Sports
Grizzlies offer chance for slumping Jazz to play different tune
Apr 7, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Utah Jazz guard Kennedy Chandler (0) shoots the ball against New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins (24) during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images The Utah Jazz have shown flashes of potential and competitiveness during its current 10-game losing streak. But the lows have outnumbered the highs heading into a showdown with the Memphis Grizzlies in Salt Lake City on Friday night.
Utah hit one of those lows in a 156-137 loss to New Orleans on Tuesday. The Jazz found themselves on the wrong end of the Pels’ multiple franchise records following a second-half defensive collapse.
New Orleans set franchise highs for total points scored in a game (156) and points scored in a quarter (50 in the third). Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears led the way with a franchise rookie record 40 points. The Jazz (21-59) allowed 90 points in the paint and 44 fastbreak points.
Utah led 69-61 at halftime before self-destructing in the third quarter. New Orleans used a 31-6 run to pull away — fueled by baskets from Jordan Poole, who scored 22 points in the quarter.
Kennedy Chandler and John Konchar offered a bright spot for the Jazz off the bench. Chandler totaled a career-high 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, while Konchar produced 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career triple-double.
Fan support has remained strong even as Utah staggers to the finish line on a fourth straight playoff-less season. The Jazz are hopeful it will make a positive difference in their final regular-season home game Friday.
“They’re passionate. They’re knowledgeable. They’re fair. But they want to win,” Utah coach Will Hardy said of the Jazz fans in a video posted to the Utah Jazz’s X account. “And they believe that they add to the environment, and that they make this place a hard place for opponents to play, and a great place for our team to play.”
Memphis, much like the Jazz, are trying to find positives as losses continue to pile up at the end of the season.
The Grizzlies (25-55) lost their sixth straight after falling 136-119 to Denver on Wednesday. They have won twice in their last 21 games. Memphis fell to the Nuggets after Nikola Jokic finished with 14 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists for his 34th triple-double of the season.
Cedric Coward matched his career high with 27 points against Denver. Coward has been a bright spot for the rebuilding Grizzlies, averaging 17.3 points on 55.6% shooting over his last four games.
“I just try to impact winning the best I can,” Coward said to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I hope people who watched our games throughout the whole year — not just recently or early in the season — can see that I’ve impacted winning in a lot of ways. I’m just trying to keep doing that.”
For the season, he is averaging 13.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists. That level of production has put Coward in the mix to earn NBA All-Rookie first-team honors at season’s end.
“From day one, he’s been super impressive in how he’s contributed — especially to winning,” Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “If you look at his lineups, he’s been a guy driving winning in multiple ways, defensively and offensively. I think he’s just scratched the surface of what he can be.”
Three players currently on the Memphis roster — Ja Morant, Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells — earned first-team honors in their rookie NBA seasons. Seven players have earned All-Rookie honors with the Grizzlies in five of the past seven seasons.
–Field Level Media
Sports
New York City FC's Drew Baiera (ACL) to undergo surgery
Mar 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC defender Drew Baiera (38) looks on during the second half against the Inter Miami at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images New York City FC defender Drew Baiera will undergo surgery to repair a ruptured ACL in his left knee, the team said Thursday.
Baiera played in 21 minutes over three matches for NYCFC and didn’t dent the scoresheet.
Per NYCFC.network, Baiera sustained the injury during his recent stint with the U.S. youth national team.
The 19-year-old will begin rehab immediately after the surgery.
New York City FC visit the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Michigan adds former Tennessee F J.P. Estrella
Tennessee forward J.P. Estrella (13) signals a close shot during the NCAA Tournament Elite 8 game against Michigan at the United Center in Chicago on March 29, 2026. Tennessee transfer forward J.P. Estrella told multiple media outlets on Thursday that he has committed to national champion Michigan.
Listed at 6-foot-11 and 240 pounds, Estrella averaged 10.0 points and 5.4 rebounds in 33 games (13 starts) with the Volunteers this past season. Tennessee’s season came to an end in the Elite Eight, courtesy of a 95-62 setback to the Wolverines on March 29.
Michigan went on to capture its second national championship and first since 1989 with a 69-63 victory over UConn on Monday.
Estrella missed all but three games in 2024-25 after having season-ending surgery on his left foot.
He was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2023 out of Brewster Academy in South Portland, Maine.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Twins make clutch plays, add to Tigers' losing skid
Apr 9, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Trevor Larnach (9) slides into third base on a single by Minnesota Twins first baseman Josh Bell (not pictured) against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Brooks Lee pulled a two-run single through the right side of the infield, and the Minnesota Twins held on for a 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Josh Bell went 3-for-4 and hit a solo home run for Minnesota, which completed a four-game sweep over the Tigers.
Gleyber Torres drove in the lone run for Detroit, which has dropped five straight games.
Twins right-hander Garrett Acton (1-0) earned his first career win after allowing one run in two innings of relief. He followed starter Mick Abel, who pitched six scoreless innings.
Tigers right-hander Will Vest (0-2) gave up two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Twins right-hander Eric Orze pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save of the season.
Lee delivered the go-ahead hit with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth. He fell behind Vest 0-2 before working the count full and knocking a single to right.
The Twins grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Bell led off the inning against Tigers starter Jack Flaherty and ripped the first pitch he saw 401 feet over the wall in right-center field. The blast marked his third home run since signing with the Twins.
The Tigers evened the score at 1-all in the top of the seventh. Jake Rogers started the action when he was hit by a pitch with one out. Moments later, Rodgers advanced from first to third on a single by Colt Keith. Torres lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Rogers and tie the game.
Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows had to be carted off the field after a scary collision in the bottom of the eighth. Meadows and Riley Greene converged on Bell’s fly ball that was slicing toward the gap in left-center field, and Greene made the catch but his head clipped the side of Meadows’ face.
Meadows stayed down and rolled on his back as trainers attended to him. He eventually sat up and walked a few steps slowly to a cart that took him out of the game.
–Field Level Media
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New York City FC's Drew Baiera (ACL) to undergo surgery
