BASKETBALL
LaMarcus Aldridge is heading back home to Texas and the San Antonio Spurs are heading back to the top of the list of favorites in the Western Conference.
One of the most coveted free agents on the market picked the Spurs over several suitors, including the Lakers, Heat, Rockets, Knicks, Mavericks, Suns and Trail Blazers, the team for which he played the first nine seasons of his career. “I’m happy to say I’m going home to Texas and will be a Spur!!” the Dallas native tweeted. “I’m excited to join the team and be close to my family and friends.” Aldridge averaged a career-high 23.4 points and also grabbed 10.2 rebounds per game while playing with an injured thumb last season for the Blazers. But after nine years in Portland, he hit the free agent market with many assuming he was headed elsewhere, and the Spurs pounced. Aldridge took two meetings with the Lakers and the Spurs, who brought Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, Coach Gregg Popovich and GM R.C. Buford to the first one on Wednesday. Every team Aldridge met with was offering the fouryear maximum contract worth an estimated $80 million. Ultimately he picked the team that has won five championships since 1999. The Spurs offered him a chance to play in his home state, a chance to join the most successful franchise of the modern era and a chance to take the torch from Duncan, who will return for a 19th season. After winning the championship in 2015, the Spurs were eliminated in seven games by the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs this year. With their famed trio of Duncan, point guard Tony Parker and shooting guard Manu Ginobili aging, Buford and Popovich have deftly set up the long-term health of the franchise with several moves this summer. They started by signing Leonard, the reigning defensive player of the year and the NBA Finals MVP in 2014, to a five-year max contract and also locked up shooting guard Danny Green on a four-year, $45 million deal. Then they traded big man Tiago Splitter to the Atlanta Hawks to help clear some of the necessary salary cap room to land Aldridge, and it all paid off on Saturday.
Walking in sneakers and without a limp, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder said Saturday he’s encountered no setbacks since he received a bone graft in his right foot on March 31. He’s reached the phase of his rehab in which he’s shooting jumpers but isn’t yet running and cutting.
New Thunder Coach Billy Donovan worked him out in recent days, he said. Durant made the comments as he attended opening day of the Pro Summer League at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. “We’re doing X-rays every two weeks, and it’s looking good,” he said. “So I’m excited to get back, man. There’s no pain. [I’m] looking forward to getting back.” Durant said he’s expected to be cleared completely by August. He suffered a Jones fracture in his foot, and he was limited to 27 games. With Durant missing most of the season, and with Russell Westbrook missing 15 games, the Thunder lost a tiebreaker for the final Western Conference playoff spot. “This is the toughest year I’ve ever been through in my life as far as basketball is concerned,” Durant said.
HORSE RACING
Lady Eli, Speightster win
Lady Eli and Speightster both remained unbeaten with impressive victories on the Stars & Stripes holiday card Saturday at Belmont Park in New York. Lady Eli, now 6 for 6, was the winner of the $1 million Belmont Oaks Invitational for 3-year-old fillies on the turf. After settling midpack in the 14-horse field, Lady Eli rallied on the final turn with a dynamic eight-wide move. She quickly surged to the lead, needing only minimal urging from jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. The victory ensured Lady Eli a return trip to the Breeders’ Cup. The winner of last year’s Juvenile Fillies Turf now has a guaranteed berth in the Filly & Mare Turf in October at Keeneland. The 4-5 favorite trained by Chad Brown paid $3.60, $2.80 and $2.40. The time was 1:59.27 for the 11/4 miles. Itsonlyactingdad was second, 2 3/4 lengths behind Lady Eli. She returned $19.20 and $9.40. Outstanding paid $4.50 to show. Speightster won by 2 1/2 lengths over Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red in the $500,000 Dwyer Stakes for 3-year-olds on the main track. He hasn’t missed a beat so far for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, improving to 3 for 3 with another decisive win. Under jockey Jose Lezcano, Speightster stalked the pace set by Hollywood Angel before taking command at the top of the stretch, just as Texas Red launched a rally from the back of the pack and appeared poised to roll past. But Speightster could not be caught. Speightster paid $6.50, $3.60 and $2.70 as the 2-1 second choice. The time was 1:35.13 for the mile. Texas Red, the 9-5 favorite, returned $3.40 and $2.40 in only his second race this year — and first in more than five months. He missed the Triple Crown races with a foot abscess. Tommy Macho paid $2.90 to show.
Gimme Da Lute won the $350,000 Los Alamitos Derby by a nose Saturday for Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert. Ridden by Martin Garcia, Gimme Da Lute ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.09 and paid $8.60 and $4.20 as the 3-1 second choice. Prospect Park returned $4.20, while pacesetter and 2-5 favorite Kentuckian was another 7 3/4 lengths back in third. There was no show wagering because of the fivehorse field for the Grade 2 race at Los Alamitos. Gimme Da Lute and Prospect Park also finished 1-2 in the Affirmed Stakes last month at Santa Anita. Gimme Da Lute is co-owned and bred by Mike Pegram, Baffert’s longtime friend. The victory, worth $210,000, increased Gimme Da Lute’s career earnings to $457,560, with four victories in seven starts. Follow Me Crev was fourth and Pain and Misery was last. Baffert trained American Pharoah to racing’s first Triple Crown triumph in 37 years last month. Garcia exercised the colt in the mornings, although he was ridden in his races by Victor Espinoza.
MOTOR SPORTS
Hamilton takes pole again
Championship leader Lewis Hamilton produced another formidable performance in qualifying at the British Grand Prix on Saturday to clinch pole position for the eighth time in nine races this season. With a 46th career pole, the reigning world champion moved to third place on Formula One’s alltime leaderboard, with only Michael Schumacher (68) and Ayrton Senna (65) ahead of him. Hamilton, who clocked 1 minute, 32.248 seconds in qualifying, will share the front row of the grid today with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg for the seventh time this year. In windy conditions at Silverstone in central England, there was only a 10th of a second between Hamilton and Rosberg, who are separated by 10 points at the top of the drivers’ standings. Qualifying was a reversal from Friday’s practice sessions when Rosberg outpaced his fellow teammate. Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff said the engineers resolved a “setup mishap” overnight for Hamilton.
The newly formed driver council met with NASCAR for a second time Saturday at Daytona Beach and it may have led to a new rules package for upcoming races at Indianapolis and Michigan. NASCAR has already said it will use a package with less downforce next weekend at Kentucky Speedway, and that same package could be used at Darlington Raceway next month. Now it appears a package with a higher level of drag is in the works for Indy and Michigan. Driver council member Jeff Gordon said most drivers support the lower downforce package for Kentucky, and they are willing to try something different, too. The council first met with NASCAR officials last month at Dover. Series officials are working with the entire industry on improving the on-track product.