Category: Sports

The basketball world is mourning the loss of Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, who passed away at the age of 29. The team, his representation agency, and the NBA have all confirmed his death.

According to sources close to the investigation, medical examiners will conduct an autopsy to establish the precise cause of Clarke’s passing. His representatives at Priority Sports expressed their grief on social media, stating they were “beyond devastated” by the tragic news. Clarke had faced legal troubles recently, having been taken into custody on April 1st in Arkansas on charges of speeding and controlled substance possession before posting bond the following day. The Gonzaga product was selected 21st overall by Oklahoma City in the 2019 draft and earned All-Rookie honors in 2020, though injuries restricted him to just 72 appearances over his final three seasons out of a possible 246 games.

In playoff action, Victor Wembanyama delivered a dominant performance to help the San Antonio Spurs defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-97, putting San Antonio one win away from the Western Conference finals with a 3-2 series advantage. The young star recorded 27 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks in what served as redemption following his first career ejection. Keldon Johnson contributed 21 points, while De’Aaron Fox added 18 and Stephon Castle chipped in 17 for the Spurs. San Antonio can secure their spot against Oklahoma City with a Game 6 victory this Friday in Minneapolis. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards managed 20 points despite being held to just eight in the opening half.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani will sit out the next two games as the designated hitter while dealing with an offensive struggle. Despite breaking an 11-game home run drought with his second long ball in 24 contests during a 6-2 victory over San Francisco, manager Dave Roberts announced Ohtani won’t appear in Wednesday’s lineup when he takes the mound, nor Thursday’s game. Ohtani finished 2-for-4 with two runs, one RBI, and a walk, while his teammates managed just two hits in 25 at-bats. This marks Ohtani’s inaugural complete season as a dual-threat player with the Dodgers.

The Philadelphia 76ers have dismissed president Daryl Morey while retaining head coach Nick Nurse following their Eastern Conference semifinal sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks. Morey’s six-year tenure ended after another disappointing postseason, prompting the organization to seek new leadership for their basketball operations. Former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers will spearhead the search for Morey’s successor and oversee operations temporarily. Under Morey’s leadership, Philadelphia posted a 270-212 regular season record but struggled in playoff situations with a 28-26 mark, never advancing beyond the conference semifinals.

A Florida judge has ordered that Tiger Woods’ prescription medication records be released to prosecutors in connection with his March DUI arrest. The ruling came after a brief four-minute court session in Martin County, where an agreement was reached between Woods’ legal team and prosecutors. The subpoena requests all prescription drug documentation for the golf legend from January through March. Woods’ lawyer conceded that privacy rights have limitations and acknowledged prosecutors presented a strong case for accessing the records. In exchange, the defense secured a protective order restricting who may view the sensitive medical information.

World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler aims to break a pattern of second-place finishes as he defends his PGA Championship title. Despite his dominance on tour, Scheffler has recorded three straight runner-up results since the Masters. “It’s a little bittersweet but at least he knows he’s playing well,” Scheffler commented on his recent performances. Victory would place him alongside Brooks Koepka and Tiger Woods as the only players to capture consecutive PGA Championships in the stroke play era. Standing in his path are golf’s strongest major championship field and Aronimink’s challenging layout, which Xander Schauffele characterized as having “diabolical greens.”

Pavel Dorofeyev netted his second goal of the contest 4:10 into overtime, lifting the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-2 triumph over the Anaheim Ducks and a 3-2 series lead. The Golden Knights need just one more victory to reach the Western Conference final, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday in Anaheim. Vegas hasn’t appeared in a conference final since capturing the Stanley Cup in 2023. The Ducks, making their first postseason appearance in eight years, will attempt to force a decisive Game 7 back in Las Vegas this Saturday. Tomas Hertl ended a 29-game goalless streak dating to the regular season and now has two goals in two playoff games. Vegas goaltender Carter Hart made 34 saves in the victory.

Zach Benson celebrated his 21st birthday in style, scoring the game-winning goal on a third-period power play as the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in Game 4, evening their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Benson received a pass from Josh Doan in the slot, controlled the puck with his skate, and fired a backhand past goalie Jakub Dobes at the 4:41 mark of the final period. Game 5 returns to Buffalo on Thursday, with the series victor advancing to face Carolina in the conference final. Tage Thompson equalized for Buffalo in the second period with an unusual goal and also recorded an assist. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson opened the scoring while Doan contributed two assists. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen replaced Alex Lyon in net and stopped 28 shots.

Major League Baseball players and team owners have commenced collective bargaining discussions more than six months before their current agreement expires on December 1st. The negotiations, expected to be lengthy and contentious, will likely feature management’s push for a salary cap system that the players’ union has consistently rejected. The initial two-hour meeting took place at the MLB Players Association offices, located just a short walk from league headquarters in Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center. Both sides used the session to present their perspectives on the sport’s current state and financial landscape, though no formal proposals were exchanged.

Professional golfer Rory McIlroy, currently ranked second in the world, abbreviated his Tuesday practice session at Aronimink Golf Club after completing only three holes due to a painful blister on his right pinky toe. The injury comes as McIlroy prepares for this week’s PGA Championship taking place in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania.

The golfer was observed walking with a limp during Sunday’s final round of the Truist Championship in Charlotte, marking his first tournament appearance since claiming his second straight Masters title in April.

“Yeah, I’ve got a blister on my pinky toe on my right foot, but it’s underneath my nail,” McIlroy explained on Sunday. “I can’t really get to it, so it’s a little sore. But I’ll be all right.”

Speaking with Irish reporters earlier Tuesday, McIlroy revealed that doctors have removed the affected toenail and he is currently testing multiple pairs of golf shoes to determine which provide the greatest comfort during play.

The Northern Ireland native has claimed the PGA Championship title twice previously, capturing victories in 2012 and 2014. This week marks his first competitive round at Aronimink, with his sole prior experience at the venue being a practice session conducted several weeks before the major tournament.

McIlroy’s participation in Wednesday’s practice round remains uncertain as he may choose to rest instead. His first competitive round is scheduled for Thursday morning with an 8:40 a.m. tee time.

Victor Wembanyama made a statement in his return to the court, putting up 27 points and hauling in 17 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs dominated the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-97 on Tuesday night, giving San Antonio a 3-2 advantage in their Western Conference semifinal matchup.

The series now shifts to Minneapolis for Game 6 on Friday, with a potential decisive Game 7 scheduled for Sunday back in San Antonio if needed.

Wembanyama’s explosive performance came after his early exit from Game 4 on Sunday, when he was tossed from the contest in the second quarter following a flagrant 2 foul for an elbow that caught Naz Reid in the face. The incident resulted in an automatic ejection after video review, and the Spurs went on to lose that game 114-109.

“Very, very much,” Wembanyama responded when questioned about his eagerness to get back on the floor for Game 5. “I mean, I was fresh, feeling good. But honestly, it’s hard to tell if it’s just, it’s just, it was just getting fired up. Obviously, I’m going to be excited with butterflies, you know. So excitement is not something abnormal.”

San Antonio established control early, building an 18-point cushion in the second quarter before cooling off and taking a 12-point edge into the locker room at halftime. Minnesota managed to battle back and even things up at 61-61 early in the third period, but the Spurs responded with authority, outscoring the Timberwolves 30-12 over the remainder of the quarter to enter the fourth with a commanding 91-73 lead.

“We went away from what was working, and then, you know, defense just cratered,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch explained. “In the last six minutes of the third quarter, lot of it was just ball contain stuff. And, you know, offensively found stuff that was working, then we just started breaking off plays, you know. And that’s my job. I gotta get us back on track. That’s on me.”

The fourth quarter saw San Antonio extend their advantage to 20 points before Minnesota mounted a brief 8-0 comeback attempt, cutting the deficit to 93-81 with just over nine minutes left. However, the Timberwolves could get no closer than 11 points for the remainder of the contest.

Supporting Wembanyama’s stellar effort, Keldon Johnson contributed 21 points coming off the bench for the Spurs. De’Aaron Fox chipped in 18 points, while Stephon Castle added 17. Devin Vassell and Dylan Harper each scored 12 points, with Harper also collecting 10 rebounds for a double-double.

“We played with the appropriate fear, discipline, execution, physicality, poise,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson noted. “And I thought we had it from an array of people tonight, and it was really good to see. We needed everybody, because at different moments of the game, different guys stepped up.”

For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards paced the scoring with 20 points. Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle each tallied 17 points, Ayo Dosunmu added 16, and Naz Reid finished with 12.

Wembanyama set the tone immediately, scoring 16 of San Antonio’s first 24 points as the Spurs jumped out to a 24-9 lead with 6:17 remaining in the opening quarter. Minnesota weathered that early assault, with Reid’s driving layup in the final seconds cutting the gap to 34-30 after one period.

“We knew it was going to be physical, so just making that a point of emphasis and trying to keep them off the offensive glass,” Castle said. “I thought we started the game off well, and that’s where our runs came from. But obviously, they’re a good team, you know, they’re going to go on their own run.”

San Antonio opened the second quarter with nine straight points, highlighted by Castle’s three-point play, pushing their lead to 43-30. The Spurs stretched their margin to 58-40 following a spectacular Wembanyama alley-oop dunk with 3:24 left in the half, but then went cold, missing their final eight field goal attempts of the period and allowing Minnesota to close within 59-47 at intermission.

Wembanyama already had a double-double by halftime, recording 21 points and 11 rebounds in just two quarters of work. Fox had contributed 12 points for San Antonio before the break.

“I think one thing, the one word I’d like to use, just ‘mature,’” Mitch Johnson said of Wembanyama. “There’s a lot that’s happened in the last 48 hours, in the last game, and I think how that young man came out tonight and played in a variety of ways, in a variety of situations, not just in terms of his production, was extremely mature and then defensively, start to finish.”

Dosunmu led Minnesota’s first-half scoring with nine points, while Reid and Edwards each contributed eight.

The Timberwolves continued their momentum to start the third quarter, knotting the score at 61-61 with 7:51 on the clock when Dosunmu’s layup capped a 14-2 surge.

“I don’t see nobody in our locker room that (is) worried at the end of the day,” Edwards said. “Man, it’s another basketball game. So you come out, put your boots on and get ready to go to work.”

An actor from the beloved television series ‘Ted Lasso’ has made his fictional soccer career a reality by joining a professional team in the United States.

Cristo Fernandez, known for his role as Dani Rojas on the Apple TV+ hit show featuring an American coach leading a British soccer team, has officially signed with El Paso Locomotive FC in the USL Championship league.

The 35-year-old performer previously played youth soccer in Mexico but left the sport at 15 following a knee injury. While building his acting career, Fernandez never abandoned his athletic aspirations and even trained with the Chicago Fire’s reserve squad in Major League Soccer this year.

El Paso Locomotive FC announced the signing Tuesday following Fernandez’s successful two-month tryout period, during which he made a preseason appearance for the team.

‘(Football) has always been a huge part of my life and identity, and no matter where life has taken me, the dream of competing professionally never truly left my heart,’ Fernandez stated on the team’s website.

‘Maybe I’m just a crazy man with crazy dreams.’

The club, established in 2018, currently holds fourth place in Group B of the USL Championship standings.

Head coach Junior Gonzalez praised the new addition, saying ‘Cristo is a great addition to our roster, adding another attacking threat to our forward line.’

‘His passion for the game and leadership qualities for our locker room allow us to continue growing the positive culture we strive for as a club,’ Gonzalez added.

Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes came tantalizingly close to his second straight no-hit bid, carrying a perfect game into the seventh inning before surrendering just two hits across eight shutout frames in the Pirates’ 3-1 triumph over Colorado on Tuesday night.

The defending National League Cy Young Award recipient (6-2) kept the Rockies off the basepaths entirely through 6⅓ innings until Mickey Moniak broke up the bid with a soft liner that fell just beyond the outstretched glove of diving center fielder Oneil Cruz.

This marked Skenes’ second consecutive eight-inning, two-hit shutout performance. The dominant right-hander has surrendered zero runs in four of his last five outings, dropping his earned run average to 1.98 while extending his streak of starts without issuing a walk to five games. He fanned 10 Colorado batters on the evening.

Colorado’s Michael Lorenzen (2-5) struggled in comparison, surrendering two earned runs on five hits and two free passes while striking out five across five innings of work.

Pittsburgh received offensive contributions from Nick Gonzales, who collected two hits and drove in one run, while Spencer Horwitz also managed two base hits. Brandon Lowe and Bryan Reynolds each contributed RBI singles to provide Skenes with sufficient run support.

In other Tuesday action around the majors:

Rays 7, Blue Jays 6 (10 innings)

Jonathan Aranda’s sacrifice fly capped Tampa Bay’s extra-inning victory as the Rays maintained their perfect 5-0 record against Toronto this season. Taylor Walls delivered the go-ahead RBI single against Braydon Fisher (2-1) before Aranda’s fly ball provided insurance. Ian Seymour (2-0) tossed a clean ninth inning for Tampa Bay, which had blown a five-run advantage by allowing five two-out tallies in the seventh.

Braves 5, Cubs 2

Mike Yastrzemski launched his first home run as a Brave and drove in three runs, while Austin Riley also went deep and Dominic Smith collected four hits to power Atlanta past Chicago. The victory improved the Braves’ major league-best record to 29-13. Yastrzemski’s three-run blast broke a 2-2 deadlock during a four-run sixth inning. Didier Fuentes (2-0) threw three hitless relief innings before Raisel Iglesias completed the combined one-hitter with a perfect ninth.

Twins 3, Marlins 0

Bailey Ober delivered a complete-game shutout, striking out seven while walking none to guide Minnesota past Miami. Byron Buxton stole home plate and Ryan Jeffers belted a two-run homer to provide the offense. Ober (4-2) earned his first career complete-game shutout in his 124th major league start, throwing 64 strikes among his 89 total pitches.

Guardians 3, Angels 2

Angel Martinez homered and Patrick Bailey drove in his first run since joining Cleveland via trade to help the Guardians continue their dominance over Los Angeles. The Angels fell to 4-29 in Cleveland since 2015, the most lopsided venue record in baseball during that span. Hunter Gaddis (1-1) earned the victory with 1⅓ scoreless innings, while Cade Smith notched his 12th save.

Nationals 10, Reds 4

Daylen Lile and Luis Garcia Jr. each launched two home runs as Washington blasted six long balls total to overwhelm Cincinnati. Lile, a Louisville native, hit a solo shot in the fourth and a three-run blast in the fifth for his first career multi-homer game. Garcia contributed two solo homers as both players recorded three hits apiece.

Yankees 6, Orioles 2

Paul Goldschmidt and Trent Grisham homered as New York snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory in Baltimore. Grisham’s three-run blast highlighted a five-run third inning. Will Warren (5-1) carried a shutout into the sixth inning, ultimately allowing two runs on four hits.

Mets 10, Tigers 2

A.J. Ewing scored twice and drove in two runs in his major league debut, sparking New York’s rout of Detroit. Ewing collected an RBI triple and drew three walks in his first big league appearance. Freddy Peralta (3-3) allowed two runs while striking out seven over six innings for the victory.

Phillies 2, Red Sox 1

Kyle Schwarber tied a franchise record by homering for the fifth straight game, while Zack Wheeler pitched into the eighth inning to lift Philadelphia past Boston. Schwarber’s first-inning blast off Jovani Moran (0-1) gave him six homers in five games and 17 total to lead the majors. Wheeler (2-0) allowed one run on six hits before departing with one out in the eighth.

White Sox 6, Royals 5

Derek Hill delivered a pinch-hit, go-ahead solo homer in the eighth inning to help Chicago extend its winning streak to three games despite being outhit 11-7. Chase Meidroth and Drew Romo also went deep for the White Sox. Kansas City got solo homers from Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez in the first inning.

Brewers 6, Padres 4

Brandon Sproat earned his first career victory by pitching effectively into the sixth inning, while Joey Ortiz homered for the first time since July to lead Milwaukee past San Diego. The Brewers extended their winning streak to five games and moved seven games above .500 for the first time this season by overcoming a 2-1 deficit with five fourth-inning runs.

Rangers 7, Diamondbacks 4

MacKenzie Gore allowed just one run on three hits over a season-high eight innings as Texas defeated Arizona. Joc Pederson and Ezequiel Duran homered while Brandon Nimmo and Jake Burger each collected three hits. Gore (3-3) had entered with an 0-3 record and 6.85 ERA since April 8.

Mariners 10, Astros 2

Dominic Canzone belted his first career grand slam and Randy Arozarena produced four hits and three RBIs to support Bryan Woo as Seattle routed Houston. Canzone’s fourth-inning slam broke a 2-2 tie after Tatsuya Imai (1-1) loaded the bases with nobody out. Woo (3-2) struck out nine while retiring the final 11 batters he faced.

Cardinals 6, Athletics 4

JJ Wetherholt smacked a two-run homer and Jose Fermin added a two-run double to lead St. Louis past Oakland in West Sacramento. Ivan Herrera joined Wetherholt with two hits as the Cardinals ended a two-game skid. Andre Pallante (4-3) allowed three runs over five innings for the victory.

Giants 6, Dodgers 2

Eric Haase hit two home runs and Harrison Bader added another as San Francisco improved to 4-1 against Los Angeles this season. Adrian Houser (1-4) earned his first win as a Giant by allowing two runs over 5⅔ innings. The loss extended the Dodgers’ losing streak to four games, matching their season high.

The National Basketball Association has wrapped up its inquiry into Milwaukee’s handling of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s season-ending absence and determined no penalties are warranted, ESPN reported Tuesday.

The two-time Most Valuable Player suffered a hyperextended left knee during Milwaukee’s March 15 matchup against Indiana and remained sidelined for the team’s remaining 15 contests. The Bucks subsequently failed to reach the playoffs for the first time in eight years.

Conflicting narratives emerged between the organization and its superstar regarding his physical condition and readiness to compete once Milwaukee’s postseason hopes were dashed in late March.

During an early April media session, Antetokounmpo stated he was physically ready but being prevented from playing by team officials.

“I’m available to play, but I’m not in the game,” Antetokounmpo declared on April 3. “I’m available to play today. Right now. I’m available.

“For somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete, it’s like a slap in my face. So I don’t know where the relationship goes from there.”

According to the ESPN report, Milwaukee officials told league investigators they questioned whether Antetokounmpo genuinely wanted to return, pointing to his alleged unwillingness to engage in 3-on-3 practice sessions designed to demonstrate his recovery.

The 31-year-old disputed this characterization during his season-ending media availability.

“From my understanding, coming back to play, which I don’t think I ever had any return-to-play protocol, but to my understanding was I had to play 3-on-3 to be able to be available to play,” Antetokounmpo explained. “I did that multiple times. I’ve never in my life denied participation of practice.”

ESPN also revealed Monday that Milwaukee is again weighing potential pre-draft trades involving Antetokounmpo. The franchise previously considered similar moves before February’s trade deadline but opted to retain their cornerstone player through the summer.

Antetokounmpo remains under contract for one more season before a player option becomes available for the 2027-28 campaign.

The decorated forward has compiled averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals across 13 seasons and 895 appearances (830 as a starter) with Milwaukee. He guided the franchise to its first championship in five decades during the 2021 season, earning recognition as a 10-time All-Star and nine-time All-NBA selection.

The Oakland Athletics have sidelined All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson for at least 10 days after he suffered a left shoulder dislocation during Sunday’s matchup with Baltimore. The injury occurred when Wilson made a diving attempt to field a ground ball hit by Orioles player Gunner Henderson, who reached base safely on the play.

Medical imaging conducted Monday revealed the extent of the 24-year-old’s shoulder subluxation, prompting the team to officially place him on the injured list with the designation taking effect retroactively from Monday. The timing means Wilson will miss Tuesday’s home series opener against St. Louis.

According to MLB.com reports, Wilson will avoid surgical intervention and instead focus on a rehabilitation program before returning to baseball activities. Team officials have not provided a specific timeline for when the young infielder might rejoin the roster.

Wilson’s injury comes at an unfortunate time as he had been demonstrating improved performance at the plate. Following a challenging start to the season where he managed just a .196 batting average through his initial 12 contests, Wilson rebounded significantly over his most recent 27 games, posting a .336 average alongside an impressive .826 OPS. His current season statistics show a .292 batting average with three home runs and 19 runs batted in.

Since entering Major League Baseball in his third campaign, Wilson has compiled a .299 career batting average with 16 homers and 85 RBIs across 192 games. Oakland selected the promising shortstop with the sixth overall pick in the 2023 amateur draft.

During Wilson’s recovery period, Darell Hernaiz is anticipated to handle the majority of shortstop duties, similar to his role when Wilson previously missed time due to a fractured left forearm in 2025.

To address roster needs, Oakland has promoted outfielder Henry Bolte, ranked as the organization’s fifth-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline, along with infielder Michael Stefanic from their Triple-A Las Vegas affiliate.

Stefanic brings versatility to the infield, capable of playing both second and third base positions. In 34 games with Las Vegas this season, he recorded a .250 batting average and .706 OPS. His major league experience includes stints with the Los Angeles Angels from 2022-2024 and the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025, where he compiled a .227 average with 14 RBIs over 99 total games.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are giving their superstar Shohei Ohtani some time away from hitting as his struggles at the plate continue to mount.

The two-way phenom has managed just four hits in 36 at-bats during the month of May, and his season statistics show a concerning trend with a .233 batting average, only six home runs, and 16 RBIs. Most notably, he hasn’t connected for a single home run all month.

Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts announced Tuesday that Ohtani won’t serve as the team’s designated hitter on Thursday, though he could be called upon if the game situation demands it. Roberts is also considering keeping Ohtani out of the batter’s box Wednesday when he takes the mound against the San Francisco Giants.

“It might just be a good thing to take a little bit of a load off of his plate offensively,” Roberts explained. “I just can’t take for granted what’s on his plate and so I’m trying to be sensitive.”

The Dodgers’ fortunes have mirrored their star player’s struggles, as the team sits at 24-17 and trails the NL West-leading San Diego Padres by half a game after dropping three consecutive games. While Andy Pages has excelled with a .325 average and Max Muncy is hitting .280, the rest of the lineup has faltered, including veteran Freddie Freeman at .273 and Kyle Tucker at .250.

This marks Ohtani’s first complete season handling both pitching and hitting responsibilities since joining the Dodgers. After undergoing two significant right elbow surgeries, he was restricted to designated hitter duties in 2024, when he made history by joining the exclusive 50/50 club with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases while earning NL MVP honors and helping the Dodgers capture the World Series.

During the previous campaign, Ohtani didn’t return to pitching until the middle of the season and wasn’t built up to throw six innings until September. Despite the limited mound time, he still managed 55 home runs and 20 stolen bases, earning another NL MVP award as the Dodgers repeated as World Series champions.

While his hitting has been problematic, Ohtani has been exceptional on the pitching side this year. The right-hander boasts a 2-2 record with an outstanding 0.97 ERA, striking out 42 batters across 37 innings in six starts. He’s surrendered just four earned runs and 21 hits.

“He’s still calibrating on this kind of newfound two-way player,” Roberts observed.

Roberts acknowledges that while Ohtani is always willing to do whatever benefits the team, the manager must sometimes protect his most valuable player from his own competitive drive.

“He’s always going to want to do more,” Roberts noted. “He has that sense of responsibility to his teammates that he wants to be out there on both ways. I’ve learned that I have to be proactive and take it out of his hands.”

The manager believes he’s seen enough evidence to determine that removing the bat from Ohtani’s hands temporarily could help him find his rhythm again.

“When the quality of at-bats starts to go down consistently, I think that’s a sign that there needs to be a break because you’re just not able to stay within your game plan and then the chase starts to spike,” he explained. “The fatigue is bleeding into the mechanics. Most players get that towards the end of the summer. Now I’m learning managing Shohei it’s probably showing itself a little earlier as far as the tax on pitching and all that comes with it to the hitting, too.”

Ohtani isn’t accustomed to sitting out hitting duties, having appeared as the designated hitter in all but three games this season. Roberts even suggested the star player arrive late to the ballpark Thursday.

The organization anticipated challenges when they decided to have Ohtani resume full two-way duties for the first time since his 2023 season with the Los Angeles Angels.

“It definitely feels sustainable,” Roberts said. “I wouldn’t say it’s more difficult. I think that we all came in knowing that we had to read and react, it was going to be fluid. It should be. It’s very unique.”

The Philadelphia 76ers have dismissed president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, the team revealed on Tuesday.

Bob Myers, the former general manager of the Golden State Warriors who currently serves as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, will temporarily oversee the basketball operations department while spearheading the hunt for Morey’s successor. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment owns the 76ers.

Team owner Josh Harris released a statement expressing his thoughts on the decision. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Daryl personally and professionally, and I’m grateful for his contributions over the last six seasons,” Harris stated. “After speaking with Daryl, we determined that it was time for a fresh start. Bob Myers will lead the process of identifying a new leader and I believe his experience in constructing four NBA championship teams will be a valuable resource to our organization.”

Harris also addressed frustrated fans directly. “To our fans, your frustration and disappointment are understandable and warranted. We have fallen well short of our own expectations and failed to deliver in the way this city deserves. That bothers me deeply and I have confidence in Bob to establish a path forward for our franchise.”

The 53-year-old Morey came to Philadelphia in 2020 after spending 13 seasons as Houston’s general manager.

Morey’s most significant transaction with the Sixers involved trading for James Harden in a 2022 deal that shipped Ben Simmons to Brooklyn. The trade came during a period when Simmons was refusing to play for Philadelphia while Harden was seeking an exit from the Nets.

While Simmons’ career declined after brief tenures with Brooklyn and Los Angeles, Harden lasted just 1.5 seasons in Philadelphia before demanding another trade to the Clippers. During a trip to China prior to his departure, Harden made harsh comments about Morey, stating “Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part of.”

Harden and Morey had previously worked together for more than eight seasons in Houston.

The 76ers have struggled to break through in recent years, failing to reach the Eastern Conference finals since 2001. Following a disappointing 2024-25 campaign where they missed the playoffs due to injuries to Joel Embiid and other core players, Philadelphia bounced back with a 45-37 record this past season to secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. The team shocked the Boston Celtics in a seven-game opening round matchup but was subsequently eliminated by the New York Knicks in a four-game semifinal sweep.

According to ESPN reports, head coach Nick Nurse will return for his fourth season despite posting a 116-130 record over his first three years with the franchise.

PHILADELPHIA — Following their elimination from the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Philadelphia 76ers dismissed president Daryl Morey on Tuesday while choosing to retain head coach Nick Nurse for the upcoming season.

The organization made swift changes after the New York Knicks eliminated them in a sweep, concluding Morey’s sixth year leading the franchise’s basketball operations.

Managing partner Josh Harris announced that he and Morey mutually agreed it was appropriate to pursue a new direction for the organization.

Former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers will spearhead the hiring process for Morey’s successor and will temporarily manage the basketball operations department.

“To our fans, your frustration and disappointment are understandable and warranted,” Harris said. “We have fallen well short of our own expectations and failed to deliver in the way this city deserves. That bothers me deeply and I have confidence in Bob to establish a path forward for our franchise.”

During Morey’s leadership, the Sixers compiled a 270-212 regular season record but struggled in playoff competition with a 28-26 postseason mark, never advancing beyond the conference semifinals. The team qualified for the playoffs this year after missing the postseason for the first time during Morey’s era in 2024-25, when they finished 24-58.

Myers constructed the championship Golden State squads that captured NBA titles in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. Following his departure from the Warriors, he worked as an ESPN analyst before joining Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment as president of sports in October 2025.

Morey arrived in Philadelphia in 2020 following 14 years with the Houston Rockets, where he served as general manager for 13 seasons. Houston qualified for the playoffs during his final eight campaigns, and he earned NBA executive of the year honors in 2018 when the Rockets achieved a 65-17 record and reached the Western Conference finals.

In 2019, his social media post supporting Hong Kong protesters created diplomatic tensions with Chinese officials and damaged the NBA’s profitable Chinese market relationships. The Rockets had previously maintained strong popularity in China following their selection of Yao Ming as the top draft pick in 2002.

Known for his data-driven methodology — holding an MBA from MIT and co-chairing the institution’s annual Sports Analytics Conference — Morey struggled to construct a championship team around frequently injured center Joel Embiid. He brought in James Harden, his former Houston standout, and subsequently added veteran Paul George at significant cost.

His recent draft selections included successful picks like Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, chosen third overall last year. However, he faced criticism for trading Jared McCain, a 2024 first-round selection, to Oklahoma City this season. McCain contributed 11.5 points per game as the defending champion Thunder swept the Lakers in the second round.

Basketball pioneer Jason Collins, who broke barriers as the first openly gay athlete to compete in the NBA, has passed away at age 47 following an eight-month fight with an aggressive brain tumor, his family confirmed Tuesday.

Collins made history during his professional basketball career and later became a leading advocate for inclusion within the league and broader sports community. His groundbreaking presence in the NBA opened doors for LGBTQ+ athletes across professional sports.

The former center’s family announced his death after he battled the aggressive form of brain cancer for eight months. Collins’ courage both on and off the court made him a respected figure in basketball and an important voice for equality in athletics.

His legacy extends beyond his playing career, as Collins continued to serve as an advocate and representative for the NBA, promoting diversity and inclusion throughout the sports world.

The Milwaukee Brewers welcomed back star outfielder Christian Yelich on Tuesday, removing him from the 10-day injured list in time for their upcoming series against the San Diego Padres at home.

The 34-year-old player had been sidelined for an entire month due to a strained left groin muscle. His most recent game appearance was during an April 12 defeat against the Washington Nationals. Prior to his injury, Yelich was performing well at the plate with a .314 batting average, along with 10 RBIs and one home run.

To make room on the roster, Milwaukee sent utility player Tyler Black down to their Triple-A affiliate in Nashville.

The 25-year-old Black has seen limited action with Milwaukee, playing in nine contests this season and 32 games total across three years with the organization. Throughout his major league career spanning 98 plate appearances, he maintains a .250 batting average.

Yelich, who captured the National League MVP award in 2018 and earned three All-Star selections, rejoins the Brewers roster without completing any rehabilitation games in the minor leagues.

Jason Collins, the groundbreaking NBA veteran who became the first openly gay active player in major professional sports, has passed away at 47 following a battle with brain cancer, his family announced Tuesday.

In September, Collins shared that he was receiving treatment for a brain tumor, later revealing he had been diagnosed with stage four glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive type of brain cancer.

“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” his family stated.

Collins broke barriers in 2013 when he became the first active male professional athlete in North America’s major sports leagues to publicly announce he was gay.

The center spent 13 years in the NBA after being drafted 18th overall by Houston in 2001, though he was immediately traded to what was then the New Jersey Nets. Throughout his career, he also played for Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston and Washington.

Collins was part of the Nets teams that advanced to consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003, playing alongside stars Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson.

His announcement came through a personal essay published in Sports Illustrated, which generated overwhelming support throughout the sports community, including praise from then-President Barack Obama.

“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar,” his family shared. “Our family will miss him dearly.”

The basketball world mourns the loss of Jason Collins, who broke barriers as the NBA’s first openly gay athlete and later became a leading voice for diversity in professional sports. Collins passed away Tuesday at age 47 after battling Stage 4 glioblastoma for eight months, his family confirmed.

The center played professional basketball for 13 seasons across six different teams. In 2013, near the conclusion of his playing days, Collins made the groundbreaking decision to publicly share his sexual orientation.

Doctors had diagnosed Collins with Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer with very poor survival odds.

“Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar,” Collins’ family said in a statement released through the NBA. “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”

Recently, Collins was honored with the first-ever Bill Walton Global Champion Award during the Green Sports Alliance Summit. Due to his deteriorating health, his twin brother Jarron Collins, also a former NBA player, received the recognition on his behalf.

“I told my brother this before I came here: He’s the bravest, strongest man I’ve ever known,” Jarron Collins said while accepting that award.

Throughout his professional career, Jason Collins maintained averages of 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. He was instrumental in helping the New Jersey Nets advance to two NBA Finals appearances, with his most productive season coming in 2004-05 when he averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds.

“Jason Collins’ impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador. Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.

“On behalf of the NBA, I send my heartfelt condolences to Jason’s husband, Brunson, and his family, friends and colleagues across our leagues.”

Collins made his historic announcement through a personal essay published in Sports Illustrated during April 2013. Though he was between teams at the time, he expressed his desire to continue competing and subsequently appeared in 22 games for Brooklyn during the next season.

“If I had my way, someone else would have already done this,” he wrote at that time. “Nobody has, which is why I’m raising my hand.”

The announcement received widespread praise, with notable players like Kobe Bryant immediately voicing their support. Even the White House and former President Bill Clinton endorsed Collins’ courage – Clinton’s daughter Chelsea had attended Stanford University alongside Collins. During his college years, Collins shared living quarters with Joe Kennedy III, who later served Massachusetts in Congress for eight years.

In his Sports Illustrated essay, Collins explained that watching Kennedy participate in Boston’s 2012 gay pride parade motivated him to speak publicly about his own identity, since he felt unable to do the same while remaining closeted.

Before his announcement, Collins had quietly shown support for LGBTQ+ causes through his jersey selections. He chose number 98 during his final three team stints with Boston, Washington, and Brooklyn – honoring the year Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming college student, was murdered. He also wore number 46 in one Nets game, though that was simply the only available jersey when he joined the team.

During his Stanford career, Collins achieved a shooting percentage of nearly 61%, establishing a university record that still stands. The Associated Press named him an honorable mention All-America selection in 2001, shortly before the Houston Rockets selected him 18th overall in that year’s draft.

“It’s a sad day for all of us associated with Stanford basketball when we lose one of the program’s greats,” former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said. “We all have great memories of Jason and the kind of person he was. It’s hard to separate Jarron and Jason because they thought so alike, but even though he was an identical twin, Jason was unique in his own way. The impact he had on Stanford was immense, as he could match up against anyone in the country because he was big, smart, strong and skilled, all while being a very bright and nice person.”

Mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor appears to be closing in on a deal that would bring him back to the UFC octagon this summer, multiple industry sources are reporting.

The Irish fighter, who has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury during his 2021 bout against Dustin Poirer, is reportedly very close to finalizing terms for a rematch against Max Holloway scheduled for July 11 during International Fight Week at UFC 29, according to combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani.

Speaking on his program, Helwani defended his reporting track record: “I was the first person to tell you Conor was coming back, I was the first person to tell you it was going to be Conor versus Max, I’m still the only one. I can’t dictate or decide when they are going to announce things because that’s arbitrary. What I can tell you are the facts. So, I will never get wrong fight bookings, matchups, things of that nature.”

While UFC President Dana White expressed being “very confident” that the 37-year-old McGregor will return to competition soon during an appearance on “The Jim Rome Show,” he confirmed that no contract has been finalized and no official opponent has been revealed. Helwani, however, suggested fans should anticipate a formal announcement before UFC Freedom 250, which is set for 8 p.m. Saturday, June 14 at the White House.

“If you don’t believe me, you’re going to be proven wrong. As of right now, they’re on the goal line,” Helwani stated. “I’ve never said it’s signed, sealed, and delivered. It will be. I just want to make that clear, I am not walking this back.”

The reporter added: “Something awful has to happen for this fight not to come to fruition July 11. (Announcing) it at the White House would be too late, that would be less than a month.”

In a follow-up comment, Helwani acknowledged White’s position, saying: “Dana is right. It is not signed, sealed, and delivered. Is one side signed, sealed?”

The potential matchup would mark a reunion between McGregor and Holloway, who is now 34 years old. The two fighters previously met in 2013 in the featherweight category, with McGregor securing victory by unanimous decision.

INGLEWOOD, California – Basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson made a passionate appeal Tuesday for global soccer fans to choose Los Angeles as their primary destination during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the metropolis as the “sports capital of the world.”

Speaking at a special countdown event titled ’30 Days to FIFA World Cup 2026′ held at SoFi Stadium, the promotional gathering showcased the metropolitan area’s ambitions to offer visitors a comprehensive experience beyond just attending soccer matches.

“The world game is coming to the greatest city in the world,” Johnson declared enthusiastically during the promotional event, which aimed to attract international travelers not only for World Cup games but also to explore the city’s numerous attractions and establish LA’s reputation as an international sports destination.

The five-time NBA champion and three-time MVP emphasized that Los Angeles is entering an unprecedented era of major sporting events. “Great events are coming to our city,” Johnson stated, referencing the upcoming World Cup, NFL Super Bowl, and the 2028 Olympic Games.

The California city will serve as the venue for eight World Cup contests, welcoming national squads from the United States, Paraguay, Iran, New Zealand, Switzerland, Bosnia, Belgium and Turkey.

This enlarged World Cup tournament will span across North America, with games scheduled in 16 different host cities throughout Mexico, the United States and Canada. The competition will include 48 participating nations, representing an increase from the traditional 32-team format.

Kathryn Schloessman, who serves as President and CEO of the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission and host committee CEO, promised that both local residents and international visitors will experience a “giant soccer carnival” throughout the city.

Officials also emphasized the city’s dedication to accessible public transit, highlighting $1.75 stadium tickets that contrast sharply with the expensive transportation costs that have sparked criticism on the East Coast.

However, the World Cup’s regional effects have generated ongoing discussion for several months. Opponents have expressed worries about local homelessness issues, economic inequality, and taxpayer expenses, cautioning that society’s most disadvantaged populations might face higher costs, housing shortages connected to the tournament, and interruptions to city services.

Los Angeles will additionally present the tournament’s U.S. opening ceremony on June 12, headlined by pop artist Katy Perry. This celebration will follow an opening ceremony in Mexico City the previous day and another Toronto event earlier on June 12, highlighting the tournament’s tri-national scope.

Although Los Angeles is primarily recognized for major American sports franchises like the Lakers, Dodgers, Rams and Chargers, the city has also drawn prominent international soccer players during the latter stages of their careers, including David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Steven Gerrard, who all competed for LA Galaxy.

The city’s World Cup organizing committee has leveraged its closeness to Hollywood’s celebrity community by recruiting Snoop Dogg, Eva Longoria, Will Ferrell and other entertainment figures as “community ambassadors.”

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy will sit out the opening six games of next season after the National Hockey League imposed a suspension without pay for a violent stick attack on Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson during Boston’s playoff elimination on May 1st.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced the discipline on Tuesday, following an in-person hearing at league headquarters in New York the previous day. The face-to-face meeting allowed officials to consider penalties exceeding five games.

The controversial play unfolded with 1:31 remaining in the third period when Benson tripped McAvoy while both players pursued a loose puck before colliding with the end boards. After getting back on his feet, McAvoy skated aggressively toward the Buffalo player and delivered a baseball bat-style swing with his stick, striking Benson in the stomach area.

Officials assessed McAvoy a five-minute major penalty for slashing plus a game misconduct, while Benson received a two-minute minor for the initial tripping infraction.

Buffalo completed their 4-1 victory that night, securing the Eastern Conference first-round matchup with a 4-2 series triumph that ended Boston’s playoff run.

The 28-year-old McAvoy has the right to challenge the suspension through an appeal process. This marks his third disciplinary action from the league during his nine-year professional career, having faced two previous suspensions and one fine.

McAvoy posted career-best offensive numbers this past season with 61 points on 11 goals and 50 assists, while accumulating 62 penalty minutes across 69 regular-season appearances. He contributed two assists during the Buffalo series.

Throughout his NHL tenure exclusively with Boston, McAvoy has recorded 71 goals and 361 total points with 491 penalty minutes over 573 regular-season contests. His postseason statistics include six goals, 50 points, and 103 penalty minutes in 97 playoff games.

The National Football League revealed Tuesday that the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons will clash at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on November 8, 2026, marking the second NFL regular season contest held in Spain.

Real Madrid’s legendary home venue, which has stood for seven decades, previously hosted an NFL game last November when the Miami Dolphins defeated the Washington Commanders 16-13 in overtime, featuring quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who now plays for Atlanta.

This Week 9 matchup, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and broadcast on NFL Network, represents part of the 2026 NFL International Games series. The announcement came two days before the complete NFL schedule release set for Thursday.

For Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, whose team struggled to a 6-11 record last season, this will mark his debut in an international NFL game.

“The game has a lot of room to grow. Just like basketball did in the ’80s and ’90s,” Burrow commented Tuesday following the announcement. “The Bulls kind of spearheaded that. Made it global and, hopefully, the Bengals can do the same thing over the next couple of years for the NFL.”

Cincinnati has participated in two previous international contests, both held in London, with their most recent appearance being a 24-10 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams at Wembley Stadium in 2019 during head coach Zac Taylor’s inaugural season.

New Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski brings extensive knowledge of the Bengals to his first season in Atlanta, having spent six years coaching the AFC North division rival Cleveland Browns.

The Falcons have competed in five prior regular season games on foreign soil, including four European contests. Atlanta’s international experience includes games in Toronto (2013), London (2014, 2021, 2023), and Berlin last season, where they fell 31-25 to the Indianapolis Colts before finishing 8-9.

“We are truly honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to host the Cincinnati Bengals at the Bernabeu, one of the world’s most iconic venues,” stated Falcons president and CEO Greg Beadles on Tuesday. “This matchup represents a unique opportunity to connect with fans in Spain, and we sincerely appreciate the NFL’s continued commitment to growing the game on a global stage. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, we are thankful for the opportunity to begin building meaningful connections with Spanish supporters who will also experience our great city of Atlanta on the world stage.”

World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler hasn’t captured a tournament victory since January, though his recent performances have been tantalizingly close to breaking through.

The 29-year-old finished as runner-up in three consecutive tournaments during April before taking time off to gear up for this week’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club near Philadelphia.

Though such consistent high finishes would be impressive for most players, Scheffler finds himself fielding questions about why he can’t seal the deal.

“I think it was last week my wife was like, ‘Hey, Scottie, you’re like the first guy in PGA Tour history to have three solo runner-ups in a row.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s probably because the guy that was playing that good figured out a way to win one of those, he didn’t come second in all three,’” Scheffler joked when speaking with reporters Tuesday.

“A little bit of it is bittersweet. Finishing second in a golf tournament is not bad, but, I mean — especially in the way I did it in a couple of them. I was spotting guys so many strokes going into the weekend, mainly the Masters.”

At Augusta National, Scheffler bounced back from a disappointing second-round 74 with weekend scores of 65-68, ultimately finishing one shot behind Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy. The following week at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, he posted 64-67 during another weekend charge but fell to England’s Matt Fitzpatrick in a playoff at the RBC Heritage.

His third near-miss came at the Cadillac Championship in Miami, where another sluggish start was partially salvaged by a stronger finish. Despite reaching 13 under par, he trailed winner Cameron Young by six strokes.

“You know you’re playing good golf, and you’d love to get some wins,” said Scheffler. “Finishing second hurts, but I think when you reflect and you’re looking at things to work on, there’s a lot less to clean up when you’re finishing second than there is when you’re finishing 30th.”

Among Scheffler’s four major championships, he has never successfully defended one immediately. His Masters victories were separated by two years before he claimed both the PGA Championship and Open Championship in 2025. This week presents his first opportunity to win consecutive major titles.

Successfully defending a major championship outside Augusta requires favorable course rotation timing. Scheffler triumphed at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte last year, a venue that regularly hosts PGA Tour events. However, he acknowledged Tuesday that he believes he’s never competed in the Philadelphia region before.

“I think a lot of it depends on the golf course. A lot of it depends on the conditions,” Scheffler explained regarding PGA Championship challenges. “If you look at this golf course specifically, between it being soft and firm, I think is two totally different tests. If you’re looking at this golf course when it’s soft, I think there’s a lot of stuff you can kind of get away with in terms of like you can hit it pretty far offline. There’s not many things to block you. …”

“But if you look at this golf course when it’s firm, the fairways are hard to hit. Then if you want to get the ball close to a lot of these pins, you have to control your spin and control your distance really well, which is not that easy to do out of the rough.”

Despite his recent frustrations, Scheffler recognizes his position is enviable compared to struggling with poor results.

“I’d much rather have to sit here and be (asked), ‘Hey, how come you didn’t win last week,’ versus, ‘He finished 15th, like that was a pretty good start for you, game’s starting to turn around.’ It’s a lot better playing good golf,” he said. “… I think those questions are easier to answer.”

The New York Yankees made roster moves Tuesday, promoting shortstop Anthony Volpe from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre while putting utility player Jose Caballero on the 10-day injured list due to a broken finger.

Caballero sustained the injury to his right middle finger during Sunday’s 4-3 defeat against the Milwaukee Brewers on the road. The injury occurred when he dove back toward first base to avoid being picked off. When Caballero reported pain afterward, the team sent him back to New York for testing, where an MRI scan confirmed a fracture.

This injury opens the door for Volpe to return to the majors for his first appearance in the 2026 season, after Caballero had secured the regular shortstop position at the start of the year.

The 29-year-old Caballero was hitting .259 with four homers, 13 RBIs and 13 stolen bases across 41 games this season, starting 39 of those contests at shortstop. New York obtained him from division rival Tampa Bay Rays during the 2025 trade deadline and utilized him at various positions in both the infield and outfield.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Volpe dealt with a partial labrum tear in his left shoulder during the previous season and had surgery in October. His performance both at the plate and in the field suffered in 2025 while playing through the injury. Following his rehabilitation assignment, Volpe was sent down to Triple-A on May 3.

Volpe first reached the major leagues in 2023 after just 22 Triple-A appearances the previous year. He earned the starting shortstop role during spring training and delivered an impressive rookie campaign with 21 home runs and a Gold Glove award. He appeared in 159 games that season, followed by 160 in 2024 and 153 in 2025.

Over his 472 major league games, Volpe has compiled a .222 batting average with 52 home runs, 192 RBIs, 82 doubles and 70 stolen bases. However, he also shared the American League lead with 19 errors during the previous season.

Max Schuemann is scheduled to start at shortstop for Tuesday’s matchup against the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees enter the game having dropped four consecutive contests.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers are making their intentions clear: they want LeBron James to continue his career in purple and gold.

Following the team’s disappointing 115-110 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, which completed a second-round playoff sweep, Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick expressed their strong commitment to retaining the veteran superstar. The loss marked the end of James’ eighth campaign with Los Angeles.

At 41 years old, James has just wrapped up his remarkable 23rd NBA campaign, though he remains uncertain about continuing his playing career.

“Any team, including ours, would love to have LeBron James on their roster,” Pelinka said. “That’s a blessing in itself, just with what he does.”

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer enters unrestricted free agency this summer, giving him complete control over his next destination should he decide to delay retirement. While not every franchise possesses the financial flexibility to offer competitive compensation, the Lakers maintain substantial cap space and numerous roster decisions ahead. The organization hopes James will remain part of their championship pursuit centered around Luka Doncic.

“He’s given so much to his teammates, to this organization, and the thing we want to do more than anything else is honor him back,” Pelinka said.

The general manager repeatedly emphasized his commitment to “honor” James’ deliberation process, indicating the franchise’s willingness to wait patiently for the superstar’s decision over the coming weeks.

“The first order of business there is allowing him to spend the time he needs to decide what his next steps are,” Pelinka said. “Does he want to play another year in the NBA? That’ll be (determined through) family time, I think, time with his inner circle, and we just want to honor that for him.”

This represents James’ longest tenure with a single franchise, spanning eight seasons. His family has established roots in Los Angeles, where he captured an NBA championship and achieved numerous league milestones. Additionally, his 21-year-old son Bronny has spent two seasons as a reserve guard with the Lakers, creating the unique opportunity for father and son to share the court during several meaningful playoff moments.

Injuries limited James to 60 games this season, and he posted career-low averages of 20.9 points per game while adapting to his role as the team’s third scoring option behind Doncic and Austin Reaves. Despite this adjustment representing unfamiliar territory, James appeared to embrace his enhanced playmaking responsibilities, particularly during the team’s strongest stretch in March.

Los Angeles compiled a 53-win record and claimed the Pacific Division championship despite losing Doncic for the remainder of the season and Reaves for nearly a month due to injuries sustained in the same April 2nd contest. Although their campaign concluded with a four-game elimination by the heavily favored Thunder, the Lakers approach the offseason with confidence about their potential improvement — especially if James returns.

However, Pelinka clarified that the franchise’s long-term vision revolves around 27-year-old Doncic, who captured the NBA scoring championship before a hamstring injury derailed his playoff preparation.

“The archetype of the roster that we want is going to be retrofitted around Luka and the things he needs,” Pelinka said. “Clearly he’s that leader and player for the future that we want to build the right way around.”

The Lakers’ most significant offseason priority involves securing a new contract for Reaves, the former undrafted player who has emerged as one of the league’s most productive scorers during his five Los Angeles seasons. Reaves is anticipated to decline his player option, with Pelinka confirming mutual interest in a substantial extension.

“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker, and we feel the same way,” Pelinka said. “We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold. Both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out.”

Other unrestricted free agents include forward Rui Hachimura, whose impressive postseason performance following regular-season inconsistencies likely earned him a significant raise; guard Luke Kennard, acquired via late-season trade who provided valuable contributions during Reaves’ absence; and reserve center Jaxson Hayes.

Starting center Deandre Ayton holds an $8.1 million player option and indicated Monday he hasn’t considered his decision. Marcus Smart, another key playoff contributor, possesses a $5.4 million player option he’s expected to decline in pursuit of a larger contract.

“Being here in LA, the crowd and everybody has been amazing,” Ayton said. “I wouldn’t change it for nothing, to be honest.”

The world’s top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler will begin defending his PGA Championship crown Thursday afternoon at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, paired with English players Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick.

The defending champion, ranked first globally, will tee off at 2:05 p.m. ET alongside fourth-ranked Fitzpatrick and seventh-ranked Rose in one of the day’s final groupings from the opening par-four hole.

Scheffler, who claimed last year’s British Open title and dominated the PGA Championship by five strokes at Quail Hollow, enters the tournament after three consecutive second-place finishes on tour. His recent near-misses include the Masters, where the American nearly completed a historic rally from 12 shots behind after two rounds.

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, ranked second worldwide and fresh off his successful Masters title defense at Augusta National where he edged Scheffler by one stroke, will begin play much earlier at 8:40 a.m. from the par-four 10th tee. McIlroy’s group includes American Jordan Spieth and Spain’s Jon Rahm, who represents one of 11 LIV Golf competitors in this year’s second major championship.

Teeing off one group before McIlroy will be a star-studded trio featuring 2024 PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, five-time major champion Brooks Koepka, and LIV Golf’s Tyrrell Hatton from England. This tournament marks Koepka’s second major appearance since departing LIV in December, following his tie for 12th place at the Masters.

Current U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun will start his round at 12:59 p.m. from the first tee, joined by American Max Homa, who earned his spot in the 156-player field after six-time major winner Phil Mickelson withdrew, and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama.

Cameron Young, competing in his fifth PGA Championship while enjoying his strongest PGA Tour campaign with two victories already this season, will play in an American trio with former U.S. Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and two-time champion Justin Thomas, starting one group before Scheffler.

Tournament play will officially commence at 6:45 a.m. when Philadelphia native Braden Shattuck hits the opening shot, playing alongside England’s Alex Fitzpatrick and American Ben Griffin.

The Memphis Grizzlies organization announced Tuesday that forward Brandon Clarke has passed away at 29 years old.

Details surrounding the circumstances, timing, and location of Clarke’s death have not been disclosed by either the Grizzlies organization or Priority Sports, the agency that represented him.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke. Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “We express our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Representatives from Priority Sports shared their grief on social media, stating they were “beyond devastated” by Clarke’s passing.

“He was so loved by all of us here and everyone whose life he touched,” Priority Sports said. “He was the gentlest soul who was the first to be there for all of his friends and family.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also offered condolences to Clarke’s loved ones and the Memphis organization.

“We are devastated to learn of the passing of Brandon Clarke,” Silver said. “As one of the longest-tenured members of the Grizzlies, Brandon was a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit.”

The National Basketball Players Association commented on the loss, saying: “This is an incredible loss for the brotherhood. We will remember Brandon not only for the immense joy he brought to so many throughout his career, but for the genuine friendships he built far beyond basketball.”

Clarke faced legal issues earlier this year when he was taken into custody on April 1 in Arkansas on charges of speeding and possessing a controlled substance, identified as kratom, a legal herbal supplement used for pain management in Tennessee. He posted bond and was released the following day.

The basketball player entered the NBA when Oklahoma selected him 21st overall from Gonzaga University in the 2019 draft, though his rights were immediately traded to Memphis, which had already chosen guard Ja Morant as the second overall selection. Both Clarke and Morant earned spots on the NBA’s All-Rookie team in 2020, and Memphis rewarded Clarke with a multi-year contract extension in October 2022.

A significant setback occurred on March 3, 2023, when Clarke suffered a torn left Achilles tendon during a game against the Denver Nuggets, a matchup between the Western Conference’s top two teams at the time. Various injuries restricted his playing time to just 72 games out of a possible 246 over his final three seasons, with only two appearances this season.

Throughout his seven-year tenure with Memphis, Clarke maintained averages of 10.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

NEW YORK (AP) — Representatives for Major League Baseball players and team owners launched what’s expected to be challenging contract negotiations on Tuesday, working to hammer out a new labor agreement before their current deal runs out on December 1st. League management is anticipated to push for implementing a salary cap structure that the players’ union has consistently refused to consider.

The opening meeting lasted approximately two hours at the Major League Baseball Players Association headquarters in Manhattan, just a short walk from MLB’s main offices in Rockefeller Center. This initial gathering focused on each side presenting their perspectives on the sport’s current state and financial situation, with no formal proposals exchanged.

Among the players present was Mets infielder Marcus Semien, who serves on the union’s eight-member executive subcommittee, alongside teammates Clay Holmes and Austin Slater, according to a source familiar with the proceedings who requested anonymity since attendee names weren’t officially released. Other players participated through video calls.

Baseball’s current five-year labor agreement reaches its expiration on December 1st. Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly stated that team owners would rather implement offseason lockouts than face in-season strikes, hoping to avoid losing regular-season games. The sport hasn’t lost regular-season contests due to labor disputes since the devastating 7½-month strike of 1994-95, which led to the first World Series cancellation in nine decades.

Previous negotiations for the current contract started in April 2021 and concluded with an agreement on March 10, 2022, saving the full 162-game season only after both sides negotiated beyond multiple deadlines. Manfred had announced the cancellation of 184 games before they were ultimately restored.

Bruce Meyer will guide the union’s negotiating efforts, reprising his role from 2021-22 but now serving as interim union leader. He was promoted from deputy director in February following Tony Clark’s forced departure. Clark, a former All-Star first baseman, had led the union since Michael Weiner’s death in 2013.

Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem will again head MLB’s negotiating team, continuing his role from the previous two contract discussions.

Several major league team owners have advocated for a salary cap structure that includes both a ceiling and floor, arguing it would benefit the sport overall. Unlike the NFL, NBA, and NHL, MLB has operated without a cap system, instead relying on a luxury tax implemented in 2003 to discourage excessive spending.

“When I talk to the players, I don’t try to convince them that a salary cap system would be a good thing,” Manfred explained to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America last summer. “I identify a problem in the media business and explain to them that owners need to change to address that problem. I then identify a second problem that we need to work together and that is that there are fans in a lot of our markets who feel like we have a competitive balance problem.”

Current spending restrictions haven’t significantly impacted teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets in recent seasons. The Dodgers broke MLB’s spending records with a total of $515 million in payroll and luxury tax payments last year while capturing their second consecutive World Series championship, based on final calculations from the commissioner’s office. Los Angeles is projected to lead spending again in 2026. The gap between the five biggest spenders and five lowest spenders grew from 3.6 in 2021 to a record 4.7 last year.

The players’ union contends that cap systems reduce overall player compensation, while team management claims that both caps and floors would help the majority of players.

Players have built up their potential strike fund of cash and investments to $415 million entering 2026. MLB has similarly been stockpiling resources for negotiations, accumulating roughly $75 million per team through withheld central fund payments.

The Memphis Grizzlies announced Tuesday that forward Brandon Clarke has passed away at the age of 29.

Team officials did not immediately release details regarding the cause of death.

“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.”

The Vancouver native was picked 21st in the 2019 NBA Draft by Oklahoma City but was immediately traded to Memphis that same evening. Clarke remained with the Grizzlies throughout his professional career and received NBA All-Rookie First Team recognition in 2020 following a strong first season where he posted averages of 12.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

Recent knee and calf problems restricted Clarke to only two games during the 2025-26 campaign.

Prior to joining the professional ranks, Clarke competed collegiately at San Jose State before transferring to Gonzaga, where he became one of the nation’s premier forwards in the 2018-19 season.

Clarke faced legal troubles last month when he was taken into custody in Arkansas on multiple charges, including controlled substance possession and trafficking, along with improper passing and fleeing in a vehicle while speeding, law enforcement officials reported.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed that the league was “devastated” by Clarke’s passing, calling him “a beloved teammate and leader who played the game with enormous passion and grit.”

“Our thoughts and sympathies are with Brandon’s family, friends and the Grizzlies organization,” Silver added in a statement.

NBA superstar LeBron James remains uncertain about his basketball future following the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff elimination Monday night, though betting experts believe the 41-year-old will continue playing next season.

Following the Lakers’ loss to Oklahoma City, James told reporters that “what my future (holds), I don’t know, obviously.”

Despite his uncertainty, SportsBetting.ag opened retirement odds with “No” at -450 compared to +275 that he will hang up his jersey, suggesting an 81.8% probability James will take the court for another season.

“I got a lot of time to sit back like I think I said last year after we lost, I think to Minnesota, to go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them and spend some time with them and then when the time comes … obviously you guys will know what I decide to do,” James explained.

Following the Lakers’ season-ending defeat, the sportsbook released multiple betting lines related to James’s future decisions:

Regarding his potential return to Los Angeles next season:
Yes (+110)
No (-150)

These numbers indicate only a 40% likelihood of James remaining with the Lakers.

The odds for LeBron and his son Bronny playing together next season:
Yes (+130)
No (-170)

This suggests a 37% chance of the father-son duo sharing the same roster.

Should James decide to continue his career elsewhere, Cleveland leads the speculation as his most likely destination with 1/1 odds. The Golden State Warriors follow at 3/1, potentially setting up a partnership with Stephen Curry. Other contenders include Denver (5/1), New York Knicks (7/1), and Milwaukee (9/1).

The complete list of potential destinations ranges from Detroit at 10/1 odds down to several teams at 80/1, including Boston, Memphis, New Orleans, and Utah.

During the regular season, James earned his 22nd consecutive All-Star selection while adapting to a different role on the team. With Luka Doncic leading the league at 33.5 points per game and Austin Reaves averaging 23.3 points, James contributed 20.9 points per contest along with 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds.

In the playoffs without the injured Doncic, James elevated his performance to 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 6.7 rebounds per game.

“Obviously we fell a little short, but I’m not looking at my year as a disappointment, that’s for damn sure,” James reflected. “I was put in some positions I never played in my career before, actually in my life. I’ve never been a third option in my life.”

“So, to be able to thrive in that role for that period of time and then have to step back into the role that I’ve been accustomed with over my career or my life playing this sport and be able to thrive under that and then just my teammates allowing me to lead them under extreme circumstances, I thought that was pretty cool for me at this stage of my career.”

SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama will suit up for the San Antonio Spurs in tonight’s pivotal Game 5 matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, following his early dismissal from Game 4 due to an elbow thrown at an opponent.

The Spurs organization is breathing a sigh of relief over the news. According to guard Devin Vassell, if Wembanyama carries some frustration from missing most of the previous contest, that could work in San Antonio’s favor.

“I know he was upset not being able to play that game,” Vassell commented during Tuesday’s practice session, which featured notable attendees including Spurs President Gregg Popovich, franchise icon Manu Ginobili, and former assistant coach Brett Brown. “So, I know that he’s going to be ready to go. That’s what we need. We need that upset Vic who’s ready to attack the game for sure.”

Tuesday night’s contest represents what many consider the most significant game of Wembanyama’s professional basketball career — a Game 5 showdown in a deadlocked 2-2 playoff series, where the victor advances within one win of reaching the Western Conference finals.

While Vassell welcomes a motivated Wembanyama, he emphasized the need for controlled aggression.

“We’ve seen it before. We’ve seen when Vic gets upset,” Vassell explained. “I mean, we just need him to calm his emotions, make sure that he doesn’t let his emotions take over because at the end of the day like I said, he can’t get any flagrants, he can’t get anything like that. So, Vic knows what he’s got to do and he’ll be ready.”

The young star’s removal from Sunday’s game occurred during the second quarter following a rebounding situation that involved Minnesota players Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels. While fighting for the ball, Wembanyama swung his arms and made contact with Reid’s face using his elbow.

Game officials reviewed the incident and elevated the initial foul to a Flagrant 2 violation, resulting in automatic ejection. The league office conducted its standard post-game analysis and announced Monday that no additional punishment would be imposed. The NBA retained the option to issue fines or extend the suspension into Game 5 and beyond if deemed necessary.

“I don’t think we even thought about it much at all,” Minnesota’s Mike Conley Jr. shared with media during the Timberwolves’ Tuesday practice. “I think once the ruling came down, it was just like, we expected that and just moved forward. It’s one of those things. We don’t want guys to miss games. We want to play against the best. We don’t want to have guys missing games like that.”

Beyond Wembanyama’s elbow situation, San Antonio faces additional concerns regarding player availability. The team recently added Dylan Harper to their injury report just hours before Thursday’s Game 5 tip-off, citing left knee discomfort. Harper joins point guard De’Aaron Fox on the questionable list, as Fox continues dealing with right ankle soreness according to team medical staff.

Hotels across America’s World Cup host cities are experiencing disappointing reservation numbers, falling well short of the anticipated tourism surge that was expected to accompany the world’s premier soccer tournament.

An April study conducted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association revealed that guest bookings have fallen below projections in most of the 11 American cities welcoming the globally televised competition.

Hotel managers in Kansas City, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle reported that reservations are actually trailing behind normal seasonal patterns. Meanwhile, properties in New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas and Houston described demand as stagnant when compared to typical spring and summer periods, the association found.

The hospitality trade group identified several factors contributing to the underwhelming response: international visitors’ travel apprehensions, lengthy U.S. visa processing delays, and steep tournament expenses including costly match tickets and transportation in host cities.

“I think everyone had hoped the games would lead an influx of bookings, but with all going on in the world and the USA’s involvement, events are playing out differently for everyone,” said Michael Black, general manager at the Cloud One hotel in Manhattan.

The booking challenges aren’t limited to American venues. Mexico, which shares hosting duties with the United States and Canada, faces similar struggles. Hotels in Mexico City, where the tournament kicks off June 11, show occupancy rates between 30% and 36%, according to the Asociación de Hoteles de Ciudad de México.

Following the tournament schedule announcement, numerous hotels dramatically increased their nightly rates, betting that soccer enthusiasts would accept premium pricing to secure accommodations near match venues.

A New Jersey hotel near MetLife Stadium exemplifies this strategy, raising its typical $200 nightly rate to $800 during June World Cup dates. Prices climb even higher to over $1,300 per night before the July 19 championship match.

Experienced soccer followers likely anticipate these elevated rates will eventually decrease, according to Ronan Evain, executive director of Football Supporters Europe, a Germany-based fan advocacy organization.

“Fans that are used to traveling for tournaments know that this price will always go down,” Evain said. “There are many examples of hotel owners regretting that they priced too high and then panicking at the last minute and reducing prices.”

Alternative accommodations may explain some of the hotel booking shortfalls. Evain noted that many visitors have likely arranged less expensive lodging at greater distances from stadiums or through Airbnb and similar short-term rental services.

Data from AirDNA, which monitors Airbnb and Vrbo reservations, confirms increased short-term rental activity in metropolitan areas around Kansas City, Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas/Fort Worth and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale compared to the previous year.

Airbnb announced that anticipated guest numbers during the tournament will surpass initial projections and potentially exceed the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, making it the platform’s largest hosting event ever.

FIFA reports selling more than 5 million tickets so far, approaching the 6 million total expected for all 104 tournament matches.

While tournament attendees represent potential hotel guests, major international events like the World Cup often deter other visitor categories, explained Andrew Zimbalist, a Smith College professor specializing in sports economics.

“The general problem is that soccer tourists — and expected congestion, high prices and security concerns — push away normal business travel and tourism,” he explained.

Vijay Dandapani, president of the Hotel Association of New York City, reported a modest 10% increase in summer reservations compared to the previous year, but noted this falls far short of the economic boost promised by FIFA and tournament promoters.

Toronto, Canada, which will stage six matches, shows stronger performance with room demand up approximately 28% over June 2025, said Sara Anghel, president of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association.

Despite 90% of Kansas City hotel operators telling the American Hotel & Lodging Association survey that bookings missed expectations, local tourism leaders maintain optimism for record visitor numbers.

“While hotel occupancy in Kansas City has not followed the trajectory originally predicted by FIFA, there are positive indicators for Kansas City on the horizon,” said Derik Detter, market research director at Visit KC.

Jon Bortz, CEO of Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, which operates numerous hotels nationwide, shares this positive outlook.

He reported higher occupancy rates at the company’s host city properties compared to last year, though acknowledged that cities like Boston with premier matchups are outperforming locations like San Francisco hosting less popular games.

“We haven’t seen anything that would cause us to think it’s going to be less than what we were expecting,” he said. “Maybe other people had much grander expectations.”

British tennis player Jack Draper revealed Tuesday that former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will be joining his support team for the upcoming grass court season, as the 24-year-old athlete makes coaching changes ahead of the prestigious tournament.

The announcement comes as Draper ends his working relationship with coach Jamie Delgado after a six-month partnership. Murray, who stepped away from professional tennis in 2024, recently concluded his own coaching arrangement with Novak Djokovic in May 2025.

Draper, who reached the U.S. Open semifinals, has faced a challenging year marked by various injuries and will be absent from the French Open due to persistent knee problems.

“I am very grateful for everything Jamie Delgado has done for me over these past six months. He is a world-class coach and a great man,” Draper expressed in a statement to British media outlets.

“In the interim, I will continue to be supported by the excellent team at the (Lawn Tennis Association), with the addition of Andy Murray, who will be supporting me throughout the grasscourt season,” he continued.

The young tennis player has yet to advance past the second round at Wimbledon during his career, and among his three ATP tournament victories, only one was achieved on grass courts.

While Draper did not detail Murray’s specific responsibilities within his team structure, media sources suggest the former champion may take on a coaching role.

LOS ANGELES — Despite claims from the Oklahoma City Thunder that their performance hasn’t been flawless during their championship defense, their unblemished playoff record tells a different story.

At the midway mark of the postseason, their spotless record speaks volumes.

Oklahoma City secured their second consecutive series sweep of the season on Monday evening, defeating the determined Lakers 115-110 in the fourth game of the second round. The Thunder dominated LeBron James and Los Angeles throughout the entire season with an 8-0 record — and the title holders now stand at 8-0 in this year’s playoffs following consecutive eliminations of Phoenix and Los Angeles.

While head coach Mark Daigneault acknowledges room for growth and issues to address, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander emphasizes that their mission remains incomplete.

Nevertheless, the Thunder have established themselves as the premier team in basketball with this playoff run following their commanding regular season performance, as they pursue the NBA’s first consecutive titles since Golden State achieved the feat in 2017 and 2018.

Sam Presti’s relentless organization appears nearly unstoppable as it advances to the Western Conference finals for the second consecutive season and the sixth occasion in the last 16 years.

“We’ve done our job so far, that’s all it really means,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We’ve gone out there, we’ve executed, we played at a high level and we’ve been able to win eight tough games against really good opponents. That’s all it really means. And nothing is guaranteed. In the playoffs, no two games are the same, especially when you change opponents. So the challenges are all coming up, I guess you can say.”

Their upcoming challenge involves facing either the San Antonio Spurs or Minnesota Timberwolves in the conference finals — following additional rest days compared to those teams, who remain deadlocked before Tuesday evening’s fifth game.

However, whichever team survives that intense battle will confront the league’s most formidable obstacle in the fluid, unstoppable Thunder, who seem to be performing at an even superior level than during last season’s championship run.

“We’ve been very, very good,” Daigneault said. “I thought we had more lapses tonight than we had had in previous games, so we have to learn from that. Obviously we have to play better in more of the 48 minutes, but I also think the wind is going to be in your face in a playoff game for different reasons at different times, and you’ve got to be able to recenter. I thought we did that exceptionally well.”

Oklahoma City had never achieved consecutive playoff series sweeps, nor had the former Seattle SuperSonics franchise.

Los Angeles suffered three blowout defeats against Oklahoma City before finally producing one competitive contest. The Thunder found themselves behind during a fourth quarter for the first time this postseason, and their five-point victory marked their narrowest margin of the spring.

Yet Oklahoma City mounted a comeback, as they consistently manage to do.

Gilgeous-Alexander contributed nine of his 35 total points during the final quarter. Ajay Mitchell, the reserve guard who has emerged as a standout performer during Jalen Williams’ injury-related absence, delivered 10 of his career playoff-best 28 points in the same period. Chet Holmgren provided perhaps the most crucial baskets, including a decisive dunk with 32.8 seconds remaining.

Oklahoma City celebrated a closing quarter that appeared to showcase significant contributions from every player who entered the game. Moments afterward, they returned to their focused mindset.

“Everything that we’ve done so far is behind us,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We still have a huge target on. We have two more series to win to reach our ultimate goal, and that’s what we’re focused on.”

Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick and his coaching staff seemed to develop an unexpected, successful strategy to disrupt the Thunder’s offensive players — yet it failed to significantly affect the final score.

Daigneault discovered learning opportunities during his team’s dismantling of the Lakers, who deployed double-team pressure against Gilgeous-Alexander and other primary ball-handlers at a frequency not witnessed since Oklahoma City’s playoff matchup with Denver last season.

Perhaps most concerning for the Thunder’s future adversaries, they have absorbed lessons and enhanced their play based on the Lakers’ limited achievements.

“It really had us having to sharpen our attacks, but I thought we did a great job of that,” Daigneault said. “Down the stretch, we had some big-time plays (with) high-lows, traps, and we had a dunk for Chet. That was a great attack, and I just thought we showed great execution of that. So I think we’re a lot better in that area than we were coming into the series.”

The future remains uncertain for basketball legend LeBron James following his team’s playoff exit. The 41-year-old superstar faces several paths forward as he contemplates what could be the end of an unprecedented 23-year NBA career.

James finds himself at a crossroads with multiple possibilities ahead. The veteran could remain with the Los Angeles Lakers, explore opportunities with a different franchise, or choose to retire altogether, bringing closure to the longest tenure in professional basketball history. While he recognizes these options exist, the four-time champion admits he hasn’t reached a decision yet.

The Lakers’ season concluded Monday evening following their elimination by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now James must weigh his personal desires against his family’s wishes and determine the best course for everyone involved, knowing his playing days may be numbered.

The Thunder completed their playoff sweep of Los Angeles with a hard-fought 115-110 victory in Game 4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 35 points, while Chet Holmgren delivered the decisive basket with 32.8 seconds remaining. Ajay Mitchell contributed 28 points, including 10 crucial points in the final quarter, as the Thunder maintained their perfect 8-0 playoff record in what proved to be their most challenging victory yet. James finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds but couldn’t convert a crucial driving attempt with 20 seconds left that could have given the Lakers the lead.

In Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell orchestrated one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent playoff memory. After managing just four points in the opening half against Detroit, the Cavaliers guard exploded for 39 second-half points, matching the NBA playoff record for points in a single half. His remarkable performance powered Cleveland to a 112-103 triumph over the Pistons in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup.

Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL season, the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs will square off September 14 in the opening Monday Night Football contest on ESPN. The venue for this divisional clash remains undetermined as the league continues finalizing details before Thursday’s complete schedule announcement. Questions surround the availability of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who suffered torn ACL and LCL injuries in his left knee on December 14. Broncos signal-caller Bo Nix should be ready for training camp despite breaking an ankle bone during the AFC playoffs.

The Colorado Avalanche rebounded from their recent struggles with a commanding 5-2 victory over Minnesota Wild in Game 4, pushing them within one win of the Western Conference finals. Ross Colton and Parker Kelly each netted their first postseason goals during the decisive third period. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 19 saves in his first playoff start after coming in relief during Game 3’s disappointing loss. The Wild received goals from Danila Yurov and Nico Sturm but now trail the series 3-1.

A significant ruling emerged in college athletics as an arbitrator sided with the College Sports Commission in a dispute involving Nebraska football players. The decision upheld the CSC’s rejection of third-party name-image-likeness agreements between the university’s multimedia partner Playfly and student-athletes. Commission CEO Bryan Seeley expressed hope the ruling would strengthen confidence in the new organization’s enforcement capabilities, though he stopped short of calling it precedent-setting.

Los Angeles prepares to welcome the World Cup for the third time, with eight matches scheduled including Team USA’s opening game against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium. The city offers visitors its trademark sunshine, beaches, celebrity culture, and diverse culinary landscape spanning Latin American, Asian, and Middle Eastern options alongside classic American fare. However, tourists should expect to encounter the ongoing homelessness situation and elevated fuel costs. FIFA’s Fan Festival runs June 11-14, with ten additional fan zones operating through July 19.

Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium has undergone extensive renovations to meet FIFA standards for World Cup hosting duties. The Chiefs’ home venue will stage six group stage matches beginning next month, plus a round of 32 encounter and quarterfinal game. Argentina faces Algeria in the stadium’s World Cup debut on June 16. The 1972-built facility required substantial modifications including seat removal and field improvements to satisfy international requirements. Limited parking will necessitate shuttle transportation from remote lots, while existing signage has been removed to prevent sponsorship conflicts.

At Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, players are discovering the primary challenge for the PGA Championship lies in the putting surfaces. The expansive greens feature dramatic slopes that will test even the most skilled professionals. Keegan Bradley, who captured the 2018 BMW Championship at the venue, noted that while driving accuracy isn’t the main concern, the undulating greens present significant difficulties. Matt Fitzpatrick questioned whether tournament officials can locate sufficient pin positions given the severe contours. Jordan Spieth played nine preparation holes as he pursues his tenth attempt at completing the career Grand Slam, with only the PGA Championship missing from his collection.

Tiger Woods faces a legal hearing in Florida as his attorney and prosecutors debate access to the golf icon’s prescription medication records. The Tuesday morning session in Martin County circuit court centers on the state’s subpoena requesting all prescription drug documentation from January through March, following Woods’ arrest on suspected driving under the influence charges. The defense argues constitutional privacy protections should shield the medical information, while also seeking a protective order to limit any potential disclosure. Woods has entered a not guilty plea to the charges.

Basketball superstar LeBron James faces a crossroads in his legendary career after the Los Angeles Lakers were knocked out of the playoffs Monday evening by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The 41-year-old veteran, who just completed his 23rd NBA season, finds himself with multiple paths forward – remaining with the Lakers, signing elsewhere, or hanging up his sneakers for good.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me, obviously,” James stated following the elimination.

With Father Time undefeated, James likely has limited seasons remaining, if any at all. He now faces the challenging process of weighing his personal desires against his family’s wishes and determining the best course for everyone involved.

Former teammate and close friend Dwyane Wade, who served as an analyst during the Thunder-Lakers series on Amazon Prime, shared his perspective on James’s decision-making process.

“That’s the question,” Wade commented. “And I think if we all know LeBron James, he’s going to take some time off and go drink some wine, go yacht a little bit around the world. He’s going to spend some time with his family. He’s going to sit down and try to make the best decision for the James family at the end of the day.”

Wade continued his analysis, noting the competitive factor: “And then from there, you’ve got to look at the picture of the Lakers. LeBron, Year 24 coming back next year if he does, he wants to play for something. So, are they in a position that he can play for something and compete for something?”

Financial considerations will also play a role. James earned approximately $53 million this past season and could potentially secure around $60 million for another campaign. While he has the financial freedom to take a discount for team flexibility, Wade doesn’t expect that scenario.

“History shows that Mr. James ain’t taking a lot of discounts, right? I don’t think no one knows,” Wade observed. “I think one of the things that him and his entire team have been great at is they hold their cards close to their chest. Decisions are made by LeBron, and they all respect it. And they wait on him to decide what he wants to do.”

Several scenarios could unfold for the NBA icon:

**Retirement** appears unlikely despite James posting his career-low scoring average of 20.933 points per game – barely below his rookie season average of 20.937. Critics point to his declining numbers, which have dropped from 30.3 points in 2021-22 to this season’s 20.9 average. However, his reduced role as the Lakers’ third scoring option behind teammates explains much of this decrease.

**Staying with Los Angeles** presents mixed prospects. While reaching the second round isn’t catastrophic, especially against the defending champions, the Lakers’ playoff performance during James’s eight-year tenure has been mediocre. The team holds the seventh-best regular season record during his time there, but playoff success has been limited – just 16-26 in postseason games since their 2020 championship run.

**Returning to Miami** remains a possibility, given James’s lasting relationships with Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra, and the Heat organization. His jersey will eventually hang in Miami’s rafters, and he captured two championships there. However, James has no unfinished business with the franchise.

**Cleveland homecoming** offers sentimental appeal. Northeast Ohio remains close to James’s heart, and any lingering resentment from his 2010 departure was erased when he delivered the city’s 2016 NBA title. A return would likely depend on the Cavaliers maintaining championship-caliber talent.

**New York Knicks** have pursued James unsuccessfully before but now offer compelling attractions – a competitive roster and the allure of Madison Square Garden, a venue James has always respected. The bright lights of New York wouldn’t intimidate the superstar.

**Golden State Warriors** present an intriguing option following James’s Olympic gold medal experience in Paris alongside Stephen Curry and coach Steve Kerr. James holds tremendous respect for both, and the Warriors would undoubtedly find ways to make the finances work despite salary cap challenges.

**San Antonio Spurs** offer perhaps the most fascinating possibility – pairing basketball’s greatest scorer with defensive phenom Victor Wembanyama. James has called the young center an “alien” with deep admiration, and his respect for the Spurs organization and Gregg Popovich is well-documented.

Whatever James decides, the basketball world will be watching as one of the sport’s greatest players determines his next chapter.

NEW YORK — ESPN’s Monday Night Football will kick off the 2026 season with a showdown between Kansas City and Denver on September 14th, the network announced Tuesday morning.

The venue for this AFC West rivalry matchup remains to be determined, as league officials continue working out final details before releasing the complete 2026 schedule this Thursday evening.

A major question mark surrounds Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his availability for the season opener. The two-time MVP suffered torn ACL and LCL injuries to his left knee during the closing moments of Kansas City’s December 14th defeat to Los Angeles Chargers, a loss that knocked the Chiefs out of playoff contention. Mahomes has set a goal of returning by the first week of the season.

Denver’s Bo Nix should be healthy for training camp after sustaining a fractured right ankle bone on January 18th during the AFC playoffs. The Broncos concluded their 2025 campaign with a loss to New England in the AFC championship game.

Additional prime-time matchups will be unveiled over the next several days.

Tuesday’s announcements coincided with upfront advertising presentations by NBC, Fox, and Prime Video. Buffalo will christen their new stadium against Detroit on September 17th for Amazon Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football opener.

Dallas features prominently in the other revealed games, traveling to face the New York Giants for NBC’s Sunday Night Football debut on September 13th, then hosting Philadelphia on Fox’s traditional Thanksgiving Day broadcast November 26th.

Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff elimination on Monday night, superstar LeBron James declined to commit to any specific plans regarding his basketball career moving forward.

Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Lakers 115-110 on the road, completing a clean sweep of their Western Conference semifinal matchup. James contributed 24 points and led all players with 12 rebounds in the losing effort.

At 41 years old, James has now concluded his historic 23rd NBA campaign and faces unrestricted free agency as the league’s all-time scoring champion.

Following Monday’s elimination, James expressed uncertainty about his path ahead. “What my future (holds), I don’t know, obviously,” he stated. “I mean, this is obviously still fresh from obviously losing and I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know what the future holds for me obviously as it stands right now tonight.”

The veteran star indicated he plans to take time for reflection with his loved ones before announcing any decisions. “I got a lot of time to sit back like I think I said last year after we lost, I think to Minnesota, to go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them and spend some time with them and then when the time comes, I’ll obviously you guys will know what I decide to do.”

Despite his age, James earned selection to his 22nd straight All-Star Game while adapting to a different role than usual this season. Luka Doncic served as the Lakers’ primary scoring option, topping the NBA with 33.5 points per game. Austin Reaves finished second on the team with 23.3 points per contest, while James averaged 20.9 points per game.

James also recorded 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game during the regular season.

Both Doncic and Reaves dealt with significant injury issues. Doncic missed the entire postseason due to a hamstring problem, while Reaves was sidelined for the final five regular season contests and first four playoff games because of oblique injuries.

Throughout the playoffs, James posted averages of 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds per game.

Despite the disappointing finish, James expressed satisfaction with his individual performance and adaptation to new circumstances. “Obviously we fell a little short, but I’m not looking at my year as a disappointment, that’s for damn sure,” James commented. “I was put in some positions I never played in my career before, actually in my life. I’ve never been a third option in my life.”

James praised his ability to excel in an unfamiliar supporting role before resuming leadership duties when circumstances required it. “So, to be able to thrive in that role for that period of time and then have to step back into the role that I’ve been accustomed with over my career or my life playing this sport and be able to thrive under that and then just my teammates allowing me to lead them under extreme circumstances, I thought that was pretty cool for me at this stage of my career.”

Reaves, 27, also faces an important career decision. The guard holds a $14.9 million player option that he’s anticipated to decline in favor of unrestricted free agency.

Following Monday’s defeat, Reaves reflected on the season’s challenges and his team’s resilience. “It’s been fun. It’s been a joy. It’s been a grind,” Reaves said. “A lot of things didn’t go our way this season and there were a lot of opportunities for us to quit, and you know, that’s not who we got in the locker room or the organization. Everybody stuck together.”

Reaves emphasized his team’s determination despite adversity. “I’ve been around the NBA for five years now. I know a lot of teams would have given up (due to late-season injuries), and that wasn’t the case with this team.”

Third-seeded American tennis player Coco Gauff pulled off a dramatic comeback Monday at the Italian Open in Rome, rescuing herself from a match point before defeating 18-year-old compatriot Iva Jovic 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 in their Round of 16 clash.

Jovic appeared poised for victory when she broke Gauff’s serve in the second set and stepped up to serve for the match leading 5-3. The teenager reached match point at 40-30, but Gauff managed to stay alive by claiming the next point. After battling through three deuces, Gauff secured the game and began her remarkable turnaround.

The momentum shifted further in Gauff’s favor when the less experienced Jovic required medical attention for a finger injury during a timeout. Gauff capitalized on the situation, forcing a decisive third set that she controlled completely, capturing the final four games consecutively to seal her advancement.

“Honestly on that match point my head was almost to the locker room, to be honest. I was (thinking), ‘Well, I’m going to hear a lot about this one,’” Gauff said with a smile post-match. “Then after, I don’t know, I was able to get through it. I think she maybe dropped a little bit her level when she had the lead. It was able to help me get back into the match.”

Gauff’s victory came through aggressive return play, as she converted eight of 13 break point chances while also capitalizing on Jovic’s 10 double faults throughout the encounter.

In the quarterfinals, Gauff will square off against eighth-seeded Russian Mirra Andreeva, who advanced with a straight-sets triumph over Belgium’s 21st-seeded Elise Mertens, 6-3, 6-3.

Other notable Round of 16 results saw fourth-seeded Polish star Iga Swiatek dominate 15th-seeded Naomi Osaka of Japan 6-2, 6-1. Osaka struggled significantly in the opening set, committing 20 unforced errors that gave Swiatek complete control of the match.

Swiatek’s next challenge will come from fifth-seeded American Jessica Pegula, who advanced by defeating Austria’s Anastasia Potapova 7-6 (6), 6-2.

A compelling quarterfinal matchup will feature two former Rome titlists as second-seeded Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan and seventh-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine both won in straight sets to set up their encounter.

Rybakina dispatched Czech player Karolina Pliskova in just 58 minutes with a commanding 6-0, 6-2 performance, while Svitolina defeated another Czech competitor, Nikola Bartunkova, 6-2, 6-3.

“We know each other well,” Rybakina said of Svitolina, whom she leads 4-3 overall in their career head-to-head. “I will try to do my best. I’ll try to serve well, stay aggressive as always, recover and hopefully it’s going to go my way.”

The final quarterfinal pairing emerged from a pair of surprising upsets. Unseeded Latvian Jelena Ostapenko overwhelmed 22nd-seeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2, while Romanian 26th seed Sorana Cirstea eliminated Czech 13th seed Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-4.

The Oklahoma City Thunder punched their ticket to the Western Conference finals Monday night with a nail-biting 115-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, wrapping up a dominant four-game sweep that may have marked the end of LeBron James’ tenure in Los Angeles.

Leading the charge for Oklahoma City was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who put up 35 points in the series-clinching performance. The Thunder received strong support from Ajay Mitchell, who contributed 28 points, while Chet Holmgren chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds. Jared McCain rounded out the scoring effort with 13 points as Oklahoma City extended their perfect playoff record to 8-0.

“I mean, we’ve done our job so far,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s all it really means. Gone out there, we’ve executed, we played at a high level, and been able to win eight tough games against really good opponents. That’s all it really means and nothing’s guaranteed.”

The defending NBA champions will now await their next opponent, either the Minnesota Timberwolves or San Antonio Spurs. Oklahoma City shot an impressive 51.9% from the field while holding Los Angeles to 50.7% shooting. The Thunder dominated the season series against the Lakers, winning all eight matchups including regular season contests.

For Los Angeles, Austin Reaves led the scoring with 27 points while Rui Hachimura contributed 25 points and five rebounds. The Lakers now face an uncertain offseason with potential major roster changes on the horizon.

“For the things that we set out to do and build our championship habits and build our championship communication, I thought we were darn close to doing that,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “It doesn’t mean you’re going to win a championship, but I take a lot of pride in our players and what they all individually went through, what we collectively went through, and what we turned out to be.”

The 41-year-old James finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds in what could be his final appearance as a Laker. After 23 seasons in the NBA, James is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me obviously as it stands right now tonight,” James said. “I got a lot of time to sit back like I think I said last year after we lost.”

Jaxson Hayes provided additional scoring for the Lakers with 18 points. Los Angeles played the entire playoff series without Luka Doncic, who suffered a hamstring injury during an April 2 game against Oklahoma City.

The game’s decisive moments came in the final seconds when Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down two free throws with 12.2 seconds left to give the Thunder a 113-110 advantage. Reaves had a chance to tie the game with a three-point attempt at the 8.3-second mark but came up short. Mitchell sealed the victory by converting two free throws with 6.4 seconds remaining.

The contest featured several momentum swings throughout the evening. Los Angeles overcame a 12-point third-quarter deficit with a 22-9 run, taking a 76-75 lead with 2:03 left in the period after Reaves scored seven straight points. The Lakers carried an 84-80 advantage into the final quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, the Lakers built a 92-87 lead before Mitchell sparked an 8-0 Thunder run, capping it with a three-point play to put Oklahoma City ahead 95-92 with 6:14 on the clock.

The final minute was filled with dramatic plays as Hachimura connected on a four-point play, followed by a three-point play from Marcus Smart that gave Los Angeles a 110-109 edge with 40.9 seconds left. Holmgren answered with a crucial dunk to restore the Thunder’s lead at 111-110 with 32.8 seconds remaining.

James missed a potential go-ahead floater over Isaiah Hartenstein with 20.3 seconds left, and both Reaves and Smart were unable to connect on late three-point attempts that could have changed the outcome.

“They threw a lot of (defensive looks) at us,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said of the Lakers, “and I think we’re a better team at the end of the series than we were at the beginning, and that’s a credit to them.”

Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ crushing 115-110 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday evening, basketball legend LeBron James remains uncertain about his professional future after contributing 24 points in what could potentially be his final NBA appearance.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer is following his familiar pattern from previous offseasons by avoiding any immediate declarations about his plans following the Lakers’ postseason elimination.

James left all possibilities open, neither confirming retirement nor guaranteeing his return to Los Angeles, while also staying silent on potential moves to other franchises as he considers an historic 24th campaign in the league.

“I don’t know what the future holds for me, obviously, as it stands right now tonight,” the 41-year-old superstar explained. “I’ve got a lot of time now. I think I said it last year after we lost to Minnesota. I’ll go back and recalibrate with my family and talk with them and spend some time with them, and then obviously when the time comes, you guys will know what I decide to do.”

James’ historic 23rd campaign concluded with the devastating defeat, marking a complete four-game elimination by the reigning NBA champions. The Lakers entered postseason play missing key contributors due to injuries, yet James guided the team to a surprising first-round victory over Houston before encountering the league’s top-performing squad.

Thunder star player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander expressed admiration for James’ continued excellence despite his advanced age in basketball terms.

“It’s amazing what he’s doing out there at this age,” Gilgeous-Alexander commented. “It’s very impressive. It’s hard to put it to words. He’s not very old in the grand scheme of life, but for the NBA, he’s pretty old, and he doesn’t seem like it out there. He was a force. He was the top of the scouting report all series. His size gave us issues at times. He was impressive out there. I’m not sure we’ll see anything like that again, his longevity and his greatness.”

Despite holding every major longevity record in professional basketball, James has consistently avoided setting definitive timelines for his career conclusion.

He reiterated his standard approach of making decisions during the offseason while consulting with his family over the coming months.

“Nobody has any idea what the future holds, and I don’t either,” James stated. “I’ll take time to recalibrate and look over the season and see what’s best for my future, and when I get to that point, everyone will know.”

Throughout his 23rd season, James demonstrated minimal decline in his performance, maintaining elite-level versatility during the Lakers’ productive regular season campaign.

Health issues created his primary challenges: a back condition sidelined him for training camp and the season’s opening 14 contests, while additional injuries cost him eight more regular season games, preventing his inclusion on All-NBA teams for the 22nd straight year.

With teammates winning the scoring championship and emerging as elite offensive threats, James embraced a secondary role as the team’s third scoring option, which proved effective for the organization.

His season average of 20.9 points represented his lowest output since his debut year, primarily due to decreased three-point shooting efficiency at 31.7%, while his 33.2 minutes per contest marked a career low. Nevertheless, he contributed 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds while delivering consistent performances and elevating his play when needed most.

“It was so many different seasons in one season with our ballclub,” James reflected. “Obviously injuries played a big part in it, but as far as our identity, I thought it was super-resilient.”

James earned his 22nd All-Star selection and established a new record as the oldest player to achieve a triple-double during the season. He also surpassed Robert Parish’s mark for most regular season appearances in league history during late March.

Los Angeles gained momentum during the regular season’s final stretch, capturing 16 victories in 18 games entering April and generating optimism about potentially challenging top teams in the playoffs. However, major injuries to key players derailed those hopes by sidelining both contributors indefinitely.

James responded to the setback by resuming primary offensive responsibilities for the Lakers. Despite widespread predictions of early playoff elimination, James and his available teammates shocked observers by defeating the fifth-seeded Houston Rockets in six games, advancing Los Angeles to just their second conference semifinal since 2020.

“For our group to have the moment that we had when Luka goes down with the hamstring and AR goes down with the oblique and we’re staring down the barrel of a playoff series with Houston, I thought our guys responded and were just super-resilient,” James said. “To win that series was big-time for the group that went out there.”

Multiple factors could influence James’ decision to continue his career in Los Angeles.

He has spent recent seasons playing alongside his eldest son Bronny James, who serves as a reserve guard for the Lakers. The pair shared meaningful playoff minutes this season, fulfilling another of LeBron’s personal aspirations.

His family has established roots in Southern California, and despite his sons’ independence, James frequently discusses his desire to support his 11-year-old daughter Zhuri’s competitive volleyball career.

Additionally, the Lakers’ strong finish suggests they could compete among the NBA’s elite teams with full health for their core players, including one expected to sign a significant contract extension this summer.

James must evaluate whether the Lakers can realistically pursue a championship next season, though finding a legitimate title contender at this career stage would prove challenging given the apparent superiority of teams like Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

For now, James plans to step away from basketball’s demanding schedule that has enabled his unprecedented career longevity, and if he chooses not to return, he appears satisfied with his final season’s conclusion.

“I left everything I could on the floor,” James concluded. “I control what I can control, and I can leave the floor saying even though I hate losing, I was locked in on what we needed to do.”

Following Sunday’s 4-3 defeat in Anaheim that leveled their Western Conference semifinal matchup at two games apiece, the Vegas Golden Knights maintained their composure and confidence as they prepare for Tuesday’s pivotal Game 5 showdown with the Ducks in Las Vegas.

The Pacific Division champions have solid reasons for their positive outlook. Vegas faced identical circumstances during their opening round against the Utah Mammoth, where they responded to a 2-2 series tie by capturing a thrilling 5-4 double-overtime victory in Game 5 on Brett Howden’s short-handed goal, ultimately claiming the series in six games.

That triumph contributed to Vegas’s impressive 5-2 all-time record in Game 5 contests when best-of-seven series are deadlocked 2-2. The 2023 Stanley Cup champions boast a flawless 5-0 series record when they emerge victorious in Game 5 under those circumstances.

“They’ve been through so much as a team,” Vegas coach John Tortorella said Monday. “Gone through all the processes, all the things you go through in a playoff series. So they’re experienced at it.”

Howden, who leads the team with seven playoff goals, expressed optimism about their prospects. “We’re feeling good about our game, and we feel like we have another step, too, so looking forward to (Tuesday) night,” he said.

After dominating Game 3 with a 6-2 victory, the Golden Knights weren’t content with merely earning a road split and reclaiming home-ice advantage.

“I think going in you’re not looking to split,” Howden explained. “Not satisfied with just getting the one win after winning the first game. We were really looking to win the next game, but that’s the way it went, and now we’ve got a best-of-three series and we’ve got home ice.”

When asked about his team’s performance through the first four games, Tortorella acknowledged room for improvement.

“I think our game’s growing, yes, but it’s going to have to grow some more,” Tortorella stated. “It’s not complicated. It’s big plays … guys stepping up at certain times. The stakes are high now when you’re getting to the short strokes of the series.”

Vegas received encouraging news from Sunday’s loss when Tomas Hertl ended a lengthy 29-game scoring slump that stretched back to March 4. Hertl, who recorded 24 goals and 34 assists during the regular season, finally found the back of the net.

“You know with goal-scorers, an empty-netter, 6-on-5, it doesn’t matter,” Tortorella observed. “Hopefully it releases him a little bit. He’s been close for quite a while. He bangs one in and hopefully that will help him as we move forward.”

On the Anaheim side, Cutter Gauthier delivered a breakthrough performance. The winger, who paced the team with 41 goals and 69 points in the regular season, had been scoreless in the Vegas series until contributing three assists in Game 4.

“In the first three games, I wasn’t getting enough shots,” Gauthier reflected. “Getting in the middle of the ice is always a big emphasis, trying to get in front of guys, get in front of the goalie and stir some things up. Fortunately, the guys were able to bury it when I made a couple passes.”

The Ducks, who converted 8-of-16 power-play opportunities in their first-round victory over Edmonton, broke an 0-for-11 slump against Vegas by scoring twice with the man advantage in Game 4. Beckett Sennecke netted a power-play goal for an early 1-0 Anaheim lead, while Alex Killorn added another power-play marker in the second period to give the Ducks a 3-2 advantage they never relinquished.

Anaheim also outmuscled Vegas with a 34-27 advantage in hits during the physical battle and forced 14 turnovers by the Golden Knights.

“It’s playoff hockey, and it was a man’s game,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said simply.

Anaheim forward Troy Terry praised his team’s resilience. “It was probably the first time where we were really backs against the wall. No matter what the situation’s been, I’ve loved how we’ve responded,” Terry noted.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon left the ice with blood pouring from his nose Monday night after a puck fired by his own teammate Devon Toews struck him directly in the face during the closing minutes of the second period in Game 4 of their NHL playoff matchup with the Minnesota Wild.

Toews had attempted to clear the puck from near the goal line toward the corner boards, but the wayward shot found MacKinnon’s face instead. The regular season’s top goal scorer dropped to his knees in agony before team medical staff rushed over with a towel to stem the bleeding and escort him from the rink.

The injury left blood splattered across the ice and covering the inside of MacKinnon’s face shield as he headed to the locker room just before the second period ended. Despite the gruesome scene, MacKinnon emerged for the final period and even managed to find the back of the net on an empty goal during Colorado’s 5-2 victory.

“If he was going to be able to get out there, he was going to be out there,” coach Jared Bednar said. “I just felt for him because I just went through that. It doesn’t feel very good.”

Bednar spoke from experience, having required hospitalization last month for facial fractures and damage to his cornea after a puck flew into the coaching area and caught him in the right cheek during a game, forcing him to miss two road contests.

MacKinnon has compiled 12 points on six goals and six assists through eight postseason contests this year for Colorado, which now holds a commanding 3-1 series advantage over Minnesota heading into Wednesday’s Game 5.

CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell experienced his most challenging opening half in any playoff contest since becoming a Cleveland Cavalier in September 2022.

The All-Star shooting guard made up for it with what ranks among the greatest 24-minute performances in NBA postseason history on Monday evening.

Following a meager four-point showing in the opening half, Mitchell exploded for 39 points after intermission, matching the NBA playoff record for points scored in a single half as Cleveland mounted a comeback to defeat Detroit 112-103 in the fourth game of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup.

“It’s pretty impressive. I’m not sure I’ve seen in the playoffs a turnaround like that where a guy is struggling and just absolutely turns the switch and complete opposite of the first half,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said.

Mitchell matched Eric “Sleepy” Floyd’s mark when he converted a free throw with 27.6 seconds left on the clock. He had an opportunity to surpass the record, established in 1987 when Floyd’s Golden State Warriors battled the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals, but failed to connect on his second free throw attempt.

“Everybody let me know that I missed a free throw to break the record, though,” Mitchell said. “I will say that, but we’re two and two headed to Detroit. That was what we came home to do and that’s all that matters.”

Mitchell remained scoreless until converting a free throw with 4:19 left in the second quarter. He also failed to connect on his initial six field goal attempts before sinking a three-pointer from the left corner with 2:48 remaining in the opening half.

Even with Mitchell’s early difficulties, Cleveland found themselves trailing by just four points, 56-52, at the break. James Harden and Evan Mobley helped keep the Cavaliers competitive during the first two quarters, contributing a combined 26 points.

“I airball the first layup and was missing shots short,” Mitchell said. “Sometimes it’s natural, right? I wasn’t really trying to get in there and force it and then just doubling down on the defensive end, trying to take whoever I’m guarding, take them out of the equation. I’m not tripping, we were down four at half.

“I always tell y’all it’s not just about the scoring, it’s about your overall impact on the game. And for me, it was just like, ‘OK, now I have an opportunity to try to get downhill’ and then started going in.”

Mitchell connected on 12 of 18 field goal attempts during the second half, including three shots from beyond the arc, while making 12 of 13 free throw attempts. Cleveland’s previous franchise high for points in a half belonged to Mitchell with 31 during Game 7 of the team’s opening round series against Orlando in 2024.

Mitchell equaled a franchise record for points in any quarter with 21 during the third period as the Cavaliers took command, outpacing the Pistons 38-21 in that frame. He contributed 15 points during Cleveland’s 24-0 scoring surge that spanned from the final 12 seconds of the first half through the opening six minutes of the third quarter.

The 24-0 scoring streak represented the longest in any NBA playoff contest since Minnesota also recorded 24 consecutive points in Game 6 of their Western Conference semifinal series against Denver in 2024. It also marked the longest such run by Cleveland in a postseason game since detailed statistics began being tracked in 1997-98. The previous franchise playoff high was 19 points straight in an Eastern semifinal series game against Boston.

“Donovan Mitchell was killing us, and that’s pretty much it,” Pistons center Paul Reed said.

This marked Mitchell’s eighth playoff game reaching at least 40 points, with four of those coming as a Cavalier. He has now scored 30 or more points in three consecutive games as the series moves to Detroit for Game 5 on Wednesday with the teams deadlocked at two victories each.

Cleveland continues searching for their first road playoff victory this season and will require at least one away win to reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018.

“We’ve had two good games to build off of, but it’s going to be a hostile environment,” Mitchell said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. And I think I know we’re ready for the challenge.”

Buffalo Bills fans will witness history on September 17, 2026, when their team inaugurates the brand-new Highmark Stadium in a Week 2 Thursday Night Football showdown against the Detroit Lions, the NFL revealed Monday.

Amazon Prime Video will have exclusive streaming rights to the contest, though local Buffalo viewers will be able to watch on a television channel that has yet to be announced.

The state-of-the-art venue comes with a $2.1 billion price tag and features an open-air design with a protective canopy shielding 64% of spectators from the elements, ESPN reports. Players will compete on natural grass equipped with heating technology rather than artificial turf, and fans sitting in the front row along one sideline will enjoy seats positioned 54 feet nearer to the action.

Before the regular season kicks off, the new stadium will host summer activities, including Buffalo’s Blue & Red training camp practice session.

Buffalo’s football team has called their previous venue home since 1973, when it was known as Rich Stadium before receiving the Highmark Stadium designation in 2021. The Bills have successfully captured victory in each of their past four season-opening home contests.

Last season saw Buffalo compile a 12-5 record before falling to Denver in an overtime AFC Divisional Playoff battle, while Detroit concluded their campaign at 9-8 and missed postseason play.

Football fans can expect the complete 2026 NFL schedule to be unveiled Thursday evening at 8 p.m. ET during a special two-hour broadcast on ESPN and NFL Network.

STUART, Fla. — A Florida courtroom will be the scene of a legal battle Tuesday as Tiger Woods’ defense team fights to keep the golf legend’s prescription medication records private following his DUI arrest in March.

The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday morning in Martin County circuit court, located just north of Palm Beach County. State prosecutors have issued a subpoena demanding access to all prescription drug records for Woods from a Palm Beach pharmacy covering January through the end of March. Woods’ defense lawyer Doug Duncan filed court documents last month arguing that his client has constitutional privacy protections regarding his prescription medications.

Should the judge rule that the medication records are required for the case, Duncan has requested a protective order that would restrict access to only prosecutors, law enforcement personnel, state experts and Woods’ legal team.

The golf superstar has entered a not guilty plea to the DUI charges. According to the sheriff’s department report, officers discovered two pain medication pills in Woods’ possession and observed signs of impairment after his vehicle struck a truck’s trailer and overturned.

The incident occurred on Jupiter Island, where Woods was driving at excessive speeds on a residential beachside road with a posted speed limit of 30 mph when his Land Rover caused $5,000 in damage to the truck, according to the incident report. While Woods consented to a breathalyzer test that detected no alcohol, he declined to take a urine test, officials reported.

Craig Morton, the veteran quarterback who made NFL history by becoming the first signal-caller to lead two different franchises to Super Bowl appearances, passed away Saturday at his Mill Valley, California home. He was 83 years old.

The Denver Broncos organization announced Morton’s death through his family members on Saturday.

Morton joins an exclusive group of just four quarterbacks who have started the championship game for multiple teams. Unlike the other three members of this club — Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Kurt Warner — Morton never captured a Super Bowl victory as a starter, though he did earn one championship ring serving in a backup role.

Morton’s initial Super Bowl appearance came during the 1970 season in a mistake-filled Super Bowl V, where the Dallas Cowboys fell to the Baltimore Colts 16-13. Despite the defeat, Morton achieved the milestone of throwing Dallas’s first-ever touchdown pass in a championship contest.

After an unsuccessful period with the New York Giants, Morton found himself facing his former Cowboys teammates seven years later in Super Bowl XII. The veteran quarterback managed just 39 passing yards while throwing four interceptions before coach Red Miller replaced him with Norris Weese in Denver’s 27-10 defeat, beginning the Broncos’ streak of four consecutive Super Bowl losses.

Morton built his reputation on a powerful throwing arm during his standout college years at California, where he played under head coach Marv Levy and assistant coach Bill Walsh before earning induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Cowboys selected him fifth overall in the 1965 NFL draft, while Oakland also chose him in the AFL draft’s tenth round.

Upon joining Tom Landry’s Cowboys, Morton found himself behind established starter Don Meredith, appearing in only four contests during his rookie campaign. The following seasons saw Morton competing for playing time with emerging star Roger Staubach during 1970-71, culminating in the Cowboys’ first Super Bowl appearance.

The quarterback competition intensified during the 1971 season, with Morton and Staubach sometimes alternating on consecutive plays. However, Staubach eventually secured the starting position and guided Dallas to Super Bowl victory over Miami, 24-3. Staubach’s Super Bowl MVP performance essentially signaled the conclusion of Morton’s tenure in Dallas.

Dallas traded their veteran backup to New York in 1974, receiving a package that included a draft selection used to acquire Randy White, who later became both a Super Bowl MVP and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.

While Morton’s performance declined during his Giants years, he experienced a career revival after Denver acquired him prior to the 1977 campaign — a season that established the Broncos as a legitimate contender.

The experienced quarterback provided the missing element for Miller’s Broncos squad, which featured a formidable defense that earned the nickname “Orange Crush.”

Morton guided Denver to a 12-2 regular season record and postseason victories over Pittsburgh and Oakland. Remarkably, he spent the week hospitalized with a hip injury before leading the crucial playoff triumph against division rival Oakland.

Four years later, working under new head coach Dan Reeves — his former Cowboys teammate — Morton enjoyed his most productive statistical season in 1981, throwing for career-best totals of 3,195 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Morton’s career concluded after starting three games during the strike-affected 1982 season. Denver subsequently acquired John Elway, who would eventually surpass Morton as the franchise’s most celebrated number 7.

Over his 18-year professional career, Morton accumulated 27,908 passing yards with 183 touchdown passes and 187 interceptions. At the time of his retirement following the 1982 season, Morton ranked among the top 20 all-time leaders in both passing yards and touchdown passes.

The Broncos honored Morton’s contributions by inducting him into their Ring of Fame in 1988, alongside teammates Haven Moses and Jim Turner from the memorable 1977 squad.

The New York Mets plan to bring up promising young outfielder A.J. Ewing from their Triple-A affiliate before Tuesday’s matchup with the Detroit Tigers at home, multiple sources reported Monday.

The 21-year-old has impressed at two minor league levels this season. At Double-A Binghamton earlier this year, Ewing posted a .349 batting average across 18 contests, recording two home runs, seven runs batted in, and 12 stolen bases. After earning advancement to Triple-A Syracuse, he maintained strong performance with a .326 average through 12 games, adding four RBIs and five steals without a home run.

The Mets selected Ewing in the fourth round of the 2023 amateur draft. Throughout his four-year minor league career spanning five different Mets farm teams, he has compiled a .290 batting average while accumulating 101 stolen bases, 15 home runs, and 118 RBIs. His speed particularly stood out last season when he swiped 70 bases. This year, multiple prospect evaluation services recognized his talent, with Baseball America ranking him 83rd among top prospects, MLB.com placing him 97th, and Baseball Prospectus rating him 38th nationally.

Defensively, Ewing has demonstrated versatility by playing all outfield positions during his minor league tenure, though center field has been his primary spot with 150 total games and 145 starts there. He has also gained experience at second base, appearing in 53 games at that position.

The promotion comes at a crucial time for New York, which has endured a disappointing start to the season. Key injuries to Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert Jr. have contributed to the team’s struggles. As of Monday, the Mets owned baseball’s poorest record at 15-25 and trailed the division-leading Atlanta Braves by 12.5 games in the National League East standings. Their offensive production has been particularly concerning, ranking 29th in both runs scored with 139 and batting average at .222, while posting the league’s worst slugging percentage at .341.

LOS ANGELES — After spending five weeks on the sidelines with an oblique strain, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts made his return to the starting lineup Monday night.

The All-Star veteran, who has earned eight selections to the midsummer classic, was slated to bat in the second spot, sandwiched between Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman for the opening game against their division rivals, the San Francisco Giants.

“We just have to make sure we swing at good pitches,” Betts said before the game. “Those guys are good, too. They drive nice cars, too. We just have to control the zone, swing at good pitches.”

Los Angeles has struggled recently, losing seven contests out of their previous 11 outings, and team officials hope Betts can provide the spark needed to energize their lackluster offensive production. During that rough stretch, the club managed to score three runs or fewer in eight games.

“I know I’m not the hero,” said Betts, the 2018 AL MVP. “It’s important for everyone to know it’s going to take all of us and not just one guy getting through their struggles or whatever it is.”

Before landing on the injured list April 5 with the right oblique strain, Betts was struggling at the plate, posting a .179 average with five hits in 28 at-bats and two home runs across eight games.

“I just didn’t really realize how long it takes for it to really heal,” he said. “I felt pretty good pretty fast actually. But just some of the movements I couldn’t do kind of lingered for a long time. I was trying to hurry but obviously the doctors were saying it just takes a month for it to heal.”

Manager Dave Roberts outlined plans for Betts to play shortstop Monday and Tuesday nights, followed by a rest day Wednesday.

“After seven days, six days, I think he’s going to want to be in there regularly, but we’ll kind of see,” Roberts said.

The 33-year-old had been performing exceptionally well during spring training, recording a .357 batting average and .786 OPS over five games before temporarily leaving for his third child’s birth. His performance declined during the season’s first two weeks before the injury occurred.

Roberts remains cautiously optimistic about Betts’ offensive readiness. The shortstop collected two hits in five at-bats during a pair of minor league rehabilitation assignments.

“Certainly two games of rehab, taking batting practice, a day of live at-bats, is not ideal,” the manager said, “but I think with Mookie you just don’t know. The hope is that he can kind of hit the ground running.”

To make roster space for Betts’ activation, the organization sent infielder Alex Freeland to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Freeland had compiled a .235 batting average with two home runs and eight RBIs over 33 games.

Team management elected to retain second baseman Hyeseong Kim rather than Freeland.

“What it came down to is Hyeseong has performed better,” Roberts said.

NEW ORLEANS — A dancer who disrupted this year’s Super Bowl halftime show by displaying a protest flag during Kendrick Lamar’s performance has been convicted of resisting an officer, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced Monday.

Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, 41, from New Orleans, was part of a group of dancers dressed in black during the hip-hop star’s February 9, 2025 show at the Caesars Superdome.

Though Nantambu had permission to be on the field as a performer, Louisiana State Police say he went off script when he displayed a Sudanese flag bearing the message “Sudan and Free Gaza” while standing atop a vehicle being used as a stage prop. Officials say he then leaped from the platform and began running across the field. When security officers and police pursued him and ordered him to stop, he ignored their commands, according to state police.

After an arrest warrant was issued, Nantambu turned himself in to authorities. He was charged with resisting an officer and disturbing the peace by disrupting a lawful assembly at the Orleans Parish Justice Center. Chief Judge Juana Marine-Lombard found him guilty only on the resisting an officer charge, which is classified as a misdemeanor.

“We appreciate the chief judge’s careful consideration of the evidence and the decision to hold this individual accountable for resisting law enforcement officers who work every day to protect our communities,” Murrill said.

Nantambu’s sentencing is scheduled for June 1, according to the attorney general’s office. The misdemeanor conviction carries potential penalties of up to $500 in fines and as much as six months behind bars under state law.

The NFL has also imposed a lifetime prohibition on Nantambu attending any league events.

In an unrelated incident, Nantambu was the target of a shooting at a celebrity boxing match in Miami this past May.

Former NFL player Antonio Brown is facing attempted murder charges after police say he took a gun from a security guard at the boxing event and fired two rounds at Nantambu. According to investigators, Nantambu reported that one bullet grazed his neck.

Brown has claimed he was acting in self-defense. His trial is scheduled to begin in January 2027.

Professional golfer Jake Knapp will not compete in this week’s PGA Championship after pulling out due to a left thumb sprain injury.

The 31-year-old golfer officially withdrew on Monday from the year’s second major championship tournament. Tom Hoge has been selected from the alternate list to fill Knapp’s spot in the 156-player field at Aronimink Golf Club.

Knapp has been absent from professional tour competition since his 74th-place finish among 82 competitors at the RBC Heritage tournament. While he has not publicly discussed the injury, it appears the thumb problem likely developed during that Heritage event.

Following that tournament, Knapp has been forced to skip both the Cadillac Championship and Truist Championship, two high-stakes events worth $20 million each that served as preparation for the PGA Championship.

The injury setback comes at an unfortunate time for Knapp, who was experiencing a strong 2024 season with five top-10 tournament finishes from January through March, including an impressive 11th-place showing at the Masters.

Hoge, age 36, brings experience to the replacement role with his sole PGA Tour victory coming at the 2022 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Last year he failed to make the cut at three major championships, though he did achieve a ninth-place tie at the 2022 PGA Championship, marking his best major tournament performance to date.

With Hoge moving into the main field, Kevin Yu from Taiwan now moves up to become the tournament’s first alternate.

The NBA has decided not to suspend San Antonio Spurs standout Victor Wembanyama following an incident where he elbowed Minnesota’s Naz Reid during Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal matchup, a league source confirmed to The Associated Press. The individual requested anonymity since the NBA has not made public statements about their review process. Wembanyama will be available for Tuesday’s Game 5 in San Antonio, with the playoff series currently deadlocked at two victories each.

Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys continue to command premium television exposure despite recent on-field struggles. League officials revealed Monday that Dallas will travel to face the New York Giants for NBC’s season-opening “Sunday Night Football” broadcast on September 13, and will welcome the Philadelphia Eagles for their traditional Thanksgiving Day game on November 26 via Fox. The complete schedule drops Thursday, though additional matchups will be unveiled gradually. These announcements give Dallas the timing for three of their 17 contests, adding to their previously confirmed Week 3 international game against Baltimore in Rio de Janeiro on September 27.

In Kansas City, the Chiefs have completed extensive renovations to Arrowhead Stadium in preparation for hosting World Cup matches, realizing a longtime vision of the Hunt family ownership. Six group stage contests are scheduled at the venue beginning next month, culminating with a round of 32 clash and quarterfinal match. Argentina and Algeria will kick off the action on June 16. The 1972-built facility required substantial modifications to satisfy FIFA standards, including seating adjustments and playing surface improvements. Nearly ten years of planning went into this collaboration. Spectators will utilize shuttle services from remote parking locations due to space constraints, while existing signage has been removed to prevent sponsor conflicts.

At Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, early practice rounds for the PGA Championship have highlighted the course’s defining characteristics: expansive greens with dramatic undulations. Keegan Bradley, who captured the 2018 BMW Championship at this venue, emphasized that driving accuracy takes a backseat to navigating the challenging putting surfaces with their severe slopes. Matt Fitzpatrick expressed concern about finding suitable pin placements on some greens. Jordan Spieth completed nine practice holes as he prepares for his tenth attempt at achieving the career Grand Slam, with the PGA Championship remaining his only missing major.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards continues to showcase remarkable resilience during the NBA playoffs despite battling knee issues. Edwards logged over 40 minutes for consecutive games and played the entire final quarter while contributing 36 points in the Timberwolves’ Game 4 victory over San Antonio in their second-round series. The dynamic guard returned just nine days after suffering a hyperextended left knee and deep bone bruising to help secure a Game 1 triumph, while also managing ongoing right knee discomfort throughout the season.

Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey maintains his position favoring a 16-team College Football Playoff expansion, contrasting with the Big Ten’s preference for 24 teams. This disagreement means the playoff will proceed with 12 teams for now. Sankey outlined various logistical hurdles, including conference championship scheduling, non-conference commitments, and traditional games like Army-Navy.

Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy remains in stable condition following a shooting incident at a Mississippi concert venue. University officials confirmed Hardy sustained gunshot wounds early Sunday morning and underwent surgical treatment later that day. The first-team Associated Press All-American and Doak Walker Award finalist was injured at an outdoor concert at a motorcycle club in Laurel, Mississippi. Local police Sergeant Macon Davis characterized the scene as chaotic, with three suspects currently in custody according to the Laurel Leader-Call.

In Premier League action, Tottenham earned a crucial point in their relegation battle with a 1-1 home draw against Leeds United. The result creates a two-point cushion over West Ham in the standings, with one of these clubs destined for Championship football alongside already-relegated Wolves and Burnley. Both teams have two matches remaining, but Spurs control their own fate. Mathys Tels opened the scoring for Tottenham before Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late penalty earned Leeds a valuable point. Championship news saw Hull defeat Millwall 2-0 to secure a playoff final berth against either Southampton or Middlesbrough, with promotion to the Premier League at stake.

United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso will miss the upcoming World Cup due to a right ankle injury requiring surgical intervention. His club team Atletico Madrid announced the procedure, which typically demands months of rehabilitation with the World Cup beginning in four weeks. The Spanish club has not provided a recovery timeline or surgery details. The 24-year-old Cardoso injured his ankle during Atletico training last week, having earned 23 caps for the national team since his 2020 debut.

Iron Honor enters as the 9-2 morning line favorite for this weekend’s Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park, though the wide-open field lacks Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo. The actual betting favorite may shift significantly before Saturday’s race. Taj Mahal (5-1), Chip Honcho (5-1), Incredibolt (5-1), and Ocelli (6-1) round out the early favorites in what could feature the largest Preakness field in 15 years. The last time 14 horses reached the starting gate was 2011.

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards continues to amaze teammates and coaches with his extraordinary ability to perform at an elite level while battling significant knee problems during this year’s NBA playoffs.

Edwards delivered a spectacular 36-point effort in Sunday’s Game 4 victory against the San Antonio Spurs, pouring in 16 of those points during the decisive fourth quarter to help Minnesota even their second-round playoff series at 2-2 with a 114-109 win.

“Honestly, I think he would just now be coming back if he was like a normal human being, but he’s not,” teammate Mike Conley said following the victory. “We’re thankful for what he’s sacrificing for us and putting us on his back. We expect it from him. He expects it. So we just try to keep him healthy, keep him going forward.”

The standout guard made his return just nine days after suffering a hyperextended left knee that resulted in a deep bone bruise. Edwards contributed 18 points off the bench in 25 minutes during the series opener on May 4, then returned to the starting five for Game 3 at home Friday, logging 41 minutes of action.

Sunday’s contest saw Edwards play 40 minutes, including the entire fourth quarter — a strategy coach Chris Finch employed only three times during the regular season. Edwards also played the final 12 minutes in the first-round series opener at Denver on April 18, just one week before his most recent injury.

“Man, I’ve been doing a lot of stuff to get in shape. I’ve got the best physical therapist in the world when it comes to my body, David Hines, so big shoutout to him,” Edwards said, crediting the team’s vice president of medical operations and performance. “He’s on a whole other level when it comes to that stuff.”

The young star was restricted to just 61 games during the regular season — a career low — primarily due to ongoing right knee discomfort. Prior to this season, Edwards had never missed more than three games in any campaign.

“We’re lucky to have him. He’s special, no doubt, especially given what he’s been fighting through over the last month and a half,” Finch commented.

Edwards shot an impressive 13-of-22 from the field Sunday, connecting on 3-of-5 three-point attempts. He capitalized on Victor Wembanyama’s surprising ejection by attacking the basket, including a critical finger-roll layup through traffic with 2:24 remaining that gave Minnesota a four-point advantage.

Despite his heroics, Edwards remained self-critical afterward, questioning his and the starting unit’s effort during a sluggish third quarter while admitting to physical fatigue.

“I was gassed a little bit,” Edwards said, “so I came out like super low on energy, just walking up and down the floor.”

However, Edwards’ performance transcended mere determination and physical toughness. Playing on Mother’s Day, the guard drew deep motivation from honoring his late mother, Yvette Edwards, who passed away from cancer in 2015 when he was only 13 years old. His grandmother also died later that same year.

“I couldn’t lose this game for her,” Edwards said before acknowledging the unwavering support he’s received from family and close friends in Atlanta throughout the decade since losing his mother and grandmother. “It’s not a bunch of people that’s just willing to do anything you say. These people really want to see me succeed, and they don’t let me take a day off. They stay on me.”

True to his private nature, Edwards quickly redirected attention away from personal matters during the postgame media session at Target Center.

“So I appreciate everybody that’s in my circle, but that’s enough about me,” he said. “Just ask about my team.”

The spotlight has shifted between two English golfing siblings, and the older brother couldn’t be happier about the change.

Matt Fitzpatrick, speaking Monday before this week’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, acknowledged that the dynamics have changed significantly this year.

“I’m probably known as Alex’s brother now, as opposed to him being Matt’s brother,” the older Fitzpatrick explained.

This week near Philadelphia, Alex will compete in only his second major championship, while Matt pursues his second major victory in a setting that perfectly captures the spirit of the City of Brotherly Love.

The brothers’ journey together includes a memorable chapter from 2013, when Matt captured the U.S. Amateur at Brookline with Alex serving as his caddie. Nearly a decade later, Matt claimed his first major title at that same Massachusetts course, winning the 2022 U.S. Open.

During that earlier period, Alex’s professional career was still developing. He managed to make the cut in five of seven DP World Tour events, but it would take four years of persistent effort before he secured his breakthrough victory at the Hero Indian Open this past March.

The turning point came at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Competing as a team for the fourth consecutive year, both brothers performed at peak level and captured the championship, earning Alex his PGA Tour membership and qualification for this week’s major.

The rapid succession of victories has left little time for celebration, according to Matt, who also won the Valspar Championship and RBC Heritage this spring before the Zurich triumph.

“We’ve honestly not had much chance to kind of sit down and take it all in,” Matt said. “I think we are both off next week. So maybe we’ll do something next week. But neither of us are drinkers, so we won’t be doing anything crazy, I wouldn’t have thought.”

Alex has proven his PGA Tour credentials since the Zurich victory, finishing tied for ninth at the Cadillac Championship and placing fourth at Sunday’s Truist Championship after leading through three rounds.

Matt expressed genuine enthusiasm about discussing his brother’s success.

“Listen, I love talking about my brother,” Matt said. “It’s an amazing position to be in to have that privilege to talk about how well he’s doing. I’d so much rather have these questions, conversations, than the opposite of, you know, why is he not playing well and whatnot.”

“So it’s a fantastic position to be in, and I’ve said already, it’s his career. It’s his choice. I’ll be there to help him as much as I can, if he wants that. But at the same time, you know, I want him to be able to make his own decisions.”

The brothers’ parents had to adjust their travel arrangements following the Zurich victory. Originally planning to return to Europe, they decided to extend their U.S. stay through the PGA Championship to support both sons.

Matt indicated that his preparation routine will remain unchanged despite his brother’s presence.

“This is the second time we’ve shared a house at a major, when (Alex) qualified for The Open in ’23,” he explained. “It will be the same preparation for me. I’m going about it the same way. He’ll ask me when I’m playing and he’ll either join me or he’ll kind of fit in elsewhere.”

“I’m very strict on my routine. I want to do this and I need to see whoever at this time. If he wants to fit that in, that’s great, and obviously I always say, we want to play together. But yeah, I kind of, again, want him to be able to do his own thing.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Over 30 years ago, team owner Lamar Hunt and his son Clark walked onto the turf at Arrowhead Stadium with a bold vision: convincing FIFA that their football venue could serve as a host site for the 1994 World Cup in America.

That 1990 proposal was unsuccessful, but the Hunt family’s ambition never faded.

Today, following a multi-million dollar transformation of the 53-year-old facility to meet international soccer field requirements, the Hunt family’s vision is finally becoming reality. Arrowhead will welcome six group stage matches next month, plus a round of 32 contest and a World Cup quarterfinal game.

“Clark has been keen on really living that legacy, finding a way for Kansas City and Arrowhead Stadium specifically to host World Cup matches,” said Matt Kenny, the Chiefs’ executive vice president of operations and events, during a Monday stadium walkthrough.

The opening match will showcase defending world champion Argentina taking on Algeria on June 16. Additional group stage games include Ecuador versus Curacao, Tunisia facing the Netherlands, and Algeria meeting Austria.

The elimination rounds are set for July 3 and July 11, after which the facility will return to its football configuration.

Kansas City’s first preseason game is expected approximately one month following the tournament’s conclusion.

While all American World Cup venues are NFL facilities — ranging from MetLife Stadium in New York to Levi’s Stadium near San Francisco and SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles — Arrowhead presents unique challenges. Constructed in 1972 during a different era of professional sports design, accommodating soccer was never part of the original blueprint.

To create space for the expanded playing field, multiple rows of fixed seating along the north sideline were eliminated and replaced with temporary seating units used during football season. These modular seats were subsequently removed as the venue prepared for its soccer transformation.

During World Cup competition, the facility will operate under the name Kansas City Stadium.

The most significant enhancement involved the playing surface itself. Team officials installed an underground air circulation system to improve the quality of the Bermuda grass field, which received new sod with modified crown shaping specifically for World Cup play.

“FIFA has some basic requirements in respect to playability. They want consistency with the way the ball bounces. Obviously, the width and the size of the pitch across venues,” Kenny explained. “It’s been the better part of 10 years from the bid to actually executing the matches here, and it’s been a massive collaboration.”

Construction activities continue despite teams arriving within weeks — Argentina, England, the Netherlands and Algeria will establish training bases locally. Crews worked Monday removing advertising displays to prevent sponsor conflicts while installing fan festival areas, pavilions and supporting infrastructure across the stadium’s extensive parking areas.

Traditional tailgating experiences will be limited during the tournament. Most spectators will arrive via shuttle buses from remote parking locations, with only several thousand on-site parking spaces available.

“The challenges were really tied to us understanding exactly what FIFA needed, what we could do to balance our unique situation,” Kenny noted. “We’re hosting a quarterfinal match, so that’s a testament to our planning and the work that’s been done.”

Washington has secured the top selection in the 2026 NBA Draft lottery, with BYU forward AJ Dybantsa emerging as the overwhelming favorite to be chosen first overall by the Wizards.

Following the lottery results, Field Level Media’s Ethan Ward immediately placed Dybantsa at the top of his draft rankings. Betting markets have responded accordingly, with BetMGM listing the forward at -450 odds to be selected first after initially opening at +360. Dybantsa has captured 38.8% of all wagers on the top pick and commands 74.1% of the total money wagered.

Despite his status as the betting favorite, Dybantsa ranks as only the third-largest potential loss for the sportsbook as of Monday. Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. holds the top liability position, with North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson in second place.

Acuff’s position stems from attracting 28.1% of all bets and 7.0% of the money despite long-shot +1000 odds. Wilson carries much shorter +5000 odds to go first overall and has drawn 13.5% of bets but only 4.0% of the total money.

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, who initially opened as the -325 favorite for the top selection, now sits at +350 following the draft order announcement. Ward projects Peterson to be selected second overall by the Utah Jazz.

The 2026 draft class features multiple players with star potential, creating anticipation for the June 23-24 event in New York. Duke forward Cameron Boozer has attracted the second-highest amount of money wagered on the first pick with 13.8%.

Dybantsa’s emergence as the top choice for Washington stems from his perceived fit alongside the Wizards’ mix of young players and veterans Trae Young and Anthony Davis. The 19-year-old would not face immediate pressure to carry the team following his single collegiate season.

Utah would likely have strong interest in selecting the former BYU standout to keep him in the state. However, Peterson could provide an ideal complement to the Jazz’s large frontcourt with his versatility at both guard positions and ability to play without the ball.

Boozer represents one of the few top prospects whose odds have decreased since the market opened at BetMGM, moving from +875 to +1100 while receiving 11.8% of total wagers. He is commonly viewed as a potential selection for Memphis at third overall. The Grizzlies face decisions regarding Ja Morant, but Boozer is considered a safe prospect likely to become a reliable NBA scorer.

Beyond the top five selections, no other player has better than +25000 odds to be chosen first overall next month.

This marks Washington’s first time holding the top pick since 2010, when the franchise selected guard John Wall, who went on to become a five-time All-Star. The Wizards now own the first overall selection for the fifth time in team history.

The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa paced the nation in scoring at 25.5 points per game and appears positioned to become one of the NBA’s top offensive players. The 6-foot-6 Peterson dealt with injury issues at Kansas but still averaged 20.2 points and may have been college basketball’s most talented player.

The University of Notre Dame and the University of Southern California are working to restore their historic football rivalry, though fans may have to wait until 2030 to see the teams clash again, according to a Monday report from the Los Angeles Times.

The Fighting Irish and Trojans announced in December that their 2026 matchup was canceled, putting a temporary halt to a storied rivalry that first began in 1925.

Sources close to the negotiations told the Times they remain hopeful that both universities will reach a new agreement.

According to the report, Notre Dame has shown willingness to schedule the USC game earlier in the football season, which had been a major sticking point in previous discussions. USC had pushed for moving the game date to align with their other non-conference games, while Notre Dame preferred maintaining the traditional late-season timing that has defined the rivalry.

Near the conclusion of the 2025 season, both schools appeared close to striking a deal, with USC ready to accept keeping the game in its customary late-season position for the following two years. However, USC officials were unaware that Notre Dame had secured a special arrangement with the College Football Playoff guaranteeing them a playoff spot if they finished in the top 12 of the final rankings, the Times reported.

This revelation prompted USC to withdraw their proposal, though athletic director Jennifer Cohen made one final attempt with a December counteroffer. Notre Dame rejected this last proposal and subsequently announced a new home-and-home agreement with BYU to fill USC’s former spot.

“The fact is very, very clear, and this can all be settled very quickly — had Notre Dame lived up to their word and played us anytime, anywhere, we would be playing them the next two years and looking ahead after that and hopefully continuing the series,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said following a bowl game defeat in December. “They did not follow through on it. Thus, we are not playing them the next couple years.”

The Toronto Blue Jays have sidelined outfielder Addison Barger once again, placing him on the 10-day injured list Monday due to right elbow inflammation after he appeared in only one game following his recent return to action.

Toronto made several corresponding roster adjustments, bringing outfielder Yohendrick Pinango back up from Triple-A Buffalo while designating left-handed pitcher Eric Lauer for assignment and promoting right-hander Yariel Rodriguez from Triple-A.

Barger had just come back from bilateral ankle sprains and saw action Saturday versus the Los Angeles Angels, where he made a precise throw from deep right field during the second inning that helped nail Jorge Soler at home plate.

The outfielder has struggled offensively this season, managing just one hit in 22 at-bats across nine games, a stark contrast to his previous campaign when he launched 21 home runs and drove in 74 runs over 135 contests. During the 2025 playoffs, he posted impressive numbers with a .367 batting average, three homers, and nine RBIs in 17 games.

Since breaking into the majors in 2024, Barger has compiled a .223 batting average with 28 home runs and 104 RBIs across 213 games in a Blue Jays uniform.

The 24-year-old Pinango, who made his big league debut on April 26, had been performing well with a .423 batting average, one double, and four RBIs in 10 games for Toronto before his demotion.

Lauer, 30, posted a 1-5 record with a 6.69 ERA in eight outings this season, including six starts. The veteran pitcher carries a career 46-44 record with a 4.26 ERA over eight major league seasons with three different clubs, spending four years with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Rodriguez, 29, is preparing for his 2026 major league debut after compiling a 4-10 record with a 3.83 ERA in 87 appearances over the past two seasons with Toronto, including 22 starts.

ROME — While world No. 1 players Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner have made headlines discussing potential boycotts, it’s Jessica Pegula working behind the scenes to unite tennis’s elite players in their fight for better compensation from Grand Slam tournaments.

The 2024 U.S. Open finalist brings unique perspective to the leadership role, having grown up in a family that owns both the Buffalo Bills NFL franchise and the Buffalo Sabres NHL team.

“I think it maybe does (come naturally) just because I feel like I’ve taken on a bit of a leadership role with it,” Pegula explained.

The world No. 5 player already heads a newly formed 13-member committee tasked with recommending changes to women’s tennis scheduling, ranking systems, and tournament participation requirements. Now she’s tackling the compensation disparity issue as well.

“I’m not afraid to go up to any type of player and go like, ‘Hey, are you interested in this or not?’” Pegula stated. “Some players, they don’t care, sometimes they’re not worried about it. Sometimes they’re like, ‘Yeah, for sure, I’m 100% in.’ I’ve been reaching out to players on the men’s and women’s side.”

Last week, Sabalenka suggested players might need to boycott tournaments to secure a larger portion of tournament revenues, while Sinner expressed frustration about the lack of respect shown to athletes.

“At the end of the day the players are the ones that have the big voices,” Pegula noted. “It’s been nice to see Aryna and Jannik kind of step out. I know a lot of other players feel the same way. But to have the two No. 1s very outspoken about it, that’s kind of what it takes to get them to listen.”

The compensation gap is striking when compared to other major sports. NFL and NHL athletes receive approximately 50% of total revenues, while tennis players at most tournaments earn less than half that percentage. According to a recent player protest statement, the upcoming French Open will allocate under 14.9% to competitors — a decrease from 15.5% in 2024.

French Open officials announced last month they were boosting total prize money by roughly 10% to 61.7 million euros ($72.1 million), representing a 5.3 million euro increase from the previous year. However, players argue the underlying financial data reveals a different reality.

“It’s crazy. It’s an insane difference. Obviously they’re different sports. They’re run differently,” Pegula said when comparing tennis compensation to the NFL. “But tennis has been a very old-school sport. I think it’s one of the things that needs to change. Sometimes change is good. Sometimes that means fighting for things.”

This same player coalition sent correspondence to all four Grand Slam tournament directors last year requesting increased prize money and greater input in tournament decisions. Wimbledon responded by raising its 2025 prize pool 7%, the U.S. Open increased theirs by 20%, and the Australian Open boosted compensation by 16% this past January.

Despite these improvements, players maintain that Grand Slam tournaments still fall short of the 22% revenue share offered at regular ATP and WTA Tour competitions.

“The slams have kind of just gotten away with paying not that much because we’re a very individual sport,” Pegula observed. “It’s hard to get players to come together. We’re not on a salary where football players or basketball players can afford not to play.”

French Open organizers, whose tournament begins in less than two weeks, have not responded to media inquiries about the compensation dispute.

Wimbledon is expected to reveal its prize money structure next month, and Pegula said players have yet to receive any communication from the All England Club.

“We’re just going to kind of continue to talk amongst ourselves,” she said.

Tennis governance complexity stems from having seven different organizing entities: the four Grand Slam tournaments, the ATP, the WTA, and the International Tennis Federation.

“That’s what makes it so hard is that our sport is super fragmented. Hard to get everybody on the same page,” Pegula explained. “That’s why it’s been huge to actually have the top 10 men and women really come together. I’m hoping that will get the Slams’ attention.”

While managing her activist efforts, Pegula continues competing at the Italian Open, where she advanced to the quarterfinals Monday with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory over Anastasia Potapova. She had previously dominated Rebeka Masarova 6-0, 6-0 in an earlier round.

Her next opponent will be either three-time Rome champion Iga Swiatek or four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka.

Between matches and organizing player protests, Pegula has been frustrated by her inability to watch the Sabres’ historic playoff run — their first postseason appearance in 15 years — due to the time difference between Europe and the United States.

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Sabres 6-2 in Game 3 Sunday night, taking a 2-1 series lead in their second-round playoff matchup.

“My gosh, I am so upset that I have not been able to see any of the games,” Pegula said. “I would give anything to just be at a playoff game. … I love it so much. It’s my favorite thing.”

A groundbreaking figure in baseball broadcasting has passed away. René Cárdenas, who made history as Major League Baseball’s first full-time Spanish-language announcer, died Sunday at his Houston residence at age 96, the Astros announced Monday.

Cárdenas began his historic career when the Dodgers relocated from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958. His pioneering work included being part of the inaugural Spanish-language broadcast of the World Series in 1959 and calling the All-Star Game in Spanish two years after that.

“We mourn the passing of René Cárdenas, who in 1958 with the Dodgers became the first full-time Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history and would ultimately spend 21 years behind the mic for Los Angeles,” the Dodgers said Sunday in a social media post.

The newly formed Houston Colt .45s brought Cárdenas aboard in 1961 for their debut 1962 season. He remained with the organization for 14 seasons, continuing his role when the team became the Astros in 1965 upon moving to the Astrodome.

“With yesterday’s passing of Rene Cardenas, we lost a true legend and pioneer in broadcasting,” the Astros wrote Monday in a statement on social media. “As the franchise first Spanish broadcaster, Rene had a tremendous impact on the success of the Colt .45s/Astros in Houston’s large Hispanic community and beyond. We send our heartfelt condolences to Rene’s family and loved ones.”

After returning to his homeland of Nicaragua in 1975, Cárdenas made his way back to Major League Baseball in 1981, becoming the Texas Rangers’ inaugural Spanish-language broadcaster, according to former Rangers public relations executive John Blake.

His second tenure with the Dodgers began in 1982 and spanned nearly 20 years. He also made another return to Houston, becoming the first broadcaster to call Astros games in Spanish on television in 2008.

Following his retirement from the booth, Cárdenas continued contributing to baseball through writing for the Astros’ Spanish-language website and La Prensa, a newspaper in Nicaragua.

Beyond baseball, Cárdenas covered major sporting events, including the 1971 heavyweight boxing bout between Muhammad Ali and Jimmy Ellis at the Astrodome.

His contributions to the sport earned him multiple honors: induction into the Nicaragua Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000, the Broadcasters Wing of the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Astros Baseball Media Wall of Honor in 2013.

According to ESPN reports released Monday, the Milwaukee Bucks are willing to entertain trade discussions involving superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo as the NBA draft approaches this summer.

The franchise had previously considered moving the two-time Most Valuable Player before the regular season’s trade deadline but ultimately decided to keep their cornerstone player through at least the current offseason period.

Team co-owner Jimmy Haslam revealed to media members last week his desire to have Antetokounmpo’s future determined prior to the draft scheduled for June 23-24.

“Sometime over the next six or seven weeks we’ll decide whether Giannis is going to sign a max contract and stay with us or he’s going to play somewhere else,” Haslam stated to reporters last Wednesday. “(General manager) Jon (Horst) and (new coach) Taylor (Jenkins), along with (co-owner) Wes (Edens) and myself, will make that call and we understand the gravity of that call.”

Sources indicate Milwaukee would seek proven young players and potentially multiple draft selections in any potential deal involving Antetokounmpo.

The veteran forward has compiled impressive career statistics across 13 seasons and 895 total games (830 as a starter) with Milwaukee, posting averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per contest. His leadership helped deliver the organization’s first championship in five decades during the 2021 season. The 31-year-old has earned 10 All-Star selections and nine All-NBA team honors.

This past season proved challenging for Antetokounmpo, who appeared in just 36 games due to various injuries affecting his groin, calf and knee. His final appearance came on March 15, though he expressed frustration in early April about being healthy but unavailable to compete.

“I’m available to play, but I’m not in the game,” Antetokounmpo shared with reporters on April 3. “I’m available to play today. Right now. I’m available.”

He continued: “For somebody to come and tell me to not play or not to compete, it’s like a slap in my face. So I don’t know where the relationship goes from there.”

Antetokounmpo’s contract includes $58.46 million for the 2026-27 campaign and features a player option for the following season.

Sunday’s NBA draft lottery resulted in Washington securing the top selection, while Milwaukee received the 10th overall pick. The draft combine begins Monday in Chicago.

The NBA has decided not to impose additional penalties on San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama following his ejection from Sunday’s playoff matchup against Minnesota, according to a league source who requested anonymity.

The decision means Wembanyama will be available when the Spurs host the Timberwolves for Game 5 on Tuesday night, with their Western Conference semifinal series deadlocked at 2-2.

The incident occurred during Sunday evening’s contest when Wembanyama was thrown out of the game after striking Minnesota’s Naz Reid with his elbow. The contact happened early in the second quarter as players battled for a rebound, with Wembanyama becoming entangled with both Reid and Jaden McDaniels before swinging his arms and catching Reid in the face.

Game officials reviewed the incident and determined it warranted a Flagrant 2 foul, which automatically results in ejection. Television cameras captured Wembanyama on the sideline appearing confused about the ruling, seemingly asking his teammates to explain what a Flagrant 2 penalty meant.

Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson defended his star player following the game, stating that Wembanyama “gets hit on every play.”

“At some level, you have to protect yourself,” Johnson explained. “Every single play on every single part of the floor, people are trying to impose their physicality on him. I get it. We get it. That’s part of the game. At some stage, he should be protected and if not, he’s going to have to protect himself. And unfortunately, stuff like that happens.”

The ejection marked the first time in Wembanyama’s professional career that he had been thrown out of a game. Data from Sportradar indicates this was only the third flagrant foul assessed against the French big man, who earned unanimous recognition as this season’s Defensive Player of the Year and finished as a finalist for Most Valuable Player.

League protocol requires the NBA to examine all such incidents, with officials having the authority to modify, reduce, or eliminate flagrant and technical foul calls upon further review. However, the source indicated that Sunday’s ruling will remain unchanged.

Buffalo Bills management announced Monday they have added defensive end Mike Danna to their roster through a one-year contract agreement.

The organization did not reveal financial details of the agreement.

The 28-year-old pass rusher has played his complete professional career with Kansas City after the Chiefs selected him during the fifth round of the 2020 draft.

Danna achieved his most productive campaign during the 2023 season, earning starting positions in all 16 regular season contests and every playoff game as Kansas City captured the Super Bowl title. That year, he recorded personal bests with 50 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 13 quarterback pressures during regular season play, while contributing seven tackles throughout the postseason run.

During the 2024 campaign, he accumulated 25 tackles, one sack, and four quarterback hits across 15 appearances, starting 14 of those contests.

Throughout his six-year professional tenure, Danna has compiled 194 tackles, 25 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, 21.5 sacks, 51 quarterback hits, and six forced fumbles over 87 regular season games with 49 starts, while earning two Super Bowl championship rings.

To create roster space, Buffalo released cornerback MJ Devonshire, who joined the practice squad last December before signing a two-year, $1.9 million reserve/future deal in January.

Washington’s NFL franchise made official Monday their decision to retain veteran defensive back Antonio Hamilton with a fresh one-year contract extension.

Financial details of Hamilton’s new agreement with the Commanders remain undisclosed by the organization.

The 33-year-old cornerback contributed to 15 contests during his inaugural campaign with Washington in 2025, making one starting appearance while compiling 18 defensive stops, breaking up two passes, and recovering a fumble.

Hamilton originally entered the NFL as an undrafted player from South Carolina State University and has spent a decade in professional football across multiple franchises, including stints with the former Oakland Raiders from 2016-2017, followed by time with the New York Giants through 2019, Kansas City Chiefs in 2020, Arizona Cardinals from 2021-2023, Atlanta Falcons in 2024, and most recently Washington.

Throughout his professional career spanning 124 games with 19 starting assignments, Hamilton has accumulated 197 total tackles, intercepted two passes, defended 27 pass attempts, recovered two fumbles, and recorded one tackle behind the line of scrimmage.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — New York supporters brandished brooms outside the Philadelphia venue and created a thunderous atmosphere inside. Thousands of Knicks faithful flooded the arena and celebrated their team’s commanding playoff performance with repeated chants of “Knicks in four! Knicks in four!” during the final moments of another dominant victory.

Beyond that significant number of four games, the Knicks achieved something even more impressive: capturing playoff victories by an average margin of nearly 20 points per contest.

Led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, along with contributions from Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet, New York has continued their postseason dominance into the Eastern Conference finals for consecutive seasons.

Philadelphia proved to be merely a minor obstacle as the Knicks completed their series sweep and extended their overall playoff winning streak to seven games under head coach Mike Brown.

The lone concern following New York’s commanding 144-114 victory on Sunday may be the anticipated extended break before facing either Cleveland or Detroit in the conference finals. Detroit currently holds a 2-1 series advantage over Cleveland, with Game 4 scheduled for Monday.

“Yeah, you like the rhythm that you’re in,” Brown said. “But if we expect to be who we’re capable of being, we’ll find a way to stay consistent with what we’re doing, whether it’s the energy level, the effort level, or embracing-slash-focusing on the details that we have to be able to understand in order to get a win.”

New York completely grasped their mission and prevented Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and a confident Philadelphia squad—fresh off their remarkable comeback from a 3-1 series deficit against Boston in the opening round—from mounting any meaningful challenge for another stunning upset.

Regarding the upcoming break, New York could benefit from additional recovery time, particularly for injured forward OG Anunoby. Anunoby sat out Games 3 and 4 due to a strained right hamstring and his status remains uncertain daily. The 6-foot-7 defender, considered New York’s premier defensive player, has averaged 21.4 points during the postseason.

Such exceptional offensive output proves difficult to compensate for, and during an extended playoff run—which New York anticipates being part of this season—it could become problematic if Anunoby faces a prolonged absence. However, in this brief period, the Knicks flourished, particularly against a demoralized Philadelphia team facing elimination.

McBride, previously recognized primarily for his defensive abilities but now developed into a dependable perimeter shooter, filled in for Anunoby and essentially secured the series victory during the opening quarter. McBride connected on seven three-pointers, shooting a perfect 4-for-4 in the first quarter when New York made 11 of 13 attempts, finishing with 25 points. With Knicks supporters on their feet chanting “Deuuuce,” McBride sank four consecutive three-pointers for a 20-6 advantage, transforming the South Philadelphia venue into something resembling Madison Square Garden.

“I definitely knew the Knicks had crazy fans,” McBride said.

The excitement surrounding the Knicks supporters’ invasion of Philadelphia was genuine and reached its peak during Game 4.

Notable fans including Spike Lee and Timothée Chalamet secured tickets for Friday evening’s contest in Philadelphia. During Game 4, supporters circumvented the 76ers’ alleged ticket-purchasing restrictions as effortlessly as New York hit three-pointers, clearly comprising the vast majority of the 19,746 attendees at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Embiid’s pre-series appeals for Philadelphia fans to avoid selling their seats to New York supporters went unheeded, resulting in thunderous cheers for the visiting team. Knicks fans cleverly created printouts showing Embiid being dunked on by Mitch Robinson from Game 3. These supporters waved the images at the frequently injured Embiid during his free throw attempts while taunting him with “Mr. Glass,” referencing a fictional movie character afflicted with fragile bones.

“I used to think Philly was a sports town, I don’t know if it is anymore,” Knicks forward Josh Hart said.

Having a home-court atmosphere, even while playing away, only provides limited playoff advantages.

The true difference typically appears in the statistical summary.

New York recorded 33 assists on 49 made shots in Game 4 and continued their pattern of transforming elimination games into decisive victories. Following their 51-point victory over Atlanta to close their first-round series, they built leads as large as 44 points in Game 4 against Philadelphia, ultimately winning by 30.

New York’s 19.4 points-per-game victory margin represents the largest through two playoff rounds since the tournament expanded to 16 teams in 1984.

The Knicks haven’t appeared in the NBA Finals since 1999 and haven’t captured the championship since 1973. Nevertheless, they’ve transformed the postseason into their domain and are currently favored to emerge from the Eastern Conference, trailing only defending champion Oklahoma City and San Antonio in championship odds.

“We’re still writing out story,” Brunson said.

CHICAGO (AP) — Before a single name gets called at next month’s NBA draft, AJ Dybantsa is already making a bold declaration: The 2026 draft class will go down as one of the greatest in league history.

The draft hasn’t even happened yet, but the confidence level among the top prospects is unmistakable.

What unites the players projected to go early in next month’s selection process is their unwavering self-belief. These athletes know their abilities and aren’t shy about expressing their talent level. For the franchises positioned to select these elite players — Washington holding the No. 1 spot, Utah at No. 2, Memphis at No. 3 and Chicago at No. 4 — the coming weeks are filled with excitement and potential.

“Since I’m in this draft class, I’m going to say we’re one of the best draft classes,” said Dybantsa, who topped Division I men’s college basketball in scoring this past season. “We’ll see how that pans out and how our careers pan out, but if you ask me right now, I think we’re one of the best draft classes.”

That’s a reasonable assessment.

While an unexpected trade or medical examination results in the coming weeks could shake things up, current projections suggest Commissioner Adam Silver will announce these four names on June 23: BYU’s Dybantsa, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, Duke’s Cameron Boozer and North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson.

These aren’t the only talented players available in this draft — not even close. However, there appears to be exceptional star quality among the top-tier prospects, which made Sunday’s draft lottery feel more significant than usual.

“I feel like it can be the best ever,” Wilson said when asked about the Class of 2026’s potential. “We have a deep draft and I feel like everybody wants to play hard and prove themselves. And it’s just a matter of time before we can do that.”

Indiana experienced disappointment after missing out on a selection despite posting the league’s second-worst record this season. The Pacers — who reached the NBA Finals last year — gave up the No. 5 pick to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the trade compensation for center Ivica Zubac, who will certainly benefit Indiana when Tyrese Haliburton returns from his torn Achilles.

Missing the opportunity to acquire some of this year’s available talent was painful for Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard.

“Today, it stings,” Pritchard said. “But wait ’til next season. Let’s give this group an opportunity to go compete for a championship, because they’ve proven they can do it.”

Wizards President Michael Winger appreciates the mathematics involved, understanding that a 14% probability wasn’t particularly favorable. However, it matched everyone else’s odds in the lottery, and ultimately proved sufficient to secure Washington’s No. 1 selection.

What made the difference?

“I don’t have a compelling answer for that. I think that ultimately it was just our time. I think it was time to get that pick,” Winger said. “Whether it’s because there’s a special athlete at the top of the draft that we want or organizationally we’re ready for a player like that, whatever the case may be … the basketball gods decided that this was our year.”

Washington emerged as the primary beneficiary, though they weren’t alone in celebrating.

Oklahoma City secured a lottery selection in this draft thanks to general manager Sam Presti’s years of accumulating both talented players and draft assets. This means the current champions — potentially repeat champions by draft time — will only strengthen their roster further.

The Clippers obtained a top-five selection, Memphis landed the No. 3 choice, Chicago’s rebuilding effort will see the Bulls add an exceptional talent, and Utah — which received a $500,000 fine this year for resting players during fourth quarters — sits at No. 2.

“Agree to disagree,” was Jazz owner Ryan Smith’s famous response when the NBA imposed that half-million-dollar penalty. The philosophy now might be patience; the Jazz possess considerable young talent and will add even more depth in that area.

Jazz guard Keyonte George attended Sunday’s lottery and mentioned that the Jazz are remembering everything — his way of indicating that Utah has noticed all the tanking criticism that followed the team this season.

“We’re going to make sure we go at our own pace, understand we’re a new group and we’re on our journey to something special,” George said. “But yeah, as a group, we’ll have a chip on our shoulder for sure.”

Plenty of basketball remains in the current season. New York has already advanced to the NBA’s final four, waiting for either Cleveland or Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals. Oklahoma City can return to the Western Conference finals on Monday, where they would face either San Antonio or Minnesota.

Nevertheless, draft discussions are gaining momentum. Considering the abundance of talent available, that enthusiasm makes perfect sense.

“A lot of people are saying we’re the best class in the last 10 years,” Peterson said. “So, we’re going to try our best to be that.”

Milwaukee’s victory over the New York Yankees, capped by Brice Turang’s ninth-inning home run that completed a three-game sweep, highlights a troubling pattern emerging across the American League this season.

The junior circuit is experiencing unprecedented struggles early in the 2024 campaign.

As Sunday’s games concluded, just three American League clubs maintained records above .500, with the Athletics sitting merely two games over the break-even mark. Only Tampa Bay (26-13) and New York (26-15) have shown truly strong performance, though the Yankees just encountered significant difficulty against Milwaukee from the National League Central division.

Should the current season conclude today, Chicago and Texas would claim the final two AL wild card positions despite their identical 19-21 records.

A staggering eleven American League franchises currently sit below the .500 threshold. According to Sportradar data, this represents the highest total through May 10 since divisional play began. Previous high marks included nine teams below .500 at this point in 2019 for the AL and in 2012 and 2010 for the NL.

The expanded interleague schedule contributes significantly to this situation. National League teams have compiled a 107-82 record against AL opponents this year, translating to a .566 success rate. While 2006 saw the AL achieve a superior .611 mark against the NL, that entire season featured just 252 interleague contests. This year has already witnessed 189 such matchups.

Increased interleague competition allows one league to establish greater dominance over the other. Even Tampa Bay, leading the AL East, holds an 8-10 record against NL teams while going 18-3 within their own league.

Baltimore fans are growing increasingly frustrated as their team stumbles through another slow start, following last season’s similar pattern. The Orioles stand at 18-23, positioned just 1½ games from playoff contention, but May included a devastating four-game sweep in New York where they were outscored 39-10.

The Yankees now travel to Baltimore for three games, followed by Tampa Bay visiting for a series beginning Memorial Day. Baltimore’s primary concern involves staying competitive through May’s remainder without creating an insurmountable deficit.

Detroit endured a particularly challenging week regarding their starting rotation, which was expected to provide significant strength. Tarik Skubal was removed from Monday’s scheduled start and faces extended absence due to loose bodies in his elbow. Framber Valdez struggled against Boston on Tuesday and received a five-game suspension for hitting Trevor Story with a pitch.

Jack Flaherty has also underperformed while Justin Verlander has managed only one start.

Despite their 19-22 record, the Tigers remain just half a game from wild card position and 1½ games behind in the AL Central race.

Milwaukee reliever Aaron Ashby has achieved a perfect 7-0 record this season. Pittsburgh’s Roy Face established the modern single-season relief victory record with 18 in 1959, while Hall of Fame knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm holds the career mark with 124 relief wins among his 143 total victories.

Andy Pages delivered three home runs and six RBIs during Los Angeles’ 12-2 victory over Houston on Wednesday. Pages, rather than stars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, or Kyle Tucker, has provided exceptional offensive production for the defending champions. He maintains a .333 average with nine homers and 35 RBIs.

San Diego staged a dramatic comeback Sunday against St. Louis, with Nick Castellanos’ two-run homer tying the game with their final out. Manny Machado then secured a 3-2 victory in the tenth inning with a walk-off sacrifice fly.

St. Louis held a 95.4% win probability entering the bottom of the ninth, according to Baseball Savant data.

The Padres have recorded four walk-off victories this season, trailing only Chicago’s six. Neither team has suffered a walk-off defeat.

The National Football League revealed on Monday that the Dallas Cowboys will travel to face the New York Giants for the season’s inaugural Sunday night matchup on September 13, 2026.

The Week 1 clash between these NFC East division opponents will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. League officials plan to unveil the complete 2026 schedule on Thursday, with additional games being announced throughout the week.

These longtime rivals have now been paired for season openers eight times over the last 15 seasons, highlighting their marquee appeal.

The Cowboys consistently attract nationwide television audiences as “America’s Team,” while the Giants are expected to receive increased prime-time coverage featuring newly hired head coach John Harbaugh and established franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart, who completed a notable first season. The game will mark Harbaugh’s coaching debut with New York.

Assuming both players remain healthy, this contest would represent the first significant meeting between Dart and Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott. Though both signal-callers participated in the January 4th season finale, their teams had already been eliminated from playoff consideration.

The matchup may also showcase the professional debuts of two former Ohio State teammates: New York linebacker Arvell Reese, selected fifth overall in the draft, and Dallas safety Caleb Downs, chosen 11th overall.

With Dallas visiting New York, neither franchise will travel to Seattle for the Wednesday night season opener on September 9th, when the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks will reveal their championship banner. The remaining candidates for that Wednesday matchup include Chicago, Arizona, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Chargers, or a potential championship game rematch against New England.

While the Dallas Cowboys had hoped to secure the World Cup championship game for their home stadium, they’ve received the next best thing: hosting more tournament matches than any other venue across the tri-national event.

AT&T Stadium in Arlington will showcase nine World Cup games, topping all 16 locations selected for the tournament shared between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The venue’s schedule kicks off June 14 with Japan facing the Netherlands and reaches its peak with a semifinal contest on July 14.

Soccer powerhouses Argentina and England are both scheduled to play at the facility, which features a retractable roof and massive overhead video display in suburban Arlington.

The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area sits in America’s football heartland but brings World Cup experience from serving as a host city during the 1994 tournament.

While North Texas may not overflow with tourist destinations, visitors should consider two standout attractions: the JFK assassination site in downtown Dallas and the Fort Worth Stockyards north of the city center. The stockyards feature twice-daily longhorn cattle drives that represent authentic Texas culture.

Food enthusiasts will find abundant Tex-Mex and barbecue choices, from chain restaurants to family-owned establishments scattered across the region. Options extend from Frisco, located 30 miles north of Dallas, to Mansfield, 30 miles south of the city.

Fair Park, situated east of downtown Dallas, will serve as the designated fan headquarters. This 277-acre space houses the Cotton Bowl, which hosted World Cup games three decades ago. The main entertainment area centers around an amphitheater typically used for major musical performances, with extensive additional space for fan activities.

Transportation presents challenges since Arlington, a city of approximately 400,000 residents, lacks mass transit options. World Cup organizers have developed a bus connection system linking to the nearest Trinity Railway Express station. The TRE connects Dallas and Fort Worth city centers, with officials promoting a “GoPass” for optimal transportation access, including Dallas County’s DART light-rail network, though the stadium sits in neighboring Tarrant County.

The 80,000-capacity stadium may seem familiar to international visitors due to its standing-room areas at both ends, inspired by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ European stadium visits during the design phase. Globe Life Field, home to Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers, sits adjacent to the World Cup venue, offering baseball game opportunities throughout the month-long tournament. Texas Live, a entertainment complex featuring bars and restaurants, operates just outside the baseball stadium.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The heartland city known for jazz music, championship barbecue, and NFL glory is gearing up for an unexpected role on the world stage. Kansas City will serve as headquarters for some of soccer’s biggest stars during the 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament scheduled for June 11 through July 19.

Despite ranking as the smallest among America’s 11 World Cup host cities, Kansas City has secured commitments from three powerhouse nations – defending champion Argentina, England, and the Netherlands – to establish their tournament operations there.

This means the Missouri metropolis will temporarily house wealthy international athletes, passionate supporters from around the globe, and what British media calls “WAGs” – the fashionably dressed spouses and partners of players. The accommodations will certainly differ from their previous World Cup experience aboard a cruise ship in Qatar.

Three decades ago when America last hosted the World Cup in 1994, Kansas City’s hosting application was rejected. Since then, soccer has taken root in the region, with the city investing in multiple elite-level training complexes. Its geographic position in America’s center also appeals to teams seeking to minimize cross-country travel between matches.

The metropolitan area, locally called KC, sits where two rivers meet and spans both Missouri and Kansas state lines. The Missouri portion holds greater fame and population, and will stage six World Cup contests including a quarterfinal at Arrowhead Stadium, where the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs play. Current world champions Argentina will conduct training sessions on the Kansas side, while England’s squad will lodge at a nearby hotel.

Though the region cannot match New York’s entertainment districts, Los Angeles’ dining reputation, or Miami’s coastal attractions, residents believe international guests will discover pleasant surprises.

Visitors will likely queue for the signature “burnt ends” brisket or hickory-smoked pork at legendary barbecue establishments like Arthur Bryant’s or Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, a former gas station eatery that earned recognition on late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain’s “13 places to eat before you die” compilation.

Jazz enthusiasts can experience live jam sessions at The Blue Room within the historic 18th & Vine District, while cinema lovers willing to take a road trip can follow the yellow brick road to the Oz Museum in Wamego, Kansas.

“I think you come in and you expect Midwest cows walking down the street,” said Jake Reid, vice president of the Kansas City host committee. “But it’s got such a great arts and culture scene,” he said, and the people “just make you feel welcome.”

THE SWIFT EFFECT

Kansas City’s reputation centers on American football – the helmet-and-pads variety. The Chiefs have captured three recent Super Bowl titles, and their star tight end Travis Kelce is engaged to music icon Taylor Swift.

However, the metropolitan area has worked to brand itself as America’s “Soccer Capital.” It supports successful professional teams in both men’s and women’s leagues – Sporting Kansas City and KC Current – and has invested hundreds of millions over 15 years in cutting-edge training centers and stadiums.

Dani Welniak, communications vice president for the Current, credited Swift with boosting the city’s visibility. “We’re so excited that she’s a part of the Kansas City sports scene now, and I really hope and believe that she will show up for some of these World Cup matches because it is going to be a spectacle,” Welniak said.

The Netherlands, often considered the strongest nation never to claim a World Cup title, will use the Current’s training grounds for preparation. Dutch head coach Ronald Koeman announced in April after visiting the location that he considered it the “best option” for his squad.

“Sports culture in Kansas City is contagious,” said Kyra Carusa, a forward for the Current. “It’s exciting. It’s everywhere.”

‘COME PREPARED’

Argentina became the first nation in February to announce Kansas City as their tournament base, pointing to travel distances and available facilities. Superstar Lionel Messi, probably making his final World Cup appearance, and his teammates will launch their championship defense on June 16 against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium.

England won’t play any home games locally but will prepare at Swope Soccer Village – Sporting Kansas City’s former training ground – before traveling to Dallas, New York and Boston for their group stage encounters.

Teams headquartered in New York or Los Angeles “it’s going to be a little bit crazier, there’s probably a little bit more people hounding you,” said Reid. Kansas City, in comparison, “feels like home,” he said.

Visit KC, the city’s official tourism organization, projects approximately 650,000 people will arrive during the tournament period. However, hotel reservations are currently below projections according to an early May American Hotel and Lodging Association analysis.

At Joe’s Bar-B-Que, regular customer Camilla Thomas, 29, advised visitors to “come prepared,” as staff announced an order of pork spare ribs that completely filled the serving plate.

“It’s going to be much bigger portions than anyone in Europe is going to be used to,” she said.

The Minnesota Timberwolves capitalized on Victor Wembanyama’s early exit to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 114-109 on Sunday night in Minneapolis, evening their Western Conference second-round playoff series at two wins each.

Anthony Edwards delivered a stellar performance with 36 total points, including a crucial 16-point outburst in the final quarter that helped secure the victory for Minnesota.

The turning point came when Wembanyama received a flagrant 2 foul and automatic ejection during the second quarter. The incident occurred when the Spurs center, while protecting a rebound from two Minnesota defenders, swung his right elbow and struck Naz Reid in the chin with 8:39 remaining in the first half.

Officials reviewed the play before upgrading the initial foul call. Crew chief Zach Zarba explained the decision, stating: “There was windup, impact and follow-through above the neck of an opponent.”

Reid, who absorbed the elbow to his chin, contributed 15 points and nine rebounds coming off the bench for the Timberwolves. Additional scoring support came from Jaden McDaniels with 14 points, Julius Randle with 12, and Rudy Gobert, who recorded a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Ayo Dosunmu chipped in 10 points.

For San Antonio, De’Aaron Fox and reserve Dylan Harper each scored 24 points, while Stephon Castle added 20. Devin Vassell contributed 14 points. Wembanyama’s night was cut short after just 12 minutes, during which he managed four points and four rebounds with no blocks.

“We never expected them just to go away,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch commented. “They won a game in the Portland series without Wembanyama, so they’re very good, very good team.”

Despite losing their star player, the Spurs mounted a strong third-quarter rally, outscoring Minnesota 20-8 to start the period and taking a 76-68 lead after a Vassell basket with 4:33 left in the quarter.

“I thought offensively, we were really doing a lot of good things,” Finch reflected. “We lost our way a little bit, and gave them life.”

San Antonio maintained momentum into the fourth quarter, with Keldon Johnson’s driving layup giving them an 84-80 advantage entering the final period. Fox extended the lead to 94-86 with a three-pointer with 8:51 remaining.

However, Edwards sparked a game-changing 14-5 Minnesota run, personally scoring 12 points during that stretch. He began the surge with a jumper, then added five straight points through a short floater and long three-pointer to cut the deficit to three with 7:10 left. Edwards later sank two free throws with 5:51 remaining to bring Minnesota within 97-95, then connected on a three-pointer 39 seconds later to give the Timberwolves their first lead of the quarter.

Gobert sealed the victory with a powerful dunk that extended Minnesota’s lead to 107-101 with 1:56 remaining.

The Spurs made a late push, with Harper hitting two free throws with 29.1 seconds left and Julian Champagnie adding two more with 20.6 seconds remaining to narrow the gap to 112-109. But Dosunmu responded with two free throws with 9.8 seconds left to close out the win.

“Just small-time plays,” Edwards told reporters when asked about the key to Game 4. “Small-time plays win big-time games. That’s what we needed. Diving on the floor, offensive rebounds and it was a great sub by Finchie for putting in Ayo for that last minute-and-a-half.”

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson defended his player’s actions while clarifying his stance. “I’m glad he (Wembanyama) took matters into his own hands,” Johnson said. “Not in terms of hitting Naz Reid, I want to be very clear about that. I’m glad Naz Reid is OK and I didn’t want him to elbow him. But [Wemby’s] going to have to protect himself if no one else does for him. And I think it’s disgusting.”

“We had a chance to win,” Johnson added. “We didn’t close it out the way we wanted to. … Minnesota made some plays and finished the game.”

Minnesota shot 44.7% from the field and connected on 10 of 27 three-point attempts. San Antonio made 47.7% of their shots but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 6 of 26 three-pointers.

The series continues Tuesday night in San Antonio for Game 5.

The Montreal Canadiens dominated the Buffalo Sabres 6-2 in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup Sunday night, seizing a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series behind a breakthrough performance from Cole Caufield.

Caufield snapped a five-game goal drought by netting the decisive power-play score, marking his first goal since Game 5 of the opening round series against Tampa Bay Lightning. The regular season’s 51-goal scorer also contributed an assist in the victory.

Alex Newhook found the back of the net twice, while Juraj Slafkovsky added his fourth playoff power-play goal. Zachary Bolduc and Kirby Dach rounded out Montreal’s scoring, with Lane Hutson providing two assists and goaltender Jakub Dobes turning away 26 shots.

“He does his job every night and every day,” Caufield said about Dobes in a Sportsnet interview. “I couldn’t be more proud of a guy like that. … Again, a special player.”

For Buffalo, Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin each recorded one goal and one assist, while Alex Lyon made 31 saves in the losing effort.

Thompson, who called his Game 2 showing an “absolute disaster,” silenced the home crowd early when he capitalized on a fortunate bounce. After Dobes ventured out to challenge Dahlin’s shot that sailed wide and ricocheted off the end boards, Thompson pounced on the rebound and scored into an open net just 53 seconds into the game.

Montreal answered when Newhook evened the score at 15:31 of the first period, deflecting a shot off Buffalo defenseman Conor Timmins to tie the contest at 1-1.

Despite missing an easy scoring chance earlier in the second period, Caufield redeemed himself when Hutson worked through the left circle during a power play and set up Caufield for the go-ahead goal at 6:05, putting Montreal ahead 2-1.

“We have to be smarter,” Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. “We took five (offensive) zone penalties. Our discipline for that wasn’t good enough. You let them operate 5-on-4 and we end up with a broken stick. You give them that much time and they’re going to get opportunities.”

Montreal’s fourth line extended the lead to 3-1 when Joe Veleno set up Bolduc with a pass, and Bolduc beat Lyon at 10:43 of the second period.

Following Beck Malenstyn’s interference penalty for a collision with Dobes, the Canadiens capitalized again on the power play. Hutson threaded a pass through the slot that deflected off Slafkovsky at 12:17, making it 4-1.

Dahlin responded quickly for Buffalo, scoring on the man advantage just 16 seconds after Dach was whistled for holding Josh Doan’s stick at 14:30.

Despite Buffalo mounting pressure with a strong power play and continued momentum in the third period, Montreal countered with a 2-on-1 break that resulted in Dach’s fourth playoff goal at 8:46, extending the lead to 5-2.

“Our puck play still isn’t to a level where I’d like it,” Ruff said. “… Montreal’s a good team. They made us pay for our mistakes.”

Newhook sealed the victory with his fifth postseason goal, awarded after being fouled on a breakaway toward an empty net at 15:14.

Detroit Tigers rookie Gage Workman made his team debut one to remember, launching his first major league home run at the perfect moment to lift his team past the Kansas City Royals 6-3 on Sunday night.

The rookie infielder came off the bench in the sixth inning and delivered a crucial two-run blast that broke the tie and helped Detroit end a frustrating five-game losing streak. Workman, who had appeared in just 12 games this season before Sunday, was promoted from Triple-A Toledo earlier in the day after Kerry Carpenter went on the injured list with a left shoulder sprain.

Matt Vierling contributed two RBIs for the Tigers, while Hao-Yu Lee and Wenceel Perez each drove in one run. Riley Greene reached base four times and crossed home plate once. Relief pitcher Enmanuel De Jesus (2-0) threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the victory, and Kenley Jansen closed out the game for his seventh save of the season.

For Kansas City, Maikel Garcia led the offensive effort with three hits, one run scored, and one RBI. Vinnie Pasquantino collected two hits and an RBI, while Bobby Witt Jr. added two hits and scored once.

Orioles 2, Athletics 1

Baltimore salvaged the series finale against Oakland as Dylan Beavers delivered a go-ahead single in the sixth inning, while four Orioles pitchers combined to limit the Athletics to just four hits.

Both Beavers and Gunnar Henderson recorded two hits for Baltimore. Starting pitcher Chris Bassitt (3-2) dominated with six strikeouts while allowing only one run across six innings. Rico Garcia secured the save for the Orioles.

Oakland’s Luis Severino (2-4) surrendered two runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz drew a walk in the eighth inning, extending his on-base streak to 34 games, currently the longest active streak in Major League Baseball.

Marlins 5, Nationals 2

Miami completed their series victory over Washington behind a decisive three-run eighth inning, highlighted by Heriberto Hernandez’s two-run single that sealed the rubber match victory.

Liam Hicks and Christopher Morel also contributed RBI singles for the Marlins, who received six solid innings from Sandy Alcantara before Josh Ekness recorded the final out for his first career save.

Washington’s Luis Garcia Jr. had a strong individual performance with a triple, double, one run scored, and one RBI. Nationals starter Cade Cavalli pitched effectively, allowing two runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings.

Rays 4, Red Sox 1

Tampa Bay built an early lead and never looked back, scoring three runs in the opening three innings while Nick Martinez dominated Boston’s lineup in a series finale victory.

Junior Caminero opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning, followed by a two-run second inning that established a lead the Rays never surrendered. Martinez (4-1) navigated around seven hits while striking out three batters to earn the victory, giving Tampa Bay their second win of the weekend series. Saturday’s game was postponed due to rain.

New Hampshire native Mickey Gasper had a career day for Boston, going 3-for-4 with his first three major league hits, including two doubles, and driving in the Red Sox’s only run. Boston starter Payton Tolle (1-2) allowed three runs on seven hits across five innings.

Angels 6, Blue Jays 1

Los Angeles exploded for six runs in the final five innings to salvage one game from their weekend series in Toronto, powered by Jose Soriano’s dominant pitching performance and Jo Adell’s two-homer game.

Soriano (6-2) was nearly untouchable, retiring 20 consecutive batters at one point while allowing just one run on five hits over 7 2/3 innings. Adell homered twice and added a double, Oswald Peraza contributed a two-run homer, and Vaughn Grissom delivered a two-run double for the Angels, who had managed only one run through the first 22 innings of the series.

Daulton Varsho went 2-for-4 and scored Toronto’s lone run. The Blue Jays received four scoreless innings from their first two pitchers before Eric Lauer (1-5) struggled, allowing six runs on five hits over five innings.

Phillies 6, Rockies 0

Philadelphia’s power duo of Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper launched consecutive home runs in the opening inning, setting the tone for a dominant shutout victory over Colorado.

Schwarber finished with two home runs and three hits total, while Brandon Marsh collected four singles for the Phillies, who have now won 10 of 13 games since Don Mattingly took over as interim manager on April 28. Cristopher Sanchez (4-2) delivered seven strong innings, extending his scoreless streak to 21 1/3 innings. He hasn’t allowed a run since the first inning against San Francisco on April 30.

Colorado managed only six hits, with Ezequiel Tovar collecting two of them. The Rockies have now lost eight of their last 10 games.

Additional Games

Cincinnati defeated Houston 5-0 behind Andrew Abbott’s six-inning, three-hit performance and Elly De La Cruz’s three-hit game. Minnesota edged Cleveland 5-4 with Kody Clemens recording three hits including two doubles. Chicago White Sox beat Seattle 2-1 on Randal Grichuk’s eighth-inning homer and a walk-off sequence. Milwaukee swept New York Yankees with Brice Turang’s ninth-inning walk-off homer for a 4-3 victory. Texas shut out Chicago Cubs 3-0 behind Jacob deGrom’s 10-strikeout performance over seven scoreless innings. Atlanta defeated Los Angeles Dodgers 7-2 with Bryce Elder lowering his ERA to a National League-best 1.81. San Diego edged St. Louis 3-2 in 10 innings on Manny Machado’s sacrifice fly. Arizona beat New York Mets 5-1 with rookie Ryan Waldschmidt driving in three runs. San Francisco outlasted Pittsburgh 7-6 in 12 innings on Jesus Rodriguez’s bases-loaded single.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter will miss at least 10 days after suffering a left shoulder sprain during Saturday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals.

The injury occurred when Carpenter crashed into the right field wall while attempting to prevent Bobby Witt Jr.’s inside-the-park home run during Kansas City’s 5-1 win over Detroit.

To replace Carpenter on the roster, Detroit promoted third baseman Gage Workman from their Triple-A affiliate in Toledo. The Tigers created space on their 40-man roster by moving veteran pitcher Justin Verlander from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list due to left hip inflammation. Verlander will be eligible to return on May 31.

The 28-year-old Carpenter remained in Saturday’s contest after the first-inning collision but was removed two innings later due to the AC joint sprain.

“Initial tests have shown no structural damage, but he has inflammation,” manager A.J. Hinch said Sunday. “And he’s obviously really sore.”

This season, Carpenter has posted a .216 batting average with six home runs and 17 RBIs across 37 games.

Carpenter previously dealt with a right shoulder injury in 2023 when he was hurt while making a spectacular catch to rob a home run.

Since joining Detroit in 2022, Carpenter has compiled a .264 career batting average with 76 home runs, 210 RBIs, a .299 on-base percentage and .451 slugging percentage over 403 regular-season contests.

In postseason action, he has hit .275 with three homers and 10 RBIs in 15 playoff appearances.

“Carp’s injury could be quick,” Hinch said. “It depends on the inflammation and how fast we can get him back to swinging freely. But in the meantime, we’re going to need to pick it up collectively.”

Detroit drafted Workman in the fourth round of the 2020 MLB Draft from Arizona State, where he played alongside current Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson. Workman appeared in 12 games earlier this year as a Rule 5 Draft selection with the Chicago Cubs and White Sox, batting .188 before returning to Detroit’s organization.

The 26-year-old Workman has been dominant at Triple-A Toledo this season, hitting .358 with four home runs, 28 RBIs, 15 doubles, a .413 on-base percentage and .590 slugging percentage.

“Gage has been killing it in Triple-A,” Hinch said. “He’s been a candidate this whole time to come up and join us when we’ve had these openings. Some have been short spurts. Gage has kept performing and kept playing.

“He’s made some improvements on defense, on his first step in getting to balls. He has crushed Triple-A pitching pretty much all season and has earned his right to be on a callup list whenever the opportunity came open.”

San Antonio’s star big man Victor Wembanyama found himself heading to the locker room early during Sunday evening’s postseason clash with Minnesota after striking Timberwolves player Naz Reid with his elbow in the face.

The incident occurred in the second quarter when Wembanyama secured a rebound and attempted to shield the basketball from a pair of Minnesota defenders during the fourth game of their Western Conference semifinal matchup. The towering center then swung his right elbow forcefully, connecting with Reid’s chin, drawing an initial foul call with 8 minutes and 39 seconds remaining before halftime.

Following a video review by the referees, the original foul was elevated to a flagrant 2 violation, which carries an immediate dismissal from the game.

Lead referee Zach Zarba explained the decision, stating: “After review, there was windup, impact and follow-through above the neck of an opponent. It was unnecessary and excessive contact by Wembanyama and it meets all the criteria and it has been upgraded to a flagrant foul penalty 2. Wembanyama has been ejected.”

At the moment of his removal, San Antonio was down 36-34, and Reid successfully converted both free throw attempts to extend Minnesota’s advantage to four points. Wembanyama’s stat line showed four points, four rebounds and zero blocks across his 12-plus minutes of action.

The ejection came just two days after Wembanyama delivered a dominant showing in the third contest, posting 39 points, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots during San Antonio’s 115-108 road triumph on Friday. His performance made him just the fourth player in league playoff history to achieve at least 35 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks in a single postseason game.

The Spurs currently hold a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series.

MINNEAPOLIS — The San Antonio Spurs suffered a major blow Sunday night when their franchise player Victor Wembanyama was thrown out of Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves after delivering an elbow to the throat area of forward Naz Reid during the second quarter of their intense playoff matchup.

The 7-foot-4 center was initially called for an offensive foul when he made contact with Reid, who along with teammate Jaden McDaniels had aggressively defended the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year following a Spurs missed three-point attempt that Wembanyama had secured on the rebound.

Following an official video review, while Target Center erupted with chants of “Kick him out! Kick him out!”, referees determined the contact warranted a Flagrant 2 designation due to excessive force above the shoulders. This classification automatically results in ejection, potentially altering the trajectory of this crucial contest. San Antonio had gained a 2-1 series advantage following their 115-108 victory in Game 3 on Friday.

Upon hearing the ruling, Wembanyama seemed confused, reportedly asking teammate Harrison Barnes: “What does that mean?”

As the young star exchanged handshakes with his San Antonio teammates while exiting the court, with the arena’s speakers playing Michael Jackson’s “Beat it!”, Reid successfully converted both technical free throws to put Minnesota ahead 38-34. Wembanyama’s night ended with just four points, four rebounds and three personal fouls across 13 minutes of action.

Minnesota’s physical approach has featured the combination of Reid, Julius Randle and McDaniels pressuring Wembanyama throughout the series, though the talented center has largely answered their defensive intensity. He exploded for 39 points while shooting an efficient 13-for-18 from the field in the previous game.

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Soccer fans across Argentina are gathering in public squares with a mission that has nothing to do with watching games and everything to do with completing their World Cup sticker collections as the tournament approaches in less than four weeks.

The tradition of collecting Panini World Cup stickers has captivated fans for more than fifty years, transforming schools, public plazas, and workplaces into bustling marketplaces where collectors hunt for elusive rare cards and swap their duplicate stickers.

Throughout South America, the act of exchanging stickers has evolved into something even more significant than simply gathering them, with dedicated WhatsApp groups, mobile applications, and online platforms emerging to help facilitate these trades between enthusiasts.

This past Sunday, crowds descended upon central Buenos Aires, carrying colorful collections of stickers featuring the world’s top soccer stars, with some collectors spreading their cards across tables like seasoned card dealers at a casino.

Young fans clutch their albums close, methodically placing each sticker in its designated spot with careful precision.

“This connects you with the world. Everyone does it,” explained Juan Valora, who was building his collection alongside his girlfriend. “And if this was virtual, you wouldn’t be face to face looking at the cards and trading them. I think you’d miss out a bit on the human touch.”

For this year’s tournament, Panini has released their most extensive sticker collection to date, reflecting the expansion from 32 to 48 participating nations. Individual packs hold seven stickers each and cost approximately $1.50 in both Argentina and Uruguay. These iconic sticker albums, which can command thousands of dollars on secondary markets, will conclude after the 2030 World Cup when Fanatics assumes control as FIFA’s exclusive sticker licensing partner.

Many collectors now bypass the traditional trading process entirely by purchasing bulk boxes containing up to 104 sticker packs for $180, often available through payment plans and bundled with the albums themselves. Even the highly sought-after “rare” stickers featuring superstars like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, or Kylian Mbappé can be obtained through these packages.

“It’s a way to avoid spending extra money to finally complete it,” noted Matías Inglesi, who works in software development and is the father of 9-year-old Lucas. He invests roughly $20 weekly in this pursuit.

For countless children, finishing their sticker album represents an achievement more precious than watching their home country claim the World Cup trophy, prompting devoted parents to step in and assist their kids in reaching this milestone.

According to child psychologist Agustina Zerbinatti, this activity offers more than entertainment, helping young people strengthen their fine motor coordination while learning “from geography, knowing which languages ​​are spoken in each country, number sequencing and notions of cardinality and ordinality.”

Detroit has released updated injury information showing guard Kevin Huerter’s status has improved to questionable while teammate Caris LeVert’s availability has been downgraded to questionable for Monday’s fourth game versus Cleveland.

Huerter, who is dealing with an adductor injury, saw limited action in four contests during Detroit’s opening round series against Orlando. In those appearances totaling 42 minutes, he contributed six points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals. The guard has not taken the court during the current semifinal series.

Following his midseason acquisition from Chicago, Huerter contributed 8.6 points per game over 25 regular season contests with Detroit. Throughout his career, he has connected on 36.8% of his three-point attempts.

LeVert, who is managing a right heel issue, has appeared in all but one playoff game for Detroit this postseason while averaging 3.0 points. The 31-year-old contributed 7.4 points per game across 60 regular season appearances.

A masterful display of road course racing unfolded Sunday at Watkins Glen International as Shane van Gisbergen orchestrated one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent NASCAR Cup Series history.

The Trackhouse Racing driver found himself in a seemingly impossible position with 24 laps remaining in the Go Bowling At The Glen, trailing race leader Ty Gibbs by a daunting 29 seconds after making his final pit stop. What followed was nothing short of spectacular.

Van Gisbergen, who had dropped all the way back to 22nd position following his green-flag pit stop, methodically began hunting down the leaders. The New Zealand native consistently shaved time off his deficit, eventually overtaking Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota with just eight circuits left on the clock.

By the checkered flag, the No. 97 Chevrolet had built a commanding 7.288-second advantage over second-place finisher Michael McDowell, capping off a truly dominant performance.

The victory marked van Gisbergen’s sixth triumph in seven road course events and his seventh overall Cup Series win in merely 62 career starts. Remarkably, every one of his victories has come on road courses. He also became just the second driver this season, alongside Tyler Reddick, to convert a pole position into a race win.

“We weren’t very good in practice, and then qualifying was amazing, good tweaks, and then today,” van Gisbergen explained after advancing to 16th in the championship standings. “I wasn’t sure how it was going to work, and then to run them down like that. Very special to do two (Glen wins) in a row.”

Despite controlling 74 of the race’s 100 laps, the fourth-year road course specialist downplayed the dominance of his performance.

“It’s not easy,” he emphasized. “Everyone’s really good. There was a lot of pressure there. I think McDowell was good. Connor was good. Tyler Reddick. There were some really good guys and a lot of pressure.”

“Just stoked for these guys in executing every facet of our game,” he added.

The final top-five consisted of Gibbs in third, followed by Chase Briscoe and Reddick.

Chevrolet’s triumph continued the manufacturer’s recent success at the Finger Lakes facility, marking their seventh victory in eight races at the venue and fourth win in 12 starts this season.

Van Gisbergen began the day from the pole position after earning the top qualifying spot on Saturday, which also happened to be his 37th birthday. He quickly established his dominance early, opening up more than a two-second gap over McDowell’s Chevrolet after the opening eight laps.

During the first stage, van Gisbergen made a strategic pit stop while leading after 18 laps, ultimately finishing eighth in the segment to collect valuable stage points. Ross Chastain from Trackhouse claimed the stage victory ahead of Team Penske drivers Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, while Chase Elliott opted to stay on track for points and ended up 12th.

The second 30-lap stage saw van Gisbergen and teammate Connor Zilisch pull away from the field, establishing a substantial five-second lead over McDowell by lap 38. The segment was briefly interrupted when debris – described as a black tent – found its way onto the racing surface on lap 40.

As the second stage wound down, Spire Motorsports teammates McDowell and Daniel Suarez held the top two positions with seven laps remaining, but both Chevrolet drivers lost ground in the final circuits. Van Gisbergen ultimately captured the stage win by less than a second over Reddick, with Gibbs, Austin Dillon, and Kyle Busch completing the top five.

The race’s third caution period occurred on lap 60 when Logano’s No. 22 Ford suffered a left front tire failure. Van Gisbergen and Reddick elected to remain on track to maintain their track position, while most other competitors headed to pit road for fuel and the opportunity to reach the finish line.

BOSTON — Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle stepped onto the Fenway Park field Sunday with emotions weighing heavily on his mind.

The 23-year-old left-handed pitcher made his start exactly two years and one day following the death of his mother, Jina, who lost her battle with colon cancer after fighting the disease for nearly eight years. In tribute to her memory on Mother’s Day, Tolle rolled up his uniform pants to display bright pink socks.

Saturday’s rainout gave Tolle additional time to contemplate the significance of taking the mound the following day.

“This week is really tough for me. I’m not going to lie to you,” he said, fighting back emotion following Boston’s 4-1 defeat to the Tampa Bay Rays. “It’s a tough weekend. I think yesterday would have been just as hard. I try to … it’s tough.

“So, I try to get away from it as much as I can but at the same time it’s life,” he said. “It’s part of it. Some things are bigger than baseball in that aspect.”

Jina passed away on May 9, 2024, at age 48, and Payton had been saving a particular song for a meaningful moment.

During his warm-up routine before the game, he selected “Mother” by Danzig as his entrance music. While he has frequently switched his walk-out songs throughout his career, this selection held special significance as a tribute to his mother.

“There’s a little of a joke with my dad,” he said, managing a slight grin. “Just that song, I’ve had it in the back pocket for a long time, so I think it’s a pretty good walk-out song. You’ve got to roll with it.”

During the game, Tolle (1-2) allowed three runs over five innings of work, surrendering seven hits while recording four strikeouts. The performance followed his breakthrough first major league win in his most recent outing, when he limited Detroit to just one hit while striking out eight batters on Monday.

When asked what his mother might tell him about Sunday’s performance, Tolle responded with a grin.

“Suck it up and do better,” he said, smiling.

LOS ANGELES — Star outfielder Mookie Betts is expected to make his comeback Monday as the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a four-game matchup with the San Francisco Giants, following more than a month on the sidelines due to a strained right oblique muscle.

The veteran player’s last appearance came on April 4 during a 10-5 victory over Washington, where he sustained the injury. Despite struggling at the plate with a .179 batting average, two homers, and seven RBIs across eight contests before getting hurt, manager Dave Roberts plans to slot Betts into the second or third position in the lineup.

Roberts has not announced which player will be optioned to make room on the roster for the return of Betts, who captured American League MVP honors in 2018 and has four World Series rings. Players Hyeseong Kim, Alex Freeland, and Santiago Espinal have successfully shared duties in the middle infield during his recovery period.

“It’s a good problem in a sense of where we’re at, but it’s a potential tough conversation,” Roberts commented Sunday prior to wrapping up their three-game set against Atlanta.

The All-Star completed his minor league rehabilitation stint with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday, collecting two hits in five at-bats along with a walk over two games.

Spain’s national soccer team faces mounting injury concerns after midfielder Nico Williams sustained a left leg injury during Athletic Club’s match against Valencia on Sunday.

The 23-year-old player was substituted out of the game in the 36th minute, visibly upset as he left the field. Williams spent the remainder of the match on the sidelines with ice applied to his left hamstring while his team fell to Valencia 1-0.

Williams has been a key contributor to Spain’s national squad, netting six goals across 30 international appearances since joining the team in 2022. This season with Athletic Club, he has recorded six goals and seven assists through 32 matches.

The injury compounds Spain’s existing concerns about midfielder Lamine Yamal, who suffered a hamstring tear last month during a Barcelona match and remains unavailable.

Spain finds itself in Group H for the upcoming World Cup in North America this summer. The team is scheduled to begin tournament play in Atlanta, taking on Cape Verde on June 15 followed by Saudi Arabia on June 21. Their group stage concludes against Uruguay on June 26 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The Washington Wizards struck gold during Sunday’s NBA draft lottery, securing the coveted first overall selection in what many consider a talent-rich draft class.

This stroke of fortune represents another significant step in the franchise’s rebuilding efforts, which included acquiring injured stars Anthony Davis and Trae Young through trades this past winter as they attempt to revive one of basketball’s most struggling organizations.

Washington hasn’t held the top draft position since 2010, when they selected point guard John Wall, who went on to earn five All-Star selections. Wall traveled to Chicago to represent the organization during Sunday’s lottery ceremony.

The draft order continued with Utah claiming the second selection, Memphis securing third place, and Chicago making a surprising leap to fourth position.

Each of the top three teams – Washington, Utah, and Memphis – entered the lottery with identical 14% odds of winning. Chicago’s rise proved particularly dramatic, as they overcame just 4.5% odds and jumped ahead of five other franchises to reach the top four.

This will mark Washington’s fifth time holding the premier draft position. The organization endured a dismal 17-65 campaign this past season, accumulating a terrible 50-196 record across the last three years while failing to reach the playoffs for five consecutive seasons.

Team president Michael Winger expressed optimism about the opportunity in an official statement: “Today is another encouraging day for Wizards fans and our entire organization. To choose first among this inspiring group of athletes is a welcomed opportunity, and challenge, for our group. We look forward to adding another high performing young player to our ascending team.”

The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 23-24 in New York.

Two 19-year-old prospects are considered the leading contenders for the top selection: BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, both of whom completed just one collegiate season.

The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa dominated college basketball by leading all players with 25.5 points per game and appears destined to become one of the NBA’s premier scorers. Meanwhile, the 6-6 Peterson faced injury challenges at Kansas but still managed 20.2 points per contest and may have been college basketball’s most talented player.

Speaking before the lottery results were revealed, Dybantsa shared his thoughts on the possibility: “Obviously, wanting to be the No. 1 pick, working to be the No. 1 pick, I’ll be excited. It’s a great opportunity.”

Other prominent prospects include Duke’s Cameron Boozer, North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson, Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr.

The Los Angeles Clippers received the fifth pick through a trade deadline transaction with Indiana that sent Ivica Zubac to the Pacers and brought Bennedict Mathurin to the Clippers. Indiana’s selection was only protected if it landed in the top four.

Brooklyn will select sixth, followed by Sacramento, Atlanta, Dallas, and Milwaukee completing the top ten. Atlanta’s eighth pick resulted from a draft-night trade with New Orleans that moved Derik Queen to the Pelicans.

Golden State holds the 11th selection, while Oklahoma City owns the 12th pick acquired from the Clippers in the 2019 Paul George trade that also brought current MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Thunder.

Miami will pick 13th, with Charlotte claiming the final lottery position at 14th.

For the third day in a row, the Los Angeles Dodgers have made changes to their pitching roster, bringing up right-handed reliever Wyatt Mills from their Triple-A Oklahoma City team on Sunday. The move comes as the team sent right-hander Paul Gervase back down to the minors.

The 31-year-old Mills is preparing for his first appearance in a Dodgers uniform after joining the organization as a free agent in August following his release from the Boston Red Sox. During his time with Oklahoma City this season, Mills posted a 3-2 record with a 3.26 ERA across 14 relief outings. He struck out 28 batters while walking just seven in 19 1/3 innings of work.

Mills hasn’t appeared in a major league game since the 2022 season and carries a career record of 0-1 with a 6.21 ERA through 38 relief appearances with both the Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals. The right-hander was sidelined for two complete seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Gervase had just made his 2024 season debut with Los Angeles on Saturday, allowing one run across three innings while striking out five batters. Throughout his brief major league career spanning seven appearances over the last two seasons, he maintains a 3.97 ERA.

CHICAGO — After enduring their worst season in franchise history, the Washington Wizards have been rewarded with the top selection in this year’s NBA draft.

The Wizards claimed the first overall pick during Sunday’s draft lottery, earning them their initial opportunity to select first since they chose John Wall with the top spot in 2010. Wall served as the team’s representative during the lottery proceedings.

The franchise entered the lottery with 14% odds of securing the number one selection, sharing the highest probability with Brooklyn and Indiana. Washington faced roughly even chances of either landing a top-four selection or dropping to the fifth position.

However, three consecutive seasons of struggles — representing the franchise’s most difficult stretch across its 65-year existence — ultimately delivered results for the Wizards on Sunday. The team compiled a dismal 17-65 record this past season, including a game where they surrendered 83 points to Miami’s Bam Adebayo, the second-highest individual performance in league history.

Washington made significant moves last season by acquiring Trae Young and Anthony Davis through trades, and now possesses an opportunity to add another franchise-changing talent with their top selection.

The remaining top picks will see Utah selecting second, Memphis third, and Chicago fourth.

The Los Angeles Clippers secured the fifth pick through a previous trade with Indiana, followed by Brooklyn at sixth, Sacramento seventh, Atlanta eighth, Dallas ninth, Milwaukee tenth, Golden State eleventh, Oklahoma City twelfth, Miami thirteenth, and Charlotte fourteenth.

Draft proceedings begin June 23 in New York, while the combine in Chicago commences Monday.

Four prospects are widely viewed as leading candidates for the top selection, all departing college after their freshman campaigns:

— BYU’s AJ Dybantsa, who paced the nation with 25.5 points per game during his single collegiate season.

— Duke’s Cameron Boozer, the Associated Press player of the year who posted averages of 22.5 points and 10.1 rebounds.

— Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, who contributed 20.2 points across 24 appearances for the Jayhawks.

— North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson, who recorded 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds while shooting 58% from the field.

All four prospects, along with several other projected first-round selections, attended Sunday’s lottery announcement at Chicago’s Navy Pier.

“Standing here is kind of crazy,” Dybantsa said. “One of these teams is going to be home.”

This marked the eighth and potentially final year under the current lottery format, which gives the league’s worst teams a 14% chance at the top pick.

New anti-tanking measures received preliminary approval last month and await final ratification from the league’s Board of Governors in coming weeks, with general managers gathering in Chicago on Tuesday for likely final discussions.

Beginning next season under the proposed changes, the three worst teams would have just 5.4% odds of winning the lottery, while the following seven teams would each have 8.1% chances. The lottery field would expand from 14 to 16 teams if the plan receives expected approval.

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby will be sidelined for Sunday’s Game 4 matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers due to a right hamstring strain, despite earlier indications suggesting he might be available to play.

“He’s out for tonight but he’s the same thing, he’s day-to-day (moving forward),” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said Sunday.

With New York holding a commanding 3-0 advantage in the Eastern Conference semifinals series, the team can afford to take a conservative approach with Anunoby’s injury management.

This marks the second consecutive game Anunoby will miss, as he was also absent during Game 3 when New York secured a 108-94 win in Philadelphia. Sunday’s fourth game will also take place in Philadelphia.

Throughout eight playoff contests this season, the 28-year-old forward has posted impressive numbers, contributing 21.4 points per game along with 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks while maintaining exceptional shooting efficiency at 53.8% from beyond the three-point line and 61.9% from the field overall.

The Los Angeles Sparks have added guard Kate Martin to their development roster on Sunday, just three days following her release from the Golden State Valkyries.

Martin, who was teammates with Caitlin Clark during their time at Iowa, was chosen 18th overall in the second round of the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Las Vegas Aces.

During her first professional season with the Aces, Martin appeared in 34 contests with two starting assignments, contributing 2.6 points per game while connecting on 35.5% of her three-point attempts across 11.5 minutes of action. The Valkyries selected her during their expansion draft, and she improved to 6.2 points per game in 42 appearances with four starts, playing 16.4 minutes per contest last season.

“Kate is a gifted shooter, whose grittiness and winning history mesh well with Sparks basketball,” said Sparks general manager Raegan Pebley. “She’s confident in her shot, plays tenacious defense and is an unselfish, high-energy teammate. We’re eager to watch Kate develop within our system.”

During her collegiate career, Martin achieved a rare milestone by becoming the first women’s basketball player in Iowa history to record at least 900 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists, 120 steals and 60 blocks.

Development contracts allow WNBA franchises to maintain two additional roster positions that operate as internal training programs while staying outside salary cap restrictions. These players may be activated for as many as 12 regular season games.