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🚨 Headline Update
🏀 Pistons End Playoff Drought: The Detroit Pistons secured a 100-94 victory over the Knicks, breaking a 15-game playoff losing streak, the longest in NBA history. This marked their first postseason win since 2008.
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🏒 Overtime Game-Winners: Alex Ovechkin netted his first playoff overtime goal, leading the Capitals to victory against the Canadiens. In Dallas, Colin Blackwell emerged as the hero as the Stars defeated the Avalanche, wrapping up their series.
⏱⏱️ Boston Marathon Results: Kenya’s Sharon Rokedy clinched the Boston Marathon with a record-breaking time of 2:17:20, surpassing the women’s course record of 2:19:59.
🏈 Quarterback Change: Joey Aguilar, a recent transfer to UCLA, is set to replace Nicoia Mareava, who has also transferred to UCLA.
🏒 Kraken Shake-Up: The Seattle Kraken are preparing to let go of head coach Dan Bylsma after one season and will also replace GM Ron Francis.
⚾ AL vs. NL Overview
(Mitchell Lev/Getty Images)
Historically, the American League has outperformed the National League, but this season has seen a notable shift, with the NL coming out strong.
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NL Teams Surge: This season, five National League teams have already achieved 14 wins, while only two American League teams have reached that mark.
The Run Differential backs this trend, as nine NL teams have positive outcomes compared to just five in the AL.
Player Performances: The NL features nine of the top 12 batters by FWAR and seven of the top 11 pitchers, prompting discussions about the widening gap in talent, as noted by ESPN’s Buster Olney.
Coaching Changes: While it’s difficult to predict if this early advantage will hold, it seems the NL has been narrowing the gap with the AL in recent seasons.
The AL had a winning record in 17 out of the first 21 years of Interleague play, yet the NL has claimed top performance in four of the past six seasons.
Though the AL maintains a 68-52 lead in World Series wins overall, the NL has claimed four of the last six championships.
Financial Shifts: The recent NL ascendance reflects the cyclical nature of interleague rivalries.
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The Yankees set a high bar in the ’90s, prompting the Red Sox to spend aggressively to compete.
This competitive spirit has been mirrored by the Dodgers’ recent success, which has prompted other NL teams to invest, leading to dominant payrolls for teams like the Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, and Padres.
Future Dynamics: Previously, the disparities between the NL and AL were only evident in the World Series, but Interleague play has magnified these differences in the current balanced schedule era (2023-present).
In Summary: Although it’s early in the MLB season, the trends observed are compelling, indicating a strong lineup in the NL.
Photo Feature: The Korir Brothers
John Coryle (left) with his brother Wesley after winning the trophy. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Korir Brothers: John and Wesley Now share a unique bond as Boston Marathon champions.
John finished the race with a time of 2:04:45, the second-fastest in men’s marathon history.
Wesley’s 2012 Win: He finished at 2:12:40, nearly eight minutes slower than his brother; however, John benefited from cooler weather compared to Wesley’s record heat.
🏆 Premier League Update: Close Competition
Nottingham Forest achieved victory on Monday, securing a third-place finish. (Ryan Pierce/Getty Images)
Premier League Update: With Liverpool poised to win its record 20th title, the relegation scene is nearing completion. The Champions League chase, however, is just heating up with five matches left to play.
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Current Standings: Five teams are tightly packed, all vying for the final Champions League spots, trailing Liverpool (79 points) and Arsenal (66 points).
Nottingham Forest (60 points)
Upcoming Matches: The next five weeks will be intense, with clubs vying for crucial points. The action begins today with Manchester City facing Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium.
🏈 2025 NFL Draft: From NYC to Green Bay
(Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports)
This week, the 2025 NFL Draft is set to take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin, marking the ninth city to host this significant offseason event since its inception in 2015.
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Insight from Jay Busbee of Yahoo Sports:
Fans of the NFL who have enjoyed the league’s traveling draft roadshow owe a nod to the unexpected role of the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, which ironically spurred the NFL to move its draft from NYC. For decades, Radio City Music Hall was the draft’s traditional stage, but when scheduling conflicts with the Rockettes emerged in 2014, the NFL opted to take the show on the road, transforming the event into a spectacle.
Previous Draft Locations:
Dive In: Let’s revisit the best moments from the ongoing draft series as the NFL gets ready to unfold in Green Bay.
📺 Upcoming Games: Round 1 Continues
Can the Lakers win the series before heading to Minnesota? (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Round 1 playoffs continues tonight with three NBA games and four NHL games.
🏀 NBA: Pacers at Bucks (0-1) (7pm, NBA); Thunder at Grizzlies (0-1) (7:30pm, TNT); Lakers at Timberwolves (1-0) (10pm, TNT)
🏒 NHL: Hurricanes at Devils (0-1) (6pm, ESPN); Maple Leafs at Senators (0-1) (7:30pm, ESPN2); Panthers at Lightning (8:30pm, ESPN); Golden Knights at Wild (0-1) (11pm, ESPN)
More to Watch:
⚾⚾️ MLB: Mets at Phillies (7:10pm, TBS) … top two teams in the NL East.
⚽⚽️ NWSL: Portland vs. Gotham (10:30pm, CBSN) … 9th vs. 4th place.
⚽⚽️ Premier League: Man City vs. Aston Villa (USA Network, 3pm) … 5th and 7th place matchup.
*The Florida Battle begins tonight in Tampa, a repeat of the postseason rivalry since 2021.
👟 Marathon Trivia
Elite female runners start at the Boston Marathon. (Boston Globe via David L. Ryan/Getty Images)
The Boston Marathon is one of six World Marathon majors each year. Can you name the other five?
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Tip: Two in the U.S., two in Europe, and one in Asia.
*The Sydney Marathon is not included as it’s considered the seventh major starting this year.
Answer will be provided below.
📸 Photo Highlights
A local tennis player practices in London. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Nice outfit!
Trivia Answer: New York City, Chicago, London, Berlin, Tokyo
Enjoy this edition of Yahoo Sports AM. Our daily newsletter keeps you updated on all things sports. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every morning.
Fan Take: The spirited competition within the Premier League is heating up, creating thrilling moments for soccer enthusiasts. As teams vie for Champions League spots, the stakes are high, which could lead to unexpected upsets and exciting matchups as the season draws to a close.
