Good morning to everybody however particularly to…
DAMIAN LILLARD…
Damian Lillard retains on scoring, and the corporate he joins retains getting higher and higher. Lillard scored a career-high and franchise-record 71 factors within the Trail Blazers‘ 131-114 win over the Rockets. He’s simply the eighth participant in NBA historical past to attain 70-plus in a sport.
The others to hit 70 or extra? Wilt Chamberlain (six instances) and Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker, Kobe Bryant, David Robinson, David Thompson and Elgin Baylor (as soon as every).The 71 factors tie the eighth-most in an NBA sport.Lillard made 13 threes, tied for second-most in a sport with Stephen Curry and Zach LaVine. Klay Thompson holds the file with 14.
Lillard had 41 factors by halftime and, after a “quiet” 9 within the third quarter, exploded for 21 extra within the fourth. Our Sam Quinn broke down the unbelievable efficiency by the numbers.
… AND ALSO A GOOD MORNING TO THE ATLANTA HAWKS
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Last Tuesday, the Hawks fired their coach. Five days later, they employed their new one, and it is a wonderful alternative: Quin Snyder is heading to Atlanta on a five-year deal and is anticipated to teach the staff tomorrow evening.
Snyder, 56, coached the Jazz for eight seasons (2014-15 to 2021-22). Utah posted the seventh-best successful share over these eight seasons and had the league’s greatest file in 2020-21.The Jazz’s lack of playoff success — no convention finals appearances in six playoff journeys underneath Snyder — ultimately led to overtake, with Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Snyder all leaving over the offseason.Snyder replaces Nate McMillan, who was fired throughout the All-Star break. The Hawks went 2-0 underneath interim head coach Joe Prunty. Atlanta is presently eighth within the East.
Snyder helped flip Donovan Mitchell right into a star, which is an effective signal for a staff that has two lead guards in Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Snyder would have had loads of suitors this summer season had the Hawks waited. Instead, they moved rapidly and could not have requested for a a lot better outcome.
Honorable mentions
Not so honorable mentions
Lakers pull off their largest comeback in over 20 years to prime Mavericks 🏀
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Don’t look now, however right here — sort of, kind of, possibly (?) — come the Lakers. They overcame a 27-point deficit to beat the Mavericks, 111-108. It’s the biggest deficit any staff has overcome this season and the biggest by the Lakers since 2002.
Teams had been 138-0 this season when main by 27 or extra.Anthony Davis (30 factors, 15 rebounds) and LeBron James (26 factors) led the best way offensively.But actually, it was the protection that fueled the comeback: Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic mixed for simply 21 factors on 23 pictures within the second half.
The Lakers have received three straight, tying their second-longest successful streak this season.
Manny Machado agrees to record-breaking extension with Padres ⚾
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Manny Machado turned an excellent season into an unprecedented payday. The Padres star signed an 11-year, $350 million extension on Sunday that can probably maintain him in San Diego the remainder of his profession.
The deal is the largest ever for a 3rd baseman by way of complete worth and fourth-largest for any place, behind Mike Trout ($426.5 million), Mookie Betts ($365 million) and Aaron Judge ($360 million).Machado, 30, completed second in NL MVP voting final yr, the very best end of his profession and his fifth profession top-10 end. He additionally led the Padres to their first NLCS since 1998.
Good on the Padres for going all-in on a powerful core. Along with Machado, the Padres have long-term contracts in place with…
Could Juan Soto be subsequent? Our Matt Snyder says in all probability sure. Meanwhile, our R.J. Anderson up to date his 2023-24 free agent class rankings, now that Machado is off the board.
College basketball recap: More Brandon Miller controversy, plus buzzer-beaters galore 🏀
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Even over a weekend of excellent on-court motion, the largest story in school basketball remained Alabama‘s Brandon Miller. If you want a reminder of that backstory, listed here are particulars. The newest within the Miller saga got here throughout pregame introductions earlier than the No. 2 Crimson Tide’s eventual win over Arkansas, when Miller took half in a “pat-down” of types with a teammate. Given the circumstances, it was distasteful and bolstered how poorly all the program has dealt with the state of affairs, writes our Matt Norlander.
In game-related information: North Carolina entered the weekend with the opportunity of changing into the primary preseason No. 1 staff to overlook the NCAA Tournament for the reason that bracket expanded in 1985. They aren’t out of the woods but, however their 71-63 win over No. 6 Virginia helped. It was the Tar Heels’ first Quad 1 win this season — they have been 0-8 in such video games — however our Bracketologist Jerry Palm nonetheless has the Tar Heels in his “First Four Out.”
The Tar Heels have been one of many weekend’s large winners, however you recognize who was additionally an enormous winner? College basketball basically. It was an unbelievable weekend, making me all of the extra excited for what’s forward. We may have a complete part on buzzer beaters alone:
The Iowa males had a fair crazier end: After trailing by 13 with 90 seconds left, the Hawkeyes pressured additional time with Michigan State after which received. Elsewhere within the Big Ten, No. 17 Indiana completed off its sweep of No. 5 Purdue. We have grades right here and winners and losers right here.
MLB’s new pitch clock is already a gamechanger ⚾
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There are three large MLB rule adjustments this season — larger bases, restrictions on shifts and a pitch clock. That third one discovered itself in headlines over the weekend’s Spring Training motion.
That second state of affairs will not occur within the common season, clearly. Games would simply proceed into additional innings. But that first one is one we might even see loads, particularly early on. Here are the precise guidelines:
Pitchers have 15 seconds when the bases are empty — and 20 seconds with a runner on — from once they get the ball to start their movement. If they do not achieve this, it is an automated ball.Batters should be able to hit with a minimum of eight seconds left on the clock. If they don’t seem to be, it is an automated strike.Here are extra particulars on the brand new guidelines.
I get that it won’t be standard. Baseball is traditionally performed at a leisurely tempo. But slight possibilities produce large outcomes. Game instances are approach down to date in Spring Training. There’s extra motion and fewer standing round, much less adjusting of batting gloves, much less… every thing that does not impression the sport.
I adore it. It will take a while to get used to, however I believe it’s going to finally have a really optimistic impression. Matt Snyder took a take a look at which pitchers may very well be affected most by the pitch clock, and — spoiler alert — a former MVP is on the listing.
What we’re watching Monday 📺
🏀 Heat at 76ers, 7 p.m. on NBA TV
🏀 No. 9 Baylor at Oklahoma State, 9 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 West Virginia at No. 23 Iowa State, 9 p.m. on ESPN2
