Category: Sports

The Brooklyn Nets have locked in guard Malachi Smith with a multi-year agreement, the team announced Saturday.

Financial details of Smith’s new contract remain undisclosed. The 26-year-old former Gonzaga standout went undrafted but earned his way onto the roster after completing two separate 10-day contracts with Brooklyn.

Coming off the bench in 10 appearances this season, Smith has contributed 7.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while playing an average of 18.2 minutes per game. His standout performance came during Brooklyn’s matchup with Sacramento on March 22, when he posted a personal-best 18 points.

Before joining the Nets, Smith spent the past two seasons developing his skills in the NBA G League. He played for the Rip City Remix during the 2023-24 campaign, followed by stints with both the Wisconsin Herd and Memphis Hustle in 2024.

The Toronto Blue Jays have sidelined catcher Alejandro Kirk for at least 10 days after he suffered a fractured left thumb, the team announced Saturday. To fill the roster spot, the organization has promoted catcher Brandon Valenzuela from their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo.

Kirk sustained the injury when a foul ball struck his glove during Friday night’s matchup with the Chicago White Sox, forcing him to leave the game early. Through the first five contests of the season, the veteran backstop was struggling at the plate, managing just three hits in 20 at-bats for a .150 average, though he did contribute one home run and two RBIs.

The 27-year-old has spent his entire seven-year major league career with Toronto, compiling a .267 batting average along with 52 home runs and 265 RBIs across 569 games. Kirk earned All-Star recognition in both 2022 and 2025 for his contributions behind the plate.

For Valenzuela, this marks his debut in the major leagues at age 25. The Blue Jays acquired him through a trade with the San Diego Padres during the previous season.

During spring training, Valenzuela impressed with a .304 batting average, recording one home run and five RBIs in 11 appearances. In his brief stint with Buffalo this season, he collected three hits in 15 at-bats while adding one homer and four RBIs over four games.

Dylan Holloway found the back of the net twice while Robert Thomas contributed three points to power the St. Louis Blues past the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on Friday night, breathing new life into their postseason chase.

The Blues (32-31-12, 76 points) received additional offensive contributions from Pius Suter and Colton Parayko, who each recorded a goal and an assist. St. Louis now sits just three points behind a playoff berth with seven contests remaining on their schedule.

Jonatan Berggren also lit the lamp for the visiting Blues, while Jake Neighbours and Philip Broberg each contributed two assists. Between the pipes, Joel Hofer turned aside 25 shots to secure the victory.

For Anaheim (41-30-5, 87 points), Ryan Poehling managed a goal and assist while Jeffrey Viel added a single tally. The defeat cost the Ducks sole possession of first place in the Pacific Division, as they now share 87 points with Edmonton, though the Oilers hold the advantage in tiebreakers.

Anaheim netminder Lukas Dostal made 23 saves but couldn’t prevent his team from extending their winless streak to four games (0-3-1).

The decisive moment came late in the opening period when Berggren capitalized on a costly Anaheim turnover. With the contest deadlocked at 2-2, Berggren positioned himself perfectly in the slot and converted the opportunity with just 76 seconds left in the fast-paced first frame.

St. Louis expanded their advantage early in the second period when Suter finished off a beautiful setup from Neighbours and Tyler Tucker at the 3:08 mark, making it 4-2.

Parayko further extended the Blues’ cushion at 16:50 of the middle period, unleashing a wrist shot from the top of the right circle for his second goal of the campaign.

Holloway capped the scoring with a power-play strike just 82 seconds into the final period, blasting home a one-timer from the right circle off a Thomas feed to complete his two-goal performance and establish the final 6-2 margin.

The early stages featured plenty of back-and-forth action. Anaheim struck first when Poehling deflected Mason MacTavish’s long-range attempt past Hofer at the 1:51 mark.

Thomas answered for St. Louis at 5:24, chipping home a close-range shot after Broberg sprung him on a breakaway. The assist extended Broberg’s point streak to a career-high seven games.

Holloway gave the Blues their first lead midway through the opening frame, finding the target from the top of the right circle on the power play.

The Ducks responded by leveling the score when Viel redirected Poehling’s cross-ice feed at 16:01, setting up Berggren’s eventual game-winner.

Despite a record-setting 51-point performance from rookie Cooper Flagg, the Dallas Mavericks couldn’t overcome Orlando’s balanced attack in a 138-127 defeat at home Friday evening.

The Magic spread the scoring load effectively, with Wendell Carter Jr. leading the charge with 28 points while Franz Wagner contributed 18 points in only 17 minutes of action. Desmond Bane added 27 points, and both Tristan da Silva and Jalen Suggs chipped in 19 points each for Orlando, who continues fighting for Eastern Conference playoff positioning.

At just 19 years old, Flagg made NBA history by becoming the youngest player ever to reach the 50-point milestone. The first-year player connected on 19 of 30 shots for Dallas, who have now dropped eight of their last nine contests.

Flagg’s 51-point explosion topped his previous career-best of 49 points against Charlotte last month. Combined with his 42-point performance at Utah in December, he now owns the three highest-scoring rookie games this season.

Hornets 129, Pacers 108

Charlotte continued their strong play with a decisive win over Indiana at home, led by Brandon Miller’s 22 points. The Hornets have captured eight victories in their past 10 outings as they pursue a guaranteed Eastern Conference playoff spot.

Kon Knueppel delivered 20 points, Miles Bridges contributed 19, and LaMelo Ball recorded 18 points with nine assists for Charlotte, who connected on an impressive 24 of 49 three-point attempts (49%).

Indiana got 30 points on efficient 13-of-24 shooting from Pascal Siakam, while Quenton Jackson added 16 points. The loss prevented the Pacers from achieving their second three-game winning streak this season.

Knicks 136, Bulls 96

New York dominated from the opening tip, racing to a 20-1 advantage and never relinquishing control against Chicago at Madison Square Garden. OG Anunoby led the offensive explosion with 31 points, hitting seven of 10 three-point attempts.

Mitchell Robinson recorded a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson added 17 points and 10 assists for the Knicks, who reached 50 victories for the third consecutive season. New York shot 52.7% from the field and converted 28 points off 16 Chicago turnovers.

Collin Sexton paced the Bulls with 19 points off the bench, connecting on four first-half three-pointers. Chicago extended their road losing streak to seven games and overall skid to six straight.

Hawks 141, Nets 107

Atlanta maintained control throughout their matchup with Brooklyn, never trailing en route to a comfortable victory in New York. CJ McCollum paced the Hawks with 25 points as they improved to 18-2 over their last 20 games.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributed 21 points for Atlanta, who opened the game with 10 unanswered points and maintained double-digit leads for most of the contest. Jalen Johnson added 18 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in the Hawks’ fourth consecutive victory.

The defeat moved Brooklyn within half a game of Washington for the league’s worst record. Nic Claxton topped the Nets with 16 points.

Raptors 128, Grizzlies 96

Toronto snapped a two-game slide with a convincing road victory over Memphis, getting 25 points from RJ Barrett. Collin Murray-Bowles added 19 points and Brandon Ingram contributed 17 points with seven rebounds for the Raptors, who have won seven of their past eight games.

Memphis received a season-high 30 points from GG Jackson on 10-of-16 shooting, but couldn’t avoid their third straight loss and eighth defeat in nine games.

Rockets 140, Jazz 106

Houston extended their winning streak to five games with a dominant wire-to-wire victory over Utah at home. Kevin Durant led six players in double figures with 25 points, while the Rockets built leads as large as 37 points.

Amen Thompson recorded 21 points and eight rebounds, and Alperen Sengun added 19 points with five assists for Houston. Utah got 27 points and 11 rebounds from Cody Williams and 20 points from Brice Sensabaugh, but dropped their eighth consecutive game.

Celtics 133, Bucks 101

Boston cruised to an easy road victory in Milwaukee behind Jaylen Brown’s 26 points and Jayson Tatum’s near triple-double of 23 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Six Celtics reached double figures, including Neemias Queta with 19 and Derrick White with 17.

The victory marked Boston’s second straight win and fifth in six games. Milwaukee suffered their second consecutive loss and sixth in seven games, with Taurean Prince leading the way with 18 bench points.

76ers 115, Timberwolves 103

Philadelphia overcame a poor first half to defeat Minnesota at home, with Paul George scoring 23 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. delivering crucial late three-pointers in his 21-point performance. The 76ers have now won eight of their last 11 games.

Joel Embiid recorded 19 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists for Philadelphia. Minnesota got 21 points each from Julius Randle and Bones Hyland, while Anthony Edwards struggled with just eight points on 3-of-15 shooting in his return from a one-game absence.

Kings 117, Pelicans 113

Sacramento held off New Orleans thanks to crucial late defensive plays from Dylan Cardwell, who delivered emphatic blocks on both Zion Williamson and Jeremiah Fears in the final moments. The victory extended the Pelicans’ losing streak to seven games.

Maxime Raynaud led Sacramento’s offense with 28 points, while Nique Clifford added 23. Cardwell finished with five blocks, eight rebounds, and six points. New Orleans got 28 bench points from Jeremiah Fears in the losing effort.

OG Anunoby delivered a spectacular shooting performance, connecting on 70% of his three-point attempts while leading all scorers with 31 points, as the New York Knicks dominated the Chicago Bulls 136-96 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Mitchell Robinson contributed 17 points and 11 rebounds in the commanding victory that saw the home team establish a commanding 20-1 advantage early and maintain control throughout.

The return of Jalen Brunson to the starting lineup provided an additional boost for New York (50-28), as he recorded 17 points and 10 assists. The milestone victory marked the franchise’s 50th win of the season for the third year running. New York displayed exceptional efficiency, converting 52.7% of their field goal attempts (48 of 91) and 89.2% from the charity stripe (25 of 28), while capitalizing on Chicago’s miscues for 28 points off 16 turnovers.

Anunoby’s long-range accuracy was particularly devastating, as he connected on seven of his 10 three-point attempts with multiple makes in each of the first three quarters. The lopsided nature of the contest allowed New York to rest their key players for the entire final period. Anunoby also collected eight rebounds while Mikal Bridges chipped in 12 points.

Chicago’s offensive struggles were evident despite Collin Sexton’s team-leading 19 points off the bench, including four successful three-pointers in the opening half. The Bulls (29-48) continued their road woes, extending their away losing streak to seven games and dropping eight of their last nine contests. Chicago’s road record now stands at a dismal 11-27.

The visitors found themselves trailing by 19 points midway through the opening quarter after managing only three successful shots early on. New York’s dominance was highlighted by an 18-0 scoring run that essentially decided the outcome before the first quarter concluded.

Chicago’s starting unit struggled mightily, with Tre Jones leading their disappointing effort with 13 points and eight assists. The Bulls’ starters were outscored by an embarrassing 84-42 margin against their New York counterparts.

Robinson was particularly effective in the first half, scoring 15 of his 17 total points as the Knicks built a lead that reached 41 points during the second quarter. Brunson, who missed Wednesday’s 130-119 victory over Memphis due to right ankle discomfort, contributed nine first-quarter points and added eight more in the third period.

The Knicks extended their perfect record against teams with losing records to 11 consecutive victories while controlling the glass 54-36. Chicago’s playoff drought will extend to four straight seasons and eight times in the past nine years.

Matas Buzelis provided 11 points and six rebounds for the Bulls, while Leonard Miller added 14 points and six rebounds in the losing effort.

Jeremy Sochan came off the bench to contribute seven points and eight rebounds for New York, which improved to 7-1 in their last eight home contests and won their fifth straight at Madison Square Garden. The victory improved the Knicks’ home record to an impressive 28-9.

The defeat extended Chicago’s current losing streak to six games and marked their eighth loss in nine outings. Five of their six losses during this stretch have come by margins of 18 points or more.

Baseball’s top-rated prospect Konnor Griffin made an impressive major league debut Friday, collecting a double and RBI to help the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Baltimore Orioles 5-4 at home.

The 19-year-old Griffin achieved his first big league hit, run batted in, and run scored during Pittsburgh’s explosive four-run second inning. The victory marked the Pirates’ third consecutive win and lifted them above .500 for the first time since August 4, 2024.

Griffin delivered his debut hit by lining a double into the left-center field gap against Baltimore pitcher Kyle Bradish (0-2) in his initial at-bat, driving home Ryan O’Hearn. Griffin later crossed home plate when Jared Triolo, who led Pittsburgh with two hits, singled to right field. Griffin drew a walk in his second plate appearance during the fourth inning and finished 1-for-3 with one strikeout.

Griffin’s debut made him the youngest position player to reach the major leagues since Juan Soto in 2018 and the first Pirate since Aramis Ramirez in 1998. Bradish surrendered four runs on six hits across four innings. Pirates starter Mitch Keller (1-0) earned the victory by allowing two runs on six hits over six innings.

Dodgers 13, Nationals 6

Shohei Ohtani broke out of an early slump with his first home run and four RBIs as Los Angeles erupted offensively to defeat Washington in the Nationals’ home opener.

Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages each launched home runs and contributed two RBIs in the Dodgers’ first road contest of the season. Emmet Sheehan (1-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, surrendering four runs on seven hits.

Nationals right-hander Miles Mikolas (0-2) was hammered for 11 runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings. CJ Abrams homered and drove in four runs for Washington, which suffered its third straight loss after a 3-1 beginning.

Yankees 8, Marlins 2

Aaron Judge launched a home run in his first Yankee Stadium plate appearance of the season and drove in three runs as New York defeated Miami in the Yankees’ home opener.

Ben Rice contributed a home run and two-run double for the Yankees, who improved to 6-1. Will Warren (1-0) surrendered two runs on solo homers by Xavier Edwards and Owen Caissie among four hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Marlins starter Eury Perez (0-1) gave up four runs on two hits in four innings while issuing a career-high six walks. Miami managed just one at-bat with a runner in scoring position.

Red Sox 5, Padres 2

Willson Contreras and Marcelo Mayer each homered in the sixth inning, leading Boston to a home-opening victory over San Diego.

Boston collected nine hits and received a strong six-inning performance from Sonny Gray (1-0) while ending a five-game losing streak. Mayer capped his 2-for-2 performance with a two-out, two-run homer to complete Boston’s three-run sixth. He also doubled to lead off and scored the opening run in the third.

Gavin Sheets went 2-for-3 with an RBI and run for the Padres. Boston College graduate Michael King (0-1) surrendered four runs in a 5 2/3-inning start.

Tigers 4, Cardinals 0

Framber Valdez threw six shutout innings, Dillon Dingler launched a two-run homer and Detroit blanked St. Louis in the Tigers’ home opener.

Valdez (1-0), a key free agent acquisition this offseason, surrendered three hits and two walks while striking out five. Riley Greene collected two hits, a run and an RBI while Javier Baez added two hits and an RBI.

Michael McGreevy (0-1) allowed three runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. The Cardinals, who had won four of their first six contests, managed only five hits.

Mariners 3, Angels 1 (10 innings)

Cole Young ended a scoreless deadlock with a 10th-inning triple as Seattle ruined Los Angeles’ home opener with a victory in Anaheim, California.

Josh Naylor followed with a two-run single off Brent Suter (0-1). Four Mariners pitchers — Bryan Woo, Matt Brash, Andres Munoz and Gabe Speier — combined on a one-hitter. Munoz (1-1) struck out three batters in the ninth to earn the win. Speier worked the 10th for the save, allowing a sacrifice fly to Jorge Soler.

Woo and the Angels’ Reid Detmers engaged in a pitchers’ battle through the seventh inning. Woo completed seven innings, allowing one hit with one walk and six strikeouts, while Detmers gave up three hits in 6 2/3 innings with four walks and four strikeouts.

Braves 2, Diamondbacks 0

Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson connected on consecutive home runs off Paul Sewald to break a scoreless tie in the ninth inning, and Atlanta defeated Arizona in Phoenix.

Albies, leading off the inning, gave the Braves the lead by sending an 0-1 fastball from Sewald (0-1) over the right field wall. Olson followed three pitches later with a 426-foot blast to left-center. Robert Suarez (1-0) threw a perfect eighth and Raisel Iglesias retired the Diamondbacks in order in the ninth for his first save.

Atlanta out-hit Arizona 6-2 in a contest featuring a pitchers’ duel between the Braves’ Grant Holmes and the Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Rodriguez. Holmes allowed one hit over six scoreless innings, while Rodriguez surrendered four hits over seven shutout innings.

Phillies 10, Rockies 1

Brandon Marsh launched a three-run home run and Trea Turner collected two hits in a seven-run first inning as Philadelphia crushed Colorado in the Rockies’ home opener at Denver.

Bryce Harper homered and doubled, Kyle Schwarber also went deep and Turner finished with three hits. Aaron Nola (1-0) allowed just one run over 6 1/3 innings and struck out nine as the Phillies captured their third straight victory.

Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen (0-1) surrendered nine runs on 12 hits over three innings.

Reds 5, Rangers 3

Tyler Stephenson crushed a two-run homer in the ninth inning, helping Cincinnati ruin Texas’ home opener with a victory in Arlington, Texas.

Spencer Steer launched a two-run homer in the second and doubled to lead off the ninth. Stephenson then sent a 3-2 sinker from Chris Martin (1-1) over the wall in right-center to give the Reds a 5-3 advantage. Texas’ Danny Jansen ripped a two-run double and Wyatt Langford added an RBI double.

Stephenson’s first homer of the season made a winner out of Tony Santillan (1-0), who retired the side in order in the eighth, and Emilio Pagan secured his second save. Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz homered to lead off the sixth.

White Sox 5, Blue Jays 4 (10 innings)

Tristan Peters delivered the winning run with a two-out single as Chicago prevailed in its home opener, defeating Toronto.

After the Blue Jays took the lead in the top of the 10th on an error by Miguel Vargas, the White Sox won the game with two runs in the bottom of the inning partly because of an error by replacement catcher Tyler Heineman.

Sean Burke surrendered one run on four hits over six innings for Chicago. Former White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits over 4 1/3 innings for Toronto.

Guardians 4, Cubs 1

Rookie Chase DeLauter crushed a two-run, two-out homer off Hunter Harvey in the seventh inning, three batters after Gabriel Arias hit a go-ahead solo shot, as Cleveland beat visiting Chicago.

DeLauter, who singled home Cleveland’s first run in the fifth to tie the score, tied Shea Langeliers of the Athletics for the major league lead with five home runs. He went 3-for-4 in his first regular season home game, having made his debut in the 2025 postseason.

Connor Brogdon (2-0) earned the win with a perfect seventh, while Cade Smith worked a scoreless ninth for his second save. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Miguel Amaya had consecutive doubles in the third, giving Chicago a 1-0 lead. Cubs starter Cade Horton was forced to leave in the second with right forearm discomfort and will go on the injured list.

Twins 10, Rays 4

Tristan Gray launched his first career grand slam and drove in five runs, and Minnesota pulled away for a win over Tampa Bay in Minneapolis.

Gray’s blast highlighted a seven-run seventh inning for the Twins, who won their home opener after playing their first six games on the road. Josh Bell and Royce Lewis drove in two runs each.

Nick Fortes doubled and drove in two runs to lead Tampa Bay at the plate. Junior Caminero and Ben Williamson collected two hits each.

Athletics 11, Astros 4

Lawrence Butler went 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs and Max Muncy finished 3-for-4 with a blast and drove in three as the Athletics rolled over Houston in the home opener at West Sacramento, California.

Tyler Soderstrom had two hits and two RBIs and Jack Wilson also had two hits as the Athletics posted 13 hits. All 11 A’s runs scored with two outs. Jeffrey Springs (1-0) gave up one run and two hits in six innings.

Yainer Diaz and Nick Allen had two hits each for the Astros, who had a five-game winning streak halted. Cristian Javier (0-1) allowed six runs on six hits and five walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Mets 10, Giants 3

Francisco Alvarez launched two home runs, Marcus Semien hit the first for his new team and New York overcame the loss of Juan Soto to post a victory over host San Francisco.

Nolan McLean (1-0) combined with four relievers on a five-hitter for the Mets, who snapped a three-game losing streak. Soto left due to right calf tightness after being forced out at home plate during New York’s two-run first inning.

Bichette and Semien had RBI hits in the first off Giants starter Tyler Mahle (0-2), allowing McLean to pitch with a lead during his entire 5 1/3-inning stint. Mahle was pulled after five innings, having allowed five runs and eight hits. Luis Arraez and Willy Adames each had an RBI hit for San Francisco.

DALLAS — When Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg didn’t get what appeared to be an obvious foul call, his coach and teammate were thrown out of the game defending their young star.

The 19-year-old first overall draft pick responded by making basketball history, becoming the first teenager ever to score 50 points in an NBA game during Dallas’ 138-127 defeat to the Orlando Magic on Friday evening.

Following ejections of head coach Jason Kidd and forward Naji Marshall over a disputed non-call involving Desmond Bane’s contact with Flagg, the former Duke standout erupted for 24 fourth-quarter points to reach the milestone.

Kidd received his ejection despite being assessed only one technical foul, while Marshall earned his second technical of the night moments after his coach was tossed. Marshall’s first technical came at halftime.

“It’s great to see,” Flagg commented after shooting 19-of-30 from the field while converting all seven free throw attempts, surpassing his previous career-best 49 points set during a January 29 loss to Charlotte.

“I already know that coach has my back and Naji … I know he has my back for sure out there,” Flagg explained. “Just seeing their emotion, seeing them fight for me and fight for the calls. Definitely some emotion, and motivated me even further.”

Assistant coach Frank Vogel, taking over for the ejected Kidd, briefly pulled Flagg from the game at 45 points during a defensive possession. Vogel used a timeout to return his star player with 3:22 left on the clock.

Flagg reached the historic mark just over a minute later in dramatic fashion. After missing an initial three-point attempt and a follow-up shot on Brandon Williams’ miss, he grabbed his own rebound and connected on a corner three-pointer.

The milestone moment came on Dallas’ next offensive possession when Flagg converted an off-balance shot in the paint while being fouled. He completed the three-point play with the free throw and exited to thunderous applause from the home crowd.

The Mavericks trailed by 30 points when Flagg began his fourth-quarter explosion, extending their home losing streak to 14 consecutive games. This represents Dallas’ longest home skid since dropping their first 19 contests at the former Reunion Arena during the 1993-94 season.

“It’s always fun getting into that type of mode,” Flagg reflected. “The basket feels big. My teammates are looking out for you, helping you out. But I like to win. That was my main focus. It’s hard for me to fully enjoy myself out there when we’re down 20, down 10, down 15, for the majority of the game.”

Regarding the controversial foul call that sparked the ejections, Flagg believed the contact was clear.

“I think it was warranted,” Flagg said about Kidd’s reaction. “I’m not going to lie. I talked to Bane after the play, and he told me he was intentionally trying to foul me. I honestly don’t know how they didn’t see that. Obviously, they must not have had the right view, or they weren’t paying attention. But they missed it.”

From the locker room, Kidd watched his young star’s historic performance on television with a broadcast delay.

“There was a lot of excitement in the back,” Kidd said, describing how he heard crowd reactions before seeing Flagg’s shots on screen. The rookie finished 8-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 from three-point range in the final quarter.

Flagg’s previous career high came against former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, who was selected fourth overall and is also competing for Rookie of the Year honors.

Kidd, who won the same award with Dallas three decades ago, continues advocating for his player while drawing comparisons to basketball’s greatest player.

“He’s the rookie of the year,” Kidd declared. “It’s unbelievable. The country’s now watching the same thing we get to watch on a daily basis. He’s in rare air. He’s with the GOAT when you talk about MJ and what he did in his rookie year. And as a teenager, to see what Cooper’s doing, just the excitement, the joy, playing the game, win or lose, his spirit, is about winning. Right now we’re not.”

For one evening, the rookie’s achievement overshadowed Dallas’ extended home struggles, even though the losing streak continued.

The National Basketball Association has launched an investigation into the Milwaukee Bucks regarding their management of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to reports from The Athletic and ESPN released Friday.

The controversy centers around a disagreement between Antetokounmpo, who insists he’s physically ready to compete, and the Bucks organization, which claims he remains injured and has benched him for the last 10 contests.

Speaking before Milwaukee’s 133-101 defeat to the Boston Celtics on Friday, Antetokounmpo expressed his frustration with the situation.

“I’m available to play, but I’m not in the game. I’m available to play today. Right now. I’m available. Do I look like I’m not available? … I don’t see myself in the first 12. I don’t see myself in the starting lineup,” Antetokounmpo stated.

“I don’t know what game is being played right here, I just don’t wanna be a part of it,” he added.

The star forward hasn’t appeared in a game since March 15, when he suffered a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise during Milwaukee’s win against the Indiana Pacers. Team officials continue to maintain that Antetokounmpo isn’t medically cleared for game action.

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers found himself caught in the middle of the controversy following Friday’s loss.

“The tough part of all this is I’m in the middle and I have nothing to do with it. Coaches don’t decide any of this but the problem with our league is the coaches are the ones sitting out front. We have to sit here and answer this stuff. And I think there are two sides to this, I will tell you that. But I don’t want to get too involved in it,” Rivers explained.

Earlier this week, the National Basketball Players Association issued a sharp rebuke of the Bucks’ approach to handling the two-time league MVP.

“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union declared. “Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”

Rivers responded to the players’ union criticism on Wednesday, defending the team’s medical assessment.

“He’s just not healthy. He’s progressing. … We’re just trying to get Giannis clear and healthy. That’s our only focus. All the other stuff, we stay above,” Rivers said.

Without their franchise player, Milwaukee has struggled significantly, dropping eight of their last 10 games. The team now sits at 30-47 for the season, officially eliminated from playoff contention. Their current record ranks as the 10th-worst in the NBA, positioning them for just a 3% probability of securing the top overall draft selection.

The 31-year-old Antetokounmpo has posted averages of 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists across 36 games this season. Over his 13-year NBA career, the 10-time All-Star has maintained averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.

SAN FRANCISCO — New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto departed Friday evening’s matchup with the San Francisco Giants during the opening inning after experiencing tightness in his right calf muscle.

The slugger managed to get a base hit against Tyler Mahle during the first inning but visibly slowed down while advancing from first to third base on Bo Bichette’s RBI single. When Brett Baty hit into a triple play that resulted in Soto being tagged out at home plate, Tyrone Taylor took over defensive duties in left field for the remainder of the contest.

The 27-year-old star is currently in year two of his historic 15-year deal worth $765 million with New York. During his first campaign with the Mets last year, Soto delivered 43 home runs and drove in 105 runs.

Soto’s major league journey began with the Washington Nationals back in 2018. His career has also included stints with the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees before joining the Mets.

The outfielder had maintained a perfect hitting streak through the Mets’ first eight games of the current season. Coming into Friday’s contest, Soto carried a .282 lifetime batting average along with 245 career home runs.

New York Mets superstar Juan Soto exited Friday’s matchup against the San Francisco Giants during the opening inning after experiencing tightness in his right calf muscle.

The injury occurred after Soto reached base safely on a hit and advanced to third base on teammate Bo Bichette’s single. Video showed the outfielder wincing in apparent discomfort as he arrived at third base. Despite the visible pain, Soto stayed in the contest but was subsequently tagged out at home plate during a double play before being substituted. Tyrone Taylor took over his position in left field.

The 27-year-old slugger is currently in his second season of a historic 15-year deal worth $765 million that he inked in December 2024. This season, Soto has been performing exceptionally well, batting .354 with one home run and five runs batted in across eight contests. Last year marked his debut campaign with New York, where he compiled a .263 batting average along with 43 home runs.

Soto has maintained remarkable durability throughout his career, avoiding the injured list since 2021. Throughout his six complete major league seasons, he has consistently appeared in at least 150 games each year.

A postgame confrontation between two prominent women’s basketball coaches overshadowed South Carolina’s dominant 62-48 victory over UConn in Friday’s Women’s Final Four semifinal in Phoenix.

As time expired on the Gamecocks’ win, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and UConn’s Geno Auriemma approached each other near midcourt in what initially appeared to be a routine postgame handshake.

Instead, Auriemma declined to offer his hand and made a comment to Staley, prompting an angry response from the South Carolina coach. Officials and staff members quickly intervened to separate the two coaches. After being escorted away, Auriemma walked past Staley again, leading to continued shouting before her assistants surrounded her in an attempt to defuse the situation.

When questioned by ESPN about the incident, Staley defended her character and expressed confusion about what sparked the confrontation. “I have no idea. But I’mma let you know this: I’m of integrity. I’m of integrity. So if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did,” Staley explained.

“I guess he thought I didn’t shake his hand at the beginning of the game. I didn’t know, I went down there pregame, shook everybody on his staff’s hand, I don’t know what he came with after the game. But hey, sometimes things get heated, we move on,” she continued.

During her postgame press conference, Staley redirected questions about the dispute back to Auriemma. “You can ask Geno the question, he’s the one that initiated the conversation. I don’t want what happened to dampen what we were able to accomplish today,” she stated.

Auriemma’s explanation to ESPN focused on his frustration with the officiating, particularly during the third quarter. “There were six fouls called that (third) quarter, all of ’em against us. And they’ve been beating the s— out of our guys down there the entire game. Now I’m not making excuses because we haven’t been able to make a shot, but this is ridiculous. Their coach rants and raves on the sideline, and calls the referees some names you don’t wanna hear. And now we got six to zero, and I got a kid with a ripped jersey and (the refs) say, ‘I didn’t see it,’” Auriemma said.

The victory advances Staley’s Gamecocks to the championship game, where they’ll seek their third NCAA title in four seasons. At 55 years old, Staley has guided South Carolina to a 36-3 record this season and is pursuing her fourth national championship as the program’s leader.

For the 72-year-old Auriemma, the loss marked UConn’s first defeat of the season, ending their campaign at 38-1. Despite the disappointing finish, Auriemma remains college basketball’s most successful coach with 12 national championships, including last year’s title with the Huskies.

Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante, ranked 83rd in the world, staged a remarkable comeback Friday to defeat top-seeded Ben Shelton at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston.

Despite dropping the opening set in a tiebreaker 7-6 (5), Tirante bounced back to claim the next two sets 6-3 and 6-4. The Argentine player dominated on serve, winning all 16 of his service games throughout the match.

The defeat extends Shelton’s recent struggles, as the American hasn’t reached a quarterfinal since capturing the Dallas Open title with a victory over Taylor Fritz on February 15.

Other Friday results from Houston’s clay courts saw Argentina’s Roman Andres Burruchaga eliminate third-seeded Learner Tien 7-5, 6-4, while Tommy Paul took down Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-4, 6-2.

The day’s final match featured second-seeded Frances Tiafoe grinding out a marathon 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6) victory over Australia’s Alexei Popyrin in a contest lasting two hours and 47 minutes. Tiafoe will meet Paul in an all-American semifinal, while the two Argentine winners will battle in the other semifinal.

Grand Prix Hassan II

In Marrakech, Morocco, Argentina’s Marco Trungelliti (ranked 117th) pulled off another upset by defeating third-seeded Frenchman Corentin Moutet 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Trungelliti fired six aces to help offset eight double faults in his victory.

Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli also rallied from a set down to beat France’s Luca van Assche 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the tournament’s other three-set match.

Spain’s Rafael Jodar advanced when France’s Alexandre Muller retired trailing 6-2, 2-0, while Italy’s Luciano Darderi received a walkover against Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.

Tiriac Open

Following a weather-delayed Thursday in Bucharest, Romania, eight matches reached completion on Friday.

Spain’s Daniel Merida Aguilar, France’s Titouan Droguet, Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan and Germany’s Daniel Altmaier all claimed early victories. The Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp, Argentina’s Mariano Navone, Merida Aguilar and Marozsan later secured semifinal berths.

Third-seeded Marozsan eliminated sixth-seeded Altmaier 6-2, 7-6 (5), while Merida Aguilar advanced when Droguet retired trailing 4-6, 7-6 (7), 3-1.

Top-seeded Jessica Pegula continued her pattern of slow starts and strong finishes at the Charleston Open, overcoming a first-set loss to defeat Russia’s Diana Shnaider 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in Friday’s quarterfinal action.

The defending Charleston champion made things even more challenging for herself by falling behind 2-0 in the deciding set before winning six consecutive games to seal her victory. Pegula’s serving proved to be the deciding factor, as she recorded eight aces without a single double fault, while Shnaider managed only one ace against six double faults. This marked Pegula’s third consecutive comeback victory this week, with her tournament matches totaling more than seven hours of court time.

Pegula will now face fellow American and fourth-seeded Iva Jovic in the semifinals. The 18-year-old Jovic advanced with a straight-set victory over eighth-seeded Anna Kalinskaya, winning 6-3, 6-4 in just 81 minutes. This represents Jovic’s third tour-level semifinal appearance since September.

The tournament’s other semifinal will feature American fifth seed Madison Keys against Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva. Keys mounted her own comeback to eliminate third-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, while the unseeded Starodubtseva prevented an all-American semifinal lineup by defeating McCartney Kessler 6-4, 6-4 to reach her first tour-level semifinal.

Meanwhile, at the Copa Colsanitas tournament in Bogota, Colombia, the remaining seeded players advanced smoothly after Thursday’s upsets that eliminated the second and third seeds.

Top-seeded Czech player Marie Bouzkova defeated Latvia’s Darja Semenistaja 6-1, 7-5 and will meet qualifier Jazmin Ortenzi in the semifinals. Ortenzi, playing in just her second WTA main draw, rallied past fellow Argentine Julia Riera 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 to reach her first WTA semifinal.

Eighth-seeded Panna Udvardy of Hungary defeated Poland’s Katarzyna Kawa 7-6 (2), 6-1 and will face local favorite Emiliana Arango, who eliminated Varvara Lepchenko 6-4, 6-3.

Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Cade Horton is bound for the injured list following forearm discomfort that forced him from his appearance against Cleveland after throwing just 17 pitches across one-plus innings.

The team reported that Horton experienced right forearm discomfort and departed the contest alongside the Cubs’ head trainer. He had successfully pitched a clean first inning before issuing a five-pitch walk to Kyle Manzardo to begin the second frame, at which point he exited the game.

“I had some tightness in my wrist and as the game went on, it went into my forearm,” Horton explained. “I wanted to err on the cautious side and not hurt anything else. I just wanted to be smart about it and make a smart decision.”

Cubs skipper Craig Counsell confirmed that Horton will travel back to Chicago for medical imaging and will require placement on the injured list.

The 24-year-old hurler had been performing well this season, most recently reducing his earned run average to 2.45 on Friday following a strong outing against Washington on March 28, where he allowed two runs across 6 1/3 innings during the Cubs’ 10-2 victory over the Nationals. This marks his second campaign in the major leagues.

Cleveland went on to defeat Chicago 4-1 in the contest. Colin Rea stepped in to replace Horton and threw 3 1/3 innings while surrendering only one run, though Hunter Harvey (0-1) later allowed two crucial home runs.

College basketball’s biggest tournament is poised for significant growth, with NCAA officials planning to approve an expansion to 76 teams for both men’s and women’s competitions following this year’s championship games, according to a Friday report from Yahoo Sports.

The proposed structure would allow 52 teams to advance straight to the current opening round, while 24 additional teams would compete in preliminary matchups. These early contests would feature the 12 lowest-seeded conference champions alongside the final 12 at-large selections, playing a dozen games across Tuesday and Wednesday to earn spots in the traditional first round scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

Dayton, Ohio, which has hosted the First Four games for years, would continue serving as one venue for these preliminary rounds, with organizers planning to add a second location to accommodate the increased number of early games.

Officials caution that specific arrangements remain fluid as the NCAA maintains ongoing discussions with television broadcast partners CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery, who hold exclusive rights to air the men’s tournament through 2031.

While the timeline for implementation wasn’t specified in the report, the expansion could potentially debut as early as the 2027 tournaments. Sources indicate the changes “will happen” unless unexpected complications arise in coming days.

This would represent the tournament’s first growth since 2011, when organizers increased participation from 65 to 68 teams by introducing the First Four format. Prior to that adjustment, the field had remained at 64 or 65 teams since 1985.

The Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference have emerged as the primary advocates pushing for tournament expansion, according to the report. NCAA President Charlie Baker has also publicly expressed support for enlarging the field.

PHOENIX — Basketball legends Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw, and the entire 1996 U.S. Olympic women’s basketball squad will receive their ultimate honor this summer when they’re inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The announcement took place during the women’s Final Four halftime show, with Parker, Holdsclaw, and several 1996 Olympic team members on hand to witness the moment. Also present were fellow inductees Amar’e Stoudemire and Mike D’Antoni.

Joining them in this year’s class are veteran NBA referee Joey Crawford, NBA coach Doc Rivers, and Gonzaga’s Mark Few.

Parker’s remarkable career includes WNBA championships with three different franchises — Los Angeles, Chicago, and Las Vegas. She holds the unique distinction of being the only WNBA player to capture both MVP and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season.

Her trophy case also features two NCAA championships from her Tennessee days under legendary coach Pat Summitt, a pair of Olympic gold medals, and two WNBA MVP trophies.

Delle Donne earned league MVP recognition twice, in 2015 and 2019, with her second award coming during Washington’s championship season. She made history by becoming the first WNBA player to achieve the elite shooting milestone of 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line.

Holdsclaw led Tennessee to an unprecedented three consecutive championships from 1996-98. The 1998 title came during a perfect 39-0 campaign that established an NCAA record for most wins in a single season. She later enjoyed an 11-year professional career in the WNBA.

Stoudemire represents the NBA in this year’s class, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2003 and six All-Star selections. He spent his first eight seasons with Phoenix, where he played under D’Antoni’s system.

Rivers brings nearly 1,200 coaching victories to his Hall of Fame resume, ranking eighth all-time. He guided Boston to the 2008 NBA championship and later coached the Los Angeles Clippers during their exciting “Lob City” period.

Few has accumulated more than 770 wins during his tenure at Gonzaga, including an NCAA Division I record of 81 victories in his first three seasons leading the program.

Crawford worked 2,561 regular-season NBA games and 50 Finals contests across his 39-year officiating career before retiring in 2016.

The formal induction ceremony is scheduled for August at the Hall of Fame facility in Springfield, Massachusetts.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have locked up defensive end Travon Walker with a massive four-year contract extension valued at $110 million, according to an announcement from his representation on Friday.

The lucrative deal includes $77 million in guaranteed money and provides Walker with $50 million upon signing, his agency revealed through social media. This extension keeps the star pass rusher in Jacksonville through the 2030 season.

Selected first overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Walker has accumulated 27.5 quarterback sacks across 63 career games, starting 60 of those contests. His production peaked with 10 sacks during the 2023 season and 10.5 the following year, though he managed only 3.5 sacks in 14 appearances last season, starting 12 games.

Injuries hampered Walker’s 2025 performance, as he sat out one contest due to a fractured left wrist and missed two additional games because of a knee problem.

Beyond his pass-rushing abilities, Walker has forced three fumbles during his professional career and scored a touchdown after recovering a fumble and returning it 35 yards against Philadelphia in 2024.

Before this extension takes effect, Walker is set to earn $15.196 million in 2026 under his fifth-year rookie option, which Jacksonville exercised in April 2025.

GALLOWAY, N.J. – Salisbury University’s softball team experienced both victory and defeat Friday during a twin bill at Osprey Field against the 19th-ranked Stockton University Ospreys.

The Sea Gulls dominated the opening contest with a commanding 5-0 shutout victory over their highly-ranked opponents. However, the second matchup told a different story as Salisbury fell to the Ospreys 7-3 in a contest that was cut short after six innings when fading daylight forced officials to halt play.

The split results came during Friday afternoon action in Galloway, New Jersey, as the Sea Gulls faced one of the top-20 teams in the nation on the road.

Two NBA head coaches came to Memphis’ defense on Friday after Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James suggested the league would improve if the Grizzlies relocated to Nashville.

Memphis head coach Tuomas Iisalo and Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic, who previously served as an assistant in Memphis before becoming Toronto’s head coach, both contradicted James’ remarks made during a “Bob Does Sports” YouTube interview this week.

During the video, James slammed Memphis and argued the NBA would benefit if the Grizzlies moved 200 miles eastward to Nashville, citing Tennessee’s capital as home to Vanderbilt University, NASCAR events, and the NHL’s Predators. The four-time champion even claimed he might have refused to play in Memphis had the Grizzlies held the top pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.

“I can say from my own perspective that I have the complete opposite — 180-degree perspective on that,” Iisalo said. “The Memphis where we have arrived less than two years ago has been very warm. Very welcoming.”

Rajakovic expressed similar sentiments, stating: “I don’t care what the rest of the world thinks. I love the people of Memphis. I love the food. I love every single time I come over here.”

James specifically targeted the lack of entertainment options for visiting NBA players when their teams travel to Memphis for games.

“In Memphis on a (expletive) random (expletive) Thursday,” James said. “I’m not even the first guy to talk about it in the NBA, like, ‘You guys have to move. Go over to Nashville.’”

The Raptors demonstrated Memphis’ appeal by arriving a day early before Friday’s contest to tour St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which provides free treatment for pediatric cancer patients. Rajakovic described the hospital visit as motivating, noting his players expressed gratitude for the opportunity to meet young patients.

Both coaches have relatively brief connections to Memphis, with Iisalo completing just his second season and first as head coach. Despite this, Iisalo praised Memphis for hosting one of the NBA’s most dedicated fanbases and emphasized the city’s strong support for its team.

“All I can say is Memphis is the right place for the Grizzlies,” Iisalo said.

The Los Angeles Lakers announced Friday that their star player Luka Doncic will be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season after suffering a Grade 2 left hamstring strain.

The league’s current scoring champion sustained the injury during Thursday night’s decisive defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Medical imaging confirmed the extent of the hamstring damage.

Doncic has been instrumental in propelling the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference standings this season. With a 50-27 record, Los Angeles has only five remaining games before playoff action begins, with their next matchup scheduled for Sunday against Dallas.

Recovery time for Grade 2 hamstring strains typically spans several weeks, though Doncic has dealt with similar hamstring problems before. Earlier this season, he sat out four games just prior to the All-Star break due to another left hamstring injury, but successfully returned to action following the mid-season break.

The Slovenian basketball star is enjoying an outstanding debut full season with Los Angeles after being traded from the Dallas Mavericks last year. His current averages include 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per contest. March proved particularly impressive for Doncic, earning him Western Conference Player of the Month honors after delivering 13 straight games with at least 30 points, including seven contests where he scored 40 or more.

Head coach JJ Redick explained that Doncic initially suffered the injury during the first half against Oklahoma City but received medical clearance to continue playing. However, the superstar managed only approximately four minutes of additional game time before a spinning motion caused him to collapse in pain, forcing his exit from the contest.

Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton became the top selection when the Portland Fire made their choice in Friday’s WNBA expansion draft, while the Toronto Tempo responded by choosing Julie Allemand as their initial pick.

The 6-foot-2 forward from the Lynx enters unrestricted free agency this offseason, which allows Portland to label Carleton as a “core” player and secure exclusive rights to negotiate a one-year, fully guaranteed maximum contract.

According to ESPN, the Tempo also had interest in Carleton, who hails from Ontario, prompting the Fire to use their top selection to secure the forward’s services.

Throughout her seven-season, 219-game professional career — with 215 contests for the Lynx and four for the Connecticut Sun — Carleton has averaged 5.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists per contest. Her 2024 campaign saw her place third in Most Improved Player balloting after recording personal bests of 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists for Minnesota. She began 36 contests that season and started all 44 games for the Lynx in 2025.

Los Angeles Sparks guard Allemand brings career numbers of 5.5 points, 4.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game to Toronto. During the shortened 2020 campaign, she connected on 47.8% of her three-point attempts across 22 appearances for the Indiana Fever, though she has divided her playing time between European leagues and the WNBA throughout her career.

Connecticut’s Marina Mabrey represented the most prominent player chosen on Friday, going sixth overall to the Tempo. Mabrey has reached double digits in scoring each season since 2020 but expressed dissatisfaction in Connecticut following the Sun’s rebuilding efforts last offseason, submitting a trade request that the organization declined.

Despite the situation, she produced 14.4 points per game along with 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists across 35 appearances (34 starts) for Connecticut.

The league’s 13 established franchises — including the Golden State Valkyries, who joined as an expansion team last year — were limited to protecting five players from the expansion draft.

Here are the complete expansion draft selections by team, listed in order of choice. Both Toronto and Portland declined one selection each, resulting in 22 total picks:

Portland Fire

—F Bridget Carleton, Minnesota

—G Carla Leite, Golden State

—C Luisa Geiselsoder, Dallas

—F Emily Engstler, Washington

—G Maya Caldwell, Atlanta

—F Chloe Bibby, Indiana

—F Haley Jones, Dallas

—F Nyadiew Puoch, Atlanta

—G Sarah Ashlee Barker, Los Angeles

—G Sug Sutton, Washington

—G Nika Muhl, Seattle

Toronto Tempo

—G Julie Allemand, Los Angeles

—C Nyara Sabally, New York

—G Marina Mabrey, Connecticut

—G Aaliyah Nye, Las Vegas

—G Lexi Held, Phoenix

—F Maria Conde, Golden State

—F Maria Kliundikova, Minnesota

—C Adja Kane, New York

—F Nikolina Milic, Connecticut

—G Kitija Laksa, Phoenix

—G Kristy Wallace, Indiana

A championship boxing match will take place at one of the world’s most iconic locations when British fighter Hamzah Sheeraz faces off against Germany’s Alem Begic for the WBO super middleweight championship belt on May 23rd at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.

This title bout will serve as an undercard event for the main attraction featuring Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) defending his WBC heavyweight championship against Rico Verhoeven (66-10, 21 KOs), according to Friday’s announcement from Ring Magazine, the event’s promoter.

Sheeraz, representing Britain with a record of 22-0-1 and 18 knockouts, earned his shot at the world championship by defeating Edgar Berlanga with a fifth-round knockout last July. The fighter previously battled for the title in February 2025, resulting in a draw against then-champion Carlos Adames in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

For Begic, this marks his inaugural opportunity to compete for a world title. The 39-year-old German boxer brings an impressive undefeated record of 30 fights with just one draw to his name.

Additional undercard action will feature Jack Catterall (32-2, 14 KOs) defending his WBA “regular” welterweight title against Shakhram Giyasov (17-0, 10 KOs). The evening will also showcase a heavyweight matchup between Cuban fighter Frank Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs) and American rising star Richard Torrez Jr. (14-0, 12 KOs), who captured silver at the Tokyo Olympics.

DALLAS — Officials at the American Airlines Center have opened an internal probe after video surfaced showing what appears to be four hockey fans making Nazi salutes during a Dallas Stars game.

Arena representatives spoke to WFAA-TV in Dallas, emphasizing their “zero tolerance for any acts of hate and/or discrimination.”

“We strongly denounce the actions that appear to be depicted in the video footage and are conducting an internal investigation,” an arena spokesperson stated. “All fans and attendees are expected to adhere to AAC and, as applicable, NBA or NHL Codes of Conduct when attending events.”

The controversial footage was captured by Stars supporter Courtney Ripley during a late December matchup against Toronto. The 12-second clip depicts four spectators responding to a scoring play by what appears to be raising their right arms in an extended position with straightened hands pointing downward. The video circulated widely on social media platforms this week.

Dallas Stars officials confirmed to ESPN on Thursday that the organization is “fully aligned with the arena’s statement and working with them to find out exactly what happened.”

Hockey’s governing body maintains strict behavioral standards for spectators across all venues. Each NHL franchise presents mandatory segments through video displays and arena announcements outlining expected fan conduct.

The league’s comprehensive behavioral guidelines begin with the principle that “The best hockey experiences happen in environments that are inclusive, safe and respectful.”

According to NHL policy, violations of conduct standards can result in removal from the venue, temporary suspensions, or permanent prohibition from attending future games.

WASHINGTON — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts wasn’t worried about his struggling superstars, and Friday night proved his patience was justified.

The team’s first four batters — Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman — each launched home runs during a dominant 13-6 victory against the Washington Nationals. The performance marked Tucker’s inaugural long ball since becoming a Dodger and delivered Ohtani’s first RBI of the young season.

“Rome isn’t burning,” manager Dave Roberts cracked.

Roberts showed no signs of concern before the contest, despite his top four hitters struggling mightily through the season’s opening six games. Ohtani entered batting .167, Tucker at .174, Betts hitting just .136 and Freeman managing only .208. The team’s first six batters were retired in order early before Los Angeles found their rhythm in the third inning.

Ohtani’s powerful three-run blast to right field evened the score at 3-3, while Betts followed two batters later with a two-run shot of his own.

“It’s a new day. That’s really it,” Betts said. “Nobody in here is panicking or anything. One week, tough week. That probably is not going to be our last week that we don’t hit well.”

Andy Pages contributed a two-run homer in the fourth inning, extending the lead to 7-4, before Freeman added his own two-run blast in the fifth. Tucker capped his three-hit performance with a solo shot in the seventh inning — impressive work from the outfielder who inked a $240 million, four-year contract after leaving the Chicago Cubs for Los Angeles.

“It was nice. First homer — first actual ball I’ve hit in the air well, out in front and everything,” Tucker said. “You can’t complain when you hit a homer.”

Los Angeles’ top four hitters combined for an 8-for-21 performance featuring four home runs, 10 RBIs and six runs scored. The offensive explosion came against Miles Mikolas, who surrendered a career-worst 11 earned runs across 4 1/3 innings.

“I think a little bit of it is we’ve had a lot of history with Mikolas,” Roberts said “We’ve seen him, know some of his tendencies. Outside of that, they were just not missing today.”

Newly released body camera footage from the Martin County, Florida Sheriff’s Office shows Tiger Woods maintaining his sense of humor about golf even while emergency crews responded to his March 27 vehicle rollover, according to multiple reports published Thursday.

The video captures an investigator asking Woods about his tournament plans while responders collected his golf equipment from his overturned Land Rover. When asked, “Are you golfing in the Masters this year?” Woods replied, “Hoping to. It depends on you all.”

The golfer’s response prompted laughter from several people at the scene, with one person responding, “It don’t depend on me.”

Woods had expressed similar sentiments just three days prior to the accident, stating he would “keep trying” to prepare for the Masters tournament, which begins April 9. Following his first TGL match of the season, Woods had said of the major championship, “I want to play. I love the tournament.”

According to Woods’ account, the crash occurred when he was distracted by his phone and adjusting the radio in his Land Rover, causing him to strike the rear of a truck before his vehicle rolled over on Jupiter Island, Florida.

The body camera footage became public one day after a Florida judge approved Woods’ request to travel outside the United States for comprehensive inpatient treatment while he faces misdemeanor DUI charges.

Martin County Judge Darren Steele approved the travel motion filed by Woods’ legal representative, Douglas Duncan, who argued the 50-year-old golf legend required an “intensive, highly individualized and medically integrated program” away from public attention and media coverage.

Woods issued a public statement Tuesday and entered a not guilty plea in Florida court regarding the misdemeanor driving under the influence charges involving property damage.

The arrest report indicated that while a breathalyzer test detected no alcohol presence, Woods declined to submit to a urine test for other substances.

According to the arrest documentation, Woods displayed signs of impairment including “sweating profusely,” “lethargic and slow” movements, “bloodshot and glassy” eyes, “extremely dilated” pupils, and was observed “limping and stumbling to the right” during field sobriety testing.

Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is expected to make his comeback Sunday when his team faces the Houston Rockets, according to an ESPN report released Friday. The veteran guard has been sidelined for 27 consecutive games due to ongoing knee problems.

The 38-year-old has been battling patellofemoral pain syndrome in his right knee, a condition commonly referred to as “runner’s knee,” which was complicated by bone bruising.

Curry’s last appearance came on January 30 during a 131-124 defeat to the Detroit Pistons, where he contributed 23 points. During his absence, Golden State has struggled with a 9-18 record, bringing their season total to 36-41. Despite the poor stretch, the Warriors have secured their position in the play-in tournament.

With just five regular season contests left on the schedule, Curry’s return comes at a crucial time for the franchise.

This season, the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player has posted averages of 27.2 points and 4.8 assists across 39 appearances. Throughout his entire 17-year career spent exclusively with Golden State, he has maintained career averages of 24.8 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds over 1,065 games with 1,059 starts.

The decorated veteran brings an impressive resume that includes 12 All-Star selections, four NBA championships, and the 2022 NBA Finals MVP award. He also holds the league record for career three-point shots made with 4,233.

Duke University’s first-year forward Cameron Boozer has captured the Associated Press men’s college basketball Player of the Year Award following an outstanding debut season with the Blue Devils.

The 18-year-old power forward posted impressive numbers throughout the campaign, averaging 22.5 points along with 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists across 38 games, starting in every contest. His stellar play helped propel Duke to an exceptional 35-3 overall record.

In the East Regional championship game, Boozer delivered 27 points on 10-of-21 field goal attempts while grabbing eight rebounds, though the Blue Devils fell short in a heartbreaking 73-72 loss to UConn after the Huskies mounted a late comeback.

Duke captured both the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season championship with a 17-1 league record and claimed the conference tournament title as well.

This recognition makes Boozer only the fifth first-year player in history to receive the AP Player of the Year honor, and marks the second straight year a Duke freshman has claimed the award following Cooper Flagg’s achievement in his lone collegiate campaign.

Both Boozer and Flagg are among nine Duke players who have received this prestigious recognition, giving the Blue Devils the most recipients in college basketball history.

Before joining Duke alongside his twin brother Cayden, Boozer starred at Christopher Columbus High School in Westchester, Florida, where he earned Florida Mr. Basketball honors and was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year.

The twin brothers are the children of former NBA veteran Carlos Boozer, who enjoyed a 13-year professional career that included two All-Star selections during his six seasons with the Utah Jazz. The elder Boozer compiled career averages of 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds over 861 games while also suiting up for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.

NEW YORK — Following his latest two-goal performance that pushed his season total to 49, Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield displayed the same precision with his wit as he does with his hockey stick.

When reporters questioned whether he’s focused on hitting the 50-goal milestone and potentially overtaking Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL’s scoring lead, Caufield initially responded with a straight-faced “No.” Following a moment of silence, he broke into a grin and admitted “Yeah,” sparking laughter from the gathered media.

“We’re focused on our team game and winning games, and I think individual stuff comes with that,” Caufield said. “Doing the right things, you get more chances and opportunities. Obviously, it helps when you’re winning games and stuff.”

Montreal’s recent success has positioned them as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders, potentially ending Canada’s championship drought that stretches back to the Canadiens’ 1993 title. Remarkably, the franchise has celebrated a Cup victory more recently than producing a 50-goal scorer, with Caufield poised to become the first Montreal player to reach that benchmark since Stephane Richer achieved it in 1990.

“I didn’t know it was (nearly) 40 years,” teammate Alex Newhook said. “It’s been fun to watch. It seems like he keeps scoring every night. We’re happy for him. We’re pushing for him. Hopefully he keeps this thing rolling.”

Since returning from the Olympic break — following his omission from Team USA’s roster — Caufield has been unstoppable, tallying 17 goals across 17 contests, leading all NHL players during that span. His current 83 points already exceed his previous career-best mark by 13 points.

“He’s on a tremendous heater right now,” Canadiens captain and leading scorer Nick Suzuki said. “He’s just playing the right way, doing the right things and he’s getting rewarded for it.”

The complete player fans see today wasn’t always Caufield’s identity. Standing 5-foot-8 and weighing 175 pounds, the undersized forward faced expectations to produce offensively while battling defensive limitations. His struggles led to a demotion to Laval of the American Hockey League during fall 2021, when he managed just one assist without a single goal through 10 NHL appearances.

“I think it was worth it,” Caufield said, crediting coaches, linemates and others for helping him round out his play. “There’s still a lot more room to grow in my game. I think progressing every year with the team and the staff that we have, it’s pretty easy to kind of find yourself working every day. I think it’s just an addiction to kind of find ways to get better.”

Rival teams have taken notice of Caufield’s development since he turned 25 in January.

“He thinks the game at a real high level,” New York Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. “It’s the combination that gives him the competitive advantage that he has. He’s a really good player.”

Sullivan, who has captured two Stanley Cups as a coach and guided Team USA to Olympic gold, described Montreal as “one of the emerging teams in the league” due to their combination of elite talent and speed throughout their lineup. The Canadiens excel at moving the puck quickly — both around the ice and into opposing nets.

Caufield serves as a crucial component of that system. Among NHL players with at least 100 shots on goal this season, only two maintain a better scoring percentage than his 21.2% rate, frustrating goaltenders while thrilling teammates eager to collect assists.

“I enjoy it,” linemate Juraj Slafkovsky said. “You have a goal-scorer like this, you can always pass to him and there is a big chance it’s going in. That’s what we’re trying to do. I hope he can get (to 50) as soon as possible and get a lot more.”

Caufield understands the historical significance of his pursuit, as he would join an elite group of just seven Canadiens players to score 50 goals in a single season, alongside Richer (twice), Guy Lafleur (six times), Steve Shutt, Bernie Geoffrion, Pierre Larouche and Maurice Richard. Should he surpass MacKinnon to lead the NHL in goals, he would also claim the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, named for one of Montreal’s most legendary players.

Despite his success, Caufield maintains he’s “still hungry.” This individual chase, followed by what he hopes will be an even more significant playoff run, continues to fuel his motivation.

“Certainly it’s a good feeling to be producing, but at the end of the day I think I’ve grown a lot as a player and I’m just going to try and continue to do that,” Caufield said. “For me, right now, I still feel like there’s more out there.”

PITTSBURGH — When 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin received word that the Pittsburgh Pirates were promoting him to the big leagues just one week into the season, he experienced a range of feelings.

Surprise wasn’t among them.

“I’m ready for this,” Griffin declared Friday, mere hours before stepping onto the field for his major league debut against Baltimore at PNC Park.

The Pirates are placing a significant wager on Griffin’s abilities, making him the youngest position player to reach the majors before turning 20 since Juan Soto accomplished the feat with Washington in 2018.

A mere 628 days after Pittsburgh chose him ninth overall in the 2024 amateur draft, the athletic and mustached 6-foot-3 Griffin discovered jersey No. 6 waiting in his PNC Park locker and his name written in the seventh batting order position for the matchup with Baltimore.

While the promotion appears rapid, Griffin systematically met every requirement — and did so with remarkable speed — during his climb through Pittsburgh’s farm system. His final push came this past week when he posted a .438 batting average across several games with Triple-A Indianapolis.

Pirates manager Don Kelly observed that Griffin seemed to be “pressing” during the closing days of spring training, when Griffin launched three home runs but managed only a .171 batting average. The organization cut Griffin among the final roster decisions before opening day. Rather than becoming discouraged, he reported to Triple-A, implemented some modifications, and experienced immediate success.

“He just went right down and hit his stride and was able to reset in a couple of days,” Kelly explained. “Which again, for anybody, is really impressive, especially for a 19-year-old kid whose hopes and dreams were to make the big leagues.”

Griffin’s aspirations mirror those of countless children who first swing a bat during elementary school years. However, everything that followed has distinguished Griffin from his peers. He advanced rapidly through the minor league system last season, connecting for 21 home runs, recording 94 RBIs, and swiping 65 bases while demonstrating the defensive range required for baseball’s most challenging infield position.

Beyond his measurable field performance, Griffin has impressed the organization with his mature demeanor that belies his age. He wed his high school girlfriend, Dendy, during the offseason. She became the first person he contacted after Indianapolis manager Eric Patterson summoned Griffin to his Columbus hotel room Thursday morning to inform him of his major league promotion.

The following day passed in a whirlwind. Griffin made the brief journey from Columbus to Pittsburgh while his Mississippi family rushed to reach the ballpark situated along the Allegheny River in time for Friday’s opening pitch.

Just after midday, Griffin finally found a moment to settle down. He jogged to shortstop for fielding practice, his build and throwing arm suggesting he belonged in the position he’s been honing since age 5.

Griffin’s abilities have earned comparisons to Hall of Fame legend Cal Ripken Jr., lofty praise for someone barely two years past high school graduation. Nevertheless, he remains grounded in his approach.

“Today is the first day of carving out a legacy that I want to build,” he stated. “And I’m ready to do that and try to be right up there with those top guys.”

Griffin represents the newest addition to Pittsburgh’s recent wave of prominent prospects, joining reigning Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, rookie pitcher Bubba Chandler, and catcher Henry Davis.

The promising future that has been discussed since general manager Ben Cherington’s hiring in late 2019 is now materializing. Griffin’s arrival coincides with significant roster improvements, including the acquisitions of All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe, All-Star first baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn, and veteran designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.

“This team is loaded,” Griffin observed. “I get to come in here and just be a piece of this puzzle.”

He may prove to be a substantial component for years to come. Pittsburgh and Griffin have begun discussions regarding a contract extension that could secure his services for much of the next decade.

Griffin avoided specifics when questioned about negotiations Friday, though he expressed his desires clearly.

“All I’m going to say is, I want to be a Pirate for a long time,” he said. “This is a special place and I’m thankful to be here.”

Most significantly, his promotion allows him to abandon the “top prospect” designation and shift focus from personal development to contributing toward Pittsburgh’s first playoff appearance since the mid-2010s.

“Now it’s time to take all the skills that I’ve learned,” he concluded, “all the adjustments I’ve made. It’s time to go put them on the field and go win some games.”

Alabama basketball player Aden Holloway plans to return to campus this fall and aims to rejoin the Crimson Tide basketball program for the 2026-27 season, pending the resolution of his legal troubles, according to his lawyer who spoke with ESPN on Friday.

The 21-year-old junior has been banned from campus and suspended indefinitely from the basketball team following his arrest on March 16 for felony drug possession. Police discovered 2.1 pounds of marijuana during a search of his residence, an amount just below the threshold that would have triggered drug trafficking charges under state law, according to authorities.

Holloway faces charges of first-degree marijuana possession (not for personal use), classified as a Class C felony, along with failure to affix a tax stamp, which is also a felony offense. He posted $5,000 bond and was released from custody.

During Friday’s hearing, officials lifted the campus prohibition, allowing him to register for upcoming semesters.

However, his legal challenges remain far from resolved.

“Although it’s not Aden’s call to make, given the opportunity, his intent is to play basketball next year,” his lawyer Jason Neff stated to ESPN.

A grand jury in Alabama issued an indictment against Holloway on Thursday for both felony charges. Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison and fines reaching $15,000.

Neff described the indictment as “procedural.”

“This was bound to happen no matter what because it’s a felony,” Neff explained to ESPN regarding the indictment. “This is the normal process or procedure for any felony charge.”

According to Neff, while a trial could be delayed for up to two years, the matter might be resolved through other means within several months. He cited “settlement negotiations or pretrial diversion” as possible alternatives.

Should the case proceed to trial, Holloway plans to contest the legality of the apartment search and the circumstances surrounding it, ESPN reported.

During this past season with the Crimson Tide, Holloway ranked as the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16.8 points per game while shooting 43.8% from three-point range.

His absence prevented him from participating in the NCAA Tournament, where Alabama reached the Sweet 16 before falling to top-seeded Michigan in the Midwest Region.

The Tampa Bay Rays have sidelined left-handed reliever Garrett Cleavinger for at least 15 days due to tightness in his right calf, the team announced Friday.

The injury designation is effective as of Tuesday for the 31-year-old pitcher, who has posted a 1-1 record with a 7.71 earned run average through three outings this season.

Throughout his major league career spanning from 2020 to present, Cleavinger has compiled a 14-17 record with eight saves and a 3.25 ERA across 193 games with three different organizations, including one start.

To fill the vacant roster spot, Tampa Bay has promoted right-handed pitcher Hunter Bigge from their Triple-A affiliate in Durham.

The 27-year-old Bigge has appeared in two games for Durham’s bullpen this year, posting a 4.50 ERA without recording a win or loss.

Golf legend Jack Nicklaus says his concerns about Tiger Woods extend beyond the golf course following Woods’ recent legal troubles in Florida.

The 18-time major champion expressed worry about Woods as a person after the golf star was taken into custody last Friday on charges including driving under the influence with property damage and refusing to comply with a lawful test. While Woods cleared a breathalyzer test, he declined to provide a urine sample. Authorities discovered two hydrocodone pills, a powerful opioid pain medication, in his possession.

Speaking to the Palm Beach Post, Nicklaus shared his thoughts about his fellow golfer’s situation.

“Sometimes you get, you know, too far down the line and you just need somebody to help you,” Nicklaus said about Woods.

“I think he probably needs some help. And we all want to help him. We’re all on his side. Obviously I feel bad for Tiger. I like Tiger. I don’t just like him, I like him a lot.

“He’s been taking painkillers for a long time and I don’t know how much pain he’s in because I just don’t know.

“But I don’t think he’d be taking them if he didn’t need them.”

The 86-year-old Nicklaus has captured 18 major championships and secured 73 victories on the PGA Tour during his illustrious career.

Woods, now 50, has claimed 15 major titles and earned 82 Tour wins, matching the all-time record held by Sam Snead. The Hall of Fame golfer’s last tournament victory came at the 2019 Zozo Championship.

Woods has been absent from competitive golf since the 2024 Open Championship. He suffered a torn left Achilles tendon last spring and had lumbar disk replacement surgery in October.

Texas Christian University announced Friday that football coach Sonny Dykes has received a contract extension, though the university did not reveal specific terms of the new deal.

The 56-year-old coach’s previous contract ran through 2028 and paid him slightly more than $7 million annually last season, according to USA Today reports.

Since Dykes arrived at TCU in 2022, the Horned Frogs have accumulated 36 victories, surpassing all other Big 12 conference teams during that timeframe.

Athletic director Mike Buddie praised the decision, stating: “Competing for national and Big 12 championships requires the right leadership, and Sonny has proven he’s that person. His track record on the field, his standing in the community, and the decisions he’s made to position this program to pursue those goals speak for themselves.”

Dykes brings extensive coaching experience to Fort Worth, compiling a 107-80 career record across multiple programs. His coaching journey included tenures at Louisiana Tech from 2010-12, California from 2013-16, and SMU from 2017-21. At TCU, he has posted a 36-17 record. His bowl game performance stands at 4-4 overall, with a 3-1 mark while coaching the Horned Frogs.

Expressing gratitude for the extension, Dykes commented: “I am appreciative and thankful to Mike Buddie, Chancellor Daniel Pullin, and our administration for their belief and support of our program. The opportunity to pursue a national championship, the College Football Playoff, and Big 12 championships exists right here in Fort Worth, and my family and I, as well as our entire staff, are excited to continue that pursuit as Horned Frogs.”

Dykes made an immediate impact in his inaugural Fort Worth season, leading TCU to victory over Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl before falling to Georgia in the College Football Playoff championship game. His outstanding performance earned him both national Coach of the Year and Big 12 Coach of the Year honors.

Following a 9-4 season last year, the Horned Frogs are scheduled to begin their 2026 campaign with an international matchup against Bill Belichick’s North Carolina team on August 29 in Dublin, Ireland.

The Columbus Blue Jackets announced Friday that defenseman Damon Severson will be sidelined for the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery.

The 31-year-old veteran had the surgical procedure performed on Thursday. The injury occurred when Severson took a hit from Zachary Bolduc during the third period of Columbus’s 2-1 defeat against the Montreal Canadiens on March 26.

This season, Severson has been a key contributor for the Blue Jackets, tallying 32 points through eight goals and 24 assists while posting the team’s highest plus-18 rating across 71 games played.

Throughout his NHL career, Severson has accumulated 348 points, including 81 goals and 267 assists, over 855 games split between New Jersey and Columbus. The New Jersey Devils originally drafted him in the second round of the 2012 NHL Draft, and he joined the Blue Jackets organization on June 9, 2023, when Columbus acquired him in exchange for a third-round selection in the 2023 draft.

The National Hockey League imposed a $2,500 fine on Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk on Friday following an incident of unsportsmanlike behavior from the bench during Thursday evening’s 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres at home.

The 26-year-old team captain appeared to hit Buffalo’s Beck Malenstyn in the face using his hockey stick while seated on the bench during the middle portion of the opening period. Officials called a minor slashing penalty on Tkachuk for the incident.

Later in the same period, Tkachuk received a five-minute major penalty after engaging in a fight with Buffalo defenseman Logan Stanley. Despite the penalties, Tkachuk contributed one assist to his team’s win.

Following the game’s conclusion, Tkachuk chose not to meet with media representatives.

The veteran forward, who has been selected for three All-Star games, has accumulated 52 points this season through 55 contests, including 20 goals and 32 assists. Since being selected fourth overall by Ottawa in the 2018 NHL Draft, Tkachuk has tallied 456 career points with 211 goals and 245 assists across 567 games.

Weber State University announced Friday the appointment of Kaleb Canales as the new head coach for their men’s basketball program.

The 47-year-old coach brings extensive experience to the position, having served as associate head coach at Troy University this past season when the team earned an NCAA Tournament berth.

Canales boasts nearly two decades of professional basketball experience in the NBA, including a notable period as interim head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2011-12 season.

“I am truly honored and humbled to be named the head coach of Weber State men’s basketball,” Canales stated in the university’s announcement. “I want to thank President Leslie Durham and Director of Athletics Tim Crompton for their belief in me and my vision for this program.”

“We will build a culture that is connected on both ends of the floor, connected in the classroom, and connected to the community. This is a program with a proud tradition, a world-class institution, and a passionate fan base. I’m ready to get to work.”

Canales steps into the role previously held by Eric Duft, who concluded his four-year tenure as the Wildcats’ head coach and moved into an administrative position within the university.

Athletics Director Tim Crompton praised the selection, saying, “Kaleb’s extensive background at the highest levels of the game, combined with his elite ability to evaluate and recruit talent, makes him an outstanding fit for our program. His infectious energy will resonate deeply with our fans.”

The Wildcats, based in Ogden, Utah, concluded this past season with a 16-16 overall record and went 10-8 in Big Sky Conference play. The program has not appeared in the NCAA Tournament since 2016.

A facial injury from an errant stick back in October 2013 knocked Brent Burns out of the San Jose lineup, costing the defenseman several teeth and multiple games on the sidelines.

Ever since his comeback on November 21, 2013, Burns has appeared in every single regular-season contest. The 41-year-old Colorado Avalanche veteran will reach a milestone 1,000 consecutive games when his team faces Dallas on Saturday.

The veteran defenseman has weathered countless injuries and physical punishment that typically sideline players for extended periods. Colorado head coach Jared Bednar looks forward to eventually learning about all the ailments Burns has battled through during his incredible streak.

“He plays through them like it’s not a big deal,” Bednar commented, noting his team currently holds the NHL’s best record with eight contests left, including Saturday’s crucial matchup against Dallas, which trails by six points. “(The streak) is an incredible accomplishment. It’s hard to believe.”

After celebrating his 41st birthday on March 9, Burns signed a one-year contract with Colorado this season, pursuing the only prize absent from his career achievements — a Stanley Cup championship.

Burns has emerged as a veteran leader and mentor for the Avalanche while continuing to contribute offensively alongside stars Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Martin Necas. His 11 goals this season place him alongside Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom as the only NHL defensemen to score double-digit goals after turning 40.

However, Burns’ primary strength remains using his imposing 6-foot-5, 228-pound build to punish opponents in his defensive zone. This physical style makes his consecutive games streak even more impressive, considering the punishment he absorbs and delivers nightly. He’s approaching the all-time record of 1,064 straight regular-season appearances set by forward Phil Kessel between November 3, 2009, and April 13, 2023.

“It’s the same guy that we’ve been watching for a decade-plus, doing the exact thing,” Bednar observed. “To have guys with these ironman streaks get to a certain point … that’s an unbelievable career and accomplishment just to get that as a player total, never mind in a row.”

Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who missed three complete seasons with a knee injury after winning the 2022 Stanley Cup, deeply respects Burns’ durability.

“He comes to the rink with a great attitude,” Landeskog explained. “He wants to be here. He’s excited to come to work.”

Burns arrives at the arena carrying his signature military-style backpack filled with various items to maintain his physical condition. The exact contents remain mysterious, though speculation includes recovery equipment and personal coffee brewing supplies. Whatever the pack contains has proven effective — Burns is completing his 22nd NHL campaign and will play his 1,572nd career game Saturday. The 2016-17 Norris Trophy recipient still logs nearly 19 minutes per game and has blocked 83 shots this season.

Goaltender Scott Wedgewood marvels at Burns’ consistency.

“In my position alone, you’ll do something one game and your hip locks up a little bit,” Wedgewood said. “It’s like, ‘Thank God, I’m not playing the next one. It feels like crap right now.’

“That happens 15 times a year, just on me, let alone taking body checks and slap shots. Playing as much as he does now at that age, keeping that body fresh and everything? He probably wouldn’t be the one to tell you, but he’s probably played through thousands of different nuances.”

Burns entered the NHL on October 8, 2003, with Minnesota after the Wild selected him in the first round. His career included seven seasons in Minnesota, 11 years in San Jose, three campaigns in Carolina, and now his first year in Colorado.

His only Stanley Cup Final appearance came in 2016 with San Jose, where Pittsburgh defeated the Sharks in six games. Burns has participated in 135 playoff games throughout his career.

The current streak began November 21, 2013 — when he played right wing that season — as he returned from injury and immediately scored a goal. During Wednesday’s 999th consecutive game against Vancouver, he recorded a goal and assist, becoming the fifth defenseman in league history to achieve a 30-point season in his 40s.

“It’s just ridiculous,” Makar said about the streak before sustaining an upper-body injury Monday against Calgary that will sideline him briefly. “For him to be able to go out there every night and make an impact, and not just float around and do the minimum, is pretty spectacular, especially at his age.”

Duke University’s Cameron Boozer served as the cornerstone of his team’s success throughout this basketball season.

The towering 6-foot-9, 250-pound freshman forward displayed the physical strength to battle through contact while scoring. He possessed the versatility to stretch defenses with his outside shooting ability and demonstrated exceptional court vision when distributing the basketball, whether facing constant defensive pressure as the primary target on opposing teams’ game plans or orchestrating plays from the perimeter.

“You just want to affect winning in whatever way you can,” Boozer said.

The promising NBA draft prospect accomplished exactly that during a campaign in which his squad captured 35 victories, achieved the number one ranking in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, secured the top overall seeding for the NCAA Tournament, and advanced to the Elite Eight round. His efforts have now earned him recognition as The Associated Press men’s college basketball national player of the year, making him just the fifth first-year student to claim this distinction and the second consecutive Duke player to receive the award, extending the Blue Devils’ record as the program with the most winners.

“It just goes to show more about what our team has done, just because I think that really helps awards like this, having great team success,” Boozer told the AP. “It’s really just not me.”

Boozer, who earned unanimous first-team AP All-American recognition last month, captured 59 of 61 votes from AP Top 25 poll participants in Friday’s announcement. BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, another projected high NBA draft selection, collected the remaining two votes following his nation-leading 25.5 points per game average.

The son of former Duke and NBA veteran Carlos Boozer posted averages of 22.5 points (ranking ninth nationally in Division I) and 10.2 rebounds (12th nationally) while sharing the national lead with 22 double-double performances. He also contributed 4.1 assists per contest while maintaining impressive shooting percentages of 55.6% from the field and 39.1% from three-point territory.

He becomes part of an exclusive group of freshman AP award recipients alongside last year’s Duke standout Cooper Flagg, former Blue Devil Zion Williamson (2019), Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (2012), and Texas star Kevin Durant (2007). Each of these players was selected first or second overall in their respective NBA drafts.

“I’m very grateful just that I’m even in those (NBA) conversations,” Boozer said. “I think a lot of people dream of being where I am. Sometimes you’ve got to take a step back and just remember that once upon a time, you were a kid dreaming to be here. So I think it’s very special.”

His coaching staff shares that sentiment about his abilities.

“We’ve been fortunate enough the last two years to have two of the best freshmen to ever play in college basketball back to back,” Duke associate head coach and former Blue Devils player Chris Carrawell said. “And Cam is right up there.”

Boozer represents Duke’s ninth AP winner, with each honor going to a different individual. UCLA ranks second with five recipients, though that total includes multiple awards for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1967 and 1969) and Bill Walton (1972 and 1973). UCLA, Ohio State, and Duke’s conference rival North Carolina are the only other institutions with three or more different players earning the recognition.

Boozer joined Duke alongside his twin brother Cayden after the pair guided Miami’s Columbus High School to four consecutive state championships. By late February, the Blue Devils had begun a four-week stretch at the top of the AP Top 25 rankings that extended into March Madness. Boozer — who describes winning as a learnable skill — consistently delivered his finest performances during Duke’s most significant contests, including throughout a challenging non-conference schedule.

He tied his season-high with 35 points during a November victory over Arkansas. He followed that effort with 29 points against defending national champion Florida. Additional standout performances included an 18-point, 15-rebound showing at Michigan State and a near triple-double (18 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) in February’s triumph over Michigan.

Throughout the season, he persevered through physical confrontations and contact. He concluded Sunday’s season-ending defeat to UConn with 27 points despite playing with a swollen right eye from a first-half injury.

“There’s no agenda other than figuring out a way to win,” Wolverines coach Dusty May said. “I’ve seen him play a number of times this year where there’s six guys in the paint, and it’s not as if he’s jumping 40, 50 inches off the floor. His desire to rebound the ball, to set physical screens, to play to his advantages, is as impressive as any freshman that I can recall.”

Another obstacle involved handling the intense attention that accompanies expectations of excellence. Every errant shot, turnover, and difficult performance — like his 3-for-17 shooting struggle against Virginia shot-blocker Ugonna Onyenso in the ACC championship game while battling mounting frustration.

“He does a great job of flushing it and not letting it dwell on him too much,” Cayden said. “That’s something he’s always been able to do since we were younger. Obviously I talk to him when he needs me to. And I sometimes just understood that, hey, he’s going through something, give him some space for a little bit and he’ll figure it out.”

Cameron explained that finding solitude and stepping away from social media helps him cope. He credits prayer and a recent commitment to reading more books as beneficial practices.

Otherwise, he dedicates himself to continuous improvement as a player. He finds comfort in that consistent approach, as the results have consistently validated his efforts.

“I think just being prepared alleviates pressure,” Cameron said. “Being ready for a game, watching film, working out, knowing you put your time in, being confident in yourself — I think all that takes away a lot of the pressure that people talk about. At the end of the day, pressure really is what you put on yourself.”

A Virginia court has rejected quarterback Chandler Morris’s legal bid to secure an unprecedented seventh year of college football eligibility, dealing a blow to the 25-year-old player’s hopes of returning to the field in 2026.

The court ruling denied Morris’s request for a preliminary injunction after the NCAA had previously rejected both his initial waiver application and his follow-up appeal earlier this year. Morris had filed the lawsuit in Charlottesville Circuit Court this past February.

The NCAA expressed satisfaction with the court’s ruling in a statement released Thursday, saying it was pleased the decision would help maintain the integrity of college athletics.

“As additional lawsuits challenging common-sense, academically-tied eligibility rules are filed, the NCAA will continue to defend against attempts to rob high school students across the nation of the opportunity to compete in college and experience the life-changing opportunities only college sports can create,” the organization stated.

“The NCAA and its member schools are making changes to deliver more benefits to student-athletes, but the patchwork of state laws and inconsistent, conflicting court decisions make partnering with Congress essential to provide stability for all college athletes.”

Morris’s legal team had argued that the NCAA improperly rejected his waiver request related to his 2022 campaign at TCU, during which he suffered a knee injury in the opening game. Though he returned to action later that season, appearing in three contests as a reserve player.

His attorneys contended that those limited appearances coming off the bench for the Horned Frogs were actually part of a medically recommended treatment program addressing mental health concerns.

However, the NCAA maintained that Morris had not demonstrated he experienced an “incapacitating physical or mental circumstance” that would warrant the waiver.

During his single season with Virginia in 2025, Morris led the Cavaliers to an impressive 11-victory campaign and a berth in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. He threw for 3,000 yards while recording 16 touchdown passes against nine interceptions across 14 contests.

Throughout his college career, Morris competed in 46 games across four different institutions: Oklahoma in 2020, TCU from 2021-23, North Texas in 2024, and Virginia most recently.

Virginia is now moving ahead with transfer quarterbacks Beau Pribula, who came from Missouri, and Eli Holstein, formerly of Pittsburgh.

This ruling represents another legal victory for the NCAA as it faces mounting challenges to its eligibility regulations. In February, a Tennessee court similarly rejected quarterback Joey Aguilar’s request for a preliminary injunction that would have allowed him to continue playing for the Volunteers.

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic appears destined to capture this season’s NBA scoring championship. However, a hamstring injury may prevent him from earning any major league honors.

This unusual situation highlights how the NBA’s 65-game eligibility requirement continues to impact elite players throughout the league.

The list of top-tier players missing out on awards this season keeps expanding, with Doncic now sidelined by a left hamstring problem. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards will also fail to meet the league’s 65-game threshold after being ruled out Thursday due to illness.

Having appeared in just 64 contests, Doncic would miss the cutoff if his hamstring keeps him benched for the season’s final week-plus. Following Thursday’s injury news, BetMGM Sportsbook removed Doncic from their MVP wagering options.

“Health is wealth. … We’ll see what happens,” Lakers star LeBron James said.

Edwards can now participate in a maximum of 64 games, eliminating him from consideration for most significant NBA awards.

The 65-game rule emerged from collective bargaining negotiations between the league and players’ union, now in its third season of implementation.

This requirement affects eligibility for five major honors: MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, All-NBA Team, and All-Defensive Team. Players must either participate in 65 regular-season games (meeting certain minutes requirements) or play at least 62 games before sustaining a “season-ending injury.”

Even if Doncic’s hamstring sidelines him for the remaining regular season, it wouldn’t qualify as “season-ending” unless a jointly-appointed NBA and players’ association doctor declares him unable to play through May 31.

While grievance procedures and extraordinary circumstance challenges exist, neither option offers easy solutions.

Among the league’s six highest-paid players this season, five won’t qualify for awards: Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Miami’s Jimmy Butler, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Boston’s Jayson Tatum. Denver’s Nikola Jokic remains the sole exception, though another missed game would likely disqualify him too.

Last season’s award winners included 23 players across MVP, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, All-NBA, and All-Defense categories. At least 10 are now ineligible: Antetokounmpo, Curry, Edwards, James, Tatum, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Indiana teammates Tyrese Haliburton and Ivica Zubac, Utah’s Jaren Jackson Jr., and Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams.

Four additional previous winners – Jokic, Oklahoma City’s Lu Dort, Golden State’s Draymond Green, and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley – haven’t reached 65 games yet but appear likely to qualify.

The players’ union seeks policy modifications, which will certainly arise in future league discussions. However, many players, including players’ association head Andre Iguodala, have endorsed the 65-game requirement.

The league shows little inclination to modify the rule based solely on this season’s unusually high number of disqualified candidates.

“I think it is working,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said last month. “I think if you look at the numbers, the pre-implementation of this rule, numbers were going in the wrong direction. I may have this a little bit off: I think the three years before we adopted this rule, almost a third of the All-NBA players had not played 80% of the games. That was a huge issue for the league.”

While uncommon, scoring champions missing All-NBA selection has occurred twice previously:

In 1968-69, rookie Elvin Hayes captured the scoring title but failed to make All-NBA or win Rookie of the Year.

During 1975-76, Bob McAdoo earned his third straight scoring championship and finished second in MVP voting but missed All-NBA selection. Players voted for MVP then, with McAdoo narrowly trailing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Dave Cowens placed third in MVP balloting but secured the second-team All-NBA center spot, while Abdul-Jabbar took first-team honors.

Doncic was scheduled for an MRI Friday to assess his hamstring injury’s severity. While his scoring title isn’t mathematically guaranteed, preventing it would require extraordinary circumstances.

Currently averaging 33.5 points per game, Doncic leads Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 31.6 average. For last season’s scoring champion Gilgeous-Alexander to overtake Doncic, he would need an incredible finishing stretch. For instance, scoring 292 points across the final five games would give him the lead – a feat only Wilt Chamberlain has accomplished.

Among the previous 79 scoring champions, 64 earned first-team All-NBA honors while 13 made the second team.

Jokic will claim the league’s rebounding and assist titles while averaging another triple-double. However, his award ballot eligibility remains uncertain.

Statistical award thresholds differ from major award requirements.

While major awards mandate 65 games, statistical honors typically require 58 games (70% of the season). Some statistical categories have different standards, including field-goal percentage (300 made shots minimum), free-throw percentage (125 made shots minimum), and three-point percentage (82 made shots minimum).

Players can win statistical awards while appearing in fewer than 58 games.

Last season, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama played only 46 games but still captured the blocked shots title. Even if he had played the minimum 58 games without recording any blocks in those additional 12 contests, he would have maintained his lead over runner-up Walker Kessler of Utah.

American chess grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has publicly blasted the International Chess Federation’s stringent security protocols at the current Candidates Tournament taking place in Cyprus, calling the anti-cheating procedures overly aggressive.

The U.S. player is among eight elite competitors vying for the opportunity to face Indian prodigy D Gukesh in this year’s world chess championship match.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Nakamura expressed frustration with the extensive use of scanning equipment and surveillance technology implemented by FIDE as part of their cheating prevention strategy.

“I think it’s all complete nonsense,” he said on his YouTube channel.

“I am just going to be honest… they scan us before the games, they scan us after the game.

“They have the metal detectors, they have the separate scanners, I mean… I feel like what are we all? Mossad agents inside Iran or something. Come on, we are chess players, let’s be real, seriously, let’s be real.”

The International Chess Federation pushed back against Nakamura’s complaints, arguing that strict security protocols are crucial for preserving the credibility of elite chess competitions.

“We find tight anti-cheating measures essential. What’s more, the sentiment is shared by the vast majority of players,” FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky said.

“At the same time, physical check-ups for players hardly changed since Toronto, and it is not that there is any noticeable difference for players.

“No other participant complained about it – and that’s for a good reason: all the extra measures control and intercept signals, whilst not demanding players to be additionally searched.”

Chess cheating scandals gained widespread attention in 2022 when five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen suggested that young American player Hans Niemann might have used unfair assistance after suffering a surprising defeat at the Sinquefield Cup tournament.

Niemann subsequently acknowledged cheating in internet matches at ages 12 and 16 but firmly denied any wrongdoing in face-to-face tournament play. He pursued a $100 million lawsuit for defamation against Carlsen, Chess.com and Nakamura, though a federal judge threw out the case in June 2023.

This high-profile dispute will be featured in an upcoming Netflix documentary titled “Untold: Chess Mates,” set to premiere next week.

Following four completed rounds, Nakamura currently sits in sixth place at the Candidates Tournament, which continues through April 15.

The Oklahoma City Thunder delivered a crushing 139-96 defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers at home Thursday night, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the charge with 28 points.

The victory marked Oklahoma City’s fourth straight win and their 16th triumph in 17 games. Meanwhile, Los Angeles saw their four-game winning streak come to an abrupt end, with the night turning even more sour when star player Luka Doncic injured his left hamstring during the third quarter. Lakers head coach JJ Redick announced postgame that Doncic will have an MRI on Friday to assess the severity of the injury.

Doncic’s injury occurred early in the third quarter as he drove toward the basket and attempted to rise for a mid-range shot. As he left his feet, the superstar immediately grabbed his left hamstring and collapsed to the court. He managed just 12 points on 3-of-10 shooting before exiting the contest.

Oklahoma City seized control immediately, establishing a double-digit advantage within the first four minutes. Their lead never dipped below 23 points after the opening quarter. The Thunder also faced a brief injury scare when Luguentz Dort tumbled to the floor after losing his footing on a drive to the rim. Dort, who contributed 14 points, left the game and did not return. Jalen Williams rounded out the Thunder’s balanced attack with 10 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Pistons 113, Timberwolves 108

Daniss Jenkins delivered 26 points, eight assists and five rebounds as Detroit defeated Minnesota at home, moving the Pistons within one win of securing the Eastern Conference’s top playoff seed.

Jalen Duren contributed a double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Duncan Robinson chipped in 15 points for Detroit. The Pistons trailed by a single point entering the final quarter before seizing control with a dominant 18-3 scoring run.

Julius Randle paced Minnesota with 27 points, six rebounds and six assists. Naz Reid provided 19 points and six rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmu matched that scoring output while adding five rebounds and four assists.

Spurs 118, Clippers 99

De’Aaron Fox tallied 22 points and eight rebounds while Stephon Castle added 20 points as San Antonio extended their winning streak to 11 games with a road victory over Los Angeles in Inglewood, California, despite playing without Victor Wembanyama.

Dylan Harper scored 19 points and Devin Vassell recorded 14 points with 10 rebounds as the Spurs improved to an impressive 27-2 record since February 1st. Wembanyama received his second rest day since January 6th to manage ongoing ankle discomfort on the back end of their final back-to-back games of the season.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 24 points, extending his streak to 53 consecutive games with at least 20 points, while Bennedict Mathurin contributed 18. John Collins added 15 points for Los Angeles, which has secured a play-in tournament berth but dropped to ninth in the Western Conference standings.

Hornets 127, Suns 107

Miles Bridges exploded for 25 points as Charlotte pulled away for a convincing home victory over Phoenix.

Kon Knueppel added 20 points and Coby White provided 19 off the bench, while Brandon Miller scored 17 and LaMelo Ball recorded 15 points with 11 assists. The win marked Charlotte’s seventh victory in nine games as they continue pursuing a guaranteed Eastern Conference playoff position.

Jalen Green topped Phoenix with 25 points while Devin Booker scored 22, including 17 in the first half. The Suns struggled to get to the free throw line, attempting just six foul shots until the game’s final moments. Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen each scored 13 points, with Mark Williams adding 12.

Cavaliers 118, Warriors 111

Max Strus capped his 24-point night with two crucial late three-pointers, and James Harden sealed the victory with a driving basket in the closing seconds as Cleveland prevailed in San Francisco.

Harden finished with 19 points while Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 25 for the Cavaliers, who moved within one game of the New York Knicks in the race for third place in the Eastern Conference.

Gui Santos and Brandin Podziemski each matched Mitchell’s 25-point output for Golden State, whose third consecutive loss solidified their hold on 10th place in the Western Conference.

Trail Blazers 118, Pelicans 106

Jrue Holiday and Toumani Camara combined to drain 13 of Portland’s 20 three-point shots as the Trail Blazers rallied in the second half to defeat visiting New Orleans.

Holiday paced Portland with 27 points, connecting on seven of 15 attempts from beyond the arc, including the shot that effectively sealed the victory. The Trail Blazers, currently holding the West’s eighth seed, have won three consecutive games and five of their last six. Holiday teamed with Camara, who scored 23 points, and Deni Avdija, who contributed 26 points, to account for all but 42 of Portland’s total scoring.

New Orleans stayed competitive largely due to Jeremiah Fears’ team-leading 21 points. Reserve teammate Derik Queen added 12 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

The Minnesota Wild guaranteed themselves a postseason appearance with a commanding 5-2 comeback victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday evening in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Matt Boldy and Ryan Hartman both found the net twice to lead the charge.

Kirill Kaprizov contributed one goal and one assist for Minnesota (42-21-12, 96 points), which locked up their playoff position for back-to-back seasons and the sixth time in seven years. Mats Zuccarello recorded two assists, while Filip Gustavsson turned away 30 of 32 shots for the win.

Minnesota found themselves down 2-1 following the opening period but responded with two goals in the middle frame and added two more in the final period to pull away comfortably. The victory made them the third Central Division squad to earn their postseason ticket.

Tom Willander and Jake DeBrusk each tallied once for Vancouver, with Nikita Tolopilo making 34 stops in the losing effort.

Hurricanes 5, Blue Jackets 1

Logan Stankoven found the back of the net twice as Carolina jumped out early and dominated visiting Columbus.

The win secured Carolina’s playoff berth for an eighth straight season. The Hurricanes hold the top spot in the Eastern Conference and have posted a 6-2-0 record over their past eight contests. Sebastian Aho and Taylor Hall each contributed two assists. Alexander Nikishin, Jordan Martinook, and Andrei Svechnikov provided the remaining goals. Frederik Andersen made nine saves on 10 shots.

Columbus has been outscored 19-9 during a five-game winless stretch (0-4-1). This slide has knocked the Blue Jackets out of playoff position in the competitive Eastern Conference race. Denton Mateychuk scored Columbus’s lone goal, and Elvis Merzlikins stopped 16 of 21 attempts.

Golden Knights 6, Flames 3

Mitch Marner recorded a hat trick and added two assists as Vegas mounted a comeback against Calgary in Las Vegas.

The performance marked Marner’s sixth five-point outing and fourth hat trick of his career. Ivan Barbashev tallied one goal and two assists, while Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden also scored for Vegas, which sits three points behind Pacific Division co-leaders Anaheim and Edmonton with six games left.

Shea Theodore registered two assists to reach 400 career points, and Carter Hart, making his first appearance since January 8 after missing 33 games with a lower-body injury, recorded 19 saves. Blake Coleman scored twice and Morgan Frost added another for Calgary, while Dustin Wolf finished with 28 saves.

Canadiens 3, Rangers 2

Cole Caufield scored twice, including the game-winner with 5:05 left in the third period, as Montreal rallied from a blown two-goal lead to extend their season-high winning streak to seven games with a victory over host New York.

Caufield netted his 48th and 49th goals in impressive style as the Canadiens won their seventh consecutive game for the first time since October 18-November 2, 2016. Caufield has scored in four straight games and has nine goals during the winning streak. His next goal will mark Montreal’s first 50-goal season since Stephane Richer scored 51 in 1989-90. Alex Newhook also scored and Jacob Fowler made 22 saves.

Adam Fox and Will Cuylle scored within a five-minute span in the third period to make it a one-goal contest. Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots as New York saw their three-game winning streak end.

Predators 5, Kings 4 (SO)

Jonathan Marchessault recorded a goal and an assist, and Luke Evangelista scored the only goal in an eight-round shootout to lift visiting Nashville past Los Angeles.

Filip Forsberg, Zachary L’Heureux and Steven Stamkos also scored, while Juuse Saros made 29 saves and blanked Los Angeles in the shootout. The Predators snapped a three-game losing streak and moved past the Kings into third place in the Western Conference wild-card race.

Adrian Kempe scored twice, Joel Armia had a goal and an assist, Scott Laughton scored and Darcy Kuemper made 30 saves for Los Angeles, which has dropped six of eight (2-2-4) and sits fourth in the West’s wild-card race.

Panthers 2, Bruins 1

Sergei Bobrovsky turned aside 28 shots to guide Florida past Boston in Sunrise, Florida.

Mackie Samoskevich and Sam Bennett scored for Florida, with Samoskevich extending his career-high goal streak to three games.

Fraser Minten scored and Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves for Boston, which saw their four-game winning streak end but remains the top wild-card team in the Eastern Conference.

Senators 4, Sabres 1

Lars Eller broke a tie early in the third period to push Ottawa to a vital victory against visiting Buffalo.

Dylan Cozens, Ridly Greig and Shane Pinto also scored for the Senators, who climbed back into the second wild-card position in the Eastern Conference. Linus Ullmark made 21 saves.

Mattias Samuelsson scored and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 20 saves for Buffalo, which must continue waiting to clinch their first playoff berth since 2011.

Lightning 6, Penguins 3

Anthony Cirelli completed his second career hat trick, Zemgus Girgensons notched his 100th career goal and host Tampa Bay scored five unanswered goals to reach 100 points in a victory over Pittsburgh.

Down 2-1 entering the second period, the Lightning got Cirelli’s short-handed goal, Brayden Point’s tally and Girgensons’ milestone marker to improve to 8-2-2 in their last 12 games and tie Buffalo atop the Atlantic Division with a game in hand.

Pittsburgh’s Egor Chinakhov scored twice, and Rickard Rakell tallied for the seventh time in six games. Stuart Skinner made 27 saves.

Devils 7, Capitals 3

Jack Hughes collected two goals and three assists, and Jesper Bratt also recorded a five-point performance, powering New Jersey to a victory over Washington in Newark, New Jersey.

Hughes increased his point total to 32 (12 goals, 20 assists) in 18 games since the Olympic break. Bratt had a goal and four assists as the Devils posted their 11th win in their last 16 games and damaged Washington’s postseason hopes. The Capitals trail the final wild-card spot by three points in the Eastern Conference.

Dawson Mercer scored twice, Cody Glass and Dougie Hamilton also tallied and Jake Allen made 29 saves for New Jersey. Tom Wilson and Pierre-Luc Dubois each collected a goal and an assist, and rookie defenseman Cole Hutson also scored for Washington. Logan Thompson allowed six goals on 29 shots.

Mammoth 6, Kraken 2

Logan Cooley scored twice and added an assist, and Dylan Guenther had a goal and two assists as Utah overcame an early two-goal deficit to defeat host Seattle.

Nick Schmaltz added a goal and an assist, JJ Peterka and Michael Carcone also scored and Kailer Yamamoto had two assists for the Mammoth (39-30-6, 84 points), who won their second consecutive game to maintain their five-point lead atop the Western Conference wild-card standings. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka made 25 saves.

Jordan Eberle and Bobby McCann scored for the Kraken (32-31-11, 75 points), who suffered their third straight loss and saw their postseason chances continue to fade. Joey Daccord stopped 25 of 31 shots.

Sharks 4, Maple Leafs 1

San Jose extended their winning streak to four games and continued their playoff push with a victory over visiting Toronto.

Zack Ostapchuk, Collin Graf, William Eklund and Adam Gaudette all scored for the Sharks, who are tied with Nashville for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made 18 saves.

John Tavares scored for Toronto, which has dropped two of three games on their four-game road trip that concludes in Los Angeles on Saturday. Goalie Anthony Stolarz stopped 21 shots.

Red Wings 4, Flyers 2

Alex DeBrincat scored twice and Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists as Detroit earned a crucial road victory over Philadelphia.

Lucas Raymond also scored for Detroit, which had dropped four of its last five games, all in regulation. With the victory, the Red Wings moved ahead of Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Tyson Foerster scored for Philadelphia after missing the previous four months with an upper-body injury. Travis Konecny also scored for the Flyers, while Samuel Ersson made 15 saves.

Stars 3, Jets 0

Jake Oettinger made 22 saves for his 15th career shutout as host Dallas defeated Winnipeg.

The shutout was Oettinger’s third this season and marked the sixth time the Jets have been blanked. Arttu Hyry and Adam Erne each had a goal and an assist, and Matt Duchene also scored for Dallas, which ended their two-game losing streak after going 1-4-2 in their previous seven.

Connor Hellebuyck stopped 18 shots for Winnipeg, which had won four of their last five and is pursuing a Western Conference wild-card playoff spot.

Oilers 3, Blackhawks 1

Surging Edmonton pulled into a points tie for first place in the Pacific Division after earning a home victory over Chicago.

Adam Henrique scored for the first time in 51 games, while Matt Savoie and Vasily Podkolzin also tallied for the Oilers en route to their season-best fifth straight victory. Tristan Jarry made 17 saves for Edmonton, which has played one more game than Anaheim, the other team atop the division.

Nick Lardis scored Chicago’s lone goal. Spencer Knight made 31 saves for the Blackhawks. Arvid Soderblom had four saves in a brief replacement of Knight due to a skate issue.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic suffered a left hamstring injury during Thursday night’s defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder and is scheduled for an MRI Friday to assess the severity of the strain, head coach JJ Redick announced to media following the contest.

The 27-year-old guard, who currently tops the league in scoring with 33.5 points per game, initially injured his hamstring during the opening half before re-aggravating it in the third period. While being defended by Jalen Williams, Doncic planted his left foot and immediately doubled over in discomfort, eventually lying on the floor with his hands covering his face.

The star player managed just 12 points on 3-of-10 field goal attempts before departing the game with 7:39 remaining in the third quarter, walking slowly to the locker room under his own power. Dallas trailed 90-58 when Doncic exited and ultimately fell 139-96, ending their four-game winning streak.

“At this point, at this juncture of the season, it’s the last thing you want to see,” teammate LeBron James told reporters. “When you have an MVP candidate on your team, the last thing you want to see is somebody go down with a hamstring injury. … So, pray for the best, for sure, and a speedy recovery.”

Though Doncic declined to speak with media after the game, he joined his teammates on their flight back to Dallas. Redick explained that the medical staff treated Doncic’s hamstring at halftime and cleared him to continue playing.

“We checked him out,” Redick said. “He got work done. He was cleared. I mean, again, we’re not going to put a player at risk.”

This marks another hamstring setback for Doncic, who previously missed four games in February due to a similar left hamstring strain. Despite the injury concerns, he earned Western Conference Player of the Month recognition for March, averaging 37.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 2.3 steals per contest.

The six-time All-Star has earned five All-NBA first team selections throughout his career and captured the 2018-19 NBA Rookie of the Year award.

The Atlanta Braves unleashed an offensive explosion Thursday night in Phoenix, crushing the Arizona Diamondbacks 17-2 behind a four-homer barrage that included solo shots from Matt Olson, Dominic Smith and Mauricio Dubon.

While the long balls provided plenty of fireworks, it was an explosive eight-run fifth inning that transformed Atlanta’s season opener on the road into a complete blowout.

The scoring continued late as Jorge Mateo delivered a pinch-hit two-run blast in the ninth, while Olson and Mike Yastrzemski contributed RBI doubles during a five-run final frame that saw Arizona catcher James McCann take the mound to finish the lopsided contest.

Olson paced the Atlanta attack with three hits and three RBIs, while Yastrzemski, Austin Riley and Michael Harris II each drove in two runs as the Braves captured their fifth victory in seven games to start the season.

Arizona’s bright spot came from Jordan Lawlar, who connected for his first major league home run, though it wasn’t enough to prevent the end of the Diamondbacks’ three-game winning streak. Ildemaro Vargas added an RBI double in the ninth inning.

On the mound, Reynaldo Lopez (1-0) earned the victory for Atlanta, surrendering just one run and four hits across five innings while striking out three and walking one batter.

Ryne Nelson (0-1) absorbed the loss for Arizona, giving up seven runs (only two earned) and three hits in 4 2/3 innings of work. He fanned three and issued three walks.

The game-changing fifth inning saw Atlanta manage just four hits but benefited tremendously from four walks and a crucial error by Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado.

The rally began when Ozzie Albies successfully appealed a called third strike and drew a walk instead. After one out, Smith also walked, and Dubon followed with a hard grounder that Arenado mishandled, loading the bases.

Ronald Acuna Jr. then worked a walk that forced home Albies for a 3-1 Atlanta advantage. Drake Baldwin’s fielder’s choice brought home another run before Olson ripped a double to right field, extending the lead to 5-1 and ending Nelson’s outing.

Reliever Kevin Ginkel entered and immediately faced trouble as Riley lined a two-run double down the third-base line. After Yastrzemski drew a walk, Albies dropped a single into shallow left field to push the advantage to seven runs.

Harris capped the inning by driving a line drive the opposite way that struck high off the left-field wall for a two-run double, making the score 10-1.

Dubon opened the sixth inning by taking Joe Ross deep to left-center field for a solo homer. Yastrzemski added another run later in the frame with an RBI groundout, extending Atlanta’s lead to 12-1.

The Braves had struck early when Olson launched a two-out homer to center field in the first inning off Nelson, then Smith opened the third with a blast to right-center for a 2-0 lead.

Arizona managed to get on the scoreboard when Lawler led off the bottom of the third with his milestone homer to left-center off Lopez.

The Atlanta Braves demolished the Arizona Diamondbacks 17-2 Thursday night in Phoenix, with solo home runs from Matt Olson, Dominic Smith, and Mauricio Dubon leading a four-homer assault that turned their season opener on the road into a complete rout.

Atlanta’s decisive moment came during an explosive eight-run fifth inning that broke the game wide open, though none of their home runs occurred during that frame. The Braves added insult to injury with a five-run ninth inning that featured Jorge Mateo’s pinch-hit two-run blast, plus RBI doubles from both Olson and Mike Yastrzemski. Arizona’s struggles became so severe that catcher James McCann took the mound to finish the game.

Olson paced Atlanta’s offensive explosion with three hits and three RBIs, while Yastrzemski, Austin Riley, and Michael Harris II each contributed two RBIs. The victory marked Atlanta’s fifth win in their opening seven contests. Arizona saw its three-game winning streak come to an end, though Jordan Lawlar provided a bright spot by launching his first major league home run. Ildemaro Vargas added an RBI double in the ninth for the Diamondbacks.

On the mound, Reynaldo Lopez (1-0) earned the victory for Atlanta by surrendering just one run and four hits across five innings of work, striking out three while issuing one walk. Arizona’s Ryne Nelson (0-1) absorbed the loss after giving up seven runs, only two earned, on three hits in 4 2/3 innings. He fanned three and walked three.

In other MLB action, the San Francisco Giants defeated the New York Mets 7-2 in their series opener, with six different players driving in runs. Luis Arraez tied the game with an RBI triple in the first inning, and Matt Chapman immediately followed with the go-ahead RBI double. The Minnesota Twins topped the Kansas City Royals 5-1 behind six shutout innings from Taj Bradley, with three home runs coming in the ninth inning from Matt Wallner, Kody Clemens, and Josh Bell.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic sustained a left hamstring injury during Thursday evening’s crushing 139-97 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with head coach JJ Redick announcing that the NBA’s current scoring leader will undergo an MRI examination on Friday.

According to Redick, Doncic experienced hamstring discomfort during the opening half and received treatment during halftime intermission.

“We checked him out, he got work done, he was cleared,” Redick said.

The All-Star guard returned to the court for a brief period before the injury worsened. During what would become his final possession, Doncic executed a spinning move while attempting a shot over Oklahoma City’s Jalen Williams. Without any physical contact occurring, he suddenly stopped playing and collapsed to the floor. His night ended with 7:39 left in the third quarter.

“Those things happen,” Redick said.

The injury represents a significant setback for Doncic, who had posted 40 or more points in five of his last seven contests. Thursday’s performance saw him limited to just 12 points on 3-of-10 field goal attempts against Oklahoma City’s suffocating defensive effort.

The hamstring problem compounded what was already a disastrous evening for Dallas. When Doncic exited permanently, his team was trailing by a staggering 90-58 margin.

“I mean, it’s something you never want to see as a teammate,” Mavericks forward Jake LaRavia said. “So especially in a game like this, it was tough to see him go down. All the prayers for him hopefully, but yeah, you never want to see that.”

The injury concerns didn’t end with Doncic, as Mavericks guard Austin Reaves also departed temporarily due to a back problem.

“He was in a weird position, stretching for a basketball, loose ball,” Redick said. “And he just felt something intercostal, somewhere in his back, in between the ribs. He was able to play through it … we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

The two teams are scheduled to meet again when Dallas hosts Oklahoma City on April 7.

INDIANAPOLIS — While North Carolina searches for a new head basketball coach, Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd finds himself mentioned as a potential candidate for the Tar Heels position.

With the Wildcats preparing for Final Four action at Lucas Oil Stadium, Lloyd addressed questions about whether he might leave Arizona for another opportunity.

“Listen, I’ve got my full focus on this team. Nothing is distracting me. That’s just how I’ve decided to approach it. I’m excited. I thought we had a really good practice today. I’m excited to play and for our practice tomorrow,” Lloyd stated on Thursday. “I’m a simple guy. I am kind of just one thing at a time. I’m not a multitasker. You can ask my wife. I’m 100 percent locked in on Arizona basketball right now, and I’m excited to see what this team can do.”

Lloyd emphasized his dedication to his current players, saying, “I have a real strong belief in this team, and this team deserves my full attention, so that’s what I’m giving them.”

This isn’t the first time Lloyd has been connected to major coaching vacancies. He was mentioned for the Villanova position last spring but remained committed to Arizona. After North Carolina dismissed Hubert Davis last month, both Lloyd and Michigan’s Dusty May have emerged as top candidates for the Tar Heels job.

May, who is also coaching in the Final Four for his second appearance in four seasons, rejected the idea that North Carolina represents a “dream job” for basketball coaches. He explained that his actual dream position was coaching high school basketball in Indiana, and he has already surpassed his career expectations.

May expressed satisfaction with his current situation at Michigan, noting this week that he’s content with the Wolverines.

After leading Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023, May anticipated Michigan’s tournament success as early as November.

“To be honest, it felt a lot different than it did at FAU. This felt like something our guys expected, and even our fan base, it felt like they expected it a little bit, as well, and so did I because of the guys we have wearing a Michigan jersey,” May explained. “All along, it’s just kind of felt like mission has not been accomplished yet.”

OTTAWA, Ontario — The Buffalo Sabres will have to wait at least one more game to make hockey history after falling 4-1 to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, postponing their chance to end an NHL-record 14-season absence from the playoffs.

The loss extends Buffalo’s wait to conclude what stands as the second-longest active championship drought among North America’s four major professional sports leagues, trailing only the New York Jets’ 15-year playoff absence.

Lars Eller provided the decisive moment when he redirected a point shot from defenseman Artem Zub past Buffalo goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen at the 5:55 mark of the final period, snapping a 1-1 deadlock.

The scoring began when Buffalo’s Mattias Samuelsson fired a long wrist shot into the net 8:49 into the second period. Ottawa responded as Dylan Cozens evened the score with 4:42 remaining in the middle frame, tipping in his 26th goal of the campaign.

Ridly Greig and Shane Pinto each found the empty net late in the game to seal Ottawa’s victory.

Between the pipes, Linus Ullmark turned away 21 shots for the Senators, who currently hold the second wild-card position in the Eastern Conference and began a five-game home stretch. Luukkonen made 20 saves in the losing effort for Buffalo.

Ottawa faced defensive challenges as Tyler Kleven departed in the opening period due to an upper-body injury and could not return. The Senators continue to deal with a depleted blue line, already missing Thomas Chabot, Jake Sanderson, Nick Jensen and several other defenders.

The game featured a first-period scuffle between Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk and Logan Stanley.

Buffalo’s next opportunity comes Saturday night when they visit Washington, while Ottawa will host Minnesota on Saturday.

Defending champion Jessica Pegula is finding her title defense at the Charleston Open anything but easy, as the tournament’s top seed survived yet another grueling three-set battle on Thursday.

Following Wednesday’s exhausting three-set victory against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, Pegula once again found herself in deep trouble before rallying to defeat Italy’s 14th-seeded Elisabetta Cocciaretto 1-6, 6-1, 7-6 (1). Thursday’s match clocked in at just over two hours, which was actually more than an hour shorter than her previous encounter.

The Italian player seized early control of the decisive third set, jumping ahead 4-1 and appearing to have Pegula on the ropes. However, the determined American showed her championship mettle by successfully defending her serve twice while breaking Cocciaretto’s serve to level the set. Pegula then held serve without dropping a point to force a tiebreaker, where she dominated to secure victory. Despite struggling with her break point conversion, managing just 3 of 14 opportunities, Pegula delivered when it mattered most with the crucial break in the final set.

Pegula’s next challenge will be seventh-seeded Russian Diana Shnaider, who dominated ninth-seeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-3, 6-0. Other notable winners included third-seeded Belinda Bencic, who defeated Czech player Sara Bejlek 7-6 (4), 6-2, and fifth-seeded Madison Keys, who overcame Hungary’s Anna Bondar 6-2, 7-5.

The day also showcased compelling all-American matchups. McCartney Kessler managed to edge seventh-seeded Peyton Stearns 6-0, 3-6, 6-4, while 18-year-old fourth seed Iva Jovic eliminated 16th-seeded Sofia Kenin 7-5, 7-5. Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva dominated Mexico’s Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-0, setting up a Friday quarterfinal clash with Kessler. Meanwhile, Jovic will face eighth-seeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya, who defeated Spain’s Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2.

In other tournament action at the Copa Colsanitas in Bogota, Colombia, both the second and third seeds suffered surprising second-round defeats. Vavara Lapchenko upset second-seeded Spanish player Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-0, 2-6, 7-5, while Argentine Jazmin Ortenzi, currently ranked 206th globally, shocked third-seeded Colombian home favorite Camila Osorio 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5). Colombian Emiliana Arango also advanced by defeating Spain’s Guiomar Maristany Zuleta De Reales 7-5, 6-2.

Top-seeded Marie Bouzkova from the Czech Republic had an abbreviated day after winning the opening set 6-4 against Belgian opponent Hanne Vandewinkel, who was forced to retire from the match.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A costly mistake by Kansas City Royals rookie Carter Jensen led to his removal from Thursday’s starting lineup against the Minnesota Twins when the young catcher failed to wake up on time.

The 22-year-old Jensen admitted to reporters that he simply slept through his alarm clock. “I didn’t wake up to my alarm. Slept through it,” Jensen explained to The Kansas City Star and other media outlets. “Don’t really have an excuse — nor should I. It sucks. It happens. I feel like I let teammates down, coaches down. Just learn from it and just know it won’t happen again.”

While Jensen did make it to the ballpark, his late arrival prevented him from completing the necessary pregame preparation to start behind the plate. He was able to enter the contest during the final inning of Kansas City’s 5-1 defeat.

The scheduling mishap forced Salvador Perez, who had been slated to serve as the team’s designated hitter, to take over catching duties for the first eight frames of the game.

Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino expressed initial concern for his teammate’s wellbeing when Jensen couldn’t be reached. “First and foremost, I’m glad Carter’s OK,” Pasquantino shared with reporters. “I mean, that was kind of the initial thought when you’re trying to get a hold of his parents and everything like that — just make sure he’s OK.”

However, Pasquantino also emphasized that the rookie must use this incident as a learning opportunity. “There are some things that cannot happen, and that’s one of them,” Pasquantino stated. “So he’s going to have to wear it on the chin — same way anybody would have to. It can’t happen, and hopefully it doesn’t happen again. But it’s one of those things that you just can’t afford mistakes like that in this game. Just got to move forward the best that he can. I know he feels really bad.”

Despite the disappointment, Pasquantino indicated the team remains supportive of Jensen while acknowledging the seriousness of the situation. “I know it was not his favorite drive to the field this morning, but it wasn’t our favorite morning either, trying to figure out what was going on. He’ll learn from it, grow a little bit. We’re here for him, though. It’s not like anybody’s mad at him. Things happen. But you’ve got to learn from mistakes like that — and maybe get another alarm clock or something.”

DETROIT — Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards has lost his chance at NBA postseason recognition after the team benched him Thursday evening against the Detroit Pistons due to a knee problem and illness.

The talented guard has appeared in 59 contests this season, though only 58 qualify under league standards, leaving him short of the required 65-game threshold with six regular season matchups remaining for Minnesota.

Edwards sat out the Detroit contest just one game after his return from a two-week absence, where he contributed 17 points in 23 minutes during a victory over Dallas. His comeback against the Mavericks followed a six-game stretch on the sidelines due to his troublesome right knee.

The accomplished player, who has earned four All-Star selections and two all-league honors, placed seventh in MVP consideration during both of the previous two campaigns.

Despite posting a personal-best average of 29.3 points per contest this season, Edwards will fall short of the 70-plus game mark he achieved in each of his initial five NBA seasons.

Family lawyers for a junior college basketball player from Oklahoma who passed away following a head injury sustained during competition are claiming the young athlete did not receive adequate medical attention before being allowed to return to play.

Twenty-year-old Ethan Dietz passed away on November 25 following a head injury he sustained during a basketball contest in Texas three days prior. Dietz was enrolled at Connors State College located in Warner, Oklahoma.

Following Dietz’s passing, the educational institution released limited information regarding the circumstances of his injury and the medical response provided. When contacted Thursday, a representative from the junior college, which enrolls approximately 3,000 students, declined to address inquiries about the medical treatment Dietz received following his injury.

“Connors State College’s top priority at this time remains caring for Ethan’s family, the team and the CSC community as they continue to mourn this heartbreaking loss,” the statement said. “The college is unaware of any active or pending litigation related to this matter and is unable to comment on any potential claim.”

In the weeks following Dietz’s passing, the institution announced that Bill Muse, who had served as both the men’s basketball head coach and athletics director at CSC for many years, would be leaving his position citing “personal reasons.”

Family attorney Michael Holden claimed in his statement that Dietz was not given immediate medical assessment and was allowed to continue participating in the game following his injury.

According to Holden, Dietz traveled back with his teammates on the two-hour bus journey home and was subsequently hospitalized after experiencing seizures while in his dormitory room. The legal team indicated they are conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death but have not yet initiated legal proceedings.

Attempts to reach the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office by phone and email on Thursday were unsuccessful. Holden’s statement referenced a coroner’s examination that determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head along with bleeding between the skull and brain.

The 6-foot-8 forward from Conway, Arkansas, was scoring an average of 11 points per game across eight contests during the previous season.

In the statement provided through Holden, Krystal Dietz expressed that her son aspired to play Division I basketball.

“He grinded year-round to better himself for the upcoming season,” Dietz said. “He had the discipline, dedication, and work ethic required to see that kind of dream through, had he only been given the time.”

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama will be absent from Thursday evening’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers after suffering a right ankle injury.

The French sensation’s absence comes just 24 hours after he delivered a spectacular performance against the Golden State Warriors, recording 41 points, 18 rebounds, and three blocks in San Antonio’s decisive 127-113 road win.

Following that impressive showing, Wembanyama expressed his strong desire to capture the league’s Most Valuable Player Award, while he’s already viewed as a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year recognition.

“I do care deeply about it,” Wembanyama shared with media regarding his MVP aspirations. “I think that of the greats that are in the Hall of Fame — or the best of all time — they have fought and grabbed everything they could grab early on in their career. If I want to make my spot among the greats, I got to try to not miss any occasion to put my name up there.”

The young center has appeared in 61 games this season but still needs to reach the 65-game minimum to qualify for major league honors. Following Thursday’s missed contest, he must participate in at least four of the Spurs’ remaining five regular season matchups to maintain his award eligibility.

The 22-year-old is posting impressive numbers this season, contributing 24.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per contest while connecting on 117 three-point attempts.

San Antonio enters the game with a 58-18 record after winning their last 10 games, positioning them just two games behind the defending champion Oklahoma Thunder for the Western Conference’s top playoff seed.

Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore has officially called it quits, announcing his retirement Thursday after a distinguished 13-year NFL career.

The 35-year-old defensive back, who earned NFL Defensive Player of the Year recognition during his career, sat out the entire 2025 season before making his retirement official.

“I have had an incredible 13 years in the League, and I cannot wait to see what this next chapter holds,” Gilmore wrote in his announcement on Instagram.

Throughout his professional career spanning 180 games with 173 starts, Gilmore recorded impressive statistics including 32 career interceptions, eight forced fumbles, and 617 total tackles while suiting up for six different franchises.

The cornerback’s career began with the Buffalo Bills from 2012 through 2016, followed by his most successful stint with the New England Patriots from 2017 to 2020. His final four seasons saw him play for a different team each year.

Gilmore reached his peak performance during the 2019 campaign with New England, when he topped the league with six interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns, while also deflecting 20 passes for the second consecutive year.

During New England’s championship run in the 2018 playoffs, Gilmore contributed two crucial interceptions that helped propel the Patriots to their Super Bowl victory. He earned first-team All-Pro recognition in both 2018 and 2019.

His career concluded with stops at the Carolina Panthers in 2021, Indianapolis Colts in 2022, Dallas Cowboys in 2023, and Minnesota Vikings in 2024.

The Rock Hill, South Carolina native played his college ball at the University of South Carolina from 2009 through 2011, where he intercepted eight passes for the Gamecocks before becoming the 10th overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft by Buffalo.

INDIANAPOLIS — The University of Illinois basketball team’s path to Saturday’s Final Four matchup against UConn tells a unique story of international recruitment and strategic trust in overseas talent.

Head coach Brad Underwood built his championship-contending roster by placing faith in assistant coach Geoff Alexander’s ability to identify and recruit what they call the “Balkan Bloc” — a collection of European players who now form the core of the Fighting Illini’s success.

The strategy paid off dramatically, with four of Illinois’ leading six scorers hailing from southeastern Europe. This marks the team’s fifth NCAA Tournament game this season as they prepare for their national semifinal rematch with the University of Connecticut.

“We knew we needed positional size. We knew we were recruiting shooting. They do it as well as anybody in the world in my opinion,” Underwood explained Thursday. “Geoff has spent many, many trips going over there, developing relationships, and now Orlando (Antigua) comes back and we’ve just invested heavily in doing that. We believe in it.”

This international approach isn’t new territory for Underwood, who previously utilized similar recruiting strategies at Western Illinois alongside Antigua. The coaching staff has successfully developed overseas talent including Kasparas Jakucionis, who became the 20th overall pick by the Miami Heat in last year’s draft, and Canadian player Will Riley, selected 21st by Utah and later traded to Washington.

The current roster showcases this international foundation through players like All-American Keaton Wagler, whom Underwood recruited sight unseen based on Alexander’s recommendation, transfer Andrej Stojakovic, and returning hometown player Kylan Boswell.

Boswell, a Champaign native who transferred back from Arizona, has become a cornerstone of the team’s success. “I think going home has helped. The way he has handled himself. He’s just been elite,” Underwood said of Boswell. “He’s been a joy to coach. He’s been unselfish. He’s been a guy that is all about winning.”

Freshman David Mirkovic from Montenegro has emerged as a tournament standout, posting 27 and 19 points in the opening victory over Penn. The 19-year-old stands 6-foot-9 and weighs 250 pounds, providing crucial rebounding alongside the team’s twin towers.

The Ivisic brothers, Zvonimir and Tomislav — nicknamed Z and Tommy by their coach — represent the team’s 7-foot tandem that anchors the frontcourt. “Their chemistry is unbelievable. Their competitiveness is unbelievable. They go at each other all the time,” Underwood observed. “They’re very different people, even though they’re twins, and yet their synergy is really fun to see.”

The coach credits the twins with helping other international players adjust to American college basketball. “I think for lack of a better word, those two set the tone for the other guys from over there. And just their comfort of being in the States, even though Z wasn’t with us the whole time, they’ve helped ease some of the transition and the challenges that lie for the others.”

Stojakovic has overcome injury setbacks, including preseason knee problems and an in-season ankle issue that limited him to 21 starts. When Boswell returned from his own hand injury, Stojakovic embraced a bench role and has excelled as a reserve player.

“The one thing he’s done is he’s accepted defending. He’s accepted rebounding,” Underwood noted. “We all know his offense can come and that he’s a very capable guy there. But now he has just adjusted. I couldn’t have asked for anything more coming off the bench. He’s done that in a way that has helped us grow and play our best basketball.”

Detroit Pistons star guard Cade Cunningham will undergo another medical assessment next week as he continues his recovery from a collapsed left lung injury, team officials confirmed Thursday.

The All-Star player has been sidelined for eight contests since sustaining the injury during Detroit’s March 17 matchup with the Washington Wizards.

With four additional games scheduled during his continued absence, Cunningham appears unlikely to meet the NBA’s 65-game minimum requirement for postseason award consideration. Having appeared in 61 contests this season, only two games would remain on the schedule if his recovery timeline proceeds as anticipated.

The NBA’s playoff tournament is scheduled to commence April 18.

This season, the 24-year-old guard has posted averages of 24.5 points per game along with 9.9 assists and 5.6 rebounds.

Since Detroit selected him as the first overall draft choice in 2021, the two-time All-Star has compiled career averages of 22.6 points, 7.9 assists and 5.4 rebounds across 269 games, all as a starter.

HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders have secured veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in a new agreement announced Thursday by his representative Mike McCartney, positioning the experienced signal-caller to mentor anticipated top draft selection Fernando Mendoza.

Under the financial arrangement, Atlanta will cover $8.7 million of Cousins’ salary this season while Las Vegas pays the remaining $1.3 million. An additional $10 million in guaranteed compensation is scheduled for next March, with the Raiders holding a two-year option worth $80 million.

Cousins acknowledged his new team by posting “The Autumn Wind…” on social media, referencing the iconic Raiders anthem that plays before each home contest and gained recognition through NFL Films.

The move aligns with statements from Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak and general manager John Spytek, who previously indicated their preference against starting a rookie quarterback immediately. The rookie in question is widely expected to be Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy recipient who guided Indiana to an improbable national championship.

“Ideally, you don’t want him to start from Day One,” Kubiak explained Tuesday during the NFL owners meetings. “You’d love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That’s in a perfect world. It doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from Day One and it’s our job as coaches to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show.”

The 37-year-old Cousins brings 14 years of professional experience, most recently spending two seasons with Atlanta. The Falcons had committed to a four-year, $180 million contract before surprisingly selecting Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall just six weeks afterward.

During his Atlanta tenure, Cousins compiled a 12-10 record while starting 22 of 34 possible games. However, his 16 interceptions in 2024 topped the league despite appearing in only 14 contests. Atlanta subsequently released him before free agency began.

Throughout his career with Washington, Minnesota, and Atlanta, Cousins holds an 88-77-2 record as a starter. His most successful campaign came in 2022 when he led Minnesota to a 13-4 season.

Mendoza showcased his abilities Wednesday during a pro day workout at Indiana’s facility, with representatives from all 32 NFL teams in attendance.

PITTSBURGH — Baseball’s most highly-regarded prospect will make his major league debut this Friday when the Pittsburgh Pirates face Baltimore in their home opener.

According to a source with knowledge of the team’s plans, the Pirates will promote 19-year-old shortstop Konnor Griffin, who is widely considered the sport’s premier prospect. The source requested anonymity since the roster decision has not been formally announced.

Griffin’s arrival in the majors was never a question of if, but rather when, and his blazing start at Triple-A Indianapolis provided the answer. In just 16 at-bats, the teenager posted a remarkable .438 batting average while collecting three doubles, driving in one run, and swiping three bases.

Standing 6-foot-3, Griffin was selected ninth overall in last year’s amateur draft and has advanced rapidly through Pittsburgh’s minor league system. During the 2025 season, he compiled impressive numbers across Single-A and Double-A levels, hitting .333 with 21 homers, 94 RBIs, and 65 stolen bases over 122 games.

The young prospect participated in Pittsburgh’s major league spring training and nearly made the opening day roster. Despite launching three home runs during exhibition play — more than any teenager in spring training over the past 20 years — Griffin also struggled with strikeouts, fanning more than a dozen times.

Pittsburgh began the season with Jared Triolo manning shortstop and Nick Gonzales at third base. Griffin’s promotion will likely shift Triolo, who won a Gold Glove as a utility player, to third base.

Although the Pirates have discussed a long-term contract extension with Griffin that would cover his arbitration-eligible years, the source indicated his promotion is based purely on performance. The organization views Griffin as their strongest option at shortstop.

Griffin joins a Pirates squad that stands 3-3 after winning two of three games in Cincinnati. The team boasts one of baseball’s most promising young pitching staffs, headlined by defending Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, who earned his first win of the season on Wednesday.

Pittsburgh addressed their offensive struggles during the offseason by acquiring All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe through a trade and signing free agents Ryan O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna. Lowe has already connected for three home runs this season, contributing to the Pirates’ 10 homers through six games — tied for the major league lead with Los Angeles Angels. Last season, Pittsburgh finished with the fewest home runs in baseball by a significant margin.

NEW YORK — After an eight-year hiatus, Topps is making its return to the NFL trading card market following a new licensing agreement secured by Fanatics Collectibles with the National Football League and its Players Association.

The company’s comeback will begin with the 2025 Topps Chrome Football collection, scheduled for release on April 15th. This inaugural set will feature exclusive one-of-one Rookie PREM1ERE Patch Autograph Cards alongside one-of-one NFL Honors Gold Shield Autograph Cards.

The special rookie collectibles will showcase fabric pieces from jerseys worn during players’ debut regular-season appearances, including materials from top draft selection Cam Ward. Meanwhile, the NFL Honors series will highlight gold shield patches from 2024’s award recipients: Josh Allen who claimed MVP honors, Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley, Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II, Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, and Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse.

Fanatics Collectibles became Topps’ parent company through a 2022 acquisition. Their new partnership grants exclusive trading card licensing rights for the NFL and NFLPA, extending to worldwide distribution channels.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and his actress wife Hailee Steinfeld have become first-time parents with the birth of their daughter.

The announcement came Thursday through Steinfeld’s personal newsletter, though the couple chose not to reveal when the baby was born or share her name.

“We’re feeling incredibly grateful and blessed and savouring these early moments. Thank you so much for the love and well wishes,” Steinfeld wrote. “Love, Hailee and Josh.”

The actress recently received praise for her performance in the film “Sinners.” She and Allen tied the knot in May of last year and revealed they were expecting their first baby through the same newsletter back in December.

Allen, who claimed the 2024 NFL MVP award, underwent surgery following Buffalo’s overtime defeat to Denver in the AFC divisional playoffs. The quarterback broke a bone in his foot during a Week 16 matchup and had been wearing a protective boot, which he no longer needs. He’s anticipated to be fully recovered when the Bills begin their offseason training program.

The Bills organization celebrated the news by sharing an image of Allen flashing a thumbs-up with the caption: “Girl dad.”

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn escaped without major harm after being involved in a solo vehicle accident Wednesday evening following his team’s victory over the New York Mets.

The 24-year-old player was driving alone on Interstate 64 near Busch Stadium when his car struck a slick section of roadway, team officials reported.

The incident happened just hours after Winn delivered the decisive hit that secured a 2-1 victory for the Cardinals against New York in an 11-inning contest.

According to a team statement, Winn received immediate assistance from local law enforcement officers along with Cardinals security personnel and medical staff. He was transported to a local medical facility for evaluation.

“Masyn … was attended to by local police and Cardinals security and medical staff. He was examined at a nearby hospital and suffered no serious injuries,” the Cardinals said in a statement. “We are grateful that he is OK, and thank the first responders in our community who helped Masyn.”

The Cardinals have Thursday off before beginning a six-game series of away games starting Friday in Detroit.

So far this season, Winn has recorded a .160 batting average through six games, collecting four hits in 25 at-bats along with two doubles, one RBI and one stolen base.

Selected in the second round of the 2020 draft, the recent Gold Glove Award recipient has maintained a .250 career batting average with 26 home runs and 121 RBIs across 322 games since joining the major leagues in 2023.

MIAMI — Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum admits he’s uncertain when he’ll return to peak performance following his Achilles injury recovery.

That admission might send chills down opponents’ spines.

Playing in just his 12th contest since returning from an Achilles tear suffered during last year’s playoffs, Tatum accomplished something unprecedented in his career and extremely rare in Celtics history — something no Boston player had achieved since 2010.

Wednesday evening’s performance versus Miami showcased remarkable numbers: 25 points, 18 rebounds, and 11 assists. This impressive triple-double came while Tatum continues working toward full recovery after sitting out nearly an entire year.

“I wish I had a definitive answer,” Tatum said when asked after the game how much longer he’ll need to feel like he’s back to where he was before tearing the Achilles. “It sounds cliche. I feel a little bit better every game. I don’t know how long it’s going to take to be back to who I was, or hopefully better. But the goal is just to continue to stack days.”

Rajon Rondo previously recorded a triple-double with similar point, rebound, and assist totals during Boston’s 2010 playoff run. Hall of Famer Larry Bird accomplished the feat twice during regular season action — once in 1982 and again in 1990. Prior to Wednesday night, those represented the only three instances in franchise history.

“I can tell he’s still out of shape,” Miami star Bam Adebayo said, smiling, when asked about his U.S. Olympic teammate. “But when you consider somebody like that your brother — we’ve known each other since we were like 12 — and you see what he’s gone through, obviously checking up on him through the rehab phase and the down days that he’s had, you’re proud of him for pushing through it and putting himself out there this season.”

“He’s still trying to find his way, still trying to impact winning. You tip your hat off to somebody who’s been through that and still trying to play.”

Tatum’s shooting accuracy remains a work in progress, currently sitting at 40% from the floor during his return. However, he’s posting averages of 21.3 points and 9.8 rebounds across his initial dozen games back, statistics indicating he’s approaching the elite, All-NBA caliber he’s maintained in recent seasons.

“To me, since he’s been back, he hasn’t missed a beat,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.

Boston has six remaining regular season contests before likely beginning the Eastern Conference playoffs as the second seed. They trail first-place Detroit by four games while holding a 2.5-game advantage over third-place New York, making the No. 2 position their probable playoff positioning.

Questions surrounded Tatum’s availability when the season began, and even after his return, uncertainty lingered regarding his potential impact level.

Those doubts have been put to rest. Forty-six weeks have passed since his surgical procedure — a milestone he mentally tracks each Tuesday. While he may not feel completely restored to his former self, his statistical output suggests he’s either reached that level or stands on the verge of doing so.

“Definitely the hardest thing I ever went through,” Tatum said. “I mean, I never took that much time off from basketball. The challenges that you have to face mentally and the long, dark moments and dark days … I mean, it is tough. It is. But I’m proud of the fact that I’ve made it this far.”

The NCAA Division I Cabinet is reviewing proposed rule changes that would prevent student-athletes from college competition if they enter professional sports drafts and choose not to withdraw from them, following controversial basketball cases this season.

The Academics and Eligibility Committee introduced these recommendations on Wednesday, with the cabinet potentially making decisions in the coming weeks. Should these regulations be approved, they would apply to students beginning college this fall.

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman, who leads the cabinet, explained the reasoning behind the proposals. “These proposed changes reflect ongoing work by Division I members to modernize our rules to align with the current era of college sports,” Whitman stated. “As Division I members proceed with reviewing all eligibility rules in the months ahead, our focus will be establishing rules that have objective criteria that can be consistently applied for both prospects and current student-athletes.”

The key proposal would mandate that potential college athletes remove themselves from professional league drafts that require opt-in participation, such as the NBA draft, creating consistency between pre-enrollment and post-enrollment draft regulations. Baseball and men’s ice hockey would remain unaffected since those sports don’t use opt-in draft systems.

These recommendations stem from situations involving two basketball players this season: Alabama’s Charles Bediako and Baylor’s James Nnaji, both of whom competed collegiately after declaring for the 2023 NBA draft.

Bediako’s case proved particularly complex. After completing two seasons at Alabama and entering the draft without being selected, he spent three years playing in the G League, the NBA’s developmental league. When the NCAA rejected Alabama’s appeal to restore his college eligibility this season, Bediako pursued legal action.

His legal team contended that Bediako remained within his five-year collegiate eligibility period, an NCAA regulation currently facing multiple legal challenges. Initially, a judge granted a temporary restraining order allowing him to compete while litigation continued, and he participated in five games. However, a different judge subsequently removed the order, a ruling that the Alabama Supreme Court upheld.

Nnaji’s situation differed significantly. The Nigerian player was chosen by the Detroit Pistons in the second round but competed professionally overseas before enrolling at Baylor as a first-year student in December. He received eligibility approval because he had never signed an NBA contract or participated in G League games.

The committee also recommended allowing prospective students to establish relationships with agents before college enrollment. Current NCAA regulations restrict agent agreements to name, image and likeness matters only, with exceptions for baseball and hockey players who may work with agents following draft selection.

Additionally, the proposals would permit athletes to accept prize money from competitions in their sports without jeopardizing their eligibility status. Present rules limit prize money acceptance to covering actual and necessary expenses, though tennis players may receive up to $10,000 in prize money.

Miami’s Sandy Alcantara delivered a dominant pitching performance Wednesday, tossing a three-hit shutout on just 93 pitches to power the Marlins to a commanding 10-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox at home.

Alcantara (2-0) was nearly flawless on the mound, recording seven strikeouts without issuing a single walk. The stellar outing marked his fifth complete-game shutout and represented the second “Maddux” of his career – a shutout completed in fewer than 100 pitches.

Offensively, Liam Hicks provided plenty of run support with a four-RBI performance, going 3-for-4 with his third home run of the young season. The victory improved Miami’s record to 5-1, while Chicago dropped to 1-5.

White Sox starter Shane Smith (0-2) struggled mightily, surrendering eight runs – seven of them earned – on eight hits across just three innings of work.

Braves 5, Athletics 1

Drake Baldwin’s four-RBI day backed Chris Sale’s outstanding pitching as Atlanta defeated Oakland in the series finale.

Sale (2-0) was nearly untouchable through six innings, allowing just one run on a single hit while facing 19 batters and retiring 18 of them. The veteran left-hander now sits at 2,858 career strikeouts, just 19 shy of former Braves legend Tom Glavine for 29th place all-time.

Oakland’s lone bright spot came from Shea Langeliers, who connected for his major league-leading fifth homer in the fourth inning. Langeliers finished 2-for-4, boosting his average to .375.

Orioles 8, Rangers 2

Baltimore’s offense exploded for eight runs, with Leody Taveras, Taylor Ward and Jeremiah Jackson each driving in two runs to help the Orioles salvage the final game of their three-game set against visiting Texas.

Dylan Beavers and Samuel Basallo each launched solo homers, with Beavers collecting three hits and scoring three times. Trevor Rogers (2-0) continued his strong start to the season, working six innings while allowing two runs on six hits.

Texas saw their four-game winning streak come to an end despite a homer from Corey Seager. Josh Jung finally broke out of an 0-for-18 slump with two singles for his first hits of the season. Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi (0-2) was tagged for six runs on eight hits in four innings.

Pirates 8, Reds 3

Oneil Cruz homered for the second consecutive game and Paul Skenes rebounded from a difficult season opener to guide Pittsburgh past Cincinnati on the road.

Cruz delivered the big blow in the first inning, crushing an 81 mph curveball from Cincinnati starter Andrew Abbott (0-1) 407 feet over the right field wall with two runners aboard, staking Pittsburgh to a 3-0 advantage. Skenes (1-1) responded with five solid innings, permitting one run on three hits.

Abbott lasted 5 2/3 innings, giving up four runs on five hits. The Reds got a two-run blast from Eugenio Suarez.

Rockies 2, Blue Jays 1 (10 innings)

Pinch-hitter Tyler Freeman delivered the decisive blow with an RBI single in the 10th inning, giving visiting Colorado a series-clinching victory over Toronto.

Freeman, who was activated prior to the game, came through against Brendon Little (0-1) by driving home Brenton Doyle from second base. Jimmy Herget closed out the win with a perfect 10th inning for his first save, while Brennan Bernardino (1-0) threw a clean ninth.

The Blue Jays wasted an excellent start from Kevin Gausman, who worked six scoreless frames while scattering two hits with 10 strikeouts and no walks. Toronto managed just one run on a Davis Schneider single in the third but stranded the bases loaded.

Cardinals 2, Mets 1 (11 innings)

Masyn Winn capped an exciting finish with a walk-off RBI single in the 11th inning, giving St. Louis a series victory over New York.

Gordon Graceffo (1-0) earned the win by recording the final two outs of the 11th, getting Brett Baty to ground into a force play at home before retiring Marcus Semien on a fly ball. Nolan Gorman provided the Cardinals’ earlier run with an RBI single in the sixth.

Juan Soto homered in the sixth for New York, but the Mets struggled with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-11 in those situations and falling to 1-2 in extra-inning games this season.

Cubs 6, Angels 2

Nico Hoerner led Chicago’s offensive attack with a 3-for-5 performance that included two doubles, while Matt Shaw contributed two hits and two RBIs in the Cubs’ series-deciding victory over Los Angeles.

Matthew Boyd (1-1) bounced back from an Opening Day setback to earn the victory, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits across 5 2/3 innings while striking out 10. Michael Busch added two hits and a run for Chicago.

The Angels managed only four hits on a frigid 39-degree afternoon with strong winds. Zach Neto had two hits and scored a run for Los Angeles, which finished their season-opening road trip at 3-4. Yusei Kikuchi (0-1) allowed five runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

Royals 13, Twins 9

Jonathan India blasted his fifth career grand slam and Kyle Isbel went deep among his four hits, powering Kansas City to a high-scoring victory over Minnesota at home.

Maikel Garcia drove in three runs as the Royals received tremendous production from their bottom four hitters – India, Jac Caglianone, Isaac Collins and Isbel – who combined to go 10-for-16 with eight RBIs and nine runs scored. Noah Cameron (1-0) won his season debut by allowing one run on four hits over five innings.

Minnesota rallied with eight runs over their final three at-bats, highlighted by Josh Bell’s three-run homer in the ninth, before Lucas Erceg retired both batters he faced to secure his second save.

Astros 6, Red Sox 4

Carlos Correa’s clutch two-out, three-run homer in the fifth inning proved to be the difference as Houston completed a three-game sweep of visiting Boston.

Both Correa and Christian Vazquez went deep for the Astros, while Yordan Alvarez finished 2-for-3 with a double and two runs. Houston has now won five straight after starting the season 0-2. Mike Burrows (1-1) worked five innings while allowing two runs.

Boston mounted a late comeback attempt with home runs from Wilyer Abreu in the eighth and Roman Anthony in the ninth, but fell short. Garrett Crochet (1-1) was charged with five runs (four earned) over five innings.

Phillies 6, Nationals 5 (10 innings)

Edmundo Sosa tied the game with a two-run single in the ninth inning, then Justin Crawford delivered a walk-off single in the 10th to cap Philadelphia’s dramatic comeback victory over visiting Washington.

Crawford, playing in just his fifth major league contest, lined the first pitch from Cole Henry (0-1) past the drawn-in infield to trigger a dugout celebration. Philadelphia trailed 5-1 through seven innings but rallied to win consecutive games for the first time this season.

CJ Abrams connected for a three-run homer for Washington, while Joey Wiemer continued his hot start with two hits, a walk and two runs.

Brewers 8, Rays 2

Christian Yelich broke a tie with a two-run single during a decisive six-run eighth inning, leading Milwaukee to a comeback victory over Tampa Bay at home.

Both Yelich and Garrett Mitchell went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run, while Brice Turang added a two-run homer. The win was Milwaukee’s fifth in six games to start the season. Jacob Misiorowski allowed two runs on four hits over six innings, and Aaron Ashby (2-0) threw a scoreless eighth.

Tampa Bay got a two-run homer from Yandy Diaz and two hits from Chandler Simpson. Starter Drew Rasmussen pitched five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits with eight strikeouts.

Diamondbacks 1, Tigers 0

Corbin Carroll became the sixth left-handed batter to homer off Tarik Skubal, and that solo shot held up as Arizona completed a three-game sweep of Detroit in Phoenix.

Carroll drove a 97 mph fastball over the left-center field fence as the second batter of the bottom of the first inning for his second homer of the season. Zac Gallen and three Arizona relievers made the early lead stand up.

Two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Skubal (1-1) scattered six hits over seven innings in defeat. Gallen (1-1) allowed four hits across six scoreless frames.

Guardians 4, Dodgers 1

Gavin Williams dominated with 10 strikeouts over seven shutout innings, while Gabriel Arias and Jose Ramirez homered to lead Cleveland past Los Angeles in the series finale.

Williams (1-1) surrendered just two hits and three walks as the Guardians finished their season-opening road trip with a 4-3 record.

Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-1) permitted two runs on four hits across six innings. Freddie Freeman spoiled the shutout bid with a two-out homer in the ninth.

Yankees 5, Mariners 3

Cam Schlittler tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings to lead New York past Seattle on the road.

The Yankees won five of six games on their season-opening trip, outscoring opponents 24-6. Paul Goldschmidt launched a three-run homer and Ben Rice added a solo shot for New York, which took the final two games after dropping the series opener.

Schlittler (2-0) allowed two hits while striking out seven without issuing a walk. David Bednar worked the final 1 1/3 innings for his third save. Seattle got a two-run single from Cal Raleigh, while George Kirby (1-1) surrendered four runs on five hits over six innings.

Padres 7, Giants 1

Ramon Laureano launched a two-run homer and Nick Pivetta allowed just one hit across five shutout innings as San Diego avoided a series sweep against visiting San Francisco.

Pivetta (1-1) struck out eight while walking two in his dominant outing. Mason Miller closed out the final 1 1/3 innings for his second save. Laureano, Manny Machado and Gavin Sheets each collected two hits for the Padres.

Giants starter Adrian Houser (0-1) gave up three runs, one earned, over 5 1/3 innings in his season debut. Luis Arraez had three of San Francisco’s four hits.

San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama delivered a spectacular performance Wednesday night, scoring 41 points and grabbing 18 rebounds to power the Spurs to a dominant 127-113 victory over the undermanned Golden State Warriors in San Francisco.

The stellar showing helped San Antonio (58-18) secure their 10th straight victory, pulling them within just two games of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the top spot in the Western Conference. Stephon Castle and Julian Champagnie each contributed 15 points to support Wembanyama’s offensive explosion.

Wembanyama’s 41-point outburst came in only 29 minutes of action, equaling his season-best mark from San Antonio’s previous contest against Chicago on Monday. After collecting 16 rebounds in that Bulls game, Wembanyama made franchise history by becoming the first Spurs player ever to post back-to-back games with 40 points and double-digit rebounds.

For Golden State (36-40), Nate Williams paced seven players reaching double figures with 18 points, just one shy of his career best. The loss dropped the Warriors 2.5 games behind Portland in the battle for ninth place in the Western Conference.

In other NBA action, Jaylen Brown exploded for 43 points while Jayson Tatum recorded a triple-double with 25 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists as Boston demolished Miami 147-129. Sam Hauser connected on five three-pointers and added 23 points for the Celtics, who shot an impressive 58.3% from the field.

Bam Adebayo topped Miami with 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Davion Mitchell chipped in 21 points. The Heat have now dropped eight of their last 10 contests, surrendering at least 121 points in each of those eight defeats.

Paul George established a new high as a Philadelphia player with 39 points, leading the 76ers to a 153-131 rout of Washington despite playing without Joel Embiid. George shot 15-of-22 from the floor and knocked down six three-pointers in 30 minutes of work. Tyrese Maxey contributed 28 points and rookie VJ Edgecombe added 23 as Philadelphia shot a season-best 61.6% from the field.

Anthony Gill paced Washington with 21 points off the bench, including three long-range shots. Will Riley scored 18 and Tristan Vukcevic contributed 17 for the Wizards.

New York snapped a three-game slide with a 130-119 wire-to-wire victory over Memphis, shooting an incredible 70.7% from the floor in the first half. OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 25 points, scoring 17 in the final quarter, while Mikal Bridges added 24 points. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, with Jalen Brunson sidelined due to a right ankle injury.

Memphis received 20 points from GG Jackson, 17 from Olivier-Maxence Prosper and 15 from Cedric Coward. The injury-ravaged Grizzlies, who had four players on 10-day contracts, have now lost seven of their last eight games and were dominated on the boards 49-20.

Atlanta crushed Orlando 130-101 behind Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 32 points and a near triple-double from Jalen Johnson. Alexander-Walker shot 11-of-16 overall and 5-of-9 from three-point range as the Hawks captured their third consecutive victory and 18th win in 21 games since the All-Star break. Johnson finished with 18 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.

Jamal Cain led Orlando with 17 points off the bench, while the Magic were outscored 105-73 after the opening quarter. Franz Wagner returned from a 22-game absence due to a high ankle sprain and scored 12 points.

In Salt Lake City, Jamal Murray tied his career record with 10 three-pointers and scored 37 points as Denver defeated Utah 130-117 for their 10th consecutive victory over the Jazz. Nikola Jokic posted his 196th career triple-double with 15 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists, while Cameron Johnson added 19 points for the Nuggets’ seventh straight win.

Brice Sensabaugh made six three-pointers and scored 28 points for Utah, with Kyle Filipowski contributing 25 points and 12 rebounds. The Jazz extended their losing streak to seven games and have now lost 19 of their past 22 contests.

Pascal Siakam scored 25 points and rookie Ethan Thompson posted a career-high 24 as Indiana rolled past Chicago 145-126, setting a season-high point total. The Pacers completed a four-game season series sweep of the Bulls while winning back-to-back road games for only the second time this season.

Chicago trailed by as many as 28 points en route to their fifth straight defeat. Guerschon Yabusele led the Bulls with 20 points, while Matas Buzelis recorded 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

Reed Sheppard scored 27 points and Alperen Sengun added 25 as Houston held off injury-riddled Milwaukee 119-113 to extend their winning streak to four games. Sheppard connected on a career-high nine three-pointers while Sengun shot 9-for-13 and pulled down nine rebounds.

Despite missing their top six scorers, Milwaukee fought back from a 20-point third-quarter deficit. Ousmane Dieng set career highs with 36 points and 10 assists while adding seven rebounds, Cormac Ryan scored a career-best 25 points, and Pete Nance added 23. Jericho Sims grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds for the Bucks.

DeMar DeRozan and Precious Achiuwa each scored 28 points as Sacramento upset their former team Toronto 123-115. DeRozan tallied 26 of his points in the second half to reach 26,688 career points, passing Dominique Wilkins for 17th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Achiuwa grabbed 19 rebounds as the Kings ended a four-game losing streak.

RJ Barrett and Collin Murray-Boyles each scored 20 points for Toronto, which has lost two in a row. Jakob Poeltl contributed 18 points while Scottie Barnes recorded 14 points and 10 assists.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Medical examiners have confirmed that a former professional rugby player from New Zealand who took his own life last year was suffering from severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain condition caused by repeated head trauma.

Coroner Ian Telford revealed the findings Thursday during preliminary proceedings examining the death of Shane Christie, who was 39 when he died in August.

The brain condition, known as CTE, gradually destroys brain tissue and can trigger mood disorders, reckless behavior, and severe depression. Medical professionals can only identify the disease through examination after death.

Christie had represented New Zealand Maori and suspected he was battling CTE. He became an advocate for better awareness of the condition following the suicide of his close friend Billy Guyton, another professional rugby player.

Similar brain abnormalities have been connected to deaths among National Football League athletes and competitors in hockey and soccer.

Those close to Christie expressed that he wished for his medical results to be shared publicly to help educate other athletes experiencing similar symptoms.

The former Crusaders and Highlanders Super Rugby player stepped away from the sport in 2018 due to ongoing complications from multiple head injuries.

According to the coroner, pathologist Dr. Clinton Turner determined Christie had chronic traumatic encephalopathy at an advanced level. Turner conducts research at the University of Auckland brain research facility, where both Guyton and Christie had arranged to donate their brain tissue.

The coroner emphasized that Turner’s findings represent medical opinion, and that Christie’s official cause of death will be established through the formal investigation process.

New Zealand Rugby’s chief executive Steve Lancaster acknowledged to local media that his organization understands the connection between repetitive head trauma and CTE, calling it a serious concern.

“New Zealand Rugby acknowledges the CTE pathology results for Shane Christie confirmed by The Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank. We also acknowledge and respect the role of the coroner to determine the nature of any inquiry they may hold examining the cause and circumstances of Shane’s passing,” Lancaster stated.

“We share the concerns about the potential long-term effects of repeated head knocks in rugby and support the need for ongoing research into this,” he added.

In one of the most surprising upsets of the NHL season, the Vancouver Canucks managed to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 8-6 in Denver Wednesday night, despite nearly surrendering a commanding four-goal advantage.

Brock Boeser led the charge for Vancouver with his seventh regular-season hat trick while also contributing an assist. The victory marked a season-high scoring performance for the Canucks (22-44-8, 52 points), who snapped a six-game losing streak against the league’s top team.

Teddy Blueger found the net twice for Vancouver, while Marcus Pettersson tallied one goal and two assists. Max Sasson chipped in with a goal and assist, Jake DeBrusk also scored, and both Drew O’Connor and Marco Rossi recorded two assists each.

Goaltender Kevin Lankinen made 24 saves for the Canucks, who currently sit at the bottom of the NHL standings with the fewest points. Meanwhile, Colorado holds the league’s best record with 108 points.

The Avalanche (49-15-10, 108 points) mounted an impressive comeback from a 6-2 deficit, eventually tying the game when Sam Malinski netted his second goal of the evening at the 13:58 mark of the third period. However, Pettersson responded just 23 seconds later, and Boeser sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 18:31.

Nathan MacKinnon reached a milestone for Colorado, scoring his league-leading 50th goal of the season. Malinski also registered an assist, Brent Burns contributed a goal and assist, and Gabriel Landeskog and Parker Kelly added goals for the Avalanche.

In other NHL action, Trevor Moore scored 1:56 into overtime to give Los Angeles a 2-1 victory over visiting St. Louis. Adrian Kempe scored in regulation and Anton Forsberg stopped 23 shots as the Kings jumped into the second wild-card position in the Western Conference, leapfrogging Nashville.

Robert Thomas scored for St. Louis, which has now lost consecutive games after a four-game winning streak. Jordan Binnington made 24 saves in the losing effort.

San Jose completed a dramatic comeback against visiting Anaheim, winning 4-3 on goals by Macklin Celebrini and Alexander Wennberg in the final two minutes. After pulling goalie Yaroslav Askarov for an extra attacker, Celebrini tied the game 3-3 with 1:39 remaining on a wrist shot from above the left circle, marking his 40th goal of the season. Wennberg then scored the winner from the high slot off a Celebrini pass with 31 seconds left.

Celebrini finished with two goals and two assists, Will Smith had a goal and two assists, and Askarov made 28 saves for San Jose, which sits one point behind the West’s second wild-card spot. For Anaheim, which leads the Pacific Division, Ryan Poehling, Alex Killorn and Troy Terry scored, Drew Helleson had two assists, and Lukas Dostal stopped 17 shots.

Slovakia’s Alex Molcan delivered a stunning performance Wednesday, defeating Canada’s top-seeded Gabriel Diallo 6-2, 6-2 in second-round action at the Tiriac Open in Bucharest, Romania. The victory marked Molcan’s return to ATP Tour competition for the first time since 2024.

The 28-year-old Molcan has experienced a dramatic slide in the world rankings, dropping from his peak position of 38th four years ago down to 189th entering this week’s tournament. Despite his lower ranking, Molcan demonstrated clutch play when it mattered most, successfully defending six of seven break point opportunities against Diallo.

Other notable results from Bucharest included Portugal’s fourth-seeded Nuno Borges suffering an elimination, losing 7-6 (1), 6-4 to Damir Dzumhur from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Argentina’s seventh-seeded Mariano Navone dominated Denmark’s Elmer Moller with a convincing 6-2, 6-1 victory, while the Netherlands’ eighth-seeded Botic Van De Zandschulp overcame Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko 7-5, 6-1.

At the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston, defending titlist Ben Shelton began his campaign with a hard-fought 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) triumph over China’s Zhizhen Zhang in second-round play.

The top-seeded American, who received a bye in the opening round, dominated the serve count with a 21-12 advantage in aces. Both competitors held serve throughout the entire match, with each player successfully saving one break point opportunity.

Shelton’s quarterfinal opponent will be Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante, who demolished American Mackenzie McDonald 6-2, 6-0.

Two additional Argentine players secured advancement, with sixth-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry rallying from a set down to defeat Australia’s Alex Bolt 6-7 (5), 6-0, 6-3. Roman Andres Burruchaga also moved forward, dispatching Australia’s Adam Walton 6-2, 6-3.

The evening concluded with American fourth seed Tommy Paul mounting a comeback victory over Paraguay’s Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

At the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech, Morocco, Italy’s top-seeded Luciano Darderi prevailed in an all-Italian battle against Mattia Bellucci 6-4, 6-2.

Despite Bellucci’s 8-2 edge in aces, he failed to create any break point chances against Darderi’s serve. Darderi’s superior second-serve performance proved decisive, winning 14 of 17 points compared to Bellucci’s 6 of 25, while converting three of nine break opportunities.

Argentine qualifier Marco Trungelliti pulled off an upset against Poland’s fifth-seeded Kamil Majchrzak 7-6 (4), 6-3. France’s third-seeded Corentin Moutet dominated local favorite Taha Baadi of Morocco 6-0, 6-2, and sixth-seeded Vit Kopriva eliminated Serbia’s Hamad Medjedovic in three sets 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-2.

Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Puka Nacua entered a rehabilitation program before facing a recent lawsuit that accuses him of assault and battery, his legal representative confirms.

Attorney Levi McCathern told The California Post that the All-Pro player had already been in treatment for “a substantial period of time before any of these allegations broke” and “he’s scheduled to be there for a while longer.”

The legal action was filed late last month by a woman claiming Nacua attacked her on New Year’s Eve, allegedly making an antisemitic comment and biting her shoulder during the incident.

According to McCathern, Nacua’s rehabilitation wasn’t a reaction to the legal troubles but rather an effort “to improve his overall behavior in every aspect of his life.”

The incident follows a December apology from Nacua after he made a gesture referencing antisemitic stereotypes during an online livestream appearance.

Since joining the Rams as a fifth-round draft pick from Brigham Young University in 2023, Nacua has established himself as one of the NFL’s most effective receivers. During the previous season, he topped the league with 129 receptions while accumulating 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns across his first three professional campaigns.

The talented receiver becomes eligible for a contract extension with Los Angeles during the upcoming offseason.

Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Puka Nacua voluntarily admitted himself to a rehabilitation center in March, his legal representative confirmed Wednesday.

Lawyer Levi McCathern revealed that Nacua enrolled in the facility before a woman filed for a temporary restraining order and initiated civil litigation against the player.

“Puka takes responsibility for his well-being and increasing his performance during the offseason,” McCathern stated in a release shared with NFL Network. “So, in early March … Puka voluntarily entered a holistic care facility to focus on his personal growth.”

The 24-year-old receiver earned All-Pro honors after leading the NFL with 129 receptions for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games during the previous season, though recent controversies have overshadowed his on-field success.

Last December, Nacua drew criticism for performing what appeared to be an antisemitic gesture during a touchdown celebration on a live broadcast. He subsequently issued an apology, stating he “had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature.”

The current legal case involves allegations stemming from a New Year’s Eve incident that became public last week. The lawsuit accuses the young receiver of making antisemitic comments at a dinner gathering and allegedly biting two women during separate encounters.

McCathern has disputed claims about any offensive remarks and characterized the biting incidents as “horseplay.”

Speaking to multiple media outlets Wednesday, McCathern attempted to present his client more favorably, explaining that Nacua sought treatment to “improve his overall behavior in every aspect of his life.”

The attorney’s statement to NFL Network emphasized that “He is committed to using this time constructively so that he can return in the best possible position — both personally and professionally — to continue contributing to his team and the game he loves.”

According to the statement, Nacua plans to finish the rehabilitation program before the Rams begin their organized team activities, which typically occur in late May or early June.

The civil complaint against Nacua includes charges of gender violence, assault and battery, and negligence.

Since being selected by Los Angeles in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft from BYU, Nacua has earned two Pro Bowl honors across three seasons, accumulating 313 catches for 4,191 yards and 19 touchdowns. His performance makes him eligible for a contract extension.

Rams officials have remained cautious about publicly discussing extension plans, instead emphasizing the importance of Nacua’s development both on and off the playing field.

“We are hopeful that he’s a Ram for a really long time, but he understands what the responsibility is, not exclusive to just the production on the field,” head coach Sean McVay commented earlier this offseason.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke found himself behind bars Wednesday afternoon after being taken into custody in Arkansas on multiple charges, including drug possession and trafficking of a controlled substance.

The 29-year-old basketball player was processed at the Cross County, Arkansas detention facility at 1:03 p.m. Central Time, according to records from the Cross County Sheriff’s Office. Along with the drug-related allegations, Clarke faces two traffic violations: improper passing and fleeing in a vehicle while speeding.

The arrest occurred in Cross County, Arkansas, which sits roughly 55 miles to the west of Memphis.

Sheriff’s office records do not specify whether the charges against Clarke are classified as misdemeanors or felonies. A booking photograph of the NBA player appears on the facility’s website.

When asked about the situation, Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo acknowledged he was “aware of the reports” but declined to provide additional commentary regarding Clarke’s legal troubles before Wednesday evening’s matchup against the New York Knicks at home.

Clarke is currently in his seventh year playing for Memphis. His 2024 season has been severely limited, appearing in only two contests. A right knee injury sidelined him at the season’s start, and after returning to action in mid-December, he suffered a right calf injury during his second game back.

The team officially declared Clarke out for the remainder of the season on March 24.

Throughout his Memphis career, Clarke has maintained statistical averages of 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds across 309 games, with 50 of those being starts.

Chicago Bears leadership is expressing confidence about finalizing their new stadium plans following NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s recent comments that time is running short for the franchise to make a decision.

Team president and CEO Kevin Warren shared his optimism during Wednesday’s NFL league meetings, stating the organization is in a strong position. “I recently said that the target is to make sure that we have a decision made by springtime here soon. Late spring, early summer would be that from a target,” Warren explained.

The Bears began pursuing a new venue five years ago when they acquired 326 acres in Arlington Heights, Illinois, a northwestern suburb of Chicago. However, the project has faced obstacles related to public financing, while Indiana has emerged as an alternative with proposals for a covered stadium in Hammond, just 35 miles from Chicago.

Both the Arlington Heights location and the Indiana option would feature indoor facilities. Bears chairman George H. McCaskey has set his sights on opening the new venue for the 2029 NFL season.

The team’s current venue, Soldier Field, dates back to 1924, making it the NFL’s most antiquated facility. While the Bears relocated there from Wrigley Field in 1971, the stadium lacks contemporary features found in newer arenas. With only 61,500 seats, it holds the distinction of being the league’s smallest capacity venue, and the Bears don’t have ownership rights, limiting their control over parking revenue, concession sales, and facility branding.

A renovation completed in 2002 has been widely criticized as an unsuccessful redesign effort.

Commissioner Goodell addressed the stadium situation during Tuesday’s proceedings. “They need to find a solution for a stadium,” Goodell stated at his annual meeting press conference. “They have looked not only in Indiana but also in Illinois at other sites, and invested in a site. I think they have been responsible in that fact.”

“I think it’s really important that they come to a resolution on this relatively soon. … This is an important time to get this resolved sooner rather than later,” Goodell added.

McCaskey has indicated he’s prepared to accept either location, even if it means leaving Illinois behind. “When the Bears moved from Wrigley Field to Soldier Field, it required an adjustment,” McCaskey noted. “When we went to Champaign, it required an adjustment. And whether we go to Arlington Park or to Hammond, there is going to be an adjustment period. People are going to have to be allowed some time to get used to it. I think Bears fans are up to it.”

Veteran Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo disclosed that he came very close to accepting the head coaching position with the Phoenix Suns during the previous offseason, revealing the difficult decision involved his former player Mat Ishbia, who owns the NBA team.

The 71-year-old coach shared these details during an appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show” this Wednesday while discussing his past opportunities to coach in the professional ranks.

“I was a lot younger, but I have (had) more than a couple of job offers in the NBA and looked at one last year with Phoenix,” Izzo explained during the interview.

“My former player, Mat Ishbia — that was hard. That was a hard thing to turn down because … I kind of wanted to go with him.”

Ishbia played as a walk-on guard for the Spartans, participating in 48 games across three seasons from 1999 to 2002 and contributing to Michigan State’s 2000 national championship squad.

When Patrick inquired whether Izzo received a formal offer for the Phoenix position, the coach responded carefully.

“Well, we talked seriously about it, let’s say that,” Izzo stated. “And then No. 2 is, I’ve been pretty vocal about it, I don’t like what’s going on in college athletics, but by the way, neither do 99.98% of the football and basketball coaches in America.”

Instead of Izzo, Ishbia ultimately selected Jordan Ott for the role, who previously served as a video coordinator at Michigan State. Ott spent five seasons working under Izzo before departing following the 2012-13 campaign to join the Atlanta Hawks in a similar capacity.

Under Ott’s leadership, the Suns have compiled a 42-34 record this season and remain competitive for a top-six playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Throughout his three-decade tenure at Michigan State, Izzo has previously weighed NBA opportunities with the Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Atlanta discussions occurred immediately following Michigan State’s 2000 championship victory, while he declined Cleveland’s offer after the Spartans’ 2010 Final Four elimination by Butler.

Izzo’s impressive Michigan State career includes a 764-310 overall record and eight Final Four appearances with the program.

This past season, the Spartans finished 27-8 before falling to UConn in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 round.

The accomplished coach received induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.

MIAMI — Boston achieved something unprecedented in their franchise’s long and celebrated history during Wednesday night’s matchup against Miami.

The Celtics exploded for 53 points during the game’s first 12 minutes, establishing a new team record for most points scored in an opening quarter against the Heat.

This offensive explosion ranks as the second-highest first-quarter point total in NBA regular season history. Only Golden State’s 55-point opening frame against Portland on April 9, 2023, surpassed it, while Miami previously matched the 53-point mark in their November 7 contest versus Charlotte.

The performance marked Boston’s second-highest scoring quarter overall in team history. The Celtics previously scored 54 points during a fourth quarter against San Diego on February 25, 1970. For Miami, it represented the most points they’ve ever surrendered in any single quarter, eclipsing the 50 points they allowed during a fourth quarter at Seattle on January 5, 1990.

Boston connected on 11 three-point shots during the opening frame, with Sam Hauser delivering a perfect 5-for-5 performance from long range while playing every minute of the quarter. Jaylen Brown contributed 20 points individually during the period — marking his ninth career 20-point quarter including postseason play — while Hauser added 17 points.

The Celtics held a commanding 53-33 advantage after the first quarter, having shot an impressive 20-for-28 from the floor and 11-for-15 from three-point territory.

University of Kansas basketball coach Bill Self has confirmed he will continue leading the Jayhawks program through the 2026-27 season, following conversations with his family about his coaching career.

The 63-year-old coach expressed his continued passion for guiding the Jayhawks toward championship success.

“Jayhawk Nation, with renewed clarity and the ongoing support from our administration, I remain focused and committed to Kansas Basketball competing for a National Championship,” Self stated in a university social media post. “I look forward to seeing and hearing the best fans in college basketball next season at Allen Fieldhouse.”

Self has captured two national championships across his 23-year tenure at Kansas, beginning his leadership role in 2003. However, recent years have brought significant health challenges for the veteran coach.

During 2023, Self was sidelined from both the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments due to serious cardiac complications. Medical procedures included inserting two stents to address blocked arteries.

Additional cardiac stents were placed in July 2025.

This past January, Self required hospitalization at Lawrence Memorial Hospital after experiencing illness, receiving intravenous treatment and missing the team’s road game against Colorado.

Following Kansas’s 24-11 season that ended with a second-round NCAA Tournament defeat to St. John’s, Self had indicated he would consult with family members before determining his future plans.

Under Self’s guidance, the Jayhawks claimed national championships in 2008 and 2022. However, since that most recent title, Kansas has compiled a 68-35 record across three consecutive seasons with double-digit losses, marking the first such stretch since the late 1980s.

Self’s Kansas record stands at 648-167, with NCAA Tournament appearances in every season of his tenure.

His overall coaching record reaches 855-272, including previous positions at Oral Roberts from 1993-97, Tulsa from 1997-2000, and Illinois from 2000-2003.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inducted Self in 2017.

Michigan’s starting point guard Elliot Cadeau remained behind when his teammates departed for Indianapolis on Wednesday after suffering an allergic reaction to food, team officials announced.

The junior guard is scheduled to join the Wolverines later Wednesday night as the team gears up for their national semifinal showdown against Arizona this Saturday.

“Before the team departed the Player Development Center today, Elliot alerted the medical staff that he may have had an allergic reaction to something that he ate,” Michigan spokesperson Tom Wywrot said in the statement. “The doctors evaluated Elliot and he is fine. Out of an abundance of caution, he is receiving medical supervision and will be traveling to Indianapolis later today.”

The former North Carolina player has been a key contributor for Michigan this season, starting every one of the team’s 38 games in his first year wearing the maize and blue. Cadeau has posted career-high numbers with 10.2 points per contest while pacing the Wolverines with 5.8 assists per game. The junior ranks among three Michigan players who have knocked down more than 60 three-point shots this season, shooting an impressive 37.7 percent from long range.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced this week that the Tisch family no longer holds ownership of the New York Giants and that league investigators found no violations of conduct policies following their review of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents.

The announcement comes after Steve Tisch’s name appeared 440 times in Justice Department files connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which were made public on January 30, 2026. Following the document release, Steve Tisch and his siblings Laurie and Jonathan moved forward with plans to transfer their ownership interests to trusts established for their children.

The NFL has given approval for these ownership transfers. Despite no longer being owners, all three family members continue in their management positions with the Giants organization. Steve Tisch, age 76, maintains his role as Executive Vice President and board chairman, while Laurie serves as a board director and Jonathan holds positions as both treasurer and board director.

Speaking at league meetings in Phoenix, Goodell addressed the investigation’s findings. “As we said (prior to Super Bowl LX), we were going to follow the facts,” Goodell explained. “We have been doing that. We’ve been very focused on making sure we understand everything that’s out there. We’ve engaged with others to make sure we have that information.”

The commissioner continued, “As you know, the Tisch family also made some family changes. Steve and Jon and Laurie actually did some transactions as part of their estate planning. They’re no longer owners. But we have not found anything that’s a violation at this stage.”

The Tisch family originally acquired their 50 percent interest in the Giants organization from the Mara family back in 1991.