Golden State Warriors fans who never want to forget about their 2018 NBA Finals victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers have the opportunity to own a jersey from the player responsible for the series' most infamous moment.
JR Smith's game-worn black jersey from Game 1 is available for public bidding on the NBA Auctions website. As of Monday afternoon, the bid was a head-turning $3,620. By comparison, the high bid on teammate LeBron James' jersey was $90,100.
Smith was wearing the jersey when he famously rebounded George Hill's missed free throw with the contest tied in the final seconds of regulation and dribbled away from the basket as time expired.
A despondent James motioned for a timeout during the sequence to no avail, and the Warriors went on to steamroll the Cavaliers in the overtime period for a 124-114 victory.
Golden State never looked back in the series and swept Cleveland, clinching its third title in four years.
Family bond
Kevin Durant and his father didn't have the best relationship growing up. Wayne Pratt, father of the Golden State Warriors star, left Durant and his family when the sharpshooting Finals MVP was 1 year old.
Pratt was in and out of Durant's life, but eventually they reconciled. Now, Pratt is an important part of Durant's career and business decisions.
As several players decided to celebrate their fathers and the national day of recognition on social media, it was actually Pratt who decided to write a letter to his son. In a post on the website The Undefeated, Pratt spoke about how he was grateful to have Durant as a son and to have reconciled with him.
"I regret missing out on your first day of school, your first haircut, holidays and the first day you picked up a basketball," Pratt penned. "But I thank God daily for creating the opportunity for us to reconnect. I'm so thankful for you opening your heart at such a tender time. Every parent-child relationship has its ups and downs and we are no exception. I feel fortunate that we have learned how to successfully navigate life's mistakes. Thank you for forgiving me and allowing us to have the great relationship we have today."
The 99 club
It appears Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown and Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald will be the top-ranked players in Madden 19, all claiming the prestigious 99 rating, according to Steve Noah of Operation Sports and Miguel Lozada.
Those selections shouldn't come as a huge surprise. Donald was Pro Football Focus' top-ranked player in 2017, while Brown came in at No. 7. Rodgers spent most of the season injured and didn't make the list, though the six-time Pro Bowler and two-time MVP is widely considered one of the elite players in the NFL.
The primary debate surrounding these rankings will be Rodgers coming in ahead of Tom Brady (97). All Brady did last year was win the MVP and lead the Patriots to the Super Bowl, where they came up just short against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Sports on 06/19/2018