Boston, MA
When will the Eastern Conference Finals tip off for the Boston Celtics?
BOSTON — The Celtics are on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight season and the sixth time in the last eight years. But who they’ll play for a trip to the NBA Finals and when the series will tip off will remain unknown for a few more days.
Boston finished off the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, thanks to Al Horford turning back the clock and leading the team to a 113-98 series-clinching victory at TD Garden on Wednesday night. Now the Celtics will get at least a few days off before their next playoff bout begins.
We’ll have a better idea of how it will all shake out over the next two days. Boston gets the winner of the Knicks-Pacers series, with New York leading the set 3-2 heading into Friday night’s Game 6 in Indiana. A Knicks win on Friday would set up a highly anticipated Boston-New York conference finals, which would tip off either Sunday or Tuesday at TD Garden. If the Pacers even the series and force a Game 7 in New York, that would take the Sunday afternoon slot.
The Timberwolves-Nuggets series in the Western Conference also factors into Boston’s future. If the Timberwolves force a Game 7 against the Nuggets with a win on Thursday night, that deciding game would also take place on Sunday and the Eastern Conference Finals would be pushed to Tuesday.
For those who like to plan ahead, here are two schedules for the Eastern Conference Finals, depending on how things play out in the NBA playoffs the rest of the week.
Eastern Conference Finals schedule if Knicks-Pacers and Nuggets-Timberwolves finish in six games
Game 1: Sunday, May 19 at 3:30 p.m. in Boston
Game 2: Tuesday, May 21 at 8 p.m. in Boston
Game 3: Saturday, May 25 at 8:30 p.m. in New York or Indiana
Game 4: Monday, May 27 at 8 p.m. in New York or Indiana
Game 5: Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. in Boston*
Game 6: Friday, May 31 at 8 p.m. in New York or Indiana*
Game 7: Sunday, June 2 at 8 p.m. in Boston*
* If Necessary
Eastern Conference Finals schedule if Knicks-Pacers or Nuggets-Timberwolves go seven games
Game 1: Tuesday, May 21 at 8 p.m. in Boston
Game 2: Thursday, May 23 at 8 p.m. in Boston
Game 3: Saturday, May 25 at 8:30 p.m. in New York or Indiana
Game 4: Monday, May 27 at 8 p.m. in New York or Indiana
Game 5: Wednesday, May 29 at 8 p.m. in Boston*
Game 6: Friday, May 31 at 8 p.m. in New York or Indiana*
Game 7: Sunday, June 2 at 8 p.m. in Boston*
* If Necessary
The Celtics will obviously be rooting for the Knicks and the Pacers to go seven and exhaust each other further. Horford could use a few extra days rest after his monster Game 5 against the Cavs, and if the Celtics are lucky, maybe Kristaps Porzingis could return early in the Conference Finals. (That may be wishful thinking, but time will tell.)
Either way, the Celtics should take full advantage of the rest they get before starting their battle for a spot in the NBA Finals. That will be important against either team, with the Pacers playing every game like a track meet and games against the Knicks resembling more of a boxing match.
Boston, MA
What a World Cup ‘fan zone’ is and what Boston fans can expect in 2026
FIFA World Cup host cities lay out security plans ahead of matches
Host cities ramp up security and anti-human trafficking efforts ahead of FIFA World Cup matches across the U.S.
The FIFA World Cup is coming to Massachusetts, and when it comes to having a place for people to hang out together, there will be a free fan zone where everyone can celebrate the big event.
Seven World Cup matches will take place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA this summer, and the first one is right around the corner, to be played on June 13, with Scotland taking on Haiti.
Fan Zones are a public space to watch the game for people who don’t have tickets to the actual game. Held in public places, they broadcast the mach on giant screens to offer an immersive experience to watch the game, according to FIFA>
“At the heart of FIFA Fan Festival Boston, (a) Cultural Showcase will ignite the stage with a vibrant celebration of the spirit, creativity, and cultural heartbeat of Boston and communities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” FIFA said.
Where will the fan zone be located when the World Cup games start in just 11 days?
Where is the World Cup fan zone going to be in Massachusetts?
The official FIFA Fan Festival for the 2026 World Cup in Boston will be located at Boston City Hall Plaza at 1 City Hall Sq. Boston, MA.
“The festival will run daily from June 12 through June 27, offering live match broadcasts, cultural showcases, food vendors, and entertainment,” according to FIFA.
The fan zone will open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and will stay open until after dark, between 8:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. according to reports.
Activities at the fan zone
Here are some of the offerings at the fan zone in Boston, according to the FIFA website:
- Live broadcasts: Giant outdoor screens that broadcast tournament matches in high-definition.
- Entertainment & music: Live concerts, DJ sets, and performances celebrating global culture.
- Interactive activations: Skills challenges, mini-pitches, inflatable games, and sponsor booths.
- Food & merch: International food stalls, local beverage offerings, and official tournament merchandise.
How to go to the fan zone
While the game is free, you do need to register in advance.
“You can select which days and matches you plan to attend through the FIFA World Cup Boston 2026 website or the Meet Boston events page. Up to six people can register on a single application,” the World Cup Boston website says.
Boston, MA
Who Will Form the Boston Bruins’ Future Core?
Boston, MA
Updating Red Sox’s Playoff Chances: Numbers Never Lie | NESN
So you’re saying there’s a chance? Despite an abysmal start to the 2026 season, the Boston Red Sox remain in the mix for a playoff spot. At least according to FanGraphs, who gives the club a 27.1% chance of reaching the postseason.
Boston’s likely path to October means winning the wild card. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 26.1% chance of winning an American League wild card. The team currently sits threes games back of the third and final wild card, despite a record of 25-33.
Don’t look for a division title this year in Beantown. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 1% chance of winning the AL East. Which makes sense, since the team currently sits in last place, 11.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.
But SI’s Tom Verducci and Will Laws thinks Boston has a much tougher chance of making the playoffs. In their deep dive of the postseason, the pair came up with what they call the “Line of Doom.” According to their research, a team that starts “no better than 23–31 and your season is almost over only one-third of the way through the schedule.” Here’s why.
“In the wild card era (since 1995), only one team made the postseason starting with less than 22 wins in the first 54 games, the 2005 Astros (20–34). Of the 231 teams to start 23–31 or worse, only seven made the playoffs—once every 33 times,” Verducci and Laws note.
“Since the postseason field expanded in 2022, 31 teams began 23–31 or worse. Only one, the 2024 Mets (22–32), made the playoffs. That leaves such slow starters with a 1 in 31 chance—virtually the same as the larger sample size,” the pair add.
“The fact is one-third of the season does a good job separating pretenders from contenders. And as the calendar flips to June, understand that the playoff spots won’t change very much. In the four seasons with 12 playoff spots up for grabs, teams in playoff position when May ended kept a playoff spot 73% of the time—35 of 48 teams,” Verducci and Laws conclude.
So what does this have to do with the Red Sox, you ask? It’s Boston’s record after 54 games: 23-31. The “Line of Doom.”
More MLB: Red Sox Legend Backs ‘Worried’ John Henry
-
Alaska6 minutes agoUniversity of Alaska names U.S. Army commander as new UAF chancellor
-
Arizona9 minutes agoDiamondbacks Fans Can Now Vote for Arizona’s All-Stars
-
Arkansas14 minutes agoArkansas DFA Agents seize illegal products in Corning
-
California21 minutes agoCalifornia may take weeks to finalize primary results. ‘This is normal’
-
Colorado24 minutes agoColorado governor vetoes block on surveillance pricing as other states push for bans
-
Connecticut29 minutes agoAfternoon forecast for June 3
-
Delaware36 minutes ago
FOX43 News
-
Florida39 minutes agoRainy stretch continues in South Florida