GRANT WILLIAMS

Jayson Tatum scored 27 points, Jaylen Brown had 23 and the Boston Celtics spoiled Joel Embiid’s MVP coronation, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 114-102 Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Al Horford hit a huge 3-pointer against his former team and the Boston Celtics broke open a tight game in the closing minutes to beat the Atlanta Hawks 128-120.

Paolo Banchero scored 31 points and Admiral Schofield had 11 of his 13 in the fourth quarter to help the Orlando Magic sweep consecutive games in Boston with a 95-92 victory on Sunday.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 25 points, Malcolm Brogdon added 16 off the bench and the Boston Celtics embarrassed the sloppy Phoenix Suns 125-98 on Wednesday night.

Jaylen Brown scored 22 points to lead a balanced Boston attack and the East-leading Celtics stretched their winning streak to eight with a 126-101 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.

Every NBA team is doing something to get ready for Election Day on Tuesday.

Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, Jaylen Brown added 28 and the Boston Celtics topped the Miami Heat 111-104 on Friday night in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference finals.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 35 points and the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 126-117 in the opening game of the NBA regular season.

Marcus Smart has been in Boston long enough to appreciate what Bill Russell meant to the Celtics, the city and the country.

The Boston Celtics couldn’t make a 3-pointer to start the game and found themselves in a deep hole.

Andrew Wiggins delivered the biggest game yet in his eight-year career with 26 points and 13 rebounds, Klay Thompson scored 21 points, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics 104-94 for a 3-2 NBA Finals lead.

Jordan Poole made a cannonball-type of splash in game two of the NBA Finals to help the Golden State Warriors boat race the Boston Celtics, 107-88, scoring 17 points with five three-pointers and two steals in the victory.

Brittney Griner hasn’t been forgotten at the NBA Finals.

Jayson Tatum scored 26 points, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart each added 24 and the Boston Celtics held off a frantic rally in the final seconds to beat the Miami Heat 100-96 to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010.

New York City has agreed to pay $7 million to a man who spent 23 years behind bars for a murder he didn’t commit.

Jayson Tatum scored 27 points, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown each scored 24 and the Boston Celtics dominated the first half to roll past the Miami Heat 127-102 and tie the Eastern Conference finals at a game apiece.

Al Horford and Marcus Smart are coming back.

Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka and Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra have enormous respect for each other and a bond that stems from their shared history in the sport.

Grant Williams scored a career-high 27 points and hit seven 3-pointers, Jayson Tatum added 23 and the Boston Celtics set a Game 7 record with 22 3-pointers to eliminate the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks 109-81 on Sunday in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Jayson Tatum scored 46 points, outdueling Giannis Antetokounmpo and making sure there wouldn’t be another Milwaukee Bucks fourth-quarter comeback, and the Boston Celtics beat the defending champions 108-95 to force a seventh game in their Eastern Conference semifinal.

Al Horford and Jayson Tatum scored 30 points each and led the Boston Celtics’ fourth-quarter comeback in a 116-108 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks that tied their Eastern Conference semifinal at two games apiece.

Jaylen Brown scored 25 of his 30 points in the first half, and the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 109-86 to even their second-round playoff at one game apiece.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had his second career postseason triple-double to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 101-89 victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.

Jimmy Butler had 24 points, Kyle Lowry added 23 and the Miami Heat rallied in the fourth quarter to hold off the Boston Celtics 106-98 to stay atop a tight race for the Eastern Conference’s top seed.

Jaylen Brown scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Boston Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons 113-104.

Jaylen Brown scored 34 points and the Boston Celtics beat depleted Cleveland 111-101 on Wednesday night to end the Cavaliers’ winning streak at six.

Joel Embiid scored 17 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter, hitting three jumpers in the final minutes and three free throws in the last four seconds to ice it as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 108-103.

Russell Westbrook had a short stay in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Jayson Tatum scored 16 of his 42 points in the fourth quarter and the Boston Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks 117-103.

Brandon Boston Jr. had career highs of 27 points and five 3-pointers, sparking the Los Angeles Clippers to a 114-111 victory over the Boston Celtics.

Boston Celtics center Robert Williams III (44) dunks the ball over Miami Heat guards Avery Bradley (11) and Andre Iguodala (28) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Miami. That process would not have been completed in time for the 7 p.m. game, so the league called it off. Boston was preparing to play the game with eight available players; the Celtics have 17 on their roster, seven were out due to the COVID-19 protocols and two more with injuries. The other was Dec. 23, an Oklahoma City at Houston game where the Rockets did not have the required eight players available. They were in Miami for a game on Wednesday, and Bradley played in that game for the Heat.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) drives against Washington Wizards' Davis Bertans and center Moritz Wagner (21) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)BOSTON – The Boston Celtics could be without stars Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and a number of other players because of coronavirus safety protocols when they face Miami on Sunday. The Celtics are listing Tatum as doubtful and Brown as questionable for the rematch of the Eastern Conference finals. With Kemba Walker and Romeo Langford unavailable because of injuries, the Celtics could have the minimum eight players required to start a game. Beset by its own coronavirus problems, Philadelphia dressed an injured player Saturday so it could field a team to play against Denver.

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) drives to the basket as Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)MIAMI – Rookie guard Payton Pritchard wasn't there last season when the Boston Celtics lost to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. Jimmy Butler had 26 points for Miami, which got 16 points from Duncan Robinson, 15 points from Bam Adebayo and 14 from Goran Dragic. TIP-INSCeltics: Stevens called Spoelstra before the game to alert him of the Celtics' meeting and consideration of not playing. Heat: Miami’s streak of a different starting five in every game this season ended; the Heat used the same opening lineup as they did Monday against Oklahoma City.

The Heat are going to the NBA Finals — surprising many, perhaps, but not themselves. Extremely well-coached and well-put together and we are just honored to be a part of that type of series in the conference finals, and then we get an opportunity for the next stage. The Heat won the series 4-2 — and now, waiting on that next stage to decide the NBA title, are LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics scored 10 of the first 12 points of the fourth, going up 96-90. Heat: The Heat are now guaranteed no less than $4,399,686 for their playoff share, and that number would rise to $5,791,041 if they win the title.

That lead is down to 2-1 now, the Celtics playing brilliantly in Game 3 and leading wire-to-wire to take a bunch of newfound momentum into Game 4 of the series on Wednesday night. “Our spirit is right, our head is right, our energy is there, so I think we’re responding the right way,” Miami wing Jae Crowder said. But it’s Miami still leading the series, which is why the Celtics are seeking to show up for Game 4 with the same aggression that carried them in Game 3. “We know we’re going to have to play the best game that we’ve played in Game 4 of this series to have a chance to win. That’s just the way series work.

Tatum scored 29 points, Jaylen Brown had 21 and the Celtics topped the Toronto Raptors 92-87 on Friday night in Game 7 of the East semifinal series. The Raptors were bidding to become the seventh franchise in NBA history to win four consecutive Game 7's. Boston pushed the lead to nine, Toronto scored the next eight, eventually took the lead before the Celtics claimed it back. Raptors: Toronto was eliminated 456 days after winning the preceding season’s title, obviously the longest such run for a team that didn’t win consecutive championships. 2 seed in the East will make the conference finals since the NBA went to the 16-team playoff format in 1984; this one will feature No.

And other athletes across the sports world also said they weren't ready to resume playing. A second night of WNBA games were postponed and other teams and sports pondered whether they would play on. This is a affirmatively day of reflection, a day of informed action and mobilization, WNBA players union president Nneka Ogwumike said on ESPN. NBA players agreed to resume their season in July at Disney, making clear they intended to chase social justice reform just as passionately as a championship. They ultimately decided that playing would give them the largest platform while also providing a bigger target for critics.