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Callahan: Celtics’ season-long problems coming back to haunt them against Miami

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:28 GMT

At this late stage of the season, a painful Celtics loss needs no explaining.They all follow the same script.Meandering mid-game offense. Crumbling down the stretch. A lack of urgency that reveals itself on defense and the glass.Fire away at Jayson Tatum for again failing to make a fourth-quarter field goal if you want. Or sling arrows at the shooters who couldn’t pull the Celtics into a series tie Friday night.But the blame, the shock, the pain of Friday night’s Game 2 loss in the Eastern Conference Finals to Miami fell on coaching.The playoffs are for problem-solving. Adjustments quarter to quarter and game to game. Boston’s late-game offense, save for occasional Tatum heroics, remains a mess. The Celtics have failed to solve their season-long problems, and now these flaws could be fatal.Gut-check time arrived Friday with 4:57 left, when Bam Adebayo canned two free throws to bring the Heat within four after a slog of a slugfest. Jaylen Brown traveled on the next ...

Breaking down the Chicago Cubs’ decisions to option Keegan Thompson to Triple A and designate Eric Hosmer for assignment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:28 GMT

Keegan Thompson admitted the news caught him a little bit by surprise.When the right-hander arrived to Citizens Bank Park Friday afternoon, Thompson learned the Chicago Cubs were optioning him to Triple-A Iowa.“I think everyone’s kind of caught off guard a little bit when they get that news,” Thompson said. “But I’ve been inconsistent. … I’ve been struggling this year in the strike zone. I’ve been getting ahead of guys and then my offspeed stuff is just kind of not there.”Sending Thompson to Iowa was part of a busy day of transactions before the Cubs’ 10-1 road win against the Philadelphia Phillies ended a five-game losing streak.Cody Bellinger landed on the 10-day injured list with a left knee bruise. First baseman Eric Hosmer was designated for assignment to open a spot for outfielder Mike Tauchman. Edwin Ríos was recalled from Iowa. Nico Hoerner came off the IL to provide a spark, tallying three hits and four RBIs.B...

Celtics slip late in Game 2 loss to Jimmy Butler and Heat, now in 2-0 series hole

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:28 GMT

The Celtics, all during this playoff run, have counted on bouncing back when their backs are against the wall. For most of Friday night, they looked like they would again.But what’s that saying? When you mess around, you find out.The Celtics led by double digits in the fourth quarter of Game 2 but couldn’t close the deal this time. Their worst nightmares came true as a spirited Jimmy Butler led the relentless Heat down the stretch. The Celtics didn’t have an answer in crunch time. They lost, 111-105. And now they head back to Miami in a bad spot, a daunting challenge they haven’t faced yet, in a 2-0 series hole of these Eastern Conference Finals.“We got to win one at a time,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said when asked of his message to his team after this brutal loss.Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 34 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, but did most of his work in the first three quarters as Boston built a double-digit lead, only to see it slip away in crunch time.The Celtics d...

‘A day of joy’: Brittney Griner opens 1st WNBA season since detainment in Russia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:28 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — For the first time since last season, Phoenix coach Vanessa Nygaard opened her pregame comments without announcing how many days Brittney Griner had been jailed in Russia.Griner has been free since December when she was part of a high-profile prisoner swap. She hit the court for warmups about 90 minutes before the Mercury’s WNBA season opener against the Los Angeles Sparks on Friday night, and she was in the starting lineup, grabbing an early rebound and knocking down a jumper.“Until the day we got the news in the morning that she was on her way home, no one thought that it was going to happen,” Nygaard said. “We did our jobs probably with less joy than professional athletes do. It was heavy every day.”Not anymore.“Today is a day of joy,” Nygaard said. “An amazing, amazing thing has happened.”Griner and the Mercury were greeted with a standing ovation when they came on court for pregame warmups, although the biggest cheers were reserved for the Sparks.Griner...

Dudamel gets 7-minute ovation after 1st NY Philharmonic concert since music director decision

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:28 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Gustavo Dudamel and the New York Philharmonic received a seven-minute standing ovation Friday night following his first performance with the orchestra since he agreed to become music director.Dudamel conducted a performance of Mahler’s Ninth Symphony at David Geffen Hall, a program he is scheduled to repeat on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.The 42-year-old Venezuelan has been music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2009 and will leave at the end of the 2025-2026 season. He agreed in February to a five-year contract as New York’s artistic and music director starting in 2026-2027.Dudamel will remain music director of the Paris Opéra, a role he’s held since 2021.The Associated Press

Chicago police searching for missing 19-year-old possibly in need of assistance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:28 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police are asking for help finding a missing 19-year-old woman who is missing from Calumet Heights.Laila Lai is described as being about 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing about 145 pounds, with brown eyes and pink braids.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAccording to the Chicago Police Department, she has braces and commonly wears a silver necklace with a clear stone. Police said she may be in need of assistance or medical attention.Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call 911 or Area 2 SVU detectives at 312-747-8274.

Showers brought smoke down to the ground Friday, but modeling thins smoke layer Saturday into Sunday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:28 GMT

Sunday could see near 80-degree temperatures inland; more substantial warming next week—could pause lakeside Thursday/Friday? Early indication: a warm Memorial Day weekend may be aheadAnother lackluster day on the precipitation frontJust 0.03” fell at the airports in Chicago in what has been the 10th driest May open of the past 151 years. That places May’s opening 19 days among the driest 6% of all May opens on the books—with the monthly rain tally of 0.42” just 16% normal. The month is running 2.66” below normal.Temps topped out at 74 degrees Friday—2 degrees above normal. While May 2023 is running 1.6 degrees above normal, the month is running 2.6 degrees cooler than the opening 19 days of May a year ago. The day produced only an estimated 34% of its possible sun, reports veteran Chicago NWS observer Frank Wachowski.A cold front has passed and now a gusty north/northwest flow is to bring cooler air into the air Friday night and lead us into a modestly cooler than normal start to t...

Overnight thunderstorms continue, mainly in the Hill Country

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:28 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Strong to severe thunderstorms continue in parts of the Hill Country overnight with lighter rain showers expected at times in the Austin area.Friday night, Valley Spring near Llano reported egg size (2"-diameter) hail, while Cherokee (San Saba Co.) reported quarter size (1"-diameter) hail. Much of the Hill Country enjoyed 1-2 inches of rainfall.As additional storms arrive overnight, there is a 2 out of 4 risk of flash flooding near the Highland Lakes -- welcome news for the low lake levels, but potentially dangerous for low water crossings. INVESTIGATION: LCRA didn't plan for climate change until KXAN investigation Storms may drift into the Austin area late Friday night and at times overnight, but are less likely to contain damaging hail and wind gusts. The weekend will be cooler behind a May cold front arriving Saturday morning, but also largely dry. Expect a 20% chance of showers Saturday and a slightly higher 30% chance of a bit of light rain on Sunday.FIRST W...

Lawmakers split nursing requirements from larger health bill, exempt Mayo Clinic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:28 GMT

Minnesota lawmakers advanced the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act as a standalone bill Thursday, separating it from the health omnibus legislation and exempting Mayo Clinic from the nurse staffing committee requirement.Two weeks ago, Mayo Clinic’s opposition to KNABA turned into an ultimatum when a lobbyist for the Rochester-based health system said in a May 3 email to lawmakers that Mayo Clinic would move a multibillion-dollar investment out of Minnesota if the state made Mayo Clinic subject to that staffing committee requirement and one other proposal, the Health Care Affordability Board.A source said there are indications that another bill opposed by Mayo — a proposed Health Care Affordability Board — is dead for this session.On Thursday, lawmakers separated KNABA from the House and Senate’s health omnibus legislation and made it a standalone bill under SF 1384 as a delete everything amendment. The committee recessed in the early evening Thursday with the intent to reconvene and...

Vulnerable adult reported missing out of Jackson

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:28 GMT

JACKSON, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- New York State Police are searching for a woman reported missing out of the town of Jackson in Washington County. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Ruth Anspach, 96, was last seen around 8 a.m. on Friday, May 19 on Dunbar Road in Jackson. She was driving a 2015 gray Ford Focus with New York registration ANC-3526. Police said she has memory loss and may be in need of medical attention.She is 5'1" and 100 lbs. with white hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing glasses.Anyone who sees her should call the NYSP Greenwich at (518) 583-7000 or 911.