Minnesota Teams

The Minnesota Wild are on the verge of clinching a playoff spot — they're one of three teams that could punch their ticket on Thursday in a 14-game NHL slate. No scores to report yet, but keep an eye on Thursday night's game. The Timberwolves don't have a specific score in today's news, but the NBA regular season is winding down with just two weeks left, so every game matters for seeding.

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NFL

The big pre-draft buzz is around Fernando Mendoza, the expected No. 1 overall pick, who impressed scouts at Indiana's pro day by throwing roughly 56 passes in front of representatives from all 32 teams. The 2026 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and the quarterback carousel is already spinning. Also fun: Browns head coach Todd Monken missed the official NFL coaches photo because he stepped away for a haircut — and they took it early without him.

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NBA

LeBron James made history again, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most wins in NBA history with his 1,229th career victory. He did it against the same franchise he beat for his very first win — a nice bit of symmetry. Meanwhile, the LA Clippers are under NBA investigation involving star player Kawhi Leonard and team owner Steve Ballmer over details of Leonard's contract, and league insiders are watching closely.

The Victor Wembanyama MVP conversation is heating up — the San Antonio Spurs' 7-foot-4 phenom is making such a dominant case on both ends of the floor that some are arguing he's impossible to ignore for the award.

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MLB

Andrew Painter, the top pitching prospect for the Philadelphia Phillies, finally made his long-awaited MLB debut and looked good doing it — a welcome bright spot for a Philly team that's had a rough start. On a sadder note, Blue Jays pitcher Cody Ponce tore his ACL in his very first game back in the majors after years pitching overseas, and will miss significant time.

Baseball's labor situation is also worth watching: the players' union (MLBPA) has stockpiled $415 million as a "war chest" ahead of a potential lockout when the current collective bargaining agreement expires — meaning a work stoppage is a real possibility down the road.

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NHL

The Colorado Avalanche are the class of the NHL right now, chasing their fourth Presidents' Trophy (awarded to the team with the best regular-season record). Three teams — the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, and Minnesota Wild — can all clinch playoff berths on Thursday. On a human interest note, Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi is having a record-breaking debut season, and he credits his brother Dylan, who has autism, as a constant source of inspiration.

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College Sports

All four No. 1 seeds made it to the Women's Final Four in Phoenix, setting up UConn vs. South Carolina and UCLA vs. Texas — two marquee matchups between powerhouse programs. In men's hoops, Cameron Boozer (Duke), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), and others landed on the CBS Sports All-America team. The NCAA also announced stiff new penalties for "ghost transfers" — players who sign with schools outside the official transfer window — though coaches and lawyers are already skeptical the rules will be enforced.

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Other Sports

Golf fans, the Masters is almost here. This week's Texas Open in San Antonio is the final tuneup event before Augusta, so the world's best golfers are sharpening their games. In MMA, UFC women's bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison gave an update after neck surgery, saying she may return to training soon — and her long-anticipated fight with Amanda Nunes could be back on track.