Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Boston, MA
Celtics remind Cavaliers: NBA's East still runs through Boston
BOSTON — Everyone knew the deal. The Cleveland Cavaliers entered Tuesday’s game against the reigning champions with a 15-0 record, second-best start to a season ever, and it was an NBA Cup game to boot.
“We knew,” said Boston Celtics guard Derrick White. “Everybody knew.”
In front of a national television audience, the Celtics reminded the Cavaliers that the Eastern Conference still runs through Boston. They made five of their first eight 3-point attempts, took an 18-8 advantage midway through the opening quarter and never trailed again in a 120-117 victory Cleveland never quit.
Boston pushed its lead to 65-48 by halftime, making nine more 3-pointers on 11 attempts in the second quarter. We could call it a barrage if it were not so expected. This is what the Celtics do. Their 51.1 3-point attempts lead the league by almost six per game. Even at a middling conversion rate, they sink nearly 20 triples a night. Make it 22 on Tuesday. Better keep up if you ever want that math to work in your favor.
The Cavs could not. They shot 10-for-29 from deep and climbed uphill all night as a result. This was a deviation from their norm. They have been playing faster and with more freedom under new head coach Kenny Atkinson, who learned in his time with the Golden State Warriors that the ball should never stick.
Except it did against Boston. “Not great,” Atkinson said of his team’s preparedness.
“The first thing we learned was the force and physicality,” he added. “They had playoff force and physicality; we had regular-season force and physicality. And that’s why we were down 17 at the half.”
They responded in the second half, trimming a 21-point deficit to 86-84 over seven minutes of the third quarter. Some of it was the Celtics settling for contested 3s, rather than creating open ones. Most of it was the Cavaliers pounding the paint. Whether it was Donovan Mitchell taking Neemias Queta off the dribble or Cleveland’s bigs posting smaller defenders, the Cavs outscored Boston on the interior 60-36.
Credit to Cleveland for not conceding the undefeated record, but the Celtics answered that call, too.
“It’s simple: We just locked in on defense,” said Boston’s Jayson Tatum, who finished with 33 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. “We’ve been in that situation a million times where it’s time to win.”
So they did, which could be interpreted as a bad sign for the Cavaliers, who considered this game a measuring stick of their seriousness as a contender. But Evan Mobley drew a different conclusion.
“From what I saw out there, we could beat anybody,” said Cleveland’s rising star.
Is that feeling different from last year, when Boston ousted Cleveland in a second-round playoff series?
“Not really, honestly,” added Mobley (22 points, 11 rebounds). “Last year it felt the same way. We were right there. We lost the series, but most of the games we were right there with them the whole time.”
Can beat the Celtics and will beat the Celtics are two different things. For as much positivity as the Cavaliers drew from their first loss of the season, there is this: Boston will soon reincorporate All-Star center Kristaps Porzingis, who unlocks another dimension for a team that won a title largely without him.
The Celtics assigned Porzingis to their G League affiliate Monday. Instead of sending him to Maine, they brought the entire developmental team to Porzingis, so he could simulate serious game action for the first time since his surgery, sources told Yahoo Sports. Attendees were pleased with his performance, which is a) to be expected from anyone relaying that information and b) better than the alternative.
Either way, Porzingis’ return is now a matter of weeks, not months, even if he may not be available when these two teams meet again Dec. 1. That is the next measuring stick. This one fell short for the Cavs, who look different from last season yet still a tier below the fully healthy version of the reigning champs.
Local News
The emergency response agency’s second-in-command dedicated four decades of service, including years of paramedic work.
The second-in-command officer of Boston Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has died, the agency announced.
John Gill, 61, of West Roxbury, died Saturday after 40 years of service for Boston EMS, according to his obituary. He was also a longtime member of Knights of Columbus.
“John faithfully served this department for nearly four decades, dedicating his entire career to the mission of providing the highest standard of prehospital care to the people of Boston,” Boston EMS said on Facebook. “His work earned numerous commendations, including two Unit Citations, reflecting a career defined by loyalty to the department and dedication to the City of Boston — the city where he was born and raised.”
Gill began at Boston EMS on June 25, 1986 and was eventually promoted to Paramedic in 1991, to Deputy Superintendent in 2003, and to Superintendent-in-Chief in 2020, the agency said. He was known for his “reliability, depth of knowledge, and dedication” but also his “quick wit and dry sense of humor.”
Beyond his daily duties, Gill helped found the Boston EMS Honor Guard and establish the Boston EMS Relief Association. He also served as Chief Steward of the Boston EMS union, representing his fellow members.
“John’s decades of service, leadership, and institutional knowledge leave an enduring mark on Boston EMS,” the agency said. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones, friends, and colleagues as they remember his life and his longstanding dedication to the department.”
Gill’s wake will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at Lawler & Crosby Funeral Home in West Roxbury, Boston EMS said on Facebook. His funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Holy Name Parish, also in West Roxbury.
What do you even want me to say at this point, respectfully?
Before I get on my soap box and complain for however-many words, let me just quickly say that I appreciate the fact that you’re here. It’s a holiday Monday, you could’ve done anything else with your long weekend, and yet you decided to read the upset ramblings of a man who is really pissed off with his shitty baseball team. For that, I thank you. Isn’t that the American Dream, what I’m living out right now?
Tongue-in-cheek comments aside: I’m exhausted, folks. Not with the writing—I’ll be here on OTM until the bitter end—but with the watching. Forgive me for the stream of consciousness this week, but I don’t know what else to do.
The 2026 Boston Red Sox are a chore to watch. I don’t really remember the last time I’ve ever felt that way in my life. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt that way, actually, now that I think about it. I was in high school in 2012; I still had that youthful spunk where I wanted to watch my team. I was still probably riding enough of a high after 2013 to ensure that the following two season weren’t a monotonous watch. Even the non-‘21-and-‘25 teams in the 2020’s weren’t this miserable to sit through at this point in the season, at least for me (your mileage may vary).
After a sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins, the Sox are dangerously close to being 10 games under .500, as if avoiding that label would be any fucking consolation prize for a team that was getting AL pennant shouts two months ago (and I’m guilty of that too! I had Seattle winning the pennant over us! Not that the Seattle prediction is going well, but my goodness!). This team is a joke. They are, simply put, pathetic. I’m not sure how in depth I can go with that as my basis right now.
Perhaps this is just my own personal reckoning with the situation, but doesn’t this feel like the right time for it? The unofficial date to begin worrying about your team has always been Memorial Day. We’re there now, and I think the season’s just about over already. There’s no generational prospect coming up through the minors to help us. The coaching staff has already been cleaned out. The money is being allocated by FSG in some capacity, for all the ownership group’s faults, yet here we are. The roster construction is still a mess and it will continue to be a mess for the immediate future.
To quote a wise sheriff…
If there’s a way out of this mess, I can’t personally see it. I try to be as optimistic as possible, but I do not see a path to 270 electoral votes this year. I’d love to eat these words in a few months, but I don’t believe in this group. I’ve seen enough. I’ll keep watching because I’m a sicko. I’ll keep writing about this team because I love writing and I love the Red Sox and I love this lil’ gig I’ve been blessed with getting. But I sure as hell do not love this iteration of the team, man. We’ll have plenty of time to talk about what needs to happen to right the ship (I don’t want to be rash, but I’m becoming more and more of a #BreslowOut guy as the days go on, slowly but surely), but as for right now: I think the prospects we had in late March about this team contending in October are just about done and dusted.
If you’re a consistent reader, you know that I like to dive into the developments that have happened over the course of the week in the MMBB, whether they’re good or bad. That practice will continue for the rest of the season. I’ll try to be as optimistic as possible moving forward in 2026, but just know that I’m probably harboring a sense of dread alongside any positive words I have until I’m given a reason by the team to feel otherwise. Why waste my time by thinking things could be getting better this season when I’m talking about any consistent trends that Jarren Duran might’ve had at the plate this week? The last time I did that, he sucked for another week-and-change. I did the same with Marcelo Mayer before then, and it’s been even worse for him. I could talk until I’m blue in the face about the positive trends being made by a Payton Tolle or a Sonny Gray or a, dare I say, Brayan Bello when he’s being preceded by an opener.
Doesn’t matter, dude. We suck shit.
All of those positive trends could be true in a vacuum, but I don’t think they’re gonna ultimately matter this year—short of something extraordinary happening. The pitching’s been pretty solid overall, the defense has been stellar, and I’ve tried finding the positives in an underwhelming lineup. All of that together has gotten us eight games below an even .500. We’re a laughing stock in the league; a banter club, if you follow the Premier League. We’ve got Buster Olney saying we’ve got to abort the Caleb Durbin experiment. The question of “What the fuck are we doing in the front office” is a legitimate one at this stage. To get even more existential, another great question is “What is the plan moving forward?”
We’ve got nothing going for us on a consistent basis. Even after a sweep in Kansas City, the team goes and shits their pants yet again at home. The only time I’ve ever given true credence to the idea of momentum not being a thing has been with watching this collection of guys representing the Red Sox, because I haven’t seen an ounce of it this year. What is there to look forward to for the last four months of the year?
I guess I’ve gotta answer that question for myself. Maybe you do as well.
Again: I’ll be here for y’all. I’ll talk about positive and negative trends as I see ‘em, because I like talking ball. I love this team, I love this sport, and I love talking about both the team as well as the sport.
But I suppose this is my official declaration that I’m not gonna be fooled by this specific group going forward. I’ve been patient enough thus far; the patience is gone. I’m not holding any reservations for them for the rest of the year, because they don’t deserve those reservations. We’ve crossed the Rubicon, if the Rubicon was filled with poo. Maybe we’re drowning in that Rubicon instead, come to think of it. Either way: I don’t see a way where we could be going back.
I’ll still watch, I’ll still write, I’ll still support, but I don’t believe in this group as things currently stand. I’d love to be proven wrong, but I don’t think I’m alone in this sentiment. What have they done to prove otherwise? I’ve tried putting a spotlight on positive things (and I’m not trying to sound like the end-all-be-all of Sox analysis here, folks; this is just my personal ramblings) and they haven’t amounted to much of anything. I don’t care how bad the American League is. We’re a prime example of that suckiness. How many times can the boy cry wolf? How many times can the Sox blogger cry positive regression?
I dunno, folks. I’m just exhausted with this team already. I think it’ll be a………………………………………..
Song of the Week: “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
I swear I didn’t go into this aiming for it to be a 1,200+ word set-up to a stupid joke, but if the shoe fits….
Same time and same place next week, folks. Go Sox, I guess. Who gives a fuck anymore?
Fellow firefighters paid somber tribute at the fire house where Robert “Bobby” Kilduff, who many referred to as “BK,” served for decades with the Boston Fire Department. On Sunday, black bunting was hung in honor of Kilduff, who died Saturday night after falling from the third floor while battling a Dorchester fire.
“He was the heart of this fire house, he is going to be missed sorely. He is irreplaceable,” Lt. Greg Kelly said.
Kilduff’s fellow firefighters were brought to tears as they remembered their friend and brother. They placed his boots on the floor and traced an outline onto the cement following his death.
“Bobby Kilduff is exactly the definition of what you would imagine a true firefighter should be,” Boston firefighter Lector Tavares said.
All of the residents of the Dorchester home where the fire broke out Saturday night made it out safely. A mayday call was issued when Kilduff fell. He was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
“BK was the quintessential rescue man. Just in the last 48 hours prior to this fire, he was involved in rescuing a girl who was trying to jump off a building,” Lt. Kelly said. “When the mayday came in, I couldn’t imagine it could be BK. He’s usually the one saving people.”
Not only did Kilduff spend decades in the fire service, but he also spent years serving his country in the U.S. Marines.
Kilduff was also part of the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, hosting training scenarios for elected officials about the dangers firefighters face.
Kilduff leaves behind two adult children. His girlfriend and her two children. The fire remains under investigation at this time.
“He prioritized so much the importance of being a dad. He loved his kids so much,” Capt. Kevin Preston said.
Funeral arrangments have not yet been announced.
-
News17 minutes ago
US strikes targets in southern Iran, says actions meant to protect troops | The Jerusalem Post
-
New York2 hours agoGov. Sherrill Demands Access to ICE Facility as Hunger Strike Widens
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoL.A. man, 36, drowns near Lake Tahoe over Memorial Day weekend
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoMetro Detroit woman threatens to leave gym over burkinis
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoAlcatraz City Cruises ferry slams into SF’s Pier 31, shattering passenger windows
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoDallas Symphony Orchestra announces free 2026 Parks Concert Series
-
Miami, FL3 hours agoCarlos Vives Pours Colombian Pride Into Miami With Tour Al Sol: ‘It Is Important to Be in This City’
-
Boston, MA3 hours agoBoston EMS Superintendent-in-Chief dies after 40 years with the department
