Sports
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder get past Spurs, level series 1-1
May 20, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defends during the first quarter during game two of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points and handed out nine assists to help lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 122-113 win over the visiting San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals on Wednesday.
The result tied the series at one victory apiece headed into Game 3 in San Antonio on Friday.
After Gilgeous-Alexander struggled in Game 1, shooting 7 of 23 from the field, the reigning two-time Most Valuable Player was much more efficient in Game 2, going 12 of 24 from the field.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama had 21 points and 17 rebounds after scoring 41 points and grabbing 24 rebounds as San Antonio took Game 1 in double overtime.
Stephon Castle led the Spurs with 25 points on Wednesday.
Oklahoma City led by two early in the fourth quarter when Gilgeous-Alexander returned to the game after a break of nearly three minutes. The Thunder immediately went on an 11-0 run.
Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t score during the stretch but did plenty to create for his teammates. Cason Wallace and Jared McCain got the spree started with back-to-back 3-pointers — both assisted by Isaiah Hartenstein.
After logging just 12 minutes in Game 1, as Oklahoma City used Alex Caruso and Wallace much more, Hartenstein played a key role in Game 2.
With just more than four minutes remaining, Hartenstein grabbed two rebounds in quick succession. He finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds in 27 minutes, fighting through early foul trouble to remain a key piece of the Thunder’s attack.
The Spurs cut the deficit to five with 1:25 remaining before Gilgeous-Alexander was called for an offensive foul on Castle.
However, Devin Vassell missed a 3-point attempt at the other end, and the possession ended with Castle’s ninth turnover of the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander then hit a step-back jumper and after a Castle miss, Alex Caruso hit a driving layup to put the game away.
Oklahoma City scored 27 points off San Antonio’s 21 turnovers.
Both teams lost players to injury in the game.
Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell, who had stepped into a bigger role throughout the season with the string of injuries to Jalen Williams, went down grabbing his right leg with 1:01 remaining.
Earlier in the contest, Williams, who had 26 points in Game 1 during his return from a six-game absence caused by a left hamstring ailment, left the game late in the first quarter with left hamstring tightness and did not return.
The Spurs, already down starting point guard De’Aaron Fox, who missed his second consecutive game due to a sore right ankle, lost another key guard in the third quarter.
Rookie Dylan Harper, whose monster Game 1 performance helped San Antonio to the victory, headed to the locker room with a right leg injury and didn’t return.
Caruso added 17 points off the bench for Oklahoma City.
–Field Level Media
Sports
CJ Abrams' 3-run blast propels Nationals past Mets
May 20, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Zack Littell (18) pitches against the New York Mets during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images CJ Abrams hit a three-run homer, Zack Littell pitched five solid innings and the Washington Nationals beat the visiting New York Mets 8-4 on Wednesday.
Jacob Young homered and doubled while Abrams added a single and scored twice for Washington, which has won two in a row after dropping the series opener.
Littell (3-4) won his second straight start, giving up two runs on five hits. He struck out three without a walk. Andrew Alvarez allowed two runs over four innings to earn his first career save.
New York’s Juan Soto hit two home runs against his former team, giving him three in the past two games.
Zach Thornton (0-1) made his major league debut for the Mets, and he gave up Abrams’ homer and allowed four runs on four hits in 4 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old left-hander struck out three and walked two.
Washington’s Curtis Mead singled with one out in the first. Andres Chaparro walked, and Abrams hit his 10th home run of the season, a 389-foot shot to right-center, to make it 3-0.
New York’s Mark Vientos doubled leading off the second and later scored on a single by Brett Baty.
Nasim Nunez walked leading off the bottom of the second, stole second and took third on a throwing error by catcher Hayden Senger, then scored on a single by Keibert Ruiz.
Soto homered with two outs in the third to pull New York within 4-2.
The Nationals added on in the sixth against Mets reliever Austin Warren. Abrams led off with a single and went to third on a single by Dylan Crews. Abrams scored on a sacrifice fly by Daylen Lile, and Young doubled Crews to third. Craig Kimbrel come on for New York, and Nunez bunted down toward first, scoring Crews to make it 6-2.
New York cut the deficit in half in the eighth. Bo Bichette lined a single to left with two outs and Soto followed with his second homer of the game and ninth of the season, a shot to right that made it 6-4.
Washington got the runs back in the bottom half when Lile doubled with two outs and Young homered to left-center. It was Young’s sixth long ball of the season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sizzling Guardians score twice in 10th, hold off Tigers
May 20, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) delivers during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images Angel Martinez’s triple drove in the go-ahead in the 10th and the red-hot Cleveland Guardians downed the host Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Wednesday.
Jose Ramirez supplied an RBI double in the inning as the Guardians won for the eighth time in nine games, including the first three games of the four-game series.
Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee held Detroit to one run and four hits in eight innings. Right-hander Colin Holderman (2-0) got the victory and righty Cade Smith picked up his 16th save.
Detroit starter Drew Anderson had a career-high seven strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. The Tigers have lost 13 of their last 15.
Martinez, leading off the 10th against Tyler Holton (0-4), drove the ball to the opposite field into the right-center field gap to bring in automatic runner Brayan Rocchio. Ramirez then rifled a double into left to knock in Martinez for a 3-1 lead.
Zach McKinstry led off the bottom of the inning with an RBI single, but Smith retired the next three batters.
The scoreless deadlock was broken in the seventh. Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle led off with a walk and Riley Geene advanced him to third with a one-out single. Matt Vierling hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring in McGonigle.
Cleveland’s Chase DeLauter drew a two-out walk against Kenley Jansen in the eighth and stole second base. He was left stranded when Kyle Manzardo struck out.
McKinstry led off the bottom of the inning with a single. Hao-Yu Lee hit a bouncer to second and Travis Bazzana made a throwing error, allowing both runners to reach safely. McKinstry then got picked off by Bibee, who retired the next two batters on a strikeout and lineout.
The Guardians tied it in the ninth.
Daniel Schneeman led off with a single and Bazzana blooped another single. Steven Kwan advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Patrick Bailey then slapped a grounder to second as Schneeman scored. Will Vest then struck out Rocchio to keep the score at 1-all.
McGonigle drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth against Erik Sabrowski, who then walked Dillon Dingler. Greene struck out before Holderman replaced Sabrowski and struck out Vierling and Wenceel Perez.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Aliyah Boston helps power Fever to comfortable win vs. Fire
May 20, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Portland Fire forward Bridget Carleton (6) dribbles the ball while Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images In her first game back from a lower leg injury, Aliyah Boston scored 24 points to power the Indiana Fever to a 90-73 win over the visiting Portland Fire on Wednesday night in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Boston shot 8 of 11 from the floor and also collected eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block for the Fever (3-2). Kelsey Mitchell provided a boost too, scoring 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Lexie Hull added 16 points on a perfect shooting night, making 4 of 4 3-pointers and 4 of 4 free throws.
The Fever played without superstar Caitlin Clark, who was ruled out less than two hours before tip-off. Fever coach Stephanie White said before the game that Clark “woke up with some stiffness and some soreness” in her back.
“It’s not the time to take a chance. We just really want to be cautious,” White said. “… She’s healthy. We’re not managing anything. This is just a back issue that we want to make sure we give the time to.”
Bridget Carleton paced Portland (2-3) in the defeat with 16 points and three steals, while Sug Sutton chipped in 14 points and four assists. Carla Leite made her season debut for Portland after being sidelined with an ankle injury, notching six points, one rebound and one assist in 14 minutes.
The Fever led nearly wire-to-wire and grew their lead to as much as 26 points following a 12-3 run in the third quarter that was highlighted by Boston swishing a 3-pointer from 27 feet out that Mitchell provided the assist on.
Indiana made 9 of 28 3-pointers while holding Portland to a 3-for-16 clip. The Fever also won the rebounding battle by eight, had 21 assists on 28 made-baskets, and scored 20 points off 14 turnovers by Portland. Seven of those assists came from Fever guard Tyasha Harris, who started in place of Clark.
Fever forward Monique Billings picked up a technical foul in the third quarter for bouncing the ball high — showing some emotion — after making a bucket while getting fouled. That technical could lead to a postgame fine as the WNBA tightens its grip on its discipline policies.
Damiris Dantas did not play for the Fever due to a coach’s decision.
–Field Level Media
CJ Abrams' 3-run blast propels Nationals past Mets
Sizzling Guardians score twice in 10th, hold off Tigers
