Thompson and the Mavericks are in the Bay Area to take on Steph Curry and the Warriors on Christmas Day at Chase Center.
After 13 years and 11 full seasons with the Warriors, Thompson is in his second campaign with the Mavericks, who are 12-19 and floundering after trading superstar Luka DonÄiÄ last season.
The 35-year-old Thompson is putting up some of the worst numbers of his career, as his role with the Mavericks has fluctuated.
After starting the first seven games of the season, he has come off the bench in 20 of 21 games he has played in since. In 28 total contests, Thompson is averaging a career low 11.1 points on 36.9 percent shooting from the field and 35.3 percent from 3-point range.
But none of that will matter on Thursday when Thompson takes on his former team in front of Dub Nation, which adores him.
ST. PAUL, Minn. ā The Minnesota Wild (22-10-6) set a franchise record in a 3-2 loss to the Nashville Predators (16-16-4) for its last game before the Christmas break.
Minnesota scored the first goal of the game but let up the next two goals on the power play to the Preds.
Joel Eriksson Ek was able to tie it up later and the Wild forced an overtime against the Predators. After no shots by the Wild, the Predators came into the attacking zone.
Erik Haula sauced one over the stick of Quinn Hughes and onto the tape of the trailing Steven Stamkos for the game-winning goal in overtime.
It was Stamkos' 17th career overtime goal and moved into a tie for the seventh most in NHL history. But the real history was by the Wild on Tuesday.
With the overtime loss, the Wild recorded their 50th point of the season. They are one of three teams to have 50 points, behind the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche tied the second-fewest games to 60 points in a season in NHL history.
But, it was the first time in franchise history that the Wild entered the Holiday Break with 50 points.
Minnesota has dropped its last two games but has been playing great hockey as of late. The Wild are 19-4-3 since November 1st. They rank third in the NHL in that span with 41 points. The Stars have 42 and the Avalanche have 43 points since then.
āWeāre in a good spot," Filip Gustavsson said after the loss. "We just have to keep winning after the break now and weāre going to be fine.ā
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LAS VEGAS -- Frolicking in the holiday spirit, with visions of Christmas-themed costumed fans inside T-Mobile Arena, the Golden Knights extended their point streak against the San Jose Sharks to 12 games with Tuesday night's 7-2 win.
Vegas took a 5-0 lead after one period and never looked back, as six different players found the back of the net before the holiday break.
It marked the first time since Feb. 27, 2025 that Vegas recorded five goals in a period and the third time the team has done it in the first period.
Mitch Marner scored twice, while captain Mark Stone, Colton Sissons, Reilly Smith, Brett Howden and former Shark Tomas Hertl also scored.
Carter Hart continued his impressive start since making his debut with the Knights, stopping 21 shots to improve to 4-1-2.
The Golden Knights also extended their power-play goal streak to six games, as they now rank second in the league since Dec. 11 at 35% with a man advantage.
Vegas' five-goal barrage stretched across the opening stanza, from the 1:46 to the 18:34 marks, with Howden, Marner, Sissons, Hertl and Stone all scoring goals.
San Jose's Macklin Celebrini spoiled Hart's shutout bid midway through the second period, while Collin Graf added a score late in the third to provide the final margin.
Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov made 12 saves before turning the net over to Alex Nedeljkovic, who made seven saves.
KEY MOMENT
As much as the key moment could have been the moment the Sharks stepped off the team bus, it had to be the game-winner by Sissons, who made it 3-0 a little more than 11 minutes into the first period. Brandon Saad got things started when he grabbed a loose puck in the defensive end and backhanded it down ice to Keegan Kolesar, who skated to the doorstep before sending a pass across the crease for a one-timer tap-in from Sissons.
13 of 20 ... In taking a 5-0 lead after the first period, 13 of Vegas' 20 skaters had at least one point - the most in a single period in franchise history - for a combined 14 points. The previous high was 11, which was reached on three occasions. Dorofeyev registered two points in the period with assists on Marner and Hertl's goals.
Marner extended his point streak to three games and now has three goals in his last two games. It was his second two-goal game since joining the Knights, the first back on Oct. 18 against Calgary.
When it comes to their holiday shopping, the Yankees are much more patient than, say, a kid hankering for the seasonās hottest toy. While the Yanks still have much to do this winter, including retaining a key performer, they have slow-played things like a parent saying, āWeāll seeā regarding a potential yuletide bauble.
The Yankees will make more additions. Of course they will. Some of their fans might be antsy since the rest of the AL East seemingly opened their gifts early. But there are plenty of targets remaining for what the Yankees need, both in the trade and free agency aisles.
If they need some guidance, we are here for them, like a personal shopper for the holiday hot stove. With that in mind, hereās our wish list for the Yankees for the rest of the offseason.
Re-sign Cody Bellinger
This is an easy one, like when your partner says, āGet me thisā for a holiday gift and leads you to it on the shelves. Buy it, wrap it and hand it over on the appropriate date. Donāt overthink it.
Bellinger can play all three outfield positions, plus first base. Heās a lefty who hit very well in Yankee Stadium last year (.909 OPS at home) and looked so comfy it was like heād been on the Yankees for years. Thereās value in knowing that someone can sparkle in New York. Bellinger can.
If Ben Rice struggles defensively at first base, Bellinger can take over. If they need him to start in left or center, no problem, though Trent Grisham accepted the Yanksā qualifying offer and seems set in center. Re-signing Bellinger also would give the Yankees trade chips in either Jasson DomĆnguez or slugging prospect Spencer Jones. Or both.
Bellinger is probably the tipping point to the rest of the Yankee offseason.
More pitching
Pitching is like cash gifts at the holidays. Who doesnāt want more of that? The Yanks have, on paper, a powerful rotation. But both Gerrit Cole and Carlos RodĆ³n wonāt be ready to start the year, so they might need help beyond Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, and Will Warren. Because of injury last year, Gil only threw 57 innings in the regular season; Schlittler, in his first MLB experience, tossed 73.
While the Blue Jays added big in their rotation with Dylan Cease, there are plenty of pitchers remaining who could help the Yankees, including those still available in free agency, such as Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez. Both are top-of-the-market types, though.
They could investigate import Tatsuya Imai, a 27-year-old free agent who had a 1.92 ERA in Japan last season. Former Yankee Tyler Austin, who signed with the Cubs after six years playing in Japan, recently lauded Imai, a righty, in an appearance on MLB Network Radio. And Imai probably appeals to fans, considering he talked earlier this offseason about wanting to be part of dethroning the Dodgers.
Or the Yankees could dip into the trade market for MacKenzie Gore, the 26-year-old lefty with the Nationals, or Freddy Peralta of the Brewers.
Or maybe they just need a mid-tier stopgap type. Earlier this winter, we suggested righty Tyler Mahle, who had a 2.18 ERA over 16 starts with the Rangers. Heās only had one full season of starting, when he made 33 starts for the Reds in 2021 and delivered 180 innings. But the Yanks might not need him to pile up frames.
Relief-wise, the Yankees need a rebuild after ranking 23rd in bullpen ERA (4.37) last year and walking too many opposing hitters.
Several of their deadline acquisitions came with control, so closer David Bednar is back, as are Camilo Doval and Jake Bird. They re-signed Tim Hill, which gives them a proper lefty, and Fernando Cruz and his nasty splitter remains in their āpen.
But Devin Williams and Luke Weaver signed with the Mets as free agents, so thereās room for more high-leverage arms. In recent years, the Yankees have also been really good at mining relievers from unheralded stock, so itās possible they find solid set-up help in that fashion again. Or maybe Pete Fairbanks, one of the top relief arms still available, can fit.
Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) forces out Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement (22) and tries to turn a double play during the eighth inning during game four of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Pick a tune on Jazz
Jazz Chisholm Jr. enjoyed a strong 30-30 season and should be ensconced at second base for at least this year. But heās also drawn trade interest in his final season before free agency.
Should the Yankees seek an extension with their athletic middle infielder, who brings much-needed verve and swag to the roster, to say nothing of abundant skill? They donāt do extensions often and some recent ones fizzled. Or should they flip Chisholm for a contact-oriented hitter to pair with their power?
But the Yanks still believe in Volpe, regardless of fan angst over his play, or A-Rodās cracks about their organizational hitting philosophy. Or at least say they do. They wonāt commit to anything until Volpeās healthy.
The holidays are a mega-busy time, of course, and you donāt have to be Kris Kringle himself to have lots to do.
Take David Stearns, for example.
The Metsā baseball boss is reshaping the roster this winter, having already waved goodbye to blue-and-orange stalwarts from Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo to Edwin DĆaz and Jeff McNeil.
Heās added Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Devin Williams and Luke Weaver, among others -- but thereās more to do.
So, David, bundle up and head out to the stores -- no, wait, thatās us last-minute holiday shoppers. Stearns does need to make some moves, though, even if itās without the frenzy of Fifth Avenue or a bedecked mall.
Thatās where we come in, as helpful elves. We offer a wish list for the Mets to complete over the rest of the baseball hot stove season. Check it twice, if you like.
An ace
The Mets have a lot of rotation inventory right now, donāt they?
Nolan McLean seems assured of a spot, since he was one of the best pitchers in baseball over his eight starts last season. Clay Holmes was really good in his first season in the rotation, finishing ninth in the NL in ERA, and is a lock, too. David Peterson had a wobble or two, but also was terrific for a long stretch. Can Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea rebound? Weāll see. And then thereās Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, two very promising prospects.
But thereās no top-of-the-rotation monster.
Yes, we know McLean could become that. But pitching is such a precious commodity and generally needed in such bulk during the slog that is 162 games that it makes sense for the Mets to pursue a No. 1. That could come in free agency or trade.
Theyāll be involved if Tarik Skubal or Freddy Peralta become available. Should they explore Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez, both free agents? Maybe their appetite is only whetted if either will sign a short-term deal.
Whatever happens (or doesnāt), it sure feels like the Mets need an ace as a holiday home run. The same way a certain generation of kids needed the original Xbox, right?
A CF fix
There are numerous ways the Mets could cover center field this year, but itās tricky because of highly-regarded prospect Carson Benge. Benge, who turns 23 next month, is the center fielder of the future, isnāt he? Stearns even said early in the offseason that Benge could push to break spring camp with the Mets in ā26.
Of course, Benge has only 103 plate appearances as high as Triple-A -- he started last season in Brooklyn and ascended.
If heās almost ready, they only need a stopgap and maybe they can start Tyrone Taylor for a month or so while Benge gets more seasoning. Or, if they go for a big splash, they could sign Cody Bellinger, use him in center until Benge is ready and then put Bellinger in left. Or use Bellinger at first base. The one drawback is that Bellinger is likely to command a long-term, pricey deal. Stearns has been trimming commitments this winter, at least so far.
Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) runs to home plate in the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox during game three of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
But Benge batted .178 with a .583 OPS in Triple-A, so he may need a longer stage of development in the minors. In that case, Bellinger fits nicely in center, maybe for all of 2026. If not him, Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, appears available in trade.
Or perhaps someone like Harrison Bader would serve well, especially with Bader coming off his best bat season (.796 OPS, 17 homers). Bader, as Mets fans doubtless remember, is a sensational defensive outfielder. Run prevention, anyone?
More relief
Not to get Grinchy about this, but the Mets bullpen, even with the work already done, needs more.
Williams will close, Weaver will be the top setup man and the Mets seem to have lefties covered with Brooks Raley and A.J. Minter. Maybe Sproat can morph into a multi-inning relief weapon, the Athletic reported the Mets are examining that idea.
The Mets were 27th in starter innings last season, so their relievers got a lot of work. They had the third-most relief innings in MLB. They were 15th in bullpen ERA -- better than both World Series teams, incidentally -- and had the sixth-highest bullpen WAR, according to FanGraphs. Maybe they were riding on DĆazās coattails, no? He had a tremendous season.
In any case, another high-leverage arm, whether by trade or free agency, would do more to comfort the Met fan than a fresh egg nog in front of a warm fireplace this time of year.
A second at first?
Polanco figures to play a lot of first, a role he said he began preparing for last season while with the Mariners.
As a former middle infielder, he surely has the hands to make the transition, right? Of course, the Mets have charged a guy with one pitch of game experience at the position with helping them boost their run prevention. Thereās risk involved.
So perhaps theyāll look to add at the position.
Paul Goldschmidt, a free agent with a great glove who bats right handed, is available. Yes, thatās yet another former Yankee crossing over, but maybe he fits this niche need.
Hereās another idea: Eugenio Suarez on a short deal would fit their need for righty thump and give them another option at third base. Since they are moving players to first base this winter, perhaps Suarez can get reps there, too. He played there three times last year, which is more than Polanco did.
It's another edition ofĀ Knicks' Mailbag with SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley ready to answer your questions surrounding the team. Let's get started...
@Kameel888 -- I am wondering, was there any truth to the Knicks being interested in Donte DiVincenzo? Has there been any movement in that regard? Thank you, Ian!
Hey Kameel, Iām sure the Knicks would love to have Donte DiVincenzo on the team. They hated losing him in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, and he was part of the fabric of the 2023-24 team. With regards to any movement, Iāve checked around on this for the past few days and havenāt heard about any significant movement. People on all sides of a potential trade see it as highly unlikely. Iām not questioning the ClutchPoints report on DiVincenzo and the Knicks, but I donāt think there is anything happening there.
The Knicks would have to trade either Josh Hart or Mitchell Robinson to make a deal work. They arenāt trading Hart. I donāt see how they can trade Robinson; if they did trade him, it wouldnāt make sense to get a non-big in return.
@tru_zoom -- When will Shamet and McBride get reevaluated again?
I think weāll have an update on Landry Shamet by the end of the month. At the time of the shoulder injury, there was a strong belief/optimism that Shamet could avoid surgery. I believe that is still the case. Shamet continues to rehab the injury but hasnāt needed a surgical procedure. Thatās a good sign for a Knick team that leaned on Shamet before he got hurt.
With regards to Miles McBride, he has been working vigorously on the court with Knicks coaches. I donāt know if he is fully sprinting yet, but he has been cleared for contact; he just hasnāt had the chance to take contact in a scrimmage setting because the Knicks havenāt practiced (NBA teams rarely practice during the heart of the regular season). But based on the available information, I would guess that McBride is back before the end of the calendar year.
@AndrewA59778512 -- Ian, for Jalen Brunson, is it more rest for him?
@DylanBackerESM -- Do you think OGās injury is anything serious, or are they mainly just resting him? Seems like theyāre just resting Brunson.
Six games in 10 days for the Knicks, going back to the NBA Cup Final in Las Vegas, plus the early start on Christmas Day. I think this is all in the name of resting Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby. I assume this was all about giving Brunson and Anunoby a night off (Tuesday at Minnesota)Ā amid a tough stretch of the season.
SAN FRANCISCO ā Steve Kerr on Wednesday acknowledged the obvious but unspoken truth within the Warriors.
The golden days of yore are over. And theyāre not coming back, because thatās not how the aging process works.
āWe are no longer the ā17 Warriors, dominating the league,ā Kerr said. āWe are a fading dynasty.
āWe know that. Everybody knows that.ā
The 2016-17 Warriors were an all-time great squad featuring four All-Stars: Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. That team posted a 67-15 record in the regular season and went 16-1 in the postseason.
Those Warriors took a 27-4 record into a Christmas Day game against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The current Warriors have been a middling bunch, with Curry as the only certain All-Star. Taking a 15-15 record into their Christmas Day game against the Dallas Mavericks, theyāre aiming for a third consecutive victory ā which would tie their longest streak of the season.
āWe have issues, just like every other team has issues,ā conceded Kerr, who said he and Green apologized to each other and that each apologized to the team. āBut we have to work through them. And I believe that this was a major step in that happening. And I feel really good about where our team is on the floor, about where weāre heading. I see the potential to do exactly what we did last year, to really go on run and give ourselves a chance and where we are as a team, as an organization.
āThe most important thing for me is for guys to recognize that thereās beauty in the struggle. Thereās beauty in what weāre trying to accomplish right now.ā
The Warriors have 52 games to pull themselves together and rise from eighth place in the Western Conference into at least the top six; theyāre 3.5 games behind sixth-place Houston. Their preseason goal was to finish among the top four, and they are five games behind the fourth-place Lakers.
āWhat is up to us? How do we carry ourselves, night to night? How connected are we? And can we give ourselves another swing at the plate?ā Kerr said. āWe did that last year. I was really proud of the team last year, despite the loss against Minnesota. (Without) the injury to Steph, who knows how far we would have gone?
āBut we gave ourselves a chance, and thatās the goal here. We know where we are. Weāve got to know who we are. We got to know whatās possible, and we have to take pride in the struggle, because this is part of life.ā
SAN FRANCISCO ā There is a growing sentiment that Warriors coach Steve Kerr might consider asking Draymond Green to take the path once tread by Andre Iguodala and Klay Thompson.
Leave the starting lineup and come off the bench.
Green, according to Kerr, would not oppose such a move.
āHeās told me,ā Kerr said Wednesday after practice. āHe told me, this year, āIāll go to the bench if you need me to.ā I know what Draymond is about. Heās about winning.ā
The thought of such a move is based mostly on the dynamic between Jimmy Butler III and Green. Each is most valuable with the ball in his hands and, naturally, each is diminished when playing off the ball. When both are on the floor with Stephen Curry, ball distribution sometimes gets stifled.
Another factor that makes it conceivable to bring Draymond off the bench is that neither he nor Butler is a spot-up shooter. Butler is an opportunistic shooter, and Green is a pass-first ballhandler who sometimes is a reluctant shooter.
But Kerr is not ready to make any such change.
āThatās not even a consideration for me right now,ā he said, āBecause Iām really excited about this starting lineup: Steph, Draymond, Moses (Moody), (Quinten Post), Jimmy, I think itās a great starting lineup for us, because we get the size and shooting of Quentin next to Dray, which takes the pressure off of him. And Dre is at his best next to Steph. He should play most of his minutes with Steph. Those two guys are incredible together.
āSo, the idea of bringing him off the bench, I understand it in theory, like, well, maybe we can get this or get that. Thatās all we do as a staff is think about this stuff. All day long. And weāve had every discussion about how to make our team the best. Iām convinced itās with what weāre doing right now.ā
Kerr persuaded Iguodala to come off the bench in 2015-16 because his two-way versatility and intellect were better suited for the second unit than Harrison Barnes. Iguodala made only 25 starts over his final seven seasons, with two teams.
Kerrās decision to have Thompson come off the bench, much to Klayās chagrin, was in hopes of finding a game-changing scorer with the second unit. That lasted only 14 games.
Though Kerr acknowledges that Green has spent more time working on his 3-point shooting from the corners ā a reliable threat from the corners would an ideal asset for lineups featuring Curry and Butler ā heās not ready to make any adjustments.
Golden Stateās current starting lineup is 2-1 and will play its fourth game on Thursday, Christmas Day, against the Dallas Mavericks.
Earlier this week, on 98,5 Sports, former Montreal Canadiens goalie coach Stephane Waite suggested that it would cause no harm if goaltender Jakub Dobes were sent down to the Laval Rocket.
Heās waiver exempt, so assigning him to the Rocket wouldnāt mean risking losing him, but I disagree that it would cause no harm. I understand that Dobes doesnāt have the āgoaltender of the futureā label that Jacob Fowler has, but that doesnāt mean that he should pay for Samuel Montembeaultās current issues.
If you recall, Dobes was off to an excellent start to the season and was even in the conversation for the Calder Trophy early on. But then, despite Montembeaultās poor form, he kept getting starts over Dobes, who, based on performance, would have deserved to be between the pipes. Itās only after Martin St-Louis kept going back to his starter despite his struggles that Dobes appeared to be shaken up.
Sending him down to Laval would once again shake him. He doesnāt deserve to go down to the AHL. He hasnāt had the same issues Montembeault has had, and therefore, he should not go down. Doing that would only achieve one thing: shake him up once more and mess with his head.
Montembeaultās situation is delicate, thereās no denying that, but the NHL is a results business. If the netminder cannot handle internal competition, he wonāt last much longer in the league. Granted, a trio of goaltenders is far from ideal, especially when two of them are rookies who need to play. But for me, Fowler is the one who should go down if the Canadiens feel that someone must.
Probably not surprising but hearing that some teams have checked in on Marc-Andre Fleury to see if thereās any chance at all he would consider playing again. Again not surprised teams with goalie needs would want to check on it.
Waiving Montembeault would mean losing him. Struggles or not, a team would pick him up, hoping that a fresh start would sort him out. According to Pierre LeBrun, GMs are calling Marc-Andre Fleury to ask if heād consider coming out of retirement; that shows how thin the goalie market is.
As good as Fowler has been so far, heās still a bit green; this is his first professional season. The 21-year-old needs plenty of ice time, and there is no point in rushing him. No matter how he performs, the Canadiens wonāt win the Stanley Cup this season. Leaving him to mature in the AHL only makes sense.
Finish the season with two goalies, and if Montembeault doesnāt find his game, consider moving on from him this summer. That would pave the way for Fowler to see enough action in the NHL. For now, though, let Dobes be; he shouldnāt have to pick up the tab, so to speak.
Both Green and Kerr addressed the incident after the game, admitting that tempers boiled over, but expressed confidence that they would be able to move past it.
It appears they have.
Kerr spoke to local reporters on Wednesday, and shared where things stand between him and Green while shouldering the blame for the incident.
āWe talked today, we had a great chat,ā Kerr said. āFranklyā¦ Monday night was not my finest hour. That was a time I needed to be calm in the huddle. So I regret my actions in that exchange. I apologized to Dray, he apologized to me, we both apologized to the team. These things, they happen. Especially when you get two incredibly competitive people like Dray and me. Over the 12 years weāve been together, this has happened occasionally. Iām not proud of it. We had a great chat.
āI care so much about Draymond. And the relationship we have is like family. And like family, you go through ups and downs. My number one goal, honestly, is for him to finish his career as a Warrior, with us, fighting ā metaphorically, not literally ā and competing together. Until weāre both done. And I believe thatās going to happen. Because I believe in Draymond and I believe in myself, and I believe in everything weāve built for the last 12 years.ā (h/t The San Francisco Standardās Danny Emerman)
Kerr revealed that both he and Green also discussed the incident with the team and apologized for it and said he expects āthe very bestā from Green in Thursdayās game against the Dallas Mavericks at Chase Center.
āI do,ā Kerr said when asked if he thought the air within the team was clear now. āI think thereās always going to be dynamics within a team, any team, that exist all season long. And itās the coachās job and the leaders of the teamās job to help guys through those circumstances. We have issues just like every other team has issues. But we have to work through them.
āI believe this was a major step in that happening. I feel really good about where our team is on the floor, about where weāre heading. I see the potential to do exactly what we did last year. To really go on a run and give ourselves a chance.ā
There has been plenty of outside speculation surrounding Greenās future with the Warriors, especially since Monday nightās incident. However, Kerr believes itās clear that Green wants to finish his illustrious NBA career with one team and one team only: The Warriors.
āOh yeah. One of the things I love about Draymond is his loyalty ā¦ Heās loyal to the Warriors. Loyal to me. Loyal to Steph [Curry]. He wants to be here his whole career. I want nothing more than that. I love Draymond, love everything heās meant to me, to the organization, to the Bay. Heās a complicated guy.
āHeād be the first to admit that. Heās very complex. But heās undyingly loyal and passionate and I will go to bat for him as long as Iām coaching him here. Honestly, Iād go to bat for him 20 years from now when we havenāt been together. Thatās how strongly I feel about him. And thatās how I want this thing to end with us, whenever that is.ā
With the incident now behind them, Green, Kerr and the Warriors will re-focus and look to extend Golden Stateās current winning streak to three games on Christmas Day against former Warriors guard Klay Thompson and the Mavericks.
Merry Christmas, Celtics fans. Boston doesnāt have a game on the NBAās marquee day for the first time in a decade, but we suspect it will only be a one-year holiday hiatus. Heck, if the league could flex the Celtics into the Cavaliersā spot on Thursday, they probably would.
Instead, you can spend the 25th savoring the strides these Celtics have made since a jarring summer overhaul. Think about how hazy the future appeared after all the summer changes, and contrast that with the optimism that flows about where this team is headed.
Itās easy to get caught up in the wins and losses ā the fact that Boston sits seven games over .500 and in third place in the Eastern Conference with a third of the season in the rearview is encouraging on its own ā but the real victory here is just how bright the future appears.
Jaylen Brown has muscled himself into the MVP conversation while making 30-point nights seem routine. Jayson Tatum has attacked his rehab from Achilles surgery and has a chance to at least ponder a return in a season most thought heād miss entirely. Bostonās entire cluster of young wings, including recent draftees Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo Gonzalez, have all impacted winning far more than anyone could have expected to this point.
Joe Mazzulla is pushing all the right buttons, and while heād be the first to suggest that nobody cares, he deserves to be in the way-too-early conversation for Coach of the Year. And if they keep their foot on the accelerator heading into calendar year 2026, the Celtics could give president of basketball operations Brad Stevens even more motivation to seek big man help that would bolster the roster for a stretch run.
The Celtics are 18-11 with the sixth-best point differential in the NBA (+5.9). Theyād be on pace to hit Phil Jacksonās 40/20 rule (40 wins before 20 losses) if not for a couple stumbles against inferior opponents. They still might get there given a favorable strength of schedule through the early portion of 2026.
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But again, taking a step back: Even if Boston does throw itself into contention more than most expected this season, the longer-term future is even more tantalizing. Itās fair to daydream about what a Tatum/Brown combo is capable of when, 1) Tatum has fully shaken rust from his Achilles rehab and 2) Teams canāt load up on Brown again with Tatum back on the floor.
Big man Neemias Queta has thrived in increased minutes. Walsh has been a revelation, looking like an All-Defense stalwart whom opposing coaches and players canāt stop gushing about. And then thereās 19-year-old Gonzalez, with his limitless motor, who makes the kinds of winning plays that endeared Marcus Smart to fans throughout his Boston tenure.
There were so many questions surrounding this team entering the season. Could Brown thrive in the 1A role? Could Mazzulla get the most out of an overhauled roster that lost a ton of talent? Could Queta fill the big-man role after the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet? Would any of Bostonās young wings emerge as viable rotation options in the long term?
The answer to each questions has basically been an emphatic, āYes.ā Beyond some long-distance shooting slumps for Payton Pritchard and Derrick White, there hasnāt been much to fret for these Celtics through the first two months of the new season.
A lot has to continue to go right this season for the team to be truly competitive this season. But it feels OK to daydream, given both the wide-open nature of the East and Tatumās potential return. Nothing about what the Celtics are doing feels fleeting. In fact, it feels like the team can be even a bit more consistent in all facets of the game.
The Celtics have already posted wins over all their top East rivals. Theyāve beaten Orlando, Detroit, Cleveland, New York, Toronto and Miami while going 13-4 since November 12. Boston owns both the No. 2 offensive rating and the No. 2 net rating (+9.8) in the NBA in that span.
If Santa Stevens can leave another big man under Bostonās tree ā even if it doesnāt happen until January or early February ā the team could further shore up the rebounding woes that have conspired against its middling defensive rating.
Itās often said that the NBA season doesnāt start until Christmas. But that would diminish what the Celtics have accomplished lately. There could still be some bumps in the road this season and itās fair to tread cautiously with expectations. But it doesnāt seem far-fetched to think that Boston could re-emerge as a legit title contender no later than the 2026-27 campaign.
So, enjoy a quiet Christmas. Itās probably the last one without the green team for a while. The Celtics feel ahead of schedule. And thatās the best gift they could have given their fans this holiday season.
Venus Williams married actor and model Andrea Preti over the weekend, the tennis great announced Tuesday on social media.
Williams, 45, and Preti were married in Palm Beach, Florida, following a five-day celebration that included family and close friends. The couple also held a non-official ceremony in Italy earlier this year.
For the second time in less than a week, the Florida Panthers entered the nightmares of the Carolina Hurricanes.
On Friday, Florida was down 3-0 to Carolina with less than 10 minutes to go before clawing their way back and earning an exhilarating 4-3 shootout victory.
Four nights later, this time up in Raleigh, the Panthers were down 2-0 entering the third period when they reeled off five unanswered goals to shock the Hurricanes again, skating to a resounding 5-2 win and entering the holiday break on a hell of a run.
Florida has now picked up victories in eight of their past 10 games and will enter the NHLās holiday freeze sitting in a playoff spot with games in hand of many of the teams still ahead of them.
Letās get to Tuesdayās takeaways.
MAURICE LETS āEM HAVE IT
With the Panthers down 2-0 late in the second period and not looking particularly good, Paul Maurice decided that was a good time to go a little nuclear on his team.
During his four seasons behind Floridaās bench, Maurice has gone this route less than a handful of times.
When he does, though, the team has always responded.
Itās usually something he saves for the playoffs, or when the postseason is a bit closer, but on this night, Mo gave it to his guys.
After the game, when Florida had just turned in a 5-0 third period, Maurice was quick to deflect any credit toward his players, despite the obvious connection to his tongue lashing on the bench.
āIt changed nothing,ā Maurice said of his tirade. āThat third period, the players, they handled all that. I was responsible for the first two, I didn't have my team ready to play tonight. Credit to them for understanding the importance that even if you're going to lose the game, you have to lose it a certain way, and we hadn't played the way we needed to play. I wasn't very good today, but fortunately, my players wereā¦in the third.ā
COMEBACK CATS DO IT AGAIN
There is just something about these Panthers and never giving up.
Maybe itās Maurice.
Maybe itās the leadership in the locker room.
Maybe itās just a stockpiling of lucky breaks that will eventually even out (or perhaps this is the evening out after decades of despondence).
However you want to frame these things, no matter how many times the Panthers pull off one of these come-from-behind wins, they donāt get any less astounding.
Floridaās coach tried to make it make sense after Tuesdayās win.
āWhen you get on a roll in this league, emotion is such a huge part of it,ā Maurice began. āA goal from the fourth line, right? Those guys work so hard, and they haven't had a lot to show for their hard work, so that had a lot to do with it. We played a third period in Colorado, we were down 5-1, and we were in one to say the least, but we played hard in that third period, and that started a four game winning streak for us. So it was really, really important, whether we won or lost the game, that we could find a way to right the ship and play a hard, smart third period. That was their task, and they accomplished it.ā
CLIMBING BOB
Another game, another milestone for Sergei Bobrovsky.
Floridaās starting netminder won his sixth consecutive start on Tuesday. Heās allowed only 10 combined goals over his past five outings and enters the holiday break tied for the league lead in wins.
His latest victory was also the 445th of his career, moving Bob into a tie for eighth place on the all-time wins list with Terry Sawchuck.
Bobrovsky now trails seventh place Curtis Joseph by nine wins, and Henrik Lundqvist is only five ahead of that, so itās conceivable that Bob moves into sixth place sometime this season.
Between the names heās chasing and the legends heās just passed, like tenth place Jacques Plante and eleventh place Tony Esposito, itās beyond impressive what Bobrovsky is accomplishing in his career, while showing no signs of slowing up.
āThe names that he's surrounded by are the names that I grew up as a kid, listening to my dad telling me about the greatest goalies that ever played, and Sergei Bobrovsky is now among those names,ā Maurice said. āTo get a chance to be a part of his career ā Iāve got nothing to do with him stopping the puck, I'll be clear about that ā but I get to be a part of it and get to know him a little bit, so it's a real honor for me to have worked, not worked with him, worked beside him, worked alongside Sergei, and watched his professionalism. Itās an honor.ā
Photo caption:Ā Dec 23, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand (63) and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) celebrate their victory against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)
