Andrew Callahan: The Celtics have bullied their way into a 2-0 NBA Finals lead (2024)

The Celtics didn't have much to say about the status of Kristaps Porzingis after the Boston big man missed Game 3 of the NBA Finals against Dallas with a rare lower left leg injury. Porzingis spoke to reporters following the announcement of the injury a day before Game 3. The 7-foot-2 Latvian wasn't around during media sessions the day before Game 4. The Celtics have a 3-0 series lead over the Mavericks and need one win for their 18th championship. Porzingis played the first two games of the finals after missing the previous 10 playoff games with a right calf strain. The leg injury happened in Game 2.

NBA

The game’s the same. It’s what happens away from the field and how players deal with it that can affect how long a team sticks around at the College World Series. The CWS opens Friday with North Carolina playing Virginia and Florida State facing Tennessee in Bracket 1. North Carolina State meets Kentucky and Florida plays Texas A&M in Bracket 2 on Saturday. Winners in double-elimination bracket play square off in the best-of-three finals beginning June 22. Virginia, Tennessee and Florida are here for the second straight year, and each brought back the majority of their lineups.

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As a basketball fan, Adam Silver would have loved to have seen Caitlin Clark on the U.S. Olympic women’s team for this summer’s Paris Games. As NBA Commissioner, he understands why it didn’t happen. Clark was not selected for the team that was officially unveiled by USA Basketball earlier this week, a decision that has sparked much conversation within the game. The rookie for the WNBA’s Indiana Fever has been perhaps the most scrutinized player in the league this season, and Silver has said he’s rooting for her to do well.

It's unclear whether New Orleans Saints star running back Alvin Kamara or top receiving tight end Juwan Johnson will take part in the opening of training camp late next month. Kamara abruptly left Saints headquarters before the club's final minicamp practice on Thursday and his agent told NFL Network his departure was contract related. Kamara has two seasons left on the five-year, $75 million contract he signed in 2020. But none of his $22.4 million in salary the deal calls for in 2025 is guaranteed. After practice coach Dennis Allen said Johnson has a foot injury and indicated that the timeline for the tight end’s recovery is unclear. Johnson had 876 yards and 11 touchdowns receiving during his past two seasons combined.

The Edmonton Oilers are in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. But the NHL's championship series has been in the northern Alberta city much more recently. Edmonton's Rogers Place and surrounding ICE District made up one of the two playoff bubbles put together to complete the 2019-20 season during the pandemic. Edmonton was home for the first two rounds in the West, the conference finals and then the final. Several players on the Oilers and Florida Panthers in this series made runs of varying degrees in the summer and early fall of 2020 but are happier to be playing in front of fans this time.

Four players are back from the 2021 North Carolina State team that was sent home from the College World Series because of a COVID-19 outbreak. The Wolfpack play Kentucky in their opener Saturday. NC State had only 13 players available for a game against Vanderbilt. The 14 other players were sick, tested positive for the virus or ruled out through contact tracing. The Wolfpack lost 3-1 but looked forward to another game the next day. But hours after the loss to Vanderbilt, the NCAA said further contact tracing showed NC State would not have enough players to field a team.

All Times EDTFIRST ROUNDTop two in each group advanceGROUP AGPWDLGFGAPtsHungary0000000Germany0000000Scotland0000000Switzerland0000000Friday, June 14At Berlin

Struggling Mets reliever Edwin Díaz has been activated from the injured list, and New York manager Carlos Mendoza reiterated that Díaz will return to the closer role. Díaz had been sidelined since May 29 with a right shoulder impingement. Before going on the IL, he blew three consecutive save chances and four out of five opportunities. He also squandered a four-run lead in the ninth inning on May 18 at Miami and was not charged with a blown save. After missing last season with a knee injury he sustained celebrating Puerto Rico’s victory in the World Baseball Classic, Díaz is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA and five saves in 20 appearances.

ST. LOUIS — Mitch Keller’s run of dominance was bound to end eventually. Its termination date ended up being June 13.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals pulled their latest rabbit out of a hat with a rally that began on a ball that was hit all of 59.9 mph.

PINEHURST, N.C. — Most golfers stand on the first tee of the U.S. Open, whether Scottie Scheffler or Tiger Woods, with one simple thought: “Hit the fairway.”

The Miami Heat’s injury issues from this past season have apparently continued this offseason.

It's been a rough first trip to the NBA Finals for Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic. The Mavs trail the Boston Celtics 3-0 after Doncic fouled out for the first time in his playoff career. The 25-year-old has dealt with injuries and frustration. Now Doncic is trying to believe Dallas can keep its season alive. None of the previous 156 teams to trail 3-0 has won an NBA playoff series. Doncic says he knows he can improve in the offseason. But he wants to remember the season isn't over yet.

It’s over. That’s what the numbers say. There will be a record-setting 18th championship for the Boston Celtics to celebrate soon, maybe very soon. They have a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals, a lead that has never been wasted in any NBA series, ever. The stats are absolute. The Celtics, to their credit, are taking nothing for granted. On perhaps the next-to-last day of the NBA’s 78th season, the Celtics — who could finish off the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 on Friday night — were desperately trying to keep things as close to business as usual as could be expected.

Former Illinois standout Terrence Shannon Jr., a potential first-round NBA draft pick, was found not guilty Thursday on a rape charge in Kansas. A jury in Douglas County spent less than two hours deliberating the verdict. The 23-year-old Shannon was accused of committing sexual assault last September while visiting Kansas for a football game between the Illini and the Jayhawks. He was charged with rape or an alternative count of sexual battery, which led to him being suspended for six games; a a federal judge later reinstated him, ruling that his civil rights had been violated. Shannon is among the top guards available in the draft, which is scheduled for June 26-27. He was first-team All-Big Ten and a third-team All-American this past season.

The Spanish team for men’s soccer at the Paris Olympics has got permission from the IOC to select two players who previously played for other countries. Leeds forward Mateo Joseph had played for England at Under-20 level. Juventus defender Dean Huijsen represented Netherlands youth teams. Both Spain-born Joseph and Huijsen recently changed eligibility through FIFA to play for Spain Under-21s. Those moves are now recognized by the International Olympic Committee. Spain's in a group with Egypt, Uzbekistan and the Dominican Republic in the 16-nation men’s soccer tournament that starts July 24. Argentina, Israel, Ukraine and the United States also qualified.

Former Cleveland Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar has sued a digital media company over his firing as a pregame radio host for placing a bet on a sportsbook app last year. According to court documents, Kosar is seeking $850,000 in damages from BIGPLAY, a company he worked with and its CEO Kendall Myles. In the lawsuit, Kosar alleges the company breached its contract. He also claims Myles “verbally assaulted” him. Kosar made a $19,000 ceremonial bet on the Browns beating the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. He alleges Myles told him at a charity event that he had to place the wager as part of his contract. Soon after, the Browns removed him from broadcasts citing the NFL's rules prohibiting employees from betting on games.

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Terrence Shannon Jr., the University of Illinois men’s basketball star and potential first-round pick in this month’s NBA draft, has been found not guilty of grabbing an 18-year-old woman’s buttocks under her skirt and penetrating her vagin* with his finger in September at a…

Barring a meltdown never-before-seen in NBA history, the Boston Celtics will hang championship banner No. 18 with a resounding victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Maikel Garcia hit a game-ending two run double off Yankees closer Clay Holmes, and the Kansas City Royals recovered after squandering a brilliant start by Alec Marsh to beat New York 4-3 and avoid a four-game sweep. Marsh took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning against the major league-best Yankees, who had outscored the Royals 25-8 in the first three games of the series. He allowed Juan Soto’s leadoff single in that frame and then retired the next three batters to conclude his 96-pitch outing. The Yankees pushed ahead 3-2 in the eighth against the Royals' bullpen before Garcia game through against Holmes for the walk-off.

Ludvig Aberg’s U.S. Open debut couldn’t have gone much better. And if the seemingly unflappable 24-year-old Swede can maintain his ball-striking ability over the next 54 holes, he has a chance to make history by becoming the first rookie to win the tournament in more than a century. Aberg hit all 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens at Pinehurst’s difficult No. 2 course to shoot 4-under 66, leaving the budding star in contention for his first major championship. Not since Francis Ouimet beat Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in an 18-hole playoff in 1913 has a first-time participant won the U.S. Open.

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers offered Connecticut coach Dan Hurley a large sum — $70 million over six years — to become their head coach.

Thursday

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BASEBALL

The NHL team that moved from Arizona to Salt Lake City will be known as the Utah Hockey Club in its inaugural season.

PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles will not face discipline for potential tampering in the negotiation process before they signed free-agent running back Saquon Barkley.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

THROUGH JUNE 12

AMERICAN LEAGUE

THROUGH JUNE 12