Before you beat the traffic, might as well hop on TNT for a second:
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Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Drake videobombed the announcers on his way out of Warriors-Clippers
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Chris Paul flops at Marreese Speights' legs right after he dunked
Chris Paul is clever, and he won't let Marreese Speights celebrate his dunk on Big Baby for too long:
Got 'em with the "throw yourself at someone's legs and act like they knocked you down" move. Very nice.
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Glen 'Big Baby' Davis has a surprisingly great spin move
Who knew?
Ever try doing a spin move with your team's center in a video game? He either loses control of the ball or boots it off his foot or something horrible. But it turns out some big men have handles. And Glen Davis is one of them:
NOW YOU KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO GET BURNT, STEPH CURRY.
Cut Chris Paul right now and let Big Baby run the point. It'll ruin the Clippers as a franchise, but it'll be worth it.
Our previous Glen Davis updates have been a bit more disturbing.
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NIT scores and bracket 2015: Miami, Stanford advance to NIT Championship
It'll be 'Canes and Cardinal in the finale at Madison Square Garden
In two games decided by seven points or less, the NIT Tournament Championship match up was decided Tuesday night. The Stanford Cardinal will square off against the Miami Hurricanes on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
In the night's first game, Miami withstood a poor first half performance to earn a 60-57 win over the Temple Owls. A defense packing in the lane and Temple forcing turnovers and opportunities in transition gave the Owls a first half lead. But the Owls shot 0-for-15 in the second half from deep to let Miami crawl back into the contest and inch away a victory as Temple bricked two wide-open attempts at the game's end.
The Hurricanes outscored the Owls 35-27 in the second set to nab the victory, without their star guard Angel Rodriguez, who is nursing an injured wrist. Sheldon McClellan scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to pace Miami.
Stanford in the nightcap ran out to an early lead then held on for a 67-60 victory over the Old Dominion Monarchs.
The Cardinal originally jumped out to a 15-0 lead but allowed to go on a 12-0 run of their own near the end of the half and make it a six-point game by the halftime buzzer. But behind Chasson Randle's 24 points, Stanford closed out the surging Monarchs and made their way to the NIT title game.
Your NIT bracket:
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Mexico vs. Paraguay 2015: Final score 1-0, El Tri run rampant in Kansas City
A neutral ground friendly saw Mexico come away 1-0 winners against an aggressive but vulnerable Paraguay team.
Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City was rocking to a decidedly Latin beat when Mexico squared off with Paraguay in a neutral-ground friendly on Tuesday night. Mexico put their foot on Paraguay's throats almost right off the bat, and kept it there despite their opponent's rather strong struggles as they won 1-0 in a hard-fought match.
Mexico came screaming out of the gate, pushing hard and earning an early set piece that netted them an early goal. Eduardo Herrera -- making his senior international debut -- was able to beat a Panama defense that's normally stout defending set pieces and slotted the ball home. Paraguay were visibly upset at their failing, and it wasn't long before the chippy play set in.
By the end of the half, both sides had earned a handful of half-chances, but more notable was the four yellow cards that Paraguay players had picked up thanks to a large number of rash, hard fouls on Mexican players. In fact, Paraguay were lucky to still have eleven men on the pitch. A couple of their bookings could have seen red instead if the day's referee had been in a less charitable mood.
For all their aggression, Paraguay struggled to get shots on target. Outside of a shot around the hour mark from Lucas Barrios that forced an excellent save from Mexican goalkeeper Edgar Hernández, their best chance was a headed strike off the crossbar just before the halftime whistle sounded. Paraguay really struggled against what was mostly a second-unit Mexican side, and Ramon Diaz has plenty to worry about with what he saw.
It was Mexico coming closest to scoring for much of the second half, especially once the ever-energetic Javier Hernandez subbed in to the match. With Mexico's beloved Chicharito running around the top of their attack trying to find space and disrupt Paraguay's defense, the extra attention created other chances for his teammates to add to Mexico's lead, especially after Giovani dos Santos came on late in the match.
When the final whistle blew, neither team wound up able to break the second-half deadlock. As they had all match long, Mexico commanded the run of play, but both defenses held firm. Miguel Herrera will be pleased at how the players who don't normally start perform, especially with a packed summer of competitive matches coming up (Mexico are playing in both the Copa America and Gold Cup). This match probably went a long ways towards helping him figure out how he wants to set his squads for those competitions, and fans of El Tri look set for some high-quality entertainment this summer.
Mexico: Edgar Hernández; Diego Reyes, Julio Domínguez (Hugo Ayala 79'), Oswaldo Alanís; Jesus Dueñas, Jonathan dos Santos (Paul Aguilar 78'), Javier Güemez, Juan Carlos Medina (Jose Vasquez 86'), Jorge Torres (Adrian Aldrete 59'); Eduardo Herrera (Javier Hernandez 59'), Raul Jiménez (Giovani dos Santos 78')
Goals: Herrera (3')
Paraguay: Justo Villar (Antony Silva 30'); Paulo Da Silva, Pablo Aguilar (Marco Caceres 65'), Fabian Balbuena; Jorge Moreira (Jorge Rojas 80'), Richard Ortiz, Óscar Romero (Osvaldo Martinez 46'), Fidencio Oviedo, Ivan Piris (Miguel Samudio 46'); Lucas Barrios, Raul Bobadilla (Hernan Perez 62')
Goals: None
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Kevin Harlan got so bored by Heat-Spurs he started doing Bane impressions
TNT announcer Kevin Harlan's got a thing for Batman villain impressions. During an interminable late-game replay review, Harlan caught site of the Spurs' Aron Baynes and immediately dialed up his best Tom-Hardy-with-a-face-mask voice:
Years ago, he relished the opportunity to compare a courtside fan to the Penguin:
It can't be that hard to work a "WHY SO SERIOUS" into a broadcast at some point, right?
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NASCAR hammers Ryan Newman, but penalties aren’t crippling
NASCAR penalized Ryan Newman severely, but the long-term impact may be minimal.
You don't mess with anything related to the engine, tires or fuel has long been the edict from NASCAR, and if a violation is found the penalties will be unforgiving. That principle has long been the guiding force when infractions were unearthed and sanctions levied.
And once again NASCAR made its policy crystal clear Tuesday, when Ryan Newman and Richard Childress Racing provoked severe sanctions after officials determined the No. 31 team manipulated its tires during the March 22 race at Auto Club Speedway.
Among the penalties issued: Newman is docked 75 driver points, crew chief Luke Lambert not only is fined $125,000, but also is suspended six races, as are team engineer Philip Surgen and tire specialist James Bender.
The discipline was both heavy and just. However, aside from the monetary impact what the penalties aren't is crippling.
While no driver wants to lose 75 points -- essentially the equivalent of two full races -- and drop from sixth in the standings, Newman's position pre-penalty, to 27th, neither his season nor his championship hopes are all that diminished.
Although earning a Chase for the Sprint Cup spot was made more difficult, Newman can still gain playoff eligibility by winning a regular season race. Any victory in the next 20 weeks, and the man who finished runner-up in the championship last season will again get a crack at the title.
A year ago Denny Hamlin was subjected to similar penalties when inspectors found modified rear firewall block-off plates on the No.11 car. NASCAR took 75-points away from Hamlin, suspended his crew chief six races and yet, he made the Chase thanks to an earlier win at Talladega Superspeedway.
The caveat, of course, Newman must indeed win -- something he hasn't done since July 2013 and never as a driver of the No. 31 car. As his championship push a year ago wasn't about winning and outright speed, but consistency and avoiding ghastly finishes that couldn't be overcome.
Going forward, Newman's gameplan to achieve a playoff berth cannot consist of being conservative. Simply satisfied with maximizing points week after week worked last year, but it won't in 2015 not after losing Tuesday's deduction of 75 points.
When the Sprint Cup Series resumes April 11 at Texas Motor Speedway following its first off week of the season, Newman's sole focus is on winning and nothing else. Which may very well prove advantageous. The No. 31 team can enact every gamble -- no tires, stretching its fuel mileage to the utmost limits, etc. -- and not concern itself with the ramifications.
The path facing Newman is by no means easy, especially with the loss of three key crewmembers -- though it is doable. In the immortal words of Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, "Just win, baby." If Newman can do that, he'll be in the Chase again making Tuesday's penalties a mere blip.
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Mario Chalmers casually swishes a 55-foot buzzer-beater
Like the national championship game was on the line.
Mario Chalmers shot this ball with 1.6 seconds left. That's 1.6 seconds he totally could've dribbled closer to the basket, which generally makes hitting a basketball shot easier. But whatever -- this was so easy:
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Roberto Luongo makes outstanding blocker save on Bruins
Luongo's desperation kept Florida alive in a huge game.
An important two points were on the table between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins on Tuesday, and Roberto Luongo must have gotten the memo.
With his Panthers up 2-1 in the third period in Boston, the Bruins fired a shot from the point in on Luongo. Bruins winger Carl Soderberg quickly collected the rebound and tried to snipe it into the net, but Luongo made a blind, desperate lunge at the puck with his blocker hand and robbed him.
Boston tied the game a few minutes later, but they could have the lead if not for Luongo's heroics. Both teams are fighting for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
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Michigan State's Final Four run is eerily identical to 2014 UConn's
This is uncanny. Just give them the championship now.
Michigan State was a 7-seed and just made an unexpected run to the Final Four -- kinda like last year's surprise champs UConn, right?
Turns out Michigan State's resume isn't just kinda like UConn's -- it's pretty much exactly like UConn's:
— Damion Terry (@DamionTerry) March 30, 2015 It all checks out, too.
Memes with all this info are really flying around at this point, so it's kinda hard to assign credit -- the first person to cobble together all the comparisons looks to have been Michigan State student Erik Chard. Excellent work.
So of course, we can expect UConn to beat Duke in the semifinal and Kentucky in the final. There's really no other option.
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This Korean baseball team's ceremonial first pitch was AN ACTUAL FIREBALL
Fire is way better than presidents, actors or baseball legends. Get with the times, MLB.
The KT Wiz of the Korean Baseball Organization played their first-ever game on Tuesday. In Major League Baseball, a similar occasion might result in the team owner or some other visionary being chosen for the inaugural first pitch ceremony.
They do things differently -- and better -- in the KBO, though (via MyKBO).
Beat that, 50 Cent.
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Wisconsin player insists 'all we care about is our suckoffs'
It started with a simple enough question about FIFA. Then it got NSFW.
A reporter at Wisconsin's Final Four media day innocuously asked Frank Kaminsky about his FIFA prowess. It started out okay, as Kaminsky furiously defended his talents while his teammates derided them. Then Nigel Hayes took over.
Warning, @marchmadness media: Be careful if you ask @BadgerMBB's Frank Kaminsky about his video games. http://t.co/oRmYxQRJkn
— Wisconsin on BTN (@WisconsinOnBTN) March 31, 2015 "We care more about suckoffs than Smash battles. We're a Super Smash Bros. team, so FIFA has really taken a backseat to that. All we care about is our suckoffs."
,,, and that's a wrap http://ift.tt/1IjSwvZ
— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) March 31, 2015 We decided to google whether "suckoff" is a term in Super Smash lingo. DO NOT GOOGLE WHETHER SUCKOFF IS A TERM IN SUPER SMASH LINGO. My guess is somebody on Wisconsin has been playing as Kirby and inhaling people and dropping them off the edge, somebody called that a "suckoff" and everybody laughed and then Hayes brought it up in front of a room full of reporters and that's how we got here.
Hayes has been the undoubted press conference star of the NCAA Tournament. First, he decided to drop complicated words in a press conference to make the stenographer's job interesting, then, he called a stenographer "beautiful" not realizing that his microphone was on and everybody could hear him.
FWIW, the Badgers have talked about their Super Smash addiction before -- they have the N64 version.
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NASCAR penalizes Ryan Newman, Richard Childress Racing for illegal tires
Ryan Newman loses 75 points and his crew chief is suspended six races after NASCAR found the No. 31 illegally modified its tires.
NASCAR heavily penalized Ryan Newman and the No. 31 Richard Childress team Tuesday for tires that were illegally modified.
Newman has been docked 75-driver points, and crew chief Luke Lambert is suspended six races and fined $125,000. Two additional crewmembers were also suspended six races.
The penalties follow NASCAR conducting an "audit" after the March 22 race at Auto Club Speedway, which determined the team had altered its tires. NASCAR cleared tires confiscated off the cars of Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and Paul Menard. Harvick and Busch drive for Stewart-Haas Racing; Menard is a teammate of Newman's at RCR.
"NASCAR takes very seriously its responsibility to govern and regulate the rules of the sport in order to ensure competitive balance," said Steve O'Donnell, executive vice president and chief racing development officer. "We've been very clear that any modifications to race vehicle tires is an unacceptable practice and will not be tolerated."
In recent weeks rampant speculation said teams were drilling small holes in tires to bleed air pressure, a practice that provides a better grip and allows drivers to maintain faster speeds over long runs.
Newman denied any wrongdoing this past weekend, saying he "wasn't about anything." RCR plans to appeal the penalties.
"We understand the seriousness of the penalty," the team said in a statement. "In fact, RCR has been one of the most outspoken opponents against 'tire bleeding' since the rumors began to surface last season. Once NASCAR provides us with the specific details of the infraction we will conduct a further internal investigation, and evaluate our options for an appeal."
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3 things we learned from Italy's 1-1 draw with England
A late Andros Townsend wondergoal rescued England a draw away in Italy on Tuesday.
Italy were held to a 1-1 draw at home to England in Tuesday's friendly in Turin. A first-half goal from Graziano Pellè was canceled out by a brilliant late Andros Townsend strike, as Roy Hodgson's side snatched a deserved equalizer. It wasn't the greatest of performances from either side, though both will be sufficiently content to have avoided defeat.
England saw plenty of possession in the first few minutes, though were unable to use it to good effect. Italy sat deep and successfully soaked up their visitors' pressure, and looked considerably more dangerous when on the ball. Marco Parolo drew the first save from Joe Hart from distance, before a low Matteo Darmian cross was desperately scrambled to safety by Phil Jagielka.
Midway through the opening period England had their first attempt on goal, when a cross from the left bounced out to Wayne Rooney on the edge of the area. He scuffed his effort into the ground, though that didn't stop it rearing up and striking a stricken Gianluigi Buffon's crossbar.
However, Italy remained in the ascendancy, and were rewarded with the opening goal just short of the half-hour mark. Centerback Giorgio Chiellini slipped free of Phil Jones down the left, before cutting inside and swinging a perfect free-kick into the area for Graziano Pellè to flick beyond Hart for 1-0.
England failed to muster a reaction, and almost found themselves two down within five minutes of the restart. A smart pass from Darmian sent Éder into space in the penalty area, though the Sampdoria striker's shot was blocked by Hart, only for Pellè to fire the rebound wide.
Just a few minutes later England finally produced a decent chance, though after Wayne Rooney sent Kieran Gibbs through on goal, the Arsenal fullback fired wide of the near post. That was the best chance of the game until inside the final 20 minutes, when a Rooney volley from the edge of the area was beaten to safety by Buffon. The Three Lions seemed to be growing in confidence.
Eventually England did manage to draw level, though it was the result of some individual brilliance from substitute Andros Townsend rather than a great tactical success. The Tottenham Hotspur winger lashed the ball from distance into the Italy corner with just over 10 minutes left. On balance, it was a deserved equalizer.
The visitors smelled blood, and only a low save from Buffon moments later prevented Rooney from sliding the ball into the back of the net. Italy responded with a fine counter-attack down the left, though wing-back Luca Antonelli slid his shot wide of the far post, and the game ended all square.
Italy (3-5-2): Buffon; Chiellini (Moretti 72'), Bonucci, Ranocchia; Darmian (Antonelli 73'), Soriano, Valdifiori (Verratti 67'), Parolo, Florenzi (Abate 61'); Éder (Vázquez 61'), Pellè (Immobile 61').
Goals: Pellè (29').
England (4-3-1-2): Hart; Gibbs (Bertrand 88'), Jagielka, Smalling (Carrick 44'), Clyne (Walker 46'); Delph (Townsend 70'), Jones, Henderson (Mason 74'); Rooney; Kane, Walcott (Barkley 55').
Goals: Townsend (79').
3 Things
1. Italy won the formation battle
Throughout most of his England tenure so far, Roy Hodgson has preferred a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 formation. However, in this game he elected to switch to a narrow 4-4-2 diamond -- unfortunately just about the worst decision he could've made against Italy's 3-5-2. On the ball, the Three Lions were crowded out in the middle, and didn't have the wingers to pin Italy's wing-backs in a defensive position. Out of possession, Matteo Darmian and Alessandro Florenzi could surge forward almost unopposed, while Giorgio Chiellini's advances from his position as a left centerback were entirely unchecked. It was a basic tactical error from Hodgson, and England paid the price in the first half.
2. Hodgson's starting lineup was unsuited to possession football
England have plenty of exciting young players at the moment, whose movement, trickery and intelligence could allow them to play pretty possession football in the right hands (hello Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley). Wayne Rooney, Theo Walcott and Harry Kane (at least Kane in this setup), alas, are not those players. They collectively lack the creativity and technique required to break down deep defenses, and Hodgson would have been better served by forcing Italy onto the front foot by sitting deep and counter-attacking. Only when Barkley came on in the second half did England look better on the ball.
3. Italy still aren't great
Italy may have been competitive in this match, though they came up against a side whose game plan played right into their hands. Against a better, shrewder opponent, Antonio Conte's side would likely have struggled. For most of the game they were pretty poor on the ball, and the likes of Éder, Mirko Valdifiori and Marco Parolo are not long-term solutions to their personnel problems.
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Kyle Larson released from hospital, not cleared to race
After fainting Saturday and undergoing extensive tests, Larson was released from the hospital Monday night.
Kyle Larson was released from the hospital Monday night and is awaiting the results of further tests before he can be cleared to race.
Larson, 22, fainted during an autograph appearance Saturday afternoon at Martinsville Speedway. He was taken to an area hospital and transported to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., later that night to be evaluated by a neurologist. Larson also underwent cardiac testing.
Chip Ganassi Racing said the initial tests were negative and Larson was "alert and awake" and feeling "fine." He sat out Sunday's Martinsville Sprint Cup race. Regan Smith drove Larson's No. 42 car to a 16th-place finish.
"After extensive testing and observation over the last few days, Kyle Larson was released from the hospital (Monday) night and has finished up final tests today," the team said in a statement Tuesday. "He is currently waiting for final doctor recommendations in order to clear him to return to all NASCAR-related activities."
Larson will have to receive medical clearance before NASCAR will permit him to race.
All three NASCAR national touring series are off this weekend due to the Easter holiday. The Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series resume April 10-11 at Texas Motor Speedway.
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Vincent Kompany did 4 keepy-uppies into a shot from 50 yards
Why.
Dude. What.
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Jameis Winston's pro day receiver OBLITERATED an unsuspecting cameraman
There's nothing more chill than being a video guy at a Pro Day workout. No stress, no risk -- just get the shots on the sideline, or so you'd thing. A slightly errant Jameis Winston throw resulted in the obliteration of a poor unsuspecting bystander.
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NASCAR speaks out against Indiana's 'religious freedom' law
NASCAR is the latest sports organization to decry Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Expressing its disappointment with Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, NASCAR said it welcomes all fans to attend its races in Indiana in a statement Tuesday.
"NASCAR is disappointed by the recent legislation passed in Indiana," said Brett Jewkes, NASCAR senior vice president and chief communications officer. "We will not embrace nor participate in exclusion or intolerance. We are committed to diversity and inclusion within our sport and therefore will continue to welcome all competitors and fans at our events in the state of Indiana and anywhere else we race."
NASCAR joins the NFL, NBA and other sports organizations condemning a law that permits businesses the right to refuse service to LGBT customers if a "substantially burden" is placed on a person's freedom of religion. The act goes into effect July 1.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway also issued a statement supporting equality Tuesday. The oldest speedway in America is the site of the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400, one of NASCAR's marquee races.
"For 105 years the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has engaged millions who want to celebrate the true spirit of American racing. IMS will continue to warmly welcome all who share our enthusiasm for motorsports - employees, participants and fans."
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LPGA signs commissioner Mike Whan to 6-year contract extension
A new contract will keep commissioner Mike Whan at the helm of the LPGA Tour through 2020. A new contract will keep commissioner Mike Whan at the helm of the LPGA Tour through 2020.
The LPGA kicked off the week of the first major of the 2015 season with news that the tour’s board had inked commissioner Mike Whan to a six-year contract extension.
Whan, who is credited with bringing professional women’s golf back from the brink of extinction to the most successful run in its history, will remain at the helm through 2020.
"We’ve built a terrific team here at the LPGA and clearly we are seeing momentum build for all parts of the organization," Whan said in a statement on Tuesday, ahead of Thursday's start of the ANA Inspiration (formerly the Dinah Shore and Kraft Nabisco).
"I am excited about remaining a part of the future and look forward to accomplishing many more things as we continue to put the LPGA on a bigger platform."
Under Whan’s leadership, the LPGA has grown dramatically. In addition to increasing the number of playing opportunities from 23 in 2010 to 33 in 2015, Whan has been instrumental in boosting purses from some $40 million five years ago to more than $60 million this year.
Television coverage has also skyrocketed under Whan’s guiding hand, growing from 200 hours of mostly tape-delayed telecasts per year, to 400 hours, with 90 percent of that as live coverage.
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Jozy Altidore gets a red card for telling referee 'f--- you'
You can't do that.
Those are really bad words. Jozy Altidore was pretty surprised and upset that he got sent off, even though he swore at the referee quite a few times. He should not do that!
Thanks to this red card, the United States has to finish their game against Switzerland with 10 men.
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Who will win battles to start at QB for these powerhouses?
A number of huge programs are replacing signal callers, so let’s break down the candidates and figure out who’s going to step into the spotlight.
Watch on YouTube | Subscribe to SB Nation on YouTube
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Kris Bryant's Strat-O-Matic card is ludicrous
The card is based on his spring stats, so dingers ahoy.
Under-the-radar prospect Kris Bryant plays for the low-profile Cubs, and there's been a quiet decision to send him to the minors. You probably haven't heard about it. However, his deceptively productive spring (.425 average, .489 on-base percentage, nine home runs in 40 at-bats) means that a Strat-O-Matic card based on his stats is absolutely goofy.
@SBNation @mccoveychron Strat-O-Matic card for Kris Bryant based on 2015 spring stats. http://ift.tt/1GITgwm
— Strat-O-Matic Games (@StratOMatic) March 31, 2015
HOMERUN HOMERUN HOMERUN HOMERUN HOMERUN strikeout HOMERUN is probably too long for a nickname, but it sure is Bryant's baseball soul captured in a chain of words. If you play Strat-O-Matic, slip that card in the pile. See if anyone notices.
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A hockey puck got stuck under Patrik Nemeth's visor
It's funny because he didn't lose an eye!
Hockey defensemen have to get creative when they're blocking shots. You can't just use a hockey stick, you have to get physical and use your body. And hey, sometimes you have to use your face.
Dallas Stars player Patrik Nemeth demonstrated this fact against the Calgary Flames Monday evening, when a puck deflected off a stick and wedged itself inside his visor.
This might seem like exactly where you don't want a hockey puck to be, but hey, at least the Flames didn't score, right?
(via The Score)
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The Bill Belichick Offseason Simulator
This must be emphasized from the outset: The Bill Belichick Offseason Simulator is a tool, and not a toy. It does not exist to amuse you. It is meant to train prospective football coaches in the art and science of managing the travails of the offseason.
Any fun you may have, or amusement you may find, while piloting this simulator is purely accidental, and should be reported as a software bug.
This "video game," if you would like to call it that, is not about fun and games. It is about getting dressed, resetting the clock on your car radio, shopping at the hardware store, and accomplishing offseason tasks. In other words, it is the exact sort of game Bill Belichick might himself make.
This game is possible to beat, but you may find it frustrating and difficult at times. That is because you are not Bill Belichick.
Best of luck piloting the Bill Belichick Offseason Simulator. Due to its immersive realism and state-of-the-art graphics, the Simulator may take a few moments to load.
DO NOT ABUSE OR ENJOY THE BILL BELICHICK OFFSEASON SIMULATOR.
Warning! The Bill Belichick offseason simulator is a 46mb file! Are you sure you want to play it right now?
- Yes!
- Nope!
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2015 NFL Draft safety rankings: Landon Collins headlines a weak class
A lot of NFL teams need a coverage safety. Unfortunately this isn't the draft to get one.
It is not a particularly good year to be taking a safety. There is no Eric Berry or Earl Thomas in the 2015 NFL Draft. That’s bad news because a lot of teams need coverage safeties. We saw in free agency how fast coverage safeties came off the market and the high prices they required.
The top safety this year is Alabama’s Landon Collins. His best asset is his ability to be physical and play coming down toward the line of scrimmage. That’s not to say he’s simply a run defense safety, though. Collins is solid in coverage, and has shown he can run with tight ends.
Utah’s Eric Rowe could be taken very high, but it’s no guarantee he’s a safety going forward. Rowe played two seasons of safety at Utah, but played last season at cornerback. As a safety, there are some issues with his physical play, but he’s good in coverage.
Louisville’s James Sample is a little more like Collins and Arizona State’s Damarious Randall is more like Rowe. They’re good players, but have some obvious flaws. Speaking of obvious flaws, that properly describes Louisville’s Gerod Holliman. He’s good in coverage and has great hands for the position. He just doesn’t tackle very well. At all. It’s strange, really.
Under the radar: Durell Eskridge of Syracuse has a lot of traits you like in a safety. He has good hands and size. The key to him being successful going forward is reading plays and reacting faster. If he can do that, he can potentially be a starter as a pro.
Position grade: C-
| 1. Landon Collins, 6’0, 222 pounds, S, Alabama |
| 2. Eric Rowe, 6’0 3/4, 205 pounds, S/CB, Utah |
| 3. James Sample, 6'2 1/8, 209 pounds, S, Louisville |
| 4. Damarious Randall, 5’10 7/8, 196 pounds, S, Arizona State |
| 5. Gerod Holliman, 6’2, 213 pounds, S, Louisville |
| 6. Cody Prewitt, 6’2 1/8, 212 pounds, S, Ole Miss |
| 7. Derron Smith, 5’11, 197 pounds, S, Fresno State |
| 8. Jaquiski Tartt, 6'1 3/8, 220 pounds, S, Samford |
| 9. Chris Hackett, 6'2, 195 pounds, S, TCU |
| 10. Anthony Harris, 6’1, 183 pounds, S, Virginia |
| 11. Durell Eskridge, 6’2 7/8, 208 pounds, S, Syracuse |
| 12. Adrian Amos, 6’0 1/2, 214 pounds, S, Penn State |
| 13. Kurtis Drummond, 6’0 5/8, 205 pounds, S, Michigan State |
| 14. Ibraheim Campbell, 5'11 1/2, 210 pounds, S, Northwestern |
| 15. Jermaine Whitehead, 5’11, 197 pounds, S, Auburn |
| 16. Justin Cox, 6’0 5/8, 191 pounds, S, Mississippi State |
| 17. Cedric Thompson, 6’0, 208 pounds, S, Minnesota |
| 19. Clayton Geathers, 6’1 1/4, 212 pounds, S, Central Florida |
| 20. Kyshoen Jarrett, 5’9 7/8, 200 pounds, S, Virginia Tech |
| 21. Jordan Richards, 5’10 3/4, 211 pounds, S, Stanford |
| 22. Isaiah Johnson, 6’2, 205 pounds, S, Georgia Tech |
| 23. Fritz Etienne, 6'1 1/4, 215, S, Memphis |
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Joe Namath parties with twins to celebrate their 100th birthday
Anna Campani and Josephine Bencivenga have spent 100 years of life together as twins and got a special surprise on their birthday when Broadway Joe stopped in to party with them in style.
Namath heard it was their birthday from Bencivenga's daughter, and couldn't resist visiting the pair and brightening their day. The NFL Hall of Famer brought flowers and in classic Namath fashion, he noticed a little something else too.
"I said 'Happy Birthday, Beautiful,' yeah! And I thought she had that skirt up a little high, showing that knee!"
The women were happy to see Namath, but had hoped Tiger Woods would stop by.
h/t Fox Sports
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2015 NFL Draft: Ranking the wide receivers
Alabama's Amari Cooper is the best player in another stacked group, but West Virginia's Kevin White isn't far behind.
If an NFL team has a questionable wide receiver corps after this year’s draft, they only have themselves to blame. Although the wide receiver class in the 2015 NFL Draft isn’t quite as good as last year, it is once again deep and talented.
Leading the way is Alabama’s Amari Cooper. He may not be a flawless wide receiver, but it’s hard to find any glaring negatives in his play. He’s fast enough, slippery after the catch and has good hands. There might not be a Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans or Odell Beckham in this year, but Cooper would be right behind them.
After Cooper is West Virginia’s Kevin White. He’s more physical, faster and bigger than Cooper, but he’s raw. His route running isn’t as good and he only had one good season for the Mountaineers. This class could feature three top 15 picks, including Cooper, White and Louisville’s DeVante Parker. He missed some time last season, but is a well-rounded receiver who will go up after the ball and do work over the middle.
The wild card of the group is Dorial Green-Beckham, from Oklahoma by way of Missouri. Green-Beckham possesses a high level of talent. Unfortunately, it’s a matter of putting him into a position to take advantage of that talent. There are also the off-field issues that teams won’t ignore.
There are plenty of other good players at the position this year. Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong is a good vertical threat and a likely first-round pick. Ohio State’s Devin Smith is a speed merchant and a fringe first rounder. It wouldn’t be a complete shock to see Central Florida’s Breshad Perriman taken in the first round.
Under the radar: East Carolina’s Justin Hardy isn’t big or the fastest. He’s just a solid, dependable player. He’s the type who could be taken in the middle of the draft and make a solid contribution as a rookie.
Position grade: A-
| 1. Amari Cooper, 6'1, 210 pounds, WR, Alabama |
| 2. Kevin White, 6'3, 210 pounds, WR, West Virginia |
| 3. DeVante Parker, 6'3, 211 pounds, WR, Louisville |
| 4. Dorial Green-Beckham, 6’6, 225 pounds, WR, Oklahoma |
| 5. Jaelen Strong, 6'3, 212 pounds, WR, Arizona State |
| 6. Devin Smith, 6'0 3/8, 190 pounds, WR, Ohio State |
| 7. Nelson Agholor, 6'1, 190 pounds, WR, Southern California |
| 8. Phillip Dorsett, 5’9 5/8, 183 pounds, WR, Miami |
| 9. Devin Funchess, 6’5, 230 pounds, WR, Michigan |
| 10. Breshad Perriman, 6'3, 214 pounds, WR, Central Florida |
| 11. Sammie Coates, 6'1 3/4, 213 pounds, WR, Auburn |
| 12. Jamison Crowder, 5’8 1/8, 174 pounds, WR, Duke |
| 13. Tyler Lockett, 5’9 5/8, 181 pounds, WR, Kansas State |
| 14. Justin Hardy, 5'10 1/2, 190 pounds, WR, East Carolina |
| 15. Rashad Greene, 6'0, 180 pounds, WR, Florida State |
| 16. Tony Lippett, 6’2 1/2, 192 pounds, WR, Michigan State |
| 17. Ty Montgomery, 5'11 3/4, 216 pounds, WR, Stanford |
| 18. Chris Conley, 6’1 7/8, 213 pounds, WR, Georgia |
| 19. Tre McBride, 6'0 3/4, 205 pounds, WR, William & Mary |
| 20. Josh Harper, 6’0 3/4, 189 pounds, WR, Fresno State |
| 21. Vince Mayle, 6'2, 219 pounds, WR, Washington State |
| 22. Deontay Greenberry, 6’3, 200 pounds, WR, Houston |
| 23. DeAndre Smelter, 6’2, 226 pounds, WR, Georgia Tech |
| 24. Stefon Diggs, 6’0, 195 pounds, WR, Maryland |
| 25. Antwan Goodley, 5’10 1/2, 210 pounds, WR, Baylor |
| 26. Dezmin Lewis, 6'3 1/2, 215 pounds, WR, Central Arkansas |
| 27. Titus Davis, 6’0 3/4, 196 pounds, WR, Central Michigan |
| 28. Mario Alford, 5’8 1/2, 180 pounds, WR, West Virginia |
| 29. Rannell Hall, 6'0 3/8, 193 pounds, WR, Central Florida |
| 30. Austin Hill, 6’2 3/8, 210 pounds, WR, Arizona |
| 31. Deon Long, 6'0, 188 pounds, WR, Maryland |
| 32. Dres Anderson, 6’1, 187 pounds, WR, Utah |
| 33. Darren Waller, 6'6 5/8, 242 pounds, WR, Georgia Tech |
| 34. Devante Davis, 6'3, 220 pounds, WR, UNLV |
| 35. DaVaris Daniels, 6'1 1/2, 203 pounds, WR, Notre Dame |
| 36. Cam Worthy, 6’2, 211 pounds, WR, East Carolina |
| 37. Nigel King, 6'3, 210 pounds, WR, Kansas |
| 38. Geremy Davis, 6’2 3/8, 216 pounds, WR, Connecticut |
| 39. Kenny Bell, 6’1 1/8, 197 pounds, WR, Nebraska |
| 40. George Farmer, 6’1, 220 pounds, WR, Southern California |
| 41. Donatella Luckett, 5’11 3/4, 211 pounds, WR, Harding |
| 42. Christion Jones, 5’10 1/8, 182 pounds, WR, Alabama |
| 43. Devin Gardner, 6'4, 217 pounds, WR, Michigan |
| 44. Jordan Taylor, 6'5, 210 pounds, WR, Rice |
| 45. Chris Harper, 5’11, 175 pounds, WR, California |
| 46. Kasen Williams, 6'1 5/8, 219 pounds, WR, Washington |
| 47. J.J. Nelson, 5’10 1/4, 156 pounds, WR, UAB |
| 48. Matt Miller, 6'3, 212 pounds, WR, Boise State |
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NHL scores 2015: Blackhawks down Kings, Lightning defeat Canadiens
The reigning Stanley Cup champions are in serious danger of missing the playoffs.
According to the metrics, eye test and common sense, the Los Angeles Kings should be considered one of the NHL's best teams in 2014-15. It's easy to understand this sentiment. Here's nearly the same exact roster that won the Cup a year ago. Their possession numbers are fantastic, as is their 22-9-7 record at home. Jonathan Quick, while undoubtedly overrated in some circles, has a solid track record in the postseason. Their depth is to be envied, as well.
And yet, LA is in serious danger of missing the playoffs all together. A 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks on Monday has put the Kings a point behind Calgary for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with a game in hand. It's not an insurmountable mountain to climb by any means, but it's not exactly a favorable position, either. It shouldn't be this suspenseful.
Thankfully for the Kings, their remaining schedule is far from difficult: their final six games include two contests against Edmonton, one against Colorado and another against San Jose. Their other matchups -- Vancouver and Calgary -- aren't especially tough, all things considered.
Scores
Tampa Bay Lightning 5, Montreal Canadiens 3
Vancouver Canucks 4, St. Louis Blues 1
Chicago Blackhawks 4, Los Angeles Kings 1
Calgary Flames 5, Dallas Stars 3
Edmonton Oilers 4, Colorado Avalanche 1
Buffalo Sabres 4, Arizona Coyotes 1
3 things we learned
The Lightning have the Canadiens' number
Montreal swept Tampa Bay in the playoffs last spring -- largely due to Ben Bishop's absence -- but the tide has since turned. By defeating the Canadiens 5-3 on Monday, the Lightning swept the season series, 5-0, and moved within one point of the Habs in the Eastern Conference standings.
Vancouver made a statement by beating St. Louis
The Western Conference is loaded this year, and while they haven't received much attention, the Canucks could surprise some people down the stretch. By winning 4-1, Vancouver moved without one point of fifth-place Minnesota with six games left in the regular season.
Arizona and Buffalo can be entertaining
The Coyotes and Sabres may be the worst teams in the NHL, but their two meetings this year have resulted in some surprisingly watchable hockey. Arizona took the first contest in an exciting overtime triumph, and Buffalo evened the season series on Monday. Though the Sabres won 4-1, it was a one-goal game until Ted Nolan's club notched two empty net tallies.
Stat of the night
Ben Bishop has more points tonight than 161 players who have suited up this season.
— Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) March 31, 2015
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Shaq took a break from roasting Justin Bieber to tease the Lakers
Shaquille O'Neal was at the Comedy Central roast of Justin Bieber on Monday night ... for some reason. Shaq did what all roasters do: Some jokes about Biebs, a few at his fellow roaster's expense -- go after the Los Angeles Lakers. That last one doesn't happen very often.
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Good morning. Lakers fans are totally miserable. Aww. There there.
That and more in Tuesday's NBA newsletter. SUBSCRIBE!
Good morning. Let's basketball.
THE GRIZZLIES! ARE BACK! Houston's reign at the No. 2 seed was shorter than that of Lady Jane Grey as a loss to the Raptors and Memphis win over Sacramento vaulted the Grizz back into the spot. For now. Check out the updated West playoff guide for more.
Over in the East, the Celtics picked up a big win over the Hornets, ensuring a season series split. Unfortunately for Boston, Charlotte has a nice lead in records against the East, so the C's will likely need to preserve a better record outright to stay ahead. The Nets and Pacers are more urgent problems for Boston anyways.
HOPE YOUR COMMEMORATIVE CHAMPIONSHIP T-SHIRTS KEEP YOU WARM AT NIGHT: The Lakers beat the Sixers at the buzzer and their fans are FURIOUS.
STIFLE THIS, MON AMI: No one has given NBA players second thoughts about attacking the rim this season quite like Rudy Gobert. But Andrew Wiggins is no ordinary NBA player. Alas, greed felled Wiggins like many a Canadian imperialist before him. Eventually, Gobert reminded Young Wiggy why you never want to fight a land war in ... uh, wait a minute ...
MARCAMANIA: Marc Gasol rips his jersey while getting back on defense because HE FELT LIKE IT.
FASHION IS DANGER: I would like to rip this shirt featuring a giant Chris Kaman face and then also burn it to make sure it's dead.
NAH FAM: The Sixers' inflatable mascot does not need to be shooting anything out of his chest.
THE SUMMER OF RECKONING: I wrote about what the Thunder face this summer with Kevin Durant's free agency slated for 2016.
Another solution might be to take the final few home games of the season to promote equality, non-discrimination and love for one's neighbor in very naked, obvious and politicized ways. Taking games away from Pacers fans who may or may not agree with the law will make a statement but piss off a lot of people on both sides (not to mention players and coaches in the middle of a playoff push and the arena staff who would lose hours). In this case, I feel it'd be better to confront the issue head on, and give any player or executive who wants it an opportunity to speak directly to fans about why they do not support the new law. Imagine the power of Larry Bird decrying discrimination and calling out Governor Pence by name at center court! But there are different ways to poach an egg, of course.
STEPH CURRY IS THE MVP: So declares Tim Kawakami in no uncertain terms. It's a compelling case.
WEEE: James Harden's most jaw-dropping moments.
BUTTS OF NEW YORK: Seth Rosenthal with a meditation on the fourth prism of the Knicks, Phil Jackson and the voices in his head. And butts.
NEEDING PAUL GEORGE: David Aldridge on how the Pacers have survived but why they need PG-13 (plus lots more).
DRAFT DECISIONS: Our tracker shows you which underclassmen have declared for the NBA Draft and which are staying in school.
MAGIC MAN: Should Orlando be offering GM Rob Hennigan an extension?
WOULD YOU LIKE TO STAR IN JON BOIS' NBA Y2K? Of course you would. Just fill out this form and submit a poem about your most hated NBA player and you will be considered for one of the 80 spots in a very special episode of NBA Y2K.
Happy Tuesday. See you next time.
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Your 2015 NBA Western Conference Playoff Picture and Tiebreaker Guide
Tiebreakers are complicated. The West playoff picture is complicated. Let us help out.
The NBA playoff picture in the Western Conference is quite hazy beyond the Warriors at No. 1. In an effort to set the table for the stretch run, we've provided this Guide to the West Tiebreakers. It lays out the tiebreakers that will be used if two teams in the playoff picture finish the season with identical records, and explains who is currently in a preferred position in each.
We will update this each morning to reflect the current situation.
Last updated: After games played 3/30/2015. The Grizzlies quickly regained ownership of the No. 2 seed. Phoenix is so out of here (4.5 games back).
Current playoff picture
This is the Too Long; Didn't Read version. If the season ended right this second, here are your first-round matchups.
Warriors (1) vs. Thunder (8)
Blazers (4) vs. Clippers (5)*
Clippers have home court advantage
Grizzlies (2) vs. Mavericks (7)
Rockets (3) vs. Spurs (6)
Standings
If you have a better record than the next team in line, tiebreakers don't matter. There is one quirky thing here: division winners (see first tiebreak) cannot be seeded below No. 4, but division winners do not get home court advantage against teams higher than them in the standings in any case. Division leaders outlined in ALL CAPS.
| Team | W-L | WP% | Games Back |
| 1. WARRIORS | 60-13 | .822 | -- |
| 2. GRIZZLIES | 51-24 | .680 | 10 |
| 3. Rockets | 50-24 | .676 | 10.5 |
| 4. Clippers | 49-25 | .662 | 11.5 |
| 5. BLAZERS | 48-25 | .658 | 12 |
| 6. Spurs | 47-26 | .644 | 13 |
| 7. Mavericks | 45-29 | .608 | 15.5 |
| 8. Thunder | 42-32 | .568 | 18.5 |
| 9. Pelicans | 39-34 | .534 | 21 |
| 10. Suns | 38-37 | .507 | 23 |
First tiebreaker: Division winners
Division winners earn the tiebreaker over non-division winners in playoff seeding and home court advantage determinations. Here are the current West division leaders.
NORTHWEST: Portland | SOUTHWEST: Memphis | PACIFIC: Golden State
Portland is very likely to win its division. That gives the Blazers an advantage over any non-division winner, which could include the No. 2 and possibly No. 3 teams in the Southwest (any of Memphis, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas) and the No. 2 team in the Pacific (the Clippers).
Also note that while it is not a tiebreaker issue, division winners seeded No. 3 or No. 4 who have worse records that their first-round opponents do not receive home court advantage.
Second tiebreaker: Head-to-head records
If both or neither teams in a tiebreak situation are division winners, the tie is broken by head-to-head record.
The most relevant head-to-head tiebreaks already clinched are:
Memphis over Portland
Memphis over Dallas
Portland over Houston
Portland over San Antonio
Los Angeles over Dallas
Dallas over New Orleans
Phoenix over Dallas
New Orleans over Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City over Phoenix
The most relevant head-to-head tiebreaks that have already ended in ties are:
Houston and Memphis
Houston and Los Angeles
San Antonio and Memphis
San Antonio and Los Angeles
San Antonio and Dallas
The following table shows each playoff contender's record against other playoff contenders. Records in BOLD indicate that one of the teams has already clinched the head-to-head tiebreaker for the season. Records in ITALICS indicate a season series tie, in which case the next tiebreak comes into play. An asterisk indicates the teams will play only three times this season. Otherwise, the teams play each other four times.
| X | GSW | MEM | HOU | POR | LAC | DAL | SAS | OKC | NOP | PHX |
| GSW | -- | 1-1* | GSW 4-0 | GSW 2-0* | GSW 2-1 | GSW 3-0 | 1-1* | GSW 3-1 | GSW 3-0 | GSW 2-1 |
| MEM | 1-1* | -- | 2-2 | MEM 4-0 | MEM 2-1 | MEM 3-1 | 2-2 | MEM 2-1 | NOP 2-1 | MEM 3-0 |
| HOU | GSW 4-0 | 2-2 | -- | POR 2-1* | 2-2 | HOU 2-1 | 1-1 | HOU 2-0* | NOP 2-1 | HOU 3-1 |
| POR | GSW 2-0* | MEM 4-0 | POR 2-1* | -- | LAC 2-1 | POR 2-1 | POR 3-1 | POR 3-0 | POR 2-0* | POR 3-1 |
| LAC | GSW 2-1 | MEM 2-1 | 2-2 | LAC 2-1 | -- | LAC 2-1* | 2-2 | LAC 2-1* | LAC 2-1* | LAC 3-0 |
| DAL | GSW 3-0 | MEM 3-1 | HOU 2-1 | POR 2-1 | LAC 2-1* | -- | 2-2 | DAL 2-1 | DAL 3-1 | PHX 3-0 |
| SAS | 1-1* | 2-2 | 1-1 | POR 3-1 | 2-2 | 2-2 | -- | 1-1* | NOP 2-1 | SAS 2-1 |
| OKC | GSW 3-1 | MEM 2-1 | HOU 2-0* | POR 3-0 | LAC 2-1* | DAL 2-1 | 1-1* | -- | NOP 3-1 | OKC 3-1 |
| NOP | GSW 3-0 | NOP 2-1 | NOP 2-1 | POR 2-0* | LAC 2-1* | DAL 3-1 | NOP 2-1 | NOP 3-1 | -- | NOP 1-0* |
| PHX | GSW 2-1 | MEM 3-0 | HOU 3-1 | POR 3-1 | LAC 3-0 | PHX 3-0 | SAS 2-1 | OKC 3-1 | NOP 1-1* | -- |
Third tiebreaker: In-division record
If two teams in the same division split their season series and have equal records, the team with the better in-division record gets the advantage. This is currently only in play for the Southwest Division.
MEMPHIS 8-7
HOUSTON 6-6
DALLAS 7-8
SAN ANTONIO 6-7
Fourth tiebreaker: In-conference record
If two teams are tied in the standings and neither of the first two tiebreakers can solve the problem, the team with the better in-conference record wins the tie. Here's the current situation for the relevant pairings whose head-to-head season series have ended in ties.
Memphis has a 3-game lead on Houston in-conference
L.A. has a 3-game lead on Houston in-conference
L.A. has a 5.5-game lead on San Antonio in-conference
Memphis and L.A. are tied in-conference
Here are the current in-conference records for each team.
| Team | Record | W% |
| Warriors | 35-8 | .814 |
| Clippers | 31-14 | .689 |
| Grizzlies | 32-15 | .681 |
| Blazers | 28-16 | .636 |
| Rockets | 28-17 | .622 |
| Spurs | 26-19 | .578 |
| Mavericks | 24-20 | .545 |
| Pelicans | 23-20 | .535 |
| Thunder | 22-23 | .489 |
| Suns | 20-26 | .435 |
Additional tiebreakers
If matters are still not resolved -- which is unlikely but possible -- the team with the better record against other playoff teams in the West will earn the tiebreak. If that does not resolve the issue, the team with the better record against the East playoff teams will earn the tiebreak. If that does not resolve the issue, the tiebreaker will be settled by the teams' net total points (total points scored minus total points allowed). If that does not resolve the issue, both team are ejected and the Lakers and Knicks take their spots.*
* We think this is a joke.
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Mexico vs. Paraguay 2015: Time, TV schedule and team news
Miguel Herrera has almost gotten Mexico back to it's usual dominant self, and can take another step in that direction when they play Paraguay in the United States.
After several years of organizational chaos, the Mexico national team doesn't generate the same fear that it once did. The squad got old, the managers were being hired and fired faster than you could track, and they only barely made it in to last year's World Cup.
Now, under the watchful eye of the energetic Miguel Herrera, Mexico are slowly righting the ship and getting back on track. He's started bedding in the next generation of talent in to the side, and has seen his side win all but two of their matches since the World Cup, gaining revenge on the Netherlands for their Round of 16 loss along the way. Now with two big summer competitions looming, it's time to start invoking fear again.
With a friendly coming up against the United States next month, this neutral-ground friendly on the soil of their eternal rival is a good chance to show the USMNT what they have in store. Paraguay are a side ripe for the kicking, with the South Americans having won just one of their last seven matches and two of twelve. Worse, they simply don't have the pace or midfield to keep up with their opponents -- if Mexico go all out, this match could get ugly, fast.
Key Player - Jonathan dos Santos (Mexico)
The 24 year old midfielder was rested against Ecuador last week, but dos Santos is a near certainty to start Tuesday. The younger brother of Giovani dos Santos, one of the stars of this Mexico side, this dos Santos brother has only been a fringe part of the national side up until now, only earning eight senior caps. Jonathan has finally been coming in to his own at the club level, though, starring alongside Giovani with Villarreal and forcing people to realize that whatever Mexico do on the international stage for the next few years, their odds of success will be much higher with Jonathan involved at the heart of midfield. This match against Paraguay will be a good chance for him to show what he can do, and hopefully lead to him being a lock for future lineups as well.
Key Question - What experiment will Miguel Herrera run today?
Mexico's expressive, exuberant, and exciting manager is never afraid to experiment with his lineups and tactics, and this match against Paraguay seems like a fair chance to do just that. Herrera has a versatile squad at his disposal for this match and managed to keep them from expending too much energy in their 1-0 win over Ecuador last week, so he'll have plenty of options available in terms of who to play and what formation to roll with. With the Copa America coming up in just two and a half months and the CONCACAF Gold Cup just weeks after that, Herrera is running out of time to figure out how he wants to approach those competitions in terms of tactics and squad, so whatever he tries today could be very telling in terms of how Mexico play this summer.
Match Date/Time: Tuesday, 9 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. local
Venue: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A.
TV: ESPN 2 (U.S. - English), UniMas (U.S. - Spanish), Canal 5 Televisa, Azteca 7, TDN (Mexico)
Online: Watch ESPN (U.S.)
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2015 CIT Tournament schedule and bracket: Four semifinalists battle for spot in championship
UT-Martin plays Evansville, then NJIT plays Northern Arizona in a pair of nationally televised contests.
The 2015 CIT is down to its final four, and for the first time all tournament, the round will be broadcast on national TV.
First up on Tuesday night, Tennessee-Martin will visit Evansville. The Skyhawks advanced to the semifinals with a thrilling road win over Eastern Kentucky on Wednesday. With his team trailing by two in the final seconds on the road, Marshun Newell drained a three to give UT-Martin the victory. He finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Twymond Howard had 23 points to lead the team. UT-Martin also held a command advantage on the glass, out-rebounding the Colonels, 43-19.
Evansville also reached the semifinals with a road win, though the Purple Aces didn't provide nearly as much drama. They maintained a solid lead through much of the second half and advanced with an 89-82 win over Louisiana-Lafayette. D.J. Balentine was the unquestioned star of the game, pouring on 35 points on 11-18 shooting. Over three games in the CIT, he has scored 92 total points.
When UT-Martin and Evansville are done, NJIT and Northern Arizona will tip off from Flagstaff. The Highlanders, making their first ever postseason appearance, have won 11 of their last 12 games, and overcame a late deficit to beat Canisius at home in the quarterfinals. Tim Coleman had 22 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals in the most complete personal statline of the night. His teammate, Damon Lynn, played all 40 minutes and scored 22 points for NJIT despite shooting just 4-18 from the field.
In order to advance to the final, NJIT will have to beat a Northern Arizona team that hasn't lost at home since January and is coming off a one-point overtime win over Kent State in the quarterfinals. The Lumberjacks won it on a layup from Quinton Upshur with 12 seconds left, helping them overcome a five-point deficit in the final 41 seconds.
Since this is not a bracketed tournament, there is no formal bracket to share, but we do know the two winners on Tuesday will play Thursday night for the CIT championship. Here's the semifinal schedule (all times Eastern):
UT-Martin at Evansville, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network
NJIT at Northern Arizona, 9 p.m., CBS Sports Network
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How to watch NIT semifinals online, TV coverage, radio and more
This is your last chance to watch mid-week college basketball until next season.
The NIT semifinals tip off at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, and while it isn't quite the same as the Final Four beginning later in the week from Indianapolis, it's still college basketball at a time of year when the number of games left is getting closer and closer to zero.
The semifinals begin Tuesday with the No. 1 seed Temple Owls and No. 2 Miami Hurricanes at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and WatchESPN. Temple was thought to be an NCAA Tournament team but was left out of the field after its AAC tournament final loss to the SMU Mustangs, and the Owls have since won their three NIT games in increasingly convincing fashion. Quenton DeCosey led Temple with 21 points in a 77-59 quarterfinals win over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.
Miami, meanwhile, didn't lead for the first 39 minutes of its quarterfinal against the Richmond Spiders but rallied for a 63-61 win to advance to the Garden.
The second semifinal will follow at approximately 9 p.m., also on ESPN and WatchESPN, with the No. 1 Old Dominion Monarchs against the No. 2 Stanford Cardinal. Old Dominion advanced with a buzzer-beating three from Trey Freeman to top Murray State in the quarterfinal, 72-69 after Murray State had just tied it on a three with less than four seconds left.
Both NIT semifinals will be broadcast on ESPN (streamed online on WatchESPN) and on the Westwood One radio network.
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Switzerland vs. USA 2015: Time, TV schedule and team news
A struggling USMNT defense is set to meet a free-scoring Swiss attack in this friendly. That doesn't seem like a good recipe for the Americans.
It's been an ugly six months for the United States men's national team. Ever since their World Cup ended with an extra time defeat at the hand of Belgium, the USMNT has won just twice, one of those a Camp Cupcake win against Panama's C team. They've varied between flat, uninspiring, and underwhelming, culminating in last Wednesday's 3-2 defeat at the hands of Denmark.
On the other hand, their opponents in this friendly are coming in on fantastic form, as Switzerland have been flying high since the World Cup. Their Euro 2016 qualifying got off to a rough start with a pair of losses to England and Slovenia with a tired and injury-battered squad, but they've been perfect since then, scoring 11 goals and giving up none in three matches. Even red-hot Poland couldn't beat then, with the two sides drawing 2-2 in November.
The Swiss have a talented and athletic squad with a good mix of veteran moxie and youthful guile, giving them all the makings of a squad that this iteration of the USMNT can really struggle to play against. Vladimir Petkovic is building something potentially excellent in Switzerland, and the USMNT could be facing the next team to watch as La Nati take Europe by storm.
Key Player - Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland)
The beating heart of Switzerland's attack, Shaqiri starred in his country's 3-0 win over Estonia in a Euro 2016 qualifier, setting up all three goals and generally excelling for the Swiss. For all the talent in the United States squad, they don't really have someone who can do more than vaguely slow Shaqiri down when he's on his game. If he gets free and is given license to dictate the game for Switzerland, this will be a very long, very not fun day for the USMNT.
Key Question - Will the real USMNT please stand up?
It still feels like the USMNT is suffering an identity crisis, with too many recent fixtures plagued by bland, unexciting football with no clear tactical outlook other than "hoof it up the pitch." That's not really what we were promised when Jürgen Klinsmann took the reigns of the national team in 2011, and some fans are starting to get impatient waiting for things to get better. To some extent, it feels like the only thing the USMNT has done lately is get younger. That can lead to future promise, but for right now it just feels like a group of guys running around a lot with no real direction or intent. Klinsmann needs to fix that, fast.
Match Date/Time: Tuesday, 12:00 p.m. ET, 6:00 p.m. local
Venue: Stadion Letzigrund, Zürich, Switzerland
TV: Fox Sports 1 (U.S. - English), UniMas (U.S. - Spanish), RTS Sport, RTS Deux (Switzerland)
Online: Fox Sports GO, FOX Soccer 2 Go, Univision Deportes (U.S.), SFV Play (Switzerland)
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Monday, March 30, 2015
UL Monroe vs. Loyola-Chicago final score, CBI 2015: Loyola takes a 1-0 series lead
The Ramblers took an early second half lead and never looked back.
Loyola-Chicago took a one-point lead on a Montrel James and-one dunk with 16:02 left in the second half and never gave it back, beating UL Monroe 65-58 to win the first of the College Basketball Invitational's three-game championship series.
James had a solid all-around night for the Ramblers, posting a line of 11 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. As a team, Loyola-Chicago shot 51 percent from the floor for the entire game, including Christian Thomas' 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting and Earl Peterson's game-high 16 on 5-of-10.
After the James dunk, Loyola-Chicago gradually built a second half lead that hovered around nine points for most of the final 10 minutes. UL Monroe made one final push with four minutes left to play, cutting the deficit to three, but strong free throw shooting put the game away.
Although they hit eight three-pointers, UL Monroe struggled to score elsewhere on the court, finishing with 38 percent shooting from the floor for the game. Jamaal Samuels led the way for the Warhawks with 15 points on 6-13 shooting.
The two teams will play Game 2 of the series on Wednesday and Game 3, if necessary, on Friday.
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The Lakers won at the buzzer and their fans are FURIOUS
The Lakers' first round draft pick is top five protected. The more they win, the more likely it is to go to Philadelphia.
Rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson has been a bright spot in a terrible season for the Los Angeles Lakers. Clarkson might have played his best game as a pro on Monday, finishing with 26 points, 11 assists and the game-winning buck with under a second remaining in the Lakers' victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jordan Clarkson lays it in with less than a second left to win the game. Horrible, horrible win for the Lakers.
— Silver Screen & Roll (@LakersSBN) March 31, 2015
Jordan Clarkson does not care about the pick. Lol @LakersNation
— YayaJosh (@eeezup) March 31, 2015
Screw you Jordan Clarkson
— Martin Brian Ansah (@DaAnsahonSports) March 31, 2015
Uhhh, damnit Clarkson, THINK ABOUT YOU'RE FUTURE #Lakers #LALvsPHI
— Mark Fishman (@TheFishKnowsIt) March 31, 2015
Jordan Clarkson is the Sixers best player.
— Michael Levin (@Michael_Levin) March 31, 2015
Why the fuck are you winning stupid Lakers. Fuck you Jordan Clarkson
— Jay ⚽ (@vazquez_jas0n) March 31, 2015
This season is the worst type of fan experience there could be. I cannot be convinced otherwise.
— Darius Soriano (@forumbluegold) March 31, 2015
Sorry Lakers fans. It'll be better soon. Well, maybe not that soon if Jordan Clarkson keep winning you basketball games. That draft pick is top five protected, you know. Otherwise, it goes to the 76ers.
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Brock Lesnar just destroyed EVERYBODY on Monday Night Raw
WWE needed to get creative with Monday Night Raw following Wrestlemania and they somehow found a way to keep the energy level at a max following the Sunday night show. Brock Lesnar thought he was getting a Championship rematch, then ABSOLUTELY LOST IT when that didn't happen.
It was a master stroke by WWE creative in which Lesnar systematically laid waste to anyone even tangentially related to the show. He flipped the announce table, delivered an F5 to commentator Michael Cole, then set his sights on a ringside cameraman who got TWO F5's for his trouble.
Lesnar was "suspended" by WWE for his actions, according to Stephanie McMahon. Which, in reality, is a creative way to keep Brock off TV and make fans pine for his next appearance. An unpredictable Lesnar ensures his gimmick wont get stale, and simultaneously allows him to appear only occasionally -- which WWE used to great effect over the last year.
Monday Night Raw continues, but things are very different. The traditional announce team is gone, replaced with Byron Maxwell, who is typically used for backstage interviews and pre-show specials. It's made the whole event feel fresh, different and dangerous in the best way possible.
For a company that often does a lot wrong, WWE has done everything right in the last 24 hrs.
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Andrew Wiggins and Rudy Gobert are waging war above the rim
I hope Canada and France don't go to war anytime soon, but if they do, this is how it should be fought. One basket. One ball. Andrew Wiggins trying to dunk on Rudy Gobert over and over again. It always ends in a highlight.
Wiggins leads this battle 2-1, with that second dunk in which the ball caromed off Gobert's head constituting his most decisive victory. Don't sleep on the flex, though:
This is the best. Wiggins vs. Gobert forever.
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