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FC Cincinnati will carry a wave of momentum into Saturday night’s road clash against the Chicago Fire as they aim for a fourth straight victory and continue to assert themselves as one of the Eastern Conference’s toughest defensive squads. Cincinnati (5-2-1, 16 points) has relied heavily on late-game grit, with eight of their 10 goals this season coming after halftime — six of them in the final 20 minutes. Their current three-game winning streak includes victories over Nashville SC, New England, and D.C. United. Goalkeeper Roman Celentano has kept back-to-back clean sheets, and coach Pat Noonan’s side has shown elite game management, particularly in low-scoring contests. While the attack has been inconsistent, Cincinnati’s commitment to compact, physical defending has frustrated

The Dallas Stars enter the Stanley Cup playoffs facing early adversity as they prepare to host the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series Saturday night. Missing two key players — top scorer Jason Robertson and cornerstone defenseman Miro Heiskanen — the Stars will need a collective effort to overcome a red-hot Avalanche team. Jason Robertson, who led Dallas in goals this season, is sidelined with a lower-body injury sustained in the season finale. He’s considered week-to-week, a tough break for a team already without top defenseman Miro Heiskanen. Dallas also dropped its last seven games (0-5-2) and now finds itself in need of a major turnaround. Coach Pete DeBoer acknowledged the challenge but struck a playoff-hardened tone:

After posting matching 50-32 records, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers will open one of the most evenly matched first-round playoff series in the Western Conference. Despite the identical marks, Denver secured the No. 4 seed and home-court advantage thanks to a better conference record — and a timely win in the NBA Cup back in December. Game 1 tips off Saturday afternoon in the Mile High City. If you’re betting on the NBA postseason, get the most out of your playoff wagers with trusted NBA picks and expert predictions for this tightly contested series. After a sluggish start, the Clippers caught fire in the second half of the season, going 32-15 after Jan. 8 — the last time

The New York Knicks may have clinched the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, but their path through the 2024 NBA Playoffs begins with an all-too-familiar challenge: the vastly improved Detroit Pistons. After dropping three of four to Detroit in the regular season, New York opens the series Saturday at Madison Square Garden fully aware of what’s at stake — and who’s standing in their way. Ready to make smart picks as the NBA Playoffs tip off? Get locked in with sharp, data-backed NBA playoff picks and expert insights to win every round. New York (51-31) finished with its best record in over a decade and reached 50 wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the mid-’90s.