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Ciaron Maher eyes fourth Sydney Cup in 2026 with Mr Monaco trio

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Emerging as a key stayer this autumn, Mr Monaco retains favouritism to hand Ciaron Maher a fourth Sydney Cup victory despite the challenging wide draw.

A stablemate might yet steal the show, though, with Piggyback and Juja Kibo both boasting compelling cases for the stamina-sapping two-miler.

Since importing from Europe for his current Australian spell, Mr Monaco has exhibited determination and lasting power through victories in his last two efforts, standing out in the Manion Cup (2400m) as he pressed forward wide and ultimately proved too strong.

Jo Gerard-Dubord, foreman for Ciaron Maher in Sydney, views that run positively for the gelding covering 3200m effectively on Saturday, inspired also by Circle Of Fire prevailing in the 2024 Sydney Cup from a parallel barrier.

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“When Circle Of Fire won it, he had a similar trip to what Mr Monaco did at Rosehill last start. He was three-wide and working a lot of the way,” Gerard-Dubord said.

“And not dissimilar to Mr Monaco, Circle Of Fire was a genuine stayer. When you get to these races, if you can stay it’s a big advantage because half the field won’t be able to stay the trip.”

Without 3200m form, Gerard-Dubord remains confident in Mr Monaco’s staying prowess after his dominant close last start amid difficulties.

“Last start, even though it was 2400 metres, he was wide, and he probably ran 2600. If anything, he was the strongest of them all through the line so that won’t be an issue,” he said.

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The Tancred Stakes (2400m) served as Piggyback’s final tune-up, where she was fifth to Aeliana in weight-for-age company ideal for sharpening her for the Sydney Cup.

Gerard-Dubord highlighted how the mare has improved upon her return and seems primed for the trip, benefiting from 53kg.

“She’s been handicapped at what she was at the start of the prep, and I think she has become a better horse since then. She is very well placed at the weights,” Gerard-Dubord said.

“The Tancred is usually a good lead-up run for the Sydney Cup in terms of timing and the quality of the field, and she was very good in the Tancred.

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“The two miles, I think she will stay it, and she’s had the grounding for it, but it is more of a question mark. She is fit, she has a light weight and a good gate, so she will get every chance to run the trip.”

Juja Kibo fills out the Maher entry, carrying multiple placings into the race, as Gerard-Dubord notes the five-year-old thrives on racing to hit top fitness.

“He is a horse who takes a lot of work and a lot of racing,” he said.

“It has been the target from day one, the Sydney Cup, and the plan was to run in the Chairman’s and back up in the Sydney Cup. He backed up well last prep (when third in the Metropolitan).

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“The other day, he lacked that killer punch, but I think it was related to fitness, and he’s rock-hard fit now.”

Mr Monaco stays locked in at $5 in betting, ahead of Juja Kibo ($13) and Piggyback ($18).

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Could Louisville win the ACC with Flory Bidunga and Jackson Shelstad?

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The Louisville Cardinals are one of the big winners of the offseason, landing coveted big man Flory Bidunga and talented guard Jackson Shelstad in the transfer portal.

The Louisville Courier-Journal covered Bidunga’s decision to transfer to Louisville, and what it means for his simultaneous entry into the NBA draft.

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If Bidunga does decide to stay in school, the Cardinals have a unique opportunity to build a defensive powerhouse overnight. He averaged nearly three blocks per game as a sophomore for Kansas last season.

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Louisville head coach Pat Kelsey can also feel comfortable handing the keys to Shelstad, an experienced guard who spent the first three seasons of his college career at Oregon.

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GWS Giants vs Richmond Tigers Tips, Odds and Teams – AFL Round 5 2026

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Barossa Park will play host to Sunday’s
Round 5 AFL game between GWS Giants and
Richmond Tigers. The game kicks off at 3:15 pm with GWS Giants heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the GWS Giants vs.
Richmond Tigers
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday April 12, 2026 at 3:15 pm

Where: Barossa Park

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

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GWS Giants vs Richmond Tigers Odds

GWS Giants vs Richmond Tigers Preview

GWS returns from a timely bye looking to halt a three-game slide, while Richmond enters under pressure following a heavy loss to Port Adelaide. The Giants have been competitive despite recent defeats and will see this as an opportunity to reset. Interestingly, recent meetings between these sides have been tight, with three of the past five decided by a goal or less. Both teams have also struggled with turnovers this season, suggesting momentum could swing quickly. While GWS appears stronger on paper, Richmond’s unpredictability adds intrigue to this clash.

Head To Head Bet

We’re tipping GWS Giants to win at $1.14 odds.

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First Goal Scorer

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First Goal Scorer:

Jesse Hogan at $7.00.

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Naoya Inoue delivers honest verdict on Nakatani’s ability ahead of super fight

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Naoya Inoue and Junto Nakatani are set to square-off in the biggest fight in the history of Japanese boxing, with both men seeking to prove their pound-for-pound credentials.

Whilst Inoue has consistently risen up the pound-for-pound ratings and arguably sits in top spot, Nakatani has been working away in the background and is finally beginning to receive the global recognition that he deserves.

Nakatani first claimed world honours as a flyweight back in 2020, before accelerating through the super-flyweight and bantamweight divisions with seven title contests at those weights in two years, becoming the unified 118lb champion during that time.

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Back in December, ‘Big Bang’ made the jump up to super-bantamweight, in a first non-title bout since 2022, but was made to work in a points win against Mexico’s Sebastian Hernandez Reyes, who gave him his toughest fight to date.

Now, Nakatani is tasked with his fellow Japanese superstar, Inoue, with the chance to overtake ‘The Monster’ as both the pound-for-pound king and face of Japanese boxing.

In an interview with The Ring, a typically respectful Inoue was full of praise for his upcoming opponent, recognising the speed at which Nakatani is progressing.

“I definitely feel that he has grown rapidly recently and with the new fights he has been having at the pound-for-pound level, I have a lot of respect for him and rate him highly.”

Inoue, who puts his four super-bantamweight belts on the line, has said he expects his countryman to be the toughest test of his career so far. The super fight takes place on Saturday, May 2, in front of a sold out crowd at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.

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Shakur Stevenson predicts Xander Zayas vs Jaron Ennis: “He’s the hardest at 154”

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In less than three months’ time, Xander Zayas and Jaron Ennis put their undefeated records on the line against one another, and pound-for-pound superstar Shakur Stevenson has offered his fight prediction.

Ennis was a unified world champion in the welterweight division, but moved up to the super-welterweight scene back in October and knocked out Uisma Lima in the opening round of his 154lb debut. Now, ‘Boots’ is believed by many to be the top player at his new weight, but he currently lacks the belts to back up those plaudits.

Meanwhile, Puerto Rico fan-favourite Zayas became boxing’s youngest unified world champion when he decisioned Jorge Garcia Perez and Abass Baraou in consecutive bouts, getting his hands on both the WBO and then WBA world titles.

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Against Ennis, Zayas has the chance to prove to the world that he is the best super-welterweight on the planet, despite being just 23-years-old, but with his relative inexperience on the big stage, it is the Philadelphian who will enter the bout as the favourite.

On social media, WBO super-lightweight champion Stevenson agreed with the oddsmakers’ opinion, giving Zayas respect for accepting the fight but siding with his fellow American when predicting the outcome.

“Respect to Xander, hellavu young fighter with the heart of a lion for accepting this fight.

“We need more fighters like him in boxing, win or lose, he like that.

“Boots different tho, he’s the hardest fighter to deal with at that weight IMO.”

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Zayas-Ennis takes place on Saturday, June 27, as both men chase a legacy-defining win that will earn them pound-for-pound recognition.

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IPL 2026: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi falls for golden duck; Kavya Maran’s wild celebration goes viral – WATCH | Cricket News

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IPL 2026: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi falls for golden duck; Kavya Maran's wild celebration goes viral - WATCH
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Kavya Maran (Image credit: X)

NEW DELHI: In-form youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi walked out with expectations of another blazing start, but Sunrisers Hyderabad had other plans in their IPL 2026 clash. The 15-year-old prodigy, known for taking bowlers apart from the outset, endured a rare failure as he fell for a golden duck.SRH pacer Praful Hinge struck immediately, delivering a hard-length ball that hurried Sooryavanshi. Attempting an aggressive pull, the youngster mistimed it completely, the ball taking the sticker of the bat and ballooning straight up in the air.Wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan moved forward, but it was Salil Arora who safely pouched the catch, sealing a dream start for SRH.Even before the catch was completed, all eyes were on the SRH dugout, where owner Kavya Maran rose from her seat and celebrated the crucial breakthrough.The moment it was held, the SRH camp erupted in celebration, with players jumping in delight after removing the dangerous opener for no score.For Sooryavanshi, it was a moment of frustration. He looked up at the sky in disbelief before making the long walk back to the pavilion – a rare off day for one of the season’s most explosive batters.

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SRH vs RR LIVE Score, IPL 2026 Live Match Updates: Praful Hinge, On Debut For SRH, Takes 4 Wickets In 2 Overs

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Rajasthan Royals bowling-first XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (capt), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande

RR bench: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Shimron Hetmyer, Ravi Singh, Shubham Dubey, Brijesh Sharma

Sunrisers Hyderabad batting-first XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (capt & wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Praful Hinge

SRH bench: R Smaran, Sakib Hussain, Liam Livingstone, Shivam Mavi, Harshal Patel

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Dominik Szoboszlai explains ‘misunderstanding’ over clash with Liverpool fans

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Dominik Szoboszlai feels his flashpoint with Liverpool fans this month was a “misunderstanding” as the Hungarian insisted he is “ready to die on the pitch” against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

Social media footage showed Szoboszlai shrugging, raising his arms and clapping, widely interpreted as sarcasm, towards Reds supporters after a heavy 4-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Manchester City.

The midfielder was ushered away by team-mate Federico Chiesa amid a chorus of boos at the final whistle but Szoboszlai, regarded as Liverpool’s best player this season, played down the incident.

Dominik Szoboszlai had to be led away from Liverpool fans by Federico Chiesa after their FA Cup quarter-final loss to Man City
Dominik Szoboszlai had to be led away from Liverpool fans by Federico Chiesa after their FA Cup quarter-final loss to Man City (Mike Egerton/PA Wire)

“Maybe it was a misunderstanding between me and the fans,” he said. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Obviously I know what the fans mean to this club and what the club means to the fans.

“We do everything for the fans as they do for us. If it was a misunderstanding then I apologise.

“I’m not feeling better than them, I feel exactly the same as they do. I am with them, we are with them and hopefully they are with us as well.”

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Szoboszlai is hopeful Liverpool can overcome PSG in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final
Szoboszlai is hopeful Liverpool can overcome PSG in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final (PA)

Szoboszlai was speaking ahead of the second leg of Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final against PSG, who hold the halfway advantage after winning 2-0 in the French capital last week.

However, Liverpool have staged a number of extraordinary European comebacks and Szoboszlai insisted he and his team-mates will do everything in their power to battle back against the defending champions.

“We’re going to go all in and give our best,” he added. “I’m ready to die on the pitch tomorrow. I can speak for all of the players because we want it so bad. Anything can happen in one game at Anfield.

“It is going to be a different game from the first leg. We are going to be doing stuff in a different way.

“We need to go all in and give everything possible. If at the end of the game you can say you gave everything then you can keep your chin up and say ‘we tried’. We don’t need any more motivation.”

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Gift Orban Frustrated as Verona Struggle in Serie A Relegation Battle

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Gift Orban has expressed his frustration over Hellas Verona’s difficult position in the Serie A, admitting that recent results have been hard to accept as the club fights to avoid relegation.

The Nigerian forward, who joined Verona on loan from TSG Hoffenheim with an option to make the move permanent, has been one of the team’s bright spots this season.

Orban has scored seven goals in 27 league appearances, making him Verona’s top scorer so far this campaign. However, his efforts have not been enough to improve the club’s situation, with Verona currently sitting 19th on the table with just 18 points.

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Following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Torino at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, Orban took to Instagram to share his disappointment.

“You work hard but the results never come, it’s like giving up,” he wrote.

Orban came on as a second-half substitute in the match, but Verona were already behind after goals from Giovanni Simeone and Cesare Casadei sealed another defeat for the struggling side.

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The loss marked Verona’s 20th of the season, leaving them with a tough task to survive in the league. With six matches left to play, the club must quickly turn their form around to avoid dropping to the lower division.

Despite the challenges, Orban will be hoping to regain his scoring touch and play a key role in helping Verona fight for survival as the season enters its final stage.

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NBA roundup: Raptors top Nets to earn first postseason spot since 2022

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NBA: Brooklyn Nets at Toronto RaptorsApr 12, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors guard Garrett Temple (17) dribbles against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Scottie Barnes had 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists Sunday, and the Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets 136-101 to clinch their first playoff spot since 2022.

In recording his third triple-double of the season and the ninth of his career, Barnes helped the Raptors (46-36) secure the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. They face the fourth-seeded Cavaliers in the first round, beginning on Saturday in Cleveland.

RJ Barrett scored 26 points, and Brandon Ingram added 25 points for Toronto. Ja’Kobe Walter and Jakob Poeltl each scored 11 points, while A.J. Lawson chipped in with 10 points. Immanuel Quickley had four points and five assists for Toronto and did not return for the second half because of a tight hamstring.

Chaney Johnson had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Nets (20-62), who are in a lottery spot. Tyson Etienne scored 20 points, and E.J. Liddell had 17 points. Ben Saraf scored 15 points and also picked up six fouls.

76ers 126, Bucks 106

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Tyrese Maxey scored 16 of his team-high 21 points in the third quarter as the host Philadelphia 76ers pulled away from Milwaukee in the second half to win what could be Hall of Fame coach Doc Rivers’ last game at the helm of the Bucks.

The club and Rivers are discussing a possible move to the front office for 2026-27, according to sources, after he has coached for parts of three seasons with the team. Rivers, 64, will be inducted as a coach into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in August. Quentin Grimes had four 3-pointers and scored 20 points for Philadelphia, which won its second straight and is locked into the play-in tournament. The seventh-seeded 76ers will host the eighth-seeded Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Center Joel Embiid was out again while recovering from an appendectomy.

AJ Green made five 3-pointers for Milwaukee (32-50) to finish the season with 232 treys, breaking Ray Allen’s single-season franchise record of 229 in 2001-02. Green was 7 of 10 from the field and 5 of 8 from 3 in the first half for 19 points; he failed to score after halftime.

Celtics 113, Magic 108

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Baylor Scheierman tossed in a career-high 30 points to lead Boston to a victory over visiting Orlando in the final regular-season game for each team.

The Celtics, who had already secured the No. 2 seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs, rested eight players, including their top seven scorers. Boston’s first playoff opponent will be the team that earns the No. 7 seed in the play-in tournament, either the Magic or the Philadelphia 76ers. Boston’s starting lineup was Ron Harper Jr., Max Shulga, Jordan Wash, Luka Garza and Scheierman.

The loss ended Orlando’s five-game winning streak. The Magic had won three in a row on the road. They will be the eighth seed in the play-in tournament and visit the seventh-seeded 76ers on Wednesday. The winner faces the Celtics, and the loser will host the winner of the 9/10 matchup on Friday.

Heat 143, Hawks 117

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Bam Adebayo produced 25 points and 10 rebounds, leading host Miami to a win over Atlanta in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Miami also got 26 points and five assists from Jaime Jaquez Jr. and 25 points from Norman Powell, who returned from a groin injury. The Heat next will play at the Charlotte Hornets in the first game of the play-in round. The Heat, 5-10 over their past 15 games, are in the play-in round for the fourth straight year.

Atlanta, which had already clinched its first playoff berth since 2023, sat its entire starting lineup plus three reserves. Veteran Buddy Hield led the Hawks with a game-high 31 points, and Corey Kispert added 21 points.

Rockets 132, Grizzlies 101

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Clint Capela produced a double-double in his third start of the season while Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard combined for 39 points as host Houston closed the regular season with a victory over short-handed Memphis.

The Rockets concluded the schedule with nine victories in their last 10 games. With the fifth seed in the Western Conference playoffs already secured, Houston rested four starters in its finale: Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. Capela paired a season-high 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting with 13 rebounds and three blocks. Eason added 20 points and eight rebounds while Sheppard posted 19 points.

Memphis had only seven players available. Dariq Whitehead scored a career-high 26 points; Rayan Rupert (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Jahmai Mashack (11 points, 11 assists) added double-doubles for the Grizzlies, who closed the season with 21 losses in 23 games.

Nuggets 128, Spurs 118

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Denver’s Nikola Jokic scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 18-plus minutes of court time — all in the first half — as the visiting Nuggets rolled to a win over San Antonio in the regular-season finale for both playoff-bound teams.

The Nuggets clinched the third seed in the Western Conference and will host sixth-seeded Minnesota for the first two games of their best-of-seven first-round playoff series. Denver ended the regular season with 12 straight wins and took three of the four games against the Spurs this year. Jokic played the necessary minutes to reach the league’s 65-game threshold for postseason award consideration.

Victor Wembanyama sat out the game for San Antonio, which already clinched the No. 2 spot in the West and had little to gain from Sunday’s game. The Spurs will host the winner of Tuesday’s 7/8 play-in tournament game between Phoenix and Portland in the opening two contests of a best-of-seven first-round playoffs series. The Spurs had a three-game winning streak snapped but finished the campaign with a 62-20 mark, their best since the 2015-16 season in which they won 67 games.

Cavaliers 130, Wizards 117

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Nae’Qwan Tomlin scored a career-high 26 points and rookie Tyrese Proctor collected 22 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists as playoff-bound Cleveland beat visiting Washington.

Jaylon Tyson had 18 points and rookie Tristan Enaruna had a season-best 15 points for Cleveland, which is the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland will have home-court advantage over the fifth-place Toronto Raptors in their first-round series.

Rookie guard Jamir Watkins scored a career-high 24 points for the Wizards, who finished with the worst record in the league. Bub Carrington scored 20 points and dished out nine assists, and Sharife Cooper had 20 points and six assists off the bench. Cleveland had eight players reach double digits in points.

Pistons 133, Pacers 121

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Eastern Conference leader Detroit closed out just the third 60-win regular season in franchise history, leading wire to wire in a defeat of Indiana in Indianapolis.

With the East’s No. 1 seed in the upcoming NBA playoffs also secured, Detroit limited its entire starting five to fewer than 26 minutes in the regular-season finale. That was plenty of time for Paul Reed to make some Pistons history, as he became the organization’s first player ever to score 25-plus points on a perfect field-goal shooting performance. Reed scored a game-high 26 points on 11-of-11 from the floor.

The Pacers finished the worst season by won-loss record in franchise history. Quenton Jackson and Obi Toppin led the Pacers with 21 points each, Kobe Brown added 20 and Ethan Thompson 18. Micah Potter finished with a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double.

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Hornets 110, Knicks 96

Brandon Miller, LaMelo Ball and Coby White each scored 19 points as visiting Charlotte earned the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with a win over New York.

The Hornets will host the Miami Heat in a No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game on Tuesday. Kon Knueppel finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists.

New York had nothing to play for after already clinching the East’s No. 3 seed. With most of their regulars sitting out, the Knicks started Miles McBride, Jose Alvarado, Mikal Bridges, Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti. Bridges’ consecutive games played streak reached 638 — the eighth longest in NBA history — with his 23-second appearance. New York will face the Atlanta Hawks, the East’s No. 6 seed, in a first-round series beginning Saturday.

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Mavericks 149, Bulls 128

Ryan Nembhard notched the second-most assists in a game in franchise history as Dallas beat visiting Chicago.

Nembhard fell narrowly short of a triple-double in the season-ending clash, chalking up 15 points, nine rebounds and 23 assists. Only current Dallas coach Jason Kidd, with 25 assists in a two-overtime game in February 1996, has registered more for the Mavericks. Cooper Flagg scored 10 points, his stellar rookie campaign ending with 10:11 left in the second quarter after spraining his left ankle on a bad landing while leaping for an offensive rebound.

Rob Dillingham scored 25 for the Bulls. Collin Sexton contributed 19, Leonard Miller had 17 and Lachlan Olbrich added a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.

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Timberwolves 132, Pelicans 126

Rookie big man Joan Beringer recorded career highs with 24 points and 13 rebounds, and Minnesota held on for a victory over New Orleans in Minneapolis.

Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 26 points for the Timberwolves, who relied on young players and reserves in their final game of the regular season. Zyon Pullin scored 19 points off the bench, and Joe Ingles capitalized on a rare start to notch a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists. The Timberwolves already were locked into the No. 6 playoff seed in the Western Conference and will face the third-seeded Nuggets, beginning Saturday in Denver.

Rookie Jeremiah Fears scored 36 points on 12-for-29 shooting to lead the Pelicans. Fellow rookie Derik Queen finished with 30 points and 22 rebounds, and Micah Peavy scored 21 points.

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Suns 135, Thunder 103

Jamaree Bouyea scored a career-high 27 points to help Phoenix close the regular season with a road win over Oklahoma City as both teams, with their playoff positions secure going into the game, sat the majority of their starters and major rotational players.

The Suns’ Ryan Dunn scored a season-high 20 points, shooting 8 for 11 from the field with a career-high tying 11 rebounds and a career-high five assists. Koby Brea added 20 points off the bench for Phoenix. Brea had scored just 25 points total in his first 11 NBA games. Rookie center Khaman Maluach had a career-high 18 points and tied his career high with 14 rebounds off the bench as well.

Branden Carlson tied his career high with 26 points to lead the Thunder. He also had 10 rebounds. Payton Sandfort added 23 points off the bench. Oklahoma City is the top overall seed in the NBA playoffs. Phoenix is the No. 7 seed and will open the play-in tournament at home Tuesday against eighth-seeded Portland.

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Lakers 131, Jazz 107

Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton each posted 22-point, 10-rebound double-doubles to help Los Angeles down visiting Utah in their regular-season finale.

LeBron James completed his 23rd regular season, finishing with 18 points in 17 minutes for the Lakers, who will be the No. 4 seed in next week’s Western Conference playoffs and face the Houston Rockets in the first round. Dalton Knecht scored 17 points, Nick Smith Jr. added 12 and Bronny James chipped in 11 for Los Angeles, which finished with its most victories in a season since the 2010-11 campaign (57).

Oscar Tshiebwe led the Jazz with 29 points and 17 rebounds, while Ace Bailey and Brice Sensabaugh added 15 points apiece. Cody Williams and Bez Mbeng both scored 14 points and Blake Hinson had 10 for Utah, which recorded its second 60-loss season in franchise history and second in as many years.

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Clippers 115, Warriors 110

Los Angeles sent a message to it play-in opponent, riding Bennedict Mathurin’s 20 points and a stingy defense to a home win over Golden State in what turned out to be an otherwise meaningless regular-season finale.

The Clippers lost a tiebreaker with eighth-place Portland and were relegated to ninth for play-in purposes, where they’ll get a home game Wednesday against the 10th-place Warriors. The loser will be eliminated from playoff contention.

John Collins backed Mathurin with 18 points, and Mathurin and Collins each collected a game-high nine rebounds, while Mathurin also found time for a game-high eight assists. In just his third game after missing 27 straight with a sore right knee, Stephen Curry paced Golden State with a game-high 24 points.

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Trail Blazers 122, Kings 110

Deni Avdija recorded 25 points, 10 assists and six rebounds and Portland secured the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference with a win over visiting Sacramento in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Jrue Holiday added 23 points and seven rebounds for Portland, which will play beyond the regular season for the first time since the 2020-21 campaign. The Trail Blazers will visit the No. 7 Phoenix Suns on Tuesday in the play-in round. The winner goes directly to the Western Conference playoffs against the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs while the loser will have a second opportunity on Friday.

Precious Achiuwa registered 27 points and 11 rebounds and Nique Clifford added 24 points and seven rebounds for the Kings. Maxime Raynaud had 21 points and nine rebounds for Sacramento (22-60), which finished with the second-most losses in franchise history. The Kings went 17-65 in 2008-09.

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–Field Level Media

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Scottie Scheffler is betting favorite

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Kevin Cunningham

Kevin Cunningham

As senior managing producer for GOLF.com, Cunningham edits, writes and publishes stories on GOLF.com, and manages the brand’s e-newsletters, which reach more than 1.4 million subscribers each month. A former two-time intern, he also helps keep GOLF.com humming outside the news-breaking stories and service content provided by our reporters and writers, and works with the tech team in the development of new products and innovative ways to deliver an engaging site to our audience.

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