Sports
James Harden comes up clutch, Cavs avoid 0-3 hole vs. 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.
“He’s an all-timer,” Pistons star Cade Cunningham said of Harden. “Being an isolation scorer is what he likes doing. Guys get into a rhythm and make shots when he got comfortable.”
Game 4 is Monday in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers are 10-1 all-time in the playoffs against the Pistons.
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.
“We found a way to defend home court,” Mitchell said. “Collectively, we rebounded and executed — and James Harden does what he does. That’s why he’s here: his scoring, rebounding and passing.”
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.
“Screw the rotations,” Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We just had to find the five guys who can help us win. I’m usually really strict on that, but in this situation, you’ve got to put your best players on the floor.”
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.
“We understand that (Harden) hit some tough shots and made an impact on the game,” Harris stated. “But we can be tougher than that.”
“It’s a series, and we had a great opportunity tonight. You’ve got to give them credit. They made tough shots.”
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 the team’s first offensive rebound for a slam. The Pistons were called for three offensive fouls in the period.
“In the first half, we got great looks and open shots,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.”They just did not fall for us. We’ve got to make sure we get shots on goal, so we can set our defense and make people have to work through it.”
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.
“Playing basketball in the playoffs with great teammates with great fans means the world,” Mitchell added. “We got one win, we’ve got to get another.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ex-NFL player Anthony Wint to fight on Dana White's Contender Series
Aug 24, 2019; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Dwayne Washington (27) is tackled by New York Jets linebacker Anthony Wint (52) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Former NFL linebacker Anthony Wint will fight for a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, per multiple media reports.
Wint played college football at Florida International University, where he was a three-time All-Conference USA selection. He signed with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2018.
He appeared in two NFL games that season, recording one tackle and a forced fumble.
In 2023, Wint made the shift to mixed martial arts. Thus far, he has collected a 6-0 record with four wins by knockout and one by submission.
The 30-year-old heavyweight is listed at 6’0″ and 224 pounds. He will take on Matt Adams (6-2) on August 11 at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Alex Fitzpatrick takes lead at Truist Championship
May 8, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Alex Fitzpatrick places his ball on 18 green during the second round of the Truist Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images England’s Alex Fitzpatrick shot 7-under-par 64 to take the lead through three rounds of the Truist Championship on Saturday in Charlotte.
He’s at 14-under 199 with a one-shot lead on Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan, who posted a bogey-free 64, and a two-shot edge on Cameron Young, who recorded a 63.
It was a day with lots of movement on the leaderboard at Quail Hollow Club, where last May the PGA Championship was contested.
Fitzpatrick was 6 under for the round through 12 holes, pulling into a tie for the lead. He birdied Nos. 12 and 15 before the momentum was interrupted with a bogey on the 16th as he had to hit out of a greenside bunker. He needed an 8-foot putt for birdie on the next hole.
Young, who last weekend won the Cadillac Championship in Miami with a wire-to-wire effort, had an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole by sinking a 28-foot putt. His lone bogey came on the final hole.
Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard (67) and South Korea’s Sunjae Im (70), the second-round leader, share fourth place at 10 under.
Justin Thomas (69), J.J. Spaun (65) and England’s Tommy Fleetwood (70) are tied for sixth at 9 under.
Among the top 10 on the leaderboard, only Fitzpatrick and Thomas have kept their scores below 70 for all three rounds.
The start of the third round was delayed because of morning storms. It marked the second time in three days that a round was off schedule because of weather.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lucas Herbert retains LIV Golf lead despite Josele Ballester's 60
May 8, 2026; Sterling, Virginia, USA; Lucas Herbert talks with his caddie before hitting a drive during the second round of LIV Golf Virginia golf tournament at Trump National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: John (Jack) Power-Imagn Images Australia’s Lucas Herbert gave up half of his lead on Saturday during the third round of LIV Golf Virginia, yet his 4-under-par 68 was good enough to move to 21 under and carry a three-shot edge into the final round.
Herbert, 30, enjoys some daylight between him and Sergio Garcia (18 under after a 65) as he chases his first LIV title.
“I think, if you’d given me a three-shot lead going into Sunday at the start of the week, I’d have taken it in a heartbeat,” Herbert said. “You’ve got to put that in context, I think.”
The context is that Herbert was the only player in the top seven (through 54 holes) who didn’t shoot a 65 or better on Saturday.
Spain’s Josele Ballester was particularly brilliant as he fired a 12 under 60 to set the course record at Trump National in Potomac Falls, Va. Had he birdied each of the last two holes — he missed a 25-foot birdie try on No. 10, his final hole — he would have tied LIV’s 18-hole record.
“It’s been the first time in a while or first time this year that I kind of entered the flow zone,” Ballester said. “It seemed like everything was going easy or somewhat easy. I executed really well in all areas of the game. Towards the end when I felt the adrenaline and the pressure a little more, I still executed and made some good shots and some good putts.”
Bryson DeChambeau shot a 12-under par 58 to set the record at the 2023 LIV Golf Greenbrier event.
Despite the best round of his life, the 22-year-old Ballester finds himself eight shots back of Herbert. He shares third place with DeChambeau (64), Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent (62), and South Africa’s Dean Burmester (65).
Spain’s Jon Rahm (12 under after a 65), Belgium’s Thomas Detry (-11, 66) and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell (-11, 66) are the only other golfers within 10 shots of Herbert.
Garcia, who scrambled for a par at No. 13 after removing his socks and shoes and sinking his feet into the mud to hit a shot out of the pond, understands it won’t be a two-man race for the title on Sunday.
“You can’t just think, oh, it’s just Lucas and I,” Garcia said. “Obviously if we play well, it will be him and I, but we still have to go out there and play well. There’s still 18 holes to go, and anything can happen out there.”
–Field Level Media
Ex-NFL player Anthony Wint to fight on Dana White's Contender Series
Alex Fitzpatrick takes lead at Truist Championship
