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Terry Lyons

Bradley Wins Travelers, $3.6 million

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CROMWELL, Connecticut – New Englander Keegan Bradley, born in Vermont and reared in Hopkinton, Mass., looked at the annual Travelers Championship at the TPC River Highlands golf course as his only chance to play a home game.

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For a veteran of the PGA Tour and its relentless travel schedule, Bradley actually welcomed his poor performance at the recent U.S. Open in Los Angeles for a chance to work with his golf coach, Darren May, for some down and dirty and much-needed instruction this past Monday through Wednesday while Bradley enjoyed some time with his immediate family who were easily able to cruise into this suburb of Hartford to re-unite as four with his wife, Jillian, and two young boys, Logan and Cooper.

What the Bradley’s couldn’t have anticipated was the golfer in the family shooting a scorching 62-63-64 to start his adventure and approach the final round of this elevated PGA Tour $top on top of the leaderboard, a stroke ahead of playing partner, Chez Reavie, and a full five strokes ahead of Patrick Cantlay and the pack of FedEx Cup[ point-seeking professionals.

“This was the first PGA Tour event I’d ever been to back when I was a kid,” said Bradley to a crowded press room of mostly Connecticut-based media, all woofing-down some Frank Pepe New Haven pizza as a treat from The Travelers. “I drove from Vermont and drove here to come and watch David Duval play.

“It’s an event, my first handful of years on Tour, I really struggled at because the pressure of wanting to play well for my family and the local community. It was too much. I had to learn how to do it,” he said.

“Other than the majors and those type of tournaments, this was always on the top of my list.”

Heading into the day, Bradley knew he’d need another low score to stay on top of the pack and earn a cool $3.6 million dollars for his weekend of work. His scoring pace was setting records for 54-hole play on the PGA Tour and the possibilities for Sunday were for the best four rounds in Tour history.

Birdies on three of the first nine holes and two of the first three holes on the “Back Nine” of the Tournament Players Club course, put Bradley at a torrid (-26) for the tournament and in full control of his own destiny.

Then came hole No. 13.

“On that backside, there is water everywhere so you can make a bogey in a second,” noted Bradley.

Bradley’s bogey six was only his second bogey of the four-day sojourn as Cantlay showed his capabilities to post a (-22), applying just enough pressure for the New England leaning crowd to tense up while the confidence in Bradley’s face, his body-language and gate noticeably stiffened as the humidity took the air temperature soaring, sucking the breeze right out of the landscape on hole No. 14.

Another bogey.

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Then, a par-save on No. 15 led to his third bogey in four holes, dropping his score to (-23) while Cantlay was within reach. Bradley’s other competition finished their rounds, posting (-20 – for – 260s), safely three back for a golfer who then stared at No. 17 and No. 18, needing only to par (or better) the holes – which he had done all weekend.

Bradley’s tee shot on No. 17, he claimed in his post tournament interviews, was one of the best shots he could lay claim to.

“It was what was going to win or lose me the tournament,” he noted. “I remembered when I won the PGA (Championship), I made triple on 15 and then my tee shot on 16 was regular tee shot, but, again, I always used to say that was the best shot I’ve ever hit and not one that anyone would remember.

“That 17th hole, you have to take an aggressive line.”

“I just did an interview with (Golf Channel host) Brandel Chamblee and he said (the 17th) played as the second hardest hole on the course, or maybe the first (today). There were 44 balls in the water today.

“It was a stressful finish, but once I got that ball on the green on 17, I kind of could take a little bit of a deep breath,” he said. “What a great shot, one of the best I’ve ever hit in my life.”

A pair of fours brought Bradley in at (68 – 257) and (-23) for the Travelers tournament record, but not the 253 that would’ve been engraved in the record books. The win, however, earned Bradley a few welcome texts from some of the all-time greats, like basketball’s Michael Jordan, Howard Stern‘s “Baba Booey” and football’s Aaron Rodgers, “even though he’s a Jet now,” laughed Bradley.

“Winning a tournament with your family is the greatest feeling because they put up with a lot of nonsense,” Bradley said. “I would say because of my traveling, missing first days of school, or my wife being alone all the time when I’m on the road, so for them to be able to feel the excitement of this and be here and feel it,”

“I can’t put a price on that. It’s just the greatest feeling,” said the 2023 Travelers Champion.”

 

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – June 25

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While We’re Young (Ideas) on the PGA Tour Travelers Championship and the NBA Draft

The following story appeared here on Digital Sports Desk earlier this week. Your trusty columnist and editor thought it worthy of sharing to those who might’ve missed it).

By TERRY LYONS

CROMWELL, Conn – Sixty-two might be a typical score registered by the St. John’s University Red Storm in a mid-winter BIG EAST basketball game, but Keegan Bradley, an alum of the basketball-centric school currently undergoing a massive overhaul, was thrilled with a score of 62 posted today in the opening round at the Travelers Championship.

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It stood as the clubhouse lead until Denny McCarthy carded a (60) in the afternoon and Australian Adam Scott recorded a (62) in the afternoon to equal Bradley.

The story at day’s end was the New England kid played well.

Bradley flaunts his Northeast upbringing with a badge of honor. From his Vermont roots to his formative days in Hopkinton, Mass to his collegiate experience as sports management major in Jamaica Estates, graduating from his beloved St. John’s in 2008, Bradley eats-up the Travelers as a “home game.” With the loss of the Deutsche Bank – Northern Trust at TPC Boston, it’s his only “real” home game of the year, unless you count the tournaments in Westchester County, NY.

The nephew of LPGA superstar Pat Bradley, the St. John’s guy had an early wake-up call for his 7:25am tee-time, and he saddled up with Emiliano Grilloof Argentina and PGA Tour star Xander Shauffele of San Diego for a start off the 10th tee this morning.

Shauffele was coming off an impressive T-10 at last weekend’s U.S. Open while Grillo (+5) and Bradley (+6) each missed the cut at the Los Angeles Country Club.

“I just played so awful last week,” said Bradley, ” and I was able to get out of there (LA) and I got here early and flew my coach, Darren Mahan, out here and we got some great work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. It really helped,” he added.

“It was better for me to miss the cut, honestly, and get here and feel better about my swing. It helped a lot, said the Thursday morning clubhouse leader.

Just what did that extra work and maybe a little rest in familiar surroundings do for Bradley?

He went out with five birdies being etched to his scorecard from No. 10-to-14. Then, made a shot that even St. John’s Dream-Teamer, Chris Mullin couldn’t hit – Bradley drained a 74-foot birdie putt on No. 17 which combined with a par four on No. 18, gave him an impressive (29) score on his first nine holes.

“I can’t believe how hard I hit that putt (on No.17),” noted Bradley. “As soon as I hit it, I couldn’t believe it. A lot of times on those putts you’re begging for it to hit the flag. It’ll just miss or bang off, and (this putt) just hit perfectly in the center and dropped down.

“It was at least – probably – a two-shot swing. Instead of walking off that green at 6-under, I’m (might’ve been) minus-4, maybe minus-3. It’s a huge swing.”

Even flirting with the idea of a Jim Furyk-esque (58) is a dream in itself, but Bradley went on to birdie two of his first three holes on his back nine, holes No. 2 and 3.

“Well, when I made that really long putt on 17 and it was — it could have gone in the water. I don’t know, (59) crossed my mind. I wasn’t thinking about it a lot, but I certainly was going to try to do it.

“And, I thought about it hardly. You know, I got enough on my hands when I play out here,” he said.

“So, I mean, it popped into my mind for a second. For the most part I was trying to execute the shots and do what we’ve been trying to do out here, and it was fun to match up a good ball striking and putting day,” Bradley noted on his complete round, the best of his 2023 PGA Tour season.

He and his caddie (Scott Veil) came back down to earth when Bradley bogeyed No. 5, to drop his score from (-8) to (-7) and a stroke closer to the wild pack of PGA Tour hyenas chasing him from hole-to-hole at TPC River Highlands in the suburbs of Hartford, Connecticut – the insurance capital of the world.

But while Bradley was enjoying his round, he and Veil had a little fun along the way, carrying on with a superstition unlike any other.

“I don’t know,” Bradley paused before admitting, “we bow to the putter. When it’s working, that’s our God.”

That thought of joy brought Bradley to speak about his real priorities and his support group, a difficult circumstance for a Northeastern (and Florida, too) based golfer jetting all over the States and the world.

“This is a special week,” he said. “I don’t get to have my family out here a lot anymore with school, and having them out here is an advantage for me. It’s really special to see my son out in the crowd watching, cheering. It’s just really great.”

Does his son “get” the whole PGA Tour and intense competition?

“He’s five, and I would say over the last six months, eight months he’s getting it now and he loves to come out and watch. He likes to cheer and clap and it’s really special.

“I’ve grown up watching the veteran guys have their kids out here and seeing them grow up on the Tour, so it’s really fun to have my boys out here now, too.”

As Bradley exited from his interview duties, it seemed to be the right time to ask if he’s kept up on the St. John’s University basketball drama with the school making the bold hire of Rick Pitino, and Pitino’s summertime overhaul of all but one player from a year ago in center Joel Soriano.

With such a question, coming out of the blue, Bradley’s eyes lit up like the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center.

“Yeah, I’ve been following it,” he said as a PGA Tour official ushered him towards the player’s-only area of the clubhouse. The tour marshall wasn’t quick enough, though, as Bradley turned back a second later.

“I’m REALLY excited,” he said.

Let’s see if Bradley can hold a spot high on the leaderboard to the afternoon today and if the St. John’s faithful turn out at TPC River Highlands for a weekend of golf within 100 miles of (Lou) Carnesseca Arena, as the golf ball flies. On Saturday, Bradley remained high on the leaderboard at the last “elevated event” of the Tour season, meaning there’s $20 million in the kitty and a winner’s share of $3.6 million awaiting the best player of this well-run tournament.

After all, the new St. John’s basketball coach lives on the famed Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY, a place both Bradley and Pitino are sure to be when Bradley wants to play a round or two to practice long before he takes another shot at another U.S. Open, for that event is at Winged Foot in 2028.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Boston Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers has been in and out and back in batting slumps since May when he was leading the majors in Home Runs. On Friday night Devers hits a two-run HR 434-feet at 110.1 mph to extend his season long RBI total to (60), tops in the big leagues. Despite his intermittent struggles, Devers hit five home runs in 13 games after going 27 of his previous 28 contests without a homer. … Boston’s Sunday game will end a streak of 23 games in 23 days with one rain-out tucked in there.

SLAMBALL, the fast-paced, gravity-defying sport that combines elements of basketball, football, hockey, man-to-man combat and gymnastics trampolines, announced an exclusive, two-year national broadcast partnership with ESPN for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The partnership will begin on SlamBall’s opening night, as the popular sport of yesteryear re-launches live from Las Vegas on July 21 from 7-9 p.m. EDT.

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+ will combine to air more than 30 hours of live SlamBall programming during five dog-days of summer weekends, culminating August 17-19 with the SlamBall Playoffs and SlamBall Championship Game. All games will be played at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, the same site that hosts part of the NBA Summer League.

SUMMER LEAGUE: Speaking of which, the NBA announced the game and broadcast schedules for its NBA 2K24 Summer League 2023, which will take place July 7-17 at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

All 76 games of the 11-day competition will air live on television somewhere as the ESPN networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews) air a bunch and NBA TV sweeps up a few more. Every game will also be available to stream on the ESPN App or NBA App.

Now in its 18th NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, all 30 NBA teams will play at least five games each. Each team will play four games from July 7-14. Winners advance to the playoffs, July 16-17. SlamBall will move in right afterward.

Top picks from the 2023 NBA Draft are expected to play. ESPN will televise potential matchups between both the No. 1 and No. 2 picks and the No. 3 and No. 4 picks from this week’s Draft. No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama is set to lead the San Antonio Spurs against No. 2 pick Brandon Miller and the Charlotte Hornets at 9pm ET. Earlier in the day, No. 3 pick Scoot Henderson and the defending NBA Summer League champion Portland Trail Blazers are scheduled to face No. 4 pick Amen Thompsonand the Houston Rockets at 7pm ET.

A head-to-head matchup between the Thompson Twins (see note below), pitting Amen Thompson and his twin brother, No. 5 pick Ausar Thompsonof the Detroit Pistons, is set for Sunday, July 9 at 6pm ET on ESPN2.

TIDBITS: Buzz on the Bill Walton 30-for-30 on ESPN continues to build. This columnist has yet to see the three-part documentary but has it high on the list of priorities and will report here very soon without any spoilers.

The worldwide publicity and anticipation to see France’s Victor Wembanyama at the NBA Draft. The rookie-to-be enjoyed his whirlwind tour in New York City which included a trip to Yankee Stadium on the NYC Subway system. Wembanyama was quite complimentary of the ragged and aging subway cars, noting he could “stand-up” in the car, as opposed to the smaller cars in Paris’ “Metro.” … Wembanyama tossed a baseball for the first time in his life and his large hands completely covered the baseball, making his “first pitch” from the mound of the most famous baseball stadium in the world – well – a ball.

Asked about the rookie’s impact to the NBA Europe’s Tom Marchesi who has seen it all, from Basketball without Borders magic to the rise of Tony Parkerto the Greek Freak, he said: “Difficult to put into words but his athleticism and skill is matched only by his maturity. It’s quite something,” said multi-lingual Marchesi so eloquently.

MEET THE THOMPSON TWINS: As noted just a paragraph above, this week’s NBA Draft was full of intrigue as France’s Victor Wembanyama – the 7-foot-3 bundle of energy, personality, joy and – most importantly – game wowed a global audience tuned into the annual NBA poker game to distributed its burgeoning talent pool.

Wembanyama’s meet and greet with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was the most-watched NBA Draft ever on any network, according to Nielsen company, the monitor of ratings and determining factor for NBA ad sales and money. The first round of the annual Draft averaged 4,928,000 viewers across ESPN and ABC, up 24 percent from last year’s first round on both platforms. It peaked with 6,085,000 viewers in the 8 p.m. ET quarter hour. Disney decided to broadcast two different feeds of the event, one with the knowledgeable Jay Bilas and one without.

Overall, the NBA Draft averaged 3,743,000 viewers across ESPN (both rounds) and ABC (first round-only). The average audience was up 23 percent from last year. The NBA Draft started airing on both ESPN and ABC in 2021.

Putting the French Fantastique and his wingspan the width of a Boeing 747 aside, NBA Draft night unfolded with a second plot when Commissioner Silver announced brothers Amen and Ausar Thompson as back-to-back draft picks in the first five selections. Amen went to the Houston Rockets at No. 4 and Ausar followed when the Detroit Pistons grabbed him at No. 5.

The Thompson Twins became the hottest siblings since Hamilton the Musical’s “The Schuyler Sisters” and they came similarly dressed in the subplot, both basketball and Fashion Show.

The twins, who played in the non-college non-NBA G-League “Overtime Ignite” program, joined Lonzo and LaMelo Ball as the only brothers to both go in the top 5 in a draft in the modern era.

Regardless of the accolades and the trivia, the same sentiment for success in the NBA is for all to “Work, work!”

Bradley Posts Opening Round, 62, at Travelers Championship

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Bradley’s Morning Round Bested by McCarthy’s 60 in Afternoon

By TERRY LYONS

CROMWELL, Conn – Sixty-two might be a typical score registered by the St. John’s University Red Storm in a mid-winter BIG EAST basketball game, but Keegan Bradley, an alum of the basketball-centric school currently undergoing a massive overhaul, was thrilled with a score of 62 posted today in the opening round at the Travelers Championship.

It stood as the clubhouse lead until Denny McCarthy carded a (60) in the afternoon and Australian Adam Scott recorded a (62) in the afternoon to equal Bradley.

The story at day’s end was the New England kid played well.

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Bradley flaunts his Northeast upbringing with a badge of honor. From his Vermont roots to his formative days in Hopkinton, Mass to his collegiate experience as sports management major in Jamaica Estates, graduating from his beloved St. John’s in 2008, Bradley eats-up the Travelers as a “home game.” With the loss of the Deutsche Bank – Northern Trust at TPC Boston, it’s his only “real” home game of the year, unless you count the tournaments in Westchester County, NY.

The nephew of LPGA superstar Pat Bradley, the St. John’s guy had an early wake-up call for his 7:25am tee-time, and he saddled up with Emiliano Grillo of Argentina and PGA Tour star Xander Shauffele of San Diego for a start off the 10th tee this morning.

Shauffele was coming off an impressive T-10 at last weekend’s U.S. Open while Grillo (+5) and Bradley (+6) each missed the cut at the Los Angeles Country Club.

“I just played so awful last week,” said Bradley, ” and I was able to get out of there (LA) and I got here early and flew my coach, Darren Mahan, out here and we got some great work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. It really helped,” he added.

“It was better for me to miss the cut, honestly, and get here and feel better about my swing. It helped a lot, said the Thursday morning clubhouse leader.

Just what did that extra work and maybe a little rest in familiar surroundings do for Bradley?

He went out with five birdies being etched to his scorecard from No. 10-to-14. Then, made a shot that even St. John’s Dream-Teamer, Chris Mullin couldn’t hit – Bradley drained a 74-foot birdie putt on No. 17 which combined with a par four on No. 18, gave him an impressive (29) score on his first nine holes.

“I can’t believe how hard I hit that putt (on No.17),” noted Bradley. “As soon as I hit it, I couldn’t believe it. A lot of times on those putts you’re begging for it to hit the flag. It’ll just miss or bang off, and (this putt) just hit perfectly in the center and dropped down.

“It was at least – probably – a two-shot swing. Instead of walking off that green at 6-under, I’m (might’ve been) minus-4, maybe minus-3. It’s a huge swing.”

Even flirting with the idea of a Jim Furyk-esque (58) is a dream in itself, but Bradley went on to birdie two of his first three holes on his back nine, holes No. 2 and 3.

“Well, when I made that really long putt on 17 and it was — it could have gone in the water. I don’t know, (59) crossed my mind. I wasn’t thinking about it a lot, but I certainly was going to try to do it.

“And, I thought about it hardly. You know, I got enough on my hands when I play out here,” he said.

“So, I mean, it popped into my mind for a second. For the most part I was trying to execute the shots and do what we’ve been trying to do out here, and it was fun to match up a good ball striking and putting day,” Bradley noted on his complete round, the best of his 2023 PGA Tour season.

He and his caddie (Scott Veil) came back down to earth when Bradley bogeyed No. 5, to drop his score from (-8) to (-7) and a stroke closer to the wild pack of PGA Tour hyenas chasing him from hole-to-hole at TPC River Highlands in the suburbs of Hartford, Connecticut – the insurance capital of the world.

But while Bradley was enjoying his round, he and Veil had a little fun along the way, carrying on with a superstition unlike any other.

“I don’t know,” Bradley paused before admitting, “we bow to the putter. When it’s working, that’s our God.”

That thought of joy brought Bradley to speak about his real priorities and his support group, a difficult circumstance for a Northeastern (and Florida, too) based golfer jetting all over the States and the world.

“This is a special week,” he said. “I don’t get to have my family out here a lot anymore with school, and having them out here is an advantage for me. It’s really special to see my son out in the crowd watching, cheering. It’s just really great.”

Does his son “get” the whole PGA Tour and intense competition?

“He’s five, and I would say over the last six months, eight months he’s getting it now and he loves to come out and watch. He likes to cheer and clap and it’s really special.

“I’ve grown up watching the veteran guys have their kids out here and seeing them grow up on the Tour, so it’s really fun to have my boys out here now, too.”

As Bradley exited from his interview duties, it seemed to be the right time to ask if he’s kept up on the St. John’s University basketball drama with the school making the bold hire of Rick Pitino, and Pitino’s summertime overhaul of all but one player from a year ago in center Joel Soriano.

With such a question, coming out of the blue, Bradley’s eyes lit up like the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center.

“Yeah, I’ve been following it,” he said as a PGA Tour official ushered him towards the player’s-only area of the clubhouse. The tour marshall wasn’t quick enough, though, as Bradley turned back a second later.

“I’m REALLY excited,” he said.

Let’s see if Bradley can hold a spot high on the leaderboard and if the St. John’s faithful turn out at TPC River Highlands for a weekend of golf within 100 miles of Carnesseca Arena, as the golf ball flies. Bradley is high on the leadboard at the last “elevated event” of the Tour season, meaning there’s $20 million in the kitty and a winner’s share of $3.6 million awaiting the best player of this well-run tournament.

After all, the new St. John’s basketball coach lives on the famed Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY, a place both Bradley and Pitino are sure to be when Bradley wants to play a round or two to practice long before he takes another shot at another U.S. Open, for that event is at Winged Foot in 2028.

 

 

Sox Houck To Undergo Surgery

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck, who suffered a facial fracture after getting struck by a line drive last week, will undergo surgery next week to insert a plate into his face.

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Red Sox manager Alex Cora gave the update, adding he had no timetable for Houck’s return but said he expects the 26-year-old back this season.

The team placed Houck on the 15-day injured list on Sunday.

Cora did call it a “best-case scenario” for Houck, who was hit below the eye and temple.

“Sounds bad, right? Fracture,” Cora told reporters Tuesday. “But the fact that he knows he’s going to be part of this, it’s good. It’s the best news we can get.”

Houck was struck just under his right eye by a line drive from Kyle Higashioka of the New York Yankees on Friday night.

Houck, 26, is 3-6 with a 5.05 ERA through 13 starts this season.

He has a 12-15 record with nine saves and a 3.66 ERA in 66 career games (33 starts) with the Red Sox.

–Field Level Media

Father’s Day – June 17th, 2001

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TL’s Sunday Sports Notebook – June 18, 2023

While We’re Young (Ideas) – Asks All to Remember Our Guys

By TERRY LYONS

NEW YORK – This columnist often wonders how the three of them would’ve fared on September 11, 2001. The odds were terrible for firefighters from the outer boroughs. The odds were terrible for everyone anywhere near the World Trade Center that terrible September day, a day that began with postcard blue skies and a day when the polls opened at 6am for both Democratic and Republican primaries in NYC.

It had rained cats & dogs the night before, a Monday night when the Broncos beat the New York Giants, 31-20, on Monday Night Football. I can’t remember a thing about the game because I was stuck on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport after nearly a day of flying back from Brisbane, Australia and the 2001 Goodwill Games.

The next day, the game didn’t matter anymore. Nothing mattered, except to mourn the victims of a terrorist attack on United States soil – murder at its worst – at the Trade Centers, at the Pentagon and out in Somerset County, Pennsylvania where the closest town was Shanksville, PA – population 175.

Spin the calendar back a few months. Eighty-six days separated two dates of disaster for the FDNY in 2001. The date of September 11th is obvious to most, but many forget a date we promised three guys that we’d never forget. That – call it “other” – terrible date was 22 years ago to the exact date of this column being written.

June 17, 2001 was the date of the “Father’s Day Fire,” a five alarm blaze that engulfed a hardware store in Queens.

The fire began when two young boys were playing and knocked over a gasoline container at the rear of the store. The gas leaked under a backdoor and was eventually ignited by a hot water heater with its pilot light glowing so innocently. One thing led to another, as fires in hardware stores often do, and propane tanks and dozens of gallon-sized paint cans started exploding.

It was 2:20pm on a beautiful, lazy day Sunday. When the fire fighters arrived and began their dangerous work by 2:40pm, all hell was breaking loose in a pair of two story buildings built in the 1930s. Smoke was billowing and the men who run into the burning buildings were doing what they were trained to do.

A massive explosion did the unspeakable damage, trapping three firefighters in rubble and debris in the back of the store while blowing other FDNY clear across the street in the front of the buildings. Reports showed 48-90 firefighters and a couple of civilians injured.

“What was a quiet Sunday turned into a terrible tragedy very quickly,” fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen told the Associated Press that terrible afternoon.

Firefighters Harry Ford, 50, and John Downing, 40, were outside the building opening windows to ventilate it when the explosion occurred. They were crushed to death when the roof and facade tumbled onto them.

Firefighter Brian Fahey, 46, was inside the store. He fell into the burning basement and was trapped for hours, officials said. Dozens of firefighters, some wielding pick axes and chain saws, cut through the rubble but Fahey died before they could reach him. It took some four hours to recover his body and soul.

Ford, a father of three, was a 27-year veteran who was decorated nine times for bravery. Downing was an 11-year veteran and father of two. Fahey, a father of three, was a 14-year veteran.

These deaths were not because of rookie mistakes. There was a combined 52 YEARS of experience. Then, so suddenly, there were eight children without their fathers.

  • Harry Ford, 50, from Rescue 4: Ford joined FDNY in 1974. He received the Thomas Crimmins Medal, and learned to rollerblade and snowboard because of his children.
  • Lt. John Downing, 40, Ladder 163: Downing joined FDNY in 1989. He enjoyed barbecuing, telling and listening to jokes, home improvement and was a sports fan.
  • Brian D. Fahey, 46, Rescue 4: Fahey joined FDNY in 1987. He was a volunteer with the Hempstead Fire Department Engine Co. 4 and a deputy chief instructor with the Nassau Fire Service Academy. In his spare time, he taught others how to fight fires.

Aside from the devastation of the loss of three brave public servants who I think of often for the last 22 years, just what was my personal bond with three men I never met and did not know anything about before they perished?

My children were born in 1997 and 1999. They were still toddlers on June 17, 2001, as they learned about the tradition of Father’s Day, and they loved the idea so much. I was relating to the fallen lads as a Father, not just a fellow New Yorker. We didn’t watch the TV news that June night, but eighty-six days later, living on the UES of Manhattan, the devastation of 9/11 was inescapable.

On June 17th, I bonded – spiritually – with three guys – father-to-father – and mourned the loss of the brave men and women who protect us all.

On September 11th, I wondered what a terrible world we had brought forth for my two daughters to live their lives.

I still wonder. And on Father’s Day, I’ll remember them once again with a prayer of Rest in Peace and hope for their families as they’ve carried on for 22 years.

Note: What can you do? A prayer for the Firefighters and their Families is appropriate or maybe a donation. If you’d like to do something for the FDNY or the Boston FD (Marathon domestic terror attack), you can show your support HERE or HERE.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: The hammer came down on Memphis Grizzlies All-Star guard Ja Morant and it fell hard and to the tune of a 25-game suspension without pay which estimates to a $7.5 million on his 2023-24 contract of $33.5 million. … In case you didn’t hear about the incident resulting in the suspension, Morant posed with a firearm in a car during a live-streamed video on May 13, less than two months after he was suspended eight games without pay for the live streaming of a video on March 4 in which he displayed a firearm while in an intoxicated state at a Denver area nightclub. Morant received an eight-game suspension in March,

On the more recent infraction, the NBA League Office’s investigation found that, on May 13, Morant intentionally and prominently displayed a gun while in a car with several other individuals as they were leaving a social gathering in Memphis. Morant wielded the firearm while knowing that he was being recorded and that the recording was being live streamed on Instagram Live, despite having made commitments to the NBA and public statements that he would not repeat the conduct for which he was previously disciplined. On May 16, Morant issued a statement taking full accountability for his actions.

Morant’s suspension begins immediately and will remain in effect through the first 25 games of the 2023-24 NBA regular season for which he is otherwise eligible and able to play. He’ll be required to meet certain conditions before he returns to play and will be ineligible to participate in any public league or team activities, including summer league and 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,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “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.”

Silver is a staunch advocate of the league working with its players on the players’ mental health as he recognizes the pressure and stress placed upon the league’s players, young and older. Silver addressed the situations in depth at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in 2022.

Not surprisingly, the head of the NBA Players Association balked at the length and severity of the suspension.

“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 in a statement as reported by multiple media outlets. “As to the discipline imposed … 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.”

The NBPA said it would explore “all options and next steps” with Morant.

Recognizing that the Players’ union must back-up its membership, the larger issue to the NBPA is the damage done to their own player marketing efforts, as the Union took back rights from the NBA years ago and formed Think450, an agency headed by Que Gaskins, noted rep of former NBA All-Star and MVP Allen Iverson.

In addition, former New Jersey Nets All-Star forward Jayson Williams served a 27-month sentence for accidentally wielding a 12-gauge shotgun and killing his limo driver, Costas “Gus” Christofi, on February 14, 2002. Williams was indicted for aggravated manslaughter and witness and evidence tampering, among other charges.

After issues with the trial and a hung jury, Williams pled guilty to aggravated assault in February 2010 and was sentenced to a five-year term, serving time only until April of 2012.

The NBA has repeatedly addressed the issues of gun violence and weapon safety in its longstanding Rookie and Player orientation program, dating back to 1987 when Boston Celtics great Tom “Satch” Sanders was asked to head-up the new department by the late NBA Commissioner David Stern.

TID-BITS: Former Charlotte Hornets team owner George Shinn scraped together $32.5 million dollars to secure the expansion team in 1988. On Friday, NBA legend Michael Jordan sold his majority shares in the club to fellow shareholders Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall with the franchise value at $3 billion. That a cool $2.968 billion increase in value over 35 years in the NBA. … Think Shinn should’ve kept hold of his asset?

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Yankees: Not Ready for Prime Time

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Justin Turner had a career-high-tying six RBIs and Masataka Yoshida posted his first career four-hit game as the host Boston Red Sox rolled past the rival New York Yankees 15-5 on Friday night. The Red Sox reached their season high in both runs and hits (17).

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Turner went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer and a grand slam, and Yoshida finished 4-for-4 to help Boston compile a season-high 17 hits.

Alex Verdugo, Triston Casas and Pablo Reyes had two hits apiece for the Red Sox, who have won back-to-back games and improved to 3-1 against New York this season.

Red Sox starter Tanner Houck exited the game after taking Kyle Higashioka’s comebacker off the head in the top of the fifth. He walked off under his own power, with blood on his right cheek, and he was diagnosed with a facial contusion.

Joe Jacques (1-0) earned his first major league win despite allowing three runs (one earned) in two innings.

Josh Donaldson went 2-for-4 and Anthony Rizzo had three RBIs for New York.

Boston led 4-1 before a six-run third broke the game wide open. Adam Duvall hit a leadoff double, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Yoshida’s base hit. Christian Arroyo followed with a double that ended Yankees starter Domingo German’s outing and continued the inning.

Reyes hit an RBI single off Matt Krook to make it 6-1. After a Verdugo single, Turner crushed a grand slam to straightaway center to bring the Red Sox into double digits.

In the fourth, Connor Wong and Reyes hit back-to-back RBI singles.

New York got back on the board in the sixth as Rizzo lined a two-run double to center and scored on Billy McKinney’s single. A Casas RBI single gave Boston a run in the next half-inning.

Donaldson hit a towering solo homer in the eighth, and Casas replied with an RBI double in the bottom of the frame.

The Yankees got on the board in the first inning as Jake Bauers hit a leadoff double into the right field corner and scored on Rizzo’s groundout.

It did not take much time for the home team to respond and flip the score as Yoshida’s two-out, two-run double made it 2-1 in the bottom of the first. A Turner double and Rafael Devers walk with one out set up the Japanese star.

The Red Sox extended their lead when Turner hit a two-run shot into the Green Monster seats after Verdugo’s two-out double in the second.

German (4-4) was charged with seven hits and seven runs over two-plus innings. He walked two and struck out one.

–Field Level Media

Sox Salvage Series with a Win

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BOSTON – Dodging thunderstorms and downpours, the Boston Red Sox put together a five-run seventh inning to help them end a five-game home losing streak with a 6-3 victory over Colorado. The Red Sox salvaged the finale of a three-game series.

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Rob Refsnyder‘s triple was the big blow in the inning as it scored Jarren Duran and Connor Wong and broke a 2-2 tie. Justin Turner followed with a single that scored Refsnyder, and then Alex Verdugo hit a double that drove in Turner to give Boston a 6-2 lead.

Red Sox starter Garrett Whitlock (4-2) limited the Rockies to two runs on six hits in seven innings. Rockies starter Austin Gomber (4-6) yielded three runs on six hits in six-plus innings.

Today is a rare off-day for the Sox who will welcome in the New York Yankees for a weekend set.

Red Sox Return Home for Rockies

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – In search of more offense, the Boston Red Sox return home to open a three-game home stand against the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.

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Although Boston won two of three games against the New York Yankees over the weekend, the Red Sox were held to seven runs in the series. Boston has scored three runs or fewer in eight of its last nine games and has a 3-6 record over that span.

“We have traffic,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of the Red Sox’s ability to get on base following Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Yankees. “We’re working the counts, but obviously we’re not scoring runs. We’re not finishing anything. The two-out hits … they’re always important in this game and we’ve just got to find a way to get it going, finish the at-bats.”

Monday’s contest will be the start of a 10-game road trip for Colorado, which ended a six-game losing streak by beating San Diego 5-4 Sunday. That victory also ended the team’s five-game losing streak at home.

Ryan McMahon hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning for the Rockies, and, after a 1-hour, 25-minute rain delay, Nolan Jones hit a game-winning home run later in the ninth.

Colorado also got a home run from second baseman Coco Montes in his major league debut.

Left-hander James Paxton (2-1, 3.81 ERA) is scheduled to start on the mound for the Red Sox on Monday. He’s 1-3 with a 4.82 ERA in four career starts against the Rockies.

Paxton struck out nine and gave up two runs in seven innings during his last start to help the Red Sox defeat Cleveland 5-4 last Tuesday.

“We feel really confident whenever Paxton is taking the bump right now,” Red Sox outfielder Rob Refsnyder said. “He’s got pretty special stuff as you see. A high 90s fastball, kind of just bearing in. He gives us ace-caliber stuff.”

The Rockies will be looking for another strong start from right-hander Connor Seabold, who took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Wednesday’s 5-4 loss to San Francisco. The no-hit bid ended when LaMonte Wade singled with one out in the sixth.

Seabold (1-2, 5.10) limited the Giants to two runs on two hits in six innings before departing in and ultimately receiving a no-decision. He struck out four and walked two.

“That’s the version that you’d like to see out of Connor and his stuff,” Colorado manager Bud Black said following that game. “Four pitches — fastball command to both sides of the plate, good changeup, slider, a couple of curveballs. A mix of pitches, changing speeds, disrupting timing of the hitters, crowding some guys on their hands.”

Before facing the Giants, Seabold allowed one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings against Arizona on June 1. He struck out five and walked two in that game — also a 5-4 loss in which he did not get a decision.

The Rockies acquired Seabold from the Red Sox in January. He spent most of the 2022 season with Triple-A Worcester, where he went 8-2 with a 3.32 ERA. Seabold has never pitched against the Red Sox.

Colorado catcher Elias Diaz was not in the lineup Sunday after he was hit in the mask by a foul ball during Saturday’s game. Catcher Brian Serven was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque for Sunday’s game against San Diego, though he did not play.

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes: June 11th

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – From the perspective of a present day columnist and former PR practitioner there’s a problem when a press release – dropped out of thin air – has been written by the lawyers.

Yes, this week, the good folks at the PGA Tour and LIV Golf decided to drop a little news on the sports world. They did so with an early morning news release that was grabbed by CNBC News, questioned as to its validity by The Dan Patrick Show a few minutes after 9:00am on the morning of June 6, 2023. It was verified by this publication when the third source was the homepage of PGATour.com itself.

You’d have thought they were trying to bury the story in quick sand.

From this columnists’ viewpoint, the news release had these qualities, of lack thereof:

  1. It was a major story but dropped on the global media as if it were a minor story, ready to be put out with the trash.
  2. It created more questions than it provided answers.
  3. After it was issued, instead of one solid spokesperson (a la PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan), it prompted conflicting commentary from a minimum of six people, including: PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, players such as Phil Mickelson (LIV), Rory McIlroy (PGA Tour), and PGA TOUR Policy Board member Jimmy Dunne.
  4. Every player hitting golf balls at the Pro-Am and practice rounds at the RBC Canadian Open was thrust into a barrage of questions – most Tour members left not knowing exactly what was going down.
  5. LIV Golf Commissioner Greg Norman was apparently “caught by surprise” and unavailable.
  6. The news release ended with a paragraph that said nothing and everything about the announcement. It read: “All parties will work in the months to come to finalize terms of the agreement, with details to be announced in due course.”

Ya think?

Here are just a few storylines created – including business reporters digging into the Tour’s longtime structure and Congress diving into the study as well – as the story advanced and more and more people felt the need to comment:

  1. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund which oversees LIV Golf and dozens of investments in sports and acquiring talent to play in Saudi-based sports interests will potentially invest in the PGA Tour as an exclusive investor. The PGA Tour is currently registered as a charity with separate business arms. The Tour has four related 501(c)(3) organizations—PGA Tour Charitable & Education Fund, PGA Tour Charities Inc, PGA Tour Employees Emergency Relief Fund and Pro Caddies Assistance Foundation—whose assets cannot be transferred to any for-profit entity.
  2. According to Laura Neal, Senior Vice President of the PGA Tour, as told to “InsideSources” that the PGA Tour organization “is a membership-based nonprofit” that complies with IRS rules, including making large charitable donations. A securities industry executive called the Tour a walking contradiction as its core business is registered with the IRS as a ‘business league’ but operates under nonprofit status. As has been reported over the years, that status allows the PGA to avoid hundreds of millions in taxes over the last few decades as its stages tournaments in locales where volunteers help stage the tournament and a significant dollar amount is targeted towards local charities in the city of each tournament. That has resulted in the PGA Tour donating some $3.64 billion to charity. (Way back in 2013, Forbes examined the PGA Tour structure – (link)
  3. It was said – prominently in the “news” release that “separately, PGA TOUR Inc. will remain in place as a 501(c)(6) tax exempt organization and retains administrative oversight of events for those assets contributed by the PGA TOUR, including the sanctioning of events, the administration of the competition and rules, as well as all other “inside the ropes” responsibilities, with Jay Monahan as Commissioner and Ed Herlihy as PGA TOUR Policy Board Chairman. PIF’s Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan will join the PGA TOUR Policy Board. The DP World Tour and LIV Golf will retain similar administrative oversight of events on their respective Tours.”
  4. It was said a few days after the “news” broke that “the loyal” PGA Tour players would “get equity” in the new structure. Seemingly, that would be a “make-good” for the loyal players who turned down the tens of millions and multi-million offers to jump ship and play a year of 54 (LIV) golf.
  5. The Wall Street Journal and other media outlets, it was said that the PGA Tour claimed “it could not afford to keep battling the billions of dollars PIF could place behind LIV Golf and its continuing efforts to lure more players to the renegade tour.
  6. Commissioner Monahan reportedly told employees of the Tour that they “were outmatched” by the Saudi investments.
  7. On Friday, PGA Tour honcho Jimmy Dunne felt it necessary to explain some of the intricacies of the new deal to ESPN.com, stating, “The new [company] would grow, and the [current PGA Tour] players would get a piece of equity that would enhance and increase in value as time went on,” Dunne said. “There would have to be some kind of formulaic decision on how to do that. It would be a process to determine what would be a fair mechanism that would be really beneficial to our players.”
  8. Other players started getting into the act, most notably Bryson DeChambeau said, “I do feel bad for the PGA Tour players because they were told one thing and something else happened. On our side, we were told one thing and it’s come to fruition.” DeChambeau went on to address the deepest of issues in the relationship of the sport of golf to the 9/11 Families United, stating to CNN’s Caitlin Collins in a live, two-way interview, “I think we’ll never be able to repay the families back for what exactly happened just over 20 years ago and what happened is definitely horrible,” said DeChambeau. “I think as time has gone on, 20 years has (sic) passed, we’re in a place now where it’s time to start trying to work together to make things better together as a whole. I don’t know exactly what they’re feeling. I can’t ever know what they feel, but I have a huge amount of respect for their position and what they believe. Nor do I ever want anything like that to ever occur again. I think as we move forward from that, we have to look toward the pathway to peace and forgiveness, especially if we’re trying to mend the world and make it a better place. I think this is what they’re trying to accomplish, LIV is trying to accomplish, PIF is trying to accomplish. We’re all trying to accomplish a better world for everybody with entertainment for everybody around the world.
  9. DeChambeau was asked by Collins about human rights violations and the CIA verified killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, an act that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered for assassination of the provocative and critical journalist. “It’s unfortunate what has happened and something I can’t necessarily speak on. I’m a golfer,” DeChambeau added. “But what I can say is that what they’re trying to do, what they’re trying to work on is to be better allies because we are allies with them. I’m not going to get into politics, I’m not specialized in that. What I can say is they’re trying to do good for the world and showcase themselves in a light that hasn’t been seen in a while. Nobody’s perfect, but we’re all trying to improve in life,” said the man who pocketed $150 million in a signing bonus to play LIV Golf.
  10. Said Vox’ Jonathan Guyer on the overall impact and resulting aspect of the (PGA Tour claims not to call it a) merger: “The golf course is perhaps not the arena that immediately comes to mind when you’re thinking about geopolitics. But with one proposed golf business deal, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, just hit the geopolitical equivalent of a hole-in-one.”

And, so, the story goes.

See you at next week’s U.S. Open in Los Angeles where there will be more than 100 new spokespeople for the continuing saga of “How the PGA Tour & LIV Worlds Turn.” Surely, the USGA is thrilled with the consequences of staging a major 10 days after the world of professional golf was turned inside out, upside down and sideways without any clear path made public.

After all, nobody’s perfect, right?

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: How about a few Red Sox notes to begin? … Since the start of 2022, 11 of 20 games between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have been decided by one run, including six of 11 at Yankee Stadium. … Boston 3B Rafael Devers hit his 11th career Home Run at Yankee Stadium Saturday night. The only other Red Sox players to hit as many as nine homers against the Yankees in New York prior to the age of 27 are Babe Ruth (10) and Ted Williams (9). … The Sox are in a stretch of playing 13 games in 12 days from June 3 to June 14, including the scheduled day-night doubleheader against Tampa on June 3. … They are scheduled to play 23 games in 23 days from June 3-to-25.

NEGRO LEAGUE MOTION PICTURE: (Report from Official News Release) – Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Sam Pollard, working with executive producer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, the Oscar-winner of “Summer of Soul,” Tariq Trotter of Descendant, and produced by RadicalMedia, THE LEAGUE celebrates the dynamic journey of Negro League baseball’s triumphs and challenges through the first half of the twentieth century.

The story is told through previously unseen archival footage and interviews with legendary players like Satchel Paige and Buck O’Neil – whose early careers paved the way for the Jackie Robinson era in Major League Baseball. They all created a platform for celebrated Baseball Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Hank Aaron who started their baseball careers in the Negro Leagues.

From entrepreneurial titans Cumberland Posey and Gus Greenlee, whose intense rivalry fueled the rise of two of the best baseball teams ever to play the game, to Effa Manley, the activist owner of the Newark Eagles and the only woman ever admitted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, THE LEAGUE explores Black baseball as an economic and social pillar of their local communities and a stage for some of the greatest athletes to ever play the game.

MOST BELOVED USA ATHLETES: The mention of both Hank Aaron and Willie Mays calls for a listing of many of the Most Beloved Athletes to Ever Play Sports:

  • Jack Nicklaus
  • Jackie Robinson
  • Willie Mays
  • Michael Jordan
  • Arthur Ashe
  • Babe Ruth
  • Bobby Orr
  • Hank Aaron
  • Roberto Clemente
  • Arnold Palmer
  • Jesse Owens
  • Julius Erving
  • Lou Gehrig
  • Joe DiMaggio
  • Wilma Rudolph
  • John Havlicek
  • Muhammad Ali
  • Ernie Banks
  • Wayne Gretzky *Canada
  • Mark Spitz
  • Althea Gibson
  • Richard Petty
  • Eric Heiden
  • Chris Evert
  • Tiger Woods
  • Michael Phelps
  • Roger Federer
  • “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias
  • Reggie White
  • Walter Payton
  • Jerry Rice
  • Cal Ripken, Jr.
  • Barry Sanders
  • Pele *Brazil
  • Serena Williams
  • Cathy Rigby
  • Guy LaFleur *Canada
  • Dorothy Hamill
  • Sugar Ray Leonard
  • Simone Biles
  • Rod Laver *Australia
  • Annika Sörenstam
  • Kerry Strug
  • Olga Korbut *Russia
  • Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
  • Charles Barkley
  • Mickey Mantle
  • Kathy Whitworth
  • Lee Trevino

TID-BITS: With the recent news of Angel Salcedo being hired by Channel 5 (Boston) as the newest sports reporter in this city, there’s cause to reminisce as we witness the changing of the guard for many of Boston’s local sports anchors. Salcedo fills a slot vacated by longtime anchor/reporter Bob Halloran’s retirement. The WCVB mainstay who recovered from a scary brain aneurysm seven years ago is the latest to retire from the local nightly newscasts. … Joe Amorosino, a sports reporter and anchor with WHDH Channel 7 for 25 years, is leaving the station after his contract expires at the end of June. In a decision entirely made by the 53-year old, Amorosino will focus on his family’s business and real estate interests. … Back in 2014, WCVB-TV’s Mike Dowling moved on after 28 years of sports reporting, many of those riding shotgun with the great Mike Lynch who decided to step-away from the nightly broadcasts in 2019. Lynch, too, suffered a stroke in 2022. He fully recovered from the episode but decided to step aside from the nightly grind after 38 years on the job.

On Friday, Lynch was inducted to the Massachusetts Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

CH-CH-CHANGES: Duke Castiglioni now heads up the sports desk at WCVB-5. The Marshfield High School and Stonehill College grad started at the station in 2018, working weekends. Duke’s father is the long-time voice of the Boston Red Sox, Joe Castiglione. … In January of this year, WBZ-TVwent so far as to run their weekday 6pm newscast without a sports segment. Sports director and anchor Steve Burton had his report nixed for some additional news and weather. Add to the mix the changing of the guard at WEEI-Radio where Glenn Ordway worked afternoon drive-time. Now, FM 98.5 dominates the morning and afternoon radio in Boston.

NBA Finals: Heat’s Spoelstra Focused on Return to Miami

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra isn’t hanging his head after seeing his team lose both of its home games in the NBA Finals. Although the Heat are facing elimination as they head to Denver to play Game 5 this Monday, Spoelstra remained confident that his charges would extend the series to Game 6 back in Miami.

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“All we’re focused on — I told the guys, feel whatever you want to feel tonight. It’s fine. You probably shouldn’t sleep tonight any amount of time. I don’t think anybody will,” Spoelstra said following the Heat’s 108-95 setback on Friday.

“We have an incredibly competitive group. We’ve done everything the hard way, and that’s the way it’s going to have to be done right now, again. All we are going to focus on is getting this thing back to the 305. Get this thing back to Miami. And things can shift very quickly.”

The Heat know that all too well, especially since they saw their 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference final go by the boards. They righted the ship by winning Game 7, however.

“You take it one game at a time,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said. “We’ve seen a team come back from 3-0 firsthand. So we just have to believe, and one game at a time.”

Jimmy Butler had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Adebayo amassed 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat. Kyle Lowry scored 13 points while Kevin Love and Duncan Robinson added 12 apiece for Miami.

The Heat are still holding out hope that they can become the second team to recover from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. The Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to beat the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Finals.

“It’s the same thing that it’s always been — it’s a game at a time,” Butler said. “Now we’re in a must-win situation every game, which we’re capable of. We’ve got to correct some things, but it’s not impossible. We got three to get.”

–Field Level Media