George says Clippers grew closer amid protestGeorge says Clippers grew closer amid protest
Paul George said the Clippers grew closer as a team amid the tense days in the wake of the player protests on Wednesday.
Day: August 29, 2020
NBA returns to action with tributesNBA returns to action with tributes
The league got back to action on Saturday and honored even more loss in the world.
Jaylen Brown commends Bucks for boycott, but still wants to see changeJaylen Brown commends Bucks for boycott, but still wants to see change
Celtics star Jaylen Brown appreciated the Bucks’ bold action to call attention to racial inequality but knows there’s still plenty more work to be done, writes Chris Forsberg.
Raptors’ Lowry (ankle) upgraded to probableRaptors’ Lowry (ankle) upgraded to probable
Kyle Lowry, who suffered a sprained left ankle against the Nets on Aug. 23, is still bothered by the injury but has been upgraded to probable for Sunday’s Game 1 vs. the Celtics.
Bucks’ Matthews: Not ‘apologetic’ about boycottBucks’ Matthews: Not ‘apologetic’ about boycott
Wesley Matthews said the communication of the Bucks’ decision to boycott on Wednesday could’ve been better but they are not sorry for the decision.
Blazers, UConn star Clifford Robinson dies at 53Blazers, UConn star Clifford Robinson dies at 53
Clifford Robinson, who spent 18 seasons in the NBA with the Trail Blazers, Suns, Pistons, Warriors and Nets, has died at the age of 53, UConn confirmed Saturday.
BMW Championship, Round 3 updates: FedExCup PlayoffsBMW Championship, Round 3 updates: FedExCup Playoffs
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. - Tiger Woods won't be contending for a third FedExCup next week at the TOUR Championship unless he can pull off one of the biggest performances of his career. With scores of 73-75-72, the BMW Championship is the third non-major, and sixth tournament overall, that Woods has opened with three over-par rounds. At 10-over the 82-time PGA TOUR winner is tied 55th, and nine strokes off the pace he'd need to be to have a chance to progress to East Lake. RELATED: Full leaderboard | McIlroy chases FedExCup as fatherhood looms | Rahm cards 66 despite Rules gaffe So he will need to post a low number on a course that has averaged more than two shots over par through three rounds. Only once did he post an under-par final round (2007 PLAYERS Championship) on the above mentioned occasions. Sadly for Woods he could've been much closer to pulling off a miracle. After birdies on the third and fourth holes on Saturday he was climbing slowly up the leaderboard and even a bogey on the 10th kept him within a good run of applying some pressure. But his tee shot on the par-4 17th hole sailed right and into a water hazard and his third shot after a drop went miles left. In the end he carded a triple bogey seven and likely killed off any hope of being around next week. International Trio Set to play on... Three International players sit in position to play their way into the TOUR Championship through three rounds of the BMW Championship. Presidents Cup players Adam Scott (Australia) and Joaquin Niemann (Chile) are joined by Canadian Mackenzie Hughes as those who currently project from outside in for a place at East Lake. All three currently sit in a tie for third place and will start Sunday just two shots off the lead. As such their focus in winning the tournament rather than the projections. For the record, Nieman projects from 31st to 18th, Hughes is set to move from 36th to 22nd and Scott from 38th to 23rd. Of course they will need to continue their good play for 18 more holes. "This golf course is actually a pretty good distraction because it’s so hard that you have to just focus on every shot so much that it’s easy to just kind of get in your own world out there and just the task at hand, the task at hand. So that’s been kind of nice," Hughes said. "Obviously in between shots your mind wanders sometimes, but this is kind of where you want to be. Obviously I would have loved to have locked it up by now, but I’m happy to have this opportunity and I’ll go embrace it tomorrow." For Scott, a spot in the TOUR Championship, which he won in 2006 a year prior to it becoming the FedExCup finale, would be impressive given he only returned from the COVID-19 break at the recent PGA Championship. "It would be a great achievement to reach East Lake. I’ve played very well this year. I had one really great week, but I’ve left myself a lot of work to kind of get in there," he said in reference to his win at the Genesis Invitational in February. "Better late than never. I’ve got a chance to do it tomorrow, so if I can play a really good round tomorrow, I’d be very proud to be there at East Lake and kind of roll the dice and see what happens there." Of course if three project in, that means three project out. At this stage Cameron Champ (T59) projects to drop from 25th to 31st, Adam Long (T59) from 27th to 32nd and Kevin Streelman (T63) from 28th to 33rd.
Cliff Robinson, ex-UConn star, top NBA 6th man, dies at 53Cliff Robinson, ex-UConn star, top NBA 6th man, dies at 53
Cliff Robinson guided UConn out from the bottom and almost helped take the Portland Trail Blazers to the top. ”He averaged five points as a freshman and I remember I told him, ‘You have two choices: I can kick you out if you keep doing what you do, or I’m going to watch you play a lot of years in the NBA,”’ former UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. ”His personality and energy were unmatched, and his contributions on the court were unmistakable, helping the Trail Blazers into the playoffs each of his eight seasons with the team,” the Blazers said.
Rory McIlroy chases FedExCup as fatherhood loomsRory McIlroy chases FedExCup as fatherhood looms
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. - Rory McIlroy has been distracted lately. Now we know why. The two-time FedExCup champion and his wife Erica are about to become parents for the first time with a baby girl due any day now. McIlroy confirmed the news, which had leaked out while he played his third round of the BMW Championship, after signing for a 3-over 73. The 18-time PGA TOUR winner dropped from the 36-hole lead into a tie for sixth, still very much in contention at a tough Olympia Fields, but now three shots back of the lead. Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama are the only two players under par at one under. They share a two-shot buffer at the top. RELATED: Full leaderboard | Rahm cards 66 despite Rules gaffe "From the get-go my mind has been wandering the last few weeks, and now you guys sort of know the reason why," McIlroy said. "We’re about to be parents very soon, so we’re obviously super excited." "We've been sharing the news with friends and family, obviously, but I didn’t think it was something that I really particularly needed to share out here. It’s a private matter, but we’re really excited and can’t wait for her to get here." The 31-year-old also confirmed that his charge towards a sixth FedExCup Playoff win here in Chicago, or his efforts to become the first three-time and first back-to-back FedExCup champion next week in Atlanta, could end at any moment. "I’m just waiting for a phone call. I was waiting for a phone call last week and it didn’t come, and then Harry (his caddie) has been keeping his phone in his pocket just to make sure, but nothing as of yet," McIlroy said. "(If the call comes) I’m out of here. Yeah, out of here. I’m going to play in many more TOUR Championships and it’s only going to be the birth of your first child once. That trumps anything else." The news helps partially explain McIlroy's dip in form of late. Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown he finished inside the top five of all six of his TOUR events, including winning the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions last fall. Since returning after the break, and in the midst of the joys of a first pregnancy, McIlroy's focus has understandably shifted a little. He has just one top 25 finish - a T11 at the Travelers Championship - in his seven starts. McIlroy was quick to point out the happy news is not solely to blame for the lack of results. "Not so much the first few weeks, but the last couple of weeks, when you’re going out to play and maybe not knowing whether you’re going to finish the round or not, that's a little tough," he explained when asked how distracting it has been during his golf. "It’s definitely not an excuse. I just haven’t played well enough. But again, I keep talking about perspective. If you do play bad, I’ve got some awesome stuff coming up on the horizon, which is really cool, and it makes the bad days a lot easier to handle." McIlroy's play on Saturday could be described more as unlucky then bad. While he was scrappy at times he fought hard in tough, firm and fast conditions and saw a number of crucial putts lip out or burn edges. While a putter change between the first and second round worked well, on Saturday it was different. Having started with a TaylorMade TP Soto, McIlroy has gone back to his TaylorMade Spider X the last two days. In round one he ranked 45th of 69 players in Strokes Gained: Putting (-0.532) but on Friday he was 21st (+0.506). The third round saw him need 35 putts and he was ranked 63rd on the greens (-1.680). "I played okay. I probably didn’t drive it as well as I did the first couple of days, which put me out of position. And then from there, it’s so tough to get it close. I had nine birdies through the first two days and only had two birdies today," McIlroy said. "A lot good putts that caught edges, dived across the front of the hole or maybe a touch firm and caught the top side. I had a couple tentative ones on the front nine, but once I got the speed down a little bit more I felt like I actually putted okay, even though not much dropped." Despite the troubles, McIlroy feels he can still make up the deficit on what shapes to be another tough round on Sunday. "Felt like I hung in there... it was just a shame to bogey the last. It would have been nice to go into tomorrow one closer to the lead, but I think I’m still right in the thick of things. If I can get off to a decent start tomorrow, hopefully I’ll be right there," he said. Provided that is that the call doesn't come.
Celtics address balancing act of social justice and basketball before Game 1Celtics address balancing act of social justice and basketball before Game 1
The Celtics return to action Sunday after NBA boycotts over racial inequality in America. Here’s how they’re preparing for the Raptors while not losing sight of the message.