The Cleveland Cavaliers may play Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Thursday night without one of their most important floor spacers.

Reserve guard Sam Merrill underwent an MRI exam on Wednesday after sustaining a left hamstring injury during Cleveland’s 111-101 loss to the host Detroit Pistons in Game 1, leaving his status uncertain as the Cavaliers attempt to avoid falling into an 0-2 series hole.

After years of postseason runs derailed by injuries, Cleveland largely had avoided health concerns this spring until Merrill exited Tuesday night’s opener after playing just six minutes, 41 seconds. The veteran sharpshooter, who drilled 42.1% of his 3-point attempts during the regular season, did not participate in Wednesday’s practice at Little Caesars Arena while the team awaited the results of his scans.

“I don’t want to give you anything definite,” said Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson. “We need to make threes to win this series. They pack the paint and we’ve got to make threes. He’s a big part of that. Hoping he’s back.”

Merrill emerged as a key part of Cleveland’s rotation during a breakout season, averaging a career-high 12.8 points and 26.5 minutes while drilling three 3-pointers per game. His shooting is especially crucial now for a Cavaliers offense searching for answers after committing 20 turnovers in Game 1 that led to 31 Detroit points.

“You can’t replace what Sam brings,” Jaylon Tyson said. “He’s a key piece of this team. Our best shooter. He has a lot of attention on him just because of how he shoots the ball.

“He’s a competitor and tough guy. Can’t replace it. But somebody got to step up for him. That’s what’s gotta happen.”

Without Merrill available for most of the opener, Atkinson expanded the roles of Tyson, Keon Ellis and Max Strus. The trio combined to shoot 5 of 11 from the 3-point arc and score 22 points in 56 minutes.

“We’ll probably have to lean on those guys if Sam isn’t back right away,” Atkinson said.

The Cavaliers also need more offensive aggression from Donovan Mitchell, who has scored fewer than 25 points in six straight games and attempted just two free throws in Game 1.

Following Tuesday’s loss, Mitchell suggested he may need to begin ‘flopping’ more to generate calls.

J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit’s coach and Cleveland’s former coach, was asked about Mitchell’s comments following Wednesday’s shootaround.

“I mean, Donovan’s very intelligent,” Bickerstaff said. “And it’s all messaging. We understand that. Our messaging is that flopping is a violation.”

Detroit, meanwhile, enters Game 2 looking to continue the physical style that helped it control much of the opener. The Pistons recorded 12 steals, grabbed 16 offensive rebounds and repeatedly transformed Cleveland turnovers into transition opportunities.

“It’s always physicality,” Bickerstaff said in explaining Detroit’s defense. “As long as we’re allowed to put our hands on you, as long as we’re allowed to bump you and be aggressive with our physicality, that gives us an advantage to put people in small spaces. And then you got to play through contact in small spaces and be great in those situations.”

Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 23 points and seven assists in Game 1 while Jalen Duren added 11 points and 12 rebounds, including seven on the offensive glass.

If Merrill cannot play, Cleveland may have even less margin for error against a Detroit defense that crowded the paint, forced turnovers and dared the Cavaliers to win from outside in Game 1.

–Field Level Media

For the WNBA, the last few years featured a sudden growth in mainstream attention thanks to Caitlin Clark and her cohorts — coupled with heightened concerns whether that would translate into better salaries amid contentious collective bargaining negotiations.

That uncertainty is in the past. Warm-up T-shirts insisting owners “Pay Us What You Owe Us” are no longer necessary.

After a new CBA was struck in March, the WNBA may be set up for a golden era of burgeoning dynasties, big-name player rivalries and further expansion.

This new era for the 15-team league — two more than last year — begins with three season openers Friday night and four more Saturday.

“We were working tirelessly on the CBA, and while it probably went months too long, I’m happy that we were able to kind of hold out and get what we wanted,” New York Liberty star and WNBPA vice president Breanna Stewart said. “… I’m excited for the future, for what’s to come.”

That negotiation resulted in the players receiving 20% of the league’s gross revenue, a near-quintupling of the salary cap from $1.5 million to $7 million, supermax salaries hitting seven figures at $1.4 million and other union concerns being met.

Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson cashed in, and deservedly so, following her record fourth Most Valuable Player award. After earning just $200,000 in 2025, Wilson signed a three-year supermax deal that will approach $5 million.

Wilson is the face of the reigning champion Aces as she makes her case as one of the greatest of all time. They’ve collected three WNBA titles during Becky Hammon’s four years in charge, and another ring would make Las Vegas just the third franchise to win four.

The Aces managed to retain Wilson and guards Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Jewell Loyd.

“The competition’s always going to be at a high, and when it comes to our core four, we understand that,” Wilson said. “So we don’t really let our guards down a lot, because we know what’s at stake for us.”

The New York Liberty, who knocked out the Aces en route to the 2024 title, still rate as their likeliest rival to the throne. They gave new multi-year deals to Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu, but did not retain veteran guard Natasha Cloud (who signed Monday with Chicago). Ionescu suffered a foot injury during the preseason that will cause her to miss two weeks.

The Liberty’s biggest offseason move came shortly after their first-round playoff exit in September. New York dismissed accomplished head coach Sandy Brondello and hired Chris DeMarco, a former NBA assistant with zero WNBA experience.

Those around the league appear to like what the Atlanta Dream have done to vie for their first title. In a survey of WNBA general managers, Atlanta ranked a close third behind Las Vegas and New York on the list of teams most likely to win the title.

Adding to All-Star Allisha Gray and former No. 1 pick Rhyne Howard, the Dream made the trade of the offseason when they acquired All-Star center Angel Reese from the Sky. Reese’s two-year stay in Chicago ended unceremoniously; after the team suspended her a half-game for “statements detrimental to the team” for which she’d apologized, she sat out the remaining two games of 2025 citing back issues.

“How could you not be happy here?” Reese told ESPN about Atlanta. “It just feels great. I always wanted to come to Atlanta. When you think of championship culture, playing next to these players, the coach (Karl Smesko), it just made sense.”

As for Reese’s college-turned-WNBA rival, Clark is coming off an injury-tarnished second season with the Indiana Fever that saw her play just 13 games and shoot 27.9% from the 3-point arc.

Clark is ready for her return, and Fever coach Stephanie White plans for some schematic tweaks to give Indiana the best chance to shine.

“The way that people and teams play Caitlin is different than they play everyone else. It’s the nature of her skillset, of what she brings to the table. And it’s really the ultimate compliment,” White said.

“In order to alleviate how hard she has to work on every single possession, it’s important to get her off the ball sometimes. When you think about what are the ways you can rest while on the floor, that’s one way.”

WELCOME, PORTLAND AND TORONTO

The league expanded for the second straight season, now at 15 teams with the additions of the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo.

When the Liberty dismissed Brondello, the Tempo snapped her up to be their inaugural head coach. Toronto also has the more intriguing roster of the expansion teams, anchored by veteran scorer Marina Mabrey and Canadian Kia Nurse.

Brondello, who hails from Australia, recognizes the Tempo are making history as Canada’s first WNBA franchise.

“(Players are) embracing everything about Toronto and obviously having new teammates and what we’re trying to build here, it shows the professionalism of all these players,” Brondello said. “It’s a very competitive training camp, just like every other training camp that I’ve had, so it doesn’t feel like an expansion team for me.”

ROOKIE CLASS

The Dallas Wings held the first overall pick for the second straight draft — and for the second straight draft, they used it on a national player of the year from collegiate power UConn.

Azzi Fudd joins the fold after averaging 17.3 points per game and shooting 44.7% on 3-point attempts at UConn last winter. She joins veteran Arike Ogunbowale and 2025 top pick Paige Bueckers.

Bueckers closed the door on questions about her personal relationship with Fudd — they publicized last July that they are dating — after the Wings made national news recently by shutting down a reporter’s question to Fudd about playing with Bueckers again.

“Me and Azzi have always been the utmost professionals,” Bueckers said. “We’ve always conducted ourselves as such. And we’ve never let anything that happens off the court carry onto the court.”

No. 2 overall pick Olivia Miles should make an immediate impact for the highly touted Minnesota Lynx, who only picked that high thanks to a prior trade with Chicago. Playoff contenders the past two years, the Lynx are hoping MVP runner-up Napheesa Collier can return in June from offseason surgery on both ankles.

–Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media

Bryan Woo allowed just one hit over six scoreless innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Atlanta Braves 3-1 Wednesday afternoon.

Julio Rodriguez hit a solo home run for the Mariners.

The Braves, who have an MLB-leading 26-12 record, suffered their first series loss of the season by dropping two of three games at T-Mobile Park.

The only hit Woo (2-2) gave up was a two-out single to right by Mauricio Dubon in the fourth inning. The right-hander walked two and matched his season-high with nine strikeouts set in his opening start March 28 against Cleveland.

With Mariners closer Andres Munoz having worked the previous two nights, offseason acquisition Jose A. Ferrer was called on to convert the save. The lefty worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save of the season.

The Mariners took the lead in the bottom of the third. Jhonny Pereda lined a leadoff single to left and Leo Rivas, the No. 9 batter in the order, doubled to left off Braves starter Martin Perez (2-2). J.P. Crawford drew a walk to load the bases with no outs before Cal Raleigh grounded into a 6-4-3 double play that scored Pereda.

Rodriguez made it 2-0 with one out in the sixth, hammering a 3-1 changeup from Perez 436 feet to left-center field.

The Braves finally got on the scoreboard in the eighth against reliever Eduard Bazardo. Mike Yastrzemski and Sean Murphy opened the inning with line-drive singles to center to put runners on the corners. Yastrzemski scored on pinch-hitter Dominic Smith’s sacrifice fly to center. Bazardo picked off pinch-runner Jorge Mateo — a call reversed thanks to a successful video challenge by the Mariners — and struck out Ozzie Albies to end the frame.

The Mariners tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Josh Naylor lined a single to center and stole second. Cole Young’s two-out double to right made it 3-1.

Perez went 5 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits. The lefty walked one and fanned five.

Braves shortstop Jim Jarvis made his major league debut, going 0 for 2 with a strikeout.

–Field Level Media