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In a 106-80 win on Monday night, the Minnesota Timberwolves took a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals against the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets. Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns led the charge, scoring 27 points as the Wolves improved to 6-0 in the playoffs.
Charles Barkley, never one to mince words, declared the series all but over, saying “This series is a wrap. Minnesota is better than the Nuggets. No disrespect, they don’t have an advantage. The MVP is getting outplayed. They don’t have an advantage anywhere.”
Barkley was particularly impressed with the Timberwolves’ dominance, stating “They have ‘that guy’… and that bulldog, he might as well be a damn wolf. He’s like, ‘Come on, boys, follow me!’ And the other guys are following him. When you have a guy like that and some other good players, no team is going to be good unless you have ‘a guy’.”
He also praised the team’s ability to adapt, saying, “[Jokic] is ‘a guy’, but not in this series. Those two guys… he couldn’t even think about this. He couldn’t even dominate one of them.”
Conversely, the Nuggets were left reeling, with coach Michael Malone and player Jamal Murray expressing their frustration through outbursts and objects thrown onto the court.
Barkley summed it up, saying “You know how rough it’s going to be going to Minnesota against those two guys? Because he… you saw what happened in Game 1, and he didn’t play. And I said, ‘Well, the Joker can dominate tonight because Rudy’s not here.’ You never thought the devil was going to win that game tonight.”
The Timberwolves’ convincing win has put them in a strong position to close out the series, with Barkley declaring “The Minnesota Timberwolves are for real. They’re going to sweep the Denver Nuggets, period.”
With two more games in Minneapolis, the Nuggets must regroup and find a way to counter the Timberwolves’ dominant performance if they hope to stay in the series.
The Nuggets’ struggles were evident from the start, with a slow first half that saw them trail by 26 points at halftime.
Despite Aaron Gordon‘s strong start, the team was unable to keep up with the Timberwolves’ pace, with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray struggling to make an impact. The team’s frustration boiled over, and Malone and Murray both received technical fouls for their outbursts.
With the series heading back to Minneapolis, the Timberwolves are poised to take a commanding lead. The Nuggets must find a way to regroup and refocus if they hope to stay in the series.
As Barkley said, “The Minnesota Timberwolves are for real,” and they’re not going to let up anytime soon.
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One NBA team emerging as favorite to sign Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons may be headed back to the Atlantic Division. The New York Knicks appear to be the favorites to sign the former NBA All-Star forward Simmons in free agency, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported Tuesday. Siegel adds that it is expected to be a veteran’s minimum contract for Simmons if he does end up in New York. Along with the Knicks, the Boston Celtics have also been at the forefront of the Simmons sweepstakes, Siegel adds. However, the Celtics signed fellow veteran frontcourt piece Chris Boucher on Tuesday, seemingly taking them out of the running for Simmons. Simmons, 29, is still unsigned over a month into the free agent period. He finished out last season with the L.A. Clippers, averaging 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over 16.4 minutes per game in 18 appearances off the bench. He also previously played in the Knicks’ division, beginning his career with the Philadelphia 76ers and then getting traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2022. The Knicks could foreseeably use another big body off the bench. However, a Simmons signing would likely be more of a flier than anything after they signed a former Sixth Man of the Year winner to carry their second unit and also added a versatile bench forward who is capable of playing and defending multiple positions. Simmons is clearly little more than minimum-contract fodder at this point of his NBA career. But as a three-time All-Star and a two-time All-Defensive selection with some playmaking juice still left in him as well, Simmons appears to be closing in on another chance in the league.
Blue Jays demolish MLB records with eye-popping Coors Field performance
DENVER — There's nothing like coming to Coors Field to fix what ails you. Just ask the Toronto Blue Jays. Losers of six of eight games before arriving in Denver, the Blue Jays posted an MLB-record 63 hits in a three-game series while easily sweeping a road series from the Colorado Rockies. By totaling 25 hits on Monday night, 14 on Tuesday and 24 in Wednesday's matinee, the Blue Jays set a new MLB standard for offensive prowess. Toronto passed the MLB record of 62 hits in a three-game series, set by the Boston Red Sox in a June 7-9, 1950 matchup against the St. Louis Browns. As part of the hit parade, Toronto smashed 13 home runs, the most ever surrendered by the Rockies in a three-game set. Included in that barrage were three hits by Bo Bichette, including a three-run shot on Wednesday afternoon that got the Blue Jays rolling in the third inning. Kyle Freeland, Wednesday's starter for Colorado, allowed seven hits in his 4.2 innings of work. That was the fewest amount of hits given up by a Rockies starter against Toronto, as Rockies starter Tanner Gordon allowed 11 in 2.2 frames on Monday, while Anthony Molina surrendered nine in 5.0 innings on Tuesday. "We need to pitch with confidence as starting pitchers. We need to command the baseball better in general," said Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer as his team slipped to 30-84 on the season. "We have to put hitters away when we have that opportunity." That was something Colorado couldn't do against the Blue Jays on Wednesday, as their first six runs of a 20-1 blowout win came with two outs in the frame. Wednesday's offensive explosion helped Toronto outscore the Rockies, 45-6, in the series. That run differential was the second-most in MLB's modern era and the most runs scored by an MLB team in a three-game series since the 2019 Chicago Cubs scored 47 runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates from Sept. 13-15, 2019. In all, the 45 runs, 63 hits and 13 home runs allowed in the series were each the most allowed by Colorado pitchers in a three-game set in franchise history. How bad did it get for Colorado at the end of the series? Down 12-1 entering the ninth inning on Wednesday, the Rockies put catcher Austin Nola on the mound for his first-ever pitching appearance. He was nothing like his younger brother, Philadelphia Phillies ace Aaron Nola, as he promptly gave up four consecutive doubles, including RBI shots from Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., as part of eight hits and eight runs posted by the Blue Jays against him. "It hurts when you get beat that bad for three games," Nola said. "We can compete with anybody. I know we can. We're all Major League players, so it definitely hurts. We're going to have to flush this one and get back out there on Friday in Arizona and have a new competitive attitude." All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
Jerry Jones takes another jab at Micah Parsons over contract stalemate
The Dallas Cowboys have a big problem on their hands right now. Micah Parsons has formally requested to be traded, and he took to social media to vent his concerns and frustration with his contract extension situation. However, team owner Jerry Jones isn't ready to budge. If anything, the controversial business mogul doesn't sound too worried about that. Talking to the media, he implied that he had already shaken hands on an extension with Parsons, so he just has to wait now: "I bought the Dallas Cowboys with a handshake," Jones said, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. "It took about 30 seconds. I gave the number, shook hands, the details we worked out later." Jones, one of the most successful businessmen of his generation, pretty much stated that he wouldn't change the way he does business. "Just so you understand the way that I communicate with people that I negotiate with. Let's leave it at that," Jones continued. "There's is no question that in the case of a player contract, you have to have it in writing. All parties do. We have a contract in writing, yet we're still talking about renegotiating, so so much for that." Parsons has every right to feel frustrated. He's one of the best pass-rushers in the game, and he's the youngest in the short list of superstars at the position. The Cowboys have a long history of dragging out negotiations for as long as they can, and that's usually rubbed their players the wrong way. Parsons is still under contract, and the Cowboys can technically wait to give him an extension because the market isn't likely to go any higher after T.J. Watt already got a deal done. But sometimes, it's not just about money, and these power struggles are terrible for team morale.
Green Bay Packers: Slo-Mo Video of Jordan Love’s Insane 55-Yard TD Bomb to Romeo Doubs Goes Viral
Yankees Pitchers Inching Toward Their Last Weeks in Pinstripes
Fate in the Bronx right now is thinning, as August settles in. The New York Yankees are on a slide, and the slumping is contagious throughout the roster. Yankees pitchers have been scary in a not-so-good way. Some of these pitchers are playing their way to unemployment. The Yankees are now six and a half games behind the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East. Having once led the division by a healthy margin, they are now on the outside looking in. This is due to a combination of inability to score runs and make plays. In addition, quality in the pitching depth has not been present. Certain pitchers acquired as valuable pieces are not pulling their weight and do not appear likely to return in 2026. Yankees Pitchers Who Could Be Gone After This Season Brian Cashman and his office already said goodbye to one of their big-dollar pitchers, Marcus Stroman. Shortly after acquiring relief pitcher Jake Bird at the trade deadline, the Yankees instantly regretted their decision. Bird, one of Colorado’s relief pitchers, was demoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre due to an ugly first impression. There are a few more arms that the club would like to part with, but will have to wait for the offseason to make it official. Devin Williams Could Be Out of New York in 2026 Closer Devin Williams was acquired to be the Yankees’ established late-game door-shutter. The right-hander held high hopes as one of the league’s top closers. The 2025 season has brought him nothing but struggle and grief in the Big Apple. Williams has 43 innings of work this season for the Yankees. He currently holds a 5.44 ERA, allowing 26 runs on 33 hits. He currently ranks 18th of 30 MLB closers in saves. Williams has 17 saves, three blown saves, and a .208 batting average against. Although these numbers are not terrible, the Yankees reliever does not have what it takes to shut the door in the Bronx. He’s proven his reliability is thin and inconsistent. The remainder of the season is important for Williams, as he needs redemption. He’s set to be a free agent at the end of this season. Jonathan Loáisiga May Be in His Last Months in Pinstripes Jonathan Loáisiga was shut down due to injury, underwent surgery, and returned. The Yankees provided him an opportunity, in hopes that he’s able to come back stronger and elite. He was reactivated on March 16th. The right-hander has not had much to offer this season, with short stints totalling 29 2/3 innings. He holds a 4.25 ERA with a 2.1 HR/9 and a 1.483 WHIP. Loaisiga was in sight as a key part of the Yankees’ bullpen blueprint this season. On August 3rd, the right-hander re-entered the injured list on a 15-day sideline due to back tightness. Loaisiga has a club option of $5 million that the Yankees likely will not pick up. Luke Weaver May Be One of a Few Relief Pitchers to Go Luke Weaver was the trusted arm in the 2024 postseason and World Series. After Clay Holmes was re-purposed in the bullpen and departed the Bronx, Weaver could follow the same fate. Weaver has good stuff on the mound. However, multiple teams have figured him out. He was the set-up man after Williams was assigned to the closer role. After struggling, Weaver was placed back in the closer role while Williams joined the other relief pitchers. The right-handed started off elite in 2025 and slowly declined. He has an ERA over five since returning from injury on June 20th. His current overall ERA is 2.89 in 43 2/3 innings pitched with eight saves, 15 games finished, a 2-3 record, and 16 runs allowed on 25 hits. Weaver is currently on a club option and is set to be a free agent in 2026. The Yankees will likely re-think this option as one of their relief pitchers for next season.
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