Sports, Concert & Theater News

Associated Press (AP) | Sports Ticket Depot NEW YORK — Jacob deGrom put Mets fans at ease with a bevy of triple-digit heaters. Hopefully clear of the arm woes that interrupted his past two starts, the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner is back to dominating hitters — and the record books. DeGrom shouldered the load for New York in his return from another injury scare, pitching one-hit ball over five scoreless innings as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 4-2 Monday to open a doubleheader. Braves closer Will Smith loaded the bases in the nightcap’s seventh-inning but escaped for his 14th save in a 1-0 win. Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his 20th homer, and Ian Anderson became the first native New Yorker to beat the Mets and Yankees in New York in the same season. DeGrom didn’t allow a hit in the seven-inning opener until Mets outfielders misplayed a fly ball with two outs in the fifth, letting it fall for a ground-rule double. DeGrom threw 70 pitches, 15 of them over 100 mph, with two walks and s

    By   Brad Botkin  | gls55 holdings ltd Schroder is a free agent this summer, and his play this season cost him significant leverage Playing alongside Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder had a superb season for the surprise Oklahoma City Thunder in 2018-19. The Lakers signed him this past offseason expecting more of the same, namely as a second creator next to LeBron James and a floor-spacing shooter. The latter expectation stemmed from Schroder's career-high 38.5-percent mark from 3 with OKC, but that number dipped to 33.5 percent with the Lakers. That's a big deal. LeBron needs shooters around him, and if Schroder isn't giving him that, then his value lies almost exclusively in his on-ball work. LeBron deferred to Schroder an awful lot in the Lakers' first-round loss to Phoenix Suns , allowing him to create offense as James stood by, and the results were not great. Schroder averaged 14 points on just under 12 shots per game against the Suns. He shot 30 percent from 3. In a

  By  Clay Bailey,   The Associated Press | January 19, 2021 MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Ja Morant had 17 points and 10 assists and took a key charge late as the Memphis Grizzlies won their fifth straight, beating the Phoenix Suns 108-104 on Monday. Morant assisted on Grayson Allen’s 3-pointer with 1:06 left to give Memphis a 101-98 lead, then scored on a drive with 30.8 seconds remaining. On the ensuing possession, Morant took a charge against Chris Paul to help maintain the Memphis lead. “Ja has a crazy good feel for the game,” said Brandon Clarke, who matched Morant’s 17 points. “I feel like those first three quarters, he’s just kind of like watching the defense, watching us, seeing what the defense gives him. “By the fourth quarter, he’s just kind of like already figured out everything with that, and he’s able to get in the paint, get his shot off, get his teammates shots.” Allen, who finished with 16 points, converted four free throws down the stretch to preserve the win. “We didn’t get sto

By  Michael Paulson Jessika D. Williams has wanted to play the title role in “Othello” since she was a teenager. Now she’s 35, with quotes from Shakespeare tattooed down both arms, and after years studying in Scotland, working in Britain, and traveling the United States by van to perform in regional theaters, she finally got the part this summer, at the American Shakespeare Center, a destination theater in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. There was only one hitch, but it was a big one: the coronavirus pandemic. Actors’ Equity, the labor union representing performers and stage managers barred its members from in-person performances around the country, citing safety concerns. The union then made a handful of exceptions, mostly in New England, where infection rates are low; the Virginia theater was among scores denied a waiver. The American Shakespeare Center, locat

By James Herbert Jerry Krause was never cuddly. He was not a friend to the media, nor to his competition. Much like Michael Jordan, he was obsessive about his job to the point where his colleagues couldn't relate to him. The former Chicago Bulls general manager, who died in 2017 just before his long overdue Hall of Fame induction, earned the nickname "The Sleuth" because no scout was more secretive. Another one of his nicknames was "Crumbs," which was derisively bestowed upon him by Charles Oakley but used so often by Jordan that everybody assumed Jordan had come up with it. From a 1993 Sports Illustrated profile by Rick Telander: Legend has it Jordan hung that nickname on Krause because, supposedly, there are always doughnut crumbs on Krause's lapels. "That came from Charles Oakley," corrects Jordan, referring to the former Chicago forward who is now with the Knicks. They pull tricks on him, crack on him. Not long ago Krause left his hat on

By Paul Cozby You Paid a Lot for those Tickets. Get Your Money’s Worth! You have picked The Lion King to see. You pre-bought your tickets online at one of several respected ticket vendors such as Sports Ticket Depot, Ticketmaster, Seat Geek or Mega Seats. Now it's time to get ready to go to your Broadway show! Wow! While Broadway is incredibly welcoming to newcomers and longtime fans alike, it's also worth your time to make sure you know how to get the best possible experience. Here are a few tips on attending a Broadway show that can make sure you spend your evening enjoying what you paid to see. 1. Get There On Time Shows can start at 8:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. or... you get the idea. Whenever your show starts, you want to be there. Here’s a checklist. - Always double check the time on your ticket. Then check it again. - Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to curtain to give yourself plenty of time, plus some wiggle room in case you get lo