9 Page 33 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Joel Embiid is right
Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokić are starkly different people. Yes, they are MVP centers who were not raised in America, but the similarities largely stop there. One player is from Africa and the other is from Europe. One player is the most physically dominant in the NBA, the other combines size, court ...

Craig Kimbrel joins 7 other relievers with 400 saves
Phillies reliever Craig Kimbrel is the second MLB closer this season — and eighth all-time — to reach the 400-save mark. He closed out Philadelphia’s 6-4 win over the Atlanta Braves....

Jalen Brunson keeps Knicks' season on life support
When the All-NBA teams were announced Wednesday, Jalen Brunson’s name was conspicuously missing. Point guard is a deep position, but Brunson has been one of the NBA’s hottest scorers this season....

Jamal Murray has been instrumental in Nikola Jokić’s playoff transcendence
Nikola Jokić’s first two MVP seasons were snapped short by title contenders with heavier artillery in the lineup. A year ago, Golden State broke their spirits by targeting Jokić defensively. In 2021, a shorthanded Denver Nuggets team got trounced in a four-game sweep by the Phoenix Suns. ...

The NBA playoff ratings have been FANtastic
Well, Phil Jackson, it turns out that the NBA has not woked itself out of the American television landscape. Some news that you won’t find on the disingenuous provocateur in Nashville’s timeline is that the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs was a smash hit. ...

How the NBA provides injury updates shows a lack of regard for fans
NBA injury reports have turned into politician media availability. Expect everything except for a straight answer. The Philadelphia 76ers reportedly ran an MRI on Joel Embiid’s knee 10 days ago. He was expected to be able to play early last week if necessary and most certainly be available for the s...

Kickers are people, too
I guess if you’re the San Francisco 49ers and you’re set at most positions, you can afford to take a kicker in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The team selected Michigan’s Jake Moody, who owns the Wolverines’ records for points, field goals, and 40-yard FGs, 99th overall. ...
![Will Levis waits no more [Updated]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/0cf14240e0bcdec40e6f0a52e06ad5db.jpg)
Will Levis waits no more [Updated]
[Updated] Will Levis was drafted by the Tennessee Titans with the 33rd overall pick. The Titans traded their second- (41) and third-round (72) picks to Arizona to get him....

Which Jimmy Butler are the Knicks getting?
Jimmy Butler is the validation I needed that NBA playoff basketball is America’s fifth major professional sports league among the “Big Four.” From the pace to the way games are scheduled as a series to the effort, it’s almost a parallel Association. Golden State has been historically bad on the road...
![That Lamar Jackson-49ers rumor was just that — a rumor [Updated]](https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/f8894c31fbf70285c9b6b63704ff2ff1.png)
That Lamar Jackson-49ers rumor was just that — a rumor [Updated]
The NFL Draft has arrived, and because of that, the rumor mill around the league is working overtime. Now that Aaron Rodgers is officially a New York Jet, the biggest storyline to pay attention to is the contract situation with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. Jackson is sticking to his guns ...

The NFL Draft will win the day, but the NBA has already won the week
Thursday night will be one of those evenings when sports fans show their appreciation for the inventor of the “previous channel” button. Round One of the 2023 NFL Draft will be on ABC, while Game 6 of the First Round matchup between the No. 2 Boston Celtics and the No. 7 Atlanta Hawks (Boston leads ...

Is the 1983 NFL Draft Class the best ever?
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the 1983 NFL Draft, which produced eight Hall of Famers at six different positions. These players ended up winning a combined seven Super Bowls and shit ton of awards....

Milwaukee should be embarrassed
Entering the playoffs, Milwaukee was seen as head and shoulders above the rest of the Eastern Conference despite dealing with injuries to key players all season. Someone forgot to pass that memo to the Miami Heat, who have come out the gates smoking hot and now have a 3-1 lead over the Bucks....

Giannis, please save us all from a Heat-Knicks series
My favorite part of the NBA playoffs is certainly not riding the highs and lows of the Jimmy Butler experience. As great as he plays two-three games per series, he’s better as an antagonist that a great team has to overcome. Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player in the NBA, and with him returning...

Did not foresee the 76ers being the most impressive team in the playoffs
Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets is a game that would normally be a disappointing loss for the “Trust the Process” era Philadelphia 76ers. The opportunity to close out a first-round series against an inferior team, along with a Joel Embiid injury to navigate....

Misfortune has once again befallen the Clippers
The poor Los Angeles Clippers have no luck. In 2019, they acquired what appeared to be the perfect tandem in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The Clippers are currently the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference and tied 1-1 with the Phoenix Suns in a first-round playoff series. On Thursday night at hom...

Could Trey Lance's 49ers career already be over?
At least the San Francisco 49ers appear to be attempting to keep all of their options open. That is the best way to describe the handling of their starting quarterback situation with Brock Purdy and Trey Lance both recovering from injury, and Jimmy G now in Las Vegas. ...

The Lakers need to humble the Grizzlies in Game 2 for sake of the NBA
The Memphis Grizzlies are on the brink of falling 2-0 to the Los Angeles Lakers in their first-round series, which brings a smile to the faces of many people outside Tennessee. These young Grizzlies have talked a gang of mess all season and could find themselves in a deep hole after Wednesday night’...

How’d giving away garbage bags full of draft picks work out for these NFL teams?
The NFL Draft is easily the second-most important event on the league’s annual calendar, with most teams that privately know they won’t be close to winning the Super Bowl prepping for the three-day event. Yet, there are still plenty of teams who don’t take an active role in the draft. In each of the...

Are the San Francisco 49ers jinxed at the QB position?
The San Francisco 49ers have a quarterback issue (yet again) that could linger into the regular season. News broke on Monday that last year’s rookie sensation, Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy, could miss the entire 2023 campaign recovering from the elbow injury he suffered in the NFC title game against P...