Most intriguing NBA playoff matchups, JJ Redick's success, Warriors in play-in & MVP
Next, Vince and Bomani unpack the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves matchup and how JJ Redick's stellar coaching this season will play a massive role.
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Later, Vince and Bomani take a look at why the Golden State Warriors have tailed off the last week of the season and how it could come back to bite them in the play-in or in a series with the Houston Rockets.
(6:08) Most intriguing: Knicks vs. Pistons
(17:59) Tom Thibodeau on the hot seat?
(21:14) Nuggets vs. Clippers series
(31:07) JJ Redick's success as coach
(34:23) Luka & LeBron's dominance
(36:57) Timberwolves getting in their own way
(39:25) Anthony Edwards the key factor
(44:03) Warriors in the play-in
(50:40) MVP talk
Cade Cunningham vs. the Knicks will be must-see television. (Photo by)
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Boston Globe
27 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
It looks like Aaron Judge is running away with the AL MVP, and other thoughts on baseball's awards races
▪ American League: Aaron Judge is seemingly running away with what would be his third MVP in four seasons. His 6.7 bWAR is more than two wins better than Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh . But Raleigh went into the weekend with seven more home runs than Judge and 10 more RBIs. Voters could give him extra credit for being a catcher and for Seattle finishing with a better record than the Yankees, if that proves to be the case. Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals), José Ramirez (Guardians), and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays) are candidates for the top five. Advertisement Garrett Crochet likely will be the Red Sox player with the most votes unless Alex Bregman carries the team down the stretch. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up ▪ National League: It's not inevitable that Shohei Ohtani will win his third MVP in a row, something that hasn't happened since Barry Bonds won four in a row from 2001-04. The high-caliber defense Pete Crow-Armstrong plays in center field for the Cubs had him with 6.0 bWAR going into the weekend. Ohtani was at 5.8. Three pitchers — Cristopher Sánchez of the Phillies (5.9), Paul Skenes of the Pirates (5.7), and Zack Wheeler of the Phillies (5.1) — were all over 5.0. But no full-time pitcher has won an MVP since Clayton Kershaw in 2014. Advertisement Ohtani pitched into the fifth inning against the Angels on Wednesday night in his 10th start of the season. He could give the Dodgers six or seven more starts before the season ends. Shohei Ohtani is 31. Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press If Ohtani hits 50 home runs, scores 150 runs and pitches 85 innings, it would be tough for voters to deny him, as dynamic as Crow-Armstrong has been. Fernando Tatis Jr. (Padres) and Juan Soto (Mets) are among the better choices for second or third unless you are really blown away by Sánchez. Cy Young ▪ American League: Skubal is a heavy favorite to repeat. He has a 2.42 ERA and 0.87 WHIP while raising his strikeouts per nine innings (11.2) since being a unanimous winner last season. Pedro Martinez (1999-2000) is the last American League pitcher to win two Cy Youngs in a row. Crochet, Nathan Eovaldi , Joe Ryan , and Jacob deGrom could round out the top five. ▪ National League: It's a much better race as Sanchez, Skenes, and Wheeler are all worthy choices. Related : Skenes has allowed more than four earned runs once in 25 starts. He's allowed two or fewer 20 times. Opponents have hit .197 and struck out 166 times against 36 walks. Sánchez has had a breakout season at 28, posting a 2.45 ERA over 24 starts. Wheeler has been more overpowering, averaging 11.8 strikeouts over nine innings after finishing second to Chris Sale last season. Rookie of the Year ▪ American League: Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz is a heavy favorite. He made his debut on April 23 and had 23 homers and 62 RBIs in his first 81 games. A platoon first baseman playing home games in a minor league park may not be an exciting choice. But a .999 OPS doesn't lie. Roman Anthony , who debuted on June 9, looks like a solid second choice and could pass Kurtz if he carries the Red Sox into the playoffs. Advertisement Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson and Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez (one of two rookies to appear in 100 or more games) will get votes. Keep an eye on Texas righthander Jack Leiter , who has a 2.95 ERA in his last eight starts. ▪ National League: Those futures bets on Roki Sasaki aren't looking very good. Miami DH Agustín Ramírez and Atlanta catcher Drake Baldwin have been the two most productive hitters along with Milwaukee outfielder Isaac Collins . Cubs righthander Cade Horton , who has been dominant in recent games, is the choice here to emerge as the winner. Pitching well down the stretch for a contender is a difference maker. Manager of the Year ▪ American League: Blue Jays manager John Schneider looked like a candidate to get fired late April when Toronto lost eight of nine. Now his Jays are fighting the Tigers for the top seed in the playoffs. You can make a good case for Joe Espada (Astros), A.J. Hinch (Tigers) or Alex Cora for second place. Cora has done very well to keep the Red Sox afloat given their injuries, the trade of Rafael Devers and the surprising lack of reinforcements at the trade deadline. ▪ National League: Milwaukee's Pat Murphy should win again. The National League hasn't had a repeat winner since Hall of Famer Bobby Cox from 2004-05. But Advertisement Murphy is a good strategist while being genuine and funny to create a winning atmosphere. At 66 it feels as if he's just getting started. Pat Murphy has been the Brewers' manager since 2024. Colin Hubbard/Associated Press Deal to be made? Beer, Bregman and what comes next Samuel Adams started brewing 'Bregman's Beer.' It's a citrusy pale ale, we're told. Presumably without a hint of pine tar. What's next, naming a duck boat after him and making Bregman a character in the next Dennis Lehane novel? Bregman likes Alex Cora , and serving as a mentor to young players. But he didn't choose Scott Boras as his agent to make things easy. He turns 32 in March and this could be his last chance at a major deal. It's also likely Bregman will want a contract structured to protect him financially should games get canceled in 2027 because of labor issues. Related : With the team-friendly extensions the Sox have negotiated with several of their young players, there should be a path to sign Bregman. Hopefully chief baseball officer Craig Breslow sees the value of Bregman's off-field leadership, something that has played a major role in this team being in contention. A few other observations on the Red Sox: ▪ The Red Sox used 43 pitchers during spring training. Payton Tolle wasn't one of them. The big lefthander from TCU threw on the main stadium field a few times with a gaggle of coaches and executives watching closely but played only in minor league games. Advertisement Now it's possible he could factor into the pennant race at 22, having Rosters expand from 26 to 28 on Sept. 1 with a maximum of 14 pitchers. Tolle is a good candidate to take one of those spots if only for a start or two. The other one would seem reserved for Kristian Campbell , who has hit well in recent weeks for the WooSox after initially struggling after his demotion. ▪ Red Sox first basemen have a .698 OPS. The American League average is .752. It hasn't been a wreck since Triston Casas was lost for the season but it hasn't been particularly good, either. Going into the weekend, Abraham Toro has a .559 OPS since the All-Star break and is a below-average defender. Maybe that is where Campbell fits. But an inexperienced first baseman in a pennant race seems like a big risk given the team's defensive issues. Campbell could fit better in a utility role. Etc. Alonso the home run king of Queens Pete Alonso's home run off Atlanta's Spencer Strider on Tuesday gave him 253 as a member of the Mets, He added another off Justin Cox three innings later. The old mark of 252 was held by Darryl Strawberry , whose last game as a Met was in 1990. Only the Padres (187 by Manny Machado ) and Diamondbacks (224 by Luis Gonzalez ) have all-time leaders with fewer home runs. Arizona came into existence in 1998. The Mets (1962) and Padres (1969) don't have any excuses. The leaders for home runs for one franchise are who you would expect: Hank Aaron had 733 for the Braves. Babe Ruth had 659 for the Yankees and Willie Mays hit 646 for the Giants. Advertisement Along with Alonso and Machado, the only other active franchise leader is Mike Trout (398 for the Angels). Giancarlo Stanton is Miami's leader with 267, the last of those coming in 2017, before he was traded to the Yankees. Dan Uggla , with 154, is second. Only 18 of the 30 franchises have Hall of Famers atop the list. For every Stan Musial or Ted Williams there is an Evan Longoria or Ryan Braun . Related : Williams (521) encountered a bit of a challenge from David Ortiz (483) but seems secure in the top spot for the Red Sox for a long time to come. The active Red Sox closest to Williams are Jarren Duran (46), Triston Casas (45), and Trevor Story (39). Extra bases J.D. Martinez drove up to Tampa when the Dodgers were at Steinbrenner Field earlier this month to work with Mookie Betts , who ended July hitting .240 with a .681 OPS. They were Robert Van Scoyoc . Martinez doesn't need a job. He's busy with his first child and fishing the waters off South Florida. He also made $154 million as a player. But some team would be wise to bring him in as a consultant or even just for spring training. He knows hitting and can skillfully communicate that knowledge … Rafael Devers made his debut at first base with the Giants on July 22. He played first in nine of the next 19 games. Devers has only been charged with one error … MLB set the dates for the postseason. The best-of-three Wild Card series are scheduled for Sept. 30-Oct. 1. The best-of-five Division Series would all start on Oct. 4 and run through Oct. 11. The ALCS starts Oct. 12 with the NLCS opening on Oct. 13. That round would be over by Oct. 21. Kyle Schwarber is not yet a free agent but the recruiting has started. The Reds invited Schwarber's father to throw out a first pitch at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday. Greg Schwarber is a retired police chief who runs the youth baseball and softball programs in Middletown, Ohio. Schwarber grew up roughly 40 miles from Cincinnati. But Dave Dombrowski is no fool. Schwarber has 173 home runs, a .350 on-base percentage, and an .856 OPS over the last four seasons in Philadelphia. He also has a .906 OPS over 69 career postseason games and is one of the best clubhouse presences in the game. The Phillies won't let him walk away … Commissioner Rob Manfred said at the All-Star Game that there would be 'a transaction' involving the Twins coming soon. That was expected to be a sale of the team. Then the Pohlad family announced on Wednesday that the team was off the market and the only change would be bringing in two minority partners. It was a decision that stunned team employees, many who were looking forward to new ownership revitalizing an organization carrying $425 million in debt. After a fire sale at the trade deadline, Minnesota now has the fourth-lowest payroll in the game, ahead of only the Nationals. Marlins, and Athletics. Average attendance at Target Field is down to 22,298, better than only five teams. 'We feel we're the right people to lead this organization, to own this franchise,' said executive chair Joe Pohlad , whose family has owned the Twins since 1984, and accomplished little in recent years. Only the Yankees, White Sox, and Phillies have longer tenures for their ownership groups … The Braves released Alex Verdugo on July 5, and he remains a free agent. The 29-year-old outfielder has a .631 OPS over 205 games since the Red Sox traded him to the Yankees … The Diamondbacks won nine of 13 and averaged 5.8 runs after trading six players off the major league roster before the trade deadline. 'They fight. They go out there every single day to win a baseball game,' manger Torey Lovullo said of his players. 'Things have not always gone our way, but we are continuing to play hard.' … The Angels were 6-0 against the Dodgers this season after going 5-19 against them the previous five seasons … The struggling Mets dropped once-upon-a-time Red Sox prospect Frankie Montas out of the rotation and replaced him with 24-year-old rookie Nolan McLean . Montas has appeared in only eight games and has a 6.38 ERA since agreeing to a two-year, $34 million contract … Bourne has built a Cape Cod League dynasty, winning the league for the third time in four seasons under manager Scott Landers , who coaches at SUNY Oswego. His pitching coach is Kevin Curtain of Tufts. The Braves swept Yarmouth-Dennis in the championship round, winning, 5-3 and 19-2. Gavin Kelly (West Virginia) drove in six runs in the clincher. He doubled twice and homered. Lefty Folger Boaz (North Carolina) went six innings in the final game and allowed one earned run … The 31st annual Old-Time Baseball Game will be Wednesday at 7 p.m., at St. Peter's Field in Cambridge. The game, organized by The Athletic's Steve Buckley , features college and high school players from the Boston area wearing replica throwback uniforms dating to 1890. Brock Holt is expected to be on hand. Proceeds benefit The Boston Home, a non-profit residence for adults with neurological disorders. Red Sox vice president Gus Quattlebaum , who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, will be honored as part of the game. Go to Skip Lockwood , who is 79. The Roslindale native grew up in Norwood and was a star at Catholic Memorial before signing with the Kansas City Athletics in 1964, as a third baseman and making his debut in 1965, as an 18-year-old third baseman. Lockwood went to the Seattle Pilots in 1968 expansion draft as a pitcher and went on to a 12-year career that included making 24 appearances for the Red Sox in 1980. Lockwood was 57-97 with a 3.55 ERA and started 106 of he 420 games he pitched. Lockwood earned an MBA from MIT after his baseball career and was an early adopter of sports psychology, according to stories at the time. Peter Abraham can be reached at
USA Today
27 minutes ago
- USA Today
‘Different': Kevin Durant on Alperen Sengun's elite play for Turkey
Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun were both Western Conference All-Stars last season, and they're now teammates in Houston. This week, Durant is watching his co-star shine in European play. As they gear up for the upcoming FIBA EuroBasket 2025 competition, Turkey lost Friday's preparation match versus Germany by two points. It was part of the DBB SuperCup and effectively a road game for the Turkish squad, since the game was played in Munich. But that narrow defeat certainly wasn't the fault of Alperen Sengun, an NBA All-Star center with the Houston Rockets. In under 32 minutes played, Sengun led the way with 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists while making 8-of-11 shots (72.7%) and 7-of-9 free throws (77.8%). That total included a number of highlight moves, most notably a crossover spin from the perimeter that led to a running dunk. It's not a move that is seen frequently from big men, but Sengun isn't a normal big man. One person who noticed was new Rockets teammate Kevin Durant, a future Hall of Famer and former Most Valuable Player (MVP). Responding to a clip of the move, Durant simply summed it up with one word. 'Different.' Durant was responding to an X user who asked if any other big men were able to move as fluidly in space. The list is quite small, and it's a unique skill set that Durant will try to help Sengun maximize once training camp opens for the 2025-26 Rockets next month. More: Rockets star Alperen Sengun to play for Turkey in FIBA EuroBasket 2025
USA Today
27 minutes ago
- USA Today
NBA source on Lakers' expected starting lineup for 2025-26 season
The Los Angeles Lakers have made a few significant additions this offseason, including center Deandre Ayton and guard Marcus Smart. As a result, there are some questions about what their starting lineup will look like when the 2025-26 season gets started. Last season, after the Luka Doncic trade, their regular starting lineup consisted of Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes. Ayton will be replacing Hayes in their starting five, but some wonder if Smart, the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, could move into the starting five as well. According to one league source, Hachimura is expected to retain his starting spot, while Smart and fellow newcomer Jake LaRavia will anchor Los Angeles' bench unit. "A league source told Lakers Daily that Redick is expected to start Doncic, Reaves, Hachimura, James and Ayton next season and have Smart, LaRavia, Hayes, Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent run the second unit," wrote Ashish Mathur. While Smart is 31 years of age and has had some mild to moderate injuries in recent years, plenty of people expect him to make a significantly positive impact on the Lakers in multiple ways. LaRavia, meanwhile, is expected to infuse the squad with some accurate 3-point shooting and perhaps a little defense of his own. LaRavia, a 23-year-old 6-foot-7 forward, made 42.3% of his 3-point attempts this past season while playing for the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings. Shortly after signing with the Lakers, he said he sees himself as a "3-and-D connector type player" on the team.
