al Page 98 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Heat waste 21-point lead, then surge past Cavaliers
Norman Powell scored 19 points and Bam Adebayo collected 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, allowing the visiting Miami Heat to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 120-103 after blowing a 21-point lead on Wednesday night.,Tyler Herro added 18 points, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Pelle Larsson each score...

Jiri Lehecka defeats qualifier Martin Landaluce to reach Miami Open semis
No. 21 seed Jiri Lehecka had eight aces while producing a 7-6 (1), 7-5 victory over Spanish qualifier Martin Landaluce on Wednesday to advance to the semifinals of the Miami Open.,Lehecka won 85.1% of his first-serve points and had 19 winners against 23 unforced errors in the quarterfinal match.,Leh...

Champion Seahawks to kick off 2026 NFL season on a Wednesday
The Seattle Seahawks will begin the first step in their defense of their Super Bowl title on a Wednesday as opposed to the traditional Thursday opener to the NFL's regular season.,The NFL has yet to announce an opponent for the Seahawks, who will host the 2026 opener on Sept. 9.,Seattle is playing o...

Cards to open season with OF Lars Nootbaar on 60-day IL
The St. Louis Cardinals will be without outfielder Lars Nootbaar at least through the first two months of the season after he was placed on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.,Nootbaar underwent surgery in October for bone spurs in both heels that affected the Achilles tendon. His recovery timetable ...

NFL-backed flag football event averaged approx. 650K viewers
The Fanatics Flag Football Classic didn't exactly resonate with the masses this past weekend, as it drew an average television audience of 641,000 on Fox for the round-robin competition.,The title game didn't draw much better, averaging 649,000, per FrontOfficeSports.com.,It likely did itself no fav...
Why NBA Expansion Might Not Be the Best Look for the League Right Now
Reports suggest NBA expansion is likely, with Seattle and Las Vegas as top candidates. But is adding new teams the right move for the league amid tanking and declining ratings?...

Embracing youth movement, Cardinals set for opener vs. Rays
The St. Louis Cardinals will look a lot younger when they host the Tampa Bay Rays on Opening Day on Thursday afternoon.,The Cardinals traded veterans Nolan Arenado (Arizona Diamondbacks), Willson Contreras (Boston Red Sox) and Brendan Donovan (Seattle Mariners) for prospects during the offseason, le...
How Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Extension With Seahawks Complicates Things for Rams
The Seattle Seahawks signed Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a four-year, $168.8M deal, making him the league’s highest-paid wide receiver. How will this impact the Rams and Puka Nacua’s market value?...
Why the 2026 NBA Awards Could Be Vulnerable to Gambling Influence
A provocative look at the NBA Rookie of the Year race and how gambling concerns could raise questions about awards voting....

Kansas' Bill Self says no decision on retirement yet
Kansas coach Bill Self said he has made no decision about retirement, despite persistent rumors that say otherwise.,Self, who just completed his 23rd season with the Jayhawks, told the Kansas City Star on Wednesday that any reports of his imminent retirement are false.,"No news. All b.s. Bad info," ...

Tarik Skubal, confident Tigers set sights on Padres
Opening Day usually is about beginnings, hopes and dreams.,But for the Detroit Tigers in general and left-hander Tarik Skubal in particular, Thursday's season opener at the San Diego Padres might be about the beginning of the end as much as the start of a new season.,Unless Detroit breaks the bank a...

Report: Revs acquire F Marcos Zambrano on loan from RSL
The New England Revolution are acquiring forward Marcos Zambrano on loan from Real Salt Lake, The Athletic reported on Wednesday.,The deal includes a purchase option for Zambrano, who was part of the U.S. squad coached by Revolution head coach Marko Mitrovic at the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup. ,Zambran...

Orioles, Twins hope new managers lead to contending seasons
There'll be a double dose of managerial debuts when the Minnesota Twins visit the Baltimore Orioles for Thursday's opener.,Derek Shelton will be in his first game in charge of the Twins. New Orioles skipper Craig Albernaz is in his first managerial role.,Shelton was fired by Pittsburgh last May and ...

Cubs embrace expectations as Nationals visit for Opening Day
After ending a four-year playoff drought last season, the Chicago Cubs enter 2026 with added expectations.,In manager Craig Counsell's mind, that also should increase the clubhouse's penchant for staying in the moment.,"It's not easy to get to a place like this. It's not easy to get to a roster like...

Butler hires former player Ronald Nored as coach
Butler hired former Bulldogs point guard Ronald Nored to succeed Thad Matta as head coach on Wednesday.,Nored, 36, had worked as an assistant coach in the NBA since 2018 and was with the Atlanta Hawks since 2023. ,He was a two-time Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and played in two NCAA T...
Three MLB Teams Facing Regression in 2026
The Brewers, Guardians, and Blue Jays could be headed for regression in 2026—here’s why these playoff teams may fall short....
Best NBA Bets Today: Wednesday Predictions and Player Props
NBA betting picks for Wednesday, including Celtics vs Thunder, Hawks vs Pistons, and Bucks vs Blazers with spreads and props....
How MLB Is Getting Opening Day Wrong in a Crucial 2026 Season
MLB Opening Day draws criticism over streaming decisions and scheduling issues, leaving fans frustrated in a crucial season for baseball....
MLB Opening Day Wednesday Pick: Yankees vs. Giants Best Bets
MLB Opening Day preview: Why Max Fried and the Yankees have the edge over Logan Webb and the Giants in this betting breakdown....

Called out for leaky defense, Cavaliers take aim at Heat
The Cleveland Cavaliers have won four games in a row and sit in firm possession of fourth place in the Eastern Conference.,Still, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson was in a foul mood Tuesday following the team's 136-131 victory over the Orlando Magic.,Cleveland will attempt to extend its winning streak...