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PM Roundup: Ariana Grande; 2018 MLB Draft Day; Andre Iguodala Trying To Return For NBA Finals

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The Big Lead’s PM Sports Roundup, which was just fouled by the Golden State Warriors, but — shockingly — nothing was called.

Ariana goes blonde in Vogue: Ariana Grande is on the cover of British Vogue going blonde. She talks about the after-effects of what happened in Manchester last summer. She’s also now officially dating SNL’s Pete Davidson.

Instagram Photo

MLB Draft is here: You can follow all the latest from the 2018 MLB Draft here.

Iguodala trying to return: Andre Iguodala is working hard to return for the 2018 NBA Finals, but it will be a struggle on his ailing knee.

Tweet of the Day:

In Case You Missed It on The Big Lead:

2018 MLB Mock Draft: Final Edition Before The Big Night

Cavs Fans Can Thank Kendrick Perkins for Stephen Curry Going Off in the Fourth Quarter

The Athletic Has Over 100K Subscribers, Needs Several Times More to Endure

Oscar Robertson Has Some Contrarian Thoughts on the All-Time Greats

Around the Sports Internet:

Jim Kelly will receive the Jimmy V Award at the ESPYs this year

Miesha Tate delivered her daughter after 67 hours of labor. Yeesh!

Stephen Curry has owned the NBA Finals so far

It doesn’t look like LeBron James is having fun anymore, which is a shame

Song of the Day:


Roundup: Kyler Murray Drafted by Oakland A's; Boban Will Be in John Wick 3 & RIP Dwight Clark

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Kara Del Toro, a model who is popular on Instagram … a swimmer in Brazil died after a shark bit off the man’s penis and there’s video of lifeguards trying to save him … “Microsoft to Acquire GitHub For $7.5 Billion in Stock” … people are moving out of Denver because home prices are too high … “Life recovered rapidly at impact site of dino-killing asteroid” … even if you can’t read about the Parkland school shooting anymore, I recommend this read, on the former cop who did nothing … a volcano erupted in Guatemala and over 25 people have died … “Hate on Jordan Peterson all you want, but he’s tapping into frustration that feminists shouldn’t ignore” …

RIP Dwight Clark, the great 49ers receiver. He got a diagnosis of ALS 15 months ago, and is already gone. [SF Chronicle]

Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray was taken 9th in the MLB draft. He’s going to try and play outfield for the A’s. [Dallas News]

The war on football continues: Houston Texans cheerleaders are suing the team. [Chronicle]

Podcast: Ranking the Best Point Guards in NBA history; examining the beef between LeBron and Steph Curry; & Oscar Robertson debates the GOAT. [Itunes]

I thought Boban Marjanovic would have made a great James Bond bad guy; but he’s actually going to have a role in the next John Wick movie. [Collider]

It’s nice that Chuck Pagano is self-aware about what Andrew Luck did for him. [Indy Star]

Former Arizona assistant coach Josh Pastner has been cleared of sexual misconduct allegations. He’ll keep his job at Georgia Tech. [Tucson.com]

“‘White soccer teams don’t pay upfront’: how race unlevelled US playing fields.” [Guardian]

Bare knuckle fighting happened in Wyoming. This fight ended in one punch. The first punch.

Gangster move by this monkey, to drop kick a man from behind.

Houston Gave the Blueprint for How to Beat the Warriors - Which is Why LeBron Makes Most Sense on the Lakers

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As we head into Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the talk has shifted from the series to LeBron’s offseason, because so few people think the Cavs can come back and win the title.

One thing everyone seems to be missing about where LeBron could end up is this: Only one team has challenged the Warriors in the playoffs since they acquired Kevin Durant. Golden State is 4-3 vs Houston in the playoffs with Durant; 26-3 in the playoffs vs everyone else.

Why did Houston give Golden State so many problems? James Harden and Chris Paul were enormous factors, but in the back-to-back games the Rockets won to snag a 3-2 lead, Houston won because of defense. They held the Warriors to 92 and 94 points, throwing a major scare into the defending champs.

The reason for the Rockets defense? Their switchability. Physically, they look like the Warriors when they go to their switch-everything defense of PJ Tucker (6-foot-6) at center, Trevor Ariza (6-foot-8), Eric Gordon (6-foot-4), Harden (6-foot-5), and Paul (6-foot). Playing five two-way players is the only way to beat and hang with the current Warriors.

Clint Capela had a strong series (10.3 ppg, 10.7 rpg) but he played far fewer minutes than the aforementioned unit. The Rockets built a team to hang with the Warriors, and they did a helluva job. It’s going to be difficult to improve on that roster – though one shouldn’t doubt Daryl Morey – and it’s getting old, too. Ariza turns 33 this month; Paul and Tucker turned 33 in May.

The Cavaliers can’t put a unit like this on the floor in these finals, and are locked in to Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson for the next couple years.

The 76ers, whose best offensive player is 7-footer Joel Embiid, aren’t going to be able to play a switch-everything defense with him on the floor. It’s tough to imagine the 76ers keeping Embiid off the floor in crunch time, or him being cool with that. Also, they lost their two best shooting wings (Marco Belinelli, Ersan Ilyasova), although neither was particularly effective against Boston’s much more athletic wings.

There is one team that is on its way to being built in the form of the Warriors: The Lakers.

(There is another team that is already built in the fashion of the Warriors, as Zach Lowe mentioned in a column – the Celtics. “The combination of two-way guys and star power on a fully actualized Boston team makes it perhaps the most interesting Warriors opponent going forward.”)

The Lakers four key players right now are all two-way guys: Lonzo Ball (6-foot-6), Josh Hart (6-foot-5), Kyle Kuzma (6-foot-9) and Brandon Ingram (6-foot-9). The problem, of course is that a) none of them has been to the playoffs and b) none of them is 24 years old. Also, Lonzo only shot 30 percent on 3’s, but he was a 20-year old rookie.

This is where LeBron and Paul George come in. They come to the Lakers and instantly lead this team. No squabbles about whose team it is, like what happened with Kyrie, or what could happen with Harden or Embiid/Ben Simmons. I’ve speculated LA could trade Lonzo for a shooter (Khris Middleton?), and perhaps the Lakers will consider that.

LA will be looking to fill out the bench with shooters, Nick Young-types who they can hope provide 20 minutes a night in the regular season and then 10 minutes a game in the playoffs. It’s still very early, but a few names to consider, Lakers fans: Mario Hezonja (defensive issues), Dante Exum (injury history) and a home run would be Joe Harris, but he’s up for a much bigger money because he shot 41 percent on 3-pointers in his 4th year as a pro.

It felt like the league was a point guard league over the last few years; it’s shifting to 2-way wings as we head into the Build What the Warriors Built era.

PM Roundup: Hailee Steinfeld; How Stephen Curry And Kevin Durant Made It Work This Season; Brock Turner Judge Recalled

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The Big Lead’s PM Sports Roundup, which was not recalled by the state of California on Tuesday in a huge upset.

Hailee is blowing up: Hailee Steinfeld is on a roll. She’s already got a budding pop music career, plus he trailer for “Bumblebee” dropped today and she has also been cast as Spider-Gwen in the star-studded next Spider-Man animated movie.

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Steph and Kevin make it work: A look at how the Stephen Curry/Kevin Durant dynamic worked this season for the Golden State Warriors.

Turner judge recalled: The judge who sentenced Stanford swimmer Brock Turner to just six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman was recalled on Tuesday.

Tweet of the Day:

In Case You Missed It on The Big Lead:

Female Padres Fans Catches Ball In Cup, Chugs Beer Like A Champ

As We Speak, An Insane Frenchman Is Trying To Swim Across the Pacific Ocean

J.D. Martinez and Fenway Park Are a Match Made in Heaven

REPORT: Four Entertainment Industry Sources Say LeBron James Is Going to the Lakers

Around the Sports Internet:

Ranking the 50 greatest individual postseasons in modern NBA history

Earnie Stewart has been hired as the first general manager in USMNT history

Does the Triple Crown still matter?

The NBA teams most likely to land a superstar this offseason

Song of the Day:

Steph Curry's Warriors Are on the Verge of Doing Another Thing Michael Jordan's Bulls Never Did

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After the Warriors pushed LeBron and the Cavs to the brink with a heart-stopping 110-102 victory in Cleveland, Golden State is one win away from a 3rd Championship in four years. We can officially stamp the word dynasty on the Warriors, for those who were reluctant to do so.

If Golden State finishes off LeBron with a sweep Friday, they’ll have accomplished a second thing that Michael Jordan’s Chicago dynasty in the 90s couldn’t – swept a team in the Finals.

Jordan’s Bulls beat Magic’s Lakers 4-1, and then won the rest of their Finals matchups 4-2. The Warriors defeated the Cavs 4-2, then beat the Cavs 4-1, and with a win Friday in Game 4, will sweep them 4-0.

Sweeping an all-time great player in the Finals would be the 2nd notch the Warriors accomplished that the Bulls didn’t. The first was eclipsing Chicago’s 72-win season by going 73-9 in the 2015-2016 season.

Assuming Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant don’t leave next summer – technically, Durant could opt-out this summer, though there’s no indication he’d leave the Warriors if they win back-to-back titles – the Warriors dominance could last several more years. Curry is 30, Durant is 29, and Draymond Green and Klay are 28.

Houston, the only team to play the Warriors tough since Durant got to Golden State, could be a much different team next season. Even if they somehow keep the core together, three of their important players will be 33 when next season starts (Chris Paul, PJ Tucker, Trevor Ariza).

I believe Boston could challenge the Warriors next year, when Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward are healthy, and I believe LeBron’s best chance to take down the Warriors would by teaming up with Paul George on the Lakers.

The next hurdle for the Warriors: Whether or not they could become the first team in the modern era to get to the NBA Finals five years in a row.

LeBron's Only Shot At Beating Warriors Again: Somehow Convince Kevin Durant to Join Him Somewhere Else

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With the Warriors up 3-0 on the Cavs, at this point it’s almost a foregone conclusion that LeBron James will fall to 1-3 in the Finals against the Warriors. While the Cavs were in Games 1 and 3, it does not feel like there’s much of anything LeBron could do to stop the fate of another series loss.

In a game where Stephen Curry was dreadful and Klay Thompson was only slightly better, the Warriors still never felt like they were going to lose a game where Kevin Durant was an emotionless assassin. This is a mega super longshot, but what if LeBron could somehow convince Durant that he will never get respect from the legacy-touting pundits winning titles with these Warriors, but must beat them to enter the pantheon with Jordan and himself?

All logic would dictate that LeBron is leaving Cleveland. He despises Cavs owner Dan Gilbert so much he snubs high fives. For his part, Gilbert subtweeted LeBron almost literally at tip-off of Game 1, contradicting his interview with Rachel Nichols about whether trading Kyrie Irving was the right move.

A couple weeks ago, Brian Windhorst wrote about the “organizational fatigue” with the Cavs. LeBron assures them a spot in the finals but he has so much leverage and knows it that he’s exhausting to deal with. Knowing all this entails, they’d nevertheless sign up in an instant to bring him back, but it’s not up to them.

Frankly, the supporting cast on the Cavs is crumbly now, and there’s really no flexibility to get any better. They’re in luxury tax hell, and the last opportunity to use the Kyrie trade proceeds to either draft an immediate impact player or trade for one fell by the wayside when the lottery gave them the eighth pick. Any improvement to the roster would be akin to remodeling a bathroom in a house with a foundation that’s been ravaged by termites.

That being said, without his 2018-19 destination team moving pieces around to accommodate him, there doesn’t appear to be an immaculate basketball fit out there for him. The Sixers are a little weird because Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz can’t shoot and it would render Joel Embiid into the Chris Bosh/Kevin Love role as a spot-up shooter. Would he even want that?

The Rockets are a little odd because there’s only one ball, which LeBron, James Harden, and Chris Paul all need all the time. The Lakers feel like they are a year away; LeBron plus Paul George would not be enough to propel them past the Warriors. Even though I still maintain the Bucks would be a great basketball fit, everybody laughs at me whenever I bring it up.

Teams like the Hawks and Bulls are open canvases with some young talent, but no one brings them up as options. The Celtics were already fringe contenders without Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving this summer; it seems crazy to say this out loud but would they even want to mess with their juju to bring LeBron in? They’d probably be the best option for LeBron from a basketball perspective, but it doesn’t seem like there is any perfect idea out there for LeBron to dethrone the Warriors next year (with the obvious caveat that their legs are intact).

That is, unless LeBron could somehow, some way entice Durant to join him on a team like the Lakers or the Heat? I know this is probably a longshot, but when has something being a longshot ever stopped us from rampantly speculating about fantasy booking the NBA?

Again, it won’t be easy. Durant said on the record that there is a 100% chance he will return to Golden State. Durant chronicler Anthony Slater of The Athletic went on Jason McIntyre’s Fox Sports Radio show last weekend and manually adjusted this percentage to “high 90’s” and Stephen A. Smith said on First Take yesterday that Durant has been emphatic with the Warriors organization that he is staying there this offseason.

If Durant and LeBron teamed up on any team in the league next year, they’d immediately open up as championship favorites over the Warriors, right? Admittedly, this idea would have been more likely before the Finals, when Durant had appeared sulky for a few weeks, the Warriors weren’t totally firing on all cylinders, and their offense had reverted from pristine ball movement to a lot of iso ball. It looks real silly to suggest Durant could change teams the day after he scored 43 points and effectively ended the series.

But just imagine: LeBron gets in Durant’s ear, tells him he’s not appreciated by Golden State fans who view him as a mercenary that wasn’t around for their whole dynasty run, and convinces him that the only way for him to silence the haters is to go out and beat them.

In reality, the haters will always be there for Durant, and this would be doubly true if he teamed up with LeBron. But if LeBron convinced him otherwise, it would throw a large dose of intrigue into next year, which at this moment feels like a foregone conclusion for a fourth Warriors title.

Roundup: Diaper-Wearing Monkey Attacks Home Depot Worker; Man Returns Orange Juice, Wins $315 Million Lottery; & Kevin Durant's Commercial

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Megan Fox … as someone who hates bees, this swarm-in-the-house story terrifies me … “Country Time Says It’ll Cover Legal Fees for Kids Whose Lemonade Stands Get Shut Down” … a bison gored a woman on Yellowstone, the 3rd animal attack in a week … family fight interrupted by police, then the family attacked the police … “Could you eat 480 oysters in 8 minutes?” … TV host calls the Warriors “gorillas” and somehow, ESPN didn’t care … heroes hear that a loser is going to shoot up the high school; police arrest said loser, confiscate his AR-15 and ammunition

Podcast: How the Warriors will avoid breaking up; why LeBron should take Paul George over Chris Paul on the Lakers; and discussing Kevin Durant’s legacy with Jared Dudley of the Phoenix Suns. [ITunes]

His wife told him to return the orange juice because it wasn’t on sale; he bought a lottery ticket and won $315.3 million. They’ll walk away with $183 million. [ABC]

How about this Giannis impact: The Milwaukee Bucks signed a new deal with Fox Sports Wisconsin: 7-years, $200 million. [SBJ]

“WBUR announced today that after 25 years of hosting public radio’s only sports program, Only a Game, Bill Littlefield is hanging up his cleats.” [WBUR]

Bill Simmons allegedly got a restraining order against a former employee at The Ringer. [Blast]

So Kellen Winslow wasn’t breaking into a trailer park; he was house hunting for his mother-in-law, the former NFL tight end claims. [AP]

“Diaper-wearing monkey named Spanky attacks Home Depot worker .” [Sentinel]

Sunday night baseball has had a bad, bad start to the season. [Sports Media Watch]

If you spend a lot of time on reddit, you’ll want to read this. [Newsweek]

The World Cup starts this week. I’m so excited. Here’s a long feature on Messi. [ESPN]

If you’ve ever skied with your family, you can relate to this nice video.

They finally released footage of this small plane colliding with this chopper. Nobody was hurt.

Under Armour is still superior to Nike, but this Kevin Durant commercial is tremendous.

Roundup: Rural America Needs Dentists; Couple Kicked Out of an Uber For Kissing; & Disturbing NHL Cyber Bullying Story

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Zoey Deutch, actress … Can I interest you in a Felicity reunion? … “Marine Veteran Trains White Supremacists in Military Tactics” … lesbian couple kicked out of an Uber for kissing … “Rural America has too few dentists — and too few patients who can pay” … very interesting piece on journalism in 2018, especially meant for anyone in college who picks this profession … “Man enters [Florida] home, steals alcohol, defecates on floor” … Tesla cuts 9% of its workforce, stock price surges … executive chairman of Guess resigns after sexual harassment claims … 

What a disturbing story: The girlfriend of an Ottawa Senators player has allegedly been harassing and cyber-bulling the fiancee of another Ottawa Senators player. [Ottawa Citizen]

The Rams have to pay Reggie Bush $12.5 million after the injury he suffered in the dome in St. Louis back in 2015. [Post-Dispatch]

Is Kevin Durant the greatest scorer the NBA has ever seen? [The Run Sports]

USC football fans are very excited about JT Daniels. The young QB has a great story. [LA Times]

Come on, Mets fans would freak out if they traded Jacob deGrom. [Fangraphs]

Guess the suspension: Randy Gregory of the Dallas Cowboys. The decision is in Roger Goodell’s hands. [Yahoo Sports]

Podcast: How the Warriors will avoid breaking up; why LeBron should take Paul George over Chris Paul on the Lakers; and discussing Kevin Durant’s legacy with Jared Dudley of the Phoenix Suns. [ITunes]

If you’re looking for clues about Kevin Durant potentially departing the Warriors, think again: This season he moved to a new place in San Francisco that’s closer to the new Golden State arena. [SI.com]

I don’t understand how this man survived being ejected from the car like this. What a terrifying video.

Here’s a collection of Stephen Curry highlights from the NBA Finals.


10 Worst NBA Draft Picks Since 2000

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The 2018 NBA Draft is a week away and while this year’s class is loaded with premium talent, not every draft is so blessed. Next week, we’ll all be watching as the potential future stars of tomorrow get selected, but a few of us will be more focused on trying to pick out the next member of this list.

What follows is our look at the worst NBA draft picks since 2000. Take a look and let us know who you think we left off.

10. Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers (No. 1, 2007)

It’s hard for me to do this, because I am 100 percent sure Greg Oden would have been a monster and a perennial All-Star had injuries not derailed his career before it even got started. He was selected with the first pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and many agreed with the selection. I know I did.

I saw Oden play regularly when he was in high school, and watched every minute of his brief career at Ohio State. He was a franchise center on both ends of the court and one of the best, most complete post players to come out of college in decades. His place on this list is more about who was drafted after Oden than the pick itself.

The Portland Trail Blazers passed on Kevin Durant to take Oden. Durant is on pace to wind up as a top 10 player of all-time, while Oden wound up playing in just 105 career games over parts of seven seasons.

Oden was a bust solely because his bones were made of over-salted peanut brittle. He was either the real-life Mr. Glass, or whatever the exact opposite of Wolverine would be. The real crime here was passing on Durant though.

Even on his best trajectory, Oden still wouldn’t have been better than Durant. That’s why this pick was so awful.

Roundup: Former NBA 1st Round Pick Arrested; Bizarre College Baseball Firing; & Kevin Durant or Kobe Bryant?

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Paulina Gretzky, a must-follow on Instagram … “Massive, ‘Unprecedented’ Dust Storm Puts Mars Rover at Risk” … the news is always full of negativity – here are some good stats, starting with the drop in the murder rate in major US cities … “Where can you get paid $466K a year to wash trucks? Special deals, union clout at N.J. port” … this story on alleged “influencers” on Instagram is hilarious and a little sad … “SUV in fatal Texas crash suspected of smuggling” … would you go back to the Republican baseball team if someone tried to kill you? …

Podcast: Kawhi Leonard is the most unknowable star athlete in sports; how Kevin Durant is going to pass Kobe Bryant next year; and talking with Bill Plaschke about who LeBron would want given the choice. [ITunes]

JJ Hickson, who used to be a teammate of LeBron, was busted for armed robbery in Georgia. He had made an estimated $27 million in the NBA. [AJC]

UNCW totally botched firing the school’s baseball coach, but this story about the “Dick of Death” is pretty funny. [Star News Online]

Been wondering what Cherokee Parks has been up to? Well, the former Duke star and NBA vagabond is living in NYC and working for the league. [Slam Magazine]

Very good read here on LaVar Ball and his wife. Her situation is tough. And LaVar says a lot of cringe-worthy stuff. [Washington Post]

Dana White is totally right about Jon Jones. What might have been. [MMA News]

Last year, Western Kentucky thought it had Mitchell Robinson. Then, he left. Now, it has landed Charles Bassey, a Top 5 recruit. Let’s see if his sticks. [WKU Herald]

I had Jerome Robinson of Boston College 19th in my last mock draft. He just got a green room invite. [Boston Globe]

This is a solid column on the Phil Mickelson faux outrage. [San Diego Union Tribune]

Fun video of Stephen Curry’s NBA debut. Killed the Rockets with the midrange jumper.

On a scale of 1-10, I’d give this movie trailer at least an 8.5. This looks good.

Stephen Curry Crushes Chris Paul Again

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Steph Curry and Chris Paul continued their rivalry, this time off the court, as their families battled it out on a Family Feud episode that aired on Sunday.

The Curry family ended up winning the matchup, and once they got to the “Fast Money” round, Ayesha Curry stole the show, scoring 194 points during her turn.

That MVP-like performance by Ayesha left Steph needing just a couple of threes (6 points), and of course Chef Curry delivered:

Sorry Rockets fans..this is the second time in the last month Paul finished second to Curry. Maybe next year?

And, for a quick laugh, check out their answers on this one –”If a male stripper was nicknamed Popeye, what might he have?”

The 10 Best Point Guards in the NBA

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The most loaded position in the NBA is at point guard, where three players have been named MVP of the league – assuming Harden wins it this year. How do we rank them?  

1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
He’s not a traditional point guard, but his ability to shoot from distance has had the same impact Magic Johnson did in the 80s with his 6-foot-9 frame. His 6.7 assists per game for his career ranks 30th all-time, ahead of traditional point guards like Gary Payton, Mark Price, Andre Miller, and Mookie Blaylock.

Stephen Curry Has Led the NBA in Jersey Sales for 4 Straight Seasons

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Stephen Curry can add another line to his resume: Best selling NBA jersey for four straight years.

In what has been a historic 4-year run, the 2nd best point guard in NBA history led the league in jersey sales again. He hasn’t changed numbers, the way Jordan, Kobe or LeBron did. He hasn’t captured a Finals MVP yet. In fact, he’s added an all-time great to his team – Kevin Durant – and is still on top of the league in terms of popularity.

It started in 2015 when Curry took the league by storm, led the Warriors to 67 wins, and a title. It continued into 2016 when he had one of the best seasons in NBA history, led the Warriors to 73 wins, and was the first unanimous MVP ever. Curry continued to lead the league in jersey sales in 2017, even though Kevin Durant showed up and won Finals MVP. And in 2018, Curry’s popularity still rages.

Stephen Curry has been one of the biggest change agents in NBA history, in the same discussion as Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Shaq and LeBron James. The two biggest differences between those four and Curry are size – he’s only 6-foot-3 – and expectations.

Just remember, when Michael Jordan absolutely dominated the 1990s, winning six titles in six chances, no single player had a four-year stretch of Curry’s caliber, infringing on his turf.

PM Roundup: Emily Blunt; LeBron James Hits The Open Market; Danny Ainge Says Blockbuster Deal Unlikely

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The Big Lead’s PM Sports Roundup, which can’t stop thinking about the Capital Gazette. Despite being in mourning, you can bet your ass it’s putting out a damn post today. 

Emily not in Sicario 2: “Sicario: Day of the Soldado” is out now and getting fantastic reviews. Unfortunately, Emily Blunt — who starred in the outstanding first movie in the series — is not in the sequel. The director claimed her character’s story arc had been completed in the first. After seeing it, I agree with the decision.

Instagram Photo

LeBron doesn’t opt-in: LeBron James has informed the Cleveland Cavaliers he won’t opt-in to his $35.6 million contract for next season. Here’s a look at what that means for the rest of the NBA.

Ainge not likely making a trade: Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge says it’s unlikely the team will execute a blockbuster trade this offseason.

Tweet of the Day:

In Case You Missed It on The Big Lead:

LeBron’s Interest in Joining the Lakers is Strong

Jameis Winston’s Suspension Leaves Us With One Conclusion: He’s a Coward

No Matter What, LeBron James Should Be Ohio’s Favored Son

Stephen Curry Has Led the NBA in Jersey Sales for 4 Straight Seasons

Around the Sports Internet:

Vince McMahon is dumping $500 million into the XFL

Why this has been the best World Cup ever

Oregon State won another College World Series Thursday night

The Philadelphia 76ers may be working on a huge package to land Kawhi Leonard

Song of the Day:

Kobe Will Be a Persistent Thorn in LeBron's Side in Los Angeles

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Right now, Kobe Bryant is saying all the gracious things about LeBron James’ arrival in Los Angeles. He tweeted a welcome to the family while congratulating Magic, Jeanie, and Pelinka. This came after he was, according to SI’s Lee Jenkins, part of the recruitment process himself in the form of a telephone call.

But make no mistake about it: As soon as the honeymoon period ends, Kobe will be out there undermining LeBron at every step. The Lakers aren’t winning the title next year; if Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant have working legs, that’ll be the Warriors.

That means that the only question is whether the Lakers’ playoff exit will come to the Warriors, or before that at the hands of the Rockets or even someone else like the upstart Jazz or fortified Thunder.

There are both subtle or overt ways that Kobe can jab LeBron. For example, he praised LeBron’s much-maligned supporting cast in these playoffs. Look at this segment of Detail; it’s not as though Kobe is bashing LeBron, but he highlights times where he thinks LeBron should be doing things differently:

And then there’s the more obviously aggressive commentary, like when Kobe inserted himself into the MJ-LeBron debate by not-so-subtly pointing out that he has more rings than LeBron. Even with the plausible deniability, it’s obvious to anyone with knowledge of his personality what he’s really saying here:

Unless and until LeBron wins at least one ring with the Lakers, Kobe is going to be out there with commentary that is designed to get under LeBron’s skin. It will be very annoying for him, but that’s what he signed up for.


Roundup: Fireworks Accidents, 2019 Tarantino Movie With Pitt and DiCaprio, Loneliness As Bad As Chain-Smoking

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Olivia Culpo … Kentucky woman has been slammed all week for trophy killing rare giraffe in South Africa … Dad who breast-feeds … Former Oklahoma defensive back sentenced to 18 years in prison for aggravated robbery … Lindsey Vonn and P.K. Subban go tubing, have wipeout … GM ‘quietly‘ building robo-taxi service in Bay Area … Fox News host deletes tweet about Democrats not loving America … Loneliness is on the rise with youths and apparently as bad for one’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day … Congrats to Stephen and Ayesha Curry, who welcomed their third child, a baby boy … Maryland man lights firework upside down, severely injures hands … Firework skids across water, burns child … “Florida man loses 2 fingers in fireworks accident” …

Key stats to know for teams who’ve made the World Cup quarterfinals [SI.com]

The terms on a food label to ignore, and the ones to watch for” [NY Times]

While the Thai youth soccer team was located, it’s still too dangerous to rescue them and tensions are high [Washington Post]

The monthly rent of luxury apartments in 12 major cities [CNBC]

14 things you might’ve owned in the 70’s that are now worth a fortune [Mental Floss]

August 19, 2019 feels too far away for this new Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood with Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio [Variety]

Look at this insane catch by Brewers CF Keon Broxton

Armored drug cartel truck found in junk yard

Man surprises wife with dream car (she was psyched)

 

Rockets Lose Two of Their 7 Best Players, Will Have to Battle the Lakers For 2nd Best in the West

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Here’s how things have gone for the Houston Rockets since Chris Paul did this in Stephen Curry’s face in the Western Conference Finals in May:

An hour later, Chris Paul got hurt, and never played in the series again.

The Rockets lost the final two games by double digits.

To start the offseason, Houston signed 33-year old CP3 to a max deal. A guy who, since playing 82 games in 2014-2015, has played 74, then 61, then 58 games, and he’s gotten hurt in the playoffs twice.

Then they lost Trevor Ariza to Phoenix. Yes, he shot 0-of-12 in Game 7 against the Warriors, but he was an above-average defender, and their best two-way wing.

Then they lost their 2nd best two-way wing, Luc Mbah a Moute. So vital during the season as a reserve, he shot 36 percent on 3-pointers (like Ariza did). He got injured late in the regular season and missed the first round of the playoffs. His shoulder injury hampered his offensive use against Utah, and he couldn’t shoot right. The Rockets saw that continue early vs Golden State and didn’t play him.

What made the Rockets so great this season was the ability to switch defensively on everything. We wrote about that at length here. Yes, MVP James Harden was vital, and Clint Capela improved, but the perimeter defense was the key to forcing the Warriors to seven games. Since Golden State got Kevin Durant, nobody had won two playoff games against them. The Rockets won three.

The Rockets wing rotation is … 33-year old PJ Tucker (not really a wing), 32-year old Gerald Green (mostly a shooting guard), and maybe rookie Vincent Edwards (who had a nice career at Purdue).

This isn’t a 65-win team. Now you’re going to bring in Carmelo Anthony, a 34-year old who has never played a whiff of defense, and couldn’t shoot in the playoffs last year vs Utah (24 percent on 3’s)?

This smells like a disaster for Mike D'Antoni, who preferred to quit in New York than coach Anthony.

Unless Daryl Morey pulls off a miracle – Kawhi Leonard or someone of that caliber – this team is going to take a significant step back. Like maybe 13-15 wins fewer than last year. Short of a Kawhi addition in H-Town, the Lakers, 1-9, will have a better lineup by the time training camp rolls around.

PM Roundup: Selena Gomez; Louisville Drops Papa John's; Stop Comparing Trae Young To Stephen Curry

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The Big Lead’s PM Sports Roundup, which is desperately hoping you eschew the path of the wicked this weekend. 

Selena seems to be doing fine: Selena Gomez appears to be doing just fine after ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber’s engagement.

Instagram Photo

Instagram Photo

Louisville drops Papa John: The University of Louisville has removed Papa John’s name from their stadium. The stadium will just be known as Cardinal Stadium now.

Trae ain’t Steph: Stop comparing Trae Young to Stephen Curry, they’re not the same player and you can’t expect similar results.

Tweet of the Day:

In Case You Missed It on The Big Lead:

A Conversation With Chris Long and Kyle Long

Mookie Betts and the Record-Setting Boston Red Sox Feel Inevitable

Josh Hart’s Emergence Is More Proof Lakers Should Keep Young Core Together

Projecting the US Soccer 2022 World Cup Roster

Around the Sports Internet:

The Baltimore Orioles are apparently torn on Manny Machado trade talks and have been difficult to deal with

The NFL is having a really bad offseason

The dates for the 2020 World Cup have officially been announced

A Kawhi Leonard trade would be a disaster for the Raptors and Spurs

Song of the Day:

Why the Warriors Will Have the Finances to Withstand $300 Million Payroll When Luxury Tax Skyrockets

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One of the saving graces for the 29 teams not named the Warriors has been the idea that in 2019, 2020 or thereabouts the luxury tax bill would become unsustainable and Golden State would not be able to afford the $300 million or so it would take to keep the band of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant together. The future implications were laid out last summer by ESPN’s Bobby Marks:

However, as Tim Kawakami lays out in The Athletic, the idea that their dynasty would crumble from losing talent is wishful thinking because their new arena, opening in 2019, is already set to effectively be an ATM machine.

According to Kawakami, the Chase Center will have “membership fees” of about $15,000-$20,000 per seat for season tickets, which get paid back without interest in 30 years. A Warriors official said that 79% of season ticketholders who have been pitched so far have agreed to pay them; additionally, most luxury suites are already sold, and Chase is paying about $20 million a year for the naming rights. Add in parking, concessions, actual ticket sales, and money from both local and national TV and even if the Warriors are paying $300 million a year for their players they are going to be just fine.

Now, perhaps Durant or Klay opt to sign somewhere else, borne out of a desire to prove they could win on another team or a previously un-manifested wish to maximize their last dollar. That could certainly happen. Or, maybe the Warriors don’t have the same injury luck, or maybe the LeBrakers or Celtics or someone else can rise as Golden State ages or gets complacent. Those are all ways the Warriors dynasty could end.

But, it ain’t going to be because of the luxury tax as many have hoped.

PM Roundup: Iggy Azalea; Chris Archer Traded to the Pirates; Bryce Harper Stays in Washington

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The Big Lead’s PM Sports Roundup, which was not dealt away at the trade deadline despite heavy interest.

Iggy flaunts it: Iggy Azalea is about to release her first album in five years and apparently needs people to focus on her because she’s tearing it up on Instagram.

Instagram Photo

Instagram Photo

Chris Archer to the Pirates: The Pittsburgh Pirates landed Chris Archer just before the trade deadline on Tuesday, acquiring the two-time All-Star pitcher for two top young players.

Nationals keep Harper: Despite a willingness to listen to trade offers for Bryce Harper, the Washington Nationals wound up standing pat and keeping their star.

Tweet of the Day:

In Case You Missed It on The Big Lead:

Ranking 2018 SEC Football Teams From Worst to First

Not Only is Conor McGregor’s Return ‘Very Close,’ So is the UFC’s Return to Prominence

VIDEO: Steve Levy Gives Full Story of “Bulging Disc” Blooper, An All-Time ESPN Moment

REPORT: Draymond Green and Tristan Thompson Skirmished at Club at Post ESPY Party

Around the Sports Internet:

The NBA has singed a deal with MGM Resorts International to be the official gaming partner of the league

Which NBA teams should be looking to tank this year?

Stephen Curry gave serious props to LeBron James for the school he built in Akron

If the Big Ten wants a spot in the College Football Playoff, it will need to campaign harder

Song of the Day:

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