Jon Rahm joins the greats with comeback at Masters, plus the Timberwolves, in shambles, make the playoffs

Good morning to everybody however particularly to…

JON RAHM, MASTERS CHAMPION

There was once a time — now not that way back, in reality — {that a} four-putt double-bogey on the opening hollow can have despatched Jon Rahm‘s complete match off the rails.

This week, it led him to his first inexperienced jacket.

The Spanish big name powered thru a loaded leaderboard and hostile prerequisites to cruise to a four-stroke win over Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson.

• Koepka led by means of 4 pictures coming into the day — which started with the finish of the 0.33 around after climate postponements — and led by means of two coming into the fourth around. But Rahm stuck him by means of the fourth hollow of the ultimate around and moved into the solo lead after the 6th hollow — a lead he would now not relinquish.
• It’s already Rahm’s fourth win this calendar yr. Since 1960, the most effective different gamers to get their fourth win of a calendar yr at the Masters are Arnold Palmer (1960) and Scottie Scheffler (2022). Rahm additionally joins Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia as the most effective Spaniards to win the Masters.
• Rahm and Ballesteros — certainly one of Rahm’s heroes — also are the most effective Spaniards to win two other majors. Sunday would had been Ballesteros’ 66th birthday.
• Rahm joined Sam Snead (1952) as the most effective gamers to win the Masters after making double-bogey or worse on the first hollow.

Rahm infrequently made errors, and when he did, he recovered in cast — and occasionally impressive — style. That was once very true on 14, when Rahm pale his manner shot round a tree to only 4 toes and made birdie. Koepka three-putted for bogey, and Rahm cruised from there.

Rahm, reasonably merely, is an all-time nice, writes our Kyle Porter from Augusta.

Other height tales:

Honorable mentions

And now not any such excellent morning for…

THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES…

The Timberwolves spent the ultimate day of the common season throwing punches, and now it kind of feels like they hardly ever have a puncher’s probability. Shortly prior to Jaden McDaniels fractured his hand punching a wall in frustration, Rudy Gobert punched teammate Kyle Anderson throughout a timeout and were given despatched house.

The Timberwolves in reality gained the recreation, 113-108, over the Pelicans to safe the 8 seed in the West and arrange a play-in recreation with the Lakers, however Minnesota appears to be in shambles each bodily and mentally. McDaniels, who earned third-team honors on Colin Ward-Henninger’s “All-Breakout Teams,” is a key defender who will probably be sorely neglected.

But the Gobert incident, as defined under, is extra regarding:

• After Anderson reportedly instructed Gobert “shut the f— up bitch,” Gobert took a jab at Anderson. It didn’t land with a lot pressure, and teammates briefly intervened.
• Timberwolves president Tim Connelly stated in a observation, “His behavior on the bench was unacceptable and we will handle the situation internally.”
• It’s unclear if/when Gobert will probably be again.

It’s been a tough first yr in Minnesota off and on the court docket for Gobert, who arrived by the use of a blockbuster business with the Jazz. What would the Timberwolves get in the event that they transfer on? The solution is… now not a lot, in step with our Sam Quinn.

If you simply seemed at the field rating, it was once an enormous win. When you glance at the complete image, despite the fact that, the Timberwolves glance on the subject of a verge of collapse, a technique or any other.

… AND ALSO NOT SUCH A GOOD MORNING FOR THE DALLAS MAVERICKS

If you are a Timberwolves fan, at least your favourite staff is in the play-in match — a lot more than what the Mavericks can say. Months after obtaining Kyrie Irving in an try to encompass Luka Doncic with extra big name energy, Dallas went quietly into the offseason, resting maximum in their height gamers in a must-win recreation they misplaced towards the Bulls.

Here’s why they did it.

• The Mavericks had been nonetheless mathematically in the play-in race. However, they owe the Knicks a top-10 safe select from the Kristaps Porzingis business. By shedding and, due to this fact, being eradicated from the play-in match, their odds of having a top-10 select (and, due to this fact, holding it) rose considerably.
• The Mavericks, fittingly, didn’t hit the rim on any in their 3 ultimate pictures.
• The NBA is investigating the Mavericks’ roster selections and recreation habits. Irving, Josh Green, Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber and Christian Wood didn’t play, and Doncic performed most effective the first quarter.

Now the Mavericks are reportedly frightened Doncic may just call for a business subsequent summer time, and Sam has already ranked all of the imaginable locations — even if Doncic stated he is glad in Dallas. Before we move down that street, despite the fact that, it is a brutal method for the Mavericks to finish their season. Since Feb. 8 — Irving’s debut — they went 9-18 after which purposely performed their method out of the postseason.

It’s all a shameful glance, writes our Brad Botkin. I completely agree.

Not so honorable mentions

NBA Play-In Tournament, height six playoff seeds are set after a in point of fact wild ultimate weekend ?

Believe it or now not, there was once greater than punching partitions, punching teammates and punting on seasons throughout the ultimate weekend of the NBA common season

We were given some loopy stat strains from little-known gamers, the Warriors making historical past or even extra ridiculous moments. But most significantly, the play-in match and the height six playoff seeds are set!

Here’s what we are taking a look at for the play-in:

Tuesday

• Play-In Game 1: (8) Hawks at (7) Heat
• Play-In Game 2: (8) Timberwolves at (7) Lakers

Wednesday

• Play-In Game 3: (10) Bulls at (9) Raptors
• Play-In Game 4: (10) Thunder at (9) Pelicans

Friday

• Play-In Game 5: Game 3 winner at Game 1 loser
• Play-In Game 6: Game 4 winner at Game 2 loser

Here’s how the play-in works, by means of the method. If your favourite staff was once fortunate sufficient to make the playoffs with out depending on the play-in, this is the playoff time table.

Odell Beckham Jr. lands with Ravens ?

The Ravens have spent a lot in their offseason dealing with the Lamar Jackson saga, however he wasn’t the most effective big-name unfastened agent on their thoughts.

Baltimore and Odell Beckham Jr. agreed to a one-year deal price as much as $18 million.

• Beckham Jr., 30, hasn’t performed since Super Bowl LVI in February 2022, when he helped the Rams beat the Bengals. He tore the ACL in his left knee throughout the recreation, his 2d such damage in two seasons.
• Including playoffs, Beckham gave the impression in 12 video games with Los Angeles, racking up 48 catches for 593 yards and 7 touchdowns, together with one in the Super Bowl.
• The massive fee is sort of as sudden as the timing: Beckham was once anticipated to talk over with the Jets as of late, and they looked to be the favourite.

It is still made up our minds how a lot Beckham can lend a hand now not most effective on the box, but in addition in holding Jackson in Baltimore after the big name quarterback asked a business.

USWNT big name Mallory Swanson’s World Cup standing in doubt after tearing patellar tendon ⚽

United States girls’s nationwide staff big name Mallory Swanson tore the patellar tendon in her left knee in the USWNT’s 2-0 pleasant win over Ireland, an enormous blow simply 3 months forward of the World Cup.

• Swanson was carted off after being tackled in the first part.
• Swanson were in nice shape. She scored in the NWSL season opener for the Red Stars and has scored 8 objectives in six USWNT video games this yr.
• Alyssa Thompson, an 18-year-old and the No. 1 select in the 2023 NWSL Draft, changed Swanson on the UWSNT’s roster for day after today night time’s pleasant towards Ireland.

Just how large of a loss is that this? Our Sandra Herrera calls it “near-catastrophic.”

WNBA mock draft: Aliyah Boston first, however who is subsequent? ?

The WNBA Draft is this night, and we now have Jack Maloney’s mock draft to get you in a position.

It’s a no brainer at No. 1 for the Fever:

• Maloney: “1. Fever: Aliyah Boston — The Fever… finally had their lottery luck turn, and won the No. 1 pick this year for the first time in franchise history. It came at a perfect time, as they’ll be able to select Boston, one of the best prospects to enter the league in years. The 6-foot-5 center is a dominant defensive force around the basket, an elite rebounder and an efficient scorer in the paint.”

Here’s Jack’s height 5:

• 1. Fever: C Aliyah Boston
• 2. Lynx: G Diamond Miller
• 3. Wings: F Maddy Siegrist
• 4. Mystics: G/F Jordan Horston
• 5. Wings: C Stephanie Soares

That height 5 comprises two of the Wings’ 3 first-round selections, and Jack took an inside of glance at their method to the draft.

What we are observing Monday ?

? WNBA Draft, 7 p.m. on ESPN
? Wild at Blackhawks, 9 p.m. on ESPN