Posts

Posted on

Checking hype train status after Celtics' first weekend at NBA Summer League

Checking hype train status after Celtics' first weekend at NBA Summer League originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

LAS VEGAS — Every summer, we descend into the 110-degree desert heat for a few days at Vegas Summer League and make rash declarations about the Boston Celtics’ youngest players based on the tiniest of samples of exhibition basketball. It’s a tradition unlike any other.

Yes, it’s time for our annual status check on summer hype trains while we power rank the things that have stood out most through the first weekend of Celtics summer hoops on the campus of UNLV.

Let’s be honest: After a month of drama around the Jaylen Brown trade saga, most Celtics fans were desperate for any sort of distraction. Summer league hoops arrived like a mirage in the offseason desert. We’ll take any distraction from the second apron.

And if we’re staying honest, the Celtics have had some absolutely dreadful starts to their first two summer league games and, despite that, they’re 2-0 and sit atop the Vegas standings.

Let’s ignore the painful first-quarter offense and all the haphazard turnovers and put a spotlight on what has left the hype trains scrambling most.

1. Hugo Gonzalez

Sure, it would have been nice if Gonzalez dominated both ends of the floor in extended minutes to start summer league. Then we could sit here and suggest he’s already graduated from summer league at age 20. Instead, he has looked like a guy who spent the past week globe trotting, first traveling to Europe for FIBA qualifiers with his native Spain, then relocating stateside to travel from Boston to Vegas. That’s a lot of miles — on the court and off. The Celtics have put more on Gonzalez’s plate at summer league and it’s been a mixed bag at times.

The shots haven’t fallen but his passing has been excellent and, when he cranks up the defensive intensity, he looks like someone ready to carve out a bigger regular-season role. More importantly, if you need another indicator of the Hugo Hype Meter, teammate Dillon Mitchell said everyone outside the hotel wants Hugo’s autograph.

2. Dillon Mitchell

We’d suggest that the 40th pick in June’s draft has hit the ground running, but he seemingly spends most of his time floating above the court. Mitchell has embraced the tenets of every Boston wing with his willingness to corner crash and hoist open 3-pointers. He made more 3s against the Hornets (two) than he did in 1,041 minutes in his senior season at St. John’s (one).

Mitchell’s athleticism is super intriguing. He pursues tip dunks like they are his oxygen (even if fellow rookie Chris Cenac Jr. nearly killed him on a putback quest of his own). Mitchell has had multiple instances through two games where he’s floated long enough around the rim on defense to swat opposing offerings. He’s perpetually causing chaos. If he’s already bought in this much at the very start of his Boston tenure, imagine the potential as the Celtics thrust him further into their player development machine.

3. Chris Cenac Jr.

A 19-year-old rookie riding the summer roller coaster is no surprise. Cenac Jr. made a loud debut by hitting the overtime-forcing 3-pointer against Toronto, then struggled to get himself going against a more NBA experienced Charlotte frontcourt.

Still, you can’t help but watch Cenac Jr.’s raw potential and envision how the Celtics can mold him into an impact player. Boston’s player development record is well documented at this point. It’s going to take time with Cenac Jr., but his length and athleticism give him a chance to impact the game at both ends when he’s on the floor.

4. John Tonje

Credit to Tonje. Last season, his biggest role might have been helping the Celtics navigate Salary Cap Tetris while finishing below the luxury tax line. Tonje had the reputation as a scorer after putting up quality numbers in his senior year at Wisconsin, then in the G-League after being drafted by Utah (53rd pick in 2025). Not only is he shooting 61.5 percent on 3s to start the Vegas experience with Boston, but he’s trying to prove he can contribute in other ways, too.

Tonje delivered a little pick-6 to seal Boston’s overtime win to start the summer schedule. He’s strong and he rebounds. Even at age 25, Tonje is doing enough to make the Celtics continue their investment in his development.

5. Amari Williams

Similar to Cenac Jr., a good opening night gave way to some struggles against the Hornets’ frontline. What we like: Williams is an excellent passer and his five turnovers Sunday weren’t entirely his fault. Williams’ size gives him a chance to alter shots on the defensive end and he’s totaled seven blocks over two games. Starting the year on another two-way should help get Williams the reps he needs to continue his own development.

6. Pink polos

The Celtics continue to dominate the sartorial competition at summer league. The sheer variety of colors and patterns that Boston’s coaching staff trots out in recent summers has put the rest of the league on notice. Not even the second apron can slow Boston’s polo game. The Spurs’ coaches busted out their own pink polos on Sunday night.

7. Milos Uzan

The offense has typically run best with Uzan on the floor. He’s a strong playmaker who tries to take care of the ball. The Celtics were plus-24 in his 31 minutes on Sunday. This has to be enjoyable for Uzan, a Las Vegas native. There’s a lot of competition for Boston’s final two-way slots, especially if Mitchell starts his rookie season on one. But Uzan has the sort of game that you want to see more of and the Celtics seem to like running him this summer with Cenac Jr., given their time together last season with Houston.

8. Tucker DeVries

An undrafted shooter from the Midwest? Put him on the Sam Hauser track. DeVries can clearly shoot the ball, and he can punish teams with his passing when they close out. We’re eager to see what he can do if more minutes arrive later in Boston’s summer excursion.

Posted on

Is it time for the Red Sox to go shopping at the trade deadline?

BOSTON, MA - MAY 23: Craig Breslow Chief Baseball Operator of the Boston Red Sox, right, looks on from his box during the game against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park on May 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For the next few weeks we’ll be doing some theorizing on optimal returns at the trade deadline as the Red Sox look to do another teardown amidst a hopeless season. Except the season might not be hopeless anymore.

The Red Sox swept the Yankees, then dropped two of three at home to the Nationals—nobody is putting that one in the highlight reel—then went right back out and swept the Angels and the White Sox. And now the Mets. Now NINE wins in a row after yesterday afternoon’s victory in Queens, 17-6 in their last 23 games. 14-2 in their last 16. The standings now genuinely astound me; the trajectory of the 2026 Boston Red Sox has changed, and Craig Breslow has a decision in front of him that he probably didn’t think he’d have to make three weeks ago: does he stick to selling, or does he pivot?

Aroldis Chapman was supposed to be the headliner of the sale. Sonny Gray was supposed to be the prize contenders were lining up for. Willson Contreras was in that conversation too if this was going to be a true teardown. If Craig Breslow is pivoting to buyer mode—even lightly—all three of those conversations flip. You don’t trade your best arm, your most consistent arm in the rotation, and your thumping first baseman when you’re going for it. You keep them and find ways to add around them.

So what does Boston need? A middle infielder who can stay healthy first—this roster cannot absorb another injury to a key position. Another arm to soak up innings behind a rotation still missing both Connelly Early and Garrett Crochet, with Patrick Sandoval just making his debut in the series finale in Chicago. And bullpen reinforcement for when games actually matter. None of that is impossible, and all of it has a cost.

Infield

Jeremy Peña, SS—Houston Astros

Matt Chapman, 3B—San Francisco Giants

Matt Shaw, INF—Chicago Cubs

Houston has spent most of this decade being insufferable in the best possible way—winning the division, winning the World Series, winning everything—so it is genuinely satisfying to watch them look confused in 2026. Is this the definition of schadenfreude?

They’ve had three managers since the cheating scandal: AJ Hinch was fired within two months of the scandal breaking, just before the 2020 season got underway; Dusty Baker came in and turned them back into champions before riding off into the sunset after 2023. Now it’s Joe Espada trying to keep the lights on with what’s left. The core of that juggernaut has aged out or moved on—Jose Altuve experimenting with and failing in left field, George Springer landing in Toronto, Alex Bregman becoming a Cub (*grumbles*)—which means July gets interesting for a team with no clear direction. OK, Carlos Correa still has a +121 OPS coming back to Houston from Minnesota, whatever.

Jeremy Peña is the shortstop Jeff Passan links him to Boston in his deadline top 100, though not as a headliner—he appears as a name in the mix, not the centerpiece of a rumor. Worth knowing before you get too excited: Peña has spent real time on the IL each of the last few seasons, hamstrings mostly, a shoulder at various points. He’s the kind of player who doesn’t always make it through a full calendar without something going sideways. On a team that has already been doing lineup math with its middle infield (looking at you Mayer and Story, sorry), adding another guy who can’t stay on the field is the wrong move. The problem is that when he’s on, he’s a contact-hitting, elite base-running machine. His ceiling is high enough that you still make the call, but you go in with your eyes open.

View Link

Matt Chapman has emerged as one of the more intriguing position players in deadline chatter this summer—Heyman has him as a name to watch, contract and all. San Francisco is in enough turmoil right now that it’s worth paying attention to. The fit is clean: multiple Gold Gloves, real power (though that may be gone even with his incredible bat speed), proven in big markets. And then there’s the other part of this. The Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the Giants. Buster Posey’s team now has Devers. Boston could go right back to San Francisco and ask for their third baseman in return—which, when you say it out loud, is just kind of funny. We gave them our guy and then asked if we could have their guy. Incredible reversals for each franchise. Do it anyway.

The Sox were linked to both Matt Shaw and Nico Hoerner in the winter, but Hoerner just extended with Chicago—he’s clearly a piece the Cubs are building around. Does that push Shaw further down the depth chart and make him more available? It might, though the Cubs aren’t likely to sell any key pieces as they head to the playoffs.

Starting Pitching

Michael Wacha—Kansas City Royals

Joe Ryan—Minnesota Twins

Jack Flaherty—Detroit Tigers

Brady Singer—Cincinnati Reds

Bringing Michael Wacha back to Boston would be kinda cute. He was a genuine workhorse here, the kind of arm that shows up every fifth day and doesn’t make your life complicated, and he’s been reliable again in Kansas City. A bulk arm who eats five or six innings, keeps you in games, and doesn’t need to be managed like a fragile artifact is exactly what this rotation needs right now, even with Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett holding down the fort. His offspeed changeup is one of the best pitches in baseball, a continued sign that an older starter found a way to stay valuable. The cost is low and the fit is obvious.

Joe Ryan is the more interesting call because there were real rumors last trade deadline that Boston was going after him and it never materialized. Minnesota would want a significant return, and Ryan has had his injury issues, but when he’s right he’s legitimately good. More to the point: Brayan Bello is in AAA. Tanner Houck just started mound work in his return from what has been a lengthy recovery. Kutter Crawford is doing whatever Kutter Crawford is doing in Florida to come back from his myriad maladies (it’s head, shoulders, knees and toes it feels like), and frankly, he’s becoming as much of an enigma as Houck. At some point, Breslow has to decide whether he’s waiting for these guys to come back and bolster depth, or whether he’s ready to win now with what’s in front of him. Ryan is the kind of acquisition that answers that question. He’s still an unquestioningly dominant pitcher, most Savant percentiles in the mid-80s to 90s: aka a lot of red.

View Link

Jack Flaherty will get some attention like he always does—his name has come up in every deadline cycle in the last few seasons—and he’s a veteran who knows how to start games and survive lineups. Brady Singer is the question mark, and that’s exactly the point. Andrew Bailey has been known to make champagne happen on a beer budget: find the right guy whose numbers don’t look like much in Cincinnati, put him in a different context, and squeeze what’s actually there. Brady Singer is an innings eater on a team that has no use for him right now. That can be useful for someone else. Though who knows if Singer’s Savant metrics—all pitches under the 7th percentile in value—leave room to squeeze anything out of.

Bullpen

Anthony Bender / Lake Bachar—Miami Marlins

Antonio Senzatela—Colorado Rockies

Kirby Yates—Los Angeles Angels

Miami is a relief pitcher vending machine every July and this year should be no different. Anthony Bender, Lake Bachar, Pete Fairbanks, pick one or pick two—the Marlins will listen because the Marlins always listen. These are legitimate arms who can pitch in high-leverage situations without giving you a heart attack every appearance, and the cost is usually manageable because Miami is looking for depth and upside, not finished pieces. Bachar has an xBA of .198, Bender at .194—that’s legitimately impressive stuff.

View Link

Antonio Senzatela from Colorado is the one nobody is writing about (except for Passan in the top 100), which feels appropriate because the Rockies continue to go nowhere: an age-old tradition at this point. Senzatela has been better than his situation suggests. Pitching in Coors Field is hard; get him to Fenway and the numbers could look even better. His Savant still shows a good fastball with 91 run value and 88 velo!

Kirby Yates is the veteran late-inning option. The Brad Ziegler comparison comes up naturally, but it’s worth being specific: Ziegler came in 2016 because Craig Kimbrel was hurt and the back end of the pen needed emergency support. This is a completely different situation. Aroldis Chapman is healthy, is an All-Star again, and is already the anchor of this bullpen. Yates working in tandem with him would be a choice, not a patch job—two legitimate late-inning arms for a team trying to win games that matter. Yates has been effective in Anaheim—a WHIP of 1.00 suggests better stuff than his 3.35 ERA shows-and the Angels will listen. The question is whether Boston wants to pay for that or piece it together from the Marlins’ inventory. Both are defensible.

“Our Additions Are Coming From Within”

Of course, there’s another possibility. After a very mum deadline comes and goes, Breslow walks into his media availability—or joins the Zoom room—and explains that he believes in this group. That the lineup looks different when Roman Anthony gets back. That Crochet is on track. That the best moves Boston can make right now are the ones already happening inside the organization.

Every fanbase in baseball has heard this speech. Front offices give it every year when they’ve decided the asking price is too high, or the window isn’t open enough, or the prospect capital is too valuable to spend. September usually follows with the team finishing nine games out while the GM explains that the young players needed development time. This elicits such an eyeroll from this writer, but honestly, I could so see this happening with an ambivalent attitude towards the market in either direction come Deadline day.

The Red Sox have gone 14-5 in their last nineteen games and swept three consecutive series. The second half could be real. What none of us want is the version of this we’ve seen before—the team that enters the All-Star break with momentum, generates a deadline conversation, then spends August doing what Red Sox teams in recent years have done: fatigue sets in, stupid mistakes pile up, the mentality that carried them through June disappears somewhere around the end of July. Boston has very little time to show us whether this run is what it looks like. The deadline is the first real answer.

Posted on

Cooper Flagg should lean into his ability to score in the paint

After a fantastic rookie season, the natural next question regarding Cooper Flagg is, just how good can he be? Specifically, can he become good enough to be the best player on a championship team? He has a lot of promising attributes — defensive intuition, scoring with physicality, touch unprecedented for a kid his age and a growth rate higher than 99 percent of teenagers. The glaring hole in his game is the 3-point shot, something that he made at just 29.5 percent last season. It would be easy to say that to get to the next level, he needs to become a great shooter. I would argue, however, that that isn’t necessary. Becoming a league-average shooter is fine, but he really needs to lean into what he does best: score in the paint. 

If you watched Flagg at all last year, you would know the most obvious part of his game was his control and pace going downhill. He was not just good at driving for a rookie — he was among the league’s best at scoring on the way to the basket. Of players who drove at least 12 times per game (Flagg was at 12.8), he was seventh in the NBA in points per drive (0.71). This was partially due to the physicality he displayed and his ability to get to his spots at will, but a lot of it had to do with his touch in the paint. According to NBA.com, Flagg took the sixth-most non-rim paint field goals, and shot them at just above 47 percent:

For someone his age, playing in a conference with guys like Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, and Rudy Gobert patrolling the paint, that is incredibly impressive. He never shied away from driving into the league’s finest shot-blockers, evidenced most clearly by the below highlight Giannis Antetokounmpo for a crucial late-game finish:

We know he is great from 15 feet and in. But, in a space-and-chuck league, why would he not try to get his 3-point shot up to 40 percent on volume? Well, let’s look at the last seven non-Steph Curry NBA Finals MVPs and what they did in the regular season from three:

Player3P%3PA
Jalen Brunson, 202636.97.1
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 202537.55.7
Jaylen Brown, 202435.45.9
Nikola Jokic, 202338.32.2
Giannis Antetokounmpo, 202130.33.6
LeBron James, 202034.86.3
Kawhi Leonard, 201937.15.0

Cooper Flagg shot 29.5 percent from distance on 3.5 attempts in his rookie year. The league average was 36 percent last season and has hovered between 35 and 37 percent since 2019. All of these guys who won Finals MVP were no better than a percentage point (or two in Jokic’s case, but he shot just two threes a game) than the league average. What they all did, however, was get to their spot at will and score in the paint. They were forces of nature, for lack of a better term. That is exactly what Flagg should focus on to get to the next level.

Now, he certainly has to shoot better. If he makes 36 percent of his threes versus 30 percent, that opens up the floor for his drives. If he takes between five and six threes a game and makes two to three of them, he becomes respectable enough for the defense to stretch. But, of his 11 30-point games last year, he shot more than six threes just twice, and scored 40 points three times while shooting five or fewer. That is the formula: be lethal going downhill, and shoot enough threes to keep the defense honest. If Flagg bumps up his efficiency on the shots he is already borderline elite at creating, we will be looking at a guy who resembles all of the recent Finals MVPs.

Posted on

Deadline Set For Canadiens And Dach Deadlock

According to Puckpedia, the dates for all NHL arbitration hearings have been set, and the only Montreal Canadiens player who elected for arbitration, Kirby Dach, will have his hearing on July 30. This is the second-to-last day of hearings, and it allows another 17 days for the two parties to reach an agreement beforehand.

As previously reported, the Albertan decided to file for arbitration after the Habs gave him a two-way qualifying offer that included a $4M NHL salary and an AHL salary in the event he couldn’t crack the lineup, and he cleared waivers to land with the Laval Rocket. It was possible for Montreal to make that kind of offer because of Dach’s number of games played not only last year but in the last three seasons. Chances are, the Canadiens decided to use the one tool they had at their disposal to pay Dach less than the $4M he could have earned if he had received a one-way offer.

Two Canadiens Forwards Will Play Their Contract Year
Former NHLer Calls Zharovsky’s Selection A Steal
THN’s Adam Proteau Names Canadiens Top-5 NHL Team

The qualifying offer will expire on July 15 (unless it is extended by the team in writing), but the Canadiens and Dach will still be able to negotiate until the start of the arbitration hearing. It will be interesting to see if both sides can reach an agreement until then. As explained in a previous article, the lowest award the arbitrator could give is $3,400,000, and logic dictates that, should a deal be reached before the hearing, it would have to be somewhere between that and the $4,000,000 threshold.

Dach is represented by the same agent as Brendan Gallagher, Gerry Johannson, who also represents Dach’s younger brother, Colton. It was announced on Sunday that the younger Dach, who was a second-round draft pick for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2021 draft, had reached an agreement with the Edmonton Oilers, signing a two-year contract extension with an AAV of $ 1.2 M. The forward had been traded to Edmonton in early March.

One way or another, by early August at the latest, the Canadiens and Dach should be fixed on how much the forward will earn, which could make it easier for GM Kent Hughes to move him in a trade if he so desires. High-profile RFAs Trevor Zegras and Jason Robertson will have their arbitration hearings on July 22 and 25, respectively.

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

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.

Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.

Posted on

The Wizards Are Playing Competent Basketball. Even in Summer League, That’s Progress.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 09: AJ Dybantsa #4 of the Washington Wizards walks on the court during a break in the first half of a 2026 NBA Summer League game against the Utah Jazz at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 09, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Two games into the 2026 summer league, things are going well for the Wizards.

Finally.

No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa has impressed with size, athleticism, skills, competitiveness, and motor. Will Riley has hit shots. Felix Okpara, the second round pick in June, hustled and blocked three shots. The summer squad is defending hard and effectively.

Will Riley hit 6-8 from three-point range en route to 32 points in the Wizards’ summer league win over the Sacramento Kings. | NBAE via Getty Images

As a long-time Wizards observer, I barely know what to do with myself. Competence — even during summer league ball where the games have ridiculous rules and nothing really matters — is a welcome sign of progress from this franchise.

I mean, for a second straight game, they hounded a highly-respected guard prospect into a subpar night. In the opener, it was second overall pick Darryn Peterson. Against the Sacramento Kings, it was Darius Acuff Jr. At one point, Acuff was visibly frustrated, and Amazon Prime analyst (and former NBA coach) Stan Van Gundy said that Acuff needed to play harder — that he needed to compete against Washington’s physicality.

Even better, against Acuff and the Kings, they defended effectively with no one committing nine fouls.

Yes, it’s only summer league. Still — the Wizards were out-competing their opponent. The Wizards?!

While the positives abound, it’s important to keep in mind that a) it’s summer league, not NBA basketball, b) there’s plenty for these guys to improve upon.

The second one is important — youngsters the team wants in the rotation next season are producing in summer league while also playing imperfectly. Let the coaching progress.

Here are a few observations on areas for players to develop during what the team calls “Jump Season,” and the rest of us call the “offseason.”

Dybantsa

  • Defensive motor. He didn’t get back on defense twice last night. Does it matter in summer league? No. Transition defense can be a big deal in real NBA games.
  • Shooting. I’m not worried about the percentage (just 1-11 from deep in Vegas) at this point, though I don’t love the form. It’s at least a quick and compact motion, and he hasn’t been shy about pulling the trigger, which suggests he’s confident taking threes. I’d love to see him raise the release point a few inches to maintain a clear view of the target.
  • Make more use of the athletic tools and skills to create easy shots for the team instead of living on a diet of difficult shots. Drivers of high-level offense in the NBA don’t do it by making lots of tough shots.
  • Learn to create for teammates — he did it a few times against the Kings, so I think he’s seeing the court well and making decent reads. When he sees multiple defenders on him, he needs to get the ball to teammates and let them make plays. The ball will come back. I suspect this will be less of an issue when he’s playing with better teammates in the regular season.

Will Riley

  • Get. In. The. Weight. Room.
  • Maybe it’s just me, but the incessant dribbles that actually should be carries worry me. What if the NBA ever decides to enforce its rules?
  • Like Dybantsa, I’d like to see Riley become more of a threat as a playmaker for teammates.

Tre Johnson

  • Didn’t play against the Kings, so this is based on only the opener. I want to see the same thing I wanted to see last season — what concerned me about him as a draft prospect — more to his game than shooting and scoring.
  • To that end, Johnson needs to keep getting stronger (the weight room work is showing) so he can compete in an increasingly physical league.
  • Something of a theme in this one: I want to see Johnson, Riley, and Dybantsa (and, well, everyone else really) threaten defenses in multiple ways by using their scoring prowess to unlock plays for teammates.

Felix Okpara — I’d be surprised if he’s on the opening night roster. Here’s what he needs to do to carve out an NBA career:

  • Get stronger.
  • Improve defensive awareness.
  • Set better screens.
  • Make better reads on roll lanes.
  • Go harder — the effort isn’t bad, but it’s not at NBA speed. At least not yet.

None of these are even the slightest reason for worry. Every young player — heck, every player of every age — has areas where they can improve. And the fun thing with youngsters is that if they do the work, there’s a good chance these “areas for improvement” will actually improve. Especially when the area is something like “get stronger.”

This is a weird spot for Wizards fans. Competent play, promising youngsters, a potential superstar performing well. It’s still a long wait to the games that matter, but this is starting to get fun.

Posted on

Open Thread: A Ben Stiller directed New York Knicks documentary is in the works

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Ben Stiller records a video during the third quarter in Game Five of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Frost Bank Center on June 13, 2026 in San Antonio, 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. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

During the Spurs 2026 title run, they infamously faced their 1999 Finals rival New York Knickerbockers. For San Antonio, that meant a high level of celebrity attention on the Alamo City. One of the many notable fans descending on the city was Ben Stiller.

Stiller, the child of comedy duo Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, showed a penchant for acting and directing early in life, directing Super 8 films throughout his childhood. He parlayed his passion into his own Fox Network sketch comedy show in 1992 before breaking headlong into mainstream film.

Numerous films, accolades, and three-and-a-half decades in the rearview, Stiller announced last month that he was indeed filming a documentary on the Knicks.

During the Finals he sat with the the Inside the NBA crew and shared about the upcoming film.

“Obviously, I’ve been shooting some stuff on my phone, but it’s kind of going to be about all eras of the Knicks. And this team, obviously, there’s a culmination here of something that’s been going on for a long time.”

Indeed. After fifty-three years, the Knicks won their third NBA title, tying them with the Heat, Pistons, and 76ers for the sixth most titles in league history. And Stiller was sideline throughout the season, the playoffs, and the Finals capturing moments on his phone.

One thing that will make his documentary is the historic Game 4 comeback. The Spurs gave up a 29-point lead, the largest in Finals history.

But the 2026 championship run isn’t the only focus of the film.

“You know, there’s so many great eras. And this team, I think, you know, when you look at the ’70s championships, the ’90s runs and then this team doing it again, I think there’s just so much within that.”

The film has partnerships with with HBO and A24. At this time, a release date has not been set.

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.

Posted on

Yankees prospects: Xavier Rivas’ six no-hit innings get wasted

Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:W, 8-7 (10) at Buffalo Bisons

C J.C. Escarra 1-6, 1 RBI
CF Spencer Jones 1-5, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K
2B Marco Luciano 2-4, 1 HR, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K
RF Yanquiel Fernández 3-5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 R, 1 K
3B Oswaldo Cabrera 2-5, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 K
DH-1B Tyler Hardman 1-5, 1 R, 1 K
1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 0-4, 1 BB, 1 K
PR-LF Duke Ellis 0-0, 1 R, 1 SB
SS Jonathan Ornelas 2-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, fielding error — go-ahead three-run homer brought it back after the team blew a three-run lead in the span of two innings
LF Kenedy Corona 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
P Zach Messinger 0-0

Brendan Beck 5.1 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Chris Kean 0.2 IP, 0 R (hold)
Bradley Hanner 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H (hold)
Yovanny Cruz 0.1 IP, 1 R, 2 H (hold)
Danny Watson 0.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H (hold)
Rafael Montero 0.1 IP, 2 R, 3 H (blown save) — back-to-back doubles burned a two-run lead
Zach Messinger 1.1 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 H (win) — pulled the ninth inning out of a fire, made one himself in the tenth
Carson Coleman 0.1 IP, 0 R (save)

Double-A Somerset Patriots:L, 1-2 (11) vs. Reading Fightin Phils

LF Jackson Castillo 0-3, 2 BB
CF Jace Avina 1-5, 1 2B, 1 R, 2 K
DJ Gladney 1-5, 2 K
3B Coby Morales 2-4, 1 RBI
2B Connor McGinnis 0-4
C Miguel Palma 0-3, 1 BB, throwing error
1B Josh Moylan 0-3, 1 BB, 3 K
DH Manuel Palencia 1-4, 2 K
SS Owen Cobb 0-4

Xavier Rivas 6 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 10 K — six no-hit frames with 10 strikeouts, easily the best line of his young career…
Harrison Cohen 1.1 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 K (blown save) — …only for the first reliever to cough up the lead two innings later
Hayden Merda 1.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Luis Velasquez 1 IP, 0 R, 1 BB
Trent Sellers 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 2 K (loss)

High-A Hudson Valley Renegades:L, 4-7 vs. Rome Emperors

3B Roderick Arias 1-4, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB, throwing error
SS Core Jackson 0-4, 1 K
C Eric Genther 0-2, 1 RBI, 1 BB
1B Kyle West 0-3, 1 BB, 1 K
LF Wilson Rodriguez 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
2B Enmanuel Tejeda 0-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
DH Josue Gonzalez 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 R, 3 K
RF Camden Troyer 0-4, 1 K
CF Luis Durango 3-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R, 3 SB — second three-steal game of the season, first came on May 22nd

Franyer Herrera 5 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Sean Paul Liñan 3.2 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 K (loss)
Hansel Rincon 0.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 K

Low-A Tampa Tarpons:W, 3-0 vs. Clearwater Threshers

3B Jackson Lovich 1-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R, 2 K, throwing and fielding errors
2B Hans Montero 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 CS
C Luis Puello 0-4, 3 K
1B David McCann 1-3
SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 0-3, 2 K
RF Brando Mayea 0-3, 1 K
LF Willy Montero 2-3, 2 SB, 1 CS
DH Ediel Rivera 0-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
CF Isael Arias 0-2, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

J.T. Etheridge 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 7 K
Jose Ledesma 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 K
Josh Tiedemann 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 K
Jordarlin Mendoza 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 K (win)
Matthew Tippie 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 K (save)

Florida Complex League Yankees: Off-day

Dominican Summer League Yankees: Off-day

Dominican Summer League Bombers: Off-day

Posted on

2026 Brewers Week in Review: Week 16

Jul 9, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn (28) celebrates with third baseman Joey Ortiz (3) after the Brewers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Last Week’s Results

  • Monday: Brewers 4, Cardinals 3
  • Tuesday, Game 1: Brewers 4, Cardinals 3
  • Tuesday, Game 2: Brewers 10, Cardinals 2
  • Wednesday: Cardinals 5, Brewers 1
  • Thursday: Brewers 8, Cardinals 4
  • Saturday, Game 1: Pirates 7, Brewers 6
  • Saturday, Game 2: Pirates 3, Brewers 2
  • Sunday: Pirates 14, Brewers 5

Division Standings

  • Brewers 59-37
  • Cubs 54-42 (5.0 GB)
  • Cardinals 50-45 (8.5 GB)
  • Pirates 50-47 (9.5 GB)
  • Reds 43-52 (15.5 GB)

Last Week

  • Brewers: 4-4
  • Cubs: 4-2
  • Cardinals: 3-5
  • Pirates: 4-2
  • Reds: 2-4

Top Pitching Performance of the Week

There was a lot of baseball played this past week for the Brewers, eight games to be exact. Mix that in with two doubleheaders and all a part of a 10-day road trip (and 18 games in 17 days overall), and that’s a recipe for disaster for pitching staffs. All things considered, though, the Brewers pitching staff pitched both doubleheaders about as well as we’d imagine. That’s why this week’s pitching performance of the week is going to the ace once again, Jacob Misiorowski, for his 11-strikeout performance against the Cardinals in game one of their doubleheader.

Though the final couple of days of the road trip didn’t go Miz’s way, from being scratched with arm fatigue in the series finale to no longer pitching in the All-Star Game, he sure knew how to go out with a bang. Misiorowski threw seven innings of three-run ball, striking out 11 batters. He has been a bit more home run-prone lately, allowing two home runs in the outing against the Cardinals. Miz isn’t scheduled to pitch in the first series out of the break, so enjoy some strikeouts below in the meantime.

Top Hitting Performance of the Week

Sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due. Lately, we’ve seen a number of injuries impact the Brewers at various positions. With David Hamilton going down, we’ve seen Joey Ortiz shift over to third base, and since then, his bat has come to life. Over his last seven games, Ortiz has nine hits in 26 at-bats, with a pair of RBIs and a home run. Now, if you go back beyond this last week, he has had an uptick in power as well. To have production coming from the bottom part of the lineup gives Ortiz the nod for the best performance at the plate this past week.

Some honorable mentions for top hitting performances of the week:

  • Luis Lara made his MLB debut during the second game of the doubleheader against the Cardinals on Tuesday night and drove in two RBIs on his first career hit.
  • Jake Bauers had a couple of flashy plays on offense during the series finale against the Cardinals, first a nice move on the basepaths to extend the top of the second inning, and then a three-run home run that capped off six runs in the first three innings.

Injury Notes & Roster Moves

  • Brandon Woodruff was placed on the 60-day IL with right shoulder inflammation. That means he could potentially return in September, though it seems far from certain that we’ll see him on a field before the end of the year. Outfielder Brandon Lockridge was also moved to the 60-day IL, though he’s already beyond the 60-day threshold and is still expected to return later this month.
  • As mentioned above, Luis Lara was called up to make his MLB debut. Lara replaced outfielder Blake Perkins on the roster, as Perkins was sent down to Triple-A Nashville.
  • Kyle Harrison was placed on the 15-day IL with left forearm tightness. Harrison is confident that the injury isn’t a long-term issue and that he can return shortly after the All-Star Break.
  • David Hamilton was placed on the 10-day IL with a left hamstring strain, and Greg Jones (see below) was selected to replace him on the roster.
  • Logan Henderson was activated from the 15-day IL and made his return on the mound against the Cardinals on Thursday.
  • Carlos Rodriguez and Coleman Crow were both reinstated from the 15-day IL, with both then optioned to Nashville.
  • Braden Shewmake was acquired via trade from the Astros, in exchange for cash considerations.
  • Greg Jones was designated for assignment after being selected earlier in the week. This is his second time being DFA’d by Milwaukee this year.
  • Old Friend Bryse Wilson was signed as a free agent and was activated immediately, making his official return to the mound for the Brewers on Sunday. Easton McGee was designated for assignment, and Drew Rom was optioned to Nashville.
  • Garrett Stallings was optioned to Nashville, recalled (as the 27th man for Saturday’s doubleheader), and optioned again.
  • Rob Zastryzny returned from his rehab assignment with Nashville and was placed back on the 15-day IL.

On Deck

  • Monday: Off Day (Home Run Derby @ 7 p.m. on Netflix)
  • Tuesday: Off Day (All-Star Game @ 7 p.m. on Fox)
  • Wednesday: Off Day
  • Thursday: Off Day
  • Friday: vs. Marlins (6:40 p.m.)
  • Saturday: vs. Marlins (3:10 p.m.)
  • Sunday: vs. Marlins (1:10 p.m.)
Posted on

Phillies news: Cristopher Sanchez, Gage Wood, Jacob deGrom

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JULY 12: Starting pitcher Gage Wood #14 of the Philadelphia Phillies on the National League Team looks during the first inning during the 2026 MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park on July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The All-Star break is here and all eyes are on Philadelphia as they host the festivities. So far, there has been a lot of excitement around the city with the Futures Game happening, the Draft taking place and all the happenings at All Star Village. It’s been awesome.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

Posted on

Orioles news: A winning streak, a broken hand, and the draft

Jul 12, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Blaze Alexander (23) reacts to getting hit by a pitch during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! We made it to the All-Star break and the Orioles played well enough over the weekend to give us warm fuzzies heading into four days off. They swept the Kansas City Royals and finally won four games in a row. Now they get a few days off, except for Adley Rutschman, and hopefully when they return they’ll continue their good run.

The bats came out to play yesterday. Gunnar Henderson had three hits, Samuel Basallo and Leody Taveras homered, and Blaze Alexander reached base three times. Unfortunately, the last time was on a HBP that broke his left hand. Alexander clearly knew it was bad when he got hit, as he picked a fight with pitcher Lucas Erceg after it happened.

Alexander has been one of the best players on the team this year, and he is having a career season. It’s an absolutely rotten turn of events for both the player and the team. Baseball can be cruel. I haven’t seen a timeline on how much time he is expected to miss, but he won’t need surgery. Silver lining?

While the Orioles were busy sweeping the Royals, the draft was also happening. The Orioles took Eric Booth with their first pick, a high school outfielder from Mississippi. Mark was busy this weekend keeping up on the draft so you didn’t have to. You can check out the full draft list here and read a recap of the full draft here.

Links

Orioles’ Blaze Alexander suffers broken hand in victory over Royals – The Baltimore Banner
Not cool.

Here’s how all 30 teams’ prospects fared in the Futures Game – MLB.com
The Futures Game was played over the weekend and the Orioles had two participants, Ike Irish and Joseph Dzierwa. Dzierwa only got to face one batter, which was a ripoff.

2026 MLB Draft Recap: Day 1 – FanGraphs
FanGraphs has blurbs on the first three picks the Orioles made: Eric Booth, Ty Head, and Dominic Voegele. They are especially high on Ty Head, with a pre-draft rank of 16th.

Birthdays and History

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have three Orioles birthday buddies. Pat Rapp (59) had a 10-year career that included 30 starts with the Orioles in 2000. Fritz Dorish (b. 1921, d. 2000) was a relief pitcher for the Orioles in 1955.

And Mark Brown turns 67 years old today. But before you get too excited, it’s not the Mark Brown that brings you top-notch Orioles content every day. It’s former Oriole Mark Brown, who appeared in nine games with the 1984 Orioles. That’s not many games, but I’m willing to bet that it’s more Major League games than anyone with YOUR name has ever played in!

On this day in 1962, the Orioles defeated Cleveland 10-3. Boog Powell and Brooks Robinson homered, and Charlie Lau hit four doubles. Steve Barber pitched 6.2 innings and earned the win.

In 1991, the Orioles pitched a combined no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the A’s. Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson, and Gregg Olson. Milacki had to leave the game when he was hit in the hand by a line drive. The Orioles scored their runs on an RBI single by Chris Hoiles and a Mike Devereaux home run.

In 2019, the Orioles traded pitcher Andrew Cashner to the Red Sox for two minor leaguers. Cashner had been pretty good for the Orioles but was terrible for the Red Sox. That’s what I like to see.

In 2022, the Orioles beat the Cubs 7-1. It was the team’s 10th win in a row. The win took the team from a 35-44 record to a 45-44 record and moved them 23 games out of first place to 17.5 games out. They remained in last place, but that was a whole lotta fun.

And on this day last year, the Orioles closed out the first half with an 11-1 loss to the Marlins. Former Oriole Kyle Stowers hit three home runs and knocked in six runs.

Posted on

Chicago Cubs history unpacked — July 13

Free of charge for the discerning reader.

Happy birthday to DJ LeMahieu, and a mighty host of others.

Today in baseball history, in 1896 – Ed Delahanty hits four home runs, but it’s not enough as the Phillies lose to the Chicago Colts, 9-8. “Big Ed” is the second man to hit four homers in one game in the National League, after Bobby Lowe two years earlier. It will be another 90 years until another man hits four long balls in defeat, when Bob Horner does it for the Atlanta Braves on July 6, 1986,and other stories as well.

Today in baseball history:

Today in Cubs history:

Cubs Birthdays:Cody Bellinger, Casey Sadler, DJ LeMahieu*, Bill Caudill, Don Bryant, Jack Aker, Frank Hiller, Clarence Blair, Gene Packard, John O’Brien, George Bradley. Also notable: Stan Coveleski HOF.

Today in history:

  • 1568 – Dean of St. Paul’s London, Alexander Nowell, perfects a way to bottle beer.
  • 1835 – Swedish-American inventor John Ericsson files for a patent for his screw propeller design.
  • 1865 – Horace Greeley, founder and editor of the “New-York Tribune,” reputedly advises his readers to “Go west, young man.”
  • 1871 – World’s first championship cat show is organized by Harrison Weir and held at Crystal Palace, London.
  • 1923 – The Hollywood Sign is officially dedicated in the hills above Hollywood, Los Angeles. It originally reads “Hollywoodland,” but the last four letters are dropped after renovation in 1949.
  • 1994 – Tonya Harding‘s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly sentenced to 2 years in prison for attack on American Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.

Today in music history:

  • 1956 – RCA releases Elvis Presley‘s single “Hound Dog,” a cover of Big Mama Thornton’s original, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, backed with “Don’t Be Cruel,” written by Otis Blackwell.
  • 1978 – BBC bans Sex Pistols‘ “No One is Innocent”.
  • 1984 – British guitarist Jeff Beck quits singer Rod Stewart’s tour after seven shows.
  • 1984 – Eddie Van Halen makes a guest appearance, performing “Beat It” at a Jacksons concert in Dallas, Texas.
  • 1985 – Live Aid concerts held at both Wembley Stadium (London) and JFK Stadium (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) raise over $70 million for African famine relief.
  • 2006 – UK singer-songwriter Lily Allen releases her debut album “Alright, Still” (Grammy nominee Best Alternative Music Album).

*pictured.

Posted on

Inside the Numbers: Detroit Tigers 2026 First Half Report

After a horrible start to the 2026 season, the Detroit Tigers have rebounded nicely, posting the best record in the American League since June 1, leaving themselves in position to challenge for a playoff spot and a division title in the second half of the season.

At the end of May, Detroit had plunged to a 22-38 record through 50 games, 16 games under .500 and 11.5 games behind in the AL Central division. The roster, and the pitching rotation in particular, was devastated by injuries, with Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, Troy Melton, and Justin Verlander all spending time on the injured list. Reese Olson will miss the entire season, while Jack Flaherty and Kenley Jansen struggled early and joined the wounded in June, and Jackson Jobe remains on the 60-day IL.

Rotation chaos is doing just fine

Despite all that, the Tigers now have a healthy rotation, with Verlander and Jobe hopeful for the second half, and their rotation has the fourth-best ERA in baseball, 3.48, at the All-Star break. Tigers starters also have the fourth best BB/ 9 ratio and the lowest home run ratio in the show at just 0.99 homers per nine innings pitched. They have surrendered the third-lowest batting average and the fifth-lowest Walks plus Hits per inning (WHIP) in the majors. Keeping the ball in the yard and runners off the bases is a recipe for success in any league.

Here is where the Tigers’ rotation, bullpen, and pitching staff rank in the major leagues at the All-Star break:

MetricSP rankRP rankPitching rank
ERA3.50/ 4th3.85/ 11th3.64/ 7th
FIP3.66/ 3rd4.10/ 15th3.84/ 7th
K/98.44/ 17th8.38/ 20th8.41/ 19th
BB/92.58/ 3rd3.59/ 14th 3.00/ 7th
HR/90.99/ 1st1.07/ 15th1.02/ 6th
WHIP1.13/ 5th1.32/ 15th1.21/ 6th
Avg.223/ 3rd.240/ 20th2.30/ 7th
GB pct40.8%/ 15th48.5%/ 1st43.9%/ 5th

The bullpen, on the other hand, ranks eleventh in ERA, while rating in the middle of the pack in walks, homers allowed, WHIP, and 20th in strikeouts through the first half of the season. What has plagued the bullpen — and the Tigers in general — is that they’ve already blown 19 save opportunities; only one team has blown more leads in the late innings.  They have blown 53 percent of save opportunities — the stuff that nightmares are made of. 

Kyle Finnegan and Will Vest, who is now out with a stress fracture, have five blown saves apiece, while Jansen has four and Drew Anderson three.  The result is a Pythagorean prediction of a 50-44 record, which would put them in first place, but the standings show a record of 44- 52.The Tigers are 6.5 games back in their division and 3.5 games out of a playoff spot.

Tigers’ lineup has not produced

The Tigers lineup has not produced as hoped during the first half, ranking 20th in runs scored. They are hitting just .236 as a team, 25th in the majors. Since June 1, however, Detroit leads the major leagues with 63 homers and they’re up to 11th overall in runs scored in that period of time.

Here is where the Tigers lineup ranks at the All-Star break:

MetricStatisticMLB Rank
Runs/game4.2820th
wOBA.31518th
Avg.23624th
OBP.31518th
SLG.40115th
HR11514th
SB3130th
BB pct9.6%8th
K pct23.0%22nd

The bright spots in the lineup have been Riley Greene, who will start in the All-Star Game for the American League, and will be accompanied by Dillon Dingler and rookie sensation Kevin McGonigle. But they have struggled with too many holes in the lineup on a regular basis.

Here is where the Tigers rank by position through the All-Star break:

PositionwRC+/ RankfWAR/ Rank
C.349/ 1st4.4/ 1st
1B.319/ 23rd0.0/ 25th
2B.300/ 21st0.9/ 21st
3B.338/ 6th2.3/ 7th
SS.348/ 5th3.3/ 4th
LF.365/ 3rd2.1/ 5th
CF.283/ 21st0.5/ 22nd
RF.268/ 29th-1.3/ 30th
DH.282/ 29th-1.2/ 30th
  • Dingler has the Tigers leading the majors offensively and in fWAR at the catcher position.
  • Greene has the team in third position in left field.
  • McGonigle has split time between third base and shortstop and the team has gotten solid production from both positions.

The rest of the lineup has been mediocre at best. While Gleyber Torres has been above average holding down second base, he has played fewer than half of the team’s games. The team could use his bat atop the lineup. Spencer Torkelson has been just league average at the plate, which is not what they need from his position. Right field and DH have been a black hole, although Kerry Carpenter has mostly produced when healthy.

The lineup has not been without injuries.  Center fielder Parker Meadows is out, as are Javier Baez and Gleyber Torres.  Kerry Carpenter and Zack McKinstry missed time in May while Wenceel Perez and Trey Sweeney are out for the season.

Baserunning

The Tigers are once again dead last in the major leagues in stolen bases, but they lead the majors in extra bases taken, at 53%.  That is, they move runners from first to third and score from second base on a hit more than any other team.

Forecast

Whether the Tigers are the first-half squad that raced out to the best record in the majors in 2025, or the team that choked away the biggest division lead in MLB history in the second half remains to be seen. Their pitching can carry them into and in the playoffs, should they make it to the postseason.

Posted on

Kentucky Wildcats News: MLB Draft Recap for UK Baseball

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 11: Commissioner of Major League Baseball Robert D. Manfred announces Tyler Bell as the tenth overall pick by the Colorado Rockies during the 2026 MLB Draft presented by Nippon Express at Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, July 11, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Major League Baseball’s annual draft is quite a long one, consisting of 20 rounds and 615 picks over the course of two days.

This past weekend, 613 players achieved their dream by hearing their name called in the draft with quite a few of them being Kentucky Wildcats.

On Saturday, Tyler Bell was the 10th player selected to get things started. He’s headed to Colorado, and his departure leaves a major hole in Kentucky’s infield. Going in the top 10, he’s the second-highest selection ever for the UK program.

Jaxson Jelkin was also a part of Saturday’s first four rounds, going 135th overall to the Philadelphia Phillies. Going that high means it’s more likely than not that he stays in the draft.

On Sunday, UK had several more players see their names hit the draft board.

Jimmy Anderson (Baltimore Orioles, 5th round), Robert Omidi (Detroit Tigers, 8th round), Connor Mattison (Minnesota Twins, 16th round), Cincinnati Reds (Matt Ponatoski, 18th round), and Nile Adcock (Atlanta Braves, 20th round) all achieved the goal of becoming MLB Draft picks. Anderson and Omidi will likely sign after going in the first 10 rounds, while the early buzz is that Ponatoski will make it to Lexington.

Congratulations to all! Kentucky will certainly have its work cut out in trying to fill the void left by the guys who opt to sign with their MLB teams.

Tweet of the Day

What do we think?

Headlines

Kentucky fans will miss the home game over Thanksgiving break – KSR

Who all is going to Indy?

Orioles’ Alexander fractures hand after being hit by pitch – ESPN

Sheesh.

Gonzaga lost a star player to Spain while he was practicing in Spokane – KSR

Tough.

Gianni Infantino says FIFA will examine possibility of 64-team World Cup – ESPN

All about expansion.

Jayce Tharnish will return to Kentucky in 2027 – KSR

Big news.

McGregor’s coach says knee ‘never an issue’ ahead of UFC 329 – ESPN

Interesting.

Ethan Hindle announces return to Kentucky baseball in 2027 – KSR

Another one!

Warriors to hire Frank Vogel as associate head coach – ESPN

Returning after a couple of years off.

Posted on

How Cenac Jr., Mitchell can inject much-needed athleticism into Celtics

How Cenac Jr., Mitchell can inject much-needed athleticism into Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

LAS VEGAS — An overtime-forcing 3-pointer was undoubtedly the highlight of Chris Cenac Jr.’s pro debut for the Boston Celtics at Vegas Summer League on Friday night. But our favorite moment came earlier when Cenac tried one of the most ambitious putbacks in summer league history and nearly impaled a teammate in the process.

Crashing hard from the 3-point line on a Curtis Jones miss, Cenac skied from the dotted line, caught the long rebound with one hand, and tried to use his 7-foot-5 wingspan to hurtle the ball near the rim. Poor Dillon Mitchell got caught underneath the soaring Cenac Jr. and the two crumpled to the court together after the failed attempt.

“He almost took me out on a putback,” cracked Mitchell after practice on the campus of UNLV on Saturday.

It’s usually Mitchell and his 38.5-inch vertical launching himself over opponents. He was able to laugh off getting a taste of his own medicine.

“I can understand how other people feel when I do it now,” said Mitchell. “So it was a good feeling for me to feel it.”

Cenac Jr., the 27th pick in June’s draft, posted 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks over 29 minutes off the bench in his Boston debut. He rescued the Celtics in the final seconds of regulation, knocking down a buzzer-beating, corner 3-pointer off a pretty feed from Milos Uzan.

Mitchell, the 40th pick in June’s draft, finished with four points, two blocks, and two steals over 26 minutes in a starting role.

Cenac Jr. and Mitchell bring the sort of raw athleticism that the Celtics haven’t exactly been overflowing with in recent years. The Celtics need to thrust the two rookies into their player development machine and hope they can tap fully into each player’s raw potential.

Cenac Jr. is only 19 but he moves effortlessly around the court, easily changing direction and exploding towards the basket. We don’t suspect this will be the only time he tries an overly ambitious dunk attempt on the summer stage. He’s springy even off two feet. And Cenac Jr.’s length disrupts opposing shooters regardless of where they pull up from.

Mitchell floats in the air, too, and his pro debut was highlighted by both a loud, left-handed putback and a transition block where he again seemingly floated long enough to smother an opponent’s layup attempt.

After Saturday’s summer practice, and before watching film together, Mitchell and Cenac Jr. engaged in a brief impromptu dunk contest.

“Just Chris being Chris,” said Mitchell.

So who has the advantage in any dunk contest? Mitchell responded immediately.

“Chris … his length,” said Mitchell. “I’ll give it to Chris.”

Boston’s overflowing collection of young wings will complicate a pathway to playing time for the rookies, but it’s easy to see why Boston invested in their futures. The Celtics need an infusion of athleticism and it didn’t take long for Mitchell and Cenac Jr. to prove they can bring that.

Mitchell has the bruises to prove it.

Posted on

Man Man Rocks The Rim In Summer League Play vs. The Pelicans

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Khaman Maluach #10 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on July 10, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 (Photo by Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

When it comes to Summer League play and former Blue Devils, we forgot to check on Khaman Maluach. As expected, he had a lot of work to do as a rookie, and played 25 games in the G League for the Valley Suns.

He is playing for Phoenix in the Summer League, and on Sunday, he had a nice game against New Orleans.

Maluach finished with 15 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Here are two really good back-to-back plays by the former Duke big man. On the first, he rolls to the basket for a nice pick and roll, and on the other end of the court, watch how he shifts out, then goes back to block the shot.

He’s gotten a lot of reps in since getting drafted last year and he’s noticeably more muscled as well. This could be a good year for him, possibly even a breakthrough.

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a lined