Fred VanVleet, Rockets agree to push back deadline
Fred VanVleet and the Houston Rockets are pushing back a contract deadline as they hope to work something out.
The Rockets can exercise an option to keep VanVleet with the team for $44.9 million next season. The original deadline for the team to make its decision about VanVleet’s option was Friday, but the sides have pushed that back until June 29.
What’s notable is that the new deadline is after the NBA draft is scheduled to take place on June 25-26. VanVleet could be part of a draft-day trade if the Rockets were to explore such a possibility.
Houston is coming off a season in which they went 52-30 and finished second in the West. Even though they lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs in seven games, it’s hard to feel like this season wasn’t a success for the Rockets.
Their young core of Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason seems to be a winning one. They added veterans like VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to complement their young players. VanVleet certainly seems to think the Rockets are headed in the right direction.
“We’re on track,” VanVleet told reporters Sunday night. “We’re on schedule.”
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka made his opinion on VanVleet very clear on Monday.
“We’d love to have him here, and I think the feeling is mutual,” Udoka said.
“We’d love to have him here, and I think the feeling is mutual.”
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) May 5, 2025
-Ime Udoka when asked by @mshap2 about Fred VanVleet’s future.
VanVleet, 31, averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 assists and 1.6 steals per game this season. He shot 37.8 percent from the field.
Former Utah QB announces his retirement
Former Utah Utes quarterback Cameron Rising on Wednesday announced his retirement from football due to medical reasons.
Rising shared his announcement via a statement he posted on his X account. The former Utah QB said that he had been told by doctors he would never be able to return to playing football. He is set to undergo some recommended surgery.
“Due to a hand injury I suffered during the Baylor game, I’ve been advised by two orthopedic physicians that I will never be able to return to playing football,” Rising wrote. “I’ll be obtaining a 3rd medical opinion and will undergo the recommended surgery. I will continue to rehab and do all I can to get healthy. In the meantime, I will unfortunately be forced to medically retire from the game I love.”
Rising also gave some thanks to those who have helped him get to this point.
“My why has always been my family. I have always thought of my teammates as my brothers and always will. Thank you guys for always pushing me to improve and just making this game enjoyable. Thank you to the coaches for guiding me in the right direction to become a better man and football player. Coach Ludwig, thank you for turning me into a football nerd and showing me the correct way to respect the game. Lastly, thank you to all the fans and everyone that supported me throughout my career. You made all the moments special.”
Bad Moon Out. pic.twitter.com/hfn5n5WtKB
— Cameron Rising (@crising7) May 7, 2025
Rising had a lengthy college career, one that saw him deal with multiple injuries.
The 25-year-old from Newbury Park, Calif., began his college career at Texas in 2018. He redshirted that year and then transferred to Utah, where he remained from 2019-2024. Rising redshirted again in 2019, missed most of the 2020 season due to a shoulder injury, and then he was finally healthy in 2021.
Rising put together strong seasons for the Utes in 2021 and 2022. The team went 10-4 in both seasons, won the Pac-12, and then lost in the Rose Bowl. Rising suffered a torn ACL in the Rose Bowl from the 2022 season, which caused him to miss the entire 2023 season. Then in 2024, Rising suffered a leg injury against Arizona State that knocked him out for the season.
Rams to hold minicamp in unusual destination
The Rams are going far away from Los Angeles for their upcoming June minicamp.
The franchise announced Wednesday that they plan to hold an offseason minicamp in Hawaii. The four-day minicamp will take place in Maui from June 16-19, and is billed as the first time ever that an NFL team will hold such an event in the state.
Rams M̶i̶n̶i̶Mauicamp 🏝️
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) May 7, 2025
We're headed to Hawai‘i in June for Minicamp! » https://t.co/M5Ask3ZWCU pic.twitter.com/KkVYVhewMO
Wednesday’s minicamp session will be held at War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku, and will be free and open to the public. Tuesday’s session will also be accessible to fans on an invite-only basis. Rams players will also hold community events during their stay.
This is the Rams’ mandatory offseason minicamp, so all of the team’s key players will be expected to attend. The organization clearly sees this as an opportunity to build the team’s fan base in a place that usually does not have access to NFL teams or players.
The Rams have made it a bit of a habit lately to do innovative things like this. During the NFL Draft, they chose to set up their war room in a very unique location as well. With that background, it is not a huge surprise that the organization would do something unique with their minicamp location as well.
Ozzie Guillen goes off on White Sox after latest loss
Former Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen had an exasperated reaction to the team finding a new way to lose on Tuesday night.
The White Sox blew a 3-2 9th inning lead to lose to the Kansas City Royals 4-3 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. on Tuesday. The Royals took advantage of a host of White Sox errors to come back, the most notable being a routine popup that somehow bounced off second baseman Chase Meidroth’s head (video here).
Chicago’s postgame show was deflated, to say the least, over the manner of the team’s defeat. Guillen is an analyst for the program, and he was left genuinely baffled by the series of errors that led to the loss.
“This is ugly. If I was the manager of the White Sox, I’d say, ‘Hey, everybody still on the field, leave the lights on. We practice until 2 o’clock in the morning. Everybody, go back to the field. Let’s go,’” Guillen said. “There’s nothing you can do about it. You’re just like, oh my God, what is this?”
"If I was the manager of the White Sox I'd go, 'Hey, everybody stay on the field. Leave the lights on. We practice til 2 o'clock in the morning."@OzzieGuillen and @ChuckGarfien react to the Sox loss on @yuenglingbeer White Sox Postgame Live: pic.twitter.com/HwZ3SOgfLo
— White Sox on CHSN (@CHSN_WhiteSox) May 7, 2025
The White Sox are not just bad, but they consistently find new and unusual ways to lose. This is not new, which makes it even worse, as there does not appear to be any light left at the end of the tunnel for an organization that lost 121 games last season.
Tuesday’s defeat dropped Chicago to 10-26 on the year. One can hardly blame Guillen for being fed up already, but it does not look like things are going to get better anytime soon on the South Side.
Chris Finch has threatening message for Warriors
Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch has become the latest to complain about the officiating in the NBA Playoffs, but he tacked on something of a threat toward the Golden State Warriors as part of his complaint.
Finch felt the Warriors got away with a number of holds and fouls, particularly on center Rudy Gobert, during their 99-88 Game 1 win Tuesday at Target Center in Minneapolis, Mn. The Timberwolves coach said the team sent clips to the league office for review, but suggested the team might fight fire with fire going forward if officials do not crack down on what he sees as overly physical play.
“We’ll certainly try to take justice into our own hands whenever we can. I think that’s the nature of physical sport,” Finch told reporters Wednesday.
Chris Finch added that the Wolves will have to “take justice into our own hands” and push the boundaries of physical play if the officiating doesn’t clean things up pic.twitter.com/WL5XggUSu0
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 7, 2025
Presumably, there is a bit of gamesmanship going on here from Finch’s perspective. The officials will not want to let the series get out of hand. At the same time, it is quite something to hear this kind of comment after just one game.
Gobert has some infamous history with one Warriors player. That could certainly come into play during the series if the physicality continues, and in the playoffs, there is no reason to believe anyone is about to tone it down.
Diamondbacks fans have unusual way of helping pitcher with cramping issue
Arizona Diamondbacks fans are doing everything they can to assist standout pitcher Merrill Kelly with his ongoing cramping issues.
Kelly has had a long-standing issue with his right hamstring cramping up during starts, forcing him to leave early. It has happened twice this season, most recently last Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies, when he departed in the sixth inning after throwing just 60 pitches.
Kelly’s cramping is related to a hydration issue. That has led some Diamondbacks fans to start sending bottles of pickles to try to alleviate the problem. Manager Torrey Lovullo has even said the pickles are “pretty good.”
Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly, who has been plagued with hydration issues leading to leg cramps during games, has had fans sending in bottles of pickles to help. ‘I’ve had some of them,’ manager Torey Lovullo says, ‘they’re pretty good..’’
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) May 7, 2025
Kelly has dealt with this issue for years, so he is probably about ready to try anything. Still, if the solution to his problem was more pickles, he probably would have figured that out by now.
Kelly has developed into one of the Diamondbacks’ top starters over the last few years. His best year came in 2023, when he posted a 3.29 ERA and helped the team to an NL pennant.
At least Kelly can count on the support of his own fans. There is another NL fanbase that does not have as high an opinion of him.
Report: Steelers have interest in Aaron Rodgers’ ex-teammate
The Pittsburgh Steelers may reportedly replace George Pickens with one of Aaron Rodgers’ most trusted former teammates.
The Steelers have interest in trading for New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. Lazard is one of Rodgers’ favored teammates, having played together in both Green Bay and New York.
Lazard is seen as expendable by the Jets, who recently renegotiated his salary from $11 million down to $2.5 million. The Steelers are in need of a second wide receiver on the depth chart after trading Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday.
For his part, Lazard certainly seemed to take note of the Steelers’ sudden need at wide receiver, based on some posts he sent on X Wednesday.
— Allen Lazard 👑 (@AllenLazard) May 7, 2025
— Allen Lazard 👑 (@AllenLazard) May 7, 2025
Lazard has been a serviceable wide receiver throughout his NFL career, but all his best seasons have come when paired with Rodgers. His best year overall came in 2022, his final campaign with Green Bay, when he caught 60 passes for 788 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Rodgers is not officially a member of the Steelers, and it’s doubtful that his decision to join the team or not hinges on a move for Lazard. The Steelers appear very confident that Rodgers will ultimately land with them, so adding Lazard could make sense.
Fan loses Aaron Judge home run ball in great sequence
A New York Yankees fan committed a massive mistake with an Aaron Judge home run ball on Tuesday night, and he was fortunate that it was not one he had to regret.
Judge hit an opposite-field home run during the bottom of the fourth inning of the Yankees’ 12-3 win over the San Diego Padres at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. A fan who was seated in the front row of the right field stands made a nice catch to secure the souvenir and immediately began celebrating with his friends.
As the fan was jumping up and down with his buddies, the ball popped out of his glove and rolled along the top of the outfield wall. Another fan who was seated next to the group quickly snatched up the ball and put it into his pocket.
The second fan was so quick that the group of fans who were celebrating had no idea what had happened. Eventually, however, the ball was given back to the original fan who caught it.
The right thing to do 😊 pic.twitter.com/Iqxy9Nek1Z
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 7, 2025
The fan who made the catch was lucky for two reasons. The first was that the ball somehow rolled along the top of the ball and did not fall back down onto the field. The second was that the guy next to him told him what had happened rather than just keeping the Judge homer for himself.
Judge has been on a torrid pace this season and even set a remarkable record early in the year, so he is going to blast plenty more souvenirs into the stands. Maybe the Yankees fan who committed the good deed will be rewarded down the road.
New info emerges about Steph Curry’s hamstring injury timeline
Stephen Curry suffered a hamstring injury during Game 1 of the Golden State Warriors’ second-round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, and some new information has surfaced about when he might return.
Curry came up lame on a defensive possession in the second quarter of Golden State’s 99-88 win over the Timberwolves at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. He tried to remain in the game but ultimately had to ask for a sub and did not return. You can see the video of the play here.
The Warriors then quickly ruled Curry out with a left hamstring strain.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Curry has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. The 37-year-old is expected to be sidelined for at least one week.
The Warriors expect Stephen Curry to miss at least one week with the Grade 1 left hamstring strain, sources tell ESPN. An exact return will be based on how their All-NBA guard responds to rehab with his first muscle strain. https://t.co/PWhFWz2sEQ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 7, 2025
If Curry misses a week, he will be out through at least Game 4 of the series against Minnesota.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr indicated after Tuesday’s game that the team did not expect Curry to be available for Game 2, which was a bad sign.
Curry had 13 points on 5/9 shooting in just 13 minutes prior to suffering the injury. The Warriors held on to win in part because the Timberwolves set a brutal NBA record, but things will likely get tougher for Golden State going forward while Curry is on the bench.
College football team ineligible for bowl games due to embarrassing reason
Akron football fans were hoping to see their team in a bowl game next season, but that is not going to be possible until players can get their grades up.
The Akron Zips football team will not be bowl eligible in 2025 due to their Academic Progress Rate (APR) score for 2023-24. The team’s players posted a multi-year APR score of 914, which is below the 930 threshold for postseason eligibility.
Akron had already faced a reduction in practice last season as part of a Level One penalty when the APR fell to 925, but the score has since dropped further.
The Zips will be the first FBS team since Idaho in 2014 to become bowl ineligible for academic reasons.
Akron Football's multi-year Academic Progress Rate has fallen to 914, and is eliminated from bowl eligibility before the season even starts. They are the first FBS team to become ineligible for a bowl due to academic reasons since 2014 Idaho. pic.twitter.com/gGrpDIwmpV
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) May 6, 2025
The NCAA suspended certain APR eligibility requirements during the pandemic but reinstated them last year. Schools are graded based on the academic performance of student-athletes over a four-year period.
Akron is the only FBS school this year to receive a bowl ban due to their APR score. Two other Division I teams — FCS schools Mississippi Valley State and UAPB — will also be ineligible for the postseason.
Akron went 4-8 last season in Joe Moorhead’s third year as head coach. That was the Zips’ best season since 2017, which was also the year of their last bowl appearance.
Even if Moorhead can finally turn things around at Akron this upcoming season, the Zips will not be capping off their season with a bowl game.
Tom Brady shares his message to Shedeur Sanders over NFL Draft slide
Tom Brady is the single best example of draft position not mattering for an NFL player, and the legendary quarterback says he has tried to remind Shedeur Sanders of that.
Sanders experienced the most stunning slide in NFL Draft history last month when he fell all the way to the fifth round before being taken by the Cleveland Browns. Brady was asked about that during an appearance on the latest episode of the “Impaulsive” podcast, which was released on Tuesday.
Brady, who is now a part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, was quick to point out that he was not part of “any evaluation process” for Sanders as a player. He did, however, say that he sent the former Colorado quarterback a text message after the draft.
“I actually texted Shedeur because I know him very well,” Brady said. “I said, ‘Dude, whatever happens, wherever you go, that’s your first day.’ Day two matters more than the draft. I was No. 199, so who could speak on it better than me, what that really means? Use it as motivation. You’re gonna get your chances. Go take advantage of it.”
Tom Brady shares his thoughts on Shedeur Sanders dropping in the NFL draft.
— The Art Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) May 6, 2025
pic.twitter.com/lv04ia8B07
Brady went from being the 199th overall pick in the draft to winning seven Super Bowls and becoming the greatest player of all time. The big difference is that there was virtually no hype surrounding Brady when he came out of Michigan, whereas Sanders was already a star before the NFL Draft.
There have been a number of unflattering reports that explain why Sanders fell to the fifth round. Brady was simply overlooked, while Sanders rubbed many teams the wrong way. That is another big difference between the two.
Still, Brady used the fact that so many teams passed on him as motivation, and it fueled him throughout his entire career. Sanders needs to do the same if he wants to succeed in the NFL. He would also be wise to ignore things like his jersey number as he tries to prove that every team other than the Browns made a massive mistake.
Jaguars cut big free-agent signing after just 1 season
The Jacksonville Jaguars made some big splashes in free agency last offseason, but they have already moved on from one of those players.
Veteran wide receiver Gabe Davis was released by the Jaguars on Wednesday. The move comes roughly a year after Davis signed a 3-year, $39 million contract with the team.
Davis was unable to carve out a significant role in Jacksonville’s offense last season. He caught just 20 passes for 239 yards and 2 touchdowns despite playing in 10 games.
Brian Thomas Jr. had a breakout rookie season with the Jaguars last year, hauling in 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. Jacksonville then traded up to No. 2 overall in the NFL Draft last month to select Travis Hunter, which made Davis more expendable.
Prior to signing with the Jaguars, Davis was a big-play threat for four seasons with the Buffalo Bills. The former fourth-round pick caught 45 passes for 746 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2023. Davis has averaged an impressive 16.2 yards per reception for his career, and that number took a hit last season.
The 26-year-old Davis should land with another team fairly quickly, as he is still a solid red-zone target who has 29 touchdown catches across five seasons.
Tyrese Haliburton had message for Cavs fans after winning shot
Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton had a message for Cleveland Cavaliers fans after he hit the winning shot in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals playoff series between the two teams on Tuesday night.
The Pacers took a 2-0 series lead after they beat the Cavs 120-119 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers had a 119-116 lead when Haliburton drew a foul with 12.1 seconds left. Haliburton made the first free throw and missed the second, but he got his own rebound.
Haliburton then hit a step-back three-pointer to win the game for Indiana. You can see the video here.
Earlier in the night, Cavs fans had loudly chanted “overrated” at Haliburton when he was at the free throw line. That was an obvious reference to Haliburton being voted the most overrated player in the NBA earlier this season in a poll of his fellow players.
Haliburton was asked about those chants after the game. He said he is sure he is going to hear plenty more like them on the road and ended his response with “overrate that.”
“Sure, yeah. That one was unexpected. I didn’t know we had beef, but good for them,” Haliburton said of Cavs fans. “That came out of nowhere, but I think just now that that label’s there that’s what it’s gonna be every time we play somebody. Every time on the road it’ll probably follow me until the next poll comes out and we’ll see if I’m No. 1 again. But, for me, I just control what I can and, yeah, overrate that.”
“Overrate that” 🗣️
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 7, 2025
Hali had a message for Cavs fans chanting “overrated” at him 👀 pic.twitter.com/AyN3Fx5nhK
Haliburton is a two-time All-Star, and many Pacers figures were annoyed by him being named the most overrated player in the league. Even Donovan Mitchell tried to stop Cavaliers fans from antagonizing Haliburton on Tuesday night.
In the end, Haliburton did not look the least bit overrated. He is the reason the Pacers have a comfortable 2-0 lead rather than the series being tied.
Anthony Edwards had incredible reaction to brutal Timberwolves stat
The Minnesota Timberwolves have struggled with their shooting over the past two games, and even Anthony Edwards was downright stunned to hear just how bad his team has been from three-point range during that stretch.
The Golden State Warriors beat the Timberwolves 99-88 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals series between the two teams at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Tuesday night. The T-Wolves hit only 5-of-29 three-pointers in the game.
That was the second consecutive game where Minnesota was dreadful from three-point range, as they shot just 7-of-47 from beyond the arc in their series-clinching win over the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs.
After Tuesday’s game, a reporter informed Edwards that the Timberwolves’ three-point shooting over the past two games was the worst for a team in NBA playoff history across a two-game stretch. Edwards’ jaw literally dropped.
Ant was HORRIFIED when he heard this T-Wolves stat 😭 pic.twitter.com/DS2PPpG39N
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 7, 2025
Like many of his teammates, Edwards has not shot the ball well over the past two games. He was a miserable 0-for-11 on three-point attempts in Game 5 against the Lakers and then 1-for-5 on Tuesday night. The Timberwolves got away with it against L.A., but they need to start hitting some of those shots if they want to knock off the Warriors.
Edwards even got the meme treatment because he shot the ball so poorly in Game 1 against Golden State, so he knows he needs to improve. It does not seem like he knew the Timberwolves set such an embarrassing record, however.
CeeDee Lamb seemingly reacts to Cowboys trading for George Pickens
George Pickens was traded to the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday, and it appears CeeDee Lamb may have known the deal was coming before the rest of us.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to trade Pickens to Dallas in exchange for a third-round draft pick and late-round pick swaps, according to multiple reports. Rumors surfaced late Tuesday night that the trade was in the works, and Lamb may have had advanced notice.
Just before 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Lamb posted what appeared to be a random GIF from “The Simpsons” on X.
— CeeDee Lamb (@_CeeDeeThree) May 7, 2025
In hindsight, the Ralph Wiggum post was probably Lamb’s way of greeting his new teammate and fellow star wide receiver.
The Cowboys have been lacking a true No. 2 wide receiver, and they are hoping Pickens will fill that role for them. His presence should also open things up more for Lamb rather than taking targets away. If the Dallas passing offense is better as a whole, Lamb will benefit.
Lamb signed a 4-year, $136 million extension with the Cowboys prior to last season, so he has no reason to view Pickens as a threat. Pickens is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and Dallas may decide to pay both wide receivers if all goes well this season.
George Pickens gets traded to NFC team
The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving on from star wide receiver George Pickens.
The Steelers on Monday agreed to trade Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for draft picks, according to multiple reports.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media says there will be a third-round pick going to Pittsburgh and a late-round pick swap between the Steelers and Cowboys.
The #Cowboys and #Steelers have a deal in place on a trade of George Pickens and it’s expected to be centered around a third-rounder and a late-round pick swap.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 7, 2025
Pickens is headed to Dallas. https://t.co/3rwQkmJROv
Pickens had been mentioned as a potential trade candidate since the Steelers acquired D.K. Metcalf from the Seattle Seahawks earlier this offseason. Metcalf signed a 5-year, $150 million extension as part of that trade. Pickens is entering the final year of his contract, and many were skeptical that Pittsburgh would be willing to pay both receivers.
Pickens has struggled to find consistently over the first three years of his career but still finished with 59 catches for 900 yards and 3 touchdowns last season. He had 1,140 yards and 5 touchdowns on 63 receptions the year before.
There have been reports that Pickens does not always follow team rules, which has been an issue for him. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin openly called out Pickens last season over some of the wide receiver’s behavior, which had further fueled speculation that the former Georgia star might be dealt.
The Cowboys had a major need for a No. 2 wide receiver behind CeeDee Lamb, and they did not select a player at the position in the draft. As long as Pickens can avoid some of the antics we saw from him in Pittsburgh, he should play a huge role in Brian Schottenheimer’s offense.
Paul Pierce calls out NBA analyst for questionable take on Jayson Tatum
Paul Pierce on Tuesday stuck up for fellow Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum.
Pierce and the rest of FS1’s “Speak” panel were discussing the Celtics’ Game 1 West semifinals loss to the New York Knicks. Tatum tied Jaylen Brown with a team-high 23 points in the 108-105 overtime defeat. But he went 1/9 combined in the fourth quarter and OT.
NBA analyst Ric Bucher criticized Tatum’s poor performance, even going so far as to question the Celtics star’s dependability as a go-to scorer when the stakes are elevated.
“I don’t see him as a pure scorer,” said Bucher. “I think he can score. I think what he does is he looks what the Celtics are doing and he can contribute in a multitude of ways. … But if I’m trusting him to be my go-to scorer, that scares me.”
.@RicBucher: Jayson Tatum isn't a pure scorer. pic.twitter.com/vLJwdKCy5I
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) May 6, 2025
Pierce pushed back a little during the show, but later clowned Bucher in a post on social media.
“This guy doesn’t know ball lol,” wrote Pierce in reference to Bucher.
This guy doesn’t know Ball lol https://t.co/4gOUNZIUmC
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) May 7, 2025
Tatum has averaged at least 26 points per game in each of the last five seasons. He was also the Celtics’ leading postseason scorer during their 2024 NBA Championship run. The man has shown his ability to score both during the regular season and on the grandest stage.
Tatum was not the only player who underperformed in Game 1 against the Knicks. The entire Celtics team shot so poorly that they set an ignominious playoff record in the loss.
Warriors provide troubling first injury update on Steph Curry
The Golden State Warriors may need to power through without Steph Curry for at least one game.
Curry hurt his hamstring in the first half of the second-round series opener between the Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. The Golden State star looked hobbled as he walked up the floor during a possession three minutes into the second quarter.
The two-time MVP fought through the pain to score a floater at the 8:48 mark before immediately requesting to be subbed out of the contest. Curry did not return and was later ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said Curry was “day-to-day” and that the point guard was “crushed” that he was unable to return to the floor in Game 1. Kerr confirmed that Golden State is operating under the assumption that Curry will not be available for Thursday’s Game 2.
“We’re definitely game-planning for him to not be available on Thursday,” said Kerr. “We don’t know yet, but with the hamstring, it’s hard to imagine that he would play Thursday.”
Curry left the game with 13 points on 5/9 shooting across 13 minutes. He walked out of Target Center with a noticeable limp.
Despite missing Curry, the Warriors held on for a 99-88 win over the Timberwolves as the home team went ice-cold from three-point range. Minnesota made just five of their 29 attempts (17.2%) from distance.
Tyrese Haliburton did banned celebration after his Game 2 game-winner
Tyrese Haliburton should expect a fine from the NBA soon. But the Indiana Pacers star sounds more than willing to pay it after his postseason heroics on Tuesday.
Haliburton sank the game-winning three-pointer to steal a Game 2 win for the Pacers in their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The All-Star guard secured the rebound on his own missed free throw, stepped outside the arc, and drained the go-ahead triple with a hand in his face (video here).
After the big shot, Haliburton walked toward the center circle and did the infamous “Big Balls” dance as the crowd stayed silent at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
Tyrese Haliburton with the big balls celly pic.twitter.com/k7jSTyUryK
— Caleb Williams Fan Club (@CalebFC18) May 7, 2025
The obscene celebration made famous by three-time NBA champion Sam Cassell has been banned by the NBA for over a decade. Players who use it typically receive a fine upwards of $15,000.
Based on a quote from his postgame press conference, Haliburton has no regrets about breaking the NBA rule.
“I’ve been waiting for that,” Haliburton said when asked about the celebration. “I was waiting for that, man. It was just right in the moment. … I’ll take that fine, gladly.”
Haliburton finished with a relatively meager stat line of 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. He was completely outplayed by Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, who carried his team with 48 points.
But for the second time this postseason, Haliburton outshined an opposing star in crunch time.
White Sox lose game after comical 9th-inning blooper
The Chicago White Sox continue to be the masters of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Chicago on Tuesday lost to the Kansas City Royals for their 26th defeat of the year. During the bottom of the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., the White Sox had a 3-2 lead. Royals pinch-hitter Mark Canha earned a leadoff walk, and teammate Drew Waters followed that up with an easy pop-fly hit to the right side of the infield.
Unfortunately, it was far from easy for White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth. After managing to get under the ball, Meidroth failed spectacularly to make the catch, and the ball ended up glancing off his glove and hitting him right on the top of the head instead. Canha was then able to advance to second base after a throw by White Sox right fielder Michael Taylor, who retrieved the errant ball, sailed high.
Here is the video.
It was all downhill from there for the White Sox. Royals catcher Freddy Fermin would then produce a bunt single off a sacrifice attempt, Jonathan India followed two batters later with an infield single of his own to tie the game, and Bobby Witt Jr. finally won it for Kansas City with a walkoff base hit.
Meidroth, a 23-year-old rookie who was just called up last month, certainly picked a bad time to pull a Jose Canseco. He did not even have the infield fly rule to save him since there was only one runner on base at the time.
The White Sox are once again in the cellar of the AL Central this season at 10-26 (.278). While that is at least marginally better than their historically awful 2024 season in which they went 41-121 (.253), Chicago stays inventing bizarre new ways to lose games.
