preview Page 23 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Blazers face Victor Wembanyama, Spurs to open playoffs
The Portland Trail Blazers will get their first look of the season at erstwhile league MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama when they travel to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Sunday in their opening game of the first round playoff series.,The Trail Blazers (42-40) clinched the seventh seed and a meetin...
LAFC, Earthquakes clash in Western Conference showdown
Goals will be at a premium when two of the top teams in the Western Conference meet Sunday as Los Angeles FC plays host to the San Jose Earthquakes.,Each team allowed just two goals through seven league games to lead MLS. They are also two of four teams in the league with a positive goal differentia...
Fresh off play-in win, Suns take on top-seeded Thunder
The Phoenix Suns come into their first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder with some momentum after knocking off the Golden State Warriors in the play-in finale Friday to earn the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.,The Thunder haven't played in a week heading into Sunday's Game 1 of th...
'Underappreciated' Pistons open playoffs against Magic
The Detroit Pistons had the best record in the Eastern Conference for most of the season. They ride into the playoffs as the conference's top seed after winning 60 games.,There's still plenty of doubt whether the Pistons can live up to that status. Boston, with star forward Jayson Tatum back in acti...
Sounders ready for homecoming, rematch with St. Louis City
St. Louis City and the Seattle Sounders met six weeks ago, but St. Louis coach Yoann Damet isn't focusing much on that match as the clubs are set to square off Saturday in Seattle.,"It feels like it was months ago, to be honest," Damet said of St. Louis' 1-0 defeat. "That's how much we've played sin...
Surging Salt Lake ready for rematch with San Diego
Real Salt Lake have their sights set on continuing the second-best start in franchise history when they oppose San Diego FC on Saturday night at Sandy, Utah.,The only time Real Salt Lake (4-1-1, 13 points) have notched a better six-match start during their 22-season history came in 2011 when they we...
Surging Flyers, Sidney Crosby-led Pens bring rivalry back to playoffs
For the first time in eight seasons and the eighth time overall, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers will meet in the Stanley Cup playoffs, with the opening game of their first-round series taking place Saturday night in Pittsburgh.,The latest chapter of the Battle of Pennsylvania featur...
Talles Magno awaiting NYCFC second act as Charlotte FC visit
Is dynamic offensive threat Talles Magno finally ready to pay dividends in his second stint with New York City FC?,That question may be answered when NYCFC (3-2-2, 11 points) play host to Charlotte FC (3-2-2, 11 points) on Saturday at Citi Field in a matchup of teams part of the four-way fourth-plac...
Knicks begin championship-or-bust playoff run vs. upstart Hawks
The New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks each were Cinderella stories the last time they opposed each other in the NBA playoffs.,Only the Hawks qualify for that moniker this time around.,The Knicks will begin a championship-or-bust pursuit when they host the Hawks in the first game of a best-of-seven E...
Revolution bid to stay perfect at home vs. Crew
The New England Revolution set out to continue their dominant home form when they host the Columbus Crew on Saturday in Foxborough, Mass.,The home/away splits are as stark as they come for New England (3-3-0, 9 points). The Revolution have been outscored 8-2 while going 0-3-0 on the road, but are 3-...
FC Cincinnati back home, vying for turnaround vs. streaking Fire
A massive opportunity to right the ship awaits FC Cincinnati Saturday night when they host the Chicago Fire.,Cincinnati (2-4-1, 7 points) has struggled mightily since winning its season opener. It has been plagued by a sluggish offense and a suspect defense, with its minus-6 goal differential tied f...
East-leading Nashville might be without Sam Surridge at Atlanta
If Nashville SC intend to extend their lead atop the MLS Eastern Conference standings with a win against host Atlanta United on Saturday night, they might have to do it without their leading scorer for a second straight match.,Sam Surridge was sidelined with a hamstring injury on Tuesday when Nashvi...
Rockets-Lakers series 'much deeper' than LeBron James-Kevin Durant tilt
A pair of NBA legends will square off once more when the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets face off in a first-round series starting Saturday in Los Angeles.,Kevin Durant led the Rockets to the No. 5 seed in his first season with the team, while LeBron James has helped guide the Lakers to the N...
Kyle Larson looks to defend title at Kansas' AdventHealth 400
Through eight Cup Series races, five different drivers have been the first to the checkers and positioned their teams nicely at the top of the standings.,Reigning series champion Kyle Larson is hoping it's his turn to join that list Sunday at the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, K...
Storylines abound as Scottie Barnes, Raptors open series at Cavs
Success came quickly for Toronto Raptors power forward Scottie Barnes, who won the Rookie of the Year award and got a taste of the playoffs four years ago.,Two All-Star selections followed, but a return to the postseason proved elusive until now.,The fifth-seeded Raptors will challenge the fourth-se...
Rapids seek to spoil debut of Inter Miami coach Guillermo Hoyos
The surging Colorado Rapids host an Inter Miami side in flux on Saturday in Commerce City, Colo.,The Rapids (4-3-0, 12 points) posted a 6-2 home rout of the Houston Dynamo last Saturday. Rafael Navarro and Kosi Thompson each scored a brace and Josh Atencio also scored for Colorado. The Rapids also a...
Rivalry continues as Nuggets host Timberwolves for Game 1
Denver slugged its way past Minnesota in 2023 on its way to the NBA title. The Timberwolves derailed a Nuggets repeat with a Game 7 upset in 2024.,Act III of this sometimes-bitter rivalry kicks off Saturday afternoon when No. 3 Denver hosts No. 6 Minnesota for Game 1 of the Western Conference quarte...
Stars take win streak into playoffs as Wild goalies await
The Dallas Stars are entering the Stanley Cup Playoffs on a different path this season.,When they host the Minnesota Wild in Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday, the Stars will be riding a five-game winning streak.,A year ago, Dallas entered the playoffs on a season-long seven-game skid, ...
Hurricanes brace for stern challenge vs. surging Senators
The Carolina Hurricanes worked all season to secure the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and now they turn their attention to the next phase of the season on Saturday afternoon.,They'll welcome the Ottawa Senators for the opener of the first-round series in Raleigh, N.C.,"We've been eager for thi...
Ranger Suarez, Red Sox aim to halt Tigers' win streak
It is not about how you start, right?,The Boston Red Sox are hoping that is the case for the first month of the long and winding Major League Baseball season.,Following Wednesday's series-closing win at the Minnesota Twins, Boston kicks off a challenging seven-game homestand against the surging Detr...