SPORTS LINE

The Milwaukee Bucks.
The NBA playoffs are approaching for the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite a rough start to the season and a year full of ups and downs, a franchise-altering trade, a major injury to one of their star players, and a lengthy suspension to another core player, the Bucks are still largely in the playoffs. The Bucks began the year 2-8 before recovering and working their way back into the playoff picture. They even won the NBA’s in-season tournament. The Bucks’ roster saw significant changes as well this season. They departed with all-time great Khris Middleton and brought in Kyle Kuzma from the Washington Wizards and Kevin Porter Jr. from the Los Angeles Clippers in separate trades. With just nine games left in the regular season, the Bucks are the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference standings. A No. 6 seed would be the Bucks’ worst position in the playoffs since the 2017-18 season when they were the seventh seed.

The Bucks, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, have been a third seed or better in every season since then. No matter who the Bucks play in the playoffs, it appears that they’ll do it without All-Star Damian Lillard, who is out indefinitely as he treats blood clots in his right calf. Play-in tournament games begin Tuesday, April 15, and go through Friday, April 18. The team in the seventh spot at the end of the regular season plays the team with the eighth-best record. The winner earns the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. Teams No. 9 and No. 10 play each other, with the loser being eliminated. The winner of that game plays the loser of the No. 7-8 game, with the winner getting the No. 8 seed into the playoffs. Here’s a look at the Bucks’ schedule for the rest of the season (all times are CT). Thursday, April 3: at Philadelphia 76ers, 6 p.m. Saturday, April 5: at Miami Heat, 7 p.m.  Sunday, April 6: at New Orleans Pelicans, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8: vs. Minnesota Timberwolves, 7 p.m. at Fiserv Forum. Thursday, April 10: vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 7 p.m., at Fiserv Forum. Friday, April 11: at Detroit Pistons, 6 p.m. Sunday, April 13: vs. Detroit Pistons, noon, at Fiserv Forum.

Brewers.
Unable once again keep the New York Yankees in the ballpark, the Milwaukee Brewers were swept away. All told in the series, Milwaukee’s pitching staff was hammered to the tune of 36 runs on 34 hits, of which 15 left the ballpark. New York Yankees closer Devin Williams was ready to unleash his famous “Airbender’’ changeup against his old team, the Milwaukee Brewers. Arriving to protect a three-run lead on a cool, clear Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, Williams wobbled Thursday afternoon before saving a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. A somewhat subdued crowd of 46,208 fans became agitated as Williams loaded the bases with none out, gave up a run on a sacrifice fly and faced runners at second and third. But for the fifth time Thursday, Brewers’ leadoff hitter Jackson Chourio struck out, and Williams struck out the dangerous Christian Yelich on a full-count fastball to end it. Aaron Civale started but lasted only three innings and allowed three of New York’s homers. Civale threw 68 pitches in his three innings and allowed four hits, three of them homers, and five runs with a walk and two strikeouts. He came into the days 1-4 with a 5.52 ERA in six career starts against the Yankees. The Brewers now have a long stretch of home games.

The Final Four of March Madness is set.
This year’s national semifinals will feature a star-studded cast, and a historic one at that. For just the first time since 2008 and just the second time in NCAA Tournament history, the Final Four will be all No. 1 seeds: Florida, Duke, Houston, and Auburn. In Saturday’s first game, Florida will face Auburn for the second time this season. The Tigers took the regular-season meeting, winning 90-81 in early February. It’ll be the Blue Devils and Cougars in the second matchup. The biggest winner of the weekend has to be the Blue Devils, who are the team to beat after bulldozing through the East region to reach the semifinals for the first time under third-year coach Jon Scheyer.