AV’s H -Town Sports Minute: Astros, NFL, NBA And More.

Astros Defeat Tigers

The Astros avoided a third straight loss.  Houston beat the Detroit Tigers 4-2 at Daikin Park.  Raynel Delgado was 2-for-4 with one run scored and two RBIs to lead the way at the plate.  Bryan King earned his second win in relief and Josh Hader notched his third save as the Astros improved to 34-and-41.  They host the Tigers again this afternoon.

MCWS Recap

Two more teams were ousted from the Men’s College World Series on Tuesday.  West Virginia crushed Troy 12-0 in game one, followed by a 2-0 win for Georgia over Texas.  The semifinal round begins Wednesday in Omaha.  North Carolina and West Virginia will square off in game one with Oklahoma taking on Georgia in the nightcap.  The Tar Heels and Sooners would advance with wins, while victories by the Mountaineers or Bulldogs would force a decisive game on Thursday.

NBA Draft Begins Next Tuesday

The NBA draft is a week away.  Some of the brightest college stars in recent history will hear their names called in Brooklyn next Tuesday.  Darryn Peterson made headlines on Monday after the Kansas guard refused to meet with any other teams outside of the Wizards.  Washington holds the first-overall pick.  BYU small forward phenom AJ Dybantsa [[ dee-BAHN-sah ]] is also a contender for the top selection and would likely make the short trek to Salt Lake City if he slips to the Jazz at Number-2.  Meanwhile, NBA teams are still monitoring the Giannis Antetokounmpo [[ YAHN-iss  ah-dedo-KOON-bo ]] situation in Milwaukee ahead of next week.  League sources believe a trade is looming around the former Finals MVP, which could shake up the draft order significantly.

Knicks’ Finals Victory Sets Record

The Knicks managed to make even more history on their way to winning the NBA title.  With an average of almost 25-million viewers on ABC and ESPN, New York’s win over the Spurs was the most-watched Game Five since 1998.  According to Nielsen, the Finals averaged 20-point-six-million viewers which is the highest since 1998 when Michael Jordan won his sixth championship with the Chicago Bulls.

Giannis Rumors Loom Over NBA Draft

A superstar in the NBA is overshadowing next Tuesday’s draft.  Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo [[ YAHN-iss  ah-dedo-KOON-bo ]] is still the linchpin that holds the current draft order.  The Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, Bulls and Clippers make up the top five selections.  The Heat sit with the 13th pick and are rumored to have the best deal so far to bring Giannis to South Beach.  As for the draft prospects, BYU wing prodigy AJ Dybantsa [[ dee-BAHN-sah ]] and Kansas backcourt stud Darryn Peterson are the consensus top-two picks.

Chiefs WR Rice Released From Jail

Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was released from jail on Tuesday after serving a 30-day sentence for violating the terms of his probation.  Rice had been booked into a Dallas County jail on May 19th after testing positive for THC.  He is on probation for his role in a car crash that left multiple people injured on a Texas highway.  The 26-year-old missed all of the team’s voluntary offseason workouts and their mandatory minicamp, but Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he expects him to report on time to training camp in late July.

Saints Sign DE Cameron Jordan To One-Year Deal

The Saints are bringing back their franchise’s all-time sacks leader for one more season.  New Orleans signed defensive end Cameron Jordan to a one-year deal during the team’s minicamp Tuesday.  Jordan will be entering his 16th NFL season and it is likely to be his last according to a video he posted on social media.  ESPN reports that the 36-year-old’s contract is set to be incentive-based.  The Saints selected Jordan in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft and he has gone on to amass 763 tackles and 132 sacks in 243 career games played.

Aldon Smith’s Family Having His Brain Checked For CTE

The family of Aldon Smith has decided to send his brain to be checked for CTE following his recent death.  The family is sending his brain to medical experts at the Boston University CTE Center to see whether chronic traumatic encephalopathy played a role in his death last weekend.  Smith died last Saturday at age 36 just hours after delivering pizzas to a homeless charity in the San Francisco Bay area.  No cause of death has currently been given and the family has hired attorneys to help investigate his death.  CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been found in athletes in contact sports, combat veterans and others exposed to repetitive head trauma.  It can be diagnosed only after death.

Bo Nix On Track For Training Camp

The Broncos are expected to have their franchise quarterback on the field for training camp next month.  Denver QB Bo Nix made his first appearance in a full offseason practice Tuesday and told reporters he remains on track to be ready for training camp in late July.  Nix also said the second surgery he underwent on the right ankle he fractured in the AFC Divisional Round was for bone spurs.  The 26-year-old threw in individual drills in the early portion of practice but did not take part in team drills.  In other Broncos news, the team has excused outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper from their mandatory minicamp after he was arrested twice in a seven-day span on multiple domestic violence charges.

Falcons’ Michael Penix Expected To Participate In Training Camp

The Falcons are expecting one of their quarterbacks to participate in training camp next month.  Michael Penix Jr. told the media on Tuesday that he’s on track to hit the practice field if doctors are satisfied with his knee recovery.  The 26-year-old had season-ending ACL surgery after getting hurt in Week 11.  Atlanta signed Tua Tagovailoa [[ TUNG-oh-vai-LO-uh ]] as insurance this offseason.

Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield Talks Contract

The Buccaneers’ signal caller is talking about his contract situation to the public.  Baker Mayfield told the media on Tuesday that he doesn’t think his durability should “ever” be a question.  The 31-year-old has started every game since arriving in Tampa three seasons ago.  Mayfield is heading into the last year of his contract and reiterated the lack of progress on a new deal.