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The Indiana Fever suffered an 85-75 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on June 26. As a result, they are now 7-8 on the 2025 WNBA season and 4-4 at their home Gainbridge Fieldhouse Arena.
While no defeat is ideal, this one is especially frustrating because Indiana took an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter before suffering a collapse down the stretch. This has been a common occurrence for Indiana, as they've squandered several double-digit leads by floundering in the fourth quarter this season, especially of late.
And after the game, head coach Stephanie White sent a scathing message about her team's mentality.
"I mean, I think that we haven't shown a killer instinct yet," White said when asked about these fourth quarter collapses, per Tony East's YouTube channel. "We have had a tendency to relax in those moments, instead of... go for the kill.
"We've had empty possessions, where we've been too lax with the basketball... We've had breakdowns on the defensive end of the floor. It's just moments of mental lapses or mental relaxation that you can't have in this league," White added.
When asked specifically about the her team failed to do defensively, White cited a lack of communication, lack of discipline to coverages, lack of physicality, and undisciplined fouling, along with empty possessions on offense.
White is clearly frustrated with her team right now. However, some fans would say that she deserves a sizable share of the blame, given that it's her job to address these ongoing issues and late-game collapses as the season progresses.
More must-reads:
- Caitlin Clark suffering through worst shooting slump of her career
- Fever lose again and have reason to worry playing without Caitlin Clark
- The 'Most points in a WNBA season' quiz
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Five best NFL offseason value signings on offense: Bills get great deal with RB extension
Few know how to spend money like an NFL front office. This offseason, teams handed out over $4 billion in extensions alone, not to mention the several other billions spent in free agency. But which were the shrewdest investments? Below, we examine the best value signings at five positions on offense: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and offensive line. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith Contract: Two years, $75 million ($65.5M guaranteed) Shortly after acquiring Smith in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks, the Raiders extended the 2022 Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year to a contract that raises the Raiders' floor while maintaining flexibility. Smith has a manageable $26.5M cap hit in 2026, when Over The Cap projects Las Vegas to have the third-most cap space ($78.7M) based on an estimated 5.8 percent cap increase. Since 2022, Smith has the third-highest completion percentage (68.5 percent) among 32 quarterbacks with at least 20 starts during that span. He's also tied with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the second-most fourth-quarter comebacks (10) and trails only Mahomes in game-winning drives. Buffalo Bills running back James Cook Contract: Four years, $48M ($30M guaranteed) Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams pierced Cook's bubble when he signed a three-year, $33M extension on Aug. 5. The Bills running back sought $15M per year, making his $12M in annual average value (AAV) a huge win for Buffalo. Over Cook's first three seasons, he's averaged 4.9 yards per carry. In 2024, he led the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns. With just 533 career tackles, Cook doesn't have the wear-and-tear of other backs who've made splashes early in their careers, raising hopes that he can withstand the workload that comes with being Buffalo's featured back. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins Contract: Four years, $115M ($40.9M guaranteed) The Bengals retained Higgins at a remarkable price, keeping him in Cincinnati at less than $30M per year, the going rate for the league's top wideouts. Per Spotrac, while Higgins is No. 10 in AAV among wide receivers, he ranks just outside the top 20 in guaranteed money. Last season, Higgins averaged 75.9 receiving yards per game, his most since 2021, and scored a career-high 10 touchdowns despite missing five games due to injury. Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride Contract: Four years, $76M ($43M guaranteed) The 2024 first-team All-Pro ranks No. 1 among tight ends in guaranteed salary. However, if he continues producing numbers more akin to WR1s — last season, he had 111 receptions, 1,146 receiving yards and two touchdowns — his contract will be one of the league's better bargains. Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley Contract: Three years, $60M ($44M guaranteed) Stanley's journey back from a devastating 2020 lower leg injury culminated in the 2019 first-team All-Pro being named a Pro Bowler for the second time in his first nine seasons last year. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft was rewarded with a contract that will keep him in Baltimore through his age-33 season. In terms of average annual value, his extension ranks below other left tackles who signed contracts this offseason, and not just younger players such as Rashawn Slater (Los Angeles Chargers), who was recently lost for the season, and Bernhard Raimann (Indianapolis Colts). Atlanta Falcons tackle Jake Matthews, 33, is averaging $22.5M on his current deal, while Las Vegas Raiders tackle Kolton Miller, 29, is set to earn $22M per year through 2028.
Green Bay Packers Add 16-TD Playmaker Amid Preparation For Colts Preseason Game
The Green Bay Packers made an under-the-radar move on Wednesday on offense, as the team announced that it claimed wide receiver Kawaan Baker off waivers from the Las Vegas Raiders. From the Packers’ official website: The Green Bay Packers claimed WR Kawaan Baker off waivers from the Las Vegas Raiders. The transaction was announced Wednesday by General Manager Brian Gutekunst. Baker turned pro in 2021, when he was taken off the board in the seventh round of that year’s NFL draft by the New Orleans Saints. He signed a four-year deal worth $3.56 million with the Saints, though he spent most of his rookie season on New Orleans’ practice squad. He appeared in only two games in the 2021 NFL season and never saw action in a regular-season or playoff game since. This is also not the first time that Baker got acquainted with the Packers, as Green Bay signed him to its practice squad back in 2022 before moving on to the Philadelphia Eagles and back to the Saints. In 2024, he joined the New England Patriots in the offseason and training camp but was waived before the start of the season. His most recent stop was with the Raiders, who waived him on Monday. Before he entered the NFL, Baker played four college football seasons with the South Alabama Jaguars, during which he scored 16 touchdowns on 126 receptions through 45 games. Baker could see some action this coming Saturday’s preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts. Fans react to Green Bay Packers’ move on Baker The Packers have plenty of hurt bodies on the wide receiver room, and that is not lost on Green Bay fans, who have a lot to say about the Baker signing. “Gute is always working,” said a fan on X. Another one said: “Damn, I thought for sure they were gonna pick up OBJ or Amari Cooper this time” From a commenter: “We got 30 WRs… what’s one more” “Idk but he has return experience,” a social media user posted. Via a different commenter: “Well, when there is one receiver that can catch the ball …” Said another: “Looks like a returner option. He’s been on several practice squads over the years.”
NASCAR makes decision on victory celebrations after Connor Zilisch fall
One of NASCAR's brightest young stars in Connor Zilisch could miss time after falling in Victory Lane following his victory in the Aug. 9 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen. Zilisch slipped on the door of his No. 88 Chevrolet before suffering a hard fall in Victory Lane and breaking his collarbone. He underwent successful surgery on Tuesday, with a timetable for his return yet to be announced. Even in light of the viral incident, NASCAR will not restrict drivers from celebrating in a certain way moving forward, per NASCAR's Mike Forde. Drivers have long climbed on the roof or door of their vehicles on the frontstretch and in Victory Lane to celebrate victories, but accidents stemming from that action are rare. After winning the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen on Aug. 10, Shane van Gisbergen — who will likely be Zilisch's Cup Series teammate at Trackhouse Racing in 2026 — carefully climbed out of his No. 88 Chevrolet — something he does regularly, not just in response to Zilisch's fall. Zilisch did not race in the Cup Series race at Watkins Glen due to his injury. The Xfinity Series will return on Aug. 22 at Daytona International Speedway, with Zilisch leading the regular-season standings by seven points.
Perhaps Superman Paul Skenes has found his kryptonite
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes may continue to be one of the top contenders for the National League Cy Young Award, but there is one place where he has appeared mortal this season. On Tuesday night, the Milwaukee Brewers did to Skenes what they have done to plenty of MLB pitchers in 2025 ... put up big offensive numbers. For the second time this season (Skenes also pitched in Milwaukee on June 25), the Brewers forced him from the game after just 4.0 innings on Tuesday night, logging six hits and four runs during his time on the mound. Both of those performances came at Milwaukee's home stadium (American Family Field) and both are now Skenes' shortest outings of the season. While another NL Central team has put up more runs against Skenes this season (the St. Louis Cardinals nicked him for five runs in 6.0 innings on April 8), no other team has had the same kind of success over multiple starts by Skenes in 2025 as have the Brewers inside their home stadium. In all this season, Skenes has given up 10 hits and eight runs in 8.0 innings in Milwaukee. It was his third career outing on the road against the Brewers, with his lone 2024 start representing arguably the best outing of his rookie season. On July 11, 2024, Skenes struck out 11 and didn't allow a hit over 7.0 innings as the Pirates would eventually post a 1-0 victory. Tuesday's short outing was highlighted by a pair of Milwaukee home runs, including a leadoff solo shot by Sal Frelick that quickly set the tone for the Brewers. While Milwaukee's hit parade helped raise Skenes' ERA on the season to 2.13, it's hardly any reason for concern in a season where the 23-year-old right-hander is still a heavy favorite (-600) to win the NL Cy Young Award, per BetMGM. Skenes struggling in Milwaukee is likely more yet another stamp of approval on the Brewers' potential to be a threat once the postseason arrives. With an 18-4 record since the All-Star break entering Tuesday, Milwaukee has taken over the NL Central race from the Chicago Cubs. So what's the good news for Skenes? This is Pittsburgh's last trip to Milwaukee this season and the next-to-last series for the Pirates against the red-hot Brewers. Milwaukee will visit PNC Park for a three-game series on Sept. 5-7, and if Skenes gets a chance for revenge against Milwaukee, there couldn't be a better place for him to take the mound. This season, in 11 starts covering 68.2 innings, Skenes has a 1.70 ERA in the Steel City.
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