Deontay Wilder re-established himself in the heavyweight division by outpointing Derek Chisora on Saturday night. Just days later, a route to becoming two-time world champion has presented itself.
In a hectic affair, two of the three judges ruled that ‘The Bronze Bomber’ had done enough to spoil Chisora’s farewell fight and pull off the upset, securing a first win on the world stage since losing his WBC heavyweight title to Tyson Fury in 2020.
Prior to the fight, Chisora was ranked as the IBF’s number 2 heavyweight contender and Wilder is expected to benefit from that rating, opening the door to a clash against the victor of Frank Sanchez and Richard Torrez Jr – who fight in a final eliminator next month.
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However, it is with the WBA where Wilder could become a two-time titleholder, as he has been offered a fight by Al Siesta, promoter of WBA Regular heavyweight champion, Murat Gassiev, on X.
“Congratulations to our brother in IBA ‘The Bronze Bomber’ for his victory over the legend Chisora.
“Deontay you are a great champion and it would be our honour for you to compete for Murat Gassiev’s WBA title next. We are ready for anyone.”
Whilst Gassiev – who has also called out Moses Itauma – currently holds the WBA ‘Regular’ title and Oleksandr Usyk remains the recognised ‘Super’ champion, the situation within the sanctioning body could soon shift.
Unified champion Usyk is set to face former kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven next month, with the WBC already confirming its belt will be on the line for that bout. However, as of writing, the WBA and IBF have yet to clarify their positions. Should either body refuse to sanction the fight, Usyk could be forced to vacate or be stripped of one or both titles.
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That uncertainty is what makes the WBA route particularly relevant for Wilder. If Usyk relinquishes the belt – whether immediately or as part of his planned run of final fights – the ‘Regular’ title picture involving Gassiev could quickly be elevated, creating a clearer path to full championship status.
“I actually don’t really care from our point of view where we play and the times and all the rest of it.”
McInnes said the fixtures came as “no real surprise” as Hearts had been pre-warned.
“We’re just delighted to be part of the whole conversation, delighted that we’re going to be in amongst it and looking forward to the games when they come up,” he said.
“It’s not great for the fans that they don’t get Saturday three o’clock, but I think, you know, having three away games it was probably difficult to fit everything in.
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“I get how not everybody’s going to be happy. I think the league have got a tough job to try and keep every club happy and every set of supporters happy, but for us we’re just obviously excited about the games that’s coming up.
“I think you look at them, a lot of mouth-watering fixtures, we’ve said that the top six would sort everything out and these fixtures will. They’re brilliant fixtures.”
The SPFL explained that Hearts are away on the final day because it was unable to have both Glasgow or Edinburgh sides play at home on the final two fixture dates, as they all kick-off at the same time, and not to have a city derby on the final day.
Only around 600 visiting fans are likely to be at Celtic Park for what could be a pivotal day in Hearts’ history as they aim to clinch their first top-flight title since 1960.
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“That’s disappointing, that is, and I can understand the frustration from that,” McInnes said.
“Let’s hope that we are getting into that game with plenty to play for and we’ve got a lot of work to do before then, but I totally get that.”
However, McInnes realised that the SPFL was keen to have “a fixture at the death that would be pretty key” and said: “I think it’s an unbelievable fixture if we are and particularly if Celtic have still got a chance as well.
“If both teams are still in the mix for winning a league, it’s the most dramatic fixture you can have.”
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McInnes fully expects the title race to go down to the final day, when Rangers also visit Falkirk.
“They’ve got a difficult away game last game of the season as well, so I think it’s up to the league and the TV companies to try and maximise the drama,” he added.
I Am Maximus heads the maximum field of 34 declared runners as he attempts to emulate Red Rum in Saturday’s Grand National.
No horse since Ginger McCain’s Aintree legend has won the world’s most famous steeplechase, lost the title and then regained it. Red Rum won in 1973 and 1974 and was second in 1975 and 1976 before bringing the house down with a third victory in 1977.
Willie Mullins’ I Am Maximus – who will be sporting cheekpieces for just the second time, the first being back in December 2022 – won two years ago in the hands of Paul Townend and found only stablemate Nick Rockett too good in 2025 when aiming to be the first dual winner since Tiger Roll.
I Am Maximus won the 2024 Grand National and is fancied again (PA)
As well as the past two winners, Mullins also runs Grangeclare West, who was third last year, Spanish Harlem, owned by Dr Peter Fitzgerald, founder and owner of the sponsors Randox, Lecky Watson, Champ Kiely, High Class Hero, Captain Cody and Quai De Bourbon.
The Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs is another aiming for a slice of history as no horse has won the Welsh and Irish Nationals as well as the Aintree version, while Banbridge, Gerri Colombe, Firefox, Monty’s Star and Oscars Brother enhance Ireland’s traditionally strong hand.
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero have two big chances, with last year’s fourth Iroko joined by stablemate Jagwar. Similarly to I Am Maximus, both are owned by JP McManus, who also has Cheltenham Festival winner Johnnywho on his UK-trained team.
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Iroko is a big chance for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero (PA)
Ben Pauling’s Twig finished 10th last year and Becher Chase success over the fences earlier this season has reignited the National dream for his connections, who picked him up for £100. He will be ridden by the owner’s 21-year-old son, Beau Morgan.
“He ran well in the race last year when he was ridden to come home well, but I don’t think the plan was to be quite so far back,” said Pauling.
“He acts on the track, he obviously enjoys it there having won the Becher and if we can get him into a rhythm closer to the pace, as it’s much harder these days to come from off the pace, that would be better.
“If he can travel in the first half of the field on the first circuit and just hold our own on the second circuit, as we know he stays very well, then we’ll see if we can beat last year’s result. Anything inside the top 10 and we’d be thrilled, anything else is a bonus.
“He’s not thrown in or anything like that but he’s got his ground and he likes the fences so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s there with a shout two out, after there we’ll see.
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“He’s very much a fairytale National story, he cost next to nothing, he’s ridden by the son of the owner, but we’ll see if we have a fairytale result.”
Twig, trained by Ben Pauling, finished 10th last year and is the final entry into the Grand NAtional (PA)
There were no withdrawals at the 72-hour declaration stage, although Jimmy Mangan’s Spillane’s Tower is also declared to run in Thursday’s Racing Welfare Bowl Chase. Should that be the case, Pied Piper, who is the first of six reserves, would be number 34 and line up as a sixth runner in the race for Gordon Elliott.
In the event of a non-runner, the deadline for reserves to make the final field is 1pm on Friday.
Full list of runners and riders for the 2026 Grand National
Horse; jockey; trainer
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1. I Am Maximus; Paul Townend; Willie Mullins
2. Nick Rockett; Tom Bellamy; Willie Mullins
3. Banbridge; JJ Slevin; Joseph O’Brien
4. Grangeclare West; Patrick Mullins; Willie Mullins
5. Gerri Colombe; Jack Kennedy; Gordon Elliott
6. Haiti Couleurs; Sean Bowen; Rebecca Curtis
7. Spillane’s Tower; TBC; Jimmy Mangan
8. Firefox; Keith Donoghue; Gordon Elliott
9. Monty’s Star; TBC; Henry de Bromhead
10. Spanish Harlem; Brian Hayes; Willie Mullins
11. Lecky Watson; Sean O’Keeffe; Willie Mullins
12. Champ Kiely; Danny Mullins; Willie Mullins
13. Iroko; Jonjo O’Neill Jr; Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
14. Favori De Champdou; Danny Gilligan; Gordon Elliott
15. Three Card Brag; Jordan Rainford; Gordon Elliott
16. Oscars Brother; Daniel King; Connor King
17. Mr Vango; Jack Tudor; Sara Bradstock
18. High Class Hero; James Bowen; Willie Mullins
19. Stellar Story; Robert Dunne; Gordon Elliott
20. Beauport; Sam Twiston-Davies; Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies
21. Captain Cody; Jonathan Burke; Willie Mullins
22. Jagwar; TBC; Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
23. Perceval Legallois; Harry Cobden; Gavin Cromwell
24. Gorgeous Tom; Sean Flanagan; Henry de Bromhead
25. The Real Whacker; Gavin Sheehan; Patrick Neville
26. Quai De Bourbon; Donagh Meyler; Willie Mullins
27. Answer To Kayf; John Shinnick; Terence O’Brien
28. Jordans; Ben Jones; Joseph O’Brien
29. Final Orders; Conor Stone-Walsh; Gavin Cromwell
30. Marble Sands; Kielan Woods; David Killahena & Graeme McPherson
31. Panic Attack; Harry Skelton; Dan Skelton
32. Top Of The Bill; Toby McCain-Mitchell; Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies
33. Johnnywho; Richie McLernon; Jonjo & A J O’Neill
34. Twig; Beau Morgan; Ben Pauling
Reserves (in order of who will get a run should there be a withdrawal):
Bayern Munich won 2-1 away at Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. The second leg will take place in Munich on April 15.
Arsenal won away at Sporting. Paul Seixas showed utter dominance in Tour of the Basque Country stage 2. In tennis, Gaël Monfils played his last game in Monte-Carlo tournament, while Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner made short work of their opponents.
Now that I’ve had a little time to process Michigan beating UConn in the men’s national championship game Monday night, ending the Wolverines’ four-game skid in title games and giving the Big Ten its first championship since 2000, I can start to at least picture the 2026-27 season. And to no surprise in the NIL era, it is the wealthy blue-bloods like Duke and the Wolverines who have opened atop the BetMGM board.
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Michigan was never close to an underdog in this this year’s tournament in becoming the first school all-time to start five transfers in a national title game. It was clearly the best team, finishing with a plus-114 point margin, the seventh-highest total ever by a national champion and sixth-best since the field expanded in 1985.
Favorites went a whopping 49-18 SU in the dance (that’s NIL talking) — including one run of 22 straight wins — and 36-31 ATS. It finished as the highest-scoring tournament (averaged 149.7 PPG) since 1993 and featured the highest points-per-game differential (+14.4) since 1993. Freshmen totaled their most points ever.
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Should Michigan return to the championship game on April 5, 2027, it would basically have home-court advantage because next year’s Final Four is at Ford Field in Detroit (though technically Michigan State is the host). The Spartans had been the last Big Ten school to win it all in men’s hoops, in 2000. How long ago was that? No current Michigan player was alive, and head coach Dusty May was Indiana’s student manager.
There already has been some decent futures movement at BetMGM even with the 2027 national championship odds not having been active long. Duke, the only non-Big Ten team to beat the Wolverines this season, opened +1100 but is now +800. So is Michigan, which was +1300 for next season entering the title game but has taken the most handle (34.3%) and tickets (14.9%) so far. Duke is second in both, with Florida third.
I sure would have liked to have seen a Duke-Michigan rematch on Monday, but UConn of course staged that epic comeback in the Elite Eight. The transfer portal is currently open, so there’s not much point giving out any 2026-27 recommendations yet.
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I’ll also address the University of North Carolina, which hasn’t moved from its open of +2500 at BetMGM but is taking just 2.0% of tickets and 1.8% of handle. The Tar Heels were rejected by the likes of May, Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd and Iowa State’s TJ Otzelberger for their head coach opening, so perhaps school officials panicked a bit in hiring Michael Malone. He is UNC’s first hire outside of the Tar Heels “family” since Frank McGuire in 1952.
Yes, Malone won the NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets in the 2022-23 season but was fired in 2024-25 and has never been a college head coach — and not even an assistant at that level since 2001 at Manhattan. Malone is well-respected for his X’s and O’s acumen and has spent the past 10-plus months as an ESPN analyst. Such a baffling hire, as Malone had no formal ties to North Carolina other than his daughter Bridget being a sophomore on UNC’s volleyball team.
Reportedly, the Heels felt they had to make a move quickly with the transfer portal opening and could not wait on a decision from Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan, a two-time national championship coach at Florida. Donovan wasn’t going to make a decision until the Bulls’ season ended on April 12, but the team just overhauled its front office so he likely leaves anyways.
Again, it’s not clear exactly what the Heels might look like next season with the portal currently open – a few UNC guys have already entered, led by former four-star freshman and starting point guard Derek Dixon. Malone has no modern-day recruiting experience (he does have a connection with prominent international agent Misko Raznatovic through Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic), but UNC surely will be a preseason AP Top 25 club on name alone.
When looking at the below odds, again notice no West Coast teams among the favorites (with the Pac-12 coming back). We still haven’t had a team from out West win the dance since Arizona in 1997, although the UCLA women won their first crown Sunday.
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Aug 28, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Mason Reiger (22) celebrates a play during the game against the Miami (OH) RedHawks at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The NFL Draft is just about two weeks away for the Minnesota Vikings, and with nine picks, the club will hope to extract some prospects from later rounds to make up for mostly miserable drafts over the last four seasons. And if the team strikes gold, one of the draftees might be Wisconsin outside linebacker Mason Reiger.
Minnesota may have found another developmental front-seven option.
The Vikings spent a Top 30 visit on Reiger, usually a decent indicator that he could end up with the franchise in the draft’s late rounds or from undrafted free agency soon after.
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A Wisconsin Sleeper Has Entered the Vikings’ Draft Orbit
Get to know some possible late-rounders.
Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin defensive lineman Mason Reiger (DL58) addresses media members during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center, discussing his college career and draft outlook as teams evaluate prospects during one of the most important weeks on the pre-draft calendar. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Reiger to Meet with MIN
Every team is allotted Top 30 visits, and the Vikings usually use them on players from all rounds, even if the player won’t be drafted.
Late last month, NFL draft insider Ryan Fowler tweeted, ‘Source: Wisconsin EDGE Mason Reiger has a 30 visit scheduled with the Minnesota Vikings. 6’5″, 250 lbs pass-rusher was named the Defensive MVP of the Shrine game after recording three sacks & a FF. Also had a private workout with New Orleans.”
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The meeting turned heads because Minnesota could use some help at EDGE, especially youthful options, as Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel headline the position (both age 28 or older), with Dallas Turner (not old) at OLB3.
The Bio
Reiger is undersized as an outside linebacker but right on point as an off-ball linebacker. The kicker? He plays more with an EDGE’s skill set. His speed is phenomenal for his position, his length outstanding. The spin move is also there. It’s just that he’s not the best tackler in the Big Ten, and that will need significant refinement in the pros.
He logged 10 sacks in the last two years at Wisconsin and Louisville.
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NFL Draft Buzzon Reiger: “The pass rush ability is real. His first step and closing burst are uncommon, and the inside spin move is already a weapon. When he’s operating as a designated rusher on third down, working off the ball in a two-point stance, he can collapse the pocket in a hurry.”
“The 45 pressures he racked up at Wisconsin, plus the Shrine Bowl destruction, tell a consistent story about a guy who can get after quarterbacks. His grade as a pass rusher backed that up all year, and the arc of his development from a mid-60s graded player in 2021-22 to an elite-level rusher by 2025 suggests a player who is still ascending.”
Reiger may look older for his age, but he’s still 23. A bit old — not ancient rookie age.
Dec 2, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; India Reed wears a custom jacket in support of Louisville defensive lineman Mason Reiger during Fan Fest ahead of the ACC Football Championship Game, drawing attention from fans while celebrating her boyfriend’s big stage opportunity during championship weekend festivities. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Faughender-Imagn Images.
NBD added, “The fit is clear: a 3-4 outside linebacker or a wide-nine edge rusher in a defense that can use him situationally as a rookie and gradually expand his role as he develops. Reiger is not a three-down starter on Day 1, but he absolutely can be a productive rotational rusher who gives offensive tackles a different look.”
“The former walk-on story, the injury comeback, the Shrine Bowl dominance, the steady improvement year over year, all of it paints a picture of a player who will maximize every opportunity he gets.”
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Minnesota’s Current OLBs
The scouting report suggests Reiger would latch onto the back end of the Vikings’ EDGE depth chart, hoping to work his way up over the duration of a rookie contract.
With the draft 15 days away, here’s Minnesota’s OLB corps:
Jonathan Greenard
Andrew Van Ginkel
Dallas Turner
Bo Richter
Tyler Batty
Chazz Chambliss
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Reiger to former NFLer Kyler Fackrell and noted, “He doesn’t look like a pro pre-snap, but he certainly plays like one after the snap. He lacks the size/anchor to consistently set the edge and can be controlled when tackles latch on, but he’s unusually talented to work off contact for quick wins at the point of attack.”
Where in the Draft?
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This is the fun part. The Vikings won’t have to spend precious draft capital to obtain Reiger. Right now, he’s listed at No. 219 on the Consensus Big Board, and conveniently, Minnesota has three 7th-Round draft picks in that territory.
Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Wisconsin defensive lineman Mason Reiger (DL58) participates in on-field drills at Lucas Oil Stadium during the NFL Scouting Combine, showcasing his strength, movement skills, and technique as evaluators from across the league observe closely ahead of the upcoming draft. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
It’s not unreasonable to assume that Minnesota will leave the draft with an extra EDGE rusher, and Reiger perfectly blends draft placement and a style that defensive coordinator Brian Flores might enjoy.
Former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made a flurry of strange trades last summer. The 7th-Rounders on tap are a result.
The Vikings haven’t drafted a player from the University of Wisconsin in 21 years.
Hall of Famer Steve McMichael, a key member of the dominating defense that helped the 1985 Chicago Bears win the Super Bowl, has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the Concussion & CTE Foundation said. McMichael died last year at 67 after a five-year fight with ALS. “Too many NFL players are developing ALS during life and diagnosed with CTE after death,” his wife, Misty McMichael, said in a statement released by the foundation. “I donated Steve’s brain to inspire new research into the link between them.” CTE is a degenerative brain disease that has been found in athletes in contact sports, combat veterans and others exposed to repetitive head trauma. It has been known to cause violent mood swings, impulsive behavior and depression. It can only be diagnosed after death.
According to a 2021 study by the Harvard Medical School and the Boston University CTE Center, NFL players are more than four times more likely to develop ALS than other men. Dr. Ann McKee, director of the Boston University CTE Center, said about 6% of individuals with CTE in the brain bank also have ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“There is strong evidence linking repetitive brain trauma and ALS,” McKee said.
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A two-time All-Pro and 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, McMichael was known as “Mongo” and “Ming The Merciless” while playing in a franchise-record 191 consecutive games from 1981-93. He ranks second to Richard Dent on the Bears’ career sacks list with 92 1/2.
McMichael played his final NFL season with Green Bay in 1994, and then went on to a career in pro wrestling.
In 2021, McMichael revealed he had ALS, which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. He followed the research seeking a link between ALS and CTE and pledged his brain to be studied, according to Chris Nowinski, co-founder and CEO of the Concussion & CTE Foundation.
“Steve McMichael was known for his strength, toughness, and larger-than-life presence, but his final act was to give a piece of himself back to the sports community so that we might have a chance to save ourselves,” Nowinski said. “I appreciate all the former athletes, including many of Steve’s ’85 Bears teammates, who are raising funds and volunteering to participate in CTE research so we can create a brighter future for athletes everywhere.”
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IPL 2026 | Delhi Capitals Wins By 6 Wickets Against Mumbai Indians: Redemption For Sameer Rizvi
Teams that have a good shot at meeting in the first round of the playoffs clash when the Atlanta Hawks take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Atlanta is coming off a 108-105 loss to the New York Knicks on Monday, while Cleveland downed the Memphis Grizzlies 142-126 that same night. The Hawks (45-34), who hold down the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, are 22-17 on the road this season. The Cavaliers (50-29), who are the fourth seed in the East, are 25-14 on their home court.
Tipoff from Rocket Arena in Cleveland is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Hawks lead the all-time series 133-115, and have won four of the last six meetings. The Cavaliers are a 1.5-point favorite in the latest Hawks vs. Cavaliers odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 235.5. Before making any Hawks vs. Cavaliers picks, check out the Hawks vs. Cavaliers predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered Week 25 on a sizzling 47-20 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
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Top Hawks vs. Cavaliers predictions
After 10,000 simulations of Hawks vs. Cavaliers, SportsLine’s model is going Under on the total (235.5). The Under has hit in six of the last 10 head-to-head matchups. The Under has also hit in three of the past four Atlanta games, and in 40 of 79 games this season. The Under has also hit in 24 of Cleveland’s last 39 home games.
The SportsLine model is projecting the Hawks to have just two players scoring 18 or more points, led by Jalen Johnson’s 19.8 points. Donovan Mitchell, who is questionable with an ankle injury, is projected to lead the Cavaliers with 25.8 points scored, but only two other Cleveland players are projected to score more than 15 points. The teams are projected to combine for 235 total points, making the Under the value play. See the spread pick at SportsLine.
Apr 7, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers center Jay Huff (32) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Ayo Dosunmu scored 24 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a three-game losing streak with a 124-104 win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday in Indianapolis.
Julius Randle and Bones Hyland added 19 apiece and Naz Reid contributed 17 for Minnesota (47-32), which sits in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves finished the night clinching a playoff spot and avoiding the play-in after the Phoenix Suns fell to the Houston Rockets 119-105 later Tuesday.
Rookie Ethan Thompson posted 17 points for the Pacers (18-61), who took their third straight defeat. Obi Toppin and Jalen Slawson both had 14 points.
Indiana’s season-long injury crisis continued when forward Kobe Brown, who was in the starting five, was unable to play after halftime with lower back soreness.
Thunder 123, Lakers 87
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in 28 minutes as Oklahoma City demolished the Lakers for the second time in five days, prevailing in Los Angeles.
The Thunder, by earning their sixth consecutive win and their 18th in 19 games, moved within one win or one San Antonio Spurs loss of clinching the top spot in the Western Conference for the third consecutive season. Chet Holmgren had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain added 18 and 15 points off the bench, respectively.
The Lakers fell a game behind the Denver Nuggets for the No. 3 spot in the West with their third consecutive loss. They are now tied with Houston after the Rockets beat the Suns. Rui Hachimura led Los Angeles with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. No other Los Angeles player scored more than 11.
Rockets 119, Suns 105
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Kevin Durant had 24 points and five 3-pointers in his return to Phoenix and Houston overcame a 21-point deficit for its largest comeback of the season, producing a victory over the host Suns.
Amen Thompson logged 22 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists and Jabari Smith Jr. had 20 points and five 3-pointers for the Rockets, who have won seven in a row and nine of 11. The Rockets are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for fourth place in the West and are one game behind the Denver Nuggets with three to play.
Devin Booker had 31 points and eight assists and Mark Williams contributed 19 points and eight rebounds for the Suns, who had a 24-0 run in the first quarter to build a 26-5 lead before fading.
Pelicans 156, Jazz 137
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Jeremiah Fears scored a career-high and franchise-rookie-record 40 points and as New Orleans set a club record for points in a blowout of visiting Utah.
Jordan Poole added 34 points, Jordan Hawkins put up a season-high 25 and rookie Micah Peavy scored a career-high 20 as the Pelicans ended an eight-game losing streak.
Kennedy Chandler scored a career-high 31 points and rookie Bez Mbeng added a career-best 26 for the Jazz, who lost their 10th consecutive game.
Celtics 113, Hornets 102
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Jaylen Brown scored 35 points and grabbed nine rebounds to propel Boston past visiting Charlotte.
The Celtics received 23 points from Jayson Tatum and 12 apiece from Neemias Queta, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. Boston has won four straight and 11 of its past 13 games.
LaMelo Ball tossed in a game-high 36 points for the Hornets, but he failed to score in the fourth quarter. Charlotte was held to 15 points in the final period as its four-game winning streak ended.
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Bulls 129, Wizards 98
Rob Dillingham’s career-high 26 points off the bench highlighted a balanced scoring effort as Chicago rolled past host Washington.
Chicago left little doubt on the way to snapping a seven-game losing streak, pouncing on Washington with a 9-0 run midway the first quarter. Tre Jones put up 20 points, his third effort of 19-plus points in his past five games, and he wound up one assist shy of his first double-double since January. Patrick Williams added 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Bilal Coulibaly led the Wizards with 19 points. First-year forward Julian Reese posted his fourth double-double in his 10 NBA games, going for 17 points and 11 rebounds.
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Nets 96, Bucks 90
E.J. Liddell scored 21 points to lead Brooklyn to a victory over visiting Milwaukee.
It was the second win in a row for Brooklyn and third in its last five contests. Ben Saraf added 19 points while Malachi Smith and Drake Powell each scored 11.
AJ Green led the Bucks with 20 points on six 3-pointers (6-for-12). Taurean Prince scored 16 points with 11 rebounds while Cormac Ryan added 14. Jericho Sims tallied 12 points, eight boards and six assists, and Ousmane Dieng had 10 points and seven rebounds.
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Clippers 116, Mavericks 103
Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points and Darius Garland added 22 as Los Angeles improved its play-in tournament seeding possibilities with a victory over Dallas in Inglewood, Calif.
John Collins scored 12 points and Derrick Jones Jr. added 11 points with 10 rebounds as the eighth-place Clippers moved a full game ahead of the ninth-place Portland Trail Blazers. The Clippers and Blazers will meet Friday at Portland.
Cooper Flagg scored 25 points and Marvin Bagley III added 21 as the Mavericks fell to 2-9 since March 16. Flagg, 19, coming off consecutive games of 51 and 45 points.
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Raptors 121, Heat 95
Scottie Barnes scored 25 points and Brandon Ingram added 23, leading Toronto to a victory over visiting Miami.
Jakob Poeltl had 17 points while RJ Barrett chipped in 16 for the Raptors, who pulled within a game of the fifth-place Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference. Toronto had dropped three of its previous four games.
The Heat got 24 points from Andrew Wiggins and 14 points apiece from Tyler Herro and Norman Powell. Miami shot just 27.3% (12 of 44) on 3-point attempts while dropping its ninth game in 12 tries.
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Warriors 110, Kings 105
Stephen Curry capped his 17-point performance with a game-tying 3-pointer, then turned his own miss into an offensive rebound and assist on Brandin Podziemski’s go-ahead trey as Golden State outlasted Sacramento in San Francisco.
De’Anthony Melton had a game-high 21 points and Podziemski finished with 20 for the Warriors, who ended a four-game losing streak while resting Kristaps Porzingis on the first night of a four-games-in-six-days sequence.
Killian Hayes led a balanced attack with 18 points off the bench for the Kings, who dropped their second in a row.
According to sources at WSL clubs, Bompastor’s comments are widely agreed with.
At the leading English clubs, players are developed by Professional Game Academies (PGA), funded and operated by the Football Association.
The FA first awarded 20 initial PGA licences to clubs in England’s two top tiers in 2023 as part of a major revamp.
From the 2028-29 season, WSL Football – the company that operates the Women’s Super League – will take over full responsibility.
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As well as the PGAs, lower-tier clubs often create partnerships with schools and colleges to form a local talent pool. They can also set up their own youth teams and academies but would not be part of a professional league.
The FA has linked up with Women’s National League clubs – the third tier – to provide funds and resources for developing young talent, as well as building connections with WSL sides who want to loan players out to clubs at that level.
Some academies have also been involved in the Women’s National League Cup and Plate competitions, and they can enter local Senior County Cup tournaments.
The maximum number of matches teams can play in a PGA league – competitions set up for age groups up to Under-21 level – has increased from 19 to 27 in the past five seasons.
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In summary, England’s youngsters are getting more game time and playing in a wider range of competitions – but it is not at the elite level.
There are gaps in the data but both the FA and WSL Football have confirmed the number of minutes played in the top tier by English academy graduates has dropped dramatically in recent seasons because of the increased competition for places.
Manchester City manager Andree Jeglertz told BBC Sport it is “the biggest step a young player will take” when they break into a WSL squad.
“I can only look at our own academy and it is a big step to go from there to being a senior player, especially for clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City – teams who want to be competing in Europe,” he added.
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“What is the best solution to that? I don’t know. There definitely has to be some way to bridge that gap, whether that’s how they are training or [the] professional [environment].”
Several WWE Superstars, including Liv Morgan, recently attended a wild costume party hosted by Alexa Bliss and her husband, Ryan Caberara. Little Miss Bliss’ friend and popular hair & makeup artist Ian Maxion posted about the party.
Both Alexa Bliss and Liv Morgan will be in action at WrestleMania 42. Little Miss Bliss is set to team up with Charlotte Flair to lock horns with The Irresistible Forces, The Bella Twins, and Bayley & Lyra Valkyria in a Fatal Four-Way Tag Team Match for the Women’s Tag Team Championship. Meanwhile, Morgan will face Stephanie Vaquer for the WWE Women’s World Championship.
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Ahead of this year’s Show of Shows, Bliss and her husband, Ryan Cabrera, threw a wild 18+ costume party. Hair & makeup artist Ian Maxion recently took to Instagram to post a video of the party in which Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Alexa Bliss, and CJ Perry were spotted dressed up as different characters. In the post’s caption, Maxion seemingly revealed the party’s name was “The Greatest Sh*t Show.”
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“@alexa_bliss_wwe_ and @ryancabrera present ‘The Greatest Sh*t Show.’ And we got all dressed up for the circus! 🤡🎪🤹♂️,” he wrote.
Liv Morgan and CJ Perry reacted to his post by leaving comments on it. The Miracle Kid called the party “iconic,” and Perry wrote that she had a lot of fun.
“So iconic,” Morgan wrote.
Check out screenshots of their comments below:Screenshots of Liv Morgan and CJ Perry’s comments [Image via Instagram/@ianmaxion]
Liv Morgan could miss WrestleMania 42 after an injury on WWE RAW
On the latest edition of Monday Night RAW, Liv Morgan was shown talking to Roxanne Perez in a backstage segment before Stephanie Vaquer came out of nowhere to push Morgan into Perez. La Primera then threw The Miracle Kid onto a television. This spot has since been doing the rounds on social media, as Morgan and Perez’s heads collided, and both stars were put in a concussion protocol. The former WWE Women’s World Champion even got a nasty bump on her forehead.
Bryan Alvarez revealed on Wrestling Observer Live that Liv Morgan vs. Stephanie Vaquer could have been canceled if WrestleMania 42 was this weekend, but the match could take place as scheduled because there is still time in ‘Mania. However, this wasn’t a 100% guarantee at the moment, as it is a head injury.
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“They were both put in concussion protocol. It’s wait and see. I was pretty much told, if WrestleMania was this weekend, that match probably ain’t happening. Two weeks from now, I guess we’ll see if it happens,” Alvarez said.
It remains to be seen if Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer will lock horns for the WWE Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania 42 as scheduled.
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