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Lakers News: Christian Wood Believes He & Anthony Davis Will Make ‘Crazy Pairing’

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The Los Angeles Lakers will be hitting training camp soon and the talk around the organization has been the recent addition of Christian Wood.

Wood spent most of the offseason waiting for a long-term deal, but when that didn’t materialize he ended up committing to the Lakers on a two-year deal with a player option in the second year.

The big man has hopped around several different teams throughout his career but now has an opportunity to prove that he can contribute to a roster that has championship aspirations. Wood’s already got the confidence and support of Darvin Ham, who recruited him every day in free agency, so it stands to reason that he’ll have a role in the rotation off the bat.

There has already been talk that Ham will use Wood alongside Anthony Davis and the former believes their pairing will be productive, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“Whatever works. Whatever teams needs, I’m here to do. I think me and him together will be a crazy pairing. I mentioned a bunch of times before Anthony Davis has been my favorite player to watch. He’s always been my favorite player to watch. A guy I’ve studied and know his game, I think we have a lot of similarities so I think it’ll be great.”

Wood and Davis had a brief stint together on the New Orleans Pelicans, so there’s already a little chemistry there to build off of. As a a stretch big, Wood can capable space the floor offensively while defensively Davis can cover for him as a rim-protector and shot blocker.

The defensive portion is perhaps the biggest key to making the combination work as that’s been the biggest knock on his game. However, with the Lakers, Wood won’t be asked to be the anchor of the defense and he’ll be allowed to play in more schemes that are tailored to his strengths.

Whether Wood starts or not is one thing to look out for in training camp and preseason and it’ll be interesting to see how he and Davis look together.

Jeanie Buss believes Anthony Davis was arguably best player in NBA last season

When LeBron James went down to a foot injury, Davis was able to step up and lead Los Angeles on both ends of the floor. Jeanie Buss was happy to see Davis playing so well and believes he was one of the best players in the NBA when he was healthy.

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An inevitable ending for Bobby Firmino – Liverpool’s crazy diamond – Liverpool FC – This Is Anfield

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A draw at Anfield against Aston Villa did Liverpool no favours in their faint hopes of snatching a place in the Champions League next season, but it was entirely fitting that the man to offer hope of salvation was Roberto Firmino.

This was the day that Anfield bid farewell to the very soul of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.

Much was made earlier in the season about how we were suffering the effects of the loss of Sadio Mane and there was certainly some merit in that synopsis, but the turbulence of Bobby’s departure has every chance of being felt more profoundly than that of his former teammate.

His influence on the contemporary rise of Liverpool reaches further beyond the pitch than Mane’s did, despite the true magnificence of the Senegalese forward.

While Liverpool have moved on from needing the once vital nature of the Brazilian being on the pitch, it is the feelgood element he brings to the dressing room, training ground and terraces that will be completely and utterly irreplaceable.

He got us from the start

It is now over four and a half decades since I was first pushed through the turnstiles at Anfield and in all that time I don’t think there has been a relationship quite like the one that has existed between the supporters and Bobby.

We have in the past and continue now to adore those who pull on a red shirt and either produce magic with a ball at their feet or show unyielding commitment to the cause.

We love nothing more than when we feel like an incomer ‘gets us’ and reciprocates our adulation.

There was something extra with Bobby though.

Yes, there was the outrageous skill and the esoteric vision, the no-look passes and goals. The way he could be converged upon by a cluster of four defenders with his back to goal and come out on top.

All those elements were, of course, wonderful in themselves. But then there was the whimsical side of him, and the mischief that sat alongside the talent and an often underappreciated steely desire to win.

Who now can we look to for those dance routines, the flying kicks to accompany the goals of his teammates and that tongue-in-cheek humour?

Who now will try to only partly stifle their amusement in the tunnel when his attacking siblings have that tiff over not receiving a layoff when unmarked?

These were the moments when was Bobby was absolutely living his best life, whether he was leaving a trail of destruction behind him on the pitches of the Premier League and Champions League, or singing his own song in the car and learning to play the piano.

The man has been the very soul of Liverpool for eight years, and my god he’ll be missed.

Scouse immortality

When it comes to our affection for him, the feeling appears to be completely mutual too. There were tears on Saturday, tears he himself predicted.

Essentially, this feels like it did when that best mate you had at primary school or who lived over the road moved away from the area. This parting of ways will be such sweet sorrow for those of us who fell for him from the off.

There were plenty who didn’t get him in those early seasons, but those who weren’t hooked from the beginning were eventually enticed.

Bobby was like that underground indie band with a small but dedicated following who just grew and grew and grew.

Don’t be sad though, instead rejoice that he was ours for as long as he was. Yes, the last couple of years have drifted for him, but even in this fragmented final season for him at Liverpool, he has stepped up when asked and available.

He carried us earlier in the season and made beautiful cameos here and there since injury robbed us of him. Had he been fit all season we would be comfortably in the top four now.

Yin and Yang from his Villa Park exile, Philippe Coutinho will have witnessed the outpouring of emotion toward his former teammate and proud Brazilian compatriot.

Within this, there was a heavy Jim Bowen vibe at play: “Come and take a look at what you could have won.”

Klopp told Coutinho all about the projected legacy he would be cashing in if he left for the Nou Camp and yet the former Anfield idol made the decision to depart.

In doing so, he set in motion a domino effect that led us to Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, to Champions League and Premier League glory.

Bobby won all there was to win, gaining Scouse cultural immortality to go with it.

In this respect, should Bobby resurface in Catalonia or at Real Madrid none of us would begrudge him in the slightest.

Within his slipstream, any player, present or future, will be hard pushed to reach the levels of cult hero status that Bobby has obtained so effortlessly.

There is just one game to go now before we blessedly draw the curtain on a season to forget, yet one in which the unforgettable Bobby Firmino waved us goodbye.

One last goal and a flying kick down on the south coast next Sunday will do us nicely.

Shine on, you crazy diamond.

Arsenal fans make same Declan Rice joke as finer details of £105m transfer emerge – Mirror Online

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Arsenal look to have finally got their man with their pursuit of West Ham United captain Declan Rice thought to be nearing its end.

The Gunners sent the Hammers three official bids, the most recent of which came on Tuesday night and was thought to be worth £100million plus a further £5m in add-ons. While the amount is considered enough for West Ham to green light his departure, they do still harbour some concerns over the structure of the bid.

Reigning champions Manchester City were also well in the race for Rice, which sparked concern from Arsenal’s perspective. This is because Pep Guardiola’s men didn’t even need to better the Gunners offer in terms of amount, but rather better the structure.

Arsenal’s financial situation means they are hoping to pay the fee over a set of instalments which could be divided by four years, whereas City could offer as much as £80m within two payments. However, the size of the fee has become too much in the eyes of Guardiola.

With the Gunners now in pole position to land Rice and an agreement expected to be reached between the two sides, morale is high in the red half of north London. However, the Gunners are still the subject of ridicule and taunting from rival supporters online who are poking fun at their method of purchase.

Many fans are all making the same joke by suggesting Arsenal use Klarna to land their biggest targets. The Gunners used instalments to land current club-record signing Nicolas Pepe for £72m back in 2019.

HAVE YOUR SAY!Will Rice be a success for Arsenal next season? Comment below

Klarna is a Swedish-based financial company that allows customers to stagger payments and spread them out over an extended period of time, rather than have to fork out the entire sum all at once.

One Twitter user wrote: “Arsenal out here trying to buy Declan Rice using Klarna.” Another added: “Arsenal should get Klarna as new sponsor.”

Another fan jokingly penned a chant in reference to Arsenal’s bid, which read: “Arsenal pay with Klarna everywhere they go, Arsenal pay with Klarna everywhere they gooooo.”

One suggested that Gunners sporting director Edu would be under serious scrutiny if the club had missed out on Rice due to the nature of their offer, writing: “Arsenal have bid £105m for Rice but the club aren’t happy with the structure of payments.

“Klarna FC at it again it seems paving the way for City to swoop in. Honestly, if Rice actually ends up at City then Edu’s head will roll for this.”

It looks as if Edu’s job is certainly safe for now, with Rice expected to be just one of a number of high-profile additions made by Arsenal this summer.

Kai Havertz is also on the verge of being announced, while Jurrien Timber has been touted with a move to the Emirates. There’s every chance instalments are used to purchase both, but with next season’s title the aim, Arteta will just want talent through the door, regardless of how the cost is covered.