Sports
Nuggets, Timberwolves clash for first time since West semis
Oct 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15), point guard Jamal Murray (27) and guard Christian Braun (0) celebrate a play on the court against the Brooklyn Nets during overtime at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images The Denver Nuggets enjoyed a two-day break after working overtime to posting back-to-back victories earlier this week.
Now Denver will turn its attention to another Western Conference powerhouse, the Minnesota Timberwolves, when the teams tip off Friday night at Minneapolis.
The Nuggets’ OT wins both came on the road — 127-125 against the Toronto Raptors on Monday and 144-139 against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday.
“Obviously there’s still a lot we can clean up, but I’m proud of our guys for finding a way in back-to-back nights,” Denver coach Michael Malone said. “(It was a result of the group) staying together, staying with it, believing in themselves and finding a way to get a win in overtime.
“I just hope we don’t go to overtime every game the rest of the season.”
Recent history suggests that the Nuggets could be in store for another close game when they take on the Timberwolves.
The Friday game is a rematch of last season’s Western Conference semifinals, which the Timberwolves won in seven games. Minnesota won the first two games, lost the next three and won the final two to advance to the Western finals.
Both teams made notable offseason roster moves. The Timberwolves traded longtime fan favorite Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in a deal that brought Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota. The Nuggets let Kentavious Caldwell-Pope depart via free agency and brought in veteran Russell Westbrook to add leadership on and off the court.
Amid the new faces, both teams maintain the same goal as last season. They both hope to finish near the top of the conference and make deep playoff runs, meaning another postseason series matchup is possible.
Nikola Jokic leads the Nuggets, averaging a triple-double (31.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 9.3 assists) through the first four games. Jamal Murray is second in scoring with 18.8 and Aaron Gordon is third with 15.5.
“What more can you say about Nikola Jokic?” Malone said after his team’s latest win against Brooklyn. “I know it’s only four games, but what that guy does — 29 (points), 18 (rebounds) and 16 (assists) — he makes it look easy.”
The same could be said for Anthony Edwards, who leads the Timberwolves with an average of 30 points to go along with 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Edwards is shooting 41.5 percent from 3-point range, a noticeable jump from last season, when he shot 35.7 percent.
Randle is next with 23.3 points to go with 7.5 rebounds. Naz Reid is averaging 13.8 points and 7.5 rebounds, while Rudy Gobert is close to averaging a double-double with 9.5 points and a team-high 11.3 boards.
Minnesota is looking to bounce back from a 120-114 loss against the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.
Edwards said he and his teammates needed to focus more on defense when they play the Nuggets and other opponents.
“They scored a lot in transition,” Edwards said of Dallas. “Just transition defense and rebounding, and we’ll be OK. I feel like we can beat anybody. If we can get back in transition and we rebound, and if I rebound, we’ll be good.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: RB David Montgomery 'wants out' of Detroit
Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images Lions running back David Montgomery “wants out” of Detroit after three seasons, ESPN reported on Sunday.
Montgomery, however, immediately appeared to refute the report on X, posting: “Damn, Dmo told you that?”
The ESPN report claims the Lions would want “a decent Day 3 pick (possibly a fifth-rounder)” in the 2026 NFL Draft in return for Montgomery, who turns 29 in June and is owed $6 million next season.
The report follows general manager Brad Holmes’ remarks after the season about Montgomery being unhappy with his playing time in 2025. Sharing a backfield with Jahmyr Gibbs, Montgomery rushed for a career-low 716 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games (no starts).
“Those are conversations that we’re going to have to have because I’ve got a lot of respect for that player,” Holmes said of Montgomery in January. “He deserves to be in a situation where his skillset can be utilized, and so yeah would love for it to be here, but if it can’t be here then you’d just love to see where could work out best for him.”
At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Holmes said the situation with Montgomery is “fluid.” He signed a two-year extension during the 2024 season that runs through the end of the 2027 campaign.
“Yeah, I have been in touch with David’s agent, and his representation,” Holmes revealed. “Obviously, we love David, he’s a great player, we love to have him, you know, kind of want to put last year in the rear view, and just move forward. But, obviously, a player has to want to be at a certain place as well. The conversations are still fluid, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Montgomery has rushed for 2,506 yards and 33 touchdowns in 45 games (28 starts) in three seasons with Detroit (2023-25). He has 76 catches for 650 yards in that span.
He began his career with the NFC North rival Chicago Bears, who drafted him in the third round in 2019. Montgomery rushed for 3,609 yards and 26 scores in 60 games (51 starts) with the Bears (2019-22).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees LHP Ryan Yarbrough joins U.S. roster for WBC
Jun 18, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Ryan Yarbrough (33) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images New York Yankees left-hander Ryan Yarbrough was added to the Team USA roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic on Sunday.
The 34-year-old reliever replaces Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan, who is dealing with low back tightness. Ryan moves into the designated pitcher pool, meaning he is eligible for a call-up after each round of the WBC.
Yarbrough went 3-1 with a 4.36 ERA and one save in 19 games (eight starts) during his first season with the Yankees in 2025, striking out 55 batters and walking 19 in 64 innings.
Ryan Yarbrough has been added to our roster for the World Baseball Classic!#ForGlory???? pic.twitter.com/RrtKJQ20gz
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 1, 2026
Team USA will play its first game of the 2026 WBC on Friday night, meeting Brazil in a Pool B contest in Houston.
Yarbrough has a career record of 56-41 with a 4.22 ERA and four saves in 215 games (76 starts) with the Tampa Bay Rays (2018-22), Kansas City Royals (2023), Los Angeles Dodgers (2023-24), Toronto Blue Jays (2024) and Yankees. The side-arming southpaw signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal in November to return to New York in 2026.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ex-pitcher Dan Serafini gets life sentence for '21 murder
Dan Serafini (file photo) pitched in MLB with seven teams. He was convited of first-degree murder. Former major league pitcher Dan Serafini was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Friday for the 2021 shootings of his in-laws in North Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Serafini, 52, was convicted in July of the first-degree murder of father-in-law Gary Spohr and the attempted first-degree murder of mother-in-law Wendy Wood during a burglary. Spohr, 70, died from a single gunshot and Wood, then 68, survived but died by suicide the following year.
In the courtroom on Friday in Auburn, Calif., Placer County prosecutor Morgan Gire described Spohr and Wood as loving grandparents.
“The impact of this attack has extended far beyond the immediate victims, deeply affecting family members and the broader community, and highlighting the lasting harm caused by deliberate violence,” Gire said.
Serafini, who pitched for six MLB teams from 1996 to 2007, addressed the court and maintained his innocence. He said he was out partying with his wife, Erin Spohr, at the time of the shooting and referred to himself as a “broken, imperfect man that makes mistakes,” according to MyNews4.
The Minnesota Twins selected Serafini, a native of the San Francisco area, with the No. 26 overall pick in the 1992 MLB Draft. He made his debut in 1996 and went on to appear in 104 games (33 starts) with the Twins, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies before his retirement in 2007.
He had a 15-16 record with a 6.04 ERA and one save. He threw 263 2/3 innings and struck out 127 batters.
–Field Level Media
Report: RB David Montgomery 'wants out' of Detroit
SaaS in, SaaS out: Here’s what’s driving the SaaSpocalypse
