New details emerge regarding why Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau
New details have emerged revealing why the New York Knicks parted ways with coach Tom Thibodeau after their most successful season in years.
The Knicks had concerns about Thibodeau’s lack of adjustments and an overreliance on guard Jalen Brunson, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Knicks brass were concerned that Thibodeau never effectively adjusted to opponents shutting down the pick-and-roll pairing of Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns late in the season by putting a wing on Brunson.
There were also worries about how Brunson was used so heavily, and whether that might eventually become an issue for a player with a history of injuries. That fed into long-standing concerns about Thibodeau’s heavy demands, which two players, including Mikal Bridges, went public with during the season.
The Knicks’ Game 1 collapse in the Eastern Conference Finals, and Thibodeau’s inability to stem the tide in those moments, underlined all those concerns, and Thibodeau’s future was in doubt even before the series ended.
Ultimately, Brunson did bail the Knicks out of many tough situations during the playoffs. That might not have been sustainable, nor was it something the team wanted to keep relying on. Accordingly, they are seeking a coach who can make more effective use of the talent on their roster. That could involve the pursuit of at least one pretty big name.
Savannah Bananas turned 3 ridiculous trick plays in one inning
The Savannah Bananas took the field at Angel Stadium last week in front of several crowds of 45,000-plus fans and did not disappoint.
In the top of the third inning, with the Firefighters batting, the Bananas pulled off three consecutive trick plays over the span of just two minutes and 11 seconds.
The growth of Banana Ball and the love of the Savannah franchise has grown exorbitantly. They are currently on a world tour and regularly sell out major stadiums thanks to trick plays like those against the Firefighters.
Essentially the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball, the Bananas are known for putting on amusing, family-friendly shows highlighted by wild antics and incredibly acrobatic catches.
Bananas games also routinely feature guest appearances and they most recently welcomed actor Patrick Renna, who portrayed Hamilton “Ham” Porter in the classic baseball film “The Sandlot.”
The Bananas are currently sold out through July with games in Grand Rapids and Cincinnati upcoming. They return home to Georgia on June 19 where they are scheduled to take on the Party Animals.
Novak Djokovic makes admission about his French Open loss
Novak Djokovic may have played in his last-ever French Open.
On Friday, following a 6-4, 7-5, 7-6 (3) loss to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the semifinals at Roland Garros, Djokovic hinted that retirement may be near.
“This could’ve been the last match ever I played here. I don’t know. That’s why it was a bit more emotional in the end. If this was the farewell match of Roland Garros for in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd,” he said, via the Roland Garros Press.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion wasn’t fully ready to commit to retirement but acknowledged that things are beginning to wind down at 38 years sold.
“Do I wish to play more, yes I do. But will I be able to play here in 12 months’ time, I don’t know,” Djokovic said. “I said it could have been my last match [here], I didn’t say it was.”
If retirement is on the horizon, Djokovic will have another opportunity to break a tie with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slams of all time at Wimbledon.
“I don’t know what tomorrow brings at this point in my career. I’m gonna keep on keeping on,” he said. “Obviously Wimbledon is next, which is my childhood favorite tournament. I’m gonna do everything possible to get myself ready. I guess my best chance is maybe Wimbledon to win another slam.”
Djokovic said he was fully motivated to play at Wimbledon and the US Open but wouldn’t commit to anything beyond that.
Alex Bregman shaved his rally mustache mid-game
Alex Bregman knew something needed to change as the New York Yankees surged to a 7-0 lead over his Boston Red Sox after just two innings on Friday night.
But Bregman, who has been out since May 23 with a quad injury, couldn’t help his teammates on the field. Instead, he had to find an alternative way to inspire and settled on a common superstition.
In between innings, a mustache-clad Bregman headed toward the locker room and emerged clean-shaven.
“Did Bregman shave?” an announcer asked. “It’s gone. He did!”
It’s not the first time Bregman has attempted to spark a rally by shaving his mustache during a game. He did the same thing as a member of the Houston Astros in 2018.
Unfortunately for Bregman and the Red Sox, it wasn’t enough to fully swing the pendulum. Although Boston battled back with six runs, the Yankees eventually closed out a 9-6 victory to kick off the three-game series.
The two teams will return to the field on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium. Bregman hopes he won’t have to shave his head next.
Lane Kiffin had embarrassing moment in celebrity softball game
Ole Miss hosted its celebrity charity softball game this past Thursday and fans flooded the seats to watch football coach Lane Kiffin, athletic director Keith Carter, and several others play.
Kiffin, who batted leadoff for the Bombers, had a solid night, recording an infield single and making an impressive defensive play at second base. However, that will all be overshadowed by an embarrassing moment in the top of the second inning.
With runners on first and second and two outs, Kiffing whiffed on a 2-2 pitch from Ole Miss women’s basketball coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin, ending the inning.
“Got him swinging,” the announcer said. “Coach Yo strikes out Lane. Who had that on their bingo card today?”
“She didn’t get the shutout but she got the biggest strikeout of the night,” the MC added.
Although the competitive juices were flowing, the night was all in good fun. And for Coach Yo, it continued at the expense of Kiffin.
“I knew I was going to strike him out. But there was a lot of pressure,” she said, via Yahoo! Sports. “Someone had to choke in that moment it was him.”
The Trashers ultimately beat Kiffin and the Bombers, 7-4, but that was the sidebar. The event raised nearly $100,000 for the Grove Collective, which ensures that “NIL is done right by the law.”
Aaron Donald teaches Jared Verse a lesson with intense workout
You’ve got to be careful not to bite off more than you can chew, which is a lesson Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse learned the hard way after testing team legend Aaron Donald recently.
During an interview with ESPN’s Adam Schefter earlier this week, Verse called out Donald for his “old man workouts” and “little Instagram videos,” claiming the three-time Defensive Player of the Year moves only light weight.
“No, he don’t want that. He’s not ready for that,” Verse said. “That little 500 bench he had. He’s not ready for that. I’ll be moving weight.”
Donald got wind of Verse’s comments and promptly called his bluff.
“I’m looking for you, Verse,” Donald said. “Come to the house. I just want to talk, that’s it. Just a little conversation. A little weights, do a little cardio, the old man retirement workout. Put you through it, see what you can do.”
Never one to back down, Verse accepted the challenge but was quickly humbled.
The two met up at Donald’s home on Friday and when all was said and done, Verse was left sweating on a bench as the “old man” playfully mocked him while continuing the workout.
Verse could do little more than tip his cap to the legend.
The 24-year-old Verse, who was a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, was named Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned Pro Bowl honors in his first season. He’s looking to make a Donald-like impact in Year 2 and now knows from firsthand experience what that will take.
Fan throws ball onto field in bizarre sequence at Braves-Giants game
A fan caused confusion and generated frustration on Friday night during a game between the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves after throwing a ball onto the field during a play at the plate in the top of the fourth inning.
The bizarre moment unfolded after Braves catcher Sean Murphy lined out to Mike Yastrzemski in right field. Matt Olson tagged from third and easily beat the one-hop throw from Yastrzemski, but the ball thrown from the stands arrived at exactly the same moment.
The second ball bounded toward the pitcher’s mound, while the throw from Yastrzemski pulled Patrick Bailey toward the first base line.
“That’s a first,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said after the game, via NBC Sports. “I’ve never seen that before. I don’t know where it came from. I don’t know what the rule is. I think everybody was a little surprised by it. It didn’t affect the play, but it was extremely odd to see another baseball come on the field.”
The game was briefly delayed as umpires conversed before ruling that no change would be made to the call since the ball didn’t impact the outcome of the play.
Although no one was injured, Giants infielder Tyler Fitzgerald called the stunt “dangerous” and said he would have been “angry” had the ball struck one of his teammates.
It’s unclear if security was able to locate the perpetrator or if they were thrown out of the stadium.
The Giants ultimately won the game, 5-4, on a walk-off wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning.
Nick Diaz’s girlfriend alleges UFC fighter was drugged, kidnapped
UFC veteran Nick Diaz’s girlfriend claims the fighter is allegedly being held against his will in Mexico.
On Friday, Diaz’s longtime girlfriend uploaded an alarming post about the MMA star on Instagram. The post claimed that Diaz, who is of Mexican descent, was “forcibly taken” by a relative and kidnapped across the border in Mexico. She alleged that Diaz was “drugged” and has since made several failed attempts to escape his supposed holding location inside a Mexican drug rehab facility.
Diaz has been linked to substance abuse issues in the past.
“Nick has been forcibly taken by his cousin and transported across the border into Mexico, where he is confined in a rehabilitation facility against his will,” wrote Diaz’s girlfriend.
“He was drugged during this process and has made numerous attempts to escape, but the authorities consistently return him to the facility. Communication with him is severely restricted; I am unable to speak with him or receive updates directly. All information must be relayed through a man named Ruben, who is responsible for his placement in the facility. Nick does not wish to remain at the facility; he desires to return home to California and attend a drug rehabilitation program there. He is also seeking to understand who has the authority to keep him confined in Mexico against his wishes.”
Apparently Nick Diaz has been drugged and kidnapped. pic.twitter.com/flVZeoAqWI
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) June 6, 2025
The 41-year-old fighter has yet to make any public comments on the matter.
Diaz has not fought in the octagon since 2021. He was supposed to make his UFC return in December 2024 against Vicente Luque. However, Diaz pulled out of the fight a month prior, which was also around when an alarming video of him surfaced, wherein Diaz was seen shirtless while lighting a fire on the street.
🚨NEW: A video of Nick Diaz, by himself, shirtless in public, trying to light a random piece of grass on fire has surfaced online ahead of his MMA return against Vicente Luque on Dec. 7. 👀
— Parry Punch (@ParryPunchNews) November 10, 2024
Thoughts on this video surfacing shortly after his fight with Luque got announced? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/lVZZuZoFb8
In 2015, Diaz was suspended for five years after repeatedly being flagged by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for his use of marijuana. The suspension was eventually shortened after several UFC stars came to Diaz’s defense.
Diaz last fought Robbie Lawler in a disappointing TKO defeat at UFC 266. The fight remains his lone UFC bout since January 2015.
WCWS nearly ended on ridiculous rule
Texas beat Texas Tech 10-4 in Game 3 of the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) finals to win their first national championship in program history. The Longhorns were so dominant in the game that they nearly ended the game early due to a ridiculous rule.
College softball has a run rule to help preserve pitchers, especially since so many teams play 3-game series. The rule also extends through the NCAA Tournament, and was added for the WCWS beginning in 2023.
The rule stipulates that a game ends early if a team is up by at least 8 runs after five innings. If a home team is leading by 8 runs or more after 4.5 innings, the game would be declared over via the run rule.
On Friday, Texas knocked Texas Tech star pitcher NiJaree Canaday out of the game by scoring five runs against her in the first inning. The Longhorns led 10-0 after four innings and were an out away from securing a win via the run rule before Texas Tech scored three runs to extend the game.
Texas Tech eventually lost 10-4, and the thought of them coming back from down 10-0 was a stretch. However, it’s absurd to think that they wouldn’t have been given 21 outs to try to make a comeback. This is the championship. The last game of the season. There is no reason to end a game prematurely. In fact, there’s no reason the run rule should be in effect for the Women’s College World Series as a whole.
A championship team should have to get at least 21 outs in the final game, and a championship contender needs to be given 21 outs. No title game should end on a mercy rule. The NCAA needs to adjust that.
Brad Marchand had interesting admission about his Stanley Cup Final Game 2 game-winner
Brad Marchand was once again the bane of Canadian hockey fans’ existence in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Florida Panthers winger scored the game-winning goal in double overtime to beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Canada. Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm missed a slap shot wide right that the Panthers quickly turned into a scoring opportunity for Marchand.
Marchand only needed to beat Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner on a breakaway. Leon Draisaitl tried to slow Marchand down at the last moment, leading to an awkward shot attempt. But the puck slipped right between Skinner’s legs to give the Panthers the series-tying win.
During his postgame interview, Marchand was asked by TNT broadcaster Liam McHugh about the decisive shot in double OT.
McHugh: “I’ve got to ask you about the game-winner itself. Was that a phantom backhand? Did you get your stick on that backhand, or did it just slide in?
Marchand: “You know, to be honest, I blacked out. I don’t know where it went.”
You can get a good look at Marchand’s clutch goal:
SECOND OF THE NIGHT
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 7, 2025
SERIES TYING GOAL
HAVE A NIGHT MARCHAND!! pic.twitter.com/InyrmLNNWA
Marchand may claim that he “blacked out” before scoring the goal, but if you look closely, Marchand does seem to make contact with the puck using the backhand side of his stick to score.
The Panthers star also scored a critical goal in the second period during an eerily similar breakaway situation against Skinner. There was no doubt about Marchand’s first goal being a clear shot past Skinner to give Florida a 4-3 lead in regulation.
Brad Marchand sneaks in alone and tallies a shorthanded goal, putting Florida up 4-3!#TimeToHunt | #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/qmcQVLZIT9
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) June 7, 2025
A Marchand overtime goal turned the Panthers’ fortunes around in the second round against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Lightning struck a second time in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final.
NCAA set for massive change amid $2.8 billion settlement
The NCAA landscape experienced another seismic shift on Friday amid a groundbreaking court settlement.
July 1 will officially mark the first day that Division 1 schools will be able to pay their athletes directly. The massive change stems from Friday’s House v. NCAA resolution. Judge Claudia Wilken approved a $2.8 billion settlement to resolve three separate federal antitrust lawsuits consolidated in House v. NCAA. The suits all claimed that the NCAA was illegally limiting the earning potential of college athletes.
The settlement stipulates that the NCAA will pay $2.8 billion in back damages to former and existing college athletes from 2016 onwards.
The resolution also sets the stage for current D1 athletes to make money directly from their respective schools. Universities will have a $20.5 million salary cap to pay athletes this coming school year. The cap will gradually rise throughout the 10-year life span of the House v. NCAA settlement.
More details on the settlement itself can be found here.
The $20.5 million number will be shared between all sports. However, most power conference programs already plan to allocate 90% of the cap to their football and men’s basketball programs, per Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.
It’s been four years since a court ruling opened the door for college athletes to earn money through their name, image, and likeness (NIL). The change resulted in the NCAA’s top athletes earning unimaginable sums thanks to endorsement deals.
Just like when NIL deals first became reality, expect a lot of craziness in the first few years of the NCAA D1 salary cap era.
Michael Beasley had raunchy message for Lance Stephenson after 1-on-1 game for $100,000
NBA journeyman Michael Beasley won the right to talk trash after his publicized 1-on-1 game against his former teammate, Lance Stephenson. Beasley did not waste his opportunity.
On Friday, Beasley and Stephenson faced off in the main card of the TNC 02 basketball event in Miami, Fla. Beasley thoroughly bested Stephenson 31-21 to take home the event’s $100,000 cash prize.
The former No. 2 overall pick got off to a quick 4-0 start and never looked back. The scoring display Beasley put on even had guest announcer Kyrie Irving swearing he “would never” want to play Beasley 1-on-1.
“I would never play one on one with Michael Beasley” -Kyrie Irving pic.twitter.com/58nmZRRems
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) June 7, 2025
Friday’s contest got contentious as Stephenson feuded with referees and spectators alike. But the former Indiana Pacers star showed love to Beasley after the game. Stephenson tagged Beasley in an Instagram story with the caption, “Great game bro.”
Beasley’s response started off wholesome. But the Kansas State alum could not resist getting a vulgar dig in at Stephenson.
“I love you to the moon and back… Now grab a cigarette and a towel… We made a sex tape Kim K would envy,” replied Beasley.
“We made a sextape Kim K would envy.”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 7, 2025
– Michael Beasley’s message to Lance Stephenson pic.twitter.com/4vgqPF8GsC
Stephenson is no slouch as an opponent. The man known as “Born Ready” was an integral part of the Pacers’ deep postseason runs in 2013 and 2014. Lance was considered by many to have had more talent than he was able to realize in the NBA.
However, few players had more unrealized potential than Beasley. The Miami Heat selected him to be Dwyane Wade’s co-star back in 2008 after his stellar freshman season at Kansas State. He averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds as a member of the Wildcats.
Beasley could just never put it together in the pro ranks. He played for seven different teams across 11 NBA seasons. The 6’9″ offensive savant averaged just 12.4 points and 4.7 rebounds, never averaging over 20 points per game in any season.
Beasley played his final campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018-19, when he became teammates with Stephenson.
Fans all said the same thing about Tyrese Haliburton’s exchange with Scott Van Pelt after Game 1
A simple exchange between Tyrese Haliburton and late-night ESPN host Scott Van Pelt has gone viral on social media.
The Indiana Pacers star appeared on SportCenter with Van Pelt after leading his team to a thrilling 111-110 comeback win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After the Pacers trailed for the first 47 minutes and 59 seconds of the contest, Haliburton hit the game-winning shot with 0.3 seconds left to silence the crowd at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Towards the end of his interview with Haliburton, Van Pelt talked about being “late to the party” on the Pacers. The admission led to an awesome exchange between the two sports personalities.
Van Pelt: “The other night, on the show, I put my hand up and I said, ‘Look, I was late to the party on [the Pacers].’”
Haliburton: “You’re a real one for that. I heard that. A lot of your counterparts won’t admit that now.”
Van Pelt: “Okay, now I’m going to give myself a little wiggle room and say you guys were under .500 at Christmas, am I right?”
Haliburton: “Oh, we were rough. We were rough.”
Van Pelt: “Were you bad at the start?”
Haliburton: “Okay, yeah. We were.”
Van Pelt: “Okay, all I said was I was a little late to the party.
Haliburton: “For sure. We were late to the party, too.”
Van Pelt: “I’ll be a real one right now. Every single note I had on this card, getting ready for this show, was about Oklahoma City winning this game, and I’m sitting here with you. It’s an amazing show that you’re putting on, and the belief is amazing to watch as well.”
The 'SportsCenter with SVP' interview with Pacers' Game 1 hero Tyrese Haliburton was great TV, especially the last exchange. 🏀📺🎙️ #NBA #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/5ctZ0XQpf7
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 6, 2025
The back-and-forth resonated well with fans. Many called the exchange authentic and genuine, in line with the character of both Haliburton and Van Pelt.
This is fantastic and authentic.
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) June 6, 2025
A genuine honest exchange, we need more of this in the world.
— riddlelaxtalk (@Riddle_Lax_Talk) June 6, 2025
Exemplifies what mature and genuine conversation should look like between hosts and players. Loved this.
— Travis Beverly (@TravisKnowsBest) June 6, 2025
Both men also got a ton of praise for keeping things light and real.
SVP is one of the best in the business and has been for a long time now. I wish we could see more of him other than just late night SportsCenter
— Sports Scrub (@theSportsScrub) June 6, 2025
Halliburton is as likeable a star as there is in the league.
— Myles Smollett (@MylesSmollett95) June 6, 2025
Haliburton tallied 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists in Game 1. The Pacers star’s late-game heroics won him a slew of new fans. His exchange with Van Pelt likely added a few more.
Cowboys Super Bowl winner Tom Rafferty dies at 70
Longtime Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Tom Rafferty has died.
Rafferty’s daughter, Rachel Powers, confirmed to The Dallas Morning News’ Kevin Sherrington that the 1977 Super Bowl winner has been hospitalized since May. He was 70.
The Cowboys lifer famously bridged the careers of legendary franchise quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. Rafferty began his career as a reserve guard during the 1976 season. He became the team’s full-time starting right guard in his second season and started in all three games during Dallas’ 1977 Super Bowl run.
Rafferty remained at right guard until 1980 before transitioning to center in 1981. He held the starting center role down until his final season in 1989, which was also Aikman’s first season at the helm.
The Cowboys released a statement Friday to commemorate Rafferty’s life and career.
“[Tom Rafferty] was a shining example of being a great, trusted teammate and champion, always approaching the game and his role by doing the right thing.”
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) June 6, 2025
Rafferty also cleared the way for Tony Dorsett’s iconic 99-yard touchdown run in 1983 — the first such rushing TD in NFL history. Big No. 64 created a huge opening that gave Dorsett the runway to accelerate past the Minnesota Vikings defense.
Let’s pay respect to Tony Dorsett’s record-setting 99-yard TD run on Monday Night Football. pic.twitter.com/TdW0sfziwd
— Super 70s Sports (@Super70sSports) January 16, 2021
Rafferty played in over 200 regular season games for the Cowboys and was a part of nine different postseason runs.
Taylor Lewan embarrasses himself with bad ceremonial first pitch
Taylor Lewan embarrassed himself on Thursday, and he knows he has a lot to overcome.
Lewan and Will Compton, who co-host the popular “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the St. Louis Cardinals-Kansas City Royals game. Lewan, who was a three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman with the Tennessee Titans, went first. Lewan showed a nice pitching motion, but the ball slipped out of the southpaw’s hand and went way to the left. His pitch was so off that it went wide of the batter’s box.
Oh no @TaylorLewan77 pic.twitter.com/iuRU1btCiV
— Bussin' With The Boys (@BussinWTB) June 6, 2025
As if that weren’t bad enough, Compton stepped in right after and showed up his co-host. Compton, who also played in the NFL, went to a stretch and gave a great leg kick before delivering a strike low in the zone.
Lewan had warned people about his bad throw, saying that the haters were going to have fun with it.
“Currently at the @Cardinals game, and there’s something I need to get ahead of. A video will be surfacing of me throwing a pitch from the mound. Let’s just say… the haters are going to have an absolute field day. It is a beautiful stadium tho (sic).”
Currently at the @Cardinals game, and there’s something I need to get ahead of.
— Taylor Lewan (@TaylorLewan77) June 5, 2025
A video will be surfacing of me throwing a pitch from the mound. Let’s just say… the haters are going to have an absolute field day.
It is a beautiful stadium tho. pic.twitter.com/Fu6OzwiKlr
Lewan is looking for another shot at throwing a first pitch.
“This is the worst day of my athletic career and that includes the Chandler Jones game. I need redemption,” Lewan wrote on X.
This is the worst day of my athletic career and that includes the Chandler Jones game.
— Taylor Lewan (@TaylorLewan77) June 6, 2025
I need redemption. https://t.co/8T6NgqSe9k
Lewan was referring to a 2021 game between the Titans and Arizona Cardinals during which Chandler Jones had five sacks, including two where he beat Lewan 1-on-1. Yes, Lewan needs redemption. And seeking redemption after a bad first pitch seems to be a theme around here.
Report: Knicks eyeing new NBA head coach who is currently employed
The New York Knicks are going for moonshots right now as they look to fill their head coaching vacancy.
The Knicks are interested in potentially luring away Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, Ian Begley of SportsNet New York reported on Friday. Begley notes however that the Knicks would be required to send back compensation to the Timberwolves if they hire away Finch (as would be the case with the hiring of any NBA head coach who is currently under contract).
The 55-year-old Finch just completed his fifth season as head coach of Minnesota. He holds an overall record of 209-160 (.566) with four total playoff berths. Finch also notably served as a head coach during the NBA All-Star Game in 2024 thanks to his success with the Timberwolves.
Ultimately, it might be very difficult for the Knicks to lure Finch away from the Timberwolves. Finch has now made the conference finals with Minnesota in back-to-back years and also has an ascendant 23-year-old superstar in Anthony Edwards leading the charge.
But the Knicks are a high-profile job in a marquee city. They also notably have Karl-Anthony Towns on their roster (Towns, of course, made multiple All-Star appearances under Finch’s leadership in Minnesota).
Finch is not the only big (and currently employed) name whom the Knicks, who just fired their head coach Tom Thibodeau, are after. A report broke earlier this week that the Knicks are interested in two other current Western Conference head coaches (with one of those names in particular looking to be progressing towards a potential interview with the Knicks).
Mike Breen responds to criticism of his call of Tyrese Haliburton’s game-winner
Tyrese Haliburton stunningly did not receive a “BANG!” from Mike Breen on his epic game-winner in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Now Breen is defending himself against the criticism of his call.
The Indiana Pacers star Haliburton was once again the hero in Thursday’s Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, O.K. After Indiana trailed by as many as 15 in the fourth quarter, Haliburton’s breathtaking shot with 0.3 seconds left gave the Pacers one of the unlikeliest wins in Finals history.
Breen, who was calling the game for ESPN, declined to give Haliburton a “BANG!” for his game-winner though and instead settled for an “IT’S GOOD!” Countless viewers noted what a big snub that seemed like from Breen.
Can we talk about how this might be the biggest Mike Breen “Bang” snub of all time? pic.twitter.com/4ngH0Jy9j2
— Nick Bateman (@nickbateman33) June 6, 2025
Speaking in an interview Friday with SI’s Jimmy Traina, Breen explained himself. Essentially, Breen said that he reserves the “BANG!” for three-pointers only.
“We were so happy with such a fun game and a great comeback,” said Breen. “And now there’s obviously juice to the series, and I liked the Haliburton call, and then I find out later that I’m getting destroyed because I didn’t say ‘BANG!’”
“I think in all these years I only said bang for a two-pointer once,” Breen added. “It was a Kobe Bryant game-winner in the playoffs when he hit a shot against Phoenix, and it was the only time. That’s the only time. I save it for threes. In hindsight, because of the magnitude of the shot, it certainly would’ve worked and made people happy. But I don’t premeditate the call, and it was such an unbelievable shot. If he was beyond the 3-point mark, I probably would’ve said ‘BANG!’”
“BANG!” is the 64-year-old Breen’s signature call. But he does indeed reserve it almost exclusively for three-pointers. The most famous example of that so far this postseason was New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson’s series-winning three-pointer in the first round against the Detroit Pistons (which actually earned an even rarer double “BANG!” from Breen).
It is possible too that Breen is especially under the microscope these days given the unpopular state of the ESPN NBA team. After his longtime partners Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson were let go by ESPN two summers ago, Breen has struggled to find chemistry with his new partners Doris Burke and Richard Jefferson. Now there are some rumors that ESPN could potentially shake up that crew in the booth after this season.
Softball ace NiJaree Canady signs $1.2 million deal with Texas Tech
Who says it doesn’t pay to play softball?
Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady is making over $1 million this season. The star pitcher has also signed a deal for next season with the Red Raiders that will pay her $1.2 million.
Canady had begun her career at Stanford before transferring to Texas Tech for the 2025 season. The Red Raiders enticed her with a 7-figure NIL offer. There were questions about whether she would put herself on the free agent market again and see how much she could earn in 2026, but those questions have been put to rest. Canady’s manager told reporters on Friday that she has signed on for a second year with Texas Tech.
A softball player earning $1 million in NIL money may sound excessive, but Canaday has delivered.
The junior pitcher has gone 34-6 with a 0.97 ERA and 317 strikeouts in 239 innings. She also hits and has batted .280 with 6 doubles and 11 home runs.
Canady has pitched Texas Tech not only to their first ever Women’s College World Series, but she took the Red Raiders to the finals. They enter Friday tied 1-1 in their best-of-3 series with Texas, a win away from the national championship.
In her two seasons at Stanford, Canady was brilliant. She went 41-10 with a 0.67 ERA and 555 strikeouts in 365.2 innings. She was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year last year as well.
Diamondbacks announce brutal news about Corbin Burnes
The Arizona Diamondbacks announced some brutal news about Corbin Burnes on Friday.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo shared that Burnes will be undergoing Tommy John surgery. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
Burnes had exited his start on Sunday against the Nationals after experiencing pain in his elbow during the fifth inning. Burnes was furious over the situation, which seemed to suggest he knew the injury was serious. Even though initial reports suggested that Burnes might have avoided a serious injury, the pitcher knew otherwise and was proven correct.
Unfortunately for both Burnes and the Diamondbacks, he’ll be out for extended time, as Tommy John surgeries typically takes between 12-18 months. Burnes might not return until the end of next season on the early side.
This is a brutal way for Burnes to begin his Diamondbacks tenure. He signed a 6-year, $210 million contract with the team over the offseason, and now one third of the length of the contract seems like it will be marred.
The 30-year-old ace had gone 3-2 with a 2.66 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 64.1 innings this season. He was likely to make his fifth straight All-Star team. This injury will also end Burnes’ streak of five straight seasons where he had finished in at least the top 8 for Cy Young Award voting. He won the award in 2021 thanks to an excellent season he had with the Brewers where he went 11-5 with a 2.43 ERA.
All of Tyrese Haliburton’s clutch shots this season compiled into one video
Tyrese Haliburton has developed a reputation for being a clutch player thanks to all the huge shots he’s hit this postseason. It turns out that has been part of a trend he’s established all season long.
Haliburton has attempted 15 shots during the 2024-2025 NBA season (both regular and postseason) to tie a game or take the lead in the last two minutes of a contest. He has made 13 of his 15 such shot attempts, which is pretty ridiculous. In this video, you can see all 15 shot attempts.
Every shot from Tyrese Haliburton to tie or take the lead in the last 2 minutes this season pic.twitter.com/NS5PhfObi7
— Pitless (@pitlessball) June 6, 2025
When you see just how many clutch shots Haliburton has made this season all compiled together like that, it tells the story of the Pacers. Not only does Haliburton come through at the end of games, but Indiana has proven all season long that the game is never over as long as there is still time left on the clock.
Haliburton averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game during the regular season. He is averaging 18.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game during the postseason this year.
