The Dallas Wings just got Paige Bueckers some major help
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 19: Alanna Smith #8 of the Minnesota Lynx poses with the 2025 Kia WNBA Co-Defensive Player of the Year award on September 19, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Minnesota Lynx just lost one of their cornerstones, as in one of the biggest moves of WNBA free agency so far, Alanna Smith is headed to Texas. The 2025 Co-Defensive Player of the Year is signing a max contract to join Paige Bueckers, the 2026 No. 1 Draft Pick, and Arike Ogunbowale on the Dallas Wings.
This is a deal that works so well for both sides. For Smith, she goes from someone who was waived just a few seasons ago to being paid the $1.19 million max salary in year one of a three-year contract. Dallas gets a much-needed presence in their frontcourt and a boost in defensive power and rim protection.
Smith also has chemistry with Arike, having just won an Unrivaled championship together last month. Her signing immediately boosts the potential of this rebuilding Wings team, and at +4,000, they now have the 8th best odds to win the 2026 championship, according to our friends at FanDuel.
This now shifts the offseason attention to the WNBA Draft, where there is no clear consensus on who the Wings will pick as they select No. 1 overall for the second year in a row. Before Smith signed, there was a clear need for a frontcourt presence, but now the situation is different. Will they pick a more traditional point guard option like Olivia Miles? A shooter in Azzi Fudd? Build out the depth behind Smith and draft her a rookie in Awa Fam or Lauren Betts?
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 19: Alanna Smith #8 of the Minnesota Lynx poses with the 2025 Kia WNBA Co-Defensive Player of the Year award on September 19, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Minnesota Lynx just lost one of their cornerstones, as in one of the biggest moves of WNBA free agency so far, Alanna Smith is headed to Texas. The 2025 Co-Defensive Player of the Year is signing a max contract to join Paige Bueckers, the 2026 No. 1 Draft Pick, and Arike Ogunbowale on the Dallas Wings.
Paige, for one, was thrilled:
Paige Bueckers can’t believe this is her life “WE HERE BABY” ‼️ pic.twitter.com/TVuO358za9
— WNBA Got Game (@wnbagotgame) April 12, 2026
Grading Alanna Smith to the Dallas Wings: A+
This is a deal that works so well for both sides. For Smith, she goes from someone who was waived just a few seasons ago to being paid the $1.19 million max salary in year one of a three-year contract. Dallas gets a much-needed presence in their frontcourt and a boost in defensive power and rim protection.
Smith also has chemistry with Arike, having just won an Unrivaled championship together last month. Her signing immediately boosts the potential of this rebuilding Wings team, and at +4,000, they now have the 8th best odds to win the 2026 championship, according to our friends at FanDuel.
This now shifts the offseason attention to the WNBA Draft, where there is no clear consensus on who the Wings will pick as they select No. 1 overall for the second year in a row. Before Smith signed, there was a clear need for a frontcourt presence, but now the situation is different. Will they pick a more traditional point guard option like Olivia Miles? A shooter in Azzi Fudd? Build out the depth behind Smith and draft her a rookie in Awa Fam or Lauren Betts?
All eyes are on Dallas now.
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#Dallas #Wings #Paige #Bueckers #major
#RCB #IPL #Bumrahs #wicketless #run #strange #confrontation #Mumbai #Indians">MI vs RCB, IPL 2026 — Bumrah’s wicket-less run a strange confrontation for Mumbai Indians
Kieron Pollard was unequivocal in his assessment of Jasprit Bumrah. Addressing the media on the eve of Mumbai Indians’ home game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the batting coach insisted the franchise was not “looking too much” into Bumrah’s wicket-less run.
“When the time comes to get wickets, he’ll get wickets. If not, and he’s economical, we’ll accept that as well,” Pollard said, backing the spearhead to come good.
But as the two heavyweight team clashed at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, Bumrah’s lean patch continued. He returned figures of 0 for 35 in four overs (economy 8.75), the most economical among the six bowlers used, yet unable to provide the breakthroughs Mumbai Indians desperately needed as RCB piled up a daunting 240.
Against a star-studded batting unit, Mumbai’s bowlers were put under sustained pressure from the outset. Bumrah, often relied upon to break partnerships or stem the flow of runs, found himself operating in damage-control mode.
He began with a 10-run over, with Virat Kohli welcoming him with a deft boundary over short third. While he managed to keep things tight thereafter, the early opportunity to make an inroad slipped by.
Reintroduced in the sixth over, shortly after Mitchell Santner conceded 22 runs, Bumrah briefly restored control, giving away just six. It was a reminder of his discipline and control, even on a night when the margins were unforgiving.
However, wickets remained elusive. With Phil Salt and Kohli setting the tempo and attacking relentlessly, Mumbai Indians struggled to find a way through.
In his second spell, Bumrah delivered a tidy seven-run over, but the penultimate over tilted the balance again. Tim David took him on, striking a four and a six as Bumrah conceded 13 runs, a rare sight for a bowler who usually thrives at the death.
So far this season, Bumrah has conceded 123 runs in four matches without a wicket, an unusual stretch for a bowler of his calibre. The last time he endured a similar phase was back in 2014, when he went four matches without a breakthrough.
For Mumbai Indians, the concern is not just the lack of wickets, but the absence of those decisive interventions Bumrah has so often provided, the breakthroughs that halt momentum and shift matches.
The tournament, though, is still young. And the team would hope for Bumrah to rediscover his rhythm, because as history suggests, when Bumrah strikes, the balance often shifts with MI.
#Deadspin #Trail #Blazers #clinch #seed #win #Kings">Deadspin | Trail Blazers can clinch No. 8 seed with win vs. Kings
Apr 10, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) high-fives forward Toumani Camara (33) as guard Jrue Holiday (5) heads to the bench during a timeout in the first half against the LA Clippers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images
The Portland Trail Blazers look to secure the No. 8 position in the Western Conference when they host the woeful Sacramento Kings on Sunday in the regular-season finale for both clubs.
The Trail Blazers put themselves in position to nab a spot in the key 7 vs. 8 play-in contest by routing the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 116-97 on Friday night.
Portland (41-40) and Los Angeles share the same record but the Trail Blazers hold the tiebreaker edge due to having a better record in Western Conference games.
The big deal between being No. 8 or No. 9 is this: Teams in the 7-8 game earn a playoff berth with one win with the loser receiving a second chance. The teams in the 9 vs. 10 pairing need two wins to get in.
Portland is well aware of what’s at stake against the Kings.
“We’ve got one game left in the regular season,” Trail Blazers interim coach Tiago Splitter said after Friday’s contest. “We‘ve got to finish the job here.”
Portland certainly played with more urgency than the Clippers. The Trail Blazers outscored Los Angeles 30-13 in the final quarter.
The Trail Blazers racked up 12 steals, four by reserve Matisse Thybulle.
“We had an outstanding performance defensively,” Splitter said. “A lot of guys did a good job.”
All-Star forward Deni Avdija led the offensive surge with 35 points. It marked his 14th game of 30 or more points this season.
“He was aggressive, he was getting to the paint, he was finding teammates and getting to the free-throw line,” Splitter said of Avdija. “Nothing new I can say about him.”
Shaedon Sharpe returned from a 28-game absence due to calf and fibula injuries to play 15 minutes off the bench against the Clippers. The guard, who last played on Feb. 6, had eight points and four rebounds.
The Trail Blazers are 3-0 against the Kings this season but the Dec. 18 contest in Portland was a wild battle.
Portland pulled out a 134-133 overtime win behind two free throws from Avdija with 1.5 seconds left to cap his 35-point outing. Sacramento forced the OT with an electric 17-2 burst to end regulation. The Kings’ DeMar DeRozan had 33 points, including the tying 3-pointer with 7.8 seconds left.
On Sunday, the Kings (22-59) will be looking to avoid the second 60-loss campaign in franchise history. Sacramento went 17-65 in the 2008-09 campaign.
The Kings have performed well this month with three wins in five games. Sacramento just split a home-and-home with the Golden State Warriors, losing 110-105 on the road Tuesday and following up with a 124-118 home win on Friday.
Devin Carter scored a career-high 29 points while Maxime Raynaud added 23 for the Kings in their home finale.
“Couldn’t get any better, and the way we did it was also awesome,” Raynaud said afterward. “I mean, it was a very physical game. Obviously people were talking on both sides the whole time. It was pretty well fought, pretty close till the end, so the best way to go out.”
DeRozan sat out the past two games due to right hamstring soreness and will sit out Sunday as well. He turns 37 in August and is under contract for next season.
“I’ve been doing this for 17 years, it’s beyond a blessing,” DeRozan said of his career. “… But it’s been a tough year for us.”
Carter also established career bests of six 3-pointers and nine rebounds on Friday. The first-round pick (No. 13 overall) in 2024 has played in 73 games (11 starts) over his two NBA seasons.
“It’s just the confidence,” Carter said of his big outing. “I put the work in. At the end of the day, I just imagine being in the gym working by myself. That’s all it is.”
#IPL #clinical #home #Williamson #LSGs #sevenwicket #loss">IPL 2026: Be more clinical at home, says Williamson after LSG’s seven-wicket loss
Kane Williamson admitted that Lucknow Super Giants need to be “more clinical at home” after their seven-wicket defeat in an IPL match here on Sunday, even as he pointed to challenging pitch conditions and evolving match dynamics as key factors.
Reflecting on the team’s performance across four matches, Williamson, who serves as LSG’s strategy coach, stressed the importance of adapting to varying surfaces.
LSG have lost two of four outings so far.
“We would like to be clinical at home, but context is important. Across the four matches, there’s been a lot of problem-solving required on the surfaces we’ve been on,” the Kiwi said at the post-match press conference.
With high-scoring games becoming common at other venues, Williamson highlighted the contrast in conditions in Lucknow.
“When you turn on the TV and see teams getting 230-240 elsewhere, it’s different. Here, there’s been slow and variable bounce. We want to keep improving in those areas, take the positives, and learn from the rest,” he added.
He noted that the nature of the pitch, especially in a day game, made stroke-making difficult.
“On these surfaces, which tend to slow down, you need to find ways to be effective. They’re not easy to hit on, but at other venues, you’d encourage more freedom if conditions allow,” he explained.
Williamson backed the team’s batting unit, expressing confidence in its ability to deliver consistently, while singling out Nicholas Pooran.
“Today we were an inch away from seeing Pooran at his destructive best. He’s a world-class player, working very hard, and has a strong desire to make big contributions. We’ll keep seeing improvements from him,” he said.
Talking about the changing nature of T20 cricket, Williamson said the introduction of the Impact Player rule has altered team strategies significantly.
“The margins are small now. With Impact Players, teams are effectively batting till eight or nine. It’s more about maximising roles rather than pacing innings like before,” he observed.
He also expressed confidence in Rishabh Pant, calling him a “world-class player” with a proven record across formats.
“All players, including him, have a strong desire to keep evolving. That’s what makes them great,” he said.
Summing up the campaign so far, Williamson said LSG are still in a learning phase despite a mixed start.
“We’re two weeks into a long tournament. The team has scrapped hard on challenging surfaces. We’re two from four but learning a lot and looking forward to the games ahead,” he said.
Providing an update on injured players, he said pace bowler Mayank Yadav is making good progress, while Mohsin Khan is also improving.
“Mayank is really pushing the envelope with his pace, which is exciting. Mohsin is improving well, and hopefully we’ll see both of them fairly soon,” he added.
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