On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
History says the 2024 NBA Finals are set
Teams are 154-0 when they take a 3-0 series lead in an NBA playoff series.
Unless the Pacers or the Timberwolves rewrite the history books, your 2024 NBA Finals are set. On June 6, the Mavericks and Celtics will collide in Game 1 of this year's championship round.
Of course, the closeout games are typically the hardest, meaning the Celtics and Mavericks can expect their opponents to put up a valiant fight in Game 4. To that end, Dallas coach Jason Kidd doesn't expect his troops to underestimate Minnesota after his team's 116-107 win in Game 3 on Sunday.
"Composure, poise and the truth," Kidd said of his team's mindset heading into Game 4. "We always speak the truth to one another. That doesn't happen a lot in this league. The poise of this group and the energy is at a high. I haven't seen that a lot in this league, and it's a beautiful thing to see, and to be involved with. The poise and trust they have in one another — they aren't afraid of [Dante] Exum or P.J. [Washington] taking a big shot to win a game."
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla echoed similar views after his Celtics claimed a 3-0 series lead over the Pacers.
"You can sit there and say we're one win away, but we're 48 minutes and 200 possessions [away]," Mazzulla told reporters on Sunday, via Noa Dalzell. "We have no idea what's gonna happen. We have to stay prepared, understand the details and be open-minded to take on whatever we need to take on."
If the chips fall as they should, the Celtics will play in their second NBA Finals in three years and attempt to win their first championship since 2008. The Mavericks, meanwhile, would be returning to the finals for the first time since capturing their franchise-first title in 2011.
Either way, one franchise looks set to end more than a decade's wait for championship glory.
More must-reads:
- Watch: NBA legend predicts Luka Doncic's clutch shot in real time
- Luka Doncic joins trio of NBA champions in exclusive club
- The '2010-2011 Dallas Mavericks' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Ex-NBA player Sebastian Telfair hoping for pardon from Donald Trump
Sebastian Telfair is preparing to serve six months in prison but is hoping for some help from President Donald Trump. Telfair was among the former NBA players who were charged in 2021 with defrauding the NBA’s Health and Welfare Benefit Plan of approximately $358,000 in fake medical and dental claims. The former first-round pick was initially given a three-year suspended sentence that involved supervised release. But he violated the terms of his suspended sentence, which led to him being sentenced in June to six months in prison. Telfair was getting ready to report to prison and pleaded for the president to step in and pardon him. “Trump, go check in on my story and you’re definitely going to want to pardon me. You’ll hold me accountable and want me to continue to go do good. But I did too good to being sending anybody to jail,” Telfair argued in comments to a reporter from TMZ. Telfair contends that his recent issue is due to a paperwork problem. He feels the resulting sentence he’s received is “super unfair.” Whether President Trump is able to hear his case and pardon him remains to be seen, but Telfair is definitely trying. Telfair, 40, is from Brooklyn, N.Y., and developed a big following as a teenager due to his strong basketball play. He was the No. 13 overall pick in 2004 by Portland and began his career with them as a 19-year-old straight out of high school. Telfair played 10 seasons in the NBA and spent time with eight different teams. He averaged 7.4 points and 3.5 assists per game during his career.
Oregon suspends former five-star WR recruit indefinitely
Oregon wide receiver Jurrion Dickey has struggled to live up to expectations in his first two seasons with the Ducks, and he is now in a terrible position heading into 2025 as well. Dickey has been suspended indefinitely by Oregon, head coach Dan Lanning announced on Tuesday. Lanning also suggested that Dickey may not play for the Ducks again. "We have two team rules; that’s respectful, be on time,” Lanning said, via James Crepea of The Oregonian. “There’s some pieces of that where I felt like he needed a break from us and we needed a break from that so we could focus on what’s in front of us right now. "Wishing him nothing but the best, as far as success and want to see him get back to where he can be a contributor somewhere; that might be here that might be somewhere else.” Dickey was a five-star recruit and rated as one of the top wide receivers in the country when he came out of Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, Calif., in 2023. He suffered an injury in his senior year in high school and redshirted as a freshman at Oregon. Dickey has two catches for 14 years during his time with the Ducks. Oregon went 13-1 in Lanning's third season with the program last season. The Ducks lost to eventual national champion Ohio State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Vikings WR gets brutal injury news for second straight season
A Minnesota Vikings wide receiver's season is already over. The Minnesota Vikings announced on Tuesday that wide receiver Rondale Moore is being placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a leg injury that he suffered in the team's first preseason game against the Houston Texans this past weekend. It is a devastating blow for Moore, who is now being sidelined for an entire season, before it even begins, for the second year in a row. Moore signed a one-year, $2 million contract in free agency with the Vikings this offseason in the hopes he could return from a different injury that cost him the entirety of the 2024 season. Moore was a member of the Atlanta Falcons in 2024 after being acquired in a trade with the Arizona Cardinals for backup quarterback Desmond Ridder. This is now two different teams that Moore has been a part of, but will never play a game for them due to injuries. Moore was injured while returning a punt. He began his career with the Arizona Cardinals, catching 135 passes for 1,201 yards over three seasons before being traded. He was never going to be counted on to be a key contributor for the Vikings offense this season, especially given the superstars they already have at wide receiver in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, but he still had a chance to be an interesting depth player. Now it is fair to wonder what the rest of his career might even look like. Missing two full seasons due to two different leg injuries is going to be a brutal thing to try to come back from. Missing two seasons for any reason is difficult, but when you add the leg injuries to the equation, it makes the obstacle even steeper.
Steelers' Aaron Rodgers Has Been In Communication With Exciting All-Pro Wide Receiver That Could Join Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a very exciting team on paper heading into the 2025 NFL season as the organization has made plenty of changes throughout the offseason. It can be argued that both sides of the ball have been upgraded in some way, and the rookie class provides some excitement as well. One spot fans might want to see another move made is at wide receiver, as outside of DK Metcalf, there are some question marks in the room. Calvin Austin III took a strong step forward in 2024, but he has missed a large chunk of time during training camp this month due to injury, and Roman Wilson is still making strides. There are some interesting veterans that are still available in free agency, and some more names should hit the open market at the end of August when teams cut down to their 53-man rosters. However, one of the interesting names on the market currently is former superstar wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham was a standout during his time with the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, and he won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams. He recently joined Bill Maher on the Club Random podcast, and he shared that he has had conversations with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. "Love him, love him," Beckham said of Rodgers. "We've had conversations. I won't say that, that it's not a possibility [joining the Steelers], and I won't say that I haven't had any communication. I f*cking love [Mike] Tomlin. I was actually supposed to be drafted to the Steelers. That was the meeting that I had where I was like, 'I think I'm going to the Steelers.' Giants ended up taking me at 12, Steelers had I think the 16th pick maybe. I think they took Ryan Shazier." Beckham revealed that he has had some conversations with the Pittsburgh quarterback, which could mean the two sides are interested in joining forces with the Steelers. The veteran wide receiver didn't sound too optimistic that anything would happen, but he did not shut down the idea of wearing black and gold during the 2025 season. Beckham has been trying to find his footing in the league ever since he tore his ACL during Super Bowl LVI. The injury caused him to miss the entire 2022 season, and he has since played for the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins. In the past two seasons, the receiver has caught just 44 passes for 620 yards and three touchdowns. There is no doubting that Beckham has lost a step, but he would certainly be an interesting addition for the Steelers. Some argue that Pittsburgh's wide receiver room is full of too many wide receiver threes and fours, rather than having a solid second option at the position. At this point in his career, Beckham would likely just add to that problem, rather than being a solution. Steelers Were Interested In Beckham During 2014 NFL Draft Beckham also stated during his interview with Maher that the Steelers were very interested in him during the 2014 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Giants with the 12th overall pick, and Pittsburgh selected at 15. The Steelers grabbed Ryan Shazier, but Beckham seemed fairly confident that if he had still been on the board, he would have gone to the Steelers with the 15th pick. This is a bit hard to believe, as the Steelers have not drafted a wide receiver in the first round since the 2006 NFL Draft when the organization selected Santonio Holmes. The wide receiver room was looking a little thin heading into the 2014 season, but the Steelers were able to make it work after picking Martavis Bryant in the fourth round of the same draft.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
