Top News:
Ira Winderman / Sun-Sentinel:
Heat score statement road victory in pushing past Cavaliers 100-97 — CLEVELAND — This fight to the finish was different. — This wasn't playing down to the level of the lottery-bound Charlotte Hornets and losing Sunday at the start of this four-game trip.
Discussion:
Fear The Sword, Plain Dealer, Boston Herald, New York Daily News, Mercury News, DraftKings Nation and Hot Hot Hoops
Keith Law / The Athletic:
Top 100 MLB prospects 2023: Keith Law's rankings, with Corbin Carroll at No. 1 — Welcome to this year's ranking of the top 100 prospects in baseball. I've been compiling and writing such rankings for 16 years now, and those of you who've read them before will find the format here similar to those from the recent past.
Kristian Winfield / New York Daily News:
Nets handle business with 121-104 victory over star-less Lakers — The Nets blew one double-digit lead, only to build a second in their 121-104 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday. — The Nets led by as many as 19 points in the first half, only to surrender that lead in the second …
The Athletic:
MLB offseason grades for all 30 teams: Who got the highest (and lowest) marks? — The Athletic's baseball staff was tasked with assigning a letter grade to each team's offseason. The average mark was a B-minus, an indication that the staff isn't necessarily populated with overly tough graders.
Discussion:
Bleacher Nation, Red Reporter, Battery Power and Athletics Nation
Pat Ragazzo / Sports Illustrated:
New York Mets' DH Role ‘Undefined’ Heading Into Spring Training — The Mets' designated hitter role is “undefined” heading into spring training. — The Mets used the offseason to bring in a haul of impact acquisitions, as well as retain some of their own star players.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Stefan Bondy / New York Daily News:
LeBron James' relationship with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar still icy as the King approaches all-time scoring mark — It's inevitable that LeBron James will break the record. But how will he embrace the man he passes on the NBA's all-time scoring list? That's up for debate and will be interesting to watch.
Discussion:
Mercury News
Dan Gelston / Associated Press:
Eagles, Jalen Hurts rout 49ers in NFC title game, soar into Super Bowl — Hurts has one of Philadelphia's four rushing touchdowns and the Eagles force both of San Francisco's quarterbacks out of the NFC championship game with injuries and beat the wounded 49ers, 31-7
DJourn / Battery Power:
Darren O'Day announces his retirement — The longtime relief pitcher, and two-time Atlanta Brave, announced his retirement today after parts of 15 seasons in MLB. — Former Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Darren O'Day announced his retirement today after parts of 15 seasons in MLB.
Discussion:
ESPN, BaltimoreBaseball.com, MLB Baseball News …, Denver Post, Lone Star Ball and MLB Trade Rumors
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Nightengale's Notebook: Malachi Moore is a trailblazer as first umpire from MLB's Compton academy — PHOENIX — Malachi Moore would set the alarm for 5 a.m. every morning, head over to MLB's Youth Academy in Compton, Calif. and start his day. — There was grass to be mowed. — Fields to be raked.
Discussion:
Call to the Pen, Sports Illustrated, Pinstripe Alley, Bleacher Nation and MLB Trade Rumors
David Furones / Sun-Sentinel:
Dolphins land coveted defensive coordinator Vic Fangio — South Florida Sun Sentinel's Chris Perkins & David Furones discuss how the Miami Dolphins begin to build a better team next season in 2023. (, , /South Florida Sun Sentinel) — The Miami Dolphins got their top choice to fill their defensive coordinator vacancy.
Discussion:
ProFootballTalk, Mercury News, The Athletic, Seattle Sports, DraftKings Nation, Bleacher Nation and FanSided
Patrick Saunders / Denver Post:
Owner Dick Monfort: Rockies can “play .500 ball” in 2023 — Monfort doesn't “100% agree” with Padres' spending plan — GREELEY — Prior to the 2020 season, owner Dick Monfort boldly predicted the Rockies would rebound from their disastrous 2019 season and win a franchise-record 94 games that year.
Julia Poe / Chicago Tribune:
Recapping the Chicago Bulls: Big Three lead the way to a 128-109 victory against the Orlando Magic — ORLANDO, Fla. — The Chicago Bulls had the win in the bag. — With three minutes left in the third quarter of Saturday's road game against the Orlando Magic, they held an 89-64 lead and every ounce of momentum.
Jay Rigdon / Awful Announcing:
CBS debuted a live mic hole with Max Homa and it was predictably awesome … It's hard to describe how quickly CBS has revamped their golf coverage. — Long a plagued by a staid feel, CBS has now quickly risen to the top of network golf coverage thanks to being willing to innovate and push …
Discussion:
Daily News