Sports
Cavaliers look to continue mastery over Bulls
Mar 2, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward De’Andre Hunter (12) drives to the basket against Portland Trail Blazers center Duop Reath (26) and forward Deni Avdija (8) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images The NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers twice defeated the Chicago Bulls during a season-opening 15-game winning streak.
On Tuesday, they’ll hope to extend their latest double-digit surge at the expense of host Chicago.
Cleveland totes a 10-game winning streak into the matchup with the struggling Bulls, its third run this season of at least that many games.
While the Cavaliers became the first NBA team this season to earn 50 victories, their latest spurt includes a bit of novelty. Cleveland on Sunday played its first overtime game of the season, edging the Portland Trail Blazers 133-129. De’Andre Hunter contributed 32 points on 8-for-15 shooting as leading scorer Donovan Mitchell (24.3 points a game) was held out to rest.
The Cavs also have needed to channel their comeback ability lately; they’ve won consecutive games after trailing by 18 points or more for the first time since the 1997-98 season.
Cleveland hopes to play from ahead against Chicago while ideally finding a rhythm both offensively and overall. The Cavaliers felt restricted throughout Sunday’s game, which featured a combined 53 personal fouls and 70 free throws.
That, too, presented Cleveland with a different wrinkle.
“There’s a lot of whistles out there today, but I think we did a good job playing through it and not letting it affect our game plan,” Hunter said.
Despite losing eight of their past 10 games, the Bulls entered Monday with a two-game lead on Philadelphia for the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference and the final spot in the East play-in tournament. Brooklyn (2 1/2 games out) and Toronto (five) also are in the hunt.
After rallying from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to top visiting Toronto on Friday, Chicago struggled down the stretch of a 127-112 loss at Indiana on Sunday. Problems with physicality and finishing in the closing stages resurfaced for the Bulls.
Missing big man Nikola Vucevic (right calf tightness) for the fourth straight game, Chicago was outscored 32-20 in the fourth quarter. Bulls coach Billy Donovan said the team must accelerate its toughness regardless of when Vucevic returns to the lineup, which could come as soon as Tuesday.
“We’ve got to get better,” Donovan said. “Some of our younger guys being exposed in those situations, close to the basket, loose balls, jump ball situations. … Those kinds of things we need to get better at. … Some of those teams when they look to change momentum in a game, generally the way you change momentum in a game is not by making shots — although that helps — it’s generally ramping up the physicality.”
Coby White has averaged 25 points in the past two games for the Bulls.
Cleveland will aim to maintain its recent dominance in the series.
The Cavaliers have won nine of the past 10 meetings between the Central Division rivals, including victories by six and 18 points, respectively, in Chicago and Cleveland in mid-November.
Mitchell fueled the Cavs’ Nov. 15 home win with 37 points to outduel White, who scored 29.
Vucevic is averaging 23 points and 9.7 rebounds in his past three games against Cleveland.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves put RF Ronald Acuna Jr. on IL, recall P Spencer Strider
May 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Atlanta Braves star right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. went on the injured list on Sunday, with right-hander Spencer Strider returning from the IL to make his season debut against the Colorado Rockies in Denver.
Acuna was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring. The Braves selected fellow outfielder Jose Azocar from Triple-A Gwinnett to take Acuna’s spot on the roster.
Acuna exited in the second inning after limping toward first base on a groundout in Atlanta’s 9-1 victory over Colorado.
“It didn’t look great, him coming off the field,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “I am hoping it’s just some cramping and that type of thing, but he’s getting an MRI. That’s never good when you have to get an MRI.”
Acuna, 28, grabbed at his hamstring and pulled up when attempting to run out a grounder he hit in the second inning. He limped off the field under his own power after being examined by the team’s medical staff.
A five-time All-Star and 2023 National League MVP, Acuna is hitting .252 with two homers and nine RBIs in 34 games.
Acuna was replaced in right field by Eli White, who is hitting .196 with two homers and eight RBIs in 20 games.
Strider returned from his rehabilitation assignment and was reinstated to the roster to take the spot of fellow right-hander Hunter Stratton, who was optioned to Gwinnett following Saturday’s game.
After becoming the fastest pitcher to record 100 strikeouts (61 innings) in a season in modern MLB history in 2023, Strider made just two starts in 2024 before undergoing season-ending UCL surgery.
Last season, Strider went 7-14 with a 4.45 ERA across 23 starts in his return from injury.
Strider, 27, began this season on the injured list with an oblique strain but is prepared to rejoin the sizzling Braves. They have won both games of the weekend series to expand on the best record (24-10) in the majors.
Strider, meanwhile, has dominated the Rockies in three career appearances (two starts), going 2-0 with an 0.50 ERA. He struck out 16 batters and scattered two hits over eight innings in a 3-0 win over Colorado on Sept. 1, 2022, before striking out 13 Rockies in a six-inning win last June 14.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Brewers recall RHP Logan Henderson to start vs. Nationals
Apr 4, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Logan Henderson (43) pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images The Milwaukee Brewers recalled right-handed pitcher Logan Henderson from Triple-A Nashville and announced him as the starter for their Sunday afternoon road game against the Washington Nationals.
Henderson, 24, will be inserted into the lineup immediately, starting on the mound for the Brewers. Milwaukee has won five of its past six games.
Ranked as the No. 6 prospect and the top pitcher in the Brewers’ system by MLB Pipeline, Henderson will be making his second big league start of the season on Sunday.
He is 1-0 with a 9.00 ERA in one appearance. He gave up two runs on three hits in two innings as an opener in an 8-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals on April 4.
Last season, Henderson started five games for the Brewers and was 3-0 with a 1.78 ERA.
In five games (three starts) for Nashville this season, Henderson is 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA. He has struck out 26 batters in 17 2/3 innings.
In a corresponding move, the Brewers sent right-hander Easton McGee, 28, to Nashville. He pitched two innings of relief this season in two games and allowed just one base hit.
Washington left-hander Peter Poulin (2-0, 4.11 ERA) will oppose McGee in the series finale.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Raptors' Brandon Ingram in walking boot ahead of Game 7
Apr 26, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) shoots the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) defends during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram was seen in a walking boot during the team’s shootaround on Sunday morning, several hours before Game 7 of the Eastern Conference first-round series against the host Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ingram is listed as questionable to play in the game due to right heel inflammation.
An All-Star this season for the second time in his career, Ingram was limited to 11 minutes and scored one point in Toronto’s 125-120 setback to Cleveland in Game 5 on Wednesday. He did not play in Toronto’s 112-110 overtime victory in Game 6 on Friday.
During the regular season, the 28-year-old Ingram averaged a team-high 21.5 points over 77 games. He also averaged 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists and drilled 38.2% of his 3-point attempts.
–Field Level Media
Braves put RF Ronald Acuna Jr. on IL, recall P Spencer Strider
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