Jimmy Butler helps Heat to 103-84 Game 7 win over Celtics and spot in NBA Finals

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:56:19 GMT

Jimmy Butler helps Heat to 103-84 Game 7 win over Celtics and spot in NBA Finals By JIMMY GOLEN (AP Sports Writer)BOSTON (AP) — No unprecedented comeback, no last-tick miracle, no cavalcade of higher seeds is going to prevent these Miami Heat from playing for the NBA title.Eastern Conference finals Most Valuable Player Jimmy Butler scored 28 points, and Caleb Martin had 26 points and 10 rebounds to help the eighth-seeded Heat beat Boston 103-84 in Game 7 on Monday night and advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in four seasons.A year after losing a seventh game to the Celtics, Miami recovered from blowing a 3-0 lead in the series and advanced to face the Western Conference champion Nuggets. Game 1 is Thursday night in Denver, where the top-seeded Nuggets have been waiting since sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers on May 22..“We stayed together as a group. As a team, we talked about going and getting a tough one on the road. We did just that,” Butler said. “But we’re not satisfied. We’re excited. We’re happy. But we&#...

9 people injured in shooting on Hollywood, Florida beach boardwalk; some taken to children's hospital

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:56:19 GMT

9 people injured in shooting on Hollywood, Florida beach boardwalk; some taken to children's hospital Nine people were injured Monday evening when gunfire erupted along a beach boardwalk in Hollywood, Florida, sending people frantically running for cover along the crowded beach on Memorial Day.Several of the victims were taken to a children's hospital, police spokesperson Deanna Bettineschi said. However, authorities have not yet released the ages of the victims.The nine victims included six adults and three children, according to Yanet Obarrio Sanchez, a spokesperson for Memorial Healthcare System. All of the victims were in stable condition, she said.A preliminary investigation shows that an altercation between two groups resulted in gunfire, police said. One person has been detained and another suspect is being still being sought.The shooting happened about 6:30 p.m. on the boardwalk near a convenience store, a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream store and a Subway sandwich shop.Police respond to a shooting near the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk in Hollywood, Fla., Monday evening, May 29, 20...

Oakland A’s get long-awaited clutch hit as mammoth losing streak ends

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:56:19 GMT

Oakland A’s get long-awaited clutch hit as mammoth losing streak ends OAKLAND – Dead silence inside the Oakland A’s clubhouse was replaced by a selection of hip-hop jams. Players sitting down to eat had conversations at a normal volume instead of in hushed tones.Finally, after close to two weeks of heartbreak, the A’s won a game again.Ryan Noda connected on a three-run home run in the fifth inning off Michael Soroka, helping lead the A’s to a desperately needed 7-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday before a Coliseum crowd of 8,556 as Oakland snapped a season-long 11-game losing streak.Noda’s homer, his sixth of the season and his second in as many days, came on an 82-mph changeup from Soroka and just cleared the right field wall down the first base line. The blast was part of a four-run fifth inning for the A’s, who had scored three runs or less in each of their 11 straight losses.“We’ve been just needing that one little good swing, good play, good pitch,” Noda said. “We’ve come so close and it was n...

Yankees CF Harrison Bader leaves gave with tightness in right hamstring

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:56:19 GMT

Yankees CF Harrison Bader leaves gave with tightness in right hamstring SEATTLE (AP) — New York Yankees center fielder Harrison Bader left Monday’s series opener against the Seattle Mariners with right hamstring tightness after running out an infield single in the third inning. Bader easily beat the throw on the grounder in the hole between shortstop and third base, but was in discomfort standing on first base. Bader left the game after a brief discussion with manager Aaron Boone and was replaced by Greg Allen. Bader is the latest injury concern for New York after first baseman Anthony Rizzo was held out of the lineup due to a stiff neck. Boone said Rizzo “should be fine,” but the team was being cautious. Rizzo left Sunday’s win over San Diego after he collided with Fernando Tatis Jr. on a pickoff play that ended the sixth inning. As the first baseman leaned back to apply the tag, Rizzo collided with Tatis. Rizzo stayed on the ground for a few minutes and headed back to the clubhouse as the Yankees batted.Boone said Rizzo was undergoing trea...

Golden Knights advance to 2nd Stanley Cup Final after G6 win over Stars

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:56:19 GMT

Golden Knights advance to 2nd Stanley Cup Final after G6 win over Stars DALLAS (AP) — William Karlsson scored two goals and had an assist as the Vegas Golden Knights advanced to their second Stanley Cup Final with a 6-0 rout Monday night over the Dallas Stars, who had extended the Western Conference Final to six games after losing the first three. William Carrier, Keegan Kolesar and Michael Amadio each had a goal and an assist for the Knights, and Jonathan Marchessault had a goal. Carrier, Marschessault and Karlsson were all part of the inaugural 2017-18 Knights season that ended in their Cup Final. Adin Hill stopped 23 shots for his second career playoff shutout — both against the Stars. The other was 4-0 in Game 3 last Tuesday, when the Knights were already within one win of clinching the series before Dallas overcame 1-0 and 2-1 deficits in both Games 4 and 5. Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against Florida will be Saturday night in Las Vegas. Vegas led the Western Conference in the regular season with 51 wins and 111 points. The Panthers completed a...

Drury, Angels spoil Hendriks’ return with 6-4 victory over White Sox

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:56:19 GMT

Drury, Angels spoil Hendriks’ return with 6-4 victory over White Sox CHICAGO (AP) — Brandon Drury and Matt Thaiss homered during a fast start for the Los Angeles Angels, who spoiled Liam Hendriks’ return for the Chicago White Sox with a 6-4 victory on Monday night.Drury hit a three-run shot and Thaiss followed with another drive during a four-run first inning against a shaky Michael Kopech. Griffin Canning (4-2) struck out nine in six innings, and Mike Trout finished with two hits.Hendriks pitched the eighth in his first big league appearance since he was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The crowd of 23,599 roared when he walked out to the bullpen after the fourth, and then saluted the All-Star closer with a standing ovation when he entered the game.Hendriks stood behind the mound and soaked in the scene as the crowd cheered. The Angels also applauded, and Thaiss waited before stepping into the batter’s box — giving Hendriks more time to appreciate the moment.The Angels scored two runs on Zach Neto’s sacrifice fly and Trout’s RBI si...

The NBA Finals are set: It’s the Heat and the Nuggets for the Larry O’Brien Trophy

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:56:19 GMT

The NBA Finals are set: It’s the Heat and the Nuggets for the Larry O’Brien Trophy Cancel that flight plan, Denver. Turns out, the NBA Finals are starting in the Mile High City after all.And Jimmy Butler was proven right.Finally, we have a title-series matchup: The Miami Heat, champions of the Eastern Conference even after getting in as only the No. 8 seed, will take on the Western Conference champion Nuggets in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The series starts in Denver on Thursday night.The Heat got there by winning Game 7 of the East title series in Boston on Monday night. It came one year to the day after the Celtics won a Game 7 on Miami’s floor to win the East title a year ago.“Next year, we will have enough and we’re going to be right back in the same situation, and we’re going to get it done,” Butler vowed that night.The Heat made those words prophetic.The Nuggets had a flight to Boston tentatively scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, just in case they would be facing the Celtics — who would have had home-court advantage in the title series.But the...

Experts say wet spring could lead to uptick in ticks

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:56:19 GMT

Experts say wet spring could lead to uptick in ticks DENVER (KDVR) -- Ticks are out and experts tell FOX31 the wet spring weather could play a role in an uptick. Lisa Mason, a horticulture specialist and entomologist, said tick season is usually in the spring and summer. “They prefer cool and moist conditions,” Mason said. “We’ve had a very wet spring and that can influence tick populations, so we may have more ticks. If the cool temperatures and the rain sticks around awhile, tick season, the peak, might last a little bit longer.” Mason said it’s likely to see ticks in the tall grasses, trees and shrubs along hiking trails in the foothills and mountains, but they can also be in open spaces closer to the city. “They can be pretty much anywhere outdoors especially where there’s tall grass and vegetation.”  Colorado mom killed in Ecuador home invasion She said there are 27 tick species in Colorado that carry a variety of different diseases. While Lyme Disease isn’t one of them, Mason said the most common are Colorado Tick Fe...

A ‘humbling and sobering moment’ for Liam Hendriks as Chicago White Sox fans show their love in his return to the mound

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:56:19 GMT

A ‘humbling and sobering moment’ for Liam Hendriks as Chicago White Sox fans show their love in his return to the mound Liam Hendriks walked to the bullpen before the fifth inning Monday. Fans held up letters in the left-field bleachers that spelled, “TEAM LIAM.”Hendriks tipped his hat as he received a thunderous standing ovation.Hendriks announced in January he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He was back in a big-league game Monday, pitching the eighth inning of a 6-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels in front of 23,599 at Guaranteed Rate Field.Hendriks allowed two runs on three hits with one walk. But the stats were a small part of the remarkable story.“It was great being back out there,” Hendriks said. “Getting back, putting cleats on, running out, doing all that. I felt good, I felt strong, I felt comfortable out there.“Unfortunately for me I wasn’t able to get the two-strike pitch where I wanted to. That was the bit for (Monday). It was get ahead, generally, and then struggle to put them away.“There were some positives from a purely baseball ...

Letter to the editor

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 11:56:19 GMT

Letter to the editor Climate change contrariansA wheezing noise has emanated from Capitol Hill in Washington of late. It is a last gasp to stop America’s progress on the climate crisis. House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., recently said the following to Fox News:“(Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry) was not confirmed by the Senate. He is not held accountable by the American people. He is skirting congressional oversight, and that is unacceptable. For the past two years, the Biden Administration has withheld information on John Kerry’s role within the Administration for the past two years despite the committee’s many requests.”“His reported upcoming negotiations with the Chinese on climate topics, an action which he has done on numerous occasions, is inappropriate and potentially undermines U.S. interests and domestic energy security,” he continued. “Mr. Kerry’s continued engagement in shady negotiations will be met with intense s...