Sports
Coaching ties, tired legs in focus as Pistons open semis vs. Cavs
Jan 4, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart (28) during the second half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images J.B. Bickerstaff spent four-plus years building Cleveland into a contender. Now he gets to try to dismantle it.
Just two days after surviving a Game 7, the top-seeded Detroit Pistons open the Eastern Conference semifinals Tuesday night at home against the fourth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, the franchise that fired Bickerstaff two years ago.
The Cavaliers have won the last three playoff series between the teams and carry a 12-game postseason winning streak against Detroit. But with both sides coming off Game 7s, this one may come down to which team recovers fastest.
Detroit advanced with a 116-94 win over Orlando on Sunday, fueled by 32 points and 12 assists from Cade Cunningham and 30 points from Tobias Harris.
“I know a lot of people would’ve liked it to just be easier, but I think it was great for our guys; to go through what they went through, to understand what it looks like and where they have to be in order to get it done,” said Bickerstaff, who received a contract extension on Monday. “We understand that now, and we (will) take that with us to the second round.”
Cleveland also needed seven games to defeat Toronto. The Cavs beat the Raptors 114-102 Sunday behind 22 points and 19 rebounds from Jarrett Allen and 22 points from Donovan Mitchell.
Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, who replaced Bickerstaff in May 2024, expects a similar grind.
“I think a lot of similarities. Physicality, right?” Atkinson said when asked what he expects. “We’re going to have to be mentally and physically tough to beat this team.
“They’ve had a great year. They’re the favorites. We go in there as underdogs, which is a challenge. I think it’s going to be a similar series (to the Toronto matchup), being able to handle their pressure, their rebounding, their force, their physicality.”
The Pistons were among the league’s best at protecting the paint during the regular season, limiting both attempts at the rim and efficiency once opponents got there. That carried into the first round, where they forced Orlando into difficult half-court possessions, including a 19-point second half in Game 6.
That approach could create problems for the Cavaliers, especially Mitchell. Toronto had success crowding driving lanes and turning him into a perimeter scorer, and the Cavaliers’ offense stalled at times as a result.
Detroit doesn’t have a single defender like Toronto’s Scottie Barnes, but makes up for it with collective physicality. If the Pistons can replicate that formula, Cleveland could again find itself grinding on offense.
“They’ve been phenomenal,” said Mitchell, who averaged 23.1 points per game against the Raptors. “(Bickerstaff has) done a phenomenal job over there. They’ve been phenomenal all year. They’re tough, right? They’re physical. They’ve got Cade, who’s the head of the snake.
“It’s going to be a tall task. … We got to go out there and find a way to get one on the road.”
On the other end, Detroit faces its own questions. The Pistons have leaned heavily on Cunningham all season, and that dependence showed in the first round when their half-court offense stalled.
Cunningham delivered in three elimination games by averaging 36.3 points per game, but sustaining that level against Cleveland’s defense is another challenge. The Cavaliers have multiple options to throw at him, including Dean Wade, who has handled tough assignments throughout the postseason.
If Cleveland can limit Cunningham’s impact as both a scorer and facilitator, the pressure shifts to Detroit’s supporting cast, which has been productive but inconsistent as secondary creators.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Thieves, Gentle Mates reach 3-0 at Stage 3 Major qualifying
A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.
Jordan Woodruff
Los Angeles Thieves and Paris Gentle Mates joined the ranks of the 3-0 teams Sunday on the last day of Week 2 of qualifying for the Call of Duty League’s Stage 3 Major.
One day after OpTic Texas improved to 3-0, the Thieves beat Vancouver Surge 3-1 and the Gentle Mates rallied past the winless Boston Breach 3-2. Also Sunday, G2 Minnesota blanked the Miami Heretics 3-0.
The 12 Call of Duty League teams are playing a full qualifying round robin to determine seeding for the third major of the season, to be held May 15-17 as part of the DreamHack Atlanta event.
The Thieves edged the Surge 250-241 on Gridlock Hardpoint to kick off the day, then rang up a 6-0 shellacking on Den Search and Destroy. Vancouver got one back with an 8-1 runaway on Den Overload, but Los Angeles prevailed 250-134 on Sake Hardpoint.
The Gentle Mates fell behind 2-0 to Boston right away, as the Breach won 250-219 on Sake Hardpoint and 6-3 on Fringe Search and Destroy. Paris stayed alive by pulling out a 4-3 win on Exposure Overload. The tide was turned, and Paris continued on to a 250-157 win on Colossus Hardpoint and a clinching 6-3 triumph on Gridlock Search and Destroy.
G2 earned their first win of qualifying by taking care of Miami 250-193 on Colossus Hardpoint, 6-5 on Scar Search and Destroy and 3-2 on Den Overload.
Week 3 begins Friday with three matches:
–Riyadh Falcons vs. Miami Heretics
–Paris Gentle Mates vs. OpTic Texas
–Vancouver Surge vs. Toronto KOI
Call of Duty League Stage 3 Major qualifying, with match record and map differential
1. Los Angeles Thieves, 3-0, 9-2
T2. OpTic Texas 3-0, 9-4
T2. Paris Gentle Mates, 3-0, 9-4
4. FaZe Vegas, 3-1, 10-6
5. Toronto KOI, 2-1, 8-5
6. Vancouver Surge, 2-2, 8-8
7. G2 Minnesota, 1-2, 4-6
8. Riyadh Falcons, 1-2, 5-7
9. Miami Heretics, 1-1, 4-7
10. Carolina Royal Ravens, 1-3, 8-10
11. Cloud9 New York, 0-3, 2-9
12. Boston Breach, 0-4, 4-12
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tigers break open close game, earn series win vs. Rangers
May 3, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) celebrates at home plate with teammate Riley Greene (31) after hitting a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the fifth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Spencer Torkelson smacked a two-run homer, Kevin McGonigle supplied a pair of run-scoring hits and the host Detroit Tigers downed the Texas Rangers, 7-1, on Sunday in the rubber game of a three-game series.
Matt Vierling had a two-run double and Hao-Yu Lee added an RBI single. Tyler Holton was used as an opener and pitched two-thirds of an inning.
Brenan Hanifee got the next five outs and winning pitcher Brant Hurter (4-0) tossed 3 1/3 scoreless frames, allowing two hits. Ricky Vanasco gave up one run in 1 1/3 innings. Kyle Finnegan and Burch Smith each added an inning of scoreless relief.
Rangers starter Jack Leiter (1-3) struck out 10, tying his career high, in 6 2/3 innings. He was charged with five runs and five hits with one walk.
Leiter struck out six of the first eight batters he faced. He didn’t allow a baserunner until the fifth, when Riley Greene drew a leadoff walk on four pitches. Leiter got ahead 0-2 in the count to Torkelson, then hung a slider that Torkelson crushed to left-center for his sixth homer of the season.
Detroit extended its lead to 3-0 in the sixth. Jake Rogers led off with a sinking liner to center. Evan Carter tried to make a diving catch and the ball bounced past him, allowing Rogers to go all the way to third for a triple. McGonigle then lined a single to right to knock him in.
The Rangers broke through in the seventh. Ezequiel Duran had a one-out double to left and Josh Smith walked. A wild pitch moved up both runners and Duran scored on Kyle Higashioka’s groundout. Vanasco struck out Brandon Nimmo to keep the score at 3-1.
Detroit made it 7-1 in the bottom of the seventh. Kerry Carpenter had a one-out single, advanced on a groundout and scored on Lee’s single. Tyler Alexander replaced Leiter and gave up a single to Rogers and another to McGonigle, scoring Lee. Rogers and McGonigle scored on Vierling’s double.
–Field Level Media
Sports
MLB roundup: Sizzling Rays sweep series from runs-challenged Giants
May 3, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays team celebrate a win during the tenth inning against San Francisco Giants at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images Jonathan Aranda’s walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning capped a four-hit outing, and the Tampa Bay Rays swept the first half of their six-game homestand with a 2-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The designated hitter, who went 4-for-5 and had half of his club’s hits, looped a fastball off Caleb Kilian (1-1) over second base to easily score designated runner Chandler Simpson as the Rays moved to 16-5 in the past 21 games.
Ian Seymour (1-0) fired a perfect 10th inning as Tampa Bay allowed just two runs in 28 innings to the Giants, who lost their sixth straight. Starter Steven Matz allowed one run on four hits in six innings.
San Francisco’s Casey Schmitt had two hits, an RBI and stole base, while Rafael Devers had a double and a run. Starter Tyler Mahle tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed only four hits.
Twins 4, Blue Jays 3
Luke Keaschall, Kody Clemens and Matt Wallner doubled in runs and host Minnesota overcame the early exit of starting pitcher Joe Ryan to beat Toronto in Minneapolis.
Ryan departed after just nine pitches and two hitters with what was termed right elbow soreness. Rookie right-hander Andrew Morris (1-1) came out of the bullpen to toss 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and a walk while fanning three. Four other relievers followed, with right-hander Justin Topa surviving a rocky ninth for his second save.
The Blue Jays’ Kazuma Okamoto belted a two-run homer, his ninth of the year, with Myles Straw aboard with one out in the ninth. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Jesus Sanchez followed with singles to put the potential go-ahead runs aboard before Lenyn Sosa grounded into a game-ending 4-6-3 double play. Trey Yesavage (1-1) permitted five hits and a run in four innings with three walks and six strikeouts for Toronto.
Yankees 11, Orioles 3
Jasson Dominguez scored the tiebreaking run in the sixth inning before hitting a two-run homer and an RBI double during a seven-run eighth as New York pulled away for a victory over visiting Baltimore.
Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer off Baltimore rookie starter Trey Gibson. Ben Rice hit his 12th home run of the season in the first and doubled ahead of Judge’s 13th homer in the third. Dominguez started New York’s big inning with a two-run drive into the right field seats off Andrew Kittredge for a 6-3 lead, and he came up again later in the inning with a double for an 11-3 lead.
Blaze Alexander had an RBI single in the third for the Orioles. Leody Taveras hit an RBI infield single and Tyler O’Neill scored on a double-play grounder by Jeremiah Jackson in the fourth.
Pirates 1, Reds 0
Oneil Cruz’s two-out RBI single in the bottom of the eighth broke a scoreless tie and host Pittsburgh defeated Cincinnati to sweep the three-game series.
The two teams combined for only nine hits as the Pirates’ Braxton Ashcraft and Reds’ Chase Burns locked up in a pitchers’ duel. Ashcraft had the longest start of his career at 7 2/3 innings, in which he only allowed four hits. Gregory Soto (3-0) retired the side in order in the ninth.
Burns pitched seven shutout innings, which included beginning the eighth for the first time in his career, in which he stayed in to face a single batter. For the day, he gave up three hits and got seven strikeouts.
Astros 3, Red Sox 1 (10 innings)
Cam Smith had three hits, including a two-run single in the top of the 10th inning, to help visiting Houston earn a victory over Boston.
Smith’s two-out single came against Zack Kelly (0-2). The Red Sox had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the 10th, but Bryan Abreu got Ceddanne Rafaela to ground into a double play to end the game.
Jarren Duran hit a home run for Boston, which stranded 13 runners and was 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Abreu (1-2) pitched two scoreless innings. He gave up one hit, walked one and struck out one.
Phillies 7, Marlins 2
Bryson Stott belted his second three-run homer of the series and Jesus Luzardo struck out 10 batters, fueling visiting Philadelphia to a victory over Miami.
Luzardo (3-3), who pitched for the Marlins from 2021-24, breezed through six innings before surrendering a two-run homer to Esteury Ruiz in the seventh. That was the lone blemish for Luzardo, who allowed just those two runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings. Kyle Schwarber and Brandon Marsh reached base three times apiece for the Phillies, who banged out 11 hits.
Otto Lopez and Christopher Morel each had two hits for Miami, which has lost five of its last eight games. Chris Paddack (0-5) permitted seven runs on six hits in 2 2/3 innings.
Rays 2, Giants 1 (10 innings)
Jonathan Aranda’s walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning capped a four-hit outing, and Tampa Bay swept the first half of its six-game homestand with a victory San Francisco in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The designated hitter, who went 4-for-5 and had half of his club’s hits, looped a fastball off Caleb Kilian (1-1) over second base to easily score designated runner Chandler Simpson as the Rays moved to 16-5 in the past 21 games.
Ian Seymour (1-0) fired a perfect 10th inning as Tampa Bay allowed just two runs in 28 innings to the Giants, who lost their sixth straight. San Francisco’s Casey Schmitt had two hits, an RBI and stole base, while Rafael Devers had a double and a run.
Nationals 3, Brewers 2
Nasim Nunez had a pair of RBI singles and Washington avoided a three-game sweep with a win over visiting Milwaukee.
CJ Abrams had two infield singles and scored twice for the Nationals, who had won four of five before getting outscored 10-2 in the first two games against the Brewers.
Brandon Lockridge had two of the four hits for Milwaukee, which had won three in a row.
Braves 11, Rockies 6
Jonah Heim homered, doubled and drove in a career-high-tying five runs as visiting Atlanta completed a three-game series sweep of Colorado in Denver.
Matt Olson went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs and an RBI as Jorge Mateo also homered and had two hits with two RBIs for the Braves. Three teammates finished with two hits: Eli White (triple, RBI), Ozzie Albies (three runs, RBI) and Drake Baldwin.
Mickey Moniak hit two home runs and drove in three runs, Troy Johnston had two hits with two walks and a run, and TJ Rumfield went 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and a run for the Rockies, who suffered their fourth straight loss.
Dodgers 4, Cardinals 1
Justin Wrobleski tossed six scoreless innings as visiting Los Angeles snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over St. Louis.
Andy Pages doubled in a run and Hyeseong Kim, Freddie Freeman and Alex Call each had RBI singles to help the Dodgers end the Cardinals’ six-game winning streak and avoid a sweep of the three-game series.
Wrobleski (5-0) gave up six hits with one walk and no strikeouts. Tanner Scott retired St. Louis in order in the ninth for his second save. Cardinals starter Dustin May (3-3) allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings against his former team.
Mets 5, Angels 1
Mark Vientos hit a pair of two-run homers for visiting New York, which earned a rare series win by beating Los Angeles in the rubber game of a three-game interleague set.
Carson Benge had an RBI double immediately before Vientos’ second homer in the eighth for the Mets, who won for just the fifth time in 23 games. Starter Clay Holmes (4-2) earned the win by allowing the one run on four hits over 6 2/3 innings. The outing lowered his National League-leading ERA to 1.69.
Jorge Soler delivered a run-scoring single in the first for the similarly skidding Angels, who have dropped 12 of 14 since an 11-10 start. Starter Jack Kochanowicz (2-1) gave up two runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings.
Cubs 8, Diamondbacks 4
Michael Busch drove in four runs to lead Chicago over visiting Arizona for its fifth consecutive victory.
Busch doubled and scored a run in the second and broke the game open for good with a three-run triple in the fifth as the Cubs finished the three-game sweep with their 11th straight win at home. Starter Matthew Boyd (2-1) gave up four hits and two runs over six innings.
Diamondbacks pinch hitter Adrian Del Castillo hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth to finalize the scoring. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. went 2-for-3 with a run for Arizona. Starter Merrill Kelly (1-3) went 4 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and six runs.
Padres 4, White Sox 3
Xander Bogaerts’ RBI infield single in the bottom of the eighth inning was enough for the winning run as San Diego snapped a four-game losing streak with a decision over visiting Chicago.
Jason Adam (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and Mason Miller mowed Chicago down in the ninth for his 11th save in as many chances. Miguel Andujar and Manny Machado each hit solo shots.
Derek Hill belted a two-run homer and Drew Romo had a solo blast, but the White Sox’s five-game winning streak was snapped.
Athletics 7, Guardians 1
Colby Thomas, Zack Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom hit home runs and Aaron Civale tossed six innings of one-run ball as the Athletics defeated visiting Cleveland in West Sacramento, Calif.
Jeff McNeil had a team-high three RBIs as the A’s avoided the sweep in the series finale, having lost to the Guardians 8-5 and 14-6 on Friday and Saturday. Tyler Soderstrom went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
Civale (3-1) had traffic on the bases in every inning of his outing, conceding seven hits and two walks in total, but he kept the damage to a minimum. Cleveland’s only run came courtesy of a Chase DeLauter solo homer in the fifth.
Royals 4, Mariners 1
Kris Bubic pitched seven strong innings as Kansas City beat host Seattle to sweep the three-game series after winning just three of its first 15 road games this season.
Bubic (3-1) gave up one run on four hits — all singles. The left-hander walked two and struck out seven. Daniel Lynch IV worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his first save of the season. Teammate Isaac Collins went 2-for-2, added a walk, a sacrifice fly and drove in two runs. Vinnie Pasquantino added two hits in five at-bats and scored once.
Mariners starter Luis Castillo (0-3) allowed four runs on six hits over six innings. The right-hander walked two and fanned five.
Tigers 7, Rangers 1
Spencer Torkelson smacked a two-run homer, Kevin McGonigle supplied a pair of run-scoring hits and Detroit beat visiting Texas in the rubber game of a three-game series.
Matt Vierling had a two-run double and Hao-Yu Lee added an RBI single. Tyler Holton was used as an opener and pitched two-thirds of an inning. Brenan Hanifee got the next five outs and winning pitcher Brant Hurter (4-0) tossed 3 1/3 scoreless frames, allowing two hits. Ricky Vanasco gave up one run in 1 1/3 innings. Kyle Finnegan and Burch Smith each added an inning of scoreless relief.
Rangers starter Jack Leiter (1-3) struck out 10, tying his career high, in 6 2/3 innings. He was charged with five runs and five hits with one walk.
–Field Level Media
Jimmy Kimmel breaks down 1 hour of Trumps unhinged Truth Social feed
Thieves, Gentle Mates reach 3-0 at Stage 3 Major qualifying
