Jan 28, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) prepares for a game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Just when you thought Al Horford couldn’t possibly continue his hot play, he went out and did it again.
Horford went 9/12 for 26 points while helping his Boston Celtics score a 120-108 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.
The 35-year-old big man went 6/8 on threes, which was his career-best mark for three-pointers made. Amazingly, Horford did it all during his NBA Finals debut.
NBA fans appreciated Horford’s big game and updated his Wikipedia page accordingly.
One temporary edit said that Horford “has a son who also played basketball named draymond green.” Another edit listed “owner of the Golden State Warriors” among Horford’s career highlights and awards.
NBA fans don’t waste any time.
It’s only one game, but winning on the Warriors’ home court is a big accomplishment by the Celtics. Boston outscoring Golden State by 24 points on the road in the fourth quarter is not something many fans saw coming.
May 14, 2019; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) stands on the court before the start of the game against the Portland Trail Blazers in game one of the Western conference finals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Klay Thompson is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, and he added to that legacy during Golden State’s 120-108 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.
In the second quarter, Thompson took a pass from Jordan Poole and drained his second 3-pointer of the game. It was the 433rd three-pointer of Thompson’s playoff career, passing LeBron James for the second-most in league postseason history.
Thompson now trails fellow Splash Brother Steph Curry, who entered Thursday with 530 career playoff 3-pointers. After Game 1, that total is now at 537.
Curry, who set a finals record with six 3-pointers in the first quarter, finished Game 1 with 34 points and shot 50 percent from three-point range. He made seven 3-pointers.
Thompson had 15 points and made three 3-pointers to bring his total to 434.
He has a long way to go to break Curry’s record and probably won’t get there as long as they remain teammates.
Just when it looked like they were about to cruise to victory in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors suddenly seemed to get their talent stolen by the Monstars.
The Warriors got off to a solid start in Thursday’s opener against the Boston Celtics, as star player Stephen Curry poured in six triples in the first quarter. The third period was even better for Golden State, as they outscored Boston 38-24 to open up a 12-point lead heading into the final frame. But the fourth quarter was where the ceiling abruptly caved in at Chase Center.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Warriors had lost by 12 points (120-108). It was a stunning 24-point swing as the Celtics stole Game 1 on the road. Boston hit nine 3s in the fourth quarter alone, and Golden State went frigid, going almost five minutes without scoring at one point. It was as if the Warriors had suddenly hit an iceberg and gone down like the Titanic.
The baffling collapse led to Golden State getting the meme treatment on Twitter. Here were some of the most savage posts.
The Warriors’ loss was their first of the postseason at home. Meanwhile, the Celtics, who entered play on Thursday with zero combined games of Finals experience on the roster, tied the NBA Finals record for biggest point differential in a quarter with their plus-24 in the fourth.
Golden State probably shouldn’t panic since they looked pretty darn good through three quarters and hit 19 three-pointers as a team. But losing their homecourt advantage in a game that they were well-rested for and in which Celtics star Jayson Tatum shot just 3-for-17 is obviously concerning. There were definitely many upset sports bettors over Thursday’s result as well.
Oct 22, 2017; London, United Kingdom; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) reacts before an NFL International Series game against the Arizona Cardinals at Twickenham Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Buffalo Bills on Thursday added another weapon for quarterback Josh Alle.
The Bills signed veteran wide receiver Tavon Austin to a contract. Austin announced the deal by posting a photo on his Instagram story of him signing the contract.
Austin was drafted No. 8 overall pick by the then-St. Louis Rams in 2013 out of West Virginia. He played five seasons with the Rams before signing with the Dallas Cowboys ahead of the 2018 season. After two seasons there, Austin spent 2020 with the Green Bay Packers and last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Bills’ current wide receiver depth chart features Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis and Jamison Crowder as starters. Rookie Khalil Shakir is listed as a backup. Austin could be a capable, experienced option to go to if any of them miss time.
In 13 games with the Jaguars in 2021, Austin caught 24 passes for 213 yards and one touchdown. One of 3the 1-year-old’s best seasons came in 2015, where he caught 52 passes for 473 yards and 5 touchdowns in 16 games.
Austin has 244 receptions for 2,239 yards and 16 touchdowns in 113 career games. He also has 199 rushes for 1,361 yards and 10 touchdowns, and has 1,483 yards and three touchdowns on 190 punt returns.
May 13, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Max Scherzer (21) pitches against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Max Scherzer’s rehab is progressing right on schedule.
Prior to Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Mets manager Buck Showalter provided an injury update on the ace.
“He’s doing fine,” Showalter said. “Who know’s what he’s doing away from the field. He’s probably had four or five sides [bullpen sessions] by now. His want-to is off the charts. From what we can tell, he’s doing well.”
Scherzer strained his oblique in a May 18 start against the St. Louis Cardinals. The initial timeline for his return was 6-8 weeks. One MLB reporter thinks that Scherzer could be back around the All-Star break.
Despite losing Scherzer, the Mets have continued to win games. Entering Thursday, the Mets had gone 10-3 since the 37-year-old went down. Their 10.5-game division lead entering Thursday was the largest in all of baseball, and is tied for the third-largest division lead entering June since divisions began in 1969.
Even with their success without him, the Mets will surely welcome Scherzer back with open arms. In eight starts, he has a 5-1 record and a 2.54 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 11 walks in 49.2 innings.
Mar 17, 2022; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Chattanooga Mocs guard Malachi Smith speaks with the media at a press conference prior to practice for the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Less than one day after Drew Timme announced his decision to return to Gonzaga, the Bulldogs landed a top transfer.
Former Chattanooga guard Malachi Smith announced his commitment to Gonzaga on Thursday in an Instagram post.
“I first want to thank GOD for always ordering my steps,” Smith wrote. “I am grateful for my time at UTC and their support. It’s time to spin back one more time…Zag Nation let’s work!”
Smith told ESPN that one of the reasons he chose Gonzaga was because he wanted to be a part of a winning culture.
He recently decided to leave the 2022 NBA Draft to explore his transfer options.
Smith led the Mocs with 19.9 points per game last season, good for the 19th-highest total in NCAA Division I basketball. He also averaged 6.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 35 games.
In the Mocs’ first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Illinois, Smith had a team-high 12 points. He also won the Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award this past season, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in NCAA Division I basketball.
With the addition of Smith, Gonzaga should have one of the deeper lineups in the sport.
Timme averaged 18.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game during the 2021-2022 season and was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year.
Along with Timme, Julian Strawther and Rasir Bolton also opted to return to Gonzaga after declaring for the draft. Strawther was tied for third on the team in points per game last season (11.8), while Bolton finished with 11.2.
Nov 30, 2019; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day before the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Name, image and likeness (NIL) deals have changed the recruiting and transfer process in college football. Players can now choose to go to a school where they feel they can make the most money through NIL deals. Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day has a price in mind to make sure his players don’t leave for other schools over NIL deals.
On Thursday, Day addressed members of the Columbus business community at a campus event to unveil an NIL Corporate Ambassador Program for the school. The program is intended to encourage businesses to hire Ohio State athletes as endorsers through the athletic department.
According to Cleveland.com, Day said the Buckeyes need around $13 million per season to avoid losing players to transfers.
“One phone call, and they’re out the door,” Day said. “We cannot let that happen at Ohio State. I’m not trying to sound the alarm, I’m just trying to be transparent about what we’re dealing with.”
Day isn’t the only prominent college football coach who has expressed concern over NIL deals.
The Buckeyes have long been able to attract the nation’s most talented recruits due to their status and winning tradition. But NIL deals have changed the playing field. Multiple Ohio State players could wind up entering the transfer portal after the season just to see what other deals are out there for them.
Ohio State would have to offer enough NIL deals to keep players. Day estimated that top quarterbacks will now require up to $2 million in NIL money. Major offensive tackles and pass rushers could be worth around half of that, he believes.
Apr 10, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (0) during warmups before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Gary Payton II went viral ahead of the NBA Finals due to his funny comment about his dating preferences.
Payton was interviewed by Guillermo from “The Jimmy Kimmel Show” on Wednesday, a day ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Guillermo is known for the wacky questions he asks athletes, and his line of questioning to Payton was no exception.
Guillermo warmed Payton up with a funny question about being able to wear shorts at his job. Then Guillermo took it up a notch with the dating question.
“Are you into Latinas?” Guillermo asked.
Payton rolled with the question and answered, “I don’t discriminate.”
Payton seemed to enjoy the exchange. He also just put himself out there to an even wider variety of women.
Payton suffered a fractured elbow on May 3 but has recovered enough to be available for the NBA Finals.
Feb 15, 2020; Chicago, Illinois, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks at a press conference during NBA All Star Saturday Night at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Adam Silver may be giving the people what they want.
Speaking on Thursday before Game 1 of the Finals, the NBA commmissioner Silver told reporters that the league could make a big change when it comes to awards voting. Silver said that the NBA has considered making the All-NBA ballot completely positionless, per basketball writer Marc Stein.
At the moment, two guards, two forwards, and one center are named to each of the three All-NBA teams. This year, that notably led to Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid finishing second in MVP voting but not qualifying for First Team All-NBA. That was because Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, who edged out Embiid for MVP, took the center spot on the First Team.
Some of the NBA’s biggest stars have expressed frustration recently over the status quo with award voting. Since the All-NBA vote has a direct impact on which players are eligible for contract perks such as the supermax, it might time for the NBA to start listening.
Feb 17, 2019; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; MLB commissioner Rob Manfred addresses representatives from the grapefruit league during the annual spring training media day at Hilton in West Palm Beach. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
One of baseball’s most recognizable stadium features is soon to be no more.
Dan Connolly of The Athletic reported on Thursday that the famous “The Sun” sign atop the center-field scoreboard in Oriole Park at Camden Yards is expected to be removed, possibly even as soon as this season. Connolly adds that the sign, a reference to the local newspaper The Baltimore Sun, could potentially be replaced by Orioles-centric advertising or leased out to an external business.
Here are some visuals of what “The Sun” sign looks like.
The sign has been a fixture at Oriole Park since it opened in 1992 and has become one of the more iconic ballpark sights in baseball. The Baltimore Sun initially paid for the space in 1992, but their agreement with the team has reportedly since expired with the Orioles not getting payment from the paper in years. You can read more about the history of the sign and the factors now leading to its likely removal in Connolly’s full article here.
The removal of “The Sun” sign would not be the only major change Oriole Park has undergone in recent months. Before the 2022 season began, the ballpark also made a controversial change to its outfield dimensions.
