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Kevin Durant’s next team after the Suns couldn’t be clearer

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Kevin Durant’s next team after the Suns couldn’t be clearer


The Phoenix Suns are exploring Kevin Durant trades after missing the playoffs, and the Miami Heat are the obvious partner. There will be several bidders for the all-time great scorer. The 36-year-old still put up monster numbers, but the Suns’ massive payroll is forcing them to cut costs.

Trading Durant allows them to retool around Devin Booker. He wants to spend his entire career in Phoenix, and the franchise must keep a competitive roster around him. The Suns’ only shot of making that a reality is maximizing their return for KD and completely overhauling their team. Phoenix needs to find a way to move Beal and put pieces that fit around Book.

The Heat have flirted with Kevin Durant for years, including making a run before the trade deadline. Miami thought the asking price was too rich, but things will be different this summer. The Suns are determined to move on, and there is a desperate need on the other side.

Heat desperately need Kevin Durant to stay in contention

Miami was destroyed by the Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. They lost by an average of 30.5 points per game in the sweep and looked like a team that didn’t belong in the postseason after trading Jimmy Butler. They lacked offensive firepower and struggled to trust their young talent. Davion Mitchell earned his place in South Beach, but the rest of the roster behind Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo was lacking.

They need a lights-out scorer to relieve the offensive pressure. Durant can create shots, make plays, and stretch the floor. He is a better scorer than Jimmy Butler and instantly makes the Heat a dangerous team in the East. They are not a serious title threat, but Miami would make the playoffs with a shot to win in round one.

Pat Riley is always chasing his next star. The Heat do not have the assets to land Giannis Antetokounmpo, which puts them squarely in the Durant sweepstakes. They can trade three first-round draft picks and have young talents like Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic. The Suns have just two players under 25 years old on their roster, so getting a couple of young pieces and draft picks is a must.

This may not be the trade Suns fans want, but Durant turns 37 in September. He is entering the final year of his contract and making $54.7 million. It is a hefty price to pay for an aging superstar with a lengthy injury history. Phoenix is not recouping what they paid, and the Heat may have the best offer.

The Phoenix Suns will trade Kevin Durant this offseason. It should be all about maximizing their return and trying to build a competitive roster around Devin Booker. The Miami Heat are the obvious trade partner for KD, and the new front office should already be working on the deal. There will be needed changes. Hopefully, that is enough to get the Suns out of their current mess, but fans shouldn’t count on it.



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NBA Mock Trade Imagines Giannis Antetokounmpo to Sixers

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NBA Mock Trade Imagines Giannis Antetokounmpo to Sixers


Another first-round exit for the Milwaukee Bucks calls for another summer filled with questions surrounding the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo in Wisconsin.

The Greek Freak just wants to win. Years after getting a taste of what it’s like to hold the NBA Championship trophy, Antetokounmpo’s situation seems to be heading towards a rebuild soon.

Antetokounmpo’s top sidekicks are gone, as the Bucks moved on from Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday. While they took a big swing on Damian Lillard last year, the veteran guard is in for a long recovery next year after tearing his Achilles in the 2025 playoffs.

Giannis Antetokounmpo 76er

Apr 3, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) passes the ball against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) in the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

A forced trade doesn’t seem that far-fetched for Giannis these days. A recent roundup of mock trades created by The Athletic created a potential framework, which imagines Antetokounmpo joining the Philadelphia 76ers.

In this scenario, the Sixers land the former MVP on his own. They part ways with Paul George, Jared McCain, a 2025 first-rounder, a 2028 first-rounder from the Los Angeles Clippers, a 2029 pick swap from the Los Angeles Clippers, and a 2030 first-rounder.

“Obviously, taking back George is a tough proposition, but this is a trade proposal rich in assets, beginning with the 2025 first-round pick, which would land in the top six if Philadelphia keeps control. McCain is a terrific young prospect who would immediately give Milwaukee two young players to build off.”

The Bucks would have to fully commit to a rebuild if they are moving on from Antetokounmpo. If the 35-year-old sharpshooter had fewer seasons left on his expensive contract, maybe this deal could work for Milwaukee, as they would have the flexibility to move George to another contender.

Not only did George just wrap up one of his worst scoring seasons in years, while battling multiple injuries, but the veteran is just one season into a four-year deal. The Athletic’s Bucks Insider described this type of framework as “insulting” for Milwaukee.

The Bucks wouldn’t make this trade, and it’s hard to imagine the Sixers would truly enter the market for Antetokounmpo anyway. As dominant as he is, the Sixers learned that the veteran superteam isn’t a recipe for guaranteed success. This year, they have to commit to a more balanced approach and seek continuity.

More 76ers on SI



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Rolly Romero Upsets Ryan Garcia By Unanimous Decision in Times Square Boxing Fight

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Rolly Romero Upsets Ryan Garcia By Unanimous Decision in Times Square Boxing Fight


Rolly Romero staged a massive upset over Ryan Garcia on Friday, winning via unanimous decision (115-112, 115-112, 118-109) in New York City’s Times Square.

Per DraftKings, Garcia was a -1100 favorite ($1,100 bet to win $100) going into the evening. But Romero shocked fans with a phenomenal performance, which included a knockdown.

CompuBox provided the details. Like the Devin Haney vs. José Ramírez fight beforehand, there weren’t many punches thrown. But it’s clear Romero was the better fighter on this night, as exemplified by his body shots.

This fight marked Garcia’s first match since the New York State Athletic Commission suspended him for a failed drug test due to ostarine following his April 2024 decision win over Devin Haney. His return was part of a spectacle at an outdoor ring in Times Square. Garcia vs. Romero closed the five-fight card.

Garcia rolled to the ring with great confidence and walked out of a Batmobile before the match.

However, the 29-year-old Romero exited the ring as the winner on this evening, moving to 17-2 lifetime. The 26-year-old Garcia fell to 24-2 with one no-contest.



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Rolando Romero disrupts Ryan Garcia’s plans in massive upset

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Rolando Romero disrupts Ryan Garcia’s plans in massive upset


  • Andreas HaleMay 2, 2025, 10:19 PM ET

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      Andreas Hale is a combat sports reporter at ESPN. Andreas covers MMA, boxing and pro wrestling. In Andreas’ free time, he plays video games, obsesses over music and is a White Sox and 49ers fan. He is also a host for Sirius XM’s Fight Nation. Before joining ESPN, Andreas was a senior writer at DAZN and Sporting News. He started his career as a music journalist for outlets including HipHopDX, The Grammys and Jay-Z’s Life+Times. He is also an NAACP Image Award-nominated filmmaker as a producer for the animated short film “Bridges” in 2024.

NEW YORK — What was supposed to be a memorable event Friday night in Times Square ended up a forgettable one that lacked action and left boxing fans unfulfilled.

The plan was for Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney to win their respective fights and meet for a highly anticipated rematch later this year. Haney held up his end of the bargain, albeit with a lackluster decision, but Rolando “Rolly” Romero played the role of disruptor, pulling off a massive upset of Garcia by unanimous decision (115-112, 115-112, 118-109) to cap the underwhelming night of fights.

In the main event, Garcia’s return to boxing after a one-year suspension for failing a drug test after his April 2024 fight with Haney was a disaster. Garcia (24-2, 1 NC) entered the fight as a -1000 favorite on ESPN BET. However, he wasn’t able to uncork his trademark left hook or mount any significant offense in the 12-round affair.

Instead, Romero (17-2) set the tone early and dropped Garcia with a left hook in Round 2. Although Garcia didn’t appear hurt, the knockdown altered the course of the fight as he went from eager to timid for the rest of the fight. Neither fighter seemed to be interested in letting his hands go, with a combined 123 punches landed out of a total of 490 punches thrown. The output was the third-lowest in CompuBox history for a 12-round fight, even below the 503 punches Haney and Jose Ramirez combined to throw in the co-main event.

“He fought a good fight,” Garcia said afterward. “He caught me early. No excuses, man. Congrats to him. He did a great job, and that’s it.”

Garcia popped the jab, but Romero was patient and kept his distance. It was a surprising performance by Romero, who was two fights removed from being stopped by Isaac Cruz in 2024. Instead of recklessly rushing in, Romero was calm and steady in his approach.

Meanwhile, Garcia couldn’t shake the effects of the early knockdown and spent the duration of the bout looking for a fight-ending punch. He never found it and will now have to go back to the drawing board.

As for Romero, he might be the only person who wants to see a Garcia-Haney rematch despite emerging victorious Friday.

“I ain’t even thinking about what’s next,” Romero said. “I think Devin and Ryan should get their rematch and make a big one.”

The expectation was for Garcia and Romero to deliver fireworks and make the ringside judges’ scorecards unnecessary. Instead, the uninspired effort from Garcia capped off a listless night of fights against the backdrop of Times Square, where a small group of invite-only fans gathered inside a makeshift area staging a boxing ring. On the outside of the venue, pedestrians milled about with many stopping to see what was happening in the enclosure on several screens set up on the outside.

Turki Al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia’s chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, planned to stage an iconic event, but the card will be remembered for a trio of fights that didn’t come close to delivering the action promised.

The main event followed an equally subpar effort by Haney, who was let off the hook by an opponent who was content simply following him around the ring. Haney appeared to be affected by his fight with Garcia last year when he was knocked down three times and lost a decision. The result was overturned to a no-contest after Garcia tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug ostarine. Garcia also came in 3.2 pounds over the contracted weight of 140 pounds for that fight.

Haney (32-0, 1 NC) seemingly couldn’t shake off the effects of the fight and was timid and reluctant to throw punches. However, Ramirez couldn’t capitalize. He followed Haney around the ring without a true sense of urgency. Fortunately for Haney, he was skilled enough to thwart the advances of a plodding Ramirez (29-3) in a sluggish fight that was relentlessly jeered on social media.

Of the 503 punches thrown in the fight, Haney landed 70 to Ramirez’s 40.

Plans for a Garcia-Haney rematch might still be in place, as a contract was reportedly signed ahead of Friday night for a clash later this year. However, due to how their fights played out, it will be interesting to see if that bout materializes later this year or if Al-Sheikh decides to go in another direction for both fighters.



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Bernie Sanders and AOC Currently ‘in the Lead’ for 2028—Kevin McCarthy

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Bernie Sanders and AOC Currently ‘in the Lead’ for 2028—Kevin McCarthy


Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, said Friday that progressive Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, are “in the lead right now” when he was asked about a possible Democratic 2028 presidential ticket.

Newsweek reached out to press representatives for Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez for comment on Saturday.

Why It Matters

Democrats have been facing scrutiny over who will be the party’s standard-bearer come 2028. The party has been plagued with infighting and finger pointing following Democrats’ loss to President Donald Trump and Republicans in last year’s election.

Ocasio-Cortez, 35, is floated by many analysts as a possible 2028 contender. Meanwhile, she and Sanders, 83, have held a series of massive rallies as part of “Fighting Oligarchy” tour across the country, including in states and districts won by Trump. Due to Sanders’ age, most analysts do not believe the progressive senator is a likely 2028 contender.

What to Know

McCarthy, a Trump ally who resigned from Congress in 2023, appeared on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday. During the show, Maher asked the former GOP congressman who he sees as the Democratic Party’s 2028 presidential ticket.

“Right now? Bernie and AOC,” McCarthy responded quickly.

Maher expressed skepticism, pushing back on the assessment.

“They’ve got the biggest crowds,” McCarthy said. “It won’t sustain itself, but right now they [Democrats] have no leader.”

Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are “going to lead right now,” the Republican added later in the segment. “I’m just saying who’s in the lead right now. I don’t think that’s how it ends up.”

When Maher pushed back on using crowd sizes as an indicator, McCarthy said “it drives where the ideas are gonna go, it’s gonna drive the money for a while.”

Some recent polls have shown Ocasio-Cortez in second place after former Vice President Kamala Harris. A survey by Quantus Insights carried out among 1,000 registered voters from April 21 to 23 showed Harris with 30 percent and Ocasio-Cortez in second place at 14 percent. Notably, Sanders registered at 6 percent in the same poll.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, and Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, speak to a full auditorium as part of the “Fighting Oligarchy” tour on April 14 in Nampa, Idaho.

Natalie Behring/Getty Images

What People Are Saying

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez when asked by a Fox News reporter last week about a possible presidential run: “This moment isn’t about campaigns, or elections, or about politics. It’s about making sure people are protected, and we’ve got people that are getting locked up for exercising their First Amendment rights. We’re getting 2-year-olds that are getting deported into cells in Honduras. We’re getting people that are about to get kicked off of Medicaid. That, to me, is most important.”

Anna Bahr, Sanders’ communications director, told Newsweek on Friday: “Lifelong Republicans, Trump supporters, Independents, Democrats and people who have never been involved with politics have all turned out for the Fighting Oligarchy tour. We are not living in a ‘left versus right’ political paradigm anymore. It’s ‘the very top versus everyone else.'”

Senator Bernie Sanders on X, formerly Twitter, on April 29: “At a time when Trump and his billionaire gang is attacking our democracy and ripping off the working class, we need leaders with the backbone to take them on.”

Billionaire Trump ally Elon Musk in an April 11 X post: “Bernie is just fully communist.”

What Happens Next?

Speculation about 2028 will continue, especially as Democratic candidates hold off on declaring their ambitions.

Other prominent Democrats widely speculated to be weighing a run include former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, among others.



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Blockbuster Trade Proposal Has Giannis Antetokounmpo Team Up With Joel Embiid

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Blockbuster Trade Proposal Has Giannis Antetokounmpo Team Up With Joel Embiid


The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off a very disappointing finish to their 2024-25 NBA season, falling short in the first round of the postseason. To add insult to injury, the team saw nine-time All-Star point guard Damian Lillard suffer a torn Achilles in Game 4 of the series.

More NBA news: Jimmy Butler All But Guarantees Warriors Will Win Game 7 vs Rockets

Due to this injury, Lillard is now expected to miss the majority of next season. This has put a direct spotlight on the future of All-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.

Many have speculated that Antetokounmpo could ask for a trade out of the Bucks, and it may be in the best interest of Milwaukee to make it happen. Antetokounmpo has been the face of the franchise for a long time, but the team seems to be going nowhere contention-wise.

Due to all the trade rumors involving Antetokounmpo, the NBA staff at The Athletic put together some trade proposals for the star. One had Antetokounmpo being sent to the Philadelphia 76ers to team up with star center Joel Embiid.

Here is how the trade would break down:

Bucks get: Paul George, Jared McCain, 2025 first, 2028 first (via LA Clippers), 2029 pick swap (via LA Clippers), 2030 first

Sixers get: Giannis Antetokounmpo

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – MARCH 04: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on in the second half at Fiserv Forum on March 04, 2023 in Milwaukee,…


Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

While this deal would directly benefit the 76ers, it may not be enough for the Bucks to move Antetokounmpo. Unless Antetokounmpo specifically said he would only play for the 76ers, this deal seems a little low in terms of a return for the former MVP.

More NBA news: Lakers Have Major LeBron James Problem Heading Into Offseason

Milwaukee would pick up a nice, young player in McCain, but taking on the heavy salary of Paul George would be a tough swallow. If the 76ers could improve this deal somehow, the Bucks may entertain it, especially because the draft picks incoming could be enticing for Milwaukee.

The two pick swaps with the Clippers could be interesting, considering that Los Angeles may not be competitive when they arrive. The Clippers are built on two aging stars, so this deal could net the Bucks a potential gold mine in picks.

If the 76ers want Antetokounmpo, they will likely have to part with star guard Tyrese Maxey. But unless they are willing to make that happen, Antetokounmpo will likely end up elsewhere if he is indeed moved this offseason.

More NBA news:

Warriors’ Steph Curry Reveals New Plan to Beat Rockets in Game 7

Cavaliers Star in Danger of Missing Game 1 vs Pacers

Former Spurs Champion Reacts to Gregg Popovich Stepping Down

For more NBA news and rumors, head on over to Newsweek Sports.



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Marcus Morris not impressed with Lakers coach JJ Redick’s performance: ‘I could be coaching some of these … teams’

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Marcus Morris not impressed with Lakers coach JJ Redick’s performance: ‘I could be coaching some of these … teams’


(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

In the first-round playoff series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Lakers, the rise of Anthony Edwards is sparking a bigger conversation — not just about his superstar talent but about Lakers coach JJ Redick’s readiness for the moment.

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Throughout the series, Edwards has dominated, routinely getting one-on-one opportunities.

According to guest Marcus Morris on the latest episode of “The Kevin O’Connor Show,” that’s not a coincidence: The Lakers have a coaching issue.

“There’s no way you’re allowing Anthony Edwards to not see a double,” Morris said of all of Edwards’ one-on-one opportunities.

By not mixing up schemes and letting Edwards attack freely, Redick has given Minnesota’s role players a pathway to success as well.

“What you’ve done is created confidence in the others … there’s no hesitation [from the reserves],” Morris said.

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Redick also has leaned heavily on his stars, playing his preferred five the entire second half in Game 4 and exhausting LeBron James and Luka Dončić while the Timberwolves have stay physical and fresh. The way Morris sees it, Redick is asking too much of James.

“What we’re asking LeBron James to do, to play center, power forward, small forward at 40 years old, be efficient, score the ball, get guys in the right shots and make the biggest shots of the game,” Morris said.

Adjustments — such as using more guards to pick up Edwards full court or finding ways to disrupt Minnesota’s rhythm — have rarely materialized.

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“I’m watching the game, I study the game. I could be coaching some of these … teams,” Morris said.

With the Lakers facing elimination, Redick’s lack of playoff experience is under the microscope, and Edwards looks all too happy to keep the heat turned up.

To hear the full discussion, tune into “The Kevin O’Connor Show” on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.



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Lakers must be in ‘championship shape’ next season, JJ Redick says

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Lakers must be in ‘championship shape’ next season, JJ Redick says


  • Dave McMenaminMay 1, 2025, 05:24 PM ET

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    • Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
    • Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — After seeing his team stumble when it mattered most in the fourth quarter during its 4-1 first-round series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick pointed to improved player conditioning as a must heading into next season.

“I’ll start with the offseason and the work that’s required in an offseason to be in championship shape,” Redick said Thursday in a news conference with reporters to close the Lakers’ 2024-25 season. “And we have a ways to go as a roster. And certainly, there are individuals that were in phenomenal shape. There’s certainly other ones that could have been in better shape. That’s where my mind goes immediately is we have to get in championship shape.”

Redick did not single out any player by name after L.A. was outscored 127-85 by Minnesota in the fourth quarter during the series, but it is widely known that one of the knocks on Luka Doncic on his way out after the Dallas Mavericks traded him was the 26-year-old star’s struggles with weight and conditioning.

Late-game execution was one of many ways the No. 6-seeded Wolves dominated the No. 3-seeded Lakers.

“Maybe this is hard sometimes for a coach or a player to admit this: We lost to a better team,” Redick said. “That’s just the reality. We did.”

After Redick benched L.A.’s starting center Jaxson Hayes four minutes into Game 4 and kept him out of the rotation in Game 5 as Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert piled up 27 points and 24 rebounds in the clincher, the Lakers’ lack of big men was obvious.

“I think when you make a huge trade at the deadline where you trade your starting center for a point guard, of course that’s going to create significant issues with the roster, and we saw some of those play out,” Rob Pelinka, Lakers president of basketball operations and GM, said of the Doncic-for-Anthony Davis trade. “We know this offseason, one of our primary goals is going to be to add size in our frontcourt at the center position.”

L.A. attempted to acquire 7-foot center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets just before the trade deadline, but the deal was rescinded after Williams failed to pass a physical examination with the Lakers.

“There’s NBA rules that prohibit us from speaking to a particular transaction, but I’ll say in general, it’s very clear and it was clear then … this roster needs more size and needs a center,” Pelinka said. “That’s a very clear and obvious by-product of trading potentially the best big in the league to Dallas to get a point guard. Of course, that’s going to open up a huge hole.

“The trade deadline and the moments up to it don’t allow you the requisite time to explore every single unturned stone to add a big to our roster. We just didn’t have the time after the Luka trade. But now we do.”

Pelinka says he knows that LeBron James, who has a player option to return to L.A. for an NBA-record 23rd season in 2025-26, will be monitoring how the Lakers use that time to improve the team.

“I think LeBron’s going to have high expectations for the roster,” Pelinka said. “And we’re going to do everything we can to meet those. But I also know that whatever it is, he’s still going to give his 110 percent every night, whether that’s scoring, assisting, defending, rebounding, leading. We know that’s always going to be 100 percent, and that never wavers.”

Though Pelinka predicted an offseason rife with player movement around the league, and sounded hopeful that it would aid in his pursuit of new personnel, he made it clear there were three Lakers he had no interest in parting with: James, Doncic and Austin Reaves.

“The level of confidence in Austin Reaves, LeBron James and Luka Doncic is at an all-time high still,” Pelinka said. “I think those three guys have incredible promise playing together. And we will collectively do a better job to make sure they’re surrounded with the right pieces to have ultimate success.”



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Live Written Updates and Results From Denver Supercross

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Live Written Updates and Results From Denver Supercross


Cole Davies holeshot the second 250SX heat race, but he had Michael Mosiman all over him in the opening stages of the race. The track crew had put a lot of water down before the night show to combat the dry conditions, and Davies seemed like he was having a hard time with it, as he was making a lot of little mistakes. Mosiman was also applying a lot of pressure, which probably didn’t help. Davies eventually got away from Mosiman, only to have Mosiman close back up toward the end. It looked like Mosiman might make the move on the final lap, but Davies held on.

Back in the pack was Julien Beaumer, who’d gotten a horrible start. He was riding himself forward and was up to ninth by the third lap, but was only able to get to sixth by the end of the race, which means his gate pick won’t be stellar for the 250SX main.

Jordon Smith went down early in this one. He later made another mistake and went off the track. Despite all that, and riding without a visor, he passed into ninth on the final lap to qualify for the main event.

Davies won, followed by Mosiman, Coty Schock, Robbie Wageman, Hunter Yoder, Beaumer, Dylan Walsh, Avery Long, and Smith.

Malcolm Stewart jumped out to the early lead and when Aaron Plessinger, who was almost right beside him, started making mistakes, Stewart took control and checked out. Plessinger, meanwhile, dropped a few spots back after making a couple more mistakes and coming up short in a rhythm lane. He regrouped though and started moving back forward. Several laps later he’d passed Mitchell Oldenburg for second. Stewart was gone at that point, however, and Plessinger settled in for second.

The rest of the race was pretty uneventful, with Stewart, Plessinger, Oldenburg, Justin Hill, Shane McElrath, Dean Wilson, Benny Bloss, Justin Starling, and Jeremy Hand filling the transfer spots.



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What Dray told Kerr before coach pulled Warriors starters in Game 5

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What Dray told Kerr before coach pulled Warriors starters in Game 5


What Dray told Kerr before coach pulled Warriors starters in Game 5 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

As the Warriors, trailing the Houston Rockets 76-49, walked off the floor at halftime during Game 5 on Wednesday at Toyota Center, coach Steve Kerr posed a question to veteran forward Draymond Green.

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“You can feel that it’s a game that is highly unlikely to go our way,” Kerr told 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” the day after Golden State’s eventual 131-116 loss. “And Draymond and I know each other so well, I didn’t even have to express the question explicitly. All I said to him was, ‘What do you think?’ And he knew exactly what I meant.

“And he said, ‘5 minutes.’ And I said, ‘I think that makes sense, too.’ “

That’s exactly how long Kerr waited in the third quarter before pulling his starting five of Green, Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield off the court, replacing them with reserves Pat Spencer, Gui Santos, Quinten Post, Moses Moody and Kevin Knox II.

By then, the bench still faced a 29-point deficit.

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“[Warriors assistant coach] Terry Stotts and I had talked about [pulling the starters] even before halftime started,” Kerr continued. “We debated, do we send them out at all [for the second half], and we agreed it didn’t make sense to pull them out at that point altogether. Let’s give them a chance to make a little push, but we’re not messing around because Game 6 is 48 hours later, and at that point it becomes risk [versus] reward.

“The obvious choice was to get them off the floor.”

Kerr wrestled with the decision to give his starting five a chance to make things interesting against the Rockets, and Green clearly knew that if something special didn’t happen within the first five minutes of the second half, all bets were off. But it actually was the Warriors’ bench that pulled within 11 points of the Rockets at one point in the fourth quarter.

Golden State’s reserve surge forced Houston coach Ime Udoka to put his own starters back in the game with 7:59 remaining, cutting their rest for Game 6 short while the Warriors’ mainstays remained on the bench.

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“I thought that was important,” Kerr said of the Warriors’ bench bringing the Rockets’ starting five back into the game. “And to play with that kind of aggression and to force some turnovers and to make them uncomfortable, because the first 30 minutes of that game were entirely too comfortable for Houston. So I loved what our guys did in the fourth quarter.”

Kerr said it was “highly unlikely” that the Warriors’ starters would re-enter the game, because their minds already had turned the page to Game 6 and what they must do to close the first-round NBA playoff series out on Friday at Chase Center.

“My experience has always been, you let the bench ride it out and see if they can get it done.”

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