Sports
After February brawl, Hornets and Pistons set for late-season rematch
Feb 9, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) tries to hold the ball pressured by Detroit Pistons forward Paul Reed (7) and guard/forward Ausar Thompson (9) during the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images The Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets face each other Friday for the first time in more than two months in a game that will likely draw the attention of both teams.
It will mark the first time the teams meet since a brawl that resulted in four player ejections and a later ejection of Charlotte coach Charles Lee.
The Pistons beat Charlotte 112-86 at home in December and claimed a 110-104 decision Feb. 9 in the brawl-marred game in Charlotte.
The Hornets (43-37) have been off since losing 113-102 on Tuesday night at Boston, ending a four-game winning streak.
Yet Charlotte continues to jockey for postseason position. It will be in the Eastern Conference’s play-in tournament at the very least, but there’s a chance to improve that status. The Hornets are 1 1/2 games back of sixth-place Toronto entering Thursday’s action.
The Pistons (58-22) are in better shape as they already have clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference, winning four of their last five games.
“I think we’re going to have a great practice and get ourselves ready to play a really tough (team), obviously, the No. 1 seed, in the Detroit Pistons,” Lee said.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons in scoring in both prior games vs. Charlotte, averaging 27.5 points in those outings. Cunningham played Wednesday for the first time since March 17 after missing 11 games because of a collapsed lung. He notched a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists in a 137-111 home rout of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Detroit also had Isaiah Stewart back after missing nearly a month with a calf injury.
“There is no way to replicate NBA basketball other than playing NBA basketball, so it was great to have them back out there trying to catch a rhythm going down the stretch,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
Bickerstaff said Cunningham could be on a minutes restriction if he plays again Friday.
“Get him some reps,” Bickerstaff said of the importance of court time. “(How he feels through Thursday) will determine what happens vs. Charlotte.”
The February brawl was sparked by a confrontation between Detroit’s Jalen Duren and Charlotte’s Moussa Diabate in the third quarter. Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart, who joined the fray by coming off the bench, and Charlotte’s Miles Bridges were also ejected and suspensions were handed out.
With the playoffs beginning within a week or so, it figures that the behavior will be better from both teams.
Lee said the defensive intensity from Charlotte has been strong at times. He also liked the tempo the team played with in Boston.
“I thought the unselfishness offensively, the pace and execution were great for most of the game,” he said.
Guard LaMelo Ball has been heating up again for the Hornets. He tallied 36 points, including a season-best 23 in the first half, in the Boston game. He has scored 35 or more points in back-to-back games for the first time since doing so in three consecutive games in November of 2024.
The Hornets did have a backcourt glitch earlier this week with guard Coby White out of action because of groin soreness. He has averaged 17.2 points per game across the past month, so it would be a boost if he’s able to return with the Pistons in town.
Friday’s matchup with Detroit will mark the final home game of the regular season for the Hornets.
Detroit is 7-2 against the Hornets in the last nine meetings, splitting four clashes in Charlotte during that stretch.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Union edge CF Montreal, end 6-game losing streak
Apr 11, 2026; Montreal, Province of Quebec, CAN; CF Montreal defender Dagur Thorhallsson (17) defends against Philadelphia Union defender Japhet Sery (5) during the first half at Saputo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images Jesus Bueno scored the tiebreaking goal in the 70th minute, and the visiting Philadelphia Union earned a 2-1 victory over CF Montreal to snap a season-opening six-game losing streak on Saturday afternoon.
Philadelphia (1-6-0, 3 points) ended its worst skid to open a season since going 0-4-4 to start the 2017 season.
The Union took their first lead of the season when Bueno scored a minute after Bruno Damiani’s right-footed shot was stopped by Thomas Gillier. Following a throw-in, Bueno took a pass from Ezekiel Alladoh following a throw-in by Nathan Harriel.
Bueno charged in through the middle of the field, eluded Montreal’s Dawid Bugaj and finished it with a right-footed shot from the right side of the box that landed in the lower left corner of the net.
Bueno scored his fifth career MLS goal, and the clutch tally occurred 15 minutes after Japhet Sery Larsen tied it with a header. Larsen evened the score by flicking it in with a header off a set piece after Bueno was fouled by Montreal’s Fabian Herbers a minute earlier.
After the goals, Philadelphia controlled the final minutes and held on after Olger Escobar’s free kick sailed long on the final play following a yellow card by Jovan Lukic.
Ivan Jaime had given Montreal the lead by finishing a 2-on-1 with Prince Owusu in the 23rd minute. On a counterattack, he got a pass from Efrain Morales at midfield, faked a shot with a left foot as defender Olwethu Makhanya fell down, and flicked a shot from the center of the box into the bottom right corner.
Philadelphia goalie Andre Blake made four saves.
Hillier finished with three saves as Philadelphia finished 15 shot attempts.
Montreal (1-6-0, 3 points) played its home opener after losing five of its first six matches. Montreal is off to a slow start for the second straight season after opening 2025 with an 11-game winless streak (0-8-3).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dallas Fuel reach grand final of OWCS NA Stage 1 playoffs
Dallas Fuel downed Spacestation Gaming 3-1 on Saturday to advance to the grand final of the Overwatch Champions Series’ North America Stage 1 playoffs.
Spacestation Gaming dropped to the lower-bracket final in the double-elimination playoffs on Sunday against Team Liquid, with the winner advancing to the grand final against Dallas Fuel later in the day.
Team Liquid stayed alive on Saturday by blanking LuneX Gaming 3-0 in the lower-bracket semifinal.
The Overwatch 2 online competition, with a prize pool of $75,000, began with six teams playing a regular season with a round-robin format.
The top four teams advanced to the regional playoffs, and all sealed berths in North America Stage 2. All playoff matches are first-to-three except for the grand final, which is first-to-four.
The championship team will receive $30,000, the runner-up $15,000, with both teams receiving berths in the OCS Champions Clash, scheduled for May 22-24 in Tokyo.
Dallas Fuel opened the best-of-five on Saturday with a 2-0 win on Busan Control before Spacestation Gaming earned a 3-3 draw on Numbani Hybrid. Dallas came through with a 2-1 victory on Watchpoint: Gibraltor Escort, then lost 3-1 on Aatlis Flashpoint.
In the decisive final map, Dallas won on Esperanca Push, 87.01 meters to 47.24 meters.
Team Liquid swept LuneX Gaming 2-0 on Lijang Tower Control, 4-3 on Havana Escort and 144.4m to 62.39m on Runasapi Push.
Overwatch Champions Series’ North America Stage 1 prize pool
1. $30,000, qualifies for Champions Clash, NA Stage 2
2. $15,000, qualifies for Champions Clash, NA Stage 2
3. $12,000, qualifies for NA Stage 2
4. $8,000, qualifies for NA Stage 2 — LuneX Gaming
5-6. Extinction, Disguised — $5,000, qualifies for NA Stage 2 promotion/relegation
–Field Level Media
Sports
Timo Baumgartl scores in 61st minute as St. Louis City tie FC Dallas
Apr 11, 2026; Frisco, Texas, USA; St. Louis CITY SC forward Simon Becher (11) dribbles the ball as FC Dallas defender Osaze Urhoghide (3) defends during the first half at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Timo Baumgartl’s 61st-minute goal negated Louicius Deedson’s opener as visiting St. Louis City SC earned a 1-1 draw against FC Dallas.
The equalizer was the first goal in four matches at Toyota Stadium for St. Louis (1-3-3, 6 points), which has gone 1-0-2 in its last three matches after getting shut out in three straight.
Dallas (3-1-3, 12 points) is now unbeaten (2-0-2) in its last four matches and has outscored St. Louis, 8-1, in those four home matches.
The teams played to a scoreless draw in the opening 45 minutes, despite chances from both sides. St. Louis’ Marcel Hartel had two chances himself early on.
He took the ball down to the end line in the third minute and sent it across the goal mouth, but there was nobody home to tap it in. Then, in the 21st minute, Hartel took the ball down the left side into the box and tried to beat Michael Collodi to the near post, but Dallas’ goalkeeper turned it aside.
In the 30th minute, Conrad Wallem just missed connecting with Sergio Cordova, which would have left the St. Louis attacker alone in the middle.
Dallas’ Kaick, who came on for his injured Brazilian countryman Ramiro in the 36th minute, was high on a header three minutes later off a cross into the box from Deedson.
Petar Musa, who came into the match tied for the MLS lead with seven goals, was quiet for most of the first half, but he came alive late.
He was called offside on an attempt that hit the post in the third minute of extra time, and then, one minute later, he took a pass from Logan Farrington into the box and forced a save from St. Louis goalkeeper Roman Burki, who had two saves.
Musa played a role in Dallas’ goal three minutes into the second half. He intercepted a St. Louis pass and freed up Deedson on the left side, and the Haitian International finished for his first goal of the season.
The assist was Musa’s first of the season, and the goal stood up for 20 minutes. St. Louis’ Daniel Edelman sent a ball to the far post, where two teammates ran onto it. Baumgartl got in first and finished Edelman’s cross with a right-footed shot from close range.
Burki and Collodi, who had four saves, denied late winners off attempts from both attacking sides to preserve the draw.
–Field Level Media
Union edge CF Montreal, end 6-game losing streak
Dallas Fuel reach grand final of OWCS NA Stage 1 playoffs
