Bill Plaschke: It's Not In The Cards

Valor Christian’s Chloe Elarton was named the Gatorade Colorado Volleyball Player of the Year on Thursday after leading the Eagles to their third straight Class 5A state title. The senior setter totaled 917 assists this fall as the orchestrator of a deadly Eagles (28-1) attack that lost just once in the past three seasons.

The 2025 Rockies need a multitude of things to go right to end a string of six straight losing seasons and escape the specter cast by back-to-back 100-loss campaigns. Bringing second baseman Thairo Estrada on board is certainly not a panacea, but the former Giants infielder promises to bring speed, energy and defense to his new team. “I’m an aggressive player, I’m aggressive on the bases and I play hard,” Estrada said Thursday morning via an interpreter during a Zoom session with reporters from his home in Tampa, Fla.

Russell Westbrook smelled blood in the water, revealed himself too soon, then still captured his prey anyway. It was the first quarter at Ball Arena, and the Nuggets led the Clippers 19-13 after DeAndre Jordan scored and got fouled. With Jordan famously a horrible free throw shooter — 47.5% in his career, 35% this season — Westbrook went hunting for an offensive rebound. Maybe it helped that Denver was hosting his former team.

The Nuggets have experience beating the Clippers without Nikola Jokic. They pulled it off in Los Angeles last season, led by Reggie Jackson’s stirring 35-point, 13-assist performance. Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon were also absent from that game, which was memorable enough for coach Michael Malone to reminisce on Wednesday night before opening tip. “Fly Reggie Jackson back in,” Malone said when asked about Denver’s priorities.

ORLANDO — In terms of rebounding from a listless performance, the Colorado men’s basketball team did exactly what it wanted to do in many aspects in an unfamiliar arena. The Buffaloes posted one of their top shooting percentages of the season, posting by far their best mark in Big 12 Conference play.

It’s all love between Von Miller and the Broncos. In preparation to face his former team in the Wild Card round on Sunday, Buffalo’s veteran edge rusher doesn’t want to act like he has hatred toward Denver. The franchise still holds a special place in his heart. “I’ve had two days to really think about it, and it’s all love,” Miller told reporters in Buffalo on Wednesday.