The Lead

Plus: The Sixers look to keep the good vibes going in Miami. And the NFL schedules two Monday night games... at the same time?

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Plus: Will Chelsea's new American owners spend (enough) money to keep the fans happy? And tensions simmer between Golden State and Memphis.

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Despite being loaded with talent — including two of the two best players in baseball in Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani — the Los Angeles Angels have struggled to put things together in recent seasons. After a red hot start, is that changing? The Athletic’s Sam Blum joins us to explain what’s different about the Angels this season — and what’s not. Also: the story of what’s gone wrong — live on the air — with Angels TV broadcasts in 2022.

Follow Sam Blum’s coverage of the Angels: https://theathletic.com/author/sam-blum/

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Plus: The NFL is headed to… Deutschland? And a collegiate golfer makes history with the help of Steph Curry.

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American basketball star Brittney Griner has now been in the custody of Russian authorities for more than two months, following her arrest in a Russian airport for alleged drug violations. But after some big developments this past week -- including the release of American prisoner Trevor Reed -- there's new reason to be optimistic about her case. Today, we dive into her story. Then, with the WNBA season set to tip off this weekend, reporter Sabreena Merchant joins us to look ahead at the teams and storylines to follow.

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Plus: Tyrann Mathieu finally finds a new home. And is this the last dance for Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the Steel City?

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Plus: Can the Suns find a way to slow down Luka Dončić? And the round one NHL playoff matchup you don’t want to miss.

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During a dominant first-round sweep over the Brooklyn Nets, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics started to look like a legitimate threat to win the NBA title. Today, The Athletic’s Jason Quick tells us how the Celtics — and first-year head coach Ime Udoka — found their way after a rocky start, with the help of two of Udoka’s longtime friends, and some swagger borrowed from a professional boxer. Plus, what to expect when the Celtics meet Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Read Jason Quick’s full story about Ime Udoka and the Celtics: https://theathletic.com/3230403/2022/04/11/how-ime-udoka-became-the-can-man-behind-the-scenes-of-how-a-portland-connection-reshaped-the-celtics/?source=theleadpodcast

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Plus: Will James Harden shoot the ball tonight?

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For weeks now, we've been hearing a lot about the supposedly scandalous 'Yankee Letter' -- sent by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to the New York Yankees back in 2017, and related to possible sign stealing violations. But now that the contents of that letter have come to light (as of Tuesday), it's clear that the story behind the letter is more interesting than the letter itself. Today, we dive into that story, which involves an unlikely lawsuit filed by a fantasy baseball player -- a case that unintentionally set off a media firestorm directed at the Yankees. Then, Maggie Gray of CBS Sports Radio joins us to discuss the contents of the letter and what all of this means for the Bronx Bombers.

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