MONTREAL — Lane Hutson scored on a slap shot at 2:09 of overtime and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series that has opened with three extra-time thrillers.
Hutson fired a shot from the top of right circle that went through traffic and found the top left corner behind goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy on the only shot on goal in overtime.
Kirby Dach tied it for Montreal with 7:17 left in the second period. He fired a snap shot through traffic from the top of the right circle that beat Vasilevskiy on the short side.
Game 4 is Sunday night in Montreal. The Canadiens took the opener 4-3 on Sunday and the Lightning countered 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Dach assisted on Alexandre Texier’s opening goal at 4:53 of the first period. Jakub Dobes stopped 15 shots,
Brayden Point and Brandon Hagel scored for Tampa Bay, and Vasilevskiy made 26 saves. In the third, Vasilevskiy stymied Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson on breakaways.
Point tied it on a power play at 7:42 of the first. After Dobes was penalized for tripping Yanni Gourde, Point took Jake Guentzel’s centering pass and ripped a shot past Dobes’ blocker from the high slot.
Hagel gave Tampa Bay the lead at 4:47 of the second with his fourth goal of the series. After a Montreal turnover at its own the blue line, Hagel beat Dobes with a snap shot to the short side from the top of the left circle.
Nov 9, 2025; Mesa, AZ, USA; Chicago Cubs catcher Owen Ayers during the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Other than the ones involving the major league team which we’ve covered elsewhere:
Right-hander Jace Beck was promoted from Double-A Knoxville to Triple-A Iowa.
Right-hander Ben Johnson was promoted to Knoxville from Low-A Myrtle Beach.
Trent Thornton was activated off the injured list and made his season and Iowa debut tonight. He pitched two scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Thornton struck out two and walked one.
The I-Cubs went into the ninth with a 3-1 lead, but Ryan Jensen couldn’t hold it. Jensen allowed two runs on three hits and four walks over 1.2 innings. Jensen struck out two.
With Iowa out of pitchers, Casey Opitz had to pitch the tenth and eleventh innings. He acquitted himself well, allowing only the automatic runner to score in both innings. But Iowa was unable to score the tying run in the eleventh when automatic runner Kevin Alcántara was thrown out at the plate on a single. So Opitz got the loss.
First baseman Jonathon Long was 4 for 5 with a double and a game-tying RBI single in the tenth. Long scored once.
Jake Knapp pitched the first 2.1 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits. However, Knapp walked six batters and struck out just two.
Ben Johnson gave up three runs in his Double-A debut, but he ended up getting the win anyways. Johnson’s final line was three runs on three hits over three innings. All three of the runs came on a home run in the eighth inning. Johnson struck out five and walked just one.
First baseman Ethan Hearn hit a two-run home run in the second inning, his first of the season. He was 1 for 4.
Catcher Owen Ayers hit his first Double-A home run in the third inning with the bases empty. Ayers was a perfect 2 for 2 with a double, the home run and three walks. He scored twice.
Later in the third inning, center fielder Alex Ramírez hit a two-run home run, his first on the year. Ramírez went 1 for 5.
The Smokies saved the best for last as their fourth and final home run was a grand slam by right fielder Andy Garriola. It was his fourth of the year and third in two games. Garriola was 1 for 2 with three walks and two runs scored.
Left fielder Carter Trice was 2 for 4 with a double and two runs scored.
Here’s Ayers’ home run.
After rough couple of games, Owen Ayers is beginning to find his footing in Double-A.
He’s 2-for-2 with a HR, a 2B, and a BB tonight and is now batting .308 since his promotion. pic.twitter.com/WtQq1Non68
Koen Moreno started and took the loss after he allowed five runs, three earned, on four hits over three innings. Moreno had trouble finding the plate as he walked five and struck out just one.
Left fielder Kane Kepley was 1 for 2 with a double and a walk. He scored twice.
Center fielder Kade Snell was 1 for 3 with an RBI double and a walk. He scored one run.
DH Cameron Sisneros was 1 for 1 with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. He drove in two and scored once.
Here are Snell and Sisneros’ doubles, which both came in the third inning.
Victor Zarraga started and took the loss. Zarraga gave up two runs on three hits over 2.1 innings. He walked four and struck out three.
Edwardo Melendez relieved Zarraga and gave up one run on two hits over 3.2 innings. But most impressively, Melendez struck out eight and walked no one.
The Pelicans only had three hits tonight and their two runs were both scored by Jose Escobar on a passed ball and a wild pitch. Escobar was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Right fielder Eli Lovich was 1 for 1 with three walks.
The Penguins are down 3-0 in their first-round series against the Flyers and will be eliminated from the playoffs with one more loss. Now, if they win, they'd send the series back to Pittsburgh for a Game 5.
However, there's still a chance that Saturday's game could be Evgeni Malkin's final game as a Penguin since he's set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He spoke to the media about it on Friday and, once again, confirmed that he wants to be back with the Penguins next year and retire a Penguin.
“I hope it’s not over," Malkin said, via King Jemison of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I hope we’re still fighting. And my future again, I say the same thing. I want to be here. I want to be part of a team next year, too, and I want to be retired in Pittsburgh. But it’s not my choice. It’s Kyle’s decision. New owners, probably, too."
Evgeni Malkin on his future: “I hope it’s not over. I hope we’re still fighting. And my future, again … I want to be here. I want to be part of a team next year, too, and I want to be retired in Pittsburgh. But it’s not my choice. It’s Kyle’s decision. New owners probably, too.” pic.twitter.com/VZ6fHYAstT
Malkin has been one of the Penguins' best players in this series, compiling two goals and three points in three games. He also finished the regular season with 19 goals and 61 points in 56 games.
He has shown that he can still play at a strong level in the NHL, but it'll be up to general manager/president Kyle Dubas if he returns.
Puck drop for Game 4 on Saturday is set for 8 p.m. ET on TBS, truTV, HBO Max, and SportsNet Pittsburgh.
HOUSTON — LeBron James scored 29 points, including a tying 3-pointer with 13 seconds left in regulation, Marcus Smart had eight points in overtime and the Los Angeles Lakers took advantage of a Houston Rockets team missing Kevin Durant for a 112-108 win Friday night to take a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference first-round series.
The Lakers rallied from a six-point deficit with under 30 seconds remaining and can sweep the series Sunday night in Houston.
Los Angeles opened overtime with a 6-2 run, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Smart to take a 107-103 lead. Alperen Sengun made a basket for Houston before Smart made two free throws to push the lead to 109-105 with 52 seconds left.
Smart made two free throws with 35.5 seconds to go to make it 111-105. Reed Sheppard made a 3-pointer to get Houston within three with less than 30 seconds left in overtime, but Smart made 1 of 2 free throws to push the lead to 112-108.
Smart added 21 points and 10 assists, and Rui Hachimura added 22 points for the Lakers.
Even with Durant out for a second game in this series — this time with a sprained ankle after missing Game 1 with a knee injury — the Rockets were in position to close out the game after James had consecutive turnovers that Houston turned into a 101-95 lead.
Sengun led the Rockets with 33 points and 16 rebounds. Amen Thompson added 26 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lakers led by as many as 15 early, but were down six in the fourth before Smart was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 25.4 seconds to go after a Houston turnover and made all three free throws to get the Lakers within three.
James, who had 13 rebounds, then stole the ball from Sheppard and his 3-pointer tied it at 101-all with 13.1 seconds to go in the fourth.
The Rockets had a chance to take the lead after that, but Sengun’s 7-footer was off. James grabbed the rebound and called a timeout. He grabbed the inbounds pass and had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his 3-point attempt bounced off the rim to send it to OT.
Two of the Islanders’ biggest holes should fill themselves this offseason.
The Isles struggled all year to adequately replace Kyle Palmieri’s production after he tore his ACL, and ended up trading a third-round pick to the Rangers for Carson Soucy in an attempt to fill the hole left by Alexander Romanov’s shoulder injury.
Both players are expected to be back without any limitations on day one of training camp which does, at least, change some of the contours of the offseason, even if their returns will come too late to save the Islanders from missing the playoffs.
“Disgusting. Terrible,” Romanov said of how it felt to miss all but 15 games this year. “It’s really tough to just watch hockey all season long and just practicing and rehabbing. That’s what I was dealing with.”
Had the Islanders made the playoffs, Romanov would likely be in the lineup right now. When the season ended, he had rejoined practices and was getting close to playing in games. His summer should be close to normal, albeit with a little extra work on his shoulder.
The same doesn’t necessarily hold true for Palmieri. While he may have attempted a comeback had the Islanders made a deep run, he said on breakup day that he’s “got a couple more months here of the day to day of the rehab stuff.”
The history of players returning from ACL injuries also shows that it usually takes some time to play at the same level as before; Anders Lee, for example, has talked before about not feeling like himself for much of his first season back after suffering the same injury.
New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri (21) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tuesday, April 1, 2025 in Elmont, N.Y. Noah K. Murray-NY Post
The speed at which Palmieri recovers, and the role Romanov ends up playing, are both massive questions for the Islanders’ 2026-27 hopes.
The Islanders were depending on Palmieri to score 25-30 goals and finish with around 50 points when they signed him to a two-year extension last summer, and after his injury, that production was never really replaced. In a free agency class that’s not highly regarded by general manager Mathieu Darche, it’s doubtful there’s an easy option available on the open market for the Islanders to plug into their top six either.
So there’s a strong possibility that a lot hinges on their hope that Palmieri can recover his game quickly.
“I’m a little over four months post-op. It’s feeling really good on the ice,” said Palmieri, who had begun skating on his own before the season ended. “I’m looking forward to putting this behind me and having a pretty normal summer as far as training and getting ready for the season.”
Alexander Romanov #28 of the New York Islanders moves the puck down ice during the second period at UBS Arena, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025, in Elmont, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
As for Romanov, his reentry into the fold presents Darche with an interesting dilemma on the left side of the blue line.
After Matthew Schaefer’s ascendence into superstardom came so quickly, Romanov — who the Islanders signed to an eight-year deal at $6.25 million annually last summer — suddenly looks like the third-pair defenseman, behind both Schaefer and Adam Pelech.
That trio also means there’s no obvious spot for Isaiah George, another lefty, to play after a season in which injuries meant George never really got his chance while the Islanders were searching for call-ups to replace Romanov.
Do the Islanders move someone to their off-side, given their depth chart is much thinner on the right? Or do they explore moving one of Pelech, who has a 16-team no-trade clause, or George? That could be one route to improving the forward group, but it would amount to another major bet on Romanov, who’s coming off a serious injury and who struggled through the first 15 games of this season before getting hurt.
How that situation sorts itself out is a question for Darche to grapple with throughout the offseason.
HOUSTON (AP) — Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ryan McMahon, Ben Rice and José Caballero homered, and the New York Yankees extended their winning streak to seven games with a 12-4 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
Chisholm, who had four RBI and scored three runs, hit a two-run single to cap a three-run first inning and added his second homer of the season in the fourth. He had an RBI single in the seventh.
McMahon hit a solo home run in the second, and Rice, who had two RBIs and scored three runs, added a solo shot, his ninth of the season, in the seventh. Caballero, who had an RBI single in the sixth, hit a solo homer in the four-run seventh.
Giancarlo Stanton had an RBI single in the sixth before exiting three batters later with right lower leg tightness after being unable to score from second on a J.C. Escarra single to the left field wall. After being checked out by a trainer, Stanton left and was replaced by Randal Grichuk.
Aaron Judge went 0 for 2 with three walks for the Yankees.
Will Warren (3-0) allowed two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in six innings. Warren has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his six starts this season.
Lance McCullers Jr. (1-2) allowed seven runs — five earned — on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts in five innings. McCullers has yielded at least four runs in each of his last three starts.
Yainer Diaz had an RBI single and a solo home run, and Braden Shewmake hit a solo shot for the Astros, who lost their fifth straight at home. Yordan Alvarez had two singles to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.
Up next
Yankees LHP Ryan Weathers (1-2, 3.18 ERA) will start opposite Astros RHP Mike Burrows (1-3, 6.75) in the second game of the three-game set on Saturday night.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 24: Ryan McMahon #19 of the New York Yankees congratulates Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 after a home run in the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on April 24, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yanks entered Friday night fresh off a sweep of mortal enemy Boston, getting this road trip off to a heck of a start. They turned to Will Warren, coming off one of the finest outings of his career, to keep the momentum going. But the Astros offense is different than Kansas City’s. Yordan Alvarez is terrifying, veterans Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve can still rake, and Christian Walker has rediscovered his stroke at the plate.
So, it was fair to wonder if Warren would have similar success. He was more than up to the challenge, pitching deep into the game for a second consecutive start. Meanwhile, facing Houston pitching can fix what ails you, apparently. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Ryan McMahon, and José Caballero all entered Friday’s game scuffling at the plate. All three went yard. Ben Rice, who struggled against Boston, did so as well, and the Yankees won, 12-4. You love to see it.
The only thing that really went wrong tonight was losing Giancarlo Stanton to “right lower leg tightness” while running the bases. Hopefully we see the big slugger back from this calf injury sooner rather than later.
I mentioned in the preview for today’s game that Astros’ starter Lance McCullers Jr. has struggled with command this season. That immediately reared up as he gave free passes to Trent Grishm and Aaron Judge. One Cody Bellinger single later and the bases were full of Yankees before you had time to grab a beverage and get to your seat.
McCullers induced a tailor-made double play ball from Rice but Altuve threw the ball away. A run scored and the bases remained loaded. McCullers then made a nice defensive play on a 111.8-mph comebacker off Stanton’s bat, throwing home. With Big G running, the Astros easily turned the 1-2-3 double play and it looked like he might escape with minimal damage. Thankfully, Chisholm is heating up and came through. His single scored two more, making it 3-0 Yankees before McCullers escaped the frame.
Another Yankee who’s been struggling kept the pressure on Houston in the second when McMahon took McCullers yard to the opposite field. A 336-foot fly ball, Daikin Park is the only stadium in the majors where it would have been a home run. But it still counts in the run column.
The top of the Astros order went down quietly in the first against Waren. But the middle and bottom of the lineup scraped a run across in the second. An Altuve infield single and a walk put two men on. Warren managed to get two outs but Yainer Diaz singled to right and Judge’s throw was just up the third base line, allowing Altuve to score.
Chisholm continued his resurgence in the fourth. After slapping the tag on Yordan Alvarez on a pickoff play at second to end the home third, Jazz took McCullers deep leading off, extending the Yankee lead to 5-1.
Altuve continued to torment Warren and the Yankees, leading off the home fourth with a double to the deepest part of the park. A Christian Walker single followed, putting runners on the corners with none out and seemingly setting the Astros up for a big inning. To Warren’s credit, he buckled down. Though Altuve scored on a groundout to short, Warren avoided the disaster inning.
The Yankee offense kept on keepin’ on in the sixth. After Ben Rice led off the inning with a double to left center, Stanton singled off the glove of Carlos Correa. The ball trickled into center, Rice scored easily, and the Yankees’ sixth run of the night ended McCullers’. Every Astros fan’s worst nightmare… their bullpen, was now in play.
With lefties looming, the Astros turned to southpaw Colton Gordon, who immediately walked Jazz then gave up a single off the left field wall to Escarra, celebrating his 31st birthday. But it was not all good news. Stanton looked extremely slow lumbering into third and left the game, replaced by pinch-runner Randal Grichuk. After McMahon lined out, Caballero singled and Grisham hit a sacrifice fly, putting two more in the run column, giving the Yanks an 8-2 lead.
Warren finished his night with a clean sixth, whiffing Cam Smith for his sixth punchout of the evening. For as bad as Houston’s pitching has been, this is a team that can hit, led by Alvarez, perhaps the most terrifying hitter in baseball right now. Warren was more than up to the task. I suspect every Yankee fan on the planet would have signed up for six innings of two-run ball from Warren tonight.
Rice continued his strong night in the seventh. He entered tonight 1 for his last 9 with seven strikeouts, including a golden sombrero in Boston. But he followed his double by turning on an inside sweeper from Gordon, who was taking one for the team, and sending it deep into right field for his ninth dinger of the season. Grichuk then doubled and Chisholm drove him in with his third hit and fourth RBI of the night. Chisholm came around to score on a double play and Caballero got in on the action, hitting his second home run of the season. That officially put the Yankee lead in double digits at 12-2 and unofficially moved the game into “laugher” territory.
Fernando Cruz came in to relieve Warren and had an off night, giving up solo home runs to Diaz and Braden Shewmake, who pinch-hit for Correa, as the Astros began pulling some of their regulars. From there, New York handed the ball to Ryan Yarbrough, who recorded the final six outs with no drama, locking down the Yankees’ seventh consecutive win.
Join us tomorrow night as the Yanks try to win another series and continue their excellent road trip. Portside slinger Ryan Weathers makes the start for New York, while Mike Burrows will start for Houston. First pitch is at 7:10 pm EDT.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics controls the ball against Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter during game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 108-100. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings: Tyrese Maxey – 22.5 VJ Edgecombe – 16 Joel Embiid – 11.5 Paul George – 8 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5 Justin Edwards – 4 Andre Drummond – 3 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Porter Martone – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
The Sixers welcomed the Celtics to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday night for a massive Game 3 in South Philly. The teams came in dead locked at a 1-1 series tie after the Sixers stole Tuesday night’s Game 2 in Boston.
This game was highly contested from start to finish as the Celtics got out to a five-point lead after the first quarter behind an early onslaught from three.
The Celtics continued their hot shooting from three into the second quarter, but the Sixers stellar two-point defense kept them in the ball game despite some struggles of their own offensively. The Celtics took a 54-47 lead to the intermission.
The Sixers won their first quarter of the night in the third 27-25 behind a steady dose of Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. The Celtics held just a five-point advantage going to the fourth.
The Sixers took a brief 85-84 lead early in the final frame and the crowd was as raucous as it’s been in years in hopes that maybe this would be a breakthrough moment in this rivalry that has haunted the Sixers so much over the years. The Sixers trailed by just one with two minutes to go before a Jayson Tatum three coming off a Sixers defensive breakdown gave the Celtics a four-point lead. A George bucket with 1:40 to go cut the lead to two yet again. Another defensive breakdown and Pritchard three stretched the Celtics’ lead to five points. After two Sixers free throws that made it a one-possession game, the Sixers forced a miss but an offensive rebound and kick out that led to a Tatum iso three would be the nail in the coffin.
The Celtics went on to take a 108-100 win and a 2-1 series lead.
Tyrese Maxey: 31 points, 6 assists, 2 blocks, 12-for-31 from the field
Tyrese Maxey went out on his shield in this one firing until the bitter end. Maxey hit multiple big momentum swinging shots to keep the Sixers in it all night and even momentarily give them the lead in the fourth. A couple late misses while Boston hit three consecutive threes ultimately buried the Sixers, but not in fault of the efforts of the star guard.
Paul George: 18 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, 7-for-14 from the field
Paul George is still really good at basketball, even if he’s not the explosive near 30-points-a-night scorer he once was at his peak. The Sixers ran a lot of their late game offense through George who either found space for himself or found his teammates for high percentage shots. George is still far and away the best and most impactful defender on this Sixers team, who struggled to contain the Celtics’ perimeter onslaught when George isn’t directly involved in the action.
Dave Portnoy was not amused by the amount of passion from the Amazon Prime Video broadcast booth during Friday’s NBA playoff game between the Celtics and 76ers.
Portnoy was livid by the announcing crew’s enthusiasm during the first-round Game 3 matchup, posting a video on X captioned, “This may be the worse annoucing (sic) crew I’ve ever heard. They are going bananas every shot.”
The firebrand sports personality eviscerated Eric Collins — who is known for his intense calls as the Hornets play-by-play caller — for being too passionate for a game that was still far from being over.
David Portnoy of Barstool Sports hosts The Pool After Dark at Harrah’s Resort on Saturday May 11, 2019 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Tom Briglia
“Dude what are these announcers doing?” Portnoy said in the video as Collins went wild for a 3-pointer by Sixers big man Andre Drummond with just over three minutes left in the third quarter. “They’re acting like it’s Game 7, final shot. It’s an open three, what are we doing?
“Eric Collins, f–king put your d–k back in your pants there’s three minutes. Every shot he’s acting like it’s Game 7 at the horn to win it. This is unnacceptable announcing.”
Eric Collins speaks during the Dell Curry #30 jersey retirement ceremony during the game between the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Hornets on March 19, 2026 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. NBAE via Getty Images
Collins, who has been the voice of the Hornets for over a decade, has established himself as one of the NBA’s premier announcers for his energy he brings to each game, oftentimes loudly screaming during certain stretches of play.
NBA insider Bill Simmons said earlier this month that the Hornets have the best broadcasts in the league because of Collins.
“He really cares,” Simmons said on his self-titled podcast, “and like somebody will make a shot against them, it’d be two minutes left, they’re down one. And then some f–k up, and somebody will hit a three against them, and he’ll just say some crazy sentence like, ‘Oh, isn’t that a chainsaw on the tibia?’
“He just has this endless thing of crazy comments. The Hornets are hanging on like a hat on a screen door. He’s a ten out of ten.”
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 24: Marcus Smart #36 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets during Round 1 Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 24, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
A miracle close to regulation saw the Lakers force overtime before controlling the extra session to steal Game 3, 112-108, and take a commanding series lead.
Houston trailed by as many as 15 in the first half but was the aggressor for the entire second half. Up six with just under 30 seconds left, the Rockets capitulated, allowing the Lakers to tie the game and even have a chance to win it before overtime.
LA never trailed in overtime, built a multi-possession lead in the final minutes and knocked down clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
The Lakers’ bench outscored the Rockets 24-3, a huge flip from Game 2. That helped LA overcome allowing 18 offensive rebounds.
It was a 3-pointer party early as both teams drained a pair of long-range efforts each. Rui Hachimura was leading LA with a fast 11 points while LeBron James and Luke Kennard were the only other Lakers to score with three points each. Jabari Smith Jr. had six points for Houston.
At the 6:53 mark, Los Angeles was up by four.
Smith Jr. picked up two fouls and a technical foul, forcing him to the bench. It was an evenly matched affair with neither team able to grab a commanding lead. Jaxson Hayes’s seven points off the bench provided a massive spark that led to an 11-0 scoring run.
With 2:20 left in the quarter, LA was up by 11.
An 11-0 run for the Lakers cam as LeBron got some rest, putting the visitors up 34-23, with Jaxson Hayes making big plays on both sides of the court. His alley-oop finish from Kennard capped the push.
Houston then hit back, cutting the deficit to four. Hachimura responded with one of his signature midrange jumpers. He had 16 points, which was a career high for him in a quarter.
At the end of the first, the purple and gold were up by seven.
Smith Jr. opened the second period with a triple for the Rockets. Jarred Vanderbilt responded with a tip-in off a Jake LaRavia missed shot on the other end. LeBron began taking over, scoring seven points.
LeBron also threw a lob to Bronny James, who had five points off the bench, for a layup that had everyone buzzing.
The Lakers pushed their run to 14-4 and built their biggest lead of the half at 15 points. Amen Thompson tried to stop some of the bleeding with an easy dunk. LA suddenly went cold from the field, missing five shots in a row.
LeBron converted on a pair of free throws and Kennard also converted on a midrange jumper that helped Los Angeles keep a double-digit lead of 11 at halftime.
The Lakers head into halftime with a 63-52 lead, riding 16 points apiece from LeBron and Hachimura, and 18 assists on 23 made FG's, led by 6 from Smart.
Houston is +6 on the O glass, in part because they shot just 37.2% to LA's 57.5%.
Marcus Smart’s layup opened the second half. The Rockets then slowly started chipping into LA’s lead, making it a single-digit deficit. Los Angeles was forced to call a timeout as the lead shrank to six.
Out of the break, Deandre Ayton scored his first points of the night on a layup.
Reed Sheppard completed a three-point play to make it a five-point deficit. Thompson then grabbed an LA turnover and dunked on the other end. Los Angeles’ offense was suddenly completely non-existent.
Kennard scored on a much-needed midrange jumper.
Thompson was the driving force for Houston as his five-point surge cut the deficit to one. Hachimura drained a triple to give the Lakers some cushion, his first points since the first quarter.
Both teams ended the quarter trading buckets with LA holding onto a five-point lead going into the fourth.
Down 2-0 here at home, Houston really picked up its defense in the 3rd Q, holding the Lakers to 12 points until a late 3 from LeBron and a layup from Vanderbilt in the final minute allowed LA an 80-75 lead heading into the 4th.
LeBron converted on a layup off the assist from Vanderbilt to open the final frame. Houston missed their first two shot attempts before Smith Jr. drained two 3-pointers, helping the Rockets inch even closer.
At the 6:50 mark, Los Angeles was up by four.
Thompson then tied the game on back-to-back buckets thanks to Lakers’ turnovers. Smart tried to help LA stay in the lead with a layup, but Sheppard drained a triple that gave the Rockets the lead by one with 4:59 left.
Houston’s lead grew to four with 3:32 left.
Hayes threw down a dunk that made it a two-point deficit for Los Angeles. LA was having the absolute worst time keeping the ball in their hands and couldn’t convert on shots. Alperen Şengün made it a four-point lead for Houston with 49 seconds left.
LeBron turned the ball over, and it led to another two from Şengün. After a rushed 3-pointer from LeBron missed, Smart came away with an improbable steal and was fouled from behind the arc. He converted on all three free throws.
An incredible turn of events, as Houston had the ball, up 6, with 28 seconds left:
– Marcus Smart steal – Smart draws 3-point shooting foul and hits 3 FT’s – LeBron steals the ball from Reed Sheppard – LeBron hits a 3
In the most insane turn of events, LeBron forced a steal on the next possession and drained a triple that tied the game with 13 seconds left. Houston missed their shot attempt, and LeBron caught the ball and called a timeout with 1.2 seconds left.
LeBron had the ball and missed the shot, leading to overtime.
Smart started the scoring in overtime with a corner three. After one free throw from Hachimura, Los Angeles was up four. Şengün scored again, but Hachimura answered on the other end with a layup.
The teams traded baskets with LA’s leading by two with 1:46 left. The game turned scrappy and ugly with multiple jump balls and missed shots but few points. Smart broke the seal with a pair of free throws off an offensive rebound, making it a four-point lead for LA with 46 seconds left.
Smith Jr. took a 3-pointer and missed it. Smart rebounded the ball and was fouled before converting on two more clutch free throws.
With 35 seconds left and Los Angeles up six. Sheppard connected on a triple. The Rockets then fouled Smart again and he split the pair.
Houston missed a series of threes and shots in the final seconds as LA pulled off an improbable win.
Key Player Stats
LeBron finished with 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Hachimura ended with 22 points, shooting 8-14 from the field. Smart logged 21 points with four rebounds, 10 assists, five steals and two blocks.
Kennard had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists. Hayes pitched in with 12 points off the bench. Bronny scored five points in nine minutes of play. Vanderbilt notched five points with six rebounds.
Game 4 will be on Sunday against the Houston Rockets at 6:30 PM PT.
Apr 24, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) reacts after hitting a double against the St. Louis Cardinals during the second inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The NBA playoffs on NBC continue Saturday afternoon with the New York Knicks playing the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of their first-round series. The game will be on NBC and Peacock.
Atlanta leads the series 2-1 after winning the past two games. While New York won Game 1, 113-102, the Hawks have made their money with 1-point wins: 107-106 in Game 2 and 109-108 in Game 3. The last win came from a go-ahead jumper by C.J. McCollum.
McCollum has done heroic things for the Hawks in the past two games in particular, with crucial jumpers in the final minute of both outings. It seems to be a trade win for the franchise after bringing in McCollum from Washington on January 9 and sending Trae Young to the Wizards.
Teams that lead a best-of-seven series 3-1 go on to win the series 95.6% of the time, according to NBC Sports research, meaning it is do or die for the Knicks. They know as much, with New York guard Deuce McBride saying Friday, "I would say we're playing for our lives."
See below for additional information on the Knicks-Hawks game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
The Knicks entered this season with NBA Finals expectations but now find themselves in unfamiliar territory.
“It’s a seven-game series for a reason," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said after Game 3. "Stuff’s gonna happen. Plenty of teams have been down one-two. Oklahoma City was down last year (in the west semifinals and NBA Finals) and they ended up winning it. I’m not saying we’re gonna win it or anything like that... but you take it one game at a time. This should sting because we gave ourselves a chance despite not playing our best basketball.”
One would think the Hawks have the advantage in Game 4, especially on a two-game win streak and with McCollum in friendly territory after being brandished a villain at Madison Square Garden — claims he denies, saying, "I am no villain. I am a nice guy with two kids and a wife."
The Knicks' McBride took the bulk of the minutes and scored 15 points off the bench in Game 3 after Mikal Bridges was held scoreless — the first time Bridges has been held scoreless in 60 playoff games. Bridges was benched for most of the second half, calling into question which of the two should start in Game 4.
The back-to-back 1-point wins by Atlanta go against New York's 21-13 regular season record in clutch games, marking a staggering deviation. This is the first series to feature back-to-back 1-point wins by the same team since 2006, when Cleveland (then coached by Brown) beat Washington by 1 point in back-to-back games (Games 5 and 6) to win its first round series.
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the first round and 11 games in the conference semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including the first round, the conference semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
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Did Munetaka Murakami homer on Friday? YUP. | (Photo by Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images)
For a second there, it seemed like South Side Sox recaps might simply turn into Munetaka Murakami home-run watches. Based on the flat start to Friday’s game, a fairly hapless team effort against a mediocre opponent, perhaps.
But the Good Guys rallied late, scraping and scrapping their way to four runs in their final three frames to eke out the win, 5-4.
But let’s get right to the shot that stopped the fizzless White Sox offense, back in the fourth inning.
Already down, 1-0, Murakami reached a tie atop the MLB home run leaderboard with a ball that, off the bat of 99% of hitters in the game, had no business leaving the park:
Murakami left the yard on a changeup, weight fighting to stay back on the ball — and off of the end of the bat, to boot! It’s the kind of swing you might lay out in a backyard Wiffle ball game, only Mune took his in the majors and sent it 415 feet away on 104 mph contact. The rookie is, simply, a beast.
Better, Murakami’s homer broke a streak of 10 straight hitless at-bats against a ragtag assemblage of Nationals bullpen arms. But Washington came right back in the fifth, after a single, (another) catcher’s interference from Edgar Quero and walk packed the sacks. The lead run came home on another walk, although in starter Erick Fedde’s defense, the lead was lost on a poor check-swing call on a full count. A second Nationals run later scored on a failed 6-4-3 double play.
The White Sox did creep to within 3-2 (Colson Montgomery rallied to not give up on an at-bat that saw him crush an RBI single to right field with two strikes) on their own recognizance. But for all the credit due to the White Sox for rallying for the win, the game was handed to them by Washington rookie Riley Cornelio, making his MLB debut.
In the bottom of the seventh, Cornelio entered the game and might as well have pulled his shirt up over his head and shouted FIRE FIRE, as his meltdown inning started with two walks (the second particularly egregious given Luisangel Acuña was showing sac bunt as early as possible) and was secured by throwing a Tristan Peters sac bunt into right field:
Then, with the score tied and runners on the corners after Cornelio’s error, Andrew Benintendi clubbed a sac fly to give the White Sox a 4-3 lead.
Tee-hee, the White Sox held the lead for two pitches in the eighth before Jordan Leasure room-serviced a slider to Brady House to knot the game back up.
For some reason, Cornelio came back out for the eighth, and though slightly more composed still handed the lead right back. Miguel Vargas hustled out an infield single to start things, chased by a Montgomery walk on pitches that weren’t close. Quero sacrificed the runners over (on another ball that the rookie almost threw away), and eventual winning margin came home on another battling at-bat from Sam Antonacci that ended in a deep fly to left for a sacrifice fly:
Seranthony Domínguez flirted with another tie in the game, but left a runner on third base after a one-out double and productive ground out by muscling up for a game-ending K against W’s slugger James Wood:
The White Sox improved to 11-15, and 5-5 in their last 10 games. Tomorrow is Noah Schultz Day, and we’ll see you right back here for more scrapin’ and scrappin’.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) and head coach Steve Kerr in the fourth quarter during an NBA preseason game against the LA Clippers at Chase Center in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. The Clippers won 106-103. (Photo by Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors will enter the 2026-27 NBA season with the second-longest tenured coach in the NBA, unless they enter it behind a new voice and a new leader, who will seek to re-open the championship window for Steph Curry’s final years and build a post-Curry future.
After last Friday’s season-ending loss to the Phoenix Suns, Steve Kerr told reporters that he would take “a week or two” to decide on his future. There have been few reports, as Kerr seems genuinely unsure as to what his next step is, though there’s been plenty of speculation. Per the latest updates, Kerr won’t be making a decision until next week, at the earliest.
So what, exactly, is on his mind? What is he weighing as he decides whether to return or cruise into retirement (or perhaps a job in the media)?
It’s impossible to know exactly what Kerr is thinking, but we do, at least, have a fairly good idea. Let’s start with what we know.
The job is his if he wants it
Let’s start with the important facts: the Warriors are not contemplating moving on from Kerr. They are waiting to see if Kerr is moving on from them. We can speculate all we want about whether Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy Jr. think Kerr is the perfect coach for the team, and my guess is that if Curry were retiring, there might not be an offer on the table for Kerr.
But Curry is not retiring. He two-time MVP has another year left on his contract and, after the season ended, reaffirmed his desire to play “multiple” more seasons, and indicated that he is open to contract extension talks in the coming months.
Lacob may pay the bills, and Dunleavy may make the decisions, but Curry runs the show. His stated preference, both publicly and privately, is for Kerr to coach the team. And as long as that is true, there’s a job offer on the table for Kerr.
That doesn’t mean it’s without stipulations (more on that in a moment). But there are no meetings being held to determine whether or not the Warriors should bring back Kerr. This is his decision, not the team’s.
But…
The Warriors want some changes
The postmortem reports from the season indicate that the front office — and the analytics team — want Kerr to make some changes. There’s been a frustration with the team’s turnover rate, which was the fourth-highest mark in the NBA this year (and while there are plenty of good teams that turn the ball over regularly, the best usually don’t — the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and San Antonio Spurs all ranked in the top five lowest turnover rates this season). There’s a desire to be less reliant on the three (the Warriors finished first in the NBA in three-point attempt rate, despite Curry missing 39 games and the team finishing just 19th in three-point percentage). And, presumably, there’s a hope that the Dubs can find a better way to flourish in the minutes when Curry sits, which has plagued them ever since Kevin Durant left town.
Furthermore…
Golden State wants a longer-term commitment
It seems evident that the stress of Kerr’s contract status weighed on many people throughout the year, and it’s not the first time that that’s happened. And it’s equally clear that the team wants to build a foundation that is fairly stable.
All of that makes for a funny situation. The Warriors surely will have a contract offer on the table for Kerr … but only if it’s for multiple years. I would guess that if Kerr re-signs, it will be for a deal that matches the length of whatever Curry’s timeline is. Perhaps a three-year deal for the former, and a two-year extension for the latter.
And then, of course, let’s not forget…
Kerr is still having fun
If you had told me a few months ago that Kerr would walk away from the team, I would tell you it’s because the job is no longer fun for him. It’s a taxing industry, and even the sunniest people can get worn down by it. Remember how unhappy and stressed out Klay Thompson appeared by the time he left town? And that’s Klay Freaking Thompson!
The Warriors have been absent a large amount of joy in recent years, and it would be understandable if it took its toll on Kerr.
But it seems like it hasn’t. Kerr appeared energized late in the season by players like Gui Santos and Pat Spencer. He appeared optimistic about the future of the team with Jimmy Butler III in the fold. And most importantly, when talking with the media after the season-ending defeat, Kerr stated emphatically that he still loves coaching.
Kerr is fairly transparent. If his holdup was that he wasn’t sure he still enjoyed this, he would have stated as much. But he didn’t. Instead, he said simply, “These jobs all have an expiration date.” And that gives us the insight we need to determine the biggest thing at play.
Does he think he’s right for the job?
Kerr does not always follow the book. He’s been a part of tension in the locker room, and, more notably, in the front office. Recent reports suggest that some at the top of the organization have grown frustrated with his continued expression of left-leaning political opinions (a bold stance for a team that has had no issue employing players with domestic violence histories).
But he’s still a company man at heart. And, like his star player, he is as selfless as he is ruthlessly competitive.
It feels abundantly clear that Kerr is not going to pull the Curry card. He could, to be clear. But he won’t. He’s not going to return simply because he can.
In short, if Kerr is to coach the Warriors next year, it will be because the Warriors want him to coach the team, not just because he can.
That means making the aforementioned concessions. He’ll need to be willing to modernize his offensive system, and possibly upgrade his coaching staff. He’ll have to commit to at least two, and probably three years. He’ll have to show a plan for how to develop young players, including the team’s upcoming lottery pick.
The Warriors would likely begrudgingly sign Kerr to a deal without those concessions, but Kerr is big enough to show himself out rather than back ownership into a corner.
So what it really comes down to is this: can the two sides find a happy compromise? Kerr will meet with Lacob and Dunleavy and, in all likelihood, he’ll mostly be sussing out whether those two actually want him back, or if they’re just willing to bring him back to appease Curry. They likely do want him back, as long as some concessions are made, and Kerr will have to determine whether he still wants to coach with those concessions.
It’s a little reminiscent of Bruce Bochy leaving the San Francisco Giants. The organization had just made a dramatic front office shift, and while Bochy could have used the legacy card to stay around longer, he understood that the team was ready to move in a new direction, and he spared everyone the awkwardness that could have ensued.
No one knows what Kerr will choose, least of all himself. But that, it seems, is what it will come down to. As much as he still enjoys this, as much fun as he’s having, and as much as he wants to be around Curry and Draymond Green for a few more seasons, he has to check the expiration date.
As the Golden Knights approach their 10th anniversary in the NHL, they've gone from an upstart franchise looking at others for a standard to follow, to the one setting a standard for the two newest franchises that have entered the league since, league commissioner Gary Bettman and Utah Mammoth owner Ryan Smith both agreed, speaking before Game 3 in Salt Lake City on Friday night.
"You start from an expansion standpoint, Vegas and Seattle did it right, although slightly different circumstances, to here in Utah," Bettman said. "Starting with how well George McPhee managed the expansion draft, the fact that they reinvented what pregame shows are made in quintessential Vegas. It's been very gratifying to see that a market that some were skeptical about when we announced expansion, to now see that every other sport thinks they invented, it has been a little gratifying."
That owner Bill Foley and Bettman saw something before the WNBA, NFL, MLB and NBA did, in a town long known for being an adult Disneyland with its 24-hour gambling, burlesque shows and late-night steak specials, is something nobody will take away from them.
What followed after the announcement that there would be ice hockey in the desert was something nobody would predict, with one of the greatest professional sports franchise debuts in 2017-18, when the Knights made it to the Stanley Cup Final, and then hoisting the Cup in 2023. The franchise has been in the postseason in all but one season since its inception, with this year's opening round becoming special with the close ties between Utah and Nevada.
"I think the national landscape doesn't understand the proximity in so many different ways, of Utah and Las Vegas," Smith said. "Growing up in Las Vegas, it's where kids went for youth sports, it's where we went on the weekends. We're just close."
Smith, who also owns the NBA's Utah Jazz, earned the NHL's newest franchise on April 18, 2024, when the league's Board of Governors granted him an expansion franchise.
In lieu of an expansion draft to stock the new team, Smith acquired the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes, which suspended hockey operations at the same time, as players, coaches and draft picks simply shifted to Utah.
The team is now in its second season, and has established as fervent a fanbase as the Knights have in Vegas.
And even though the Knights were a true expansion team, and the Mammoth were a relocation project from Phoenix, it was the standard that left Smith optimistic for the future.
The ties between St. George, Utah and Southern Nevada run deeper than most people might realize, as legendary basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian once held his basketball camp at Dixie College, now known as Utah Tech, in the late 1970s.
Before CSN established an athletics department, Dixie became the go-to school for Southern Nevada athletes needing a start-up vehicle before landing their dream car, er, college of choice.
So, naturally, despite the teams being in different divisions - the Mammoth in the Central and Knights in the Pacific - an opening-round series is the perfect setting for a border rivalry.
The Mammoth fired up the rivalry even more before Game 3, when the organization offered a jersey exchange in front of the Delta Center, offering Utah residents to swap their fandom from the Knights to their new team. It worked, too, as hundreds of fans lined up to swap jerseys hours before puck drop.
"As much as everyone thinks I'm just trolling (the Knights), no, it's 50 percent," Smith joked. "I think it's way more of a respect for how they've grown. And I think that's part of the responsibilities. Kind of slide over and let the new group come in, in a weird way, similar to the way that someone slid over for them to come in. And so nothing but respect."
Respect is all Smith has for Foley, McPhee and general manager Kelly McCrimmon, and everything Vegas has built the past nine seasons.
"I understand the soul that hockey has brought to Vegas in a really creative way," Smith added. "Watching it succeed there gave me a ton of confidence that it would work here. Given my background and the landscape and the way I think culturally, we're way more similar than different, and that's the part that most people don't understand."
What's clearly understood, even with the NBA and MLB arriving in the next two years, is that in helping Las Vegas establish an identity beyond the Strip, the Knights have a firm fanbase that started from day one and helped set the standard for professional sports in a town that's gone from the Entertainment Capital of the World to one of the most sought after cities for professional sports franchises and all sporting events.
PHOTO CAPTION: NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Utah Mammoth owner Ryan Smith speak to the media before game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Delta Center.
