標籤: early

The Cleveland Browns have one of the most intriguing quarterback rooms in the NFL at the moment, making for an interesting position battle that will last all summer. While NFL training camp is still a few months away, it appears the Browns have an early leader in the quarterback competition.

during an appearance on sports center This weekend, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler reported that Deshaun Watson has “hit it out” with Browns head coach Todd Monken and some around the league believe he could win the starting job.

“He’s already been a factor on the practice field. I’m told he’s worked with Todd Monken, who has an offensive concept, some elements that Watson has run in the past and has gotten the best of them…Talking to people around the league, he believes Watson can ultimately earn this job.”

Jeremy Fowler on Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns QB competition

Watson, who turns 31 in September, last played in the regular season on Oct. 20, 2024. He has recovered from two Achilles tears and it appears his NFL career is in danger of being over by 2025.

This set the stage for Shadure Sanders, who was viewed as the early favorite to be named the Browns’ starting quarterback in 2026. Although he did not play well in his rookie season, posting an 18.9 ESPN QBR with a 7-10 TD-INT line, there was optimism he would improve with a revamped supporting cast in Cleveland.

However, Fowler’s reporting supports what Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot has said in recent weeks. In late April, she wrote for Cleveland.com that Watson had the “inside track” to winning the contest.

Regardless of who is named the Browns’ starting quarterback for Week 1, we’ll likely see both Watson and Sanders on the field in 2026. Given how both of them have performed in Cleveland, there’s also a real possibility that Dillon Gabriel will get some opportunities this fall.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The Philadelphia Phillies fired manager Rob Thompson after a 9–19 start to the season, and promoted Don Mattingly to interim captain. While the organization’s focus is now focused on the remainder of the season, there is much discussion as to who will be the manager next season.

The Athletic’s Matt Gelb and Ken Rosenthal reported earlier this week that, days after being fired by the Boston Red Sox, Alex Cora had turned down the opportunity to replace Thomson in Philadelphia.

Cora, age 50, still has the remainder of his contract with Boston. Accepting the opportunity to become the next manager of the Phillies would result in the Red Sox losing out on paying him. As a result, Cora is taking leave so that her former employer can continue paying her.

Mattingly appears to be an option to retain the position with Philadelphia next season. Ultimately, the same organization offered Thomson a full-time role as interim captain during the 2022 MLB season after posting a 65-46 record with 11 postseason wins.

However, Mattingly just turned 65 last month and his past tenure as manager doesn’t suggest he’s a great long-term option. Since the Los Angeles Dodgers parted ways with him in 2025, Mattingly has compiled a record of 447–587 (.432) in 1034 regular season games beginning on May 2, and his clubs have never won 80 games in a year.

Who will be the next manager of the Phillies?

According to MLB insider Robert Murray, Cora “seems to be the favorite” to take over as Phillies manager after the 2026 season. He is taking the rest of this year off to spend time with his family, but hopes to return to the dugout after 2026.

It’s not hard to see why many around the league expect Cora to be hired by Philadelphia. He has a close relationship with Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who held the same title in Boston from 2015-’19, when Cora was manager and won a World Series title.

If Cora were hired, it seems likely that Mattingly would remain a member of the Phillies organization. His son, Preston Mattingly, was promoted to general manager by the club in November 2024.

In the event that Cora takes over as Phillies manager next year, it is possible that Dombrowski would sign off on hiring many of the assistant coaches that Boston fired with him.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Less than a week before the start of the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Giants made the surprising decision to trade one of their best players, sending Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the 10th overall pick. While the Giants got a strong return for their three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle, his departure left a huge hole in the middle of John Harbaugh’s defense.

What was the Giants’ plan to replace the DT?

According to NFL insider Tony Pauline of Essential Sports, the Giants wanted to take Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald “at the top of Round 2” with the 37th overall pick. Nevertheless, the Houston Texans selected McDonald with the 36th pick, just one spot ahead of the Giants.

As mentioned, once McDonald left, the Giants turned to Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood, who some viewed as a potential first-round pick like McDonald. Still, the Giants did not get back on the defensive line until selecting Auburn’s Bobby Jamison-Travis with the 186th overall pick.

Thus, the Giants may still be looking to add a potential starting defensive tackle before the 2026 season begins. They’ve already brought in DJ Reeder for the tour, and it’s possible he’ll be part of the solution going forward, but McDonald might be the better option long-term.

RELATED: A bold prediction for every player in the New York Giants’ 2026 draft class

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

British light-heavyweight Ben Whittaker scored a quick win by stopping Brian Suarez in the opening round at the M&S Bank Arena on April 18, 2026. The contest lasted only two minutes and 20 seconds, as Whittaker improved his record to 11–0–1 with eight knockouts.

The fight was made at short notice after Callum Smith withdrew from the planned fight due to injury. Despite the late change, Whittaker stepped into the main event and seized the moment without any delay. The quick finish marked his second consecutive first-round stoppage and drew a strong reaction from the crowd in Liverpool.

Ben Whittaker stops Brian Suarez in the opening round

Whittaker started the fight at a fast pace and quickly took control. He used his jab to create space and set up his shots. Within moments, he landed a clean overhand right that dropped Suárez to the canvas. The impact was obvious, and referee Howard Foster immediately stepped in to stop the contest.

The stoppage gave Whittaker another quick win after his previous first round finish against Benjamin Gavazzi. The result extended his unbeaten streak and added to his growing record in the light-heavyweight division.

After the fight, Whittaker talked about his progress and confidence. “For me, they can all call me out. They’re calling me out for a reason. The more I get in this ring, the more experience I get, the more comfortable I get, it’s dangerous for them.”

The performance showed his ability to control and end the fight quickly without the need for additional rounds. The early finish also meant that he suffered little loss and remained active as he progressed in his career.

Eddie Hearn confirms US debut as he outlines next steps

Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed Whittaker’s next move immediately after the fight. Speaking on DAZN, he said the British fighter will make his American debut on June 27 at the Barclays Center.

The fight will take place on the undercard of the bout between Jaron Ennis and Xander Zayas. The event is expected to give Whittaker exposure to a new market as he continues to raise his profile.

“We know exactly what we’re doing. Next, he’s going where he needs to be, he’s going where all the superstars go and love to walk in front of the bright lights – New York, he’s coming.”

Eddie Hearn also shared plans ahead of the US debut in an interview. He said Whittaker is expected to return to headline a major fight in Birmingham later this year. He said a final eliminator for the world title could be part of that plan.

“Jaron Ennis – 175-pounder in.”

The win in Liverpool and confirmation of the US date marks the next step in Whittaker’s career as he continues to move up the light-heavyweight ranks.

Dogley Wilberforce is a boxing writer for SportsNaught, covering fight news, fighter reactions and major bouts in the sport… More about Dogley Wilberforce

Claiming the sixth and 24th overall selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns are in an advantageous position on April 23. They are one of five teams with two first-round selections. Still, even after Day 1, the Browns still have a chance to add some potential starters, as they also have the 39th, 70th, and 107th overall picks, for a total of nine picks.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry will have plenty of opportunities to address Cleveland’s biggest needs. But some weaknesses are more glaring than others, and the Browns are expected to address them soon.

According to NFL insider Tony Pauline of Essential Sports, “AB wants a quicker O-line and has been telling people that since last season.”

Several offensive tackle prospects are projected to be selected in the first round, and with so many top pass-rushers available at the top, the Browns are expected to be the first team to select a lineman. That means they’ll have to take first look at the top offensive lineman on their draft board, whether it’s someone like Fano or Francis Mauigoa, or another prospect that Cleveland feels can handle at left tackle, remains to be seen.

Pauline’s sources say the Browns also will not trade All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett this offseason. With Garrett under contract through 2029, there is no incentive for Cleveland to part with a “generational talent” who has broken the NFL’s single-season sack record.

RELATED: 2026 NFL mock draft: Trades that captured the first round of the NFL draft

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

Last offseason, the Minnesota Vikings lost starting safety Cam Bynum to the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. The former fourth-round pick spent another excellent season with the Colts, recording a career-high four interceptions.

This offseason, the Vikings released franchise icon Harrison Smith. The potential future Hall of Famer turned 37 in February, and he’s considering retirement after starting the last 14 seasons. The Vikings did not add any safety in free agency, nor did they draft one last year.

Needless to say, safety is one of the team’s top needs even if Smith decides to return for a 15th season, as his playing future is certainly limited. However, the Vikings are likely to address this position in the 2026 NFL Draft, where they have nine selections, including the 18th overall choice in the first round.

Recently, ESPN’s NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller sat down with local KSTP Vikings insider Darren ‘Doogie’ Wolfson. In doing so, Miller expressed his belief that the Vikings will address their “significant need” at safety in either Round 1 or Round 2 in the 2026 NFL Draft, where the Vikings have the 49th overall selection.

“I think Minnesota has a serious need at the safety spot, it seems like it will be addressed if not in Round 1, then very early in Round 2.”

It’s good to be back to work after a solid family vacation. Today we caught up with ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller. our share #Vikings Link to the focused chat and all 11 minutes below:https://t.co/GsIIoJhqqL pic.twitter.com/39IvbuxB24

– Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) 9 April 2026

The way Miller described it – “very early in Round 2” it almost makes one wonder if the Vikings are potentially aiming to trade up from the 49th overall pick, or possibly trade down from No. 18 to get the protection they want. Either way, expect an injection of youth into defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ secondary come draft weekend.

RELATED: Minnesota Vikings defensive prospect engages in ‘statement workout’

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

The New Jersey Devils have announced that defenseman Luke Hughes will be shut down for the remainder of the season so he can undergo the process to begin his offseason rehabilitation early.

The 22-year-old blueliner has appeared in 68 games this season, recording six goals and 35 points.

Hughes suffered a shoulder injury on January 19 on the road against the Calgary Flames. In the second period, he tangled with Flames forward Justin Kirkland on the boards, dislocating his shoulder in the process. The injury took him out of the game shortly thereafter, placing him on long-term injured reserve.

A source confirmed that Hughes had surgery related to a shoulder injury.

At the time, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that Hughes would not go under the knife to repair a shoulder injury.

“After consulting with doctors, Luke Hughes will not undergo surgery at this time and will instead rehabilitate his upper body injury.

“Devils placed Hughes on LTIR today; expected to sideline him during Olympic break [it’s to be determined]”

Hughes returned on February 28 against the St. Louis Blues – missing only 10 games with the Olympic break in between.

The Devils are officially out of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs on Tuesday after losing to the Philadelphia Flyers and the Ottawa Senators beat the Tampa Bay Lightning.

It makes perfect sense for Hughes to begin his rehab as soon as possible, with a source also confirming that Hughes is expected to be ready for training camp in September.

The Devils will face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night, with Simon Nemec set to take over No. 1 power play duties.

Dennis Cholowski is stepping into Hughes’ shoes on the blueline. No other recalls are expected at this time.

The Devils have four games remaining on their schedule for the remainder of the 2025–26 season.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

Sunderland John Lucumi can be kept a close eye on this week as Bologna face Aston Villa in the UEFA Europa League.

The defender has been a regular for the Italian team this season and has played 36 times in all competitions. Their campaign has been mixed, but the Colombians will play on Thursday, with the second leg to be played next week.

Lucumi made two important performances against AS Roma in the Round of 16. The second leg went into extra time and the South American held on throughout the contest, playing a major role in an important victory for Vincenzo Italiano’s team.

He had a slow start to the season but the centre-back has returned to his usual high standards.

Sunderland remain transfer interest

The background of the campaign has been interesting. sports witness The Italian’s claims about how keen Sunderland were were covered up.

They offered to land him but Bologna somehow managed to fight it off, even though Lucumi himself was interested in it.

Soon, it became clear that the player was not signing a new deal at the Rossoblu. His current contract expires in 2027 and the summer of 2026 is the ideal time for his sale.

Sunderland are saved Willing And the list of claimants has continued to grow. Barcelona are now also keeping an eye on the centre-back, with Bologna hoping the World Cup will help them raise Lucumi’s value.

The 28-year-old will play a key role for Colombia and if he performs well, more clubs could join the race.

Big match in England likely to be important

Bologna have played against Aston Villa several times in the last two seasons. Interestingly, Sunderland reconnoitered him The two clubs met in the group stages at the start of the campaign.

This in itself shows that Thursday’s game could prove to be a great opportunity for the Black Cats to focus on his progress.

It is absolutely certain that he will not be a Bologna player next season. The only drawback for Sunderland will be competition from other clubs.

Potential transfers may have a lot of time to spare by laying some groundwork this week to ensure they get an edge over others.

With the 2026 NFL Draft approaching, we’re looking at the incoming wave of talent that includes a blue-chip running back prospect and a deep wide receiver class. As a result, there is little change in the 2026 dynasty rankings following NFL free agency.

For now, we’ll focus on going location-by-location with our 2026 dynasty fantasy football rankings. Stay tuned later for our overall dynasty rankings.

Note: Age is what player will be entering Week 1

dynasty qb rankings 2026

Dynasty RB Rankings 2026: Best Dynasty Running Backs

Dynasty WR Rankings 2026: Best Dynasty Wide Receivers

dynasty tee rankings 2026

By matt johnson

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

周四晚上，温哥华加人队在大赌场竞技场以 5-2 输给明尼苏达野生队，比赛几乎在第二节开始时就发生了逆转。

马特·博尔迪和瑞安·哈特曼各进两球，基里尔·卡普里佐夫贡献一球和一次助攻，菲利普·古斯塔夫森做出 30 次扑救，帮助明尼苏达锁定季后赛席位。汤姆·威兰德和杰克·德布鲁斯克为加人队得分。

据 NHL.com 报道，狂野队在休息四天后进入了休息状态。加人队以 8-6 狂胜科罗拉多队后，比赛还不到 24 小时。

加人队一开始就充满活力，阻力是真实的，有几分钟的时间，加人队看起来可能会在对阵一支更年轻的球队时在疲惫的双腿上偷走一分。

然而，加人队这次却找不到同样的得分机会，明尼苏达队连续第二个赛季锁定了季后赛席位，也是过去七年里第六次。

游戏的故事

第一节比赛进行到8分32秒时，乔尔·埃里克森·埃克（Joel Eriksson Ek）在蓝线处将冰球保持活力并帮助创造了2对1的机会，博尔迪（Boldy）首开纪录。加人队在本节后期做出了回应。 16:00，威兰德将比分追成 1-1，泰迪·布鲁格 (Teddy Blueger) 的射门从端板上猛烈弹起，正好落在他的球杆上。

威兰德现在得到 20 分，这使他成为自 2019-20 赛季奎因·休斯以来第一位达到这一分数的加人队新秀防守球员。

不久之后，仅 42 秒后，德布鲁斯克在菲利普·赫罗内克击中横梁后将冰球击出空中，将比分改写为 2-1。

然后就快速翻转了。第二节开始仅 23 秒，泽夫·布伊姆 (Zeev Buium) 在远蓝线错失跨冰传球后，博尔迪将比分追平，这位狂野边锋独自打入了本赛季的第 40 个进球。

几分钟后，卡普里佐夫接到埃利亚斯·佩特森(Elias Pettersson)的传球，将球传给了马茨·祖卡雷洛(Mats Zuccarello)，后者又接回球，并从一个艰难的角度埋下了自己的第40个进球，帮助明尼苏达队以3-2领先。

哈特曼在第三节一开始就让比赛陷入了困境，他在禁区边缘补给了祖卡雷洛的射门，将比分改写为4-2。这是他本赛季第 20 场比赛的最后一球。

更难统计

NHL.com 强调，这是 Wild 历史上第一次两名队友在同一场比赛中进球数达到 40 个大关。对于明尼苏达州来说，这是群星齐聚的夜晚之一。对于加人队来说，这再次提醒人们，一旦一支优秀的球队夺取控制权，差距就会变得多么小。

据路透社报道，尼基塔·托洛皮洛 (Nikita Tolopilo) 停止了 34 次投篮，这充分说明了一旦明尼苏达找到节奏，加人队必须吸收多少。

还有一个尴尬的次要情节是奎因·休斯自去年 12 月交易以来首次面对加人队。休斯以一次助攻完成了+4的成绩，他在代表荒野队出战的43场比赛中送出46次助攻，这已经是防守球员的单赛季球队纪录。除了失败之外，休斯的数据对于任何加人队球迷来说都很难接受。

週四晚上，溫哥華加人隊在大賭場競技場以 5-2 輸給明尼蘇達野生隊，比賽幾乎在第二節開始時就發生了逆轉。

馬特·博爾迪和瑞安·哈特曼各進兩球，基里爾·卡普里佐夫貢獻一球和一次助攻，菲利普·古斯塔夫森做出 30 次撲救，幫助明尼蘇達鎖定季後賽席位。湯姆·威蘭德和傑克·德布魯斯克為加人隊得分。

據 NHL.com 報道，狂野隊在休息四天后進入了休息狀態。加人隊以 8-6 狂胜科羅拉多隊後，比賽不到 24 小時。

加人隊一開始就充滿活力，阻力是真實的，有幾分鐘的時間，加人隊看起來可能會在對陣一支更年輕的球隊時在疲憊的雙腿上偷走一分。

然而，加人隊這次卻找不到同樣的得分機會，明尼蘇達隊連續第二個賽季鎖定了季後賽席位，也是過去七年裡第六次。

遊戲的故事

第一節比賽進行到8分32秒時，喬爾·埃里克森·埃克（Joel Eriksson Ek）在藍線處將冰球保持活力並幫助創造了2對1的機會，博爾迪（Boldy）首開紀錄。加人隊在本節後期做出了回應。 16:00，威蘭德將比分追成 1-1，泰迪·布魯格 (Teddy Blueger) 的射門從端板上猛烈彈起，正好落在他的球桿上。

威蘭德現在得到 20 分，這使他成為自 2019-20 賽季奎因休斯以來第一位達到這一分數的加人隊新秀防守球員。

不久之後，僅 42 秒後，德布魯斯克在菲利普·赫羅內克擊中橫梁後將冰球擊出空中，將比分改寫為 2-1。

然後就快速翻轉了。在第二節開始僅 23 秒，澤夫·布伊姆 (Zeev Buium) 在遠藍線錯失跨冰傳球後，博爾迪將比分追平，這位狂野邊鋒獨自打入了本賽季的第 40 個進球。

幾分鐘後，卡普里佐夫接到埃利亞斯·佩特森(Elias Pettersson)的傳球，將球傳給了馬茨·祖卡雷洛(Mats Zuccarello)，後者又接回球，並從一個艱難的角度埋下了自己的第40個進球，幫助明尼蘇達隊以3-2領先。

哈特曼在第三節一開始就讓比賽陷入了困境，他在禁區邊緣補給了祖卡雷洛的射門，將比分改寫為4-2。這是他本賽季第 20 場比賽的最後一球。

更難統計

NHL.com 強調，這是 Wild 歷史上第一次兩名隊友在同一場比賽中進球數達到 40 個大關。對明尼蘇達州來說，這是群星齊聚的夜晚之一。對加人來說，這再次提醒人們，一旦優秀的球隊奪取控制權，差距就會變得多小。

根據路透社報道，尼基塔·托洛皮洛 (Nikita Tolopilo) 停止了 34 次投籃，這充分說明了一旦明尼蘇達找到節奏，加人隊必須吸收多少。

還有一個尷尬的次要情節是奎因休斯自去年 12 月交易以來首次面對加人隊。休斯以一次助攻完成了+4的成績，他在代表荒野隊出戰的43場比賽中送出46次助攻，這已經是防守球員的單季球隊紀錄。除了失利之外，休斯的數據對於任何加人隊球迷來說都很難接受。

Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall says Sweden manager Graham Potter will have to make a decision on his minutes ahead of the clash with Poland.

The midfielder was a regular under Thomas Frank, playing 26 matches under the Dane’s orders and scoring one goal and four assists.

Tottenham parted ways with the manager in February and appointed Igor Tudor until the end of the season.

Bergvall has not featured regularly under Tudor due to injury. On 20 January, he suffered an ankle injury in Spurs’ 2–0 Champions League win at home to Borussia Dortmund.

last month, the potter said It will be difficult for him to be fit in time for the current international break.

However, he returned to the field in Tottenham’s 3–2 Champions League win over Atletico Madrid last week. At the weekend, he again came off the bench in Spurs’ 3–0 league defeat to Nottingham Forest.

Despite his earlier doubts, Potter added the young player to his list. Bergvall played 13 minutes in Sweden’s 3-1 win over Ukraine in the World Cup playoffs on Thursday.

The Tottenham man proved the doubters wrong

After yesterday’s match, soccer channel Talked to Lucas Bergvall about his fitness and other topics.

On his early return from injury and his place in the national team, he said: “It’s been tough. But it was incredibly fun to come back and we won.

“Yes, it happened quickly. But it’s hard to say when you get an injury like that. It varies from person to person as to how quickly it goes. I was lucky that I came back in time.”

The main goal of the Tottenham Hotspur player was to get a place in Graham Potter’s team.

“Yes, it is. And that was the goal. To get back to the national team. I think most people had written me off when I had the injury. I tried to rehab as quickly as possible and get back.” Bergvall explained.

Sweden must beat Poland on Tuesday to book a place in the World Cup. The midfielder, for his part, feels ready to start in this important encounter.

“It depends on the coach but I am ready,” He added.

Ahead of tomorrow’s match, Potter said the Spurs man is “extremely important” to the national team.

On this comment Bergvall said: “Did he say that about me? First of all, it’s incredibly funny to hear him say that. I’m just trying to come here and help the team as much as I can after the injury. I can contribute as much as I can so that we can get to the World Cup.”

Sweden squad for March international break

Graham Potter’s team will face Poland on March 31:

Goalkeepers: Christopher Nordfelt, Melker Aalborg, Noel Törnqvist

Defenders: Victor Lindelof, Isak Hien, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Carl Starfelt, Daniel Svensson, Gustaf Lagerbilke, Herman Johansson

Midfielders: Mattias Svanberg, Jesper Carlström, Yasin Ayari, Hugo Larsson, Lucas Bergvall, Besfort Jenelli, Gustav Lundgren, Williet Svedberg, Eric Smith, Elliot Stroud.

Forwards: Victor Gyökeres, Anthony Elanga, Gustaf Nilsson, Benjamin Nygren, Rouni Bardaghji, Taha Ali

🇷🇴Radu Dragusin | Really nice words from the defender.

🤍Explains how he fell in love with the move to Tottenham
🩺The closeness has increased @madders10: “It’s just an example of how he is, the kind of guy he is. That and a lot of my colleagues.”https://t.co/h2fVYHOANm #thfc #joyce

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 26 March 2026

The New Orleans Saints finished last season on a high note by winning four of their last five games. Now, the Saints are looking to take the next step in their development, and franchise quarterback Tyler Shaw has an idea how to do it.

The Saints have eight selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, including three in the top 75 selections. Shaw wants the Saints to use one of them at receiver, who was his former college teammate at Louisville.

According to wide receiver draft prospect Chris Bell, Shaw is campaigning internally for the Saints to draft his old teammate.

“He said he wants me so bad, and he’s putting my name forward,” via WHAS 11’s Sarandon Raboin.

Bell is coming off a career-high 917 yards and six touchdowns in 2025 before tearing his ACL in November. He is expected to be ready for the start of NFL training camp. He also had a strong season in 2024, catching passes from Shaw, recording 737 yards and four touchdowns.

Now both want their connection to continue in New Orleans. Bell is viewed as a potential late first-round selection, with a higher chance of being selected at some point on Day 2. Holding the eighth, 42nd and 73rd picks, the Saints should have a good chance to land Bell on draft weekend.

RELATED: 2026 NFL mock draft after the first wave of free agency

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

PSV Eindhoven’s decision to sell Ricardo Pepi to Fulham this week was a calculated move and one they had already planned.

According to Rik Elfrink of Eindhoven’s Dagblad, via football newsPSV deliberately approved the deal early as part of a long-standing policy designed to lock in guaranteed income before the window opens.

Elfrink points out that this approach has previously funded signings like Noah Lang and even Pepi himself following the lucrative exits of Cody Gakpo and Noni Maduke.

Four reasons why PSV now accepted Fulham’s offer

Elfrink gave four clear reasons why PSV was willing to do an immediate deal with Fulham:

1. PSV needed quick money to build their team

PSV prefer to secure their transfer budget before the window opens, allowing them to move decisively and quickly in the market.

2. The club now has financial certainty

With the Pepys fee locked in, PSV can plan their summer with clarity rather than wait for the World Cup to determine their value.

3. Pepi scored goals but did not fully meet PSV’s build-up demands

Elfrink says that while Pepi is an excellent finisher, PSV believe his off-ball and possession work does not line up perfectly with their long-term tactical model.

4. Pepi himself pressed for this step

The striker wanted to move to London and PSV were willing to honor that preference once Fulham’s valuation was met.

Some analysts believe PSV sold out too early

However, PSV’s decision has sparked debate within the Netherlands. On ESPN, Mario Beane called the move “surprising”. He argues that PSV could have earned more by waiting.

“If he has a good World Cup, the amount could be even higher,” He said.

Meanwhile, Hedviges Maduro questioned Fulham’s spending ability rather than PSV’s decision:

“Forty million for Fulham… and they took all those players from the Netherlands,” He added.

He is also not the first person to do so. Actually, there is increasing concern about this in the Netherlands The ever-widening gap in spending power.

🚨Ricardo Pepi will soon travel to London to undergo a medical and sign with Fulham until June 2031.
*️⃣His pass was acquired from PSV for €36M and he will join his new club after the World Cup.
📸With his agent Jaime Garcia from Starting Eleven Player Management. pic.twitter.com/zK3Y2h9Z4y

– Cesar Luis Merlo (@CLMerlo) 18 March 2026

What does Ricardo Pepi’s move mean for Fulham?

Despite the debate, Fulham have their striker. Reports today say he has flown to London for a medical before sealing his exit from PSV.

He will be looking to replicate that form at Craven Cottage after scoring 39 goals in 95 games for the Dutch side so far. Fulham are also in need of a striker, with Rodrigo Muniz and Raul Jimenez not being regular goalscorers this season. Harry Wilson is their current top eight goalscorer.

Marco Silva’s side need a reliable striker, and it seems he thinks Pepi is that man. It appears they’re happy to have him early and, at least according to Elfrink, it’s a deal that works for everyone.

🇮🇹 Pervis Estupinan | West Ham and Fulham fullbacks ready to defend ➡️ Return to PL, perfect fit for Hammershttps://t.co/dONQJEY4Gh #whufc #ffc

– Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 10 March 2026

The legal tampering period is in the rearview mirror and the first days of NFL free agency have passed, with several deals now official. With all the important physical details out of the way, with pen and declarations put to paper, we can now consider some action.

Let’s dive into our analysis of the biggest winners and losers from the early days of NFL free agency.

Winner: Tennessee Titans

Robert Saleh and the Tennessee Titans certainly opened the checkbook in NFL free agency and guaranteed more than $160 million in total contracts. Tennessee helped quarterback Cam Ward and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, adding slot receiver Van’Dale Robinson and center Austin Schlottman. Naturally, an even bigger investment was made on the defensive side of the ball. Saleh now gets a chance to defend himself with John Franklin-Myers and Jeffery Simmons wreaking havoc on the interior, while Tennessee upgrades at cornerback with Alonte Taylor and Kor’Dale Floot. The beauty of all these moves is that the club didn’t really have to break the bank on any of them, and it doesn’t feel like they overspent. After a poor roster in 2025, the Titans now have a strong unit that can at least be competitive next season.

RELATED: NFL free agency predictions for top free agents on offense

Loser: Dallas Cowboys

When the Cleveland Browns realized that the Green Bay Packers were going to release Elgton Jenkins, they waited for him to be cut rather than trade for him. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys saw Rashaan Gary’s farewell post last weekend and decided they would trade their 2027 fourth-round pick to Green Bay. Dallas also signed Gary’s contract extension, which reduces his cap hit for 2026 but adds six void years to the deal. Let’s remind everyone how Gary did in 2025. He didn’t record a sack after Micah Parsons’ season-ending injury, and he was one of the least effective pass rushers in the NFL last year. We like the acquisitions of PJ Locke and Kobe Durant, but there haven’t been the defensive improvements expected from Dallas this offseason and the Gary trade is one of the most shocking moves in the NFL this offseason.

Winner:Baltimore Ravens

What did the Baltimore Ravens lose by keeping two first-round picks and adding All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson? Just money and a lot of respect in the league. From a pure rules perspective, Baltimore had the right to back out of the Max Crosby trade, and retaining both first-round picks while adding Hendrickson is a smart football move. That’s what we’re focused on here: The Ravens added what this defense desperately needed for first-year head coach Jesse Minter, and they still have the 14th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to use. Did they go about it the right way? certainly not. That said, you don’t have to look hard to find examples of teams doing questionable things throughout the NFL, as long as it makes them a little better on the field. Baltimore did just that.

READ MORE: Fantasy football winners, losers from NFL free agency

Loser: Indianapolis Colts

This is what happens when you let a general manager, who knows he’s on the hot seat, stay for another year and make all the decisions in NFL free agency. Rather than lose Alec Pierce to the open market, Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard gave him the largest contract ever for a free-agent receiver. The deal itself felt like an overpayment. However, we can justify the decision to use the transition tag on Daniel Jones. What makes less sense is to give a 50 million guarantee to a dual-threat quarterback who is dependent on his athleticism, coming off a torn Achilles, when he already has a history of durability issues. Ask the New York Giants how it went when they paid Jones for a small sample size of success. With all the money spent on Jones and Pierce, Indianapolis had nothing left to make meaningful growth anywhere else.

Read more: The worst contracts from the first day of NFL free agency

Winner: San Francisco 49ers

We understand that Mike Evans and Dre Greenlaw are no longer the premium impact starters they were in their prime. It also doesn’t help that he has a history of durability issues and will now be playing for the constantly snakebitten San Francisco 49ers. That said, Evans is a complete upgrade over Jaun Jennings as a red-zone threat, vertical option and third-down target for Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Health is not a given, but Evans could provide production that puts him on pace for 1,000-yard and double-digit-touchdown runs. As for Greenlaw, he is still a very effective starter and is at his best when paired with Fred Warner. San Francisco addressed two positions of need and didn’t spend much money, plus it handed Jake Tonga and Eddie Piñeiro new deals.

Loser: Denver Broncos

In a season where everything was going right for the Denver Broncos until Bo Nix’s injury, the inactivity this offseason has been strange. Russell Wilson’s contract is off the books, but Denver lost John Franklin-Myers on the open market, traded away Dre Greenlaw and did nothing to improve the receiving corps. We like the re-signing of JK Dobbins, as he has been extremely effective in Sean Payton’s offense when healthy. However, the Broncos’ roster looks significantly worse on paper than it did at the end of the regular season, and that could prove costly with so many AFC contenders strengthening this offseason.

Winner: Carolina Panthers

Did the Carolina Panthers overspend Jaylen Phillips with his $30 million per season contract? Absolutely. However, the move also addressed their most glaring defensive need with the best player that fits their long-term timeline. Carolina helped defensive coordinator Ejiro Avro even more by signing Devin Lloyd to a contract ($45 million over three seasons) that should prove to be quite a bargain. It added two high-end defensive starters, acquisitions that give the Panthers a lot of flexibility heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Also, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers not performing well, Carolina may have to lose the division.

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

Tottenham Hotspur are enduring one of the most turbulent stretches of their season – and about their entire history, to be fair. The team is weakening due to the worrying domestic and continental situation.

In that context, the possible return of Rodrigo Bentancur becomes even more important. The Uruguay international has been sidelined From 8th JanuaryWhen he suffered a thigh injury that required surgery.

This means he has still not appeared under the leadership of Igor Tudor, who took charge a month ago. But he has already worked with the Croatian at Juventus in the 2020/21 season. Tudor was Andrea Pirlo’s assistant manager at the time.

Since then, Tottenham have had to go through a difficult period without one of their most experienced midfielders. However, now there are encouraging signs about his recovery.

Bentencur recovery ahead of schedule

Bentancur’s personal fitness coach, Daniel Fernandez, has provided a detailed update on the midfielder’s condition.

According to Fernandez, the recovery process has progressed faster than initially expected. he explained to Uruguayan radio 100% game That the surgical wound has healed well. The rehabilitation of Bentancur is currently about 15 days ahead of the original forecast.

The Tottenham player has already returned to field-based work, which is an important step in the process. That phase allows the player to resume football-specific activities. This comes after weeks focused mainly on rehabilitation and strength training.

Fernandez also revealed that Bentancur is currently following an intense routine designed to accelerate his recovery while maintaining control over the workload.

The midfielder has been completing three training sessions per day, focusing on muscle strengthening and progressive conditioning. The program is being coordinated between Tottenham’s medical staff and the physiotherapist involved following the surgery. In addition, external experts are working on specific aspects of the recovery.

Nevertheless, the coach stressed that gym work alone could not meet the demands of football.

Lifting weights or repeating physical exercises does not reproduce the intensity and unpredictability of match situations. For this reason, a gradual return to football activity is considered an important step in Bentancur’s rehabilitation.

Despite those limitations, the Tottenham midfielder has been able to tolerate greater physical loads than initially expected, which the team sees as a positive sign.

Club and country are monitoring the situation closely

According to Fernandez, the Uruguay national team also receives regular medical reports, scans and updates to monitor Bentancur’s progress. He will be an important part of their World Cup team.

Additionally, Tottenham are managing this process and are in constant contact with the player and his recovery team. Spurs’ interest is obvious given the current state of the team and lack of experienced first team options.

Based on the current timeline the expectation is that Bentancur should be technically ready by the end of March.

However, returning to competitive matches is a different matter. Fernandez believes the midfielder could be realistically available for first-team action by the end of April. Provided that recovery continues without interruption.

Mental motivation is also important

Fernandez also highlighted the psychological aspect of the recovery process. He explained that early in his career, most of the training focused heavily on the body. However, modern preparation is increasingly recognizing the role of the mind.

According to him, the brain acts as the “conductor of the orchestra” in their performance. It is therefore important to have clear goals during the long rehabilitation period.

For Bentancur, one of those goals is the possibility of playing in his third World Cup with Uruguay, a feat only a limited number of players are able to achieve. Continuing to compete at the highest level in the Premier League is another strong source of motivation.

Because of that, while both Tottenham and the player naturally want a quick return, the priority is to avoid any recurrence.

The aim is to ensure that Bentancur is back fully fit and able to help Spurs in the decisive stages of the season.

If Patrick Mahomes has yet to fully recover from the ACL tear that befell the team, he’s an intriguing option to be the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs in their early season.

Last season was a disaster for the Chiefs. For the first time since Andy Reid became head coach a decade earlier, the team finished a season with a record below .500. However, the end of the campaign also added salt to the wound.

During a December game against the Los Angeles Chargers, the face of the Chiefs franchise – Patrick Mahomes – tore his ACL and LCL. While Mahomes is a great athlete and has had ample time to prepare in Week 1, the organization should not rush to get their most important player back on the field until he is 1,000% ready.

That’s why the Chiefs will probably look to bring in an experienced QB who can start some games early next season. However, it doesn’t make sense for them to get involved in the market for players like Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo or Aaron Rodgers. They need a true backup who can win some games.

The Kansas City Chiefs should target Cooper Rush

Well, a stronger alternative has just become available. On Thursday morning, the Baltimore Ravens announced that they have released eight-year veteran Cooper Rush. The 32-year-old is a traditional backup QB, having a solid 9-7 record as a starter during stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Ravens.

When he works with good talent, Rush has shown he can make an impact under center and has some big wins as well as 300-plus yard games on his resume. If he were to start for the Chiefs early in the season, he could manage the offense and help the team get some wins. But when Mahomes returns, Kansas City will have one of the better backup signal-callers in the game.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

The Boston Celtics lost their favorite player early against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday at Frost Bank Center when Jaylen Brown was assessed back-to-back technical fouls in the second quarter, leading to his automatic ejection.

Brown was trying to attack the lane when Stephen Cassel appeared to push him out of bounds. However, the referee did not blow the whistle, prompting Brown to complain strongly.

The Celtics were leading 51-49 when the 29-year-old Brown was thrown.

Moments later, he took to express your frustration.

“it S*** to be mine Talking about,” Brown wrote.

Jaylen Brown’s latest ex post after ejection

(via @FCHWPO) https://t.co/yfkAq4pGd3 pic.twitter.com/xnTnwwBjdL

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 11 March 2026

He finished with eight points, two rebounds, seven assists and one steal in 15 minutes.

This was an unfortunate incident, especially for fans who were excited to see stars from both teams compete. Without Brown, the Celtics were further handicapped, as they were already playing without Peyton Pritchard and Nikola Vucevic due to a neck injury and finger injury, respectively.

The Celtics ran out of steam in the fourth quarter and lost 125–116. Spurs recorded their ninth consecutive win at home.

Derrick White had 34 points, five rebounds and seven assists to lead Boston, while Jayson Tatum added 24 points, five rebounds and two steals.

Victor Wembanyama led San Antonio with a game-high 39 points and 11 rebounds on top of three assists and two blocks.

Before the game, Brown announced on his livestream that he was the NBA’s best two-way player, although he joked that Wambanyama did not count because “he’s a foreigner.”

Who will make the MLB playoffs in 2026? Another Major League Baseball season is just around the corner, with first pitches and Opening Day tipping off in 2026. With the roster largely set, it’s time to speculate more on what we might see in baseball this year.

Before Opening Day, let’s take a look at our MLB playoff predictions for this season. We’ll start with round-by-round predictions for the American League, then the National League, followed by the World Series.

AL Wild Card Round: (4) Baltimore Orioles vs. (5) New York Yankees, (3) Seattle Mariners vs. (6) Boston Red Sox

We’re looking at three teams from the American League East making it to the MLB Playoffs this season, which will see them face off in October. The Baltimore Orioles should bounce back nicely after a disappointing 2025 campaign heading into the offseason. We think the New York Yankees will get off to a slow start as their starting rotation overcomes injuries, but they will find form by the summer. In a winner-take-all game, New York advanced with a road win at Camden Yards.

Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox will face the challenge of defeating the AL West champions. This will be an excellent series, with both AL clubs boasting excellent postseason rotations and great pitching depth to pair with it. However, the Seattle Mariners boast a superior lineup and timely hitting sending them to the American League Division Series.

• Prediction: Mariners and Yankees move on

RELATED: MLB Predictions 2026, Projected Win-Loss Records for All 30 Clubs

American League Division Series: (2) Toronto Blue Jays vs. (3) Seattle Mariners, (1) Detroit Tigers vs. (5) New York Yankees

We think we’ll get a rematch of the 2025 American League Championship Series, just one round before the MLB postseason. The Toronto Blue Jays strengthened their pitching staff after the previous season’s loss in the World Series, while Seattle responded to their Game 7 loss in Toronto by acquiring Brendan Donovan. While sequels are almost never as good as the originals, the Mariners vs. Blue Jays matchup in the ALDS will be close. However, this time, Seattle’s postseason rotation is healthy and proves to be a difference maker.

Elsewhere in the AL, it will be a rematch of the 2012 American League Championship Series. The real test will be how successful the Yankees lineup can be against the Detroit Tigers rotation. Aaron Judge and Max Fried will be responsible for New York winning two games in each series, but it will be the Tigers who will punch their ticket to the ALCS under the leadership of Tarik Skubal and Riley Green.

• Prediction: Mariners beat Blue Jays in four games, Tigers beat Yankees in five games

RELATED: Best MLB players by position 2026, top 11 spots

ALCS: (3) Seattle Mariners vs. (1) Detroit Tigers

The American League’s dominance comes to the fore in the battle between the Tigers and Mariners in the ALCS. We saw this matchup last October, when Seattle had home-field advantage and won a winner-take-all Game 5 in the 15th inning. It’s going to the ALCS at seven. Skubal would lead Detroit to two wins, but he would only be available out of the bullpen for that crucial Game 7 at home. Led by a stellar performance on the mound by veteran Brian Woo and a home run by Julio Rodriguez off Friar Valdez, the Mariners are headed to the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

• Prediction: Mariners win over Tigers in seven games

RELATED: Best MLB Rotation 2026

NL Wild Card Round: (4) Atlanta Braves vs. (5) Arizona Diamondbacks, (3) Chicago Cubs vs. (6) Philadelphia Phillies

We’ve got two National League teams that missed the MLB playoffs last year and are facing off in the Wild Card games this season. The Arizona Diamondbacks arrive here on the strength of a lineup of Corbin Carroll, Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte, while improved defense provides a little more stability overall. However, in a do-or-die game at Truist Park, it would be the bats of Drake Baldwin and Mike Yastrzemski that would help the Atlanta Braves reach the National League Division Series.

Perfect for playoff baseball, this will be a must-see matchup between the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies that should draw big ratings. We would see Christopher Sanchez outpoint Matthew Boyd in a pitcher’s duel, with Jhoan Duran giving up a two-run lead in the ninth at Wrigley Field to put Philadelphia ahead.

RELATED: Best MLB Lineups 2026

National League Division Series: (2) New York Mets vs. (4) Atlanta Braves, (1) Los Angeles Dodgers vs. (6) Philadelphia Phillies

Maybe there’s some wishing here with the hope that we get these two matchups in the National League Division Series. The most talked about matchup will be for the Braves against the New York Mets, a battle for bragging rights between the two NL East rivals. Atlanta has gotten to this point thanks to a great lineup with timely hitting, but the magic is gone at Citi Field. Nolan McLean delivers a pitching masterclass in a crucial game, with Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor both going deep in the series to send the Mets to the NLCS.

So far, we’ve seen the Phillies face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers a few times in October. Philadelphia can at least make things interesting with a playoff rotation of Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, Jesus Luzardo and Andrew Painter. This will not be enough. The Phillies’ lineup has gone cold again in a crucial playoff series, vacated by Yoshinobu Yamamoto and struggling against Tyler Glasnow as the Dodgers move back to the NLCS.

• Prediction: Dodgers in four games, Mets in four games

RELATED: MLB Awards Predictions 2026

National League Championship Series: (2) New York Mets vs. (1) Los Angeles Dodgers

The best teams that money can buy are vying for the National League pennant. To the delight of MLB and its TV partners, the series will also include two of the largest media markets in the country. Unfortunately for Mets owner Steve Cohen, the Dodgers have greater pitching depth and a much deeper lineup than New York. This is the kind of series that many around baseball can point to as proof that MLB needs the salary cap, with a super team with a $400 million payroll beating a super team with a $360 million roster. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker led the Dodgers back to the World Series.

READ MORE: Worst MLB contracts 2026, worst contracts at each position

World Series 2026: Dodgers win the World Series

The Dodgers would become only the third franchise in MLB history – joining the Yankees (three times) and the Oakland Athletics (1972–74) – to become World Series champions three times. Los Angeles needs to go all-in in 2026 as the salary cap is approaching and the Fall Classic will be under threat of a lockout. Ohtani would further his legacy as one of the greatest players of all-time by winning the World Series MVP for the first time in his career.

Read More: MLB Power Rankings 2026, evaluating all 30 teams

Matt Johnson is the senior NFL and college football editor for Sportsknot. His work including the weekly NFL and college… More about Matt Johnson

The Phoenix Suns have won two games on a surge in the buildup to their trip to the Milwaukee Bucks and are 37-27 for the season, still tracking the top half of the Western Conference. Meanwhile, the Bucks have lost five of their last six games, but they will get an unexpected boost in this match.

Taurean Prince, who last played for Milwaukee in November, is listed as questionable on the official injury report, an upgrade to ‘out’ status following his surgery. Prince played only eight games early in the season with what was initially described as a neck strain, later diagnosed as a herniated disc, an injury that ultimately required surgery on November 13.

Regardless, he has a chance to play against Phoenix, which can’t be said about Kevin Porter Jr., who is the only player the Bucks have listed out for this game. Meanwhile, the Suns still have Dillon Brooks out, while Jordan Goodwin is listed as questionable due to a left calf strain.

*Watch NBA Games Live with fuboTV (Free Trial)*

Taurean Prince’s injury status vs. Suns

The veteran forward is listed as questionable after neck surgery, putting him in line for a possible return after missing nearly four months and 55 consecutive games. Prince has been working out on the court during practice and shootarounds in recent weeks, but there was little indication that a return to play is imminent.

If he dresses on Tuesday night, it will be his first NBA appearance since Milwaukee’s Nov. 4 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Last season, he missed 43.9% of his three-point attempts on 4.2 attempts per game, which ranked third best in the NBA among qualified shooters.

The Bucks enter the matchup with a 27-36 record and come into this game coming off a lopsided 130-91 loss to the Orlando Magic. Phoenix enter the competition in much better form.

The Suns have won four of their last five games and their outlook is much better than in recent weeks in terms of injuries. They will be looking to continue the recent momentum for another outright win.

bucks injury report

Alex Antetokounmpo – Out (G League Two-Way)

Kevin Porter Jr. – Out (right knee synovitis)

Taurean Prince – Questionable (recovery from neck surgery)

Cormac Ryan – out (G League two-way)

sans injury report

Grayson Allen – Questionable (right knee injury management).

Jordan Goodwin – doubtful (left calf strain)

Dillon Brooks – Out (fractured left hand)

Mark Williams – out (third metatarsal stress reaction of left foot)

The Los Angeles Lakers are coming into Sunday’s clash with the New York Knicks having won four of their last five games. They are in the middle of a home stand that will carry them through the upcoming week. And it’s possible they have reinforcements on the way. LeBron James was upgraded on the Lakers’ injury report after missing the team’s win against the Indiana Pacers on Friday.

LeBron James was officially listed as questionable on the Lakers’ injury report for the team’s game against the Knicks. While he has been dealing with foot problems all season, James suffered a hard fall last Thursday against the Nuggets and the team reported it as a left elbow injury.

In addition to James, backup center Maxi Kleber was also upgraded to questionable. Kleber also missed the Pacers game due to a back strain. Starting center Deandre Ayton, who was sidelined for the Pacers’ win with a knee injury, no longer appeared on the injury report.

While the Lakers have managed to pick up some wins in recent games, they have struggled against teams with winning records. The Knicks pose such a challenge as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Having James potentially back in the lineup is a big boost.

He is in his unprecedented 23rd season in the NBA, and was selected for his 22nd consecutive All-Star appearance. He recently passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for most field goals made in NBA history. However, one thing that will elude James this season is his continued pursuit of making the All-NBA team. He would fall short of the NBA’s new minimum of 65 games played to be eligible for postseason honors.

James has appeared in 44 games, a little over 33 minutes per game. He averaged 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 7.1 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 50.4 percent from the field, 31.3 percent from the 3-point line and 74.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Nikola Vucevic has an early injury timeout on his ability to return to the court after suffering a hand injury in the Boston Celtics’ clash with the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.

Vucevic suffered an injury during the first half of the competition, forcing him to the locker room. Boston later ruled him out for the remainder of the game, saying he suffered a fractured ring finger.

ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania provided an update on Vucevic’s injury. He explained that there would be a procedure to treat the fracture at the veteran’s center and a month’s time would be lost as a result.

“Boston’s Nikola Vucevic will undergo a procedure on Saturday for his broken ring finger and will miss approximately a month,” Charania wrote.

How the Celtics played against the Mavericks despite Nikola Vucevic’s injury

Despite Nikola Vucevic playing only two minutes, the Celtics stepped up in a big way to defeat the Mavericks 120–100.

It took a while for things to settle down as shooting began in Boston. Despite this, they gained momentum as Jayson Tatum scored his first point since returning from his Achilles injury. As they played well in their season debut, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White assisted them with strong performances to lead Boston to victory.

Six players, including Tatum, scored in double figures for Boston in the win. He finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and one steal. He made 6 of 16 shots from the field, including 3 of 8 from beyond the arc. Jaylen Brown led the way with 24 points and seven rebounds, Derrick White had 20 points and four assists, while Payton Pritchard provided 18 points and seven rebounds.

Boston improved to a 42–21 record on the season and finished second in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers while trailing the Detroit Pistons.

The Celtics will look forward to their next matchup while on the road. They will take on the Cavaliers as tip-off takes place on March 8 at 1pm ET.

The Detroit Pistons entered Thursday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs looking to make another statement. But things aren’t going according to plan, and not on the scoreboard, either.

Pistons guard Aussie Thompson left the game in the first quarter due to an ankle injury. According to NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, his return is questionable.

Aussie Thompson has headed back to the Pistons locker room due to an apparent ankle injury.

Hope he is okpic.twitter.com/SBZ7FZ3McT

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

Ausar had a strong start defensively for Detroit, blocking Victor Wembanyama’s shot on the opening possession. But after some time the situation became worse.

On the move to the tin, Thompson twisted my right ankle. He would head to Detroit’s locker room shortly thereafter. Thompson had played only two minutes in the Clash of the Titans, before leaving the game.

The Pistons began Thursday night’s game 45–15, on top of the Eastern Conference standings. Meanwhile, the Spurs are just 1.5 games behind Detroit in the hunt for the NBA’s best record, and second in the West.

Thompson has had a major impact on the Pistons’ success this season, especially on the defensive end of the floor. He entered the game averaging 1.9 steals per game, which ranked fourth in the NBA. However, his offensive game is still a work in progress. The former fifth overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft is averaging just 10.4 points per game while shooting just 57% from the charity stripe.

Detroit remained competitive immediately after Thompson’s injury. But as the first quarter wore on, the Spurs and Vembanyama imposed their will.

Wembley scored a game-high 12 points in the opening frame, as the Spurs took a 15-point lead.

There has been no update yet on Thompson’s condition.

In what has become a familiar result, the Vancouver Canucks lost again. This time, it was a 6–4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at Rogers Arena.

The Canucks held the first-period lead for a while. Nevertheless, Nikolaj Ehlers scored a hat trick for Carolina, including an empty-netter with 14 seconds remaining, concluding the victory.

The Hurricanes came out flying and put the pressure on Vancouver almost immediately, with Carolina outscoring the Canucks 12-1 in the first nine minutes. Still, the Canucks answered, at least early on, and for any fans looking for a glimmer of hope, that part matters.

Andrei Svechnikov opened the scoring on a Carolina power play 1:17 into the game, but Marco Rossi tied it on the man advantage at 16:31, and Filip Hronek later scored to put the Canucks up 2–1 before intermission.

Hronek finished with a goal and two assists, while Elias Pettersson added two assists in one of Vancouver’s better offensive nights in weeks.

when things went wrong

It broke in the second period. again.

Sean Walker made it 2-2 at 2:30, Ehlers made it 3-2 at 4:19, and Sebastian Aho pushed it to 4-2 on another quick chance at 11:53.

NHL.com noted that Kevin Lankinen was pulled after allowing four goals on 22 shots, and the switch did not settle things as Ehlers scored on the first shot faced by Nikita Tolopilo for a 5–2 lead less than a minute later.

That explosive sequence was fatal. The Canucks pushed back, but the hole was already deep.

Brock Boeser scored on a 5-on-3 late in the second, then Nils Hoglander made it 5-4 on Pettersson’s one-timer at 6:45 of the third.

For a moment, it looked like the Canucks might steal some of the chaos back. Brandon Bussey made a late save for Carolina, and Ehlers completed a hat trick with an empty-net goal.

A slim bright spot for Canucks fans

The one real positive was the power play. The Canucks scored twice with the man advantage, the first time the Canucks have done so since January 2 against Seattle.

Foote said the group is working on it, and with so many bad nights, an increase in confidence is at least something to point to.

It’s also the second 10-goal Canucks game this season, following a wild 8-5 loss at Florida in November. It’s not exactly the kind of category Canucks fans want to revisit, but it does underline how loose the game has become.

nhl draft lottery update

The Canucks sit at 43 points, and the NHL Draft Lottery conversation is no longer a background topic. It’s front and center now.

The standings changed Wednesday night and St. Louis beat Seattle 3-2, moving the Rangers to 31st with 54 points, while the Canucks remained buried in the high-pick mix.

With the March 7 trade deadline approaching, this matters. Advancing in the playoffs no longer seems realistic, and the conversation has clearly shifted toward what can be built from here.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been credited by John Arias himself as the club that opened the door to Europe, with the winger reflecting on his Premier League spell during an interview. Win the game.

Arias joined Wolves as part of his ambition to reach European football. Although the move did not allow him to stay in England long-term, the Colombian insists that the experience shaped him both personally and professionally.

Wolves Magic is designed as a learning period

Speaking about his time at Wolves, Arias described the move as a milestone in his career.

“Wolves is the club that opened the doors for me in Europe. I think all players, when we start our professional careers, have the ambition and dream of getting to Europe and reaching the top of football.”

The winger also highlighted the challenge of the Premier League environment.

“I had the opportunity to get to the Premier League, which I consider to be the best league in the world, the most competitive league in the world. Wolverhampton was the place that gave me the opportunity to get to Europe.”

Still, Arias made it clear that the experience wasn’t just about the matches and minutes.

“It was a very important time to learn, mature and grow as a person and a professional. It forces you to focus on the little things that sometimes you overlook in daily life.”

The tone of his comments is interesting. Arias speaks about Wolves almost as if he had spent several years at Molineux rather than coming to Molineux, spending about six months there and then moving on.

Whether this reflects genuine affection for the club or simply a slightly liberal perspective is open to interpretation.

The move to Palmeiras brings new ambitions

After leaving Wolves, Arias moved to Brazilian side Palmeiras, Transfers of approximately £21.5m (€25m). The Brazilian club convinced him of a clear sporting project and strong ambitions.

“I’m now at Palmeiras, which is a huge club in South America and a huge club in Brazil. It’s a club that opened doors for me, that made me go to England, that made me feel important and valued.”

Arias believes that the club’s mentality matches his own very well.

“This is a club that always fights for great things. This matches my ambition to always win, always improve and fight for titles. I come with the hope of achieving great things, winning many titles and making the history of Palmeiras even greater.”

What does it say about the Wolves chapter

For Wolves supporters, Arias’ words paint a balanced picture of their Premier League chapter.

colombian Doesn’t define magic as failure. Instead, he describes it as a phase that accelerated his development and helped redefine his career path.

If his time at Molineux was the gateway to Europe, now his move to Palmeiras represents his next attempt to convert that experience into silverware and stability.

In his own words, the Wolves chapter was more about learning. But Wolves fans may disagree.

Hansa Rostock may regret the transfer drama they made over Ryan Naderi after Danny Roehl’s departure to Rangers has been a blow to them.

at least that’s how it is Could be anything from BILD to latest. They cover Division 3 today and how ‘promotion alarm bells’ are now ringing. The newspaper reports that Hansa has now lost four games without a win. These are two draws and two defeats. His promotion target is now faltering.

Naderi is yet to win a game since joining Rangers in a €6m deal in the January transfer window. Although their strikers are performing well, it is not enough. Last weekend they suffered a 1-0 defeat despite dominating possession and creating chances.

‘Painful pattern’ since Rangers transfer

A ‘painful pattern’ is also emerging. Rostock simply doesn’t win ‘top matches’. So far, 33 of their 40 points have come against teams below seventh place. Now players are sounding the alarm, including midfield engine Marco Schuster.

He said, “It’s always the same: When the competition gives us a slight head start, we often fail to deliver the final blow.”

“If we want to achieve our big goals, we definitely need to take it up a notch. We just need to be more hungry, especially in the penalty area.”

Naderi could help with that particular problem. Instead, he is enjoying life at his new club in Scotland. And for Hansa there is no one else to blame except him.

Sport Witness covered his long move to Rangers at the end of the transfer and the drama surrounding it. Much of this was due to Hansa and their sporting directors.

Rangers tried to help

For example, Rangers initially offered Naderi to stay at the German club until the end of the season.

They were more than happy to delay his arrival at Ibrox, help him boost their team and then make a move in the summer. Naderi agreed to such a deal as well.

However, the Germans pushed hard and eventually sold Rangers at the end of the window on a permanent basis.

Now, as a result, they sit six points adrift of the automatic promotion places without a win since the 22-year-old left.

The Chicago Bulls have found it difficult to win this season and currently sit in 12th place in the easy Eastern Conference standings with a 24-31 record. The Bulls showed signs of life before the trade deadline this time around, parting ways with players like Nikola Vucevic, Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White to pursue young players, while also acquiring significant draft capital.

And if rumors are to be believed, there will be plenty of activity this summer as well, with insider Jake Fisher claiming he will have significant spending power with a select few teams in the NBA.

According to The Stein Line, he said, “The Clippers, Lakers, Nets and Bulls, however, are in position to spend some big money. Sources say Chicago has already sent some signals that it will consider wings – including as restricted free agents – while the Bulls also clearly need a starting-caliber big man.”

Fisher claimed that the Washington Wizards’ moves for Anthony Davis and Trae Young, as well as the Utah Jazz’s move for Jaren Jackson Jr., mean those two teams no longer have the financial means to make big moves in the summer.

Regardless, the Bulls primarily accumulated a second-round pick in the moves before the previous deadline. The situation worsened when the previously included 2029 second-round pick was reportedly removed due to medical findings on White’s calf injury, further reducing Chicago’s return.

At the same time, the plan appears simple. The Bulls are looking to build around players like Josh Giddy and Matas Buzelis, even if they are not yet viewed as stars capable of bringing them back to playoff relevance.

The overall strategy seems almost encouraging given the current trajectory, with the Bulls’ recent skid improving their draft lottery prospects significantly. After years of hovering around the .500 mark and searching for playoff relevance, there was no doubt that a reset was inevitable.

Whether this leads to success in the coming season remains to be seen.

As the Sacramento Kings have lost their last 15 games, the team is now facing more bad news regarding star forward De’Andre Hunter’s eye injury. Hunter will miss time with the Kings due to an eye injury, with the latest report suggesting he will miss significant time.

According to NBA insiders Chris Haynes and Marc Stein, Hunter “will have to have eye surgery at the end of the season”, which will lock him down for Sacramento, as he played only two games with the team after being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the deadline.

“BREAKING: Sacramento Kings forward De’Andre Hunter to have season-ending eye surgery, league sources say”. [Marc Stein] And me,” Haynes, formerly of X, wrote on Twitter.

In terms of what exactly he’s dealing with, it’s been diagnosed as “iritis,” as he suffered an injury to his left eye during a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last February 6. Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee reported that he will be reevaluated in 10 days, with the ultimate conclusion being season-ending surgery.

Anderson wrote on the

The way Hunter was talking about how good his progress was, it was a profound change in pace, almost speaking as if a comeback could be around the corner.

“It’s not quite there yet, but it’s definitely better than it was,” Hunter said Thursday, according to Sports Illustrated. “I’ve been able to actually play, train and do things like that, so it’s progressing really well.”

At any rate, Hunter looks to be fully healthy for next season and will contribute for the Kings.

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently preparing for the unofficial second half of their season following the All-Star Game over the weekend. The Lakers are currently in a solid position in the Western Conference playoff picture, but are just two games above the play-in line, meaning things could get dangerous down the road.

Los Angeles had a relatively quiet trade deadline, trading Gabe Vincent to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for sharpshooter Luke Kennard, but did little to address his lack of defensive versatility.

Now, some people are already looking forward to the summer, when many three-and-D free agents will be on the market.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, an Eastern Conference executive said, “They need to bring in more defenders with length who can knock down a shot.”

“Unrestricted free agents who have been discussed internally, sources told ESPN, include Andrew Wiggins and Tari Eason, while Tobias Harris, Quentin Grimes and Dean Wade are other players who fit that profile,” McMenamin reported.

McMenamin also said that “the Lakers also privately discussed the signing of restricted free agent Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets.”

At this point, all indications are that the Nuggets plan to bring Watson back after his breakout campaign this season, although Denver ownership has a history of letting prized free agents walk out the door due to an unwillingness to go to some tax apron.

Last year, the Lakers had a solid two-way player in Dorian Finney-Smith, but he joined the Houston Rockets in free agency over the summer.

Currently, there is not a single player on the Lakers roster who is above average on either end of the floor, and many expect the problem to be exposed come playoff time, as it was last year.

The Lakers’ season continues on Friday evening against the Los Angeles Clippers.