Latest news with #No.77
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Ryan Blaney races to first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the year at Nashville
Associated Press LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) — Ryan Blaney gave fans a burnout to celebrate kicking off the second half of the NASCAR season by running away down the stretch for his first Cup Series victory of the year Sunday night at Nashville Superspeedway. 'I'm ready to go celebrate,' Blaney said. The 2023 Cup champ had been racing well with five top-five finishes over the first half of this season. He finally got to victory lane in the No. 12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske for his 14th career victory and first since Martinsville in November. 'I never gave up hope that's for sure," Blaney said. "We've had great speed all year. It just hasn't really been the best year for us as far as good fortune. But (No.) 12 boys are awesome. They stick with it no matter how it goes.' He became the ninth different winner this season and the fifth driver to win in as many races at Nashville. He also gave Team Penske a second straight Cup win at Nashville's 1.33-mile concrete track. Blaney, who started 15th, quickly drove his way to the front as he won the second stage. He easily held off Carson Hocevar by 2.83 seconds. Hocevar matched his career-best finish at Atlanta in February after complaining during the race that his No. 77 Chevrolet was undriveable. 'Either I'm really dramatic or they're really good on adjustments," Hocevar said. "Probably a little bit of both, but, yeah, proud of this group proud of this car. A place that is really, really difficult to pass, we're able to go 26th to second.' Denny Hamlin finished third in his 700th career Cup Series race, matching the third-place finish by Jeff Gordon at Darlington in 2013 for the best finish in a driver's 700th race. Joey Logano, who won here last year, was fourth and William Byron fifth. Hamlin was hoping for one more caution that never came after seven cautions for 35 laps. 'Just couldn't run with the 12 (Blaney) there in the super long run," Hamlin said. "After 40 laps, I could maintain with him. But then after that, he just pulled away and stretched it on us.' There was a sprint to the finish under green forcing teams and drivers to pick and choose went to pit. Blaney had led 107 laps when he went to the pits under green flag on lap 248. Hamlin took the lead before going to pit road on lap 256. Brad Keselowski had the lead when he went to the pits on lap 269, and Blaney took the lead for the final 31 laps. Waiting on a call Hamlin raced Sunday night hoping to take advantage of his starting spot spot beside pole-sitter Chase Briscoe. Whether Hamlin would chase his third win this season had been in question with his third child, a boy, due the same day. Hamlin practiced and qualified well, so he drove his No. 11 Toyota even as Joe Gibbs Racing had Ryan Truex on standby in case Hamlin got the call that his fiancee was in labor. Hamlin won the first stage. Tyler Reddick beat his boss Hamlin, a co-owner of his 23XI Racing team, to new parent status, which Reddick announced on social media earlier Sunday. His family welcomed their second son at 2:20 a.m. on May 25, then Reddick followed up hours later by finishing 26th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Early night Ricky Stenhouse Jr. didn't finish his first race this year. He was the first out when Hocevar tapped his No. 47 Chevrolet, spinning Stenhouse into the wall between Turns 3 and 4 for the second caution of the race on lap 106. Punishment and more penalties possible? AJ Allmendinger started at the back of the field and served a stop-and-go penalty after the green flag for an unapproved adjustment to the splitter during Saturday's practice. His No. 16 Chevrolet was sent back to the garage and then the scanning station before practice and qualifying. The No. 66 Ford of Chad Finchum failed inspection twice leading to engineer Austin Webb's ejection. The Garage 66 team also lost pit stall selection. Up next NASCAR heads to Michigan International Speedway for the Cup Series on June 8. ___ AP auto racing: recommended
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What might the San Jose Sharks do with the No. 2 NHL Draft pick?
Winning the NHL Draft lottery for a second straight year would have been a lot for the San Jose Sharks. Until fortune struck for them last summer, they had never won the lottery since the league introduced it in 1995. Mind you, the Sharks weren't in that position for much of the last three decades. Consistent success and numerous playoff berths don't result in getting a seat at the lottery table, much less a prime one. Besides, the Sharks might have drawn some comparisons to the Edmonton Oilers, who landed the No. 1 pick in three consecutive years and four times in a six-year span. That's both good, given how the Oilers accumulated first-rate talent, or bad, in that they have yet to turn that fortune into a Stanley Cup championship. Advertisement The Sharks getting the No. 1 pick again, after landing Macklin Celebrini last year, would have been a bonus. That won't happen, since the New York Islanders jumped up from the No. 10 position to win the lottery, but drafting at No. 2 won't be a bad thing for San Jose. The Sharks are less likely to add potential franchise defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who's expected to go off the board first, but they're not feeling particularly disappointed about getting to choose next. 'We're going to get a good player,' Sharks general manager Mike Grier said following the lottery. 'Whenever you're picking at the top of the draft, there's going to be some really good players available. We're excited about the opportunity.' If it's destined for Schaefer to call Long Island home, does that mean Grier will call out the name of Michael Misa on June 27? Should the Sharks start printing No. 77 jerseys with the Saginaw Spirit star's name on the back? Or might they go in another direction to further boost a well-stocked prospect pool that was The Athletic's choice for No. 1 in the league? In 2022, Misa became the eighth player granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada to play in Canadian major junior hockey as a 15-year-old. Current NHL players John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, Connor McDavid, Joe Veleno, Shane Wright and Connor Bedard were also granted such status. Now 18, Misa has lived up to that with a stellar junior career. Last year, Misa won the Memorial Cup with Saginaw as the team's second-leading scorer behind Zayne Parekh. Individual honors came Misa's way in his massive draft season as he led the Ontario Hockey League with 134 points. His 62 goals (up from 29 in 2023-24) tied him with Patrick Kane for the most by an OHL player in a draft-eligible year. He earned league Most Outstanding Player honors. Advertisement The Sharks have plenty of forward talent in their system. But when you're picking that high, you take the best player available. All draft projections have Misa as that player, after Schaefer. And it's easy to imagine the product of Oakville, Ontario, who has drawn many comparisons to fellow Greater Toronto Area native Tavares, in the San Jose lineup. Because of his ability to play wing and center, Misa could slot behind Celebrini as the Sharks' future 2C or shift to the wing if they're determined to have Will Smith play in the middle. Smith's growth throughout his rookie season and his chemistry with Celebrini could make it tempting for Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky to leave things as is and play Misa at the position he favors. Misa returned to center in 2024-25 after playing on the wing the year before. 'Just felt more confident down there,' Misa said on an ESPN interview. 'Played there growing up in minor hockey. That transition definitely helped me. But being able to play both positions also helps. It was good overall.' The Sharks have had plenty of viewings of Misa. They like that he isn't solely focused on the offensive side of the ice. And it didn't hurt that Igor Chernyshov, their third selection in the 2024 draft (and the No. 33 overall pick), instantly clicked with Misa once he joined the Spirit after recovering from shoulder surgery. 'He plays a good 200-foot game,' Grier said of Misa. 'He's got a heavy stick. Sees the ice well, can make plays. I think he played in all situations and he kind of has a knack for scoring goals. Really, really solid year this year. I think we've seen him a bunch even going back to last year scouting Parekh. 'Good player. Like I said, when you're at the top of the draft, there's lots of good players available. He's one of them.' It feels like this draft is set up for San Jose to welcome Misa to the Bay Area. But what if the Islanders don't take Schaefer at No. 1? If there is one area where the Sharks aren't overflowing with high-end prospect talent, it's on defense. There are some promising players – Luca Cagnoni, Leo Sahlin Wallenius, Mattias Havelid and Eric Pohlkamp, to name a few – so it's not as if the blue-line pipeline is empty. Shakir Mukhamadullin is set to play his first full NHL season. Advertisement Let's not forget that atop that group sits Sam Dickinson, the No. 11 choice last year, who had 29 goals and 91 points in the regular season to trail only Parekh (the No. 9 pick in 2024 for Calgary) among OHL defensemen, and who amassed another 31 points in 17 playoff games for the champion London Knights. But if Schaefer were to stay on the board, there's no way the Sharks could pass on someone projected to become an impact No. 1 defenseman. Such a scenario won't play out – unless the Islanders have a reason to choose someone else. James Hagens might be that someone else. Hagens, 18, grew up as a diehard Islanders fan in Hauppauge, N.Y. At one point, he was projected as the No. 1 pick, and while his stock has slid somewhat, he had a productive freshman season at Boston College. Despite the Eagles being led by returning standouts Ryan Leonard and Gabriel Perreault, Hagens had 37 points to rank third on the team. Hagens would make for the ideal hometown-kid storyline. That's not to say the Islanders will do that, or that it's even a smart choice given that Schaefer is the one seen as the clear-cut No. 1 pick. Still, they could pull a surprise and take Hagens. Or they could see what teams that are highly interested in Schaefer might offer in a trade — in addition to their own high selection. Would the Sharks consider a package that enticed the Islanders to move off the No. 1 pick in order to secure Schaefer? 'I haven't really given that much thought, to be honest with you, and I don't know what the Islanders are thinking, what they're going to do with the pick themselves,' Grier said. 'We'll take some time to let this kind of marinate a little bit and go through our options, and we'll kind of see where that goes.' Grier simply could be keeping every option open. That also could include moving down from No. 2 if it meant getting an additional player who could help the Sharks improve now. 'If there's a package out there that someone presents us with, we'll have to think it through and see if it makes sense for us to do,' Grier said. 'I'm always trying to be open-minded to things like that.' Advertisement Smoke screens are often sent out by teams ahead of the draft. As much as the idea of a team trading a top-five pick brings intrigue and excitement, teams simply do not move them in the salary-cap era. Anaheim Ducks rookie Cutter Gauthier, the No. 5 overall selection in 2022, was traded, but only after the Philadelphia Flyers drafted him and he requested a move 18 months later. Any team, whether it's the Islanders or anyone else with No. 1 overall, is going to ask for a huge price to even consider a trade. And it's generally not worth it for a team to surrender multiple quality assets simply to move up a few spots, when it could get a similar-level player with its own high pick. The Sharks have an overflowing prospect pool, but is acquiring Schaefer worth losing a quality player or multiple draft picks? Drafting at No. 2 is an enviable position. The Sharks could have a lot to think about – or nothing to ponder at all. (Photo of Michael Misa: Kevin Sousa / Getty Images)
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Carson Hocevar earns first NASCAR Cup pole, William Byron 2nd in Texas
Setting a fast time of 28.174s, Carson Hocevar was able to hang on for his first career pole in the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet on Saturday. It's a front row lockout for Team Chevy with William Byron putting the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in second, just 0.014s behind Hocevar's pole lap. Hocevar was also the fastest driver in the practice session that immediately preceded qualifying. "It's really big," smiled Hocevar. "It's really big for these guys. It's super impressive for what they've been able to do. This is the same group on pit road, off pit road, at the shop -- everyone working on the No. 77 is exactly the same as when I started here. It's just huge where we've been able to bring this team." Advertisement Hocevar admitted that he can be hard on himself at times, and didn't think he "nailed that lap," despite going to the top of the board. "Super proud of this team," he continued. "I've never been number one pit stall and I've had a lot of issue s on pit road. We've had a lot of bad luck, so I finally get the number one pit stall and I'm pumped about that." Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet James Gilbert / Getty Images James Gilbert / Getty Images Last weekend's Talladega race winner Austin Cindric timed in third, leading the Ford camp. Kyle Larson was fourth and Hocevar's Spire Motorsports teammate Michael McDowell was fifth. Ty Gibbs led the Toyotas in sixth, followed by Josh Berry, Denny Hamlin, Bubba Wallace, and AJ Allmendinger. Advertisement Defending Texas winner Chase Elliott will start deep in the field, only going fast enough for 29th. The good news is that he came from 24th on the grid to win here last year. He's not the only notable driver with some work to do on Sunday either with Ryan Blaney 24th, Kyle Busch 26th, Joey Logano 27th, Brad Keselowski 30th, and Ross Chastain 31st. There were no incidents during the qualifying session. History shows that the pole-sitter has not been able to translate that into a Cup win at Texas in three years of the Nex Gen era, which is something Hocevar will surely be hoping to change tomorrow. Perhaps the practice here is paying off: Hocevar has already been on track racing this weekend, as the only Cup driver to also run the Truck race on Friday night. He was solidly in second place when a battery issue derailed his night. Photos from Texas - Practice Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford Sean Gardner / Getty Images Sean Gardner / Getty Images Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Michael McDowell, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports Ford Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Sean Gardner / Getty Images Sean Gardner / Getty Images Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing Toyota Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Sean Gardner / Getty Images Sean Gardner / Getty Images Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota James Gilbert / Getty Images James Gilbert / Getty Images Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet Sean Gardner / Getty Images Sean Gardner / Getty Images Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing Ford Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet James Gilbert / Getty Images James Gilbert / Getty Images Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Ty Dillon, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Ty Dillon, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Sean Gardner / Getty Images Sean Gardner / Getty Images Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Justin Haley, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet Logan Riely / Getty Images Logan Riely / Getty Images Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford Chris Graythen - Getty Images Chris Graythen - Getty Images Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford Austin Cindric, Team Penske Ford Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet James Gilbert / Getty Images James Gilbert / Getty Images Advertisement Read Also: Corey Heim wins chaotic Texas NASCAR Truck race in double overtime Connor Zilisch gives health update after being sidelined by Talladega wreck The strange evolution of Texas Motor Speedway Can Chase Elliott strike gold in Texas again, one year after last win? 1 77 Chevrolet 1 28.175 191.659 2 24 Chevrolet 1 +0.014 28.189 0.014 191.564 3 2 Ford 1 +0.020 28.195 0.006 191.523 4 5 Chevrolet 1 +0.035 28.210 0.015 191.421 5 71 Chevrolet 1 +0.048 28.223 0.013 191.333 6 54 Toyota 1 +0.054 28.229 0.006 191.293 7 Wood Brothers Racing 21 Ford 1 +0.058 28.233 0.004 191.266 8 11 Toyota 1 +0.073 28.248 0.015 191.164 9 23 Toyota 1 +0.074 28.249 0.001 191.157 10 16 Chevrolet 1 +0.101 28.276 0.027 190.975 11 48 Chevrolet 1 +0.109 28.284 0.008 190.921 12 17 Ford 1 +0.134 28.309 0.025 190.752 13 38 Ford 1 +0.150 28.325 0.016 190.644 14 43 Toyota 1 +0.159 28.334 0.009 190.584 15 7 Chevrolet 1 +0.162 28.337 0.003 190.564 16 20 Toyota 1 +0.181 28.356 0.019 190.436 17 45 Toyota 1 +0.188 28.363 0.007 190.389 18 4 Ford 1 +0.193 28.368 0.005 190.355 19 3 Chevrolet 1 +0.206 28.381 0.013 190.268 20 41 Ford 1 +0.263 28.438 0.057 189.887 21 35 Toyota 1 +0.272 28.447 0.009 189.827 22 19 Toyota 1 +0.274 28.449 0.002 189.813 23 10 Chevrolet 1 +0.300 28.475 0.026 189.640 24 12 Ford 1 +0.337 28.512 0.037 189.394 25 99 Chevrolet 1 +0.357 28.532 0.020 189.261 26 8 Chevrolet 1 +0.366 28.541 0.009 189.201 27 22 Ford 1 +0.370 28.545 0.004 189.175 28 42 Toyota 1 +0.379 28.554 0.009 189.115 29 9 Chevrolet 1 +0.413 28.588 0.034 188.890 30 6 Ford 1 +0.461 28.636 0.048 188.574 31 1 Chevrolet 1 +0.483 28.658 0.022 188.429 32 34 Ford 1 +0.484 28.659 0.001 188.422 33 60 Ford 1 +0.521 28.696 0.037 188.180 34 47 Chevrolet 1 +0.529 28.704 0.008 188.127 35 Beard Motorsports 62 Chevrolet 1 +0.760 28.935 0.231 186.625 36 51 Ford 1 +0.767 28.942 0.007 186.580 37 88 Chevrolet 1 +1.018 29.193 0.251 184.976 38 66 Ford 1 +1.658 29.833 0.640 181.008 To read more articles visit our website.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers' season comes to a disappointing end with another loss to Timberwolves
The shirt's been inside LeBron James' extra locker since the day he received it, a facsimile of the Lakers' iconic golden jerseys with No. 77 on the front and 'Doncic" on the back. James wore a shirt exactly like it during pregame warmups on Feb. 10, a very public signal from someone rarely subtle that he was ready to embrace the partnership put on him when the Lakers made the midseason trade that gave the team two of the NBA's best big-game players. Advertisement But in the Game 5 loss to Minnesota that ended their season Wednesday, Luka Doncic was grimacing after a foul jammed his lower back in the first half. And James barely put weight on his left leg as he limped off the court in the fourth quarter. Still, with a little more than seven minutes to go, the two were on the court, the Lakers ready to back up the widely held belief that the closer the game, the better off they'd be because of their leaders. The scoreboard in Arena showed highlights of Doncic and James, their No. 77 and No. 23 uniforms adding up to 100, with just three minutes to go and the Lakers down two. But like it did late in fourth quarters throughout this first-round playoff series, the math never added up. Advertisement Doncic, again, missed a key layup. James, again, couldn't find a rhythm in the fourth quarter. And even as that Doncic shirt hung inside the Lakers' locker room, the hope that had been built over the last two months totally evaporated as the Lakers again failed to win the biggest moments, a 103-96 loss ending the first chapter of this James-Doncic era. It didn't matter that Minnesota missed 40 three-point shots, the most ever by a team in a postseason win. They seemed to grab every rebound. It didn't matter that Anthony Edwards was just 5-of-19 from the field — the Lakers couldn 't capitalize. And it didn't matter that the Lakers were on their home court, Minnesota silencing the fans as they defensively dominated the fourth quarter for the fifth straight game. Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert shoots over LeBron James in the first quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) JJ Redick sacrificed size for quickness and spacing, benching center Jaxson Hayes and starting Dorian Finney-Smith like he did in the second half of Game 4. This time, Rudy Gobert made the Lakers pay with playoff career highs of 27 points and 24 rebounds. Advertisement Doncic had 28 on seven-of-18. James scored 22 on nine-of-21 shooting. Austin Reaves had only 12. Like it was all series, things never looked easy for the Lakers. The bulk of that credit should go to Minnesota, who not only looked like the more cohesive team but functioned as one designed almost explicitly to smother highlighter over every one of the Lakers' blemishes. The Lakers, who won games by playing hard, lost to a team that always seemed to play harder. The Lakers, who earned home court advantage by being tougher, lost to a team that was undoubtedly tougher. And the Lakers, who looked like they could beat anyone in the regular season, lost to a team that they obviously couldn't. Advertisement Redick, who described the Lakers as 'on edge' in the practice before Game 5, angrily responded to a question that implied he needed to lean on his assistant coaches to better handle late-game substitutions. His team quickly fell behind, Julius Randle, the first piece of the Lakers' post-Kobe Bryant plans, looking like the bulldozing tone-setter the team envisioned when it took him in the first round in 2014. Timberwolves forward Julius Randle in first quarter. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) James and Doncic, who owned the top two scoring averages in elimination games in league history, made just one of their eight shots in the first quarter. With each miss, the murmurs from the crowd grew longer, the fans mirroring the Lakers and their fading chances. Advertisement The team pushed early in the second as Randle and Jaden McDaniels, maybe the series MVP, both sat with foul trouble allowing the Lakers to get it on multiple occasions within a single possession. But in the moments when the Lakers and their stars needed to capitalize in those stretches, they looked more like separate entities than an unstoppable force. James tried to find Doncic as he flared to the corner and threw a pass directly to Anthony Edwards. Doncic couldn't play on the defensive string the Lakers all needed to be pulling on, Minnesota's easy baskets leading to James' open frustration towards the Lakers' bench. But with their season on the line, the Lakers did something they'd rarely done all year – they dominated the third quarter. The Lakers fought back from as many as 14 down to lead on a Dorian Finney-Smith three, trading possessions with the Timberwolves to trail by just one heading to the fourth. But the Lakers scored only 16 points in the fourth quarter, a feeble end for an offense that could've been more potent. Advertisement The loss is the first time the Lakers have ever lost a first-round series as a No. 3 seed or higher. The team is also just 2-12 in its last three playoff series. Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dallas Cowboys give Tyron Smith's number to another, the reaction has been quite poor
Dallas Cowboys give Tyron Smith's number to another, the reaction has been quite poor The ink hasn't even dried from Tyron Smith's one-day contract, and the team has already handed out his No. 77 jersey to Saahdiq Charles, who recently signed with the Dallas Cowboys. There are two schools of thought when it comes to jersey assignments. Some hold these numbers in high esteem based on the players who came before them. With the Dallas Cowboys specifically, it is an honor to wear the number 88 as a wide receiver. Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin, Dez Bryant, and now CeeDee Lamb have all worn that number and played at a very high level. Other numbers are almost held at a holy level and should never be worn again. Bob Lilly (74) Roger Staubach (12) Troy Aikman (8) Emmitt Smith (22) When it comes to the recent signee, Saahdiq Charles, who was assigned the No. 77 jersey last worn by the recently retired Tyron Smith, fans and former players were not fans of this. Former Cowboys DB Jourdan Lewis weighs in What are you doing Jerry? Is it the number or the position? The AUDACITY Nothing has changed Even the enemy is upset by this Jerry is going to Jerry
