Billups, Rozier arrested as sports betting scandal rocks NBA

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🚨 Headlines

⚽️ Messi staying put: Inter Miami has signed Lionel Messi to an extension via the 2028 season, preserving the GOAT in South Florida till he is 41.

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🏈 Chargers 37, Vikings 10: The Chargers routed the Vikings at dwelling on “Thursday Night Football” behind QB Justin Herbert (289 whole yards, 3 TD) and RB Kimani Vidal (127 whole yards, TD).

🏀 NBC does massive numbers: Tuesday’s “NBA Tip-Off” on NBC averaged 5.6 million viewers, making it the league’s most-watched opening night doubleheader since LeBron James’ Heat debut in 2010.

👟 Marathon star banned: Women’s marathon world report holder Ruth Chepng’etich has been banned for three years after admitting to a doping violation. The 31-year-old Kenyan broke the world report by virtually two minutes (2:09.56) final 12 months on the Chicago Marathon.

🏈 Pro Bowl in primetime: In an effort to proceed showcasing its flag soccer initiatives forward of the 2028 Olympics, the NFL is moving this season’s Pro Bowl from the Sunday earlier than the Super Bowl to primetime Tuesday.

🏀 Rozier, Billups arrested in FBI probe

Just three days into the brand new NBA season, focus has sadly shifted from on-court motion to a probably disastrous off-court scandal involving unlawful playing exercise.

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Rozier and Billups arrested: Heat guard Terry Rozier and Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups were among the 34 people arrested by the FBI on Thursday in reference to two totally different legal instances. They’ve been indicted on expenses of wire fraud and cash laundering conspiracy and have each been placed on immediate leave from their groups.

1. Operation Nothing But Net: Rozier was considered one of six folks, together with former participant and coach Damon Jones, named on this case for allegedly passing inside info to win sports bets between December 2022 and March 2024, together with a 2023 sport by which Rozier left early with a faux damage to win hundreds value of prop bets on his “unders.”

2. Operation Royal Flush: Billups was among the many 31 folks named in a case involving rigged poker games relationship again to 2019 by which the Mafia was concerned. Billups (and Jones, additionally named right here) was used to lure unsuspecting gamers into these rigged video games. Billups, although not named within the sports betting indictment, matches the description of a co-conspirator.

The backdrop: This scandal casts a darker cloud over a league additionally embroiled in one other scandal — that of Kawhi Leonard’s alleged “no-show” sponsorship deal. It additionally comes at a time of elevated playing scandals within the sport (see: Jontay Porter), all as the NBA has overtly embraced partnerships with playing firms, writes Yahoo Sports’ Ben Rorhbach.

From Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wolken: The inevitable bill of legalized sports gambling has come

The authentic thought behind the legalization of sports playing was that if a client had entry to the exercise in Nevada, it ought to have entry in New Jersey. The Supreme Court agreed.

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But even these of us who agreed in precept did not essentially perceive how sports playing would explode into each facet of our lives as followers, nor how it might alter a relationship that had been essentially constructed on fandom.

Now, for a lot of, it will likely be constructed on suspicion. Was a foul evening only a dangerous evening? Is an damage actually an damage? Is a participant sitting on the bench as a result of a coach has been sitting on the improper poker desk?

For most, it will not be honest. But Thursday’s arrests will undoubtedly transfer these issues to the entrance of thoughts for a lot of followers.

That’s the associated fee for all these sponsorship {dollars} groups and leagues have been raking in. For the primary time since sports playing logos obtained inside their arenas, it is time to marvel if these income are value it.

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Further studying: Why do millionaire athletes get involved in gambling? (Jay Busbee, Yahoo Sports)

⚾️ Baseball is booming

The World Series begins tonight in Toronto, capping off a season that has proven baseball — throughout all ranges of the game — is in its healthiest spot in a very long time.

Baseball is booming: MLB’s whole attendance this season (71.4 million followers) increased for the third consecutive year, which hadn’t occurred since 2005-07. That rising recognition may very well be seen over the airwaves and different digital channels, too.

• Viewership: Postseason video games drew a mean of 4.33 million viewers via the Division Series, a 30% enhance over final 12 months and the highest in 15 years. Similar high-water marks have been seen throughout the common season, the place TBS (highest viewership since 2011), ESPN (2013) and Fox (2022) all drew massive numbers, too.

• Streaming: A report 19.39 billion minutes have been watched on MLB.TV, which noticed seven of its 10 most-watched video games ever happen this 12 months.

• Digital: MLB’s social media pages garnered a report 17.8 billion views this 12 months and the MLB app had its most-trafficked season ever.

What’s driving this? A wide range of elements are at play, however the dialogue has to start with the implementation of the pitch clock, which can go down as top-of-the-line selections in MLB historical past.

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• Games, which used to routinely last well over three hours, averaged simply 2:38 this season — the third 12 months in a row beneath 2:40 because the pitch clock arrived in 2023. Just three 9-inning video games this season lasted longer than 3:30. In 2021, there have been 391 such video games.

• The affect of this can’t be overstated. Fans at dwelling can watch video games with out it taking up their total night, and followers going to the ballpark can moderately count on to be dwelling earlier than 10pm most nights — a pipe dream within the not-so distant previous.

• Other new guidelines like bigger bases, limiting pickoffs and banning the shift have additionally led to extra steals, extra balls in play and a typically extra thrilling sport. It’s not rocket science: A greater product with a smaller time dedication has yielded a surge in recognition.

Then there’s the star energy: The sport’s two finest gamers — considered one of whom is a world famous person — enjoying within the league’s two greatest markets is a boon of epic proportions. And Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani aren’t simply MLB’s present finest gamers; they’ve spent the previous couple of years carving out their locations as all-time greats.

• This season additionally noticed a switch-hitting catcher nicknamed Big Dumper swat 60 homers, a report seven gamers report a 30/30 season and a record-tying 4 gamers hit 50 bombs.

• One mega-rich membership is making an attempt to win back-to-back titles, one other did not make the playoffs after an all-time collapse and a small-market darling completed with the league’s finest report. In quick, there was one thing for everybody, and everybody tuned in to look at it occur.

The massive image: Baseball’s growth appears to be having a trickle-down impact, with youth participation up to a record 8.49 million. Plus, the final three College World Series have been the most-watched since 2011.

Looking forward: It would really feel disingenuous to not point out the darkish cloud looming over all of this, which is that many worry a piece stoppage is coming when the CBA expires subsequent winter. Perhaps each side will take a look at the undeniably constructive state of their sport and discover frequent floor to keep away from that finish.

📸 Through the lens

Indianapolis — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander erupted for a career-high 55 factors in Thursday’s NBA Finals rematch as the Thunder beat the Pacers, 141-135 (2OT), for his or her second straight double-overtime victory to open the season.

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More NBA: In the one different sport of the evening, Steph Curry (42-6-7) led the Warriors previous the Nuggets, 137-131 (OT), regardless of a career-high 50 factors from Aaron Gordon, who shot 10-for-11 from lengthy vary.

New York — An surprising heavyweight struggle broke out on the Garden when San Jose’s Ryan Reaves (6-foot-2) and New York’s Matt Rempe (6-foot-9) threw down in the first period of the Sharks’ 6-5 (OT) win over the Rangers.

More NHL: Sidney Crosby had two targets and an help within the Penguins’ 5-3 win over the Panthers. It was his 497th multi-point sport, tying Mario Lemieux for the sixth-most ever.

Chester, Pennsylvania — The USWNT honored retired superstar Alex Morgan earlier than their pleasant at Subaru Park, the place she scored her first of 123 profession worldwide targets — fifth-most in group historical past.

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Portugal 2, USA 1: The sport itself didn’t go the Americans’ manner, losing in their first match since July because of uncharacteristic errors and an assault that went quiet after scoring simply 33 seconds into the sport.

📺 Weekend Watchlist

⚾️ World Series

The 121st World Series begins this weekend with Game 1 (Fri. 8pm ET, Fox) and Game 2 (Sat. 8pm, Fox) in Toronto. Will Los Angeles turn into MLB’s first repeat champion since 2000? Or will Toronto seize its first ring since 1993?

Key matchup: The Dodgers rotation vs. the Blue Jays lineup. LA’s starters have allowed simply 10 runs in 10 video games this postseason for a ridiculous 1.40 ERA. Toronto’s hitters have an .878 OPS, the sixth-highest of any postseason group since 1969 (min. 7 video games).

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🏈 NFL Week 8

With six groups on bye, together with 4 which might be over .500, Sunday is comparatively gentle on marquee video games. Among the perfect choices: Denver vs. Dallas in a matchup of groups which might be a step away from being contenders and Aaron Rodgers’ first sport vs. the Packers.*

• Bills at Panthers (1pm, Fox)

• Giants at Eagles (1pm, Fox)

• Cowboys at Broncos (4:25pm, CBS)

• Packers at Steelers (8:20pm, NBC)

*An opportunity at historical past: If Rodgers leads the Steelers to a win over the Packers, he’ll be a part of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Brett Favre as the one QBs in NFL historical past who’ve overwhelmed all 32 groups. (Of notice: Joe Montana and Fran Tarkenton are additionally technically in that membership, beating all 28 groups that existed throughout their careers.)

🏈 NCAA Football Week 9

Saturday’s slate is headlined by three ranked matchups, together with Vanderbilt’s first sport as a top-10 group since 1947.

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• No. 8 Ole Miss at No. 13 Oklahoma (12pm, ABC)

• No. 15 Missouri at No. 10 Vanderbilt (3:30pm, ESPN)

• No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 20 LSU (7:30pm, ABC)

Best of the remainder: UCLA at No. 2 Indiana (12pm, Fox); No. 4 Alabama at South Carolina (3:30pm, ABC); No. 11 BYU at Iowa State (3:30pm, Fox); Stanford at No. 9 Miami (7pm, ESPN).

⚽️ MLS Playoffs

Round One begins tonight with the primary best-of-three collection, as Lionel Messi and No. 3 Inter Miami host No. 6 Nashville (8pm, FS1). Three extra collection start on Sunday: No. 1 Philadelphia vs. No. 8 Chicago (5:30pm, FS1); No. 2 Vancouver vs. No. 7 Dallas (7:30pm, Apple); No. 1 San Diego vs. No. 8 Portland (9:30pm, Apple).

🏀 NBA Opening Weekend

The first weekend of games ideas off tonight with Prime Video‘s first-ever NBA video games: Celtics at Knicks (7:30pm) and Timberwolves at Lakers (10pm).

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⚽️ El Clásico

Real Madrid hosts Barcelona on Sunday (11:15am, ESPN2) within the first El Clásico of the season, and 262nd all-time. Los Blancos sit atop La Liga (24 factors), however second-place Barça (22 factors) won all four meetings last season.

More to look at:

• 🏒 NHL: Avalanche at Bruins (Sat. 3pm, NHL); Canadiens at Canucks (Sat. 7pm, NHL); Avalanche at Devils (Sun. 1pm, NHL) … Colorado (5-0-3) leads the league with 13 factors.

• ⚽️ Friendly: USWNT vs. Portugal (Sun. 4pm, TNT) … The two sides meet for the second time in 4 days, this time in East Hartford, Connecticut.

• ⚽️ Premier League: Bournemouth vs. Nottingham Forest (Sun. 10am, Peacock) … Third-place Bournemouth (4-3-1) are off to their finest begin ever.

• 👊 UFC 321: Tom Aspinall vs. Cyril Gane (Sat. 4:30pm, ESPN+ PPV) … Aspinall’s heavyweight title defense headlines the 14-fight card in Abu Dhabi.

Full weekend slate.

🏈 Football trivia

Question: Can you identify the eight states that do not have an FBS program?

Hint: Half are on one facet of the Mississippi River, half are on the opposite.

Bonus trace: It was 9 till Delaware joined Conference USA in 2025.

Submitted by: Charles C. (Austin, Texas)

Answer on the backside.

🏈 Jets followers deserve amnesty

Jets followers have it fairly tough, with this season’s 0-7 begin simply the newest in a string of organizational failures. And whereas we would usually discourage this habits, we’re ready to subject a one-time-only, guilt-free bandwagon bounce for members of Gang Green Nation who’ve had sufficient.

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From Yahoo Sports’ Jay Busbee:

We all knew the child in class — or the man at work — who roots for some hotel-buffet mixture of the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers, Duke basketball, Indiana Fever and Kansas City Chiefs, no matter the place they grew up. Scornful graduates of Michigan and Alabama (are there every other type?) name these bandwagon-jumpers “Wal-Mart Wolverines” or “Dirt Road Alumni,” and most often, all of the disgust is deserved. You do not get to simply choose a greater group when you’ve gotten a superbly nice one at dwelling.

But if the house group is not “perfectly fine,” if the house group stinks like rubbish juice in August, if the house group is the New York Jets … nicely, for this group solely, and this season solely, we’re lifting the societal scorn on bandwagon-jumping.

Want to surrender on Gang Green and be a part of the Mahomes/Kelce/Taylor Swift Chiefs cult? Come on in, brother and sister, it is a massive ol’ tent. Tired of shedding the AFC East time and again and wish to swap your loyalties to the Buffalo Bills? There’s a desk along with your identify and Woody Johnson’s face on it, pal, dive proper in. Want to affix so lots of your New York brethren and to migrate to Miami? We would advise towards pinning any hopes by any means on the Dolphins, however at the very least you will be struggling in sunshine.

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Keep reading.

Trivia reply: Alaska, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont

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