Author: Michael

Every playoff series needs a villain, or so they say. Enter Dillon Brooks of the Memphis Grizzlies. He plays the villain role with Reggie Miller-like flair, if only Reggie Miller routinely scored in single digits.

Playoffs, check.
Villain role, check.
Impact, TBD.

Generally, everyone outside of the opposition loves the villain. Not so for Brooks. Here’s the problem: he’s less likable than IBS on a first date.
Surely, LeBron James agrees.
OutKick’s Alejandro Avila broke down Brooks’ Game 2 antics last night. Brooks is irritating as all hell.

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I think Dillon Brooks might come to regret antagonizing LeBron James so much.
In today’s SI:AM:
🏈 Bryce Young’s unique upbringing
🐅 Another surgery for Tiger
🐻 Grizz even it up
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He’s back
One of MLB’s most feared lineups will finally be at full strength tonight.
Fernando Tatis Jr.

Even without All-Star point guard Ja Morant, Memphis managed to pull even with the Lakers 1-1 thanks to an increasingly physical plan focused on Anthony Davis.

The Texas star has broken through nearly every defense imaginable.

The Warriors wouldn’t have four rings without Draymond Green — that’s undeniable. Golden State is also now in a perilous position because of the star’s intensity.

Cowboys legend and NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin will not take part in the league’s draft coverage next week and “remains suspended,” NFL media vice president of communications Alex Riethmiller told David Moore of The Dallas Morning News.
Irvin has been left off broadcasts by the network since an alleged Super Bowl week incident in which a Marriott employee claimed Irvin had an inappropriate interaction with her in the lobby of the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel.

Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Pairing his size with power, O’Cyrus Torrence is the dominant run blocker of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Florida offensive guard O’Cyrus Torrence enters the 2023 NFL Draft after spending one year with the Gators program. Torrence started 11 games at right guard in 2022 after transferring to Florida from Louisiana-Lafayette. Torrence flawlessly handled the step up in competition. Torrence earned Consensus All-American Honors and was also named to the First Team All-SEC team by the Associated Press.

Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks has built a reputation for trash talk after big wins, and he built on that infamy Wednesday by doing something many players would not: Take a shot at LeBron James. 
After his team’s 103–93 win over the Lakers, Brooks was asked about a heated exchange the two had during the game.
“I don’t care, he’s old,” Brooks told reporters after the game. “I was expecting him to do that Game 4, Game 5. He wanna say something when I got my fourth foul. 
“I poke bears,” he continued.

Did he or didn’t he?
On Wednesday, New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was ejected after being confronted by home plate umpire Dan Bellino for a second time during the game over use of a sticky substance on his hands and fingers. Scherzer was initially told to get rid of it after a second inning routine hand inspection and clearly didn’t do so to the umpire’s liking.
“As far as stickiness, level of stickiness, this was the stickiest that it has been since I’ve been inspecting hands, which now goes back three seasons,” Bellino told a pool reporter after the game.

The Athletics have entered into a binding purchase agreement for land west of the Las Vegas Strip, according to a report from Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The purchase agreement is for 49 acres of land at Dean Martin Drive and Tropicana Avenue. The deal is for land only, and includes a clause allowing the A’s to purchase an additional eight acres of land at a later date.