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Irving and Hayward would be healthy, the Celtics would be back with one of the game’s best young coaches, Brad Stevens, and the versatility of the roster appeared to make Boston a legitimate threat to topple the Golden State dynasty. We got nothing of the sort from this team, of course. The Celtics were a regular-season flop, a dysfunctional lot lacking chemistry, finishing fourth in the East with 49 wins....

Boston players wore t-shirts that read “We are BG” during their practice on Saturday ahead of Game 2 of the 2022 NBA Finals. The team shared a video of Marcus Smart entering practice in the shirt on their social media accounts. “Free BG,” Smart said. “We’re here for her. We stand with her.” MORE: Oscar-winning director calls upon President Biden to bring home Brittney Griner Griner, a star player for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, has been detained in Russia since she was arrested Feb....

As part of the deal, Warriors guard Toney Douglas will go to the Heat and center Joel Anthony will move to the Celtics. In rebuilding mode, Boston will take in the Philadelphia 76ers' projected future first-round pick and a future second-round pick, which is owned by Miami, according to the report. MORE: Knicks bench guard J.R. Smith | Nike showcases LBK, Durant in Black History shoes If the 76ers are out of the playoffs this season or the next, both picks will be in the second round, Yahoo!...

Except, of course, this is not. In fact, this series is entirely different than what we would have expected one year ago, 10 months ago, six months ago, or even six weeks ago. They seemed destined to face each other on this stage back when they played on Opening Night, with Boston having stacked its lineup thanks to a blockbuster trade with these very same Cavaliers, sending out three players and a draft pick for star guard Kyrie Irving, after having signed star forward Gordon Hayward....

It took seven full-time craftsmen and dozens of volunteers almost three years to build the wooden plane from spruce and ash. Two pilots were chosen to fill the brothers’ roles, and they learned to maneuver the craft using only their hips and hands. Last month they joined Hyde on the dunes for practice glider runs before testing out the powered Flyer on the historic ground where Orville recorded 120 feet....

First, the inspiration: And here is a look at what they'll be wearing:

On Wednesday, the Champions League’s all-time top goalscorer became the first player to score 100 goals in European club competitions. Champions League Team of the Round Ronaldo – who opened his Champions League account for Manchester United in August 2005 – netted a brace as titleholders Madrid overcame Bayern Munich 2-1 in the first leg of their quarter-final. The four-time Ballon d’Or winner ended a drought with his first European goals since September, netting a 47th-minute equaliser before putting Madrid in the box seat 13 minutes from time....

It was obvious there was a friendship but also a rivalry between the two of them. And they wanted to get in the ring to show what they could do. MORE: Bray Wyatt finds himself | Bo Dallas ‘bolieves’ he will win gold They got their wish at the September Night of Champions, where they put on a fantastic, physical match in which Sheamus pulled out the victory. Despite the loss, it’s onward and upward for the ‘King of Swing,’ who never lacks any confidence when sporting one of his fine suits....

Henne responded well. The 37-year-old led the Chiefs on a 98-yard scoring drive to extend their lead to 17-7 with 3:54 left in the second quarter. Mahomes returned to the game to start the second half. Henne has been a starter in the NFL. Between 2009 and 2014, he started 53 games for the Dolphins and Jaguars, but those teams never reached the postseason. Yet Henne does have history in the playoffs; in fact, the circumstances were similar to Saturday’s appearance....

Johnson, a pioneering athlete/social media star announced his intentions via his Twitter account, which has more than 3.5 million followers. MORE: Rare photos of Chad Johnson | Week 14 picks against the spread As a proud alumnus of Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, I’m all for it, and so are my fellow Rattlers. The Rattlers current wide receivers coach even chimed in, but he might not want to be so hospitable to somebody trying to take his job....

Real Madrid drew its intra-city rival, Atletico Madrid, and saw its odds raised from 3-to-1 before the draw to 4-to-1. Real has already played Atletico six times this season, losing four of the games and drawing in two. Atletico has outscored Real 12-4 in these contests. Barcelona, the third Spanish side in the final eight, remain at 5-to-2 odds after drawing Paris Saint-German for its quarterfinal opponent. The teams split their meetings in the group stage....

"I think that's really what I'm here to find out, how well could I play," Faldo said Thursday. "I think I'm here to entertain the gallery and entertain myself." Faldo, a 56-year-old six-time major winner and World Golf Hall of Famer, has been in the broadcast booth since 2006. He said he decided to play a limited Champions Tour schedule when his competitive side came out at the British Open....

What was it again that Bill Clinton was saying when he made his historic trip to Africa? Ah, yes: the first U.S. president ever to tour the continent, Clinton pledged that a new era was at hand. Since Africans themselves had set about putting their house in order–overthrowing corrupt dictators like Zaire’s Mobutu, establishing free-market economies and moving toward democracy–America would help. It would pay more attention to the continent and, at the very least, open its markets to African exports....

Common sense would be a factor in deciding which players do which drills, Matt Birk, the NFL’s director of player development, said Friday at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. “We run the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis. Why? The only reason anyone can ever give you is, that’s how it’s always been done,” added Birk, a six-time Pro Bowl player who spent 15 seasons in the NFL. New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton said he anticipates bone length metrics as a potential addition to medical testing, according to ESPN....

All is not well at the Allianz Arena with head coach Carlo Ancelotti reportedly close to losing his job after a poor recent run culminated in their Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. Bayern 7/1 to beat Hertha 3-0 It is not just Ancelotti’s future that should be uncertain, according to Lahm, with the club’s former captain open to changes at board level. “I would definitely change something,” he said, when asked by Business Insider....

The Rams’ and Eagles’ hunger for a quarterback has gifted the Chargers, picking third overall in the 2016 NFL Draft, a choice of any player they want. Yes, people need to stop saying they have “the equivalent of the first pick.” What they have is good enough without hyperbole. All they have to do is not over-think this. Don’t fear missing out on a physical specimen that will come back to haunt you later....

The Prince of Wales took a series of cash donations from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani to his charity the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund, according to The Sunday Times. During a one-on-one meeting in 2015, Charles was given €1 million ($1.06 million dollars) stuffed in a suitcase, while on other occasions wads of money were put in bags from the high end food store Fortnum and Mason, according to the newspaper....

Earlier this week, Charles Barkley made some strong comments regarding the people who have looted and rioted in the streets. On Wednesday, his colleague Kenny Smith penned an open letter to Barkley in response to the comments. The segment was incredible television, not just because of the personalities involved, but because of the passion and sincerity with which the crew spoke. TNT’s “Inside The NBA” has become immensely popular because of the personalities on display....

During an interview on NBA TV, Barkley described Irving’s desire to be “the man” as “stupid.” Irving reportedly told Cavs owner Dan Gilbert he wants to be the focal point of a team and no longer wants to play alongside LeBron James. That confused Barkley, to say the least. MORE: Was LeBron’s tweet a swipe at Irving? It sure looks like it “I don’t understand the Kyrie situation,” Barkley said....

Tillman, 35, made the jump during the Chicago Air & Water Show, which took place Saturday and Sunday. Tillman’s father is a retired Army sergeant, according to WGN TV in Chicago. MORE: Preseason Power Rankings | WATCH: Tillman’s career highlights Tillman, selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2003 draft, spent 12 seasons in Chicago before capping his career with one season in Carolina. He announced his retirement from football in July with a memorable video....