The Portland Trail Blazers will defend their NBA Summer League Championship between July 5th-15, 2019 as the annual exhibition classic commences in Las Vegas. The NBA announced specific dates for the tournament today.
Here’s something you don’t hear every day: Zaza Pachulia coming to Kevin Durant’s rescue. The fans’ latest All-Star voting shows Durant not starting for the Western Conference, and that’s just wrong. With three “frontcourtâ€� starters designated, there’s no arguing with leading
Former All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas has been gathering momentum in his rehabilitation from March hip surgery, and there’s hope among Thomas and the Nuggets organization he could return as soon as Feb. 11-13.
LA QUINTA, Calif. – Adam Hadwin’s Desert Classic success continued Friday with a 66 at La Quinta Country Club. At 13-under 133, Hadwin is three shots behind leader Phil Mickelson. And Hadwin has yet to play the easiest of the three courses in use this week, PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament Course. He’ll play there on Saturday. This is the fourth consecutive year that Hadwin is contending in the California desert. He finished sixth in the 2016 Desert Classic, runner-up the next year (after shooting a third-round 59 at La Quinta) and third last year. “I’m playing some extremely good golf again here in the desert and just got to keep moving forward,â€� he said. He is 72 under par over the last 14 rounds at this event, 14 shots lower than anyone else. Bud Cauley is second at 58 under par, Charles Howell III is third at 53 under, followed by Mickelson at 52 under. Hadwin hit 13 greens on Friday after hitting all 18 in his first round at PGA West’s Stadium Course, which will host Sunday’s final round. The Canadian can count on support at this event from his countrymen who live in La Quinta during the winter, and the courses here remind him of the ones he plays in his adopted hometown of Phoenix. “I play on this grass, this overseeded grass all the time,â€� he said. “There’s definitely a comfort level with the courses and the type of grass and the greens and so it probably helps reading putts, seeing break.â€� He has just two bogeys this week.
After seven seasons with the Nationals in which he won the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year Award, was named NL MVP in 2015 and made six NL All-Star teams, Bryce Harper is now a free agent for the first time. Here, you will find a list of the latest news and rumors surrounding the outfielder.
Phil Mickelson shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to stay in front headed into the weekend. It’s the lowest two-day score of his career.
Phil Mickelson shot a 4-under 68 on Friday to keep the lead headed into the weekend. It’s the lowest two-day score of his career.
It’s unlikely any of the three controversial players will be voted into the Hall of Fame this year, but they’re all trending toward making it someday.
LA QUINTA, Calif. – One day after almost breaking 60, Phil Mickelson needed a strong finish just to shoot under par. PGA West’s Nicklaus Tournament course was the second-easiest on TOUR last season, but Mickelson was even par for his first 13 holes there in the second round of the Desert Classic. After going 10 holes without a birdie — an eternity in a tournament known for low scores — Mickelson made four on his final five holes to shoot 68 and stay atop the leaderboard. Mickelson’s 16-under 128 (60-68) is the second-lowest 36-hole score of his career. It’s the fifth time in 598 PGA TOUR starts that he has broken 130 over the first two rounds of a tournament. He won three of the four previous occasions. Mickelson, who hit 14 greens for the second consecutive day, was pleased with his ball-striking, but said that he did not putt as well as he Thursday. His 29 putts on Friday were eight more than he needed in the first round. “My irons are starting to come around. They were a little bit better today even than yesterday,â€� said Mickelson, who’s seeking his third Desert Classic victory. “I putted really well yesterday.â€� He looked like he may go low again after making birdie on two of his first three holes Friday. He parred the next five holes, though, before hitting his approach shot into the water on the par-4 18th, his ninth hole of the day. He made double-bogey to make the turn in even par. “It really wasn’t as hard a shot as I made it look,â€� Mickelson said. “I had a decent lie after dropping off the cart path, but I had the ball a little bit below my feet and a slight uphill lie. The tendency on those shots is to pull it and I just didn’t adjust for that very well and I pulled it right in the water.â€� That is the only hole he has played over-par this week. He started his back nine with four consecutive pars before making three consecutive birdies on Nos. 5-7. He also birdied his last hole for the second consecutive day. “I missed putts on 2, 3 and 4 that could have easily been birdies and even three-putted that par-5 from 75 feet,â€� he said, “But when I made one, I started to see the ball go in the hole and I made a few more. … I just needed one little spark and finally got it.â€� Mickelson will play his last two rounds on PGA West’s Stadium Course, the toughest of the three courses in use this week. The Pete Dye design, a West Coast sequel to TPC Sawgrass, punishes wayward shots with deep bunkers and water-lined fairways. But even that course isn’t as intimidating as it once was. The course was once considered too hard even for PGA TOUR players, but the field is averaging under par there this week. “I feel like it’s a course you can take advantage of,â€� Mickelson said. “The penalty for a miss is greater, so you just have to play a little bit better to shoot the same score. You just can’t get away with the mistakes as easily as you can on the other two (courses).â€�
Coach Steve Kerr says Golden State won’t adjust its fast-paced offense to account for the addition of DeMarcus Cousins, who will return Friday against the Clippers after missing nearly a year because of a torn Achilles tendon.
