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🏀 Good morning to all however particularly to …
CAITLIN CLARK AND THE INDIANA FEVER
After lacking 5 video games with a groin pressure, Caitlin Clark will return today when the Fever host the Valkyries.
- Clark is averaging 18.2 factors, 8.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds this season, a marketing campaign interrupted by a number of accidents. She beforehand missed about three weeks with a quad pressure.
- Previous to this season, Clark hadn’t missed a sport since highschool.
- Indiana has struggled offensively with out Clark, nevertheless it did win the Commissioner’s Cup championship with out her because of a terrific defensive effort.
- Clark is not the one Fever participant to cope with accidents, however for now, the crew is as wholesome as it has been because it pushes forward of the All-Star Sport.
Here are the rosters for mentioned All-Star Sport, as picked by the captains, Clark and Napheesa Collier of the Lynx.
😃 Honorable mentions
🤕 And never such a superb morning for …
Imagn Photos
A’JA WILSON AND THE LAS VEGAS ACES
The Aces are off to an underwhelming 9-10 begin, and their climb again up the standings may need simply gotten tougher. Three-time MVP A’ja Wilson left final night time’s eventual loss to the Liberty within the second quarter and did not return due to a right wrist injury.
- Wilson fell awkwardly on a drive to the rim and tried to brace her fall along with her palms. She stayed within the sport to shoot free throws and play a couple of possessions thereafter earlier than leaving for good. She sat on the bench with a big wrap on her wrist within the second half.
- Becky Hammon mentioned Wilson can have an MRI at present.
- Wilson entered the sport averaging 21.9 factors, 9.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals and a couple of.6 blocks. Her factors, rebounds, steals and blocks averages had been main the crew and top-five within the WNBA.
- The Aces play the Mystics tomorrow.
😟 Not so honorable mentions
🔥 School soccer’s annual Sizzling Seat Rankings
Adam Eargle, CBS Sports activities
It is the 2 phrases coaches hate to consider, even when they insist they don’t seem to be desirous about it: “scorching seat.” They could not prefer it, however we certain do. CBS Sports’ annual college football Hot Seat Rankings are again, with consultants throughout the game rating coaches on a 0-5 scale.
Just one coach landed a “good” 5, aka “Win or be fired,” however eight — together with some large names — landed between 4 and 4.99, a.ok.a “Begin bettering now.” Shehan Jeyarajah runs us by means of a couple of:
- Brent Venables, Oklahoma (4.67) — “Oklahoma employed Venables to get SEC prepared, and this system responded with its worst run of the twenty first century. … The principle cause for optimism is the transformative investments in quarterback John Mateer and working again Jaydn Ott.”
- Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State (4.33) — “The offseason did not encourage a lot optimism and the coordinator hires are mediocre. However can Oklahoma State actually hearth Gundy, the face of this system?”
- Sam Pitman, Arkansas (4.22) — “Out of the highest scorching seat contenders from final season, Pittman did the least to assuage considerations.”
- Hugh Freeze, Auburn (4.22) — “Hiring Freeze was uncomfortable sufficient after the way in which issues ended at Ole Miss, and one of many worst begins to a tenure in program historical past solely makes issues worse. Freeze went 11-14 in his first two seasons as Auburn faces its worst stretch for the reason that Nineteen Fifties.”
🏀 Why it is time for Trae Younger to step up alongside greatest supporting forged
Getty Photos
The Hawks‘ offseason has drawn rave evaluations, and for good cause.
- They fleeced the Pelicans in an all-time beautiful draft night time commerce.
- They acquired Kristaps Porziņģis on a budget as a part of the Celtics‘ wage dump.
- They added Nickeil Alexander-Walker in a sign-and-trade with the Timberwolves, selecting up a flexible defender and stable perimeter shooter — the precise archetype you search for in at present’s NBA.
- They signed Luke Kennard, a premier shooter who’s 43.8% from 3 for his profession.
All of that helped the Hawks soar up in Colin Ward-Henninger’s NBA Power Rankings.
That is the very best crew Atlanta has ever put round Trae Younger. However there hasn’t been a variety of discuss relating to Younger, an unbelievable particular person offensive expertise however apathetic-at-best off-ball participant/defender and total divisive participant when discussing if he is a “profitable” participant.
However Atlanta desires to win, and win now. As such, Brad Botkin says Young has no more excuses.
- Botkin: “It is gotten worse within the playoffs, the place the Hawks have been positively pounced with Younger, even counting the memorable 2021 run, taking pictures barely 40% together with 29% from 3 over 37 profession playoff video games. Taking pictures is not every little thing, after all. Younger’s menace degree stays excessive, and he has averaged enormous numbers in two of his three postseasons (roughly 29 factors and 10 assists). However this solely additional begs the query if he is finally a good-stats-bad-team man, as a lot of the proof so far has urged. … This yr, he has an sincere probability to flip that script.”
🏈 NFL All-Quarter Century Offense
Keytron Jordan, CBS Sports activities Design
We have been engaged on a bunch of tales celebrating the primary quarter of the twenty first century, and we’re reaching one among my favorites: the NFL All-Quarter Century Team, starting with the offense. Some calls had been simpler than others at “starter” however issues get a bit furry when filling out the depth chart, particularly at quarterback. Bryan DeArdo explains his picks.
- DeArdo: “Starter: Tom Brady; Reserves: Peyton Manning, Patrick Mahomes — Brady is essentially thought-about the ‘GOAT,’ however Manning additionally belongs in any dialog concerning the Mount Rushmore of quarterbacks. Nobody has received extra league MVPs than Manning’s 5. … The third quarterback spot got here all the way down to Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers. Actually, it got here all the way down to Mahomes having three Tremendous Bowl wins to Rodgers’ one, together with the truth that Mahomes has performed in 4 extra Tremendous Bowls than Rodgers.”
The cuts at broad receiver may need been even tougher, with Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison and Larry Fitzgerald getting beginning spots and Terrell Owens, Calvin Johnson and Andre Johnson being named reserves. Julio Jones and Antonio Brown earned “honorable point out” standing. Jones at his peak was pretty much as good as anybody I’ve ever seen, aside from perhaps Moss.
And do not be stunned if 25 years from now, for the All-Half Century Group, Justin Jefferson is a starter. His 96.5 receiving yards per sport ranks first all-time. Perhaps Ja’Marr Chase is on there, too.
Bryan did glorious work on this. Plus, the offseason is an ideal time for lists that begin debate, similar to this one does. If it leads you down a rabbit gap of spotlight movies … nicely … that is not the worst consequence, both.
📺 What we’re watching Wednesday
🏀 Valkyries at Fever, midday on NBA TV
⚾ Dodgers at Brewers or Blue Jays at White Sox, 2:10 p.m. on MLB Community
⚾ Mets at Orioles, 7 p.m. on ESPN
⚾ Mariners at Yankees, 7:05 p.m. on Prime Video
