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Mavericks win locks them into intriguing first-round matchup
The first Western Conference playoff series is set, and it might be the best of Round 1.
The Mavericks blew out the Heat 111-92 on Wednesday, securing the No. 5 seed and a third first-round series against the Clippers in their last four playoff appearances.
Los Angeles won the previous two series in 2020 and 2021. Kawhi Leonard averaged 32.5 points per game in the teams' previous meetings. Mavericks guard Luka Doncic has been excellent in defeat, averaging 33.5 points per game.
The series will also mark the first playoff matchup between Clippers guard James Harden and Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving since both were Nets members.
It's wild that, once again, either the Mavericks and Doncic, a 2023-24 MVP candidate, or the loaded Clippers won't make it past the first round of the playoffs.
The talent on display will be breathtaking, and both teams have been playing well recently. Over their last 10 games, the Mavericks have the league's best record (9-1). Stepping further back, only Denver (19-5) has a better record than Dallas (18-7) in the West since the All-Star break.
On Tuesday night, the Clippers raced to a 35-4 lead on the Suns without Harden. Per ESPN Bet, they have the third-best odds of winning the Larry O'Brien Trophy (+800).
Either team could challenge the Nuggets for Western Conference supremacy, but only one might get the chance.
The West is a bloodbath, and nothing better exemplifies that than the Mavericks and Clippers rekindling their first-round battle. One of these NBA Finals contenders will watch their season end far sooner than it should.
More must-reads:
- Mavs continue torrid stretch, rough up Heat
- Grant Williams discusses facing Mavericks just two months after being traded
- The 'Active NBA players with 10,000 points' quiz
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Celtics Fan Favorite Expected to Leave NBA After Deal Falls Through
The Boston Celtics had some veterans on their Summer League roster. That includes some players who were on last year's team, including Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman. That also includes NBA veterans which include Kenneth Lofton Jr., Isaiah Wong, and Charles Bassey. Bassey made himself stand out in the Celtics Summer League. In three games with the team, he averaged 15.3 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks a game while shooting 70.4% from the field. Despite his standout performance, a Celtics executive told Spotrac's Keith Smith that they weren't sure if the Celtics would be able to sign him. "Considering he got added to our team so late, this was an awesome run for him," the executive told Smith. "No idea if we’ll have roster space for him or not. But we’d love to keep working with Charles and see if we can make something work." Despite the Celtics having interest in keeping Bassey with the team, it appears any potential deal has fallen through. European Basketball Insider Luca D'Allesandro reported that Bassey's agent, Marc McNeil, has revealed the center is in touch with an overseas team and seemingly preparing for an NBA departure. "Charles Bassey’s agent, Marc McNeil, revealed in a statement for (Meridian Sport Srbija) that his client is in negotiations with Partizan and that the black-and-whites are his top priority," D'Alesandro wrote. "He also mentioned that there is interest from other Euroleague teams." Bassey has played for the Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs from 2021 to 2025. In his last season with the Spurs, he averaged 4.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks while shooting 58.1% from the field.
Aaron Rodgers responds to criticism from Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw
The Pittsburgh Steelers' signing of quarterback Aaron Rodgers was an immediately polarizing move that did not sit well with large portions of the fan base. It also did not sit well with one of the team's all-time greatest players, four-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Terry Bradshaw. Bradshaw initially referred to the signing of Rodgers as a "joke" and that he should "stay in California and go chew bark" in reference to Rodgers isolating himself in a darkness retreat last year. On Saturday, Rodgers finally had a chance to respond to Bradshaw and did so with a combination of taking the high road, and also trying to make light of it. “I whisper to the gods every single day. I’ve known Terry for a long time, being a part of Fox. Terry’s a legend. He’s an absolute legend. He won four Super Bowls. He’s had a legendary career in the media. But Terry, like a lot of people, doesn’t know me. And so, he’s got an idea of what he thinks about me based on what I’ve done, the documentary, what I’ve said, darkness retreat, whatever the hell you want to talk about. I’d love to get to know Terry on a deeper level. I feel like if he gave me a chance to get to know him, then we’d have a good friendship." He ended the answer by saying, "So, I’d love to get to know Terry on a deeper level if he’s open to it. And maybe we can go chew some bark or whatever the hell he’s talking about together.” The Steelers were in a pretty desperate quarterback situation this offseason after completely overhauling the position for a second year in a row. They missed out on the chance to re-sign Justin Fields, let Russell Wilson walk, missed out on every other veteran who changed teams and passed on the opportunity to select a quarterback near the top of a weak quarterback draft class. (They ultimately selected Ohio State's Will Howard in the sixth round.) The whole Rodgers saga has been quite a soap opera for the Steelers as they waited around for months while he decided on whether or not he wanted to play this season, and if he wanted to play for the Steelers. Add in the fact he has had a tendency to cause some off-field distractions with his comments and weekly "Pat McAfee Show" appearances, as well as the fact he will turn 42 years old this season and hasn't been a top-tier quarterback in three years, and a lot of Steelers fans — and former players — were put off by the idea. The only thing that will matter in the end, however, is how Rodgers plays on the field. He has said all of the right things since joining the team, and his new teammates have all spoken highly of him so far, but it will still come down to results on the field. The Steelers have not won a playoff game in eight years and are facing added pressure each year to end that drought. They are hoping Rodgers has one more good year in him to help them advance in the postseason.
Green Bay Packers 3rd Year Receiver Turning Heads At Training Camp
The Green Bay Packers have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. A big reason for this is their wide receiver room. For the past three seasons, they have relied on rookies and second-year players to carry the load on offense from a pass-catching perspective. However, that has led to some inconsistent play. Last year, drops were a huge issue, especially for former fifth-round pick Dontayvion Wicks. He was able to get open but would drop the ball in key moments. Wicks is determined to change the narrative and is already turning heads in training camp. Green Bay Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks Looking Good Wicks was the star of the 2-minute drill during Friday’s training camp practice. He found a hole in the zone and ran the post route. Quarterback Jordan Love saw him immediately and unloaded a long ball. The former Virginia receiver was all alone and caught a 49-yard touchdown pass to end the drill. This was one of the many great plays Wicks made throughout the practice. He was asked about the play after the practice. “I knew I had the post,” Wicks said. “I had a man on me. I released, ran full speed. I knew X was over the top. So I stemmed out a little bit and broke flat across. It was a runaway, and J-Love gave me the ball and I ran under it, and that was all from there.” This is great news for the Green Bay Packers. Drops can often be attributed to a lack of confidence. They can snowball. Once a player drops one pass, it can snowball into more drops. The same can be said about catches. Once a player gets confidence, it can be hard to stop. If Dontayvion Wicks has gotten his confidence, the league should watch out. No Problems Getting Open Wicks had no problems getting open last year. According to ESPN Analytics, he was open on 84% of his routes, thanks to a quick burst off the snap and his ability to find gaps in the zone. However, getting open doesn’t matter if a player can’t bring in the ball. The Green Bay Packers hope this is the start of a new player in 2025. Matthew Golden has also looked good in training camp, and Jayden Reed has vowed to drop fewer passes as well in 2025. If that trio can haul in passes, this offense could be one of the best in the league. Final Thoughts We always have to be cautious about training camp news. It can sometimes point to what will happen in the season, but not always. However, this seems like a step in the right direction for the Green Bay Packers. If Wicks gains confidence now, that should carry over into the season.
Rangers Sign Former Stanley Cup Champion to Tryout Agreement
The New York Rangers are adding to their forward depth ahead of their upcoming training camp. The Rangers are entering a new chapter of their organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan. After missing the postseason last year, the organization is trying to rebound and respond accordingly in 2025 and 2026. Former Stanley Cup champion forward Conor Sheary is the latest player to join the new-look Rangers. The veteran forward agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the club and will look to earn an NHL deal with his performance in training camp and the preseason. Sheary is a veteran of 593 NHL games. Originally an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins after completing his collegiate career. Following a year with the Penguins' AHL affiliate, he forced his way onto the NHL squad after posting 36 points in his first 30 games of the 2015-2016 season at the AHL level. His debut NHL season went better than ever expected, and he was a key part of the Penguins' lineup that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Sheary's coach at the time, both at the AHL and NHL levels, was Mike Sullivan. Now, he'll get the chance to reunite with the coach under whom he won two championships. In addition to playing for the Penguins, Sheary has played for three other NHL franchises. The Pens dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres before the 2018-2019 campaign, but he would return to Pittsburgh the following season at the trade deadline. After his second stint with the Penguins, he joined the Washington Capitals. He played three seasons in Washington, D.C. before landing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent the past two years. Over his 593 career games, he's compiled 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. His best NHL season came during the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the league. He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists for 53 points in 61 regular-season games.
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