Kevin Durant has ‘mutual interest’ with Eastern Conference contender
An intriguing team could be in the mix for Kevin Durant this offseason if the Phoenix Suns trade him.
Durant and the New York Knicks have “mutual interest” in each other, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. Charania said on “The Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday that the Knicks are among several teams that Durant could try to steer himself to in the offseason.
“Back at the NBA trade deadline, there (was) a list of teams that there was mutual interest with Kevin Durant and those teams, from my understanding,” Charania said. “That’s Minnesota, that’s New York, that’s Houston, San Antonio, Miami. Those are the types of teams, from my understanding, that had interest then, and I expect them all to be in the mix this offseason.”
Charania added that an early playoff exit could motivate a team like the Knicks to be more aggressive in trying to trade for Durant.
"There's going to be changes coming to Phoenix barring a miracle finish to the year. … From a roster perspective, that's going to start with Kevin Durant."@ShamsCharania shares some trade possibilities for Kevin Durant as the regular season closes 👀 (Via @PatMcAfeeShow) pic.twitter.com/EzXlYRqylR
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 2, 2025
The Knicks would be a hugely intriguing landing spot for Durant. The team already has plenty of talent in Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson, and Mikal Bridges. However, they have not been able to catch up with the Boston Celtics or Cleveland Cavaliers in the East this season. Durant might be able to put them over the top.
The Suns have not made the final decision to trade Durant this offseason, but it is thought to be likely. The current iteration of the Suns has not worked, and trading Durant is largely the only move they can reasonably make to start over.
Durant is averaging 26.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this season. His season may already be over thanks to a significant ankle injury.
NFL insider thinks Titans have doubts about their NFL Draft plans
The Tennessee Titans have plenty of needs, and a new report suggests they may be torn on how to fill them through the NFL Draft.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic said on her “Scoop City” podcast that some within the Titans organization still want the team to trade down from No. 1 overall due to numerous roster needs. Russini added that, in her opinion, the organization does not have any clear conviction yet regarding what they want to do with the selection.
“I’d put it like this. I’m not sure if there’s conviction yet. That was my sense,” Russini said.
The Titans have a lot of needs and own April's No. 1 pick.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 2, 2025
But what they do with that selection remains to be seen ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ZWQYwHKNwd
Russini’s assertion is somewhat backed up by recent comments from coach Brian Callahan, who indicated that four players are under consideration at No. 1. The Titans also have not ruled out trading the pick.
Recent reports had suggested that the Titans were growing more confident in quarterback Cam Ward, and would likely be heading in that direction. They may still be leaning that way, but the final decision evidently has not been made yet.
The Titans had suggested they would prefer to get a “generational talent” in the draft. Few think Ward is that, but other players at other positions may fit the bill better. As long as that is the case, the Titans may be divided on who to select and what to do with the pick.
Chris Beard makes decision on Texas A&M job
Chris Beard has made a decision regarding the Texas A&M Aggies job.
Beard will be staying at Ole Miss rather than leaving for the Aggies’ basketball job. ESPN reports that Beard is set to receive a raise, more resources for his coaching staff, and more NIL resources by remaining at Ole Miss.
Chris Beard has informed Ole Miss he's staying at the school, sources tell me and @jeffborzello. He'd engaged in significant discussions with Texas A&M, but he ultimately decided to stay at Ole Miss. He's set to receive a raise, more resources for staff and a strong NIL package. pic.twitter.com/5N0g629V6I
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 2, 2025
Beard just completed his second season at Ole Miss. He has gone 44-24 in two years there and just made the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, which marked Ole Miss’ best showing in the tournament since 2013.
Prior to coaching at Ole Miss, Beard had success at both Texas Tech and Texas. He had taken the Red Raiders to the Final Four in 2019 and won the AP National Coach of the Year that year. Beard became the head coach of the Longhorns after five seasons in Lubbock. He was fired after a 7-1 start in the 2022-2023 season at Texas due to a domestic violence matter.
Prior to coaching at Texas A&M, Beard coached at Little Rock and Angelo State. The 52-year-old coach has a career .698 winning percentage.
Juan Soto names 1 player he wants Mets to trade for
Juan Soto signed with the New York Mets because he believes the team will do what it takes to win championships. The star outfielder has one idea that he thinks would help in that effort.
Soto was enthusiastic when asked about the possibility of the Mets trading for Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara. Alcantara has popped up in trade rumors, and Soto was clearly hopeful that the Mets would get involved if the former Cy Young winner is moved.
“It would be one of the best trades that we could have,” Soto said, via Mike Puma of the New York Post. “I know we have great pitching here, but adding a Cy Young winner like that would be huge.”
Alcantara won NL Cy Young honors in 2022 with the Marlins with a 2.28 ERA in 228.2 innings. He is coming off Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss the entire 2024 season, but he has looked sharp through his first two outings of 2025.
Alcantara trade rumors started before the season even got underway. He is owed $17.3 for each of the next two seasons, and the notoriously thrifty Marlins might decide to cash in on him now, especially if he pitches well to start the season.
Starting pitching is arguably the Mets’ biggest question mark. Their Opening Day starter was Clay Holmes, who was a reliever last season, and the team doesn’t really have a true ace right now. Alcantara would certainly be a step toward fixing that, but he would not come cheap.
Bryson DeChambeau nearly gets his hands taken off trying to catch Matthew Stafford pass
Bryson DeChambeau showed everyone just how hard it is to catch a pass from an NFL quarterback.
DeChambeau had Super Bowl-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford join him for the latest episode of his YouTube show “Break 50,” which is a competition where DeChambeau teams with a guest to see if they can shoot below 50 in a scramble format. To tease the episode featuring Stafford, DeChambeau shared a video via social media of him trying to catch a pass thrown by the Los Angeles Rams quarterback.
The video shows DeChambeau running an in-route, with Stafford firing the ball at him with a tight spiral. DeChambeau was unable to hang on to the laser pass, making for several laughs over how hard the ball had been thrown.
This hurt… New Episode of Break 50 tomorrow 👀 pic.twitter.com/vwXb0ij7nI
— Bryson DeChambeau (@brysondech) April 1, 2025
That was one heck of a fastball thrown by Stafford. It’s easy to see why catching a pass from an NFL quarterback is best left to the pros. And what was DeChambeau thimking trying to catch that with the Masters coming up?
In the full video of the episode, DeChambeau was actually able to catch and throw the ball with Stafford pretty well.
If you’re wondering whether the two were able to break 50, we won’t spoil it for you. Stafford does have a nice looking golf swing though, that’s for sure.
Wizards sent unusual gift to Rookie of the Year voters
The Washington Wizards are going above and beyond to try to drum up support for Alex Sarr’s Rookie of the Year candidacy.
NBA reporter Marc Stein shared a photo of ice cream he received from the Wizards to promote Sarr. The enclosed letter states that the Wizards partnered with local ice cream shop Ice Cream Jubilee to create custom flavors for Sarr and fellow rookies Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George.
The campaign even includes a “Scoop the Future” logo and encourages voters to cast ballots for Sarr to win Rookie of the Year and the trio to make the NBA’s All-Rookie Team. Stein suggested he had never seen anything quite like it before.
A new one in terms of NBA teams trying to drum up year-end award voting support for their guys: Ice cream successfully packaged and sent (still frozen) by the @WashWizards in search of Rookie honors for Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) April 2, 2025
More: https://t.co/A6ycVmnZ8Y pic.twitter.com/KN9ReLv9X8
It is hardly a surprise that NBA teams do PR work on behalf of players that are in awards contention. In general, the recognition is good for players and teams alike. The Wizards certainly went above and beyond here.
Unfortunately for the Wizards, it might take more than ice cream to get Sarr his award. The No. 2 overall pick has had a perfectly respectable season, averaging 13 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. However, Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs is gaining traction as the favorite with 14.3 points per game. First overall pick Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks has also been impressive, and just posted a 36-point game on Sunday against Milwaukee.
You can hardly blame the Wizards. After the season they have had, they could use some good news and an award for the future of their franchise.
Russell Wilson shouts out new teammate over classy gesture
Russell Wilson is playing for his fourth team in the last five seasons, but the former Pro Bowl quarterback has once again found a way to keep his jersey number.
Wilson shared via social media on Wednesday that he will continue to wear No. 3 as a member of the New York Giants. He thanked Giants defensive back Deonte Banks, who wore No. 3 over the past two seasons but is switching to No. 2 in 2025.
“Salute to my guy & young star Tae Banks! Grateful for you letting me wear #3 King! Full of gratitude,” Wilson wrote on X.
Salute to my guy & young star Tae Banks! Grateful for you letting me wear #3 King! Full of gratitude 🙏🏾🙏🏾 @Giants
— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) April 2, 2025
Banks is a 2023 first-round pick and full-time starter for the Giants, so he was under no obligation to give up his number. It is unclear if he and Wilson made some sort of deal to allow Wilson to wear No. 3, but Wilson made it seem like it was just a classy gesture from his new teammate. If so, that would not be the first time we have seen an NFL player change numbers out of respect.
Wilson has played for the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and now Giants. He is now one step close to retiring having only worn one jersey number for his entire career.
Red Sox give rookie $60 million contract after just 5 games
The Boston Red Sox have seen enough of Kristian Campbell to know they would like to keep him around for a while.
The Red Sox and Campbell have agreed to an 8-year, $60 million contract. The deal can be worth up to $100 million over 10 years if the Red Sox decide to exercise two club options for the 22-year-old second baseman.
Red Sox reporter Jen McCaffrey shared details on how much Campbell is set to receive annually as part of his contract.
2025 $1M
2026- $2M
2027- $3M
2028- $4M
2029- $6M
2030- $9M
2031- $13M
2032- $16M
2034- $19M club option ($4M buyout)
2035- $21M club option
Adding up all the figures from the $1 million in 2025 to the $16 million in 2032, plus $4 million for his buyout and $2 million for a signing bonus brings the guaranteed total to $60 million. That’s not bad money for someone who has only played in 5 MLB games.
Campbell was a fourth-round pick by the Red Sox out of Georgia Tech in 2023 and has already made it to the show. He hit well at all minor league levels last season and opened the 2025 year with the Red Sox. He has hit the ball well to start the season too and has gone 6/16 (.375) with two doubles, a home run and 4 RBIs. He’s walked four times and struck out five times.
Campbell’s teammates did a good job trying to prank him on Sunday after his first career home run.
Campbell is the second young player the Red Sox have locked up recently.
NBA looking into Ja Morant’s latest controversial gesture
The NBA is once again looking at Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to see if disciplinary action is warranted.
Morant appeared to mimic firing a gun at the opposing bench during Tuesday night’s game between the Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tenn. Morant extended his arms as if he were pointing a shotgun at the Warriors. Buddy Hield made the same gesture back, while Draymond Green also saw it and mimicked the gesture to complain to the officials. You can see the video here.
As expected, the NBA is reportedly taking a closer look at Morant’s gesture.
The NBA is looking into Memphis' Ja Morant using finger gun motions toward the Golden State Warriors bench last night, sources tell me and @espn_macmahon.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 2, 2025
Had another player made the gesture, it might have gone overlooked. That was never going to be the case with Morant because of his history.
Morant has been accused of bringing out a gun to threaten a boy who was playing basketball at his house. He was suspended 8 games in March 2023 after being shown with a gun on social media. Then in June 2023, the star point guard was suspended 25 games after flashing a gun in another social media video.
Yet, even after all that, Morant still decided to do a different gun-themed celebration after he threw down an alley-oop in December 2023.
The NBA knows that anything Morant does will lead to more scrutiny than the average player. It would not be a surprise if he faces some sort of punishment from the league.
Trey Hendrickson has blunt warning for Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson sent a blunt warning to the team, saying he is unhappy with how the team has handled his contract talks so far.
Hendrickson appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday to discuss his contract situation, and sent a clear message to the Bengals. He addressed comments from Bengals vice president Katie Blackburn, who said Hendrickson should “be happy at certain rates that maybe he doesn’t think he’d be happy at.”
“That was a little disappointing, because communication has been poor over the last couple of months,” Hendrickson said. “That’s something that I hold in high regard. They have not communicated with my agent directly. It’s been something that’s been a little bit frustrating, but again, this is the business of it.
“They are more than welcome to call me. I’ve had the same cell phone number since high school. Open line of communication is always open with me and my agent, so if they have anything they’d like to discuss, we’ve been nothing but willing to listen.”
"Those comments from Katie Blackburn were definitely disappointing & communication has been poor over the last couple of months..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 2, 2025
It's been a little bit frustrating & if they have anything they'd like to discuss we're definitely willing to listen" ~ Trey Hendrickson #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/C9PUdfKewj
Clearly, Hendrickson is experiencing some frustration with the Bengals. He expects to be paid this offseason, indicated that the Bengals told him they would take care of him, and feels that they are not holding up their end of the bargain.
The Bengals are reportedly focused on getting a deal done with Hendrickson instead of trading him. Hendrickson’s comments, however, call into question how serious they are about that.
Hendrickson has tallied 17.5 sacks in back-to-back seasons and is entering the final year of his contract. He has asked for a trade or a raise, and so far the Bengals have yet to give him either one. It certainly appears that something will have to give before the start of the season.
Report: Chiefs made notable schedule request to NFL
The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to become the Dallas Cowboys or Detroit Lions of Christmas Day.
The NFL announced this week that three games will be held on Christmas Day during the 2025 season, which is up from two last year. Patrick Mahomes and company have played on Dec. 25 the past two years, and they are expected to be one of the six teams playing on the holiday again next season.
According to Nate Taylor and Daniel Popper of The Athletic, the Chiefs would like it to stay that way every year. They have reportedly requested that the NFL make them a fixture on the league’s Christmas Day lineup, similar to how the Cowboys and Lions both play every year on Thanksgiving.
With the Chiefs being one of the most popular teams in sports, the NFL will likely be more than happy to accommodate the request. Games that feature the Chiefs are typically among the most highly rated of the season, and that is unlikely to change in the near future with Mahomes still in his prime.
As for why Kansas City would ask for Christmas Day games, John Breech of CBS Sports theorized that Andy Reid’s team may be angling for extra rest before the playoffs. The Christmas Day games will be played in Week 17. The games fell on a Wednesday last year, which gave the Chiefs 11 days off before their regular-season finale.
Of course, a long break between Week 17 and Week 18 means a short break between Week 16 and Week 17, depending upon which day of the week Christmas falls. However, in a season when the Chiefs have clinched a playoff spot and plan to rest their starters in Week 18, the extended time off after Week 17 might be beneficial.
Last year’s Christmas Day game between the Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers drew 24.1 million viewers, which made it one of the most-streamed games in U.S. history. Having Kansas City play on Christmas Day every year would probably be bad news for one other league.
Dodgers acquire one of the fastest players in MLB via trade
What do you get for the team that has nearly everything? How about a speedster.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired outfielder Esteury Ruiz in a trade with the A’s. The A’s had designated Ruiz for assignment on Sunday, and a few days later, they traded him to the Dodgers for pitcher Carlos Duran.
Ruiz, 26, is best known for leading the league with 67 stolen bases for the A’s in 2023. Ruiz played in 132 games and batted .254 with a .654 OPS that season. Last season he batted .200 with a .652 OPS in 29 games. He had 5 stolen bases in 9 attempts.
Ruiz is not expected to be part of the Dodgers’ regular lineup any time soon. He is being sent to Triple-A to begin the season. If he plays well, he could eventually be called up and would give the Dodgers an excellent speed option off the bench. For now, they seem to be content just giving him an opportunity to see what he can do in a new environment.
SEC quarterback looking to transfer to 4th school
An SEC quarterback is looking to join his fourth college program in six seasons.
Missouri quarterback Drew Pyne has entered the transfer portal as a graduate transfer, ESPN’s Max Olson reported on Tuesday. Pyne will be a sixth-year senior in the fall.
Pyne spent the 2024 season as a backup with the Tiger behind starter Brady Cook. He led Missouri to a 30-23 comeback win over Oklahoma on Nov. 9 while making his lone start in place of Cook, who was sidelined with a wrist injury. Pyne went 14/27 for 143 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions in the game.
A former 4-star prospect, Pyne began his college career at Notre Dame in 2020. His best season came when he started 10 games for the Fighting Irish in 2022 and finished with 2,021 yards, 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Notre Dame went 8-2 in Pyne’s starts.
Pyne made the somewhat surprising decision to transfer after the 2022 season, though he only wound up in a starting role with Notre Dame because of an injury to another quarterback. He then landed at Arizona State, where he appeared in just two games before an injury ended his season.
After the 2023 season, Pyne transferred to Missouri. He is now on the move again after one year in the SEC.
Here is what it would take for Aaron Rodgers to land with Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have reportedly been Aaron Rodgers’ top choice since he became a free agent, but the interest is not mutual. And it would reportedly take a lot for that to change.
Rodgers has an offer from the Pittsburgh Steelers to become their new starting quarterback, but he has yet to make a decision. There has been talk that the star quarterback could wait months to sign with a new team, as he might be waiting to see whether the Vikings remain fully committed to JJ McCarthy as their 2025 starter.
According to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert, McCarthy would have to really struggle during spring workouts in order for the Vikings to consider signing Rodgers.
“McCarthy would have to demonstrate overwhelming evidence this spring that he will not be ready to play this season, either because of an injury or a complete reversal of the skills and aptitude he demonstrated during his short time in training camp last summer,” Seifert wrote in a column that was published on Wednesday. “Consider Rodgers a break-the-glass option in case of an emergency. Otherwise, the Vikings are committed to their plan of getting McCarthy onto the field for the 2025 season.”
McCarthy is coming off a torn meniscus that cost him his entire rookie season. The former Michigan star recently confirmed that the Vikings have given him no assurances he will be the team’s starter at the beginning of 2025.
There is certainly a chance Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell will decide at some point that McCarthy is not quite ready to start. The big question is when that decision would be made. Is Rodgers willing to pass on the Steelers altogether to keep his slim hopes of playing in Minnesota alive?
Rodgers had a throwing session over the weekend with a notable wide receiver, so perhaps he is finally nearing a decision. We wouldn’t count on it, though.
Chris Sale pulled interesting move against Dodgers
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale made his second start of the season on Tuesday night, and he took an interesting approach that we do not see that often across Major League Baseball anymore.
Sale chose not to use the PitchCom device for his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. SportsNet LA analyst Orel Hershiser noticed in the bottom of the fourth inning that Sale and Braves catcher Drake Baldwin were communicating pitches the old-school way.
“I’ve been a little bit asleep at the wheel — Chris Sale is using the old-school fingers,” Hershiser said. “They’re not using PitchCom. … He’s just going old school.”
Chris Sale is going the old school route by not using PitchCom. pic.twitter.com/xJcj9Edl4d
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) April 2, 2025
Use of PitchCom was approved by MLB in 2022 to help combat sign stealing. It allows a pitcher and catcher (and some fielders) to communicate electronically without having to use hand signals. There has been plenty of drama surrounding the use of the technology.
Sale just turned 36 and is in his 16th MLB season. It would not be all that shocking if he simply preferred doing things the old-fashioned way.
For what it’s worth, Sale had another decent outing. He allowed 3 earned on 4 hits and struck out 5 across 5 innings. It will be interesting to see if he uses PitchCom going forward.
Ryan Fitzpatrick asks good question he wants NFL owners to answer
The NFL has once again expanded its list of gestures that will trigger an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, and former quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick wants to know why.
Earlier this week, the NFL sent a report to teams highlighting new rules or changes for the 2025 season. In the section regarding rules for unsportsmanlike conduct infractions, the “nose wipe” gesture has been listed as a prohibited act. The gesture has been added to a list that already included the throat slash, simulating firing or brandishing a gun and sexually suggestive acts.
Like many others, Fitzpatrick does not understand why the nose wipe gesture is an issue.
“Would love to get an owner to explain what the nose wipe gesture means and why it is being penalized … I swear I’m hip but I still don’t know what it means,” Fitzpatrick wrote on X Tuesday.
Would love to get an owner to explain what the nose wipe gesture means and why it is being penalized
— Ryan Fitzpatrick (@FitzMagic_14) April 1, 2025
I swear I’m hip but I still don’t know what it means
The NFL cited “gang connotations” as the reason the nose wipe gesture has been banned. The gesture has apparently been associated with the Bloods gang and is used to indicate that someone cannot be trusted.
Dallas Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb has frequently used the nose wipe celebration, and he shared his reaction to the ban this week.
The NFL has been criticized for adding seemingly innocent gestures to its list of unsportsmanlike conduct acts, but that has not deterred the league.
Don’t feel bad, Fitz, most people had no idea why the nose wipe became an issue.
Bartolo Colon shares great post on social media
Bartolo Colon is responsible for one of the greatest single moments in Major League Baseball history, and the former pitcher thinks he could have created even more of them had the torpedo bat been available.
In addition to being a four-time All-Star pitcher and former AL Cy Young Award winner, Colon is known for blasting a home run late in his career. The right-hander was with the New York Mets in 2016 when, at nearly 43 years old, he became the oldest player in MLB history to hit his first career home run.
With all the talk surrounding the new torpedo-style bats and the way hitters have benefitted from them, Colon shared a great post on social media Monday.
“I wonder how many home runs I would’ve hit with a torpedo bat,” Colon wrote on X.
I wonder how many home runs I would’ve hit with a torpedo bat 🤔
— Bartolo Colon (@BColon40) March 31, 2025
Colon was one of the worst hitting pitchers in baseball, which was all part of what made his home run so special. At the time, the homer was only the 21st hit of his career.
The Yankees set a franchise record with nine home runs in their game on Saturday, and some of their players drew attention for using bats that were shaped like torpedos. More players have begun adopting the new bat style, though Jazz Chisholm Jr. was quick to dispel some false narratives about the lumber.
Colon will always have his one home run, but you have to wonder how much damage he could have done with a torpedo bat in his hands. The possibilities would have been endless.
Brutal photo shows how badly Atlanta Braves are struggling
The Atlanta Braves are learning what happens when your entire lineup is in a hitting slump together, and one graphic that was shown on Tuesday sums up how their 2025 season has gone thus far.
The Braves entered Wednesday 0-6, which made them the only team in Major League Baseball without a win. They were swept by the San Diego Padres in a four-game series to start the year and lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday and Tuesday.
It is safe to say hitting has been the biggest issue. Entering Tuesday’s game, not a single player in Atlanta’s starting lineup was batting over .188. Their lineup graphic before the game was painful to look at:
If you think your team is struggling … pic.twitter.com/VIKt8AYM6q
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 1, 2025
Marcell Ozuna went 1-for-2 in Atlanta’s 3-1 loss to the Dodgers on Tuesday, so he raised his average to .214. The only other players batting .200 or better for the Braves are shortstop Nick Allen, who has appeared in just two games, and outfielder Jurickson Profar, who will now be suspended for a very long time.
While the sample size is quite small, the Braves could not be colder to start the year. The injuries are also stacking up. Ronald Acuna Jr. is working his way back from a major knee injury. Catcher Sean Murphy and pitcher Spencer Strider have also been out. Right-hander starter Reynaldo López has been experiencing shoulder inflammation and underwent arthroscopic surgery on Tuesday to determine if there is any structural damage.
Simply put, things could not be going much worse for the Braves. They entered the season as the favorite to win the NL East, but their bats need to come alive in short order.
Fans all said the same thing about insane Nuggets-Timberwolves 2OT game
The Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday gave fans the Game of the Year at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo.
The Timberwolves outlasted the Nuggets in a 140-139 double-overtime thriller that had more twists and turns than any Hollywood screenplay. Denver appeared to have the game in hand while nursing a double-digit lead midway through the final quarter. But a 13-point outburst from Anthony Edwards in the fourth keyed a Minnesota comeback to tie the game after 48 minutes.
Edwards nearly stole the victory during regulation when he hit back-to-back three-pointers to give his team the lead with just over two minutes left in the contest.
ANTHONY EDWARDS BACK-TO-BACK 3PM TO TIE AND TAKE THE LEAD 🎯🎯
— NBA (@NBA) April 2, 2025
GET TO TNT FOR THE CONCLUSION OF TIMBERWOLVES-NUGGETS!! pic.twitter.com/ZDrCBCyN8F
The T-Wolves overcame an all-time performance from Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets star poured in 61 points on 18/29 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds and 10 assists. His final point tally is the highest in the NBA so far this season.
Jokic scored or assisted on all eight of the Nuggets’ field goals in the two overtimes. But his efforts were simply not enough to help lift Denver to a victory.
Both fan bases and even neutral observers echoed the same sentiments throughout the game: Minnesota and Denver need to square off again in the playoffs.
Please give us another Nuggets-Wolves series, basketball gods. This game is unbelievable.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) April 2, 2025
I pray we somehow get Timberwolves Nuggets in the Playoffs again
— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) April 2, 2025
A nuggets Timberwolves playoff series in my veins please and thank you. pic.twitter.com/2q6qk82jdr
— John Killeen (@alfred_jr86) April 2, 2025
The Nuggets-Timberwolves Western Conference semifinals clash last year was arguably the best series of the 2024 playoffs. The two teams duked it out for seven straight games, culminating in Minnesota’s 98-90 win in Game 7.
The Timberwolves entered Tuesday’s game with a five-game win streak over the Nuggets extending to last year’s playoffs. Minnesota was able to extend the streak to six thanks to a costly last-second foul committed by Nuggets guard Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook was whistled for a shooting foul after closing out too hard on T-Wolves wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s three-point attempt in the corner.
A FOUL ON THE FINAL THREE-POINT SHOT 😱
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 2, 2025
THIS SEQUENCE IS INSANE. pic.twitter.com/IBysO7j0Em
Alexander-Walker made two of his three foul shots to seal Minnesota’s one-point win in double OT.
Max Scherzer shares troubling update on his thumb injury
Max Scherzer continues to deal with injury woes to start off his Toronto Blue Jays career.
Scherzer got the start for the Blue Jays during Saturday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada. The three-time Cy Young winner was only able to go for three innings before being taken off the mound due to what the Blue Jays called right lat soreness. But Scherzer was adamant after the game that the lat soreness, and most of his other physical issues, are due to his lingering thumb injury.
Scherzer confirmed that on Tuesday as he spoke to reporters before the Blue Jays’ interleague game against the Washington Nationals. The 40-year-old revealed that he had visited a hand specialist on Monday, Scherzer was given a cortisone shot to reduce the pain in the affected area.
“It’s an injury I just can’t pitch through,” Scherzer told reporters, via Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. “That (thumb) joint, the ligament, everything around there is critical. The rest of the body is completely dependent on the health of that (area). You can’t just override and pitch through that pain because once that’s compromised, it compromises the rest of your arm. That’s why I had different ailments with my shoulder and back. It’s all related to the thumb.”
The silver lining for Blue Jays fans is that Scherzer thinks there is “no need” to consider surgery just yet. Max also added that his body has responded well to cortisone shots in years past.
Blue Jays GM John Schneider would not commit to a return date for Scherzer. Schneider indicated that the next few days could determine how long Mad Mad will remain on the shelf.
