Sports
NBA season-opening power rankings: Celtics still No. 1
Mar 7, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots between Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) and center Nikola Jokic (15) in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Given the disparity in the number of teams seriously vying for this season’s two most important crowns, it would be fitting if the 2024-25 season-opening NBA Power Rankings were listed in inverse order.
Clearly, becoming married to Cooper Flagg is considered far more important — and attainable — than being awarded some silly, overly ornamented ring.
While the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers in the East and Oklahoma City Thunder in the West would like to believe they have taken the necessary steps to unseat the two returning powers — the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets — atop the standings, the backstroke competition at the bottom of the heap figures to be something of which only Natalie Coughlin could be proud.
I start this year’s Power Rankings with the defending champ at one extreme and a newcomer at the other:
1. Boston Celtics. The last team standing deserves the respect of starting out on top, but really they should be considered co-favorites with the Nuggets.
2. Denver Nuggets. They match up well with the Celtics, but getting through the Western Conference gauntlet with all body parts functioning could be a tougher challenge.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder. The additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein (when healthy) should help, but what’s the hesitation going all-in on a big-time sidekick for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren?
4. New York Knicks. Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns … wow. No doubt they have closed the gap on the Celtics. But that gap was a lot bigger than most people realized last season.
5. Philadelphia 76ers. Paul George is already injured and Joel Embiid wants to pace himself. And just like that, they’re off the Celtics’ radar.
6. Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the most unstoppable force in the game today. But until both he and the Bucks realize that, they’ll never duplicate Nikola Jokic’s success in Denver.
7. Minnesota Timberwolves. They proved everyone wrong with the success of their two-headed monster last season. Now it appears they’re trying to prove everyone wrong who reluctantly had to admit they had it right.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers. When push comes to shove with an Eastern Final Four berth on the line, give me Jaylen Brown, Jalen Brunson, Embiid or Antetokounmpo over Donovan Mitchell.
9. Sacramento Kings. Why are they a lock to win the Pacific Division? Because the Clippers took advantage of the current sad state of the Lakers, Warriors and Suns last year, and now they’ve fallen harder than the rest. That leaves just one team with a pulse.
10. Dallas Mavericks. This is right about where the Mavericks would have been slotted at the end of last year’s regular season. What’s changed? Klay Thompson? Yeah, he’s gotten older.
11. New Orleans Pelicans. The addition of Dejounte Murray helps put the pressure on Brandon Ingram: Either shape up and accept a complementary role on a very good team, or pack your winter best when Cleveland gets desperate in February.
12. Orlando Magic. If the Celtics had Paolo Banchero instead of Jayson Tatum, that Dynasty II dream could become a reality.
13. Indiana Pacers. They’re to the East what the Pelicans are to the West — a fun team that can beat you on its best night. Unfortunately, they won’t have enough of those nights this season.
14. Miami Heat. No team is rooting harder for the Heat than the Celtics, who seem to draw the underseeded playoff pest every year. But with the Pacers and Magic improving, Miami seems destined for a play-in game or two just for a chance to see Boston again in April.
15. Memphis Grizzlies. The competition begins to dethrone Stephen Curry as the NBA’s top true point guard. If he can keep his head on straight, Ja Morant starts as the favorite.
16. Los Angeles Lakers. The Hollywood script-writers have already carved out space in the season highlight reel for all LeBron-to-Bronny assists. The Academy calls them short films.
17. Atlanta Hawks. They’d be a tank possibility … if only they had their first-round pick. Plan B would be to take a tank and blow this thing up … if only someone would be interested in Trae Young.
18. Golden State Warriors. Before they won titles, the Warriors made their mark as an entertaining team. They’d like to get back to that, but what’s entertaining about Buddy Hield and Kyle “Slo-Mo” Anderson?
19. Phoenix Suns. Kevin Durant sure looked good in short spurts in Paris. And then there were times he resembled the setting-Sun version.
20. Houston Rockets. They’re primed to move up, but if nothing else, the prideful Lakers, Warriors and Suns likely would be energized enough to avoid that embarrassment. Maybe next year.
21. Charlotte Hornets. It’s here that the Capture The Flagg game begins, with the Hornets the least likely to land the nearby Duke star because wins will come by accident in a division even weaker than the Pacific.
22. Detroit Pistons. With a healthy Cade Cunningham and only Tobias Harris’ pride hurting, it would be no surprise if the Pistons are the East’s most improved team. But improving from 14 wins only gets you so far.
23. Chicago Bulls. Congratulations to Lonzo Ball, who has taken early strides toward a miraculous recovery. If you enjoy watching Globetrotters basketball, tune in when Ball and newcomer Josh Giddey sync up their passing acts.
24. Los Angeles Clippers. In a balloting even closer than the presidential thriller, Kawhi Leonard’s season-opening injury has won a narrow decision over Paul George’s season-opening injury as the most predictable NBA occurrence in October.
25. Toronto Raptors. It’s only 600 miles from Flagg’s hometown of Newport, Maine, to Toronto in case you’re counting. Or as they say north of the border: less than 1,000 kilometers as the malamute mushes.
26. San Antonio Spurs. Gregg Popovich surely remembers how much David Robinson needed Tim Duncan. If the wily Chris Paul has to clank a few last-second jumpers to help the Flagg cause, he could always blame it on old age.
27. Brooklyn Nets. Count me among the few who still believe Ben Simmons could be a very acquirable asset for a good team. Also count me among the many who believe the Nets are not one of those teams.
28. Utah Jazz. Danny Ainge has done a good job stockpiling first-round picks. Soon, odds are he’s likely to turn a few into actual first-round players.
29. Portland Trail Blazers. No losses will come easily among the worst in the West. But if necessary, the Trail Blazers could deal Jerami Grant and “help” their chances.
30. Washington Wizards. The NBA really should consider a lightweight best-of-seven — a loser-take-all Cooper Cup, if you will. Given his scorer’s singlemindedness, Jordan Poole probably would dominate the series … and get Flagg planted in Portland.
–Dave Del Grande, Field Level Media
Sports
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Oct 1, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) during game two of the 2024 WNBA Semi-finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images LAS VEGAS — Entering her eighth season in the WNBA, Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson is poised to build on what was arguably the most dominant individual campaign in league history.
Wilson joined Cynthia Cooper (1997) as the second player in league history to win a unanimous MVP award and joined an exclusive club as the fourth player to win the award three times. She averaged 26.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game last season and set the all-time single-season mark for points (1,021) and rebounds (451).
Unfortunately for Las Vegas, injuries and fatigue from their two previous championship runs mounted and resulted in the team’s worst regular-season record (27-13) since 2019. The Aces’ three-peat hopes ended with a 76-62 home loss to the New York Liberty to drop their semifinal series 3-1.
It’s that loss on her home floor that served as Wilson’s motivation this offseason.
“Losing sucks, especially on your home court,” Wilson said “It still kind of burns a little bit, but I’ve used that as fuel to help my teammates understand how hard it is to win in this league. Yes, we can celebrate the two championships. They were great. But for us to move forward, we have to understand how hard this league is and value the basketball and the little things. I think that’s what we lacked last season, so we’re going to make sure that we can show up better than we did.”
While the Aces appeared to be on top of the world heading into their potential three-peat campaign in 2024, the reality inside the locker room was that both the internal and external pressure to win another championship had become suffocating. A common theme across media day was the fact that the team feels less pressure entering the 2025 season, a sentiment Wilson shared as the unquestioned leader of the team.
“(Three-peat talks) obviously impacted us, because it’s like, y’all think we don’t want to win? We’re trying as well,” Wilson said.
“I would definitely say it’s refreshing this year. I feel like this is one of my only years where it feels like there’s no weight. There’s a lot of weight to be defending champs. It’s a lot of weight to be trying to win one. We don’t have that. We actually have a clean slate to really dial into getting back to who we are culturally, like, in our system and everything.”
Leading the Aces back to the top of the mountain for a third time in four years is one of a few historically significant achievements Wilson can collect this upcoming season. Wilson could also become the first four-time MVP in league history, though the meaning of that is something she hasn’t quite allowed herself to ponder yet.
“I haven’t given it much thought, but it would be a blessing to have my name in that conversation,” Wilson said. “Every year, I try to be better than I was the year before just to give myself a chance in this league. Because the league is getting better. We’re growing. At this point, you just want to maintain your stamina. You want to maintain your mental, all of that, because the season gets hard. I can’t think too much about that just yet, but I’m definitely going to try to be better than I was last year.”
As Aces coach Becky Hammon put it, fans can expect to see an even better version of Wilson this season.
“What I see is, she went and got better,” Hammon said. “Which is hard to do when you’re already the best, but it speaks to her work ethic, her desire and her mindset this whole offseason. We talked a lot this offseason. She’s a busy lady, but I can tell you what she always does is her workouts. She’s always getting her workouts in. That comes first and foremost, she never gets her priorities jumbled up.”
When Hammon was asked what a player like Wilson would possibly need to improve after last season’s campaign, the coach did not feel like revealing too much.
“There was (something for Wilson to improve), and she did,” Hammon said. “I’m not going to tell you what it was. Actually, there were two things.”
–Will Despart, Field Level Media
Sports
Jacob Wilson joins Aaron Judge in spotlight for Yankees-A's series
May 5, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson (5) throws to first for an out against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images The top two hitters in the majors square off Friday night when the New York Yankees face the Athletics in the opener of a three-game series in Sacramento, Calif.
It’s no surprise to see Yankees star Aaron Judge off to a superb start after winning American League MVP honors last season. He has a major league-best .400 batting average and entered Thursday’s play tied for the big-league lead with 12 homers and 34 RBIs.
But who had Athletics rookie Jacob Wilson ranking second in the majors at .357 as the season nears the quarter pole? Wilson has played in just 64 career games and quickly has solidified himself as a future All-Star, perhaps even this season.
Sharing the marquee board with Judge seems quite surreal for the 23-year-old shortstop who was the No. 6 overall pick of the 2023 draft.
“It’s a great feeling, for sure,” Wilson said of his name being mentioned with Judge. “Obviously, everybody has seen what he is doing. It’s pretty incredible watching him do his thing on a daily basis. To be up there with him is pretty cool for me.
“I’m excited to play against him this week and see what it looks like in person.”
Wilson had his first career four-hit game during Wednesday’s 6-5 home loss against the Seattle Mariners and has six multi-hit outings in the past eight games. He went 8-for-14 with one game-winning hit in the three-game series against the Mariners and is 16-for-34 (.471) with four walks during the eight-game stretch.
The hot hitting led to Athletics manager Mark Kotsay moving Wilson to the leadoff spot on Wednesday. Kotsay indicated Wilson may be sticking at the top of the lineup.
“I think you’ll see Jacob up there now,” Kotsay said. “Jacob’s earned it. … Jacob has shown enough over the last week. He’s walking and taking pitches, and, obviously, swinging the bat really well.”
Judge arrives in Sacramento in the midst of a four-game funk in which he is 2-for-15.
The two-time MVP just went 1-for-10 in a three-game home series against the San Diego Padres, but the one hit was a homer.
Judge grew up 50 miles south of Sacramento in Linden and starred for Linden High but wasn’t highly sought by major league teams. The then-Oakland Athletics selected him in the 31st round in 2010.
Judge instead went the college route and starred for Fresno State. He was chosen in the first round (32nd overall) by the Yankees in the 2013 draft.
Trent Grisham was one of the heroes of Wednesday’s 4-3, 10-inning win over the Padres. He hit a tying two-run pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning.
Grisham had two homers and five RBIs in the series against the Padres — one of his former teams — and already has 10 long balls in just 89 at-bats. He hit just nine last season in 179 at-bats.
“I’m having fun with the guys, I would say that more than anything,” Grisham said. “The clubhouse is really good in here, led by Cap (Judge). So, I would say the guys have been the most enjoyable part.”
New York is starting right-hander Will Warren (1-2, 5.65 ERA) in Friday’s series opener. Right-hander Osvaldo Bido (2-2, 4.71) will be on the mound for the Athletics.
Warren, 25, struck out a career-high eight in 4 2/3 innings while losing to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. He gave up five runs (three earned) and seven hits. Warren hasn’t previously faced the Athletics.
Bido, 29, received a no-decision against the Miami Marlins last Saturday when he gave up four runs on three hits over five innings. He is winless (0-1) over his last three starts. Bido hasn’t faced the Yankees.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao coming out of retirement
Aug 21, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada; Manny Pacquiao (right) fights Yordenis Ugas in a world welterweight championship bout at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao plans to end his retirement and return to the ring on July 19 against Mario Barrios in Las Vegas, ESPN reported Thursday.
Pacquiao, 46, will be fighting for the first time since losing a unanimous decision to Yordenis Ugas in 2021.
The fight will be for Barrios’ WBC welterweight championship belt. Barrios turns 30 on May 18.
Pacquiao is an eight-division champion who is slated to be inducted into the boxing Hall of Fame in June. He reportedly will formally announce his return to boxing next week. The report stated that Pacquiao has been cleared to compete by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
In recent years, Pacquiao has been focusing on his political career in the Philippines.
The boxer nicknamed “PacMan” has a 62-8-2 record with 39 knockouts during his career. He won his first major title — the WBC flyweight crown — at age 19 in 1998.
Pacquiao was 54-3-2 prior to turning 33 and 8-5 afterward. One of those losses was to Floyd Mayweather Jr. via unanimous decision in 2015, a bout that reportedly drew nearly $400 million in pay-per-view sales.
Barrios (29-2-1, 18 knockouts) fought to a 12-round, split-decision draw against Abel Ramos last November. This will be his third defense since winning the title by beating Ugas in 2023.
–Field Level Media
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
