Pro Sports News

‘It was dirty’: Knicks’ Donte DiVincenzo on flagrant foul by 76ers’ Joel Embiid

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 21:52

Safe to say there’s no love lost between the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks following Game 3 of their first-round series.

Philadelphia picked up a 125-114 win to cut the series deficit to 2-1 on the heels of a 50-point performance from Joel Embiid, but most of the post-game conversation was about a moment from the first quarter.

Midway through the frame Embiid ended up on the ground following a strong take by OG Anunoby and decided the best way to contest a dunk attempt by Mitchell Robinson was to grab his legs. After a review by the officiating crew, Embiid was assessed a flagrant foul type one.

Robinson seemed fine following the incident but would go on to tweak his ankle later in the second quarter and did not return for the second half. After the game, he was seen leaving the Wells Fargo Center in a walking boot.

His Knicks teammates were quick to chime in and share their thoughts on the moment.

“I’m all for tough fouls, tough playoff fouls,” Josh Hart said to reporters post-game. “But that’s something that can put a guy out for a significant amount of time.”

Donte DiVincenzo kept it brief, simply saying “it was dirty.”

Isaiah Hartenstein said Embiid’s foul “wasn’t a basketball play.”

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau offered more to reporters when asked about the incident.

“Which one?” Thibodeau asked. “The one they called, or the one they didn’t call? Just want to make sure we have clarity on that.” New York’s bench boss was eluding to a play minutes before the Embiid flagrant foul where he got tangled with Hartenstein and appeared to strike the Knicks’ centre in the groin.

Thibodeau mentioned he would send clips to the league about things he wanted to bring to the NBA’s attention but wouldn’t hold his breath on anything changing.

“I’ll send my clips in like I do every game, and then they’ll say ‘marginal contact.’ And then we’ll have marginal contact on Embiid, and he’ll be at the line 21 times,” Thibodeau said. “(Officials) have a pool reporter, don’t they? That might be a good question for ’em.”

Crew chief Zach Zarba did answer the question post-game and kept his comments consistent with the decision to assess Embiid with a flagrant one.

“In this instance, the crew was unanimous along with the replay centre official in Secaucus that this foul was unnecessary but did not rise to the level of a flagrant 2,” said Zarba to a pool reporter. “The unnecessary contact rose to the level of a flagrant 1 but we were unanimous that this did not rise to the level of excessive contact, unnecessary and excessive, which would have been a flagrant 2 ejection.”

On the other side, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse had very little to say as he “didn’t see it.”

Game 4 between the two squads will tip off in Philadelphia on Sunday.

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How Maple Leafs would benefit from Nylander’s return

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 21:15

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Report: 76ers’ Joel Embiid treated for Bell’s palsy during playoff run

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 21:09

After days of speculation around the health of Joel Embiid, some clarity was provided following the Philadelphia 76ers Game 3 win over the New York Knicks on Thursday.

Minutes after the game, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the reigning MVP has been treated for a mild case of Bell’s palsy for the past week. The condition is an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis that usually resolves on its own and causes no complications.

During Game 2 of the Knicks and 76ers first-round series, video of Embiid at the free throw line caught the attention of basketball fans as he could be seen blinking but his left eye was not moving.

After Game 2, Embiid spoke to reporters but would not lift his head and continued to cover his face with a hand as he answered questions.

According to Wojnarowski, the condition began for Embiid during the 76ers’ Play-In win over the Miami Heat but he wanted to keep it private to avoid distractions.

Embiid complained of migraines but “thought it was nothing” before he finally notified doctors he wasn’t feeling well.

“My body was just, I was just not feeling it,” Embiid said. “Yes, it’s pretty annoying. My left side of my face, my mouth and my eye. It’s been tough, but I’m not a quitter. I’m going to keep fighting through anything. It’s unfortunate, that’s the way I look at it. But it’s not an excuse. I’ve got to keep pushing.”

The condition hasn’t appeared to limit Embiid as he dropped a playoff career-high 50 points as Philadelphia beat New York and cut the series deficit to 2-1.

Embiid had been wearing sunglasses throughout the series and conducted a Game 2 postgame interview with his head down in front of his locker to hide his symptoms. The reigning MVP said he has no timetable on how long it could take to recover from Bell’s palsy.

“It hasn’t really necessarily gotten better,” he said. “With the conversations that I’ve had, it could be weeks, it could be months. I just hope that it stays like this. I’ve got a beautiful face. I don’t like when my mouth is looking the other way. Unfortunate situation but everything happens for a reason.”

Game 4 will tip off on Sunday from Philadelphia.

— with files from the Associated Press

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Reflecting on Bob Cole’s illustrious broadcasting career

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 21:05

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Report: Kirk Cousins ‘disappointed’ by Falcons’ Penix Jr. selection

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:59

The biggest surprise of the night came as a shock to players and fans alike.

When the Atlanta Falcons made the stunning choice to select QB Michael Penix Jr. eighth-overall, incumbent QB Kirk Cousins was reportedly “shocked” and “disappointed” by the pick, according to NFL Network’s Jane Slater.

The Falcons are only weeks removed from giving Cousins a big-time four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed. That deal also comes with a no-trade clause.

When the veteran QB was asked about Atlanta’s choice to spend a valuable high pick on his potential replacement, he wasn’t exactly thrilled about having someone looking over his shoulder for the foreseeable future.

“It’s a business,” he said, according to NFL Network’s Slater.

According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the team called him to inform him that they would be selecting Penix there. He apparently knew that the team had planned to select a QB at the draft, but didn’t think it would happen in the first round.

Cousins’ agent Mike McCartney confirmed to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo that the call from the Falcons came as a big shock to the veteran quarterback and his camp.

“Yes, it was a big surprise,” McCartney told Garafolo. “We had no idea this was coming. The truth is the whole league had no idea this was coming. We got no heads up. Kirk got a call from the Falcons when they were on the clock. That was the first we herd. It never came up in conversation.

The Penix Jr. selection did indeed come out of nowhere. With three quarterbacks flying off the board in the first three picks, fans were left wondering when, who and to what team the next signal-caller would go.

Michael Penix Jr., from Washington, heading to the Falcons at eighth overall was certainly not the consensus choice.

“I’m not gonna say I knew it was coming,” Penix Jr. said to ESPN’s Marc Raimondi. “But I knew once the phone call came through.”

Following the first round, GM Terry Fontenot and coach Raheem Morris were asked about the selection and said that they don’t expect to be picking that high again in the near future, so getting their guy now made sense.

“You don’t pass up that opportunity,” Fontenot explained, according to Fox 5 Atlanta’s Tori McElhaney. “Kirk Cousins is our quarterback. … With Michael Penix, we’re thinking about the future.”

It’s not to say he’s not talented. The 23-year-old QB had a stellar senior season for the Huskies, throwing for 1903 yards with 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. But the context in which he’s being selected is certainly a shock.

He helped lead Washington to a 14-1 record, eventually losing to Michigan in the National Championship. He threw for 255 yards with one touchdown and two picks in the Final.

According to NFL Network’s James Palmer, the Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders were all looking to trade into the top 10 to select Penix Jr., perhaps justifying the Falcons’ decision to hold steady.

Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Cousins tore his Achilles midway through the 2023 season, forcing him out for the Vikings’ last nine games.

Over his six seasons in Minnesota, Cousins threw for 23,265 yards with 171 touchdowns and 55 interceptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl three times, with his last selection coming in the 2022 season.

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‘A superstar in this sport’: Cooper pays tribute to Bob Cole

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:55

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NHL Game 3 Highlights: Hurricanes 3, Islanders 2

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:40

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Joel Embiid scores 50 points to lead 76ers past Knicks, cut deficit to 2-1

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:35

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid is suffering from Bell’s palsy and played Game 3 with a bulky knee brace to sturdy the 7-footer after dealing with injuries all season.

The lingering effects of the time off from his most recent knee surgery sucked him into a depression — and that was before Embiid was hit with a form of facial paralysis. Embiid pushed aside the pain — mental and physical — and embraced the pressure after he vowed the 76ers were “going to win this series” against the New York Knicks.

Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-saving third quarter on Thursday night to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 125-114 win in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

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After getting punished in New York, the Sixers pushed back.

“They want to bring the physicality,” Embiid said. “We can be physical, too.”

Embiid boldly stated “We’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.

They at least have a shot now — the Knicks lead the series 2-1 and Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.

Embiid, who scored a franchise-best 70 points against San Antonio in January, became the first player in NBA history to score 50 points on fewer than 20 shots in a playoff game.

Last season’s NBA MVP, Embiid finally turned the crowd — which had a distinct New York flavour in South Philly — into one rocking for the home team. The All-Star center played more like a sharpshooting guard in the third when he saved the season.

The Sixers pecked away at a three-point halftime deficit when Embiid got hot. He hit one 3 and then two more —- the last two with assists from Tyrese Maxey — that gave the Sixers an 82-72 lead. His fourth 3 pushed the lead to 98-85.

Not bad for a career 34 per cent 3-point shooter.

Maxey added two 3s in the quarter and the 76ers went a whopping 9 of 12 from beyond the arc for 43 points.

Embiid mostly kept his cool and was in the mix on both ends of the court all game. Embiid had 17 points, three fouls and he even grabbed Mitchell Robinson and dragged him to the court in a first half where they again weren’t good enough to look like a team that could beat the Knicks.

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Embiid was whistled for a flagrant foul on the play. Robinson suffered a sprained left ankle and left the arena in a boot.

“I didn’t mean to hurt anybody,” Embiid said. “In those situations, I’ve got to protect myself.”

Embiid said he first started suffering from the affliction about a “day or two” before the Sixers played the Miami Heat on April 17 in the play-in tournament.

“My left side of my face, my mouth and my eye,” Embiid said. “It’s been tough. But I’m not a quitter. I’m going to keep fighting through anything.”

The Knicks won the first two games in New York, highlighted by Donte DiVincenzo’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 13 seconds left in Game 2. Against the backdrop of two Villanova national championship banners they helped the program win, the trio of former Wildcats were largely stifled in Game 3.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 39 points and 13 assists. Josh Hart — whose spectacular 3-point shooting in New York was an unexpected bonus for the Knicks — scored 20 points but DiVincenzo had five.

Hart said he was “all for tough playoff fouls” but Embiid’s foul could have put Robinson out for a “serious amount of time.”

The Knicks must have felt at home inside a Sixers’ arena that sounded more like Madison Square Garden as chants of “Let’s Go Knicks!’ echoed throughout the arena for a chunk of the game. John Starks wildly cheered them on from his courtside.

The Sixers countered with Allen Iverson, who along with Embiid and Billy Cunningham are the only players in franchise history to hit 50 points in a playoff game.

But nostalgia didn’t matter much between teams that played each other in a postseason series for the first time since 1989.

This one could be shaping up as one to remember.

Embiid was serenaded with “MVP! MVP!” chants as he stretched the lead from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.

“Joel Embiid has been banned from the Empire State Building,” was posted on the skyscraper’s social media account.

Maxey finished with 25 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 15 points and showed no lingering effects following his reported involvement in a car crash after Game 2. Cam Payne hit three 3s and scored 11 points.

“I think Cam Payne was the MVP of the game,” 76ers guard Kyle Lowry said.

Outside of a disputed call on Embiid’s flagrant, Game 3 was played without any significant disputes with the officiating after the NBA said the referees missed several late calls in Game 2.

Embiid’s 21 free-throw attempts were more than New York attempted the entire game; the Knicks made 13 of 19.

“I’ll send my clips in like I do every game,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “They’ll say marginal contact. Then they’ll say marginal contact on Embiid and he’ll be at the line 21 times. That’s just the way it works.”

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Categories: Canada Sports News, Ontario Sports News, Pro Sports News

Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov help Hurricanes hold on to beat Islanders, grab 3-0 series lead

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:34

NEW YORK — Defencemen Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov got Carolina off to a fast start and the Hurricanes held on to beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Thursday night for a 3-0 lead in the first-round series.

Sebastian Aho also scored for the Hurricanes and Andrei Svechnikov had two assists. Frederik Andersen stopped 29 shots. Carolina won for the eighth time in nine games at UBS Arena, which opened for the 2021-22 season.

Brock Nelson and Pierre Engvall scored for the Islanders. They are a loss away from being eliminated by Carolina in the first round for the second straight year.

Ilya Sorokin, getting the start after Semyon Varlamov went in the first two games, was pulled in the second period after giving up three goals on 14 shots. Varlamov came on and stopped all eight shots he faced.

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Game 4 is Saturday in New York.

With the Hurricanes leading 3-2, Andersen made a nice save falling backward on a shot by Alexander Romanov about 6 1/2 minutes in the third period. The puck lay in the paint briefly before the goalie covered it up.

Andersen made another stellar save while sitting on the ice, reaching up to grab a shot by Romanov with 5:48 left.

The Islanders pulled Varlamov for an extra skater with 1:55 to go, but could not get the equalizer.

Trailing 2-0 after one period, the Islanders got on the scoreboard early in the second when Engvall took a pass in front from Anders Lee and fired a shot between Andersen’s legs.

Aho restored the two-goal lead at 7:14 as he got a pass from Svechnikov and fired a shot from the high slot past Sorokin for his second goal of the series. That ended Sorokin’s night.

Nelson brought the Islanders back within one late in the middle period. Ryan Pulock’s shot was deflected off teammate Kyle Palmieri in front and Nelson came in and quickly put it past Andersen on the right side with 2:21 to go.

The Islanders had a 15-9 advantage on shots in the first period, but trailed 2-0 after 20 minutes. New York’s shot total in the period exceeded their total in all of Game 2 when they managed only 12.

Burns got the Hurricanes on the scoreboard first as he fired a shot from the top of the right circle that deflected off the stick of Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly and past Sorokin at 4:46.

Andersen made a stellar glove save reaching to his left on Noah Dobson’s attempt from the right side at 9:23 on the rebound of a shot by Mathew Barzal to preserve the lead.

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Orlov then beat Sorokin on the stick side from the left circle just over a minute later to increase Carolina’s lead to 2-0. It was the second straight goal by a defenseman after forwards had scored all the goals in the first two games.

The Hurricanes were without defenseman Brett Pesce because of a lower-body injury suffered on a noncontact sequence during the second period of Game 2 on Monday night. Tony DeAngelo started in his place in a pairing with Brady Skjei.

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Andersen makes unbelievable glove save after falling down

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:13

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Vikings take QB J.J. McCarthy from Michigan after trading up in swap with Jets

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:11

EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings traded up twice in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night, jumping one spot to No. 10 for Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy to ensure they didn’t miss out on their most dire need and making a six-spot leap to No. 17 for Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner.

“I always talk about minimizing regret,” Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. “Obviously I’m a spreadsheet-calculator guy myself, but sometimes you’ve got to step out from there, take your Clark Kent glasses off and just have a championship mindset and swing for a great player.”

The departure of veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency to Atlanta left a void — and an opportunity that Vikings leadership has been strategizing about for two-plus years.

McCarthy went 27-1 as a starter on a defense-driven and run-first team that raised questions about the 6-foot-2, 219-pound passer’s potential. He completed an FBS-best 68% of his attempts under pressure last season and set the program record with a 72.3% completion percentage overall.

Adofo-Mensah acknowledged that more projection was required with McCarthy than the others in this class. In a recent video conference call with Adofo-Mensah, McCarthy asked him if there were any reasons the Vikings wouldn’t draft him. Adofo-Mensah had nothing.

After Caleb Williams (Southern California) went to the Chicago Bears, Jayden Daniels (LSU) went to the Washington Commanders and Drake Maye (North Carolina) followed to the New England Patriots with the first three selections, the Falcons pulled the first surprise by picking Michael Penix Jr. (Washington) with the eighth overall pick to develop behind Cousins.

That put the Vikings in danger of having a quarterback-seeking team like the Denver Broncos or Las Vegas Raiders leapfrogging them, so they made the swap with the New York Jets to ensure they’d get McCarthy. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said he felt “a range of emotions” as the evening unfolded until a quarterback was theirs.

“We knew we weren’t the only ones that had identified him as a quarterback we wanted to select,” O’Connell said. “You start thinking about the what-if.”

The Vikings sent fourth- and fifth-round selections (No. 129 and 157) to the Jets for a sixth-rounder (No. 203) to complete the deal.

“That’s where he wanted to go. That’s where he had his heart set. I’m just so happy for him,” said Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, who led McCarthy and the Wolverines to the national championship last season. “I love him like a son. I was praying and pulling for it to work out the way he wanted it to work out, and the stars aligned. Minnesota got themselves a great player.”

The Vikings had been aiming for this day since Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell came on board two years ago, with a deep rookie class at the position and the team at a crossroads following an NFC North title with a 13-4 record in their 2022 debut and a 7-10 finish in 2023.

The highest the Vikings had drafted a quarterback prior to this year was Daunte Culpepper at No. 11 in 1999. They’ve used a first-round pick on a quarterback only four other times in the franchise’s 63-year history, with Teddy Bridgewater (No. 32) in 2014, Christian Ponder (No. 12) in 2011 and Tommy Kramer (No. 27) in 1977 the others.

With O’Connell, a former NFL quarterback who directed two of the best seasons that Cousins has had in 12 years in the league, calling the plays on the sideline and superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson headlining a talented offence around him, the Vikings have a favourable environment for the 21-year-old McCarthy. They signed Sam Darnold, the 2018 third-overall pick by the New York Jets, to bridge the gap and reduce the pressure on the rookie to develop quickly.

McCarthy was widely seen as the most pro-ready of all the prospects, thanks to his combination of leadership, intelligence and toughness. Still, there’s no guarantee the Vikings got the right guy, given the track record across the NFL of success by first-round quarterbacks is essentially a coin-flip proposition.

The Vikings added the 23rd pick in a recent trade with the Houston Texans for their second-round picks this year and next year. They don’t own any second-day selections, minimizing their opportunity to add starting-calibre players and increasing the pressure to hit a home run in the first round. With offence accounting for the first 14 picks, the Vikings were in position to add a premier player on defence.

Once defenders started to fall off the board, the Vikings struck a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars by sending their fifth-rounder (No. 167) and third- and fourth-round picks in 2025 to move up from No. 23. Turner was a first-team Associated Press All-American with the Crimson Tide who tied for eighth in the FBS with 10 sacks last season.

After letting Danielle Hunter, D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport depart in free agency, the Vikings signed Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel before adding Turner in a quick rebound to restock that vital position group.

Turner was the second edge rusher taken, two spots behind Laiatu Latu (UCLA). The Jaguars indicated they had an offer from another team to move to No. 17, forcing the Vikings to increase their offer. But Minnesota’s pre-draft evaluations had the 6-foot-4, 242-pound Turner among a handful of defensive players it viewed as outliers.

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Sergei Bobrovsky makes 26 saves, Panthers beat Lightning to take 3-0 series lead

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:09

TAMPA, Fla. — Sergei Bobrovsky made 26 saves, Matthew Tkachuk scored twice and the Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 on Thursday night to take a 3-0 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Brandon Montour, Sam Reinhart and Steven Lorentz also scored for the Panthers, who will seek a sweep Saturday night in Tampa.

Tkachuk had a first-period goal and added an empty-netter with 32 seconds left.

Steven Stamkos, Tyler Motte and Nicholas Paul scored for Tampa Bay, with Paul cutting it to 4-3 with 5:10 left. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 26 shots.

Montour gave Florida a 3-2 lead on a blue-line shot with 3:30 left in the second, with Lorentz making it a two-goal game from the slot at 9:41 of the third.

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After withstanding several minutes of sustained pressure at the defensive end, Florida tied it at 2 on Reinhart’s goal at 9:58 of the second.

Stamkos scored 44 seconds into the second before Motte put Tampa Bay up 2-1 just 2:12 later. The 34-year-old Stamkos is the ninth player 34 or older to score in each of his team’s first three playoff games, and the first since San Jose’s Patrick Marleau in 2014.

Thirty-two seconds after the Panthers killed off Tampa Bay’s second power play, Tkachuk opened the scoring midway through the first.

Tkachuk became the 12th US-born player to have 20 postseason goals in 50 games or fewer. The list also includes his father, Keith Tkachuk.

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Tampa Bay appeared to tie it with 18 seconds left in the first, but Anthony Cirelli’s goal on the Lightning’s third power play was disallowed following a video review found the play was offside.

The Lightning, with the NHL’s top regular-season power play, went 0 for 4. Florida did not have a power play.

With Florida forwards Sam Bennett (shot off hand) and Ryan Lomberg (illness) out, right wing Kyle Okposo was inserted into the lineup and had an assist in his first playoff game since 2016.

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NHL Game 3 Highlights; Panthers 5, Lightning 3

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:08

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Broncos select former Oregon QB Bo Nix with the 12th pick in the NFL draft

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 20:08

The Denver Broncos drafted former Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the 12th pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night, bypassing a bevy of blue-chip defenders to grab a signal-caller they believe could be their first one since Peyton Manning to establish a foothold at the position.

The Broncos have had 13 starting QBs since Manning retired a Super Bowl champion after the 2015 season, and Denver hasn’t been back to the playoffs since.

There was plenty of speculation the Broncos would have to move up to get in on the quarterback run, but they’ve already unloaded three first-round draft picks since 2022, including two in the Russell Wilson trade that didn’t work out.

Ultimately, they didn’t have to part with any picks to get the quarterback they wanted. Nix was the sixth QB selected, behind Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy.

The Broncos traded for quarterback Zach Wilson on Monday. The 2021 second overall pick had three disappointing seasons in New York. Also on the roster is QB Jarrett Stidham, who went 1-1 last season after Sean Payton benched Russell Wilson.

Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers but remains the highest-paid player on Denver’s roster because the Broncos will pay $37.79 million of his $39 million salary in 2024.

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Magic hand Cavaliers worst playoff loss in franchise history, close within 2-1

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 19:39

ORLANDO, Fla. — After never even having a lead in Cleveland, the Orlando Magic came back with the biggest postseason victory ever over the Cavaliers.

Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Magic rolled to a 121-83 rout on Thursday night, cutting the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2020 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.

They can even the series with a victory at home Saturday afternoon.

“Nobody’s partying,” said Banchero, who had no turnovers in 29 minutes after committing 15 in the first two games. “We know we have to do the same thing on Saturday. Obviously we’re proud of the win tonight. It is big for this group to get your first playoff win but we want the whole series.”

Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.

The Cavs’ previous worst playoff loss was a 36-point defeat against Washington on April 24, 2008.

“We knew they were going to come out with a punch but we’ve got to find a way to score and it starts with me,” said Mitchell, who had his left knee packed in ice after falling into Banchero early in the game. “You don’t get two wins for winning by more than 20, so you’ve got to keep it in that perspective.

“At the end of he day we could have lost by 20 or 40, it doesn’t matter. It’s one win.”

Orlando finally took its first lead of the series in the first quarter and blew the game open in the third. Mitchell, Allen, and Cleveland starters Evan Mobley and Max Strus were taken out of the game with 3:16 left in the period and the Cavaliers down 92-58.

“I feel like it was reverse roles,” Allen said. “When we were at home we came out with a lot of energy, a lot of physicality, and they did the same thing to us and we just didn’t respond right away.”

After missing 10 of their first 11 shots and falling behind by seven, the Magic made 34 of their next 52 field-goal attempts and finished the game at 51.1% (47 for 92).

A 3-pointer by Banchero with 5:27 left in the first quarter gave them their first lead of the series and they closed the period on a 13-0 run. Cole Anthony’s 3-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer, his first basket of the series, made it 31-21.

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Banchero scored twice and Suggs and Jonathan Isaac hit 3-pointers in a 10-0 run late in the first half that left Orlando with a 55-34 lead.

Banchero and Suggs took over the third quarter, combining for 21 of Orlando’s first 27 points.

Their only playoff victories larger than this one were by 47 over Boston in 1995, and by 43 against Atlanta in 2010.

The Magic made one lineup change after losing the first two games by 14 and 10 points and shooting just 34.3%. Wendell Carter Jr. returned to the starting lineup at center after being replaced by Isaac in Games 1 and 2 and the regular-season finale.

“A lot of his stuff doesn’t show up in the stat sheet but I thought he did a great job of keeping Jarrett off the glass a little bit,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said of Carter, who had two points and five rebounds.

Considering the results of all thee games, Carter is likely to start again in Game 4.

“It’s a lesson learned about the importance of the start of the game, and setting the tone,” said Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “They came out and set the tone, we tried to respond and we struggled in doing so.”

Ashley Moyer-Gleich was part of the officiating crew for the game, her first NBA playoff assignment. Moyer-Gleich became the second woman to be part of a referee crew in the playoffs, joining Violet Palmer, who last worked a playoff game in 2012.

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Canucks’ Elias Pettersson ‘can only look forward’ after tough playoff start

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 19:26

NASHVILLE — Before his 20th birthday, Elias Pettersson had won a world championship with Sweden and was the Swedish Hockey League playoff MVP after driving the Vaxjo Lakers to the 2018 title.

A fifth-overall draft pick of the Vancouver Canucks, Pettersson won the 2019 Calder Trophy as the National Hockey League’s top rookie, and in 2020, at age 21, performed admirably in the antiseptic playoff bubble in Edmonton where he amassed 18 points in 17 games without fans.

In March, the brilliant start to Pettersson’s NHL career was rewarded with an eight-year, $92.8-million-US contract extension with the Canucks that will make the centre one of the highest-paid hockey players in the world.

And none of this adequately prepared him for the soaring emotions and searing intensity of full-throttle Stanley Cup Playoffs as Vancouver split a pair of games this week at Rogers Arena against the Nashville Predators.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Round 1: Canucks vs. Predators

Keep up with the latest news and analysis as the Vancouver Canucks take on the Nashville Predators in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Full coverage

Now 25 years old and already with 407 regular-season games in the NHL, it was easy to mistake Pettersson for a finished product or at least an experienced veteran. And then the first Stanley Cup tournament games in Vancouver since 2015 came along, and Pettersson was quiet in the Canucks’ 4-2 victory on Sunday and awful in the Predators’ 4-1 win Tuesday.

Game 3 is here Friday.

“I’ve been wanting to do too much instead of just staying (with) and playing my game,” Pettersson told Sportsnet in a candid one-on-one interview after Thursday’s practice in Nashville. “Of course, play hard and use the adrenaline, but I’ve definitely been trying to do too much instead of playing my game and letting the game come to you.

“I thought I was going to score my first or second shift the first game, and it was like, ‘Oh my god, I almost scored.’ (Nashville goalie Juuse) Saros made a good save with his toe. I just want it so bad. I’m probably being too honest. But, I mean, I’m not going to shy away from anything. I haven’t been that good these first two games, but. . . I can only look forward.”

The Canucks have been outshot 12-4 and outscored 3-0 with Pettersson on the ice at five-on-five. His expected-goals-for of 32.5 per cent puts him ahead of only linemate Ilya Mikheyev, and about 40 points below the possession-quality metric of other top Vancouver forwards Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller, Elias Lindholm and Conor Garland.

Pettersson said these first two games were unlike anything he has experienced.

“Yeah, it is,” he said. “It’s probably my first real playoff with all this atmosphere. I’ve just been so fired up. But maybe I’ve come away a little bit from what makes me good. I mean, adrenaline is good. . . but with adrenaline maybe I try to play too hard or make things too hard instead of just playing the game and letting the game come to you.”

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Widely regarded as one of the NHL’s smartest players as well as one of its best, Pettersson conceded he may be thinking too much.

Asked Thursday if his miss of a semi-open net from 25 feet that would have tied Game 2 1-1 was evidence of his over-thinking, Pettersson instead cited his second-period turnover that led to Colton Sissons’ goal that made it 3-0 for Nashville.

With the puck at the far left of his blue line, instead of simply advancing it up the wing, Pettersson tried to feather a cross-ice pass that was intercepted by Jason Zucker. In transition, Pettersson compounded his turnover by allowing Sissons to reach through him to score from Anthony Beauvillier’s rebound.

Pettersson fell to his knees after missing the open net with three seconds remaining in the first period. His mistake eight minutes into the second period brought the Canucks to their knees.

“I mean, of course, I want to score that one,” Pettersson explained. “But mostly what stayed on my mind was my turnover on their third goal. Like, right away when I did it, I’m thinking ‘What am I doing?’”

“Obviously, he didn’t have a good game,” coach Rick Tocchet said Thursday. “I think this is adversity. Like I said the other day: ‘Get up, get your chest up and face it,’ which he did. I love the fact that he faced the media after the game; I thought it was really smart that he did that and he didn’t hide. Even today, he had a really good practice. He was smiling. That’s what I need from Petey. He should try to embrace all this and have fun with it.

“He knows he has to play better. And the one thing with him, especially after last game. . . his ears are open. He’s listening to us now. I’m not saying he wasn’t (listening) before. But, you know, he has our attention.”

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Intelligent and introspective, well aware of his talents and any deficiencies in his game, Pettersson hasn’t needed all that much help in the NHL until now.

“It’s hard,” Miller said. “You have to go through this and learn. It’s part of the evolution (for players). When Petey’s on his game, he’s a top player in the league. Everybody knows that. Speaking just as a guy who has been there on a smaller scale — he has a lot more talent — I just think that you need to learn what it takes. You’ve got to focus on little victories because it’s hard to accomplish being the best every game because (opponents are) all on top of their game. This is unreal experience for him and a ton of other players on our team.”

Pettersson was one of nine Canucks who had never skated in a genuine Stanley Cup playoff game until Sunday.

Pettersson practised again Thursday with Mikheyev and Nils Hoglander. Neither winger has done much to help Pettersson but, really, the onus for driving play rests with the centre whose cap hit next season will be $11.6 million.

“Sure, I’ve heard about it,” Pettersson said. “But at the end of the day, (the size of the contract) doesn’t matter how I should play. Maybe the emotion has gotten to me a little bit. But I like to think, especially after the last game, I just realize what’s important to think about.

“Nothing good comes with dwelling and living in the past and doubting your abilities. Obviously, I want that last game back, but what can I do?”

All he can do to be better in Game 3.

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Falcons surprise by selecting QB Michael Penix Jr. eighth overall

SportsNets - Thu, 04/25/2024 - 19:26

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — The Atlanta Falcons provided the first major surprise of the NFL draft by selecting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. of Washington with the No. 8 overall pick on Thursday night.

The Falcons extended their recent trend of selecting offensive skill players in the first round by drafting Penix one month after signing Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed. Using a draft slot normally targeted for players expected to make an immediate impact, the Falcons chose Penix as the long-term successor to the 35-year-old Cousins.

Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot said he never wavered when Penix was available.

“Kirk Cousins is our quarterback,” Fontenot said. “Michael Penix, we’re talking about the future. We’re very excited about that quarterback room.”

New coach Raheem Morris said the Falcons wanted to draft Penix this year because they don’t plan to draft as high as No. 8 again soon. It was a strong prediction for a franchise that hasn’t had a winning season or made the playoffs since 2017.

“We’re talking about winning the (NFC) South and doing some things and going to the playoffs,” Morris. said. “We don’t want to be picking that high anymore. We don’t want to be in that position. … That helped us make that decision.”

Morris said he would be thrilled if Penix is nothing more than an observer the next four years if that means Cousins is thriving as the starter.

“Nothing would make me feel better than watching Kirk Cousins play for four years,” Morris said.

Penix said he looks forward to learning from Cousins.

“I’m blessed with the opportunity,” Penix said. “I’m going to take advantage and make the most out of it. For me coming in behind Kirk Cousins, he’s a guy who has been in the league and … played a lot of football. I’m going to come in and I’m gong to learn, I’m going to learn from him and try to soak in all the knowledge I can.”

The Falcons had been expected to use the pick to boost their pass rush.

The Falcons also focused on offensive playmakers with their last three first-round picks. Tight end Kyle Pitts was the No. 4 overall pick in 2021, followed by wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson, each No. 8, the last two years.

Penix, who will be 24 as a rookie, led FBS schools with 4,903 passing yards and was third with 36 touchdown passes. He won the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top player.

Penix threw for 255 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions as No. 2 Washington fell to top-ranked Michigan 34-13 in the College Football Playoff championship game.

Penix began his college career at Indiana, where he tore his right ACL in 2018 and 2020 and had shoulder injuries in both 2019 and 2021.

Penix said he had a good feeling after working out for Falcons officials, including Fontenot, at Washington.

“They were great,” Penix. said. “They liked how I threw the ball. I feel like I put on a great performance that day in that throwing session. It was kind of quick but we made it worthwhile.”

Still, Penix said he didn’t know if the Falcons’ interest was serious until the call came during the draft. He said he spoke with Fontenot, Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson.

“To be able to hear that phone call come through It was just a blessing,” Penix said. “They asked me was I ready to be a Falcon. I said absolutely.”

Fontenot said this week he would consider selecting a quarterback high in the draft even when most of the outside focus had been on edge rushers.

“If we see a player that we believe can be a franchise quarterback at any point, whether it’s this draft, next draft, whether it’s a player we can trade for, whatever it is, you have to bring that player in because we’re talking about the next four to five years plus when we’re talking about guys that we’re drafting,” Fontenot said.

The Falcons’ draft won’t by impacted by the NFL’s investigation of the team’s possible violation of tampering policies before signing Cousins, who appeared to indicate he had been in communication with team officials at a time the team would have been permitted to talk only with his agent.

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Islanders lift Sorokin for Varlamov after Aho’s snipe

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Bears select Caleb Williams first overall in 2024 NFL Draft

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