Celtics assign rookies to Red Claws for practice

The Boston Celtics assigned the majority of their rookies to the Maine Red Claws on practice on Tuesday.

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Per the Boston Celtics, the team assigned rookies Grant Williams, Vincent Poirier, Carsen Edwards and Romeo Langford “for various portions of the [Maine] Red Claws practice” on Tuesday at the Auerbach Center, where the Celtics normally hold their team practice.

Though the Red Claws are based in Portland, ME., their next game isn’t until Nov. 16 against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in Indiana, which could provide the reason that Boston’s G League affiliate was able to travel to the Celtics’ practice facility on Tuesday.

However, that Boston felt the need to have their rookies — sans guard Javonte Green — practice on a day that practice wasn’t held for the Celtics shows that Boston believes their neophytes need work.

While Langford has yet to play significant minutes in any game, the teaching is experience for he and Edwards in particular is necessary, as Langford is not only the youngest and most inexperienced player on the team but has been unable to fully perform physically for large portions of the team’s offseason, preseason and now regular season.

Despite delivering a scintillating debut with the Red Claws at the same time that veteran forward Gordon Hayward went out with a fractured hand, Boston opted to play Green in the rotation over a player that was the 14th overall pick in the most recent draft.

That’s likely because Green has not only produced well in the minutes he’s played but because he’s more experienced after having spent four seasons at the college level and four seasons playing internationally.

Edwards is a shoot-first player and Celtics head coach Brad Stevens seems to see the Purdue product as more of an off-ball player because of it, playing Edwards with point guard Brad Wanamaker for 40 minutes — the third-most of any two-man lineup he’s been in, per Basketball Reference — this season. Whether it’s to make Edwards less reliant on playing with another lead guard or to make him more comfortable playing off-ball, additional practice would be beneficial.

Especially as he’s only averaging 4.0 points per game on 31.3% shooting from the field and 25.0% shooting from three after averaging 15.3 points per game on 51.2% percent shooting from the field and 45.2% from three.

Williams, though a high IQ player has also struggled from the field, averaging just 2.8 points per game on 26.7% shooting from the field and going 0-13 from behind the arc to start the season.

Averaging a combined 26.6 minutes per game, their offensive woes are a primary reason the Celtics remain 30th in the league in bench scoring, per NBA Advanced Stats.

Boston recalled each of those players after practice but Langford may be headed back to Maine at the end of the week, when the Red Claws face the Mad Ants and the Raptors 905 in back-to-back days.

Should the Dolphins claim CB Vernon Hargreaves?

The Dolphins would be wise to place a waiver claim on the recently cut Vernon Hargreaves, a former 1st-round cornerback out of Tampa Bay.

The Miami Dolphins’ season has been filled with waiver claims, trades and acquisitions of former highly coveted players who haven’t been able to live up to the hype. The Dolphins’ additions of DE Taco Charlton, DL Robert Nkemdiche, QB Josh Rosen and DB Eric Rowe are just a few of the examples of high prized additions that came to Miami this season after failing to take the next step as players.

Should the Dolphins be investigating making another addition to the growing list of former high-prized draft picks?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers unexpectedly cut cornerback Vernon Hargreaves today — a former top-15 pick by the Bucs out of the University of Florida back in 2016. Tampa’s new coaching staff, led by Bruce Arians, hadn’t taken particularly well to Hargreaves — although Hargreaves himself has been a massive disappointment after being largely relegated to living in the slot as a nickel cornerback. His final transgression in Tampa? He was reportedly benched for a lack of hustle in the third quarter of Tampa’s win over Arizona this past weekend.

Should Miami kick the tires and make a waiver claim on Hargreaves? Absolutely. Hargreaves is still just 24 years old and clearly has talent. The Dolphins have ample cap space at their disposal and use defensive backs with such great frequency that Hargreaves would have every opportunity to get his act together and stick in the NFL with Miami.

The odds of Miami making a claim? It is hard to say. The Dolphins have a coach in Brian Flores who looks to create personal connections with his players, but so did Tampa with Arians and that didn’t seem to help matters. Yet sometimes a player just needs a change of scenery. Miami can provide that, without asking Hargreaves to go too far from home.

We’ll know by tomorrow afternoon whether or not the Dolphins made a claim; the waiver order mirrors the current NFL draft order, so if they want to get in on the action, the odds of them landing Hargreaves on waivers is pretty strong.

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Baker Mayfield’s wife clarified her ‘fair weather fans’ comment after the Browns’ win

“Didn’t expect to ruffle so many feathers.”

While I wasn’t aware that it was actually possible to be a fair-weather Browns fan — like, have you seen the Browns? — Baker Mayfield’s wife, Emily, caused a stir amongst Cleveland fans this week with her Monday Instagram Story.

Following the Browns’ win over the Bills in what was essentially a must-win game, the enthusiasm for the Browns took a decided turn for the positive.

Mayfield had his best game of the season, throwing for two touchdowns and no interceptions, and the Browns snapped a four-game losing streak. Given that Mayfield was getting compared to Johnny Manziel just a week ago, Emily couldn’t help but laugh at this sudden swing for the better from the same people who mocked Baker.

She posted about that on Instagram, calling out the “fair weather fans.”

As expected, plenty of Browns fans took issue with the comment. The way the post was originally framed made it sound like she was talking about all Browns fans.

Emily would clarify in a separate Instagram Story on Tuesday that she didn’t mean the diehard Browns fans. Instead, she was laughing at the fans who suddenly jumped on (and then off, and then back on) the Browns bandwagon amid the offseason hype.

She wrote:

LOL didn’t expect to ruffle so many feathers with my “fair weather fans” comment yesterday. No, I was not directing that at the die-hard, loyal fans who have stuck around for YEARS. I’m talking about the idiots who say HORRIBLE things about my husband and the team when we lose, and are back to obsessing when we win. That is laughable to me.

…loyal fans, I see you!

Surprisingly enough, the Browns are still somewhat in the playoff hunt at 3-6. They host the Steelers on Thursday night.

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Rich Franklin explains why Demetrious Johnson-Ben Askren trade is still win-win

ONE Championship’s VP isn’t concerned about wins and losses in the cage when assessing the trade with the UFC one year later.

The MMA world was taken by surprise last year when former UFC flyweight champion [autotag]Demetrious Johnson[/autotag] was “traded” to ONE Championship for former ONE welterweight titleholder [autotag]Ben Askren[/autotag].

And just over a year later, many have questioned the UFC for giving up one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time for Askren, who’s had a rough start to his UFC tenure.

Since joining the UFC, Askren (19-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) picked up a controversial submission win over Robbie Lawler in March, and then was brutally knocked out by Jorge Masvidal in record time at UFC 239, suffering his first career loss as a pro. He then faced Demian Maia in a battle between two of the sport’s best grapplers. Askren lost that fight via fourth round submission last month, suffering his second straight loss.

Johnson (30-3), on the other hand, picked up three wins since departing from the UFC, en route to winning the ONE Championship flyweight grand prix.

But former UFC middleweight champion and current ONE vice president [autotag]Rich Franklin[/autotag] says despite how things have transpired for both fighters, he still views the trade as a win-win situation.

“It was a pretty straight forward trade from the business side,” Franklin told MMA Junkie. “Just kind of flip-flopped from one organization to the next, and so nothing tricky about it. And I’ll say this: Askren goes to the UFC, he’s competing against some of the top level guys obviously with Masvidal and what not, and then DJ comes over to ONE Championship and is competing against some of the top guys. People will make a comment like that based on athlete’s performance, but the reality, what you have to ask yourself: What kind of return on investment did the organization get on the trade?”

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For Johnson, who was never a big UFC pay-per-view draw, he wasn’t given his due for his record number of title defenses and running through the flyweight division. Askren, who came out of retirement, never got a chance to show his true personality, which shined since he joined the UFC, making him one of its biggest stars.

That’s why Franklin sees the trade as beneficial for both parties, regardless of whether they’re winning or losing fights.

“DJ, for us, who maybe didn’t get the respect that he deserved in another organization, is going to do really well over here in ONE Championship,” Franklin said. “There are many fans on this side of the planet that gravitate towards the smaller athletes, and he puts on exciting matches. There’s no doubt about that, so for us, regardless if he’s winning or losing, that’s not as important as he’s a big draw. And likewise for Ben Askren moving to the UFC. Regardless of whether he’s winning or losing, he’s a big draw because people are going to be curious.”

“Even though he lost his last match to Demian Maia, when they find him for another match, people are still going to be interested in seeing how he performs,” Franklin added. “To see if, ‘Oh, maybe he had a rough start out of the gates or whatever,’ so they’re still getting a return on investment in that respect, and I think it was probably smart for both organizations because the UFC wasn’t getting a return on investment in Demetrious.”

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Report: Texans work out veteran RBs Jeremy Hill, Elijah McGuire

On Tuesday, the Houston Texans worked out free agent veteran running backs Jeremy Hill and Elijah McGuire.

The Houston Texans worked out veteran free agent running backs Jeremy Hill and Elijah McGuire on Tuesday, according to Aaron Reiss of The Athletic.

Per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Hill’s work out went “very well.” However, the Texans did not sign him immediately.

Hill, 27, last played with the New England Patriots. He tore his ACL in Week 1 of the 2018 season — against the Texans — and was subsequently placed on the injured reserve. The LSU product rushed for 25 yards on four attempts before sustaining the season-ending injury.

Before New England, Hill called Cincinnati home. In four seasons with the Bengals, the 6-1, 230-pound tailback recorded 2,873 yards and 29 touchdowns on 704 attempts in 54 games( 43 starts). He finished his 2017 season on the injured reserve with an ankle injury.

McGuire, 25, was a New York Jets sixth-round pick in 2017 out of Louisiana-Lafayette. In 24 games as a rotational cog in the New York backfield, the 5-10, 214-pound back rushed for 591 yards and four touchdowns on 180 attempts.

McGuire spent half of his 2018 campaign on the injured reserve (foot). The Jets released him on Aug. 31, before the Cleveland Browns added him to the practice squad. The Browns waived him on Oct. 22.

Houston, in 2019, has employed a two-headed rushing attack in Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson. On the year, the two have combined for 231 touches for 1,241 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns.

Despite loss to Falcons, Saints still have second-best Super Bowl LIV odds

Oddsmakers weren’t discouraged when the New Orleans Saints got tripped up against the Falcons. They still have great Super Bowl odds.

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It was certainly disappointing to see the New Orleans Saints come up short against the Atlanta Falcons, but that loss didn’t turn into a big hit for their Super Bowl odds. Per BetMGM, the Saints (+650) trail only the New England Patriots (+260) in the Super Bowl LIV betting lines. Along with the Baltimore Ravens (+700) and San Francisco 49ers (+750), they form the group of four teams with odds better than +1000 to win a title this year.

Here’s how the top 10 shakes out after those four contenders at the top:

  • Green Bay Packers +1000
  • Kansas City Chiefs +1200
  • Seattle Seahawks +1600
  • Philadelphia Eagles +1800
  • Minnesota Vikings +2000
  • Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans +2500

So obviously the oddsmakers aren’t bothered by a poor Saints effort in their latest loss. New Orleans is still perceived as a top team (maybe the top team) in the NFC, especially now that San Francisco lost in a dramatic overtime finish on Monday night.

It’ll be fascinating to see how things develop down the stretch as the Saints, 49ers and Packers each compete for the top two playoff seeds in the conference. The 49ers will play the Packers (at home) and the Saints (on the road) twice in three weeks, with a road contest against the Ravens squeezed in between, adding even more intrigue.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Rajon Rondo gets upgraded to probable for debut Tuesday at Suns

After missing the first nine games of the season, Rajon Rondo will make his season debut for the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

After having LeBron James due basically all of the heavy lifting at the point guard spot for the first three weeks of the season, he will have considerably more help when he’s out of the game on Tuesday night as the Los Angeles Lakers are now officially expecting 14-year veteran guard Rajon Rondo to play against the Phoenix Suns.

Bill Oram of The Athletic reported the latest update from the Lakers that Rondo had been upgraded from questionable to probable following the team’s shoot around on Tuesday morning. The hope for the Lakers is that adding Rondo will alleviate some of the playmaking burden for LeBron, even though he’s done quite well with by leading the NBA in assists through the first nine games.

Rondo also has a strong connection with Anthony Davis dating back to their lone season together in New Orleans.

Davis has gone on the record multiple times saying how much he loves playing with Rondo and values his perspective. And unlike his first season with LeBron, the Pelicans did quite well with Rondo and Davis sharing the court in 2017-18, outscoring their opponents by 4.1 points per 100 possessions on their way to a first round sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Adding another playmaker to the mix, even though LeBron leads the NBA in assists, will be good for the Lakers long-term, especially if Rondo’s New Orleans success with Davis is replicated in L.A.

In addition to the update on Rondo, Troy Daniels is still questionable to play against his former team but the good news is that his MRI didn’t reveal anything concerning long-term.

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9 things to know about the Bills’ Week 11 opponent, the Dolphins

The Bills and Dolphins will complete their 2019 pair of games on Sunday in Week 11 from South Florida. These aren’t your father’s Dolphins, and they’re not your Dolphins from like a few weeks ago when Buffalo topped Miami in 31-21. Things have …

The Bills and Dolphins will complete their 2019 pair of games on Sunday in Week 11 from South Florida.

These aren’t your father’s Dolphins, and they’re not your Dolphins from like a few weeks ago when Buffalo topped Miami in 31-21. Things have changed in three short games since then.

With that, here are nine things to know about the Bills’ Week 1 opponent, the Dolphins:

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott and Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores meet following the game at New Era Field. Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Red hot Dolphins

The Bills were huge 15.5 opening favorites against the Dolphins in their first meeting. Buffalo took a 31-21 win and didn’t cover that. Actually it was nearly just a three-point win had it not been for a goofy onside kick score from Micah Hyde late.

But since then, it’s been smooth sailing for the Dolphins. After topping the New York Jets for their first win of the season, 26-18, Miami beat the Colts last week 16-12.

Yes, the tanking Dolphins are on a winning streak. Buffalo is still the favorite, but hey, if they’re hot, they’re hot. Along with their winning streak, the Dolphins have led in four-straight games as well, dating back to that loss in Buffalo.

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Chase Young’s Heisman chances plummet with suspension looming

Just two weeks ago Chase Young was a top-two candidate for the Heisman trophy. Now, after sitting one game, he’s barely in the top five.

Just two weeks ago Chase Young was a top-three candidate for the Heisman trophy. He was looking to join the top-tier candidates, Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa, with an easy outing against Maryland.

Now, after sitting one game, he’s barely in the top five, and it seems that LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is pulling away from the pack.

Young was held out of the team’s 69-point victory over Maryland. His status for what should be another massive Buckeyes victory against Rutgers this Saturday is unknown.

While the official penalty for accepting a small loan from a family friend which was repaid is still in the air, if he continues to miss games, he can kiss any shot at the Heisman trophy goodbye.

A four-sack performance against Wisconsin in another dominant effort from the Buckeyes just over two weeks ago bounced the projected top-five pick over the likes of Jalen Hurts and Justin Fields.

However, according to ESPN’s Heisman Watch, Young has slid under fellow teammate Justin Fields. Young sits at No. 5 and received just 12 votes with zero first-place votes. He had 24 votes in the week following the Wisconsin game.

Young has 13.5 sacks on the season and could’ve easily set the single-season Ohio State record this past weekend. The record is currently 14.0 which was set by Vernon Gholston in 2007.

The Ohio State defensive didn’t skip a beat without Young on the line. They gave up just two touchdowns all game and none in the first a half, a 30-minute period where they totaled 42 points.

As for Young, it’s likely he’s out again Saturday, but there seems to be hope that he’ll take on Penn State and Michigan to finish the regular season. That said, if he does miss these two games which could’ve easily solidified his claim as a competitor for the Heisman, his chances are virtually over.

Young would’ve been just the second defender to have won the award and the first since Charles Woodson did it in 1997. For now, that’s looking extremely unlikely, although we haven’t seen a collegiate defender as dominant as Young in decades.