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The Houston Rockets will have one of the best lineups on the court at all times this season with the addition of Kevin Durant. Durant’s presence reshapes the Rockets from head to toe, influencing rotations, roles, strategies, and identity. Durant joins a core of rising stars in Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Şengün who now gain an elite level-one scorer beside them.
“Team sources said there are early indications Smith will likely return to the starting lineup, with Thompson — who originally replaced Smith last season after Smith broke his hand — slotting into Green’s vacated starting spot. The Rockets now possess ample length at four starting positions, amplifying the defensive tools Udoka now has at his disposal.”
The Houston Rockets are expected to start Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Şengün, per @sam_amick & @KellyIko
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 22, 2025
“Team sources said there are early indications Smith will likely return to the starting lineup, with Thompson — who originally… pic.twitter.com/X2RqJOqRZW
With KD spacing the floor, cutting calmly, and creating effortless offense, these young players can develop in cleaner attacking roles without forcing plays. Durant’s gravity opens driving lanes and busts coverages, giving the Rockets’ upcoming talent prime opportunities to elevate their games.
While Durant offers elite offensive output, the Rockets don’t sacrifice defense. His length is an underrated tool as he uses it to disrupt passing lanes, clogging the paint, and forcing switches. Expect Houston’s scheme to encourage Durant picking up ball-handlers in space, playing stellar team defense, and allowing athletic wings to recover stunts or rolls.
He is the anchor who can contest without overhelping and still close out on shooters. The Rockets are now one of the better teams in the NBA with the addition of Durant.
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Sixers To Miss Key Rotation Piece Against Celtics
On Friday night, the Philadelphia 76ers will welcome the Boston Celtics into the Xfinity Mobile Arena for the opening match of the NBA Cup tournament. The Sixers are going into Friday night off of a come-from-behind overtime win against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. The Wizards were looking to be the team to break Philadelphia’s spotless records, as they were far ahead by 19 points at one time in the game, but a 34-point outburst from the Sixers would have something else to say about that. Tyrese Maxey led the way for Philadelphia, scoring 39 points on 44 percent shooting from the field, along with ten assists. Nine of the former All-Star’s points would come in overtime. While Maxey was the offensive motor of the team, especially in the second half, Adem Bona was the defensive anchor down the stretch, recording seven blocks in total, with four of them coming in the fourth quarter alone, when the Sixers needed every stop they could get. The back-to-back aspect could’ve been to blame for the Sixers taking some time getting into Tuesday night’s match, which wasn’t helped when it’s considered that Paul George, Jared McCain, and Dominick Barlow all missed out on the action. Will Dominick Barlow return on Friday night against Boston? While it was initially thought that Barlow would only miss the two games following his injury against the Charlotte Hornets in late October, it appears that it’ll be taking more time than expected, as the 22-year-old has been listed as out against the Celtics. This will be Barlow’s third absence of the year, during a season that saw him be a crucial part of Nick Nurse’s plans, either starting or coming in off the bench to help bolster Philadelphia’s front court. Across his two appearances for the Sixers so far this season, Barlow has averaged 7.5 points and six rebounds per game. It’s also important to note that the 22-year-old’s time with the Sixers isn’t entirely guaranteed, as he is a two-way player, meaning he could spend some time in the G League with the Delaware Blue Coats. Some of this was to help fill in for the absence of Trendon Watford, who made his Sixers debut on Tuesday night against the Wizards after dealing with an injury setback relating to his right hamstring. While on a minutes restriction, Watford put up seven points and grabbed four assists in his debut. The Sixers take on the Celtics on Friday night for the opening match of the NBA Cup tournament, with tip-off from the Xfinity Mobile Arena slated for 7:00 p.m. EST.
Cowboys WR George Pickens has telling response to question about contract
George Pickens is having an outstanding first season with the Dallas Cowboys, and the career-best pace has come at a time when he is preparing for potential free agency. Is it possible the star wide receiver could sign an extension before he gets to that point? Pickens says that is up to his boss. Pickens, who was drafted in the second round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, is in the final season of his rookie contract. He was asked on Thursday if he would consider signing a new deal with the Cowboys before he becomes a free agent after the season. He had a noteworthy response. "That’s kinda up to what (Jerry Jones) wants to do. All I can do is perform at my best," Pickens said. George Pickens has earned No. 1 wideout money Pickens has 685 receiving yards through the first eight weeks of the season, which ranks third in the NFL. His six touchdown catches are already the most of his four-year career. CeeDee Lamb missed several games this season with an ankle injury, and Pickens showed during that time that he is more than capable of being the featured wideout in a quality offense. That should go a long way toward setting his market, whether he re-signs with the Cowboys or becomes a free agent. With Lamb making an average of $34M per year, the Cowboys probably cannot afford to keep Pickens. For now, the 24-year-old is at least giving off the impression that he is open to the possibility. He also suggested recently that money is not the most important thing to him with his next contract, which could keep Dallas in the running.
Latest news prove Minnesota Vikings aren't content with the status quo, and it could elevate the team to the playoffs
This Sunday against the Detroit Lions is going to be huge when it comes to setting the expectations for the rest of the season. A loss will make a run toward the playoffs significantly less likely for the Vikings, and it could impact how they approach the trade deadline. The conventional wisdom would be that the Vikings wouldn't make a move to add at the trade deadline due to their record, especially when you look at the majority of players being acquired are on expiring contracts. Three years ago, the Vikings and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made a big splash to acquire T.J. Hockenson at the deadline, and it was a big addition both for the 2022 season and beyond. Even if the Vikings lose, they could make an addition with the long-term in mind. Vikings trade history with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah The Vikings traded second and third round picks for T.J. Hockenson and two fourth-round picks at the trade deadline in 2022 Ahead of the 2022 season, the Vikings made low-risk trades for both Jalen Reagor and Ross Blacklock At the 2024 trade deadline, the Vikings acquired LT Cam Robinson for a 2026 fourth-round pick Minnesota Vikings eyeing a cornerback at the trade deadline One of the positions the Vikings need to find a long-term solution for is cornerback. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported on Friday that the Vikings are looking for a cornerback. "As for buyers, the Vikings and Colts are among a list of teams looking for corners. That market isn’t rich with options, which could make the Rams (McCreary), Browns (Tyson Campbell) and Eagles (Michael Carter II) look smart for striking a little earlier." It shouldn't be much of a surprise that the Vikings are looking for a cornerback to help them out, especially with Jeff Okudah being both ineffective and injured. They haven't shown a willingness to trust Dwight McGlothern as of yet, and finding a player at the position to fortify with Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy Jr. should make a difference, especially when it comes to playing man coverage. The key here is finding a cornerback whom the Vikings can trade for. There aren't a lot of options, especially with four cornerbacks having already been traded. Two that come to mind are Riq Woolen of the Seattle Seahawks and Alontae Taylor of the New Orleans Saints. Woolen has fallen out of favor with the Seahawks over the last couple of seasons with Mike Macdonald at the helm. He is currently starting for the Seahawks, but he doesn't seem to be in their long-term plans. He would provide the necessary size and speed the Vikings need at the cornerback position. Taylor is more of a slot cornerback, which the Vikings have been hesitant to add with wanting to slide Murphy on the inside. Even so, he's a versatile piece that could end up being a huge benefit for the Vikings. The deadline is going to be huge for the Vikings, and it could give them a necessary piece to help the defense both short-term and long-term. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-383').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-383').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');
George Springer's status for Game 6 is becoming more clear
George Springer’s status for Game 6 of the World Series is becoming more clear. Springer has missed the last two games of the World Series after hurting his side on a swing in his Toronto Blue Jays’ 18-inning loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3. The Blue Jays were able to win Game 4 on Tuesday and Game 5 on Wednesday despite the outfielder’s absence. On Thursday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Springer is physically ready to play in Game 6. “He’s checked every box physically so far,” Schneider said of Springer. Getting Springer back would be a nice boost to the Blue Jays’ lineup, which has performed well even without him. Springer went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in Game 3 before leaving the game. He’s batting .246 with an .884 OPS this postseason and has mashed 6 doubles and 4 home runs in 57 at-bats. Springer went 1-for-3 in Game 2 against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who is the Dodgers’ scheduled starter for Game 6. Springer’s double was the Blue Jays’ only extra-base hit of the game, and he scored their only run that contest. His presence would be a big help for Toronto.
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