The ESPN Daily: James Harden’s signature shot, the era of the Big Two, and could Tom Brady leave the Patriots?
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Shoot your shot, Simmons … Remember in the iconic Adam Sandler film “Happy Gilmore” when Happy learned to putt? Yeah, that’s pretty much what it would mean for the rest of the NBA if Ben Simmons finally starts to hit from behind the arc. In today’s episode of the ESPN Daily podcast, host Mina Kimes and guest Tim Bontemps tap into what it will take for Simmons to master the art of the 3-pointer. You can listen to the full episode right here.
The most important move in the NBA … Love it or hate it — and let’s be honest, if you’re anyone other than a Rockets fan, you probably hate it — it’s clear that James Harden’s step-back 3-pointer is, as the gamers say, “super OP.’ It’s a move that no one has really figured out how to stop, and it has transformed Harden from an elite scorer to perhaps the best one of his generation. In this episode of “Signature Shots,” we break down what makes the step-back so powerful, and if there’s any way for defenders to really stop it. Watch
Dynamic duos … The era of the Big Three is over. It’s all about Big Twos these days. This makes a certain amount of sense — it’s much easier to build chemistry between two superstars than three, after all, and basketball is nothing if not about chemistry. Kirk Goldsberry identifies the six most intriguing duos in the league and runs the numbers to find out what we can expect from them this season. Read More
Making a bad situation worse … According to reports, Astros assistant GM Brandon Taubman turned to a group of female reporters after the team’s ALCS win over the Yankees and repeatedly yelled “Thank God we got Osuna! I’m so f—ing glad we got Osuna!” — referring to closer Roberto Osuna, who last year was suspended 75 games for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. The team has denied that his words were directed at the reporters, but for Jeff Passan, that statement rings hollow. Read More
Did the Patriots do it again? The already-formidable Patriots offense just got stronger with the addition of Texans wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, whom Bill Belichick has coveted for quite some time. The Patriots did have to give up a second-round draft pick for Sanu, however, and that has Bill Barnwell concerned about just who won this trade. He’s got a grade for it — and every other deadline deal. Read More
Adam Schefter speculates that Tom Brady may be looking to leave the Patriots in the offseason, while Steve Young talks about a player staying with one team.
“Not a lot of people come back from blowing off their hand, too.”
— Jason Pierre-Paul, on coming back from a cervical neck fracture to play in the NFL again. Read more
On this date in 1993, Joe Carter hit a three-run home run in Game 6 that won the World Series for the Blue Jays. Carter is one of only two players (the other being Bill Mazeroski) to hit a home run that ended a World Series. Watch
Celtics at 76ers (7:45 p.m. ET, ESPN): The Kyrie Irving era ended poorly for the Celtics, so now they’ll have to move forward with a completely new look. Not so much for the Sixers, who are still relying on the formidable combination of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.
World Series Game 2: Nationals at Astros (8:07 p.m. ET, Fox): Juan Soto came up clutch (again) as Washington took Game 1 from Houston on the road. Up next? Justin Verlander vs. Stephen Strasburg in yet another pitching duel that won’t disappoint.
Nuggets at Trail Blazers (10:05 p.m. ET, ESPN): Who’s going to take the crown from the Warriors in the West? Conventional wisdom says either the Lakers or Clippers, but keep an eye on the Nuggets and Blazers as well — two solid teams coming off quality seasons that could be dangerous in the playoffs.