Here are the AP’s top sports stories that have moved or are planned to move today. All times U.S. Eastern. For up-to-the minute information on AP’s coverage, visit AP Newsroom’s Coverage Plan. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports.

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UPCOMING

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BKN--NBA POSTSEASON COVERAGE

FORMATS: Photo, Text

1. WITH: BKN--NBA POSTSEASON COVERAGE

2. DESCRIPTION: BKN--Hornets-Magic The Magic hosts the Hornets Friday night with the last spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs at stake. By Dick Scanlon. Game starts at 7:30 ET BKN-Warriors-Suns teph Curry the Warriors travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns as both teams look to lock up the No. 8 seed in the West. By David Brandt. Game start at 10 pm ET FEATURES: BKN--NBA Playoffs-Spurs-Wembanyama Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs don’t have much championship experience on their roster but San Antonio believes they are built to win a title – this year. Tim Reynolds. MOVING at 6 a.m. ET BKN--Pistons-Cunningham Cade Cunningham won an appeal to be eligible for NBA awards, though he’s more interested in helping the Detroit Pistons advance in the playoffs for the first time since 2008. By Larry Lage. 600 words, photos. BKN--Rockets-Durant Kevin Durant is back in the playoffs after missing out last season and he and the Houston Rockets are hoping to make some noise this postseason. “I’m grateful to be here healthy, with a team that’s looking forward to trying to do some big things,” he said. By Kristie Rieken. 750 words. Photos. BKN--NBA-Inside the Numbers. Key stats and trends going into the start of the 2026 NBA playoffs. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. UPCOMING: 900 words, photos. BKN--NBA-Playoff Preview The 2026 NBA playoffs start Saturday. A look at what’ll happen over the next two months. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. BKN--Timberwolves-Nuggets Preview DENVER -- The Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets renew their rivalry when their first-round series begins Saturday. And yes, it is a rivalry. “I don’t think there’s anything else to call it but a rivalry,” the Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards said. By Pat Graham. 650 words, photos by 5 p.m. ET. BKN--Rockets-Lakers Preview LOS ANGELES — LeBron James and Kevin Durant haven’t met in a postseason series since the 2018 NBA Finals. Two of the greatest scorers in basketball history face off again when the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers attempt to pull off an improbable feat against the Houston Rockets. By Greg Beacham. BKN--Hawks-Knicks Preview NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks believe they can have another long postseason run after reaching the Eastern Conference finals last year. First, they have to get past the Atlanta Hawks, who surged into the playoffs with a strong second half of the season. By Brian Mahoney. BKN--Raptors-Cavaliers Preview CLEVELAND -- The Toronto Raptors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in their regular season series, but the last time they faced each other was in late November. A lot has happened since then. The Cavaliers acquired James Harden in a major midseason trade and the Raptors are in the postseason for the first time since 2022. By Joe Reedy.

3. UPCOMING: By 04/17/2026 5:00 p.m. EDT

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FBC--MIAMI-MENSAH

DESCRIPTION: Darian Mensah is settled in Miami, has gone through his first spring practices with the Hurricanes and is about to play in his first spring game. And he knows what’s expected.

UPCOMING: By 04/17/2026 3:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text

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BKN--TRAIL BLAZERS-WILD SEASON

DESCRIPTION: POIRTLAND, Ore. The Trail Blazers’ season started with their coach’s arrest in an alleged gambling scheme. It ended with Portland in the playoffs for the first time since 2021. It’s been an interesting path to the postseason to say the least for the Blazers, who also overcame a January slump, some untimely injuries and the ale of the team to finish the regular season above .500 at 42-40. By Anne M. Peterson. Upcoming: 650 words and photos.

UPCOMING: By 04/17/2026 3:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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HKN--WILD-STARS PREVIEW

DESCRIPTION: The Dallas Stars host Game 1 against Minnesota in a first-round series between Central Division foes that had been expected for several months. By Stephen Hawkins. 700 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 04/17/2026 5:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text

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FBN--NFL-MOCK DRAFT

DESCRIPTION: The AP releases its third version of the 2026 NFL mock draft. By Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi

UPCOMING: By 04/17/2026 5:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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GLF--RBC HERITAGE

DESCRIPTION: HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- Ludvig Aberg had a one-shot lead going into the second round of the RBC Heritage. Scottie Scheffler was five behind. By Golf Writer Doug Ferguson. Upcoming: 700 words, photos.

UPCOMING: By 04/17/2026 7:00 p.m. EDT, Photo, Text

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SOC--JAPAN-US WOMEN

DESCRIPTION: COMMERCE CITY, Colo. After a 1-0 loss to Japan snapped a 10-game U.S. winning streak in Seattle on Tuesday, the two teams meet again on Friday night in Colorado to conclude a three-game series. Upcoming: 400 words and photos. Game starts at 9 p.m. ET.

UPCOMING: By 04/17/2026 9:00 p.m. EDT, Text

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NEW AND DEVELOPING

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SOC-WCUP-TRANSIT

$13 train fare spikes to $150 for World Cup fans attending matches in New Jersey

SUMMARY: Sky-high ticket prices won’t be the only thing emptying the wallets of soccer fans attending World Cup matches at some U.S. venues this spring. New Jersey Transit officials announced Friday that fans trying to get to MetLife Stadium from New York City can expect to shell out $150 for a round-trip train fare for each match. That’s nearly 12 times the regular $12.90 fare to get from Manhattan’s Penn Station to the stadium in East Rutherford. Taking public transit to matches in Boston’s suburbs will also be costly. Officials there previously announced buses to Gillette Stadium will cost $95. Taking the train will cost $80. Other U.S. host cities have promised to keep transit costs low.

WORDS: 778 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 1:27 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:3071f6905198f7d8787a4af3a510260e&mediaType=text

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BBO--OBIT-GARRET ANDERSON

Garret Anderson, the talented outfielder and Angels career hits leader, dies at 53

SUMMARY: Former Angels outfielder Garret Anderson has died. He was 53. The multitalented player became the Angels’ career hits leader and led the team to its only World Series title. The Angels announced Anderson’s death without immediately disclosing the cause or location. Anderson reached the majors with the then-California Angels in 1994 and played for the club until 2008, primarily as a left fielder. He was a fixture in the heart of their batting order for his entire tenure, becoming the franchise’s leader in hits, RBIs and games played among many other achievements. Anderson was a three-time AL All-Star from 2002-05.

WORDS: 531 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 12:52 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:5129ae839e84c676dfb38c4a6a65197e&mediaType=text

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BKN--ROCKETS-DURANT

Kevin Durant returns to the playoffs, leading the Rockets into a 1st-round clash with the Lakers

SUMMARY: Kevin Durant is back in the playoffs after missing out last season. In his first season in Houston after this summer’s blockbuster trade from Phoenix, Durant leads the young Rockets in their first-round series with the Los Angeles Lakers beginning Saturday night. The 37-year-old Durant missed the last seven games of the regular season last year with an ankle injury as the Suns went 1-6 to fall out of playoff contention. This season he finished second in the league by playing 2,840 minutes despite being in his 19th NBA season.

WORDS: 811 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 12:42 p.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:fdb6038778fe07ffdd6aef5eafd7cb81&mediaType=text

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FBC--NEBRASKA-STADIUM PROJECT

Nebraska proposes $600 million renovation of Memorial Stadium to be finished in time for 2028 season

SUMMARY: Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium will undergo a $600 million renovation that will make the 103-year-old venue more fan-friendly and greatly increase revenue for the athletic department, according to a plan expected to be approved next week. The university announced the project would be funded by a mix of $250 million in philanthropic support and $350 million in private bond financing. Target completion date is the start of the 2028 football season. University regents will consider the proposal at its meeting next Friday.

WORDS: 360 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 11:48 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:ecec490eba1f72979e412cc602c0f2d2&mediaType=text

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HKN--PLAYOFFS-YOUNG STARS

Canadiens’ Demidov, Flyers’ Michkov-Martone duo headline young stars to watch in the NHL playoffs

SUMMARY: Even without Matthew Schaefer and Macklin Celebrini, the NHL postseason has plenty of youthful talent to watch as the games begin this weekend. Montreal’s Ivan Demidov, Pittsburgh’s Ben Kindel, Boston’s Fraser Minten and Philadelphia’s duo of Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov are among the young stars to watch in the chase for the Stanley Cup.

WORDS: 994 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 11:08 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:13247fe53f2f65fe80fbae9e4e6f95f0&mediaType=text

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TEN--MADRID OPEN-WITHDRAWALS

Alcaraz and Djokovic pull out of the Madrid Open as injuries take toll

SUMMARY: The Madrid Open is losing some star power with Carlos Alcaraz joining Novak Djokovic in pulling out of the upcoming clay-court tournament. Second-raked Alcaraz withdrew from the Barcelona Open in midweek after undergoing a test on his right wrist. On Friday, Alcaraz said it “hurts” to announce that he’ll miss the Madrid Open for a second straight year. The tournament starts on Monday. Fourth-ranked Djokovic is nursing a shoulder injury. Djokovic hasn’t competed since the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. He missed the Miami Open because of a right shoulder injury and also skipped the Monte Carlo Masters.

WORDS: 250 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 10:58 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:6afdc24b00a6c127645cb2c9e7b75ea2&mediaType=text

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AF--SOUTH AFRICA-MARATHON-CHEATING

Men caught competing in the women’s category of a prestigious South African marathon

SUMMARY: Two men have been disqualified from one of South Africa’s flagship marathon races after they finished in the top 10 of the women’s race. The men swapped bibs with women runners who were registered to compete in the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town on April 12. The annual race is one of South Africa’s iconic marathons, attracting over 16,000 participants. The men finished seventh and tenth. They were disqualified after a marathon board member uncovered the deception by spotting discrepancies with images posted on social media. The women runners have since been recognized for their honest finishing places.

WORDS: 522 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 9:58 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:05092d282888805ba9384614274a33ad&mediaType=text

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CAR--F1-RUSSELL-VERSTAPPEN

George Russell says he wants to keep Max Verstappen in F1 but would ‘understand’ if he goes

SUMMARY: George Russell says he doesn’t want Formula 1 to “lose” Max Verstappen as the four-time champion vents his unhappiness with the new cars. Verstappen has been the most vocal critic of the 2026 cars’ reliance on electrical power and the compromises it forces drivers to make on track. He’s even suggested it could be his last season in F1. Russell is an old rival of Verstappen and has his best shot yet at the title thanks to Mercedes’ strong start to the season. He trails teammate Kimi Antonelli by nine points ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in two weeks.

WORDS: 584 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 9:56 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:b20d7266c6502209052bd33bcc4392a7&mediaType=text

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BKN--NBA-PLAYOFF PREVIEW

NBA playoffs 2026: Thunder try to end the parity, challengers set to crash the party

SUMMARY: Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t focused on becoming a back-to-back NBA champion. The Thunder, last year’s champions and top seed in this year’s playoffs, prefer to live in the present. They start their playoff journey on Saturday. Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, says any talk of repeating can wait. The Thunder had a strong season, never leaving first place in the West. A first-round matchup to watch: LeBron James and the Lakers taking on Kevin Durant and the Rockets. The NBA has seen seven different champions in seven years, and contenders like Detroit, New York and San Antonio aim to extend that streak.

WORDS: 910 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 9:51 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:31c9d56a3f0a8abaf9d40ddc02c6f9f1&mediaType=text

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BKN--SPURS-WEMBANYAMA

Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama says he can’t help but dream about NBA titles. His first chance is here

SUMMARY: Victor Wembanyama has met every expectation since joining the San Antonio Spurs three years ago. The Spurs just finished their best season in a decade, going 62-20. Wembanyama is poised for a strong playoff debut as the team opens against Portland on Sunday night. His impressive stats this season include 1,600 points and 197 blocked shots, setting him apart from all others in NBA history. San Antonio is considered a strong contender for the NBA title, second only to Oklahoma City. Wembanyama, a global superstar, dreams of winning an NBA championship but remains focused on the process.

WORDS: 834 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 9:46 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:246612a9a52361da02506e9520836c67&mediaType=text

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GLF--LIV-MEXICO

Jon Rahm keeping his focus on golf more than LIV’s future

SUMMARY: Jon Rahm says he isn’t worried about the future of LIV Golf despite uncertainty about its funding. After his strong start at LIV Golf Mexico, Rahm says he doesn’t waste time on rumors. Speculation centers around Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund cutting financial backing of the rival golf league. Scott O’Neil is the CEO of LIV. He has told the staff funding would continue without interruption. He remains optimistic about the league’s future, citing increases in ticket sales and sponsorships. Rahm is the points leader on LIV and shot 65 to be three shots behind Victor Perez of France.

WORDS: 421 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 8:17 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4bf5fe0a5f91f804abc6adf463a0ca86&mediaType=text

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SOC--WCUP-US CONCERNS

US enters World Cup with goalkeeping and defensive worries but hopes for 1st knockout win since 2002

WORDS: 730 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 6:10 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:770e87f3aaac80d7d470439861a6067b&mediaType=text

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ATH--BOSTON MARATHON-GIBB STATUE

Statue honors Boston Marathon pioneer Bobbi Gibb. She’s not just the subject—she’s the sculptor, too

SUMMARY: There was only one sculptor qualified to capture the combination of pain and satisfaction that Bobbi Gibb felt when she became the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon. It was Gibb herself. The artist, lawyer and athletic pioneer helped unveil her self-portrait in bronze this spring alongside the Hopkinton Town Green, just a few steps from the marathon starting line. The statue is the first on the course of a woman . It will greet the 30,000-plus runners who line up for the race on Patriots’ Day. More than 14,000 of them will be women following Gibb’s footsteps.

WORDS: 824 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 6:00 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e7256df0f670f7960694ee5cdd74f8e0&mediaType=text

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FBN--NFL DRAFT-COLLEGE BREAKDOWN

Oklahoma produces NFL QBs, Ohio State and LSU thrive at receiver, and Alabama tops at running back

WORDS: 1218 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 6:00 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:bcfd9d516e81c8957665e581337b5fa1&mediaType=text

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BKN--BANGED-UP LAKERS

The Lakers still have hope for the playoffs, even without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for now

SUMMARY: The Lakers spent six months building and working toward the opportunity to make some noise in the playoffs. And then Los Angeles’ hopes and plans all collapsed during one quarter in Oklahoma City earlier this month. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both left that game with injuries that still haven’t healed. That means the Lakers are major underdogs in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets starting this weekend. Not even the ageless presence of LeBron James suggests any way out of this jam for Los Angeles. But Marcus Smart and the Lakers’ veterans still believe they’ve got a shot with toughness and togetherness.

WORDS: 773 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 5:59 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4dd7f13a167c7a3022c033edb267b131&mediaType=text

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FIG--MIURA AND KIHARA RETIRE

Olympic pairs figure skating gold medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara retire

SUMMARY: Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara have announced their retirement from figure skating, two months after winning the Olympic gold medal with a record-breaking skate. Miura and Kihara, known to fans as “RikuRyu,” leave the skating world at their peak after surging from fifth place to first at the Milan Cortina Olympics with a world-record free skate that more than made up for earlier errors. They became the first Japanese pair to win Olympic gold. It was a breakthrough moment in a country whose figure skating passion had until then largely focused on the individual events.

WORDS: 284 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 5:20 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:e321716e314cb6b9c78d5d37604b6435&mediaType=text

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SOC--UNION BERLIN-FEMALE COACH

Club boss rules pioneering female soccer coach out of a permanent job with men’s team

SUMMARY: The president of the German soccer club where a pioneering female coach will take charge of her first top-division men’s game Saturday has ruled out giving her the job on a permanent basis. He says he’s acting out of respect for women’s soccer. Marie-Louise Eta is coaching Union Berlin against Wolfsburg on Saturday as she starts a five-game stint as the team’s interim coach in the Bundesliga. That will make her the first female coach in any of Europe’s five biggest national men’s leagues. Club president Dirk Zingler wants to stick with plans for Eta to coach the Union women’s team next season.

WORDS: 424 - MOVED: 04/17/2026 5:13 a.m. EDT

https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search?query=itemid:4abd9e13e1ead6aa52457cb098d95da0&mediaType=text

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AP Sports Extra: NFL Draft: A paginated look at the top prospects in the NFL Draft, which starts April 23, is available in AP Newsroom by searching for “Sports Extra” or “SE” under the Graphics tab. The page takes a quick look at the players expected to be among the first picked in the draft as well as the fact that many defensive players are expected to go in the early rounds. Please contact Barry Bedlan at bbedlan@ap.org with any questions.

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MOVING TOMORROW

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ATH--BOSTON MARATHON PREVIEW

BOSTON — A look at the favorites in Monday’s Boston Marathon. By Jimmy Golen.

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BKN--NBA POSTSEASON COVERAGE

Coverage of the NBA postseason.

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