Sports
Hawks face pivotal clash in rematch with Cavaliers
Apr 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) dribbles defended by Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) in the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley made quite a statement in the first part of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ home-and-home set with the Atlanta Hawks, combining for 53 points and 26 rebounds Wednesday in a 122-116 victory.
It’s now the Hawks’ turn to host. And there is significantly more pressure on them as the Eastern Conference teams meet Friday in Georgia.
Cleveland (51-29) will either finish third or fourth in the East, but fifth-place Atlanta (45-35) must win one of its final two games in order to clinch a playoff berth. Falling out of the top six — and into the play-in tournament — is a concern for the Hawks.
“If we can get in the playoffs, I don’t think we care who we play,” said Atlanta coach Quin Snyder, whose club is 25-10 since Jan. 21. “We just want to get in there, truly. We’ve got a new group since midseason. Let’s see what we can do.”
The Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic are both within a game of the Hawks, who would win a tiebreaker over the Magic and lose one to the Raptors. If Atlanta remains in fifth, it likely will face the Cavaliers in the first round.
Resting All-Star power forward Jalen Johnson, aggressive shooting guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker or defensive ace Dyson Daniels in the regular-season finale is not an option, unless the Hawks win the rematch.
Cleveland, on the other hand, plans on keeping all of its key players in street clothes for the next two games to avoid potential injuries.
“I think both teams were trying to send a message in this first one,” said Mitchell, who is dealing with an ankle injury. “It’s not the playoffs yet, but that was playoff intensity that you could feel in the arena. It was live.”
Alexander-Walker scored 10 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, but Johnson and Daniels both fouled out down the stretch. Mitchell and James Harden wore them out by repeatedly attacking the basket.
Mitchell finished with 31 points, including four free throws in the last 92 seconds after Atlanta pulled within 118-116. Reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year Mobley racked up 22 points, a career-high-tying 19 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Mobley and Mitchell were both a plus-20 and the main reason why the Cavaliers held on for the win, despite blowing almost all of a 105-87 lead in the final 11 minutes.
“Evan played with such great force tonight,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. “I know it’s not perfect, but rebounding the ball and getting into the paint, I thought he was great.”
Cleveland won both matchups at home, while the Hawks were a 130-123 winner on Nov. 28. CJ McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga hadn’t been acquired by Atlanta when the first two games were played last calendar year.
Harden also wasn’t with the Cavaliers, who are 19-6 with him in the lineup since ending his contentious stint with the Los Angeles Clippers. He scored 21 points Wednesday.
“They’re really good because James can play different ways for them,” Snyder said. “He can play in transition, have a 15-16 assist night, and he can score when it’s needed. That combination with Donovan has made Cleveland even tougher to play.”
Atlanta is in great shape physically, with the exception of backup center Jock Landale (right high ankle sprain). Landale was the victim of a flagrant foul by Goga Bitadze of the Orlando Magic on April 1, suffering the injury that will keep him out for 3-6 weeks.
Landale is in a walking boot from what Snyder termed “a dirty play” and could wind up missing the entire postseason.
“Part of him probably wants to play in the boot he’s in,” Snyder said, managing a weak smile. “But in Jock’s case, with that injury, you don’t know how long he’s going to be out. He’s going to do everything to get back as soon as he can.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
76ers C Joel Embiid (appendicitis) out vs. Rockets
Apr 3, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) controls the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will undergo surgery on Thursday afternoon in Houston, the team announced.
Embiid initially was ruled out for the game against the Rockets on Thursday night due to an illness.
The eighth-place 76ers (43-36) remain in a tight battle with several teams in the Eastern Conference, attempting to avoid the postseason play-in tournament. They are one full game in back of the sixth-place Toronto Raptors (44-35) with three games to play.
Embiid, 32, is averaging 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds in 38 games (all starts) this season.
The 2022-23 MVP and a seven-time All-Star, Embiid is averaging 27.6 points and 10.8 rebounds in 490 career games (all starts) since being selected by Philadelphia with the third overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NBA clears Kings, says coach made mistake vs. Warriors
Apr 5, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie yells during the second quarter against the LA Clippers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images The NBA announced Thursday that Sacramento Kings head coach Doug Christie made an honest mistake in his team’s loss to the Golden State Warriors.
The league was investigating Christie after he instructed forward Doug McDermott to intentionally foul Warriors guard Seth Curry with his team leading by one with 3:15 remaining in the fourth quarter of Tuesday’s game.
“The league’s investigation determined that Christie mistakenly believed that the Warriors were not in the penalty and therefore instructed his team to foul in an attempt to stop the clock and utilize one of the team’s remaining timeouts,” the NBA’s statement said. “The investigation found that Christie made no intentional effort to give the Warriors a shooting foul, or to cause the Kings to lose the game.”
Curry made one of two free throws to tie the game at 101-101. The Kings (21-59) went on to lose the game, 110-105.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jannik Sinner sees record set streak snapped, advances in Monte Carlo
Mar 29, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Jannik Sinner of Italy hits a backhand against Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic after beating him in the final of the men’s singles at the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images No. 2 Jannik Sinner saw his record streak of consecutive sets won at ATP Masters 1000 events snapped at 37, but the Italian still managed to beat Czech competitor Tomas Machac 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-3 to advance to the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters on Thursday.
Sinner, whose streak was 13 sets longer than any other since the 1000 series began in 1990, overcame committing more unforced errors (30) than winners (23) by winning 47.2% of his return points and by creating 11 break-point opportunities and converting seven of them.
He lost consecutive service games in the second set to fall behind 5-2 but rallied to force the tiebreaker which he lost handily to see his streak snapped.
“In the second set, I struggled a bit with trying to find the right energy. This can happen. I tried to push myself through, which I’ve done,” Sinner said. “Even when you don’t feel the best, I’m trying to find ways. That was the case today. I’m happy.”
He’ll face No. 6 Canadian Felix-Auger Aliassime for a semifinal spot after the latter’s 7-5, 2-2 victory over No. 9 Casper Ruud of Norway, who retired due to an apparent calf injury.
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz survived a very sloppy second set to defeat Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 in third-round action.
Of the Spaniard’s 47 unforced errors, 23 of them came in the second set. He finished with 45 winners and was never really in danger in the third set, breaking to open up a 3-0 lead and serving out the match from there in two hours and 24 minutes.
“I was playing really well in the first set. I was feeling the ball 10/10,” Alcaraz said. “Then I started pretty well in the second set as well and had a chance to break his serve in the second game, but I didn’t take it. When you don’t take the opportunities at this level, you have to run back. He played more aggressive after that, but I would say it was a great fight in the end.”
Alcaraz, who is in danger of losing his World No. 1 spot should Sinner win this event, will face eighth-seeded Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan for a semifinal spot.
Bublik had an easier time on Thursday, needing just 75 minutes to beat No. 11 Czech Jiri Lehecka 6-2, 7-5. While Lehecka had seven aces and no double faults, he was not able to force a single break point on Bublik, who won 40 of 51 service points (78.4%).
No. 3 Alexander Zverev of Germany is also through to the quarterfinals after a 6-2, 7-5 win over Belgium’s Zizou Bergs. No. 5 Alex de Minaur of Australia outlasted Belgian qualifier Alexander Blockx 7-5, 7-6 (4).
In the first of two matches between unseeded competitors, 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca coasted past Italian wild card Matteo Berrettini 6-3, 6-2 in 73 minutes.
Also, local competitor Valentin Vacherot rallied for a 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4 win over Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz to advance to the quarterfinals. It’s the deepest run a Monegasque player has ever made in Monte Carlo.
–Field Level Media
76ers C Joel Embiid (appendicitis) out vs. Rockets
NBA clears Kings, says coach made mistake vs. Warriors
