2. 2017
  3. July

Seahawks’ Richard Sherman downplays fractured locker room

Richard Sherman is setting the record straight.

During an interview with SportsCenter that aired Sunday, the Seahawks cornerback discussed the team’s reported strife and said his relationship with his teammates isn’t what it seems.

“We’re pros. We hang out from time to time. We get along. Everybody gets along,” Sherman told ESPN’s Josina Anderson. “But is my relationship with Russell the same as it is with Doug [Baldwin]? Or the same as it is with Bobby [Wagner]? No. But is his relationship with me the same as it is with Noe [Tyler Lockett] or [Justin] Britt? It’s just different dynamics. But as teammates, we’re phenomenal.”

It’s not like Fitzgerald is playing out the string, trying to milk out another year of subpar play. He hauled in 107 receptions in 2016, the second-most receptions in his career. But the 10-time Pro Bowler, who turned 34 in August, knows he won’t play forever. He said he wants to walk away on his own terms and not hang on too long, unlike some star athletes from the past.

“The end is never really pretty for elite athletes,” Fitzgerald said. “It never looks good for the most part. You watch Michael Jordan in a Washington Wizards uniform or see Tony Dorsett playing for the Denver Broncos or Shaquille O’Neal playing for the Boston Celtics. It’s weird because you’re used to seeing them when they’re at their most dominant, or Willie Mays running around with bad knees 20 years in.

“It’s not pretty, but for me, I really want to be able to play and do things at a high level and be able to walk away and still be someone who can play at a high level.”

Fitzgerald did say the only reason he’s still playing is to chase an NFL championship.

“That’s huge,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s the only reason I’m playing at this point. From a personal standpoint and the things I’ve accomplished, they’re fine. But the thing that you will say is out of your control because you’re in a team sport is a championship.”
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With Kevin Durant injured, Warriors must somehow survive with just three All-Stars

Game Womens Kyle Rudolph Jersey Some teams can’t catch a break.

After winning an NBA championship two seasons ago, then advancing to the Finals again last June, the Warriors came into the 2016-17 season with champagne wishes and championship dreams, having added four-time scoring champion and 2014 NBA MVP Kevin Durant to their roster in the biggest free-agent signing of this past summer.

Now, after a freak incident of friendly fire Tuesday night, the franchise’s path to a fifth title has become impossible to trek.

Durant, in the midst of chasing a second 50-40-90 season, suffered a knee injury (Grade 2 MCL sprain and tibial bone bruise) that will keep him out for at least a month. Going without the five-time first-team All-NBA choice will certainly be the Warriors’ death knell.

Mocking Dirk certainly isn’t off limits and nothing about the post was unacceptable or offensive. In reality, it was just pretty weak.

The guy is still hanging tough at age 38, throws up one unremarkable airball, and that merits a cheeky-captioned post to millions of followers?

You’re better than that, BR social media producers. Maintain a higher bar.

Cuban clearly felt the same way, and pounced on an opportunity.

The Mavs owner pulled no punches getting his man’s back here, hurling threats straight at the Turner president with NBA Commisioner Adam Silver copied. Sure, the wording in his email was over the top, but he clearly didn’t care as long as the objective was achieved. Incredibly enough, it was.
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Earlier today we deleted a tweet about Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk is an NBA legend in our eyes and will be forever.

he said that the Bulls struggles would be a factor as he maps out his remaining NBA years.

I know that I’m ready. I know I can help those guys. Of course I’ve been inconsistent, not just me, all the team up and down — but to be in this kind of situation, out of the rotation, doesn’t make sense for me.
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Hoiberg has turned to Cristiano Felicio and recently acquired Joffrey Lauvergne for frontcourt bench minutes in the past three games while Bobby Portis and Robin Lopez start at power forward and center, respectively. Mirotic has averaged 9.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per game, but his shooting percentage has dropped significantly, from 40.7 percent (39.0 percent on 3-pointers) in 2015-16 to 38.8 percent (30.2 percent on 3-pointers) in 2016-17. Instead of being one of the Bulls’ few floor spacers as anticipated before the season, Mirotic has only clogged the lane more.

Back in late January, he said that the Bulls struggles would be a factor as he maps out his remaining NBA years. It’s tough in this league, Wade told reporters then. A lot of it also depends on how much money you’re willing to make. It depends on what city you’re willing to be in. So it’s a lot of variables to that. But no question about it, what happens throughout this year as I go into my summer, I’ll definitely take a look at it.

Game Kids Shamar Stephen Jersey At the same time, opting in for the final year of his deal will guarantee him $23.5 million, securing his spot as the third highest paid shooting guard in the league, a salary well beyond his production. If he opts out and seeks more happiness elsewhere, he can be assured that he won’t get the same payday he’s due if he stays in Chicago.

Kobe Bryant says he’s ‘only a phone call away’ if Lakers need him

Kobe Bryant hasn’t been a Laker for almost a year, but he’ll always be available to his former team.

Limited Mens Franco Harris Jersey The Lakers great said he’s easy to reach if the franchise needs him, even after president Magic Johnson hired Byrant’s former agent Rob Pelinka as general manager earlier this month.

Subsequent X-rays revealed the center had suffered a broken left tibia, a diagnosis that came as no surprise to James after a 106-98 loss.

Youth Cameron Payne Jersey I heard it break, he told reporters. As soon as the collision [between Bogut and the Heat’s Okaro White] happened, I heard it break. And when I went over to him and he said it, I already knew. I heard it crack.

James added: It’s very deflating. It’s a tough moment, we all were excited about the acquisition and bringing him here, and him getting some games under his belt before the playoffs.

It’s a tough one — obviously for him, first of all, but then for our ball club.

Fellow Cavs star Kyrie Irving said: It kind of took the wind out of our sails a little bit, because I think he knew right away. We’re just hoping that he gets better. It’s just terrible, man.

But when he’s gone on Twitter with his player evaluations, Johnson has made some awful assessments for which he’s been mocked (see: Michael Carter-Williams). And now the job seems to be 100 times more involved. The game has changed, and the Lakers under Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak didn’t keep up. People who have been around Johnson predict that he’ll be all about doing something bold to upgrade the talent — as bold as entrusting the GM duties to the agent, Rob Pelinka, who never has spent one day in an NBA front office.

Derrick Jones Jr. saves his best for after dunk contest

Few knew who Derrick Jones Jr. was before the dunk contest last weekend. Heck, few still know who he is, but the Suns forward is one entertaining player.

Jones is getting more minutes in Phoenix with P.J. Tucker now playing for the Raptors. He took advantage of his opportunity Friday by elevating for a monster slam against the Bulls.

It doesn’t take Sir Isaac Newton to explain how that display of athleticism defied gravity.

Jones will get his chance to earn more minutes with the Suns during the second half of the season.

T.J. Warren is now the starting small forward, but Jones has turned some heads recently with his eye-popping skill.

The Suns held a 54-52 lead at halftime against the visiting Bulls.

Well worth it, it turns out. Now, we have Antetokounmpo coming on at just the right time, with coaches and executives around the league de-emphasizing traditional positions and finding ways to emphasize versatility. That’s Antetokounmpo’s strength. He is, at times, a pure point guard in Milwaukee’s slashing, cutting offense. He is also, at times, a power forward, and every position in between.

“I don’t think you should be able to say about someone, ‘He is a point guard, he is a power forward,’” Antetokounmpo said. “You have to be a basketball player. There are guards who are good rebounders and big guys who can make good passes. So, you know, the labels do not always fit.”

Of course, it is much easier for a player to defy traditional-position definition when he carries with him elite talent—guys like LeBron James and Kevin Durant now, all the way back to the likes of Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylor in the 1960s. Not everyone can be a point-forward, or an undersize stretch-center. You have to be good enough.broncos_125

MLB trade rumors: Rangers could still shop Yu Darvish, not Cole Hamels

Despite what one headline writer would have you believe, the Rangers are not in contention for the AL West. And after losing three straight and three of five to start the second half , they may not be in wild-card contention for long.

If the Rangers keep falling back the cries of Sell! Sell! Sell! will continue to get louder, and, according to Jon Heyman, the cries for selling Yu Darvish continue to ring out.

Game Kids Britton Colquitt Jersey Quintana left the game with 100 pitches, an improvement from what the Cubs have seen from their starting rotation in 2017. Quintana didn’t walk a batter, and he didn’t allow any runs in his first outing. Only once did a runner reach second base.

Quintana is the second pitcher since 1990 to strike out 10 or more batters in consecutive starts for two different teams, while in the same season. Quintana had 10 strikeouts for the White Sox in his last start before trading uniforms and joining the cross-town rival. His 12 strikeouts also ties the most for a Cub in his debut.

He was relieved in the eigth inning by Carl Edwards Jr. and the Cubs beat the Orioles 8-0, completing the series sweep.

Game Kids Mark Gastineau Jersey The Cubs desperately needed to revamp their rotation if they wanted to rekindle any hope of contending during the second half of the season. If this gem is any indication of what Quintana will continue to do with the Cubs, he could help the north side get back on the right track.

Teodosic is a pick-and-roll maestro.

Limited T.Y. Hilton Jersey This is going to be fun. The 30-year-old point guard has long been one of the best players outside of the NBA, making the All-Euroleague team in six of the previous eight seasons and leading Serbia to a silver medal in the 2016 Olympics. Now, he’s coming over to the NBA to find out if his unique skill set can dominate in a similar fashion as it has in Europe.

Limited Brooks Orpik Jersey Teodosic is a pick-and-roll maestro. He’s one of the top-five passers in the world, possessing the creativity and ability to hit teammates from unconventional and seemingly impossible angles both in transition and in the halfcourt. Throw in the fact that he’s also a career near-40 percent 3-point shooter as well as a tremendous ball-handler, and Teodosic should step into the NBA and immediately be a starter-caliber player on offense. Sure, he’ll turn the ball over, but those will likely be overshadowed by spectacular plays.

JaMychal Green, Grizzlies — The Grizzlies are still planning to keep Green, and their payroll is such that they really can’t afford to let him go. Green is 27 and coming off a breakout year, with impressive per-36 numbers (11.8 points, 9.3 rebounds). There has been interest from the Bulls, sources said, and he is a backup plan in San Antonio depending on what happens with Simmons. There is a chance something could get worked out without an offer sheet (the Hawks and Suns will be monitoring the situation), but the Grizzlies can bide their time and see how the remainder of the market for RFAs plays out.

Bojan Bogdanovic, Wizards — The price tag is dropping quickly on Bogdanovic. He entered free agency looking for a deal worth about $50 million for three years, a source said, but that has not materialized, and it’s hard to say exactly where that money would come from. It won’t come from the Wizards, who will have luxury-tax worries assuming they match Otto Porter’s deal.

Derek Jeter group, with Michael Jordan aboard, nears $1.2B Marlins purchase, report says

Derek Jeter’s group — with Michael Jordan on board — has bid $1.2 billion for the Marlins and could be closing in on a deal for the MLB team, The New York Post reported late Monday night.

The 2014 World Series MVP, 0-3 this season before the injury, will rejoin a rotation in which his replacement, Ty Blach (6-5), is the only pitcher with a winning record and Johnny Cueto’s lackluster 4.51 ERA is the group’s best for a last-place team that is 34-56.

Tyler Ennis Womens Jersey It sucks. I put myself in this spot, Bumgarner said, referring to the dirt-bike accident in Colorado. I wish I wouldn’t have. I’ve tried to make the best of it — and still am.
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The bit of good news comes with an even bigger component: Bumgarner avoided a more serious injury that would’ve required surgery and has rebuilt his arm strength without even a small setback.

Any time you deal with something with your throwing arm, especially your shoulder, it’s pretty scary, he admitted.

The final hurdle, after work in the Arizona Rookie League and at Triple-A Fresno: He struck out eight and gave up two singles in six innings for San Jose, and afterward Bumgarner said he’ll be ready to start Saturday against the Padres in San Diego.

NBA execs on Carmelo Anthony-Phil Jackson trade drama: ‘Everyone has the Knicks over a barrel’

Ask around among NBA executives, and the consensus is that Knicks team president Phil Jackson didn’t say anything particularly surprising on Friday when he told the media that Carmelo Anthony, “would be better off somewhere else.” But ask them if they’re prepared to take Anthony on their own rosters, and the answers almost universally come back, “Well, no …”

A contract that has two years and $53 million remaining, for a guy who will be 33 next month, will do that.

“If he were willing to keep altering his style of play, you might say yes,” one general manager said. “At his best, when he was four or five years younger, you could win if you built the team to fit what he does. They had some good teams, people forget. But at this point, at his age, it is not possible unless he becomes more of a role player — a stretch-4, a second or third option. But then you’re paying $25 million per year for a role player, and how does that help you?”

McCollum: I read something that said I could get tampering. I don’t want to get fined $25,000.

Rooks: I’m with you. I mean, even though you got that $100 million. You don’t want to get fined.

McCollum: You gotta be smart about it. I don’t want Mr. (Trail Blazers owner Paul) Allen being upset at me. They asked me a question on Twitter. They said, ‘Who would you like to see?’ and I was like, ‘@YGTrece.’ Why not?

George was also sought after by the Lakers and Celtics among others before the NBA trade deadline.

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Cavs’ Tyronn Lue appears to criticize Thunder for not playing Russell Westbrook enough

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue was answering questions Wednesday about LeBron James’ minutes when he said something interesting.

Teams are suffering because they listen to what the media is saying about guys playing minutes, he said. When asked later what he meant, he added, Some teams should play some guys more minutes, and it would’ve been different series. So, whatever.

The fact he said series means he’s talking about a playoff series. Three NBA first-round series are finished at the moment: Cavs-Pacers, Warriors-Trail Blazers and Rockets-Thunder. The only player whose minutes were a topic of discussion was Russell Westbrook against Houston.
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Somehow, he got up and got all ball on James Harden to prevent a potential tying bucket. Time ran out and the Spurs, improbably, had a 3-2 lead in this Western Conference playoff series after a 110-107 victory Tuesday.

For one night, and in one enduring moment, one of the franchise’s greatest players was again one of its most important.

Manu, you know, reached back and gave us one of his Manu performances from past years, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters, per MySanAntonio.com. He was a stud. Ginobili finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists and that one enormous block.

Ginobili said he was feeling the adrenaline rush that comes with being in the playoffs. That was evident in the first half when he drove and dunked with his right hand. (It was very unexpected, he told reporters.)

When Kawhi Leonard went to the bench with an ankle injury, Ginobili became part of the closeout group again.

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