8 Page 24 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Underperforming in playoffs isn’t new to Mike Budenholzer teams, but this time it may cost him
With the NBA Playoffs looming later this month, and due to the perceived attainability of this year’s championship, there’s a growing list of people out there who could be held accountable for coming up short....

Former Detroit Piston-tryout-offer-recipient J. Cole has a new album coming
“Hands … in the … air … now … hands … in the … AIR!” ...

38-year-old Anderson Varejão, who’s been getting paid by the Portland Trail Blazers, is returning to the NBA
Remember Anderson Varejão? ...

We can’t run from the Penguins and Capitals
This will be the third standings system or alignment the NHL has used in the past decade. But no matter how they shake out the teams or decide how they get into the playoffs, it’s a safe bet that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals will be at the top. Part of that is the NHL basically we...

Kyrie Irving is present and accounted for and the Brooklyn Nets’ MVP this season
For sure, nobody wants to hear it....

Houston Rockets CEO stepping down is another step back for rebuilding franchise
Tad Brown, CEO of the Houston Rockets, is stepping down after 19 years with the organization, further signaling the direction the franchise has taken in the post-James Harden/Daryl Morey era. Brown announced the decision on Friday following a 15-year-run as CEO, which came after a four-year tenure a...

Nope, sorry, I’m tired of hearing it — size does NOT matter when it comes to DeVonta Smith’s talent
Yes-yes, sure-sure … top-tier wide receiver prospect DeVonta Smith is 166 pounds — I know. And I don’t give a damn....

Who would you take right now, Jayson Tatum or Donovan Mitchell?
The past four seasons have made it clear who the best two players in the 2017 NBA Draft are....

LaMarcus Aldridge was <em>way</em> better than we’re going to remember
When LaMarcus Aldridge abruptly retired yesterday due to a cardiac issue, he leaves the NBA as one of the most under-appreciated stars of his era....

How well did<em> MLB: The Show</em> choose cover athletes? We rank all 15 player performances that season
One month later than usual, MLB: The Show is finally releasing their 2021 installment. Although the game itself doesn’t fully come out until Tuesday, April 20, today begins the early access release period, meaning if you pre-ordered the game, you’re probably playing it right now....

Jeremy Lin deserves a roster spot, but the NBA is drunk on bare-minimum contracts
Much like Isaiah Thomas signing a 10-day contract on April 3 with the Pelicans, Jeremy Lin is just looking for one more chance in the NBA. Based on his G League production this past season, he’s earned it. As I said last week, the league has a problem with its veterans being cast aside in favor of y...

Citing an irregular heartbeat, LaMarcus Aldridge shocks NBA by retiring
Recently added Brooklyn Nets big man LaMarcus Aldridge announced his retirement from NBA basketball this morning, putting his health first. ...

Have to see this Luka Dončić game-winner to believe it
Luka Dončić won a game looking like I do at 2 a.m. trying to get back into bed (or sometimes at 4 p.m. trying to get a burrito):...

With anti-Asian violence on the rise in America, Hideki Matsuyama displayed class and dignity while making golf history
Looking through the list of Masters winners, there are a lot of American Flags. It wasn’t until 1961, 27 years after the inaugural Masters (then referred to as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament) that a non-American won the tournament for the first time — Gary Player, of South Africa. Player...

Accounting firm manager T.J. McConnell has shown he can hoop
It’s crazy that a man who looks like he could play the lead role in Wedding Crashers has become a force off the bench in the NBA. ...

The U.S. should boycott the Beijing Olympics because it’s the Olympics
No one seriously expects the U.S., or any of its allies, to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing....

Terrace Marshall Jr.’s family connection with Joe Delaney, the Chiefs running back who died a hero
LSU has been churning out wide receiver talent over the last couple seasons, none more notably than last year’s should-have-been Offensive Rookie of the Year and Vikings phenom Justin Jefferson. This year, the NFL, its scouting personnel, and everyone who gets paid to share their opinions are seemin...

Mark Few and Gonzaga choked, and you shouldn’t be surprised
Gonzaga choked, and it’s Mark Few’s burden to carry....

Miracle on Ice hero Mark Pavelich’s suicide is why it's unacceptable that the NHL does little to end hits to the head
When I get mad about the lame-ass suspensions and fines the NHL hands out for hits to the head, this is why....

What’s the highest scoring game in Men’s March Madness history?
In case of a tiebreaker, you have to put a final score on your bracket. What’d you write for yours? If you’re like most, you predicted team scores in the sixties, seventies, maybe eighties? But definitely not in the 100’s… unless you really are that stupid. While most teams stay below 100 points, so...