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Ascending Pacers hope to hand Hawks eighth straight loss

NBA: Detroit Pistons at Indiana PacersJan 29, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) rebounds the ball while Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II (00) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

A pair of teams coming off vastly different months will meet on Saturday in Indianapolis, where the Indiana Pacers host the Atlanta Hawks.

The Pacers enter play winners in four of five games and enjoyed a 10-2 January to springboard themselves into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. After leading the NBA in scoring last season, Indiana has found its offensive form of late, averaging 134.5 points in its last two wins.

In Wednesday’s 133-119 home victory over the Detroit Pistons, the Pacers’ scoring prowess was on full display, as they shot 56.8 percent from the field and made 19 of their 38 3-point attempts. Leading the way for Indiana was newly named All-Star Pascal Siakam, who had 37 points — his most since being traded from Toronto midway through last season.

The three-time All-Star is averaging 20.5 points and 7.3 rebounds and has started all 46 games this season. The nine-year veteran’s career has benefited greatly since joining the Pacers last January.

“I’m blessed to be a part of this team,” Siakam said. “The support I’ve had since I’ve been here has been amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever had an organization show so much support from the top to the bottom. … It means a lot to represent the Pacers on All-Star Weekend.”

Indiana, which has climbed to the fifth seed in the conference standings, gets 18.3 points and 8.6 assists per game from Tyrese Haliburton, and 16.4 ppg from Bennedict Mathurin. The Pacers will hope to carry over their success against the Hawks from last season, when they swept the four-game season series with Atlanta.

Just two weeks ago, it appeared the Hawks were on track to cement themselves as a playoff contender. Since Atlanta’s Jan. 18 win over the Boston Celtics, Atlanta has dropped seven straight games and has lost budding star Jalen Johnson for the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder.

Johnson, who signed a five-year extension with Atlanta before the season, was averaging 18.9 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per contest.

Johnson’s absence has placed more of an importance on the offensive play of Trae Young. Atlanta’s point guard is averaging 22.5 points and a league-high 11.4 assists per game but was left off the Eastern Conference All-Star reserve list on Thursday, much to the chagrin of his head coach Quin Snyder.

“I’m extremely disappointed,” Snyder said of Young’s snub. “I haven’t coached him for long, but I feel like he’s had the best year of his career. I think that’s statistically supported. … No disrespect to anyone who made it, but as Trae’s coach, I am allowed to feel disappointment for him not making it.”

In the Hawks’ 137-115 road loss Thursday to the Cleveland Cavaliers, which extended Atlanta’s longest losing streak since 2019, last year’s top overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher finished with 30 points on 11-for-14 shooting from the field. The 19-year-old is averaging 11.0 ppg and will compete in the Rising Stars Challenge on All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.

–Field Level Media

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Logan Cooley lifts Mammoth past Knights for Utah's 1st playoff win

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Utah Mammoth at Vegas Golden KnightsApr 21, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Utah Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi (50) attempts to deflect a shot attempt by Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) during the first period of game two of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Logan Cooley scored the go-ahead goal on a rebound with six minutes remaining to give the Utah Mammoth the first playoff win in franchise history, 3-2 over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 2 of their best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series on Tuesday in Las Vegas.

Cooley buried a rebound of a Dylan Guenther shot just inside the left post, even the best-of-seven series at one victory apiece. The scene now shifts to Salt Lake City for the next two contests, with Game 3 on Friday.

Guenther had a goal and an assist, Kailer Yamamoto had two assists and MacKenzie Weegar also scored for Utah. Karel Vejmelka made 19 saves, including a close-in shot by Mark Stone from the left side of the net with five seconds left to seal the win.

Stone and Ivan Barbashev each a scored goal and Jack Eichel had two assists for Vegas, which lost for the first time in regulation in 10 games (8-1-1) under coach John Tortorella. Carter Hart finished with 26 saves.

The teams exchanged own goals during the first period, which ended with the score 1-1.

Vegas, which rallied for a 4-2 victory in Game 1, took a 1-0 lead at the 11:40 mark on a power-play goal. Stone’s cross-crease pass for Tomas Hertl near the right post caromed straight into the net off the skate of Utah defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. It was Stone’s 43rd career playoff goal and his sixth in the past six games dating back to the regular season.

Utah tied it near the end of the period when Weegar’s shot from the right point deflected off the stick of Vegas defenseman Noah Hanifin and then off the pads of Hart into the low slot toward Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson, who kicked the rebound into the net.

The Mammoth took a 2-1 lead in the second period on a one-timer from the top of the left circle by Guenther off a pass from Yamamoto.

The Golden Knights tied it 62 seconds later. Barbashev intercepted a clearing pass by Sergachev in the neutral zone and then skated in and split a pair of Utah defensemen before roofing a backhand shot into the top far corner for his second goal of the playoffs.

–Field Level Media

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Munetaka Murakami extends HR streak as White Sox pound D-backs

MLB: Chicago White Sox at Arizona DiamondbacksApr 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami hits a home run in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Rookie Munetaka Murakami homered for the fourth straight game, Colson Montgomery went deep for the third straight and the Chicago White Sox slugged four homers in an 11-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix on Tuesday.

Murakami, Michael Vargas and Montgomery hit consecutive solo shots with two outs in the second inning to help stake Sean Burke (1-2) to a 7-0 lead.

Murakami, who has nine homers in 23 games, reached base four times, adding two infield singles and a walk. He singled and scored in a four-run first off Merrill Kelly (1-1).

Vargas homered for the second straight game, Montgomery and Sam Antonacci notched two hits and three RBIs apiece and Tristan Peters had three hits. The White Sox have won three of four and scored 33 runs over that span.

Arizona’s Ildemaro Vargas had a three-run homer in the ninth to extend his season-opening hitting streak to 16 games, the longest in the majors. Dating back to the end of the 2025 season, Vargas has hit in 18 straight. Alek Thomas had two hits, including his first homer of the season for the Diamondbacks, who had won 10 of 14.

The White Sox have 11 homers in their last three games and 14 in their last five.

Antonacci had a two-run inside-the-park homer in the ninth when his ground ball inside the bag at third appeared to be touched by the ball boy along the left field line. Left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. did not immediately attempt to field it as Antonacci circled the bases for his first career homer.

Burke gave up two runs on five hits in six innings in his first road victory since a 4-0 decision at Detroit on Sept. 28, 2024. He struck out three and walked one.

Kelly gave up eight runs and 10 hits before leaving with one out in the fifth. He struck out five and walked three in his second start of the season after opening on the injured list.

The first four White Sox batters reached in the first. Andrew Benintendi singled, Murakami reached on an infield single, Vargas walked and Montgomery doubled in two. Everson Pereira hit a sacrifice fly and Antonacci tripled for a 4-0 lead.

Murakami, Vargas and Montgomery homered in the second for a 7-0 lead after 13 batters.

–Field Level Media

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Jeff McNeil, Shea Langeliers homer as A's take down Mariners

MLB: Athletics at Seattle MarinersApr 21, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) hits a solo home run during the seventh inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: John Froschauer-Imagn Images

Jeff McNeil and Shea Langeliers hit home runs as the Athletics defeated the host Seattle Mariners 5-2 Tuesday night, clinching a series victory against their American League West rivals.

The teams will wrap up the three-game set Wednesday afternoon at T-Mobile Park.

A’s left-hander Jacob Lopez (2-1) earned the victory by allowing two runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out one.

Right-hander Jack Perkins pitched the final two innings for his first save of the season.

Cal Raleigh homered for a second consecutive night for the Mariners, who have dropped six of their past eight games.

The A’s broke a 2-2 tie against reliever Eduard Bazardo (0-1) in the sixth. Tyler Soderstrom led off with a double off the wall in center field and Jacob Wilson followed by grounding a run-scoring double past diving third baseman Leo Rivas and into the left-field corner.

The loss was the first of Bazardo’s six-year career after eight consecutive victories.

Langeliers made it 4-2 with a solo shot to center with two outs in the seventh off Gabe Speier. It was Langeliers’ second homer in as many nights.

The A’s added an insurance run in the ninth off Cole Wilcox. Nick Kurtz and Langeliers led off with singles and advanced on Carlos Cortes’ chopper down the first-base line. The Mariners intentionally walked Soderstrom to load the bases. Wilson lined a single to center to complete the scoring.

The A’s scored in the first inning as Kurtz drew a leadoff walk, stole second and came home on Soderstrom’s two-out double to right.

The Mariners tied it in the third as Rob Refsnyder lined a leadoff single to center and Raleigh grounded a single into left. Refsnyder took third on Julio Rodriguez’s lineout to left and scored on Josh Naylor’s sacrifice fly to center.

The A’s responded in the top of the fourth as McNeil went deep to right-center with two outs.

Raleigh’s solo shot to left-center with one out in the fifth tied the score at 2-2.

Mariners starter Luis Castillo went five innings and allowed two runs on five hits. The right-hander walked two and struck out six.

–Field Level Media

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