June 14, 2022
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Talk about long shots: More bets have been placed on the Jets [[link removed]] to win this year’s Super Bowl than any team besides the Bills — and they’re currently the largest Super Bowl liability at FanDuel and Caesars.
The Warriors Beat The Celtics At Their Own Game [[link removed]]
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Steph Curry didn’t hit a single three-pointer Monday, and the Warriors still managed to beat the Celtics in Game 5 — by taking a page from Boston’s playbook.
The Dubs’ success this postseason has been driven by their stellar offense [[link removed]], but they’re no slouches on the defensive end. They held Boston under 100 points for the second time this series, disrupting the rhythm of stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to devastating effect.
Curry’s off-night might be an anomaly for the Warriors, but their lockdown defense was no fluke.
The Warriors boast a 107.3 defensive rating in the Finals — only slightly less than that of the much-hyped Celtics defense (110).They’ve scored 103 points off turnovers this series — the most [[link removed]] by a team through five Finals games since the Bulls in 1992.The Celtics are 1-7 when they turn the ball over 16+ times in the playoffs. Boston’s Tatum (18), Brown (16), and Marcus Smart (15) have the three highest turnover totals in the Finals.
Tatum has played like a superstar throughout the postseason, but in addition to the turnovers, the Warriors have him shooting 23.8% in fourth quarters.
Of course, Golden State’s defense isn’t the whole story: It doesn’t hurt when you have a third high-priced star like Andrew Wiggins ($31.6M) to cover a poor shooting night from Curry (7-22 FG) and the team’s woeful 9-40 3PT clip with 26 crucial points.
With another stifling defensive performance, the Warriors can close things out in Boston despite being four-point underdogs (+150) — with or without a Curry splash party.
Serena’s Wimbledon Return Resumes Her Bid for a 24th Slam [[link removed]]
Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
The GOAT is returning to Wimbledon, site of some of her greatest triumphs — and where her tennis career was put on pause.
On Tuesday, Serena Williams received a wild-card spot from the All England Club, setting up her first competitive singles match since being forced to retire from the first round of last year’s Wimbledon with a leg injury.
The 40-year-old Williams — who had earlier hinted [[link removed]] that she’ll continue her bid to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam titles and inch closer toward the $100 million mark for career earnings — will now compete for a top prize of $2.5 million from [[link removed]] a record $50.4 million purse.
Williams’ $94.5M in career earnings tops the all–time WTA money list.Her 23 GS titles include seven at Wimbledon, in addition to titles at the Australian Open (7), U.S. Open (6), and French Open (3).But due to her layoff, the former World No. 1 has dropped to No. 1,208.
To prepare for Wimbledon (June 27-July 10), Williams will team up with World No. 4 Ons Jabeur in doubles for the LTA’s Rothesay International Eastbourne from June 18-25.
Although she’s coming off a year-long layoff, hasn’t reached the Wimbledon singles final since 2019, and hasn’t won the title since ’16, bookmakers are relatively bullish on her prospects.
Williams still has the sixth-best odds to take this year’s edition (+1800).
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Braves Finally Look Like Defending Champs With Win Streak [[link removed]]
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Just when everyone started to count them out, the Braves started playing like the reigning World Series champions.
After starting the season sub-.500, Atlanta (35-27) has now won 12 games in a row — the third-longest win streak in the franchise’s modern era and [[link removed]] tied for the longest by a defending champ in the post-1961 Expansion Era (Astros, 2018).
Led by shortstop Dansby Swanson — who has hit safely in 24 of his last 26, going 2-for-5 with a homer and 4 RBI in Monday’s 9-5 win over the Nationals — the Braves’ torrid run has been driven by a young core of sluggers.
The 2015 No. 1 pick ranks seventh in the NL with a 2.5 position player WAR.OF Ronald Acuña Jr. has a .923 OPS after returning from last season’s ACL tear in April.C William Contreras (1.050 OPS) and OF Michael Harris II (.293 AVG) have parlayed solid contributions into more playing time.
Acuña became the youngest player to sign a $100 million contract with his eight-year, $100 million deal from 2019, while Contreras and Harris are comfortably under team control for several seasons.
The 28-year-old Swanson is no sure bet to return next season, however: He’s scheduled to hit free agency for the first time in his career this offseason.
He’ll have even more opportunities to increase his leverage in the coming weeks after 2B Ozzie Albies sustained a fractured foot during Monday’s contest.
Atlanta currently has the sixth-best odds (+1100) to repeat as champions.
Making Headlines
Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
WNBA: A Russian court extended [[link removed]] Mercury star Brittney Griner’s prison detention through at least July 2.
Golf: Rory McIlroy said PGA Tour players who joined LIV took the “easy way out,” while Brooks Koepka added that the LIV talk casts a “black cloud” over the U.S. Open.
Soccer: Angel City FC’s Christen Press will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL during the club’s 3-2 win over Racing Louisville; the 33-year-old was also left off the USWNT roster for upcoming World Cup and Olympic qualifying.
MLB: The Cardinals announced that RHP Jack Flaherty (shoulder) will make his season debut on Wednesday vs. the Pirates; Flaherty went 9-2 in 17 starts last season.
NBA: Hornets forward Montrezl Harrell faces felony charges after he was caught driving with three pounds of marijuana.
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