New on Sports Illustrated: Nuggets Snap Jazz's 11-Game Win Streak Behind Nikola Jokic's Career-High 47 Points

<a href="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/02/01/nuggets-jazz-11-game-win-streak-nikola-jokic-career-high"> <p class="subtitle">Jokic is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals</p> <p>Nuggets center Nikola Jokic put on a scoring clinic in the Nuggets' 128-117 win over the Utah Jazz where he tied his career-high of 47 points. The Jazz went into Ball Arena with an 11-game winning streak and were the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference before the upset loss.</p> <p>"I'm just happy that we won the game just because it is against, at this moment, the best team in the NBA," Jokic said after the game. "They're playing amazing."</p> <p>Everything was clicking for the Nuggets from the tip and they exploded for 43 points in the first quarter and never looked back. They shot an absurd 18-for-28 (64.3%) from behind the arc and were 47-for-87 (54%) from the field. </p> <p>Jokic finished his day 17-for-26, including 4-for-4 from three-point range, and had 12 rebounds with five assists in 37 minutes of action. It was also his 20th double-double of the season in as many games. </p> <p>Will Barton also tacked on 18 points while Jamal Murray had 16. The Jazz were led by Bojan Bogdanovic with 29 points on 8-for-13 shooting while All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell struggled and only had 13 points on 3-for-12 shooting. </p> <p>This was the Jazz's first loss since Jan. 6 to the Knicks and have been winning handily since. Of the Jazz's 11 wins in a row, nine were by 10 points or more thanks to the star power of Mitchell and defensive juggernaut Rudy Gobert. </p> <p>But an argument could be made that no player in the league is playing at a higher level than the Serbian center for the Nuggets. Jokic is averaging career highs in points (25.7), rebounds (11.7), assists (8.7) and steals (1.7) in what is looking like a career year.</p> <div> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"></blockquote> </div> </a> <script async="async" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

New on Sports Illustrated: Nuggets Snap Jazz's 11-Game Win Streak Behind Nikola Jokic's Career-High 47 Points

Jokic is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals Nuggets center Nikola Jokic put on a scoring clinic in the Nuggets...

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New on Sports Illustrated: Messi's Barcelona Contract Reportedly Worth Up to $673 Million

<a href="https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/02/01/lionel-messi-barcelona-contract-el-mundo-newspaper"> <p class="subtitle">El Mundo newspaper published the details of the Barcelona star's latest four-year contract, which expires at the end of the season.</p> <p>MADRID (AP) — Lionel Messi’s most recent contract with Barcelona is worth up to 555 million euros ($673 million) over four seasons, <em>El Mundo</em> newspaper reported on Sunday.</p> <p>The Spanish daily said it had access to the document Messi signed with the Catalan club in 2017, which included fixed incomes and variables that could reach nearly 138 million euros ($167 million) each season. The newspaper said it is the most expensive contract ever agreed with an athlete in any sport.</p> <p>Messi would have to pay about half of that in taxes in Spain.</p> <p>The report said the 33-year-old player has already secured more than 510 million euros ($619 million) of the total.</p> <p>Barcelona denied responsibility for leaking the document and said it would take legal action against the newspaper.</p> <p>“The club regrets its publication given that it is a private document governed by the principle of confidentiality between the parties,” it said in a statement. “FC Barcelona categorically denies any responsibility for the publication of this document, and will take appropriate legal action against the newspaper <em>El Mundo</em>, for any damage that may be caused as a result of this publication.”</p> <p>The club expressed its “absolute support for Lionel Messi, especially in the face of any attempt to discredit his image, and to damage his relationship with the entity where he has worked to become the best player in the world and in football history.”</p> <p>Messi, who did not immediately make any public comments about the report, later Sunday scored a goal in the team’s 2-1 win against Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish league. The result moved the Catalan club into second place for the first time this season, though its gap to leader Atlético Madrid was 10 points.</p> <div> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"></blockquote> </div> </a> <script async="async" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <p>“We have to try to find out how this got to the press,” Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman said. “If someone from the club leaked this, that person can’t have a future in this club.”</p> <p>The leak comes as Barcelona tries to manage a huge debt created mostly because of the coronavirus pandemic. The club has been led by a caretaker board since president Josep Bartomeu resigned in October while facing a no-confidence motion. New presidential elections are scheduled for March 7.</p> <p>“I don’t understand how you can associate Messi with Barcelona’s problems,” Koeman said. “He has been showing his quality as a player for many years and has helped make this club great.”</p> <p>The newspaper also detailed how Messi rewarded the club over the years, having helped it win more than 30 titles.</p> <p>Messi has been with Barcelona for nearly two decades but asked to leave at the end of last season after saying he wasn’t happy with the direction the club was taking. His request was denied but he will be able to leave for free when this season ends.</p>

New on Sports Illustrated: Messi's Barcelona Contract Reportedly Worth Up to $673 Million

El Mundo newspaper published the details of the Barcelona star's latest four-year contract, which expires at the end of the season. MA...

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New on Sports Illustrated: Five-Star TE Arik Gilbert Transfers to Florida From LSU

<a href="https://www.si.com/college/2021/01/31/arik-gilbert-transfer-florida-tight-end-leaves-lsu"> <p class="subtitle">Gilbert came to LSU as the nation's No. 1 tight end recruit in the class of 2020.</p> <figure><img height="349" src="https://www.si.com/.image/c_fit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTc4NjMwNzU2NDQ3Mjk5MjI4/arik-gilbert-lsu.jpg" width="620" /></figure> <p>Former LSU tight end Arik Gilbert</p> </a><a href="https://twitter.com/arik_gilbert/status/1356018599580868611?s=21">announced</a> his decision to transfer to Florida on Sunday.  <p>Gilbert <a href="https://www.si.com/college/lsu/football/arik-gilbert-entering-transfer-portal#:%7e:text=LSU%20Tight%20End%20Arik%20Gilbert%20Announces%20He's%20Entering%20NCAA%20Transfer%20Portal,-Tigers%20on%20the&text=LSU%20freshman%20tight%20end%20Arik,moving%20on%20from%20the%20program.">entered the transfer portal</a> on Jan. 2 after just <a href="https://www.si.com/college/lsu/football/arik-gilbert-commits-lsu">one season with the Tigers</a>.</p> <p>"After careful consideration I have decided to commit to the University of Florida," <a href="https://twitter.com/arik_gilbert">Gilbert tweeted</a> on Sunday. "This is the best situation for me and I’m excited to join the family."</p> <div> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/arik_gilbert/status/1356018599580868611"></a></blockquote> <script async="async" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> <p>Gilbert came to LSU as the No. 1 tight end recruit in the class of 2020, per the <a href="https://247sports.com/Season/2020-Football/RecruitRankings/?InstitutionGroup=highschool&Position=TE">247Sports composite rankings</a>. He caught 35 passes for 368 yards as a freshman, adding a pair of touchdowns as the Tigers finished 5–5. He was named the <a href="https://www.si.com/high-school/2020/08/27/arik-gilbert-2020-gatorade-athlete-year">2020 Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year.</a></p> <p>Florida will add Gilbert for the 2021 season as it looks to replace significant production from its tight ends. Junior Kyle Pitts tallied 43 catches and 12 touchdowns last season, while redshirt junior Kemore Gamble and sophomore Keon Zipperer added an additional five scores. Pitts <a href="https://www.si.com/college/florida/football/florida-gators-football-kyle-pitts-declares-2021-nfl-draft-bowl">declared for the 2021 NFL Draft</a> on Dec. 20, and he could be selected with one of the top10 picks in late April. </p> <p>Florida finished 8–4 in 2020, reaching the SEC Championship before a <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/12/20/alabama-beats-florida-sec-championship-game-najee-harris#:%7e:text=1%20Alabama%20beat%20No.,beat%20Missouri%2C%2059%2D42.">52-46 loss to Alabama</a> on Dec. 19. The Gators were then <a href="https://www.si.com/college/2020/12/31/oklahoma-blows-out-florida-cotton-bowl#:%7e:text=8%20Oklahoma%20beat%2010th%2Dranked,in%20the%20first%20seven%20minutes.">trounced by Oklahoma</a> in a 55-20 loss in the Cotton Bowl two weeks later. </p> <p><strong><a href="https://www.si.com/college/florida/">More Florida Coverage From FanNation's All Gators </a></strong></p> <p><strong><a href="https://www.si.com/college/lsu/">More LSU Coverage From FanNation's LSU Country</a></strong></p>

New on Sports Illustrated: Five-Star TE Arik Gilbert Transfers to Florida From LSU

Gilbert came to LSU as the nation's No. 1 tight end recruit in the class of 2020. Former LSU tight end Arik Gilbert announced his d...

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New on Sports Illustrated: Patrick Reed Co-Leader at Farmers Insurance Open Amid Rules Controversy

<a href="https://www.si.com/golf/2021/01/31/patrick-reed-shares-lead-rules-controversy-farmers-insurance-open"> <p class="subtitle">Reed found himself in a rules controversy involving an embedded ball on the 10th hole. He finished the round in a tie for the 54-hole lead with Carlos Ortiz.</p> <p>Patrick Reed was involved in another rules controversy Saturday in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. He also had a share of the lead with Carlos Ortiz.</p> <p>On the par-4 10th, Reed hit a 190-yard shot out of a bunker with a TV replay showing the ball bounced once before settling into the rough. Believing the ball didn’t bounce, Reed picked it up to see if it was embedded before a rules official arrived. Reed told the official that no one in his group, as well as a nearby volunteer, saw it bounce.</p> <p>Reed was awarded a free drop and saved par. He bogeyed four of the next holes before birdieing No. 18 for a 2-under 70 and a share of the lead with Ortiz at 10 under. Ortiz had a 66 on the South Course.</p> <figure><img height="349" src="https://www.si.com/.image/c_fit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTc4NjA4ODg1OTM2OTU3MjE2/patrick-reed.jpg" width="620" /></figure> <p>In December 2019 in Tiger Woods’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Reed was penalized two strokes for appearing to deliberately improve his lie in a bunker.</p> <p>“It’s an unfortunate situation obviously, but at the end of the day when you finish a round and the head rules official comes up to you and has the video and shows everything that went down to the whole group and says that you’ve done this perfectly, you did this the exact right way, the protocols you did were spot on, at that point, you know, I feel great about it,” Reed said.</p> <p>“The ball just disappeared. None of us saw it bounce,” said Reed, who added that a nearby volunteer told him that it did not bounce. “I looked at my group and said, ‘Guys, she didn’t see it bounce it, either, so I’m going to mark this ball and see if it’s embedded.’</p> <p>“Once I marked it, the first thing I wanted to do was make sure I got the ball out of my hand because you don’t want to clean it or anything because you don’t know if it’s embedded yet. When I put my finger down there and felt like it has broken ground, the first thing you do is call the rules official... The rules official said, ‘Yes, this ball has broken the plane.’”</p> <p>The ground was soft because of rain overnight Thursday and during the second round Friday, when play was suspended for nearly an hour because of a storm.</p> <p>“At that point we go with what the rules official said and also with what the volunteers and what we see,” Reed said. “When we’re out there, we can’t see everything and when that happens you have to go with what the volunteers say and what the rules officials say and when all comes push and shove we felt like we did the right thing and the rules official said we did absolutely perfectly.”</p> <p>PGA Tour rules official Ken Tackett said Reed “did all the things we ask to do of a player. It’s obviously difficult and you get to second-guessing when see video; soft conditions, there’s a lot of variables out there.”</p> <p>The incident on 10 overshadowed Reed’s eagle on the par-5 sixth when he reached in two and made a 40-foot putt to get to 12 under. He reached 13 under with a birdie on No. 9.</p> <p>Reed shared the lead with Alex Noren after the first round and was one shot off the lead after 36 holes.</p> <p>Sam Burns (70), Lanto Griffin (72), Viktor Hovland (73), Jon Rahm (72) and Adam Scott (72) were two shots back at 8 under. Rory McIlroy (70) was in a group of four at 7 under.</p> <p>Scott’s round included an eagle, a double bogey, five birdies and five bogeys.</p> </a>

New on Sports Illustrated: Patrick Reed Co-Leader at Farmers Insurance Open Amid Rules Controversy

Reed found himself in a rules controversy involving an embedded ball on the 10th hole. He finished the round in a tie for the 54-hole lead ...

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