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The New York Knicks are hoping to bring home some Boston brilliance home with them.
New York will go for a wholly unexpected 3-0 lead over the defending champion Boston Celtics on Saturday afternoon, and they'll have a chance to do so in friendly surroundings: following a pair of comebacks from 20 points down in Beantown, the Eastern Conference semifinal series now shifts to Madison Square Garden, where thousands of Knicks fans anticipate similarly thrilling and rewarding antics on their own hardwood.
The Knicks, surprisingly enough, haven't taken advantage of homecourt in this otherwise fruitful postseason, dropping two of three at their Garden in the opening round against Detroit. They're undefeated on the road, winning five consecutive games away from Manhattan in a single postseason for the first time in franchise history.
New York comes into Game 3 with a blank injury report. Boston has only Sam Hauser (ankle sprain) listed as doubtful. Kristaps Porzingis did not appear among the ailing despite a lingering illness that kept him out of a good part of the opener earlier this week.
Starting Lineups
KNICKS: OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns
CELTICS: Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White
Officials: Zach Zarba, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne (alternate: Jacyn Goble)
1st Quarter
9:10—Towns hits his first three-pointer of the series (7-6 BOS)
9:33—Following a Holiday double, Towns goes to the line when he's fouled by Holiday. He makes one of the first two free throws of the day (7-3 BOS)
10:33—Horford hits a three to give Boston the lead back (5-2 BOS)
10:43—A Brunson steal becomes a driving Bridges double to tie the game (2-2)
11:21—White puts back in a Tatum miss off a steal and Boston takes the first lead (2-0 BOS)
12:00—New York wins the tip and the game is underway.
More must-reads:
- Warriors still positioning themselves for Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster
- Jalen Williams fires back at critics who call him 'corny'
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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Warriors' Stephen Curry believes NBA players are 'underpaid'
Are NBA players underpaid? Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry argues yes. The greatest shooter in NBA history said Thursday on Complex’s “360 With Speedy” that because the league’s current CBA doesn’t allow for current players to invest in league and team equity, players are leaving money on the table. “I would say, yes, we are underpaid,” Curry admitted when asked, despite enormous salaries, if the players were getting short-changed, “because you wanna be able to participate in that rise [of equity].” “It’s a partnership with ownership, [and] it’s a partnership with the league,” the 37-year-old stressed, revealing that league salaries do not reflect players’ impact on team valuations. If anyone has the right to begrudge the current CBA on player participation in equity, it’s Curry. When drafted in 2009, the Warriors were worth $315 million. Current valuations in May of 2025 have the team at $9.4 billion, the most in the league. Curry’s been paid handsomely during his time in Golden State, and he doesn’t overlook it. “I know we’re blessed to be in a position where we’re playing basketball for a living, and these are the type of checks that people are earning,” he told Complex. However, when he signed his $62.6 million one-year extension in 2024 that would keep him in a Warriors’ jersey until 2027, many felt that no amount of money the franchise could offer him would represent his worth. Curry had an undeniable impact on the Warriors’ valuation increasing by nearly 3,000%. He’s benefited by being the most salaried player on the roster and plenty of endorsement deals. But is he getting his fair share? Something similar may happen with reigning NBA Finals MVP and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who just signed the richest contract in league history with an average annual value of $71.25 million. According to Forbes, the Thunder’s valuation increased 20% from 2023 to 2024 and will likely take another jump after this year’s championship. Curry concedes that player participation in equity isn’t a simple concept and not all markets are created equal: “You got competitive advantage considerations…and want every market to have a fair chance, like I get all that.” He believes, however, that finding a solution is a “mutually beneficial proposition” for players, teams and the league. Even the most expensive people in the world need to find other investors to make owning an NBA team possible. The best example of Curry’s point is the Boston Celtics sale in March. The most-championed franchise in league history was sold to Bill Chisholm for $6.1 billion, the largest ever sports franchise sale in North America at the time. Chisholm needed Rob Hale, Bruce Beal Jr., and private equity firm Sixth Street, to afford the purchase. Because team ownership is already a multi-investor operation, the league could potentially come to an agreement with the players by the next CBA negotiation at the end of the decade. If not, the league's best players will continue to simultaneously earn a ridiculous amount of money, and it will not be nearly enough.
Yankees add needed infielder in trade with Nationals
The New York Yankees had been on the search for a right-handed hitting infielder. They found their man late Saturday night. Jack Curry from YES Network reported that the Yankees acquired infielder Amed Rosario from the Nationals. In exchange, the Yankees are sending pitcher Clayton Beeter and minor league outfielder Browm Martinez to Washington. The Yankees had been looking for a right-handed hitting infielder in the wake of acquiring third baseman Ryan McMahon on Friday. Rosario is exactly the type of player the Yankees had sought - a solid option capable of playing second and third. He had posted a .270/.310/.426 batting line in 158 plate appearances entering Saturday, hitting five homers and eight doubles. Rosario's greatest attribute for the Yankees is his ability to hit left-handed pitching. He has a .299/.333/.483 batting line in 99 plate appearances against lefties this season, with three homers and seven doubles. He and McMahon should form a solid platoon at the hot corner in New York. However, the Yankees paid a steep price to bring Rosario on board for the next several months. Beeter had been ranked as the Yankees' 20th-best prospect per MLB.com, with his upper-90s fastball and wipeout slider both considered plus offerings. He has operated strictly as a reliever this season, where both his ability to miss bats and questionable command have been apparent. Martinez had been considered a player to watch heading into the season by FanGraphs, citing his solid contact rates and projectability. The 18-year-old is years away from making an impact, but has posted an impressive .404/.507/.632 batting line in 69 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League, hitting three homers and four doubles while stealing 13 bases. His ability to make contact has been impressive, as Martinez has drawn six walks with just eight strikeouts this season. A promotion stateside could be in the cards before the end of the year.
Browns make curious decision with rookie QB Shedeur Sanders
The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
Red Sox Dream Target Reportedly Just Hit Trade Block
The Boston Red Sox could use more firepower in the middle of the lineup and as the trade deadline has gotten closer, rumors specifically about first base have popped up. One guy who has been floated as a fit has been Tampa Bay Rays star Yandy Díaz, but a deal has seemed like nothing more than a pipe dream. While this is the case, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported that Tampa Bay may be more willing to move him than initially expected and that Boston will be at the top of the list for him if he does actually become available. "The Rays entered Saturday 3-4 since the All-Star break and 6-15 since June 28," Rosenthal said. "Any thought of owner Stuart Sternberg going out on a high note before selling the club appears to be fading. A rapid turnaround might force the Rays to shift course. But Rays officials began signaling to teams late Friday that they will be open to moving Díaz, second baseman Brandon Lowe and others if they do not reverse their tailspin. A final decision might not come before Wednesday, on the eve of the deadline. "The Rays have been reluctant to trade Díaz, who sacrificed perhaps greater money elsewhere by signing two club-friendly extensions. If they indeed become willing to move him, the Boston Red Sox will almost certainly be at the top of the list of the teams interested. Another Rays player who could be on the move: Catcher Danny Jansen, whom the team signed last offseason to a two-year, $8.5 million free-agent contract with a club option for 2027. If Jansen goes, the Rays could backfill with another catcher." If Boston is going to make a big addition, this absolutely should be it.
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