2-time Super Bowl champion wants to make NFL comeback
A two-time Super Bowl champion is hoping to make an NFL comeback in 2025 after he was unable to find work last season.
Veteran pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul told TMZ on Monday that he is searching for another team to give him a shot. The 36-year-old said he has been working out and is in excellent shape.
“I still got it. Whoever gives me that opportunity, they will see. Last year I didn’t get a chance to play. It was disappointing, but like I say this is a business,” Pierre-Paul said. “When people feel like they don’t need you, you gotta show them.
“I’m in the gym 24/7 with my trainer, Mike, and I feel good. I feel like the young 24 (years old) me. I can’t say 21. I’m down to 270 pounds. I got abs. I haven’t had abs since my rookie year. That’s just all the work I’m putting in and what I’m striving to get. Anybody that gives me that opportunity, I’m ready to go and I’m ready to rock right now. They’ll be like, ‘Yo, why wasn’t he playing last year?’ And that’s what I want them to say.”
Pierre-Paul has not played a full season since he was with the Baltimore Ravens in 2022, when he had 26 total tackles, 3 sacks and an interception in 14 games. He was with both the New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins for brief periods in 2023.
The majority of Pierre-Paul’s career was spent with the New York Giants, who drafted him in the first round in 2010. Pierre-Paul played for the Giants for eight seasons and was then equally productive with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three after that. He made the Pro Bowl twice with New York and once with the Bucs.
Pierre-Paul has 94 sacks in his career, but he is nowhere near the player he used to be. Even if a team gives him a closer look, he will face a steep uphill climb to make a roster when the 2025 season begins.
Ex-Miami football player arrested on murder charge
A former University of Miami football player was arrested on Monday in connection with a fatal shooting that took place over the weekend in Florida.
A 32-year-old man named Keshod Harris was shot multiple times early Saturday morning at an establishment called McCabe’s Bar in DeLand, Fla., according to authorities. The DeLand Police Department said Harris was shot six times in the chest and transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Investigators later identified 24-year-old Avantae Williams, a former Miami and Maryland football player, as a suspect in the shooting. Williams was arrested on Monday and charged with second-degree murder. He was still being held in the Volusia County Jail as of Tuesday.
At least one other person was also injured in the shooting. Police say an employee at a liquor store connected to the bar was shot in both hands while trying to break up the altercation. The person suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Roughly 40 people were at McCabe’s at the time of the shooting. The motive in the shooting has not yet been revealed, as authorities say the investigation remains active. Witnesses said a fight broke out and quickly escalated into gunfire, which sent patrons fleeing for safety.
Williams, a 4-star recruit, was rated by Rivals as one of the top defensive backs in the country when he came out of high school in 2020. He was the top-rated safety in the state of Florida and No. 5-ranked player overall.
Williams played at Miami for two seasons before transferring to Maryland in 2023. He finished his collegiate career with 24 total tackles and an interception in 22 games.
The arrest was not the first for Williams, as he was also charged with multiple counts of aggravated battery in 2021 after he allegedly assaulted a pregnant woman.
Michael Strahan, Eli Manning could enter into unexpected competition
Michael Strahan and Eli Manning banded together to pull off one of the greatest upsets in NFL history during their playing career, but it sounds like the two former New York Giants stars are now on opposite teams.
Strahan is planning to team up with billionaire Marc Lasry to submit a bid for a minority stake in the Giants, according to a report from Sportico. Giants owners John Mara and Steve Tisch are aiming to sell roughly 10% of the team, and Strahan has interest in becoming part of the ownership group.
So does Manning.
Last week, Bloomberg reported that Manning wants to submit a bid to become a part-owner of the Giants and has spoken with individual investors, including some former NFL players. The two-time Super Bowl champion quarterback is said to have had “preliminary conversations” about joining Strahan’s investment group, but it sounds like Manning and Strahan could instead wind up competing to submit the winning bid.
Manning and Strahan were teammates on the 2007 Giants team that spoiled the New England Patriots’ perfect season.
The Giants are estimated to be worth around $8 billion, which means a 10% stake would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $800 million. We know of at least one other high-profile sports figure who also wants to get involved.
While both Manning and Strahan are very wealthy, neither has the type of money it would take to come up with an $800 million bid unless they attached themselves to other investors. As of now, they do not seem to have interest in linking up with each other, though that could change at some point.
Fans called out Thunder’s questionable last-minute strategy that backfired in Game 1
The Oklahoma City Thunder let Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series slip away. Fans and media members blamed OKC’s questionable late-game strategy for the crunch-time collapse.
A pair of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander free throws had the Thunder up 117-114 over the Denver Nuggets with 13.2 seconds left at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. Instead of forcing the Nuggets to burn some clock, the Thunder intentionally fouled Nikola Jokic coming out of a Denver timeout. The Joker sank both free throws.
On the Thunder’s ensuing possession, Gilgeous-Alexander broke free for an uncontested dunk to bring the lead back to three. OKC then opted to intentionally foul once again as Aaron Gordon stepped up to make two clutch foul shots. The entire sequence burned just 3.1 seconds off the clock.
When it was Chet Holmgren’s turn to shoot free throws, the 23-year-old center clanked both of them off the rim. Gordon made the Thunder pay with a game-winning three-pointer in transition, completely silencing the OKC crowd (video here).
Several fans and reporters criticized the Thunder for their extreme implementation of their intentional foul strategy when up three. Many noted that OKC fouled too quickly, which left plenty of time on the clock for Gordon’s game-winner.
Why did OKC foul while being up by 3 so early?? The coach put just as much pressure on his own players to hit FTs as the other team. What a colossal failure by the Thunder to lose this game in such a comical manner.
— Jim Park🏀🌌 (@Sheridanblog) May 6, 2025
Absolutely deserved loss by the Thunder.
— Cameron Richardson (@therichreport) May 6, 2025
So dumb to intentionally foul and allow no clock to run down. Playing the foul game in the playoffs doesn’t work when you are up.
That’s what the Thunder get for continuing to foul while winning in the last minute. If they don’t keep purposely fouling the worst that could’ve happened could’ve been overtime. But they chose a dumb strategy and missed their free throws and lost on a game winning shot🤷🏾♂️
— BB_Vaughn1 (@BBVaughn1) May 6, 2025
Denver trailed in Game 1 from the start of the second quarter up to the last few seconds of the final period. The Nuggets only led for all of 3.1 seconds in the second half, but their lead came when it mattered most.
The Thunder had the best defensive rating in the NBA by a wide margin, both in the regular season and through the first round of the playoffs. With several defensive demons in their lineup, there’s no team in the league more equipped to get a stop to win a game.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault may need to rethink his late-game strategy if his team faces a similar situation later in the postseason.
Aaron Gordon stuns Thunder in Game 1 with unbelievable game-winner
Aaron Gordon came to the rescue again when the Denver Nuggets needed him most.
The Oklahoma City Thunder looked poised to win Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series Monday against the Nuggets at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. That was the case until Gordon sank a go-ahead three-pointer with 2.8 seconds left to complete an insane last-minute Denver comeback.
Thunder swingman Jalen Williams missed a desperation heave as time expired. The Nuggets won 121-119.
AARON GORDON 3 FOR THE WIN!!!@nuggets take Game 1 in a THRILLER 🤯 pic.twitter.com/fxV2ReRPZA
— NBA (@NBA) May 6, 2025
The top-seeded Thunder were firmly in control midway through the fourth quarter. A Chet Holmgren layup put the home team up 108-95 with 6:39 to play in the contest.
The Nuggets rallied to get the game within one, 119-118, with 11 seconds left on the clock. Denver intentionally fouled Holmgren, sending the 75.4% free throw shooter to the line. The Thunder big man missed both free throws. That set the stage for Gordon’s three-point heroics.
Gordon finished with 22 points, 14 rebounds, and his second heart-stopping game-winner of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Russell Westbrook’s storybook welcome from Thunder crowd goes viral
Oklahoma City Thunder fans have not forgotten Russell Westbrook’s place in their franchise’s brief history.
The former NBA MVP played over 800 games across 11 seasons in a Thunder uniform. On Monday, Westbrook returned to Paycom Center in Oklahoma City as a playoff adversary for the first time.
The Thunder and Westbrook’s Denver Nuggets squared off for Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series. Russ, who has primarily come off the bench in his first season with the Nuggets, checked into the contest for the first time at the 5:17 mark of the first quarter.
The home crowd began to applaud once they saw Westbrook make his way to the floor. The cheers quickly turned into a full-on standing ovation for the nine-time All-Star. It was a moment that felt straight out of an uplifting sports movie.
Russell Westbrook receives a standing ovation in OKC 🔥
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 6, 2025
(🎥 @RyanGreeneDNVR )
pic.twitter.com/AK4CKQnUrr
Monday’s Game 1 was far from the first time Westbrook returned as an opposing player. The Nuggets guard’s appearance marked his ninth time facing off against the Thunder as a visiting player. But the love for Westbrook remains strong six years after leaving the franchise that drafted him.
Westbrook has had a tumultuous journey since he departed OKC. Despite some erratic moments from Russ this season, Nuggets fans have mostly welcomed him with open arms.
Celtics set unwanted playoff record in Game 1 meltdown vs. Knicks
The Boston Celtics’ shooting woes reached historic depths Monday in their second-round opener against the New York Knicks.
A Derrick White three gave the Celtics a 75-55 lead over the Knicks midway through the third quarter of Game 1 at TD Garden in Boston, Mass. It was all downhill from there for the home team.
The Celtics shot a frigid 5/25 from beyond the arc for the rest of regulation, which allowed the Knicks to force overtime. New York completed the comeback to win 108-105.
The Celtics missed 45 total three-point attempts in Game 1 — the most in NBA playoff history.
The Celtics missed 45 threes tonight.
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 6, 2025
The most ever in a playoff game. pic.twitter.com/xOwBcvsDBR
No team has embodied the phrase “live by the three, die by the three” more than the Celtics over the last couple of seasons.
Boston led the NBA in three-point attempts per game this season (48.2) by a massive margin. The gap between the Celtics and the second-placed Golden State Warriors (42.4) was just as wide as the one that separated the Warriors and the 18th-ranked Milwaukee Bucks (36.6).
When the Celtics have their outside shot falling, they’re borderline unbeatable, as evidenced by their dominant championship run in 2024. But things get ugly when the long-range shots start coming up short just like they did in Monday’s Game 1 against the Knicks.
The trio of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White combined to shoot 10/41 from distance in the overtime loss.
Gregg Popovich has great quote about Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili getting ‘payback’ on him
Gregg Popovich hilariously accused his former San Antonio Spurs stars of having ulterior motives while assisting him with his rehab.
Popovich recently stepped down from his position as the Spurs’ head coach after 29 seasons due to medical reasons. He announced the news last week along with his plan to transition to a leadership role in the Spurs’ front office.
The 76-year-old was present Monday as the Spurs officially introduced Mitch Johnson as Coach Pop’s replacement. Popovich shared the news with his former players, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, by his side. The Hall of Famer tandem had to assist Popovich to the podium.
Popovich revealed that Duncan and Ginobili have been present for “all” of his rehab workouts. Instead of expressing gratitude, Popovich humorously accused them of acting out of revenge.
“Timmy and Manu, who have been here for all of my workouts here at The Rock,” Popovich said. “They say it’s because they love me and want to be there in case I fall— I call it payback, cause they give the rehab people new ideas of things to do to me. You’re not fooling anybody, especially you Timmy.”
Last month, Popovich had a medical emergency while dining at a restaurant. The health scare happened just months after the veteran coach suffered a stroke and was forced to leave the team early in the regular season.
But despite his health issues, Popovich clearly still has enough energy to crack a few jokes. Coach Pop even gave himself a new nickname to go along with his new role in the Spurs’ front office.
Fans had jokes about Colin Kaepernick’s surprise Met Gala appearance
Fans could not help but poke fun at former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick over his appearance at the 2025 Met Gala.
Kaepernick showed up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art wearing a burgundy plaid suit designed by Ozwald Boateng. The outfit included a cape for some added flair. Kaepernick arrived at the red carpet event alongside his girlfriend, Nessa Diab.
Online onlookers had a myriad of reactions to Kaepernick’s appearance at the star-studded gathering. Some threw some playful jabs at his look, likening him to a character from the “Harry Potter” series.
Looks like he's the new defense against the dark arts professor at Hogwarts
— NBA Hoops Online (@NBABoards) May 5, 2025
Looks like they go to hogwarts
— NBA Hoops Online (@NBABoards) May 6, 2025
Looks like a wizard. Or Seth Rollins from an alternate reality.
— Joe Malan (@OKJoe09) May 6, 2025
Others compared him to a high school outcast who still showed up on prom night.
When you did nothing all year but show up to prom
— Unstablesportz (@Unstablesportz) May 5, 2025
A few fans wondered why he was invited to the Met Gala at all despite being nearly a decade removed from his last NFL action.
He hasnt worked in 8.5 years
— Official Ohio State DG (@DylanEveryday) May 6, 2025
How does he keep getting invited
The Nevada alum has not played in the NFL since Week 17 of the 2016 season. The former San Francisco 49ers QB has made several attempts at a comeback, but has yet to sign with a new team.
Kaepernick was not the only football player to get clowned for his Met Gala appearance. Fans also gave Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson the meme treatment over the gaudy outfit he wore to the event.
Justin Jefferson gets meme treatment for oversized outfit at Met Gala
Justin Jefferson certainly made his presence felt at this year’s Met Gala.
The Minnesota Vikings star wide receiver Jefferson was in attendance at Monday’s star-studded annual event at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, N.Y. Jefferson walked the red carpet, showing up in an oversized gray jacket with a matching shirt and black tie. Take a look at the video below.
The former NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jefferson certainly looked plenty offensive there. That was like some sort of cross between Jerry Seinfeld’s puffy shirt and 1970s Art Garfunkel (with some 2003 NBA Draft mixed in).
Naturally, the good folks online had some strong opinions about Jefferson’s outfit. Here were some of the best memes about Jefferson (featuring every comparison from Inspector Gadget to the lead singer of Talking Heads).
The theme of this year’s Met Gala was “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” After receiving a tribute over the weekend from the winning driver at the Miami Grand Prix, Jefferson was clearly feeling himself with that outfit. The four-time Pro Bowler Jefferson is also generally known for his bold sense of fashion and showed up in an attention-grabbing outfit to an NBA playoff game last year (featuring his local Minnesota Timberwolves).
Incidentally, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Jefferson’s former teammate in college at LSU, was in attendance at Monday’s Met Gala as well. Burrow did not quite end up pulling a Jefferson and instead showed up in a much more reserved outfit (which was fairly uncharacteristic for Burrow).
Interesting theory emerges about Jackson Holliday’s recent hitting surge
Jackson Holliday may have his old man to thank for his recent run of hot hitting.
The Baltimore Orioles infielder Holliday continued his rampage at the plate on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs (albeit in an 11-6 loss to the Kansas City Royals). He is now hitting .407 over his last 10 games, improving his season-long batting average by nearly 60 points to .273.
A fairly interesting theory has since emerged about Holliday’s recent surge. The Orioles television broadcast noted during a game on Apr. 23 that Matt Holliday, Jackson’s father, had spoken to him about something that he had recently noticed in Jackson’s swing.
Apr. 23 was the exact date that Jackson’s scorching 10-game run at the plate officially began. Here are the updated statistics (through Sunday’s game) of Jackson’s hitting numbers ever since then.
The elder Holliday, now 45 years old, certainly knows his stuff when it comes to hitting. Matt played in Major League Baseball himself from 2004-18, making seven All-Star teams and winning a World Series title with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. Performance at the plate was also a particular area of expertise for Matt, who was a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner, the NL batting champion in 2007, and a career .299 hitter.
As for Jackson, 21, he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft but still has room to grow after hitting .189 as a rookie last year. Matt has been coaching up Jackson from a very young age, and that still continues now that Jackson is an MLB sophomore with the Orioles.
Joe Burrow changed it up completely at MetGala
Joe Burrow attended the MetGala in New York City on Monday night, but his approach was completely different from what it’s been in the past.
Burrow wore an understated outfit that featured a gray suit jacket and unbuttoned white shirt underneath. About as edgy as he got was not wearing a tie and having some sunglasses on.
Joe Burrow at the #MetGala pic.twitter.com/AzHz1nUL9G
— Variety (@Variety) May 5, 2025
That’s a very tame outfit for Burrow compared to what he’s worn at previous fashion events. Last year at the Vogue World event in Paris, he wore a ridiculous outfit. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback also got the meme treatment for the funny outfit he wore on “Monday Night Football” in December.
Burrow, 28, just completed his fifth NFL season. He was the No. 1 overall pick by the Bengals out of LSU in 2020. Last season, he passed for 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns while leading Cincinnati to a 9-8 record.
Fans react to Arizona Diamondbacks’ new City Connect jerseys
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ new City Connect jerseys have been released, and the results are positive. Fans seem to love the jerseys.
The Diamondbacks’ City Connect jerseys say “Serpientes” on them and have a snake twisted in the shape of an “S” on their hats. While the hat and jersey are purple, the belt and trim are all teal. The pants are white too.
Somos Serpientes pic.twitter.com/Blwl86V7bi
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 5, 2025
The fan reactions were mostly positive.
I don't care for the Diamondbacks but they've had the best City Uniforms these are sweet
— Jordan Brown (@Jbrown50) May 5, 2025
These are almost perfect. What is up with these last couple doing a different color on the sleeves. Makes them so much less cool to me. The rest is sick tho
— Mason (@MDB2715) May 5, 2025
These are fire
— Isaiah (@IsaiahB831) May 5, 2025
The City Connect jerseys are alternative jerseys and hats worn by teams. The concept was introduced in 2021 after Nike took over making the jerseys and uniforms for MLB teams. This is the second City Connect jersey for the Diamondbacks, and this version seems to be a hit. Here is a comparison with their previous City Connect jerseys.
Comparing new and old Diamondbacks City Connect unis. pic.twitter.com/4O2lQQPp4E
— NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) May 5, 2025
The Yankees, which do not use alternative uniforms, and the A’s, which are in the process of moving cities, are the only teams that do not have City Connect jerseys.
Timberwolves announcer takes shot at Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler figures to be a big storyline in the Western Conference semifinal series between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. Based on a comment from one of the Timberwolves’ broadcasters, the organization is very much looking forward to seeing Butler return to Minnesota.
Butler infamously forced his way out of Minnesota after little more than one season with the team, and has been hugely unpopular with Timberwolves fans since. Adding to the storyline is the fact that, for various reasons, Butler has not played a game in Minnesota since Nov. 24, 2021. That has led Timberwolves fans to accuse Butler of ducking those games.
Timberwolves radio play-by-play voice Alan Horton added some fuel to the fire on Sunday after Butler’s Golden State Warriors beat the Houston Rockets in Game 7 to set up a meeting with the Timberwolves. Horton noted it has been over 1,200 days since Butler played a game at Target Center in Minneapolis — “assuming he plays Tuesday.”
Assuming he plays Tuesday…
— Alan Horton (@WolvesRadio) May 5, 2025
It's been 1,259 days since Jimmy Butler last played a game at Target Center. pic.twitter.com/quz9RXU0GT
Butler did play several games in Minnesota after the trade, but before 2021. Timberwolves fans have never let up on him in those games. They probably will not do so during this upcoming series, either.
Butler is the sort of player who raises his game to another level when it matters most, even if he has downplayed that in the past. Timberwolves fans might want to be careful what they wish for if he rises to the occasion again.
Tom Thibodeau takes brutal swipe at Celtics fan favorite
New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is raising the stakes for his team’s Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Boston Celtics.
Thibodeau had a great deal of praise for the Celtics organization in his press conference Monday ahead of Monday’s series opener at TD Garden in Boston. He did say, however, that the franchise has one shortcoming: Brian Scalabrine.
“The only hole in the franchise is Scalabrine,” Thibodeau said.
Tom Thibodeau raved about the Celtics organization and his time with the team then finished with this joke.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) May 5, 2025
“The only hole in the franchise is Scalabrine.”
This is a joke from Thibodeau, though Scalabrine probably was not expecting to catch strays here. Scalabrine is a fan favorite among Celtics supporters, having spent five years with the team as a popular depth piece. He currently serves as an analyst for Celtics broadcasts.
Scalabrine will take this one in stride. It is not the first time he’s been called out, and it likely won’t be the last.
The Celtics are favorites for the series against the Knicks as they look to win a second straight title. The Knicks, meanwhile, might actually enjoy being the underdog tasked with playfully calling out the opposition after some of the comments they were on the other end of in their series against the Detroit Pistons.
Tyrese Haliburton’s father also had incident with fan during playoff series
Giannis Antetokounmpo apparently was not the only one who got into it with John Haliburton during the first-round playoff series between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers.
Making a radio appearance Monday on ESPN Milwaukee, Craig Karmazin, the CEO of Good Karma Brands who is also a part-owner of the Bucks, revealed that John Haliburton, the father of Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, had an incident with a fan in Game 3 of the series. That game, which the Bucks won 117-101, was held at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisc., and the incident resulted in Karmazin having to step in to separate John from the fan.
“Tyrese’s dad, he was getting into a fight after Game 3 with a fan,” said Karmazin, per Awful Announcing. “I got in between it. One of our fans was being pretty obnoxious and talking smack to him. He was talking smack, saying, ‘You may beat us in Game 4, but I guarantee you won’t win a game in Indiana, so we’re gonna win this series.’ There were expletives going back and forth between [him and the] fan.
“I was kind of worried about where it was gonna go and about him posting something on social media that the fans were harassing him or any of that,” Karmazin added of John. “So I kind of grabbed him by the shoulders from behind … And I was just there trying to defuse the whole situation, but I clearly was not able to defuse him. It didn’t carry over long-term.”
Milwaukee won Game 3 to pull to within 2-1 in the series against Indiana, but they ended up dropping the next two games to end their season. After the Game 5 clincher, which was hosted by the Pacers, John walked onto the floor immediately following the final buzzer in order to taunt the Bucks star Antetokounmpo (video here). That led to Antetokounmpo confronting John in the stands several moments later.
John has since apologized for the altercation with Antetokounmpo but was ultimately booted from Pacers’ playoff games for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton has said multiple times that he believes his father’s actions were wrong. Now it has emerged that the Antetokounmpo incident was not even the only one that John had over the course of that first-round series.
Cavaliers coach blames referees for team’s injury issues
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson is pointing the finger at officiating after two of his players got hurt in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers.
Atkinson revealed Monday that forwards De’Andre Hunter and Evan Mobley will both be questionable for Game 2 with injuries they suffered during the series opener. Hunter dislocated his thumb on a blocked layup, while Mobley hurt his ankle when he landed awkwardly on the foot of Pacers center Myles Turner.
Neither play was called as a foul, and Atkinson was still fuming over it a day later.
“I don’t think they were dirty plays, but I think it passed the line of physicality, that line we’ve kind of been talking about where it became excessive,” Atkinson said. “The non-call on De’Andre’s layup — everyone in the world just look at that play. They reviewed it, and I’m in shock. I guess I’ve got to know the rules better. Maybe I don’t know the rules. I felt he got absolutely obliterated, and dislocated his thumb.”
Atkinson also felt that Turner did not give Mobley space to land after shooting, which resulted in Mobley’s ankle injury.
“I don’t think this is on Indiana. I have so much respect for how they play. They’re hard-playing dudes. … But the fact of the matter is, I think that’s on the referees.”
Here’s what Kenny Atkinson had to say about the two plays that resulted in Evan Mobley suffering a left ankle injury and De’Andre Hunter suffering a dislocated right thumb #Cavs #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/4uOZdTQGCr
— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) May 5, 2025
As Atkinson alluded to, he challenged the play Hunter got hurt on, but no foul was given on review. No call was made when Mobley landed on Turner’s foot, either.
Kenny Atkinson on the injuries to De'Andre Hunter and Evan Mobley:
— Danny Cunningham (@RealDCunningham) May 5, 2025
"I don't think they were dirty plays, but I think it passed a line of physicality. That line we've kind of been talking about where it became excessive. So number one was the non-call on De’Andre's layup, which… pic.twitter.com/q2ylUYMRh1
This may be Atkinson’s way of working the referees ahead of Game 2. Notably, he got ejected at the end of the regular season after voicing similar frustrations during a game against the same team, so his efforts have not exactly paid off yet.
The Cavaliers sound like they will be shorthanded for a very important Game 2 after the Pacers stole Game 1 on the road. One can understand why Atkinson would be frustrated with that when, in his mind, the injuries could have been prevented by stricter officiating.
Everyone said the same thing about Ravens’ statement on Justin Tucker
The Baltimore Ravens announced on Monday that they have released Justin Tucker, and many people had the same reaction to the reason the team gave for the decision.
In his statement announcing that Tucker has been released, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta began by writing, “Sometimes football decisions are incredibly difficult, and this is one of those instances.” DeCosta also said the team made the move after “considering our current roster.”
What DeCosta did not do was allude in any way to the multiple troubling allegations Tucker has faced this offseason. You can read the full statement:
Here is the full statement from #Ravens GM Eric DeCosta on releasing Justin Tucker, who is accused of inappropriate behavior by Baltimore massage parlors. The team — which drafted Tyler Loop — says it’s a football decision. pic.twitter.com/MCCHUtnJSy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 5, 2025
Tucker is coming off a rough season in which he made just 22/30 field goal attempts. The 35-year-old was 11/19 on field goal attempts from 40 yards or longer, which is an area from which he had previously been almost automatic.
Still, most people doubt that the Ravens would have parted ways with arguably the greatest kicker in NFL history after just one bad season. That’s why everyone said the same thing about DeCosta claiming Baltimore released Tucker for “football” reasons.
I’m going to start saying all my choices in life are “football decisions”
— Tucker D. Franklin (@tuckerdfranklin) May 5, 2025
Ravens release Justin Tucker in something called a “football decision”… https://t.co/mgbfha4hkz pic.twitter.com/fkOTogRaBx
— Doctor Disney (@Doctor_Disney) May 5, 2025
Not a roster decision. Say what it is.
— Misinformation (@LegazyLG) May 5, 2025
This is NOT a football decision.
— Verse Fantasy (@VerseFantasy_) May 5, 2025
“football decision” we know why he really got the boot brotha 😭
— BINK🎯 (@therealbink1) May 5, 2025
Tucker has vehemently denied the claims that were made about his behavior toward massage therapists. There have been no charges brought against him or disciplinary action from the NFL.
The Ravens drafted a kicker in the sixth round, which is another reason their decision to cut Tucker is not all that stunning. The question is whether they would have made the move in the absence of the allegations against Tucker, but we will likely never know.
5-star QB Jared Curtis announces his college commitment
5-star quarterback recruit Jared Curtis has made his college commitment.
Curtis announced on Monday that he has committed to play for the Georgia Bulldogs. Curtis was deciding between Georgia and Oregon but chose the Bulldogs.
WATCH: QB Jared Curtis commits to the Georgia Bulldogs 🚨@Dawgs247 x #CommitHQ pic.twitter.com/9qlV6v6jei
— 247Sports (@247Sports) May 5, 2025
What’s so interesting about Curtis’ choice is that he’s going back to his original school.
Curtis, who is ranked as the No. 1 QB for the 2026 recruiting class, committed to Georgia in March 2024. He then decommitted in October to open back up his recruiting. Now, a half-year later, he has committed to Georgia once again.
Upon reopening his recruiting, Curtis was initially considering Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oregon, South Carolina and USC. The Nashville Christian School junior quarterback is listed as the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the class and No. 2 player nationally. He will help improve Kirby Smart’s quarterback pipeline moving forward.
Here is the video he released on social media announcing his choice:
Grateful! 100% Committed. See y’all in Athens! pic.twitter.com/l72TjrFr7D
— Jared Curtis 2026 QB (@Jaredcurtis37) May 5, 2025
Clippers president blasts team for ’embarrassing’ performance
The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Denver Nuggets 120-101 on Saturday in Game 7 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series to be eliminated from the playoffs. The team is disappointed with the result, and team president Lawrence Frank says the way they went out was “embarrassing.”
Frank spoke with the media on Monday, two days after the team’s season came to an end. He talked about the future of the club and also addressed the 19-point loss in Game 7.
“What happened in Game 7, that was extremely embarrassing. And also uncharacteristic,” Frank said, via Clippers reporter Joey Linn. “We’re disappointed with our playoff exit… Our players are embarrassed about Game 7. They’re really upset we lost this series.”
The Clippers and Nuggets both went 50-32 in the regular season, which suggests they were fairly similar in ability level. Their series went seven games as well, but in the deciding contest, Denver won by a blowout. That’s left the Clippers disappointed and embarrassed.
Frank also said that the team is aiming to have Kawhi Leonard and James Harden back for next season.
“We feel really good about our core. And we expect to be really good again next season,” Frank added.
The Clippers have won at least 50 games two seasons in a row. But they haven’t advanced past the first round of the playoffs in any of the last three seasons. They will have to figure out a way to break through in the playoffs to really feel like they’ve had a successful season — the type of season owner Steve Ballmer is chasing.
