Category: Sports

Boston’s championship hopes may hang in the balance as All-Star forward Jayson Tatum faces uncertainty for Saturday evening’s decisive Game 7 matchup against Philadelphia, with team officials listing him as questionable due to left knee stiffness.

The 28-year-old star was sidelined for the final quarter of Thursday’s 106-93 defeat to the 76ers in their Eastern Conference opening round series, spending time on a stationary bicycle in the hallway while his teammates finished the contest.

Following Thursday’s loss, Tatum minimized concerns about his condition, explaining to the media: “You guys probably saw when I went to the back, saw me on the bike. My leg just was a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter. But just kind of assessing the moment, the game was a little out of reach.”

The knee discomfort is unrelated to the severe right Achilles tendon rupture that sidelined Tatum last May, an injury that occurred during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against New York and kept him away from basketball until March 6 of the current season.

“It was my other leg, not the one I injured last year,” Tatum clarified on Thursday. “I mean, I wasn’t like overly concerned. … I came out at four minutes, like I was supposed to. Just kind of assessed the game. (Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla) took the starters out fairly early in the fourth quarter.”

During Friday afternoon’s media conference call, head coach Mazzulla indicated that Tatum would be ready for the elimination game, while the player himself expressed confidence at Thursday’s press conference, stating: “I expect to play.”

Throughout the current series against Philadelphia, Tatum has posted impressive numbers with 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per contest.

During Game 3 of this series, Tatum reached a significant milestone by becoming just the fourth Celtic in franchise history to surpass 3,000 career playoff points. With 3,005 postseason points, he now ranks behind only legendary players Kevin McHale (3,182), John Havlicek (3,776), and all-time leader Larry Bird (3,897).

The six-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA first-team honoree, who has also captured two Olympic gold medals representing Team USA, maintains career averages of 23.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists across 601 NBA regular season appearances.

On Philadelphia’s injury report, Paul George is listed as probable despite battling an illness on his 36th birthday. Center Joel Embiid, recovering from appendix surgery, also carries a probable designation, while guard Tyrese Maxey has been cleared to play despite a finger injury.

The Big Ten Conference has reached a milestone with its announcement of a historic $1.37 billion revenue distribution among its 18 member universities for the 2024-25 fiscal year, following conference expansion and strong performance in the College Football Playoffs during the 2024 season.

This achievement makes the Big Ten the second collegiate athletic conference to surpass the $1 billion mark. Earlier, the Southeastern Conference revealed it had distributed $1 billion among its 16 member schools in February, marking a $200 million jump from the previous fiscal year.

The Big Ten’s massive $1.37 billion payout reflects a substantial $487 million increase compared to the 2023-24 fiscal year. Two key drivers behind this surge were the conference’s addition of UCLA, Southern California, Oregon and Washington in August 2024, plus the playoff appearances of Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff format during December and January.

Ohio State claimed the 2024 national championship with a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in Atlanta on January 20, 2025. The Buckeyes’ athletic program received the conference’s largest distribution at $91.57 million, while Penn State, which reached the national semifinals in football, collected $88.29 million.

Established full-time conference members received distributions ranging from $76.01 million to $79.87 million, while newcomers Oregon and Washington collected $48.4 million and $46.7 million respectively. UCLA and USC, classified as fully-vested members, received the higher distribution amounts.

Tampa Bay has brought back left-handed pitcher Garrett Cleavinger from the injured list on Saturday, according to reports from the Tampa Bay Times. To clear roster space, the organization removed right-hander Yoendrys Gomez from the team.

The 32-year-old Cleavinger hasn’t taken the mound since March 30 due to tightness in his right calf muscle. During his limited action this season, he posted a 1-1 record with a 7.71 earned run average across three relief appearances. Earlier this year, he also contributed a clean inning for Team USA during the World Baseball Classic.

Throughout his seven-year major league career, with Tampa Bay being his home for the past five seasons, Cleavinger holds a 14-17 record and 3.25 ERA across 193 games, including one starting assignment.

The departing Gomez, age 26, struggled during his time with Tampa Bay this year, recording a 6.23 ERA over nine relief outings. His overall major league statistics show a 3-3 record with a 5.11 ERA spanning four seasons across four different organizations, having spent his initial three campaigns with the New York Yankees from 2023-25.

Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz announced Saturday that prospect Trey Gibson will take the mound for his first major league appearance Sunday when the team faces the New York Yankees.

The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher gets his opportunity due to several injuries plaguing Baltimore’s starting rotation. Left-hander Trevor Rogers was placed on the injured list earlier this week due to illness, while right-hander Dean Kremer remains sidelined with a quad injury. Additionally, starter Zach Eflin is done for the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.

Gibson’s promotion comes after spending four years developing in the minor league system. This season with Triple-A Norfolk, he has compiled a 2-2 record with a 5.84 ERA across six starting assignments.

The young pitcher joined the Orioles organization in 2023 as an undrafted free agent following two collegiate seasons at Liberty University. MLB Pipeline currently ranks Gibson as Baltimore’s third-best prospect in their farm system.

Philadelphia Phillies star catcher J.T. Realmuto returned to active duty Saturday as the team activated him from the 10-day injured list.

The 35-year-old backstop had been sidelined since April 22 when he was placed on the IL due to back spasms that forced him out of action.

This season marks Realmuto’s eighth campaign with Philadelphia, where he’s posted a .259 batting average through 17 games, collecting one home run and driving in four runs. The veteran catcher brings impressive credentials to the lineup as a three-time All-Star selection and two-time Gold Glove award recipient.

To create space on their 26-man active roster for Realmuto’s return, Philadelphia released utility player Dylan Moore through designation for assignment. The 33-year-old Moore struggled in his debut season with the Phillies, failing to record a hit across 15 plate appearances.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc acknowledged he went too far with his angry radio outburst targeting Formula One championship leader Kimi Antonelli during Saturday’s sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix.

The Mercedes driver Antonelli crossed the finish line in fourth place but received a five-second time penalty that dropped him to sixth position due to multiple track limit violations.

During the race, an frustrated Leclerc vented over his team radio about the teenage Italian’s driving style. “Kimi is so bad on wheel-to-wheel (racing). He moved under braking. It’s unbelievable. We are going to crash,” the third-place finisher declared during the heated moment.

However, Leclerc later softened his stance when speaking with media after the race.

“I was being a bit harsh maybe with the adrenaline inside the car,” he explained.

The Monaco driver elaborated on their racing history and the unique situation of competing against Italy’s only current F1 representative while driving for the sport’s most famous Italian team.

“It’s true that we’ve had our moments with Kimi in the past and I hope this calms down a little bit going ahead. Especially as he’s the only Italian on the grid against Ferrari,” Leclerc noted.

“I wish it was with someone else. I really like Kimi as a person,” Leclerc continued. “It’s just sometimes a little bit too close for comfort and not really needed as well. So in this particular case, I was quite angry in the car. But the comments were probably a bit too harsh.”

At just 18 years old, Antonelli holds the distinction of being Formula One’s youngest-ever championship leader. He also became the first Italian driver to capture back-to-back race victories since Alberto Ascari accomplished the feat in 1953, creating enormous excitement in Italy where Ferrari enjoys legendary status.

The young Mercedes driver acknowledged his difficulties during Saturday’s sprint, explaining how a disappointing start affected his entire race performance.

“After that, I was really frustrated and didn’t even drive well. I did a lot of mistakes and got track limits, which is something I need to avoid,” Antonelli admitted.

Looking ahead to the rest of the Miami weekend, the championship leader remained realistic about the challenges facing his team.

“This weekend has been more difficult but it was expected with everyone bringing big upgrades. We just need to maximise the result and now focus on qualifying.”

The NFL has removed Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium from its Super Bowl hosting rotation due to facility requirements not being met, according to Dolphins owner Stephen Ross in recent comments.

The South Florida venue has welcomed 11 Super Bowls throughout its history, matching New Orleans for the most hosted championships. However, the stadium hasn’t held the big game since February 2, 2020, when Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to a 31-20 victory over San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV.

Hard Rock Stadium, which opened 38 years ago, previously welcomed Super Bowls in 1989, 1995, 1999, 2007 and 2010. Prior to those games, Miami’s Orange Bowl served as the Super Bowl venue in 1968, 1969, 1971, 1976 and 1979.

Speaking with the South Florida Business Journal, Ross explained the situation: “We normally have one every five years. Miami is not really in line for one. It’s always exciting to have the Super Bowl but that was before we had all the other events. Miami has by far the best weather. It’s in their best interest to have one here but at this point they don’t believe we meet all the requirements and the demands.”

The stadium’s ability to accommodate Super Bowl festivities has been compromised after adding facilities for both the annual Miami Open tennis championship and Formula 1 racing events. These additions have significantly reduced the available space needed for Super Bowl hospitality functions.

Ross indicated efforts are underway to address the shortcomings. “We are looking at how to make improvements,” he stated. “I want to make the stadium always feel like a new stadium (and) we are looking at what the next phase will be and making the fan experience that much better.”

The league has already announced locations for upcoming championships: Los Angeles area’s SoFi Stadium will host in 2027, followed by Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2028, and Las Vegas area’s Allegiant Stadium in 2029.

Pittsburgh Pirates have activated infielder Jared Triolo from the 10-day injured list in time for Saturday’s matchup against the Cincinnati Reds at home.

The 28-year-old player had been sidelined since April 3rd with a patellar tendon injury affecting his right knee.

Before his injury, the former Gold Glove recipient posted a .217 batting average, collecting five hits in 23 at-bats with one RBI across six appearances for Pittsburgh. During his recovery period, Triolo showed improvement while playing rehabilitation games, posting a .278 batting average with one home run and three RBIs through five games split between Class A Bradenton and Double-A Altoona.

Pittsburgh cleared roster space for Triolo’s return by sending utility player Nick Yorke to Triple-A Indianapolis following Friday’s decisive 9-1 victory over Cincinnati.

The 24-year-old Yorke recorded a .221 batting average with one home run and six RBIs during his 23-game stint with the major league club.

New York Mets backup catcher Luis Torrens received quite the birthday gift this weekend, securing his future with a lucrative contract extension just as he turned 30 years old on Saturday.

According to reports from The Athletic, Torrens has signed a two-year deal worth $11.5 million that will cover the 2027 and 2028 seasons.

The veteran backstop is currently in his ninth MLB campaign and third year wearing a Mets uniform. This season, he has appeared in 13 contests, posting a .200 batting average along with two doubles and four RBIs. His current contract pays him $2.275 million for the 2026 season.

While Torrens has built his reputation primarily on his defensive skills behind the plate, his offensive numbers throughout his career reflect his role as a backup. Over 421 major league games, he has compiled a .226 batting average with 27 home runs and 127 RBIs during stints with multiple franchises including the San Diego Padres (2017, 2019-20), Seattle Mariners (2020-23), Chicago Cubs (2023), and now the Mets.

Baltimore Orioles left-handed pitcher Dietrich Enns returned to active duty Saturday as the team activated him from the 15-day injured list following his recovery from a foot infection.

The Orioles made multiple roster adjustments on Saturday, bringing up left-hander Nick Raquet from their Triple-A Norfolk affiliate while sending right-hander Tyler Wells down to Norfolk. The team also placed right-hander Albert Suarez on waivers.

The 34-year-old Enns was sidelined on April 6 due to an infection in his left foot. Prior to his injury, he appeared in three relief outings without recording a win or loss, posting a 4.15 earned run average.

Raquet, age 30, struggled during his previous stint with Baltimore last month, surrendering three earned runs on three hits over 1 2/3 innings across two bullpen appearances for a 16.20 ERA.

Wells, 31, compiled an 0-1 record with a 3.44 ERA through 14 relief appearances this season. The pitcher recorded 18 strikeouts against four walks in 18 1/3 innings of work.

The 36-year-old Suarez holds a 1-0 record with a 3.45 ERA and one save through six relief outings. However, he has issued seven walks in his most recent 6 2/3 innings, including four free passes during Friday’s 7-2 defeat to the New York Yankees on the road.

Brazilian fighter Carlos Prates delivered a commanding performance against Australian Jack Della Maddalena in Saturday night’s main event at UFC Fight Night in Perth, Australia, overwhelming the local favorite in front of his home crowd.

The Brazilian fighter sent Della Maddalena crashing to the mat with a devastating calf kick in the closing moments of round two, then continued his assault in the third round by scoring three additional knockdowns using a powerful knee strike, head kick, and another leg kick before officials halted the contest.

Following his victory, Prates immediately set his sights on championship gold, challenging whoever emerges victorious from the anticipated welterweight title bout between current champion Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry.

“I can punch, I can knee, I can kick … so I’m better and now I feel like I’m the No. 1 contender,” Prates said after his win. “I can’t wait to see Makhachev and Ian, and then I’m going to fight the winner.”

The victory marked Prates’ third consecutive win, bringing his professional record to 24-7 with 19 knockout victories. The 32-year-old’s dominant showing came at the expense of the 29-year-old Della Maddalena, who suffered his second straight defeat and now holds an 18-4 record with 12 knockout wins.

In the evening’s co-main event, Australian fighter Quillan Salkilld celebrated his own victory, improving his record to 12-1 after stopping lightweight veteran Beneil Dariush with a first-round technical knockout. The 26-year-old Salkilld defeated the 36-year-old Dariush in impressive fashion.

The main card featured several other notable results: flyweight Steve Erceg earned a unanimous decision victory over Tim Elliott, featherweight Marwan Rahiki stopped Ollie Schmid by TKO, heavyweight Brando Pericic knocked out Shamil Gaziev in the second round, and heavyweight Louie Sutherland defeated Tai Tuivasa by unanimous decision.

MIAMI, May 2 – Formula One world champion Lando Norris captured victory in Saturday’s Miami Grand Prix sprint race, delivering McLaren a commanding one-two finish alongside teammate Oscar Piastri as Mercedes experienced their first setback of the season.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc claimed the final podium spot in third place after beginning the race from fourth position.

While Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell initially finished fourth and fifth, the Italian driver was subsequently dropped to sixth after receiving a five-second time penalty for multiple track limits infractions, promoting Russell to fourth place.

The penalty reduced the 19-year-old’s championship advantage over Russell to just seven points, following his victories in the previous two races in China and Japan.

Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen benefited from Antonelli’s demotion, moving up to fifth position, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton placed seventh.

Pierre Gasly from Alpine earned the final championship point in the 100-kilometer race conducted under sweltering and humid weather conditions.

Starting from pole position, Norris crossed the finish line with a comfortable 3.7-second margin over Australian teammate Piastri, maintaining control throughout the race.

“Nice to be back on the top step. A good day for us,” Norris commented after his victory.

“I was pushing, trying to find that balance of pushing and staying relaxed to not make mistakes. A good start to the weekend but now I’ve got to do it all over again.”

Sunday’s main grand prix approaches with weather forecasts predicting rain and potential thunderstorms, with qualifying scheduled for later Saturday evening.

This victory marked Norris’s second sprint triumph at Hard Rock Stadium, repeating his 2025 success at the venue where the British driver earned his maiden F1 victory in 2024. Reid Wiseman, commander of the recent Artemis II Lunar flyby mission, presented the winner’s trophy.

Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad was unable to participate due to technical difficulties, while Nico Hulkenberg’s race ended before it began when his Audi vehicle caught fire en route to the starting grid.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The Vegas Golden Knights have punched their ticket to the second round of the playoffs following their decisive victory over the Utah Mammoth.

The Golden Knights secured the series with three consecutive wins, capping off their run with a commanding 5-1 victory in Game 6 on Friday evening, following back-to-back overtime triumphs. Throughout their first three wins in the series, Vegas demonstrated resilience by rallying from third-period deficits.

Since John Tortorella replaced the dismissed Bruce Cassidy as head coach, the Golden Knights have been on a tear, posting an impressive 7-0-1 record to close out the regular season. This transformation took them from a squad fighting for playoff positioning to capturing their fifth division championship in nine years.

The team’s depth, self-assurance, and veteran leadership proved crucial in executing clutch plays during critical moments as the series unfolded.

Forward Mitch Marner and teammate Brett Howden stepped up when it mattered most with clutch performances. Howden found the net four times throughout the series, while Marner contributed two goals along with five assists.

“When you roll four lines, it doesn’t matter too much about where the faceoff is,” Golden Knights captain Mark Stone said. “You can just kind of put whoever out on the ice. But it’s always a new team every year. You always find out who you are in the first round.”

The Mammoth’s quick-strike ability challenged Vegas to adapt their approach, providing valuable experience for their upcoming second-round matchup against the Anaheim Ducks.

“This is a team that came at you with a lot of speed and skill,” Marner said. “They made us work throughout that neutral zone to really try and slow them down and shut down some of their offense.”

The Golden Knights particularly dominated special teams play, effectively neutralizing Utah’s power-play opportunities. The Mammoth managed just one successful conversion in 16 man-advantage situations throughout the series.

Howden contributed two short-handed goals, including the series-clinching overtime winner in Game 5.

“Johnny Stevens, our coach who runs that, had a really good game plan for them,” Tortorella said. “Blocked some shots. Carter (Hart) made some key saves all through this series. (Utah) gained momentum off of it, but we stayed with it.”

BOSTON — When Rasmus Dahlin joined the Buffalo Sabres as the top draft pick in 2018, he dreamed of bringing playoff hockey back to a passionate fanbase that had waited six long years to see postseason action.

Now, eight seasons into his career, the defenseman has not only helped deliver that return to the playoffs but played a crucial role in the franchise’s first playoff series win in nearly 20 years.

The Sabres’ 4-1 triumph over Boston on Friday evening completed a 4-2 series win, sending Buffalo to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

As the clock wound down to zero, Dahlin paused to absorb the magnitude of the moment.

“It was unreal,” Dahlin commented after contributing one goal and three assists throughout the series. “I like how we attacked this series as a team. A lot of experienced guys. Playing the way we did all series, it’s pretty cool. We have good things ahead. We can learn a lot from this.”

Buffalo will next face either Montreal or Tampa Bay, depending on the outcome of Game 7 after the Lightning forced a decisive match with their 1-0 overtime victory Friday night.

Following a disappointing overtime defeat in Game 5 at home, head coach Lindy Ruff sensed his players’ nerves. The roster lacked playoff experience, with only 10 players having previously participated in an elimination game scenario.

However, Ruff offered his team reassurance with a bold prediction.

“I told them, ‘We’re going to win the game.’ I told them, ‘We’re going to win the series,’” Ruff explained. “We’ve got to do some things better, but we are going to win the game.”

Friday’s victory represented just the second occasion in team history that Buffalo won their opening three road games of a playoff campaign. The franchise previously accomplished this feat in 1983 with victories at Montreal and Boston.

Veteran forward Alex Tuch emphasized that the team has much bigger aspirations beyond this first-round success.

“For me it’s been five long years of waiting for something special to happen. We’re hoping it’s just the start,” Tuch stated. “We’re one round into the playoffs and in our eyes we haven’t done anything yet. … We’re hoping it’s a long road ahead for us. It’s going to be a grind each and every day and we’re going to have to be ready for it.”

Goalie Alex Lyon appeared in five of the six series games, exceeding his playoff experience from the 2022-23 season when Florida reached the Stanley Cup Final against Las Vegas.

Lyon surrendered only five goals total during his series appearances against Boston, establishing a new franchise record for fewest goals allowed by a Sabres goaltender in any five-game playoff stretch.

The netminder views the team’s inexperience as an emerging strength.

“We’re learning every game. That’s kind of what’s bonded us,” Lyon observed. “I find that we’re just learning how to handle different situations and kind of learning on the fly.”

Ruff’s sole disappointment centered on the inability to celebrate this series victory in front of the home crowd.

“Would have really liked this game to be in Buffalo,” Ruff reflected. “It wasn’t. But it would have been special to have this game there.”

HOUSTON (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick thought his team’s season might be over when star players Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both suffered injuries during their April 2 matchup.

Rather than giving up, the Lakers rallied together and overcame the setbacks to defeat the Houston Rockets in a six-game series, earning them a spot against top-ranked Oklahoma City in the Western Conference semifinals.

This marks the first time Los Angeles has reached the second playoff round since 2023, when they fell to Denver in the Western Conference championship.

LeBron James delivered 28 points during Friday night’s Game 6, while the Lakers’ aggressive defensive play limited Houston to their lowest point total of the season in a dominant 98-78 win.

“It speaks to his greatness,” Redick said. “To me, he’s had the greatest career of any NBA player. You can argue all you want and I really don’t care to postulate on who’s the greatest of all time, but he’s one of, if not the greatest of all time.”

“And for him to do it again and answer the bell again, it’s really — it’s baffling in some ways,” Redick continued.

The Lakers jumped ahead 3-0 in the series before dropping two consecutive games, setting up the decisive sixth game in Houston against a Rockets squad that played without Kevin Durant for five of the six contests.

Los Angeles competed throughout the entire series without Doncic, though Reaves made his comeback for the final two games to help secure their advancement.

Their upcoming Thunder series was originally scheduled to begin Sunday, but Game 1 was delayed until Tuesday night after Toronto defeated Cleveland 112-110 in overtime on RJ Barrett’s clutch three-pointer, forcing a seventh game.

“Thanks to Toronto,” James said. “Thank you, RJ Barrett. Appreciate it. Haven’t seen a shot in Toronto like that since Kawhi (Leonard).”

The 41-year-old James welcomed the additional rest days after playing an average of 38.5 minutes per game for his injury-depleted squad during this series.

“Heck yeah,” he said. “I can go on the golf course now. That’s what I’m thinking about.”

James plans to begin studying Oklahoma City by Sunday.

“It’s the defending champion,” he said. “So, it’s a tall task.”

Oklahoma City will enter well-rested after completing their Phoenix sweep on Monday evening.

Redick praised both James and veteran teammate Marcus Smart for providing leadership that kept the team focused following the injuries to Doncic and Reaves, who together averaged over 56 points during the regular season.

“For us to be written off a few weeks ago and to win a playoff series is a big deal,” Redick said. “And it just speaks to the character of our team and the leaders of our team that they didn’t let go of the rope.”

Smart, playing his first year with Los Angeles, expressed pride in how the Lakers battled through adversity to claim the series victory, believing this unity will benefit them moving forward in the playoffs.

“It means everything,” he said. “It shows our resilience and it shows the belief that we have our next man up… and it just shows that no matter how depleted we are, we’re always going to go out there and compete and give it everything we got.”

Following Leeds United’s crucial 3-1 home triumph against Burnley on Friday, manager Daniel Farke is emphasizing that his squad cannot afford to relax during their final three matches of the Premier League season.

The victory elevated Leeds to 43 points, a point total that historically guarantees Premier League survival, as no club has ever been relegated with that many points in the competition’s history.

Despite the improved safety margin, Farke remains focused on maintaining his team’s competitive drive.

“Even if we should be mathematically safe before the last game day, then we would fight for each and every point,” he said. “And we want to finish as strong as possible in order to enjoy also the last game, to give our supporters more to cheer about.”

The manager described the triumph against Burnley, featuring strikes from Anton Stach, Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as a “massive” confidence builder.

“The mentality and the work ethic and the unity and the spirit in the dressing room of these lads is really second to none, and I’m just proud of what they deliver at the moment,” said Farke.

“I said before the game, 12 points to fight for, but now we have the first three under our belt, we also want to win the following nine.”

Stach, the German midfielder, broke the deadlock just eight minutes into the match with a precise long-distance effort, earning special recognition from his manager.

“He always delivers unbelievable workloads in terms of covering distance, delivers top set pieces, delivers goals, he delivers assists,” Farke said of his 27-year-old fellow countryman.

“Top mentality, strong in the duels … I think he plays an outstanding season and he deserves all the praise and is in the spotlight. Definitely one of our key players and one of our best players on this level.”

The families of two pilots who died in a December aircraft accident that also killed former NASCAR star Greg Biffle and his family have initiated legal action this week, filing multimillion-dollar wrongful death claims.

The tragic December 18th incident near Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina took seven lives, including 55-year-old Biffle, his wife Cristina, their two children, family friend Craig Wadsworth, and pilots Dennis Dutton and his son Jack.

Estates representing the Dutton family have each filed claims seeking $15 million in compensation, as reported by ESPN on Friday.

The legal filings contend that Biffle, who owned the aircraft, bore responsibility for maintaining the plane in proper working condition. The claims assert that insufficient maintenance played a role in the fatal accident that happened moments after departure.

A preliminary investigation report released this winter by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that Dennis Dutton was piloting the Cessna 500 Citation II with Jack Dutton serving as copilot.

The NTSB findings indicated that several aircraft instruments malfunctioned during flight, and Dennis Dutton temporarily handed control to his son before the aircraft crashed and caught fire.

Federal investigators determined that both Biffle and Jack Dutton lacked the required certification endorsements on their pilot licenses to legally act as second-in-command for this particular aircraft, which requires two qualified pilots under FAA regulations.

The NTSB continues its investigation into the accident and has yet to issue a final determination.

Biffle enjoyed a distinguished NASCAR career, securing 19 victories at the Cup Series level and earning titles in both the Truck Series in 2000 and the Busch Series in 2002. Beyond racing, he gained recognition for his charitable contributions, including disaster relief work in western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.

The Philadelphia Phillies maintained their perfect record under interim manager Don Mattingly, securing a narrow 6-5 victory over the Miami Marlins on Friday night in a road matchup.

Zack Wheeler delivered six solid innings for Philadelphia, marking just his second appearance since being sidelined for more than eight months due to a blood clot in his shoulder. Wheeler (1-0) surrendered only one run on three hits while walking two batters and recording eight strikeouts.

Bryson Stott powered the Phillies’ offense with a three-run home run, while Edmundo Sosa and Alec Bohm each contributed two hits and drove in one run apiece. The victory improved Philadelphia to a flawless 4-0 record since Mattingly took over as interim manager.

Miami’s starting pitcher Eury Perez (2-3) was tagged for two runs on four hits across five innings of work. Otto Lopez led the Marlins’ offensive effort with three hits and two RBIs.

Brewers 6, Nationals 1

Jacob Misiorowski carried a no-hitter deep into the sixth inning before exiting with a cramp, while William Contreras collected four hits as Milwaukee dominated Washington on the road.

Misiorowski departed after developing a right hamstring cramp while facing James Wood with one out in the sixth frame. Aaron Ashby entered and preserved the no-hit attempt until the seventh, when Daylen Lile broke it up with a one-out bloop double.

Misiorowski (2-2) struck out eight batters in his commanding performance, helping Milwaukee complete a combined two-hitter. Washington’s Jake Irvin (1-4) surrendered four runs, three of them earned, over five innings.

Blue Jays 7, Twins 3

Kazuma Okamoto launched two home runs and recorded three RBIs as Toronto pulled away from Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Yohendrick Pinango went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Blue Jays, while Lenyn Sosa matched that hit total with a double included. Patrick Corbin (1-0) permitted two runs on six hits across 5 1/3 innings.

Minnesota starter Simeon Woods Richardson (0-5) surrendered six runs, four earned, on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. Byron Buxton finished 2-for-4 with a two-run homer for the Twins.

Mets 4, Angels 3

Ronny Mauricio delivered a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning as New York completed its largest comeback of the season to defeat Los Angeles in Anaheim.

The Mets overcame a 3-0 deficit to win just their fourth game in the last 21 contests. Five New York pitchers, including reliever Huascar Brazoban (2-0) and closer Devin Williams (third save), combined to retire the final 21 batters they faced.

Jorge Soler connected on a two-run homer for the Angels, who dropped their 11th game in 12 tries. Jose Fermin (0-1) allowed one run in his only inning of work.

Rangers 5, Tigers 4

Alejandro Osuna drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning double as visiting Texas opened a three-game series with a victory over Detroit.

Danny Jansen belted a solo home run and Josh Jung recorded two hits with two RBIs for the Rangers, who took the lead on consecutive doubles by Jake Burger and Osuna in the eighth against Burch Smith (0-1). Tyler Alexander (1-0), one of five Texas relievers, threw a scoreless seventh inning. Jacob Latz earned his third save with a clean ninth.

Riley Greene collected two hits and an RBI for the Tigers, who have dropped three of their last four games. Wenceel Perez added a two-run single. Detroit starter Jack Flaherty gave up four runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Cubs 6, Diamondbacks 5

Michael Busch recorded two hits, including a two-run single, as Chicago utilized two three-run frames to fend off visiting Arizona.

Busch sparked a three-run first inning with a bases-loaded single, and the Cubs tacked on three more runs in the fourth against Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen (1-2) for their third victory in four games and ninth consecutive home win.

Arizona second baseman Ildemaro Vargas achieved a career-high four hits, boosting his batting average to a major-league-leading .404 and extending his season-opening hitting streak to 24 games.

Red Sox 3, Astros 1

Jarren Duran connected on a three-run homer and Jake Bennett excelled in his major league debut to lead Boston past visiting Houston.

Bennett (1-0) gave up one run on five hits across five innings, while the Red Sox bullpen contributed four scoreless frames from four relievers. Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth for his sixth save.

Carlos Correa tallied three hits, including a home run, while Isaac Paredes and Yainer Diaz each collected two hits for the Astros. Houston starter Mike Burrows (1-4) allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings.

Rays 3, Giants 0

Shane McClanahan posted his second consecutive scoreless outing, while Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero homered as Tampa Bay began a six-game homestand with a victory over struggling San Francisco.

McClanahan (3-2) scattered five hits over six innings. Diaz launched a solo home run in the second inning and Caminero added a towering solo shot in the fourth. Taylor Walls went 2-for-3 with a double, run and stolen base.

Giants starter Robbie Ray (2-4) limited Tampa Bay to just four hits in 6 1/3 innings, but three runs crossed the plate. Luis Arraez doubled for the team’s only extra-base hit as San Francisco suffered its fourth straight loss and was blanked for a major-league-high seventh time.

Yankees 7, Orioles 2

Ben Rice launched a three-run homer in the second inning as host New York defeated Baltimore.

Jose Caballero also went deep and Cody Bellinger contributed an RBI double as the Yankees captured their 11th victory in 13 games. Will Warren (4-0) permitted two runs, one earned, on three hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Former Mets star Pete Alonso hit a tying homer in his first at-bat in New York since joining the Orioles during the offseason. Cade Povich (1-1) was charged with five runs on seven hits in four innings.

Pirates 9, Reds 1

Bryan Reynolds extended his success against Cincinnati pitching with a tape-measure homer and an RBI triple, supporting seven strong innings from Mitch Keller as host Pittsburgh routed Cincinnati.

Henry Davis broke out with two home runs and three runs scored, Marcell Ozuna contributed a two-run shot and Nick Gonzales went 3-for-4 for the Pirates, who ended a five-game losing streak. Keller (3-1) permitted only three hits and one run in seven innings.

The Reds managed just three hits, with TJ Friedl collecting two of them. Brady Singer (2-2) was battered for four runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings.

White Sox 8, Padres 2

Munetaka Murakami crushed his big-league-leading 13th homer and rookie starter Noah Schultz held San Diego to two hits in six shutout innings as visiting Chicago dominated the Padres.

Murakami capped a six-run second-inning explosion against German Marquez, driving a hanging knuckle-curve an estimated 413 feet. That three-run blast essentially decided the contest as Schultz (2-1) overcame early control problems.

Marquez (3-2) saw his three-game winning streak end after allowing seven runs on five hits and five walks over five innings. Fernando Tatis Jr. managed three hits in the Padres’ third straight defeat.

Cardinals 7, Dodgers 2

Nolan Gorman and Alec Burleson homered, Jordan Walker collected four hits and host St. Louis stretched its winning streak to five games by beating Los Angeles.

Matthew Liberatore (1-1) allowed two runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. George Soriano, Gordon Graceffo and Matt Svanson kept Los Angeles scoreless the remainder of the game.

Emmet Sheehan (2-1) surrendered four runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings as the Dodgers dropped their third consecutive contest.

Royals 7, Mariners 6

Pinch hitter Lane Thomas delivered a run-scoring single with one out in the eighth inning to break a tie as Kansas City defeated host Seattle, overcoming two two-run homers by Julio Rodriguez.

Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone connected for the Royals, who won just their fourth road game in 16 tries this season. Connor Joe and Randy Arozarena also homered for Seattle, which had captured six of its previous seven games.

Royals reliever Daniel Lynch IV (1-0) gave up two runs in his only inning. Lucas Erceg worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save.

Braves 8, Rockies 6

Michael Harris II blasted a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the ninth inning as Atlanta rallied from six runs down to defeat Colorado in Denver.

Matt Olson also homered, while Austin Riley, Mauricio Dubon and Ronald Acuna each recorded two hits. Didier Fuentes (1-0) earned the victory in relief for the Braves, who won their fourth game in the last five.

Mickey Moniak homered among his two hits and Troy Johnston also collected two hits for the Rockies, who have dropped three of their last four games.

Guardians 8, A’s 5

Rhys Hoskins homered, doubled and drove in three runs while Chase DeLauter went 4-for-4 with two RBIs, leading Cleveland past the Athletics in West Sacramento.

Steven Kwan had two hits and a walk while making a spectacular catch that prevented three runs for the Guardians. Cade Smith retired the final four batters for his eighth save.

Brent Rooker went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs for the Athletics. Nick Kurtz finished 0-for-4 but drew a walk in the seventh to reach base for the 26th consecutive game. He has walked in 20 straight games, tied for the majors’ second-longest streak ever.

Kansas City secured a thrilling 7-6 victory over Seattle Friday night when substitute batter Lane Thomas drove in the decisive run with a single during the eighth inning, capping off a home run-heavy battle between the two clubs.

The Royals overcame two powerful two-run blasts from Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez to claim their fourth road win in 16 attempts this season and snap a brief two-game losing streak by taking the series opener.

Home runs flew throughout the contest, with Kansas City getting long balls from Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone, while Seattle answered with solo shots from Connor Joe and Randy Arozarena in addition to Rodriguez’s pair of two-run homers.

Kansas City reliever Daniel Lynch IV earned the win despite surrendering two runs in his single inning of work, while closer Lucas Erceg secured his eighth save by retiring Seattle in order during the ninth.

The game-winning rally began when Salvador Perez opened the eighth with a double down the left field line, his second two-bagger of the evening. After advancing to third base on Carter Jensen’s ground out, Perez crossed home plate when Thomas lofted a single into right-center field off Seattle reliever Jose A. Ferrer, who took the loss.

Kansas City jumped ahead early as Maikel Garcia, Bobby Witt Jr. and Pasquantino each collected singles to start the game, with Pasquantino’s hit plating the first run. Perez then drove a two-run double to right field for a 3-0 lead, and Isaac Collins added another run with a two-out double that deflected off third baseman Leo Rivas’ glove.

Seattle responded immediately in the bottom of the first when J.P. Crawford walked to lead off and Rodriguez launched a two-run homer deep into the left field upper deck to cut the deficit in half.

The Mariners crept closer in the fifth inning when Joe connected on a leadoff home run to left field, making it 4-3.

Kansas City extended their advantage in the sixth as Pasquantino led off with a liner that struck the right field upper deck facade. Two batters later, Caglianone barely cleared the right field corner fence with a towering drive to push the Royals ahead 6-3.

Arozarena answered with a one-out solo homer to right field in the bottom of the sixth to bring Seattle within two runs.

The Mariners completed their comeback in the seventh when Crawford singled and Rodriguez blasted a two-out homer to straightaway center field, evening the score at 6-6.

Both starting pitchers had difficulty containing the opposing offenses throughout the evening.

Kansas City southpaw Cole Ragans lasted 5 1/3 innings, surrendering four runs on four hits while allowing three home runs. He issued three walks and recorded eight strikeouts.

Seattle right-hander Bryan Woo encountered early trouble by giving up four runs in the opening frame, then found his rhythm by retiring 13 straight batters before yielding the two solo homers in the sixth. Woo completed six innings, allowing six runs on seven hits without issuing a walk while striking out two.

Tampa Bay forward Gage Goncalves found the back of the net during overtime Friday night, delivering a crucial 1-0 road victory against Montreal and setting up a winner-take-all Game 7 showdown in their Stanley Cup playoff matchup.

The series finale will take place Sunday at Tampa Bay’s home arena, with both clubs vying to advance to face Buffalo in the second round.

Friday’s dramatic contest reached its conclusion when Goncalves capitalized on a chaotic net-front sequence, burying a rebound 9:03 into the extra period for his first overtime playoff goal.

The game-winner came moments after Tampa Bay successfully defended a Montreal man-advantage opportunity.

“I liked how we stayed even-keeled the whole game,” Goncalves told Sportsnet. “Some calls there. Some calls (were) not (made). A bunch of chances for them and for us throughout the night, but we stayed even-keeled and didn’t let it get to us.”

Tampa Bay netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy bounced back from earlier series struggles with a stellar 30-save shutout performance, recording his eighth career playoff clean sheet.

“I’ve watched him the past few years and you think you’ve seen the best of it and then he does something like this,” Goncalves said of his netminder. “We’re pretty happy for him to be on our team.”

Montreal’s Jakub Dobes matched his counterpart’s excellence, turning aside 32 shots in an outstanding goaltending battle.

The entire series has featured razor-thin margins, with each contest settled by a single goal. Both teams have captured two overtime victories apiece.

Montreal head coach Martin St. Louis expressed optimism about the decisive seventh game ahead.

“Tons of confidence. We’re a confident group,” St. Louis said about going to Game 7. “We believe in what we do and how we do it. … That was probably the best game I’ve seen this young group play.”

“You’ve just got to embrace the situation. Things are meant to be. I think it was meant to be for our growth to play a Game 7. It’s going to help for what’s next for us.”

Despite the low-scoring affair, both teams created numerous high-quality scoring opportunities throughout the evening.

Tampa Bay nearly broke through early in the middle frame when Corey Perry’s shot squeezed between Dobes’ pads, only to have Phillip Danault sweep the puck away from the goal line.

Later in the second period, Vasilevskiy denied Ivan Demidov twice with spectacular saves during a Montreal power play, leaving the forward staring at the ceiling in disbelief. Danault also came close on a partial breakaway as time expired in the period.

Alexandre Texier, who provided the Game 5 winner, struck the goalpost early in the final frame, while Jake Guentzel was denied on a breakaway chance at the opposite end.

During Tampa Bay’s subsequent power play, both Nikita Kucherov and Guentzel hit the iron with their attempts.

Dobes continued his outstanding play during another Lightning man-advantage later in the third period, highlighted by a crucial save on Brayden Point.

Buffalo secured their spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals Friday night with a decisive 4-1 victory against Boston in Game 6, marking the Sabres’ first playoff series victory in nearly two decades.

The Sabres took control early, with Alex Tuch and Mattias Samuelsson finding the net during the first period to establish a commanding 2-0 advantage. Buffalo maintained their lead throughout the contest, adding third-period goals from Zach Benson and Josh Norris to seal the victory.

This marks Buffalo’s first advancement to the conference semifinals since 2007, ending a lengthy postseason drought. The Sabres dominated their road games in the series, capturing all three contests played at Boston’s home venue.

Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin contributed significantly to the offensive effort, each recording two assists in the victory. Goaltender Alex Lyon was solid between the pipes, turning away 25 shots to help secure the series-clinching win.

For Boston, David Pastrnak managed the team’s only goal, while Jeremy Swayman made 22 saves in the losing effort.

In other playoff action, Vegas eliminated Utah 5-1 in Game 6, with Mitch Marner leading the way with two goals and an assist. The Golden Knights will face Anaheim in the Western Conference semifinals.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay kept their season alive with a 1-0 overtime victory over Montreal, forcing a decisive Game 7. Gage Goncalves netted the game-winner at 9:03 of overtime, while Andrei Vasilevskiy made 30 saves for his eighth career playoff shutout.

The Los Angeles Lakers put an end to Houston’s playoff run on Friday night, defeating the Rockets 98-78 in Game 6 to capture their Western Conference first-round series with a 4-2 victory.

LeBron James dominated the opening half, netting 18 of his game-high 28 points as Los Angeles built a commanding early advantage on the road. The veteran superstar also contributed seven rebounds and eight assists in the decisive win.

With the series victory secured, the Lakers will now advance to the Western Conference semifinals where they’ll face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. Game 1 of that matchup is scheduled for Tuesday in Oklahoma City.

Rui Hachimura provided crucial support for Los Angeles, contributing 21 points while connecting on an impressive 5-of-7 attempts from beyond the three-point line. Austin Reaves, making his first start of the series, chipped in 15 points for the Lakers.

Los Angeles cleaned up a major weakness that had plagued them throughout the series, turning the ball over just 11 times while holding Houston to a poor 35% shooting performance. The Rockets struggled mightily from long range, making only 5 of 28 three-point attempts for a dismal 17.9% success rate.

Alperen Sengun led Houston’s effort with 17 points and 11 rebounds, but the Rockets played their fifth game of the series without top scorer Kevin Durant.

In other playoff action, RJ Barrett delivered a clutch three-pointer with 1.2 seconds remaining in overtime to lift Toronto over Cleveland 112-110, forcing a decisive Game 7. Barrett’s shot bounced high off the rim before dropping through the net. Scottie Barnes recorded 25 points and 14 assists for the Raptors, while Barrett and Ja’Kobe Walter each added 24 points.

Cleveland got 26 points and 14 rebounds from Evan Mobley, with Donovan Mitchell contributing 24 points. James Harden nearly recorded a triple-double with 16 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. The deciding game will take place Sunday in Cleveland.

Meanwhile, Detroit staged a remarkable comeback from a 24-point deficit to shock Orlando 93-79 and force Game 7 of their Eastern Conference series. Cade Cunningham paced the Pistons with 32 points as Detroit outscored the Magic 55-19 in the second half.

The top-seeded Pistons opened the final quarter with an 18-1 surge to take control after trailing by 22 points at halftime. Orlando endured a brutal cold streak, missing 23 straight field goal attempts over a 15-minute span in the second half. Desmond Bane and Paolo Banchero each scored 17 points for the Magic, who managed just 12 points in the first 19 minutes of the second half.

Italian tennis sensation Jannik Sinner attributes the rush of adrenaline from high-pressure competitions to his ability to overcome exhaustion as he secured his first-ever appearance in the Madrid Open championship match.

The 24-year-old athlete has maintained an intense competitive calendar during the previous two months, advancing to late stages across multiple tournaments as the professional circuit transitioned from hard court surfaces to clay court play, capturing championships at Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo.

“I’ve played a lot in the last one and a half months, going very deep in tournaments,” Sinner explained to media following his 6-2 6-4 victory against Arthur Fils during Friday’s Madrid semi-final competition.

“It’s a good sign, of course, and at the same time you tend to get a little bit more tired.

“I think and I believe, when I play big matches, semi-finals, quarter-finals, finals, there’s also a little bit of adrenaline that pushes me.”

A championship win against Alexander Zverev in Madrid this Sunday would secure Sinner’s fifth consecutive Masters 1000 tournament victory dating back to Paris last year and would highlight his impressive performance during the clay court season, with Roland Garros scheduled to begin May 24.

Given that current French Open titleholder Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn due to a wrist injury, the world’s top-ranked player Sinner enters as the primary favorite in Paris, where he could achieve the career Grand Slam after previously winning the Australian Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon championships.

Currently, though, Sinner’s attention stays centered on Madrid and the upcoming Italian Open in Rome next week.

“I’m of course very happy to play my first final here. It means a lot to me … whatever (happens) on Sunday, it has been a great tournament,” Sinner stated.

“In between here and Rome I’ll try to recover again as much and then we’ll see.”

Professional soccer players and league officials have struck a tentative labor deal that promises stability for the United Soccer League through the end of the decade.

The United Soccer League and USL Players Association announced they’ve reached a collective bargaining agreement covering the next four years, with the possibility of extending through 2031 based on health insurance negotiations.

Both sides described the agreement as “a significant step forward for the league and its players, reflecting a shared commitment to the continued growth of the game and the advancement of professional standards” in their joint announcement.

Under the new contract terms, players in the USL Championship division will see their base pay jump to $42,000 annually, marking an $11,000 boost from current levels. Rookie contracts in that division will start at $34,000, representing an $8,000 increase.

The league also plans to launch USL Premier in 2028, a new top-tier division designed to rival Major League Soccer. Players in that division will earn a minimum of $67,500, while entry-level contracts will begin at $50,000.

The agreement still requires ratification but represents a major milestone for professional soccer’s lower divisions.

MIAMI – Formula One champion Lando Norris secured the top starting position for Saturday’s Miami Grand Prix sprint race, with Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli claiming second place and preventing McLaren from sweeping the front row.

Norris recorded the fastest lap around Hard Rock Stadium with a time of one minute and 27.869 seconds, finishing 0.222 seconds ahead of Antonelli, who had claimed sprint pole position as a teenager last season.

McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri from Australia will start in third position, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc joining him on the second row for Saturday’s sprint event.

The full Miami Grand Prix, which serves as the season’s fourth round, takes place on Sunday.

“A perfect result for us. A nice way to reward the team,” Norris commented after qualifying, having won last year’s sprint race and placed second to Piastri in the main event.

“We have a lot of new upgrades on the car. It’s nice to feel some grip again and to reward the guys and the girls that have put a lot of work into this,” he continued.

“I’ve always loved Miami on and off the track. It’s the beginning of the weekend, so still a long way to go but nice to tick things off by doing this.”

McLaren has claimed victory in the previous two Miami Grand Prix races. The event is now in its fifth year, and Mercedes – despite winning the first three races of this season – has never triumphed in Miami.

Norris becomes the first driver this season to prevent Mercedes from claiming any type of pole position, demonstrating that the team’s significant car upgrades have improved performance and provided better track grip.

Sunday’s race marks the first U.S. event of the year and the first since new engine regulations were modified to enable more aggressive qualifying sessions and enhance safety measures.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen from Red Bull will start fifth in the 100-kilometer sprint race, which awards eight points to the winner.

Mercedes driver George Russell, currently second in the championship standings but trailing Antonelli by nine points, qualified sixth. He finished ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Alpine’s Franco Colapinto at a circuit known for providing more overtaking opportunities than most tracks.

“Pretty surprising how big a jump McLaren and Ferrari made. That’s pretty damn impressive,” Russell observed, having won the season opener in Australia.

“From my side, I’ve been struggling. Miami is not a track I love, especially in those hotter conditions but it’s only Sprint Qualifying, so let’s see what tomorrow brings.”

Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly rounded out the top ten starting positions.

Aston Martin’s challenging season persisted as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finished at the back of the field, once again trailing behind the newcomer Cadillac team.

MIAMI – Four-time Formula One champion Max Verstappen expressed renewed optimism about his Red Bull team’s performance following Friday’s qualifying session at the Miami Grand Prix, where he secured fifth position for Saturday’s sprint race.

The Dutch racing star, who has claimed victory twice at the Miami circuit, indicated his team has made substantial progress in narrowing the performance deficit to their competitors this season.

Verstappen has struggled with Formula One’s current regulatory framework and has even questioned his long-term commitment to the sport. Through three races and one sprint event this season, his highest finish has been sixth place.

“It feels a bit more normal, a bit more together,” Verstappen commented about his team’s upgraded vehicle before the first race weekend in over a month.

“There are still, of course, things we are working on, but it’s been a really positive step for us. The last few races, we were like over a second behind. I would say we have almost halved that gap now, so that’s very positive.”

During Friday’s qualifying session, Verstappen’s fastest lap was 0.592 seconds behind McLaren’s Lando Norris, who secured pole position. Norris captured the championship title from Verstappen last season.

Verstappen’s French teammate Isack Hadjar will start ninth, finishing 1.553 seconds off the pole time.

University of Minnesota’s starting quarterback Drake Lindsey found himself in legal trouble Friday after being taken into custody on charges involving fraudulent identification and underage alcohol possession.

The incident occurred in Arkansas, Lindsey’s home state, when Fayetteville law enforcement officers responded to a local establishment’s report of suspected fake identification use.

According to preliminary police documentation, the 20-year-old athlete confessed to possessing the fraudulent ID and acknowledged consuming alcohol prior to arriving at the establishment.

Lindsey remained in custody at the Washington County Detention Center for approximately seven hours before securing release on $470 bond, detention records show. Court appearances are scheduled for June 1 and June 29 in district court.

When contacted by ESPN, a University of Minnesota representative stated the institution is “aware of the situation and will address it internally.”

During his freshman campaign last season, Lindsey served as the Golden Gophers’ primary signal-caller and established a new program milestone with eight victories as a first-year quarterback. His statistical performance included 2,382 passing yards, 18 touchdown passes, six interceptions, and a 63.2% completion percentage.

ORLANDO, Fla. — When Orlando’s Paolo Banchero was asked to describe his team’s second-half meltdown against Detroit on Friday night, the forward kept his explanation brief.

“They went on a pretty big run there,” Banchero explained. “And we didn’t score.”

That simple assessment captured the essence of what became one of the most remarkable playoff turnarounds in recent memory.

Detroit, staring down elimination while trailing by 24 points on the road, mounted an extraordinary rally to defeat Orlando 93-79 in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference opening round matchup. The victory prevented the Pistons from becoming another top seed eliminated by an eighth-seeded opponent.

“We weren’t going to lay down,” declared Pistons guard Cade Cunningham. “For anything.”

The numbers behind this dramatic reversal tell the complete story:

Through the game’s first 25 minutes, Orlando dominated 62-38. However, Detroit completely flipped the script over the final 23 minutes, outscoring the Magic 55-17.

The fourth quarter proved devastating for Orlando, as Detroit outpaced them 31-8 during those crucial 12 minutes.

Orlando’s shooting completely disappeared in the final period, connecting on just one of 20 attempts for a dismal 5% success rate. This marked the poorest shooting performance by any NBA team in any quarter since Washington managed the same percentage against Charlotte on November 25, 2015 — representing the worst such display across the league’s previous 20,238 games.

The Magic’s shooting woes reached historic proportions as they missed 23 consecutive field goal attempts, setting a new record for the longest such streak in any playoff contest during the play-by-play tracking era that began in 1996-97.

Key Orlando players struggled mightily during the drought. Both Banchero and Desmond Bane failed to connect on all six of their attempts, while Jalen Suggs went scoreless on four shots. Eight different Magic players contributed to the missed shot parade, with 13 of those 23 misses coming from beyond the three-point arc.

When Orlando’s shooting struggles began, they held a comfortable 70-54 advantage. By the time they finally made another basket, Detroit had surged ahead 89-75, completing a devastating 35-5 run that lasted 13 minutes and 50 seconds of game time.

Cunningham led Detroit’s second-half surge with seven field goals, while Duncan Robinson contributed four baskets during that span. Remarkably, Cunningham alone outscored the entire Magic roster 24-19 in the second half, while Orlando managed just four team baskets over those final two quarters.

“I mean, we just have amazing spirit and never quit,” said Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “This is a testament to what we’ve built.”

Detroit’s shooting wasn’t spectacular in the comeback, as they connected on 40% of their second-half attempts. However, their defensive intensity and rebounding dominance — they grabbed 35 rebounds compared to Orlando’s 17 in the second half — proved decisive.

Looking ahead to the series-deciding seventh game, Cunningham emphasized the significance of extending their season.

“It keeps us alive. It allows us to fight another day. And now it’s about us going and finishing the job. None of this stuff means anything if we don’t go win Game 7. But we’ll be back at home, we’ll have a lot of energy in there, and these last two games have given us a lot of life,” Cunningham said.

The National Basketball Association issued financial penalties Friday to two players who engaged in an on-court confrontation during Thursday evening’s playoff matchup.

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson received a $50,000 penalty, while Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels was hit with a $25,000 fine. According to NBA head of basketball operations James Jones, Robinson’s penalty amount was elevated due to “an inappropriate post on social media in reference to the incident postgame.”

The confrontation occurred during the second quarter of New York’s dominant 140-89 victory in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series in Atlanta. The incident began when Robinson and Daniels became entangled while competing for a rebound. According to the league’s official statement, “Both players escalated the altercation with Robinson continuing to aggressively pursue Daniels after the players had been separated.”

The situation intensified when additional players entered the fray, apparently attempting to separate the two primary participants. During the commotion, an official was knocked to the ground.

Both Robinson and Daniels received technical fouls and were removed from the contest.

With the series-clinching victory, the Knicks have advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they will face either the Boston Celtics or Philadelphia 76ers. Those two teams are scheduled to play their decisive Game 7 in Boston on Saturday.

A promising no-hit bid came to an abrupt end when Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski was forced to exit with an injury during the sixth inning against Washington on Tuesday night.

Misiorowski had been cruising through his outing, holding the Nationals hitless for 5⅓ innings before the injury occurred. The moment came after he delivered a 98.9-mph fastball for a strike to James Wood with one out in the sixth. The right-handed pitcher then signaled toward Milwaukee’s dugout, prompting manager Pat Murphy and trainer Brad Epstein to visit the mound and remove him from the contest.

Up to that point, Misiorowski had been masterful on the mound, recording eight strikeouts while issuing just two walks. His control was particularly sharp late in his appearance, as he set down 12 consecutive batters, finishing off the final four via strikeout.

Relief pitcher Aaron Ashby entered the game with Milwaukee holding a 4-0 advantage and successfully preserved the combined no-hit effort through six complete innings. Ashby struck out Wood and induced a ground out from Luis Garcia Jr. to maintain the streak before the Nationals eventually broke through with a hit.

The St. Louis Blues announced Friday they have secured forward Dylan Holloway with a five-year contract extension valued at $38.75 million.

The deal keeps the 24-year-old player with the franchise through the 2030-31 season, with the new contract taking effect for the upcoming campaign. Holloway will celebrate his 25th birthday in September.

During the most recent season, Holloway emerged as a key offensive contributor for St. Louis, finishing as the team’s runner-up in both total points with 51 and goals scored with 22 across 59 contests.

Since joining the Blues as a free agent following the 2023-24 campaign, Holloway has compiled impressive statistics with 48 goals and 114 total points over 136 games played.

The forward’s professional journey began when Edmonton selected him in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft. During his time with the Oilers, Holloway appeared in 89 regular season contests across two years, recording nine goals and 18 total points.

Holloway’s breakout performance came during Edmonton’s 2023-24 playoff run, where he netted five goals across 25 postseason games as the Oilers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Florida Panthers. Following that playoff appearance, he departed Edmonton to sign with St. Louis.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Salisbury University’s track and field athletes delivered outstanding performances during the opening day of the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) Outdoor Championships held at the University of Mary Washington’s Battleground Athletic Complex.

The Sea Gulls demonstrated exceptional talent throughout the competition, earning numerous All-Conference recognitions while several athletes achieved personal record performances.

Both the men’s and women’s track and field teams from Salisbury University participated in the championship event, showcasing their skills against other conference competitors in various field and running events.

The Houston Texans have locked up one of their defensive stars for the long haul, announcing a three-year contract extension with Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair that will keep him in Houston through the 2029 season.

While the organization did not disclose financial details when making the announcement Friday, reports indicate the extension is valued at $54 million.

“Truthfully, I just wanted to be authentically myself and I always felt like if I got the opportunity to be at a place and show everybody who I was, then things would go well for the team and myself,” he said. “I’m grateful for that.”

The contract extension follows another major deal for Houston, as defensive end Will Anderson recently inked a three-year, $150 million extension that established him as the NFL’s highest-paid non-quarterback.

Al-Shaair has been a key contributor for Houston over the past two seasons, participating in 27 games while recording 173 tackles, eight tackles for losses, two sacks, 13 passes defensed, two interceptions and three forced fumbles.

His breakout campaign last year earned him his inaugural Pro Bowl selection after starting 16 games for a Houston defense that ranked first in the league by surrendering just 277.2 yards per game while allowing the second-fewest points at 17.4 per contest during the regular season.

The linebacker arrived in Houston following a stint with the Tennessee Titans in 2023. Originally entering the league as an undrafted free agent, Al-Shaair spent his initial four NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, where he compiled 199 tackles and 11 tackles for losses across 56 games.

Beyond his on-field contributions, Al-Shaair earned recognition for his community involvement last season when he received Houston’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. He actively supports various charitable organizations focused on helping homeless youth, drawing from his own childhood experience with homelessness after his family lost their home in a fire.

During Friday’s announcement, Al-Shaair reflected on a promise he made to his mother as a child, when she was reluctant to let him play football due to injury concerns.

“We were staying in a motel at the time, (and I said) ‘I promise you, if you let me play football I’m going to make it to the NFL, I’ll take care of our family one day,’” he said. “I had no clue if I was ever actually going to be able to do it or not. I never saw it done. … So, to sit here years and years later, to be actually living that out, is absolutely amazing.”

Cameron Young has established a commanding five-stroke lead at the midway point of the Cadillac Championship after firing a 67 on Friday’s second round at Trump National Doral near Miami.

Young’s stellar performance pushed him to 13-under par through 36 holes. Meanwhile, Alex Smalley stumbled with a second-round 71, finding the water hazard on the 18th hole for a bogey that left him tied at 8-under alongside Canada’s Nick Taylor (70) and Jordan Spieth (71).

The strong showing puts Young in position for a potential Florida sweep, coming just six weeks after he claimed The Players Championship, the most significant victory of his professional career. The tournament marks the PGA Tour’s return to Trump National Doral’s legendary “Blue Monster” course for the first time since 2016, as part of the tour’s new $20 million signature event format with no cut.

Spieth managed to stay in the hunt despite a lackluster performance through most of his round. The former major champion was 1-over through 15 holes before rescuing his day with birdies on the 16th and 18th holes. Spieth is still searching for his first victory since claiming the 2022 RBC Heritage.

Gary Woodland holds down fifth place by himself at 7-under after shooting 69 on Friday.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler improved his position with a 67 to move into a six-way tie for sixth at 6-under. Joining him in that group are South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (68), Canada’s Taylor Pendrith (67), Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan (68), Brian Harman (70), and England’s Alex Fitzpatrick, who posted one of Friday’s best scores with a 66.

Alex Fitzpatrick, younger brother of World No. 3 Matt Fitzpatrick, recently earned full PGA Tour membership status after the siblings captured the team title at last Sunday’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Just fourteen days removed from capturing his inaugural PGA Tour Champions major championship, Stewart Cink finds himself perfectly positioned to secure a second major victory.

The 52-year-old golfer posted a seven-under-par 65 during Friday’s second round at Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama, establishing a two-stroke advantage over Charlie Wi at the midway point of the 72-hole Regions Tradition tournament.

At 14-under 130 for the tournament, Cink holds a three-shot margin over South Africa’s Retief Goosen, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, and Alex Cejka from Czechia, while sitting five strokes ahead of New Zealand’s Steven Alker.

Cink duplicated his first-round scoring pattern, recording eight birdies against a single bogey for the consecutive day.

“I made a long putt on 17,” Cink explained. “Had a couple two-putt birdies, a couple pretty simple up-and-downs. It was really nothing for the history books, it was just some good play. The golf course is really receiving the ball really well. You know, the greens are soft, but they’re not spinning back that much so it’s really, it’s very scorable out there.”

Having been raised in Florence, Alabama, approximately 120 miles northwest of Birmingham, Cink expects increased gallery support throughout the weekend due to his proximity to home.

“And it has nothing to do with being on top of the leaderboard,” Cink noted. “They were already coming, so I’m glad they’re going to be here. I’m going to have some of my north and central Alabaman friends and family here the rest of the weekend, so that will be great to see them and hopefully give them something to cheer about.”

Goosen matched Cink and Ken Tanigawa as the only competitors in the 77-player field to post a 65 on Friday, though the South African remained critical of his round.

“If you can drive it well on this course, you’re going to have a lot of short irons in,” Goosen commented. “The greens at the moment are just perfect, but today I missed a lot of fairways in — a couple of really wild ones. Going to go hit a few now and try and see if I can smooth it out.”

Wi produced an outstanding beginning en route to his second straight 66. Starting on the back nine, the 54-year-old opened with five straight birdies, something he believes represents a career first.

“I’ve been hitting my irons really well,” Wi said. “I’ve been hitting them pretty close, so I (gave) myself a lot of opportunities, and I was able to make a couple putts.”

The world’s top-ranked women’s golfer Nelly Korda finds herself tied for the lead heading into the weekend at the Riviera May Open at Mayakoba, sharing the 36-hole lead with 345th-ranked Brianna Do after Friday’s action in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Coming off her recent major championship victory at the Chevron Championship and return to the number one ranking, Korda fired a 5-under 67 during Friday’s second round at El Camaleon Golf Course, bringing her total to 9-under 135.

Do, who entered the day sharing the first-round lead with Melanie Green, posted a 69 on Friday to match Korda’s total. The veteran golfer held a commanding position at 10-under through most of her back nine, but stumbled with her only mistake of the day – a bogey on the par-4 ninth hole that dropped her back into a tie.

Green finished Friday’s round with a 70, placing her alone in third position at 8-under, while Japan’s Minami Katsu sits fourth at 7-under after shooting 68.

Korda’s round featured five birdies – three on the front nine and two more on the back – with no bogeys to mar her scorecard. She found 16 of 18 greens in regulation despite hitting only half of the fairways.

“Overall just a solid day. You know, didn’t make any mistakes really. If I did, I bounced back really well,” Korda said.

The 27-year-old has been in exceptional form recently, recording two wins and three runner-up finishes in her five tournaments prior to this week.

Do presents a stark contrast to her co-leader. The 36-year-old veteran has spent over a decade grinding on the professional tour since turning pro in 2013, with just one top-10 finish to her credit – which came at this same tournament last year.

Currently ranked 345th globally, Do said she drew confidence from her opening-round 66, starting Friday strong with birdies on the 10th and 11th holes.

“I put myself in that position last year here and so I think I’m going to be a little more prepared for it this year,” Do said of being in contention. “I don’t think you’re ever very comfortable being in contention and leading, and so I’m going accept it and kind of just play within myself and feel the feels and kind of see what happens. Just accept what happens.”

China’s Yu Liu recorded the day’s best score with a 66 that included an eagle on the par-5 18th hole, moving her to 6-under and into a tie for fifth alongside Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, who shot 71.

Four players are knotted at 5-under in a tie for seventh place: Germany’s Olivia Cowan (68), Paraguay’s Sofia Garcia (69), Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol (69), and Mexico’s Gaby Lopez (71).

Lopez, who failed to make the cut when this tournament debuted last year, expressed gratitude for competing in her homeland while paired with Korda.

“It’s been really, really fun to play in Mexico, play with Nelly,” Lopez said. “Today wasn’t exactly my day. I didn’t hit it as good off the tee. Got myself a little bit in trouble.

“But very happy how I’m hitting my irons. The putts are just patiently hoping to drop. Yeah, very happy with how I’m feeling inside the golf course.”

BOSTON — An aircraft carrying a protest message spent more than an hour flying above Boston’s iconic baseball stadium on Friday, displaying frustration with the struggling Red Sox organization as players prepared for their game against Houston.

The aircraft pulled a large banner featuring bold red text that read: “FIRE CRAIG! SELL THE TEAM!”

The aerial demonstration targeted Craig Breslow, the team’s chief baseball officer, and principal owner John Henry as the Red Sox continue their disappointing season.

Boston entered Friday’s matchup with the Astros sitting at the bottom of the American League East division with a troubling 12-19 record.

The organization made a significant change on April 25 when Breslow dismissed manager Alex Cora following a dominant 17-1 road win against Baltimore.

The aircraft made continuous loops around the stadium for over sixty minutes while spectators gathering outside the ballpark stopped to look skyward and decipher the message.

Given the team’s struggles this year, supporters at Fenway have been vocal with “Sell the team!” chants. These protests became more pronounced following last week’s home sweep by their historic rivals, the New York Yankees.

The 50-year-old Cora previously guided Boston’s most recent championship squad in 2018, a team that established a franchise record with 108 wins during the regular season. Cora also played on the organization’s 2007 championship roster. During his managerial tenure, Cora compiled a 620-541 record and became this season’s first skipper to be let go.

Henry’s sports portfolio also includes ownership of Liverpool Football Club, where supporters recently demonstrated against increased ticket costs.

Toronto Raptors star forward Brandon Ingram will miss tonight’s pivotal Game 6 matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to a sore right heel injury, head coach Darko Rajakovic announced Friday.

The All-Star player exited during the middle portion of the second quarter in Toronto’s 125-120 defeat in Cleveland earlier this week. Ingram managed just one point during his 11 minutes on the court before leaving the game.

Following a stellar regular season debut with Toronto where he posted 21.5 points per contest, Ingram has faced challenges in postseason play, managing only 12 points per game through five contests versus Cleveland. His shooting performance has been below par, connecting on 19 of 58 field goal attempts and hitting 5 of 13 three-point shots.

The Cavaliers hold a commanding 3-2 series advantage and have the opportunity to close out the Eastern Conference first-round matchup with a victory on their home court Friday evening. Notably, the host team has emerged victorious in all five previous games of this playoff series.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The fire alarm system at Orlando’s Kia Center apparently didn’t want to hear discussions about a potential Game 7 between the Magic and Detroit Pistons on Friday night.

During head coach Jamahl Mosley’s pregame press conference before Game 6, loud alarm horns suddenly began echoing through the arena. The timing couldn’t have been more ironic — a reporter had just asked whether injured forward Franz Wagner could potentially return for a seventh game.

As the question was posed, the emergency sirens kicked in.

“That’s not a good sign,” Mosley remarked.

The coach attempted to continue answering, noting that Wagner’s availability would depend on his response to ongoing treatment. Meanwhile, an automated announcement system began broadcasting evacuation procedures to anyone inside the facility.

When the alarms sounded again moments later, Mosley decided to wrap up the session.

“All right, that’s good, thank you, appreciate it,” Mosley said as he concluded the interview.

A team representative later verified the alarms were malfunctioning. Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff’s media session, which began roughly ten minutes after Mosley’s concluded, proceeded without any emergency interruptions.

Orlando entered Friday’s contest holding a 3-2 series advantage over the Pistons.

The San Diego Padres activated right-handed pitcher Jeremiah Estrada from the 15-day injured list on Friday after a three-week absence due to right elbow tendinitis.

Estrada, 27, had been out of action for the past three weeks dealing with the elbow issue that has limited his early season availability.

This season, the relief pitcher holds a 1-1 record with a 5.14 earned run average across seven appearances, recording eight strikeouts while issuing five walks over seven innings of work.

To make space on the active roster for Estrada’s return, San Diego sent right-handed pitcher David Morgan down to their Triple-A affiliate in El Paso.

Morgan, 26, compiled a 2-0 record this season with a 6.08 earned run average over 11 games, tallying 15 strikeouts and 11 walks in 13 1/3 innings pitched.

Professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau maintains his loyalty to LIV Golf despite mounting uncertainty about the league’s financial future, according to a report from Flushing It Golf released Friday.

The league faces significant challenges after learning that the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund will cease providing financial backing following the current season. This development has raised questions about the future of top players including DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Cameron Smith, who represent some of LIV’s most prominent talent.

When asked about potential discussions with the PGA Tour, DeChambeau firmly dismissed such speculation.

“I’m working as hard as I can to find a solution,” DeChambeau explained to Flushing It Golf. “I’m committed to making team golf work in the best way possible. I think there’s a place for it in the ecosystem and I want to continue to grow the game across the world. That’s always been our mission, and it’s never been more true than now.”

The 32-year-old golfer revealed that LIV is developing youth programs as part of its expansion efforts.

“We’re building a bunch of junior golf events right now and each (LIV) team is looking to build junior golf academies,” he explained. “That’s something that we’ve been working on for almost three or four months now. We’re looking to host an event here coming up, probably in the next, I’d say, couple of months.”

DeChambeau originally signed with LIV in June 2022 under a deal reportedly worth $125 million, which concludes at the season’s end. Before the funding complications emerged, he had allegedly pursued a $500 million extension agreement.

“We’re still working on a potential contract,” DeChambeau stated. “I haven’t given up on that and I think there will be a solution. But as of right now, my job is to help make the league work after this year. I just feel like I have a responsibility. I’ve put a lot of effort into it. So that’s what I’m going to do, we’re going to make this work.”

While LIV has reportedly increased its revenue during its five-year existence, these earnings likely fall far short of what’s needed to sustain operations at previous levels.

“There’s a lot of moving parts like in any business,” DeChambeau commented to Flushing It Golf following his withdrawal from last month’s Mexico City tournament. “It’s a startup, right? And so there’s going to be times where we’re squeezed and punched. This is one of those moments. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make it work and I really see the value in franchise golf.”

The two-time U.S. Open winner has achieved considerable success in LIV competition, capturing five individual tournament victories. His most recent triumphs came during back-to-back playoff wins in March at LIV Golf Singapore and LIV Golf South Africa.

Earlier this year, DeChambeau had the option to rejoin the PGA Tour through the Returning Member Program but chose not to pursue it. This program was established as Brooks Koepka left LIV to return to PGA Tour competition.

LONDON, May 1 – The selection of Seydou Traore by the Miami Dolphins during the fifth round of last week’s NFL Draft marked a milestone moment for Kris Durham, the former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver who leads the UK-based NFL Academy.

Traore, who grew up in South London, was among the first students enrolled at the Academy in 2019 and demonstrates that non-traditional routes to professional football can succeed.

“Seydou’s paved a path for the future generations and the generations after that,” Durham told Reuters.

The Academy’s mission involves discovering and developing international athletes who can transition into the American college football system. For Traore, who had been a promising soccer goalie, the program offered an ideal opportunity.

Following his transfer to Clearwater Academy in Florida for his senior year of high school, Traore built a successful college football career playing tight end. He started at Arkansas State before transferring to Mississippi State Bulldogs, where he recorded 35 catches and five touchdowns in his final season.

According to Traore, hearing his name called by the Dolphins felt like a dream, while Durham, who has overseen the NFL Academy since 2025, viewed it as confirmation of the program’s effectiveness.

“It’s just an incredible story that shows it doesn’t matter where you come from, you can be an international kid and make it to the NFL,” he said.

Before discovering American football, Traore participated in Premier League club Fulham’s youth development program as a goalkeeper. His interest in American football began while watching games on television, then progressed to playing for the London Warriors in front of small crowds.

Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 244 pounds, Traore possesses remarkable athletic ability, excellent ball-tracking skills, and reliable hands. However, Durham believes Traore’s mental approach sets him apart from other players.

“He’s always had the measurables, the size, the speed, the hands. But it’s the intangible things, his ability to understand what’s happening before it happens,” he said. “He’s almost playing chess instead of checkers. That’s what’s elevated him beyond his peers.”

Currently housed at Loughborough University, the NFL Academy program includes 68 students representing 20 nations, with 40 former students now competing in NCAA college football.

Data indicates that only 1.6% of American college football players eventually reach the NFL. The odds are even steeper for international players, but Traore’s achievement provides encouragement for aspiring athletes from outside football’s traditional strongholds.

“Being American myself, having played the game, I’ve seen what Europeans and international students bring to it,” Durham said. “It’s a level of maturity, a level of determination because they’ve had to fight stereotypes.

“When they’re going through the recruiting process, the question is why should they recruit somebody from England over a kid from Mississippi or Texas? Seydou’s answered those questions. He’s changing the narrative.

“He’s kind of the godfather of what we’re doing.”

During the draft ceremony in Pittsburgh, Efe Obada announced Traore’s selection. Obada, another London native who successfully transitioned to the NFL and played notably for the Carolina Panthers, served as an inspiration for Traore.

“He was like a pioneer for international guys,” Traore said. “He showed what’s possible. It meant a lot for him to kind of pass the torch to me.”

While Traore has a challenging path ahead to match Obada’s accomplishments or those of his hero Travis Kelce, Durham considers Traore’s draft selection already represents a triumph for the NFL Academy.

“Do I think we’re going to start having an influx of NFL Academy players into the league. Absolutely, I 100% do,” he said. “If we can get players into those locker rooms to showcase who they are, then that’s where they’re going to really accelerate their careers.”

VOORHEES, N.J. — A Philadelphia Flyers player’s celebratory moment turned into a heartwarming story about fan loyalty when his game-winning stick found its way back to him.

Defenseman Cam York launched his hockey stick into the crowd after netting the decisive overtime goal that defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0 in Game 6 of their opening playoff round, marking the team’s first postseason advancement since 2020.

In the heat of celebration, York immediately had second thoughts about his spontaneous gesture, joking afterward that he “definitely don’t want a lawsuit” following the lengthy throw into the stands.

“I figured even if it did hit him, that he was going to still enjoy the moment and be happy,” York commented on Friday.

The stick landed near Jack Brod, a devoted Flyers supporter sitting in Section 113’s lower level, who initially planned to give the memorable keepsake to a family friend. However, when Brod discovered York’s desire to reclaim the stick, he willingly brought it back.

During Friday’s practice session, Brod — sporting the identical Flyers sweatshirt from Game 6 — was invited as a special guest and had the opportunity to meet York personally.

York admitted his immediate post-goal reaction was questioning his decision: “why did I do that?”

“When my career is done and over with, I want to have some things to look back on, remember and cherish,” York explained Friday. “This was obviously a special moment for me. Super nice guy. Just met him. For me to just give it back for kind of nothing, I really appreciate that. That’s one of the best things about Philly fans is, they love their players and they want their players to perform at the highest level they can.”

Brod’s generosity didn’t go unrewarded — he walked away with a replacement stick and an autographed York No. 8 jersey. York mentioned plans to display the returned stick in a frame.

The Flyers begin their second-round playoff series Saturday when they face Carolina on the road.

This year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs showcase an influx of fresh talent, with three franchises reaching the second round after missing last year’s postseason entirely.

Four teams have successfully navigated the opening round: Colorado, Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Anaheim. The Flyers are celebrating their first playoff appearance in six seasons, while the Ducks ended an eight-year drought. Both the Avalanche and Wild participated last year but fell in the initial round.

Additional newcomers are guaranteed to emerge from ongoing matchups: Teams competing in the Boston-Buffalo and Montreal-Tampa Bay series all failed to reach the second round in the previous campaign. Buffalo concluded the NHL’s longest playoff absence at 14 seasons, Boston returns following a single-year absence, and both Montreal and Tampa Bay suffered early exits in 2025.

Remarkably, seven of the eight second-round participants could be new if Utah manages to overcome Vegas. Only Carolina, which will welcome Philadelphia for Saturday’s Game 1, reached this stage last season.

“That’s the exciting part of where the league is at and where these teams are at,” Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger said recently. “New teams (are) getting into the playoffs and showcasing some of these young players that are on the rise that maybe haven’t had that experience. And now they get a chance to kind of understand what it’s all about and what it means to play in the playoffs.”

A fresh champion became inevitable when defending back-to-back titleholder Florida was eliminated during a disappointing injury-plagued campaign.

Two new finalists are now assured after Edmonton suffered a first-round defeat to the Ducks. Oilers captain Connor McDavid acknowledged they “were an average team all year” and failed to meet elevated expectations.

The Hurricanes, who have consistently advanced each of the past eight seasons under Rod Brind’Amour’s coaching tenure beginning in 2018, will face one of the tournament’s surprise stories: Philadelphia last competed in playoffs during the 2020 pandemic season.

“There was never a doubt,” said Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar, who delivered a 42-save shutout in the Game 6 overtime victory against Pittsburgh. “Good things happen to good people, and we are good people here.”

In the Western Conference, the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Avalanche have been resting since completing a sweep of Los Angeles. Making their ninth consecutive playoff appearance, they’ll battle the Wild, who defeated Dallas in a six-game clash between Central Division contenders.

“It’s going to be a hard-fought series,” Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog said. “High-quality teams, high-quality players, good goaltending and special teams. It’s going to be a battle.”

Minnesota finally captured its opening series after eight consecutive first-round defeats, advancing to the second round for the first time since 2015. Rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt spotted an emotional fan during their clinching Game 6 victory, helping him understand the broader impact of their success.

“There’s so many more people who are with us on this road and this journey,” Wallstedt said. “The excitement and joy to get past the first round is huge.”

The Ducks advanced for the first time since their 2017 Western Conference Final appearance, marking coach Joel Quenneville’s successful debut season.

“Now we’ve got a taste of playoff hockey,” Quenneville said. “I think we can feel at this moment that it’s so much fun playing games that have the meaning and the building being as loud and excited as it is. It seems to grow from this level on.”

Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner was forced to exit Friday’s matchup with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field after experiencing stiffness on the left side of his neck.

The second baseman started the game on a positive note, leading off the bottom of the first with a double. However, when the Cubs came to bat in the second inning, Hoerner was nowhere to be found in the batter’s box. Matt Shaw stepped in as a pinch hitter and grounded out, then remained in the game to handle second base duties.

The 28-year-old Hoerner has been performing well this season, posting a .297 batting average along with four home runs and 26 RBIs across 32 games. Throughout his eight-year major league career, which he has spent entirely in a Cubs uniform, Hoerner has maintained a .283 batting average with 40 home runs and 304 RBIs over 736 games.

Shaw, who took over for the injured player, brought his own solid numbers into the contest. The 24-year-old has been hitting .301 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 28 games this season.

The St. Louis Cardinals strengthened their pitching staff Friday by promoting left-handed pitcher Jared Shuster from their Triple-A Memphis affiliate as they prepare to face the Los Angeles Dodgers.

To make room on the roster, the Cardinals sent rookie right-hander Hunter Dobbins back to Memphis after a difficult major league debut Thursday. Dobbins struggled against the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing three runs while giving up two hits and issuing five walks across 4 1/3 innings of work.

The 27-year-old Shuster posted a 4.91 ERA during two previous appearances with St. Louis this season. At the Triple-A level, he has recorded an 8.38 ERA through five outings.

Throughout his four-year major league career, Shuster holds a 6-8 record with a 5.26 ERA across 64 games, including 17 starts. He has played for the Atlanta Braves in 2023, the Chicago White Sox in 2024-25, and now the Cardinals.

St. Louis has struggled with relief pitching this year, as their bullpen carries a 5.15 ERA that ranks 26th among all major league teams entering Friday’s action.

The Cardinals completed a four-game sweep of Pittsburgh on Thursday and will now welcome the two-time defending champion Dodgers for a three-game homestand. Los Angeles has posted a 5-7 record since April 18.

The Boston Red Sox have promoted left-handed pitcher Jake Bennett from Triple-A Worcester for his first major league appearance when they face the Houston Astros on Friday at home.

This roster adjustment follows Boston’s decision to place star pitcher Garrett Crochet on the 15-day injured list due to left shoulder inflammation earlier this week. Bennett fills the roster opening created when utility player Nate Eaton was sent down to the minors on Thursday.

The 25-year-old Bennett had his scheduled Tuesday start for Worcester canceled in preparation for this call-up.

“Big-time strike thrower,” Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said. “The velocity and the fastball has obviously ticked up. He was coming off an arm injury when he was with Washington. But when he’s sitting there 94 (mph) — another guy kind of like (Payton) Tolle, doesn’t throw as hard, but big guy that really gets down the mound with big extension. So he tends to get in on hitters, too, because the fastball plays up.”

Bennett was selected in the second round of the 2022 draft by the Washington Nationals and has compiled impressive numbers this season, posting a 2-1 record with a 0.86 ERA across five Worcester starts. In 21 innings pitched, he has recorded 16 strikeouts while issuing just three walks.

The Red Sox obtained Bennett in a December trade with Washington, sending pitching prospect Luis Perales in exchange. Bennett sat out the entire 2024 campaign while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

“He’s in the zone a lot,” Tracy said. “Does a good job of holding runners. He can go from a slide step, he can use a leg kick, lands all stuff. But he’s really, really good, at least down there has been, getting the ball in the strike zone. And he gets a lot of weak contact.”

Connor McDavid’s quest for his first Stanley Cup championship hit another roadblock this week, and the Edmonton Oilers captain now finds himself fielding questions about whether he’ll remain with the franchise long-term.

The player many consider hockey’s top talent saw his team eliminated in the opening round of the NHL playoffs Thursday when the Anaheim Ducks ended Edmonton’s season. This latest disappointment compounds the frustration from the previous two postseasons, where the Oilers reached the Stanley Cup final only to fall to the Florida Panthers both times.

At 29 years old, McDavid may need to evaluate his options with a playoff-struggling Edmonton organization as he continues chasing hockey’s ultimate prize.

McDavid’s contract extension announced last October begins with the 2026-27 campaign and runs through the 2027-28 season – a relatively brief commitment that some interpret as sending a message to team management.

Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Ray Bourque, a former NHL defenseman who famously requested a trade late in his career to pursue a championship, believes McDavid’s shorter deal carries significance.

“That told the Oilers that ‘I’m giving you three years, more or less’ (to) see if he could be surrounded possibly (by) a touch better (players) and to give him a real opportunity to win,” Bourque said Thursday at a Toronto charity event supporting Alzheimer’s research.

Bourque understands the challenge of capturing a Stanley Cup title. The longtime Boston Bruins captain sought a trade to a championship contender after suffering through two Cup final defeats, ultimately claiming the trophy with Colorado in 2001 at age 40.

“For the longest time, you have a great career and all that, but it seemed like there was something missing,” he reflected on his decision to leave Boston.

Since Edmonton selected him first overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, McDavid has remained with the organization throughout his professional career. His exceptional speed and remarkable talent have built a Hall of Fame-caliber resume.

Beyond numerous individual NHL honors, McDavid became the fourth-fastest player in league history to achieve 1,000 career points. He currently ranks second on Edmonton’s all-time scoring list, trailing only hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.

These accomplishments establish McDavid as the world’s premier player according to many observers, including three-time Stanley Cup champion and Hall of Fame member Chris Chelios. However, Chelios agrees with Bourque regarding a player’s ultimate desire to have their name engraved on what he considers professional sports’ most difficult trophy to earn.

“Amazing skill,” Chelios said of McDavid. “But he’d probably trade all those points right now for a Stanley Cup in a minute.”

Though Bourque thinks the Oilers captain still has reasonable prospects for winning with Edmonton, he wouldn’t be surprised if McDavid begins considering his personal legacy and pursuing his championship dreams with another organization.

“For him, it’s gonna be the only thing left for him to accomplish,” Bourque explained. “He’s done pretty much everything so far, and then when you’re at that point, it’s about winning a Cup and putting yourself in a situation that you have a chance.”

BOSTON — What seemed like a smooth path to the NBA playoffs’ second round for Boston has turned into a potential disaster, as the Philadelphia 76ers have forced a decisive seventh game after the Celtics dominated with a commanding 32-point victory on the road in Game 4.

Philadelphia’s consecutive dominant performances in Games 5 and 6 have pushed Boston — previously viewed as a top contender to represent the Eastern Conference — to the edge of a stunning downfall.

Should the second-seeded Celtics fall in Saturday night’s winner-take-all contest, it would mark their quickest playoff departure since the 2020-21 campaign.

Boston may face this challenge while managing concerns about star player Jayson Tatum, who temporarily exited Game 6 during the third quarter for treatment of what appeared to be a left calf problem. This comes just 22 games after Tatum’s return from the torn right Achilles tendon that sidelined him during last season’s playoffs.

The Celtics organization has minimized concerns about the situation, with Tatum describing his leg as feeling only “a little stiff” following the game. He explained that after a brief evaluation and some time on an exercise bike, he remained on the bench because the contest was already decided and the starting lineup had been removed.

Head coach Joe Mazzulla dismissed injury concerns entirely and reinforced that position during Friday’s conference call.

“He’ll play,” Mazzulla stated.

However, Philadelphia’s track record in elimination games doesn’t favor the 76ers.

The Flyers’ recent NHL playoff appearance highlighted that they remain the sole Philadelphia franchise to capture a Game 7 since defeating Boston in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinal.

Following that victory, the 76ers suffered Game 7 defeats in 2012, 2019, 2021, and 2023; the Flyers fell short in similar situations in 2014 and 2020; while the Phillies lost Game 7 of the NLCS in 2023.

The Phillies also suffered elimination in a decisive Game 5 during the 2011 playoffs.

Boston has historically dominated this playoff rivalry, capturing the previous six series matchups. Philadelphia’s last playoff series victory over the Celtics came during the 1982 Eastern Conference semifinals.

“I’ve been playing these guys for so long,” 76ers star Joel Embiid commented. “I’m tired of losing to them. We have a chance to accomplish something special.”

Game 7 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT on NBC and Peacock, with the series deadlocked at 3-3. Boston enters as 7.5-point favorites.

The Celtics hold a 27-10 all-time record in Game 7 situations, while the 76ers stand at 6-12 in such contests and haven’t won one since 2001. This marks the ninth Game 7 between these organizations, with Boston holding a 6-2 advantage in previous decisive games. Philadelphia joins 37 teams in league history to force a Game 7 after falling behind 3-1, though only 13 have completed the comeback. For Boston to prevent Philadelphia from becoming the 14th, their offensive efficiency must return. The 76ers have limited the NBA’s second-ranked regular season offense to under 100 points in consecutive games. Boston shot a combined 30.5% from three-point range across those contests, making 11 attempts in each game despite leading the league with an average of 16 three-pointers per game during the regular season.

Former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban has disclosed his unsuccessful attempt to regain control of the NBA franchise he sold to the Adelson family in 2023.

During an upcoming interview on Front Office Sports’ “Portfolio Players” podcast, Cuban revealed that concerned parties approached him about potentially reclaiming the team from its current ownership.

“What happened was a bunch of people had contacted me; they weren’t happy with the way things were,” Cuban explained to FOS. “And I was like, ‘Look, if you can get them to sell, I would be more than happy to contribute my equity, et cetera, et cetera, and help.’ But I didn’t expect that to materialize. I told them I didn’t think it would happen, that I didn’t think the Adelsons had any interest in selling. And they don’t.”

Currently, Cuban retains a 27% ownership stake after divesting 73% of the franchise in December 2023. The Adelson family holds the option to purchase an additional 20% from Cuban over the next four years, which would reduce his ownership to just 7%.

The new ownership’s decisions have included trading superstar player Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025, coming less than a year after the team’s NBA Finals run.

Cuban’s dissatisfaction with the sale became apparent in previous interviews. “I don’t regret selling. I regret who I sold to,” he stated on the “Intersections” podcast earlier this year. “I made a lot of mistakes in the process, and I’ll leave it at that.”

Reports from TheSteinLine.com indicated that a group of investors had approached Cuban about partnering to regain control from the current ownership structure.

“If there was any chance of being able to (buy the franchise back) anymore I would, but that’s just not the game anymore,” Cuban acknowledged.

The 67-year-old entrepreneur hasn’t ruled out purchasing another NBA team, though he has specific geographical preferences for any future acquisition.

“I wouldn’t want a cold-weather team, because flying from Dallas to where it’s freezing cold, I just couldn’t handle it,” Cuban noted. “But if it was a warm-weather team I would seriously consider it.”

New York Mets leadership is maintaining confidence in manager Carlos Mendoza even as the team endures one of its most challenging starts in franchise history, according to statements made by baseball operations president David Stearns to MLB.com on Friday.

The organization decided to retain Mendoza for his third campaign following a disappointing previous season that saw the team fail to reach postseason play. As they prepare for their weekend matchups in Anaheim, the Mets carry the majors’ poorest record at 10-21, marking the third-most difficult beginning through 31 games in the team’s entire history.

“We know our record is not what we want, and we know we are capable of more,” Stearns said. “We don’t view this as a manager problem, and we don’t intend to make a change.”

While two other skippers have already lost their positions during the season’s opening weeks – Boston’s Alex Cora and Philadelphia’s Rob Thomson – Mets ownership apparently attributes the team’s struggles more to early-season injuries affecting star players Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor rather than any shortcomings in Mendoza’s leadership approach.

The franchise now faces an unprecedented challenge in baseball history: attempting to recover from a 12-game losing streak and still secure a playoff berth, something no major league team has ever accomplished.

The 46-year-old Mendoza is currently in his third year under the contract he inked before the 2024 campaign began. The organization holds an option to keep him under contract through the 2027 season.

Formula 1’s American expansion strategy should focus primarily on boosting television viewership numbers, according to McLaren team principal Zak Brown, speaking at a motorsports business conference in Miami this week.

While the racing series has experienced tremendous growth in the United States recently – driven by Netflix’s popular ‘Drive to Survive’ documentary series, three domestic race events, and Apple’s upcoming Brad Pitt F1 film – television ratings remain modest compared to established American sports leagues.

Speaking at the Autosport Business Exchange event held at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, Brown addressed what he sees as the sport’s primary growth opportunity going forward.

“I think it’s going to be TV ratings,” Brown explained when discussing potential expansion paths.

The American executive expressed satisfaction with the current three U.S. Grand Prix events, though he acknowledged room for more. “I think we’ve got three fantastic grands prix and while I think we could definitely support four and five, that would come at the cost of other markets that I think we need to get into,” he stated.

“So I’m happy where we are, because I do think there’s some other growth areas in South Africa, Korea, things of that nature,” Brown continued. “I think TV ratings are still relatively small compared to the NFLs of the world. I think that’s the biggest area of growth, getting the TV ratings up.”

This season marks a significant broadcasting shift, with Apple TV replacing ESPN as Formula 1’s exclusive American television partner. The streaming service now provides live coverage of all 24 race weekends and offers expanded mobile and app accessibility.

Recent fan demographic data reveals encouraging trends for the sport’s American future. According to the 2025 Global F1 Fan Survey, nearly half of new U.S. Formula 1 followers – defined as fans following the sport for five years or fewer – fall within the 18-24 age bracket, with more than half being female viewers.

ESPN concluded their final season with record-breaking numbers, averaging 1.3 million viewers across their ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC broadcasts throughout 24 races. This figure surpassed their previous 2022 record of 1.21 million viewers and represents the highest live U.S. television average in Formula 1 history.

However, these numbers pale beside traditional American sports viewership. The NFL averaged 18.7 million viewers per game across television and digital platforms during their 2025 regular season, approaching their all-time record of 19 million set in 1989.

Apple’s Senior Vice-President of Services Eddy Cue reported positive early results from their broadcasting partnership, noting ratings increases over the previous year for their first three race broadcasts.

“Not only did we see more viewers, but we also saw more viewers throughout the weekend,” Cue explained. “I always thought there was a huge opportunity to grow viewership, not just on Sunday but all weekend. And we’ve seen that early on in the results that we have.”

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali emphasized the sport’s long-term American commitment during the conference.

“We will stay there. We know that the biggest sports in the U.S. are still far away but we are racers. And so we are not shy when we’re going to attack. Attack respectfully, of course, the other sports but we’re going to be in the culture of American fans,” Domenicali declared.

Houston Texans officials confirmed Friday they have locked up Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair with a three-year contract extension.

While the team did not reveal financial details, multiple sources indicate the deal is worth $54 million total.

Al-Shaair becomes the third crucial defensive player Houston has secured with a long-term deal during this offseason. The organization previously extended All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. with a three-year, $150 million contract and signed five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Danielle Hunter to a one-year, $40.1 million agreement.

The 28-year-old linebacker, whose previous contract was scheduled to end following the 2026 campaign, will now remain with Houston through the 2029 season.

“This place is special. The people are special,” Al-Shaair told KPRC2. “A sense of family is hard to come by. Who would have thought I would make it to the NFL? I went through homelessness. I went to several schools. I couldn’t see myself putting on a uniform with anybody else.”

During the most recent regular season, Al-Shaair served as team captain and earned his first Pro Bowl recognition in 2025. He compiled 103 tackles, defended nine passes, and intercepted two passes across 16 games, starting every contest.

Throughout his NFL career spanning 100 games with 75 starts, Al-Shaair has accumulated 535 tackles, six sacks, five forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and four interceptions. His professional journey included stops with the San Francisco 49ers from 2019-22 and the Tennessee Titans in 2023 before joining Houston. He originally joined the league as an undrafted free agent.

Minnesota appears to be the leading candidate to host the 2028 NFL Draft, while Cincinnati is reportedly the front-runner for 2029, according to Sports Business Journal.

Next week, the NFL’s events committee will convene to deliberate on hosting rights, followed by an anticipated ownership decision during the May 19-20 meetings in Orlando, Florida.

Washington, D.C.’s National Mall will serve as the venue for the 2027 NFL Draft.

Back in March, the Minnesota Vikings partnered with Minnesota Sports and Events to submit their hosting proposal, which would feature U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as the primary location. Additional activities would span across St. Paul, the Mall of America, and the Viking Lakes development surrounding the team’s headquarters in Eagan, Minnesota, according to the report.

Both the Vikings organization and the NFL chose not to provide comments regarding the Sports Business Journal article published Thursday.

Buffalo has also thrown its hat in the ring as a potential host city for the 2028 draft.

Should the league opt to assign two draft locations simultaneously, Cincinnati appears to hold the advantage for the 2029 event.

During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” last week, Commissioner Roger Goodell stated that “we’re going to probably have to start allocating the drafts a little further in advance” given the event’s growing scale. Last month’s draft in Pittsburgh established a new attendance milestone with 805,000 participants, while Washington, D.C. officials have established an ambitious target of attracting 1 million fans to next year’s three-day celebration.

Officials have removed Right to Party from Saturday’s 152nd Kentucky Derby lineup after track veterinarians discovered a leg injury that could put both horse and rider at risk.

Veterinary staff in Louisville identified lameness in the horse’s right front leg Friday, just one day before the prestigious race that kicks off thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown series. The condition could impact the animal’s running form and create dangerous situations during competition.

The withdrawn horse had been given 30-1 odds by morning line handicappers and was assigned to start from post position No. 5, historically considered an advantageous spot. Robusta, carrying much longer 50-1 odds, will take the vacant slot but must start from the less favorable Gate 23.

This marks the third substitution made ahead of the full 20-horse field. Earlier changes saw Great White replace Silent Tactic, while Ocelli stepped in for Fulleffort following Thursday’s withdrawal.

Ocelli faces extremely long 50-1 odds but could make history as only the fourth horse ever to capture its maiden victory at the Kentucky Derby. The last horse to accomplish this feat was Brokers Tip back in 1933.

Ken McPeek trains Right to Party and celebrated his first Derby victory just last year when Mystik Dan prevailed in a dramatic three-horse photo finish. Christopher Elliott had been scheduled to ride Right to Party in Saturday’s competition.

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota’s basketball season featured inconsistent stretches during regular play, with the Timberwolves appearing to cruise through games while trying to rediscover the championship-level performance that carried them to back-to-back Western Conference finals in recent seasons.

However, their playoff intensity emerged forcefully in their matchup against Denver, exactly as team members had predicted. That competitive fire reached its peak during Thursday’s decisive Game 6 triumph, where Minnesota overcame the loss of their top three ball handlers to defeat the Nuggets 110-98.

“Still part of our growth,” head coach Chris Finch explained. “We’ve been really good with the high moments. Our consistency sometimes throughout the season isn’t always there, which we don’t really like about ourselves, but we know we have it in ourselves to meet these moments.”

Forward Jaden McDaniels exemplified that championship mindset perfectly.

No player better represents the unpredictable character of this tight-knit yet temperamental Minnesota squad than McDaniels, the sixth-year veteran who established himself as a series standout.

McDaniels relentlessly pursued All-Star point guard Jamal Murray through picks and defensive schemes across the court’s perimeter, holding him to just 4-of-17 field goal attempts in the clinching game while contributing significantly on offense.

Without key scorers Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo and Ayo Dosunmu available due to injuries, McDaniels stepped up dramatically, connecting on 13-of-25 field goals for 32 points while grabbing 10 rebounds.

“What I was the most proud about him was just his emotional control, being able to stay poised, not overreact to adversity, calls or missed shots, or mistakes,” center Rudy Gobert commented. “He stayed present, and he stepped up big time when we needed him the most, so I’m really, really proud of him.”

McDaniels added fuel to this heated rivalry earlier in the series by calling Denver “bad defenders,” making clear his extra motivation when facing anything labeled with “Denver” or “Nuggets.”

“The only thing I said to him, after he had made his comments, was, ‘Now it’s time to back it up,’” Finch recalled. “And talking doesn’t matter. You’ve got to go do it. I knew he was going to put the effort in, so he was ready for it, and he owned it, and he responded.”

The forward also frustrated Denver superstar Nikola Jokic by scoring an easy basket during garbage time of Minnesota’s dominant Game 4 victory, leading to a brief scuffle between players.

After struggling in Game 5’s road defeat Monday, where Denver fans frequently jeered him, McDaniels bounced back at home with arguably his finest professional performance.

As Minnesota worked to seal the victory, McDaniels provided the crucial basket — nailing his trademark mid-range jumper to extend their advantage to seven points with 1:06 remaining. He then stole an errant Jokic pass to regain possession and help ice the game at the free-throw line.

Following the final buzzer, Jokic embraced McDaniels, showing respect from the three-time league MVP despite the frustration caused throughout the series.

“I’m just happy it’s over, happy we were able to come out on top,” McDaniels stated. “Stuff was said. I’m just happy we were all able to prove our point, get the win and move on to the next round.”

San Antonio, led by Victor Wembanyama, awaits Minnesota in the next round. The Spurs will host the opening game Monday.

“I figured the real winner of this series was going to be San Antonio, because both these teams were going to take a lot of pieces out of each other, and did,” Finch observed. “So I’m not sure what we have left standing there before we go down there.”

Despite potential personnel shortages and difficult odds, Minnesota appears prepared for another challenging battle.

“You have to believe that you can win, no matter what,” Gobert emphasized. “Obviously we’re missing some pretty important players, right? But no matter who’s out there, we believe in our defense. We believe in trusting one another. Anything’s possible.”

MINNEAPOLIS — The championship glory that Nikola Jokic brought to Denver three seasons ago feels like a distant memory after the Nuggets’ disappointing first-round playoff elimination.

The Minnesota Timberwolves knocked out Denver in six games, sending the team into an uncertain offseason filled with questions about whether they can compete for another title in the competitive Western Conference. For the first time since 2020, the Nuggets won’t be playing basketball in May.

“We just lost in the first round, so I think we are far away,” Jokic commented after recording 28 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds in Thursday’s 110-98 series-ending defeat.

Minnesota’s defensive anchor Rudy Gobert, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, effectively contained Jokic throughout the series using his wingspan, tireless energy and smart positioning to limit the Serbian center’s impact.

While Jokic showed improvement in the final two contests, his running mate Jamal Murray struggled significantly. The All-Star guard, who appeared in a career-high 75 regular season games, was consistently stifled by Minnesota defender Jaden McDaniels. Murray managed only 4 of 17 field goal attempts in the finale with a team-worst minus-18 plus-minus rating.

“When I get the looks that I need, they don’t go down,” Murray explained. “So that’s the frustrating part, not showing up when my team needed me the most tonight. I feel like if I would’ve played a little bit better we would’ve had that game.”

Denver’s depth issues became apparent with key forwards Aaron Gordon sidelined for half the series due to a calf problem and Peyton Watson unavailable throughout with a hamstring injury. While Cameron Johnson provided a late scoring burst with 27 points in Game 5, the Nuggets lacked sufficient offensive contributions beyond their two stars against a Timberwolves squad also dealing with backcourt injuries. The trademark pick-and-roll chemistry between Jokic and Murray was notably missing.

“They were missing a bunch of guys tonight, and they still won. So did we need them? Definitely, but if they are not here, we cannot think, ‘If, if, if, if,’” Jokic noted.

Denver led the NBA in offensive efficiency during the regular season and scored under 100 points just twice. Against Minnesota’s aggressive defense, they failed to reach triple digits three times in six games.

“It’s a miss-or-make league. We couldn’t make any shots,” Jokic observed. “I’m confident in my and Jamal’s two-man game.”

The three-time MVP, who will begin his 12th NBA season in 2026-27, becomes eligible for another maximum contract extension this summer. When questioned about his future plans, his response was immediate.

“I still want to be Nuggets forever,” he declared.

Head coach David Adelman lacks similar job security after completing his first full campaign. Could organizational changes be coming to Denver?

“That’s not my decision,” Jokic responded. “Definitely, if we were in Serbia, we would all be fired.”

However, the center known as “The Joker” expressed strong support for his coach.

“It’s not his fault we couldn’t rebound. It’s not his fault we couldn’t catch the ball very well. There is nothing to blame David Adelman. It was all us,” Jokic stated.

The disappointing finish came after Denver closed the regular season with 12 consecutive victories.

“Very disappointing end to the season. I’m the head coach. I take responsibility for things that didn’t go well here,” Adelman said.

MADRID, May 1 – Belgian tennis player Alexander Blockx turned what should have been a qualifying tournament appearance into a career-defining moment at the Madrid Open, advancing to the semifinals after receiving a last-minute spot in the main draw due to player withdrawals.

The 21-year-old athlete defeated several higher-ranked opponents, including Brandon Nakashima, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Francisco Cerundolo, before stunning defending champion Casper Ruud with a straight-set victory of 6-4, 6-4 on Thursday. His remarkable run earned him a semifinal matchup against Alexander Zverev.

Blockx, who climbed from outside the world’s top 100 just two months ago to his current ranking of 69th, could potentially break into the top 30 with another victory. However, the young player acknowledged his week has already exceeded all expectations.

“I was already happy with getting into the main draw … at the last minute on Friday, just before the deadline. Winning my first match (against Cristian Garin) was already a bonus,” Blockx explained.

“Then all the other matches, I never thought I’d get that far. But once you get confident and you feel your game, a lot can happen.”

After facing challenges maintaining consistency on the professional tour following his appearance in the Next Gen ATP Finals championship match last December, Blockx began showing renewed promise with a third-round performance at the Monte Carlo Masters in recent weeks.

His impressive Madrid performance, highlighted by defeating two-time French Open finalist Ruud, has provided additional confirmation of his abilities on clay courts.

“It’s nice beating the defending champion, whose favourite conditions are here. That shows I can play well on clay too,” Blockx stated.

“The ranking is going up really fast. It’s nice to be able to play bigger tournaments now. I don’t know the ceiling, I’ll just see match by match, and hopefully get as high as I can.”

Blockx’s semifinal against Zverev is scheduled for Friday, while world number one Jannik Sinner faces Arthur Fils in the tournament’s other semifinal match.

South Australia finds itself in a difficult situation regarding a $32 million golf course renovation project following news that Saudi Arabia will discontinue funding for LIV Golf after the 2026 season.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund, which has invested over $5 billion in the breakaway golf tour since it began in 2022, announced Thursday that financial backing will cease at the end of 2026, forcing LIV officials to search for alternative funding sources.

The Australian state has already begun construction on transforming the North Adelaide Golf Course with a design by Greg Norman, intending to host the LIV tournament there starting in 2028.

Environmental activists have organized protests against the development, which requires cutting down nearly 600 trees. Demonstrators held a “vigil” at the golf course this week to oppose the tree removal.

State lawmaker Robert Simms, who opposes the renovation, criticized the government’s commitment to the project. “The government only ever committed to this project on the basis that it was going to be supposedly the jewel in the crown for LIV Golf,” Simms stated.

However, Premier Peter Malinauskas, South Australia’s top elected official, stood by the decision to move forward with the project, which received approval more than a year ago.

“Well look, LIV hasn’t been cancelled so I think … we’d be putting the cart before the horse if we just, sort of, decided to cancel the golf course when LIV very much intend to be here into the future,” Malinauskas said during a Friday interview with ABC Radio Adelaide. “Now, let’s wait and see how that plays out.”

Despite criticism from traditional golf fans who dislike LIV’s team-oriented format and entertainment focus, the Adelaide tournament has achieved remarkable success since its 2023 debut in a nation that typically struggles to attract top golf talent.

The February event at The Grange Golf Club drew more than 115,000 spectators, with Saturday’s attendance of 38,500 setting a new record for the largest single-day crowd in LIV Golf history.

The tournament has earned recognition as the World’s Best Golf Event for three consecutive years from the World Golf Awards, an industry organization focused on golf tourism.

State officials consider the event a cornerstone of the Labor government’s major events strategy, claiming the tournaments from 2023-2025 generated approximately $217 million for South Australia’s economy.

Malinauskas revealed that LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil has provided guarantees that the Adelaide event will proceed as scheduled.

“As far as South Australia’s concerned, particularly given the unqualified success this event has been economically for our state, that’s a good thing,” the Premier explained. “Having said that, I’m not naive to the fact that these reports have been going on for a good, you know, almost a fortnight and it’s something we continue to monitor very closely.”

While major American and European tours have prohibited LIV participants from competing in their events, Australia’s smaller professional tour has welcomed these players and benefited from the attention they generate.

The all-Australian Ripper GC team, led by captain Cameron Smith, claimed the team championship in Adelaide this February, thrilling local fans and golf administrators.

“Not only are they great golfers, they’re great ambassadors for Australia,” said James Sutherland, CEO of Golf Australia. “They not only play here on the local tour but push their mates on the LIV tour to come down as well.”

OG Anunoby dominated the first half with 26 of his 29 total points, propelling the New York Knicks to a crushing 140-89 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night. The victory sealed the Knicks’ first-round Eastern Conference playoff series triumph at 4-2.

The performance marked several franchise milestones for New York. Their 140 points represented the highest-scoring playoff game in team history, while the 51-point blowout became their largest postseason victory margin ever. The Knicks’ only bigger win came during the regular season this year when they demolished Brooklyn 120-66 on January 21st.

Atlanta suffered through their second-worst playoff loss in franchise history. The most devastating defeat occurred when the St. Louis Hawks fell 133-75 to Minneapolis on March 19, 1956.

New York dominated early with a commanding 63-11 first-half surge and held leads as large as 61 points. They captured three consecutive victories against Atlanta to reach the conference semifinals for the fourth consecutive season. Karl-Anthony Towns achieved his second career playoff triple-double, recording 12 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals. The starting players were benched by the middle of the third quarter due to the massive lead.

Timberwolves 110, Nuggets 98

Terrence Shannon Jr., thrust into the starting rotation due to multiple injuries, delivered a career playoff-best 24 points to help Minnesota eliminate Denver in Game 6 at home.

The sixth-seeded Timberwolves will now face the second-seeded Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals, beginning Monday night in San Antonio.

Minnesota played without several key contributors including All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards (knee injury), Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles), Game 4 standout Ayo Dosunmu (calf strain) and veteran Kyle Anderson (illness). Shannon, who sat out the series’ first three contests, responded brilliantly by shooting 9-of-20 from the field and delivering a critical three-point play that sparked a decisive 10-1 closing run.

Jaden McDaniels led all scorers with 32 points in the victory. Nikola Jokic kept Denver competitive throughout, posting team-leading totals of 28 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

76ers 106, Celtics 93

Tyrese Maxey poured in 30 points as Philadelphia defeated visiting Boston once again, setting up a winner-take-all Game 7 in their opening-round matchup.

The second-seeded Celtics previously controlled the series 3-1 after demolishing Philadelphia by 32 points on Sunday. However, the seventh-seeded Sixers have responded with consecutive double-digit victories in Games 5 and 6. The deciding contest will take place Saturday in Boston, where Philadelphia hopes to complete their first-ever 3-1 series comeback.

Paul George contributed 23 points for the Sixers, while Joel Embiid added 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in just his third appearance since undergoing emergency appendix surgery. Jaylen Brown paced Boston with 18 points but struggled with ball security, committing five of the team’s 13 turnovers.

While Anthony Joshua has already lined up a preparatory bout before his highly anticipated all-British heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury scheduled for later this year, Fury is also seeking to add an additional fight to his calendar.

Promoter Frank Warren confirmed Thursday that Fury is pushing for his own interim contest before the major bout.

“I think he will probably want to be doing something in between, let’s see,” Warren stated during a press conference. “AJ has got his fight. Tyson, I’m quite sure, will have a fight in between. That’s what he’s asking for and we’ll see where we go from there.”

The two British heavyweights, with Fury at 37 and Joshua at 36, have reached an agreement for their matchup, though specific details regarding the date and location remain undisclosed beyond confirmation that the fight will take place in the latter part of this year.

Joshua, who holds a record of 29-4 with 26 knockouts, is set to face Kristian Prenga (20-1, 20 KOs) on July 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Fury, with a record of 35-2-1 and 24 KOs, experienced consecutive defeats in decision losses to Oleksandr Usyk before rebounding with a unanimous decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov earlier this month in London.

Joshua’s most recent ring appearance saw him deliver a sixth-round knockout victory over internet personality Jake Paul last December. Prior to that victory, he suffered a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 in London.

Fury first captured a portion of the world heavyweight championship in 2015 and held part of the title going into his initial fight with Usyk in May 2024.

Joshua held at least a portion of the heavyweight championship from 2016 until he also experienced back-to-back defeats to Usyk, with the first loss occurring in 2021.

The Philadelphia Phillies delivered an unforgettable performance for their home crowd, capturing both ends of a doubleheader against the San Francisco Giants with thrilling walk-off victories that had fans on their feet.

In the opening contest, Philadelphia found themselves down 2-1 heading into the final frame before mounting a spectacular comeback. Bryson Stott launched a crucial triple that evened the score in the ninth inning, then crossed home plate on Justin Crawford’s infield grounder to secure a 3-2 triumph.

The dramatic finish came after Adolis Garcia opened the ninth with a base hit and came around to score on Stott’s clutch hit to the right field corner. Following Edmundo Sosa’s out, Crawford delivered the game-winner by beating shortstop Willy Adames’ throw to first base on a ground ball to the left side.

Kyle Schwarber reached a significant milestone during the opener, connecting for his 350th career home run. Philadelphia starter Cristopher Sanchez turned in a solid performance, surrendering just two runs while recording seven strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings of work.

Giants starter Logan Webb pitched effectively for seven innings, giving up only one run and fanning six batters. He appeared headed for a victory until Ryan Walker (0-1) surrendered the lead in the ninth inning.

The nightcap proved equally exciting, with Philadelphia claiming a 6-5 victory in extra innings. Alec Bohm’s sacrifice fly in the tenth inning brought home the decisive run, completing the sweep with another walk-off celebration.

Schwarber continued his outstanding day with a perfect 4-for-4 performance in the second game, including a clutch two-out hit in the ninth that forced extra innings. The veteran outfielder and Trea Turner both launched home runs in the opening frame to give Philadelphia an early advantage.

Chase Shugart (2-0) made history by becoming the first Phillies pitcher since 2022 to earn victories in both games of a doubleheader. Drew Gilbert collected three hits for San Francisco, which was swept in the three-game series. Matt Gage (2-1) took the loss despite retiring both batters he faced.

In other MLB action, Detroit snapped a lengthy losing streak against Atlanta with a 5-2 comeback victory. Gleyber Torres contributed three hits and delivered a crucial sacrifice fly during a two-run eighth-inning rally that lifted the Tigers over the Braves.

Matt Vierling had an exceptional game for Detroit with three hits, including a double, while scoring twice and driving in two runs. The Tigers ended a 10-game losing streak against Atlanta. Rookie Kevin McGonigle walked three times to extend his on-base streak to 26 games, though his 13-game hitting streak came to an end.

Baltimore and Houston split their doubleheader, with the Orioles winning the opener 10-3 behind grand slams from Adley Rutschman and Jeremiah Jackson. The Astros responded with an 11-5 victory in the nightcap, led by Cam Smith’s three-run homer during a five-run first inning.

St. Louis completed a four-game sweep of Pittsburgh with a 10-5 victory, while Washington rallied past New York 5-4 on CJ Abrams’ go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning. Cincinnati defeated Colorado 6-4 behind TJ Friedl’s go-ahead blast, and Milwaukee hammered Arizona 13-1 with William Contreras collecting four hits and four RBIs.

Japanese tennis star Kei Nishikori announced Friday that he will retire following the 2026 season, concluding a groundbreaking professional career that opened doors for tennis players across Japan.

The 36-year-old athlete made history in 2014 when he became the first Japanese competitor to advance to a Grand Slam singles championship match at the U.S. Open. He also achieved the distinction of being only the second Asian male player, following Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan, to break into the world’s top 10 rankings.

Nishikori’s career peaked in 2015 when he climbed to fourth place in global rankings and captured 12 ATP Tour championships throughout his professional journey. However, persistent injuries have taken their toll, dropping his current world ranking to 464th position.

His last appearance in the top 10 rankings occurred in October 2019, and just last month he acknowledged he was “barely hanging on” regarding his physical condition.

In a social media announcement, Nishikori reflected on his accomplishments: “Reaching the ATP Tour, playing at the highest level of competition and maintaining a presence in the top 10 is something I am extremely proud of.”

“Whether in victory or defeat, the special atmosphere I felt in packed arenas is irreplaceable … To be honest, I still wish I could continue my playing career. Even so, looking back on everything up to this point, I can proudly say that I gave it my all,” he continued.

“I am truly happy to have walked this path. I will cherish every moment of the remaining matches and fight to the very end,” Nishikori added.

The tennis veteran last competed in a tour-level tournament at the Cincinnati Open in 2023, although he has participated in five Challenger events during the current year.

Among his notable achievements, Nishikori captured an Olympic bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Games, where he defeated Spain’s Rafael Nadal in a three-set match.

Community activists and hospitality workers gathered Thursday outside the FIFA Congress meeting in Vancouver, voicing concerns that World Cup preparations are harming the city’s most vulnerable populations.

Members of an anti-FIFA coalition accused city officials of already beginning to displace homeless residents through increased street cleanups, tent restrictions, and seizure of personal belongings.

The demonstrators demanded an end to police raids on homeless camps and criticized Vancouver’s February human rights action plan for the tournament as insufficient and lacking concrete commitments.

“There’s a lot of anxiety and fear in the community about what’s going to happen with the FIFA games,” community advocate Fiona York told Reuters.

York explained that many homeless individuals worry about experiencing the same treatment as during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, when residents recall heightened displacement and increased police presence. She contended that tournament funds could better serve the community by supporting shelters, small housing units, or secure parking areas for people living in vehicles.

“Right now there’s already a crisis and there’s a big fear that it’s going to get even worse,” she said.

Hotel workers from Unite Here Local 40 joined the demonstration outside the Pan Pacific Hotel, where FIFA Congress attendees were reportedly lodged.

Union representative Michelle Travis explained that rising hotel rates have not translated to improved wages for employees, many of whom face lengthy commutes because Vancouver’s cost of living prevents them from residing in the city.

The demonstrators urged FIFA and tournament organizers to prevent the World Cup from exacerbating homelessness, displacement, or worker struggles, proposing a “FIFA dividend” to compensate affected communities.

“Folks love FIFA, they love soccer, but they also want to make sure that these events aren’t pushing people out, whether they work in the hotels, whether they’re on the streets,” she said.

“They want to see FIFA contribute if they’re going to be here.”

Vancouver is scheduled to host its first of seven World Cup matches on June 13.

ATLANTA — NBA playoff history was made Thursday evening as the New York Knicks established a commanding 47-point halftime advantage over the Atlanta Hawks during Game 6 of their Eastern Conference opening round matchup.

At intermission, New York held an 83-36 advantage after their lead had swelled to as much as 51 points during the second quarter.

The massive halftime margin surpassed the previous NBA playoff record of 41 points, which had occurred on two prior occasions: Cleveland’s 72-31 advantage over Boston on May 19, 2017, and Indiana’s 80-39 lead against the Cavaliers on May 11, 2025.

New York’s 47-point advantage matches the second-largest halftime lead in NBA history since the shot-clock era began in 1954, including both playoff and regular season contests. Dallas holds the record with a 50-point halftime lead over the Los Angeles Clippers on December 27, 2020, while Golden State previously held a 47-point advantage against Sacramento on November 2, 1991.

The Knicks also matched the third-highest first-half scoring performance in NBA playoff history with their 83 points. Oklahoma City previously scored 87 against Denver on May 7, 2025, Cleveland tallied 86 versus Golden State on June 9, 2017, and Dallas recorded 83 against Sacramento on May 8, 2003.

Despite Atlanta opening the game with a 9-0 scoring burst to take a 9-5 advantage, New York responded with a devastating 43-6 run that completely changed the game’s momentum.

BROOK PARK, Ohio — Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and his family celebrated a major project milestone Thursday as they officially commenced construction on their new covered stadium, which is slated to welcome fans for the 2029 football season.

However, several financial hurdles remain unresolved as work begins on the 67,500-seat venue, positioned adjacent to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport approximately 15 miles south of Cleveland’s city center.

A class-action lawsuit has frozen Ohio’s promised $600 million contribution to the project. The legal challenge contests a state budget provision that allocated $1 billion from Ohio’s Unclaimed Funds Account toward sports venue construction, claiming it violates constitutional protections against government seizure of private property.

Governor Mike DeWine expressed uncertainty about whether the legal dispute would resolve before he completes his second term in January.

“This is clearly going to go on for a while and so I’m not happy about that. There’s nothing we can do about that, but we’re going to go ahead,” he said after the ceremony. “I think that we’re going to win this case in court. It’s slow, certainly and we’re waiting, but I think eventually we win. If we do not win, if we ultimately lose, there’s another alternative. My initial proposal was to tax the sports gaming companies. I think that’s still a possibility that we could do.”

Additionally, Brook Park officials have not yet given final approval to their planned $245 million investment. The Haslam Sports Group — established by Dee and Jimmy Haslam along with their daughter and son-in-law — will shoulder the majority of expenses at $1.76 billion and assume responsibility for any budget increases.

According to Haslam, conversations about the stadium began in 2018, initially focusing on updating the Browns’ existing lakefront facility.

The current venue debuted in 1999 as Cleveland Browns Stadium, replacing Cleveland Municipal Stadium that operated from 1931 until demolition in 1996.

Plans shifted toward a new location beginning in 2021 when constructing a fresh facility became more practical than renovation.

The upcoming stadium and accompanying residential and commercial developments will occupy 178 acres where two Ford Motor Company manufacturing plants previously operated.

Cleveland officials initially contested the Browns’ decision to relocate from downtown before both parties reached an agreement. The team will finance demolition of their current home following the 2028 season, clearing space for lakefront redevelopment.

Due to its proximity to airport operations, the structure will extend 80 feet underground and rise 221 feet above ground level. The Ohio Department of Transportation granted an exception to the 150-foot height restriction above airport ground elevation after independent analysis confirmed the stadium would not interfere with aircraft routes. The facility will include Federal Aviation Administration-mandated marking and lighting systems.

“It was a bumpy road to get here, but we’re excited we’re here,” Haslam said. “I think everybody is finally beginning to sense that this is reality.”

The venue will showcase a folded plate transparent roof design, permitting natural light while protecting spectators from harsh winter conditions that characterize late-season Browns games.

The redesigned Dawg Pound represents the stadium’s most distinctive interior element. Constructed at a 34-degree angle, it will span more than 60 rows extending nearly to one of the massive video displays. The freestanding section will offer foldable seating options for fans who prefer sitting.

This area draws inspiration from European soccer venues, particularly modeling the “Yellow Wall” section at Borussia Dortmund’s stadium in Germany’s Bundesliga.

The Browns and design firm HKS report the closest seats will sit just 16 feet from the playing field, while the furthest will be only 248 feet away — closer than any other NFL facility. Approximately 80% of seating will be located in the lower level.

Officials expect the new stadium to compete for hosting the NCAA Men’s Final Four, major concerts, and other premier sporting competitions.

Regarding Super Bowl possibilities, the timeline appears more distant.

Commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged after the groundbreaking that while the stadium will meet Super Bowl standards, Northeast Ohio faces additional obstacles, particularly insufficient hotel accommodations required for the championship game.

Goodell estimated Cleveland currently has only half the minimum room capacity needed for Super Bowl hosting. However, he indicated Cleveland remains under consideration for hosting the NFL Draft again, having done so in 2021 under COVID-19 capacity restrictions.

“I think the real challenge is going to be how transformational this is here. The airport is important for us, hotels are important for us. All of the facilities are the biggest challenge for hosting a Super Bowl,” Goodell said. “It’s great for economic impact, but it’s hard for cities to be able to meet some of those requirements on the facilities. So that’s the biggest challenge.”

The Browns join a wave of NFL stadium construction projects. Buffalo’s new facility opens this season, Tennessee’s debuts next year, and Jacksonville’s renovated stadium launches in 2028.

Two American golfers have seized control at the top of the leaderboard following Thursday’s opening round of the Riviera Maya Open in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Brianna Do closed her round with a birdie on the final hole to match fellow American Melanie Green at 6-under-par 66.

Green, competing in her first year on the LPGA Tour, recorded a hole-in-one during an eventful front nine and finished with a birdie followed by a bogey on her final two holes to reach 6-under.

Spanish golfer Carlota Ciganda sits one stroke behind the leaders in third place at 5-under 67, posting seven birdies against two bogeys during her round.

Do got off to a fast start at El Camaleon Golf Course, recording four birdies within her opening five holes. She stumbled with her only bogey to end the front nine but bounced back with back-to-back birdies on holes 11 and 12, contributing to a 3-under performance on the back nine.

Despite challenging windy conditions, Do remained composed thanks to recent experience in similar weather during her U.S. Open qualifier.

“I actually had my U.S. Open qualifier, I don’t know, like two weeks ago or a week ago, and it was very windy, so it kind of helped me prepare myself for this week mentally,” Do said.

“(My strong start) kind of gave me a good start and a good cushion to kind of play aggressive the rest of the round.”

Green began her round on the back nine and reached 6-under through nine holes with an ace, five birdies, and one bogey. After recording birdies on holes 17 and 18, she temporarily reached 7-under with another birdie on the par-3 8th before dropping a shot on the final par-4.

The most memorable moment of Green’s round occurred on the par-3 15th hole, though she missed seeing her ball find the cup and initially doubted her caddie’s announcement.

“I’m like, ‘Shane, that’s not nice. It’s not in the hole. That’s not nice,’” Green recalled. “I walk up there and all I could see was the cross. I was so excited. Yeah, thought I just went way left. But whatever. Good bounce.

“I can’t say that (a hole-in-one) was a goal of mine this year, but always fun to have. It’s more fun when you can see it go in, but that’s OK.”

The 36-year-old Do joined the tour in 2013, while 24-year-old Green is in her debut season. Both players are still seeking their first LPGA Tour victory.

Do’s best career finish came at last year’s inaugural Riviera Maya Open, where she tied for ninth at 3-under.

“Having a good week here last year brought good vibes coming back, so I was excited to be back here and try and better how I played last year,” Do said.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda, who reclaimed the top ranking with her victory at last week’s Chevron Championship, is among six players sharing fourth place at 4-under. The group also includes Japan’s Erika Hara, Mexico’s Gaby Lopez, Japan’s Cocona Sakurai, South Korea’s Soo Bin Joo, and Thailand’s Suvichaya Vinijchaitham.

Defending champion Chizzy Iwai of Japan struggled in her title defense, sitting tied for 85th at 3-over 75 after a double bogey on the par-3 8th hole.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — After more than a year without any public interest, an investor group has stepped forward with plans to purchase the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer franchise and relocate the Major League Soccer team to Las Vegas.

Grant Gustavson, whose grandfather B. Wayne Hughes established Public Storage, leads the investment consortium. The Whitecaps have been on the market for 16 months, with Thursday marking the first time potential purchasers have publicly announced their intentions.

“In the coming weeks and months, we look forward to the opportunity to share more, however, out of respect for the league’s deliberations and community stakeholders, we are refraining from sharing details of our proposal,” Gustavson said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to work for a positive outcome for the game, the fans, the league and Las Vegas.”

According to Gustavson, the investor group plans to use private funds for both the acquisition and relocation, emphasizing the proposal is “not connected to any of the recently announced arena ideas in Las Vegas.”

Major League Soccer officials have indicated they will “evaluate all options” regarding the Whitecaps’ future, including potential relocation. The franchise currently uses BC Place as its home venue, which will serve as a host site for seven matches during this summer’s World Cup. However, league leadership has expressed dissatisfaction with the stadium lease arrangement and prefers a soccer-dedicated facility.

“It’s reaching a critical point,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Tuesday during a meeting with the Associated Press Sports Editors in New York.

Garber pointed to restrictive scheduling limitations imposed by the government entity managing the facility and the inability to install premium seating options.

British Columbia officials announced Tuesday they are collaborating with the Whitecaps to reduce operational expenses and increase revenue opportunities at BC Place, though they will not purchase the franchise to prevent its departure.

Team supporters attended Thursday’s FIFA Congress meeting in Vancouver, displaying numerous “Save the ‘Caps” signs and distributing similar posters throughout the downtown area.

Ravi Kahlon, B.C.’s minister of jobs and economic growth, revealed the team currently operates at the stadium without rental fees, and similar arrangements from this year could continue for another year.

“Look, I think we should all be concerned,” Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said following the congress at the Vancouver Convention Center. “And that goes well before Vegas came into the picture. We’ve been concerned. We’ve been working on this for more than a year. We can’t control what other groups that have an interest in our team, what they do. All we can do is control our destiny.”

Sim mentioned the city has located a potential site where new ownership could construct a stadium and entertainment complex using private investment rather than public funds. The following phase would involve negotiating an interim agreement with provincial authorities.

The Whitecaps and the provincial government, which controls BC Place through the Crown corporation PavCo, executed a one-year lease agreement earlier this year that provides the club with approximately $1 million to $1.5 million annually from provincial hosting revenues.

Garber has indicated optimism that the Whitecaps might find a solution to stay in Vancouver while noting that Las Vegas expansion remains another option. Las Vegas is not the sole city under consideration.

In a statement released earlier this week, the Whitecaps reported having “serious conversations with more than 100 parties, and to date, no viable offer has emerged that would keep the club here.”

“The club has faced well-documented structural challenges around stadium economics, venue access, and revenue limitations that have made it difficult to attract buyers committed to keeping the team in Vancouver.”

MLS franchise values have skyrocketed from tens of millions required for entry 15 years ago to hundreds of millions today. San Diego paid a $500 million expansion fee in May 2023 to become the league’s 30th franchise.

Three NHL teams will attempt to punch their tickets to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs Friday night, as elimination pressure mounts in the first round.

Friday’s triple-header features three Game 6 matchups where Montreal, Buffalo, and Vegas each hold 3-2 series leads and hope to avoid the uncertainty of a winner-take-all seventh game.

The evening begins with Tampa Bay traveling to face the Canadiens, followed by Buffalo’s journey to Boston, and concludes with Vegas visiting the Utah Mammoth.

For Montreal and Buffalo, advancing to the next round would represent a massive achievement for franchises whose devoted supporters are eager to experience deeper playoff runs again.

Buffalo’s fanbase has endured the longest drought, waiting 14 seasons to witness playoff hockey before this year’s squad captured their first Atlantic Division championship.

However, the Sabres now face their biggest challenge yet — finishing off a playoff opponent. Buffalo came agonizingly close in their initial opportunity Tuesday, falling to Boston in overtime during Game 5 on home ice.

The Sabres’ roster lacks postseason experience, with only 10 players having previously participated in a series-clinching opportunity.

“We trusted the process to get to this point,” Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. “You’ve got to continue to trust it. It’s a team (that for) a whole year has won together and lost together, but embrace this moment — and somebody for us is going to be a big time player. I can’t tell you who that is, but somebody will.”

Buffalo’s man-advantage unit remains problematic: Rasmus Dahlin’s tally in Game 5 marked the Sabres’ lone power-play goal in 18 attempts this series. The team enters Game 6 having scored on just one of 20 power-play opportunities against Boston after going scoreless in their final 22 chances of the regular season.

Buffalo’s most recent playoff series triumph came against the New York Rangers in the 2007 second round.

When/Where to Watch: Game 6, Friday, 10 p.m. EDT (ESPN).

Series: Golden Knights lead 3-2.

Vegas stands one win from advancing thanks to their special teams performance.

The Golden Knights’ power play has frustrated coach John Tortorella, who has adjusted his top two units searching for solutions from what was one of the league’s most effective regular-season groups.

Special teams proved decisive in Wednesday’s 5-4 double-overtime triumph over Utah. Pavel Dorofeyev’s opening goal came on the power play, and he tied the game with a six-on-five marker with 52.7 seconds remaining in regulation before Brett Howden netted the short-handed game-winner.

Vegas also successfully defended all five of Utah’s power-play attempts. The Mammoth have managed just one goal in 14 power-play chances throughout the series.

“It really came up big for us tonight,” Tortorella said of the penalty kill. “It’s a skilled team, a very dangerous power play, really big in OT as far as the kill. It’s steadied itself. Utah gets a lot of momentum off their power play whether they score or not. I think we’ve done a better job as the series has gone on.”

Vegas must still solve their power-play struggles. Dorofeyev’s first goal broke a 13-opportunity scoring drought, and they’ve converted just 3 of 18 chances in the series.

This makes Vegas’ series lead even more impressive. According to OptaSTATS, 29 teams have been behind in the third period of each of the first five games in a series, including the Golden Knights. The other 28 teams either trailed after five games or faced elimination.

Vegas defied those odds.

This gives Utah significant optimism as they fight elimination. They’ve remained competitive, dropping consecutive overtime contests, or the Mammoth would already be preparing for Anaheim or Edmonton in round two.

“We’re a confident group and we believe in one another and our team,” Mammoth captain Clayton Keller said. “These are the most fun games to be a part of. Down 3-2, we get to go home and play in front of our fans. I’m fired up for that.”

When/Where to Watch: Game 6, Friday, 7:30 p.m. EDT (ESPN).

Series: Sabres lead 3-2.

David Pastrnak’s breakaway strike 9:14 into overtime secured a 2-1 victory over Buffalo on Tuesday, extending Boston’s season.

The Bruins return to TD Garden hoping to repeat that success, though their home venue hasn’t provided much comfort in this series: Boston was outscored 9-2 during home defeats in Games 3 and 4.

Coach Marco Sturm believes Tuesday’s dramatic victory doesn’t mean they’ve solved Buffalo, despite making tactical adjustments that favored Boston.

The Bruins posted a 29-11-1 home record during the regular season.

“(Being home) should elevate your game,” Sturm said. “We’re against the wall, so home or away I see it more like we have to bring our A-game. Otherwise we go home, so we’re going to approach it that way. It’s a one-game mission again.”

Buffalo will be missing a crucial contributor as they pursue their first playoff series victory since defeating the New York Rangers in six games during the 2007 second round.

Rookie forward Noah Ostlund sustained a lower-body injury in Tuesday’s opening period.

Sabres coach Lindy Ruff declined to specify the injury details, stating “it doesn’t look good.” Ostlund had just returned from an upper-body injury in Game 3, where he recorded a goal and assist.

When/Where to Watch: Game 6, Friday, 7 p.m. EDT (ESPN2).

Series: Canadiens lead 3-2.

This matchup has delivered exceptional drama, featuring five straight one-goal decisions, three overtime periods, and numerous clutch performances from both teams. Montreal sits one victory from their first playoff advancement in five seasons, and the Bell Centre crowd will create an electric atmosphere.

The Canadiens received instant production in Game 5 from Brendan Gallagher, who found the net in his series debut after being scratched four times. The veteran’s physical presence and net-front determination embodied coach Martin St. Louis’ desired approach against the experienced Lightning.

Tampa Bay faces their fourth straight first-round elimination, but coach Jon Cooper’s squad can draw confidence from their hard-fought Game 4 road victory when they again confront the hostile Montreal crowd.

NEW YORK — Mets pitcher Luke Weaver believes his team is being crushed by the mental burden of their historically poor start to the season, following New York’s latest heartbreaking defeat.

The right-hander surrendered a crucial two-run home run to Washington’s CJ Abrams during the eighth inning on Thursday, as the Nationals rallied for a 5-4 victory that marked the Mets’ 17th defeat in their last 20 contests.

“At the end of the day, this pursuit of perfection is just an ultimate pressurized failure mindset,” Weaver said softly during a lengthy postgame introspection. “Everybody wants to be the hero because we care and we want to win really, really bad, and I just don’t think success lives in that realm. It just truly doesn’t and I think the freedom of which we play day to day is just kind of being suffocated a little bit.”

The Mets currently hold baseball’s worst record at 10-21. Their .323 winning percentage through April ranks as the franchise’s fourth-worst start, trailing only disastrous beginnings in 1962 (3-13), 1964 (2-10) and 1981 (4-10).

Despite rallying from a three-run deficit to grab a 4-3 advantage on MJ Melendez’s three-run blast in the third inning and Mark Vientos’ RBI double in the sixth, New York squandered another lead for the 10th time this season.

Luis García Jr. connected on Weaver’s first offering in the eighth inning, and Daylen Lile successfully avoided a double play with his speed. Abrams then crushed a poorly located changeup 403 feet to right-center field for the decisive blow.

“I want to do my job. It’s that simple. There’s moments that feel really close, and then there’s just one — mistakes that magnify our situation,” Weaver said. “And, so, of course I sit there and feel the weight of the world, and feel like I let the team down. But at the end of the day, I do feel like I’m in a good spot. It’s just, we sit there and we just tell you guys, ‘It’ll come. This is the game. This is the law of averages’ and all these things, but at the end of the day those words just don’t hold the same weight when you continue to go (lose) day after day.”

High expectations surrounded the Mets following an aggressive offseason restructuring that saw Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Díaz leave town, while Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien and Devin Williams joined the organization. So far, those moves have produced disappointing results.

New York entered the campaign with Major League Baseball’s largest payroll at $358.4 million. After posting an outstanding 45-23 record through June 13 last season, the Mets have gone 48-76 since that point.

The team currently ranks 27th among 30 clubs with a .227 batting average, 29th with just 106 runs scored, and dead last with a .631 OPS.

“Typically we don’t see an entire kind of collective group at the same time not playing their best brand of baseball,” Weaver said.

Only two position players in New York’s regular lineup are hitting above .240: $765 million superstar Juan Soto, whose 15-game absence due to a right calf injury coincided with a 12-game losing streak, and MJ Melendez, who began the year in the minor leagues but has recently batted third behind Soto.

Injuries have decimated one-third of the Mets’ opening day starting lineup. Center fielder Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disk herniation) joined shortstop Francisco Lindor (left calf) and first baseman/designated hitter Jorge Polanco (left Achilles, right wrist) on the disabled list Thursday.

Weaver and Williams, acquired from the crosstown Yankees by president of baseball operations David Stearns to strengthen the bullpen’s late innings, have posted a combined 6.86 ERA with three blown saves.

Starting pitchers are lasting barely five innings per appearance on average. Rotation members excluding Clay Holmes and rookie Nolan McLean have compiled a 6.04 ERA.

“It just feels like there’s a little bit of a culture that’s just kind of adapted to it unintentionally,” Weaver said. “It’s just how winning and losing goes. When you win, you feel like you’re on top of the world. When you’re losing, everybody wants to talk about the failures and the outcomes. And the magnification just becomes immense.

“Sleep is lost. The mind wanders and you just kind of get into a fixation that you don’t really need to be in.”

New York trails the National League’s final playoff position by 8½ games and sits 11½ games behind the division-leading Atlanta Braves. Only two franchises in baseball history — the 1914 Boston Braves and the 1981 Kansas City Royals — have reached the postseason after starting 10-21 or worse, with Kansas City achieving that feat by capturing the American League West second-half title during the strike-shortened season.

“It’s hard for all of us,” embattled manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We’re in this together. It’s not easy. But we’ve got to keep going. There’s no other choices here. We have a responsibility and we have to turn this thing around.”

The solution may require returning to baseball’s fundamental joys.

“It’s simplifying the process and maybe doing less,” Weaver said. “Maybe it’s less reps. Maybe it’s more about just enjoying why you do this for a living and trying to just find your inner kid and the joy of why you play the game and not trying to do it for other people.”

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix underwent a follow-up procedure on his right ankle but remains on track to participate in training camp and the upcoming regular season, according to a source familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press.

The source requested anonymity Thursday as the team has not publicly disclosed specifics about the cleanup surgery performed by Dr. Norman Waldrop III. Waldrop was the same surgeon who treated Nix after the quarterback fractured a bone in his right ankle during Denver’s AFC playoff game on January 18.

Denver will likely take a cautious approach with their starting quarterback following this additional surgery, which team officials had planned to conduct either this spring or after the conclusion of next season.

While Nix has been participating in workouts at the team’s facility in suburban Denver, backup quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger will likely handle most of the repetitions leading up to late July training camp, when Nix is anticipated to resume full activities.

Aside from next week’s rookie minicamp, the Broncos have scheduled their organized team activities and minicamp for June.

Head coach Sean Payton acknowledged Nix’s surgical follow-up after Denver wrapped up the NFL draft on Saturday but declined to provide specifics about the procedure.

“He had a recheck that was scheduled,” Payton said. “He’s doing great. We’re excited about his progress. Nothing to report.”

The injury occurred as Nix was directing the Broncos’ game-winning field goal drive in overtime against Buffalo during the divisional round of the playoffs. Stidham took over starting duties the next week for the AFC championship game, which Denver dropped 10-7 at home to New England in snowy conditions.

During the NFL owners meetings in Arizona, team owner and CEO Greg Penner informed reporters that Nix was “ahead of schedule, no concerns at all for OTAs and games.” Payton had also expressed similar confidence, stating Nix would participate fully in organized team activities.

However, those original plans shifted when Nix and his medical team, working with the organization, decided to proceed with the cleanup procedure now instead of postponing it until the next offseason.

The 25-year-old quarterback has compiled a 25-11 record over his first two NFL seasons since Denver selected him 12th overall in the 2025 draft following his college career at Oregon.

PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes has built a reputation for meticulous preparation in just his second season, but the Pittsburgh Pirates star pitcher admits he never knows what kind of performance awaits until he takes the mound and faces that first batter.

Sometimes, like his recent outing in Milwaukee, everything clicks perfectly. Other days, like Thursday’s matchup with St. Louis, his typically dominant command appears surprisingly ordinary.

Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt connected on Skenes’ third pitch of the game, sending it over the right-field wall at PNC Park. Three hitters later, Jordan Walker launched a sweeper that failed to break properly into the left-field bleachers, propelling St. Louis toward a 10-5 triumph and completing their four-game sweep.

The defeat left Skenes (4-2) winless in five career starts against the Cardinals, though his 2.95 ERA against St. Louis tells a different story. Even after surrendering five runs (four earned) in his most challenging outing since a difficult season opener against the Mets in New York, those numbers reflect the incredibly high expectations surrounding the young star.

“Nobody expects more out of Paul Skenes than Paul does out of himself,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “I think when he has a game like today or the opener, we have to find a way to pick him, because he picks us up all the time.”

Facing an opportunity to halt Pittsburgh’s recent struggles, Skenes couldn’t find his usual dominance. He fell behind Wetherholt 2-0 before the Cardinals infielder attacked a 95 mph fastball — slower than Skenes’ typical 98-99 mph velocity — and drove it beyond the Roberto Clemente Wall in right field.

Ivan Herrera reached on an infield hit, setting up Walker’s blast on an 83 mph sweeper that caught too much of the strike zone. The ball cleared left fielder Jake Mangum’s glove, launching the Cardinals toward their first four-game sweep at PNC Park since 2019.

When asked about St. Louis’s relative success against him, the 23-year-old Skenes delivered his characteristic blend of dry humor and honest assessment.

“They score more runs than us,” he said.

Though Skenes found his rhythm later — recording a season-high nine strikeouts — the Cardinals made the most of their contact opportunities. They extended their lead in the third following Alec Burleson’s infield single and rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin’s throwing error, which led to Nolan Gorman’s RBI hit. In the fifth inning, Burleson worked a changeup well outside the zone into left field, plating Wetherholt.

“I think that sometimes teams go up there, try to work his pitch count, try to get that up,” Kelly said. “It doesn’t seem to be the case. They’re going up there swinging and trying to get their swing off. … They put some good swings on the ball today.”

The loss dropped Pittsburgh to 16-16, far from last season’s disastrous start that led to former manager Derek Shelton’s dismissal, but still behind the pace in the competitive NL Central as first-place Cincinnati arrives for the weekend series.

“I mean, every team is going to have skids,” Skenes said. “Just got to get back to who we are and just play our game. Not try to do too much. Just think we’re trying to do too much a little bit, especially today. Just got to be us.”

Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe highlighted how accustomed the team has become to Skenes’ excellence when the familiar No. 30 takes the hill.

“It’s pretty difficult when you sit there and you’re saying, ‘Oh, he struggled’ and he gave up three (runs),” Lowe said.

Lowe, among several veterans brought in during the offseason to support Pittsburgh’s young core featuring Skenes and 20-year-old Griffin, isn’t worried about the recent rough stretch derailing what began as a promising campaign.

“When you’re in the training room, you’re in the tubs and stuff like that, showers, you just kind of have conversations and talking with these guys for a long time,” said Lowe, who launched his eighth homer of the year in the seventh inning. “They have a pretty good head on their shoulders and the way they look at things. … So it’s just one of those things, you kind of flush the bad ones and focus on the next one.”

DURHAM, N.C. — Amazon’s streaming platform Prime Video has entered the college sports arena through a groundbreaking partnership with Duke University’s renowned men’s basketball program.

The tech giant and the university revealed on Thursday that they’ve finalized a multi-year deal for Prime Video to stream three neutral-site non-conference games each season featuring the Blue Devils. This represents Prime Video’s inaugural venture into college athletics, adding to their existing portfolio that includes professional football and basketball coverage.

The upcoming season’s lineup features three high-profile contests: Duke will take on UConn in Las Vegas on Nov. 25, recreating their dramatic NCAA Elite Eight encounter where the Huskies overcame a 19-point deficit to win on a buzzer-beater. The Blue Devils will then clash with defending national champion Michigan at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Dec. 21, followed by a showdown with Gonzaga in Detroit on Feb. 20.

“Duke basketball games transcend the schedule,” said Charlie Neiman, Prime Video’s head of sports partnerships, “and the creation of this all-new offering gives fans more of what we all want, marquee matchups featuring the most successful programs in the nation.”

According to Duke’s announcement, the Blue Devils have committed to participating in additional ESPN-operated events during the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons “in exchange for the flexibility” to accommodate these Prime Video broadcasts. These arrangements complement ESPN’s existing relationship with Duke’s conference, the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Duke athletic director Nina King stated that the agreement “expands the global reach” for the program that has captured five NCAA championships.

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber claims a cybercriminal gained access to his social media account following the appearance of a childish message directed at British Columbia Premier David Eby.

The controversy began when Eby shared a brief 45-second clip on his social media platform Wednesday, promising supporters he would work to keep the Vancouver Whitecaps from moving elsewhere.

“The Whitecaps are British Columbia, and I want you to know that we are at the table fighting hard to save the Whitecaps,” Eby stated in his message to supporters.

Shortly after, a response from Garber’s verified account targeted Eby’s statement with the phrase “Liar liar pants on fire.”

Approximately sixty minutes following the controversial message, Garber offered his explanation: “My account was compromised earlier this evening. The issue has been resolved. I appreciate Premier Eby for taking the time to meet with me today.”

The league’s executive vice president of communications, Dan Courtemanche, supported Garber’s explanation by confirming on social media that “Commissioner Garber was hacked and did not post this.”

The 68-year-old league chief, who has led MLS since 1999, traveled to Vancouver for Thursday’s FIFA Congress and scheduled meetings with local officials regarding the Whitecaps’ uncertain future.

The soccer club traces its origins to 1974 when it began as part of the North American Soccer League before joining MLS as an expansion team in 2009.

Since December 2024, ownership has actively sought buyers, though “no viable offer has emerged that would keep the club here” despite engaging with over 100 potential purchasers, team officials stated.

According to ESPN’s recent reporting, investment groups from Phoenix and Las Vegas have shown interest in acquiring and relocating the franchise.

Saudi Arabia’s wealthy investors are ending their financial support for LIV Golf, marking another major sports venture the kingdom has abandoned in recent months.

In recent weeks, Saudi officials have canceled a Winter Olympics-style sporting event and sold off one of their premier soccer clubs, signaling a major change in their multibillion-dollar investment approach.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Saudi Public Investment Fund recently released a new strategic plan for 2026-30, emphasizing domestic investments while “maximizing financial returns, strengthening investment efficiency and increasing private sector participation.”

This new direction supports the crown prince’s “Vision 2030” initiative, which aims to transform Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure and develop tourism as a key component of their oil-dependent economy.

This marks a departure from years of massive spending on international sports ventures. Soccer has been central to their efforts — the nation will host the 2034 World Cup, while PIF controls a majority interest in Premier League’s Newcastle and supports the Saudi Pro League. The fund has also invested heavily in professional tennis for both men and women, Formula 1, boxing and other sports.

While LIV Golf may not be their costliest investment, it has generated the most attention; reports indicate the fund invested approximately $5 billion in LIV without seeing any financial returns.

“For the past two years, we’ve seen the beginning of the scaling back of some of the mega projects that were announced in 2021, 2022,” said Kristian Ulrichsen, a Middle East expert at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. “That’s exactly when LIV Golf began, as well.”

The PIF confirmed Thursday it would end LIV Golf funding after 2026, concluding weeks of rumors and reports about the Saudis withdrawing support. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor who spearheaded LIV Golf’s creation, no longer appears as chairman of LIV Golf following reports of his resignation.

Players and staff learned two weeks ago that the PIF would only continue supporting LIV Golf through this year’s end. LIV has responded by establishing a new board and developing plans for an investment model aimed at securing long-term partnerships.

The PIF’s substantial funding was crucial for LIV’s ability to attract top players from the PGA Tour. The organization spent $1 billion recruiting stars like Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Cameron Smith and Jon Rahm, who became their final major acquisition in late 2023.

During a recent Wall Street Journal interview, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp stated: “We’re interested in having the best players who can help our tour. Not every player can do that.”

Five-time major champion Koepka has already returned to the tour from LIV, and Masters winner Patrick Reed plans to rejoin later this year.

Approximately three months ago, Saudi Arabia reduced plans for a futuristic mega-city called The Line, part of the larger “Neom” project that was originally designed to stretch over 100 miles from the Red Sea through desert mountains.

The project included Trojena, a proposed year-round ski resort intended to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games (which were relocated to Kazakhstan). This could have served as preparation for future Olympics or the 2034 World Cup already granted to Saudi Arabia.

Recently, PIF sold 70% of Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal to a Saudi royal-owned company, creating concerns throughout soccer about the fund’s continued commitment to Newcastle in the English Premier League, where it holds roughly 85% ownership.

“Whether due to the war or reasons related to economic feasibility, we continuously reassess our priorities,” Al-Rumayyan told state-owned Al Arabiya news following the Al-Hilal sale.

Mohammed Soliman, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, told The Associated Press “Saudi Arabia is constantly reassessing its priorities, and its investment strategy will shift accordingly.”

“The PIF has always been a vehicle of national transformation first, global sports deals were part of that story, but so is pulling capital closer to home when the moment calls for it,” Soliman said.

Experts debate how much the U.S.-Iran conflict influences Saudi decision-making.

Some choices — like reducing the Neom project — occurred earlier this year when oil prices dropped to $60 per barrel, potentially creating budget shortfalls that might require using profits from Aramco, the national oil company.

The conflict has pushed oil prices above $100 but limited Saudi export capabilities as Iran and the U.S. compete for control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 25% of global oil passes.

“Ironically, the fact that the Saudis are still able to export maybe two-thirds of their oil at much higher prices over the last six weeks maybe actually means that their revenues may have gone up,” Ulrichsen said. “But this won’t be forever. The war has definitely heightened the element of uncertainty, and the closer it gets to 2030, the more they’ll want to deliver one or two key things, rather than maybe falling short on six or seven in general.”

Saudi Arabia has established significant presence in sports beyond golf and soccer.

They host a $15 million season-finale tournament for the Women’s Tennis Association, and the PIF holds naming rights for both WTA and men’s ATP tours.

Saudi Arabia has hosted the Dakar Rally and began hosting Formula 1 events in 2021. (This year’s F1 race was canceled due to the war.)

The kingdom has expressed interest in hosting Summer Olympics, potentially as early as 2036.

These investments appear modest compared to their largest sports commitment — hosting the 2034 World Cup. This project requires constructing 10 or 11 new stadiums nationwide, including one in Neom designed to float a quarter-mile above ground.

All these stadium and infrastructure investments make LIV’s $5 billion seem relatively small. However, observers note that LIV’s original vision — creating teams and selling them for profit — never materialized.

“The expense is not on the scale of what they spent on The Line or the (Asian) winter games,” Ulrichsen said. “But it’s significant, and I don’t think there’s an appetite for the prospect of losses continuing for at least another five or 10 years.”

HOUSTON (AP) — Following back-to-back victories that saved their season, the Houston Rockets enter Friday night’s Game 6 against the Los Angeles Lakers with renewed momentum and determination in their first-round playoff battle.

“We put ourselves in a bad position, but we can still make history and come back one game at a time,” Houston big man Alperen Sengun said. “Play at home, come back here, just do the same thing we’re doing.”

Friday’s NBA slate features three crucial Game 6 contests, beginning in the Eastern Conference where the underdog Orlando Magic will attempt once more to eliminate the top-seeded Detroit Pistons. The evening’s second matchup showcases James Harden and the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers seeking to finish their series against the fifth-seed Toronto Raptors.

The night concludes with Houston’s historic pursuit, as the Rockets aim to join an exclusive group of just four teams in NBA history that have forced a Game 7 after dropping the opening three contests. Notably, all 159 previous teams facing a 3-0 deficit have ultimately lost their series.

Houston will likely continue without superstar Kevin Durant, who has been sidelined for three straight games due to an ankle injury following his absence from the series opener with a knee bruise.

“You cannot take off days anymore,” Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. said. “If you lose, you go home, and on this team, nobody wants to go home. Everybody is here to fight.”

Despite Austin Reaves returning to action, the Lakers failed to eliminate Houston in Wednesday’s contest. Reaves, the team’s second-leading regular season scorer who had been absent since April 2 with an oblique injury, contributed 22 points on 4-of-16 shooting across 34 bench minutes in the 99-93 defeat.

LeBron James anticipates improved performance from Reaves in Friday’s crucial game after working through initial rust in Game 5.

“A few of his jump shots were short. That makes sense. He hasn’t played in a month,” James said. “He gives us another ball-handler, another attacking threat at the point of attack, so it’s great for us.”

Meanwhile in Toronto, the Raptors maintain optimism following their 125-120 Game 5 setback, though injury concerns loom large.

“I like our odds 100%,” Toronto’s Scottie Barnes said. “We’re going to go home and we’re going to get it done.”

Toronto may face elimination without All-Star Brandon Ingram, who departed Wednesday’s contest during the second quarter with right heel inflammation and never returned after scoring just one point. Barnes also battles injury concerns after taking a knee to the quadriceps while attacking the basket in the second quarter.

“Obviously, we need (Ingram) out on the floor,” Barnes said. “His playmaking ability and his defense and everything he brings.”

Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson recognizes the mental challenge ahead for his squad following Wednesday’s comeback victory.

“These are high pressure moments,” he said. “You’re down, you can feel the crowd getting nervous. So, I think we took a step (Wednesday). Now the big one is can you go and beat this team on the road? Can we go in there and go take this because we haven’t shown we can yet.”

Detroit staved off elimination behind Cade Cunningham’s franchise playoff-record 45 points in their 116-109 Game 5 triumph.

Orlando now seeks to complete their series victory and capture their first playoff series win since 2010. Success would make them only the second No. 8 seed to advance in the first round after emerging from the play-in tournament, joining Miami’s 2023 accomplishment.

Game Details – Magic at Pistons: 7 p.m. EDT (Prime Video). Series: Magic lead 3-2. Betting line: Pistons by 3 ½. Cunningham, selected first overall in 2021, delivered a franchise-defining performance Wednesday night to extend Detroit’s season. The 24-year-old guard must produce another exceptional showing to force Game 7 as the Pistons chase their first playoff series victory since 2008. After struggling with efficiency in previous contests, Cunningham connected on 13 shots Wednesday following just eight and seven makes in the prior two games. Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, the 2022 top pick, also tallied 45 points in Game 5 but struggled at the free-throw line, missing 7 of 12 attempts. The Magic will depend heavily on his scoring with Franz Wagner’s availability uncertain due to a strained right calf that kept him out of the last game. Wagner contributed 17 points and 5.5 rebounds across the first four contests as Orlando built their 3-1 series advantage.

Game Details – Cavaliers at Raptors: 7:30 p.m. (Prime Video). Series: Cavaliers lead 3-2. Betting line: Cavaliers by 3 ½. Cleveland aims to close the series by accomplishing what no team has managed through five games: winning on the opponent’s home court. This remains the only first-round series where the home team has won every game. Atkinson emphasizes turnover reduction as a key focus after Cleveland overcame a 12-point second-half deficit despite surrendering 28 points off 15 turnovers to Toronto. The Raptors face elimination while dealing with injuries to both Ingram and Barnes.

Game Details – Lakers at Rockets: 9:30 p.m. EDT (Prime Video). Series: Lakers lead 3-2. Betting line: Rockets by 3 ½. Without Durant, Houston has utilized balanced scoring to secure their last two victories, with all five starters reaching double figures in both contests. The Rockets must maintain this approach while continuing their improved three-point shooting, having connected on 26 attempts over the past two games compared to just 18 in the previous two contests. Los Angeles needs cleaner execution to end the series after accumulating 38 turnovers in their two losses. “You give credit where credit is due,” James said. “They played well the last two games, exceptionally well, and we’ve got to answer the call.”

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has formally launched his campaign for re-election in 2027, with the voting scheduled to take place in Morocco, marking the second consecutive FIFA presidential election held in Africa where Infantino has cultivated strong political relationships.

Speaking to international soccer officials on Thursday, Infantino confirmed his candidacy for what would be his third term, with the election meeting of FIFA’s 211 member nations scheduled for March 18 in Morocco, a co-host nation for the 2030 World Cup.

“I am honored and humbled at the same time,” Infantino stated to the assembled global soccer leadership while announcing his expected bid for another term.

FIFA’s robust financial position, featuring billions in reserves strengthened by projected high revenues from the 2026 World Cup in North America, enables the organization to distribute a minimum of $8 million to each member federation during Infantino’s current presidential term.

Last year, FIFA compensated Infantino more than $6 million for his role, which has elevated his international standing through regular meetings with high-profile leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose nation will host the 2034 World Cup.

The location choice for the 2027 FIFA Congress breaks from the expected rotation, as Europe or Oceania appeared likely to host following recent annual gatherings in Canada, Paraguay, Thailand, Rwanda and Qatar.

FIFA selected Rwanda’s capital Kigali for its 2023 election where Infantino won unanimous support. He has formed a strategic partnership with the Confederation of African Football led by South African mining mogul Patrice Motsepe since 2021. That CAF election also took place in Morocco, which has emerged as Africa’s dominant soccer nation.

The 54 African voting members among FIFA’s 211 total have historically played a crucial role in determining FIFA presidential outcomes.

Both CAF and Motsepe announced their backing for Infantino during this week’s Vancouver meetings, even before Thursday’s formal opening of the election period at the FIFA Congress.

Morocco has benefited significantly during Infantino’s tenure and will host the 2027 FIFA Congress in Rabat, where the soccer organization established its African regional headquarters last year.

The North African country will jointly host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, with aspirations to hold the championship match at a massive 115,000-seat stadium under construction in Casablanca. Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium represents another potential venue for the final.

Next year’s FIFA gathering of officials, corporate partners and journalists will serve as a promotional platform for Moroccan soccer and its prominent leader Fouzi Lekjaa, who simultaneously serves as a government budget minister under King Mohammed VI’s appointment.

Lekjaa holds the position of Motsepe’s top vice president at CAF and serves on FIFA’s 37-member Council, chaired by Infantino, which sets strategic direction for the global soccer organization.

Under Lekjaa’s dozen years leading Morocco’s soccer federation, the national men’s team achieved World Cup history in 2022 by becoming the first African squad to advance to the semifinals.

That breakthrough performance strengthened Morocco’s bid to join the Spain-Portugal hosting partnership for the World Cup, which had been anticipated to remain in Europe. Morocco had previously failed in multiple hosting attempts since the 1990s, including the 2026 tournament where they were the sole challenger to the successful North American bid from the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Morocco has also secured a five-year agreement with FIFA to host the annual Under-17 Women’s World Cup.

This year, Morocco hosted the men’s African Cup of Nations, which concluded with a disputed and chaotic final. While Senegal claimed victory on the field, Morocco received the title through a CAF appeals committee decision, with the final outcome awaiting Senegal’s pending appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

Infantino’s presidency is projected to span 15 years when he reaches his statutory term limits in 2031.

Following Infantino’s initial election victory in Zurich during February 2016, FIFA members simultaneously approved a 12-year presidential term restriction as part of comprehensive governance reforms mandated by U.S. federal corruption investigations that implicated top soccer officials globally.

Infantino’s original three-year term extending through 2019 — which completed Sepp Blatter’s interrupted presidency following his removal amid the investigation fallout — was ultimately ruled not to count against the 12-year limitation. His first re-election victory occurred in Paris.

USC wide receiver Makai Lemon has made history as the first player from the 2026 NFL Draft class to finalize his rookie contract with an NFL team.

According to NFL Network’s Thursday report, Lemon has completed his four-year agreement with the Philadelphia Eagles after being selected 20th overall in this year’s draft.

The former Trojan standout’s contract is valued at more than $20.81 million in guaranteed compensation, featuring an $11.5 million signing bonus. The agreement also contains a fifth-year option that the team can exercise.

During his final collegiate season, the 21-year-old earned the prestigious Biletnikoff Award as college football’s premier wide receiver, marking only the second time a USC player claimed the honor since Marqise Lee accomplished the feat in 2012.

Lemon’s impressive 2025 campaign included 79 receptions for 1,156 receiving yards and 11 touchdown catches while playing for Southern California.

The young receiver is expected to play an immediate role in Philadelphia’s offense, particularly with star wideout A.J. Brown’s potential exit looming. DeVonta Smith appears positioned to lead the Eagles’ receiving corps, which has also added veterans Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Elijah Moore to the roster.

Duke University has entered into a historic agreement with Amazon that will see three Blue Devils men’s basketball games broadcast on Prime Video during the upcoming season.

This groundbreaking collaboration represents Amazon’s inaugural venture into live college sports broadcasting. The streaming service will feature Duke’s matchup with UConn on November 25 in Las Vegas, their contest against defending national champion Michigan at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 21, and their game versus Gonzaga on February 20 in Detroit.

“In addition to our outstanding partnership with ESPN, we are excited to work with Prime Video on this groundbreaking initiative,” Duke athletic director Nina King said. “As Prime Video’s first college sports partner, this collaboration not only expands the global reach of Duke Men’s Basketball, but also creates meaningful opportunities for our student-athletes in a way that reflects innovation and excellence.”

The agreement revealed on Thursday encompasses more than just game broadcasts, including Name, Image and Likeness opportunities for Duke student-athletes and an expanded retail partnership that will be detailed in future announcements.

Prime Video has established itself in sports broadcasting since 2017 with NFL coverage, including “Thursday Night Football.” The platform recently launched an 11-year media agreement with the NBA this season.

Duke stands among college basketball’s most successful programs in NCAA Division I history, reaching 18 Final Four appearances and claiming five national titles. The Blue Devils completed this past season with a 35-3 record before falling to UConn in the Elite Eight round.