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Digital Sports Desk

Sox: Narvaez Strokes Walk-Off SIngle

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – From the start of the 2025 Major League Baseball season on March 27 until last week (June 6-8) in the Bronx, it took the MLB schedule-makers two months-plus to pit the New York Yankees against their longtime and bitter rivals in the Boston Red Sox. The Sox got the best of that series, dropping the opener but winning the final two games by outscoring the Yankees by a touchdown, 21-14. This weekend, Father’s Day Weekend, they’re doing it again.
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Boston defeated New York, 2-1, in 10 innings. The victory came on a Carlos Narvaez knock off the famed Green Monster, scoring the elusive MLB phantom runner (David Hamilton) in an exciting, yet low-scoring game.

On a gorgeous (65-degree, 5 mph wind), not a cloud in the sky night at Fenway Park, the Red Sox opened the series with ace Garrett Crochet on the mound. Crochet, the No. 5 MLB leader in innings pitched, pitched a strong first four frames, allowing only one hit and a walk. He struck Yankees slugger and American League triple crown threat Aaron Judge out twice.
The game, as a whole, produced only four hits over the first four innings, with Yankees SS Anthony Volpe collecting the only hit off Crochet.
The Red Sox squeezed out a lone run in the second inning when SS Trevor Story singled to center field, then stole second base. Boston centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela singled off New York starter Ryan Yarbrough. When Yarbrough walked rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell in the Red Sox half of the fifth inning, then allowed a base hit to Boston left fielder Rob Refsnyder, New York manager Aaron Boone lifting his left-handed starter and replaced him with right-handed reliever Jonathan Loaisiga who proceeded to strike out both Sox slugger Rafael Devers and No. 3 hitter in first baseman Romy Gonzalez.
Yarbrough threw 4.2 innings, allowing four hits and one earned run. He walked three and struck out three Boston batters while throwing 78 pitches (45 for strikes).
Meanwhile, Crochet steamed-rolled through the Yankees batting order through eight  innings, allowing only another hit to Volpe who was doubled-up when NYY left fielder Jasson Dominguez hit a hot grounder to Campbell who flipped to SS Trevor Story for a timely double play in the seventh, then retired the side in order in the eighth.
After loading the bases in the bottom of the eighth Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz worked Story into a long fly ball out to left field, sending the game into the ninth.
With his closer warmed up, Boston manager Alex Coro decided to leave Crochet in the game to attempt a complete game shut-out. Crochet retired No. 2 hitter Ben Rice, then faced Judge.
Crochet fired pitches of 98, 99 and 100 mph and forced a 3-2 count against the Yankees slugger, only to throw a 3-2 fastball that Judge clobbered, clear over the Green Monster in left field. The 98 mph pitch landed some 443 feet away to tie the game, 1-1. It was Judge’s 26th homer of the season and it tied him for the Major League lead for HRs with Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh.
Arnoldis Chapman came in to relieve Crochet who threw a career high 8.1 innings, allowing four hits, one earned run – the homer – while walking one batter and striking out seven. Crochet threw 107 pitches, with 72 for strikes.
The game went into extra innings and Volpe became the phantom runner at second base to start the inning. Volpe attempted to steal third base but was thrown out by Boston catcher Carlos Narvaez (with the play requiring a look at instant replay).  After another controversial replay call (on an instant replay ruled a foul ball), the Red Sox retired NY second baseman DJ LeMahieu to send the game to the bottom of the 10th.
Pinch-hitter David Hamilton was placed on second base and Jarren Duran moved him to third on a ground ball to LeMahieu. Play slowed to a crawl, as the Yankees held a team meeting on the mound to discuss strategy with relieve Tim Hill on the hill.
Boston slugger Rafael Devers was intentionally walked to create a force play option and potential double play, and Mayer stepped up to the plate with an opportunity to win the game with a deep fly ball. Mayer struck out.
That sent former Yankee catcher Narvaez to the plate with two out and runners at first and third. Devers strolled to second base on a defensive indifference play and Hill focused on Narvaez.
The catcher stroked a a 2-1 four-seam fastball and it bounced off the Green Monster in left-center field to score Hamilton and secure a 2-1 walk-off victory.
The winning pitcher was Garrett Whitlock (5-0) and the loser was Tim Hill (3-2). The game was played in front of a sell-out crowd of 36,622 fans.

NBA Finals: OKC Thunder Will Attack

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Physical and fast was the Pacers’ defensive approach in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and more of the same is coming until MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander proves he and the Thunder can handle it.

“You got to suck it up. There’s a maximum four games left in the season,” Gilgeous-Alexander said Thursday of the hands-on defense from Indiana in Game 3. “It’s what you worked the whole season for. It’s what you worked all summer for. To me, the way I see it, you got to suck it up, get it done and try to get a win.”

Game 4 on Friday is vital to Oklahoma City after falling behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven NBA Finals. Indiana appeared to be the better conditioned team on Wednesday night, closing out Game 3 with a finishing kick and riding the adrenaline of a locked-in home crowd. Pacers’ coach Rick Carlisle gave additional credit to Andrew Nembhard, Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith for their collective defensive effort and the role it played in limiting Gilgeous-Alexander’s contributions.

“I wouldn’t say it surprised me,” Thunder forward Chet Holmgren said of the Pacers’ stamina in Game 3. “That’s kind of been I guess you could say their identity leading up to this series. It’s what’s showed up in the games up to this point. We have to figure out a way to counteract that and kind of change that and swing it in our favor because it’s not a winning formula to not be better than the other team in the fourth quarter.”

Gilgeous-Alexander had only four free throw attempts in the second half of Game 3 and appeared to wear down late in the game. He only took three shots in the final 12 minutes.

“We were a little out of character in a lot of ways yesterday,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I think that happens in a playoff series. Four games, five games, six games, seven games is a long time. You’re going to get a range of games and experiences in that. We have to get it course corrected pretty quickly if we want to give ourselves a better chance in Game 4.”

– Field Level Media

Filed Under: NBA

Old “Mo” for Ed-Mo-n-ton

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SUNRISE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Edmonton Oilers could have returned home a loss away from falling to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final for a second straight year.

Instead, they have a chance to put themselves one win away from a championship when they host the Panthers for Game 5 on Saturday.

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It didn’t look like they would be in this position after Florida staked a 3-0 lead in the first period of Game 4 on Thursday. But the Oilers rallied to take a 4-3 advantage and, after the Panthers tied it in the dying seconds, Leon Draisaitl clinched it in overtime to give the visitors the 5-4 win.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2.

“I mean, everybody knows what the crowd’s going to be like, Saturday night in Alberta, it’s going to be exciting,” veteran Edmonton winger Corey Perry said. “But I think I’ve talked about this a lot: We’re mature and I think after that first period last night it showed we’re a mature hockey team. I don’t expect anything else.”

The 40-year-old helped spark the Oilers with some words of wisdom after the first period. He’s also been delivering on the ice with nine goals in the playoffs, second only to Draisaitl. Perry, who is playing in the Stanley Cup Final for the fifth time in the past six seasons, has 140 points (63 goals, 77 assists) in 235 career playoff games.

“He’s been so valuable for us,” Edmonton defenseman Mattias Ekholm said of Perry. “He’s a leader and he knows exactly when to step in there. He doesn’t do it all the time but when he does, it’s always great and gets everybody’s attention.

“I mean, it was good from him last night again, both on the ice and in the locker room. It’s what we expect out of him. He’s getting up there, but he’s still got it.”

The Panthers, meanwhile, are turning the page after the loss. They’ve been here before: Last year, Edmonton erased Florida’s 3-0 series lead to ultimately force a Game 7.

“We’re calm and confident,” Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling said. “If we play our game, we know we’re going to win most games. … The good thing is, we have a game tomorrow, so we’re ready to bounce right back. We’re very excited to get back.”

It’s been an incredibly tight series thus far, with three of the four games going to overtime. Florida’s power play has helped fuel the defending Cup champions, going 7-for-21 with the man advantage.

It could be the edge the Panthers need to regain the series lead; the Oilers have scored just four times on 20 power-play opportunities.

“A lot of the success in postseason is how you handle your losses,” Florida forward Sam Reinhart said. “They’re going to happen, especially when you get down to the last two teams. You’ve got two of the best teams going at it. So you’ve got to expect to lose at some point. There’s a lot we can learn from and come back strong in Game 5.”

Edmonton has not announced a starting goalie for Game 5. Stuart Skinner was pulled after allowing three goals on 17 shots in the first period in Game 4. He was also pulled early in the third period of the 6-1 loss in Game 3.

–Field Level Media

Sox Buehler Tosses a Quality Win

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Boston’s starter Walker Buehler worked a seven-inning quality start and got the support of four solo home runs as the Red Sox defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 in the rubber game of a three-game series on Wednesday.

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Marcelo Mayer homered in each of the first two at-bats, with the 22-year-old rookie becoming the youngest Red Sox player to produce a multi-homer game since Rafael Devers in 2018.

Jarren Duran hit a leadoff home run in the first inning and Abraham Toro socked the eventual game-winning shot in the fifth after Tampa Bay erased a 3-1 deficit.

Toro and Ceddanne Rafaela joined Mayer with multi-hit games for Boston, which has won back-to-back series.

Buehler (5-4) struck out seven while yielding three runs on six hits and one walk. Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth for his 12th save.

Yandy Diaz (two-run homer), Brandon Lowe and Jake Mangum all had two hits for Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay right-hander Zack Littell (6-6) allowed all four Boston homers in his six-inning outing. He permitted eight hits, fanned six and didn’t issue a walk.

After Buehler stranded two baserunners to post a first-inning zero, Duran bashed Littell’s first pitch of the game into the right-center-field bullpen give the hosts a quick 1-0 lead.

The Rays quickly responded as back-to-back singles by Mangum and Matt Thaiss set the table for a game-tying run in the second. Lowe knocked in Mangum on a fielder’s-choice grounder to shortstop.

Mayer singlehandedly put the Red Sox back in front and provided insurance with his solo shots. His first homer led off the second inning, landing deep in the right field corner.

Mayer went deep again with one out in the fourth, sending another homer to a similar location in right.

Two-out offense drew Tampa Bay even in the fifth. After Lowe chopped an infield single on an open left side, Diaz deposited a two-run homer into the first rows of the right field seats.

After Littell recorded three straight outs by strikeout in the fourth and fifth, Toro cranked a homer out to straightaway center for a 4-3 edge.

Buehler retired seven straight to finish his outing before Justin Wilson and Greg Weissert combined to get out of an eighth-inning jam, preserving the one-run Boston lead. A walk to Junior Caminero and a Mangum single off Weissert loaded the bases, but Thaiss fanned to end the threat.

–Field Level Media

Panthers Prep for Oilers’ Best

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SUNRISE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Edmonton Oilers showed their disdain for losing with some late-game antics in Monday’s Game 3 loss to the Florida Panthers.

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Now, the Oilers must find a way to turn their angst into a victory or risk falling into a dangerously deep hole when they resume the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday in South Florida.

With the Panthers leading 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, the next clash could either send the series back to Edmonton all-square — and with the Oilers regaining the home-ice advantage — or put the Panthers on the cusp of a second consecutive title against the Oilers.

“We’ve always been a good team at coming back out with a strong effort,” Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl said of turning the page from Monday’s 6-1 loss. “Obviously it was not our best showing, not our best game, but we have a great chance … to show what our team is all about.”

Edmonton must do more than just talk about a better performance. The Oilers reached this point thanks to an improved defense to go with their high-octane attack, but they have been undisciplined in the finals and have struggled keeping pucks out of their net.

Goaltender Stuart Skinner is under the microscope having surrendered 13 goals in the series, and boasting an .866 save percentage. But the Oilers as a whole must find another gear to send the series back to their home on even ground.

“It’s one game. We’re looking for the whole series,” Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. “We know we’re down 2-1 and we gotta be better next game … but we’re one win away from having the best-out-of-three (series) with two home games.”

[Read more…] about Panthers Prep for Oilers’ Best

Patriots: Diggs Stays Mumm

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FOXBOROUGH – At the final practice of Patriots mandatory minicamp in Massachusetts on Tuesday, newly acquired wide receiver Stefon Diggs spoke with reporters but did not address a viral video that has inspired speculation about his future with the team.

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In the video, posted to social media, Diggs is seen enjoying himself on a boat with three bikini-clad women that included top-selling rapper Cardi B, but he’s also seen brandishing a plastic bag filled with a mysterious pink substance.

The 31-year-old Diggs has refrained from speaking about the incident, and did so again Tuesday despite some observers wondering if the four-time Pro Bowler could be in hot water with either his new team or the NFL at large.

First-year Patriots coach Mike Vrabel spoke recently on the importance of players making “good decisions.”

“I kind of keep my personal life personal,” Diggs said. “I had a conversation with Vrabel, obviously, and I’m going to echo everything that he said. Hope everyone makes good decisions. I had some conversations with people in the building as well. So, everything else is everything else, and the particulars are all internal.”

A First-Team All-Pro in 2020, Diggs signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Patriots in March.

He has described his rapport with Vrabel as being positive and expressed admiration for Vrabel’s championship pedigree.

“I’m a huge fan of him,” Diggs said. “I can’t wait to play for him. He’s got that itch that you want to run through a wall for him. I look forward to it. Me and him go back and forth in practice, and I’m not even participating.”

A year ago, Diggs played in just eight games for the Houston Texans due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament, breaking a string of six straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin his career. He has amassed 857 receptions for 10,491 yards and 70 touchdowns during his 10-year career split among the Minnesota Vikings (2015-19), Buffalo Bills (2020-23) and Texans (2024).

–Field Level Media

Sox Call Up Roman Anthony

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) -First, it was infielder/utility man Kristian Campbell. Next, was infielder Marcelo Mayer. Today, it was the third amigo in outfielder Roman Anthony, touted as the No. 1 prospect in Major League Baseball.

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The Boston Red Sox called up Anthony from Triple-A Worcester ahead of tonight’s home game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Anthony will start in right field and bat fifth for the Red Sox tonight. The left-handed hitter takes the spot that belonged to Wilyer Abreu, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain.

Anthony, the team’s second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, forged a .288/.423/.491 slash line in 58 games for Worcester this season. He posted 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 265 plate appearances — highlighted by a grand slam on Saturday that flew well over the right-center wall and was estimated at 497 feet.

“We’re trying to win ballgames,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “The kid has done an amazing job throughout (prospect development) getting ready for this moment. We’re excited. It’s a big day for the organization … we’ll use him the right way and we’ll help him with the adjustments that comes with being a big-leaguer.”

The Red Sox (32-35) now have elevated all three of their elite hitting prospects to the bigs. Second baseman/outfielder Campbell broke spring training with Boston and, after a red-hot start, has settled in with a .233 average, six homers and 20 RBIs in 58 games.

Mayer was called up two weeks ago when third basemen Alex Bregman went on the injured list with a quadriceps issue. Installed at third base where he had little experience, Mayer has posted a .222/.282/.361 slash line with one homer and two errors in 12 games.

Abreu ranks second on the Red Sox with 13 homers, complementing a .245 batting average with 32 RBIs.

–Field Level Media

Fox Burns-Up in PGA Tour Playoff

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New Zealand’s Ryan Fox had a dynamic putt to extend the RBC Canadian Open and later used an awesome rip from the fairway to help secure a victory.

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Fox birdied the fourth playoff hole to win a showdown with Sam Burns and capture the tournament Sunday north of the border.

Fox notched a 4-under-par 66 in the final round, forcing the playoff with a birdie putt from about 17 feet on the last hole of regulation, on the way to his second career victory. Both triumphs have come across his last four tournaments.

Burns shot 62 to set the clubhouse lead and then waited a couple of hours in an attempt to notch his first PGA Tour victory in more than two years.

Burns and Fox finished at 18-under 262 at the North Course of TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.

The duo played the par-5 18th repeatedly in the playoff until a winner was determined. They each recorded pars the first three times through.

“Sam and I had a bit of a pillow fight there for three holes,” Fox said. “It was some pretty average golf from both of us, some average putting.”

Fox drilled his second shot to the green on what became the last playoff hole, while Burns had an approach shot roll off the green.

“That shot I hit on 18 with the 3-wood was probably the best shot I ever hit,” Fox said. “It would have been nice to make (the eagle putt), but hey, I’ll take it.”

Fox’s tee shot on the first playoff hole was in a bunker off the fairway, but Burns’ potential winning putt from inside 6 feet was off the mark. Fox left a 12-footer to win short on the second playoff hole; Burns left his approach shot short on the third playoff hole, but recovered.

Fox had a bogey-free round, rallying with birdies on Nos. 14 and 15 to pull within a stroke. He played the 18th by lofting his second shot less than 175 yards down the fairway — clearly aiming to tie and trying to be in good position with his approach — and it worked out.

“I hit some great shots down the stretch in regulation,” Fox said. “Probably got a little lucky on that putt on 18 in regulation, snuck in the left door.”

Taiwan’s Kevin Yu posted 66 for third place at 17 under.

Cameron Young (65) and Matt McCarty (67) tied for fourth at 16 under. The trio of Andrew Putnam (67), South Korea’s Byeong Hun An (66) and Italy’s Matteo Manassero (69) tied for sixth at 15 under.

Burns had nine birdies and one bogey. The birdies included five consecutive holes to begin the back nine, and he tacked on one more on the final hole.

“I knew I needed to make birdie there to have a chance,” Burns said during his layoff prior to the playoff. “I knew that was important to make that one.”

With the last pairing just a few holes into the final round, a dozen golfers were within two shots of the lead.

Fox and Manassero began the day sharing a one-shot lead.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry, with an early tee time, stormed to the lead with an eagle on the par-5 first hole (a 4-foot putt) followed with three consecutive birdies. He was undone by playing the last 10 holes in 2 over, ending the round with 67 and the tournament at 13 under.

Yu gained the lead briefly with an eagle on the par-4 second hole on a shot from 91 yards out. He got going again with birdies on three of the last five holes, including the 18th.

“I’m glad I finished great with three birdies in the last few holes,” Yu said. “… Proud of how we fought today, and hopefully coming back next year will have better results.”

Young, who began the round with an eagle, said he thought he was in ideal position until his only bogey came on the last hole when his second shot went awry.

“I couldn’t have hit two better shots on the last hole,” Young said. “I don’t hit 3-wood that far, and it’s blowing straight into the wind, and it decided to bounce all the way to the back woods. I thought in the air I was going to have about a 12-footer to win the tournament, and it ended up somewhere I was going to struggle to make par, let alone make a 4. Pretty upset.”

Second-round leader Cameron Champ was back on track with a 67, putting him at 14 under.

–Field Level Media

Can Indiana Steal Another One?

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OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma City Thunder have been in this position before.

So, have the Indiana Pacers.

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The teams meet in Game 2 of the NBA Finals tonight in Oklahoma City after the Pacers pulled off a stunner in Game 1.

Indiana opened the series with a 111-110 victory Thursday, when Tyrese Haliburton’s last-second shot put the Pacers ahead for the first time in the game.

The average margin of victory in those rebound victories is 20.5 points per game, though one was decided by two points and another by five.

Oklahoma City lost back-to-back games just twice during the regular season.

“The playoffs take you to the limit,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “They put your back against the wall — in games, in series. If you make it this far, you have to endure to do that. It gives you rich experiences that you can draw on. The biggest experience we’ve had is understanding that every game’s a new game. The most important of the series is always the next one, regardless of the outcome.”

The Pacers have won their first game in each round.

The average margin of victory in those rebound victories is 20.5 points per game, though one was decided by two points and another by five.

Oklahoma City lost back-to-back games just twice during the regular season.

“The playoffs take you to the limit,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “They put your back against the wall — in games, in series. If you make it this far, you have to endure to do that. It gives you rich experiences that you can draw on. The biggest experience we’ve had is understanding that every game’s a new game. The most important of the series is always the next one, regardless of the outcome.”

The Pacers have won their first game in each round.

In the last two rounds, the Pacers won the first two games of their series on the road as they have become accustomed to thriving in the underdog role.

“That’s been our thing the whole year, even at the beginning of the playoffs,” Indiana’s Obi Toppin said. “Everybody got the other team winning every single game. We just go out there and always do what we do.”

Haliburton said the Pacers have drawn motivation from last season’s playoff run, where they beat the Bucks and Knicks in the first two rounds before they were swept by the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.

“You come into the year with all the talk around how it was a fluke,” Haliburton said. “You have an unsuccessful first couple months and now it’s easy to for everyone to clown you and talk about you in a negative way, and I think as a group we take everything personal. … I feel like that’s the DNA of this group.”

Oklahoma City forced 25 turnovers in Game 1 — 20 in the first half — but scored just 11 points off those turnovers, helping open the door for Indiana’s comeback from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit.

“We can’t turn the ball over that much,” Haliburton said. “We have to do a better job of being in gaps, rebounding, all over the floor.”

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | June 8

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – While your favorite columnist was not able to pack the bags and attend the 2025 NBA Finals, his eyes and all eyes will be on the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers in a series that is bound to go six or seven games.

The Pacers did exactly what they needed to do and that was steal a game at OKC, and they did so in grand fashion. Tyrese Haliburton’s jump shot with only 0.3 seconds remaining was the only time the Pacers led the game as they marked the final score of 111-110.

OKC’s amazing (MVP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 38 points in defeat.

Now, for some juice: The New York Times published a well written, well-illustrated and well-timed article on one of the NBA’s all-time greats. No, not an all-time great player but a photographer of all-time great players, in Nathaniel S Butler, aka “Nat.”

Recalling a photograph taken after Boston won the 2024 NBA title, Celtics’ star Jayson Tatum said, “He puts the time and the work in. He’s been doing this longer than some of us have been alive, and he’s captured some of the most iconic photos that we all grew up seeing in magazines and online.”

Putting the time and work in might be the understatement of Tatum’s incredible career. The east coast based Butler, along with west coast based Andrew D. Bernstein, became the founding tent poles of a division of the league’s headquarters office – NBA Photos – back in 1985-86.

It was then, under the guidance of NBA Commissioner David Stern, head of NBA Properties, Rick Welts and head of NBA Communications Brian McIntyre, that NBA Photos got the green light. WWYI knows because it was on my watch that we baked the idea for basketball and launched the stock photo agency which was eventually run by NBA Entertainment and then sold to Getty Images, Inc. at a serious profit for the league and its team owners.

Butler’s back story is almost as interesting as his career as a top notch sports (not just basketball) photographer. As a senior at St. John’s University in New York, he became the league’s “Second-ever Intern,” working out of the 645 Fifth Avenue/Olympic Tower HQ in New York City. While his daytime duties included compiling vast amounts of news articles and information for circulation to the NBA execs, the teams and media, his interest in photography quickly surfaced and he was assigned to cover important press conferences and a small but then growing number of games in New York and New Jersey.

While Bernstein was shooting with color strobes on 35mm film at the two venues in Los Angeles (The Fabulous Forum – LA Lakers) and (The LA Sports Arena – LA Clippers), Butler was shooting mostly Black & White action photography to stock the non-existent league archives while supplying NBA Today and hoop with great photography. As the demand grew and NBA Photos was launched, Butler was able to gain more and more access and equipment (better Nikon cameras/lenses and sets of strobes for Madison Square Garden and The Meadowlands). While he assisted Sports Illustrated greats like Walter Iooss Jr., Manny Milan, and John Iacono, and continued to help his father run “Lazy Bones,” a fishing boat business based in Montauk Point, Long Island, Butler photographed more and more NBA basketball.

By 1986, we were able to go full speed ahead with NBA Photos and Butler came on board fulltime. This year now marks 39 straight NBA Finals for the man everyone simply calls “Nat.”

His new “coffee table” book entitled, “Courtside: Forty Years of NBA Photography,” is a must buy.

On it’s landing page on Amazon books, the description reads: “Forty years of stunning basketball photography—both on the court and off—from one of the sport’s greatest chroniclers. This handsome coffee table book is the perfect gift for the basketball fan in your life.

“As one of the NBA’s premier photographers, Nathaniel S Butler has shot it all. From iconic moments like Ray Allen’s corner three for Miami to intimate portraits of Bill Russell of the Celtics and the NBA@50 and NBA@75 teams to Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry clinching championships, if it was a history-making basketball moment, Butler was there.”

At a later date, we’ll all do a deeper dive into the details of NBA Photos becoming a major wing of the NBA, NBA Entertainment and as a service to all 30 NBA teams. By the time the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend comes around, we’ll be approaching 40 years for the crew.

NHL Commissioner Gary B. Bettman and Florida’s Aleksander Barkov just last year (Getty Images)

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: If Games 1 and 2 are any indication, the 2025 Stanley Cup Final (note the NHL states Final) (as in a singular event) just might go seven games. The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are tied at 1-game apiece as the series makes the short trip (3,014 miles by car) from Edmonton to South Florida for Game 3. Both of the opening games in Edmonton went into OT, with the Oilers winning Game 1, 4-3, while the Panthers evened it up at 1-1 in games with a 5-4, Double OT thriller on Friday. No matter which teams wins Game 3 (Monday), the fourth game (Thursday, June 12th) will be quite a war. Stay tuned and 2025 will prove the pundits wrong as sports fans head to their TVs to watch great competition in both the NHL and NBA, no matter the size of market nor the origination of the country (Canada).

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: A whole lotta news coming from off days at the NBA Finals. Commissioner Adam Silver was quoted as saying the NBA is considering an international themed NBA All-Star Game for the 2026 game. The serious consideration comes from another couple years of ho-hum competition at the annual starcast while the NHL enjoyed a bump in interest with its 4 Nations event at this past winter’s event. Silver also noted the NBA ASG will be aired by NBC Sports next year and the schedule has the game on a Sunday when morning coverage of the Winter Olympic Games might lead to an open window midday and primetime Olympics viewing that Sunday night. Not a bad idea.

By the way, Silver took some blowback on social media and general coverage with the fact the NBA did not decorate the OKC Thunder basketball floor with NBA Finals decals and other festive, event-markings.

Maybe letting the home team decide what goes where and placing the Thunder and Pacers at centerstage and letting the game of basketball provide the entertainment is actually a great idea by the NBA. Many media members and fans were clamoring over the need for the bigger market teams to play in the NBA Finals, but as Indiana and OKC progressed, the more educated basketball fans eagerly awaited the match-up. The Pacers and Tyrese Haliburton came through in a big way.

THIS JEST IN: Multiple media reports from New York are stating that New York Knickerbockers player exit interviews were at the root of the club’s firing of head coach Tom Thibideau. Seems the season-long rumors of Thibs playing his starters/veterans too many minutes came back to bite him. NY Knicks team owner/governor Jim Dolan and team GM Leon Rose conducted the exit interviews, according to Yahoo. Although Jason Kidd has been rumored for the job, logic points to Mike Malone who was fired by Denver as the 2025 season came to a close. Kidd is currently un der contract with Dallas and has the draft rights to Cooper Flagg in his mitts.

CAN’T MAKE IT UP: Former NFL defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones is in trouble once again. Pacman was arrested early Saturday morning in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jones, 41, was booked just before 2:00am by a Kenton County, Ohio jail, according to the court records. He was arrested by the Covington Police Department and charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place, disorderly conduct, and assault of a police officer. Jones posted a $10,000 bond and was released around 11:30am Saturday.

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Saturday’s arrest in Covington, which is across the river from Cincinnati, marked the fourth time since 2021 that Jones was arrested. He has now been booked on a public intoxication charge three years in a row.

The recent charges pale in comparison to a 2007 incident during the NBA All-Star weekend in Las Vegas.

In that incident (in which many tried to blame on the NBA gathering), Arvin Kenti Edwards, (then) 32, of Renton, Washington entered a no-contest plea in the case, and was been sentenced by Clark County District Judge Valorie Vega to serve 24 to 60 months for one count of attempted murder and a consecutive term of 24 to 60 months for the use of a deadly weapon. Edwards could have faced as many as 186 years in prison if convicted of all seven felony charges initially filed against him after the shooting.

The charges included three counts of attempted murder, three counts of battery with a deadly weapon causing substantial bodily harm and one count of being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm. According to police, Jones, then a cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals, instigated a melee that led to shootings Feb. 19, 2007, outside the Minxx Gentlemen’s Club and Lounge.

According to the Las Vegas Sun, Jones was “making it rain,” or throwing wads of dollar bills from a large plastic trash bag onto a stage. He then became angry when the strippers picked up the money, and a brawl broke out, police said.