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Miami Grand Prix: Lando Norris beats Kimi Antonelli for sprint pole World champion Lando Norris beamed in the Florida sunshine Friday after steering his upgraded McLaren to pole position for Saturday’s sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix.The 26-year-old Briton made the most of the extensive upgrades on his car to outpace Mercedes’ Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli, at 19 the youngest man to lead the drivers’ championship in F1 history, and end Mercedes’ early season domination.“I’ve always loved Miami, both on and off the track,” said Norris, who claimed his maiden F1 triumph at the compact circuit built around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens in 2024. “And this is a good result for us, but still only at the beginning of the weekend.“There’s still a long way to go, but it’s nice to kick off by doing this. We’ve got a lot of new upgrades on the car and it is nice to feel some grip again — and nice to reward the guys and girls who have put a lot of work into this.”Asked if he felt this indicated that the defending constructors’ champions had regained the initiative from McLaren, Norris was cautious.“It’s so tough to know because every track is different. We’ve known that this track has always been good to us, but we knew that what we were bringing was hopefully going to be a good step so it’s nice that our estimations have proved to be correct.“The team deserve that… Since the first lap today, I felt very comfortable and I thought I had a bit of rear grip, so it is good to start with pole.”ALSO READ | Charles Leclerc offers hope to Ferrari fans in MiamiMcLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, who won last year’s race, was a close third ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, four-time Max Verstappen of Red Bull and early season leader George Russell of Mercedes.Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh in the second Ferrari, the Italian team along with Red Bull having brought major upgrade packages to the Miami race.It was the first time this year that Mercedes had been outpaced in a qualifying session, after three races run before the five-week hiatus due to the conflict in the Middle East.A disappointed Russell said, “I think it is pretty surprising how big a jump McLaren and Ferrari have made. It’s much bigger than we expected, even if this has never been a favourite circuit for me.”He added that he had struggled with overheating tyres and other problems throughout Friday.Verstappen was also disappointed, but realistic and said he could see the positives in Red Bull’s improved performance thanks to their upgrades, but added that the team were still “very weak” in the high-speed section of the track.“We need to work on that,” he said, a comment repeated by Ferrari’s Hamilton, who said he had hoped Ferrari’s extensive upgrade package would have delivered greater rewards.Published on May 02, 2026 #Miami #Grand #Prix #Lando #Norris #beats #Kimi #Antonelli #sprint #pole

Miami Grand Prix: Lando Norris beats Kimi Antonelli for sprint pole

World champion Lando Norris beamed in the Florida sunshine Friday after steering his upgraded McLaren to pole position for Saturday’s sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old Briton made the most of the extensive upgrades on his car to outpace Mercedes’ Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli, at 19 the youngest man to lead the drivers’ championship in F1 history, and end Mercedes’ early season domination.

“I’ve always loved Miami, both on and off the track,” said Norris, who claimed his maiden F1 triumph at the compact circuit built around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens in 2024. “And this is a good result for us, but still only at the beginning of the weekend.

“There’s still a long way to go, but it’s nice to kick off by doing this. We’ve got a lot of new upgrades on the car and it is nice to feel some grip again — and nice to reward the guys and girls who have put a lot of work into this.”

Asked if he felt this indicated that the defending constructors’ champions had regained the initiative from McLaren, Norris was cautious.

“It’s so tough to know because every track is different. We’ve known that this track has always been good to us, but we knew that what we were bringing was hopefully going to be a good step so it’s nice that our estimations have proved to be correct.

“The team deserve that… Since the first lap today, I felt very comfortable and I thought I had a bit of rear grip, so it is good to start with pole.”

ALSO READ | Charles Leclerc offers hope to Ferrari fans in Miami

McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, who won last year’s race, was a close third ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, four-time Max Verstappen of Red Bull and early season leader George Russell of Mercedes.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh in the second Ferrari, the Italian team along with Red Bull having brought major upgrade packages to the Miami race.

It was the first time this year that Mercedes had been outpaced in a qualifying session, after three races run before the five-week hiatus due to the conflict in the Middle East.

A disappointed Russell said, “I think it is pretty surprising how big a jump McLaren and Ferrari have made. It’s much bigger than we expected, even if this has never been a favourite circuit for me.”

He added that he had struggled with overheating tyres and other problems throughout Friday.

Verstappen was also disappointed, but realistic and said he could see the positives in Red Bull’s improved performance thanks to their upgrades, but added that the team were still “very weak” in the high-speed section of the track.

“We need to work on that,” he said, a comment repeated by Ferrari’s Hamilton, who said he had hoped Ferrari’s extensive upgrade package would have delivered greater rewards.

Published on May 02, 2026

#Miami #Grand #Prix #Lando #Norris #beats #Kimi #Antonelli #sprint #pole

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World champion Lando Norris beamed in the Florida sunshine Friday after steering his upgraded McLaren to pole position for Saturday’s sprint race at the Miami Grand Prix.

The 26-year-old Briton made the most of the extensive upgrades on his car to outpace Mercedes’ Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli, at 19 the youngest man to lead the drivers’ championship in F1 history, and end Mercedes’ early season domination.

“I’ve always loved Miami, both on and off the track,” said Norris, who claimed his maiden F1 triumph at the compact circuit built around the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens in 2024. “And this is a good result for us, but still only at the beginning of the weekend.

“There’s still a long way to go, but it’s nice to kick off by doing this. We’ve got a lot of new upgrades on the car and it is nice to feel some grip again — and nice to reward the guys and girls who have put a lot of work into this.”

Asked if he felt this indicated that the defending constructors’ champions had regained the initiative from McLaren, Norris was cautious.

“It’s so tough to know because every track is different. We’ve known that this track has always been good to us, but we knew that what we were bringing was hopefully going to be a good step so it’s nice that our estimations have proved to be correct.

“The team deserve that… Since the first lap today, I felt very comfortable and I thought I had a bit of rear grip, so it is good to start with pole.”

ALSO READ | Charles Leclerc offers hope to Ferrari fans in Miami

McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, who won last year’s race, was a close third ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, four-time Max Verstappen of Red Bull and early season leader George Russell of Mercedes.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh in the second Ferrari, the Italian team along with Red Bull having brought major upgrade packages to the Miami race.

It was the first time this year that Mercedes had been outpaced in a qualifying session, after three races run before the five-week hiatus due to the conflict in the Middle East.

A disappointed Russell said, “I think it is pretty surprising how big a jump McLaren and Ferrari have made. It’s much bigger than we expected, even if this has never been a favourite circuit for me.”

He added that he had struggled with overheating tyres and other problems throughout Friday.

Verstappen was also disappointed, but realistic and said he could see the positives in Red Bull’s improved performance thanks to their upgrades, but added that the team were still “very weak” in the high-speed section of the track.

“We need to work on that,” he said, a comment repeated by Ferrari’s Hamilton, who said he had hoped Ferrari’s extensive upgrade package would have delivered greater rewards.

Published on May 02, 2026

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Deadspin | Royals pull out victory over Mariners in slugfest May 1, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) and relief pitcher Lucas Erceg (60) celebrate defeating the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Pinch hitter Lane Thomas’ run-scoring single with one out in the eighth inning broke a tie as the Kansas City Royals defeated the host Seattle Mariners 7-6 on Friday, overcoming a pair of two-run homers by Julio Rodriguez. Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone went deep for the Royals, who won for just the fourth time in 16 road games this season. By taking the opener of a three-game series, Kansas City stopped a mini two-game skid. Connor Joe and Randy Arozarena also homered for Seattle, which had won six of its previous seven games. Royals reliever Daniel Lynch IV (1-0) got the victory despite allowing two runs in his lone inning. Lucas Erceg worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save of the season. With the score tied at 6-all, Kansas City’s Salvador Perez led off the eighth with a double to left field, his second of the game. Perez advanced to third on Carter Jensen’s groundout and scored as Thomas hit a looping liner to right-center off Mariners reliever Jose A. Ferrer (0-1). The Royals’ Maikel Garcia, Bobby Witt Jr. and Pasquantino began the game with singles, with Pasquantino driving in the opening run. Perez followed with a two-run double to right to make it 3-0. With two outs, Isaac Collins doubled off the glove of third baseman Leo Rivas, scoring Perez. The Mariners’ halved their deficit in the bottom half of the frame. J.P. Crawford drew a leadoff walk, and an out later, Rodriguez went deep into the second deck in left field. Seattle pulled within 4-3 in the fifth when Joe hit a leadoff homer to left. Pasquantino led off the sixth with a liner off the facade of the second deck in right field. Two outs later, Caglianone hit a high drive that just cleared the fence in the right field corner to give the Royals a 6-3 advantage. Arozarena went deep to right with one out in the bottom of the inning. In the seventh, Crawford singled and Rodriguez homered to straightaway center with two outs to tie it at 6-all. Both starting pitchers struggled to keep the ball in the yard. Royals left-hander Cole Ragans went 5 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on four hits, including three homers. He walked three and struck out eight. Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo struggled early, allowing four runs in the first inning, then settled down to retire 13 consecutive batters before giving up the two solo shots in the sixth. Woo went six innings and allowed six runs on seven hits, with no walks and two strikeouts. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Royals #pull #victory #Mariners #slugfestMay 1, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) and relief pitcher Lucas Erceg (60) celebrate defeating the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Pinch hitter Lane Thomas’ run-scoring single with one out in the eighth inning broke a tie as the Kansas City Royals defeated the host Seattle Mariners 7-6 on Friday, overcoming a pair of two-run homers by Julio Rodriguez.

Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone went deep for the Royals, who won for just the fourth time in 16 road games this season. By taking the opener of a three-game series, Kansas City stopped a mini two-game skid.

Connor Joe and Randy Arozarena also homered for Seattle, which had won six of its previous seven games.

Royals reliever Daniel Lynch IV (1-0) got the victory despite allowing two runs in his lone inning. Lucas Erceg worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save of the season.

With the score tied at 6-all, Kansas City’s Salvador Perez led off the eighth with a double to left field, his second of the game. Perez advanced to third on Carter Jensen’s groundout and scored as Thomas hit a looping liner to right-center off Mariners reliever Jose A. Ferrer (0-1).

The Royals’ Maikel Garcia, Bobby Witt Jr. and Pasquantino began the game with singles, with Pasquantino driving in the opening run. Perez followed with a two-run double to right to make it 3-0. With two outs, Isaac Collins doubled off the glove of third baseman Leo Rivas, scoring Perez.

The Mariners’ halved their deficit in the bottom half of the frame. J.P. Crawford drew a leadoff walk, and an out later, Rodriguez went deep into the second deck in left field.


Seattle pulled within 4-3 in the fifth when Joe hit a leadoff homer to left.

Pasquantino led off the sixth with a liner off the facade of the second deck in right field. Two outs later, Caglianone hit a high drive that just cleared the fence in the right field corner to give the Royals a 6-3 advantage.

Arozarena went deep to right with one out in the bottom of the inning.

In the seventh, Crawford singled and Rodriguez homered to straightaway center with two outs to tie it at 6-all.

Both starting pitchers struggled to keep the ball in the yard.

Royals left-hander Cole Ragans went 5 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on four hits, including three homers. He walked three and struck out eight.

Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo struggled early, allowing four runs in the first inning, then settled down to retire 13 consecutive batters before giving up the two solo shots in the sixth. Woo went six innings and allowed six runs on seven hits, with no walks and two strikeouts.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Royals #pull #victory #Mariners #slugfest">Deadspin | Royals pull out victory over Mariners in slugfest May 1, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) and relief pitcher Lucas Erceg (60) celebrate defeating the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Pinch hitter Lane Thomas’ run-scoring single with one out in the eighth inning broke a tie as the Kansas City Royals defeated the host Seattle Mariners 7-6 on Friday, overcoming a pair of two-run homers by Julio Rodriguez. Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone went deep for the Royals, who won for just the fourth time in 16 road games this season. By taking the opener of a three-game series, Kansas City stopped a mini two-game skid. Connor Joe and Randy Arozarena also homered for Seattle, which had won six of its previous seven games. Royals reliever Daniel Lynch IV (1-0) got the victory despite allowing two runs in his lone inning. Lucas Erceg worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save of the season. With the score tied at 6-all, Kansas City’s Salvador Perez led off the eighth with a double to left field, his second of the game. Perez advanced to third on Carter Jensen’s groundout and scored as Thomas hit a looping liner to right-center off Mariners reliever Jose A. Ferrer (0-1). The Royals’ Maikel Garcia, Bobby Witt Jr. and Pasquantino began the game with singles, with Pasquantino driving in the opening run. Perez followed with a two-run double to right to make it 3-0. With two outs, Isaac Collins doubled off the glove of third baseman Leo Rivas, scoring Perez. The Mariners’ halved their deficit in the bottom half of the frame. J.P. Crawford drew a leadoff walk, and an out later, Rodriguez went deep into the second deck in left field. Seattle pulled within 4-3 in the fifth when Joe hit a leadoff homer to left. Pasquantino led off the sixth with a liner off the facade of the second deck in right field. Two outs later, Caglianone hit a high drive that just cleared the fence in the right field corner to give the Royals a 6-3 advantage. Arozarena went deep to right with one out in the bottom of the inning. In the seventh, Crawford singled and Rodriguez homered to straightaway center with two outs to tie it at 6-all. Both starting pitchers struggled to keep the ball in the yard. Royals left-hander Cole Ragans went 5 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on four hits, including three homers. He walked three and struck out eight. Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo struggled early, allowing four runs in the first inning, then settled down to retire 13 consecutive batters before giving up the two solo shots in the sixth. Woo went six innings and allowed six runs on seven hits, with no walks and two strikeouts. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Royals #pull #victory #Mariners #slugfest

World No. 3 Alexander Zverev, in strong form, dispatched promising Belgian Alexander Blockx 6-2, 7-5 to set up a summit clash against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the Madrid Open on Friday.

“I’m very happy of course to be in a final,” said Zverev, who lifted the trophy in Madrid in 2018 and 2021. There were a lot of tough matches, a lot of tough battles… and I’m looking forward to playing Jannik again.

“Tennis is very very easy for him right now, the way he is playing. Maybe on Sunday I will make it a bit more difficult for him.

“He’s the best player in the world for sure and I’m just trying to give him a tough battle.”

ALSO READ | Jannik Sinner says adrenaline drives him past fatigue in run to Madrid Open final

The 29-year-old broke in the first and fifth games to surge into a 5-1 lead against his unseeded opponent.

Underdog Blockx, ranked 69th in the world, resisted strong pressure on his next service game, saving three set points to hold.

However the dominant Zverev made no mistake with his fourth chance to wrap up the fourth stanza, laying down an ace.

Blockx survived two break points in the first game of the second set and another in the third as Zverev worked him hard.

The Belgian, who defeated Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals, put up a brave display as he saved two more break points in each of the seventh and ninth games.

Eventually Zverev took his eighth break point of the second set to nose 6-5 ahead, with a fortuitous net cord that broke Blockx’s resistance.

The German, who has suffered a string of semifinal defeats this season, made it to his first final with a powerful overhead winner.

Published on May 02, 2026

#Madrid #Open #Zverev #beats #Blockx #set #final #Sinner">Madrid Open: Zverev beats Blockx to set up final against Sinner World No. 3 Alexander Zverev, in strong form, dispatched promising Belgian Alexander Blockx 6-2, 7-5 to set up a summit clash against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the Madrid Open on Friday.“I’m very happy of course to be in a final,” said Zverev, who lifted the trophy in Madrid in 2018 and 2021. There were a lot of tough matches, a lot of tough battles… and I’m looking forward to playing Jannik again.“Tennis is very very easy for him right now, the way he is playing. Maybe on Sunday I will make it a bit more difficult for him.“He’s the best player in the world for sure and I’m just trying to give him a tough battle.”ALSO READ | Jannik Sinner says adrenaline drives him past fatigue in run to Madrid Open finalThe 29-year-old broke in the first and fifth games to surge into a 5-1 lead against his unseeded opponent.Underdog Blockx, ranked 69th in the world, resisted strong pressure on his next service game, saving three set points to hold.However the dominant Zverev made no mistake with his fourth chance to wrap up the fourth stanza, laying down an ace.Blockx survived two break points in the first game of the second set and another in the third as Zverev worked him hard.The Belgian, who defeated Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals, put up a brave display as he saved two more break points in each of the seventh and ninth games.Eventually Zverev took his eighth break point of the second set to nose 6-5 ahead, with a fortuitous net cord that broke Blockx’s resistance.The German, who has suffered a string of semifinal defeats this season, made it to his first final with a powerful overhead winner.Published on May 02, 2026 #Madrid #Open #Zverev #beats #Blockx #set #final #Sinner

Jannik Sinner says adrenaline drives him past fatigue in run to Madrid Open final

The 29-year-old broke in the first and fifth games to surge into a 5-1 lead against his unseeded opponent.

Underdog Blockx, ranked 69th in the world, resisted strong pressure on his next service game, saving three set points to hold.

However the dominant Zverev made no mistake with his fourth chance to wrap up the fourth stanza, laying down an ace.

Blockx survived two break points in the first game of the second set and another in the third as Zverev worked him hard.

The Belgian, who defeated Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals, put up a brave display as he saved two more break points in each of the seventh and ninth games.

Eventually Zverev took his eighth break point of the second set to nose 6-5 ahead, with a fortuitous net cord that broke Blockx’s resistance.

The German, who has suffered a string of semifinal defeats this season, made it to his first final with a powerful overhead winner.

Published on May 02, 2026

#Madrid #Open #Zverev #beats #Blockx #set #final #Sinner">Madrid Open: Zverev beats Blockx to set up final against Sinner

World No. 3 Alexander Zverev, in strong form, dispatched promising Belgian Alexander Blockx 6-2, 7-5 to set up a summit clash against World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the Madrid Open on Friday.

“I’m very happy of course to be in a final,” said Zverev, who lifted the trophy in Madrid in 2018 and 2021. There were a lot of tough matches, a lot of tough battles… and I’m looking forward to playing Jannik again.

“Tennis is very very easy for him right now, the way he is playing. Maybe on Sunday I will make it a bit more difficult for him.

“He’s the best player in the world for sure and I’m just trying to give him a tough battle.”

ALSO READ | Jannik Sinner says adrenaline drives him past fatigue in run to Madrid Open final

The 29-year-old broke in the first and fifth games to surge into a 5-1 lead against his unseeded opponent.

Underdog Blockx, ranked 69th in the world, resisted strong pressure on his next service game, saving three set points to hold.

However the dominant Zverev made no mistake with his fourth chance to wrap up the fourth stanza, laying down an ace.

Blockx survived two break points in the first game of the second set and another in the third as Zverev worked him hard.

The Belgian, who defeated Casper Ruud in the quarterfinals, put up a brave display as he saved two more break points in each of the seventh and ninth games.

Eventually Zverev took his eighth break point of the second set to nose 6-5 ahead, with a fortuitous net cord that broke Blockx’s resistance.

The German, who has suffered a string of semifinal defeats this season, made it to his first final with a powerful overhead winner.

Published on May 02, 2026

#Madrid #Open #Zverev #beats #Blockx #set #final #Sinner
Deadspin | NBA roundup: Lakers end Rockets’ comeback dreams, win series in 6 May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) greets Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) following game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images LeBron James scored 18 of his 28 points in a runaway first half for the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, who cruised to a 98-78 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday and claimed their Western Conference first-round playoff series in six games. By virtue of the 4-2 series victory, the Lakers advance to the Western Conference semifinals and will travel to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder for Game 1 on Tuesday. James added seven rebounds and eight assists to his ledger. Teammate Rui Hachimura put up 21 points, hitting 5 of 7 from the 3-point arc. Austin Reaves, who started for the first time in the series, added 15 points for the Lakers. Undermined by turnovers throughout the series, the Lakers committed just 11 giveaways while limiting Houston to 35% shooting. Alperen Sengun paired 17 points with 11 rebounds for the Rockets, who played without leading scorer Kevin Durant for the fifth time in the series. Houston finished 5 of 28 (17.9%) from deep. Raptors 112, Cavaliers 110 (OT) RJ Barrett made a dramatic 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in overtime as Toronto defeated visiting Cleveland to force Game 7 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. Barrett’s bucket from straight away hit the back of the rim, bounced high into the air and fell in between the mesh. Scottie Barnes had 25 points and 14 assists for the Raptors. Barrett finished with 24 points, as did Ja’Kobe Walter. Evan Mobley had 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who will play host to the deciding game on Sunday. Donovan Mitchell added 24 points, and James Harden had 16 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. Pistons 93, Magic 79 Cade Cunningham scored 32 points as Detroit came back from a 24-point deficit to stun host Orlando and force a decisive Game 7 in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. The top-seeded Pistons began the fourth quarter on an 18-1 run to build an eight-point lead and ended up outscoring Orlando 55-19 in the second half. The eighth-seeded Magic missed 23 consecutive shots from the field during one stretch covering about 15 minutes in the second half. Desmond Bane and Paolo Banchero each scored 17 points for Orlando, which was held to 12 points over the first 19 minutes of the second half as Detroit pulled ahead at 74-72 more than seven minutes to play after trailing by 22 at the half. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #NBA #roundup #Lakers #Rockets #comeback #dreams #win #seriesMay 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) greets Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) following game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images

LeBron James scored 18 of his 28 points in a runaway first half for the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, who cruised to a 98-78 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday and claimed their Western Conference first-round playoff series in six games.

By virtue of the 4-2 series victory, the Lakers advance to the Western Conference semifinals and will travel to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder for Game 1 on Tuesday.

James added seven rebounds and eight assists to his ledger. Teammate Rui Hachimura put up 21 points, hitting 5 of 7 from the 3-point arc. Austin Reaves, who started for the first time in the series, added 15 points for the Lakers.

Undermined by turnovers throughout the series, the Lakers committed just 11 giveaways while limiting Houston to 35% shooting. Alperen Sengun paired 17 points with 11 rebounds for the Rockets, who played without leading scorer Kevin Durant for the fifth time in the series. Houston finished 5 of 28 (17.9%) from deep.

Raptors 112, Cavaliers 110 (OT)

RJ Barrett made a dramatic 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in overtime as Toronto defeated visiting Cleveland to force Game 7 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.


Barrett’s bucket from straight away hit the back of the rim, bounced high into the air and fell in between the mesh. Scottie Barnes had 25 points and 14 assists for the Raptors. Barrett finished with 24 points, as did Ja’Kobe Walter.

Evan Mobley had 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who will play host to the deciding game on Sunday. Donovan Mitchell added 24 points, and James Harden had 16 points, nine assists and nine rebounds.

Pistons 93, Magic 79

Cade Cunningham scored 32 points as Detroit came back from a 24-point deficit to stun host Orlando and force a decisive Game 7 in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.

The top-seeded Pistons began the fourth quarter on an 18-1 run to build an eight-point lead and ended up outscoring Orlando 55-19 in the second half. The eighth-seeded Magic missed 23 consecutive shots from the field during one stretch covering about 15 minutes in the second half.

Desmond Bane and Paolo Banchero each scored 17 points for Orlando, which was held to 12 points over the first 19 minutes of the second half as Detroit pulled ahead at 74-72 more than seven minutes to play after trailing by 22 at the half.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #NBA #roundup #Lakers #Rockets #comeback #dreams #win #series">Deadspin | NBA roundup: Lakers end Rockets’ comeback dreams, win series in 6 May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) greets Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) following game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images LeBron James scored 18 of his 28 points in a runaway first half for the visiting Los Angeles Lakers, who cruised to a 98-78 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday and claimed their Western Conference first-round playoff series in six games. By virtue of the 4-2 series victory, the Lakers advance to the Western Conference semifinals and will travel to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder for Game 1 on Tuesday. James added seven rebounds and eight assists to his ledger. Teammate Rui Hachimura put up 21 points, hitting 5 of 7 from the 3-point arc. Austin Reaves, who started for the first time in the series, added 15 points for the Lakers. Undermined by turnovers throughout the series, the Lakers committed just 11 giveaways while limiting Houston to 35% shooting. Alperen Sengun paired 17 points with 11 rebounds for the Rockets, who played without leading scorer Kevin Durant for the fifth time in the series. Houston finished 5 of 28 (17.9%) from deep. Raptors 112, Cavaliers 110 (OT) RJ Barrett made a dramatic 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in overtime as Toronto defeated visiting Cleveland to force Game 7 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. Barrett’s bucket from straight away hit the back of the rim, bounced high into the air and fell in between the mesh. Scottie Barnes had 25 points and 14 assists for the Raptors. Barrett finished with 24 points, as did Ja’Kobe Walter. Evan Mobley had 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who will play host to the deciding game on Sunday. Donovan Mitchell added 24 points, and James Harden had 16 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. Pistons 93, Magic 79 Cade Cunningham scored 32 points as Detroit came back from a 24-point deficit to stun host Orlando and force a decisive Game 7 in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. The top-seeded Pistons began the fourth quarter on an 18-1 run to build an eight-point lead and ended up outscoring Orlando 55-19 in the second half. The eighth-seeded Magic missed 23 consecutive shots from the field during one stretch covering about 15 minutes in the second half. Desmond Bane and Paolo Banchero each scored 17 points for Orlando, which was held to 12 points over the first 19 minutes of the second half as Detroit pulled ahead at 74-72 more than seven minutes to play after trailing by 22 at the half. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #NBA #roundup #Lakers #Rockets #comeback #dreams #win #series

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