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CSK vs MI IPL 2026: MS Dhoni misses out against Mumbai Indians  The long wait for MS Dhoni’s return to action continued after the 44-year-old was not named in the starting eleven or in the impact subs at the toss against Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.Dhoni hasn’t played a single game this season owing to a calf injury that he picked up before the start of the season.The CSK management has been non committal about Dhoni’s return date, with batting coach Mike Hussey stating that he’s ‘hopeful’ that Dhoni will be back as soon as possible.“The primary concern has been his ability to sustain running intensity. He’s been working on his running speeds, which was probably the main concern. From a skill perspective, we’re very confident in his batting and wicketkeeping,” Hussey remarked on the eve of the match against Mumbai Indians.“It was more about ensuring he can maintain good running power, especially towards the back end of an innings where quick singles and twos are crucial,” Hussey said, before adding that the final call rests with Dhoni.Head coach Stephen Fleming had revealed earlier that Dhoni had suffered a setback during his recovery, which has delayed his return to action from two weeks to an extended period of time.“The calf is a tough one. In a warm-up game, he tweaked it again, it’s my understanding. If he takes off and rips the calf again, then he will be gone,” Fleming said after his side’s defeat against Gujarat Titans.Published on May 02, 2026  #CSK #IPL #Dhoni #misses #Mumbai #Indians

CSK vs MI IPL 2026: MS Dhoni misses out against Mumbai Indians

The long wait for MS Dhoni’s return to action continued after the 44-year-old was not named in the starting eleven or in the impact subs at the toss against Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

Dhoni hasn’t played a single game this season owing to a calf injury that he picked up before the start of the season.

The CSK management has been non committal about Dhoni’s return date, with batting coach Mike Hussey stating that he’s ‘hopeful’ that Dhoni will be back as soon as possible.

“The primary concern has been his ability to sustain running intensity. He’s been working on his running speeds, which was probably the main concern. From a skill perspective, we’re very confident in his batting and wicketkeeping,” Hussey remarked on the eve of the match against Mumbai Indians.

“It was more about ensuring he can maintain good running power, especially towards the back end of an innings where quick singles and twos are crucial,” Hussey said, before adding that the final call rests with Dhoni.

Head coach Stephen Fleming had revealed earlier that Dhoni had suffered a setback during his recovery, which has delayed his return to action from two weeks to an extended period of time.

“The calf is a tough one. In a warm-up game, he tweaked it again, it’s my understanding. If he takes off and rips the calf again, then he will be gone,” Fleming said after his side’s defeat against Gujarat Titans.

Published on May 02, 2026

#CSK #IPL #Dhoni #misses #Mumbai #Indians

The long wait for MS Dhoni’s return to action continued after the 44-year-old was not named in the starting eleven or in the impact subs at the toss against Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

Dhoni hasn’t played a single game this season owing to a calf injury that he picked up before the start of the season.

The CSK management has been non committal about Dhoni’s return date, with batting coach Mike Hussey stating that he’s ‘hopeful’ that Dhoni will be back as soon as possible.

“The primary concern has been his ability to sustain running intensity. He’s been working on his running speeds, which was probably the main concern. From a skill perspective, we’re very confident in his batting and wicketkeeping,” Hussey remarked on the eve of the match against Mumbai Indians.

“It was more about ensuring he can maintain good running power, especially towards the back end of an innings where quick singles and twos are crucial,” Hussey said, before adding that the final call rests with Dhoni.

Head coach Stephen Fleming had revealed earlier that Dhoni had suffered a setback during his recovery, which has delayed his return to action from two weeks to an extended period of time.

“The calf is a tough one. In a warm-up game, he tweaked it again, it’s my understanding. If he takes off and rips the calf again, then he will be gone,” Fleming said after his side’s defeat against Gujarat Titans.

Published on May 02, 2026

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Deadspin | Dallas hunting for first win at Red Bulls in 20 years <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-900/28789532.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28789532.jpg" alt="MLS: Minnesota United at FC Dallas" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 22, 2026; Frisco, Texas, USA; FC Dallas forward Petar Musa (9) brings the ball to the Minnesota United FC net during the second half at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>FC Dallas are winless in their past 11 visits to the New York Red Bulls across all competitions. The skid dates back nearly two decades.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>The Red Bulls rarely conceded goals in those matchups and hope to clamp down defensively Saturday night in Harrison, N.J., especially after their most recent MLS home game.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>The Red Bulls are 9-0-2 at home against Dallas since May 24, 2006. The first 10 meetings were MLS regular-season games, and last year the Red Bulls earned a penalty kick win in U.S. Open Competition on May 21.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Six of those games were shutouts and New York would certainly welcome a blanking after blowing a pair of two-goal leads and settling for a 4-4 tie against visiting D.C. United two weeks ago. New York (3-4-3, 12 points) followed up its disappointing defensive showing with last Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Cincinnati, when it conceded two goals in the final 10 minutes of the first half and dropped to 1-4-3 after winning their first two matches.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>New York also is hoping to improve defensively after allowing three goals off corner kicks during a 3-1 loss to New York City FC in Wednesday’s 3-1 loss in a U.S. Open Cup contest.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-6"> <p>“It’s something that we have to continue to work on,” New York coach Michael Bradley said about the defense. “Obviously, the makeup of our team from a physical profile standpoint means that it’s an area where on some nights we’re going to be really challenged.”</p> </section> <section id="section-7"> <p>Besides trying to get its first road win over the Red Bulls in 20 years, Dallas (3-3-4, 13 points) is attempting to halt a four-match winless skid. Since scoring four goals apiece in consecutive wins over Houston and D.C. United, Dallas has scored four times and gone 0-2-2.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>Last Saturday, Dallas took a 2-1 loss at Seattle, marking the fifth time it was held to one goal or fewer. Nolan Norris scored but his goal wasn’t enough after Dallas trailed by two through the opening 30 minutes.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>“Obviously disappointed about the result, but I thought we played pretty well, and I think we’re going to regret seeing the couple moments that led to their goals,” Dallas coach Eric Quill said. “Those moments are fixable.”</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Dallas forward Petar Musa is tied for the league lead with nine goals, while teenager Julian Hall paces New York with six goals.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Dallas #hunting #win #Red #Bulls #years

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Deadspin | Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski no-hits Nats thru 5 1/3, leaves with injury <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-900/28856841.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28856841.jpg" alt="MLB: Milwaukee Brewers at Washington Nationals" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">May 1, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals but left the game with an apparent injury.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>After throwing a 98.9-mph swinging strike one to James Wood with one out, Misiorowski looked into the dugout. Manager Pat Murphy and trainer Brad Epstein came out and Misiorowski left the game.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-3"> <p>The right-hander was in the midst of a dominant effort, having struck out eight and walked two. He retired the last 12 batters he faced, the final four by strikeout.</p> </section> <section id="section-4"> <p>Aaron Ashby came on with Milwaukee leading 4-0, struck out Wood and got Luis Garcia Jr. to ground out, extending a combined no-hitter to six innings.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Brewers #Jacob #Misiorowski #nohits #Nats #leaves #injury

Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich scored through Michael Olise with the last ​kick of the game to snatch a 3-3 draw against ‌bottom club Heidenheim in the league on ​Saturday, after battling back from two goals ⁠down.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany rotated his side heavily after Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to Paris St Germain in its Champions ‌League semi-final first leg and ahead of next week’s return match in Munich.

Treble-chasing Bayern, which ‌has already secured the league title, quickly found ‌itself ⁠two goals down with Budu Zivzivadze and ⁠Eren Dinkci finding far too much space to beat keeper Jonas Urbig.

ALSO READ: Germany delays its FIFA World Cup 2026 squad reveal by nine days to give injured players more time

The Bavarians, who last week came from 3-0 down to beat ​Mainz 05 4-3 in ‌the Bundesliga and cut the deficit against PSG from 5-2 to 5-4 on Tuesday, pulled back a goal with Leon Goretzka’s superb freekick just before ‌the break.

The midfielder, who will be leaving Bayern ​at the end of the season, volleyed in from close range in the 57th to ⁠level but Heidenheim, desperate for points to have a shot at reaching the relegation playoff spot in the ‌last two remaining matchdays, hit back once more.

Zivzivadze curled a shot into the top far corner after shaking off Olise in the 76th to put his team 3-2 up and set a club record for scoring for a fourth successive league match. Substitute ‌Olise then grabbed a point for the hosts with a long-range ​effort that went in off the back of Heidenheim keeper Diant Ramaj 10 minutes into ⁠stoppage time.

Bayern is on 83 points with second-placed Borussia ⁠Dortmund, on 67, in action at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday.

Heidenheim is in last place on 23, ‌two behind VfL Wolfsburg, and three off St Pauli in the relegation playoff spot. Both the ​Wolves and St Pauli play on Sunday.

Published on May 02, 2026

#Bundesliga #Olises #late #goal #snatches #draw #Bayern #Heidenheim">Bundesliga 2025-26: Olise’s late goal snatches draw for Bayern against Heidenheim  Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich scored through Michael Olise with the last ​kick of the game to snatch a 3-3 draw against ‌bottom club Heidenheim in the league on ​Saturday, after battling back from two goals ⁠down.Bayern coach Vincent Kompany rotated his side heavily after Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to Paris St Germain in its Champions ‌League semi-final first leg and ahead of next week’s return match in Munich.Treble-chasing Bayern, which ‌has already secured the league title, quickly found ‌itself ⁠two goals down with Budu Zivzivadze and ⁠Eren Dinkci finding far too much space to beat keeper Jonas Urbig.ALSO READ: Germany delays its FIFA World Cup 2026 squad reveal by nine days to give injured players more timeThe Bavarians, who last week came from 3-0 down to beat ​Mainz 05 4-3 in ‌the Bundesliga and cut the deficit against PSG from 5-2 to 5-4 on Tuesday, pulled back a goal with Leon Goretzka’s superb freekick just before ‌the break.The midfielder, who will be leaving Bayern ​at the end of the season, volleyed in from close range in the 57th to ⁠level but Heidenheim, desperate for points to have a shot at reaching the relegation playoff spot in the ‌last two remaining matchdays, hit back once more.Zivzivadze curled a shot into the top far corner after shaking off Olise in the 76th to put his team 3-2 up and set a club record for scoring for a fourth successive league match. Substitute ‌Olise then grabbed a point for the hosts with a long-range ​effort that went in off the back of Heidenheim keeper Diant Ramaj 10 minutes into ⁠stoppage time.Bayern is on 83 points with second-placed Borussia ⁠Dortmund, on 67, in action at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday.Heidenheim is in last place on 23, ‌two behind VfL Wolfsburg, and three off St Pauli in the relegation playoff spot. Both the ​Wolves and St Pauli play on Sunday.Published on May 02, 2026  #Bundesliga #Olises #late #goal #snatches #draw #Bayern #Heidenheim

Germany delays its FIFA World Cup 2026 squad reveal by nine days to give injured players more time

The Bavarians, who last week came from 3-0 down to beat ​Mainz 05 4-3 in ‌the Bundesliga and cut the deficit against PSG from 5-2 to 5-4 on Tuesday, pulled back a goal with Leon Goretzka’s superb freekick just before ‌the break.

The midfielder, who will be leaving Bayern ​at the end of the season, volleyed in from close range in the 57th to ⁠level but Heidenheim, desperate for points to have a shot at reaching the relegation playoff spot in the ‌last two remaining matchdays, hit back once more.

Zivzivadze curled a shot into the top far corner after shaking off Olise in the 76th to put his team 3-2 up and set a club record for scoring for a fourth successive league match. Substitute ‌Olise then grabbed a point for the hosts with a long-range ​effort that went in off the back of Heidenheim keeper Diant Ramaj 10 minutes into ⁠stoppage time.

Bayern is on 83 points with second-placed Borussia ⁠Dortmund, on 67, in action at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday.

Heidenheim is in last place on 23, ‌two behind VfL Wolfsburg, and three off St Pauli in the relegation playoff spot. Both the ​Wolves and St Pauli play on Sunday.

Published on May 02, 2026

#Bundesliga #Olises #late #goal #snatches #draw #Bayern #Heidenheim">Bundesliga 2025-26: Olise’s late goal snatches draw for Bayern against Heidenheim

Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich scored through Michael Olise with the last ​kick of the game to snatch a 3-3 draw against ‌bottom club Heidenheim in the league on ​Saturday, after battling back from two goals ⁠down.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany rotated his side heavily after Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to Paris St Germain in its Champions ‌League semi-final first leg and ahead of next week’s return match in Munich.

Treble-chasing Bayern, which ‌has already secured the league title, quickly found ‌itself ⁠two goals down with Budu Zivzivadze and ⁠Eren Dinkci finding far too much space to beat keeper Jonas Urbig.

ALSO READ: Germany delays its FIFA World Cup 2026 squad reveal by nine days to give injured players more time

The Bavarians, who last week came from 3-0 down to beat ​Mainz 05 4-3 in ‌the Bundesliga and cut the deficit against PSG from 5-2 to 5-4 on Tuesday, pulled back a goal with Leon Goretzka’s superb freekick just before ‌the break.

The midfielder, who will be leaving Bayern ​at the end of the season, volleyed in from close range in the 57th to ⁠level but Heidenheim, desperate for points to have a shot at reaching the relegation playoff spot in the ‌last two remaining matchdays, hit back once more.

Zivzivadze curled a shot into the top far corner after shaking off Olise in the 76th to put his team 3-2 up and set a club record for scoring for a fourth successive league match. Substitute ‌Olise then grabbed a point for the hosts with a long-range ​effort that went in off the back of Heidenheim keeper Diant Ramaj 10 minutes into ⁠stoppage time.

Bayern is on 83 points with second-placed Borussia ⁠Dortmund, on 67, in action at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday.

Heidenheim is in last place on 23, ‌two behind VfL Wolfsburg, and three off St Pauli in the relegation playoff spot. Both the ​Wolves and St Pauli play on Sunday.

Published on May 02, 2026

#Bundesliga #Olises #late #goal #snatches #draw #Bayern #Heidenheim

When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out ahead of Round 1’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff matchup, many had written off the purple and gold.

But LeBron James pulled off another unthinkable playoff victory, defeating the Rockets in six games.

Of course, the Rockets only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.

“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.

He’s not wrong.

James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.

We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.

Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.

At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.

His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.

After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.

There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.

What’s next for LeBron?

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.

It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.

Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.

But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.

#LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com">LeBron James Says He’s Kicking Father Time’s Ass – And He’s Right | Deadspin.com   When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out ahead of Round 1’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff matchup, many had written off the purple and gold.But LeBron James pulled off another unthinkable playoff victory, defeating the Rockets in six games.Of course, the Rockets only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.He’s not wrong.James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.What’s next for LeBron?The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.   #LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com

only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.

“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.

He’s not wrong.

James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.

We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.

Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.

At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.

His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.

After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.

There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.

What’s next for LeBron?

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.

It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.

Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.

But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.

#LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com">LeBron James Says He’s Kicking Father Time’s Ass – And He’s Right | Deadspin.com

When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out ahead of Round 1’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff matchup, many had written off the purple and gold.

But LeBron James pulled off another unthinkable playoff victory, defeating the Rockets in six games.

Of course, the Rockets only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.

“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.

He’s not wrong.

James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.

We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.

Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.

At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.

His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.

After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.

There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.

What’s next for LeBron?

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.

It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.

Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.

But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.

#LeBron #James #Hes #Kicking #Father #Times #Ass #Hes #Deadspin.com

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