The NBA hoped to begin its season on a strong note. Now it faces a gambling scandal
MIAMI (AP) — The NBA has strict rules against betting on its games, and the consequences are clear. Portland coach Chauncey Billups and Miami guard Terry Rozier are out of the league indefinitely. They were arrested Thursday for involvement in illicit gambling activities. Billups is accused of being part of a poker scheme that cheated victims out of millions. Rozier allegedly shared insider information affecting bets on his performance. Both have been placed on leave by the NBA. The league emphasizes the seriousness of these actions, with Commissioner Adam Silver warning that such behavior puts livelihoods at risk.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver ‘deeply disturbed’ by gambling arrests of Billups and Rozier
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has expressed shock over the arrests of Portland coach Chauncey Billups and Miami guard Terry Rozier on gambling-related charges. Speaking on Friday night during Amazon Prime Video’s first broadcast, Silver said he was deeply disturbed by the indictments. The arrests, which happened on Thursday, involve nearly three dozen people, including Billups and Rozier. Rozier is accused of conspiring to help associates win bets based on his performance. Billups faces charges related to rigged poker games. Silver apologized to fans, noting the situation has overshadowed the league’s opening week.
Terry Rozier’s arrest leaves the Miami Heat stunned, and trying to figure out what happens next
MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Heat are dealing with the absence of Terry Rozier, who has been placed on indefinite leave by the NBA. Federal agents arrested Rozier on Thursday, charging him with involvement in a betting scheme related to a March 2023 game. Heat captain Bam Adebayo expressed the team’s support for Rozier, emphasizing their bond. Coach Erik Spoelstra highlighted Rozier’s positive impact on the team. Rozier has denied wrongdoing. The Heat are now focused on moving forward without him as the league continues without pause.
How a 2018 Supreme Court decision paved the way for meteoric growth in legal sports betting
WASHINGTON (AP) — A 2018 Supreme Court decision opened the floodgates to the legalized sports-betting industry, now worth billions of dollars a year, even as it recognized that the decision was controversial. That high-court ruling is back in the spotlight after the arrests on Thursday of more than 30 people, including an NBA player and coach, in two cases alleging sprawling criminal schemes to rake in millions by rigging sports bets and poker games involving Mafia families. The court’s ruling struck down a 1992 federal law, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, that had barred betting on football, basketball, baseball and other sports in most states.
Experts say criminal intent will be key in prosecuting NBA’s Billups and Rozier in gambling cases
Gambling is at the center of two blockbuster indictments targeting NBA coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier. But the evidence that will be rolled out by federal prosecutors in the weeks ahead is distinct and separate in each case. Experts say prosecutors will have to prove that Billups, coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Rozier, an NBA veteran, had criminal intent. Billups is charged with taking part in high-stakes poker games that were rigged with sophisticated cheating. Rozier is accused of telling a friend that he would leave a game early, information that could be spread to bettors.
As Dodgers try to become first repeat champion in quarter-century, Roberts hopes he’s not a villain
TORONTO (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been playfully addressing criticism about the team’s high spending. The Dodgers spent $509 million on their roster, far exceeding the big low Miami Marlins at $69 million. Roberts joked about “ruining baseball” after the Dodgers clinched the National League pennant. The Dodgers are the first defending champions to reach the World Series since 2009. They face the Toronto Blue Jays, with Blue Jays manager John Schneider acknowledging the Dodgers’ strengths and weaknesses. Blake Snell, who starts for the Dodgers, reflects on his growth since his last World Series appearance for Tampa Bay in 2020.
Messi gets trophy, then has two goals to lift Inter Miami past Nashville 3-1 in playoff opener
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi shines in Inter Miami’s 3-1 win over Nashville SC, opening the Major League Soccer playoffs. He scores twice and assists Tadeo Allende’s goal. The victory on Friday night comes after Messi’s three-year contract extension was announced. MLS Commissioner Don Garber praises Messi’s impact, presenting him with the Golden Boot for top goal scorer. Messi’s performance has boosted MLS’s popularity and Inter Miami’s value. His new contract could see him playing into his early 40s. Garber calls Messi the “unicorn of unicorns” for his unique talent and competitive spirit.
The 40-40 club: Luka Doncic begins the Lakers’ new season with a pair of prolific performances
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic has begun his first full season with the Lakers on a serious heater. The Slovenian superstar is off to one of the greatest starts to a season in NBA history, following up his 43-point effort on opening night against Golden State with a 49-point spree in Los Angeles’ victory over Minnesota on Friday. He’s the fourth player in NBA history to begin a season with back-to-back 40-point performances. He barely missed a triple-double twice, too. His 92 points are the most to start a season in the history of a team that has employed many of the greatest players ever to pick up a basketball.
Harden scores 30 points to help Clippers rout Suns 129-102 in home opener
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — James Harden scored 30 points and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Phoenix Suns 129-102 in their home opener. Kawhi Leonard added 27 points, helping the Clippers bounce back from a 21-point loss at Utah. Derrick Jones Jr. scored 17 points without missing a shot, hitting all five of his three-pointers. Harden also had seven rebounds and seven assists. Phoenix’s Dillon Brooks scored 21 points, and Devin Booker added 18 points and seven assists. The Clippers took control with a strong second quarter, leading by 32 points at one point. The Suns never came close to closing the gap after leading by nine in the first.