Sports
Long-range shooting on tap as Celtics host 76ers
Feb 25, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Boston Celtics center Nikola Vucevic (4) works in the post against Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther (3) during the first half at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Two teams coming off noteworthy 3-point shooting performances will meet Sunday when the Philadelphia 76ers visit the Boston Celtics.
Boston made 22 of 34 3-point attempts (64.7%) during Friday night’s 148-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. The Celtics shot 66.7% from the field overall (52 of 78) after shooting 34.9% and scoring a season-low 84 points in Wednesday’s loss at Denver.
“We were due for some makes,” Jaylen Brown said following the win.
Nikola Vucevic turned in his best effort since he was traded to Boston from Chicago. He made each of his three 3-point attempts and collected 28 points with 11 rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench.
“I thought our spacing was good,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “I thought (Vucevic’s) screening was good. I thought we found the advantage quickly, and I thought we just kept hammering that, so it’s a credit to him and his screening and his execution, and then to the guys finding him in advantages to make plays for himself or for others.
“I thought we just did a good job reading the game. I thought we made the right reads throughout most of the entire game. I thought Vooch really looked comfortable in his offensive reads and his offensive screening. He unlocked a lot of stuff for us.”
Boston has a 6-2 record since it acquired Vucevic.
“Every day is a day we get better, so continuing it and continuing to find him in his spots and allow him to feel more comfortable is big-time for our team,” Brown said. “I think today was a great step forward. I like to see him aggressive. I think that’s a good sign for us, especially when teams are trying to double or trying to take certain parts of the game away.”
Tyrese Maxey passed Allen Iverson and set the franchise record for made 3-pointers in Philadelphia’s most recent game, a 124-117 victory over Miami on Thursday.
Maxey made five 3-pointers in the win and has 887 made 3-point field goals in 375 games in his NBA career. Iverson made 885 3-pointers in 722 games with the 76ers.
“I’m just happy, man,” Maxey said. “I’m blessed. I thank God for the opportunity, thank God for the Sixers organization drafting me, trusting me, believing in me. I thank God for both my coaches, Doc (Rivers) and (Nick) Nurse. They’ve instilled a lot of confidence in me.
“And lastly, my teammates, man. I gave a shoutout to Tobias (Harris) earlier. My rookie year, he told me I was a great shooter. Even though I wasn’t shooting as well as I wanted to, he told me I was a great shooter. And Joel (Embiid), man. He’s been on me about shooting 10 threes a game since probably my second or third year and I appreciate him for that.”
Philadelphia was 17 of 43 (39.5%) from beyond the 3-point arc during the win over Miami. Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes each made three 3-point field goals. The victory extended Philadelphia’s winning streak to three games.
Sunday’s game will be the fourth meeting between the Celtics and 76ers this season. After Philadelphia posted a 117-116 road victory in the season opener for each team, the Celtics and 76ers split two games in Philadelphia. Boston won 109-108 on Oct. 31, and Philadelphia prevailed 102-100 on Nov. 11.
Boston is second in the Eastern Conference standings. Philadelphia is sixth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: RB David Montgomery 'wants out' of Detroit
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Lions running back David Montgomery “wants out” of Detroit after three seasons, ESPN reported on Sunday.
Montgomery, however, immediately appeared to refute the report on X, posting: “Damn, Dmo told you that?”
The ESPN report claims the Lions would want “a decent Day 3 pick (possibly a fifth-rounder)” in the 2026 NFL Draft in return for Montgomery, who turns 29 in June and is owed $6 million next season.
The report follows general manager Brad Holmes’ remarks after the season about Montgomery being unhappy with his playing time in 2025. Sharing a backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs, Montgomery rushed for a career-low 716 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games (no starts).
“Those are conversations that we’re going to have to have because I’ve got a lot of respect for that player,” Holmes said of Montgomery in January. “He deserves to be in a situation where his skillset can be utilized, and so yeah would love for it to be here, but if it can’t be here then you’d just love to see where could work out best for him.”
At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Holmes said the situation with Montgomery is “fluid.” He signed a two-year extension during the 2024 season that runs through the end of the 2027 campaign.
“Yeah, I have been in touch with David’s agent, and his representation,” Holmes revealed. “Obviously, we love David, he’s a great player, we love to have him, you know, kind of want to put last year in the rear view, and just move forward. But, obviously, a player has to want to be at a certain place as well. The conversations are still fluid, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Montgomery has rushed for 2,506 yards and 33 touchdowns in 45 games (28 starts) in three seasons with Detroit (2023-25). He has 76 catches for 650 yards in that span.
He began his career with the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the third round in 2019. Montgomery rushed for 3,609 yards and 26 scores in 60 games (51 starts) with the Bears (2019-22).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees LHP Ryan Yarbrough joins U.S. roster for WBC
Jun 18, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Ryan Yarbrough (33) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images New York Yankees left-hander Ryan Yarbrough was added to the Team USA roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic on Sunday.
The 34-year-old reliever replaces Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan, who is dealing with low back tightness. Ryan moves into the designated pitcher pool, meaning he is eligible for a call-up after each round of the WBC.
Yarbrough went 3-1 with a 4.36 ERA and one save in 19 games (eight starts) during his first season with the Yankees in 2025, striking out 55 batters and walking 19 in 64 innings.
Ryan Yarbrough has been added to our roster for the World Baseball Classic!#ForGlory???? pic.twitter.com/RrtKJQ20gz
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 1, 2026
Team USA will play its first game of the 2026 WBC on Friday night, meeting Brazil in a Pool B contest in Houston.
Yarbrough has a career record of 56-41 with a 4.22 ERA and four saves in 215 games (76 starts) with the Tampa Bay Rays (2018-22), Kansas City Royals (2023), Los Angeles Dodgers (2023-24), Toronto Blue Jays (2024) and Yankees. The side-arming southpaw signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal in November to return to New York in 2026.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ex-pitcher Dan Serafini gets life sentence for '21 murder
Dan Serafini (file photo) pitched in MLB with seven teams. He was convited of first-degree murder. Former major league pitcher Dan Serafini was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Friday for the 2021 shootings of his in-laws in North Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Serafini, 52, was convicted in July of the first-degree murder of father-in-law Gary Spohr and the attempted first-degree murder of mother-in-law Wendy Wood during a burglary. Spohr, 70, died from a single gunshot and Wood, then 68, survived but died by suicide the following year.
In the courtroom on Friday in Auburn, Calif., Placer County prosecutor Morgan Gire described Spohr and Wood as loving grandparents.
“The impact of this attack has extended far beyond the immediate victims, deeply affecting family members and the broader community, and highlighting the lasting harm caused by deliberate violence,” Gire said.
Serafini, who pitched for six MLB teams from 1996 to 2007, addressed the court and maintained his innocence. He said he was out partying with his wife, Erin Spohr, at the time of the shooting and referred to himself as a “broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes,” according to MyNews4.
The Minnesota Twins selected Serafini, a native of the San Francisco area, with the No. 26 overall pick in the 1992 MLB Draft. He made his debut in 1996 and went on to appear in 104 games (33 starts) with the Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies before his retirement in 2007.
He had a 15-16 record with a 6.04 ERA and one save. He threw 263 2/3 innings and struck out 127 batters.
–Field Level Media
Report: RB David Montgomery 'wants out' of Detroit
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