One reason? They might get Patrick Kane back into the lineup, if his broken collarbone allows. Kane is skating but has yet to test his injury in contact. MORE: Will Senators steal a berth? | Western Conference field set | Blues win, seal Central title Here’s the bigger reason the ‘Hawks aren’t worried. They’ve been there before. Getting in the playoffs is the most important first step. “You have to deal with it,” Marian Hossa said after Thursday’s loss ended the Blackhawks’ hope of winning the Central Division....

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Buccaneers pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul each pointed to something Bryant told a reporter after Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals between the Lakers and Magic. For context, here’s what Bryant said when he was asked why he wasn’t smiling after LA had taken a 2-0 series lead: “The job’s not finished . . . job’s not done,” Bryant said. The Lakers went on to win the series in five games....

Mahomes, who was asked whether he is evaluated differently as a Black quarterback, said he found it curious that he, Jackson and Murray are challenged to keep proving themselves despite their respective successes in the league. Though he declined to comment on whether he is evaluated differently, he did acknowledge that other QBs in the league have not faced similar critiques. “Obviously the Black quarterback has had a battle to be in this position that we are, to have this many guys in the league playing,” Mahomes said....

The reigning Super Bowl MVP added another to his personal collection on Monday night, as the Chiefs secured a 34-20 win on the road against the Baltimore Ravens to improve to 3-0 for the season. Mahomes became the fastest player in NFL history to reach the 10,000 passing yards threshold, going beyond the milestone in his 34th regular season start—two fewer games than it took two-time MVP Kurt Warner during his spell with the St....

Chandler is confident he can beat his big brother if they stepped into the octagon, and wants to set up a one-round charity fight to prove his point. MORE: Henderson submits Thatch TMZ spoke with a Patriots official, who said, “It’s not a matter of if we’d allow Chandler to fight his brother. We can’t stop the players from doing what they want. But he might be voiding his contract obligations to the team if he went out and did it....

The Belknap County grand jury handed up the indictment against Chung, who turned 32 on Monday, among several others from its latest session. The alleged offense — that he “knowingly possessed cocaine” — happened in late June in Meredith, New Hampshire, according to WCVB.com. His arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 28. Possession of cocaine is a Class B felony in New Hampshire and carries a fine of up to $2,000 and a potential prison term of up to seven years....

I’ve been to the conference championship six times, and my teams won twice (1976 Vikings, 1999 Titans) and lost four times (Vikings in 1977, 1987 and 1998 and Titans in 2002). We lost the two Super Bowls in which my teams played, but it was absolutely more painful to lose in the NFC/AFC championship games. As this year’s final four teams are doing this week, we had done all of the logistics work to prepare for the Super Bowl....

Line: New England -3.5, Total : 45 Line movement: The Patriots opened as 3.5-point favorites, moved down to -3 (-120), and are now back at -3.5. The total has not seen much action from its opener of 45, although some books are at 44.5. Check our odds page for updated NFL lines from Las Vegas. Trends that matter: New England is 0-3-1 ATS in its last four games…The OVER is 4-1 in New England’s road games this year (55....

They still have the Super Bowl formula down — they never truly lost it — and all components have been on display during their seven-game win streak, now complete with a 34-9 win over the Lions on Sunday. A week after pounding the Colts with 44 rush attempts, Bill Belichick gave the ball back to some guy named Tom Brady (53 pass attempts Sunday). The approach varies, but the results don’t....

Fairfax Media reports Wednesday that Mills has withdrawn from Australia’s campaign for the Aug. 30 to Sept. 14 World Cup in Spain and will undergo surgery in the next few days to repair the rotator cuff in his shoulder. The news comes hours into the NBA free-agency period that many expected to land Mills a major contract. The report says Mills played through pain during the NBA season and scans revealed the wear and tear just two weeks after he helped the Spurs win the title....

Trailing 3-1 in the series, the Clippers traveled to Arizona with their back firmly up against the wall and needing their stars to step up and deliver. George heeded the call and responded in style, scoring a playoff career-high 41 points, 30 of which came in the second half, and adding 13 rebounds and six assists as the Clippers won 116-102. George has played 18 games throughout this postseason and has scored at least 20 points in each of his appearances on the court—a feat only three players have managed in NBA history, as per figures from ESPN Stats & Information....

MORE: Konerko receives standing ovation | Jeter’s last hit | Yankees: Life after Jeter Konerko is a White Sox legend and this small gesture during his last game will be remembered by all. Source: SB Nation

The Beatles legend took to Twitter to mark the occasion with a poignant throwback photo of the pair in their heyday. “I love this picture,” McCartney wrote. “It reminds me of the bond between us. Happy 80th John. Love Paul.” The black and white photo shows the musical duo smiling while looking over what looks like pages of music or lyrics. The pair met during a chance encounter at a church fete in 1957 and would later go on to become one of the world’s most famous songwriting partnerships....

The France international has earned a reputation for being expressive, frequently appearing on the pitch with a new hairstyle or trialling a fresh dance celebration and he brings that aspect of his personality into his game too. Pogba’s penalties for the Red Devils this season have raised a few eyebrows due to their unorthodox nature, but that has not prevented him from persisting with the style. Following his most recent effort against Southampton, Goal takes a look at the midfielder’s new penalty technique as well as his overall record from 12 yards for both Juventus and United....

Paul was hurt Friday night after tripping over Dallas Mavericks guard Monta Ellis while attempting to dribble around a screen. The All-Star point guard remained on the court for about a minute before exiting the game for good with 6:39 left in the third quarter. Paul is scheduled for an MRI on Sunday or Monday. "I'm just going to wait and see," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "I'm worried whenever a guy hasn't done the MRI and all the testing yet....

Is it time to panic? Now that traces of radiation were found on two British Airways jets Wednesday, has polonium 210 become the new anthrax? The radioactive element turns out to be a fairly common substance that is used, in minute quantities, in fire detectors, spark plugs, antistatic devices, photo-developing equipment and many industrial processes. It’s released in cigarette smoke and produced by natural uranium decay in soil. Our own bodies even produce tiny amounts in tissue....

Some 18 months after signing him, Antonio Conte has found the key to unlocking his full potential, with the former Barcelona star playing a huge role in his side’s push for the Premier League title. RATINGS: Fabregas stars for Chelsea Diego Costa and Eden Hazard often get the headlines, but Pedro can no longer be ignored and he has arguably become the equal of two of Chelsea’s most valuable and important players....

James was unable to start Colombia’s World Cup opener, a 2-1 defeat to Japan, due to a calf issue and came on for Quintero, who scored their only goal, in the 59th minute. With Colombia needing to kickstart their campaign with a victory, Pekerman accepts he is likely to make changes to his team and playing James and Quintero together is something he has considered. “Definitely, James is a vital player for our national squad,” Pekerman told reporters at his pre-match news conference in Kazan....