The latest lawsuit against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been resolved with a confidential settlement less than a month after it was filed in Houston, attorney Tony Buzbee said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.

The lawsuit was the 27th filed against Watson since March 2021, all by women who accused him of sexual misconduct stemming from massage requests. In the newest lawsuit, Buzbee represented a woman who accused Watson of sexual assault and battery at her apartment in October 2020.

“We have now resolved our client’s claim with Deshaun Watson,” Buzbee said in a statement. “The settlement is confidential.”

Of the 27 lawsuits, 24 have been resolved with private settlements through Buzbee’s firm. The other three include one that was filed in October 2022 and is still pending, one that was withdrawn shortly after it was filed in March 2021 and another that is pending but dormant.

All things Browns: Latest Cleveland Browns news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Watson previously has denied wrongdoing but was suspended 11 games by the NFL in 2022 after the league conducted its own investigation into some of the cases.

The most recent settlement likely thwarts any further investigation by the NFL into the case because settlements often contain confidentiality stipulations.

The league said after the latest lawsuit was filed that it was reviewing the woman’s complaint and would look into it under its personal conduct policy. It declined comment Monday about the settlement.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

The New York Liberty already booked their trip to the WNBA Finals and the lone game Tuesday will determine their opponent.

The Minnesota Lynx will host the Connecticut Sun Tuesday evening in a winner-take-all semifinal game that will decide the best-of-five series. It has been the most compelling series thus far in the WNBA playoffs, with games going back and forth.

With their 14-point victory Sunday evening, the Liberty beat the Las Vegas Aces, 3-1, and will now get some extra rest ahead of Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, which is set for Thursday.

Here’s what to know for Tuesday’s playoff action:

No. 2 Minnesota Lynx vs. No. 3 Connecticut Sun

Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV, streaming: ESPN2
Location: Target Center; Minneapolis, Minnesota
Series standings: 2-2

What happened in the previous game? The Sun tied up the series at two games apiece Sunday night with a 92-82 victory. As it has for most of the series, Connecticut benefitted from well-rounded contributions from several; five players scored double figures with Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner and DiJonai Carrington each scoring at least 15 points.

What’s on the line? A trip to the WNBA Finals and a matchup against the New York Liberty, the top-seeded team in the regular season. This will be the fifth and final game in the best-of-five series. For the Sun, it would be their fourth trip to the WNBA Finals and for the Lynx it would be their seventh; Connecticut has never won a title and Minnesota is seeking its fifth.

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CLEVELAND — Tie game — hold your breath, something magical is about to happen.

Two outs. Two on. And Kerry Carpenter was facing Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase.

This was the game. Maybe, the series.

But Carpenter turned on a slider and crushed it 423 feet to right field. No, he demolished it, hitting a three-run homer to give the Detroit Tigers a dramatic 3-0 win on Monday afternoon in Game 2 of the ALDS at Progressive Field.

What an ending to an amazing game.

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Because this one had everything.

An amazing double play by Tigers rookies.

A controversial diving catch by Cleveland left fielder Steven Kwan. Wait, was it a catch? Yes? No? It doesn’t seem to matter anymore.

But most of all, it had some sensational pitching.

A fired-up Tarik Skubal was simply brilliant, throwing seven scoreless innings, striking out eight and scattering three hits. He took a perfect game into the fifth inning, and now has pitched 13 scoreless innings in his first two postseason starts, putting him in historic MLB company.

And when he walked off the mound and reached the dugout, he got both a handshake and a hug from manager A.J. Hinch.

But Cleveland’s pitchers were just as effective. Matthew Boyd, the former Tiger, threw 4⅔ innings and got five strikeouts, setting up the drama. Then the Guardians’ bullpen was fantastic.

Until, that is, Carpenter did his magic.

The Tigers and Guardians have an off day Tuesday, before Wednesday’s Game 3 at Comerica Park in Detroit (3:08 p.m. ET, TBS). Game 4 is Thursday, and a potential Game 5 is Saturday in Cleveland.

Tarik Skubal’s near-perfect start

Midway through the fifth inning, Skubal was simply perfect, retiring 13 in a row. No hits. No walks. No runs. He was in complete control, dominating the Guardians, doing darn near everything he wanted.

But he made a big mistake against Josh Naylor, leaving a fastball over the middle of the plate, and Naylor promptly doubled, getting Cleveland’s first hit, breaking up the perfect game and no hitter.

Then, it went from bad to worse when Skubal hit Jhonkensy Noel in the hand, and the Guardians had guys on first and second with one out. But Austin Hedges hit into a double play to end the threat.

Skubal faced another in the bottom of the sixth.

Brayan Rocchio doubled to left and Steven Kwan found a hole on the left side of the infield.

But Greene got to it quickly and Rocchio stopped at third. That put runners on first and third with David Fry at the plate and Jose Ramirez on deck.

After a mound visit by pitching coach Chris Fetter, Skubal got Fry to ground out to shortstop.

Trey Sweeney handled it perfectly and fed Colt Keith and the two rookies turned a double play.

Skubal came off the mound, waving to the crowd, as if to say: bring it, baby. Scream louder. I dare you.

Ever the competitor, Skubal was pure emotion and confidence.

He walked to the dugout with a smile across his face, high fiving jake Rogers and glanced at the crowd. Smilgin. And nodding his head.

Tigers blown chances

With Skubal on the mound, especially when he’s looking dominant, you start thinking: man, the Tigers just need a run to win this.

And they had a great chance in the fourth inning. Wenceel Perez doubled to left and moved to third on a Spencer Torkelson fly ball. That brought up Parker Meadows with one out. But Meadows struck out on a slider and Boyd struck out Jake Rogers.

In the eighth inning, the Tigers had another opportunity. Matt Vierling doubled and Greene was intentionally walked. And Cleveland brought in its closer – Emmanuel Clase – to face Wenceel Perez.

Perez hit a line drive to left field and Steven Kwan had a diving, sliding catch.

Or did he?

Even Cleveland radio announcers thought it was a hit, but after a video review, the umps said it was a catch.

“The call on the field stands,” the ump said.

A battle of stars

While baseball is a team sport, the individual battles can be fascinating.

And that was the case when Skubal faced Jose Ramirez.

Ramirez led the Guardians in darn near every category: hits, doubles, homers, RBI and OPS.

And it was key for the Tigers to slow him down.

In the first inning, Skubal went with the heat. He threw him five straight fastballs and then switched course, throwing him a pair of changeups and struck him out.

In the fourth inning, Skubal went to the soft stuff, throwing him four straight changeups, striking him out.

Then in the seventh, Skubal mixed it up — changeup, fastball, changeup, getting him to ground out.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.

Lionel Messi was nominated among 34 players for 2024 MLS MVP on Monday, and the case for him to win the award is clear — even though he barely played half of the season.

Messi has played in 18 of 33 games (54.5%) for first-place Inter Miami this season, mostly because of a right ankle injury that sidelined him for 2 ½ months. But his statistics are more than deserving of the league’s Most Valuable Player.

Only four players have scored more than Messi’s 17 goals and two players have more than Messi’s 15 assists. The players ahead of him in both categories played at least eight to 13 more games than Messi this season.

If it was a Most Efficient Player award, Messi would win in a landslide. But the glaring – and only – argument Messi shouldn’t win MVP is because other players played more games, and that isn’t good enough.

Sure, a “Messi wins MLS MVP despite playing half the season” headline isn’t a good look without the context. But let’s not get is confused here: The best player in the world has been the best player in MLS this season.

The thought MLS MVP should go to a “more deserving” candidate is asinine.

“Messi missed 15 games this season and his team had better points per game without him. If you vote Messi for MVP, you’re not a serious person,” Apple TV analyst and former MLS and USMNT standout Sacha Kljestan said on social media. “Messi the GOAT, there is no debate about that. But he is NOT the MVP of MLS in 2024.”

Let’s look at the big picture

Another argument is that Inter Miami did just fine playing without Messi. While plenty of credit goes to Inter Miami for building arguably the deepest roster in MLS and keeping the club in contention when Messi was sidelined, Messi’s presence alone has valuably pushed the club from lowly franchise to the most recognized MLS club in the world.

Inter Miami saw a meteoric rise from 27th among 29 teams last season, to first in the league in Messi’s first full(ish) MLS season.

Messi scored two goals against Columbus Crew to help Inter Miami win the MLS Supporters’ Shield, the title given to the club with the league’s best record, and clinch the No. 1 overall seed in the MLS Cup Playoffs beginning later this month.

And Inter Miami could also be remembered as the best regular-season club in MLS history if it sets the points record at 74 with a win in the Oct. 19 season finale against New England Revolution.

“They’re doing all of this while being must-see MLS soccer,” FOX Sports analyst and former USMNT star Alexi Lalas said on his “State of the Union Podcast” last week. “What they have become, obviously with Messi, but the brand, the pink, the global recognition. There’s a lot of hype, and yet they’ve continued to live up to the hype even without their full team.”

Messi’s stats compare to previous MLS MVP winners

Messi has 17 goals and 15 assists – or 32 goal contributions – in 18 games played for Inter Miami with one match remaining.

Messi’s 32 goal contributions would be more than three of the last four MLS MVPs, and would tie 2017 MVP Diego Valeri. If Messi adds two more in the season finale, he’d tie 2022 MVP Hany Mukhtar.

Simply put, Messi’s MVP credentials in his shortened season are on par with previous winners.  

Why Messi’s MVP case stands above the field in 2024

Who else could win MVP? Crew star Cucho Hernandez for one. He has 32 contributions like Messi (19 goals and 13 assists), but also didn’t convert his second penalty kick to tie the match against Inter Miami last week. He was outplayed by Messi in the biggest game of the MLS season.

Denis Bouanga has 19 goals and 11 assists (30 goal contributions) for LAFC, which isn’t even the best team in its own city or conference, looking up at the L.A. Galaxy.

DC United’s Christian Benteke has certainly been valuable and may win the Golden Boot with 23 goals, but his club is in eighth place despite his standout season.

Only two players have more goal contributions than Messi: Lucho Acosta has 33 in 31 games for third-place Cincinnati, and Evander has 33 in 27 games for ninth-place Portland. Acosta won MVP with 31 last season.

Luis Suarez, Messi’s closest friend and Inter Miami teammate, certainly has a case, too. He leads the club with 18 goals, but seven of them came in four games (three braces) without Messi.

ESPN’s Herculez Gomez is another former U.S. soccer star in Messi’s corner for MVP, saying he’s outperformed everybody.

‘He has his team winning the silverware of the Supporters’ Shield. And they’re going to be historic,’ Gomez said. ‘They’re going to go into the playoffs, and if he can maintain this rhythm, it may possibly be the best team we’ve ever seen in Major League Soccer from the best player I’ve ever seen play.

“It’s that simple. I don’t think there’s a debate to be had here.”

Kudos to Hernandez, Bouanga, Benteke, Evander and Acosta. But Messi’s efficiency has been undeniable, and so should his bid for MVP.

The NHL has finished its overseas opening with the New Jersey Devils sweeping the two-game series against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague, Czechia.

Now the league will open in North America on Tuesday with a tripleheader on ESPN.

The Seattle Kraken, who played in last season’s opening night, will get it started with a home game against the St. Louis Blues.

In the second game, the Florida Panthers will raise their Stanley Cup banner before they face the Boston Bruins, the team they beat in the playoffs the past two seasons. The Panthers received their championship rings on Monday.

The Utah Hockey Club will make their debut in the late game, hosting Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks.

What to know about the NHL’s North American opening night:

What’s the NHL schedule for opening night in North America?

Times p.m. ET

St. Louis Blues at Seattle Kraken, 4:30
Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers, 7
Chicago Blackhawks at Utah Hockey Club, 10

How do I watch NHL opening night in North America?

All three games will be broadcast on ESPN.

How do I live stream NHL opening night in North America?

Games can be live streamed on ESPN+ and Fubo.

St. Louis Blues at Seattle Kraken, 4:30

Both teams were aggressive in the offseason after missing the playoffs in 2023-24. The Kraken added Stanley Cup winners Brandon Montour, Chandler Stephenson and coach Dan Bylsma. The Blues added forward Dylan Holloway and defenseman Philip Broberg through offer sheets.

Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers, 7

The Panthers stunned the record-setting Bruins in the first round in 2023 and knocked them out in the second round last season. That series got feisty with Matthew Tkachuk and David Pastrnak fighting. Though goalie Jeremy Swayman didn’t sign until Sunday and missed training camp, Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said he looked sharp in Monday’s practice and the team hadn’t decided on a starter for Tuesday.

Chicago Blackhawks at Utah Hockey Club, 10

Utah makes its NHL debut at the Delta Center. Under new team owners Ryan and Ashley Smith, the former Arizona Coyotes beefed up their blue line with Mikhail Sergachev, John Marino and Ian Cole. The Blackhawks got help during the offseason for Bedard, signing Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen.

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The Florida Panthers will raise the franchise’s first Stanley Cup banner on Tuesday night, and they now have their championship rings in hand.

Weather concerns about Hurricane Milton in the Gulf of Mexico led the Panthers to make Monday’s ring ceremony a private one instead of a public, but the team showed off the jewelry on social media.

The 15.6-carat rings, from Jostens, include loads of diamonds, plus depictions of the official WWE and NHL Stanley Cup championship belt, the state of Florida, palm trees and a rat.

The gem count: 554 diamonds, 16 princess-cut rubies, one round ruby, nine blue sapphires and 37 yellow sapphires.

The championship belt is featured because the Panthers are the first NHL team to be added to it.

All things Panthers: Latest Florida Panthers news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

The rat is a Panthers tradition from the team’s 1995-96 season.

Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the old Miami Arena that season, then scored two goals that night in what a teammate labeled a ‘rat trick.’ Fans began throwing plastic rats on the ice after goals during the Panthers’ run to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final. Now, they throw rats on the ice after playoff victories.

The Panthers picked up 16 playoff wins for a championship that was 30 years in the making. Their four series last postseason – Tampa Bay Lightning (4-1), Boston Bruins (4-2), New York Rangers (4-2) and Edmonton Oilers (4-3) – are listed on the rings, and is the June 24, 2024, date of their Game 7 clincher.

The Panthers will host the Bruins in the NHL’s North American opening night. They have beaten the Bruins in the last two postseasons.

This story has been updated with new information.

ESPN is replacing former NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski with his chief rival and former protégé.

Shams Charania announced Monday he is joining ESPN as its senior NBA insider, going from Wojnarowski’s main competition for news around the league to his successor at the network.

‘I am honored to join ESPN as the company’s Senior NBA Insider,’ Charania wrote on social media. ‘I can’t wait to be part of an incredible group of colleagues at ESPN and serve the audience worldwide.’

Wojnarowski announced his retirement from ESPN last month. He is now working as the general manager of men’s basketball at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure. Charania, who most recently worked for The Athletic and FanDuel TV, was immediately considered a leading candidate to take over Wojnarowski’s role.

The 30-year-old had become a well-known NBA presence over the past decade, initially breaking news as a teenager before working under Wojnarowski at Yahoo! Sports. He then emerged as a rival with his own brand once Wojnarowski was hired by ESPN in 2017. Their battle for scoops became a storyline much like the games and players they were reporting on, although both have mostly declined comment when asked about the other.

Charania was already a frequent guest on ‘The Pat McAfee Show,’ and McAfee publicly campaigned for him to be Wojnarowski’s replacement after Wojnarowski’s retirement became official.

Who is Shams Charania?

Charania grew up in the Chicago area and, according to a profile by Complex Magazine written in 2016, his reporting career began in high school when ChicagoNOW, a subsidiary of the Chicago Tribune, allowed him to write daily game recaps. He parlayed that into a job at the website, RealGM, while he was a college student at Loyola-Chicago.

Charania was so young that the Chicago Bulls would not give him a credential to games immediately, so he would drive to Bucks games in Milwaukee to connect with NBA players and personnel. He began to gain traction nationally in 2014 when he broke the news of Luol Deng being traded from the Bulls to the Cleveland Cavaliers for RealGM.

Charania was then hired by Yahoo! Sports – while still taking college classes – after Wojnarowski took notice of him. The Washington Post reported in recent years that Charania was presented with an opportunity to join Wojnarowski at ESPN when he left Yahoo! in 2017, but elected to stay. His scoops have become part of the fabric of the league’s machinations in recent years, so much so that ‘Shams’ is referred to around the NBA by a one-word nickname just like ‘Woj.’

“He will be the news breaker in the NBA—whether it’s tomorrow or next year or five years from now,’ Wojnarowski told Complex in 2016.

How old is Shams Charania?

Charania turned 30 years old last April.