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Why Scotty Pippen Jr., Ja Morant are just kidding themselves with bold Thunder claim
On Saturday, the Memphis Grizzlies saw their season come to an end in the first round of the playoffs. Despite being swept at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, multiple members of the team feel they could have stacked up with the title hopefuls.
The series started in historic fashion with the Thunder pulling off a 51-point victory. Things further took a turn for the worst for Memphis in Game 3 when Ja Morant got injured after taking a hard fall.
After the Thunder completed their sweep, Morant uttered a bold take by saying he felt the Grizzlies could have pulled off an upset if he didn't get hurt. While on FanDuel TV's "Run It Back" show Tuesday, Scotty Pippen Jr. echoed that same stance.
"Third game we're up, Ja goes down," Pippen Jr. said. "Even the fourth game, we still competed. It could go either way I feel like if he doesn't go out."
Scotty Pippen Jr. says the Grizzlies could've taken down the Thunder if Ja Morant did not get injured
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 29, 2025
"We felt pretty well...it could go either way if he doesn't go out."@spippenjr | @MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/bADU6xVaV7
Although they never managed to secure a win, the Grizzlies did make things interesting in the latter half of the series. In Game 3, the Grizzlies had a 26-point lead going into halftime before OKC fought back and won, 114-108. Game 4 ended up being the closest of the four matchups, with the Thunder walking out with a two-point victory.
The Grizzlies might feel the series could have been a toss-up, but the opening games tell the true story. The Thunder were clearly the better team from the beginning and made that apparent with a pair of blowout victories on their home floor. Even if the Grizzlies managed to take one of the games on their home floor, it's doubtful they would win outside of Memphis.
Cohesion is a major factor in the Thunder being the team that advanced. OKC has been a tight-knit squad all year, while the Grizzlies have been scrambling since firing their coach toward the end of the regular season.
Morant's injury certainly shifted things, but their chances of pulling off an upset were slim from the beginning. Upon being swept, the Grizzlies will now regroup in the offseason in hopes of contending in 2026.
More must-reads:
- Ja Morant makes bold five-word claim about Thunder-Grizzlies series
- Cavaliers, Thunder prove their regular-season records were for real
- The '2023-24 NBA playoff points-per-game leaders' quiz
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Jared McCain's return could shake up the 76ers rotation
Jared McCain’s rookie season didn’t end the way it was supposed to. The Sixers guard was turning heads early on and looked like a serious Rookie of the Year candidate, averaging 15.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists across his first 23 games. He even won Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in November. But everything came to a halt when he tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee. Just like that, his promising first year was over. For the Sixers, that injury was just one piece of a nightmare season. Joel Embiid missed time, Paul George dealt with nagging injuries and Tyrese Maxey couldn’t carry the whole thing on his own. Philly ended the year with just 24 wins and didn’t even sniff the playoffs. Yet, through all that, McCain had shown real flashes. He played with confidence, poise and a scoring feel that looked way more polished than expected from a rookie. That’s what makes his upcoming return so intriguing. He’s reportedly progressing well in rehab, taking his time but eyeing a full comeback for the 2025-26 season. In the meantime, the Sixers added more youth to the mix. They drafted VJ Edgecombe with the third overall pick — a high-motor two-way guard with a strong frame and a lot of upside. The plan is clearly to build around Maxey, McCain and Edgecombe as the new core in the backcourt. McCain and Edgecombe already seem to have good chemistry. They were spotted hanging out during Summer League, and Edgecombe’s mentioned how excited he is to share the floor with him. It’s not hard to imagine the Sixers trying lineups with both young guards alongside Maxey, especially as Paul George ages and Embiid’s health remains a question. McCain’s role this year is a bit of a mystery. If he looks sharp in training camp, he could easily challenge for a starting spot. At the very least, he should be a key bench piece with a real shot to close games, thanks to his shooting and shot creation. With his ability to stretch the floor and Edgecombe’s slashing and defense, there’s a lot of potential here if things click. The Sixers’ coaching staff will likely take it slow. Coming off a knee injury, McCain won’t be rushed. But there’s a quiet urgency around the franchise after such a bad year. The 76ers need wins, and they need their young guys to step up. That makes McCain’s return one of the biggest stories heading into the new season. If he picks up where he left off, Philly’s backcourt rotation suddenly looks deep and dynamic. Maxey is already an All-Star-level player. Edgecombe is raw but promising. McCain could be the bridge between them — polished enough to produce now, young enough to grow alongside them. Of course, there’s always the possibility he struggles to find his rhythm or needs more time to trust the knee. That’s normal. But if McCain proves he’s back and ready, the Sixers may have found a long-term piece right when they needed one most.
Why Yankees' trade for All-Star 3B is disappointing
The New York Yankees’ first move ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline falls a bit flat. They traded two prospects most fans have never heard of to acquire Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon, a lackluster move that indicates New York is throwing in the towel on the 2025 season. McMahon is an upgrade — but only a slight one. Yankees GM Brian Cashman replaced a .147 hitter in Oswald Peraza with a .217 hitter in McMahon, who also happens to lead the National League in strikeouts (127). But really, New York just added another Anthony Volpe — one of the biggest problems in the Bombers’ lineup — to the left side of their infield. The two infielders’ 2025 stats tell virtually the same sad tale: McMahon: .217/.314/.403, 16 home runs Volpe: .214/.286/.400, 13 home runs The Yankees should have risked a top prospect or two for Arizona Diamondbacks power-hitting third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A 2026 free agent, Suarez is a rental, but with his .252/.325/.593 slash line, 33 home runs and MLB-leading 86 RBI, he’d be a huge upgrade at third base, rather than a slight one. Instead, the Yankees opted for a player who they’ll have control over until 2028 and cost them almost nothing to acquire. Apparently, they believe McMahon will prove valuable in the long run, based on his advanced analytics. After all, he’s been crushing the ball in 2025, averaging a 94 mph exit velocity. However, his ability to hit the ball hard doesn’t mean he’s just been unlucky this year, as his xBA is just .232 — not too far below his .240 career actual batting average. Compare that to another guy who’s known for hitting the ball hard in Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, who is hitting just .232 but has an xBA of .289. It doesn’t matter how hard McMahon hits the ball if he tends to hit it directly at a fielder. There’s still a week until the trade deadline, but don’t expect the Yankees to make any truly splashy moves. Suarez was the better choice to fix New York’s third base issues, and their pivot to McMahon was disappointing.
Dustin Rhodes Assigns Blame After Hulk Hogan’s Death
Following the shocking news of Hulk Hogan’s passing, wrestling legend Dustin Rhodes, known to millions as Goldust in WWE, took to social media to share a deeply personal and provocative reaction: “Hospitals truly kill people. I really do mean that.” Rhodes’ blunt statement stunned many fans, but those who know his story saw the pain behind the words. His father, the iconic Dusty Rhodes, passed away in 2015, aged 69, after a fall at home led to hospitalization for kidney failure. After his father's passing, Dustin shared a contemplative response on WWE's YouTube channel to discuss the legacy his father left behind. The news of Hogan's death comes just a month after reports suggested he was on his "deathbed" after undergoing a neck procedure back in May. Hogan's reps denied that was the case. In June, US Weekly reported that Hogan had also undergone a "pretty serious heart surgery and was doing well afterward." Dustin’s connection to his brother Cody Rhodes, now a top WWE superstar and face of the company’s next generation, is unbreakable. The Rhodes family legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of pro wrestling history, and seeing another legend like Hogan pass has clearly hit close to home. While Goldust and Hulk Hogan never had a headline-grabbing rivalry, they did share the ring once. It occurred in WCW in 2000 when Dustin Rhodes matched up against Hogan. Although their paths didn’t often cross in the squared circle, Hogan and the Rhodes family were part of the same larger-than-life era that helped define pro wrestling for decades and catapult the sport into society's zeitgeist. Rhodes’ comment about hospitals might not sit well with everyone, but it speaks to a raw and honest pain felt by someone who has seen too many legends, both personal and professional, fade away in similar fashion. The sport of wrestling has endured more than its fair share of lives cut short. As tributes continue to pour in for Hogan, Rhodes’ reaction serves as a powerful, if somber, reminder of the real human emotions behind the wrestling personas.
Mets Unlikely to Trade for $56 Million Pitcher After New Report
The New York Mets are a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East ahead of Friday night's bout with the San Francisco Giants, but they are still one of the most vulnerable teams in baseball. New York has a laundry list of pitchers on the IL, including Tylor Megill (elbow), Griffin Canning (Achilles), and Max Kranick (flexor). However, it did acquire southpaw hurler Gregory Soto from the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. The veteran is 0-2 with a 3.96 ERA over 45 appearances this season, including 18 holds and one save. While the Mets could stand to add more healthy arms, they probably won't get a certain prominent hurler on the Miami Marlins, via The New York Post's Mike Puma. "The Mets are among the teams that have checked in on Sandy Alcantara," he reported on Friday. "The asking price is steep. The Mets haven’t ruled out adding a starting pitcher, but view it as a tough add given the market." Alcantara is 5-9 with a 6.66 ERA over 20 starts this season. The 29-year-old won the NL Cy Young Award in 2022 after going 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA in 32 starts. His current contract extension has a $21 million club option for 2027, and he's scheduled to make $17.3 million in both 2025 and 2026. Right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes (8-5, 3.48 ERA) will start for New York against San Francisco right-hander Logan Webb (9-7, 3.08 ERA) on Friday.
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