Sports
Claude Lemieux's family to donate his brain to CTE research
Jan. 20, 2009; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks right wing Claude Lemieux (32) warms up before the game against the Vancouver Canucks at HP Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Claude Lemieux’s family said Saturday that the four-time Stanley Cup champion’s brain will be donated to CTE research following his death at age 60 on Thursday.
Lemieux committed suicide, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, multiple media outlets reported on Thursday. He was found at a furniture store that Lemieux and his wife owned in Lake Park, Fla., per the reports.
“In the hope that Claude’s life can continue to help others, the family has chosen to donate his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center for research into the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injury,” the family said in a statement released by daughter Claudia Lemieux Bishop. “The family has also given permission for the CTE Center to identify Claude by name in connection with his donation and any findings it may publicly share in accordance with its research protocols.
“The family emphasizes that this decision is a gift to science, to athletes, and to future generations of families seeking answers. No conclusions should be drawn at this time regarding any diagnosis.”
Lemieux played 21 seasons in the NHL and was awarded the 1994-95 Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. He won two Stanley Cup titles with the New Jersey Devils (1994-95, 1999-2000) and one each with the Colorado Avalanche (1995-96) and Montreal Canadiens (1985-86).
Lemieux recorded 158 points (80 goals, 78 assists) and 529 penalty minutes in 234 playoff games. He had a team-leading 10 goals and four game-winning goals in aiding the Canadiens to their 23rd Stanley Cup title in 1985-86.
“Claude dedicated his post-play career to helping the next generation,” the family said, referring to his role as an agent. “By allowing his name to be connected to this research, we hope his life can contribute to greater understanding, more honest conversations, and better protection for athletes and families in the years ahead.”
Known as a fierce competitor with a physical side, he skated a fine line between being a clutch scorer and an agitator.
Lemieux had 786 points (379 goals, 407 assists) and 1,777 penalty minutes in 1,215 regular-season contests with the Canadiens, Devils, Avalanche, then-Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks.
“The Lemieux family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love from fans, former teammates, opponents, organizations and friends across the hockey community,” the family said in the statement. “The stories being shared of Claude’s competitiveness, humor, loyalty and unmistakable presence have brought comfort during an unimaginably difficult time. The family asks only for continued prayers.”
The Quebec native was selected by the Canadiens in the second round of the 1983 NHL Draft.
On Monday, Lemieux greeted the Montreal crowd by carrying the torch into the Bell Centre prior to the start of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.
“The family recognizes that there has been public reporting about the circumstances of Claude’s death,” the family said in the statement. “Suicide is complex, and the family asks media and the public to discuss this loss with care, compassion and respect for those who loved him. Anyone in crisis or emotional distress in the United States can call or text 988 for confidential support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Fire explode offensively in runaway defeat of Fever
May 30, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Fire center Megan Gustafson (17) reacts after scoring against the Indiana Fever during the first half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images Megan Gustafson scored a season-high 22 points in her first start of the year, Emily Engstler and Carla Leite had double-doubles, and the host Portland Fire had a season-high in points in a runaway 100-84 defeat of the Indiana Fever on Saturday.
Leite had 18 points and a career-high 12 assists, Engstler had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Bridget Carleton had 14 points for the expansion Fire, who have won four of five.
Gustafson was 8-for-8 from the field with one 3-pointer and was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line.
Fever leading scorer Caitlin Clark was held to a season-low six points on 1-of-7 shooting and had six assists while playing only 22 minutes because of foul trouble.
It was her second straight game with a season low after scoring 16 points on 3-of-12 shooting in a 90-88 loss to Golden State on Thursday. Clark picked up her fifth foul in the final minute of the third quarter as the Fire built a 25-point lead and played sparingly in the fourth.
Aliyah Boston had 18 points and seven rebounds and Kelsey Mitchell added 17 points and four assists for the Fever (4-4), who have lost two in a row following a three-game winning streak.
The Fever’s previous three losses were by a combined seven points.
The Fire (6-4) are tied for the best start for an expansion team in league history with the Detroit Shock, who went 6-4 to open the 1998 season. The Toronto Tempo can match that 10-game start if they beat the New York Liberty next Wednesday.
Sarah Ashley Barker had 15 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Fire, who shot 51.4% from the field and limited the Fever to 41.4%.
Portland avenged a 90-73 loss at Indiana on May 20, a game Clark missed because of a back injury.
Portland, which committed a season-high 28 turnovers in an 86-66 loss to Atlanta on Friday had 12 against the Fever. Indiana had 18.
The Fire took control early, using a 19-2 run to take a 21-10 lead with 2:48 remaining in the first quarter. Gustafson had back-to-back three-point plays and Carleton made a 3-pointer and a layup in that spurt.
Nyadiew Puoch’s layup stretched the Fire’s lead to 41-20 with 6:13 left in the first half. Kelsey Mitchell made two free throws to close the deficit to 44-30 with 3:19 left.
Portland led a 50-37 at halftime and the Fever couldn’t cut the deficit to less than 13 in the second half.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Spurs end Thunder's title defense, reach first NBA Finals since 2014
May 30, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) reacts in the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game seven of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images Victor Wembanyama had 22 points and seven rebounds to lift the San Antonio Spurs to the NBA Finals with a 111-103 road win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals on Saturday.
The Spurs will take on the New York Knicks in the Finals beginning Wednesday in San Antonio.
San Antonio is in the NBA Finals for the first time since winning the franchise’s fifth championship in 2014.
With the Spurs and Knicks advancing, there will be an eighth different champion in the last eight years.
Oklahoma City’s exit keeps the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors as the last team to win back-to-back titles.
Julian Champagnie scored 20 points — 11 in the third quarter — and was 6-of-10 from 3-point range.
With just under seven minutes left, Wembanyama headed to the bench with five fouls with his team ahead 97-91.
Isaiah Hartenstein came away with a steal and was barreling towards the bucket for a dunk when Luke Kornet, Wembanyama’s replacement, blocked the shot, Dylan Harper grabbed the rebound and Stephon Castle finished at the other end.
After an Oklahoma City turnover, Wembanyama checked in and Kornet headed back to the bench to a hearty celebration.
Shortly after, Champagnie drained his sixth 3-pointer to put San Antonio up by 11.
The Thunder pulled within six with 2:02 left, but the Spurs closed strong to advance.
League MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander turned in perhaps his best game of the series for Oklahoma City, with 35 points on 12-of-21 shooting plus nine assists and three steals.
But Chet Holmgren finished with just four points on just two shots. Holmgren didn’t attempt a shot in the second half and Alex Caruso was just 3-of-14 from the floor with 12 points.
For the fourth time in five games, the Spurs pulled away early. This time, they jumped out to a 14-point lead seven minutes in, leading 27-13.
De’Aaron Fox had a 3-pointer, an assist and two steals during the 17-7 run which built that lead.
In the final minute of the opening quarter, Wembanyama’s elbow caught Isaiah Hartenstein as Wembanyana started a drive. Hartenstein was called for a foul, and Thunder coach Mark Daigneault was assessed a technical. Oklahoma City’s challenge successfully overturned it to an offensive foul, but the foul was not upgraded to a technical.
Late in the second quarter, the Thunder used a 20-5 run to take their first lead in the series since the end of Game 5.
Gilgeous-Alexander scored the first seven and nine of the first 11 Oklahoma City points during the run.
But the Spurs scored the final seven points of the half to regain the lead at halftime, 56-53.
In the third, Champagnie scored 11 during a 16-2 San Antonio run which gave the Spurs a 76-65 lead.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Justin Allgaier holds off teenager Brent Crews to win at Nashville
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Justin Allgaier (7) makes a pit stop during the Sports Illustrated Resorts 250 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Saturday, May 30, 2026. LEBANON, Tenn. — After multiple brilliant and exhilarating door-to-door battles — veteran against rookie — in the closing portion of Saturday night’s Sports Illustrated Resorts 250, the old man emerged victorious.
And after JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier held off 18-year-old rookie Brent Crews at Nashville Speedway, he hoisted his series-best fourth race trophy of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season.
Allgaier’s win in the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet — ultimately by 1.4-second over Crews — was his third at the 1.33-mile Nashville concrete oval and the 32nd overall win of the 2024 series champion’s career. And it took hard, clean side-by-side racing lap-after-lap for Allgaier to eventually get by Crews’ No. 19 Joe Gibbs Motorsports Toyota for good with 20 laps remaining and hold on to victory.
The veteran Allgaier celebrated by climbing out of his Chevy’s roof hatch then bowing to the Nashville crowd — an ode to the trademark winning celebration of two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, who died May 21 after pneumonia turned into sepsis.
“First of all, it’s been a rough couple of weeks, and lots of prayers to (Busch’s wife) Samantha and Kyle and (their children) Brexton and Lennix — it’s been an emotional couple weeks,” Allgaier said.
“This team, right here, they are incredible. To win in Nashville, you fans … this place is electric. I love coming to Nashville.
“I told them before the race, that we were going to go to victory lane,” said a grinning Allgaier, who turns 40 years old next week and is capping his winning race weekend by running a triathlon in downtown Nashville Sunday.
“What a race,” he added with a grin.
The near-miss marks the North Carolinian Crews’ second runner-up finish this season. He led the race twice for a total of 45 laps — the most he’s ever led in a single race. After the race he called his battle with Allgaier “the most fun I’ve had without winning.”
“Man, the positive was, I thought we were going to win that race,” Crews’ said when asked about the takeaway from the race. “I’m happy for our guys.
“Had to start 33rd and worked our way up to the lead and led a lot of laps and got to race one of the best guys in our series of all-time for the win in the last few laps,” he said. “Couldn’t ask for much more, other than to beat him.”
Crews’ teammate William Sawalich finished third to claim his third-consecutive top five. Haas Factory Team’s Sam Mayer finished fourth — his fifth straight top 10 at Nashville with another JGR driver, Brandon Jones, rounding out the top five.
Corey Day, Carson Kvapil, reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, Taylor Gray and Sammy Smith rounded out the top 10. Smith, of note, is competing in the Nashville triathlon with his JR Motorsports teammate Allgaier.
Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love finished 16th after leading the most laps (87) — a pit stop miscue put the reigning series champion a lap down at one point before he rallied back. He lost some ground in the title run and now sits 179 points behind Allgaier in race for the championship.
“Definitely really frustrating,” a disappointed Love said after the race. “Our Camaro was really fast and I know we had a misstep on pit road but we’ve got the best pit crew in the garage right now, it’s not even close.
“The only thing I can control is the way I prepare and keep showing up even when it hurts and I know right now, my path isn’t necessarily coming with a lot of wins and that can be frustrating but it’s the past now, so all I can do is keep showing up and preparing. It’s going to turn around. It has to. There’s no other possible way it’s not going to and having faith in that will get me through all this.”
YouTube personality Cleetus McFarland finished 35th in his second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start — rallying from a series of late-race pit stop miscues and penalties to finish the race in the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
After a streak of racing in 16 consecutive weekends, the series has its first off week next weekend before returning to competition June 13 in the Miller Tech Battery 250 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. (4 p.m., The CW, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Connor Zilisch is the defending race winner.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race — Sports Illustrated Resorts 250
Nashville Superspeedway
Nashville, Tennessee
Saturday, May 30, 2026
1. (17) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 188.
2. (33) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 188.
3. (5) William Sawalich, Toyota, 188.
4. (34) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 188.
5. (29) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 188.
6. (3) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 188.
7. (4) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, 188.
8. (6) Kyle Larson(i), Chevrolet, 188.
9. (27) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 188.
10. (8) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 188.
11. (2) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 188.
12. (9) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 188.
13. (7) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 188.
14. (13) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 188.
15. (24) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 188.
16. (1) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 188.
17. (12) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 188.
18. (31) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 187.
19. (25) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 187.
20. (21) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 187.
21. (23) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 187.
22. (15) Leland Honeyman Jr(i), Chevrolet, 187.
23. (19) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 187.
24. (20) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 187.
25. (16) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 187.
26. (32) Logan Bearden, Chevrolet, 186.
27. (35) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 186.
28. (11) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, 186.
29. (26) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 185.
30. (14) Austin Green, Chevrolet, 185.
31. (18) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 184.
32. (28) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 184.
33. (10) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 184.
34. (36) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, 183.
35. (38) Cleetus McFarland, Chevrolet, 182.
36. (30) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 179.
37. (22) David Starr, Chevrolet, Suspension, 151.
38. (37) JJ Yeley, Ford, Rear End, 59.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 132.452 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 53 Mins, 16 Secs. Margin of Victory: 1.403 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 2 for 15 laps.
Lead Changes: 12 among 7 drivers.
Lap Leaders: J. Love 1-49;J. Yeley 50;J. Love 51-54;J. Allgaier 55-75;J. Love 76-85;J. Allgaier 86-94;J. Love 95-118;B. Crews # 119-145;B. Jones 146;A. Hill 147-148;R. Sieg 149-150;B. Crews # 151-168;J. Allgaier 169-188.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Jesse Love 4 times for 87 laps; Justin Allgaier 3 times for 50 laps; Brent Crews # 2 times for 45 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 2 laps; Austin Hill 1 time for 2 laps; JJ Yeley 1 time for 1 lap; Brandon Jones 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 2,17,7,21,88,1,18,39,8,19
Stage #2 Top Ten: 7,2,1,18,19,17,41,99,88,39
–Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service
Fire explode offensively in runaway defeat of Fever
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