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FIFA World Cup 2026 — Georgios Donis replaces Herve Renard as head coach of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia officially appointed Georgios Donis as head coach on Thursday, firing Hervé Renard, with less than two months before the start of FIFA World Cup 2026.The 56-year-old Donis, a former Greece international, joins from Al-Khaleej, one of several Saudi Pro League clubs he’s coached.“He has extensive experience in the league, including his most recent post (which) enhances his ability to adapt quickly,” the Saudi soccer federation said in its announcement.Saudi Arabia opens its Group H play at the World Cup against Uruguay on June 15. It also plays Spain and Cape Verde.Donis was a longtime Panathinaikos midfielder who also played in England for Blackburn, Sheffield United and Huddersfield. He has also coached Panathinaikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv, among others.The appointment brings Renard’s second spell to an end after he returned to Riyadh in October 2024 to replace Roberto Mancini.The Frenchman, a two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner, came under pressure following a 0-4 friendly loss to Egypt and a 1-2 defeat to Serbia.Renard’s first spell included Saudi Arabia’s famous 2-1 victory over eventual champion Argentina at the 2022 World Cup.Published on Apr 24, 2026 #FIFA #World #Cup #Georgios #Donis #replaces #Herve #Renard #coach #Saudi #Arabia

FIFA World Cup 2026 — Georgios Donis replaces Herve Renard as head coach of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia officially appointed Georgios Donis as head coach on Thursday, firing Hervé Renard, with less than two months before the start of FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 56-year-old Donis, a former Greece international, joins from Al-Khaleej, one of several Saudi Pro League clubs he’s coached.

“He has extensive experience in the league, including his most recent post (which) enhances his ability to adapt quickly,” the Saudi soccer federation said in its announcement.

Saudi Arabia opens its Group H play at the World Cup against Uruguay on June 15. It also plays Spain and Cape Verde.

Donis was a longtime Panathinaikos midfielder who also played in England for Blackburn, Sheffield United and Huddersfield. He has also coached Panathinaikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv, among others.

The appointment brings Renard’s second spell to an end after he returned to Riyadh in October 2024 to replace Roberto Mancini.

The Frenchman, a two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner, came under pressure following a 0-4 friendly loss to Egypt and a 1-2 defeat to Serbia.

Renard’s first spell included Saudi Arabia’s famous 2-1 victory over eventual champion Argentina at the 2022 World Cup.

Published on Apr 24, 2026

#FIFA #World #Cup #Georgios #Donis #replaces #Herve #Renard #coach #Saudi #Arabia

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Saudi Arabia officially appointed Georgios Donis as head coach on Thursday, firing Hervé Renard, with less than two months before the start of FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 56-year-old Donis, a former Greece international, joins from Al-Khaleej, one of several Saudi Pro League clubs he’s coached.

“He has extensive experience in the league, including his most recent post (which) enhances his ability to adapt quickly,” the Saudi soccer federation said in its announcement.

Saudi Arabia opens its Group H play at the World Cup against Uruguay on June 15. It also plays Spain and Cape Verde.

Donis was a longtime Panathinaikos midfielder who also played in England for Blackburn, Sheffield United and Huddersfield. He has also coached Panathinaikos and Maccabi Tel Aviv, among others.

The appointment brings Renard’s second spell to an end after he returned to Riyadh in October 2024 to replace Roberto Mancini.

The Frenchman, a two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner, came under pressure following a 0-4 friendly loss to Egypt and a 1-2 defeat to Serbia.

Renard’s first spell included Saudi Arabia’s famous 2-1 victory over eventual champion Argentina at the 2022 World Cup.

Published on Apr 24, 2026

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#FIFA #World #Cup #Georgios #Donis #replaces #Herve #Renard #coach #Saudi #Arabia

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Deadspin | Red-hot Matt Fitzpatrick popular PGA Championship pick <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28767551.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28767551.jpg" alt="PGA: RBC Heritage - Final Round" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 18, 2026; Hilton Head, South Carolina, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick eyes his line on two green during the final round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Matt Fitzpatrick’s recent run up to a career-best No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking has drawn significant attention from the public ahead of next month’s PGA Championship.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Fitzpatrick outlasted World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in a playoff to claim a signature event title at the RBC Heritage on Sunday. It was an exclamation point on a run that began with a runner-up at The Players Championship, a win at the Valspar Championship and a tie for 18th at the Masters.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>After a bogey on the 72nd hole on Sunday that dropped him into a playoff with Scheffler, Fitzgerald rebounded to knock his approach with a 4-iron into a stiff wind to 13 feet and drained the birdie putt on the first playoff hole.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Following the effort Fitzgerald, 31, went from 35/1 to 20/1 to win the second major of the year at the PGA Championship by Oddschecker. The 2022 U.S. Open champion has also been the most-backed player this week with 23% of the total bets placed on the PGA Championship winner since his victory at Harbor Town. </p> </section><br/><section id="section-5"> <p>The second-most bet player this week has been Cameron Young, who tracked down and beat Fitzpatrick at The Players. Young has been backed by 6% of the total bets this week along with Ludvig Aberg, Sam Burns and Justin Rose.</p> </section> <section id="section-6"> <p>Scheffler is still the PGA Championship favorite at 7/2, giving him a 22% implied probability to win. He has been backed by 5% of the total bets this week along with LIV Golf’s Jon Rahm.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>The second shortest pre-tournament odds belong to Masters champion Rory McIlroy at 7/1. Rahm is 12/1, followed by Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau at 16/1 and Fitzpatrick and Young at 20/1.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>Fitzpatrick and his brother, Alex, are also the co-favorites ahead of this week’s Zurich Classic, the only team event on the PGA Tour. They are 11/1 along with the team of Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Redhot #Matt #Fitzpatrick #popular #PGA #Championship #pick

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Deadspin | Who’s No. 2? Books shifting from Arvell Reese to David Bailey for Jets <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28347944.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28347944.jpg" alt="NFL: Combine" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Feb 26, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas Tech defensive lineman David Bailey (DL31) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>The New York Jets continue to hold their cards close to the vest when it comes to the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft on Thursday night.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>But the most popular online sportsbooks think they see a tell: Texas A&M pass rusher David Bailey has passed Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese as the favorite to be selected immediately after Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza hears his name called first by the Las Vegas Raiders.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Twenty-four hours ago, BetMGM listed Reese at -400 as the favorite to go No. 2 while Bailey could be secured at +200. At that time, Bailey had been backed by the most total bets at 21.2% and Reese by the most money at 37.2%. But by Wednesday night, Bailey moved into the favorite’s role at -145 while Reese has plummeted to +110.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>DraftKings, meanwhile, listed Bailey as -150 to go No. 2 with Reese at +115 and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love a distant third at +8000.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>This seismic surge occurred despite Bailey having his “top 30” visit to Jets headquarters canceled by the team. Jets coach Aaron Glenn downplayed not bringing Bailey in for a pre-draft visit, then Bailey supported that view Wednesday by saying he has spent plenty of time with the team’s brass and recently caught up with them on FaceTime. </p> </section><br/><section id="section-6"> <p>Yet another question: Will the Jets hold on to that second overall pick?</p> </section> <section id="section-7"> <p>New York owns five of the top 103 selections in the draft and could opt to move down or stay put at No. 2 and/or No. 16 on Thursday night. The Jets also have a pair of second-round picks on Friday night.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>If the team stays put at No. 2, the question between Bailey and Reese has been one of the more interesting pre-draft debates.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>The 6-foot-4, 243-pound Reese ranks the No. 6 overall prospect in the 2026 draft by Field Level Media, followed immediately by the 6-3, 247-pound Bailey.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Bailey tied for the NCAA lead with 14.5 sacks last season and is a weight-room warrior who explodes off the ball. He has been compared to Denver Broncos pass rusher Nik Bonitto, who faced similar questions about his potential as a run defender coming out of Oklahoma prior to the 2022 draft.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Reese could be a reliable edge setter in a 3-4 or a thumping presence in the middle of a 4-3. He also can stick with tight ends in coverage, and provides a tantalizing combination of tools and versatility. A comp to retired pass rusher Barkevious Mingo, who by all accounts failed to live up to pre-draft expectations, might have many NFL personnel in the Jets’ shoes favoring Bailey.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-12"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Whos #Books #shifting #Arvell #Reese #David #Bailey #Jets

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Deadspin | Hurricanes push Senators to brink with Game 3 win Apr 23, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) and Ottawa Senators left wing Warren Foegele (37) chase the puck in the first period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Logan Stankoven scored for the third straight game and the Carolina Hurricanes put the Senators on the brink of elimination with a 2-1 win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series in Ottawa on Thursday. Carolina leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 and Game 4 is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Only four teams in NHL history have come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. The last team to do it was the Los Angeles Kings against the San Jose Sharks in 2014. Jackson Blake also scored for the Hurricanes. Taylor Hall had two assists, and Frederik Andersen made 21 saves. Drake Batherson scored his second goal of the series for the Senators, who have yet to have the lead at any point through three games. Linus Ullmark made 25 saves in the loss. Carolina went 0-for-4 on the power play; Ottawa was 0-for-5 and is 0-for-12 for the series. Stankoven opened the scoring, giving the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 5:13 of the first period. Hall got his own rebound after a shot on the rush, circled behind the net and then passed across to Stankoven, who scored on a wrist shot from the left circle. Brady Tkachuk got in alone against Andersen early in the second period, but his backhand attempt was stopped. The Senators had a 5-on-3 power play for 1:28 midway through the second period but did not convert. Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson left the game at 10:07 of the second period with an apparent injury after taking a shot off his left hand. He had earlier taken a shot to the head from Hall. Batherson tied it 1-1 at 16:06 when he received Nick Cousins’ pass in the slot, went to his backhand and lifted it in over Andersen’s pad. Blake put the Hurricanes back on top 2-1 at 17:29. K’Andre Miller received a pass at the point, skated down to the top of the left circle and passed down across to Blake, who scored past the diving Ullmark from the far post. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Hurricanes #push #Senators #brink #Game #winApr 23, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) and Ottawa Senators left wing Warren Foegele (37) chase the puck in the first period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn

Logan Stankoven scored for the third straight game and the Carolina Hurricanes put the Senators on the brink of elimination with a 2-1 win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series in Ottawa on Thursday.

Carolina leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 and Game 4 is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.

Only four teams in NHL history have come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. The last team to do it was the Los Angeles Kings against the San Jose Sharks in 2014.

Jackson Blake also scored for the Hurricanes. Taylor Hall had two assists, and Frederik Andersen made 21 saves.

Drake Batherson scored his second goal of the series for the Senators, who have yet to have the lead at any point through three games. Linus Ullmark made 25 saves in the loss.

Carolina went 0-for-4 on the power play; Ottawa was 0-for-5 and is 0-for-12 for the series.


Stankoven opened the scoring, giving the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 5:13 of the first period. Hall got his own rebound after a shot on the rush, circled behind the net and then passed across to Stankoven, who scored on a wrist shot from the left circle.

Brady Tkachuk got in alone against Andersen early in the second period, but his backhand attempt was stopped.

The Senators had a 5-on-3 power play for 1:28 midway through the second period but did not convert.

Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson left the game at 10:07 of the second period with an apparent injury after taking a shot off his left hand. He had earlier taken a shot to the head from Hall.

Batherson tied it 1-1 at 16:06 when he received Nick Cousins’ pass in the slot, went to his backhand and lifted it in over Andersen’s pad.

Blake put the Hurricanes back on top 2-1 at 17:29. K’Andre Miller received a pass at the point, skated down to the top of the left circle and passed down across to Blake, who scored past the diving Ullmark from the far post.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Hurricanes #push #Senators #brink #Game #win">Deadspin | Hurricanes push Senators to brink with Game 3 win Apr 23, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) and Ottawa Senators left wing Warren Foegele (37) chase the puck in the first period of game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Logan Stankoven scored for the third straight game and the Carolina Hurricanes put the Senators on the brink of elimination with a 2-1 win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series in Ottawa on Thursday. Carolina leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 and Game 4 is set for Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Only four teams in NHL history have come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series. The last team to do it was the Los Angeles Kings against the San Jose Sharks in 2014. Jackson Blake also scored for the Hurricanes. Taylor Hall had two assists, and Frederik Andersen made 21 saves. Drake Batherson scored his second goal of the series for the Senators, who have yet to have the lead at any point through three games. Linus Ullmark made 25 saves in the loss. Carolina went 0-for-4 on the power play; Ottawa was 0-for-5 and is 0-for-12 for the series. Stankoven opened the scoring, giving the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 5:13 of the first period. Hall got his own rebound after a shot on the rush, circled behind the net and then passed across to Stankoven, who scored on a wrist shot from the left circle. Brady Tkachuk got in alone against Andersen early in the second period, but his backhand attempt was stopped. The Senators had a 5-on-3 power play for 1:28 midway through the second period but did not convert. Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson left the game at 10:07 of the second period with an apparent injury after taking a shot off his left hand. He had earlier taken a shot to the head from Hall. Batherson tied it 1-1 at 16:06 when he received Nick Cousins’ pass in the slot, went to his backhand and lifted it in over Andersen’s pad. Blake put the Hurricanes back on top 2-1 at 17:29. K’Andre Miller received a pass at the point, skated down to the top of the left circle and passed down across to Blake, who scored past the diving Ullmark from the far post. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Hurricanes #push #Senators #brink #Game #win

Deadspin | New Rams QB Ty Simpson among biggest NFL draft surprises Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is selected by the Los Angeles Rams as the number 13 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Titans select Ohio State WR Carnell Tate at 4 If you had a bet out on Tate being the first Ohio State player taken, you probably made some money. The Titans had many needs and committed heavily to taking wide receivers in the mid-rounds last year, so the position wasn’t really on the radar for Tennessee. Tate fits extremely well into the wide receiver room, providing a true alpha complement to Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, who showed promise, but not quite enough to elevate quarterback Cam Ward early. Pairing their franchise quarterback with a high-level wideout early could spell promise for this offense. Chiefs select LSU CB Mansoor Delane at 6 It’s not surprising that there was some jockeying to get higher in the draft in a class with a limited number of blue-chip players, but most assumed that if the Chiefs were going to move up it would be for an edge rusher. The Chiefs lost a chunk of cornerbacks this offseason, but moving up for Delane was unexpected. However, head coach Andy Reid should welcome Delane to the team, given the limited outside talent on the team. The group should feel a little more solid with Delane’s well-rounded coverage ability. Rams select Alabama QB Ty Simpson at 13 The first-year Alabama signal caller has been gifted the perfect chance to develop. With Rams head coach Sean McVay on his side and a solid starter in Matthew Stafford to learn from for at least the next season or two, Simpson looks like he’ll be able to be in prime form like we saw in the first half of his final college season. The Rams are giving him a long leash to develop, a good plan for a player whom many doubted could start early. Still, this selection was a shocker for a team many believe is ready to compete for a Super Bowl this season. Vikings select Louisville DL Caleb Banks at 18 Without the foot injury that sidelined Banks for most of the 2025 season, this would not be much of a shock. But Banks suffered another foot injury at the NFL Combine, and many believed his stock had dropped as a result. The Vikings, though, clearly saw the impressive movement skills Banks showed off at the combine and jumped at the chance to draft him. Time will tell if this is a major upside play or an unforced blunder, that’s between Minnesota and the doctor’s office. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rams #Simpson #among #biggest #NFL #draft #surprisesApr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is selected by the Los Angeles Rams as the number 13 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Titans select Ohio State WR Carnell Tate at 4

If you had a bet out on Tate being the first Ohio State player taken, you probably made some money. The Titans had many needs and committed heavily to taking wide receivers in the mid-rounds last year, so the position wasn’t really on the radar for Tennessee.

Tate fits extremely well into the wide receiver room, providing a true alpha complement to Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, who showed promise, but not quite enough to elevate quarterback Cam Ward early. Pairing their franchise quarterback with a high-level wideout early could spell promise for this offense.

Chiefs select LSU CB Mansoor Delane at 6

It’s not surprising that there was some jockeying to get higher in the draft in a class with a limited number of blue-chip players, but most assumed that if the Chiefs were going to move up it would be for an edge rusher. The Chiefs lost a chunk of cornerbacks this offseason, but moving up for Delane was unexpected.


However, head coach Andy Reid should welcome Delane to the team, given the limited outside talent on the team. The group should feel a little more solid with Delane’s well-rounded coverage ability.

Rams select Alabama QB Ty Simpson at 13

The first-year Alabama signal caller has been gifted the perfect chance to develop. With Rams head coach Sean McVay on his side and a solid starter in Matthew Stafford to learn from for at least the next season or two, Simpson looks like he’ll be able to be in prime form like we saw in the first half of his final college season. The Rams are giving him a long leash to develop, a good plan for a player whom many doubted could start early. Still, this selection was a shocker for a team many believe is ready to compete for a Super Bowl this season.

Vikings select Louisville DL Caleb Banks at 18

Without the foot injury that sidelined Banks for most of the 2025 season, this would not be much of a shock. But Banks suffered another foot injury at the NFL Combine, and many believed his stock had dropped as a result.

The Vikings, though, clearly saw the impressive movement skills Banks showed off at the combine and jumped at the chance to draft him. Time will tell if this is a major upside play or an unforced blunder, that’s between Minnesota and the doctor’s office.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Rams #Simpson #among #biggest #NFL #draft #surprises">Deadspin | New Rams QB Ty Simpson among biggest NFL draft surprises Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is selected by the Los Angeles Rams as the number 13 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Titans select Ohio State WR Carnell Tate at 4 If you had a bet out on Tate being the first Ohio State player taken, you probably made some money. The Titans had many needs and committed heavily to taking wide receivers in the mid-rounds last year, so the position wasn’t really on the radar for Tennessee. Tate fits extremely well into the wide receiver room, providing a true alpha complement to Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike, who showed promise, but not quite enough to elevate quarterback Cam Ward early. Pairing their franchise quarterback with a high-level wideout early could spell promise for this offense. Chiefs select LSU CB Mansoor Delane at 6 It’s not surprising that there was some jockeying to get higher in the draft in a class with a limited number of blue-chip players, but most assumed that if the Chiefs were going to move up it would be for an edge rusher. The Chiefs lost a chunk of cornerbacks this offseason, but moving up for Delane was unexpected. However, head coach Andy Reid should welcome Delane to the team, given the limited outside talent on the team. The group should feel a little more solid with Delane’s well-rounded coverage ability. Rams select Alabama QB Ty Simpson at 13 The first-year Alabama signal caller has been gifted the perfect chance to develop. With Rams head coach Sean McVay on his side and a solid starter in Matthew Stafford to learn from for at least the next season or two, Simpson looks like he’ll be able to be in prime form like we saw in the first half of his final college season. The Rams are giving him a long leash to develop, a good plan for a player whom many doubted could start early. Still, this selection was a shocker for a team many believe is ready to compete for a Super Bowl this season. Vikings select Louisville DL Caleb Banks at 18 Without the foot injury that sidelined Banks for most of the 2025 season, this would not be much of a shock. But Banks suffered another foot injury at the NFL Combine, and many believed his stock had dropped as a result. The Vikings, though, clearly saw the impressive movement skills Banks showed off at the combine and jumped at the chance to draft him. Time will tell if this is a major upside play or an unforced blunder, that’s between Minnesota and the doctor’s office. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Rams #Simpson #among #biggest #NFL #draft #surprises

Deadspin | Timberwolves shut down Nuggets, claim series advantage Apr 23, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) talks with guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) during a free throw by the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Jaden McDaniels led a spirited defensive effort, reserve Ayo Dosunmu delivered a team-high 25 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves held the Denver Nuggets to a season-low shooting percentage en route to a 113-96 victory in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Thursday in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves hold a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven set that continues Saturday night in Minneapolis. McDaniels finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds while Anthony Edwards chipped in 17 points for the sixth-seeded Timberwolves, who scored 14 of the game’s first 18 points and never looked back. Hounded much of the night by McDaniels, Jamal Murray shot just 5-for-17, missed all five of his 3-point attempts and totaled just 16 points for the Nuggets, who shot just 34.1% overall. Nikola Jokic was the game’s leading scorer with 27 points and leading rebounder with 15, but went just 7-for-26 from the field and missed eight of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc. The Nuggets’ season low for field-goal percentage in the regular season was 40.2%, which it posted three times. Denver’s 25.0% accuracy on 3-point tries, 8-for-32, was its fourth lowest of the season. After both teams reached triple figures in scoring in the first two games and McDaniels labeled all of the Nuggets defensively challenged, Minnesota set a defensive tone right from the opening tip of its first home game in the series. The Timberwolves’ defense was particularly impressive in the first half, limiting the Nuggets to 39 points and 3-for-15 success (20.0%) from behind the arc. Denver had only four points in the game’s first seven minutes, during which Minnesota built its first double-digit lead at 14-4. McDaniels had a three-point play on a dunk and two other interior hoops while singlehandedly outscoring the visitors 7-4 over the run. Minnesota went on to lead 25-11 by quarter’s end before going up by as many as 23 in the second period. The closest the Nuggets got in the second half was 12, that coming in the final two minutes. Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert snatched a team-high 12 rebounds to go with 10 points. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo chipped in with 15 points apiece, with DiVincenzo adding a game-high seven assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. logged 11 points and Zeke Nnaji 10 off the bench for the Nuggets, who played without Aaron Gordon (tight left calf) and Peyton Watson (strained left hamstring). Denver was held under 100 points just twice during the regular season. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Timberwolves #shut #Nuggets #claim #series #advantageApr 23, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) talks with guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) during a free throw by the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Jaden McDaniels led a spirited defensive effort, reserve Ayo Dosunmu delivered a team-high 25 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves held the Denver Nuggets to a season-low shooting percentage en route to a 113-96 victory in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Thursday in Minneapolis.

The Timberwolves hold a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven set that continues Saturday night in Minneapolis.

McDaniels finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds while Anthony Edwards chipped in 17 points for the sixth-seeded Timberwolves, who scored 14 of the game’s first 18 points and never looked back.

Hounded much of the night by McDaniels, Jamal Murray shot just 5-for-17, missed all five of his 3-point attempts and totaled just 16 points for the Nuggets, who shot just 34.1% overall. Nikola Jokic was the game’s leading scorer with 27 points and leading rebounder with 15, but went just 7-for-26 from the field and missed eight of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc.

The Nuggets’ season low for field-goal percentage in the regular season was 40.2%, which it posted three times. Denver’s 25.0% accuracy on 3-point tries, 8-for-32, was its fourth lowest of the season.


After both teams reached triple figures in scoring in the first two games and McDaniels labeled all of the Nuggets defensively challenged, Minnesota set a defensive tone right from the opening tip of its first home game in the series. The Timberwolves’ defense was particularly impressive in the first half, limiting the Nuggets to 39 points and 3-for-15 success (20.0%) from behind the arc.

Denver had only four points in the game’s first seven minutes, during which Minnesota built its first double-digit lead at 14-4. McDaniels had a three-point play on a dunk and two other interior hoops while singlehandedly outscoring the visitors 7-4 over the run.

Minnesota went on to lead 25-11 by quarter’s end before going up by as many as 23 in the second period. The closest the Nuggets got in the second half was 12, that coming in the final two minutes.

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert snatched a team-high 12 rebounds to go with 10 points. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo chipped in with 15 points apiece, with DiVincenzo adding a game-high seven assists.

Tim Hardaway Jr. logged 11 points and Zeke Nnaji 10 off the bench for the Nuggets, who played without Aaron Gordon (tight left calf) and Peyton Watson (strained left hamstring). Denver was held under 100 points just twice during the regular season.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Timberwolves #shut #Nuggets #claim #series #advantage">Deadspin | Timberwolves shut down Nuggets, claim series advantage Apr 23, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) talks with guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) during a free throw by the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Jaden McDaniels led a spirited defensive effort, reserve Ayo Dosunmu delivered a team-high 25 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves held the Denver Nuggets to a season-low shooting percentage en route to a 113-96 victory in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Thursday in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves hold a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven set that continues Saturday night in Minneapolis. McDaniels finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds while Anthony Edwards chipped in 17 points for the sixth-seeded Timberwolves, who scored 14 of the game’s first 18 points and never looked back. Hounded much of the night by McDaniels, Jamal Murray shot just 5-for-17, missed all five of his 3-point attempts and totaled just 16 points for the Nuggets, who shot just 34.1% overall. Nikola Jokic was the game’s leading scorer with 27 points and leading rebounder with 15, but went just 7-for-26 from the field and missed eight of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc. The Nuggets’ season low for field-goal percentage in the regular season was 40.2%, which it posted three times. Denver’s 25.0% accuracy on 3-point tries, 8-for-32, was its fourth lowest of the season. After both teams reached triple figures in scoring in the first two games and McDaniels labeled all of the Nuggets defensively challenged, Minnesota set a defensive tone right from the opening tip of its first home game in the series. The Timberwolves’ defense was particularly impressive in the first half, limiting the Nuggets to 39 points and 3-for-15 success (20.0%) from behind the arc. Denver had only four points in the game’s first seven minutes, during which Minnesota built its first double-digit lead at 14-4. McDaniels had a three-point play on a dunk and two other interior hoops while singlehandedly outscoring the visitors 7-4 over the run. Minnesota went on to lead 25-11 by quarter’s end before going up by as many as 23 in the second period. The closest the Nuggets got in the second half was 12, that coming in the final two minutes. Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert snatched a team-high 12 rebounds to go with 10 points. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo chipped in with 15 points apiece, with DiVincenzo adding a game-high seven assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. logged 11 points and Zeke Nnaji 10 off the bench for the Nuggets, who played without Aaron Gordon (tight left calf) and Peyton Watson (strained left hamstring). Denver was held under 100 points just twice during the regular season. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Timberwolves #shut #Nuggets #claim #series #advantage

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