Many top prospects in a weak NBA draft class didn't suit up for drills at the combine, meaning there hasn't been much to watch in Chicago. But no player has more to prove than Shabazz Muhammad, and he's trying to make the most of his opportunity. More»

Thursday night's 85-75 victory over the Pacers can't really be called a ringing triumph by the Knicks offense, but nearly every development in Game 5 favored New York and hurt Indiana. If those are trends, the Knicks stand a chance Saturday night. More»

For Tim Duncan, now in the fourth stage of his career, many things have stayed the same since he won his first title. But to take home another trophy this year, he and the Spurs will have to out-defend the Grizzles in the Western Conference Finals. More»

Nick Saban keeps being referred to as Satan, not just by his SEC rivals but by former assistants and, tellingly, even Alabama football fans. Is there more to this nickname than just a letter switch in his last name, or is Saban just a football coach? More»

Are Tiger Woods' ethics slipping, or just his concentration? The petty scandals around Tiger on the golf course lately are almost as exasperating as the policing of his marital fidelity a few years ago, but at least these allegations are about his public actions. More»

Everyone expected Felix Hernandez to anchor the Mariners' staff, but Hisashi Iwakuma's great season is more surprising. He's the only other guy keeping the Mariners' rotation in anything resembling working order -- and he's doing it on a bargain of a contract. More»

Throughout his racing career, if Dick Trickle was known by the casual sports fan, it was because of his name. But every old NASCAR driver is a great story, and Trickle was no different, until his life came to a sad end on Thursday. More»

Outside the Baltimore area, skeptics abound about whether the Orioles are a real contender in the AL East. But for a team living on so-called "destiny," these Orioles are playing pretty well. Should we look for the bottom to drop out soon? More»

This may be Tim Lincecum's last year with the Giants. A few years ago, the idea of him leaving would have struck fear in the heart of Giants fans. But Lincecum isn't the pitcher he once was, and it's looking increasingly likely that he'll never be that pitcher again. More»

Preakness favorite Orb has always been solid and strong, say the managers at the farm where he was born, and owes his temperament to his pedigree. They knew Orb's mother, Lady Liberty, had the ability to produce a champion. More»

Chuck Culpepper correctly called Orb's magnificent Kentucky Derby win. Only one horse since 1961 (Tabasco Cat, 1994) has won the Preakness from the rail, but it's just too hard to pick against this one, or against trainer Shug McGaughey. More»

David Beckham announced his retirement on Thursday, and despite the world-class talent and worldwide fame, there might be something even more impressive: He managed to always just seem like an all-around decent guy, someone you'd want to know. More»

Chuck Muncie's habit saved my life one day in 1982. I tell the story in the hope that, in death, his legacy might keep growing, despite headlines which want to stereotype him into eternity. So that "Chuck Muncie" isn't forever followed by the words "drug" and "troubled." More»

Despite a poor shooting in Game 5, Kevin Durant is getting a pass for OKC's elimination. Sure, it seems reasonable, given that the team was missing a key piece in Russell Westbrook. But why didn't LeBron get the same treatment two years ago? More»

In an age of constant stimulation, the break that halftime is supposed to provide us is anything but. After soliciting suggestions on Twitter, we ranked the most entertaining halftime shows in basketball. (In GIF form, of course.) Enjoy! More»

It's May 2013, one year after many people (and his previous employer) had written off Jason Marquis for the third time in his career. And yet Marquis is still busy figuring out how to get major league hitters out, and largely succeeding. How? More»

Preakness mascot Kegasus is dead, joining the worst all-time mascot fails. Any giant buckeye or talking orange can be annoying, but the mascots on this list are absolutely misguided: they draw attention away from the event and send the wrong message. More»

The amazing halftime entertainer best known as Red Panda Acrobat, who performs an incredible balancing routine on a unicycle, chats with Will. More»

Nothing breeds optimism quite like May in the NFL, where we get our first chance to be impressed by rookies and new coaches in minicamps. From Chicago to Buffalo to Dallas, hope springs eternal and anything seems possible, even if it isn't. More»

NBA owners voted to keep the Kings in Sacramento, meaning Seattle needs either expansion or another relocation candidate to emerge to bring the Supersonics back. Seattle deserves an NBA team, but it must keep waiting -- possibly for a long time. More»

If you are old enough to remember Mike Tyson as Mike Tyson -- that is, as both a churning and terrifying and brilliant champion, as well as a loathsome criminal -- then it is strange in the extreme to watch him become quite literally a cartoon. More»

For years, former Jets doctor Elliot Pellman tried to stand in the way of concussion research progress ... while he chaired the NFL's Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee. Six years after resigning amid criticism, why is he still working with the NFL? More»

The brothers Upton were united in Braves uniforms before the season began, and while Justin Upton looks to be making the most of his chance in Atlanta, brother B.J. has opened the season on one of his frequent cold streaks. More»

College football may be ruled by a class system, but every year a few teams manage to break the ranks, thanks to coaching, recruiting or generous donors. Which teams will break out of mediocrity in the next five seasons? More»

Twitter makes it easier than ever to discover hateful comments, and the Internet trend is to gather them for a public shaming -- a practice that doesn't help anyone. In reality, the world isn't as bad as the Internet makes it look. More»

Few NFL quarterbacks escape dissection by their team's fans, but no athlete of recent vintage has seen his accomplishments so distorted and his character so unjustly maligned as Donovan McNabb. Is it finally time for sanity in Philadelphia? More»

Since drafting Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals have made the playoffs six years running. They've had great, division-winning regular-season teams... yet they've gone no further than the second round. What happens to this team in the playoffs? More»

The Texas Rangers sit comfortably atop the AL West -- again. Most expected this year's script to unfold somewhat differently. But not only has their pitching been good, they've gotten key contributions on offense from some unexpected places. More»

These are not your 2012 Pacers. Paul George and the Pacers are coming into their own, just in time, as they look to knock the Knicks out of the NBA Playoffs. This team has a strut, a sharper sense of purpose, a feeling that anything is possible. More»

NBA announcer Mike Breen talks (mellifluously, of course) about being a color analyst for Marist, being Imus' sports guy, working with Walt Frazier and the keys to good broadcasting, which includes letting the game speak for itself. More»