Best of Writing — Bryan Fonseca

Best Of: Action Network Boxing

Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou Odds, Pick & Prediction: KO Bet for Boxing’s Heavyweight Main Event (Friday, March 8)

Anthony Joshua has the kingdom of both Saudi Arabia and the sweet science on his shoulders today.
The much-maligned but considerably accomplished former unified heavyweight champion Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) will seek to kill the hype surrounding former UFC champion turned boxer Francis Ngannou (0-1) in Friday afternoon's "Knockout Chaos" pay-per-view boxing headliner.
Seniesa Estrada vs. Yokasta Valle Odds, Pick & Prediction: Back ‘Superbad’ on ESPN+ (Friday, March 29)

Seniesa Estrada (25-0, 9 KOs) and Yokasta Valle (30-2, 9 KOs) – in a legitimate grudge match – are unifying all the belts at minimumweight to determine who'll be the undisputed champion at 105 pounds.
So even if it's Friday night's co-main event, I'm letting y'all know that I will spend more time previewing that fight because it's closer, has more stakes, has all the titles attached, and is much closer on all betting markets than the main event.
Jake Paul vs. Andre August Odds, Pick: Can ‘Problem Child’ KO a Real Boxer?

Jake Paul is finally fighting a "real" boxer!
Eh…
For those of you who don't know – and many of you don't – Paul's next opponent is an actual boxer with an actual record. But the reason people don't know much about him is by design.
There's a reason this is Paul's lowest-profile fight so far, and there's a reason why this guy is the actual boxer Paul chose.
Natasha Jonas vs. Mikaela Mayer Odds, Pick & Prediction: Plus-Money Bet for Saturday Afternoon (January 20)

The first true 50-50 fight high-profile boxing match of 2024 will stream on ESPN+ on Saturday afternoon stateside (2 p.m. ET) and at night for our homies over in the U.K.
IBF world welterweight champion Natasha Jonas (14-2-1, 9 KOs) will defend her crown against former unified super featherweight titlist Mikaela Mayer (19-1, 5 KOs).
Ryan Garcia vs. Oscar Duarte Odds, Pick & Prediction: ‘King’ Ready for His Comeback? (Saturday, December 2)

This is a real fight for Ryan Garcia.
Garcia (23-1, 19 KOs) enters the bout with Oscar Duarte Jurado as his comeback contest following his high-profile seventh-round TKO loss to Gervonta Davis in April.
Garcia has also since switched trainers and has been working with Derrick James, who famously trains Errol Spence Jr., Jermell Charlo and Anthony Joshua.
Amanda Serrano vs. Erika Cruz Odds, Pick & Prediction: Boxing Betting Preview

Even after losing to Katie Taylor via split decision last year, Amanda Serrano is arguably the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet.
And honestly, said split decision was 1) The wrong decision, in my opinion – I had Serrano beating Taylor 96-94, and 2) She moved up from featherweight to challenge the undisputed lightweight champion for her crown, giving up a distinct size advantage in the process.
Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis vs. Hector Luis Garcia Odds, Pick & Prediction: Boxing Betting Preview

Happy new year, fight fans. The opening bell of 2023 has the legitimate makings to be a classic trap fight.
We’ll get to the odds and prediction in a bit, but first, you must know why an immense level of pressure weighs on boxing megastar Gervonta “Tank” Davis (27-0, 25 KOs) ahead of his Saturday bout against the highly skilled Hector Luis Garcia (16-0, 10 KOs).
Errol Spence Jr. vs. Terence Crawford Odds, Pick & Prediction: How to Bet Boxing’s Biggest Fight of 2023

After confronting each other in a dingy hallway following Maurice Hooker’s TKO victory over Alex Saucedo in November 2018.
After publicly calling out each other on social media, in interviews and with merchandise over the last few years.
And after one guy left his whole ass Top Rank and ESPN promotional deal to make this fight happen.
Teofimo Lopez vs. Sandor Martin Odds, Pick & Prediction: Get Near Even Odds With This Play

Teófimo López (17-1, 13 KOs) was originally supposed to fight former two-time world champion Jose Pedraza, who fought and lost to Vasyl Lomachenko on Heisman night in 2018 but pulled out of the fight last month due to injury. He’s been replaced by Sandor Martin (40-2, 13 KOs), who is arguably a tougher challenger.
Tyson Fury vs. Derek Chisora Odds, Pick, Boxing Prediction: Any Value Despite -3500 Favorite?

Just because Tyson Fury (32-0-1, 23 KOs) and Derek Chisora (33-12, 23 KOs) are embarking on a trilogy on Saturday (4 p.m. ET, ESPN+) that nobody asked for — perhaps not even Chisora himself — it doesn’t mean you can’t make money betting on it.

Best Of: Action Network Basketball

NBA Moving Away from ‘Bucket-Getting’ Sixth Man of the Year?

It feels like the Sixth Man of the Year Award has developed a prototype.
Since the 2004-05 season, all but two winners of the award have been shooting guards — that's 17 out of 19 times.
And of those 17 shooting guards, we'd call the vast majority of them "bucket-getters".
The ‘Boom or Bust’ X-Factor for Each NBA Eastern Conference Contender

Each Eastern Conference contender, each X-factor who could ultimately swing their title chances from good to bad.
We're trying to avoid stars here, and this group provides one former All-Star, who hasn't been one in six seasons — essentially, no star players allowed.
How The Heat’s Sustained Success Challenges the Idea of NBA Parity

Does this Miami Heat run suddenly mean that there are other outlier teams that can struggle during the regular season, then turn it on in the playoffs despite being overlooked and bet against at every turn?
Maybe … maybe! But they’ll have to prove it.
How New York Liberty Could Get Over the Hump | A Look at Their 2024 WNBA Title Odds

You can't really call this season a failure… can you?!?
The New York Liberty did what many expected them to do leading into the season, at the midway point, ahead of the playoffs, and before the WNBA Finals: Make it to the championship and lose to the Las Vegas Aces.
That was always the expectation.
NBA Play-In Tournament Odds & Picks: Can the Warriors Fall, Pacers Rise in Postseason Picture?

If you haven’t already, I believe now is OK to suggest that this Warriors team just isn’t last year’s.
No, I’m not expecting a run to the finals, even as the Western Conference is trying everything it can to be collectively “meh.”
Jimmy Butler vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo Props | Bucks vs. Heat Game 5 Bets

Be honest. Did you think the Miami Heat would be up 3-1 over the Milwaukee Bucks? Because I didn’t — and I’ve watched more Heat games this season than most. They’re frustrating, they’re inconsistent, they unpredictable … but they have Jimmy ******* Butler.
Fantasy Basketball: Winners, Losers from Harden Trade

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If you're like me, you woke up and said "WTF?!"
But yes, James Harden was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers after 2 a.m. Eastern Time.
I'm sure some of our already asleep west coast homies woke up and said the same several hours later, but with more hate in their tone since the Lakers run 90 percent of that area.
The Miami Heat Have Defied the Odds. Here’s How to Bet Them in the NBA Finals.

A lot of people are still trying to figure out this Miami Heat team.
Well, in their defense, the Heat are immensely different now compared to the team we saw in the regular season and the Play-In Tournament, where they famously trailed the Chicago Bulls with three minutes remaining.
The ‘Boom or Bust’ X-Factor for Each NBA Western Conference Contender

Part two of the mini-series is here.
Every Western Conference Contender and each individual X-Factor who is their ultimate swing piece, as was done for the Eastern Conference.
This will be slightly more extensive and expansive since the west projects to be more of a bloodbath with more teams we could buy as contenders when compared to the east.

Best Of: Action Network Fantasy Basketball

Fantasy Basketball Playoff Primer: 20 Players Who Will Impact Your Championship Chase

We're still in Week 17, so we're doing things differently this week.
Your Week 17 forecast is here. Meanwhile, this is a fantasy basketball playoff primer, where I will focus on waiver wire candidates, tough cuts, a few major injury returns and more.
Time to Call 12: What Ja Morant’s Return Means for Fantasy Basketball

It's time.
If you have Ja Morant on your fantasy basketball roster, Tuesday, December 19, is a day you've been looking forward to since your draft.
Fresh off his 25-game suspension for stupid off-court activities that earned internet monikers like Ja Wick, Morant will embark on his ambitious quest to wrestle the lowly Memphis Grizzlies out from a 6-17 start, tied for 13th in the Western Conference.
NBA Trade Deadline Stock Up, Stock Down: Fantasy Basketball Winners and Losers

We have fantasy basketball, we have winners and we have losers.
The winners are the players who should elevate in production following the trade deadline, whether they were impacted directly or indirectly. The losers are the guys who should take a hit following Thursday's activities.
And it's important to know given that the fantasy playoffs are just weeks away, shortly over a month for many of you.
The Fantasy Basketball Impact of Ja Morant’s Injury

Ja Morant is out for the season, and that sucks.
But of course, everyone questions how to proceed, be it betting futures, betting in general, or what we're going to talk briefly about today — fantasy.
Fantasy Basketball Forecast: Possible League-Winners and Concerning Injuries

You're reading the latest forecast written by your Action Network Fantasy Basketball League Champion.
Week 22 is upon us, and if you’re still player, here and the players and teams you mus have on your radar in another crucial week of fantasy hoops.
What to Expect in the Absence of Kyrie Irving, Bam Adebayo and Mitchell Robinson

Over the past week, the NBA has been plagued with some big-name injuries. The domino effect started with Kyrie Irving, who is currently in a walking boot and using crutches, after going down with a right heel contusion. Days later, the Knicks took a hit with Mitchell Robinson having to undergo ankle surgery. Then fast forward to today and the Miami Heat have gotten bit by the injury bug (again) with Bam Adebayo missing more time.
Fantasy Basketball Forecast: Navigating An Injury-Ravaged Playoffs

The Fantasy Playoffs, for just about everyone at this point, are here.
And boy, so are the injuries.
This month has been hell for injury reports league-wide. It's annoying, it's frustrating, and it's worrisome if you're a fantasy basketball player.
The Fantasy Implications of Terry Rozier’s Trade to the Miami Heat

Terry Rozier is a Miami Heat.
Or with the Miami Heat.
Or a Miami Heat player.
However you'd want to phrase it, the deal is done, and it's for Kyle Lowry and a future first round pick — a deal that both our Matt Moore and myself had been hearing rumblings about for a little while now.

Best Of: Latino Rebels

‘Ahora o Nunca’: Dual-National Players Center in U.S.-Mexico Fútbol Rivalry

On August 12, 2021, The Players’ Tribune published an autobiographical feature penned by David Ochoa. Ochoa, 20, is Mexican American born and raised in Oxnard, California, and the starting goalkeeper for Real Salt Lake in the U.S.-based Major League Soccer.
PURBASKET: Chronicling the Evolution of Puerto Rican Basketball

Edgardo J. Ortiz had been working alone, searching for players for the Puerto Rican senior and youth national basketball teams, when he contacted Carlos Martínez Olmo.
World Cup 2022: One More Time for Argentina, One Last Chance for Messi

It’d be one thing if Lionel Messi weren’t producing — he’s been arguably the best player in this 2022 World Cup.
US Sports Set on Expanding to Latin America

Despite ongoing rumors, Mexico has yet to be represented in American sports leagues at nearly its proportional share.
Restoring the Legacy of Pancho Gonzales, Tennis’ Forgotten GOAT

Pancho Gonzales might be the greatest tennis player you’ve never heard of. But how could a former top-ranked player, who won 15 major singles titles and is the greatest Latino tennis star America has ever produced, get lost in time? That’s what his son Dan and nephew Greg have been wondering…
US, Mexico Soccer Teams Heading in Opposite Directions

Typically, when someone asks whether you want the good or the bad news first, you start with the bad.
And as it pertains to El Tri, bad is an understatement.
The Unlikely Success of Puerto Rico Ice Hockey

When Puerto Rico competed in its first Amerigol Latam Cup in 2019, it was almost as if they just kind of showed up.
Waiting for ‘Them’ to Hire More People of Color Isn’t Going to Change Sports Media the Way It Should

Every year, it’s slightly less of the same problem, but it’s still the same problem.
Lacrosse Group Looks to Grow Sport Among Puerto Ricans

Lacrosse is the oldest organized sport in North America, according to Lacrosse and Its Greatest Players.
What Will It Take for Soccer to Become a Major Sport in Puerto Rico?

When Afro-Boricua Carmelo Anthony purchased Puerto Rico FC in 2015, the dream was that he could elevate soccer on the island.

Best Of: BasketballNews.com

In Philadelphia, Jimmy Butler gets the last laugh

The ball bounced twice on each side of the rim before going in.
Kawhi Leonard’s nearly impossible game-winning fadeaway jumper over the outstretched right arm of Joel Embiid end…
End of an era: Saluting the defiance of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum

Damian Lillard’s defiance has made him a social-media punching bag, as his Portland Trail Blazers are dissolving around him and looking like a completely different team.
Did you know Michael Jordan was an MVP candidate with the Wizards?

The 2001-02 NBA season was Michael Jordan’s first with the Washington Wizards, a time when he decided to unretire and return to the league for the second time in his career.
Jimmy Butler is a 16-game player

Four years ago, after winning a third title in four seasons, Draymond Green offered the Golden State Warriors' front office some advice before the 2018 NBA Draft, which included a directive to target “16-game players.”
Putting Saint Peter’s shocker over Kentucky in historical context

Deep down, everyone knew.
All of you knew once you finalized your picks: The half-ass research, the questions to your even less knowledgeable friends, the “expert” analysis – none of it was going to matter.
60 days later: Revisiting the Nikola Jokić-Markieff Morris incident

It’s been 60 days since Markieff Morris last played an NBA game. The reason... we all know by now, don’t we?
NBA teams need to show more respect to veterans, and we're seeing why

On opening night, the average age of an NBA roster for 2021-22 was 26.1. Though the number precedes what we’ve seen regarding roster reshuffling due to COVID and injuries, the 26.1 median age is the youngest the league has been this century.
Winning plays in winning time: This is who Alex Caruso has always been

Alex Caruso was so good as a defender at Texas A&M that he made it to the NBA despite never averaging 10 points per game... as a college guard!
Making the NBA All-Star case for Cavs big man Jarrett Allen

Kenny Atkinson always saw more in Jarrett Allen.
When Allen, drafted No. 22 overall by the Brooklyn Nets in 2017, hit a rookie wall the following March, the then-head coach of the Nets (and now Golden State Warriors assistant) pivoted to saying the near 7-footer’s struggles will make him a better player.
Where things stand after the FIBA World Cup qualifiers' second window

If you’ve been overly consumed with the NBA and college basketball, are locked into other things in the world, or mainly come here for film stuff and have no idea who I am or what this is about to be, then welcome to the biggest international fiesta on BasketballNews.com!

Best Of: The Rest

The Champ In The Arena: R.I.P. DMX, who gave sports the best hype music in hip-hop history

There are a minimal amount of true one-of-ones this planet has ever produced, and DMX is on that short list.
Francisco (not Frankie) Lindor, Roberto (not Bobby) Clemente, and the unintentional disrespect of Americanizing Latin names

Nicknames are endearing, but they’re not always respectful.
The Combat Counselor: DeCoursey battles life through teachings and beatings

Professional MMA fighter Jillian DeCoursey doubles as a mental health counselor, with her own practice in Queens, while competing as an Invicta FC atomweight.
Thank you, Dan Le Batard: A symbol for the good of sports media, and a torchbearer for the Latin-American community

Dan Le Batard was an important voice at ESPN, particularly for the Latin-American community.
Class of 2021 Point Guard Jaquan Carlos GOT NEXT

Star sophomore Jaquan Carlos of Thomas Jefferson High School already has a target on his back. South Shore knows it—this was the sixth time they’ve faced off against Carlos in the last two seasons.
What is ‘pressure’ to Spencer Dinwiddie?

You would think that after nearly winning Most Improved Player of the Year in a breakout season few if anyone saw coming, there would be some stress, some anxiety about following up in a contract year.
Kid Chocolate's Comeback, Premonition and Pursuit Of Happiness

“I started having deep demonic visions -- I had to try to unlearn 30 years of bad stuff that I was taught. I had these traumatic moments.”
The Dominican Dream: Felipe Lopez Shares His Story in New Documentary

When they heard of the “Dominican Michael Jordan,” others fantasized about the next basketball savant immigrating to the United States.
Theo Pinson: a diamond in the rough with a chip on his shoulder

Bryan Fonseca features two-way player Theo Pinson in this NetsDaily exclusive, which includes perspective from his mentor, Keith Gatlin, Pinson’s head coach at Wesleyan Christian Academy.
The dude is different: Dinwiddie on sports, social media and “the 8 billion”

The private citizen who uses social media to criticize, even attack, whomever they choose, and more importantly, voice their opinions about whatever they please.
So why can’t the athletes?