Top News:
Dave Hyde / Sun-Sentinel:
Heat and Panthers go into playoffs armed with slingshots against No. 1 seeds — Everyone else on the Miami Heat should pick up Jimmy Butler and Max Strus and carry them into Milwaukee for giving them a chance to re-write the conclusion to this season and, with it, their own personal standing in it.
Discussion:
Associated Press and Denver Post
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Julia Poe / Chicago Tribune:
Chicago Bulls let a late lead slip away in 102-91 loss to the Miami Heat, ending their season 1 win shy of a playoff berth — MIAMI — The 43rd and final loss of the Chicago Bulls season ended with a familiar sight — a haphazard crumbling under pressure. — It should have been an even playing field in the play-in showdown Friday.
Discussion:
Sun-Sentinel, Mercury News, Denver Post, Bleacher Nation, Chicago Sun Times, New York Post and Daily Herald
Ira Winderman / Sun-Sentinel:
Butler, Strus push Heat into playoffs in harrowing 102-91 comeback against Bulls; Bucks up next on Sunday — MIAMI — There will be playoffs instead of lottery for the Miami Heat, as they punched their ticket into the first round with a 102-91 victory Friday night over the Chicago Bulls at the Kaseya Center.
Discussion:
Associated Press
Ira Winderman / Sun-Sentinel:
Heat's Spoelstra hints of lineup, rotation changes vs. Bulls in play-in — MIAMI — Caleb Martin was the final player off the Miami Heat's practice court Thursday. The question now is whether he could be one of the first on the court when the Heat host the Chicago Bulls in a winner-take-all play-in game at 7 p.m. Friday night.
Discussion:
Denver Post, Boston Herald and The Athletic
Kristian Winfield / New York Daily News:
Mikal Bridges shrugs off 30-point performance in Game 1 loss to 76ers: ‘None of that s—t matters when you lose’ — PHILADELPHIA — Mikal Bridges scored 30 points and only missed six shots in his first playoff game as Brooklyn's No. 1 scoring option — but it was a 20-point loss in a game the Nets hoped to play better.
Discussion:
New York Post and Newsday
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Kristian Winfield / New York Daily News:
Outmatched Nets fall to Sixers 121-101 in Game 1 of NBA first-round playoff series — PHILADELPHIA — It was over at the top of the fourth quarter. — Backup Sixers center Paul Reed grabbed an offensive rebound, shook Nets wing Royce O'Neale with a behind-the-back dribble …
Discussion:
New York Post, The Athletic and Boston Herald
Ian Harrison / Associated Press:
Rays lose first game after 13-0 start, fall 6-3 to Blue Jays — Waiting two weeks to experience their first loss of the season didn't make defeat any easier for the Tampa Bay Rays. — The Rays lost their first game following a record-tying 13- start as Colin Poche forced in two runs …
Discussion:
New York Daily News, Newsday, DRaysBay, MLB.com, NBCSports.com, Bluebird Banter, Mercury News, The Athletic, Associated Press and Yahoo Sports
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Abbey Mastracco / New York Daily News:
Mets Notebook: Pitching moves follow Stephen Nogosek being placed on IL — OAKLAND — The Mets' pitching staff took another hit Saturday when right-hander Stephen Nogosek was placed on the 15-day injured list with a bone bruise on his right elbow. However, the club is confident that reinforcements are on the way.
Discussion:
Denver Post
Stefan Bondy / New York Daily News:
Josh Hart's clutch play saves Knicks in Game 1 win over Donovan Mitchell, Cavs — CLEVELAND — Josh Hart came to the rescue. — With his team collapsing in the fourth quarter — falling to the might of Donovan Mitchell — Hart, a player certainly not known for his offense, found himself with the ball and the shot clock dwindling.
Discussion:
Mercury News, Denver Post and The Athletic
Darragh McDonald / MLB Trade Rumors:
Giants, Logan Webb Agree To Five-Year, $90MM Extension — The Giants announced that they have agreed to a five-year, $90MM extension with right-hander Logan Webb. Webb will make $8MM next year, $12MM in 2025, $23MM in both 2026 and 2027, then $24MM in 2028.
Discussion:
Bleacher Nation, Lone Star Ball and The Athletic
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Associated Press:
Yankees' Aaron Judge, MLBPA win dispute over ‘All Rise’ trademark — NEW YORK — Aaron Judge won a dispute over trademarks used to promote the New York Yankees slugger. — The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled against a Long Island man who attempted to register …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley and New York Post
Associated Press:
Umpire Larry Vanover released from hospital after beaning — CLEVELAND — Major League Baseball umpire Larry Vanover was released from the hospital Friday, two days after being hit in the head by a relay throw by a Guardians player during a game against the New York Yankees.
Discussion:
CNN, New York Post, Yahoo Sports and MLB
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
MLB's percentage of Black players is the lowest since 1955. What's baseball doing to fix that? — The cold, hard numbers are shocking to the senses, but Major League Baseball and The Players Alliance refuse to be deterred, believing progress is being made, convinced that change is coming.
Discussion:
Yahoo Sports
