The Big Story – NBA Playoffs: Yes, the NFL draft captured a lot of attention, but since it’s four months before those 257 kids will strut their stuff it’s not the week’s big story — especially since its top feature was about an entitled, cocky kid (Shedeur Sanders) getting his comeuppance in full view of a national TV audience.
No, the big story is the NBA playoffs getting off in fine fashion. Especially with great games Sunday. Denver (down 1-3) and Memphis (swept) showed dumping their coaches three weeks before the playoffs didn’t pay off. The refs were once again in the middle of it by screwing Detroit out of a last-second win over New York. And emerging future stars like Paolo Banchero and Anthony Edwards continued their rise.
Sports 101: Last week Payton Pritchard became the fourth Celtic to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. Name their other three.
News Item – Pats Draft: In pretty much following the script to fill their needs it looks good. But time will tell, so check back in December. But here are two things I liked: Will Campbell was impressive during his interviews after getting picked; and while I didn’t see a lot of college ball last fall, I loved what I saw of second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson during Ohio State’s playoff run.
News Item – Celtics Update: They start the week up 3-1 vs. Orlando. (1) The Game 3 loss was the result of not being ready for physical play from Orlando that led to Jayson Tatum missing Game 2 and causing concern till the end of Game 4. (2) Tatum has been the man, especially in Game 4, where he scored 37 with 14 rebounds and even pushed someone back after a cheap bump for a double T. Boo-la-boo-la for that. (3) Someone please show Uncle Joe how a pick and roll to the basket will produce easy points against a team over playing the line to prevent against their 3-ball attack. (4) If the C’s took care of business in Boston on Tuesday, good night Orlando.
News Impatience is Back in Red Sox Nation:All I can think of when I hear impatient dopes like Tony Massarotti wanting to give up on the struggling Triston Casas three weeks into the season is Frank Costanza in the Seinfeld episode when George Steinbrenner thinks George Constanza got kidnapped. Upon meeting the Boss, instead of asking about his son, Frank shouts at the notoriously impatient Steinbrenner, “HOW COULD YOU TRADE JAY BUHNER,” who George dealt for journeyman DH Ken Phelps before Buehner went on to hit 310 homers for Seattle. As for Casas, he’s still not there yet but he hit two homers and a Wall Ball walk-off single to beat Seattle last week, so he’s getting there.
News Item – NFL Draft Notes: (1) Love that Travis Hunter will get a chance to play both ways.(2) But I wouldn’t have given as much as Jax did to move up to get him. (3) Which means my pre-draft plan to trade up for Jabar Carter wouldn’t have worked. (4) Mel Kiper Jr. seemed to take it personally as his top ranked QB kept falling like a rock until Sanders went in R5.
The Numbers:
4 & 14 –players from Ohio State taken in the first round and overall to give OSU the most players taken from any school in the NFL draft.
6 & 28 – homers and RBI for Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer in his first 21 games at AAA Worcester.
53 – most pitches thrown a single inning since 2022, by Toronto’s Kevin Gausman in the third inning of Sunday’s 11-3 loss to the Yanks.
… Of the Week Awards
Thumbs Up – Eugenio Suarez: While I doubt I could pick him out in a police line-up, Arizona D-Back slugger gets it for being the 19th guy in MLB history to hit four homers in a game.
Delusional Megalomania Moment of the Week: Hearing Steven A. Blowhard actually say if they don’t start getting it right, and he wasn’t kidding.
Random Thoughts: Pardon my cynicism, but, while it’s his right ’cause he earned it, I doubt Lawrence Taylor’s refusal of Sharp’s request to wear 56 was a gesture to help him make his own mark.
Sports 101 Answer: In addition to Pritchard, the other three Sixth Man of the Year winners are Kevin McHale (’84 and ’85), Bill Walton (’86) and Malcolm Brogdon (’23).
Final Thought – NBA Officiating: What good does it do after the fact to admit the refs missed an obvious Knicks foul on Pistons shooter Tim Hardaway Jr. as time expired that every fan in the building and millions watching on TV saw? The P’s still lost to give the Knicks a tainted 3-1 lead. Isn’t that what replay is supposed to prevent? So what were the people in the NBA replay center doing when it happened? And how could the only three people in the building who didn’t see such an obvious foul be the people paid to call the game? If they can’t make that call they should be fired
Email Dave Long at [email protected].