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Minnesota Wild Assign Cameron Crotty To Iowa

Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Minnesota Wild have assigned defenseman Cameron Crotty to the Iowa Wild, it was announced Sunday. 

Crotty, a 2017 third round pick of the Arizona Coyotes, appeared in one game with Minnesota during his recall but did not register a point. In 62 games as captain of Iowa this year, Crotty has registered 10 assists. 

Having made his NHL debut last season with the Coyotes, Crotty has appeared in two career NHL games, having not yet registered a point. Playing in 281 AHL regular season games across five seasons with the Wild and the Tucson Roadrunners, he has scored nine goals and added 40 assists for 49 points. 

Still just 25, Crotty has emerged as an important depth piece for the Wild organization, both for his leadership and impact on the defensive side of the puck. Although his contract is set to expire at the end of this season, Crotty should draw interest for other teams if he doesn't extend his contract with Minnesota. 

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Sharks secure best odds for No. 1 pick in 2025 NHL Draft Lottery

Sharks secure best odds for No. 1 pick in 2025 NHL Draft Lottery originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Sharks are No. 1! The Sharks are No. 1!

In 2025 NHL Draft Lottery odds, that is.

By virtue of the Chicago Blackhawks’ 5-4 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night, San Jose, as the worst team in the NHL, now have guaranteed themselves the top draft lottery odds.

According to Tankathon, the Sharks will have a 25.5-percent chance of securing the No. 1-overall pick again. At the moment, the second-worst team in the league, the Blackhawks, have a 13.5 percent chance, while the third-worst Nashville Predators have an 11.5-percent chance

The Sharks can pick no worse than No. 3 in the 2025 Draft.

Read the full article at San Jose Hockey Now

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Rohan Dennis shows ‘no remorse’ over death of Melissa Hoskins, says her family

The Olympian’s mother tells champion cyclist that his temper is his ‘downfall’ during victim statements in Adelaide court

Former world champion and Olympic cyclist, Rohan Dennis, has shown no remorse and “perceives himself as a victim” despite him accidentally killing his wife, her family has told a court in South Australia.

Melissa Hoskins, 32, also an acclaimed world and Olympic cyclist, died when she was struck by a car driven by her husband in December 2023.

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Canadiens: D-Day For Demidov

The Montreal Canadiens now only have two games to play to wrap up their regular season - Photo credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The big day is finally here. After landing in Canada last week, tonight, Ivan Demidov should be making his NHL debut with the Montreal Canadiens as they take on the Chicago Blackhawks at the Bell Centre. The Illinois outfit is having another tough season and is currently 31st in the league with no hope of moving up or down.

Demidov Takes His First Strides As A Member Of The Montreal Canadiens
Three Takeaways From A Battle With The Maple Leafs
Fowler Wins First Game With The Kings Of The North

The Canadiens, who failed to clinch a playoff berth on their road trip last week, have another opportunity to do so, but they’ll have to avoid a trap they often fall into: playing down to the competition. In the only meeting between the two sides this season, Chicago got a 4-2 win, led by Nick Foligno and Tyler Bertuzzi.

The Hawks lost their last game and have a 3-5-2 record in their previous ten games, while the Canadiens have lost their last two but are 6-3-1 in their previous ten matches. Montreal had a day off on Sunday, so there’s been no official indication of a possible lineup change, but it seems logical that Michael Pezzetta will make way for Demidov and that Samuel Montembeault will be back in net, even though Jakub Dobes was excellent on Saturday night. While the Habs were off, Demidov, Lane Hutson and Arber Xhekaj were still on the ice in Brossard. 

The Canadiens' number one netminder has a 2-1-1 record against the visitors, a 2.71 goals-against average, and a .908 save percentage. Dobes has never faced them and doesn’t have the greatest record at home.

Arvid Soderblom was on duty when Chicago beat Montreal in January, but the Hawks have since acquired a new number one goaltender in Spencer Knight. Still, the backup has a 1-0-1 record against the Habs with a 1.92 GAA and a .937 SP. Meanwhile, Knight has a 1-1-0 record with a 3.52 GAA and a .875 SP and was in the net for Saturday night’s 5-4 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Up front, Patrik Laine is by far the Canadiens’ most productive forward against the visitors; he has 27 points in 29 games, and he’s followed by Christian Dvorak, who has nine points in 16 games, and David Savard, who has nine points in 30 games.

Meanwhile, Nick Foligno leads the Hawks with 24 points in 54 games, followed by Teuvo Teravainen with 21 points in 23 games and Tyler Bertuzzi with 14 points in 21 games.

Monday night’s tilt will be the 576th between the two sides, and they have each won five of the last ten games. The puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and fans should get to their seats early if they want to witness Demidov’s rookie lap. The Canadiens could have qualified for the Spring dance on Sunday, but the Columbus Blue Jackets stayed alive thanks to a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals. If they want to make it, the Canadiens will have to book their playoff spot themselves. 

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

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‘Welcome to the club’: Woods leads salutes to McIlroy’s Masters win and grand slam

  • Media in Ireland and US pay tribute to epic achievement
  • ‘This means everything to him,’ says Shane Lowry

Tiger Woods welcomed Rory McIlroy to golf’s most exclusive club after his dramatic victory in the Masters. McIlroy, born in Holywood, Co Down, defeated Justin Rose on the first hole of a playoff at Augusta National to join Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen in having won all four major titles.

“Welcome to the club @McIlroyRory,” Woods posted on social media. The 15-time major winner, who achieved three grand slams, added: “Completing the grand slam at Augusta is something special. Your determination during this round, and this entire journey has shown through, and now you’re a part of history. Proud of you!”

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Stephen A. believes Warriors had playoff-derailing loss to Clippers

Stephen A. believes Warriors had playoff-derailing loss to Clippers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

  • Programming Note: Tune into “Warriors Pregame Live” at 6 p.m. PT on Tuesday on NBC Sports Bay Area before the Warriors and Grizzlies tip-off. Immediately after the final buzzer, tune back in for “Warriors Postgame Live.”

Was the Warriors’ 124-119 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday at Chase Center the final blow to Golden State’s hopes of making a deep playoff run?

No, but ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes the regular-season-finale defeat will have a ripple effect on the remainder of the Warriors’ postseason, which begins with an NBA Play-In Tournament matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday in San Francisco.

“I believe it did, I really really do,” Smith said Monday on “First Take” when asked if the loss cost the Warriors a deep playoff run. “I think when you’re talking about the play-in, obviously that denies them the opportunity and the additional rest they were looking for … had you won yesterday’s game, it buys you the whole week of rest and the ability to potentially recover from [injuries].

“Going up against Memphis, who is a relatively physical team … let’s say, for example, Golden State wins this game. If you win this game, you’re going up against Houston. How often are we going to sleep on Houston?”

If the Warriors beat the Grizzlies on Tuesday, they will successfully escape the play-in tournament for the first time since the format’s debut four years ago and claim the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed with a matchup against the young, hungry No. 2 seed Houston Rockets waiting for them.

While some believe a first-round series against an inexperienced Houston team is more favorable to the Warriors than the three seed/six seed series they would have played against the Los Angeles Lakers had they beaten the Clippers on Sunday, Smith believes the Warriors’ latest loss does not set them up well for a deep playoff run.

“I don’t like this at all,” Smith added. “I’m still holding out hope because obviously Draymond [Green] made his guarantee and I would like to see Steph Curry for as long as we possibly can, but I do look at that loss yesterday and the extra load it’s going to put on them and I do think it’s something that could derail the Golden State Warriors sooner than later.”

Can the Warriors exorcize their play-in demons and secure a spot in the playoffs? We will find out on Tuesday night.

Coverage begins with “Warriors Pregame Live” at 6 p.m. PT on NBC Sports Bay Area

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Luka ends 12-year Steph, LeBron top NBA jersey sales streak

Luka ends 12-year Steph, LeBron top NBA jersey sales streak originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

  • Programming Note: Tune into “Warriors Pregame Live” at 6 p.m. PT on Tuesday on NBC Sports Bay Area before the Warriors and Grizzlies tip-off. Immediately after the final buzzer, tune back in for “Warriors Postgame Live.”

Luka Dončić’s trade from Dallas and arrival in Los Angeles changed the NBA landscape in more ways than one this year — catapulting the Lakers up the Western Conference standings and sending Luka’s No. 77 purple and gold jersey into the history books.

Dončić becomes the first international player to lead the NBA in jersey sales in an season by besting Steph Curry and Lakers teammate LeBron James, who finished No. 2 and No. 3 in sales, respectively.

The Lakers’ star also is the first player other than Curry or James to top the list since the 2012-13 NBA season, when Carmelo Anthony earned the top spot playing as a member of the New York Knicks.

The top 5 players in jersey sales are: 

  1. Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers
  2. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
  3. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
  4. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
  5. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

The Lakers lead the way in terms of team merchandise sales, also boosted by Luka’s No. 77 jersey selling.

When 2024-25 season sales were tallied in January, the Celtics led at the season’s midpoint.

Like Curry, the Celtics hung on to the No. 2 overall team spot.

The Warriors finished a respectable third, while the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls rounded out the top five in team sales.

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Plaschke: Invincible Dodgers look very beatable, and that's a problem

Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, April 13, 2025 - Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Michael Conforto (23) misses a fly ball, leading to an 8th inning ground rule double by Cubs hitter Kyle Tucker at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Michael Conforto misses a fly ball, leading to a key run for the Cubs in the eighth inning. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Admit it, there is worry.

Fess up, negative thoughts are swirling.

Could it be possible that the greatest team in baseball history isn’t even the best team in their division?

Is there a chance that a team so recently dubbed, “invincible” and “unbeatable” is actually more like “maddening” and “mediocre?”

Does baseball’s reigning emperor have no clothes?

That was some of the talk floating through the late afternoon haze Sunday as the Dodgers followed the worst loss in Dodger Stadium history with one of the most frustrating of the season.

One moment the Chicago Cubs were beating the Dodgers 16-0, then less than 24 hours later they were winning with a quarter of those runs. One moment the Cubs were embarrassing the Dodgers, the next moment they were enraging them, a 4-2 loss that dropped the Dodgers to 3-6 since their 8-0 start.

They have lost three consecutive series for the first time in nearly a year, and it only happened once last season, and, yes, late Sunday that was Max Muncy’s bat and helmet flying through the air.

“It’s just a bumpy two weeks,” said Mookie Betts, adding, “This isn't the first time we sucked for two weeks.”

Read more:Dodgers offense continues to struggle in loss to Cubs

The adjective in the first sentence was appropriate. The verb in the second sentence was perfect.

The Dodgers lost Sunday’s game despite six strong innings from Tyler Glasnow, who gave up a couple of runs on two homers and rebounded from a muddy beating in Philadelphia to pitch as wonderfully as the weather.

But starting pitching isn’t the problem. It’s everything else.

The fielding generally stinks, witness the misplayed fly ball in the left-field corner by Michael Conforto that led to the eighth-inning clinching run.

“Outs that we have to have, we gotta convert those,” said manager Dave Roberts for the umpteenth time.

The hitting, meanwhile, really stinks, this historic offense began the game ranking eighth in baseball in strikeouts and OPS while drawing only the 17th-most walks.

“We’re trying to get the job done,” said Betts. “We’re just not.”

In other words, the magic of all those wondrous plate appearances in October have at least temporarily disappeared. This Dodger team doesn’t work the count, they don’t wear down the pitcher, they don’t own the moment.

The top of the lineup has been decent, but the bottom of the order has been non-existent.

Kiké Hernández is five for 44. Miguel Rojas is five for 31. Muncy is nine for 51 and still without a homer.

Read more:Dodgers' Andy Pages trying to avoid sophomore slump and cement lineup spot

How bad is the group of background players who once stole the show and made this team’s stars shine? So far this season Shohei Ohtani has had seven plate appearances with runners in scoring position. All season.

“It’s a 162-game season and it's going to be like that,” said Hernández. “You're never going to have …every guy in the lineup be hot at the same time. I just feel like — we have more guys scuffling than guys that are feeling really good at the plate, so it's just one of those stretches right now.”

Standing in front of his locker after Sunday’s game, admirably facing the tough questions, Hernández made a promise.

At the beginning of the season it felt like a realistic promise. Suddenly it feels like a shaky one

“We're going to snap out of it and we're just going to start steamrolling people,” he said.

Maybe so, but they have to first rediscover what led them to steamrolling people in the first place. These glamorous defending world champions have to remember the time — not so long ago — when they were the gritty team with the chip on their shoulders.

“We just gotta…get back to who we are as an offense,” said Roberts. “Running counts, getting on base, taking walks when given to us, and not chasing, and trying to create stress. And when we do that, we give ourselves more opportunities. And when we don't do that, our margin is much smaller. Pitchers have to be more perfect, and that's a tough way to live.”

Kiké Hernández and Will Smith try to come up with a foul ball during Wednesday's game.
Kiké Hernández and Will Smith try to come up with a foul ball during Wednesday's game. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

You know what’s a really tough way to live? Without Freddie Freeman. His ankle injury may be the key to this entire slide. Freeman grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning Sunday but he hasn’t been on the field much and the Dodger offense has crumbled without his cornerstone.

Freeman played virtually the entire season in six of the last seven years, but he’s only appeared in seven of 17 games this season, so you know something is wrong. His surgically repaired ankle is still obviously bothering him, and the pain is clearly killing the Dodgers.

“Freddie is wired very routine,” said Roberts. “Being hurt, the start-stop, the (injured list) — certainly not ideal for him, or for anyone. But he’ll get there. It’s not perfect, his ankle. It’s sort of a new normal, in my opinion. I just feel he’s going to have to calibrate the new normal for his ankle.”

Freeman is apparently going to have to battle his condition the entire season. And so, apparently, will the Dodgers. It is a battle they all must win. Their title defense depends on it.

Like Hernández, Roberts made a promise.

“We're going to be just fine,” he said. “I still expect to win the division. I still expect to win the World Series. I appreciate the passion, the concern from our fans. But we're going to be fine.”

OK. Sure. Absolutely. Gulp.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Celtics set a ridiculously long list of 3-point records this season

Celtics set a ridiculously long list of 3-point records this season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Find something you love as much as the Boston Celtics love shooting 3-pointers.

The Celtics’ affinity for the long ball under Joe Mazzulla is well-documented; they ranked second in the NBA in made 3-pointers (behind the Golden State Warriors) during the 2022-23 season, then led the league in threes made in 2023-24 en route to an NBA title.

But Boston’s beyond-the-arc barrage reached new heights this season.

Exhibit A: Isaiah Thomas had held the Celtics’ single-season 3-point record (245 made) since 2016-17, but this season, three different C’s players — Derrick White, Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard — surpassed that mark, with White breaking Thomas’ record with seven games to spare.

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Exhibit B: The Celtics as a team set the NBA record for most 3-pointers made in a single season (set by the 2022-23 Warriors) on April 4 against the Phoenix Suns, with five games still to play.

That’s just the tip of the 3-point iceberg for Boston, which just wrapped up the best 3-point shooting season in NBA history en route to a 61-21 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Here’s the very long list of NBA records the C’s set or tied during the 2024-25 regular season, courtesy of Celtics stats guru Dick Lipe:

Team Records (Season)

  • Most 3-Pointers Made, Season: 1,457
  • Most 3-Point Attempts, Season: 3,955
  • Most 3-Pointers Made Per Game: 17.8
  • Most 3-Point Attempts Per Game: 48.2
  • Most 3-Pointers Made at Home: 741
  • Most 3-Pointers Made on Road: 716
  • Highest 3-Point Rate, Season: 53.8 percent
  • Pct. of Points from 3, Season: 45.8 percent
  • Most Games with 20+ 3-Pointers, Season: 26
  • Most 3-Pointers Made, 1st Quarter: 422
  • Most 3-Pointers/Game, 1st Quarter: 5.1

Team Records (Single Game)

  • Most 3-Pointers Made, Game: 29 (Oct. 22 vs. Knicks; tied with 2020-21 Bucks)
  • Most 3-Point Attempts, Game (non-OT): 63 (March 12 vs. Thunder; tied with 2023-24 Thunder)
  • Most 3-Pointers Made by Starters, Game: 26 (Oct. 22 vs. Knicks)

Player Records

  • Most 3-Pointers Off Bench, Player: 246 (Payton Pritchard)

Will the Celtics’ avalanche of 3-pointers result in more postseason success? We’ll start finding out next weekend when they begin their first-round playoff series against either the Orlando Magic or Atlanta Hawks.

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Toffoli makes NHL history with 30th goal in Sharks' loss to Flames

Toffoli makes NHL history with 30th goal in Sharks' loss to Flames originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Tyler Toffoli will need one more stop to match an NHL record.

Toffoli scored his 30th goal of the season on Sunday night, in the Sharks’ 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames.

It was the fourth different team where the veteran sniper has reached that milestone: The Los Angeles Kings in 2015-16, the Flames in 2022-23, the Winnipeg Jets last year, and now, the Sharks.

When we sing Toffoli’s praises, of course, it’s not just about the scoring.

“He’s been outstanding for our group. The goal-scoring is one thing, but what he does for our dressing room as a leader, helping these young players,” head coach Ryan Warsofsky said of Toffoli. “As much as Toff wants to score, he wants to win, and that’s what we need around here. We need guys that want to win and love to win more than they hate to lose. And that’s what Toff is all about.”

An alternate captain and a 2014 Stanley Cup champion, Toffoli has been a big brother to teen Sharks Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, a guy who connects everybody in the locker room, and a good example of winning.

Read the full article at San Jose Hockey Now

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Suns fire head coach Mike Budenholzer after missing playoffs in lone season

Suns fire head coach Mike Budenholzer after missing playoffs in lone season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Phoenix Suns are once again looking for a new head coach.

Mike Budenholzer was fired on Monday following a 36-46 season in which the Suns finished 11th in the Western Conference, missing the Play-In Tournament by three games.

ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported news of the firing and the team later confirmed the decision.

“Competing at the highest level remains our goal, and we failed to meet expectations this season,” the Suns’ statement read. “Our fans deserve better. Change is needed.”

This is the third straight year that the Suns have fired their head coach, with Monty Williams canned in 2023 and Frank Vogel let go in 2024. Phoenix won 45 games in 2022-23, then 49 games in 2023-24 before regressing this season to 36.

Budenholzer’s team was third-worst on defense in the NBA and went just 10-18 after the All-Star break as the squad plummeted out of contention.

The Suns have one of the most expensive rosters in the NBA, led by a trio of stars in Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. The experiment of adding Durant and Beal hasn’t worked out for new owner Mat Ishbia, as the team has gone downhill since losing in the 2021 NBA Finals — ironically to Budenholzer’s Milwaukee Bucks.

Booker, Durant and Beal — who make more than $50 million each annually — are all under contract for next season. Other players on the books include Cody Martin, Nick Richards, Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro.

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Lysell scoring first Bruins goal is encouraging sign for future

Lysell scoring first Bruins goal is encouraging sign for future originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Fabian Lysell has played much better of late for the Boston Bruins, and his hard work was finally rewarded Sunday afternoon when he scored his first career NHL goal in a 4-1 road win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Bruins right wing found himself all alone in front of the net during a second-period power play when he took a pass from Pavel Zacha and beat Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry to give Boston a 2-0 lead.

Lysell made his NHL debut back on Dec. 28 but didn’t play another game for the Bruins until he was called up in March. He’s now played 11 games for the Bruins this season and has two points in his last three games, in addition to seven shots on net over the last two matchups.

“I think it means a lot for a guy like him,” interim head coach Joe Sacco told reporters in Pittsburgh on Sunday. “He sees himself as a little bit more of an offensive player, and when you’re in that position, you want to produce offensively.

“Especially getting your first one in the National Hockey League, it’s always a weight lifted off your shoulders. I think it’s been 11 games. Good on him. He’s doing some good things with the puck at times offensively. He’s attacking through the neutral zone, he’s attacking in the offensive zone. There are some things to like in his game, that’s for sure.”

Sometimes it takes time for young players to acclimate to the speed and physicality of the NHL game. Lysell failed to make much of an impact early in this recent call up, but he has looked much more comfortable of late and has really been using his speed to put pressure on opposing defensemen, draw penalties and create good looks at the net for himself and teammates.

Since making his return to the Bruins lineup on March 22 against the San Jose Sharks, Lysell ranks second on the Bruins at 5-on-5 in shots (20), third in shot attempts (35) and fifth in scoring chances (16), per Natural Stat Trick. He has been credited with just two turnovers during that span at 5-on-5, too, a sign that he’s improved his puck protection and is consistently making the right reads.

Even though the Bruins’ season ends Tuesday with a matchup versus the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden, Lysell will get more reps with the Providence Bruins in the AHL playoffs later this month. It’s a great opportunity for him to play in some high-pressure situations.

Lysell is arguably the Bruins’ top prospect right now. He was a 2021 first-round pick, and he has an impressive offensive skill set including an excellent shot, great speed and above-average playmaking ability. It hasn’t been easy for Lysell to crack the lineup since he was drafted, but more opportunity was created for him as a result of the Bruins dismantling their roster at the trade deadline in early March.

The Bruins are about to embark on a summer retool, and they need young players such as Lysell, Fraser Minten, Casey Mittelstadt, Matt Poitras and Mason Lohrei, among others, to play a meaningful role in that process. It’s time for the B’s to start building the next generation.

Lysell still needs to be a little more consistent, but the last few games have no doubt been encouraging. It’s something to build on for the 22-year-old forward as he enters an important offseason. One of the best-case scenarios for the Bruins going into 2025-26 would be Lysell showing he belongs in Boston on a permanent basis.

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Four keys to Warriors breaking play-in losing streak vs. Grizzlies

Four keys to Warriors breaking play-in losing streak vs. Grizzlies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

  • Programming Note: Tune into “Warriors Pregame Live” at 6 p.m. PT on Tuesday on NBC Sports Bay Area before the Warriors and Grizzlies tip-off. Immediately after the final buzzer, tune back in for “Warriors Postgame Live.”

The Warriors lost three of their final five games to fall out of the NBA playoffs at the end of the regular season. All three were home at Chase Center. Golden State fell to the play-in tournament as the No. 7 seed, a place the Warriors have found themselves in three times and lost each time. 

For a team who houses the greatest 3-point shooter ever, three isn’t always their friend. They have to hope four brings a new fate. 

When the Warriors face the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night they already will have played them four times this season, and are 3-1. See, three isn’t all that bad. But for the Warriors to get to a fourth win against the Grizzlies this season, and their first in four play-in tournament games, these four aspects will be key. 

Play-In Stars

The stats don’t count. They don’t exist. The games still happened, and history can’t be fully ignored. 

Steph Curry is 0-3 in the play-in tournament, to almost no fault of his own. In his first crack at the new format in 2021, Curry scored 76 points and made 12 threes combined between the Warriors’ two losses. He dropped 37 points in a three-point loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, and then 39 while losing to the Grizzlies in overtime by five points. 

In his third try, Curry scored a team-high 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting last season and made three of his seven 3-point attempts as the Warriors were embarrassed by their Northern California counterparts, the Sacramento Kings. 

Jimmy Butler’s history with the play-in tournament is a bit different. Like Curry, Butler lost his first play-in game. He scored 21 points in an 11-point loss as the No. 7 seed against the No. 8 seed Atlanta Hawks in 2023 with nine assists, four rebounds and two steals. Butler went a lowly 6 of 19 from the field in that loss, going 9 of 11 on free throws. He then put up 31 points against the Chicago Bulls the next game to advance, and averaged 28.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists in the next three series of the playoffs to lead the eighth-seeded Heat to the NBA Finals. 

This past season, Butler played 40 minutes in the Heat’s one-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in the play-in tournament, scoring 19 points, with four rebounds, five assists and five steals. But he sustained a sprained right MCL in the first quarter, playing through the pain, but then missing the rest of the postseason for Miami.

Just go back 14 days when Curry scored 52 points on the Grizzlies and made 12 threes. Curry had his co-star. Butler scored 27 points in the Warriors’ win on 7-of-11 shooting and was a perfect 12 of 12 on free throws, adding six rebounds, four assists and three steals for fun. It’s true that Curry scored a team-high 36 points against the LA Clippers on Sunday, but Butler (30 points, nine assists, 12-of-20 shooting, plus-five) was the Warriors’ best player. 

Golden State’s outcome starts and ends with them.

JJJ Foul Trouble

Draymond Green couldn’t have expected a fifth game against the Grizzlies. In a moment where Green let his guard down, he played big brother for his fellow Michigan State Spartan when, after the Warriors’ win in Memphis on April 1, the 35-year-old, who doesn’t mince his words, said “he’s too good to still be getting foul trouble.” Green was talking about Jaren Jackson Jr. 

The 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. 

The Warriors have a history baiting Jackson into foul trouble and out of games. Green is a big part of that history. Butler added to the storyline in his first game against the Grizzlies in a Warriors jersey. 

With the Warriors up 123-122 after two free throws from Butler, and only two minutes on the clock, he baited Jackson into a shooting foul the next time down. Jackson’s day was done with 22 points and seven rebounds, but also six fouls. Butler made both free throws and from that point on, the Warriors outscored the Grizzlies 11-3 to close out their win. 

Jackson is a game-changer, including how his fouls affect his team. He fouled out in five games and the Grizzlies lost four. The win was a score of 151-148 in overtime against the Phoenix Suns, and Jackson scored 28 points on a night he shot 13 times and missed just twice. He also accumulated five fouls in 19 games.

The Grizzlies won six and lost 13. Jackson’s availability is his best ability against the Warriors.

The Glass

Ivica Zubac grabbed 17 rebounds in the Warriors’ wild overtime loss to end the regular season, giving him three games with at least 17 rebounds in his four this season against Golden State. He had 11 in the other one. Grizzlies rookie center Zach Edey, who stands four inches taller than the 7-foot Zubac, came away with 16 rebounds against the Warriors two weeks ago. 

But the Warriors still won the rebound battle that day by six, 49-43. On Sunday in their loss to LA, Zubac and the rest of the Clippers finished with 17 more rebounds than them. The Warriors only had 25 rebounds in total, their lowest of the season. Prior to the regular-season finale, their season-low was 29, which actually came in an eight-point win against the Grizzlies on Jan. 4. 

That also was a game where the Warriors were without Curry and still made 23 threes. The Grizzlies made nine. The Warriors have only averaged 15 threes per game since Butler’s arrival, and never have made 23 in a game with him. In their five games against the Grizzlies, the Warriors have shot 42 percent from deep, and rebounds only will give them more opportunities. 

The Grizzlies are the No. 2 rebounding team in the NBA, averaging 47.3 per game. They’ve averaged 50 in their four games with the Warriors. The Warriors have averaged 42.5 in those four games, and are the No. 7 rebounding team in the league with 45.4 per game.

They’re now 14-18 when their opponent out-rebounds them, and the Warriors are 32-17 in games they out-rebound the other team. The Warriors have averaged 51.8 rebounds in 31 games after adding Butler, and in those games allowed an average of 50.1 rebounds. The glass is an area the Warriors have to win, or at least keep a close contest. 

Bench Battle

Going into the last day of the regular season, the Warriors and Grizzlies were tied for the league lead in bench points per game, averaging 44 from their reserves. The San Antonio Spurs wound up leaping them as the NBA’s leaders at 44.1 points per game from the bench. The Grizzlies ended in second place (43.9), and the Warriors were third (43.6). 

Below is how each Warriors-Grizzlies game ended this season in regard to bench points. 

  • Nov. 15: Warriors 67, Grizzlies 61; Warriors win 123-118
  • Dec. 19: Grizzlies 82, Warriors 65; Grizzlies win 144-93
  • Jan. 4: Warriors 46, Grizzlies 43; Warriors 121-113
  • April 1: Grizzlies 33, Warriors 24; Warriors win 134-125

Now for some context to paint a clearer picture. 

Jake LaRavia was traded from Memphis to the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 6. He scored 43 points off the bench against the Warriors with the Grizzlies, including 19 in their second contest and 17 in their third. Marcus Smart played just 19 games for the Grizzlies, but one of them was their first game against Golden State when he scored nine bench points. 

Desmond Bane (18 points) and Edey (14 points) both came off the bench for the Grizzlies on Nov. 15. Moses Moody (14 points) and Brandin Podziemski (11 points) did for the Warriors. Podziemski was a bench player on Dec. 19, and scored 21 points. Kyle Anderson, now on the Miami Heat, scored 11 for the Warriors. Lindy Waters III, traded from the Warriors to the Detroit Pistons, had 16 points in the Warriors’ Jan. 4 win. And the Grizzlies were without Santi Aldama in that game.

Jonathan Kuminga was hurt in the Warriors’ last game against the Grizzlies, but if Sunday was any indication, he’ll be a non-factor after being a DNP-CD (Did Not Play, Coach’s Decision).

The Warriors and Grizzlies both went with a nine-man rotation in their most recent matchup. Stars like Curry, Butler and Ja Morant hold the most power in the final outcome. A better performance out of Aldama or Buddy Hield could be the nudge that puts their team over the edge.

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‘Hard load to carry’: Rory McIlroy thrilled to finally realise Masters dream – video

Rory McIlroy reflected on having freed himself of a 'hard load to carry' after winning the Masters in dramatic fashion at Augusta. McIlroy’s defeat of Justin Rose on the first playoff hole means he is the sixth player to win a career grand slam. 'You've had Jack [Nicklaus], Gary [Player], Tom [Watson], Tiger [Woods] - you name it - come through here and all say I'll win the Masters one day,' McIlroy said. 'That's a hard load to carry, it really is.'

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