WWE WrestleMania 42 just got pushed to a whole new level with another name being announced.
The Showcase of the Immortals is undeniably the most important PLE of the company every year, and as expected, it is the pinnacle of presentation in the pro wrestling industry. Several celebrities are generally a part of the show, and it appears that a grammy-nominated name has been roped in for a performance.
Thanks for the submission!
Advertisement
As announced on X by WWE, famous artist Joe Jonas will be performing the National Anthem to kick the show off on Sunday. It should be noted that Joe Jonas is a Multi platinum and grammy-nominated artist. The announcement stated:
Advertisement
“Multi-platinum and grammy-nominated recording artist @joejonas will be performing the National Anthem to kick off WrestleMania 42 Sunday! #WrestleMania”
You can check out the post below:
More celebrities could show up at WWE WrestleMania 42
Apart from Joe Jonas, there are several other grammy nominated names that could be present at The Showcase of the Immortals.
Trick Williams was recently assisted by renowned rapper Lil Yachty, in an attack on Sami Zayn. Zayn and Williams are set to face off at WrestleMania with the WWE United States title at stack. While Lil Yachty will likely make an appearance as well, the list of celebrities may not stop there.
Speaking on Mornings with Mero, Trick Williams noted that he had connections to bring in several other names. He said that he had family ties to help him in his pursuit:
Advertisement
“Uh oh, we got that [sic] family ties. You know what I mean? And while we got that family ties going, I might just bring out the stars. I might go all the way to the Milky Way galaxy and bring some stars down. We got this entrance right here, man. We about to turn it up. We gonna turn it up,” Williams said.
Trick Williams is being favored heavily by the Stamford-based promotion, and it is clear that he is being viewed as a future megastar. Whether he can take another step forward at WrestleMania by dethroning Sami Zayn, remains to be seen.
Why did you not like this content?
Advertisement
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
Read all the hottest WWE news from Sportskeeda by choosing us as your preferred source. Click HERE.
Ben Shelton keeps his eyes on the ball during his second-round match against Reilly Opelka at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Friday, March 6, 2026.
Second-seeded Ben Shelton saved two set points in the second set, including one in the tiebreaker, in knocking off Belgian wild card Alexander Blockx 6-4, 7-6 (8) on Wednesday in the BMW Open’s second round in Munich, Germany.
Ranked No. 6 in the world, Shelton is 6-1 all-time in Munich, where he reached the clay-court final in 2025 and lost to Germany’s Alexander Zverev. Shelton saved all three break points in the match against Blockx and had more winners (26-11) and aces (4-0) as well as double faults (2-0) and unforced errors (32-15).
Italy’s Flavio Cobolli, the fourth seed, downed Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 6-2, 6-3, but other seeds didn’t fare as well. Czech Vit Kopriva upset eighth-seeded Luciano Darderi of Italy 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, and Brazil’s Joao Fonseca defeated seventh-seeded Arthur Rinderknech of France 6-3, 6-2. Fonseca, 19, takes on Shelton in the quarterfinals.
Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan completed his match suspended by darkness on Tuesday with a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory over Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday.
Advertisement
Barcelona Open
Wild card Rafael Jodar became the third Spanish teenager this century to reach the Barcelona quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Argentina’s Camilo Ugo Carabelli in one hour, 30 minutes.
The other two teens were all-time great Rafael Nadal (2005-06) and current World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz (2022-23), who pulled out of the event due to a right wrist injury sustained in a victory on Tuesday.
Jodar, No. 47 in the world, will face seventh-seeded Cameron Norrie of Great Britain, who beat Ethan Quinn 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Serbian qualifier Hamad Medjedovic upset third-seeded Alex de Minaur of Australia 6-3, 6-4, and will take on Portugal’s Nuno Borges, who defeated Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3, 7-6 (4).
Mar 11, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; BYU Cougars guard Robert Wright III (1) rebounds during the first half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
The exodus of stars from BYU will not include sophomore Robert Wright III, who will stay in Provo, ESPN reported on Wednesday.
Regarded as one of the top point guards in the transfer portal, Wright was a third-team All-Big 12 selection last season as BYU went 23-12 and lost to 11th-seed Texas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Wright led the team with 4.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game, and was second in scoring at 18.1 in starting all 35 games. He also averaged 3.5 rebounds and shot 46.7% from the field, including 41% on 3-pointers.
The Cougars are expected to lose All-American forward AJ Dybantsa, who led the nation as a freshman at 25.5 points per game and is projected as perhaps the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA draft. BYU guard Richie Saunders, an All-Big 12 second team pick this season and first team in 2025, sustained a season-ended torn ACL in mid-February to complete his fourth and final season for the Cougars.
Advertisement
Wright averaged 11.5 points, 4.2 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 35 games (21 starts) at Baylor in 2024-25, when he made the Big 12 All-Freshman team.
When a visibly drained looking Alvaro Arbeloa stepped into the press room in Munich, questions about his future felt unavoidable. His expression echoed the same sense of disappointment he showed after his very first match in charge, the defeat by Albacete.
The 43-year-old has been in the role for only four months, having replaced Alonso in January. Yet the pressure has been relentless, the results have been inconsistent, and the season now looks set to end without major silverware – a repeat of 2024-25, when only the Uefa Super Cup was secured.
This would be the first time in 16 years Real Madrid have gone two consecutive seasons without winning a major trophy. Under president Florentino Perez, managers’ contracts have typically ended the moment those trophies disappear.
Throughout it all, Arbeloa has consistently taken responsibility, deflecting the blame away from his players. By his own admission, he is ‘a man of the badge’, fully committed to fighting for the club at all costs.
Advertisement
But taking consistent ownership for poor defeats won’t be enough to convince Perez he’s the right man to lead Madrid into next season.
The club never publicly clarified the length of Arbeloa’s contract although sources suggest it runs until the end of the 2026-27 campaign. For now, dismissing Arbeloa before the season concludes would serve little purpose, with relatively little left at stake.
Real sit nine points behind Barcelona is La Liga with a Clasico at Camp Nou still to play in May. Players have also spoken openly about how Arbeloa improved morale in the dressing room. Vinicius Junior, speaking ahead of the first leg against Bayern, said that he had ‘a wonderful connection’ with Arbeloa and that he ‘hoped he could continue’ working with him.
For now, Arbeloa said he isn’t worried about his future.
Advertisement
“Since I’ve been in this position, it hasn’t been the slightest worry. I feel I’ve done everything I can to help my players win every day.”
But if anyone understands the unforgiving nature of Real Madrid’s managerial turnover, it is Arbeloa.
For Arteta, it won’t matter that his side are not producing free-flowing football – the Gunners just want to get over the line and lift a trophy this season.
They are having to produce results without a number of key players, who are injured. Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori were unavailable to play against Sporting.
Declan Rice did play, despite being unwell.
And now there is fresh concern for the top of the table clash with Manchester City on Sunday, as winger Noni Madueke limped off with a knee injury.
Advertisement
When Arteta was asked if he sees the physical strain on his players at the moment, he said: “Yes, but when I see them track back when we lose the ball, the habits that they have, it’s just amazing.
“There is a reason why we are the only English team in the competition, because this league and this schedule takes the hell out of you and it’s very difficult to do what we’ve done.
“We are not perfect, we need to improve things, that’s for sure, we recognise that. But there’s value in what these players have done because they deserve it.”
Former Manchester City and QPR defender Nedum Onuoha told BBC Sport: “The fact that they are in their second consecutive Champions League semi-final is huge. Their performance itself wasn’t perfect, but they just wanted to be in that next round, and that’s exactly where they are.
Advertisement
“On a different day, maybe they would create more chances, and perhaps they would actually score more goals. They didn’t create very much, but they are still in the last four.”
Onuoha referenced words from captain Rice, who said Arsenal just wanted to “go one step further”.
“They will look at this game and the things they could have done better, but the fact is there are plenty of clubs around Europe who aren’t in their position now who would be absolutely delighted to be there,” he said.
“It certainly wasn’t a statement performance like some teams around Europe have done in this last couple of matchdays, however Arsenal still have shown they have just as good a chance as everyone else.
Advertisement
“We’ve seen a Real Madrid side, for example, that have scored four goals across two ties and have been knocked out.
“Arsenal, they only needed one, so you can give them credit for the two clean sheets they’ve had across the two ties and that’s what they needed to be in this particular moment.”
It didn’t feel like Arsenal had just qualified for only their second Champions League semi-final in 17 years. The final whistle came with overwhelming but cautious relief rather than ecstasy; the feeling that Arsenal had got away with one by the skin of their teeth, but next time they won’t be so fortunate.
Had Joao Simoes’s 94th-minute effort crept a few inches to the left, this last-eight tie was heading to extra time. That would’ve been catastrophic for Arsenal’s physical state ahead of their biggest game of the season on Sunday. In their current mental state, Arsenal progression would not have been a safe bet.
Advertisement
Mikel Arteta made a rallying cry in which he asked Arsenal’s supporters to come to the Emirates not with their dinner, but with “pure fire” and “zero fear” for the visit of Sporting. Fans struggled to comply. There was less a fire in their bellies, more a collective knot.
Advertisement
Mikel Arteta called Arsenal fans to bring ‘pure fire’ to the Emirates (Reuters)
It was a stark comparison to this exact occasion 12 months ago. When Real Madrid came to town, there was an atmosphere of unadulterated belief and optimism that this team could create magic. Maybe it helped that their Premier League title race had already been run at the time; Liverpool were 11 points clear, so their focus was streamlined.
But on this night, there was more than a tinge of anxiety in the air, a hangover from still being very much in the thick of a title race, and one that has a yellow flag being waved. Some were no longer allowing themselves to dream of the best, instead conditioned by three years of hurt to fearing the worst. “Please, enjoy where we are as a club,” Arteta said after the match, having asked for the perspective of Arsenal’s position in major competitions before this game. It’s easier said than done.
Advertisement
This did not help a team of players who currently appear tortured by their own psyche. Arsenal were error-prone, especially at the back, with David Raya and William Saliba each gifting Sporting possession when unsuccessfully trying to play out from the back. It was Tottenham-esque at times.
Advertisement
Both blunders went unpunished; against the attacking quality of any other team in the last eight, probably barring Liverpool, things would’ve surely been different. But the concern is these aren’t isolated incidents in one match – Arsenal’s build-up from deep was hugely problematic against Bournemouth, too. A team previously heralded as one with the most resolute defence arguably in world football now looks shaky.
Such was the case for the best chance – the only real chance – of a pedestrian first-half. The culmination of a sweeping Sporting move that cut Arsenal open far too easily, Geny Catano was left completely untracked at the back post and volleyed Maximiliano Araujo’s dinked cross off the left post. On the brink of half-time, this tie should have been level.
Geny Catano came agonisingly close to equalising (Getty)
That is not to say Sporting were playing a perfect game. They were similarly susceptible to an error (or eight) at the back; just that Arsenal rarely looked like capitalising. Those meant to drive the hosts towards goal, like Noni Madueke, were frightened to take on a man as Arsenal overthought their opportunities until dispossession. Screams of “go forwards!”, often with an expletive, were ever-present.
Advertisement
Advertisement
When the Madueke finally did go through the gears, it fashioned Arsenal’s best chance of the game so far – darting across the box before firing into the side netting on 57 minutes. The Englishman turned a corner five minutes before he was forced off injured. “It was something in his knee so we had to take him off,” Arteta said.
The moment that encapsulated the difference in mindset between now and that famous night against Real Madrid a year ago, fittingly, came with a free-kick. Declan Rice, then the hero from the dead ball, was stood with the ball set 25 yards out – but played it short. Sporting quickly snuffed out the routine and countered. If not for the lung-besting recovery of left-winger Gabriel Martinelli down the right, the visitors were in. In diametric opposition to the Real encounter, even Arsenal’s game-changers looked scared to go for the spectacular.
But in response to any frustration about the performance, Rice’s response was emphatic. “Who cares what people think?” he told TNT Sports.
Declan Rice’s free-kick routine showed the difference between Arsenal’s then and now (Reuters)
In a second half that saw Sporting gas, the visitors bookmarked the 45 with two close calls; first from Araujo three minutes after the restart, set up by Morten Hjulmand – an Arsenal fan and possible transfer target who has the club crest tattooed on his left bicep – and then Simoes with practically the last kick of the game.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Otherwise there was improvement to speak of from the hosts, who pressed a tiring team well and came close to killing the tie when Leandro Trossard hit the post with seven minutes to play. He was found at the back post by Max Dowman, who replaced Madueke and did provide the spark that had some arguing for him to start this match. A bright finish could instil a bit of confidence, even if a late scare will leave them wiping their brow.
Between the 67th minute and the game’s final moment, Arsenal didn’t allow Sporting a shot nor a touch in their box. One of their specialties this season has been holding onto slender leads. Arteta trusts them to do this but still wouldn’t mind making things more comfortable. “I do [trust my players with one-goal leads,” he says, “but I prefer to score the goal.”
Sporting held Arsenal to a goalless draw on the night but could not fight back (AP)
This time, Arteta’s men managed to survive. In keeping with their first-leg display in Lisbon, they emerged from the night having done what was required and nothing more.
Advertisement
Advertisement
But heading to the Etihad, it is imperative they clear the mental fog that comes with the possibility of repeated failure. Against this Manchester City team in a ruthless vein of form, the question of whether they can emerge unscathed while still racked by such anxiety seems to answer itself.
And Javier Báez showed off some sleight-of-hand for the ages in Wednesday night’s Tigers game against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park.
Báez was on third base with one out in the bottom of the third inning when Jake Rogers hit a flyball to deep right field, where Jac Caglianone caught it and threw a seed home to catcher Salvador Perez. The ball beat Báez by a wide margin, and he was called out by plate umpire Jansen Visconti.
Advertisement
Advertisement
But Báez popped right up and asked for the challenge, and upon further review, he was safe — when he lifted his left hand over Perez’s glove and plopped it down on home plate before the glove got him.
The Comerica Park crowd cheered loudly when it saw the replay on the videoboard. Báez was called safe, giving the Tigers, winners of four straight, the early 1-0 lead.
Sitting in the dugout after the call was announced, Báez paid a little homage to wrestling legend John Cena, flashing the “You can’t see me” hand motion over his face.
Báez was on third base after he laced a double to the right-field corner, where Caglianone started a perfect relay to home, where Perez made an impressive stretch to get Zach McKinstry at the plate. McKinstry was originally called safe, but that call also was overturned.
MONTE-CARLO, MONACO – APRIL 12: Carlos Alcaraz of Spain looks dejected during his Final match against Jannik Sinner of Italy on day Eight of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters at Monte-Carlo Country Club on April 12, 2026 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Barcelona Open after medical tests confirmed a wrist injury.
The Spaniard had already shown signs of discomfort during his opening win over Otto Virtanen, but the issue proved more serious than initially expected.
“I felt my wrist give out on a return during the match,” Alcaraz said.
Advertisement
“After the tests, we saw that it’s a more serious injury than any of us expected, and I have to listen to my body so it doesn’t affect me in the future.”
He had been scheduled to face Tomas Machac in the next round but has now pulled out to begin recovery.
“I have to go home to start my recovery as soon as possible… and try to get as healthy as possible for the tournaments I have coming up.”
Advertisement
The 22-year-old had returned to action in Barcelona just days after his Monte Carlo final loss to Jannik Sinner, a result that saw the Italian reclaim the world No. 1 ranking.
NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli was not included in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s starting XI against Lucknow Super Giants in Bengaluru, but he was named among the Impact Players, meaning he could still come in to bat if needed. His absence at the start comes after he picked up an ankle injury in RCB’s previous match against the Mumbai Indians, where they secured an 18-run win. Kohli and Philip Salt had been forming a steady opening pair, so his limited role slightly affects the team’s balance.RCB captain Rajat Patidar opted to bowl first, trusting the pitch conditions to help early on. “We’re gonna bowl first. It’s pretty obvious. I see a pretty good surface,” Patidar said at the toss.
Watch
Bombay Sport Exchange: Munaf Patel on Gautam Gambhir, Virat vs Bumrah & Indian bowling.
“So, we bowl first and take the advantage of the first innings and keep the pressure. Not much (on the pitch). The previous game was having a lot of grass. But I think this wicket, I think there is no grass. So, it will be a good track. But yeah, let’s see.”On the other side, LSG skipper Rishabh Pant sounded confident despite his team’s inconsistent run so far. “We’re pretty confident, [it’s a] good batting pitch. Regardless of whether we bat first or second, we need to do well,” he added. “We don’t want too much introspection; put trust in your team and do well. There are a lot of leaders in the group, so go out and perform well. Same team for us.”RCB made one change, bringing in Josh Hazlewood. Patidar said, “I think everyone is doing pretty much good for the team… Just one change. Josh Hazlewood comes in place of Duffy.”With Kohli still available as an Impact Player despite his recent injury, and both teams eager to climb the table, the contest remains evenly poised.Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince YadavLucknow Super Giants Impact Subs: Manimaran Siddharth, George Linde, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Mayank YadavRoyal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam DarRoyal Challengers Bengaluru Impact subs: Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer, Jordan Cox, Kanishk Chouhan, Mangesh Yadav
The 2026 RBC Heritage begins Thursday, April 16, with the opening round at Harbour Town Golf Links in South Carolina. You can find full RBC Heritage tee times for Thursday’s first round at the bottom of this post.
Featured tee time for Round 1
At this week’s RBC Heritage, Rickie Fowler is hoping to bring a lengthy winless streak to an end. The popular pro, who has six PGA Tour wins to his name, has not earned a victory since 2023.
Fowler earned his place in this week’s Signature Event via his final FedEx Cup ranking last year (32nd). He had a strong start to the 2026 season but missed the cut in his last two events at the Texas Children’s Houston Open and Valero Texas Open.
At those tournaments, Fowler was trying to earn an invite to the 2026 Masters, but he was unsuccessful. However, he’ll have to face many Masters contenders at Harbour Town, including runner-up Scottie Scheffler.
Advertisement
Fowler tees off for the opening round of the RBC Heritage on Thursday at 7:55 a.m. ET alongside Kurt Kitayama.
You can watch Thursday’s first round of the 2026 RBC Heritage from 2-6 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage starting on Thursday at 7 a.m. ET, in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage.
Check out the complete Round 1 tee times and groupings for the RBC Heritage below.
With an ESPN+ subscription, you gain access to PGA Tour Live, where you can stream the best PGA Tour events live from wherever you want.
Advertisement
2026 RBC Heritage tee times for Thursday: Round 1 (ET)
Tee No. 1
7.05 a.m. – David Lipsky, Chandler Blanchet 7.15 a.m. – Brian Campbell, Joe Highsmith 7.25 a.m. – Adam Schenk, Matt Wallace 7.35 a.m. – Denny McCarthy, Jordan Smith 7.45 a.m. – Steven Fisk, JT Poston 7.55 a.m. – Lucas Glover, Patrick Rodgers 8.05 a.m. – Michael Brennan, Ryo Hisatsune 8.20 a.m. – Karl Vilips, Tom Hoge 8.30 a.m. – Min Woo Lee, Taylor Pendrith 8.40 a.m. – Matt McCarty, Michael Thorbjornsen 8.50 a.m. – Ryan Gerard, Tony Finau 9.00 a.m. – Harris English, Nick Taylor 9.10 a.m. – Ben Griffin, Robert MacIntyre 9.20 a.m. – Brian Harman, Sungjae Im 9.35 a.m. – JJ Spaun, Jacob Bridgeman 9.45 a.m. – Gary Woodland, Sepp Straka 9.55 a.m. – Chris Gotterup, Viktor Hovland 10.05 a.m. – Justin Thomas, Ludvig Aberg 10.15 a.m. – Cameron Young, Jordan Spieth 10.25 a.m. – Billy Horschel, Sahith Theegala 10.35 a.m. – Marco Penge, Johnny Keefer 10.50 a.m. – Jhonattan Vegas, Pierceson Coody 11.00 a.m. – Ryan Fox, Michael Kim 11.10 a.m. – William Mouw, Andrew Putnam 11.20 a.m. – Garrick Higgo, Daniel Berger 11.30 a.m. – Sami Valimaki, Sam Stevens 11.40 a.m. – Kurt Kitayama, Rickie Fowler 11.50 a.m. – Alex Noren, Nicolai Hojgaard 12.05 p.m. – Aldrich Potgieter, Wyndham Clark 12.15 p.m. – Bud Cauley, Austin Smotherman 12.25 p.m. – Ricky Castillo, Harry Hall 12.35 p.m. – Keegan Bradley, Si Woo Kim 12.45 p.m. – Andrew Novak, Maverick McNealy 12.55 p.m. – Akshay Bhatia, Nico Echavarria 1.05 p.m. – Corey Conners, Patrick Cantlay 1.20 p.m. – Collin Morikawa, Shane Lowry 1.30 p.m. – Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley 1.40 p.m. – Tommy Fleetwood, Sam Burns 1.50 p.m. – Matt Fitzpatrick, Scottie Scheffler 2.00 p.m. – Jake Knapp, Jason Day 2.10 p.m. – Max Homa, Sudarshan Yellamaraju
If the first night of the NBA play-in tournament is an appetizer of what’s coming for the next couple of months, the postseason will be at the very least intriguing.
The teasers came with a couple of compelling results. While there’s no guarantees that a new wave of contenders have been identified, there’s the notion that there are must-see moments ahead.
Ripe with controversy, comebacks and drama, it’s odd to suggest that the Charlotte Hornets and Portland Trail Blazers could be responsible for setting the tone.
The Hornets survived for a 127-126 overtime victory against the visiting Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference. In the Western Conference, the Trail Blazers rallied for a 114-110 road victory in Phoenix to advance into the playoffs.
Advertisement
The Suns will have to play Friday night at home against Wednesday’s Golden State-Los Angeles Clippers winner for the right to reach the playoffs.
The Hornets have work to do as well, taking on the loser of Wednesday’s Orlando-Philadelphia game on Friday with a spot in the playoffs in the balance.
The Heat have been eliminated, failing to reach the playoffs for the first time since prior to the COVID pandemic. Their chances might have dimmed anyway with Bam Adebayo sitting out since early in the second quarter Tuesday because of a back injury. He played only 11 minutes.
That’s where the controversy arrived in the first game following the regular season. Adebayo crashed to the floor courtesy of an undetected trip by Hornets star guard LaMelo Ball.
Instead, Ball made the winning shot a couple of hours later.
These play-in games don’t come with the benefit of a series, so this saga won’t play out across another week.
Should they win Friday, the Hornets might be fun to have around in the playoffs for no other reason it’s an injection of new blood. They’re a team that emerged to exceed expectations from what most observers projected last fall. Charlotte hasn’t appeared in the playoffs in a decade.
Advertisement
After Coby White rescued the Hornets in regulation with a tying 3-pointer, they won on Ball’s drive for a basket and then – of all things – a defensive play with Miles Bridges blocking the game’s final shot on Davion Mitchell’s attempt to extend Miami’s season.
Charlotte’s success in the first play-in game came despite minimal contributions from Kon Knueppel, who’s a favorite to be named Rookie of the Year. The NBA’s most productive 3-point shooter during the regular season went 0-for-6 from long range and 2-for-12 overall.
But the Hornets have Ball, who’s been waiting for the spotlight to shine his way.
Later out West, the Trail Blazers earned the right to hold the No. 7 seed and face the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. All it took was rallying from 11 points down in the fourth quarter and a 41-point night from Deni Avdija.
Advertisement
Portland finds itself in the playoff field for the first time since 2021. That qualifies as an infusion of something new, with Avdija landing in the playoffs for the first time.
We could enjoy more of what he has to offer after Tuesday night’s sampling.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login