preview Page 99 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Best of the West: Thunder and Rockets engage for fifth time
It had been a foregone conclusion for a while, yet the Rockets had reason to rejoice.,With their 143-105 home victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, the Rockets (50-27) secured their first playoff berth in five years. Houston won for the 13th time in 15 games, stretched its lead over the Los Angel...
Braves bring 0-7 record into home opener against Marlins
The Atlanta Braves send Spencer Schwellenbach to the mound for their home opener on Friday against the Miami Marlins in hopes of ending their season-opening seven-game losing streak.,Atlanta is the only winless team in the major leagues. The Braves were swept in a four-game series by the San Diego P...
Struggling Kings nearing must-win territory at Hornets
The Sacramento Kings were supposed to boost their playoff stock during this part of their six-game road trip.,But with no dividends to date, they certainly need to get things right when they visit the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night. The Kings (36-40) have lost three games in a row and seven of th...
Coaches put friendship aside as Auburn, Florida meet in Final Four
When Bruce Pearl was hired in 2014 to rebuild Auburn's program, he lured Todd Golden away from Columbia to serve as his director of basketball operations.,After Golden spent his first year focused on Auburn's advanced analytics and metrics and a lot of other duties, Pearl promoted him to assistant c...
Leon Draisaitl shouldering load as Oilers face last-place Sharks
No one is sure when Connor McDavid will return to the Oilers' lineup, but it won't be for Edmonton's Thursday road game against the San Jose Sharks.,Edmonton's superstar captain has been out since sustaining a lower-body injury on a check from Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey on March 20.,McD...
Flames out to ignite playoff hopes, battle Ducks
The Calgary Flames have essentially no room for error to keep their playoff hopes alive as they play host to the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.,The Flames (35-27-12, 82 points) are seven points outside a playoff spot in the Western Conference chase, and after a 3-1 road loss to the Utah Hockey Club on T...
Warriors, Lakers face off in potential playoff preview
The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers are lined up for a potential must-see first-round playoff matchup and a preview of what might go down will take place on Thursday in Los Angeles.,Revived by trade-deadline moves, the Lakers and Warriors are turning championship DNA into dueling title ...
Andrei Kuzmenko, Kings out to extend hot stretch vs. Utah
The Los Angeles Kings weren't too busy at the trade deadline last month, but one of the few moves they made is turning into a winner.,Andrei Kuzmenko is beginning to settle in nicely for the Kings, who have won six of their last eight games heading into their matchup against the Utah Hockey Club on ...
Opportunity knocks in Crown for Villanova, USC
For opponents Villanova and Southern California, facing off in Thursday's quarterfinal round of the inaugural College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas, the opening-round of the tournament provided opportunities in the unknown.,For Villanova (20-14), interim coach Mike Nardi capitalized on the opportuni...
Stars aim for 7th straight win with lowly Predators in town
The Dallas Stars tore through the month of March. They'll look to stay on that track and inch closer to top spot in the Central Division when they host the Nashville Predators on Thursday.,The Stars (49-21-4, 102 points) went 11-2-2 in March, the second-best record in the NHL over that month behind ...
Blues eye team-record 11th straight win as Pens visit
The St. Louis Blues can tie a team record with a home win Thursday night when they face the Pittsburgh Penguins, but an 11th consecutive win would just be a means to accomplishing a bigger goal.,"We just know if we keep winning our games we're going to be in the playoffs, and that's our goal," coach...
Blazers put postseason hopes on the line vs. Raptors
The Portland Trail Blazers will try to keep their faint hopes of a play-in spot alive when they visit the already-eliminated Toronto Raptors on Thursday night.,The Trail Blazers come off a 127-113 road victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night, a result that left them 3 1/2 games away from a p...
Wolves aim to bolster playoff positioning against Nets
The Minnesota Timberwolves had their 89th off day of the season on Wednesday. Suffice it to say it was the one they enjoyed -- and needed -- the most.,The Timberwolves (44-32) will look to build on a chaotic victory on Thursday night when they continue a five-game road trip by taking on the Brooklyn...
UCLA looking to extend historic run against UConn in Final Four
UConn, the program with the most-ever Final Four appearances, makes its 24th in Friday's Final Four of the Women's NCAA Tournament in Tampa, Fla., against first-timer UCLA.,At least, it's the first Final Four that the Bruins reached under the NCAA banner. ,"Many people have said it's the first one i...
Bucks look to complete season sweep of 76ers
The Milwaukee Bucks head back out on the road as they begin a three-game trip against the host Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night.,Milwaukee (41-34) comes in having just snapped a four-game losing skid with a 133-123 win over the Phoenix Suns at home on Tuesday. ,With Damian Lillard still out, Gia...
Lightning put hot streak on line against struggling Senators
As they prepare to face the Ottawa Senators for the final time in the regular season, the Tampa Bay Lightning are doing everything they can to make sure Thursday night is not a final visit to Canada's capital.,Earning points in eight of their past 10 matches (7-2-1), the Lightning (44-25-5, 93 point...
Clippers eyeing 6 seed while Pelicans keep sinking
The Los Angeles Clippers are red-hot at a time when gaining a top-six playoff berth is the big priority.,The Clippers take aim at their 12th win in 15 games when they host the lowly New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.,Los Angeles (43-32) was tied for the seventh-best record in the Western Confe...
Struggling Canucks desperate for win against Kraken
The Vancouver Canucks are essentially in must-win territory as they prepare to host the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday.,With their playoff aspirations flickering, the Canucks (34-27-13, 81 points) return home outside of a playoff position and needing to vault a pair of teams to advance to the Stanley C...
Suspensions, injuries limiting Pistons' options at Thunder
Most of the time, the Detroit Pistons are only fighting for their first playoff berth since 2019.,But in the wake of Sunday's fight with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Pistons will be without Isaiah Stewart, Ron Holland II and Marcus Sasser for Wednesday's road game against Oklahoma City. Stewart r...
Avalanche plan to refocus vs. Blackhawks after blown lead
Clinching the No. 3 seed in the Central Division and a spot in the Western Conference playoffs is well within reach for the Colorado Avalanche.,Trouble is, Colorado has struggled to distance itself from opponents lately.,The Avalanche (45-26-4, 94 points) enter Wednesday's visit to the Chicago Black...