Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
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Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
Getty Images ContributorAnderson Varejao
Cavaliers
The two words that best describe Varejao are activity and versatility. When he is active and versatile, he is a thorn in the side of opponents. But when he’s not, he becomes the guy who gets in the way. In the playoffs, the Cavs need their 6-foot-11 backup center to be creating havoc and not roadblocks.
When he is on his game, watch the high level of his activity, the number of balls he saves, all the things that he makes happen that bring about wins for Cleveland, but don’t show up in the box score. When he’s not playing well, and he’s not taking charges, and not getting rebounds, then the game becomes a lot more difficult for the Cavaliers.
Varejao plays the same way all the time, but sometimes the effectiveness just isn’t there. His athleticism and mobility are rare at almost 7-feet, and he knows in the playoffs, those are weapons he has to utilize over and over again.
Matt Bonner
Spurs
San Antonio’s deal is defense, defense, defense, but with no Manu Ginobili in these playoffs, they need offense, offense, offense. At 6-foot-10, Bonner has size working in his favor. He can shoot from the outside, but he will also be sneaky and get inside to get some of his points. If he can stay out of foul trouble, he’s capable of giving the Spurs some additional offensive pop.
Bonner is a big time deep threat. That’s basically why the Spurs got him because opponents don’t pay enough attention to him from the perimeter. They basically take him for granted while getting locked up in guarding Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Ginoboli, and Bonner ends up making open shots. They will now be sticking closer to him so he must still make some outside shots, get some rebounds, and provide a physical presence. He’ll help with his rebounding, and he can play some defense.
In the regular season, Bonner averaged 8.2 points, and 4.8 rebounds a game. If in the postseason, he could get between 10 and 15 points a game than the Spurs are getting a very productive night from him, which will help offset the absence of Ginobili.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
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Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
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