Final Four, NHL and NBA Playoff Races, USWNT and More to Watch This Week
This week in sports is all about frantic endings and new beginnings. Playoff chases in the NHL and NBA areย insane, the Final Four is finally here, Major League Baseball's first full week has arrived, and The Masters is one week away. Let's start your weekly watch guide:
Must-Watch: Final Four Saturday
What may have felt like a top-heavy NCAA tournament on Selection Sunday is no longer that way heading into the Final Four on Saturday night. After a relatively straightforward first two rounds, the March Madness turned all the way up during the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. Making it through the nail-biting finishes are two teams that have never been to the Final Four (Texas Tech and Auburn), one that hasnโt been since 1984 (Virginia), and one that seemingly returns there at least once every four or five seasons (Michigan State).
Every team had grand celebrations upon reaching the sportโs biggest stage, but none topped Texas Techโs locker-room party (sound on):
The Final Four will be played on Saturday night. Both games will broadcast live on CBS and can also be streamed on March Madness Live at NCAA.com or with the March Madness Live app.
No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 5 Auburn, 6:09 p.m.
No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 3 Texas Tech, approx. 8:49 p.m.
Must-Watch: Last Week of NHL Regular Season
The regular-season finale of the NHL takes center stage this week, as playoff hockey looms just around the corner. Between now and Saturday, the playoff fates of every team in the league will be confirmed. Here areย the current standingsย with just 3-4 games left for every team.
In the Eastern Conference, four teams have clinched playoff spots: the record-settingย Tampa Bay Lightningโwhose 122 points also means home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup PlayoffsโBoston Bruins, Washington Capitals, and New York Islanders. In the Western Conference, theย Calgary Flamesย have the most points with 105, and other teams that have clinched playoff berths are theย Winnipeg Jets, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights.
That leaves five teams battling for four spots in the East and six teams battling for two (!) spots in the West. Theย Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanesย are all still alive in the East race. In the West, theย Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks, Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilersย are all still clinging to wild-card hopes. Here are the top games to watch this week that will decide the playoff field (all times Eastern):
Maple Leafs at IslandersโMonday 7 p.m., ESPN+
Jets at BlackhawksโMonday 8:30 p.m., ESPN+
Bruins at Blue JacketโTuesday 7 p.m., NBCSN
Oilers at AvalancheโTuesday, 9 p.m., NHL.TV
Blues at BlackhawksโWednesday 8 p.m., NBCSN
Detroit Red Wings at PenguinsโThursday 7 p.m., NHL.TV
Bruins at WildโThursday 8 p.m., ESPN+
On Saturday, all 30 teams in the league will be in action for the final day of the season. Find all ofย those crucial matchups here. Thereโs only one thing left to say:
More To Watch This Week
1. Last Full Week of NBA Regular Season
In a similar theme to the NHL regular season coming to an end this week, the NBA regular season plays out its final full week with much still to be decided. The top eight teams in the West are sealed, with only seeding left to be determined, while in the East, playoff spots at the bottom and seeds near the top are still up for grabs. Check out theย current standings here.ย In eighth place right now, theย Miami Heatย is trying to reach the playoffs to extendย Dwyane Wadeโsย magical last season in South Beach.
The top national and NBA League Pass games with playoff implications to watch this week are:
Miami Heat at Boston CelticsโMonday 7 p.m, NBATV
Detroit Pistons at Indiana PacersโMonday 7 p.m.,ย Watch on B/R Live
Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn NetsโMonday 7 p.m.,ย Watch
Orlando Magic at Toronto RaptorsโMonday 7 p.m.,ย Watch
Denver Nuggets at Golden State WarriorsโTuesday 10:30 p.m., TNT
Pacers at PistonsโWednesday 7 p.m.,ย Watch
Raptors at NetsโWednesday 7:30 p.m.,ย Watch
Celtics at HeatโWednesday 7:30 p.m., NBATV
Bucks at Philadelphia 76ersโThursday 8 p.m., TNT
Raptors at Charlotte HornetsโFriday 7 p.m.,ย Watch
Celtics at PacersโFriday 8 p.m., ESPN
Portland Trail Blazers at Denver NuggetsโFriday 10:30 p.m., ESPN
Bucks at NetsโSaturday 5 p.m., NBA TV
Heat at RaptorsโSunday 12 p.m., NBATV
Hornets vs. PistonsโSunday 4 p.m.,ย Watch
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State WarriorsโSunday 8:30 p.m.,ย Watch
Nuggets vs. Trail BlazersโSunday 9 p.m.,ย Watch
For the full NBA schedule and to watch NBA League Pass onย B/R Live, click here.
2. First Full Week of Major League Baseball
And as the NHL and NBA regular seasons wind down, the MLB season picks up with its first full week. The standouts after Opening Day have been theย Seattle Marinersย in the American League andย Milwaukee Brewersย in the National League. Seattle won both games of its season-opening series in Tokyo and then showed no ill effects over the weekend, taking three of four from the defending World Championย Boston Red Soxย and scoring 34 runs in the process.
The Mariners host to their division rivalย Los Angeles Angelsย this week, with Mondayโs matchup (10:10 p.m. MLB.TV) featuringย Felix Hernandezย going up againstย Mike Trout.
Equally clicking are the Brewers, which won three thrilling games over theย St. Louis Cardinalsย thanks in large part to reigning NL MVPย Christian Yelich, who has hit a home run in all four games so far and added a walk-off double for good measure.
Milwaukee faces more Central Division foes this week as it travels toย Cincinnatiย for three then hosts theย Chicago Cubsย for three, including Saturday at 7:10 p.m. on FS1.
3. U.S. Women's National Team World Cup Prep
The road to theย FIFA Womenโs World Cupย continues for theย USWNTย this week, as the Stars and Stripes play two more friendlies to prepare for the biggest tournament in the world. Since losing to France in January, Team USA have gone unbeatenโtwo wins, two drawsโagainst some strong competition from around the globe.
USA vs. Australia: Thursday 9 p.m., FS1, in Commerce City, Colorado; Australia has won four matches in a row, so this should provide another great measuring stick for the Americans.
USA vs. Belgium: Sunday 9 p.m., ESPN, in Los Angeles, California
4. UEFA Youth League on B/R Live
The Champions League returns a week from tomorrowย on B/R Live, but we have your European soccer fix until then. Theย UEFA Youth League continues on B/R Liveย with the academies of some of the biggest clubs in the world taking the pitch, including the youth teams of Barcelona and Real Madrid. And these kids can play:
Tuesday:
10 a.m.โPorto U19 vs. Midtjylland U19ย Watch on B/R Live
12 p.m.โBarcelona U19 vs. Lyon U19ย Watch
Wednesday:
10 a.m.โChelsea U19 vs. Zagreb U19ย Watch
12 p.m.โHoffenheim U19 vs. Real Madrid U19ย Watch
5. Valero Texas Open
The last event before The Masters next week is no slouch, with a purse of $7.5 million and a host of the top players in the game.
The field includes Texas favorite and Masters champion Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar, Ernie Els, Graeme McDowell, Davis Love III, Martin Kaymer, Billy Horschel, Padraig Harrington, Jim Furyk, and Tony Finau. Check out theย rest of the field here.
There will be multiple ways to watch the action live each day. On Thursday and Friday, watch live on Twitter from 8:30 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. and then on the Golf Channel from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Saturday, watch live on Twitter from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., on the Golf Channel from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and on NBC from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. On Sunday, watch live on Twitter from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., on the Golf Channel from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., and on NBC from 2:30 p.m. until a winner is crowned.
Quick Catch-Up
Two legendary American martial arts athletes made their debuts inย ONE Championshipย on Sunday atย ONE: A New Eraย in Tokyo. Whileย Eddie Alvarez had a boutย he would like to forget,ย Demetriousย "Mighty Mouse" Johnsonย delivered an impressive win. You can watch a free replay of theย full event here.
After a hitless (and boo-hearing?) Opening Day, newย Philliesย right fielder Bryce Harper found his swing on Saturday and Sunday, launching a home run each night in Philadelphia wins over theย Atlanta Braves. The first one, his first hit with his new team, was a 465-foot BOMB.
You may have heard that Theย Dan Patrick Showย is now on Bleacher Report Live every weekday morning at 9 a.m. Well, initially, even some members of the show werenโt quite sure what that meant.
Watch and/or listen to The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. Monday through Friday rightย here on B/R Live.
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