The time for hibernation is ending and soon it will be serious business in Arizona. Some players, notably Nico Hoerner, are already in camp. The fires have been banked, but we are told the flames are ready to be fanned and that we’ll see that post-season-ready buzz in short order.
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Among White Sox managers with at least one full season in the books, Will Venable has the second-worst winning percentage in franchise history. | (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
Because the Chicago White Sox are in the middle of an epic rebuild, it is not fair to assess the job manager Will Venable is doing based solely on his record.
You could argue that Will deserved votes for 2025 American League Manager of the Year after guiding the Pale Hose to a 19-win improvement. However, all he did was manage the White Sox to 60 wins in 2025 after losing a historic number of games in 2024. That shows how far this franchise has to go before getting back to something resembling a competitive ball club.
That is why I propose using these benchmarks as way to evaluate the job Venable does in 2026.
The team continues to be in tight games — and wins more of them The South Siders may have lost 102 games in 2025, but Chicago lost only 26 of those contests by five or more runs. The White Sox were in a lot of games last season, as evidenced by the 115 games decided by four runs or less. In fact, they played in 51 games decided by a single run. However, the club went 15-36 in those tight contests.
Wins and losses still will not matter this season, but it would be a sign of progress for the rebuild if the club prevailed more often in close games.
The lineup will have to improve at hitting with runners in scoring position, the defense must be tighter and the bullpen must improve at getting high-leverage outs to turn those opportunities into more victories.
Proper bullpen deployment Venable subscribes to the new-school thinking of using his best relievers for the biggest outs when they are needed and not saving those arms for high-leverage outs that may never come. That could mean the biggest outs are needed in the sixth inning, rather than the ninth.
However, he did get exposed using that strategy if the game stayed close as it went along. That left Venable with using a reliever like Brandon Eisert in the ninth, whose stuff does not translate well to high-leverage situations.
Seranthony Domínguez, Jordan Hicks and Sean Newcomb were added in the offseason to give Venable more arms to execute his bullpen strategy. Grant Taylor and Jordan Leasure finished 2025 strong. Mike Vasil was impressive in filling any and all bullpen roles last season. In theory, Venable will have six arms to use to get key outs when needed. It is a theory for now, as Vasil, Newcomb, Taylor or Hicks could start the season in the rotation.
Still, Venable has to show he is capable of selecting the correct pitcher to get those outs. The only arm with a defined role is Dominguez, who will be the closer. But the manager will have to show he knows when to use the rest of those bullpen arms to get clutch outs in the sixth through eighth.
Players continuing to improve Internal improvement is the theme of the 2026 season. The hope is the young core that emerged out of the 2025 season continues to progress.
Colson Montgomery must prove he is not a flash-in-the-pan hitter after hitting 21 home runs in 71 games. Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero have to continue to ascend into star catchers. Chase Meidroth, Miguel Vargas and Lenyn Sosa must show they can continue to be solid hitters in the lineup.
Shane Smith went from being the No. 1 pick in the Rule 5 Draft to an All-Star in 2025. Now, he must elevate from mound stud to an ace.
Variance dictates that some players will not take that leap forward. However, no player having a significant regression is a key to 2026’s success.
Proper use of the designated hitter Venable was resistant to having Teel and Quero in the lineup together until Korey Lee was recalled. It will be interesting to see if Venable shows that same resistance if Lee does not make the Opening Day roster.
Teel and Quero must be in the lineup together at least four days a week. If Venable does not have that third catcher to turn to in an instance where he has to pinch-hit for Quero or Teel at catcher that day, I am not sure that will happen. He was justified in his fear at least once in 2025, when he had to give up the DH spot in a close game in Texas after pinch-hitting for Quero (catching that day) and needed to have DH Teel come in to catch.
Venable also needs to use the DH spot to get Sosa some at-bats during the week. Because the club does not believe in sunk costs, he will also have to use Andrew Benintendi there. Ideally, the front office designates Benintendi for assignment, as he is weak defensively in left field and will take away at-bats from younger hitters.
However, that will never happen. So Venable is going to have to find a way to rotate Teel, Quero, Sosa, Benintendi and even Munetaka Murakami at DH while making sure everyone gets enough at-bats.
Identifying problems and implementing solutions faster This one is dependent on the team being healthy. Last year, it took Venable almost half the season to start demanding the lineup hit fastballs better. To be fair, he could not truly identify that as a problem until most of his outfield returned from the injured list and the youngsters got called up.
Once it became clear that his regular lineup struggled to hit heat, Venable and his coaching staff got to work on fixing that problem.
If the team stays healthy and runs into similar issues, the hope is that Venable can identify the problem quickly and he and his staff can implement solutions effectively.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 07: Jordan Goodwin #23 of the Phoenix Suns pressures Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Suns welcomed the Philadelphia 76ers to the Mortgage Matchup Center on Saturday night, and the building buzzed for one reason. Devin Booker was back. Jalen Green was back. The cavalry had arrived.
What they did not bring with them was a shooting touch.
Phoenix opened the night by going 1-of-13 from deep in the first quarter and never really escaped the fog. By the end of it, they were 11-of-46 from beyond the arc. Brutal. So brutal it started to seep into their decision-making. For stretches in the second, the open looks were there. Clean looks. Rhythm shots. And instead of letting them fly, the Suns pump-faked themselves right out of confidence. Dribble. Reset. Force something worse.
That is the part that sticks with you. The offense was doing its job. The ball moved. The actions worked. The looks were real. Execution from three never showed up.
When the dust settled, both teams finished with 11 made threes. The difference was how they got there. The Suns needed 17 more attempts to reach the same number. That math catches up with you every time.
And yet, weirdly enough, this still felt like a step forward.
That sounds insane after a loss, but context matters. Getting Booker and Green back before the All-Star break matters. Roles have been stretched thin for weeks. Guys have been asked to do more than they are built for. That does not reset overnight.
It is still a work in progress. Green is coming off the bench. That will change. Booker is finding his legs again. That will come. The rotation has not fully settled yet, and that part is important.
Losing at home never feels good. But this is part of a larger process playing out in real time. Sometimes progress looks clean. Sometimes it looks clunky and uncomfortable and frustrating as hell. You do not have to like it. But you do have to respect it.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
Grayson gets the nod against the Warriors, and he was a casualty of that game. He gave it his all, tweaked his knee, and is once again sidelined. At least he has his 7th BSB to keep him company.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 53 against the Sixers. Here are your nominees:
PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 24: The San Antonio Spurs poses for a team photo as part of the NBA Paris Games 2025 at the Eiffel Tower on January 24, 2025 in Paris, France. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Per a Spurs press release:
The San Antonio Spurs announced that the organization will return to Paris, France this month to host “Spurs Week Paris,” a special weeklong activation across the city that brings key elements of their fan experience directly to their French supporters. From Thursday, Feb. 26 through Sunday, March 1, Spurs Week Paris will consist of community impact programming, exclusive retail and fan engagement opportunities and more activations designed to enhance the cross-cultural exchange between Texas and France, as part of the organization’s long-term commitment to growing the game of basketball globally.
The weeks events include:
Thurs. Feb. 26-Sun. March 1 Exclusive Pop-Up Shop The limited time “Les Spurs Pop Up Fan Shop” in the 1st arrondisement will feature an exclusive Spurs “Bexar Goods x Paris” retail line designed to introduce French fans to the South Texan style and materials through the lens of the team’s private label “Bexar Goods.” Classic Spurs team merchandise such as jerseys and hats will be available as well. Store hours are as follows: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CET daily, closing early at 2 p.m. CET on Sunday, March 1.
Thurs., Feb. 26 Spurs Basketball Clinics in Le Chesnay, presented by Ledger The organization will return to the court they renovated in Victor Wembanyama’s hometown of Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt with the 2025 launch of the Play Paris initiative. Spurs Sports Academy coaches will lead skills clinics, open to athletes ages 8-16 years old, with sign-ups open now at SpursSportsAcademy.com/Paris.
Sat., Feb. 28 Play Paris Court Design Unveiling, presented by Ledger In partnership with Ledger, the Spurs will surprise the community of Nanterre with the announcement of a renovated court. This court will be the second in the Spurs Play Paris program, which was built to inspire the next generation and create a lasting legacy in the community. The announcement will be followed by a Spurs skills challenge, which is open to local youth athletes with sign-ups open now at SpursSportsAcademy.com/Paris.
Sun., March 1 Official Spurs Watch Party, presented by Ledger The Spurs and Ledger will host a free watch party, open to the public with required RSVP while supplies last, to cheer the team on as they face the Knicks in New York. The party will feature all the classic Spurs game day elements like Coyote, giveaways and more. To RSVP in order to receive official event invitation, visit Spurs.com/Paris.
RC Buford, CEO of Spurs Sports & Entertainment, stated,
“Spurs Week Paris was thoughtfully designed with French Spurs fans in mind, building upon the decades-long relationships the team has established in France and throughout Europe. Our longstanding international history has given us the privilege of connecting with fans worldwide and we’re honored to be embraced and welcomed by communities across the globe.”
Spurs Week Paris is a continuation of the Spurs commitment to making basketball a global game and connecting with fans across the world.
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Sep 20, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson (49) looks on against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
In 24 hours, the baseball season will be upon us. The NFL season finale will be complete and we will be able to watch grown men carry large bags around sun soaked skies.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 19: Yandy Díaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays runs the bases after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Boston Red Sox at George M. Steinbrenner Field on September 19, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
DRaysBay works best as a place for community and conversation. Accordingly, in the lead up to the new season, we are posting “Daily Questions” in the month of February. I look forward to seeing you in the comment section!
Players start reporting later this week, and the roster is essentially set. Is it enough to contend? What do you see?
Among the protocols approved for the 2021 season on this day, five years ago, were a limit on the number of fans able to attend games, including this Opening Day on April 8, 2021. | (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images)
1958 Future White Sox hurling star Juan Pizarro set a record by recording 17 strikeouts in the Caribbean Series opener.
The game was a culmination of Pizarro’s greatest Puerto Rican Winter League season, winning the PRWL MVP as he became the second of now-four pitchers to win its pitching Triple Crown: 14-5 with a 1.32 ERA, 183 Ks and 94 hits in 170⅓ innings. Pizarro set two regular season marks as well: Topping Satchel Paige’s record by striking out 19 batters in a game against the Ponce Leones, and tossing nine shutouts on the season. And just two starts after his 19-strikeout game, Pizarro no-hit the Mayagüez Indios. Pizarro’s Criollos de Caguas went on to represent Puerto Rico in the Caribbean Series, and in their series opener on this day the southpaw tossed a two-hitter to go along with 17 Ks in an 8-0 win over Panama’s Carta Vieja Yankees.
Two seasons later, Bill Veeck maneuvered a three-way deal with Pizarro’s Milwaukee and the Cincinnati Reds to acquire Pizarro for the White Sox. “Terín” blossomed into a star, winning 61 games over his first four seasons in Chicago and putting up 3.05 ERA and 12.9 WAR in his White Sox career.
Combining the majors, Mexican League and Puerto Rican Winter League, Pizarro won 392 regular season games in his career. He remains the 36th-best pitcher in White Sox history.
1976 Trailblazing White Sox starter Jim Parque was born, in Norwalk, Calif.
It might seem more of an afterthought today, but when Parque made his MLB debut on May 26, 1998, he may have been the first pitcher of Asian descent ever to start for the White Sox (Parque is Vietnamese-American).
As an extremely undersized high-schooler (his team didn’t have a jersey small enough for the 5´1´´ newcomer), Parque was mentored by fellow southpaw and former White Sox hurler Jerry Reuss. Selected in the 50th round by the Dodgers in 1994, Parque instead opted for UCLA, where he led the Bruins to the College World Series. The White Sox picked him in the first round in 1997.
His time on the South Side ended up brief, with just two full seasons and parts of three others. However, his career encompassed the “Kids Can Play” era and 2000 Central Division winners; that year was Parque’s zenith, with a 13-6 record and 2.9 WAR.
2021 While it appeared that a full season schedule would be played after the pandemic-shortened 2020 slate, MLB and the MLBPA agreed to modifications to the season to protect the health of players and fans. Most prominent was the move to seven-inning doubleheaders and the Manfred Man runner on second base to start each extra inning.
For some reason, while nine-inning games in doubleheaders shortly returned to baseball, the Manfred Man still persists.
TORONTO, CANADA - NOVEMBER 26: Brandon Ingram #3 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles against the Indiana Pacers during the second half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on November 26, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The last time the Seattle Seahawks came within a yard of defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 49, the Toronto Raptors were riding a six-game winning streak. Months later, the Raptors were swept in the playoffs by the Washington Wizards, signalling the first red flags of the ‘We The North’ movement.
Over a decade later, the Raptors are ushering in a new era, and things are equally hopeful and uncertain.
Next up is their penultimate game before the unofficial halfway point of the season, which involves a matchup against the Indiana Pacers on a super Sunday afternoon. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EST on Sportsnet.
While the Pacers sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Raptors are in the midst of protecting their tenuous hold on a playoff spot.
The Philadelphia 76ers and the four teams currently in the play-in all have a legitimate chance at catching the Raptors during the second half of the season. Not including the Cleveland Cavaliers, who recently leapfrogged into fourth place, the Raptors are 1-9 against the top four teams in the East and West.
The Raptors must figure out their issues with contenders, but it’s also equally important to dispatch the teams they should beat.
Here are three additional storylines to consider.
Poeltl is key to the Raptors ‘run-game’
The Toronto Raptors are nearing full-strength and a glimpse into the team’s future may be possible ahead of All-Star Weekend.
The most significant update is Jakob Poeltl being listed as questionable on the injury report. While it’s likely he won’t suit up until after the break, the mere thought of Poeltl’s return offers reprieve from the team’s struggles against opposing centres.
It seems like the plan is to eventually roll out the Austrian for as many games as possible to close out the season. A load management approach will likely be used, meaning Toronto must continue to rely on Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles and Sandro Mamukelashvili to moonlight as centres when needed.
To help with the physical toll that takes on the their bodies, General Manager Bobby Webster also acquired Trayce Jackson-Davis from the Warriors at the trade deadline. After an encouraging rookie season during which Jackson-Davis averaged 7.9 points and 5.0 rebounds in 16.6 minutes, the six-foot-nine tweener ultimately fell out of Golden State’s rotation.
Jackson-Davis will have every opportunity to rediscover his confidence on a Raptors team desperate for any kind of interior presence.
The classic ‘redshirt’ season
The Pacers arguably paid a steep price to acquire Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers at the deadline, but the move suggests the front office is ready to fight for their spot in the Eastern Conference once Tyrese Haliburton returns.
Indiana dealt Canadian Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, two first-round picks and a second-rounder in exchange for Zubac and Kobe Brown. Zubac will wear a new jersey for the first time in over seven years, but his debut may have to wait due to a lingering ankle injury. The seven-footer also recently welcomed a newborn into the world.
Since Myles Turner’s departure, the Pacers have worked tirelessly to find a replacement at the five spot. Zubac should confidently outperform the mixed results produced by the tandem of Jackson and Jay Huff. For the second consecutive season, Zubac is averaging a double-double with 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds.
Increased routes and targets for Walter
With Ochai Agbaji now a member of the Brooklyn Nets, that’s one less component of the bench carousel of wings the Raptors have deployed this season. There’s a fun combination of reduced pressure and increased expectations that now fall on Ja’Kobe Walter. Drafted with the 19th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Walter has a straightforward opportunity in front of him.
Walter finished with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals in 30 minutes against the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 5. The Raptors are 3-1 when Walter plays at least 30 minutes this year. The six-foot-four guard flashes a scoring punch and defensive intensity Toronto desperately needs from the wing position. If RJ Barrett is moved in the off-season, Walter’s play during the remainder of the season will factor into that decision.
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.
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.
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.
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 01: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 talks to Trent Grisham #12 of the New York Yankees during the game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on October 1, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees are returning almost the entirety of their 2025 squad, something that has seemed inevitable for some time. For those frustrated by the strategy, I offer a warning: it could happen next year too. A huge chunk of the Yankees’ core is under control for years into the future. Nearly every pitcher of note on their staff is either under long-term contract or young and going through their arb/pre-arb years, while the lineup is staffed largely with sluggers on long deals (Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton), or young hitters who won’t hit free agency for years (Ben Rice, Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe).
Leaving aside whether or not next winter could be another Run it Back kind of offseason, the fact remains that only a handful of key contributors to the 2026 season will be eyeing free agency come next year. Those contributors are, in no particular order, Trent Grisham, David Bednar, and Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Of those three, which would you most like to see continue donning pinstripes beyond 2026? Each has their merits. Grisham has perhaps the shortest track record of high-quality play, his breakout 2025 sticking out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of his career. But that shorter track record could make him easier to retain, and perhaps on a deal that doesn’t stretch too far into the future.
Chisholm is probably the best of this trio of possible free agents. His case is the most straightforward: he’s a very good player, and he will likely cost the most to keep around. Chisholm brings a dynamic, multi-faceted game, fielding his position well, hitting for power, and running the bases with aplomb. He’s 28-years-old and appears only just now to be peaking. It’s not easy to replace those kinds of players, and it’s also not easy to retain them.
Then there’s the case of Bednar. The burly right-hander was the antidote the Yankees’ ailing bullpen needed last summer, Bednar providing steady excellence in the ninth inning while the options around him all crumbled. The Yankees haven’t made a habit of spending on relievers in recent years, but if Bednar can continue his superlative work, he’d make an argument for them to buck that trend.
So, who do you most want to see stick around? The second baseman who can rake, the fire-breathing closer, or the smooth center fielder? Lay out your case in the comments below.
It will be a little quieter on the site today, with Jeremy continuing our Yankee Birthday series by celebrating Fritz Peterson, a 20-game winner with the Yankees back in 1970, and John making his weekly run through Yankees social media.
BUFFALO, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 05: Avery Hayes #85 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his second NHL goal against the Buffalo Sabres with teammates Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anthony Mantha #39 of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period of an NHL game on February 05, 2026 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Ben Ludeman/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Fueled by a 14-3-3 run since Christmas break that ranked second in the NHL, the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves sitting pretty in the Eastern Conference’s playoff picture when the NHL took its pause for the Olympics.
Pittsburgh’s season so far can be neatly broken into three segments; there was the hot 8-2-2 start that got them off to a strong footing followed by a period from Halloween to Christmas where they struggled to a 7-10-7 record that put them around the bottom of the league in that stretch, followed by the return to the top up to the Olympics from the period of Christmas onward.
That does leave one to wonder what will come next in the upcoming unofficial fourth segment of the season when games resume. Unfortunately for the Pens, it’s going to be a tough path to travel. They have the NHL’s toughest remaining strength of schedule based on quality of opponent. From Tankathon:
The Pens still have a lot of obstacles in their path in what looks like a brutal slate in March. The Pens will play 17 games in the month, tough enough as that may be it’s even more daunting seeing 14 of those 17 opponents currently in a playoff position. Seven of those games come against teams that are currently first in their division. That will be highlighted with three March games against Carolina, the team the Penguins find themselves eight points behind for first place in the Metropolitan Division.
Despite the upcoming brutal path, most models are bullish on the Pens’ chances to make the playoffs due to the strong work they’ve put together to this point. The Athletic is projecting a season finish of 95.8 points, Hockeystats.com is at 98. The Pens’ current statistical pace is 103 points based off how they’ve done so far. The team already has 70 points with 26 games to go, meaning both models are expecting close to a .500 finish in the games that remain. That could be something to keep in mind, if the Pens can over-perform that figure then their projections will shift up, and the opposite will hold true if the losses and regulation losses start stacking up again.
Even though it can be seen as a tough development to take a pause while the team has been among the NHL’s best in the last six weeks, the Olympic break likely still comes at a good time for the Pens overall. The break gives Kris Letang a chance to heal his broken foot without missing as many games. Evgeni Malkin was gutting through a shoulder problem that gets the benefit of added time off. Stuart Skinner was going into a slide and gets an opportunity for a reset. Pittsburgh will need all three veterans to play well down the stretch, the break provides them all a better chance compared to if the NHL season kept rolling on like it would in a non-Olympic year.
The NHL season is nearing 70% done, the Penguins have an impressive body of work through that time. It’s set them up for a very realistic chance at doing what many thought couldn’t be done to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2022. There’s still a way to go and a short time to get there, which their fate will ultimately be determined by playing a very tough schedule when the games pick back up. That’s what meaningful hockey this time of year is all about.
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.
