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How Gonzaga’s Anton Watson fits with the Boston Celtics

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How Gonzaga’s Anton Watson fits with the Boston Celtics


Anton Watson finished his college career as one of the winningest players in Gonzaga men’s basketball program history. The Boston Celtics probably knew that when they selected the Spokane native with the 54th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

On the court, Watson’s defensive versatility made him Mark Few’s “problem solver,” as the 6-foot-8 forward could guard multiple positions and embraced matchups against the opponent’s biggest offensive threat. Offensively he excelled at timely cuts along the baseline or from the perimeter, while his improvements as a passer were quite noticeable as a fifth-year senior. The athleticism might not stand out to some, but the results from the G League Elite Camp would suggest it’s trending in the right direction.

Above all else though, Watson’s win-loss record spoke volumes about his impact on the Zags’ success. In five seasons (though he only played 15 games as a freshman due to a shoulder injury), the Gonzaga Prep product amassed a 132-19 (.870) record and played in four Sweet 16 games, two Elite Eight games, a Final Four and a National Championship game and set the program record for steals in the NCAA Tournament (21).

“He’s been such an unsung hero of this program,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said of Watson after a win over Portland on Feb. 23. “He’s such a winner. He’s a winner and he’s a great teammate. He’s just the perfect guy you want in your program. Obviously when you’re at Gonzaga you really want him in your program because we’ve valued everything Anton’s done.”

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Now Watson goes from one winning culture to the next, as he makes the move to Boston just nine days after the franchise won its NBA-leading 18th championship in a 4-1 series win over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Led by All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, the Celtics were undoubtedly the best team in the league all season long en route to an overall record of 80-21 (64-16 in the regular season, 16-3 in the playoffs). That .792 winning percentage is the second-best in team history behind only the legendary 1985-86 championship team that went 82-18 (.820). 

Boston figures to be among the favorites to go back-to-back with most of the cast returning for the 2024-25 season, which could limit Watson’s playing opportunities as a rookie. Brad Stevens, the mastermind behind the Celtics’ title run as the de facto general manager, made it clear prior to the draft that any player he took with the No. 30 pick (which ended up being Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman) or the No. 54 pick (Watson) would have a difficult time finding playing time in year one.

“It will be hard for any draft pick to crack our rotation when healthy,” Stevens said. “And so, we’ll think about how we can best continue to invest in young players and their development and growth, with the reality that, if we’re able to continue to move forward with this group, that these guys are going to be on the court. So, this will be a good opportunity again to bring in somebody who we think will help us down the road.”

That said, it’s likely Watson spends most of his rookie season developing with Boston’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics.

Though his name didn’t appear on most mock drafts, Watson’s strengths as a two-way player made him a trendy pick to go late in the second round. He has the size and strength to match up with bruising forwards and centers, while still nimble and agile enough to defend smaller guards on the perimeter. Watson’s offensive game didn’t get to shine over some of his other NBA teammates at Gonzaga, though the full repertoire was on display throughout his fifth year with six 20-point games, including two 32-point outings against UCLA and Santa Clara.

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Even so, scouts and general managers needed to see more consistency from behind the arc. Watson shot a career-best 41.2% from 3-point range on limited volume (1.5 attempts per game) in 2023-24.

“[NBA scouts and general managers] kind of said, to find my place in the league or my calling card is gonna be like one of those guys that does a little bit of everything,” Watson said. “They’ve seen that I’ve improved from the 3-point line, but they want me to take more of them.”

Watson’s first opportunity will come next month at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where he figures to earn valuable reps with some of Boston’s other young talent. Granted Watson is already older than his new Celtics teammates JD Davidson, Jordan Walsh and Jaden Springer, but the 23-year-old is far from a finished product on the basketball court. It just might take some time before the rest of the league notices.

“His game, to me, fits the modern NBA,” Gonzaga assistant coach Brian Michaelson said on Gonzaga Nation. “He’s so versatile defensively, he can do a lot of different things on offense. His shooting has really progressed, it’s going to have to continue to progress. Where the NBA is right now, fits Anton Watson.”



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Boston has one of the best public markets in the country, says USA TODAY

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Boston has one of the best public markets in the country, says USA TODAY


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Looking for a new marketplace to shop at this spring? You’re in luck – Boston is home to one of the best public markets in the country, according to USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards.

The annual 10BEST awards highlight the best in travel, food and lifestyle, and winners are chosen by a public voting poll after being nominated by industry experts. In the 2026 food awards, highlighting the top food tours, food cruises, farmers markets and more from across the country, Boston Public Market ranked third in the best public market category.

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Here’s what to know before you go to Boston’s top-ranked public market.

Why Boston Public Market ranked third

A year-round indoor marketplace in Downtown Boston, Boston Public Market celebrates the bounty New England has to offer with fresh groceries, prepared meals, crafts and specialty items from over 30 local artisans and food producers, with a focus on seasonal items.

Along with browsing through groceries and goods, guests are invited to join the public market for a variety of special events, including trivia, live music, magic shows and face painting.

Boston Public Market is located at 100 Hanover St. on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway, directly above the Haymarket MBTA station. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday or 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

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What other markets made the list?

Here is USA TODAY’s full ranking of the top 10 public markets in the country:

  1. Reading Terminal Market – Philadelphia, PA
  2. Milwaukee Public Market – Milwaukee, WI
  3. Boston Public Market – Boston, MA
  4. Eastern Market – Detroit, MI
  5. West Side Market – Cleveland, OH
  6. Essex Market – New York City, NY
  7. Lancaster Central Market – Lancaster, PA
  8. Midtown Global Market – Minneapolis, MN
  9. Grand Central Market – Los Angeles, CA
  10. North Market Downtown – Columbus, OH



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MBTA Green Line trains out from Kenmore to Boston College on B branch through April 30

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MBTA Green Line trains out from Kenmore to Boston College on B branch through April 30


The Green Line B branch trains will not run between Kenmore and Boston College through April 30, according to the MBTA.

The nine-day outage will allow T officials to work on several infrastructure improvements and maintenance, the installation of Green Line Train Protection System (GLTPS) infrastructure, replacement of 130-year-old wooden overhead catenary wire “trough” near the Green Line portals and more.

The MBTA announced free, accessible shuttle buses between the two stops, Kenmore and Boston College during the outage. The buses will not stop at Griggs Street, Allston Street, and Packard’s Corner due to “accessibility issues,” T officials said.

During the weekend of April 25 and 26, the outage will extend through Copley, and shuttle buses will skip Griggs Street, Allston Street, and Packard’s Corner during the same weekend.

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Throughout the shutdown all Green Line frequency will be reduced between Copley and Government center.

The MBTA urged riders to use the Orange Line at Back Bay during the outage. The agency also noted riders can transfer to Copley from Back Bay, an approximately five-minute walk.

The route 57 bus will also be free from April 22 through 24 and April 27 through 30 for alternate service between Kenmore and Packard’s Corner, the MBTA stated. During the April 25 and 26 weekend, the T noted the bus will not be a good alternate with not Green Line service at Kenmore.



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Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe flex in Boston: Takeaways from Celtics-76ers Game 2

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Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe flex in Boston: Takeaways from Celtics-76ers Game 2


Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe combined for 59 points, and the Philadelphia 76ers looked like a completely different team against the Boston Celtics in Game 2.

And unlike Game 1, the Sixers’ defense also showed up, holding Boston to 43 second-half points and 39 percent shooting for the game in a 111-97 road win to tie this Eastern Conference first-round series at 1-1.

Edgecombe scored a team-high 30 points on 12-for-20 shooting, and Maxey added 29 points and nine assists. The Sixers’ backcourt duo combined to shoot 11-for-22 from 3-point range. The Sixers were 19-for-39 from 3 after going 4 of 23 from that distance in Game 1.

Boston was led by Jaylen Brown’s game-high 36 points, but Jayson Tatum was the only other Celtics player who scored in double figures with 19. Boston shot 13-for-50 from 3-point range.

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Here are some takeaways with Game 3 set for Friday in Philadelphia.

Celtics offense falls flat

The Celtics knew to expect a different effort from the 76ers.

One adjustment from Philadelphia likely didn’t take Boston by surprise. After taking just 23 3-pointers in Game 1, the 76ers sought out more long balls in Game 2.

Maxey called his own number more often. Edgecombe was aggressive from the start. As a team, the 76ers played with more freedom, firing plenty of shots that they might have turned down in the series opener. Philadelphia made plenty of those looks while shooting 48.7 percent from behind the arc.

Still, the Celtics would have been all right if they had played their usual offensive game. Instead, their offense was their biggest issue. They shot just 39.3 percent on field goal attempts. They missed 37 of 50 3-point attempts. They committed an atypical 13 turnovers.

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Trying to come back in the fourth quarter, they had too many empty offensive possessions. Jaylen Brown got blocked while trying to beat the shot clock buzzer and picked up an offensive foul while hitting Maxey in the face. Jayson Tatum missed a contested pull-up 3-pointer early in the shot clock on one possession and threw away a pass on another. Derrick White was left wide open in the left corner but couldn’t find the bottom of the net. The 76ers left the door open early in the fourth quarter by missing several shots, including a couple of layups, but the Celtics couldn’t fully capitalize. Eventually, Maxey sank a series of baskets to create more separation for Philadelphia, and the Celtics largely went away down the stretch. — Jay King, Celtics beat writer

Sixers bounce back in Boston

This is the way the 76ers have to play if they want to extend this series as far as possible.

Maxey and Edgecombe have to dominate their guard matchups, which is exactly what they did in Tuesday night’s Game 2. Paul George needs to be a deterrent to Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. He doesn’t have to eclipse them, because that would be difficult. But he does have to give them a bit of pause. Most of all, the 76ers have to play the focused brand of basketball they exhibited in Game 2 rather than the sloppy and slapstick kind of hoops they played in Game 1.

The Celtics are such a good team that the above equates to near-perfect basketball. But that’s the task the Sixers are facing, particularly without star center Joel Embiid. On Tuesday night, this was a team up to the task. They were focused. They executed on both ends of the floor. They got much better play from their role players. Maxey and Edgecombe were absolutely dominant.

Overall, on both ends of the floor, this is the best game the 76ers have played in months. And they got it at just the right time. Now we have a 1-1 series heading back to Philadelphia. — Tony Jones, Sixers beat writer 

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