Boston, MA

Boston's trip to Abu Dhabi was a complete success

Published

3 months ago

October 7, 2024

Boston's trip to Abu Dhabi was a complete success

Basketball – NBA – Pre-Season Game – Boston Celtics v Denver Nuggets – Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – October 6, 2024 Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown dunks the ball REUTERS/Rula Rouhana TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

The Boston Celtics won both games against the Denver Nuggets in Abu Dhabi, getting their preseason off to an incredibly strong start against one of the toughest opponents in the NBA. Despite being outside the USA, Boston and Denver played in front of large and engaged crowds.

In a recent article for the Boston Globe, Adam Himmelsbach reported that Boston fans traveled from around the world to be in attendance in Abu Dhabi. During his time with the team, Himmelsbach spoke with numerous fans that had made the trip to see their favorite team playing in the Middle East.

“I think it’s the great luck of my life,” Reant Gumerov, a fan from Tbilisi, Georgia told Himmeslbach. “I am a big Boston fan, and my friends know I watch all the matches and [am] always talking about Boston. I am green, and now I have an opportunity to look at this great show.”

The NBA is an established and consistently growing international brand. Every team in the league has a rabid fanbase outside of the US, with bigger market franchises having pockets of fans in every country around the world. As such, it makes sense that worldwide fans would make the trip to Abu Dhabi to experience a preseason game in the sunshine.

Boston is currently the biggest-name team in the world; that’s what happens when you dominate the league en route to winning a championship.

However, it’s also because of the storied history of the franchise, with legends spanning across multiple generations, ensuring everyone has a head of the Boston Celtics, at least peripherally. The Celtics’ trip to Abu Dhabi was a success. This was not only because of winning both games and getting started on the right foot, but also because it helped raise the profile of the team and the NBA as a whole.

There’s a reason the NBA runs its global games program, and judging by the turn-out at the Etihad Arena, that reason is working.

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Celtics’ trip to Abu Dhabi was a complete success

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Boston, MA

Orlando hosts Boston following Tatum’s 43-point game

Published

4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

Orlando hosts Boston following Tatum’s 43-point game

Associated Press

Boston Celtics (22-6, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (18-12, fourth in the Eastern Conference)

Orlando, Florida; Monday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Boston visits the Orlando Magic after Jayson Tatum scored 43 points in the Celtics’ 123-98 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

The Magic are 14-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Orlando is fifth in the Eastern Conference with 10.9 offensive rebounds per game led by Goga Bitadze averaging 2.9.

The Celtics are 20-4 against Eastern Conference opponents. Boston ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference with 10.8 offensive rebounds per game led by Luke Kornet averaging 2.0.

The Magic are shooting 45.2% from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points lower than the 45.7% the Celtics allow to opponents. The Celtics are shooting 45.7% from the field, 0.6% lower than the 46.3% the Magic’s opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Franz Wagner is averaging 24.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.7 steals for the Magic.

Tatum is averaging 28.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists for the Celtics.

LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 5-5, averaging 106.4 points, 42.0 rebounds, 22.3 assists, 9.4 steals and 7.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.0 points per game.

Celtics: 7-3, averaging 118.5 points, 49.7 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 7.5 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.7 points.

INJURIES: Magic: Paolo Banchero: out (oblique), Franz Wagner: out (oblique), Jalen Suggs: day to day (ankle), Gary Harris: day to day (hamstring), Moritz Wagner: day to day (knee).

Celtics: Sam Hauser: day to day (back).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Boston, MA

Termination of Boston cop who sent pro-Trump Jan. 6 tweets vacated, commission rules

Published

12 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Termination of Boston cop who sent pro-Trump Jan. 6 tweets vacated, commission rules

A Boston Police officer who was fired for sending pro-Trump tweets anonymously on Jan. 6, 2021, had his termination vacated by the state civil service commission.

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Originally Published: December 21, 2024 at 7:36 PM EST

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Boston, MA

Celtics at Bulls preview: Can Boston keep its cool in back end of home-and-home series? – The Boston Globe

Published

19 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Celtics at Bulls preview: Can Boston keep its cool in back end of home-and-home series? – The Boston Globe

“We were getting decent looks, but we just weren’t making them,” Porzingis said. “And when you’re not making them, not that our energy was lacking, but it’s just not the same hype. And honestly, they were taking and making some tough shots, and they were also making the open ones.”

The Celtics also saw their worst shooting percentage (39.2 percent) from the field in a game this season, connecting on 38-of-97 attempts.

Meanwhile, Chicago is coming off one of their best defensive performances thus far. They had 56 rebounds and forward Zach LaVine led the offense with a season-high 36 points.

“They played physical,” Jaylen Brown said. “They hit shots. They guarded well. If a team’s hitting shots and guarding well, anything can happen on any given night.”

Sam Hauser is questionable to play with lower back spasms.

Here’s your preview.

When: Saturday, 8 p.m.

Where: United Center, Chicago

TV, radio: NBCSB, WROR-FM (105.7)

Line: Boston -10.5. O/U: 240.5.

CELTICS

Season record: 21-6. vs. spread: 10-17. Over/under: 12-14, 1 push

Last 10 games: 7-3. vs. spread: 3-7. Over/under: 4-6

BULLS

Season record: 13-15. vs. spread: 14-13, 1 push. Over/under: 16-12

Last 10 games: 6-4. vs. spread: 6-3, 1 push. Over/under: 5-5

TEAM STATISTICS

Points per game: Boston 119.5, Chicago 118.8

Points allowed per game: Boston 110.0, Chicago 121.4

Field goal percentage: Boston .456, Chicago .473

Opponent field goal percentage: Boston .460, Chicago .477

3-point percentage: Boston .367, Chicago .378

Opponent 3-point percentage: Boston .350, Chicago .339

Stat of the day: The victory ended the Bulls’ five-game losing streak against the Celtics, which included a 138-129 home loss on Nov. 29. It also gave the Bulls three straight victories for the first time this season.

Notes: LaVine scored five consecutive points after Boston made it a 99-96 game on a Brown 3-pointer. Two of those five points came on free throws after Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla and Brown were each hit with a technical foul with 5:12 to play — Mazzulla for walking onto the court and Brown for asking why his coach was given the tech. Tatum also received a technical with 3:10 remaining . . . The Bulls were 19 of 52 from 3-point range. They trailed 57-54 at halftime and 86-82 entering the fourth, but used a 12-0 run to take a 99-90 lead . . . Tatum had 31 points and 10 rebounds but was 10-of-22 shooting from the field.

Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.

Alexa Podalsky can be reached at alexa.podalsky@globe.com.

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