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Brown Signs Biggest Deal in NBA History

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Celtics announced agreed to a contract extension with All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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Brown signed the contract at MIT’s Media Lab where he was hosting his 7uice Foundation’s Bridge program.

“I appreciate the investment and commitment from the Celtics and from the rest of the community. That investment and commitment will be felt in return from me here in Boston, on and off the floor, but also hopefully soon, around the world,” said Brown. “The Bridge program students being here is special for me today; you guys represent the next generation, you represent the future, and everything I do is try to make this world a better place.”

“Jaylen Brown brings passionate energy and excellence to whatever he does, on the court and in the community,” said Wyc Grousbeck, Boston Celtics’ team co-owner. “Jaylen is absolutely key to our relentless drive to win Banner 18. I’m very glad to be celebrating this partnership with him today.”

Brown was selected to his first All-NBA team last season when he was named to the 2022-23 Kia All-NBA Second Team after he appeared in 67 games (all starts) and made his second-consecutive All-Star game. The Georgia native averaged career-highs of 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, as well as his best field goal percentage (49.1) and free-throw percentage (76.5).

“We are thrilled that Jaylen has decided to extend his contract and remain a Celtic for a long time,” said Brad Stevens, President of Basketball Operations. “In addition to his individual accolades, Jaylen has been one of the NBA’s winningest players in both the regular and postseason over the past seven years. I’ve been so impressed with how he has attacked every day with a relentless work ethic, a desire to improve, and a competitiveness to help his team win. Equally as impressive is his continued commitment to making a difference in the community.”

The seven-year NBA veteran was originally drafted by Boston with the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, and is the longest tenured Celtic entering this year. In 470 career games (363 starts), Brown has averaged 17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.0 steals in 29.7 minutes per game, while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from three-point range.

Brown ranks fifth in franchise history in made three-point field goals with 883 threes and moved into 17th on the Celtics’ all-time scoring list with 8,428 points. Brown became the seventh Celtic since 1994 to reach 1,000 career assists before turning 27 years old when he dished out a season-high nine assists on March 6, 2023 (26 yrs, 133 d).

Brown has led the Celtics to the playoffs in each of his seven seasons, including five Eastern Conference Finals appearances and a trip to the 2022 NBA Finals. Brown is tied for the 14th-most playoff appearances in franchise history with 105 games and ranks 11th in scoring with 1,911 points in the postseason.

Brown’s deal was reportedly the largest financial deal in NBA history.

Jokic Sitting Out World Cup

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BELGRADE – (Staff and wire service report) – Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic will not play for Serbia at the upcoming FIBA World Cup, ESPN reported Monday.

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The two-time Most Valuable Player will instead rest up following Denver’s run to the 2022-23 NBA championship. Jokic was NBA Finals MVP.

The World Cup opens on Aug. 25 and takes place in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Jokic, 28, previously competed for the Serbian national team at the 2016 Summer Olympics, the 2019 World Cup and EuroBasket 2022.

The 6-foot-11 center averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists in 69 starts during the regular season. He averaged 30.0 points, 13.5 boards and 9.5 assists in 20 starts in the postseason.

Red Sox Take Series vs NY Mets

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Sunday Night Baseball: It Wasn’t Pretty

BOSTON – If there’s a Hall of Fame for Fundamentally Sound Major League Baseball games, the Sunday Night game between the Mets and Red Sox might qualify for the worst of the worst.

Sox 3B Rafael Devers homered and Adam Duvall collected two hits, two RBIs and scored a run to help the Boston Red Sox defeat the visiting New York Mets 6-1 on Sunday night in the final game of a three-game series.

Devers capped the scoring by hitting a solo home run — his 24th homer of the season — in the seventh inning.

Connor Wong had three hits for Boston, which had 15 hits in the game. Devers, Triston Casas, Jarren Duran and Enrique Hernandez also had two-hit games for Boston. Masataka Yoshida (0 for 5) was the only player in Boston’s batting order who didn’t collect at least one hit.

Brandon Nimmo collected two of New York’s six hits.

Boston’s Chris Murphy (1-0) allowed one run in 3 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win. The left-hander, one of seven pitchers Sox Manager Alex Cora used in the game, gave up three hits, struck out three and walked two.

New York’s Carlos Carrasco (3-4) allowed five runs on 10 hits in 2 1/3 innings (58 pitches). He failed to complete five innings for the fifth time in his last seven starts.

The teams split the first two games in the series. New York won the opener 5-4, but Boston won the second matchup 8-6.

Duvall’s single in the first inning scored Justin Turner to give Boston a 1-0 lead.

The Red Sox collected seven consecutive hits in the third, when they scored four runs to extend their lead to 5-0. The inning included an RBI double by Duvall that scored Turner, an RBI single by Casas that scored Duvall, and an RBI single by Yu Chang that scored Casas. Wong added the fourth run when he scored on Drew Smith’s wild pitch.

The Mets scored in the sixth on a Francisco Lindor single that drove in Danny Mendick, who reached on a walk.

–Field Level Media

Patriots Sign Picks Ahead of Camp

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FOXBORO – New England cornerback Christian Gonzalez and defensive pass rusher Keion White signed their rookie contracts with the New England Patriots on Friday, getting their top two draft picks in the door before the official start of training camp.

Gonzalez was drafted 17th overall after the Patriots moved down in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers from No. 14. The Oregon product was the third cornerback selected in the first round.

“I’m glad Gonzo was there,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said of the selection. “I think when you just go and look for one guy and then he’s not there, there’s other players in the draft that can help us, as well. But he’s been great to work with, and I look forward to getting him ready to go for training camp.”

White, the 46th pick in the draft, had 7.5 sacks at Georgia Tech in 2022 and previously played at Old Dominion.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Master Long Ball vs, Mets

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BOSTON – Red Sox 1B Triston Casas hit two home runs as Boston ended a three-game losing streak by beating the visiting New York Mets 8-6 on Saturday night. Casas hit a solo shot in the second inning, and a two-run home run that broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth. It was the first multi-homer game in Casas’ major league career.

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Boston also received solo home runs from Jarren Duran and Yu Chang and a two-run homer from Justin Turner. Duran’s homer came in the first inning, Chang went deep in the fifth and Turner hit his home run in the seventh.

Four of the five home runs came against Mets starter Max Scherzer (8-4), who gave up five runs on six hits in six innings. Scherzer struck out seven and walked two.

Boston starter James Paxton (6-2) limited the Mets to three runs (two earned) on three hits in six innings. He recorded seven strikeouts and one walk.

Boston built a 2-0 lead on home runs from Duran and Casas, but the Mets went in front by scoring three runs in the fourth. Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso scored on Jeff McNeil’s two-out single, and McNeil came around to score on the play when catcher Jorge Alfaro threw the ball into center field attempting to throw him out at second.

Chang’s home run tied the game in the fifth before Casas put Boston in front, 5-3, by hitting his 14th home run of the season.

Boston took an 8-3 lead in the seventh. Masataka Yoshida’s RBI single drove in Duran before Turner hit his two-run homer.

The Mets, who beat the Red Sox 5-4 earlier Saturday in the conclusion of Friday’s suspended game, scored three times in the ninth. Alonso tripled and scored on a Francisco Alvarez single, Mark Vientos drove in Alvarez with a single and Brett Baty’s single scored Vientos to make it 8-6.

Kenley Jansen recorded the final out to earn his 21st save.

–Field Level Media

Bello to Face A’s in Day Game

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OAKLAND – Boston right-hander Brayan Bello isn’t close to arbitration eligibility, yet his impressive pitching has the Red Sox already thinking about offering the second-year player a contract extension.

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Bello is 7-5 with a 3.14 ERA this season, and he has been even more impressive lately, going 4-1 with a 2.21 ERA in his past six starts. He is scheduled to pitch this afternoon in Oakland in the rubber game of a three-game set against the Athletics.

Opposing Bello will be Oakland left-hander Ken Waldichuk (2-6, 6.66 ERA).

With the exception of a three-batter hiccup by opener Joe Jacques on Tuesday, the Red Sox have pitched brilliantly in the first two games against the A’s, winning 7-0 on Monday before falling 3-0 in the rematch.

Bello is 2-0 in July, having beaten the visiting Texas Rangers before the All-Star break and then the host Chicago Cubs in his first start back.

The 24-year-old has been so impressive of late, Red Sox assistant general manager Eddie Romero acknowledged this week that the club would consider locking up Bello for years to come.

“It’s all case by case. There’s no guidebook for it,” Romero said. “But I think Brayan is a special case, and we’ll make efforts to talk to him and his group. He’s basically done what he needs to do and what we would want of a young starting pitcher in this organization.

Nets, Cavs Will Always Have Paris

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NEW YORK – The Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers will play a regular season game in Paris next season. The game, which will be the NBA’s third regular season game in the French capital, will be played at Accor Arena on Jan. 11, 2024. The Nets previously have played in Paris, having done so in a preseason game in 2008.

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“Our players and coaches will benefit greatly from the experience of immersing themselves in Paris’s rich culture off the court,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said in a statement.

The Cavaliers will be playing their third game overseas and first in Europe. They played in China in 2007 and Brazil during the preseason in 2015.

“We are honored as an organization to showcase the Cleveland Cavaliers in Paris,” said Koby Altman, Cavs president of basketball operations. “This opportunity will provide our players, coaches, staff and families an experience into a different culture, all while creating memories both on and off the court that will last a lifetime.

“We also recognize the universal appeal basketball inspires and we take great pride in our stewardship of the game,” he said.

–Field Level Media

Bernardino, Pivetta, Martin Blank A’s

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OAKLAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Nick Pivetta combined with opener Brennan Bernardino and closer Chris Martin on a one-hit shutout as the Boston Red Sox beat the host Oakland Athletics 7-0 on Monday night in the opener of a three-game series.

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Connor Wong collected two singles, a double and three RBIs for the Red Sox, who beat the A’s for the fourth time in 11 days.

With star third baseman Rafael Devers (calf) on the bench, Boston put up single runs in the first and second innings before Pivetta (6-5) took the mound.

Making his third start of the season, Bernardino allowed a single to Ryan Noda, the third batter he faced, but no other hits before handing a 2-0 lead to Pivetta after two innings.

Pivetta was even more dominant, holding the A’s hitless over six innings while matching his career high with 13 strikeouts. The right-hander walked two. Martin struck out three of the four batters he faced in the ninth, giving the Red Sox trio 18 strikeouts among 27 outs.

Justin Turner’s sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Wong produced the 2-0 lead before Boston broke the game open with a four-run sixth. Wong had a two-run double in the middle of the uprising, which also featured a sacrifice fly by Adam Duvall and an RBI groundout by Yu Chang.

A’s starter Paul Blackburn (1-2) was pulled two outs into the inning, charged with six runs on nine hits. He walked two and struck out three.

Boston tacked on a run in the ninth when Turner capped a two-RBI game with a run-scoring fielder’s choice.

Turner, Duvall, Alex Verdugo and Jarren Duran joined Wong with doubles for the Red Sox, who won for the 11th time in their past 13 games. The visitors had as many doubles (five) as singles (five) in their 10-hit attack.

Eight of the nine hitters in Boston’s lineup recorded at least one hit.

The shutout defeat was the 11th of the season for the A’s, who have lost eight in a row, matching their second-longest losing streak of the season. They had an 11-game skid in May.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Expecting Return of Devers

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OAKLAND – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The visiting Boston Red Sox hope to have Rafael Devers back in the lineup when they go for a second straight win over the reeling Oakland Athletics tonight.

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With Devers being held out as a precaution due to a tight right calf, veteran Justin Turner slid over to third base and contributed a double, a run and two RBIs to a 7-0 triumph over the A’s in Monday’s series opener.

The double advanced Turner’s hitting streak to 13 games, during which he’s gone 20-for-49 (.408), raising his average from .271 to .290 in the process.

Should Devers return to action on Tuesday, Turner could move to second base — or first base or maybe even DH. The amazing part about his 13-game streak is that it’s come even as he has been shuffled among four different positions.

It also came immediately following a 4-for-28 (.143) stretch that saw his average drop 13 points.

When asked Monday to pinpoint what he’s done differently of late, Turner admitted: Nothing.

“There’s obviously a lot of variables and a lot of aspects to hitting,” he said. “Nowadays, with so many hitting coaches and swing coaches and swing gadgets, everyone’s so fast to overhaul or change things or use these gadgets because they think their swing isn’t working. The reality is: Your swing is fine but your timing is not.

“That is probably kind of a big issue in the game right now, (players) creating dependency on outside hitting people and all these drills and gimmicks to trick you into thinking you need all this stuff to be successful.”Turner was among eight Red Sox starters who had hits in the Monday win, Boston’s 11th victory in the past 13 games. At a position to be determined, he will take his cracks in the rematch against A’s right-hander Luis Medina (2-7, 6.34 ERA).

The 24-year-old rookie got a no-decision in Oakland’s 7-3 loss at Boston on July 7, allowing four runs in six innings while striking out a season-best nine. It was his first appearance against the Red Sox.

Medina won his previous start at home against the Chicago White Sox, a 7-4 victory in which he went five innings, allowing just one run.

The Red Sox used an opener approach in the Monday win, and it worked spectacularly. Three pitchers combined on a one-hitter in which the A’s got just five baserunners (a single, three walks and a hit batter) while striking out a total of 18 times.

Afterward, rather than blame fatigue following a hard-fought, three-game sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins that ended Sunday, A’s manager Mark Kotsay chose to praise Nick Pivetta, the second of Boston’s three pitchers on Monday. Pivetta pitched no-hit six innings and struck out 13.

“You run into a buzzsaw sometimes. This seemed to be one of those nights,” said Kotsay, whose team has lost eight in a row. “You just got to tip your cap sometimes.”

The Red Sox are expected to use a similar tactic on Tuesday, with left-hander Chris Murphy (0-0, 2.16 ERA) serving either as the opener or the bulk-innings reliever.

The 25-year-old California native worked the second through fourth innings in a July 9 home win over the A’s — the first time he’d ever faced them — allowing one run on two hits.

–Field Level Media.    

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | July 16

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By TERRY LYONS

HOYLAKE – So sorry, dear readers – I just couldn’t help myself. The promise for the WWYI column was great sports notes, some breaking news and analyzing the latest sports happenings with some true perspective. Fake news be damned.

Right after typing the fake dateline of HOYLAKE, a town on the outskirts of Liverpool, this column went right to the dark side of the Internet and called up CHAT GPT (Open AI). There’s a simple assignment to lead the column this week, so I asked Mr. Chat GPT if he/she/it could help the cause and generate a preview for this week’s Open, the major golf tournament played each year in the U.K..

Upon review, Mr Chat GPT Open AI must’ve been sipping from the Claret Jug all night, as it spit-out the following preview, complete with its own headline and the creation of sections to nicely break-up the copy. [Comments will be added by yours truly and in brackets].

Here we go:

2023 Open Championship: A Battle of Golf’s Finest on Historic Grounds

Preview:

The 2023 Open Championship is set to captivate the golfing world as the finest players from across the globe gather to compete on the prestigious and historic grounds. As one of the four major championships in professional golf, the Open Championship carries with it a rich legacy and a sense of tradition that makes it a highly anticipated event every year.

[Not terrible, but rather vague]

Venue:

This year, the Open Championship returns to the iconic Royal St George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, England. Known for its challenging links-style course, Royal St George’s has hosted the championship on 14 occasions, with the last edition taking place in 2011. Players will face unpredictable weather conditions, undulating fairways, and treacherous bunkers, making it a true test of their skills and resilience.

[Oh boy, BIG trouble. It’s nice to read about Royal St. George’s in Sandwich but the 151st Open Championship is being played at Royal Liverpool, a golf club in Wirral in Merseyside, England, founded in 1869 on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club. It received the “Royal” designation in 1871 due to the patronage of Prince Arthur the Duke of Connaught, one of Queen Victoria’s younger sons.]

[The mistakes of the wrong YEAR and VENUE are about as serious as one could make, except for the old “Change all the Armys to Navy” line about the hungover scribe calling into his newspaper to check copy on the football game he’d just covered at the Air Force Academy. AI screwed up. Hugelywith a distance almost as far as you can get in England, some 300+ miles and a five hour, 46 minutes trip by car, or six hours by train, which would include some walking.]

Let’s see what else Mr. ChatBot GPT has in store.

Contenders:

The Chat-man says: “The field is stacked with the world’s top golfers, each vying for the coveted Claret Jug. Defending champion Collin Morikawa will face fierce competition from a host of formidable contenders. The likes of Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, and Justin Thomas will be eager to claim their first Open Championship title, while seasoned veterans such as Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, and Jordan Spieth will be looking to add another major to their impressive resumes.

[A very nice listing of contenders, except for the fact that Cameron Smithwon the 2022 Open at St. Andrews while Morikawa won the 2021 Open at St. Andrews.]

[While Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas are, indeed, seeking their first Open championships, all three can add another Major to their impressive resumes.]

More trouble …

Dark Horses:

The Open Championship often produces surprise winners, and this year promises no less. Talented golfers like Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele, and Matthew Wolff have been making waves in recent years and could emerge as dark horses in the tournament. Their young, fearless playing styles could prove to be an advantage on the demanding course.

[It’s great to embrace ambiguity unless it’s within a specific sports preview. A statement that The Open “often produced surprise winners” is far from the truth. You might think Francisco Molinari was a surprise winner in 2018, but he was among Europe’s best and was ranked No. 1 for Ryder Cup team qualification that year. You’d have to turn the clock back to 2003 – 20 years ago – to find a real surprise winner in Ben Curtis at the 132nd Open held at Royal St. George’s.]

Not to beat the dead horse, here, but …

Storylines to Watch:

As the tournament unfolds, several intriguing storylines will undoubtedly capture the attention of fans and media alike. The battle for the world number one No. 1 ranking between Dustin Johnson [Scottie Scheffler] and Jon Rahm could intensify, adding an extra layer of excitement to their head-to-head encounters. Additionally, the resurgence of Jordan Spieth, who won the Open Championship in 2017, will be closely followed as he seeks to recapture his winning form on the grand stage.

[Spieth has missed the cut in three of his last six tournaments, including the U.S. Open held on June 18th.]

Historic Moments:

Royal St George’s has witnessed its fair share of historic moments in Open Championship history. From Sir Henry Cotton’s triumph in 1934 to Ben Curtis’s stunning victory in 2003, the course has a reputation for delivering surprises and creating indelible memories. Players will strive to etch their names alongside the legends of the game who have conquered this revered course.

[Royal Liverpool was the site of Rory McIlroy’s first and only Open championship back in 2014. McIlroy (-17) outlasted two rivals in Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia (each two strokes back) to take the title.]

Conclusion:

The 2023 Open Championship promises to be a captivating event, featuring fierce competition, unpredictable weather, and a challenging course that demands precision and strategy. As the world’s top golfers descend upon Royal St George’s Royal Liverpool, fans can expect a tournament filled with thrilling moments, dramatic storylines, and ultimately, a worthy champion who will join the pantheon of golfing greats.

WWYI comment? – [That’s about as vague a conclusion as any writer could be. The “fans can expect a tournament filled with thrilling moments,” had me heading to British Air to book the next JFK to LPL I could find].

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: There are “Bad Beats” and simply “Bad Bets.”Anyone gambling on the Special Olympics has a special place reserved for them in the afterlife. The New York Post reported, “It doesn’t pay to bet on the Special Olympics. Unregulated offshore sports book BetOnline began offering betting markets this year on the Special Olympics, recently staged in Berlin from June 17-25, but the controversial enterprise turned into a disaster of confusing results and stalled payouts. … Noted the NYP: “The problematic rollout raised bigger-picture questions about whether an event such as the Special Olympics, which is meant to provide a platform and supportive environment for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, should have gambling.” … Special Olympics bettors said they were left high and dry on winning bets for several weeks, and some bets were graded as losers before the competitors even had a chance to perform. … One weightlifting event in particular caused issues: “In question for many bettors was which of the listed group would lift the most weight. Lifter Bobby Hillinitially was listed as the winner by the oddsmakers, with 70kgs lifted, while his opponent, Ryan Kealey, was marked as a losing bet despite the Canadian lifting nearly double, at 135kgs. … “Multiple days before Ryan Kealey even competed, BetOnline graded the bet as a loss,” one bettor told The Post in a direct message. … What says WWYI? … Let’s not jump to conclusions on the relatively new legal gambling in many USA States after the SCOTUS bagged PASPA and the States began to regulate sports gambling in their own jurisdiction. The underworld was shopping some pretty dark gambling exercises long, long ago. The newfound scrutiny, because of the ubiquitous advertising efforts of Draft Kings and the like, is good for those who want a legal playing field when it comes to wagering on sports. The more scrutiny, the better for the bettor.”

HEY NINETEEN! Yes, Steely Dan is on tour, opening for The Eagles, but more importantly, the United States’ Women’s U-19 squad has begun the preliminary round in the FIBA U-19 World Cup. In the opening round of the tournament, being staged at the Jorge Garbajosa Arena in Madrid, Spain, the USA defeated Mali 85-66 behind Cotie McMahon’s team-high 15 points which were accompanied by four assists and seven rebounds in 25 minutes of PT. … According to USA Basketball’s news release, Kiki Rice excelled on both sides of the ball, scoring 10 points while pulling down five rebounds in 20 minutes of action. (Full disclosure: Kiki is the daughter of this reporter’s former NBA colleague, John Rice, and the niece of former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice. … McMahon is headed to The Ohio State University while the 19-year old Rice just completed her first year at U.C.L.A … By the way, Kiki’s grandfather, Emmet John Rice, served as a Tuskegee Airman, so Air Kiki just might be the right moniker.

HERE COMES THE SUN (and the Mercury): The Phoenix Suns are moving forward with their free-to-air TV broadcast deal, which has been held up in a legal battle with Diamond Sports Holdings. Suns new team owner Mat Ishbia said in a statement that he was “excited to be able to deliver” the deal with Gray Television, which was previously paused after a bankruptcy judge said the Suns had to satisfy contractual obligations with Diamond Sports Net Arizona. … “I am proud that we are at the forefront of this shift to make the game more accessible, which not only serves our fan base, but also helps to build future NBA and WNBA fans,” Ishbia said in the statement. … Editorial comment: “If we all had a dime for every time a quote (any sport, any business, any descipline) started with a sentence with the word “excited” inlcuded. … The Suns and Mercury (planet closest to the Sun) are shopping their broadcast deals in unison. (Smart move). Sports Biz juggernaut Sportico was the first to report on the Suns moves.