But Wednesday, for the first time since …

But Wednesday, for the first time since he was a member of the Celtics, he’ll hear his name called as a starter in a city that appreciates him as much as any NBA community cares for any opposing player. “It’s real, genuine love from the first day I got there,” Thomas said. “And then, I went through a real-life situation there that they went through with me, so I think that love is going to be forever. Actually, I know that love is going to be forever. I was only there three years, and you would think I won a championship there how much they love me. … Even on my social media, that’s all it is. That’s forever.”

Report: Eric Gordon could miss up to six weeks after knee procedure

After a slow start to the season, Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon could reportedly miss up to six weeks due to a planned knee procedure.

Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon may be looking at an extended absence, as first reported by The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.

Gordon, who has struggled to find a consistent role with the team so far this season, may need knee surgery that could sideline the 12-year veteran for as long as six weeks, and a month at minimum.

While there’s a chance the Indiana native can avoid it, it seems probable the ex-Hoosier will elect to have a clean-up operation as the team and player search for a solution to his early woes.

Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni confirmed the injury news at Tuesday’s practice, and indicated that Gordon would, in fact, have the procedure.

If the procedure is greenlighted, it will further solidify fourth-year wing Danuel House Jr.’s role as the team’s starting small forward, one the 6-foot-6 wing has embraced in the wake of one of the worst starts to his teammate’s career.

Gordon, on the other hand, finds himself logging his worst three-point shooting (28.4%) since his inaugural season with the New Orleans then-Hornets, when he managed an abysmal 25% from beyond the arc. He has also put up the worst field goal percentage of his career in nine games so far this season, a mere 30.9%.

Whether or not knee problems are the culprit, it’s hard to imagine a player who has logged a career .372 percentage from three-point range and .426 overall from the floor to remain so cold over the course of a complete season, if fully healthy.

If the Rockets are going to seriously contend for an NBA title this season, they’ll need Gordon as close to that status as possible — and hitting more like he has over the course of his career.

While House has been a pleasant surprise in how well he has adapted to his new role, Houston will need at least some backups to step up, in order to compete against the league’s better teams.

With only Thabo Sefolosha currently available to spell the three in Gordon’s likely extended absence and House navigating injuries of his own, success in a stacked West is predicated on the Indiana product regaining at least some of his shooting touch, and in a hurry.

In the meantime, expect the organization to lean heavily on House when possible, with a big boost to Sefolosha’s minutes in the short-term as the team scrambles to shore up a banged-up wing rotation.

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Titans pick at No. 15 overall in latest 2020 NFL Draft order

With their record now evened out, the Titans sit at roughly the middle of the pack in the Draft Wire’s latest 2020 NFL Draft order.

The Tennessee Titans (5-5) have had plenty of struggles this season, but appear to be far from tanking after a win over one of the NFL’s best teams.

The Titans defeated the visiting Kansas City Chiefs, 35-32 in Nissan Stadium on Sunday, appearing much more energized on offense and coming up with game-changing plays on both sides of the ball.

With their record now evened out, the Titans sit at roughly the middle of the pack in the Draft Wire’s latest 2020 NFL Draft order, which has them picking at No. 15 overall.

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Here’s a look at the complete order:

1. Cincinnati Bengals

2. Washington Redskins

3. New York Giants

4. Miami Dolphins

5. New York Jets

6. Atlanta Falcons

7. Cleveland Browns

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

9. Denver Broncos

10. Arizona Cardinals

11. Detroit Lions

12. Los Angeles Chargers

13. Jacksonville Jaguars

14. Oakland Raiders

15. Tennessee Titans

16. Philadelphia Eagles

17. Oakland Raiders

18. Indianapolis Colts

19. Carolina Panthers

20. Jacksonville Jaguars

21. Dallas Cowboys

22. Miami Dolphins

23. Kansas City Chiefs

24. Minnesota Vikings

25. Buffalo Bills

26. Miami Dolphins

27. New Orleans Saints

28. Seattle Seahawks

29. Baltimore Ravens

30. Green Bay Packers

31. New England Patriots

32. San Francisco 49ers

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It will be interesting to see where the Titans ultimately end up picking in the first round in April, considering there’s still a lot of football left to played this year.

The quarterback position has been and continues to be one the Titans could use their first selection on next year, but if the team continues to perform as well as it did Sunday, it’s going to take a lot of wheeling and dealing for Tennessee to acquire a prospect like Joe Burrow or Tua Tagovailoa.

The Titans face the Jacksonville Jaguars next after the bye week on Nov. 24 at 3:05 p.m. CT on Sunday.

Texans’ DeAndre Hopkins doesn’t care about the next receiving record he is set to break

Houston Texans All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is on-pace to break yet another record. However, he could care less.

Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is no stranger to the record books. A two-time All-Pro with only one missed game in his seven-year career, the wide-out, otherwise known as “Nuk,” continues to climb receiving statistics leaderboards.

Hopkins can put his name back in the record books on Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens. With four more receptions, he would be the second-youngest player (27 years, 164 days) in NFL history to reach 600 receptions (behind Larry Fitzgerald).

Unless Houston wins, Hopkins couldn’t care about the record. Sharing a list with Fitzgerald is nice for him, but he doesn’t play for statistics — unless it’s doubling what he currently has; a monumental feat.

“That’s dope. That’s cool. Definitely going to keep that football, only if we win,” Hopkins told reporters Monday. “But no, winning is really the most important thing to me. But to be up there with people like Larry Fitzgerald, that’s not bad. That’s not bad at all. That’s pretty cool. The only thing better than [600] is [600] more, so hopefully I can be the first to do that.”

On the season, Hopkins has 68 receptions for 665 yards and four touchdowns. He is on pace to break his career-high for receptions in a season (115) with 121. Unless the 6-3 Texans win, however, he won’t be one to mention that number.

Hopkins was raised to win, not to look at his numbers. In his eyes, if he is not a champion, those accomplishments don’t mean anything.

Said Hopkins: “I honestly don’t think about the accomplishments. That’s not the way I was raised. I was raised that you’re either a champion or you’re not a champion. So, anything else is really disappointing to me personally because I love winning.”

Until Hopkins gets that coveted Super Bowl ring that he is in pursuit of, don’t expect the quiet 27-year-old to discuss his resumé.

Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman exchange jerseys post-game

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and San Francisco 49ers defensive back Richard Sherman exchanged jerseys postgame on Monday.

The Seattle Seahawks won a thriller in Santa Clara on Monday night, beating the undefeated San Francisco 49ers in overtime, 27-24.

The battles between these two teams go back a long way, but perhaps the most important player in this rivalry is Richard Sherman, who had the infamous tipped pass in the NFC championship game that resulted in an interception and a win for the Seahawks. Seattle, of course, won the Super Bowl two weeks later.

Sherman eventually joined forces with the 49ers after getting released by Seattle, and has since drummed up controversy regarding his relationship with coach Pete Carroll and Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson.

While Monday’s game featured plenty of theatrics, it was a post-game moment that caught many people’s attention: Wilson and Sherman, embraced in a hug, exchanging their jerseys.

Sherman has long been an outspoken figure in the NFL, and many of his comments criticized coach Carroll’s alleged favoritism of Wilson over other — more outspoken — players on the Super Bowl-winning team, including Marshawn Lynch.

However, it appears Wilson and Sherman were able to bury the hatchet, a great sign of maturity for both players.

“Good moment, really good moment,” Carroll said on 710 ESPN Tuesday morning. “These guys are growing up. They’ve arrived, they’re real legitimate factors in this league. To demonstrate that kind of character and class is really what you hope to see.”

The Seahawks and 49ers will meet again in Week 17, this time in Seattle. That game could have serious playoff implications depending on how these two teams do down the stretch, but regardless it should be another fun, exciting game of football from two of the best in the NFL.

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Sergio Garcia, family announce gender of new baby in golf-themed reveal

Angela Garcia, wife of golfer Sergio, announced on Instagram Tuesday whether the couple will have a boy or girl in April 2020.

It’s a boy.

Sergio and Angela Garcia are expecting their second child in April 2020 and revealed on Instagram Tuesday they’re expecting a boy.

“We are so excited to announce the newest member of the Garcia Family will be arriving in April 2020! And it’s a boy!” Angela wrote on Instagram.

Along with the announcement, Angela posted two Boomerang videos from the couple’s gender reveal.

The first Boomerang is of the moment couple discovered they would have a boy at their golf-themed gender reveal. Sergio smacks the gender reveal golf ball and a cloud of blue dust puffs into the air. The second shows Sergio dancing and celebrating the couple will welcome a son this spring.

The couple already has one daughter, Azalea Adele Garcia, whom they welcomed in March 2018.

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