PHOENIX – Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston headed into the WNBA All-Star break with a smile on her face and a lot of hope for her team this season.
Boston is averaging 18 points and 9.5 rebounds in July alone while shooting 65% from the field. While preparing for her second WNBA All-Star appearance in two seasons in the league, Boston is excited to share the weekend with Fever teammates Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell on the court while having the chance to play with top WNBA talent she usually competes against on a nightly basis.
She attributes some of her success to building chemistry with her teammates Clark and Mitchell but gives the majority of the credit to her intentional efforts off the court to focus on her mental health.
“I feel like I started protecting my peace,” Boston told Andscape at the WNBA All-Star media pods on July 19. “I just made sure that I was doing stuff that I needed to do that benefits me so that when I get out on that court, I’m not really worried about anyone, anything — just me.”
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May was a hard month for the Indiana Fever. They finished with a 1-8 record, and Boston finished the month averaging 11 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, shooting 45.2% from the floor. The start of Year 2 wasn’t what many expected from the reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year.
“I feel like it’s taken a lot of mental strength over anything because to start this season, honestly, I was not in a good spot. I felt like I was honestly starting over,” Boston said. “I’m trying to figure out my footing with everything again, and so I feel like there was just so much talking behind the noise, which was a big reason I got off social media. [I needed] to make sure that I’m doing what I need to do. Since then, I’ve just been able to focus on me [and] continue to work hard.
“Being an All-Star was definitely one of [the goals] because I feel like being an All-Star as a rookie is really impressive, but it’s always hard to come back and do it again.”
Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (right) shoots the ball against Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith in the first quarter at Target Center on July 14 in Minneapolis.
David Berding/Getty Images
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In May, Boston deleted social media, choosing to connect with family, spend time reading her Bible, and do whatever else she felt was necessary to preserve her mental health.
“I also ignore people, as silly as that sounds,” Boston said. “I do because I feel like sometimes to protect my peace it really has to be about me and that’s hard when you include everyone else in your life. Everyone feels like they need a little piece of you and sometimes it’s just like, ‘No, I’ll keep it.’ “
The social media scrutiny, especially on X (formerly Twitter), was deafening for Boston. South Carolina’s head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley understands how social media and comments can impact a young player.
“It plays on your psyche a little bit, and you have to adjust,” Staley said. “What I really am proud of is her ability to adjust and I think she’s better because of it. I don’t think she has the type of season that she’s having if she didn’t have to adjust to a different way of thinking [and] a different way of playing.”
Transitioning into the WNBA isn’t easy. Boston knows there’s a high level of talent in the league and that finding your footing in it takes time.
“I feel like the biggest misconception people have is that this talent just all of a sudden dropped out of the sky,” Boston said. “Because sometimes you’ll see people make comments like, ‘Oh my gosh, I didn’t know you were good.’ It’s like, ‘Did you watch [me]?’ So it’s kind of like with these new eyes they speak without thinking and I feel like when you really pay attention to this league you know the amount of talent that’s here [and] how hard it is to be in this league.”
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Protecting her peace off the court has translated onto the court for Boston. She’s keeping up with Clark’s pace, cashing in on transition baskets and connecting with Clark on pick and rolls. Since the 1-8 start, the Fever are 10-7 (11-15 overall).
“I just continued to make sure that I’m being consistent for my team, making sure I’m finishing my shots, finishing around the rim, making sure I’m running the floor, doing all little things because at the end of day like we have a great team,” Boston said. “We have a great squad and I’m making sure that I’m doing everything I can. It’s gonna be important for our team.”
Indiana Fever forward Aliyah Boston (left) and guard Caitlin Clark (right) sit on the bench before the game against the Seattle Storm at Climate Pledge Arena on June 27 in Seattle.
Steph Chambers/Getty Images
Since their rough start, Boston and Clark have showcased their chemistry on the floor. Clark was excited about getting to play with Boston, and the two No.1 overall picks (Clark in 2024, Boston in 2023) are a big reason why the Fever are currently in seventh place in the WNBA standings.
“She’s only getting better and better each game [and] continues to improve,” Clark said about Boston’s performance this season.
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Despite frustration and finding consistency on the court, Boston has made a conscious effort to build a strong relationship with Clark. While Clark was excited at the opportunity to play alongside Boston, the two built a rapport off the court that helped Clark flourish during her rookie season.
“Not only is she a great basketball player, but she’s a great person. She’s a great leader in our locker room. She’s always had my back,” Clark said. “She’s just somebody that I can lean on. But I think our chemistry and our connection just continues to grow.”
Boston knows firsthand the pressures of being the No.1 overall pick and the expectations to immediately play well in the league. After Clark’s WNBA record-breaking 19 assists against the Dallas Wings on July 17, Boston believes her teammate is living up to the lofty expectations.
“The biggest advice I gave Caitlin was just to be herself,” Boston said. “I remember early on in the season I told [Caitlin] with the attention that you have coming in here, sometimes you’re going to be expecting certain things, and they’re going to try and prove to you like this is a big league. You’re here now. [I tell her to] continue to be her and be patient.
“I feel like giving ourselves grace is something that is hard, especially when we’re competitors and we want everything to be perfect. I think she’s done a great job. She’s handled herself really well over the course of the entire season.”
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During the Fever’s first matchup against the reigning champion Las Vegas Aces on July 2, Aces forward A’ja Wilson noticed that Boston was playing with a level of patience she didn’t master until after the WNBA bubble in 2020.
“Aliyah is someone that really felt like she had to do it all in one motion or she felt like she had to do it all just because, once again, she’s the No. 1 draft pick, and coming in and there’s a lot of expectations,” Wilson said about Boston, who also played for Staley at South Carolina. “So I feel like she had to execute a lot of things all at once, versus this year I feel like she’s playing with a lot more patience, seeing things, dissecting the game, and picking it apart in a way that’s beneficial to her.”
Boston is heading into the All-Star Game with some momentum. She finished the Fever’s last game before the break with a season-high 28 points to go with eight rebounds and has posted double-digit points in 14 of her last 15 games.
Although the season was hard initially for the Fever, they have showcased some growth at the halfway mark.
“You just have to be in that moment and take that step back,” Boston said. “I feel like during the season, it’s really hard to really understand the growth that we had, especially when we’re looking at [it from] the wins and losses standpoint. But being able to take this break, to be able to see that, ‘Hey, we’ve had a great first half,’ now we just have to regroup and make sure that we finish out the rest of the season.”
Boston will spend the next several weeks resting during the Olympic break and hopes that when the league season returns on Aug. 15, she can fuel Indiana to its first postseason berth since 2016.
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“Playoffs is definitely one of [the goals]. It’s been a while since we’ve been back and I feel like last year we were on the cusp of it. That is something that needs to happen. I think we have a great group and can do it,” Boston said.
“We have to be a little bit better at that going into the second half of the season because everyone is competing for a playoff spot.”
Mia Berry is the senior HBCU writer for Andscape and covers everything from sports to student-led protests. She is a Detroit native (What up Doe!), long-suffering Detroit sports fan and Notre Dame alumna who randomly shouts, “Go Irish.”
There’s no way around it. To experience these sushi-focused multicourse tasting menus, you are going to splurge, at least a little. At omakase specialist O Ya, for instance, Tim and Nancy Cushman present raw fish in many creative forms over 20 to 25 bites, from oysters with watermelon pearls to hamachi with torched banana pepper to Peruvian-influenced chutoro. If the initially revelatory menu had started to feel somewhat rote, a Michelin pass-over and the restaurant’s 20th anniversary seem to have provided the spark to shake it up. Add a sake and wine pairing — a particular strength here — and the experience is going to cost more than $500 per person.
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At Akame Nigiri & Sake in Lexington, chef-owner Michael Monaco creates distinctive 15-course omakase menus for $180.Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff
For a different creative take on omakase, head to Lexington to spend an evening at Michael Monaco’s six-seat Akame Nigiri and Sake. For $180, his 15-course tasting menu showcases premium fish from Japan alongside a freewheeling array of ingredients that might include mango, hummus, and Dorito powder; as at O Ya, Akame’s omakase includes Hokkaido uni and A5 Wagyu.
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The bottom line:
O Ya: $378.78 (including taxes and fees; no gratuity required), optional beverage pairings $192-$240.
Akame Nigiri and Sake: $180, optional sake pairing $85.
O Ya, 9 East St., Boston, 617-654-9900, www.o-ya.restaurant. Akame Nigiri and Sake, 1707 Massachusetts Ave. #2, Lexington, 781-538-6581, www.akamenigiriandsake.com.
Opened in 1965, Abe & Louie’s serves steaks, martinis, and old-school vibes.Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff
Steakhouse stakeout
Abe & Louie’s has been around since restaurateur Charlie Sarkis opened the steakhouse in 1965, and it’s still going strong. When you want old-school vibes — dark wood, white tablecloths, roaring fireplace, servers in jackets bringing you New York strips and martinis — this is your spot.
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At The Stockyard, general manager Gerry Lynch (right) formerly worked at Abe & Louie’s, as did chef Bill Bramley. John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
But if the Back Bay restaurant is too rich for your blood, there’s another steakhouse classic going strong, this one in Brighton: The Stockyard, opened in 1972. It’s got the fireplace, New York strips, and martinis, plus the right old-school vibe. The similarities should come as no surprise, as chef Bill Bramley and general manager Gerry Lynch both previously worked at Abe & Louie’s.
The bottom line:
Abe & Louie’s: Steaks $72-$195, martinis $18.
The Stockyard: Steaks $32-$98, martinis $14.
Abe & Louie’s, 793 Boylston St., Back Bay, Boston, 617-536-6300, www.abeandlouies.com. The Stockyard, 135 Market St., Brighton, 617-782-4700, www.stockyardrestaurant.com.
Italian restaurant La Padrona is buzzy and swank.John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
Postcards from Italy
Buzzy, swank, and Michelin-recommended, La Padrona is chef Jody Adams’s return to the Italian cuisine she was long known for at Rialto. She and executive chef Amarilys Colón draw from Liguria, Tuscany, Sicily, and beyond, applying New England ingredients to regional dishes. Come for charred cabbage with anchovy butter and risotto with lobster and uni, stay for the strong bartending.
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Via Cannuccia chef Stefano Quaresima grew up near Rome. The restaurant is named for the street where he lived.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Or head to Dorchester’s Via Cannuccia, where Italian chef Stefano Quaresima prepares dishes straight out of Rome. (The restaurant is named for the street he grew up on.) At this neighborhood favorite, you’ll find fresh, basil-laced eggplant Parmigiana; ravioli stuffed with sheep ricotta and blanketed with lamb ragu; Roman-style pizza; and porchetta with giardiniera. Weekend brunch brings beautiful pastries.
The bottom line:
La Padrona: Bucatini with red and green tomatoes, stracciatella, and basil $33; beef tenderloin $67; wine by the glass $18-$45; cocktails $22-$30.
Via Cannuccia: Fettuccine with fresh tomato, basil, and grana padano $29; short ribs $47; wine by the glass $13-$23; cocktails $16-$18.
La Padrona, 38 Trinity Place, Back Bay, Boston, 617-898-0010, www.lapadronaboston.com. Via Cannuccia, 1739 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, 617-506-1877, www.viacannuccia.com.
Lobster bisque en croute at Mistral, a bastion of high-end French dining.Josh Reynolds
Direct flights to France
For French fine dining, with a price tag to match, Mistral has been a mainstay in Boston for nearly 30 years. Come here to savor foie gras with duck confit, Dover sole meunière, and profiteroles, as well as thin-crust grilled pizza, tuna tartare, and other more-modern classics. The room is elegant and the service excellent.
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French onion soup at Ma Maison, a classic bistro on Beacon Hill.Dina Rudick/Globe staff/file
For French bistro dining, with a price tag to match, there is Ma Maison. Jacky Robert’s Beacon Hill restaurant is a homier, more down-to-earth venture than Mistral, but the pâté, escargots, duck a l’orange, and souffles hit home (if home is a non-touristy arrondissement of Paris).
The bottom line:
Mistral: Escargots $21, roast duck with mushroom risotto and cranberry gastrique $54, wine by the glass $15-$40, cocktails $19-$20.
Ma Maison: Escargots $12, duck a l’orange with Brussels sprouts $31, wine by the glass $12-$18, cocktails $10-$12.
Mistral, 223 Columbus Ave., South End, Boston, 617-867-9300, www.mistralbistro.com. Ma Maison, 272 Cambridge St., Beacon Hill, Boston, 617-725-8855, www.mamaisonboston.com.
In South Boston, Dalia features impressive decor and a menu of tapas, crudos, and grilled dishes.Barry Chin/Globe Staff
A toast to tapas
When it opened in April, Dalia took South Boston by storm. Like sister restaurants Capri and Prima, it is dressed to impress: The room is filled with wrought iron, Spanish tile, and carefully curated decorations. This eye candy is backed up by a menu of tapas, crudos, grilled meats, and more. Tapas here are only a bit more expensive than at other Spanish restaurants around town. But if you’re the type to be tempted by pricier dishes like grilled Wagyu, paella, or tuna crudo, that can start to add up.
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Paella del mar at Taberna de Haro in Brookline.Lane Turner/Globe Staff
For the original fanciful-decor-plus-tapas experience, drop an “a” off of Dalia and head to Dalí. Tchotchkes, bric-a-brac, art, and a laundry line of undergarments festoon the eye-catching Somerville institution, where tapas, paella, and drinks can be had for a little less. (The best tapas deal in town, however, might be Estragon’s $6 tapas happy hour, Mondays through Thursdays from 5-7 p.m.)
But if you want to focus on eating and drinking — because tapas were invented to accompany drinks, after all — Taberna de Haro is the best bet for your money. The Brookline restaurant is known for its Spanish wine program, and its food and hospitality are excellent too.
The bottom line:
Dalia: Average tapas price is $14.23. Paella $28-$36 half-portion, $56-$72 whole; wine by the glass $11-$20; cocktails $15-$16.
Dalí: Average tapas price is $13.80. Paella $38-$45, wine by the glass $9-$12, cocktails $14.
Taberna de Haro: Average tapas price is $13.42. Paella $42, wine by the glass $11-$15, cocktails $13-$15.
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Dalia, 429 West Broadway, South Boston, 617-752-0429, www.daliaboston.com. Estragon, 700 Harrison Ave., South End, Boston, 617-266-0443, www.estragontapas.com. Dalí, 415 Washington St., Somerville, 617-661-3254, www.dalirestaurant.com. Taberna de Haro, 999 Beacon St., Brookline, 617-277-8272, www.tabernaboston.com.
Spanakopita gets all dressed up at Kaia in the South End.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
Aegean idylls
Where to go when you can’t get to a Greek isle? The South End, of course. Here you’ll find Kaia, serving elegant, upscale meze, grilled fish, and more. Spanakopita goes black tie in this fine-dining iteration of the classic spinach pie, strewn with blossoms and snipped herbs, earthy with truffle vinaigrette. Tender grilled octopus comes with wild greens and dill gremolata. For a summery dessert, there’s watermelon shaved ice with pistachio powder and yogurt foam.
Kava Neo-Taverna offers another vision of Greece in the South End.Lane Turner/Globe staff/file
A half-mile away is Kava Neo-Taverna, still elegant, still serving meze and grilled fish, just a little more casual and traditional. The grilled octopus is simpler here, with olive oil, lemon, and oregano. There’s baked feta with cherry tomatoes, lamb meatballs, and Greek fries.
Whichever place you choose, there will be a wine list stocked with bottles from Greece.
The bottom line:
Kaia: Average meze price is $24.13. Whole grilled fish is market price; lavraki (Mediterranean sea bass) was recently $90. Wine by the glass $16-$32, cocktails $18.
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Kava Neo-Taverna: Average meze price is $14.54. Whole grilled fish is market price; lavraki was recently $65. Wine by the glass $12-$16, cocktails $13-$16.
Kaia, 370 Harrison Ave., South End, Boston, 617-514-0700, www.kaiasouthend.com. Kava Neo-Taverna, 315 Shawmut Ave., South End, Boston, 617-356-1100, www.kavaneotaverna.com.
At Nightshade Noodle Bar in Lynn, tasting menus are an adventure, featuring dishes like grilled coconut sticky rice with caramelized clay-pot foie gras and Amarena cherries.Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff
Choose your own tasting menu adventure
Nightshade Noodle Bar is known for next-level Vietnamese-influenced tasting menus that would stand out in the most food-forward locales. Yet here we are in Lynn, feasting on chef Rachel Miller’s innovative seven-, nine-, 14-, 21-, and 30-course meals of fermented rice cakes with crispy confit duck tongues, chilled percebes (a.k.a. goose barnacles) dipped in lime-pepper sauce, and grilled coconut sticky rice with caramelized clay-pot foie gras and Amarena cherries. A night at Nightshade is an adventure.
Brassica Kitchen + Cafe chef Jeremy Kean serves up experimentation and creativity on The Ride, the Jamaica Plain restaurant’s tasting menu.Erin Clark/Globe Staff
You won’t find anything exactly like it anywhere else. But in a similar spirit of experimentation and creativity, Brassica Kitchen + Cafe offers The Ride — a free-form tasting of dishes from on and off the menu, for two people or more. Last year, Jeremy Kean and Philip Kruta’s quirky Jamaica Plain restaurant moved a few doors down into a larger, stylish space, but their focus on fermentation and reducing waste remains the same. (And now there’s pizza.) Your meal might include tuna crudo with watermelon and miso powder; striper collar with cherries, cherry ponzu, and basil; and koji risotto with Parmesan — or anything else the chefs can dream up.
The bottom line:
Nightshade Noodle Bar: tasting menus $102-$468, optional beverage pairings $60-$220.
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Brassica Kitchen + Cafe: The Ride $105, optional wine pairing $55. Both restaurants include taxes and fees in the tasting menu price; no additional gratuity required.
Nightshade Noodle Bar, 73 Exchange St., Lynn, 781-780-9470, www.nightshadenoodlebar.com. Brassica Kitchen + Cafe, 3712 Washington St., Jamaica Plain, 617-477-4519, www.brassicakitchen.com.
Devra First can be reached at devra.first@globe.com. Follow her on Instagram @devra_first.
A soaking rainstorm brought about 1 to 6 inches of rain across Southern New England, especially along the shoreline and isolated inland areas.
Hardest hit were parts of western Cape Cod and Connecticut, which saw over 5 inches of heavy rain in spots. Light to steady rain will last into Tuesday evening before tapering off overnight. Some areas might pick up an extra half inch to an inch of rain.
Here are some of the highest rainfall totals from Monday into Tuesday:
• Falmouth — 5.91 inches
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• Woods Hole — 5.75 inches
• West Island (Fairhaven) — 4 inches
• Martha’s Vineyard – 3.37 inches
• Nantucket — 2.50 inches
• Coventry — 2.71 inches
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• Cranston — 2.25 inches
• Warwick — 2.09 inches
• T.F. Green Airport — 1.94 inches
• South Kingstown — 1.81 inches
• Newtown — 4.95 inches
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• Danbury — 4.86 inches
• Milford — 4.19 inches
• Madison — 3.40 inches
• Niantic — 3.11 inches
The map below shows rainfall totals through Tuesday morning.
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Rainfall totals from Monday through Tuesday morning across Southern New England.Boston Globe
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Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
The 2026 MLB season has surpassed the quarter mark, and after each team’s first 40 games, there’s plenty of reasons to tune in all summer long.
Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami has already proven doubters wrong by launching 17 home runs, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes consistently looks like the best version of himself on the mound and Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski is throwing harder than any starter in the majors.
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The MLB action continues on Tuesday as the Boston Red Sox visit the Chicago White Sox.
Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the first pitch.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is Boston Red Sox vs Chicago White Sox?
First pitch between the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, July 7.
How to watch Boston Red Sox vs Chicago White Sox on Tuesday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 6:36 a.m.
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Matchup: BOS at CWS
Date: Tuesday, July 7
Time: 7:40 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Rate Field
Location: Chicago, Illinois
TV: NESN and Chicago Sports Network
Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for July 7 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
