Sports
James Harden comes up clutch, as Cavs defeat Pistons
May 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates after hitting a three point basket against the Detroit Pistons during the first half of game three in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Donovan Mitchell had 35 points and 10 rebounds, as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the visiting Detroit Pistons 116-109 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Saturday afternoon.
The fourth-seeded Cavaliers lost the first two games of the series in Detroit but ended the contest on a 12-5 run to remain unbeaten at home this postseason. James Harden came through in the clutch, scoring seven of his 19 points in the final 90 seconds.
Game 4 is Monday in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers are 10-1 all-time in the playoffs against the Pistons.
Cade Cunningham posted the second triple-double of his playoff career with 27 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the top-seeded Pistons, but committed eight turnovers. Two of his miscues occurred in the final 2:32 — the first when Max Strus stole his inbounds pass and scored to put the Cavaliers ahead for good at 106-104.
Harden took over from there making a jumper, tough pull-up and a 3-pointer, the latter making it 113-109 Cleveland. Cunningham had buried a 3-pointer to pull the Pistons within one before Harden’s 26-footer. Mitchell then iced the win at the foul line with three makes in the last 20 seconds.
Jarrett Allen had 18 points, and Evan Mobley added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers. Mitchell scored his 1,000th career playoff point in the first quarter.
Tobias Harris scored 21 points and gave Detroit its final lead at 100-98 with a 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter. Duncan Robinson scored 15 points, and Paul Reed had 11 points in 10 minutes off the bench, all in the second half.
Reed made a layup to complete a 28-10 run to begin the third for the Pistons, who grabbed a 76-74 lead behind 10 points from Cunningham. Mitchell answered with consecutive hoops as Cleveland moved back in front 83-81 going into the fourth.
The Cavaliers outscored Detroit 32-18 in the second, fueled by 11 points from Mitchell and seven from Mobley to extend their advantage to 64-48. Mitchell scored 20 points, and Allen added 13 in the first half, while Cunningham and Harris had 10 apiece.
The second featured a five-point Cleveland possession that saw Harden make a 3-pointer and miss the attached free throw, but Mobley grabbed its first offensive rebound for a slam. The Pistons were called for three offensive fouls in the period.
Allen and Mitchell each scored nine points in the first as Cleveland went up 32-30 on the seventh lead change. Cunningham had six points, five rebounds and four assists for the Pistons, who jumped ahead 12-5 with Mitchell picking up two fouls in the first 2:45.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red Bulls snap winless streak, upset Fire
Apr 11, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Red Bull New York forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (13) clears a corner kick by Inter Miami CF during the second half at Miami Freedom Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Jorge Ruvalcaba, Cade Cowell and Eric Maxim Chuopo-Moting scored as the New York Red Bulls handed the Chicago Fire their second straight home loss, 3-1, on Saturday.
Ethan Horvath had three saves for the Red Bulls (4-5-3, 15 points), who ended a two-game scoreless drought and snapped their five-game MLS winless streak.
Hugo Cuypers scored in the 87th minute for Chicago (5-4-2, 17 points), which has suddenly slumped after putting together a five-game unbeaten streak.
New York rookie coach Michael Bradley topped his former U.S. men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter, who guides Chicago. Bradley was on the USMNT from 2006 to 2019, playing under Berhalter in the final season of his playing tenure.
Chris Brady had one save for the Fire. He has surrendered nine goals in the last four games after recording clean sheets in four of Chicago’s first seven matches this season.
In a static first half, Chicago had 59 percent of the possession but didn’t take its first shot on goal until the 44th minute.
New York scored on its ensuing possession in the 45th minute, as the Fire defense gave Emil Forsberg and Rubalcaba too much room on the left side of the box.
Rubalcava one-touched a pass from Forsberg to clear himself for a right-footed blast, which went into the top right corner for his fourth goal of the year and a 1-0 lead.
Four minutes into the second half, the Red Bulls struck again using their speed in transition. Ronald Donkor dribbled from beyond midfield and fed Cade Cowell who made an inside run.
Cowell received the ball on the right side of the box and scored with a low shot past onrushing Brady for his first goal as a Red Bull and a 2-0 lead.
New York defender Dylan Nealis blocked two Chicago shots, including a looping left-footed try from the right side by Puso Dithejane in the 67th minute. The ball floated over Horvath but Nealis darted to the goal line and booted it over the crossbar.
In the 81st minute, Choupo-Moting scored with a penalty kick into the left side net after Brady tackled Adri Mehmeti in the box.
Cuypers, who entered tied for the league lead in goals with 10, scored in the 87th minute off a rebound following a save by Horvat. It was his seventh goal in Chicago’s last four matches.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rays-Red Sox postponed, game to be made up July 17
May 9, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A view of the tarp on the field after the game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays had been postponed at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images Saturday afternoon’s game between the Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays was postponed due to heavy rainfall in Boston.
The postponement was signaled approximately 15 minutes before scheduled first pitch at Fenway Park.
The contest will be made up at 1:35 p.m. ET on July 17 as part of a split doubleheader. It will mark both teams’ first game since the All-Star break.
The regularly scheduled game on July 17 is set for 7:10 p.m. ET.
The Rays are pushing scheduled Saturday starter Nick Martinez (3-1, 1.71 ERA), a right-hander, back a day to start Sunday’s series finale. Boston might also push back left-hander Payton Tolle (1-1, 2.04) to Sunday.
The Red Sox and Rays split the first two games of what is now a three-game series.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lionel Messi sets another record in Inter Miami win over Toronto FC
May 9, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Inter Miami CF midfielder Lionel Messi (10) battles for the ball with Toronto FC midfielder Jonathan Osorio (21) during the first half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images Rodrigo De Paul, Luis Suarez, Sergio Reguilon and Lionel Messi each scored to lead visiting Inter Miami to a 4-2 win over Toronto FC on Saturday.
Messi also had two assists as Miami (6-2-4, 22 points) made sure it wouldn’t repeat last week’s stunning 4-3 home loss against Orlando City when it surrendered a 3-0 lead.
With his offensive output on the day, Messi added another accomplishment to his already long list, becoming the fastest MLS player to reach 100 goal contributions. He did so in just 64 games, besting the record previously held by Toronto legend Sebastian Giovinco, who needed 95 games to reach the feat.
Messi has 59 goals and 41 assists since joining Inter Miami late in the 2023 season.
Emilio Aristizabal scored a brace for Toronto (3-4-5, 14 points).
The Herons took a 1-0 lead when De Paul’s free kick from 25 yards out in the 44th minute ricocheted off the wall and his one-time right-footed shot hit the post and went in.
Suarez gave Miami a 2-0 advantage when he finished Messi’s pass with his left foot in the 56th minute. The Herons took advantage of the space created when Toronto forward Raheem Edwards remained down on the pitch.
In the 73rd minute, Miami went up 3-0 when Messi returned a pass to Reguilon who scored his first MLS goal.
Miami poured it on at 4-0 when De Paul connected with Messi in the middle of the box in the 75th minute.
Aristizabal trimmed Miami’s lead to 4-1 in the 82nd minute. Toronto trailed 4-2 on Aristizabal’s header on a Kobe Franklin pass in the 90th minute.
Early in the match, Toronto had its chances. Alonso Coello’s free kick from outside the box in the eighth minute skipped through the Miami wall, but Dayne St. Clair made the save.
In the next few minutes, Toronto continued to press as Malik Henry, Markus Cimermancic and Deandre Kerr had shots go wide of the target.
Miami’s offense started to build late in the first half when a Messi shot sizzled beyond the near post in the 38th minute.
Moments later, St. Clair made a diving punch save of a Daniel Salloi shot to preserve Miami’s 1-0 lead at halftime.
The 47th minute featured Luis Suarez forcing a turnover at midfield which set Messi up for a 2-on-1 run. Messi drew in both defenders and slipped a pass to Suarez on the wing, whose shot from inside the box was off target.
–Field Level Media
Red Bulls snap winless streak, upset Fire
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