Paul George has informed the Los Angeles Clippers he will be joining another team, with the Philadelphia 76ers reportedly the leading candidate to land the coveted free agent.
The Clippers released a statement Sunday saying they were informed by George and his representatives of his plans to leave the team after five seasons. The nine-time All-Star declined a $48.7 million player option for the 2024-25 season on Saturday.
According to The Athletic, George will meet with the 76ers on Sunday night and is expected to make a decision shortly thereafter, with no other teams believed to be involved in the bidding for the veteran forward.
“Paul has informed us that he is signing his next contract with another team,” the Clippers announced. "Paul is a tremendous talent and an elite two-way player. We feel fortunate for the five years we spent with him.
We negotiated for months with Paul and his representative on a contract that would make sense for both sides, and we were left far apart. The gap was significant. We understand and respect Paul’s decision to look elsewhere for his next contract. We explored an opt-in and trade scenario, but it would have left us in a similar position under the new CBA, with very little asset value to justify the restrictions.
“We will miss Paul. At the same time, we’re excited by the opportunities we’ve now been afforded, including greater flexibility under the new CBA.
ESPN reports George was seeking a four-year extension and the Clippers were unwilling to budge beyond a contract similar to the three-year, $152 million deal the team awarded to fellow star Kawhi Leonard in January.
The Clippers acquired George from Oklahoma City in July 2019 by orchestrating a blockbuster trade in which they gave the Thunder five first-round picks as well as future All-Star Shai GIlgeous-Alexander. Leonard signed with Los Angeles that same summer to help turn the Clippers into one of the Western Conference's more consistently successful teams, though their winning ways often did not extend to the post-season.
Los Angeles reached the West finals during the 2021 play-offs but was ousted in six games by the Phoenix Suns, and the Clippers have not advanced past the first round in any of the last three seasons.
George often battled injuries - his 74 games played this past season were his most in any of his five seasons in Los Angeles - but maintained an elite level of play when healthy. The 34-year-old averaged 23 points, six rebounds and 4.5 assists per game during his tenure with the Clippers while shooting just under 40 per cent from 3-point range.
Armed with ample cap space, the 76ers are well positioned to make a big splash this off-season and potentially pair George with two other All-Stars, 2022-23 NBA MVP Joel Embiid and sharpshooter Tyrese Maxey, in an effort to challenge reigning NBA champion Boston in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia has also found post-season success to be elusive in recent seasons, as the 76ers have reached the play-offs in seven straight years but have failed to advance beyond the second round during that period.
Klay Thompson's long and successful tenure with the Golden State Warriors appears to be nearing an end, as ESPN reported Sunday that the five-time All-Star guard will test free agency and is unlikely to re-sign with the team he's spent his entire NBA career with.
Thompson, a core member of the Warriors' four NBA championship teams over an eight-year span from 2014-22, is expected to hold meetings with the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers in the coming days, according to ESPN.
The Athletic adds that the Warriors have begun discussions on sign-and-trade agreements involving the star sharpshooter.
Golden State has also parted ways with another esteemed veteran, as the Warriors officially placed guard Chris Paul on waivers in a move that will save the team $30 million towards next season's salary cap.
The Warriors had until Sunday to decide whether to guarantee Paul's $30 million salary for 2024-25.
Paul turned 39 in May and spent just one injury-plagued season with the Warriors after being acquired from Washington last summer in a trade that sent high-scoring guard Jordan Poole to the Wizards. The 12-time All-Star averaged 9.2 points, the lowest of his 19-year NBA career, and 6.8 assists over 58 games while missing nearly two months with a fractured hand.
Thompson, on the other hand, developed into one of the best players in franchise history after being selected by the Warriors with the 11th overall pick of the 2011 draft.
The 34-year-old's 2,481 made 3-pointers trail only long-time teammate Stephen Curry for the most by a Warriors player, and Thompson also ranks fourth in team history in games played (793) and sixth in points (15,531).
One of the best perimeter shooters of this era, Thompson averaged at least 20 points per game for five consecutive seasons from 2014-19 as a vital part of three NBA championship teams (2015, 2017, 2018) during that period.
Thompson missed the entire 2019-20 and 2020–21 campaigns due to a torn ACL and a ruptured Achilles tendon, but returned to average 20.4 points in 32 games the following season and help Golden State to another NBA title.
His run of seven straight seasons averaging 20 or more points per game came to an end in 2023-24, when he averaged 17.9 points in 77 games and shot under 40 per cent from 3-point range for just the second time in his career.
Paul reportedly intends to play a 20th season as he continues his search for the first NBA title of his illustrious career, and the veteran is expected to draw interest as a role player for contending teams.
While the Los Angeles Clippers wait for a decision from one of their star players, another will be returning.
Multiple outlets reported Sunday that the Clippers and James Harden agreed to a two-year, $70 million contract just prior to the start of the NBA's free agency period.
The second year of the deal will be a player option, according to Yahoo Sports.
Harden returns for his first full season in Los Angeles after being acquired by the Clippers from the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 1. Playing alongside the also-accomplished duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the 10-time All-Star averaged 16.6 points and 8.5 assists while shooting 38.1 per cent from 3-point range over 72 regular-season games.
The 2017-18 NBA MVP helped the Clippers to a 51-31 record and the fourth seed in the Western Conference play-offs, though Los Angeles was ousted in six games by the eventual NBA Finals participant Dallas Mavericks in the first round.
Harden's re-signing brings some stability to what could be an uncertain offseason for the Clippers, as ESPN reported Saturday that George has declined his $48.7 million player option for next season to test free agency.
George is planning to meet with the 76ers and Orlando Magic in addition to the Clippers in the coming days, according to ESPN.
Harden is coming off a turbulent offseason of his own following a very public falling out with the 76ers and general manager Daryl Morey last summer, which prompted the 34-year-old to request a trade. After sitting out the early part of last season, Harden eventually had his request granted when Morey dealt the disgruntled point guard to the Clippers, his preferred destination, in a seven-player trade.
Though the three-time NBA scoring champion posted his lowest points-per-game output since 2010-11 last season, he averaged 21.2 points per game during the Dallas play-off series and the Clippers went 46-26 with him on the court during the regular season.
Andy Murray says he wants "a bit of closure" at Wimbledon as he continues a fight to be fit in time for his opening match.
The Brit is due to retire later this year but has previously said either Wimbledon or the Olympics would be a fitting stage to end his career.
However, Murray was forced to retire injured during the Queen's Club Championships in the second round due to a back injury earlier this month, for which he later underwent surgery.
Murray's Wimbledon campaign is due to start on Tuesday against Tomas Machac, but he is still yet to decide whether he will actually be competing in the men's singles event at the All England Club.
"I don't think there's one thing that I'm hoping for. When it comes to the end, I don't know, maybe a bit of closure," the two-time Wimbledon winner, Murray, said.
"I just want the opportunity to play one more time out there, hopefully on Centre Court, and feel that buzz.
"Last year, I wasn't planning on it being my last year on the tour. I wanted to come back and play again, whereas this year I have no plans to do that."
Murray is also due to play in the doubles alongside older brother Jamie, though his chances of competing in both are slim.
He managed to get on the Wimbledon practice courts for the first time on Saturday and, after more training on Sunday, Murray admitted he would wait until the last possible moment to decide on his participation.
"It went pretty well," Murray said after training on Sunday, "but I still don’t have 100% feeling and sensation in my leg.
"It's getting better every single day. I want to give it every single chance that I can to get there.
"I'm going to play another set again [on Monday]. I'm doing some physical testing in the morning to see how far off I am from a physical perspective. Then I will probably make a decision after that."
Carlos Alcaraz will be the Centre Court star at Wimbledon when the Spaniard opens his title defence on Monday.
Alcaraz will be hoping to add to this year's French Open glory when he opens his All England Club campaign against world number 269 Mark Lajal.
The 21-year-old will play in the Centre Court opener as the grass-court major starts, with Alcaraz aiming to become the youngest player in the Open Era to win at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in a calendar year.
World number one Jannik Sinner meets Yannick Hanfmann in his first-round clash on the same day.
Sinner won his maiden grand slam title at the Australian Open in January, and heads to SW19 having won a further three Tour-level titles this year.
Daniil Medvedev reached the semi-final last year for his personal-best performance at Wimbledon before losing to Alcaraz, and the fifth seed faces American Aleksandar Kovacevic in his opener.
As for the women's draw, Emma Raducanu will follow Alcaraz onto Centre Court as one of the home favourites at Wimbledon.
Raducanu reached the last four at the Nottingham Open before claiming her first top-10 victory against Jessica Pegula at Eastbourne, with Ekaterina Alexandrova awaiting in the first round for the Briton.
Aryna Sabalenka has won the opening round in her last 15 grand slam appearances and the third seed will be seeking to extend that impressive record when she clashes with world number 107 Emina Bektas.
Coco Gauff will be another to keep an eye on when she wraps up Monday's Centre Court action with an all-American showdown against Caroline Dolehide.
Reigning US Open champion Gauff will be the youngest player to feature in the women's singles at Wimbledon seeded in the top two since Maria Sharapova in 2007.
Lando Norris admitted he could "lose respect" for Max Verstappen if he does not take the blame for their collision in Austria.
The two were competing for first place when the contact was made on lap 64, leaving the race open for George Russell to win, with Norris forced to retire as a result.
Three laps later, Verstappen was hit with a 10-second penalty after a virtual safety car and eventually finished in fifth.
Norris expressed his frustration at his race being cut short and confessed his friendship with Verstappen could be affected as a result.
"I'm disappointed, nothing more than that, honestly," Norris told Sky Sports F1. "It was a good race. I looked forward to probably, I'd say, just a fair battle, a strong fair battle. But I wouldn't say that's what it was in the end.
"Tough one to take. It was a mistake-free race from my side, and I feel like I did a good job but I got taken out of the race, so nothing more than that.
"I don't know [if their friendship will be affected]. It depends what he says. If he says he did nothing wrong, then I'll lose a lot of respect for that.
"If he admits to being a bit stupid and running into me and just being a bit reckless in a way, then I'll have a small amount of respect for it.
"But it's still a tough one to take when we're fighting for the win and I'm trying to be fair from my side and he just wasn't. That's not what I'm thinking about. I don't care about that now. I'm just gutted for the team."
Verstappen was chasing what would have been a fifth consecutive win in Austria and remains just one podium away from overtaking Alain Prost and Fernando Alonso as the diver with the fourth-highest solo podium finishes.
Asked about Norris' post-race comments, the Dutchman was careful not to take any of the blame without first talking to the McLaren driver.
"I need to look back at how or why we touched. Of course, we will talk about it," Verstappen said to Sky Sports F1. "It's just unfortunate it happened.
"I felt like sometimes he dive-bombed so late on the brakes. One time he went straight. One time I had to go around the sausage otherwise we would have touched.
"I think it's also the shape of the corner provides these kind of issues sometimes. I've had it also the other way around. It is what it is. It's never nice to come together."
George Russell believes Mercedes' persistence finally paid off as he secured their first win of the 2024 season at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Russell began the race in third but benefitted from a collision caused by Max Verstappen, who was hit with a time penalty, with Lando Norris, who was forced to retire.
The Briton took full advantage, speeding past the stricken vehicles to claim just his second career win.
After finishing in the top five in each of the last three races, Russell was pleased to continue building on Mercedes' momentum.
"It's no secret with Red Bull and Max, and McLaren with Lando are still a little bit out in front," Russell said. "But we are always putting ourselves in that third-place position in the last couple of races.
"If anything happens up front, we will then pick it up. What an exciting time for us.
"We are riding a bit of a wave at the moment; these last three races have been incredible. I think realistically we probably could have won the race in Canada, but this makes up for one too many mistakes on my side."
The collision between Verstappen and Norris came on lap 64 of 71, with both drivers vying for the lead, but Russell was not surprised by it.
"[Verstappen and Norris] were going for it. I couldn't believe how close we were to Lando and Max," Russell added. "We were only about 12 seconds behind, and I knew [the collision] was a possibility. You are always dreaming.
"It was a tough fight out there at the beginning of the race just to hold onto that P3 and I saw on the TV Max and Lando getting pretty hard. I knew Lando would be wanting to get that race win.
"The team have done an amazing job to get us into this fight, and you've got to be there to pick it up the pieces and that's where we were."
J. B. Bickerstaff helped transform a fledgling franchise into a contender in his last job.
The Pistons are hoping he can do the same in Detroit.
The Pistons hired Bickerstaff as coach on Sunday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Terms of the deal were not reported.
Bickerstaff becomes Detroit's third coach in as many seasons after Monty Williams was fired on June 19 after going an NBA-worst 14-68 in only season on the sidelines.
The Pistons had given Williams a six-year, $78.5million contract last June after he was fired by the Phoenix Suns following the 2022-23 season.
At the time, the deal was the richest ever for an NBA head coach.
Under Williams, however, Detroit struggled mightily, setting an NBA single-season record by losing 28 straight games after opening 2-1.
The Pistons have finished in last place in the Central Division each of the last four seasons and have missed the play-offs 13 of the last 15 seasons. They haven't won a play-off series since 2008.
Detroit is desperate for a change in direction having been in turmoil for more than a decade, and Bickerstaff recently helped turn a struggling franchise around, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first play-off series win in six years last month.
Despite reaching the second round of the play-offs, the Cavaliers fired Bickerstaff on May 23.
In five seasons in Cleveland, Bickerstaff went 170-159 and led the franchise to the play-offs each of the last two years. He was under contract through 2026.
In 2023-24, the 45-year-old Bickerstaff helped direct Cleveland to a 48-34 record and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference play-offs.
The Cavs then beat the Orlando Magic in the first round for the franchise's first play-off series win since the team lost to the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 NBA Finals. It also marked Cleveland's first trip to the conference semi-finals without LeBron James on the roster since 1992-93.
The Cavs' season ended in the conference semis, where they lost to the future NBA-champion Boston Celtics in five games.
Bickerstaff's team, however, was significantly undermanned with five-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell missing the final two games against the Celtics with a left calf strain and fellow All-Star Jarrett Allen missing the last eight play-off games due to a right rib contusion.
Bickerstaff now joins a young Pistons team that includes 2021 No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham and the fifth overall pick of this year's draft, Ron Holland II.
Mercedes claimed a huge win at the Austrian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen was hit with a time penalty for causing a crash.
Reigning Formula One champion Verstappen collided with his title rival Lando Norris, who was forced out of Sunday's race, and was penalised 10 seconds for his trouble.
That crash came on lap 64 out of 71, with Verstappen - who had led for much of the race from pole - penalised three laps later after a virtual safety car at Spielberg.
And Russell took full advantage by speeding past the stricken vehicles of Verstappen and Norris to claim his and Mercedes' first race victory of the season.
It marks the Briton's second career win.
It was not all doom and gloom for McLaren despite Norris' crash, with Oscar Piastri clinching second place.
Carlos Sainz rounded out the podium, while Lewis Hamilton took fourth ahead of Verstappen, who was incredibly close to taking a record-setting fifth victory at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Nico Hulkenberg came in sixth, while Charles Leclerc endured a difficult day and finished 11th.
Data Debrief: Frustration for Lando and Max
Norris had finished in the top four in each of the last six races before this one, as many times as in the previous 15. He is one podium away from equalling John Watson as the 13th-highest British driver with the most podiums in Formula 1 history, but he will now have to wait for that particular feat.
Verstappen, too, was dealt a blow. He remains just one podium away from overtaking Alain Prost and Fernando Alonso as the driver with the fourth-highest solo podium finishes in F1 history.
Daniel Ricciardo, meanwhile, marked his 250th F1 race with a ninth-place finish.
Top 10
1. George Russell (Mercedes)
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
6. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
7. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
8. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
9. Daniel Ricciardo (RB)
10. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
Iga Swiatek's stunning rise to stardom continues at a momentous pace, and she is enjoying a wonderfully successful campaign.
Her clay-court swing was superb, with Swiatek reeling off victories in Madrid and Rome before claiming her third successive French Open title, and fourth overall.
Yet for all her joy in Paris over the past four years, the 23-year-old is yet to taste victory at Wimbledon, with her run to the quarters in last year's event the best she has managed at the All England Club.
But will that run end this year, and what of the other contenders in the women's singles draw?
Swiatek's missing piece of the puzzle
Wimbledon is not the only grand slam title missing from Swiatek's growing collection, but it is the only one she has so far failed to reach at least the semi-finals in.
Swiatek has won 72 grand slam matches since the start of 2020, with Aryna Sabalenka (62) and Ons Jabeur (51) the only other players to surpass 50 in that time.
She is one of three players, along with Elena Rybakina and Danielle Collins, aiming to become just the third player since the start of 2020 to win a Tour-level title on grass, clay and hard court in a calendar year, after Ashleigh Barty (2021) and Caroline Garcia (2022).
The Pole is also out to match a couple of Serena Williams feats.
Should she win, she will be the youngest player since Williams in 2002 to triumph at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same season, while that would make Swiatek the first player to win successive singles titles at grand slams since Williams won the French Open and Wimbledon in 2015.
Swiatek has been handed a tough start, however. She will face Sofia Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, in the first round.
That being said, Swiatek won in straight sets in both of her previous meetings with Kenin (Roland Garros 2020 and this year's Australian Open).
History is also on her side. The player ranked at world number one has won their first-round tie in each of the last 19 women's singles at grand slams – the last time a number one lost in the opening round of a major was at the US Open 2018, with Kaia Kanepi defeating Simona Halep.
Swiatek is also the only woman to appear in all the grand slam events since 2020 without ever losing in the first round in that span (17-0).
Sabalenka racing against time, Gauff's chance to shine?
Sabalenka's tussle with Swiatek was a highlight of the clay-court swing, though the Belarusian has acknowledged she may not be fit enough to feature at Wimbledon as she deals with a shoulder issue.
She has hit 309 winners in grand slam matches this year, the most of any player. Should she play and go all the way, Sabalenka would be just the third player to win the Australian Open and Wimbledon in the same calendar year after Williams (2003, 2009-10 and 15) and Amelie Mauresmo (2006).
Sabalenka is looking to become the first player to make the quarter-finals in eight consecutive grand slams since Williams (10 between the US Open 2014 and the Australian Open 2017), while the 26-year-old has won the opening round in her last 15 grand slam appearances.
Should the world number three not make it, then second seed Coco Gauff seems set to be Swiatek's main rival.
It is five years ago since Gauff burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old by stunning Venus Williams.
However, she has never made it further than the last 16 and was knocked out by compatriot Kenin in the first round last year.
Reigning US Open champion Gauff will face Caroline Dolehide in the first round. Their only other Tour-level meeting came at this year's Australia Open.
Gauff will be the youngest player to feature in the women's singles at Wimbledon seeded in the top two since Maria Sharapova in 2007, while she and Swiatek combine to be the youngest seeded number one and two (43 years and 141 days) at the tournament in women's singles since 2003 (Williams and Kim Clijsters).
The main battle for Gauff may well be getting on top of the surface. She has won 66.7% of her WTA main draw matches on grass (18-9); this is her lowest winning percentage on a single surface (72.3% on clay and 68.8% on hard court).
Home hopes
Emma Raducanu enjoyed a remarkable rise to stardom in 2021, impressing at Wimbledon before going on to claim her maiden grand slam title at Flushing Meadows.
But that whirlwind success made way for difficult campaigns in 2022 and 2023, blighted by injuries and poor form.
However, the 21-year-old has hit her stride this grass-court season and reached the last four at the Nottingham Open before claiming her first victory over a top-10 opponent when she beat Jessica Pegula at Eastbourne.
She also reached the quarters in Stuttgart in April, losing to Swiatek, and was unfortunate to be drawn against Sabalenka at Indian Wells before that. Ranked at 135 in the world, Raducanu is certainly a long shot, but she will have the backing of the home crowd, as will Katie Boulter.
Fresh from winning the Nottingham Open, world number 29 Boulter will go up against Tatjana Maria in the first round.
Boulter is the only seeded British player in the women's singles – she is just the third Briton to be seeded at Wimbledon this century after Johanna Konta (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019) and Raducanu (2022).
In the last three years, only Ons Jabeur (22) has won more grass-court matches than Boulter (21, level with Ekaterina Alexandrova), who has also won more matches at Wimbledon (six) than any of the other majors combined.
The 27-year-old also leads the way for winners struck in the grass-court swing so far, with 256, so she is one to watch.
The wildcards
Marketa Vondrousova is the only unseeded player to win the women's singles title at Wimbledon in the Open Era, after her dream run last year.
Vondrousova (42 at the time of last year's tournament) is the lowest-ranked winner of the title in the past four decades. She is one of only two players ranked outside the WTA's top 25 to win the event over that span, along with Venus Williams in 2007.
Now ranked at world number six, Vondrousova will have a target on her back this year, but will some other unseeded players or wildcards fancy their chances?
Four former grand slam champions (Angelique Kerber, Raducanu, Caroline Wozniacki and Naomi Osaka) will appear in a women's singles major main draw thanks to wild cards for the first time in the Open Era.
Osaka has only won four matches at Wimbledon, making this her least favourite grand slam, though only Caroline Garcia (10.5) has averaged more aces per match in the majors this season than the Japanese star.
Kerber is the player with the most main draw wins in Wimbledon (38) among those featuring in the tournament in 2024 and is featuring at a major thanks to a wildcard for the first time in her career.
Only Victoria Azarenka (16, including 2024) has more main-draw appearances at Wimbledon than Kerber (15) among those featuring at this year's edition.
Wozniacki will appear in Wimbledon's main draw thanks to a wildcard for the second time in her career, after 2007. She has never reached the quarters at the event.
Max Verstappen said Red Bull made a "good statement" after he secured pole position at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Verstappen, who won the sprint race earlier on Saturday, qualified ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris to take his first pole in four races.
The reigning Formula One world champion was in fine form throughout the session, and will now go for a record-extending fifth Austrian Grand Prix victory.
Verstappen has recorded the most podium finishes (six) and the most fastest laps (four) at the Austrian Grand Prix, and has now also taking the outright most pole positions (four) at the race.
"The whole session went really well. The car was in a better window and I could push a bit more and it was very enjoyable. Every lap I did was feeling good," the Dutchman said.
"It's been a while since we were on pole, and a while since I felt like this in the car, and it's great. The team has been working hard to make the car more competitive and it's a good statement.
"Hopefully it will be a tight battle again but I am not thinking too much about that. I am just thinking about how the car was performing today and hopefully it will translate into race pace."
The Austrian Grand Prix winner has started on the front row on nine of the last 11 occasions (six from pole and three from second).
Norris, who was third in the sprint race, finished ahead of Mercedes George Russell to secure second place behind Verstappen.
He said: "It was as much as we could do. Max was in a league of his own. [He had] more than what we had. Tricky conditions."
Lewis Hamilton secured fifth on the grid, and his hopeful Mercedes can challenge on Sunday.
"All these guys are so quick. It's very close between us all," he said.
"I'm relatively happy with my lap. The middle sector was not as good as I would have liked. If I had got those two perfect would probably have been in the top three but it’s very hard to get a lap.
"We can fight the Ferraris but I don't know if we can fight the McLarens. We'll have to see."
Top 10
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Lando Norris (McLaren)
3. George Russell (Mercedes)
4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
7. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
8. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)
10. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)
Manny Machado homered twice and drove in five runs and Jackson Merrill had three hits, including a home run, to lead the streaking San Diego Padres to an 11-1 rout of the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Machado hit a two-run homer in the third inning off Tanner Houck and added a three-run shot in the fifth to extend the lead to 8-0.
It was the 40th career multihomer game for Machado, who is 17 for 41 (.415) with four home runs and 12 RBIs in his last 10 games.
Bryce Sullivan also went deep as the Padres (46-41) won their season-high fifth straight and ninth in 10 contests to move five games over .500.
Michael King limited the Red Sox to one run and five hits over six innings with one walk and six strikeouts.
Houck was tagged for a career-worst eight runs in 4 1/3 innings on his 28th birthday, raising his ERA from an AL-best 2.18 entering the day to 2.67.
Jarren Duran homered for Boston, which has been outscored 29-7 during a three-game skid after an 8-1 stretch.
Astros score 8 unanswered to rally past Mets
Alex Bregman delivered a two-run single to cap a three-run eighth and the Houston Astros rallied from five down for a 9-6 victory over the New York Mets.
Jake Meyers hit an early home run and Jeremy Pena triggered the comeback with a two-run double during a three-run fourth against starter Tylor Megill.
The Astros drew four walks and had just one hit in the decisive eighth inning. Reed Garrett threw a run-scoring wild pitch before Bregman’s line single to right scored two to give Houston a 7-6 lead.
Maurico Dubon added some insurance with a two-run double in the ninth and the Astros won for the 11th time in 15 games.
Mark Vientos homered and Jose Iglesias had three hits for the Mets, who had won four straight and 16 of 20.
Kjerstad’s slam lifts Orioles
Rookie Heston Kjerstad hit his first career grand slam and Anthony Santander added his 13th home run this month as the Baltimore Orioles held on for their fourth straight win, 6-5 over the reeling Texas Rangers.
The Orioles became the third team in MLB history to hit at least 60 homers in a calendar month, joining the 2023 Atlanta Braves (61 in June) and the 2019 Yankees (74 in August).
Baltimore has gone deep 14 times in its last five games and leads the majors with 139.
Cade Povich earned his first major league win after allowing two runs – both on homers – and five hits in five innings.
Craig Kimbel walked two in the ninth but got Adolis Garcia to fly out for the final out for his 19th save.
Corey Seager, Derek Hill, Nathaniel Lowe and Garcia homered for the Rangers, who matched a season high with their sixth straight loss and dropped their ninth in a row on the road.
Seager left in the fifth inning after he was hit on his left wrist by a pitch from Povich. The Rangers said X-rays on the wrist were negative, and the four-time All-Star would be evaluated Sunday.
Aquatics Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ) president Lance Rochester says the achievements of Yona Knight-Wisdom, Sabrina Lyn and Josh Kirlew in making the cut for this summer’s Paris Olympic Games are not just personal victories, but are pivotal in adding to a legacy for Jamaican aquatics sports.
Rochester’s sentiments came as he highlighted the importance of continued investment in training and youth development programmes, in particular, to sustain and grow all eight disciplines –swimming, open water swimming, master’s swimming, artistic swimming, diving, high diving, water polo, and beach water polo –across the aquatics umbrella.
British-born Knight-Wisdom, 29, the country’s diving flagbearer, continues to inspire with his dedication and remarkable skill, as he secured qualification to a third-straight Olympic Games, following appearances at the 2016 and 2020 Games.
Sabrina Lyn
For 18-year-old Lyn and British-born Kirlew, 24, it will be their first outing at the global multi-sport showpiece, as they were selected as the country’s highest ranked athletes to fill the two universality spots allotted to the ASAJ.
“Visibility is critical in sports and those who compete at the highest level help to inspire the next generation. Ultimately, the ASAJ wants to bring all of the eight disciplines which are currently under the umbrella to the top of the world stage and we are working assiduously towards laying the foundation to achieve that goal over time,” Rochester told SportsMax.TV.
“With regard to diving, the ASAJ is looking forward to the development of this discipline and the support which Yona continues to provide. After Paris, Yona will be in Jamaica hosting another installment of his diving camp, which aims to develop a generation of local divers. So we are committed to nurturing and developing talent so that Jamaica continues to shine in aquatics sports,” he added.
Josh Kirlew
While there were concerns that the retirement of the decorated Alia Atkinson, Keanan Dols, Kelsie Campbell and others, would take away from Jamaica having at least one prominent figure on the world stage, Rochester could not be more thrilled about Knight-Wisdom, Lyn and Kirlew’s upcoming Olympic Games participation.
In fact, the president viewed the trio’s efforts in maintaining a competitive presence as invaluable for Jamaica's growing reputation in aquatics sports.
“It's always important to have representation at top tier events, especially the Olympic Games. Our selectees, Sabrina and Josh, went through a rigorous and stressful selection process where they came out ranked at the top. The ASAJ is proud of their efforts and those who were in contention. Yona making a third straight Olympic Games is a remarkable feat and one we are also very proud as he continues to keep Jamaica on the map where diving is concerned,” Rochester said.
“I must also emphasize that, while Alia is no longer in the water representing Jamaica, she provides invaluable support to the development of our aquatics programmes behind the scenes,” he revealed.
Yona Knight-Wisdom
“This year alone, Jamaica had strong performances at key regional events such as the Carifta Games and CCCAN. We had a strong medal haul and some standout performances, so we have to ensure that we provide all of our athletes with first rate support to ensure that they transition to the elite level,” the president noted.
Finally, Rochester pointed out that the upcoming participation of the country’s aquatic athletes has already fostered a sense of pride and optimism. As such, he encouraged the trio to continue striving for excellence as their respective journey to the Olympic Games is a story of hope and inspiration for all Jamaicans.
“For an event like the Olympic Games, the ASAJ is grateful to the Jamaica Olympic Association and Government of Jamaica for the financial, logistic and technical support for our athletes. So, we just want our athletes to prepare well, trust their coaches, do their best and continue to represent Jamaica proudly and inspire others,” Rochester ended.
Atlantic Industrial Electric Supply Company Limited, the company owned by former national Table Tennis champion Peter Moo-Young, has signed on to help three members of Jamaica’s team to the Caribbean Mini and Pre-Cadet Table Tennis Championships set for July 1-7 in the Dominican Republic.
The three members, brothers Anthony, Malone and Shacoil Bird, were left with very little resources after an unfortunate and tragic house fire in February.
“We had reached out to Mr. Moo-Young about sponsorship of three of the youngsters. The fire earlier this year left them lacking with certain resources so we reached out to Mr. Moo-Young to see if he could assist in any way to help us send these three players off to the Dominican Republic for the upcoming Pre and Mini Cadet Championships,” JTTA President Ingrid Graham told Sportsmax.tv in an interview earlier this week.
Moo-Young happily obliged, providing background on how he first heard about the three brothers and how this sponsorship came together.
“About a year or so ago, Dale (Parham) alerted me that he had identified three youngsters that happen to be brothers who are uniquely talented and invited them to come to my club to play. I saw the kids and I will confirm, they are exceptionally talented for their ages,” he said.
“In keeping track of their progress, I was told that they had a tragic fire a few months ago and it hurt my heart because we wanted them to keep playing. So, I was pleased to hear that they continued to play,” Moo-Young added.
Atlantic Industrial Electric is going into this with their partners, KIC Ventures, an American company involved in the medical field.
“We will jointly underwrite the cost of the three brothers to go to the tournament,” Moo-Young said.
Founder of KIC, Dr. Kingsley Chin, also commented on the decision to help out.
“The only reason I’m able to do what I do today is because, when I was young, I got the opportunity to play sport. This is what I love about these boys; they faced obstacles and they kept going, they never stopped. You never know the future of somebody but if they show they have an interest in being good at something it’s like a plant, you water it and the fruits will bear,” he said.
“Exceptional,” was how National Coach Dale Parham described the talent of the youngsters.
“They’ve been playing for about two or three years now and they have shown dedication to the sport. I can tell you that these guys play probably about 4-5 hours everyday and that is something that is unheard of based on our situation now here in Jamaica,”
“When you have youngsters like this with that kind of drive and passion for the sport, I think it’s only fitting that we try to support them as best as possible,”
Students at Whitfield Town Primary and Junior High School, the brothers recently emerged victorious at the JTTTA/ OSIL/SDF Prep and Primary School Rally at the Excelsior High School on June 24.
Jamaica’s team is scheduled to leave the island on Saturday for the championships.
Taylor Fritz became the first man to win three titles at the Eastbourne International on Saturday as he defeated Max Purcell 6-4 6-3 in the final.
Fritz did not drop a single set en route to his eighth ATP title, only losing four points behind his first serve in the showpiece match.
He served brilliantly and was aggressive in reaching the net throughout the title match, earning a decisive break at 5-4 in the opening set.
He then won 12 straight points to seize control of the second set, ultimately needing just 71 minutes to reclaim the crown he previously won in 2019 and 2022.
Data Debrief: Fritz America's best again
Having triumphed at Delray Beach back in February, Fritz has now won multiple ATP titles within a third straight calendar year.
His victory also ensures he will move up to 12th in next week's world rankings, overtaking Tommy Paul to become American number one once more.
Adelaide Thunderbirds extended their unbeaten run with another dazzling performance as they romped to a 73-58 win over Melbourne Vixens in a lopsided Round 12 top-of-the-ladder clash at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, on Saturday.
Thunderbirds attacking charge was again led by Romelda Aiken-George, who scored 47 goals from 53 attempts, as Georgie Horjus and Lucy Austin chipped in with 12 goals and nine goals from 11 and 10 attempts respectively. Lauren Frew had a perfect five goals from five attempts.
Meanwhile, Sophie Garbin had 29 goals from 31 attempts for the Vixens, with Kiera Austin (27 goals from 27 attempts) and Lily Graham with a single two-point Supershot, contributing the others.
Both teams produced a clinical display in the early exchanges as they demonstrated why they are the two best teams in the competition. The Vixens were first to slip up, with suffocating defensive pressure from the Thunderbirds forcing the visitors into a few errors.
Still, the contest remained evenly poised at 15-15 at the end of the first quarter.
However, the Thunderbirds found an extra spark in the second quarter and briskly raced to a seven-goal lead early, courtesy of some impressive defending by Jamaican Latanya Wilson, who robbed a few Vixens possession, which the shooters capitalised on.
The Vixens tried to trim the margin in the Power Five, but Matilda Garrett and another Jamaican standout Shamera Sterling-Humphrey, forced the Vixens to work overtime in the goal circle to find space and shoot. That coupled with a bit of magic from Aiken-George, ensured Thunderbirds remained seven goals ahead at 32-25 at halftime.
Melbourne Mavericks in action against Sunshine Coast Lightning.
The Vixens were more settled to begin the third quarter, as the Thunderbirds found it harder to move the ball into their attacking third. Despite Vixens hard-fought battle to close the gap from 10 goals down during the Power Five, Thunderbirds remained eight goals up at 51-43 heading into the final quarter, which was a mere formality.
This, as the Thunderbirds went from strength-to-strength in that final quarter and outplayed the Vixens in all departments to power to a commanding 25-goal win, with Sterling-Humphrey named as the match MVP.
Elsewhere, another Jamaican Shimona Jok scored 42 goals from 43 attempts to assist Melbourne Mavericks to a 72-71 win over Sunshine Coast Lightning in a nail-biting encounter in Hobart.
Along with Jok, Mavericks had clinical performances from Gabrielle Sinclair, who scored a couple of two-point Supershots in her five goals from three attempts, while Eleanor Cardwell had four Supershots in her 25 goals from 22 attempts.
Cara Koenen (39 goals from 42 attempts), Steph Fretwell (26 goals from 26 attempts) and Reilley Batcheldor (six goals from six attempts) also showed good knick for the Lightning in a losing cause.
With both teams desperate to sit in that elusive top four spot as the road to finals closes in, every play and decision was critical throughout the thrilling contest.
But, it was the Mavericks, who held their nerves best and took a massive stride closer to breaking through that top four, as they now sit level with Lightning on the ladder on 20 points apiece.
Daria Kasatkina beat Leylah Fernandez 6-3 6-4 to win her seventh WTA title, and her first on grass, at the Eastbourne International.
The world number 14, who finished as runner-up to Madison Keys last year, had conquered Emma Raducanu and Jasmine Paolini en route to her fourth final of 2024.
She broke the 2021 US Open runner-up in the very first game and wrapped up the opener with another break in the ninth game, having held off some fierce pressure on her own serve.
Another swift break in the second set had seemingly set up more of the same, but Fernandez fought back from 3-0 down to go 4-3 up. However, the Canadian failed to hold serve again from then on as Kasatkina assumed control, wrapping up her victory in just under two hours.
Elsewhere on Saturday, 20-year-old Diana Shnaider won her second title of 2024 at the Bad Homburg Open, edging out Donna Vekic 6-3 2-6 6-3 in the final.
The Russian's efficiency told in a back-and-forth contest as she converted four of her six break points, becoming the youngest player on the WTA Tour to capture multiple titles this season.
Data Debrief: Kasatkina heads to SW19 in form
Kasatkina is now 6-1 on grass this year and possesses a fine 33-17 record on the surface throughout her career.
Having made the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2018, she will be targeting another deep run this year, seeded 14th and drawn to face Zhang Shuai in the first round.
Red Bull enjoyed a strong start to their home grand prix as Max Verstappen clinched victory in the sprint race on Saturday.
No driver has won more the Austrian Grand Prix on more occasions than Verstappen (four), and the reigning Formula One world champion looks well placed to push on for a fifth victory after holding off McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Norris, who is second behind Verstappen in the drivers' championship, battled hard in the early laps before dropping off the pace and eventually finishing behind team-mate Piastri, while Mercedes' George Russell came in fifth.
Verstappen's win saw him move 71 points clear of Norris in the drivers' standings ahead of qualifying for Sunday's main event.
The Dutchman briefly relinquished the lead to Norris on lap five at Spielberg, but expertly regained it a turn later.
Ferrari's Carlos Sainz finished fifth, with Lewis Hamilton rounding out the top six.
Data Debrief: Verstappen the king of the sprint
This marked the 15th sprint race since its introduction in F1. No driver has more wins (10), more pole positions (eight), more fastest laps (eight), more podiums (14) and more points (97) than Verstappen in the format.
The Red Bull driver is right at home in Austria, where he has achieved the most podium finishes (six) and the most fastest laps (four), and has the chance to single-handedly take the most pole positions at the event (four) should he top qualifying.
Top 10
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
3. Lando Norris (McLaren)
4. George Russell (Mercedes)
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)
6. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
7. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
8. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
9. Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
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