Saturday's List of 13: Random stuff with the weekend here…….

Saturday's List of 13: Random stuff with the weekend here…….

14) Kawhi Leonard signed with the Clippers; he announced it around 1:55am Saturday.

13) Few years ago I was in Las Vegas during the All-Star break, was staying at Planet Hollywood. I’m playing video poker at the bar in the sportsbook during Home Run Derby, and for over an hour, all I heard was Chris Berman’s annoying “back!!! back!!! back!!!” calling the home runs.

I mean, its freakin’ Home Run Derby; stop getting excited every time one is hit.

Finally I offered the bartender $50 if he would mute the TV’s; he laughed. Turned out to be a good thing for me; I escaped the sportsbook and Berman’s voice, went out and played blackjack in the casino and won $100, so guess I should thank Berman for being annoying.

12) Miami Marlins have won two World Series, but have never been in first place on July 4th.

Teams with longest droughts since they were last in first place on the 4th of July: Toronto and Colorado, who were both in first place on July 4, 2000.

11) In 1997, a guy named Bubba Wells fouled out of an NBA game in three minutes. Really.

Wells went to Austin Peay, played 39 games for the Mavericks in 1997-98, scoring 3.3 ppg. On December 29, 1997 in Chicago, he scored a basket and fouled out in three minutes.

Should be noted that he also scored 21 in a game against the Spurs later that season.

10) Sam Mitchell, an analyst on NBA TV for the summer league games, told a story about how coach Bill Fitch would have the bench filmed during exhibition games, to see which guys were paying attention to the game and rooting for their teammates when they weren’t playing.

Every basketball team has a few guys who don’t play much; they can’t be a distraction, have to be good teammates.

9) I’ve said this many times; if you like the NBA, go to Las Vegas in July and watch the summer league— you’ll probably meet some players or coaches if you want to. It is affordable and it is fun, plus the gyms are air conditioned when it is 100 or so degrees outside.

8) Bryce Harper got his 200th career home run and his 1,000 career hit at the same time in the 6th inning Wednesday; a nitwit fan in Atlanta cost himself some swag by throwing the ball back on the field. For trivia buffs, Bryce Wilson was the pitcher.

7) Baseball stuff:
— Astros’ P Corbin Martin had Tommy John surgery Wednesday.
— Tigers put P Victor Alcantara (wisdom teeth) on IL.
— Tigers put OF JaCoby Jones (back) on IL.
— Reds put P Amir Garrett (lat strain) on IL.

6) Monday afternoon, Detroit’s Matthew Boyd became the first pitcher EVER to strike out 13 batters, walk none, but not finish the 6th inning- he allowed nine hits, four runs in 5.1 IP.

5) Washington Nationals are wearing Montreal Expo throwback uniforms Saturday, which raises the question if Montreal will be getting an expansion team soon, or will the Rays move there? Sounds like a strong possibility that one of those things will happen.

4) Jimmer Fredette left the Warriors’ summer league team and isn’t with the team in Las Vegas; he played in the Warriors’ first two games in Sacramento this week, but apparently got some lucrative offers from foreign clubs and he doesn’t want to risk an injury.

3) All four Braves’ starting infielders homered Thursday night; the last time this Braves did that was September 19, 1961.

2) This year’s baseball schedule is odd; 12 games on the 4th of July, then only 13 games the next night, a Friday night. Next year will be easier, with July 4th on a Saturday. Once they expand to 32 teams, scheduling becomes way easier.

1) Whats the worst day to have a birthday? February 29? Christmas? July 3rd? January 2nd? July 5? Most of the people I asked about this chose Christmas as the worst day— everyone else gets presents too.

December 26th might be an underrated day to have a birthday; people can go to the **** and get stuff on sale- do those people get more gifts than other people?