Morning Sports Update
“Right now, as we’re sitting here, it’s entirely possible — you can’t say otherwise — that the Boston Celtics are really freaking good, and are coming out of nowhere.”
Neemias Queta and Derrick White high-five during the Celtics’ win over the 76ers on March 1. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
March 4, 2026 | 11:19 AM
3 minutes to read
Rich Eisen’s Celtics take: The Celtics continue to surprise the NBA as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference despite major roster turnover in the offseason and Jayson Tatum’s injury (returning from a torn Achilles tendon). And while Boston fans are undoubtedly thrilled, one notable Knicks fan tried to describe the rest of the league’s unhappiness.
Speaking during a segment on his eponymously-named show earlier this week, sportscaster and radio host Rich Eisen couldn’t hold back a rant about the state of the Celtics.
“Right now, as we’re sitting here, it’s entirely possible — you can’t say otherwise — that the Boston Celtics are really freaking good, and are coming out of nowhere,” Eisen admitted.
“The way it’s all setup,” Eisen added, “if a star player pops his Achilles at the very wrong time, you’re screwed, unless you’re the Boston Celtics when you’ve got Jaylen Brown out of his skull, and you’ve got a front office that keeps finding pieces over and over and over again. Last night, even without Jaylen Brown, dismantled the Bucks who got Giannis [Antetokounmpo] back.”
Reflecting on the Celtics’ 108-81 rout of the Bucks, Eisen scanned the box score from the hypothetical perspective of a Milwaukee fan.
“Imagine you’re there last night in Milwaukee and we’ve got Giannis back. I know we’re seven games under [.500], maybe we make a run? He’s back. And then the Celtics come in and beat you by 27,” Eisen joked. “Payton Pritchard making threes like he’s Larry friggin Bird. Derrick White was +31, Hugo Gonzalez was +27. My goodness.”
While one of the show’s co-hosts is a Boston fan, Eisen couldn’t help but apply a national generalization to the Celtics’ rising fortunes (especially with Tatum’s return possibly in the near future).
“Nobody wants to see this,” he said.
As a longtime New York sports fan, Eisen noted that he did not force his children to root for his preferred teams.
The result, he admitted, was one of his sons is a Boston fan. Ultimately, the longtime host took the wider view of sports loyalty within his family.
“It’s called wanting a better life for your children.”
Trivia: Rich Eisen has notably run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine each year since 2005. While the annual event is now done for the “Run Rich Run” charity campaign, what former NFL running back was the one who originally challenged him to do it?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: As a sixth-round pick, he was by far the lowest drafted running back to eventually join the 2,000-yard club (players who have rushed for at least 2,000 yards in a single season).
Scores and schedules:
The Bruins defeated the Penguins 2-1 on Tuesday. Boston will face the Predators in Nashville on Thursday at 8 p.m.
The Celtics host the Hornets tonight at 7:30 p.m.
The Boston Fleet face the New York Sirens at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Thursday at 7 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
Roman Anthony playing for Team USA: The young Red Sox outfielder smashed a home run on Tuesday.
A very important update: After a pelican got caught in the net during a college baseball game on Tuesday, UC Santa Barbara made sure to provide a later update that the bird was indeed alright despite the incident.
On this day: In 2012, the Celtics overcame the Knicks 115-111 thanks in large part to Rajon Rondo’s triple-double (18 points, 20 assists, 17 rebounds). Paul Pierce led Boston with 34 points.
Daily highlight: Wild moment from the TGL on Tuesday involving a hole-in-one, and an (eventual) playoff-clinching win for Tiger Woods’s Jupiter team.
Trivia answer: Terrell Davis
Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.
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