Atlanta, GA
Miami Heat’s Win Over Atlanta Hawks Was A Reflection Of Their Rollercoaster Season
Emotional. Infuriating. Riveting. Fluctuating. Chaotic.
These are a few adjectives used to describe the Miami Heat’s play-in victory over the Atlanta Hawks. But even more so to illustrate Miami’s 2024-25 season. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra says the victory Friday night reflected what the team had to endure all year.
“What we’ve talked about for so long was that we wanted to become worthy to win,” Spoelstra said. “When we were trying to fast-track and put this together in January and February, we were going through a lot of tough games. But we got to a point where it felt like we were worthy to win but we were losing. And that’s what was really frustrating.”
The Heat led the league with 15 blown double-digit losses, which shows their potential even with the inability to finish. They nearly added another against Atlanta, losing their early 17-point advantage as the game developed. The game nearly felt over once the Heat fell by six late in the fourth quarter.
Davion Mitchell and Tyler Herro answered the call, rallying Miami in the game’s final seven minutes. Mitchell’s nine-point overtime performance displayed what the new guard brings to the team.
“What I really love about this group is the adversity that we all collectively experienced together,” Spoelstra said. “We all viewed it as a gift, and it’s an amazing gift to be able to go through adversity and take on those hard lessons to try to improve for better growth and bigger opportunities. I think tonight was an encapsulation of that.”
Jayden Armant is a graduate of the Howard University School of Communications and a contributor to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
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Nearly seven years after the inaugural event, WWE Evolution is officially getting a sequel.
The all women’s Premium Live Event was announced during Saturday Night’s Main Event as part of a massive triple header in the WWE event schedule.
NXT Great American Bash, Saturday Night’s Main Event and Evolution 2 will all emanate from Atlanta, Georgia the weekend of July 12.
The next Saturday Night’s Main Event NBC special will take place on Saturday, June 12. Evolution 2 will happen the next night on Sunday, June 13.
Tickets are set to go sale this Wednesday, with a pre-sale opportunity on Tuesday. More ticket information is expected to announced in the coming days.
Saturday night’s announcement is one that women’s wrestling fans have been waiting a long time to hear. Evolution 2018 was a massively successful show with a huge double main event.
Becky Lynch retained the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair in what is widely believed to be one of the best women’s matches of all-time. Ronda Rousey also retained her Raw Women’s Championship against Nikki Bella.
Those victories were the first official steps toward Lynch and Rousey main eventing WrestleMania 35, along with Charlotte Flair, just a few months later.
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As the Atlanta Falcons begin their 60th season, there have been several players who have etched their names into team lore. However, their history of game-changing free agents is a relatively short one.
Free agency is still relatively new to the NFL, and for the first two-thirds of their existence, the Falcons had owners who were more content to lose free agents than spend to be competitive in the league.
That changed with Arthur Blank in 2002.
Still, coming up with a list of the best Falcons free agents of all time, it’s hard to come up with names. Center Alex Mack immediately comes to mind. Mack signed with the Falcons in 2016 and went to four Pro Bowls with the club.
After just two seasons in Atlanta, safety Jessie Bates III is firmly in the discussion as well. New defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich would likely cast his vote that direction. Ulbrich has a lot of young players who were high draft picks at camp, as well as some established veterans.
He was asked this week if anyone has stood out to him that he’s the most excited to work with.
“Can I say Jessie Bates,” Ulbrich answered with a smile. “Captain Obvious a little bit. He’s one of the best safeties I’ve ever been around playing or coaching. His stuff above the neck is one of one as far as I’m concerned.”
Bates is halfway through a four-year, $64-million contract he signed in 2023. He made the Pro Bowl and was an All-Pro that season and was inexplicably left off both lists in 2024.
Seeing how smart Bates is has already made an impression on Ulbrich.
“His ability to see this game, probably better than most coaches I’ve ever been around,” said Ulbrich.
Bates will likely be paired with rookie Xavier Watts at safety this year, and fellow rookie Billy Bowman Jr. could see extensive playing time at nickel as well. Having Bates in the backfield will pay dividends beyond his play on the field.
“As we’re installing new defenses, I’m just looking at him and his body language, and he’s like searching in the sky for like ‘where do my plays live within this defense?’ It’s just so unique. And the questions he asks are so deliberate, intentional,” said Ulbrich.
Ulbrich summed up Bates’s approach and the leadership he provides on the backside of the defense.
“He doesn’t want to just know it, he wants to master it. It’s very unique in that way.”
With two years left on his contract, Bates turned 28 in February. He has several years of prime football left in the tank. He should be even better moving forward now that the Falcons have finally invested in pressure players in front of him.
Pressured quarterbacks make bad decisions, and when they do, Jessie Bates will anticipate and pounce.
Photograph by Perry Julien
Amyl and the Sniffers performed to a huge crowd at the Eastern on Thursday evening. The Australian band, fronted by vocalist Amy Taylor, blends influences of pop, rock and punk in their music. They are known for their high energy, frenetic live shows. Here, check out the scenes photographer Perry Julien captured at the show.
Photograph by Perry Julien
Photograph by Perry Julien
Photograph by Perry Julien
Photograph by Perry Julien
Photograph by Perry Julien
Photograph by Perry Julien
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