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The Best of the Day: February 5th, 2021
See the best of the day in sports from February 5, 2021 including Trevor Bauer joining LAD, Kemba being the East's biggest x-factor, and more!
Fox Sports
The ‘Best of the Day’ is a daily PSO original series showcasing the most significant stories, highlights, and facts going on in the land of the NFL, NBA, & MLB every day. Get a recap on EVERYTHING that happened on 2/5 here.
The reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers finally made a splash in free agency after signing the top available starting pitcher in Trevor Bauer to a record-breaking deal. If they live up to their potential, the Dodgers’ rotation has a chance to be legendary in their quest to repeat. Also, Kemba Walker had a big game against the Clippers and will need to be more consistent if the Celtics are to become true title contenders. Nikola Vucevic added a career-high performance against the Bulls on 2/5.
Here is the best of the day from February 5, 2021:
Reigning NL Cy Young Trevor Bauer joined the reigning World Series Champions
The Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to terms with free agent and reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Trevor Bauer on a 3y/$102M deal that includes player options for each of the last two years. The deal will make Bauer the highest-paid player in MLB history over the next two seasons, as he is set to earn $40M in 2021 and $45M in 2022. He is coming off a dominant season with the Cincinnati Reds that saw him lead the National League in ERA (1.73), ERA+ (276), and WHIP (0.795) while leading the Majors in complete games and shutouts.
Bauer joins a stacked LA rotation already featuring a combined four Cy Young Awards in David Price and 3x winner Clayton Kershaw, along with All-Star Walker Buehler. That quartet will certainly form the best rotation in baseball and has a chance to be the best ever assembled, especially considering the promise of Dustin May and Julio Urias as well. The Dodgers are now the first team to have three former Cy Young winners and three former MVPs (Kershaw, RF Mookie Betts, and 1B Cody Bellinger) on their roster. They are built to run it back and have a potential dynasty with the most talented roster in the game (sound familiar Lakers fans?).
While Bauer’s addition does give them an edge, nothing is a guarantee in sports, as the Dodgers are not a lock to win their own division. The young, up-and-coming San Diego Padres have put together a similarly talented roster that is built to contend for the foreseeable future. The Padres could very well be the Dodgers biggest obstacle in their attempt to win back-to-back titles, a feat not accomplished since the Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000. With the two most talented rosters in baseball, the NL West clubs have formed one of the top rivalries in the game and are set to duke it out for years to come.
Trevor Bauer’s record-setting contract with the Dodgers:
— Boardroom (@boardroom) February 5, 2021
➖3 years/$102M
➖Opt-outs after each of the first two
➖$40M/2021 + 45M/2022
This makes him the highest-paid player in MLB history in 2021 and again in 2022.@AgentRachelLuba is changing the game. You love to see it. pic.twitter.com/0wG2P38ABU
Los Angeles Dodgers are the 1st defending World Series Champion to sign a reigning Cy Young winner (@BauerOutage) in free agency https://t.co/lHXsZJ8Umx
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) February 6, 2021
Trevor Bauer has a higher 2021 salary ($40M) than the current entire 2021 payrolls of:
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) February 6, 2021
- Cleveland Indians ($36.6M)
- Baltimore Orioles ($34.2M)
- Pittsburgh Pirates ($30.0M) https://t.co/uDlFS322va
MLB's highest-paid players in 2021:
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) February 6, 2021
1. SP Trevor Bauer ($40M)
2. OF Mike Trout ($37.1M)
T3. SP Jacob deGrom ($36M)
T3. SP Gerrit Cole ($36M)
T5. SP Stephen Strasburgh ($35M)
T5. SP Zack Greinke ($35M)
T5. 3B Nolan Arenado ($35M) https://t.co/j1xL2JzOtA
Related: Stories of the Day
Kemba Walker is the biggest x-factor in the Eastern Conference this season
At this point, Celtics fans know what they’re going to get from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as the two young J’s have developed into consistent All-Star caliber performers. It’s their third star that warrants far less confidence due to his rocky production, dating back to last year’s playoffs. Kemba Walker was a clutch legend in College at the University of Connecticut with his legacy cemented as ‘Cardiac Kemba’ through one of the most iconic shots in CBB history.
However, since joining the NBA, Walker hadn’t faced real high-pressure situations until his ninth season when he joined Boston before their Eastern Conference Finals run in 2020. He completely underwhelmed in his first extended taste of postseason action on both sides of the ball, which could have been due to the knee injury he was dealing with.
That lingering injury was still bothering him at the beginning of the 2020-21 season as he missed the first dozen games before returning on somewhat of a minutes restriction. Kemba hasn’t looked like himself this season at all with his PPG (16.1), APG (4.3), FG% (38.3), and 3P% (29.8) all being the lowest of his career or since his lackluster rookie season, where he was mostly coming off the bench.
When Walker is on, he’s an All-Star caliber PG like the one that showed up vs. the Clippers on Friday, helping lead Boston to victory in Brown’s absence over one of the best teams in the league. However, he’s also supplemented those kind of performances with some of the worst production in the fourth quarter this season and various no-shows. He’s the key to Boston taking the next step and finally getting past the ECF since the ‘Big 3’ era which makes him the biggest x-factor in the East, if not the entire league.
KEMBA GIVES BOSTON THE LEAD ☘️ pic.twitter.com/0nRVPqlLt8
— ESPN (@espn) February 6, 2021
☘️ Season-high 24 PTS
— NBA (@NBA) February 6, 2021
☘️ 10 in the 4th quarter
☘️ Go-ahead jumper & game-sealing FTs@KembaWalker lifts the @celtics! pic.twitter.com/07fuk4TVYE
Related: NBA Takeaways of the Day
D-Low drained the game-winner
D-LO WITH ICE IN HIS VEINS 🥶 #Crunchtime pic.twitter.com/Hpg2mYFPtw
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 6, 2021
Related: NBA Highlights | Minnesota Timberwolves Highlights
C Nikola Vucevic, ORL (W v.CHI): 43 PTS (17-29 FG | 4-10 3P), 4 AST, 19 REB, 1 BLK, 0 STL, 1 TO
#PlayerOfTheDay (2/5/21) - C Nikola Vucevic, ORL
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) February 6, 2021
TOP FACTS:
- Career-high 43 PTS; 2nd GP of 40+ PTS in career
- Joins Shaq & D12 as ORL w/ 43+ PTS/19+ REB in a GP
- 2nd Magic player w/ 35 PTS/10 REB in 3 Qtrs since 1995
KEY STATS:
43 PTS, 19 REB, 17-29 FG (58.6%), 4-10 3P (40%) https://t.co/yIKh3X2aML
Related: Players of the Day
Boston Celtics (119) [GW-FG] vs. Los Angeles Clippers (115)
[Highlights] CELTICS (+230; $8.75) d. @CLIPPERS (+230; $11.51) 119-115 (GW-FG) [BOS +6.5 | o219]
Related: Games of the Day
Related: Facts of the Day
The 10 Reasons Why Patrick Mahomes Will Become the GOAT by Rob Mason
A never before-seen combination of physical traits and mental acumen, a winning pedigree, and eye-popping numbers have Patrick Mahomes well on his way to becoming the GOAT
10 Reasons Why Mahomes Will Become the GOAT:
— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) February 5, 2021
- Clutch factor
- Unreal arm talent
- Destiny
FULL LIST ⬇️https://t.co/S42vcdq4ry
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