
Lineup
Features
NCAA TOURNAMENT
40 March Gladness
As the first week's games showed once again, there is one event in sports that never fails to deliver
By Michael Rosenberg
PRO BASKETBALL
46 Steve Nash
Look at the best point guards today, and you'll see the influence of a man who reimagined pro basketball offense
By Lee Jenkins
Departments
4 SI Digital
8 Inbox
10 Leading Off
21 Scorecard
34 Faces in The Crowd
35 Just My Type
Dan Patrick: Will Ferrell's cup runneth over
126 Point After
Steve Rushin:Thwock, swish, clack—the un-scored symphony of sports
MLB PREVIEW '15
SI HAS FOUR REGIONAL COVERS THIS WEEK
54 WAIT TILL THIS YEAR
Welcome to the era of baseball's one-winter rebuild
By Tom Verducci
60 SPEED KILLS
One reason for parity: Every staff teems with high-velocity arms
By Tom Verducci
70 BATTLE MODE
Modern hitters are under siege—but they can fight back
By Ben Reiter
76 CLINT HURDLE
The Pirates' manager draws on quants and Dorothy Gale
By Albert Chen
82 BRYCE HARPER
Why is it so easy to dislike a guy who plays full-bore?
By Tom Verducci
88 SCOUTING REPORTS
COVER PHOTOS: Robert Beck/Sports Illustrated (Indians, Mariners); Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated (Nationals, Royals) Insets: Chris Keane (Michigan State mascot); Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images (Gonzaga's Kyle Wiltjer); Fred Vuich (N.C. State's Desmond Lee and Beejay Anya); Steven Branscombe/USA Today Sports (Wichita State's Fred Vanvleet)
PHOTO
FRED VUICH (N.C. STATE'S TREVOR LACEY)
PHOTO
JOHN W. MCDONOUGH/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (NASH)
FOUR PHOTOS