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Chicago Bulls: 3 takeaways from loss to the Miami Heat by Ryan Taylor

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The Chicago Bears — head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace — were present for Trey Lance‘s pro day at North Dakota State on Friday afternoon.

The Chicago Bears might be looking at taking Trey Lance on draft day. How good is Lance? Where is Lance supposed to go in the draft?

Lance had a weird college career, playing only one full season of football in 2019. This past season, NDSU canceled their football season in August due to COVID-19, however, they scheduled and won one game against Central Arkansas.

The 2019 season was easily Lance’s best since it was his only full season. He completed 66.9 percent of his 287 attempts for 2,786 yards, 28 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Yes, zero interceptions in 16 games.

The biggest struggle with Lance is the ability to scout him with the minimal sample size of college football he provided in three years. On the bright side, his physicality is tremendous. Lance is an outstanding 6-foot-4 and weighs 227 pounds.

Lance showed a lot of his ability in his pro day. The biggest takeaway from his workout was his ability to throw a powerful fastball to short routes. He throws like Deshaun Watson in that sense — a bullet without needing a windup or an extra step. He can just gun it. Lance showed off his deep ball, pocket mobility, and throwing on the run.

CBS has Trey Lance going eighth overall in their mock draft to the Carolina Panthers. NBC Sports has him going fourth overall to the Atlanta Falcons. Both of these teams were present for his pro day on Friday, along with 28 other NFL teams.

If the Chicago Bears want Lance to be their next quarterback, they will need to move up in the draft order. Check out these three trades that would put them in a better spot to acquire Lance.

Next: Shooting for #10

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Azura Stevens will benefit from playing alongside five-time All-Star Candace Parker, whom the Sky signed to a two-year contract last month.

Sky forward Azura Stevens already experienced the physical and mental stress of bouncing back from an injury in 2020.

But coming back from surgery a year later during a contract season? That adds a whole load of pressure.

General manager James Wade understands that. That’s why the Sky signed Stevens to a one-year contract extension, allowing her to focus on her health rather than on competing for a new deal.

Stevens, who’s rehabbing from knee surgery, didn’t have any doubts she wanted to return to the Sky beyond this season. She said signing the deal — which is worth $144,000 guaranteed, according to The Next — ‘‘wasn’t a hard decision.’’

‘‘I won’t have the pressure of wondering if I’m still going to be here or anything like that,’’ Stevens said. ‘‘It’s already secured for now. I’m just really excited to really focus on this season, getting back on the court, and the next season will come around when it comes around.’’

Said Wade: ‘‘You’re going to see a great Azura in 2021, but it also gives her a peace of mind. When you have an injury and you start to second-guess and think and stuff like that, it’s always hard to come back. She’s going to be comfortable because she knows she doesn’t have to worry about that part, the business part of basketball. All she has to worry about is playing the game.’’

The Sky traded 2019 first-round pick Katie Lou Samuelson to the Wings for Stevens last offseason. Stevens still was rehabbing from a foot procedure she had in August 2019, but the Sky needed to add frontcourt depth after dealing forward Astou Ndour and liked Stevens’ athleticism and versatility on both ends of the court.

Stevens might have missed nearly a year of basketball, but her transition to the Sky was seamless. In 13 starts, Stevens averaged career highs in points (11.5 per game) and rebounds (5.9) and embodied the defensive identity the Sky wanted.

In the midst of her career resurgence, however, Stevens suffered a knee injury that ultimately required surgery. Despite the setback, Stevens is eager to elevate her game this season. She’ll benefit from playing alongside five-time All-Star Candace Parker, whom the Sky signed to a two-year contract last month.

‘‘She’s one of the best players in the league, if not arguably the best,’’ said Stevens, who indicated she modeled her game after Parker. ‘‘I’m really excited. I’ve looked up to her for a long time. I’m just really, really grateful for the opportunity to be able to learn from her one-on-one but also play alongside her. I think we’ll complement one another really well.’’

Stevens is expected to be ready when training camp opens this spring. She has returned to the court and has been increasing her workload in the last few months.

‘‘Everything is going really well,’’ she said. ‘‘I feel really good, and I’m looking forward to just being back on the court and being ready for this season.’’

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Chicago fire officials confirmed a person was killed after being hit by a train. Power to the tracks has been shut down as emergency crews conduct a recovery mission.

CTA trains through the Loop were rerouted Saturday morning after a woman was fatally struck by a train in the Loop.

The incident occurred about 10:50 a.m. at the Adams/Wabash station, 201 S. Wabash Ave., the CTA said.

Chicago fire officials confirmed a woman was killed after being hit by a train, and power to the tracks has been shut down as emergency crews conduct a recovery mission.

Green, Brown and Orange Line trains have been rerouted and will serve only the Washington/Wells, Quincy, LaSalle/Van Buren and State/Van Buren stations in the Loop, the CTA said.

Pink Line service has been suspended between Polk and the Loop, the transit authority said, with trains being diverted to the Racine stop so that riders can catch a connection on the Blue Line.

Chicago police could not immediately provide details about the incident.

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Both players on track to be cleared for full training in about a month. Each of them is being pushed by a different goal.

Red Stars goalkeeper Emily Boyd remembers rushing through the Frankfurt airport in a hurry to catch a connecting flight to Chicago in October.

For someone in her condition, rushing meant riding shotgun in one of those airport golf carts while it sped by other travelers in the direction of her gate. She had no chance of making it on time walking on crutches.

Boyd had torn her anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and meniscus while playing for the Danish football club HB Køge following the 2020 Challenge Cup and was on her way back home for surgery.

Playing for the Danish club was Boyd’s first experience overseas, and she pursued the opportunity to get consistent game action. As the No. 2 goalkeeper on the Red Stars’ depth chart, that’s not an easy task here when Alyssa Naeher is the No. 1.

“I’m a huge planner, so it just kind of ruined my plans for the 2021 season,” Boyd said. “I was hoping to come in and play when Alyssa was gone.”

When she got home from surgery, Boyd was aided by a capable support system. Her roommate, defender Bianca St. Georges, had suffered a meniscus tear in her right knee nearly two years before, so she understood exactly what Boyd was feeling.

The two fell into a groove that included deep conversations about life, diving into existential questions in pursuit of a better understanding of its highs and lows.

In supporting Boyd, St. Georges felt like she was going through the recovery process again. It turned out, four months later, she would be.

St. Georges sustained her second knee injury in February at training camp with the Canadian National Team. She said she knew almost instantly it was the same injury as before, only this time it was her left knee.

St. Georges went in for surgery, not knowing if she’d be out for six weeks or six months.

“The thing with your meniscus is you don’t know how big the tear is until you’re in surgery,” St. Georges said.

She woke up and was told it was just a cleanup surgery. She had her meniscus cut out and would have about a six-week recovery period.

St. Georges came home to find Boyd had prepared their apartment for the worst-case scenario. Her room was turned into a full-on oasis complete with ice, water, snacks and reading material all within arm’s reach, just in case St. Georges was immobile.

They’ve each had vastly different roads to recovery. For Boyd, who just hit the five-month mark, it has been a slow, meticulous process. She’s running again and training with the Red Stars in a limited capacity.

St. Georges, who is at the two-week mark in her recovery, just started biking again. Up to this point, she has been limited to physical therapy and using the Peloton app to get in an arm workout.

Despite being at different points in their recovery, the two are healing in tandem.

“When I see her roll out the yoga mat and work on her arms, because that’s all she can do right now, I’m motivated to go kill my run for the day because I know she’s working hard too,” Boyd said.

St. Georges hasn’t returned to training yet, so her contact with the team has been limited. But coach Rory Dames checks in every day to see how she’s feeling.

Both players are on track to be cleared for full training in about a month. Each of them is being pushed by a different goal.

St. Georges has her eyes set on making the Canadian National Team’s roster for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

She has spoken with Canada’s coach, Bev Priestman, multiple times since having surgery. Priestman has reassured St. Georges she’ll be back with the team once she’s healthy.

Boyd’s end goal is to be a starting goalkeeper in the National Women’s Soccer League. She knows it’s likely that won’t be with the Red Stars. She said as a goalkeeper, you can’t ever get attached to one city. You go where you’re needed.

Both are focused on winning with the Red Stars. The team goal, Boyd said, is to win the Challenge Cup title and the NWSL Championship this season.

“We have complete control over our fate,” St. Georges said. “We have the talent. We have the team. We have the staff. They’re just missing two people right now, and they are right here.”

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Please send scores and corrections to [email protected]

Saturday, March 13, 2021

CATHOLIC – BLUE

Brother Rice at St. Laurence, 1:00

CATHOLIC – CROSSOVER

Loyola at St. Joseph, 2:00

CENTRAL SUBURBAN – NORTH

Maine East at Highland Park, 2:00

Maine West at Deerfield, 2:00

Niles North at Vernon Hills, 2:00

DU KANE

Geneva at Lake Park, 6:00

St. Charles East at Wheaton North, 6:00

St. Charles North at Batavia, 6:00

Wheaton-Warr. South at Glenbard North, 6:00

INTERSTATE EIGHT

Plano at LaSalle-Peru, PPD/CNL

Rochelle at Ottawa, 6:00

Sandwich at Kaneland, 6:00

METRO SUBURBAN

Aurora Christian at Chicago Christian, 7:00

Timothy Christian at Riverside-Brookfield, 4:00

Wheaton Academy at IC Catholic, 1:30

MID-SUBURBAN CROSSOVER

Championship:

Barrington at Rolling Meadows, 5:00

NOBLE LEAGUE – BLUE

Noble Street vs. Muchin, at Pritzker, 1:00

Rauner vs. Bulls, at Rowe-Clark, 1:00

NOBLE LEAGUE – GOLD

Comer at Butler, 12:30

Hansberry vs. Johnson, at Hales Fran, 11:00

NOBLE LEAGUE – WHITE

Golder vs. Baker, at Hales Fran, 1:00

Noble Academy vs. DRW, at Rowe-Clark, 11:00

Rowe-Clark at ITW-Speer, 8:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE RED SOUTH-CENTRAL

Brooks at Kenwood, 11:30

Corliss at Hyde Park, 11:30

Phillips at Curie, 11:30

PUBLIC LEAGUE RED WEST-NORTH

Lane at Marshall, 11:30

North Lawndale at Farragut, 11:30

Westinghouse at Schurz, 1:30

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-CENTRAL

King at Tilden, 12:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-NORTH

Mather at Taft, 2:00

Northside at Foreman, 11:30

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-SOUTH

Dyett at ACE Amandla, 11:30

Fenger at Perspectives-Lead, 11:30

South Shore at Harlan, 11:30

Urban Prep-Bronzeville at Carver, 11:30

PUBLIC LEAGUE WHITE-WEST

Collins at Wells, 2:00

Crane at Austin, 11:30

Payton at Clemente, 11:00

Perspectives-MSA at Jones, 11:30

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-CENTRAL

Horizon-Southwest at Back of the Yards, 11:30

Kelly at Harper, 11:30

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-NORTH

DuSable at Steinmetz, 11:30

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-SOUTH

Goode at Chicago Military, 2:00

PUBLIC LEAGUE BLUE-WEST

Kelvyn Park at Little Village, 11:30

Phoenix at Ogden, 11:30

NON CONFERENCE

Carmel at Lake Forest Academy, 3:30

Christ the King at Leo, 3:00

DeKalb at Sycamore, 6:00

Elgin Academy at Christian Life, 1:00

Lake Forest at Loyola, CNL

Lena-Winslow at Indian Creek, 6:45

Metea Valley at Oswego, 3:30

Midland at Cornerstone Christian, 1:00

Naperville North at St. Francis, 1:00

Neuqua Valley at Lincoln-Way East, 11:00

North Shore at Northridge, 5:15

Somonauk at Serena, 11:30

St. Ignatius at Bolingbrook, 12:45

St. Viator at Libertyville, 11:00

Stagg at Oak Lawn, 10:30

Waubonsie Valley at Yorkville Christian, 4:30

Westlake Christian at St. Martin de Porres, 12:00

CHIPOTLE CLASH OF CHAMPIONS

at Notre Dame

Semi-Finals:

Simeon vs. Evanston, 11:00

DePaul vs. Fenwick, 1:00

Championship, 7:00

FOX VALLEY TOURNAMENT

Jacobs at Huntley, 1:00

Championship:

Cary-Grove at Burlington Central, 1:00

SANGAMON VALLEY TOURNAMENT

Gardner So. Wilmington at Dwight, 7:00

Cissna Park at Watseka

Momence at Milford

Championship:

Clifton Central at Iroquois West, 5:00

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE TOURNAMENT

Championship:

Plainfield South at Joliet West, 1:30

UPSTATE EIGHT TOURNAMENT

Glenbard South at Glenbard East

Fenton at South Elgin

Streamwood at Larkin

Championship:

East Aurora at Bartlett, 1:00

WEST SUBURBAN TOURNAMENT

at Willowbrook (Consolation C)

Willowbrook vs. Downers Grove South, 2:00

Downers Grove South vs. Leyden, 3:30

Willowbrook vs. Leyden, 5:00

at Proviso West (Consolation B)

Proviso West vs. Addison Trail, 2:00

Addison Trail vs. Hinsdale Central, 3:30

Proviso West vs. Hinsdale Central, 5:00

at Lyons (Consolation A)

Lyons vs. Proviso East, 2:00

Proviso East vs. Hinsdale South, 3:30

Lyons vs. Hinsdale South, 5:00

at Glenbard West (Championship)

Glenbard West vs. York, 3:00

Downers Grove North vs. York, 4:45

Glenbard West vs. Downers Grove North, 6:30

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Chicago Bears should consider 3-team deals with Russell Wilson, Jets by Ryan Heckman

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Chicago Bulls (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Bulls lost to the Miami Heat on Friday night by a score of 101-90. Check out the game summary and takeaways from the game.

The Bulls are now 0-2 since returning from the all-star break. This game versus the Heat was an interesting one, with a low-scoring half tied at 42 between both squads. The Heat physically defeated the Bulls in this one and forced the Bulls out of the paint defensively.

Zach LaVine had a frustrating night. After getting a technical foul early in the game, he used it as motivation to put up an impressive 30 points, six rebounds, and six assists on 63 percent shooting from the floor. He looked visibly upset with the way his team was playing. The other starters shot 33 percent from the field.

In Lauri Markkanen‘s second game back in action since being injured, he put up 20 points on 44 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from downtown. He was lackadaisical defensively and was constantly forced out of the paint on offense.

Patrick Williams left the game in the second quarter after hyperextending his knee. He did return and take his shots at Jimmy Butler on defense, but he was not enough to help. Butler put up 28 points.

Coby White had a poor shooting night going 3/13 from the field for a measly eight points. He also offered zero defensive help against Goran Dragic, who put up 25 points in the second half — 20 of those being in the fourth quarter.

Last and certainly least tonight, Wendell Carter played atrociously. Carter offered a rudimentary four points in 22 minutes off of 1/5 shooting from the field. As the biggest guy on the floor, playing against a team without Bam Adebayo for the night, I certainly expected more.

Here are three team takeaways to think about after the Bulls’ loss to the Heat.

Next: Offense in the Paint

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Chicago Blackhawks: Win over Stars was as important as it can get by Vincent Parise

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Chicago Bears (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Over the course of the past week, rumors and reports have been coming out multiple times daily in regards to Russell Wilson being traded to the Chicago Bears.

It’s gotten to the point where a trade would surprise no one, yet just a couple of months ago the thought of Seattle trading Wilson would have sounded completely absurd. Now, though, it’s not such a crazy idea.

Several opinions on the matter include the notion that Seattle and Wilson are too far gone in their relationship, leading many to believe a trade will ultimately happen. The only question is, when?

Colin Cowherd made headlines on Friday when he went on a bit of a tangent detailing the Bears trading five first-round picks to the Seahawks in exchange for Wilson. The problem with Cowherd’s thought process, though, is the fact that teams can only trade picks up to three years in advance.

“I’m told the Chicago Bears are trying to make a move on Russell Wilson and trying to create a move that is so good Seattle can’t say no.”

— The latest from @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/gohWppaxSg

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) March 12, 2021

The Chicago Bears couldn’t possibly trade five of their own picks, but some help could be on the way.

The caveat with that rule is when a team is trading during the draft itself, in which the Bears could then trade this year’s picks and the next three draft’s after — which could then be up to four first-round picks.

But, if we’re actually going to believe Wilson could be worth up to five first rounders, then the Bears would somehow need to get another team involved.

To Cowherd’s point, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll does like Sam Darnold. So, maybe the New York Jets can get involved in a three-team trade.

The Jets have multiple first-round picks this year, including the second overall selection. That pick should end up being used on a franchise quarterback like Justin Fields or Zach Wilson, allowing them the freedom to trade Darnold.

The thought that Seattle will need a quarterback in return has me thinking Darnold could get involved, and the Jets also getting some kind of compensation. One of the following blockbusters should satisfy all three teams with their main, overall concern.

Next: Trade No. 1

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Apex predator species of all types are a key to a balanced environment. They keep prey species from outgrowing their food supply and keep pests from proliferating.

Five years ago, Illinois lawmakers trotted out a lot of ridiculous arguments to justify ending protections for bobcats that had been in place for 44 years.

They called the elusive animals, which have never been known to kill a single person, ferocious. They compared them to saber-toothed tigers. They conjured up unsubstantiated stories of bobcats raiding chickens and killing pet cats on farms.

The Legislature voted, by a razor-thin margin, to create an Illinois bobcat hunting season. This year’s season ended on Feb. 15.

Since bobcat hunting has resumed, more than 1,500 bobcats have been killed in Illinois, the Humane Society of the United States says. Before that, bobcats, which had been on the state’s threatened species list, had barely managed to recover from being overhunted in the past. Bobcat hunting remains illegal in Chicago and the northeast portion of the state.

The rush to end four decades of bobcat protections in Illinois was part of an ongoing and unwise assault on predator species in general in the United States. It threatens to upend decades of scientific efforts to return predator species to the land by balancing their needs with those of humans.

On March 10, Michigan’s state Senate approved a resolution urging state wildlife officials there to allow wolf hunting and trapping this year. Wisconsin recently held its first wolf hunt in several years, and some Montana lawmakers are trying to allow leg-hold traps, neck snares, extended seasons and the use of spotlights to shoot wolves at night.

Right before November’s presidential election, the Trump administration lifted Endangered Species Act protections for gray wolves in the lower 48 states, except for Arizona and New Mexico, though wolves are basically extinct in most of their former range. President Joe Biden’s administration, on the new president’s first day in office, said it would review that decision.

Apex predator species of all types are a key to a balanced environment. They keep prey species from outgrowing their food supply and keep pests from proliferating. Wolf packs weakened by hunting are more likely to attack livestock.

Illinois’ shy and nocturnal bobcats eat rabbits, hares and rats, which farmers consider pests. They go out of their way to avoid people.

Bobcats are not hunted for their meat. Instead, hunters kill them to collect a trophy or for the animals’ reddish-brown, spotted coats, which can be sold on an international market. But that means using inhumane steel-jawed traps that can keep them languishing in pain for up to 24 hours or chasing them with dogs that might rip the terrified bobcats apart or tree them until a hunter arrives to shoot them.

Moreover, wildlife enthusiasts — the ones opposed to the hunt — say that their own views didn’t get a fair hearing when the Legislature voted to allow the resumption of bobcat hunting. Nature belongs to all of us, not just hunters, and the fewer bobcats roaming the state, the less chance anyone will have to see one. The thrill of seeing a bobcat in its habitat ought to outweigh someone having a chance to wear slippers made of bobcat fur.

On Monday, the Illinois House Agriculture & Conservation Committee will hold a hearing on a bill to ban bobcat hunting in the state. The bill has been in the works ever since bobcat hunting resumed, says state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, a co-sponsor.

This time around, we hope the Legislature will base its decisions on the best science. If the Legislature simply does that, conservationists say, it will reinstate the ban on bobcat hunting.

“We don’t believe the science supports a hunting season for bobcats,” said Jennifer Walling, executive director of the Illinois Environmental Council. “It has had a detrimental effect on their population, particularly in areas of the states where their population hasn’t recovered.”

We share the planet with predators such as bobcats. We need enlightened, science-based policies and laws that guide us in doing this as best we can.

Send letters to [email protected].

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TY Johnson dodged and darted and attacked. The 6-2 DePaul Prep senior was a blur as he repeatedly found his way through Young’s tall and athletic defense. 

TY Johnson dodged and darted and attacked. The 6-2 DePaul Prep senior was a blur as he repeatedly found his way through Young’s tall and athletic defense.

The top-ranked Dolphins had no answer for Johnson on Friday in the Chipotle Clash of Champions at St. Patrick. The Loyola recruit scored 32 points to lead the Rams to a 55-43 upset of Young.

“I just stayed in the zone,” Johnson said. “My teammates saw I was hot. My coaches trusted me. They put the ball in my hand and I got the job done. I didn’t want to go out with a loss so I jumped into game mode and took over.”

Johnson scored 17 consecutive points for the Rams during a stretch of the second and third quarter. But his teammates weren’t just standing around watching. They were executing coach Tom Kleinschmidt’s plan to perfection.

“We controlled the tempo and played at our own pace and didn’t let them speed us up,” Johnson said. “We are five seniors with experience. We’ve been here and they haven’t, they are still young. We’ve been here.”

The Rams’ intensity and effort was shown plain when 6-10 senior Brian Mathews dove on the floor and skidded for a bit going after a loose ball in the final minutes.

“This meant a lot,” Mathews said. “Young has a ton of talent. I knew it was going to be a rough game but we came ready to go with our minds set on winning. We weren’t ready for the season to end.”

Mathews finished with 11 points and seven rebounds for DePaul Prep (12-2). Guards Rasheed Bello (seven points), Cam Lewis and Jabari Sawyer was instrumental in carrying out DePaul’s spread offense that helped kill off the win.

“We’re starting to play a little bit,” Kleinschmidt said. “This is what we can be. Brain gave us something on the glass and with the defense and he guarded well. And [Johnson] is [Johnson].”

Senior Grant Newell led Young (13-1) with 10 points and junior AJ Casey added seven points and eight rebounds. Senior Jaeshon Thomas scored nine.

Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times

“I had 100 percent confidence we were going to win this game,” Johnson said. “Everyone doubted us, had us losing by 10 points. We had the mindset that we had to come in as a team and control it.”

The Dolphins never seemed totally in-sync on offense.

“We sit tight in the paint and get the shooters that we scouted,” Kleinschmidt said. “Young is a great team. [Dolphins coach Tyrone Slaughter] coached me in high school. They’ve been impressive for a long time.”

St. Ignatius knocked off Curie last night in a non-conference game. Now DePaul Prep takes down undefeated, top-ranked Young in the season’s premier event. Those are massive shifts in the high school basketball scene.

“Of course the Public League is very strong but the Catholic League is strong now too,” Mathews said.

DePaul Prep will face the Mundelein vs. Fenwick winner in the semifinals at Notre Dame on Saturday.

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