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Winderman’s view: Are Herro-less Heat better than Giannis-less Bucks? Looked that way Saturday

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:48:02 GMT

Observations and other notes of interest from Saturday night’s 121-99 NBA playoff victory over the Milwaukee Bucks:– This is not the series as advertised.– Not with Giannis Antetokounmpo missing the first 2 1/2 games with a lower-back contusion.– And possibly missing more.– So, no, not your typical No. 1 vs. No. 8.– But with this where it stands, and with no guarantees of when or if there is an Antetokounmpo return it begs the question:– Is the Bucks’ roster without Giannis better than the Heat’s current roster without Tyler Herro?– Giannis might be back at any time.– Herro won’t, out until June, if there is a June for the Heat, with his broken hand.– With Jimmy Butler, as long as Giannis is out, the Heat have the best player in the series.– (Provided his hard fall in Saturday’s third period doesn’t change that equation.)– But to do ultimate damage, the Heat can’t leave it as ...

Orioles win 5th straight, 5-1 over Tigers, as Kyle Gibson continues streak of strong starts

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:48:02 GMT

Kyle Gibson on Saturday wasn’t the pitcher the Orioles paid $10 million for this offseason.He was much more than that.Gibson, an 11-year veteran with a reputation as a pitch-to-contact innings-eater, struck out 11 batters to tie his career high in the Orioles’ 5-1 win over the Detroit Tigers. The 35-year-old right-hander allowed just two hits and one run in 6 1/3 innings to continue Baltimore’s streak of stupendous outings from its starters.“He was lights-out,” catcher James McCann said. “I’ve had to face him enough in my career, getting to catch [him] is a lot more fun.”The start is easily Gibson’s best as an Oriole. The only run he allowed was a home run with one out in the seventh. His 6 1/3 innings before the solo homer extended the scoreless streak by Orioles starters to 30, and the quality start was the club’s fourth straight, joining Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells. The Orioles have allowed just two runs in...

Rowdy Tellez’s ownership of Red Sox continues in 5-4 loss

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:48:02 GMT

Rowdy Tellez and the Milwaukee Brewers had Garrett Whitlock’s number early and often on Saturday night, and it led to a kind of loss that’s already become all too familiar this season.Fresh off the best start of his career (and the fastest Red Sox game since the 1990s), the 26-year-old righty wasn’t at the top of his game in America’s Dairyland. Over four innings, he threw 81 pitches, 54 for strikes, and induced eight swings and misses, but allowed five earned runs on eight hits, walked one, struck out one, and hit a batter.Whitlock pitched into the fifth inning, but was unable to record an out in the frame, and left a bases-loaded mess behind for Richard Bleier. The southpaw immediately had to contend with Tellez, whose torment of Red Sox pitching continues to defy logic. The former Toronto Blue Jay homered in each of the first two games of the series, bringing his career total against Boston up to 14 of 86 overall. Bleier managed to get him to hit into a do...

Heat this time seize upon Antetokounmpo absence, thrash Bucks 121-99 for 2-1 series lead

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:48:02 GMT

There will be basketball at the Miami Heat’s arena beyond Monday night’s Game 4 of this best-of-seven opening-round Eastern Conference playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks.Saturday night’s 121-99 Jimmy Butler-powered victory assured as much.It might be a Game 6 on Friday night against the Bucks or it might be, as unfathomable as it previously might have sounded for the No. 8 seed Heat, a second-round game against either the New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers.For now, the unexpected reality for Erik Spoelstra’s team is a 2-1 lead series lead over top-seeded Milwaukee, which finds itself on shaky ground, with Giannis Antetokounmpo missing a second consecutive game with a lower-back contusion.Unable to take advantage of Antetokounmpo’s absence in their Wednesday night blowout loss at Fiserv Forum, the Heat this time seized the moment behind sizzling 16-of-33 3-point shooting and a fiery 30-point performance by Jimmy Butler.With Duncan Robinson, K...

Vrioni scores pair in Revs’ 2-1 win over Sporting KC

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:48:02 GMT

FOXBORO – The New England Revolution retained a share of first place in the MLS Eastern Conference with a 2-1 victory over hapless Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.Giacomo Vrioni scored both Revs goals.The Revolution (6-1-2) are tied with FC Cincinnati (6-2-1), which beat Portland 2-1 at home.The Revolution are home on Tuesday night (7:30) for a U.S. Open Cup third round match against Hartford Athletic. The Revs resume MLS play on Saturday against FC Cincinnati at Gillette.“We are going to put a team on the field that can win the game and that is our focus on the Open Cup,” said Revolution head coach Bruce Arena. “We have a game on Tuesday that we will take first and then get our team prepared for a very good Cincinnati team.”With the Revs on the dock for three games in eight days, Arena made significant changes to the starting XI battled Columbus to a 1-1 in Ohio on April 15. Arena excused midfielder Latif Blessing from the match. Blessing returned to his ...

Trump defends push to restrict abortion rights after rebuke

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:48:02 GMT

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — Donald Trump, stinging from a rebuke by the nation’s leading anti-abortion group, used a speech Saturday before influential evangelicals in Iowa to spotlight his actions as president to try to restrict abortion rights.Chief among the accomplishments Trump listed were his nominations of three conservative judges to the U.S. Supreme Court. The appointments paved the way for the overturning last year of the landmark Roe. v. Wade ruling, which had affirmed a federal right to abortion. “Those justices delivered a landmark victory for protecting innocent life. Nobody thought it was going to happen,” Trump said, appearing via video to a gathering of the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition. “They thought it would be another 50 years. Because Republicans had been trying to do it for exactly that period of time, 50 years.”Trump has often avoided talking about abortion as he campaigns again for the White House, sidestepping the issue less than a year after the...

'Come for the contact’: Chicago’s pro rugby team hoping to grow game organically

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:48:02 GMT

There’s a new pro team joining the Chicago sports landscape this year: the Chicago Hounds.They are the newest members of Major League Rugby and kicked off their inaugural season in February, just three months after the team was founded.“We try to embody that of a Hound and that of a Chicagoan,” said head coach Sam Harris. “Big shoulders, resilience, blue collar and working hard, whatever is thrown at us we are up for the challenge. That’s what fans can expect.”Harris never set foot in the City of Broad Shoulders until tapped to take over the expansion franchise after two seasons leading Austin. But the former pro rugby player from Australia has immersed himself in Chicago sports history.“I’ve taken a deep dive in the ‘85 Bears, I’ve been a huge 90’s Bulls fan. I wore all my video tapes out as a kid, and wanted to be NBA player growing up,” he said. How Chicago Fire FC, Red Stars have started their 2023 seasons Harris hopes the Hounds can become part of the city’s sports fabric, in...

Central Texas emergency leaders watch for severe weather this weekend

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:48:02 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Emergency managers in Central Texas say they're watching for severe thunderstorms this weekend that could bring hail, heavy winds, and potential floods.Officials in the Hill Country early Saturday afternoon said things were calm but storm watchers were on standby in case the National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for the area.Marsha Hardy, emergency management coordinator for San Saba County, said she consulted the San Saba Sheriff's Office ahead of the severe weather's arrival to notify an outdoor event planned Saturday night."We did have a carnival set up in the park. We're assuming that they probably are staying up with the weather. Just in case we just want to make sure that they're aware of it," Hardy said.KXAN's First Warning Weather team predicted that storms possible in the Hill Country could reach Austin's metro area.Brandon Kimble lives in downtown Austin and says he tries to follow storm basics like staying inside, but does not have an emergency p...

Two 10-year-olds killed in Afton ATV crash

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:48:02 GMT

Two 10-year-olds died Saturday night after an ATV crash in Afton.First responders and deputies were called around 5 p.m. to the 1000 block of Neal Avenue South in Afton, according to a news release from the Washington County sheriff’s office.Responders found the juveniles trapped under an ATV and performed lifesaving efforts, but both were pronounced dead at the scene, per the release.The cause of the accident is still under investigation.Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | Nearly 4,500 pay respects to fallen sheriff’s deputy Crime & Public Safety | Slain woman’s son, ex-boyfriend charged with murder in July shootout that killed her in crossfire Crime & Public Safety | Judge dismisses trespassing charges against environmental activist Winona LaDuke Crime & Public Safety | Kim Potter, Brooklyn Center officer who shot Daunte Wright, to be released from prison Monday Crime & Public Safet...

St. Louis-area farmers scramble to save crops from unseasonal cold

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 10:48:02 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - Mother Nature surprised many around St. Louis on Earth Day, which brings near-freezing weekend temperatures to the region overnight. That freeze has many farmers scrambling to save their crops. If the plants don’t make it, it could be devastating to their bottom line. Andrew Wellie has spent most of the last three days on Theis Farm moving tarps and brinks to cover acres of strawberries. The berries very sensitive this time of year, especially when temperatures are expected to get below freezing.   Top Story: St. Louis police chief’s comment about prosecution crisis may surprise you “This is pretty substantial, getting this cold," said Wellie. "Usually, we might get 35 with a possible frost, but 32 and a freeze is really a bit much at this time." He says the tarp keeps in the heart from the soil, but he still won't sleep well. "I’m going to worry that if the tarps blow off at any point, whatever blows away and becomes exposed to the cold, tho...