Adrian Peterson surprised by cut, OG Anunboy saves Raptors’ season, and more sports news

Everything felt tailor-made for Adrian Peterson to achieve history again in Washington, but he won’t have the chance.

The Washington Football Team surprisingly cut Peterson, the team announced Friday. The future Hall of Famer rushed for 1,940 yards in two seasons with Washington.

Peterson was durable and steady. He rushed for 1,042 yards in 2018, making him the oldest running back in NFL history to cross the 1,000-yard mark. He fell just short in 2019 with 898 rushing yards. His yards per carry average increased from 4.2 to 4.3, so he would’ve surpassed 1,000 yards again with about 24 more rushing attempts.

What made the move even more surprising was the state of Washington’s running back room. Former second-round pick Derrius Guice was finally healthy and could’ve overtaken Peterson on the depth chart, but he was released after being arrested for a domestic violence incident.

That left Peterson with Peyton Barber, Bryce Love and rookie Antonio Gibson. In four seasons, Barber has averaged 3.6 yards per carry. Love and Gibson haven’t recorded any NFL stats. This felt like the perfect running back room where the veteran Peterson could surpass 1,000 yards again, but this time at age 35.

Peterson said the move surprised him, and he hopes to continue playing.

Gibson’s name gained traction on social media after Peterson’s release. The third-round pick from Memphis has impressed in training camp.

Peterson is currently fifth (14,216 yards) on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. Only the ageless Frank Gore (15,347) has more rushing yards among active players.

All NFL rosters must be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. on Saturday, so more high-profile cuts are coming. Former Packers and Browns starting defensive back Damarious Randall was let go by the Raiders, six-year veteran defensive lineman Caraun Reid was released by the Jaguars, and the Buccaneers cut running back and special teams contributor Dare Ogunbowale after two seasons.

Kawhi Leonard left the Raptors after last season, but when third-year forward OG Anunoby drilled a buzzer-beating three-pointer with 0.5 seconds left to beat the Celtics, it looked like Leonard had entered his body.

Not because Anunoby made the shot, but because of his reaction. His face was blank as he walked away like it was casual three-pointer in the first quarter before teammates mobbed him.

“I expected to make it,” Anunoby said after the game. “I don’t shoot trying to miss. I wasn’t surprised.”

That shot saved the Raptors’ season. Toronto was 0.5 seconds away from going down 3-0. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs.

All of that pressure was on Anunoby, and he didn’t flinch. He’s been a steady contributor for Toronto in his third season, and it’s not like he hasn’t shot the ball well. He averaged 10.6 points and shot 39% on threes in the regular season.

That play will either shift the tide of the series in the Raptors’ direction, or the Celtics will get right back to business and make that game feel like a lucky win.

Celtics forward Jaylen Brown certainly feels that Boston let one slip away. His fingers were inches from blocking Anunoby’s last-second shot.

“That was a [expletive] disgrace,” Brown said after the game. “That was terrible. I take responsibility for that. We shouldn’t have lost that game.”

Serena Williams rolled to a quick victory in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) in her second-round match against Margarita Gasparyan. Her third round opponent will likely be harder. Williams will face 26th-ranked Sloane Stephens in an all-American matchup Saturday. Stephens also won her second-match in straight sets (6-2, 6-2).

Williams is 5-1 all time against Stephens. They haven’t played each other since the 2015 French Open. Stephens’ lone win came in the 2013 Australian Open.