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NBA roundup: Luke Kennard's 27 sparks Lakers past Rockets in Game 1

NBA: Playoffs-Houston Rockets at Los Angeles LakersApr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luke Kennard (10) dribbles the ball against Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) in the first half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Luke Kennard scored 27 points and LeBron James added 19 points with 13 assists as the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers earned a 107-98 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Saturday in Game 1 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Deandre Ayton scored 19 points with 11 rebounds and Marcus Smart added 15 points with eight assists as the fourth-seeded Lakers won with leading scorers Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique) watching from the bench.

In just his seventh start since joining the Lakers from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline, Kennard went 9 of 13 from the floor and 5 of 5 from 3-point range while delivering a season high in points to fill the scoring void at guard.

Alperen Sengun scored 19 points while Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard each added 17 for the fifth-seeded Rockets, who were playing without leading scorer Kevin Durant (knee).

Jabari Smith Jr. scored 16 points with 12 rebounds and Tari Eason also had 16 points for Houston, which has lost three consecutive road games to Los Angeles since the middle of March.

Nuggets 116, Timberwolves 105

Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, Jamal Murray scored a game-high 30 points and host Denver beat Minnesota to take a 1-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference playoff series.

Murray was perfect from the line, hitting a career-high 16 free throws. Aaron Gordon finished with 17 points, nearly half of which came during the Nuggets’ 14-0 third-quarter run which broke a deadlock and put them in control of the game after a slow start.

Anthony Edwards, who was questionable after missing 11 of the Timberwolves’ final 14 regular-season games with right knee issues, led Minnesota with 22 points. Rudy Gobert produced 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who led by as many as 12 points in the first quarter.

Knicks 113, Hawks 102

Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to start the decisive third-quarter run for host New York, which pulled away for a win over Atlanta in Game 1 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

Jalen Brunson scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in the first quarter for the third-seeded Knicks, who reached the Eastern Conference finals last year for the first time since 2000. Towns finished with 25 points and was 10 of 10 from the free throw line while Anunoby collected 18 points.

CJ McCollum scored 26 points for the Hawks, who earned the sixth seed in their first trip to the playoffs since 2023. Jalen Johnson had 23 points while Onyeka Okongwu (19) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (17) each scored in double figures.

Cavaliers 126, Raptors 113

Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points and James Harden added 22 points and 10 assists, powering Cleveland to a victory over visiting Toronto in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Max Strus had 24 points off the bench and Evan Mobley scored 17 for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers, who have won 11 straight playoff games over the Raptors. Game 2 is Monday in Cleveland, where Toronto is 0-8 all-time in the postseason.

RJ Barrett scored 24 points and Scottie Barnes contributed 21 points and seven assists for the fifth-seeded Raptors. Brandon Ingram added 17 points and Jamal Shead had 17 points in his playoff debut, starting for injured guard Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring strain).

–Field Level Media

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Giants rally from early 4-run deficit, top Nats in 12

MLB: San Francisco Giants at Washington NationalsApr 18, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Francisco Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos (17) hits a double against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images

Matt Chapman drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th inning and the San Francisco Giants beat the Nationals 7-6 Saturday in Washington, D.C.

Chapman led off the 12th against Cionel Perez (0-2) and grounded a single to left, scoring automatic runner Luis Arraez.

Caleb Kilian (1-0) pitched two innings for the win. The automatic runner did not advance in either inning and Kilian only allowed one base runner on an intentional walk.

The Nationals loaded the bases with no outs in the tenth, but Ryan Walker got two strikeouts and a ground out.

Heliot Ramos had three hits including his second home run in two games as San Francisco won its third straight.

Wood hit his seventh homer of the season and scored three runs for the Nationals.

With Washington trailing 6-5 in the ninth, Jorbit Vivas doubled against Walker leading off and went to third on a fly out. After Wood was walked intentionally, Curtis Mead hit a grounder and Vivas was thrown out at home. Brady House tied the game when he blooped single to center and Wood scored before Mead was thrown out at third.

Wood led off the bottom of the first and homered to give Washington a 1-0 lead.

Jung Hoo Lee singled with one out in the second and Ramos doubled, but Lee was thrown out at home. Drew Gilbert followed with a single to right, plating Ramos with the tying run.

The Nationals loaded the bases as the first batters reached in the second. Drew Millas grounded into a force at home, but Wood was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Luis Garcia, Jr. singled in two runs and Jose Tena singled in another to make it 5-1.

An error by third baseman Vivas gave the Giants runners on first and second with one out in the third and Casey Schmitt lined a two-out double to left that scored two runs, one coming across on a fielding error by Daylen Lile.

Lee singled off Parker with one out in the sixth and Ramos followed with a shot to left to tie it.

Willy Adames singled leading off the seventh and went to second on a wild pitch. Rafael Devers lined a two-out single to left, scoring Adames to give the Giants a 6-5 lead.

Giants starter Adrian Houser gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. His Nats counterpart Cade Cavalli gave up three runs (one earned) on seven hits in four innings.

–Field Level Media

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Athletics win in 11th as White Sox squander 5-run lead

MLB: Chicago White Sox at AthleticsApr 18, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) hits a game-tying two-run homer during the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

Nick Kurtz hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning and Max Muncy was the walk-off hero in the 11th as the Athletics overcame an early 5-0 deficit to beat the Chicago White Sox 7-6 on Saturday afternoon in West Sacramento, Calif.

Muncy hit a game-winning sacrifice fly to left field off Lucas Sims (0-2) to score Jacob Wilson and complete the comeback.

The White Sox had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the 11th, but Jack Perkins (2-0) pitched out of trouble to give the A’s a chance to end the game in the bottom half.

The game went to extras after Kurtz’s two-run shot off Jordan Leasure in the seventh.

Colson Montgomery, Andrew Benintendi and Munetaka Murakami hit home runs in a losing effort for Chicago. The White Sox missed countless chances to build on their lead, finishing 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position.

Chicago was in control after a five-run second. Montgomery’s fourth home run came on the first pitch of the inning. The barrage continued with a bloop RBI single for Reese McGuire and Benintendi’s three-run homer.

Athletics starter Luis Severino settled down after that, allowing no further damage over the remainder of his 5 1/3 innings. He finished with five runs, five hits and four walks allowed to go with three whiffs.

Jacob Wilson started the home team’s reply with a solo home run to left with one out in the second.

Lawrence Butler went station-to-station to add a run in the third. He drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on an Austin Wynns groundout and scored on Jeff McNeil’s sac fly.

White Sox starter Erick Fedde was pulled after 4 2/3 innings. He had an erratic outing with four walks, one wild pitch and three runs allowed.

Sean Newcomb relieved Fedde with two runners on base and allowed a third unanswered A’s run when Tyler Soderstrom hit an RBI single.

Muncy hit a one-out triple in the bottom of the inning and scored when Newcomb couldn’t field a slow roller by Butler cleanly, cutting the White Sox advantage to 5-4.

Chicago added some breathing space when Murakami hit his second home run in as many games to lead off the seventh, but the Athletics answered swiftly as Shea Langeliers opened the bottom of the seventh with a single and Kurtz lined a rope over the right field fence to make it 6-6.

–Field Level Media

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Keith Horne surprise leader of Senior PGA Championship

Syndication: Florida Times-UnionKeith Horne and his caddie walk past a sign warning fans of oncoming dangerous weather on Friday during the first round of the Constellation Furyk & Friends, at the Timuquana Country Club.

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Keith Horne finds himself in an unexpected position — leading the Senior PGA Championship with 18 holes to go.

Horne, 54, fired a 5-under 66 during Saturday’s third round to seize a one-shot lead over four players at Concession Golf Club at Bradenton, Fla.

Sitting at 11-under 205 is a surreal feeling for Horne, who carded six birdies against one bogey in his stellar third round.

The South Africa native has one Top 5 finish and $327,937 in earnings to show for his 14 previous PGA Tour Champions events. If he finishes on top Sunday, he’ll add $540,000 and a major to the top of his resume.

“Of course, I’m surprised,” Horne said. “It’s such a strong field, such a quality field that’s playing this week. It’s not something we get to play in that often against the guys of this stature and quality. A lot of them are my idols. I watched a lot of them on TV.

“… It’s not something I sort of planned or played for. I just try to stick to my own game, and I think that helped me today without looking around too much at what I’m leading.”

Thailand’s Thammanoon Sriroj (66), Stewart Cink (70) and the Australian combo of Steve Allan (68) and Scott Hend (72) are the foursome tied at 10 under. Ben Crane (71) sits two shots back in sixth place.

Horne has spent most of his career playing overseas. He appeared in five Champions events in 2025, including tying for 28th at the Senior PGA Championship.

His best finish was a tie for 11th at the Principal Charity Classic. He made four of five cuts.

On Saturday, he had a bogey on his first hole before gaining the stroke back with a birdie on No. 3. Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 gave him momentum and he scored back-to-back birdies twice on the back nine during a five-hole stretch.

One thing Horne said he won’t do on Sunday: track who’s chasing him.

“No, I’m not a scoreboard-watcher,” Horne said. “I think you get two types of people. I’m not the most confrontational person so, you know, I’d rather just stay away and just stick to my own game.

“I think if I look up and I feel like I need to chase or push or beat somebody specific, it doesn’t help me. It only hinders me. I maybe just try too hard or put too much pressure on myself.”

Hend shared the second-round lead after rounds of 69 and 65, but he took a step backward Saturday with three bogeys over the first 11 holes. He rebounded with three birdies down the stretch to finish just one shot back.

He is well-aware the final round will feature a bunched-up leaderboard.

“Just stick to my game plan, play to my ability,” Hend said. “If I play to my ability, then I’ve got a chance to win. If I don’t win, then as long as I finish as hard as I possibly can, that’s fine.”

Brian Gay, who shared the second-round lead with Hend, shot 2-over 74 shares seventh at 208. Also part of that tie are Fiji’s Vijay Singh (67), Canada’s Greg Owen (68) and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez (68).

–Field Level Media

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