Good morning to everybody however particularly to…
THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
It’s a brand new day for one of many NFL’s historic franchises tarnished by its current previous. Commanders proprietor Dan Snyder has reached a preliminary, nonexclusive deal to promote the crew for $6 billion to Josh Harris and his group of consumers.
It’s laborious to understate how large of a deal that is. Snyder purchased the Commanders in 1999 for $800 million and proceeded to run a once-proud group into the bottom.
The crew has as many playoff wins as identify adjustments (two) beneath Snyder, who grew up a fan of the crew. Only the Browns and Lions have fewer postseason wins over that span.Snyder typically intervened within the crew’s operations, which led to splashy however unproductive participant acquisitions and coach hirings. Former coach Jay Gruden stated Snyder “would are available in off his yacht and make the decide” through the NFL Draft, overruling the crew’s personnel division.
The crew’s failures on the sector, although, pale compared to the off-field points, which vary from embarrassing to damning to horrifying. Here are some current controversies:
Long story brief, the Commanders went from flagship franchise to laughingstock beneath Snyder. It will take some time to get issues on observe, however it is a obligatory step ahead.
Honorable mentions
Not so honorable mentions
NBA playoff subject is almost finalized 🏀
USATSI
Tomorrow, we start the great, exhilarating trip that’s the NBA playoffs. Fourteen of the 16 seeds are locked in, and the 8 seeds in every convention will be a part of them tonight.
Here are the matchups:
Bulls at Heat
Thunder at Timberwolves (Minnesota has damage points)
No one was a much bigger winner Thursday than the Warriors, although: Andrew Wiggins is again and will likely be out there for tomorrow’s Game 1 in opposition to the Kings.
Wiggins has not performed since Feb. 13 whereas coping with a household matter.He averaged 17.1 factors this season whereas capturing a career-high 39.6% from 3.
Wiggins will probably come off the bench and play 20-25 minutes in Game 1, per stories.
I wrote about Wiggins’ potential return final week, however this is how vital he’s: The Stephen Curry/Klay Thompson/Wiggins/Draymond Green/Kevon Looney lineup has a +21.9 web score, by far one of the best of any NBA lineup that is performed a minimum of 300 minutes this season.
Speaking of lineups, our Sam Quinn took a have a look at the six most vital lineups within the Western Conference. For the 1 seed Nuggets, it might come right down to their bench.
Quinn: “The Nuggets needn’t win these minutes. They have to survive them. There are numerous methods to try this, however this group will hopefully achieve this by way of hustle and Jamal Murray‘s particular person brilliance. That cannot carry them for 40 minutes. It can hold them afloat for 4 or 5 at a time.”
I additionally actually cherished James Herbert’s function on a member of the Grizzlies bench, John Konchar.
In the East, Joel Embiid and James Harden have a ton of strain to carry out, writes our Michael Kaskey-Blomain.
With a wide-open West and three dominant groups within the East, this postseason will likely be superior. Be positive to maintain up with professional predictions, evaluation and extra right here. In the meantime, this is the playoff schedule.
Stanley Cup Playoffs preview: Can anybody within the East beat the Bruins? 🏒
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After 30 of the 32 groups have been in motion Thursday and simply two video games tonight, the matchups for the primary spherical of the Stanley Cup Playoffs are practically set.
All season lengthy, everybody has been trying up on the record-setting Bruins. Is there anybody within the East who can cease Boston? Our Chris Bengel took a have a look at three groups with one of the best likelihood to take action, together with…
Bengel: “Maple Leafs — You all know the story, but it surely must be repeated right here: sure, it has been the identical tune and dance on the subject of the Maple Leafs over the previous a number of seasons. If they really — lastly — could make it out of the primary spherical, something is feasible. … Ryan O’Reilly has a boatload of postseason expertise and even gained a Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019. … If Auston Matthews and firm can produce offensively and Toronto will get stable goaltending, they definitely have an honest likelihood to take down their Atlantic Division rivals.”
Easier stated than finished, after all, however the postseason is commonly a completely totally different animal, stuffed with surprises. It all begins Monday.
Rays tie MLB file with 13-0 begin however Springs leaves with damage ⚾
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The Rays tied the 1987 Brewers and 1982 Braves for the fashionable MLB file with their thirteenth consecutive wins to open the season, however they paid a serious worth for it.
Starter Jeffrey Springs left the sport within the fourth inning of an eventual 9-3 win over the Red Sox and was identified with left ulnar neuritis.
The hope for Springs is that it is simply irritation of the ulnar nerve and nothing extra. The ulnar collateral ligament is what’s reconstructed throughout Tommy John surgical procedure, so it is a regarding space to have points with.Springs will endure extra testing right this moment. After a breakout 2022 season, he has been even higher early this season: 2-0 file with an 0.56 ERA, 24 strikeouts and simply 4 walks in 16 innings pitched.The Rays used a seven-run fifth inning to surge previous Boston for the collection sweep. Harold Ramirez — who led off the inning with a double and later scored — had a three-run double to bust issues open. He’s the primary Rays participant with a number of doubles in a single inning since 2011.
The Rays’ 13-game successful streak is longest in franchise historical past, and so they’re not scraping by in nail-biters. They’ve outscored opponents 101-30 (+71 run differential). For reference, the 1987 Brewers have been +38 by way of 13 video games, and the 1982 Braves have been +32. Here’s every part to learn about Tampa Bay’s unbelievable begin.
Elsewhere in baseball…
What we’re watching this weekend 📺
🏀 The NBA playoffs start this weekend. Here’s the schedule.
Friday
🏀 Bulls at Heat, 7 p.m. on TNT
🏀 Thunder at Timberwolves, 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
Saturday
⚾ Brewers at Padres, 4:05 p.m. on FS1
Sunday
⚾ Rangers at Astros, 7 p.m. oN ESPN
