Celtics rout Mavericks to capture Banner 18; Yankees’ Aaron Judge is on a tremendous roll

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Good morning everyone, but especially…

THE BOSTON CELTICS

O Celts finally won their 18th NBA title after defeating the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

For the first time since 2008, the Celtics reign supreme in the NBA. After an impressive postseason run that included an 8-1 record in the final two rounds, Boston now passed to Lakers for the most championships in NBA history.

After being defeated by the Mavs in Game 4, the Celtics left no doubt about their intentions in Game 5. Boston jumped out to a 28-18 lead after the first quarter and held a 21-point lead at halftime. Payton Pritchard provided an exclamation point in the second quarter with a half-court shot at the buzzer.

Dallas didn’t offer much resistance in the second half, as Boston picked up a series-clinching victory.

Jaylen Brown it was named NBA Finals MVPjust outperforming teammate Jayson Tatum. This was a 180-degree moment for Brown, who was booed by Celtics fans after he was announced as the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

• Tatum won a double-double championship with 31 points It is 11 assists.
• Jrue Vacation I did the same thing carving 15 points It is 11 rebounds.
• Joe Mazzulla became the youngest coach to win an NBA title since Bill Russell in 1969.
• Veteran Al Horford won the first championship of his 17-season career.

After years of heartbreak in their quest for the Banner 18, the Celtics finally got over the hump this year. Our own James Herbert Explain what the difference was this time.

• Herbert: “The difference isn’t just that Tatum and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown have matured and improved, although they unmistakably have. It’s that this is another kind of superteam. As Mazzulla reminded the Celtics in a Game 4 meeting, they wear down opponents relentlessly. attacking their pressure points, moving the ball and creating confusion.”

Now that he has a ring on his finger, will Tatum rise to the NBA’s elite? Our own Sam Quinn reevaluates Tatum’s place in the league hierarchy after this title.

Honorable mentions

And it’s not such a good day for…

THE DALLAS MAVERICKS

With the season at stake, the Independents went to Boston and was demolished within the first two quarters. Dallas was more competitive in the second half, but the game was already out of control.

Kyrie Irving It is Luka Doncic combined for just 43 points, but don’t let the final numbers fool you. That duo combined for just 14 points at halftime, and Doncic made just two of his nine attempts from behind the arc while turning the ball over seven times.

Doncic’s defense came under fire during the Finals, and he didn’t do much to silence that criticism on Monday night. He posted minus-19 in 43 minutes. Just PJ Washington it was worse with minus 26 in 34 minutes.

Attributing this defeat solely to Doncic would be a mistake. No one else was able to help him.

• No other Maverick scored more than 15 points in Game 5.
• Dallas shot just 29.7% from three-point range as Washington went 0-for-5.
• The Mavericks rebounded 51-35, including 15-7 on the offensive glass.

And on top of that, Irving averaged just 14 points per game and shot 34% in the three games in Boston, notes Brad Botkin.

• Botkin: “Pressure builds over time, and by the end, Irving was visibly pressing. Throughout the series, he seemed a little frantic with his handle as he found himself cornered into typically vantage points. When that happens, it continues. Even comfortable the throws become uncomfortable, like a quarterback who’s been pressured all game finally getting a clean pocket to throw at. At this point, he’s too nervous to just hit the calm button Boston, both the team and the city, have left him. shaken up.

Doncic, meanwhile, will continue to look for the first NBA championship of his career, and the Mavericks’ championship drought has lasted 13 years. It will be interesting to see how Doncic and the Mavs respond in the offseason, especially after such a lopsided Finals series.

Not-so-honorable mentions

Ranking the Top 10 NFL Offseasons

Believe it or not, it’s already mid-June and the NFL season will be here sooner than you think. Teams have tinkered with their rosters throughout the off-season, and some of them are almost unrecognizable for all the right reasons.

CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards evaluated the offseasons of all 32 teams and put together a top 10 list. After considering the draft, free agency, and trade, Edwards determined that the thieves He was one of the biggest winners of the offseason because of the way he remade the offense.

• Edward: “First, moving on from offensive coordinator Matt Canada in favor of Arthur Smith is an upgrade. In signing Russell Wilson and trading for Justin Fields, the organization leaned into its run-based identity. The offensive line draft selections give the Steelers an opportunity to take a big step forward in that department this season.”

The Steelers weren’t the only team to make the most of the last few months. Here are some of the teams on Edwards’ list, from Super Bowl contenders to teams that could take a big step forward in 2024:

10. Lions
9. Titans
8. Commanders

Aaron Judge is piloting a historic heater

The court is in session and Aaron Judge has been swinging a heavy hammer lately. O Yankees The slugger is currently on a roll and is on pace to challenge the 62 home runs he hit in 2022.

After hitting a home run in Sunday night’s loss to the Red Sox, Judge has up to 26 big flies for the season, but that total doesn’t tell the full story. Judge got off to a painfully slow start this year and hit .178 on April 22.

Since then, Judge has reached the top of almost every offensive statistic. In his last 50 games, Judge has a .260/.480/.854 slash line to go along with 23 home runs. Our own Mike Axisa contextualize exactly how unconscious the Judge has been since he pressed a button on April 23rd.

• Axle: “The difference between No. 1 and No. 2 in OPS is the same as the difference between No. 2 and No. 70. The slugging gaps and extra-base hits are what stand out to me. Judge is the best power hitter game and has been since his rookie season in 2017, but this is the best stretch of power of his career, including 2022. This is one of the greatest hitters of all time at the top of his game.

This power swing helped Judge approach his 2022 home run pace. That year, Judge broke the franchise record with 62 home runs, surpassing the great Roger Maris. If Judge can keep swinging a fire stick, he could break his own record just two years later.

It’s a good thing Judge is firing on all cylinders because the Yankees will be left without a first baseman Anthony Rizzo for four to six weeks with a fractured arm.

The injury news isn’t all bad. Manager Aaron Boone announced that to the Gerrit Cole will make his debut in the 2024 season against Oriole on Wednesday.

What will we watch on Tuesday

College World Series – Florida State vs. North Carolina2pm on ESPN
Euro 2024 – Portugal in Czechia3pm on Fox
College World Series – Florida x Kentucky7pm on ESPN
Orioles at Yankees7:05 pm on TBS
Stanley Cup Final – Game 5: Oilers at Panthers8pm on ABC
Freedom on Mercury10pm on CBS Sports Network