Celtics get revenge | What's next for Lionel Messi?

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Happy Thursday, everyone! It's Wajih AlBaroudi filling in for Zach Pereles today.

Let's get right to it.

Good morning to everyone but especially to...

THE BOSTON CELTICS

As we've highlighted in this newsletter space earlier in the week,Boston sports fans have had a bleak few days. But the Celtics did their best to ease the tension in Beantown with an emphatic Game 2 victoryon Wednesday night -- even with Joel Embiidreturning from a knee sprain and playing in this one.

The Celtics walloped the 76ers, 121-87 at TD Garden, and, more important,proved they can be dominant even when Jayson Tatum struggles to find his rhythm. He scored a mere seven points on 1-for-7 shooting, and foul trouble led to him playing only 19 minutes. However:

Jaylen Brown and Malcolm Brogdon picked up the slack with 25 and 23 points, respectively, while Marcus Smart and Derrick White added 15 apiece.

The Celtics led by eight at the half then sealed their victory with an electric third quarter, one in which they outscored the 76ers 35-16 with Brogdon nailing three 3-pointers.

Aside from his five blocks and typically strong rim protection,

the Celtics made Embiid a shell of himself in Game 2, as the newly-crowned MVP mustered only 15 points and three rebounds in 26 minutes.

James Harden was even more disappointing than his co-star, following up his 45-point Game 1 with a complete stinker (12 points on 2-for-14 from the field and 0-6 from deep).

With the series tied 1-1, the Celtics and 76ers will head to Philadelphia for the next two games. Game 3 is slated for Friday with Game 4 coming Sunday.

Honorable mentions

For the second straight night, an NHL team survived an opposing star scoring four goals. Oilers star Leon Draisaitl channeled his inner Joe Pavelski by scoring all four Edmonton goals, but it didn't matter because the Golden Knights still won, 6-4.

Randall Cobb is the latest ex-Packers wide receiver to reunite with

Aaron Rodgers, as he reportedly signed a one-year deal to join the Jets.

Titans coach Mike Vrabel, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots, joined New England's Hall of Fame via fan vote.

Angels two-way superstar

Shohei Ohtani joined Babe Ruth as the only players in baseball history with 500 strikeouts as a pitcher and 100 home runs as a hitter.

Former Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant transferred to Northwestern, where he'll compete with Ryan Hilinski for the starting job.

Jets soar into top 10 of post-draft NFL Power Rankings

With the draft and free agency in the rearview mirror, we have our best look yet at how teams stack up heading into the 2023 NFL season. CBS Sports' Pete Prisco shared his insight in the latest NFL Power Rankings, one Jets fans will certainly want to have bookmarked as the summer rolls along.

The Jets soared into the top 10 after trading for four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, improving a Power Rankings-high 13 spots. Prisco believes "the talent is all over this [Jets] roster, but now comes the tough part for the young guys, which is handling expectations."

Expectations are also higher for the Browns and Bears, as each team leapt nine spots in the Power Rankings. Here's what Prisco has to say about those two risers and their quarterback situations.

Browns: "If Deshaun Watson can revert to his old form, they will be a major factor in the division race. He looked bad last year, which has to be concerning. They have done a nice job adding to the roster through the draft and free agency."

Bears: "This is another team moving in the right direction. Justin Fields needs to improve as a passer, but they made moves this offseason to help that become a reality. They are a year away."

With every riser comes a faller, and Prisco sees none bigger than the Patriots, who've dropped a Power Rankings-high nine spots after failing to make enough substantive changes on offense. According to Prisco,"The Mac Jones situation bears watching."

Lionel Messi to leave Paris Saint-Germain after season ends

One of the greatest soccer players of all time will be looking for a new team this summer, as CBS Sports soccer insider Fabrizio Romano reported Lionel Messi will definitely leave Paris Saint-Germain after the season.

This comes a day after PSG fined and suspended the Argentine star for taking an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia, exemplifying just how messy the relationship between the player and team had become.

PSG shockingly fell at home to Larient by a score of 3-1 over the weekend, then Messi didn't report to training on Monday even though he wasn't granted time off. Messi was instead fulfilling a promotional commercial agreement in Saudi Arabia.

With the suspension, Messi will miss league games against Troyes and Ajaccio during PSG's hunt for an 11th French title.

Even when Messi's been on the pitch, he's struggled to lift PSG to its full potential, particularly in UEFA Champions League play, as the club as failed to advance past the round of 16 in each of his two seasons. Our Roger Gonzalez surveyed the soccer landscape for the best changes of scenery for Messi, and he determined a reunion with Barcelona is both a realistic and romantic option.

Gonzalez: "Could you just imagine this return? How many greats leave their team and then go back? In basketball, Michael Jordan returned to the Chicago Bulls, LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and in soccer it happens a bit. Thierry Henry returned to Arsenal, Didier Drogba suited up for Chelsea again and even Ronaldo did it with Manchester United. This would be on an even bigger level when you consider the popularity of soccer now, Messi's status and all of the buzz surrounding Barcelona."

Why flashy headwear is synonymous with the Kentucky Derby

The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby is only two days away, and in lieu of a traditional preview -- we'll have you covered with everything tomorrow morning -- we're taking a look at something as synonymous with the event as the horses: fancy headwear.

Our Isabel Gonzalez recentlydid a deep dive into the culture and history of hats at Churchill Downs, and here are some highlights:

Churchill Downs has encouraged attendees to wear hats -- as a nod to British horse racing -- since the 1870s, and fashion became an even bigger element of the Kentucky Derby after CBS televised the event for the first time ever in 1952.

Kentucky Derby attendees often choose between hats, fascinators and hatinators, three types of headwear that vary in size and comfort.

Hats aren't mandatory at the Kentucky Derby, but they are certainly expected. That's why milliners work year-round to create hats to specifically wear at Churchill Downs, and they can cost as much as $1,000.

CAM Hats, FORME Millinery and The Hat Girls are the featured milliners of the 2023 Kentucky Derby.

Post time for the Kentucky Derby is 6:57 p.m. on Saturday, but get seated long before then to check out the wild headwear this year's Run for the Roses has to offer.

What we're watching Thursday

Panthers at Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. on TNT Lakers at Warriors, 9 p.m. on ESPN Kraken at Stars, 9:30 p.m. on TNT

The PGA Tour on CBS

The First Cut

This weekend, The PGA Tour heads to Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte where an outstanding field including McIlroy, Cantlay and Schauffele compete at the Wells Fargo Championship. Coverage begins at 3 PM ET on Saturday and Sunday.Tune In

The First Cut takes you inside the ropes of the golf world, on the PGA Tour and beyond. Tournament previews and picks, deep dives into the players and storylines that matter in the sport of golf.Listen Now

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1401 West Cypress Creek Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309