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Draymond reveals TJD's ‘selfless' act for Post in Warriors' win

Draymond reveals TJD's ‘selfless' act for Post in Warriors' win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors veteran Draymond Green noticed second-year center Trayce Jackson-Davis made an honorable sacrifice for rookie center Quinten Post in Golden State’s 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA play-in tournament on Tuesday night.

And Green made sure to highlight it when talking to reporters postgame.

“I want to mention something that I saw today that no one will give a s–t about,” Green prefaced. “Trayce Jackson-Davis did something on the bench today. He didn’t play in the game. There were no seats on the bench, Quinten Post said, ‘Trayce, can I get that seat?’ and Trayce just got up. And a part of me was baffled that he got up for the rookie. Because the rookie – if there’s no seat, you sit on the floor. [Jackson-Davis] just got up and gave him the seat. 

“And I walked over to [Jackson-Davis] and said that’s one of the more selfless things I’ve ever seen. Ninety-nine percent of the time, you’re going to be like, ‘You going to go sit on the floor, rook. Go find a seat somewhere else.’ But [Jackson-Davis] knew he wasn’t part of the rotation, and yet the rookie was. They’re playing the same position, and [Jackson-Davis] got up and went and stood in the tunnel because there were no seats.”

Jackson-Davis, 25, has the class of a pro’s pro.

It isn’t easy to be out of coach Steve Kerr’s rotation during the Warriors’ biggest game of the 2024-25 NBA season. It also isn’t easy to give up your seat for a less-experienced player who is playing crucial minutes over you.

Yet, Jackson-Davis did exactly that for Post – who finished with 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting, five rebounds and tied with Green as a game-high plus-12 – and the respectful moment clearly helped Golden State reach its first-round NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets, even if he didn’t find his way onto the court.

“I just wanted to put that out there because that to me – that’s why you win games,” Green told reporters. “It’s chemistry, selflessness, togetherness, and I just thought that was a huge moment. Nobody else saw it except us three. And so I wanted to share that. I thought that was a really big moment for our bench. 

“You know, you can make [Post] sit on the floor and nothing happens, or you can get up and boost confidence in him and he’ll go back out there and hit a [three-point shot]. And I thought that was special.”

Green has seen it all over his illustrious 14-year Warriors career. And even he was “baffled” by Jackson-Davis’ willingness to give up his seat for the fellow 25-year-old.

The type of honorability displayed by Jackson-Davis is exactly what Golden State needs moving forward in the postseason.

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How Austin Reaves earned his place among the Big 3 on the Lakers

Lakers guard Austin Reaves is introduced before the team plays the Houston Rockets on March 31 at Crypto.com Arena.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves has played his way from a two-way contract onto the roster and into the starting lineup. Now he's part of the team's Big 3 entering a playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. (Ric Tapia / For The Times)

JJ Redick had validated Austin Reaves all season, publicly and privately praising the Lakers guard as a key player of the roster.

It was a topic in Redick’s first news conference as Lakers coach, a topic in the preseason and, as the season began fittingly against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a topic an entire regular season ago.

“I’ve mentioned this a few times. We’ve talked a ton throughout the offseason. We’ve seen it already in the gym. He’s had a specific sort of pie to choose from, a menu to choose from so far in his career,” Redick said in October. “We’re going to try to give him a little bit more on the menu. Just make him a little more dynamic.”

Yet no piece of praise, no late-game play call, no moment more than any cemented how the Lakers felt about Reaves then their decision in Memphis in late March when Redick gathered LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Reaves together to talk about how the Lakers’ best players could make things work together.

“Just in terms of Austin being included, of course he's been included,” Redick said.

For Reaves, there’s rarely been a doubt. Since he played his way from a two-way contract onto the Lakers roster and, eventually, into the starting lineup, he’s never thought anything asked of him has been too much.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves, right, drives past Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, on March 14 in Denver.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves, right, drives past Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, on March 14 in Denver. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)

Yet as he’s gained responsibility on the court throughout his first season with Redick coaching the Lakers, the team has sought more from him, trying to harness his ability as a connective personality in the locker room into a more vocal presence on the court.

Stunningly, the Lakers kept him from being included in the deal for Doncic, giving them a massive advantage in any series they’ll play this postseason — the ability to have three highly intelligent, creative playmakers. And, if trends continue, all three can lead the Lakers through the tough moments that are guaranteed to arise between now and their championship goals.

It’s has been a process, Reaves navigating shifting roles and the Lakers’ ever-fluid roster as he’s been one of the most consistent performers for the last three seasons.

But he and former Laker guard D’Angelo Russell often got in each other’s way on the court — and not in any combative way. The two are close friends. But the presence of one meant the sacrifice of the other, and Reaves couldn’t feel fully empowered until the Lakers totally bought in to him.

That happened just before the Lakers’ decision to trade Russell in late December, Reaves hitting a game-winner on Christmas Day against Stephen Curry and the Warriors to add to his growing list of Lakers moments.

Read more:How do the Lakers match up against the Timberwolves entering their playoff series?

He reminded everyone, again, of what he could do when James and Doncic missed a game in Los Angeles against the Indiana Pacers — Reaves led the Lakers to a big win thanks to a career-high 45 points.

Late in the season, James loudly touted Reaves as the league’s most improved player, echoing his yearlong praise of a player he says is an “ultra-competitor, makes big-time shots and doesn't shy away from the moment.”

He quickly earned James’ trust after joining the team because of his high IQ and competitiveness, which are the same qualities that have helped him bond with Doncic early in his time with the Lakers.

“It doesn't surprise me,” Doncic said of Reaves’ level of play. “I've been watching him a lot.”

People outside the organization first really notice two years ago in his first playoff game, when he led the Lakers to a road win against Memphis and shouted “I'm him” after a fourth-quarter bucket iced the game. Yet greatness in the NBA comes with more responsibility than counting stats, and Reaves is starting to fully embrace that part of the job.

“We're asking a lot out of him and he's performed and lived up to everything we've asked him to do. So I think the next step is him just being more vocal cause a lot of times he has stuff to say,” Jarred Vanderbilt said.

Lakers star LeBron James, center, jokes around with guard Austin Reaves.
Lakers star LeBron James, center, jokes around with guard Austin Reaves as the Lakers take a commanding lead against the Houston Rockets. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

And this season, it’s been one of the areas Redick has encouraged him to grow.

In meetings with Reaves this season, Redick has encouraged better decision making. “You gotta allow the Pistol Pete s— to some degree because it's what makes him Austin,” the coach said. He’s worked with him on handling his added on-court responsibilities and challenged him to be more vocal.

Reaves has done that — even embracing his part in the meeting with Redick, James and Doncic when the Lakers’ coach leaned on his stars to solve the biggest remaining riddle for the team.

“Them being able to accept that challenge of figuring something out on the fly in the middle of a season — we challenged all three of those guys on that. And Austin's great to coach, awesome to coach. And, he's accepted every challenge and exceeded any sort of baseline level of response that we could expect from him.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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‘Tormented … but I don’t feel down’: Rose opens up on Masters heartache

  • Englishman lost in playoff at Augusta for second time
  • ‘I could really sense what it would be like to win it’

Justin Rose says he feels “tormented” by a feeling of what might have been after losing a second Masters playoff. Eight years after losing against Sergio García at Augusta National, Rose was beaten on the first extra hole by Rory McIlroy, who holed from short range for birdie after Rose’s attempt had narrowly missed.

Rose had started the final round seven shots behind McIlroy, but made his 10th birdie of the day on the 18th in a closing 66 to set the clubhouse target, with McIlroy then missing from five feet for the title in regulation.

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What we learned as Jung Hoo Lee, Giants' offense erupt in big win over Phillies

What we learned as Jung Hoo Lee, Giants' offense erupt in big win over Phillies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA — The Giants have talked a lot over the past two weeks about how they’re winning all different types of ball games. You can add this one to the list: “Win what’s probably going to be the ugliest game of the year.”

On a night when both starting pitchers nearly got knocked out in the first inning and the teams combined for four walks with the bases loaded, the Giants pulled away from the Philadelphia Phillies for an 11-4 win. What ultimately was the winning run scored on an airmailed throw from center field that got past the catcher and a pitcher who wasn’t backing up the plate and bounced into the dugout.

But a win is a win, and they’re piling up right now. 

The Giants poured it on after reliever Lou Trivino settled everything down and they retook the lead. They put up a second four-spot of the night in the seventh inning to get to 13-5 on the year.

Splitting a series at Citizens Bank Park is tough enough, but the Giants will try and get greedy on Thursday behind right-hander Jordan Hicks.

Here are three things to know from a long Wednesday night in Philadelphia … 

Fitzmagic

On the bus ride over from New York on Sunday night, Tyler Fitzgerald had a .237 average and .582 OPS. By the end of Wednesday’s game, he was sitting at .314 and .842, numbers that are better than last year’s breakout. 

Fitzgerald was a single shy for the cycle on Monday and two days later, he had two singles and a double, with two runs scored and an RBI. His slugging percentage is up to .490, which is good anywhere, but downright elite from a second baseman. You know you have a deep lineup when that’s your No. 9 hitter. 

Oh, and he also did this:

The patience the Giants displayed this spring and over the first couple of weeks of the season is paying off big time. 

Marathon Men

Aaron Nola faced nine batters in the top of the first and gave up four runs on four hits and two walks while throwing 35 pitches. Robbie Ray somehow threw even more pitches in his half of an inning that took 37 minutes and saw both managers get their bullpens up. 

Ray needed 39 pitches to get through the bottom of the first, giving back two of the four runs on walks with the bases loaded. He issued four free passes in the lengthy half-inning and threw just 16 strikes. According to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, this was the first game since 2001 in which both starting pitchers walked home a run in the first inning, and just the fourth time it has happened since 1974. 

Because baseball is forever unpredictable, the two faced just seven combined batters in a quick second inning.

Rough Trip

Ray got a strange win on Friday night when the rain led to the official scorer crediting him despite throwing just four innings. He lasted four innings Wednesday, too, and it was a battle to even get that far. 

Ray walked five and struck out five in the first two innings alone and ended up with those five walks and eight strikeouts. He also gave up six hits, including a two-run blast to Bryce Harper that briefly tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Harper walked on four pitches in each of his first two plate appearances and he wasn’t going to wait around; the slider wasn’t even a strike, but he yanked it into the seats in right.

Ray became the first MLB pitcher to walk five and strike out eight in four innings since … Robbie Ray in 2020. He took his first no-decision of the year and his ERA jumped to 4.19.

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NHL Nugget: Calgary Flames' Dustin Wolf's Birthday Backcheck

Dustin Wolf (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)

Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf, who turns 24 on April 16.

Wolf is the fifth-fastest American-born rookie goalie to hit 20 wins in a season. He was the goaltender of the year in the CHL in 2020, the AHL in 2022 and 2023 and the AHL's MVP in 2023.

Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media.  And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.      

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Flames set to inject youth into season finale with Parekh, Morton, Brzustewicz and Suniev expected to debut

With this season’s goal now out of reach, the Calgary Flames are looking toward the future. 

Flames fans should get a good look at as many as four first-timers who may make their NHL debuts on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena in California.

Terrence Lee-Imagn Images

The sting of playoff elimination still fresh after Tuesday night’s disappointing news that the Flames were ousted by the second intermission of their comeback win over the Vegas Golden Knights, the Flames called up defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz and centre Sam Morton from the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers on Wednesday. 

With prospects Zayne Parekh and Aydar Suniev already inked to their entry level deals and having joined the Flames in recent weeks following the end of their own seasons, it is anticipated they will all suit up in the season finale. 

Interestingly, Thursday’s game is a do-over for the game that was originally scheduled for Jan. 8 but had to be rescheduled because of the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. So the ‘bonus’ game offers a real glimpse into the future for the Flames with a chance to see prospects in NHL action. 

None are more anticipated than Parekh — last spring’s top Flames pick at No. 9 overall in the NHL draft. Parekh had an incredible junior season and is in the odd position of either having to play in the NHL or the CHL next year with the AHL’s Wrangler’s not an option because of his age and junior experience under the current rules. 

Brzustewicz has five goals and 31 points in 69 games with the Wranglers so far in his first professional season. The 20-year-old is a third-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks but came to Calgary in the Elias Lindholm trade last season. He was a standout junior blueliner with 92 points in 67 games for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers in 2023-24 before graduating to the AHL this season.  

Morton is an older prospect at 25 after being signed out of the NCAA ranks just over a year ago. He was a strong performer in Penticton this past fall and has 20 goals and 45 points in 69 games with the Wranglers in his first full pro season. He’s a natural centre who was the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s player of the year and a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2024 while starring for Minnesota State University – Mankato.

Suniev has stomed up the prospect rankings in recent months. The 20-year-old Russian posted 20 goals and 18 assists in 35 games for the University of Massachusetts Amherst — who upset the No. 3-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Fargo Regional Semifinals in NCAA action before inking his NHL deal. 


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Penguins Notebook: Letang's Surgery, Rebuild On-The-Fly Discussion, And More From Final Practice Of 2024-25

The Pittsburgh Penguins partake in their final full practice of the 2024-25 season on Apr. 16, 2025 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. (Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News)

On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Penguins took the ice for what will be their final full practice for the 2024-25 season. 

And there were a few notable absences. 

Forward Kevin Hayes - who also missed Tuesday's practice - is day-to-day with a lower-body injury and did not skate. And defenseman Kris Letang - fresh off successful surgery to repair a hole in his heart - also did not participate.

Head coach Mike Sullivan said that Letang's surgery was not reactionary and that it has been in the works for a while. He is expected to be in recovery for 4-6 weeks. 

"This wasn't a reaction to anything from an injury most recently," Sullivan said. "This is something that Kris and the medical team have discussed for a long time. Given the circumstance with Kris right now, he's banged up, dealing with a lot of bumps and bruises... we collectively thought as a group that it made the most sense to have the procedure done at this particular time.

"So, it wasn't anything that caused it. It was just something that's been an ongoing discussion for a long period of time now, and we just felt that this was the opportune time to do it."

Teammates also reacted to the news of Letang's surgery and commented on the resiliency that the veteran defenseman - who turns 38 next week - has shown throughout his career.

"His ability to keep himself in peak physical condition separates him from a lot of people and allows him to be as good as he is," longtime teammate Bryan Rust said. "And as long as he's been that good and played so many minutes, I think his conditioning level and his commitment to health and nutrition and making sure his body is as good as it can be... it shows."

Penguins Defenseman Kris Letang Has Surgery To Repair Hole In HeartPenguins Defenseman Kris Letang Has Surgery To Repair Hole In HeartIt appears the Pittsburgh Penguins will be down one more man for their final game of the season on Thursday against the Washington Capitals.

Defenseman Erik Karlsson mentioned that he had talked to Letang and that his fellow blueliner was at the rink on Wednesday - which came as no surprise.

"He was in here today and seemed in a good spirit," Karlsson said. "I'm happy everything went well, and like they said, hopefully it's 4-6 [weeks], and he can keep doing his thing.

"He's a maniac. I was kind of expecting to see him yesterday, to be honest."

-  Defenseman P.O Joseph - out since took line rushes and skated in a full-contact capacity for the second consecutive day.

And also - for the second consecutive day - he took line rushes as a forward on a fourth line with Vasily Ponomarev and Valtteri Puustinen.

If Hayes is out for tomorrow's game, the Penguins - without an emergency recall - will not have enough forwards to ice 12. If Joseph is available, don't be surprised to see him slotted into the lineup as a forward for the first time in his NHL career.

-  When asked about his no-movement clause expiring this summer, Rust remained staunch on his desire to remain in Pittsburgh for, at least, years 4-6 of his current contract:

"Yeah. I will say it to you guys, too. I don't want to leave here. This is home for me, this is where I intend to be, where I want to be, and, obviously... we'll talk more about that Friday [on locker cleanout day]."

Sidney Crosby Named 'Most Complete Player' For Sixth Consecutive Season In NHLPA Player PollSidney Crosby Named 'Most Complete Player' For Sixth Consecutive Season In NHLPA Player PollFor the sixth consecutive season, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has earned a prestigious honor from his NHL peers.

-  I also asked Karlsson about Crosby being named in the NHLPA's Annual Players Poll as the league's most complete player for the sixth consecutive season.

"Did you say it was six years in a row?" Karlsson said. "I would have guessed it would have been, you know, 18 or 19. I think I voted for him every single year I've been in this league.

"For me, it was even easier to vote this year now that he's my teammate. When you know him and the effort he puts into this game and how much he dedicates himself to the sport of hockey and this organization and this team, and himself... nothing surprising for me."

-  In his post-practice press conference, Sullivan was asked about whether or not he and POHO/GM Kyle Dubas have had discussions about trying to model the Washington Capitals' rebulid on-the-fly strategy. 

His answer was pretty interesting:

 “We’ve certainly had discussions about where we’re at and strategizing on where we want to go and how to get there. And there’s different ways to do that. There are some teams that want to strip the team right down to the studs. That’s one strategy. There’s others that have reshaped their teams on-the-fly. Washington is an example of that. There’s a number of those examples. I know Kyle’s done a deep dive on all of those different examples, and then looking at our team and trying to strategize as a group on what makes the most sense for this organization and where we’re at right now and how to return this group to a Stanley Cup contender and a competitive organization. 
I guess that’s a long-winded answer, but the answer is, yes, we have had those discussions over the last year-plus on what it should look like and what, potentially, we’re able to do and how we’re going to go about doing it.”
-

In case folks haven't noticed, the Penguins have not "stripped the team to the studs." Read into this quote what you will, but I think it's safe to ascertain that the Penguins are exploring how to get this thing accomplished as quickly as possible.

Like Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipLike Ovechkin's Capitals, Penguins Owe It To Crosby To Right The ShipOn Sunday, the hockey world got to witness Alexander Ovechkin - The Great “8” - surpass The Great “One” for the most goals in NHL history.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!     

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Dodgers legend Manny Mota suffers stroke: 'We hope he can recover all his functions'

Manny Mota bumps fists with a fan as he greets fans before a spring training baseball game
Dodgers great Manny Mota greets fans before a spring-training game against the Texas Rangers on March 9, 2024, in Phoenix. (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press)

Dodgers legend Manny Mota, who won a World Series with the organization as a player in 1981 and as a coach in '88, suffered a stroke Monday night.

"He is in recovery, where he is responsive to commands and is resting comfortably," the Dodgers wrote Tuesday on X.

His son, Dodgers broadcaster José Mota, told ESPN Deportes on Tuesday that his "dad never lost consciousness during the incident and is currently doing well."

On Tuesday morning, Mota told Grandes en los Deportes that his 87-year-old father was taken to the hospital after the stroke and that he "responded quickly to treatment." He added that his dad "is responding to commands to move his body and try to speak.”

“He's alert and responding," José Mota said. "Today is crucial. We'll see the results of removing the clot. At his age, it's difficult to predict, but we hope he can recover all his functions.”

Read more:'Los Angeles ... is our home.' Manny Mota, Dodgers have been nearly inseparable for 75 years

A pinch-hitting specialist, Manny Mota appeared in games over 20 MLB seasons, including the final 13 with the Dodgers. Mota, an outfielder from the Dominican Republic, was an All-Star in 1973 and retired in 1982 with a career batting average of .304 and a then-record 150 pinch-hits.

Mota remained with the team in various roles, including coaching from 1980 to 2013, the longest tenure in franchise history, and working with the Spanish-language TV broadcast team from 2013 to 2020.

In 2023, Mota was inducted into the team's Legends of Dodger Baseball, a group that also includes Steve Garvey, Don Newcombe, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser and Dusty Baker. Ron Cey is slated to be inducted this summer.

Dodgers minority owners Magic Johnson and Billie Jean King are among those who have taken to X to express their love and support for Mota.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Real Madrid 1-2 Arsenal: Champions League quarter-final, second leg – as it happened

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli scored as Arsenal laughed in the face of the remontada

“Is there really any point watching this game?” asks Matt Dony. “I mean, is there really any point even playing it in the first place? It’s Madrid in Europe. We all know what’s going to happen. They’ll have a blindingly good 10-minute spell towards the end of the first half, where they score two goals. There’ll be a scruffy third goal around the 70th minute, then they’ll willpower a winner sometime after the 87th minute. And there is nothing Arsenal can do about it.”

The emergence of the Arsenal players for their warm-up is the cue for the home fans to pay tribute to Joe Root. The noise is quite something, especially as we’re still half an hour away from kick off.

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How many NBA teams have never won a championship?

How many NBA teams have never won a championship? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Last season, the Larry O’Brien trophy returned to Boston, a city that has won more NBA championships than any other.

It was the 18th title for the Celtics, which is 18 more than many teams in the league.

There are 10 NBA franchises that have never won an NBA championship, and as many as five of them will be competing in the first round of the playoffs that begin Saturday.

Two of those teams — the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers — reached their respective conference finals last season. They were each attempting to become the fourth NBA team over the last decade to capture their first NBA championship — joining the 2022-23 Denver Nuggets, the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors and the 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers.

Which teams have never won an NBA championship?

There are 10 active NBA teams that have not yet won an NBA championship: the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz.

The Pacers, Clippers, Timberwolves and Magic have secured their spot in the 2025 playoffs, and they could be joined by the Grizzlies if they win their play-in game on Friday.

Perhaps you thought the Oklahoma City Thunder would be on this list. The Thunder, who had the best record in the league this season at 68-14, won the NBA championship in 1979 as the Seattle SuperSonics. Since relocating to Oklahoma City in 2008, the team has not yet won a title but did reach the NBA Finals in 2012.

As the NBA playoffs near, let’s look at each of the title-less teams and see how close each has come to winning that elusive championship:

Brooklyn Nets

Joined NBA: 1976

NBA Finals appearances: 2 (2002, 2003)

The Nets have not won a title since joining the NBA in 1976. But they did win two ABA titles!

Charlotte Hornets

Joined NBA: 1988

NBA Finals appearances: None

Neither the Hornets nor the Bobcats have won a title. In fact, they are one of two teams to have never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs. Probably why Michael Jordan sold the team.

Indiana Pacers

Joined NBA: 1976

NBA Finals appearances: 1 (2000)

The Pacers, a three-time ABA champion, pushed a Los Angeles Lakers team led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant to six games in the 2000 Finals.

Los Angeles Clippers

Joined NBA: 1970

NBA Finals appearances: None

The Clippers’ postseason history is well documented, as is the organization’s past dysfunction. There’s even a television series about it. But the Clippers enter this season’s playoffs having won 18 of their last 21 games. Perhaps this is the year they finally reach their first NBA Finals?

Memphis Grizzlies

Joined NBA: 1995

NBA Finals appearances: None

The Grizzlies have more international relocations than NBA championships, having shifted from Vancouver to Memphis in 2001.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Joined NBA: 1989

NBA Finals appearances: None

The Timberwolves came within three wins of their first NBA Finals appearance last season after Anthony Edwards led the team to the Western Conference Finals.

New Orleans Pelicans

Joined NBA: 2002

NBA Finals appearances: None

The Pelicans, along with the Hornets, are the only teams in the league that have never reached the conference finals. Perhaps one day we’ll get the Pelicans-Hornets NBA Finals matchup we deserve.

Orlando Magic

Joined NBA: 1989

NBA Finals appearances: 2 (1995, 2009)

The Magic have made it to the Finals twice and lost both. But they will forever be the last team to eliminate Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, so there’s that.

Phoenix Suns

Joined NBA: 1968

NBA Finals appearances: 3 (1976, 1993, 2021)

The Suns have been two wins away from winning a title on three occasions, including in 2021 when they held a 2-0 series lead over the Milwaukee Bucks. They are the only current team in the league to have reached three NBA Finals without winning a championship. 

Utah Jazz

Joined NBA: 1974

NBA Finals appearances: 2 (1997, 1998)

Thanks, Michael Jordan.

Which teams have never been to the NBA Finals?

Five current NBA franchises have still yet to play in the Finals with one team in the midst of a half-century drought.

  • Los Angeles Clippers – 55 seasons
  • Minnesota Timberwolves – 36 seasons
  • Charlotte Hornets – 35 seasons
  • Memphis Grizzlies – 30 seasons
  • New Orleans Pelicans – 23 seasons

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Stephen A believes Grizz likely beat Warriors if Morant wasn't injured

Stephen A believes Grizz likely beat Warriors if Morant wasn't injured originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Could the Memphis Grizzlies have walked away with a win against the Warriors on Tuesday at Chase Center if star guard Ja Morant hadn’t sustained an ankle injury during the third quarter?

Without discounting Golden State’s merit in its 121-116 win over Memphis, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes so.

“But in the same breath, let’s make sure we understand partially anyways what happened,” Smith said Wednesday on “First Take.”  “Ja Morant did get hurt. And if Ja Morant, considering some of the plays that he was making, had remained healthy throughout…” 

In the dying minutes of the third quarter of Tuesday night’s pivotal NBA play-in tournament game, Morant landed awkwardly on the foot of Warriors guard Buddy Hield. 

Soon after Memphis’ medical staff attended to Morant, the 25-year-old limped to the charity line and sank a free throw before hobbling back to the bench. 

Morant scored a team-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting before sustaining the injury. He returned with 9:26 left in the fourth quarter and finished with 22 points.

As Smith argued, the Grizzlies, despite experiencing noticeable ups and downs throughout the game, fought until the end behind the likes of its star players. 

“You look at Desmond Bane and what he was doing,” Smith added. “Jaren Jackson looked alive a little bit late. You saw Ja Morant and how he tried to play through the obvious pain from that ankle injury.”

In sports there’s no shortage of what-ifs, and, merely, that’s what Smith is proposing. 

“I would just look at it from that standpoint – not taking anything away from the Golden State Warriors,” Smith concluded.

“But you did find yourself saying, especially in the end, if Ja Morant had not gotten hurt, we might be saying something different this morning.”

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Joe Dumars officially hired to head New Orleans basketball operations; does he trade Zion Williamson?

It's now official: Joe Dumars will take over as the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations for the New Orleans Pelicans.

This was expected, it had been reported that Dumars would take over for David Griffin, who was fired after the season ended.

"Joe's achievements as a renowned Hall of Fame player, NBA champion and front office executive are indisputable," Pelicans Governor Gayle Benson said in a statement. "I have a great deal of respect for what Joe has already accomplished as a player and executive, but more importantly I admire his character and leadership. His vast experience and relationships throughout the NBA, along with his strong leadership qualities, will have a tremendous impact on our organization and our goal of winning an NBA championship.

Dumars walks in the door facing big questions, starting with whether the franchise should continue to build around Zion Williamson. From his introductory statement, it sounds like he may have already made that decision.

"As a Louisiana native, this is truly a full circle moment. I grew up as a Saints fan and the first AAU basketball team I played on at 16 years old was based in New Orleans, so this opportunity is very special to me on a personal level..." Dumars said.

"There is a lot of talent on this roster. My vision is to build a disciplined team that is built on toughness, smart decision-making and a no-excuses mindset. I am proud to have grown up in Louisiana and know how passionate, resilient and tough we are as a community. Our fans deserve a team that represents that spirit, and those characteristics will be the foundation of our team's culture."

There has been buzz in league circles that Dumars has been given orders to retain coach Willie Green and trade Zion. Dumars was reportedly going to have "very candid conversations" with Zion, ESPN's Shams Charania on NBA Today (via Real GM). "They're going to have to have a sitdown eventually."

There would be teams willing to step up and take a swing on Zion's potential. Zion averaged 24.6 points a game on 56.7% shooting with 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists a night this past season, the question is always how many nights he would be healthy to give a team that production. Zion only played 30 games this season and has played more than 65 games just once in his career.

Still, teams will be willing to take a chance, and it sounds like Dumars will test those trade waters.

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Four-stage 2025 Women’s Tour of Britain set for northern England and Scotland

  • Race will start in Dalby Forest and finish in Glasgow
  • Lotte Kopecky expected to defend title

The 2025 women’s Tour of Britain will go ahead in northern England and the Scottish Borders in early June, despite speculation that this year’s event was in difficulty.

Buoyed by news that the men’s and women’s Tour de France will start in Britain in 2027, this summer’s four-day women’s race will start in Yorkshire on 5 June and end in Glasgow four days later.

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Fantasy Baseball Steals Report: Brewers aggressive while Mets tough to run on

As stolen bases continue to rise league wide, I will be here every Wednesday to help you track important stolen base trends so you can find more speed for your fantasy teams.

Stealing a base is as much about the opposing pitcher and catcher as it is the base runner themselves. So, being able to spot which teams and pitchers specifically are being run on most often will help you to figure out who can steal a heap of bases over the next week.

Last week, we identified J.T. Realmuto and the Phillies as a team to avoid when streaming stolen bases. While Realmuto was behind the plate, opposing base-stealers were just 3-for-7 over the past week. In the one game Rafael Marchán caught, they stole three successfully.

MLB: Tampa Bay Rays at Texas Rangers
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Jonathan Aranda’s power, Shane Smith’s changeup, and speed in LA
Why the Dodgers could shake up their roster.

Before we get to this week’s important trends, here is the stolen base leaderboard over the past seven days.

Player
SB
CS
Trevor Story
4
0
Randy Arozarena
4
0
Bryce Harper
3
0
Shohei Ohtani
3
0
Luis Robert Jr.
3
0
Jake Meyers
3
0
Xavier Edwards
3
1
José Caballero
3
2
Jarren Duran
3
1
Sal Frelick
3
0

Story has found his groove both at the plate and on the base paths of late. Arozarena benefited from series against both the Astros and Rangers, which is great for base stealers. Also, it’s pretty to see Harper so high on this list without a teammate like Trea Turner, who’s much better known for stealing bases.

Now, here is the overall stolen base leaderboard on the season.

Player
SB
CS
Oneil Cruz
8
0
Pete Crow-Armstrong
7
1
Jake Mangum
7
0
Nico Hoerner
6
1
Manny Machado
6
0
Leody Tavares
6
1
Fernando Tatis Jr.
6
0
Jarren Duran
6
1
Xavier Edwards
6
1
Jake Meyers
6
1
Luis Robert Jr.
6
2
Trevor Story
6
0

Next, here are some players with no stolen bases that we’d hoped would be more aggressive.

Player
SB
CS
Masyn Winn
0
0
Marcus Semien
0
1
Bo Bichette
0
1
Luis Rengifo
0
1
Brandon Nimmo
0
1
Brandon Marsh
0
1
Jonathan India
0
1
Brayan Rocchio
0
2

Now, let’s go over the most important stolen base trends over the past week.

Fantasy Baseball Stolen Base Targets

Once again, the Astros and Rangers Remain teams to target if you’re seeking stolen bases. They are the only teams in baseball who are throwing out under 10% of base stealers and things don’t seem to be improving.

Somehow, both Jonah Heim and Kyle Higashioka have allowed the most and fourth-most stolen bases by any catcher in the league while splitting playing time fairly evenly. Of course, it’s not all their fault as Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom have been two of the worst pitchers in baseball at holding runners on.

Kumar Rocker, Jack Leiter, and Chris Martin have also graded poorly here, as runners are taking large leads on them and getting massive jumps when they do decide to steal.

With the Astros, Yainer Diaz has continued to be exposed behind the plate. Yet, Victor Caratini, who was thought to give some defensive relief once or twice a week, has allowed eight stolen bases so far without catching a single runner.

Their pitchers have been a bit better at keeping runners close too, so this is a situation that leans a bit more towards the catchers.

They will have series against the Padres and Dodgers respectively this coming weekend and I expect those teams to run wild.

Brewers Picking Up Pace

Second in the league with 217 stolen bases as a team last season, the Brewers didn’t run much over their first week or so of play. Mainly, because they had their doors blown off by the Yankees over opening weekend and started the season 0-4.

They are 9-5 since though and have gotten back to their base stealing roots. They swiped a league-high 11 bags over the past seven days including four on Tuesday night against the Tigers.

It’s been a team-wide approach too, without any one player shouldering that load. Frelick appeared on the leaderboard earlier as someone who’s been running. He was joined by Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz as Brewers that stole multiple bases over the last week.

In all, seven different different players stole a base and only one was caught. They should continue to run this weekend against the Athletics, who have been one of the worst teams at stopping the running game this season.

Can’t Run on the Mets

No team has been better at throwing out would-be base stealers this season than the Mets.

Opponents have attempted just 12 and have been thrown out seven times. A 42% success rate is obscenely bad and that few attempts says that the league knows not to run on them.

This is even more impressive because through a month of play last season, the Mets were the easiest team to run on in the league. In fact, they were on pace to allow the most stolen bases in the history of the sport.

It’s been a complete 180° turnaround since then and catcher Luis Torrens is a huge reason why. Acquired from the Yankees for a measly $100,000, he replaced the hapless Omar Narvaez – who is now on the White Sox – while Francisco Alvarez was out with a thumb injury and immediately stabilized their catcher position.

He threw out 13 of 28 base stealers last season and his competency behind the plate helped the team begin what would wind up as a historic turnaround.

Past Torrens, Mets’ pitchers like Clay Holmes, David Peterson, and José Buttó have been excellent at holding runners on. Also, long-time minor leaguer Hayden Senger has been up with the club this year for the once again injured Alvarez.

Senger has won the Mets’ minor league platinum glove before and is excellent behind the plate. He and Torrens have become one of, if not the best, catching defensive tandem in the league.