The nine-time All-Star went off in Game 7 of the first-round series against the Kings, scoring 50 points on 20-of-28 shooting from the floor and 7-of-18 from deep to go along with eight rebounds and six dimes on the way to ending Sacramento’s season.
Curry’s 50-point performance was good enough for the most points in any Game 7 in NBA history. Durant previously held the record from his 48-point effort during the Brooklyn Nets Game 7 against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.
Following Curry’s historic performance on Sunday, Durant took to Twitter with a reaction. The former Warrior turned Phoenix Suns forward praised Curry’s Game 7, calling him “legendary.”
Durant and The Suns are preparing for Game 2 against the No. 1 seed Denver Nuggets in the second round of the Western Conference postseason. The Suns are trailing in the series 0-1 after dropping Game 1 against the Nuggets, 125-107.
Durant wasn’t the only NBA player to respond to Curry’s performance on Twitter. Players like Trae Young, DeMar DeRozan, Victor Wembanyama and Damian Lillard all chimed in on Twitter with reactions to Curry’s Game 7 against the Kings.
With their 4-3 series win over the Kings, Curry and the Warriors will advance to play LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the postseason. Game 1 will tip off in San Francisco on Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT.
The TNT scorebug for Bruins-Panthers predicted a game-tying goal before it even happened.
During Sunday night’s Game 7 between the Boston Bruins and the Florida Panthers, the TNT scorebug predicted a major moment right before it happened.
As Boston led Florida at home with just a minute and a half to go, the TNT scorebug announced that the Panthers had scored a goal even though Florida was still down by a point.
Well, about half a minute later, Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour knocked in the dramatic equalizer to send the game into overtime.
In what was just likely a technical glitch, the TNT scorebug actually spoiled the seismic game-tying goal before it even happened.
The TNT scorebug really called it. The 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs have had plenty of intrigue so far, but it’s going to be fascinating to see all the reasoning for what exactly the scorebug knew that we didn’t.
All we’re saying is that the next time a scorebug predicts a score before it happens, we really need to keep score at home.
The Bengals got Myles Murphy at No. 28 despite apparently grading him with top-10 traits.
The Cincinnati Bengals have made a point to stick to their board in recent years, oftentimes outright forsaking need in the process.
Director of player personnel Duke Tobin has feasted with multiple stellar classes as a result, with the early returns suggesting the 2023 draft is more of the same.
And at the top of the list? The selection of defensive end Myles Murphy in the first round, based on this noteworthy comment from Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com: “And their board was so kind to the Bengals this weekend. They graded edge rusher Myles Murphy, who they got at No. 28, like he was a top ten guy.”
Of course, the Bengals happened to need a pass-rusher too, which helped marry the value and need quite well. But we’ve opined since the selection multiple times that Murphy looked like he was built in a lab specifically for the Bengals defense for a reason.
None of this guarantees Murphy will work out, but the scouting department has been pretty reliable in these spots over the years and especially so recently. If it does work out, the fact they had him ranked near the top 10 will be another affirmation of their process.
The fifth of the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 13 draft picks this year was Oklahoma State defensive lineman Tyler Lacy.
Lacy, the No. 130 overall selection in the fourth round, is a player the Jaguars kept a close eye on in the lead up to the draft. He made a private visit to TIAA Bank Field in the weeks before he was picked by the team.
As part of Jacksonville’s defense, Lacy will likely slot in as a defensive end with the ability to play tackle in four-man fronts.
Here are five things to know about Lacy, the Jaguars’ second of two fourth-round selections:
Korsak has achieved legendary status at Rutgers and among the NCAA, holding the NCAA record for most punts and punting yardage. He earned an invite to the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl and a trip to the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.
When asked how he developed this unconventionally punting style, Korsak spoke about how it comes naturally.
“It is natural. That’s what we do. We punt it and how we grew up, throwing the football with your dad or whatever, we punt the ball back and forth. It is natural for us. Obviously, I have to change a little bit due to the rules,” Korsak told the audience.
[lawrence-related id=23520]
. @RFootball Punter Adam Korsak wakes up with GMFB to talk about the differences between Aussie Rules Football and American Football, developing his punting style, and what's unique about Aussie born NFL players pic.twitter.com/tW9fucXQe4
Korsak is from Melbourne, Australia, where he grew up playing cricket, Australian football, and golf. When asked which football is more difficult to play, Aussie football or American football, Korsak explained the preparation for American football makes it harder to play than Aussie football.
“From a preparation standpoint is harder to play American football because of the coaches here have you for two weeks and their game planning for so long. As for Austria football, it is a bit of a free for all,” Korsak stated.
According to Pro Football Network, Korsak was the No.1 punter in this year’s draft class, but the former Scarlet Knight is patiently waiting to join an NFL team to showcase his skill at the highest level.
The Bengals add to the LB unit via undrafted free agency.
The Cincinnati Bengals will dip back into the Alabama Crimson Tide pool via undrafted free agency and linebacker Jaylen Moody.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Bengals will sign Moody, reuniting him with third-round pick Jordan Battle.
Moody, a late draft visit with the Bengals before the event, is 6’2″ and 225 pounds and recorded 50 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery last season.
Moody was a little hit-or-miss as he finished seventh on the team in tackles with 49.0, including 7.5 for a loss and two sacks. At Texas, he led the Crimson Tide in tackles with 10, and had a sack. Against Arkansas he had eight tackles including two for a loss and one sack. At LSU he was credited with nine tackles, including 2.5 for a loss. That might be enough to get him into a training camp, but probably not drafted.
Moody will get a chance to make the final roster over the summer as he competes with others on the back end of the depth chart. Familiarity with one of the team’s most important draft picks won’t hurt.
The Packers selected Iowa OLB Lukas Van Ness in the first round of the 2023 draft.
The Green Bay Packers selected Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness in the first round (No. 13 overall) of the 2023 NFL draft.
Height: 6-5 Weight: 272 Age: 21 From: Barrington, IL
Breakdown: Played in 27 games at Iowa, producing 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. Played mostly inside in 2021 and moved outside in 2022. The Packers think he can do both at the next level and expect him to contribute right away. Should get development time behind Rashan Gary and Preston Smith before becoming full-time player. Game is mostly power. One of the most athletic edge rushers in the class overall.
Brugler’s scouting report: “Coming off the bench at Iowa, Van Ness was primarily an edge rusher in defensive coordinator Phil Parker’s four-man front, but he also saw significant snaps inside over the B-gap. The Iowa coaches reward seniority, so John Waggoner and Joe Evans started at defensive end last season, but Van Ness had more defensive snaps than either and led the Hawkeyes in tackles for loss and sacks. Regardless of alignment, Van Ness has high-end tools with his length and play strength, which allow him to wear down blockers as a pass rusher or stack, locate and play off blocks in the run game. A hockey player most of his life, he credits his time on the ice for developing his balance, urgent play style and competitive toughness. Overall, Van Ness needs coached up with his pass-rush construction and overall pacing, but he is an ascending player and competes like a grizzly bear with his fierce power and explosive twitch. He has the upside of an impactful NFL starter with inside/outside versatility, regardless of scheme.”
Jeremiah’s scouting report: “Van Ness is a powerful defensive lineman with the versatility to stand up on the edge or slide inside and play over the guard. He is excellent at collapsing the pocket with his bull rush, getting his hands inside and driving opponents back with ease. He flashes a chop move and a rip move, but needs to develop a more diverse repertoire. Against the run, he has very strong hands to stack blocks on the front side and his effort/speed combination helps him make plays from the back side. For some reason, he didn’t start at Iowa. That doesn’t make any sense. Overall, Van Ness has ideal traits, and his best football is ahead of him.”
Zierlein’s scouting report: “Nicknamed “Hercules” by teammates, Van Ness is a well-developed defensive end with excellent lean mass and additional growth still to come. He’s a power-centric prospect with force as his modus operandi as both a run defender and pass rusher. Van Ness needs to work on hand attacks for quicker block shedding and to diversify his rush beyond bull-rush challenges. He’s taken snaps inside at Iowa but might need to keep filling out his frame before he’s ready to succeed as a run stuffer and pass rusher as a 4i in a 3-4 front. Van Ness is more of a splash player than consistent force on tape, but he possesses projectable traits that should allow for continued ascension as a pro.
They said it: “Big man. Powerful. Fast. Explosive. Really big upside…The physical traits are all there for him to grow, so there’s no real limitation on him. But also, the versatility to win outside with speed and inside with power. There’s so much in front of him, and that’s where his best football will be.” — GM Brian Gutekunst
The New Orleans Saints will kick off a weekend of rookie minicamp practices soon, with many players in attendance on a tryout basis. One of them will be Louisville offensive lineman Adonis Boone — who says the opportunity is “All I need,” to make his case for a roster spot.
Boone played nearly as many snaps at left tackle (927) as at right guard (1,076) in his college career, per Pro Football Focus charting, and though he’s only given up one sack over the last two years while playing exclusively at right guard he has been fouled 8 times in that span. Penalties have been in issue for him but he’s been very efficient in pass protection, so he’ll hope to stand out from the pack.
He’s a below-average athlete by the Saints’ standards, having posted a 2.6 Relative Athletic Score, but Boone brings great size at 6-foot-5 and 307 pounds with 33.7-inch arms. If he can win his matchups and show the coaches he can handle complicated blocking assignments, he could earn a spot on the offseason 90-man roster. From there it’s anyone’s game.
Falcons 2023 draft class: Relative Athletic Scores for each pick and undrafted free agent
Ever since the Atlanta Falcons hired general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith in 2021, the roster has been constructed with an emphasis on physicality and versatility.
As NFL teams look for different ways to maximize the draft, innovative metrics are playing a greater role. Relative Athletic Score has become one of the most useful tools for evaluating a player’s athleticism. It combines different prospect data to generate an overall athletic score from 0-10.
Now that the 2023 NFL draft is in the books, let’s check out the RAS scores for each Falcons draft pick and undrafted free agent signing.
