Sports
Improved Pacers out to exact revenge on Nets
Jan 4, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) celebrates after a basket against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images One month ago, the Indiana Pacers trailed by as many as 21 points and endured a 99-90 loss to the Brooklyn Nets to extend their road losing streak to eight games and drop their overall record to a disappointing 9-14 after reaching the Eastern Conference finals last spring.
Since their previous visit to New York, the results are improving for the Pacers, who can climb over .500 for the first time this season Monday night when they return to Brooklyn to face the undermanned Nets.
The Pacers are 9-4 since shooting 42.7 percent in last month’s game at Brooklyn and have gone 7-1 on the road since then. At 18-18, Indiana is at .500 for the first time since a 132-121 home win over the New York Knicks gave them a 5-5 mark through their first 10 contests.
The Pacers enter with at least 120 points in three of their last four games and have reached that figure seven times during their turnaround. The latest instance was Saturday’s 126-108 home win over the visiting Phoenix Suns when Indiana placed six players in double figures and reached 15 3-pointers, for the sixth time in the past month.
Tyrese Haliburton endured a quiet 17-point showing in last month’s visit and has scored at least 27 in consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 25-27. He followed his 33-point showing at Miami on Thursday with a 27-point outing against the Suns.
Myles Turner was held to 11 in the previous meeting against the Nets but is coming off consecutive 20-point games for the first time this season. He produced 21 at Miami and 20 against Phoenix.
The duo combined for 29 points in the second half when the Pacers outscored the Suns 70-52.
“I think we’re starting to care more,” Turner said. “I think we went through a stretch last season where we kept on saying the same thing: ‘Oh we’ve got to defend, we’ve got to defend.’ I think now we’re going to put those words into actions.”
Cameron Johnson scored 26 in the last meeting against the Pacers but will miss at least the next two games with a sprained right ankle. The Nets will also be without Cam Thomas after their leading scorer reinjured his hamstring, and could be without D’Angelo Russell (shin) and Ben Simmons (calf).
Brooklyn is 0-3 without Johnson and on a five-game home losing streak after absorbing a 123-94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Nets matched their largest margin of defeat this season after scoring the game’s first 11 points against the 76ers. They lost Russell to the injury at halftime when they trailed by 17 on their way to a 12th loss in 16 games since winning three straight from Nov. 24-27.
With an even more depleted roster, Ziare Williams scored 19 but Brooklyn shot 41.5 percent against Philadelphia, including 8 of 22 in the opening quarter when it fell behind for good. It was the 19th time this season the Nets shot under 45 percent and eighth time in 10 games.
“I thought the guys fought, but the purpose and focus and the compiling of those mistakes, that’s what we have to be better at,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said after his team committed a season-high 22 turnovers. “Move on, be better the next one.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cherie DeVaux Makes History with Kentucky Derby Win at Churchill Downs
Cherie DeVaux made history on Saturday by becoming the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. However, with a horde of media surrounding her at her backside stable Sunday morning, she was quick to give the credit to jockey Jose Ortiz.
“It’s almost as if he could script it,” she said.
With an entry that’s known for being a closer, DeVaux said she did not mind Golden Tempo drawing an outside post. He got the 19th gate in the draw, but after scratches, he moved into the 16th. While a ways away from the rail, it helped the colt avoid much of the bumping between horses at the start as they work to get inside position.
DeVaux said she’s not one to give her riders many instructions before a race. She kept it simple: “Don’t overthink it. If you can get out, just get a clear path and make a run.”
Mission accomplished, even if the horse doesn’t quite live up to his name.
“Golden Tempo doesn’t really give Jose any help by just falling back so far,” she added.
While the early front-runners posted blazing quarter times, Golden Tempo ran last in the field for the first three-quarters of a mile. However, as the speed faded, Ortiz had an easy route to the outside, and down the final stretch, he chased down Renegade, the bettors’ second choice, to win by a neck.
Another issue that may have been in Golden Tempo’s favor was not having to load into the gate a second time. That’s something several horses had to do after racing officials scratched Great White at the last minute for dumping jockey Alex Achard and falling over backward while being led to the gate.
“It was a rough trip, everybody was all over the place,” said Luis Saez, who rode seventh-place finisher Commandment. “He ran pretty well and made a nice move, but it was just a tough race.”
Commandment, one of two Derby horses trained by Brad Cox, was the co-second choice in the morning line. At post time, he ended up being the fourth choice at 6-1. Cox’s other horse, Further Ado, ended up the slight favorite over Renegade, with both breaking at 5-1.
Renegade was the morning-line favorite, despite drawing the inside post – a position that had not produced a winner in 40 years. However, the Todd Pletcher-trained colt and Irad Ortiz Jr., Jose’s brother, did everything they could to make some history of their own.
“He got a little roughed and got pushed out of his position,” Pletcher said. “But he kept on going and made his run. He just didn’t get there today.”
With the Kentucky Derby having the largest field of any U.S. thoroughbred race, longshots often find their way to the winner’s circle. Since 2019, the lowest payout for a $2 win ticket was Sovereignty last year, and his bettors still won $17.96.
One of the other big surprises Saturday was the bettors’ interest in So Happy. While he and jockey Mike Smith won the Santa Anita Derby, the colt was given morning line odds of 15-1. That was due primarily to his being sired by Runhappy, who was an excellent sprinter.
Bettors made him the third choice at 5-1.
So Happy stayed among the front pack for the first mile but faded down the stretch to finish ninth.
“He just did too much early on, and we went too fast,” Smith said.
Sports
Wild D Jonas Brodin out for Game 1, F Joel Eriksson Ek also ailing
Apr 7, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Tyler Johnson (90) moves the puck away from Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin (25) and center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) during the second period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin didn’t travel with the team to Denver and will miss Sunday night’s playoff series opener against the Colorado Avalanche.
Forward Joel Eriksson Ek is listed as questionable to play in Game 1 of the Western Conference second-round series.
Brodin, 32, sustained a lower-body injury during Game 5 of Minnesota’s first-round series against the Dallas Stars. He was hurt while blocking a shot by Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen during the second period.
Brodin missed the clinching Game 6 victory on Thursday. He had one assist in the series.
In the regular season, Brodin had four goals and 18 points in 62 games.
Eriksson Ek was hurt in Game 6 when his right leg smacked into the wall. He didn’t practice on Saturday.
Minnesota coach John Hynes was debating what to do about Ek’s spot with his status unclear.
“I’m kind of going through that a little bit right now,” Hynes said. “So, now you kind of go down that decision-making process of what would we do if he’s not ready.”
Ek, 29, had three goals and five points in the Dallas series. In the regular season, he had 19 goals and 51 points in 70 games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cameron Young holds six-shot lead after three rounds in Miami
May 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Cameron Young makes his par putt on the 18th hole during the third round of the Cadillac Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images Cameron Young shot 2-under-par 70 on Saturday to remain in control through three rounds of Cadillac Championship at Miami.
Young is up six strokes on a group of three golfers, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, at windy Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster Course.
Young, who’s at 15-under 201, will be looking for his second victory of the season and the third of his career on the PGA Tour during Sunday’s final round.
Scheffler shot 69 to move to second place by the time he finished the round. He’s joined in that position by South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (69) and Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan (69).
Young began the round with a bogey on the par-5 first hole but played the next 11 in 3 under.
Scheffler’s round was defined by birdies on three of the four par-5 layouts.
Matt McCarty (69), Ben Griffin (68) and Canada’s Nick Taylor (72) are at 8 under and tied for fifth place. Taylor bogeyed the final hole.
Jordan Spieth took a significant dive, shooting 75 and falling to a tie for 12th at 5 under. He was hurt by two double-bogeys — first on the par-3 fourth hole when he didn’t get into putting position until his fourth stroke and then on the 18th when his approach shot went into the water and he was forced to take a penalty.
Australia’s Adam Scott had the day’s best score with a bogey-free 6-under 66, leaving him at 3 under.
–Field Level Media
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