Sports
Quentin Grimes, 76ers face uphill climb vs. Celtics
Mar 4, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) dribbles against the Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) in the third quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images The Philadelphia 76ers will attempt to end a five-game road losing streak when they face the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
The 76ers have lost 11 of their last 12 games overall. This will be Philadelphia’s fourth game since the team announced Joel Embiid would miss the rest of the season for left knee injury management.
Philadelphia is dealing with injuries to some of its other key players as well. Leading scorer Tyrese Maxey, who averages 26.3 points per game, didn’t play in Tuesday’s 126-112 loss to Minnesota after falling and landing on his back during Monday’s game against Portland.
Paul George returned to the court Tuesday after missing one game with groin soreness but missed 8 of 11 attempts from the field and finished with seven points, seven rebounds and six assists. He left the game in the fourth quarter when the groin tightened.
“It didn’t feel 100 percent to start,” George said. “But just tried to go out there and give something. By that time — that third, fourth quarter — it was just tight and I just couldn’t move.”
One bright spot for Philadelphia lately has been the play of 24-year-old Quentin Grimes, who is averaging 17.7 points and is shooting 52.4 percent from the field — 38.2 percent from 3-point territory – in 11 games since he was acquired from Dallas. Grimes scored 30 points on 12-of-18 shooting Tuesday, had a career-high 44 points in a victory over Golden State on Saturday, and posted a career-high nine assists in Monday’s loss to Portland.
“That’s a couple games in a row now where he’s getting a lot of attention, a lot of game plan and scheming and he still found a way to shoot a really high percentage again,” Philadelphia coach Nick Nurse said. “He was able to do that playing the point guard as well (in place of Maxey), which was nice to see. I thought he handled that really well and, again, was really impressive out there.”
The Celtics, who have won eight of their last 10 games and already have clinched a postseason berth, will play their second game in as many nights. Boston beat Portland 128-118 Wednesday despite missing starters Jrue Holiday (finger), Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Jayson Tatum (shoulder). Tatum is averaging a team-high 26.8 points per game. Holiday and Porzingis each missed their third straight contest.
Payton Pritchard came off the bench to score a career-high 43 points for Boston, which also received a career-high 41 from Derrick White. Pritchard made 10 3-pointers and White had nine.
“They were tremendous,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said. “With guys out and playing against a really good Portland team, we knew we were going to need to have guys step up, and the way those two played shows a lot about who they are. They do a lot of the dirty stuff when we’re fully healthy, and to have a night like this where those two can show what they’re capable of was big for us. We’re lucky to have them, and it was a lot of fun to watch them do that.”
The Celtics are 2-1 against the 76ers this season. Boston prevailed 118-110 in Philadelphia on Feb. 2 and 124-104 there on Feb. 20. Philadelphia won the first meeting, in Boston, 118-114 on Christmas Day.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Iowa finalizing 6-year deal with coach Ben McCollum
Mar 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum calls a timeout against the Florida Gators in the second half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Ben McCollum is finalizing a deal with Iowa that would keep him as the Hawkeyes basketball coach for the next six years, ESPN reported Friday.
McCollum is coming off his first season at the helm in Iowa, when he took the Hawkeyes on their deepest NCAA tournament run in almost 40 years.
Compiling a 24-13 record, the Storm Lake, Iowa, native led the No. 9 Hawkeyes on a run to the Elite Eight that included a 73-72 second-round upset win over top-seeded Florida and another win over No. 4 Nebraska before being eliminated by Illinois in the regional final.
McCollum, 45, came to Iowa last spring after one season at Drake, which he led to the NCAA Tournament after guiding the Bulldogs to the Missouri Valley regular season and conference tournament titles in his first year with the program. Drake finished with a 31-4 record after falling to Texas Tech in the second round of the 2025 NCAA tournament.
He previously spent 15 seasons with NCAA Division II power Northwest Missouri State University, helping his alma mater capture four national championships (2017, 2019, 2021, 2022).
During his 17-year coaching career, McCollum has amassed a record of 450-108.
McCollum was reportedly pursued by North Carolina in their search for a head coach to replace Hubert Davis, who was fired after five seasons. Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was ultimately hired to coach the Tar Heels.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao agree to rematch
May 2, 2015; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Floyd Mayweather (right) talks with Manny Pacquiao as celebrates after his welterweight championship bout at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have agreed to terms on an amended deal for a proposed boxing match on Sept. 25 in Las Vegas.
Manny Pacquiao Promotions CEO Jas Mathur told The Ring magazine on Friday that the sides reached terms to go ahead with the anticipated bout at T-Mobile Arena. The fight will stream live on Netflix.
The initial plan was for the bout to be held at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 19, however that fell through. The rock band The Eagles are performing on that date as part of their residency at the venue.
Mayweather could be rather busy given that he has exhibition bouts lined up against Mike Tyson and Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis. The Tyson fight does not have a specific date or location, while the Zambidis bout is set for June 27 in Athens, Greece.
Mayweather, 49, and Pacquiao initially fought in 2015 after years of buildup, with the former winning by unanimous decision. That bout wound up being the highest grossing boxing event of all time.
Pacquiao, 47, retired from boxing in September 2021 as the only eight-division world champion in boxing history before coming out of retirement last year for a WBC welterweight title fight against Mario Barrios, which ended in a majority draw.
Mayweather, who has a perfect 50-0 career record and won 15 world titles, hasn’t fought competitively since his highly controversial boxing match against UFC legend Conor McGregor in August of 2017.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Coaches share spotlight as slumping Red Bulls visit Fire
Jan 27, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; USA head coach Gregg Berhalter (left) greets midfielder Michael Bradley after being pulled from the game against Panama during an international friendly soccer match at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images When Chicago hosts New York on Saturday, it will be a reunion of former U.S. men’s national team members Gregg Berhalter, now the coach of the Fire, and Michael Bradley, who is in his first season guiding the Red Bulls.
In 2019, which was the final season of Bradley’s 14-year playing career on the USMNT, Berhalter was the head coach of the Stars and Stripes.
Seven years later, their respective MLS teams are going in opposite directions. While Chicago (5-3-2, 17 points) has collected 13 points in its last six games, New York (3-5-3, 12 points) is winless over its last five MLS matches.
After opening with wins in his first two games as an MLS coach, it has been a struggle for Bradley.
“He probably doesn’t need my advice, but you know coaching is a journey and he’s a smart guy,” Berhalter said. “And for him, it’s just a continual journey to keep learning and keep improving.”
The journey has been filled with success for Berhalter. In five seasons with the Columbus Crew, he guided them to four playoff berths. Last year, in his first season with the Fire, Berhalter helped them end an eight-year postseason drought.
“The way he sees the game, the way he sets up training sessions, the tone that he has with the group, his way of leading — you take little bits of that and you try to use it in a way that can help you,” Bradley said.
The Red Bulls have failed to score in their last two MLS matches, including a 2-0 loss at home last Saturday to FC Dallas.
Getting on the scoreboard won’t be easy against Chicago keeper Chris Brady who has recorded five clean sheets, including four at home.
Eighteen-year-old forward Julian Hall (six goals, two assists) has emerged as the top threat for New York, while Chicago is paced by forward Hugo Cuypers, who is tied for the league lead with 10 goals after scoring a brace in each of the Fire’s last three MLS matches.
“They have speed. They’re a quite big, physical team. We’re not gonna shy away from that,” Red Bulls keeper Ethan Horvath said. “We’re gonna go out. We’re gonna attack the game head on and try to give Chicago a really tough time.”
–Field Level Media
Reports: Iowa finalizing 6-year deal with coach Ben McCollum
Floyd Mayweather Jr., Manny Pacquiao agree to rematch
