tottenham Alejo Veliz was sold months ago, but the striker has just arrived in Brazil. And it looks like this is the real end to one of the club’s strangest runs in recent years.

The Argentine landed in Salvador on Monday night and is now set to complete the final stages of his move to Bahia from City Football Group, who Agreed €9m (£7.6m) deal with Tottenham earlier this year.

In many ways, it is a move that closes the chapter on what never really took off in North London.

Tottenham signed Veliz from Rosario Central in 2023 after emerging as one of Argentina’s most promising young forwards. The expectation was that Spurs had secured a striker for the future.

Instead, a series of injuries, limited opportunities and debts prevented him from establishing himself.

Veliz made only a few appearances for Tottenham and scored only once. That goal came as a late consolation in a 4–1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion. This proved to be his first and last goal for the club.

Three loans and no success

Tottenham spent much of the last two years finding the right environment for Veliz to develop.

The striker went on loan to Sevilla, then to Espanyol and finally back to Rosario Central. Despite those opportunities, he never reached the level Spurs expected when they invested in him.

His final loan was arguably his most successful. Rosario Central fought hard to keep him until the end of the campaign and Veliz wanted the same.

He finished the season with six goals in 24 matches as the Argentine team reached the semi-finals of the Argentine Championship.

This connection was evident during his farewell. Just a few days before the trip to Brazil, He scored in his last home match and walked off the field in tears.

Why did they choose Bahia?

Speaking after arriving in Salvador, Veliz admitted that the decision was emotional, especially because of what Rosario Central means to him. His comments were relayed globo esporte.

“I am very happy with this step in my career, arriving at this club. I am very emotional to leave Rosario Central because this is my home and my family. We made this decision because I want to extend my career elsewhere. It was the best decision we have taken as a family.”

The striker also revealed that he had spoken to former Argentina youth teammate Bahia forward Mateo Sanabria before agreeing to the move.

“First of all, he wrote to me and I talked to him before making a decision.”

Veliz said he had already been watching Bahia from afar and was impressed by the atmosphere created by the supporters.

“I saw the fans a lot. I even watched recent matches. It’s incredible. I hope I can give back some of what they do.”

For Tottenham, the story is now over. There’s a €9m (£7.6m) sale of the club, Bahia finally get the striker they’ve been chasing for years, and Veliz gets the fresh start he never got in north London.

chelsea Giovanny Quenda will be acquired this summer by the winger after he bid an emotional farewell to Sporting supporters at Alvalade this weekend.

Saturday’s match against Gil Vicente represented the 19-year-old’s final home appearance before moving to Stamford Bridge. And while there was little pressure in the result – Porto had already clinched the Portuguese title – the atmosphere around Quenda told a different story.

The academy graduate came off the bench for the final 20 minutes and still managed to leave one last mark, providing the assist for Sporting’s final goal of the night. Then came goodbye.

Emotional farewell before Chelsea transfer

Kwenda struggled to hide his emotions after the match. As Widely disseminated by the Portuguese pressThe winger admitted the final weeks have been difficult as he prepares to leave the club he joined at the age of 11.

“It’s been tough for me. Even on my birthday, when I spoke to my teammates, I told them the last few weeks were tough.” He said.

“Leaving the club that welcomed me since the age of 11, helped me a lot, and not only me but also my family, is obviously difficult. Now even my hair is standing on end. I just have to thank this club.”

The sentiment became even more evident when he was asked what was going through his mind as he looked at the stands after the final whistle.

“A lot of things. I had to do a lot to reach the first team. Every person who enters the academy dreams of reaching the first team one day.” Kwenda explained.

“I worked for it and managed to achieve my dream. It wasn’t long, only two seasons, but I managed to win two titles and I will strive for the third which is still missing.”

One last trophy before Chelsea

That ultimate objective is now very clear. Sporting still has to play in the Taça de Portugal final next weekend against lower-league team Turin. This will almost certainly be Kwenda’s final appearance before officially becoming a Chelsea player.

He wants to take home another medal.

“Next week we have another title to fight for and I will give everything I have so that the Portuguese Cup can be here again,” He added.

But his departure continued after the match. On Sunday, Kwenda posted a short message to supporters on social media.

“Thank you, Alvalde. It was special, believe me.”

For Chelsea, this is the version of Kwenda they have now inherited.

not the injured teenager who struggled for months After fracturing his leg. Recently worried Portuguese columnists may not have the precocious talent Get lost in the chaos of Stamford Bridge.

Instead, Chelsea are signing a player who has returned from injury and reclaimed his place, Fulfilled personal promise to score again Before leaving, and now one game away from ending their sporting chapter with another trophy.

Sporting Clube de Portugal are keeping a close eye on Joao Palinha, who could return to Portugal after his loan spell tottenhamfor personal reasons.

Both to ball And weekend morning mail Report today on the Tottenham loanee and a possible return to his homeland this summer.

Tottenham exit likely

Sport Witness covered a report yesterday stating that there was interest in Sporting The Tottenham midfielder this summer. Correio da Manha Weekend now adds with further information.

He says Sporting are ready to bring Joao Palinha back to the club next season, taking advantage of his desire to return to Portugal to be closer to his children. Benfica are also in the running, but Palinha would prefer to return to his former club.

The Lions intend to use his desire to return home to their advantage. They see him as a business opportunity, as other players in his position are potentially departing.

Palhinha is currently on loan at Tottenham from Bayern Munich. Roberto De Zerbi has expressed his desire to keep the 30-year-old long-term.

But the midfielder wants to return to Portugal after his divorce to be closer to his children, who are still young. To do this he has expressed his willingness to reduce his salary.

return to portugal

A Bola report gives similar information. They reveal that Sporting will be restructuring their midfield this summer and Joao Palinha is one of the names they are keeping a close eye on.

According to their information, Palhinha will return from Tottenham to Bayern Munich this summer.

When this happens, they intend to make their move. They would prefer a loan, but believe it is possible to negotiate a permanent deal. Bayern want €30 million but Sporting believe they can reduce it.

The newspaper echoes the view that Palhinha would love to join his former club. And the player will be given a very warm welcome upon returning to Portugal ‘for family reasons’.

Sporting players are also waiting to see what Tottenham does. He has expressed his desire to keep her with him and this may complicate matters. However, ultimately the decision will have to be made by Palhinha. And in Portugal he believes he wants to go home above everything else.

crystal Palace Goalkeeper Walter Benítez has spent much of the last year surrounded by transfer uncertainty. Argentina’s latest comments suggest another potential move is already on the horizon.

Despite eventually moving to the Premier League with Palace, his condition never fully recovered due to limited continuity in England.

Now, back home, Boca Juniors are openly discussing the possibility of targeting him in the next market.

Not first choice in Argentina

These comments came from the journalist marcelo gonzalez During an appearance on the Argentinian program Directo al Hueso.

According to Gonzalez, Boca is still waiting to see how young player Leandro Brey develops between now and the middle of the year. However, the club is already planning the possibility of entering the market for a senior goalkeeper.

“Boca is still waiting for Bray and how he performs between now and the middle of the year. That has not changed. But Boca will definitely be looking for a goalkeeper in the next transfer window.” He said.

“They probably won’t look for a backup goalkeeper – they’ll aim as high as possible.”

Geronimo Rulli of Olympique Marseille was initially discussed internally. However, Gonzalez explained that Boca quickly realized that the operation would be extremely difficult financially.

“The first name that came up was Ruli. When I asked about him specifically, they told me: ‘Ruli costs a lot of money, we don’t think it’s possible’,” He said.

“Now they have to look to the Premier League, where Walter Benitez is playing.”

Brief description of Benitez

Gonzalez and the programme’s panel then spent time discussing the Palace goalkeeper’s path through European football, including his years at PSV and earlier stint with OGC Nice.

The journalist also acknowledged that Benítez has not fully established himself since arriving at Palace in the middle of last season.

“He arrived at Crystal Palace in the middle of last season and today he doesn’t have much consistency. Although he has played a few matches, it’s not like he has never played.”

Interestingly, Gonzalez himself gave a very balanced assessment of the goalkeeper.

“His performances may not have been huge, but obviously if he has had such consistency for so long in European football, there is a reason for that.”

Of course, Walter Benitez’s name has come up repeatedly in transfer discussions over the past year. During his last months in the Netherlands, Several clubs inquired about his situation As uncertainty about his future increased.

The move to the Premier League eventually came, yet his medium-term role still seems a little unclear due to a lack of regular minutes. This naturally creates space for domestic clubs to start paying attention. In fact, river bank Kept him on my radar last year.

But at 33, he fits Boca Juniors’ preference for proven personalities in key positions.

what happens next

There is no indication yet that Crystal Palace are actively attempting to move Benitez this summer. However, if the goalkeeper continues to struggle for regular consistency in the Premier League, Boca’s interest could be worth watching.

For now, this looks like the early stages of internal discussions in Argentina rather than advanced talks.

Still, Benitez’s future has felt uncertain for quite some time – and Boca are now openly looking in his direction.

Niklas Fulkrug’s loan cleared West Ham Has not gone to plan and his return is almost certain.

Towards the end of December, sports witness Covered the German’s move to AC Milan. This transfer was seen as significant, with the Rossoneri facing many issues in attack, but this has not changed. Despite never making an impact in London, Fulkrug was seen as a solution to those issues.

The German player scored against Lecce and scored an important winner at the end of the game. But this did not prove to be enough, as the striker missed a penalty against Pisa and has made only two starts since then. Manager Max Allegri does not seem convinced and mainly uses him as a backup.

There are increasing indications that he will return to West Ham at the end of the season. Milan are likely to make changes in attack and will look for young players.

Fulkrug is now told to take a long, hard look at himself and return to Germany.

Fulkrug held responsible for failures

Spoke to former Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg striker Patrick Helms milannews Asked about the 33-year-old and his well-documented struggles.

Helms made it clear that he needed to address his problems with the Milan staff as it was his fault.

“It is up to them to address this issue with the AC Milan staff. The club gave them this platform to express themselves and give them a chance to score. And ultimately, if you don’t do that, you have to take responsibility.”

Former Germany international player said All of Fulkrug’s failures are his own fault.

“And in the long run, he is not playing well. It’s not the fault of the club or its teammates. Fulkrug should look in the mirror.

The West Ham player was also asked to return home and regain form in the Bundesliga.

“The Bundesliga is his home, and if he wants to get back to playing, he should start in Germany. Is the Bundesliga better suited to his characteristics? I don’t know.”

Helms expressed doubts whether the ex-Dortmund man can now even star in Germany.

“The kind of player he is, we thought the same about England. But without consistency abroad, he has struggled. I would advise him to return home to relaunch himself. But he is at an age where a lot is not possible anymore.”

Our opinion: Helms is hard on compatriots

Nothing can change that the last two years have been a bummer for Fulkrug. But he’s not the only one who deserves to be called out for it.

Milan’s attack has been poor for weeks, with players like Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic struggling. There has been a lack of service and there have been structural problems in Max Allegri’s system.

Fulkrug can’t fix this alone. At West Ham, he suffered several fitness problems which also prevented him from playing in Italy.

The Detroit Tigers are back at Comerica Park and it was an amazing day of baseball. The Tigers won their home opener in 2026 by defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 4–0. It was an excellent pitching performance from starting pitcher Framber Valdez.

Detroit opened the scoring with a 433-foot two-run home run by starting catcher Dillon Dingler in the fourth inning. Through seven games, Dingler is the only Detroit hitter with a home run, marking his second of the 2026 MLB season. Then, Riley Green hit an RBI-single in the fifth inning, followed by another single by Javier Báez in the sixth inning.

After being defeated by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, the Tigers’ offense bounced back in their home opener at Comerica Park. There were other opportunities for runs, as Kevin McGonigle and Kerry Carpenter hit two balls deep into the outfield during the first inning.

Meanwhile, Valdez went scoreless six with three hits, two walks and five strikeouts. The 32-year-old starter became the first pitcher since Spencer Turnbull in 2019 to throw a quality start in a home opener. Valdez is the first pitcher since Jordan Zimmerman in 2016 to do so in both the home opener and his home debut for the Tigers.

There were other milestones, such as Green’s 500th career MLB hit, becoming the 20th player in franchise history to accomplish the feat before age 26. It was a much-needed change of pace for the Tigers after being defeated by the Diamondbacks.

In fact, the Tigers had the biggest crown for a home opener at Comerica Park since 2017. Fans were given a picture-perfect day en route to their first home win of 2026.

READ MORE: MLB Insider shares update on Tarik Skubal’s future with Detroit Tigers

Austin Konensky is a sports writer at SportsNut, covering the NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA and college football. His work…More about Austin Konensky

Millwall’s Casper De Nore says he would be ready to face both Middlesbrough and Norwich City.

Alex Neal’s side travel to the Riverside Stadium to play Middlesbrough on Friday and then host Norwich City at The Den next Monday.

The Belgian last made an appearance for Millwall in a 2–0 Championship win over Preston North End in February. He even set up the opener for Ryan Leonard in the 29th minute.

De Nore has since been sidelined with a groin injury. However, he has now regained full fitness and will be available for selection for tomorrow’s clash against Middlesbrough.

Thursday edition of Importance of Limburg Have published a joint interview with the Millwall player and Sint-Truidense VV’s Robert-Jan Vanwessemel.

The 29-year-old took advantage of the international break to visit his home country. This gave the Belgian newspaper the opportunity to speak face-to-face with him and VanWessemel.

During the discussion, the defensive midfielder talked about his recent injury and his current situation. He has already missed 17 Champions matches this season due to injuries.

Middlesbrough and Norwich City matchup is important

“I was out for a few weeks with a groin injury. Picked it up stupidly while shooting on goal during practice for a match in early March,” He said.

“But I’m fit for Middlesbrough and Philip Clement’s important double against Norwich City. If we take six points from six, we will be absolutely in the race for promotion.

“It’s only the first season I’ve had some problems with injuries. Still, I’ve played 23 matches.”

Last May, talked about midfielder His dream of playing in the Premier League.

Millwall are fourth in the table, two points behind second-placed Middlesbrough, and 15 points ahead of 10th-placed Norwich City.

“As mentioned, promotion could be on the cards. Under coach Alex Neil, Millwall are playing at a high level. I have a year left on my contract and I’m turning 30. If I ever want to taste Premier League matches, that moment has slowly arrived,” Caspar De Nore explained.

He is enjoying life in the English capital but would not rule out returning to Belgium.

“I don’t deny it. But I still enjoy life in London. I like the peace and quiet here in Hasselt. In London, everyone lives at 300 km per hour. But a world city is so special. You can also often find me in the theatre. I would never have dared to think of that ten years ago.” He added.

Millwall contracts, prices and statistics

Casper De Nore’s contract expires in June, Millwall have the option for a further year, and transfer market He is worth €2.5 million.

He played 1,743 minutes in 23 matches in all competitions for the English club this season.

The San Antonio Spurs barely broke a sweat in their game against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday at the FedExForum as they ran away with a lopsided 123-98 victory.

The Spurs demonstrated their strength from the beginning, defeating the Grizzlies 38-19. From there it was just a formality. San Antonio won its seventh consecutive game and improved to 55–18.

The Spurs also secured homecourt advantage in the first round, returning to the playoffs after a six-year absence.

San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson acknowledged this significant gainBut as Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News reported, he also remained quiet about it.

Johnson said, “I would expect it to be loud with a lot of excitement and enthusiasm. But it’s still a little bit away, so hopefully we can keep getting better and make some improvements in a lot of areas.”

mitch johnson on #spurs Gaining home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs:

“I would expect it to be louder, with a lot more excitement, enthusiasm. But it’s still a little bit away, so hopefully we can keep getting better and make some improvements in a lot of areas.”

– Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) 26 March 2026

The 39-year-old Johnson is in his first full season with the Spurs after taking over from Gregg Popovich. He has big shoes to fill, but clearly, he’s up for the challenge.

He has molded the team into a two-way force. They have guys like Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Cassel, De’Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell playing comfortably, while finding the right role for Keldon Johnson and utilizing Dylan Harper off the bench.

The last time the Spurs were in the playoffs in 2020, Johnson was still an unknown deputy to Popovich. But the seeds were being sown, and because of his deep knowledge of the game and inherent leadership, it was only a matter of time until he was tapped to have a shot.

Now, Johnson and the Spurs are on their way to success.

Bam Adebayo hails Las Vegas as “second home” As NBA expansion discussions heated up this week, the NBA is moving forward with plans to add franchises in Las Vegas and Seattle.

According to ESPN, the NBA Board of Governors has approved a vote to formally begin exploring expansion in the two markets, an important step toward potential league growth. Shortly after the news, Adebayo spoke with reporters about the possibility of playing in Las Vegas.

“If I get a chance to play in Vegas, I get to go to my second home a little bit, so that will be nice.”

Adebayo’s ties to Las Vegas extend beyond basketball. He has been in a relationship with A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces for over a year, which has linked him to the city that has become a growing hub for professional sports.

When asked if Las Vegas could support an NBA team the same way fans support the Aces, Adebayo pointed to the unparalleled loyalty already established within the WNBA fanbase.

“I can see them supporting me like that. I don’t know about any other team. It’s a good thing because the Aces fans are really true to the Aces, so I don’t know how it’s going to happen. If they start winning like the Aces, maybe.”

Bam Adebayo on the opportunity to play in Las Vegas and whether Aces fans will support the NBA team 👀

“If I get a chance to play in Vegas and get a chance to visit my other home a little bit, that would be cool. I can see them supporting me like that. I don’t know about any other team. It’s a fine line… https://t.co/0ada2DmLdX pic.twitter.com/IheTXV2g0Q

– Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) 25 March 2026

Bam Adebayo’s arrival in Las Vegas leads to Heat’s climb up the East standings

Buoyed by the success of hosting the NBA Summer League and recent NBA Cup championship events, Las Vegas has emerged as a leading candidate for expansion along with Seattle. The city has also demonstrated strong support for other major franchises in the NFL, NHL and WNBA.

For now, Adebayo’s focus remains on the Miami Heat and their effort to build momentum heading into the season. Miami currently sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings at 38-34 after a five-game losing streak, including a 136-111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

The 28-year-old continues to power the Heat on both ends of the floor as the team tries to climb the Eastern Conference standings. Miami is 2.5 games behind the fifth-seeded Toronto Raptors (40-31).

Miami begins a two-game road trip against the Cleveland Cavaliers (45-27) on Wednesday at 7:30 PM ET and then face them on Friday night at 7:30 PM ET on NBA TV.

The Vancouver Canucks defeated the Florida Panthers 5-2 in what was a spectacular Tuesday night at Rogers Arena.

Elias Pettersson scored twice, including the 200th goal of his NHL career, and Marco Rossi added a goal and two assists. Brock Boeser had three assists and Kevin Lankinen stopped 21 shots.

Pettersson had gone 20 games without a goal before scoring twice on the power play and Lankinen got his first win in 10 starts.

The Canucks have now won two of their last three, which might not sound that good, but after the stretch this team has endured, it makes sense.

I’ve watched enough Canucks hockey to know when a game starts to feel fragile, even when the scoreboard looks safe. Vancouver came out with a real jump, yet there was the same familiar tension after Matthew Tkachuk tied the game in the first period.

Against a team like Florida, these are the moments that usually turn into trouble. This time, he did not do so.

game flow

At 3:49 of the first, Pettersson opened the scoring on a one-timer from the right circle following Rossi’s cross-ice pass. Tkachuk replied at 11:41 when an awkward bounce from Carter Verhaeghe left him alone in front.

Peterson struck again on the power play at 13:40, with a shot that bounced off two Panthers defensemen for goal No. 200. Rossi then took a 3–1 lead late when Boeser won a puck battle and fed him a pass in front. There was some bite in that first period.

Then came the tension. Sam Bennett made it 3-2 in the second, and it looked like the Panthers were hanging on long enough to flip the script. Instead, Aatu Ratie restored the two-goal lead after a failed clearing pass, and later Drew O’Connor finished another chance from just above the crease.

As NHL.com noted, three of Vancouver’s goals came when skaters were left open in front of the Florida net, and Panthers coach Paul Morris acknowledged that these breakdowns were unusual for his club.

A better night, but not a clean slate

The Associated Press reported that Lankinen was playing his 200th NHL game, while Panthers defenseman Seth Jones returned after missing 26 games.

Reuters found that Sergei Bobrovsky was making his 800th NHL appearance, but the milestone night belonged to the Canucks.

Pettersson’s last goal came on January 13, making it his longest drought in the NHL. He said he’s trying to simplify and shoot more, and you can see that in the way he attacks his look instead of overthinking about it.

Boeser also supported this, saying that a confident Peterson would have to let that shot go. For Vancouver, it means more than a nice night in March. This changes the feel of the room a bit.

The reality is that this win doesn’t fix the season. I’m not pretending otherwise. Still, for Canucks fans who have waited a while to see Pettersson look dangerous again and for the team to actually finish their chances, it may have seemed worth holding out for a few days.

The Panthers visit Edmonton next, and the Canucks stay at home to face Tampa Bay on Thursday.

LeBron James is a veteran of the NBA. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like it, but the Los Angeles Lakers are already on the wrong side of 40 this season. Even though he’s already older than everyone in the league, LA still relies on LeBron more than fans would like to see him power through the season.

It’s clearly working: The Lakers are in third place in the crowded Western Conference with a 42-25 record and trail the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. However, everyone knows that Los Angeles needs to find a way to involve James less in order to preserve him for the remainder of the season. Lakers head coach JJ Redick echoed this sentiment before their game against the Houston Rockets, but also highlighted that LeBron was at his best when he was used as more than a regular player.

According to Benjamin Royer, Redick said, “He was and still is a high-usage player compared to your average player.” The best thing for our team is he’s the third most used player, you know, and obviously he had to work more during parts of the year because of injuries or guys being out of the lineup.

Although James is no longer the solo world-beater he once was, the Lakers star still has great confidence in him. In terms of scoring, James is the third leading scorer after the All-Star break with 18.7 points per game in 10 games. He trails Luka Doncic (32.7) and Austin Reaves on the Lakers’ scoring list. James is also adding 5.2 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game, as he has handed control of the offense to both Doncic and Reaves.

James and the Lakers are looking for their first championship since arriving in the bubble in 2020. Los Angeles had come close in previous years, but they never got back to the Finals. Will this be the year James wins his sixth championship and matches Michael Jordan’s six rings?

On Saturday evening, the Los Angeles Lakers continued their winning ways with an impressive home win in overtime over the Denver Nuggets. After Austin Reaves brought the game into extra period with some heroics late in regulation, Luka Doncic won things for Los Angeles with the game winner in the final frame, giving the Lakers their fifth consecutive win in the process.

There was a playoff-like atmosphere at Crypto.com Arena for most of the evening, and after the game, Doncic made sure to give a shout-out to the fans in attendance for the matchup.

X, formerly on Twitter According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Doncic said, “I felt like it was the best environment because I’ve been a Laker… I had goosebumps.”

Indeed, there were several notable “crowd pops” on ESPN’s broadcast of the game, including perhaps the loudest when Doncic’s final jumper found the bottom of the net with .5 on the clock in overtime.

At times it felt like this game was following the familiar script of many Lakers vs. Nuggets matchups over the years, with Los Angeles getting off to a strong start, Denver eventually taking control late, and things going down to the wire. However, in most cases, it seems like the Nuggets made the biggest plays during the game and won, but that was not the case on Saturday night, as Los Angeles produced several great performances to pick up the win.

It also helped matters that legendary Lakers killer Jamal Murray only scored five points in this one and ultimately fouled out.

The win allowed the Lakers to move back into third place in the vaunted Western Conference. They will take the field on Monday evening for the first set of two games against the Houston Rockets.

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

MIAMI – The Miami Heat look to improve as the team heads into the regular season home stretch, with the upcoming week set to be crucial in solidifying their spot as they attempt to advance into the playoffs. Although the Heat are struggling with injuries to key players like Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins, the team will have to work hard to take care of business.

After Miami defeated the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Sunday, the upcoming week will be crucial to picking up wins in their continued goal of avoiding the play-in tournament. It cannot be denied that the Heat aim to avoid the tournament, as many within the team have made it public, as they are sick and tired of making the playoffs the last three seasons.

The team will be in Miami until the contest against the Charlotte Hornets on March 17, meaning the team will be at home for seven of its last eight games, having already defeated the Houston Rockets and Brooklyn Nets twice. After the Pistons on Sunday, the Heat will face the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic.

Given the Eastern Conference standings, it is very tight, leaving very little room for error, as there is only four games separating the fifth to 10th seeds. Aside from handling business against lower-ranked teams in the conference like the Wizards and Bucks, although each have stars like Trae Young and Giannis Antetokounmpo, respectively, these are contests that Miami is expected to win.

The most important game will be against the Magic on Saturday, as they are right next to each other in the standings as before the Pistons contest, Orlando was in sixth place, to Miami’s seventh, a difference of just a fraction of a percentage point. Depending on how long Powell and Wiggins are out, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and others will need to lift weights.

How has the Heat performed so far at home

Due to the Heat’s pressure to make the playoffs, the road to the postseason is not easy, as looking at the middle of the Eastern Conference teams, Miami has the toughest schedule left in terms of winning percentage, according to Esfandiyar Baraheni. Including Sunday against Detroit, the remaining 10 games will take place at Kasia Center, where the Heat have a 21-11 record on their home floor.

In addition to the overall goal of playing well at home, there is an added pressure of making every game count due to the standings, which head coach Erik Spoelstra said he wants his team to “enjoy in these matchups.”

“We’ve known all season how important it is to establish that home feeling and that feeling that you don’t want it to be a place where people don’t want to come, and I think we did a pretty good job of that,” Spoelstra told ClutchPoints before the win over Detroit. “But more importantly, it’s just the opportunities to be competitive, the context of these games is a little more, and that’s what you love this time of year. … That’s our motivation, trying to get to another level as a basketball team, but also as competitive. I want our guys to enjoy these matchups this time of year.”

Asked Erik Spoelstra about the urgency of caring as these home games get closer to the standings.

“We know from all seasons how important it is to establish a homely feeling and feeling, as you don’t want this to be a place people want to come to…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/Eu78RuXXPr

– Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 8 March 2026

If there’s one thing Miami needs for the rest of the schedule, it’s momentum and energy, the same things the home crowd can provide.

“I mean, being able to get in front of our home crowd and build that energy, keep this win streak going. And you know, when we get home, I think we can start getting 140,” Adebayo said after the team’s win over the Hornets on Friday.

“It’s nice, sunny, go to the beach, you know, you just have to stay home. I think that’s the most important thing. We love our fans, so getting home is going to be important for us. We want to make the most of it,” Jamie Jacquez Jr. said.

At any rate, Miami has a five-game winning streak after the Pistons game, taking the team record to 36–29.

Cooper Flagg’s homecoming was everything people expected, even if the scoreboard didn’t go the Dallas Mavericks’ way. The Maine native and No. 1 overall pick finally made his professional debut at TD Garden on Friday night, and despite playing for the visiting team, the Boston crowd treated him like a local legend.

The atmosphere was filled with excitement as the Mavericks took on the Celtics. The Celtics ultimately bounced back with a 120-100 blowout, but the story belonged to the 19-year-old rookie. Cooper Flagg finished his Garden debut with 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes. While he struggled with his efficiency, shooting only 7-of-23 from the floor and 0-of-4 from deep, that moment was not lost on him.

After the game, the media tried to prod the rookies into imagining a future in green. When asked if the experience of the TD Garden crowd inspired him to experience it as a home player rather than a visitor, Flagg shrugged it off with the veteran patience he has shown all season. “I love being Maverick,” Flagg said. “That’s home, and I don’t want anything else.”

Cooper Flagg was asked if the experience of playing at TD Garden met his expectations and whether he would like to experience it “with the home crowd.” #mavs: :

“I love being a vagabond. It’s home and I don’t want anything else.” pic.twitter.com/okQuCz4bRq

– Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 7 March 2026

The Boston Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, proved why they are the class of the Eastern Conference, but Flagg showed flashes of the generational talent that could make him the top prize of the 2025 NBA Draft. He hit two shots and played high-level defense against some of the best wings in the world. It wasn’t the “W” the Mavs wanted, but for a kid from Newport, Maine, to stand out on that court and applaud was a full-circle moment.

The Phoenix Suns prevailed 113-110 at home against the Orlando Magic on Saturday after Jalen Green’s game-winner at the buzzer in overtime. With the score tied at 110 and the Suns in possession, Green caught an inbounds pass on the move from Royce O’Neale, firing a sharp shot from the corner that found the bottom of the net.

Jalen Green’s game-winner at the buzzer snapped a two-game losing streak for the Suns, which went back to before the All-Star break. He finished with 19 points, five rebounds, six assists and one steal in 37 minutes of play. He did not have the most efficient night, shooting only 6 of 26 from the field, including 2 of 11 from the 3-point line. But his last shot in OT was the biggest.

After missing 41 of the Suns’ first 43 games due to a hamstring injury, Green returned to the lineup in late January. However, he was still troubled by injury problems and played in only five of the Suns’ games just before the All-Star break.

In the Suns’ first game after the break last Thursday, Green returned to the starting lineup and played a little more than 26 minutes in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He had 26 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals in that game.

With Green not seeing a majority of play in the first half of the regular season, his return to the Suns rotation was almost like a trade deadline acquisition in itself.

Coming into Saturday’s game, Green had appeared in eight games for the Suns at a rate of just over 16 minutes per game. He averaged 13.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists with splits of 42.7 percent shooting from the field, 37 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 84.6 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The LA Clippers begin the post-All-Star break portion of their season with a matchup against the powerful Denver Nuggets, led by three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. The game got off to a bad start for the Clippers. That is, until Benedict Mathurin checked in.

Denver blew a 13-4 lead over the Clippers in Thursday night’s contest, trapping Kawhi Leonard 30 feet from the basket and forcing him to make other players. Benedict Mathurin checked in midway through the third quarter and immediately contributed 11 points off the bench in six minutes of the first quarter.

This was a far cry from the Mathurin everyone saw debuting for the Clippers against the Houston Rockets a week ago, and it was exactly what the Clippers needed against the Nuggets.

“We had a conversation during the first game in Houston,” head coach Tyronn Lue said of Benedict Mathurin. “I thought he was really passive, turned down some shots, wasn’t aggressive. I pulled him to the sideline during a timeout and told him, ‘You’ve got to be aggressive, you’ve got to be who you are, and we’ll figure out the rest.’ We needed everything we got tonight. “He’s aggressive, getting to the basket, getting to the free throw line and making some big shots for us.”

Mathurin not only made a strong start to the Clippers’ offense and did not give up all night. In his third game since the trade deadline deal that traded him to the Indiana Pacers, Benedict Mathurin recorded a Clippers franchise record for points in a home debut. The Clippers guard led the way with 38 points on 12-of-22 shooting from the field and 12-of-13 from the free throw line.

“Man, this is going to be awesome [playing for Tyronn Lue],” Mathurin said after the win. He could be my best friend. He told me to be aggressive, man. He told me to be myself, and I feel like he really knows my game. He really knows what I can do. It’s been a pleasure to have him as a coach. And I think by bringing everybody together, we can do a lot of great things.”

Kawhi Leonard, who was battling an illness, recorded 23 points, four rebounds and three assists, but saw double-teams and traps all night by the Nuggets defense that made it difficult for him to find a rhythm. However, he had a 10-point third quarter that helped the Clippers clinch the win in the minutes that Benedict Mathurin was off the field.

“Business went so fast, man,” Mathurin said. “I found time to talk [Kawhi] A little bit, just to meet him after the All-Stars. Great boy! We’re trying to build that relationship as quickly as possible so we can make a deep run in the playoffs.

Mathurin started the game with 11 points in the opening period and finished his 38-point performance with 16 points in the final frame.

“It’s fun to see how happy my teammates were for me,” Mathurin said after the win. “Just winning, actually winning my second game with the team. So far, so good.”

Mathurin recorded his second straight game with double-digit free throw attempts, repeatedly displaying the ability to take contact, finish through contact and get to the free throw line.

“I think I’ve always been aggressive, just getting to the rim,” Mathurin said after the win. “That’s one of my biggest strengths. So I think, you know, just knowing when to take a shot or be aggressive is kind of the difference between those two.”

In three games so far with the Clippers, Benedict Mathurin has averaged 21 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.0 steals in 30 minutes per game.

The Clippers are back in action on Friday night when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers inside Staples Center, the second game of a back-to-back set.

On Sunday evening, the NBA All-Star Game took place at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles and Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was part of the festivities. Edwards’ team won the game, and Starr won the All-Star Game MVP award for his efforts, outscoring opponents throughout the game.

One of Edwards’ teammates for the game was Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, who caught hold of Edwards in a moment after the game. Went viral on social media.

In a leaked video, Edwards can be heard telling Johnson he “can’t wait to get home,” according to former playoff running back Jalen Jalen on Twitter, via Basket News.

🚨 BREAKING: A new video has surfaced on NBA Twitter of Anthony Edwards telling Jalen Johnson he “can’t wait to get home”

Could we potentially see ANT to ATL??!

👀 pic.twitter.com/c7CT7Zvqh7

– (@PlayoffJohnson) 16 February 2026

Edwards is from the Atlanta area and could be seen pointing to his Atlanta-themed hat when his name was announced before the start of the All-Star Game.

Meanwhile, Johnson has established himself as the guy in Atlanta after the team transferred point guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards earlier this year. He has used his combination of playmaking and athleticism to turn himself into one of the best young forwards in the game today.

While Edwards has seen some great success with the Timberwolves so far, there’s no doubt that things could become volatile if they have a playoff disappointment in 2026. Minnesota has made the Conference Finals in each of the last two seasons, but was uncompetitive in both of those series, first against the Dallas Mavericks in 2024 and then against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025.

If Edwards ever requests a trade or threatens to leave in free agency, the Hawks would be a landing spot that would likely be touted by fans and pundits alike due to his connection to the area, as well as his recent exchange with Johnson.

In any case, the Timberwolves next face off on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Everton ditched their home kit for their FA Cup third round clash against Sunderland at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.

Despite being the home side, the Toffees lined up in a new, dark blue strip as their cup run ended immediately with a penalty shoutout defeat to their Premier League rivals.

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After Enzo Le Fee’s first-half strike, David Moyes’ side forced extra time after James Garner forced extra-time with a late penalty.

With neither side able to find a winner, the game went to penalties, where the Black Cats won the shootout 3-0 after Garner, Thierno Barry and Beto all saw their spot kicks saved by Robin Roefs.

But it was Everton’s kit choice which caught the eye in the clash, as they opted against wearing their traditional blue colours.

Why did Everton wear their away kit against Sunderland?

Ahead of their FA Cup tie, the Toffees revealed kit manufacturers Castore had designed a special fourth kit for the clash.

The dark blue strip, which features the club’s crest and Stake sponsor in fluorescent pink, is a tribute to Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium.

This season saw the club move into the 52,000-capacity ground at Bramley-Moore Dock – ending their 133-year stay at Goodison Park.

In a statement, the Merseyside outfit said the kit celebrates the stadium’s place in the ‘iconic’ city of Liverpool.

It forms part of an exclusive collection that also includes warm-up shirts and track jackets with an abstract design paying homage to landmark buildings in the city’s skyline – including the Hill Dickinson Stadium, the Three Graces and St Johns Beacon.