Best bets for Super Bowl selection, Chiefs vs. 49ers; NBA trade deadline winners, losers, grades

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🏈 Good morning to everyone, but especially…

Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers

It’s Super Bowl weekend! chief-49ers The showdown is just two days away, and our experts’ picks have arrived. I’m still going back and forth, so don’t ask me until a few minutes before Sunday’s kickoff – and Make sure you know how to look.

Meanwhile, Tyler Sullivan is heading into this postseason with a 9-3 straight record And Against proliferation. here’s his favorite,

• Sullivan: “Although the Niners are certainly a talented club, it seems like the advantages are more in favor of the Chiefs. They have the better defense, quarterback and coach in my estimation. Kansas City is testing the waters by consistently winning playoff games on the road. The Niners need to dig themselves out of the hole they are back in while playing at home. … patrick mahomes Is 9-0-1 ATS in his career as an underdog away to Kansas City and is 3-0 straight up in his career as an underdog in the playoffs. estimated score, Chiefs 24, 49ers 20. Selection: Chiefs +2,

Here are all our expert picks:

Pete Prisco , john breech , Jason La Canfora | tyler sullivan , jeff kerr , cody benjamin

I am in love brock purdy Same story as anyone else’s – even the boy’s “Game Manager” description adopted, although he has been much more than that. But Mahomes has a clear edge at the game’s most important position. Can San Francisco’s running game close that gap? why does kodi break 49ers’ ground game goes a long way Christian McCaffrey,

• Benjamin: “Left Tackle trent williams Headlines from the trenches, but in reality it’s the dirty work of skill players like tight ends george kittel and wide receiver john jennings This served as a catalyst for MVP-level production from McCaffrey and, by extension, Purdy. …With both Kittle and Jennings, again, it’s not just a desire to stop; It’s that eagerness to block all avenues, crossing boundaries, in terms of driving opponents away from the ball.”

While Kansas City’s defense has been better this postseason, it has allowed 131.5 yards rushing per game in six regular season losses.

Here are more of my favorites…

NOTE: We’ll have a special Super Bowl edition of the newsletter on Sunday! Watch out for it!

😃 Honorable Mention

😕 Not so honorable mention

🏀 NBA trade deadline: Knicks, 76ers make big moves on busy day

We got 15 — Count them, 15! – Deals were made on the day of the NBA trade deadline, and while the biggest names in the rumor mill didn’t have to pack their bags, several strong moves were made by some of the league’s strongest teams.

let’s get started nixwho had already made a big (and Very Well) move on to the end of December, get OG Anunoby, As for the trade deadline, on the same day New York learned that Anunoby will Miss at least three weeks due to elbow surgeryTeam acquired Bojan Bogdanovic And Alec Burks From piston, James Herbert gave full approval to the move, Both teams were awarded “A-” in their trade grades.,

• Herbert: “The 34-year-old Bogdanovic has made over 41% from 3 each of his last two seasons, and he has shot 27-for-48 (46.6%) on pull-up 3s in 28 games this season. He’s still the pick Can create offensive tackles in -and-rolls and isolation situations, too, and his post-up game is useful against teams who switch. … New York is sending a simple message here: This season is serious. To the front office There is confidence in the team he has assembled, and it does not want to lose the momentum it generated in January. …The best part, however, is that New York has not yet mortgaged its future.”

76ers also took a big step Add buddy heald From fast bowlers, Sam Quinn says Philadelphia came out on top here, and I agree: Hield has been consistent, durable, and one of the league’s best shooters throughout his career. If joel embiid returns, he, heals and tyreese maxi Make a great trio.

box Maximum benefit from limited resources get patrick beverly Since the 76’s. Milwaukee needed defense, and Beverley would bring it.

Here’s more from a busy day:

Deadline day may be over, but there’s still plenty of activity left. Colin Ward-Henninger broke the shopping market,

🤫Lakers, Warriors, Bulls quiet at the deadline

lakers, warriors And Bulls Was front and center of trade rumors for weeks. All three were standing at the time limit and patting. The Lakers’ decision to do so made them one of Collin’s trade deadline winners and losers, while the Warriors’ choice earned him one. Praise for Brad Botkin,

But bull? Ugh. Bull. he tried to explain Why didn’t he take any action?, Vice President of Basketball Operations Arturas Karnisovas Said “We want to remain competitive.”

Competing for what exactly? Another play-in berth–the best? Sam handed over Trade Deadline Grades for All 30 Teams, Only one earned an “F”. …Care to guess which team?

• Quinn: “There’s no worse place to be in the NBA than the middle. The Bulls aren’t even stuck there. They’re choosing not to get out there. … They tried to move forward zach lavine, No one will take him. It is out of their control. But they could certainly find a home for the impending free agent. demar derozan At fair asking price. …every contender wanted alex caruso, …he didn’t even take any additional property for this andre drummond, …The Bulls are an organization that has no plan or direction.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

🏆 NFL Honors: Lamar Jackson wins MVP; Hall of Fame class announced

lamar jacksonThe season didn’t end the way he wanted, but he’s bringing home some hardware and joining an exclusive club regardless. crows The superstar won his Second career MVP award, becoming one of 11 players to earn the honor multiple times. He is also the second youngest player to reach two MVPs jim brown,

In other awards news…

• Christian McCaffrey won Offensive Player of the Year.
• miles garrett won Defensive Player of the Year. tj watt did not agree,
• texans both were Offensive Rookie of the Year ,CJ Stroud) And this Defensive Rookie of the Year ,Will Anderson Jr.,
• Kevin Stefanski won Coach of the Year, thanks to more than one first place vote Demeco Ryans,
• Joe Flacco won Comeback Player of the Year.
• cam hayward won Walter Payton Man of the Year.

Moving from current stars to older stars, here is 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class,

• Dwight Freeney
• andre johnson
• Devin Hester
• Randy Gradishar
• patrick willis
• steve mcmichael
• julius papers

How antonio gates Why he didn’t make it is beyond me, but he should have a big chance in 2025. Here’s our look at the list of nomineeswhich includes marshon lynch, Luke Crushed And eli manning,

😳 WWE makes Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes official for WrestleMania with The Rock

We are nothing if not team players at CBS Sports. And since the world of professional wrestling is not my specialty, I’m using one of our esteemed editors, Johnny Flores, to finish up my summary of yesterday’s events.

The picture for the main event of WrestleMania 40 is even more complicated than it appeared ahead of Thursday’s press conference at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, although many fans of the company are happy with the outcome. These were the expectations from this event Roman Reigns Vs rock However, the title for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship will be formally announced at That is no longer the case.

After giving up his WrestleMania title shot last week, cody rhodes The decision to “finish his story” by facing Reigns for the second year in a row has been officially made by WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque,

According to the storyline, Reigns chose to face his cousin The Rock. The Rock, who last formally wrestled in 2013 john cena And he was recently appointed to TKO’s board of directors, confirming his decision to return to the ring on Thursday.

During the Kickoff event, a mix of storylines and real-time engagements, The Rock accepted Reigns’ challenge, disappointing fans who wanted Rhodes to get the chance.

Rhodes stepped in to get his title shot back and had a heated exchange with the two about their respective families. Cody’s son dusty roadsWhile Reigns and The Rock’s huge family tree includes these people yokozuna And jey and jimmy uso, The event ended with everyone separated after The Rock slapped Rhodes for insulting his lineage.

While Reigns vs. Rhodes II has been announced, it remains to be seen where The Rock will fit into all of this.

📺 What we’re watching this weekend

Friday

Hawks at 76ersNBA TV at 7 p.m.
San Diego State at No. 24 Nevada (M)8:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network
nuggets in kingson NBA League Pass at 10 p.m.

Saturday

blues on sabers1pm on ABC
Illinois at Michigan State (M)2pm on CBS
TCU at No. 14 Iowa State (M)2pm on ESPN2
rumble on mavericks3pm on NBA TV
Capitals at Bruins3:30 pm on ABC
Gonzaga at No. 17 Kentucky (M)4pm on CBS
No. 3 North Carolina at Miami (M)4pm on ESPN
No. 5 Houston, Cincinnati (M)4pm on ESPN2
No. 13 Baylor at No. 4 Kansas (M)6pm on ESPN
At St. John’s No. 7 Marquette (M)6pm on FS1
Indiana at No. 2 Purdue (M)8pm on Fox
sun on warriors8:30 pm on ABC

sunday

No. 2 Iowa and Nebraska (West)1pm on Fox
celtics at heat2pm on ABC
No. 11 UConn at No. 1 South Carolina (W)2pm on ESPN
Alabama at No. 14 LSU (W)4pm on ESPN2
Super Bowl LVIII: Chiefs vs. 49ers6:30 pm on CBS