led the Trail Blazers with 22 points and Damian Lillard finished with 21 points in the loss, falling to a 29-24 record that would lead them to getting swept in the first round of the playoffs by the New Orleans Pelicans. Al Horford was fittingly the Celtics leading scorer with 22 points and 10 rebounds on 8-12 shooting. Boston would up their record to 39-15 on the road to an unlikely Eastern Conference Finals appearance where they lost to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 7 games.
If both teams are following the script from last season, the Patriots would find a way to win the Super Bowl that night. Sadly, that did not happen as in a shootout for the ages, Tom Brady’s failed Hail Mary attempt at the end of the game gave the Philadelphia Eagles a 41-33 victory over New England.
2/3/2019: Celtics 134, Thunder 129
For the final Super Bowl matchup prior to this season, the Celtics and Patriots decided to end the trilogy on a high note. The 2018 New England Patriots were in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in their last five seasons and were looking to avenge their loss from the season before against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53. The Celtics would start the days festivities with a 2pm matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game that could have been a Finals preview.
It felt like the Celtics were in control of this game for the most part but the Thunder were not going away. At the 23.3 mark of the fourth quarter it felt like Kyrie Irving hit the dagger in this game with a beautiful lefty floater to give the Celtics a 129-125 lead. However, Oklahoma City was not done yet as Jerami Grant hit a huge three to make it a one point game. Jayson Tatum was fouled on the next possession where he made the first and missed the second free throw to give the Thunder a chance to win it down by two. Russell Westbrook brought the ball down the court with a full head of steam but lost the handle, turning it over and Tatum hit both free throws on the next possession to end the game in a Celtics win 134-129.
Paul George led the way for the Thunder with 37 points while Russell Westbrook has a 22 point triple-double in the loss. Oklahoma City fell to 33-19 on the season but lost in the first round of the playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers when Damian Lillard hit his iconic buzzer beater in Game 5. Kyrie Irving led the way for the Celtics with 30 points and 11 assists on 14-19 shooting. Boston improved to 34-19 but would lose in disappointing fashion in the second round of the playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks in 5 games.
After a thrilling victory, the Patriots decided to play in a very different way in the Super Bowl. Unlike the season prior where it was an offensive slugfest, this year both offenses were kept at bay by some elite defenses. The Patriots broke a 3-3 tie with 7 minutes to go in the fourth quarter when running back Sony Michel ran it in for a touchdown. The Patriots would be leading 13-3 with 1:16 left to go and that would be the final score as the Rams offense was dominated by New England’s defense. With a kneel down by Tom Brady, the Patriots had tied an NFL record with their 6th Super Bowl victory and cemented themselves as the greatest 20 Year Dynasty in NFL history.
Draymond Green still believes Jonathan Kuminga could have a very bright NBA future.
The Warriors forward discussed on the latest episode of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” Golden State trading Kuminga, along with guard Buddy Hield, to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline and shared his appreciation for how Kuminga handled himself throughout his four-plus seasons with Golden State, despite not receiving consistent playing time after he was selected with the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft.
“When you’re the seventh pick in the NBA draft, you usually go to a place where they’re going to give you the ball, they’re going to allow you to make a ton of mistakes, and you grow through those mistakes in hopes that you become a key, cornerstone, franchise piece to the rebuild of the team that drafted you with the seventh pick,” Green said of Kuminga.
“You’re usually not drafted to a team that’s good enough to compete and win a championship that year. That’s the hand Jonathan Kuminga was dealt. And so I appreciate the way he handled it, the maturity he showed in handling the situation the entire time, even when the writing was on the wall and everybody in the world kind of knew a trade was going to happen.
Kuminga showed flashes of star potential with the Warriors but ultimately was a difficult scheme fit with Golden State and was unable to establish a consistent role in coach Steve Kerr’s rotations, leading to a plethora of DNP-CDs (Did Not Play – Coach’s Decision) over the years, especially throughout his final season in the Bay.
It’s unclear exactly what his role will be with the Hawks or how much he will see the floor throughout the remainder of the season, but Atlanta, which has multiple young, athletic wings, highlighted by fifth-year breakout forward Jalen Johnson, should be a better scheme fit for Kuminga.
“I wish him well on the journey to Atlanta,” Green added. “[I hope] he can go thrive, that he can go become a cornerstone of that franchise with Jalen Johnson. Those two guys running down at full speed in transition, good luck.”
The Hawks on Saturday announced Kuminga, who dealt with a knee bruise in the weeks leading up to the deadline, will remain out through the All-Star break and will be re-evaluated shortly after.
Then we will see what the 23-year-old can do with his new team.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles during the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 7, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When the NBA made the schedule, they probably had a much different game in mind than the one that played out on Saturday.
On one side, Luka Dončić was out after a recent hamstring injury while, on the other side, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler both were out. That left Austin Reaves, who was still on a minutes restriction, and LeBron James against Draymond Green and…Pat Spencer?
It wasn’t exactly the star-studded showdown everyone had hoped for.
The Lakers weren’t great for much of the game but did enough to hold off the Warriors and come away with the win. Perhaps this should serve as another reminder to cherish every LeBron and Steph meeting we have left.
So, let’s dive into the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.
While we should cherish the games, we should also probably forget this one. A really bizarre LeBron game where he was bad in the first half, fantastic for the first 90 seconds of the third quarter, then faded away again.
This has been a gradual process, but we’re now at the point where, when Rui gets the ball swung to him for an open three, everyone just expects it to go in.
It wasn’t an awful return for Hayes, but I still haven’t forgiven him for a dumb decision to tackle the Wizards mascot. And his explanation was pretty awful, too.
Jaxson Hayes apologized to his teammates and the Wizards mascot for the incident leading to a one-game suspension. However, he explained that the shove was prompted by his foot being stepped on by the mascot. pic.twitter.com/vXHPsxG4RY
It’s pretty clear at this point that LaRavia is going to mix in some stinkers like this with his scoring outbursts. Reaves will likely move into the starting lineup soon and it seems pretty clear LaRavia will be the one going to the bench.
It wasn’t quite as big of a scoring night as Thursday, but it also felt like he made more than five field goals, too. I guess every one of his field goals was a highlight play on Saturday. The Lakers looked significantly better with him on the floor.
If Vando makes multiple threes, you almost certainly got a great game from him, which was the case on Saturday. He went toe-to-toe with Draymond Green at times and held his own. It was a really good rebounding night from him, too.
A very encouraging debut for Kennard, who immediately showed his value to the team with his first touch as a Laker. As his comfort level and knowledge of the Lakers system grows, I expect his production will, too.
After a standout game against the Sixers, Kleber parlayed it into another strong showing against the Warriors. The stats show a bit more of what he did in this contest, the biggest being him again leading the team in plus-minus.
Grade: A+
JJ Redick
Redick is really trying all he can defensively to get something out of this group. But even then, the Warriors were “breaking down” the zone defense with one pass leading to an open look from three. I also have to imagine that there was plenty of discussion about the Warriors and their offensive system, but just about every player on the court allowed a backdoor cut leading to a basket.
This team is just really, really bad defensively and I’m not sure how much blame I can place on Redick for that.
Also, he gets credit for not playing Gabe Vincent.
Grade: B+
Saturday’s DNPs: Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, Drew Timme, Nick Smith Jr.
Saturday’s inactives: Luka Dončić, Adou Thiero, Chris Mañon, Deandre Ayton
Alperen Sengun is averaging 20.8 points per game this season [Getty Images]
Houston Rockets centre Alperen Sengun says he has apologised to the female official he aimed a sexist remark at during a defeat by the Boston Celtics.
The Turkish player was ejected in the fourth quarter of his side's defeat on Wednesday after angrily making the derogatory comment multiple times to Jenna Reneau, who is in her first season as an NBA staff official.
"That was immature by me," said the 23-year-old Sengun, who was frustrated at no foul being called on him on a drive to the basket.
"That was just in the moment, and I said some stuff I shouldn't say, but I felt bad about it."
The incident involving Sengun occurred on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, with the Rockets posting a message from Kevin Durant to mark the occasion.
"Sometimes, you can't control yourself, but I should have known better," added Sengun, who was speaking after registering a triple double of 17 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists in a 112-106 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
"But I fixed it, and then I went to the locker room and I apologised. I shake [her] hand and said that would never happen again.
"It just happened in the heat of the moment. Then, she understood, and it was good on both ends."
HONOLULU (AP) — Isaac Johnson scored 20 points to help Hawaii hold on for a 72-67 victory over UC San Diego on Saturday night.
Johnson made 8 of 14 shots with two 3-pointers for the Rainbow Warriors (17-5, 9-3 Big West Conference). He added nine rebounds. Isaac Finlinson had 15 points and reserve Gytis Nemeiksa added 11 points, five rebounds and three blocks.
Tom Beattie scored 14 and Hudson Mayes totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Tritons (16-9, 6-7). Alex Chaikin and Bol Dengdit both scored 11.
Johnson had 17 points and Hawaii led 34-32 at halftime despite scoring the first 11 points of the game. The Rainbow Warriors sank 3 of 4 foul shots in the final 13 seconds to clinch it.
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 6: Kobe Bufkin #6 of the South Bay Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Capital City Go-Go on February 6, 2026 at CareFirst...
LOS ANGELES — Just hours after Rob Pelinka, the Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager, said the team would likely fill their vacant 15th roster spot, the team brought back a familiar face.
The Lakers are signing Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal with a player option for 2026-27, a source confirmed to the California Post on Saturday evening.
The Lakers are signing Kobe Bufkin to a two-year deal with a player option for 2026-27. NBAE via Getty Images
Bufkin starred for the Lakers’ South Bay G League affiliate, averaging 26.7 points on 51.3% shooting (43.1% on 3-pointers) to go with 4.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds.
He tied a season-high 41 points, to go with eight assists, in South Bay’s Wednesday win over Capital City Go-Go.
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Bufkin signed a 10-day contract with the Lakers in early January. He played four games for the Lakers before returning to South Bay. Bufkin also signed a 10-day hardship deal with the Grizzlies in November.
The No. 15 pick out of Michigan in the 2023 draft, Bufkin played two seasons for the Atlanta Hawks before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets last September before being waived in October and traded to South Bay in November.
Philadelphia 76ers (30-22, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (25-28, ninth in the Western Conference)
Portland, Oregon; Monday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Portland Trail Blazers host the Philadelphia 76ers in non-conference play.
The Trail Blazers are 15-13 on their home court. Portland has a 14-22 record against teams over .500.
The 76ers are 15-9 in road games. Philadelphia has a 12-18 record against teams over .500.
The Trail Blazers average 14.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the 76ers give up. The 76ers average 116.7 points per game, 1.3 fewer than the 118.0 the Trail Blazers allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Donovan Clingan is averaging 11.4 points and 11.5 rebounds for the Trail Blazers. Jerami Grant is averaging 15.0 points over the last 10 games.
Tyrese Maxey is averaging 28.8 points, 6.9 assists and two steals for the 76ers. Joel Embiid is averaging 26.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 4-6, averaging 113.7 points, 47.8 rebounds, 24.1 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.4 points per game.
76ers: 7-3, averaging 117.1 points, 41.3 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 9.1 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.
INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Deni Avdija: out (back), Matisse Thybulle: out (knee), Scoot Henderson: out (hamstring), Shaedon Sharpe: out (calf), Robert Williams III: out (knee), Kris Murray: out (lumbar), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).
76ers: None listed.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Detroit Pistons (38-13, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (25-28, 10th in the Eastern Conference)
Charlotte, North Carolina; Monday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte hosts Detroit looking to continue its four-game home winning streak.
The Hornets are 15-19 against Eastern Conference opponents. Charlotte scores 116.0 points while outscoring opponents by 2.0 points per game.
The Pistons are 24-7 in conference games. Detroit is third in the Eastern Conference scoring 117.5 points per game and is shooting 48.0%.
The 116.0 points per game the Hornets score are 6.3 more points than the Pistons allow (109.7). The Pistons average 117.5 points per game, 3.5 more than the 114.0 the Hornets give up to opponents.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Pistons won 112-86 in the last matchup on Dec. 21.
TOP PERFORMERS: Miles Bridges is shooting 45.1% and averaging 18.4 points for the Hornets. LaMelo Ball is averaging 3.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Ausar Thompson is shooting 51.3% and averaging 10.4 points for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 3.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 9-1, averaging 114.3 points, 48.6 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 7.1 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 103.6 points per game.
Pistons: 7-3, averaging 118.0 points, 43.3 rebounds, 27.3 assists, 11.4 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.0 points.
INJURIES: Hornets: Coby White: out (calf), Malaki Branham: out (not injury related), Xavier Tillman: out (not injury related).
Pistons: Dario Saric: day to day (not injury related), Jalen Duren: day to day (knee).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Milwaukee Bucks (21-29, 12th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (27-24, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Orlando, Florida; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Orlando hosts Milwaukee trying to extend its three-game home winning streak.
The Magic are 18-17 in conference games. Orlando is sixth in the league with 52.5 points in the paint led by Franz Wagner averaging 11.4.
The Bucks have gone 16-17 against Eastern Conference opponents. Milwaukee averages 13.7 turnovers per game and is 8-8 when winning the turnover battle.
The Magic are shooting 46.3% from the field this season, 0.3 percentage points lower than the 46.6% the Bucks allow to opponents. The Bucks are shooting 48.1% from the field, which equals what the Magic's opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Paolo Banchero is averaging 21.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.9 assists for the Magic. Desmond Bane is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Bobby Portis is scoring 13.4 points per game and averaging 6.7 rebounds for the Bucks. Ryan Rollins is averaging 18.7 points and 4.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 4-6, averaging 110.5 points, 38.1 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 9.4 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 44.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.2 points per game.
Bucks: 4-6, averaging 109.2 points, 43.7 rebounds, 26.8 assists, 5.8 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.9 points.
INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Colin Castleton: out (thumb).
Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (calf), Kyle Kuzma: day to day (calf), Taurean Prince: out (neck).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Chicago Bulls (24-29, 11th in the Eastern Conference) vs. Brooklyn Nets (14-37, 13th in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Chicago hits the road against Brooklyn looking to break its three-game road skid.
The Nets are 10-21 against Eastern Conference opponents. Brooklyn is 5-24 against opponents with a winning record.
The Bulls are 16-20 in Eastern Conference play. Chicago is sixth in the Eastern Conference scoring 117.0 points per game and is shooting 47.2%.
The Nets average 107.3 points per game, 13.2 fewer points than the 120.5 the Bulls allow. The Bulls' 47.2% shooting percentage from the field this season is 2.2 percentage points lower than the Nets have given up to their opponents (49.4%).
The two teams play for the fourth time this season. The Bulls defeated the Nets 124-102 in their last meeting on Jan. 19. Matas Buzelis led the Bulls with 17 points, and Nolan Traore led the Nets with 16 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 25 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Nets. Egor Demin is averaging 10.8 points over the last 10 games.
Buzelis is averaging 15.1 points and 5.4 rebounds for the Bulls. Patrick Williams is averaging 1.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Nets: 2-8, averaging 100.6 points, 42.4 rebounds, 24.2 assists, 6.8 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 42.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.4 points per game.
Bulls: 3-7, averaging 113.3 points, 43.4 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 6.2 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.6 points.
INJURIES: Nets: None listed.
Bulls: Jalen Smith: out (calf), Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Tre Jones: out (hamstring), Zach Collins: out (toe), Josh Giddey: out (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Eastern Conference foes Washington and Miami will play on Sunday.
The Wizards have gone 2-5 against division opponents. Washington allows the most points in the Eastern Conference, giving up 122.7 points and is allowing opponents to shoot 47.7%.
The Heat are 3-5 against the rest of their division. Miami is 6-3 in one-possession games.
The Wizards average 112.4 points per game, 5.2 fewer points than the 117.6 the Heat allow. The Heat average 13.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 fewer makes per game than the Wizards allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bub Carrington is averaging 10.1 points and 4.6 assists for the Wizards. Will Riley is averaging 12.8 points over the last 10 games.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. is scoring 15.4 points per game and averaging 5.4 rebounds for the Heat. Bam Adebayo is averaging 21.9 points and 10.4 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wizards: 4-6, averaging 110.9 points, 42.0 rebounds, 25.6 assists, 9.5 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 44.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.6 points per game.
Heat: 5-5, averaging 120.1 points, 50.2 rebounds, 29.0 assists, 9.2 steals and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.9 points.
INJURIES: Wizards: Dante Exum: out for season (knee), Anthony Davis: out for season (finger), Alex Sarr: out (ankle), Jaden Hardy: out (not injury related), Bilal Coulibaly: out (back), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), D'Angelo Russell: out (illness), Tre Johnson: out (ankle), Kyshawn George: out (knee), Trae Young: out (knee).
Heat: Norman Powell: day to day (hand), Tyler Herro: out (ribs), Pelle Larsson: day to day (elbow), Bam Adebayo: day to day (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
