Aaron Judge’s power fuels Yankees’ surge
The Yankees played the third game of a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners on the road last night in trying to complete a sweep. They were also looking to extend their overall winning streak to five games and had been on the plus side with eight of their previous 12.
The Yankees began the day at 34-23, in third place in the American League East, five games behind division-leading Tampa Bay Rays at 39-18, and trailing the second-place Baltimore Orioles (35-20) by two. Manager Aaron Boone’s offense had produced 10 runs in their games before last night, defeating the San Diego Padres on Sunday 10-7, and the Mariners 10-4 on Monday and by 10-2 Tuesday.
“It’s no small feat to throw up 10 more runs against that quality of a pitching staff,” said Boone. “Credit to these guys. They’re focused, they’re working. They’re communicating well and they’re convicted in their plans right now. It’s showing itself.”
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Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who plays infield and outfield but started Tuesday in left field, had four hits and four RBIs in five at-bats, and Nestor Cortes earned his fifth win (5-2, 5.16 ERA) in 11 starts. But even with Kiner-Falefa’s superlative performance, it was reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge who garnered much of the attention by hitting his 18th home run of this season after hitting two on Monday to open the Yankees six-game West Coast trip.
The Yanks will start a three-game weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers tomorrow and return to the Bronx to host the Chicago White Sox Tuesday–Thursday.
The Mets conclude a three-game series at home at Citi Field against the Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon and begin a three-game set versus the Toronto Blue Jays in Queens tomorrow.
The Mets were 28-27 and tied for second place in the NL East with the Miami Marlins before playing the Phillies last night. The Atlanta Braves led the division with a mark of 32-23 and will host the Mets next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
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Can the Heat end their unlikely run taking down the Nuggets?
After taking a commanding lead against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, on Monday night, the Miami Heat faced being the first NBA team in history to lose a best-of-seven series after leading 3-0. They avoided infamy with a tenacious performance in the elimination game on the road in Boston, defeating the Celtics 104-83 and now are in Denver to open the Finals versus the Western Conference champion Nuggets beginning tonight.
Following a dominant showing in the Western Conference playoffs, including their 4-0 sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the conference championships led by series MVP Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets head into the Finals as the favorites.
It is the franchise’s first ever appearance in the Finals.
The Nuggets hold home court advantage over the Heat after ending the regular season 53-39, the best record in the West and the third overall in the league behind the Milwaukee Bucks (58-24) and the Celtics (57-25). Jokic, a two-time league MVP (2021, 2022), who finished second in the voting this season to Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, and Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, have been the best tandem in the game during this postseason. The 7-foot Jokic averaged a dominant triple-double versus the Lakers scoring 29.9 points with 13.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists.
RELATED: The Nuggets head to the Finals while the Celtics hang on versus the Heat
The 6-4 Murray averaged 32.5 points per game against the Lakers and became the first player in NBA history to to average at least 30 points per game on shooting splits of at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent on 3-point attempts and 90 percent from the foul line. The Heat, which had a regular season record of 44-38, is only the second 8th seed – the New York Knicks in 1999 were the first – to reach the Finals.
They are led by forward Jimmy Butler, a five-time All-NBA selection, and forward/center Bam Adebayo, a two-time NBA All-Star and four-time All-NBA Defensive Team honoree. Miami has also been defined by its group of undrafted role players, notably small forward Caleb Martin, shooting guard/small forward Max Strus and point guard Gabe Vincent. They have been critical to the Heat’s success.
The Nuggets’ have also received strong contributions from players other than Jokic and Murray, including forwards Micheal Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon, and guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown. While the Heat will play with the intensity and heart that drove them to the Finals, the pick is the Nuggets in five.
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Books for future hip-hop heads
“She Raised Her Voice! 50 Black Women Who Sang Their Way Into Music History,” the upcoming “A Child’s Introduction to Hip-Hop: The Beats, Rhymes, and Roots of a Musical Revolution” (both by AmNews contributor Jordannah Elizabeth); and “A Child’s Introduction to Jazz: The Musicians, Culture, and Roots of the World’s Coolest Music” by Jabari Asim, are all great books to give young folks a solid grounding in hip-hop history and its relation to other genres.
Excerpts from “She Raised Her Voice! 50 Black Women Who Sang Their Way Into Music History,” illustrated by Briana Dengoue
Excerpts from “A Child’s Introduction to Jazz,” illustrated by Jerrard K. Polk
Excerpts from “A Child’s Introduction to Hip Hop,” illustrated by Markia Jenai
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Joker and the Nuggets seek their first NBA title facing the Heat
Nikola Jokic was masterful in the Western Conference Finals. The Denver Nuggets center posted averages of 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists in a 4-0 sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in their best-of-seven series. Now the two-time NBA regular season MVP (2021, 2022) is four wins away from earning his first league championship as well as the first for the franchise.
His quest begins tonight when the Nuggets host the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat in Game 1 of the National Basketball Association Finals. The Heat arrived there by defeating the Boston Celtics 4-3, ending the series with a 103-84 road victory on Sunday night. The Heat took the first three games before the Celtics stormed back to even the series and attempted to become the only team in NBA history to win a best-of-seven series after being down 0-3.
Jokic and the Nuggets were the No. 1 seed in the West entering the playoffs and knocked off the No. 8 seed Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1 in the opening round and dismissed the No. 4 seed Phoenix Suns 4-2 in the conference semifinals before sweeping the Lakers. The Heat, only the second No. 8 seed to make it to the NBA championship, 24 years after the New York Knicks became the first in 1999, are giant killers.
RELATED: The Nuggets head to the Finals while the Celtics hang on versus the Heat
They eliminated the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks––who had the league’s best regular season record at 58-24––in five games to start their postseason run. The Heat then sent the No. 5 seed New York Knicks packing 4-2 prior to their compelling series against the No. 2 seed Celtics. But Jokic, nicknamed Joker, and the Nuggets are looking to put an end to the Heat’s unforeseen playoff success.
The team’s share similar traits. Both have superstars in Jokic and the Heat’s stellar small forward Jimmy Butler and complimentary stars. In torching the Lakers, Denver guard Jamal Murray became the first player in NBA history to average at least 30 points per game (he averaged 32.5) on 50 percent shooting from the field, 40 percent on 3-point attempts and 90 percent from the foul line. Murray’s unmatched split was 52.7/40.5/95.
While the Heat’s Bam Adebayo was inconsistent against the Celtics, the 25-year-old forward/center is a two-time All-Star and four-time All-Defensive selection. The Nuggets and Heat have also heavily relied on their role players who have emerged as invaluable this postseason. Denver head coach Mike Malone and Miami’s Eric Spolestra, who currently is arguably the best in his profession and one of the most accomplished NBA head coaches ever, have shaped cohesive, symbiotic rosters.
“If you’re going to win at a high level, you can’t have distractions,” said Malone via the Associated Press ahead of the Finals. “You have to have guys that get along—on the court, off the court—and come together and share in a common goal.”
The prediction here is the Nuggets will achieve their goal with a 4-2 series win.
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Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a Syrian refugee, will stop here in the … – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez to battle June 10 at MSG
Combat sports return to New York City when Josh Taylor (19-0, 13 KOs) defends his WBO and Ring Magazine titles against former lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez (18-1, 13 KOs) Saturday, June 10 at Madison Square Garden’s Theater.
The Brooklyn native Lopez is 7-1 inside Madison Square Garden, suffering his only defeat to George Kambosos Jr. in November 2021, relinquishing his unified titles. Taylor returns to the ring for the first time since February 2022.
“This is a super fight on both sides of the pond, the junior welterweight king in Josh Taylor stepping up against the young, dynamic Teofimo Lopez,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, the fight’s promoter. “I cannot wait for these two supreme talents to step into the Madison Square Garden ring. It’s going to be a special night.”
Puerto Rican rising star and junior middleweight Xander Zayas (15-0, 10 KOs) will challenge Ronald Cruz (18-2-1, 12 KOs) in the co-main event. Look for domination out of Zayas, one of the brightest stars at Top Rank.
Two weeks later at the Garden, Edgar Berlanga (20-0 16 KOs), formerly of Top Rank and now with Matchroom, will face Irishman Jason Quigley (20-2 14 KOs). Berlanga is 4-0 at the Garden.
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“I’m excited to be back in my hometown and to perform at the mecca of boxing once again,” said the Brooklyn native. “I want this night to be historic for my fans and for all the people of Puerto Rico and to witness greatness. I feel like I’m reborn again in the sport, signing with Matchroom and getting back to where it all started with my old coach Marc Farrait. I promise it’ll be something big on June 24.”
Berlanga struggled in his last fight, leading to Top Rank not re-signing him. He hopes to put on a big performance under a new promoter.
In the co-main, Reshat Mati (13-0 7 KOs) will face his toughest opponent to date when he steps in the ring against Adam Kownacki (20-3 15 KOs).
At last, undefeated, unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. and undefeated WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford both posted to social media that they have agreed to a battle on Saturday, July 29, 2023, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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