Chicago Happenings This Weekend | Concerts 2026

Bears start voluntary offseason workout program

The Bears are back to work after beginning their voluntary offseason workout program Monday.

By virtue of having a new head coach, the Bears are allowed to begin their program earlier than those with returning coaches. They are one of four teams starting workouts Monday. Others with new coaches, such as the Vikings, opted to start next week.

The Bears can’t do any on-field work. Per NFL rules, they’re limited to strength and conditioning, meetings and rehab. Players and coaches will get to know each other, which is no small thing: the Bears replaced every single coordinator and position coach during the offseason.

Matt Eberflus’ new-coach status also allows him to host an additional voluntary veteran minicamp. He’ll hold it April 19-21 at Halas Hall.

The Bears will have OTAs for three weeks starting May 16 and a mandatory veteran minicamp starting June 14.

“We get to bring them in April 4, and we’re excited about that …” Eberflus said at last week’s NFL owner’s meetings. “What can the guys do? I know the first couple weeks we don’t get them –[to] put our hands on them — but after that we’ve got the voluntary minicamp and then you’ve got Phase 2 into OTAs.

“That’s a big piece of the evaluation of our roster — you know, what we’re going to bring in –and we’re certainly excited about that too as coaches. You look at the skill level of each guy and how can they fit and compete as you start putting in, laying your foundation, your foundational pieces for what you believe in. And that’s a key component. This nine weeks is a big part of that going into mandatory minicamp.”

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Lots of greatness came to celebrate Jonathan ToewsVincent Pariseon April 4, 2022 at 1:00 pm

MONTREAL, QC – DECEMBER 09: Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at Centre Bell on December 9, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-0. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

Jonathan Toews ended last week by playing in his 1000th and 1001st career NHL games on the road (all with the Chicago Blackhawks). His 1000th came in Sunrise where they were defeated by the Florida Panthers. They followed that up with another loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night.

Despite the losses, which is expected because they are a bad team, they honored their captain well. He has been one of the best players in franchise history and he is treated as such. When a player reaches 1000 games, it is always special but it is even more with a guy as successful as Toews.

With the Arizona Coyotes in town for a Sunday night game at the United Center, they finally were able to properly honor Toews for this incredible achievement. Per NHL tradition, Toews received his silver stick in a pregame ceremony with his family by his side.

There was a bit of a reunion that also took place during this great event. As they were showing love for Toews some former teammates came out of nowhere. It is always special to see former Blackhawks greats there to celebrate in these big-time events.

Some all-time great Chicago Blackhawks came out to honor Jonothan Toews.

Marian Hossa, Patrick Sharp, Brent Seabrook, and Andrew Shaw all came out to join Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat for a picture with the captain. All of them are former or current alternate captains with the Blackhawks.

A great Captain but a better teammate. ? #ChicagosCaptain pic.twitter.com/PqC8gYK8Cx

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 3, 2022

It is very fitting with the captain theme behind this Toews ceremony. He is viewed like this because of his all-time great leadership when it comes to the game of hockey. He has led this team for a long time and they have had a lot of success during most of his career.

The only big alternate captain missing was Duncan Keith but it is impossible to get him in attendance when he is still in the National Hockey League. Outside of him, there was a lot of Blackhawks greatness to see Toews receive the silver stick.

Jonathan Toews is going to walk into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. He was an incredible young captain to win the Stanley Cup once, let alone three times in six years. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs in 2010 as he was the team’s best player in the tournament. He also has a few other pieces of individual hardware on his mantle.

There was a game to play after this special event. The Coyotes, like the Blackhawks, are a very bad team right now. It turned out to be a good game though as it came down to the wire. The Hawks were down 2-1 late before Patrick Kane was able to tie it.

From there, the two teams found themselves in overtime. It was a good effort to get there and the overtime period was incredibly entertaining. There were chances galore but nothing was able to beat the goalies.

Lots of greatness came to celebrate Jonathan ToewsVincent Pariseon April 4, 2022 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Young girl among four hurt in South Austin apartment fire

A girl was among four hurt in a fire Monday morning in South Austin on the West Side.

Officers and fire officials responded to a fire that started on the first floor of an apartment complex in the 500 block of North Central Avenue just after midnight, Chicago police said.

The girl suffered from burns and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she was in “grave” condition, according to officials. Fire officials said the girl was 3, while police said she was 3 to 5.

A 53-year-old man was taken to West Suburban Hospital for smoke inhalation and was listed in fair condition, police said.

A woman, 83, suffered from smoke inhalation and was taken to Loyola University Medical Center, where she was in serious condition, officials said.

A 57-year-old woman was taken to the same hospital for burns, authorities said. She was also listed in serious condition.

A 53-year-old man was taken to West Suburban Hospital, also for smoke inhalation, and was listed in fair condition, police said.

Further details weren’t immediately available.

A little over an hour later, an elderly man was hospitalized after a fire about five miles southeast inside a Lawndale house on the West Side.

Someone smelled smoke from inside of the home in the 1800 block of South Hamlin Avenue about 1:30 a.m., police said.

Everyone inside made it out of the home and a man, 73, was taken to an area hospital as a precaution due to smoke inhalation, police said. He was listed in fair condition, officials said.

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The Chicago Blackhawks finally have their new TV announcerVincent Pariseon April 4, 2022 at 12:00 pm

MONTREAL, QC – DECEMBER 09: A detailed view of the Chicago Blackhawks logo during warmups prior to the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on December 9, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-0. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

The 2021-22 season for the Chicago Blackhawks has been filled with tough moments both on and off the ice. Some of them are more important than others which is important to recognize. With that in mind, one of the terrible things about this season is that Pat Foley will no longer call games after this year.

He has been calling Chicago Blackhawks hockey for a long time but this is the end of the road. It feels like he is being pushed out but that is a story for another day. For now, we will just enjoy him and move on to the next.

The Blackhawks were always going to name a new announcer before the end of the season and they have. Chris Vosters is going to be the guy who takes over for Pat. It is an incredible achievement for him as he will now be a full-time NHL announcer.

Foley’s last game is going to be on April 14th at the United Center against the San Jose Sharks. Following that day, Vosters is set to take over as the new voice of the team on NBC Sports Chicago.

Chris Vosters will be the next voice of Blackhawks hockey! ? pic.twitter.com/nWupsfX8NH

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 3, 2022

The Chicago Blackhawks have hired Chris Vosters to be the new play-by-play guy.

He has already started to do games with the team from time to time this year as they tried out a few different people but he is going to be the guy going forward. He has had plenty of other experience calling hockey as well.

It seems like the Blackhawks are in good hands with Vosters. However, it is going to take some getting used to. When you don’t attend the games, you get the announces describing the game to you in real-time as it happens live. In a way, you invite them into your living room every game.

It isn’t going to be easy for him to step into Pat’s role. Pat Foley is viewed as one of the greatest sports broadcasters in the history of Chicago and rightfully so. Vosters seems to know how to handle it and do a very good job with it.

For Foley, he got to be in the Hawks booth for some amazing times. Of course, the local TV guys don’t do the Stanley Cup Playoffs outside of the first round but you know he was there watching. Few people care about this team more than him. It will certainly be interesting to see what Blackhawks television has to offer in the coming years.

The Chicago Blackhawks finally have their new TV announcerVincent Pariseon April 4, 2022 at 12:00 pm Read More »

NBA play-in tracker: Where the races stand entering Mondayon April 4, 2022 at 1:00 pm

11:57 PM ET

As the NBA’s 2021-22 regular season draws to a conclusion on April 10, teams near the middle of the standings are battling for postseason seeding with a special focus on the league’s play-in tournament.

Held before the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs, the play-in tournament adds an exciting wrinkle to the end of the regular season. Teams were already less incentivized to tank games down the stretch because of the flattened lottery odds instituted in 2019. Now that the top 10 teams in the standings will finish the regular season with at least a chance to make the playoffs, more franchises will stay in the mix for longer.

The play-in tournament will be held April 12-15.

Here’s everything you need to know about the setup this season.

MORE: Current NBA standings

How the 2022 play-in race is shaping up

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Entering Monday, here’s how the play-in standings look in the East:

5. Chicago Bulls: 45-33, 2.5 games ahead of 7th
6. Toronto Raptors: 45-33, 2.5 GA
—
7. Cleveland Cavaliers: 43-36, 1.5 games ahead of 8th
8. Atlanta Hawks, 41-37, 1.5 GB
9. Charlotte Hornets: 40-38, 2.5 GB
10. Brooklyn Nets, 40-38, 2.5 GB

All the teams below Brooklyn in the Eastern Conference (Washington, New York, Indiana, Detroit, Orlando) have officially been eliminated from play-in contention. Additionally, Charlotte and Brooklyn have been eliminated from contention for sixth place, meaning the Hornets and Nets will be in the play-in round. The Cavs and Hawks can get up to sixth and avoid the play-in round.

Here’s how the play-in games would look if the season ended today:

No. 8 Hawks at No. 7 Cavaliers

No. 10 Nets at No. 9 Hornets

The NBA schedule resumes Tuesday. Here are the games with the potential to impact the play-in standings:

Cavaliers at Magic, 7 p.m. ET

Rockets at Nets, 7:30 p.m. ET

Hornets at Heat, 7:30 p.m. ET

Hawks at Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET

Bucks at Bulls, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Entering Monday, here’s how the play-in standings look in the West:

5. Denver Nuggets: 47-32, 2 games ahead of 7th
6. Utah Jazz: 46-32, 1.5 GA
—
7. Minnesota Timberwolves: 45-34, 6 games ahead of 8th
8. LA Clippers: 39-40, 4.5 games ahead of 9th
9. New Orleans Pelicans: 34-44, 3 games ahead of 11th
10. San Antonio Spurs: 33-45, 2 games ahead of 11th
—
11. Los Angeles Lakers: 31-47, 2 GB

The four teams below the Los Angeles Lakers in the standings (Sacramento, Portland, Oklahoma City, Houston) have been eliminated from play-in contention. The Timberwolves can finish no worse than seventh, while the Clippers are locked into the eighth seed. The Spurs hold the tiebreaker over the Lakers, meaning Los Angeles must finish ahead of San Antonio to make the play-in tournament.

Here’s how the play-in games would look if the season ended today:

No. 8 Clippers at No. 7 Timberwolves

No. 10 Spurs at No. 9 Pelicans

Here are the games Tuesday with the potential to impact the play-in standings:

Wizards at Timberwolves, 8 p.m. ET

Spurs at Nuggets, 9 p.m. ET

Grizzlies at Jazz, 9 p.m. ET

Pelicans at Kings, 10 p.m. ET

Lakers at Suns, 10:30 p.m. ET

MORE: Full NBA schedule

How does the NBA play-in tournament work?

There will be six total games involving eight teams as part of the play-in tournament, split up between the two conferences.

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The teams that finish Nos. 1-6 in each conference will be guaranteed playoff spots, while team Nos. 7-10 in the standings will enter the play-in. Any team that finishes worse than No. 10 will be in the lottery.

Here’s how the games will work:

Game 1: The No. 7 team in the standings by winning percentage will host the No. 8 team, with the winner earning the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. The losing team gets another chance in Game 3.

Game 2: The No. 9 team will host the No. 10 team, with the winner moving on to Game 3. The loser is eliminated and enters the NBA draft lottery.

Game 3: The loser of the No. 7 vs. No. 8 matchup will host the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup, with the victor grabbing the No. 8 seed in the postseason. The loser of Game 3 also enters the lottery.

This means that the teams with the seventh-highest and eighth-highest winning percentages will have two opportunities to win one game to earn a playoff spot, while the teams with the ninth-highest and 10th-highest winning percentages need to win two straight games to advance.

What’s next after the play-in?

Once the play-in winners, seeded No. 7 and No. 8 from each conference advance, the 2022 NBA playoffs will begin on April 16. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is June 2.

NBA play-in tracker: Where the races stand entering Mondayon April 4, 2022 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Power Rankings: Risers and fallers as seeding battles heat upon April 4, 2022 at 1:00 pm

8:00 AM ET

With one week to go in the NBA’s regular season, only three postseason seeds are locked in: The Phoenix Suns will have the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs, the Memphis Grizzlies will have the second and the LA Clippers are locked into eighth.

The other 17 seeds remain up for grabs to set up what should be a frenetic race to the finish once play resumes Tuesday.

The top four teams in the Eastern Conference — the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers — could wind up finishing in almost any order. And while the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls are in a fairly straightforward battle for fifth, the East’s race for the four play-in tournament spots offers just as many possibilities as the fight for No. 1.

Out West, the Golden State Warriors head into the final week one game up on the Dallas Mavericks for third, with Dallas holding the tiebreaker thanks to winning the season series between the two. The battle for fifth through seventh, meanwhile, is between a trio of Northwest Division teams — the Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves — with Utah holding the tiebreaker over both teams thanks to winning both season series.

The New Orleans Pelicans and the San Antonio Spurs are the favorites to snag the final two play-in tournament spots after the Los Angeles Lakers lost twice this weekend to all but doom themselves to the lottery.

For now, one of the few certainties is this: The final week of the season is full of massive stakes up and down the standings.

— Tim Bontemps

Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.

1. Phoenix Suns
2021-22 record: 62-16
Previous ranking: 1

The Suns can afford to rest some of their starters, which is what they did Sunday, giving Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Jae Crowder the day off. At 62-16, the Suns have four more chances to top the franchise record for wins in a season. Phoenix went 62-20 in 1992-93 when they went to the NBA Finals, and in 2004-05 when they were the top seed in the Western Conference before losing in the conference finals. — Lopez

2. Memphis Grizzlies
2021-22 record: 55-23
Previous ranking: 2

The Grizzlies’ stunning win over the Suns, when only one Memphis starter played, improved their record to 20-2 without superstar Ja Morant. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, that’s on pace to be the best winning percentage by a team in games played without a 25-points-per-game scorer in NBA history (minimum 10 games). The next three teams on the list — Kevin Durant‘s Warriors in 2016-17, Kobe Bryant’s Lakers in 2000-01 and Kawhi Leonard‘s Raptors in 2018-19 — all won titles. (This season’s Suns, who are 8-3 without Devin Booker, rank fifth on that list.) — MacMahon

3. Miami Heat
2021-22 record: 51-28
Previous ranking: 6

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Kyle Lowry helped Miami pull off a solid win in his return game in Toronto on Sunday. The Heat have righted the ship after a rocky few weeks — having won four in a row — and are in the driver’s seat for the East’s No. 1 seed. They’ve got games against Charlotte, Atlanta and Orlando to close the regular season and look like a team that is ready to make a push after strong road wins over the Celtics, Bulls and Raptors. — Friedell

4. Boston Celtics
2021-22 record: 49-30
Previous ranking: 3

Boston continues to soar through the regular season, as the Celtics have won 26 of their past 32 games after Sunday’s obliteration of the Wizards in Boston’s final home game of the regular season. Now comes a three-game road trip to wrap up the year in Chicago, Milwaukee and Memphis. The Celtics are still capable of finishing anywhere from first to fourth in the conference. — Bontemps

5. Milwaukee Bucks
2021-22 record: 48-30
Previous ranking: 5

Giannis Antetokounmpo loudly asserted himself in the MVP conversation with a pair of dominant performances this week: back-to-back 40-point games in wins over Philadelphia and Brooklyn, two of the other top contenders in the Eastern Conference. Antetokounmpo has seven games this season with at least 40 points and 10 rebounds while shooting better than 65%, per ESPN Stats & Information research. The only player with more in a single season? Wilt Chamberlain, with 11 in 1962-63.Milwaukee (the East’s No. 3) enters the week tied in the loss column with Boston (No. 2) and Philadelphia (No. 4) and could finish anywhere in the top four. — Collier

6. Philadelphia 76ers
2021-22 record: 48-30
Previous ranking: 4

After Sunday’s win over Cleveland, Philadelphia is tied with Milwaukee — and sits a half-game back of Boston — entering the final week of the season. Given all three teams are tied in the loss column, and Boston and Milwaukee face each other this week, Philadelphia can finish no worse than third if it wins its four remaining games. — Bontemps

7. Dallas Mavericks
2021-22 record: 49-30
Previous ranking: 8

Luka Doncic had another dominant performance against a fellow superstar in Sunday’s win over Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks, when Doncic had 32 points, 8 rebounds and 15 assists. It was the third 30-point, 15-assist performance by Doncic this season, matching the total by the rest of the league. It was also Doncic’s fifth straight 30-point game, tying the second-longest such streak in franchise history, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. — MacMahon

8. Golden State Warriors
2021-22 record: 50-29
Previous ranking: 7

Klay Thompson offered a reminder that he is still capable of going off at any moment while pouring in 36 points and helping the Warriors climb out of a deep hole to beat the Jazz on Saturday night. Jordan Poole continues to rack up huge numbers, too, having scored at least 20 points in 16 straight games — including 38 in Wednesday’s loss to the Suns. The Warriors hope Stephen Curry comes back from a foot injury and instantly plays like his old self when the playoffs begin. — Friedell

9. Denver Nuggets
2021-22 record: 47-32
Previous ranking: 11

The reigning MVP enters the final week of the regular season doing MVP things. Nikola Jokic dropped 38 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks on Sunday to push the Lakers’ season to the brink. Jokic is the just the third player over the past 50 years with 35 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in consecutive games, joining Antetokounmpo (2020) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1972) — both went on to win the MVP that season. Denver has won four of its past five and is currently in fifth by a half-game over the Jazz. — Youngmisuk

10. Toronto Raptors
2021-22 record: 45-33
Previous ranking: 10

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Kyle Lowry was given a well-deserved night of celebration by the Raptors on Sunday night, then he proceeded to do to them what he did countless times to Toronto’s opponents during his nine years with the franchise. The Raptors head into the final week of the season tied with the Bulls, who own the tiebreaker in the race for fifth.— Bontemps

11. Utah Jazz
2021-22 record: 46-32
Previous ranking: 9

It just keeps getting worse for the Jazz, who have lost six of their past seven, the lone win during that stretch coming over the Lakers’ leftovers. Utah blew big leads — 25 points over the Clippers and 21 points over the Warriors — in its past two losses. Mix in some public, passive-aggressive jabs being exchanged between co-stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, and the Jazz have quite a mess to clean up before the playoffs begin. — MacMahon

12. Chicago Bulls
2021-22 record: 45-33
Previous ranking: 13

With Saturday’s loss to the Heat, the Bulls are now 1-12 against the top four teams in their own conference. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, that’s on pace to be the second-worst winning percentage in such games by a playoff team since 1984. The Bulls have two chances this week to improve that mark with home games against the Bucks and Celtics. — Collier

13. Minnesota Timberwolves
2021-22 record: 45-34
Previous ranking: 12

The Wolves have dropped four of their past seven games to lose some late-season momentum, but they have a favorable schedule this week in their attempt to avoid the play-in tournament. Minnesota trails the sixth-seeded Jazz by 1 1/2 games, with two of its final three coming against non-playoff teams. — Collier

14. Brooklyn Nets
2021-22 record: 40-38
Previous ranking: 14

Brooklyn is locked into the play-in but sits in 10th place in the East with a week left in the regular season. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving remain confident their group can still get back on track once the postseason begins. The Nets wasted a career-high 55 points from Durant in Saturday’s loss to the Hawks and now have to deal with an ankle issue hampering Seth Curry. Goran Dragic, meanwhile, is in the league’s health and safety protocols. — Friedell

15. Cleveland Cavaliers
2021-22 record: 43-36
Previous ranking: 16

Cavs rookie standout Evan Mobley missed his fourth straight game Sunday because of a sprained left ankle — Cleveland has gone 1-3 in that stretch. The Cavs are now 4-8 when he misses time this season, another point for voters to consider when Rookie of the Year ballots are due in the coming weeks. — McMenamin

16. Atlanta Hawks
2021-22 record: 41-37
Previous ranking: 17

Trae Young had 36 points and 10 assists in Saturday night’s win over the Nets, his 50th career game with at least 30 points and 10 assists. Since the merger (1976-77), the only players with more are James Harden (99), LeBron James (94), Russell Westbrook (83) and Magic Johnson (58), according to ESPN Stats & Information research. — Lopez

17. LA Clippers
2021-22 record: 39-40
Previous ranking: 18

Tuesday, April 5
Bucks at Bulls, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, April 6
Nets at Knicks, 7:30 p.m.
Suns at Clippers, 10 p.m.

All times Eastern

The Clippers had an eventful week. Paul George returned Tuesday to help erase a 25-point deficit against the Jazz and end the Clippers’ five-game losing streak. The Clippers lost in overtime in Chicago but won the next night in Milwaukee, where Robert Covington went for 43 points and 11 3s. And on Sunday, the Clippers cliched eighth place with a win over New Orleans, assuring them at least two chances to get into the postseason via the play-in tournament. Also, Norman Powell shot on the court before the game as he inches toward a return. — Youngmisuk

18. Charlotte Hornets
2021-22 record: 40-38
Previous ranking: 15

Gordon Hayward was in the Hornets’ lineup Saturday for the first time since Feb. 7 and now will have a week to get himself up to speed before the play-in tournament. They’ll need him, too, if they want to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2016. In the meantime, Charlotte will try to get up to eighth in the East to avoid having to win two games to get in. — Bontemps

19. New Orleans Pelicans
2021-22 record: 34-44
Previous ranking: 19

New Orleans will have to wait until Tuesday night to clinch its spot in the play-in tournament with a win against Sacramento or a loss by the Lakers to the Suns. If the Pelicans, who started 1-12 this season, can find a way to make it into the playoffs by winning both play-in games, they’ll become the first team since the 1996-97 Suns to start the season 1-12 or worse and still make the playoffs. — Lopez

20. San Antonio Spurs
2021-22 record: 33-45
Previous ranking: 23

San Antonio took a big step toward claiming the No. 10 seed and the final spot in the play-in tournament with a win over Portland on Sunday, coupled with the Lakers’ loss to Denver. The Spurs have a two-game lead on the Lakers with four games to go for each team. And the Spurs have the advantage over Los Angeles because they own the tiebreaker (conference record) after splitting the season series with the Lakers. — Lopez

21. Los Angeles Lakers
2021-22 record: 31-47
Previous ranking: 21

L.A. lost its sixth game in a row with Sunday’s defeat to Denver. The Lakers would have to somehow pick up three games over the final four-game stretch to overcome San Antonio for the No. 10 play-in spot in the West. Said Anthony Davis: “The biggest thing that I think about personally is what we could have been, had we stayed healthy all year.” — McMenamin

22. Washington Wizards
2021-22 record: 34-44
Previous ranking: 22

The Wizards crushed Dallas by 32 in Kristaps Porzingis‘ return Friday but followed that up by getting blown out by 42 on Sunday in Boston. Officially eliminated from the playoffs, the Wizards want to go into the offseason seeing glimpses of the future from key players like Porzingis and Rui Hachimura. — Youngmisuk

23. New York Knicks
2021-22 record: 35-44
Previous ranking: 20

With Julius Randle done for the season, the final few games will be a huge opportunity for second-year forward Obi Toppin to get a ton of minutes, as the Knicks begin to look ahead to what should be a very interesting offseason in Gotham. — Bontemps

24. Sacramento Kings
2021-22 record: 29-50
Previous ranking: 24

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Damian Jones has made the most of the late-season minutes he has received during Richaun Holmes‘ absence from the team stemming from domestic violence allegations. Jones, the former Warriors first-round pick, is averaging 14.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks at center in his past seven games for Sacramento, a stretch in which the Kings have gone 4-3. — McMenamin

25. Portland Trail Blazers
2021-22 record: 27-51
Previous ranking: 25

The Blazers didn’t face the Lakers last week, but Portland played spoiler to their dwindling play-in hopes. The tanking Blazers lost consecutive games at San Antonio to help the Spurs take a two-game lead over the Lakers for the 10th spot. The Blazers have lost 17 of their past 19 games and have the next three on the road before hosting Utah in the season finale. — Youngmisuk

26. Indiana Pacers
2021-22 record: 25-54
Previous ranking: 26

The Pacers have lost seven straight games and are mired in a 6-21 skid to close out the season. Guard Tyrese Haliburton did snap out of a mid-March funk with a strong performance last week: three double-doubles and two games with at least 25 points. — Collier

27. Detroit Pistons
2021-22 record: 23-56
Previous ranking: 27

Although the Pistons will finish the season with one of the worst records in the league, they have been much improved since the All-Star break, going 10-11 in the second half. They have won just 23 games this season, but more than half of them (13) have come against teams over .500. — Collier

28. Oklahoma City Thunder
2021-22 record: 23-55
Previous ranking: 28

Aleksej Pokusevski posted his first career triple-double with a 17-point, 10-rebound, 12-assist performance in Sunday’s stunning win over the Suns. The Thunder are prioritizing, ahem, player development down the stretch, so the 20-year-old Pokusevski has seen his minutes increase significantly since the start of March. He’s averaging 12.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in that span. — MacMahon

29. Orlando Magic
2021-22 record: 20-59
Previous ranking: 29

Orlando has dropped six in a row and got embarrassed in a 30-point blowout Sunday against the Knicks. Markelle Fultz showed some nice flashes with 19 points in 21 minutes during Wednesday’s loss to the Wizards. Fultz’s development over the summer after missing most of the year because of a knee injury is critical to any progress the Magic want to make. — Friedell

30. Houston Rockets
2021-22 record: 20-59
Previous ranking: 30

Jalen Green has joined some Hall of Fame company with his active streak of four straight 30-point performances. The last two rookies to accomplish that feat: Allen Iverson in 1996-97 and Michael Jordan in 1984-85. The only other Rockets rookie to have such a scoring run was Elvin Hayes in 1968-69. Green has six 30-point games this season, more than a third of the rookie class’ total. — MacMahon

Power Rankings: Risers and fallers as seeding battles heat upon April 4, 2022 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears should pursue these 3 Eddie Jackson tradesRyan Heckmanon April 4, 2022 at 11:00 am

Chicago Bears (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)

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Chicago Bears (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

This offseason hasn’t exactly been the dream scenario for the Chicago Bears, thus far.

Ryan Poles took over the reins as general manager and, well, has not done much just yet. During the madhouse that has been NFL free agency, Poles and the Bears have sat back and allowed other teams to spend while their roster holds several vacancies.

Poles’ signings have been mild, to say the least. He has not taken any big risks, and when he attempted to make somewhat of a splash signing with Larry Ogunjobi, it backfired as the veteran defensive lineman failed his physical.

Still, there are plenty of moves to be made over the course of the next few months — and especially this month as we near closer to the 2022 NFL Draft. One rumored move that some fans would appreciate seeing is if the Bears could find a taker for safety Eddie Jackson.

Finding a trade partner for Eddie Jackson won’t be easy for the Chicago Bears, but could be worth it in the long run.

If the Bears want to try and move Jackson, this would be the time to do it. He is 28 years old and has a handful of seasons left in what one would call his “prime.” Next year, the Bears could cut ties with Jackson and save nearly $8 million in doing so.

But, there could be a couple of teams out there that believe Jackson is still a serviceable player. His game has taken a significant dip since he received a contract extension, and because of that downward trend, a lot of fans would like to see him traded.

Jackson’s trade value is probably as clear as mud. Some teams could see the potential for him to revert back to the elite playmaker he was just a couple of years ago. But, Chicago is not going to get as much as they’d like for him.

One of the following trades would be worth pursuing, though, if Poles wanted to make it happen.

Next: Trade Number 1

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Chicago Bears should pursue these 3 Eddie Jackson tradesRyan Heckmanon April 4, 2022 at 11:00 am Read More »

Avalon Regal Theater: Property tax debts might usher in ownership change

Anyone who’s taken on a building renovation and gotten in too deep can sympathize with Jerald Gary.

He’s been in that situation to the extreme since at least 2014 when he got control of the Avalon Regal Theater, 1641 E. 79th St. The place is magnificent, a Chicago landmark for its Middle Eastern-influenced design and its history with African American entertainers, but it’s been unused for years and has fallen into disrepair. Every system and decoration needs repair, replacement or cleaning if the theater is to host performances again. Gary has dealt with building code violations and there’s a pending court case involving repair of the facade, which the city regards as an urgent matter.

In short, there are huge costs in plain sight and more hidden in every wall, parapet and minaret. Give Gary his due, though. When he led a tour of the theater in September, it was clear he loves the building perhaps more than reason should allow. He’s provided stop-gap repairs and tried to find financial backers. Back then, he estimated it would take $10 million to make the theater shipshape. While he has some connections and a banking background, he doesn’t have that money at hand. In 2018, the rapper Ye, known then as Kanye West, pledged $1 million to support Gary. Ye said the theater, often called just the Regal, was a cultural monument like Harlem’s Apollo. But it’s not known how much money, if any, he has given.

Gary has intimated that “big news” from Ye is just around the corner. But right now, the news involving the property is that Gary stands to lose it if he doesn’t act quickly. He hasn’t paid property taxes on the Avalon Regal. Records show he owes at least $210,000 dating from 2013, not including interest the county charges on late payments. The Cook County Land Bank Authority put a no-cash bid on the property, giving it a lien that entitles it to ownership if Gary doesn’t settle the debt in six months. It’s what the land bank was created to do — take control of problem properties and wipe out the tax debt so a new owner gets clear title. Gary did not return calls last week.

The city of Chicago is involved too. The Avalon Regal could be the first application of an ordinance sponsored by the mayor that the City Council passed on March 23. It allows the city’s planning and housing commissioners to deal directly with the county land bank, acquiring its properties for little more than administrative costs.

Eleanor Gorski, executive director of the land bank and a former planner at City Hall, said the ordinance figured in her agency’s action. “This is on behalf of the City of Chicago. They do have some plans that involve repositioning the theater and the lots around it,” she said. Peter Strazzabosco, spokesman for the planning department, said if the city gets the property, it would probably offer it in a public request for proposals, with all comers welcome. It would fit the mayor’s Invest South/West program, which includes South Shore and the 79th Street strip as a target area.

But does someone have an inside track? Barely three blocks from the theater is where developers plan a $60 million film studio complex. The project at 7731 S. South Chicago Ave. got approved last year with strong community support. It’s from Regal Mile Studios, run by Hollywood producer Derek Dudley and with backers that include Chicago investment banker James Reynolds Jr.

Derek Dudley

Despite the name, the studio venture has no stake in the Avalon Regal — yet. Sources said there was an offer but no deal.

The website for Dudley’s project explicitly connects it to the theater and to a revival along 79th Street. The main photo on its home page shows the theater’s mural that depicts Louis Armstrong, Count Basie and others who performed there. Susan Cronin, head of real estate at Reynolds’ investment firm, Loop Capital, said the theater “has been and is of interest” to the partnership and it will see how the lien process plays out.

Gorski and Strazzabosco said there is no understanding with the studio owners.

Owning a live stage would make sense for a studio venture betting on the popularity of streaming. The city, once it gets the theater, can be expected to be an eager seller and with a pocketful of subsidies. It already has committed $20 million in tax increment financing to redo the Congress Theater on the North Side.

As for Gary, he’s being elbowed aside. The tax lien makes it hard for him to get investors. Who would help him when they could just wait a few months and deal with the city?

Maybe with his preservation streak, he’ll find satisfaction one day paying his way into his beloved venue.

The Avalon Regal Theater at 1641 E. 79th St.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times file

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Elderly man hospitalized following fire inside Lawndale house

An elderly man was hospitalized Monday morning after a fire inside a Lawndale house on the West Side.

Someone smelled smoke from inside of the home in the 1800 block of South Hamlin Avenue about 1:30 a.m., Chicago police said.

Everyone inside made it out of the home and a man, 73, was taken to an area hospital as a precaution due to smoke inhalation, police said. He was listed in fair condition, officials said.

No other injuries were reported.

Fire officials were investigating.

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Girl, 3, among four hurt in East Garfield Park blaze: fire officials

A 3-year-old girl was among four hurt in a fire Monday morning in East Garfield Park on the West Side, according to Chicago fire officials.

Crew were still working on the blaze in the 500 block of North Central Park Avenue about 1:15 a.m., officials said.

The girl was taken to Stroger Hospital, where she was in “grave” condition, according to officials.

Two men were taken to West Suburban Hospital, where one of them was also in “grave” condition, officials said. The other man’s condition was stabilized.

An elderly woman was taken to Loyola University Medical Center, where she was in serious condition, officials said.

Further details weren’t immediately available.

This is a developing story, check back for details.

Girl, 3, among four hurt in East Garfield Park blaze: fire officials Read More »