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
Ryan Blaney wins Atlanta pole, leads Team Penske front-row sweep
Jun 14, 2026; Long Pond, Pennsylvania, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) races during The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images HAMPTON, Ga. — Ryan Blaney claimed his second pole position of the season Saturday evening at Atlanta’s fast high-banked EchoPark Speedway — leading a Team Penske Ford front row sweep for Sunday night’s Quaker State 400 (7 p.m. ET, TNT, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford turned in a lap of 179.912 mph around the 1.5-mile track, besting his teammate Joey Logano’s No. 22 Ford by a slight .016-second in Busch Light Pole Qualifying.
It’s the 32-year old Blaney’s 14th career pole and marks the first front-row Penske sweep this year. All three Penske’s advanced to Saturday’s 10-car second round after dominating the top of the speed charts in round one. Austin Cindric will roll off eighth in the No. 2 Penske Ford.
The typically low-key Blaney was thrilled for the result, crediting his team for the hard work. However, the 2023 series champion was quick to remind at a high-speed, drafting track such as Atlanta, he was confident starting up front doesn’t automatically translate into a trip to Victory Lane.
Toyota, which is enjoying a dominant season in wins, failed to place a single car into the final round of qualifying.
NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Denny Hamlin will roll off 28th in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, who trails Hamlin by 44 points in the standings, will start 31st in the No. 45 Toyota. A five-time race winner this year, Reddick won at Atlanta this February.
Gibbs drivers Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell will start 23rd and 32nd. And Reddick’s 23XI teammates Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst are 23rd and 29th on the grid.
“I feel like we’ve seen that,” Blaney said of the Toyotas qualifying effort. “They don’t really qualify great at these speedways, just the build of their race car. So usually that means they can probably be aggressive in the draft and get in the middle and get to the top and things like that. I’m sure we’re going to see them up there.
“If you look at the spring race here and Toyotas were really, really good when it came race time. Hopefully, our balance in the race is good enough to be able to either maintain the lead or if we get shuffled back to be able to go forward. You really don’t know that until the race starts.”
The Chevrolets of Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports) and Austin Dillon (No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ) make up row two.
Daniel Suarez will start fifth with the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets of Alex Bowman and defending race winner Chase Elliott, Cindric, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Brad Keselowski owner-driver of the No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Ford, rounding out the top 10.
The front row start is especially significant for the three-time series champion Logano, who is enduring one of the most challenging seasons of his Hall of Fame-bound career. He’s still not in the top 16 field that will ultimately settle the title in the 10-race Chase. Logano’s ranked 18th, 16 points behind 16th-place Erik Jones.
“The good news is the Hunt Brothers Pizza Mustang is fast and that speed you see in qualifying will usually show up in the race,” said Logano, a two-time Atlanta winner. “I’m proud to see the speed that’s there and the handling seemed fine in qualifying.
“I feel like our team can handle these speedways really well and you can remember what happened here last Fall (he wrecked after leading laps and winning the pole position), so there’s no guarantee you see the end of it.
“But,” he added with a smile, “The speed’s there and that’s half the battle, so we know we have that.”
–By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media
Sports
Dodgers' Justin Wrobleski replaces Reds' Chase Burns on NL All-Star team
Jun 11, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski was added to the National League All-Star team Saturday as a replacement for Cincinnati Reds right-hander Chase Burns.
Burns last pitched for the Reds on Wednesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. He said Saturday that he injured his right groin during the contest while covering home plate after a wild pitch.
When symptoms increased, he reported the injury to Reds manager Terry Francona on Friday. The decision was later reached to pull out of Tuesday’s All-Star Game at Philadelphia.
“It was a tough decision,” Burns told reporters on Saturday. “I am very thankful to be selected and stuff, but I kind of had a tough play at the plate against the Phillies and the groin kind of got tight. I think it’s just a mature decision to prioritize the second half of the season and not mess it up anymore.”
Wrobleski, 25, becomes the sixth Dodgers player on the NL roster, which will be managed by Los Angeles skipper Dave Roberts.
Wrobleski was tied for the NL lead in wins when All-Star Game rosters were announced earlier this week but still was not included on the squad. He said he was well aware of the roster numbers crunch but was still going to use the snub as motivation.
“I mean, you want to be an All-Star, and I felt like I did enough to kind of put myself in that conversation, if not be there,” Wrobleski said last week. “To not get the selection, yeah, it definitely adds some fuel to the fire for the rest of this year. Go out there every outing and prove that I’m worthy of that, and that I’m going to be one of those guys moving forward.”
Wrobleski is 10-2 with a 2.69 ERA over 16 appearances (15 starts) this season. He made an appearance in Game 7 of last October’s World Series, delivering 1 1/3 scoreless innings in relief while replacing Shohei Ohtani in the third inning as the Dodgers trailed the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0. Los Angeles rallied to win the title in 11 innings.
According to The Athletic and NBC Sports Philadelphia, Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler was offered a spot on the NL roster on Friday but declined. Wheeler, 36, is 9-1 with a 2.28 ERA over 14 starts this season and is a three-time All-Star, including each of the previous two seasons.
Burns, 23, is 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA in 18 starts during his first full season in the major leagues.
The second overall selection in the 2024 draft has already reached 102 2/3 innings on the season. That is just shy of his combined 109 1/3 innings between the major leagues and minor leagues last season, which was his first on the field as a professional.
Francona was in full agreement with Burns’ reasoning for opting out of the game.
“I just think he’s trying to show some maturity and he understands that, like he told me, he knows where he’s at with his innings compared to last year and stuff. He was really thought out and conscientious about it,” Francona said.”
The Reds still will be represented at the All-Star Game by rookie infielder Sal Stewart.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kyle Bradish flirts with no-hitter as Orioles extend Royals’ skid
Jul 11, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish (38) throws during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Kyle Bradish took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the Baltimore Orioles extended their winning streak to three games after beating the visiting Kansas City Royals 6-1 on Saturday night.
Bradish (6-9) was done after 6 2/3 innings, charged with one run on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts. The outcome means that the right-hander avoided, at least for now, becoming the first 10-game loser in the major leagues this year.
Jac Caglianone rapped a single as the first batter in the seventh to break up the no-hit bid. He later scored on Salvador Perez’s sacrifice fly.
Grant Wolfram, Yennier Cano and Tyler Wells completed what became a combined two-hitter.
Pete Alonso smashed a two-run home run, and Coby Mayo, Taylor Ward and Gunnar Henderson all belted solo shots for the Orioles, who are assured of snapping a four-series losing streak at Camden Yards. Four of their six hits were homers.
The Royals have lost four consecutive games and eight of their last 11. First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, coming off a hand injury to play in his first big league game since June 13, went 0-for-3 with a walk.
Royals starter Noah Cameron (5-7) struck out nine batters in seven innings, but he was charged with five runs on five hits and two walks.
Through six innings, the only Kansas City batters to reach base came in back-to-back plate appearances in the third inning. Isaac Collins got aboard on second baseman Jackson Holliday’s fielding error and Carter Jensen followed with a walk before Bradish retired Bobby Witt Jr. on a foul out.
Samuel Basallo, who was Baltimore’s hero Friday night with a game-winning home run, drove in a second-inning run with a single to open the scoring.
Alonso’s 21st homer came in the fourth inning. Mayo led off the fifth with a homer, and Ward’s shot came with one out in the sixth.
The Orioles were efficient with their baserunners, stranding just one runner on base in the seventh. Henderson’s homer led off the eighth.
–Field Level Media
Ryan Blaney wins Atlanta pole, leads Team Penske front-row sweep
Dodgers' Justin Wrobleski replaces Reds' Chase Burns on NL All-Star team
