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Though a lot of it was to be expected, longtime UConn womens basketball coach Geno Auriemma thinks Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has been targeted so far during her rookie season in the WNBA.

Auriemmas comments came after Clark was hit by Chicago Sky forward Chennedy Carter during their contest on Saturday. That play, which was upgraded to a flagrant foul later by the league, has been subject to plenty of criticism and discussion in the sports world ever since since.

Is she facing the rookie challenge, the rookie hardships that are inherent with being a rookie? Yes, Auriemma said Wednesday, via ESPNs Michael Voepel. Shes also being targeted.

Carter hip-checked Clark late in the third quarter of the Fevers win over the Sky on Saturday and knocked her to the ground from behind. Carter was called for a common foul in the moment, but the league upgraded it the following day and fined her $1,000. The two had been going at it during the game in the lead up to the foul, but Carter escalated things significantly.

Chennedy got caught up in the heat of the moment in an effort to win the game, Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon said in a statement, in part. She and I have discussed what happened and that it was not appropriate, nor is it what we do or who we are.

Carter who refused to talk about Clark immediately after the game, which Auriemma called "junior high stuff" said later that she has "no regrets" about the foul itself.

"At the end of the day, it's all love outside of basketball," Carter said. "When we're in those four lines, it's smoke. After, it's all love."

Clark has been fairly quiet about the play itself, and has instead largely just moved on. Shes averaged 15.6 points, 6.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game so far this season. The Fever are just 2-9 on the year, and are coming off a 104-68 loss to the New York Liberty on Sunday.

Though Clark is coming off a historic and sport-altering career at Iowa, and she has already helped break numerous viewership records during her short time in the WNBA, Auriemma compared her to several other former NBA greats on Wednesday. When players like Michael Jordan or Larry Bird entered the league, he said, they werent being targeted the way he thinks Clark is.

I dont remember when Jordan came into the [NBA], guys looking to go out and beat him up, Auriemma said. I dont remember when Bird and Magic came into the league and elevated the NBA, them getting targeted and beat up just because of who they were and the attention they were getting.

Appreciate the fact that nows the time [for the WNBA]. I get it. Its long overdue. Why are you blaming that kid? Its not her fault, because you would trade places with her in a minute, but you are not there. Youre not her. So youre [complaining] that she's getting what shes getting.

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UConn's Geno Auriemma thinks Caitlin Clark is being 'targeted' in the WNBA after incident with Chennedy Carter - Yahoo Sports

Aaron Jones, Monank Patel and the USA cricket team continue to co-host the ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup this week. (Matt Roberts-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

Its time for the ninth edition of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup the very first cricket world cup that the US will co-host. Between June 1 and June 29, a record 20 cricket teams will play 55 matches for the 2024 T20 World Cup trophy. The action continues this morning with India vs. Ireland at 10:30 a.m. ET. Then, tonight, Papua New Guinea plays Uganda at 7:30 p.m. and Australia faces Oman at 8:30 p.m. Are you ready to watch the cricket world cup? Unfortunately, in the US, the sport still airs on the niche Willow TV, which you may not already have access to. But weve got you covered. Heres everything you need to know about where to stream matches, how to watch for free, the full cricket world cup schedule and more.

Date: June 5, 2024

Time: 10:30 a.m. ET/7:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. ET

TV channel: Willow TV

Streaming: Sling, DirecTV, VPN

The cricket world cup began on Saturday, June 1, 2024. The tournament continues today with India vs. Ireland (10:30 AM), Papua New Guinea vs. Uganda (7:30 PM) and Australia vs. Oman (8:30 PM). The final match will be held on Saturday, June 29.

USA and the West Indies are co-hosting the 2024 T20 World Cup, and matches will be played across nine venues in Dallas, Bridgetown, Providence, New York, Lauderhill, North Sound, Gros Islet, Kingstown and Tarouba.

In the US, the cricket world cup will air exclusively on Willow TV. You may not have the niche cricket cable channel in your current package, or no longer have cable at all. But dont worry, you can sign up for Willow TV directly, or add it to a live TV streaming service like Sling or DirecTV Stream. You can also check out other ways to stream the cricket world cup for free (or almost free) with the help of a VPN below.

While in the US, the T20 World Cup will be airing exclusively on Willow TV (which you'll need cable or a subscription for), in Australia it's all streaming on Amazon Prime Video so all you need to do to tune in is be a Prime subscriber.

Dont live in Australia? Don't worry, you can still stream like you do with the help of a VPN. A VPN (virtual private network) helps protect your data, can mask your IP address and is perhaps most popular for being especially useful in the age of streaming. Whether youre looking to watch Friends on Netflix (which left the U.S. version of the streamer back in 2019) or tune in to the cricket world cup on Amazon Prime in Australia, a VPN can help you out. Looking to try a VPN for the first time? This guide breaks down the best VPN options for every kind of user.

In Australia, viewers are able to tune into all 55 matches of the cricket world cup on Amazon Prime Video. While you may not live in Australia, you can still stream like you do with a VPN. But ExpressVPN offers internet without borders, meaning US viewers can tune into international shows, movies and sporting events as opposed to paying for US coverage. All you'll need to do is sign up for ExpressVPN, change your server location to Australua, and then find the games on Amazon Prime Video.

ExpressVPNs added protection, speed and range of location options make it an excellent choice for first-time VPN users looking to stretch their streaming abilities, plus it's Engadget's top pick for the best streaming VPN. New users can save 49% when they sign up for ExpressVPNs 12-month subscription. Plus, the service offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you're nervous about trying a VPN.

The T20 World Cup will have 20 teams playing in 2024. The hosts, USA and West Indies will, of course, play. They are joined by England, Pakistan, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Australia, Netherlands, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Nepal, Oman, Namibia, Uganda and Papua New Guinea.

All times Eastern

June 5, 2024

India vs. Ireland - 10:30 AM

Papua New Guinea vs. Uganda - 7:30 PM

Australia vs. Oman - 8:30 PM

June 6, 2024

United States Of America vs. Pakistan - 11:30 AM

Namibia vs. Scotland - 3:00 PM

June 7, 2024

Canada vs. Ireland - 10:30 AM

Afghanistan vs. New Zealand - 7:30 PM

Bangladesh vs. Sri Lanka - 8:30 PM

June 8, 2024

Netherlands vs. South Africa - 10:30 AM

Australia vs. England - 1:00 PM

West Indies vs. Uganda - 8:30 PM

June 9, 2024

India vs. Pakistan - 10:30 AM

Oman vs. Scotland - 1:00 PM

June 10, 2024

Bangladesh vs. South Africa - 10:30 AM

June 11, 2024

Canada vs. Pakistan - 10:30 AM

Nepal vs. Sri Lanka - 7:30 PM

Australia vs. Namibia - 8:30 PM

June 12, 2024

United States Of America vs. India - 10:30 AM

West Indies vs. New Zealand - 8:30 PM

June 13, 2024

Bangladesh vs. Netherlands - 10:30 AM

England vs. Oman - 3:00 PM

Afghanistan vs. Papua New Guinea - 8:30 PM

June 14, 2024

United States Of America vs. Ireland - 10:30 AM

Nepal vs. South Africa - 7:30 PM

New Zealand vs. Uganda - 8:30 PM

June 15, 2024

Canada vs. India - 10:30 AM

England vs. Namibia - 1:00 PM

Australia vs. Scotland - 8:30 PM

June 16, 2024

Ireland vs. Pakistan - 10:30 AM

Bangladesh vs. Nepal - 7:30 PM

Netherlands vs. Sri Lanka - 8:30 PM

June 17, 2024

New Zealand vs. Papua New Guinea - 10:30 AM

West Indies vs. Afghanistan - 8:30 PM

Canada:

Saad Bin Zafar (captain), Aaron Johnson, Dilon Heyliger, Dilpreet Bajwa, Harsh Thaker, Jeremy Gordon, Junaid Siddiqui, Kaleem Sana, Kanwarpal Tathgur, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Pargat Singh, Ravinderpal Singh, Rayyankhan Pathan, Shreyas Movva.

Reserves: Tajinder Singh, Aaditya Varadharajan, Ammar Khalid, Jatinder Matharu, Parveen Kumar.

India:

Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.

Ireland:

Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young.

Pakistan:

Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan.

United States:

Monank Patel (captain), Aaron Jones, Steven Taylor, Corey Anderson, Saurabh Netravalkar, Jessy Singh, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjige, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Nitish Kumar, Andries Gous, Shayan Jahangir, Ali Khan, Nisarg Patel, Milind Kumar.

Reserves: Gajanand Singh, Juanoy Drysdale, Yasir Mohammad.

Australia:

Mitchell Marsh (captain), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Reserves: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Matt Short.

England:

Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.

Namibia:

Gerhard Erasmus (captain), Zane Green, Michael Van Lingen, Dylan Leicher, Ruben Trumpelmann, Jack Brassell, Ben Shikongo, Tangeni Lungameni, Niko Davin, JJ Smit, Jan Frylinck, JP Kotze, David Wiese, Bernard Scholtz, Malan Kruger, PD Blignaut.

Oman:

Aqib Ilyas (captain), Zeeshan Maqsood, Kashyap Prajapati, Pratik Athavale, Ayaan Khan, Shoaib Khan, Mohammad Nadeem, Naseem Khushi, Mehran Khan, Bilal Khan, Rafiullah, Kaleemullah, Fayyaz Butt, Shakeel Ahmad.

Reserves: Jatinder Singh, Samay Shrivastava, Sufyan Mehmood, Jay Odedra.

Scotland:

Richie Berrington (captain), Matthew Cross, Brad Currie, Chris Greaves, Oli Hairs, Jack Jarvis, Michael Jones, Michael Leask, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Safyaan Sharif, Chris Sole, Charlie Tear, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal.

Afghanistan:

Rashid Khan (captain), Noor Ahmad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohammad Ishaq, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Fareed Ahmad Malik, Gulbadin Naib, Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Ibrahim Zadran, Najibullah Zadran.

Reserves: Sediq Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Saleem Safi.

New Zealand:

Kane Williamson (captain), Finn Allen, Trent Boult, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee.

Reserve: Ben Sears.

Papua New Guinea:

Assadollah Vala (captain), CJ Amini, Alei Nao, Chad Soper, Hila Vare, Hiri Hiri, Jack Gardner, John Kariko, Kabua Vagi Morea, Kipling Doriga, Lega Siaka, Norman Vanua, Sema Kamea, Sese Bau, Tony Ura.

Uganda:

Brian Masaba (captain), Simon Ssesazi, Roger Mukasa, Cosmas Kyewuta, Dinesh Nakrani, Fred Achelam, Kenneth Waiswa, Alpesh Ramjani, Frank Nsubuga, Henry Ssenyondo, Bilal Hassun, Robinson Obuya, Riazat Ali Shah, Juma Miyaji, Ronak Patel.

Reserves: Innocent Mwebaze, Ronald Lutaaya

West Indies:

Rovman Powell (captain), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd.

Reserves: Kyle Mayers, Matthew Forde, Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh, and Andre Fletcher

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How to watch cricket in the US: Where to stream the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tonight - Yahoo Sports

Paul Skenes vs. Shohei Ohtani is the kind of matchup that can sell an entire game. It more than lived up to its billing in Wednesday's matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Skenes took the mound against the NL West-leading Dodgers for the fifth start of his career and began on a dominant note, striking out Mookie Betts on four pitches. He then faced Ohtani, and what happened next can only be described as violence.

First pitch: 101.3 mph swinging strike.

Second pitch: 100.1 mph swinging strike (with a foul tip).

Third pitch: 100.8 mph swinging strike.

You might never see Ohtani look as overmatched as he did here.

Skenes proceeded to get Freddie Freeman out on a fly ball to end the inning.

The Skenes-Ohtani rematch came in the third, with the Pirates up 7-0 after a disaster inning for Dodgers starting pitcher James Paxton. Skenes got another swinging strike with a 99.6 mph first-pitch fastball, then ran the count full.

Having gotten five swinging strikes on six fastballs to Ohtani so far, Skenes went back to the fastball yet again for the payoff pitch. But this time Ohtani was ready for it, sending it 415 feet into the batter's eye in center field.

Per MLB.com's Sarah Langs, that 100.1 mph fastball was the fastest pitch Ohtani has homered on in his career.

Ohtani won the third round as well, pulling a 98.1 mph fastball for a one-out single in the fifth inning. Skenes finished his day with five innings pitched, three earned runs, six hits, one walk and eight strikeouts, getting the win in a 10-6 victory for the Pirates.

That is some fun baseball, possibly for no one more than Skenes. While he is known as a flame-throwing monster on the mound, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft was once known for his own two-way abilities as a hitter and pitcher. While at the Air Force Academy, Skenes won the John Olerud Award as the nation's top two-way player in 2022 before he transferred to LSU and focused on pitching.

As he told MLB.com's Alex Stumpf, he idolized Ohtani during that stretch of his career:

I grew up watching him, Skenes said. As a two-way guy, that was what I was trying to be before I got drafted. He was an inspiration in a lot of ways.

Skenes got to see one side of that talent up close and personal Wednesday, with mixed results.

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Paul Skenes blows away Shohei Ohtani, who returns the favor in his next at-bat - Yahoo Sports

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The wide receiver market was reset this week as Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson reframed the narrative about paying wideouts with a massive four-year extension worth a reported $140 million. With other star receivers like Dallas' Ceedee Lamb and San Francisco's Brandon Aiyuk due for extensions of their own, how do GMs around the league approach their jobs when $35 million per year for a star wide receiver is now the going rate?

Jason Fitz, Charles Robinson & Nate Tice ask that very question and figure out what the next few years of roster construction looks like in this brave new world where teams are expected to pay top dollar for a quarterback, an offensive tackle, a star edge rusher, a lockdown corner and now an explosive wide receiver.

Before they get into the Jefferson deal, they first take a look at the Cleveland Browns, who reportedly inked extensions this offseason for GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski? What will the Browns look like in 2024 with a top front office & coaching situation, yet still a big question mark around the play of Deshaun Watson?

Later in the show, the guys discuss the recent lifetime bans of players in the NBA and MLB for betting on games, and how the NFL would react if a similar situation happened in their league? What would an 'extinction level' event look like for the NFL if one of their top players was caught in a similar scandal?

Finally, the guys close out the show grading three stories from offseason minicamps, as Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson professes to be the next Christian McCaffrey, Indianapolis Colts WR Adonai Mitchell is turning heads in camp & the Los Angeles Chargers coaching staff is hyping up year two of WR Quentin Johnston.

(3:00) - Browns extend HC Stefanski & GM Berry

(17:30) - Justin Jefferson contract & what it mean's for NFL roster building

(34:50) - How can NFL avoid betting scandals?

(52:15) - Minicamp buy/sell: Bijan Robinson, Adonai Mitchell, Quentin Johnston

Zero Blitz would be nothing without the impact of our beloved Terez Paylor, who was a pillar of Yahoo Sports' NFL editorial and podcast coverage. We will continue to produce this NFL podcast in his honor, and hope that you can support Terez Paylor's legacy in one of three ways:

Buy an "All-Juice Team" hoodie or tee from BreakingT.com/Terez. All profits directly fund the Terez A. Paylor scholarship at Howard University.

Donate directly to the PowerMizzou Journalism Alumni Scholarship in memory of Terez Paylor

Donate directly at giving.howard.edu/givenow. Under Tribute, please note that your gift is made in memory of Terez A. Paylor. Under Designation, click on Other and write in Terez A. Paylor Scholarship.

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What the Justin Jefferson deal means for roster construction, stability in Cleveland & will the NFL have a major betting ... - Yahoo Sports

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On this episode of the Good Word with Goodwill, Yahoo Sports senior NBA reporter Vincent Goodwill is joined by Yahoo Sports NBA contributor Tom Haberstroh to talk about the Boston Celtics and more.

The guys talk through their own trust issues about the Boston Celtics. Whether its the style of play, the soft path through the playoffs, or the disappointments on the resumes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, its just hard to believe that the Celtics will dominate the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

In previewing tomorrow nights game 1, the guys talk about Kristaps Porzingis health and how the Dallas Mavericks might attack him on defense to take advantage of a sore calf or rust from time off.

Vinnie and Tom go through some of the coaching news from the last couple of weeks (extensions for Ty Lue & Mike Brown, Brian Keefe earning the job in Washington) before discussing J.J. Redick, who appears to be the front-runner to become the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Tom points out that LeBrom James could be a free agent this offseason, and lays out a couple of teams that might be good fits for LeBron to join.if they were to draft Bronny James.

Finally, the guys each pick 5 current NBA players that they would like to see as head coaches in the NBA in the future.

Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts

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Celtics trust issues, LeBron's free agency & NBA Finals predictions | Good Word with Goodwill - Yahoo Sports

Are you willing to bet on anyone other than Jayson Tatum and Luka Doni to win NBA Finals MVP?

The two first-team All-NBA members are the clear favorites for the award at BetMGM ahead of Game 1 on Thursday. Tatum is better than even money to win at -120, while Doni is at +200.

Even though Doni is the consensus best player in the series, Tatum has significantly better odds than Doni because the Celtics enter the Finals as the clear favorites. Boston is still -225 to win the Finals, while Dallas is +180. The Celtics are 6.5-point favorites at home on Thursday night.

Tatum has averaged 26 points per game on 44% shooting during the postseason so far. If his 3-point percentage rebounds, he could be in for a big Finals; he's shooting just 29% from behind the arc over 14 postseason games after shooting 37.6% from deep during the regular season.

Donis field goal percentage has also dropped this postseason as hes dealt with some lingering injuries and more defensive focus. After averaging nearly 34 points a game in the regular season, Doni is scoring just under 29 points per game this postseason and shooting 43.8% from the field compared to 48.7% in the regular season.

After struggling in Dallas Game 4 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, Doni rebounded with a huge game in Game 5. He shot 63.6% from the field with 36 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.

Jaylen Brown is the clear No. 3 favorite behind Tatum and Doni at +625. Brown is averaging 25 points per game and shooting over 54% from the field in the playoffs. If you like Boston to cash in as favorites, he may be a better bet than Tatum.

Kyrie Irving is +1800 to win Finals MVP as he heads back to Boston for the first time as a member of the Mavericks. Irving last played against his former team in Boston during the 2022 postseason as a member of the Nets.

Irving has been phenomenal so far for the Mavericks in the playoffs. Hes shooting nearly 49% and is averaging 22.8 points and 5.2 assists per game.

After those four players, the odds for MVP get really long. And you have to go a ways down the board to find the next Mavericks player. Favorites Nos. 5-8 are all Celtics players before you get to three Mavericks at +30000.

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NBA Finals betting: Jayson Tatum and Luka Doni are, unsurprisingly, the clear favorites for MVP - Yahoo Sports

It's been two days since the Chicago Sky lost 71-70 to the Indiana Fever, and the Sky have finally broken their silence about the most talked-about play from that game: Chennedy Carter's upgraded flagrant foul on Fever rookie Caitlin Clark.

Head coach Teresa Weatherspoon was the first to speak about it on Monday, releasing a statement about how she addressed the play with Carter.

"Physical play, intensity, and a competitive spirit are hallmarks of Chicago Sky basketball. Chennedy got caught up in the heat of the moment in an effort to win the game. She and I have discussed what happened and that it was not appropriate, nor is it what we do or who we are. Chennedy understands that there are better ways to handle situations on the court, and she will learn from this as we all will.

"As a team, we will grow together and continue to work hard to display strong leadership and set a positive example for our competitors, fans, and partners."

Carter gave Clark a hard shove at the end of the third quarter without the ball in play. Clark landed on the floor and Carter was called for a personal foul. The WNBA upgraded the foul to a flagrant-1 after further review on Sunday. No one on the Sky commented about Clark or the foul following the game.

Angel Reese skipped her postgame media commitments completely, which is against WNBA media policy. The league announced Sunday that Reese had been fined $1,000 for skipping interviews and the Sky had been fined $5,000 for allowing her to violate the WNBA's media policy.

But both Reese and Carter were front and center on Monday afternoon, addressing the media together and speaking their minds about what happened Saturday. Carter began by saying she had "no regrets."

Carter followed that up by saying she has "no complaints" even though the Sky have been the subject of a lot of negative talk over the past few days.

Reese, who was seen cheering on the sideline when Carter fouled Clark, then said she's willing to play whatever role the game needs her to play. If she needs to be the villain, then that's exactly what she'll do.

The Sky's next game is against the New York Liberty on Tuesday night.

Read more:

Sky's Chennedy Carter has 'no regrets' about foul on Caitlin Clark; Angel Reese will 'take the bad guy role' - Yahoo Sports

The Cleveland Browns have extended the contracts of general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski.

"We are incredibly fortunate to have Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry leading the Cleveland Browns," said team owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam in a statement. "Since the day they were hired, each has worked tirelessly to help the Cleveland Browns win. We are proud of what they and the team have achieved, but Kevin and Andrew would be the first to say that Browns fans deserve even more. Their leadership, collaborative approach, and ability to overcome obstacles bode well for the future of this franchise."

Contract details weren't announced by the team, but it's reported to be multi-year extensions for both.

Berry, 37, and Stefanski, 42, were hired in 2020 and the Browns have made the playoffs in two of their four seasons together. According to the team, the .552 winning percentage (37-30) is the highest in franchise history "over a four-year stretch since 1986-89."

The Browns are coming off a 2023 season in which they went 11-6 and finished second in the NFC North before losing to the Houston Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

"Last season was a prime example," the Haslams continued. "Despite facing multiple player injuries and using five different starting quarterbacks, Andrew and his staff built a roster that adapted well, while Kevin and his staff led the team to its second playoff appearance in four years, earning Coach of the Year honors for the second time in that period. They are two of the brightest people we know, and selfless people who only care about what is best for the Cleveland Browns. We are thrilled that Kevin and Andrew will remain with the team for the future."

They are hoping to build off last season with a full, healthy year from quarterback Deshaun Watson as well as the possibility of Nick Chubb returning to the back field at some point during the 2024 season.

Stefanski, who won NFL Coach of the Year honors in 2020 and 2023, is the first coach in Browns history to be employed for a fifth season since Bill Belichick in the franchise's previous era.

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Browns sign GM Andrew Berry, HC Kevin Stefanski to multi-year extensions - Yahoo Sports

BOSTON Jaylen Brown couldnt get the exact quote correct, but you could put the words together to make a reasonable deduction on where he was going.

The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth is an African proverb popularized by the Marvel film Black Panther six years ago, and Brown used it to describe how he and teammate Jayson Tatum deal with the scrutiny of being Celtics and of being on a contending team that hasnt yet gotten over the hump.

Tatum chuckled and shot an imaginary left-handed jump shot when a question was asked if he was the most scrutinized player in the playoffs, quipping with a smile, Think so? So all of this is on the minds of the Celtics two headliners.

For a franchise that hangs only championship banners, a franchise that in the absence of the feel-good Knicks and drama-chasing Lakers is always being dissected on daily television, social media and any other place that has discussions centered around the NBA.

It can be exhausting and nerve-racking.

Or in the case of these NBA Finals, of this playoff run, everything can be so charmed that it presents an opportunity to change the narrative as much as it is one to become a champion.

Thats what Tatum and Brown are staring down on the eve of their second Finals.

Referencing that, you get to a point where it's, like, you get scrutinized enough for a large part of your career, it becomes normal, said Brown, going back to the proverb. Then it just rolls off you. For me, at least, I can say. I don't know if Jayson feels the same way.

In a way, Tatum was the golden child coming to the Celtics on draft night. Brown, who arrived a year earlier, remembers different feelings so much so, he was shocked to receive the MVP award for the Eastern Conference finals when the Celtics swept the shorthanded Indiana Pacers.

It's kind of been that my whole career, in a sense, Brown said. Just being booed when you were drafted to saying you were overpaid, saying you were overpaid again. It's been that the whole journey for me.

It just becomes another headline.

The headline today is the missed opportunity from 2022, when the Celtics squandered a 2-1 lead over the Golden State Warriors when Stephen Curry went to a level nobody could contain or match.

In the last three games of that series, Tatum shot 39% from the field and averaged just 21 points. Brown was the lone bright spot in the decisive Game 6 loss at home, scoring 34, but he had five turnovers in each of the last two games becoming a target for the Warriors defense and one for fan ire.

The Celtics wilted beneath that Finals weight and failed to reach June last year in an even more disappointing loss to the Miami Heat in the East finals.

But the path has been laid for them to have fresh bodies, as Kristaps Porziis has been cleared from the injury report, and they dont have playoff attrition either, with a pretty easy road to get here.

We kind of took it for granted at certain moments, said Tatum, referencing last year. We didn't make it to the Finals. This year put things in perspective. I think you can see in our excitement when we won the conference. Obviously, that's not the end all, be all, but it really is tough to get to this moment.

All thats left is to dissect some silly things, like Tatums alleged facial expression when Brown was awarded that ECF MVP. And the overall discussion over Tatums individual offensive play, which certainly seems fair given his numbers, averaging 26 points, 10.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists but shooting 44.2% from the floor and 29% from 3-point range.

"My mom took it a little tougher than maybe I did. But for me, I don't take it personal, right? Just a long break without NBA basketball, so they had to overanalyze every little thing, have something to talk about, Tatum said. Did it get old? Yeah. But, you know, it's the Finals. They wouldn't talk about me if I wasn't good, so ... try to take some positives out of it and change the channel.

Brown said hes watched the 2022 Finals in its entirety four or five times since and notes the Celtics are a much different team than the inexperienced one relative to Golden State.

Yeah, you learn and grow from your experiences, from being a 25-year-old to being a 27-year-old is a big difference, Brown said. Yeah, I'm 27 [smiling]. You learn from those experiences.

We got a different team. We got a different coach, too, as well. We had Ime Udoka; now we have Joe Mazzulla. We had Marcus Smart, Rob Williams; we have Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porziis. Different team, different coach two years later makes a pretty big difference.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd debunks the experience element of being in the Finals, in a way. When he carried the New Jersey Nets to the Finals in 2002 and 2003, they didnt lose because of inexperience, as he saw it.

It's simple: talent. Sometimes you don't have enough talent, Kidd said. As I brought up the Lakers and Nets, we were happy to be there, but we just didn't have enough talent to beat Kobe and Shaq. It could be that simple.

Sometimes experience or confidence can be the difference between winning and losing when teams are evenly matched, or when the supernova is on the other side, in the case of Dallas Luka Doni.

All that matters is the Celtics believe their past failures have prepared them for this, and they believe itll help, not hinder.

I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason, Tatum said. There's a lesson to be learned in every situation. I do. I do feel a lot different this time, this go-round, two years later. I'm excited for the opportunity for us to get the job done.

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2024 NBA Finals: Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum aren't new to this game anymore - Yahoo Sports

DALLAS Theres a pause before Kyrie Irving speaks, almost a rhythmic beat as he gathers his thoughts.

Going off-script on the floor produces the most beautifully awkward, twisting layups with special English.

But in this public sphere, Irving makes sure his English doesnt go to the unintended places. Sometimes, hell ask for clarity to be sure, or state, Im trying to think of the best way to say this.

Perhaps its maturity or, even better, discernment making sure hes on message while still being himself, from the experiences over the past few years or, likely, the totality of his career to date.

He has often expressed how he has felt at a given moment, many times to his detriment. How he feels now only matters so much, so it doesnt have to be redemption. His actions are what count here, and the actions are creating a more complete picture.

Perhaps its realizing how close he was to losing it all and now hes back on the NBA Finals stage for the first time since 2017, when he was a much younger man.

I dont want to call it a life raft or lifeline, but it was like family reaching out, Irving told Yahoo Sports last week during the Western Conference finals.

That family Irving referenced was Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, whose relationship with Irving goes back to Harrisons days as a Nike executive a place he'd been for nearly 20 years and who signed an extension with the Mavs on Tuesday.

It all happened so fast, Irving and the Mavericks coming together out of need last February, and the success has evolved even quicker than the most rosy, blue-eyed optimist couldve envisioned.

The Mavericks have enabled Irving to be his best self on the floor, and hes evolved into a leader on a team with many young pieces.

It was such a quick process, man, Irving told Yahoo Sports recently. I was in West Orange High School in New Jersey working on my game and trying to figure out what this trade would lead me to, to getting a call from Dallas and, in a blink of an eye, here I am in L.A. playing the Clippers the next night."

Irving needed a fresh start after the once-promising Brooklyn Nets situation turned toxic. The Mavericks needed to restore confidence with franchise star Luka Doni following departures of key running mates.

In a way, the respective mistakes of both parties led them to each other, and its paid off.

It really wasnt about the past, it was about our past, Harrison told Yahoo Sports. And leaning on that. I know the person you are, your character.

So Dallas sent out Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a future first-round pick and two seconds for Irving and Markieff Morris a trade that looks like high thievery in hindsight, given how well Irving has fit in his first full season next to Doni.

Irving couldve very well been out of the NBA, his reputation in tatters following a tweet of an antisemitic film that garnered weeks of controversy, an indefinite team suspension, demands from the Anti-Defamation League and condemnation all around the league.

He deleted the tweet, issued an apology but the damage was done.

His spellbinding talent and his relationship with Harrison produced this chance.

The Western Conference was too full of talent, and the Mavericks couldnt risk passing up the opportunity to give Doni true help; it wouldve started a clock on some inevitable trade demand, some believe.

It depends on what you already have. Some teams need big moves, Harrison said. For us, when you have a young player whos ready to go, you have to pair him with as much talent. So that requires you to make a [big] move.

Go get him. Get him, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd told Yahoo Sports of his conversation with Harrison about Irving. We need another star. We felt that he fit next to Luka, and he was able to get him.

Kidd had been traded multiple times through his career and knew the rejuvenating effect it could have with someone like Irving and he felt the Mavericks were perfectly positioned to cultivate the right environment to bring out the best in him.

Yeah, we believe that we have the people power to turn that around. Nico and myself as being the head of that, Kidd said. Because we knew Kai and it all worked out. I mean, Kai participated at a high level. But you can see he's having fun. The joy of basketball is at a high. But the trust that he has in Niko and myself is at a high too, and I think we were honest with him and he was honest with us.

That first in-depth conversation Kidd and Irving had was simple.

I wasn't judging him on any of whatever was going on. I was looking at him as the man that he is when he walks in the office, Kidd said. And so, whatever was going on in the past was the past. And so for me, it was just a matter of, 'How do we help you get to the next level? Or get back to having fun playing basketball?' We talked about that.

Harrison isnt surprised about Irvings evolution as a leader, attributing it to age and experience.

The thing about Kyrie: Hes always been very introspective and thoughtful, Harrison said. So when you think about what qualities make a good leader, hes always had them. Hes hard working, he cares about other people. So hes always been a leader. Hes just taken it to another level. Hes at that age in his life where its most important.

Irving showed enough to get the Mavericks to commit to a three-year deal worth $120 million last summer (and reportedly tried to recruit LeBron James to Dallas), and although he wasnt an All-Star officially this season, his production has been sterling and his affect on winning has been palpable, with the Mavericks going 39-19 when Irving was available, compared to 11-13 when he was injured.

This has been the greatest portion of my career, Irving said. To be able to now give wisdom and also speak from a place of experience. When you're a young person, again, you're trying to speed through life, you're trying to get through everything.

He tells his teammates that team goals are what matter now, and that this run to the Finals will be remembered forever.

You know, people remember the greatest players of all time, and they argue all the time, but no one really talks about team aspect unless they're a true fan of the craft, Irving said. You talk about the Spurs, you gotta talk about dynasty. You talk about the Lakers, you got to talk about dynasty. You talk about the Celtics, you talk about dynasty. They literally took over eras, the Detroit Pistons, they defined an era.

The Irving who spoke in fortune-cookie riddles, the one who used to be mocked, is one who speaks with such clarity right now, urging his teammates to stay in the moment and not look ahead.

You know, he's been able to teach us a lot about being poised, Mavericks rookie center Dereck Lively II told Yahoo Sports. A lot about the ins and outs of the game and also, the runs. You know, he can go on a 20-point run himself, but after that, you're gonna need some help.

There certainly appears to be an internal balance within the 32-year-old. Irving almost seems to come across as a gentle leader, at least with Lively.

I'm gonna make mistakes, Lively said. But being able to try to move on, being able to go to the next play and be able to learn from it, definitely something I've learned from these two [Irving and Doni]. You know, whenever I mess up sometimes, they're gonna yell at me a bit, but right after they're gonna tell me to keep going.

Traditionally, Boston and its Garden have been a house of horrors for opponents for decades, with dead spots in the floor, hot water mysteriously going missing from visiting locker rooms and even fans dressing up in white sheets to simulate ghosts.

This Finals series, especially the first two games in Boston, will be a test for Irvings newfound peace. Its a reminder of his time as a Celtic and even a Cleveland Cavalier. It could be a reminder of any team hes played for, honestly the unfinished business, the hurt feelings.

When we're growing up, we are very individualistic and very nearsighted in terms of what's in front of us as a young person. You see what's in front of you, Irving said. And I am a young person still, so I don't want to say like that. I'm still growing.

I look at it as a journey. And people say that often, but they don't know what that actually means. It means when you enjoy the journey, it means that you've had an acceptance of what comes with this.

I've been able to realize that my presence around the NBA brotherhood and WNBA sisterhood is different than who I am outside in the broader world. This is a part of it. But this isn't the whole thing.

It was supposed to be a whole lotta fun in Brooklyn, a very ambitious, very promising venture that couldve resulted in at least one championship, pairing with Kevin Durant and, later, James Harden.

If Irving doesnt twist his ankle against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2021 playoffs, the Nets would've been the heavy favorite to win that title. It hindered the start of the next season, too, and he never really got on track.

If you have a hamstring or you have a knee soreness, people are looking at you like, But I would play, and then you have former players saying that stuff as well, which leads to shorter careers at some capacity, Irving said. I'm coming off the most significant ankle injury I've ever had in my career, but no one sees that and then I am suspended indefinitely for the COVID vaccine and then now I'm not around the team fixing or healing my ankle.

New Yorks vaccine mandate put Irving at a disadvantage compared to players in other areas who werent vaccinated. It was a scary time for many around the country and around the world. Irving became a symbol for so many things, and he couldnt even use basketball as an outlet.

I cant rehab, I cant have anyone around me from the Brooklyn Nets helping me," Irving said. "Again, not their fault It was the circumstances. [But] Im figuring out, 'How do I maximize my potential?'

Irving laughs at the memory of those 2021 playoffs, probably because it feels so long ago. But so much had happened between then and now, the things that brought Irving, hopefully, to a place of growth.

I think sometimes people still saw me as the young man coming into the league like as if I don't have other responsibilities and other things that matter to me, Irving said. So I think that's been part of the evolution of just helping people realize that I'm matured.

Hes a father to three and a husband. His stepmother, Shetellia Riley Irving, and wife, Marlene Wilkerson, sat nearby during the Western Conference finals during the road games in Minneapolis.

This is a supportive environment, and there's a lot of energy positivity, then this is where I thrive and this is good, fun, good-hearted people, Irving said. Not saying I didn't have that in Brooklyn, I was just saying that it's all about organizational structure, and it's all about how you treat your veterans. It's all about how you treat your star players. It's all about how you treat people with respect.

Hes careful when referencing the Brooklyn experience, similar to how he described playing in Boston in the 2022 playoffs during his media session Monday.

Everyone saw me flip off the birds and kind of lose my s*** a little bit that wasnt a great reflection of who I am and how I like to compete on a high level, he said. It wasnt a great reflection on my end towards the next generation on what it means to control your emotions in that type of environment, no matter what people are yelling at you.

Hes careful now, because he was often reckless then. Irving is in the moment now, and depending on when one was introduced to Irving, an opinion can sway in one of a million directions.

Irving is still someone who pays attention, still figuring out how to be a basketball player and a citizen.

So I tried to give basketball answers and the basketball answers are media-trained answers. So they're very safe, Irving told Yahoo Sports. They're very political. They're very middle ground. They're very gray area because you're taught not to give personal information.

But I think what has happened over the past few years is people thought my priorities were going to this thing over here, this thing over here, and now I'm lending my voice [to causes]. It's like, no this is something that I've been called to do since I was a kid. It was before the NBA.

He points out the business of the NBA is very lucrative, while also being very young at 77 years old hes got living grandparents older than the league, he said.

Irving believes his absence from the NBAs grandest stage will lead to him savoring every moment, perhaps quieting a Boston Garden crowd for a night or two, perhaps making him a champion twice over.

Like, because when you're in it, and you're in it, and you're, like, I want to enjoy it. You don't know how because youre thinking about beyond, Irving said. You get kicked out of the playoffs in April last year. I had to live with that the whole summer. And its not too often youre back [in the Finals] after seven years.

He paused again, and smiled.

Just the right English.

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Kyrie Irving is returning to the NBA Finals stage in a good place: 'It's not too often you're back' - Yahoo Sports