TMZ Sports - Page 50

Despite being defending champs, the Denver Nuggets aren't content with one ring ... they want to go back-to-back, and they're hungrier than ever, according to star guard Jamal Murray.

TMZ Sports talked to 27-year-old Murray Friday night (before the Spurs comeback victory) ... as the 2023 champs are gearing up for another deep playoff run -- this time as the hunted (champs), rather than the hunter.

"When you're the hunter, you've got to be super aggressive. You're trying to prove something. You're trying to be precise. You're trying to catch them off guard. You're trying to blitz them when you have them down, you know, stomp on the neck. It's that kind of mentality when you have that chip on your shoulder when you're trying to win," the All-Star guard said.

"As the winner, as the one being hunted with the target on the back, you have to be more aware of your surroundings. You have to be more aware of the situation and what's going on, aware of the moment. You got to be ready to be challenged and fire back."

As for the team's determination, Jamal says "We want it bad" ... 'cause winning last year was so special.

"Winning the championship, some guys never see it, right? Some of the greats never see it. And to have gone through that and see what it's like and how much we enjoyed it, how much we enjoyed being with each other, accomplishing that, it's something that we desperately want to get back to as a unit."

"So I think just the intensity, the sacrifice, the selfishness, it's all there. And I think we've done a great job of just continuing to grow and not be satisfied with what we got."

We also asked Murray about playing with superstar teammate Nikola Jokic, arguably the best player in the world (check out the clip).

The Nuggets finished the season tied with the Thunder for the best record in the West, but because of tiebreakers, the squad is the number 2 seed, and will play the Pelicans or the Lakers.

Can they go back-to-back? Stay tuned!

In the meantime, Murray has partnered with Cheetos, helping to launch their "Other Hand" campaign. Cheetos lovers know the pain ... you need to use your hand, but it's covered in cheesy goodness, leading to all kinds of mishaps like untied shoes and missed high-fives!

Rob Gronkowski got Red Sox fans fired up for their Patriots' Day game in the most Gronk way possible -- by spiking the ceremonial first pitch straight into the ground!

The New England Patriots legend took the mound at Fenway Park just before Boston took on the Guardians in the annual holiday tilt ... and instead of firing a fastball to his catcher, he decided to bring out his touchdown celebration instead.

Check out the footage, Gronk hurled the baseball into the dirt so hard, it made a loud thud -- and the crowd couldn't have loved it more!!

Even some of the Sox players were spotted cheering it on!!

Gronk then gave his catcher a leaping side bump ... before he settled in to watch the game.

Jason Kelce says Travis Kelce had every right to pound a beer at their "graduation" ceremony last week ... 'cause it was all for a good cause, and for their podcast.

The recently-retired Eagles center responded to someone online over the weekend who kinda criticized Travis' frat boy routine from last at the University of Cincinnati ... where he walked across the stage after receiving a fake diploma, only to pound a cold one right after.

It was all a hokey bit that Travis and Jason were doing with the university as part of a "New Heights" episode ... and it was meant to highlight the fact they never walked back in the day.

Boban Marjanović plays for the Rockets, but he was arguably Clippers fans' favorite player on Sunday ... 'cause he helped them all win free chicken!!!

The Houston center -- who's known as one of the biggest hams in the Association -- got the job done for the L.A. faithful late in the Rockets' meaningless game against the Clips at Crypto.com Arena.

After missing a free throw with around five minutes left in the fourth quarter of the contest ... Boban realized if he missed another, he could score everyone in attendance chicken sandwiches on the house.

You see, the Clippers run a promotion on game days where if an opposing player misses back-to-back shots from the charity stripe in the final quarter, it's Chick-fil-A for all.

So, Boban purposely shanked his shot -- and everyone in the building went crazy. Even Marjanović couldn't help but get in on the celebration after the miss.

Boban -- who's 7 feet 4 -- went on to have even more fun seconds later, appearing to intentionally lose a tip-off to 6-footer Xavier Moon.

Of course, if the game had mattered, the antics likely would've been panned ... but with the Rockets out of playoff contention and the Clippers' postseason fate already sealed -- the fun was appreciated by all.

Aaron Rodgers' surgically repaired Achilles is already looking game ready ... as it seemed to hold up extremely well during a grueling workout in Santa Monica over the weekend.

The New York Jets quarterback hit up a popular staircase in the city on Friday afternoon with a couple members of the USC football team ... and he sure looked like a guy who had two healthy legs underneath him.

The 40-year-old went up and down the stairs over and over again -- with pace every time -- and the exercise was such a grind, it actually seemed he was on the verge of upchucking.

But, at no point did it appear his Achilles was bothering him ... an obviously great sign for the Jets.

As you know by now, the 10-time Pro Bowler had to miss the entirety of the 2023-24 season ... after he blew out the tendon just a few minutes into NY's opener on Sept. 11.

Clearly, though, it's healed up nicely.

The Jets will get an up-close look at it all themselves starting on Monday -- as Rodgers showed up to the team's voluntary offseason program in NY minutes ago with a smile on his face.

Miami Dolphins star Raheem Mostert is opening up on his decision to chase touchdowns over big waves ... telling TMZ Sports he left his pro surfing dreams behind to pursue a college education!!

For those who don't know, the NFL's rushing-scoring leader last season was a beast on the board back in the day ... in fact, he even had a sponsorship offer from Billabong when he was in his mid-teens.

We caught up with Mostert at LAX this week about his first love ... and he said while he misses the sport, he knows he made the right decision by putting his focus on football.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce decided to do a kissing tour of Coachella ... with the pair smoochin' in the middle of the crowd this time.

TMZ has obtained exclusive photos of this new passionate PDA session ... and, it's as clear as day -- these two lovebirds are absolutely crazy for one another!!!

Check out the pics ... Taylor and Travis are pretty out in the open here, fully invested in one another's lips -- without a care in the world as far as we can see.

Lionel Messi's bodyguard showed off his own athleticism ... barreling onto the field mid-game to take down a fan -- and, it was all caught on video.

Messi's Inter Miami CF took on Sporting KC in Arrowhead Stadium Saturday night when an overexcited fan tried to snap a pic with LM while the game was in progress.

Check out the clip ... the fan comes running up to Messi while the ball's actually in play -- but Messi's man, Yassine Cheuko, gets there just as quick and barely leaves enough time for the dude to snap a selfie before he's thrown to the ground.

Cam'ron's defending O.J. Simpson's legacy ... saying people need to back off since a jury acquitted him -- and blasting Caitlyn Jenner in the process.

The rapper hopped on the "It Is What It Is" podcast Friday to discuss Simpson's legacy the day after he died, and immediately started defending the controversial figure.

Cam points out a jury found O.J. not guilty of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman in his 1995 criminal trial ... so, he says he's shocked people think it's fine to call him a murderer.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce couldn't keep their hands to themselves Saturday night ... lockin' lips at Neon Carnival after engaging in some backstage PDA.

Video from inside Neon Carnival -- an invite-only rager sponsored by Liquid IV, Patron El Alto and Levi's -- shows the power couple immersed in their own little world, lips securely locked to one another.

Looks like they've both got drinks in hand at the mega-exclusive event ... though they're far more focused on using their mouths in a different way to take a swig.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce made a surprise appearance at Coachella Saturday night ... getting cozy backstage while showing support for Tay's Collaborators.

The couple was spotted backstage hugging and dancing while friend Jack Antonoff's band Bleachers performed.

Traylor also showed support for Tay's "Karma" collaborator Ice Spice during her Coachella performance.

The winds were howling across the Indio polo fields for the second day of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the biggest names in the desert faced the gales head-on into the unknown in true fashion!

Day 2 brought some big parties and performances ... and Hollywood matched that energy with some big looks of their own! Teyana Taylor carried the torch for the cowgirl caps with a Bret Michael's era hat/bandana and a sheer silver kaftan.

Lukas Gage kept it casual ... but somehow styled a frat-forward look into fest-fashion ... and Olivia Culpo made her yearly pilgrimage to the Hollywood holy-lands in a simple white dress to push the pure plur vibes.

The weekend's BIGGEST after-party Neon Carnival pulled in all the biggest names in the desert ... Ke$ha was raising hell as she rocked out with a vintage tee and a pair of classic cowboy boots. Amber Rose showed off her curves around the Brent Bolthouse bash in a green bodysuit ... while Paris Hilton continued "sliving in the desert" in a black jumper and some chromed-out chain accessories.

The great Caitlin Clark brought the house down on 'SNL,' schooling Michael Che for pooh-poohing women's basketball.

The Iowa guard joined Che and Colin Jost for Weekend Update, and right out of the gate, MC joked Caitlin was going to trade in her jersey for an apron.

Well, watch the clip, because at the end Caitlin shows Che who's boss!

Caitlin Clark is gonna fit right in at her new home in Indiana ... so says former Pacers forward Al Harrington, who tells TMZ Sports it's the perfect market for her to kickstart her WNBA career.

Clark -- who just capped off her historic college career at Iowa -- will undoubtedly be the first overall pick at this month's pro draft ... meaning she'll be the newest member of the Fever.

Al was a first-round pick to Indiana in 1998 ... so naturally, we asked him what it'd be like for Caitlin at the next level.

If the Miami Dolphins looked like they were frozen in their playoff game against the Chiefs last season -- it's 'cause they kind of were ... at least, that's according to Terron Armstead, who tells TMZ Sports it was unbearably frigid in Kansas City that day.

Tua Tagovailoa's protector broke it all down for us during a lengthy chat about life and football this week ... explaining he had never experienced anything like that January 13 night at Arrowhead Stadium.

"Cold is not the word I would use to describe it," he said.

Officially, it was -4 degrees ... but Terron said it felt more like "negative 99." Reportedly, it was the fourth coldest game in NFL history -- although Armstead couldn't imagine how there were days that were possibly worse.

"I'm from Illinois," the Miami offensive lineman said, "so I've worked with snow, I've played in the snow. This was a historic day, in the wrong way."

"It was bad," he added. "It was bad."

Armstead isn't speaking in hyperbole ... some fans reportedly got frostbite so bad while in attendance, they actually had to undergo amputations.

Somehow, Armstead played in the game without any sleeves on (he told us he'll never wear them again after once giving up a sack in them), but he said there's no way they would've even mattered -- because it was simply that cold.

The Fins, as you know by now, ended up never getting over the temps ... and were blown out, 26-7.

Armstead said he laments the way the regular season ended ... because if they had just won a few more games down the stretch -- including the season-finale against the Bills -- they wouldn't have even been in that game in the first place.

But, he said he's excited for this upcoming year ... telling us he truly believes they're "close" to breaking through and becoming real-deal, Super Bowl contenders.

It might not be long before another Vaughn is circling the basepaths in the MLB ... 'cause Mo Vaughn tells TMZ Sports his 11-year-old son is showing signs of being a serious baller on the diamond!!

The former AL MVP said this week Lee Vaughn has impressed him so far when he's gotten in between the white lines at ballparks ... telling us, "I honestly think he has a lot better tools than I ever had."

Mo said his offspring bats left, throws right ... and he can run, too!

The former Red Sox star, though, isn't rushing anything with his son right now ... explaining to us he knows how much can change in the baseball world in just a matter of years.

"There's such a marathon of life and game and mindset and many things mentally you have to go through," Mo said. "So, let's just see."

Of course, it wouldn't be unprecedented if Lee were to make it to the Big Leagues. MLB rosters are currently littered with sons of former stars -- including Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr. and, most recently, Jackson Holliday.

If Lee does want to take the baseball route seriously ... he will have some great training from Dad, as Mo has been a helluva coach already for prospects through his Vaughn Sports Academy and Perfect Game program.

But, again, Mo stressed he's going to be super patient with this whole process.