Sports
Vikings RB Aaron Jones Has Swerved
As Mark Twain would say: The reports of Aaron Jones’s release were greatly exaggerated. The Minnesota Vikings had initially planned to release Jones this offseason, but that has changed on the third day of free agency. Jones has reportedly accepted a pay cut to stay in Minnesota.
The veteran stayed, though the backfield plan still looks like a work in progress.
Many wondered why the Vikings hadn’t signed any free-agent halfbacks this week. Well, they evidently wanted Jones back for Year No. 3 in the Twin Cities.
Jones Reworks Deal to Stay With the Vikings
Your Aaron Jones jerseys stay relevant.
Jones Back to MIN
NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero broke the news Wednesday, “The Vikings and RB Aaron Jones have agreed to a revised contract to keep him in Minnesota for the 2026 season, sources tell me and Ian Rapoport. Jones lowers his base salary to $5.5 million and will stay in Minnesota.”
“The Vikings never wanted to let go of Aaron Jones, who is a strong locker room presence and still effective when healthy at age 31. The sides worked towards a new deal and found common ground to keep in purple for another season.”
NBC Sports‘ Josh Alper added, “A report early this month said that the Vikings were set to release running back Aaron Jones, but he and the team have worked out a revised deal that will keep him in Minnesota. No other details of the changes have been reported, so Jones may have a chance to earn some of that money through incentives related to his production on the field.”
The move felt like a total swerve because in the Vikings fans’ minds, Jones was as good as gone. He apparently tested the waters on the open market, determining a pay reduction in Minnesota would be more than a fresh contract with a new team.
Running It Back .. at Running Back
What does this mean for Minnesota in 2026? Well, the Vikings are running it back. Full stop. In 2025, they embarked on Week 1 with Jones, Jordan Mason, Zavier Scott, and Ty Chandler in their roster orbit, with Jones on deck as the RB1.
Minus Chandler, who remains a free agent, Minnesota will feature the same veteran threesome in the offensive backfield.
As recently as two days ago, the only tailback in the mix for Minnesota was Mason, as Scott held a restricted free-agent status, and news had already leaked that Jones would be dropped. Now, just a few days into free agency, all three are back.
One must wonder if the other players “released” by the Vikings, defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, might accept the same arrangement. Stay tuned.
Jones in 2025
Jones appeared in 12 games last season, battling injuries, which is a part of his modus operandi and what prevented him from having a superstar’s career in Green Bay from 2017 to 2023. But — he logged 747 yards from scrimmage in 2025, with 3 touchdowns. That isn’t nothing.
The year before, Jones’s first in Minneapolis, he tabulated 1,546 yards from scrimmage and 7 scores. Ironically in that season, Justin Jefferson and Jones both banked 1,546 yards from scrimmage on the nose.
In 2026, Jones will hope to remain upright and healthy. He’ll turn 32 in December.
It’s also worth noting that Minnesota will retain a core leader in the locker room. From the jump, and even in Green Bay, Jones has created his reputation as a “locker room guy,” and “one of the good ones” to have on a football team. With players like fullback C.J. Ham retiring and possibly safety Harrison Smith, the Vikings risked losing a large faction of its veteran leadership.
Wednesday’s news regarding Jones changed that.
The New Plan?
Jones and Mason are now expected to compete for the RB1 role in 2026. However, Minnesota may still bolster its roster in the draft, as that venue will provide another avenue to acquire a running back.
While Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame might be unavailable by pick No. 18, Minnesota could consider other prospects. Jadarian Price (Notre Dame), Emmett Johnson (Nebraska), Jonah Coleman (Washington), Nick Singleton (Penn State), and Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas) are projected to be Rounds 2–4 selections.
Ultimately, drafting a rookie running back appears to be the most likely path for Minnesota. The team hasn’t drafted a successful tailback since Dalvin Cook in 2017 and Alexander Mattison in 2019, a drought they will likely end this year.
Minnesota met with Johnson (Nebraska) at the NFL Combine, and Washington Jr. (Arkansas) bedazzled all general managers, scouts, and coaches with his size and speed at the same event.
Singleton (Penn State) would provide a blend of youth, size, speed, and big-game experience and is likely available in Round 3 or 4.
Apr 2, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Dominic Smith (8) celebrates a home run during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images When Dominic Smith signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves in mid-February, it was hard envisioning him having much of a role with the team.
After all, Smith’s best defensive position is first base and the Braves feature Matt Olson at that spot, and Olson hasn’t missed a single game in four-plus seasons with the team. He has failed to start a game just once, back in 2022.
But Smith is finding ways to contribute and quickly impressing the organization as Atlanta enters the second contest of a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night in Phoenix.
Smith homered and scored twice as the Braves routed the Diamondbacks 17-2 in Thursday’s series opener. It was the most runs Atlanta has ever scored in Phoenix, topping a 14-0 victory on July 29, 2007.
Smith, 30, is batting .375 with two homers and five RBIs in five appearances – four at designated hitter and one in the outfield.
Of course, Smith etched himself into baseball history by hitting a walk-off grand slam in a 6-2 win against the Kansas City Royals last Saturday. That made him the first player to ever end a game in such a fashion in his team debut.
Smith will continue to get starts at designated hitter due to the season-long suspension of Jurickson Profar, who was disciplined for a positive test of performance-enhancing drugs for the second time in his career.
Suddenly, lots of at-bats were available.
“When the suspension happened, I said there would be an opportunity for some guys, and guys are going to step up and shine and he’s certainly doing that,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said after Thursday’s one-sided affair. “Dom is taking advantage of the opportunity and we always talk about him giving a professional at-bat. He’s showing off some power too.”
The Braves are Smith’s sixth team and fifth in the past four seasons. Thursday’s homer was his 71st in 761 career games.
Olson also had a big game Thursday by going 3-for-5 with a homer, two doubles, three RBIs and three runs.
Mauricio Dubon and Jorge Mateo also went deep as Atlanta won for the fifth time in seven games this season. Arizona had a three-game winning streak halted and the game got away when it allowed eight runs in the fifth inning.
“It’s about execution, that’s the bottom line,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “If you don’t execute, you’re going to have games like this.”
Jordan Lawlar slugged his first career homer for Arizona but later was hit by a pitch on his right wrist in the bottom of the seventh and exited at the end of that inning.
X-rays were negative, and Lovullo said Lawlar will undergo a CT scan on Friday. Lawlar preferred talking about homer No. 1.
“It didn’t really feel like anything coming off the bat,” Lawlar said. “… I ran around the bases and got the silent treatment in the dugout. That was pretty cool.”
Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his second start of the season for the Diamondbacks.
He received a no-decision in his first turn when he was charged with one unearned run and four hits in five-plus innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Saturday. Rodriguez, who turns 33 on Tuesday, is 1-0 with a 5.59 ERA in two career starts against Atlanta.
Right-hander Grant Holmes (0-1, 5.40) gave up three runs and five runs over five innings in a Atlanta’s loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.
Holmes, 30, has a 6.08 ERA in four appearances (two starts) against Arizona. Both starts occurred last season when he gave up nine runs in nine overall innings.
–Field Level Media
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There is no fall off for J. Cole.
The 41-year-old rapper, who recently released his seventh studio album, “The Fall Off,” will be playing professional basketball in China, he recently announced.
ESPN reported that the two-time Grammy-Award winner, whose real name is Jermaine Cole, signed a contract with the Nanjing Monkey Kings of the Chinese Basketball Association.
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Jermaine Cole of the Patriots Basketball Club dribbles the ball against Marcus Christopher Crawford of Union Sportive Monastirienne during the second half at Kigali Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, on May 22, 2021. (Nicole Sweet/BAL/Basketball Africa League/Getty Images)
Cole has played professional basketball overseas before, suiting up for the Basketball Africa League’s Rwanda Patriots in 2021 and the Scarborough Shooting Stars in the Canadian Elite Basketball League the following year.
The Fayetteville, North Carolina native hinted at the news last week in an interview with Revolt.
“The basketball s— is like me just trying to scratch a last itch of, yo, let me see if I can do this,” Cole said during the interview. “Could I train and be able to go play professional because these teams in these leagues are looking at it like, ‘He’s not a–. He can come be on the court, and he can give our league some publicity.’”
Cole said the Monkey Kings were offering him to play for them last year.
Jermaine Cole of the Patriots Basketball Club passes the ball against the Rivers Hoopers Basketball Club during the second half at Kigali Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, on May 16, 2021. The game marked the start of the inaugural regular season of the 12-team league, a partnership between the NBA and FIBA. (Nicole Sweet/BAL/Basketball Africa League via Getty Images)
“I’m looking at the clock like, boy, I’m getting older. This might be my last shot. I’m going to keep my word to them and show up and play a couple of games, although I know I’m not in the best of shape because the album. I’m going to go out there and have fun with it.”
Cole joined the mainstream rap game in the early 2010s, with his debut album, “Cole World: The Sideline Story,” coming out in 2011 that featured hits like “Work Out” and “In The Morning” with fellow basketball fan Drake.
Jermaine Cole of the Patriots Basketball Club is congratulated by teammate Brandon Costner during the second half against the Rivers Hoopers at Kigali Arena in Kigali, Rwanda, on May 16, 2021, the start of the inaugural Basketball Africa League regular season. (Nicole Sweet/BAL/Basketball Africa League via Getty Images)
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Cole is also a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets as part of the group that bought the organization from Michael Jordan for $3 billion.
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St. George Illawarra Dragons vs North Queensland Cowboys Tips, Odds, Teams & Predictions – NRL Round 5 2026
Jubilee Stadium will play host to Saturday’s
Round 5 NRL game between St. George Illawarra Dragons and
North Queensland Cowboys. The game kicks off at 5:30 pm with North Queensland Cowboys heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the St. George Illawarra Dragons vs.
North Queensland Cowboys
game and give you our free tips and bets.
When: Saturday April 4, 2026 at 5:30 pm
Where: Jubilee Stadium
Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE
St. George Illawarra Dragons vs North Queensland Cowboys Odds
St. George Illawarra Dragons vs North Queensland Cowboys Preview
St George Illawarra take on Brisbane in a matchup that offers contrasting styles. The Dragons will look to establish control through structured play, while the Broncos’ attacking weapons pose a constant threat. Defensive discipline and edge containment will be crucial for both sides. Expect a physical contest, with momentum likely to shift throughout. For the Dragons, it’s a chance to assert themselves, while Brisbane will aim to maintain their attacking rhythm and secure a strong result.
St. George Illawarra Dragons vs North Queensland Cowboys Teams
Dragons team: 1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Christian Tuipulotu 3. Moses Suli 4. Valentine Holmes 5. David Fale 6. Lyhkan King-Togia 7. Daniel Atkinson 8. Emre Guler 9. Damien Cook 10. Toby Couchman 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Hamish Stewart 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Blake Lawrie 16. Jacob Halangahu 17. Hame Sele 18. Josh Kerr 19. Tyrell Sloan 20. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga 21. Kade Reed 22. Setu Tu
Cowboys team: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Braidon Burns 3. Jaxon Purdue 4. Tomas Chester 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Jake Clifford 7. Tom Dearden 8. Coen Hess 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Heilum Luki 12. Sam McIntyre 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Soni Luke 15. Griffin Neame 16. Thomas Mikaele 17. Matthew Lodge 18. Harrison Edwards 19. Zac Laybutt 20. Kai O’Donnell 21. Kaiden Lahrs 22. Robert Derby
Optus Stadium will play host to Saturday’s
Round 4 AFL game between West Coast Eagles and
Sydney Swans. The game kicks off at 7:35 pm with Sydney Swans heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the West Coast Eagles vs.
Sydney Swans
game and give you our free tips and bets.
When: Saturday April 4, 2026 at 7:35 pm
Where: Optus Stadium
Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE
West Coast Eagles vs Sydney Swans Odds
West Coast Eagles vs Sydney Swans Preview
Revitalised under new leadership, this side has shown encouraging signs of improvement and cohesion. Their ball movement has become more fluid, and confidence is building across the group. However, consistency remains the next hurdle as they face an opponent capable of exploiting lapses. The midfield contest will be crucial, with clearance work and pressure acts likely to shape the outcome. Expect a competitive clash, with both teams looking to establish control and dictate terms. This match presents a strong opportunity to reinforce early progress and continue building momentum.
Head To Head Bet
We’re tipping Sydney Swans to win at $1.24 odds.
Roughly a month ago, the Jonathan Greenard trade rumors got off the ground.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news: “Vikings are now open to trading Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Geeenard, per sources. They would like to keep Greenard, but they also have salary cap issues they’re working through that have led to these trade conversations.”
Fast forward from March 3rd until April 3rd. Nothing has happened.
There has been speculation, rumor, and dot connecting. Kevin O’Connell has expressed his desire to keep the veteran edge rusher in town. Likewise, there has been broader conversations detailing how Minnesota really likes him. A path nevertheless exists for trading him away
The Jonathan Greenard Trade & The 2026 NFL Draft
By definition, a trade needs two parties.
Minnesota could search around the NFL for a willing trade partner, but the other team would need to agree to terms. Similarly, the league’s other 31 teams could call Minnesota, each sending an offer for the pass rusher. Minnesota would need to agree for a trade to take place. A whopping 31 trade offers don’t mean anything unless the Vikings’ leadership chooses to accept one.
So, a minimum of two things need to occur. There needs to be the Vikings’ willingness to trade away Jonathan Greenard alongside another team sending back a compelling offer for Jonathan Greenard.
For the Minnesota Vikings, what may need to occur is choosing a promising pass rusher. If, for instance, Auburn’s Keldric Faulk gets chosen at No. 18, is there renewed willingness to ship out the well-paid (but still underpaid) Greenard?
In that scenario, the Vikings would rally around Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner as the starters. Faulk is the EDGE3 (possibly) and then there could be a low-level add in free agency after the draft concludes. Minnesota could choose another edge rusher later on while searching for more help among the UDFAs.
On the other end of things is the interest of a team (or teams) around the NFL.
Quite possibly, there are teams that have ongoing, consistent offers on the table. All they’re waiting for is for the Vikings to do business. That’s a scenario that is plausible, reasonable, and not hard to imagine. This possibility involves the Vikings choosing Faulk and then agreeing to the trade offer that already exists. It’s a possibility.
Alternatively, there could be teams that have renewed interest in Greenard if they miss on their preferred pass rusher in the draft. Envision a scenario where a team sees the 1st Round finish off without being able to scoop up the coveted player since he got stolen away by a different squad. Could that same team — still desiring help at edge rusher — call Minnesota with the offer of a 2nd, a 3rd, or other draft picks to pry away the talent?
Very possible, folks. Not certain, but possible.
What’s going to be fascinating to watch is (obviously) who gets chosen with the Vikings’ 1st-Round pick. Seeing someone like Keldrick Faulk, Akheem Mesidor, or another promising edge rusher get scooped up by the Vikings will necessarily change the dynamic at edge rusher.
That’s not to say that a trade involving Jonathan Greenard is a locked-in reality if Minnesota goes EDGE at No. 18. Rather, it’s simply to note that a trade involving Jonathan Greenard becomes easier for Minnesota to manage. Rival teams may be more inclined to pickup the phone to check in on Greenard’s availability (or lack thereof) if a pass rusher goes purple early.
Keep an eye on how things unfold. Jonathan Greenard is still likelier to be a Vikings defender in 2026, but the NFL Draft is the event when trades fly.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
Celtic have yet to pick up a league point in Dundee this season.
In October, they lost at Dens Park for the first time since 1988, while Dundee United beat them for a second time at Tannadice last time out.
That took the champions’ total of league defeats to eight, double last term’s total and five more than the campaign before.
By the time Celtic kick off (16:30 BST), Rangers will have hosted Dundee United on Saturday (15:00) and Hearts will have played their game away to Livingston earlier on Sunday (14:00).
“Psychologically, there’s an advantage to playing early if you go and get your results,” O’Neill said. “If you don’t, it opens the way for you.
“I’m hoping that between now and the end of the season, it might work in reverse.
“You just have to try and take care of your own game that you are supposedly in control of.”
O’Neill gave an update on injured players Arne Engels and Julian Araujo.
“It’s a thigh,” O’Neill said of right-back Araujo, who has returned to parent club Bournemouth for treatment. “He’s doing fine in recovery, now. We expect to see him back, hopefully in the not too distant future.
“Arne’s come back now. We’ll see. Each day it’s a good day for him, he’s trained most of the week. We’ll just keep any eye on things at this minute. We couldn’t rule him out or in for Sunday.”
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Vanessa Trump, the former daughter-in-law of President Donald Trump, broke her silence on social media following Tiger Woods’ stunning DUI arrest in Florida last week.
The golf legend’s arrest came just days after the couple were spotted together at the Golf League championship in Florida in which Woods competed in. Vanessa Trump’s daughter, Kai Trump, was also spotted in the stands.
Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links GC receives a hug and a kiss from Vanessa Trump before the match against Los Angeles Golf Club during the TGL finals at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on March 24, 2026. (IMAGN Syndication: Palm Beach Post)
But Vanessa Trump’s support for Woods looked different this week after the 15-time major winner was arrested on multiple charges, including DUI following a rollover crash on Jupiter Island, Florida.
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“Love you,” Vanessa Trump wrote over a picture of herself hugging Woods as the two appeared to relax on a hammock. The photo, posted to her Instagram Stories early Friday morning, was the same photo Woods shared on X when he first announced his relationship with her in March 2025.
“Love is in the air and life is better with you by my side! We look forward to our journey through life together,” he wrote in an X post at the time. “At this time we would appreciate privacy for all those close to our hearts.”
Trump recently spoke to the New York Post about Woods’ arrest.
May 6, 2019; Washington, D.C., USA; President Donald Trump presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Tiger Woods during an event at the White House in the Rose Garden. (Scott Taetsch/USA TODAY Sports)
“I think he’s doing great, he’s doing good,” the president told the outlet, adding later, “He tested negative for alcohol, as you know, and he is under a tremendous physical pressure from his various ailments, you know, the back and the leg.”
TRUMP SAYS TIGER WOODS ‘LIVES A LIFE OF PAIN’ AFTER DUI ARREST AS AFFIDAVIT REVEALS PILLS FOUND
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital on Tuesday, deputies with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office reported observing several signs of impairment at the scene, noting that Woods was “sweating profusely” and that his movements appeared “lethargic and slow.”
Woods was placed under arrest after performing a series of field sobriety tests, and during a search, law enforcement found “two white pills inside Woods’ left side pant pocket.” According to the arrest affidavit, the pills were later identified as hydrocodone, a prescription opioid for pain relief.
Woods previously told law enforcement prior to the field sobriety tests that he underwent seven back surgeries and “over 20 operations on his leg.” He told law enforcement that “I take a few” prescription medications.
Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links GC talks with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, after a match against Boston Common Golf at SoFi Center on March 17, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (James Gilbert/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)
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At the jail, Woods submitted to a breathalyzer, where he provided 0.00 results on both samples. He declined to submit to a urine test, resulting in another charge.
Woods entered a not guilty plea earlier this week and announced that he would be stepping away from golf to “seek treatment and focus on my health.”
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Be a Brainrot is a tycoon simulator on Roblox in which you disguise yourself as a Brainrot, cross the starting line, and walk on the Red Carpet to get stolen by different Brainrots and placed on their
;)
The New Yorker
;)
Sports Illustrated
Which brings me to a painting, a new and playful one, that our daughter, Alina, recently stumbled upon while hiking a green corner of the worldwide web, looking to ease the pain of Tax Day for her golf-nut father. It’s a watercolor called Chipping Season by a young artist named Liesel Anne Callahan. It depicts golfing chipmunks somewhere in Amen Corner. One of the things that makes the Masters tournament work is that it has a lot of rules, for players and fans and everyone else, and people are willing to follow them, in the name of decorum and orderliness. One of the things that makes this painting such a delight is that the artist doesn’t need any rules at all. The golfing chipmunks have their carry bags right on the green. Another group of golfing chipmunks are in a cart, with yellow-and-white surrey top, parked dangerously close to the green. The painting itself is a study in green in all its many shades.
;)
Liesel Anne Callahan
I called Ms. Callahan. “I don’t golf, but I am surrounded by people who do,” starting with her husband, she said. She joins him in watching the Masters each year in their home in Lawrence, Kans. Liesel is a fourth-generation Jayhawk.
In real life, do golfing chipmunks wear green knickers or a pink-and-white striped skirt? No, but in Chipping Season they do. Do you see golf carts going the wrong way over the Hogan Bridge on 12? You do not, at least not during the CBS telecast of the Masters. It is a background moment in Chipping Season.
“I know Augusta has a lot of rules but as an artist I like to take what I see and make my own rules,” Callahan said.
During the telecast, she saw Amen Corner — the 11th green, the par-3 12th, the tee shot on 13 — and made it her own.
The artist’s father is a physician. Her mother is a musician, on organist. Her husband is a runner. They are newish parents. They live in a house with a view of a city park. When the Masters is on, Lawrence, some years, is still coming out of winter. Her brother-in-law came up with the name, Chipping Season.
“When I think of an animal that golfs, I think of chipmunks,” the artist said. “I don’t know why.”
Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael.Bamberger@Golf.com
It’s a shame when an artist’s first album ends up being their best. Weezer’s Blue Album, The Strokes’ Is This It and Nas’s Illmatic, while all extraordinary, were also followed by cautionary tales of getting too comfortable and losing one’s initial hunger and essence after experiencing early success.
What’s known as selling out in the music industry can easily be transferred to losing buy-in when applied to basketball.
As Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković put it after his team’s loss to the Kings: “When you don’t approach the game from the start with the level of intensity and attention to detail that you need to have, this is the outcome.”
Of course, one of the NBA’s worst three-point shooting teams missing their most proficient shooter, Immanuel Quickley, has also been a factor. But the six-foot-two guard’s absence had little to do with the Raptors being minus-16 on the glass and minus-19 in second-chance points against Sacramento on Wednesday.
Now, Toronto has fallen to seventh in the East, as its record is tied with the division-rival Philadelphia 76ers, who hold the tiebreaker and consequently jumped the Raptors for the final proper playoff spot.
There are other teams that could factor in on the periphery, but the race for sixth appears poised for a photo finish between the Raptors and 76ers. Every slight advantage that can be mined down the stretch will matter, and the two squads’ strength of schedule will be under the microscope as they aim to avoid the volatility of a one- or two-game play-in scenario.
Let’s examine the outlook for Toronto and Philadelphia over the season’s final six games as they, in RJ Barrett’s words: “play like our lives depend on it.”
While strength of schedule often shakes out to a relatively fair balance over the course of an entire season, it can be a harsher factor over a smaller sample, particularly when every game counts in a tight playoff race. Toronto has the upper hand here.
Philadelphia is set to run a veritable gauntlet that includes games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets over its next four contests. Its final six opponents have a combined .558 winning percentage, giving the 76ers the fourth-most difficult strength of schedule remaining. They also have two back-to-backs left.
The Raptors are looking at a mixed bag. Pulling off wins against Eastern Conference giants in the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks will be a tall task — Toronto’s a combined 0-6 against both this season. However, the Raptors also have two games left against the Miami Heat, who they’ve dominated and who also happen to be in the midst of a 2-8 stretch.
Ultimately, Toronto’s strength of schedule is far friendlier than Philly’s due to Friday’s game against the lowly Memphis Grizzlies (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT) and its season finale against the even-lowlier Brooklyn Nets. The Raptors’ final six adversaries win at a combined .486 clip, good for 19th leaguewide.
Philadelphia does have the edge in a couple of other areas, though. The Raptors and 76ers have split their season series, rendering the first tiebreaker, head-to-head record, moot. But the next tiebreaker is divisional record, where Philly’s 9-7 will be insurmountable for the Raptors, who are 4-10 against Atlantic division foes.
This essentially gives the 76ers an additional game in the standings, as the Raptors will have to secure a better record outright to pass them. Canadian sports fans are well aware of the importance a tiebreaker can hold after the Toronto Blue Jays’ 2025 American League East title hinged on holding the tiebreaker over the New York Yankees.
And while Joel Embiid‘s health is a perpetual question mark, the 76ers are at full strength otherwise. Paul George has returned after missing most of the season between an off-season knee procedure and 25-game banned-substance suspension — and he’s been lighting it up. After struggling to start the season, the 35-year-old former MVP finalist is averaging 28 points and seven rebounds per contest over four games since returning. George dropped 39 on 15-of-22 shooting in his most recent game on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Raptors are attempting to navigate an injury to their starting point guard. Immanuel Quickley has missed six straight games with plantar fasciitis and has been seen wearing a walking boot. Before Toronto’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 27, Rajaković said that the only way for the injury to fully heal would be for Quickley to be off his feet for multiple weeks, a luxury the team doesn’t have.
However, the sharpshooting guard was playing through the pain prior to sitting and Rajaković said that Quickley is “going to be available to play.” Just not yet, as he is listed as out against the Grizzlies on the NBA’s injury report.
Considering that Toronto ranks 26th in three-point makes, 25th in attempts and 23rd in percentage, it can’t afford to be without its best three-point shooter for long. And make no mistake, Quickley may be tied for third in percentage on the Raptors, but he is their most important shooter.
Toronto has a dearth of pull-up three-point shooting, ranking last in the league in attempts by a wide margin. Quickley is the only player on the team that takes and makes this more difficult shot type at a high volume. He’s shooting 33.7 per cent during his time as a Raptor — above league average — while accounting for nearly 40 per cent of the team’s attempts on a per-game basis. Without Quickley, the Raptors’ pull-up three-point shooting is non-existent. They’re averaging 3.2 per game since he’s gone down, less than 29 individual players across the league.
The Raptors and 76ers are thoroughly intertwined. From Scottie Barnes and Tyrese Maxey’s comical relationship, to ex-Raptor greats Kyle Lowry and Nick Nurse leading the way in Philly, to the infamous Kawhi shot during the teams’ second-round series in 2019 — there’s no shortage of compelling connections in this rivalry.
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Not all play-in spots are created equal
The top 10 spots may be decided in each conference, but the battle for seeding is important, particularly in the packed play-in picture. The middle of the East remains tight with Nos. 6 through 10 still only separated by 2.5 games.
The Raptors and the feel-good Charlotte Hornets currently occupy Nos. 7 and 8 in the standings, meaning they would play for a playoff spot, and the loser would play the winner of the 9-10 game for the eighth and final true post-season berth.
That means that the Orlando Magic — who were in fifth just two weeks ago — and the Miami Heat would be fighting it out under the heat of the Florida sun in a one-and-done scenario if the season ended today.
This highlights the importance of nabbing one of the top two play-in spots. Having only two games to punch your ticket is still risky, but every extra chance is meaningful.
The West is more straightforward. With the Phoenix Suns now 4.5 games back of the sixth seed, their chase for a straight-up playoff berth is effectively over.
The Suns and Golden State Warriors have significant separation at the top and bottom of the West’s play-in picture, meaning the Los Angeles Clippers catching the Portland Trail Blazers to earn the coveted eighth spot is the most probable shift here.
The Clippers’ erratic season makes them tough to read, but there is reason to believe they have what it takes for a push. They started 13-23 before rattling off a 10-4 run in the lead up to the trade deadline. Then, Lawrence Frank and co. sold anyway, dealing James Harden and Ivica Zubac seemingly with an eye for the future.
Despite overhauling the roster, the Clippers have maintained a steady pace. They’re 16-11 since the deadline as acquisitions Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin have found a new gear.
Not to mention that Kawhi Leonard is playing his best basketball since the Raptors’ championship season. If the Clippers have aspirations of going on a significant run, he’ll need to stay healthy and lead the way.
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