Lineup

BOYS OF SPRING: 2011 ROOKIES TO WATCH

34 | BASEBALL

IMMEDIATE IMPACT

In a pool of strong rookies, one stands out: Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, whose big bat might remind you of last year's phenom

By Ben Reiter

44 | PRO BASKETBALL

SLAM DUNK

Blake Griffin's jaw-dropping All-Star dunkfest eased, at least for a day, the sense of impending labor doom in the NBA

By Lee Jenkins

50 | NASCAR

DAYTONA 500

In his second start, Trevor Bayne survived a wreck-filled race and outran his elders to become, at 20, the youngest Daytona winner in history

By Lars Anderson

54 | COLLEGE BASKETBALL

SAN DIEGO STATE

The unprecedented success of the sixth-ranked Aztecs has whipped their once-feeble fan base into a frenzy. And it's not even March yet

By Kelli Anderson

"I'M GLAD I WENT TO PRISON"

FORMER NHL PLAYER MIKE DANTON IS PIECING HIS LIFE BACK TOGETHER

By L. Jon Wertheim

page 60

Departments

4 Leading Off

11 Letters

14 Scorecard

Rivals speak for the Toomer's Corner trees

20 Just My Type

Phil Jackson on MJ, Blake and L.A.'s fate

By Dan Patrick

22 Faces in the Crowd

26 Inside ...

• College Basketball

Bloody Kansas State

• The NBA

Playoff X-men

• The NHL

Capital offense

• Soccer

Bradley abroad

68 Point After

Taking a page from 'Melo's playbook

By Phil Taylor

ON THE COVER Photograph by Al Tielemans

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PHOTO

DARREN CARROLL (DANTON)

FOUR PHOTOS