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Open Thread: The Spurs sign 2026 draftees

San Antonio TX, - June 25, 2026: Maliq Brown #15, Jayden Quaintance #22, Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tarris Reed Jr. #10 and General Manager Brian Wright of the San Antonio Spurs pose for a photo during the San Antonio Spurs Rookie Press Conference on June 25, 2026 at Victory Capital Practice Center, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Per a Spurs press release:

“The San Antonio Spurs announced that they have signed first round selections Jayden Quaintance (20th overall) and Tarris Reed Jr. (26th overall), along with San Antonio’s second round picks Ja’Kobi Gillespie (42nd overall) and Maliq Brown (44th overall). Per team policy, terms of the contracts were not announced.”

Jayden Quaintance is out awaiting surgery on his torn ACL. Reed, Jr., Gillespie and Brown are participating in the Spurs Summer League. Friday evening was game one of the California Classic in San Francisco.* The teams are off today in observance of the Independence Day. The tournament resumes Sunday and concludes on Monday before the Silver & Black head to Las Vegas for the NBA 2026 Summer League.

*I wrote this last night as I had to work, I have not watched the game yet. If you did, please share your thoughts in the comments.

Happy 4th, Pounders. Celebrate safely and if you are in Texas, stay hydrated! It’s hot out there.

Welcome to The Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

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Report: Debate over Jaylen Brown’s value and anticipated issues motivated trade

The Athletic reported on Friday that an internal debate over Jaylen Brown’s value, anticipated issues with Brown returning to his former role after Jayson Tatum’s return, fallout from the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga and concerns over Brown’s playing off-script in the Philadelphia series led to this weeks stunning trade to the 76ers.

Brad Stevens, long a fan of Brown, finally relented and moved Brown for Paul George, two future first-rounders and a pair of seconds — a seismic trade he and the franchise will now wear while facing an uncertain path forward.

Downplaying any financial motivations for a deal, the story by The Athletic’s Jay King and Sam Amick focused on Brown’s analytical profile that left much to be desired from both Boston and suitors around the league. It also highlighted Brown’s numerous statements stemming back to March that stressed his pride proving himself as a top option on a team and leader, commentary he continued after the trade this week. Speculation over how much Brown wanted to maintain that status in Boston proved true, King said on CLNS’ latest Celtics Daily episode, and the Celtics wanted to get ahead of any potential conflict over his role. Amick and King also referenced Tatum trainer Drew Hanlen’s regular references to the team’s success when Tatum garners a higher usage.

“Still, the Celtics began to have questions about whether he would remain fully bought in moving forward, according to league sources. Internally, they wondered whether they could keep everyone on the same page basketball-wise, as they had always managed to do in the past.“

Brown shared a hinted frustration earlier this week on his Twitch stream, stemming from what he perceived as deeper motivations for the trade that the team didn’t make clear to him — and an overall lack of respect.

Celtics president Brad Stevens and governor Bill Chisholm will address the trade with reporters on Monday afternoon when it becomes official. Tatum posted an Instagram story wishing his former teammate the best, assistant coach Sam Cassell expressed optimism after the trade while others in the organization posted their appreciation for Brown in the aftermath. Brown said younger players like Neemias Queta and Luka Garza reached out to him directly. The Celtics reportedly liked what they received for Brown, George returning to his prior form in a more complementary role as the Sixers defeated Boston in the first round. Two picks they received could become valuable given new flat lottery odds, or drive a follow-up move.

That won’t happen this offseason, for now. King reported that the Celtics will keep George who is owed $114.3 million over the next two seasons, despite speculation over the veteran’s goodbye post to Philadelphia that did not reference Boston. The Celtics’ status as a hard-capped team at the first apron, which they’re $5 million short of, makes utilizing their trade exception or acquiring a contributor with those picks difficult until next summer.

Still, the Celtics’ front office will continue receiving enormous scrutiny following a trade that left many confused over its urgency. George’s sparse availability across recent seasons, age, his salary that equals Brown’s this season, overall declining productivity and a 25-game suspension last season for violating the league’s anti-drug policy gave him negative trade value. Should Philadelphia have needed to trade a first simply to move on from his contract, that effectively left the Celtics with one first of value in return for Brown, albeit while shedding the final $65-million year on his deal in 2028-29. That will make George an expiring contract next summer.

There’s a world where George’s contract, as many as five tradable future firsts and Brown’s decline could make the trade look better in one year, but that’s forecasting numerous uncertain outcomes far from likely to occur. Boston seemingly misjudged Brown’s market and went too far down the road of assessing it that they couldn’t turn back. A source cited in the Athletic story said the Celtics worked at a disadvantage having not actively shopped Brown previously. For what it’s worth, those assessments by executives and scouts around the league led to a maddening month of reporting around the trade saga, one revelation often refuted by the next.

Since the Brown trade, it became clear that Boston’s thwarted Antetokounmpo pursuit both fell much shorter of acquiring him than simply adding Hugo González and another pick, and wasn’t hindered by money. Antetokounmpo’s agent drove a push to land with Miami. Also, the Trail Blazers, reportedly a leading suitor at one time, did not actively pursue Brown, according to The Athletic. Numerous other teams expected to have interest in Brown never got involved, and others floated their assessments of him falling far below his achievements and counting statistics. One general manager said that his team did not consider Brown a top-50 player.

Brown’s long-running criticism of those assessments have continued into this summer, going back-and-forth with ESPN’s Bobby Marks after he shared an even more hyperbolic anecdote of a source in analytics whose numbers saw Brown as seventh-best on a team. Anonymous critiques turned personal, returning old tropes about Brown’s intelligence that he artfully played off on his stream. Brown lamented his character becoming targeted throughout the process, though King stressed that the Celtics’ trade did not stem from personal issues they had with him.

Many will continue to wonder why, if that wasn’t the case, the Celtics couldn’t wait. Brown had certainly shared a number of gripes between the late stages of the Philadelphia series, Boston’s shot attempts playing into the Sixers’ hands, a desire to have played the style they did in Game 7 earlier and his own critiques of the Celtics’ three-point heavy approach, which he believed the league had moved past. Tracy McGrady relayed Brown’s deep frustrations with the organization, comments he later walked back, while multiple reports noted that Brown never asked out of Boston. In fact, following the wave of criticism over his favorite season comments, Brown said that if it was up to him, he’d play the next 10 years with Boston.

Instead, he’ll suit up for the 76ers now, another layer to the brazenness of Boston’s move, sending him to a direct competitor, 300 miles away, who plays the Celtics four times per year and just defeated Boston in the playoffs. Brown joins Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. LeBron James will consider joining the Sixers, too. And for Boston, uncertainty awaits about how they’ll construct the next contender around Tatum and before that, how they’ll explain a difficult transaction to a saddened and confused fan base. Brown sounded at peace with the result late this week, calling his new teammates and looking forward to his new role in Philadelphia.

“The process of how we got there, the work ethic, the guys buying in, the guys growing and allowing me to lead them, getting it done night-to-night, it was an honor,” Brown said on his stream. “It was an honor, because we could’ve rolled over. I probably would’ve reached this result, personally, either way it goes. It I would’ve not gave any effort, let it be a throwaway year, it probably would’ve gotten to the same result. Me showing up, leading us to the two seed, it would’ve probably the same result. So it was, I think, it was inevitable either way. Their mind was already made up. So it’s all good. We move forward.”

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From platoon to starter: How Brandon Marsh is having All-Star season with Phillies

PHILADELPHIA — When Brandon Marsh jogged back to left field at Citizens Bank Park in the second inning of this past Monday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he wasn’t just met with applause for his home run the inning before.

Fans greeted him with a vinyl banner reading "Marsh To The Polls," with several supporters sporting beards to match his own.

It marked the official start of the Phillies' final campaign push to send Marsh to the Midsummer Classic at The Bank on July 14, something he told USA TODAY Sports before the game he wasn’t letting himself think too much about.

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That doesn’t mean the All‑Star Game isn’t on his mind.

"I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about the All-Star Game," Marsh said. "But I try my best not to and enjoy the present."

Marsh's rise from a platoon outfielder to one of the Phillies' most consistent bats is one of this season’s great storylines.

He opened the year hitting .295 in April — a far cry from the .095 he posted through his first 17 games last season — and strung together a 13‑game hit streak from April 28 to May 12. He followed his strong month of April with a .333 average in May. That dipped only slightly to .315 in June.

Factor in that he’s tracking toward his first All‑Star nod, and the arc becomes even more impressive.

“It’s been a different season for sure, having to adjust with the body and having to adjust with playing every day,” Marsh said. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Just enjoying the ride.”

To reach this point — where he’s sitting among MLB’s top 10 leaders in batting average — Marsh has ridden out his share of turbulence. Dealt from the Los Angeles Angels at the 2022 trade deadline for top catching prospect Logan O’Hoppe, Marsh was seen as an everyday outfielder for both the present and the future. But he sat against lefties to lose starting opportunities and has mustered only two total hits across the last two postseasons, so the potential never fully materialized until now.

His path, once that of the Angels’ former No. 1 prospect, simply developed on a slower burn. It took time, and now the moment has arrived. Inside the Phillies clubhouse, his 2026 breakout hasn’t surprised anyone.

"He’s always been a good player," Phillies shortstop Trea Turner told USA TODAY Sports in May. "... Other people are starting to recognize him and deserve to do so."

Marsh said his breakout season stems more from a different approach and finding consistency, both with his pregame routine and playing time, than from any physical changes he made in the offseason.

To build his pregame consistency as an everyday player, Marsh has zeroed in on how veterans like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Turner attack their work and how “stubborn” they are about sticking to their routines. He also mentioned he’s trying to keep his own routine simple, hoping that simplicity creates steady production. 

"May not be true, but if you think that way, I feel like it’ll help," Marsh said.

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Marsh finally got that consistent, everyday run when Don Mattingly took over as interim manager on April 28 after the Phillies’ 9-19 start under Rob Thomson. Since then, he’s hit .329, forcing Mattingly’s hand by penciling his name into the lineup every day, including some games at cleanup. 

"It’s definitely helped just with staying in the flow of the game" Marsh said of the consistency he’s received from Mattingly. "Because pinch hitting is one of the hardest things to do in this game. It’s harder than playing every single day. … So there's something to the consistency that Donnie's been giving me and I'm super thankful."

Mattingly said he’s always believed Marsh had a good swing, and even conceded after the Phillies’ April 30 win over the Giants that when he was the manager of the Miami Marlins, the Marlins tried multiple times to trade for Marsh. 

"He’s always been, for me, a good hitter. Been able to see this guy really young and probably just building confidence over time," Mattingly said in May when asked by USA TODAY Sports what he’s seen from Marsh. "Better game planner now (too), it sounds like. Knows what he wants to do with every guy (he’s facing)."

One contributing reason to Marsh’s platoon role under Thomson was his inability to hit against left-handed pitching. He’d either come off the bench as a defensive change late in the game once the opposing team’s left-handed starter was removed, or not play at all. 

Last season, Marsh hit .197 against left-handed pitching. He’s hitting .259 against southpaws this season. 

"You always knew he had it just by looking at his numbers based off right-handed pitching," Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott said. "Now he’s getting his chance and probably one of the best hitters in the league. It’s been really fun to watch him."

In just the last week, Marsh has delivered in big moments. In the Phillies’ dramatic 14-9 come-from-behind win over the Washington Nationals on June 23, Marsh crushed a game-tying, two-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. 

Through the Phillies' first 88 games, Marsh leads the team with a .315 batting average and 97 hits while he’s third in home runs, only trailing Schwarber and Harper, who have combined for 50 home runs themselves. 

Marsh’s .315 batting average is good for the seventh-best among MLB hitters. He’s already surpassed his RBI total from last season, as he has driven in 46 runs thus far in the first half. 

"He’s always asking questions, always wanting to get better. He’s putting it together," Harper said to USA TODAY Sports in May. "But he’s also taking his hits, (which) I think that’s huge also. He hits the ball both ways from left-center to right-center."

Former Phillies shortstop and manager Larry Bowa believes a big part of Marsh’s success at the plate comes from not being as hard on himself as he used to be.

"Sometimes he used to worry about his previous at bat, what he did or didn’t do. He’s finding a way now, whether you get a hit or whether you make an out, it’s a different at bat," Bowa told USA TODAY Sports. “Once you get into that mindset, the game’s never going to be easy, but you can relax a little bit."

Marsh agreed with Bowa and pushed it further. He said he’s made it a point this season not to sulk or dwell on past at‑bats, something that he’s struggled with in the past, especially once he came up to The Show after his success in the minors in the Angels’ organization. 

"Learning how to honestly laugh at yourself a little bit without making a fool out of yourself,” Marsh said. “But (also) don’t be so hard on yourself because it’s already such a hard thing. It’s a game of almost impossible odds stacked against you as a hitter … Just have to know you’re going to fail."

He goes into the Phillies’ upcoming nine-game road trip to close out the first half of the season with 18 hits and 12 RBIs in his last 15 games to go along with six home runs, three of which came in the Pirates series. 

For all the success at the plate this season thus far, Marsh said it’s made him appreciate the work that it took to get here "a lot more."

"It makes me respect the guys that show up and step in the box or toe the rubber every single day. I now know how physically taxing it can be, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. I love everything that comes with it," Marsh said. 

Marsh ranked third among NL outfielders in Phase 1 of All‑Star voting with 668,191 votes, trailing only the Dodgers’ Andy Pages (800,496) and the Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. (693,472).

He’ll find out Saturday whether he’s been elected a starter for Dave Roberts’ NL squad. Starter or not, Marsh has more than earned the right to be considered for the Midsummer Classic, even if he’s too modest to say so himself.

“As a kid growing up, it's what everyone wants to be a part of, other than winning a World Series. Getting an All Star nod is pretty freakin cool,” Marsh said. “Hopefully this year I get to check it off of a bucket list. … It would mean the world, especially here in Philly playing for Philly.

“I'm getting chills right now thinking about it."

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: From platoon to starter: How Brandon Marsh is having All-Star season with Phillies

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Penguins alternate Stanley Cup Final opponents

PITTSBURGH - JUNE 15: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins holds the Stanley Cup aloft for the fans along the Blvd of the Allies during the Stanley Cup Champion Victory Parade on June 15, 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Saw this graphic online and figured it would make for a fun summer weekend exercise. What if the Penguins had to face the team that lost the Western Conference final in the years that Pittsburgh made the SCF? How might history have played out if the results of the other conference were flipped? Here are the hypothetical near-miss opponents that failed to advance in reality to the Cup finals each year that Pittsburgh made it.

By 1991 the Oilers were a shell of their dynasty years. They were the defending Stanley Cup champions from 1990 (the one Cup they won post-Wayne Gretzky) but by 1990-91, their leading regular season scorer only had 69 points. That’s a far cry from the team they once were. All of Gretzky, Paul Coffey and Jari Kurri were long gone by ‘91, so too was Grant Fuhr out as their top goalie. The Oilers had some remnants of their glory days, this would be Mark Messier’s last season with the Oil and Esa Tikkanen and Glenn Anderson were in the lineup, though far from their primes. The Penguins probably still roll to the Cup at this point, but at least they would have done it against an opponent with a marquee name and the defending champ, instead of beating the Minnesota North Stars and the 27-39-5 regular season record they somehow carried into playoff success.

In 1992, it’s even more amazing that Edmonton was hanging on and making it to the Conference Finals. A potential alt-world Stanley Cup PIT/EDM rematch in ‘92 would have been a lot of fun given that Edmonton was able to reload quite a bit by 1992 to look better than they did in ’91. By this point they were almost completely reshaped with players like Vincent Damphousse, Bernie Nichols, Scott Melanby and Bill Ranford taking over for the departed former Gretzky/Messier/Fuhr core. Edmonton would hardly be confused from the dominant team of Hall of Famers that they were 5-10 years earlier, but it would have made a nice story. On the other side, the Penguins were peaking to 11 straight playoff wins, they still would have absolutely crushed anyone that came out of the other conference so it wouldn’t have mattered on the ice. Out of any alt-world hypothetical, this is the one to (by far) feel the most confidence in what would have happened. No team existing in 1992 was going to stop the Penguins from winning the Cup that year.

Would Sidney Crosby have four Stanley Cups if he had gotten to play against Dallas in 2008 instead of the loaded Detroit team? It sounds like a very real possibility. The Stars had a quality team back in ‘08, but the Pens (who went 12-2 in the East portion of the playoffs and had Marc-Andre Fleury arguably at his absolute most locked in) would have stacked up very well in a potential matchup against the Stars. Dallas, like the Pens, won two playoff games against the Red Wings, though it came after falling in an 0-3 hole for the Stars. Of course, in reality, there’s no reason to suspect Detroit ever would have been losing to Dallas, but if somehow they did, Pittsburgh’s second run of Stanley Cups likely starts one year earlier.

Much like it’s a shame the generation before that we never got a Gretzky/Lemieux Stanley Cup Final, it’s unfortunate that the two best teams of the 2010’s never made the SCF in the same year to see the Crosby/Malkin/Letang/Fleury core battle against Chicago’s group with Kane/Toews/Keith/Crawford. Between PIT/CHI, they won six out of the nine Cups between 2009-17, yet never played each other. There was this near miss in 2009, as well as 2013 when Pittsburgh was eliminated in the ECF and the Blackhawks won the Cup. The 2009 season was Chicago’s playoff breakout in the way that 2008 was for the Pens, the Hawks would have been younger and less experienced for the Stanley Cup moment at that point in history. That could give Pittsburgh the edge in this hypothetical battle, but of all the matchups I think this one could be considered the most up in the air to where Chicago might have made the series result a question. The Blackhawks would go onto make 2010 their version of Pittsburgh’s 2009 by winning the Cup the following season, they were well on their way to future glory. It would have been amazing to see those two young cores compete directly for the Cup, but it wasn’t meant to be since the Red Wings were still giving their last gasps of contention. The Pens probably still had enough talent with their experience boost to beat Chicago but it would have been one heck of a series. (Can’t be too mad since the real ‘09 SCF was one for the history books).

The 2016 Blues team was built around goaltending, tight checking and defense. They may have presented a challenge for the Penguins to punch through and earn a win, but St. Louis didn’t have enough offensive firepower to make the SCF that year and give little reason to believe they would beat the ‘16 Pens in a series. Given the balance and strength of the Pens this year, the result of this alternate reality ends up probably the same as it did in the real world where Pittsburgh eventually overpowers the Western representative that year in somewhat convincing fashion.

A 2017 Pens/Ducks SCF would have been fun. Anaheim had an older core (Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler, Corey Perry) complimented by emerging young players (Rickard Rakell, Cam Fowler, Shea Theodore). Overall the Pens would have matched up well against the Ducks, though the way John Gibson was playing might have given them more problems that year than Pekka Rinne did in reality. This would have been a fairly even battle, but at this point the Pens were battle-tested and always managed to find a way to come out on top. It’s not hard to believe they likely would have done the same against the WC runner-up just as they did against the team that defeated Anaheim.

–

What matchup would you have liked to seen actually played out? It’s 2009 against Chicago for me, though several of the old Penguin players still talk about the bitterness they received from the outside over a perceived ‘easy path’ in 1991. Seeing them beat even a depleted version of Edmonton (who were defending champs) would have given a lot more street cred than they got, which is a shame since teams can only play whoever it is that they get matched up against. In the widest hypothetical possible, it would have been some of the most legendary hockey of all-time had Gretzky+Messier stayed with the Oilers a little deeper into the 1990’s to compete against Lemieux, but that window ended up not meant to be.

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Today on Pinstripe Alley – 7/4/26

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 03: An overall view of Yankee Stadium during the national anthem before the game against the Miami Marlins on April 3, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Happy Fourth of July! Or: Happy 43rd anniversary of Dave Righetti no-hitting the Red Sox at the old Yankee Stadium during another disgustingly hot day! And thank you to Rags for always giving us memories of that highlight every time Independence Day comes around.

There probably won’t be similar no-hit theatrics today, as the Yankees had to reach into the Triple-A cupboard to tap Brendan Beck for his second career appearance today with Carlos Rodón hitting the IL. On the bright side, Beck at least won’t have the pressure of snapping a losing streak, as the Yanks thankfully already did that last night by beating the Twins, 5-2. The seven-game skid is no more! So how about making it two wins in a row?

Today on the site, Nick will consider the rebuilding (but new-look) Rockies as a potential trade partner, Madison will run through the Rivalry Roundup, Jeff will celebrate what would have been the 88th birthday of our recently-departed dear friend John Sterling, and Josh will muse on how sports make us feel, particularly when our preferred team is playing such an ugly brand of baseball that it’s not even entertaining in a gallows humor-esque fashion.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

Time: 1:35 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Twins.TV

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Questions/Prompts:

1. How long do you think rookie Brendan Beck will pitch today? (The Yankees have confirmed that he will start.)

2. Do you have any fun July 4th barbecue plans?

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Much like the Big Three, the Jays era left fans grateful but craving more

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown walk off the court against the Golden State Warriors during Game 4 of the 2022 NBA Finals. | NBAE via Getty Images

If you’ve followed the Celtics closely over some portion of the last 40 years, there’s a strong chance a specific series sticks in your mind as the one that slipped away.

For those in their 50s or 60s, it’s likely 1987. For those in their teens or 20s, it’s likely 2022. For those who are my age, in their early 30s or a bit older, it’s almost certainly the 2010 NBA Finals.

That loss was absolutely devastating as a high-schooler who watched every game religiously. I hated Kobe Bryant (rest in peace to a legend). I hated Pau Gasol. I hated Derek Fisher. Don’t get me started on Sasha Vujačić.

While the loss itself was crushing, it was even more heartbreaking because it felt like the Big Three’s best opportunity to secure another title. Watching Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen go to war every night was a wonderful way to spend a childhood, and I’m forever grateful for those memories. At the same time, the era left me craving more. 

That group had the talent to win a second. While the era will always be celebrated, it also carries the caveat that, no, they couldn’t do it again. It was ultimately a success, but it wasn’t a roaring success.

LOS ANGELES – JUNE 15: Glen Davis #11, Kevin Garnett #5, Rajon Rondo #9, Ray Allen #20, and Paul Pierce #34 of the Boston Celtics head to the bench against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Six of the 2010 NBA Finals on June 15, 2010 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

From my perspective, the Jays era should be viewed through a similar prism. Should Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum be praised and appreciated for their efforts side-by-side and officially enter the pantheon of Celtics greats? Absolutely.

At the same time, you can’t help but wonder if this era was truly maximized. That 2022 Warriors series was there for the taking. They were almost ready, but they weren’t quite ready. 

Of course, there are some differences. The Jays were fully homegrown, whereas the Big Three was two-thirds acquired. The Big Three and Co. let one slip away after the title they won, while the Jays and Co. did so beforehand. And yes, Tatum is still the star of the franchise and may end up getting another at some point.

But it won’t be with Brown. It’s just “the Jay” now.

That’s a tough reality to accept. These two gave everything they had together. They accomplished their mission, but it still felt like it wasn’t enough. In a weird way, they actually raised the bar so high for themselves that anything less than multiple championships felt like a disappointment.

It’s extremely difficult to win a second title in today’s NBA. The league is structured to produce parity, and it’s not a coincidence that there have been eight consecutive different champions.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton couldn’t win a second in Milwaukee. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray haven’t gotten a second in Denver. It won’t be easy for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams to capture a second in Oklahoma City.

That’s all true, but you can’t help but wonder if Brown and Tatum reached their full potential as a duo. Tatum’s Achilles injury deprived them of finishing one season in their primes together and starting another. It created more friction and prevented them from thriving as the elder statesmen of a team.

It felt like if they had the right pieces around them, they could still contend for the foreseeable future and maybe, just maybe, get over the hump again.

Now, it’s over. 

As human beings, we grow accustomed to following certain patterns without consciously thinking about what we’re doing. We go to the gym, to work and to the supermarket. We eat dinner, talk about our day, then we sit down together and watch the Jays hoop.

It’s a real bummer that’s no longer part of our routine. While Brown was ultimately viewed in a largely positive light here, it felt like he was under-appreciated throughout his Celtics career.

In a franchise full of all-time greats, he’s one of them. He deserved more respect than he got, as an elite two-way player, a voice of reason and a fixture in the community who molded hundreds of young lives.

Now that he’s gone, I hope fans appreciate just how much heart, guts and 7uice he poured into the city. This was his city. It became his home. We became his people. 

Suddenly, after one Shams Charania tweet, it’s time for change. We don’t like change. We like stability, structure and familiarity, and Brown provided exactly that for a decade.

No one can take 2024 away, but it felt like there was more unfinished business to tend to. We’ll never know what would have happened, but we’ll always have the memories.

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Yankees news: Rodón avoids torn UCL, but hits IL with elbow inflammation

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 04: Carlos Rodón #55 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium on June 4, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

MLB Trade Rumors | Darragh McDonald: By now you’ve heard that the team took another IL hit yesterday, with lefty Carlos Rodón will spend some time away from the team with elbow inflammation. The worst-case was avoided because his UCL his still intact, but this remains tough news. Although it doesn’t seem at this time that the Yankees are overly concerned, every missed game by the projected starters means someone not quite as good has to take over. The word is that Brendan Beck will come up for his second cameo of the season and get the start.

In other news on injured pitchers named Carlos, the Yankees formally announced Triple-A righty Carlos Lagrange’s injury. He has a “capsular sprain of the right shoulder” and won’t throw for six weeks. This is just us speculating now, but best guess is that in the most ideal scenario, he plays a big-league role when rosters expand in September. But we’ll see; shoulder woes can be very tricky and the safest course of action is probably to expect nothing beyond very faint hopes.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: Cody Bellinger was an essential part of the three-headed dragon in the Yankee lineup to start the year, turning the team into an offensive force behind Ben Rice and Aaron Judge. However, as the Captain has gone down, Bellinger’s production has also trended downward, managing just a .357 OPS over the past two weeks. His comments to the Daily News, roughly summed up as “it f*****g sucks”, which, agreed, does seem to point to an overall frustration within the clubhouse that the team can’t seem to turn things around. The do get the Twins at home this weekend though, and a big series from Bellinger would go a long way to starting a run that doesn’t “f*****g suck”.

NJ.com | Bob Klapisch: Without Aaron Judge it really does feel like the Yankees are looking around the room at each other waiting for someone else to grab the ball and run with it. With Cam Schlittler looking so vulnerable against the Tigers this week, maybe that guy is going to be Gerrit Cole. The veteran has had an up-and-down run as he’s returned from Tommy John surgery, but the respect he commands in the clubhouse and the track record he’s put up in MLB might just make him the pseudo-Captain it seems the team might need. Cole went last night against Minnesota; hopefully the comment section of this post will receive that positively.

FanGraphs | Jay Jaffe: Alright, let’s end with something positive. FanGraphs has some tweaks to their teamwide-defense models, and a quick way to see if a model is valid is to see who the best are in a given metric. Here, the Dodgers and Cubs find themselves at the top of the table, and that makes sense to me. Fortunately, FanGraphs also ranks the Yankees as one of the top ten defenses in the game, which is not something you might guess based on the eye test of the team. Finally, something goes a little bit right.

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Anonymous rival NBA executive believes LeBron ultimately will sign with Warriors

Anonymous rival NBA executive believes LeBron ultimately will sign with Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

On the 10th anniversary of Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Warriors, it doesn’t appear as if LeBron James is ready to do the same.

But that doesn’t mean James won’t eventually pick the Warriors as his next team.

An anonymous rival NBA executive told Forbes writer Mark Medina that he believes James will ultimately sign with the Warriors for “various reasons.”

Medina cited the Warriors’ ability to pay James the $15 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception, his close bond with Steph Curry and Draymond Green, and the proximity between the Bay Area and Los Angeles, which would allow the 41-year-old to get to his Southern California home relatively quickly.

James’ agent, Rich Paul, made waves on Friday when he debuted his whiteboard featuring 10 teams he believes have the best chance to sign James in NBA free agency.

The Warriors are one of those 10 teams, but they will have stiff competition from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves, among others.

But ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Friday that the Warriors aren’t at the top of James’ destination list.

Paul spoke to Medina and made it clear that James could take a while to pick a new team.

“I don’t think this happens anytime soon,” Paul told Medina. “I don’t think it’ll be the next few days.”

While the Warriors wait for James’ decision, they have re-signed Kristaps Porzingis, De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford.

If James spurns them for another team, the Warriors might not have much choice but to run it back with a majority of last season’s roster, plus lottery pick Yaxel Lendeborg, who looked impressive in his California Classic debut.

But if James comes to San Francisco, the vibe around the roster will be completely different.

So, the Warriors are hoping the anonymous rival NBA executive is right.

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Utah Jazz vs Atlanta Hawks: Summer League preview, start time, how to watch

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - JULY 5: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz looks on during an NBA Summer League game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Jon M. Huntsman Center on July 5, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Can you believe it? After what has been the most successful lottery and draft in Utah Jazz history, Jazz fans will get to watch prized prospect Darryn Peterson take the floor for the first time.

Peterson was the talk of draft night, with questions about whether he would actually be the #1 pick. After a month of speculation, the Washington Wizards ultimately went with AJ Dybantsa. Utah came away with the player they wanted all along, and now we get to see just how good Peterson is going to be. Yes, you have to take the summer league with a grain of salt. If a player plays great, you can’t take too much from it. If a player plays badly, it’s time to be concerned. But would argue it’s time to ignore that because it’s hard to exaggerate how good Peterson can be, and it’s just as hard to see him not playing well in his first summer league. This is a new era of Jazz basketball, and this first summer league with Peterson is a prologue to what should be the most successful chapter in Jazz basketball history.

The best part of all of this is I hardly feel any pressure or anxiety, I’m just excited to watch this new prospect be unleashed. There have been prospects in Jazz history whose futures you didn’t quite know. With Peterson, the question is just how good he’s going to be. Tomorrow we find out, and I personally can’t wait.

How to watch the Salt Lake City Summer League?

Who: Utah Jazz vs Atlanta Hawks

When: Saturday, July 4, 2026 | 3:00 MT

Where: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT

How to watch: Prime Video, ESPNU, League Pass, KJZZ, Jazz+

Players to watch

Darryn Peterson

This goes without saying. The most important thing in this game is to see how healthy Peterson looks. Does he have his burst back? How does the playmaking work? How well does he score the ball? Basically, all eyes will be on Darryn Peterson and how he looks in his debut. From the moment the Jazz run onto the floor and warm up to the time the game starts, you can bet that his every move will be the prime attraction.

Ace Bailey

Just like last season, Bailey will be another player to watch in this summer league. He showed fantastic signs this season, and this summer league is an opportunity to show his improvement. Bailey scored and rebounded last summer league without a single play run for him. Now that he understands the offense much better, he should have a nice game.

The other interesting element will be how he plays with Peterson. What does the chemistry look like? They’ve only been together for a short amount of time, but we’ll see if they are playing well together starting in Game 1.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – JULY 5 : Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz tucks in his jersey against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half of the NBA Summer League game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on July 5, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg does it all in perfect NBA summer league debut

SAN FRANCISCO ― If there's one thing the Golden State Warriors learned on Friday, it's that their No. 11 draft pick, Yaxel Lendeborg, will be fine in the NBA.

Although it may just only be summer league, the California Classic provided a sample of how the Warriors rookie's game will translate to the big leagues.

Lendeborg had a tremendous debut performance in the California Classic game against the Los Angeles Lakers, scoring 19 points in 22 minutes July 3 at Chase Center in San Francisco.

What's even more impressive? He didn't miss. Insert that Snoop Dogg clip.

Lendeborg carved up the Lakers from beginning to end, on 6-for-6 shooting, including 4-for-4 from 3-point distance.

"I thought that Yax will play with a really high level of force and physicality, like that was a point emphasis for us all week, just force and physicality and everything that we do," Warriors coach Khalid Robinson told reporters. "He showed a little bit of everything in his game, obviously shot the ball well, started the game. He had some really good passes, play-making defensively."

Lendeborg is physically-able. He showcased an ability to knock down the long ball. And he was everywhere on the floor, doing everything out there, adding five rebounds, a steal and a block.

What often goes overlooked is Lendeborg's play-making ability.

"Yeah, I'd say definitely my passing is a little underrated. I feel like I've always had a good assist-to-turnover ratio," the Warriors rookie told USA TODAY Sports. "Today doesn't really do it much justice, but I mean, I've definitely done a good job."

He added: "When I first started playing basketball, I was strictly a passionate rebounder. So those have always been kind of my strength, but I turned more into a scorer these last two, three years. So, I mean, everything's been changing, but I try to be as versatile as possible."

The young fella is honest about his game. It wasn't as perfect as the box score entails. But it's his humility that allows his game to develop. He wants it.

"I gave up a lot of rebounds today. I need to go back and watch the film. I wasn't physical enough. I mean, I got to get used to physicality here, for sure. So, I mean, I feel like I could have had at least four to five more rebounds today."

As Lendeborg exited the court at Chase Center, he was swarmed by fans who were cheering for him all game long. They waited near the exit tunnels after the game to greet, congratulate and praise the rookie's debut performance. It's a feeling that resonates with Lendeborg deeply as he gets acclimated to the Bay Area.

"It was lovely. I really appreciated them," Lendeborg told USA TODAY Sports. "The entire game I heard people scream my name and just saying, like, 'good job', and, like, 'we're happy to have you.' So, I tried to try to get everybody, at least acknowledge everybody. It was a little tough to, but I could definitely see how this crowd has been so good over the years. Like, these guys really, really appreciate the Warriors basketball, and I really appreciate them already."

He added: "Like, it was the first game, but it definitely felt like I belong, like these guys really love me. So I'm definitely excited for (the) rest of the season. I'm gonna try to get as many kids or as many fans as I can, 'til security gets me out every time."

Lendeborg and the Warriors will be in action again on Sunday, July 5 when the California Classic continues at Chase Center in San Francisco.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg does it all in perfect NBA summer league debut

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Bullpen delivers as Brewers win another late-night West Coast affair

Jul 3, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell (right) celebrates with teammate Cooper Pratt after hitting a two run home run in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

As the legendary football coach Bear Bryant once said, “Defense wins championships,” and without it, the Milwaukee Brewers don’t take game one against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Crew takes care of business in an 11-inning affair by a score of 7-4.

Often known for his defensive abilities, Garrett Mitchell used his bat to sneak one over the center field wall to give the Brewers an early 2-0 lead. An inning later, Jake Bauers added another run to their tally with a base hit to right field to make it 3-0. It was nearly 4-0 before Lourdes Gurriel Jr. took away another home run from Mitchell, holding the game at bay.

Later in the bottom half of the third, the Diamondbacks found themselves with bases loaded, two outs, and down to their final strike of the inning; with a chance to cut into the Brewers’ lead, Nolan Arenado ripped a double into left field to clear the bases, tying the game at 3-3, putting an end to Kyle Harrison’s night as well.

The Brewers’ starting rotation has seen a slight decrease in productivity, specifically from their top two arms over their last couple of outings. Tonight, it was Harrison who struggled, not making it out of the third inning. He completed his evening with 2.2 innings pitched, striking out three, while allowing three runs to score on five hits and a walk. His main issue outside of the runs scoring was his pitch count, as he threw 72 pitches on the night.

Brewers quickly responded on offense by forcing the Diamondbacks to pull their starting pitcher after 3.1 innings. In Jose Cabrera’s third career start, he allowed three runs, three walks, and six hits while striking out three batters. It’s his second start in a row allowing multiple runs to score and his first time not making it into the fifth inning.

Looking at tonight’s overall issue for the Crew, it was clear: baserunning blunders followed by the inability to hit in the clutch. Overall on the night, the Crew stranded 12 runners on base, while going 3-for-18 at the plate with runners in scoring position.

The Bottom of the ninth inning is where we saw the leather on full display for the Brew Crew, saving the game in the long run. During the first at-bat of the inning with Trevor Megill on the mound, Max Kepler was robbed of extra bases with a nice leaping grab from Mitchell. Tommy Troy experienced frustration in his second at-bat as Joey Ortiz dove and caught a line drive that could’ve turned into extra bases as well.

Extra innings bit the Brewers in the rear earlier this week in their homestand finale against the Cubs as they stranded the tying and winning run on base. Those woes continued into tonight’s 10th inning, as Bauers struckout and Mitchell and Blake Perkins ended the inning with a ground out each.

With all the high-leverage arms used up entering the bottom of the 10th inning, Grant Anderson was on the mound to push it to the 11th inning. He intentionally walked Corbin Carroll before forcing Gabriel Moreno into a double play. Gurriel Jr. then popped out to Cooper Pratt, extending the ballgame another inning.

Late-night happy hour woke up the bats in the top of the 11th inning as a swinging bunt from Chourio forced a throwing error made by Ryan Thompson to allow the runners to score, giving the Brewers their first lead since the third inning. Brice Turang then cleared the bases with a two-RBI base hit to extend their lead to 7-3.

The Diamondbacks would only muster one run across the plate in the bottom of the 11th inning, allowing the Brewers to lock in their seventh extra-innings win on the season, improving to 54-32 overall on the season.

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SB Nation Reacts: Chris Cenac Jr. has fans buzzing

Boston, MA - June 30: Boston Celtics forward Chris Cenac Jr. meets with the media at the Reggie Lewis Center on June 30, 2026. (Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images

It’s been a week. I’m sure we’re all a little emotionally worn out after the team sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia. When we posted this poll earlier in the week, JB was still a Celtic and 11% of our readers were still looking forward to seeing how he and Brad Stevens would interact in Las Vegas next weekend.

Alas, Brown is a 76er and after a few days of handwringing and tributes, in his words, it’s time to #throwtheballup and move on and that first step will be the league’s yearly sojourn to Sin City for Summer League.

Hugo Gonzalez has already showed out in Spain’s FIBA qualifier on Thursday with 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists. His three-point shot looks true (4-7 from behind the arc) and his passing was strong on a number of drive-and-kicks. He’ll reportedly play in Vegas as well despite his responsibilities with his national team.

He’ll draw a good amount of the attention on The Strip, but our readers are really excited to see the 27th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Chris Cenac Jr. Here’s CelticsBlog’s Rich Jensen on the incoming rookie:

Cenac was projected as a top lottery pick before the season started at Houston—but his draft stock fell based on game-time performance. He was overshadowed by teammate Kingston Flemings who went to the Hawks with the eighth pick. His own stats were a rather pedestrian 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.

Cenac contextualized those numbers during his Ball Is Life podcast appearance, noting that Sampson had a system, and that his primary focus as a player was defense. Asked what had improved the most during his season with Houston, Cenac said it was his basketball IQ and his ability to play the “grit” part of the game.

Cenac pointed out that his game changed significantly from high school to college, before adding that he was “fitting into a role” in college. Cenac said that his goal was to help his team win “however they need me to.”

These words ought to be music to the ears of anyone who favors the green and white.

Gonzalez and Cenac will be joined by Amari Williams who signed another two-way deal to return to another year sharpening his tools in Maine with the occasional call-up to the big club. The 40th pick, Dillon Mitchell, will also be in tow.

The loss of Brown is a big hit, but newly acquired Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and Mike Conley Jr. will help fill his absence and eventually, players like Gonzalez and Cenac Jr. will hopefully be important rotation pieces on a championship contender.

Speaking of the Larry O’Brien,our friends at FanDuel still have the Celtics as +800 to raise Banner 19, just behind the Knicks at +550 and ahead of the Pistons, Raptors, and yes, the 76ers at +1200.

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D-backs late miscue spells the difference in tight game with Brewers

Jul 3, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (12) leaps up against the wall to rob a home run in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Game Summary

Full recap to post shortly. In the meantime, feel free to vent in the comments! Or go to bed.

Loss Probability and Box Score

Outside the Box Score

  • Jose Cabrera led off the game with a 4 pitch walk of Christian Yelich with none of the pitches all that close. He then threw strikes in 8 of his next 11 pitches to retire the side without the leadoff walk advancing a base. Nice job by the young fella!
  • Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is still playing effective defense out there. Like Gimli, he’s dangerous over short distances as he showed a great jump and tracking of the ball through a feet first slide to reach a sinking line drive in left field in the second inning.
  • The Brewers 2-run home run in the second inning had go to crew chief review to confirm it was indeed a roundtripper. A fan at the edge of the home run porch in centerfield appeared to reach over the wall, but it wasn’t conclusive where the ball made contact with the fan so the call of home run on field stood and the D-backs were down 2-0.
  • Jose Cabrera got an error on a poor throw on a pickoff attempt at first, making Vargas reach too far toward the sliding runner. The carom off Vargas’ outstretched glove resulted in a free 90 feet and a runner in scoring position for the Brewers with 1 out. Cabrera cleaned up his own mess though by getting a ꓘ (after falling behind 3-0 in the count!) and an easy fly out to end the inning.
  • Lourdes Gurriel made another golden play in the outfield to save his young pitcher in the third. With 2 on and 1 run already in, Lourdes tracked a deep fly ball into the left field bleachers, timed his jump perfectly, and reached over the wall to make the catch and record a huge out! Definitely needed that play right there to take a 6-0 game and keep it at 3-0 instead!
  • Ketel showed some nice hustle to get an infield single in the 3rd (though it would’ve been an incredible play if the Brewers were able to complete the 4-3 putout). That was followed by a strange at bat where Perdomo ended up striking out swinging on a ball way below the zone that would’ve been Ball 4. Fortunately Carroll and Gabi both singled (through Gabi Lane, of course!) and got the Diamondbacks on the board.
  • Nolan Arenado’s bases loaded double in the third looked like a grand slam off the bat to me, but it hit off the base of the wall in left and had to settle for a game-tying, 2-run 2-bagger and it chased the Milwaukee starter from the game.
  • Gerry Domo threw his name into the Play of the Game contender list with a superb defensive play to bail his team out of a jam in the 4th. With runners at 2nd and 3rd and 1 out, the infield came in and a ground ball was hit right at Gerry who was able to tag the runner going to 3rd and then throw to first to get the speedy Jackson Chourio to keep a run off the board!
  • After the Diamondbacks had an inning-ending double play all but wrapped up to end the fifth inning, tomfoolery struck! A sharp ground ball right to Ildemaro at first started things into motion and Vargas stepped on first before executing short rundown and throw to Domo who was closing in on the runner going to second. Thinking he was a dead duck, he stopped and waited for the inevitable tag from Domo, but when Domo slapped the tag on, the ball squirted out of his glove and resulted in the runner advancing to second. Fortunately, Jonny Lasagna did the business and struck out the next batter to pick up his defense and get out of the inning. Another note from the play that didn’t get the replay love of the No Tag was Arenado’s perfect execution of a pickle, then a pickle-gone-wrong. When Gerry advances to make the tag, Arenado assumes the spot at second base but as soon as the play was botched and the ball went rolling toward right field, Arenado didn’t hesitate and started running to third as he knew that there was no one there covering. Excellent fundamental execution by the Master.
  • After reaching first with a strong leadoff walk in the 7th, Tommy Troy took big leads to bait the lefty pitcher into throwing over a couple times. Once he got the move down, Troy bolted and stole second base easily to get himself into scoring position for Gerry and Corbin. Unfortunately, they did nothing with the opportunity.
  • Brandyn Garcia got into a little trouble to start the 8th. After the first 2 runners reached, the pinch-hitter chopped it toward the hole between first and second and Vargas made a great stab to field the ball and throw to second for one out but Garcia was slow to cover first so they couldn’t complete the double play. The next batter bunted with the runner on third, but the bunt was too close to Gabi who pounced on it and threw to third to catch the retreating runner for the out. Awesome defense again for the Diamondbacks!
  • The defense gets another shout out to start the 9th. A relatively routine grounder to second nearly turned into a 3 Stooges sketch. First Ildemaro started toward the grounder, realized he wouldn’t make the play so tried to turn back to 1st but instead just looked like he was running in quicksand and fell to the ground on his face. With all that happening in front of him, Ketel booted the ball. Fortunately, the carom was only a few feet away and he jumped on it and fired a missile to Paul Sewald, who seemed to be the only one able to do his job without error on this play. The ball reached Sewald’s glove right as his foot touched first base and right before Yelich’s foot touched the bag. A real blood pumping start to the 9th!
  • Tommy Troy’s lineout in the 9th was the result of an outstanding diving play by the Brewers replacement third baseman. Unfortunate.
  • Ketel Marte got a 2 out single to provide a glimmer of hope, then stole second base without the Brewers closer throwing a pitch! He got such a huge jump, by the time Megill turned around and tried to throw to second, Ketel had already reached second. Too bad Domo weakly grounded out to end the threat and send the game to extras.

Comment of the Game

The GameDay Thread was well attended, though maybe less than you’d expect for an 11 inning slog of a game. The GDT reached a final tally of 371 comments at time of publishing with COTG going to kiln born and Snake_Bitten for the appreciation of Gabi and his well worn path to right field:

Coming Up

The Diamondbacks face the Brew Crew for the second game of this 3-game set tomorrow evening with a 6:40pm first pitch Arizona time. The veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff (2-1, 2.59 ERA) is listed as the probable starter for Milwaukee and Merrill Kelly (5-8, 5.84 ERA) will get the ball for the good guys on Independence Day.

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Cease won’t desist, Jays beat M’s 2-0

I think one of Cal’s problems might be that he’s holding the bat wrong. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Tonight’s game began with a raucous ceremonial first pitch from head coach Mauricio Pochettino and the U.S. Men’s National Team. Canada would own the rest of the night.

The first inning was the canary in the coal mine, as J.P. Crawford biffed yet another throw from the hot corner in the top half, and in the bottom half, Randy Arozarena blew both ABS challenges in just the Mariners’ second at-bat of the game. The saving grace was Luis Castillo, who looked like he might have another great night, hitting 97.8 in a strikeout of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and seeming to surprise himself with a little extra movement on his slider early on.

But the wheels came off in the third inning. The bottom of the Blue Jays’ order got things started with a leadoff single from rookie Sean Keys, who scored on an atypically well-struck double from Andrés Giménez (who I will always hate). I thought the Mariners might be alright when sentient red ass John Schneider demonstrated his strategic genius with a sac bunt in the third inning. Alas, Vladito got the ball in the air enough to get over the infielders to score a second run. Things were really stacking up when Kazuma Okamoto reached as well. But the damage was limited to those two runs when Colt Emerson came up with what I think was his first potentially game-saving play to get the Mariners out of it. Even if it wasn’t his first and didn’t end up saving the game, it was good enough to get him his first career Sun Hat Award in tonight’s weak field.

Two runs, yet I said the wheels came off? Well, yeah. This was one of those games that never felt as close as the score suggested. Luis Castillo, despite only giving up two runs on five hits while walking just one, was not his prime self. He gave up 12 hard-hit balls out of 21 balls in play and only induced with eight whiffs. The velocity mostly held, but the battery was too tempted by that apparent movement on the slider, which did not hold.

On the other side, Dylan Cease sliced, diced, and spiced the Mariners, eventually putting the whole offense on ice. He was still pumping 98 to strike out Colt Emerson in the sixth, and that wasn’t even his best pitch. He was moving all over the zone, with his four-seamer up, his changeup and curveball down, his sinker and changeup arm side, and his slider glove side. I know we’ve all been frustrated by the Mariners offense, but this was genuinely a master class. Cease’s seven innings felt hopeless. An inside-out swing from J.P. that dribbled down the line was the only real threat. Seattle had a better showing against Jeff Hoffman and Louis Varland in relief, but more of the noble-effort variety. Víctor Robles drew a hard-won walk, and Emerson and Crawford worked full counts against Hoffman. Dominic Canzone took Louis Varland’s 99 mph to school. (A single counts as taking a pitcher to school tonight.)

On the one hand, it’s not the biggest deal in the world for the Mariners to lose a game where the Jays threw their Cy Young candidate and the Mariners had their starter who’s struggled the most this year. On the other hand, the Mariners have scored one run since Tuesday.