MIAMI HEAT Possibly, Kevin Garnett is correct. As he exclaimed in jubilation after Boston won the NBA title in 2008, anything is possible.

Including the unthinkable.

The Celtics have earned their way into an exclusive club by being halfway to immortality. Only 14 out of the first 150 teams in NBA history to go behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven series went on to force a decisive Game 6. This percentage is just 9.3 percent. There has never been a series winner among them; by this point, most of them have been booted.

It’s not the Celtics. They are now down 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, but they hold the upper hand heading into Saturday night’s Game 6 in Miami.

Jaylen Brown, a forward for the Celtics, says, “When adversity hits, you get to see what a team is made of.” The squad was stunned to find themselves down 3-0. Being down 3-0 seemed like the worst possible situation, yet we didn’t panic or split up. As a group, we kept putting. We doubled down on our defensive strengths and can now win the series.

The Celtics can become the fourth team to return from a 3-0 deficit and force a game seven if they win on Saturday. A victory on Saturday would put Boston in a position to force the series to a decisive Game 7 on Monday at TD Garden, where it would host the series for the first time.

Down 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat.

After a rough week, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reminded his team that the season is still nine months away. Sometimes you have a lousy week on the job. We didn’t choose the finest moment to have a poor week, but we did, and now we’re all pulling together and doing our hardest to keep it going.

The Denver Nuggets currently need a game. If Boston prevails, the NBA Finals will begin with the Nuggets facing the Celtics in Game 1. For Game 1, if Miami wins the East, the Heat will travel to Denver. The first episode of the titular series will air on June 1st.

Coach Michael Malone of the Nuggets stated as much on Friday, following the team’s first full practice since clinching the Western Conference title with a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers. But keeping in sync is tough when you’re not actively participating in NBA games.

In Game 4, the Heat led by nine points in the third quarter and looked like they would be able to complete a series sweep. Two and a half minutes later, the Celtics had taken the lead for good. Boston took control of Game 4 with an 18-0 run, ended any remaining uncertainty with a 12-0 run in the second half, and opened Game 5 with a 20-5 run.

All told, in the 27 minutes between the beginning of the Celtics’ third-quarter outburst in Game 4 and the end of their early-game run in Game 5, the Celtics outscored the Heat 84-43.

These past two performances do not represent us. It was just a coincidence, Heat forward Jimmy Butler said. We stopped defending in the middle of the game because we weren’t making the shots we needed to win. However, that can be fixed quickly. It would help if you came out swinging a lot harder. It will be nothing but sunshine and consistency from here on out because we know we will win the next game, as I’ve said before.

At least one’s self-assurance is growing. The rest of it is.

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said frankly, “There are no excuses” for the team’s poor performance in Game 5. Even though the locker room is currently as chaotic as a scrum for a dropped ball under the basket, “not at all,” he insisted. With injuries to Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo at shooting guard, as well as the absence of starting guard Gabe Vincent for Game 5 and the sight of Kyle Lowry playing through some hand ailment, the Heat have been shorthanded in the backcourt throughout the rest of the playoffs.

Game 5 was a disaster for Miami’s starting unit, as they were outscored by their bench players 95-44. Ever since Boston’s comeback-sparking run began in Game 4, the Heat have been outscored 75-33 from 3-point range, have given up 54% field goal and 44% 3-point shooting to the Celtics, and have turned the ball over 26 times to Boston’s 12.

Select a random number from the list. Only the series score of 3-2 is positive for the Heat, as it means that Miami is still one win away from completing their incredible journey as a No. 8 seed that reached the NBA Finals.

Spoelstra acknowledged that this series would be intensely contested. You know the conference finals will be tough because they always are. There is no connection between games. We won Game 3 by a wide margin. It’s really beside the point. It’s all about working together to plan and execute a spectacular performance. On Saturday, we’ll play at a much higher level. That’s all we can do is concentrate on at the moment.

SOURCE – (AP)

EAGAN, Minnesota – With a focus on player safety, the NFL has driven the kickoff return even further into obscurity.

The existence of the kickoff itself is still being investigated.

The league’s owners voted Tuesday to test an upgraded touchback rule for one year, giving the receiving team the ball at its own 25 with a fair catch of a kickoff anyplace behind that yard line.

“There’ll be a lot more work to be done about how we can continue to evolve going forward,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “Can we keep this play exciting but, more importantly, safe?” There will be a great deal of work to be done.”

The plan was approved despite strong opposition from coaches and players across the league, who said the alteration would result in uglier plays with squib and corner kicks, making fair receptions hard.

“I’ve been doing this a long time.” “I’ve seen these types of health and safety discussions,” Atlanta Falcons CEO Rich McKay, head of the competition committee, said. “We tend to get ourselves to the right place, but it’s never that comfortable.”

According to the NFL’s statistical projections, the return rate for kickoffs in 2023 will drop from 38% to 31% under the new rule, and the rate of concussions on the sport’s most dangerous play will be cut by 15%. Concussions on kickoffs occur more than twice as frequently as on plays from scrimmage, and the percentage has increased dramatically in the last two years, according to McKay.

With a focus on player safety, the NFL has driven the kickoff return even further into obscurity.

One possible explanation for the recent rise in head injuries? Kickers’ improved ability to tactically hang the ball longer and higher in front of the goal line gives coverage more time to make a tackle and keeps the opponent’s drive starting deeper than the 25 for an end-zone touchback.

“We understand that there will be injuries in professional football and football at all levels.” “We’re just trying to mitigate those risks,” said Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel, a member of the competition committee that recommended the regulation be approved.

The NFL duplicated a regulation that had just been implemented in college football.

“Not to say there won’t be some unintended consequences, but sitting still and doing nothing was unacceptable,” said Jeff Miller, executive vice president of communications, public affairs, and policy for the NFL. “There may be more to come because both kickoff and punt continue to have higher injury rates than run or pass plays — and sometimes by a significant margin.” We need to keep an eye on those plays.”

McKay admitted there is no certainty that the kickoff will always be a game feature. The NFL will continue investigating alternatives, like those utilized in spring leagues. The XFL has only 5 yards between the kicking and returning teams, with movement prohibited until the returner has fielded the ball.

“You don’t want this play to be taken out of the game because special teams has been a really good part of our game and a really good part of the careers of a lot of players and coaches,” McKay said. “It’s popular. We just need to figure out how to make the plays safer.”

With a focus on player safety, the NFL has driven the kickoff return even further into obscurity.

In 2016, the league relocated touchbacks from the 20-yard line to the 25-yard line. Only 53 kickoff returns have resulted in touchdowns in the last 12 seasons since kickoff tees were moved up to the 35-yard line from the 30. Before the modification, there were 20 kickoff return touchdowns in 2010.

“I’m sure it’s like a good NFL rule.” “They always have their reasons for putting stuff in,” said Green Bay’s Keisean Nixon, who recorded one of the four kickoff return touchdowns in the 2022 season. “I ain’t never fair caught anything, so I don’t know.”

Coach Matt Eberflus of Chicago projected a tactical change towards squib, drop, and drive kicks.

“I suspect you’ll see more returns rather than less,” Eberflus said. “That’s just what I’m thinking right now,” she says, “but we’ll see what happens.”

GROWTH ON A GLOBAL SCALE

Goodell showed openness to teams spending more time overseas, with the Jacksonville Jaguars scheduled to play consecutive games in London this year.

“We’ll see how it affects the Jaguars,” Goodell stated. “Can we try three at some point?” Possibly.”

The NFL has expanded its global marketing program to include two additional clubs and four other nations, bringing the totals to 21 and 14, respectively. The New Orleans Saints were awarded the rights to France. Ireland and Northern Ireland were acquired by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who also acquired Mexico last year. Ireland also joined the Jaguars. The Atlanta Falcons are the fifth team to sign Germany. Austria and Switzerland were granted rights to the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The program was created to assist individual teams in developing their brands outside their home markets through commercial activities and fan engagement comparable to what they do at home. The league grants rights for at least five years.

SOURCE – (AP)

(LOS ANGELES) – LeBron James considered retiring after the Los Angeles Lakers were swept by the Denver Nuggets, despite having the highest-scoring postseason half of his unrivaled NBA career.

On Monday night, James established a personal record with 31 points in the first half of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals, but he missed two potential game-tying baskets in the final minute as the Nuggets defeated the Lakers 113-111.

After Los Angeles’ amazing late-season push ended with four consecutive defeats, the 38-year-old James concluded with 40 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists, and considerable frustration. Although the best scorer in NBA history discussed his future with the Lakers, he also stated that he has yet to decide whether or not to retire.

“We’ll see what happens going forward,” James stated in his final postgame press conference response. “I’m not sure. I’m not sure. To be honest, I’ve got a lot on my mind. Just for myself, I’ve got a lot to think about in terms of basketball moving forward.”

James is under contract with the Lakers for $46.9 million next season, but he has control of his future after breaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s lifetime scoring mark earlier this year. He hasn’t previously expressed any personal turmoil about finishing his contract with Anthony Davis, and his play hasn’t deteriorated dramatically after two decades in the NBA – though his health has deteriorated, particularly in his shaky feet and ankles.

“It’s all about availability for me, and keeping my mind sharp, and things of that nature,” James explained. “Being present on the pitch, being present in the locker room, being present on bus rides and plane rides, things like that.” It is, without a doubt, difficult. It was a difficult season for myself and our team, and we certainly know what happened early on (during the Lakers’ 2-10 start to the season). “It was a pretty cool ride.”

James scored 21 points in the first quarter of Game 4 in his NBA-record 282nd career playoff game.

James missed a month of the regular season due to a foot injury late in the season, but he bounced back with a string of outstanding postseason games as the Lakers defeated second-seeded Memphis and eliminated defending champion Golden State. That didn’t matter much to James, whose frustration showed in multiple instances following Game 4.

“I don’t like to say it’s a successful year because at this point in my career, I don’t play for anything other than winning championships,” James explained. “You know, I don’t get a pleasure out of appearing in a conference (finals) game. I’ve done it a lot of times, and it’s not pleasant for me not to be a part of getting to the (NBA) Finals.”

James scored 21 points in the first quarter of Game 4 in his NBA-record 282nd career playoff game. He scored 10 more in the second half while playing nearly the game against the top-seeded Nuggets.

However, James only had nine points on 4-of-12 shooting in the second half and missed two scoring opportunities in the last minute. With 26 seconds left, he took an unusual fallaway shot that missed horribly, and Denver’s Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon denied his final drive to the basket at the buzzer.

But the first half was classic LeBron, as he made 11 of 13 shots and blasted four 3-pointers without missing in the highest-scoring playoff half of his career, which began in 2003 and has included four NBA titles. James had four rebounds and four assists, and he was also called for a technical foul following a violent altercation with Gordon on the Lakers’ end of the court.

In elimination games, James already had the greatest scoring average (33.5 points per game) among all players with at least ten appearances.

James had already struggled from a distance in the series, going 3 for 19 in the first three games. In Game 4, he improved his shot and even got credit for a 3-pointer in the first quarter when his lob ball to Rui Hachimura went in by accident.

In elimination games, James already had the greatest scoring average (33.5 points per game) among all players with at least ten appearances.

After failing to win a championship this year, James is considering if he wants to do it all again. One major impediment to retirement is his long-stated ambition to play an NBA season alongside his son, Bronny, who will be a freshman at USC this fall and will be able to enter the league at least the fall of 2024.

“I guess I’ll reflect on my career when I’m done, but I don’t know,” James remarked when asked how he felt about his 20th season. “The only thing I care about is being available to my teammates, and I don’t like that I didn’t get to play as many games as I would have liked due to injury.” That’s all I worry about being available to my teammates.”

SOURCE – (AP)