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🏀 🏒 🏈 Good morning to everybody however particularly to …
YOU! — SPORTS FANS EVERYWHERE
Nobody, and I imply nobody, is having a greater morning than diehard sports activities followers. Arguably the among the finest a part of the sports activities calendar begins tonight, and the following two months will characteristic playoff motion within the NBA and NHL nearly each single evening.
On Friday, the NBA playoff first-round matchups might be solidified with the ultimate two Play-In Event video games. The Warmth and Bulls will battle in Miami for the East’s No. 8 seed, whereas the Pelicans will host the Kings to see who captures the ultimate playoff spot within the West.
After that the primary spherical begins in earnest on Saturday afternoon, and it will roll via Sunday evening.
Saturday
- Recreation 1: Magic at Cavaliers, 1 p.m. on ESPN
- Recreation 1: Suns at Timberwolves, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
- Recreation 1: 76ers at Knicks, 6 p.m. on ESPN
- Recreation 1: Lakers at Nuggets, 8:30 p.m. on ABC
Sunday
- Recreation 1: Warmth or Bulls at Celtics, 1 p.m. on ABC
- Recreation 1: Mavericks at Clippers, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
- Recreation 1: Pacers at Bucks, 7 p.m. on TNT
- Recreation 1: Pelicans or Kings at Thunder, 9:30 p.m. on TNT
Earlier than the primary spherical ideas off, make sure to get caught up on our professional picks at CBS Sports activities. Our NBA analysts reveal their brackets and make their Finals predictions.
The NBA is not the one league that begins its postseason this weekend. The NHL playoffs can even fireplace up its 16 groups chasing down the Stanley Cup, with 12 of them taking the ice this weekend. (Stars–Golden Knights and Kings–Oilers will open their collection on Monday evening.)
Saturday
- Recreation 1: Islanders at Hurricanes, 5 p.m. on TBS
- Recreation 1: Maple Leafs at Bruins, 8 p.m. on TBS
Sunday
- Recreation 1: Lightning at Panthers, 12:30 p.m. on ESPN
- Recreation 1: Capitals vs. Rangers, 3 p.m. on ESPN
- Recreation 1: Avalanche at Jets, 7 p.m. on ESPN2
- Recreation 1: Predators at Canucks, 10 p.m. on ESPN
These schedules are a good looking sight, however — wait — there’s nonetheless extra.
Along with the frenzy of 14 NBA and NHL playoff collection beginning in a 36-hour span, the 2024 NFL Draft is lower than per week away. As the primary spherical attracts ever nearer, maintain it locked on CBS Sports activities’ protection, which features a slew of mock drafts and the newest info on what groups will do when the clock begins ticking.
👍 Honorable mentions
😩 And never such a superb morning for…
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THE MIAMI HEAT
The Warmth will host the Bulls tonight with the East’s No. 8 seed on the road. If the Warmth are going to earn a shot on the NBA’s greatest, the top-seeded Celtics, they are going to have to take action with out Jimmy Butler.
On Tuesday, Butler exited in the course of the first quarter of Miami’s loss to the 76ers with a knee harm, however he was capable of return. Sadly for the Warmth, Butler suffered a sprained MCL that can maintain him out of Friday’s do-or-die sport, the staff introduced on Thursday. Warmth Tradition apart, anticipate Miami to have an uphill battle all evening because the offense actually does not get higher with Butler on the bench, as our personal Colin Ward-Henninger factors out.
- Ward-Henninger: “What Butler brings on each ends of the courtroom — to not point out his management — merely can’t be changed by anybody on the Warmth roster. Miami’s offense landed within the bottom-10 in the course of the common season and dropped considerably with Butler off the ground. In his minutes, the Warmth averaged 116 factors per 100 possessions, in comparison with 109 when he was on the bench.”
In Butler’s 60 common season video games, he averaged 20.8 factors, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per sport. And the lack of that manufacturing places Miami’s run of 4 straight playoff appearances in jeopardy. On the opposite facet, all eyes might be on Chicago’s Coby White, who exploded for 42 factors in Wednesday’s win over the Hawks.
👎 Not so honorable mentions
😲 76ers’ Reed delivers bulletin board materials to the Knicks
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This time of 12 months, NBA groups are scouring information clippings in hopes of discovering bulletin board materials for the playoffs. Fortunately for the Knicks, 76ers middle Paul Reed delivered some to their entrance door, freed from cost.
After the Sixers edged the Warmth to safe the No. 7 seed and a first-round collection with the Knicks, Reed mentioned the quiet half out loud when requested about that matchup on “Run It Again.”
- Reed: “We ain’t ducking no smoke, however, yeah, we needed the Knicks matchup, after all. That is the simpler staff I assume, however you realize it should be enjoyable, we match up fairly properly. They bought a fantastic guard, we bought a fantastic guard, we additionally bought Joel, MVP, so such as you mentioned earlier, he is one of the crucial unstoppable guys within the league proper now. They’re gonna should ship triple groups, and he is gonna get everyone else concerned.”
That textbook instance of oversharing could come again to chew Reed and the 76ers. The Knicks is probably not the Celtics, however they gained 50 video games, bought the two seed and beat Philly 3-1 head-to-head this season. Reed will get the possibility to again up his phrases beginning Saturday when the collection ideas off at Madison Sq. Backyard.
🚚 Coyotes bid farewell to Arizona upfront of transfer to Utah
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During the last week, the worst-kept secret within the NHL was the information that the Coyotes could be transferring to Utah. On Thursday, the NHL Board of Governors formally authorized the Coyotes’ relocation to Salt Lake Metropolis.
Ryan Smith, who additionally owns the NBA’s Jazz, bought the Coyotes’ gamers and property from former proprietor Alex Meruelo. The staff will make the transfer this summer time, and the NHL will make its Utah debut this fall.
This marks the primary time the NHL has relocated a franchise for the reason that Thrashers moved from Atlanta to Winnipeg and have become the Jets in 2011, however the “Coyotes” aren’t essentially lifeless. Meruelo may have the chance to reactivate the franchise within the subsequent 5 years, so long as he meets sure necessities.
A kind of necessities will most likely be discovering a everlasting dwelling for the staff. The dearth of an area was one of many main the reason why the Coyotes are actually packing up for the Beehive State. The staff spent the final two seasons in Mullett Area, a 5,000-seat venue it shared with Arizona State. A plan to construct an area and leisure district in Tempe confronted lots of opposition and was rejected by voters.
The Coyotes additionally did not put a good product on the ice. With one playoff berth within the final 12 seasons, the postseason was about as widespread as discovering ice within the desert. Alas, the Coyotes did exit with a 5-2 win over the Oilers on Wednesday. Defenseman Sean Durzi scored the final purpose, and followers had been emotional as they bid farewell to the Yotes, a minimum of, for now.
🏈 Patriots revamp offense in Josh Edwards’ mock draft
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The NFL Draft will give the Patriots the possibility to rejuvenate what has develop into a stale offense. In his newest seven-round mock draft for CBS Sports activities, Josh Edwards laid out his plan for New England to just do that.
Watching the Patriots’ offense over the past two years has been akin to watching grass develop, solely much less enjoyable. Final season, they had been tied with the Panthers for lifeless final in scoring offense. With the No. 3 general decide on Thursday evening, New England can begin to tackle that downside beneath new head coach Jerod Mayo.
In his new mock draft, Edwards has the Patriots deciding on LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. The Mac Jones experiment is over, and so the Pats should discover a long-term resolution beneath middle within the post-Brady, post-Belichick period.
- Edwards: “There’s merely no manner in my thoughts the Patriots transfer out of this spot and/or do not take a quarterback. The way in which the offseason has gone — and the way in which the final three years have gone — they should.”
The Pats’ offensive-minded method does not finish there within the mock draft. Edwards additionally has them including three extra offensive items all through the weekend.
- Spherical 2: Ladd McConkey | WR | Georgia
- Spherical 3: Roger Rosengarten | OT | Washington
- Spherical 5: Brenden Rice | WR | USC
📺 What we’re watching this weekend
Friday
🏀 Play-In: Bulls at Warmth, 7 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Rangers at Braves, 7:20 p.m. on Apple TV+
🏀 Play-In: Kings at Pelicans, 9:30 p.m. on TNT
Saturday
🏀 Recreation 1: Magic at Cavaliers, 1 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Recreation 1: Suns at Timberwolves, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Mets at Dodgers, 4:05 p.m. on FS1
🏒 Recreation 1: Islanders at Hurricanes, 5 p.m. on TBS
🏀 Recreation 1: 76ers at Knicks, 6 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Recreation 1: Maple Leafs at Bruins, 8 p.m. on TBS
🏀 Recreation 1: Lakers at Nuggets, 8:30 p.m. on ABC
Sunday
🏒 Recreation 1: Lightning at Panthers, 12:30 p.m. on ESPN
🏒 Recreation 1: Capitals at Rangers, 3 p.m. on ESPN
🏀 Recreation 1: Mavericks at Clippers, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
🏀 Recreation 1: Pacers at Bucks, 7 p.m. on TNT
⚾ Rangers at Braves, 7:10 p.m. on ESPN