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Journeyman third baseman Gary Gaetti once said the feeling of being selected for the Midsummer Classic was “right up there with lobster.”

Spoken like a two-time All-Star from landlocked Centralia, Ill.

Consider the marvelous insight from “The Rat,” though. There’s always something savory for someone, somewhere—even during the handful of days during the baseball season in which there’s no baseball.

Today brings lots of summer basketball as the WNBA nears a break of its own, plus visions of golf (and lobster) on the Scottish seaside. Here we go.

INDIANA FEVER AT DALLAS WINGS, 7:30 P.M. ET

Fever rookie phenom Caitlin Clark has faced every WNBA team apart from Dallas, a distinction that will end in Big ‘D’ tonight in the finale before the league break for the All-Star game and Paris Summer Games.

As the slumping Wings aim to keep Clark in check, they shouldn’t lose sight of her predecessor as the No. 1 overall draft pick. Aliyah Boston notched her third double-double in the past five games during Sunday’s 81-74 win at Minnesota while surpassing both 15 points and 15 rebounds in a contest for the first time this season.

Boston had a double-double in two of three matchups against Dallas last season, falling just two boards short of accomplishing the feat another time.

Dallas remains without injured frontcourt players Satou Sabally (shoulder) and Maddy Siegrist (finger), who are eyeing a return after the break. Until then, the Wings’ struggles defending the paint figure to continue.

At a league-worst 5-19, the Wings already have lost more games than last season, including six of their past seven. They’ll need improved defense and a slump-busting effort from top scorer Arike Ogunbowale—10-for-42 from the floor in her past three games—to stay close here.

Fever win, Aliyah Boston 10-plus points and rebounds as three-leg parlay (+160, BetMGM)

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LOS ANGELES LAKERS VS. ATLANTA HAWKS, 9:30 P.M. ET

One and 55.

Did things really get that rough for the Chicago White Sox in a putrid first half? Not quite.

Those are the corresponding NBA draft-pick numbers for Zaccharie Risacher and Bronny James, whose Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively, meet in Summer League play tonight.

Yes, Dalton Knecht is the Lakers’ first round pick and arguably deserving of more notoriety, but we all know about Bronny’s father. Knecht’s dad played some basketball in his time, too, although NAIA Mayville (N.D.) State is a ways from the Association.

All this is to say the younger James should be happy his legacy won’t lie in his inaugural Summer League. He had more personal fouls, three, than points, two, while playing nearly 25 minutes of Monday’s 88-74 loss to Boston.

Risacher had 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting against San Antonio on Sunday.

While all organizations aspire to believe things are looking up for their youngsters this time of year, that sometimes comes without fixating on the scoreboard. 

Under 172.5 total points (-110, BetMGM)

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THE OPEN, BEGINS THURSDAY

Rory McIlroy’s dubious majors drought reached 37 last month as he faltered down the stretch of the U.S. Open, squandering a two-stroke lead with five holes to go after surging to take a three-shot advantage.

Nonetheless, McIlroy carries the second-shortest odds of winning The Open, which begins Thursday at Royal Troon. Is that a home-continent advantage? A prevailing notion that the Northern Irishman is simply due?

Don’t ask this lad. We don’t set the lines; we merely offer commentary on them.

Still, why not get a jump on wagering on the final golf major of the season? Betting the following allows some grace for a possible McIlroy meltdown but also covers you should he triumph.

Rory McIlroy to finish in Top 5 (+160, BetMGM)


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