Daily briefing
Top Sports Headlines – April 21, 2026
Curated from 50 sources across 3 leagues in the last 24 hours.
Last updated Apr 21, 2026 • 2:31 AM UTC
Top headlines
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1
Even in retirement, Chris Paul's legacy is rooted in this season's playoffs
Dozens of NBA players have been mentored by the future Hall of Famer, and many of them are vying for the title.
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2
LeBron does it again, and one team has a big problem: Windhorst on the first weekend of the playoffs
A 25-year-old LeBron strategy for the Lakers, a new defense in Cleveland and a message from Oklahoma City: Here's what we learned as the postseason tipped off.
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3
Frustrated Finch: 'Maybe we gotta start flopping'
Wolves coach Chris Finch reiterated his frustration with Jamal Murray's 16 free throws in Game 1, arguing that his players don't get calls because they don't flop.
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4
Mitchell, Harden help Cavs cruise to 2-0 lead
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points, James Harden added 28 and the Cavaliers never trailed against the Raptors on Monday night.
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5
Durant game-time decision for Game 2 vs. Lakers
Rockets star Kevin Durant went through about half of Houston's practice Monday and will be a game-time decision for Game 2 on Tuesday.
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6
Wemby captures DPOY as first unanimous winner
Victor Wembanyama, 22, is both the youngest DPOY winner in NBA history and the first to win the award unanimously.
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7
NBA breaks draft ties; Jazz keep protected pick
The NBA conducted its tiebreaking process for the league's 2026 draft, setting the order from 15 to 30 and breaking a pair of ties among teams nestled inside the lottery.
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8
Blazers' lack of fan T-shirts invites questions
The Portland Trail Blazers won't give away T-shirts for fans when they take on the San Antonio Spurs in Games 3 and 4 of the opening series, another in a series of moves that has drawn questions about the team's cost-cutting and finances.
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📸 Celebrity sightings at NBA playoffs games
Celebrities have been out in style courtside at the NBA playoffs.
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10
Draymond on Kerr's future: 'Felt like that was it'
Draymond Green said while he hopes Steve Kerr is back, he'd guess that this past season was Kerr's last as coach with the franchise.
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11
Nets sign Fernandez, staff to multiyear extensions
The Nets have signed head coach Jordi Fernandez and his entire coaching staff to multiyear contract extensions.
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East playoff takeaways: Stars lift Cavaliers to easy win
Here's what has stood out from the latest playoff games of the Eastern Conference's first round.
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15
Schefter’s NFL draft week intel: Nuggets on top picks, intriguing prospects, QBs and trade candidates
How early could Jeremiyah Love be drafted? Will Ty Simpson go in Round 1? Could we still see A.J. Brown traded? Adam Schefter has the latest.
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16
Sources: OBJ works out for Giants, takes physical
The Giants had free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in for a workout and physical with the team Monday, sources told ESPN.
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17
Seahawks keen to trade down, even within division
The Super Bowl champion Seahawks are looking to trade down in this year's NFL draft -- "it's no secret with us," general manager John Schneider said Monday -- and are not opposed to making deals within their division.
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18
Colts' Pierce to miss workouts after ankle surgery
Colts WR Alec Pierce recently underwent surgery after playing through nagging ankle pain for much of last season and will be sidelined during offseason workouts.
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19
Cowboys make Aubrey NFL's highest-paid kicker
Brandon Aubrey and the Cowboys reached an agreement Monday on a deal that will make him the highest-paid kicker in NFL history, his agents told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
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20
Jefferson blunt on McCarthy with Kyler a Viking
Speaking publicly Monday for the first time about the Vikings' new quarterback room, Justin Jefferson said he is looking forward to Kyler Murray's playmaking skills and was blunt about J.J. McCarthy's future.
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21
Niners' Warner full go after season-ending injury
Fred Warner is "feeling great and no restrictions" for the start of Niners' offseason program after suffering a season-ending ankle injury last October.
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22
49ers, Williams settle deal drama with $50M pact
The San Francisco 49ers and left tackle Trent Williams agreed to a two-year, $50 million extension, his agency announced Monday.
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⬆ Players who have boosted their draft stock
Dillon Thieneman and Monroe Freeling have drastically boosted their stock since the start of last season. Who else has climbed the board?
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24
Garoppolo considering retirement, sources say
Free agent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is considering retirement, sources told NFL Network on Monday.
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