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The Minnesota Timberwolves are on the verge of eliminating the Golden State Warriors as they have a comfortable lead in the fourth quarter of Game 5. After losing Game 1 at home, the Timberwolves have rattled off three straight wins against the Stephen Curry-less Warriors, and Golden State hasn’t had an answer in Game 5 either. Minnesota is on cruise control, and Rudy Gobert is a big reason why.
Rudy Gobert has looked good in Game 5 as he has 17 points and has only missed one shot. He has been incredibly efficient, and his level of play has earned him a new nickname from Shaq:
“I expect Anthony Edwards to go up, but it doesn’t matter when you have Julius Randle and Rudy Abdul-Gobert,” Shaq said during the halftime show.
Gobert had 11 points on 5/5 shooting in the first half. He didn’t miss, and Shaq clearly saw a lot of Kareem Adbul-Jabbar in him during the first two quarters.
The Timberwolves have been in control of this game since the early stages as Golden State hasn’t had the lead since it was 3-2. The Warriors were keeping things close during the first half, but Gobert and the Timberwolves opened up a more comfortable lead in the third quarter. Now, they are just a few minutes away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals.
After taking Game 1 on the road, the Warriors put themselves in a good spot to win this series. They did lose Stephen Curry in that win, however, and it’s been all Minnesota since then.
If the Warriors miraculously comeback to win Game 5, the series will shift back to California for a Game 6 on Sunday night. Unfortunately for Golden State, that is looking extremely unlikely.
Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves are close to advancing, and if they finish it off, they will play either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. Oklahoma City is currently up 3-2 in that series with a chance to advance tomorrow.
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East Team’s Potential Decision Could Escalate Jonathan Kuminga Drama With Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are still awaiting a decision by restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga as the NBA offseason is nearing August. Of course, Kuminga has a major decision to make regarding the next step of his career and it appears likely that it will not be in Golden State but rather with another franchise. This comes after the young forward fell out of Steve Kerr’s rotation last season after the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat at the trade deadline. While it appears Kuminga’s time in Golden State is nearing an end, the Warriors still have a major say in his next team as they will likely have to agree to a sign-and-trade deal. Despite this, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel recently reported that one Eastern Conference team could escalate the situation between Kuminga and the Warriors by making a major decision this offseason. “Other teams with rumored interest in Kuminga are the Chicago Bulls, Phoenix Suns, and Brooklyn Nets. Then again, the Nets, who have plenty of cap space, have yet to express serious interest in Kuminga,” Siegel wrote. “If they wanted to, Brooklyn could sign Kuminga to an offer sheet right now and escalate this situation.” This is a massive report by Siegel as the Nets do have enough cap space to sign Kuminga to an offer sheet which would tie the Warriors’ hands. Of course, this is unlikely to happen as the Nets are also dealing with their own restricted free agent problems with Cam Thomas as they are not wanting to offer the young guard the contract that he wants. While that may be the case, if the Nets end up moving on from Thomas in a sign-and-trade deal with another team they could shift their focus on Kuminga, who they have been linked to over the past two seasons. This would be the worst-case scenario for Golden State and one that would extremely hurt them heading into next season, especially with their lack of moves thus far this offseason.
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan leaves behind a complicated legacy
On Thursday, wrestling icon Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea died at the age of 71. "WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away," the company said in a statement. "One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s... WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans." Hogan was the first true superstar to emerge in the wrestling industry, capturing a casual audience worldwide and bringing new eyes to the sport. He was an unbelievable draw, both as a baby face and as a heel. From his time as an All-American hero to leading the New World Order and teaming with Randy Savage as part of the "Mega Powers," he has been a staple of the scene for decades. Who can forget his WrestleMania III moment, where he defied the laws of physics to body-slam a 520-pound Andre the Giant? Or, more recently, his match with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at WrestleMania 18? His last appearance on WWE RAW on Jan. 6 saw him booed throughout, highlighting the rocky legacy Hogan leaves behind. Hogan's universal popularity has plummeted in recent years, primarily due to a racism scandal that led to his removal from the Wrestling Hall of Fame, only to be reinstated in 2018. Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Hogan's outdated and unwelcome outlook on specific aspects of life derailed the final stanza of a legendary career. Still, there's no denying that without Hogan, the wrestling we know and love today wouldn't exist. There wouldn't be WWE on the world's largest streaming platform, or All Elite Wrestling, which is developing into one of the most successful challenger brands. Instead, there would be smaller, more localized promotions, all competing for a sliver of television time. Hogan popularized the sport by bridging the gap between the wrestling ring and Hollywood. During his time in the spotlight, Hogan appeared in movies such as "Rocky III," "No Holds Barred" and "Suburban Commando," all of which helped bring his larger-than-life persona to a new audience. It's no surprise, then, that The Rock, John Cena and Dave Bautista have all made similar jumps in recent years. Hogan leaves behind an everlasting imprint on the wrestling world. Unfortunately, it comes with multiple asterisks; however, that doesn't change what he achieved as the first global wrestling star.
Tigers, Blue Jays trending in opposite directions after break
The Toronto Blue Jays didn't cool off in their first road game since the All-Star break, rolling to an 11-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. The teams will play the second game of a four-game series on Friday night. Toronto was held scoreless until the sixth, then racked up all of its runs in a three-inning span. The Blue Jays, who had a 10-game winning streak shortly before the break, have won six of seven games since the Mid-Summer Classic. "These guys have been relentless," Toronto manager John Schneider said. "I've heard a lot of talk about us being a gritty team that isn't sustainable. I think the exact opposite. I think we're gritty as hell, but I think a lot of the stuff that we're doing is going to lead to a lot of wins." Jose Berrios (6-4, 3.87 ERA), who will start for the Blue Jays on Friday, has a 2-1 record in four July starts despite a 7.11 ERA. He collected a victory on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants despite being charged with four runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. Berrios was pulled after just three innings in his previous outing, when he allowed four runs and five hits against the Athletics. Before that, he posted eight quality starts in 10 outings. The veteran right-hander is 7-3 with a 4.23 ERA in 16 career appearances (15 starts) against Detroit. He had a no-decision against the Tigers on May 18 after giving up two runs and eight hits in six innings. Detroit's Keider Montero (4-2, 4.28 ERA) will make his 15th appearance and ninth start of the season. Montero has gotten plenty of chances to seize the No. 5 spot in the rotation, vacated when prized rookie Jackson Jobe required Tommy John surgery, but hasn't secured it. Following a sharp six-inning stint against Tampa Bay on July 7, Montero gave up three runs and five hits in three-plus innings against the Seattle Mariners on July 12. In his first post-All-Star-break outing, Montero allowed four runs, four hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings against the Texas Rangers on Saturday. The second-year right-hander faced Toronto once last season, surrendering five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. The Tigers still hold an eight-game lead in the American League Central but they are playing more like cellar-dwellers. They have lost 10 of their last 11 games, including four straight. Detroit is 1-6 since the break, having scored just 13 runs during that span. The Tigers were limited to a Jahmai Jones solo homer on Thursday until they scored three meaningless runs in the ninth. The team and its fans were spoiled by a glorious three months, and now the club is dealing with adversity for the first time this season. "You know, it's been 11 days, but it feels like it's been a lot longer, and I think maybe that's because of the (All-Star) break," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "A lot of it is just the way that baseball is. We can choose to bring that garbage into tomorrow, or we can reset and get back after it. "I know this team, I know the conversation around it over the last couple weeks. We've got to piece it back together."
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Isak transfer drama sparks fresh Saudi interest in Darwin Nunez – report
Liverpool’s next big exit might not be who we expected — and it could be triggered by a transfer battle unfolding in the north east. According to a report from Arriyadiyah, Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have shifted their attention towards Darwin Nunez after their pursuit of Alexander Isak hit a financial wall. The Newcastle United striker has reportedly demanded an eye-watering £60 million annual salary, plus extras, to consider a move to Saudi Arabia. Saudi interest in Isak has cooled now attention turns to Nunez That’s more than £1.15 million per week, and it’s no surprise that Al-Hilal are now exploring alternatives. One of them, per the same report, is Liverpool’s No.9. The Saudi side’s coach Simone Inzaghi is said to have specifically requested the Uruguayan forward as a top alternative to Isak. The 26-year-old was already the subject of interest from the Gulf state earlier in the window, but now that Isak talks have cooled, the heat is rising again around our £85 million man. Darwin Nunez is viewed as an Alexander Isak alternative It’s another sign that our forward line could be reshaped this summer. Liverpool have already committed to French striker Hugo Ekitike and with Alexander Isak reportedly still on our radar at £130-150 million, a serious bid from Saudi Arabia for Darwin could accelerate a sale — especially given his struggle for form under Arne Slot. The former Benfica striker managed just five Premier League goals last season and the boss no longer appears to trust him in big moments. If Al-Hilal formalise their interest, this could be the end of Nunez’s Anfield journey — and the start of a new era up front. The irony of Darwin Nunez being viewed as an Alexander Isak alternative, as we attempt to sign the Swede, despite buying Ekitike who was Newcastle’s desired replacement for their No.14 – somewhat highlights the craziness of this merry-go-round transfer window.
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