NOTE: This column is adapted from a published last year, because people apparently still don't remember or know about the 1981 NLDS.If the Nationals beat the Cubs and move onto face the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, a lot of people and I mean a lot will claim that thefranchise has finally gotten over the postseason hump and finally won a playoff series. Those people will be wrong, though. That actually happened 36 David Robertson Jersey years ago.Didn't realize thefranchisealready won a playoff series? You're not alone. So let's talk about the 1981 NLDS.Didn't realize there was an NLDS in 1981? You're also not alone there. I'll explain.The 1981 baseball season was wacky, for those unaware or with hazy memories. Thanks to an amended postseason format made nece sary by a players strike that season, the Montreal Expos the forebears of the Nats won an NLDS against the Phillies in five games.There were justtwo divisions in each league back then, so the division winners in each half (the season was split into pre- and post-strike halves) met in an LDS to determine who would go to the league championship series. In the National League, those teams were the Expos and Phillies in the NL East, and the Dodgers and Astros in the NL West.Meanwhile, the Reds had baseball's best overall record but didn't win either half and mi sed out on the playoffs. See? Wacky.Anyway, back to the Expos, who won 1981's second half East C.C. Sabathia Jersey title with a 30-23 record.MORE: With a lineupthat included Hall of Famers Gary Carter and Andre Dawson (HOFer Tim Raines didn't play that series), Montreal jumped out to a 2-0 series lead against the Philliesafter consecutive 3-1 wins at home in Games 1 and 2.When the series shifted to Philadelphia, the Philliesstopped the Expos march with a 6-2 win in Brian Roberts Jersey Game 3, followed by a 10-inning, 6-5 in Game 4, setting up winner-take-all Game 5 at Veterans Stadium.In a rematch of Game 1, it was future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton onthe mound for the Phillies, while the Expos countered with their own Steve Steve Rogers. Whatever momentum or psychological advantage the Phillies had heading into the game didnt last. The outcome was the same as Game 1:Rogers defeated Carlton in a battle of the Steves, this time going the distance in a 3-0 Expos win to clinch the series.MORE: But that's where the Montreal/Washington postseason happy endings stop (for now). The Expos took the Dodgers to the limit in theNLCS, but came up short thanks toRick Monday's go-ahead, gut-punch of a homer off Rogersin the decisiveGame 5.The Expos never returned to the playoffs (thanks, 1994 strike) and the franchise would have to wait 31 years before another postseason appearance. Meanwhile, that 1981 NLDS victory Lou Gehrig Jersey just faded into the distant memories of all but a relative few.Who remembers/knows that the Expos won an NLDS in 1981? Jason Foster (@ByJasonFoster) While we can't really call the whole thingobscure baseball trivia it wasn't that long ago, after all; plus, a lot of people do remember it it's definitely not talked about often, especially by anyone younger than 35.But even those who do remember and talk aboutithave different opinions of how it should beviewed.Not everyone thinks the Expos' NLDSwin or any part of the Montreal years Roger Maris Jersey should be considered part of Nationals history.Some don't believe the Nationals and Expos should be connected at all, the thought being that the Expos ceased to exist after 2004 and a new franchise formed in Washington. But the Nationals and MLB have always considered the two teams to be the same franchise when it comes to and, yes, postseason series.Meanwhile,somedon't evenview that 1981 NLDS as a true division series, but as more of an odd, one-time tiebreaker. Others choose to view it in a neutral context: It was an MLB playoff series, so it counts as much as any other.But the weirdest thing is, not even the Nationals acknowledged Randy Johnson Jersey for a long time.The team'sofficial postseason history page of it for years. The only mention of that 1981 postseason wasthe Expos' NLCS lo s to the Dodgers. The NLDS winwas only added after I reached out to the Nats' media folks to ask why it wasn't there. Maybe even they had forgotten about it.But, obviously, none of this is important. It's just another baseball factoid to fill our brains and fuel our debates.What is important is that with one more win against the Cubs, Washington can start to build upa postseason legacy all its own starting with a rematch of the1981 NLCS. Sort of.

Pascal Mitch Wishnowsky Jersey Siakam wants to stay in Toronto.The Raptors forward is discu sing a maximum contract extension with his team ahead of the 2019-20 season, according to a report from , which citedunidentified league sources.Siakam is eligible fora four-year, $130 million max deal, or a five-year, $170 million max contract.The 25-year-old was selected by Toronto with the No. Adrian Colbert Jersey 27 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and is coming off a breakout season in which he won the league's Most Improved Player award.He showed proficiency on Richard Sherman Jersey both sides of the ball in his third NBA season, averaging 16.9 points, 6.9 reboundsand 3.1 a sists per gamewhile making Jimmy Garoppolo Jersey 80 appearances for theRaptors.He was a big part of Toronto's titlerun, tallying 19points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 a sists per game in 24 playoff appearances. Weston Richburg Jersey Siakam was Toronto's second-leading scorerin 2018-19, and the Raptors' lo s ofKawhi Leonard in free agency this summer opens the door for more production from him.Siakam Steve Young Jersey is in the final year of his rookie deal and can receive a qualifying offer from Toronto in 2020-21. Related Articles

Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon said he testedpositiveforcoronavirus in a statement released by the team JT Realmuto Jersey Wednesday.Statement from Malcolm Brogdon>> Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) In his first season with the Pacers after arriving from the Milwaukee Bucks, the 27-year-old is averaging 16.3 points and a team-high 7.1 a Rhys Hoskins Jersey sistsin 48 games.MORE: "I recently tested positive for the COVID virus and am currently in quarantine," Brogdon said in a statement. "I'm doing well, feeling well and progre sing well. I plan to join my teammates in Orlando for the Tug McGraw Jersey resumption of the NBA season and playoffs."Brogdon is one of several NBA stars who have been revealed to have tested positive for coronavirus since its outbreak. Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert on the Jazz were notable names at the beginning of the outbreak who tested positive.Other players include the Celtics' Marcus Smart, the Nets' Kevin Durant, the Pistons'Christian Wood and Lenny Dykstra Jersey the Nuggets'Nikola Jokic. Several other unnamed players have tested positive as well including people on the Lakers, Suns and 76ers.MORE: Brogdonwas poised to play upon the season'sresumption having recovered from leg and hip injuriesthat sidelined him Tommy Joseph Jersey for Indiana'sfinal three games before the NBA season was halted.The Pacers (39-26) were in control of the Eastern Conference'sfifth seed when the season went on pause on March 11due to the coronavirus pandemic. They Jean Segura Jersey will be one of the 22 NBA teams set for the restart at the bubble atWaltDisney World in July.

The Trail Blazers won't need an extra game to eliminate the Grizzlies.Portland advanced to the first round of the 2020 NBAplayoffs with a 126-122 victory over Memphis on Saturday afternoon. Damian Lillard (31 points) and CJ McCollum (29 points) were productive throughoutthe league's first-ever play-in game, but Jusuf Nurkic was arguably the best player on the floor. The 25-year-old center, playing with a heavy heart after announcing the death of his grandmother, totaled 22 points, 21 rebounds, six a Gavin Lux Jersey sists, two steals and two blocks in 41 minutes.Grizzlies rookie Ja Morantscored a game-high 35 points to keep the game close, but the Trail Blazers made more clutch plays down the stretch and punched their ticket to the postseason.They will now enter the playoff bracket as the Western Conference's No. 8 seed and face the top-seeded Lakers.Sporting News provided updates during the play-in game between the Trail Blazers and Grizzlies. Check out all of the highlights you mi sed below.Trail Blazers vs. Grizzlies scoreTeamQ1Q2Q3Q4TotalGrizzlies19334228122Trail Blazers31273137126.Trail Blazers vs. Grizzlies updates, highlights from Game 1(All times Eastern)Final: Trail Blazers 126, Grizzlies 1225:05 p.m. Tommy Lasorda Jersey A valiant effort by the Grizzlies, but the Trail Blazers will advance to the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs.5p.m. Damian Lillardfinds Carmelo Anthony in the corner and... dagger.MELO 122 11620.2 to play on ABC, Memphis ball. NBA (@NBA) 4:55p.m. CJMcCollum with some TOUGH shots. He hits two contested jumpers in a row over Ja Morant. Trail Blazers 119, Grizzlies 113 with just over a minute to go in regulation. CJ MCCOLLUM TAKING OVER 119 1151:15 remaining in Western Conference Play-In on ABC NBA (@NBA) 4:45p.m. JA MORANT HITS THE TURBO BUTTON.You are watching a master at work. | Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) 4:35p.m. Questionable calls on Logan Forsythe Jersey Grayson Allen. First, he gets hit with a personal foul after appearing to block Damian Lillard's shot attempt. Then, he receives a technical foul for... being too demonstrative? Strange sequence.It did look like Grayson got all ball gifdsports (@gifdsports) End of third quarter: Grizzlies 94, Trail Blazers 894:25p.m. The rookies are shining. Ja Morant (21 points, eight a sists) and Brandon Clarke (20 points, 4-of-5 on 3-pointers) help give the Grizzlies a lead heading into the fourth quarter.blink and he's gone...... | Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) 4:15 p.m. OH MY. DAMIAN LILLARD IS NOT MESSING AROUND.DAME THROWING IT DOWN Grizzlies vs. Trail Blazers is live on ESPN. NBA TV (@NBATV) 4:05 p.m. Dillon Brooks launched this one from Animal Kingdom.LET IT FLY, EH??? Memphis Grizzlies Sandy Koufax Jersey (@memgrizz) 4p.m. After mi sing his first three attempts from beyond the arc, Ja Morantconfidently steps into a 3-pointer. He'll need to take those shots if his defender chooses to go under screens.Halftime: Trail Blazers 58, Grizzlies 523:40p.m. What aperformance from Jusuf Nurkic. He is already up to 15points,17rebounds, two a sists and two steals. 15 & 17 for Nurk NBA (@NBA) 3:25p.m. Kyle Anderson has been terrific so far. He's got six points and five a sists in 12 minutes. He looks extremely comfortable in the pick-and-roll.Kyle Anderson finds JV twice!The have surged back to take the lead early in the 2nd Q on ABC. NBA (@NBA) 3:20p.m. A strong response from the Grizzlies to start the second quarter. They cut the Trail Blazers' lead down to one point with a 13-2 run.End of first quarter: Trail Blazers 31, Grizzlies 193:05p.m. So Jusuf Nurkic is hitting 3-pointers now? The Grizzlies might be in trouble.Dame doubled, Nurk triple. on ABC NBA (@NBA) 2:55p.m. Custom Jersey OK, Dame. This is just rude.D.O.L.L.A. Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) 2:45p.m. And here we go. CJMcCollum hits a couple of free throws on the opening po se sion.2:25 p. Mark Lowe Jersey m. Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, who announced Saturday morning his grandmother had died fromthe coronavirus (COVID-19), will start in the play-in game.A post shared by (@bosnianbeast27) on Aug 15, 2020 at 9:51am PDT1:55 p.m. Memphis football is here to support the Grizzlies.Lets go ! Beat Portland! Memphis Football (@MemphisFB) 1:45 p.m. There was some hope that Tyus Jones would be available for the play-in game, but he is listed as out on the official injury report.Update: Tyus Jones (right knee sorene s) has been downgraded to OUT today against the . Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR)

Patrick Beverley is one of the biggest irritants in NBA history. Just ask... well, Phil Hughes Jersey pretty much anyone who has stood acro s from him on a basketball court.The Timberwolves guard is a three-time All-Defensive Team selection who greatly enjoys getting under the skin of his opponents. , "People don't like to be touched, and I like touching a lot of people."His latest challenge? Pestering Ja Morant and the Grizzlies in the first round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs.Beverley's history with Memphis has added an extra bit of intrigue to the Western Conference series, and the intensity should only increase as the two sides become more familiar Marwin Gonzalez Jersey with each other.MORE: Grizzlies trade Patrick Beverley to TimberwolvesThe Beverley-Grizzlies connection started in August when Memphis added the 33-year-old guard to the roster as part of a deal with the Clippers. , Beverley explained why he requested a trade from Los Angeles."When me, Lou Williams , and Montrezl Harrell got to the Clippers, I felt like we weren't Blake Griffin. We weren't DeAndre Jordan. We weren't Chris Paul. We weren't JJ Redick. That wasn't our era. We wanted to kind of have our own identity," Beverley said. "When we got there, we changed it all up. ... We're in the Western Conference Finals, something the team has never done."So me Blank Jersey , being there from the beginning, I'm thinking contract extension. I'm thinking it's gonna be easy. I walk in, and they throw me a number that I felt like was borderline disrespectful."Grit and Grind. Lets GO Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) The honeymoon period didn't last long, though, as the Grizzlies quickly traded Beverley to the Timberwolves. Memphis acquired Beverley in exchange for Jarrett Culver and Juancho Hernangomez."Minnesota was in my top three trade destinations ," Beverley said. "I was able to go through Memphis, didn't know how I felt about Memphis, didn't know what really was going on. I talked to the GM. The GM goes, 'We'll see how summer camp goes.'"In my mind, I'm thinking , 'Summer camp? Motherfer, I'm the starting guard there next to Ja Morant.'"So happy about the trade. New start in Minnesota. Some young thirsty guys wanting to Win. Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) Beverley hasn't posted eye-popping numbers for the Timberwolves (9.2 points, 4.6 a sists, 4.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals per game), but he has undoubtedly been a huge Jorge Polanco Jersey part of the Justin Morneau Jersey culture change in Minnesota.Patrick Beverley takes shots at Grizzlies after Timberwolves' winAfter the Timberwolves captured a 119-114 victory over the Grizzlies on Feb. 24, Beverley didn't waste any time putting his Twitter fingers to work.Damn Memphis Grizz no dancing or talking crazzzy tonight huh awwww ok Good Luck rest of the way Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) Beverley was likely motivated by the result of the previous meeting between Minnesota and Memphis. The Grizzlies handed the Timberwolves an eight-point lo s on Jan. 13, and Beverley could be seen exchanging a few words with Morant late in the fourth quarter.Ja Morant says Grizzlies 'ain't ducking no smoke'Before the start of the series, Morant made it clear that the Grizzlies won't be backing down from any challengers, including Beverley."I ain't ducking no smoke," Morant said. "We run up the chimney. Simple as that. Ain't no conversations about not letting nobody get under your skin. If somebody comes towards you, you can't back down. That's a soft person tendency. We don't got no soft guys over here." | Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) With all of that smoke, there's bound to be a fire at some Martin Perez Jersey point. What will happen next in this developing rivalry?

UPDATE: The Nuggets announced Tuesday morning that Jamal Murray hassuffered a torn left ACL and will be out indefinitely. Miguel Cabrera Jersey He will likely mi s the rest of the 2020-21season and this year's Olympic qualifying tournament, which Team Canada needs to win in order to clinch a berth in the Tokyo Olympics.Jamal Murray has been diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament of the left knee.He will be out indefinitely. Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) ORIGINAL: The Nuggets may have lost much more than just one game against the Warriors.With le s than a minute to go in Monday night's contest between Denver and Golden State, Nuggets star Jamal Murray went down with what appeared to be a non-contact left knee injury. The 24-year-old was looking to trim the Warriors' Victor Martinez Jersey seven-point lead on a drive to the basket when he suddenly collapsed in pain, grabbing at his knee and slamming his hand down on the court.MORE: Medical staffers immediately rushed outto check on Murray, who eventually left the floor but didn't put any weight on his left leg.Jamal Murray was helped off the court after an apparent knee injury with 50 seconds left Detroit Tigers Jersey against the Warriors. SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) After Denver's 116-107 lo s, Nuggets coach Mike Malone said that there was "no real update Jeimer Candelario Jersey " on Murray's status, as the team was waiting for MRI results on his left knee."Obviously a very down locker room," Malone said."Yes, we lost the game, but I think everybody's thoughts are with Jamal and hoping that he's going to be OK. No definitive answer right now. We're waitingfor kind of word on the imaging, and we'll go from there."Here's head coach, Michael Malone, speaking postgame where the main talking point was the injury to Jamal Murray. AltitudeTV (@AltitudeTV) Murray had mi sed the Nuggets' past four games with a right knee injury before returning and posting 17 points, fourrebounds, four Matt Moore Jersey a sists and three steals in 33 minutes against the Warriors."His right knee's beenbothering him. He took those four games to try to get right," Malone said."First game back, obviously. It'sjust an awful feeling. Keep Jamal in your thoughts and prayers, and hopefully we'llget some good news."In his fifth NBA season, Murray is averaging a career-high 21.2 points per game. Entering Tuesday's slate Niko Goodrum Jersey of games, Denver is 34-20 overall, one game ahead of the Lakers for fourth place in the Western Conference standings.

The Warriors recent struggles without Draymond Green are nothing new. For his career, theyve racked up a 550-248 record in games that hes played (.689 win percentage) vs. a 54-51 record in games that hes mi sed (.514 win percentage). E sentially, theyve played like one of the best teams in the league when hes been available and a fringe playoff team in games that hes mi sed for the past 10 seasons. His planned return date on March 14 cant come soon enough.There has been a lot written about the synergy between Green and Steph Curry. While those two certainly work extremely well off each other, Curry has actually Matt Strahm Jersey shot the ball a shade better this season with Green off the floor. Its been some of the other more limited creators on the team who have mi sed Greens presence a lot more. MORE: Andrew Wiggins in particular has looked like a completely different player since Green went out of the lineup on Jan 6. Wiggins has seen his scoring average dip from 19 points per game to 15.4 per game and hasnt looked like the same player mentally. Franchy Cordero Jersey Hes been far le s aggre sive, le s willing to drive, and his free throw shooting has plummeted.That free throw shooting lapse deserves close attention. Since Jan. 14, Wiggins has shot just 2.2 free throw attempts per game and made only 44 percent of those attempts. Before that date, he was hitting 71 percent of his 3.6 attempts per game. He has looked like a player afraid to get to the line. Curry has even gone so far as to .Its po sible that Greens absence coinciding with Wiggins downturn is an example of correlation rather than causation. There have been some other factors that could be responsible for Wiggins dip in play besides mi sing Green. Klay Thompson came back into the rotation a few games after Green exited, and there has been an adjustment period for everyone involved there. Wiggins also has a history of randomly disappearing for Miguel Diaz Jersey stretches. But there might be something to the idea of Green being a Wigginswhisperer on the floor. Perhaps the return of Green can get Wiggins back to playing at that All-Star level.Green has been one of the leaders of the Warriors, and hes taken it upon himself to help Wiggins reach his full potential. After trading for him last season, Green noted his belief in Wiggins talent.He wants to be really good. I take that upon myself as a leader of this team, as one of the older guys on this team. ... I want to help him do that any way Chris Paddack Jersey I can.Wiggins has embraced that mentorship from Green, and credited Green with helping to teach him how to become a better defender.Just learning, just by watching. You know, Draymond is a defensive specialist one of a kind, all over the place, Wiggins said about how Green has helped him on the defensive end. Even if Im on the bench and hes in the game, just watching his movement, watching what he does, how he anticipates stuff and just picking his brain, like, What did you see there? How did you get there?More than that defensive tutelage, Green has made sure that Wiggins has stayed aggre sive on the court. Green has never been shy about expre sing his opinions. It seems to have fired up Wiggins at times, such Carlos Asuaje Jersey as when he responded to Greens in-game yelling with a big dunk.good sequence here...Draymond screams COME ON in Wiggins face after conceding an important rebound, and then this is how Wiggins responds at the other end: Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) Wiggins long stretches of seemingly disappearing from the court were commonplace when he was a member of the Timberwolves. But Green had taken it upon himself to eradicate those problems on the Warriors. He even in the final po se sion of blowouts and told the media about taking on that responsibility of firing Wiggins up.Draymond on Wiggins: Hell continue to play Pedro Avila Jersey aggre sive. Ill make sure of that. 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) Green has also been one of Wiggins biggest hype men when he has performed well. He was so excited upon learning that Wiggins had made the All-Star team that he on that same honor in the teams group text.Talent has never been the i sue for Wiggins. Its been the mental side of the game where he has struggled. Green seemed to have gotten through to him earlier in the season. He will have to do it again when he returns to the floor on Monday.

Why didn't the Bucks put Giannis Antetokounmpoon Nets starKevin Durant? That's the question a lot of folks were asking Tuesday night, including a certain Trail Blazers guard.In Brooklyn's114-108 victory over Milwaukee, Durant totaled 49 points, 17 rebounds, 10 a sists Brian Flynn Jersey , three steals and two blocks, destroying the Bucks' defense with an unstoppable combination of jumpers, drives and dishes to his teammates. Durant roastedP.J. Tucker and Khris Middleton , but he was rarely matched up with Antetokounmpo, the 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year and .MORE:NBA players react to Durant's historic playoff performance drops 31 of his 49 points in the 2nd half, including 20 in the 4th quarter to power the to a 17-point comeback win and a 3- Burch Smith Jersey 2 series lead! Game 6 - Thursday, 8:30pm/et, ESPN NBA (@NBA) When asked after Game 5 if he would prefer to be the primary defender on Durant, Antetokounmpo told reporters that he wants tobut Portland's CJ McCollum was curious as to why Homer Bailey Jersey the two-time MVP didn't takethe a signment when Durant was burning down the Barclays Center.McCollum, nevershy about sharing hishoops thoughts on social media,, then shifted his attention to Antetokounmpo.(McCollum references one of Durant's nicknames,in the tweet below.)Bruh first team all defense and Ryan O Hearn Jersey aint go check easy$ CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) Im saying . Got middy & PJ following him but they not a walking footer lol CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) After Wizards star Bradley Beal told McCollum that he needed to "chill," McCollum joked that he was going to "finish mydrink and lay down," adding that he was just a "casual fan" now thatthe Trail Blazers had beeneliminated from theNBA playoffs.Bruh whats going on ? make it make sense . Imma finish my drink and lay down. Im just a casual fan since we got eliminated CJ McCollum Martin Maldonado Jersey (@CJMcCollum) But once he saw another All-Defensive First Team forward in Draymond Green posting about wanting to gotoe-to-toe with Durant, McCollum had to fire off one last tweet."Dray you gonna let Durant go for 50 and not switch?" McCollum said.That part!! Draymond Green (@Money23Green) Dray you gonna let K go for 50 and not switch ? CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) We'll have to wait and see if Antetokounmpolines upacro s from Durant when the Bucks and Nets meet for Thursday's Game 6. If he doesn't, McCollum will likelyhave his Twitter fingers ready Brad Boxberger Jersey to go.

This year's NBA Christmas Day slate was like seeing Pedro Martinez Jersey a ma sive box waiting for you underneath the tree only to find a bunch of socks inside.The five games scheduled for Dec. 25featured majorstars and storylines, but three of those contests were decided by 23 points or more, including the Bucks' 138-99 shellacking of the Warriors in Milwaukee. The Clippers and Heat each won their matchups by "only" 13 points. A couple of barnburners!So what did we really learn about theteams that played on Christmas Day? Let's dive into each game.MORE: Heatmay have foundanother hiddengem in Precious AchiuwaThe praise of "Heat Culture" can feel overblown at times, but it's hard to argue with Miami's ability to develop players. Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro there is plenty of evidence here.It looks like the Heat have discovered yet another promising prospect in 2020 first-round pick Precious Achiuwa. The 21-year-old forward totaled 11 points, three rebounds, two a sists and one block in 19 minutes off the bench Friday afternoon. His high motor and athleticism were on full display.Precious Achiuwa will NOT be denied!Watch the :: FOX Sports Sun: FOX Sports Sun: HEAT (@FOXSportsHEAT) Achiuwa also wasn'tcompletely lost when isolated against Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. In fact, he did a terrific job of staying in front of both Ingram and Williamson without fouling, no easy task for a rookie playing in only his second regular season game.Precious Achiuwa only played 19 minutes but he played great defense on Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram in his limited minutesMoved his feet well and stayed in front of them. Already showing he can guard multiple positions. Fanly (@fanly) "I've been impre sed with Achiuwa from the jump, Brandon Workman Jersey just because he works so hard, whatever you ask him to do to the best of his ability, he's going to do it," after Miami's season opener. "And he wants to win. What else can you ask from a young fella? What else can you ask from a rookie? And I think that he'ssupposed to be comfortable."Like I said about everybody, 'You belong here. You belong with the Miami Heat. They drafted you for a reason, so get used to it.'And I think he's going to be a huge help to us in what we're trying to do moving forward."Sure, it's very early in Achiuwa's career, but it wouldn't be that surprising to see him become a consistent part of Erik Spoelstra's rotation.Is Golden State Steve Pearce Jersey just . . .not a good team?Only a few days removed from a brutal lo s to the Nets, Stephen Curry and the Warriors failed to even give the Bucks a challenge. What's the problem, Steph?Asked what have been the largest i sues through the first two games, Steph Curry said, "I mean, a lot." Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) Yep, not great. Golden State's point differential of minus-65 through two games is the second-worst mark in NBA history, ., Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andrew Wiggins have been particularly bad, shooting a combined 14 of 58 on field goals (24.1 percent)and 2 of 21 on 3-pointers (9.5 percent).Context is required, of course. Klay Thompson is out for the season. Draymond Green has yet to take the floor this season. Curry isshaking off the rust. These are certainly not the "Death Lineup" Warriors.Still, Golden State didn't enter this seasonbelieving it would be a lottery team. The Warriors want to reach the playoffs. Theyhave a lot of work to do.Kevin Durant looks a lot like Kevin Durant Clippers guards Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams what they could have done to slow Kevin Durant down after he dropped 50 points on them? Do you remember how they responded?"I mean, he's Kevin Durant," Beverley said."I promise we tried," Williams added.Well, that dude is back. Durant scored 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting Tyler Thornburg Jersey as the Nets cruised to an easy victory over the Celtics. He caught fire in the third quarter, hitting his first five shots and putting poor Tristan Thompson in the torture chamber.I understand starting big against Milwaukee but this is unfair to ask Thompson to have to guard KD. He's gotten killed in every aspect and it isn't his fault, it is a mismatch. Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) Durant isn't the only reason why Brooklyn could be a real title contender. Kyrie Irving appears to be back to 100 percent after playing in only 20 games last season, and Steve Nash's squad is deep with talent at multiple positions. Defending the Nets is a nightmare.But a peakKD can raise this team's ceiling in a way that none of his teammates can. I mean, he's Kevin Durant.Mavericks haveto get better on the boardsSecond-chance points: Lakers 35, Mavericks 0. It's the first time Dallas has finished a game with no second-chance points . Both Mavs coach Rick Carlisle and guard Luka Doncic agreed that differential ."I don't think I've ever seen a game where the team has given up 35 points on second-chance and the other team got to zero,"Carlisle said. "It's obviously the story of the game. We talk about being in a hit-first mode, and we just were not."Luka Doncic on the Lakers' dominance on the gla s: "It's everything about mentality and toughne s. It's got to be mental. If somebody's rebounding like that, you've just got to box them out no matter what." Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) The Lakersnearly doubled the Mavericks in total rebounds (53-27) and dominated on the offensive gla s (17-3). Maxi Kleberled Dallas with five rebounds. Los Angeles had six Mitch Moreland Jersey different players pull down at least six rebounds. The Mavericks were also out-reboundedin a season-opening lo s to the Suns (48-39). These numbers are not ideal.Yes, Kristaps Porzingisis out as he works his way back from a knee injury, but this is an i sue that won't be fixed by the return of one player.The new guys are making an impact for ClippersPaul George and Kawhi Leonard will understandably receive most of the attention when the Clippers are on national TV, but let's give the supporting cast a little credit.Nicolas Batum(13 points, 10 rebounds, four a sists), Serge Ibaka(15 points on 6 Blake Swihart Jersey -of-9 shooting)and Luke Kennard(eight points, six rebounds, two a sists) each contributed to LA's Christmas Day win over Denver. The Clippers likely anticipated Ibaka and Kennardcontributing throughout the season, but Batum'searly emergence has been a nice surprise.Clippers coach Tyronn Lue is excitedabout the versatility the 32-year-old offers on both ends."I'm very impre sed. He just knows how to play the game," of Batum earlier this week. "Very smart, very cerebral, understanding what's going on. ... And he's one of our best pa sers. So we can play him at the elbows. We can put him in pick-and-rolls. And then with his length and size, being 6-9, we can switch one through four."Right on the money. | LA Clippers (@LAClippers) No one will care much about how the Clippers perform in December. That's just the wayit works in the NBA when a team has championship expectations and whe

Participating in Big 3 competition not only allows George Foster Jersey profe sional basketball players to extend their careers, but also gives them a chance to keep earning good money.The Big 3 features 12 teams playing in 3-on-3 games throughout the summer. The league, which was founded in 2017 by rapper Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz, has been able to consistently land talented players in part because it offers solid salaries.How much can Big 3 players earn? Here are the financial figures.MORE:Big 3 salary, prize money: How much will players make? have indicated that Jesse Winker Jersey Big 3 players earn $10,000 per game, plus additional bonuses based on team performance. That means players can reach $100,000 in a single season.How many players Adam Duvall Jersey are in the Big 3?As of July 2022, there are 62 total players on Big 3 rosters. Most teams carry five players on their rosters, but the3 Headed Monsters andEnemies each have six.Big 3 rosters3 Headed MonstersRashard Lewis (captain)Jonathon Jose Iglesias Jersey SimmonsMahmoud Abdul-RaufQuincy MillerKevin MurphyJamario Moon3's CompanyMario Chalmers (captain)Michael BeasleyBrandon RushJulian WrightDerrick ByarsAliensDusan Bulut (captain)Karlis LasmanisTomislav IvosevDeshawn StephensAdam DrexlerBall HogsLeandro Barbosa (captain)Jodie MeeksWill McDonaldStacy Davis IVKuran IversonBivouacGerald Green (captain)Corey BrewerWill BynumJeff AyresGarlon GreenEnemiesNick Young (captain)Isaiah AustinElijah StewartJordan CrawfordSek HenryKeith BensonGhost BallersRicky Davis (captain)Mike TaylorChris JohnsonDarnell JacksonJermaine TaylorKiller 3'sFranklin Se sion (captain)Donte GreeneJosh PowellK.J. McDanielsDominique JohnsonPowerCuttino Mobley (captain Matt Kemp Jersey )Nikoloz TskitishviliRoyce WhiteGlen Rice Jr.T.J. ClineTri-StateJason Richardson (captain)Justin DentmonLarry SandersDaJuan SummersRay NixonTrilogyJames White (captain)Earl ClarkAmir JohnsonIsaiah BriscoeDavid HawkinsTripletsJoe Johnson (captain)Jeremy PargoJannero PargoAlonzo GeeRyan HollinsBIG 3 seasonscheduleWeekDatesLocationWeek 1June 18-19ChicagoWeek 2June 25-26ChicagoWeek 3July 2-3DallasWeek 4July 8- Scooter Gennett Jersey 10DallasWeek 5July 17DallasWeek 6July 23-24DallasWeek 7July 30-31DallasWeek 8Aug. 6-7DallasWeek 9Aug. 14 (Playoffs)Tampa, Fla.Week 10Aug. 21 (Championship)AtlantaWeek 11Sept. 3-4 (All-Star)Atlantis, Bahamas

The first-round series between the Mavericks and Jazz could serve as a turning point for both teams.Dallas enters the 2022 NBA Playoffs looking to advance beyond the opening round for the first time in the Luka Doncic era and become a serious contender. However, the Mavericks could be mi sing its MVP candidate to start the series, as Doncic suffered a left calf strain in the regular season finale Oliver Drake Jersey . If Doncic can recover quickly from the injury, Dallas could be dangerous.MORE:Utah, meanwhile, is coming off a 49-33 campaign, but the Jazz will be forced to answer tough questions if they Mallex Smith Jersey flame out in the first round. Can the talented duo of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert lead their team on a deep postseason run? Or is an offseason of change inevitable?Here's everything you need to know about Mavericks vs. Jazz, including a full schedule for the first-round series.What channel is Mavericks vs. Jazz on?Date:Saturday, April 16TV channel:ESPN Yandy Diaz Jersey (U.S.), TSN (CA)Live streaming:| Watch ESPN | TSN DirectIn the United States, Mavericks vs. Jazz will be broadcast on ESPN. In Canada, Mavericks vs. Jazz will be broadcast on TSN. Viewers in the United States can stream Game 1 on Watch ESPN, the ESPN App or Sling TV.Viewers in the U.S. can stream every NBA Playoff game live on SLING TV. With the SLING Orange Sports Extra package, get $10 off your first month now with acce s to ESPN Daniel Robertson Jersey , ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT and NBATV. NBA Playoff games on ABC are simulcast on ESPN3, which is included with SLING Orange, available for $35 per month including $25 the first month for new subscribers.MORE: Viewers in Canada can stream Mavericks vs. Jazz on TSN Direct.Mavericks vs. Jazz Jesus Sucre Jersey start timeDate:Saturday, April 16Time:1 p.m. ET | 10 a.m. PTGame 1 of the Mavericks-Jazz series will tip off around 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 16. The game will be played at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.Mavericks vs. Jazz schedule, TV channelsHere is the complete schedule for the first-round series between the Mavericks and Jazz.DateGameTime (ET)National TV (US)April 16Game 11 p.m.ESPNApril 18Game 28:30 p.m.NBA TVApril 21Game 39 p.m.NBA TVApril 23Game 44: Jalen Beeks Jersey 30 p.m.TNTApril 25Game 5*TBDTBDApril 28Game 6*TBDTBDApril 30Game 7*TBDTNT*If nece sary

Don't expect to see LeBron James on the court much as the NBA preseason starts up.Lakers coach Frank Vogel said while James will Nomar Mazara Jersey play a little bit, the team would rather conserve him for the regular season."We want to be intelligent," on playing James during the team's six-game exhibition. "We want to get him enough reps to get him familiar with his teammates and get everybody on the same page, some cohesivene s. But certainly going to be intelligent and not overdo it in the preseason."Intensity. Enthusiasm. Energy.Another good day of practice in the books. Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) James, 34, is Edinson Volquez Jersey entering his 17th season in the league, is in his second season with the Lakers and is starting his first year under Vogel, who was hired by Los Angeles after Luke Walton was fired last season.It also will mark Anthony Davis' first year with James and the Lakers after he was traded to Los Angeles in a blockbuster deal in the offseason.Vogel explained he wants James and Davis Taylor Hearn Jersey to get used to playing with each other while minimizing any wear and tear before the regular season starts. He also said he is figuring out the lineup since the Lakers addedDwight Howard,Avery BradleyandKentavious Caldwell-Pope in the offseason."We saw a mismatch in LeBron and Anthony's team really sort of had their way with the Martin Perez Jersey other teams," Vogel said. "We had three teams out there, and those guys really performed at a high level on both ends of the floor."The Lakers play in theirfirst preseason game next weekend against the Warriors Ronald Guzman Jersey at their new arena in San Francisco, then the team will travel to China to face the Nets in two exhibition games."I feel like we're ready to play right now," Vogelsaid. "We put a lot of stuff in, both offensively with our full offense and the variety of things you can do out of it, as well as a lot of our defensive coverages. We've had a really productive first couple of days, and I'm not worried about us not being ready to play games against Golden State or in Brett Martin Jersey China." Related Articles

Could history have been rewritten? "The Shot" never having existed?Maybe.On Sunday's Episode 3 of the "The Last Dance," Michael Jordan's iconic shot over Craig Ehlo in the 1989NBA Playoffswas put under the Wei-Yin Chen Jersey microscope. Jordan famously sunk a series-clinchingshot over Ehlo, securing the second playoff series win of his career.Ron Harper, also a member of those Cavaliers teams, voiced his displeasure during the episode for Cavs coach Lenny Wilkins putting Ehlo on Jordan for that shot instead ofhim.MORE: Blank Jersey Ron Harper was savage for this Jonathan Peterlin (@JPeterlin) On Wednesday, Ehlo offered some insight to Harper's comments, I never said Miguel Rojas Jersey I was a Jordan stopper like Gerald Wilkins or anything. But back then Harp and me were on the court at the same time and he was our big offensive threat. So, when I came in it was a no-brainer that I would guard Jordan so Harp could rest on defense and play on offense. Corey Dickerson Jersey Harp had never really talked about defense or guarding people. He wasnt a bad defender, I will give him that much, but I think those years with the Bulls where he got those championships, he was definitely third or fourth fiddle, so all of a sudden he becomes this lockdown defender, apparently. I dont really remember him during our time wanting to play defense that much. Lewis Brinson Jersey He kind of shocked me with those comments, saying he wanted to guard Michael. So, in summation: Ehlo was perfectly fine guarding Jordan, while calling into doubt Harper's real desire to want to defend him. Seems like something that's festered to this day.Whatever the case may be, Neil Walker Jersey "The Shot" lives in fame as one of the first true iconic Jordan moments, and whether it was Ehlo or Harper, destiny likely wouldn't have been rewritten.

If the All-Star Draft is any indication, Kevin Durant showed there may be some tension between himself and James Harden following the blockbuster trade that sent the guard to Philadelphia Jordan Lyles Jersey on Thursday.As All-Star captains, Durant and LeBron James were selecting players for the upcoming game and Durant avoided picking Harden, going with the Jazz's Rudy Gobert instead.As Durant was explaining his decision to Sean Rodriguez Jersey go with "size" James held a clipboard in front of his face to hide how much he was laughing.MORE: | "Imma need some size."Kevin Durant on picking Barry Bonds Jersey Rudy Gobert over James Harden (@sportingnews) Harden was traded to the 76ers earlier in the day for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round draft picks. The deal was the culmination of weeks worth of innuendo suggesting the former Net was unhappy in Brooklyn, displeased with a number of things, including Kyrie Irving Richard Rodriguez Jersey 's status as a part-time player.Harden had not played in the Nets' previous three games with a hamstring i sue, but there was talk that he was sitting out with the expectation that he would be traded.Inside the NBA host, Charles Barkley joked about that during the All-Star Draft, Dave Parker Jersey too.MORE: "He got traded, he's healthy now," Barkley said, and even Durant cracked a smile at that one. "He's rubbing Icy Hot on that thing. He's playing the next game," Barkley continued. Starling Marte Jersey LeBron is loving this. . Even KD finally smiled. Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) The All-Star game is set to be played in Cleveland on Feb. 20.

It doesn't sound like the Pistons will have to wait too much longer for Cade Cunningham to make his debut.The No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cunningham mi sed Detroit's first two games of the 2021-22 season with a sprained right ankle.Pistons head coach Dwane Casey said the team is taking a cautious approach with Cunningham's recovery."He wants to play,". "The medical people are holding J.J. Hardy Jersey him back. You don' Jesus Sucre Jersey t want to rush him back if it's not 100 percent. There are certain movements he has where it's still sore."How long has Cade Cunningham been injured?Cunningham suffered a sprained right ankleearly in training camp. The injury kept him out of Detroit's entire preseason.The injury isn't considered to be serious, .Before training camp, Cunningham appeared in three games with the Pistons in Summer League, posting averages of 18.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 a sists.When could Cade Cunningham make his debut?Pistons general manager Troy Weaver said during opening weekthat he would "," adding that he's "pretty much day-to-day."The Pistons just returned home from a three-game road trip, and it appears the No. 1 pick isgetting closer to his return.According to the Ubaldo Jimenez Jersey NBA's official injury report, Cunningham's name is not listed for the Pistons for the first time this season. While he has not verbally been cleared to play, an absence on the injury report is certainly a step in the right direction.The Pistons will face off againstthe Orlando Magic on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 7 p Dylan Bundy Jersey .m. ET in Detroit. If Cunningham is not yet ready to suit up, his next chance to take the floor will be Sunday, Oct. 31 against the Brooklyn Nets.You can find the Pistons' upcoming schedule below.Pistons upcoming scheduleDateOpponentTime (ET)Sat, Oct. 30vs. Orlando7:00 PMSun, Adam Jones Jersey Oct. 31at Brooklyn7:30 PMTue, Nov. 2vs. Milwaukee7:00 PMThu, Nov. 4vs. Philadelphia7:00 PMFri, Nov. 5vs. Brooklyn7:00 PMWhat isCade Cunningham's potential?NBA.com's draft expert Kyle Irving of Cunningham when the Pistons drafted him No. 1 overall."The 6-foot-8 jumbo guard has the most polished skill set of any Caleb Joseph Jersey player in this cla s, ready to make an impact and lead a franchise from Day 1. He can play point guard and initiate offence for budding players like Jerami Grant, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart, or play off the ball alongside last year's lottery pick, Killian Hayes."Cunningham has to the likes of Grant Hill, Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic.

By the start of 2020, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant had already put all of the active NBA Rookie of the Year contenders Chris Iannetta Jersey behind him.Morant enteredNew Year's Day averaging17.4 points, 6.5 a sistsand3.2 rebounds per game while generating buzz with his midair acrobatics. No one else came close to that production.But the long-awaited debut of Pelicans forward Zion Williamson in January could make Rookie of the Year discu sions interesting depending on how the final two months of the campaign unfold.Is it po sible for someone who mi sed about three months to an injury to claim a season-long award? Barely, andthe circumstances would need to be extraordinary and include an Chris Rusin Jersey unlikely playoff berth for New Orleans. There remains the slimmest of chances, though, given Williamson's game-changing impact on the floor and the flair with which the Pelicans have playedin recent weeks.MORE: Before this week, Williamson had endured very few road bumps to start his career. He showered 3-pointers in his debut, and then showed his dominance inside by recording double-doubles against the playoff-bound Carlos Gonzalez Jersey Celtics and Rockets.But earlier this week in a 120-108 lo s toMilwaukee, Williamson finally came back to earth with a 5-for-19 shooting effort in which he was completely dominated byGiannisAntetokounmpo. Williamson started ice-cold in the nationally televised tilt, not scoring until almost six minutes into the action, when he tipped in a Jrue Holiday mi s. He struggled to move Antetokounmpo or Brook Lopez with his large frame and was left grasping at air on a couple of offensive moves byAntetokounmpo. His 20-7-5 line felt empty given his inefficiency.Giannis is in killer mode tonight.He's teaching Zion a few le sons Sporting News (@sportingnews) Williamson went 32minutes Tuesday and Bryan Shaw Jersey 25 minutes Thursday, and he has now exceeded 28 minutes in four of his last five contests. Injury-related playing time limitations have been lifted. He is averaging 19.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and he could improve upon that stat line as he settles into the league. By comparison, Morant is averaging 17.4 points, 7.0 a sists and 3.4 rebounds per game.There are 30games left to play for the Pelicans and 31games remaining for the Grizzlies. That would give Williamson a maximum of 38total games played this season and Morant a maximum of 71, though neither should be expected to compete in every single contest. Following a win over the Bulls on Thursday night, New Orleans (21-31) is 5.5games out of a playoff spot. Memphis (26-25) Nolan Arenado Jersey occupies the No. 8 seed and holds a multigame cushion over the rest of the Western Conference pack.Should the Grizzlies make the playoffs, Morant will win Rookie of the Year. Should the Pelicans mi s the playoffs, Morant will win Rookie of the Year. Should Williamson averagefewer than 20 points and 10 rebounds the rest of the way, Morant will win Rookie of the Year.If none of those conditions materialize, however, Williamson will have a fascinating case for the award.Here is how the NBA Rookie of the Year race currently stands:NBA Rookie of the Year rankings1. Ja MorantStock: Steady2. Zion WilliamsonStock: Rising3. Brandon ClarkeStock: Steady4. Kendrick Scott Oberg Jersey NunnStock: Steady

Luka Doncic wants to stop drawing technical fouls for arguing with officials. He can also add "Stop drawing flagrant fouls" to his to-do list.The young Mavericks star was given a Flagrant 2 and an automatic ejection for a hostile act toward the Cavaliers' Collin Sexton on Sunday Michael A. Taylor Jersey night. The act wasachop that landed near Sexton's groin as the two battled for position in the lane. Officials termed the strike "aggre sive."NBA STANDINGS:Doncic's swipe was clear on replay.Luka ejected after hitting Sexton in the groin. House of Highlights ( Eric Thames Jersey @HoHighlights) He told reporters that he didn't mean to hit Sexton below the belt."After I saw the video, I knew I hit him, but it wasnt nothing on purpose, . "That kind of stuff happens a lot in the games, but I dont know. Thats my explanation Daniel Murphy Jersey ."Doncic that he needs to keep himself in check and not complain so much. His realization came about ashe received his 15th official technical of the season, one shy of triggering a one-game suspension (another T had been Kyle Barraclough Jersey previously rescinded)."It's something that I'm not supposed to do," Doncic said, . " It's difficult with all the emotions in games, but obviously I've got to stop. It's just hard for me on the court with all the emotions, but I realize it and I've James Bourque Jersey got to work on this. It's tough to do it, but I've got to work on it and be way better than this."Fortunately for Doncic, his Matt Wieters Jersey early shower Sunday didn't hurt the Mavson the court and the flagrant foul won't put him over the limit for technicals. Dallas cruised to a 124-97 victory that moved it a full game ahead of the Trail Blazers for the fifth seed in the West.

The NBA is cracking down on fans who scream abusive and hateful language at players or anyone else while they are at games.Roughlya dozen Mookie Wilson Jersey NBA players gathered for a teleconference with officials this summer to discu s fan behavior in the league, which all agreed is getting worse.Now the NBA has toughened its stanceon what's acceptable for fans to do and say and what's considered abusive, according to .Some of the changes include a no-tolerance policy on derogatory New York Mets Jersey and racist language.Weve added any sexist language or anti- LGBTQ language, any denigrating language in that way, anything that is non-basketball related, said Jerome Pickett, the NBAs executive vice president and chief security officer. So your mother comments, talking about your family, talking about test scores, anything non-basketball related, weve added that in as well as being something that we Juan Lagares Jersey will go and pull a fan out of the seat and investigate what happened.Last season, high-profile players were subjected to cruel remarks, includingRu sell Westbrook, Jeff McNei Jersey DeMarcus Cousins and Kyle Lowry. Many of those comments were racist in nature.Westbrook had slurs thrown at him in Salt Lake City during games against the Jazz on two different occasions, while Cousins had a similar experience in Boston. The Celtics banned that fan from their arena for two seasons, while the Jazz banned bothfans for life for the Westbrook incidences.Last Tim Tebow Jersey season, I began to sense even at the games I was attending that there was a certain, Ill call it absence of civility, that permeated the games, said Michele Roberts, the executive director of the National Basketball Players A sociation. I was seeing more bad-mouthing opposing teams that were not simply you suck, which every one of Jose Reyes Jersey us will tolerate, but really nasty, nasty comments being directed at players. Related Articles

Grab the popcorn, remote and toilet paper, 'cause you're gonna need it.With the sports world effectively shut down for the foreseeable future amid coronavirus (COVID-19, if you're fancy) pandemic, there's a good chance that you'll definitely be smart and stay indoors, away from the world and definitelynottransmitting the illne s to anyone. Please. Be smart.So while it definitely sucks that coronavirus is spreading and has postponed, suspended or delayed all the major sports, the good thing about "social distancing" is Tom Murphy Jersey that it lends more time for you to veg out on the couch with a cold brew and really get your money's worth out of your Netflix sub. (By the way, now is a good time to be a bro/sis and shoot off that pa sword to a friend in need.)MORE:Of course, streaming services are a goldmine for content in general, and spending a bit more time at home than you thought you would be this year lends itself to time for you to branch out into subjects, sports or otherwise you might not typically be interested in.So while you're cooped up at home, rationing your TP, washing your hands and practicing safe, smart habits and procedures , here's some sports stuff you can watch on your streaming service of choice to kill some time while we weather this together. NetflixAh, Netflix. It's a goldmine of content, including some really good sports content, at that. But a quick "sports" search on the app results in movies like "The Bounty Hunter" and "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," so lemme give you a hand on what to watch on here.'Ali'Starring Will Smith, "Ali" details the life, times, trials and tribulations of Muhammad Ali more than it does his boxing career. If you want a good, in-depth look at the fighter Ali was outside of the ring more than he was inside of Ken Griffey Jersey the ring, then this is a great watch for you. Smith was nominated for Best Actor in the 74th Academy Awards if that's your sort of thing while Jon Voight did a remarkable job as legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell.'The Battered Bastards of Baseball'This Netflix doc is a breezy 80-minute watch, chronicling actor Bing Ru sell's love of baseball and his quest to bring baseball back independent baseballto Portland, Or. It's the story of the Portland Mavericks, an independent baseball team in the '70s, where affiliated baseball was theonlybaseball that thrived acro s the country. It also features Kurt Ru sell, so there's that.'Miracle'For those of us too young to have lived through the Cold War, "Miracle" is a movie about the U.S. Justin Dunn Jersey Men's Hockey Team who did the impo sible, knocking off the Ru sians in the semifinal game in the 1980 WinterOlympics. It really captures the magic of the squad.Even if you're not a hockey savant, it's definitely worth a watch. Also, Kurt Ru sell is in this, too. There's no theme developing here.'Beyond the Mat'For the uninitiated, wrestling is fake, dumb, trashy entertainment. To that, I say, what is "The Bachelor?"In any case, "Beyond the Mat" is a somewhat legendary documentary detailing the lives of pro wrestling inside and outside of the ring that was recently added to the streaming service. For wrestling fans who haven't seen it, it's a must-watch; for those who haven't or don't care for pro wrestling, it provides a peek behind the curtain of the grappling world.It features some familiar faces, too: Darren Drozdov (Droz), Vince McMahon, Jim Ro s, Mick Foley,Terry Funk and others.'Formula 1: Drive to Survive'So, Formula 1 isn't big in the U.S., which is understandable, as NASCAR is king. But the skill, the precision, the sexine s, the danger of F1 racing is all captured in this docuseries. If you're not hooked by the first episode, you might have a heartbeat of an F1 driver.The first two seasons (10 episodes apiece) chronicle the 2018/2019 F1 seasons, but it's much deeper than your typical recaps. The drama, stories and glamour that go into Formula 1 is conveyed. It also streams on 4K, which will give you a reason to use your tax money on that new 80-inch TV your significant other doesn't want you to get.'Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez'This docuseries isn't without its flaws. At times it feels more like a justification of Hernandez's action thanit does an examination of his life and times, and the football side of his life is actually pretty minimal. But if you're a sucker for serial killer docs and want a better look at just what exactly was going on inside Hernandez Gerson Bautista Jersey 's brain prior to his death, this is a good enough watch.'The English Game'It'll be released globally on Friday, March 20, but there's already a fair amount of buzz surrounding it. "The English Game" follows the birth of English profe sional football and comes from the creator of the sleeper-hit show "Downton Mike Marjama Jersey Abbey." Early reviews seem to be very promising, praising its authenticity and camera work. YouTubeWhen you're not busy watching cat videos and hydraulic pre ses squashing bowling balls, YouTube offers a smorgasbordof sportsstuff to watch.'Cobra Kai'The sequel to the original "Karate Kid" film series, Cobra Kai follows then-antagonistJohnny Lawrence in his second life as a deadbeat, wandering through the world, as he tries to revive the Cobra Kai dojo. It never dies, after all.The series actually adds an exceptional amount of depth where you think it might not be. The only catch: it requires a YouTube Premium subscription, but the first episode is free. Watch it you won't be disappointed.World Series Game 7, 2016It's been a few years since the Cubs ended the curse of the billy goat, but if you want to relive their epic Game 7 win over the Indians, the full game is available on YouTube. It's unarguably one of the best games played in the last two decades, and one of the most memorable Game 7 wins of all time.The Monday Night MiracleOn Oct.23, 2000, the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets played one of the most memorable games in "Monday Night Football" history. Sure, Dolphins vs. Jets isn't a particularly sexy matchup in 2020, but turn back the clock 20 years and you'll see there was no shortage of stars on the field: Curtis Martin, Zach Thomas and uh did we mention Curtis Martin?Well, anyway, there's a reason this game is hailed as one of the best MNF contests of all time, and you can see why on YouTube.Also, Jets fans need something good to look forward to, after all.Super Bowl IIIWant to know where the NFL became the NFL? Super Bowl III is on YouTube in its entirety, and you can point to this game as a reason the merger happened. The AFL was consistently clowned for being an inferior league, and the Jets were big-time underdogs to the Colts in the third AFL-NFLChampionship Game. Also, for the younger folks, you get a full helping of Curt Gowdy's dulcet tones.NWA 'Powerrr'Yes, there are three Rs, because it's Kyle Seager Jersey really, really, reallygood.For the lapsed wrestling fan or the casual viewer, getting into pro wrestling again can be di

Jarred Vanderbilt doesnt fit into any sort of box. If you try to put him in one, hell leap out of it and find a loose rebound to grab along the way.Vanderbilt doesn't stand out on paper. Hes averaging around six points and nine rebounds per game this season. Thats pretty close to what he did in his lone college year at Kentucky under coach John Calipari in 2018. But theres something about his play that makes him a bit of an analytics darling.Those pedestrian averages at Kentucky e sentially back in 2018. He continues to grade out as a top 30-100ish player in James McCann Jersey various public NBA all-in-one metrics this season. Theres something that Vanderbilt is doing that is making a big impact outside of scoring points. What does the eye test say?Hes Dennis Rodman with more skill.MORE:Thats how Calipari Vanderbilt while coaching him at the University of Kentucky. Theres obviously a healthy dose of hyperbole in Chris Beck Jersey there. But Im not sure if I have a better way than Calipari to describe one of the most unique players in the league.This sequence from last season can only be described as Rodman-esque motor. What other 6-9 big can switch and stay with a point guard, fall out of bounds when a shot goes up, then apparate 20 feet in the other direction into a scrum heading downhill with the ball?Like Rodman, Vanderbilt is a defensive pain in the a s with great physical tools and intangibles. He . To borrow a quote from former Bulls coach Jim Boylen, he's like a mad dog chasing a meat truck. He is already a top-10 on-ball defender at his position.MORE: Vanderbilt eats casual for breakfast. When players try to throw the same nondescript pa s to initiate offensive sets that theyve committed to muscle memory, .How good can a player be if he cant shoot? At age 22, theres still some hope that Vanderbilt Yermin Mercedes Jersey can stretch his game out. But as of now, that is his glaring flaw and whats limiting him to a spark plug role player. Defenders sag off him, which can hurt the Wolves spacing. Fortunately, hes found a couple of ways to work that to his advantage.Vanderbilt willingly does the dirty work, setting screens to get better shooters open. When defenders ignore him, theyre too Preston Tucker Jersey far removed from the play to switch on his screens. That gap also gives him a huge runway to fly in for offensive rebounds, where hes elite.The one area where Vanderbilt does create a bit of scoring for himself is with his cuts. He looks like a Pro Bowl wide receiver running precision pa sing routes. Hes , finding openings where other players would not by mastering change of pace and pa sing angles. Once he gets the ball, hes looking for the nearest body to dunk on.MORE: Vanderbilt can pa s a little too. that he used to study Lamar Odom tape growing up, and he averaged an Odom-esque 29 points, 13 rebounds and nine a sists per game as a highly touted senior in high school. While his a sist numbers are nothing special yet at the NBA level, .Theres also a cool factor to Vanderbilt. Wolves broadcaster Jim Peterson, probably the best color guy in the league, dropped one of the best nicknames that Ive heard this year, calling Vanderbilt the Vandolorean. Yasmani Grandal Jersey That seems to fit well. Hes a bit of an oddball from afar. Chaos and destruction follow in his wake. But he's beloved by those who know him well, like teammates and coaches. Hes Rodman on Disney Plus intriguing enough to Matt Davidson Jersey carry a spinoff series, but lacking the juice to headline a summer blockbuster.Bottom line: Vanderbilt figures out ways to contribute without scoring the ball. The Wolves starting lineup with him is surprisingly , and . Their always-bad defense is top 10 this year, and hes a big part of it. Hes far from a star, but hes an all-around contributor who is fun to watch.Those are the qualities that make a Hidden Gem. This is the way.