chelsea Despite being left out of Brazil’s World Cup squad and seeing transfer speculation quiet over the past few days, it appears that striker Joao Pedro is refusing to make a switch this summer.

The 24-year-old has spent most of the last month at center back Reports link him to Barcelona. However, those stories now look increasingly unlikely to go anywhere, largely due to Chelsea’s valuation.

according to espn brazilThe Blues have made it clear that they will not consider an offer of less than €120m (£101m) for the forward – a figure that effectively puts him beyond Barcelona’s current reach.

This differs from previous reports which suggested negotiations could be possible. Start around the €100 million (£84.3 million) mark. So Joao Pedro looks set to stay at Stamford Bridge next season.

Chelsea’s move leaves little space for Barcelona

The Brazilian only arrived last summer and has quickly established himself as one of the club’s most productive attacking players.

The club has spent years looking for stability in the striker position. joao pedro Eventually some of it was provided. He finished the season with 20 goals and six assists in 53 games.

Selling him after one season would immediately create another problem to solve.

That’s why Barcelona’s interest has always depended on Chelsea softening its position. Instead, the opposite appears to have happened.

The latest figures reported in Brazil suggest Chelsea have become even more determined to keep hold of him.

World Cup hopes are still alive

While his club’s future looks straightforward, Joao Pedro has another priority.

The striker was disappointed not to be included in Carlo Ancelotti’s final World Cup squad and was hopeful of his inclusion.

However, instead of going on leave immediately, they have decided to stay prepared.

According to ESPN, Joao Pedro is continuing to train twice a day from home, including physiotherapy sessions, while he waits to see if he gets a chance before FIFA’s final squad deadline on June 12.

The reason is quite simple. With Neymar currently struggling with a calf injury, Joao Pedro believes a late call-up remains a real possibility if Brazil need to make changes in attacking areas.

The report states that they have completely postponed vacation plans, while this possibility is still open.

Initially, the expectation was that he would remain in London as he believed the World Cup venue was coming up. Now, he’s stopping for a different reason – in case someone still comes by.

what happens next

Unless something dramatic changes before June 12, Joao Pedro is expected to spend part of his summer with family in Rio de Janeiro.

However, until then he does not seem ready to part completely. That mentality probably says a lot about why Chelsea value him so highly.

While Barcelona’s pursuit is fizzling out, Joao Pedro is still preparing as if the biggest opportunity of his career could arrive at any moment.

And for now, Chelsea’s asking price is likely to ensure that opportunity will come with the Brazilian rather than a move elsewhere.

This time last year, gold medal-winning boxer and pound-for-pound superstar Vasiliy Lomachenko capped off his impressive run while competing in the sweet science. The Ukrainian went out on a high note with a knockout win over George Kambosos Jr. in his last fight, and at the age of 37, it looked like his decision would hold after losing two of his last six. Well, that didn’t happen.

On Tuesday, Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger reported that the three-division champion intends to return to the sport this fall, and that he will not compete in a tune-up bout. He wants to jump into the deep end of the pool and is looking for a big money fight.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at four potential opponent options for Lomachenko’s next fight.

shakur stevenson

The scrap many fight fans will be hoping for is a matchup with, arguably, the toughest puzzle in the sport at the moment, Shakur Steveson. The 28-year-old has excelled on his way to a 25-0 record and has become one of the most sought-after fighters in boxing.

If the former lightweight champion is looking for a big name and a bigger challenge to return from retirement, there is no better option at lightweight or junior welterweight.

teofimo lopez

Teofimo Lopez became a star in the sport when he scored a stunning decision win over Lomachenko in 2020. It was a defeat the future Hall of Famer never had to avenge. Having suffered defeat against Stevenson in January, a rematch with the Ukrainian would be risky. However, a second win over “High Tech”, even at the age of 38, would one day strengthen his own HOF case.

Ending his retirement to get one back – something he has yet to do for any of his three losses – would be an interesting story as well as a great fight.

Raymond Muratalla

Another interesting option for Vasiliy Lomachenko’s comeback fight would be a scrap with the best fighter at lightweight not named Shakur Stevenson, Raymond Muratalla. The 29-year-old is 24-0 and holds the IBF title after defeating Andy Cruz in January.

It would be no surprise to see Lomachenko jump into title contention immediately, potentially setting up a unification bout with Stevenson early next year.

Naoya Inoue

Although it is unlikely, fight fans would love to see a dream fight between Vasiliy Lomachenko and current pound-for-pound star Naoya Inoue. After moving to 33-0 with a decision win over Junto Nakatani this month, there’s really not much else to do around that weight class for the unified junior featherweight king.

At the age of 33, when he is at the peak of his powers, he has to look for bigger opportunities to make money. Would the 122-pound star be willing to move up to 130, and would Lomachenko be willing to move down to make the fight? This is something both men should consider.

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

The Montreal Canadiens host the New Jersey Devils on Sunday night, looking to extend their winning streak to nine games.

Before Sunday, the Habs knew they would have to defeat the Devils in their second game against the club in as many nights to qualify for the playoffs, however, the Detroit Red Wings had the playoff berth clear before they even took to the ice.

By losing 5–4 to the Minnesota Wild, the Red Wings ensured that the Canadiens officially qualified for the 2026 NHL playoffs.

This led to an unexpected lack of punches from the Habs, giving the Devils a 3-0 decision.

For a view from the other side of the rink, be sure to visit our sister site, New Jersey Hockey Now.

Let’s look at the highlights!

lean Startup

The Habs managed to generate only two high-danger chances at 5v5 during 40 minutes of play, while the Devils were allowed to take six high-quality shots.

As a result, the Devils took a two-goal lead into the second intermission on goals from Timo Meier and Cody Glass.

The latter scored a particularly good goal from a strong individual effort.

On a solo mission. pic.twitter.com/TXk9ToOXut

– New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) 6 April 2026

Sparks fly

Montreal’s energy level improved early in the third period, following a vicious strike from Zachary Bolduc that fouled Luke Hughes.

The chaotic play led to a Canadiens power play, not to mention a questionable decision by Hughes when Bolduc began throwing punches while being tackled by a linesman.

Unfortunately, the Habs failed to take advantage on the power play, allowing what little excitement there was to fizzle out quickly. Even though the Canadiens lacked punch for most of the game, they missed three chances to score with the man advantage, eliminating any chance of another comeback late in the game.

Luke Hughes threw punches at Bolduc while he was restrained by the linesman. Not a great look. pic.twitter.com/SLLsQf6lIX

– Montreal Hockey Now (@MTLhockeynow) 6 April 2026

The Montreal Canadiens are back in action on Tuesday facing the Florida Panthers at the Bell Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm ET.

All Montreal Canadiens stats are 5v5, via Natural Stat Trick, unless otherwise noted.

Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

The Minnesota Timberwolves completed a historically unprecedented comeback victory over the Houston Rockets in a 110–108 victory. After the game went into overtime, the Timberwolves came back from a 13-point deficit to win by two points and broke several records along the way.

Most notably, they broke the 0-180 trend for NBA teams trailing by 10+ in OT over the past 29 seasons and marked the largest overtime comeback in the play-by-play era, according to a post by the
Keerthika Uthayakumar. Minnesota was down 108–95 with just over three minutes left in overtime after Houston started the extra period with 13 unanswered points, scoring on its first six possessions.

From that point, the Timberwolves executed a perfect 15–0 closing run, scoring on six consecutive possessions, while holding Houston scoreless the rest of the way. The Timberwolves saw several key plays come together in the final minutes.

This included a Mike Conley three, a Kyle Anderson three-point play, and Donte DiVincenzo’s tying triple, before Julius Randle hit the go-ahead jumper with 8.8 seconds remaining. The Timberwolves also forced significant defensive failures, including an 8-second violation and several empty Houston possessions.

Houston went ahead early in OT with six straight field goals, but failed to score again after the 3:01 mark. This win will be a major confidence boost for Wolves.

This came despite the absences of Anthony Edwards and Ayo Dosunmu, which was exacerbated by an injury to Jaden McDaniels in the fourth quarter. Additionally, Rudy Gobert fouled out while Naz Reed was also ejected early in overtime. Despite not playing the full game, McDaniels top-scored with 25 points, while Julius Randle had 24 points, six rebounds and six assists, while Gobert finished with a double-double of 14 points and rebounds.

The Brooklyn Nets rookie is getting extended minutes during the final stretch of the season after the team was eliminated from postseason contention. Ben Saraf has seen the biggest increase in workload during recent games.

Saraf has struggled for most of the season. However, he has started to show his skills which led the Nets to select him with the No. 26 pick in the June draft. The 6-foot-6 point guard continued his encouraging performance during Sunday’s 126-122 loss to the Sacramento Kings, scoring a season-high 22 points on 10-of-20 shooting with five assists and two turnovers.

“I think I played pretty well. I got to the rim and made two [feet] “I felt like I was able to finish at the rim, just like the coaches wanted,” Saraf said. I mean, they didn’t have any crazy shot-blockers, so I was able to go all the way. [to the basket]”

Saraf was the only Nets player to score 20 points during the defeat. The 19-year-old has scored in double figures in five of his last six games.

Ben Saraf continues his encouraging performance with a career best performance

Saraf has averaged 12.3 points on 47.5 percent shooting with 4.5 assists and 3.0 turnovers per game during that span. Jordi Fernandez praised the rookie’s finishing and ability to limit turnovers as Brooklyn’s leading ball-handler in Sacramento.

Fernandez said of Saraf’s performance, “It was great.” Possibly one of his best games finishing at the rim. You can see it right there, I love how aggressive he was. Five assists to two turnovers. Our 30 assists resulted in only seven turnovers [as a team] Very impressive. So this is definitely a step forward for us.”

While Saraf was effective as a driver and facilitator on Sunday, he missed all five of his three-point attempts. The Israeli floor general is shooting 36 percent on just 3.6 three-point attempts per 20 minutes this season.

Sunday’s loss moved Brooklyn into a tie with Sacramento for third place in the draft lottery standings. The Nets now have two fewer wins than the Kings with 11 games remaining. They have one more win than the Washington Wizards in second and two more than the Indiana Pacers in first.

Brooklyn has matchups with Sacramento, Washington and Indiana on its remaining schedule.

The Washington Wizards have the NBA’s second-worst record at 16-53 entering Saturday’s home date with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and they are on pace to make the top six in this summer’s draft. They have no incentive to bring players back from injury before their last game on April 12, especially four-time All-Star guard Trae Young.

The Wizards announced an update on the injury to the 27-year-old, who missed Monday’s 125-117 loss to the Golden State Warriors due to quad contusion.

“Young re-injured his right quadriceps during the third quarter of the game against Golden State on March 16. Related imaging due to back pain confirmed lower back irritation,” the organization said. “Both injuries are being treated conservatively and will not require surgery at this time. Further updates will be provided as appropriate.”

Washington officially acquired Young from the Atlanta Hawks on January 9, but he did not play until the team’s 122–112 home loss to the Utah Jazz on March 5 due to quad and knee injuries. The former All-NBA honoree has played just five games since the trade after leading the league with 11.6 assists per game in 76 contests last year and 15 games overall this season.

The Wizards placed a minutes restriction on Young, as he averaged only 20.8 minutes in those five games. The 6-foot-2, 164-pounder is averaging 34.1 minutes in his career.

However, Young still put on a show, Producing highlights such as fake behind-the-back passes, deep threes, and his patented “ice tray” celebration.

Trae Young (19 PTS) was a handful on defense in the first half pic.twitter.com/bWmMJsXiYV

– NBA Philippines (@NBA_Philippines) 17 March 2026

The Oklahoma native averaged 15.2 points on 59.5% shooting (42.9% 3-point) with 6.3 assists, three rebounds and 2.6 turnovers in those 20.8 minutes. He scored 21 points (7-10 FG, 3-5 3-point) with five assists, two rebounds, one block and one steal in 21 minutes against the Warriors on Monday.

Young has a $49 million player option this summer. Assuming the former Oklahoma Sooner opts to extend and/or sign with Washington, he will likely be its point guard next season with star big man Anthony Davis and a young core including big man Alex Saar, sharpshooting guard Trey Johnson, wing Keyshawn George, wing Will Riley, guard Bilal Coulibaly and guard Bub Carrington. Additionally, whoever the team drafts this summer could be a superstar prospect like BYU’s AJ DiBuntsa, Kansas’ Darrin Peterson, or Duke’s Cameron Boozer, depending on which selection they get in May’s NBA Draft Lottery.

Trae Young showed how he can change the Wizards

If Young doesn’t return this season, the silver lining is that he showed why Washington chose him. The seriousness of the 2018 NCAA champion and assists leader on offense generated more open looks for its young core, making it easier for players like Johnson, Riley and Coulibaly to score. For example, Coulibaly is averaging 16.8 points on 45% shooting (41% 3-point) with Young, and he is averaging 11 points on 41.5% shooting (31% 3-point) in 47 games this season.

This story is being updated

The Washington Wizards have acquired two stars this season, but only one has played for them. Four-time All-Star guard Trae Young (quad) has played five games, while five-time All-NBA big man Anthony Davis (hand) has been out since the Wizards met the Dallas Mavericks in February.

Washington released an update on Davis via social media on Friday.

“Davis, who is out with ligament damage in his left hand, was re-evaluated on Thursday by Dr. Steven Shinn of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles,” the organization said. “It was determined that Davis’ recovery is progressing positively, but the volar plate tissue in his left hand has not completely healed. Davis will continue conservative treatment and will continue to pursue his basketball activity as tolerated, he will be reevaluated at the end of the month, and an update will be provided at that time.”

According to ESPN, Davis has not played since January 8, when he injured his hand guarding Utah Jazz big man Lauri Markkanen in the Mavericks’ 116–114 loss. This occurred the day after the Wizards agreed to acquire Young from the Atlanta Hawks and they agreed to terms with Dallas for Davis on February 4.

Washington sent the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2026 first-round pick, the Golden State Warriors’ top-20-protected 2030 first-rounder, and three second-rounders along with forward Khris Middleton, guard AJ Johnson, guard Malachi Branham and big man Marvin Bagley III. The Mavericks also traded guards Jaden Hardee, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum along with Davis. Via Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Wizards waived Exum and Russell will not report to the team.

This story is being updated.

The Detroit Pistons accomplished a historic feat by defeating the Washington Wizards 117–95. Thursday’s win was Detroit’s 50th of the regular season. This is the first time that the Pistons have achieved 50 wins since the 2007–08 season.

Detroit was able to accomplish this historic feat without All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham. He was unavailable after suffering a lung injury during the first five minutes against the Wizards last Tuesday.

The Pistons played their first matchup without Cunningham in another road matchup in Washington. They played with inspired energy from start to finish, leading them to another double-digit victory over the Wizards. Head coach JB Bickerstaff noted before the competition how difficult it would be to fill Cunningham’s absence.

Bickerstaff said, “Obviously, it’s tough. It’s tough with what Cade is going through. He’s a big part of what we do from a leadership standpoint. Obviously, the talent is there, but being around him every day makes guys’ days better.” “It’s our responsibility to keep moving forward. We know when he’s around he’ll support us. He’ll cheer us on, help us, coach us and lead us.”

The team came out with a spark that carried them to a 35-14 lead in the first quarter. Washington offered some pushback in the second quarter, but Detroit came back after halftime to impose its will. The Pistons outscored the Wizards 57–43 in the second half and put the game out of reach.

Bickerstaff has been a key part of the team’s development since arriving in Detroit in 2024. He offered his thoughts to the media after the game about reaching 50 wins for the Pistons this season.

Bickerstaff said, “This is progress, and that’s what we’re here for is to ultimately keep getting better. And I think we’ve done that. But there’s still a lot more to do and the most important thing is we’re focused on what we have left, how we prepare ourselves for tomorrow.”

Pistons advance amid Cunningham’s absence

Detroit has played seven games without him due to other miscellaneous injuries. Cunningham’s collapsed lung is the first long-term injury the team has been forced to play this regular season.

The Pistons weren’t shy about being motivated by Cunningham’s absence. Forward Auser Thompson explained what his absence on the court means for the team and what to expect when he returns.

“We play with him in our minds. How hard he works every day, his energy, we have to come together as a collective and bring him. … When he comes back, we’ll be very excited and ready for him to step up and do whatever he does,” Thompson explained.

Detroit managed to play a somewhat similar style without Cunningham as All-Star center Jalen Duren had an impressive night against the Wizards. Duren finished the night with 24 points, 11 rebounds and two steals. Six of those rebounds were pulled down on the offensive end, creating second chances for Detroit.

Backup center Paul Reed had an impressive performance, scoring 17 points in 20 minutes off the bench. Guards Duncan Robinson, Kevin Huerter and Caris LeVert scored 14 points each for the Pistons. Thompson contributed ten points and nine rebounds in his restricted minutes.

We’re officially less than a month away from the end of the 2025-26 regular season, and the door on the MVP race appears to be closing. While Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama and others are trying to improve their resumes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on a collision course for his second consecutive MVP award.

Should the Oklahoma City Thunder star accomplish this feat and be named NBA MVP once again, he will join the list of greats to claim this award in back-to-back seasons (not including the ABA): Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic.

Will SGA become the 14th player to win consecutive MVP awards? After breaking Wilt’s record on Thursday, he’s on track to do so.

After recording 35 points in a 104–102 win over the Boston Celtics, Gilgeous-Alexander recorded his 127th consecutive game with 20-plus points, surpassing Chamberlain’s record of 126 games for most consecutive 20-plus point games in NBA history.

This is a historic accomplishment for the SGA, and it’s one of those records that you look at and wonder if anyone will ever surpass this mark again.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said of SGA’s historic success, “Number one, he’s skilled at his craft. There’s no one more precise than him at his craft.” “Number two, the entire life of the streak hasn’t stopped us from having a lot of success on the team and hasn’t stopped his teammates from being successful. An individual streak about scoring hasn’t come at the expense of the team or his teammates.

“He treats everyone in the building with respect from top to bottom. So, he’s obviously a great basketball player, but he’s such a guy that you couldn’t be happier when he accomplishes something like this. So, huge congratulations to him.”

The Thunder have looked like the team to beat over the final few weeks of the regular season, and Gilgeous-Alexander continues to take his game to new heights. Whenever you’re mentioned alongside Wilt, you’re doing something right, and in Gilgeous-Alexander’s case, it could be enough for him to claim the MVP award once again.

Previous 2023-24 NBA MVP Rankings: Week 20 | Week 19 | Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | week 1

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder*

Previous ranking: #1

2025-26 season stats: 56 games, 31.6 points, 6.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 54.9 FG%, 38.5 3P%

*Can only miss a maximum of 5 more games to remain eligible.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has continued to perform well since missing his 12th game of the season on March 3. Over his last three games, Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 28.6 points, 9.4 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 53.3 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from 3-point range.

The Thunder currently find themselves on an eight-game win streak, and despite Jalen Williams still being out and others missing games due to various injuries, Gilgeous-Alexander is finding ways to get everyone involved.

He has recorded at least eight assists in four of his last five games, including a season-high 15 assists in a 129–126 win over the Denver Nuggets, a game in which Shai hit two big shots late in the game, including the game-winning three with 3.3 seconds remaining.

Shai is playing like the best player in the league right now, and barring some major incidents, he will win the 2025-26 MVP award.

2. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets*

Previous ranking: #2

2025-26 season stats: 52 games, 28.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.5 assists, 1.5 steals, 57.3 FG%, 38.8 3P%

*A maximum of 1 more game can be missed to remain eligible.

Although the Denver Nuggets have been inconsistent recently, Nikola Jokic has been on the heater. Last week, he averaged 25.8 points, 15.5 rebounds, 13.0 assists and 3.3 steals per game, while shooting 55.2 percent from the floor.

Not to mention, Jokic recorded four consecutive triple-doubles, marking the third time this season that he has had four consecutive games with a triple-double. This season, Jokic has 27 triple-doubles in 52 games, which is 15 more such games than Jalen Johnson (12).

While it has been an MVP-like season for Jokic, his 16 missed games due to a knee injury and the Nuggets’ inconsistent play in the stretch run of the season have surrendered the MVP race to Gilgeous-Alexander. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Jokic can pass Thunder guards at this speed without suffering any injury.

3. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs*

Previous ranking: #3

2025-26 season stats: 52 games, 24.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 50.7 FG%, 36.5 3P%

*Can only miss a maximum of 3 more games to remain eligible.

Of all the MVP candidates this year, Victor Vembanyama may have an outside chance of reaching SGA and possibly impacting some first-place votes. That’s because the San Antonio Spurs are 3.5 games behind the Thunder for the top spot in the Western Conference, and they hold the season tiebreaker over Gilgeous-Alexander’s team.

As far as Wemby’s numbers are concerned, he has increased his efficiency and accepted the challenge of competing for the MVP award.

“Right now, I’m taking great care of my body because I want to win MVP and DPOY as well,” Wembanyama told Amazon Prime Crew after Saturday’s 115-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets. “So, I’m just trying to press the gas from now until the end of the season. Really take care of my treatment, take care of my sleep, take care of my routine and perform for my team.”

You have to admire the passion and struggle of the 22-year-old superstar. This season isn’t over yet, and with the Spurs having an outside chance to claim the 1-seed over Oklahoma City, Wembey’s MVP dreams are still alive.

Previous ranking: #4

2025-26 season stats: 60 games, 24.9 points, 10.1 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 46.1 FG%, 34.7 3P%

Can Cade Cunningham surpass Nikola Jokic in assists this year and win his first assist title? Currently, Cunningham leads the league in total assists (603) by a wide margin, but his 10.1 assists per game average still trails Jokic’s 10.5 assists per game.

However, Cunningham has shown some strides recently, averaging 11.9 assists over his last eight contests. Over this span, the Detroit Pistons guard has tallied six double-doubles, bringing his total double-doubles on the season to 37, which is the fourth most double-doubles in the league.

The Pistons remain the top team in the Eastern Conference standings, and Cunningham is the driving force behind their success. Don’t be surprised if he gets some first- and second-place votes for MVP this year. Still, he won’t get enough money to overtake Gilgeous-Alexander.

5. Luka Doncic – Los Angeles Lakers*

Previous ranking: #6

2025-26 season stats: 55 games, 32.8 points, 8.5 assists, 8.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 47.3 FG%, 36.5 3P%

*Can only miss a maximum of 5 more games to remain eligible.

Luka Doncic is back in the top five of the NBA MVP rankings after briefly falling behind Jaylen Brown. The main reason they’ve taken over the No. 5 spot and could potentially jump higher between now and the end of the year is the Los Angeles Lakers’ surge in the standings at season’s end.

Los Angeles has won five straight games and eight of the last nine games overall to momentarily take over the sole possession of the third seed in the Western Conference. As far as Doncic’s MVP campaign goes, he has had his fingerprints on the Lakers’ success, averaging 33.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game during a nine-game span for the Lakers.

Doncic has had incredible performances recently, scoring at least 30 points in five straight games, and that includes two noteworthy performances. The first was a 51-point game with nine triples made against the Bulls on Thursday, and he followed that with a 30-11-13 game with game-winning shots in overtime against Jokic and the Nuggets.

There’s no denying Luka’s dominance at the moment, which is why he’s back in the top five of the NBA MVP rankings. If his and the Lakers’ success continues into the final weeks of the regular season, there’s a chance they can continue to make a run in this race.

just missing the cut

6. Jaylen Brown – Boston Celtics [Ranked No. 5 last week]

7. Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves [Ranked No. 7 last week]

8. Kevin Durant – Houston Rockets [Ranked No. 10 last week]

9. Kawhi Leonard – Los Angeles Clippers [Unranked last week]

10. Jalen Johnson – Atlanta Hawks [Unranked last week]

*Signals players are in danger of meeting the 65-game minimum threshold for awards/accolades.

What is the reason why the St. Louis Blues goaltenders recently had some of their best games of the season against the Carolina Hurricanes?

The Hurricanes lost 3-1 against the Blues, a game that got off to a hot start…but ended quickly. Carolina led in almost every nightly statistic. They outshot them 32-17, defended them with 12 blocked shots versus nine, and even had a better hold on the puck with 11 giveaways versus 16.

However, the second and third periods lacked the same urgency and effectiveness as the first frame. Mark Jankowski was the only scorer for the Hurricanes, scoring his seventh goal of the season (in highlight reel-worthy fashion) just before half of the first period was played.

The Hurricanes looked great in the first twenty minutes, but struggled to keep the fire burning defensively and offensively for the next forty minutes.

Jimmy Snuggerud scored with a shot between the legs of Jakob Slavin, who also served as a screen for Brandon Bussey, and tied the game.

In the third period, with just under five minutes left to play, Snuggerud scored his second goal of the game after the puck bounced off Jalen Chatfield’s stick.

Moments later, with the net empty, Seth Jarvis’ pass was intercepted by Alexey Toropchenko, who passed it to Jack Finley, who sent it past goal scorer Pavel Buchnevich to seal the game 3–1.

difference maker

Storm’s downfall was not a complete loss of generation. In fact, they created 29 scoring chances and 15 high-danger scoring chances, compared to the Blues’ 16 and three. Instead, the collapse was caused by the efficient play of Jordan Binnington, who sparked his team with big saves and kept those flames burning with consistent stops. This appeared to be the 32-year-old veteran’s best performance of the season, as he posted a save percentage of .969 (his best non-shutout save percentage of the season) and made 31 saves.

silver linings

Brandon Bussey played brilliantly. Both goals scored on him were particularly difficult shots, one of which came from behind his own man’s screen – and through his skates – and the other managed to slip between pad and arm, stopping almost as soon as it was sealed.

However, one important difference was their persistence. In his last game, he struggled with this, which ultimately cost him a goal. In Thursday’s game, he made stretch passes down the ice, found teammates’ tape amid high-pressure situations and cleared the puck brilliantly. Sometimes goalkeepers may have off-days for certain aspects of the game, but this did not linger in their minds for their next start.

As for another look at the game, Logan Stankoven’s line operated as a true second line against the Blues, with Stankoven himself logging 16:30 of ice time. Typically, Jordan Staal’s line is given those heavy minutes, but the Tech third line was buzzing and definitely earned its minutes.

Rachel Barkley is a beat writer covering the Carolina Hurricanes for Carolina Hockey Now on SportsNote. Painting Stories…More About Rachel Barclay

A new rumor suggests that the Minnesota Vikings could be the biggest beneficiaries after Max Crosby ended up being traded to the Baltimore Ravens and Trey Hendrickson moved to Baltimore.

On Tuesday night, NFL fans were stunned when the Las Vegas Raiders revealed that the Ravens have backed out of a planned trade for the five-time Pro Bowler. Following the news, reports emerged that the results of Tuesday’s physical exam left the medical team uneasy about Crosby’s long-term outlook.

Yet, despite adding one of the best pass rushers in the game, the Ravens made a surprising pivot on Wednesday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report that the franchise and four-time Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson had agreed to a four-year deal worth $112 million.

The Cincinnati Bengals star was the best pass rusher on the 2026 free agent market so far. One obvious consideration would be that teams losing Hendrickson would consider a possible trade for Crosby. However, what scared off Baltimore will likely be an issue for other interested teams like the Dallas Cowboys.

Vikings Greenard may soon become a very popular item

But a new report reveals which player teams are focusing on now that Hendrickson is no longer available. Diana Russini of The Athletic reports, “Look for teams in need of pass rush help to turn their attention to a potential trade for Minnesota’s Jonathan Greenard, who several teams have inquired about.”

Along with Hendrickson, Jalen Phillips and Odafe Oweh – the next-best pass rushers in free agency – also signed with new teams this week. Considering concerns about Crosby’s surgically repaired knee, the Vikings could be at the center of an unexpected bidding war for the one-time Pro Bowler.

Greenard posted 12 or more sacks in 2023 and 2024. However, injuries limited him to only 12 games and three sacks last season. Still, impact pass rushers are hard to find, and with two seasons left on the 28-year-old’s contract, he should still get a very good return in a trade.

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

Tottenham Hotspur’s Luka Vuckovic could be heading to La Liga as Barcelona are keeping an eye on him for the summer.

is according to sky germanyWho report that Barcelona have the Tottenham player on their target list for next season.

Manager of the La Liga winners Hansi Flick is looking for a centre-back after this season. Sky says ‘one thing is clear’… that Barca will bring a new defender to Camp Nou.

The Catalan club have a number of names on their list, including Vuckovic, who signed for Tottenham from Hajduk Split last summer.

Thomas Frank, who was in charge of the north London club at the time, left the 19-year-old out of his main plans this season. Therefore, Spurs let him join Hamburg SV on a season-long loan deal.

Barcelona approached for Tottenham man

The Croatia international has played 2,100 minutes in 23 matches in all competitions for the Bundesliga team. His performances for Hamburg did not go unnoticed.

Earlier this season, Sport Witness Covered claims from Germany As a substitute for the Barcelona defender after this season.

Sky have now looked at him and report that the Spanish giants have had ‘first talks’ with the player’s agent who is owned by Tottenham.

Hamburg dream of keeping the Spurs defender

Vuckovic has repeatedly expressed his desire to extend his stay with the German club beyond this season. His brother, Mario, is also in Hamburg and serving a doping ban until November.

Luca’s dream is to play with his brother and he can achieve it with Hamburg next season. Marilyn Polzin, his manager, recently talked about his wish To retain the youth. hamburg Sports Director Klaus Costa The possibility of retaining them has also been discussed.

Sky again released his comments and talked about Hamburg’s dream of having Vuckovic join the club next season.

However, the report adds that the German club’s ‘options are limited’. The main reason for this is the increasing interest from clubs whose financial situation is better than that of Hamburg. This will make it difficult for them to fulfill their dream.

Our opinion on Vuckovic’s future

Tottenham parted ways with Frank and appointed Igor Tudor at the end of the season.

They will have to appoint a new permanent manager, which will have a huge impact on Vuckovic’s future next season.

If the Croatian player decides to leave Spurs, he will not be short of options, either on loan or on a permanent transfer.

As things stand, the player will return to the Premier League team following his loan spell in Hamburg.

Speculation over a possible rift between Luka Doncic and JJ Redick was put to rest Tuesday when ESPN insider Dave McMenamin publicly addressed the situation, saying there is no feud between the Los Angeles Lakers star and head coach.

Speaking on ESPN’s NBA Today, McMenamin spoke at length with league and team sources after video of Saturday’s 129-101 win over the Golden State Warriors circulated online.

“I checked with people around the league and within the team and I’ll let you know my report,” McMenamin said. “A source around the league said when they saw the video – L.A. is different, the smallest thing turns into the biggest thing. A source close to Luka told me that he and JJ have a strong, close relationship that goes back almost a decade and they are both extremely competitive and they push each other.”

The moment in question came when Doncic exited the game and headed to the bench. Redick grabbed Doncic’s wrist in an apparent attempt to talk him down. Doncic pulled out and remained in his seat, while Redick followed him. The two exchanged words before Reddick walked away. Doncic then stood as if continuing a conversation, while Jared Vanderbilt stood beside him to prevent him from moving forward.

“If you’ve been around an NBA basketball team full of guys who live to compete, sometimes it gets a little messy when they’re trying to move toward a common goal.”@mcten On the relationship between Luka Doncic and JJ Redick pic.twitter.com/T9eK9L5Tsv

– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) 3 March 2026

Lakers insider shuts down speculation about Luka Doncic-JJ Redick feud

The altercation quickly spread on social media, leading to speculation that there was tension between the franchise’s key player and the first-year head coach.

McMenamin continued by emphasizing the competitive context behind the exchange.

“A team source said, “Find me a star in the NBA who isn’t down in the middle of a three-game losing streak, and so it’s much ado about nothing, but we know the Internet loves to entertain itself. In this case, if you’ve been around an NBA basketball team that lives to compete, sometimes it gets a little messy when they’re trying to move toward a common goal.”

The Los Angeles Lakers have faced intense scrutiny throughout the season, especially after the high-profile acquisition of Doncic and Redick’s transition from analyst to head coach. Competitive exchanges between players and coaches are common in NBA locker rooms, especially during offseasons.

Los Angeles entered Tuesday night’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans in sixth place in the Western Conference with a score of 36-24. The Lakers will look to extend their two-game winning streak as they continue their push toward the postseason.

The New Orleans Pelicans will be without the services of tackle forward Zion Williamson for Sunday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Los Angeles.

With the former Duke Blue Devils running back out of that contest due to a lower-body injury, his personal best streak in NBA games played has ended, as reported by NBA insider Marc Stein.

“After playing a career-high 35 consecutive games, New Orleans’ Zion Williamson (right ankle sprain) has been carted off the field against the LA Clippers,” Stein, formerly of the X, wrote via a social media post on Twitter.

Williamson, 25, suffered an ankle injury in the first half of last Saturday’s game against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. He exited that game in the second quarter and did not return.

Before leaving, he scored four points on 1-for-2 shooting with two assists and one rebound in just 11 minutes of action. Despite the former No. 1 overall pick being absent the rest of the way, the Pelicans found a way to defeat the Jazz 115–105, extending their winning streak to four games.

If New Orleans is to keep that undefeated run alive this Sunday, it will have to fill the huge void left by Williamson, who is averaging 21.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 58.5 percent from the field so far in the 2025-26 NBA regular season.

Williamson’s availability in the NBA has been significantly reduced due to injuries. He has yet to play a full season and has only appeared in 61 games or fewer in four of his first five campaigns since turning professional.

The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t been very inspiring in terms of being legitimate title contenders this season, as their defense has been so bad for so long that it’s hard to believe they can field a defense that’s good enough to compete, especially in the loaded West. But they have been excellent in clutch games and they have been good at maintaining leads, which is why they remain in the top six in the West standings despite concerns about the underlying numbers.

However, on Tuesday night, the Lakers failed at the things they should have been good at. They were ahead after three quarters in their contest against the Orlando Magic (80–79 after three), and they were in the midst of a clutch game against a Mideastern Conference team. They somehow lost, as a combination of late-game hesitation and late-game defensive issues doomed the Lakers.

According to X user @dmai21, the Purple and Gold have now lost their first game this season after the Magic broke the Lakers’ hearts 110-109 courtesy of Wendell Carter Jr.’s game-winner after leading after three quarters. They won their first 25 such games this season, but now, the Magic have dealt them a devastating blow.

Lakers’ defensive issues come to the fore in tough times

Luka Doncic suffered a tough shooting night, but began to bounce back toward the end of the game. It looked like he was going to take over the game, but instead, he hesitated to take the last shot, which put LeBron James in such a difficult situation with the clock running out – leading to the Lakers’ loss.

But it is LA’s defense that is to blame for their latest defeat. They allowed the Magic to score 58 points in the paint, with Paolo Banchero repeatedly driving to the basket. The game-winner he allowed came due to his inability to control the defensive boards.

The Lakers are going to have to do some soul-searching if they want to figure it out this season.

chicago bulls lost their 10th consecutive game Charlotte Hornets 131-99 on Tuesday. They have not won a single game yet this month.

Nevertheless, Matas Buzelis led the way with a season-high 32 points. However, to hear him say this, he it doesn’t matter that much As a must-win game, according to Chicago Sports Network’s KC Johnson.

“I want to win games,” Bouzelis said. I’m working every day to try to win. And so does everyone else.” Additionally, Bouzelis came up with a team-high six rebounds as well as six 3-pointers.

As a result, the Bulls are now 24-35. On Thursday, they will conclude the month with a home game against the Portland Trail Blazers. On Tuesday, Buzzellis & Co. welcomed back my ex Coby White is playing his first game in Chicago since being traded. White finished the game with 10 points.

Bouzelis is averaging 15.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Recently, Buzzellis coming to grips With a completely new dynamic after the trade deadline. He saw his former teammates, White, Ayo Dosunmu, Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter move on to other competitors. Thus, Chicago’s remaining key players join Buzellis, Josh Giddy and Jalen Smith.

Additionally, he is being tasked with carrying out more of the Bulls’ offense, especially since he is still adjusting. Bouzelis is in his second season with Chicago. He recently Competed in the NBA Rising Stars Game During All-Star Weekend. Furthermore, he has Went viral for his explosive dunks this seasonS.

However, this does not compensate for winning the game.

Xavi Simmons joined Tottenham Hotspur from RB Leipzig in August 2025, after several months of courting by Chelsea.

The attacking midfielder has scored two goals and provided five assists in 32 appearances for Tottenham. This includes a Premier League goal against Brentford in December and two assists in the league in 2026.

The Netherlands international has initially struggled at Tottenham, resulting in criticism From a section of the Dutch press.

Three months ago, Sports Witness French claims covered Adding that the former Paris Saint-Germain is struggling to cope with the intensity of the Premier League.

Simmons received a straight red in Spurs’ league defeat to Liverpool in December and served a three-match ban. Since then, he has played every minute in the league while Tottenham have failed to register a win.

He failed to impress in the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. His performance against the Gunners has been the subject of criticism from a section of Spurs supporters.

Tuesday’s edition of image Claims that RB Leipzig supporters have now criticized the 22-year-old for his online activities add to his personal drama.

leipzig fans react to tottenham player

Over the weekend, the Bundesliga team came close to securing three points against Borussia Dortmund. Fabio Silva scored a late equalizer, leaving Leipzig to settle for a point.

Portugal international shared a post after the match InstagramCaptioned ’till the last minute’. Bild reported that the Tottenham player not only liked it but also commented ‘brindemos’, which translates to ‘let’s toast’ in English.

The build’s title states ‘Fans Furious! Xavi ‘celebrates Dortmund goal’, which should indicate that his latest comments clearly didn’t please supporters of his former club. The reaction against him has reached such an extent that it has reached the German media.

The Dutchman spent two seasons at the German club, scoring 22 goals and 24 assists in 78 matches.

Simmons played alongside Silva at PSV Eindhoven during the 2022/23 season and Bild say the pair have been friends ever since. So, it’s not surprising to see him commenting on Silva’s latest post.

NFL 赛季的第 14 周即将到来。 通常，这是梦幻足球季后赛的第一周。 然而，由于联盟在每支球队的赛程中增加了第 17 场比赛，因此梦幻常规赛现在有 14 周。 因此，幻想所有者在季后赛到来之前还有最后一次改进的机会。

每年在 Fantasy Football 中，除了前 6 到 8 名之外，紧端位置大多是贫瘠的。 今年也不例外。 如果有的话，它比平时更糟。 尽管如此，我们必须深入研究细节，并准确地弄清楚哪些紧张的目标值得本周开始，哪些你应该传递。

这将我们带到了第 14 周开始的“坐在他们的梦幻足球”最后名单上。

第 12 周梦幻足球开始“坐下”：四分卫 | 跑卫 | 宽接收器

第 12 周 Start ‘Em：紧端

大卫 Njoku，克利夫兰布朗队

Deshaun Watson 的回归并没有按上周克利夫兰布朗队的进攻计划进行。 但可以预料的是，他在面对被低估的休斯顿德州人队中学时会有点生疏。 但经过整整一周的一线队训练和现场比赛，他本周的表现会更好一些。

布朗队对阵辛辛那提猛虎队，他们的防守非常出色。 但他们在本赛季的比赛中一直处于中游状态。 与此同时，Njoku 本周看起来接近完全健康。 他从缺席一场比赛中复出，目前能否在周日上场有疑问。 但根据布朗训练的报道，他在周三看起来非常棒，预计会适应。 考虑到梦幻足球中边锋位置的深度，Njoku 值得在一场布朗队很可能追分的比赛中上场。

杰拉尔德·埃弗雷特，洛杉矶闪电队

充电器紧端杰拉尔德埃弗雷特是本周梦幻足球的另一个前 10 名选择。 是的，部分原因当然是因为缺乏深度。 毕竟，今年这个位置上只有几个必须首发的球员。 但这里有充分的理由保持乐观。

在埃弗雷特开始和结束的比赛中（本赛季他两次因伤离场），他平均每场比赛的进球数刚刚超过 6 个。 贾斯汀赫伯特每场比赛打进 6 个球的任何人都值得一看。 DeAndre Carter 上周终于失宠了。 即使迈克威廉姆斯本周回归，这也可能会减少约书亚帕尔默的抢断次数，而不是埃弗雷特。

另外，本赛季海豚队被紧张的结局所伤。 迈阿密已经让第三多的梦幻足球得分进入了这个位置，让埃弗雷特直接出现在流媒体地图上。

Greg Dulcich，丹佛野马队

野马队的近端锋 Greg Dulcich 本赛季不知从何而来。 自从第 6 周进入首发阵容以来，他场均有 5.5 个进球。 正如我在上面指出的那样，我们在某种程度上抓住了幻想足球紧要​​关头的救命稻草。 但本周有几个理由喜欢 Dulcich。

丹佛队将对阵酋长队，这是他们多年未曾击败过的球队。 尽管野马队的防守一直很好，但你知道他们在这场比赛的大部分时间里都会落后。 与上面的 Njoku 类似，Dulcich 的每个目标空中码数在他所在位置的联盟领先者中排名。 所以当罗素威尔逊朝他的方向看时，通常是在低位。

堪萨斯城令人惊讶地拥有联盟中最好的快攻防守之一。 Courtland Sutton 没有练习，很可能本周无法上场。 由于 Jerry Jeudy 仍未达到 100%，如果 Dulcich 获得超过 20% 的目标份额，我不会感到惊讶。 这使他直接进入 TE1 领域。

第 12 周 Sit ‘Em：紧端

道森诺克斯，布法罗比尔

很多梦幻足球队的老板都对道森诺克斯进入本赛季充满信心。 你为什么不呢，他在去年的进攻中是一个红区威胁。 但是随着赛季的结束，很明显他在目标的啄食顺序上远远落后。

诺克斯在上周战胜爱国者队的比赛中只在一个目标上投了一个甜甜圈。 前一周，他在 17 码外接住了两个目标 Lions。 两周内的三个目标并不能激发信心。 那是针对紧端的第 4 和第 10 最佳幻想对决。

本周，他将与喷气机队的线卫对位，后者在防守端锋方面做得非常出色。 在其他地方流式传输。

凯德奥顿，坦帕湾海盗

Bucs 紧端 Cade Otton 本赛季在最薄的位置上提供了梦幻般的价值。 但本周他是一个硬通行证。 坦帕面对 49 人队的防守，刚刚关闭了 Tua Tagovailoa 和海豚队的进攻。 你认为他们会对 Bucs 的进攻线做什么？

如果你在一个完整的 PPR 联赛中，有理由相信他有一点流媒体价值。 汤姆布拉迪不太可能有太多时间在前场找到迈克埃文斯或克里斯戈德温。 我可以看到奥顿接到五六次传球，但传球距离可能不超过 30 码。 除非他找到端区，否则你可以在弃权线上做得更好。