Revolution Set MLS Record For Most Points In Regular Season
The 2021 New England Revolution have made Major League Soccer history.
The Revolution have set the MLS record for most points earned in a season. They beat the Colorado Rapids 1-0 on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium to increase their points total to 73, surpassing the 72 points LAFC amassed in 2019.
The Revolution also recorded their 22nd win of the season Wednesday, tying the MLS record for most non-shootout wins in a campaign.
New England can extend its points record further and set the MLS mark for most wins in a campaign Nov. 7 when it hosts Inter Miami in its regular-season finale.
The Revs already clinched the Supporters Shield, which is awarded to the team that earns the most points in the regular season, and home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Jason McCourty Ribs Brother Devin After Patriots Make Roster Move
Devin McCourty caught a ricochet shot from a very familiar source Wednesday.
The Patriots looked within the division to fill one of their recently vacated roster spots. New England signed fifth-year linebacker Calvin Munson off of Miami's practice squad one day after fellow 'backer Harvey Langi was placed on injured reserve.
This won't be Munson's first go-round in Foxboro. The 26-year-old spent all of the 2018 season and part of the 2019 campaign on the Patriots' practice squad before the Dolphins swiped him in mid-December two years ago.
Miami cornerback Jason McCourty took to Twitter to congratulate Munson on his new opportunity, but not without first taking a shot at his twin brother.
"Sorry @calmunson that you gotta go play with Dev again lol congrats bro well deserved! (Jmac)," Jason tweeted.
The Patriots and the Dolphins won't meet again until the final week of the regular season. It remains to be seen if Jason McCourty will take part in that Week 18 clash, as he's currently on injured reserve.
NFL Rumors: J.J. Watt’s Season Likely Done Due To Shoulder Injury
The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are getting ready for what's sure to be an entertaining "Thursday Night Football" game, but J.J. Watt will not be active.
According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the star defensive end reportedly will undergo what's believed to be season-ending shoulder surgery. It likely will require a three-month recovery period, making his return for a potential playoff run difficult.
Watt was injured during the second half of the Cardinals' Week 7 win against his former Houston Texans team but played the rest of the game. The three-time Defensive Player of the Year finished the 31-5 win with a sack and a quarterback hit.
Thursday will be Watt's first missed game with the Cardinals since joining the team in the offseason.
Watt is no stranger to injuries, having dealt with back, leg and pectoral injuries since 2016. He did return in 2019 after getting his torn pec repaired, so it would not be a surprise to see Watt do everything he can in order to get back on the field with Arizona.
The Cardinals look to remain undefeated against the 6-1 Packers at State Farm Stadium at 8:20 p.m. ET.
New Videos Of Bill Belichick From Jets Game Will Crack Patriots Fans Up
If you ever go to a Patriots game, do yourself a favor and take some time to focus on Bill Belichick. You'll be treated to some unintentional entertainment.
NFL Films on Tueseday shared two videos of Belichick from Sunday's game between the New England Patriots and the New York Jets. One shows the Patriots coach remaining hilariously stoic despite his team racking up points on the way to a 54-13 victory, while the other gives fans a look at how Belichick utilizes ... his socks.
Take a look:
There must be a better way, right? Pockets, perhaps?
Belichick's 3-4 Patriots will head to Los Angeles this weekend to face Justin Herbert and the 4-2 Chargers. During Wednesday's news conference, Belichick offered nearly 800 words and roughly six minutes on what makes Brandon Staley's team so good.
Brad Stevens Must Feel Somewhat Vindicated By Celtics’ Ongoing Effort Issues
He would never say it publicly, or maybe even privately. But just stop and think from a purely human standpoint how Brad Stevens must be feeling right now watching effort be an issue for the Boston Celtics.
No doubt, as the president of basketball operations who had a huge hand in building this current group, he is disappointed, miffed, you name it. But there has got to be a part of him, even if it's small, sitting there saying "I knew it wasn't a problem with me."
During the early years of his run as head coach of the Celtics, you always could count on his team playing hard. They weren't always a good team, and talent seldom won out for them, rather it was their will to win and ability to count on each other. During the later years, that cratered, for reasons that still haven't really been diagnosed.
Kyrie Irving has been gone for a few years now, so this isn't on him anymore. Gordon Hayward is in Charlotte, taking with him the "there's resentment in the locker room toward Hayward" argument.
No, for some reason, Celtics teams of late can put it together. There might be some positive flashes, but they are met just as equally with listless, indifferent play. They might have all the talent in the world (see: 2018-19), but it is effort, the very thing that was supposed to be their calling card, that has felled them.
Unwilling to put it on Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown or Marcus Smart, the argument too often has been "Stevens must have lost the locker room. The players don't respect Brad." Maybe that was right. But Ime Udoka was supposed to change that. He's a player's coach, one who guys on the current roster pounded the table in support of during the interview process.
So, why is this still an issue?
It's too early to say Udoka is some sort of failure as a coach. He is finding his footing, and that will take time, which he deserves. But you would think a week into the season with a brand new roster, this group wouldn't already be struggling with effort.
What exactly the reason for such lethargy is, to a degree, irrelevant. But it needs to be fixed. That the Celtics seem to respond to neither Stevens' nor Udoka's approaches is problematic. And at the end of the day, it likely is more of a reflection of the players than either of the coaches.
Stevens certainly doesn't want this to continue to be an issue. After all, he'll have to go down with the ship just as much as Udoka, but there has to be a level of vindication right now. The Celtics' issues right now aren't squarely on Udoka, and that only validates that they shouldn't have squarely been on Stevens.
Tua Tagovailoa Shares Cryptic Sentiment Amid Deshaun Watson Trade Rumors
One can imagine what's currently going on inside the mind of Tua Tagovailoa.
For starters, Tagovailoa's Dolphins enter Week 8 as one of five teams in all of football with one win or less on the season. But the sophomore signal-caller also finds himself attached to a situation out of his control.
Miami appears to be the frontrunner to acquire Deshaun Watson as the Nov. 2 trade deadline nears. If the Dolphins do strike a deal with the Texans, Tagovailoa likely would be a part of the trade package sent from South Beach to Houston.
As trade rumors pile up, Tagovailoa on Wednesday was asked by the Sun Sentinel's David Furones if he feels wanted in Miami.
"I don't not feel wanted," Tagovailoa told reporters, per the Palm Beach Post's Joe Schad.
Yeah, that doesn't sound like someone who feels very comfortable about their job security.
With each passing day, it sounds more and more likely that the next chapter of Watson's NFL life will be in Miami. The Carolina Panthers, who long have been viewed as a realistic trade partner for the Texans, reportedly will not pursue the three-time Pro Bowl selection ahead of the deadline.
Patriots Trade Deadline Preview: What Are New England’s Top Needs?
All teams, including the Patriots, could stand to make improvements ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. If nothing else, every team could use extra depth at certain positions.
But the 3-4 Patriots have more holes than they typically do this time of the year. And, regardless of what happens this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers, New England absolutely should buy at the deadline.
Due to their current salary cap situation (just under $3 million), the Patriots will be limited in what they can do before 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Plus, Bill Belichick rarely makes headlines on or near deadline day. The 2019 trade for Mohamed Sanu was a blockbuster for The Hoodie.
So, what could New England do over the next few days? What are its top needs?
Let's get into it:
Secondary
Specifically cornerback.
Stephon Gilmore now is a Carolina Panther, and Jonathan Jones is done for the season. As result, Jalen Mills is playing out of position and safety/corner hybrid Myles Bryant is the new slot corner. It's ... not terrible, but also not great.
It's possible the Patriots look to rookie Shaun Wade, third-year corner Joejuan Williams and their bevy of practice squad guys as sufficient internal solutions. But they also could look to add cornerback depth -- if not something better -- before the deadline.
That said, Patriots fans probably should rule out trades for players like Kyle Fuller.
Linebacker
Matt Judon has been great, and Ja'Whaun Bentley has emerged as a consistently impactful player. Other than that, it's been iffy at linebacker for the Patriots.
Dont'a Hightower has looked slow and banged up outside of one really good game. You could say the same thing about Kyle Van Noy. Jamie Collins barely has played since returning a couple of weeks ago.
Elsewhere, Harvey Langi and Chase Winovich are on injured reserve and Josh Uche, also hurt at various points this season, has yet to deliver on the preseason hype.
Somehow, the Patriots have a bunch of linebackers but hardly any depth. They could use some reinforcements, if not a starting-caliber player.
Receiver
New England's receiver group is pretty good and consistently has gotten better since the start of the season. There's not a ton of speed, but there's enough talent, especially if you include the tight ends, for the offense to put up points.
But why not give rookie Mac Jones another weapon? Why not give him an actual star to work with?
They're not likely, but trades for players such as Brandin Cooks and Michael Thomas could be done by the Patriots if they want to do them. But New England doesn't even have to swing that hard.
It wouldn't be difficult to find an upgrade over N'Keal Harry, who just can't get going in the Patriots offense. Maybe see if the Arizona Cardinals would be willing to flip the speedy, similarly disappointing Andy Isabella.
Honorable mention: Edge rusher
We use this category because the Patriots seemingly have a young, promising edge rusher in Uche. And, despite Winovich's decrease in playing time and issues in defending the run, he's shown legitimate pass-rushing talent as well. But, for multiple reasons, it just hasn't happened this season for either of them.
Outside of Judon and Christian Barmore, New England hasn't generated much of a pass rush in 2021. If Belichick can find a good deal for player who can get after the quarterback, he should consider it.
Should Patriots Pursue Brandin Cooks Ahead Of NFL Trade Deadline?
From Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins to Trent Brown and Ted Karras, this already has been a year full of reunions for the New England Patriots.
Could a certain speedy wide receiver join that list in the coming days?
Brandin Cooks, who played for the Patriots in 2017, currently is a member of the rebuilding Houston Texans. And based on his social media activity, he isn't pleased with the direction his cellar-dwelling franchise is taking.
On Wednesday, the 1-6 Texans traded respected running back Mark Ingram to the New Orleans Saints. With a roster full of mid-level veterans on short-term deals, Houston always was expected to be a seller ahead of next Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. But the Ingram deal evidently infuriated Cooks.
"This is (BS)," the wideout tweeted shortly after news of the trade broke. "Such a joke."
According to multiple reports, the Texans view Cooks and left tackle Laremy Tunsil as building blocks and aren't planning to trade either. But if that stance changes -- or Cooks' unhappiness forces general manager Nick Caserio's hand -- the 28-year-old could be a worthwhile target for the Patriots.
Cooks was a productive deep threat during his lone season in New England, catching 65 passes for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns for a Patriots team that lost in Super Bowl LII. His 16.6 yards-per-catch average that year was the best of his career and a mark only one Patriots wideout (Josh Gordon in 2018) has matched since.
Would there be some redundancy with Nelson Agholor, whom the Patriots signed to a two-year, $22 million contract this past offseason? Perhaps. But New England could accommodate both in its offense, and Cooks would be a clear upgrade over N'Keal Harry, who has just three catches in four games this season as the Pats' No. 4 receiver. With 4.33 speed, he'd also inject more pace into a Patriots offense that ranked the NFL's eighth-slowest in a recent ESPN study.
(Not that he would have any say in his next destination, but Cooks has spoken fondly about his time with New England, saying earlier this year that it was "one of my favorite places that I've ever played.")
Cooks, who's tallied 1,000-yard seasons for four different clubs, is in the midst of another productive campaign, posting a 45-502-1 receiving line for a terrible Houston team that's been blown out in three of its last four games.
"(He's) probably targeted as much as any receiver in the league, and he's dangerous on everything," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said before his team's Week 5 win over the Texans. "Obviously, he has tremendous speed. Great deep-ball player. Super competitive, tough kid. Runs the intermediate routes. A catch-and-run player. Quick screens. Underneath routes. He gets a step on a guy, and he can turn a 5-yard gain into 20 in a hurry."
And thanks to an offseason contract restructure, Cooks is set to make just $1.5 million in salary over the final 11 weeks of the season, making him an extremely affordable trade target. The Patriots currently have roughly $2.9 million in available salary cap space, according to cap expert Miguel Benzan.
Cooks would be on the books for about $13.7 million next season, though, so there are some future financial implications to consider. And the Patriots, who are beginning to develop an identity as a formidable rushing outfit, aren't in desperate need of an upgrade at wideout.
Jakobi Meyers, Agholor and Kendrick Bourne are a respectable top trio, even if Agholor has underperformed his contract to this point. Tight end Hunter Henry also has emerged as a legit pass-game weapon with four touchdown catches in the last four games, and the disappointing Jonnu Smith was in the midst of his most productive game to date Sunday before a shoulder injury shelved him.
But if the Patriots are eyeing an upgrade, and New England alum Caserio would be willing to sell Cooks for a reasonable price -- say, a mid-round pick and Harry? -- he'd be a logical addition.
Bill Belichick Once Raved About This New Patriots Cornerback
Bill Belichick has yet to comment on the New England Patriots' latest practice squad additions. But he had high praise for one of them back in 2017.
Before the Patriots played the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, Belichick offered a positive review of Brian Poole, who at the time was Atlanta's top nickel back. Poole signed to the Patriots practice squad Wednesday along with fellow veteran corner De'Vante Bausby.
"I think Poole's stepped in and done a great job for them," Belichick said during Super Bowl Opening Night. "He's a very physical player, does a good job in the slot. He's a good tackler, good blitzer when he comes, very strong."
Poole, an undrafted rookie at the time, wound up playing 90 of Atlanta's 99 defensive snaps in that instant-classic Super Bowl and was involved in one of the game's most iconic moments.
Remember Julian Edelman and a Falcons defensive back pointing at opposite video boards while officials reviewed the wideout's incredible juggling catch? That was Poole.
Poole went on to play two more seasons with the Falcons, then two with the New York Jets. He was quietly effective for some bad Jets teams, ranking among Pro Football Focus's 10 highest-graded cornerbacks in 2019 and 2020 (minimum 400 defensive snaps).
Knee and shoulder injuries ended Poole's 2020 campaign after nine games. The 29-year-old Florida product signed with the New Orleans Saints in late July but landed on injured reserve a month later and was cut Oct. 12.
With most of his NFL experience coming in the slot, Poole will help fill the void created by Jonathan Jones' season-ending shoulder injury. Myles Bryant, who was promoted from the practice squad last week, has been the Patriots' top slot option with Jones sidelined.
It remains to be seen whether Poole or Bausby will be elevated to the gameday roster for Sunday's road matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Why Ex-Patriot Still Likes New England’s Chances Of Reaching Playoffs
There are no two ways about it: The Patriots face an uphill battle in trying to reach the NFL playoffs.
But one player who's made a Super Bowl run with New England isn't ready to count out Bill Belichick's bunch as a potential postseason team.
During an appearance on the "The Next Pats Podcast," Danny Woodhead explained to host Phil Perry why he still has faith in the Patriots as we approach the halfway point of the 2021 season.
"New England's almost two plays from being 4-2," Woodhead said, as transcribed by NBC Sports Boston. "I wouldn't be shocked if they win a bunch of games and maybe make the playoffs. I'm not saying they're going to, but like, they're good. They're a good football team. They were one play away from beating the Dolphins, could've beat the Bucs. ...
"If you can get to Thanksgiving at a respectable (record), that's where you can make the playoffs. Bill (Belichick) knows that. He always preached it. It's like, after Thanksgiving, that's where we see the teams. If they can get close to .500, I think they have a good chance. And that's the last team you want to play is New England."
The Patriots still have a handful of tough matchups remaining on their regular-season schedule, including Sunday's showdown with the Chargers in Los Angeles. The slate also features a pair of matchups with the division rival Buffalo Bills, who are the current favorites to win the AFC at DraftKings Sportsbook.
That said, Belichick-coached teams historically have played their best football in November and December. This week's battle on the West Coast will serve as a good barometer to dictate whether that trend is bound to continue.
Four Patriots Who Potentially Could Be On Move Ahead Of NFL Trade Deadline
The NFL trade deadline is less than a week away. Could any New England Patriots players be on the block?
The Patriots have been known to trade players at the deadline in the past. In 2016, they stunned even their own locker room by shipping Jamie Collins to the Cleveland Browns. One year later, Bill Belichick begrudgingly dealt backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers. In 2019, it was Michael Bennett going to the Dallas Cowboys after it became clear he was a poor fit for New England's defense.
This year's trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 4 p.m. ET. Here are four potential Patriots trade candidates:
WR N'Keal Harry
Harry was the subject of frequent trade rumors during the lead-up to the 2021 NFL Draft. That speculation has resurfaced in recent weeks.
Despite his obvious physical gifts, Harry never has lived up to expectations as a 2019 first-rounder, averaging just 1.9 catches and 18.4 yards per game over his three-year career. Since returning from injured reserve in Week 4, he's played 88 snaps over four games and caught three passes on five targets. He's the clear No. 4 receiver behind Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne and trails tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith in the Patriots' pass-catcher hierarchy, as well.
He's still just 23, though, and could benefit from a change of scenery. Maybe some team sees the highlight-reel catch he made Sunday and opts to take a flier.
CB Joejuan Williams
It seems counterintuitive to trade a player away from arguably the Patriots' thinnest position group, but Williams -- another disappointing 2019 draftee -- has languished near the bottom of the depth chart throughout his NFL career.
Earlier this month, he sandwiched a mid-game benching between two healthy scratches. Against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6, the Patriots chose to dress just one backup cornerback (special teamer Justin Bethel) rather than including Williams in the gameday roster.
The 6-foot-4 cover man did follow up that forgettable three-game stretch with his best outing as a pro, but one solid performance against the laughable New York Jets doesn't erase all of his previous struggles. It might, however, have boosted his stock in the eyes of cornerback-needy teams. As with Harry, this could be a sell-high opportunity for the Patriots.
QB Jarrett Stidham
How much could you get for a quarterback who's coming off back surgery and never has started a game in the NFL? Probably not much. But if another team believes Stidham has a chance to be more than a career backup -- which is all he'll ever be in New England, barring a major injury to rookie starter Mac Jones -- it could be willing to flip a late-round pick to acquire him.
The Patriots would need to decide whether any potential return for Stidham is more valuable than keeping the 2019 fourth-rounder around as an understudy. Last season, they viewed him as a better backup option than veteran Brian Hoyer, who was demoted to QB3 after four weeks. Hoyer has been an invaluable resource for Jones as the latter navigates his first NFL season, but he's also 36 and might not be with the team in 2022.
Stidham, who had some strong practices during the spring, has yet to be officially activated from the physically unable to perform list, but he did begin practicing last week.
G Shaq Mason
This certainly would qualify as a surprise move, as Mason has been the Patriots' starting right guard since 2016. He owns the team's third-highest salary cap hit ($9.5 million), though, and is on the books for $10.3 million in 2022 and $8.9 million in 2023.
Ted Karras has looked good in three starts this season, including two at right guard in place of an injured Mason. If the Patriots still view Mike Onwenu as a guard long-term -- an opinion that may change based on how well he's performed at right tackle -- and believe Karras can give them comparable guard play to Mason's at a much lower price, trading the longtime starter could be financially enticing.
Will it happen? Probably not. But it wouldn't be the first time a big-name Patriot was dealt at the deadline.
Play ‘Predict The Game’ During Bruins-Hurricanes To Win Signed Patrice Bergeron Jersey
The early season Boston Bruins versus Carolina Hurricanes game presents a can't-miss opportunity for hockey fans.
Viewers who watch NESN's broadcast of Thursday's Bruins-Hurricanes game can compete to win a signed Patrice Bergeron Bruins home jersey by playing NESN Games' "Predict The Game" contest. Visit NESN.com/PredictTheGame to sign up and play.
The Bruins-Hurricanes broadcast will feature prompts for fans to answer predictive questions as the matchup unfolds. "Predict The Game" contestants also can find additional questions online, and each correct prediction increases their chances of winning.
The first question in Thursday night's contest will appear during "Bruins Face-Off Live," which begins at 6:30 p.m. ET. Puck drop from PNC Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The winner of the signed Bergeron automatically will be entered into a random drawing for the grand prize. The more you play, the more likely you are to win.
Wild Bradley Beal Miss Leads To All-Time Bad Beat In Wizards-Celtics
Some bettors had their hearts ripped out of their chests during Wednesday night's Wizards-Celtics game, potentially more than once.
Several sportsbooks had the first-half total for the contest at TD Garden set at 114.5. As Washington led Boston 62-52 with less than 10 seconds to go in the second quarter, it looked like the first-half Over was going to cash when the Wizards stole possession and sent Bradley Beal on a clear break. But the three-time All-Star somehow missed from point-blank range not once, but twice and the first half finished with a point total of 114.
Beal's inexplicable miss proved to be a rare double bad beat. DraftKings Sportsbook set the game total at 223.5, and the Wizards ultimately claimed a 116-107 win over the Celtics. So had the superstar guard put in the easiest of shot attempts, the Over for the first half and the game would have hit.
Such is life in the betting world.
Why Did Joel Quenneville Coach Vs. Bruins? Panthers GM Ducks Questions
Joel Quenneville had no business being behind the bench Wednesday night in Sunrise, Fla.
But, like nothing ever happened, there he was for puck drop, guiding the Florida Panthers to a win over the Boston Bruins.
The Panthers head coach is set to meet with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Thursday at 2 p.m. ET. Quenneville was named in an investigation into the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks, with former player Kyle Beach alleging he was sexually assaulted by video coach Brad Aldrich. Quenneville, according to the report, was in a meeting about the allegations but did nothing -- and as recently as this summer said he did not know about it at the time.
Even if Quenneville is absolved of any wrongdoing, it made absolutely no sense to have him coaching in Florida's game Wednesday, less than 24 hours before a meeting that could potentially impact his future in the NHL. Apparently, the Panthers were more than comfortable with him coaching -- up until, of course, it was time to meet with the media and explain why.
Panthers general manager Bill Zito addressed the media after the game, saying that Quenneville would not take any questions and that Beach's accusations were "deeply troubling." Then, as he attempted to hightail it out of the press conference area, he was hit with questions, which he avoided.
Reporter: "Will he still coach the team?"
Zito: "I'm not going to comment. I respect you guys, but I'm not going to comment right now."
Reporter: "That's a fair question: Will he still coach the team?"
(Silence from Zito)
Reporter: "Bill, was anybody else from the organization still part of the meeting?"
Reporter: "Was there any consideration for him not to coach?"
Zito (while walking out of the room): "Thanks, guys"
It's understandable for Zito to reserve comment until after Quenneville's meeting with Bettman. At the same time, shouldn't that have been an indication that it wasn't a good idea to have him coach in the first place? It was a truly awful look for the Panthers and one that was not made better by Zito in the aftermath.
The Panthers next play Friday in Detroit against the Red Wings before facing the Bruins on Saturday in Boston.
Celtics’ Ime Udoka Calls Jaylen Brown’s Inconsistencies ‘Mind Boggling’
Entering this season, there were questions about how Jaylen Brown would bounce back after season-ending wrist surgery and nagging knee issues last year.
Then, he answered them by dropping a career-high 46 points in their season opener, and had another great performance down the stretch for the Boston Celtics against the Charlotte Hornets.
But there have been inconsistencies.
In their second game of the season against the Toronto Raptors, he had nine points on 23.1% shooting. Wednesday night against the Washington Wizards, he had 13 points making 31.3% of his attempts from the field.
"It's a tough one, you know, I see it as well," head coach Ime Udoka said after the loss to Washington via Zoom.
"But the contrast of some of those previous games, especially Charlotte and the New York game, and then the way you see him come out tonight is kind of mind boggling. But you know, it could be a number of things. He was out for 10 days, as you mentioned, was banged up with the knee, but just got to find the juice from the start."
Brown spent time in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19 during the preseason, and also missed a game against the Houston Rockets with knee soreness. Hopefully the up-and-down is just a matter of him getting into a rhythm.
He and the Celtics can bounce back against the Wizards on Saturday in Washington.
Jayson Tatum Doesn’t Mince Words When Talking ‘Frustrating’ Foul Calls
Jayson Tatum didn't hold back after the Boston Celtics' tough loss Wednesday.
Through Boston's first four games, the Celtics forward was averaging his lowest amount of free throw attempts per game since the 2018-19 season before taking eight against the Wizards.
After the game, Tatum voiced his frustration with changes in officiating so far this season to reporters through Zoom.
"I feel like I'm drawing contact, I'm getting to the paint, but I don't know it's tough. You feel like you have the ball a lot," Tatum said. "You're drawing a lot of attention going to the cup. It's frustrating at times and I mean, getting a tech isn't always the best way. Sometimes your emotions get the best of you. I understand the shooting fouls and jumping into guys, but I think you got to adjust. It's early in the year, just got to figure it out."
While things definitely look different this season -- most notably the change in the elimination of shooting foul calls on the perimeter on unnatural shooting motions -- it's still early and adjustments are sure to be made.
Relive Red Sox’s 2004 World Series Win, Anniversary Of Breaking Curse
Boston Red Sox fans always are looking for a reason to celebrate, so why not take a trip down memory lane to reminisce.
In 2004, the Red Sox overcame a 3-0 deficit to the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series before sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series for their first championship in 86 years.
In honor of the Sox breaking the curse they found themselves in a few decades ago, here's an opportunity to relive the celebration.
The team recently fell short to the Houston Astros in Game 6 of the ALCS in their attempt to compete for the World Series title again. However, the team's momentum and this nostalgic moment should make Sox fans hopeful once the 2022 MLB season rolls around.
Here’s What Celtics’ Ime Udoka Said About Dennis Schröder’s Play So Far
The Boston Celtics sadly came up short against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night but Dennis Schröder was a bright spot for the team amid the 116-107 defeat.
Schröder stacked up 22 points for the C's against the Wizards and has proven to be a new flare to the offensive lineup for the 2021-22 NBA season.
During a postgame zoom conference, head coach Ime Udoka expressed his thoughts on Schröder's contributions to the team so far this season.
"He upped the pace, increased the pace as soon as he got in tonight. But he's done that the last three games. All season actually," Udoka told reporters after the game. "Just more so making shots in these last three games when he started the last two on the road. But his pace changes our tempo as a team and we get out and get much easier baskets. He's finding his groove overall."
Schröder being a new offensive weapon to the Celtics lineup is proving to be a crucial part in the past two wins for the team. The guard has been impressive, averaging 15.8 points per game and 6.3 assists.
"His pace changes our tempo, changes the team, and we get out and get much more easy baskets," Udoka said.
The hope is that Schröder will continue bringing a different tempo to each and every game that the C's play this season while putting up the points and assists to help start generating wins.
Why Ime Udoka Predicted Celtics Would Get (Expletive) Beat By Wizards
Ime Udoka predicted the result after seeing his team lack something in shootaround before the Boston Celtics' loss to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
"For whatever reason, they were lacking in intensity and focus this morning," the head coach shared via Zoom after the game. "I told them they were gonna get their (expletive) kicked tonight (if) you come with that focus in the game. And for three quarters, we played the same way."
This isn't a new issue for the Celtics, but certainly, it's alarming to already see these problems resurfacing so early in the season.
Udoka got on his team "pretty hard" about it, but after being called out pregame, the Celtics' fourth-quarter effort came too-little too-late and they couldn't pull off the comeback.
That lack of intensity was especially apparent on defense, where the Celtics seemed to be doing a lot of standing around and watching. They suffered against the Wizards in transition, in helping the weak side, and especially defending in the paint.
For Udoka, it's frustrating to see the team not doing what's drilled into them during practice.
"It's probably is our weakest area through training camp, through preseason," Udoka admitted after the 116-107 loss that dropped Boston to 2-3 on the season.
"A lot of times we just get caught standing next to our man watching it, watching him and not taking steps to help. And so we can't just always rely on individual 1-on-1 defense against good players -- we've got to have a full team behind it."
Boston had a night off after back-to-back wins against the Charlotte Hornets and Houston Rockets, but just five games in, it's hard to blame their lapses on fatigue.
The Celtics have a chance to respond Saturday night, as they get a rematch against the Wizards in Washington.
Here’s What Celtics Coach Ime Udoka Said About Early-Season Rotations
We may be starting to get a better glimpse of what the Boston Celtics' consistent rotation may look like.
As is expected for early-season action, the Celtics have gone through a few different looks already to open the 2021-22 NBA season. While some of those changes have been out of the team's hands due to injuries to players like Jaylen Brown, Al Horford and Romeo Langford, all-in-all new Boston head coach Ime Udoka is getting a feel for what his rotations will look like throughout the long campaign.
While things certainly will change based on matchups, with an almost fully healthy team Wednesday -- aside from Langford due to left calf tightness -- Udoka rolled out a nine-man rotation that featured early minutes for forward Jabari Parker for the second straight game after three healthy scratches to open the season. Guards Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard were unable to get in the game.
The Celtics head coach gave look under the hood after Wednesday night's 116-107 loss to the Washington Wizards and discussed rotation changes and what a consistent rotation may look like.
"(Jabari Parker) played well last game and we wanted to go bigger when we took (Grant Williams) out, but in general it's tougher to balance the lineup as far as (Payton Pritchard) not playing when you have (Dennis Schröder) coming off the bench," Udoka said to reporters after the game. "He started the last few games and so we had Payton in the rotation there, but with everybody back and healthy he was limited tonight as far as that. But guys played well overall. The bench struggled in the first half, but got a good boost from Dennis. Just got to have a better effort overall."
It's no easy task to build a consistent rotation, especially with all of the inconsistency to open the new season. But Udoka has a philosophy to get things right and tighten things.
Nesmith specifically has been caught in the roster crunch over the last two games while the squad has gotten healthy, but Udoka hasn't quite soured on the 2020 first-round draft pick. With a bevy of guards in front of him, there's some work that needs to be done.
After a 2-3 start, the Celtics definitely have some work to do but now will have a few days off to tinker before looking for revenge against the Wizards on Saturday on the road.
How Bruce Cassidy Thinks Linus Ullmark Can Improve After Three Starts
Linus Ullmark made his third start for the Boston Bruins during Wednesday's loss to the Florida Panthers. And while he missed out on a chance to make history with a win, head coach Bruce Cassidy didn't seem too disappointed after the loss.
Asked how he would assess Ullmark's performance through his first three starts with Boston, Cassidy explained the former Buffalo Sabres netminder could stand to have more urgency toward the beginning of the game, but the Bruins' 4-1 loss wasn't as much his fault as the score line would suggest.
"You want to see that first stop in the first period," Cassidy said after the loss. "There's a lot of hockey left, but that's one that gives them a little bit of life. There can't be one of those every game. Make the saves you're supposed to, then when it's crunch time, do what you have to do to win. Second period was on us as a team, not him. We gave up a breakaway on kind of a soft play on the power play ... He was there for some saves for us.
"In the second period, he gave us a chance to win. At some point, when Bobrovsky's doing what he's doing, you've got to sort of match him punch for punch, and that's where he was a little bit better."
The Bruins were much stronger offensively than the Panthers in the first period, scoring the first goal en route to a 15-5 advantage on shots in that period. Florida, however, scored an equalizer on the fourth shot of the game.
Form there, it was an onslaught in the second period, where the Panthers had a 14-2 advantage on shots in the frame. Still, Ullmark allowed just one goal. The Panthers added two more to their tally in the final frame.
Ullmark finished the night with 23 saves against a high-flying Panthers offense. He now boasts a .920 save percentage and 2.00 goals against average through three starts.
Florida improved to 7-0 with the win.