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NBA roundup: Wolves down Pacers, subsequently clinch playoff berth Ayo Dosunmu scored 24 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a three-game losing streak with a 124-104 win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday in Indianapolis.Julius Randle and Bones Hyland added 19 apiece, and Naz Reid contributed 17 for Minnesota (47-32), which sits in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves finished the night clinching a ​playoff spot and avoiding the play-in after the Phoenix Suns fell to the Houston Rockets 119-105 later on Tuesday.Rookie Ethan Thompson posted 17 points for the Pacers (18-61), who took their third straight defeat. Obi Toppin ‌and Jalen Slawson both had 14 points.Indiana’s season-long injury crisis continued when forward Kobe Brown, who was in the starting five, was ​unable to play after halftime with lower back soreness.Thunder 123, Lakers 87Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in 28 minutes as Oklahoma City demolished the Lakers ⁠for the second time in five days, prevailing in Los Angeles.The Thunder, by earning their sixth consecutive win and their 18th in 19 games, moved within one win or one San Antonio Spurs loss of clinching the top spot in the Western Conference for the third consecutive season. Chet Holmgren had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain added 18 and 15 points ‌off the bench, respectively.The Lakers fell a game behind the Denver Nuggets for the No. 3 spot in the West with their third consecutive loss. They are now tied with Houston after the Rockets beat the Suns. Rui Hachimura led Los Angeles with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. No other ‌Los Angeles player scored more than 11.Rockets 119, Suns 105Kevin Durant had 24 points and five 3-pointers in his return to Phoenix, and Houston overcame a 21-point ‌deficit ⁠for its largest comeback of the season, producing a victory over the host Suns. Kevin Durant (7) of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against Jordan Goodwin (23) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Kevin Durant (7) of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against Jordan Goodwin (23) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Amen Thompson logged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, and ⁠Jabari Smith Jr. had 20 points and five 3-pointers for the Rockets, who have won seven in a row and nine of 11. The Rockets are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for fourth place in the West and are one game behind the Denver Nuggets with three to play.Devin Booker had 31 points and eight assists, and Mark Williams contributed 19 points and eight rebounds for the Suns, who had a ​24-0 run in the first quarter to build a 26-5 lead before fading.Pelicans ‌156, Jazz 137Jeremiah Fears scored a career-high and franchise-rookie-record 40 points as New Orleans set a club record for points in a blowout of visiting Utah.Jordan Poole added 34 points, Jordan Hawkins put up a season-high 25, and rookie Micah Peavy scored a career-high 20 as the Pelicans ended an eight-game losing streak.Kennedy Chandler scored a career-high 31 points, and rookie Bez Mbeng added a career-best 26 for the Jazz, who lost their 10th consecutive game.Celtics 113, Hornets 102Jaylen Brown scored ‌35 points and grabbed nine rebounds to propel Boston past visiting Charlotte.The Celtics received 23 points from Jayson Tatum and 12 each from Neemias Queta, Derrick ​White, and Payton Pritchard. Boston has won four straight and 11 of its past 13 games.LaMelo Ball tossed in a game-high 36 points for the Hornets, but he failed to score in the fourth quarter. Charlotte was held to 15 points in the final period as its four-game ⁠winning streak ended.Bulls 129, Wizards 98Rob Dillingham’s career-high 26 points off the bench highlighted a balanced scoring effort as Chicago rolled past host Washington. Rob Dillingham (7) of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Rob Dillingham (7) of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Chicago left little doubt on the way to snapping a seven-game losing streak, pouncing on Washington with a 9-0 run midway through the first quarter. Tre Jones put on 20 points, his third effort of 19-plus points in ‌his past five games, and he wound up one assist shy of his first double-double since January. Patrick Williams added 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.Bilal Coulibaly led the Wizards with 19 points. First-year forward Julian Reese posted his fourth double-double in his 10 NBA games, going for 17 points and 11 rebounds.Nets 96, Bucks 90E.J. Liddell scored 21 points to lead Brooklyn to a victory over visiting Milwaukee.It was the second win in a row for Brooklyn and third in its last five contests. Ben Saraf added 19 points while Malachi Smith and Drake Powell each scored 11.AJ Green led the Bucks with 20 points on six 3-pointers (6-for-12). Taurean Prince scored 16 points with 11 rebounds while Cormac Ryan added 14. Jericho Sims tallied 12 points, eight boards, and six assists, and Ousmane Dieng had 10 points and seven rebounds.Clippers 116, Mavericks 103Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points and Darius ‌Garland added 22 as Los Angeles improved its play-in tournament seeding possibilities with a victory over Dallas in Inglewood, Calif.John Collins scored 12 points, and Derrick Jones Jr. added 11 points with 10 rebounds as the ​eighth-place Clippers moved a full game ahead of the ninth-place Portland Trail Blazers. The Clippers and Blazers will meet on Friday at Portland.Cooper Flagg scored 25 points and Marvin Bagley III added 21 as the Mavericks fell to 2-9 since March 16. Flagg, 19, coming off consecutive games ⁠of 51 and 45 points.READ: Victor Wembanyama injury update — San Antonio Spurs star doubtful for rest of NBA seasonRaptors 121, Heat 95Scottie Barnes scored 25 points and Brandon Ingram added 23, leading Toronto to a victory over visiting Miami.Jakob Poeltl had 17 points while RJ ⁠Barrett chipped in 16 for the Raptors, who pulled within a game of the fifth-place Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference. Toronto had dropped three of its previous four games.The Heat got 24 points from Andrew Wiggins and 14 points apiece from Tyler Herro and Norman Powell. Miami shot just 27.3 per cent (12 of 44) ‌on 3-point attempts while dropping its ninth game in 12 tries.Warriors 110, Kings 105Stephen Curry capped his 17-point performance with a game-tying 3-pointer, then turned his own miss into an offensive rebound and assist on Brandin Podziemski’s go-ahead trey as Golden State outlasted Sacramento in San Francisco.De’Anthony Melton had a game-high 21 points and Podziemski finished ​with 20 for the Warriors, who ended a four-game losing streak while resting Kristaps Porzingis on the first night of a four-games-in-six-days sequence.Killian Hayes led a balanced attack with 18 points off the bench for the Kings, who dropped their second in a row.Published on Apr 08, 2026 #NBA #roundup #Wolves #Pacers #subsequently #clinch #playoff #berth

NBA roundup: Wolves down Pacers, subsequently clinch playoff berth

Ayo Dosunmu scored 24 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a three-game losing streak with a 124-104 win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday in Indianapolis.

Julius Randle and Bones Hyland added 19 apiece, and Naz Reid contributed 17 for Minnesota (47-32), which sits in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves finished the night clinching a ​playoff spot and avoiding the play-in after the Phoenix Suns fell to the Houston Rockets 119-105 later on Tuesday.

Rookie Ethan Thompson posted 17 points for the Pacers (18-61), who took their third straight defeat. Obi Toppin ‌and Jalen Slawson both had 14 points.

Indiana’s season-long injury crisis continued when forward Kobe Brown, who was in the starting five, was ​unable to play after halftime with lower back soreness.

Thunder 123, Lakers 87

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in 28 minutes as Oklahoma City demolished the Lakers ⁠for the second time in five days, prevailing in Los Angeles.

The Thunder, by earning their sixth consecutive win and their 18th in 19 games, moved within one win or one San Antonio Spurs loss of clinching the top spot in the Western Conference for the third consecutive season. Chet Holmgren had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain added 18 and 15 points ‌off the bench, respectively.

The Lakers fell a game behind the Denver Nuggets for the No. 3 spot in the West with their third consecutive loss. They are now tied with Houston after the Rockets beat the Suns. Rui Hachimura led Los Angeles with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. No other ‌Los Angeles player scored more than 11.

Rockets 119, Suns 105

Kevin Durant had 24 points and five 3-pointers in his return to Phoenix, and Houston overcame a 21-point ‌deficit ⁠for its largest comeback of the season, producing a victory over the host Suns.

NBA roundup: Wolves down Pacers, subsequently clinch playoff berth Ayo Dosunmu scored 24 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a three-game losing streak with a 124-104 win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday in Indianapolis.Julius Randle and Bones Hyland added 19 apiece, and Naz Reid contributed 17 for Minnesota (47-32), which sits in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves finished the night clinching a ​playoff spot and avoiding the play-in after the Phoenix Suns fell to the Houston Rockets 119-105 later on Tuesday.Rookie Ethan Thompson posted 17 points for the Pacers (18-61), who took their third straight defeat. Obi Toppin ‌and Jalen Slawson both had 14 points.Indiana’s season-long injury crisis continued when forward Kobe Brown, who was in the starting five, was ​unable to play after halftime with lower back soreness.Thunder 123, Lakers 87Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in 28 minutes as Oklahoma City demolished the Lakers ⁠for the second time in five days, prevailing in Los Angeles.The Thunder, by earning their sixth consecutive win and their 18th in 19 games, moved within one win or one San Antonio Spurs loss of clinching the top spot in the Western Conference for the third consecutive season. Chet Holmgren had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain added 18 and 15 points ‌off the bench, respectively.The Lakers fell a game behind the Denver Nuggets for the No. 3 spot in the West with their third consecutive loss. They are now tied with Houston after the Rockets beat the Suns. Rui Hachimura led Los Angeles with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. No other ‌Los Angeles player scored more than 11.Rockets 119, Suns 105Kevin Durant had 24 points and five 3-pointers in his return to Phoenix, and Houston overcame a 21-point ‌deficit ⁠for its largest comeback of the season, producing a victory over the host Suns. Kevin Durant (7) of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against Jordan Goodwin (23) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Kevin Durant (7) of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against Jordan Goodwin (23) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Amen Thompson logged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, and ⁠Jabari Smith Jr. had 20 points and five 3-pointers for the Rockets, who have won seven in a row and nine of 11. The Rockets are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for fourth place in the West and are one game behind the Denver Nuggets with three to play.Devin Booker had 31 points and eight assists, and Mark Williams contributed 19 points and eight rebounds for the Suns, who had a ​24-0 run in the first quarter to build a 26-5 lead before fading.Pelicans ‌156, Jazz 137Jeremiah Fears scored a career-high and franchise-rookie-record 40 points as New Orleans set a club record for points in a blowout of visiting Utah.Jordan Poole added 34 points, Jordan Hawkins put up a season-high 25, and rookie Micah Peavy scored a career-high 20 as the Pelicans ended an eight-game losing streak.Kennedy Chandler scored a career-high 31 points, and rookie Bez Mbeng added a career-best 26 for the Jazz, who lost their 10th consecutive game.Celtics 113, Hornets 102Jaylen Brown scored ‌35 points and grabbed nine rebounds to propel Boston past visiting Charlotte.The Celtics received 23 points from Jayson Tatum and 12 each from Neemias Queta, Derrick ​White, and Payton Pritchard. Boston has won four straight and 11 of its past 13 games.LaMelo Ball tossed in a game-high 36 points for the Hornets, but he failed to score in the fourth quarter. Charlotte was held to 15 points in the final period as its four-game ⁠winning streak ended.Bulls 129, Wizards 98Rob Dillingham’s career-high 26 points off the bench highlighted a balanced scoring effort as Chicago rolled past host Washington. Rob Dillingham (7) of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Rob Dillingham (7) of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images Chicago left little doubt on the way to snapping a seven-game losing streak, pouncing on Washington with a 9-0 run midway through the first quarter. Tre Jones put on 20 points, his third effort of 19-plus points in ‌his past five games, and he wound up one assist shy of his first double-double since January. Patrick Williams added 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.Bilal Coulibaly led the Wizards with 19 points. First-year forward Julian Reese posted his fourth double-double in his 10 NBA games, going for 17 points and 11 rebounds.Nets 96, Bucks 90E.J. Liddell scored 21 points to lead Brooklyn to a victory over visiting Milwaukee.It was the second win in a row for Brooklyn and third in its last five contests. Ben Saraf added 19 points while Malachi Smith and Drake Powell each scored 11.AJ Green led the Bucks with 20 points on six 3-pointers (6-for-12). Taurean Prince scored 16 points with 11 rebounds while Cormac Ryan added 14. Jericho Sims tallied 12 points, eight boards, and six assists, and Ousmane Dieng had 10 points and seven rebounds.Clippers 116, Mavericks 103Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points and Darius ‌Garland added 22 as Los Angeles improved its play-in tournament seeding possibilities with a victory over Dallas in Inglewood, Calif.John Collins scored 12 points, and Derrick Jones Jr. added 11 points with 10 rebounds as the ​eighth-place Clippers moved a full game ahead of the ninth-place Portland Trail Blazers. The Clippers and Blazers will meet on Friday at Portland.Cooper Flagg scored 25 points and Marvin Bagley III added 21 as the Mavericks fell to 2-9 since March 16. Flagg, 19, coming off consecutive games ⁠of 51 and 45 points.READ: Victor Wembanyama injury update — San Antonio Spurs star doubtful for rest of NBA seasonRaptors 121, Heat 95Scottie Barnes scored 25 points and Brandon Ingram added 23, leading Toronto to a victory over visiting Miami.Jakob Poeltl had 17 points while RJ ⁠Barrett chipped in 16 for the Raptors, who pulled within a game of the fifth-place Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference. Toronto had dropped three of its previous four games.The Heat got 24 points from Andrew Wiggins and 14 points apiece from Tyler Herro and Norman Powell. Miami shot just 27.3 per cent (12 of 44) ‌on 3-point attempts while dropping its ninth game in 12 tries.Warriors 110, Kings 105Stephen Curry capped his 17-point performance with a game-tying 3-pointer, then turned his own miss into an offensive rebound and assist on Brandin Podziemski’s go-ahead trey as Golden State outlasted Sacramento in San Francisco.De’Anthony Melton had a game-high 21 points and Podziemski finished ​with 20 for the Warriors, who ended a four-game losing streak while resting Kristaps Porzingis on the first night of a four-games-in-six-days sequence.Killian Hayes led a balanced attack with 18 points off the bench for the Kings, who dropped their second in a row.Published on Apr 08, 2026 #NBA #roundup #Wolves #Pacers #subsequently #clinch #playoff #berth

Kevin Durant (7) of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against Jordan Goodwin (23) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Kevin Durant (7) of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against Jordan Goodwin (23) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Amen Thompson logged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, and ⁠Jabari Smith Jr. had 20 points and five 3-pointers for the Rockets, who have won seven in a row and nine of 11. The Rockets are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for fourth place in the West and are one game behind the Denver Nuggets with three to play.

Devin Booker had 31 points and eight assists, and Mark Williams contributed 19 points and eight rebounds for the Suns, who had a ​24-0 run in the first quarter to build a 26-5 lead before fading.

Pelicans ‌156, Jazz 137

Jeremiah Fears scored a career-high and franchise-rookie-record 40 points as New Orleans set a club record for points in a blowout of visiting Utah.

Jordan Poole added 34 points, Jordan Hawkins put up a season-high 25, and rookie Micah Peavy scored a career-high 20 as the Pelicans ended an eight-game losing streak.

Kennedy Chandler scored a career-high 31 points, and rookie Bez Mbeng added a career-best 26 for the Jazz, who lost their 10th consecutive game.

Celtics 113, Hornets 102

Jaylen Brown scored ‌35 points and grabbed nine rebounds to propel Boston past visiting Charlotte.

The Celtics received 23 points from Jayson Tatum and 12 each from Neemias Queta, Derrick ​White, and Payton Pritchard. Boston has won four straight and 11 of its past 13 games.

LaMelo Ball tossed in a game-high 36 points for the Hornets, but he failed to score in the fourth quarter. Charlotte was held to 15 points in the final period as its four-game ⁠winning streak ended.

Bulls 129, Wizards 98

Rob Dillingham’s career-high 26 points off the bench highlighted a balanced scoring effort as Chicago rolled past host Washington.

Rob Dillingham (7) of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns.

Rob Dillingham (7) of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Rob Dillingham (7) of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

Chicago left little doubt on the way to snapping a seven-game losing streak, pouncing on Washington with a 9-0 run midway through the first quarter. Tre Jones put on 20 points, his third effort of 19-plus points in ‌his past five games, and he wound up one assist shy of his first double-double since January. Patrick Williams added 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

Bilal Coulibaly led the Wizards with 19 points. First-year forward Julian Reese posted his fourth double-double in his 10 NBA games, going for 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Nets 96, Bucks 90

E.J. Liddell scored 21 points to lead Brooklyn to a victory over visiting Milwaukee.

It was the second win in a row for Brooklyn and third in its last five contests. Ben Saraf added 19 points while Malachi Smith and Drake Powell each scored 11.

AJ Green led the Bucks with 20 points on six 3-pointers (6-for-12). Taurean Prince scored 16 points with 11 rebounds while Cormac Ryan added 14. Jericho Sims tallied 12 points, eight boards, and six assists, and Ousmane Dieng had 10 points and seven rebounds.

Clippers 116, Mavericks 103

Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points and Darius ‌Garland added 22 as Los Angeles improved its play-in tournament seeding possibilities with a victory over Dallas in Inglewood, Calif.

John Collins scored 12 points, and Derrick Jones Jr. added 11 points with 10 rebounds as the ​eighth-place Clippers moved a full game ahead of the ninth-place Portland Trail Blazers. The Clippers and Blazers will meet on Friday at Portland.

Cooper Flagg scored 25 points and Marvin Bagley III added 21 as the Mavericks fell to 2-9 since March 16. Flagg, 19, coming off consecutive games ⁠of 51 and 45 points.

READ: Victor Wembanyama injury update — San Antonio Spurs star doubtful for rest of NBA season

Raptors 121, Heat 95

Scottie Barnes scored 25 points and Brandon Ingram added 23, leading Toronto to a victory over visiting Miami.

Jakob Poeltl had 17 points while RJ ⁠Barrett chipped in 16 for the Raptors, who pulled within a game of the fifth-place Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference. Toronto had dropped three of its previous four games.

The Heat got 24 points from Andrew Wiggins and 14 points apiece from Tyler Herro and Norman Powell. Miami shot just 27.3 per cent (12 of 44) ‌on 3-point attempts while dropping its ninth game in 12 tries.

Warriors 110, Kings 105

Stephen Curry capped his 17-point performance with a game-tying 3-pointer, then turned his own miss into an offensive rebound and assist on Brandin Podziemski’s go-ahead trey as Golden State outlasted Sacramento in San Francisco.

De’Anthony Melton had a game-high 21 points and Podziemski finished ​with 20 for the Warriors, who ended a four-game losing streak while resting Kristaps Porzingis on the first night of a four-games-in-six-days sequence.

Killian Hayes led a balanced attack with 18 points off the bench for the Kings, who dropped their second in a row.

Published on Apr 08, 2026

#NBA #roundup #Wolves #Pacers #subsequently #clinch #playoff #berth

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Ayo Dosunmu scored 24 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves snapped a three-game losing streak with a 124-104 win over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday in Indianapolis.

Julius Randle and Bones Hyland added 19 apiece, and Naz Reid contributed 17 for Minnesota (47-32), which sits in sixth place in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves finished the night clinching a ​playoff spot and avoiding the play-in after the Phoenix Suns fell to the Houston Rockets 119-105 later on Tuesday.

Rookie Ethan Thompson posted 17 points for the Pacers (18-61), who took their third straight defeat. Obi Toppin ‌and Jalen Slawson both had 14 points.

Indiana’s season-long injury crisis continued when forward Kobe Brown, who was in the starting five, was ​unable to play after halftime with lower back soreness.

Thunder 123, Lakers 87

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points in 28 minutes as Oklahoma City demolished the Lakers ⁠for the second time in five days, prevailing in Los Angeles.

The Thunder, by earning their sixth consecutive win and their 18th in 19 games, moved within one win or one San Antonio Spurs loss of clinching the top spot in the Western Conference for the third consecutive season. Chet Holmgren had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain added 18 and 15 points ‌off the bench, respectively.

The Lakers fell a game behind the Denver Nuggets for the No. 3 spot in the West with their third consecutive loss. They are now tied with Houston after the Rockets beat the Suns. Rui Hachimura led Los Angeles with 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting. No other ‌Los Angeles player scored more than 11.

Rockets 119, Suns 105

Kevin Durant had 24 points and five 3-pointers in his return to Phoenix, and Houston overcame a 21-point ‌deficit ⁠for its largest comeback of the season, producing a victory over the host Suns.

Kevin Durant (7) of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against Jordan Goodwin (23) of the Phoenix Suns.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images

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Kevin Durant (7) of the Houston Rockets handles the ball against Jordan Goodwin (23) of the Phoenix Suns.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images

Amen Thompson logged 22 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists, and ⁠Jabari Smith Jr. had 20 points and five 3-pointers for the Rockets, who have won seven in a row and nine of 11. The Rockets are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for fourth place in the West and are one game behind the Denver Nuggets with three to play.

Devin Booker had 31 points and eight assists, and Mark Williams contributed 19 points and eight rebounds for the Suns, who had a ​24-0 run in the first quarter to build a 26-5 lead before fading.

Pelicans ‌156, Jazz 137

Jeremiah Fears scored a career-high and franchise-rookie-record 40 points as New Orleans set a club record for points in a blowout of visiting Utah.

Jordan Poole added 34 points, Jordan Hawkins put up a season-high 25, and rookie Micah Peavy scored a career-high 20 as the Pelicans ended an eight-game losing streak.

Kennedy Chandler scored a career-high 31 points, and rookie Bez Mbeng added a career-best 26 for the Jazz, who lost their 10th consecutive game.

Celtics 113, Hornets 102

Jaylen Brown scored ‌35 points and grabbed nine rebounds to propel Boston past visiting Charlotte.

The Celtics received 23 points from Jayson Tatum and 12 each from Neemias Queta, Derrick ​White, and Payton Pritchard. Boston has won four straight and 11 of its past 13 games.

LaMelo Ball tossed in a game-high 36 points for the Hornets, but he failed to score in the fourth quarter. Charlotte was held to 15 points in the final period as its four-game ⁠winning streak ended.

Bulls 129, Wizards 98

Rob Dillingham’s career-high 26 points off the bench highlighted a balanced scoring effort as Chicago rolled past host Washington.

Rob Dillingham (7) of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns.

Rob Dillingham (7) of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images

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Rob Dillingham (7) of the Chicago Bulls attempts a layup against Devin Booker (1) of the Phoenix Suns.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images

Chicago left little doubt on the way to snapping a seven-game losing streak, pouncing on Washington with a 9-0 run midway through the first quarter. Tre Jones put on 20 points, his third effort of 19-plus points in ‌his past five games, and he wound up one assist shy of his first double-double since January. Patrick Williams added 20 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

Bilal Coulibaly led the Wizards with 19 points. First-year forward Julian Reese posted his fourth double-double in his 10 NBA games, going for 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Nets 96, Bucks 90

E.J. Liddell scored 21 points to lead Brooklyn to a victory over visiting Milwaukee.

It was the second win in a row for Brooklyn and third in its last five contests. Ben Saraf added 19 points while Malachi Smith and Drake Powell each scored 11.

AJ Green led the Bucks with 20 points on six 3-pointers (6-for-12). Taurean Prince scored 16 points with 11 rebounds while Cormac Ryan added 14. Jericho Sims tallied 12 points, eight boards, and six assists, and Ousmane Dieng had 10 points and seven rebounds.

Clippers 116, Mavericks 103

Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points and Darius ‌Garland added 22 as Los Angeles improved its play-in tournament seeding possibilities with a victory over Dallas in Inglewood, Calif.

John Collins scored 12 points, and Derrick Jones Jr. added 11 points with 10 rebounds as the ​eighth-place Clippers moved a full game ahead of the ninth-place Portland Trail Blazers. The Clippers and Blazers will meet on Friday at Portland.

Cooper Flagg scored 25 points and Marvin Bagley III added 21 as the Mavericks fell to 2-9 since March 16. Flagg, 19, coming off consecutive games ⁠of 51 and 45 points.

READ: Victor Wembanyama injury update — San Antonio Spurs star doubtful for rest of NBA season

Raptors 121, Heat 95

Scottie Barnes scored 25 points and Brandon Ingram added 23, leading Toronto to a victory over visiting Miami.

Jakob Poeltl had 17 points while RJ ⁠Barrett chipped in 16 for the Raptors, who pulled within a game of the fifth-place Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference. Toronto had dropped three of its previous four games.

The Heat got 24 points from Andrew Wiggins and 14 points apiece from Tyler Herro and Norman Powell. Miami shot just 27.3 per cent (12 of 44) ‌on 3-point attempts while dropping its ninth game in 12 tries.

Warriors 110, Kings 105

Stephen Curry capped his 17-point performance with a game-tying 3-pointer, then turned his own miss into an offensive rebound and assist on Brandin Podziemski’s go-ahead trey as Golden State outlasted Sacramento in San Francisco.

De’Anthony Melton had a game-high 21 points and Podziemski finished ​with 20 for the Warriors, who ended a four-game losing streak while resting Kristaps Porzingis on the first night of a four-games-in-six-days sequence.

Killian Hayes led a balanced attack with 18 points off the bench for the Kings, who dropped their second in a row.

Published on Apr 08, 2026

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Deadspin | Phillies acquire OF Steward Berroa from Brewers <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-900/25626785.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/25626785.jpg" alt="MLB: Spring Training-Toronto Blue Jays at Tampa Bay Rays" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Mar 9, 2025; Port Charlotte, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Steward Berroa (37) hits a RBI single during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>The Phillies acquired outfielder Steward Berroa from the Brewers on Wednesday for cash considerations.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Philadelphia optioned Berroa, 26, to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Milwaukee designated him for assignment last week. </p> </section><br/><section id="section-3"> <p>The Phillies cleared a 40-man roster spot by designating right-hander Yoniel Curet, 23, for assignment.</p> </section> <section id="section-4"> <p>Berroa has batted .167 with one RBI in 30 games with the Toronto Blue Jays (2024) and Brewers (2025).</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Phillies #acquire #Steward #Berroa #Brewers

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Tommy Fleetwood is going to win the Masters Tournament <div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Wednesday at Augusta belonged to the Fleetwood family.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Tommy Fleetwood, ever the fan-favorite, was strolling through the Par 3 Contest with his beautiful family. His son, young Frankie Fleetwood, gave it another go to close out their time before the official tournament begins, and he certainly tried his hardest. If you know you know.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Earlier in the day Tommy got the party started off with a bang with an ace. They were raining at AGNC.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">As wonderful of a day that Wednesday was for the Fleetwood family… Sunday is going to be even better.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1"><strong>Tommy Fleetwood is going to win the Masters Tournament.</strong></p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">I’m locking in my pick and feel it with my whole heart. Fleetwood is fresh off of another top 10 finish in San Antonio and has finished inside of that mark in four of his five starts this season (he finished 49th at Bay Hill).</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Fleetwood has made the cut in 8/9 Masters starts, has finished inside of the top 25 in 5 of the last 8 years, and two years ago specifically finished T-3. We know that he had been knocking on the overall door of winning on the PGA Tour in general, but I believe he is about to knock down <em>the </em>door at Augusta this week.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Who do you think will don the green jacket on Sunday evening?</p></div> #Tommy #Fleetwood #win #Masters #Tournament

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Deadspin | Several marquee names skipping PGA’s return to Trump National Doral Rory McIlroy tees off on the fourth hole during the third round of the 2026 Masters. Credit: Grace Smith-Imagn Images The PGA Tour is making its return to Trump National Doral following a 10-year hiatus this week, but even a signature event’s million purse at the famous “Blue Monster” wasn’t enough to prevent several marquee names from opting out. The Cadillac Championship is the fifth of eight signature events this season, featuring a .6 million winner’s check. The field is limited to only 72 players and without a cut, meaning every competitor is guaranteed at least ,000. However, it also comes three weeks after the Masters and two weeks after the fourth signature event at the RBC Heritage. Another signature event is on tap at next week’s Truist Championship, which is followed by the second major of the year at the PGA Championship. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is skipping his second consecutive signature event since repeating at the Masters. No. 3 Matt Fitzpatrick, who played the Masters before winning the RBC Heritage and last week’s Zurich Classic, is also taking the week off. So, too, are No. 9 Xander Schauffele, No. 12 Robert MacIntyre and No. 14 Ludvig Aberg. Fifth-ranked Justin Rose will be on hand to tackle the Blue Monster, where he won in 2012. But that only comes after skipping the RBC Heritage following a tie for third at the Masters, where he held the lead on the back nine on Sunday. Despite the massive purses and elevated FedEx Cup points on the line, the string of three signature events and two majors in a six-week span is forcing players to make some tough scheduling decisions. “I looked at this period coming up and I think something had to give, for sure,” Rose said. ” … I felt like I knew what was coming, I knew what a big run of events were coming, obviously with PGA Championship being on the back of (these) three. “When you’re having to miss great events to prepare for other great events, it’s not ideal. Obviously this event was added late in I guess the structure of the sort of elevated event structure that we had. This is obviously a new edition, so it had to fall somewhere.” The makeup of the 2027 PGA Tour schedule and beyond has been an ongoing topic of discussion. After rumors of a massively revamped schedule began circulating earlier this year, the expectation is now for a first iteration of changes in 2027 followed by more in the following year. The consensus seems to be that while the elevated purses are attractive — and difficult to walk away from — there are only so many events players can commit to over a short span. Adam Scott, who won the most recent PGA Tour event at Doral in 2016, said this year is stacking up as an exception rather than a new normal for the schedule. The Cadillac Championship wasn’t announced as an addition to the 2026 schedule until last August. “Ideally, this wouldn’t be the way,” Scott acknowledged. “It’s one event we’re talking about, so it makes that much of a difference adding one, it makes that much of a difference taking one away. I think we’ve got to get through this year and hopefully the schedule looks a little more balanced next year.” Rose was asked what he believes the impact will be if a future schedule features fewer events that are all on an equal level. “What the PGA Tour’s trying to do is create the best possible product and the best possible tournaments in the most appealing time of the year,” Rose said. “The players go, ‘That’s my job, this is the season, this is time to knuckle down and get down to business.’ “If that means that that flow of events suits you, then that’s what you have to commit to, to kind of give your best performance on the best courses or the courses that suit you the best, in order to accumulate the right amount of points to win the Fed(Ex) Cup. That’s the goal. “Everybody’s going to have a slightly different recipe of how that’s done” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #marquee #names #skipping #PGAs #return #Trump #National #DoralRory McIlroy tees off on the fourth hole during the third round of the 2026 Masters. Credit: Grace Smith-Imagn Images

The PGA Tour is making its return to Trump National Doral following a 10-year hiatus this week, but even a signature event’s $20 million purse at the famous “Blue Monster” wasn’t enough to prevent several marquee names from opting out.

The Cadillac Championship is the fifth of eight signature events this season, featuring a $3.6 million winner’s check. The field is limited to only 72 players and without a cut, meaning every competitor is guaranteed at least $36,000.

However, it also comes three weeks after the Masters and two weeks after the fourth signature event at the RBC Heritage. Another signature event is on tap at next week’s Truist Championship, which is followed by the second major of the year at the PGA Championship.

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is skipping his second consecutive signature event since repeating at the Masters. No. 3 Matt Fitzpatrick, who played the Masters before winning the RBC Heritage and last week’s Zurich Classic, is also taking the week off.

So, too, are No. 9 Xander Schauffele, No. 12 Robert MacIntyre and No. 14 Ludvig Aberg.

Fifth-ranked Justin Rose will be on hand to tackle the Blue Monster, where he won in 2012. But that only comes after skipping the RBC Heritage following a tie for third at the Masters, where he held the lead on the back nine on Sunday.

Despite the massive purses and elevated FedEx Cup points on the line, the string of three signature events and two majors in a six-week span is forcing players to make some tough scheduling decisions.

“I looked at this period coming up and I think something had to give, for sure,” Rose said. ” … I felt like I knew what was coming, I knew what a big run of events were coming, obviously with PGA Championship being on the back of (these) three.


“When you’re having to miss great events to prepare for other great events, it’s not ideal. Obviously this event was added late in I guess the structure of the sort of elevated event structure that we had. This is obviously a new edition, so it had to fall somewhere.”

The makeup of the 2027 PGA Tour schedule and beyond has been an ongoing topic of discussion. After rumors of a massively revamped schedule began circulating earlier this year, the expectation is now for a first iteration of changes in 2027 followed by more in the following year.

The consensus seems to be that while the elevated purses are attractive — and difficult to walk away from — there are only so many events players can commit to over a short span. Adam Scott, who won the most recent PGA Tour event at Doral in 2016, said this year is stacking up as an exception rather than a new normal for the schedule.

The Cadillac Championship wasn’t announced as an addition to the 2026 schedule until last August.

“Ideally, this wouldn’t be the way,” Scott acknowledged. “It’s one event we’re talking about, so it makes that much of a difference adding one, it makes that much of a difference taking one away. I think we’ve got to get through this year and hopefully the schedule looks a little more balanced next year.”

Rose was asked what he believes the impact will be if a future schedule features fewer events that are all on an equal level.

“What the PGA Tour’s trying to do is create the best possible product and the best possible tournaments in the most appealing time of the year,” Rose said. “The players go, ‘That’s my job, this is the season, this is time to knuckle down and get down to business.’

“If that means that that flow of events suits you, then that’s what you have to commit to, to kind of give your best performance on the best courses or the courses that suit you the best, in order to accumulate the right amount of points to win the Fed(Ex) Cup. That’s the goal.

“Everybody’s going to have a slightly different recipe of how that’s done”


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #marquee #names #skipping #PGAs #return #Trump #National #Doral">Deadspin | Several marquee names skipping PGA’s return to Trump National Doral Rory McIlroy tees off on the fourth hole during the third round of the 2026 Masters. Credit: Grace Smith-Imagn Images The PGA Tour is making its return to Trump National Doral following a 10-year hiatus this week, but even a signature event’s million purse at the famous “Blue Monster” wasn’t enough to prevent several marquee names from opting out. The Cadillac Championship is the fifth of eight signature events this season, featuring a .6 million winner’s check. The field is limited to only 72 players and without a cut, meaning every competitor is guaranteed at least ,000. However, it also comes three weeks after the Masters and two weeks after the fourth signature event at the RBC Heritage. Another signature event is on tap at next week’s Truist Championship, which is followed by the second major of the year at the PGA Championship. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is skipping his second consecutive signature event since repeating at the Masters. No. 3 Matt Fitzpatrick, who played the Masters before winning the RBC Heritage and last week’s Zurich Classic, is also taking the week off. So, too, are No. 9 Xander Schauffele, No. 12 Robert MacIntyre and No. 14 Ludvig Aberg. Fifth-ranked Justin Rose will be on hand to tackle the Blue Monster, where he won in 2012. But that only comes after skipping the RBC Heritage following a tie for third at the Masters, where he held the lead on the back nine on Sunday. Despite the massive purses and elevated FedEx Cup points on the line, the string of three signature events and two majors in a six-week span is forcing players to make some tough scheduling decisions. “I looked at this period coming up and I think something had to give, for sure,” Rose said. ” … I felt like I knew what was coming, I knew what a big run of events were coming, obviously with PGA Championship being on the back of (these) three. “When you’re having to miss great events to prepare for other great events, it’s not ideal. Obviously this event was added late in I guess the structure of the sort of elevated event structure that we had. This is obviously a new edition, so it had to fall somewhere.” The makeup of the 2027 PGA Tour schedule and beyond has been an ongoing topic of discussion. After rumors of a massively revamped schedule began circulating earlier this year, the expectation is now for a first iteration of changes in 2027 followed by more in the following year. The consensus seems to be that while the elevated purses are attractive — and difficult to walk away from — there are only so many events players can commit to over a short span. Adam Scott, who won the most recent PGA Tour event at Doral in 2016, said this year is stacking up as an exception rather than a new normal for the schedule. The Cadillac Championship wasn’t announced as an addition to the 2026 schedule until last August. “Ideally, this wouldn’t be the way,” Scott acknowledged. “It’s one event we’re talking about, so it makes that much of a difference adding one, it makes that much of a difference taking one away. I think we’ve got to get through this year and hopefully the schedule looks a little more balanced next year.” Rose was asked what he believes the impact will be if a future schedule features fewer events that are all on an equal level. “What the PGA Tour’s trying to do is create the best possible product and the best possible tournaments in the most appealing time of the year,” Rose said. “The players go, ‘That’s my job, this is the season, this is time to knuckle down and get down to business.’ “If that means that that flow of events suits you, then that’s what you have to commit to, to kind of give your best performance on the best courses or the courses that suit you the best, in order to accumulate the right amount of points to win the Fed(Ex) Cup. That’s the goal. “Everybody’s going to have a slightly different recipe of how that’s done” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #marquee #names #skipping #PGAs #return #Trump #National #Doral

Deadspin | Hailey Baptiste saves six match points to stun Aryna Sabalenka in Madrid Mar 7, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Hailey Baptiste (USA) reacts after winning the second set during her second round match against Elena Rybakina (KAZ) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Hailey Baptiste upset World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and did so in dramatic fashion, saving six match points en route to a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6) victory in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open on Tuesday. The 30th-seeded Baptiste earned the first top-five victory of her young career by handing Sabalenka only her second loss of the season. The Belarusian saw a 15-match win streak come to a halt. Baptiste, a 24-year-old from Washington, D.C., advanced to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time after reaching the Miami Open quarterfinals last month — where she fell to Sabalenka. “It just shows me where my game was. I’ve always believed it, and I feel like now I’m starting to put it into action and the world is seeing it as well,” Baptiste told Tennis Channel in a post-match interview. Five of Baptiste’s six saved match points came during a marathon 10th game in the third set. Up 5-4, Sabalenka raced out to a 40-15 lead and had double match point. But it was Baptiste’s service game, and she fired an ace past Sabalenka before another big serve led to a Sabalenka shot in the net. Sabalenka soon earned three advantages in a row, only for Baptiste to counter all three. In the tiebreaker, Sabalenka squeaked ahead 6-5 but Baptiste saved match point No. 6 and won two more points from there to finish off the upset. “I definitely had a lot of nerves, but I had 28 chances yesterday and I didn’t get it done,” Baptiste said, referring to Monday’s marathon win in which Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic saved six of Baptiste’s match points. “I was able to get it on the first one, and I told my team, when I get my match point today, I’m going to win the first one that I get.” Baptiste finished with 12 aces and saved 11 of 17 break points, while Sabalenka saved 8 of 14 break points and won exactly one fewer point than her opponent. Sabalenka had won the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells, Miami) plus her first three matches of the Madrid Open. Baptiste’s next challenge will be a match against No. 9 seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia. In the only other match on Tuesday’s slate, Andreeva defeated Canadian 24th seed Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (1), 6-3. On the day before her 19th birthday, Andreeva advanced to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time since her victories at Dubai and Indian Wells last year. “I’m so happy I cannot take the smile away from my face,” Andreeva said. “I’m extremely happy about the way I played and the result. It wouldn’t be a perfect birthday if I would lose today. I really didn’t want that to happen, and I was trying to give everything I had to be in a good mood tomorrow.” Andreeva saved 12 of 15 break points while benefiting from Fernandez’s five double faults without an ace. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Hailey #Baptiste #saves #match #points #stun #Aryna #Sabalenka #MadridMar 7, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Hailey Baptiste (USA) reacts after winning the second set during her second round match against Elena Rybakina (KAZ) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Hailey Baptiste upset World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and did so in dramatic fashion, saving six match points en route to a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6) victory in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open on Tuesday.

The 30th-seeded Baptiste earned the first top-five victory of her young career by handing Sabalenka only her second loss of the season. The Belarusian saw a 15-match win streak come to a halt.

Baptiste, a 24-year-old from Washington, D.C., advanced to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time after reaching the Miami Open quarterfinals last month — where she fell to Sabalenka.

“It just shows me where my game was. I’ve always believed it, and I feel like now I’m starting to put it into action and the world is seeing it as well,” Baptiste told Tennis Channel in a post-match interview.

Five of Baptiste’s six saved match points came during a marathon 10th game in the third set. Up 5-4, Sabalenka raced out to a 40-15 lead and had double match point. But it was Baptiste’s service game, and she fired an ace past Sabalenka before another big serve led to a Sabalenka shot in the net.

Sabalenka soon earned three advantages in a row, only for Baptiste to counter all three.

In the tiebreaker, Sabalenka squeaked ahead 6-5 but Baptiste saved match point No. 6 and won two more points from there to finish off the upset.


“I definitely had a lot of nerves, but I had 28 chances yesterday and I didn’t get it done,” Baptiste said, referring to Monday’s marathon win in which Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic saved six of Baptiste’s match points.

“I was able to get it on the first one, and I told my team, when I get my match point today, I’m going to win the first one that I get.”

Baptiste finished with 12 aces and saved 11 of 17 break points, while Sabalenka saved 8 of 14 break points and won exactly one fewer point than her opponent. Sabalenka had won the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells, Miami) plus her first three matches of the Madrid Open.

Baptiste’s next challenge will be a match against No. 9 seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia. In the only other match on Tuesday’s slate, Andreeva defeated Canadian 24th seed Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (1), 6-3.

On the day before her 19th birthday, Andreeva advanced to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time since her victories at Dubai and Indian Wells last year.

“I’m so happy I cannot take the smile away from my face,” Andreeva said. “I’m extremely happy about the way I played and the result. It wouldn’t be a perfect birthday if I would lose today. I really didn’t want that to happen, and I was trying to give everything I had to be in a good mood tomorrow.”

Andreeva saved 12 of 15 break points while benefiting from Fernandez’s five double faults without an ace.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Hailey #Baptiste #saves #match #points #stun #Aryna #Sabalenka #Madrid">Deadspin | Hailey Baptiste saves six match points to stun Aryna Sabalenka in Madrid Mar 7, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Hailey Baptiste (USA) reacts after winning the second set during her second round match against Elena Rybakina (KAZ) in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Hailey Baptiste upset World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and did so in dramatic fashion, saving six match points en route to a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (6) victory in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open on Tuesday. The 30th-seeded Baptiste earned the first top-five victory of her young career by handing Sabalenka only her second loss of the season. The Belarusian saw a 15-match win streak come to a halt. Baptiste, a 24-year-old from Washington, D.C., advanced to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time after reaching the Miami Open quarterfinals last month — where she fell to Sabalenka. “It just shows me where my game was. I’ve always believed it, and I feel like now I’m starting to put it into action and the world is seeing it as well,” Baptiste told Tennis Channel in a post-match interview. Five of Baptiste’s six saved match points came during a marathon 10th game in the third set. Up 5-4, Sabalenka raced out to a 40-15 lead and had double match point. But it was Baptiste’s service game, and she fired an ace past Sabalenka before another big serve led to a Sabalenka shot in the net. Sabalenka soon earned three advantages in a row, only for Baptiste to counter all three. In the tiebreaker, Sabalenka squeaked ahead 6-5 but Baptiste saved match point No. 6 and won two more points from there to finish off the upset. “I definitely had a lot of nerves, but I had 28 chances yesterday and I didn’t get it done,” Baptiste said, referring to Monday’s marathon win in which Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic saved six of Baptiste’s match points. “I was able to get it on the first one, and I told my team, when I get my match point today, I’m going to win the first one that I get.” Baptiste finished with 12 aces and saved 11 of 17 break points, while Sabalenka saved 8 of 14 break points and won exactly one fewer point than her opponent. Sabalenka had won the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells, Miami) plus her first three matches of the Madrid Open. Baptiste’s next challenge will be a match against No. 9 seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia. In the only other match on Tuesday’s slate, Andreeva defeated Canadian 24th seed Leylah Fernandez 7-6 (1), 6-3. On the day before her 19th birthday, Andreeva advanced to the semifinals of a WTA 1000 event for the first time since her victories at Dubai and Indian Wells last year. “I’m so happy I cannot take the smile away from my face,” Andreeva said. “I’m extremely happy about the way I played and the result. It wouldn’t be a perfect birthday if I would lose today. I really didn’t want that to happen, and I was trying to give everything I had to be in a good mood tomorrow.” Andreeva saved 12 of 15 break points while benefiting from Fernandez’s five double faults without an ace. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Hailey #Baptiste #saves #match #points #stun #Aryna #Sabalenka #Madrid

Deadspin | Lightning, Canadiens enter pivotal Game 5 of closely contested series Apr 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) defends the puck against Montreal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson (17) during the third period in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images The Tampa Bay Lightning have returned home tied 2-2 in their Eastern Conference first-round matchup with the Montreal Canadiens, and according to coach Jon Cooper, it may not be that way if not for the play of Max Crozier. Game 5 takes place in Tampa on Wednesday night after a two-day break following Sunday’s 3-2 Lightning victory in Montreal in front of a boisterous bunch of Habs fans, both inside the NHL’s largest arena and outside watching on a giant screen broadcast. If one glaring point is gleaned through four contests between the Atlantic Division foes, it is that this best-of-seven series has been the tightest of the first round’s eight matchups, about as evenly played as is mathematically possible. In addition to splitting the four matches, each side has produced 11 goals and three of the four meetings have required extra time. On the power play thus far, Montreal, which finished 10th during the regular season, has connected on 5 of 19 chances (26.3%). The Lightning were middling, ranking 17th this season, but have potted four goals in their 20 times on the man advantage (20%). When the numbers are that close, a play out of the ordinary that generally does not jump off the scoresheet can make a big difference. Something like Crozier’s Sunday second-period high hit on Montreal’s star winger Juraj Slafkovsky, who netted a hat trick in Game 1 in Tampa on three power-plays tallies, including the game-winner in overtime. The defenseman, who only played in 35 games due to surgery, waylaid Slafkovsky at center ice at high speed, sending the 2022 No. 1 overall selection straight to the dressing room to regroup. The Lightning were outhit 50-28 by the Habs, but Crozier’s lone leveling body blow altered the tone. “The hit obviously got our bench out of their seats,” Cooper said. “But you still have to take advantage of that. We score in the last minute of the second and in the first (two minutes) of the third, and all of a sudden, the game’s completely changed. “(Crozier’s hit) helped take the crowd out of it.” Instead of maintaining or building on its 2-0 lead that could have resulted in a 3-1 series advantage, Montreal watched it all slip away by allowing three unanswered goals to the visitors. Brandon Hagel hit the net for the game-tying and game-winning markers in the third to send the series back to Tampa all square. Montreal has relied on its top forward line of Cole Caufield (goal, three assists), Nick Suzuki (four helpers) and Slafkovsky (three tallies) for much of the offense, and second-line forward Alex Newhook said the Habs’ secondary scoring must improve. Newhook plays with center Oliver Kapanen and right winger Ivan Demidov. Only Demidov has produced a point by assisting on Slafkovsky’s first power-play goal in Game 1’s 4-3 shocker. “It’s something we talk over and try to find solutions (for) here throughout the series as to how,” said Newhook, who posted 13 goals and 25 points in 42 games after fracturing his ankle in mid-November. ” … Fundamentally, getting back to some basics is important this time of the year. “I think we found some success when we’re keeping it simple and throwing it behind them. Then being able to go and win a battle.” Game 6, the series’ first elimination game regardless of Wednesday’s result, is Friday in Montreal. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Lightning #Canadiens #enter #pivotal #Game #closely #contested #seriesApr 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) defends the puck against Montreal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson (17) during the third period in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Lightning have returned home tied 2-2 in their Eastern Conference first-round matchup with the Montreal Canadiens, and according to coach Jon Cooper, it may not be that way if not for the play of Max Crozier.

Game 5 takes place in Tampa on Wednesday night after a two-day break following Sunday’s 3-2 Lightning victory in Montreal in front of a boisterous bunch of Habs fans, both inside the NHL’s largest arena and outside watching on a giant screen broadcast.

If one glaring point is gleaned through four contests between the Atlantic Division foes, it is that this best-of-seven series has been the tightest of the first round’s eight matchups, about as evenly played as is mathematically possible.

In addition to splitting the four matches, each side has produced 11 goals and three of the four meetings have required extra time.

On the power play thus far, Montreal, which finished 10th during the regular season, has connected on 5 of 19 chances (26.3%). The Lightning were middling, ranking 17th this season, but have potted four goals in their 20 times on the man advantage (20%).

When the numbers are that close, a play out of the ordinary that generally does not jump off the scoresheet can make a big difference.

Something like Crozier’s Sunday second-period high hit on Montreal’s star winger Juraj Slafkovsky, who netted a hat trick in Game 1 in Tampa on three power-plays tallies, including the game-winner in overtime.

The defenseman, who only played in 35 games due to surgery, waylaid Slafkovsky at center ice at high speed, sending the 2022 No. 1 overall selection straight to the dressing room to regroup.

The Lightning were outhit 50-28 by the Habs, but Crozier’s lone leveling body blow altered the tone.


“The hit obviously got our bench out of their seats,” Cooper said. “But you still have to take advantage of that. We score in the last minute of the second and in the first (two minutes) of the third, and all of a sudden, the game’s completely changed.

“(Crozier’s hit) helped take the crowd out of it.”

Instead of maintaining or building on its 2-0 lead that could have resulted in a 3-1 series advantage, Montreal watched it all slip away by allowing three unanswered goals to the visitors.

Brandon Hagel hit the net for the game-tying and game-winning markers in the third to send the series back to Tampa all square.

Montreal has relied on its top forward line of Cole Caufield (goal, three assists), Nick Suzuki (four helpers) and Slafkovsky (three tallies) for much of the offense, and second-line forward Alex Newhook said the Habs’ secondary scoring must improve.

Newhook plays with center Oliver Kapanen and right winger Ivan Demidov. Only Demidov has produced a point by assisting on Slafkovsky’s first power-play goal in Game 1’s 4-3 shocker.

“It’s something we talk over and try to find solutions (for) here throughout the series as to how,” said Newhook, who posted 13 goals and 25 points in 42 games after fracturing his ankle in mid-November. ” … Fundamentally, getting back to some basics is important this time of the year.

“I think we found some success when we’re keeping it simple and throwing it behind them. Then being able to go and win a battle.”

Game 6, the series’ first elimination game regardless of Wednesday’s result, is Friday in Montreal.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Lightning #Canadiens #enter #pivotal #Game #closely #contested #series">Deadspin | Lightning, Canadiens enter pivotal Game 5 of closely contested series Apr 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh (43) defends the puck against Montreal Canadiens right wing Josh Anderson (17) during the third period in game four of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images The Tampa Bay Lightning have returned home tied 2-2 in their Eastern Conference first-round matchup with the Montreal Canadiens, and according to coach Jon Cooper, it may not be that way if not for the play of Max Crozier. Game 5 takes place in Tampa on Wednesday night after a two-day break following Sunday’s 3-2 Lightning victory in Montreal in front of a boisterous bunch of Habs fans, both inside the NHL’s largest arena and outside watching on a giant screen broadcast. If one glaring point is gleaned through four contests between the Atlantic Division foes, it is that this best-of-seven series has been the tightest of the first round’s eight matchups, about as evenly played as is mathematically possible. In addition to splitting the four matches, each side has produced 11 goals and three of the four meetings have required extra time. On the power play thus far, Montreal, which finished 10th during the regular season, has connected on 5 of 19 chances (26.3%). The Lightning were middling, ranking 17th this season, but have potted four goals in their 20 times on the man advantage (20%). When the numbers are that close, a play out of the ordinary that generally does not jump off the scoresheet can make a big difference. Something like Crozier’s Sunday second-period high hit on Montreal’s star winger Juraj Slafkovsky, who netted a hat trick in Game 1 in Tampa on three power-plays tallies, including the game-winner in overtime. The defenseman, who only played in 35 games due to surgery, waylaid Slafkovsky at center ice at high speed, sending the 2022 No. 1 overall selection straight to the dressing room to regroup. The Lightning were outhit 50-28 by the Habs, but Crozier’s lone leveling body blow altered the tone. “The hit obviously got our bench out of their seats,” Cooper said. “But you still have to take advantage of that. We score in the last minute of the second and in the first (two minutes) of the third, and all of a sudden, the game’s completely changed. “(Crozier’s hit) helped take the crowd out of it.” Instead of maintaining or building on its 2-0 lead that could have resulted in a 3-1 series advantage, Montreal watched it all slip away by allowing three unanswered goals to the visitors. Brandon Hagel hit the net for the game-tying and game-winning markers in the third to send the series back to Tampa all square. Montreal has relied on its top forward line of Cole Caufield (goal, three assists), Nick Suzuki (four helpers) and Slafkovsky (three tallies) for much of the offense, and second-line forward Alex Newhook said the Habs’ secondary scoring must improve. Newhook plays with center Oliver Kapanen and right winger Ivan Demidov. Only Demidov has produced a point by assisting on Slafkovsky’s first power-play goal in Game 1’s 4-3 shocker. “It’s something we talk over and try to find solutions (for) here throughout the series as to how,” said Newhook, who posted 13 goals and 25 points in 42 games after fracturing his ankle in mid-November. ” … Fundamentally, getting back to some basics is important this time of the year. “I think we found some success when we’re keeping it simple and throwing it behind them. Then being able to go and win a battle.” Game 6, the series’ first elimination game regardless of Wednesday’s result, is Friday in Montreal. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Lightning #Canadiens #enter #pivotal #Game #closely #contested #series

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