Sports Digest.

NBA Play-In Drama, NHL Playoffs Set, and the NFL Draft is One Week Away

No scores or game results for Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild, Twins, Lynx, United, or Gophers came through in today's coverage. The **Timberwolves** are likely watching the NBA Play-In Tournament closely, as those result...

Minnesota Teams

No scores or game results for Vikings, Timberwolves, Wild, Twins, Lynx, United, or Gophers came through in today's coverage. The Timberwolves are likely watching the NBA Play-In Tournament closely, as those results will shape their first-round playoff matchup. Stay tuned — the playoff bracket is coming into focus fast.

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NFL

The 2026 NFL Draft is one week away (April 24), and the buzz is building. CBS Sports dropped a "mock draft every fan base will hate" along with 10 bold predictions — the kind of chaos-leaning forecasts that make draft season fun even if you don't follow recruiting. One name to know: Arch Manning, the Texas quarterback and nephew of Peyton and Eli, is reportedly "100% healthy" after offseason surgery and generating serious Heisman hype heading into the 2026 college season.

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NBA

The NBA Play-In Tournament is underway — think of it as a mini-tournament where teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference fight for the last two playoff spots. The big story: Stephen Curry (age 38) and veteran big man Al Horford came up huge to rescue the Golden State Warriors, keeping their season alive. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder got a boost when the Los Angeles Clippers were eliminated — Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers' season is over.

On the awards front, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs is making a strong case for MVP and Defensive Player of the Year — a rare double that almost never happens. Luka Dončić and Cade Cunningham both had their awards eligibility restored after appeals, keeping the MVP race interesting.

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MLB

The season is in its early weeks and the matchup everyone was watching Wednesday was Shohei Ohtani pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the New York Mets — Ohtani is the rare player who both hits and pitches at an elite level, so whenever he takes the mound it's appointment viewing. The Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies was another featured game. No final scores were available in today's coverage, but the early season schedule is heating up.

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NHL

The 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs are here, and the bracket is set. A fun storyline: Canadian teams (Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, and Ottawa Senators) are all in the hunt to end a 32-year drought — no Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since 1993. Also worth noting: several Team USA Olympic gold medalists — including Quinn Hughes (Vancouver) and Jack Eichel (Vegas) — are now chasing the Cup after winning gold at the Winter Olympics earlier this year.

In the East, the Buffalo Sabres will face the Boston Bruins in the first round, a classic rivalry matchup.

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College Sports

Oklahoma gymnast Faith Torrez pulled off a stunning upset Thursday night, winning the NCAA all-around gymnastics title in her very first all-around competition of the season — she beat Olympic and world champions to do it. In team competition, UCLA's Jordan Chiles (you may know her from the Paris Olympics) is competing in her final NCAA championships, hoping to lead the Bruins to their first team title since 2018.

On the football calendar front, the NCAA is considering starting the college football season one week earlier starting in 2027, which would clean up some scheduling quirks that have existed for years.

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Other Sports

Soccer: Barcelona filed a formal complaint with UEFA after being eliminated from the Champions League by Atlético Madrid (losing 4-3 on aggregate). They're claiming the officiating was unfair — they also had a player ejected in both legs of the series. Separately, Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike suffered a suspected Achilles rupture and is expected to miss the 2026 World Cup with France — a huge blow for a young player on the rise.

Horse Racing: The Kentucky Derby is on the horizon, and top contenders include horses named Renegade, Commandment, and The Puma. If you want a reason to watch, the Derby is always one of the most dramatic two minutes in sports.

MMA: UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili revealed he fought at UFC 323 against Petr Yan while injured — doctors had suggested he withdraw, but he refused. He's built a reputation as someone who competes through anything.

Sources

Rss Cbssports · 2026-04-17
Guardians' Parker Messick takes no-hitter into ninth, falls short of Cleveland's first no-no since 1981
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Fantasy Football Today: AFC West wants and don't wants for the 2026 NFL Draft
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Sources: Collier back to Lynx on supermax deal
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McDavid seals 6th scoring title with 4-assist finale
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Messick loses no-hit bid in 9th; Guardians hold on
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Trout's latest blast caps 5-homer series in Bronx
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Devils turn to Panthers executive Mehta as GM
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WR Knox found negligent in crash, to pay $2.8M
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2026 NBA Play-In Tournament predictions, odds, picks for April 17: This parlay returns over +500
Rss Cbssports · 2026-04-17
Hornets vs. Magic odds, prediction, time: 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament picks, April 17 bets by proven model
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Forget the 40: The true measure of Carnell Tate
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10 NFL scouts predict the first 10 draft picks: Intriguing landing spots for top prospects
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Latest draft buzz: Downs' range, Day 2 steals, DT class, more
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Weekend predictions: Can Arsenal hold off Man City? Will Atlético win Copa del Rey?
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Ranked: Who are the top 50 players in the Premier League right now?
Rss Espn · 2026-04-17
Transfer rumors, news: Liverpool, Bayern eye Tottenham's Archie Gray
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Updated 2026 MLB draft rankings: Top 85 prospects and a 13-pick mock draft
Rss Espn · 2026-04-17
19 going on 35: How Konnor Griffin's maturity is making an impression on Pirates
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MLB Power Rankings: NL teams dominate top 10 with two debuts
Rss Espn · 2026-04-17
OU's Torrez stuns by taking NCAA all-around title
Rss Espn · 2026-04-17
USMNT needs ambitious post-World Cup succession plan
Rss Espn · 2026-04-17
Spring football games: Previewing Virginia Tech, Michigan, Miami and others
Rss Espn · 2026-04-17
2027 recruiting class rankings: Oklahoma among top 10 schools off to strong start
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10 NFL draft prospects to put on your fantasy radar -- and three others to monitor
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Out with the old, in with the new: Ravens unveil new uniforms
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Biggest haters funeral: Chris Paul pokes fun at Clippers after play-in tournament loss
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Sources: NWSL expected to vote on calendar shift
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Stanley Cup playoffs mega-preview: Stanley Cup cases, X factors, bold predictions for all 16 teams
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WrestleMania 42 roundtable: Most anticipated matches, bold predictions
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NBA awards 2026: Bontemps' ballot for MVP, top rookie, every honor
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Slams, blocks and game winners: Top 10 plays from Wemby's record-setting season