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Building momentum, Lakers take aim at banged-up Rockets

NBA: Atlanta Hawks at Los Angeles LakersJan 3, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after scoring three point basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have won two of their first three games since acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets last Sunday, the latest move from a franchise in desperate search for complementary pieces to plug alongside stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Victories over the Portland Trail Blazers and the Atlanta Hawks this week have been positives for the Lakers, who will face the host Houston Rockets on Sunday in the first of two road games sandwiched between four- and five-game homestands.

Los Angeles discovered a rhythm late in the third quarter against Atlanta on Friday and rode that momentum to a 119-102 win. The Lakers’ performance on both ends of the floor offered a snapshot of what could be if all the pieces in place are performing as expected.

“I’m encouraged by our team in general,” Los Angeles coach JJ Redick said. “The reason why executing a personnel-based scouting report that we’ve talked about is because I don’t want to coach a good team, and I don’t want to be a part of a good team. I want to be a part of a great team, and I believe this team can be a great team. So, it is about the small details. …

“We have to get back on defense. We have to execute on offense. We have to pass, and we have to screen. When we’ve done that, we’ve been a really good basketball team.”

James scored 30 points against Atlanta after putting up 38 in a 114-106 win over Portland on Thursday. Austin Reaves racked up 35 points in a 122-110 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.

Finney-Smith, a defense-first forward, has managed just 13 points since joining the Lakers, while Milton has tallied just 12 points with his new team.

Even with its issues fashioning a consistently efficient offense, Houston has remained near the top of the Western Conference standings throughout the first half of the regular season.

However, injuries are posing a threat to the Rockets’ progress. Houston lost forward Jabari Smith Jr. to a fracture in his non-shooting hand on Friday before a 109-86 home loss to the Boston Celtics. The Rockets also played without reserves Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, with Eason missing an eighth consecutive game due to ongoing leg soreness.

Jalen Green scored 27 points against Boston and leads Houston with 19.6 points per game.

Thompson served the back end of a two-game suspension on Friday for his role in an altercation with the Miami Heat last Sunday. Eason and Thompson have been vital cogs for the Rockets, while Smith provided a critical defensive presence to complement his 11.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Smith needs surgery and will be sidelined between four and eight weeks.

While Thompson will return against the Lakers, the long-term loss of Smith and the uncertainty surrounding Eason has put the Houston rotation in flux. Adapting to attrition is part of the NBA, but the Rockets have encountered an unexpected hardship that could alter their entire season.

“Amen will be back and that will help,” Houston coach Ime Udoka said. “So he’ll be starting and we’ll go from there with the others. Find some guys who have played, which other guys have, and see what works best with the bench guys with hopefully not a too-depleted lineup.

“Obviously, Jabari is out and we hope to have Tari back, and if you can get those two — Tari and Amen — we can settle in fine.”

–Field Level Media

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Sean Burke stifles Padres, lifts White Sox to fifth straight win

MLB: Chicago White Sox at San Diego PadresMay 2, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Sean Burke (59) throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images

Sean Burke tossed six scoreless innings Saturday night and the visiting Chicago White Sox stretched their winning streak to five with a 4-0 blanking of the San Diego Padres.

Burke (2-2) allowed only four hits and a walk while fanning eight, including Xander Bogaerts three times. Three relievers finished up, with Seranthony Dominguez getting the last two outs for his eighth save in 10 chances, as Chicago wrapped up its first series win over San Diego since 2022.

The Padres filled the bases with no outs in the ninth when Jackson Merrill beat out an infield single followed by walks to Manny Machado and Bogaerts. Grant Taylor slipped a called third strike past Gavin Sheets before Dominguez came in to retire Miguel Andujar on a shallow fly ball and strike out Luis Campusano.

Michael King (3-2) yielded seven hits and four runs over six-plus innings. King walked three and struck out five as the Padres dropped their fourth straight game.

Burke and King matched each other pitch-for-pitch through the first five innings. But the White Sox struck in the sixth when Tristan Peters drew a one-out walk and Andrew Benintendi legged out an infield single.

After Munetaka Murakami moved the runners up 90 feet with a groundout, Miguel Vargas looped a liner into short right field, scoring Peters and Benintendi for the only runs Chicago needed.

But the White Sox added on with two more runs in the seventh. Chase Meidroth singled and reached third on Sam Antonacci’s double, then scored on Edgar Quero’s single that knocked out King. Peters then capped the scoring with a safety squeeze bunt that plated Antonacci.

The Padres’ best scoring chances against Burke came in the second and fifth innings. Sheets walked and Andujar singled with one out in the second. But Burke stiffened, fanning Campusano and inducing a groundout from Jake Cronenworth.

In the fifth, Andujar led off with a single and Cronenworth singled with one out. However, Ramon Laureano flew out and Burke blew away Fernando Tatis Jr. on three pitches to quash the threat.

The Padres were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, stranding eight runners.

–Field Level Media

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Sporting KC snap losing streak with draw vs. Sounders

MLS: Seattle Sounders FC at Sporting Kansas CityMay 2, 2026; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; Sporting Kansas City forward Dejan Joveljic (9) celebrates toward fans after scoring against the Seattle Sounders FC during the first half of the match at Children’s Mercy Park. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Dejan Joveljic scored his fifth goal of the season and Sporting Kansas City salvaged a 1-1 draw against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday afternoon to snap a six-match losing streak.

Joveljic’s 18th-minute tally halted a 351-minute scoreless stretch across all competitions for Sporting (1-7-2, 5 points), which has still won only twice in its last 23 MLS matches dating back to last July.

Paul Rothrock scored his fourth goal of the season early as Seattle (6-1-2, 20 points) saw its league win streak halted at three but extended its league unbeaten run to seven.

The visitors held 61% of the possession and outshot the hosts 27-11 but were punished for an uncharacteristic mistake by American World Cup hopeful Cristian Roldan.

Rothrock put the visitors in front two minutes into the match.

Alex Roldan got up the right and played an early diagonal ball from midfield toward Jesus Ferreira in the center channel.

Either Ferreira, his defender or both players deflected the ball, and Rothrock was first to the redirection on the left side of the penalty, where he guided a first-time finish across Stefan Cleveland’s body and inside the far-right post.

Joveljic leveled 16 minutes later.

As Seattle tried to play out of the back against Kansas City’s creeping pressure, Cristian Roldan badly mis-hit a backpass that appeared intended for his goalkeeper.

Joveljic reacted to reach it at the top of the penalty arc and drove a low, first-time finish through goalkeeper Andrew Thomas and over the line.

Both teams had chances to win it after halftime despite Seattle’s possession dominance.

Sounders striker Danny Musovski flashed a promising header over the goal in the 57th minute, and in the 65th, Seattle substitute Paul Arriola saw his strike from a dangerous position on the left blocked accidentally by teammate Albert Rusnak.

In the 70th minute, Cleveland recovered from his own bobble on the initial attempt to make a double save of Kalani Kossa-Rienzi and Musovski.

On the other end, Thomas thwarted Joveljic in the 82nd minute and Taylor Calheira on a difficult, spinning effort inside the box in the 85th.

–Field Level Media

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Braves RF Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring) set for MRI

MLB: Atlanta Braves at Colorado RockiesMay 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. left Saturday’s 9-1 win over the host Colorado Rockies with left hamstring tightness and will have an MRI, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss told reporters after the game.

Acuna grabbed at his hamstring and pulled up when attempting to run out a grounder he hit in the second inning in Denver. He limped off the field under his own power after being examined by the team’s medical staff.

The 2023 National League MVP, Acuna is hitting .252 with two homers and nine RBIs in 34 games. He led off the game with a single and scored when Drake Baldwin followed with a home run.

Acuna was replaced in right field by Eli White, who is hitting .196 with two homers and eight RBIs in 20 games.

–Field Level Media

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