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Report: NBA’s “In-Season” Cup at Vegas

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LAS VEGAS – The NBA’s first in-season tournament will conclude with the semifinals and final in Las Vegas, ESPN reported. The semifinals are scheduled for Dec. 7 and the final for Dec. 9, and stats from the event, with the exception of the title game, will be included as part of the regular season, per ESPN.

The league will unveil details of the event at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, part of the NBA Con Fanfest being held at the site of the league’s most visible summer league.

ESPN will conduct a live show for the announcement, with NBA commissioner Adam Silver scheduled to be joined on the broadcast by others including the league’s past four No. 1 overall draft picks: the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, the Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero, the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham and the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards.

Some details of the tournament format were previously reported when the National Basketball Players Association agreed to the event as part of a labor deal.

Teams will be separated into six groups, three per conference, not necessarily by division. During group play, each club will have two home games and two road games. The six group winners and two wild cards will advance to the quarterfinals.

Players who are part of the championship team reportedly will get $500,000 apiece.

–Field Level Media

NBA Free Agency Round-Up

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MIAMI – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Once the NBA’s free agency negotiation period began Friday, plenty of reported deals — including Kyrie Irving staying with the Dallas Mavericks and Draymond Green remaining with the Golden State Warriors — made the headlines, but there were several other moves worth noting.

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The contract agreements with free agents become official July 6, per NBA free agency rules.

Here’s a look at several deals that were reportedly agreed to on Friday:

–The Miami Heat re-signed forward Kevin Love and added guard Jason Richardson, according to ESPN. The Athletic also reported that the Heat were set to trade Victor Oladipo to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Love, who will turn 35 before next season, turned his career around with Miami and played a key role in the team’s run to the NBA Finals.

A second-round pick of the Heat in 2015, Richardson, 29, gives his original team depth after Gabe Vincent reportedly joined the Los Angeles Lakers.

Oladipo, 31, spent 2 1/2 seasons in Miami. He previously played for Oklahoma City in 2016-17.

—Joe Ingles landed a deal with the Orlando Magic.

A key contributor off the bench for the Milwaukee Bucks last season, the 35-year-old forward is getting a two-year, $22 million contract with the Orlando Magic, per ESPN.

–Former MVP Derrick Rose is set to join the Memphis Grizzlies. The 34-year-old guard was a bit-part player for the New York Knicks last season.

–Forward Herb Jones is sticking with the Pelicans. Jones, 24, had declined his option on a minimum salary, opting instead to agree on a four-year, $54 million deal to stay with New Orleans, per an ESPN report.

–Veteran guard Dennis Schroeder is joining the Raptors. After losing star guard Fred Van Vleet to the Houston Rockets, Toronto landed Schroeder, 29, with a two-year deal worth a reported $26 million.

–Guard Reggie Jackson, 33, and center DeAndre Jordan, 34, will stay with the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets. Jackson’s deal is reportedly for two years and $10.25 million.

—Seth Curry, 32, is back for a third stint with the Mavericks, landing a two-year contract. The former Nets guard, one of the NBA’s best 3-point shooters, Curry played for Dallas in 2016-17 and again in 2019-20.

–The Minnesota Timberwolves are signing guard Shake Milton and forward Troy Brown. Milton, 26, formerly of the Philadelphia 76ers agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal, per an ESPN report. Brown, 23, played for the Lakers last season.

–The San Antonio Spurs retained forward Julian Champagnie with a four-year, $12 million contract. Champagnie, 22, signed with the team in February after he was waived by the Sixers. He averaged 11 points per game for San Antonio last season.

–The Boston Celtics agreed to a deal with forward Oshae Brissett, 25. According to ESPN, Brissett will get a player option for the second year of the contract.

–Field Level Media

Celtics Acquire Porzingis; Trade Smart

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Boston Acquired Jordan Walsh with 38th Pick in NBA Draft

BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – The Boston Celtics have acquired center-forward Kristaps Porzingis from Washington, a 2023 Memphis first round draft pick (25th overall), and a future first round draft pick from Golden State via Memphis as part of a three-team transaction. As part of the transaction, Memphis received all-defensive team guard Marcus Smart from Boston, while Washington acquired guard Tyus Jones from Memphis and forwards Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala, in addition to the draft rights to the 35th overall pick in 2023 from Boston.

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With the 25th pick, the Celtics drafted another Marcus – Marcus Sasser of the University of Houston – and immediately dealt him to the Detroit Pistons in a deal that saw Boston move back to No. 31 and acquire future second-round picks.

“On behalf of everyone here, I would like to thank Marcus for his many contributions, both on and off the court, as a Celtic. The greatest legacy you can leave is to make a place better than you found it. We are all better for getting to compete with Marcus Smart these past nine years,” said the head of the Celtics’ basketball operations department, Brad Stevens.

Smart was selected by the Celtics with sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and has since appeared in 581 games (360 starts) while averaging 10.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.6 steals in 30.0 minutes per game. The three-time all-defensive team selection led the Celtics to a playoff berth in each of his nine seasons with the franchise, including the 2022 Eastern Conference Championship and five Conference Finals. Smart ranks fourth in Celtics history with 914 steals and was honored with the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming the first league guard to take home the honor since Gary Payton in 1995-96.

“We are very happy to welcome Kristaps to Boston” said Stevens in a statement. “He brings a skill set and ability to impact the game that not only fits the needs of our team, but is elite for his position and size. The ability to play to his strengths with any combination of players is unique.”

Originally selected by New York with the fourth overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, Porzingis, 27, has appeared in 402 career games and has averaged 19.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 31.1 minutes per game. The seven-year NBA veteran joins the Celtics after stints at New York (2015-19), Dallas (2019-22), and Washington (2022-23).

Porzingis was named to the 2018 NBA All-Star Game and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team with the Knicks in 2015-16. He became one of five players in league history to record at least 4,000 points, 1,500 rebounds, 400 made three-pointers and 400 blocks before his 25th birthday, joining LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Tracy McGrady, Karl-Anthony Towns.

This year with Washington, Porzingis made the most starts in a season (65) since his 2016-17 campaign (65) and recorded career-highs in points (23.2), assists (2.7), and steals (0.9). The Latvia native finished the season as one of only three players in the league to average at least 20.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks during the 2022-23 season (Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid). Porzingis led the Wizards with 20 double-doubles while shooting a career-high 49.8 percent from the floor this season and has now shot above 45.0 percent from the field in three consecutive years.

The Celtics also made a series of Draft night transactions and the following trades are not yet finalized: (i) Boston acquired the 31st  pick and two future second round picks from Detroit in exchange for the draft rights to the 25th pick (Sasser); (ii) Boston then acquired the 34th and 39th pick from Charlotte in exchange for the draft rights to the 31st pick (James Nnaji); (iii) Boston then acquired the draft rights to the 38th pick (Jordan Walsh) and a future Dallas second round draft pick from Sacramento in exchange for the draft rights to the 34th pick (Colby Jones); and (iv) acquired a future second round draft pick from Atlanta in exchange for the draft rights to the 39th pick (Mouhamed Gueye).

The following future second round draft picks will be acquired by the Celtics once the trades have been finalized:

  • Dallas’ 2024 second round pick
  • The best of Detroit’s, Golden State’s, or Washington’s 2025 second round pick
  • The best of Minnesota’s, New Orleans’s, New York’s, or Portland’s 2026 second round pick
  • Atlanta’s 2027 second round pick

In one of the proposed future trades, the Celtics will acquire the draft rights to forward Jordan Walsh, who was selected with the 38th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Walsh, 6-7/205, tied the program record for most games played by a freshman with 36 appearances in his lone season at Arkansas and averaged 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 24.4 minutes per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field. The Branson, Mo., native helped the Razorbacks advance to the Sweet 16 of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Walsh was ranked the No. 11 prospect by ESPN in the Class of 2022 after being named to the 2022 McDonald’s High School All-American Game and a Jordan Brand Classic participant.

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

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

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.

Nuggets Take 2023 NBA Title

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DENVER – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – As the final seconds ticked down toward the first NBA title in Denver Nuggets history, star center Nikola Jokic walked backward past center court, turned toward the Miami Heat bench and shook hands with his vanquished opponents.

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Understated when the championship moment arrived, Jokic was anything but during the Game 5 of theNBA Finals, scoring 28 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in a 94-89 victory on Monday to wrap up the NBA championship.

After not winning the 2022-23 regular season MVP award for the first time in three seasons, Jokic instead helped Denver earn the ultimate team prize and was chosen the Finals MVP. The Nuggets never lost more than twice in any playoff series and finished with 10 victories in their last 11 postseason games.

“It’s good, it’s good,” Jokic said immediately after the victory on the ABC broadcast. “We can finally go home now.”

Jokic, always reluctant to talk about his own play, instead spoke volumes on the court by averaging 30.2 points, 14 rebounds and 7.2 assists.

“Nikola Jokic is a great person, he is a great husband, father, son and brother, and on the basketball court he has proven time and time again that he is the best player in the NBA,” Denver coach Michael Malone said. “He’s our MVP, we love him and we’re thankful he’s wearing a Nuggets uniform.”

Michael Porter Jr. put up 16 points and 13 rebounds, Jamal Murray had 14 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 11 as the top seed from the Western Conference finished off the eighth seed from the Eastern Conference in the best-of-seven series.

Denver advanced to the ABA Finals in 1976, joined the NBA the following season then lost in the Western Conference finals four times before making the title series this season.

“All the hard work, all the sacrifice, all the dedication all culminated in winning the championship,” Malone said. “We have news for everybody out there: We’re not satisfied with one. We want more. We want more.”

Jimmy Butler rallied late to score 21 points for Miami, while Bam Adebayo contributed 20 points and 12 rebounds and Max Strus and Kyle Lowry each had 12 points. The Heat knocked off the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and the second-seeded Boston Celtics on their way to representing the Eastern Conference in the Finals.

The Heat became just the second eighth seed to reach an NBA Finals, joining the 1999 New York Knicks, who lost the title series to the San Antonio Spurs.

“(It’s) true in sport and also in life that you don’t always get what you want, but there is no regret from our side,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Everybody, staff and player alike, put themselves out there and put themselves into the team, whatever was best for the team. The tough pill to swallow is that it just wasn’t good enough. … (The Nuggets) are one hell of a basketball team.”

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Perhaps struggling with the magnitude of the moment, the Nuggets shot just 1 of 15 from 3-point range in the first half and 3 of 8 from the free-throw line. However, they trailed just 51-44 at halftime before leading by as many as three points in the third quarter. Denver entered the fourth quarter trailing 71-70.

A jump hook by Jokic early in the final period gave the Nuggets a 72-71 lead with 11:39 to play before both teams ramped up their defensive intensity. After neither side scored for a 2:35 stretch, Jamal Murray’s 14-foot pullup jumper gave Denver an 81-76 advantage with 6:43 left.

A Jokic runner put the Nuggets up 83-76 with 4:43 remaining as the Heat opened the fourth quarter 2 of 16 from the field. Butler came to life in the final period, scoring the team’s last 13 points, including three free throws that were awarded even though he kicked out his right leg and caught an opponent on a 3-point attempt. However, Miami did not score over the final 1:57.

You can’t always get what you want,

NBA Finals TV Ratings Tick Downward

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BRISTOL, Conn – (Staff Report from ABC, ESPN and TNT averaged 5.47 million viewers per game during the NBA playoffs, the most-watched playoffs in five years, the networks announced Tuesday.

As for the NBA Finals, ABC brought in an average of 11.64 million viewers — a decrease from 2022, when a six-game series between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics averaged 12.402 million.

The 2023 Finals concluded Monday night with the Denver Nuggets defeating the Miami Heat in five games for their first NBA title in franchise history.

Game 5 averaged 13.084 million viewers, according to Nielsen. That was a four-year high, slightly beating out than last year’s NBA Finals Game 5 between the Warriors and Celtics (13.016 million).

Though Denver and Miami are large markets with teams in all four major North Americans sports leagues, some skeptics believed a Nuggets-Heat series would not garner as much interest as a potential matchup between the Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, historic rivals who each lost in their respective conference finals.

Denver led the nation with an average household rating of 21.55 for the length of the series, according to the blog Sports TV Ratings.

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