Boston, MA
Jaylen Brown’s triple-double leads Celtics past Warriors in All-Star return
When the Celtics visited Golden State last January, they won by 40. Through three quarters, their latest visit was similarly one-sided.
Boston led by 29 with less than 12 minutes remaining Thursday night — then needed to survive a furious Warriors comeback to secure a 121-110 victory at the Chase Center in both teams’ first game back from the NBA All-Star break.
“At the end of the day, coming off the break, I thought our guys had great attention to detail, had a great purpose to what we did,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters in his postgame news conference. “And then in the last 10 1/2 minutes, Golden State took it to a different level. We were forced to be poised. We were forced to have to make plays. We were forced to have to make shots and get stops.”
Jaylen Brown, fresh off the first All-Star start of his career, was the Celtics’ top playmaker in the win, notching 23 points, 15 rebounds and a career-high 13 assists in his third triple-double of the season.
Payton Pritchard added a game-high 26 points, including eight of the 19 that Boston scored during its white-knuckle fourth quarter. Pritchard, who’s topped 20 points five times in six games since being shifted from starter to sixth man, hit six 3-pointers while tallying seven assists and six boards.
Former Celtics big men Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis both came off the bench for Golden State, which played without injured stars Stephen Curry (knee) and Jimmy Butler (torn ACL).
Horford struggled as a shooter in his first game, going 2-for-10 to finish with five points and eight rebounds. Porzingis, who was traded from Atlanta earlier this month, started slowly in his Warriors debut but scored 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting to help fuel his team’s fourth-quarter rally.
It was the oft-injured Porzingis’ first appearance since Jan. 7, and his and Horford’s first time suiting up against Boston since their departures last summer.
The win — Boston’s seventh in its last eight games — began a four-game West Coast swing for the Celtics, who will visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET) before finishing with a back-to-back in Phoenix and Denver next Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
Mazzulla didn’t tinker with his starting lineup during Boston’s eight-day layoff. The Celtics sent out the same top unit they used in their final games before the break: Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Brown, Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta. Pritchard and trade-deadline pickup Nikola Vucevic remained in their bench roles.
Those impact reserves, along with Ron Harper Jr. and Jordan Walsh, helped Boston build a 10-point lead midway through a fast-paced, high-scoring first quarter.
Harper, a two-way player who’s seen meaningful minutes in four of the Celtics’ last five games, hit both of his 3-point attempts during his opening shift. Walsh and Scheierman each hit an early three, and both added fast-break finishes at the rim. Boston did much of its first-quarter scoring in the paint, including a series of nifty spins and step-throughs by Brown.
Hot 3-point shooting kept Golden State in it through one quarter, but the Celtics sprinted ahead early in the second. They scored on their first six possessions of the period and seven of their first nine as part of a 17-2 run. Porzingis was on the wrong end of several of those Boston buckets. In his first four minutes of floor time as a Warrior, the former C’s center was a minus-15.
An overhead Hauser pass to a cutting Vucevic put Boston up 53-34. Hauser tied his season high with four assists in the game to go along with his 4-for-5 shooting from 3-point range. Vucevic posted modest stats (nine points, five rebounds, one block) but was a plus-17 in his 28 minutes, trailing only Hauser’s plus-22.
The Celtics’ lead reached 23 points later in the quarter as they spread the ball around (21 assists before halftime) and buried 11 first-half 3-pointers. By the 8:59 mark of the second quarter, all 10 Celtics players who’d entered the game had registered at least two points and one rebound.
Boston closed the half with points on five of their final six opportunities, including two threes each by Pritchard and Hauser. Pritchard added a pull-up jumper in the lane to cap a 15-point first half and send the Celtics into the locker room with a 74-51 cushion.
Pritchard was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year last season, and he’s thrived in that role since the Anfernee Simons trade forced him to reprise it. The Celtics are 5-1 since that move — which brought Vucevic to Boston — with Pritchard averaging 25.8 points and 6.0 assists in the five victories.
“Regardless of if Payton’s coming off the bench or not, he just plays at a level,” Mazzulla told reporters. “He just has the ability to impact the game in different ways. So it doesn’t matter where he’s at in the rotation — he’s going to impact the game on both ends of the floor.”
The Celtics opened the second half with a 13-0 run and coasted through the third quarter, their lead peaking at 34 points.
One of the second-half highlights was Pritchard tying up Porzingis to force a jump ball. Neither of the ex-teammates wanted to relinquish possession, leading to a post-whistle tug-of-war that drew smiles from both players. (Pritchard, who’s generously listed at 6-foot-1, lost the ensuing jump to the 7-2 Porzingis.)
With his team up 102-73 entering the fourth quarter, Mazzulla lifted most of his starters. But he reversed course after the Warriors staged a 10-0 run that included turnovers by Scheierman and Walsh. Mazzulla reinserted White, Hauser and Vucevic, and when they couldn’t stifle Golden State’s charge, he subbed in Brown, as well.
“They test your defensive discipline on every single possession,” Mazzulla told reporters. “… I think you saw that in the fourth quarter. We had some live-ball turnovers, and they were able to get out in transition. Defending them at the highest level starts with our ability to attack them.”
A steal-and-score by Gary Payton II cut Boston’s lead to 111-99 with six minutes to play. Pritchard responded with back-to-back 3-pointers, but a Horford layup made it an 11-point game with less than three minutes remaining. Only then did the comeback bid finally stall.
Horford misfired on a corner three, and Brown hit a fadeaway on the ensuing possession. Brown then fed Queta for a dunk that iced the game with a minute to go.
Boston, MA
Practice Report: Bruins Have Last Skate in Boston Before Leaving for Buffalo | Boston Bruins
“It is a division team, we’ve played them enough to know kind of what they’re about. They’ve had a great season. They’re a high rush team, a lot of speed and a lot of skill. It is going to be a fun matchup,” Lindholm said. “It is a fun challenge for us, coming in a little bit as an underdog and prove people wrong.”
Lindholm has also been quarterbacking the second power-play unit, which is primed to feature James Hagens. The 19-year-old forward signed his entry-level contract on April 8 and played in the final two games of the regular season. The B’s, however, did not get on the man advantage in either game, so Sturm has yet to see Hagens on the power play outside of practice. The coach thinks it is one of Hagens’ best assets, though.
“He doesn’t have to play or make special plays. He has some really good players on that unit. As long as he’s going to play fast and keep it simple – I think that is something that might be different from college and NHL,” Sturm said. “I think it will be fine because Buffalo, they will come, they pressure hard. So you don’t want to be surprised. You want to be quick, you want to be fast. That’s something that has to be in his mind.”
Hagens has been skating on the third line with Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov, and that stayed the same in Saturday’s practice. The three youngsters will all be playing in their first NHL postseason.
“Every night you have to give it your all. You have to give everything you possibly have. This is playoff hockey – you want to win every single game like always. Nothing changes, but there are a lot higher stakes,” Hagens said. “This is something you dream of. Something you grow up watching and praying that you could be in the moment one day and be playing in. Now that it’s reality, it’s something that is really surreal.”
After having a whirlwind start to his pro career, it has been helpful for Hagens to get full practices in with the group.
“It’s been great to be able to be out there, practice with these guys. Not only to learn the systems but to be able to talk to teammates, get feedback from coaches,” Hagens said. “Just the repetition, being able to do reps, try to learn day by day.”
The energy is palpable for Boston, but the team knows the work has just begun.
“Everyone is equal in this room. We’re a tight-knit group here, we’re all good buddies…Just go out there and play with that joy that we have in the locker room,” Lindholm said. “It is a really serious time of year, but I think within this room here, just go out there and enjoy, too. Play for each other – I think that’s how you win this time of year.”
Hao-Yu Lee called up by Detroit Tigers after Zach McKinstry hits IL
Tigers call up infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee as Zach McKinstry hits 10-day IL; Lee starts at Fenway, strong vs. lefties.
Boston — Can’t lose at home. Can’t win on the road.
The Tigers are establishing a very unhealthy pattern early this season. Coming off six straight wins at Comerica Park, they rode an eight-game road losing streak into Fenway Park Friday night.
Make it nine straight road losses.
Scoreless through regulation, the Boston Red Sox scratched across a run in the bottom of the 10th inning to take the opener of a four-game series, 1-0.
“We don’t look at it like that,” said catcher Dillon Dingler of the home-road contrast. “We played a tough game tonight. Just not a ton of hitting. I left three guys out there myself.”
Dingler nearly ended the game-winning threat before it started. With speedy Jarren Duran at second as the free runner, reliever Will Vest threw a pitch in the dirt. Duran got a good break off second but Dingler pounced on the ball and threw a seed to third base.
It would have been a bang-bang play, but third baseman Hao-Yu Lee, in his big-league debut, was unable to catch the throw.
“I don’t know how that play would’ve gone,” manager AJ Hinch said.
Vest struck out Ceddanne Rafaela, then with one out, Hinch brought Javier Báez in from center field, using a five-infielder, two-outfielder alignment against Red Sox lefty-swinging pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida.
“Our backs were against the wall,” he said. “We were hoping he hits it at somebody. He ended up chopping it over the infield.”
Yoshida’s high-bouncer went over the infielders’ heads and ended the game, leaving the Tigers to rue their two missed chances late in the game.
BOX SCORE: Red Sox 1, Tigers 0 (10)
The Tigers put runners at second and third against Aroldis Chapman with two outs in the top of the ninth. Jahmai Jones ripped a double into the left-field corner, sending rookie Kevin McGonigle (safe on a fielder’s choice) to third.
But Champman punched out Dingler with back-to-back heaters — 100 mph and 101 mph.
They stranded the free runner in the top of the 10th against right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock, too. With Dingler at third and one out, Wenceel Perez struck out and Spencer Torkelson grounded out to short.
Hinch had left-handed hitters Kerry Carpenter and Colt Keith available on the bench.
“Obviously we were looking for contact (from Perez),” he said. “Generally, Whitlock is going to keep the ball down. (Perez) just chased at the end.”
But, as Hinch said, there was a lot more going on than just the 10th inning.
“I mean, a zero-zero game at Fenway in the 10th inning?” Hinch said. “That’s a game that’s very rare around here.”
Credit starting pitchers Casey Mize and Red Sox lefty Ranger Suarez for that. They put on a show, impressively trading outs in their own unique style.
The Tigers got two singles off Suarez in the first inning and then nothing over the next seven.
Mize, with a four-seam fastball that was hitting 96 mph that greatly enhanced the effectiveness of his splitter and slider, allowed three hits through 6.2 innings.
“Casey was incredible,” Hinch said. “I told him afterward, that was the best combination of stuff, execution and the way his body was moving. He was excellent. Unfortunately, so was their guy.”
Said Dingler: “Robin (Lund, assistant pitching coach) said Casey’s slider strike percentage was 93 percent. He was dominating that outer rail with all three of his pitches. It was fun to catch. He made my job easier.”
The third hit, a two-out infield single in the seventh, ended Mize’s night. But he was brilliant. He struck out seven with one walk. He got 14 whiffs on 42 swings and 16 called strikes.
“We had a good game plan,” said Mize, who dominated a lot of the same Red Sox hitters last September at Fenway. “I was able to execute at a pretty high clip tonight. I felt like I was moving well and the ball was coming out well. When you execute, more times than not you are going to have nights like this.”
Suarez, meanwhile, was mixing changeups, curveballs and cutters off his 91-mph sinker and getting the Tigers’ hitters to beat the ball in the ground. Nine ground ball outs and nothing but weak contact.
“There’s a reason he signed a deal with these guys,” said Mize of Suarez’s five-year, $130 million deal with the Red Sox. “He’s a really good pitcher and it made it tough on our team and on myself, knowing I was going to have to match him zero for zero.”
McGonigle singled with one out in the first and Jones followed, belting a line drive off the Green Monster in right field. McGonigle breezed into third but center fielder Rafaela played the carom expertly and threw out Jones at second base.
“Once he settled in, he was in and around the zone just enough,” Hinch said. “The ball never moved the same way twice. He’s tough.”
The Tigers’ only runner after the first against Suarez was Dingler, who drew a two-out walk in the fourth.
Suarez set down 13 straight hitters after that through the eighth.
Dingler, besides calling a smart pitch-mix for Mize, helped out with two defensive plays befitting a Gold Glove catcher. He ended the second inning by pouncing on a topper in front of the plate to retire Rafaela. Dingler ran through Rafaela to get the ball, knocking him out of the base path.
He took Rafaela off the bases again in the fifth. This time, he threw him out at second trying to steal second base. The throw was perfect, an 87-mph dart that popped into the glove of shortstop McGonigle in 1.85 seconds.
“Ding is such an influence behind the plate,” Hinch said. “It starts with the game-calling. And he threw it well tonight. We know they’re going to be aggressive. They have a ton of athleticism and speed. And Ding is a big weapon for us to stop it.”
Friday was the big-league debut for Tigers’ infielder Hao-Yu Lee. He went hitless in three at-bats against Suarez, though he did drive a ball to track in right-center field the Rafaela ran down in the fifth.
Playing third base, he ended seventh inning fielding a ground ball behind the bag at third and throwing across the diamond to retire Rafaela and stranding a runner at second. First baseman Spencer Torkelson made an outstanding scoop on Lee’s low throw.
Lee’s throwing error in the bottom of the ninth extended the inning but caused no damage.
“It’s a big stage,” Hinch said. “I think he handled himself well.”
For Mize, it was his third start this season where he allowed one run or less. The Tigers are 1-2 in those three starts.
“Yeah, you know, I feel good,” he said. “I feel fine. But we’ve got to translate them into wins. That’s what I care about the most.”
Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
Dare we say this could be one of the deepest women’s pro fields we’ve seen assembled for the Boston Marathon? The 130th edition of the race from Hopkinton to Boylston Street gets underway on Monday, and a slew of the top racers in women’s road running currently will look to finish atop the podium at one of the toughest of the World Marathon Majors.
Defending champion and course record holder (2:17:22) Sharon Lokedi returns as one of the favorites to win yet another Boston Marathon title, and she enters coming off a notable 2025 marathon campaign that featured wins in both Boston and New York. Among some of her top challengers are fellow Kenyan Irine Cheptai, who took fourth in Boston last year, and Ethiopia’s Workenesh Edesa, who dipped under the 2:18 mark to win the 2025 Hamburg Marathon.
But perhaps the biggest storyline to follow on Patriots’ Day? The competition among the U.S. contingent. With American record holder Emily Sisson running the Boston Marathon for the first time in her career, as well as 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials winner Fiona O’Keeffe, Paris Olympian Dakota Popehn, 2025 Boston Marathon top U.S. finisher Jess McClain, and plenty of other notable names all toeing the line together, expect an entertaining battle to play out on race day.
Content hype editor Ashley Tysiac breaks down what you can expect from the women’s race on Monday. You can continue to stay in-the-know on all things Boston with our watch guide, and you can follow along with Runner’s World’s coverage of the 2026 Boston Marathon by exploring our full collection of stories. You can also dive into our preview of the men’s race here.
Ashley is Editor of Content Hype at Hearst’s Enthusiast & Wellness Group. She is a former collegiate runner at UNC Asheville where she studied mass communication. Ashley loves all things running; she has raced two marathons, plus has covered some of the sport’s top events in her career, including the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials and multiple World Marathon Majors.
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