Rumors

Current Celtics minority owner Stephen Pagliuca and Philadelphia Phillies minority owner Stan Middleman were among the other bidders for the Celtics. Pagliuca had been considered the favorite by industry sources for the last few months. Brad Stevens, the team president, met with the final four sales candidates in the final month preceding the sale, according to league sources.

New York Times

The Friedkin Group, Philadelphia Phillies minority owner Stan Middleman and Symphony Technology Group managing partner William Chisholm are among the groups that remain engaged in bidding for the Boston Celtics, according to multiple people familiar with the process. Those three groups, plus one led by existing Celtics investor Steve Pagliuca, have all participated in management presentations with the NBA team, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private. The next round of bids is due at the end of the week.

Sportico

Adam Aaronson: Joel Embiid is at the Phillies game. Just got a massive ovation when shown on the scoreboard here.

Twitter

Donovan Mitchell: "This wasn't supposed to be my life. I didn't think that this was my life. I was supposed to be a hell of a baseball player, playing for the Phillies or something. You know what I'm saying? And no disrespect to all the baseball players that I know, but their level of fame is different than the NBA. So for me, this wasn't supposed to be, you know, I'm never, and I always tell people, I'm never going to lose that because once I lose that, then that's like, that's that drive."

YouTube

Clutch Points: Sixers star and MVP Joel Embiid is in the house tonight for Game 4 of Phillies-Braves 🤩 pic.twitter.com/iMh0uQMMUJ

Twitter

Ky Carlin: Nick Nurse is making his Philly sports rounds. After throwing the first pitch at the Phillies game, he’s now catching up with Jalen Hurts. #Sixers

Twitter

Kellan Olson: Mikal Bridges acknowledged with a laugh he is like anyone else at his job, lining up the Suns’ schedule with his Philadelphia Phillies’ in the World Series to see which games he will be able to watch. “I thought I could maybe sneak out of here on an off day! But there’s no way.”

Twitter

Keith Pompey: #Sixers guard James Harden on Philly sports fans: “This culture of this city is second to none, and honestly, they like, die for their sports. Obviously, the Eagles had a big win [over Dallas Sunday] … The Phillies are doing their thing. We are excited for our season.

Twitter

Close on the heels of selling his New Jersey mansion to Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos for $4.6 million — following a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Brooklyn Nets — controversial NBA All-Star Ben Simmons is now intent on offloading that lavish Hidden Hills estate he picked up less than a year ago. The asking price? A hefty $23 million — or a whopping $5.5 million more than he paid for the place last June.

dirt.com

The former Philadelphia 76ers guard, who was traded to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden after a disappointing end to his 2021 playoffs, has sold his house in Moorehead, New Jersey, to Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos. The house, a 10,500 square-foot mansion with six bedrooms and 6.5 bathrooms on a 1.78 acre lot, is approximately 40 minutes from Philadelphia. The house had been on the market for six months before the sale. Simmons is still trying to sell a $3 million condo in the City Center area of Philadelphia. According to Dirt.com, Simmons bought the house in 2019 for $2.375 million. Castellanos will be buying it for $4.55 million, although Simmons made extensive renovations and additions to it during his time there. Renovations include a kitchen makeover, a wine cabinet added to the dining room and a customized recreation space in the walk-out basement. The recreation area includes a theater room, pool table, custom esports gaming area, and a bar and kitchenette.

ESPN

Jeff Skversky: 76ers rookie Tyrese Maxey will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at tonight's Phillies game

Twitter

In addition to Strom, the Hall’s 2020′s class is headlined by Kobe Bryant, the basketball superstar from Lower Merion High who died in a helicopter crash this year. It includes former Phillies president Dave Montgomery; basketball coaches Bo Ryan and Ken Hamilton; tennis star Lisa Raymond, the Flyers' Rick Tocchet; ex-Eagles Jerry Sisemore and Vic Sears; heavyweight champion Tim Witherspoon; Olympic runner Herm Frazier; early Phillies star Cy Williams; Temple football’s Deron Cherry; boxing promoter J. Russell Peltz; lacrosse’s Cherie Greer Brown; and the three-time world champion 1910-13 Philadelphia Athletics.

inquirer.com

The Baltimore Ravens, coached by longtime Eagles assistant head coach John Harbaugh, did something similar. They gave the program a catchy name, though, calling it “Chasing Greatness.” Ravens defensive coordinator Don Martindale, a former high school teacher, lined up the candidates, which included former Phillies great Ryan Howard, 76ers legend Julius Erving.

Sports Illustrated

It’s just not increased testing leading to increased positive tests. The percentage of tests coming back positive has increased, too. The percent of new positive tests in Florida was 10% on Thursday, up from 3.17% on June 5, according to the Florida Department of Health. The Philadelphia Phillies closed their Florida facility on Friday after five players and three staff members who gathered for workouts at their Clearwater training facility tested positive for COVID-19, the team confirmed Friday. The Toronto Blue Jays also closed their facilities, according to the ESPN.

USA Today Sports