Monthly Archives: April 2022

Before celebrating the arrival of the next generation of WNBA players on Monday, commissioner Cathy Engelbert addressed the perilous plight of one of the game's biggest stars.

Engelbert kicked off Monday's WNBA draft with an update on Phoenix Mercury All-Star Brittney Griner, who remains imprisoned in a Russian jail. Engelbert didn't provide specifics on Griner's situation, but did assure reporters that Griner is "safe."

"Obviously were getting a ton of support from the government, from specialists," Engelbert said. "And her representation is able to visit with Brittney.

"We know shes safe, but we want to get her home. So its just a very complex situation right now and were following the advice. Theres not a day that goes by that were not talking to someone that has views on what were doing and how were moving forward."

Brittney Griner remains detained in Russia. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)

Griner, a seven-time WNBA All-Star, was detained on drug charges in February after allegedly being found with cartridges containing hashish oil during an airport security check in Moscow. She was traveling to join her Russian team UMMC Ekaterinburg, for whom she plays during the WNBA offseason.

Her detainment was reportedly extended last month until May 19 as the state continues its investigation. If found guilty on transportation of drug charges, she faces up to 10 years in prison.

Griner's detainment took place in the days before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, raising fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin could use her as a bargaining chip in the ongoing conflict. U.S. Department of State spokesman Ned Price announced on March 23 that an American embassy representative in Russia was allowed to check in on Griner that day. Price announced that she was in "good condition" without providing further details on her well-being.

Information on her condition continue to be sparse as the U.S. government navigates complicated diplomatic terrain with a Russian government that engages openly in human rights abuses. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has largely declined to elaborate when asked about Griner, telling reporters in March that discussing specifics is "not constructive to bringing people home." Describing Griner's detainment as an "unimaginable situation," Engelbert reiterated that reality on Monday.

Story continues

"Obviously were in a very complex geopolitical situation with Russia and Ukraine, and so this continues to be complex," Engelbert said. ... "I know were all frustrated, but we do need to be patient. I know the players have been amazing at following the advice that theyre getting and were getting in order to not jeopardize her safety in any way. So we just continue to follow that advice and continue to work on it."

Engelbert also announced that the WNBA will carry on and expand Griner's BG's Heart and Sole Shoe Drive across WNBA cities. Griner has spearheaded the initiative to collect shoes for the homeless in Arizona since 2016.

"We will have a league-wide philanthropic initiative led by the Phoenix Mercury honoring BG and modeled after her work," Engelbert said. "That will take place in all 12 WNBA markets. ... The activations we will do that the Mercury will lead are intended to remind us of BG's spirit of giving and do the work that she'd be doing if she were here and the work she will join us in when she returns."

Go here to read the rest:

WNBA's Cathy Engelbert on Brittney Griner: 'We know she's safe,' we 'need to be patient' - Yahoo Sports

Many potential fantasy waiver wire gems emerge during the initial weeks of every season. This year, I constantly see recommendations to pick up the likes of Steven Kwan, Tylor Megill, Jesus Luzardo and many other players who started the season on waivers in most leagues before producing inspiring April statistics.

Unfortunately, rosters dont grow in size after Opening Day, and every addition means that someone needs to go. Based on early season numbers, here are some commonly-rostered players in Yahoo! leagues who can be considered for a drop. Please remember that I am not insisting on dropping these players, but I have identified them as having a higher roster percentage than they deserve.

Because he is unable to hit lefties, Winker will not produce the necessary volume of counting stats to help those in three-outfielder leagues. Also, the move from Great American Ball Park to Safeco Field will take a negative toll on the sluggers offensive numbers. Winker will have some value this year, but not enough to make him a roster lock in the shallowest formats.

Bellinger was a complete bust last season (.542 OPS), hit .179 in Spring Training and was off to a poor start this season before homering on Wednesday. The former NL MVP has a level of upside that is worth waiting for in some leagues, but I wouldnt argue with anyone who wanted to move on and stream his roster spot until they find someone who is playing well.

Edman lost a massive amount of fantasy value when Cards manager Oliver Marmol moved him from the leadoff spot. The switch will cost the speedster many plate appearances, runs and stolen bases, which makes him a marginal option in leagues of 12 teams or less. I understand that some roto teams will need to keep Edman for his speed potential, but I would be on the lookout for an upgrade.

We needed just one week of regular-season action to figure out that Giants manager Gabe Kapler is using a closer committee. McGee is a part of the ninth inning picture in San Francisco, but his role is not good enough to make him a must-roster player in shallow leagues. Managers can consider dropping McGee for someone who may soon become a full-time closer. And I could say the same thing about Camilo Doval, who is rostered in 71 percent of leagues.

Story continues

Gallo is going to give you 30-40 homers and destroy your batting average along the way. You dont need to sign up for that tradeoff drop Gallo now and start looking for a power hitter who can bat .240 or better.

Torres is stuck in a crowded Yankees infield that includes Josh Donaldson, DJ LeMahieu, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Anthony Rizzo. He may not get enough volume to break out of his long-term slump, which includes just 12 homers 67 RBIs and 67 runs scored in 169 games across the 2020-21 seasons.

Both Gleyber Torres and Joey Gallo are drop candidates in fantasy baseball leagues. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

Ryu faded in the second half of 2021 (5.50 ERA) and struggled in his first start of this season (3.1 IP, 6 ER). The 35-year-old has always survived without strong radar gun readings, but his time as an effective Major League starter may be nearing its end. And because he logs low strikeout rates, Ryu needs low ratios in order to help fantasy teams.

Strasburg has thrown just 26.2 innings since the outset of the 2020 season and isnt worth waiting around for in most leagues. Im fine with stashing the right-hander in an open IL spot, but I would send him to waivers as injuries pile up and those spots become precious in the coming weeks.

[Vote for Yahoo Fantasy Football Live in the 2022 Webby Awards!]

Suarez is the infield version of Joey Gallo he can get you plenty of homers but will kill your batting average along the way. And the 30-year-olds new home park is less favorable than his old one. I would move on now; start looking for a power hitter with a better batting average.

Kirilloff underwent season-ending wrist surgery in 2021, started slowly this year and is now on the IL due to continued wrist problems. I believe that the 24-year-old still has long-term potential, but he could take some time to shake off the effects of the surgery and was never viewed as someone who will be a fantasy superstar.

Villar will likely have stretches of mixed-league relevance this season, but he will need the Cubs to run into some injury issues for that to happen. For now, the veteran speedster should sit on waivers in leagues of 12 teams or less.

See Gallo and Suarez. Wisdom has a small sample size of MLB success, and he will hurt your batting average even when things are going well. There is no wisdom in keeping this slugger on your roster (sorry, I couldnt resist).

This is one of my most controversial choices, but Baddoo is batting at the bottom of the Tigers lineup and has not shown an ability to hit lefties. Although the sophomore has a nice power-speed blend, he needs more opportunities to show off those skills. Im not ruling out the possibility that Baddoo spends time in the Minors this year.

Read this article:

Fantasy Baseball: It's time to drop these players in favor of waiver wire pickups - Yahoo Sports

San Francisco Giants first-base coach Antoan Richardson was tossed from Tuesday night's 13-2 win over the San Diego Padres, which allowed Alyssa Nakken to make history as the first woman to coach on-field during a regular season game.

But after the game, Richardson, who is Black, took the unusual step of talking to reporters so he could speak his mind about what he felt was an unfair ejection caused by comments from an opposing coach Padres third-base coach Mike Shildt that "reeked undertones of racism."

According to Richardson, the incident began when Shildt, who is white, began looking into the Giants dugout in the third inning. Richardson noticed and said, "Can I help you? Are you looking for somebody?" Shildt said he was looking for Giants pitcher Alex Wood, and then Giants manager Gabe Kapler came over to "diffuse the situation."

Wood was located and Shildt who was the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals last season began walking away. But he had parting words, and Richardson believes that what Shildt yelled as he left were instructions for Kapler.

"He yelled, 'You need to control that motherf***er,'" Richardson said via Giants beat writer Evan Webeck. "At that point in time I went up to the top step and I said, 'Excuse me?' I couldn't believe what I heard. At that point in time, [Greg] Gibson, the crew chief, decided to toss me from the game. I think that his words were disproportionately unwarranted and [had] undertones of racism when he referred to me as 'that motherf***er' as if I am to be controlled or a piece of property or enslaved. I think it's just really important that we understand what happened tonight.

"The second part that's equally disappointing is that me being tossed by that umpire empowered this coach to continue to have conversations like that with people like me, and that's really unfortunate that that's what happened tonight."

Story continues

Richardson also complimented Nakken for the job she did while coaching first base in his stead.

"With that being said, I'm really excited that Alyssa [Nakken] got her opportunity to make her Major League debut and I'm very proud of her," Richardson said via NBC Sports Bay Area. "I think she did a really wonderful job and we got a win, so that's the most important thing."

Richardson was told he was ejected for "instigating," even though Richardson says he didn't use any profanity.

"The umpire said to me that I was instigating," Richardson said via ESPN. "At that point in time, I asked: 'This person called me a motherf***er and I'm being an instigator?'"

Kapler, who was only briefly involved in the exchange between Richardson and Shildt, said after the game that he not just fully supports his coach, he trusts his account of what happened.

"I trust Antoan's judgment 100 percent," Kapler said. "I trust Antoan's judgment on the matter and I know that Antoan was not out of control at all and that anything that was said to insinuate that he was is totally inappropriate. He didn't instigate any part of this."

Ejections are common in MLB, but coach ejections are definitely rarer. Despite that, we don't always get the full story behind those coach ejections. Richardson said he felt compelled to share what happened to help people understand that how they speak to someone, even for a moment, matters a great deal.

"It's important that we bring awareness to this," Richardson said. "Unfortunately, this is what exists in our world, and I think it's important that we understand when we do make comments and we do take actions like this, what that means for communities.

"I share this story not just for myself, but I share this story for other people that look like me. I know I've had the full support of my teammates and others that I would be letting them down if I did not share this story tonight."

Before Wednesday afternoon's game, Richardson and Shildt were able to have a conversation and clear the air between them. They both met with the media shortly after, and Richardson was able to reveal the details of their conversation and further explain why he shared his story last night. He emphasized that he knows Shildt isn't a racist, but told him that words can have a negative effect on people and communities even if there's no "ill intent" behind them.

Giants first base coach Antoan Richardson was tossed from Tuesday's game against the Padres after reacting to comments from Padres third base coach Mike Shildt. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Read the rest here:

Giants coach says he was ejected for responding to comments that had 'undertones of racism' - Yahoo Sports

While Sunny Balwanis legal team maintains that he was simply an investor in Theranos, newly revealed text messages cast his involvement with the infamous startup in a new light.

During Balwanis trial, a collection of private text messages were shown to jurors to help them gain insight into the nature of Balwanis romantic relationship with Elizabeth Holmes and their business partnership.

I am responsible for everything at Theranos, Balwani wrote in one text exchange to Holmes, as reported by NBC.

I worked six years day and night to help yousad about where we are, Balwani also texted Holmes, emphasizing his dedication to his work at Theranos, according to NBC.

The relationship between HolmesTheranos founderand her ex-boyfriend Balwaniits former president and chief operating officeris a talking point the lawyers have brought up repeatedly in both fraud cases.

In the public eye, Holmes was in charge of Theranos, and in 2017, she even told the SEC that she was the ultimate decision-maker for the company. The former startup CEO was touted as the youngest self-made billionaire in 2015. Beyond being the face of the company, Holmes also represented Theranos at prestigious conferences like President Bill Clintons CGI (Clinton Global Initiative) meeting in 2015, a 2014 TEDMED Talk, and the Wall Street Journals WSJD Live 2015.

While Balwanis image wasnt known to the public, his private influence was present in all areas of the company, according to the newly revealed text exchanges in which he admits to wielding a lot of power and takes responsibility for Theranos. This new information undermines the position of his legal defense, which maintains that he wasnt in charge of the company.

Balwani is currently on trial for his role in the companys defrauding investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars. He is charged with 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He has pleaded not guilty to all 12 counts.

Story continues

Holmes has previously labeled Balwani as verbally and sexually abusive and even claimed that Balwani controlled what she ate and berated her, likening her leadership skills to a monkey trying to fly a spaceship.

Holmes was found guilty on Jan. 4 of one count of conspiracy and three counts of wire fraud in connection with a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud investors in Theranos, Inc., according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Holmes is currently living in her $135 million Silicon Valley mansion awaiting her sentencing in September. She faces up to 80 years in prison.

Holmes met Balwani in China when she was 18 and he was 37. After Holmes dropped out of Stanford University in 2004, she soon moved in with Balwani in 2005.

Holmes is known her affinity for green juice after her former executive assistant at Theranos began creating popular TikTok videos in which she recalled her experiences working at the infamous blood testing company, such as being tasked to go to Whole Foods twice a day to pick up incredibly fresh green juice.

The popularity of the limited Hulu series, The Dropout, which stars Amanda Seyfried as Holmes, has caused a resurgence of interest in the outcome of Balwanis trial. In the series, Holmess relationship with Balwaniwhich is kept secret from their colleaguesis one of the most interesting dynamics in the show and has multiple dramatic scenes that are based in real life.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

The rest is here:

Texts between Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes and ex-COO Sunny Balwani show their dynamic in a new light - Yahoo Finance

A source familiar with 22 pending civil suits against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has told Yahoo Sports that the opposing legal camps have discussed beginning trial proceedings in July or possibly moving all of the suits into the 2023 calendar.

The source said Rusty Hardin, who represents Watson, and Tony Buzbee, who represents the 22 plaintiffs in the suits, have had exchanges about getting as many as two of the lawsuits into a courtroom prior to a mutually constructed moratorium on trying cases, which is slated to pause legal proceedings from August 1, 2022 to March 1, 2023. However, scheduling roadblocks could be issues for both attorneys and may force all of the litigation into next year.

The real difficulty will be scheduling any trials that can be completed before August 1, the source said, adding that the 22 cases are currently in 13 different courts. The 22 lawsuits are alleging a range of sexual misconduct or assault.

Hardin and Buzbee previously agreed on the moratorium for litigation, which will remove Watson from having to travel for legal proceedings during the entire 2022 NFL season, but also presents the possibility that a league sanction could be delayed to the 2023 season. Thats significant, given that Watsons base salary of $46 million in 2023 would translate into more than $2.7 million in per-game losses if he were to be suspended.

There could be legal advantages for both sides depending on when the cases are ultimately tried. For Hardin, taking one or two preferred cases to trial in July could weaken the optics of the remaining litigation if he were to successfully defend Watson prior to the August 1 deadline. Conversely, Buzbees leverage for potential settlements could be bolstered if all the cases are moved into 2023, as it could put Watsons base salary that season into play for NFL sanctions.

As it stands, both sides continue to contend an intent to take the cases into court rather than engage in further settlement talks.

Two of the 22 civil lawsuits against Deshaun Watson may be scheduled for July, before the 2022 NFL season. (Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports)

Originally posted here:

Source: Two of Deshaun Watsons 22 civil cases could be scheduled for July or they all may be pushed to 2023 - Yahoo Sports

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently stated that any regulation that may be imposed on cryptocurrency should be based on risks, not technologies, in a speech before American Universitys Kogod School of Business Center for Innovation. Yellens comments come around a month after President Bidens executive order in March which directed the Treasury Department to begin developing crypto guidelines through further research of the asset class.

According to Future Perfect Ventures founder and CEO Jalak Jobanputra, regulation is what will ultimately strengthen the legitimacy of cryptocurrency as a burgeoning asset class.

So I always believed that there would be regulation when this sector in the industry grew to the point where there were a lot of users. And so I believe it's a net positive, Jobanputra told Yahoo Finance Live. I mean, there are those in the sector that don't want to see any sort of regulation. But in order for the sector to grow, I think we are going to have to be regulated, and it's important that the regulators understand what this technology is about.

Jobanputra joined Yahoo Finance Live to discuss bitcoin dropping below $42,000, crypto regulation, and the future of cryptocurrency. Future Perfect Ventures is a New York-based, early stage venture fund which invests in next generation technology.

Jobanputras thesis about the cryptocurrency space standing to benefit from regulation echoes that of other business leaders like Domain Money CEO Adam Dell. She also said that she views Yellens recent comments as an indication that cryptocurrency as a sector is here to stay.

We started Future Perfect Ventures in 2014, when Bitcoin (BTC-USD) was niche and often considered a negative and the realm of nefarious activity, she added. We've come a long way since then, to the point where major regulators around the world are recognizing the positive elements of this technology and how the transparency and efficiency that crypto technologies such as Bitcoin can provide.

Story continues

Amid these regulatory discussions, however, losses have steepened for both bitcoin and Ethereum (ETH-USD) the cryptocurrencies are currently toying with key support levels at the $40,000 and $3,000 levels, respectively. The rising rate environment has made for a rough go for the crypto space as investors look to de-risk their portfolios. Experts now anticipate that the Federal Reserve may get even more aggressive in their inflation-curtailing efforts, with some expecting a May rate hike of as much as 50 basis points.

But for now, Jobanputra believes that Bitcoin remains as the flagship cryptocurrency paving the way for innovation and security in the industry.

But what we're starting to see is innovation happening back on Bitcoin, she said. We certainly have seen it play out as a store of value, as a hedge against inflation, as we've seen these expansionary monetary policies around the world over the last couple of years. But at the end of the day, Bitcoin is the most secure blockchain that exists right now.

Thomas Hum is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @thomashumTV

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Flipboard, and LinkedIn

Continued here:

Crypto regulation is a net positive for the industry: venture capital CEO - Yahoo Finance

Subscribe to Posted Up with Chris Haynes

With the 2022 NBA playoffs about to tip off in earnest on Saturday, Chris Haynes is joined by one former Finals MVP and another player who may very well earn that title at some point in his young career.

First, Chris welcomes Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala onto the podcast to talk about involvement in the documentary The Quest for Sleep. Andre talks about the importance of sleep & how he used data to correlate his sleeping patterns with his performance on the court. Andre also talks about how the western conference playoffs are shaping up, his upcoming series against the Denver Nuggets, Stephen Curry's status for round 1 & his exit from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Speaking of the Memphis Grizzlies, third-year star point guard Ja Morant calls in to talk about how he's prepping for the playoffs, his thoughts on people doubting the Grizzlies & the importance of bringing a parade to Beale Street.

Stay up to date with the latest NBA news and coverage from Yahoo Sports on Twitter @YahooSportsNBA.

Follow Chris @ChrisBHaynes

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.com/podcasts

Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala & Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant join the latest episode of Posted Up with Chris Haynes. (Photos by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Justin Ford/Getty Images)

Read more here:

Catching up with Andre Iguodala & Ja Morant on the eve of the playoffs - Yahoo Sports

Brian Kelly has done a bunch of interviews of late discussing his earth-shattering move from Notre Dame to LSU.

Hes hyped up the power of the Tigers. Discussed the limitations of the Irish. Defended his timing of taking the job leaving ND while the team was still in playoff contention. He even tried to explain his pronunciation of FAM-u-lee.

He told Sports Illustrated thats how he always pronounces it, which doesnt actually hold up. But whatever. It doesnt matter. Of all the things to discuss about Kelly and LSU teaming up for a run at a national title, so-called cultural fit will prove to be the least consequential.

First off, all anyone in college football cares about is winning. If Kelly leads the Tigers to a national title, or at least back into serious contention, then Kelly will be hailed all over the state.

If he doesnt, he wont.

Whether he is at home at a crawfish boil or not isnt really going to matter.

After all, LSU fired one of the most uniquely Louisiana coaches of all time, Ed Orgeron, just 19 months after he won a national title because the program was slipping fast. No amount of Cajun charm, no gravely throated accent, no amount of tears over understanding what the program means to the fans could save him.

Everyone is like, Aw, its going to be this white guy from the Midwest going down there and its going to be crazy! Kelly told SI. Theres a little more spice to the food, maybe a little bit more roux than Im used to, but it hasnt really been an adjustment that Ive felt like this is really outside of my comfort zone.

The man is in Baton Rouge to coach, not cook.

And Brian Kelly can coach.

Is it enough to become the fourth LSU coach to win a national title since 2003, joining Nick Saban, Les Miles and Coach O? Thats a topic on the latest edition of the College Football Enquirer.

Kelly might. If nothing else, hes proven to be a much better coach and leader of a program than both Miles and Orgeron. Saban, who rebuilt the program, is another level, of course.

Story continues

Kelly won two national championships at Division II Grand Valley State (Michigan), captured a Mid-American Conference title at Central Michigan and went 34-6 at Cincinnati, including a 12-0 season. You dont do all of that by accident, luck or just acquiring some talent.

At Notre Dame, hes the winningest coach in program history and got the Irish to a BCS title game and two playoffs. They were non-competitive at that level, but there havent been too many programs that are competitive against Alabama and Clemson.

Kelly isnt known as an ace recruiter or a charismatic personality in nearly any setting. He was good enough to improve Notre Dames talent that it went from being forever hailed as nothing but hype to a top-10 program, though.

Kelly is counting on the institutional power of LSU to overcome that. Despite arriving just days before the early signing period last December, Kelly signed two Rivals.com five-star recruits in the Class of 2022. Thats the same amount as his last five Notre Dame recruiting classes.

In the Class of 2023, 11 of the top-100 recruits nationally per Rivals.com hail from Louisiana. Thats about par for the course.

Many years, LSU is going to get most of those guys. Maybe all. Kelly is even focused on working the northern part of the state which big linemen tend to hail from but are less attached to the Tigers to shore up a rare weakness.

After that, he said they will focus on Houston, East Texas, Atlanta, Florida, and some national recruits (where Kelly has lots of contacts) when needed. LSU always has talent. Kelly will get his.

Any recruit making a college choice based on the head coachs gumbo recipe (or lack thereof for the Massachusetts native) probably isnt worth much anyway. Its not like Saban is known as a charmer, and hes the one who is best at swiping prospects across the state border.

This is a business deal. Its always a business deal. LSU didnt hesitate to fire a coach who was the perfect cultural fit to drop nearly $100 million on a somewhat awkward guy who just wins games.

So Brian Kelly will have to win games. If he delivers, hell be beloved. If not, hell be fired like Orgeron and Miles.

Nothing else matters. This is college football, after all.

Read the original:

Does Brian Kelly fit at LSU? Here's why that doesn't really matter - Yahoo Sports

Quarterback Kirk Cousins signed a one-year extension with the Minnesota Vikings last month, which will keep him in Minneapolis through the 2023 season. But Cousins wants to stay with the Vikings much longer than that.

Cousins spoke to the media on Monday for the first time since signing his extension on March 14, and while discussing his reasons for agreeing to the extension, revealed the ultimate goal of his football career: to retire in purple and gold.

"The short answer [for why I signed the contract extension] is, I wanted to be a Minnesota Viking," Cousins said via the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "I wanted to help create some cap space so that we could put together a roster that you do feel really good about. It's just always trying to find win-wins. I think it was a way to create a win-win, and then hopefully that leads to a lot of wins this fall.

"My mind-set was really to be a Viking. I would like to retire as a Viking, and so I would like to play my way into that, if you will. I know I've got to earn the right to do that."

Cousins is definitely correct that he needs to earn his way into retiring as a Viking. There were a handful of reports earlier in the offseason that the Vikings were thinking about moving on from him, which is what happens when a team isn't totally confident in its quarterback. Those rumors eventually dissolved, which is what happens when a team realizes it can't upgrade at quarterback so they have to make do with who they have.

The Vikings are sticking with Cousins for now, signing him to an extension that will have him hit free agency in 2023. What happens after that is anyone's guess, but if it's up to Cousins, who will turn 34 in August, he wants to stay with Minnesota until he decides it's time to go.

"If I could draw it up, it'd be, 'Play well enough that you never have to play or wear another jersey anywhere else,'" Cousins said via the Star Tribune. "I'm going to work really hard to try to make that possible."

Read more:

Kirk Cousins says he wants to retire with Vikings, but has to 'earn the right to do that' - Yahoo Sports

The NBA playoff field will be officially set Friday night.

Atlanta visits Cleveland to play for the final spot in the Eastern Conference (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN) while New Orleans visits the Los Angeles Clippers for the final spot in the West (10 p.m. ET, TNT).

The Hawks are favored by 2.5 points at BetMGM over the Cavaliers and the total for that game is 222.5. Atlanta won the regular-season series 3-1 over the Cavaliers though its been one of the worst teams against the spread this year. After covering against Charlotte in the No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in game, Atlanta is 38-45 against the spread.

Cleveland is 43-46-4 ATS so far this year after overachieving relative to its preseason expectations while Atlanta underachieved. The Cavs made a big leap this season though they faded down the stretch, thanks to injuries.

Jarrett Allen, one of the Cavs key injured players, is going to attempt to play Friday night. The big man has been sidelined with a broken finger since March 6 and his return will be pivotal, especially on the glass. Allen is the team's second-leading scoring at 16.1 points per game in the regular season and grabbed 10.8 rebounds.

If Allen plays he wont be going up against the Hawks John Collins. Hes been out since March 11 because of a finger injury and a foot injury.

Out West, the Clippers are favored by 3.5 points after getting outscored by 11 in the fourth quarter by Minnesota in their loss to the Timberwolves on Tuesday night. The Pelicans beat the Spurs on Wednesday. The total is a paltry 214.5.

The Clippers have been 40-42-1 against the spread this year while New Orleans is 42-40-1. Thats basically a draw over the course of the season.

It will be fascinating to see how the Clippers attack a New Orleans team thats been at its best while playing with both Jonas Valanciunas and Jaxson Hayes on the court at the same time with Brandon Ingram on the wing and CJ McCollum as the lead guard. Los Angeles eliminated the Jazz from the playoffs a year ago by going small and itll be unsurprising if the Clips try a variation of that against New Orleans big men.

Story continues

Home teams went 3-1 in the first four play-in games this week and the under hit in all four. The totals have been adjusted as a result of that. All four of the first play-in games had higher totals than Friday nights games, and bettors like both the Hawks and Clippers to cover.

We think the home teams are going to go 1-1 on Friday night. If Atlanta plays anything like it did against Charlotte, it should have no problem with the Cavaliers. And the Clippers experience should be key late in the game against the Pelicans. Were going with a Clippers win straight up at -175 and over 214.5 points.

Its a great Friday to bet on baseball if you havent gotten into the swing of things so far this season. And you can get started early. The Diamondbacks and Mets start at 1:10 p.m. ET and the Twins and Red Sox are at 2:10 p.m. ET.

If youre new to baseball betting you may notice that every game has a spread of 1.5 runs. Thats not an accident the real value is in the odds given on the spread. For example, the Mets are -105 as a 1.5-run favorite. The Red Sox, meanwhile, are -185 as a 1.5-run underdog. Pay close attention to the juice when youre placing a bet.

There are five players at +1100 or better to win the RBC Heritage after the first round. Cam Young shot an 8-under 63 to lead Joaquin Niemann by two strokes. Niemann is +800 to win the tournament after the first day alongside Patrick Cantlay. Young is at +850 and Shane Lowry is at +900. Corey Conners had an ace on Thursday and hes at +1100 to win.

The Brewers took care of the Cardinals with a 5-1 win on Thursday behind a strong performance from Brandon Woodruff. The Yankees shut out the Blue Jays 3-0 and made under bettors happy. Over bettors were thrilled with the Rangers 10-5 win over the Angels as bettors who backed L.A. and Shohei Ohtani were very disappointed. The Padres demolished the Braves 12-1.

Continue reading here:

The Daily Sweat: Hawks, Clippers are favored to be the last teams in NBA playoffs - Yahoo Sports