The Cleveland Cavaliers mounted a dramatic comeback to defeat the Detroit Pistons 117-113 in overtime, with James Harden leading the way with 30 points in his best playoff performance. Donovan Mitchell contributed 21 points as Cleveland overcame a nine-point deficit late in regulation to take a 3-2 series advantage in their Eastern Conference semifinal matchup. Detroit held commanding leads throughout the game, building a 15-point cushion in the opening half and maintaining a 103-94 advantage with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. The Cavaliers fought back to tie the contest at 103-103 on free throws by Evan Mobley with 45.2 seconds left on the clock. Cleveland then dominated with a 13-0 scoring run while keeping Detroit off the scoreboard for five consecutive minutes spanning from late in the fourth quarter into the middle of overtime.
In hockey action, Brett Kulak found the net 3:52 into overtime to send the Colorado Avalanche to the Western Conference final with a 4-3 triumph over the Minnesota Wild in their decisive fifth game. Nathan MacKinnon had forced the extra period with a late regulation goal, completing a remarkable turnaround for Colorado after falling behind 3-0 midway through the second period. This marks the eighth time the Avalanche have reached the conference final since moving to Denver in the 1995-96 season. Colorado will await the outcome of the Vegas-Anaheim series, where the Golden Knights currently hold a 3-2 advantage. Minnesota appeared in control with a 3-1 lead before Jack Drury scored with 3:33 remaining, setting up MacKinnon’s equalizer with 1:23 left. The overtime winner came when Martin Necas carried the puck behind the net before finding Kulak open in front for the decisive goal.
The PGA Championship commenced at Aronimink with some early drama and uncertainty surrounding the course. Braden Shattuck, one of 20 club professionals in the field who works approximately 10 miles from the venue, received the honor of hitting the opening shot. His initial drive veered left, prompting him to hit a backup shot fearing it might be out of bounds. Shattuck later discovered his original ball was barely in play, resulting in a double bogey to start his round. The Aronimink course presents a challenge for many competitors, as it hasn’t hosted a major championship since the 1962 PGA Championship.
Shohei Ohtani delivered a dominant pitching performance, throwing seven scoreless innings while allowing just four hits to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers past the San Francisco Giants 4-0. The victory ended a four-game losing streak for the Dodgers, with Ohtani taking the mound instead of serving as the designated hitter. Ohtani recorded eight strikeouts and issued two walks while lowering his earned run average to 0.82. Santiago Espinal and Mookie Betts connected for consecutive home runs in the third inning, staking Los Angeles to a 2-0 lead before adding two more runs in the fourth. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for San Francisco, with starter Robbie Ray surrendering four runs and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued an investigative subpoena to the NFL concerning the Rooney Rule, following through on enforcement threats made in March. Uthmeier sent the subpoena along with a letter to NFL executive vice president and attorney Ted Ullyot on Wednesday, targeting the 23-year-old hiring policy. The Rooney Rule mandates that teams interview a minimum of two minority candidates for head coach, general manager and coordinator roles, with at least one minority candidate required for quarterbacks coach positions. In his initial correspondence to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in March, Uthmeier characterized the rule as “blatant race and sex discrimination.”
The Trump administration has suspended bond requirements for foreign visitors from World Cup qualifying nations who have purchased tournament tickets. Previously, travelers from 50 countries were required to pay bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the United States due to high visa overstay rates and security concerns. Five World Cup qualifying countries were affected by this policy. Citizens from Algeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Tunisia who have bought tickets through FIFA are now exempt from the bond requirement.
FIFA has unveiled plans for a Super Bowl-style halftime show during the World Cup final, featuring performances by Madonna, Shakira and the boy band BTS. The July 19 final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will mark the first time such an entertainment spectacle has been included in a World Cup final. The show will benefit the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to improve children’s access to education and soccer opportunities. Coldplay’s Chris Martin will serve as the show’s curator.
The Atlanta Braves became the first major league team to reach 30 victories, improving their league-best record to 30-13 with a thrilling 4-1 comeback win over the Chicago Cubs. Atlanta scored three runs in the eighth inning to secure another dramatic victory, with Mike Yastrzemski delivering a crucial pinch-hit double that drove in the tying run. Mauricio Dubón followed with a two-run homer into the Chicago bullpen to seal the victory. The Braves’ diverse offensive attack and ability to win in various ways has them positioned to potentially run away with the National League East division before summer arrives.
Danny Jansen provided the walk-off heroics for the Texas Rangers in a wild 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks following a chaotic ninth inning. Both teams’ closers surrendered three runs in a frantic final frame before Jansen ended the contest with an RBI single on the only pitch thrown by Juan Morillo, who had just replaced Paul Sewald. Sewald had blown his first save opportunity in 10 attempts. Jansen remarked that the game seemed to have everything, including the dramatic conclusion, and joked afterward that he was relieved not to have to catch another inning.
Nineteen-year-old Macklin Celebrini will captain Canada at the world hockey championship in Switzerland, with Sidney Crosby joining the roster as the team aims to improve on last year’s fifth-place showing. Celebrini becomes the youngest player ever to captain Canada’s national team, coming off an outstanding NHL season where he set a San Jose Sharks record with 115 points. The United States enters as defending champions, looking to repeat their 2025 title – their first world championship in 92 years. The 16-team tournament begins Friday with teams split into two groups, culminating in the final on May 31. Canada, historically the most successful nation at the world championships, hopes to rebound from their disappointing finish last year.
