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Observations after Sixers suffer blowout Game 4 loss to Celtics in Embiid's return

Observations after Sixers suffer blowout Game 4 loss to Celtics in Embiid's return originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Joel Embiid’s presence alone did not pull the Sixers even in their first-round playoff series with the Celtics.

The Sixers suffered a blowout Game 4 loss Sunday night in Embiid’s first action since undergoing an appendectomy on April 9. They fell to a 128-96 defeat at Xfinity Mobile Arena and now trail 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Embiid had 26 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes.

Tyrese Maxey posted 22 points and six assists. Paul George scored 16 points.

Payton Pritchard torched the Sixers, scoring a playoff career-high 32 points. Jayson Tatum had 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds.

Game 5 will be Tuesday night in Boston. Here are observations on the Sixers’ 32-point Game 4 loss:

Embiid not a million miles from his norm  

Embiid drew two quick fouls on Neemias Queta. The Boston big man was whistled for his second personal on a swift Embiid drive from the right wing.

Embiid knocked down all four of his free throws off of Queta’s fouls. He also scored early on a fast-break dunk and a powerful post-up layup against Nikola Vucevic. Embiid didn’t look reluctant to invite contact, run the floor or do anything that’s normally part of his game. While he missed mid-range jumpers that he’s accustomed to hitting and showed other signs of rust here and there, he was relatively sharp out of the gates.

Until a VJ Edgecombe mid-range jumper with 5:24 left in the first quarter, no Sixer scored besides Embiid. Both sides had cold jump shooting starts. The Sixers and Celtics each missed their first four three-point tries.

Embiid subbed out and Andre Drummond replaced him with 5:11 to go in the first. However, Embiid was back in soon. He re-entered with 2:49 left after a subpar Drummond stint that included two fouls. 

Drummond exited early in the second quarter after appearing to hurt his right hip, but he was able to return in the third. 

Boston’s bench dominant in first half 

The Celtics made an unsurprising run in the night’s first Embiid-less minutes. Pritchard nailed two three-pointers. Drummond fouled Tatum on a shot beyond the arc.  

Pritchard had a massive first quarter, tallying 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting. In Game 3, the Celtics’ bench outscored the Sixers’ by 21 points. Boston had the first 27 second-unit points Sunday. 

Pritchard ended the quarter with an exclamation point, sinking a long-range, one-legged runner to put the Celtics up 34-18. 

Offensive rebounds remained another giant problem in the first quarter for the Sixers, who struggled to close out good defensive possessions and were caught ball watching on several occasions. The Celtics grabbed six offensive boards in the first quarter and the Sixers had zero.

The start of a new quarter didn’t snap the Sixers into a higher gear. Pritchard swished a three over Quentin Grimes and Sixers head coach Nick Nurse called timeout with his team trailing by 21 points. 

Maxey was quiet in the first half, scoring seven points on 2-for-3 shooting. He’s faced strong defense in this series from Derrick White, Jordan Walsh and the Celtics, but Maxey was too deferential to teammates at times in the first half. His backcourt mate dealt with early foul trouble and Edgecombe posted just two points over the first two quarters. 

As for the Celtics’ stars, Tatum and Brown combined to shoot 4 for 17 from the field in the first half and were defended effectively by Kelly Oubre Jr. and George. The Celtics still held an 18-point lead at halftime. 

Celtics leave no doubt  

Maxey canned a three to open the scoring in the third quarter.

The Celtics kept snuffing out any hints of a Sixers push, though. Edgecombe stole the ball and threw it ahead to Maxey, but White sprinted back and blocked his layup. Brown drained a fadeaway, and-one jumper on George. Tatum hit a three to extend Boston’s lead to 69-43. 

Embiid eventually settled into a nice shooting rhythm starting around the midpoint of the third quarter. He wound up going 9 for 21 from the floor and 1 for 6 from three-point territory.

Boston tossed up threes all night, including during a brief third-quarter stretch when the Sixers turned to zone defense. The Celtics attempted 23 more threes than the Sixers (53-30) and made 15 more (24-9).

The Sixers could never contain Pritchard, who did even more damage late in the third quarter. Edgecombe fouled him with 0.9 seconds left in the third and the 2024-25 Sixth Man of the Year made both his foul shots. Before Sunday, Pritchard had played in 72 career postseason games and his scoring high was 23 points.

The Sixers were a thoroughly deflated, defeated team in the fourth quarter. A Tatum four-point play stretched the Celtics’ advantage to 30 points.

That’s two blowout losses now for the Sixers in the series. They were great in Game 2 and close in Game 3, but there’s no question the Celtics have been the better, deeper squad and deserve to be up 3-1. As they did in Game 2, the Sixers will need a serious bounce-back performance to keep their season ticking.

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Rob Refsnyder’s first career pinch-hit home run pushes Mariners past Cardinals, 3-2

Apr 26, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Seattle Mariners pinch hitter Rob Refsnyder (30) rounds third base after hitting a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images | Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

Offense was thin on the ground for the Mariners in their series finale against the Cardinals, but once again the bats were able to produce just enough for a 3-2 win, neatly bookending the 3-2 win from the series opener with a wild, potentially season-altering one sandwiched in between. As Victor Robles would say: sorry ‘bout it, that’s a sweep.

As was the case in the series opener, the starting pitching and bullpen teamed up to hold down the Cardinals offense, although it took Emerson Hancock an inning or so to lock in. After getting a first pitch flyout, Hancock labored through the rest of the first inning, falling behind hitters and giving up some hard contact on the ground and in the air, as well as walking Jordan Walker in a 3-1 count. But Hancock escaped without damage, able to bail himself out of trouble with an inning-ending strikeout on the changeup. Hancock used his changeup heavily today as well as his cutter, backing off the sweeper, which seemed difficult for him to harness. A shot on the broadcast of Hancock being tended to for the team trainer for a blister or torn fingernail might explain that.

Hancock’s stuff might have been too crafty for the Cardinals hitters, as they BABIP’d him to death with a bunch of little low exit-velocity hits. Behold this curséd image:

However, the only damage the Cardinals hitters were able to make out of that was off a solo home run from JJ Wetherholt, who tattooed a Hancock sinker at the top of the zone over the right field fence. Said fence now bears an outline of Luke Raley, who made a heroic yet unsuccessful attempt at the kind of home run robbery that has tortured the Mariners so far this season:

Ahhh you’ll get ‘em next time, Luke.

Meanwhile, the Mariners also struggled to get their hits to add up to anything off Cardinals starter Michael McGreevey, who completed six innings with a season-high six strikeouts. The only damage he allowed was a solo home run to Cal Raleigh, making the curious choice to serve Cal a changeup, a pitch he slugged .500 on last season. Thank you, I guess?

The Cardinals would go ahead in the sixth on a home run from the very annoying Nathan Church, who got ahold of a Hancock changeup he was able to drop the barrel on and smoke (110.1 mph EV) for a solo homer. But that was all the damage against Hancock today, who gave the Mariners and their tired bullpen a solid six innings. It’s especially impressive considering Hancock was working without one of his best weapons in the sweeper, and a testament to his ability to limit damage by limiting the free passes he hands out; last year, Hancock walked 8.1% of the batters he faced; this year, that number so far this season is 3.8%. As long as he can keep batters off the bases ahead of those solo homers and keep the weak-contact hits from stacking by not making things worse for himself, that’s a very different Emerson Hancock from previous years – and one who pushes the Mariners into interesting decision-making territory when Bryce Miller is able to return.

After McGreevey was finally out of the game the Mariners were able to tie it up against Matt Svanson in the seventh. Connor Joe brought some of that BABIP luck back the Mariners’ way, poking a little hustle double into left field, and Cole Young brought in the tying run with a nice piece of two-strike hitting.

This was especially nice for Young, who had been having a bit of a rough game offensively – he recorded the Mariners’ first hit of the day, but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double, and then in his next at-bat, he struck out on three pitches in a largely noncompetitive at-bat, stranding a runner, and looking very frustrated with himself. Kudos to Young for shaking that off and coming up clutch, in addition to providing a steady hand at second base.

Also deserving kudos: the bullpen, which provided three scoreless innings between Gabe Speier, Eduard Bazardo, and José Ferrer, allowing no hits and not letting the Cardinals have any breathing room. Special kudos to Ferrer, who earned his first save as a Mariner, stepping in for Andrés Muñoz and not making the moment look too big for him.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals bullpen couldn’t do the same for their starter, save for former Mariner Ryne Stanek, who magically found pinpoint command and struck out all three hitters he faced. But the tax the Mariners offense put on the Cardinals bullpen showed up in the ninth, as the Cardinals turned again to lefty JoJo Romero, who had a 12-pitch outing yesterday. Romero wasn’t sharp, but somehow got ahead of pinch-hitter Rob Refsnyder 0-2 thanks to a disastrous first-pitch strike call from home plate umpire John Bacon. Bacon went to punch out Refsnyder on a changeup that was even further outside than his first blown strike call and Refsnyder challenged immediately, turning a strikeout looking into a 1-2 count. Ref kept battling in the box, taking pitches that were well off the plate and fouling away the one that was close until he got a sweeper right in his happy zone that he crushed for a go-ahead homer.

I wish this clip had the full broadcast video because it’s endearing for so many reasons: Justin “Champ” Novak the bullpen catcher, who catches the ball; Cooper Criswell popping up over the bullpen fence like a wacky waving inflatable arm man to celebrate; Refsnyder forgetting he’s supposed to take the trident; and how happy the whole dugout looks for him. Refsnyder, with his positivity, high baseball IQ, and leadership, has been a quick favorite among his peers, and you can really see how much he’s valued by his teammates by the warmth of his reception. Postgame, Refsnyder gave credit to all his teammates and especially called out Cole Young for his game-tying single while also calling him the best defender in baseball; he also said yesterday’s game felt like a special win for the team. Could this be the lightning moment this season has needed? The Mariners head to cold, rainy Minnesota tomorrow to find out.

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Lakers’ Bronny James making most of playing time in NBA playoffs

HOUSTON — To Lakers coach JJ Redick, what mattered most about Bronny James’ first career NBA playoff points, a pull-up 3-pointer to give the Lakers a 50-40 lead midway through the second quarter of their Game 3 victory over the Rockets, wasn’t that James made the shot. 

It was the fact that after all the nerves James experienced entering the first-round playoff series, he had the confidence to take the shot in the first place.

The Lakers’ Bronny James has continued to grow during the postseason. NBAE via Getty Images

“Without Luka [Doncic and Austin Reaves], we don’t have the luxury of turning down shots created and advantages created,” Redick said. “He did a nice job offensively in that first stretch. Certainly making shots gives you confidence, but I thought he was great defensively as well in that stretch and really has just improved a lot even in this season from when he was getting some rotation minutes earlier in the year to when he’s gotten rotation minutes late in the season.”

James, the younger son of Lakers star LeBron James who was the No. 55 pick in the 2024 draft, got an up-close view of the playoffs last season.

But having played just four minutes across two games during the Lakers’ five-game first-round playoff loss to the Timberwolves last spring, he didn’t get a true sense of what playing in the playoffs feels like. 

That changed this season, with the younger James being in the Lakers’ rotation during the postseason entering Sunday’s Game 4 at Toyota Center.

“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Bronny said. “I mean, in college I didn’t get to play in March, so that’s something that’s gonna irk me for the rest of my life. And got to do it in the playoffs, and that’s just the best feeling.”

Bronny admitted to being nervous before his first playoff game.

“I definitely think I’ve gained a little more confidence and relaxed myself … Looking forward to down the road, me getting more minutes and stuff like that. I feel like just me getting playoff time, second stints and stuff like that is just gonna help more and more.” 

Bronny James (9) and his dad, LeBron, made NBA history in Game 3 against the host Rockets. AP

James’ first playing stint resulted not only in his first playoff points but also his second. 

LeBron threw an alley-oop to Bronny for a reverse layup on the Lakers’ next possession in the second quarter of Game 3, which was the first father-to-son assist in NBA playoffs history. 

“I’m not sure when was the last time I got an oop from him,” Bronny said. “Probably in training camp last year, maybe this year. But it was just one of those things; he saw me and saw that I was making eye contact with him, so he threw it up and I can always go get it.”

Bronny’s first stint impressed the Lakers’ coaching staff so much that he played a second stint for the first time during the playoffs against the Rockets in Game 3 after being limited to one stint in Game 1 and Game 2. 

“It just says a lot about me and JJ’s relationship, the other coaches in the coaching staff,” Bronny said. “They believe in me. And I appreciate that. And I’m going to take advantage of every minute I get.”

Bronny got regular playing time to close the regular season while Marcus Smart was sidelined for nine games because of an ankle injury before being cemented in the rotation when Doncic (hamstring) and Reaves (oblique) were sidelined to close the regular season.

“He has just gotten a lot better defensively,” Redick said. “His physicality’s been really good. His execution’s been really good and excited for him and just we got to continue to build him up. He’s obviously really important right now.”

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Raptors grind out game four win to even Cavaliers series

TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 26: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors drives against Jaylon Tyson #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during first half of Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on April 26, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After the electric atmosphere of the Toronto Raptors game three win, hopes were high going into Sunday’s game four that the Raptors could even out their series against the Cavaliers. While Thursday’s game was a must-win to keep Toronto alive in this series, Sunday was their last chance to get a win in a non-elimination game scenario, and just as important to their longevity in this series.

After truly one of the weirdest games of basketball, the Raptors were able to edge out the Cavaliers in the final minutes to bring the series to 2-2. With a final score of 93-89, it was a gritty, gruelling rock fight that often got physical and relied heavily on defense, rebounding, and taking advantage of every single possession.

The 1 pm start made this game a slog to start for both teams. A low-scoring first quarter led to a defensive battle from both teams, and the Raptors’ being active on the glass helped mitigate their lack of shot-making. They started to warm up as the second quarter dwindled, and Ingram’s buzzer-beater at halftime was the momentum they needed to go into the break up two points over the Cavs.

The real action came in the fourth quarter, though. In a game that kept flipping leads, every posession counted for both teams. Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles came up huge for the Raptors on most posessions — getting deflections, rebounds, and disrupting the Cavaliers offence enough that they started making messy decisions and fouls.

It also helped that the crowd at Scotiabank Arena was absolutely electric, despite the early start time. That noise and energy from the fans helped the Raptors find it in them to get this win.

One play in particular had Jamal Shead diving for the basketball to cause an 8 second violation on James Harden, a huge turning point for the game. In the final minutes, the Raptors ability to get stops and ensure that Cleveland couldn’t get ahead of them at the last second showed incredible poise in the moment. Barnes’s six clutch free throws were the deciding factor as Cleveland started fouling late in the game, and thr crowd propelled them to the end.

Ingram had a better game as well, and despite shooting 6-for-23 scored 23 points on the night. To be fair, everyone had a terrible shooting night — the Raptors shot 32% from the field while the Cavaliers shot 36.8% from the field. It was his defence that impacted the game the most, and he looked less discombobulated on the court than he has all series long. Hopefully the shot selection and accuracy improves more in the next game, but he showed up enough to help them get the win.

With the series now tied at 2 games per piece, we head back to Cleveland for game 5 on Wednesday. It will not be an elimination game, which relieves the pressure a bit for the Raptors, but it will still be tough. The first two games in Cleveland were hard, and the crowd will only be more intense as the series gets more competitive. Regardless of the result of Wednesday’s game, the series will return to Toronto for game 6 on Friday night.

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Senators' Ridly Greig faces suspension hearing for sucker punch

Ottawa Senators forward Ridly Greig will have a hearing with the Department of NHL Player Safety after he sucker punched a Carolina Hurricanes player in a Game 4 loss.

During a scrum in the second period, Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker was being held in a headlock by the Senators' Warren Foegele. Greig hit Walker with an upper cut but wasn't penalized on the play.

A date and time for the hearing has yet to be announced. Any suspension would be served next season because the Senators were eliminated from the playoffs after the 4-2 loss on Saturday, April 25.

Greig has one previous NHL suspension, sitting out one preseason and one regular-season game for cross-checking in 2021.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ridly Greig faces NHL hearing after sucker punching Sean Walker

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NBA Playoffs 2026: Lakers can sweep Rockets in Game 4 — Here’s how to watch live

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An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets

The Los Angeles Lakers are just one win away from punching their ticket to the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

The Lakers took a commanding 3-0 series lead with a with a 112–108 overtime victory over the Houston Rockets in Friday’s Game 3.

After the Lakers controlled the first half of the game, the Rockets came back in the second half and held a four-point lead in the final minute of regulation, but a game-tying three-pointer from LeBron James with under 10 seconds left forced overtime.

The Lakers have been without Austin Reeves this series, but the injured guard is officially listed as a game-time decision today, upgraded from questionable on Friday, and could make his playoff debut.

Lakers vs. Rockets: what to know
  • What: NBA Playoffs First Round, Game 4
  • When: April 26, 6:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Toyota Center (Houston, Texas)
  • Channel: NBC
  • Streaming: DIRECTV (try it free)

If the Rockets win tonight, the series will go back to Los Angeles for Wednesday’s Game 5.

Lakers vs. Rockets start time:

Tonight’s (April 26) Lakers vs. Rockets playoff game is scheduled to tip off at 6:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m. ET.

How to watch Lakers vs. Rockets for free:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching basketball live for free — its five-day free trial includes NBC (plus every other channel you’ll need for the NBA playoffs including local channels). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

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Sling TV is another affordable way to stream NBA games; its Select plan includes NBC and starts at $19.99/month.

Lakers vs. Rockets first round playoff schedule

  • Game 1:Lakers 107, Rockets 98
  • Game 2: Lakers 101, Rockets 94
  • Game 3: Lakers tk, Rockets tk
  • Game 4: April 26, 9:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
  • Game 5: April 29*
  • Game 6: May 1*
  • Game 7: May 3*

* if necessary

NBA Playoffs key dates:

  • April 18: NBA Playoffs First Round begins
  • June 3: Game 1 of the NBA Finals
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Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.

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14-14 – Rangers back to .500 with 2-1 series finale loss

Apr 26, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers shortstop Josh Smith (8) lays down a bunt single during the sixth inning against the Athletics at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers scored a run but the Orion Arm Athletics scored two runs.

No doubt about it, the Rangers made some mistakes today.

First of all, they played a baseball game while up only one game above .500. As we know, that’s a guaranteed loss. If you’re asking me, given the circumstances, they probably should have just skipped this one.

Secondly, they got a few runners in scoring position here and there, and even had some dreaded bases loaded opportunities. As we know, that only means those potential runs were guaranteed to not score as they did in all but one of nine attempts, with the one success coming on a bunt single that didn’t even score a run. When they loaded ‘em up with no outs in a one-score game, they went strikeout, strikeout, flyout.

Third of all, they had Josh Jung in the lineup which wasn’t great because when Josh Jung doubled twice Josh Jung couldn’t follow Josh Jung because Josh Jung was already on second base so without Josh Jung at the plate, as we know, the Rangers had no hope of doing damage.

Player of the Game: Ironically, the person who perhaps made the worst mistake of the game (outside of Chris Young for signing Danny Jansen) was also probably the team’s best performer today (outside of Jung but he’s been in this space pretty much exclusively over the last few weeks).

Kumar Rocker started the game with two quick outs on four pitches and then walked the next two batters on nine pitches to bring up Carlos “Barry Bonds” Cortes.

Despite me never having heard of this person just weeks ago, Cortes has torched right-handed pitching this season and has feasted on Texas pitching in the seven games they’ve played in the season’s first month so of course, after working the count full, Cortes hit a two-out, two-run triple laser over the head of Evan Carter to score Not-Oakland’s two runs.

From there, however, Rocker settled in nicely and gave the Rangers six innings of two-run ball for an otherwise quality start marred by a bit of wildness or pacificity allowing the wrong guy at the wrong time up to do damage in what would ultimately be the game’s fateful moment.

Up Next: The Rangers will next welcome the New York Yankees to town for the last leg of the current homestand. RHP Jack Leiter is expected to pitch for Texas in the opener opposite LHP Max Fried for New York.

The Monday evening first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.

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Luis Gil struggles as Yankees end eight-game winning streak with stinker versus Astros

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) delivers a pitch against the Houston Astros, Image 2 shows Cody Bellinger of the New York Yankees reacts after striking out against the Houston Astros

HOUSTON – As good as the Yankees looked during their eight-game winning streak, they ended it on Sunday with an all-around stinker.

Deep in the heart of Texas, Luis Gil got deep-sixed while his previously red-hot offense did not come alive until the ninth inning, resulting in a 7-4 loss to the Astros at Daikin Park.

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Gil, who only has a few more guaranteed starts in the big leagues before he is likely to be the odd man out when Carlos Rodón returns from the injured list, did not do much to help his case on Sunday.

The right-hander gave up six runs across four-plus innings with plenty of loud contact, including a pair of two-run homers that put the Yankees (18-10) in an early hole.

Equally as troubling as the hard contact was the lack of swing-and-miss. Gil did not record a single whiff on the 22 four-seam fastballs the Astros (11-18) swung at, and only generated three whiffs overall on the 34 swings they took. 

Gil’s clunker snapped a strong stretch of starting pitching that had fueled the Yankees’ winning streak. The six runs he allowed nearly matched the amount of earned runs (seven) the Yankees had allowed in their last eight starts combined.

Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) reacts after striking out during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Aaron Judge, meanwhile, provided the only offense in seven innings against Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti, who allowed just three hits. On his 34th birthday, Judge crushed a solo home run, his 10th of the year, to get the Yankees on the board in the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to 7-1.

The Yankees mounted a two-out rally in the top of the ninth, with RBI doubles from Paul Goldschmidt and J.C. Escarra and an RBI single from Ryan McMahon. But it proved to be too little, too late.

Gil’s day got off to an inauspicious start, when he walked leadoff hitter Carlos Correa on four pitchers. Two outs later, he threw a 3-2 changeup down the middle to Christian Walker, who clobbered it for a two-run shot that came off the bat at 109.8 mph.

Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

In the third inning, Gil got two quick outs before Yordan Alvarez smoked a single and Isaac Paredes followed by crushing a 95 mph sinker off the left-field foul pole for another two-run homer that made it 4-0.

Then in the fifth, Gil gave up a walk and a double to the first two batters, at which point Aaron Boone decided he had seen enough and went to the bullpen.


Paul Blackburn entered and immediately fell behind 3-0 to Paredes, who got the green light and roped an RBI single.

Walker followed with a double to the gap that drove in two more runs for the 7-0 lead.

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Kevin Durant out for Rockets’ must-win Game 4 versus Lakers

Kevin Durant, wearing a white
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Friday, April 10, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/ Karen Warren)

Kevin Durant will again be unavailable to help his Rockets team.

Durant has been out for two of the three games during the bewildering series between the Lakers and Rockets, as he will also miss Game 4 due to an ankle injury, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.

Durant has a bone bruise that would typically sideline him for two to three weeks during the regular season, Charania reports, and the 19-year veteran will not be cleared in time for the Rockets’ possible final game of the season.

Durant, 37, has only been limited to one appearance during the playoffs, missing Game 1 due to a knee injury, and he was declared out of Game 3 with an ankle injury.

Kevin Durant will miss Game 4 of the Rockets-Lakers first-round series in the NBA’s Western Conference playoffs. AP

The Lakers are up 3-0 in the series, bordering a sweep behind the efforts of 41-year-old LeBron James as Luka Doncic continues to nurse a hamstring injury suffered late in the regular season, and Austin Reaves — who missed Game 3 despite being upgraded to questionable — has been dealing with an oblique strain.

Reaves is questionable to play in Game 4.

The Lakers have won Games 1-3 by a combined 20 points, notably stealing what looked to be a Rockets win in Game 3, forcing overtime, where they won 112-108 in Houston.

James is averaging 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists in the series while shooting over 47 percent from the field and hitting close to 44 percent of his threes.

Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers center DeAndre Ayton (5) as he drives to the basket during the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In Durant’s only game played in the series, he managed to log 41 minutes, pouring in 23 points with six rebounds and four assists, though he did commit nine turnovers and four personal fouls.

The winner of the series, which will likely be the Lakers, will move on to face the NBA title favorite Thunder, assuming they don’t blow their 3-0 lead over the Suns.

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European football: Inter fritter away two-goal lead; goalkeepers sent off for fighting in Spain

  • Nikola Vlasic scores Torino equaliser in 2-2 draw

  • Dortmund seal Champions League spot with 4-0 win

Champions-elect Inter were held to a 2-2 draw at Torino on Sunday, with the Serie A leaders letting slip a two-goal lead and leaving the title race ticking over with four rounds left.

Inter appeared to be cruising after Marcus Thuram put them in front in the 23rd minute and Yann Bisseck doubled their lead 16 minutes after the break with another header but Torino clawed their way back into the game.

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Is Kevin Durant playing tonight? Latest status for today's game vs. Lakers

On the verge of elimination, the Houston Rockets may once again be without their best player.

All-Star forward Kevin Durant, who missed Houston’s Game 3 loss with a sprained ankle, had been listed as questionable on the team’s injury reports leading up to tip-off, which is scheduled for Sunday, April 26 at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Durant missed Houston’s 112-108 loss Friday, April 26 that dropped the Rockets to a 3-0 hole in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Durant sustained the sprained ankle in the second half of Game 2 on Tuesday, April 21. In that game, Durant scored 20 points in the first half on 6-of-7 shooting. After intermission, however, Lakers coach JJ Redick threw double-teams at Durant, forcing the ball out of his hands. In the second half, Durant scored just 3 points on 1-of-5 shooting.

But all eyes turn to Sunday’s game as the Rockets are trying to avoid a sweep.

Here’s everything you need to know about Kevin Durant’s status Sunday vs. the Lakers:

Is Kevin Durant playing tonight vs. Lakers?

Although Houston had been listing Durant as questionable on early injury reports ahead of Game 4, the team downgraded him to out in the 4:30 p.m. ET injury report.

Per the report, further testing revealed that Durant has also been diagnosed with a bone bruise in the sprained left ankle, prompting him to seek continued treatment ahead of Game 4. In fact, Durant wasn’t present on Houston’s bench during Game 3, with coach Ime Udoka saying that his absence was because he was getting treatment on the ankle.

“He was getting treatment regardless before (the game) and working on some things,” Udoka said after Game 3. “He was getting in the pool and trying to get some running in and do all those things to prepare. He was back there getting treatment, getting the ice and doing things you can’t do on the bench.”

Durant faced some criticism online for his absence from the bench.

Kevin Durant stats

In 78 games this season, Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kevin Durant injury update for Rockets vs. Lakers Game 4

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MacKinnon Powers Avalanche Past Kings as Colorado Completes Sweep

The first three games of the opening round playoff series between the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings were tightly contested.

Game 4 was anything but.

The Avalanche rolled to a 5-1 victory over the Kings to complete the sweep and punch their ticket to the second round. It marks just the third time in franchise history that the Avalanche have swept their opponent in the opening round of the postseason, with Colorado going on to win the Stanley Cup in two of those previous three seasons.

Colorado was powered by Nathan MacKinnon, who finished with three points on two goals and an assist. Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Nic Roy also scored, while captain Gabe Landeskog added two assists.

Scott Wedgewood, who started all four games in the series, turned aside 24 shots as the Avalanche completed the sweep. Anze Kopitar’s career came to an end following the loss.

First Period

The Avalanche killed off two penalties in the first half of the period after Roy and Nick Blankenburg were both called for interference, though the second penalty was, at best, a ticky-tack call.

Los Angeles also fell victim to a controversial interference call when Brian Dumoulin knocked Artturi Lehkonen down in front of the net. On the ensuing power play, MacKinnon blasted a one-timer from the left circle to make it a 1–0 game. It was the Rocket Richard Trophy winner’s first goal of the postseason and Colorado’s first power play goal of the playoffs.

At 17:58, a flurry of penalties broke out involving both teams. Jack Drury and Alex Turcotte each received minor penalties, while Samuel Helenius was assessed two separate minors along with a 10-minute misconduct. Jeff Malott was also sent off for roughing Drury during the same sequence, turning the moment into a multi-player scrum with penalties on both sides.

Second Period

Makar made it 2–0 at 5:48 when he tracked down a loose puck at the blue line, danced around Kings defenseman Taylor Ward, and snapped a wrister past Kings netminder Anton Forsberg, who made 27 saves, to double the lead. Ward tried to haul him down after realizing he was beaten but couldn’t slow him before he got the shot off.

The Kings got a lifeline with 6:17 left in the period when Joel Edmundson fired a shot through a screen by Kopitar, beating Wedgewood to cut the deficit to 2–1.

With under five minutes remaining in the second, Kadri took a series of punishing hits from Edmundson, who eliminated him against the boards. 

But with Josh Manson out for an undetermined amount of time with an upper-body injury, the question remains who will step up and provide that physical edge for the Avalanche. MacKinnon certainly didn’t hesitate, delivering a heavy hit on Dumoulin at the blue line just before the end of the period.

Third Period

The Kings came out with a head of steam in the early moments of the third period, desperate to avoid getting swept. Kopitar led the rush up the ice and got a shot off on Wedgewood, but the Avalanche goaltender came up with the save.

Nic Roy cashed in at 3:13 with his second goal of the series, punching home a rebound off an initial shot from Artturi Lehkonen to restore Colorado’s two-goal lead at 3–1. The play was set up by Sam Malinski, who fed Lehkonen along the right wing as the Finnish forward fought off a defender before getting the puck on net.

Just 2:48 later, Colorado added an insurance marker when MacKinnon fed Devon Toews, and the star defenseman ripped a top-shelf wrister to make it 4–1, as the Avalanche made it clear they wanted to close out the opening round with a statement win.

With the seconds ticking away, it became evident that the Kings may have traded for Artemi Panarin at the deadline just to make their annual first-round exit feel a little more expensive.

MacKinnon added an empty-net goal, and his second of the night, to make it 5-1. It was MacKinnon's 57th career playoff goal in his 99th career playoff game.

In the end, it was a championship-caliber performance from the Colorado Avalanche.

Even without their most physical presence in the lineup, every line elevated its game, every shift carried weight, and every response felt intentional. That’s what separates good teams from dangerous ones—and right now, this group looks very much like the latter.

The Avalanche will face the winner of the series between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild, with the Wild earning a 4-3 overtime victory on Saturday to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

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JR Ritchie to get second start, Reynaldo López heads to bullpen

Apr 23, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher JR Ritchie (56) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Atlanta Braves manager Walt Weiss announced after today’s 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies that rookie starting pitcher JR Ritchie will get his second major league start on Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers.

Weiss also confirm that former right-handed starter Reynaldo López is heading to the bullpen to work out some mechanical issues that are framed as the culprit of his last two sub-optimal starts.

Ritchie made his MLB debut on April 23, picking up the victory after tossing seven innings of two-run ball. The righty struck out seven against the Washington Nationals.

López, pitched in only one game in 2025 after a sterling first season in Atlanta in 2024. The 32-year-old has made five starts this year for the Braves, logging 21.2 innings. However, he allowed a combined seven earned runs in his past two starts – including four in a single inning of work on April 21.

Rehabbing starting pitcher Spencer Strider pitched five strong innings for Triple-A Gwinnett today and could be activated off the IL within the next week. The Braves have not yet announced if Strider will make an additional minor league start.

Ritchie will make his home debut, weather permitting, as the Braves take on a Tigers squad looking to win the American League Central Division.

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Stephon Castle injury: Spurs guard bangs up left hand vs. Trail Blazers

The first round of the NBA playoffs has produced a spate of injuries, and the San Antonio Spurs are facing one more.

On the day that Victor Wembanyama returned from a concussion, guard Stephon Castle, the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year, suffered an injured left hand during a drive to the basket Sunday, April 26 in Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Portland Trail Blazers.

On the play, which came midway through the second quarter, Castle was driving against Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, who tried to draw a charge. When Castle crashed into Grant, however, the two fell to the court, and Castle landed on his left hand.

He initially remained in the game, but repeatedly favored it, especially when it grazed against other players. Eventually Castle asked to be subbed out, and he headed into the locker room.

REPORT: Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards expected to miss multiple weeks

According to the ESPN broadcast, Castle received X-rays, though he eventually returned to the bench. Once seated, he continued to be in apparent discomfort, shaking his left hand.

Castle did have more tape on the hand, and he returned to the game briefly before being subbed out with 1:57 left in the first half.

Through two quarters, Castle played 11:48 and went 4-of-8 from the field for 10 points, adding 2 assists.

The Spurs struggled in the second quarter, as Portland has opened a 58-41 lead at the half.

The good news for San Antonio was that Castle was on the floor to start the third quarter, which coincided with a 13-0 Spurs run to start the period.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stephon Castle injures hand during Spurs vs Blazers in NBA playoffs

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Mets' bats again go cold in 3-1 loss to Rockies: 'We've got to get it going'

After a promising 10-8 win over the Minnesota Twins last Thursday, the Mets’ offense appeared to regress back to the doldrums of their 12-game losing streak on Sunday afternoon, falling to the Colorado Rockies 3-1 in the first game of a doubleheader.

The numbers weren’t pretty. The Mets had just four hits off of Jose Quintana and the Rockies bullpen, they went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, and they left six men on. 

In both the first and eighth innings, the Mets loaded the bases with one out. But both times, they came away with nothing.

“It’s frustrating, obviously,” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “Not having good at-bats and then we had an opportunity with the bases loaded right away and couldn’t’ cash in. Every time you get an opportunity like that, we’ve got to be able to capitalize there, and we haven’t been able to do that. 

“We’ve got to get going.”

Mendoza was asked, point-blank, if the offense is fixable.

“Yes. We’ve got to do something,” he said. “That’s not a good showing. We’ve got to fix it.”

Nolan McLean, the Mets' rising star on the mound, was electric in the early going, facing the minimum through the first three innings. He ran into trouble in both the fifth and sixth innings, and ultimately was pulled with the bags full in the sixth. 

All in all, he allowed two runs (one earned run) on five hits, striking out seven and walking two. 

McLean took the tough-luck loss in Sunday’s first game, but said afterwards that he and the entire pitching staff believe in this Mets lineup.

"The way we see it in the clubhouse is, 'any minute now.' We look at the lineup going out there each day and we know how hard they're working,” McLean said. “It's just a matter of time. We know how good those players are who are in the lineup for us.”