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Can Knicks Reverse the Curse?

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Celtics will be looking to remain unbeaten against the visiting New York Knicks this season when the teams meet in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Monday night.

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The Knicks lost each of their four regular-season games against the Celtics — and the first three losses came by at least 13 points. Boston also beat New York 119-117 in overtime April 8.

“Obviously, (we have to) play better than we did (against them) throughout the regular season,” said Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. “Be better, ready to do it from the jump, knowing it’s going to be a game of runs, knowing that they’re capable of doing a lot of great things.

“I feel like we played better in that (fourth) game. We adjusted from the first three times we played them, obviously still not getting it done, but definitely played better and competed better than the first three games. So that’s something we can look at and build off of.”

Six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum averaged 33.5 points on 53.5 percent shooting — 47.8 percent from 3-point territory — in the four regular-season games as Boston averaged 125 points per game against third-seeded New York, which advanced by beating Detroit in six games during the first round.

Twins Narrowly Defeat Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Minnesota’s Byron Buxton homered and Twin Cities’ DH Ryan Jeffers added two hits and two RBIs to help the visiting Twins defeat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Sunday. Buxton hit his seventh home run of the season on the game’s first pitch, and Jeffers had a two-run single with two outs in the seventh that erased a 3-1 deficit.

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It remained 3-3 until Harrison Bader doubled against Justin Slaten (0-3) in the eighth inning. Carlos Correa scored on the play to give the Twins a 4-3 lead. Trevor Larnach followed with a single that drove in Bader to make it 5-3.

Boston’s Wilyer Abreu collected three hits, including a solo home run in the eighth inning that cut Minnesota’s lead to 5-4, but Jhoan Duran pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the one-run lead and earn his fourth save.

Louis Varland got the win (2-3) for pitching one inning of scoreless relief. The victory gave Minnesota two wins in the three-game series.

Boston starter Garrett Crochet exited the mound after five innings (89 pitches). He gave up a run on four hits, walked two and struck out six.

Minnesota’s Chris Paddack also pitched the first five innings. He allowed three runs on five hits, walked two and recorded two strikeouts.

Carlos Narvaez gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second when his single drove in Abreu and Romy Gonzalez, both of whom singled earlier in the inning.

The Red Sox extended their lead to 3-1 in the third. Alex Bregman led off the inning with a walk, moved to third on Abreu’s single and scored on Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly.

The Twins tied the game in the seventh against reliever Garrett Whitlock. Jeffers’ two-run single drove in Bader and Christian Vazquez.

Correa had two hits in the victory. Boston received two hits from Ceddanne Rafaela.

–Field Level Media

Scheffler Just Missed PGA Tour Record

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DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Servi ce Report) – World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler has racked up massive credentials, but his latest achievement came with special significance.

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Scheffler won a tournament for the first time this year and did so in a big way, shooting 8-under-par 63 in the final round Sunday for an eight-stroke victory at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in McKinney, Texas, a northern suburb of Dallas.

“This story means a lot to me,” he said. “It’s my first start as a pro 11 years ago (in this event). I had my sister (as caddie for the tournament). She’s back there, too.”

Scheffler tied the PGA Tour record for lowest 72-hole score at 31-under 253. His bogey on the par-3 17th prevented him from breaking the record.

Scheffler captured his first championship in more than eight months, doing so near his native Dallas. It’s his 14th PGA Tour victory.

He didn’t enter the tournament at TPC Craig Ranch last year because he was about to become a first-time father.

“It feels like a lifetime of hard work and sacrifice for little moments like these, and they’re pretty special,” he said.

South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen was the runner-up, also shooting 63 for the final round and ending at 23 under.

Joining Scheffler with the hometown vibes for this tournament were Sam Stevens and Jordan Spieth.

“What he’s doing is inspiring,” Spieth said of Scheffler.

Stevens shot 64 for third place at 20 under. Spieth’s 62 tied his personal best on the PGA Tour and allowed him to rise to fourth place at 19 under.

Scheffler led each step of the way for his first victory since wrapping up the Tour Championship on Sept. 1.

After a weather-related interruption Friday and a late-afternoon tee time for Saturday’s third round that finished after dusk, it was smooth sailing for Scheffler on the tournament’s last day.

He began the round with an eight-stroke lead and recorded five birdies, a bogey and then an eagle on No. 9 for a front-nine score of 30. He was 29 under through the tournament’s first 63 holes.

van Rooyen also notched a front-nine 30 but made up no ground.

The hometown favorite then moved into record territory with birdies on Nos. 11, 14 and 15. He was in the rough off the tee on No. 17 and, after his chip shot rolled back off the green, settled for bogey.

But winning a tournament named after Nelson added to the importance for Scheffler.

“He was a great person, a family man, and I’m proud to be the champion at his event,” he said.

Spieth and Scheffler are longtime friends. Being near the top of the leaderboard together was special, but because of the margin they weren’t exactly jockeying for position.

“I don’t think this counts,” Spieth said. “I went off two hours ahead of him. Yeah, it would have been really cool if I were the one in that last group, and at least we were going back and forth a little. That would have been pretty fun, just being hometown players.”

Stevens soaked in the atmosphere. He had his best round of the tournament Sunday, bouncing back after Saturday’s 70.

“It was nice to kind of keep the pedal down a little bit,” Stevens said.

Spieth embraced what has been a steady recent rise. He said good fortune contributed.

“I got a bit lucky on 18. I thought I hit it in the water, and I ended up making birdie,” Spieth said. “Those are the kinds of breaks you need to sometimes shoot 62.”

Eight golfers tied for fifth place at 17 under: Sam Burns (65), Mark Hubbard (65), Will Gordon (65), Eric Cole (67), Kurt Kitayama (68), Ricky Castillo (69), Adam Schenk (69) and Japan’s Takumi Kanaya (65).

–Field Level Media

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes | May 4

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The 1999 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs in Milan

By TERRY LYONS. Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – Earlier this week, Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs announced Popovich will transition from head coach to president of basketball operations. In 29 seasons as the Spurs head coach, Popovich amassed 1,422 regular season wins, the most in NBA history. During his tenure, the Spurs captured five NBA championships.

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“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” said Popovich. “I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me.”

After joining the Spurs in the summer of 1988, as an assistant coach on Larry Brown’s staff, Popovich enjoyed a 37-year career in the NBA as a coach and executive. He spent two seasons, from 1992-94, as an assistant coach for Don Nelson with the Golden State Warriors. His other 35 NBA seasons have all been in San Antonio with the Spurs, making him the longest tenured professional coach among the four major North American leagues.

Popovich’s pre-NBA career is, perhaps, more amazing than his run in the league. As noted in Military dot com, Popovich was born in East Chicago in 1949, the first child of Raymond and Katherine. His father, a steel-mill pipefitter, had served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

As a youngster, Popovich did well in school academically, but “was the biggest wiseass you ever saw, and all I gave a damn about was playing ball,” he told the U.S. Army Installation Management Command in a 2012 interview. He enrolled in the Air Force Academy, and played basketball for the Air Force Academy in El Paso County, Colorado, just north of Colorado Springs.

Popovich majored in Soviet studies and graduated in 1970 after starting all four years for AF basketball where he was team captain and the leading scorer for the Falcons his senior season at the academy.

Then, it got very interesting.

Popovich served in the Air Force for the required five years of active duty, during which he toured Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union with the U.S. Armed Forces basketball team. After graduation, his first assignment put him with the 6594th Support Group at the Air Force Satellite Control Facility (AFSCF) in Sunnyvale, California. In those years of service, he operated spy satellites monitoring Soviet missile launches under the top-secret facility, under command of the Space and Missile Systems Center.

Popovich continued playing basketball while touring Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces Team. As a member of an all-star team Goodwill Tour from April to May 1972, he traveled to the then USSR capital of Moscow, the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, and the Estonian capital of Tallinn.

“The opportunities I got in the military to travel with basketball really made me understand how much basketball is played around the world, how many good players there are,” Popovich told The New York Times in 2005.

By 1973, he was transferred to Diyarbakir Air Station in Turkey, an American-Turkish military base that tracked Soviet launches.

After months of service in Turkey, Popovich returned to Colorado to coach high school at the Air Force preparatory school — for which he received an Air Force commendation medal — and then coached college-aged cadets at the Air Force Academy. He also was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon and Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon. He continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve until 1993, working his way up to the rank of major.

Popovich remained at the Air Force Academy for six years and served as an assistant for head coach Hank Egan, who later helped Popovich as an assistant coach with the Spurs.

In 1979, Popovich became the head coach of the Pomona-Pitzer men’s basketball team, but his biggest break came with his move in 1988 to the NBA as an assistant coach to Larry Brown with the Spurs.

Popovich became general manager of the Spurs in 1994, then head coach after Bob Hill was fired in 1996.

In 2015, Popovich was named head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team for the 2017-20 quadrennium, but the team suffered a tough loss to France in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Two years later, the USA men’s national team earned a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. (The 2020 Games were postponed a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and staged in 2021).

While the biography remains stellar and Popovich’s work with the Spurs continues, his resume also includes a rather manipulative and cranky side. In many instances with his interactions with the media, he was an intimidating bully, one who was actually sending messages to the NBA league office and then-Commissioner David Stern.

Popovich detested doing in-game interviews and remained “old-school” throughout his coaching days, even as the NBA became more and more media savvy and the demands of TV partners mounted. Quite famously, Popovich gave the late Craig Sager of Turner Sports the hardest of times as Sager’s outside reporter duties called for him to interview Popovich on the basketball court at times when Popovich preferred to be with his club and not be bothered.

The one word answers – complete with a smirk or roll of the eyes – became legendary, the insults grew embarrassing and frequently Popovich crossed the line of sic human decency. But through it all, Popovich developed a sincere appreciation for Sager’s doggedness and tenacity, admiring Sager’s preparedness as well. Somehow, through it all – in years, not days or weeks – the two became solid friends.

When Sager was battling leukemia and the entire NBA and sports world were paying tribute to the broadcaster, Popovich led the way – often very subtly and behind the scenes and sometimes on camera – joking with Sager about his wildest sport coat, and breaking any tension that might’ve existed in the past.

That edge and manipulation factor were out-done by Popovich’s pure and honest humanity. The coach’s insights and generosity were seen more often and his commentary of current events, world politics and the state of the United States presidency remain legendary quotes and must-see TV.

So, in the TL take side of this column, I am not here to bury Gregg Popovich but to praise him. There were more than a few practical jokes he played on us, and we’d all get a laugh. And, he truly loves the game of basketball and – without a doubt – he’s the greatest NBA coach of all-time.

Do I wish there were fewer “cross the line” intervals with the NBA’s media contingent over the many years? Yes. Do I wish there were fewer (F-U) messages sent in code to the NBA league office and its Commissioner? Yes. Do I wonder what it was like for then rookie Tony Parker being crushed and degraded as a ballplayer to the point where longtime Spurs basketball GM R.C. Buford had to talk “Pop” off the ledge from cutting Parker? Yes.

But, like everything in his life, somehow Popovich would come full circle to see the results he envisioned, and thus the incredible rise of Parker to NBA Finals MVP level (2007).

The tail end of Popovich’s illustrious coaching career sadly will be remembered for the “mild stroke” he suffered on November 2, 2024 while at the Spurs facilities. Assistant coach Mitch Johnson was named the acting coach in Popovich’s absence and Johnson named the next full time head coach of the Spurs this week.

All-in-all and despite the abrupt end to Popovich’s on court coaching career, there have been too many wins, too many Hall of Famers coached to their highest potential, and too many NBA titles (5) to call his scope of work in the NBA anything other than fabulous – maybe even, FAN-tastic, a phrase to honor the coach and his contributions to San Antonio, the Spurs organization and the overall and worldwide game of basketball.

The Winningest Head Coaches in NBA History

  • Gregg Popovich – 1,388
  • Don Nelson – 1,335
  • Lenny Wilkens – 1,332
  • Jerry Sloan – 1,221
  • Pat Riley – 1,210

The other two coaches to be highlighted among the very best of all time were the two “Reds” – Red Auerbach of the Boston Celtics and Red Holzman of the New York Knickerbockers.

  • Red Auerbach – 938 (coached Washington Capitals and Tri-Cities Blackhawks, too)
  • Red Holzman – 696

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday was named by the NBA as the recipient of the Joe Dumars Trophy for winning the 2024-25 NBA Sportsmanship Award. This is the second NBA Sportsmanship Award for Holiday, who also earned the honor in the 2020-21 season with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Presented annually since the 1995-96 season, the NBA Sportsmanship Award honors a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court. The trophy is named for Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and two-time NBA champion Joe Dumars, who won the inaugural NBA Sportsmanship Award and played his entire 14-year career with the Detroit Pistons.

Each NBA team nominated one of its players for the 2024-25 NBA Sportsmanship Award. From the list of 30 team nominees, a panel of league executives selected six finalists (one from each NBA division). Current NBA players selected the winner from the list of six finalists.

In addition to winning the NBA Sportsmanship Award twice, Holiday is a three-time recipient of the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award for his selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team. Holiday is also a finalist for the 2024-25 NBA Social Justice Champion Award, marking the third time he has been a finalist for the honor in its five-year history.

A 16-year NBA veteran, Holiday is a two-time NBA All-Star and six-time Kia NBA All-Defensive Team selection. He has won two NBA championships (one each with Boston and Milwaukee) and two Olympic gold medals with the USA Men’s National Team.

Sadly, the glut of the “do good” awards has forced the hand of the Pro Basketball Writers Association and they have discontinued the annual J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award that was given annually by the writers from 1975 until 2024. (James) Walter Kennedy was the NBA’s second Commissioner (1963-1975) and his title was league President. He passed away in 1977 at the young age of 65. A native of Stamford, Connecticut, Kennedy was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1981.

The NBA now recognizes:

  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Award
  • Jack Twyman-Maurice Stokes Teammate of the Year Award
  • Joe Dumars Sportsmanship Award
  • Lifetime Achievment Award

While the Basketball Hall of Fame recognizes:

  • John Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award (Highest basketball honor outside Induction/Enshrinement into the Basketball Hall of Fame itself).
  • Manny Jackson Human Spirit Awards (usually recognizing three players)
  • Ice Cube Impact Award (presented to Ice Cube himself in its inaugural year)

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: TPC Craig Ranch is hosting The CJ CUP Byron Nelson golf tournament for the fifth time, honoring the legacy of the tournament namesake, in the great Byron Nelson. It was the first PGA Tour event to be named in honor of a professional golfer. Nelson had 52 career PGA Tour wins including a record 18 event titles (11 straight) in 1945.

SOX: The Red Sox won 16 games during the month of April, trailing only the Detroit Tigers (18) for most in the American League … A streak of six straight quality starts by Boston pitchers ended Saturday when Sox RHP Hunter Dobbins missed earning a quality start by one batter. Dobbins did go 5.1 innings to extend Boston’s streak of 15 starting pitchers going at least 5 IP. That dates back to April 18.

For no reason at all, Boston broke out their yellow “Boston City Connect” (tribute to the Boston Marathon) uniforms on Saturday. Prior to Saturday’s afternoon game, delayed by rain, the Red Sox are 37-16 when they don the yellows. Boston is 22-12 in the uniforms since 2023.

Of late, the Red Sox have lost three of the last four games and six of their last 10. In MLB, the fans tend to do some scoreboard watching come September but sometimes the games of May or June determine the season.

When Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran faced Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran in the 9th inning at Fenway Saturday, it was Duran-Duran. Although Boston’s lead-off hitter was “Hungry Like the Wolf,” he grounded out to shortstop and must’ve “Come Undone.”

On Sunday, May 4, the good folks at Strat-O-Matic will “take over” the Mets House NYC at Union Square, in Manhattan from 11:00am through mid-afternoon for open Strat-O-Matic play, prize giveaways, meet-and-greets with Strat-O-Matic founder Hal Richman and other staffers. The latest simulated games (series) was between the current 2025 Mets and the 1986 Mets, one of the best and most likable teams in NYM history. In the decisive Game 7, the ‘86 club’s Ray Knight hit .375 and his teammates, Mookie Wilson and Keith Hernandez, both hit .333 as the ‘86 squad won the simulated series in seven, rallying for two runs in the bottom of the 10th to win, 4-3.

If you’re wondering how Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman and the ‘69 Mets would fare, the simulation boards had the current 2025 team winning four straight. Red hot NYM 1B Pete Alonso hit .353, with two HR, and four RBI while SS Francisco Lindor batted a blistering .412, scoring five runs. On the hill, closer Edwin Diaz, appeared in four games, and earned three saves to close down the series against those pesky ‘69 Mets.

THIS JEST IN: Roger Clemens stopped by the Fenway Park press box on Friday night, but it was Saturday afternoon when the Rocket watched his son, Kody, hit his first homer of 2025, a 398 foot blast to right field. It was Kody’s first time ever facing the Red Sox and he has only the Baltimore Orioles remaining for teams he hasn’t played against. Kody is a 28 year old, 6-1, 190 lb infielder.

Here’s one for the ages. On Tuesday, Netflix will premier Untold: Shooting Guards (emphasis on the shoot). The promo reads: “What really went down between GilbertArenas and Javaris Crittenton? It continues, “This exposé unpacks how a gambling dispute led to guns drawn in an NBA locker room.”

NBC Sports commentator Mike Tirico was forced to sit out for the 2025 Kentucky Derby broadcast after suffering a nut allergy exposure.

John Skipper, the former head of ESPN and once most powerful man in sports, stepped down from his post at Meadowlark Media, a production company he founded with former ESPN host Dan LaBatard. In between ESPN and Meadowlark, Skipper was executive chairman at DAZN.

RIP: Stan Love, a 6-foot-9 forward and father of NBA star Kevin Love, passed away last week at the age of 76. Stan Love was a top-notch player for the University of Oregon, and was selected ninth overall in the 1971 National Basketball Association draft by the Baltimore Bullets, the predecessors of the Washington Wizards. He averaged 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds a game with modest playing time over four seasons with the Bullets and the Los Angeles Lakers of the N.B.A. and the San Antonio Spurs, then of the American Basketball Association. Stan was also the brother of the singer Mike Love of the Beach Boys and a onetime bodyguard and caretaker of the band’s brilliant but troubled leader, Brian Wilson

Sovereignty in Front

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LOUISVILLE – Horse trainer Bill Mott looked like he was gliding on air as he made his way into the infield at Churchill Downs early Saturday evening. Just moments before, his horse Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby.

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He displayed a beaming smile while working through the crowd of well-wishers to get to the winner’s circle with jockey Junior Alvarado, Godolphin LLC racing manager Michael Banahan and others connected to the winner of the 151st Run for the Roses.

Godolphin, a global racing giant, celebrated its first Derby win after 26 years of trying. It was the first win for Alvarado in the Derby or any Triple Crown race, and it was the second for Mott. However, he had good reason to treat this like his first.

Six years ago, the Kentucky Derby was in limbo for 22 minutes while stewards reviewed the race. Mott’s Country House finished second to Maximum Security, but he would be named the winner after Maximum Security was deemed to have interfered with other horses. The 2019 decision ranks as one of the most controversial outcomes in the century-and-a-half history of America’s biggest horse race.

That night, Mott called the outcome “bittersweet.” This time around, there was nothing bitter about it.

“This is better,” he told reporters Saturday. “I said afterwards I want to finish first, cross the line first.”

Jim Dent, PGA Tour Pioneer, 85

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AUGUSTA – (Wire Service Report) – Jim Dent, a pioneering Black golfer, one of the PGA Tour’s longest hitters and a 12-time winner on what is now PGA Tour Champions, died at age 85 on Friday.

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Dent, who died a week before his birthday in his native Augusta, Ga., was recovering from the effects of a stroke, the PGA Tour said.

“A lot of people will remember Jim Dent for how far he hit the ball, and he really did. Yet his long-term success, especially on our tour, proved Jim was more than just long off the tee,” said PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady. “Jim was as easy going as he was competitive, and he added so much during his time as a PGA Tour Champions player. We offer our sincere condolences to his entire family.”

Dent worked as a teenager caddying at Augusta Municipal Golf Course, known at “The Patch.” He also worked at Augusta National Golf Club but in his adult years never qualified as a player for the Masters in 16 consecutive campaigns on the PGA Tour, when he never appeared in less than 22 tournaments a season.

Turning pro in 1966 and qualifying for the PGA Tour starting in 1971, Dent made the cut in 296 of 450 tour events, including 25 top-10 finishes, and earned $565,809 in official money in a different era for tournament purses.

Red Sox Rally vs Twins

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Rafael Devers hit a key two-run single in the seventh inning as the Boston Red Sox rallied for five late runs to beat the visiting Minnesota Twins 6-1 in the opener of a three-game series Friday night.

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Boston’s Alex Bregman (2-for-4) and Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers hit solo homers in the early innings and the game remained a 1-1 stalemate until Devers (3-for-5) knocked the deciding hit past the dive of Twins second baseman Edouard Julien in the hole.

Also for the Red Sox, David Hamilton went 3-for-4, driving in a run and scoring two more after his final two at-bats.

Justin Wilson (1-0) earned the win in relief of starter Brayan Bello, who struck out five and allowed one run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. Greg Weissert and Liam Hendriks preserved the score with scoreless innings thereafter.

Boston first baseman Triston Casas was stretchered off the field with an apparent serious leg injury after an awkward landing on the first base bag in the second inning. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said afterward that Cases sustained a “significant knee injury” and was at the hospital.

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With Louie Varland (1-3) relieving Minnesota starter Joe Ryan following six innings of four-hit ball with one run allowed and eight strikeouts, Connor Wong and Hamilton knocked back-to-back singles to start Boston’s seventh. After Ceddanne Rafaela’s sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position, Devers delivered the key hit.

Boston added on with three runs on five hits in the eighth. Trevor Story snuck a leadoff single up the middle and stole second before scoring on Romy Gonzalez’s double off the right-field wall.

Gonzalez followed with a theft of third and scored on Hamilton’s Green Monster-banging double. Jarren Duran knocked another RBI hit through the right side two batters later.

Bregman staked the Red Sox to a 1-0 lead when he socked a two-out homer out to center in the first, but the game quickly settled into a pitching duel from there, as Ryan did not allow another hit until the fifth.

Minnesota’s lone breakthrough against Bello was a Jeffers line-drive homer to lead off the third. The Boston righty induced a double play off the bat of Brooks Lee to erase a Byron Buxton single in the first and — similarly to his counterpart — allowed just one other hit besides the homer before the sixth.

The pitching duel continued well into the middle innings, with Boston squandering a two-on chance in the sixth. Devers hit a leadoff single before reaching third on Story’s two-out knock, but Ryan struck out Gonzalez to end the threat.

Popovich Retires as “Coach Pop”

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SAN ANTONIO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Gregg Popovich is stepping away as head coach of the San Antonio Spurs and will become the team’s president of basketball operations, the Spurs announced.

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Popovich, 76, took over as the head coach in San Antonio 18 games into the 1996-97 season as led the Spurs to five NBA championships in 29 seasons. With 1,422 regular-season wins, he is the winningest coach in NBA history.

He missed most of the 2024-25 campaign, however, after suffering a mild stroke on Nov. 2. Interim coach Mitch Johnson was in charge the rest of the season and posted a 31-45 record with the young Spurs.

“While my love and passion for the game remain, I’ve decided it’s time to step away as head coach,” Popovich said in a statement Friday. “I’m forever grateful to the wonderful players, coaches, staff and fans who allowed me to serve them as the Spurs head coach and am excited for the opportunity to continue to support the organization, community and city that are so meaningful to me.”

The team has yet to announce who will serve as head coach in the 2025-26 season but ESPN reported that Johnson will get the job on a permanent basis.

The Spurs finished the 2024-25 campaign at 34-38 but have two of the brightest young stars in the game — Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, the last two winners of the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.

The Spurs made the NBA playoffs for 22 consecutive seasons under Popovich but have not qualified in the past six. San Antonio won at least 50 games in 18 consecutive seasons.

The Spurs put out a tribute video Friday that featured him along with some of the greatest moments and greatest players of his era, writing, “Thank you, Coach Pop, for your brilliance on and off the court. We look forward to our next chapter together.”

Erik Spoelstra, who has guided the Miami Heat since the 2008-09 season, becomes the longest-tenured coach in the NBA.

Popovich began his NBA career in 1988 as an assistant to Spurs coach Larry Brown. In 1992, he moved to a similar role with the Golden State Warriors and returned to San Antonio after two seasons, first in a front office role before becoming head coach. In all, 35 of his 37 NBA seasons have been with the Spurs.

With the Spurs, he has a career record of 1,422-869 in the regular season (.621) and a postseason record of 170-114 (.599).

He has won three NBA Coach of the Year awards, tying Don Nelson and Pat Riley for the most all-time honors. He led the Spurs to titles in 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014.

Popovich also led the 2020 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in Tokyo. He was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour: CJ Cup Preview

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McKINNEY, TEXAS – THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson is held in the northern suburbs of Dallas, not too far from the sports paradise of Frisco. The TPC Craig Ranch will host THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson for the fifth time, honoring the legacy of the tournament namesake, Byron Nelson. It was the first PGA TOUR event to be named in honor of a professional golfer. Nelson had 52 career PGA TOUR wins, and won a record – 18 titles with 11 straight – in 1945.

Native Texan Jordan Spieth of Dallas will make his 13th career tournament appearance. His best finish? Was 2nd/2022. He made his PGA TOUR debut as a 16-year-old at this event in 2010 and finished T16 that year. He has finished inside the Top 20 in each of his last three starts on TOUR (T12/Valero Texas Open, T14/Masters Tournament, T18/RBC Heritage)

CJ Group ambassadors in the field include: Byeong Hun An, Sungjae Im, Si Woo Kimand Kris Kim; Im (No. 20) and An (No. 37) are the two highest-ranked players from South Korea in the Official World Golf Ranking.

An interesting factoid: 11 of the last 16 champions at THE CJ CUP Bryon Nelson have been international players, including the last five (Sung Kang/South Korea/2019, K.H.Lee/South Korea/2021-22, Jason Day/Australia/2023, Taylor Pendrith/Canada/2024)

Sung Kang (2019) and Taylor Pendrith (2024) are the two past champions in the field

THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson | Tournament Facts

COURSE: TPC Craig Ranch, McKinney, Texas

YARDS/PAR: 7,569 yards/Par 71

ARCHITECT: Tom Weiskopf

PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $9,900,000/$1,782,000

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Taylor Pendrith

PAST RESULTS: (link)

OVERVIEW: (PGATourCom)

FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500

SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup

BYRON NELSON ORGANIZATION: (link)

Crochet to Dish in Toronto

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TORONTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet aims to improve on his last start when he faces the host Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series.

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The left-hander allowed four runs, five hits and a career-high five walks in five innings on Thursday in a 4-3 home loss to the Seattle Mariners.

Crochet took responsibility for the loss after the Mariners touched him for two runs in each of the first two innings.

“The game was the first two innings that I pitched,” he said. “That was really what lost us the game.”

The Blue Jays can look forward to Crochet reverting to a power pitcher from the beginning on Tuesday. He was trying to be a little too fine in the early innings against the Mariners.

“It became something where I was trying to pitch instead of just throwing,” he said after the start. “Once I started getting back to my roots and just being a power pitcher later in the game, the walks were still there, but I was at least able to get guys out.”

This will be the second time this season that Crochet (2-2, 1.95 ERA) will face the Blue Jays. He took his first loss of the season against them at Fenway Park on April 8 when he allowed four runs (one earned), five hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings. In four career outings (two starts) against Toronto, he is 2-1 with a 0.66 ERA in 13 2/3 innings.

He is expected to be opposed by right-hander Bowden Francis (2-3, 3.58) on Tuesday. Francis has not faced the Red Sox this season, but he has had success against them. He is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings over in five career games (two starts) against Boston.

The Red Sox are coming off a 13-3 road victory over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday. Kristian Campbell was 2-for-2 with four runs, a double, three walks, two RBIs and a stolen base in what manager Alex Cora described as “all-around probably one of his best, if not the best, game of the season.”

Campbell helped Boston take two of three from Cleveland.

The Blue Jays are returning from a 1-5 road trip after being swept 11-2 and 5-1 in a doubleheader by the New York Yankees on Sunday.

Toronto won the opener of the series 4-2 on Friday followed by a postponement on Saturday.

The Blue Jays’ lack of hitting with runners in scoring position was again a problem, going 2-for-17 over the doubleheader. They scored seven runs over the three games at New York. Before that, they totaled two runs and nine hits when they were swept in a three-game series against the Houston Astros.

Manager John Schneider knows what the Blue Jays must do better when they open their six-game homestand.

“Better at-bats with guys on base and taking advantage of mistakes,” Schneider said. “Things that we talk about all the time. … We know that we have the guys in there that can do it.”

Blue Jays center fielder Daulton Varsho is expected to return soon from his minor league rehabilitation assignment. He started the season on the injured list after offseason right rotator cuff surgery.

Toronto recalled outfielder Jonatan Clase to be their 27th player for the doubleheader on Sunday and he was returned to return to Triple-A Buffalo later the same day.

–Field Level Media