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Deadspin | Thunder set sights on 3rd straight 1st-round sweep in Game 4 vs. Suns  Apr 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) in the second half during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images   The Oklahoma City Thunder will be aiming for a third consecutive first-round playoff series sweep when they take the court Monday night in Phoenix.  The Suns have a different task — avoiding being swept in the first round for the second consecutive postseason appearance.  One of the teams will get their way when the Thunder and Suns collide again in Game 4 of the best-of-seven Western Conference series.  Defending NBA champion Oklahoma City moved into position for another sweep with Saturday’s 121-109 victory in Game 3 at Phoenix.  Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a career-playoff-high 42 points on stellar 15-of-18 shooting. He also made 11 of 12 free throws.  “I’m just not surprised anymore with him,” Thunder guard Alex Caruso said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “I kind of have grown to expect it — and that might be a detriment to him and his greatness, because I do get to see it every single night. But it really is magnificent to see just his mentality. He’s eternally optimistic and he’s just a killer with his competitive mindset.”  Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 34.7 points and 8.0 assists in the series. He has scored 79 points in the last two games.  “I’m very fortunate to be in this position. But regardless of who’s out there, I get to go out there and play my game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s just the role I have on this team, and my coaches and teammates do a really good job of letting me be in my space.”  The Suns were incapable of slowing down Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 3 no matter what they tried to do defensively.  “Some of the shots were incredibly difficult,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “We know he can make some of those shots.  “We tried different matchups, tried to take it out of his hands. He got to the area where it’s a little harder to take it out of his hands when he just rises up over us. Give him credit. He had us spinning tonight.”   Phoenix is hoping to have guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Grayson Allen (hamstring) in good form for Game 4.  Booker left Game 3 for a time after injuring his left ankle in the third quarter. He finished with 16 points and seven assists.  Allen was back on the floor for the first time since April 10 and had seven points in 17 minutes. He made just 2 of 8 field-goal attempts and was clearly not 100%.  “I’m not worried about a percentage,” Allen said Sunday when asked to rate his health. “I felt good enough to go and good enough to contribute so we gave it a shot.”  Dillon Brooks led Phoenix with 33 points in Game 3 and has 63 points over the past two games. He has made 12 of 28 3-point attempts in the series.  Booker’s series high is 23 points and the Suns could use one of his vintage high-scoring efforts in the bid to stay alive.  Booker said it won’t be easy to derail the Thunder.  “Overall, they’re a well-oiled machine,” Booker said. “They’re champs for a reason. They know what they want to get every time down the floor and they definitely know what they’re doing on defense. We have some growing and some learning to do in those departments.”  Phoenix will again be without big man Mark Williams (foot). Guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) is questionable.  Thunder star Jalen Williams (left hamstring) remains unlikely to return during this series, no matter how long it lasts. He was hurt in Game 2.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Thunder #set #sights #3rd #straight #1stround #sweep #Game #Suns

Deadspin | Thunder set sights on 3rd straight 1st-round sweep in Game 4 vs. Suns
Deadspin | Thunder set sights on 3rd straight 1st-round sweep in Game 4 vs. Suns  Apr 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) in the second half during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images   The Oklahoma City Thunder will be aiming for a third consecutive first-round playoff series sweep when they take the court Monday night in Phoenix.  The Suns have a different task — avoiding being swept in the first round for the second consecutive postseason appearance.  One of the teams will get their way when the Thunder and Suns collide again in Game 4 of the best-of-seven Western Conference series.  Defending NBA champion Oklahoma City moved into position for another sweep with Saturday’s 121-109 victory in Game 3 at Phoenix.  Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a career-playoff-high 42 points on stellar 15-of-18 shooting. He also made 11 of 12 free throws.  “I’m just not surprised anymore with him,” Thunder guard Alex Caruso said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “I kind of have grown to expect it — and that might be a detriment to him and his greatness, because I do get to see it every single night. But it really is magnificent to see just his mentality. He’s eternally optimistic and he’s just a killer with his competitive mindset.”  Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 34.7 points and 8.0 assists in the series. He has scored 79 points in the last two games.  “I’m very fortunate to be in this position. But regardless of who’s out there, I get to go out there and play my game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s just the role I have on this team, and my coaches and teammates do a really good job of letting me be in my space.”  The Suns were incapable of slowing down Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 3 no matter what they tried to do defensively.  “Some of the shots were incredibly difficult,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “We know he can make some of those shots.  “We tried different matchups, tried to take it out of his hands. He got to the area where it’s a little harder to take it out of his hands when he just rises up over us. Give him credit. He had us spinning tonight.”   Phoenix is hoping to have guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Grayson Allen (hamstring) in good form for Game 4.  Booker left Game 3 for a time after injuring his left ankle in the third quarter. He finished with 16 points and seven assists.  Allen was back on the floor for the first time since April 10 and had seven points in 17 minutes. He made just 2 of 8 field-goal attempts and was clearly not 100%.  “I’m not worried about a percentage,” Allen said Sunday when asked to rate his health. “I felt good enough to go and good enough to contribute so we gave it a shot.”  Dillon Brooks led Phoenix with 33 points in Game 3 and has 63 points over the past two games. He has made 12 of 28 3-point attempts in the series.  Booker’s series high is 23 points and the Suns could use one of his vintage high-scoring efforts in the bid to stay alive.  Booker said it won’t be easy to derail the Thunder.  “Overall, they’re a well-oiled machine,” Booker said. “They’re champs for a reason. They know what they want to get every time down the floor and they definitely know what they’re doing on defense. We have some growing and some learning to do in those departments.”  Phoenix will again be without big man Mark Williams (foot). Guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) is questionable.  Thunder star Jalen Williams (left hamstring) remains unlikely to return during this series, no matter how long it lasts. He was hurt in Game 2.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Thunder #set #sights #3rd #straight #1stround #sweep #Game #SunsApr 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) in the second half during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be aiming for a third consecutive first-round playoff series sweep when they take the court Monday night in Phoenix.

The Suns have a different task — avoiding being swept in the first round for the second consecutive postseason appearance.

One of the teams will get their way when the Thunder and Suns collide again in Game 4 of the best-of-seven Western Conference series.

Defending NBA champion Oklahoma City moved into position for another sweep with Saturday’s 121-109 victory in Game 3 at Phoenix.

Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a career-playoff-high 42 points on stellar 15-of-18 shooting. He also made 11 of 12 free throws.

“I’m just not surprised anymore with him,” Thunder guard Alex Caruso said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “I kind of have grown to expect it — and that might be a detriment to him and his greatness, because I do get to see it every single night. But it really is magnificent to see just his mentality. He’s eternally optimistic and he’s just a killer with his competitive mindset.”

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 34.7 points and 8.0 assists in the series. He has scored 79 points in the last two games.

“I’m very fortunate to be in this position. But regardless of who’s out there, I get to go out there and play my game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s just the role I have on this team, and my coaches and teammates do a really good job of letting me be in my space.”

The Suns were incapable of slowing down Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 3 no matter what they tried to do defensively.

“Some of the shots were incredibly difficult,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “We know he can make some of those shots.


“We tried different matchups, tried to take it out of his hands. He got to the area where it’s a little harder to take it out of his hands when he just rises up over us. Give him credit. He had us spinning tonight.”

Phoenix is hoping to have guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Grayson Allen (hamstring) in good form for Game 4.

Booker left Game 3 for a time after injuring his left ankle in the third quarter. He finished with 16 points and seven assists.

Allen was back on the floor for the first time since April 10 and had seven points in 17 minutes. He made just 2 of 8 field-goal attempts and was clearly not 100%.

“I’m not worried about a percentage,” Allen said Sunday when asked to rate his health. “I felt good enough to go and good enough to contribute so we gave it a shot.”

Dillon Brooks led Phoenix with 33 points in Game 3 and has 63 points over the past two games. He has made 12 of 28 3-point attempts in the series.

Booker’s series high is 23 points and the Suns could use one of his vintage high-scoring efforts in the bid to stay alive.

Booker said it won’t be easy to derail the Thunder.

“Overall, they’re a well-oiled machine,” Booker said. “They’re champs for a reason. They know what they want to get every time down the floor and they definitely know what they’re doing on defense. We have some growing and some learning to do in those departments.”

Phoenix will again be without big man Mark Williams (foot). Guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) is questionable.

Thunder star Jalen Williams (left hamstring) remains unlikely to return during this series, no matter how long it lasts. He was hurt in Game 2.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Thunder #set #sights #3rd #straight #1stround #sweep #Game #Suns

Apr 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) in the second half during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be aiming for a third consecutive first-round playoff series sweep when they take the court Monday night in Phoenix.

The Suns have a different task — avoiding being swept in the first round for the second consecutive postseason appearance.

One of the teams will get their way when the Thunder and Suns collide again in Game 4 of the best-of-seven Western Conference series.

Defending NBA champion Oklahoma City moved into position for another sweep with Saturday’s 121-109 victory in Game 3 at Phoenix.

Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a career-playoff-high 42 points on stellar 15-of-18 shooting. He also made 11 of 12 free throws.

“I’m just not surprised anymore with him,” Thunder guard Alex Caruso said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “I kind of have grown to expect it — and that might be a detriment to him and his greatness, because I do get to see it every single night. But it really is magnificent to see just his mentality. He’s eternally optimistic and he’s just a killer with his competitive mindset.”

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 34.7 points and 8.0 assists in the series. He has scored 79 points in the last two games.

“I’m very fortunate to be in this position. But regardless of who’s out there, I get to go out there and play my game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s just the role I have on this team, and my coaches and teammates do a really good job of letting me be in my space.”

The Suns were incapable of slowing down Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 3 no matter what they tried to do defensively.

“Some of the shots were incredibly difficult,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “We know he can make some of those shots.

“We tried different matchups, tried to take it out of his hands. He got to the area where it’s a little harder to take it out of his hands when he just rises up over us. Give him credit. He had us spinning tonight.”

Phoenix is hoping to have guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Grayson Allen (hamstring) in good form for Game 4.

Booker left Game 3 for a time after injuring his left ankle in the third quarter. He finished with 16 points and seven assists.

Allen was back on the floor for the first time since April 10 and had seven points in 17 minutes. He made just 2 of 8 field-goal attempts and was clearly not 100%.

“I’m not worried about a percentage,” Allen said Sunday when asked to rate his health. “I felt good enough to go and good enough to contribute so we gave it a shot.”

Dillon Brooks led Phoenix with 33 points in Game 3 and has 63 points over the past two games. He has made 12 of 28 3-point attempts in the series.

Booker’s series high is 23 points and the Suns could use one of his vintage high-scoring efforts in the bid to stay alive.

Booker said it won’t be easy to derail the Thunder.

“Overall, they’re a well-oiled machine,” Booker said. “They’re champs for a reason. They know what they want to get every time down the floor and they definitely know what they’re doing on defense. We have some growing and some learning to do in those departments.”

Phoenix will again be without big man Mark Williams (foot). Guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) is questionable.

Thunder star Jalen Williams (left hamstring) remains unlikely to return during this series, no matter how long it lasts. He was hurt in Game 2.

–Field Level Media

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Indian sports wrap, April 27: Rugby Premier League to have women’s franchises; S8UL to represent India at Worlds <div id="content-body-70911219" itemprop="articleBody"><h4 class="sub_head">RUGBY</h4><p><b>Rugby Premier League Season 2 introduces women’s franchises</b></p><p>The second edition of the Rugby Premier League will introduce women’s franchises, building on the success of the men’s league in the 2025 season.</p><p>Four of the existing six men’s teams—Chennai Bulls (owned by Avid Sys Sports), Delhi Redz (owned by RMZ Corp), Mumbai Dreamers (owned by Dream Sports), and Kolkata Banga Tigers (owned by Hunch Ventures), formerly Kalinga Black Tigers and now relocated from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata—will also field women’s teams.</p><p>“It has always been our dream at Rugby India to have an RPL Women’s edition. This year, that dream comes to fruition,” Rahul Bose, President, Rugby India, said.</p><p>The 2026 edition of the Rugby Premier League is scheduled to be held from June 16–28 at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad. The player draft and auction for the four women’s teams and six men’s teams, including Hyderabad Heroes and Bengaluru Bravehearts, will take place in Hyderabad on April 30.</p><p>Sujoy Ganguly, CMO, GMR Sports, added, “At GMR Sports, we have always believed in building platforms that drive meaningful change in Indian sport. The inclusion of women’s teams in the Rugby Premier League is a natural and important progression for the league.”</p><h4 class="sub_head">ESPORTS</h4><p><b>S8UL wins national qualifier to seal spot in Pokémon UNITE World Championship</b></p><p>S8UL won the India Qualifier of the Pokémon UNITE World Championship Series 2026, and will now represent the country at the Worlds in San Francisco between August 28 and 30.</p><p>The tournament will feature a prize pool of USD 500,000 (~INR 4.7 crore).</p><p>The India Qualifier featured a double-elimination format, with all matches played as best-of-three series except the grand finals, which were contested in a best-of-five showdown.</p><p>Led by Captain Manmohan Singh (All Might), the S8UL roster comprising Anklesh Satelkar (Novaa), Darshan Nate (Kai), Naitik Jain (Wolf), and Md Sarim Hasan (Qing) delivered a commanding performance throughout the tournament.</p><p>With the win in the qualifier, S8UL claimed USD 15,000 (~INR 14.1 lakh) from the tournament’s overall USD 25,000 (~INR 23.5 lakh) prize pool.</p><p>“For us, the focus was on staying disciplined, communicating clearly, and adapting quickly in every match. I’m proud of the way everyone on the team stepped up when it mattered most,” Manmohan Singh, aka All Might, Captain of S8UL’s Pokémon UNITE team, said.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 27, 2026</p></div> #Indian #sports #wrap #April #Rugby #Premier #League #womens #franchises #S8UL #represent #India #Worlds

Deadspin | NBA roundup: Spurs storm past Blazers in Victor Wembanyama’s return  Apr 26, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) walks off the court after a game against the Portland Trail Blazers during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images   De’Aaron Fox scored 28 points and Victor Wembanyama had 27 in his return from concussion protocol, helping the visiting San Antonio Spurs to a 114-93 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series on Sunday.  Fox sank 11 of 17 shots from the floor and drained four 3-pointers to aid the Spurs in overcoming a 19-point deficit to seize a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 5 is Tuesday in San Antonio. After sitting out Game 3, Wembanyama showed why he was the NBA’s first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year by recording 11 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals.  Stephon Castle collected 16 points and eight assists while dealing with both an injured left hand and foul trouble. Devin Vassell added 11 points for the Spurs, who outscored the Trail Blazers by a 73-35 margin in the second half. Deni Avdija scored 26 points, Jrue Holiday had 20 and Jerami Grant added 17 off the bench for the Trail Blazers.  Tied at 74 entering the fourth quarter, the Spurs opened the period on a 27-7 run. Castle set up Wembanyama for a trio of alley-oop dunks before Fox sank a pair of jumpers and a 3-pointer to give San Antonio an 87-77 lead with 7:47 left. Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson converted from beyond the arc and added a pair of driving buckets to extend San Antonio’s lead to 101-81 with 4:31 remaining.  Rockets 115, Lakers 96  Amen Thompson scored a game-high 23 points, Tari Eason added 20 and Houston averted elimination with a victory over visiting Los Angeles in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.  All five starters scored in double figures for the Rockets, who played without Kevin Durant (ankle) for the third time in the series. Reed Sheppard chipped in 17 points on 4-for-7 3-point shooting while Alperen Sengun (19 points) and Jabari Smith Jr. (16 points) rounded out the balanced offensive attack.  After dominating Game 3 and co-authoring the Lakers’ overtime victory, LeBron James (10 points, nine assists) and Marcus Smart (nine, five) shot a combined 5 of 17 from the floor. Deandre Ayton finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds but was ejected in the third quarter.  Raptors 93, Cavaliers 89  Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes each scored 23 points and Toronto held off visiting Cleveland to even the best-of-seven first-round playoff series at 2-2.    Barnes added nine rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots to his stat line and scored 10 fourth-quarter points, knocking down all six free throw attempts in the final 34.6 seconds. RJ Barrett added 18 points for the Raptors, and Collin Murray-Boyles scored 15 with 10 rebounds.  Donovan Mitchell scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for Cleveland. James Harden added 19 points but had seven turnovers. Jarrett Allen had three points and a game-high 15 rebounds, while Sam Merrill contributed 14 points.  Celtics 128, 76ers 96    Payton Pritchard scored a career-playoff-high 32 points off the bench and Boston took a 3-1 series lead with a convincing road victory over Philadelphia.    Jayson Tatum made five treys and recorded 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds and Jaylen Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds as the second-seeded Celtics moved one victory away from winning the Eastern Conference first-round series. Game 5 is Tuesday in Boston.    Joel Embiid played for the first time in the series for the seventh-seeded 76ers after undergoing an appendectomy two-plus weeks ago. He scored 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting and collected 10 rebounds and six assists while playing 34 minutes. Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points and Paul George added 16 for the 76ers.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #NBA #roundup #Spurs #storm #Blazers #Victor #Wembanyamas #returnApr 26, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) walks off the court after a game against the Portland Trail Blazers during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

De’Aaron Fox scored 28 points and Victor Wembanyama had 27 in his return from concussion protocol, helping the visiting San Antonio Spurs to a 114-93 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series on Sunday.

Fox sank 11 of 17 shots from the floor and drained four 3-pointers to aid the Spurs in overcoming a 19-point deficit to seize a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 5 is Tuesday in San Antonio. After sitting out Game 3, Wembanyama showed why he was the NBA’s first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year by recording 11 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals.

Stephon Castle collected 16 points and eight assists while dealing with both an injured left hand and foul trouble. Devin Vassell added 11 points for the Spurs, who outscored the Trail Blazers by a 73-35 margin in the second half. Deni Avdija scored 26 points, Jrue Holiday had 20 and Jerami Grant added 17 off the bench for the Trail Blazers.

Tied at 74 entering the fourth quarter, the Spurs opened the period on a 27-7 run. Castle set up Wembanyama for a trio of alley-oop dunks before Fox sank a pair of jumpers and a 3-pointer to give San Antonio an 87-77 lead with 7:47 left. Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson converted from beyond the arc and added a pair of driving buckets to extend San Antonio’s lead to 101-81 with 4:31 remaining.

Rockets 115, Lakers 96

Amen Thompson scored a game-high 23 points, Tari Eason added 20 and Houston averted elimination with a victory over visiting Los Angeles in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.

All five starters scored in double figures for the Rockets, who played without Kevin Durant (ankle) for the third time in the series. Reed Sheppard chipped in 17 points on 4-for-7 3-point shooting while Alperen Sengun (19 points) and Jabari Smith Jr. (16 points) rounded out the balanced offensive attack.

After dominating Game 3 and co-authoring the Lakers’ overtime victory, LeBron James (10 points, nine assists) and Marcus Smart (nine, five) shot a combined 5 of 17 from the floor. Deandre Ayton finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds but was ejected in the third quarter.

Raptors 93, Cavaliers 89


Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes each scored 23 points and Toronto held off visiting Cleveland to even the best-of-seven first-round playoff series at 2-2.

Barnes added nine rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots to his stat line and scored 10 fourth-quarter points, knocking down all six free throw attempts in the final 34.6 seconds. RJ Barrett added 18 points for the Raptors, and Collin Murray-Boyles scored 15 with 10 rebounds.

Donovan Mitchell scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for Cleveland. James Harden added 19 points but had seven turnovers. Jarrett Allen had three points and a game-high 15 rebounds, while Sam Merrill contributed 14 points.

Celtics 128, 76ers 96

Payton Pritchard scored a career-playoff-high 32 points off the bench and Boston took a 3-1 series lead with a convincing road victory over Philadelphia.

Jayson Tatum made five treys and recorded 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds and Jaylen Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds as the second-seeded Celtics moved one victory away from winning the Eastern Conference first-round series. Game 5 is Tuesday in Boston.

Joel Embiid played for the first time in the series for the seventh-seeded 76ers after undergoing an appendectomy two-plus weeks ago. He scored 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting and collected 10 rebounds and six assists while playing 34 minutes. Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points and Paul George added 16 for the 76ers.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #NBA #roundup #Spurs #storm #Blazers #Victor #Wembanyamas #return">Deadspin | NBA roundup: Spurs storm past Blazers in Victor Wembanyama’s return  Apr 26, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) walks off the court after a game against the Portland Trail Blazers during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images   De’Aaron Fox scored 28 points and Victor Wembanyama had 27 in his return from concussion protocol, helping the visiting San Antonio Spurs to a 114-93 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series on Sunday.  Fox sank 11 of 17 shots from the floor and drained four 3-pointers to aid the Spurs in overcoming a 19-point deficit to seize a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 5 is Tuesday in San Antonio. After sitting out Game 3, Wembanyama showed why he was the NBA’s first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year by recording 11 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals.  Stephon Castle collected 16 points and eight assists while dealing with both an injured left hand and foul trouble. Devin Vassell added 11 points for the Spurs, who outscored the Trail Blazers by a 73-35 margin in the second half. Deni Avdija scored 26 points, Jrue Holiday had 20 and Jerami Grant added 17 off the bench for the Trail Blazers.  Tied at 74 entering the fourth quarter, the Spurs opened the period on a 27-7 run. Castle set up Wembanyama for a trio of alley-oop dunks before Fox sank a pair of jumpers and a 3-pointer to give San Antonio an 87-77 lead with 7:47 left. Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson converted from beyond the arc and added a pair of driving buckets to extend San Antonio’s lead to 101-81 with 4:31 remaining.  Rockets 115, Lakers 96  Amen Thompson scored a game-high 23 points, Tari Eason added 20 and Houston averted elimination with a victory over visiting Los Angeles in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series.  All five starters scored in double figures for the Rockets, who played without Kevin Durant (ankle) for the third time in the series. Reed Sheppard chipped in 17 points on 4-for-7 3-point shooting while Alperen Sengun (19 points) and Jabari Smith Jr. (16 points) rounded out the balanced offensive attack.  After dominating Game 3 and co-authoring the Lakers’ overtime victory, LeBron James (10 points, nine assists) and Marcus Smart (nine, five) shot a combined 5 of 17 from the floor. Deandre Ayton finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds but was ejected in the third quarter.  Raptors 93, Cavaliers 89  Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes each scored 23 points and Toronto held off visiting Cleveland to even the best-of-seven first-round playoff series at 2-2.    Barnes added nine rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots to his stat line and scored 10 fourth-quarter points, knocking down all six free throw attempts in the final 34.6 seconds. RJ Barrett added 18 points for the Raptors, and Collin Murray-Boyles scored 15 with 10 rebounds.  Donovan Mitchell scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for Cleveland. James Harden added 19 points but had seven turnovers. Jarrett Allen had three points and a game-high 15 rebounds, while Sam Merrill contributed 14 points.  Celtics 128, 76ers 96    Payton Pritchard scored a career-playoff-high 32 points off the bench and Boston took a 3-1 series lead with a convincing road victory over Philadelphia.    Jayson Tatum made five treys and recorded 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds and Jaylen Brown added 20 points and seven rebounds as the second-seeded Celtics moved one victory away from winning the Eastern Conference first-round series. Game 5 is Tuesday in Boston.    Joel Embiid played for the first time in the series for the seventh-seeded 76ers after undergoing an appendectomy two-plus weeks ago. He scored 26 points on 9-of-21 shooting and collected 10 rebounds and six assists while playing 34 minutes. Tyrese Maxey scored 22 points and Paul George added 16 for the 76ers.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #NBA #roundup #Spurs #storm #Blazers #Victor #Wembanyamas #return

An FIR has been registered against two persons for allegedly tampering with the CCTV surveillance system at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on the day of the RCB vs GT IPL 2026 match on April 24, police said on Monday.

The accused, identified as Manjunath (37) and Abdul Kalam (19), allegedly entered the stadium without valid authorisation, reportedly by misusing a deactivated access card, and tampered with critical surveillance infrastructure, they said.

The complaint was lodged by Aditya Bhat of Staqu Technologies Pvt Ltd, which provides AI-driven surveillance support during match days, police said.

According to the FIR, more than 240 cameras went offline on the morning of the match.

The two, said to be associated with subcontractor IVS Digital Solutions, allegedly damaged Network Video Recorder (NVR) systems and optical fibre connections, disrupting surveillance coverage in key security zones, including entry gates and perimeter areas.

The accused allegedly entered the CCTV room without proper access and later moved to a junction box near the parking area, where fibre connections were damaged, the FIR stated.

The alleged sabotage affected the availability of surveillance feeds required by police personnel deployed for match security, it added.

A senior police officer said that on the morning of April 24, at around 11.30am, the two employees, working under a sub-vendor providing digital services during match days, carried out the act.

According to him, the accused duo damaged CCTV fibre connections and a video recorder. The issue was detected and rectified within an hour.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the two employees may have had a personal grudge against the company, possibly related to pending payments, which may have led them to commit the act, he said.

“Both accused have been identified, and further action will be taken soon. All CCTVs were restored within an hour, and the disruption did not impact match proceedings,” he added.

Published on Apr 27, 2026

#booked #allegedly #disabling #CCTV #cameras #Chinnaswamy #Stadium #RCB">Two booked for allegedly disabling 240 CCTV cameras at Chinnaswamy Stadium before RCB vs GT  An FIR has been registered against two persons for allegedly tampering with the CCTV surveillance system at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on the day of the RCB vs GT IPL 2026 match on April 24, police said on Monday.The accused, identified as Manjunath (37) and Abdul Kalam (19), allegedly entered the stadium without valid authorisation, reportedly by misusing a deactivated access card, and tampered with critical surveillance infrastructure, they said.The complaint was lodged by Aditya Bhat of Staqu Technologies Pvt Ltd, which provides AI-driven surveillance support during match days, police said.According to the FIR, more than 240 cameras went offline on the morning of the match.The two, said to be associated with subcontractor IVS Digital Solutions, allegedly damaged Network Video Recorder (NVR) systems and optical fibre connections, disrupting surveillance coverage in key security zones, including entry gates and perimeter areas.The accused allegedly entered the CCTV room without proper access and later moved to a junction box near the parking area, where fibre connections were damaged, the FIR stated.The alleged sabotage affected the availability of surveillance feeds required by police personnel deployed for match security, it added.A senior police officer said that on the morning of April 24, at around 11.30am, the two employees, working under a sub-vendor providing digital services during match days, carried out the act.According to him, the accused duo damaged CCTV fibre connections and a video recorder. The issue was detected and rectified within an hour.Preliminary investigation suggests that the two employees may have had a personal grudge against the company, possibly related to pending payments, which may have led them to commit the act, he said.“Both accused have been identified, and further action will be taken soon. All CCTVs were restored within an hour, and the disruption did not impact match proceedings,” he added.Published on Apr 27, 2026  #booked #allegedly #disabling #CCTV #cameras #Chinnaswamy #Stadium #RCB

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