Foul should have been called against Knicks at end of win vs. Pistons, NBA says

Foul should have been called against Knicks at end of win vs. Pistons, NBA says originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Detroit’s Tim Hardaway Jr. said he got fouled on the game’s final play. The NBA agreed with him.

It didn’t matter.

Referees missed Hardaway getting fouled while shooting a 3-pointer on the final play of Detroit’s 94-93 loss to the Knicks in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday. The NBA acknowledged the mistake shortly after the game, saying a foul should have been called on the Knicks’ Josh Hart.

Had the foul been called, Hardaway would have been awarded three free throws with about 0.3 seconds left. Instead, the game ended on that play and Detroit left fuming.

“You guys saw it,” Hardaway said after the game, speaking to reporters. “Blatant.”

The Knicks took a 3-1 lead in the series, with Game 5 in New York on Tuesday.

“During live play, it was judged that Josh Hart made a legal defensive play,” crew chief David Guthrie told a pool reporter after the game. “After postgame review, we observed that Hart makes body contact that is more than marginal to Hardaway Jr. and a foul should have been called.”

Hart didn’t dispute that he made contact with Hardaway.

“Did I make contact with him? Yeah, I made contact with him,” Hart said. “Was it legal? I don’t know. We’ll let the two-minute report say that.”

The NBA puts out a review of all calls in the final two minutes of games decided by three points or fewer, with those reports released the day after the game. But in this case, with a pool report requested, the NBA had Guthrie speak to a reporter and explain what happened.

Detroit argued to no avail after time expired. Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff was clearly angered and approached the officiating crew on the floor shortly after the final shot, but he had no mechanism to challenge the call. One, the Pistons had used their challenge earlier in the game and two, even if Bickerstaff still had the challenge it wouldn’t have mattered — technically, no call was made, so he couldn’t have challenged anyway.

“There’s contact on Tim Hardaway’s jump shot,” Bickerstaff said. “I don’t know any other way around it. There’s contact on his jump shot. The guy leaves his feet, he’s at Timmy’s mercy. I repeat, there’s contact on his jump shot.”

The Pistons had the ball with 11.1 seconds left, down by one. Cade Cunningham missed a jump shot with 7.4 seconds remaining and, after a scramble, the ball ended up in Hardaway’s hands in the left corner.

Hardaway ball-faked to get Hart into the air, and Hart clearly made contact with the right side of Hardaway’s body as he was in the act of shooting.

Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns was asked for his view of the play after the game.

“What do you want me to say? View of what?” Towns said, smiling. “Going back to Madison Square Garden. Happy we got a win. You like that answer? Is that good?”

Tadej Pogacar and Mauritius’ Kim Le Court claim Liège-Bastogne-Liège glory

  • Pogacar leaves rivals behind with uphill attack
  • Le Court wins four-way sprint in women’s race

Tadej Pogacar launched one of his trademark uphill attacks to win the Liège–Bastogne–Liège classic race for the third time on Sunday. The defending champion made his move about 35km (22 miles) from the end of the undulating 252km (156-mile) trek to open up a gap of 10sec at the top, and then kept increasing it all the way to the line.

It was his third victory overall at the spring classic race, which is also one of the five “monuments” in one-day cycling along with Paris-Roubaix on the cobbles, the Tour of Lombardy, Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders. Pogacar now has nine “monument” victories.

Continue reading...

Matthew Tkachuk hit on Jake Guentzel won't lead to disciplinary hearing, per report

Apr 26, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrates after scoring a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period during game three of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

Matthew Tkachuk will not be facing any supplemental discipline following Game 3 between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Late in the third period of Tampa’s 5-1 win, Tkachuk was given a five-minute major for interference after an open ice hit on the Lightning’s Jake Guentzel.

With less than five minutes remaining in the game, Tkachuk was done for the night.

B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) on XB/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) on XMatthew Tkachuk has been given a 5-minute major for this hit on Jake Guentzel before Tampa's ENG

The hit came one game after Tampa forward Brandon Hagel was given a five-minute major, also for interference, on a hit on Florida Captain Sasha Barkov.

Hagel was subsequently suspended for one game by the NHL Department of Player Safety.

Barkov left the game and did not return, but he was able to play for Florida in Game 3.

Overall, the physical intensity in the series has been gradually increasing.

It came as no surprise to see Tkachuk go for the hit on Guentzel, and it will be interesting to see how both teams handle themselves as the series continues forward.

According to NHL inside David Pagnotta, the difference between the hits – that Guentzel had played the puck and Tkachuk made no head contact – were contributing factors to the league’s decision not to hold a disciplinary hearing for Tkachuk.

So far in the series, Tkachuk has racked up three goals and an assist. 

Game 4 between the Panthers and Lightning is set for Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena.

Hagel will be back from his suspension and both teams should be at full strength for what should be an amazing game between two powerhouse squads.

The puck drops in Sunrise at 7 p.m.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

Three takeaways: Game 3 had some good elements but ultimately got away from Panthers

Panthers falter on home ice in Game 3, Tampa Bay picks up first win of series

Sasha Barkov will play Game 3 against Tampa Bay

Ekblad set to return, Hagel suspended as Panthers seek to take stranglehold on series with Tampa Bay

Panthers' Nate Schmidt Ties NHL Record With Hot Playoff Start

Brandon Marsh pulled from 4th rehab game with hamstring cramp

Brandon Marsh pulled from 4th rehab game with hamstring cramp originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CHICAGO — Playing at Triple A for the fourth straight day, Brandon Marsh exited after six innings on Sunday with a cramp in the right hamstring he strained April 16.

The Phillies will evaluate Marsh back in Philadelphia on Monday but given it’s the same body part that sent him to the injured list, you can bet they’ll be cautious.

“I watched his at-bats yesterday, it looks like his timing’s OK,” manager Rob Thomson said. “We’ll see. (Hitting coach Kevin Long) seemed to like the swings, the timing, the balance. But I don’t know where we’re at now with the hammy.”

Sunday was the first day Marsh was eligible to return from the IL but the Phillies wanted to extend his rehab assignment until he looked right at the plate. Marsh is just 4-for-42 (.095) on the season with 16 strikeouts so this has also been a chance for him to find a rhythm away from hundreds of thousands of eyeballs.

“I think it’s good for him, sure, because you could see the sawdust coming out of his hands as he was up at the plate,” Thomson said Saturday. “He was just trying to do too much. It’s a process and it takes time.”

They’ll find out Monday whether Marsh needs to sit back down for a few days.

Johan Rojas continues to start every day in center field in Marsh’s absence with Cal Stevenson backing him up. Edmundo Sosa has played a bit of center as well this year for the first time but the Phillies feel most comfortable playing him there during the day.

Suarez whiffs eight

Ranger Suarez threw 78 pitches over 4⅔ innings Sunday for the IronPigs, striking out eight and throwing a first-pitch strike to 18 of the 20 hitters he faced.

Suarez has been sharp in all four rehab starts. The Phillies will determine Monday or Tuesday whether he makes one more to extend to 85-95 pitches or joins their big-league rotation.

“It’s great if he’s pitching like Ranger can pitch and it looks like he has been,” Thomson said. “When he’s good, he’s one of the best in the league.”

Suarez has been out since early March with a lower-back injury. He couldn’t have more incentive to pitch well — free agency looms after the season and it’s been nearly a year since he opened 2024 with a 1.75 ERA through 15 starts.

Sanchez throws bullpen session

Cristopher Sanchez threw a bullpen session Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field, five days after leaving a start early at Citi Field with left forearm tightness.

Sanchez has been examined by the training staff in the days since and felt normal. He, too, will be reevaluated Monday morning to determine the date of his next start. The Phillies will pitch Zack Wheeler on Tuesday against the Nationals but the rest of the week is currently TBD pending the statuses of Sanchez and Suarez.

‘It’s Not A Good Penalty’: Craig Berube Critical Of Max Domi Penalty As Maple Leafs’ Lack Of Discipline Proves Costly In Game 4 Loss To Senators

Mar 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Max Domi (11) watches for the puck drop on a face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs had an opportunity to close out their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night. Instead, a lack of discipline was a key factor that cost them in a 4-3 overtime loss.

Toronto handed Ottawa four power-play opportunities compared to just two of their own. While both teams scored once on the man advantage, the Leafs squandered a golden opportunity in overtime with a four-minute power play.

'That's An Easy Decision For Me': Maple Leafs Miss 4-Minute Overtime Power Play, Squander Chance to Sweep Senators'That's An Easy Decision For Me': Maple Leafs Miss 4-Minute Overtime Power Play, Squander Chance to Sweep SenatorsKANATA, Ont. — The Toronto Maple Leafs were afforded a golden opportunity to complete a four-game sweep of the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. 

However, the first momentum swing came early, following a costly penalty by Max Domi. Midway through the first period, during a faceoff against Shane Pinto, Domi used the butt end of his stick to hit Pinto in the face. The puck had not yet been dropped, and as Pinto leaned in anticipating it, Domi let his emotions get the best of him, retaliating by clipping him in frustration.

The 30-year-old was assessed a roughing penalty at 7:59 of the first period. Less than two minutes later, Tim Stutzle capitalized on the power play, recording his first career playoff goal and giving Ottawa a 1-0 lead. It marked the second consecutive game in which the Senators opened the scoring on the man advantage — a not-so-good trend for the Leafs.

Following the Game 4 loss, Leafs head coach Craig Berube voiced his displeasure when asked about the Domi penalty during his Sunday media availability.

“Yeah, it's not a good penalty. He knows that,” Berube said. “His emotions got a little too high there and involved. And, yeah, that's one of the penalties that he knows he can't take and our team doesn't want to take.”

The bench boss had emphasized discipline before Game 4, acknowledging that staying out of post-whistle scrums and maintaining composure were critical elements to playoff success – as he’s harped on all series long.

“It's just understanding that the scrums and all that – don't react to it,” Berube said pre-game on Saturday. “Play hard between the whistles. I get there's desperation plays sometimes and take penalties, and that's going to happen in the game. But it's the other stuff you want to be really good at, having composure and initiating as much as you can. You've got to stay out of it as best you can. I don't have an answer for it. I mean, it's just the understanding of it,” said Berube before Game 4.

When push came to shove, the Maple Leafs couldn't overcome their early mistakes. Though they battled back down 2-0 and 3-2 in the game, the Leafs dropped Game 4 in overtime by a 4-3 score. The Domi penalty could have easily been avoided had he controlled his emotions, helping the Leafs earn a victory and advance to the second round. Instead, it allowed Ottawa to grab momentum and put Toronto on its heels early as the first domino to fall.

'Just Keep Going': How The Maple Leafs Will Combat The Seed Of Doubt In Game 5 Against Senators'Just Keep Going': How The Maple Leafs Will Combat The Seed Of Doubt In Game 5 Against SenatorsAs the Toronto Maple Leafs walked into the dressing room following their 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators, they could have thought either of two ways: it was only one loss, or their sky was beginning to fall.

In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, mistakes need to be limited to have any version of success. The penalty was a mistake and not a good infraction to take early in the first period on the road in a series-clinching game. It’s an area the club will need to clean up moving forward, beginning in Game 5 at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.

Stay updated with the most interesting Maple Leafs stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Anything Is Possible: Could Other Unbreakable NHL Records Be Broken Following Ovechkin's Surpassing Of Gretzky?

Alex Ovechkin (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

By Jared Clinton, Features Writer

At one time, it seemed impossible. Later, it became implausible. And then, slowly and steadily, it transformed from existing somewhere within the realm of possibility to simply a matter of time. None of that, though, makes it any less surreal that Alex Ovechkin has blasted his way past Wayne Gretzky to assume the mantle as the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring king.

When Gretzky hung up his skates in 1999, he did so in the midst of an ultra-defensive era. Scoring had plummeted. It made sense, then, that his career goal total was categorized among his individual feats that would go unmatched. But Ovechkin’s arrival and lamplighting prowess begat whispers about a challenge to Gretzky’s throne. Those whispers grew in strength as ‘The Great Eight’ rose from precocious rookie sensation to perennial Rocket Richard Trophy favorite. Now, Ovechkin has cemented himself as the greatest goal-scorer the game has ever seen.

With Ovechkin overtaking one of the marks formerly considered untouchable – and in doing so proving that most records really are made to be broken – the mind starts to wander. Is it only a matter of time before other significant individual achievements fall? Which feats appear secure but are perhaps precariously held? And are there any records that remain unbreakable?

Clock is Ticking

Gretzky held the goal-scoring crown for 31 years, but that’s still shorter than Doug Jarvis’ tenure as the NHL’s ironman. Jarvis held the title for nearly 35 years, from October 1987 to January 2022, when Keith Yandle played in his 965th consecutive game. Yandle’s time as ironman, however, was short-lived. Within nine months, he was passed by Phil Kessel, who pushed the mark to 1,064 games. But the durability of this era’s players makes it seem likely that Kessel won’t hold the top spot for all that long. Nine of the 14 players to play in 600-plus consecutive games have done so in the past 11 years, including Brent Burns, the active leader at 925 consecutive games played and counting.

Staying healthy will also be important in the pursuit of the single-season power-play goal record. Tim Kerr holds the mark, having potted an astounding 34 PP goals in 1985-86, but the NHL is currently in a special-teams resurgence. This season was the fourth in a row in which NHL power plays operated at an average of 20.5 percent or higher. The last stretch of four such seasons spanned from 1986-87 to 1989-1990. And the current power-play excellence has given rise to some Kerr challengers. Leon Draisaitl notched 32 PP goals in 2022-23. Sam Reinhart posted 27 last season. If scoring with the man advantage continues to boom, Kerr’s record stands to fall.

If the Stars Align

Given that league-wide scoring is holding at levels commensurate with the first post-lockout campaign and that five of the highest-scoring individual scoring seasons of the past 20 years have come since 2022-23, there is a case to be made that we’re in an era of big-time production. Gretzky’s single-season scoring record – 215 points in 1985-86 – isn’t in danger, but could a rearguard set a new record for single-season points by a defenseman?

Brent Burns (Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)

For more than 50 years, Bobby Orr has held the record, with his 139-point season in 1970-71 sitting atop the list. But the current generation of blueliners is redefining what it means to produce from the back end. To wit, we are only two years removed from Erik Karlsson’s 101-point season, which saw him become the first defenseman since Brian Leetch in 1991-92 to reach the 100-point plateau. That makes Karlsson one of four defensemen to register 90 points in the post-lockout era, all of whom have done so in the past four seasons.

We’re also only beginning to see Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes enter their primes. This season, Makar hit 90 points for the second straight year. Hughes battled injury but scored at nearly a 95-point pace. And the players they’re inspiring could hound after Orr’s mark down the line. Lane Hutson became the first rookie defenseman since Nicklas Lidstrom in 1991-92 to score 60 points in a season. The defensemen who emerge in the coming years could build on the foundations laid by Makar and Hughes.

But even in an era of increased scoring, a battery of goaltending records could fall at a moment’s notice. Chief among those is the longest shutout streak.

While the record is six straight shutouts, held by Alec Connell, it’s worth noting that that run came during the 1927-28 season – when the forward pass was permitted in only the defensive and neutral zones. Thus, some acknowledge Brian Boucher’s five straight shutouts in 2003-04 as the modern achievement. And while no one since Boucher has posted four consecutive shutouts, there are seven instances in the past decade in which a goaltender has pieced together a three-shutout run, most recently Andrei Vasilevskiy and Semyon Varlamov in 2020-21.

A shutout streak could pair well, too, with the record for single-season saves. Gump Worsley is in the top spot with a 2,376-save season, but it’s not unrealistic for a present-day keeper to mount a challenge. Worsley accumulated his total over 70 games, which is greater than but not far from the workloads that netminders play these days. Twice in the post-lockout NHL has Worsley been threatened – by Roberto Luongo in 2005-06 (2,275 saves in 75 games) and Cam Ward in 2010-11 (2,191 saves in 74 games). More recently, Frederik Andersen posted 2,029 saves in 66 games during the 2017-18 season.

And how about the single-season win total? In 2015-16, Braden Holtby tied Martin Brodeur’s then-nine-year-old record of 48 wins – and Holtby did so despite playing in 12 fewer games than Brodeur. Further fuelling speculation the mark could fall? Connor Hellebuyck won 47 of his 63 games this season. It proves that a workhorse keeper on a title contender can mount a chase.

It would take something truly special, though, for anyone to chase down Brodeur for the top spot on the all-time wins list. Given his consistency and sturdiness, Hellebuyck might have the best chance – he’s at 322 victories. However, he’d have to average nearly 40 wins per season for another decade. The same can be said for Vasilevskiy, who – with the pending retirement of Marc-Andre Fleury and his career 575 wins – is third among active keepers. Vasilevskiy would have to maintain a similar 40-win clip until he called it a career to reach the record. The conditions would have to be perfect for Hellebuyck, Vasilevskiy or any up-and-comer to surpass Brodeur.

Connor Hellebuyck (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)Auston Matthews (Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)

The Untouchables

Which brings us to those that will stand the test of time.

While The Great One may have lost one of his most notable records, he still has a stranglehold on a great many of the NHL’s single-season and career bests – as well as one of the most formidable in league history: 50 goals in 39 games. The closest modern challengers have been Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid, who have recorded 33 goals in 39 games.

Perhaps more than his goal-scoring feats, though, Gretzky’s work as a set-up man makes for the most unattainable marks. For instance, Gretzky is atop the all-time assists ledger (1,963) by more than 700, and he’s 900 ahead of any active player. Combine that with his goal total and it’s unfathomable that anyone in this lifetime or the next will be able to match Gretzky’s 2,857 career points. That’s the equivalent of 19 consecutive 150-point campaigns. Only once since the turn of the millennium – McDavid in 2022-23 – has a player posted even one 150-point season.

And while Gretzky’s career point total is among the NHL’s most unmatchable, that record still pales in comparison to what is arguably the most awe-inspiring record in the sport: Glenn Hall’s mark for most consecutive complete games by a goaltender.

From Oct. 6, 1955, through to Nov. 4, 1962, Hall played every possible minute in the blue paint, 502 consecutive games. Forget the single-season games-played mark (Grant Fuhr’s 79 games) or the all-time total (Brodeur’s 1,266 contests) it’s Hall’s streak that is a truly breathtaking feat. What we know about the physical toll of the goaltending position on the body makes it not unlikely, not implausible, but absolutely, unequivocally impossible anyone will ever pry that record from Hall.


This article appeared in our 2025 Top-100 NHLers issue. This issue focuses on the 100 best players currently in the NHL, with the Avalanche's Nathan MacKinnon sitting atop the list. We also include features on Alex Ovechkin finally beating Wayne Gretzky's goal-scoring record, and former CFL running back Andrew Harris' switch to semi-professional hockey. In addition, we provide a PWHL playoff preview as the regular season nears its end.

You can get it in print for free when you subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/Free today. All subscriptions include complete access to more than 76 years of articles at The Hockey News Archive.

First-place Giants end grueling gauntlet with familiar fireworks

First-place Giants end grueling gauntlet with familiar fireworks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Perhaps the most fitting ending the Giants could have asked for.

With no outs, nobody on and the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Heliot Ramos dribbled a ball between third base and the pitcher’s mound, and thanks to a pair of throwing errors on the play, circled the bases to deliver a thrilling walk-off little-league-style home run that capped a 3-2 win on Sunday at Oracle Park.

“Honestly, I remember when I got to second, and then after that I blacked out and kept running,” Ramos told reporters postgame. “I saw [third base coach Matt Williams] waving me and I saw the ball and I turned and just kept running.”

Ramos initially stopped as he pulled into second base before he realized where the ball was. Giants manager Bob Melvin pointed out after the game, that had Ramos kept running instead of hesitating, he likely would have eased into third without a throw and the ensuing second throwing error that allowed him to score would not have happened. Although, with how the team has performed in high-leverage situations, it’s fair to assume he eventually would have found his way home.

“For whatever reason, it all worked out about as good as you could … sometimes things happen for a reason, and the theatrics were pretty cool there at the end,” Melvin told reporters.

It wasn’t pretty. And boy, was it exhausting. But it got the job done. The same could be said for a lot of the Giants’ wins on their stretch of 17 games without a day off.

The two-and-a-half-week marathon was a gauntlet. First, a three-game series against the reigning American League champion New York Yankees (17-11). Then four against the perennially-championship-contending Philadelphia Phillies, followed by three against (at the time) a hot Los Angeles Angels squad before consecutive home series against the Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers, two teams off to slow starts, but more than capable of winning their respective divisions at the end of the season.

What do the Giants (19-10) have to show for it? A 10-7 record in those 17 games and first place in the National League West.

Not too shabby.

“I think it was great, and we had a lot of guys playing every day, too,” Melvin said of his team’s performance on the stretch. “So to be able to post up, day games, night games, travel, East Coast, West Coast. It was pretty significant, and these guys just continue to go out there and fight and our best work is usually done at the end. So I think they handled 17 in a row really well.”

“I think it was pretty good,” Ramos added. “I think New York was the toughest for us, it was pretty cold and rainy. I think this stretch, all the wins that we got, playing as a team, it’s going to help us throughout the season with this momentum.”

Again, it wasn’t perfect. The Giants feel as if they should have notched another win or two. But all things considered, they not only kept their heads above water, but proved they have what it takes to contend with the game’s best.

“We don’t have many of those stretches, so it’s important that whenever we have the tougher ones that we come out on top with a winning record,” Giants starting pitcher Jordan Hicks said. “I think we handed it really well. There were some that we probably would have liked back, but at the same time, 10-7 is pretty good.”

What’s their reward? A day off in beautiful San Diego before two big games against the Padres (17-11), one of their division foes, along with the vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers (18-10), who trail them in the standings.

“I can’t wait,” Ramos, with a big grin on his face, said about the day off. “It’s going to be great. A great off day, for sure.”

“Last year was always fun battling those guys, you know what you’re going up against,” Hicks said of the Padres. “Pretty elite lineup and solid pitching as well. It should be fun. It’s always a good environment and one of my favorite stadiums. I get to watch the games, watch [Logan Webb] dominate and hopefully come out with two [wins].”

After their quick stop in Southern California, the Giants then have three games against the MLB-worst Colorado Rockies (4-23) before another tough series against the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs (17-11).

Then, a much-more favorable month of May that the Giants could use to position themselves quite well for a second-half playoff push.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Did Warriors solve Rockets' defense? Kerr urges appropriate caution

Did Warriors solve Rockets' defense? Kerr urges appropriate caution originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Deep into the third game of their first-round NBA playoff series against the Houston Rockets, the Warriors couldn’t find their trademark offense. The passing, cutting and dazzling ball movement that defines them at their best was being stifled by Houston’s rangy, rugged defense.

One of the ways the Warriors measure their offense is assist totals per game. If they record 30 or more, it’s working. If they’re between 25 and 29, it’s less than ideal but workable.

They had 20 in Game 1, 22 in Game 2 and eight through the first half of Game 3 on Saturday. Five assists per quarter is, for this offense, a sign of abject failure. The Warriors were averaging 47 points per half.

The second half of Game 3 brought the first glimpse of success, as the Warriors recorded 16 assists, scoring 58 points, to close out a 104-93 victory. They found a solution.

Maybe.

“I never liked the word solve, just because I think every game is different, and you have to adapt to whatever’s happening,” coach Steve Kerr said Sunday. “I think we found some things in the fourth quarter, but that doesn’t mean they will translate to tomorrow.”

Consider this a caution sign for Game 4. It might reek of “coach speak,” but it’s a reasonable approach in the middle of a postseason series. Coaches and players find adjustments along the way, sometimes between games, sometimes at halftime. Sometimes, even, between possessions.

Yet that second half was instructive insofar as Stephen Curry found impeccable balance between scoring and using his gravity to make plays for others. His two-man game with Gary Payton II torched the Rockets, particularly in the pull-away fourth quarter.

With 10 assists and only two turnovers, Golden State rang up 35 points in the fourth on 57.1-percent shooting from the field. With the Rockets up 84-83, the Curry-Payton connection got busy. Curry to a cutting GP2 for a layup. Curry to a cutting GP2 for another layup. Curry to GP2 for a corner 3-ball that gave Golden State its first four-point lead, 90-86, with 4:29 left.

The Rockets never got any closer.

“There were some good combinations out there,” Kerr said. “And again, tomorrow could be totally different. You could throw the exact same combination out there and not have success.

“Really, it’s about figuring out each game and what’s happening and trying to find combinations that click. And some night shots go in, other nights they don’t. You often ride the hot hand, so it’s really hard to sort of come to a conclusion and say, ‘We’ve solved this or that,’ and then just do that again, because it doesn’t necessarily happen so easily.”

The combinations surely will change if Jimmy Butler III is available for Game 4. He brings contrast in style, generally trying to pick apart a defense with more deliberate passing to maximize any cutting.

But the Steph-GP2 combo is tried and true. Has been for years.

“He knows how to find his spots and how to use Steph to get things for himself,” Draymond Green, speaking after Game 3, said of Payton. “That’s big. Any time … you learn how to play off Steph, it makes the game a lot easier for you. Any time you can pick up on those things and play great off Steph, he just has so much gravity. His gravity on the court is incredible.

“So, if you learn how to play off that, it kind of puts you as an advantage, and G has been great at that for years now.”

A win in Game 4 would give the No. 7 seed Warriors a 3-1 series lead and put them in prime position to oust the second-seeded Rockets from the Western Conference playoffs. But Kerr’s caution is rooted in his years of experience as a player and coach.

An adjustment is coming from Houston. It shouldn’t take long to discover if it will be enough to send Golden State’s offense back to the edge of futility, scrambling for buckets as it did in the first 10 quarters of this series.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

2025 NBA Playoffs results, highlights, recap April 26 including Aaron Gordon’s dunk saving Nuggets

INGLEWOOD, Calif —It was a wild Saturday across the NBA, but the two biggest games of the day were in California.

NUGGETS 101, LA CLIPPERS 99 (series tied 2-2)

Denver would have lost if this game had gone to overtime. Their starters had all played at least 42 minutes of regulation basketball, and you could see how tired they were, particularly in their suddenly slow (and sometimes non-existent) defensive rotations. The Clippers had the momentum.

However, the Nuggets had Aaron Gordon saving the game — and perhaps their season.

That theme about depth — the Clippers have it, the Nuggets do not — is going to be a main one the rest of this series.

In Game 4, the Clippers' bench played 59:45 minutes, more than double the Nuggets' 25:33 (to be fair, the Nuggets were without Russell Westbrook due to an ankle injury). The Clippers' closing lineup featured a bench player (Bogdan Bogdanovic in for Kris Dunn). All of that is why the Clippers were the fresher team down the stretch.

That matters, but the Clippers need better production from their bench and role players, or it won't matter. Dunn, Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones Jr. shot 2-of-13 from 3 in Game 4. The Nuggets are just ignoring Dunn when the Clippers have the ball — doubling off him and daring him to shoot — and if he and the rest of the Clippers' bench/role players can’t make the Nuggets pay, then Denver will get the win.

It’s cliche to say Game 5 Wednesday is huge, but for the Nuggets it is especially so: This series goes to every other day starting with that game Tuesday, which means less time to recover for the Nuggets starters. It will wear them down even more. They can’t go down 3-2 and expect to come back against the deeper team.

WARRIORS 104, ROCKETS 93 (Golden State leads series 2-1)

Stephen Curry was mesmerizing, doing Stephen Curry things in the Warriors' win.

That, however, is not the big takeaway from this game or why the Rockets are really in trouble.

It’s that they can’t score in the halfcourt.

It was a concern coming into the playoffs, when the games tend to slow down. During the regular season, the Rockets ranked 22nd in the league in halfcourt offensive rating, positioned between Utah and Philadelphia (stats via Cleaning the Glass). In the playoffs, they have been worse — and on Saturday night they had an 81 offensive rating in the halfcourt. And that against a Warriors team without Jimmy Butler, who was out with a pelvic contusion (he may well return for Game 4).

Credit to Rockets GM Rafael Stone and ownership management, they were patient at the February trade deadline and didn’t make a rash move — get this core to the playoffs, see what happens, then adjust.

The adjustment is becoming clear: The Rockets need a high-level offensive creator and bucket getter to spark them in the half court, a player who fits with the timeline of their young core (so not Kevin Durant, who will be 37 next season). Jalen Green filled that role for a night scoring 38 in Game 2, but the Warriors loaded up the defense on him in Game 3 and things fell apart. Alperen Sengun is a high-level passing and scoring big man, but he's not a creator in the way the Rockets need. Amen Thompson might develop into that guy, but he's not there yet.

Which player the Rockets chase is a matter of speculation, but the Rockets have the picks and young players to put together an enticing trade package for whichever team is selling. Expect an aggressive Rockets front office this summer.

For now, Houston needs to come out with some real desperation and win Game 4 on the road, or this series is all but over.

THUNDER 117, GRIZZLIES 115 (OKC sweeps series 4-0)

Give the shorthanded Grizzlies (no Ja Morant) credit for putting up a fight. However, that does not change the big end-of-season question:

Where does Memphis go from here?

We know where Oklahoma City goes, it has looked dominant in dispatching the Grizzlies in a sweep and now awaits the winner of the Clippers/Nuggets bloodbath. OKC appears on a path to the NBA Finals.

Memphis' path forward is shrouded in mist. It is largely locked into the core of Ja Morant (three more seasons on his max contract), Desmond Bane (four more years) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (extension eligible this offseason and the one player the Grizzlies do not want to walk).

Should Memphis take a swing at a big-time trade? (Don’t say Kevin Durant, he does not want to go there.) Or, should it work around the edges and try to add shooting, athleticism and depth around the Morant/Jackson/Bane core and continue to ride this out to the end of the line? While some fans might suggest trading Ja Morant, the market for his services would not be very strong (unless the Grizzlies want to talk swapping one flawed player for another, such as Trae Young or LaMelo Ball), and the offers in return would be lowball. However, it's something to consider.

Also, who is coaching this team next season?

CAVALIERS 124, HEAT 87 (Cleveland leads series 3-0)

No Darius Garland for Cleveland, he aggravated a big toe injury that sidelined him a couple of games at the end of the season. It was evident how much the Cavaliers missed him at the very start of the game when the Heat raced out to a lead, although part of that was shooting variance (Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware hit some open 3s, while the Cavs started 0-of-5 from beyond the arc).

Things normalized soon after, the Cavaliers were up by 13 after one quarter and from there cruised to a win.

There is another game, maybe two, to play, but this series is over. The Cavaliers would love to end it in four, get Garland (and everyone else) more rest, and wait for the winner of the Bucks/Pacers series. Miami faces some hard questions heading into this offseason. With all due respect to the step forward Tyler Herro took this season, the Heat need another high-level offensive creator to make this all work, and you can expect them to be aggressive going after one. This is not a franchise that looks to tear things down and rebuild.

USA Names First 18 Players To World Championship Roster

Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (#1) and defenseman Andrew Peeke (#52) are both among the 18 players named to the United States' World Championship roster. © Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

USA Hockey has named the first 18 players to its roster at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, which runs from May 9 to 25 in Stockholm, Sweden and Herning Denmark. The USA plays in Group B in Herning.

The team so far includes 17 players from NHL teams that missed the Stanley Cup playoffs and one – goaltender Hampton Slukynsky – from Western Michigan University.

Three players have been named from each the Boston Bruins and Utah HC, two each from the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Seattle Kraken and Vancouver Canucks and one from the Buffalo Sabres.

Unlike past seasons, no current AHL players have been chosen and only one – Chicago’s Frank Nazar – spent any time in the league this season. The USA might start the tournament with this roster but more players will likely be named as teams start getting eliminated from the playoffs.

The head coach of the team is Ryan Warsofsky from the San Jose Sharks. His assistants are Kevin Dean, Adam Nightingale and Mike Vellucci. The team’s director of hockey operations is former NHL goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck.

Five Swedish NHLers (So Far) Say Yes To World Championship At HomeFive Swedish NHLers (So Far) Say Yes To World Championship At Home Five players have so far confirmed their spots on the Swedish roster for this year’s IIHF World Championship, which the Swedes will co-host with Denmark at the newly-renovated Avicii Arena in Stockholm.

While the USA has not won a standalone World Championship since 1933, this roster includes many players that have had success at the World Junior and U-18 World levels.

Goaltenders (3): Joey Daccord (Seattle, NHL), Jeremy Swayman (Boston, NHL), Hampton Slukynsky (Western Michigan University, NCAA).

Defensemen (6): Michael Kesselring (Utah, NHL), Jackson LaCombe (Anaheim, NHL), Andrew Peeke, Mason Lohrei (both Boston, NHL), Brady Skjei (Nashville, NHL), Alex Vlasic (Chicago, NHL).

Forwards (9): Matty Beniers (Seattle, NHL), Clayton Keller, Logan Cooley (both Utah, NHL), Drew O’Connor, Conor Garland (both Vancouver, NHL), Cutter Gauthier (Anaheim, NHL), Michael McCarron (Nashville, NHL), Frank Nazar (Chicago, NHL), Tage Thompson (Buffalo, NHL).

Brady Tkachuk: Brady Tkachuk: "I don't think anyone can get under my skin"In the third game for each team, Slovakia built up a 4-1 lead after two periods but the USA stormed back with three straight in the third to force overtime. Miloš Kelemen, who had opened the scoring in the fourth minute, ended it in overtime to claim two points for Slovakia. However, the late comeback allowed the Americans to get one. They now have four points after three games but have the group’s toughest opponents now seemingly out of the way.

European football: McTominay double opens up three-point lead for Napoli

  • Napoli beat Torino 2-0 in Sunday’s late game
  • Title rivals Inter lose 1-0 at home to Roma

Two first-half goals from Scott McTominay helped Napoli to a 2-0 home win against Torino in Serie A on Sunday as the hosts reclaimed the sole lead in the standings with four games left to play.

Napoli are three points above the defending champions, Inter, who were handed a 1-0 home defeat by Roma earlier in the day. Napoli raced to a seventh-minute lead through McTominay, who bundled the ball in from close range before doubling the advantage just before half-time from a neat lofted cross by Matteo Politano.

Continue reading...

Liverpool 5-1 Tottenham: Premier League – as it happened

After falling behind Liverpool cantered to an easy win over Tottenham, and for the first time in 35 years a packed Anfield celebrated a league title

History was made in 1964: it was the first time the reporter responsible for informing Guardian readers of a Liverpool title victory got a byline. Eric Todd celebrated by quoting Thomas Gray’s The Progress of Poesy, an ode in Pindaric form. They had secured the trophy with a 5-0 thrashing of Arsenal. Here’s a bit of Todd’s missive:

Having already exhausted most of the available superlatives on the team, Mr W Shankly, its manager, and the Kop, I can think of no more fitting a preface to my last dispatch from Anfield than a statement by Mr Shankly shortly after Liverpool had won promotion. “We are not merely going to be sitting on the First Division fence,” he said. They finished a useful eighth last term and, after a modest start, they dropped several broad hints that they intended winning something this season.

Yet Saturday’s proceedings were less satisfying than had been expected or hoped for. For one thing, there were fewer than 50,000 spectators – some of them had queued all night, and others for seven hours. For another, Liverpool made rather more mistakes than usual, and finally Arsenal did little to allay the general suspicion that they were there just to be sacrificed. The atmosphere was charged with tension and emotion, so that perhaps it would be unfair to be hypercritical. The indisputable fact remains, however, that Liverpool did what they set out to do. They are worthy champions, and Arsenal, who have enjoyed a good share of the game’s honours over the years, paid them generous tribute.

Continue reading...