ew Page 4 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Wings sign defensive standout Alanna Smith to reported 3-year contract
The Dallas Wings have signed free agent forward Alanna Smith, the WNBA's co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2025, the team announced on Saturday night.,ESPN reported that Smith, who spent the past two seasons with the Minnesota Lynx, has agreed to a three-year max contract, per her agent Sammy Wlosz...

Trail Blazers can clinch No. 8 seed with win vs. Kings
The Portland Trail Blazers look to secure the No. 8 position in the Western Conference when they host the woeful Sacramento Kings on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both clubs.,The Trail Blazers put themselves in position to nab a spot in the key 7 vs. 8 play-in contest by routing the visiti...

Foster Griffin, Nats stifle slumping Brewers offense
James Wood doubled in two runs and Foster Griffin and three relievers combined on a two-hitter as the visiting Washington Nationals defeated Milwaukee 3-1 on Saturday night, handing the Brewers their fourth consecutive loss., ,The Brewers managed just one hit until William Contreras opened the ninth...

Warriors face Clippers, knowing rematch may occur soon after
The Golden State Warriors could have a hand in their play-in opponent when they wrap up the NBA regular season on the road Sunday night against one of the possibilities, the Los Angeles Clippers.,The Warriors (37-44) are assured of a 10th-place finish in the Western Conference, meaning they will ope...

Illinois freshman G Keaton Wagler to declare for NBA draft
Illinois freshman guard Keaton Wagler, a consensus second-team All-American, will declare for the NBA Draft, he said on social media on Saturday.,Wagler, projected as a lottery pick in the draft, led the Fighting Illini to a 28-9 record and their first Final Four since 2005.,"This past year has been...

No. 3 seed within Lakers' grasp in season finale vs. Jazz
A better seed in next week's Western Conference playoffs will be on the line Sunday night for the Los Angeles Lakers, who host the lowly Utah Jazz in both teams' regular-season finale.,Los Angeles (52-29) will earn the No. 3 seed with a win paired with a Denver Nuggets' loss to the San Antonio Spurs...

Nikola Jokic, Nuggets can clinch No. 3 seed against Spurs
The Denver Nuggets have plenty for which to play when they visit the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday in the teams' regular-season finale.,The Nuggets (53-28) have won 11 straight games, the longest active winning streak in the league. Denver's latest victory, a 127-107 home decision over top-seeded Okla...

Avoiding injury looms large as Thunder host Suns in regular season finale
The Oklahoma City Thunder's place in the postseason is set.,The Thunder (64-17) will be the No. 1 overall seed when the playoffs open, their third consecutive season earning the top spot in the Western Conference.,The Phoenix Suns (44-37) will be headed to the play-in tournament as the No. 7 seed, t...

'Pretty easy:' Masters players surprised by Augusta National conditions
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- It's not often the word "gettable" is used to describe Augusta National on a Saturday at the Masters, but that's exactly the adjective several players used after this year's third round.,Nineteen of the 54 players who made the cut posted rounds in the 60s on Saturday, led by the 65s ...

Depleted Grizzlies wrap season against resting Rockets
The Houston Rockets finally had displayed signs of consistency that seemed to validate their standing as a contender in the West, with an eight-game winning streak confirming as much.,One result likely won't change that perspective, but the Rockets' defensive effort against the short-handed Minnesot...

Orioles place C Adley Rutschman (ankle) on 10-day IL
The Baltimore Orioles placed starting catcher Adley Rutschman on the 10-day injured list with left ankle inflammation prior to Saturday's home game against the San Francisco Giants.,Rutschman was in Saturday's original starting lineup, batting third and catching. But he was scratched before the game...

Resting Timberwolves close regular season vs. Pelicans
The Minnesota Timberwolves do not know their playoff opponent yet.,All they know for sure is they will start the postseason on the road -- but not before they play one more home game in their regular-season finale. The Timberwolves (48-33) will tip off against the New Orleans Pelicans (26-55) on Sun...

Masters champion to earn $4.5M from majors-record $22.5M purse
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Twenty players will begin Sunday's final round of the Masters within six shots of the lead, and they will all be chasing a $4.5 million winner's check out of a majors-record $22.5 million prize purse.,The Augusta National Golf Club released the 2026 prize money breakdown on Saturday,...

Crew hopes turnaround in full gear as they host flailing Orlando City
Orlando City will try to halt a miserable extended start to the season on Sunday night when they visit a Columbus Crew side that just might have turned a corner.,Orlando (1-5-0, 3 points) parted with manager Orlando Pareja a month ago following a 5-0 loss at New York City FC, and briefly responded w...

Tyler Soderstrom homers twice as Athletics defeat Mets
Tyler Soderstrom and Carlos Cortes each homered during a five-run third inning Saturday for the surging Athletics, who held off a rally by the host New York Mets to earn an 11-6 victory.,Soderstrom, who hit a two-run homer in the third, added a three-run round-tripper in the eighth for the Athletics...

Alex Bowman picks a tough track for his return from illness
BRISTOL, Tenn. -- With his head spinning and stomach churning inside his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Alex Bowman had a flash of serious doubt about his racing future.,Illness forced Bowman to abandon his NASCAR Cup Series ride after 70 of 95 laps March 1 at Circuit of the Americas in Aust...

Billy Donovan, perhaps coaching Bulls for last time, faces Mavericks
Chicago's season-ending road clash with the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday will be Bulls coach Billy Donovan's 482nd regular-season game on the bench.,Speculation continues to swirl that it may also be his last, what with the 60-year-old Hall of Fame coach linked to a shift to Chicago's front office.,Th...

Post-season bound Sixers host disappointing Bucks in finale
A horrible season in Milwaukee is coming to an end, while Philadelphia will play on beyond the regular season finale. The Bucks travel to the City of Brotherly Love to take on the 76ers on Sunday.,Milwaukee (32-49) was eliminated from postseason contention a while ago. This is the first time since 2...

Tyson Fury outlasts Arslanbek Makhmudov in return to ring
Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury came out of retirement Saturday in front of a warm reception at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London opposite Arslanbek Makhmudov.,Fury (35-2-1, 24 KOs) earned a unanimous decision over Makhmudov (21-3, 19 KOs), taking the judges' scorecards 120-108, 120-108 and...

Valkyries sign Veronica Burton to multiyear deal
Veronica Burton, the WNBA's Most Improved Player last season, re-signed with the Golden State Valkyries on a multiyear deal, the team announced Saturday.,Burton, 25, posted career highs of 11.9 points, 6.0 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals while starting all 44 games for the expansion franchise l...