IF EVER THERE were a night Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown should have slept well, it was just before the All-Star break. The Sixers had just turned in their most complete victory of the season, beating the LA Clippers 110-103 on Feb. 11 to win their third straight game.

But instead of heading home, crawling into bed and dreaming about how good his team could be, Brown packed up his Jeep, grabbed his dog, Jack, and drove through the night.

Seven hours north of Philadelphia lies Brown's hometown of Portland, Maine. And every All-Star break he rents an Airbnb. There are plenty of nice hotels there, Brown says, but "I like my space."

In the mornings, he has breakfast with his 85-year-old parents. During the day, he spreads out in the rental house and works, breaking only for a walk down to the waterfront or the occasional lobster roll at J's Oyster.

Each night, around 11, he'll turn in so he can be fresh the next morning. This annual trip is about finding clarity for the rest of the season, not cramming for a test.

"Just getting my world organized," he says, "and focusing on what's most important."

Before his team had such grand expectations, Brown would use these "hermit" trips, as he calls them, to watch the last two minutes of almost every close game played in the NBA. His video coordinator would cut footage for him so he could study how these games unfolded from an offensive and defensive perspective.

The Sixers weren't playing many close games in those days -- four seasons ago, they won 10 games -- but Brown wanted to be ready when "The Process" was complete, when Philadelphia was ready to win. And he felt deep in his bones that they had the talent to do it once Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons arrived as building blocks.

But this year, Brown's course curriculum was different: He watched every minute of every Sixers playoff game for the past two seasons.

There was plenty he could have looked at to try and fix from this season -- the Sixers were in fifth place in the East despite the three-game win streak. But he watches that film every night. If the answer to why the team was so dominant at home but equally anemic on the road was on video, he already would have found it.

No, this trip was about getting away from the ups and the downs of this drama-filled season and looking at the big picture.

He watched the series win against Miami Heat in 2018, then the second-round loss to the Boston Celtics. He watched the series win against the Brooklyn Nets in 2019, then the heartbreaking seven-game series loss to the Toronto Raptors.

"I watch that and, for me, what it does is remind you of what's most important," Brown says. "Your negatives, at that stage of the playoffs, get exposed like your worst fears ... But that just circles me back into truth. Straight to the truth."

Simmons' lack of outside shooting can hurt sometimes. So can Embiid's overreliance on outside shooting. Their pacing can be off at times. But when they play physically on offense and are fully engaged on defense -- which Brown saw enough times when reviewing tape to stake his future on -- they can beat anybody.

"Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons can win a championship together," he says. "I know what winning looks like.

"I know what championship talent looks like."

MORE: Which teams will win the big NBA playoff races?

THE NOISE AROUND the Sixers this season has been deafening.

Embiid has been booed at home and fought with Karl-Anthony Towns -- on the court and in social media. Brown has publicly challenged Simmons to shoot 3-pointers. Former Sixer Jimmy Butler has Instagram-trolled from afar. And the questions: the questioning of Brown's long-term future, Josh Richardson questioning the team's heart, Al Horford questioning the team's focus.

The Sixers have become the NBA's premier drama. But are those headlines conducive to winning?

"I knew when I took this job we would garner a lot of focus and attention," Philadelphia general manager Elton Brand says. "When you look at the talent and expectations we have, it's not surprising."

Brand has studied teams under intense scrutiny, huge personalities and dramatic storylines. The Los Angeles Lakers of the early 2000s, LeBron James' Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers teams, the Golden State Warriors after adding Kevin Durant in 2016, the Boston Celtics with Kyrie Irving last season.

The challenge isn't to quiet the noise, Brand says, but to grow from the flaws and friction it exposes during the regular season.

"Noise comes with the territory," he says. "I've seen a lot of teams thrive after being in the spotlight. And I've also seen teams crumble from it.

"If you handle it correctly, it can bring a team together. It can pressure-test you and help prepare you for the biggest moments. That's where our focus is ... on making it work for us and staying centered around what's most important."

The coach and general manager seem to have arrived at the same place on that. "We'll see what side we ultimately land on," Brand says. "But I believe in the guys we have in our locker room."

FOR THE MOMENT, the Sixers are missing both Embiid and Simmons in their locker room. Embiid could be back from a shoulder injury as soon as next week, sources say, but Simmons' prognosis -- a lower-back nerve impingement -- is harder to predict.

Simmons will be reevaluated next week as the Sixers wait for the inflammation around the nerve to subside. The team hopes he can return before the playoffs, sources say, and with enough time to get back into shape.

But, at this point, that is just a hope.

All of which makes the fundamental question of whether Embiid and Simmons can win a title together more difficult to answer.

"The star power we have is so intriguing," Horford says. "Even for me when I was looking at free agency, coming here with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, you look at all the potential and everything.

"It's like, man, if we get it together ..."

After the Celtics were subsumed by drama last season, one might think Horford would run away from even more of that with the Sixers. In Boston, the challenge of incorporating Irving into a locker room of budding young stars divided the room.

"It was difficult," Horford says. "It just wasn't the right fit."

"Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons can win a championship together. I know what winning looks like. I know what championship talent looks like."

Brett Brown

Of course, there have been plenty of times the past few years when the fit between Embiid and Simmons also has been questioned. Their skill sets, style of play and personalities don't have a natural synergy -- all that was laid bare as Brown rewatched the playoff games at the Airbnb.

"It's been like this for seven years," Brown says. "We've been walking on the head of a lightning rod. ... You have the journeys of Nerlens [Noel] and Markelle [Fultz]. We've had multiple general managers. This is the life we have lived. So be it."

Brown ultimately had a choice to make that could determine whether he stays as the team's head coach after this season: Find his way through the noise and back to the original dream of "The Process," or start advocating for personnel changes and doing things very differently.

He decided to lean in and trust it.

"I'm the only NBA coach [Embiid and Simmons have] ever had," Brown says. "I know these guys. It's like how my wife knows when my kids are going to get sick about two days before they get sick. When you're a parent, you know your kids. And so I look at these two guys and I know they can win together.

"They can and they will."

Tight-head prop Ma'afu Fia has signed a two-year contract with Ospreys.

The Tonga international, 30, joined the Welsh region from New Zealand Super Rugby side Highlanders in 2015.

Fia struggled with a knee injury last season, but is hoping for a clear run of games from now until the end of the current campaign.

"It has been pretty frustrating, especially last year. This season has been pretty good, touch wood," said Fia.

"The injury hasn't helped me, I am really looking to get some consistency in form and a run of games. This season has been pretty good, but you need game-time and hopefully it happens from now on.

"There is a lot of competition for places here, and that is good and always means training is good and that always helps the team."

Fia is the latest in a long line of Ospreys to sign a new deal, following lead of the team's Wales internationals such as captain Justin Tipuric, centre Owen Watkin, and locks Bradley Davies and Adam Beard.

"I have enjoyed my time here even though this season has not been the greatest season but the boys make this a good place to come to work," said Fia.

"I have a young family who are quite settled in Wales now and you don't just want to uproot and leave. My oldest has just started school here and that was a big factor in staying here.

"I enjoy Wales and the rugby here. I always try to do my best on the field, and I always want to lend a hand, especially to the younger boys."

Now that the NHL trade deadline has passed, there are only so many ways teams in the playoff mix can improve their rosters between now and the postseason. Aside from a magical late-season call-up of a young impact player, which comes once in a blue moon, most clubs will instead have to look from within to maximize their chances.

The easiest way to accomplish that is by tightening up the way minutes are distributed, and making sure the best players are the ones actually playing the most. That might seem obvious, but it's not always the case in a league where head-scratching usage patterns are quite commonplace. Whether it's because of risk aversion or a loyalty toward certain veterans, ice time isn't necessarily always dictated by productivity in the NHL.

Each of those individual decisions is under a microscope at this point in the season, considering the razor-thin margin for error. A single point could realistically represent the gap between making the playoffs and missing, or earning an easier road map through the first couple rounds. For any number of teams in either conference, every single little thing could wind up making a big difference.

Let's look at some of those teams, where there are obvious lineup adjustments to be made.

Many stats in this piece are courtesy of Natural Stat Trick and are current through the games of March 4.

Everything is bigger in Dallas (except for some players' ice time)

For the better part of a decade, everything in Dallas has revolved around its dynamic duo offensively. From the moment they acquired Tyler Seguin from the Bruins, the Stars have built around Seguin and Jamie Benn as the two pillars of the franchise.

In the window spanning Seguin's arrival in 2013 through the end of last season, the two accounted for nearly 30% of the team's total goals scored. The gap between Seguin and Benn (206 and 199 goals, respectively) and third place (Jason Spezza's 81) in that time is as big as you'll see on any team in the league. They are the franchise's two highest-paid players by a sizable margin. When things were going poorly last season, they were the two names who were publicly singled out by the organization's CEO.

While they still play the most, make the most and are generally thought of as being the most important forwards on the Stars based on habit alone, it's become debatable whether they're still deserving of the same high usage as in the past.

The debate gets particularly spicy since the Stars have a far more dynamic duo in Roope Hintz and Denis Gurianov waiting in the wings for the time being because the coaching staff seems inexplicably reluctant to fully unleash them. One possible explanation for why they play so little is because the team feels their playing style is too risky, especially in comparison to the defensive ethos of the team. Beyond that, there's no evidence in the numbers or the eye test to suggest that Hintz and Gurianov shouldn't be force-fed more ice time until they prove they can't handle it.

Watching the team's even-strength shifts with Hintz and Gurianov out there versus all of the others has been disorienting, almost as if the two are operating at different speed settings or difficulty levels. When Hintz and Gurianov are on the ice, there's a free-flowing nature to the way the Stars play, attacking off the rush like a locomotive gaining momentum. They create offense in such an easy manner, immediately pushing the defense on its heels.

The pair are currently tied for the team lead in 5-on-5 scoring, with 12 goals apiece, and are the only Stars in double digits. That's notable considering that they've largely been used as complementary bottom-six players, as opposed to the front-line offense drivers they've been; Hintz currently averages 14 minutes, 44 seconds of total ice time per game, while Gurianov is at 12:51. Their combined scoring efficiency has been remarkable, and they've earned more ice time, especially considering the natural fit between the skills they provide and what the team needs.

The gap between Gurianov's production and usage has been particularly comical. Of the 78 players in the league who have scored 20 goals thus far, no one has played less than Gurianov has. Here's his prolific scoring résumé this season, in relation to his teammates and his peers around the league:

• First in 5-on-5 goals on the Stars (12), tied with Hintz

• First in total goals on the Stars (20)

• 40th overall in 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes (1.13), just behind Connor McDavid

• 13th overall in total goals per 60 (1.53), tied with Max Pacioretty

Now here's the usage he's received despite that success:

• 12th among Stars forwards in 5-on-5 ice time per game (10:25)

• 11th among Stars forwards in total time on ice per game (12:51)

• 341st among all forwards in 5-on-5 ice time per game (minimum 20 games)

• 307th among all forwards in total ice time per game (minimum 20 games)

Part of the reason they've been playing as little as they have is because no one splits their forward usage up more evenly than the Stars do. Aside from Seguin, who plays a minute more per game at 5-on-5 and two minutes more across all situations than any other Stars forward, everyone else falls within a narrow window between 10:25 and 13:22 per game at 5-on-5.

While the idea of rolling four lines seems fine in theory, the only way it actually makes sense as a tactic is if you actually have four lines that are of relatively equal ability. With all due respect to the Stars' depth players, this is not one of those teams.

Again, this hints at the team's philosophy. There's no particular reason why a player with Blake Comeau's skill set should be playing more than Hintz or Gurianov, unless you think he's a safer option, and you're more comfortable trying not to lose as opposed to winning outright.

As an organization, the Stars have clearly identified that they need to play a particular way to be successful. They pride themselves on being one of the most defensively stingy, low-event teams in the NHL. While that has worked for them during the past two regular seasons, the playoffs are a different animal. Especially if that animal is the Colorado Avalanche, whom they could realistically face in the first round.

At that point, they'll need to make the necessary adjustments and deviate from their previous script, trying to find creative ways to squeeze more offense out of their lineup if they wish to keep up in a seven-game series. If they don't, they'll risk being blown out of the water by an Avalanche team that can create offense at a snap of the fingers.

The Stars notably didn't dip into the trade market for an influx of secondary scoring at the deadline like they did in 2018-19. It was a puzzling decision given their obvious need, considering that they're currently 29th in goals at 5-on-5 and 25th overall. But if the logic behind the patient approach was that they had bigger plans for their young players, then it could work out for them after all. We just haven't seen it yet. Until we do, it's fair to wonder whether there actually is a plan at all, or if this is just who they are.

Fool me twice, shame on me

It's fitting that the Nashville Predators come up right after the Stars in this particular discussion, because they're Dallas' only real rivals when it comes to the even distribution of even-strength minutes among their forwards. When John Hynes replaced Peter Laviolette as the coach of the team back in January, we identified that as a reason for the previous regime's undoing.

That trend has, regrettably, continued on Hynes' watch, which perhaps shouldn't be a surprising development given all of the warning signs from his time in New Jersey. While he certainly wasn't dealt the strongest hand during his time coaching the Devils, it's tough to say that he made the most of what he was given. The nagging theme of that tenure was his overreliance on depth players, which often came at the expense of more talented options.

He's hardly the only NHL coach guilty of having tunnel vision for personal favorites despite their lackluster production, but when the chasm between the capabilities of the players in question is as broad as it's been in this particular case, it becomes a significant problem. That has carried over to his first few months coaching the Predators, where there doesn't appear to be any rhyme or reason to who plays the most at even strength.

It's gotten to the point where you might as well just pick names out of a hat, which is quite alarming considering that the Predators aren't blessed with 12 equally gifted options. The 13:45 even-strength minutes per game Mikael Granlund has been seeing is the high-water mark, the 9:46 even-strength minutes Austin Watson has been playing is the low-water mark, and everyone else is jammed in somewhere between 10:45 and 13:05.

Here's how each regularly used forward's ice time has changed since the coaching switch, with the first category being average time per game at 5-on-5 and the second one being average time per game overall:

Mikael Granlund: -0:02, +2:07
Filip Forsberg: -0:31, -1:30
Matt Duchene: -0:04, -1:27
Calle Jarnkrok: -0:55, -1:01
Ryan Johansen: +0:16, -2:07
Viktor Arvidsson: +0:34, -1:23
Rocco Grimaldi: +0:55, +0:38
Nick Bonino: +0:41, -0:50
Kyle Turris: +0:46, +1:42
Colton Sissons: -0:04, -0:12
Craig Smith: +0:10, +0:20
Colin Blackwell: +0:08, +0:14
Austin Watson: -0:38, -1:36

This recurring issue with Hynes makes evaluating him complicated, because it's difficult to say whether he simply doesn't know who his best players are, or if he does but just doesn't think it's important to play them the most. Either one would be bad, although it's debatable which is a bigger indictment.

Of all the things to nitpick about Hynes' handling of various players, the most egregious has been the way he's used Forsberg. He has been the biggest victim of Hynes' reshuffling, quickly becoming the new poster boy for the most underused star in the league now that Auston Matthews is being properly deployed by Sheldon Keefe. Forsberg is playing just 12:41 per game at 5-on-5 and 16:27 total under Hynes, which represents a notable dip from the 13:12 and 17:57 he had been seeing under Laviolette.

In that time, his game has coincidentally fallen into a complete funk. He has just five goals in 26 games since the Hynes hiring, with his goal on Thursday his first since the start of February. With Forsberg on the ice, the Predators have fallen under 50% in shot attempts, shots on goal, high-danger chances, and expected goals, which has been the most stunning development for a player who has historically been one of the biggest play drivers in the league.

Despite his struggles, it doesn't justify the kind of usage he's been seeing under Hynes. Regardless of effort level or any other kind of intangibles that have been used as reasons for his lack of opportunities, a player as uniquely gifted as Forsberg can break a game open on a single shift.

That's why the smart course of action would be to give Forsberg as many of those chances as possible to do so. For as hard as someone like Grimaldi has worked to get to this point, there are certain things he'll never be able to do with the puck that Forsberg does effortlessly because he's in the top percentile of talent. That's why there's no universe in which Forsberg should be playing less than Grimaldi, let alone less than four other Predators forwards on average.

It's unlikely that Forsberg suddenly forgot how to play hockey at a high level during his age-25 season, when he should be in his absolute peak. Perhaps he's not right physically, or that he's not responding well to the way he's been used. Since he's been on the ice every night, we have to assume it's the latter until we're informed otherwise. Regardless of whether this season is lost, the Predators should have "Figuring out what's been ailing Forsberg and fixing it" near the top of their to-do list.

In a way, the woefully uninspired usage has been fitting for this Predators season. Despite some occasional highs and lows, they keep finding their way back to completely average results. While certain things have been out of their control -- such as the shaky goaltending and long-term injury to foundational player Ryan Ellis in the Winter Classic -- the more disappointing thing about the way they've fallen short of expectations is how much of it has been self-inflicted.

The 70% club

Earlier this season, we wrote about general power-play philosophy, and how certain teams were leaving meat on the bone by giving their top units a quick hook halfway through their man-advantage opportunities.

Let's update that list. Reminder: As a proxy for each team's respective top unit, we'll use the amount of time its most frequently used player has been out there, as a portion of the total power-play time the team has had. Teams in a playoff spot -- or close to it -- are in bold:

1. Capitals: Alex Ovechkin, 89.3%
2. Oilers: Leon Draisaitl, 87.0%
3. Sabres: Jack Eichel, 79.3%
4. Penguins: Kris Letang, 76.5%
5. Bruins: Torey Krug, 75.9%
6. Panthers: Keith Yandle, 73.7%
7. Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon, 73.3%
8. Lightning: Nikita Kucherov, 71.6%
9. Blackhawks: Patrick Kane, 71.3%
10. Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews, 70.7%
11. Jets: Mark Scheifele, 70.6%
12. Golden Knights: Shea Theodore, 70.4%
13. Rangers: Artemi Panarin, 69.5%
14. Canucks: Elias Pettersson, 69.3%
15. Kings: Drew Doughty, 68.4%
16. Blues: Alex Pietrangelo, 68.2%
17. Senators: Thomas Chabot, 65.4%
18. Flames: Johnny Gaudreau, 63.8%
19. Islanders: Mathew Barzal, 62.8%
20. Red Wings: Dylan Larkin, 62.6%
21. Sharks: Brent Burns, 61.5%
22. Predators: Roman Josi, 61.4%
23. Hurricanes: Teuvo Teravainen, 61.3%
24. Coyotes: Phil Kessel, 60.7%
25. Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski, 58.6%
26. Flyers: Claude Giroux, 58.0%
27. Devils: Kyle Palmieri, 57.5%
28. Ducks: Cam Fowler, 56.0%
29. Wild: Ryan Suter, 55.9%
30. Stars: Joe Pavelski, 55.9%
31. Canadiens: Jeff Petry, 52.9%

It's no accident that 12 of the top 14 teams here are playing competitive hockey in March. The only two in that group that are already out of it are the Sabres (Eichel's 79.3%) and the Blackhawks (Kane's 71.3%). This is largely explained by the fact that good teams have better players, which makes it easier to identify who should be predominantly playing in high-leverage scoring situations.

Still, I'm of the belief that every team should strive for something near the vicinity of 70% at the very minimum when it comes to the percentage of power-play time it allocates for its top scoring unit, which would mean that you give that group the first 1:20 of any two-minute minor before you even consider making the switch.

It's surprising to see teams such as the Blue Jackets, Coyotes and Islanders near the bottom of this list, because of how offensively challenged they've been. You'd think they'd be incentivized to be more aggressive when it comes to trying to squeeze easy goals whenever they can get them out of their power plays. But part of that dissonance presumably has to do with the scoring-by-committee approach they employ generally.

It's less surprising to see the Stars and Predators near the bottom, considering much they've been spreading their minutes out and how conservative they've been using their most skilled players. For those teams to move up the list, they'd first need to identify who their five best options are, which has clearly been a struggle, as discussed earlier. At least Dallas' power play has been effective under Rick Bowness, unlike the Predators, who find themselves near the bottom of scoring efficiency with the extra man.

If there's one team that can be excused for rotating various players on the power play because of the specific personnel it has, it's the Flyers -- at least when they're at full health. Now that Shayne Gostisbehere and James van Riemsdyk are both out, the decision to ride their top unit should become significantly more clear. Then again, maybe they shouldn't mess with whatever they're doing right now, considering their current winning streak.

Success stories

Since we've been largely negative thus far, let's end on a positive note with some teams who are doing it right.

It seems like we've been waiting for ages for it to finally happen, but Kevin Fiala's offensive breakout comes at a fairly appropriate time considering the Minnesota Wild winger is still 23 and less than three years removed from a devastating leg injury he suffered during the 2017 postseason.

We've become so spoiled by all of the young talented players who make a sustainable impact from Day 1 that we've come to expect it from everyone. In reality, not everyone develops at the same pace, and some players take a while to put it all together. Those who have been patiently waiting for Fiala to do that, given his tantalizing physical skills, have been handsomely rewarded, as he's exploded all over the scoresheet in the past 15 games:

• 12 goals

• 11 assists

• 14 5-on-5 points

• 64 shots on goal, 101 shot attempts

• Six penalties drawn

The talent has never been the question for Fiala, who has put it on display since he entered the league as an 18-year-old. Similar to Nathan MacKinnon, his speed was sometimes to his detriment because he hadn't yet learned how to control it. He was seemingly so fast at times that he'd skate himself out of optimal shooting lanes.

Now that Fiala's game has matured, he's honed all of the things that made him special through the neutral zone and as a puck carrier, while refining his game in the offensive zone as a shooting threat. Kudos to the Wild for not only being patient with him, but putting him in a position to succeed in a featured role of late.

He's seen his 5-on-5 usage skyrocket from a previous 11:34 per game to 13:10 on average during this hot streak, which is tied for the lead among all Wild forwards. On the power play, he's been seeing 2:58 per game, which is 2 seconds behind Ryan Suter for the team lead. It's been satisfying to see Fiala utilized as a trigger man on the right circle with the man advantage.

It's a dangerous game to unabashedly buy in on a player when everything is going his way like it is for Fiala right now. But this isn't a completely shocking development. We've been waiting to see him put together a stretch like this for a while now, and he's starting to deliver on all of the hype.

The Wild have been desperately craving a game-breaking offensive weapon like him for years, and they'd become typecast as a team that always has solid-but-not-exhilarating talent. It's no coincidence that they've ridden this outburst to a 6-2 stretch, during which they've scored 32 goals, clawing right back into the wild-card discussion after ostensibly throwing in the towel by firing their coach and trading Jason Zucker not too long ago.

One of the other recent revelations out West has been Andrew Mangiapane, who has gone from being an intriguing project with a memorable name to becoming a permanent top-six fixture for the Flames, and someone who should be a household name for all hockey fans.

His path to this point isn't quite as extreme as Jonathan Marchessault's, but he's overcome similar obstacles to get his chance. Despite producing scintillating offensive numbers in both the OHL and the AHL, he had to wait for years to get his first real chance, seemingly due to an undersized 5-foot-10 frame.

What really sticks out while watching Mangiapane play is how quickly his game alleviates any of those lingering concerns about his stature, due to how hard he works to be around the puck at all times. Watch how relentless he is hounding defenders to create an easy goal for Elias Lindholm the other night, when Calgary didn't have anything else going offensively.

His emergence has been a massive boost for the Flames, filling a void on what's become not only Calgary's most important forward line, but one of the best lines in the entire league. The trio of Mangiapane, Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk has been dominant since being put together at 5-on-5, completely tilting the ice in their team's favor:

• 325 minutes

• 19-12 goal differential

• 55.6% shot share

• 63% high-danger chance share

• 57.5% expected goal share

Mangiapane's effect has been twofold. The most obvious difference he's made is through his own production, with nearly all of his offense coming at even strength. His 15 goals there is behind only Lindholm on the team, and his 27 points is within striking distance of team leader Johnny Gaudreau's 30. On a per-minute basis, he's been Calgary's most efficient scorer.

But just as importantly, he's allowed Geoff Ward to reunite Lindholm, Sean Monahan and Gaudreau after all of the success they had early last season. Getting those latter two going offensively to their previous heights is crucial to the Flames' success moving forward, and we've already started to see flashes of that during the recent 8-4-1 run that's vaulted them up the standings in a wide-open Pacific Division.

It's been wonderful to see Mangiapane make the most of his opportunity. He might not be tall or physically imposing, but he's an excellent hockey player, and that's all that should ultimately matter.

The Fred Haskins Award presented by Stifel is awarded annually to the most outstanding men’s college golfer, as voted on by players, coaches and media members. Past winners of the Haskins Award include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ben Crenshaw.

Here is a look at the top 15 contenders after the Cabo Collegiate and Southern Highlands Collegiate, two of the spring's premier events:

Sahith Theegala, Sr., Pepperdine

Golfstat rank: 1

Wins: 2 (Alister Mackenzie Invitational, Southwestern Invitational)

Other results: T-4, Southern Highlands Collegiate; T-4, Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational; T-6, Amer Ari Invitational; T-6, The Prestige; T-15, Maui Jim Intercollegiate; T-19, GC of Georgia Collegiate

Cooper Dossey, Sr., Baylor

Golfstat rank: 2

Wins: 1 (Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational)

Other results: T-4, Cabo Collegiate; fifth, Gopher Invitational; T-7, Arizona Intercollegiate; T-10, Nike Collegiate; T-16, Royal Oaks Intercollegiate

Garett Reband, Sr., Oklahoma

Golfstat rank: 3

Wins: 1 (Puerto Rico Classic)

Other results: Third, Nike Collegiate; Seventh, Carmel Cup; T-8, Gopher Invitational; T-10, Ka'anapali Collegiate; T-13, Southern Highlands Collegiate

Davis Thompson, Jr., Georgia

Golfstat rank: 10

Wins: 1 (Jim Rivers Intercollegiate)

Other results: fourth, Crooked Stick Invitational; T-6, Southern Highlands Collegiate; T-6, Nike Collegiate; T-8, Carmel Cup; T-12, Ka'anapali Collegiate; T-32, Puerto Rico Classic

Ricky Castillo, Fr., Florida

Golfstat rank: 9

Wins: 2 (Sea Best Invitational, Gator Invitational)

Other results: T-6, Southern Highlands Collegiate; T-15, Nike Golf Collegiate; T-21, Carpet Capital Collegiate; T-22, Tavistock Collegiate; T-24, Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational

John Augenstein, Sr., Vanderbilt

Golfstat rank: 4

Wins: None

Other results: Second, Nike Collegiate; third, Crooked Stick Invitational; T-7, Tavistock Collegiate; T-13, East Lake Cup; T-14, Cabo Collegiate; T-24, Gator Invitational

Peter Kuest, Sr., BYU

Golfstat rank: 28

Wins: 3 (William Tucker Intercollegiate, Nick Watney Invitational, St. Mary's Invitational)

Other results: T-3, Burns Intercollegiate; T-4, Jerry Pate National Collegiate; T-10, Pacific Invitational; T-37, Southwestern Invitational

William Mouw, Fr., Pepperdine

Golfstat rank: 7

Wins: 1 (Amer Ari Invitational)

Other results: third, Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational; seventh, Alister Mackenzie Invitational; T-8, Southwestern Invitational; T-8, Maui Jim Intercollegiate; T-11, GC of Georgia Collegiate; T-21, Southern Highlands Collegiate; T-34, The Prestige

John Axelsen, Jr., Florida

Golfstat rank: 8

Wins: 0

Other results: 2, Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational; 2, Sea Best Invitational; 3, Gator Invitational; T-7, Carpet Capital Collegiate; T-9, Southern Highlands Collegiate; T-11, Tavistock Collegiate; T-36, Nike Golf Collegiate

John Pak, Jr., Florida State

Golfstat rank: 22

Wins: 2 (Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate and Seminole Intercollegiate)

Other results: T-6, White Sands Intercollegiate; T-14, Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational; T-29, Cabo Collegiate

NEXT FIVE

• Quade Cummins, Sr., Oklahoma
• Noah Goodwin, Jr., SMU
• Trent Phillips, Soph., Georgia
• Sandy Scott, Sr., Texas Tech
• Pierceson Coody, Soph., Texas

Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland has said his "zen" celebration was inspired by his love of meditation.

Haaland, who left FC Salzburg to join Dortmund in January, scored both goals in the 2-1 win Champions League round-of-16 first leg victory over Paris Saint-Germain.

- Zensational: Haaland's Champions League stats
- GK costs team win with 'Haaland celebration'

And following his first goal, he sat on the floor and held his hands out in what has become known as his "zen" celebration.

"I really enjoy meditation," Haaland told Esporte Interativo, when asked about the meaning behind the celebration.

"It makes feel calm and gives me tranquillity. This is why I sometimes celebrate like that when I score."

In February, Haaland was given a signed shirt by former Swansea and Napoli forward Michu. The Norwegian replied to the tweet of the gift with the words: "Wow what a legend!"

And the 19-year-old has said Michu was among his footballing heroes when he was growing up.

"I have a lot [of idols] and Michu is one of them," he added. "He was amazing at Swansea.

"I also love Cristiano Ronaldo and what he has done in the past 10 years. I love to observe, especially strikers because I am one."

Dortmund are hoping to reach the Champions League quarterfinals and sit four points behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.

And Haaland believes the team can achieve great things if they are able to maximise the talent within the squad.

"I know how good we are as a team and I know the quality in our team," he said. "We just have to get the quality out. If we can do that, the sky's the limit."

The 2020 MLS season is off and running and even though it is just Week 2, there are some major talking points going around league circles.

THE WEEKEND'S BIG QUESTIONS

How will Atlanta United react without Josef Martinez?

The news that goal scoring machine Josef Martinez is out with an ACL tear continues to reverberate, but Atlanta United have to get back to business on Saturday when they host FC Cincinnati (7 p.m ET, stream live on ESPN+).

There is little doubt that Atlanta executives Carlos Bocanegra and Darren Eales will eventually find an adequate replacement for Martinez, but it will be nearly impossible to match the output of the Venezuelan striker.

In the short-term, it will be up to the Argentine pair of Ezequiel Barco and Pity Martinez to provide the fireworks. Fortunately for Atlanta United, the former looks primed to enjoy a monster season. Barco took his goal very well in the opening win over Nashville SC and, on top of his blue-collar performances in the CONCACAF Champions League series with Motagua, it's clear the player that blazed his way to Copa Sudamericana glory with Independiente in 2017 has fully found his stride in Atlanta.

There is also the dangling carrot of a potential move to Europe at the end of the season, and there would be no better way to market yourself to European clubs than proving yourself as the alpha dog on one of MLS' premier teams. A motivated Barco combined with a settled-in Pity is not going to fully make up for Martinez's absence, but it could be a lot less painful than Atlanta United fans might think.

Is there reason to worry in Portland?

There was a lot of hype about Portland's attack heading into the season with the trio of Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco and new arrival Felipe Mora, but the main takeaway following the 3-1 defeat to Minnesota United in Sunday's home opener was the poor performance from the Timbers' back line.

Head coach Giovanni Savarese saw his side gutted for three goals in the second half, all on the counter-attack. Portland's defense was slow to react and if not for some heroics from goalkeeper Steve Clark, Minnesota United could have had another goal or two. Portland looked old and slow and, considering that the biggest reinforcements over the winter came in attack and not defense, there is cause for concern.

A lot of that worry can go away in the short-term with MLS rookies Nashville coming to town on Sunday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), but another sub-par display from the Timbers back line against a team most expect to finish at the bottom of the conference table will sound some alarm bells.

Will Inter Miami get their first win in D.C.?

All things considered, David Beckham's new team fared decently well in their MLS debut defeat to LAFC, thanks in large part to Luis Robles in goal. The former Red Bulls 'keeper kept Inter Miami within a goal with a number of top-notch saves.

There were also positive moments in attack for Miami. Head coach Diego Alonso had his team playing direct and their pace and ability to play in tight spaces made for some nervy moments for the LAFC defense. Rodolfo Pizarro is bound to make some defenses in MLS look downright silly, and that could come as early as this Saturday in the nation's capital against a DC United team that coughed up a second half lead and lost 2-1 to the Colorado Rapids in Week 1.

DC United are still trying to get settled with their new arrivals Julian Gressel and Edison Flores, plus the acquisition of Federico Higuain will require a bit of an adjustment. Coach Ben Olsen will eventually get things figured out like he always seems to do, but it might come with a few scars, like a loss to an expansion side.

MAN TO WATCH

It is not often that the MLS Player of the Week is someone who came off the bench, yet here we are with Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris, who was substituted on at half-time and scored both goals in Sunday's 2-1 comeback win over Chicago.

Morris has started 2020 with a bang, and not just in MLS, with a goal and an assist in the CONCACAF Champions League. Despite Seattle's unexpected elimination to Olimpia, Morris is still poised for a big season. The timing of his runs on Sunday was impeccable, his passing was precise and he has developed a nose for goal that is matched by only a few in the league. There is no reason to think why he can't continue that form on Saturday at home against Columbus (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+).

This is all great news for Seattle, especially with playmaker Nicolas Lodeiro still out injured, and it's a good sign for the U.S. national team with the CONCACAF Nations League finals and 2022 World Cup qualifying on the horizon.

THE GAME YOU'RE NOT PLANNING TO WATCH ... BUT SHOULD

Outside of the Alan Pulido signing and the Tab Ramos hiring, both Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo flew under the radar over the winter, but each impressed in their opening matches, with Sporting going to Vancouver and getting a 3-1 win thanks to a Pulido goal, while Ramos's Dynamo kept the much-hyped LA Galaxy in check with a 1-1 draw in Houston.

Now the two will clash in Kansas City on Saturday (7.30 p.m. ET, ESPN+), with former Figueres and New York/New Jersey MetroStars teammates Ramos and Peter Vermes squaring off on the touchline. It is not crazy to think that both of these men will one day be national team managers, but for now fans can enjoy the tactical battle between two well-coached teams. Whether Vermes provides another classic GIF moment, remains to be seen.

March 7: PSL - Islamabad United v Peshawar Zalmi, Rawalpindi

Our XI: Kamran Akmal, Luke Ronchi, Colin Munro, Haider Ali, Lewis Gregory, Shadab Khan, Shoaib Malik, Yasir Shah, Wahab Riaz, Zafar Gohar, Dale Steyn

Captain: Luke Ronchi

Ronchi has regained his touch of late, scoring 133 runs in his last two innings to become the leading run-getter in PSL 2020. The last time he played in Rawalpindi, he hit 85 not out, his best in the tournament so far. He scores 65.28 of his runs in boundaries, suggesting he could get you good points.

Vice-captain: Shoaib Malik

The man in form, Malik has fifties in his last two innings and is looking good for plenty more runs. The two fifties he got were in Rawalpindi as well, giving him an aggregate of 122 at a strike rate of 148.78 at the venue.

Hot Picks

Colin Munro: Munro is a big pick given his form and the fact that there are no frontline offspinners in the Peshawar side - he strikes at 127.68 and has been dismissed 11 times by offspinners in T20s since 2018. Against other types of spinners, he has scored at a strike rate of 137.76 and against pace he has scored at 149.88 since 2018.

Shadab Khan: Shadab has had a fantastic PSL 2020; he is the only player to score more than 150 runs and pick up five or more wickets. His all-round form makes him a must-have.

Kamran Akmal: Kamran hasn't scored too many runs in the last four games, but you just cannot leave him out, especially because he doubles up as wicketkeeper as well. He has the most 50+ scores at the venue since 2017 in T20s.

Value Picks

Lewis Gregory: Gregory has shown his ability to finish an innings on a few occasions now. He is batting at No. 6 for Peshawar and has scored 60 runs off 38 balls so far. He has a strike rate of 167.55 against pacers in all T20s, the third-highest amongst all batsmen with over 1000 runs in the format.

Zafar Gohar: The left-arm spinner impressed in his first game this season itself, with 3 for 31 in his four overs. His economy in the format is a healthy 7.48 and he has a strike rate of 15.9.

Points to note

• In Rawalpindi, the average score in the first-innings powerplay is 44 for 2, while the average first-innings total is 174, suggesting middle order is as important as the top order here (shortened games not considered).

Leicestershire have announced the signing of Janneman Malan as their main overseas player for the 2020 season.

Malan, who was the leading domestic run-scorer in this season's Mzansi Super League, became the first player to score a duck on ODI debut and follow it up with a century in his second match this week, leading South Africa to a series win over Australia.

He is available for the duration of the white-ball competitions as well as the club's first three County Championship games, subject to international commitments.

ALSO READ: County ins and outs 2019-20

Leicestershire's financial position rendered them unable to sign an overseas player for their T20 campaign last season, while most other counties fielded two, and their Championship overseas player Mohammad Abbas has been snapped up by Nottinghamshire.

But after securing a £1.75m loan from Leicester City Council in December, the club found themselves in a position to recruit, and have secured the signing of Malan with time to spare before the start of the season.

Paul Nixon, the club's head coach, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have Janneman on board with us, primarily for white-ball cricket but also with the opportunity to slot into our red ball side too.

"Securing a high-class opening batsman in T20 and the Royal London Cup has been a major priority and Janneman fits the bill for us. His record across all formats his outstanding and we have watched his progress and development with interest.

"Janneman strikes the ball very cleanly and will be an asset to us. He fits the profile of our squad; young, hungry and adaptable, and we know he is highly thought of in South Africa with his recent international call-ups."

Malan said: "I am looking forward to working with Paul Nixon who is busy getting the boys prepared for pre-season and I will be following their progress closely from afar."