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Draymond Green is the key to Warriors’ recent surge, but relying on him is a risky proposition

SAN FRANCISCO — Here it was. The moment we’d all been expecting, for better or for worse.

After weeks of abiding by the rules, biting his tongue and suppressing his urges, Draymond Green was met with a fork in the road as he and Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic battled, both physically and verbally, for multiple trips down the court. Down one road was retaliation, aggression, intimidation — we know where that road leads, to a suspension even longer than the most recent one he served. Down the other road: inaction, humility, pacifism — the road most Golden State Warriors fans were probably hoping Green would take.

True to everything we know about the man, the basketball player and the competitor, Draymond Green chose to dismiss both paths, instead carving his own road right down the middle.

Green walked the proverbial line that the Warriors organization continually references when it comes to their emotional leader — getting in Nurkic’s face but not taking a swing. Dishing out trash talk without earning a technical (he would later receive one for arguing with the refs, not Nurkic). Going at the Suns center without taking himself or his team out of the game. It was a masterclass in what Green needs to be, both as a player and a leader, in order for Golden State to be successful.

“We did not want him to be Mr. Goody Two Shoes. We wanted him to be himself, but not go over the line,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said of Green. “We want him to be on the officials, but not yell profanity at the official. That’s what he’s doing. He’s himself, but he’s not crossing the line.”

Green’s behavior is so important moving forward because of how essential he’s been to the Warriors’ recent resurgence. Since Kerr inserted Green as the starting center at the end of January, Golden State has gone 8-3 with a net rating of plus-8.6 — fourth in the NBA over that stretch.

The offense, dead in the water at times during the season, has been revitalized by Green’s energy and playmaking. It’s no coincidence that Stephen Curry’s best shooting stretch of the season has come with his longtime teammate alongside him. The synergy they’ve developed over 12 seasons is evident the second they step on the basketball court. Green ranks in the 94th percentile in offense including assists, according to Synergy Sports, and the eye test backs up the numbers with the way he orchestrates action and finds teammates.

Watch here as Green reads Curry’s off ball movement, dribbling toward him to create a passing angle before subtly blocking Vince Williams Jr.’s lane to defend Curry’s shot.

“Nobody understands how to get shooters shots better than Draymond Green,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “Whether it’s bullet passes to the corner playing the [dribble hand-off] game with these guys. … One of the best ever do it.”

The uncharacteristically slow Warriors pace to start the season has skyrocketed with Green at center. Prior to Jan. 27, Golden State played at a pace of 99.7 possessions per game — 13th in the league. Green has ratcheted that up to 102.4 (fifth in the NBA) over the last 11 games.

His presence has also unlocked the forward pairing of Andrew Wiggins and emerging star Jonathan Kuminga. On paper the Wiggins-Kuminga duo seems ideal, presenting long rangy defenders who can also score in a multitude of ways, but prior to Green’s return from suspension lineups featuring Wiggins and Kuminga had a catastrophic net rating of minus-25 in 171 minutes. In the 13 games since Green came back, when he’s on the floor with Wiggins and Kuminga the Warriors have a plus-18.3 net rating. It’s hard to overstate how crucial Green has been to allowing Golden State to play the way they want to play, with athleticism and force.

Defensively, Green’s work speaks for itself. His communication, positioning, verticality, switchability — those traits make him one of the greatest defenders in NBA history, so it’s no surprise that Golden State’s defense has gone from 24th to seventh since his return from suspension.

Put it all together, and the Warriors have a top-five offense and a top-five defense over the past 11 games — much closer to what Kerr expected than the mediocre start to the season. Chris Paul is on his way back, Klay Thompson thrived in his first game off the bench and rookie Brandin Podziemski has shined as a starter. All of those things help, but for Warriors to continue their momentum through the stretch run and into the playoffs, Green — because he’s so invaluable on the court — must continue to gracefully walk the line between passion and chaos.

In the past, Green has been able to do it — and the result is four titles. But the frequency of his indiscretions over the past couple of years has to at least have the Warriors questioning whether Green can be trusted to keep his cool when the next tussle presents itself.

“It’s been a delicate situation and he’s trying to figure that out and not let it spill over, because we can’t have that and he knows that — can’t afford to let it get out of control,” Curry said of Green. “But it fuels him because he lives for those moments … and you’ve seen that in the best of moments, for sure. So I want to encourage him to keep doing that.”

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Inside Doc Rivers’ rocky first weeks with Bucks and where Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard go from here

MILWAUKEE — I was standing in my kitchen chopping a pepper when a text came in from my sister. “Bucks guy got fired?” And that’s how I learned that the Adrian Griffin era had come to an end.

The move was at once stunning and unsurprising. As a rule, coaches don’t get fired when their team has the second-best record in the league. But then, the Bucks’ situation was unique and their success was in spite of Griffin and his sometimes baffling tactics, not because of him.

From training camp, when he butted heads with assistant coach Terry Stotts, who later resigned, it was clear Griffin struggled to get everyone on the same page. Just a few days into the regular season, the veterans held an intervention with him to get him to change the defense. During the In-Season Tournament, Bobby Portis challenged him in the locker room after the loss to the Pacers, and early in January, Giannis Antetokounmpo told the media “we have to be coached better.”

The Bucks have a short window to maximize the Antetokounmpo-Damian Lillard pairing, and Griffin wasn’t going to be the coach to do that. A midseason change is a bold move, but the Bucks were willing to take the risk rather than potentially let this season go to waste.

The Doc is in
Almost immediately, it became apparent that the Bucks wanted to hire Doc Rivers to replace Griffin. Convincing him to come out of retirement and sorting out the details of a contract was going to take time, however, and no one knew exactly when the process would be complete.

The fallout from Griffin’s sudden ousting and the mystery surrounding the expected Rivers appointment set the stage for a whirlwind week. While all of the off-court drama was swirling about, the Bucks were set to play three games in four nights at home against strong competition.

Up first were the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers, who a week earlier had embarrassed the Bucks by 40 in front of their new co-owner, Jimmy Haslem. Before the rematch in Milwaukee on Jan. 24, just 24 hours after Griffin had been let go, general manager Jon Horst took the podium during what is usually the pre-game press conference for the head coach.

He acknowledged what everyone else had been seeing: despite their place in the standings, the Bucks’ defense was a disaster and they didn’t look like a championship team. The front office wanted someone more experienced, who could tighten things up and get the necessary buy-in from the players. Rivers fit the bill.

Until he was ready to take over, the Bucks handed the reins to Joe Prunty. Unknown to most fans, Prunty is the type of NBA lifer that makes the league tick. Straightforward, hard-working and carrying a true passion for the game, he’s beloved by players and the media. This was to be Prunty’s second stint as interim head coach with the Bucks, and his return to the role was a real treat for those of us who have been covering the team since his last spell in charge in 2018.

The entire Bucks roster put on a dance routine that night, then went out and cruised to a win behind another triple-double from Antetokounmpo. Even Prunty was on his A-game, giving us a classic digression during his post-game interview in which he started naming off the entire Cavaliers coaching staff.

😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/mF2Xx0SWRC

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 25, 2024
Two nights later on Jan. 26, the Bucks were set to face the Cavaliers again, still without a permanent resolution to their coaching situation.

Prior to that game, I swung open the doors separating the media workroom and media dining room at Fiserv Forum and was greeted by Rumble the Bison, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s mascot, filming a TikTok. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep or the sudden appearance of Jazz Bear, but I thought for a moment I had lost my mind.

Thankfully, I hadn’t. Those two were in town to celebrate Bucks mascot Bango’s birthday, and his party looked like it was going to be the most entertaining aspect of the night, as the Cavs controlled the second half. Then, with just a few minutes remaining, a press release hit the inbox of every media member: Doc Rivers had officially been hired as the 18th head coach in franchise history.

Suddenly, the result was irrelevant. While Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Khris Middleton all left without speaking to the media, other players did talk. They revealed that Rivers had actually met with the team earlier that day at shootaround. His first message, according to Pat Connaughton, was “teams should be a little bit more afraid to play us.” Across the board, there was excitement about playing for Rivers and the wealth of knowledge he brought.

Fourteen hours later, everyone crowded into the press conference room at Fiserv Forum to hear from Rivers and Horst, while Marquette, Rivers’ alma mater, prepared to play Seton Hall in the background. All in attendance were in a great mood as Rivers cracked jokes and explained why he was willing to come out of his recent retirement to take the job.

“I mean, c’mon. You know the answer,” Rivers said. “Giannis, Dame. Really, that’s the answer. Like, you look at their team. You know, I don’t ever know the list, right? What is it, eight teams that have a legitimate shot? And I don’t know if it’s that high, but the Bucks are one of them, right?”

Of course, Rivers was always going to “win” the press conference. His genial nature and sense of humor are a reporter’s dream. The real challenge was going to be winning on the court after arriving midseason.

“I’ve never done this. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” Rivers said. “It’s going to be a challenge.”

Later that night, the Bucks were scheduled to take on the Pelicans, but though Rivers was now officially the team’s head coach, he was not ready to actually coach. Instead, Prunty got one last ride, and delivered a comfortable win over the Pelicans. And when Naji Marshall missed two consecutive free throws in the fourth quarter, he provided free chicken to every fan — and a star player who wanted in on the action.

Giannis scanning the QR code to get his free wings after the Pelicans miss two free throws pic.twitter.com/J2ZTQxCmLB

— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 28, 2024
Unfortunately, Antetokounmpo missed out. “I didn’t get my chicken. I wasn’t fast enough, I couldn’t get the barcode,” he lamented in the locker room afterward.

In the span of five days, the Bucks fired one coach, hired another, held two press conferences and played three games. At long last, everyone had a chance to relax — but not for long.

The most encouraging 1-4 road trip ever
Two days after plunging head-first back into the coaching world, Rivers was on the sideline in Denver for a matchup with the defending champion Nuggets. A five-game West Coast road trip was not an ideal way to begin his tenure.

The Bucks lost that first game in competitive fashion, then fell to the lowly Trail Blazers in Damian Lillard’s return to Portland, came back from a 25-point deficit to stun the Dallas Mavericks, collapsed in the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz and never had much of a chance versus the Phoenix Suns in a game they played the majority of without three starters.

On paper, the trip was a disaster. When it began, the Bucks were 32-14, all alone in second place in the Eastern Conference and three games behind the Boston Celtics. Nine days later, they were 33-18, tied for third with the Cavaliers and six games back of the Celtics.

And yet, the vibes were tremendous.

“I feel like, from practice, because we’re adding stuff and everybody’s excited and everybody sees what we’re trying to accomplish here and, they’re excited for the things that we can do as a team and how better we can get,” Antetokounmpo said after the Bucks blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter to the Jazz.

“And like in practice, people are going faster and running up and down. And obviously, you know, having a new coaching staff you gotta kind of show what you’re made of and what you can do. In shootarounds, guys are more aggressive, shoot more, cut more, play harder. We have a longer shootaround because we’re adding stuff, and then you go to the game and you’re kind of a little bit gassed, I’m not going to lie.

“But, at the end of the day, you find that happy balance. Right now, it doesn’t matter and I hope everybody in this locker room feels the same way that I feel. It does not matter. There’s so many things that we’re doing right now that we are getting better. And the moment everything clicks and our legs are there and our minds are there and guys are healthy and everybody is locked in, I think it’s going to go very well. I really do believe.

“It’s a very, very hard, schedule, but when everything settles down, we are going to be very, very fine. I really do believe. I believe we are trending towards the right direction.”

Hello, Patrick Beverley; goodbye, Robin Lopez
Shortly before the trade deadline on Feb. 8, Patrick Beverley broke some news on a live episode of his podcast: he was being traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Bucks. Thirty-six hours later, after finishing with six points and four assists in a 36-point win over the Charlotte Hornets, Beverley ended his on-court interview by urging fans inside Fiserv Forum to subscribe to said pod.

If Beverley’s desire to play immediately — he sent a tweet begging Cam Payne to take his physical so the trade could be completed in time for the game against the Hornets — and his hard-working, defensive-minded style wasn’t enough to endear him to Bucks fans, he then showed up to his postgame interview drinking a Miller Lite.

Robin Lopez, who was also traded at the deadline, took the opposite approach. He logged on to Twitter and fired off a series of self-deferential jokes, including a wish that he’d have his jersey retired by the Sacramento Kings, who waived him immediately once the trade with the Bucks went through.

Robin Lopez reading a book at Bucks game after they traded him today 😂 pic.twitter.com/3WFHYezvBH

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2024
He was in the building when the shorthanded Bucks were crushed by the Minnesota Timberwolves the night of the deadline, but didn’t seem to have much interest in the game. Instead, he sat courtside in a Groucho Marx t-shirt reading Backstory 2: Interviews with Screenwriters of the 1940s and 1950s by Patrick McGilligan. It was a fitting end to his second tour with the Bucks considering he began the season by killing time at media day with a biography of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.

The Bucks are back…
With a few minutes remaining in the Bucks’ win over the Hornets, Thanasis Antetokounmpo sized up JT Thor, hit him with a “Shammgod” and a “Smitty,” then finished at the rim, sending the Bucks’ bench into euphoria. That’s all you need to know about that game.

Go to work, Thanasis! pic.twitter.com/vxcKBE8Yv4

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 10, 2024
The Bucks’ stress-free win in a rematch with the Nuggets a few nights later was much more impressive. By the second half of that game, Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had been shut down, and I was sitting up in the nosebleeds with my parents and sister, who had come to watch Nikola Jokic.

Yes, the Nuggets had missed a bunch of open shots that night, but it was the second game in a row that the Bucks had held an opponent under 100 points. Finally, the results were matching the internal progress the Bucks had been touting in the first few weeks under Rivers, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.

“Our intensity, we were flying around, we were into bodies, we’re running guys off of shots, we’re pulled in,” Rivers said. “A lot of deflections, that’s a thing that’s rose over the last four games. You can see the deflections rising, which means we’re actually close to a guy and guarding him, playing more physical, and that’s what we have to do.”

…Or maybe not
Everything was set up for the Bucks following the Nuggets win. Their final two games prior to the All-Star break were against a Miami Heat squad missing Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson, and the Memphis Grizzlies’ “C” team. Take care of business and you could ride a four-game winning streak into the hiatus.

Or, you could drop both games and revert back to square one, which is what the Bucks did. The loss to the Heat was one thing, considering it was the second night of a back-to-back and Miami went 2023 playoffs mode from 3, but stumbling against the Grizzlies was inexplicable.

Doc Rivers summed it up by saying “we had some guys here, we had some guys in Cabo.”

Antetokounmpo was more expressive, and his utterances carried the same exasperation as the ones he was making regularly prior to Griffin’s firing.

“There’s so many things that we have to do in order for us to be better,” Antetokounmpo said. “And it starts with, we have to want it. We have to want it. We have to want it. Like, what can I — what else should I say? Do we want it? Do we really want to win? Do we want to win?

“We have to want it, man,” Antetokounmpo continued. “Like enough with the talking. Enough with the, ‘our shit-don’t-stink’ mentality. Do we really want it? Are we putting in the work? Are we going to put in the effort? Are we going to fight for what we think that we deserve or what our goals are trying to accomplish? That is the most important thing.

“Guys are tired, that’s an excuse. New coach, excuse. New system, excuse. New defense, excuse. All of it, it’s excuse. At the end of the day, you’re going to go out there and try to play basketball, try to compete and they competed harder than us today. They competed harder than us two days ago. We are not on track of what we are trying to do and I feel like the team feels it. The team feels it. I feel it.”

Hey now, you’re an All-Star MVP
The Bucks’ win over the Mavericks on Feb. 3 meant they maintained second place in the Eastern Conference by the cut-off date to determine All-Star Game coaching honors. With Boston’s Joe Mazzulla ineligible because he could not perform the duties two years in a row, that meant Rivers would be on the bench for the East squad in Indianapolis despite having the Bucks job for less than a month.

Rivers, to his credit, called the situation “hilariously bad” and said he would give his All-Star ring and bonus to Griffin. Nevertheless, he would be in Indy with the rest of the coaching staff, Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Malik Beasley (who was in the 3-point Contest).

As the only team with multiple starters in the All-Star Game — Antetokounmpo and Lillard were the first pair of Bucks teammates to pull off that feat since Bob Dandridge and Brian Winters in 1976 — and multiple contestants in the 3-Point Contest, the Bucks were already set to be front and center during the annual showcase. And that was before Lillard made history by becoming the first player to win the 3-Point Contest and All-Star MVP in the same weekend.

“I did come into the weekend, when I knew I was going to do the 3-Point, I was like I’m going to try to win,” Lillard said, after draining a pair of halfcourt shots en route to 39 points, and getting booed by the Pacers fans during the MVP trophy presentation. “I’m not going to be casual and cool about it. I’m going to try to win again. And I’m going to come into the All-Star Game, my first start, I know I’m going to be on the floor a lot. I’m a vet in the game at this point. Why not go and try to get an MVP?”

This has been a frustrating and inconsistent season for Lillard based on his sky-high standards. Could a historic All-Star Weekend be what gets him back on track? Perhaps, perhaps not. But a major confidence boost certainly doesn’t hurt.

What’s up, Doc?
The All-Star break was not all excitement and positivity for the Bucks, thanks to comments Rivers made during his press conference in Indianapolis, and then later during an appearance on Sirius XM Radio’s The Starting Lineup with Frank Isola and Ryan McDonough.

Here’s Rivers during the NBA’s All-Star Media Day:

“Taking a job when you’re about to go on the toughest road trip of the season is not the smartest decision. I even told them that: ‘Can we wait ’til All-Star break?’ You know, it would have been a lot nicer, Rivers said.

“The end game is what we’re playing for. And the organization felt strongly that a change needed to be made defensively and things like that, and that’s what we’re doing. The problem is, while you’re doing that, you’re in the middle of the season on the toughest trip. I’ve been in Milwaukee [for] four days. I’ve had the job for three weeks.”

Though not incorrect, many viewed those remarks as a series of excuses for why the team is 3-7 record since he took over. So much so that they sparked a multi-day media frenzy that led to a war of words between JJ Redick, Beverley and Rivers’ son, Austin.

That saga also overshadowed what he told Isola and McDonough.

“I’ll be honest, I told our owners when they called, ‘I don’t understand why you’re doing this,'” Rivers said of his first conversations with the Bucks. “One of the things they said to me was, ‘Well it doesn’t matter, we’ve done it now and we want you.’ So that was a tough one, that’s where you have the hesitation.”

The Bucks’ poor record and slide down the standings since Rivers took over is disappointing, but at least somewhat explainable. His press tour, on the other hand, is not. In recent days he has called out his players and questioned his front office and ownership. He was brought in to steady the ship, but has done exactly the opposite.

Byadmin

Celtics, Timberwolves lead new Power Rankings as NBA returns; Predicting expanded CFP field

🏀 Good morning to everyone but especially …
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Getty Images
THE NBA

After a week away for the All-Star break, the NBA returns tonight, and Colin Ward-Henninger has new Power Rankings, complete with one reason for hope or concern. Here’s his top five:

Celtics (previous: 1) — “Reason for concern: The Celtics are obviously an excellent basketball team, but if the goal is a championship it’s time to nitpick. Boston simply doesn’t get to the rim.”
Timberwolves (2) — “Reason for hope: Minnesota has the best record in the NBA (23-11) against teams above .500.”
Thunder (9) — “Reason for concern: OKC’s offense has been downright bad without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the floor. They score a ridiculous 122 points per 100 possessions with him on the court, but that falls to 111 with him on the bench.”
Clippers (5) — “Reason for hope: When Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are on the floor the Clippers are virtually unstoppable. They score 122 points per 100 possessions in Leonard and George’s minutes, while allowing just 108.”
Cavaliers (3) — “Reason for concern: The Cavs have been the league’s hottest team since Jan. 1, rattling off an 18-3 record. But, if you look closely, you’ll see a lot of wins are over the NBA’s bottom-dwellers.”
As for five storylines to watch … here are mine:

Where do the Lakers and Warriors end up? They’re currently ninth and 10th in the Western Conference — the final two spots in the play-in — and a postseason without LeBron James and/or Stephen Curry would be odd. But the play (and emotional status) of Draymond Green may ultimately be the determining factor.
When does Joel Embiid return, if at all? The 76ers are fifth in the East but haven’t had Embiid since late January due to a meniscus injury. They’re 26-8 when he plays and 6-14 when he doesn’t.
Who wins the West? The Celtics are running away with the East, but in the West, the Timberwolves are up just 1.5 games on the Thunder, two games on the Clippers and three games on the defending champion Nuggets.
What’s up with the Bucks? They’re the elephant in the room. They fired Adrian Griffin despite a 30-13 start. Successor Doc Rivers is just 3-7. But, hey, at least he has the support of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Who wins MVP and the other individual honors? Remember, the 65-game minimum has already ruled out several potential candidates.
With under two months left in the regular season, buckle up and enjoy the ride.

😁 Honorable mentions
Five-star 2024 center Derik Queen committed to Maryland.
Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and Luc Longley announced a “No Bull” tour. Michael Jordan will surely be a big talking point.
Jonny Brodzinski and the Rangers agreed to a two-year extension.
Eric Hosmer called it a career.
Speaking of former Royals, Kelvin Herrera was elected mayor of his hometown.
⚽ And not such a good morning for …
Getty Images
ARSENAL

Arsenal came into Wednesday’s match against Porto riding high, and rightfully so. The Gunners had won five straight Premier League matches, outscoring opponents 21-2 over the span. Surely that would carry over to the Champions League against a susceptible defense, right?

Wrong.

Galeno curled in a stunning effort in the 94th minute to beat the Gunners, 1-0. Arguably even more stunning? Arsenal put exactly zero shots on goal, a far, far cry from the attack that was running rampant recently. You can blame Gabriel Martinelli, who gave the ball away late, blame the attackers and blame manager Mikel Arteta. But at the end of the day, inexperience was a deciding factor, James Benge writes.

Benge: “This was Arsenal’s junior moment, a young side, many of whom were playing in their first Champions League knockout game, failing to appreciate that it was only halftime in the tie, as the old cliche goes. Better to preserve parity before you get them back on your ground.”
Chuck Booth dropped the Gunners from third to eighth in his Champions League Power Rankings. Here’s the top five:

Manchester City (previous: 1)
Real Madrid (2)
Inter (5)
PSG (8)
Lazio (14)
Meanwhile, Napoli and Barcelona drew, 1-1, with star strikers Robert Lewandowski and Victor Osimhen trading second-half goals.

😕 Not so honorable mentions
The Mavericks missed out on keeping Jalen Brunson for cheap … twice.
Sorry, Expos fans: Netflix is making a documentary about the team’s downfall.
🏈 Predicting the 12-team 2024 College Football Playoff
USATSI
Now that the 5+7 model is official, it’s prediction time. Chip Patterson made his early prediction on the 2024 playoff field.

The first thing that caught my eye? In an even more loaded SEC, there’s a familiar name at No. 1.

Patterson: “1. Georgia (SEC champion): Pre-spring practice ratings of the top teams in college football have Georgia at No. 1, and then there’s a gap before you get to the more interesting discussions about teams Nos. 2-4. Quarterback Carson Beck returns after leading the Bulldogs offense to stellar and often overlooked results in 2023, and after missing the playoff due in part to some rough injury luck, there will be no motivational issues in the 2024 season.”
The SEC and Big Ten both put four teams in Chip’s predicted field.

Oh, and by the way, now that we’re finally expanding to 12 … the CFP Management Committee is exploring expanding to 14.

🏈 Pete Prisco’s Top 100 NFL free agents, ranked
Getty Images
We’re officially inside of three weeks until the start of NFL free agency, and that means lots of big names potentially hitting the market. Pete Prisco has graciously ranked the top 100 players who could be available, and here’s his top six:

Kirk Cousins, QB, Vikings
Chris Jones, DE, Chiefs
Josh Allen, LB, Jaguars
Justin Madubuike, DT, Ravens
Danielle Hunter, DE, Vikings
L’Jarius Sneed, CB, Chiefs
You’ll notice I included six instead of my normal five, and that’s because Sneed is too good to not get a mention here. Plus, how Kansas City manages Jones’ and Sneed’s free agencies could play a major role in the Chiefs’ quest to be the first NFL team to achieve the elusive three-peat.

As for some other good players you should know who didn’t make the top six …

  1. Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants — His position didn’t help his ranking, but I’m convinced Barkley can have a Christian McCaffrey-esque impact on the right team. Imagine him surrounded by a legit passing attack and a legit offensive line.
  2. Bryce Huff, DE, Jets and 83. Josh Uche, LB, Patriots — Pass-rush specialists are always helpful. Neither Huff nor Uche play a ton of snaps, but they make them count: Only Micah Parsons had a better pressure rate than Huff last year (min. 200 pass-rush snaps), and Uche led the category in 2022.
    Here’s our free agency primer for all 32 teams.

⚾ Five MLB teams that could make the playoffs in 2024 after missing out in 2023
Getty Images
Believe it or not, there is baseball on TV today. The Dodgers and Padres open spring training game action, and while Shohei Ohtani won’t play, it’s a welcome reminder that Opening Day isn’t far away — and Ohtani is on track to be back by then.

Hope springs eternal — no pun intended — and Mike Axisa is feeling the good vibes with five teams that could make the 2024 playoffs after missing the postseason last year, including …

Axisa: “1. Yankees: That 82-80 finish prompted the Yankees to attack their weaknesses in a meaningful way. Juan Soto was the best hitter to change teams this offseason, and New York also added Alex Verdugo to improve an outfield that was very weak in the two non-Aaron Judge spots last year. Also, they are two high-contact lefty bats, something the Yankees sorely lacked. Marcus Stroman provides stability in the middle of the rotation and the ability to keep the ball in the park at homer-happy Yankee Stadium.”
Mike also mentions that the Yankees should be much healthier this year, and one of those players returning is among Mike’s 10 players whose return from injury could impact the playoff race.

R.J. Anderson, meanwhile, has teams that could miss the postseason after making it in 2023.

📺 What we’re watching Thursday
⚾ Dodgers vs. Padres, 3:10 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Rutgers at No. 3 Purdue (M), 7 p.m. on FS1
🏀 Alabama at No. 1 South Carolina (W), 7 p.m. on SEC Network
🏒 Capitals at Lightning, 7 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Suns at Mavericks, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
🏀 No. 4 Iowa at No. 14 Indiana (W), 8 p.m. on Peacock
🏀 No. 6 NC State at North Carolina (W), 8 p.m. on ACC Network
🏀 No. 18 Utah at No. 12 UCLA (W), 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Lakers at Warriors, 10 p.m. on TNT
🏀 No. 21 Washington State at No. 4 Arizona (M), 11 p.m. on FS1

Byadmin

Suns pull off historic fourth-quarter comeback against Kings by embracing their small-ball destiny

Fourth quarters haven’t been kind to the Phoenix Suns this season. Despite having three of the best late-game shot-makers in the NBA, the Suns entered Tuesday’s battle with the Sacramento Kings with a pitiful -16.7 fourth-quarter net rating, the worst mark in basketball by far. So when they fell behind 109-87 with eight minutes and 22 seconds left on the clock, you would have been justified in shutting off your television and assuming the game was over.

If you’ve read this story’s headline, you know that it wasn’t. The Suns scratched the deficit down to 16 in the ensuing three minutes. And then, with 5:11 remaining in the fourth quarter, Frank Vogel made the decision that swung the game. He inserted Eric Gordon into the game for Josh Okogie, removing his best perimeter defender so that he could put his five best shooters on the floor at the same time. The lineup of Gordon, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Grayson Allen outscored the Kings 23-5 in the final 311 seconds to steal the game.

The comeback was historic. Phoenix is just the second team in the past 25 years to overcome a deficit of at least 20 points in the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter, ironically joining the 2019-20 Sacramento Kings. According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, teams facing deficits of 22 points or more in the fourth quarter were 0-1,244 since Aug. 23, 2020. Now we can swap that zero out for a one. And it largely happened because of a weapon Vogel hadn’t really deployed yet this season.

The group of Durant, Booker, Beal, Allen and Gordon had played just five total minutes and 14 total possessions this season entering Tuesday’s game. Injuries are to blame for some of that, but Beal has now been back on the court for several weeks. The group doesn’t exactly fit Vogel’s typical defense-first coaching style. Durant is extremely slim for a center and has played the position only sparingly in his career. Booker is the second-tallest player in that lineup at 6-6. The other three players are listed at 6-4.

Nobody would mistake that unit for the 2004 Pistons, but its defensive upside is deceptive. Durant has always been an excellent help defender and supplementary rim-protector. Gordon’s strength and low center of gravity has allowed him to defend bigger players throughout his career. Having so many like-size defenders opens up switching possibilities. If everyone is a mismatch, nobody is. A group like that is rarely going to allow two field goals in five minutes, but defense isn’t the group’s primary focus.

“I knew we still had a lineup we could throw out there that they would probably keep Sabonis on the floor and make him guard 5 elite shooters,” Vogel said in explaining the decision. That was the idea. With five elite shooters on the floor, there was nowhere for Sacramento’s poor defenders, especially their slow big man, to hide. Phoenix made seven of its eight field goal attempts with that group on the floor to close the game. Sacramento had no defensive answer for Phoenix’s obscene amount of shooting.

With time, opposing teams might find one, or more likely figure out how best to exploit that group’s limited size and defensive deficiencies. No coach is going to turn to a lineup like this for 20 minutes per game, especially not Vogel. But Phoenix’s roster isn’t exactly built to play bully-ball either. Jusuf Nurkic’s slow feet make him a defensive liability against the sort of offenses Phoenix will see in the playoffs, and while he does have offensive virtues, they mean less on a team that wants Durant, Booker and Beal to control most of their possessions. Shooting is this team’s biggest strength. Nurkic doesn’t provide much of it.

Gordon and Allen offer plenty. Putting them alongside Phoenix’s three stars creates a degree of spacing few NBA teams have ever had, and just as critically, most opponents the Suns are going to see in the playoffs will have at least one defender like Sabonis that such a group could punish. The Suns may not be able to stop them, but they’re not going to be able to stop the Suns either. Do you really want to bet against Durant, Booker and Beal in a shootout?

Over 48 minutes, potentially, but in smaller samples, we saw just how lethal such an approach could be for the Suns. Small-ball may not be a feasible full-game approach for the Suns, but it’s the style that turns them into their best selves. It only took five minutes and 11 seconds for the Gordon-Allen-Durant-Booker-Beal lineup to overcome all of Phoenix’s fourth-quarter demons on Tuesday. Imagine what it can do with another few months of seasoning.Fourth quarters haven’t been kind to the Phoenix Suns this season. Despite having three of the best late-game shot-makers in the NBA, the Suns entered Tuesday’s battle with the Sacramento Kings with a pitiful -16.7 fourth-quarter net rating, the worst mark in basketball by far. So when they fell behind 109-87 with eight minutes and 22 seconds left on the clock, you would have been justified in shutting off your television and assuming the game was over.

If you’ve read this story’s headline, you know that it wasn’t. The Suns scratched the deficit down to 16 in the ensuing three minutes. And then, with 5:11 remaining in the fourth quarter, Frank Vogel made the decision that swung the game. He inserted Eric Gordon into the game for Josh Okogie, removing his best perimeter defender so that he could put his five best shooters on the floor at the same time. The lineup of Gordon, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Grayson Allen outscored the Kings 23-5 in the final 311 seconds to steal the game.

The comeback was historic. Phoenix is just the second team in the past 25 years to overcome a deficit of at least 20 points in the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter, ironically joining the 2019-20 Sacramento Kings. According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, teams facing deficits of 22 points or more in the fourth quarter were 0-1,244 since Aug. 23, 2020. Now we can swap that zero out for a one. And it largely happened because of a weapon Vogel hadn’t really deployed yet this season.

The group of Durant, Booker, Beal, Allen and Gordon had played just five total minutes and 14 total possessions this season entering Tuesday’s game. Injuries are to blame for some of that, but Beal has now been back on the court for several weeks. The group doesn’t exactly fit Vogel’s typical defense-first coaching style. Durant is extremely slim for a center and has played the position only sparingly in his career. Booker is the second-tallest player in that lineup at 6-6. The other three players are listed at 6-4.

Nobody would mistake that unit for the 2004 Pistons, but its defensive upside is deceptive. Durant has always been an excellent help defender and supplementary rim-protector. Gordon’s strength and low center of gravity has allowed him to defend bigger players throughout his career. Having so many like-size defenders opens up switching possibilities. If everyone is a mismatch, nobody is. A group like that is rarely going to allow two field goals in five minutes, but defense isn’t the group’s primary focus.

“I knew we still had a lineup we could throw out there that they would probably keep Sabonis on the floor and make him guard 5 elite shooters,” Vogel said in explaining the decision. That was the idea. With five elite shooters on the floor, there was nowhere for Sacramento’s poor defenders, especially their slow big man, to hide. Phoenix made seven of its eight field goal attempts with that group on the floor to close the game. Sacramento had no defensive answer for Phoenix’s obscene amount of shooting.

With time, opposing teams might find one, or more likely figure out how best to exploit that group’s limited size and defensive deficiencies. No coach is going to turn to a lineup like this for 20 minutes per game, especially not Vogel. But Phoenix’s roster isn’t exactly built to play bully-ball either. Jusuf Nurkic’s slow feet make him a defensive liability against the sort of offenses Phoenix will see in the playoffs, and while he does have offensive virtues, they mean less on a team that wants Durant, Booker and Beal to control most of their possessions. Shooting is this team’s biggest strength. Nurkic doesn’t provide much of it.

Gordon and Allen offer plenty. Putting them alongside Phoenix’s three stars creates a degree of spacing few NBA teams have ever had, and just as critically, most opponents the Suns are going to see in the playoffs will have at least one defender like Sabonis that such a group could punish. The Suns may not be able to stop them, but they’re not going to be able to stop the Suns either. Do you really want to bet against Durant, Booker and Beal in a shootout?

Over 48 minutes, potentially, but in smaller samples, we saw just how lethal such an approach could be for the Suns. Small-ball may not be a feasible full-game approach for the Suns, but it’s the style that turns them into their best selves. It only took five minutes and 11 seconds for the Gordon-Allen-Durant-Booker-Beal lineup to overcome all of Phoenix’s fourth-quarter demons on Tuesday. Imagine what it can do with another few months of seasoning.

Byadmin

Joel Embiid shines in MVP showdown, but calls Nikola Jokic ‘the best player in the league’

Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic faced off in Philadelphia on Tuesday in what is becoming the MVP race’s annual midseason check-in. A little less than a year ago, on Jan. 28, 2023, Embiid engineered a 15-point, second-half comeback against Jokic’s Nuggets in a win that ultimately saw his MVP odds nearly cut in half from +700 to +360. He wound up winning the award, but just as was the case last season, Jokic is the slight favorite at most books as of this writing. If Embiid wanted to reclaim his place atop the leaderboard, he made quite a statement against Denver in a 126-121 win Tuesday.

Jokic was spectacular, posting 25 points and 19 rebounds in defeat, but Embiid stole the show with a 41-point, 10-assist, seven-rebound masterclass. He saved his best work for the fourth quarter. When he re-entered the game with 7:28 remaining in the fourth quarter, the score was tied at 111 apiece. Jokic and Tyrese Maxey traded buckets to push the score to 113 each, but Embiid took over from there. Between the 6:57 and 3:32 mark of the fourth quarter, 10 total points were scored. All of them came from Embiid. His personal 10-0 run gave the 76ers a 123-113 lead that they would never relinquish.

It would be one of the best performances of the season in a normal year, but it was downright pedestrian by the standard Embiid has set this season. It was Embiid’s eighth 40-point game of the season, and it was the first time since Nov. 17 that he failed to reach the 30-point, 10-rebound mark. Of course, he made up for that with his 10 assists, because even when he is slightly deficient in a single area this season, Embiid has found ways to compensate elsewhere. He is having the best season of his career, and yet, after the game, he deferred to the player he just defeated. Jokic and Embiid shared a hug after the game, and Embiid whispered something in Jokic’s ears that the camera didn’t quite catch. In his postgame interview, Embiid explained that he told Jokic he was the best player in the league.

“I just told him he’s the best player in the league.” 👀

Joel Embiid tells @ALaForce what he told Nikola Jokić after their hard-fought battle tonight! pic.twitter.com/mcDsfyUzCA

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 17, 2024
“I just told him he’s the best player in the league,” Embiid said. “Like I told you earlier, he won a championship, that’s the best team in the league. He’s the Finals MVP. So I was just telling him, ‘Keep going, I’ll see you in two weeks, keep doing your thing, that’s why you’re the best in the league.'”

The 76ers are scheduled to play the Nuggets again in Denver on Saturday, Jan. 27, so Jokic could potentially have a chance to prove Embiid’s words, but the Philadelphia star’s recent history suggests he might not be a lock to play in that game. Jokic and Embiid have finished first and second in the MVP race three years in a row, but Embiid hasn’t played a single road game in Denver during that stretch. There was some fear that he would miss Tuesday night’s game, the second half of a back-to-back for the 76ers, but he wound up playing. He has missed seven of Philadelphia’s last 11 games, and the 76ers will be cautious in managing his health in the hopes that he gets to the playoffs at full strength.

Jokic was ranked No. 1 in the NBA in most preseason player rankings. He was the pick from CBS Sports, The Ringer and Bleacher Report, for example, and before Embiid’s 2023 MVP win, Jokic had taken home the two previous trophies. This year’s race will be a bit deeper. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo all have odds in the triple digits to this point and will be heard from. But ultimately, Embiid is correct. The title of “best player in the league” is determined in the playoffs, not the regular season. Embiid may have taken a step toward winning his second MVP award on Tuesday, but if he wants to take Jokic’s far more meaningful “best in the world” title, he’s going to have to do it in June, not January.

Byadmin

Kyrie Irving is scorching hot, Joel Embiid is having the best season of his career

Welcome back to NBA Star Power Index: A weekly gauge of the players getting the most buzz around the league. Inclusion on this list isn’t necessarily a good thing — it simply means you’re capturing the NBA world’s attention. This is also not a ranking. The players listed here are in no particular order. This column will run every week throughout the regular season.

The Mavericks have won two of their last three with Luka Doncic sidelined. They beat the Knicks last Thursday, when Kyrie Irving had 44 points. They beat the Pelicans on Monday, when Irving had 42. In between, he posted 33 in a loss to New Orleans. A week ago Irving, who is averaging 37.5 points over his last five games, put up 35 in a win over top-seeded Minnesota. He’s averaging 31.8 for the month of January.

Dude remains absolutely nasty with the ball in his hands and as a catch-and-shoot sniper. He’s shooting better than 47% from 3 in January with 48/42/89 splits for the season.

Tim Hardaway Jr. has also been superb over the last two weeks and especially over the last three games in Doncic’s absence. Irving and Hardaway combined for 83 points on MLK day.

Tim Hardaway Jr. and Kyrie Irving combined for 83 PTS to lead the Mavericks to the win over the Pelicans 🤯

Irving: 42 PTS, 7 REB, 3 3PM
Hardaway Jr: 41 PTS, 9 3PM, 1 STL

📊 42 PTS by Kyrie sets a new mark for most points by a Dallas Maverick on #MLKDay! pic.twitter.com/LOtk8i0UCj
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Damian Lillard hit the 2,500th 3-pointer of his career in epic fashion on Sunday — with a 35-foot buzzer-beater to stun the Kings in overtime.

DAMIAN LILLARD FOR THE WIN AT THE BUZZER! pic.twitter.com/VKTFal8Dxo

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 15, 2024
Lillard didn’t have a great night. He missed two 3s in the final minute of OT, and he finished the game just 9 for 23 from the field. Didn’t matter. When the clock strikes Dame Time, everyone, including Bucks leading man Giannis Antetokounmpo, knows the deal. Antetokounmpo called it the best buzzer beater he’s seen during his 11 years in Milwaukee.

Giannis: “I’ve been with the team 11 years, probably the best buzzer beater shot ever made and he’s been on the team 40 games.. guys he caught it from the other side of the court, dribbled down full speed, in and out dribble, side step from the logo and knock it down off… pic.twitter.com/hkCotNYKBs

— ³⁴ (@GiannisWorld) January 15, 2024
For more about the unlikely sequence of events that led to Lillard’s game-winner, read our Jack Maloney’s piece from Milwaukee.

Joel Embiid went head-to-head with Nikola Jokic on Tuesday and put on a 41-point, 10-assist, seven-rebound clinic as the Sixers knocked off Denver. Still, after the game, Embiid openly declared Jokic to be the best player in the world.

“I just told him he’s the best player in the league.” 👀

Joel Embiid tells @ALaForce what he told Nikola Jokić after their hard-fought battle tonight! pic.twitter.com/mcDsfyUzCA

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 17, 2024
Here’s what our Sam Quinn wrote about Embiid’s performance:

It would be one of the best performances of the season in a normal year, but it was downright pedestrian by the standard Embiid has set this season. It was Embiid’s eighth 40-point game of the season, and it was the first time since Nov. 17 that he failed to reach the 30-point, 10-rebound mark. Of course, he made up for that with his 10 assists, because even when he is slightly deficient in a single area this season, Embiid has found ways to compensate elsewhere. He is having the best season of his career

I agree with Sam. Embiid is having the best season of his career, which is obviously saying something for a guy with an MVP and two runner-ups on his belt over the past three years. His assists are at an all-time high in Nick Nurse’s system, which uses him as the hub for an unending weave of dribble-handoffs and pick-and-rolls, and his scoring is off the charts at better than 35 points per game.

Embiid has to be the MVP at this point, but his grip is tenuous. Remember, players are ineligible for most regular-season awards, including MVP, once they dip below 65 games played. That means you can’t miss more than 17 total games. Embiid has already missed 10 with almost three months left on the schedule.

Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic with another great battle tonight 👏

Embiid: 41 PTS, 7 REB, 10 AST
Jokic: 25 PTS, 19 REB pic.twitter.com/R8vmhw2zJr

You’re going to be hearing Pascal Siakam’s name a lot in the coming days as he’s likely to be traded before the Feb. 8 deadline. On Tuesday, Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that the Raptors and Pacers are in active trade talks around Siakam.

The proposed deal would involve Bruce Brown, Indiana’s most expensive player (until Tyrese Haliburton’s max rookie extension that will net him in the neighborhood of $260M over five years kicks in) at $22 million this season, and three first-round picks.

After serving what turned out to be a 12-game suspension (16-game absence), Draymond Green returned to the court for the reeling Warriors on Monday. It didn’t matter. Golden State, an eight-point favorite on the road, lost to a Grizzlies team missing four of its five starters and two of its three best players.

Green posted seven points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal in 24 minutes off the bench. If you’re reaching for false hope, the Warriors did win Green’s minutes. By one point.

The Warriors died from the familiar sword of turnovers, fouls and defense, or lack there. Green, as noted in Colin Ward-Henninger’s breakdown, addressed the latter issue in typically blunt form.

“You just gotta have pride in yourself as a man that I’m not gonna let my guy score,” Green said after the game. “Our closeouts [were] too soft. Our rotations were too slow. So there’s just no pride. Until every guy takes pride in themselves, and wants to stop the guy in front of him, we’ll suck.”

Kevin Durant, though always his efficient self, hasn’t been scoring huge of late. He was averaging just 23 points in his four January games entering play on Tuesday, when he had just 15 points through the first 43 minutes against the Kings.

Then Durant scored 12 points over the final five minutes as the Suns, who have been a surprisingly dismal fourth-quarter team this season, rallied from a 22-point deficit over the game’s final 8:33 to stun Sacramento.

Noted by Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, teams facing deficits of 22 points or more in the fourth quarter were 0-1,244 since Aug. 23, 2020, and Phoenix is just the second team over the past 25 years to overcome a deficit of at least 20 points in the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter.

For more on the wild comeback and the lineup change that sparked it, read our Sam Quinn’s piece.

Byadmin

Knicks, Rangers owner James Dolan accused of sexual assault, trafficking in lawsuit

New York Knicks team owner James Dolan was named in a lawsuit filed in California alleging that he sexually assaulted and trafficked a masseuse. The lawsuit was filed on Jan. 16 and claims that in November 2013 Dolan sexually assaulted the plaintiff, Kellye Croft, while his band was on tour with The Eagles. In that instance, the lawsuit alleges that while Croft was massaging Dolan the Knicks team owner was “extremely assertive, and pressured Ms. Croft into unwanted sexual intercourse with him,” despite her being adamant that she did not want to engage in any sexual activity with him. Following that incident, according to the lawsuit, Dolan repeatedly made sexual advances toward Croft.

In another incident at end of 2013, the lawsuit states that Croft was flown out to California in what she thought was to work as a massage therapist. However, the lawsuit states those were “fradulent pretenses” and instead Croft was “trafficked” by Dolan to “engage in unlawful and unwelcome sex acts with her.”

The lawsuit also alleges that Dolan “fraudulently coordinated” a meeting between Croft and convicted sex offender and former movie producer Harvey Weinstein in January 2014, which led to Croft being sexually assaulted by Weinstein. The lawsuit alleges that Dolan knew about Weinstein’s history of sexually assaulting and abusing women, and when Croft alerted Dolan of the sexual assault by Weinstein he did nothing about it.

“I have suffered so profoundly because of what James Dolan and Harvey Weinstein did to me years ago, and it was not an easy decision to come forward and seek justice,” Croft said in a statement. “But for me, to truly address my trauma, I need to seek accountability. James Dolan manipulated me, brought me to California to abuse me, and then set me up for a vicious attack by Weinstein. My hope is that my lawsuit will force Dolan to acknowledge what he did to me and to take responsibility for the harm he has caused.”

In a statement by Dolan’s lawyer, E. Danya Perry, he is denying the allegations against him while also denying that he knew about Weinstein’s history.

“There is absolutely no merit to any of the allegations against Mr. Dolan. Kellye Croft and James Dolan had a friendship. The references to Harvey Weinstein are simply meant to inflame and appear to be plagiarized from prior cases against Mr. Weinstein. These claims reflect an act of retaliation by an attorney who has brought multiple cases against Mr. Dolan and has not, and cannot, win a judgement against him. Mr. Dolan always believed Ms. Croft to be a good person and is surprised she would agree to these claims. Bottom line, this is not a he said/she said matter and there is compelling evidence to back up our position. We look forward to proving that in court.”

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday that he was aware of the lawsuit, and that the league would “stand by and wait to find out more information.”

Dolan, 68, is the chairman and CEO of Madison Square Garden Sports, the group that manages the Knicks and Rangers. He is also the chairman of MSG Networks.

Croft is seeking monetary damages and is demanding a trial by jury on the lawsuit.

Byadmin

How to watch, start times for the opening round of the postseason

After 10 weeks of regular season action, just four teams remain in the USFL as the playoffs are set to kick off this weekend. Unlike the previous collection of games this season, these four clubs will not be playing at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. For the postseason, these next two games (including the championship on July 3) will be held at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, adding a different wrinkle for these teams as they look to be the last ones standing.

As for the teams, we’ve had a good idea of who’d be playing in the playoffs for quite some time now. The South Division will see the Stallions (9-1) face off against the New Orleans Breakers (6-4) in the late game, and it’ll be the New Jersey Generals (9-1) going toe-to-toe with their North Division rival Philadelphia Stars (6-4) in the opener.

Below, you’ll find a full breakdown of these teams along with a guide on how you’ll be able to watch these playoffs unfold.

Philadelphia Stars vs. New Jersey Generals
The Generals were able to pull away in the North Division pretty early on and had their playoff ticket punched for a few weeks. After losing to the Stallions in the regular season opener, New Jersey won nine straight to end the year and is arguably one of the hottest teams in the USFL entering these playoffs.

Not only do they boast a defense that allowed the fewest points in the division, but they also have an offense that led the league in total yards (349.4). A large part of their success offensively has come on the ground where they have rushed for a league-leading 160.6 yards per game this season. The combo of Trey Williams (second-most rushing yards in the USFL) and Darius Victor (most rushing touchdowns in the USFL) in the backfield has anchored that attack on offense along with quarterback Luis Perez.

While the New Jersey defense has allowed just 18.2 points per game this season, it will have its hands full when it faces the Stars. Philadelphia comes into the postseason with the highest-scoring offense in the league (26.2 points per game) and arguably the best quarterback of the bunch in Case Cookus, who took over as the Stars’ QB in the middle of the season. In six starts, he finished the year with 1,334 yards through the air, 12 touchdowns and just five interceptions while completing 62.5% of his passes.

These two teams are extremely familiar with one another as they just went head-to-head in the regular season finale where the Generals were able to escape with a 26-23 win. Back in Week 3, New Jersey beat Philly, 24-16.

How To Watch
Date: Saturday, June. 25 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (Canton, Ohio)
TV: Fox | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Generals -4.5 (-115), O/U 47.5

New Orleans Breakers vs. Birmingham Stallions
The Stallions have been the class of the USFL from the jump and were even flirting with a perfect season all the way up to Week 9. They finished the season with the top-scoring offense in the South Division and held opponents to just 16.9 points per game (second lowest in the USFL). They also were able to get after the quarterback better than any other club in the league, notching 27 sacks on the year. A large part of that production came from edge rusher DeMarquis Gates, who led the team in tackles (62) and sacks (6.5)

That strong start to the year helped Birmingham clinch a playoff spot early on, but they have limped to the finish line of the regular season after losing to the Houston Gamblers in Week 9 and then rolled out a sloppy performance in the regular-season finale against Tampa Bay, despite coming out with a win. Could that make them ripe for the picking against New Orleans? It will be fascinating to see how they perform now that they won’t have the home-field advantage of playing in Birmingham as these playoffs swing to Canton.

Speaking of the Breakers, they are coming off a 20-3 loss to the Gamblers in the regular season finale, but that was mostly due to head coach Larry Fedora opting to rest several key starters including quarterback Kyle Sloter. The Breakers signal-caller finished second in the USFL in passing yards, but only had nine passing touchdowns on the year with 11 interceptions (second-most in the league).

Defensively, New Orleans has boasted the best overall defense in the USFL in terms of points allowed (16.4 per game). While they have largely been able to keep opponents out of the end zone in a similar fashion to the Stallions, New Orleans’ offense hasn’t been as potent. The Breakers are the lowest-scoring offense in these playoffs, totaling just 19.6 points per game in the regular season.

That could pose a problem against Birmingham, who beat them twice in the regular season and allowed them to average just 11 points in those contests.

Byadmin

Generals and Stallions advance to championship but only one team covers

We’ve made it to the final four of the USFL, and it’s odd to be talking about postseason football that doesn’t relate to the NFL. There are two clear-cut favorites to advance and compete for the USFL Championship in the Birmingham Stallions and New Jersey Generals. Both teams finished the regular season 9-1, and will battle two 6-4 teams this Saturday.

Those 6-4 clubs are the New Orleans Breakers and Philadelphia Stars. Both will be underdogs this weekend, but both certainly have the ability to pull off upsets. The Generals and Stars are up for a rematch, as they played just last week with New Jersey coming out on top, 26-23, while the Stallions and Breakers have been tabbed as the nightcap. These two teams played just over two weeks ago, with Birmingham escaping by a single point.

The USFL favorites in the Stallions haven’t been playing their best ball as of late, and they won’t have their “home-field advantage” for the first time all season up in Canton, Ohio. Could this change of scenery play a factor Saturday? Let’s jump into some USFL playoff picks.

USFL ATS record: 23-17
USFL straight up record: 28-12

All odds are via Caesars Sportsbook

Philadelphia Stars at New Jersey Generals (-4.5)
Saturday, 3 p.m. ET (Fox)
ATS records: Stars (5-5), Generals (6-4)

The Stars and Generals faced off last week, and most of the starters did indeed play. In the Stars’ loss, Bug Howard shined, catching five passes for 101 yards, while Case Cookus threw for 244 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. While the Stars don’t have the No. 1 passing offense in the league in terms of yardage, they have recorded more passing touchdowns than any other team with 17. Cookus has been a very solid quarterback, as he finished second in the USFL in passing touchdowns with 12, and threw just five interceptions. Philly had won four straight before last week’s loss.

For the Generals, I wonder how much playing time De’Andre Johnson is going to get as opposed to Luis Perez. The two-quarterback system worked for the majority of the year, but will Mike Riley keep it going in the postseason? The bottom line is that the Generals have the better team. They have the No. 1 rushing offense in the league, the No. 1 overall offense in the league and the No. 2 defense as well. They had a total of six players named All-USFL offense and defense, too. I have the Generals winning this game and I’m going to lay the points — but a moneyline play parlayed with another bet is a good idea.

The pick: Generals -4.5
Projected score: Generals 28-23

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New Orleans Breakers at Birmingham Stallions (-5)
Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
ATS records: Breakers (6-4), Stallions (6-4)

The Stallions began the season 6-0 ATS, but have lost their last four games from an ATS perspective. That’s not exactly what you want to see from the No. 1 seed entering the postseason. It’s kind of like the Arizona Cardinals last year, who were the last undefeated team in the NFL, but faltered down the stretch and were completely destroyed in front of their home fans in the postseason by the rival Los Angeles Rams.

This Stallions team is still solid, and I think it’s possible it could find some new life in a new “season.” DeMarquis Gates and Scooby Wright are a legitimate dynamic duo at the linebacker spot, and captain the No. 1 defense in the league in yards allowed per game with 268.8. The Breakers have lost two out of their last three games. They had three offensive players named All-USFL including quarterback Kyle Sloter, but he threw nine touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions in the regular season. Larry Fedora even started bringing in Zach Smith for a change of pace, but after his poor performance against Houston, I’m not sure he’s going to be utilized much on Saturday. In this instance, I think five points is a pretty big spread. I think I’ll take the points with the Breakers and this solid defense, but I’m not calling an upset.

The pick: Breakers +5
Projected score: Stallions 27-24

ML Parlay: Generals ML, Stallions ML (+118)

Byadmin

Generals receiver KaVontae Turpin named league MVP, Mike Riley wins Coach of the Year

If the USFL’s regular-season honors are any indication of what’s in store for the league’s inaugural postseason, New Jersey Generals fans are in for a treat. The Generals, who enter the postseason with a nine-game winning streak, won three of the league’s four regular-season awards.

KaVontae Turpin, the Generals’ playmaking receiver and returner extraordinaire, won the USFL’s first league MVP award. Turpin’s teammate, running back Darius Victor, was tabbed as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. Houston Gamblers defensive end Chris Odom was named Defensive Player of the Year, while Generals coach Mike Riley was named Coach of the Year. Each award was voted on by the league’s eight head coaches.

“I didn’t think anybody really ran away with anything,” said Daryl Johnston, the league’s executive vice president of football operations. “I’d love to see the voting on all the awards because I thought they would be tight.”

The 25-year-old Turpin lead the USFL in receiving yardage (540) while helping the Generals boast the league’s top-ranked offense. Turpin also recorded the first punt return for a score in USFL history.

“I’ve always felt that a returner was a key element to have for your team,” Johnston said. “None of our quarterbacks really took the lead on the potential to be an MVP candidate. I was actually very impressed by the voting there. It went to KaVontae, and I thought he did a heck of a job.”

PFF’s highest-graded USFL player on offense: KaVontae Turpin (87.1)

Dude has gone 29-341-2 receiving, 16-107-1 rushing. Most missed tackles forced (13) of any non-RB. SHIFTY
pic.twitter.com/DNmZpL44b6

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) May 26, 2022
New Jersey also benefitted by having Victor in the backfield. A former NFL and XFL player, Victor led the USFL in rushing touchdowns with nine during the regular season. His presence helped New Jersey average a league-high 160.6 rushing yards per game.

“I thought he was great for for New Jersey,” Johnston said of Victor, whose quote, “Thick thighs save lives” quickly went viral. “Mike Riley kind of brought him in as a red zone goal line runner, and obviously he was much more than that. I think the big thing with what New Jersey did, especially early in the season, they evolved their quarterback position with the De’Andre (Johnson) and Luis (Perez), and the running game carried it and that was mainly Darius. I thought it was very deserving.”

DYK Former @CAAFootball star Darius Victor, who rushed for more than 3K yards in a @Towson_FB uniform, has scored a TD in four straight #USFL games – all wins for @USFLGenerals 🤩

Read More 🔗 https://t.co/9MhYJJdyDQ
pic.twitter.com/EFsZHXwbNE

— Talking Pigskin (@TalkinPigskin) May 18, 2022
The league’s leader with 12.5 sacks, Odom also blocked three kicks that included a field goal attempt that led to the game-clinching score in last weekend’s win over the Breakers. His play helped the Gamblers end the year with a two-game winning streak.

“He just got better and better, and I think the Gamblers’ defense really kind of fed off of him,” Johnston said of Odom, who had a pair of sacks for Washington during the 2019 NFL season. “As the season went on, I thought he became more than just an edge rusher. I thought he played the run really well. The defense kind of went the way that Chris’ season went. They were playing their best at the end of the year. I thought Chris was playing his best at the end of the year.”

Chris Odom leads the league with ELEVEN sacks! Watch them all here 😤@Chrisodom98 | #ALLIN 🎲 pic.twitter.com/cFRuwjIzIs

— Houston Gamblers (@USFLGamblers) June 8, 2022
Riley, an innovative offensive mind and a longtime coach in both the college and pro ranks, guided New Jersey to a 9-1 record and North Division title. Riley’s Generals paced the league in total yards gained as well as in third-down efficiency.

“As the season started, there was a lot of uncertainty at the quarterback position,” Johnston said of the Generals. “The way that he navigated that; they played a certain style and never really deviated from it. He never panics. We had Birmingham go undefeated through the season’s first eight weeks, but Mike and the Generals have won nine in a row now, and the (Coach of the Year) vote was almost unanimous. I think that that says a lot.”

Riley’s team will put its winning streak on the line against the Philadelphia Stars, a team New Jersey defeated twice during the regular season. The Stallions, who like the Generals finished the season with a 9-1 record, will face the New Orleans Breakers in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Both games will take place inside Tom Benson’s Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

“I don’t think you could have scripted something better for Year 1,” Johnston said. “Very, very competitive games all season long, then to finish the regular season and go to Canton for the playoffs. That’s like a fairy tale. I’m thrilled, and I know there’s a lot of guys that are going to be there this weekend that have never been. It’s one of the things that we wanted to do as a league is to make sure they got to experience the Hall of Fame. See the guys who’ve come before them who built this game, sacrificed a lot so they can have what they have today.”

As far as the games are concerned, Johnston is anticipating two exciting, tightly contested contests. In the game pitting the Generals against the Stars, Johnston believes that the outcome could come down to how much success Victor and New York’s running game can have against Philadelphia’s stout defensive front. For Saturday’s nightcap, Johnston feels that the Breakers are capable of upsetting the Stallions after coming up just short in both of their regular-season meetings.

While he doesn’t have a rooting interest, Johnston wouldn’t mind seeing a USFL championship between the Stallions and Generals, the two teams that kicked things off during the league’s inaugural game on April 16.

“I would love that,” Johnston said of Stallions-Generals title game. “It’s kind of a storybook thing. We’ve had some really unique situations this year. It’s been a lot of fun, and I think that that would be pretty cool. The way you started the season as the same way you finished it.”