Sports Digest.

Jamal Murray's Perfect Free Throw Night Sinks the Timberwolves in Game 1

Minnesota Teams

Timberwolves fall to Nuggets in Game 1 — Denver's Jamal Murray had one of those nights that drives opposing fans crazy: he stepped to the free throw line 16 times and made every single one of them, helping the Nuggets pull away from Minnesota. It wasn't just Murray — Nikola Jokic (the Nuggets' star big man and perennial MVP candidate) was also a factor. The Wolves will need to find a way to keep Denver out of the bonus if they want to steal Game 2.

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NFL

The 2026 NFL Draft is almost here — The draft is less than a week away, and things are getting interesting. The New York Giants just traded away their star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals and ended up with two picks in the top 10 as a result — meaning they've got a lot of options when draft night arrives. The Cleveland Browns are also stirring things up, with their general manager making noise about potentially taking a quarterback with an early pick.

Mike Vrabel situation goes away quietly — New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was briefly in the news after photos of him with sports reporter Dianna Russini were published by Page Six. The NFL looked into it and decided there's nothing to investigate — so that story appears to be over before it really started.

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NBA

Playoffs are underway — and it's been a strong opening weekend — The Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 113–102 in Game 1 of their first-round series, with guard Jalen Brunson putting up 28 points (22 of them in the first half alone). Over in the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers also won their opener against the Toronto Raptors. The Timberwolves-Nuggets series (see above) rounds out a busy start to the postseason.

Kevin Durant is out for Lakers-Rockets — Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant is sidelined as the Rockets host the Los Angeles Lakers in their first-round series. That's a big absence — Durant is one of the best scorers in NBA history — and it changes the math considerably for Houston.

The big storyline everyone's watching — Celtics star Jayson Tatum is apparently making some kind of comeback (from injury or a rough stretch, depending on the framing), and there are questions about whether the Knicks can finally get past the first round after years of playoff heartbreak. The 2026 playoffs are shaping up to be dramatic.

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MLB

Baseball is in its early April rhythm — The Mets and Cubs squared off Saturday in an interleague matchup worth watching, though final scores weren't available in our coverage. It's still very early in the 162-game season, so standings are fluid — but the games are being played and the hot dog prices are as offensive as ever.

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NHL

Stanley Cup Playoffs kick off Sunday — Four Game 1s are on tap for Sunday, making it a big day for hockey fans. One notable matchup: the Colorado Avalanche (a perennial contender built around superstar Nathan MacKinnon) take on the Los Angeles Kings in the first round. Bracket predictions are flying around, but it's anyone's Cup at this point.

Food report: teams going all-out on playoff concessions — Okay, this one's fun. Several NBA and NHL teams are unveiling wild new food options for playoff crowds. No word yet on whether the menu items are better than the home teams.

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College Sports

Braylon Mullins is staying at UConn — The guard who hit the dramatic three-pointer to beat Duke in the Elite Eight last season has decided to return for his sophomore year rather than enter the NBA Draft (where he was projected to go in the first round). Good news for UConn fans — and potentially great news for their title chances next season.

Spring football is wrapping up — Ohio State's freshmen made a strong impression in their spring game, while Texas A&M had a scary injury moment that had fans holding their breath. Georgia is integrating a lot of new players, and Michigan's defense is already looking like it could be the team's calling card in 2026.

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Other Sports

UFC Fight Night hits Winnipeg — Welterweights Gilbert Burns and Mike Malott headline a fight card Saturday night in Winnipeg, Canada, streaming on Paramount+. Burns is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist and former title contender; Malott is a Canadian crowd favorite fighting in his home country.

Chelsea vs. Manchester United in the Premier League — Two of England's most famous soccer clubs faced off Saturday in a Premier League match. Both teams have had inconsistent seasons, making this one of those games where neither side can really afford a loss.

Sources

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