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NBA’s $300 million man, Jaylen Brown ready to step into leadership role for retooled Celtics

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:39:01 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Early in his NBA career, Jaylen Brown was largely viewed as a player who would be a component of the Boston Celtics’ long-term success, rather than a pillar of its foundation.When big-name stars would become available during free agency, Brown was often a potential trade chip.As he prepares for his eighth season, his play has forced the narrative to be rewritten.Last season was defining for Brown, who garnered his second All-Star selection and second-team All-NBA nod while helping lead the Celtics within a game of back-to-back NBA Finals appearances.In July he cashed inm signing a five-year, $304 million extension, the richest contract in NBA history. It immediately thrust him onto a tier reserved for only the league’s most elite stars.It comes with expectations and a weight that Brown has yet to experience. Not as the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2016, or even as a teammate of four-time All-Star and teammate Jayson Tatum. But on a new-look Celtics’ roster that ha...

Terrific Thursday, Rain On Deck

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:39:01 GMT

Patchy fog and clouds this morning break for sunshine by midday. While there will be some cumulus clouds in the mix this afternoon, it’ll stay dry and mild. Highs average in the mid 60s, a bit above average for the time of year. The breeze picks up the pace, gusting 20-25mph. Tomorrow, we start tracking scattered showers and more clouds. Despite that, it’ll be mild with highs back into the 60s and even some humidity working in by the evening. Rain will likely be widespread tomorrow night. While it won’t rain all day Saturday, it’ll be unsettled with showers in and out through the day with temps in the 60s. Sunday, the best chance of showers favors northern locations, especially across Central New England. That’ll mean more dry hours in southern New England vs. what we get Saturday. However, the wind will be gusty, pushing 30-40mph at times with temps near 60. It’ll be cool and dry early next week with even some frost possible by Tuesday AM across ...

Acton-Boxboro corners Lincoln-Sudbury in DCL field hockey action

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:39:01 GMT

SUDBURY – Offensive corners seem to be the bread and butter of the Acton-Boxboro field hockey team’s attack, and a section of what it practices is dedicated toward finishing broken plays in those opportunities.That paid off Wednesday afternoon with the Dual County League title in the balance, using two goals on busted corners in the third quarter to narrowly beat Lincoln-Sudbury, 2-1.Defenses starred for both units as dangerous chances around the goal were limited, making the eight second-half corners the Revolution (11-2-1) produced all the more impactful. Especially in a win they grinded through for another league title despite dealing with a few injuries.“We had adjustments to make, and we did,” said Acton-Boxboro field hockey coach Mae Shoemaker. “That just sealed the DCL for them, so it was important. … Winning while they’re missing (important pieces was huge).”Acton-Boxboro led the shot battle at halftime, but all of its shots came from just inside the circle as the Warr...

2023 Genesis GV70 EV does its job

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:39:01 GMT

Genesis, the upscale brand of Hyundai Motor Co., has done a great job at being the sleeper brand for consumers today. Its limited dealership footprint and huge array of fleet size, make it a great brand for many consumers in the high end luxury market. With exterior appearances that dominate the consumer market and offer aesthetic flares of Bentley and Mercedes, the Genesis brand offers a nicely sized discount compared to others while still getting the same great features.Our tester, the 2023 Electrified Genesis GV70 AWD Prestige. Wrapped in the famous Genesis Makalu Matte Grey Paint, the GV70 is comfortable, rightly sized, rightly priced and exquisite on the interior. Boasting a mid $60K price tag, you would have thought you were riding in the GLE or Bentayga, but the Genesis brand does it again, ensuring passengers get exactly what they want in a mid size SUV.Powering the Electrified GV70 for 2023 is a 160 kW front + 106 kW rear electric motor with a 77.4 kWh battery. We noticed a...

Ravens vs. Lions scouting report for Week 7: Who has the edge?

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:39:01 GMT

Despite poor efficiency in the red zone, the Ravens beat the Tennessee Titans, 24-16, in London to regain first place in the AFC North. The Lions handled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 20-6, to move to 5-1. Who will have the advantage Sunday?Ravens passing game vs. Lions pass defenseLamar Jackson started hot against the Titans, and Pro Football Focus grades him the fourth best passer in the league despite his unremarkable raw totals. He’s a more pedestrian 13th in ESPN’s QBR, but he has thrown well, and his receivers did not repeat their drop woes from the previous week in Pittsburgh against Tennessee. Rookie Zay Flowers has been Jackson’s most frequent target with 35 catches for 367 yards, and he scored his first career touchdown against the Titans. Tight end Mark Andrews remains the first option in a tight spot, and his 38-yard catch in the second half was one of the most important plays Sunday. The Ravens’ offensive line, featuring all five starters for the fir...

Wednesday’s high school roundup/scores: Ella Cheney nets 200th point, leads St. John Paul II to title

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:39:01 GMT

Girls soccerElla Cheney registered her 200th career point, scoring three goals and dishing out an assist as St. John Paul II (11-2-1) won its third consecutive Cape and Islands League girls soccer title with a 7-0 victory over Dennis-Yarmouth.Freshman standout Kelsey Tuttle buried a pair of goals, and Belle Pettit registered her 14th shutout of the season as Norwell (15-1-1) cruised to a 5-0 win over South Shore League opponent Rockland. … Tess Barrett scored three, while Georgia Royston and Ava Carcio each potted two for Cohasset in a 7-1 win over Mashpee. … Ava Williamson, Zoie Maslanka and Avery McCann each tallied a goal, as Abington (8-4-0) cruised to a 3-0 win over Carver.Maggie Schulz scored a decisive penalty kick and made five saves in net to guide North Reading in a 2-0 Cape Ann League win over Georgetown.In nonleague action, Kylie Fuller netted a hat trick and Rachael Geniuch scored twice as West Bridgewater (10-3) took down Bourne 7-0. … Sarah Duran buried three goals, a...

Callahan: It’s time for a Patriots kitchen sink game against Buffalo

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:39:01 GMT

In a few months, the Patriots should start stripping their franchise down to the studs.The cupboards, of course, are already bare. The junk drawer is jammed with busted draft picks and turnstile offensive linemen. It’s possible, maybe even likely, the Pats will hold a yard sale before the NFL’s trade deadline and haggle with passing GMs over their trinkets and save for a better future.But why wait?Start the teardown Sunday by running into the kitchen, ripping out the sink and hurling it at the Bills.What does a 1-5 team have to lose?The Bills have owned the Patriots, owned them in the post-Brady era. Since 2019, the Pats are 1-6 against the one-time divisional doormats. In that span, they’ve been outscored by 97 points.Their only victory remains that windstorm win at Buffalo in 2021, a game best remembered for Mac Jones attempting three passes all night. Jones might be lucky to get three clean throws off on Sunday.Jones and Bill Belichick separately admitted Wednes...

Iran opens final registration for candidates in next year’s parliament election

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:39:01 GMT

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The final phase of registration for candidates who want to run in Iran’s parliamentary election next year opened Thursday, state media reported.Nearly 49,000 people filed initial paperwork in August seeking to run for the 290-seat parliament in the election, set for March 1, 2023. The elections will be the first since nationwide protests rocked the country last year.That is a record number and more than three times the 16,000 registrations filed in the last election in 2020, when voter turnout was its lowest since 1979. Just over 42% of eligible voters cast ballots at the time.Candidates have a week to finalize their profiles online. Each hopeful will have to be approved by the Guardian Council, a 12-member clerical body with half of its members directly appointed by the supreme leader.There were no details on the registration of prominent political figures or pro-reform groups. The increase in filings was seen as a result of an easy online registration pro...

Mahsa Amini, the Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in police custody, is awarded EU human rights prize

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:39:01 GMT

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who died in police custody in Iran last year, sparking worldwide protests against the country’s conservative Islamic theocracy, was awarded the European Union’s top human rights prize on Thursday.The EU award, named for Soviet dissident Andrei Sakharov, was created in 1988 to honor individuals or groups who defend human rights and fundamental freedoms. Sakharov, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, died in 1989.Other finalists this year included Vilma Núñez de Escorcia and Roman Catholic Bishop Rolando Álvarez — two emblematic figures in the fight for the defense of human rights in Nicaragua — and a trio of women from Poland, El Salvador and the United States leading a fight for “free, safe and legal abortion.”Amini died on Sept. 16, 2022, after she was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s mandatory headscarf law. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said that day will “live in infamy,” adding that her...

BMO ranks highest in annual J.D. Power customer satisfaction study

Published Sat, 01 Feb 2025 12:39:01 GMT

TORONTO — As higher interest rates and the cost of living increasingly pinch Canadians’ wallets, consumers ranked BMO highest in J. D. Power’s annual customer satisfaction survey. The Montreal-based firm unseated last year’s top-ranking bank, Royal Bank of Canada, which came a close second, with CIBC third. Among the midsize banks, Tangerine Bank took the top spot for the 12th year in a row.J.D. Power says the study found more customers have been paying fees during the past year for things like overdraft, minimum account balances and ABM fees. Nearly 80 per cent of customers say the banks could do a better job at communicating how to avoid those fees. The firm says half of Canadian banking customers are considered financially vulnerable or stressed, up from 44 per cent a year ago. “Customers are under increasing economic stress and express a declining feeling that banks are addressing their concerns and financial challenges,” Paul McAdam, senior director of banking...