Baseball Nation: All Posts by Russell Steinberg

Dwyane Wade injury: Heat guard heads to locker room in Game 5

2013-05-16T01:17:34Z

The Miami Heat were already in trouble in Game 5 of their NBA Conference Semifinals series against the Chicago Bulls, and for a moment, it looked like things had taken a turn for the worse. Star guard Dwyane Wade, who had struggled all night, headed to the locker room in the third quarter, possibly with an injury. He has since returned to the game.

Wade's status for Game 5 was unclear until shortly before the game, when the guard confirmed he would play. He had been suffering from soreness in his right knee, receiving treatment for bone bruises for the last two months, and seemed to aggravated the injury in Miami's Game 4 win on Monday. Through three quarters on Wednesday, Wade had 12 points and six assists, but he did not seem like himself.

Miami and Chicago are currently in a close one midway through the fourth quarter.

Terrance Shannon transfers to VCU

2013-05-10T15:00:10Z

Florida State forward Terrance Shannon will transfer to VCU, a source told Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com.

Shannon played in 20 games as a junior and has battled injuries throughout his career as a Seminole. Last year, he averaged 7.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest.

Shannon will be eligible to play immediately because of his status as a graduate student. He will join Juvonte Reddic, Rob Brandenberg and Treveon Graham as the key players on Shaka Smart's VCU team looking to win its first Atlantic 10 title.

For Florida State, the transfer leaves the Seminoles with an open scholarship, and as SB Nation's Tomahawk Blog points out, a significant hole to fill. Though Shannon never lit up the scoreboard, he could be counted on to get a key rebound or make a hustle play when Florida State needed it. The Seminoles will now need other veterans to step in and fill the void.

The Georgia native also considered Xavier.

More in College Basketball:

• Big Ten-ACC Challenge matchups announced

• ACC network coming?

• Andrew Wiggins is still waiting to decide

• Ben McLemore, AAU coach could face trouble

• SEC Network vs. Big Ten Network

• Who's No. 1? A super early top 25 ranking

2013 NBA Draft Combine: Prospects have one last chance to make an impression

2013-05-10T00:59:45Z

With the NBA Draft just weeks away, this year's prospects will have one last chance to show why they deserve a lucrative contract and a spot on a professional roster. The 2013 NBA Draft Combine runs from May 16-17 in Chicago and will feature many of the projected top picks.

Ben McLemore, the guard out of Kansas, headlines the group of 60 players at the combine. He's out to prove that he should be the No. 1 overall pick. McLemore and the rest will be put through workouts in front of NBA scouts and media members, and will have scheduled media availability to answer any lingering questions and to give their impressions on how it all went.

While most prospects are showcasing their skills, one prime candidate for the top overall selection will not work out at all. Kentucky forward Nerlens Noel missed the last nine games of the season after tearing his ACL in a game against Florida and is still not ready to play. His rehabilitation appears to be on schedule, but his status for the start of the 2013-14 season remains uncertain.

Still, Noel's spot on a roster is pretty secure, which is more than some at the Combine could say. Guys like Ryan Kelly (Duke), Pierre Jackson (Baylor) and Reggie Bullock (North Carolina) are fighting just to prove they deserve to be selected at all. They each project to be late second-round picks at best. A couple good days in Chicago, however, could ultimately make the difference.

The complete list of guests at the 2013 NBA Draft Combine can be found below:

Steven Adams

Lorenzo Brown

Reggie Bullock

Trey Burke

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Isaiah Canaan

Jackie Carmichael

Michael Carter-Williams

Rudy Gobert

Pierre Jackson

Ryan Kelly

C.J. McCollum

Ben McLemore

Nerlens Noel

Norvel Pelle

Dennis Schroeder

James Southerland

More from SB Nation:

• Joakim Noah: flicked off, flirting with death

• Rose might be scared, and that's OK

• Living and working with anxiety disorder

• Steph Curry and Klay Thompson deserve the hype

• Why Stern as Seattle's villain isn't fair

• Longform: How Paul George evolved into a star

Arizona basketball team capsule: Wildcats with a chance to bring the trophy back west

2013-05-02T15:30:08Z

No team west of the Central time zone has won a national championship since Arizona in 1997 and next year, the Wildcats will be the biggest threat to change that. Sure, they lose three of their top four scorers from a year ago, but Nick Johnson, Brandon Ashley and Kaleb Tarczewski all return to give Sean MIller a still-loaded team and a likely Pac-12 favorite. Throw in a transfer and a couple big-name recruits, and Arizona can realistically set a goal to end the season in Dallas at the Final Four.

More on this story: Arizona Desert Swarm

Here's all you need to know about the 2013-14 Arizona Wildcats:

Arizona Wildcats:

2013 Record: 27-8, 12-6 Pac-12

2013 Postseason: Lost to Ohio State in the Sweet 16

Key Returnees: Nick Johnson, Jr., G, (11.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg), Brandon Ashley, So., F, (7.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Kaleb Tarczewski, So., C, (6.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg)

Key Losses: Mark Lyons, (15.6 ppg, 2.8 apg), Solomon Hill (13.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Kevin Parrom (8.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg), Grant Jerrett (5.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg)

Key Additions: Aaron Gordon (F), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (F), T.J. McConnell (G, transfer from Duquesne)

Season Outlook:

Usually when a team loses three of its top four scorers, you could expect a rebuilding year. Or at least one where the team isn't expected to be just as competitive as the season prior.

Not the case next year in Tucson. Sean Miller returns several key pieces that turned it on late last year and welcomes two high-profile recruits and a transfer to round out an Arizona team that has a reasonable shot at a Final Four run, or at least a Pac-12 Championship.

The days of Mark Lyons and Solomon Hill terrorizing opponents are gone, but teams out west will still have to figure out Nick Johnson. He's the lone returner who averaged double figures last season and will need to rely on improvements from Brandon Ashley and Kaleb Tarczewski. Both played well as freshmen, though they struggled in the Wildcats' season-ending loss to Ohio State.

But if Johnson, Ashley and Tarczewski aren't enough to carry Arizona, the Wildcats also have one of the best freshmen in the country coming in. Aaron Gordon is a power forward out of San Jose who already possesses a strong interior game. He can dominate on both ends of the court and will likely make an immediate impact in college. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson joins Gordon in Miller's recruiting class. He is an athletic slasher who could finish at the rim.

Transfer T.J. McConnell from Duquesne will also be eligible for Arizona next year. He was a complete player for the Dukes, averaging 11.4 points, 5.5 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 2011-12. McConnell also shot 43 percent from three.

One of the keys next year might be how the rising junior Johnson adapts to his new leadership role, no longer being overshadowed by the stars of the team. Thankfully for the Wildcats, who will not have a senior playing serious minutes, they'll be able to sort out those issues in a still-weak Pac-12. UCLA figures to be the only team that will be able to challenge them, but the Bruins will also have to deal with losing Shabazz Muhammad and Larry Drew. An early-season showdown with Duke looms, however, for Arizona should the Wildcats and Blue Devils meet in the NIT Season Tip-Off in November.

More in College Basketball:

• Frontcourt will lead Syracuse in first ACC season

• Mich. State's Adreian Payne returns for senior season

• Louisville primed for another title run

• Rick Pitino gets inked up

• Wolverines looking for more in 2014

• Who's No. 1? A super early top 25 ranking

Michigan State team capsule: With stars returning, Sparty sets sights on Dallas

2013-05-02T15:00:08Z

Tom Izzo never fails to bring top-level talent to East Lansing, but next year it's the talent he'll bring back that could carry Michigan State to the Final Four in Dallas. The team's top three scorers -- Keith Appling, Gary Harris and Adreian Payne -- have all announced they will return to school to lead a Spartan team that made it to the Sweet 16 in 2013.

Senior Derrick Nix is the only contributor from last year that Michigan State will lose as the Spartans appear to be early favorites to win the Big Ten.

More on this story: The Only Colors

So with a season of high expectations coming, here's everything you need to know about the 2013-14 Michigan State Spartans:

2013 Record: 27-9, 13-5 Big Ten

2013 Postseason: Lost to Duke in Sweet 16

Key Returnees: Keith Appling, Sr., G, (13.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.3 apg), Gary Harris, So., G, (12.9 ppg), Adreian Payne, Sr., F, (10.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg), Branden Dawson, Jr., F, (8.9 ppg, 5.9 rpg), Denzel Valentine, So., G, (5.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg)

Key Losses: Derrick Nix, F, (9.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg)

Key Additions: Gavin Schilling (C), Alvin Ellis (G)

2013-14 Outlook:

The Michigan State Spartans have become mainstays in the top 10 during the Tom Izzo era and are usually the attractive preseason pick to win the Big Ten. 2013-14 will be no different as the Spartans return their stars in search of a National Championship.

Position-by-position, Michigan State will be a similar team to the one that is coming off a Sweet 16 loss to Duke. The only significant loss will be that of Derrick Nix. The forward nearly averaged double figures and was a constant frontcourt presence. But Michigan State's real big-man threat was Adreian Payne, who has decided to return for his senior season.

Keith Appling will also be a senior as he and Payne try to avoid becoming the first senior class since Izzo took over to fail to reach a Final Four. The Spartans last played on college basketball's final weekend in 2010, when they lost to Butler in the National Semifinals. Appling led Michigan State in assists as a guard last season, but could also score, shooting 41.5 percent from the field. He has also developed a three-point shot that, while nothing special, adds another threat to his game.

But while the senior leadership will certainly be key to the Spartans' success, Michigan State is likely just as thrilled about freshman phenom Gary Harris returning to East Lansing. He put up nearly 13 points per game last year and was the team's biggest threat from distance. He took 158 threes last year and converted 41.1 percent of the time. Harris came to Michigan State as a five-star recruit, ranked 25th nationally by Rivals.com.

There won't be any more five-star guys joining the Spartans next year, but they will add a pair of three-stars in Gavin Schilling and Alvin Ellis. Schilling, out of Findlay Prep, is a post player who will help fill the void left by the graduating Derrick Nix. Ellis is a guard from Chicago, who picked the Spartans after considering offers from Kansas State, Minnesota and others.

As always, the Spartans won't begin their Big Ten schedule next year until late December or early January, but they will be tested early on. Michigan State will be a host school in the 2013 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, meaning it will likely host two over-matched teams before headed to Barclays Center in Brooklyn along with Oklahoma, Seton Hall and Virginia Tech.

More in College Basketball:

• Frontcourt will lead Syracuse in first ACC season

• Mich. State's Adreian Payne returns for senior season

• Louisville primed for another title run

• Rick Pitino gets inked up

• Wolverines looking for more in 2014

• Who's No. 1? A super early top 25 ranking

Kentucky Derby 2013: Kevin Krigger hoping for Derby glory and history

2013-05-02T02:37:23Z

When Kevin Krigger guides 3-year-old Goldencents at this weekend's Kentucky Derby, he will be going for more than just the first leg of horse racing's triple crown. If Goldencents wins, and the horse certainly has a shot, Krigger will become the first African-American jockey to win the Kentucky Derby in more than a century.

African-American jockeys won 15 of the first 28 Kentucky Derbys but none has come in first since 1902.

That can change on Saturday. Goldencents was given 5-1 odds on Wednesday and owns post position No. 5. Orb and Verrazano are the overall favorites.

Krigger and Goldencents have combined to win before. The two won the Santa Anita Derby last month, making Krigger the first African-American jockey to ever win that event.

The 29-year-old Krigger is a native of the U.S. Virgin Islands and has been riding horses since childhood. His shot on the sport's biggest stage will happen Saturday evening at 6:24 p.m. ET.

More Kentucky Derby coverage:

• Kentucky Derby post positions

• Meet the Kentucky Derby contenders

• Rick Pitino eyes Tourney/Derby double with Goldencents

• Kentucky Derby weekend weather forecast

• Looking at Kentucky Derby's historical payouts

Suns narrow GM search to three candidates

2013-05-02T01:47:08Z

The Phoenix Suns have settled on three finalists to fill their vacant general manager position, sources told Yahoo! Sports.

More on this story: Bright Side of the Sun

Phoenix will interview three assistant general managers from other teams to fill the void: Jeff Weltman of Milwaukee, Ryan McDonough of Boston and Scott Layden from San Antonio make up the trio, according to the report.

The eventual hire will replace Lance Blanks, who served as GM from 2010 to 2013. The Suns finished 25-57 in 2012-13, good for last in the Western Conference and the second-worst season in franchise history. It was also the third straight year in which Phoenix missed the playoffs.

Yahoo! reports that Weltman might be the favorite to land the job. Owner Robert Sarver passed on Weltman last time around, opting to hire Blanks instead.

But that doesn't mean the other two don't have a shot. McDonough has an impressive resume as one of the keys to Boston drafting Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley. He is also the top assistant to Boston GM Danny Ainge. Layden, meanwhile, is experienced and brings a familiar name to the front office. He was NBA executive of the year in 1994-95 the Jazz and helped assemble the 2000 Knicks, who made the Eastern Conference Finals.

Phoenix reportedly wants to move quickly in the process so that the transition does not interfere with the team's preparation for the 2013 NBA Draft.

More from SB Nation:

• The Grizzlies are back from the dead

• Why the NBA is choosing Sacramento over Seattle

• Longform: The secret world of NBA daps

• If Clips lose, Vinny can't stay and CP3 might leave

• Mark Jackson: Nuggets "tried to send hit men on Steph"

• Film review: Were the Nuggets dirty?

Jeff Teague injury: Hawks guard back after hurting ankle

2013-05-02T00:52:26Z

Atlanta guard Jeff Teague is back after suffering an apparent ankle injury late in the first quarter of Game 5 of the Atlanta Hawks' first-round series against the Indiana Pacers.

Teague appeared to have rolled his ankle on a missed layup attempt, but did not require treatment.

Teague left the game after playing 11 minutes, during which he scored three points and dished out four assists. He did return, however, early in the second quarter, where Atlanta currently leads 30-28. Teague is coming off a Game 4 in which he poured on 21 points along with seven assists in the loss.

Teague is certainly a huge piece for Atlanta. The 24-year-old point guard posted career-highs in points and assists this season, averaging 14.6 points and 7.2 assists per game.

More from SB Nation:

• The Grizzlies are back from the dead

• Why the NBA is choosing Sacramento over Seattle

• Longform: The secret world of NBA daps

• If Clips lose, Vinny can't stay and CP3 might leave

• Mark Jackson: Nuggets "tried to send hit men on Steph"

• Film review: Were the Nuggets dirty?