Nick Saban has intriguing answer about whether he misses coaching
Nick Saban offered an intriguing answer on Wednesday regarding whether he misses coaching since his retirement.
Saban was a guest on “The Paul Finebaum Show” Wednesday and was asked if he ever misses his old job. The answer is yes, but he described it as a “trade-off.”
“I miss coaching a little bit, I miss the relationships with the players. I miss the competition, but it’s a trade-off,” Saban said.
Saban said it was “probably right” that he would never coach again because his wife Terry has made it clear that he is on his own if he does.
“When people call, all I can tell all the fans out there is Miss Terry says if you take a job, you’re commuting,” Saban said. “She’s not moving. She’s not leaving the grandkids. She’s not leaving any of that.”
Nick Saban to @finebaum: "…I miss coaching a little bit, I miss the relationships with the players. I miss the competition, but it's a trade-off."
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) April 29, 2026
Would he ever be convinced to return to coaching? "When people call, alls I can tell all the fans out there is Miss Terry says if…
There are a lot of people who are going to cling to Saban’s use of the word “probably” and the fact that he makes it sound as if his objections are more family-based than they are about desire. On the other hand, this is the same sort of answer he has always given to this question, albeit in a more serious tone.
Saban still gets linked to basically every major job that comes open, and nothing ever comes of it. Miss Terry has made it very clear where she stands, and Saban has never indicated that he feels any differently. That’s highly unlikely to change at this point. Plus, he would have to deal with the negatives that drove him into retirement to begin with.
Rams had surprising long-term plan to draft Ty Simpson
The Los Angeles Rams surprised many by drafting quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick in the NFL Draft. A new report suggests, however, the team had been planning something like this for over a year.
The Rams’ plans to draft a quarterback were months in the making, according to Nate Atkins of The Athletic. Part of the reason the Rams traded out of the first round in 2025 with the Atlanta Falcons was to get a future first-round pick that might land in the top 20, which they hoped to use on a quarterback.
GM Les Snead’s strategy was not affected by a weaker-than-expected quarterback class. The Rams expect to continue contending and picking low in the first round on an annual basis, and wanted to make sure they walked away with a long-term successor to Matthew Stafford when they were picking high enough to land a potential franchise quarterback.
The Rams were also concerned that they would lose out on Simpson if they let him fall toward the late first or early second round. The Arizona Cardinals, an NFC West rival, were known to have strong interest in Simpson and held the No. 34 overall pick.
The Rams certainly did well to keep that master plan under wraps, since it came as a surprise to everyone. It was so well executed that people thought coach Sean McVay hated the pick based on his press conference performance.
By the time he was drafted, even Simpson himself was in on the plan. It may or may not work, but if it doesn’t, it certainly will not be because the Rams did not think it through enough.
Cubs player seemingly confirms profane insult from Dalton Rushing
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing does not appear to be making a lot of friends across Major League Baseball this season.
Eagle-eyed fans argued that Rushing could be seen calling Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya a “fat f–k” after Amaya successfully stole second base during Saturday’s 12-4 Dodgers win at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Ca. Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner, who was at the plate, seemed to side-eye Rushing afterward.
Dodgers fans worried about PCA yet Dalton Rushing is the biggest clown in MLB. Here he is calling Miguel Amaya a “fat f*ck” after he gets stolen on. Watch Nico afterwards pic.twitter.com/Iniojk3Hv7
— 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖓𝖔𝖗 𝕻𝖎𝖑𝖘 (@TheConnorPils) April 26, 2026
In an appearance on 104.3 The Score’s “Spiegel and Holmes” Tuesday, Hoerner seemingly confirmed what Rushing had said when asked about it, and added that he wished he had done more to stand up for Amaya.
“I wish that I had confronted him a little more directly, to be honest. I was pretty taken aback in the middle of my at-bat,” Hoerner said, via Matt Ehalt of the New York Post. “It was just kind of a strange thing to experience, so, yeah, I felt a little weird about that.”
Rushing seems to have this as a habit, as he did something similar after Jung Hoo Lee of the San Francisco Giants was shaken up following a play at the plate. Rushing later claimed that things were taken out of context, but further aggravated the Giants later in the series.
The Cubs will host the Dodgers at Wrigley Field in the first week of August. If they are really irritated with Rushing, that would be the time to do something about it.
Steve Kerr may be waiting on key date to decide his Warriors future
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr may be putting off a decision on his future until one key offseason event.
Kerr met with Warriors brass on Monday, but no decision has yet been made on whether he will return next season, according to Shams Charania, Ramona Shelburne, and Anthony Slater of ESPN. Neither side is rushing toward a decision, as it is still very early in the offseason.
Kerr is said to be “torn” on the decision, but may be putting things off until mid-May. The NBA Draft lottery is May 10, and where the Warriors land and how much they will be able to rearrange their roster are thought to be factors in Kerr’s decision.
Both sides broadly believe that Kerr makes sense as the coach of a contender, but not necessarily as a team entering a rebuilding phase. The Warriors appear to still be deciding where they stand on that front.
Kerr’s contract is up this offseason, and he has freely admitted that he might not be back. The two sides appear to be working toward the decision mutually given Kerr’s success and importance to the franchise over the last decade-plus. The Warriors have not started a coaching search and will not do so until a decision on Kerr is made.
If Kerr does leave the Warriors, he appears unlikely to take another coaching job, at least not right away.
Fernando Mendoza got approval from Raiders legend to wear No. 15
Fernando Mendoza will continue to wear his preferred No. 15 in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders, but only after obtaining permission from a franchise legend.
Mendoza wanted the blessing of former Raiders quarterback Tom Flores before wearing the number. Flores quarterbacked the Raiders to a win in Super Bowl IV while wearing the number.
While the Raiders do not officially retire numbers, and numerous players have worn No. 15 since Flores, Mendoza still sought approval.
“I had a good college career; I haven’t done anything in the NFL. So for him as an NFL legend, a Raider legend, for him to give me permission to wear the number 15 and represent Raider Nation, the Silver and Black and him, all in one, it’s an eternal blessing,” Mendoza told Paul Gutierrez of the team’s official website. “Every single day I’m going to have a commitment to excellence to make sure than I can live up to that standard.”
Flores told Gutierrez that Mendoza can do it all on the field, and that it would be a “privilege” for the quarterback to wear No. 15.
“He deserves my blessing,” Flores said. “Because if he’s not the real deal, I don’t know what the hell I’m doing.”
This is par for the course for Mendoza, who has done everything right since his emergence as a top NFL prospect. He never sets a foot wrong in public and his deference to Raider tradition, especially when it wasn’t even necessary, will only further endear him to the team’s fanbase.
Shaq had the highest praise possible for Victor Wembanyama
Shaquille O’Neal is notoriously tough on NBA big men, but he had the highest possible praise for Victor Wembanyama on Tuesday.
O’Neal said on “Inside the NBA” Tuesday that Wembanyama is “the first perfect big man,” citing his ability to do virtually anything on the court.
“I think Wemby is the first perfect big man that’s ever created,” O’Neal said. “He can shoot, free throws, play defense, play offense, he’s a great team player. … He is a joy to watch.”
"Wemby is the first perfect big man that's ever created."
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 29, 2026
—@Shaq with amazing praise for Victor Wembanyama 😳 pic.twitter.com/fN96RbmlPP
Shaq is one of the most legendary big men of all time, but has often derided the league’s current class of centers. He has also bemoaned what he sees as softness in the modern game. For him to have such high praise of Wembanyama is notable in light of that.
At this point, though, it would be tough to deny Wembanyama’s excellence. He just became the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year winner and delivered 17 points, 14 rebounds, and six blocks in the San Antonio Spurs’ series-clinching win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Deshaun Watson is growing favorite for Browns QB job
Deshaun Watson may be poised to beat out Shedeur Sanders for the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback position.
Watson has the “inside track” to win the starting job following the team’s voluntary minicamp, according to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. She added that Watson demonstrated “quicker decision-making, better performance in the pre-snap process, and more efficiency in the passing game” during the three-day minicamp. He has also shown himself to be capable of learning coach Todd Monken’s new offensive system quickly.
Monken is hopeful of naming a quarterback by the end of the team’s June minicamp to ensure that his choice has time to build rapport with the first team offense.
Watson making a comeback and winning the job would be quite something considering he is coming off two Achilles tears. Monken said he would be considered for the starting job, but that was dismissed by some at the time as a cursory comment meant to cover his bases.
The last time Watson got a chance to start for Cleveland, he was downright awful. He has gone 9-10 as the team’s starter since their ill-fated trade for him in 2022 and averaged less than 200 yards a game in his 19 starts. He probably will not last long as starter if those numbers aren’t significantly better this time.
Diego Pavia’s old Lamar Jackson take resurfaces
Diego Pavia and Lamar Jackson will be teammates on the Baltimore Ravens, at least for a period of time. That might prove awkward for Pavia in light of some of the things he has said in the past.
Video resurfaced Tuesday in which Pavia was asked whether Jackson or Johnny Manziel was the best college football player of all time. Pavia brushed aside the question and simply said he was.
Diego Pavia thinks he was a better college QB than Lamar Jackson pic.twitter.com/E4jRGSEqBi
— JacksonMuse (@Jackson_Muse) April 28, 2026
Jackson probably doesn’t care that much about whether he is regarded as the best college football player of all time or not. The clip may still make for some awkward moments in the Baltimore locker room, though.
There is also nothing too unusual about the clip. Pavia’s supreme confidence has been one of his calling cards, though it is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and they have backfired at times. That may have been part of the reason it took him to long to find a job, as teams would prefer their third-string quarterback not be a source of drama, to say the least.
Plenty of people already thought Jackson and Pavia would probably not get along in Ravens camp. Those people will point to stuff like this to further their arguments.
Jordyn Woods captures Karl-Anthony Towns’ unexpected interaction with Knicks fans
Karl-Anthony Towns is not hard to spot on the street. At his size, he will always draw attention even if he’s not donning his New York Knicks uniform.
In a social media video shared by Towns’ fiancée, Jordyn Woods, he was seen running into a couple of adorable Knicks fans while strolling outside.
As Towns was about to cross the street, he saw two young kids with an adult coming over from the other side to greet him. One of the kids was wearing a Josh Hart Knicks jersey while the other had Towns’ New York threads on. Towns gladly interacted with them and shook their hands, looking genuinely appreciative of the attention.
Woods, meanwhile, wrote “made our day but really made ours” on the post, adding three heart emojis in Knicks colors. You can watch the clip here.
Right Place, Right Time 🥹
— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2026
(via @JordynWoods/IG) pic.twitter.com/bLQxIC4V1n
Seeing NBA stars interact with fans, especially in random places, will never get old.
Towns has always carried an image of a good guy on and off the court, and that candid moment with young New York fans further proves that.
But in a basketball sense, he will have to be a bad guy to the Atlanta Hawks, who are just a loss away in the first round of the playoffs from getting eliminated by the Knicks.
New York holds a 3-2 series advantage over the Hawks after a 126-97 win on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y., with Towns scoring 16 points on 5/7 shooting.
NBA legend penned an apology after the 76ers’ Game 5 win
Magic Johnson counted out the Philadelphia 76ers too soon.
The Los Angeles Lakers great thought the 76ers were on their way to getting dumped by the Boston Celtics in five games after Joel Embiid and company lost in Game 4 of the all-Atlantic Division first-round series.
But the 76ers responded in Game 5 on Tuesday with a 113-97 victory at TD Garden in Boston, Mass., to extend the series.
Following the game, Johnson apologized for his premature take on the Sixers.
“I have to apologize to the Philadelphia 76ers for thinking the Series was over after Game 4,” the three-time NBA MVP wrote in a post on X.
The 66-year-old Johnson also gave Philadelphia head coach Nick Nurse props for steadying the 76ers’ boat amid tremendous pressure to deliver in a win-or-go-home scenario.
“My hat goes off to 76ers Coach Nick Nurse who had an awesome game plan and had his team believing that they could beat the Celtics on the road in Boston!”
Johnson has a well-known history with the 76ers. He helped the Lakers win an NBA championship against Philadelphia during his rookie season, famously stepping in to play center in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals. The 76ers later got back at Johnson and the Lakers, with Philadelphia sweeping the Lakers in the 1983 NBA Finals.
The 76ers can earn even more respect from Johnson if they can force a Game 7 with a win on Thursday at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa.
Rams GM calls Ty Simpson ‘poor guy’ for staying on script after NFL Draft
One of the many surprises in the 2026 NFL Draft was the Los Angeles Rams taking Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick.
The surprise later turned into drama after Simpson said he had yet to meet Rams head coach Sean McVay following the draft.
As it turned out, Simpson simply continued to buy into a pre-draft plan even after Los Angeles selected him. The truth is that he had a private meeting with the Rams before the draft and knew that the team was interested in him.
However, because the Rams did not want other teams to sniff out their plans, he had to follow a script about not having any contact with McVay or anyone from the organization, Simpson told ESPN Radio’s “Amber and Ian” show on Monday.
Then, during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, Rams general manager Les Snead explained that Simpson wasn’t really supposed to stick that narrative beyond the draft.
“Here’s where it went awry,” Snead said. “We do like to emphasize, ‘Hey, look. Try to keep these private meetings between us. For that gamesmanship. We like for other teams not to know we’re interested.’ So we do emphasize that a little stronger. Try to keep it between us.”
Snead said the Rams felt bad for Simpson, who was just following orders.
“So we emphasize, keep it quiet. Felt really bad for Ty. He stayed on script. Poor guy stayed on script,” added Snead.
#Rams GM Les Snead says the team asks prospects to stay quiet about private visits so other teams won’t know they met.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 28, 2026
After being drafted No. 13, Ty Simpson still thought he had to keep it under wraps and told reporters he had never met with the Rams or Sean McVay.
(🎥… pic.twitter.com/lpdq8NNIsZ
So, the Rams wanted radio silence on their interest in Simpson but ended up dealing with a lot of negative noise, prompting Snead to step in and clear things up.
It was not the best way for Ty Simpson to start his Rams stint, though he must have learned a thing or two about handling off-the-field issues.
Jayson Tatum had an honest reaction to Joel Embiid’s form in Game 5
Joel Embiid came to the rescue for the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.
Facing elimination in Game 5 of their first-round series against Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Boston, Mass., Embiid dominated the Celtics and scored 33 points on 12/23 shooting with 8 assists and 4 rebounds.
The former NBA Most Valuable Player was a headache the Celtics couldn’t cure all game long, and Tatum acknowledged that after Boston’s 113-97 loss.
“Give him credit. He played well. He put a lot of pressure on us … we’ll go back, make some adjustments and be ready for Game 6,” Tatum, who scored 24 points, said of Embiid, via Bobby Manning of Celtics on CLNS.
That loss must be deflating to the Celtics, as they have to go through another game to try and eliminate the pesky Sixers instead of starting their preparation for the second round.
With Embiid clearly regaining his form after missing the first three games of the series while recovering from an appendectomy, the 76ers have become a tougher matchup for the Celtics, who will look to close out the series in a hostile environment in Game 6 on Thursday at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pa.
Victor Wembanyama’s dad was in utter disbelief after his son’s emphatic block
Even Victor Wembanyama’s father, Felix Wembanyama, seemingly felt sorry for what his son did to a shot from Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija.
In what looked like a coup de grâce to Portland’s season, Wembanyama viciously swatted away a shot attempt by Avdija with 3:25 left in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s Game 5 between the San Antonio Spurs and the Trail Blazers at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Wembanyama’s rejection was akin to an NBA player toying with kids at a summer basketball camp.
What made the moment even more entertaining (at least for Spurs fans) was the close-up shot of Wembanyama’s father after the block. The broadcast showed Mr. Felix making a facial expression as if to say, “I’m sorry my kid just did that.” Just like everyone who watched the block, Wembanyama’s dad was simply left in awe.
Here’s the video of that sequence.
WEMBY WITH THE EMPHATIC REJECTION ON AVDIJA 😤
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 29, 2026
His dad was finally impressed with this play 😅 #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/yiXOWwoq0Q
It was one of the six shots erased by Wembanyama in the game, as he also finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and 3 assists to help the Spurs come away with a 114-95 win and clinch a ticket to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
In the four games he played in the Blazers series, Wembanyama averaged 21.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.0 blocks.
He and the Spurs now take some rest before facing the winner of the other series between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets.
Don Mattingly clears the air after sudden change of heart on managing
Months after he said he had no desire to be a manager in the big leagues again, Don Mattingly is back in that very role.
The Philadelphia Phillies made him the club’s interim manager on Tuesday after they fired Rob Thomson following a brutal 9-19 start to the 2026 MLB season.
It wasn’t a job Mattingly was after when he was hired by the Phillies in January to be a bench coach, but he implied after Tuesday’s 7-0 win over the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa., that he said that partly to avoid sparking drama.
“I’ve always felt good. Been pretty healthy. I feel like I have energy, but I did want to say that from the standpoint of [Thomson’s] here,” Mattingly told reporters, via Dave Uram of SportsRadio 94WIP. ” I didn’t want anyone feeling like I was here to do something like this, so I really wanted to leave it like that.”
With Thomson gone, Mattingly does not have to worry as much about stepping on anyone else’s toes.
He is also off to a good start in his new role, with the Phillies beating the Giants in a home series opener.
Mattingly, who just turned 65 years old on April 20, managed the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2011 to 2015 before serving the same role for the Miami Marlins from 2016 to 2022.
Draymond Green calls out 1 NBA All-Star as ‘soft’
Draymond Green is looking to add to his lengthy list of enemies.
The Golden State Warriors veteran Green made some waves this week with his comments about the Cleveland Cavaliers on the latest episode of his self-titled podcast. In particular, Green targeted Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen for being “soft.”
“Jarrett Allen seems to get into these playoffs and get really, really, really soft,” said Green bluntly. “Like, he gets into the playoffs and turns into a completely different player. And not for the better. He gets really, really, really soft in these playoff games. And I just don’t understand it.”
Allen, an All-Star in 2022, was one of the most intimidating rim protectors during the regular season. As one of the pillars of Cleveland’s gameplan on both ends of the floor, Allen averaged 15.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game in the regular season.
But the Cavaliers’ first-round playoff series against the Toronto Raptors (which is currently tied 2-2) appears to be exposing Allen. His averages are down to 8.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game, and the Raptors have regularly attacked Allen at the rim with success.
At 28 years old, Allen is now in the middle of his sixth career trip to the playoffs. But he has not been doing much this year to impress Green, who has not been shy to criticize even the NBA’s biggest stars over the last few weeks.
Shaq’s daughter Me’Arah O’Neal announces her transfer decision
Me’Arah O’Neal is officially headed to Big Blue Nation.
The 19-year-old Me’Arah announced to her Instagram page this week that she is transferring to the University of Kentucky. Me’Arah entered the NCAA transfer portal earlier this month and is now set to play the 2026-27 season with the Wildcats.
A 6-foot-4 guard, Me’Arah is the daughter of retired basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal. She is one of six children that Shaq shares with his ex-wife Shaunie.
Me’Arah played out the first two seasons of her collegiate career with Florida. As a sophomore last year for the Gators, Me’Arah had a strong individual showing too, averaging 13.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game as an everyday starter in the backcourt.
But Florida posted a medicore record of 18-15 on the season and ended up firing head coach Kelly Rae Finley as a result. Meanwhile, Me’Arah is not sticking around for the Gators to right the ship and will instead be headed to play elsewhere in the SEC for Kentucky.
Me’Arah was already drawing attention at 13 years old for her impressive athleticism. Now Me’Arah is set to join a Wildcats team that went 25-11 last season and made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament.
Javy Baez suffers an ugly ankle injury on ill-advised slide into first base
Javy Baez cost himself with a lapse in judgment during Tuesday’s game.
The Detroit Tigers infielder Baez was up to bat in the fifth inning at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga. with a runner on second and nobody out. Baez bounced a routine groundball to Braves shortstop Mauricio Dubon, but Dubon’s throw sailed a bit high.
Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson got pulled off the bag a bit, and Baez attempted to slide into first base to avoid the tag. As a result though, Baez’s ankle got caught underneath him awkwardly.
Here is the unfortunate video of the injury (which led to Baez being carted off the field).
Javy Baez left the game on a cart after this slide into first base pic.twitter.com/hEFcZX3MVP
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 29, 2026
Baez seemed to have made a split-second decision there to slide and paid the price for it. Instead of running through the bag at full speed, Baez slowed himself down and picked up an ugly-looking ankle injury in the process.
The 33-year-old Baez, an All-Star last season for the Tigers, was batting .263 with two home runs and six RBIs through 23 appearances so far this season. But now he appears to be looking at some time on the shelf after that slide into first base (adding to Baez’s history of suffering injuries in unfortunate ways).
Joel Embiid exits Game 5 with a concerning knee injury
It is Groundhog Day all over again for Joel Embiid.
The Philadelphia 76ers star center Embiid had to leave Game 5 against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday due to an apparent knee injury. In the third quarter at TD Garden in Boston, Mass., Embiid rotated over to defend a drive by Boston’s Jaylen Brown.
The two players appeared to bump knees, and Embiid seemed to get to the worst of it. He immediately grabbed at his left knee in pain, and the 76ers had to take a timeout as a result.
Embiid would end up leaving the game and going straight to the locker room. Here is the video of his injury.
Joel Embiid bumped kness with Jaylen Brown and he is hurt.
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) April 29, 2026
Just went back to the Sixers locker room. pic.twitter.com/IKs4V5Iwq1
The former NBA MVP Embiid, now 32, had just returned in Game 4 of the series after missing roughly two-and-a-half weeks while recovering from an emergency appendectomy. But now Embiid is injured again, and the left knee is of extra concern as well since that is the knee that has given him so many problems since a 2024 meniscus tear (even being described several months ago as a “debilitating” issue).
Philadelphia was facing elimination on Tuesday, entering play down 3-1 to the Celtics in their first-round series. Embiid also recently had an evasive response to questions about his future with the 76ers, and now the uncertainty may be reaching a crescendo with yet another left knee injury to the seven-footer.
Titans have a major shakeup in their front office
The Tennessee Titans are getting thrown a curveball this week.
Tennessee president of football operations Chad Brinker announced in a statement on Tuesday that he is stepping down from his position. Brinker noted that “as I’ve spent less time in personnel, I have a renewed conviction that it is time to return to what I love and move towards my next chapter.”
You can read Brinker’s full statement here.
Titans President of Football Operations Chad Brinker announced he is stepping down.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 29, 2026
Here is his statement: pic.twitter.com/N9GqCZ0lgO
Brinker, 46, had been in charge of the Titans since 2024 after originally joining the team in 2023 as their assistant general manager. Prior to Tennessee, Brinker had been with the Green Bay Packers, spending over a decade there in various scouting roles.
During Brinker’s time at the helm, the Titans experienced back-to-back 3-14 seasons. Though that allowed them to draft franchise quarterback Cam Ward at No. 1 overall last year and wide receiver stud Carnell Tate at No. 4 overall this year, the team is still very much a work in progress.
Now Brinker has decided to resign from his post just days after the completion of the 2026 NFL Draft. That will give Tennessee an almost entirely clean slate coupled with the hires of new head coach Robert Saleh and a very well-known new offensive coordinator as well.
Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr. takes a shot at Lakers in middle of playoff series
You at least cannot accuse Jabari Smith Jr. of frontrunning.
The Houston Rockets forward Smith spoke with reporters on Tuesday before Wednesday’s Game 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Calif. Houston is currently facing elimination in the first-round series as they trail the Lakers 3-1.
During his remarks, Smith took a shot at the Lakers. Smith said that the Rockets were “obviously” the better team than the Lakers despite being down to them in the series.
“We’re obviously the better team, I feel like,” said Smith, per Rockets analyst Adam Wexler.
“I just feel like from top to bottom, you could say it’s an opinion, you could say I’m biased, but I just think we’re the better team,” Smith continued.
While the Rockets did win Game 4 over the Lakers by a convincing 115-96 final score, there is not a lot of evidence to back up Smith’s claim right now. The Lakers had the better overall record and also won two out of three head-to-head matchups against the Rockets during the regular season. Now the Lakers have won three out of four playoff games against the Rockets as well, putting Houston on the brink of elimination.
That said, the first-round series would have been a lot more competitive if not for a disastrous late choke job by the Rockets in Game 3. Thus, Smith is clearly clinging onto hope that his team can somehow become the very first one in NBA history to rally from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.
