© Copyright 不及格社區
Now their combustible convergence in the playoffs is providing a spicy subplot to the Western Conference semifinal series between New Orleans and Golden State.
”We’re here to fight Ryan Tannehill Jersey ,” Rondo said following New Orleans’ lopsided Game 3 victory that trimmed the Warriors‘ series lead to 2-1. ”With my guys on the court, I’m going to fight as hard as I can … and do whatever it takes.”
Green and Rondo had to be separated after whistles twice in the first three games – never mind some other antics in the flow of the game – and they’ll be back at it again in one of two pivotal Game 4s to be played on Sunday. The other pits Houston against Utah in a series that the Rockets lead 2-1.
The Rondo-Green sideshow is compelling because of what both players mean to their teams. They are not the type of trash-talking, loud-mouths who otherwise play marginal roles. They are accomplished leaders who produce. Rondo had 21 assists in Game 3, while Green nearly had a triple-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds and nine assist. It just so happens they also are renowned for their masterful command of psychological gamesmanship.
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry might have the best perspective; he’s coached them both.
Gentry was a Warriors assistant on Golden State’s 2015 championship team and maintains a friendly off-court relationship with Green.
”If he’s on your team you love him and if he’s not on your team you despise him – and to me, those are the kind of players that I like to have,” Gentry said of Green. ”I appreciate who he is and how he plays because he’s all about winning. And if you’re verbally weak, he’s going to take advantage of that.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr calls Green his team’s ”heart and soul,” and its ”engine.” Kerr also added lightheartedly that the fact Green hasn’t been assessed a technical foul in the postseason is ”one of the great stats in this year’s playoffs.”
Green bristled at the notion that he started any of the dust-ups with Rondo LeSean McCoy Jersey , insinuating that Rondo was the instigator. He asserted that his awareness of Rondo’s intentions is why he hasn’t been suckered into escalations that could result in a technical foul or ejection.
”I’m not an idiot,” Green said. ”I can see what they’re trying to accomplish a mile away.”
Green added: ”At some point, somebody’s got to tell the truth. It ain’t Draymond this time.”
But Green has been in the face of other Pelicans, tangling with All-Star Anthony Davis behind the play in one instance and yelling at the Pelicans’ bench in another. Green’s antics even agitated TNT studio host and former player Charles Barkley, who said he wanted to punch Green in the face. Barkley later apologized for his word choice, if not his sentiment.
Pelicans forward Solomon Hill explained that Rondo – accomplished, playoff-savvy veteran that he is – seeks to neutralize Green’s psychological effect by taking on a ”big brother” role for the Pelicans.
”If somebody’s yelling in your ear, you’re going to get to a point where it’s about respect,” said Hill Trent Brown Jersey , who refers to Rondo by his nickname, Do. ”And that’s kind of where Do is. Do’s like: `We’re going to be respected. You’re not going to come out here and dance around and disrespect us as competitors.”’
A closer look at Sunday’s games:
WARRIORS AT PELICANS
Warriors lead 2-1. Game 4, 3:30 p.m. EDT, ABC.
NEED TO KNOW: Although the Warriors lead the series, the Pelicans have not lost at home yet in the playoffs and have improved considerably in each game of this series since losing by 22 in the opener. New Orleans lost by only five points in Game 2 and then won by 19 when the series moved to New Orleans.
KEEP AN EYE ON: Warriors stars Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant. They combined to miss 36 of 59 shots in Game 3 and will be eager to regain their shooting strokes. ”I still don’t think K.D. or Steph was aggressive enough,” Green said. ”I’ve said to both of them, I need them to be aggressive. They’re our guys. That’s who we’re going to to get buckets. We need them to be aggressive at all times and they’ll be that way” on Sunday.
INJURY UPDATE: Curry will be in his third game back after missing more than a month with a sprained left knee. Kerr said he wasn’t surprised to see Curry’s production dip in his second game back. ”Game 2 is always the hardest one after you come back from an injury,” Kerr said Marcus Allen Jersey , adding that ”it just takes some time” for NBA players to regain their energy, legs and rhythm.
PRESSURE IS ON: The Pelicans, who don’t want to go back to the West Coast down 3-1 and on the brink of elimination. ”We’ve just got to avoid any kind of letdown,” Gentry said, adding that his players ”understand who we’re playing and they understand the situation.”
ROCKETS AT JAZZ
Rockets lead 2-1. Game 4, 8 p.m. EDT, ESPN.
NEED TO KNOW: Following a surprising home loss in Game 2, the Rockets roared back to life in Game 3, picking apart the Jazz on both ends of the court. A 39-point first quarter put Houston back on track. The Rockets shot 59 percent from the field before halftime and never looked back. ”From the beginning of the game Mike Hull Jersey , we made a conscio
For the first time ever, a non-posthumous Pro Football Hall of Famer won’t be attending the enshrinement ceremony. For the first time ever, a Pro Football Hall of Famer (non-posthumous or otherwise) will be entering the Hall of Fame while trying to get back in to the NFL.
And both are the same guy: receiver Terrell Owens.
“He wants to play in the NFL,” agent Jason Staroszik told ESPN on Tuesday. “But if he can’t, the CFL is the next-best option.”
Staroszik is negotiating on T.O.’s behalf with the Edmonton Eskimos. Owens recently invoked the 10-day window during which Edmonton either must make him an offer or release him from the team’s negotiating list.
No NFL team has shown any real interest in signing Owens since the Seahawks cut him nearly six years ago after a training camp/preseason audition. He last played in an actual football game with the Allen Wranglers of the IFL in 2012.
Womens M.J. Stewart JerseyBrown’s attorney Mark Thomsen filed the lawsuit in federal court, accusing police of ”discriminating against Mr. Brown on the basis of his race.” The lawsuit alleges officers involved in his arrest used their incident report to try to reframe what happened to give the impression Brown was resisted and obstructed them.
”Mr. Brown hopes that instead of the typical denial of the claims … the city actually admit to the wrongs, admit that his constitutional rights were violated,” Thomsen said at a news conference outside City Hall after filing the lawsuit.
Brown had been talking with officers while waiting for a citation for illegally parking in a disabled spot outside a Walgreens at about 2 a.m. on Jan. 26, when officers took him down because he didn’t immediately remove his hands from his pockets as ordered. An officer yells: ”Taser! Taser! Taser!”
Brown had been cooperative with officers and never appeared to threaten police before or during his arrest, according to police body-camera videos.
Some officers suspected Brown might have a firearm because they saw paper targets with holes in the back seat of his car, according to the lawsuit. Brown told officers he didn’t have a gun when they asked him, but they didn’t give him ”any real opportunity to comply” to their command that he take his hands out of his pockets, the lawsuit said.
Mayor Tom Barrett said in a statement he hopes something good comes from the lawsuit.
”I’m hopeful this incident will be a turning point and allow us to take those actions necessary to improve police community relations,” he said.
Police Chief Alfonso Morales has not responded to an Associated Press request for comment.
Morales apologized to Brown last month when body-camera video of the arrest was released. Brown wasn’t charged with anything and three officers were disciplined, with suspensions ranging from two to 15 days.
Eight other officers were ordered to undergo remedial training in professional communications.
A group of officers discussing the arrest shortly after it happened talked about ”trying to protect” themselves from possible backlash over their confrontation with an NBA player and synchronized ”their stories concerning what took place in the parking lot,” the lawsuit said.
Some of the details from their report made it into Morales’ written complaint about the officers’ actions, according to the lawsuit [url=http://www.dolphinscheapstore.com/xavien-howard-jersey-cheap]Xavien Howard Jersey[/url] , with the chief saying Brown ”refused to comply with a directive to remove his hands from his pockets and became resistive towards officers.”
One officer reacted to the arrest with glee, according to the lawsuit, which showed screenshots of him going on Twitter to mock Brown.
”Nice meeting Sterling Brown of the Milwaukee Bucks at work this morning! Lol(hash)FearTheDeer,” one tweet read, referencing a slogan used to cheer on the Bucks at games. That same officer posted a racist meme of Golden State Warriors star Kevin Durant, according to a screenshot from the lawsuit.
Police have only released the body camera video of the first officer who contacted Brown. But additional body camera and squad car videos showed the moments after officers used a stun gun on him. In one, Brown is on the ground and handcuffed when an officer puts one of his boots on Brown’s ankle, holding it there. Brown doesn’t mention being in any discomfort but he questions the officer’s actions.
”C’mon man, you’re stepping on my ankle for what?” Brown said. In response, the officer said he was trying to prevent Brown from kicking anyone.
Other videos showed an officer talking with two colleagues seating in a squad car. They talked about how they could be perceived as racist for arresting a black Bucks player, with one saying if anything goes wrong, it ”is going to be, `Ooh [url=http://www.packerscheapstore.com/kentrell-brice-jersey-cheap]Kentrell Brice Jersey[/url] , the Milwaukee Police Department is all racist, blah, blah, blah.”’
Brown told the Journal Sentinel in an interview last month that he ”gave in” when police used a stun gun and that he didn’t do anything to resist because he didn’t want officers to ”pull out their guns.”
”I was just being smart. I just wanted to get out of the situation and get home,” he said.
The lawsuit adds to a long list of litigation against the police department alleging officer misconduct in recent years. A pending lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union in Wisconsin accusing the department of targeting black and Latino residents to stop and question them without cause. The city is in settlement talks with the ACLU.
Last year, Milwaukee paid $2.3 million to settle a lawsuit over the death of Dontre Hamilton, a mentally ill black man fatally shot by a police officer after the officer roused him from a park bench downtown.
—
For the latest developments on this story: The Minnesota Vikings have agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension with Danielle Hunter, making him one of the top 10 highest-paid defensive ends in the NFL while securing another core player before he could reach free agency.
The deal, which was done on Wednesday, is worth up to $72 million, according to a person with knowledge of the contract who spoke on condition of anonymity because the terms weren't disclosed by the team.
The deal includes $40 million in guaranteed money, with a $15 million signing bonus. The annual average worth is more than $14 million, on par with fellow Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen.
"I had to get this out of the way [url=http://www.falconscheapstore.com/alex-mack-jersey-cheap]Alex Mack Jersey[/url] ," Hunter said, acknowledging relief to have signed before training camp. "I didn't want to be bothered by anything."
Hunter has 25陆 sacks, three forced fumbles and two recovered fumbles in three seasons, after being drafted in the third round in 2015 out of LSU. Still only 23 years old, Hunter was a top priority to retain at a premium position. Griffen is 30, and primary backup Brian Robison is 35.
"Just looking forward to getting him locked in and what he's going to continue to bring not only to this defense and this football team, but also the type of character that he brings," general manager Rick Spielman said.
Over those past three seasons, Hunter and Griffen have combined for 57 sacks, the second most by a pair of teammates in the league behind Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap of the Cincinnati Bengals (58).
The pass rush and run defense provided by these bookends has been a significant part of coach Mike Zimmer's unit that gave up the fewest points and yards in the NFL last season.
"We build a bond together on defense," Hunter said. "We go out there, we know we're brothers. We fight together. We do our assignments. On and off the field we're really, really close.
Hunter was third in the NFL with 12陆 sacks in 2016 [url=http://www.ravenscheapstores.com/tyus-bowser-jersey-cheap]Tyus Bowser Jersey[/url] , the most by a defensive end. Born in Jamaica and raised just outside of Houston, the 6-foot-5, 252-pound Hunter was a classic late bloomer the Vikings targeted with confidence he'd continue to develop with the right coaching to complement his measurable physical skills. Spielman and his scouts have been proven right with that pick.
"I kind of came in with the mindset of just playing football. I had a whole bunch of people in front of me, older guys that were able to show me the way, good coaches and a good coaching staff," Hunter said. "The only thing I could do is just come in here and focus and play football."
The Vikings extended middle linebacker Eric Kendricks earlier this offseason. Outside linebacker Anthony Barr and wide receiver Stefon Diggs are their other two standouts on expiring contracts, with space under the salary cap dwindling. Signing both of them to new long-term deals might not be possible.
They're plenty happy to at least have Hunter around well into the next decade, though. According to statistics compiled by Vikings coaches, Hunter also has 125 quarterback hurries and 147 total tackles. He has never missed an NFL game to injury, with his only two absences coming in 2015 when he was on the inactive list in the first month of his rookie year.
"It's all about keep continuing to improve my game. I've got to go out there and do what the coaches tell me to do. Now that I have this I can't relax," Hunter said. "I have to keep pounding and grinding."
[url=http://www.officialusafootballs.com/new-orleans-saints/marcus-davenport-jersey]Womens Marcus Davenport Jersey[/url]OKLAHOMA CITY — After losing Gordon Hayward to the Boston Celtics in the offseason Andrew Sendejo Jersey , it looked like it would be a long shot for the Utah Jazz to make the playoffs.
But after a rough start, the Jazz won 29 of 34 games before losing their regular-season finale to drop to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.
They’ll open the playoffs Sunday at Chesapeake Energy Arena against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that looked like a lock to not only make the playoffs but compete atop the conference. But the Thunder didn’t solidify their place in the playoffs until a win in the next-to-last game of the season.
The series is one of the more intriguing first-round matchups, with Utah’s 7-foot-1 center Rudy Gobert providing a rim-protecting presence to combat Thunder superstar point guard Russell Westbrook.
Gobert has also taken over as a leader after the departure of Hayward.
That included a strong statement after the Jazz dropped a game in Atlanta in late January to fall nine games below .500. At the time, Gobert tweeted, “We will be fine.”
“It’s only brighter from that point,” Gobert told the Salt Lake Tribune. “I looked at our team, our organization, and I thought, ‘Why not turn things around?’ We were 19-28, but we had everything in our hands. We knew we were going to turn.”
That turnaround hinged in large part on Utah’s defense, which figures to play a big part in the series as Oklahoma City’s pick-and-roll combo of Westbrook and center Steven Adams will be tested and Paul George plays in his first postseason with the Thunder.
“As the playoffs go, the game slows down some C. J. Prosise Jersey , teams are really conscientious of getting back in transition,” Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. “You’re always trying to find ways to carve out a way to get some easy baskets, whether it’s offensive rebounds, free throws, backdoor cuts.
“But sometimes up against the clock, you need guys that can generate offense for your team, or who can make a play, make a shot or make a play for somebody else.”
Oklahoma City won the regular-season series 3-1, but the Thunder had defensive stopper Andre Roberson available for all four of those games. Roberson suffered a season-ending injury in late January, eventually opening the door for Oklahoma City to sign Corey Brewer.
George figures to draw perhaps the most important defensive assignment, taking over for Roberson in guarding Jazz rookie guard Donovan Mitchell.
“I’m used to these matchups,” George said. “I’m used to playing against the best offensive guy in these moments. That’ll be my role. Not to say Corey won’t guard (Mitchell), but that’ll definitely be my role Jimmy Smith Jersey , especially late in games.”
George guarded Mitchell on only 27 possessions during the four regular-season meetings, going 4 of 7 from the floor. Roberson guarded Mitchell for 78 possessions.
“He’s a really good attacking guard in the open floor and in transition,” Donovan said of Mitchell. “Obviously with the way he can shoot it, I think his strength and physicality. He does a lot of different things for them in transition and in half court while also creating for himself.”
Chicago Cubs left-hander Jose Quintana did not want to be leave the game his last time out, but he did. Cincinnati Reds right-hander Luis Castillo does not want the ball to keep leaving the ballpark against him, but it does.
The NL Central rival Cubs and Reds continue their four-game weekend series at Great American Ball Park with an interesting matchup of two pitchers who have done well against their Friday night opponent yet are struggling of late.
Quintana (6-5) was nearly flawless his last time out against the Reds, limiting them to a Scott Schebler single over seven innings while striking out seven and walking four during a 10-0 victory in the second game of a May 19 doubleheader.
In the first game of that doubleheader, Castillo (4-8) didn’t get the decision as the Reds won 5-4 in 11 innings, but he held the Cubs to one run on six hits despite walking six in five innings. He is 0-0 in two career starts against Chicago with an impressive 0.82 ERA while limiting them to eight hits over 11 innings.
Similarly, Quintana is very good against the Reds, going 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA while striking out 16 in 16 2-3 innings over three career starts. He could use another good start Friday, as the Reds ran their winning streak to four games they’ve won seven of nine by overcoming a two-run deficit to beat Chicago 6-2 on Thursday night.
That’s what’s good for the two starting pitchers. Here’s what’s bad.
Quintana is winless in his last three starts, and he was lifted Sunday from a scoreless game against the Cardinals after two runners reached in the sixth. They came around to score against the Cubs bullpen Eli Apple Jersey , and Quintana ended up taking the loss as St. Louis went on to win 5-0.
“All the time, I wanted to keep going,” said Quintana, who was removed after throwing 86 pitches. “I feel like I pitched really good. It’s a tough game, zero-zero.”
Most of the Reds’ top batters struggle against Quintana
Eugenio Suarez is 1-for-9 (.111), Scooter Gennett is 1-for-8 (.125) and Joey Votto is 2-for-8 (.250).
Castillo also hasn’t been able to win lately, losing his last four starts while giving up an alarming six home runs and 16 earned runs over 20 2-3 innings. His velocity is down from his rookie season a year ago, and his ERA is way up from 3.12 to 5.77.
Too many of his pitches have been going up and out of the ballpark and he leads the NL with 17 homers allowed while going winless since May 24.
In his last start Saturday, a 6-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Castillo gave up two homers among his six hits allowed over five innings, one of them on a 93-mph fastball to Elias Diaz. A year ago, Castillo often touched 100 mph with a four-seam fastball that averaged 97.4 mph.
“I’m trying to do my best,” Castillo said through an interpreter. “Every time I go out there John Jerry Jersey , I give up like one or two home runs. I really don’t know what’s happening right now. I’m just going to keep working down in the bullpen (between starts).”
Castillo’s slump, and his apparent velocity drop, are concerning to the Reds because he was 3-0 in his previous four starts before beginning his slide.
Castillo’s low ERA against the Cubs is reflected in some of their top hitters lack of success against him. Javier Baez is 0-for-5 (.000) and Anthony Rizzo is 1-for-6 (.167).?
The Cubs didn’t do much offensively Thursday, either, as right-hander Matt Harvey (2-5) made the best of his eight starts with the Reds, holding Chicago to two runs and five hits over six innings. He struck out six and walked only one.
“He was really good. He just shut them down,” Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. “He’s getting better and better.”
Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks (5-7) breezed through the first five innings without giving up a run but was lifted after walking Suarez with the bases loaded to force in a run. Left-handed reliever Randy Rosario promptly gave up the first career grand slam by the left-handed hitting Jesse Winker, and the Reds added one more run in the inning.
“Some really great at-bats in the inning,” Riggleman said. “And the big hit speaks for itself.”
The loss dropped the Cubs one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.
Authentic Womens Deadrin Senat JerseyClinton-Dix said that the death of his godmother following a heart attack hit him hard. She was a school principal who played a formative role in Clinton-Dix's upbringing.
"I learned everything. I learned the principles of being a young man Roger Craig Jersey , not taking anything for granted," he said.
Having the opportunity to spend time with family meant a lot to him.
"But, you know, my family means everything to me," Clinton-Dix said after practice Tuesday. "If I have the opportunity to be home with them, I would love to be home with them."
The safety's absence during some voluntary workouts in May and early June was notable given that the Packers have a new defensive coordinator, Mike Pettine. A Pro Bowler in 2016, Clinton-Dix is part of the core of a defense hoping to improve following a lackluster 2017 season.
He's also entering the option year of the rookie contract signed after being drafted in the first round in 2014 out of Alabama.
Asked why he missed some of the workouts Derek Carr Jersey , Clinton-Dix first said "family issues," then winked .
Asked if his absence wasn't contract related, the fifth-year pro replied "personal issues."
Later, Clinton-Dix said he had no deadline to get a new deal done. He doesn't sound like someone who plans to hold out, either.
"What would it do, though?" Clinton-Dix said. "You're just wasting your time, really. You're getting fined and fined and fined. I'm a guy that, I need my money Anthony Barr Jersey , man. That's why I'm here now. I need my money."
Clinton-Dix was in Green Bay for three weeks at the start of the offseason program in April. He had his team-issued tablet computer the entire time while he was away to watch practices.
If there were any questions, Clinton-Dix would contact position coach Joe Whitt. A member of the coaching staff would get back to him with an answer, or send another video clip to help.
"Well, you guys can take attendance. It's a mandatory minicamp, so things step up. But I feel really good, Ha Ha all the way through," coach Mike McCarthy said. "We've had change, we've transitioned through that."
McCarthy followed recent tradition and excused 16 veterans with six or more years of experience from this week's minicamp Josh Sitton Jersey , including quarterback Aaron Rodgers. So practices this week can especially help rookies or younger players lower on the depth chart make impressions on the coaching staff.
Still, any time on the practice field with a player with Pro Bowl potential such as Clinton-Dix can help as the Packers hope to finish the offseason program strong before going on summer break.
"Scheme or not, all you've got to do is (say) 'You've got this, you've got this' and he's going to go out there and play," second-year cornerback Kevin King said. "Playbook-wise, I'm not worried about that. Ha Ha is going to be Ha Ha."
Always confident, Clinton-Dix used word play when asked if minicamp was a time when he could play catch-up. Pettine's scheme appears to play to Clinton-Dix's strength and allow him to spend more time closer to the line of scrimmage, rather than 20 yards out.
"I love ketchup. Love it on my hot dogs Kenny Young Jersey , love it on my hamburgers and I love it on my fries," Clinton-Dix said. "Catch-up won't be a problem."
The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed linebacker Ryan Shazier on injured reserve for the 2018 season to give him more time to recover from spinal stabilization surgery.The team made the move on Wednesday, which will open up a roster spot for the AFC North champions as they begin organized team activities later this month.
Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert ruled Shazier out for 2018 earlier this year. Shazier, injured in a game at Cincinnati last December, walked publicly for the first time in nearly five months when he strode onto the stage to announce Pittsburgh's first-round pick in last week's NFL draft.
The 25-year-old Shazier has remained active in the organization during his rehabilitation.
Womens Dallas Goedert JerseyAll players and coaches for the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens stood as the NFL's preseason began.
The NFL modified its national anthem protocol in May Kendall Wright Jersey , prohibiting any sort of demonstrations for 2018, but allowing players to remain in the locker room during "The Star-Spangled Banner" if they chose to. Individual teams would be responsible for disciplining any demonstrators.
The players' union filed a grievance about the policy change, and late last month, the new policy was put on hold while the NFL and NFLPA work on a resolution.
Those demonstrations were begun by then-49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 when he kneeled during the anthem to protest racial inequality and social injustice. The kneeling and other displays of protest spread leaguewide, particularly when President Trump suggested team owners fire players who didn't stand for the anthem.
On Thursday night, everyone on the sideline stood.
"We as a group talked about it and decided that was what we were doing," new Bears coach Matt Nagy said. "It's for unity and togetherness. The guys are really excited to come up with one deal as a team. They were all out there; from what we talked about, it happened."
Rookie Malik Monk had the best night of his young career and it didn’t matter to him that it came against a Magic team that featured almost as many G League players as NBA regulars.Monk scored a season-high 26 points, Frank Kaminsky added 21 and the Charlotte Hornets routed outmanned Orlando 137-100 on Friday night.
Monk Jeff Locke Jersey , the Hornets’ backup point guard, also tied his career high with eight assists against a makeshift Magic team that gave prominent roles in the game to four call-ups from its G League team.
”I’m going out there to play like I don’t have a spot every time I step on the court,” Monk said.
”I don’t think it’s ever going to get any better than that. You know they had G League guys because of the scouting report, but I’m going out there to play like it’s LeBron (James), Russell Westbrook, anybody like that.”
Marvin Williams scored 18 points and Dwight Howard had 16 points and 17 rebounds for the Hornets, who stopped a four-game losing streak. Charlotte led by 24 points two minutes into the second quarter and pushed the advantage to as many as 45 in the second half despite benching all starters for the final period.
”Malik was really cooking in terms of decision making . eight assists, one turnover and he easily could have had three or four more assists,” Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said. ”We shot the ball so well and when you shoot like that Corey Liuget Jersey , it makes everything else look better, too.”
D.J. Augustin led Orlando with 19 points and Marreese Speights had 14 for the Magic, who prominently featured four players off their G League roster in the game. Three of them, Khem Birch, Jamel Artis and Rodney Purvis, each had 12 points.
The Magic were down by double digits seven minutes into the game and never got the deficit under 10 the rest of the game.
”Very difficult, disappointing performance by us,” Magic coach Frank Vogel said. ”Our four young guys got opportunities to play extended minutes and earn jobs and they didn’t take advantage of that opportunity. We didn’t play well by a long shot.”
The Hornets’ regular roster had a field day against Orlando’s makeshift rotation. Charlotte’s NBA regulars were crisp in their offensive execution and coordinated in defending against a Magic starting five that hadn’t played together this season.
Charlotte led 51-27 after Kaminsky drained a 3-pointer with 10:14 left in the second period. The Hornets had their pick of shots on nearly every possession against the confused Magic defenders.
Charlotte shot 56.5 percent from the field in the first half and hit half of its 16 3-point shots.
Howard, who started his career in Orlando Jim Kelly Jersey , had 12 points and nine rebounds in 16 minutes of the first half against his former team. All four of Howard’s first-half field goals were dunks over Magic big men Bismack Biyombo and Birch.
TIP-INS
Hornets: The 43 points the Hornets scored in the first quarter were the second-most points they’ve scored in any quarter this season. . Charlotte had given up 118.5 points in its previous five games.
Magic: F Artis got his first NBA start and shot 5 of 12. . Leading scorer Aaron Gordon (calf) and leading rebounder Nikola Vucevic (back) sat out the game. . The Magic have not beaten division rival Charlotte since Dec. 15, 2015, a stretch of 11 games.
NO DEFENSE FOR HORNETS SEASON
Clifford said that before the season, he thought this was his most talented team but the Hornets haven’t lived up to it. ”I thought we could be a top-five defensive team, but instead, this has been our worst defensive team,” Clifford said. ”I thought we could be top-five defensive and top 12 on offense and that usually would be about 45 or 46 wins. We’ll be close to that offensively, but our defense hasn’t been anywhere close to where it was in other years.”
TOP PICK DONE
Vogel all but confirmed that Jonathan Isaac, the sixth pick in last summer’s NBA Draft Chris Hogan Jersey , is done for the season. Vogel said Isaac has swelling and discomfort in his left ankle. Isaac has missed 52 games this season because of ankle injuries. ”Unless he turns a corner, there is a good chance he doesn’t play again this year,” Vogel said. ”The emphasis of his offseason will be to strengthen his lower extremities.” Isaac averaged 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in the 27 games he did play. ”I wasn’t out the entire season,” Isaac said. ”I was still able to contribute and help the team win some games. To me, that’s better than not doing it at all.”
Hornets: Host Indiana Sunday afternoon.
Magic: Travel to Toronto Sunday night.
Authentic Womens Byron Maxwell JerseyEven when he’s trying to relax with some pre-training camp golf in Lake Tahoe Kellen Winslow Jersey , Sean Payton can’t get away from what happened in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
The Saints coach was doing an interview with the NFL Network, when they brought in network intern Meghan Payton (his daughter), who asked about the playoff loss to the Vikings.
Specifically, she asked if there was a play he wished he had over, other than the Minnesota Miracle, Stefon Diggs‘ game-winning touchdown pass.
“For someone who is really studying that game, there was a third-and-1 before we kicked that field goal [to go up 24-23],” he replied, via the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “We weren’t able to convert that third-and-1. We kicked a field goal with 20-some seconds left in the game. Had we been able to just get the one yard Kendall Fuller Jersey , we would have easily been able to run the clock down to 3 seconds and hopefully kick the field goal and not give the Vikings another possession.
“So I would say that would be a play I beat myself up over, or we think about a lot and that mattered in that game a lot.”
He also joked that he appreciated his daughter bringing that back up. And since it’s Monday morning and we’re in a good mood, we won’t even rail on the nepotism angle at the league’s own network, because it’s not like he hired her as an assistant coach on his staff or anything.
Aaron Hicks hit three home runs and the New York Yankees pummeled David Price again, connecting five times in the first four innings Sunday night on the way to an 11-1 rout of the Boston Red Sox.Luis Severino became the first 13-game winner in the majors, cruising through 6 2/3 shutout innings of two-hit ball after the Bronx Bombers quickly built him a big cushion. With the teams trading blowouts all weekend, the Yankees (54-27) took two of three from their longtime rivals to regain baseball’s best record and first place in the AL East.
Batting leadoff against a left-hander, Hicks homered twice from the right side of the plate and once from the left. He smacked a two-run shot to right field in the second inning and a solo drive to center in the fourth that chased Price (9-6) and made it 8-0.
Hicks pulled his 14th of the season into the right-field stands in the eighth off Hector Velazquez. It was the first three-homer game by a Yankees player since Alex Rodriguez, part of the ESPN broadcast team Sunday night, accomplished the feat at Minnesota in July 2015.
CUBS 11 Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Jersey , TWINS 10
CHICAGO (AP) – Jon Lester hit a three-run homer in an eight-run second inning and wound up with his NL-leading 11th victory.
Ian Happ also homered for the Cubs. They have scored at least 10 runs in four straight games for the first time since 1930. Chicago swept the three-game series and has won four in a row overall.
Lester (11-2) allowed four runs, two of them earned, and nine hits in five-plus innings.
Javier Baez, who doubled twice, Happ and Willson Contreras each had three hits.
Mitch Garver hit a two-run homer off reliever Dillon Maples in the Twins’ five-run eighth.
Cubs closer Brandon Morrow got one out in the eighth and pitched a scoreless ninth for his 18th save in 19 chances. Lance Lynn (5-7) was the loser.
Brian Dozier hit a two-run homer and Jake Cave also homered for the Twins.
RAYS 3, ASTROS 2.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Blake Snell struck out 10, reliever Diego Castillo fanned Jose Altuve in a key spot and Tampa Bay beat Houston to end a homestand.
The Rays went 8-1 at Tropicana Field, taking three of four from the World Series champion Astros, sweeping three from the New York Yankees and winning both games against Washington. Tampa Bay set a team record by allowing no more than two runs in its sixth straight game.
Matt Duffy hit a two-out Paul Hornung Jersey , two-run single in the seventh inning that put the Rays ahead 2-1 and Mallex Smith homered in the eighth. Evan Gattis homered twice for Houston.
Snell (11-4) allowed one run and four hits in 7 1/3 innings.
Charlie Morton (10-2) struck out 11 in 6 2/3 innings.
DODGERS 6, ROCKIES 4
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Matt Kemp had three hits and drove in four runs, including a go-ahead homer leading off the eighth inning that rallied Los Angeles past Colorado to prevent a sweep.
Kemp sent his 14th homer of the season over the center-field wall off Adam Ottavino (4-2) to put Los Angeles ahead 5-4. It was the Dodgers’ first homer of July after they hit a major league-leading and franchise-record 55 in June.
One out later, Yasiel Puig doubled and Joc Pederson followed and reached on an infield single to second. Puig ran hard into third and hopped back and forth before taking off for the plate, sliding belly first. He got up and swung his arms in wild celebration with the Dodgers ahead 6-4.
Kemp drove in the Dodgers’ first three runs with an RBI groundout in the first, a double in the third and a single in the fifth.
Daniel Hudson (3-2) went one inning. Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his 22nd save.
Nolan Arenado hit his 21st homer and had an RBI grounder for the Rockies.
GIANTS 9, DIAMONDBACKS 6
PHOENIX (AP) – Brandon Belt and Joe Panik drove in two runs each and Hunter Pence had a pinch-hit, two-run double, leading San Francisco to a series sweep against Arizona.
The Giants had 11 hits in the first five innings and cruised to their seventh win in eight games.
A four-run fifth inning highlighted by Pence’s double off reliever Silvino Bracho gave the Giants an 8-3 lead. Cory Gearrin (1-1) got one out in the fourth to earn the win in relief of starter Derek Holland.
The Giants tagged Diamondbacks starter Zack Godley (9-6) for seven runs on nine hits in four-plus innings, ending his four-game winning streak.
Arizona rallied with two runs in the seventh on Paul Goldschmidt’s 18th home run of the season C.J. Mosley Jersey , and Jarrod Dyson became the eighth player in team history to record at least two hits, two runs batted in and two stolen bases in a single game. The Diamondbacks brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth with two outs, but Will Smith struck out Jake Lamb for Smith’s second save.
ORIOLES 8, ANGELS 2
BALTIMORE (AP) – Manny Machado and Mark Trumbo hit consecutive homers after the Angels lost a popup in the sun, and Baltimore beat Los Angeles to end a seven-game losing streak.
After the Orioles took charge with a six-run fourth inning, Trumbo homered again in the fifth and Trey Mancini also connected to help Baltimore secure its only victory during a seven-game homestand that began with four straight losses to Seattle. The Orioles improved to 1-15 against the AL West and won at home for only the second time in 19 games since May 13.
Kevin Gausman (4-6) weathered temperatures in the upper 90s to go eight innings, allowing two runs and six hits to end a run of eight straight winless starts.
Kole Calhoun homered and Albert Pujols drove in a run for the Angels.
Deck McGuire (0-1) was the loser.
MARINERS 1, ROYALS 0
SEATTLE (AP) – James Paxton limited Ka Womens
Jerome Baker Jersey
At issue is whether the Reds are exempt from paying tax on the purchase of the promotional items.
Attorneys for the Reds argue they don’t have to pay tax because they resell the promotional items as part of the ticket package.
Ohio law exempts companies from paying tax on items they buy to resell.
The state tax commissioner says the promotional items should be taxed because the Reds bought the items as giveaways and they aren’t selling them with the tickets.
The state Supreme Court held oral arguments Wednesday morning. A decision is not expected for several weeks.
The NFL is not known as a league that makes very many trades. General Managers and Coaches must constantly balance team needs against the amount of money that they are able to pay individual players. Oftentimes GMs are motivated to trade for players to fill specific roles on the team Charcandrick West Jersey , but other times, GMs are looking to dump specific players for either performance, personal conduct Elandon Roberts Jersey , or monetary reasons. Most of the action takes place on the draft floor as you will notice in our list; many of the referenced trades include picks moving from team to team.
Players get traded for all kinds of different reasons but they do have to make sure that they get the most bang for their buck. In an ideal world, all trades would be perfectly equal, and both teams would immediately notice improvement due to their new acquisition Alec Ogletree Jersey , but unfortunately, in most cases, both a clear trade winner and trade loser emerge over time. In the NFL Patrick Chung Jersey , being on the receiving end of a bad trade can put your team back years, or even decades.
We鈥檝e listed the trades every NFL team has made that they would like to have back. Some trades occurred many years ago and caused multiple years of pain to the franchises, while others have occurred recently and we can see the immediate impact on the teams. A good trade can make a GM look like a genius but as soon as a bad trade is made Donovan Smith Jersey , it could cost them their job and maybe even their career.
Authentic Womens Martavis Bryant JerseyJames finished with 29 points Tedy Bruschi Jersey , 11 assists and spent some of the final 7:38 dancing near the bench during Cleveland’s 10th straight playoff win over Toronto, which changed its system, its roster and its approach but still can’t beat the game’s best player.
Kevin Love added 23 points and J.R. Smith 15 for the Cavs, who can now rest while waiting for the Boston-Philadelphia semifinal series to end.
Jonas Valanciunas scored 18 and Kyle Lowry had 10 assists to lead the exasperated Raptors. Toronto’s frustration hit its peak late in the third when All-Star DeMar DeRozan was ejected for a flagrant foul.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – T.J. McConnell turned a surprise start into the save of the season and Dario Saric scored 25 points to help the 76ers stave off elimination with a 103-92 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 4.
The Sixers still face daunting odds headed into Game 5 and trailing 3-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals: No NBA team has ever won a series down 3-0.
McConnell had a career-high 19 points, seven rebounds and five assists in only his second start of the season and meshed well in the backcourt with Ben Simmons. The crowd chanted ”TJ! TJ!” each time he touched the ball in the fourth and proved why he has been so valuable even as bigger stars have sliced his playing time.
With NBA teams down 3-0 having lost all 129 series, the Sixers may need more than spirit to pull off this stunner.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 20 points and Marcus Morris had 17.
DETROIT (AP) – After four seasons of mostly mediocre results, the Detroit Pistons are moving on without Stan Van Gundy.
He won’t return as president of basketball operations and he isn’t staying on as Detroit’s coach Paul Hornung Jersey , either.
Van Gundy held both those roles for four years, and at times the Pistons seemed to be making progress. But they made the playoffs only once during his tenure, in 2016, and the team announced his departure.
The Pistons went 39-43 this season, missing the playoffs for the third time in four years under Van Gundy. They’ve made the postseason just once in the past nine seasons, and even a blockbuster trade for Blake Griffin wasn’t enough to salvage 2017-18.
The Pistons went 152-176 over the past four seasons under Van Gundy, and his personnel decisions have come under more criticism than his coaching.
NHL
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Evgeny Kuznetsov’s breakway goal 5:27 into overtime gave the Washington Capitals a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 Steven Nelson Jersey , and a berth in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 20 years.
Kuznetsov took a lead pass from Alexander Ovechkin and tucked the puck by Matt Murray to end Pittsburgh’s two-year reign as Stanley Cup champions and propel the Capitals into the NHL’s final four for just the third time in franchise history.
Braden Holtby stopped 21 shots for the Capitals, who will face Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference finals. Alex Chiasson scored his first playoff goal in four years during a taut, tight contest through regulation.
Kris Letang scored for the Penguins and Murray finished with 28 saves but couldn’t close his legs fast enough to stop Kuznetsov’s forehand flick from in close as Pittsburgh’s bid at becoming the first team in 35 years to win three consecutive Cups came to an abrupt end.
PREDATORS 4, JETS 0
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) – Filip Forsberg had two goals and an assist, Pekka Rinne stopped 34 shots for his second shutout of the playoffs, and the Nashville Predatos beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-0 to force a decisive Game 7 in their Western Conference semifinal series.
Viktor Arvidsson also scored twice Stephone Anthony Jersey , including a late empty-netter, and added an assist for the Predators. Roman Josi and Ryan Johansen each had two assists.
Connor Hellebuyck stopped 25 shots for the Jets.
Game 7 is Thursday at Nashville, Tennessee, with the winner advancing to face the expansion Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference final.
This back-and-forth series has yet to see a team win consecutive games.
BASEBALL
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – George Springer went 6 for 6 with a home run to match a Houston record as the Astros routed the Oakland Athletics 16-2.
Last year’s World Series MVP doubled and scored in the first inning, hit a three-run homer in the second and then singled and scored in the fourth. Needing a triple for the cycle, he reached on infield singles in the fifth and seventh before adding a fourth single up the middle in the ninth.
Springer’s batting average jumped from .264 to .292. He became the second player in team history to go 6 for 6 and the first to do it in a nine-inning game. Hall of Famer Joe Morgan accomplished the feat in a 12-inning game against the Milwaukee Braves on July 8 Jerry Hughes Jersey , 1965.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – San Francisco pitcher Johnny Cueto will be sidelined for six-to-eight weeks because of a strained right elbow and will not have Tommy John surgery.
The 32-year-old right-hander was examined by Dr. James Andrews in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Cueto will undertake rest and rehabilitation.
Cueto is 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA in five starts. He on the disabled list for the second time this season. He missed two starts after spraining his left ankle in early April.
NFL
NEW YORK (AP) – The NFL players’ union has filed a non-injury grievance on behalf of free agent safety Eric Reid.
The NFLPA c The Eagles and tight end Richard Rodgers have agreed on a one-year contract.
Rodgers spent all four of his seasons in the NFL in Green Bay. He had 12 catches for 160 yards and one touchdown in 2017. They were career-lows in each category.
The 26-year-old Rodgers was a third-round pick in 2014 and had his best season in his second year when he caught 58 passes for 510 yards and eight TDs. Rodgers has 120 receptions for 1,166 yards and 13 TDs in his career.
Rodgers could be the backup behind Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz in Philadelphia. The Super Bowl champion Eagles lost Trey Burton to Chicago in free agency and released veteran Brent Celek.
Miami Dolphins Elite JerseysFrank Ragnow represents the latest investment.
"It starts up front Star Lotulelei Jersey ," Lions general manager Bob Quinn said. "That's kind of what we believe in."
Detroit drafted the Arkansas center with the No. 20 overall pick Thursday night, hoping he can boost their lackluster running game and keep franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford upright more often.
"Those are two things he's paid to do and he does both of them equally well," Quinn said. "He played his best games against the best defenses."
The Lions ranked last in the NFL last year in rushing offense and have been among the league's worst on the ground offensively in recent seasons. Their one-dimensional offense and banged-up line led to Stafford being sacked 47 times last season.
Ragnow will have a chance to start as a rookie, likely next to guards T.J. Lang and Graham Glasgow if he plays center. He may also play guard, giving Detroit an option of playing Glasgow at center.
"He's a guy who can help us most the quickest," Quinn said.
Quinn has used the draft and free agency to bolster the offensive line, using his first pick as a general manager two years ago to take Ohio State tackle Taylor Decker No. 16 overall and Glasgow two rounds later. Last year in free agency Jason Sanders Jersey , Quinn spent big to sign Lang and Ricky Wagner.
And now, Quinn has committed to bolster the line even more by using a first-round pick on a center and choosing to address needs on the defensive line later in the draft or free agency.
The 6-foot-5, 312-pound Ragnow is a big and powerful lineman, who ended his 42-game career without giving up a sack. He had a season-ending ankle injury last year, limiting him to seven games.
"The rehab process went way smoother than I expected," said Ragnow, adding his ankle is healthy. "It was a very routine surgery."
The Minnesota native played in nine games as a freshman in 2014 and became a full-time starter at right guard as a sophomore. He moved to center as a junior and thought entering NFL draft after grading out as the top offensive lineman in the country by Pro Football Focus.
Ragnow chose to stay in college and was a second-team preseason All-America player Paul Hornung Jersey , but injury stunted his shot at winning awards. His father, Jon, died of a heart attack during the 2016 football season.
"He was my best friend," he said. "He was my biggest fan. Especially right now, it's bittersweet. I'm just going to keep trying to make him proud."
Despite the loss, he continued to play and was stopped after a game by Alabama coach Nick Saban, who lost his father to a heart attack while in graduate school.
"Embrace the memories and the good times that he had with his father because that will be something he can keep with him forever Montravius Adams Jersey ," Saban recalled telling Ragnow.
The Lions have second- and third-round picks Friday along with slots in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds on Saturday. They went into the draft without a sixth-round selection, giving it up last year to acquire offensive tackle Greg Robinson from the Los Angeles Rams. Robinson started six games for the Lions, who released him in November.
The Lions had relative success a year ago in the draft, getting contributions from seven players it selected.
Detroit won three of their first four games last season and had a 6-4 record, but had setbacks in three of five games to fall out of the playoff picture and the late-season slide cost coach Jim Caldwell his job. Quinn hired Matt Patricia to lead an NFL team for the first time, reuniting with a coach he worked alongside with the New England Patriots for a dozen years.
The NFL still has some work to do on explaining to players how the new rule against lowering their helmets will be enforced.
That was apparent when Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter talked to PFT today at training camp in Minnesota. Hunter said he hasn’t heard anything about how the new rule will be enforced Dwayne Allen Jersey , or what players are expected to do differently this year.
Hunter did say, however, that he tries not to initiate contact with his helmet regardless of what the rules say.
“I play with my hands and eyes. I try to keep my helmet out of it because that’s something that can hurt you,” Hunter said.
That’s what the NFL wants players to say, but the league needs to make sure players know exactly what the letter of the law is. The rules have changed, but not every player knows that.
Womens Markus Wheaton JerseyRamos drove in four runs in the first two innings against Verlander and the Tampa Bay Rays went on to a 5-2 win over the Astros on Saturday.
”I wasn’t sharp Jerry Hughes Jersey , but also I didn’t have luck on my side,” Verlander said. ”I made an adjustment during the third inning that I thought was good, but it was too little too late.”
Verlander (9-4) gave up the most runs (5) and hits (9) of any of his 23 starts since his trade to Houston late last summer. He struck out eight in a season-low five innings after coming in with a major league-leading 1.82 ERA – though it was 4.34 in six June starts. The Astros have lost his last three starts.
Matt Duffy finished with three hits, including two in the first two innings, to help the Rays win for the seventh time in eight tames to move to .500 (41-41) for the first time since June 1.
”I gave up three hard-hit balls, all to the same guy. The rest of `em, nobody hit the ball hard,” Verlander said.
Ramos got the Rays on the scoreboard with a two-run double in the first, and made it 5-0 with a two-run single in the second. Those two at bats summarized Verlander’s day.
”The first at bat, I put him in a 3-1 situation where, bases loaded, he knows a heater’s coming, and he hit it off the wall. So that’s my fault Christian Okoye Jersey ,” Verlander said. ”His next bat I got a ground ball up the middle on a slider, which is kind of what you’re looking for. But it found a hole.”
Tampa Bay has held opponents to two runs or fewer in five straight games for only the second time in franchise history.
”The way these guys are throwing right now, we’re tough to beat,” said Kevin Kiermaier, who scored in each of the first two innings.
Alex Bregman got the Astros on the board with a two-run homer in the sixth off Vidal Nuno. It was Bregman’s 16th home run and his fifth in six games.
”They’ve been throwing the ball well over there, and we haven’t really been able to put anything together,” Bregman said. ”Verlander was a little unfortunate today with some of the weak contact that went for hits, but we’ve got to do a better job of putting up runs for him.
Nuno (2-0) got the win after pitching 4 2/3 innings of relief, giving up two runs and four hits while striking out four. Sergio Romo pitched ninth for his seventh save in 11 opportunities.
Ryne Stanek pitched the first inning for Tampa Bay, giving up a single to Jose Altuve, Houston’s only hit in the first four innings.
RARE ERROR
Adeiny Hechavarria made a fielding error on George Springer’s grounder in the top of the sixth just before Bregman’s homer. It ended a streak of 94 games and 319 chances in which the Rays’ shortstop had not committed a miscue. It was the longest errorless streak in franchise history for a shortstop. Hechavarria’s last error had come on July 30, 2017 at Yankee Stadium.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: RHP Joe Smith (sore right elbow) will make what the Astros expect to be a final rehab appearance at Double-A Corpus Christi before being activated. … 1B Yuli Gurriel (paternity leave) is expected to be back in the lineup Sunday.
Rays: RHP Wilmer Font was placed on the 10-day disabled and RHP Hunter Wood was recalled from Triple-A Durham. Manager Kevin Cash said an optimistic timeframe has Font missing eight weeks. … Cash didn’t completely rule out RHP Chris Archer (left abdominal strain) from returning after his first rehab start Tuesday night锟?for Class A Charlotte.
UP NEXT
The series finale will be a matchup of two of baseball’s hottest pitchers. Houston RHP Charlie Morton (10-1, 2.54) has won three straight starts and has not given up an earned run in his last two. LHP Blake Snell (10-4 Shaun Alexander Jersey , 2.31) did not give up a hit until the seventh inning of the Rays’ 11-0 win against Washington on Monday night.
—
Even with the conference finals going on, the NBA’s eyes turn to the future this week.
A future that, perhaps, will have less tanking.
The draft lottery – the last before changes come next year to dissuade tanking – is Tuesday night, and then about 70 players will partake in the draft combine that starts on Wednesday. Those events are both happening in Chicago, as are some various league meetings such as a gathering of NBA general managers and other front-office executives.
But the biggest news will be made by 14 pingpong balls that will decide who drafts No. 1 next month.
”We’ve got to see what happens in the lottery first and see where our position is,” Memphis executive vice president of basketball operations John Hollinger said. ”That’s going to dictate a lot of the decisions that come after that and how we use our time after that.”
Phoenix has a 25 percent chance of winning the No. 1 pick, followed by Memphis (19.9 percent), Dallas (13.8 percent) and Atlanta (13.7 percent). The rest of the candidates for No. 1 are Orlando (8.8 percent), Chicago (5.3), Sacramento (5.3), Cleveland (2.8), New York (1.7) Laquon Treadwell Jersey , Philadelphia (1.1), Charlotte (0.8), Detroit (0.7), the Los Angeles Clippers (0.6) and Denver (0.5).
Many of those teams were at the center of tanking questions this season. Now they’ll see if it pays off.
”We did this year what we felt was in the long-term best interest of the Bulls,” Chicago vice president of basketball operations John Paxson said. ”It’s not a situation that any of us want to ever be in again. And it goes against everything as a competitive person that you believe in. But it’s the way the system’s set up.”
For now. The NBA is changing the system.
Starting in 2019, with the NBA hoping that teams have less incentive to strive for the worst record and therefore the best chance of winning the lottery, the odds will be changing. The three teams with the worst regular-season record will each have a 14 percent chance of winning the No. 1 pick, the fourth-worst team will have a 12.5 percent chance and the fifth-worst 10.5 percent.
”My sense is we’re still going to have some work to do,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.
Tanking got plenty of attention this season, and a few minutes on Jan. 29 might have decided the race.
Phoenix and Memphis played that night. The Grizzlies scored 42 points in the second quarter – their only 40-point period all season – and forced the Suns into 10 consecutive misses in one stretch, on the way to a 120-109 win.
The Suns finished one game worse than the Grizzlies. Flip that Jan. 29 outcome, and it would been the Grizzlies with the best chance at the No. 1 pick.
”The league has been beating us up right now,” said Phoenix guard Devin Booker Russell Bodine Jersey , who hasn’t come even close to making the playoffs and is already on the fourth head coach of his three-year career now that the Suns have hired Igor Kokoskov. ”But I think it’s going to be motivational for us. I know for myself, working out, I think about that all the time. I never want to be in these situations again.”
The new lottery format isn’t the only looming change related to drafts. It seems likely that by 2020, the one-and-done rule – in place since 2006 – will be gone and players will be allowed to jump from high school directly to the NBA again.
If that was the case this season, the rights to draft phenoms like R.J. Barrett, Zion Williamson and Cameron Reddish would probably be decided by those pingpong balls in Chicago on Tuesday. Instead, they’re all going to Duke this fall.
So they won’t be at the combine, nor will the likely top two picks in the June 21 draft – Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic. Ayton declined the invitation to participate in Chicago, and Doncic’s season in Europe isn’t over yet.
”We sort of expected this, that we might not see the top couple guys there,” Hollinger said. ”So we just have to adjust from that and get our information in other ways.”
—