Sports

Terance Mann, Amir Coffey serve as unlikely point guards during Clippers’ stretch run

Published

2 years ago

March 15, 2022

After the Clippers emerged from final month’s commerce deadline with one conventional level guard left on their roster, coach Tyronn Lue — who performed the place himself — usually identified his dearth of ballhandling choices.

In latest weeks, nonetheless, such asides have largely disappeared from his feedback earlier than and after video games. It’s not as a result of the place has been bolstered. It’s as a result of the Clippers have grown used to a short-term plan the franchise believes is of their long-term curiosity, too.

As soon as Goran Dragic selected to signal with Brooklyn, and with no clear improve on the buyout market and no urge to take an prolonged take a look at a youthful guard, the Clippers have deemed their best choice lies in placing the ball within the arms of wings equivalent to Terance Mann and Amir Coffey.

At no level for the reason that Feb. 10 deadline was that call extra apparent than Monday in Cleveland, when throughout a 120-111 time beyond regulation loss, Mann and Coffey have been amongst a rotating solid of ballhandlers left to pilot the offense with level guard Reggie Jackson incomes an evening off.

With ahead Marcus Morris Sr. resting as nicely, and not an apparent vacation spot for every play to finish, the ball skipped round for 29 assists, the Clippers’ most in six video games, and simply 11 turnovers.

In 44 minutes, Mann completed with 4 assists and 0 turnovers and he pushed the Clippers’ tempo even whereas lacking his first eight pictures. Coffey had two assists and 0 turnovers in 39 minutes regardless of dealing with strain.

Lue’s overarching purpose within the common season’s ultimate three weeks is to arrange his group for the play-in match, given the Clippers are virtually assuredly certain to complete eighth within the Western Convention. For older contributors with heavier workloads, that may imply extra relaxation. For the others it’s going to imply extra reps, and the prevailing thought guiding the group’s post-deadline roster building is that there’s extra worth for the Clippers — each this season and subsequent — to develop wings equivalent to Mann and Coffey whose talent units have broadened sufficient to provoke Lue’s offense.

Final season, Mann was the ball handler in decide and rolls on 78 possessions, producing 0.91 factors per possession, and Coffey did it on 20 possessions that produced 0.9 factors every time. This yr their pick-and-roll ball handler workload has spiked: 114 possessions for Mann, for a median of 0.96 factors, and 66 possessions for Coffey, at a clip of 0.939 factors, in keeping with Synergy Sports activities.

The transition has not been seamless, as was evidenced in opposition to the Cavaliers.

“It was simply onerous for us on the level of assault for decide and rolls,” Lue mentioned. “I assumed when Amir dealt with they pressured him, when T-Mann, they pressed him slightly bit, went below slightly bit, so it form of killed our triggers. However for essentially the most half, I assumed they dealt with it fairly nicely, you realize? Simply enjoying, making the appropriate go, making the appropriate play.”

With out Jackson, the offense required operating “numerous stuff that we don’t get to go over as a result of we don’t have our regular group,” Mann mentioned. “It was lots completely different, lots completely different seems of men and stuff like that we don’t usually get. It was nonetheless cool.”

Since backup guard Eric Bledsoe was traded to Portland on Feb. 4, Mann has averaged 37.8 passes per recreation, 10 greater than he’d averaged this season to that time. He has elevated his assists by a couple of per recreation and the change in workload is mirrored in a utilization price enhance of two proportion factors, to 17.1%.

Coffey’s will increase aren’t as dramatic however his utilization price has elevated by three proportion factors, additionally utilizing 17.1% of the Clippers’ possessions.

Their ballhandling duty doesn’t determine to be as vital to shoulder upon the returns of the injured offensive headliners Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Norman Powell, whether or not all or any come again this spring or subsequent fall. However group president Lawrence Frank has mentioned that groups can by no means have sufficient wings — actually not these versatile sufficient to protect a number of positions and perform a number of roles offensively.

It’s one motive why, despite the fact that extra alternatives for resting Jackson stay in the course of the Clippers’ ultimate 11 video games, no deal to signal a free-agent level guard as ballhandling insurance coverage is considered as imminent, and Mann mentioned he would do no matter job Lue asks of him. (The Clippers have the utmost 15 gamers and thus would want to waive a participant to create a roster spot.)

Ever for the reason that Clippers acquired George and Leonard in 2020, essentially the most persistent query surrounding their offense is how a lot, or whether or not in any respect, they want an extra ballhandler to alleviate a few of that workload from the group’s wings. They added Jackson in 2020 off the buyout market however he factored little into their postseason. In 2021, they traded Lou Williams for Rajon Rondo, and Frank envisioned the veteran “orchestrator” smoothing out the offense’s tough edges, just for his function to fizzle amid a conference-title run.

The group’s February determination to face pat with their backcourt on the commerce deadline and never chunk within the buyout market, too, was a marked change. If a sure-fire participant wasn’t obtainable, the Clippers weren’t prepared to remove reps now from wings whose development might assist the group later.

“We obtained some guys who can fill that function, who’ve performed it earlier than or performed with the ball, so that they know how you can fill of their function and I believe they did a stable job tonight,” heart Ivica Zubac mentioned. “What number of assists? Twenty-nine. Everybody was transferring the ball, making the appropriate performs, and we missed some beauty, however total I believe the blokes did a fairly good job filling in for that spot.”

UP NEXT

VS. TORONTO

When: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday

On the air: TV: Bally Sports activities; Radio: 570, 1220

Replace: Of their final residence recreation till March 25, the Clippers (36-35) face one of many league’s streakiest groups. Since late January the Raptors (38-30) gained eight in a row, then misplaced 4 of their subsequent 5 earlier than shedding two, successful two, shedding three, solely to comply with with their present four-game successful streak. Pascal Siakam is again to the shape that made him an all-star two seasons in the past whereas averaging a career-high 8.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists together with 21.8 factors.

Sports

Colorado football faces uphill battle as Big 12 preseason rankings list Buffaloes outside top-10

Published

4 hours ago

July 3, 2024

Press Room

Colorado football faces uphill battle as Big 12 preseason rankings list Buffaloes outside top-10

The Deion Sanders-led Colorado football team had a disappointing finish last season.

Colorado was able to attract some top recruits in 2024 as the Pro Football Hall of Famer orchestrated a massive roster overhaul. The Buffaloes’ 4-8 record in 2023 was an improvement over its 1-11 mark in the season prior to Sanders’ arrival.

But, the Buffaloes will face an uphill battle when they kick off their inaugural season in the Big 12 Conference in late August. As the calendar turns to July, the conference’s football media preseason poll was revealed.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders directs players during the first half of an NCAA spring college football game Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The Big 12 Conference has expanded to 16 schools. Entering the 2024 season, media members projected the Buffaloes as the 11th best team in the conference.

Colorado’s roster does feature elite talent at some key positions. Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders received All-Big 12 honors, while star wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter was the preseason pick for defensive player of the year.

EX-COLORADO PLAYER RIPS DEION SANDERS’ APPROACH TO ROSTER OVERHAUL

However, some appear to believe the Buffaloes’ deficiencies could prevent the team from racking up a significant number of wins in 2024.

Colorado could enter several games this upcoming season as an underdog. The Buffaloes will host North Dakota State to open the regular season. They will then travel to Nebraska, followed by a matchup with in-state rival Colorado State.

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) passes the ball during a PAC-12 conference football game between the Colorado Buffaloes and Oregon Ducks on September 23, 2023 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Buffaloes return home to take on Baylor, before traveling UCF. The remainder of Colorado’s schedule is listed below:

Oct. 12 – Kansas State

Oct. 19 – at Arizona

Oct. 26 – Cincinnati

Nov. 9 – at Texas Tech

Nov. 16 – Utah

Nov. 23 – at Kansas

Nov. 29 – Oklahoma State

Colorado Buffaloes tight end Michael Harrison (87) celebrates with the fans on the field after winning the Rocky Mountain Showdown against the Colorado State Rams 43-35 in double over time at Folsom Field September 16, 2023. (Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Utah took the top spot in the Big 12 preseason poll, while Arizona State rounded out the list. The full preseason poll is listed below:

1. Utah
2. Kansas State
3. Oklahoma State
4. Kansas
5. Arizona
6. Iowa State
7. West Virginia
8. UCF
9. Texas Tech
10. TCU
11. Colorado
12. Baylor
13. BYU
14. Cincinnati
15. Houston
16. Arizona State

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) looks to pass the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Colorado State, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The always confident Sanders will have to coach Colorado to victory during the regular season to disprove some of the doubts surrounding the Buffaloes.

The Big 12 Media Days are scheduled for July 9-10 in Las Vegas. Sanders missed last year’s Pac-12 Conference Media Days due to a “routine, follow-up” procedure on his foot.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

Sports

Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández key thrilling walk-off win for Dodgers

Published

5 hours ago

July 3, 2024

Press Room

Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández key thrilling walk-off win for Dodgers

The Arizona Diamondbacks had a base open.

They decided to pitch to Freddie Freeman anyway.

In the Dodgers’ come-from-behind, walk-off 6-5 win over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, Freeman provided the pivotal moment in a winning two-run rally in the ninth, hammering a two-strike double to tie the score before scoring the winning run on Teoscar Hernández’s game-ending single an at-bat later.

It was the kind of late-game sequence the Dodgers have mastered of late — with the home team thrilling a sold-out Chavez Ravine crowd for their 18th comeback win of the season.

For most of the night, the two teams traded blows in a back-and-forth game.

The Dodgers took an early two-run lead. Bobby Miller avoided implosion in a two-run fourth inning. Then, after a monstrous two-run blast from Shohei Ohtani gave the Dodgers a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning, the club’s bullpen gave up runs in the top of the eighth and ninth innings to see the Diamondbacks to surge back in front.

The Arizona lead, however, wouldn’t last.

With two out in the ninth, Will Smith sparked the winning rally by lining a two-run double off the center-field wall.

That left a base open for the Diamondbacks to potentially walk Freeman, the first base slugger who was coming off his best month of the season in June.

Instead, Arizona let closer Paul Sewald pitch to the former MVP.

In an 0-and-2 count, the decision backfired spectacularly.

With chants of “Fredd-ie! Fredd-ie!” raining from the stands, Freeman turned on a 93-mph fastball over the outer edge of the zone, roping a tying double into the right-center field gap.

Moments later, Hernández completed the comeback by bouncing an RBI single through the left side of the infield, sending the crowd into delirium as the club collected its third walk-off win of the season.

Sports

NFL legend Tom Brady expresses one regret about storied playing career

Published

11 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

NFL legend Tom Brady expresses one regret about storied playing career

Tom Brady’s serious approach to football during his time in the NFL was well documented.

During a sit-down on “The Pivot” podcast, the seven-time Super Bowl winner expressed some regret about his fiery approach.

“What I would have changed was, ‘OK, there’s part of me that still loves …’ You see these young players. I see, like, Patrick [Mahomes] out there at quarterback, laughing, having fun,” Brady told former NFL players and current podcast co-hosts Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder in May.

“I’m like, ‘I used to be like that!’ What the hell happened to me? I just got too serious.”

Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady before a game between the Michigan Panthers and the Memphis Showboats at Ford Field May 18, 2024, in Detroit. (Nic Antaya/UFL/Getty Images)

Brady seemed to take a serious and arguably robotic approach that the New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick had during the franchise’s unprecedented run of success.

NFL LEGEND GIVES TOM BRADY CRUCIAL BROADCASTING ADVICE AHEAD OF FIRST SEASON IN THE BOOTH

When Brady did get emotional, it often involved him getting in teammates’ faces to yell at them on the sideline or him violently smashing a tablet.

But Brady did seem to be looser when he left New England and joined the Buccaneers in 2020.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady yells at his team during the second half of a game against the Washington Football Team Nov. 14, 2021, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Brady announced his decision to retire from the NFL “for good” after the 2022 season. The NFL icon is now preparing to make the move to the broadcasting booth.

Brady, along with NFL on FOX play-by-play man Kevin Burkhardt, will call the Dallas Cowboys Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 8. The game will mark Brady’s debut as FOX Sports’ lead NFL analyst. He also stepped into the broadcast booth during last month’s UFL Championship game.

Tom Brady, former New England Patriots quarterback, stands center stage under Super Bowl banners and receives a standing ovation at the end of his Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

As Brady looks ahead to the next chapter in his career, he also took a moment to look back at what he could have done differently.

“You just learn from it, and go, ‘OK, now next phase of life, enjoy it a little more,’” Brady said.

He also discussed the challenges he faced during the early portion of his career.

“So much [of], I think, the early part of my career was trying to fulfill people’s new expectations of me and me still being the 14-year-old boy that wanted to fit in. I was like, ‘I just want to go to the field and play,’” Brady said. “Now, there was all these other things to choose from.

“Next thing you know, you’re overwhelmed because you didn’t sleep, you didn’t eat right, you were partying. I’m like, ‘I don’t really like the way I’m feeling.’”

Brady has had a busy few months leading up to his highly anticipated transition to broadcasting. The Patriots held a star-studded Hall of Fame induction ceremony for him at Gillette Stadium in June.

He was also roasted during a live broadcast in May, a decision he later said he regretted.

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Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.