Winning the heart-stopping semi-final against South Africa in the World Cup four years ago was vastly different from the latest one at Old Trafford, but the hard scrap to beat India was extremely satisfying, Kane Williamson said after leading New Zealand into the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's.

"Yeah, it's a different feeling, to be fair," he said after New Zealand beat India by 18 runs. "The surfaces and the way we've had to try and skin it over the round robin and coming into the semi-finals, it's been quite different to the last World Cup we experienced. But the guys have showed a lot of heart throughout this whole campaign."

WATCH on Hotstar (India only): How the India wickets fell

Thought of as pushovers after losing their last three league matches and talked off as the "easier semi-finalists" for India, New Zealand rallied to come up with an inspired effort against the table-toppers.

Williamson and Ross Taylor set up the game with battling half-centuries, but their go-slow left many wondering if New Zealand had finished with a below-par 239. Having spent 137 minutes to make a 95-ball 67, Williamson felt understanding the nature of the surface quickly was key to finishing well and applying pressure on India's top order.

"It was really tough work," Williamson said of New Zealand's batting innings. "I suppose we had to assess the conditions quickly. Certainly looking at the surface, I suppose both teams thought it would be a lot more high-scoring.

"The ball spun quite sharply and we thought if we got 240-250, we'd be right there in the game to put India under pressure. That is how it rather ended up. The guys were clinical at the back-end to get us to a competitive total, perhaps without going too hard and finishing up with 210-220."

Resuming on the reserve day on 211 for 5, New Zealand added 28 off the remaining 23 deliveries, hitting just one more boundary.

"A lot of it was on the conditions," he said. "With rain around, we wanted to see if it changed conditions [as compared to Tuesday]. Then with the ball, we wanted to move the ball off the seam, in the air and try and put some pressure on the Indian side. Obviously they're a world-class side, and the guys were able to do that."

Key to their start with the ball was Matt Henry's telling burst that accounted for Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Dinesh Karthik. He eventually finished with 3 for 37, overcoming a serious challenge from MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja as the chase got dramatic.

"It was nice to get some early wickets of guys who've been playing some brilliant cricket," Williamson said. "We knew as it slowed up, it would be a tough squeeze. We needed to stay in the game for long periods. Being under so much pressure, to take the game to a stage where they could potentially win it the way they were hitting it with Jadeja and Dhoni, the effort from our bowlers was outstanding."

Two days before the semi-final, Williamson had sat his team down in the middle of the ground at Old Trafford. He was seen having an animated chat with the entire group, which he later revealed was about actually infusing self-belief despite an 18-day period where they were winless.

"Some of those games were tough, conditions have been tricky at times and have varied throughout the game," he explained. "While we didn't play our best cricket in some of those games, there were other parts to consider and bear in mind, so [we] shouldn't get too disheartened and know that we'll still go out and play as long as we give ourselves the best chance of having success.

"Being underdogs coming into the semis didn't mean too much as long as we've played best cricket, all these sides have beaten each other, we knew on our day anything can happen. It was a game of small margins, and it was nice of the guys to fight the way they did."

LONDON -- After thrilling fans with news of their much-speculated pairing, followed by two impressive victories in front of capacity crowds, Serena Williams and Andy Murray are out of the mixed doubles tournament at Wimbledon.

The fan favorites fell to Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar, the top-seeded pair, in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, on Wednesday in the third round.

The pair -- known affectionately by fans as "Serandy" or "Murena" -- was broken twice in the third set and trailed 4-0. They were unable to recover.

However, despite the early exit, both Williams and Murray said following the loss that they were happy with the experience of playing with one another.

"We had so much fun," said Williams, who plays in the semifinals of the singles draw on Thursday. "We aren't ready for it to be over. But we both are obviously focused on our health, both of us actually, taking it literally one day at a time, seeing what happens from there.

"We did have a good tournament. I think overall we played really well for our first time playing together."

Murray made his return to competition last month following hip surgery, and played in the doubles and mixed doubles events at his home Slam. He spoke glowingly of Williams and her competitive drive.

"I guess it was more a confirmation of something that you would have expected from someone that's won as much as she's done," said Murray. "It was just the fact that she was so into it, so competitive, which is cool. I like that. Some people might just see it as being maybe mixed doubles. We're playing it to have fun and get matches.

"But a genuine kind of desire and will to win, which I would have expected that to have been the case, but I didn't know that about her. Never spent any time on the court with her. That was the thing that was nice whilst we were on the court. She was really into wanting to win and pumped. I like that."

Their pairing and participation brought more attention than usual for the mixed doubles draw, and their first match drew a delighted crowd on Centre Court. Williams' sister Venus was also in the draw, with Frances Tiafoe, as well as Murray's brother Jamie, with Bethanie Mattek-Sands, among other notable players.

Williams and Murray had a friendly banter -- on and off the court -- during the tournament, and Williams teased Murray for all of the questions he continued to receive about his health and future plans with the sport. She said it was a "relief" for all of the attention to be on him.

She was, however, hopeful the support from the British fans would continue for her in the singles draw. She faces Barbora Strycova with a final berth on the line in the second match on Centre Court on Thursday.

NEW YORK -- Adoring fans lined New York City's Canyon of Heroes on Wednesday to praise the World Cup-winning U.S. women's national soccer team as athletic leaders on the field -- and as advocates for pay equity off it.

Construction workers sounded air horns above crowds chanting "USA! USA!" as the hourlong ticker-tape parade moved up a stretch of lower Broadway that has long hosted such celebrations for world leaders, veterans and hometown sports stars.

Co-captain Megan Rapinoe and her teammates shared a float with Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro. Rapinoe struck her now-famous victory pose, took a swig of champagne and handed the bottle to a fan. Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher held the World Cup trophy aloft.

Aly Hoover, 12, of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, stood along the route with a poster of the face of Alex Morgan, another team star. "I just want to be like them," she said.

Garret Prather brought his newborn son "to celebrate how the American women made us proud on and off the field."

The team sealed its second consecutive tournament win by beating the Netherlands 2-0 on Sunday. It will get $4 million for winning the World Cup from FIFA, the international soccer governing body. The men's French team got $38 million for winning last year.

The U.S. women's team has sued the U.S. Soccer Federation for gender and pay discrimination. The women will get bonuses from the USSF about five times less than the men would have earned for winning the World Cup. The case is currently in mediation.

Kate Lane, who watched the parade, called the pay gap "massive" for the soccer players and "across the board" for most women.

"Especially in male-dominated professions," said Lane, of Limerick, Ireland. "Women put just as much commitment into their work as their male counterparts."

She is hopeful the younger generation is soaking up the message from the women's team, noting a girl about 7 years old wearing an "Equal Pay" T-shirt.

Earlier Wednesday, team members joined New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, as he signed a law expanding gender pay equality in the state. He said women's soccer players should be paid the same as male players.

#BREAKING: I just signed new pay equity legislation at the #USWNTParade.

The women's soccer team plays the same game that the men's soccer players play - only better. If anything, the men should get paid less.

Thank you @USWNT for helping lead this movement for change! pic.twitter.com/qHy2aYs2Tl

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 10, 2019

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, introduced a bill Tuesday that would bar federal funding for the men's 2026 World Cup until the U.S. Soccer Federation provides equal pay to the women's and men's teams.

At a City Hall rally after the parade, de Blasio, also a Democrat, honored the team with symbolic keys to the city, saying it "brought us together" and "showed us so much to make us hopeful."

At the rally, Rapinoe noted the diversity of the team: "We have pink hair and purple hair, we have tattoos and dreadlocks, we have white girls and black girls and everything in between. Straight girls and gay girls."

The parade is named for the strands of ticker tape that used to be showered down from nearby office buildings. The tape has since been replaced with paper confetti, already drifting down from office buildings before Wednesday's parade started.

The Department of Sanitation said it will have 350 workers assigned to parade cleanup with trucks, backpack blowers and brooms at their disposal.

- Senator: No equal pay, no public '26 WC funds

The team had already started celebrating its record fourth Women's World Cup title. After touching down at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday, players shared a toast and sang "We Are the Champions."

Team members appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" in Times Square on Tuesday to show off their trophy and answer questions from cheering kids.

Rapinoe, the outspoken star who won the awards for the tournament's best player and top scorer, also appeared on CNN and MSNBC later Tuesday.

Rapinoe told CNN's Anderson Cooper that President Donald Trump's slogan "Make America Great Again" is "harking back to an era that wasn't great for everyone. It might've been great for a few people."

Rapinoe told MSNBC's Rachel Maddow that Trump had yet to invite the women's soccer team to the White House.

Trump had tweeted that he would invite the team, win or lose. Rapinoe has said she wouldn't be going to the White House. The team has accepted an invitation to visit Congress.

LAS VEGAS -- NBA commissioner Adam Silver wants the hat game fixed.

Mindful that it was awkward for draft picks this year who were selected by one team and had already been traded to another -- but because of league rules, were unable to be introduced by their actual franchise for more than two weeks -- Silver said there was discussion Tuesday at the league's board of governors meeting about how to change that going forward.

Several ideas are under discussion, including changing the rules about how and when draft-night trades can be announced. It could be earlier next season and not necessarily attached to the early July end to the moratorium on trades and certain signings.

"We've got to fix that," Silver said.

First-round picks were issued hats to wear on stage at the draft, corresponding with the team that chose them. De'Andre Hunter went No. 4 overall, taken by the Los Angeles Lakers. His rights had been traded twice -- first to New Orleans as part of the Anthony Davis deal, then to Atlanta. But since neither of those trades could be finalized before July 6, Hunter wore a Lakers cap on stage.

"We talk about being fan friendly, and that isn't fan friendly," Silver said.

There are plenty of changes that will be under consideration in the next few months, including one about the rules regarding the start to the negotiating period for free agents. Silver said that was also a topic among the board of governors on Tuesday.

For the draft night-traded players, it's about more than the hats. Because some draftees couldn't be part of their franchises before July 6, they were assured of missing the start of NBA summer league. It cost a few players the chance to play in summer league at all, which disappointed many of them.

That won't be an issue next year, with summer league in Las Vegas scheduled to begin on July 10, 2020, long after the NBA's new league year is likely to begin. So any draft pick that gets traded on draft night should, in theory, be with his actual team in plenty of time to take part in summer contests.

But this year, it was an issue.

"I was really disappointed," Phoenix rookie Ty Jerome said.

Former North Carolina forward Cam Johnson wound up with Phoenix after being drafted No. 11 by Minnesota. By the time the draft could be executed, the Suns felt it was too late to put Johnson and Jerome -- the No. 24 pick whose rights were traded twice on his way to Phoenix -- on the floor for summer league.

So they remained in a cautious state of limbo for a couple of weeks, because an injury could have potentially derailed any trades.

"The one thing I was told was just to lay low," Johnson said. "As much as I wanted to go out there, I wanted to play pickup, I was back at Carolina for a week and there were alumni games and all that that I didn't really take part in because I was told to lay low -- which I did. A lot of court workouts, a little one-on-one every now and then, a lot of lifting, staying under the radar but continuing to work."

Atlanta general manager Travis Schlenk said he thought this year was an outlier on the picks-being-traded front, simply because of how many teams found themselves in situations where moves were possible.

The Hawks introduced their draft picks, Hunter and Bruno Fernando, in Las Vegas this past weekend instead of in Atlanta, because both were draft picks whose rights were held up in trades until the moratorium was lifted and swaps could be finalized.

"It's a hard situation, because you don't have their rights even though everyone kind of knows it," Schlenk said. "I'm sure the league will look into it to see what they can do. They take, obviously, tampering and salary-cap circumvention and trying to get around it very seriously, so I'm sure they will take a look at it."

The Brooklyn Nets included about $1 million in yearly performance-based incentives in maximum contracts for both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, a tweak that allowed them to maneuver to fit contracts for DeAndre Jordan and second-round pick Nicolas Claxton into cap space, according to contract data obtained by ESPN.

Both deals have player options in their fourth seasons, meaning Durant and Irving can hit free agency again in the summer of 2022.

Irving's contract is especially interesting: eight separate incentives -- $125,000 each, all deemed "unlikely" -- and thus not included in Irving's current cap hit. Irving's initial salary for 2019-20 is $31,720,000 -- exactly $1 million short of his maximum. Hitting all eight bonuses would make up the difference.

Irving would earn $125,000 apiece if:

• He appears in at least 70 regular-season games.

• He appears in at least 60 regular-season games and averages fewer than 2.4 turnovers per game. Irving has averaged 2.6 turnovers per game over his career, and between 2.3 and 2.7 in each of his past six seasons.

• He appears in at least 60 regular-season games and attempts at least 4.6 free throws per game. Irving has averaged 4.4 free throws per game for his career, and has fallen below the 4.6 mark in each of his past two seasons.

• He shoots 88.5 percent or better from the free throw line in the regular season. Irving is a career 87.5 percent free throw shooter. He has cracked the 88.5 percent mark in three of his eight career seasons.

• Makes at least 2.8 3-pointers per game in the regular season. Irving has accomplished that just once in eight seasons. He has averaged 2.1 made 3s per game over his career.

• He commits fewer than 2.1 fouls per game in the regular season. His career average: 2.2.

• The Nets score at least 114 points per 100 possessions in the regular season with Irving on the floor.

Only two teams -- Golden State and Houston -- topped that mark last season, per NBA.com, though teams generally score more efficiently with their best offensive players on the floor.

The Nets allow 106 or fewer points per 100 possessions in the regular season with Irving on the floor. Only three teams averaged 106 or fewer points allowed per 100 possessions in the regular season, per NBA.com.

The same eight incentives repeat, at slightly higher dollar increments, in every season of Irving's deal, per contract data.

Durant unlocks a $1 million bonus -- raising his salary to the maximum -- if any one of the following occur:

• The Nets make the playoffs.

• The Nets win 43 or more games.

• Durant plays in at least 50 regular-season games.

• Durant makes the All-Star team.

These bonuses are deemed "likely" to be reached and thus factor into Durant's cap hit already.

Through a complex series of transactions and incentives, the Nets opened up enough flexibility to sign both Irving and Jordan with cap room, and sign-and-trade three players -- D'Angelo Russell, Treveon Graham, and Shabazz Napier -- for Durant. Jordan's contract rises and falls over its four-year term: $9.881 million in 2019-20, $10.375 million in 2020-21, $9.881 million again 2021-22, and then down slightly to $9.821 million in the final season.

Amar'e Stoudemire told MSG Network on Tuesday that he can bring needed leadership to young NBA teams and still "has a lot of game left" as he attempts to return to the league.

Stoudemire, 36, appearing on MSG Network's "MSG 150," was asked what kind of pitch he is making to NBA teams.

"A lot of the teams have a lot of young players and a lot of players that can learn how to train, how to become professionals and how to become great basketball players. And leadership goes a long way with teams in order to get from a playoff team to a contending championship team," he said. "From that standpoint, I have a lot to offer. And also as a basketball player, I still have a lot of game left. I can help a team in any way they need."

He held a private workout for teams on Monday in Las Vegas and told MSG Network that 15 clubs attended.

"The workout went great." he said. "I've been training all summer, keeping myself in top shape. My body feels amazing. We'll see if the opportunity becomes reality."

Stoudemire played the past two seasons for Hapoel Jerusalem in Israel and has been playing this year in the Big3. The six-time All-Star's last season in the NBA was in 2015-16 with the Miami Heat.

Stoudemire, the NBA's Rookie of the Year in the 2002-03 season, has career averages of 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds in 15 NBA seasons for the Phoenix Suns, who selected him ninth overall in the 2002 draft, the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and the Heat.

Kawhi Leonard has chosen a shorter contract with the LA Clippers that lines up with new teammate Paul George's and sets up the two to be part of the 2021 free-agent class, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Leonard signed a three-year, $103.1 million deal that includes a player option for the 2021-22 season, the source said. He will make $32.74 million next season, $34.37 million in 2020-21 and $36.01 million in the player-option season.

George's four-year, $136.9 million contract, signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2018 offseason, also includes a player option for 2021-22.

The Athletic first reported that Leonard was signing a three-year contract.

The Clippers announced that they had signed Leonard on Wednesday without releasing contract details.

Leonard agreed to sign with the Clippers after the team negotiated a trade with the Thunder for George.

That deal was also announced Wednesday, with the Thunder receiving four future unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round pick and two pick swaps from the Clippers.

Thunder general manager Sam Presti thanked George and wished him the best, and also explained the team's thinking on the trade.

"From the time that Paul and his representation made us aware of what had been transpiring and their subsequent request, our focus as an organization was identifying the best paths for our future," Presti said. "Resiliency has been a staple of our city and our franchise, and this challenge provided us with another opportunity to demonstrate that. Our goal with this transaction was to create value both in the short and long term and help reposition and replenish the organization's future platform."

If both players become free agents in 2021, the Clippers would hold Leonard's early Bird rights and full Bird rights for George.

Based on that, LA could offer Leonard a four-year, $196 million contract and George a five-year, $254 million deal, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

ESPN's Bobby Marks contributed to this report.

Who won the NBA offseason?

A surprising draft night with plenty of trades in the first round was followed by the wildest week the league has ever seen to start free agency. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are now on the LA Clippers. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant are in Brooklyn. There were more sign-and-trades for star players than anyone could have predicted. A potential Russell Westbrook deal still looms. And the 2020 title race looks wide open.

What were the most underrated and questionable moves? Our NBA Insiders answer the big offseason questions and share what they're most excited to watch next season.

More: Latest NBA free-agency buzz

Where would you like to see Russell Westbrook land?

Dave McMenamin: Miami. Pat Riley is 74 years old. In an NBA career that has spanned more than 50 years as a player, assistant coach, head coach and executive, his teams have made the NBA Finals an astounding 17 times, winning 10 rings. It has been five years since LeBron James left the Heat, causing Riles to retool on the fly. As he stares down retirement in the coming years, I'd like to see "the winner within" team up with Russ to see if they can't make a run to the promised land together.

Tim Bontemps: I think Miami is the only place that makes any sense. Not from a basketball standpoint -- I don't like the fit of Westbrook and Jimmy Butler together -- but the Heat are one of the few teams willing to take on both Westbrook's money and his personality. In fact, Miami could be the only one. It would make for a fascinating story on several levels. People around the league consider it an inevitability that he will wind up there at this point, too.

Nick Friedell: If I were running a team, I wouldn't even think about adding Westbrook. That contract is just so awful in the future. But in Miami with Butler, there would be plenty of storylines for a mediocre team -- much like there were during Dwyane Wade's one tumultuous season alongside Butler in Chicago.

Malika Andrews: Westbrook has earned a say in what team he ends up playing for. ESPN has reported that Miami is a team that appeals to Westbrook. He is the franchise player who has embraced the city, team and fan base. The front office shouldn't banish him to Timbuktu.

Mike Schmitz: Minnesota. With a floor-spacing center like Karl-Anthony Towns as his running mate, the Wolves would entertain, and Westbrook would theoretically have wider driving lanes than ever for his thrashing rim attacks. Pending whom Minnesota would have to include in a trade, Robert Covington and (to a lesser degree) Jake Layman provide additional shooting, with versatile draft pick Jarrett Culver able to grow alongside the former MVP in the backcourt.

What was the most underrated offseason move so far?

Bontemps: Mike Conley going to the Utah Jazz has kind of been forgotten amid all the tumult of the past few weeks, but I thought it was an absolutely brilliant piece of business. The past two years, Utah has failed in the playoffs because it hasn't had enough offensive threats around Donovan Mitchell. Now, not only do they have one of the NBA's best backcourts, but the Jazz also have the perfect mentor to show Mitchell how to grow and expand his game.

Schmitz: There are a handful of draft picks I loved -- Tyler Herro at No. 13, Nickeil Alexander-Walker at No. 17, Brandon Clarke at No. 21, Mfiondu Kabengele at No. 27, even Darius Garland at No. 5 -- but Ty Jerome to Phoenix at No. 24 projects as the biggest steal relative to draft slot. The Ricky Rubio signing is earning all the buzz in Phoenix, but don't be surprised if the sharpshooting Jerome proves impossible for head coach Monty Williams to keep off the court. It might not come in Years 1 or 2, but Jerome projects as an eventual NBA starter by my estimation, which is incredible value in the mid-20s.

Andrews: Al Horford signing with Philadelphia. Joel Embiid struggled against Horford in the past, and now that obstacle is out of the way. There are still some question marks here: Spacing the floor with shooters was a key to Philadelphia's success in the past. How will this team operate and create space for Embiid after losing JJ Redick to New Orleans (another underrated move) and Jimmy Butler to Miami? Will Brett Brown play Embiid and Horford at the same time? Can Ben Simmons take the next step in his game? But positioned correctly, this is a team poised to make a deep push in the playoffs.

McMenamin: I don't think the Warriors are getting enough credit for pulling off the sign-and-trade with Brooklyn for D'Angelo Russell. Rather than seeing Kevin Durant walk for nothing, Bob Myers was able to get a 23-year-old All-Star out of the deal -- a player who can grow in their system or prove to be a trade chip down the line. He made chicken salad.

Friedell: In the midst of a lot of roster turnover, the fact that the Warriors were able to keep Kevon Looney on a three-year, $15 million deal was a really great move for them. He is a trusted member of that group and continues to improve over time. He is going to get even more of a chance to shine in a regrouping year for the Warriors.

What was the most questionable offseason move so far?

Bontemps: The sign-and-trade for Terry Rozier (three years, $58 million) in Charlotte doesn't make any sense. Sure, the Hornets didn't have a point guard after losing Kemba Walker, but Tomas Satoransky and Delon Wright were both signed-and-traded for contracts that fit the midlevel exception -- half of Rozier's contract. Tyus Jones was signed by Memphis to a similarly reasonable deal. All of them are in the same range of player as Rozier. This is just the latest head-scratching move by Charlotte over the past decade. Honorable mention: Phoenix signing Rubio and having to trade two second-round picks to clear the space to do so.

Schmitz: Sacramento signing Harrison Barnes to $85 million over four years. The Kings clearly had money to spend, but this is more about taking away offensive volume from an exciting young core of De'Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Barnes is capable of functioning as a serviceable floor spacer, but at age 27, with that hefty price tag, he's likely to remain empowered to play his isolation-heavy, catch-and-hold style that doesn't figure to positively impact the development of Sacramento's young players.

Friedell: Crushing the Knicks for missing out on KD and Kyrie, after so many in the league thought they would land there is too easy, so ... I really like the Al Horford move for Philadelphia, but is Tobias Harris going to improve to a point where he will live up to his $180 million contract? Harris has lots of talent, but can he both take and make the big shots that Butler hit for this group? If Harris can elevate his game and Ben Simmons learns how to shoot with consistency, the Sixers can get out of the East. But by committing to Harris with that deal, they have to hope he's ready for the challenge.

McMenamin: The Hornets signing Rozier. Not only is he replacing one of the most beloved figures in franchise history in Kemba Walker; not only was he one of the major voices of unrest in a testy Boston locker room last season; not only did he once go 2-for-14 from the field (0-for-10 from 3) in a Game 7 at home with a trip to the Finals on the line; but we're also talking about a guy with career numbers of 38% shooting and 2.3 assists per game at point guard earning $19 million a year. It's mind-boggling.

Andrews: It was not so long ago that Paul George publicly declared his affection for Oklahoma City and chose to stay there and compete alongside Russell Westbrook rather than go to a Los Angeles team. That's why seeing him request a trade to the Clippers came as somewhat of a surprise. Yes, OKC was in a tough spot: Honor George's trade request and rebuild in a tight Western Conference or decline to trade him and potentially end up with a disgruntled star (see 2018-19 Anthony Davis). Now, though, the Thunder are at risk of losing their franchise player in Westbrook.

You get to give out one A grade to an NBA team for its entire offseason. Who gets it?

Andrews: The Clippers. Figuring out a way to lure the duo of Leonard and George was impressive, but they also were able to position a complete roster around those stars. In this league, depth coupled with superstardom is a recipe for a championship. They re-signed Patrick Beverley, who has become the heartbeat of the locker room. They have depth off the bench with Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams. And Doc Rivers is ready and able to coach this team to Finals contention.

Friedell: Utah. Adding Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic were two solid moves that will provide even more stability to a very good roster. If Donovan Mitchell develops into superstardom this season, Utah has seemingly all the pieces it needs to make a real run in the West.

McMenamin: The Clippers. This is pretty simple, guys. They signed the best player on the market, becoming the first team in league history to lure a Finals MVP away as a free agent immediately after he just won a championship. Throw in trading for Paul George and Moe Harkless; re-signing Beverley, JaMychal Green, Rodney McGruder and Ivica Zubac; and drafting Terance Mann and Mfiondu Kabengele, and they earn the A.

Schmitz: I'm rolling with the New Orleans Pelicans. Not only did David Griffin land the draft's crown jewel in Zion Williamson, but he secured an endless supply of future draft picks, bought low on Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart, added key veterans who can both contribute and positively impact culture in JJ Redick and Derrick Favors, and lastly snagged two studs in Jaxson Hayes and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, one of the biggest draft-day steals. For a team that was once at the mercy of its fleeing star, Griffin nailed it in basically every area.

Bontemps: Amazingly, I'm going with Memphis. The Grizzlies will stink next year, but they've done a ton of stuff I've liked this offseason. Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke are both perfect fits with Jaren Jackson Jr. Getting a first-round pick to take on Andre Iguodala was a nice piece of business. Getting two seconds for Wright was good business, especially when coupled with signing Tyus Jones for essentially the same deal. Getting two seconds and De'Anthony Melton from Phoenix for taking on Josh Jackson and clearing the cap space to sign Rubio was brilliant business. Bad teams have to walk before they can run. Memphis is walking quickly after a nice series of moves this summer.

What are you most excited to watch next season?

McMenamin: The four times the Lakers and Clippers play at Staples Center. In an 82-game season, you're not going to get that many games that truly elevate to an event. Sure, there are the standard reunions, the Finals rematches, the holiday games, but rivalry games can be hard to come by. Between Kawhi spurning the Lakers for the Clippers to the two teams sharing not only the same city but the same arena, these will be four charged nights and hopefully will serve as a playoff preview.

Bontemps: A league where there isn't a clear favorite. Sure, certain teams like the Clippers or Bucks might get the most love in terms of being a title favorite, but the days of the Heat or Warriors looming over the league are over. That is what has helped usher in this absolutely insane summer, as teams see the opening to compete and are going after it. The result is a league that has plenty of compelling teams to watch and a more wide-open landscape than we have seen in years.

Schmitz: The Memphis Grizzlies. Yes, the Memphis Grizzlies. I'm fascinated by the star power of Ja Morant, particularly his fit with a floor-spacing, rim-protecting, switchy big like Jaren Jackson Jr. The Grizz also stole one with Brandon Clarke at No. 21 overall, and he's an ideal fit with JJJ up front. They may still be a few years away from consistent winning, but long gone are the grit-and-grind days. The Grizzlies are young, exciting, athletic and flush with future building blocks.

Friedell: The Clippers. The idea that Leonard and George are coming to a team that has already created a great culture and core is going to be fun to watch. Doc Rivers knows how to pace teams and talked in the postseason about how much fun he had coming to work every day with this group. If the Clippers stay healthy, they will be one of the most exciting teams in the league to watch -- and they should win it all.

Andrews: With exciting young talent like Zion Williamson entering the league and All-Stars such as George and Leonard pairing up for the first time, it's too limiting to just pick one thing. For the first time in years, the NBA truly feels wide open, and that race to the top is what will be most intriguing. Will one of the new Los Angeles superteams make it out of the West, or will a team like the Denver Nuggets be the last group? Have the Sixers added enough shooting to complement their talented big men, or will Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks avenge their 2019 conference finals loss? That air of mystery is reason enough to be excited. Is it October yet?

CLEVELAND -- The only errors on the scoreboard at the All-Star Game were by the scoreboard.

At least one player noticed -- and wasn't too pleased.

The giant board at Progressive Field was filled with mistakes Tuesday night, including a couple of misspelled names, a wrong picture and a pair of incorrect team logos.

"They had what, two weeks to get ready for this? That can't happen," New York Mets sparkplug Jeff McNeil said.

McNeil is leading the majors with a .349 batting average, an impressive feat seeing how he made his major league debut less than a year ago.

A late sub, he came up for the National League in the eighth inning and noticed the headshot on the scoreboard wasn't of him. Instead, it was of Mets teammate Jacob deGrom.

"That was tough, to see deGrom's picture up there," McNeil said. "I didn't really like that."

"I wanted to see my picture up there. I know my family did, too. What are you going to do, I guess, but I don't think that should happen," he said.

The Cleveland Indians apologized for the scoreboard errors on Wednesday in a statement to SNY.

"We are very excited about the positive reaction we've received about All-Star Week events in Cleveland. It was obviously unfortunate about the scoreboard miscues and we apologize those occurred," the team said.

David Dahl didn't fare any better. The Colorado outfielder batted right before McNeil and was listed on the scoreboard as "Davis Dahl."

Same for Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras. A starter, his first name was missing a letter and spelled "Wilson."

Big-hitting Cody Bellinger plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Ketel Marte is with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but when the starting lineups were shown, they both appeared with the logo of the Atlanta Braves.

The American League won 4-3 and neither team was charged with an error.

"I don't think there was a lot of mistakes on either side," said NL manager Dave Roberts of the Dodgers.

Not on the field, anyway.

"When I saw deGrom's face, I was confused. I know there were a couple of others, too," McNeil said.

"That gives me motivation to make it next year," he said. "Maybe next time, they'll get my picture right."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Jake Arrieta will continue to pitch as the team evaluates his long-term health due to bone spurs in his throwing elbow, according to manager Gabe Kapler.

On Wednesday, Kapler told SportsRadio 94WIP in Philadelphia that a limited Arrieta could be better than their other pitching options.

"He's having a harder time getting extended the way he normally does, especially on that curveball. This is limiting his ability to throw the ball where he wants to throw it," Kapler said. "All of that said, Jake is a competitor, and for the Phillies, it's always worth considering if Jake at 85 percent of himself is a better option than what we have at Triple-A."

Arrieta will start a game during the series against the Washington Nationals that begins Friday. Kapler told the radio station that how Arrieta feels pitching against the Nationals could play a role in determining the next step.

Following his last start Saturday, Arrieta had hinted that he lacked a feel for his pitches. He is 8-7 with a 4.67 ERA in 18 starts this year.

Arrieta underwent season-ending surgery for bone spurs in August 2011 while pitching for the Baltimore Orioles.