Johnny who?

The way Jeremiah Masoli is playing Johnny Manziel isn’t going to see the field anytime soon.

Between Games 3 and 4 of the NBA Finals, with the outcome all but a fait accompli, LeBron James spoke to the media in a particularly reflective session. I felt like in order to win, you’ve got to have talent, but you’ve got to be very cerebral too, he said. Listen, we’re all NBA players. Everybody knows how to put the ball in the hoop. But who can think throughout the course of the game?

Now, more than ever, front offices and coaches have come to this conclusion as well. Asked what kind of skills they currently place a premium on, basketball IQ was mentioned more than raw athleticism.

Pure overall intellect is required now, Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce said. It’s hard to play with guys who don’t understand concepts, don’t understand tendencies and don’t understand analytics. You need the intellectual factor to succeed as a player and as a team.

Ryan converted his garage into a boxing gym in order to work out with trainer Galen Turner, who was recommended to Ryan by Eddie George. The former Titans running back has worked out with Turner for years and has joined Ryan for workouts that George believes will be rewarding for Ryan once he’s back on the field.

[Boxing] translates to you being on the football field, especially for a guy like Logan, George said, via the team’s website. When you are playing the press coverage and jamming up a receiver, knowing where the hand placement goes, which shoulder to go after to get the receiver off-balance and so forth, all that helps out. And from a mental standpoint and hand-eye coordination, it puts you in a different frame of mind, if you will. I like to call it spiritual conditioning. … He’s picked up the nuances of the punches and knowing when to slip and when to dip, and when to lay a combination. It’s now gotten into his muscle memory, and it is fascinating how he is able to mirror the hands with the feet, and it is going to translate well when he goes on the field.

So in the end, this didn’t come close to getting as savage as the great Smash Mouth vs. Athletics beef of 2016.

The first round of the NFL Draft is where franchises are built. Teams like the Steelers, Eagles, and Falcons have developed into postseason contenders thanks to savvy selections with high-value picks each spring. An impact rookie doesn’t just add value on the field, but his low-cost contract also allows a well-managed team to spend money on veterans elsewhere on the roster, building the foundation for long playoff runs.

The touchdown extended the Eagles’ lead to 31-7 early in the second half and shut down Minnesota’s hopes of climbing back into contention after a rough first half. And Pederson said he was thinking about his flea flicker pal when he made the call.

So the game comes, and I called it in the game at the right time, and I was thinking, ‘I hope Carol’s watching right now.’ There was Carol Wilson pressure! And we hit on it.

Right after the game, I look at my phone. She sent congratulations. She was so happy we called the play. She gave me the thumbs-up emoji. That was cool. That was cool. I am so happy we got her favorite play in the game—and it worked.

Lakers ticket prices on the secondary market soared in the wake of LeBron James’ joining the franchise, with one person paying $188,781 on StubHub for four season tickets in the lower bowl.

The Lakers, with the addition of LeBron James, are suddenly top-tier contenders to win next season’s NBA championship, according to Las Vegas sportsbooks.

The announcement was made through his agency, Klutch Sports Group, which announced the deal as $154 million.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that the fourth year is a player option. It’s the longest deal James has signed since inking a six-year contract with the Miami Heat in 2010. His previous three deals were three years or shorter.

Their wins with Watson — over the Bengals, Titans, and Browns — would probably have been wins under Romo. The losses — against the Jaguars in Week 1 and then the Patriots, Chiefs, and Seahawks in Watson’s starts — would likely still have been losses. Watson played some of his best football in those defeats, but a mix of puzzling play-calling and shoddy defense cost the Texans a couple of wins.

So let’s say that in this scenario, the Texans still trade up and draft Watson and can be patient with him. In reality, they started Savage in Week 1, even though Watson was clearly a special talent. That leaves no doubt that Romo, who would’ve been an expensive addition and had a decade of starting experience, would’ve been under center in the season opener.

From there, we have a few different paths this alternate universe could’ve taken.

There’s no guarantee that Romo, football old and with all that injury toll on his body, would have been able to bounce back. But we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. He’s got a chip on his shoulder, ready to prove he’s not washed yet. Maybe he’s not the same guy who completed almost 70 percent of his passes in 2014, but he can still sling it. Perhaps he even found that ol’ Dez-like chemistry with DeAndre Hopkins, who might be part alien considering the receiving numbers he’s put up each season despite a revolving door of coat racks throwing him the ball.

The reaction by the White House comes following the NFL’s release of a new national anthem policy, which will require all players on the field during the national anthem to stand while it is played. Those who don’t wish to participate may remain in the locker room.

In response to the announcement, Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney issued a statement, adding that city hall was always open for a celebration.

I’m proud of the Eagles on & off the field. Our players represent the diversity of our nation—a nation where we’re free to express our opinions. Disinviting them only proves the President is not a true patriot.

Jane Slusser, chief of staff to the Philadelphia mayor, took a shot.

Reports from Philadelphia indicate it would have been a very small party, had the Eagles celebration moved forward.

Five or fewer Eagles players had intended to attend the White House Super Bowl ceremony, a league source tells me.

Amin Elhassan, ESPN.com: An immense balance-of-power shift back to the West. Life looks a lot harder for any Western Conference playoff hopeful, with the addition of another wrecking ball in a James-led Lakers team, even assuming no further improvements to the roster. Furthermore, by agreeing to a long-term deal, he gives Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka enough leeway to be able to make decisions over time to further enhance the supporting cast.

Jackie MacMullan, ESPN.com: It means the NBA’s orange ball is LeBron’s orbit, and the rest of the league is floating aimlessly about, hoping to be sucked into his world. He is the Kevin Bacon of the NBA — everyone is six degrees of separation from LeBron. Kawhi Leonard (His future hinges on LeBron.) Kevin Durant. (Sign for one year with an option … so he can see what LeBron is up to?) Chris Paul. (He was with James in a Hollywood nightclub when he OK’d the trade to the Rockets last summer.) Lonzo Ball. (Is he staying or going? Perhaps only LeBron knows!) JR Smith. (Seriously.) Lance Stephenson. (Stunningly, on his way to team up with LeBron.)

Kevin Pelton, ESPN Insider: It shifts the epicenter of the league’s power even farther West. As Dan Feldman of NBC Sports pointed out on Twitter, just one player certain to be in the East this season has ever made the All-NBA first team: Joakim Noah. (Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade are candidates for that list.) Yes, the Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are on the rise. For now, however, the league’s best and most interesting teams remain in the West.

Drew Doughty and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, two prized 2019 unrestricted free-agent defensemen, opted for stability and signed long-term extensions with their current clubs. Tyler Seguin will likely do the same with the Dallas Stars, and so will Marc-Andre Fleury, who revived his career with the Golden Knights, and possibly Wayne Simmonds with the Flyers, Joe Pavelski with the Sharks, Blake Wheeler with the Winnipeg Jets and … OK, we could keep going, but we’ll stop there.

There will still be some big names available. Erik Karlsson theoretically headlines the list, followed by Sergei Bobrovsky (and a half a dozen serviceable goalies), Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene, Jordan Eberle and Jeff Skinner.

But we know the way these things usually go. Let’s see how many of these guys are still available next July 1.OKC ‘checked the boxes’ during its yearlong recruitment of Paul George

The Mavs, who could have more than $25 million in cap space if they decline the $5 million team option on Dirk Nowitzki (who would be re-signed at a reduced salary), are one of few teams with significant salary-cap space this summer.

Other intriguing centers include unrestricted free agent DeMarcus Cousins of the New Orleans Pelicans and restricted free agent Clint Capela of the Houston Rockets, although the Rockets are likely to match an offer for Capela.

Dallas does not have the ability to include a first-round pick in the trade due to giving up a protected first-rounder to the Atlanta Hawks in the deal for Doncic.

Matthews’ salary is significantly larger due to a promise the Mavs kept after Jordan decided to renege on his commitment and return to the Clippers in 2015.

Mavs owner Mark Cuban offered Matthews as much money as Dallas could pay him, pending Jordan’s decision, believing that getting Matthews on board was key to wooing Jordan. The Mavs got a commitment from Jordan the next morning when Cuban and Chandler Parsons, the then-Dallas forward who was acting as the franchise’s recruiting chairman, surprised the center with a visit to his Los Angeles home.

Acuna went 4-for-13 in the weekend series after missing a month with a mild ACL sprain and contusion in his left knee and also a lower back contusion. The 20-year-old is batting .269 with six homers and 15 RBI in his first 32 games.

Albies enters with a .275 average and on an 11-game hitting streak. During the longest streak of his career, he is batting .431 (22-for-51).

The Yankees own the best home record in the majors at 31-12 and are 26-7 in their last 33 home games. New York also has slugged 77 of its major league-leading 137 homers at home after setting a season high with six in Sunday’s 11-1 rout of the Boston Red Sox.

Aaron Hicks hit three homers and Aaron Judge belted his 22nd, rookie Gleyber Torres hit his 15th and Kyle Higashioka delivered his first as the Yankees roughed up David Price.