Sports
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 29 leads Thunder past Pelicans
Jan 27, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) passes as New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (2) defends during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 104-95 home win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday to snap a two-game losing streak.
The loss halted the Pelicans’ two-game winning streak.
Chet Holmgren helped the Thunder create some separation in the third quarter, scoring 14 of his 20 points and pulling down seven of his 14 rebounds in the quarter.
Ten of Oklahoma City’s 31 third-quarter points came on second chances.
The Thunder had just two offensive rebounds in the first half but had 11 after the break, helping lead to 21 second-chance points.
After being outrebounded by 11 in the first half, Oklahoma City won the second-half rebounding battle 30-20.
Holmgren also finished with five blocks and three assists.
The Thunder extended their lead to 17 early in the fourth quarter, but New Orleans responded with a 13-4 run to cut the deficit to six with less than six minutes remaining.
Jeremiah Fears, who starred at nearby Oklahoma last year as a freshman before making the leap to the NBA, helped fuel the Pelicans’ run, with four quick points to start the stretch, the second basket after his own steal.
Fears had another steal late in the run, leading to a Herbert Jones 3-pointer.
The rookie then drained another 3-pointer with just more than five minutes remaining to cut the deficit to five.
But New Orleans couldn’t get any closer.
The Thunder won despite shooting just 40.2% from the field, their fourth-lowest shooting performance of the season and their worst in a win.
The Pelicans were just 34.3% from the field, their second lowest of the season.
Isaiah Joe added 17 points off the bench in the win, while Jaylin Williams pulled down 10 rebounds.
Zion Williamson had 21 points and 11 rebounds for New Orleans, going 8 of 11 from the floor.
But the rest of the Pelicans’ starters were just 14 of 59.
Gilgeous-Alexander had a rough start, missing his first five shots and not connecting from the field until early in the second quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander finished just 8 of 22 from the field but hit 13 of 14 from the free-throw line.
–Field Level Media
Sports
RJ Barrett, Raptors clash with Cavaliers in unexpected Game 7
May 1, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9) reacts after scoring the winning basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the overtime period in game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images RJ Barrett kept the Toronto Raptors’ season alive with one of the most clutch shots in franchise history, but he isn’t ready to reminisce about the moment yet.
Not with a win-or-go-home Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first round series taking place Sunday night at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Forget everything that’s happened,” said Barrett, who is averaging a series-high 24.3 points per game. “Now, it’s one game to win it all.”
The fifth-seeded Raptors earned that opportunity when Barrett’s 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in overtime bounced off the heel of the rim, high in the air and through the hoop to give them a 112-110 victory Friday.
As a result, upstart Toronto has pushed the team with the highest payroll in the NBA to the brink of a devastating end to a season that began with championship dreams.
“Glory to God, that was a fun one, right?” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “It was a heck of a fight. We just talked about how much fun this is and how much we loved the challenge.”
Fourth-seeded Cleveland got a clean look at the buzzer, but Evan Mobley’s 29-footer was off the mark, keeping both teams unbeaten at home in the series.
“If I continue to sulk about that (Barrett) shot, it’s over,” Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell said. “Unfortunately, but fortunately, half of the locker room has been through this before. It’s going to test us.
“Protect home court, that’s all you can do. We’ve got to protect home court.”
History is on Cleveland’s side as it has never lost a Game 7 at home, beating the Washington Bullets in 1976, Boston Celtics in 1992, Indiana Pacers in 2018 and Orlando Magic in 2024.
Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Dean Wade and Sam Merrill remain on the roster from the latter, which featured the Cavaliers and Magic winning every game in their respective arenas.
“We’re at home and the ball is in our court,” said Mobley, who is averaging 19.0 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 56.8 percent from the field. “We’ve just got to come together and get a win.
“Don’t get too involved in the magnitude of everything, just protect home court.”
Toronto has only played one Game 7 on the road, losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001. Barrett was about to celebrate his first birthday at the time, while Scottie Barnes and breakout performer Ja’Kobe Walter hadn’t been born yet.
Barrett, Barnes and Walter combined to score 73 of the Raptors’ 112 points in Game 6.
“I’ve watched so many Game 7s, you see the intensity on the court,” said Walter, who averaged 22.0 points and made 10 3-pointers in the last two contests. “I’m so excited to be in this moment.”
Barnes has been the most consistent performer in the series, averaging 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists. In a surprising development, he and Barrett have outplayed Cleveland’s star backcourt of James Harden and Mitchell.
Mitchell is shooting just 43.7% on field goal attempts, including 35.3% on 3-point tries; he has only attempted 14 total free throws. He has only taken over in brief stretches of two games, marking a complete turnaround from his brilliant 2025 postseason.
Trade-deadline acquisition Harden has been plagued by careless passes and poor decision-making, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 turnovers.
“I’m a little frustrated, but there’s nothing you can do about it,” Harden said. “We can’t dwell on it too long. Just go back home, play one game and win.”
Both squads took Saturday off but will hold shootarounds on Sunday morning.
Raptors small forward Brandon Ingram (right heel) missed Game 6 and will be evaluated after working out with the team. Point guard Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring) continues to undergo treatment but will sit out the entire series.
The Cavaliers have no injuries and, should they lose, no legitimate excuses.
“This is typical NBA basketball with a four and a five seed going at it,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Now, we’ve got to go out and get Game 7.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Max Meyer, two relievers hold Phillies to one hit
May 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Max Meyer (23) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Max Meyer only allowed a hit in seven shutout innings and Xavier Edwards homered in the host Miami Marlins’ 4-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday
Meyer (2-0) faced one over the minimum amount of batters with a walk and seven strikeouts in the longest start of his career. He threw 55 strikes in 83 pitches.
Anthony Bender and Andrew Nardi each retired the side in order in the combined one-hitter.
Otto Lopez and Edwards were had two hits with a run and an RBI and Connor Norby was 2-for-3 with a run batted in for the Marlins, who evened the four-game series at one game each.
Garrett Stubbs got the lone hit for the Phillies, who had their four-game winning streak under interim manager Don Mattingly snapped. Kyle Schwarber was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and has struck out in all eight at bats over his last two games, tying a career high for consecutive strikeouts.
Philadelphia starter Andrew Painter (1-3) gave up three runs on seven hits in five innings with three walks and seven strikeouts.
The Marlins took a 2-0 lead in the third on consecutive bases-loaded, two-out walks to Agustin Ramirez and Norby.
It was the second straight inning Miami loaded the bases with one out with three consecutive singles. In the second Painter got Graham Pauley on a foul out and struck out Esteury Ruiz swinging to end the inning.
Edwards one-out solo homer in the fifth made it 3-0. He drove Painter’s 1-1 four-seam fastball into the right-field stands for Edwards’ second home run.
Lopez’s infield RBI single with two out in the sixth increased the Marlins’ advantage to 4-0.
Stubbs singled in the third with one out and was erased on an inning-ending double play.
Justin Crawford was scratched from the Phillies’ lineup because of a migraine.
Philadelphia also activated catcher J.T, Realmuto from the 10-day injured list (back spasms) earlier Saturday and designated Dylan Moore for assignment. Realmuto was hitless in three at-bats.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Stewart Cink inches closer to major win at Regions Tradition
Stewart Cink takes his second shot from the rough along the No. 4 fairway during the third round of the 2025 Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone Country Club, Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Akron, Ohio. Stewart Cink is inching toward his second career PGA Tour Champions major title, as the veteran on Saturday shot a 1-under-par 71 to clear the field by three strokes headed into Sunday’s championship round at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Ala.
Cink took home his first major championship just two weeks ago when he won the Senior PGA Championship in Bradenton, Fla.
Despite not matching the heights achieved through his first two rounds, when Cink totaled 16 birdies over two days, his round nevertheless allowed him to expand his lead after leading by two at the conclusion of Friday’s round, and it came in difficult windy conditions.
“Overall today it was just a lot harder day to score out there,” Cink said. “I wasn’t quite as sharp either as I was the first couple days, but sometimes the golf course, you know, it just turns on you a little bit. The wind direction on a lot of the holes was awkward and it was difficult to pick out a lot of the gusts in the direction of it.”
Cink’s lead growing came in part because closest competitor Charlie Wi suffered a miserable round on Saturday, clunking home four bogeys and two double-bogeys on the way to a 5-over 77.
Cink moved to 15-under for the tournament by kickstarting his day with three birdies over his first five holes. His birdie on the fifth was sandwiched by two bogeys, and he closed his front nine 1 under. On the back nine, he balanced a double bogey with two birdies (the latter coming on Hole 18) to finish his day a stroke under par.
“The birdie at the last was nice,” Cink said. “That was some pretty good shots. But the double on the 15th hole was, that’s what happens when you hit a whole bunch of bad shots in one hole, you get a bad score, and I did.”
Cink, who grew up 120 miles northwest of Birmingham in Florence, Ala., has had a large, supportive gallery thanks to that proximity.
But the 72-hole event held at Greystone Golf and Country Club was more unkind to most of the other major challengers on Saturday. South Africa’s Retief Goosen (74), Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (75) and Czechia’s Alex Cejka (74) had all been in a tie for third, and none could reach par, falling further behind Cink’s pace.
Just three golfers are within five shots of Cink after a day of high scores. Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie is closest at 12 under after his 5-under 67. He had seven birdies to go along with two bogeys to match his low round for the tournament.
“This is the beauty of the game of golf, isn’t it, that age is just a number in the game of golf,” Montgomerie said. “If it was any other sport, you would be well gone by now.”
Doug Barron (69) and New Zealand’s Steven Alker (71) are tied for third at 10 under.
Four golfers are tied for fifth at 9 under alongside Goosen and Cejka: Matt Gogel (68), South Korea’s Y.E. Yang (70), Ken Tanigawa (70) and Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen (71). Jaidee is T11 while Wi is T15.
–Field Level Media
