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Angels in the Afternoon

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ANAHEIM – (Staff and Wire Service Report) The Boston Red Sox will send right-hander Richard Fitts to the mound Wednesday afternoon when they visit the Los Angeles Angels for the final contest of a three-game series.

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It will be Fitts’ second career start against the Angels, and he’s undoubtedly hoping it turns out better than his first one.

Fitts (0-3, 4.71 ERA) took the loss when Los Angeles beat host Boston 7-6 on June 2. The Angels hit three home runs during a six-run first inning that night. Fitts exited the game after recording three outs on 39 pitches. He allowed six runs (five earned) and four hits and walked one.

Zach Neto, Mike Trout and Jo Adell hit the first-inning home runs.

Fitts was sent to Triple-A Worcester following that performance. He gave up seven earned runs on 15 hits in 12 innings for Worcester, and was recalled to Boston on Sunday after the Red Sox placed right-hander Hunter Dobbins (strained elbow) on the 15-day injured list.

“I was really focused on what I needed to work on, and the build-up was a big part of that,” Fitts told MassLive. “I was redefining my shapes of my pitches and it feels really good. I feel really confident and feel like I’m in a really good spot.

“I’m here to do whatever they need me to do. I want to pitch and help the team win.”

Fitts will try to prevent the Angels from sweeping the Red Sox. Los Angeles prevailed 9-5 on Monday and won 3-2 in 10 innings on Tuesday.

Christian Moore, the eighth overall pick in last July’s MLB draft, hit two home runs for Los Angeles in Tuesday’s win, which extended Boston’s losing streak to four games. The Angels have a 4-1 record against the Red Sox this season.

Boston is 9-19 in one-run games and 5-9 in extra-inning games. The Red Sox are winless in six extra-inning road games.

“Losing is not fun,” Boston shortstop Trevor Story said. “Winning is fun. We have half the season to play, so to this point we’ve been one game under (.500). I think that’s the frustrating part, is we know how good we can be. We’ve shown flashes of that, but you have to find a way to do it on a more consistent basis.

“We’re gonna stay positive about it,” Story continued. “We’re not gonna give up, I know that. We know the type of team we have and I feel good about us showing that in the second half.”

Neto, the Angels’ starting shortstop, left Tuesday’s game after making an error in the ninth inning. Los Angeles bench coach Ray Montgomery said Neto jammed his right shoulder during a stolen base attempt in the eighth inning.

“It’s feeling good,” Neto said. “I mean, it’s not great. But you know, we’re gonna see how I feel (Wednesday) morning, and hopefully — hopefully — you know, I come (in) feeling great, and be back in the lineup.”

Lefty Yusei Kikuchi (2-6, 3.01) is Los Angeles’ probable starter Wednesday. Kikuchi is 0-3 with a 5.91 ERA in 42 2/3 innings over 10 career appearances against Boston. He allowed three runs in five innings when the Angels beat the Red Sox 4-3 in 10 innings on June 3.

–Field Level Media

The Line Forms Behind Cooper Flagg

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BROOKLYN – A whirlwind four months for the Dallas Mavericks begins anew Wednesday with the launch of the Cooper Flagg era.

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The draft lottery in May turned into an unexpected gift for the Mavericks when they jumped the line of teams with the NBA’s worst records. Against the odds, they went from the playoff play-in tournament to the top of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Embattled Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, and a fan base miffed by the decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers midseason, found immediate optimism.

Not only was there a direct path to land Flagg, his arrival would make him a team centerpiece along with center Anthony Davis, who was acquired from the Lakers in the Doncic deal. Point guard and former Duke product Kyrie Irving is on the mend from a torn ACL but re-upped with a new three-year deal, giving Dallas three No. 1 overall selections at the core of its roster.

Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward with franchise-altering skill and qualities, is only 18 but often looked like a man among boys in guiding Duke to the Final Four. A combo-forward with ball skills, positional size and boundless versatility, Flagg slots in to a menacing frontline next to Davis and Dereck Lively II, another Duke product.

Flagg was the Wooden Player of the Year in his only college season, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game for the Blue Devils.

“Cooper has the kind of talent that can elevate a franchise,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said of Flagg’s NBA potential.

Flagg left Davis and other U.S. Olympic team members with a strong impression during scrimmages with the team last summer. One of the players raving about Flagg was LeBron James, who said this week on the “Mind the Game” podcast that Flagg couldn’t have picked a better situation to start his NBA career.

“A guy that can do so many different things out on the floor. Can play with the ball, can play without the ball. His jump shot is going to continue to get better. Super athletic, quick second jump,” James said. “And also, he has the benefit, unlike myself, he gets to join a team that’s established with Hall of Fame guys — Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving — right off the bat. Hall of Fame coach, Jason Kidd.

“You know, these guys … can give him the whole blueprint while he continues to learn what his blueprint will be. And I think that will be an incredible thing to have that type of presence, that type of leadership, that type of just basketball IQ and knowledge around him every single day from those pieces. So, I think he’s going to be amazing.”

San Antonio had only a 6.3 percent chance of a top two selection when the draft lottery took place but the Spurs also beat the odds. San Antonio has lived in the draft lottery for several years and have hit more often than they’ve missed with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Jeremy Sochan selected in the top 10 since 2022.

Rutgers guard Dylan Harper is a favorite to wind up as the next piece of the puzzle in the San Antonio rebuild over in-state option V.J. Edgecombe, who starred in his only season at Baylor and appears destined to play for the Philadelphia 76ers.

“His length is crazy, and I don’t think you can undervalue how important length and athleticism are in the NBA. He’s strong, really has a great court sense,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said of Harper. “In my view, he’s the second-best prospect in this draft. He’s a clear choice after Cooper Flagg for the Spurs.”

Either team could be prepared to pull a surprise and commit to another Rutgers product in Ace Bailey, who has raised criticism and concern by refusing to work out in traditional pre-draft sessions.

76ers forward Paul George said this week Bailey is putting his future on the line and taking a senseless risk in trying to dictate his landing spot in the draft.

“You’re not in a position to be making those commands. Make it to the league first,” George said of Bailey’s decision not to work out for teams.

Flagg’s college teammates and fellow freshmen at Duke, sharpshooter Kon Knueppel and 7-footer Khaman Maluach, are likely to find homes in the lottery with two freshman point guards and Texas wildcard Tre Johnson figuring prominently in the top-10 conversation.

Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis and Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears are natural scorers with playmaking skills attractive to the Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, who select Nos. 4, 5 and 6, respectively .

New Orleans has the seventh pick with the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns rounding out the top 10.

Portland (11th), the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks and a second pick for the Spurs complete the lottery (non-playoff) picks.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Trade Porzingis

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics are sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a three-team trade also involving the Brooklyn Nets, according to multiple reports on Tuesday.

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Atlanta will receive the 7-foot-2 Porzingis and a second-round draft pick; the Nets get Hawks guard/forward Terance Mann and their No. 22 pick; and the Celtics receive Atlanta forward Georges Niang and a second-rounder, per the report.

The Celtics, who on Monday reportedly sent two-time All-Star guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, will be out of the salary cap’s second apron with the trade of the oft-injured Porzingis and save a projected $180 million in tax penalties, ESPN reported.

Boston reportedly is actively involved in trade talks involving multiple players on their roster following star Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear in the second round of the playoffs.

Porzingis, 29, was an All-Star in 2017-18 with the New York Knicks, who drafted him with the No. 4 overall pick in 2015. Derailed by injuries, he missed the entire 2018-19 season with a torn ACL and has played fewer than 60 games in six of his last seven campaigns.

He missed the start of this past season following offseason ankle surgery. The torn medial retinaculum injury, considered “rare,” occurred during the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, which the Celtics won in five games.

Porzingis averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 28.8 minutes in playing in only 42 regular-season games (all starts) last season. He also played in 11 playoff games (seven starts) and averaged 7.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 21.0 minutes.

For his career, Porzingis averages 19.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.8 blocks and 30.8 minutes in 501 games (500 starts) for the Knicks (2015-18), Mavericks (2019-22), Washington Wizards (2022-23) and Celtics.

He earned $29.2 million this season and is due to earn $30.7 million in 2025-26.

The Los Angeles Clippers selected Mann in the second round of the 2019 draft.

The Clippers traded Mann to the Hawks on Feb. 6. He averaged 9.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 22.7 minutes in 30 games (one start) for Atlanta — all improvements over his earlier averages in 37 games (12 starts) for Los Angeles.

For his career, Mann, 28, averages 8.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 22.1 minutes in 412 games (169 starts) for the Clippers and Hawks.

The Indiana Pacers picked Niang in the second round of the 2016 draft. Niang, who turned 32 on June 17, has averaged 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 17.5 minutes in 544 games (32 starts).

Niang has played for the Pacers (2016-17), Utah Jazz (2017-21), Philadelphia 76ers (2021-23), Cleveland Cavaliers (2023-25) and Hawks, who acquired him on Feb. 6. He averaged 12.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 23.0 minutes in 28 games (two starts) for Atlanta.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Trade Holiday; Acquire Simons

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Portland Trail Blazers are reacquiring two-time All-Star guard Jrue Holiday from the Boston Celtics, sending guard Anfernee Simons and two future second-round draft picks to Boston in return, according to multiple reports on Monday night.

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Holiday, 35, who will earn $32.4 million next season, is owed a total of approximately $72 million in 2026-27 and 2027-28, after which his four-year, $134.4 million contract that he signed with the Celtics in April 2024 expires.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Simons joins the Celtics on an expiring contract. Per ESPN, the deal saves Boston $40 million in luxury tax payments next season.

In 2023, Portland landed Holiday in a deal with the Milwaukee Bucks for Damian Lillard, then sent the 16-year veteran to Boston and acquired a pair of first-round picks. Holiday never played a game for the Blazers.

Per the report, the Celtics are actively involved in trade talks involving multiple players on their roster following Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear in the second round of the playoffs.

In his first season with the Celtics, Holiday played an instrumental role in the team’s run to the NBA title, shooting a career-high 42.9 percent from 3-point range in 2023-24 and earning All-Defensive team honors.

Holiday was a first-round pick (No. 17 overall) of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2009. He has career averages of 15.8 points, 6.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals with the 76ers (2009-13), New Orleans Pelicans (2013-20), Bucks (2020-23) and Celtics in 1,037 games (956 starts). He won his first NBA title with Milwaukee in 2021 and is a six-time All-Defensive selection.

Simons, 26, was also a first-round selection, picked at No. 24 by the Blazers in 2018. In seven seasons with Portland he posted 15.0 points, 3.3 assists and 2.5 rebounds over 389 games (213 starts). He should fit in with the Celtics’ offensive approach, as he has averaged nearly nine 3-point attempts per game the last three seasons and is a career 38.1 percent shooter from distance.

–Field Level Media

Thunder Rode to Championship

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OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points, Jalen Williams added 20, and the OKC Thunder became NBA champions by wearing down the Indiana Pacers with a withering defense to pull off a 103-91 win on Sunday night in Game 7.

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The NBA championship is the franchise’s first since moving to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season and first since winning the 1979 title as the Seattle SuperSonics.

The Thunder forced 23 Pacers turnovers while committing just eight and outscored Indiana 32-10 off turnovers.

The Pacers, who remain without an NBA title, lost star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a right leg injury in the first quarter, when he scored nine points.

After turning the ball over eight times in a Game 6 blowout loss on the road in the best-of-seven NBA Finals, point guard Gilgeous-Alexander was much better on Sunday night.

The NBA Most Valuable Player this season, Gilgeous-Alexander finished just 8 of 27 from the floor and 2 of 12 from beyond the arc but had 12 assists and just one turnover.

Indiana trailed by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter but cut the deficit to 12 with less than five minutes left and 10 with just more than two minutes remaining.

But the Pacers couldn’t get any closer.

Chet Holmgren added 18 points for Oklahoma City.

The Thunder took over in the third quarter, using the same suffocating defense that helped them earn the NBA’s best record at 68-14 and pushed them through their playoff run as the favorite to win the crown.

Oklahoma City scored 18 points off eight Indiana turnovers as it outscored the Pacers 34-20 in the third.

The Thunder, whose offense looked out of sort through much of the first half after struggling in a Game 6 loss, also thrived at the other end of the floor.

Oklahoma City didn’t commit a turnover in the third, and Williams scored nine points in the quarter, including hitting a critical 3-pointer during the stretch that put the Thunder ahead for good.

Gilgeous-Alexander spun in the lane, drawing an “oooh” from the home crowd.

But instead of flipping up a shot, as he has done countless times during his MVP season, Gilgeous-Alexander instead flipped to Williams in the corner.

Oklahoma City’s other All-Star quickly fired up a 3-pointer, which bounced high off the rim before draining through, sending the crowd into a frenzy as the Thunder’s lead stretched to nine after back-to-back-to-back Thunder 3-pointers broke a tie.

It could’ve been worse for the Pacers if not for point guard T.J. McConnell, who scored 12 points in the third, hitting six of Indiana’s eight field goals in the frame.

Indiana’s Haliburton started off hot, hitting three 3-pointers in a little more than five minutes to start the game.

But two minutes later, as the Pacers’ point guard was starting to drive outside of the top of the arc, he came crashing to the court and screamed.

The ball popped out to Alex Caruso, who quickly fired to Gilgeous-Alexander, who found Williams streaking up court for a dunk as Haliburton remained crumpled on the ground with a non-contact injury.

After the play, Haliburton was helped off the court. The Indiana star, who suffered a right calf strain in Game 5 but had been playing through it, couldn’t put weight on his right leg as he was helped to the locker room.

Haliburton did not return with what the Pacers classified as a “right lower leg injury.”

On the ABC broadcast, it was reported Haliburton had suffered a torn Achilles.

Even without Haliburton, though, the Pacers kept the game tight, leading by one at halftime and tying the game early in the third before the Thunder began their onslaught.

Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers with 24 points off the bench. Pascal Siakam and McConnell added 16 each.

The Thunder became the first team to score 100 or more points in an NBA Finals Game 7 since 1988, when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Detroit Pistons 108-105.

–Field Level Media

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-MVP

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OKLAHOMA CITY – (Wire Service Report) – Named NBA Finals MVP following Oklahoma City’s 103-91 Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has earned the crown jewel of one of the NBA’s most decorated seasons at only 26 years old.

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Gilgeous-Alexander won the regular-season MVP and Finals MVP this season, becoming the ninth player in league history to accomplish that feat and the first since LeBron James in 2012-13 with the Miami Heat.

“It’s hard to believe that I’m part of that group. It’s hard to even fathom that I’m that type of basketball player sometimes,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after Game 7. ” … I’m just glad and happy that my dreams have been able to come true.”

The 6-foot-6 guard was the clear favorite to win the award if the Thunder captured the championship, averaging 30.3 points, 5.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game in the seven-game series.

Gilgeous-Alexander had a tough shooting night (8 for 27 from the field) to close out the series in Game 7, but as he’s done all season, he produced from the free-throw line. The league leader in drives made 11 of 12 attempts from the stripe and had his best playmaking performance of the Finals, notching a playoff-career-high 12 assists.

“Coming off of Game 6, I obviously had a lot more turnovers than assists. That’s not a recipe for a win, and I wanted to do whatever it took tonight to get a win,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Whether that was me playing in space, or it was … some of my teammates open and just trying to make the right basketball play.”

With a record 72 points over his first two career Finals games, Gilgeous-Alexander started hot and never looked back. His 34-point performance in Game 2 to prevent a 2-0 Thunder deficit and 35 in Game 4 to avoid falling down 3-1 kept Oklahoma City step-for-step with a relentless Indiana Pacers team.

The Thunder proved to be equally as tough. They lost consecutive games only twice in the regular season and never lost back-to-back games this postseason.

“We have a team full of competitors, we did what it took this year to be champions, and we deserve this,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We rose to the moment, here we are.”

The Toronto native won regular-season MVP by leading a 68-win Thunder team — the highest regular-season win total since the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors — and pacing the league in scoring at 32.7 points per game.

Alexander had among the most efficient volume scoring seasons of any guard in NBA history, posting 51.9/37.5/89.8 shooting splits, and was a solid defensive piece on one of the stingiest defenses in recent league history.

The No. 11 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2018 draft, Gilgeous-Alexander was traded on draft night to the Los Angeles Clippers. After his rookie season, the Clippers shipped the Kentucky product to Oklahoma City in a package for Paul George, tipping the first domino in what would become one of the league’s most successful rebuilds.

Gilgeous-Alexander was a fringe All-Star caliber player for three seasons, in two of which the Thunder won fewer than 30 games, until he burst into the forefront of the NBA in the 2022-23 season, averaging 31.4 ppg.

Last season, he was the runner-up for MVP while Oklahoma City fell short of a title in a second-round exit.

A year later, Gilgeous-Alexander hoisted the first Larry O’Brien and Finals MVP trophies that Oklahoma City has ever seen.

— Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Notebook | June 22

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While We’re Young (Ideas) at TPC River Highlands

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CROMWELL (Connecticut) – As your trusty columnist plunges in a pool of “Coppertone,” (that’s OG for sun block), blows in the wind gusts that made Friday’s round at the 2025 Travelers Championship golf tournament hit a low average a 70.68, and while we agonize over the Moving Day results for tournament leaders – Justin Thomas, and Scottie Scheffler – there’s no better time than today to set golf aside for a paragraph or three and a review great Game 7s in NBA history.

Game 7s

Here’s a look at all of the Game 7s in NBA history:

Year, Result

2016 Cleveland Cavaliers def. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS 93-89

2013 MIAMI HEAT defeat San Antonio Spurs 95-88

2010 LOS ANGELES LAKERS def. Boston Celtics 83-79

2005 SAN ANTONIO SPURS def. Detroit Pistons 81-74

1994 HOUSTON ROCKETS def. New York Knicks 90-84

1988 LOS ANGELES LAKERS def. Detroit Pistons 108-105

1984 BOSTON CELTICS def. Los Angeles Lakers 111-102

1978 Washington Bullets def. SEATTLE SUPERSONICS 105-99

1974 Boston Celtics defeat MILWAUKEE BUCKS 102-87

1970 NEW YORK KNICKS def. Los Angeles Lakers 113-99

1969 Boston Celtics def. LOS ANGELES LAKERS 108-106

1966 BOSTON CELTICS def. Los Angeles Lakers 95-93

1962 BOSTON CELTICS def. Los Angeles Lakers 110-107 (OT)

1960 BOSTON CELTICS def. St. Louis Hawks 122-103

1957 BOSTON CELTICS def. St. Louis Hawks 125-123 (2 OT)

1955 SYRACUSE NATIONALS def. Fort Wayne Pistons 92-81

1954 MINNEAPOLIS LAKERS def. Syracuse Nationals 87-80

1952 MINNEAPOLIS LAKERS def. New York Knicks 82-65

1951 ROCHESTER ROYALS def. New York Knicks 79-75

That’s a total of 19 Game 7s with the home team going 15-4. Not too shabby for the home squads.

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TL TENURE: In my tenure at NBA HQ, there were only three Game 7s over the 26 years. They came in 1984, ‘88 and 1994. (Look who is in far right corner of the photo above from ’84)

Without a doubt, the 1984 “NBA World Championship Series” (that’s pre-NBA Finals lingo), was the best game and the best series I’ve ever seen in person. I worked a then-record 135 consecutive Finals games with Game 1 of the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers sweep over the LA Lakers – Moses Malone called it “Fo, fo, and Fo,” but it went “Fo, Five and Fo” – in a disappointing quick series that Moses, Dr. J and Company just dominated. That next year – 1984 – were were primed for greatness.

The Celtics and LA Lakers delivered with the Cs taking Game 7 on the parquet in the old Boston Garden, 111-102. It was an epic series with Hall of Famers deep on each team’s roster.

LA Lakers:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Michael Cooper

Earvin “Magic Johnson

Bob McAdoo

Jamaal Wilkes

James Worthy

Boston Celtics:

Larry Bird

Dennis Johnson

Kevin McHale

Robert Parish

Both team coaches, KC Jones of the Celtics (enshrined as a player) and Pat Riley of the Lakers (enshrined as a coach) were at the respective helms of their legendary clubs.

In Game 7 back in ‘84, the Boston Garden indoor temperature that was an issue in Game 5 was not as bad (indoor temperatures hovered around 91°F rather than 97 during the game, due to additional fans brought in to attempt to cool the air). The Celtics were led by Cedric Maxwell who had 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Larry Bird (Indiana State) avenged the 1979 NCAA Final Four loss to Magic Johnson (Michigan State) and Bird won the MVP honors for the series.

Earlier Celtics teams lived by the motto, “No rebounds, no rings.” The great Bill Russell ecelled in Game 7s, snagging 40 rebounds in 1962, 35 rebounds in 1960 and 32 rebounds in 1966.

In 1988, “Big Game” James Worthy has 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the LA Lakers to a 108-105 Game 7 victory. In the 2-3-2 format for home games, the series switched back to LA with the Lakers trailing the Pistons 2-games-3, but the Lakers prevailed, taking the last two games of the series. Game 6 is remembered for Detroit’s Isiah Thomas spraining his ankle, badly, but still scoring 25 of his 43 points in the third quarter, gimping on the ankle. Worthy won the MVP of the series.

One item of note: The 2025 NBA Finals are a turning point for the league. An age of parity in the league has brought about two incredibly talented teams, one the model for the other. Get ready for more of these type match-ups, as the strong, long, fast, deep, versatile NBA clubs will outlast the traditional types. Since the 2018 NBA Finals, there’s been a different champion each and every year, including 2025. That defines a new era in NBA basketball and it’s … FAN-tastic.

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HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Seattle Mariner’s catcher Cal Raleigh is on his way to a record-breaking season. Raleigh broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench‘s 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major-league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners’ 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Looking ahead, Raleigh will attempt to break these numbers for a single season:

2021 – Sal Perez (Kansas City Royals) – (48)

1970 – Johnny Bench (Cincinnati Reds) – (45)

2003 – Javy Lopez (Atlanta Braves) – (43)

Mike Piazza (Dodgers and Mets) is the all-time leader for career home runs with 427 (396 hit as a catcher). Raleigh has 122 dingers on his career.

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AT THE TRAVELERS: World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had a rough round on Friday, playing in wind gusts of 30 mph. After shooting a scorching (62) on Thursday, Scheffler followed with a (69) on Friday, including a double-bogey on No. 17 as he came in at 35. Scheffler began the third round with a triple bogey on Saturday and later experienced a double bogey on No. 8. He had five birdies on the day but shot a 2-over, 72, and will tee-off Sunday as a player T-8.

Thomas was worse. He had a bogey on No. 2 and a dreaded quadruple bogey (9) on No. 13 and finished 3-over, 73 and enters Sunday play T-14.

Between the two leaders, they hit for the cycle with bogey – double bogey – triple bogey and quadruple bogey.

On the other hand, Tommy Fleetwood did some moving on “Moving Day,” shooting a 7-under, 63, and leads Russell Henley by three strokes. Henley shot a best-of-week (61) on Saturday to sit T-2 and three back.

New England native Keegan Bradley – captain of the USA Ryder Cup team this Fall – shot a (63) with seven birdies and a bogey free round.

Digital Sports Desk and sister e-news PGA Tour Brunch will be on site at TPC River Highlands, just south of Hartford, Connecticut where we write from on Saturday and Sunday.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: Sam Coffey, daughter of former NY Daily News columnist Wayne Coffey, was named to the active roster for the upcoming threesome of friendlies for the US Women’s National Team. The product of The Masters School in Westchester County, Boston College and Penn State will take her place against No. 25 Ireland (June 26 & 29) and No. 8 Canada (July 2). … Those games will be broadcast on Turner (TNT/TruTV).

The 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be staged on Friday, June 27 (7:00pm ET, ESPN) and Saturday, June 28 (12 Noon ET, NHL Net). The event will be held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

RAFA and RAFAEL: When Rafael Devers was traded from the Boston Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants, it broke up a strong bond between teammates – CeddanneRafaela and the discarded Devers. The MLB scheduling gods brought them back together on Friday night.

“He’s like my big brother. I really looked up to him when I was coming up,” said Rafaela. “So it’s always a pleasure for me to watch him play and watch him perform. I think, yeah, it was fun.”

Yes, it was fun for Rafaela and Boston as the Red Sox took a 7-5 victory at SF’s Oracle Park. Rafaela came through with a rally-starting double, an RBI single and a towering solo homer while Devers had a rough 0-for-5 night at the plate. Devers enjoyed some revenge on Saturday when he homered off former teammate Brayan Bello in the third inning of his SF Giants’ 3-2 win over the Sox.

PHIL STEELE and COLLEGE FOOTBALL: WWYI has written of the great College Basketball preview publication called Blue Ribbon Basketball. For College Football, it’s Phil Steele’s 2025 College Football Preview. The 75-page bible for college footy is already in mailboxes all around the nation and it’s available for purchase by clicking HERE.

Boston College fans can read about the fact their football team will face a Top 25 of toughest schedule in 2025. BC comes in at No. 11 in the country for that tough schedule dictating the chance to have a drop-off from their (7-6) 2024 record when they lost to Nebraska in the Pinstripe Bowl.

THIS JEST IN: The Stanley Cup got a little “banged up” this week, thanks to the Florida Panthers’ celebration of back-to-back titles. The greatest trophy in all the world is cracked and the bottom is dented, but it’s not the first time and likely not the last.

The Panthers won their second consecutive championship on home ice Tuesday night, beating Edmonton in six games. The team, following decades of tradition, partied with the Cup into the wee hours and kept the revelry going in Fort Lauderdale well into Wednesday afternoon. After the damage was done, a spokesperson for the Hockey Hall of Fame said the keepers of the Cup are taking appropriate measures and plan to have it repaired by the city-wide celebration parade today. Made of silver and a nickel alloy, the 37-pound Cup is relatively malleable, and has a history of dealing with the reckless abandon days of lore.

In 1906, a year after being drop-kicked into a canal in Ottawa, Canada, the Montreal Wanderers took possession of The Cup by defeating Ottawa in a rematch. After a night of revelry, the players decided to take the Cup for an official picture at JimmyRice’s photography shop. Pleased with their photo, the players then exited Rice’s and crossed the street for a cold beer, but they did so without Lord Stanley’s Cup.

YOU CAN’T MAKE IT UP: The University of Wisconsin sued the University of Miami on Friday, formally accusing the Florida school of tampering with a football player under a “financial contract” with the Badgers.

The decision to sue could become a watershed moment in the current era of college athletics. Never before has a university accused another of tampering with one of its athletes, who did not have contracts before the dawn of name, image and likeness rights this decade.

“While we reluctantly bring this case, we stand by our position that respecting and enforcing contractual obligations is essential to maintaining a level playing field,” the school said in a statement.

Though Wisconsin’s lawsuit only refers to the player as Student Athlete A, the subject of the case is cornerback Xavier Lucas, who left Wisconsin and enrolled at Miami over the winter without ever entering the transfer portal.

There was no word on college basketball coaches walking across the gym during conference games and handing an opponent a check for $1.2 million.

Sports Biz: Devers, FSG, Yanks and Cape

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By JAMES GUMINA, (Special to Digital Sports Desk)

As a young person in an age of limitless information, there are always a lot of things on my mind, mostly sports-related, and often focused on what’s happening off the field. From marketing campaigns to broadcasts to business strategy, it’s a lot to process. So, to clear some space, here are a few things from this week that have stuck with me more than most. Whether you’re in the business, a media nerd, or someone who can’t stop thinking about how the game is packaged, I hope something here sticks with you, too.

Red Sox Trade Rafael Devers to San Francisco

As an avid Red Sox fan, the only thing on my mind for much of the past week has been the Rafael Devers trade debacle. I was just as stunned when I found out the news on Sunday night as I was about the Luka trade, except this was my favorite player leaving my favorite team. Thousands of words have already been written on the locker-room aspect of this trade, so I won’t delve into those rumors here. But the transaction, and the reaction to it, show some of the unique things about baseball’s changing ownership structure. Strictly from a baseball perspective, Devers, who commands over a 250 million dollar price tag, was traded in what essentially was a salary dump. The Red Sox got some interesting players back, but none of the Giants’ best players or prospects were included in the deal; a fact that vastly increased the Boston fan outrage. The number one asset going back to Boston was financial flexibility. Most production and valuation models have the Devers contract as a net negative over the course of the deal, so the Red Sox were put in the unique position of having only a few teams aggressive enough to take it on. Thus, they were left with a bad return.

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This newfound flexibility comes at an interesting time for Red Sox ownership group and Fenway Sports Group (FSG), which recently completed one of the largest transfer buyouts in Premier League history. At the same time, they’re preparing a bid for a La Liga team and are in the process of offloading a stake in the Pittsburgh Penguins. Fenway Sports Group’s history tells a tale of how sports ownership is being transformed from a luxury status symbol to a piece of an investment portfolio. In the days after buying the Red Sox, FSG rapidly increased spending and was frequently bidding for top players in search of winning championships. In recent years, however, the Red Sox have floundered and shifted away from investing in top dollar signings. As FSG has begun to expand its portfolio, the Red Sox have faded from prized possession to revenue driver. Teams across the country are increasingly viewed as solid investments. With private equity money flooding into ownership groups, operations are being reshaped, often at the expense of fans, as clubs cut costs and trade stars like Rafael Devers, just two years into a ten-year deal. It may be boosting the team’s bottom line, but it’s harming fans and making the product less enjoyable. I wonder if this callous attitude will damage fan trust and turn people off the product in the long term. Time will tell, but for now I will be tuning into more Giants games.

Yankee Stadium

On Tuesday, I went to Yankee Stadium to watch them play the Angels. After Joon Lee’s piece on rising sports prices in the New York Times this week, I have been thinking about how rising costs have reshaped community building around sports. I found the atmosphere at Yankee Stadium to be enjoyable. But after spending a substantial amount of time this summer with USL League One team Westchester SC, I found the contrast to be remarkable. At Yankee Stadium no one was talking with one another, whereas it seems like people are constantly making new friends at the WSC games. The piped-in sound effects at Yankee Stadium make it hard to hear yourself think, let alone strike up a conversation with the person next to you, again, a totally different vibe than any smaller scale team or league. Thinking back on my favorite sports memories, many revolve around Cape Cod League baseball and its free tickets, another example of community-first sports. Aside from the obvious note of lowering prices, stadiums would do better to let the game breathe, get rid of artificial noise, and allow for community to be formed in the stands. After all, that is what sports are all about.

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Stray Thoughts: Former NFL star Jimmy Graham taking to the ocean, Club World Cup struggles, J.J. Spraun’s improbable win, Boston Marathon qualifying changed.

Yes, ‘Cers

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Indiana’s Obi Toppin scored 20 off the bench to lead a balanced offensive effort as the Indiana Pacers evened the NBA Finals with a 108-91 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 on Thursday in the heartland.

The Finals will go to a winner-take-all seventh game for the first time since 2016.

Game 7 is Sunday in Oklahoma City.

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There was little drama Thursday, as Indiana jumped ahead in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead.

Andrew Nembhard added 17 points while Pascal Siakam had 16 points and 13 rebounds to move the Pacers within one win of their first NBA title. Tyrese Haliburton, playing through a calf injury, had 14 points and five assists, and T.J. McConnell contributed 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals.

Indiana forced 21 turnovers.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 21 points, but had a playoff career-worst eight turnovers and just two assists. Jalen Williams, who scored 40 points in Game 5, finished with just 16 points.

Trailing by 30 entering the final quarter, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault pulled his starters, opting to save them for Game 7.

Oklahoma City shot just 8-for-30 (26.7 percent) from beyond the arc — 1-for-11 in the first half.

The Pacers took control in the second quarter, turning the tables on the Thunder.

Oklahoma City won Games 4 and 5 the same way it had plenty of others this season — by turning up the pressure on defense and using that to fuel its offense.

Over the final eight-minutes plus before halftime, Indiana’s defense led the way on a 30-9 run to go into halftime with a 64-42 lead.

The Pacers scored 11 of their 36 second-quarter points off the Thunder’s seven turnovers.

Haliburton, who had struggled early in games for much of the series even before straining his right calf early in Game 5, helped set the defensive tone for Indiana.

In the final minute of the half, Haliburton elevated near the sideline for a steal off a Williams’ pass, then quickly fired to Siakam as he was falling out of bounds.

Siakam finished off the play with an emphatic dunk to stretch the lead to 20, then grabbed a rebound off a Chet Holmgren miss on the other end and buried an 18-footer just before the buzzer to send the Pacers into the locker room with a commanding lead.

Indiana, which committed 23 turnovers in Game 5, had just two first-half turnovers on Thursday.

The Pacers were slow-to-get-started on offense, going nearly four minutes into the game without a field goal and missing their first eight field goals while falling behind 10-2.

But it didn’t take long for Indiana to close the gap, scoring eight consecutive points to tie the game less than a minute after hitting its first field goal.

Moments later, the Pacers took the lead for the first time and what proved to be for good.

After going without a field goal in Game 5, Haliburton missed his first four shots Thursday before taking a quick feed from Myles Turner off an offensive rebound and burying a 3-pointer with just more than four minutes remaining in the first quarter to put Indiana up 24-17.

The Pacers continued to stretch their lead in the third, holding Oklahoma City to just 18 points.

Indiana’s James Johnson was ejected in the final minute after an altercation with Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Joe.

–Field Level Media

Jalen Rose Wins Impact Award

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SPRINGFIELD – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and popular rap star, film producer and actor, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the BIG3 basketball league, Ice Cube, have announced that former player, TV analyst, and philanthropist Jalen Rose will be honored with the 2025 Ice Cube Impact Award.

“It’s truly an honor to be recognized by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame with the Ice Cube Impact Award,” said Jalen Rose. “Cube is family, and we share an unwavering dedication to giving back to the communities that raised us. Basketball created opportunities for us in different ways and has allowed both of us to make a lasting impact beyond the court. I’m grateful for this recognition and proud to be celebrated in the Hall’s museum.”

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Rose’s impact extends well beyond the basketball court through his unwavering commitment to education and community development in his hometown of Detroit. In 2011, he founded the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA), an open-enrollment, tuition-free public charter high school focused on academic excellence and family. JRLA prides itself on being a 9-16 model, to and through college, and offers AP courses, college tours, summer programs, and dual enrollment opportunities. Rose remains hands-on as the president of the Board of Directors and is actively fundraising to bridge the funding gap, raise dollars for college scholarships, and support a $20 million capital campaign to expand the school. Jalen also has a scholarship endowment at the University of Michigan.

Beyond education, Jalen serves as a volunteer Board Member for the National Basketball Players Association Foundation and partners with New Era Detroit, a community organization that focuses on community engagement, resource distribution, and safety initiatives. His dedication to Detroit and beyond is reflected in the time, resources, and leadership he continues to invest in the city where he was raised.

“Throughout his entire career, Jalen has consistently been a force for good,” said Ice Cube, who was recognized last year with the inaugural award. “Not only does he give back to his communities through fundraising, education, and, most importantly, through basketball, but he leads by example, championing the exact values this award was created to celebrate. His impact can be felt deeply in Detroit, and his commitment to building up the next generation is inspiring. I could not be more honored that we have named Jalen Rose this year’s Ice Cube Impact Award recipient and thank him for his tireless dedication to lifting up communities through the beautiful game of basketball.”

The Ice Cube Impact Award was created in 2024 to recognize individuals making substantial contributions to their communities through basketball. As the eponymous recipient, Ice Cube was honored with the inaugural award for his creation of the BIG3 basketball league alongside Jeff Kwatinetz in 2017. The league plays the premier global version of professionalized 3-on-3 basketball and is committed to increasing the opportunity, entertainment, diversity, and growth of the 3-on-3 game. The Ice Cube Impact Award is permanently housed in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s museum and recognizes honorees through a dedicated exhibit and in-depth storytelling.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see Ice Cube and the Hall of Fame come together for something this impactful,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “Ice Cube’s influence goes way beyond entertainment—he’s a cultural icon who’s using his platform to uplift communities through education and philanthropy. This partnership represents a modern, meaningful opportunity for the Hall to celebrate not just basketball excellence, but the power of the game to drive real change. Jalen Rose is a remarkable selection for the Ice Cube Impact Award, embodying the values this honor was created to recognize.”

The Ice Cube Impact Award will be presented to Jalen Rose at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame during Enshrinement Weekend festivities on Saturday, September 6, in Springfield, Massachusetts.