Boston, MA

Celtics Notebook: Porzingis played through injury in Game 5

Published

2 years ago

June 19, 2024

Celtics Notebook: Porzingis played through injury in Game 5

According to Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics’ medical staff did not want Kristaps Porzingis to play in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. He was dealing with a rare and serious leg injury, after all, one we now know will require offseason surgery to repair.

Porzingis didn’t care.

Mazzulla revealed in an interview on the “Pardon My Take” podcast that the Celtics big man overruled Boston’s medical team in order to take the court in Monday night’s championship-clinching win over the Mavericks.

“It was like, we don’t know how long this series is going to go on for, let’s try to save him from himself because he was trying to play,” said Mazzulla, who did not use Porzingis in Game 3 or 4 in Dallas. “So let’s see if we can get through a game or two.

“And then when it was Game 5 at home, it was like, ‘Hey, this might be it. I’ve got to be out there.’ He was like, ‘I’m playing.’ He overrode the medical team and was just like, ‘I’m playing.’ Credit to him.”

Porzingis, who said earlier in the Finals that he’d be willing to “die out there” to be on the floor with his teammates, played 16 minutes in Game 5, tallying five points and one rebound. He was not as impactful as he was before his latest injury — Dallas had few answers for the 7-foot-2 difference-maker in Games 1 and 2 — but Mazzulla said his contributions were vital nonetheless.

The Celtics head coach also said Porzingis would have been available in certain situations in Game 4, including if Boston had a key jump ball in its own end or was on the verge of winning. Neither of those came to pass, as a Mavs blowout extended the series and allowed the C’s to clinch on their home floor.

“If we were winning, I would have put him in the game for a minute or two, just because he sacrificed his whole career to get to this point, and to not be a part of it would have just devastated him,” Mazzulla said of Porzingis, who had never advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs before his trade to Boston last summer. “He had a serious, serious injury and he worked his ass off to get back. And what he brought for us in Game 5 was unbelievable and really led to winning.”

Porzingis also dealt with a calf injury during the playoffs that sidelined him for 10 games. His exact recovery timeline is unclear, but he reportedly is expected to miss several months.

“I gave everything I could,” Porzingis said after Game 5. “And man, it feels great to be a champion.”

Mazzulla thankful for knee tear

Porzingis’ coach was dealing with his own significant injury throughout the Celtics’ playoff run, with Mazzulla sharing after Game 5 that he tore his meniscus following a late-season loss to Atlanta.

Mazzulla offered a deeper explanation of how that happened during his “PMT” appearance, saying his frustration over the defeat caused him to overexert himself during a mixed martial arts training session.

But the notoriously intense coach — who also needs surgery this offseason — said he actually enjoyed the grueling rehab that followed because it heightened his focus.

“Well, listen, that’s what happens when you lose games in the regular season,” Mazzulla said. “You’re just not allowed to lose. So after we lost to Atlanta at home, I just went out on the mats, punished myself and just pounded my body until it couldn’t take any more, and ended up just tearing my knee. It ended up being a great experience for me. I had to do, like, six hours of treatment in order to coach the next game without too much of a limp because I could not walk.

“But I’ll tell you what, it was one of the best things that happened to me for the rest of the season because it put me in this fight or flight mentality to where I could just not relax. Like, I had to constantly train to keep it pain-free, had to constantly get physical therapy. My physical therapist has been great. And it was just awesome. I’ve been thinking about maybe getting hurt every All-Star break.”

Boston never lost to the Hawks at home this season, so Mazzulla likely was referring to one of its back-to-back L’s in Atlanta in late March. The Celtics went 23-5 after those stumbles, including their 16-3 playoff run.

Mazzulla said coaching through pain “just brought a different level of focus that I had to have.”

“Because it’s a bucket handle tear and it would lock and click from time to time, so I had to walk slower,” he said. “I couldn’t move certain ways. So it really forced me to focus more. So I’m actually really grateful that it happened. I miss the mats, though.”

Off the rim

Mazzulla said he and Jayson Tatum watched the Batman-Joker interrogation scene from “The Dark Knight” during a discussion about how the Celtics would handle pressure and expectations from the media. “Batman’s like, ‘Why do you want to kill me,’” Mazzulla said. “And the Joker starts laughing at him. He’s like, ‘I don’t want to kill you. I need you. You complete me.’ It was the coolest moment of, like, good and evil has to coexist. Differences have to coexist in order to bring the best out of each other.” … The Celtics coach channeled his inner Bill Belichick when he noted, multiple times, that all other teams are now ahead of Boston in their preparation for next season. “A week from now,” Mazzulla said, “we’ll be 0-0.”

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Boston, MA

East Boston couple accused in alleged racist attack on restaurant patio after calling in noise complaint

Published

2 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Press Room

East Boston couple accused in alleged racist attack on restaurant patio after calling in noise complaint

A husband and wife have been arrested after police claim they assaulted and violated the civil rights of people dining at a Colombian restaurant in East Boston.

Authorities arrested Arielle Raso, 37, and her husband Gregory Raso, 39, on Monday evening. Police said the couple called 911 with a noise complaint for the back patio of Tertulias Cafe just before 7 p.m. Officers asked the couple to call back around 11 p.m. if the noise continued, per the city’s ordinance.

Instead, police said the couple took matters into their own hands. Within two hours authorities were called back to the Porter Street address for an assault in progress.

Nearly a dozen people were eating on the back patio which shares a fence with the Raso’s house. Video shows water being sprayed from a hose to the patrons on the other side of the fence. In their police report, authorities said Arielle Raso admitted to doing it. Additionally, prosecutors claim the Raso’s broke a piece of a shared wooden fence and threw it at the victims. One piece hit a 12-year-old.

Police also report that during her arrest, Arielle yelled at the victims, “Get out of this country.” “I will kill you. I don’t give a [expletive].”

Gildardo Preciado has owned Tertulias Cafe for roughly a dozen years. He said he just attained a permit for the outdoor patio last year when he officially purchased the property his restaurant resides in. But he said this aggressive, and in the prosecutor’s view, racist behavior has been going on for years.

“They don’t like Spanish people,” said Preciado. “That’s what they said. But this is a neighborhood full of Latin people. I don’t want to give them a hard time, that is where they live. I understand. It has been almost impossible [to do business] going like this.”

WBZ-TV knocked on the door listed in the police report for the Raso’s. A family member approached and said, “There are two sides to every story,” but would not elaborate.

The Suffolk County District Attorney called the incident, “appalling.” The Raso’s are facing a number of assault and civil rights violation charges. They are due back in court on July 28.

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Boston, MA

Beloved MA Bakery Lands At Boston Logan Airport

Published

14 hours ago

May 27, 2026

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Beloved MA Bakery Lands At Boston Logan Airport

BOSTON, MA — An iconic Massachusetts bakery is opening inside Boston Logan Airport later this year.

Mike’s Pastry, the longtime North End bakery known for its cannoli, cookies and other Italian desserts, will open a new location in Terminal C at Boston Logan International Airport later this year, according to MarketPlace Development and Massport.

The new shop will offer signature Mike’s Pastry items along with travel-ready selections, including filled-to-order cannoli in multiple flavors, cheesecake slices, lobster tails and a full espresso bar.

Mike’s Pastry was founded in Boston’s North End in 1946 and has grown into one of the city’s best-known bakeries, with several locations across Greater Boston. The new location is expected to be open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Renderings of the Mike’s Pastry’s new location in Terminal C at Boston Logan International Airport, which will open later this year. (Rendering Credit: Air Ventures)

“We’re thrilled to bring iconic North End favorite Mike’s Pastry to Boston Logan, giving visitors even more variety of Boston flavors,” Massport CEO Rich Davey said in the announcement. “This addition reflects our continued commitment to elevating the passenger experience by bringing local culture to the terminals through live entertainment, classic culinary favorites and more.”

Mike’s Pastry owner Angelo Papa said the airport opening will give travelers a chance to pick up a familiar Boston staple before departure or after landing.

“Mike’s Pastry has always been about sharing a piece of Boston with everyone who walks through our doors,” Papa said. “Bringing that experience to Boston Logan is special for us.”

The Terminal C shop will pair Mike’s Pastry’s North End identity with a more modern airport design, featuring the bakery’s gold tones along with blue and white accents, solid-surface countertops and illuminated pastry display cases.

Latest Arrivals At Logan Airport

This is just one of several new food and beverage outlets expected to open at Boston Logan Airport this year.

Earlier this year, a modern-day fish shack with counter service and seating, Roger’s Fish Co. , officially opened in Terminal A at the airport.

Meanwhile, CAVA and Berkshire Farm to Flight were some othere new arrivals in the airport’s Terminal B.

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Boston, MA

Boston’s Joe Mazzulla wins NBA’s Coach of the Year, repeats claim that it should be a staff award

Published

1 day ago

May 27, 2026

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Boston’s Joe Mazzulla wins NBA’s Coach of the Year, repeats claim that it should be a staff award

Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics was asked a couple months ago about the possibility of winning the Coach of the Year award this season, and his answer was succinct.

“I don’t need it,” he said back in March. “I think it’s a stupid award.”

On Tuesday, Mazzulla won a stupid award.

Mazzulla was announced as the NBA’s top coach for 2025-26, after the Celtics earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference — despite playing most of the year without Jayson Tatum while he recovered from Achilles surgery and amid rebuilding expectations from many following the departures of players like Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.

To be very clear, Mazzulla’s dismissal of the award in March was for one reason — he thinks it should be more of a “coaching staff of the year” than a “coach of the year” award, and that is a noble approach. He repeated that during Tuesday night’s announcement of his win, beginning his remarks on NBC by thanking those who made it possible.

“The long nights, the trips, game plans, the video guys that are clipping up the film and coding it, the assistants who are putting in the game plan, I think there’s so much that goes into winning one game,” Mazzulla said. “It starts with the players, but it goes to our staff. I feel bad that they’re not here — but forever indebted to the guys that we have that give up time with their families and their time to give us a chance to win every day.”

The 37-year-old Mazzulla is the youngest winner of the award since Phil Johnson in 1975, the NBA said.

Fittingly, the Celtics coach will get the Red Auerbach Trophy — which is named for the legendary Celtics coach. Mazzulla becomes the fourth Boston coach to win the award, following Auerbach in 1965, Tom Heisohn in 1973 and Bill Fitch in 1980. Auerbach, a Hall of Famer, guided the Celtics to nine NBA championships, including eight in a row from 1959 through 1966.

“This is well deserved recognition and a testament to both Joe and his staff,” Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens said. “With all of our unknowns entering the season, Joe did a fantastic job building and growing a team. He pours everything he has into competing at a high level, while helping players find the best versions of themselves within the framework of a team.”

Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff — for the second consecutive year — finished second, and San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson placed third.

The award is based on regular-season results only. Votes from the panel of 100 reporters and broadcasters who cover the NBA were turned in during the play-in tournament, which was more than a month ago.

The Coach of the Year award — the one handed out Tuesday is separate from the one presented earlier this spring by the National Basketball Coaches Association, which Bickerstaff won — is the last of the major awards given out by the NBA to commemorate the best of the 2025-26 season.

The rundown of awards:

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City: Most Valuable Player and Clutch Player of the Year.
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio: Defensive Player of the Year.
Cooper Flagg, Dallas: Rookie of the Year.
Keldon Johnson, San Antonio: Sixth Man of the Year.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta: Most Improved Player.
Bam Adebayo, Miami: Social Justice Champion.
Derrick White, Boston: Sportsmanship Award.
DeAndre Jordan, New Orleans: Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year.
Brad Stevens, Boston: Executive of the Year.
Moussa Diabaté, Charlotte: Hustle Award.
The All-NBA, All-Defensive and All-Rookie teams.