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Indian sports wrap, April 27: Rugby Premier League to have women’s franchises; S8UL to represent India at Worlds RUGBYRugby Premier League Season 2 introduces women’s franchisesThe 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.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.“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.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.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.”ESPORTSS8UL wins national qualifier to seal spot in Pokémon UNITE World ChampionshipS8UL 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.The tournament will feature a prize pool of USD 500,000 (~INR 4.7 crore).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.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.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.“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.Published on Apr 27, 2026 #Indian #sports #wrap #April #Rugby #Premier #League #womens #franchises #S8UL #represent #India #Worlds

Indian sports wrap, April 27: Rugby Premier League to have women’s franchises; S8UL to represent India at Worlds

RUGBY

Rugby Premier League Season 2 introduces women’s franchises

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.”

ESPORTS

S8UL wins national qualifier to seal spot in Pokémon UNITE World Championship

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.

The tournament will feature a prize pool of USD 500,000 (~INR 4.7 crore).

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.

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.

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.

“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.

Published on Apr 27, 2026

#Indian #sports #wrap #April #Rugby #Premier #League #womens #franchises #S8UL #represent #India #Worlds

Sports news , , , , , ,

RUGBY

Rugby Premier League Season 2 introduces women’s franchises

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.

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.

“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.

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.

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.”

ESPORTS

S8UL wins national qualifier to seal spot in Pokémon UNITE World Championship

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.

The tournament will feature a prize pool of USD 500,000 (~INR 4.7 crore).

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.

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.

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.

“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.

Published on Apr 27, 2026

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#Indian #sports #wrap #April #Rugby #Premier #League #womens #franchises #S8UL #represent #India #Worlds

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Deadspin | Thunder set sights on 3rd straight 1st-round sweep in Game 4 vs. Suns <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28812914.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28812914.jpg" alt="NBA: Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Phoenix Suns" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">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<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>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.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>The Suns have a different task — avoiding being swept in the first round for the second consecutive postseason appearance.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>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.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Defending NBA champion Oklahoma City moved into position for another sweep with Saturday’s 121-109 victory in Game 3 at Phoenix.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>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.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>“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.”</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 34.7 points and 8.0 assists in the series. He has scored 79 points in the last two games.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>“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.”</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>The Suns were incapable of slowing down Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 3 no matter what they tried to do defensively.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>“Some of the shots were incredibly difficult,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “We know he can make some of those shots.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-11"> <p>“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.”</p> </section> <section id="section-12"> <p>Phoenix is hoping to have guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Grayson Allen (hamstring) in good form for Game 4.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>Booker left Game 3 for a time after injuring his left ankle in the third quarter. He finished with 16 points and seven assists.</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>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%.</p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>“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.”</p> </section><section id="section-16"> <p>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.</p> </section><section id="section-17"> <p>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.</p> </section><section id="section-18"> <p>Booker said it won’t be easy to derail the Thunder.</p> </section><section id="section-19"> <p>“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.”</p> </section><section id="section-20"> <p>Phoenix will again be without big man Mark Williams (foot). Guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) is questionable.</p> </section><section id="section-21"> <p>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.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-22"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Thunder #set #sights #3rd #straight #1stround #sweep #Game #Suns

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Deadspin | Carson Hocevar avoids Big One at Talladega, nabs 1st Cup Series win <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28606663.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28606663.jpg" alt="NASCAR: Cup Series-Practice & Qualifying" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Mar 29, 2026; Martinsville, Virginia, USA; Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar (77) during practice at Martinsville Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Carson Hocevar told his fans on Instagram during the week he would win at Talladega Superspeedway. </p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>He finally did his part to perfection on Sunday.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>The Spire Motorsport driver recorded his first NASCAR Cup Series win, pulling away from Chris Buescher off the final turn in a three-lap shootout to win the wreck-ridden Jack Link’s 500 in Talladega, Ala.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>The high-speed, 188-lap drafting race was interrupted by a chaotic accident on Lap 115 in Stage 2 that eliminated many competitors, but the two drivers ran side-by-side until Erik Jones, running third, wrecked with seven laps left.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet then beat Buescher’s No. 17 Ford by 0.114 seconds for his first Cup win in his 91st start, becoming the 13th driver to notch his first-ever victory at the Alabama track.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>As cars wrecked coming to the final flag, Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott and Zane Smith navigated their way to finish third through fifth, respectively.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>Hocevar celebrated by sitting on his Chevy’s door, with his body halfway hanging out, and waved to the fans as he slowly drove by the flagstand then pointed the car nose-first against the wall and did a celebratory burnout. </p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>But it took a moment or two to get it right.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-9"> <p>“I’ve had this thought up for a while and I’ve messed it up every which way not to do it,” said Hocevar, who led Chevy to its fifth win in the past nine starts at Talladega and second overall in 2026. “I didn’t care if it took me 20 minutes or whatever, I was going to figure out how to do it.”</p> </section> <section id="section-10"> <p>The 23-year-old Portage, Mich., native took to the social media platform this week and told his fans a win was in store.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>“I knew we were going to win, and we did,” he said. </p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>In typical Talladega fashion, the 2.66-mile superspeedway produced several different leaders moving back and forth, including Chad Finchum, making his second start in 2026, coming from the back in his No. 66 Ford along with Cody Ware and leading his first NASCAR laps as the race became 10 circuits old.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>Joe Gibbs Racing’s Ty Gibbs led after the field pitted in three different large groups — a wild session full of mistakes, which featured JGR teammates Denny Hamlin cited for speeding and Chase Briscoe for a safety violation as he roared the pits.</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>After the varying pit strategies and infractions played out in Stage 1, Ryan Preece’s No. 60 took the checkers for the top points as RFK Racing led the charge. Teammates Brad Keselowski and Buescher were second and fourth, respectively, while Joey Logano was third, Ryan Blaney fifth and Josh Berry sixth — all in Fords.</p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>The Big One, Talladega’s massive crash, occurred on Lap 115 in Stage 2 as the front of the pack got together when second-place Ross Chastain turned leader Bubba Wallace to start the season’s biggest track mayhem by far.</p> </section><section id="section-16"> <p>While the front four cars of Chastain, Preece, Buescher and Christopher Bell all drove away unscathed as bedlam unfolded behind them, 26 cars were sent spinning and sliding in a wreck that forced a red-flag condition of nearly 10 minutes.</p> </section><section id="section-17"> <p>In hard two-wide racing to end Stage 2, Chastain held off Bell while Buescher, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Todd Gilliland rounded out the first five under the checkers.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-18"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Carson #Hocevar #avoids #Big #Talladega #nabs #1st #Cup #Series #win

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Deadspin | Ducks rally twice, upend Oilers in OT for 3-1 lead Apr 26, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks celebrate a goal during the second period against the Edmonton Oilers in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images Ryan Poehling scored the winning goal to give the host Anaheim Ducks a 4-3 overtime victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday and put them one win away from advancing in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Cutter Gauthier, Mikael Granlund and Jeffery Viel also scored for the Ducks in the comeback victory that has them up 3-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series. Defensemen John and Carlson and Jackson Lacombe each had two assists and Lukas Dostal made 24 saves. Game 5 is Tuesday in Edmonton. The Oilers’ Evan Bouchard notched a goal and an assist, Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each scored a goal, while Connor McDavid collected two assists, his 50th multi-point performance in 100 career playoff games. Tristan Jarry stopped 34 shots in his first start of this year’s playoffs. Poehling sent a pass to the front of the net, and it ricocheted off Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse’s skate before squirting through Jarry’s legs just over the line at 2:29 of overtime. Poehling has three goals in the series. A lengthy video review ruled it was a good goal. The Oilers have scored first in every game of the series and continued that trend when Kapanen tallied just 38 seconds into the clash by pouncing on a loose puck in the slot for his fourth goal of the series. Nugent-Hopkins doubled the lead on the power play six minutes later. His shot from the left circle was stopped, but the puck bounced off the skate of defenseman Pavel Mintyukov and into the net. Gauthier provided the Ducks a huge jolt when he put them on the board with a short-side, top-corner wrist shot from the right faceoff dot at 12:24 of the second period. Granlund scored Anaheim’s second power-play goal of the game — and sixth of the series — with 77 seconds remaining in the period by converting a give-and-go with Leo Carlsson to tie the clash 2-2. Bouchard restored Edmonton’s lead with his team’s second power-play goal of the affair, finding the mark with a high shot at 3:27 of the third period. However, Viel again pulled Anaheim even by sliding into the net a loose puck with 6:29 remaining in regulation. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Ducks #rally #upend #Oilers #leadApr 26, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks celebrate a goal during the second period against the Edmonton Oilers in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images

Ryan Poehling scored the winning goal to give the host Anaheim Ducks a 4-3 overtime victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday and put them one win away from advancing in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Cutter Gauthier, Mikael Granlund and Jeffery Viel also scored for the Ducks in the comeback victory that has them up 3-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series. Defensemen John and Carlson and Jackson Lacombe each had two assists and Lukas Dostal made 24 saves.

Game 5 is Tuesday in Edmonton.

The Oilers’ Evan Bouchard notched a goal and an assist, Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each scored a goal, while Connor McDavid collected two assists, his 50th multi-point performance in 100 career playoff games. Tristan Jarry stopped 34 shots in his first start of this year’s playoffs.

Poehling sent a pass to the front of the net, and it ricocheted off Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse’s skate before squirting through Jarry’s legs just over the line at 2:29 of overtime. Poehling has three goals in the series.

A lengthy video review ruled it was a good goal.


The Oilers have scored first in every game of the series and continued that trend when Kapanen tallied just 38 seconds into the clash by pouncing on a loose puck in the slot for his fourth goal of the series.

Nugent-Hopkins doubled the lead on the power play six minutes later. His shot from the left circle was stopped, but the puck bounced off the skate of defenseman Pavel Mintyukov and into the net.

Gauthier provided the Ducks a huge jolt when he put them on the board with a short-side, top-corner wrist shot from the right faceoff dot at 12:24 of the second period.

Granlund scored Anaheim’s second power-play goal of the game — and sixth of the series — with 77 seconds remaining in the period by converting a give-and-go with Leo Carlsson to tie the clash 2-2.

Bouchard restored Edmonton’s lead with his team’s second power-play goal of the affair, finding the mark with a high shot at 3:27 of the third period.

However, Viel again pulled Anaheim even by sliding into the net a loose puck with 6:29 remaining in regulation.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Ducks #rally #upend #Oilers #lead">Deadspin | Ducks rally twice, upend Oilers in OT for 3-1 lead Apr 26, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks celebrate a goal during the second period against the Edmonton Oilers in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images Ryan Poehling scored the winning goal to give the host Anaheim Ducks a 4-3 overtime victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday and put them one win away from advancing in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Cutter Gauthier, Mikael Granlund and Jeffery Viel also scored for the Ducks in the comeback victory that has them up 3-1 in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series. Defensemen John and Carlson and Jackson Lacombe each had two assists and Lukas Dostal made 24 saves. Game 5 is Tuesday in Edmonton. The Oilers’ Evan Bouchard notched a goal and an assist, Kasperi Kapanen and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each scored a goal, while Connor McDavid collected two assists, his 50th multi-point performance in 100 career playoff games. Tristan Jarry stopped 34 shots in his first start of this year’s playoffs. Poehling sent a pass to the front of the net, and it ricocheted off Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse’s skate before squirting through Jarry’s legs just over the line at 2:29 of overtime. Poehling has three goals in the series. A lengthy video review ruled it was a good goal. The Oilers have scored first in every game of the series and continued that trend when Kapanen tallied just 38 seconds into the clash by pouncing on a loose puck in the slot for his fourth goal of the series. Nugent-Hopkins doubled the lead on the power play six minutes later. His shot from the left circle was stopped, but the puck bounced off the skate of defenseman Pavel Mintyukov and into the net. Gauthier provided the Ducks a huge jolt when he put them on the board with a short-side, top-corner wrist shot from the right faceoff dot at 12:24 of the second period. Granlund scored Anaheim’s second power-play goal of the game — and sixth of the series — with 77 seconds remaining in the period by converting a give-and-go with Leo Carlsson to tie the clash 2-2. Bouchard restored Edmonton’s lead with his team’s second power-play goal of the affair, finding the mark with a high shot at 3:27 of the third period. However, Viel again pulled Anaheim even by sliding into the net a loose puck with 6:29 remaining in regulation. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Ducks #rally #upend #Oilers #lead

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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