NFL DRAFT
The 2023 NFL draft began last night with the Panthers making Alabama's Bryce Young the top overall pick and the Texans chose Ohio State's CJ Stroud next. The Panthers chose the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner over Ohio State’s Stroud, Florida’s Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis who fell to Day 2.
Elsewhere in the draft, the New York Giants filled a hole at cornerback, moving up a spot in the first round and taking Deonte Banks of Maryland with the 24th pick overall. New York had a need at both wide receiver and cornerback heading into the draft and it went to fill the defensive side after four straight wide receivers were chosen. Banks is a physical corner who likes to mix it up and get involved against the run. He will get an opportunity to start right away opposite shut-down cornerback Adoree Jackson.
The New York Jets selected Iowa State edge rusher Will McDonald with the No. 15 overall pick in the NFL draft. McDonald was one of college football’s most prolific pass rushers during his career with the Cyclones with 34 sacks. He joins an already stout defensive line in New York, which includes All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and ends/edge rushers Carl Lawson, John Franklin-Myers, Bryce Huff, Jermaine Johnson and Micheal Clemons. The Jets also signed D-lineman Quinton Jefferson in free agency. The Jets originally held the 13th overall pick, but traded that in the package they sent to Green Bay to acquire Aaron Rodgers this week.
The Buffalo Bills traded up two spots to select Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid with the 25th pick in the NFL draft. The Bills traded their 27th overall selection and their fourth-round pick, 130th overall, in a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The move allowed Buffalo to jump ahead of Dallas, which had a need at tight end. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 246 pounds, Kincaid was Utah’s top receiving threat in finishing with 70 catches for 890 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games last season.
And The New England Patriots waited patiently with their top pick of the NFL draft, traded (ing) back three spots and addressing a hole in their secondary by selecting Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez with the 17th pick. The Patriots entered the night holding the No. 14 pick but swapped first-round picks with Pittsburgh, getting a fourth-round pick from the Steelers. Gonzalez has a versatile skillset and was effective both in coverage and against the run, notching four interceptions and 50 tackles last season. He fills an immediate need for the Patriots, who were looking for a cornerback to pair with Jonathan Jones.
Kentucky's Will Levis and Tennessee's Hendon Hooker are two quarterbacks who are tantalizing prospects for teams on Day 2 of the NFL draft. Levis and Hooker slipped into the second round as the run on quarterbacks came to a screeching halt after the Colts selected Florida's Anthony Richardson Jr. with the fourth overall pick. The 2023 NFL draft began with the Panthers making Alabama's Bryce Young the top overall pick and the Texans chose Ohio State's CJ Stroud next. Levis was projected to go as high as that No. 2 pick but instead fell to Day 2.
NFL
The Baltimore Ravens agreed in principle with Lamar Jackson on a five-year deal on Thursday, making their star quarterback the highest-paid player in NFL history. The Ravens and Jackson agreed on a $260 million, five-year deal with $185 million in guaranteed money, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract hasn’t been signed. The deal keeps the 2019 NFL MVP in Baltimore for the foreseeable future and ends a contract negotiation saga that was dominating the team’s offseason. Jackson’s contract tops the $255 million, five-year deal the Philadelphia Eagles gave Jalen Hurts earlier this month. Hurts got $179.3 million in guarantees.
NBA PLAYOFFS
Al Horford hit a huge 3-pointer against his former team and the Boston Celtics beat the Atlanta Hawks 128-120 winning their opening-round playoff series four games to two last night. The Celtics face the Philadelphia 76ers in game one Monday night in Boston. The Celtics ripped off an 11-0 run that included three straight 3-pointers. Horford’s big shot was sandwiched around treys from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Brown led the Celtics with 32 points, while Tatum had 30. Trae Young paced Atlanta with 30 points but made only one field goal in the second half.
The attorney for Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards says his client will “vigorously defend” himself against misdemeanor third-degree assault charges. Edwards allegedly swung a folding chair that struck two Denver arena employees after the series-ending loss to the Nuggets. Edwards' attorney Harvey Steinberg criticized the Denver Police Department’s decision to “inexplicably” charge Edwards after Game 5. Steinberg said Edwards' exit from the court was partially obstructed by the chair and that he did not intend to hurt anyone. Edwards did not participate in season-ending news conferences at team headquarters.
They brawled in 1997. Jeff Van Gundy clung to Alonzo Mourning’s leg in 1998. Allan Houston got a friendly bounce in 1999. Clarence Weatherspoon didn’t get one in 2000. Amare Stoudemire lost a fight with a glass-enclosed fire extinguisher in 2012. Something always happens when it's Knicks vs. Heat. And here we go again. There are more storied rivalries in the NBA — Lakers-Celtics and 76ers-Celtics among them — but there is just something about a Heat vs. Knicks matchup that brings out something extra in Miami and New York. They’re about to meet in the NBA playoffs for the sixth time. Elsewhere, Game 1 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series is Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
NHL PLAYOFFS
Erik Haula had two goals and an assist, Akira Schmid stopped 23 shots, and the New Jersey Devils beat the New York Rangers 4-0 to take a 3-2 lead in their first-round series. Dawson Mercer had a goal and an assist, and Ondrej Palat also scored to help New Jersey move one win away from advancing with their third straight win after losing the first two games at home. It was the first win by a home team in the series. Schmid had eight saves in the first period, 13 in the second and two in the third for his first career postseason shutout. Igor Shesterkin finished with 39 saves for the Rangers. Game 6 is Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Michael Eyssimont had a goal and an assist as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to force Game 6 in their first-round playoff series. Anthony Cirelli also had a goal and an assist, Nicholas Paul and Alex Killorn, into an empty net, also scored for Tampa. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 28 saves. Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews scored for Toronto, which got 34 stops from Ilya Samsonov. John Tavares had two assists. The Leafs still lead the best-of-seven series 3-2. Game 6 goes Saturday in Tampa.
Chandler Stephenson scored twice and the Vegas Golden Knights eliminated the Winnipeg Jets from their Western Conference opening-round series with a 4-1 victory in Game 5. The Golden Knights became the first team to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vegas, which went to the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season in 2018, is now 42-29 in the postseason. Vegas improved to 8-5 in 13 playoff series since entering the league.
Meanwhile, Carolina is at the New York Islanders tonight for Game 6 at 7.
The Boston Bruins are at Florida for game 6 tonight at 7:30.
Dallas at Minnesota 9:30 p.m.
Colorado at Seattle 10 p.m.
WNBA
Brittney Griner got emotional quickly while speaking to reporters for the first time since her nearly 10-month detainment in Russia on drug-related charges. The WNBA star had to take a moment to compose herself after being asked about her resiliency through the ordeal. Griner’s first news conference drew more than 100 people, including Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, members of the Phoenix Mercury organization and Griner's wife, Cherelle. Griner was arrested in February 2022 at a Moscow airport after Russian authorities said a search of her luggage revealed vape cartridges containing cannabis oil. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years but was released in a prisoner swap in December.
MLB
Jeff McNeil snapped an eighth-inning tie with an RBI triple and the New York Mets squandered a pair of multi-run leads before recovering to beat the Washington Nationals 9-8. The Mets led 4-1 and 6-3 before C.J. Abrams’ grand slam in the top of the eighth gave the Nationals an 8-7 lead. But Starling Marte led off the bottom half with a single against Mason Thompson (2-2). Marte stole second, went to third on a fly out by Francisco Lindor and trotted home when Pete Alonso split the right-centerfield gap with a double. McNeil then tripled off the right field wall.
Gerrit Cole got his fifth win after setting a career-long scoreless streak, and the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 4-2. DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres hit back-to-back homers for New York. The series opener marked Aaron Judge’s first game in Texas since breaking Roger Maris’ single-season American League record with his 62nd homer at the Rangers' ballpark in October. Judge struck in his only two at-bats in his return before leaving with right hip discomfort. Jose Trevino also homered for New York. Cole's scoreless streak reached 25 2/3 innings before giving up two runs in the sixth. Andrew Heaney took the loss.
Kody Clemens ripped an RBI single to right, Matt Strahm pitched scoreless ball into the sixth inning, and the Philadelphia Phillies moved to .500 for the first time this season with a 1-0 win over the Seattle Mariners. The NL champion Phillies took the final two games of the three-game set with the Mariners. Strahm and four relievers helped get the Phillies to 13-13 on Thursday as they head out for a six-game road trip. The Phillies started 0-4 and 5-10 but have won eight of 11 to straighten out their season.
Mitch Keller struck out 10, matching his career high, in six innings for the Pittsburgh Pirates in a 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the three-game series. The right-hander gave up two runs on five hits. Keller also had 10 strikeouts in six innings last Aug. 30. Connor Joe and Rodolfo Castro homered back-to-back in the sixth off Dodgers starter Julio Urías. He allowed six runs on seven hits. The Pirates have won nine of 10, pushing their hot start to 18-8.
Major League Baseball is heading south of the border again to play a regular season series. After previous stops in Monterrey, Mexico City will be the host this time, and the timing seems perfect. The San Diego Padres will play against the San Francisco Giants next weekend at the Alfredo Harp Helu Stadium in the country’s capital, where fans are eager to watch more baseball after Mexico’s deep run at the World Baseball Classic. Bolstered by Cuban defector Randy Arozarena and Mexican-born big leaguers like Julio Urías and Jose Urquidy, Mexico made it to the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Japan.
MMA
Mixed martial arts fighter Nate Diaz has turned himself in to police in New Orleans to face a battery charge arising from a weekend street brawl. Police said the fight happened early Saturday in the French Quarter. Police said Diaz went to police with his attorney Thursday and turned himself in. His spokesman says he has posted bond and been cleared to return home to Stockton, California. An attorney for Diaz has told New Orleans media the fighter was acting in self-defense.
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