The round of 16 has arrived in the NCAA softball tournament. The remaining teams are set to square off in eight super regional series, with the winners earning a ticket to the sport’s showcase event, the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Two of the eight best-of-three matchups, hosted by fifth-seeded Florida State and No. 6 Texas, will get started Thursday night, with the rest starting on Friday. All could be wrapped up as early as Saturday, but the odds are there will be at least one series that will require a decisive third contest.

Here’s a breakdown of the matchups and the schedule with TV channels for each series (all times eastern).

No. 16 Oregon vs. Liberty

Liberty made the biggest splash of the regionals by eliminating top overall seed Texas A&M. Outfielder Rachel Roupe provides much of the pop from the plate with 23 homers and 73 RBI. Oregon’s Lyndsey Grein has a 28-2 record with a 2.15 ERA.

Friday, May 23

Game 1, 10 p.m., ESPNU

Saturday, May 24

Game 2, 7 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2

Sunday, May 25

Game 3, if necessary.

No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Alabama

This Sooners team might not be quite as dominant as some of its recent championship squads, but it finds ways to win more often than not. It usually starts in the circle with Sam Landry, who is 22-4 with an ERA of 2.00. The sparkplug for the Crimson Tide is freshman sensation Audrey Vandagriff, who bats .406 and has swiped 50 bases.

Friday, May 23

Game 1, 5 p.m., ESPN2

Saturday, May 24

Game 2, 3 p.m., ESPN

Sunday, May 25

Game 3, if necessary.

No. 3 Florida vs. Georgia

The Bulldogs had to go on the road for their regional but overcame Duke in extra innings in an elimination game to earn this date with the archrival Gators. Florida’s Taylor Shumaker (.387, 21 HR, 83 RBI) was named national freshman of the year by Softball America.

Friday, May 23

Game 1, 11 a.m., ESPN2

Saturday, May 24

Game 2, 11 a.m. ET, ESPN

Sunday, May 25

Game 3, if necessary.

No. 4 Arkansas vs. Mississippi

Arkansas overcame an early challenge by Oklahoma State but powered through the remainder of its regional. The catalyst for the Razorbacks is Bri Ellis (.457, 26 HR, 72 RBI), who already has single-season school records in the latter two categories. Ole Miss, however, took two of three from the Razorbacks in Oxford back in March.

Friday, May 23

Game 1, 8 p.m., ESPNU

Saturday, May 24

Game 2, 9 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2

Sunday, May 25

Game 3, if necessary.

No. 5 Florida State vs. No. 12 Texas Tech

The Seminoles and Red Raiders take the field first this weekend. FSU shortstop Isa Torres is a textbook leadoff hitter with a .448 batting average and 70 runs scored. But she and the ‘Noles will be up against one of the nation’s most dominant pitchers in Red Raiders junior NiJaree Canady, who has struck out 272 over 191 innings.

Thursday, May 22

Game 1, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Friday, May 23

Game 2, 3 p.m., ESPN2

Saturday, May 24

Game 3, 7 p.m., if necessary.

No. 6 Texas vs. No. 11 Clemson

National runners-up in Oklahoma City a year ago, the Longhorns look to take the next step on their redemption tour. If they do it, it will likely be battery mates Teagan Kavan and Reese Atwood setting the tone. The Tigers feature ACC pitcher of the year Reese Basinger and do-everything freshman Macey Cintron.

Thursday, May 22

Game 1, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Friday, May 23

Game 2, 9 p.m., ESPN2

Saturday, May 24

Game 3, 9 p.m., if necessary.

No. 10 Tennessee vs. Nebraska

The star power in this series makes it arguably the most compelling of the weekend. In this corner, the Volunteers have the nation’s ERA leader in Karlyn Pickens with a minuscule 0.90 average through 186.1 innings pitched. The Cornhuskers, meanwhile, have two-way standout Jordyn Bahl, who can take over a game with her arm and her bat.

Friday, May 23

Game 1, 7 p.m., ESPN2

Saturday, May 24

Game 2, 5 p.m., ESPN

Sunday, May 25

Game 3, if necessary.

No. 8 South Carolina vs. No. 9 UCLA

The overall strength of the SEC likely helped the Gamecocks’ case for hosting privileges for this series that could certainly go either way. Jori Heard and the rest of the South Carolina pitching staff will have their hands full with the Bruins’ one-two power punch of Megan Grant (25 HRs) and Jordan Woolery (22).

Friday, May 23

Game 1, 1 p.m., ESPN2

Saturday, May 24

Game 2, 1 p.m., ESPN

Sunday, May 25

Game 3, if necessary.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar guard who led his team to the NBA’s best record, was named the league’s most valuable player during Wednesday’s ‘NBA on TNT Pregame Show.’

Gilgeous-Alexander, 26, is the third Thunder player to win the MVP. Kevin Durant took home the honors in 2014 and Russell Westbrook won it in 2017.

It’s the seventh consecutive season a foreign-born player has won the award, as Gilgeous-Alexander is a native of Canada.

ESPN first reported the news.

Led by Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder won 68 regular-season games, including going 29-1 against the Eastern Conference, winning games by an average of 12.9 points per game and outscoring their opponents by 1,055 points.

Gilgeous-Alexander also won his first scoring title, averaging 32.1 points per game, including a streak where he scored 20 or more points in 72 consecutive games. He also averaged five rebounds and a career-high 6.4 assists, and his value was not only on the offensive end but defensively as well, as Oklahoma City was first in defensive rating and third in offensive rating.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished ahead of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who won the award last season. Jokic averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game, finishing in the top three in each category, while leading the league in performance efficiency rating. Jokic recorded an NBA-high 34 triple-doubles this season and is the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season, joining Oscar Robertson and Westbrook.

Gilgeous-Alexander received 71 first-place votes (worth 10 points) and 29 second-place votes (worth seven points) to win the award with 913 points. Jokic received the other 29 first-place votes and 71 second-place votes to finish with 787 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo finished in third (470 points), marking the seventh consecutive year he’s finished in the top four. Jayson Tatum placed fourth (311 points) and Donovan Mitchell rounded out the top five (74 points).

A two-time first-team All-NBA performer, Gilgeous-Alexander is eligible to sign a four-year, $293 million supermax extension this summer. He made $35.8 million this year, and is scheduled to take home $38.3 million and $40.8 million in the final two years of his current contract, which he signed in 2021.

NBA MVP voting

Check out the full voting totals below:

Watch: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins MVP

See the moment Gilgeous-Alexander was officially named the 2024-25 NBA MVP, and what he said:

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

(This story has been updated with new information).

NEW YORK – Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 points, posted 11 assists and made a game-tying step-back jumper to force overtime, and Aaron Nesmith scored 30 points with eight 3-pointers to key the Pacers’ 138-135 overtime victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden.

Game 2 is Friday in New York (8 p.m. ET, TNT).

Andrew Nembhard scored seven overtime points and finished with 15. Pascal Siakam scored 17 points and center Myles Turner had 14. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 43 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 35.

Here are three observations:

Andrew Nembhard keys Pacers in overtime

Andrew Nembhard had just eight points on 3-of-6 shooting in regulation and he struggled with foul trouble, but as he tends to do, he stepped up in overtime and helped the Pacers win a game they trailed by 17 points in the fourth quarter.

The Knicks scored the first four points in overtime, but Nembhard hit a 3-pointer and then hit two more buckets, found Obi Toppin for a key dunk in the final minute and deflected the ball off Jalen Brunson with 20 seconds left. He scored seven of the Pacers’ 13 overtime points to make sure their wild comeback in the fourth quarter wasn’t in vain.

Aaron Nesmith 3s, Tyrese Haliburton step-back force OT

The Pacers seemed to be finished when they allowed the Knicks to go on a 14-0 run while Brunson was on the bench with five fouls early in the fourth quarter. They fell behind by as many as 17 points in the fourth, but just as all hope seemed lost, Nesmith went wild from beyond the 3-point arc and willed the Pacers back into it.

The Knicks were up 113-98 with 4:55 to go when Nesmith hit the first of six straight 3-pointers, somehow keeping the Pacers alive with a chance in the final seconds. They were down three with the ball with 13 seconds left when the Knicks’ OG Anunoby fouled Nesmith before he could get off a score-tying 3-pointer. Nesmith made both free throws. Anunoby was fouled on the ensuing possession but made just one of two. The Knicks stopped the Pacers’ initial advance but Haliburton hit a step-back jumper that got an incredible bounce and somehow went in. The Pacers initially thought they had won. However, it was ruled that Haliburton’s foot was on the 3-point line and the shot tied the score rather than winning the game at the buzzer, forcing overtime.

Pacers show no early rust

If there was any question that the eight days the Pacers had between games cost them any rhythm, they answered it in the first 5:30 of the first quarter. They made nine straight shots in that stretch to start the game and 11 of their first 12 field goals, taking a 27-20 lead with 4:45 to go in the first. They cooled some in the period but not much, finishing 14 of 19 from the floor, 3 of 7 from 3 and 3 of 4 at the line in the first period to post 34 points, 1.49 per possession.

The Pacers got no separation in the period as the Knicks scored 36 points, shooting 15 of 23 from the floor and 4 of 6 from 3, for 1.59 points per possession. But the two teams spent much of the rest of Game 1 going shot for shot and the Pacers established out of the gate that time off hadn’t been a problem. After having already won last year’s Second-round series here, they aren’t intimidated by Madison Square Garden.

Dallas Stars coach Peter DeBoer noted before Game 1 that during last year’s Western Conference finals, his team went 0-for-14 on the power play against the Edmonton Oilers.

It looked like that was going to be a problem again Wednesday after not much was going on with the man advantage in the first 1½ opportunities.

But the Stars had 58 seconds remaining on a carry-over power play heading into the third period. Miro Heiskanen scored and Dallas turned it on, scoring five unanswered goals (three on the power play) in the period for a 6-3 victory and another come-from-behind win.

“I’m happy for our power play,” DeBoer said. “It took a lot of heat last year at this point of the year. It was a difference tonight for us.”

The turnaround was stunning, considering that Edmonton led 3-1 going into the final period and was dominating play. The Stars were unable to contain Leon Draisaitl (three points) or the speed of Connor McDavid (two points) in the first two periods.

Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene followed Heiskanen with power-play goals and Tyler Seguin scored his second goal of the game before Esa Lindell added an empty-netter.

“We have a lot of belief in us,” Seguin said. “We never really think we’re fully out of a game.”

Duchene, snake-bitten in the playoffs after a 30-goal regular season, hit teammate Roope Hintz with a shot on a wide-open net before picking up the rebound and getting his first goal of the postseason.

“That one bounced for me for tonight,” Duchene said. “Hopefully, there’s more of that to come and less of hitting my own teammate.”

Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner, coming off back-to-back shutouts, gave up five goals on 27 shots.

‘They’re competing to get goals, get guys around the net and make my life a lot harder,’ he said. ‘I just got to fight through that. I’ve got to battle them as much as battling for sight of the puck.’

The Stars won Game 1 for a second consecutive series after having lost their previous eight.

USA TODAY provided live updates from Game 1. Highlights:

Stars vs. Oilers highlights

Game recap

Stars-Oilers final score: Stars 6, Oilers 3

Stunning turnaround after the Stars trailed 3-1 heading into the third period. Their power play came to life and they scored five unanswered goals for a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference final.

Stars-Oilers score: Stars pile on

Esa Lindell scores into an empty net. Five unanswered goals. Stars 6, Oilers 3

Stars-Oilers score: Tyler Seguin scores again

Seguin deflects in a Sam Steel backhander. Stars 5, Oilers 3

Oilers go on power play

Lian Bichsel is called for hooking. Edmonton already has a power-play goal in the game. But not this time. Dallas kills the penalty, allowing only one shot.

Stars-Oilers score: Dallas strikes again on power play

That’s three consecutive power-play goals for Dallas and three goals in less than six minutes. Matt Duchene gets his first of the playoffs (after 30 in the regular season). Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen (20 point of the playoffs) get the assists. Stars 4, Oilers 3

Stars back on power play

Evander Kane is called for high-sticking.

Stars-Oilers score: Mikael Granlund ties it up

A second power-play goal for the Stars this period. Granlund rips a shot from the faceoff circle into the net. Officials initially waved it off but it went off the back bar, not the crossbar. Stars 3, Oilers 3

Stars go on power play

Corey Perry is called for high-sticking.

Stars-Oilers score: Miro Heiskanen scores on power play

Heiskanen scores from the point at 32 seconds as Mason Marchment screens Stuart Skinner. The power-play goal is a good sign for the Stars, who didn’t get one in the 2024 conference finals. Oilers 3, Stars 2

Third period underway

Stars start off the period with an abbreviated power play.

End of second period: Oilers 3, Stars 1

The Oilers once again are the more dangerous team, and they score twice on goals by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard. The Stars can’t handle Connor McDavid’s speed as he enters the zone. He has two points, Leon Draisaitl has three and Nugent-Hopkins has two. Dallas forwards Matt Duchene, Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson are minus-2 each. Stars coach Peter DeBoer is juggling his lines a little with Dallas unable to mount much of an attack.

Stars go on power play

Brett Kulak’s second penalty of the game. Not much going on again, but 58 seconds will carry into the third period.

Oilers go on power play

Thomas Harley off for interference. The Oilers scored on their first opportunity, but Dallas kills this one.

Stars-Oilers score: Evan Bouchard adds to Edmonton lead

Evan Bouchard takes a pass, skates to the left faceoff circle and beats Jake Oettinger at 7:48. Leon Draisaitl picks up his third point of the game and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins his second. Oilers 3, Stars 1

Stars-Oilers score: Edmonton connects on power play

A Connor McDavid centering pass deflects off a Stars defender to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who scores to give Edmonton the lead at 6:08. Oilers 2, Stars 1

Oilers go on power play

Mason Marchment trips Zach Hyman. Oilers had four power-play goals in the 2024 conference final.

Second period underway

Game tied at one.

End of first period: Stars 1, Oilers 1

The Oilers have the more dangerous chances in that period. Connor McDavid is flying. Leon Draisaitl factors in both goal. He keeps the puck alive in the Dallas zone before scoring the opening goal. But he gives up the puck, leading to a Tyler Seguin tying goal on a breakaway. Shots are 12-9 Oilers and hits are even at 12.

Stars-Oilers score: Tyler Seguin ties it up

Seguin grabs the puck after a Leon Draisaitl giveaway and beats Stuart Skinner on a breakaway at 15:22. That ends Seguin’s 10-game goal drought and is the first goal allowed by Skinner since Game 3 of the second round.

Stars-Oilers score: Leon Draisaitl goal lifts Edmonton

The Oilers always put Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl out after the team kills a penalty, and they connect for the opening goal. Draisaitl’s shot beats Jake Oettinger to the far side at 10:19. Oilers 1, Stars 0

Stars go on power play

Brett Kulak is called for hooking. Stars power play is clicking at 30.8%. Dallas didn’t get a power-play goal in his last year’s series against the Oilers. Edmonton kills it off. No shot attempts for Dallas.

Edmonton Oilers chance

Connor McDavid uses his speed to get around the Stars defense but is stopped by Jake Oettinger. The Stars goalie stops Zach Hyman’s rebound.

Game underway

Second year in a row these teams are meeting in the conference finals. Dallas going 12 forwards, six defensemen after going recently with 11 and 7.

Starting lines

Strength vs. strength. Edmonton starting the Connor McDavid line. Dallas countering with the Mikko Rantanen line.

What time is Stars vs. Oilers NHL playoff game?

Game 1 of the NHL’s Western Conference finals between the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers begins Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET at American Airlines Center in Dallas.

How to watch Stars vs. Oilers NHL playoff game: TV, stream

Time: 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. local
Location: American Airlines Center (Dallas)
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+, Fubo

Watch Game 1 of the Stars-Oilers series on Fubo

Dallas Stars lineup

Edmonton Oilers lineup

Connor Brown taking warmups

Brown, a game-time decision, is listed as playing on the NHL roster report.

Goaltending matchup

Edmonton’s Stuart Skinner (2-3, 3.05 goals-against average, .884 save percentage) has back-to-back shutouts. Dallas’ Jake Oettinger (8-5, 2.47, .919) has won six consecutive home games.

Stars seek better power-play numbers this year

A big factor in the Oilers’ win in the 2024 Western Conference finals: Edmonton went 14-for-14 on the penalty kill vs. Dallas. The Stars, though, enter this year’s series with the top playoff power play (30.8%) among the four conference finals teams. Roope Hintz leads the way with three power-play goals. Mikko Rantanen, who was acquired at the trade deadline, and Thomas Harley are tied with six points on the power play.

Stars still deciding defense/forward split vs. Oilers

Coach Peter DeBoer said Wednesday morning he hadn’t decided whether he’ll stick with seven defensemen and 11 forwards in games against the Oilers. He did that in the last round when Miro Heiskanen returned from injury, so the defenseman didn’t have to play big minutes right away. Forward Mikko Rantanen got double-shifted.

Oilers’ Connor Brown is game-time decision

Oilers forward Connor Brown is a game-time decision, coach Kris Knoblauch said.

If Brown (undisclosed injury) can’t go, Viktor Arvidsson would get into Game 1 after missing the past two games.

“I have no hesitation to have him in the lineup,” Knoblauch said of Arvidsson.

Western Conference finals predictions

Predictions from USA TODAY staffers:

Jason Anderson: Stars in 6. Both teams have players lighting it up on the offensive end in the postseason. Mikko Rantanen has 19 points for Dallas, while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have combined for 25 assists. It’s at the other end where each team has had issues, with Edmonton’s goalies combining for a .886 save percentage. The Stars have given up a whopping 408 shots in the playoffs, but Jake Oettinger has been up to the challenge, leading the league in some key underlying metrics for goaltenders. Expect plenty of goals in this series, but ultimately Dallas moves on.

Mike Brehm: Stars in 7. The Oilers are deeper than they were last season, but so are the Stars, with the additions of forwards Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund. Defenseman Thomas Harley took a big jump when Miro Heiskanen was hurt, and now Heiskanen is back. This series will go the distance because Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm will return at some point. The Stars get the edge in the series finale because they’re at home, and coach Peter DeBoer is 9-0 in Game 7.

Jace Evans: Oilers in 6. Seeking to erase last season’s heartbreak, Edmonton has some team of destiny vibes. They looked completely on the ropes against the Kings in the first round only to rally in wild fashion and win six consecutive games after switching to Calvin Pickard in net. After Pickard was injured, Stuart Skinner got his job back and responded with two consecutive shutouts to oust the Golden Knights. You need some magic to win the Stanley Cup. It certainly feels like the Oilers have it. (And having Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl also helps.)

The San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday officially announced they had signed Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million contract extension.

On Wednesday, Purdy spoke to reporters for the first time since becoming the NFL’s seventh highest-paid quarterback in terms of average annual value (AAV).

The 25-year-old made it known he was happy with how negotiations with the 49ers went. He also expressed he was pleased to be able to shift his focus back to playing football.

‘I think where we ended up was exactly where we needed to be,’ Purdy told reporters. ‘I’m extremely happy with where we ended and I know the Niners are, too. With that being said, for me, it’s all about football now. However they use the cap space and all that kind of stuff, that’s not my job. My job is to now go and win games and lead this team, but I’m extremely happy and grateful for where we ended.’

Purdy believed entering the negotiation process he deserved to be paid like a top NFL signal-caller.

‘There’s 32 starting quarterbacks and it’s not the easiest job in the world,’ Purdy said. ‘For me, with what I’ve done, and everything – I can hang my hat on the fact that I’ve had success in this league and I’m capable of leading an organization all the way to the Super Bowl. I’ve proved that.’

At the same time, Purdy wasn’t exclusively focused on maximizing his value. He also wanted to make sure he was setting the organization up to build a successful team around him.

‘We want to make sure that we’re working together with our organization and setting up everybody for success,’ Purdy said. ‘It’s not just for me to get all the money as much as I can, but also like, hey, let’s surround yourself with a great team and players and a great locker room, and all those things mattered.’

That’s one of the main reasons Purdy reported to the 49ers for the start of their offseason program in April. He didn’t yet have a deal done, but he wanted to be in the building to position San Francisco to build camaraderie after an offseason of change.

‘Being here day one was a huge emphasis for me, regardless of having a contract done or not,’ Purdy said. ‘But I had a lot of faith in my agent and the Niners that we were going to get something done. I didn’t know when exactly, but being here for phase one was huge for me.’

Purdy’s deal was eventually completed 28 days after the 49ers’ first April workout, and a week ahead of the team’s OTAs, which begin on Tuesday, May 27.

Now, Purdy will focus on returning to the field after recovering from an elbow injury that caused him to miss the final game of the season.

‘My body feels great,’ Purdy said. ‘I feel really healthy and 100%.’

With Purdy feeling good, he is locked in on improving and building chemistry with the new players the 49ers have brought into the building during the offseason. He believes the organization will be poised to contend again after a disappointing 6-11 finish in 2024.

‘There’s a new kind of reenergized feeling around the facility,’ Purdy said. ‘It’s an exciting time.’

Irsay began working for the team when his father acquired the Baltimore Colts in 1972, becoming the club’s general manager in 1984. He oversaw the team’s day-to-day operations beginning in 1995, after his father Robert Irsay suffered a stroke.

Jim Irsay, though, had plenty of interests away from the gridiron. Notably, he was a fan of pop culture – specifically music – and invested some of his $4.8 billion fortune into creating one of the most impressive collections of music memorabilia in the world.

Here’s what to know about The Jim Irsay Collection and what comprises it.

What is the Jim Irsay Collection?

The collection includes signed photos, handwritten lyrics, and other historic music memorabilia from the following artists:

Bob Dylan
The Beatles
Prince
Eric Clapton
Elton John
Jerry Garcia
Les Paul
David Gilmour
Jim Morrison
Pete Townshend
Jimi Hendrix
John Coltrane
The Edge
Janis Joplin
Kurt Cobain

Irsay frequently loaned his collection out to museums, including the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Since 2021, it has been touring the United States as part of a traveling showcase and concert series meant to share Irsay’s love of music with others.

Irsay’s collection isn’t just limited to music-related artifacts. He also has memorabilia from President Abraham Lincoln, Steve Jobs and Muhammad Ali, among others.

That said, the biggest draw of The Jim Irsay Collection is his assembly of guitars, which Guitar Magazine in 2022 called ‘the greatest guitar collection on Earth.’

Jim Irsay guitar collection

The Jim Irsay Collection contains 199 guitars, according to the collection’s official website. The full list can be accessed by clicking here.

Among the most notable guitars in Irsay’s collection are the following:

David Gilmour’s Black Strat
Prince’s Yellow Cloud
Jerry Garcia’s Tiger
The Beatles’ 1966 Vox Kensington
Bob Dylan’s Fender Stratocaster

The first pick has his first contact.

Cam Ward officially signed his four-year, $48.7 million fully guaranteed rookie deal with the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday, the team announced. It ensures that the quarterback will be ready for all the offseason activities that await in advance of the upcoming season.

The former Miami Hurricanes quarterback inked the biggest contract in the class after being taken with the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now, Ward can focus his attention on the field with the contract hurdle cleared.

He doesn’t face a ton of resistance to get the starting job, with Will Levis being the only potential threat on the roster. Head coach Brian Callahan said Tuesday that the pair are splitting reps in practice with the competition looming.

Ward is still in the driver’s seat to land the starting gig, however, especially with the lack of a proven veteran starter on the team.

Here’s what to know about Ward’s first NFL contract:

Cam Ward contract details

Ward inked a fully guaranteed four-year, $48.7 million deal with the Titans.

It carries an average annual value (AAV) of around $12.1 million and a signing bonus of $32.1 million, according to Spotrac. The total value of the deal is about $2 million more than what the No. 2 pick, Travis Hunter, received from the Jacksonville Jaguars.

NFL rookie contracts are slotted, meaning the player’s draft position determines their contract. They are fixed and limit the haggling in negotiations to things like offset language.

Regardless, Ward can now begin his career without having to worry about his contract becoming an off-the-field issue.

The Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder have taken the early lead in their respective conference series after Game 1.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder defended their home court and earned the victory over Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Gilgeous-Alexander had 31 points, nine assists, five rebounds and three steals on Tuesday. He was named the NBA’s MVP on Wednesday.

Edwards had 18 points and nine defensive rebounds in the loss.

Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers to a Game 1 victory on the road against the New York Knicks. Haliburton had 31 points, 11 assists and four rebounds. The Pacers star helped silence the crowd after hitting a shot at the end of regulation that forced the game into overtime after the Knicks led most of the fourth quarter.

Jalen Brunson had a game-high 43 points in the loss and went 1-for-6 from the 3-point line for the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns had 35 points and 12 rebounds.

Here’s the complete NBA playoffs schedule, including results and broadcast information:

NBA bracket: Playoff schedule, scores and results

The conference finals are set and could run through June 2.

All times Eastern. *-if necessary

Conference finals

Eastern Conference

Pacers lead series 1-0

Game 1: Pacers 138, Knicks 135 (OT)
Game 2, May 23: Pacers at Knicks | TNT, 8 p.m.
Game 3, May 25: Knicks at Pacers | TNT, 8 p.m.
Game 4, May 27: Knicks at Pacers | TNT, 8 p.m.
Game 5, May 29: Pacers at Knicks | TNT, 8 p.m.*
Game 6, May 31: Knicks at Pacers | TNT, 8 p.m.*
Game 7, June 2: Pacers at Knicks | TNT, 8 p.m.*

Western Conference

Thunder lead series 1-0

Game 1, May 20: Thunder 114, Timberwolves 88
Game 2, May 22: Timberwolves at Thunder | ESPN, 8:30 p.m.
Game 3, May 24: Thunder at Timberwolves | ABC, 8:30 p.m.
Game 4, May 26: Thunder at Timberwolves | ESPN, 8:30 p.m.
Game 5, May 28: Timberwolves at Thunder | ESPN, 8:30 p.m.*
Game 6, May 30: Thunder at Timberwolves | ESPN, 8:30 p.m.*
Game 7, June 1: Timberwolves at Thunder | ESPN, 8 p.m.*

2025 NBA Finals schedule

*-if necessary

Game 1, June 5: TBD, ABC
Game 2, June 8: TBD, ABC
Game 3, June 11: TBD, ABC
Game 4, June 13: TBD, ABC
Game 5, June 16: TBD, ABC*
Game 6, June 19: TBD, ABC*
Game 7, June 22: TBD, ABC*

NBA playoff results: Second round

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (4) Indiana Pacers

Pacers win series 4-1

Game 1: Pacers 121, Cavaliers 112
Game 2: Pacers 120, Cavaliers 119
Game 3: Cavaliers 126, Pacers 104
Game 4: Pacers 129, Cavaliers 109
Game 5: Pacers 114, Cavaliers 105

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks

Knicks win series 4-2

Game 1: Knicks 108, Celtics 105 (OT)
Game 2: Knicks 91, Celtics 90
Game 3: Celtics 115, Knicks 93
Game 4: Knicks 121, Celtics 113
Game 5: Celtics 127, Knicks 102
Game 6: Knicks 119, Celtics 81

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (4) Denver Nuggets

Thunder win series 4-3

Game 1: Nuggets 121, Thunder 119
Game 2: Thunder 149, Nuggets 106
Game 3: Nuggets 113, Thunder 104 (OT)
Game 4: Thunder 92, Nuggets 87
Game 5: Thunder 112, Nuggets 105
Game 6: Nuggets 119, Thunder 107
Game 7: Thunder 125, Nuggets 93

(6) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (7) Golden State Warriors

Timberwolves win series 4-1

Game 1: Warriors 99, Timberwolves 88
Game 2: Timberwolves 117, Warriors 93
Game 3: Timberwolves 102, Warriors 97
Game 4: Timberwolves 117, Warriors 110
Game 5: Timberwolves 121, Warriors 110

NBA playoff results: First round

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Miami Heat

Cavaliers win series 4-0

Game 1: Cavaliers 121, Heat 100
Game 2: Cavaliers 121, Heat 112
Game 3: Cavaliers 124, Heat 87
Game 4: Cavaliers 138, Heat 83

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Orlando Magic

Celtics win series 4-1

Game 1: Celtics 103, Magic 86
Game 2: Celtics 109, Magic 100
Game 3: Magic 95, Celtics 93
Game 4: Celtics 107, Magic 98
Game 5: Celtics 120, Magic 89

(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Detroit Pistons

Knicks win series 4-2

Game 1: Knicks 123, Pistons 112
Game 2: Pistons 100, Knicks 94
Game 3: Knicks 118, Pistons 116
Game 4: Knicks 94, Pistons 93
Game 5: Pistons 106, Knicks 103
Game 6: Knicks 116, Pistons 113

(4) Indiana Pacers vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks

Pacers win series 4-1

Game 1: Pacers 117, Bucks 98
Game 2: Pacers 123, Bucks 115
Game 3: Bucks 117, Pacers 107
Game 4: Pacers 129, Bucks 103
Game 5: Pacers 119, Bucks 118 (OT)

Western Conference

(1) Oklahoma City Thunder vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies

Thunder win series 4-0

Game 1: Thunder 131, Grizzlies 80
Game 2: Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99
Game 3: Thunder 114, Grizzlies 108
Game 4: Thunder 117, Grizzlies 115

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Golden State Warriors

Warriors win series 4-3

Game 1: Warriors 95, Rockets 85
Game 2: Rockets 109, Warriors 94
Game 3: Warriors 104, Rockets 93
Game 4: Warriors 109, Rockets 106
Game 5: Rockets 131, Warriors 116
Game 6: Rockets 115, Warriors 107
Game 7: Warriors 103, Rockets 89

(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves

Timberwolves win series 4-1

Game 1: Timberwolves 117, Lakers 95
Game 2: Lakers 94, Timberwolves 85
Game 3: Timberwolves 116, Lakers 104
Game 4: Timberwolves 116, Lakers 113
Game 5: Timberwolves 103, Lakers 96

(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers

Nuggets win series 4-3

Game 1: Nuggets 112, Clippers 110
Game 2: Clippers 105, Nuggets 102
Game 3: Clippers 117, Nuggets 83
Game 4: Nuggets 101, Clippers 99
Game 5: Nuggets 131, Clippers 115
Game 6: Clippers 111, Nuggets 105
Game 7: Nuggets 120, Clippers 101