If you’re worried about late scratches because of injuries or rest, follow our Player Alarms for news throughout the day, and check back for updates to the Playbook on Fantasy Alarm as we get more information. MORE: Sporting News DFS | GO PRO with Fantasy Alarm Sporting News Fantasy’s partners at Fantasy Alarm are here to help with your lineup picks with their Daily Fantasy Basketball Playbook, which, along with daily rankings, analysis, lineups and more, is available in full to Fantasy Alarm subscribers....

Another key injury update to watch tonight: Kobe Bryant (shoulder) is “50-50” to play against the Grizzlies, according to coach Byron Scott. If Kobe is out, Marcelo Huertas becomes a cheap DFS flier. Now, let’s take a look at today’s recommended NBA DFS picks. MORE FANTASY: 2016 baseball rankings | Play FanDuel! Daily fantasy basketball picks As usual, the experts at FantasyAlarm.com will publish their top daily fantasy basketball picks at each position across various DFS sites in the Playbook (free preview above)....

Playbook PRO members get even more daily fantasy basketball picks, along with detailed analysis and strategies, suggested team “stacks” and optimal daily fantasy lineups. Also, PRO members get access to all the DFS Playbooks and tools for every sport, including NFL, college football and NHL, with one subscription. So, check out tonight’s free daily fantasy basketball plays below, and check out FantasyAlarm.com’s premium product when you’re ready to go PRO!...

The following list of picks is made up of five forwards that merit consideration for Thursday’s first-round slate of games. We will hit on a couple of sleepers, the two best values at the position, and finally, the player we view as the top frontcourt option overall. MORE DFS: Guard picks | Play FanDuel! Daily fantasy college basketball sleepers, forwards Karachi Edo, Fresno State vs. Utah ($6,300) The Round of 64 provides a wealth of under-the-radar options from so-called “mid-major” teams....

Playbook PRO members get even more daily fantasy hockey picks, along with detailed analysis and strategies, suggested team “stacks” and optimal daily fantasy lineups. Also, PRO members get access to all the DFS Playbooks and tools for every sport, including NFL, college football and NBA, with one subscription. So, check out tonight’s free daily fantasy hockey plays below, and check out FantasyAlarm.com’s premium product when you’re ready to go PRO!...

Playbook PRO members get even more daily fantasy hockey picks, along with detailed analysis and strategies, suggested team “stacks” and optimal daily fantasy lineups. Also, PRO members get access to all the DFS Playbooks and tools for every sport, including NFL, college football and NBA, with one subscription. So, check out tonight’s free daily fantasy hockey plays below, and check out FantasyAlarm.com’s premium product when you’re ready to go PRO!...

During a recent interview on the Talk of Fame Network on SiriusXM, the NFL’s Rookie of the Year revealed he wants to pursue his PhD in Psychology. (AUDIO: Prescott talks about the importance of education around the 2-minute mark.) MORE: Troy Aikman gets engaged to girlfriend Capa Mooty “Even though I had all the confidence in myself in making it to the NFL or making it in the game of football, I knew that it could be taken away from me at any moment,” Prescott said....

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took his recovery from concussion-like symptoms to Instagram on Thursday. It was less thrilling than an infomercial except to legions of Earnhardt fans. MORE: Jeff-for-Junior, a failure? | Michigan return and the task at hand The best news after viewing the images? Junior appears to be healthy. And that raises the possibility he will announce his return to racing ahead of Aug. 28’s race at Michigan. Look for that Tuesday or Wednesday....

Earnhardt, who has missed the past 10 races because of head injuries from crashes at Michigan and Daytona, said on his podcast on Dirty Mo Radio that he plans to be at Dover on Saturday and Sunday and will sit on his team’s pit box. Jeff Gordon will drive Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevy this weekend. Alex Bowman drove the past two races. MORE: Earnhardt fiance playing key role in his recovery...

They were soon followed by Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and, most recently, by Rusty Wallace. They each won championships and big races. But they all had one other thing in common — they were among NASCAR’s very best short-track drivers. You don’t become one of NASCAR’s elite drivers without being able to win on the bullrings that separate the men from the boys. Who was NASCAR’s greatest short-track driver? That’s a tough debate, because NASCAR originated on short tracks, dirt ovals scattered throughout the South and then expanding to asphalt layouts up North and throughout the Midwest....

While former Celtic player and manager Dalglish does believe the Ibrox club looks better than last season, he doesn’t think they’ve done enough to pose any real threat to his former club. Aberdeen 7/1 to beat Motherwell 1-0 “Rangers are pushing and pushing but whether they are getting closer or not can only be judged on the pitch,” the former Liverpool manager told talkSport. “They got close a couple of times recently, like in the League Cup semi-final when they lost late on (1-0), so they got a wee bit closer....

But the good news doesn’t stop there for Smith. He has also taken over the GPI Player of the Year race, moving ahead of fellow American Scott Seiver for the lead. While the GPI World Poker Rankings takes into account a players’ results from the past three seasons, the PoY race, obviously, looks at results from 2014 exclusively. MORE: Schemion, Smith flip-flop at the top of GPI World Rankings | Daniel Negreanu Player of the Month | WSOP November Nine Set...

The Braves did not specify the reason for Uggla’s punishment. Manager Fredi Gonzalez declined comment before Atlanta’s game at the Chicago Cubs, calling it an “internal matter.” Uggla is hitting just .162/.241/.231 and has lost his starting job to Tommy La Stella.

White did, however, announce the company’s ambitious 2015 schedule of 45 events. He also was asked about a possible return to the octagon by former UFC champion and current WWE world heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. MORE: Daniel Bryan still deciding on second surgery | Jim Ross returning to wrestling “Brock Lesnar is under contract with the WWE,” White said. “We have a great relationship with him. He’s healthy and he has said that he’s interested in fighting again, so we’ll see what happens....

Not Rogan’s podcast, necessarily, but his direct medical advice on how to combat the virus. White told the Jim Rome Podcast (via MMAFighting.com) on Wednesday that he went straight to Rogan after he surmised he had been infected. The prescription was the usual: a regimen of monoclonal antibodies, vitamins and drugs that include ivermectin. “Rogan has worked with over 30 or 40 people that have done this and he swears by it, and he’s a good friend of mine that I’ve known for over 20 years....

White has said the venue for the lightweight title showdown between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson is “99.9 percent” confirmed, though UFC 249 will be a closed event without fans because of the health emergency. Rewatch classic fights on DAZN UFC 249 was originally set for Brooklyn, N.Y., on April 18, but the COVID-19 crisis has forced White to consider other options, with additional fights possible. “We’re building a card where people can still maneuver and still get in,” White told ESPN....

The incident made big headlines when Patrick marched over to Hamlin on pit road, grabbed him by his uniform and started yelling at him. “What are you doing?” Patrick yelled. “You did that to me in practice too. … You get on my left rear and it spins me out.” MORE: Lineups for Can-Am Duels | Danica says Stewart due for some luck | Kenseth-Logano feud update Hamlin claimed that he did not hit Patrick and that she spun because her car was too loose....

But problems on the track and trouble on pit road can get them riled up. Here’s some of the in-car scanner chatter from the Camping World RV 500 at Talladega, as well as some postrace twitter conversations. Scanner Chatter Kyle Busch after having a car on his inside, forcing him to miss his pit: “I don’t know why I ever (expletive) do what I want to (expletive) do. (Expletive). (Expletive) knew that (expletive) was going to happen....