NBA
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Good morning! Do you have the game ball?
It is hard to remember seeing the affable Giannis Antetokounmpo as upset as he was last night, which should’ve been a joyous evening. Instead, today’s headlines will be all about a game ball, a shove and some yelling:
And yet, one video showed the Bucks ended up with the game ball, at least on the floor. I am still confused. Hopefully we have clarity on, uh, Game Ball Gate today.
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In less than a week, we’ve seen two mild-mannered superstars — Antetokounmpo and Patrick Mahomes — snap. The holidays are stressful.
This morning, Mike Sando revisited his preseason NFL QB tiers, which are seen as the industry’s standard. Most of the selections hold up; a few quarterbacks might warrant a level up (Dak Prescott) while others might fall just a bit (Deshaun Watson).
I want to focus on two quarterbacks with wild opinion swings, though:
Make sure to read the full list to see how every QB fared.
NCAA thwarted
In a ruling yesterday, a federal judge in West Virginia temporarily nullified the NCAA’s multi-time transfer policy, making all such transfers immediately eligible across all sports. The order will remain in place for the next two weeks until another hearing Dec. 27. See all the details here.
Playoff backup QB hits the portal
Longhorns backup signal caller Maalik Murphy will transfer, he announced yesterday, which would be a normal-ish news item if not for the circumstances. Murphy, 2-0 as a starter this season, will not be with the Longhorns for their College Football Playoff semifinal matchup against Washington, which means freshman Arch Manning will serve as backup. And, as any Texas fan knows, having an experienced backup can be important in a big game. See more on Murphy’s options and how it affects the QB market here.
Another Ohtani wrinkle
Every day seemingly brings a new detail of Shohei Ohtani’s contract. Yesterday’s update, courtesy of this story about super agent Scott Boras opining on the agreement: Ohtani’s contract states he can opt out if Mark Walter is no longer the controlling owner of the Dodgers or if Andrew Friedman is no longer president of baseball operations. A fascinating piece of leverage for the player and even better job security for those two men.
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Twenty-four hours later, I cannot get one thought out of my head about the Golden State Warriors: This might really be the end. We have proclaimed this dynasty dead multiple times, erroneously. But now? As Tim Kawakami writes, this is what the end looks like, and I tend to agree.
This happens to every dynasty, but this one feels supremely weird and sad. Some end with a flash, like the 1990s Bulls. Others end at the footstep of another ring, like the early 2000s Lakers.
This one single-handedly changed the league from 2015 to 2019, faltered for two seasons, then won a championship less than two years ago. Now, at 10-13 and 11th in the West, the carcass is rotting from the inside. Let’s take quick stock of the situation:
Will anyone salvage another year of prime Curry? The trade deadline is Feb. 8.
NBA: Cavaliers at Celtics
7:30 p.m. on NBA TV
Boston is probably the best team in the NBA, but it’s Cleveland that piques my interest. This is a talented roster that’s struggled to find its way this year. The Cavs are 13-11 with plenty of time to figure it out.
NFL: Chargers at Raiders
8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video
The Chargers don’t have Justin Herbert or Keenan Allen for this one. Could be a wonky game between two 5-8 teams.
Bills safety Jordan Poyer says alcohol nearly ruined him. What saved him? Ayahuasca and, tangentially, Aaron Rodgers. Dan Pompei has a gripping story worth your time this morning.
At 7-3, Duke men’s basketball isn’t living up to its standard. What needs to change?
Something to monitor: Juwan Howard has had a strange year as Michigan men’s hoops coach, and his job status could be in jeopardy. Brendan Quinn has a great holistic view of the situation.
Sean McIndoe spins the Ohtani signing into hockey trauma: a list of the six times NHL teams thought they were getting a superstar, until they weren’t.
Which trading cards got graded the most this year? Nando Di Fino has the fun details, including a shocking No. 1 NFL card.
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Chris Branch is a staff writer for The Athletic’s daily newsletter. Before joining The Athletic, he covered the Phillies for The News-Journal and worked as a content strategist for various industries. He graduated from LSU, where he worked for The Daily Reveille. Follow Chris on Twitter @cbranch89
