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Red Sox Clicking Over Five Game Streak

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Everything is clicking for the Boston Red Sox, who have outscored their opponents 40-14 during their current five-game winning streak. Boston will look to maintain its momentum when it continues a four-game series against the Minnesota Twins tonight in Minneapolis.

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Alex Verdugo drove in four runs and Triston Casas belted a two-run homer in Boston’s 9-3 win over Minnesota on Monday. Jarren Duran added three doubles and two RBIs.

Alex Cora, who recorded his 400th victory as the Red Sox’s manager on Monday, said the team’s recent offensive output has been building for several weeks.

“The line was moving before we started scoring runs the last few days,” Cora said. “Now we’re getting the big hits, so hopefully the fun starts.”

While Boston is receiving contributions from throughout the order, Minnesota’s offense is becoming a source of concern. Byron Buxton is mired in an 0-for-24 slump for the Twins, who have lost four of their past five.

“Baseball is a hot and cold game, and we’re kind of lukewarm right now,” Twins infielder Kyle Farmer said. “We’ve just got to keep playing and putting good at-bats together and stick to our routines and keep working.”

Minnesota will aim to bounce back against Boston right-hander Kutter Crawford (1-3, 4.20 ERA), who is set to make his sixth start of the season. Crawford returned to the rotation earlier this month after Chris Sale landed on the injured list with a stress reaction in his scapula.

Crawford allowed four runs over four innings in a no-decision against the Colorado Rockies on June 13.

Crawford owns a 5.40 ERA in seven home games (three starts) this season compared to a 2.60 mark in six appearances (two starts) away from Fenway Park. He is 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA in two career games (one start) vs. Minnesota.

Right-hander Bailey Ober (4-3, 2.65 ERA) will get the nod for the Twins. He earned a win on Wednesday after allowing two runs and striking out seven over six innings in a 4-2 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Ober has pitched at least five innings in each of his 10 starts this season, compiling a 54-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.86) over that stretch.

Ober will be facing the Red Sox for the third time in his career after not allowing an earned run in his previous two starts covering 11 innings.

Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli is looking for an improved effort on Tuesday after his team struck out 11 times and had just one extra-base hit — Christian Vazquez’s three-run homer — in the series opener.

“One of these days we’re going to show up and this is going to flip on us, but not everything is up to chance. It’s up to us,” Baldelli said. “We have our work cut out for us, and we have to figure it out because we aren’t playing well.”

The Twins will need a strong game at the plate to keep pace with Boston, which is averaging 7.7 runs per game in its past six games. Verdugo is 17-for-43 (.395) with seven RBIs during his 10-game hitting streak.

“Just kind of keep the next guy going and just timely hitting, I think that’s the big thing,” Verdugo said. “We were getting a lot of hits, but getting the runners in is what we’re trying to pride ourselves with.”

Celtics: Pressey New Assistant Coach

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics are set to hire former guard Phil Pressey as an assistant coach, according to multiple reports Monday.

Pressey is the third addition to Boston’s coaching staff this month, joining former Philadelphia 76ers assistant Sam Cassell and former Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee as the Celtics attempt to revitalize head coach Joe Mazzulla‘s bench.

Boston still plans to add at least one more assistant in the coming weeks, per the report.

In three NBA seasons, the 32-year-old Pressey posted career averages of 3.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 148 games (11 starts). He signed with the Celtics as an un-drafted free agent in 2013 and spent the first two seasons of his career with Boston, later also playing briefly with the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns.

Pressey served as an assistant at Missouri during the 2022-23 season but has no coaching experience in the NBA. In addition to his two seasons with the Celtics, Pressey also established Massachusetts ties by attending two high schools in the state.

–Field Level Media

Beal for Paul: Wizards, Suns Dump Contracts

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PHOENIX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – You take my problem and I’ll take yours.

The Phoenix Suns are finalizing a deal to acquire All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards in exchange for veteran point guard Chris Paul, shooting guard Landry Shamet and multiple second-round draft picks and pick swaps, The Athletic and ESPN reported Sunday.

The Suns — who had no first-round picks available to move in a trade — nevertheless managed to land Beal to pair with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.

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Over the weekend, reports indicated the Beal sweepstakes were down to the Suns and the Miami Heat. Beal, who’s long stood firm about wanting to make things work in Washington, has to waive the NBA’s only no-trade clause in order to approve the deal.

Paul, a 12-time All-Star and 11-time All-NBA selection, could attract an interested third party to the deal as he’s expected to ask the Wizards to move him to a contender, multiple reports said. One of Paul’s old teams, the Los Angeles Clippers, is likely to pursue a reunion with him, according to Bleacher Report.

Beal, who turns 30 this month, played in just 50 games (all starts) last season. He averaged 23.2 points, 5.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game and shot 36.5 percent from 3-point range. Injuries and multiple stays on the COVID-19 reserve list have limited Beal to just 90 games over the past two seasons.

In his 11-year career since the Wizards made him the third overall draft pick out of Florida in 2012, Beal has averaged 22.1 points, 4.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game over 695 games (661 starts). He was an All-Star in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2020-21 and finished second in the NBA in scoring twice (30.5 ppg in 2019-20, 31.3 ppg in 2020-21).

Paul, 38, averaged 13.9 points, 8.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals across 59 starts for the Suns in 2022-23. He has career averages of 17.9 points, 9.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 1,214 games with the New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20) and Suns (2020-23).

Paul led the NBA in assists just two seasons ago when he averaged 10.8 per contest in his second campaign with the Suns.

Phoenix posted a league-best 64-18 record that season after falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals in 2021. But the Suns were knocked out of the playoffs in the second round in both 2022 and 2023. New team owner Mat Ishbia fired veteran coach Monty Williams and hired former NBA champion Frank Vogel as his replacement earlier this month.

Shamet, 26, has played in 302 games (92 starts) for four teams since the Philadelphia 76ers drafted him in the first round (No. 26 overall) in 2018. He has career averages of 8.9 points and 1.7 assists per game with a 38.8 percentage from 3-point range for the 76ers (2018-19), Clippers (2019-20), Brooklyn Nets (2020-21) and Suns.

–Field Level Media

Sweeps x 2 for Red Sox Over Yankees

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BOSTON – Brayan Bello pitched seven innings against the New York Yankees for the second time in as many starts, leading the host Boston Red Sox to a 4-1 win on Sunday night. The win capped sweeps of a day-night doubleheader and the three-game series for Boston, which is 5-1 against the rival Yankees this season.

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Bello (4-4) struck out a career-high eight batters and allowed just one run on four hits and three walks across his seven-inning outing.

Alex Verdugo went 2-for-4 and Triston Casas hit a two-run double to lead the Red Sox offense.

After Josh Winckowski pitched a scoreless eighth inning, Kenley Jansen struck out two and worked around a single in the ninth to post his 15th save.

Gleyber Torres had a pair of doubles to account for two of New York’s five hits. Anthony Rizzo had the Yankees’ lone RBI.

Bello danced out of the first allowing only one run after Jake Bauers walked, Torres lined a double to right and Rizzo had an RBI groundout. Bello retired the next two Yankees to limit the damage.

A two-out run allowed the Red Sox to even the score in the second. After a Rafael Devers leadoff single and Rob Refsnyder’s sacrifice bunt, Enrique Hernandez ripped an RBI double down into the left field corner.

The Red Sox defense made several strong plays to keep the visitors to one run. Center fielder Jarren Duran’s running catch into the triangle in center was a definite highlight, robbing Rizzo of an extra-base hit to end the third.

In the fourth, Reese McGuire reached on catcher’s interference to score Verdugo for Boston’s go-ahead run.

Two runs in the fifth allowed the Red Sox to extend their lead to 4-1. Duran drew a leadoff walk and stole second base with one out. Shortly after Verdugo’s fly ball to shallow center landed for a base hit, Casas stepped up with the bases loaded and hit a two-out, two-run double that bounced into the right field stands.

Luis Severino (0-2) was the New York starter, and he allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits in five innings. He fanned six.

Bello stranded two Yankees in both the sixth and seventh innings, striking out Bauers swinging on his final pitch of the game.

–Field Level Media

Let’s Play Two on Father’s Day

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BOSTON – The Red Sox-Yankees game scheduled for Saturday, June 17, at Fenway Park was postponed due to the heavy rainfall in the Fenway area throughout last evening.

The Saturday night game has been rescheduled as the first game of a split doubleheader today, June 18, beginning at 1:35 p.m. Tickets for Saturday’s game will be good for admission to the rescheduled contest. Tonight’s regularly scheduled game remains at 7:10 p.m.

The rescheduled game on June 18 will be televised on NESN and broadcast in English on WEEI 93.7 FM and in Spanish on WAMG 890 AM/WCCM 1490 AM.

Red Sox Have Upper Hand v NYY

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Meeting for the second time this season in Boston, the Red Sox and New York Yankees will conclude their three-game series with a day-night doubleheader on Sunday. The Sox have had the upper hand in the rivalry so far this season, taking two of three games in the Bronx last weekend before rolling to Friday’s 15-5 win at Fenway.

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Led by Justin Turner’s 3-for-5 performance that included two home runs and six RBIs, Boston set season-high marks for runs and hits on Friday. The Red Sox have scored 27 runs over their last three games.

“It seems like every game we have played has been in the 50s, and (Friday), it felt like summer,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “You know how it plays here in the summer and the ball will carry. And the guys did an outstanding job putting pressure on (Yankees starter Domingo) German. We did some great things. We put pressure on their defense.”

After a rainy Saturday, Boston looks to continue its success behind a shuffled pitching rotation.

Brayan Bello (3-4, 3.78 ERA) will start Game 2 after being initially slated to work on Saturday. The Red Sox have yet to name a starter for the first game of the twin bill.

Bello has a 2.80 ERA over his last eight starts, which included seven innings of two-run, three-hit ball last Sunday in New York. Three of the 24-year-old’s last four starts have spanned at least six frames.

“He came back up (from Triple-A Worcester) with a great attitude,” Red Sox utility man Enrique Hernandez said of Bello. “Same story as last year (when) he takes the mound. He seems like he gets better. I think he is mature beyond his years.”

The Yankees will trot out the hurlers who were originally lined up to pitch the final two games of the series.

Game 1 starter Clarke Schmidt (2-6, 4.70) boasts a 2.33 ERA over his last five starts. The right-hander took a no-decision despite allowing just one run over 5 1/3 innings opposite Bello last Sunday.

Entering the opener of Sunday’s doubleheader, New York is 11-13 against American League East teams and 28-18 against squads from all other divisions.

“Through this stretch where it’s been tough for us over the last 10 days, we’ve played really well,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “We just haven’t put a lot of points on the board. (Friday) we were at least able to get some runs on the board, but overall, we just did not play a very clean game.”

In the nightcap, Luis Severino (0-1, 6.48) will look for his first win of 2023. He allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings on Tuesday in a Subway Series game against the Mets, which the Yankees eventually won 7-6.

Severino has only surpassed the five-inning mark once this season (May 27 against San Diego) and has given up five or more earned runs in two of his last three outings.

Combining those games, Severino has covered just 13 2/3 innings and has allowed 16 earned runs on 22 hits. He has also surrendered seven homers during that span.

“I didn’t get better,” Severino said. “I need to be a better pitcher. I feel like every time they give me the ball, I’m not helping the team right now. I just need to figure out what’s going on. Hopefully, I can do that soon.”

–Field Level Media

Bah, Morant: NBA Docks Ja for 25 Games

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Grizzlies Guard Suspension w/o Pay Will Cost $10m

NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The hammer finally came down.

The NBA suspended Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant for 25 games without pay for brandishing a handgun in a viral video for the second time.

The suspension for conduct detrimental to the league covers the first 25 games of the 2023-24 regular season and includes conditions for reinstatement. He is ineligible to participate in any public league or team activities, including preseason games, during the course of his suspension.

“Ja Morant’s decision to once again wield a firearm on social media is alarming and disconcerting given his similar conduct in March for which he was already suspended eight games,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning. Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.

“For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time. Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior.”

Morant issued an apology and said he is working on his “mental health and decision making” in order to prove that he’s “a better man than what I’ve been showing you.”

“I’ve had time to reflect and I realize how much hurt I’ve caused,” Morant said. “I want to apologize to the NBA, the Grizzlies, my teammates and the city of Memphis. To Adam Silver, Zach Kleiman (Grizzlies vice president and general manager) and Robert Pera (Grizzlies franchise owner) — who gave me the opportunity to be a professional athlete and have supported me — I’m sorry for the harm I’ve done. To the kids who look up to me, I’m sorry for failing you as a role model. I promise I’m going to be better. To all of my sponsors, I’m going to be a better representation of our brands. And to all of my fans, I’m going to make it up to you, I promise.

“I’m spending the offseason and my suspension continuing to work on my own mental health and decision making. I’m also going to be training so that I’m ready to go when I can be back on the court. I know my teammates are going to hold it down and I’m so sorry I won’t be out there with you at the beginning of the season.

“I hope you’ll give me the chance to prove to you over time I’m a better man that what I’ve been showing you.”

The Grizzlies offered the following statement shortly after the suspension was announced:

“We respect the League’s decision to suspend Ja Morant following this latest episode. Our standards as a league and team are clear, and we expect that all team personnel will adhere to them.”

The National Basketball Players Association, however, took issue with the length of Morant’s suspension and its conditions on Friday.

“Ja has expressed his remorse and accepted responsibility for his actions, and we support him unequivocally as he does whatever is necessary to represent himself, our players and our league in the best possible light,” NBPA executive director Tamika Tremaglio said.

“As to the discipline imposed, which keeps him off the court until December and requires some unstated conditions to be met before he can return, we believe it is excessive and inappropriate for a number of reasons including the facts involved in this particular incident, and that it is not fair and consistent with past discipline in our league. We will explore with Ja all options and next steps.”

Nike also released a statement:

“We are pleased that Ja is taking accountability and prioritizing his well-being. We will continue to support him on and off the court.”

Based on his $33.5 million salary for 2023-24, the suspension will cost Morant approximately $10.2 million.

The video, which was on Instagram Live, featured Morant waving a gun while sitting in the passenger’s seat of a car while listening to rap music. The clip was released on May 13, and the Grizzlies suspended the guard from all team activities the following day.

It was the second time in three months that Morant was caught with a firearm on social media. He previously was suspended eight games and sought counseling after a March 4 incident in which he filmed himself holding a gun at a Denver strip club following a 113-97 loss to the Nuggets.

Ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Silver said the “history of prior acts” and “the individual player’s history” would be taken into account when the league made its decision on Morant’s punishment.

Morant, 23, is coming off his fourth season with Memphis after the Grizzlies selected him with the second overall pick in the 2019 draft. A two-time All-Star, Morant averaged 26.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 8.1 assists in 61 games (59 starts) in 2022-23.

–Field Level Media

Oh, What a Knight

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LAS VEGAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The City that Never Sleeps has another reason to stay up late.

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The Vegas Golden Knights won the first Stanley Cup Final in team history on Tuesday night on their home rink in Las Vegas, getting three goals from team captain Mark Stone en route to a 9-3 victory against the Florida Panthers in the deciding Game 5.

Stone produced the first hat trick in the finals since Peter Forsberg accomplished the feat for the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and raised the NHL Stanley Cup in celebration in the post-game ceremonies.

The Golden Knights lifted the Cup in just their sixth season of existence to become the fastest expansion team in NHL history to claim a title.

“I can’t even describe the feelings in my stomach right now,” Stone said while still celebrating on the ice. “Everything you can imagine. The grind of an 82-game season, four playoff rounds. …. You grind and you grind and you grind. At the end of the day, the last team standing, it’s incredible.”

Six other players scored goals for Vegas, Jack Eichel and Shea Theodore each contributed three assists and Adin Hill made 32 saves in another steady performance for Vegas, which outscored the Panthers 26-12 in the best-of-seven series.

The Knights’ Jonathan Marchessault won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He tallied an assist in Game 5, giving him 12 for the playoffs to go with 13 goals. He tied for the league lead in postseason goals this year and finished one point behind Eichel’s league-leading playoff point total.

“One night it’s one guy, one night it’s another guy,” Marchessault said. “That’s the mentality we have this year, just next man in has to do the job. We’re a bunch of good teammates in that locker room and we’re always happy for each other and everybody stepped up at different times. That’s why, today, we’re winners.”

Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart each had a goal and an assist, Aaron Ekblad also scored and Sergei Bobrovsky made 23 saves for Florida, which was outscored 21-7 in the three games at Las Vegas.

“Appropriate congratulations to Vegas,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “They earned it. They were outstanding. We didn’t have an answer for them.”

The Panthers played without leading scorer Matthew Tkachuk in Game 5 because of a broken bone in his sternum/clavicle area. The injury occurred in Game 3, but he played through the pain in Game 4 at Sunrise, Fla., a 3-2 loss that put Florida on the brink of elimination.

Maurice said after Game 5 that three others were playing with broken bones, including Ekblad, who competed with a broken foot since the opening-round series against the Boston Bruins.

Maurice said some of the injuries could take four to six months to heal.

“We’re going to have a hell of a time making the playoffs next year,” he said.

Stone scored short-handed off a two-on-one breakaway to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead at 11:52 of the first period.

Bobrovsky made a save on Eichel’s backhand try and then tried to lay on the puck in the crease, but it was poked out to Nicolas Hague, and Hague shot it into the net for a 2-0 lead at 13:41 of the first.

Ekblad cut it to 2-1 with a wrist shot from just inside the blue line at 2:15 of the second, but the Golden Knights answered with four straight goals before the end of the period.

Alec Martinez scored off the rush to make it 3-1 at 10:28, and Smith put away a between-the-legs pass from William Karlsson for a 4-1 lead at 12:13.

Stone scored his 10th goal of the postseason to extend the lead to 5-1 at 17:15, and Michael Amadio capped the barrage by scoring with two seconds left in the period to make it 6-1.

Ivan Barbashev scored at 8:22 of the third period before Reinhart scored 25 seconds later to trim Florida’s deficit to 7-2.

Bennett gave Florida three goals in regulation for the first time in the series when he scored at 11:39 to pull the visitors within 7-3.

Stone secured the hat trick when he scored into an empty net with 5:54 left to make it 8-3.

Nicolas Roy finished off the scoring with 1:02 remaining.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our team, our organization,” Marchessault said. “We’ve grinded for a few years, and it’s just unbelievable getting here.”

Florida finished 0-for-14 on the power play in the series to become the first team without a power-play goal in the finals since the Detroit Red Wings in 1948.

–Field Level Media

Can Rockies Sweep Sockies?

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Colorado Rockies hope left-hander Austin Gomber can improve on his recent form as they attempt to complete a three-game road sweep of the Boston Red Sox  tonight. Colorado earned 10-inning wins at Boston the past two nights, prevailing 4-3 on Monday and 7-6 on Tuesday.

The Rockies scored three runs in the top of the 10th on Tuesday, then held on despite Rafael Devers‘ second two-run homer of the night in the bottom of the frame to seal their third straight victory.

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“It was a good team win,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “A lot of guys in a lot of different spots helped out.”

The Red Sox have lost their past five home games, and they are just 4-11 in their past 15 games in Boston. They have dropped five of the past seven contests overall.

“Keep playing hard, clean up a few things and go from there,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said following the Tuesday defeat. “We just have to play well. That’s it. Two extra-inning games, kind of a flip of the coin, right? … From my end, it’s not deflating.”

Gomber (4-5, 7.57 ERA) allowed 15 runs on 25 hits in just 10 2/3 innings over his past three starts. He walked eight and struck out eight during that span.

Gomber took the loss in his latest outing after he surrendered 11 hits — including three home runs — and seven runs in four-plus innings during a 9-6 defeat against the San Diego Padres on Friday. All three home runs came on four-seam fastballs.

The 29-year-old Florida native, who is in his fifth major league season, has not pitched against the Red Sox.

Rockies reliever Daniel Bard earned the win in each of the first two games in the series. The Red Sox selected Bard with the 28th overall pick in the 2006 draft, and he pitched for Boston from 2009-13.

“We’re pushing Daniel a bit because we think things are coming together for him,” Rockies manager Bud Black said of Bard, who has a 0.87 ERA in 20 2/3 innings over 20 appearances this season.

The Rockies haven’t swept an opponent since they won three straight against the Milwaukee Brewers from May 2-4.

Right-hander Garrett Whitlock (3-2, 4.78 ERA) is scheduled to start on the mound for Boston, and unlike Gomber, he’s trending in a positive direction. He is a 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his past three starts.

Whitlock outdueled Gerrit Cole in his most recent outing, a 3-2 win against the New York Yankees on Friday. Whitlock yielded two runs (one earned) on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out six and issued one walk.

Whitlock replaced Corey Kluber in Boston’s rotation after Kluber, a two-time American League Cy Young Award winner, began the season with a 2-6 record and a 6.26 ERA in his first nine appearances. Whitlock has not faced Colorado during his career.

Despite Devers’ heroics on Tuesday, the Red Sox went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

The Wednesday game will be the third contest of a 10-game road trip for the Rockies, who will start a four-game series at Atlanta on Thursday before finishing the trip with three at Cincinnati.

The Red Sox are 0-2 to start a six-game homestand that concludes with a three-game visit from the New York Yankees this weekend.

–Field Level Media

Nuggets Open as NBA Faves in 2024

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LAS VEGAS – Fresh off capturing the first NBA championship in franchise history on Monday, the Denver Nuggets were installed by sportsbooks as favorites or co-favorites to repeat as champions.

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The Nuggets closed out the NBA Finals in Game 5, defeating the visiting Miami Heat 94-89 to end the best-of-seven series. Finals MVP Nikola Jokic amassed 28 points and 16 rebounds in the title-clinching win.

DraftKings listed Denver as a +500 favorite to win the championship again in 2024. The nearest followers per DraftKings are the Boston Celtics (+550), the Milwaukee Bucks (+650) and the Phoenix Suns (+850).

FanDuel posted Denver and Milwaukee as co-favorites at +460. The Celtics (+500) and the Suns (+700) are the only other teams with odds better than +1200, which is the number listed for both the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia 76ers.

BetMGM has the Nuggets at +500, followed by the Celtics (+550), the Bucks (+600) and the Suns (+850).

Others among the favorites according to FanDuel are the Cleveland Cavaliers (+1900), the Los Angeles Lakers (+1900), the Los Angeles Clippers (+2100), the Heat (+2500), the Dallas Mavericks (+2700) and the Memphis Grizzlies (+3000).

Per DraftKings, the other favorites aside from the top four are the Lakers (+1200), the Warriors (+1200), the 76ers (+1300), the Mavericks (+1300), the Clippers (+1500), the Heat (+1800) and the Grizzlies (+1900).

BetMGM’s other top contenders are Dallas, Golden State and the Lakers, all at +1200; the Clippers and Philadelphia, both at +1400; and Memphis and Miami, both at +2000.

The biggest longshots according to FanDuel are the Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons, all at +50000. DraftKings has the Hornets at +40000 and the Pistons alone at the bottom at +50000, while BetMGM has Charlotte and Detroit bringing up the rear at +50000.

Neither of this year’s finalists were among the top five favorites in odds posted right after the Golden State Warriors won the 2022 NBA Finals.