Quickies: NBA Regular-Season Finale Edition

Today is huge for the NBA playoffs. It’s the final day of the regular season, and the last playoff spot in the West is on the line. The Minnesota Timberwolves, led by former Kentucky Wildcat Karl-Anthony Towns, will take on Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets. The winner takes the eight-seed, and the loser goes fishing.

Every other playoff spot is clinched, so Timberwolves vs. Nuggets means more than any other game. But there’s still a ton of seeding to figure out. The current 5-9 teams in the West are all within one game of each other. In the East, the 6-8 teams are all within one game of each other as well. So that means these games are big as well:

• Milwauke Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ers
• San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Pelicans
• Memphis Grizzles vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
• Washington Wizards vs. Orlando Magic
• Toronto Raptors vs. Miami Heat

Strap in and get ready to watch some big games featuring plenty of former Wildcats.

Tweet of the day

Your quickies

The Ashton Hagans Blog: This is why I chose Kentucky… | USA TODAY High School Sports
New Kentucky commit Ashton Hagans, a five-star point guard, breaks down his decision to join Big Blue Nation.

Devin Booker getting his own Kobe shoe - Cats' Pause
One of the NBA's brightest young stars is getting his own Kobe shoe.

Kentucky football: DeAndre Square has been the surprise of Kentucky's spring practice - Cats' Pause
Early enrollee DeAndre Square has impressed the coaching staff and his teammates this spring.

CatsIllustrated.com - Seven things to watch for in UK's Blue-White spring game
For the first time since Thanksgiving weekend, members of the Big Blue Nation will be heading down both Cooper and Alumni Drives to fill the parking lots of Kroger Field as they get set to see the UK football program in action. Mark Stoops is at the helm for his sixth spring game as a head coach and this one has a lot of interesting parts.

CatsIllustrated.com - Richards will return to Kentucky
Ordinarily it wouldn't be newsworthy when a player like Nick Richards decides to return for a sophomore season.

Kentucky basketball: Will Wenyen Gabriel, other expected returning Cats leave? - SEC Country
GABRIEL GONE? Kentucky was counting on a junior Wenyen Gabriel giving the Cats some veteran presence next season. But is he thinking about leaving? And what will UK do if he does?

Reed’s RBI Caps Rethlake’s Gem as Kentucky Outlasts EKU - University of Kentucky
Katie Reed drove in the only run of the game on Wednesday night in a 1-0 win over Eastern Kentucky, capping off a gem in the circle from pitcher Erin Rethlake to give Kentucky its 25th win of the season.

Barcelona's Champions League loss months in the making - Yahoo Sports
Barcelona's Champions League elimination at the hands of Roma was stunning. But inexplicable or completely unforeseen? Nope.

Donovan Mitchell wears rookie of year response to Ben Simmons - USA Today
Contenders for this year's NBA rookie of the year award are making their cases known.

Robert Kraft of New England Patriots visits Meek Mill in prison - ESPN
Patriots owner Robert Kraft called rapper Meek Mill "an amazing young man" after visiting him in state prison in Pennsylvania on Tuesday and said Mill's situation "makes it clear to me we have to do something with criminal justice reform."

Sundays with Shohei, a new Angels tradition? - Los Angeles Times
The budding tradition of Sundays with Shohei will continue this week, the next pitching start for the Angels’ rookie sensation set for the series finale in Kansas City.

Andre Ingram, 10-year G League veteran, called up by Lakers - USA Today
Andre Ingram spent more than a decade in the G League. In an emotional moment Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers told him that he's being called up to the NBA.

College basketball investigation: Kansas, NC State ensnared in new charges filed by prosecutors - CBSSports.com
New charges were filed Tuesday against ex-Adidas rep Jim Gatto