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Nikola Vucevic ready for Celtics debut against Heat

NBA: Chicago Bulls at Miami HeatFeb 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) defends during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Nikola Vucevic could make his debut with the Boston Celtics when they take on the visiting Miami Heat on Friday night.

Boston acquired Vucevic, 35, in a trade with the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. The Celtics gave up guard Anfernee Simons and a 2026 second-round draft pick in the deal. Boston also received a future second-round pick.

Vucevic, a 6-foot-9 center, is averaging 16.9 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in 48 games this season, but he hasn’t been as effective at the defensive end of the court.

“I know some of the limitations I have,” Vucevic told The Athletic. “I’m aware of them.”

Neemias Queta has been Boston’s starting center this season. The Celtics have also used center Luka Garza, whose skillset is similar to what Vucevic brings.

Queta and Garza both started in Wednesday’s 114-93 road victory over Houston. Queta finished with 10 points, 19 rebounds and five blocks in the win. Garza, who made his second start of the season, added 19 points and six rebounds.

“It just helped us on multiple fronts,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said when he was asked about the double-big lineup. “It helped us defensively. It helped us offensively with matchup recognition. We were able to kind of be in our matchups because of that. I thought those guys did a great job. I thought Luka and Neemi were great. Neemi was kind of the best version of him.”

The Celtics also reportedly made two minor moves Thursday. Boston sent Chris Boucher to Utah, and traded Josh Minott to Brooklyn. Like Vucevic, Boucher is in the final year of his contract.

The Heat will be looking to end Boston’s four-game winning streak Friday.

“We’re just going to forge ahead until we conquer it,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It’s disappointing. I see the potential with our team. I really do.

“That ability to sustain — get a quality win and then do it again. Then rinse and repeat. That’s what all the very good teams are able to do. They’re just more consistent.”

The Heat didn’t have Andrew Wiggins (left hamstring tightness) for Tuesday’s 127-115 home loss to Atlanta. Norman Powell (personal reasons) and Tyler Herro (ribs) also did not play against the Hawks. Powell has missed Miami’s last three games and Herro hasn’t played in the last 11.

Herro didn’t make the two-game trip that includes Sunday’s game against the Washington Wizards. Wiggins and Powell will likely be back against the Celtics.

“Whoever we got out there, we take the approach we always have what it takes to win,” Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. said. “Obviously, guys are dealing with things. We want them to get better, get all the rest they can so they’re healthy when they come back to us. Until then, we’re gonna try to hold it down as best we can.”

Atlanta made 21 of 50 3-point attempts Tuesday. Chicago also made 20 of 40 shots from beyond the 3-point arc in a 125-118 win over Miami on Saturday, one day before the Bulls shot 14.6% on 3-point attempts (6 of 41) in a 134-91 loss to the Heat.

“We just couldn’t get it done defensively (against Atlanta),” Jaquez said. “They lit us up from 3 — something that’s kind of been a theme for us the last couple (losses).”

–Field Level Media

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Yankees complete season-opening, three-game sweep of Giants

MLB: New York Yankees at San Francisco GiantsMar 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) is congratulated by first baseman Ben Rice (22) after hitting a home run against the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Aaron Judge homered in his second straight game and Ben Rice doubled in two runs as the visiting New York Yankees beat the San Francisco Giants 3-1 on Saturday to complete a three-game series sweep.

San Francisco put its first two batters on base in the ninth against David Bednar before Harrison Bader struck out and Patrick Bailey grounded into a double play.

Bednar recorded his second save in as many games for the Yankees, who outscored the Giants 13-1 in the series and turned four inning-ending double plays in the finale. Jake Bird (1-0), one of four New York relievers, earned the victory with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Rice put the Yankees ahead with a two-run double in the third inning against Tyler Mahle (0-1), who was making his Giants debut. Giancarlo Stanton followed with a single to right field, but Rice was thrown out at the plate by Heliot Ramos to end the inning.

San Francisco scored its first run of the season in the bottom of the third when Jung Hoo Lee hit a leadoff double off Will Warren and scored on Matt Chapman’s single up the middle.

Mahle allowed two runs on five hits over four innings with one walk and five strikeouts.

Ryan Borucki retired the first two batters in the fifth before Judge put the Yankees ahead 3-1 by depositing an 0-1 cutter over the left-field wall.

The Yankees turned to their bullpen after Warren gave up one run on five hits over 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out three.

Bird replaced Brent Headrick in the sixth after Rafael Devers doubled to begin the inning. After Devers moved to third on Ramos’ single, Bird struck out Willy Adames and escaped the jam unscathed when Bader grounded into a double play.

The Yankees threatened with two runners on and one out in the eighth against Erik Miller, who struck out Rice before JT Brubaker entered and got Stanton to pop out to first.

San Francisco brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the eighth against Tim Hill when Luis Arraez singled in front of Devers, who grounded into an inning-ending double play.

–Field Level Media

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Brice Turang provides lift as Brewers handle White Sox

MLB: Chicago White Sox at Milwaukee BrewersMar 28, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) steals second base as Chicago White Sox shortstop Luisangel Acuna (0) takes the throw in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Chad Patrick pitched effectively into the fifth inning and Brice Turang doubled twice to pace the Milwaukee Brewers past the visiting Chicago White Sox 6-1 on Saturday night for their second consecutive victory.

Aaron Ashby (1-0) got the win with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Patrick allowed one run on five hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking one. Angel Zerpa, Abner Uribe and DL Hall finished with a scoreless inning apiece.

Munetaka Murakami, who played the previous eight seasons in his native Japan before signing with Chicago, homered for the second consecutive game, a 409-foot leadoff shot in the fourth inning off Patrick to pull the White Sox within 4-1.

The Brewers, who routed Chicago 14-2 in the opener Thursday, jumped on Sean Burke (0-1) for three runs in the first. Turang doubled to open, advanced on a comebacker to the mound, and scored on Christian Yelich’s single. Jake Bauers singled Yelich to third and took second on the throw. Garrett Mitchell followed with a two-run single up the middle.

Milwaukee added an unearned run in the second when Turang blooped a two-out double inside the left field line and William Contreras walked. Yelich singled on an infield dribbler and Turang continued home on Burke’s errant throw to first.

The Brewers made it 5-1 in the sixth when David Hamilton walked with one out, stole second and scored on Brandon Lockridge’s single.

The White Sox missed an opportunity in the seventh when Colson Montgomery tried to score from first on Austin Hays’ double to left, but was thrown out at home on a perfect relay from shortstop Joey Ortiz to end the inning.

Mitchell hustled up an insurance run in the bottom half when he singled with one out, stole second, and scored on Ortiz’s single.

Burke allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits in four innings, striking out five and walking one.

–Field Level Media

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Down 6, Astros ride 8-run 6th to victory over Angels

MLB: Los Angeles Angels at Houston AstrosMar 28, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) slides at home safely against Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe (14) in the fifth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Yainer Diaz and Jake Meyers had two RBIs each in an eight-run sixth inning for the Houston Astros, who rallied from a six-run hole to beat the visiting Los Angeles Angels 11-9 on Saturday in the finale of their three-game series.

The Astros scored all eight runs with two outs.

Isaac Paredes and Carlos Correa also had two RBIs apiece for the Astros, who avoided an 0-3 start for the second time in three seasons.

Meyers, Correa, Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker each had two hits for Houston.

Houston starter Cristian Javier went 4 2/3 innings, allowing six runs and four hits, striking out one and walking four.

Kai-Wei Teng (1-0) threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory.

Oswald Peraza homered and singled twice, Jorge Soler and Nolan Schanuel also homered and Mike Trout singled, walked twice and scored two runs for the Angels, who were trying to start 3-0 for the first time since winning their first five games in 2006.

Angels starter Reid Detmers brought a 6-0 lead into the fifth, but the left-hander was finished after throwing 95 pitches in 4 2/3 innings. He allowed three runs and six hits with nine strikeouts and no walks in his return to a starting role after serving as a reliever all of last season.

Rookie right-hander Walbert Urena (0-1) relieved Detmers after a two-run double by Paredes cut it to 6-2 with two outs in the fifth. Urena quickly surrendered an RBI single to Correa that cut it to 6-3.

Urena was close to escaping the sixth before a wild pitch brought home the first run. Correa later came up with the bases loaded and and hit a slow roller in front of the plate that catcher Logan O’Hoppe threw away for a two-run error, tying the score.

Walker then lined a single up the middle of Peraza’s glove to give Houston its first lead of the series at 7-6, chasing Urena.

Diaz hit a slow roller into right field off Joey Lucchesi that scored two more, and Meyers followed with a two-run double over the head of leaping right fielder Jo Adell to stretch Houston’s lead to 11-6.

Schanuel blasted a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth off Houston closer Bryan Abreu to cut it to 11-9.

Peraza homered with two outs in the third to give the Angels a 1-0 lead, and Soler blasted a two-run homer in the fourth to make it 3-0.

The Angels scored three more runs in the fifth on an RBI single by Trout, a run-scoring double play and a wild pitch.

–Field Level Media

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