SUN 23
Cubs at Dodgers (2:05 p.m., Marquee): Boy, the NL favorites sure seem to have improved their lot with the additions of outfielder Mookie Betts and pitcher David Price. Is this a 100-win team? Maybe 105 or even, dare we think it, 110? Meanwhile, just wait until the Dodgers get a load of how the Cubs have retooled their roster.
Rockford at Wolves (3 p.m., My 50): There’s room enough in the AHL playoffs for only four teams from the Central Division, which likely means one, but not both, of these rivals will make it. That’ll dial up the physicality a skosh.
MON 24
White Sox at Dodgers (2:05 p.m., NBCSCH): Sox fans would love to look at this as a World Series preview, but that’s putting the cart about a mile and a half before the horse. Let’s just call it the Battle for Camelback Ranch — at least until the co-tenants meet again in a couple weeks.
TUE 25
Blackhawks at Blues (7 p.m., NBCSN): The champs have been pretty much a complete mess since mid-January, yet they’re well in line for a top-two playoff seed regardless. Moral of the story: They wouldn’t trade their problems for the Hawks’ problems in a million years.
THU 27
NFL Scouting Combine (3 p.m., NFL Network): Day 1 of on-field drills features the tight ends, wide receivers and — God bless America — the quarterbacks, the position group that never fails to captivate all who nerd out over this annual event. Joe Burrow isn’t even in Indy yet and already he’s the coolest guy in the room, while the most talked-about medical report in years might make Tua Tagovailoa an even bigger deal.
Illinois at Northwestern (7 p.m., BTN): The Illini don’t necessarily need this one for the sake of ending their NCAA Tournament drought, but losing to the woebegone Wildcats would be a bad look. Show of hands: Who wants to bet there’ll be more purple than orange in the stands at Welsh-Ryan Arena? (Um, you lose.)
FRI 28
Cubs at Padres (7:40 p.m., Marquee): “What’s all this business about Kris Bryant batting leadoff?” many are asking. Listen, folks, this isn’t the man’s first bull fight in the No. 1 spot. He also did it in the Padres’ hometown as a college superstar for the San Diego Toreros.
SAT 29
Bulls at Knicks (4 p.m., NBCSCH): We’ve got two huge-market teams with puny numbers in the “W” column, and, besides that, it’s kind of hard to even know what to say. Although, now that we think of it, there’s a decent chance Bobby Portis could sneak back into a Bulls uniform and nobody on either side would even notice.
Blackhawks at Panthers (5 p.m., NBCSCH+) Florida’s grip on a playoff spot has loosened, which makes it time for Joel Quenneville to dig deep and do some of the stuff that makes him one of the all-time greats. Why isn’t he still the Hawks’ coach again?
Michigan State at Maryland (6 p.m., ESPN): What better way for the Terps to put an exclamation point on their first Big Ten title than by hammering the league’s longtime standard-bearers? (Cue: a Spartans upset victory, igniting a streak that leads them back to the Final Four.)
